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Post by CJ on Feb 14, 2013 23:57:57 GMT -5
A rumbling sound came from Beth's stomach. She was starving. The bar codes only served to remind her more of food. At least with nothing in her belly, she didn't have to worry about vomiting anymore. She occasionally whispered softly to Kaede to stay calm. Her voice was too soft to hear what she was saying but Beth was at least relieved she was alive.
Before, she overheard Snake speaking to Connor's inactive brain. Her mind's eye pictured him nodding or saying something like "It's OK." He would have understood the situation but she still felt horrible for leaving him in what she thought was a dark place he might never come back from.
Her eyes strained to see the fantastic visuals of the upper half of Seven Gates. She tried to look away so she wouldn't feel nauseous but was only greeted with Shroud Demon's face.
"This place isn't the only thing that's upper part is glowing," she muttered almost cluelessly.
Beth couldn't believe it. She assumed there was some reason Shroud Demon kept his bucket over his head but she would have never guessed it was something like this. He looked so thin and his face was... strangely fantastic without his armor. Now she understood his name. He was a demon who kept his appearance in shrouds, in darkness, lest others see what he actually was. But he wasn't really a "demon," was he? She only knew of one real Akuma, a creature or thing that, out of the grace of its master, was allowed to act as a human. Her thoughts turned as she glanced around her, trying to determine what exactly they were up against. She couldn't determine the number of police/cyborgs/robots/Tomahawk-want-to-be's but she felt she had a plan. Make it seem like they weren't the villains the people thought they were.
Stepping slowly toward Shroud Demon, she held Kaede close to her.
"We need help!" she shouted. "Despite how we look, we're not here to hurt anyone!"
How she wanted so badly to ask about body replacements and where she could find Connor's old body. As far as she knew, there was no chance he could live in it, but she wanted at least to see it and ensure it was destroyed respectfully before she left. But she couldn't focus on that; what was she supposed to do about Finnegan and Camellia? Not to mention Kaede's safety and well-being was of absolute priority.
"We had nothing to do with the blast, just get my friend help, please! She's dying! My shiny friend's right! Take us but help her! We... ummm... we know Arch!"
It was a shot in the dark. Beth had only met the Shichibukai once and barely at that. All she heard about the "man" from Connor probably wasn't true from what she heard from Kaede and others but the name might their only hope or ticket straight to hell.
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Post by Shark a' Pult on Feb 15, 2013 1:24:08 GMT -5
"Police, good, so g-good that you're here. Our friend really needs a doctor! Can you take us to one? Please, police officers? Please? She's so badly wounded, we really need a doctor. Please take us to one, please."
"Stand down, Citizen! Submit to Identification processing or we will be forced to take action!"
When about the time Beth and Shroud Demon were moving about, the megaphones blared out, and warning shots were fired. Two projectiles about the size of cola cans, with extended claws and giving off blue light. When they hit the ground they dug in, and started giving off electric shocks. Being hit by one such device, would likely not be conducive to one's health. Judging by these, it could be assumed that the weapons the police on the ground were carrying had a similar function.
"We need help! Despite how we look, we're not here to hurt anyone!"
"No... no... no..."
When the police on the ground began to close in more, they were clearly able to get a better look at the strangers. One of the officers near the front, with white streaks across the otherwise navy blue armor differentiated him from the others. When he got within about twenty paces he held up a hand to halt the advance, and in response the visor on his helmet raised.
"Duly noted, Citizen. Clearly your situation is dire, once we finish the ID scan, we'll be able to-"
"Sergeant, Sergeant!"
Someone ran through the huddle of police, nearly bumping into the commanding officer in the process. Based on how he was dressed, with a similar color schemed attire but no comparable level of armor to the others, it could be guessed that he was not a front-line officer. Perhaps some sort of communications operator or something.
"Sir, the scan went through, they even ran it again... nothing. These people, they don't have ID... they're outsiders."
At the last word, the ring of police around the scene whom had stood down at the sergeants orders all raised their guns again without a moments hesitation and there was much shouting. The Sergeant himself gestured for the operator to get back and lowered the visor on his helmet, raising his weapon as well.
"Foreigners, you are currently under the jurisdiction of-"
"We had nothing to do with the blast, just get my friend help, please! She's dying! My shiny friend's right! Take us but help her! We... ummm... we know Arch!"
If only for a second there was a murmur of hesitation. No one lowered their weapons and the spotlights were still blinding upon them, but they weren't moving any closer now, and they certainly weren't speaking. The sergeant muttered something into his helmet though he seemed to be talking to someone else who was not present, like he was checking with someone in another location.
"Lay down your arms outsiders... you'll need to be processed before anything goes on from here."
"No... no... no... NO!"
At that moment something awoke within Kaede, and she clutched weakly at Beth, struggling to retain consciousness. She was almost gone now, but whatever was keeping here around, was enough that she could choke out what had been tormenting her in her unconscious state. She could barely see past the goggles that had been burned into her face so she had to try hard to see, and she could barely be heard past the surgical mask that had quieted her before this so she had to try hard to speak. As well her breathing was strained, and Beth would be able to feel her small frame struggling, which only further made things more difficult for her.
"We came... all this way... for your husband. Everything we've done... has been for... Connor. Help him... first."
That seemed to be all she was capable of, and shortly after slipped back into that coma-like state of torment in which she had been trapped. She only murmured now, as she had before, whether or not it could be heard having nothing to do with her saying it.
"Help... Connor... Help... Connor..."
---
-signs are showing positive. Really it's only a matter of time until he comes to, physically he is completely fine, good as new even.
Some distant voices could be heard, though it was hard to parse them. Flashes of memories, of bright white light and medical machinery, of doctors and scientists toiling about in a busy haze. There had been speaking before, but this was probably the first time it was clear to make out, at least in the sense that it was understandable.
"To try and explain it simply, it should feel like waking up after a good night's sleep after a long and tiresome day. It'll be up to him for certain, but it could be any hour now. Of course it will take some getting used to however."
