Visual snow clouded his eyes as he weakly attempted to open them. His back arched as he stretched, unrestrained. Through the process his side felt odd, almost like it was leaking. Once he laid back down the feeling subsided.

While he was normally strapped to a metal table either on the ground or against the wall, this one felt different. It was something he had never felt before. It was like he was laying on clouds.

"He's awake!" a masculine, jovial voice shouted. It was almost like they were happy he was alive.

This perplexed Rake enough to stay alert. He hadn't yet remembered that he recently stabbed himself, but he was swiftly reminded by a sudden sharp pain in his side. He cried out in response, clutching his side.

A soft, gentle hand moved his away in response. "It's okay, Rake," the familiar, soothing voice resounded.

He instantly relaxed, although the pain hadn't gone away. "Nurse?" he weakly uttered, his hands now limp at his sides. The slightest movement was becoming unbearable.

"Oh, you remember me?" she inquired, a bit shocked. "What else do you remember?"

As she said this, she contemplated whether or not she should mention her real name. Throughout the brief time she knew him, "Nurse" was the only thing he ever recognized her as.

"I have," he paused, sucking in a labored breath, "a brother."

"Yes, you do!" Flora squealed, unable to stop herself from becoming giddy. "His name is Moxin, and he is the one responsible for freeing you! You don't have to serve Red Order ever again."

"Moxin," Rake repeated, the name sounding vaguely familiar. "He saved me."

"You know, we helped," another voice chimed in. "I'm Nex by the way, Nex Nova," he boldly announced.

Rake didn't respond. He wasn't in any condition to meet new people, and he barely understood what he was saying in the first place. To him, Nex was just a soldier he should be cautious of.

"Can you see anything?" Flora observed his open eyes. She too paid no attention to the now disgruntled Nex.

Rake didn't even notice as she shined a light in his eye. Instead, he merely continued to shift around, often hindered by the searing pain in his side.

"I don't understand," Flora whispered to herself. "What can you see?" she asked, taking note on how he wasn't blinking.

"Clouds," Rake responded, smiling. "I see a welcoming mist."

This greatly troubled Flora, especially because she couldn't determine why. It would be so much easier to diagnose inside her lab, rather than a pirate ship's medical bay. "Perhaps this has something to do with Valdorian biology I don't quite understand yet," she speculated, running her hand over Rake's bare chest. "There are so many secrets I haven't unlocked yet."

"Once Moxin returns, he'll probably be able to provide some insight," Nex suggested, attempting to be useful. In reality, he was bored out of his mind. He had been waiting with Flora at Rake's bedside for hours.

"If you can," Rake sucked in a breath, "make me angry, then I can heal," he managed, clutching the bed's rails.

Concerned with his difficulty breathing, Flora gently responded, "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Please," Rake begged, gritting his teeth.

Watching him writhe in pain, Flora concluded it was worth the risk. There was nothing here that she could use to help stabilize him, especially with the pirates using all available equipment to help their own. Plus, he did seem invincible when he was enraged.

"Choke him, Nex," Flora instructed, taking a cautious step back.

"Do what now?" Nex looked back at her as if she were insane.

"Get your pretty boy mug over here, and squeeze his neck!" she angrily shouted, grabbing stares from the nearby staff. They didn't even like the fact that they were receiving a bed.

"Fine, fine," Nex relented, awkwardly placing his hands over Rake's neck, squeezing slightly.

Hissing in response, Rake bared his sharp teeth, causing Nex to immediately withdraw.

"What are you doing? Don't stop. Do it harder," Flora ordered, stomping her foot in protest.

Scoffing, Nex clasped his neck once more, squeezing it much harder. He didn't know Rake well, but it still upset him to cause needless pain.

Screaming out, Rake bared his now carnivorous, gleaming teeth. "Stop," he choked, rolling his head in agony, lashing around. Flora's glare was the only thing that caused Nex to continue.

Cringing as he caused Rake even more pain, Rake reacted with a newfound strength, slicing away Nex's hands with his claws, claws Nex could have sworn weren't there before.

Rake's already chemically bleached skin paled a few more shades. "I said stop," he salivated, sitting up straight. His eyes were leaking red.

A small amount of blood trickled down Nex's arm, who conceded.

"I'm guessing that's the 'beast mode' you were ranting about?" Nex cautiously looked toward Flora, who immediately shushed him. The lack of comedic relief only made Nex feel more awful.

Rake's head perked upright, his nostril's flaring. His breathing was surprisingly steady, yet also low and gravelly. His head reared toward the exit, handprints now embedded in the bed's metal rails.

"No, Rake, stay!" Flora screamed, but it was too late.

He leapt out of the bed, discarding the blanket. He was down to his underwear, yet didn't seem to care as he bolted out of the med bay.