Welcome to Gaia! ::

Angela hummed to herself as she set up the tray next to the examination table, making everything ready for the child that was coming in for their vaccinations.

Her name is Saedah, she thought to herself, she's a snake, so the scales might be a problem. So, to be on the safe side, she set out the larger needle she'd used before on other reptiles.

After that was done, she puttered about the room for a bit, waiting for the child and her guardian to arrive.

Angela set down the item she'd been idly examining, and turned to face the door.

"Come in!" she said plesantly, a warm smile ready on her face as they entered.

She immediately noticed the little girl's nervousness, and so she knelt slowly, getting herself down at Saedah's eye level.

"Hello, dear, you must be Saedah?" she asked, and held her hand out to shake the child's hand, if she was willing. But there was no demand in the gesture.

"My name is Angela. It's nice to meet you," she continued, and glanced up at her father to see how he was reacting.

He seemed to be familiar, and then it came to her. He was another instructor here at D-corp. Well! That was something that hadn't happened before.

Angela drew her hand back as well, content with the shy greeting, and gave Saedah a cheerful smile that crinkled the corners of her eyes.

Saedah looked like she'd be one that would need gentle handling, but she didn't look like the type to throw a tantrum, which Angela gave an inward sigh of releif to. She could handle that, but she'd rather not have to.

After Saedah retreated, Angela looked up at Kuyoja, and shook her head a little.

"Good day to you, as well. You're right on time, if my clock is correct," she answered, and gestured up to the clock on the wall, a standard issue, boring, analog office clock. She'd have liked to replace it with something more her own style, but she couldn't get it off the wall.

Her attention returned to soothing the nervous child.

"So, Saedah, I'm guessing you already know what vaccinations are? Did you have any qaestions?" she asked, still at eye level and smiling kindly.

Angela's gaze hadn't been hard to start with, but it softened even further in sympathy with the girl. Her father obviously thought it was a simple matter, and he probably didn't have any fear of the needle... but Angela was uneasy if they were directed her way, despite poking other people with them on a regular basis, so she understood.

"Unfortunately, it's something that everyone has to do, and sooner rather than later, sweetie. There are just so many of us running around, and chances are that we'll meet someone who found a bug we've never found... so it's best to be prepared beforehand," Angela said, nodding encouragingly.

"I don't like needles, either, and I've had my vaccinations, too," she confided in the child.

"There isn't really that much pain, but I find it's easier if I just look away when it happens," she offered by way of advice, with a smile.

"That's a good girl!" Angela said, and stood up, smoothing her skirt, then nodding to Kuyoja.

"Yes, please, and you can stand near, if you like. Would you like that, Saedah?" she asked the little girl, thinking if she could hold his hand, it might make her feel braver. Angela thought he might not consider that, with his matter of fact attitude. Or, she could be entirely wrong about him. Who knew?

She went to the tray and slid on her gloves, then opened an alcohol swab before explaining what it was for.

"This is so that any germs on your skin don't get in where the needle did," she said, gesturing to the pad. "Just a little wipe..." she trailed off as she suited actions to words, and in a moment there was a little wet circlular area on Saedah's upper arm, cool feeling and rapidly evaporating.

Angela nodded, and said, "Of course you can, sweeting. That's what I do, when I get a shot. I'm not fond of them myself, but sometimes it's needed."

She turned away slightly to prepare the needle, and with quick, sure motions, she filled it, tapped it to get any air bubbles at the top, and gave it a little squeeze. A bead of clear liquid formed at the top, and she turned back.

"Okay, you can close your eyes now, if you want. If you relax your arm, it makes it easier, too," she advised gently.

Then, there was a poke followed by a smooth squeeze. After the needle was removed, Angela placed a piece of gauze over the site and rubbed it gently for a few seconds.

As she did this, she said, "There, all done. You were very brave, Saedah, thank you."

Then, the guaze was removed to be replaced by a band-aid, and Angela stepped back. She considered the way Saedah was coiled about her father's waist, and hoped she hadn't squeezed him too hard.

"I have a jar of treats over there on my desk. Since you were so brave, would you like one?" she asked, pointing out the clear glass jar that was on her desk, that she kept full of suckers of all flavors.

Angela smiled at Kuyoja. Treats were always allowed on occasions such as this. It was an unspoken rule.

"All right, Saedah. You can pick out one sucker. There are lots of flavors!" Angela said, opening the jar and crouching with it in her hands in front of Saedah.

The wrappers were all colors of the rainbow, and even brown and white. They rustled invitingly as she tilted the jar towards the little girl so she could pick out what she liked.

Angela smiled and murmured a "You're welcome," to Saedah. Then, she considered Kuyoja's question as she stood up and returned the candy jar to its spot.

"No, not poisonous. Can she regulate her body temperature well? If not, she might have some problems in Winter, and you should watch her closely for shock or torpor. Otherwise, based on the species of snake her DNA came from, I can't foresee any problems that any other child couldn't have," she answered. Things like hydration and other basics were necessities for every living thing, and behavioral problems were individual to each person.