Should the head chef of the Happy Happy restaurant choose to open his eyes and not play dead, he would see a hospital room. A very clean and well-lit hospital room to be precise, and though it was unlike most any other hospital in the world, Connor might feel rather familiar with the place. This was because he had been here before, under different circumstances and with different people, but the place was the same. Lots of advanced medical machinery and arrays, lots of clean white plastic, the floor even looked to be made of some translucent surface though it was too hard to see clearly through from the embossed effect.
"Feel free to wait here if you wish, though the equipment exists for a reason. We can provide a more... comfortable place for you to stay, and we will be able to inform you the moment he responds."
Without looking however, Connor would be able to tell something was different. Something would feel different. No more, that sense of being disconnected or being comprised of metal and wires. He was there, all of him, in one piece. It was his body, and his brain inside it, once again just as things were supposed to be.
At that moment a doctor was discussing with the people waiting in the room, the other outsiders. Well, most of them at least. In actuality, only a few hours had passed and night was giving way to sunrise, visible by the increasing light against the drawn curtains. After the situation with the police had been resolved, the outsiders had been transported to this place and seen to. Their injuries taken care of, given food and whatever else they might need, and Connor in particular who came to be as he was now.
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Post by Sprite on Feb 16, 2013 4:12:56 GMT -5
As the citizens and the police started crowding around and shouting, Snake's initial thought was to simply wreck and burn everything in sight, and find what they had come here for. The Crown Prince of Ravunya was no coward, he did not fear these enforcers and their futuristic weapons, and he would fight to get his friends to where they needed to be. But something held him back, the light pressure of Connor's braincase against his chest reminded him, that would not be what his friends wanted.
And so quelling his inner beast, Snake merely stepped protectively in front of everyone else, he was best suited to taking hits if anything. When the first shots from the police rang out, Snake narrowed his eyes and tensed as if to move to intercept the projectiles. But seeing as they were aimed at the floor he did nothing.
"Show offs..."
Snake grumbled as the electric charges went through the odd weapons and into the ground. Honestly if that was all they had, there probably would have been a chance of him simply busting through them, though how far he would get trying to protect everyone else was still dubious.
Thankfully, Beth and everyone else somehow managed to diffuse the situation, and before he knew it they were all in the waiting room, waiting for Connor.
Opening one eye irritably, as he had been napping in a chair whilst leaning against the wall, Snake listened to what the doctor had to say. He seemed satisfied with how things were.
"It's that easy? Few hours and you've got him back in his real body, no problems? How's the girl?"
It seemed the blunt and rash prince was worried not only for his friend and rival, but also the spunky chemist.
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Post by CJ on Feb 16, 2013 9:46:57 GMT -5
Previously, in a separate room, Beth tore into her third vegetable sandwich and downed a bottle of water. The hunger wouldn't go away it seemed. She wondered if she should start eating meat again.
At a time like this, she supposed she should be thinking about Connor. He was her husband, after all, and now that he was going to be back in his old body she should have been really happy. Shroud Demon's face kept crawling back in her mind. What exactly was he? How close did Camellia and Finnegan come to killed in that square on account of her?
She thought about Kaede, how odd her skin felt, her pleas to help Connor first.
The water bottle crunched in Beth's grasp.
---
Breathing.
It felt natural, so natural that at first he didn't notice it.
"No, I think I'll be fine here. Thank you... if you all want to go out for a while, I can stay here. It's fine, really."
The voice was familar. It was nostalgic, like a favorite song he hadn't heard in a long time. Connor waited for Tomahawk's visual display to pop up in his mind. Nothing.
Something was different. He partly opened his eyes waited for them to autofocus. They eventually came to some fuzzy picture, but he felt like he was working them himself. Was he in some kind of new body model? He waited for the answer to appear on the bottom left side of his vision.
It never did.
Snake's voice came in. It sounded odd, but he knew it was his. It was almost like speaking to someone on a Den Den Mushi and then meeting the person later for the first time. What Snake said though shocked him.
"Real body."
He noticed he was cold and pulled the thin blanket over his face. Temperature wasn't just a number anymore. Panic settled in when he noticed he was breathing. He wasn't breathing. He tried to remember to breath.
"Connor?" he heard Beth again. "Connor, calm down. We're right here."
It's not that. It's death. At any point now, Sylvia Valentine could come in and rip him to shreds. There would be no cyborg recovery. He'd be dead again and dead for good.
Before he knew it, Beth was on the bed, holding him up and close to her. The texture of her hair, her soft smell, the way her fingers seemed to dance along the perfect points of his back.
The sensation overwhelmed him.
---
"Connor?" Beth asked. "Hey, Connor."
He actually passed out in her arms. She slowly brought him to again and laid him back down on the bed.
It would be no surprise to the others that this man would have ever needed to rely on machinery to keep him alive. His skin was so pale it was almost translucent. He had dramatic dark circles underneath his eyes, was underweight and very fragile. Snake would notice this person was very different from the cyborg he fought before. It was obvious most of Connor's previous strength was not his own.
Clutching at his light hair, his long fingers were one of the only things he shared in common with Tomahawk M-8. His hands were marked with lines and blotches. Beth was told they were childhood scars from a time Connor couldn't remember.
"Beth," he croaked, finally speaking in a timid voice. "Where is everyone?"
She stood by him and waved her hand in his face. It was a few seconds more than it should have taken for him to blink and notice her hand. Connor likely couldn't see the others standing there if he barely noticed Beth.
"We're all here," she sighed and pulled her hands together. "Most of us anyway. Kaede's hurt pretty badly. She nearly died protecting you after Tomahawk failed."
"Why?" Connor panicked again, sitting up with his eyes glaring out between his fingers. "She shouldn't have done that. I'm going to die again anyway. This body killed me; it shouldn't even be here. We didn't come for this thing. We came for another shell. What was the point if now I can't even fight Sylvia Valentine? I'm going to die. I'm going to die."
