Cody

I sat in the waiting room for my call, though my heart wouldn't stop beating out of my chest. Tanith had been in there for awhile and no doctors had come to get me to tell me anything. Several came, making me think they were for me, but then called a different name, and I sunk lower in my seat.

I was worried to say the least. Tanith had been here in Atlantis for quite a while and I was really considering her a good friend. She was someone I could rely on, but I got so caught up in other things, I often forgot to really make sure she was okay. I mean, of course I asked, but she always said she was fine. I should have known she was lying.

"Cody Maverick?" My head shot up as I was finally called up. Doctor Gray stood there, holding a clipboard in front of her and beckoned me forward. When I caught up, she started to walk down the hall, leaving me to follow. "You're friend, Tanith Kennedy was it?" I nodded. "Well, after examination, she is going to live." I let out a breath but immediately held it again when she uttered the word "However."

"What? What is it?" I demanded.

Doctor Gray examined her clipboard again before speaking. "Well, sleep is a main source of energy as you might know. From what we know, her body didn't get enough food to compensate for her lack of sleep, or in simpler terms, Tanith is extremely low on energy which is interfering with basic functions. Right now, we got some of our professionally made protein shakes in her to build the muscle and energy back up and as we speak, she's will be on some sleeping medication. You may see her if you like, but I will warn you, the medication doesn't work immediately. Normally, we'd use a sedative but from previous usage, it doesn't work like it should with her. This medication better agrees with her body, but it will make her loopy before working."

"Loopy?" She nodded and I cracked a smile. "Oh boy, I gotta record this!"

Finally, we reached the recovery room. I whipped out my phone, hit the little red button and walked in.

"Don'ttt sthap beliiiiiiivingggggg! Hold on to the feeeeelingggg! Bum buh! Bam buh booom ba ba ba ba baaaaaa!" Though I found it hard to believe, it was Tanith who was singing. Inside the hospital room, there wasn't much other than a couple cabinets, a nightstand on both sides of the bed and of course, the bed where Tanith was. The hybrid's tail was too long for the bed and slumped off the right side of the bed, curled. Tanith was already giggling and it only increased when I walked in.

There was no doubt the drugs were taking effect.

"Codyyyyy! How's my favorite penguin?" Then she paused, her face going blank. "Wait... Do I know any other penguins? Crap, am I offending some random penguin friend I made a long time ago? Wait... Nah, I can barely stand the cold, never mind, but how are youuuu?" Some of her words she held out, most likely one of the effects of the medicine.

"I'm good, but are you okay?"

She nodded sloppily. "Oh yeahhhh! They gave me all of these cool things and put it in me and I feel so good! Soooooo good! I can finally appreciate that one song! You know, when it first came out in like the 19- somethings, it was EVERYWHERE! Nobody could stop believing! Nobody! I mean I heard soldiers humming it in my last one and then even more once I settled. It's crazy."

"Settled?" I echoed. "Like in Atlantis?"

"Noooo, nooo, not that. A tiny, little, itty bit before coming here, I had this period of rest. I tried to get into the "Real" life but it wasn't goin' good. Dr. Marr said I missed the adrenaline. He was right too! If I didn't, I wouldn't have gotten here! Nice huh?" Tanith paused again. "I think I cracked the code!"

I snickered but humored her. "What code?"

"I know why allll of the fighting started between you and KK! It's so obvious!" She sat up suddenly, slapping her hand on the bed. "PENGUINS EAT SQUIDS! Ha! He's scared you're going to eat him! How did I not see this before?"

I started to crack up, the phone shaking in my hands. "Nice deduction skills. You got me there."

When I finally got done, she said something. Something I didn't think she would in her current state. "Whooo was the other king?" She slurred.

I blinked, unsure of which one she was talking about. "Do you mean my Dad?"

"No, no, not him. The other one. The... The guy! Was he like your bro or something?"

All life seemed to drain out of me when I finally understood. "Oh... Yeah, he was my brother. His name was Joe."

