Clay ran out of the room and searched frantically for Jestro. The knight panicked as he ran down the hall passed several other rooms.
"Jestro!?" He shouted out worryingly. "Jestro!?"
Before Clay could call out again, a nurse came up to him with an irritated look on her face.
"Sir, patients are trying to sleep! Please be quiet or else!" She shouted into his face.
Clay just went silent as he stared wide eyed at the nurse. She just gave him a sharp glare as she walked away. Clay was about to panic and search again when he heard a familiar voice behind him.
"Clay?"
Clay turned around to see Lance standing there with a dragon plush in his hand and a confused look on his face.
"Whatcha doing here?" He asked with a slightly worried tone. "And what happened to your arm?"
Clay scared Lance as he grabbed the white knight by his shoulders.
"Lance I need your help!" He spoke in a panicky matter.
Lance looked at Clay with wide eyes before he blinked in confusion.
"...Okay... What can I do?" The white knight asked.
"I need to find Jestro! He was in that room down the hall but now he's-"
Clay was interrupted when the nurse told him to shush. Clay quieted down before he finished.
"...But now he's gone."
"Yeah, I was actually looking for him too." Lance answered back. "I went to his room to check on him and say hi, but he wasn't there. He forgot the dragon toy Izzy gave him."
Lance held up the stuffed toy in his hand and showed it to Clay.
"I was just looking for him. I asked someone where he was, and they told me he was moved to this part of the hospital. Did they move him again?"
"I don't know. But he's in danger. We have to found him and get him out of here." Clay said before running down the hall.
Lance told Clay to wait up as they ran outside to the desk outside of the ICU. Clay stopped in front and looked at the woman behind the desk.
"Ma'am, I'm looking for a patient who was in the ICU, but they moved him and I can't find him!" Clay spoke as he tried not to panic in front of the receptionist.
The receptionist looked up and went through the files on her computer.
"Well we did have someone who was suffering from a seizure earlier, but he's been taken into hall B for some tests." She said as she looked through the recent files.
Clay recalled seeing a hall B on his way to Jestros' room in the ICU. He quickly ran to find it and find Jestro. Lance ran after Clay as the receptionist shouted out that they were not allowed in there; Clay could not hear her. Clay ran past several doctors as he spotted Dr Meaner outside one of the rooms with a clipboard. The doctor looked up and looked at Clay with wide eyes.
"Mr Moorington!"
Clay ignored the doctor and ran into the room. Clay stopped in the doorway when he saw a familiar face sitting up on the medical cot inside.
Jestro was sitting in the medical cot in his red flannel pyjamas and a pair of black slippers. He was looking down at the floor with his arms folded. Clay smiled with relief as he took a few heavy breaths. Jestro looked up as he noticed Clay standing there.
"Clay?" He spoke in a slightly confused tone.
Clay quickly came up to the jester and wrapped his arms around him; holding him tightly but gently. Lance caught up with Clay as he saw what was going on. The white knight blinked as he saw Clay hugging Jestro.
"I was worried sick about you." Clay spoke as he broke the hug up and looked at Jestro in the eye. "Are you okay?"
Jestro looked back Clay with a fearful look on his face.
"I... I have a really bad feeling." He spoke in a shaky tone.
"Don't worry, Jestro. I'm taking you home and getting you out of here. We're going to figure this out together and we're going to get rid of Monstrox." Clay spoke in reassurance.
Jestro smiled a little as Clay talked.
"I'm afraid I can't allow that."
Clay and Jestro looked towards the doorway as they heard Dr Meaner speak.
"From what I have seen today, Mr Jestro is quite ill and needs immediate treatment. But there's something I need to discuss with you. Alone."
Clay stopped himself from giving the doctor a hateful stare. Even though Dr Meaner did not know it, he was putting Jestros' life in danger. Clay turned back to Jestro and lightly kissed him on the forehead as he whispered something to him.
"I'll be back. Don't worry."
Jestro felt his cheeks going red as he watched Clay get up and walk out. Clay walked up to Lance and whispered something to him.
"Make sure he doesn't fall asleep." He instructed.
Lance nodded and watched as Dr Meaner took Clay to another room.
Clay had a disgruntled look on his face as Dr Meaner had his back turned to him. When they reached another room, the doctor turned to face Clay with a stern but almost emotionless face.
"Sit down, Mr Moorington."
Clay grabbed a chair next to the wall and sat. But Dr Meaner just stood and crossed his arms.
"It seems that your friends' case is a bit more... difficult than we anticipated." He spoke rather bluntly. "We know there is something wrong, but nothing is showing up on the scans we've taken of him and his brain. So I need to ask one question, Mr Moorington."
Clay just stared at the doctor as he leaned against the wall.
"Tell me. Does Jestro have a history of mental illness?"
Clay blinked in confusion as Dr Meaner asked him that question. Clay was sure Jestro did not have any mental illnesses, but Jestro was an orphan and did not have any family history. He knew what was causing the jester to be here. What if the doctors were thinking that Jestro might be ill when Clay knew what was really happening?
"No, not that I'm aware of." Clay answered in all honesty.
Dr Meaner nodded before speaking again.
