Episode 12 (Serena Season 2)

Clyde insists on talking to Angelo before we head out to the jungle,

but he's as startled at the idea of a plant monster as the rest of us.

We're given permission to go and hunt it down, although Angelo insists we be careful.

(Olivia volunteering to go along seemed to make him feel better, though.)

We're waiting for her at the edge of the trees when I do a quick headcount

and realize that someone else is missing too.

MC: "Wait, where's Logan?"

Clyde: "He said he was making something for the trip. Might take him a little longer to get here."

Serena: "I hope it's not another drone."

Serena: "If Hope leaves him for someone else, we'll have to deal with the fallout."

I snort behind my hand, trying not to cough when I hear the crunch of grass in the distance.

Logan comes up over the knoll with his hands full, Hope zipping around behind him.

Clyde: "Are those... sprears?"

Logan: "And tridents. Plus one kind of funny-looking axe."

Logan: "I tried to hook up something that would work like a taser, but it kept shocking me when I pressed the button."

Arthur: "You've got a whole armory there, Logan."

Logan: "Hey, if there's a big monster out there waiting to eat me, I'm not going unarmed."

Logan: "Everyone can take what they like."

TK: "Give me the longest spear. If that thing's real, I want it as far away as possible."'

MC: "I'm onboard with that. I'll take one too."

Serena: "Don't overexert yourself."

MC: "I won't. Promise."

(I had to beg and plead to get to come on this trip already. Puppy dog eyes and all.)

Olivia turns up a few minutes later, bag slung over her shoulder.

She waves the second our eyes meet, smiling wide.

Olivia: "How are you feeling, ?"

MC: "A little better. Serena's been taking care of me."

The smiles the two of them exchange are too stiff to be friendly,

but I head that off at the pass by stepping in between them.

We start walking that way, with me in the middle and the doctors on either side.

Clyde: "Keep your eyes and ears open. We don't want to get jumped."

Olivia: "He's a real leaderly type, huh? Takes charge."

MC: "Yeah, he was our ship captain before it crashed, so it comes naturally."

MC: "Ex-military too, I think. Isn't that right, Serena?"

Serena nods but doesn't comment otherwise, keeping her gaze straight ahead and away from Olivia.

MC: "The two of them are good friends."

Olivia: "Really? Wow, I guess opposites really do attract."

Serena: "That's because Clyde has the uncanny ability to know when to stop talking."

An awkward silence falls between the three of us after that,

although Olivia goes out of her way to point out pretty flowers and trees along the way.

She knows all their scientific names, but most are too long for me to try and repeat.

Logan: "Hey, did you all hear that?"

The group comes to a sudden halt, grabbing our weapons tight.

There's a strange rustle and hum coming from high in the trees, right above my head.

A. Throw your spear at it.

B. Run away.

C. Say completely still.

---

C. Stay completely still.

(Maybe if we don't move, it will keep going along.)

Holding my breath, I keep my eyes centered right on the rustling branches,

willing myself not to make a single sound.

---

Clyde: "I'm going to look and--"

Hope pops out of the tree with a loud hum, spinning in lazy circles.

There's a branch caught up in her rotors, making a strange grinding sound.

Logan: "Oh, goddamn it. I thought we were about to get jumped."

Serena: "So did I. Get that thing off your drone."

Logan encourages Hope down into his reach so he can untangle the mess of shredded leaves and bark,

but my head starts spinning as I watch the machinery on the top of the drone whirl.

When I clutch at my temple, everything goes blurry.

MC: "Uh--"

Before I can get another word out of my mouth, the world shrinks to a cold, dark place.

Jungle trees sway above me when my eyes open again,

a blur of green that is suddenly cut off by two faces peering down.

I recognize Serena first, but Olivia is right next to her, their expressions mirrors of concern.

Serena: ", are you awake? Can you hear me?"

MC: "Yeah."

She lets out a sigh of relief, brushing some sweat-sticky hair back away from my face.

My head is still pounding, a solid thud right between my eyes.

MC: "How did I end up on the ground, though?"

Olivia: "You passed out while Logan was wrangling Hope."

Olivia: "If you're this sick, you really shouldn't have come out here with us."

Olivia: "That's a lot of energy to spend."

(That's what Serena had told me earlier. Oops.)

Serena: "Better for her to pass out here than be alone and without help."

Olivia: "There's not much help her either."

Serena: "Nothing in your bag?"

Olivia: "It's empty. I was hoping I could collect some new specimens while we were out here."

Olivia: "I need to get  back to my house for a cure."

Anger flashes through Serena's eyes, and this time she doesn't bother to mask it.

Serena: "That's out of the question."

Serena: "I'll bring he back to our place and take care of her."

Olivia: "Serena, I've seen symptoms like this before. It won't take me long to get her well again."

Serena: "It may have been a few years since you actually worked as a medical professional,"

Serena: "but  is my patient."

Serena: "You can't just sweep in and make decisions."

Olivia: "When I worked in a hospital, we cooperated with other doctors."

Olivia: "The ones that think they know it all get people killed."