"Why does no-body talk 'bout him? Was he like, assassinated? Gone into hiding? Betrayed Atlantis then died?" I didn't say anything. "Because every time I get a hint at him, someone changes the subject. Like, he's the owner of that giant sword I always see in the palace so he must've been important-tay! So why no talk ever?"

"He left... He left and I don't know if he's coming back."

"Awwww, I'm sorrry Codes. Must've been tough." Then, the hybrid stared at the floor, as if she came up with a sudden realization. "Is that what happens when people leave their home and loved ones behind? They become this-- this taboo that mustn't be mentioned? Is-" Her body sank deeper into the bed. "Is that what happened to me?"

I opened my mouth, but she spoke first. "Nope! Never mind! Gettin' off of that train and running the other direction! Don't answer that, I don't wanna know." She said quickly, making "No" gestures in the air. I chuckled, shaking off any sad feelings I had the best I could. Tanith stopped for a long time, then looked me in the eyes, examining them.

"Have I ever told you that you remind me of her?"

My eyebrows furrowed. "No... Her? Who is "Her"? I have no idea what you are talking about."

Once again, she didn't respond immediately, but finally, she started to explain it all. "I have this younger sibling named Grazia. She was... Well, she was the one I was supposed to take care of. My other sibling, Emil, she never needed me. She was always better at everything. Everything that mattered anyways. Every time I tried to help, she'd be like, "Nah, I go this T. You go deal with your own problems." so I never really got to take care of her, but Grazia always looked up to me. I had to be an example for that little bean so I did my best to make her proud! Of course, I left so I haven't been able to take care of her in years. While I was away, I missed having "Feels Jams" with her and giving advice. She always loved to listen to me, but I forgot how much I loved talking to her. Her had these beautiful brown eyes and sometimes,"

Tanith's blue eyes strayed until they met mine. "I see her in you. I see her excitement and potential. I see her kind hearted soul and her spirit. I see her, and I see that I have a second chance. A chance to make things right. And-... And...." Tanith slowly started to lose her energy, drooping down.

"Well, it looks like the drugs are starting to knock you out so I'll leave you to that." I told her. I had no idea what to say about her sibling, so I quickly changed the subject. "You should be off of work for a while too."

"Wait!" She sat up suddenly, body wavering like she was somehow going to lose balance. "What if you need me? What if you get into another battle- and- and you get hurt? What if you die because I wasn't there?" Her form began to tense up but I quickly soothed it with a light shush.

"It'll be fine, I doubt we'll be getting into fights any time soon. Go sleep, you need it."

Slowly but surely, the half snake slipped into the bed and eyes flickered shut. "Mmmmm.... Fine but if things get bad, come to me... I'd hate to break my promise." She mumbled the last part but I still picked it up.

I perked up. "Promise?"

I tried to ask more but she was already fast asleep.

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KrakenKid

In the dead of night, Atlantis was sleeping, which meant if I was going to do it, now was the time. The guards would all be too tired to realize I was slipping past their lines. Lucky for them, I had no evil intentions in mind. Besides breaking into a hospital, but for a pretty good reason.

Swimming up, I moved past the rail tracks and across the front entrance as fast as I could before getting down again. When nothing happened, I continued, looking through the windows to see what I could find. There was one thing in particular I was looking for, and it wasn't long before I found it.

The soft glow from my yellow eyes reflected off of the glass as I gazed into the darkness. Sure enough, I spotted a multicolored tail, sticking out from the bed. It was hers no doubt, unless there was another in Atlantis with the same snake tail and in the hospital, but the one with the tail alone was slim.

Quietly as I could, I shattered the glass with the butt of my gun, just enough for me to slip in. However, at the same time I woke the sleeping patient.

She jolted up with a start and whipped around to my direction and stared. After a long moment, the half snake smiled. "KK!" Tanith said gleefully, but also loud at the same time. I gave her a quick shush, doing my best to remind her I wasn't exactly welcomed in Atlantis.

