It Is The Beating of His Hideous Heart?!

Sozen lets out a relieved sigh, leaning back in his chair. "Thank god..."

OOC: He should probably let everyone else know of the delay...

The doctor wheeled in Aiko some time later.

Sozen smiles at Aiko, who smiles weakly back before gesturing to Asuka. "H-How is she?" Sozen's face hardens, and he speaks harshly. "She'll live...I'm going to call Stein and inform him we'll need to delay our departure..." He exits the room, pulling out his phone. Aiko sighs, looking over at Asuka.

Aiko watches Asuka, too weak to wheel herself over to her. A nurse comes soon, helping Aiko into the bed next to Asuka. Aiko continues to watch her, waiting for her brother to return.

Aiko groans lightly in pain, a small stream of blood leaking out of her mouth. "A-Asuka....A-anyone....h-help...."

Aiko doubles over as a nurse rushes in, starting to work on her. Sozen returns, panicking. "W-What's happening?!" "She seems to have a tear in the esophagus...We need to get her back in surgery..."

OOC: Asuka's not going to do anything for a while....

Aiko is wheeled out, and Sozen takes a seat next to Asuka. He glared at her, and started speaking, even though he knew she wouldn't hear him. "This is all your fault, you know...Your inability to harden your heart, to withstand emotional trauma...Now Aiko's bleeding internally, and she looks so weak...You make me sick, Asuka..."

At that a small piece of Aiko's soul, left behind, speaks up. "That's not true! You're in pain, and Sozen is angry. There's still Stein, and Sylas, and Dowan. There's also Naga, Maka, Soul, Kid, Liz, Patti, Black*Star, and Tsubaki! The team just needs its leader to wake up! So wake up, Asuka!"

The fragment forms into a ghost, and it grabs her hand, melding into her and giving her strength. "You aren't alone, Asuka...You're never alone. We're with you every step of the way..."

Images flash of her entire team. Working together to kill the witch, Sylas's promise regarding Lenore, them gathered in the Death Room and waiting for her decision. "You see? Everyone trusts you, so you don't need to feel alone. We're behind you, 100%. So c'mon Asuka, wake up!"

Sozen starts lightly as she awakens. Aiko lays unconscious in her bed, a feeding tube down her throat as well. Sozen simply glares at Asuka as two nurses rush in to assist her.

Sozen continues to glare at her. The nurses leave after ensuring she's comfortable and he speaks. "She's been into surgery four times since we got here..."

Sozen stands, pushing her back into the bed. "You're too weak to go anywhere, and you don't get to go anywhere until Aiko is up...Regardless of whether she forced you to let her heal you, you at least have to thank her..."

At this point Sylas steps in, having been hiding around the corner. A bouquet of flowers are held in one hand, two cards in the other. He looks sternly at Asuka. "Asuka, you're not going anywhere. You think that because you made a mistake, you need to leave? That's childish, and ignorant. Ignoring reality like that is just a form of inadvertent malice...You're going to recover in that bed, you aren't going to apologize to Aiko, because she did it of her own will. You're going to help us kick Charim's ass and kill the kishin. Together, as a team. Understood?"