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 Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 9:47 am
Who: Ethan, Thorn, Vyn, and Zeke
When: Early afternoon, likely just after noon
Where: Durem All-Animal Clinic and Care
Weather: Crisp and invigorating outside; warm, dry, and sterile inside
"Zeke, d'you think you can handle one more appointment before you start lunch? The man who made the appointment asked specifically for you."
Zeke turned around in his swivel chair to look at one of the clinic's secretaries standing in the doorway of his office, manila folder of forms in hand. She was smiling lightly at him though it was clear she was more than a little stressed; for a Sunday (and a Sunday in February no less) the clinic was swamped. So swamped in fact - and with a couple vets out due to family emergencies - the man with the bi-colored hair had been called in on his day off to help with the load, but it seemed when they got one person and their pet taken care of, there were two more waiting in their place. Zeke's lunch bag sat before him on his picture-laden desk and while he was hungry, he couldn't say 'no' to Diana, especially when he was asked for by a client by name and almost always willing to help when called upon. He looked at her hard for a moment, lips a straight line with no hint on a smile. Diana looked rather nervous then, while it was the pierced man's lunch break, she really did not want another person snapping at her or any other member of the staff because of a wait that was "too long" for them.
"Sure, I think I can." He tossed her a smile, fooling around like usual, before turning back to his bag and zipping the top closed. The woman looked relieved, though she smacked him in the arm with the folder for that momentary scare. Zeke swatted it away after it hit but ultimately took and weighed it by hand, lifting the sturdy off-yellow paper up and down a couple times before looking puzzled. It was lighter than the ones the regular patients had, though he didn't pause to thumb through it just yet. Normally they were the ones to ask by name. Both Zeke and Diana shrugged at each other before Zeke followed the secretary out into the hall, shutting his door behind him before looking in the direction she pointed.
"Exam room three, Zeke, and thank you." She hugged him quickly before someone at the other end of the hall called her down that way. She left in a hurry but Zeke started off at a regular walk, now opening the folder and leafing through. All of them were blank so they were the ones that the patient's owner(s) would have to fill out. The lobby had become too packed for form passing it seemed. No matter. In his experience, it was generally a good idea to keep the owner occupied while he did his thing; it saved him from being yelled at for apparently "doing something wrong" or "intentionally harming" their pet. He shook his head - some people, honestly. He was a vet, not an abuser, but there was no need to concern himself with those people when he had someone asking for him by name. He shut the folder and looked down the hall, just passing exam room two on his right. Though he should be concerned with what he could and would be tackling, he had to wonder who could be waiting on him behind the door. The clinic was very modern and new - only a few years old really and still pristine all over - but only the chief veterinarian was publicly known by name. Maybe it was a friend-of-a-friend deal here, but there was no time to get any serious ideas, he was at his destination. Zeke stopped in front of the door, automatically looking up at the plastic box on the door which would normally hold the folder he had in his possession. Silly daily habits. He reached for the horizontal latch but paused and thought better. His knuckles rapped lightly on the surface to announce his presence before letting himself in, smile back on his pierced lips no matter who or what was waiting.
"Good afternoon!"
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Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 1:26 pm
First impressions for this vet were by far superior to the practice that they had visited only a few days prior. For a start, the receptionist, although busy with all manner of tasks, greeted hem promptly ad had been exceedingly helpful. With a smile and a hand gesture she had directed Vyn through the waiting room and straight into an examination room – promising to get Zeke to come and see them as soon as reasonably possible. Secondly whilst passing through the waiting room behind his floating daughter Ethan had noted the overwhelmingly higher proportion of people, at their past attempt to get a medical check-up for Thor there had been many chairs unoccupied in the run-down waiting room but here ever seat supported a worried owner and the air was filled with many different animal shrieks. In fact, because of this noisiness Ethan was almost glad that they were being taken straight to the quiet of the examination room and as he sidestepped a playful terrier he let out a content sigh.
Vyn was also gaining a better feel from this establishment. The receptionist had barely batted an eyelid at her lack of lower body and her friendly eyes hadn’t displayed any intimidation, fear or judgement. Now, upon entering the examination room she was similarly glad to not find any odd people who would assume she was the vet. She shivered, partly due to the cold air conditioning and partly at the memory of his examination of her... She had thought it odd at the time but now on reflection it just creeped her out. Flicking her wings she glided next to the seat where she assumed Ethan would sit... Thorn was restless in her arms... Hopefully the receptionist wouldn’t take too long in fetching Zeke.