Beth couldn't bring herself to answer his question. Originally she was going to have his old body destroyed, which it already was, but when she was told he could live in one just like it again, she didn't hesitate to ask for it. Connor would always be Connor, but only having his brain in simulated skin wasn't safe anymore. If he were to create another A.I., things could be worse than the last time. She felt it was selfish, but she wanted him complete again.
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Post by Shark a' Pult on Feb 17, 2013 3:53:25 GMT -5
"No, I think I'll be fine here. Thank you... if you all want to go out for a while, I can stay here. It's fine, really."
"Of course Mrs. Anderson, we cannot express our gratitude. If there's anything else you need, please let us know."
The doctors here were in and out quite frequently, as there was much to check upon and much to monitor, in Connor's case. The lead scientist in charge of the procedure though, a man by the name of Enfield, did his best to always remain available to the outsiders and to help them adjust to their stay here as best he could. To his knowledge only Connor had been here before, so for the others it might be strange or overwhelming, to witness the complexities of Colyne. He was however, visibly very tired, most of the people here were. They had all been working non-stop for a far longer time than when Connor had just arrived.
"It's that easy? Few hours and you've got him back in his real body, no problems? How's the girl?"
"Well the previous expert on this matter did much research and work based on the body left here. In his time he managed to attain an understanding of it, such that a perfect copy could be synthesized. Of course the researcher himself fled from this place, but we still have most of his work." At this, Dr. Enfield closed a thick journal of research notes and data, looking at Connor in the bed before continuing with Snake. "And you can understand, given the situation with the disease running rampant, that we've been struggling day and night to develop a cure. Of course we were always missing the brain, so we could never complete the puzzle. Now though that were able to fill in for Jenner's work on what was lost, why I daresay we can have the entire island cured in a relatively short amount of time."
"Connor? Connor, calm down. We're right here."
When Connor began to wake, Enfield looked ecstatic, but he saw Beth's response and he knew it was not his place to interrupt. Instead of barging in and asking all manner of questions, he leaned out of the room and signaled for another researcher.
"I think maybe we should take our leave, Mr. Havey. I can show you to your friend, if you'll please follow me."
Holding the door open for Snake, Enfield would lead the way through the layout of the cutting edge facility of the future. As they left, a junior doctor entered the room behind them, assumedly for whatever reason that Enfield had summoned them for.
---
"Ah, here we are. A mister, Shrow D. Mon... is that right? Treated for significant contact burns, though expected to make a full recovery."
Leading Snake into the proper room, Enfield read off a clipboard, all the relevant information pertaining to the patient. Like Connor, Shroud Demon had been treated medically as well. For something like burns however, the procedure was significantly more mundane. As such, unlike Connor who still needed diagnostics feeds, Shroud Demon was permitted to be up and about and dressed as he pleased. Though, it was of course recommended that he remain in his room until someone who knew him could confirm his mental well being.
"I believe with some assistance, he is ready to be checked out. In my opinion he should probably be moved in a wheelchair or some similar method, though it is not essential in his state. He must be sure to drink much though, and drink often."
---
"She shouldn't have done that. I'm going to die again anyway. This body killed me; it shouldn't even be here. We didn't come for this thing. We came for another shell. What was the point if now I can't even fight Sylvia Valentine? I'm going to die. I'm going to die."
The junior doctor whom entered the room after Snake and the head scientist left, busied herself with checking all the arrays now that Connor was awake. Making sure things were going fine, and ready to administer necessary attention was it so needed. She couldn't help overhearing the conversation between the Andersons however, and she felt compelled to answer for the same reason that Enfield was so helpful; it was hard for outsiders to attain an understanding of this place. Turning away from the medical machinery for a moment to address them, her ID card could be seen; Dr. Velitte.
"I don't mean to pry Mr. Anderson, but I can assure you that you are certainly safe here. I don't know of any Valentine, but if she is an outsider, then she will not be able to come to this place. Not after we settle this disease issue and everything is back to normal. You and your wife are free to stay as long as you like, on account of... well, that's not important. What matters is, you're safe here."
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Post by Kuro on Feb 17, 2013 9:38:36 GMT -5
"Ah, Viper, is that you? Everyone's so happy happy happy because we got Konner's body back, right? We did it, we did it, we did it!"
Shroud Demon was sitting up in a hospital bed, a blanket covering most of his body. His face was covered in tight-fitting bandages except for his eyes and mouth. His eyes, a light blue in color, were big and friendly. Just looking at the eyes would let anyone know that he had a big smile on his face. They weren't tired, worn, or anything of the sort. They seemed eager to see everything in the world and yet they focused on Snake, letting him know that the hero was giving him his full attention.
"These people are really nice! I've never been to a hospital before! I usually just covered my wounds with some worn-out bandages I found in other people's trash, but this is amazing! Someone is doing all the bandage stuff for me and they're doing it so so well! I've never seen anything like it! Can you believe that something like this exists? I mean, wow!"
He looked at the doctor who had just said something and realized just what had been said. "...A...wheelchair? What's that? I-is it a chair...with wheels?! The chair can move by itself?! I've never heard of such an amazing contraf...contra...con...contraptiu...connnnnnnn...."
He sat there for a bit, looking up in thought as he tried to remember that hard word.
"...Connnnnnntraaaaaaapppppppttttttiiii....oun? Contraption! Contraption contraption contraption, I got it right, see look, I got it right!" Shroud Demon was absolutely giddy now, clapping his hands in front of him and squealing like a little schoolgirl. "Very well! If the wheelchair will turn me into a speedy blitz of quick justice, then you may put me into the super robot wheelchair, sir!"
He looked back at Snake with a huge smile on his face. "So, Viper, if you don't mind me asking, just why was Konner in a robot body anyway? Did he do it to become stronger, to be the best hero he can be? I haven't seen his human body yet, but I bet he's really happy right about now, right? Right?"