(This is bad. I can't even argue since my jaw feels like lead.)

(No, my entire skull, actually. Ugh.)

Serena: "Then show me your ways, mm? Tell me what every plant does."

Serena: "Tell me where you find them, how you found out how they worked."

Serena: "Or did you just experiment on people in the village and hoped for the best?"

Olivia: "I've helped people!"

Olivia: "Don't judge me when you used one of the same plants to cure your friends."

Serena: "After we saw that it cured the water. Right before our eyes."

Serena: "And even then I still knew it was a risk. If I had any other option, I would have taken it first."

Olivia: "What option do you have? She's been coughing and passing out."

Olivia: "It's getting worse."

(And sleeping too much, but Olivia wouldn't know that part.)

Clyde: "Hey."

Clyde leans down over me, placing a firm hand on Serena's shoulder.

Olivia looks a little startled, but keeps quiet.

Clyde: "She's not getting any better with you two fighting."

Clyde: "Let's get her back home, ey, Serena?"

Serena: "Yes. The sooner the better."

Olivia: "...Alright."

Clyde and Serena help me to my feet, but I start to wobble as soon as the world is right-side up again.

TK puts out his arms to catch me if I fall, only for Clyde to get there first with an arm around my waist.

Clyde: "Are you okay if I carry you, ?"

MC: "If it's... not too much trouble."

Clyde: "No worries. Easy does it."

I'm hoisted into Clyde's grip, surprised at how easily he can pick me up,

but Serena looks glad that I'm off my feet.

Burying my face against Clyde's shoulder, I close my eyes to block out the sun as we head out of the jungle.

Clyde carries me all the way back to the treehouse before letting Serena guide me inside.

It's cool within the house, and I lean on her until she tucks me into bed,

taking my pulse and temperature again as soon as I'm laying down.

MC: "What's the verdict, doc?"

Serena: "I'm worried about you."

Serena: "This isn't a... promising mix of symptoms."

Serena: "Especially because you seem to be getting worse rather than better."

I'm used to Serena being blunt, but it's strange to see that worry make it all the way to her face.

She tries to keep everything buttoned down, especially when it comes to medicine.

(Her being angry at Olivia is a little different, but the last time I saw Serena scared,)

(she was sure we were all about to die.)

MC: "Don't give up on me yet."

Serena: "I'm not! I'd never--"

MC: "Serena, I was just teasing. Sorry."

MC: "You don't have to worry about me like this."

Serena: "Oh? So you weren't worried when I was sick?"

MC: "I..."

MC: "Yeah, but I don't have a cool demeanor, okay? I'm a 'putting everything out there' kind of girl."

Serena: "That explains your choice in blouses."

I snort, covering my mouth to stifle the sound.

Hearing her dry humor makes me feel a little better, even if I start coughing the moment after.

MC: "You know, that doesn't sound like a complaint."

Serena: "It wasn't, trust me."

Serena: "So just lay back and rest, alright? You can be beautiful in bed instead."

A. "Any ideas for a cure?"

B. "You should be too."

C. "If things get really bad..."

---

B. "You should be too."

MC: "You should be too."

MC: "Come lay down with me."

Serena: "Well, with a line like that, how am I supposed to resist?"

(She may think I'm cheesy, but that doesn't stop her from smiling.)

---

A knock at the door makes Serena sit straight up,

and she gives my hand a quick squeeze before disappearing from the bedroom.

I'm surprised to hear the voices of the guys after the front door creaks open,

but Arthur comes in a second later holding a big bowl.

MC: "We have a party going on or something?"

Arthur: "No, not quite. But a few people in the village heard you were sick."

Arthur: "Leilani made a huge pot of soup and told us to deliver it."

MC: "She's so sweet. How is it all contained within one person?"

Arthur: "I'm not sure, but I hope it helps you feel better."

MC: "Thanks, Arthur."

Arthur: "Logan and TK also brought you... several bowls and spoons."

Arthur: "I'm not sure why you need them all, but they wanted to be helpful."

(It's the thought that counts.)

MC: "Tell them thank you too."

He leaves the soup on the table and leaves with a little wave.

I listen to Serena chatting with Clyde for a moment before the front door closes again,

leaving the house quiet until she comes back into the bedroom.

MC: "Did you hear? I got soup."

Serena: "I did. If you can stomach it, a bowl or two might not be a bad idea."

MC: "As long as I don't have to do it while standing up."

Serena gets me a bowl, filling it with soup before handing it to me with a spoon.

She climbs into bed next to me, content to be lost in her own thoughts while I eat.

A. Thank her for taking care of you.

<p style="text-align:center;">B. Just enjoy your soup.

<p style="text-align:center;">---

B. Just enjoy your soup.

I close my eyes and savor the soup.

It's made from local ingredients, so I've never tasted anything quite like it.

<p style="text-align:center;">---

Serena: "How is it?"

MC: "Mm, so good. Leilani should open a--"

MC: "Never mind. Would be a little hard to do that here."

Serena: "Yes, but I get what you mean."

(We'd have to be back home again.)

(I better get well if that's going to have a chance of happening.)