Just as the businessman had perched himself on the seat the door opened and a blast of colour entered the room. Multicoloured hair, tattoos swirling across his exposed skin and multiple piercings... Ethan very nearly didn’t utter a response to the warm welcome because of how taken aback he was. “Oh yes. Hello.. Zeke?” Surely this man could not be the chap that Alex had spoken so highly of? He buttoned his lips though... Don’t judge a book by its cover. That was the mantra he was suddenly repeating in his mind...
In contrast to Ethan Vyn actually seemed to be mildly impressed by the funky style of this vet. He was certainly brighter and more interesting than most humans. Unarguably it wasn’t what she had expected... But it was certainly an improvement on the nerdy creature that she had been faced with last time. Bobbing forward and presenting Thorn in outstretched arms she said, “Alex said that you could give Thorn a check-up...” Her rune flared a little bit with nerves but something about the man’s warm smile put her at ease and the knowledge that Alex had suggested him was always good too.
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Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 2:18 pm
It didn't take long for Zeke's head to turn and look at the two people in the room with Ethan sitting close to the door and Vyn nearby, they were quite hard to miss. This room was cooler than the hallway and the young veterinarian rubbed his arm with his free hand, soon finding out both his sleeves were still rolled up. That was quickly fixed with the folder switching sides rapidly, though he didn't seem even the slightest bit embarrassed they had saw his tattoos even while on the clock.
"Yes sir, I'm Zeke. Zeke Farris - Dr. Farris - though I prefer Zeke..." The door clicked in the latch and that effectively blocked off the sounds of animals and people drifting down from the lobby, examination rooms, and other offices. Zeke moved quickly, eyes casting around the room as though making sure everything that could possibly be needed was there. Certainly seemed like, so he turned around to face the two and was met with a black pug face and the Frei holding him out. He blinked as though taken aback - not expecting the two to be there so suddenly; but then eased back into his usual demeanor with a nod at her statement. The glow of Vyn's rune, however, quickly drew his attention from the bug-eyed pup to his master, seeing her fully now. Black sclera, wine red locks, and a spiraling though dangerously spiky-looking ribbon. Despite that last feature, the rest of her was so pretty, beautiful in fact, and the vet was still amazed at how each Raevan was so unique. What drew him most, though, was in her hair - that circlet of thorns with a blood-red rose perched neatly on the side.
"Ahh," He began intelligently, his mind going back to the virus files which he had been studying constantly since he finally viewed them last week. His mouth hung open a little, almost like he was gaping at the woman, though he was traveling too far back to realize at the moment. Black and red like Rivener had been, but with an overall grace that the male Sigel severely lacked. Rose was the soul of the Raevan from the first file and her Essence had been shadow-related. Zeke remembered wondering what such a combination would look like. Funny how the mind drew blanks at such times, but he had a feeling he was looking at one of the previously infected Raevans, well and in the flesh. The younger man couldn't recall her name, but the time he had met Rivener was still in his thoughts - the Sigel had made to sting him for merely asking if he was who he was - and he likely wouldn't have asked immediately if he had, just in case.
"Sorry, but I don't think I caught your names! And ah," He could feel her eyes, the eyes of her dog, and that of her caretaker on him and Zeke snapped his trap shut. He shook his mohawked head and laughed in a light but nervous way, lifting his hand out for the pug to sniff before he attempted to touch or take him from his owner. The veterinarian seemed to realize the folder of blank forms was still in his other and he moved to the side of Vyn and her dog to hold those out to Ethan. "These should have been given to you to fill out when you arrived, but we're a bit swamped today. I apologize sir, but if you could fill these out now, it'd be much appreciated."
When those were taken he let himself scratch Thorn behind the ears, attention turning back to Vyn though he pulled a pen from his breast pocket and gave that to Ethan first. "And I apologize to you as well, miss, since I'm sure the wait was long. So!" His hand withdrew from the dog and clapped together with the other, brightening up once again to keep the ball rolling, pushing the virus files from his mind - for now at least. Patient first, chatter during or after if the exam went smoothly. "You said your dog is here for a check up, am I right? If you could just put him down on this table there, I'll get that started..."