His young-looking eyes looked at Snake and were full of anticipation and glee.
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Post by Sprite on Feb 18, 2013 3:35:24 GMT -5
Seeing Connor faint in Beth's arms, Snake merely smirked and chuckled a little. It was a hilarious sight, he had never known Connor before his days as a cyborg. To think that this man was currently a rank up on him...dear lord. It might even be a mercy if Snake just beat the crap out of him now and send him down the rankings for his own safety. Feeling his rage sated for the moment, he nodded to the doctor and allowed himself to be guided out.
---
Of course, finding that he was led to Shroud Demon was a bit of a letdown. Perhaps the doctor thought that by "the girl" Snake was referring to Shroud Demon. Sighing as he walked over to the odd youth, he placed a finger under his odd head and turned him this way and that, squinting at him as if looking at an injured animal. He couldn't figure heads or tails what was wrong with his...head...face...whatever.
"Yeah yeah, everything is better now. You did a good job kid."
Looking about the room disinterestedly as the Doctor and Shroud spoke, Snake spotted a wheelchair in the corner of the room. Bringing out his famed whip, Snake easily lashed the wheel chair and brought it over to Shroud's bedside, turning it towards him and gesturing for him to get in.
"He was in that robot body because apparently his real body was too weak for him to live in. Sorry to disappoint you kid, Connor's a total wimp."
Smirking at the kid, he cocked his head to the side and narrowed his eyes at him.
"Say...what are you anyway? You don't really have a...head. Just a light. Not sure if you've realized."
More pressing however, was the condition of the rest of their friends. Turning his head towards the doctor, Snake spoke firmly as he didn't want to be mislead again.
"This kid's good to go, I'll look after him myself. But where's Kaede? Girl in a surgical mask, she got badly burnt up earlier, take us to her will ya?"
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Post by CJ on Feb 18, 2013 14:52:03 GMT -5
"See?" Beth continued after Dr. Velitte. "You're safe here. Let's talk about those things later. We have to discuss a few other things first."
Connor sighed and laid back down. He gripped onto the blanket again nervously. It was then that he noticed the various monitoring equipment placed around his body. His eyes fluttered from one cord to the next. He wasn't going anywhere soon but Beth was glad she could prop up the bed so he could sit up next to her.
Beth stood and went to introduce herself to the trainee but felt Connor grip her hand.
"Um... did you put lotion on your hands, Beth?" he asked hesitantly, moving his fingers around hers.
"No," she answered. She wasn't sure what he was talking about. She watched as he brought his scarred hands back up to his face. He still looked so devastated. She wished he could have been at least a little happy about the result.
"Beth Anderson," she introduced herself, offering her hand for Dr. Velitte, "and obviously this is Connor. Thank you for having us here. You guys keep thanking us but I have you all to thank for my husband's life in the first place."
She crossed her arms and leaned on her one foot.
"What the hell was this Jenner guy's problem anyway? What was he doing to Connor's body to cause such a thing to happen? I've never seen anyone get sick from being around my husband or son and especially not like the rock, flame and electric stuff we saw.
"I mean, are things really going to be alright after this? We can stay for as long as you need it. I can't imagine those people on the lower half are going to be so easy to fix."
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Post by Shark a' Pult on Feb 18, 2013 19:21:46 GMT -5
"This kid's good to go, I'll look after him myself. But where's Kaede? Girl in a surgical mask, she got badly burnt up earlier, take us to her will ya?"
"Hm? Oh, oh forgive me, I must have misheard you. Running on so little sleep does that, you said you wanted to see Ms. Young before, didn't you?"
Snake's words seemed to drift right past Enfield at first, as his lightly smiling expression remained static. At some point he seemed to process what had been said however, and he did a double take, apologizing profusely at the error. Taking off his glasses he rubbed his eyes, though for some reason he seemed hesitant when he answered Snake's request.
"Yes, well... that might be a bit difficult. If your friend is ready to to be wheeled out of here, then we'll be going on a little trip."
---
"Nice to meet you, Mrs. and Mr. Anderson."
When Beth extended her hand, Velitte stared at it blankly for a few moments before scanning it with a handheld device. It seemed social skills were not these people's strong point, Connor might remember this. That is to say, at least the younger ones did not. People like Enfield whom had been alive for awhile, overtime managed to broaden their horizons and experiences beyond simply research.
"What the hell was this Jenner guy's problem anyway? What was he doing to Connor's body to cause such a thing to happen? I've never seen anyone get sick from being around my husband or son and especially not like the rock, flame and electric stuff we saw.
"I mean, are things really going to be alright after this? We can stay for as long as you need it. I can't imagine those people on the lower half are going to be so easy to fix."
"That might be... a bit hard to explain, if you don't already understand a few things about what he did. Jenner, he..."
Velitte tried to come up with an appropriate way to answer Beth's questioning, as she wasn't aware of how much scientific or even medical knowledge the Andersons possessed. It was less a concern for giving away secrets or letting them know things they shouldn't, and more a worry of whether or not they'd be able to understand her.
"...he was a chef. One of the best from what I've heard. When they needed a new geneti- err, medical-type person, he fit the part. It was only a coincidence that he became involved in all this stuff in the first place, but he took to it better than anyone else... well, ever. Most of us here, we look at genea- the parts inside people that make them who they are, as just pieces of information. Jenner though, he looked at them like ingredients. I don't even think he saw patients as people, so much as dishes he could prepare; the lab was just a kitchen for him. He did some amazing work, but he got tired of just working with the same problems as he always did. When Connor came along, he found something different though, something no one had ever seen before."
The junior doctor busied herself with making some final checks on the medical equipment before removing their connective points from Connor. Most were just to monitor his condition, and now that he was awake and responsive, they served no real further purpose. That he had taken so well to his body once again, technically he could jump up and start running around, in fact that might do him some good. Realistically though, anyone would advise him to take it slow and easy, Velitte included. It was just her role to make sure the Andersons got whatever they needed, and to make sure Connor was ready to be checked out, if that was what he wanted.
