Nightingale: A Song and a Blue Feather

Operator Record A Song and a Blue Feather
One who cannot see her own hopes, still wishing yet to bring hope to others. Unlock conditions Raise Nightingale to Elite 2 Level 1. Have at least 50% Trust with Nightingale.

Characters
Nearl Nightingale Shining Anxious Mother Helpless Father Elderly Doctor Feeble Child Leithanien Gendarmerie Lively Child Nervous Neighbor
Backgrounds
1 2 3

“

In a remote Leithanien village, a sickly boy regains hope thanks to the help he receives from Nightingale and Nearl. But providing treatment pushes Nightingale's body to its limits.

”

<Background 1>
4:37 P.M. \ Clear A certain village in northern Leithanien
Feeble Child	*cough*, *cough*...
Anxious Mother	Oh, what should we do? Luca is in so much pain!
Feeble Child	Mama, it hurts... It hurts... My leg... My leg feels like it's on fire.
Helpless Father	Shh, Luca. Bear with it, and keep your voice down. Thomas next door will hear you. You're a strong boy. One of the strongest there is! If you can't bear it, just bite the pillow.
Anxious Mother	He's almost chewed the cotton down to shreds! Look at how much he's sweating! He has a fever, too. We... we should take him to Dr. Marcos!
Helpless Father	No, we can't! Look. Look at his leg... This black lump.
Anxious Mother	It's Oripathy...
Helpless Father	Shh, don't say it out loud. We need to keep this from Luca. You know what happened to Ben over at the Janiks. His arms had these lumps, and they took him away. His family hasn't seen him since.
Anxious Mother	*sob*... Luca... Don't let them take my Luca.
Helpless Father	This is how it is... We have to... endure and ride it out.
Feeble Child	Mama... Mamaaa...
Helpless Father	Here, bite Papa's hand, Luca. Hang in there... You're a big boy. You'll get better. A miracle will happen... A miracle will heal you up. We need to have faith.
[Someone is knocking the door.]
???	Hello, is anybody home?
Anxious Mother	Someone's knocking on our door! They must be here to take Luca away!
Helpless Father	Calm down. I'll take a look through the window. You and Luca stay in here. Don't come out.
[The father goes to see who is outside.]
<Background 2>
[The one knocking the door turns out to be Nearl.]
Nearl	Hello, sir.
Helpless Father	A Kuranta? Dressed up like a knight too. Not something we see in our small village every day.
Nearl	Sir, please relax. We're just a few wandering doctors passing through. If it's not too much to ask, could you bring us some water?
Helpless Father	Water... Right, okay... If you're willing to drink the water here, I won't turn you away. Here, you go. Leave as soon as you are finished. Take the cup with you.
[Nearl returns with the cup of water to her sisters-in-arms Nightingale and Shining, who felt something is wrong.]
Nightingale	......
Nearl	What's wrong, Liz? The water seems fine to me.
Nightingale	I can feel it... That silent, voiceless pain... It's right here.
Shining	Right. It's weak, but still clear as day. Someone's screaming for help.
Nearl	If that's what you two say– Sir... Does someone in your family have Oripathy?
Helpless Father	Oripathy?! H-How dare you!
Nightingale	He's in pain, isn't he? But he hasn't given up hope. I can... heal him.
Helpless Father	You... Those horns... That shape! You, and you! You are devils!
Nearl	Mister, please calm down. Just as I mentioned, we are doctors. If anyone is infected with Oripathy here, we can help alleviate their symptoms, and you don't need to give us anything in return.
Helpless Father	I told you–No one's sick here, and we definitely don't need any treatment! Now leave, Kuranta! You're full of lies! And you, devils, stay far away from my house!
<Background 3>
Nearl	Looks like he made his decision. He doesn't want us to treat his family.
Shining	It happens fairly often. Normally, a doctor needs to earn her patient's trust, and he doesn't trust us.