He trailed off, turning to gesture and walk toward the large, metal examination table in the center of the room. Zeke touched the sterile surface as he walked by, directing the Frei to put Thorn down there as he continued walking, rolling his sleeves up to his elbows and turning on the sink to wash up first. So it was a friend-of-a-friend situation, though this friend was his beloved sibling! Lucky for that and he was meeting yet another Raevan, good for his new part time job and the goal he had set while reading last week if this Frei was one of the many who had been taken ill by the Fel virus.
"So firstly, I just need to ask some basic questions," He lathered his hands and wrists up beneath warm water, turning the tap off when he was done and drying them with paper towels near the stainless steel basin. "Firstly, how old is he and has he had a check up before or is this his first one?"
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Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 9:36 am
The pale girl’s lips mirrored the inked man as he affectionately scratched her dog’s ears. Thorn appeared to like Zeke and that would undoubtedly make the check-up easier. If the man had to examine him a growling and snappy little mouth would make thing awkward... With Thorn happy in the company of Zeke the examination could almost be like a game for the pug – rolling onto his back not for a full body look over but for a scratch or something similar. This pleased reaction loosened up the rose’s usually tight buds enough for her to return the answer to his query without awkward reluctance. “Vyn and this is my father.. Ethan.” She dipped her crowned head in Ethan’s direction. She was surprised to find that it was almost a role reversal. Normally she was the shy clammed up individual, but now she was the one comfortable and the businessman was looking ill at ease.
Containing his sceptic opinion Ethan took the papers, flicking through them with an indifferent expression. For the most part they were much the same as the forms that he had filled out at the previous establishment – breed, age, medical history, and so on. “Of course. Not a problem.” He responded, taking the man’s pen and sliding backwards out of the discussion to complete his task. However, unlike last time he would make sure to keep at least a relaxed grey eye on the events unfolding. Even with Alex’s trust in the man he couldn’t quite put aside his prejudice for the mohawked man.
Following Zeke’s instructions Vyn placed Thorn on the metal table. The dog’s leathery paw pads pattered loudly on the metallic surface as he shifted around attempting to find a spot that wasn’t quite as chilly. Unable to find such a thing he turned his squat face up to his shadowy mistress as if asking for her to pick him up off the cold surface and take him back into the warmth of her embrace. Cocking a smile the rose smoothed a hand down his back, inducing a sitting position so that he wouldn’t fidget whilst Zeke was preparing his hands. When he was washing his hands and asking her questions Vyn heard her father take a breath – as if preparing to answer – but acting on her resolution to take responsibility for her dog she cut him off, responding by herself.
“I have had Thorn for... Three quarters of a year?” She thought back to when Melisande had bought him for her. It had been the spring – that much she could be sure of, she remembered the light airy breeze and the fresh uplifting sunshine. “He hasn’t ever had a check-up.. This is his first.” She stroked the pug’s black fur affectionately at this point.. Thinking about how much time had passed really made her realise how much the pup had grown and how close they had become. In fact, it was barely possible for her to call him a puppy any more – he had grown into an almost fully developed dog now... TO her he would always be the baby smudge of black though.
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Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 11:20 am
"Vyn and Ethan. Again, pleasure to meet you both." He nodded at them when he said their respective names before turning and tossing the now-bunched up paper towels into the step bin. He fetched a pair of latex gloves from the box set on the counter and tucked those into his pocket for later use before returning to the table, standing on the opposite side from Vyn. When the Frei introduced herself, he was completely certain she was the Raevan from the first virus file he had read, though like Zul she was completely well now with no visible aftereffects. His attention remained on her and Thorn, not wanting to bother the uneasy looking business man filling out the forms. The veterinarian had that niggling feeling that the older gentleman was not at all taken with his appearance, but being who he was Zeke didn't mind at all. Everyone was entitled to their opinions, for better or for worse. Seeing the dog's discomfort on the table, he reached over and scratched Thorn's wrinkly head again, smile taking on an apologetic tone.
"Sorry it's cold Thorn." He looked to Vyn. "If you could move just a little ways back, I'll weigh him first." There was a small pad and screen sticking out from his side of the table, unilluminated at present. When Vyn had floated back from her dog, Zeke pressed the on button, the small screen flicking numbers for a few moments before resting on a bright 1 - 9. "First check up and okay so he's about a year old. He's as big as he's gonna get size-wise, and he's quite compact for a pug. Runt of his litter perhaps?" He looked healthy enough at a glance, so likely Thorn wasn't from a puppy mill in Zeke's mind. "But what you should know is pugs can have quite a few health problems all over - eyes since they bug out like that, their respiratory system and ability to cool down since their faces are scrunched in, if their face wrinkles aren't cleaned there can be some irritation and infection there, but the most common problem they have is obesity." He turned around and grabbed a paper-clipped form of papers from a plastic tray in the middle of the counter, taking another pen from his pocket and writing the pug's weight down on it.
