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 Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 7:49 pm
Henry looked over his shoulder from where he was conversing with another man, his eyes moving to Lina. Normally, he would have ignored such a command, but...for the sweet one, he'd make the effort. Consider it a thank you. "Ah...very well. Miss, if you'll come with me?" He walked over to her and carefully took her elbow to lead her gently towards the bed area, his brow creasing at her weakness. It didn't look like a strain of the disease, but he'd keep a careful eye on her...just in case.
Alex was very careful not to glare. Lina was being very unresponsive, and she didn't like it; what did this elf know? She turned her cold gaze to him, a frown bordering on a scowl crossing her lips as he looked at her. The woman could feel herself bristling, but she didn't know why. He'd done nothing, and yet she was already aggressive...this place really brought out the worst in her, and they hadn't even encountered any problems. Henry could be a problem, but not one that wouldn't bend under a good right hook--
The woman shook her head roughly, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear, chalking it up to spending too much time working with men. She didn't trust anyone, and it was making her feel agitated, almost claustrophobic. Keep it together! Don't forget the boys, she threatened herself. Alex set her jaw, not smiling - but not frowning, at least - as her long strides put her near the elven man. She had to remember that RuiZhi liked this one. Not trusting herself to speak, she walked with Dante as his grim companion.
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Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 8:35 pm
By now, Lina had calmed down enough to give the man a smile. "Th...thank you," she said quietly. "I...apologize if I offended you before. I just...just wanted to help."
She looked away a moment, her eyes clouding over. "...I was infected by it once. I was lucky to survive. But I was terrified...an inch from death, and I couldn't do anything more than cough, or cry, or try to keep breathing. So I...wondered if that was what you were feeling. Terror. So I wanted to comfort you first and show you we didn't--" She shut one eye, a fist clenching by her side. "...god, these cramps are killing me...."
Dante waited until they were a good distance from the group, then spoke to Alex. "So you are RuiZhi's sister."
Then he smiled. A plain, simple one, but it was honest and pure and did wonders for the man's dour expression. "I can see where he gets his passion for science," he said. "Someone must have had a very positive influence on him."
Best not to bring it up at all, if she hadn't noticed.
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Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 8:56 pm
Henry smiled at the woman, listening. He lead her to a bed and motioned for her to sit, pulling up one of the scattered chairs to take a seat. "No need to apologize, miss, it really was my fault." He hesitated, then shrugged and smiled, "It's not easy to admit, but I was scared to death when that woman pulled me through. I thought I was done for. You were very kind, and I'm grateful for your effort." The man sat solemnly as he listened to her speak, his face darkening. "You had it, and survived? So...you've been here before, then. With that doctor from earlier; I thought he looked familiar." His brow knit in concern as she expressed her pain, quirking his lips thoughtfully. "Would you like some asprin? It's the strong stuff, and it may make you sleep."
Alex turned her hard gaze onto the elf as he became all smiles and kindness. No wonder RuiZhi liked him. "I am his sister," she said crisply, "but you can thank Doctor Kenth for the influence. He very much idolizes the man after what he did the last time we were here." She crossed her arms over her torn top, slender brows narrowing. Sure, he was handsome enough - he was an elf, after all - and the smile was quite charming, but she hadn't come to him for small talk. Her eyes turned towards Lina as she spoke, concern rippling across her features as she watched her friend grimance in pain, "He has good things to say about all the teachers. You and Advisor Herei Fang are likely his favorites." She was rambling a little, but she didn't care, her attention fixed on the other woman.
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Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 9:02 am
"No!--I mean...not right now," Lina said, shaking her head vigorously. "I...do you have any sort of teas on you by chance? Green tea, or anything of the sort?"
Dante chuckled a bit, and it was hard to tell whether or not the sound was mirthless or amused, though the sound was pleasant.. "Concerned for your lady friend? I wouldn't worry about it, Miss Alex. Lina's going to be just fine...though I don't know that she--...nevermind."
He abruptly turned to Alex, scrutinizing her face. So she didn't really know. "You'd best talk to my sister about that," he said. "I'd...rather not say it."
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Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 10:44 am
Weiyuan eyed Lina, doing his best to keep those dark thoughts out of his head. He remembered that incident very well. Her image...the thought of his father in anything similar to that...He bit in the inside of his cheek, this was reality.
But there was something seriously wrong with her. The teen was beginning to think it was best that Lina not be here. Cramps...and a rather large sweet tooth. It....sounded more like...cravings. His mind processed it. His eyes widened at thought the that came. If she was...then...that would be bad.
