Training as a Slime(79)

The pack of reindeer towed the retro space car back to the station while their traumatised master huddled up at a corner of the seat. As the bells mysteriously jingle in space, the Muscular Santa could not hold in his anger and scolded him, "What were you thinking! Are you nuts stepping off your chariot? You put everyone in danger, even your reindeer!"

The teary-eyed Santa looked back at him, sniffing and trembling non-stop. His appearance gradually became youthful with time. 

"Oh no, it's happening," Planet Earth/ Eo Santa yelled as Planet Nibiru Santa was suspended in a state of abandonment. His twinkly eyes no longer shined, his wrinkles smoothed without a smile.

"I can't believe our Boss had not assigned any planet to him yet. He's going to die at this rate!" the muscular elderly Santa complained. "Santa Ante, do you know how to assign planet to him?" he asked.

"Of course not! I'm old but not that old! Let's hurry back to the headquarters instead. At least, he can receive some life support," Planet Ante Santa replied.

Planet Earth/Eo Santa sighed as he realised how he seemed to have an affinity with those with inflictions. Soon after, the reindeer pulled into the space station, dragging the chunk of metal into the room with an annoying screech. The muscular Santa immediately wrapped Planet Nibiru Santa with a thick blanket and bridal-carried him into the medical chamber, ignoring the stares of passersby. Upon reaching the medical facility, the nurses pulled a trolley bed upon seeing Santa Nibiru, carefully placing the fragile Santa on it and rushing him into the emergency room.

The trio ran and followed but was promptly stopped by the nurse at the emergency entrance. "Please register at the counter and stay in the waiting area. The doctor will be with you once she attends to the patient," the plump elvish nurse explained speedily and entered the treatment facility without giving the Santas any time to respond.

Begrudgingly, the Santas registered at the counter and waited patiently at the door.

Planet Eo/Earth Santa: "Work must be piling up now... I can wait here while you guys do your work."

Planet Ante Santa: "Ho ho! There will always be work to be done. But being there for Santa when he needs you, that's more important."

"Ho ho ho! Indeed!" the muscular Santa concurred stroking his beard.

Touched, Planet Eo/ Earth Santa wiped a droplet of tears from his twinkling eye.

Several hours later, a doctor with a beauty mole came out and approached the trio, "Are you relatives of Santa Nibiru?"

"I suppose we are, Santa and all. How is he, will he be alright?" the muscular Santa asked the perplexed doctor who realised she asked a silly question.

"Without any primary planets, he would return to singularity like any star child unless he linked up with a planet to regain his life force. Once the cycle of destruction began on the planet he was born with, I'm afraid we can only prolong his life for a month," the doctor explained.

"I have an extra planet, can I give it to him?" Earth/ Eo Santa asked.

"I'm afraid it would depend on his compatibility with the planets you have," the doctor answered. "We can conduct a suitability test before the transfer. Since the urgent situation would supersede the commander's authority, we can start the transfer once the compatibility is confirmed. If agreeable, our nurses will prepare the relevant paperwork for you to sign," she elaborated further.

 "Don't do it," Planet Ante Santa pleaded, "Your situation is as dire as his."

The 2 Santas looked at him with concern, discouraging him from the planet transplant through their brow language.

"Sorry brothers, both of you jolly know it's the right thing to do, you would do it if you were me too" Earth/ Eo Santa said to them and then turned to the elf, "Please, do the test."

"Our nurse will guide you to a room to extract the planets' essence, please follow them," the doctor instructed and directed him to the 2 elves dressed in pink.

The Santa nodded and followed the elves to the room while the other Santas were instructed to wait helplessly at the lounge. 

After settling the paperwork- absolving the medical unit of all responsibilities during the procedure, the nurses brought Earth/ Eo Santa in front of a capsule. "Adam & Lilith incorporated?" Santa thought to himself, amused at the brand of the medical device.

Nurse with pink hair: "Once you enter the tank, a button will be on your right. If you feel discomfort and breathless at any point, press the button and the tank will open."

The red-haired nurse continued, "A dense gaseous solution will fill the tank. Please breathe as normal and discharge your manna and energy field in the following sequence- Earth's manna and energy field followed by Eo's at every 20-second interval."

"Got it," he said, entering the capsule in his suit without a hint of hesitation as if driven by an insatiable need to complete a mission.

The nurses nodded to confirm with each other that the capsule was safely and firmly sealed before commencing with the next action. "Loading gas RX at 20-second intervals, " said the nurse. "Stats all clear, reading clear, energy reading evident, increase density to test viability," the red-haired nurse instructed as the other nurse increased the density of the gas.

As the gas became denser, Santa felt an increased resistance whenever he attempted to release his energies and manna. After 30 minutes, he felt his ability to release Eo's energy and manna restricted. At the 120-minute mark, he found it extremely difficult to release Earth's energy and manna.

"Okay we have a good result, please commence with decompressing, Nurse Joi" instructed the head nurse.

"Commencing decompressing and re-introducing ambient environment at 5-second intervals. Decompression complete, release candidate?" Nurse Joi asked.

"Affirmative," the head nurse confirmed. As the door to the chamber opened, a blurry-eyed Santa asked, "Is there a match?"