Lisa started the training, explaining various techniques, guiding Barbara through the process of channeling her healing magic more efficiently, and demonstrating the proper usage of the different materials in the room.

As the hours passed, however, Barbara struggled to grasp the concepts and put them into practice. Her healing spells still lacked potency, and her hands shook with uncertainty as she attempted to follow the intricate diagrams on the walls.

Lisa’s patience began to wear thin. After five hours, she realized that Barbara’s progress was minimal, if any.

“Barbara, you’re no good.”

With a dangerous glint in her eyes, Lisa decided to resort to drastic measures. “I understand that this is challenging for you, but we need to see results. I’m going to push you beyond your comfort zone. This might be painful, but it’s necessary,” Lisa warned, and reached for Barbara’s hand.

“L-Lisa…?”

Barbara’s eyes widened in fear as she saw a knife in Lisa’s hand. She wanted to protest, but the words caught in her throat.

“Trust me, Barbara. This is for your own good,” Lisa said firmly, gripping Barbara’s arm tightly. With a swift motion, she made a small cut on Barbara’s forearm. Barbara winced in pain, tears filling her eyes.

“Your task is to heal this wound, and once you heal it successfully, I will cut your arm again. We will be doing this until you’re as good of a healer as your father, Seamus Pegg… until you’re able to regrow an entire arm,” Lisa spoke coldly, her tone leaving no room for argument. “You have to push past your fear and your doubts, and focus on the magic within you.”

Barbara looked at the wound, her heart pounding. She knew that she needed to improve, but the idea of being pushed to her limits like this terrified her.

Her tears began to flow, and she stammered, “D-don’t…do this to me…please…Lisa…”

Lisa’s expression remained cold and unyielding, despite Barbara’s pleas and tears. She knew this method was harsh, but she also knew that time was of the essence, and they could not afford to waste any more of it.

“I understand you’re scared, Barbara, but imagine what would happen if Handsome, or anyone else you care about on the team were seriously injured, and you were unable to help them. How would you feel then? You need to find the strength within yourself to push through this fear and become the healer your team needs. If someone important to you died, you would blame yourself for the rest of your life.”

Barbara’s tears continued to flow, but she understood Lisa’s point. The thought of being unable to help her friends when they needed her the most was terrible. The thought of losing Yomite was especially unbearable.

“O-okay…I’ll…I’ll do my best.”

Barbara sobbed heavily, her body trembling as she looked at the wound on her arm. She was terrified, but she knew deep down that Lisa was right. If she didn’t become a better healer, she would be a burden to her friends, and she couldn’t bear that thought.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to steady her shaking hands and focus on the healing magic within her. She whispered an incantation, and a soft, blue glow enveloped her hands. As she placed them over the wound, she could feel the warmth of the healing energy flowing into her arm.

The wound slowly began to close, but it was not as quick or as seamless as it should have been. Barbara winced as the healing process seemed to drag on, and she could see the disappointment in Lisa’s eyes.

“Not good enough,” Lisa said sternly, grabbing the knife once again. “You need to do better, Barbara.”

Tears streaming down her cheeks, Barbara nodded, steeling herself for another cut.

“…!!”

As Lisa sliced her arm again, Barbara gritted her teeth, trying to focus on the pain as motivation. She could not let her friends down, and she would not let herself be weak any longer.

Over and over again, Lisa cut Barbara’s arm, forcing her to heal each new wound. The pain was intense, but with each attempt, Barbara’s healing spells grew stronger and more efficient. Her hands became steadier, and the blue glow of her magic seemed brighter and more vibrant.

As the hours passed, the training continued. Lisa remained silent, her expression unreadable. Barbara was exhausted, no longer even registering what was happening in front of her eyes. She lost so much blood she felt anemic and wanted to vomit on the spot.

“Haah…This won’t do.”

“…?”

Without any warning, Lisa suddenly grabbed the knife and drove it into her own arm.

“—!!?”

Barbara looked at her in disbelief.

“…Ms. Lisa! Wha…What are you doing! Why did you stab yourself!?”

“You aren’t paying attention.” Lisa’s voice was harsh and unyielding. “Heal it, Barbara. Now.”

Having realized Barbara was afraid of getting hurt and on the verge of collapsing, Lisa took things into her own hands.

Barbara struggled to focus on the wound on Lisa’s hand. Blood seeped out of the wound, dark and thick, dripping onto the ground below her. The metallic scent of it filled the air, intensifying the nausea that threatened to overwhelm her.

Gritting her teeth, Barbara tried to focus on the task at hand to heal it as fast as possible to stop the bleeding.

As the blue glow of her magic enveloped her hand, she could feel the powerful surge of energy flowing through her veins.

Bit by bit, the wound started to close, the edges of the torn flesh drawing together as if guided by an invisible force. As the healing process continued, the blood flow slowed to a trickle and then stopped altogether.

“Well done. Now, do it again.”

“Ms. Lisa…? Please don’t stab yourself again…”

“I will do so again and again, until you are capable of healing a small injury like this. Pain is only in your head. If you numb nociceptors in your brain with magic, or paralyze them altogether just like this, there won’t be any pain, just bleeding.”

Lisa stated, holding up her healed arm. Her eyes were clear. She was ready to push Barbara to her limits, even if it meant inflicting damage on herself in the process.

Barbara stared at Lisa in disbelief, but she understood the point that the she was trying to make. Pain was a mental construct, something that they could overcome with enough focus and determination. If they could numb their senses to it, they would be able to continue fighting enemies even when wounded.

“Ms. Lisa…” Barbara began, a tremor in her voice. “Thank you…I…I understand. Let’s continue.”

With that, the two women plunged back into their hellish training. As the hours stretched on, Barbara’s healing magic improved significantly, able to seal wounds with greater speed and less strain on her magic reserves.

“Focus, Barbara. Visualize the wound healing. See the skin closing, the blood stopping, the pain disappearing. That’s your goal,”

“Yes!”

Lisa watched Barbara’s progress with a sense of grim satisfaction. This method was harsh, but it was effective. If Barbara was to survive in the world, she needed to be able to heal under pressure, and this training was preparing her for that reality.

Lisa watched, satisfied with Barbara’s progress, but she did not let up. “You’re improving, but you’re not there yet,” she stated, preparing to stab her own arm again.

The pattern continued, stab, heal, stab, heal, and slowly, Barbara became more efficient, her healing magic more potent. Her hands, previously shaky with fear, now moved with much more confidence, albeit still a bit restrained. The look in her eyes had changed too, from uncertainty to something akin to a resolve.

“Good job, Barbara,” Lisa finally said after many hours, her tone a mix of praise and sternness. “We’ll continue this tomorrow. For now, rest. You’ve earned it.”

As Barbara collapsed into an exhausted sleep, Lisa looked at the young woman with a complicated expression. She hoped that the price of this training wouldn’t be too high, that Barbara wouldn’t come to resent her for the harsh methods she had used.

“Jean loves you, yet you don’t realize it at all.”

***