"Right now Thorn weighs nineteen pounds. He's a little chubby, you can see that by looking at him, but you have to watch how much he eats and makes sure he gets a little more exercise. I think losing about three pounds would be ideal for his size. If you feed him wet food, I think switching him over to dry would be better as well." He smiled at Vyn in a reassuring way in case the Raevan doubted her parenting of the pug at all, though he did want to look at her a little more regardless. So unique these Raevans, each and every one, and it made him wonder what his own would look like when it was born. What was more pressing though, was how to bring up the subject of the virus without offending or angering either of them. Zeke was getting his wish already - meeting one of the several Raevans who were infected by his future Raevan's Essence - and he wanted the first introductions to go as smoothly as possible. But how? Usually he was so perky and eager to chat with his clientele, but he felt like he was at a block with these two.
"So Vyn, you said Alex suggested you come here for Thorn?" He reached out and gently pulled the pug toward himself, feeling along his spine for any pinched or out of line vertebrae, slowly uncurling the pug's tail when he reached that point. The dog's nails clicked along the metal top and he'd have to trim those near the end of the exam. "She's practically my sister that one. Have you met her Raevan? Zul's his name."
Ease into it, though if they knew Alex they likely knew her ward too. It may make him look slightly dumb at first, but in the long run it'd be helpful. At least, he hoped so.
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Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 1:21 pm
Watching from the sidelines Ethan couldn’t help but feel a little guilty as the man conducted himself in such a professional and admirable manner. He was nice and friendly with Thorn, scratching him just where the pug loved it and as he conducted the first test – weighing the dog. He explained everything to Vyn in a proficient and easy to understand way. Clicking the pen to remind himself to stay focused on the task he had been assigned he returned to neatly recording his daughter’s pet’s details. He should really put more trust in Alex’s suggestion, just put aside the unruly appearance and accept that he was doing a good job.
Some of the information Zeke was saying did take a while to process, especially some of the more scientific words... However for the most part she was glad that Zeke was being so informative. Vyn had never even realised the health problems that her Thorn could develop but now that the friendly vet was saying them she wondered why she hadn’t considered the implications of the breed’s distorted squat features beforehand. Hovering on the other side of the table she nodded alongside each snippet of information – processing them and making mental notes to apply the knowledge later. Cleaning his face wrinkles would definitely take place from now onwards, though the thought of it amused her slightly.
As the results flashed up on the screen and Zeke administered his opinion her face dropped a little. Thorn was overweight? That wasn’t good.. She didn’t want anything wrong with her precious little companion. Then again, that only served as motivation to listen to the man’s advice closely. She was in charge of Thorn therefore it was her responsibility to make the required changes to his diet to prevent ‘chubbiness’ from turning into downright fatness. “Dry food... I can get that from the pet shop..” Her words were both a statement to herself, putting confidence in her ownership and a form of question – prodding Zeke to confirm that she was correct.
Luckily Zeke’s mention of Alex brought a more content and less worried look back to her visage. “Yes, Zul. I know him.” She was quietly impressed with his knowledge of her kind. If he knew Alex and consequently Zul well then that would explain how at ease he was with her. “How do you know Alex and Zul?” She extended a hand, sneaking a quick stroke of her pet whilst the man prepped for whichever test he would be conducting next.
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Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 1:56 pm
"Yes you can, but you have to get the kind that's made for small breeds like him." He confirmed her questioned statement, finding the dog's spine fine and dandy. Any slipped disks or pinched vertebrae would spell out bad news for the pup, so he was pleased nothing was out of sorts. Zeke had a stethoscope around his neck and the veterinarian pulled that off to check Thorn's heart rate and breathing. The thump-thump of the muscle within the dog was healthy and this only pleased him more. Also, for his first check up, the pug was being quite easy and laid back about everything. Probably wouldn't like the eventual temperature check though, which would be gotten to shortly, so Zeke put on the gloves that up until then had been discarded.