Nearl	He seems nervous. It might be our race or status that's agitated him.
Shining	If Nearl has to wave the white flag, famous and popular as she is, then Liz and I don't stand a chance. Sarkaz don't have a good reputation here.
Nearl	We could try persuading him. We've done that many times before.
Shining	We can, as long as we don't end up coming across any Gendarmerie.
Nearl	Right. It's much easier to convince a patient's family than an entire squad of Gendarmerie.
Shining	We need to avoid that kind of "persuasion."
Nearl	Yeah, Liz hasn't been doing very well lately... I agree. We shouldn't take any risks. Unfortunately, if this drags on much longer, the patient's condition will deteriorate.
Nightingale	Feels bad...
Nearl	Liz, are you okay? Are you feeling sick?
Nightingale	That boy... He's having a really bad time... He's locked in that small room while his Oripathy torments him.
Nearl	Liz is right. The kid is locked away. They're even stifling his screams. Are they torturing an Infected?
Nightingale	No, not at all. The father... He didn't show any hatred on his face when he mentioned Oripathy. There is hatred everywhere else.
Nearl	Is he protecting the patient, then? I heard the Leithaniens take the Infected away from their families, round them up to live in ghettoes. If the patient is his child, I suppose he might be trying to hide his Infection, to keep the Gendarmerie from taking his boy away.
Nightingale	He may care for his child, but that's slowly taking his child's life. He is losing his chance to live, and his energy is slowly draining away in this cage of love. Hmm...
Nearl	Liz!
Shining	Don't think about that... It'll only worsen your condition if you let that sadness get to you. We've walked a very long distance today. I can tell you are exhausted. You need rest.
Nearl	Does it feel better when you lean against me? The tent will be ready soon.
Shining	Let's start a fire and get you something to eat. It's getting dark. The Leithanien Gendarmerie moves quickly, and they might be here by tomorrow. We should leave this place before do, if we want to stay out of trouble.
Nearl	Right, it's not a good idea to show ourselves to the Gendarmerie. Liz, lie down here, closer to the fire. It'll warm you up.
Nightingale	Yeah.
Shining	You two should get some rest. I'll stand watch.
<Background fades out and in>
[Shining spots a squad of Leithanien Gendarmerie heading towards the village.]
Shining	It's the Gendarmerie. They're here.
Nearl	Shining, are you awake already? You went to bed not that long ago.
Shining	I got enough sleep. We need to leave right now. Liz, can you walk?
Nightingale	Yeah, I can. Ughh...
Shining	You look really pale. Did you get enough rest?
Nightingale	I... I'm okay. I just feel a little dizzy.
Nearl	The Gendarmerie went straight to the house we visited last night. Shining, should we really just leave like this?
Shining	There's a good hiding spot behind the bushes. They won't spot us there. Nearl, hold Liz. If it looks like things are getting out of hand, do as you see fit.
<Background 2>
[A gendarmerie knocks the door to the house the Followers visited earlier.]
Leithanien Gendarmerie	Mr. Reiss! Please open the door!
Helpless Father	I...
Leithanien Gendarmerie	Mr. Reiss!
Nervous Neighbor	Officer, look! I told you something's not right with Old Reiss's family! His boy–his name is Luca–he was playing in the fields a few days ago, and he suddenly got sick after he came back. For the few days after that, his family kept themselves locked inside, and they wouldn't come out, no matter what!
Helpless Father	I-I'm just taking care of Luca...
Nervous Neighbor	How am I supposed to believe you?! What kind of disease would keep a strong kid like him bedridden for days on end? Besides, if your kid really caught a cold, you could've taken him to Dr. Marcos!
Leithanien Gendarmerie	Something sounds fishy here.
Nervous Neighbor	Right, officer? I am doing this for everyone's safety! This is a peaceful, quiet village. We can't let Oripathy ruin our lives here!