"He found something inside Connor's body when it was left here, something that blended a person with fire. When he understood it however, he wasn't content with just fire, he wanted to blend people with everything the world had to offer. Things like rock, and electricity, he tried to make people like that the same way Connor's body was with fire. He never had the brain though, and when he started working around the law to complete his research, the plague was a result. He was exiled for it, but the truth was, he was probably the only one who could find a cure."
After removing the final connectors, there was some beeping on the various medical devices but she promptly switched them off and began to prep them for transport. Once everything was ready to go, she did one last simple checkup on Connor to see how he was doing off the machinery. Nothing complicated, just having him follow a light with his eyes and his response to various stimuli, as well as checking his vitals. Along with asking him to take it easy and letting him know what to do and what not to do for awhile, she ensured that he was ready to get up and move around of his own accord, if he so desired.
"Now that we were able to complete his research with the help of your brain though, it was surprisingly easy to develop a cure. Rebuilding will be difficult for sure, but actually getting rid of the disease shouldn't take more than a couple of days. Of course you all can stay as long as you like, but you could also leave as soon as you wish, the choice is yours."
She smiled softly now that Connor was one step closer to resuming his old life, and she was happy that she could help out in whatever way possible. Almost as happy as she was now that her own country would be able to return to normalcy. She went to the door to call for some service robots to move the medical equipment in the room, but she didn't leave herself, remaining to make sure the Andersons had whatever they needed and someone whom they could rely on for help in this place.
---
Assuming Snake had followed Enfield and brought Shroud Demon with them, the doctor would have actually led them to a separate wing of the hospital. Specifically down an elevator and into a transport shuttle. They didn't go far, as the shuttle zipped along a rail suspended alongside the building, but it would have been a some trouble to walk all that way. Exiting into this new wing of the hospital though, they would be able to see that it was much different, an actual scientific department for the purpose of research.
"This should be the one... ah, here we are."
The place even looked very different, and was less about the warm and safe feeling of rest and security that the conventional areas of the hospital provided, and more about the pursuit and progress of science and technology. Everything was panels and sharp angles, and had all sorts of advanced displays all over the place (even hovering through the air) to read off various feeds of information. The only similarity to the hospital was the layout of rooms, through the windows of which they would be able to see all sorts of experiments and setups taking place as they went down the various hallways. It was to one of these rooms that Enfield led them.
"Based on the condition we received her in, we placed Ms. Young in a chemically induced coma so that she would not suffer. As well, we interred her with a PSD to prolong the amount of time she could remain in this state, though it doesn't look good."
The room was very cold. Not necessarily in temperature, but in layout and design, it was simply all plastic and metal. The room was quite dark and the only other thing in the room besides the visitors was a massive array of machinery, extending from a containment tank. Snake might have been familiar with this kind of setup based on his interim spent in Solaine's care within such a device. This one however was not filled with fluid, and it was situated horizontally across the ground so that one could walk up and stand next to it, as well as look down into the device. It was really just like a large metal cylinder with one outer portion of it made of glass to serve as a window. The glass itself though was hazy and hard to see through; all that could be discerned was the body of someone, and a number of mechanical shapes moving all about inside. These resembled arms and appendages, and they seemed to be toiling away over the body within. Were Connor here, he might recognize it as the machine which originally removed his brain from his body in the first place.
"Already she's lost an arm and a leg, if you'll forgive the expression, along with everything else before that since she was interred. If the readout is to be believed, it looks like one of her eyes will be next. Still though, better than the alternative."
There were various displays and vital screens that extended from the machine as they got near, suspended via more metal appendages intent on showing them whatever they might want to know. Of course the machine couldn't know whom it was giving the information to, and just assumed them to be more scientists. Regardless of their intellectual background however, Snake and Shroud Demon would likely be able to understand the basics. It depicted the vital signs of the inhabitant and other necessary information, as well as a grid overlay of their body. The thing that probably stood out the most though, was the warning alerts that kept cropping up to indicate some sort of problem arising in the patient's body. They were just as quickly done away with however, when the machine simply followed its procedure to remove any such problems. This could be seen firsthand through the glass as the silhouettes of the arms, shifted in response to remove the causes of the alerts. Assumedly, Kaede's left arm and right leg had been among these alerts, both missing from the grid overlay of her body.
"Unfortunately, it's unclear when Ms. Young can be transferred for proper treatment, but rest assured once this plague is taken care of she will be our primary concern. Now, we can leave her in the more than capable hands of the PSD, I'm sure Mr. Anderson will be happy to see some familiar faces."
Moving towards the door which opened from his proximity, Enfield stood to lead the way out, and back to the common areas of the hospital. Of course, he merely waited for the other two, they did not have to follow when he called.
---
Snake had left the room to pursue other concerns, but there were more people in Connor's room than the Prince of Ravunya. Most of the others had been seen to however, and while everyone's injuries (however small) had been seen to, not everyone had received the eager attention of a hospital staff. For Connor it made sense given his level of importance in this current situation, however one by one the other guests were seen to in no particular order. Now it was Finn's turn.
"Excuse me Sir, I'm just here to see how your injuries are faring, and to complete the documentation required to release you. Nothing too difficult, just standard procedure."
Another doctor had entered the room with the service robots which Velitte had called for, tired and busy like the rest, but afforded now a chance to complete his more common duties; typical hospital work in this case. He wanted to check on Finn's hands and the burns he had received, and if they had healed at all. As well he had a clipboard, and alternated between checking Finn's status and asking him questions. The ID tag around his neck read Dr. Norton, and like Velitte he was a junior researcher.
"Most everyone we've seen today had an ulterior motive for their travel here, Mr. Anderson over there perhaps chief among them. I can't imagine it was for the scenery, though we're obligated to ask everyone who visits the island their purposes. So, what's the reason for your visit to Colyne today?"