"He's been talking about a man in a dark robe with a claw since we took him into the room across from here." He recalled. "When he had his seizure, he raved and screamed about that as well and he refuses to sleep. He was suffering from hallucinations; a symptom of schizophrenia."
Clay began to worry as Dr Meaner continued.
"If it's as bad as we think, we may have to consider that he needs to go to a different kind of hospital."
Clay stared with wide eyes as he tried to process what the doctor was saying. They were going to send Jestro to a mental institution.
----------
Lance walked over to the bed and sat down next to Jestro.
"Hey, J-man." He greeted as he held up the dragon toy. "You forgot your present."
Jestro let out a quiet oh as he gently took the toy from Lance and held it close.
"I didn't realise." Jestro said as he looked up at the white knight. "I've been so confused by all this."
Lance sighed as he gave Jestro a hearty but gently pat on the back.
"Me too, buddy. Me too." He sympathised with the jester.
Before anything else could be said, a pair of nurses came in carrying a tray with a vail of medicine and a syringe. Jestro looked at it with confusion while Lance raised a brow in suspicion.
"What's that?" The white knight asked in suspension.
"Just need to get Mr Jestro ready for his tests." One of the nurses said as she filled up the syringe.
The other nurse took up Jestros' sleeve and rubbed something on him. The nurse with the syringe looked at the pair as she held it up.
"I don't like needles." Jestro spoke nervously as he hugged his stuffed dragon.
"Oh don't worry, sweetie." The nurse said as a smile came on her face. "It's just something to help you sleep."
Jestro backed away with wide eyes while Lance stood up and blocked the nurse from Jestro.
"Sorry, but I can't let you do that!" He quickly said as he held his arms out.
"I have orders, sir." The nurse insisted with a harsh tone as she tried to go past him.
"I have orders too, and I can't let Jestro fall asleep."
The nurse raised a brow as she shook her head.
"Do it."
The other nurse took out a medication filled syringe and injected it into Jestros' arm; making him squeak in pain from the needle. Lance gasped before turning to the nurse with an angered look.
"That was a dirty trick!" He said in a low volume shout.
"I'm just doing my job." The nurse replied as she put the tray and needle down. "Now you need to leave."
Lance gave the nurses angered looks before he took out his lance in its unarmed form.
"I'm afraid I can't do that." He spoke as he stood his ground. "As a knight, I have the authority to stay here and stop you from doing some torturous tests on Jestro. So I suggest that you leave and let me carry out my orders before I have to use force!"
The nurses just looked at Lance with wide fearful eyes before running out of the room. Lance quickly moved his attention to Jestro.
"J-man? You okay?" Lance asked as he checked on him.
Jestro rubbed his arm as he blinked a few times. The jester looked up at Lance as his eyelids were becoming heavy.
"I-I don't feel well." He spoke quietly.
--------
"I can't do that to him!" Clay began to argue with the doctor. "He's not insane!"
"I'm not saying he is, Mr Moorington. I'm just saying that he needs a different kind of treatment." Dr Meaner clarified his words.
"He needs to be around the people who care about him! I'm not sending him to an asylum!"
Dr Meaner raised a brow at the knight as he crossed his arms.
"You keep saying that you care about Jestro. Yet you're refusing him treatment." He spoke harshly.
Clay narrowed his brow at the harsh doctor as he tried to think of how to reply. But his eyes widened when he felt a numb feeling in his bandaged arm. He slowly looked down and stared.
"Are you listening to me Mr Moorington?" Dr Meaner questioned.
Clay ignored the doctor as he saw something only he was seeing. He stared at the bandage as a massive blood stain slowly creeped and grew in size. But Clay did not feel any pain. Something was very wrong.
--------
"C'mon Jestro; don't fall asleep on me!" Lance said as he tried to keep Jestro awake.
Jestro kept blinking tiredly as he tried to stay awake. But the medicine from the needle was going through him quickly.
"I... feel sleepy." He spoke in an almost whisper.
"But you gotta stay awake. Clay said so." Lance encouraged as he held the tired jester.
Lance panicked as Jestro only closed his eyes for a few seconds. The jester awoke with a jolt and took a few breaths. Lance smiled when he thought Jestro was fully awake.
"I guess that stuff was fake." He spoke with a grin.
Jestro looked up to face Lance. But his eyes widened when he looked beyond the white knight. A black mass was rising up behind Lance; forming into an all too familiar body and face. Jestro froze as the beastly eyes and jack o lantern grin of Monstrox stared down at him with a deep cackle. Lance blinked in confusion at Jestros' frightened face.
"What's wrong?" He asked in concern.
Jestro started shaking as he tried to point at the nightmare necromancer.
"Behind you!" He blurted out in a shaky voice.
Lance turned around with a raised brow. He turned back as he shook his head.
"There's nothing there."
Jestro ignored Lances' words and stared at Monstrox. The grin on the necromancers face grew bigger as he slowly lifted his claws and looked down at Lance; preparing to attack the unsuspecting knight. Jestro quickly realised what was happening and reacted.
"Lance look out!"