Leithanien Gendarmerie	Right, all Infected must be quarantined at a nearby quarantine zone.
Nervous Neighbor	Right? Reiss, did you hear that? Your boy's just going to the quarantine zone! Luca will be in good hands there! Much better than keeping him here!
Helpless Father	But...
Leithanien Gendarmerie	But what, Mr. Reiss? You will need to open this door today.
[The Infected son rushes into the home amidst the commotion, bumping into the neighbor.]
Lively Child	Yeah, Papa, open the door. I'm starving. I want bread. And not just one slice. I can eat five or six slices in one go.
Nervous Neighbor	Huh–Huh?!
Lively Child	Oh, Uncle Thomas. Sorry for bumping into you. I'm in a rush to get home for breakfast so Mama doesn't give me a scolding.
Helpless Father	Oh, Luca, you're home at last. What took you so long? I'm very sorry, Officer. This is my boy, Luca. It's not that I didn't want to open up. He really wasn't home.
Leithanien Gendarmerie	This boy is Luca? He looks as fit as a fiddle. Is he really sick?
Helpless Father	*cough*, just a little cold. You know boys his age. They get sick after a day of fun and games.
Leithanien Gendarmerie	I suppose so. I've met plenty of Infected. None of them are nearly as lively. Dr. Marcos, what do you think?
Elderly Doctor	Oh... Oh? You want me to check him? Let me take a look. Look at how muscular and sweaty his arms are. So sturdy to the feel. And his legs...
Helpless Father	*Cough*
Elderly Doctor	My, what strong legs. There's so much mud. Looks like this boy has been having fun.
Nervous Neighbor	......
Helpless Father	Sorry for all the trouble, Dr. Marcos.
Elderly Doctor	Oh, no need to worry! Officer, we've been working all morning. I'm as famished as one can be, My vision is starting to blur. Perhaps we should let the boy go home for his breakfast? Don't worry, if little Luca gets sick again, I will check on him, and if anything's amiss, I will let you know right away.
<Background fades out and in>
Helpless Father	Phew... Thank goodness. Luca, my boy! Let Papa look at you! You're... fine? You can run all over the place, and you can eat... These crystals... They are still here, but they're much smaller now. Not nearly as swollen anymore. You've gotten much better. No wonder Dr. Marcos didn't notice. I-Is this a miracle?
Lively Child	Papa, it isn't a miracle. A fowlbeast healed me!
Helpless Father	A fowlbeast...?
Lively Child	It was a really, really pretty fowlbeast! Its feathers were so much bluer than the water in the lake! I've never seen a little fowlbeast so beautiful! Last night, it flew into my room through the window, and settled by my pillow. There was a white light around the tiny fowlbeast. It was so bright and warm... It came over me, and I stopped hurting right away.
Helpless Father	A small fowlbeast? And one that glowed?
Lively Child	Yeah! I'm not lying!
Helpless Father	My boy, you were ill. You were probably hallucinating.
Lively Child	It wasn't! It sang a song too! I heard it! The blue fowlbeast sang a song for me!
Helpless Father	Okay, okay. Everything's fine now. It's all okay... Thank you, blue, magical fowlbeast. I have no idea if you were real or not–you definitely weren't–but whichever the case, thank you for giving Luca a pleasant dream.
<Background fades out and in>
Shining	...... We should get going.
Nightingale	You aren't mad, are you...?
Shining	Why would I be mad about a little blue bird checking on a sickly boy at night?
Nightingale	I...
Shining	Oh, right, the bird was glowing in the dark, too.
Nearl	*cough*, *cough*. Sorry, Shining, Liz just couldn't fall asleep last night, so I...
Nightingale	Shining, I was the one who asked Nearl to help me treat the boy. I couldn't fall asleep otherwise... I could hear the boy's pained cries in my head. If it wasn't for my legs... if they had some strength left in them... I would've gone myself. Please don't blame Nearl.