It seemed that despite all that had happened in the past few hours between the capture of the outsiders and their transfer to the very top of the hourglass where the medical facilities were, Camellia had gone largely unnoticed. This was probably due mostly in part to her ability, assuming she had more or less kept a low profile as she had relatively done so far.
"On top of that, I suppose a better question would be where you come from, and why might it be that you find yourself here now? We tend not to focus much on the world below, but you can understand our concern when outsiders seek us out."
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Post by CJ on Feb 26, 2013 19:48:22 GMT -5
"A chef," Connor repeated with a mix of a gasp and sigh.
It was hard for Beth to imagine a world where a chef could be also be a scientist/doctor/future expert. Maybe it was this insanity that helped bring on the plague.
"I thought Hidane said my condition was related to some old magic," Connor commented as he was let go. "What if they've had it wrong this whole time... if I'd had known... maybe those people..."
"Eh, magic stuff, science crap, what's the difference?" Beth asked in ignorance, patting her husband on the head. "You had nothing to do with this. Whoever that guy was, he's a creep and he's gone now."
Connor smiled back at Velitte as he got up on his feet. Beth held onto him carefully to make sure he was fine walking. He seemed to do fairly well, though still needed her assistance occasionally as he discovered balancing again.
"Thank you again, er, Dr. Velitte," Beth went to shake her hand again and looked at her name tag. "For everything."
"Yeah, thank you," Connor echoed, looking down at his toes, twitching in his sandals.
---
By Beth's request, the Andersons made their way by transport shuttle to the research wing where Kaede was residing. Shroud Demon might think the person with Beth was another citizen of this place, with fragile composure and pale green eyes polar opposite to the red face plate of Tomahawk M-8. But the hospital patient scrubs were a dead give away as to his nature. He brushed his blond hair out his face and felt at it for a brief moment, as though forgetting it was there in the first place. They approached Snake and Shroud Demon before they could leave.
"Snake, Shroud Demon," he said meekly, looking up slightly at Snake. "You're both so... big. I guess I was really tall in Tomahawk, wasn't I."
He shook his head and tried to focus on the two in front of them. They'd be able to see his pupils dramatically dilate. He really wasn't used to his body.
"Anyway, thank you both so much. You've done more for me than I ever deserve and I don't think free meals will ever be enough to pay you back."
Connor bowed to them in respect. However, the bow sent him crashing onto the floor. He groaned and felt at his face. Beth helped him stand by up as his eyes rolled in his head.
"I keep forgetting I have to manually do things. My old body used to balance itself automatically. It's hard being human. I really admire you guys, making it this far the way you have."
It was then that his eyes took in the machine next to them. Knowing Connor for so long, Snake would be able to see that the thing was very familiar to him. The chef grimaced when he noticed someone inside.
"Kaede," he muttered, looking horribly shocked. He knew the scientist risked her life to save him but he probably didn't think the damage was this bad.
Beth was fixated on Kaede. Before, she briefly nodded to Snake and Shroud Demon, noting signs of skin around her new friend's eyes. So the bright light was simply a temporary effect but she wondered how someone could even survive after that. Not to mention how Kaede could have ever survived. The scientist was lucky they were so close to this facility. Still, she would have never had to be hurt if Beth knew what she was doing with Tomahawk. She wouldn't have had to lose her arm or leg... or eye.
She felt like she was going to puke again. Covering her mouth, she turned away from the others, not wanting to seem weak or emotional. Beth knew in her heart she couldn't leave Kaede here alone. The others would have to go back home without her. She thought briefly of Finnegan and Camellia. Just where were they anyway since they left the medical room?
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Post by Kuro on Feb 28, 2013 17:38:23 GMT -5
Shroud Demon's eyes shone as brightly as the light that his head had once been when Snake told him he did good. He was practically squealing with glee, about to explode with joy. He eagerly fell from the bed into the wheelchair, expecting to be filled with the power of the robots.
"...I don't feel any different. D-do I wait...?"
When Snake talked about Konner though, his eyes seemed confused. "Wha? Of course Konner isn't a wimp! He got this far, right? He travelled the seas, defeated villains, and braved all of that scary explosion heat stuff. If he was a wimp, he wouldn't have done any of that and just stayed home. Maybe his body is weak, but look at me! I was always grateful to find any sort of food before you guys found me and I know that I am a defender of justice! I cannot be a wimp or else everyone else will be hurt. If Konner is still with us, he's not a wimp." He patted Snakes' arm. "No worries about the mistake, friend."
He cocked his head at the question regarding his head. "Huh? What do you mean, 'what are you?' I'm a defender of justice and the hero of the people, no in-betweens. I don't know what you mean by a light. I mean, I've had a head for as long as I can remember." He felt his bandaged face, checking each curve and feature. "Uhhhhhh-huh. I have a face."
Shroud Demon wasn't sure what to think of the new area they had been taken too. It's pointiness and coldness reminded him of Tock and her clockwork tower. A suitable first dungeon and villain for the heroes to overcome, it was full of pain, fear, and the sheer joy of actually being a hero. Thus, being reminded of it filled Shroud Demon with a mix of emotions.
There was also the part where Tock brought him to her personal chamber and started to -
"Kaede!"
It took him a while to realize just what he was looking at through the window. Seeing all of the moving machinery on the other side of the window had just made him think more of the previous adventure, especially since he couldn't have ever imagined Kaede being hurt by such things. In fact, the first thing he had thought when seeing the medical robot arms was that they were harming her in some way. He had been about to pound on the glass when he noticed the medical displays. Yes, even he could understand them and calmed down a bit. So....they were helping her. She was hurt. Really, really hurt...and they were...using machines to fix her?
...
Did that mean she would -
"Eh? Huh? Hm? Beth! And, and..."
He cocked his head again, looking at the new arrival.
