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 Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 9:53 pm
It had been almost a month. Riley hadn't expected Jericho to still be growing, at this point. There must have been a part of her that had come to accept, tolerate, and perhaps grow inseparably fond of the small, elflike version of her best friend that she'd lived with for the past month. But everytime she saw him, she could tell there'd been just the slightest changes, and change did not sit well with her. He was never the same boil she'd left on her couch when they went to bed the night before.
And she didn't feel comfortable about that.
It was the day she'd pressed him against her wall and measured him to exactly five feet, that she decided his rapid growth could have more than just emotional repercussions. She flipped open her cell phone, and sent the text out to Malodore almost instantly.
If your rate of growth continues, Jericho, there will be no store in the world that has clothing that fits you. And no bank in the world that will give me any further credit. The last part was of no worry to her, but the cold dread in her heart was aimed specifically at the idea that Jericho might be in danger.
People shouldn't grow this fast. It's unhealthy. Your body may not have time to catch up. She pressed her hand to his heart, but she was no doctor. She had no idea if the stress of growth was affecting him in any way. Malodore's coming. She murmured, patting his chest, and then fussing with his hair. Make sure you're presentable.
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 9:58 pm
Physical growth wasn't the only thing that was happening to Jericho. Other things were happening within him as well. He was a little less cheery. Now, he was still pretty happy, but he just wasn't quite as chipper and enthusiastic as he was when he first arrived. He was also slowly getting more of an affinity towards meat over candy.
Also he no longer really looked so much like a Christmas Elf due to his clothing and his height. Now he could pass off as a shorter... well.. Fae. Wood elf sort of student. Thoughts of Christmas also hadn't been coming up as much.
Did some of these changes have anything to do with that one strange dream where he met the draconic version of himself? It was hard to say for certain.
"I don't think there's too much trouble. Sure I've been growing, but... it's bound to stop.. right?" he asked. His voice was also a little deeper now.
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 10:08 pm
It wasn't long before Malodore arrived, with its examination kit in hand - a far different beast from its first aid and trauma kits. To be honest, it hadn't had all that much interaction with Jericho. It felt unsure how to act around him, and the changing nearly daily didn't really help in that regard. And Riley's protectiveness...
... it wasn't jealous, not really. But sometimes it had to work to remind itself of that.
Still, that didn't slow the plague doctor's steps in the least. All it really wanted was for all this to be over and for normal to come back. Whatever that meant. Before the Insanity had come, and twisted its world into this shape it barely recognized.
It knocked on the door, reaching out with its mind. I am here, mia cara, it said, stuffing away all those feelings of uncertainty and concern. She had felt that enough from others directed at her, and it was not going to let her feel that from it... even if she wasn't the target.
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 10:23 pm
I think it will. That doesn't mean that it's healthy for you to have grown this quickly in a matter of a month. The living body is a fickle and tempermental creature. She muttered, distracted with trying to get one piece of hair to stop sticking up out of the rest. It just.. wouldn't.. stay. Your heart beats at a steady rate based on the activity in your body. Your cells multiply at a certain rate. Changes are meant to be gradual, and give the body time to adapt. She picked his hand up and held it in front of her, flattening it to look at his fingers. The bones are meant to stay solid, not stretch out so quickly. For all I know, you could be one trip away from a broken spine due to weak bone structure. She let his hand drop, and hugged him quickly. We'll make sure you're all right.
She felt Malodore's arrival far before she heard it, and her eyes lit up at the sound of its voice. Ah, its here. Pulling away from Jericho, she moved to answer the door herself, even though it was unlocked. When she saw the sight of it, her expression softened gently.
Come in. One hand rose up for it. I've missed you.
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 10:31 pm
Jericho thought about that, but he still didn't feel any worse. No, actually if he were to try and gauge things, he'd say that he's been feeling better. Stronger even. Not more frail. But, it couldn't hurt to get a checkup by the doctor. Sitting at the couch, he just waited for it to arrive. It didn't take long before the doctor was in the house. "Hi Mal!" he called out before waving to the plague doctor when it came on in. "How have you been doing?" he asked amiably.
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 10:39 pm
The touch of her voice in its mind was like a balm, healing over those cracks that formed when it was left alone to doubt. Later on, they might return... but for now, it could focus on other things. It sent her a wordless wave of affection, dipping its head to nuzzle at her cheek before looking past her to Jericho.
Who had grown like a weed.
"Buon giorno," it said, opening its beak in a smile. "You are looking well, I must say... still, it is good to check." Really, by looking well it meant that it could see flickers of the face of a friend now, and not just an elf bearing a familiar name.
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 10:48 pm
Riley's eyes fluttered closed when Malodore's beak brushed soft against her skin, and she only opened them again when the plague doctor was already speaking to Jericho. She turned, and her expression faded of its carefree content, returning to the careful concern that had been radiating from her lately. He looks fine. I'm more worried about what's going on inside of him. You know how fragile the flesh can be, mia cara. She returned to Jericho, and her eyes crescented gently as she looked down at him. Still.
He looks more like him now, doesn't he. The soft, private words filtered into Malodore's mind, filled with a heavy contentment. Before an answer could come, she switched back to public speaking. He's been eating meat more often. Which is good, he needs the protein if he's going to keep sprouting like that. What was Jericho's height before all of this? She already assumed that was probably the height he would stop growing at.. and she already knew the answer by heart. Musing out loud simply helped her think.