Shining	You don't have to apologize. We are doctors. You two did what you should've done.
Nearl	I didn't expect the Gendarmerie to show up today, though... I wonder what will happen to the boy and his family in the future.
Shining	They may get to live out the rest of their lives in peace, or they might have to move in the not-so-distant future. As doctors, we may be able to treat our patients' pain, but we don't have any way to treat their predicaments.
Nightingale	I know that, Shining, but I couldn't spend so much time thinking about it. The boy... was really hurting all over. When I looked at him, I felt the same pain myself. All I knew how to do was... help him hurt less. I wanted to help him... to ease his pain... I wanted to help him leave that room... to help him run and jump again.
Shining	Liz, I just have one question. Look at me and answer me. Do you think this is really necessary?
Nightingale	What do you mean... necessary?
Shining	Just like what happened before.
Nightingale	What happened before... No, I don't want to be like before. At the time, they were coming for me. I was locked... I had nowhere to go. I had to heal them.
Shining	But what about now?
Nightingale	Now... I'm going everywhere to find them. I can feel the pain of those who are sick and hurt, and I don't want them hurt anymore. I stretch my hands out to them... to embrace their pain. I have my birdie sing in their ears. I never expected the boy would see my birdie. He seemed so happy in his sleep. When that happened, those shards that tied me down were gone... Birdie's steps became much lighter too. Is that what it means to be happy? Shining, it sounds like I'm happy too.
Shining	Okay... That's the answer I wanted. Yes, Liz. That's what it means to be happy. You know what it means to be happy now.
Nightingale	Really? So this is how it's like to be happy. So now I... Mmm...
Shining	Does it make your heart ache?
Nightingale	Yes, Shining... It really makes my heart ache.
Nearl	Why is this happening to Liz? She doesn't have the strength to stand up.
Shining	This is the outcome of her choice.
Nearl	Because she treated the kid last night...?
Shining	Yes, her condition was hardly optimal to begin with. Even the use of simple healing Arts takes its toll on her. Not to mention she was treating acute Oripathy. She's nearing her limits.
Nearl	If I knew this was going to happen...
Shining	If you knew, would you have stopped her?
Nightingale	This is what I wanted to do... I wanted to heal the boy.
Shining	See? This is what Liz wanted, even though it left her exhausted.
Nearl	Right... I guess I wouldn't have been able to stop her.
Shining	Exactly. This is a choice, and these are the choices you two have made. Like Liz, you always choose to sacrifice yourself to treat someone else's pain, whether visible or not. I should've... respected your decisions.
Nightingale	Shining...
Shining	But my hope is that... Liz will have more choices available to her. And you too, Margaret. My hope is that you will have more choices too.
Nightingale	What does it mean to have more choices?
Shining	You've always wanted to see the world outside, don't you, Liz?
Nightingale	Yes, that's my greatest wish, Shining. I've been to so many places with you and Nearl. These places are beautiful... Hatred and pain sometimes engulf these skies and lands, but that doesn't change the beauty that lies underneath. I... I still want to see much more, and not just what the bird sings to me.
Shining	Yes, it's time we expand our horizons.
Nearl	It sounds like you just made a decision, Shining.
Shining	Nearl, do you remember the pharmaceutical company that the patient we treated last time mentioned?
Nearl	You mean... Rhodes Island?
Shining	Yes, Rhodes Island. We've been wandering the world all these years. How many patients have we treated altogether?
Nightingale	I don't remember...
Shining	It's okay if you don't remember, but, Liz, do you want to treat even more people out there?
Nightingale	Yes... I want to.
Shining	Okay. What about you, Nearl?
Nearl	Rhodes Island, is it...? No objections here. I trust you, and I trust your decision. If that's where Liz wants to go, then we'll take her there.
Nightingale	We'll be together...
Shining	Together. We've made our decision. Let's go, then.
Nightingale	Let's go... ...to Rhodes Island.