"...K...K...Konner! Wow, Konner, congratulations, you're in your old body again! We came all this way and you did it! Good job, Konner, congratulations! Er, I would hug you so much right now as a victory hug, but...I have to stay in this robot chair if I want to be stronger, like you. You're now wimp, no wimp at all~" He sung that last little part to himself, content with simply seeing Konner instead of unknowingly probably breaking his spine with love. "F-f-f-free meals every day?! That's wonderful, that would be great! Only, er, you don't need to pay us, we're your friends, right? Right?"
He reached to help Konner up, but it seemed like he was fine on his own. His eyes were showing obvious symptoms of a smile beneath his bandages when even Konner complimented him, saying he 'admired' him. Of course, his eyes became more solemn when the chef saw Kaede. He said nothing when Beth and Konner looked at her, not knowing what to say. He didn't mind where he was taken next, whether that be the common areas Enfield gestured towards or the same room, this room, that such emotions between friend were being had.
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Post by Kyubey on Mar 2, 2013 3:08:59 GMT -5
Once again, Camellia could not help but feel as though things that she did know about were going by much faster than she could possibly catch up with. For a while, she was upset about this, wishing more people would slow down for her, or at least make it so she wouldn't be entirely lost, but it was a small gripe in the midst of greater matters, and there was nothing that could be done at that point anyways. She was swept to the sidelines for a good while, and honestly, she was alright with that, being in too great of a discomfort after the explosion to care about most things. She and Finnegan had been able to help at least one person, and she was alright with that. From the moment she was returned safely to her own teacup, she fell right asleep, not even remembering the time of her last nap. It was, in fact, only a few hours ago, but because of all the things that had happened during the day she forgot all about it. Her sleeping form was a still green tea, emitting no steam, and it would have been easy for someone to mistake her for a large amount of tea held by a very thirsty man. Unfortunately, there had been enough eyewitnesses who had seen Camellia's transformation for Finnegan to use that lie again.
---
Camellia was still sleeping when the doctor spoke to Finnegan. His injuries weren't that bad compared to the others, just some burns on both his hands. He was able to hold onto his mistress's vessel still, but for the moment, and until he received proper treatment, wouldn't be able to do anything much more complicated than that with his fingers. He listened to the questioning with a cool neutrality, a practiced and habitual reaction to any sort of interrogation. He knew that for a doctor, whose first priority should have been to take care of the safety of patients, to jump right into such questioning before even giving them a check up must mean that the people of the island had greater reason to suspect the butler and the girl. Either that, or Norton himself had an agenda that he didn't make immediately obvious. Whatever the reason, he was clearly good at hiding it, but Finnegan was just as good, and his expression and tone would convey no other meaning as he spoke.
"Every man has things they feel the need to keep hidden, doctor," he said in response to Norton, "In our case, what I have to hide is a fair deal indeed, and sadly that includes where we come from originally and what, precisely, we are looking for. I do not intend to withhold anything important, but these are things that I must not allow certain groups to discover. I assure you though, sir, we are not dangerous. And I will give you all I can. What I can tell you is, we are but wanderers, who simply came here during our travels from island to island. Camellia wishes to find a pair of individuals, and for the past five years we've been searching for them, and on a whim she imagined they might be here. Colyne holds no special significance to us, other than it being an item on a list. Even our interactions with the Andersons and their associates have been by pure chance. I can say with certainty that since arriving here, I have discovered the thing that the Young Miss is seeking is not on this island, nor have they ever been. We will be on our way shortly, and you won't have to hear of us again. Fair enough?"
It was at this moment that Camellia finally began to wake up, stirring a little as she poked the top of her head above the level of her tea form, which had gained some red tones that mixed with the tired green. She glanced about groggily, but with her eyes being where they were, her sight was blocked off by the lid of her own cup, so she couldn't see much.
"Huh? This is new. Finnegan, I thought I told you to let me know when something happened... what did happen? Where are we?"
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Post by Sprite on Mar 6, 2013 16:30:10 GMT -5
Snake stopped and stared at the containment unit that Kaede was in. Glancing at the display, he nodded slightly in vague acknowledgement to what Enfield, he seemed to be in shock. As Enfield moved to the exit of the room, Snake didn't move but simply continued to stare at the odd machine that housed Kaede.
"...We'll stay here doc', thanks. For everything."
Wheeling Shroud Demon closer to Kaede's machine, Snake himself sat on the arm of the chair, gazing solemly down at the obscured form. Swearing to himself, he pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers.
"Shoulda been me, shouldn't have left you alone there with the Andersons. I'm sorry, Kaede."
As the rest of the group filed in, Snake looked up and grinned slightly at Connor's pale and clumsy form. He nodded back to Beth and returned to his watchful vigil over Kaede.
He spoke up once more, not sure if Enfield was still there but hoping to get answers.
"Kaede, is she going to be a cripple after this? Or are you guys going to be making her into a machine like you did with Anderson?"
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Post by Shark a' Pult on Mar 7, 2013 4:00:31 GMT -5
"...We'll stay here doc', thanks. For everything."
"I'm sorry to say, but I can't exactly permit you all to be here for an extended period of time. This is the experimental wing of the facility, for research and the like. Allowing you to see Ms. Young and her condition was fine, but I don't have the authorization to allow you to stay for much longer. On a good day this place is impossible to enter for outsiders, you see..."
To this matter Enfield spoke not his own concerns, but the concerns of the higher ups he worked for. For the large part Colyne was fairly open with its technology, so long as it stayed within the country. This area though, the very top of the hourglass formation of the island where all the advanced research and development facilities were, was strictly off-limits to even most citizens let alone outsiders. He was sticking his neck out by allowing them in here in the first place, but he could not allow them to stay for much longer, not under their current circumstances.
Besides, it wasn't like their continued presence mattered in any way. What did they gain by watching their friend repeatedly have parts of her body getting amputated, for Kaede certainly wasn't aware of them.