"Oh! Sorry!" She giggled, then stopped and stared at me. "Whatcha doin' here?"

I gave her a strange look at her choice of words. "I came to visit you... Are you okay?"

"I'm great! Amazing really! The doctors gave me some medication and it feels soooooooo gooooood!" She purred, then stared deep into my eyes. "Have I ever told you that your eyes are like, so pretty? I mean, my little snake people, we allll got different colored eyes, but in my little town there's only been a record of two people having yellow eyes. Two! And they were kinda a pale yellow too! Not like, almost GOLD! My gosh, so beautiful." She continued to stare into my eyes.

I let out a snicker. "That's some weird medication they got you on. You aren't in the right mind are you?"

"Noooope! But hey, at least I feel good!"

I considered my options but rolled with it in the end. I leaned against the wall and asked the one thing on my mind. "What's the "Bonding" thing you were talking about?"

Tanith grinned. "The Bonding is an ability I have! Think like an empath, but with specific people! Empaths can feel the emotions of others when they are around them, so I just feel them with specific people! There are rules to it, just like all magic. For one thing, I can only do it with people I care about, and at first it starts out small, I can only feel the EXTREME stuff you know? Then it grows until it becomes easier to feel the normal things! It mostly works with negative emotions, but every once in awhile it'll turn up with positive as well! Also, it just kinda works on it's own. I don't got any control!"

I nodded along. "And what's this about it going both ways? I can feel your emotions as well?"

"Welllll, sortaaaaaa! I think it's harder for you but on some occasions, yes! Only in those crazy moments though."

I let out a little 'Hm' out of interest. I could only wonder if she had any other abilities, but decided against asking. Maybe on another day, when she was back to her normal state. I mean, she was still Tanith, but just very... Open. "Quite the powers you've got! One last thing," I paused and cleared my throat.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" I hissed. "I mean avoiding sleep? You have to know how dangerous that is! You could have died!"

"But-"

"No buts!" I crossed my arms. "I don't care if I lose a little sleep, it's not worth your life. I could have dealt with it. Next time this happens, come over and will have a... What do you call it again? The feelings session or something? Doesn't matter, either way, you have to take care of yourself. I don't want to mess up one day and not notice your state, then suddenly I have a dead hybrid on my hands, nobody wants that! Just- promise me. Promise me you'll take care yourself, okay?"

Tanith searched the depths of my eyes, but in the end smiled. "Allll right. I promise that when it comes to eating, sleeping and all of that mandatory stuff, I'll take care of myself." For a moment, something flickered in her eyes but it was gone as quickly as it came.

"Good. I'll leave you to your sleep." I said and turned around. Right before I slipped out of the room, Tanith called out.

"Wait!" Confused, I whipped back around. "I... I'm not ready to go back to bed yet."

"What? Why?" She sighed.

"I don't want to watch those eyes fade again." Tanith whispered. It took me a moment before I realized what she meant.

I smiled softly. "They're not going to, don't worry! I know dreams can feel real sometimes, you just have to remember that I'll be back at the Conch Command, safe and sound. No swords in my chest or poisonous bullets in the shoulder slowly killing me, just catching up on sleep. Probably dreaming of taking over Atlantis, or maybe, I don't know, Special Chicken? Not sure yet..."

The hybrid let out a laugh. I gave one last smile before shifting back towards the broken window. "'Night Tanith. Try and get some sleep." I said right before I climbed out of the room and returned home.

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I don't normally switch first person POV's like that buttttttt, I made an exception, mainly due to not wanting to split it into two chapters. Here's a bit of the aftermath! There will be a little more on it in a later chapter, possibly the next one, not sure yet.

Fun Fact: When someone goes on Loopy medicine, they act the same to if they were drunk. WOW, THE MORE YOU KNOW RIGHT?

Annnnyyyyways, I hope you enjoyed this little chapter! Be sure to comment your thoughts, and farewell!

--JustAnAtlantisWriter