TNG: Iblis, the First Hero

Episode 20: The Moon Goddess

The Moon Goddess

     Cid could feel his lungs screaming for air as he frantically attempted to swim to the surface.  His poison addled body made his ascent to what he believed to be the surface even more long and grueling.

            In the pitch black water, it was difficult to see, and Cid wondered whether he was even swimming towards the surface. 

            Just as he could feel the darkness of unconsciousness returning, he punched through to the surface and flung himself towards the first solid object he saw.

            His lungs throbbed and ached as they took in sharp, short bursts of air in between sputters as they tried to release the water that had begun to fill them.

            Cid pulled himself onto the dock, where he continued his fit.  He felt a nauseous feeling gripping his insides, and flung his head over the edge of the dock as his vomit poured out in a steady stream.

            He allowed himself to lie there face-down on the dock with his head hanging off of the edge.

            “Cid two… Death zero…” Cid mumbled, chuckling weakly to himself.

Ω

            He wasn’t sure how long he lied there on the dock before he gained enough strength to return home.  He was just glad no one saw him without his mask.

            He cursed to himself as he remembered that he was once again returning home without a piece of his suit.  He took some solace in the fact that he was able to actually return home, however.

            He heaved open the door that led from the tunnels to the lower lab.  He was somewhat surprised to be greeted by King, who looked almost as bad as he did, clearly from lack of sleep.

            “What happened?” King asked as the last of Cid’s energy reserves gave out and he collapsed into his arms.

            “Got poisoned… almost drowned…” Cid mumbled incoherently. 

            King’s next words were a dull cacophony as Cid finally allowed himself to lose conscious again.

Ω

            He was awakened by the early afternoon sunlight pouring into his room.  The excruciating pain in his abdomen had yet to cease (his lungs were getting used to breathing air again), and his bed was incredibly comfortable, but he forced himself to a sitting position.  Then, in one fluid motion, he swung himself to his feet. 

            He took note of the fact that he was wearing a robe, and was relieved to find that he still had underwear on.  He then hobbled out of his room and into the common area.

            To his surprise, King was sitting in the common room, waiting for him.

            “You’re up?  How’re you feeling?” King asked.

            “Lousy,” Cid muttered hoarsely as he maneuvered himself towards the fridge.

            “I would imagine you would feel lousy.  You’ve been out for three days,” King explained.

            “Yeah… Turns out I am not a fish,” Cid remarked with a light chuckle.  “Ouch,” he muttered as he experienced a sharp pain in his gut. 

            “Take the rest of the day off.  You’re lucky to be alive.  A normal person wouldn’t have survived what you went through,” King stated.