Jestro quickly grabbed Lance and pushed him off the medical out of Monstroxs' attack. Lance made a frightened sound as the jester pushed him. But he went wide eyed when he saw that he had a pained and terrified look in his eyes.
--------
"I want Jestro out of here; right now!"
Dr Meaner clutched his fist as he had enough of Clay and his demands.
"Very well. As soon you fill out the appointed papers." He spoke with little to no reassurance in his voice.
Clay gave the doctor a look that could kill before he came up to him with ill intention and feeling.
"You don't understand! If Jestro falls asleep, he is going to-"
Clay froze as he heard the sound of screaming and a struggle. Dr Meaner quickly ran out of the room to investigate and Clay ran out; realising that the scream came from Jestro.
Lance quickly stood up with wide eyes as Jestro was slammed into a wall and lifted up to the ceiling. Jestro on the other hand made pained and frightened sounds as his invisible attacker held him against the ceiling like there was no law of gravity. Jestro watched with wide eyes as Monstrox gave him a grin with ill intentions.
"Ever play skin the cat, joke boy?"
Lance watched in horror as he saw Jestro being dragged across the ceiling; screaming and digging his nails into the plywood and trying to stop whatever was pulling on him. The white knight flinched as Jestro screamed for his help.
"Please! Help me!" He screamed desperately.
"Won't do you any good, Jestro! Only you can see me!" Monstrox taunted as he held Jestro up on the ceiling.
Lance took out his weapon as he looked at Jestro struggling against the invisible force. He watched for signs of where the invisible enemy was. He looked closely for anything that gave away its position. Lance noticed that Jestros' PJ shirt was wrinkling at the collar.
Monstrox laughed and grinned manically as he aimed his claw above Jestros' chest; sending him into a panic.
"You're all mine now, Jestro!" He spoke with a loud laugh as he raised his claws.
Jestro closed his tear filled eyes as he begged for his life; terrified that this was how it was going to end. But a painful yell made him open his eyes and stare in shock.
Monstrox took a step back as he yelled in pain; having Lances weapon sticking into his back and dripping out black goo. Lance stared as Monstrox became visible to him as the black gunk dripped down his weapon. Jestro screamed as he fell from the ceiling and landed back on the medical cot. But Monstrox breathed heavily as he gave Lance a hateful and deadly stare. Lance had no time to react as Monstrox punched him in the chest and set him slamming into a wall; knocking him out cold. Jestro panicked as he stared at Monstrox and the black goo dripping out. Monstrox was about to react when he heard Mooringtons' voice coming from the hallway.
"Lance! Jestro!"
"What's going on in here?!"
Monstrox growled as he pulled the lance out of his back and bared his claws; getting ready to kill whoever came through the door. Jestro knew what was about to happen and panicked as someone came into view.
"Clay, look out!"
But it was too late. Monstrox roared and slashed his claws down; striking the person in the doorway. Jestro gasped in horror while Monstrox went silent with a confused face.
Clay stared in shock as Dr Meaner collapsed backwards with four bloody slashes going down his chest and stomach. Clay would have thought the doctor was dead if it was not for his heavy breathing. The blue knight continued to stare in fear. But the sound of Jestro screaming in terror brought him back to reality. The jester raced out of the room with tears of fear flowing out with the dragon toy in his hand. Clay was about to stop him when he saw Monstrox flying out of the room and chasing after the jester.
"Oh dear lord!"
Clay heard a woman's voice approach as he turned around; seeing a bunch of doctors coming over to see what happened. One of them bent down and checked on Dr Meaner.
"He's alive, but he's bleeding quickly! Get a medical cot and move him to emergency!" She quickly diagnosed and ordered.
One of the nurses came up to Clay.
"Did you see what happened here, sir?" He asked.
Clay quickly shook his head.
"I just heard my friend scream and I ran here." He explained.
But Clay quickly realised that Lance was nowhere to be heard. He quickly ran into the room to find the white knight unconscious against the wall and floor.
"Lance!" He quickly ran over and checked on him.
Clay checked his pulse. It was there and beating regularly. He quickly but gently lifted him up into a sitting position and gently shook him as he called out his name. Lance came too with a painful groan as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Lance, are you alright?" Clay quickly asked.
"My neck and my back hurts; what do you think?" He replied rather sarcastically.
"What happened here?"
Lance looked up at Clay with an uncertain look on his face.
"Clay... I'm sorry." He apologised before he explained. "I tried to stop them, but the nurses. They put drugs in him when I told them not to and Monstrox attacked us. I was knocked out before I could really do anything."
A nurse came in as she overheard the conversation.
"The patient won't get far. We put him under heavy sedation." She spoke with emotionless confidence.
"It didn't work!" Lance argued with the nurse as he stood up. "He was completely awake when this happened! He could probably walk right out of here for all I know!"
Clay went wide eyed as Lance said the words 'walk right out of here.' The blue knight stood up as he realised that Jestro just ran past him screaming out of the room. And Monstrox was chasing after him.
"Oh no." He muttered as he quickly ran out; knowing he had to find him before Monstrox did.
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AN: Sorry if this took a while. I had a relative pass away and I've been grieving with my family. I'"ll finish this, but the next few chapters might be a bit slow on delivery.