"Alex is like a sister to me, and I met Zul one afternoon...Oh about a year ago? when I went to visit her." Vyn seemed more relaxed now, so idle chatting would be a benefit to all. His eyes cast from her face back to Thorn's, checking the wrinkles for any grime, crumbs, or grit. Like the rest of him though, he was clean and Zeke rubbed the end of the dog's stout nose for good measure and for being such a stellar patient so far. "But she and I are also co-workers as well. I've recently gotten a part time job at the Lab, so I'm happy I'm getting to meet you and your father, even if it is still kind of professional." He looked up from his work to see what they thought of that and hoping that would somehow bridge toward him being able to talk about the Essence. That was still lodged in his mind to talk about and he had a feeling each staff member at the Lab had their own Raevan, so the lack of another in the room would probably draw a question or two.
"Thorn's teeth have a little plaque on them, but he's good otherwise. Oh, another thing, pugs have long tongues, so he might bite it a bit if he gets too excited." He let the dog's jowls fall back into place, chuckling as the pug started to lick his lips to get that latex taste out of his mouth. "Nothing to worry about unless he, you know, bites it clean off." He chuckled again, though with a nervous edge in case his little joke didn't go over well. He moved from the table and back towards the counters, opening a drawer and pulling out a single thermometer, packaged neatly in sterile plastic.
"I'm gonna check his temperature now. It might look a bit weird how we do this, and he might be a bit uncomfortable, but it doesn't hurt at all and will be over in under a minute." He pulled the alcohol-filled rod from its container and re-approached, lifting Thorn from his seated position on the table and then holding his back with one hand. "Three...Two...One..."
In went the thermometer.
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Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2010 10:15 am
Without a doubt that was the weirdest method of taking temperature. Vyn could only frown and then gasp with shock as Zeke took her pug’s temperature – by the time she realised she should probably avert her dark eyes it was over and the vet had gained the result he required. Cringing minutely she reached out and hesitantly patted Thorn. He wasn’t hurt just as Zeke had promised but something about his tailed tucked between his legs and his slight whine indicated that he was quite as upbeat as he had been when first placed on the cold metallic examination table. “Good boy.” She consoled him. The animal doctor wouldn’t do the uncomfortable thing if it wasn’t required and Thorn was being ever so brave.
Discovering that Zeke was now in part-time employment of the LAB certainly did catch the attention of both occupants of the room. Vyn was pleasantly surprised by the information and when she considered it the news was actually quite good – Zeke seem to be an amiable person and judging by the way he was conducting Thorn’s check-up she assumed he would apply the same efficient yet considerate touch to his LAB work duties. In many ways he was like Alex... It was no surprise now why the two humans got on so well.
Ethan was perhaps a little less enthusiastic about the news. Although at the same time we wouldn’t protest or show any sign of disagreeing... It was more that he was curious. What role would the vet play in the LAB staff? His first thoughts – considering his profession – would be aiding guardians with humanely capturing souls for their future raevans. Another mental query popped up too, Alex had a raevan, Kyou had a raevan... Would Zeke be given a raevan too? The only way to find out was to ask and thus he straightened his back, paused his writing and proposed the question to him. “Will you be parenting a raevan then?”
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Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2010 10:50 am
With the temperature taken - Thorn being right where he needed to be in that department - Zeke put the used thermometer back into the plastic it had come in and then deposited that into a red biohazard box on the wall near the door. Still-gloved hands pulled open a drawer as he passed, taking out a hand held contraption used for checking ears. A thin, protective plastic cover came with it out of a small box of the things, and the vet slipped that on the tip before checking to make sure the flashlight worked. It did and as he moved back towards the Rose femme and her pet, Ethan's voice made him pause.
"I am, or at least, I will be." His face lost that smile then though he didn't frown either, only bit his lip a little. Now or never eh? "That's actually something I should really talk to you both about now since you're here with me. While it's not born yet, I feel there's a few things that need saying about him or her." Zeke put the ear light down on the table, eyes on both Vyn and Ethan. This would also give Thorn time to recover from the shock of his first temperature taking, as well as give a short pause to the exam. Ah jeez, where to begin? He shifted uncomfortably then, the first time in a long time when on the job. Rubbing the side of his forehead with his wristwatch, he set his eyes on Vyn once again.