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Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 2:22 pm
Irame had stayed with Lina when they had gotten inside. She hadn’t bothered Dante while he was talking to Alex but was concerned enough for the moment to stay with Lina.
“I have no tea but I could try something for the cramps if you would like, heru Lina.” She said. “I would also like to talk to you for a moment about something that might seem a little delicate of a subject, but that I think is quite important.” The second part had been quite a bit quieter than the first, as she was rather sure that anything that was a delicate situation didn’t need her yelling it out to the heavens.
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Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 2:44 pm
Henry glanced over to the elven woman as she spoke before he could. "We have some tea, but nothing to sweeten it with. Some of the guys aren't too keen on coffee. I'll go make you some so you and your friend can talk," he said as he stood, patting Lina's hand awkwardly. He offered his seat to Irame, giving a brief smile before heading towards the fridge area to fix her some tea.
Alex turned her gaze slowly, almost stiffly to Dante. Her face darkened considerably, but her voice was still mellow as she said, "Sir, with all due respect, it's just Alex. I don't solve problems by asking around, I take the bull by the horns; I don't see the point in getting words muddled and issues confused when I can know for certain with a little effort. That's how I am." And this man was a teacher? She felt like she was in school again, with people pointing and whispering, giggling about a shared secret. She didn't know what was wrong, but it was dangerous, and this man was p***y-footing around the issue. Even eluding that she'd been here before hadn't helped. Ah, men...they could truly be so thick!
While she couldn't be certain, Lina seemed sick, and the vision of her friend dying was still too fresh in her mind for her to consider any lesser avenue. Something somewhat more sad passed over her face briefly as she remembered Lina in the throes of death, struggling to make sure Alex and Doctor Kenth didn't touch her so they wouldn't fall prey to the disease. This man did not know Lina, or the lengths she'd go through to keep her friends safe; that frightened Alex a little, especially if he was withholding information that would allow her to help her friend.
She shook her head and walked away from the elf before she would say things she'd regret - or worse, not regret at all - approaching Lina and the elven woman, taking a seat next to her friend. Alex wasn't usually so rude, but she was beyond manners when lives were in the mix. "Lina, what's wrong? You're not well. What's going on?" Her eyes lit with worry, her brows knitted with concern.
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Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 2:55 pm
While everyone else worried about Lina, RuiZhi was gaping at their surroundings. Was this some type of a bomb shelter? He didn't know such places had existed, not in his homeland! He shuffled around the area with lips parted in awe, his eyes wide as he took in the disarray that the survivors lived in. Even in the chaos, there was a hint of balance and progression that drew him along, his curious gaze sweeping over maps and statistics that didn't mean a lot to him. He could smell the tart and pungent aroma of ginseng thick in the air, with some undertones of old coffee and tobacco. It wasn't quite the glorified impression he'd conjured when he first heard about the scientists.
Some of the men gave him a cursory glance, and some watched him mistrustfully, but he did not let it bother him. He knew they were afraid, and they had earned that fear righteously. RuiZhi may be Chinese, but he would not pretend that his heritage was not something he could leave out of consideration in his attempts to help. Truly, if the issue couldn't be resolved soon, it may be that he'd never be able to work in this region and really be trusted. The thought set him straight; he'd have to work harder than before, to prove his intentions were pure. He resolved to be a better person than what everyone else would ever perceive him to be.
The boy found himself by their stores of medical goods and herbs, checking them over as if to make sure they were satisfactory, taking a mental inventory of what was available. He may not be a doctor yet, but that didn't mean he couldn't start thinking like one. If the worst happened...it would do no one any good not to know what was accessible.
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Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 5:31 pm
"It's not my place to tell," Dante said quietly as Alex left...though it seemed the woman hadn't heard him.
He turned around, seeing a very worried Weiyuan on his hands. He lifted a hand...then let it drop back to his side. "Elves...are attuned to the life force within them and their own," he said quietly to the boy, eyes trained in front of him. "We have to be. It is very rare for a woman to be able to sire many children. We are aware in decreases in life force...and increases."
In other words, Weiyuan, I know as well.
"Your brother seems to need help," he said. In other words; don't worry about it. What will be will be, and it is not our place to blurt out the secrets of others.
Lina smiled, eyes glistening softly, her coral lips turned up in a smile. "Thank you, Henry," she said quietly.
She'd turned her face to Alex to say
....what?
Lina's eyes slowly trailed back to Irame's; though her smile had not wavered, panic had flared in them.
Is this lady saying what I think....?
"Alex...I'm fine. It's probably just a stomach flu...."