"Kaede, is she going to be a cripple after this? Or are you guys going to be making her into a machine like you did with Anderson?"
"Well it's hard to tell really. Normally the anti-personnel countermeasures you ran afoul of... the big searchlights used by the police, are entirely non-lethal. In Ms. Young's case however she had been holding onto a large metal object, and not letting go, so the effect was amplified upon her to extra-lethal levels. As just an example of what she endured, the marrow in her bones boiled from within, and her internal organs turned to mush. We can save her, but there is not much left to save."
Snake's question distracted Enfield about his previous concerns on returning to the common area of the hospital. He hadn't actually considered yet, what Kaede's situation would be at the end of this. Based on his experiences in medical work here, in his opinion it probably would have been better to be a machine than a cripple. Of course there were ways of dealing with such problems here in Colyne, but this was an advanced land, the likes of which some people called futuristic. The outside world, where Kaede had come from and to where she would ideally return, had little to help in the ways of these problems. At least if she were like Connor, she could lead a relatively normal and comfortable life, though he realized of course that some people did not like the notion of being part machine or fully for that matter.
"It all depends on how soon a cure for the plague can be completed. Since all the machinery and staff is dedicated to that effort right now, Ms. Young will have to fare with the PSD until we have a chance to properly treat her. At least that is, without payment. Why, if there had not been a plague for us to contend with, then we could have seen to her upon arrival and she would be completely fine. Not a scratch on her besides. As it stands though, her wellbeing is admittedly low on our list of concerns, especially after she consented to have us focus on treating Mr. Anderson rather than herself. This is of course, even after we informed her that Connor's situation would not change with time. Either way, she will have to wait till we see to the needs of Colyne first. Let's just hope there is any of her left once we can treat her."
At about this time, the alert on the machine's display was addressed, and the status changed from "Potential Threat" to "Removing". As before, it was one of her eyes that set off this alert, so it could be easily guessed as to what was happening behind the frosted glass of the case when the shadowed arms of the machine began to move about within. Meticulously they toiled away at the inhabitant, to remove any possible threat, whenever one came up. Noticing this from where he was standing, Enfield made his way from the door to the machine, to check over the readings on the displays once more.
"Ah, see what I mean? With her internals destroyed, her body is eating away at itself. Nothing to fight off infection with, but the PSD can handle that. Removes any part of her body when it becomes a risk to her health. It's too late for her now to ever be normal again, but whether she will be a cripple or a full-on machine... well, lets just see how that cure is coming shall we?"
At that he gestured to the door once again, with a soft and kind smile. However the others might have viewed Kaede's imprisonment within the machine, it seemed Enfield was completely fine with it and had no problems whatsoever.
---
"I can say with certainty that since arriving here, I have discovered the thing that the Young Miss is seeking is not on this island, nor have they ever been. We will be on our way shortly, and you won't have to hear of us again. Fair enough?"
"That's certainly fair enough, you wouldn't be the only people to come through who did not want to give away their personal information, however it may help us in assisting them. I am obliged to ask then, how it is that our country came to be on that list of yours. Normally, Colyne is not a place you could ever find unless someone who knew where it was showed you how to find it. Saying nothing about how, as I understand it, very few people if any at all even know of our existence. Even with the plague on, our reports indicate that the military presence that looks to be attempting to blockade this place, has done a good job of keeping people out and information in."
"Huh? This is new. Finnegan, I thought I told you to let me know when something happened... what did happen? Where are we?"
At this Norton looked towards the tea and started taking notes and was about to ask question again, but promptly did a double take and looked back. Now that his sight was confirmed he fell back out of his chair and tumbled to the floor, a mess of paper and pens scattering all over the place. Rising to his feet, with caution he approached once more, to make sure he really was seeing what he was seeing. When he was certain of it, he laughed to himself a bit and scrambled for some paper and a pen so he could begin to write furiously.
"I must say Sir, that is an impressive trick. Is that some sort of illusion you have there, or perhaps an advanced cup? I've seen things like it down in the markets of the lower half... or perhaps is it some sort of fluid that responds to stimuli? Or maybe it's something as simple as an ability you possess, a liquid-controlling devil power perhaps..."
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Post by Kyubey on Mar 8, 2013 0:17:15 GMT -5
Finnegan didn't like being questioned so much. The more Norton or anyone else found out, the more likely they were to realize who Camellia was, and that would be the worst possible thing to happen. He knew the best thing would be to leave the island, and since it looked as though the others they had temporarily traveled with had up and left, he knew Camellia would feel the same. The only thing keeping them was this persistent doctor.
"Yes, we did notice the blockade, we were detained for quite a few days, in fact. If I were to guess, I'd say that the Little Miss wouldn't have had such an interest in this place at all, had it not been for the World Government telling her it was forbidden. Alas, that is how children are, always trying to go where they cannot. You shouldn't fault her for that. If you want to know how we finally got past the blockade, it was the Andersons who allowed that to happen, but I'm afraid that it would be against my honor as a gentleman to say more than that. To answer your question, we found Colyne by happenstance, nothing more. We have already searched the waters surrounding this place and found nothing, and when we heard Marines were gathered in one spot, well, the Little Miss simply insisted on investigating."
Camellia looked up at Dr. Norton, wondering just how in the world all her new vassals were suddenly replaced by one doctor. She was visibly upset when he referred to her as a mere trick, and outright furious when it seemed that the man was giving her butler credit for her own amazing abilities.
"I'll have you know, sir," she snapped, steam literally coming out of her ears, "I am Camellia Charina, and I am a Tea Girl, who ate the Tea-Tea Fruit! You got that, you dumbpants? Good! Now tell me where my vassals are, this instant!"
"Miss! Please do not say your full name so openly!"
Camellia suddenly raised a hand to her mouth, having accidentally revealed something in her rage that she would not have done otherwise, and instantly shut up, though she was still every bit as steamed as she was before, her eyes clearly trying to pierce right through the doctor.
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