"I already know a little about you, as well as quite a few others in the Lab though I've never met them. There's a reason for this. Ah," Again a pause, trying to pace himself for his own sake. The last thing he wanted to do was just spew everything out in one single burst. Looking at the two of them before him he knew speaking to each and every Raevan-guardian pair would be hard, but he hadn't really prepared for such a pair to show up out of the blue before him. He took a deep breath and swallowed, knowing full well if they hadn't known about this yet, all those other Raevans didn't either. He couldn't string these people along, they had every right to know as much as anyone did. "The reason also concerns why I was employed at the Lab. You see...My Raevan's Fel Essence is called the 'Self Replicating Virus'." He was staring at them both hard now, head turning between man and Frei, looking for any and all changes that would be coming soon enough. As he started to speak again, his attention lingered on the Rose.
"You'll both be familiar with it because it infected you, Vyn, as well as over half the Lab population between October and December last year. You and Ethan probably know it well enough simply as 'the fel virus'." He was frowning now, a small action, but it was still there. To them the virus was likely considered 'evil' and something that should have been slaughtered off. Zeke hadn't the foggiest idea what Dr. Kyou had been thinking to make it into a Raevan, but it was happening now in Gambino and there was no stopping it now. The veterinarian let that sink in before he would continue, hoping and praying that the revelation about the curse seal he would talk about next would ease any anger or concern the two before him had.
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Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 12:32 pm
Her sloped hands gently stroked the fur on Thorn’s back, calming him till his tongue lolled quietly out of his mouth and he was almost as relaxed as he normally was at home. Whilst she repeated this simple therapeutic movement her elven ears were listening to the vet’s speech... He wasn’t talking about Thorn any more though; his words were now directly aimed at her and her guardian in a most interesting manner. Zeke was indeed going to become a raevan guardian – though judging by the way he was composing his words and his slightly cautious body language whatever he was about to say would be worth listening carefully to.
When the name of his fel essence was dispensed the breath caught in both Ethan’s and Vyn’s throat. The exact name of the pathogen that had caused all manner of madness amongst the raevan community hadn’t been revealed but it hardly took much thinking to figure out that this virus Zeke owned was probably behind the whole fiasco. His next statement confirmed their assumptions.
Ethan didn’t speak at first... His cold grey eyes were evaluating the situation – quickly thinking about what had been revealed to him. Somewhere, probably not too far away, the terrible cause of a dangerous raevan illness was still alive and probably fully capable of starting another outbreak. However throwing himself into a rage at this mohawked man would be ludicrous. He had met Dr.Kyou the other day... The black haired man was intelligent – and expert in his field. Stupidly giving out the virus to any old soul without proper precautions wasn’t something that the businessman could imagine the doctor doing... Thus he folded his arms, expectantly waiting for the tattooed fellow to provide the correct explanation; however a stern expression was firmly set on his face... Being jolted into such a worrying situation was not something he appreciated.
Vyn did not respond in such an evaluative manner. Her fingers curved tightly into Torn’s figure – so violently and tightly that the pug gave a small yelp of pain. She had thought that the virus had been annihilated! Every raevan infected had been cured, blasted with the same icy concoction that had frozen her to the core. Now with this new knowledge of the virus’ continued existence and the LAB’s plans to create a raevan from it the rose felt as though she had been hit by a fresh dose of the pathogen. Her skin flushed red and her rune flared bright warm light. “No...” She pulled Thorn across the table to be clutched tightly to her half formed chest. “That’s just... Wrong.. You can't do that! It’s evil.”
Her dark eyes were a mixture of emotions. She wanted to express her repulsion – tell the amiable man about how he should stop now and destroy the virus whilst he had the chance... If it was allowed to grow and spread again with the strength of a whole new form who knew what terrible things could happen. But at the same time something about Zeke’s calm composure sowed seeds of doubt in her mind. He had said he had read about her in relation to the fel essence. Did that mean that he knew the risks and had some sort of plan..? Either way she was keeping her distance from him in the meantime – to the living shadow he had become a walking, talking health risk.
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Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 1:27 pm
Vyn's reaction and words were expected - she had been infected by the Essence after all, if she hadn't reacted as such it would have been very odd to Zeke - but they made the veterinarian flinch away as though she had physically slapped him all the same. He didn't register Thorn's yelp as the Rose's dark nails gripped him too hard so suddenly, all of his focus on her and Ethan. Some small part of the younger human made thanks at the now stern-faced guardian - at least he hadn't jumped up and started shouting at him. Still though, Zeke took a step away as Vyn floated back from the table with Thorn in her arms, putting space between all of them before he would continue.