She leaned in and marked the wall where his old height should have been. The wall already had several little marks for Jericho's many growth spurts.
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 10:55 pm
Jericho smiled warmly to Malodore as it greeted him. "Do you need me to be sitting, standing, or laying down for this?" he asked. While he didn't feel like he was sick or anything, but he was going to cooperate anyway. He figured that he could always be wrong in how he felt after all. Though, he looked towards Riley a bit curiously as she brought up his diet. Huh. He had been eating more meat lately hasn't he? Again, he just couldn't help but think of that strange dream and what it meant to him.
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 11:06 pm
Malodore nodded, just slightly, at Riley's assertion. It was true. The plague doctor no longer had to crouch down. Their theory, developed so early on in their relationship - so early on in their Amityville lives - was proving fruitful in Jericho's case. Slowly, the JOY that had made up Jericho's renewed self was being transmuted into FEAR, and the 'blueprint' of his healing core was taking over once more. It would have been utterly fascinating had the thought of treating its friend as a glorified experiment not made it feel vaguely ill.
"Standing, I should think - your height has increased dramatically." Malodore gently reached out to take one of Jericho's arms between its fingers, feeling for the musculature. Things appeared to be progressing well, physically speaking. Though... certain features were not yet present. It had to wonder if they would appear slowly or all at once.
... It didn't envy him the rediscovery of wings, really. It knew something about the potential for pain as far as those were concerned.
"Eating enough to sustain this growth is vital," it added - then, to Riley, FEAR-rich sources, but not too rich. Nothing that would result in FEAR poisoning. The thought of Shehk's breakdown in Cricket's office loomed large in its mind. "How often have you been eating? Exercising?" Its beak opened in a smile. At least it was easy to examine Jericho. When it was being professional, bedside manner took over... and Jericho was a tractable and pleasant 'patient'. "Any unusual things besides the rapid growth, perhaps? I would not wish for you to be hurt. This is meant to be a pleasant stay for you, after all."
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 11:20 pm
The silent and subtle question hidden in Malodore's words was not lost on Riley, but she had kept her thoughts on the matter to herself, for the time being. Nothing yet, concerning the appearance of any draconic additions. She whispered to Malodore privately. She'd long since pushed away the ideas of reminding Jericho who he had been. This was Jericho now, as he was. He would grow, but it was clear to her by the way his back had remained flat and unpunctured, that Jericho would never again be a dragon.
She accepted that. She had done so long ago. It no longer pained her to think of what he'd lost, because she'd made it her passion to make sure his gain far outweighed it.
I'm worried about his bones. Do you think this much growth stress is hurting him? This was said publically; she'd already expressed these worries to Jericho before. It was no secret.
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 11:23 pm
With a nod, Jericho stood up so that Malodore could inspect him more easily. "I've been eating normally.. I think. As for exercise.. well. I go out on walks and explore. But nothing really straining?" he replied. As far as the doctors question, it had a very different meaning to him than it did for Riley. He frowned for the moment, thinking. "...Well. I... did have this dream a couple weeks back. It was really weird though. It wasn't like anything I've had before..." he murmured quietly. His gaze unconsciously flicked over towards Riley as he said this. It was a really surreal dream. The memories of his reflection and the way he had met her.. He didn't know what to make of it completely.
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Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 10:32 am
"A dream?" Malodore tilted its head to one side. "What sort of dream? I confess I myself was troubled by strange dreams around that time." As it spoke, it pondered how it could possibly sense Jericho's bones. Musculature it had been taught, but not bones. Hmm. Trying to break one would be overly traumatic, of course. Blade Kuroda I'm assuming you don't want anything to be disgustingly wrong with him - though if you do, uh, let me know? XD
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Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 11:35 pm
"Yeah. I.. had met another version of myself in a mirror. And he shared some memories with me, but they weren't from this world at all," Jericho replied while rubbing the back of his neck. Soon, he shook his head though, "It was just a dream though. As weird as it was. I'm sure it wasn't really... anything important."
As he said all of this, he just remained still for Malodore.
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Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 11:43 pm
Riley settled in to watch Malodore inspect him, and her own eyes watched his body carefully for any sign of distress. She almost missed the look he flickered at her, but when she realized what it had been, her eyes turned back up to his face, and she let the words he'd just spoken digest. It was Malodore's response, however, that had her putting two and two together, and there was an audible intake of air from her tentacles as she gasped in realization.
Jericho confirmed it. Riley's eyes flickered in conflict, as she looked from one, to another. Should she tell him? Would it even help? It took her several seconds before she decided it was futile to lie to him, and she sank down into the couch behind her.
It wasn't a dream. She murmured, her eyes clouding as she remembered it. It wasn't exactly real, either, but - remember when I left, to help a friend in need? I went there. Whatever that world was.. it's gone now.
Riley's eyes sharpened and she flickered her gaze up to him, almost hopefully. Did he say anything to you? Jericho's fragment had been the only one she'd actually liked. Him, and Gilly's.
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Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 12:03 am
Jericho stared at Riley for a moment or so. It... was real? It certainly hadn't felt that way at the time... "Oh... Well. He said a few things. He mentioned running into you. He said that you cared very much about me... or.. us. It was really kind of confusing. It still is.."
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