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 Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 9:05 pm
"This doesn't look right," Faust says softly. "Um... Amaya, you're the closest I can ask for consent... I'm qualified...." he thumbed through the stack of papers on his desk. "I have PHDs in neuroscience, opthalmology, abnormal psychology.... can I just shine a light in her eyes?"
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Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 9:11 pm
"It's fine. Shizuka snaps out of this. Seven hours is the longest it's ever been, but this could last only minutes, too. She's been doing this since..." Amaya knew that if Shizuka were listening, she wouldn't want her spirit ally to talk about it, so this was probabaly one of her only chances to bring it up.
"...since Hao rippped out her vocal cords..."
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Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 9:13 pm
"This is serious," Faust says, his face grave. "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, with seizures induced by..." he furrows his brows. "Is there a common trend in the symptoms leading up to these episodes, Amaya?"
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Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 9:17 pm
"Usually, a minor conflict within her mind. Sometimes when she sees blood, too, but not often." Amaya explained.
"But I don't think she has a disorder. If she did, she would have had it long before this started. Probabaly about 9 years before. If not then, around 5."
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Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 9:24 pm
"Is that when the incident occured?" Faust asks, looking oddly shaken. "PTS disorder is often overlooked... if you're not familiar with it, it's caused by an emotional, physical, or psychological upheaval. Back.... back when I practiced medicine, I treated a lot of soldiers. In those days we called it 'Shellshock.' Having her vocal cords ripped out..." Faust shook his head, bringing his hand to his mouth, "would be considered traumatic."
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Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 9:29 pm
"The incident occured 4 years ago, the other 2I mentioned were other events that could have... maybe should have... caused anything like this. They were all serious upheavals, and why it startedat the third one, I don't know." Amaya explained. She began to worry for Shizuka, unsure if this situation was as serious as Faust claimed.
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Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 9:42 pm
Faust rises to his feet, turning his chair towards Shizuka. "Manta, please help her sit down. If she faints, I don't want her falling and hitting her head."
"Faust," Manta says as he gently guides Shizuka into the chair, "I hope you don't mind... I sort of told Shizuka about your daughter."
Faust's eyes widen. "Marie?" he whispers. "Manta... what possessed you?! The past is dead, Manta!"
"I know!" Manta says, glancing fearfully at Amaya. "I just thought she should be aware..."
"Two days, Manta," Faust says, with clinical coldness. "Marie lived for two days, four hours, eighteen and one-half seconds. She didn't even have a ghost. Why should this matter to you, or anyone else? Focus on right now. Shizuka needs help."
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 7:16 am
"Well, some of your comments might have scared Shizuka away if she didn't hear about her. She didn't understand why you said and did osme of the things that you did, but she found ou how similar you two are. You both lost family, and it's been haunting both of you since, even though their spirits aren't." Amaya tried to protect Manta's actions.
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 9:53 am
Faust nods resignedly. "I see," he says. "I'm so sorry if this is my fault...."
"Thanks, Amaya," says Manta, touching the motionless Shizuka's shoulder to comfort her, in case she could feel it. "About Marie," he says, turning to Faust, "Don't you think that to be forgotten is worse than death?"
Faust curled his arms around himself protectively. "What happened is of no consequence. Marie was on ventilators until the last two minutes and 13 seconds of her life. I barely touched her. Ren's right, actually.... it just wasn't meant to be. Then, Eliza...." he trails off, dry-eyed but distant. Then, shaking his head briskly, he gives a forced laugh. "Listen to me... going on and on like an overemotional Hausfrau! Amaya.... can you take Shizuka's pulse, please?"
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 11:20 am
"It's a normal rate. She's surely going to be ok." Amaya told him, hoping that her words were totally true. Shizuka had the same forced smile as Faust on her face quite often. That is, before that day. She seemed happier, like all of her problems were in a different life. More than anything, Amaya wanted to see that smile on her shaman's face again.
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 12:50 pm
Faust sighs, reaching into a drawer. "This is actually my prescription, but I have a pharmeceutical degree. This drug has no mind-altering properties; the only thing it does is stop, or at least decrease, seizures like this. It's completely FDA approved," he adds, discreetly closing the drawer full of various, non FDA approved drugs. "If I was Shizuka's doctor, it's what I'd prescribe her. She should take one every day before bedtime, since a side-effect is drowsiness. How long do you think she'll be out, Amaya?"
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 1:59 pm
"I have no idea when. It could be only a few more seconds, it could be hours. There's no way to predict how long this will take place." Amaya told him, secretly wondering what he meant by 'FDA'.
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 6:35 pm
" 'Food and Drug Administration,' " Faust explains, noticing her puzzled look. "Yeah... I got in some trouble with them a little while ago. Idiots... couldn't see past ETHICS and into PROGRESS..." Laughing nervously, he clears his throat. "What it means is that these pills are completely safe. I've taken them for.... let's see... exactly seven years now. Even with the other stuff I'm on, they've never done anything except what they're supposed to: stop catatonic seizures in post-traumatic stress disorder patients."
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 6:42 pm
Amaya began to feel unsure about the whole thing. Doctor or not, someone shouldn't give another drugs they've been taking. She may have died in a time long before the tablets, but she still knew well enough that you might not be able to trust drugs like this.
"But have you ever had these without all the other drugs? It may have an entirely different effect."
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 8:25 pm
Faust grins, but his smile is far from reassuring; his teeth are blindingly white in contrast with his dark lips, and his canines are a little too sharp at the tips. "Right you are. Yes. I was completely clean when I started this drug. It did what it was supposed to. But I had, er... other problems that couldn't be resolved by a suppressant like this. For someone like Shizuka, it's ideal. I can make more pills quickly, meaning I'd only miss a few doses. Which I've never done before, but... I'm a man who doesn't mind a little experimentation. On myself," he says quickly. "I'd never put a child in harm's way."
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