"'Evil' is a bit of a strong word..." He began, his voice quieter than it had before. Zeke knew that he could talk about how the viruses in the vial were doing what they were pretty much programmed to do from day one until he was blue in the face, but he would likely never convince her otherwise. She had lived a nightmare for over a month. 'Evil' wasn't strong enough for her. "But a soul has been captured about," A pause as he thought back to when the spider had been captured exactly. It was three weeks ago, wasn't it? As he began again he regained some control over his word's volume, bringing that back up once more with a quick clearing of his throat. "About a month ago, give or take a week. The Raevan's growing - coming into being - as we speak."
His lips flickered between that small, almost apologetic smile and an expressionless line. He could only begin to imagine what was going through Vyn and Ethan's minds right now, but whatever it was, he was certain it wasn't good thoughts for his Raevan to be. Zeke had promised himself and the unborn Frei that he wouldn't let it be blacklisted for something its "parent" did. He would stick by that, but Vyn's mixed expression, outburst, and quite possibly nightmare come to life was making him feel meek to that promise. Maybe if she saw him or her, saw it wasn't malignant, saw that it was nothing like the Essence despite being born with it within itself... That led him directly to what he had to say to the pair next - the seal that would be placed upon the Raevan during its creation. He drew in a long breath to calm himself, for once caring a great deal about all eyes on him.
"I can tell neither of you are pleased and I'll tell you now I haven't the slightest idea what Dr. Kyou was thinking when he decided to make the virus into a Raevan." Captain Obvious mixed with an attempt to get some of that ire off himself. It wasn't an honorable move, but he had been pulled into it quite suddenly all those weeks ago. A rather serious surprise that had been plaguing his thoughts since then. "All I know for certain is this: As the Raevan is developing within the Lab, Dr. Kyou is going to place a powerful seal on the Frei. Alex told me that with this in place, the virus will only sustain him or her. The Raevan won't have any powers or abilities or what have you relating to the virus." Once again his eyes flicked between the guardian and the Frei, watching their faces as this piece of information came to light. "It's a fail safe, and Alex assured me Dr. Kyou's a really strong warlock so...There's no chance of you or any other Raevan getting infected ever again. I promise."
Let that be positive enough for them...Please...I don't want it to have enemies fresh out of the chamber...It wasn't the cause, it won't be evil, it will do no harm...
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 3:19 pm
Evil too strong a word? Vyn couldn’t help but feel that it was Zeke who was slightly deluded about this situation. It was all well and good that he had read up on what had occurred to many of the raevans during their infection – but that was not, could never be, the same as actually experiencing the chaos. It was like those charity cases on television – “3rd world country struck by devastating storm.” Many would express how dreadful it was but the people at the epicentre of the disaster were the only individuals who could rally express how the calamity had affected them. In Vyn’s mind she was one of those disaster victims and there was no way that the brightly coloured human before her could ever hope to understand what she had gone through. In fact she was about to open her mouth to express this point of view when Zeke continued his calm, collected response.
The raevan was growing already.
A shudder ran through her core. Continuing the television disaster analogy it was like she had been informed of a second disaster coming right at her; huge and ominous and with no obvious way to prevent it. Images of the devilish pathogen’s new form haunted her mind... It’s warm breath would infect everyone again... The brush of its skin would sow madness like a farmer haphazardly tossing out seeds. Did Zeke, Dr.Kyou, Alex not realise the great potential for mishap that they were breeding? She was so wrapped up in the distress of this news that she very nearly filtered out what Zeke went on to say...
“You are absolutely sure that the infection will be contained?” Ethan rose from his seat, chiming in. His face was indeterminate. He seemed neither angry, upset, pleased or any other sort of emotion... Vyn watched him as he strode towards her. Was he going to demand proof? Or... what was he going to say? She couldn’t read him, he had that stone cold business face on and all of a sudden he was a completely different person. “Here’s your forms.” He was next to her now, a firm hand placed on her back his other hand extended over the metal divide with the forms neatly filled out.With controlled speed he placed them on the cold surface before unfurling his clasped hand – offering it to the other man.
“You can give me your word?”
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 11:12 am
He expected Vyn to say more after he finished speaking, the Frei's expressions barely changed as he spoke of the doctor's plans but he knew she was likely processing all this information. What would have hit home for her the most though was likely the fact that the Raevan - spider and virus - was undergoing its development right now. Before the revelation there might have been some hope, but now that was snuffed out like a candle's flame. How long would the growth take before this new Frei was born, no one could say. All any of the people in the examination room - as well as the ones Zeke would hope to meet later - could do was steel themselves for its birth, though the veterinarian was leagues ahead of the other two in that department. Zeke was also very unlearned when it came to the virus in the fact that he had no first hand experience with it during its outbreak. He could read those files from dawn till dusk for an entire week and have them memorized like the back of his hand, but he would never fully understand what each Raevan and guardian went through. He knew this, accepted it, and would do his best despite the anger and fear that would most definitely come for this new Raevan when it was born. It wasn't for his sake, it was for its.