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Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 5:45 pm
Closing her eyes, Alex had to will herself not to be angry. First Dante, and now Lina. She knew what the stomach flu was, and this wasn't it. If she wasn't glued to the toliet, it wasn't any type of flu. "I see," she said quietly, her voice flat. She hadn't expected Lina to play games, too, but she could tell her patience was worn to nonexistance already and her nerves were too high strung. The woman could feel her frustration starting to build; she wasn't really angry, not even upset, but the time between the disease and now had been very hard on her. She was used to this reaction, and decided to spare her friend and all the strangers her wrath.
"Well. Get some rest. I'll be outside for a little bit...too many people in here," she murmured, standing and brushing off her pants in an old habit.
"I'm afraid that's not an option," Henry commented as he returned, a cup of hot tea in his hands. He bent over, holding the cup out to Lina with his hand curled underneath it with a few sugar packets in his palm. To her, he said, "This is the best I could find, and I'll probably get chewed out for it." He chuckled before addressing the crazy woman, "We can't risk being found with people going in and out. Please understand."
Alex struggled internally for a moment before giving a single, weary nod of acknowledgement. "I'll be by the door, then. Pretending." She smiled tiredly and shoved her hands in her pockets, sauntering towards the metal door.
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Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 6:06 pm
Wei sighed, shaking his head. If Lina came here knowing that she was...Oh he'd slap her. Gently of course, but he still would. He turned away from the group watching his dìdì carefully. He smirked, resting a hand upon the youth's head.
"" He smirked before making an inventory of the room himself. It wouldn't be long before his more antisocial self showed its face again.
His words brought on many stares from the labs. Some of them quickly spotted his asian characteristics, other having some trouble. His Chinese blood was diluted. 'Just because one apple has a worm in it, does not mean all apples have worms in it. Be careful though, a person who has bitten into those apples are most likely to never taste the sweet juice of a pure one. They are too quick to judge.' Words of his 'grandmother'.
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Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 6:27 pm
"" RuiZhi turned under Weiyuan's grasp, grinning up at him. "" He turned his eyes momentarily to the supplies before lighting upon the amused visage of his brother. The boy's face grew momentarily serious, his eyes large and almost doe-like. ""
He watched Weiyuan's face with the sharp observation he was so uncanny in utilizing. RuiZhi didn't really know what drama was unfolding between the people gathered, and he didn't care much either; he was here for a purpose, and nothing was going to change that or alter his course. As such, he felt he was having a perfectly normal discussion with his intelligent brother, despite the looks they were garnering. He didn't have to pretend that being Chinese wasn't a problem at this time, but he was a pure blood Chinese native, and these people and their fears couldn't change that fact.
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Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 6:51 pm
Weiyuan chuckled a bit, messing Rui's hat up a bit. He expected nothing less from him.
""
He idly remembered that they had once been RuiZhi's people. But it never phased him. Sometimes he envied RuiZhi for having that ability.
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Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 7:13 pm
The only person in the entire group Sable knew was RhuZhi. Well, he'd been introduced to Alex, and she seemed really busy at the time, so the lab tech decided now would be a good time to observe the surrounding area. He sighed, there were various papers and maps and a few books scattered here and there, but he'd really have to study them more closely if he wanted to make heads or tails of them...if they weren't in Chinese. They were in China, after all. Why did he keep forgetting that?
Sable shook himself, adjusting his glasses as he glanced over, making sure he was still near RhuZhi. He really didn't want to get seperated and left alone again. At least, not until he figured this place out. Once he knew what he was doing, he'd leave his new friend alone and let him get on with his own affairs. Heh. He was probably being a little clingy, wasn't he? Swallowing, Sable took a step backwards. RhuZhi and the boy he called his brother appeared to be having a conversation anyways...and if he wasn't mistaken, it was in Chinese. Ug.
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Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 7:20 pm
RuiZhi lowered his gaze thoughtfully. "" the boy mused quietly, "" He frowned, the look very strange on his usually smiling face as he turned his eyes around the room, as if searching for the answers. Instead, he found Sable.
"Oh! Sable!" he greeted his new friend in English, waving him over. "Hey, do you have a moment, Sable?" RuiZhi smiled at the older man, turning to his brother with a large grin. "Weiyuan, this is Sable Hazard. Sable, this is my brother, who I mentioned before, Weiyuan Leung. We were just talking about the problem. Do you have any thoughts?" The boy's English still wasn't very well spread, but he was doing his best. It didn't occur to him that Sable may not know what was happening; for the weeks since the information had first broke out, this had been his whole world.
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