"Positive. I trust Alex's word and she trusts the doctor and his abilities." He said as Ethan approached, his eyes holding steady on the older man's face. With all his attention having been mainly on Vyn or Thorn, he felt as though he was finally meeting this man, though he had been in the room for the entire time. First thing he could tell was that Ethan was very hard to read right now. He didn't look angry, which was both good and bad, given that he could be hiding something negative under that stony mask. Zeke barely acknowledged the forms as Vyn's guardian placed them on the table, nodding in a robotic, pretty much automatic, way as Ethan's words spoke that they were done and being handed over. He expected the older man to move back as soon as the file and papers within were down, so the fact the older gentleman was extending a hand to him surprised Zeke greatly. He looked down at the appendage then up at Ethan's face as though inwardly questioning if he was being serious. He was taking this...Well enough really.
"Yes sir." Zeke removed the latex gloves and once more tucked them into his pocket. He grasped the offered hand firmly, nodding just as assuredly as he shook once. "If you like, even, maybe we could arrange something. You and Vyn could meet him or her sometime soon after they're born. If...If that's alright with Vyn of course." He turned to look at the Frei still holding her dog. It would be her choice, though at some time - anytime - during the future they may just run into each other regardless. Plus, Zeke figured, meeting the Raevan as a newborn might be beneficial to Vyn's outlook on him or her. Newborns had little in the ways of powers (he assumed) and maybe it would look at the older femme as a potential mentor or a friend. Friends which this particular Raevan would need. He couldn't speak for something that wasn't born yet though, so he'd just have to hope so if she agreed.
"It's all up to you Vyn. If you don't want to, that's perfectly fine with me." He smiled at her, just a little, still a ghost of his expression's former self from when this exam started. "Just meeting you now and having both you and Ethan aware is enough for me," Though it was the bare minimum, truthfully. "Since you both deserve to know, as do the other Raevans. I'm going to do my best to meet all them and tell them everything I told you." He'd offer the same possible meeting to those pairs as well, the idea seemed very good, even though there was still the fact that said introductions might not go over very well if and when they happened.
"So what do you say? The choice is yours, but don't feel like you have to do it."
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Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2010 10:24 am
The vet had a strong grasp and a solemn, determined look in his eyes that Ethan respected. Despite the businessman’s prejudices about the dyed hair, pincushion amount of piercings and inked skin he had to admit that the man would do everything in his power to assure that the promises he was making were fulfilled. If Alex was trusting of this plan to seal the virus core of the raevan and Dr. Kyou was definitely using his arcane abilities (to which the once sceptical man now readily accepted with confidence) then he could not argue against what was already happening. Thus he completed the exchange with a curt shake and backed away from the table. “So be it..” He stated calmly, giving Vyn a reassuring touch before returning to his seat – crossing one leg comfortably to continue observing the situation.
However it appeared the matter had not yet been dropped as Zeke made Vyn an interesting offer. She could meet the raevan when it was born? The rose quaked slightly. The thought frightened her. Even if her father was prepared to accept Zeke’s word she still could not agree with what was occurring. Zeke could justify his decision till the world ended. Alex could support him, Dr. Kyou could even walk in right now with reassurance but even then the shadow would not be able to suppress the tightening of panic in her chest. Licking her dry lips she blinked once and shook her head. “No..” She paused, her quiet rejection of his offer hanging awkwardly between them. “...Thank you, but, no...”
Unable to hold his gaze and feeling a touch of guilt – Zeke was a genuinely nice man and his optimism was admirable – she returned to petting Thorn. He had been quiet throughout the entire episode and appeared to relish the attention being on him once more. A cough from Ethan’s direction jolted the awkwardness and Vyn attempted to put aside whatever feelings she had towards Zeke’s soon to be daughter or son and get on with what she was here for.
“What’s next?” She asked, looking back up with a feeble smile.
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Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 2:31 pm
He nodded to Ethan again as the businessman went back to the chair by the door before his attention went straight back to Vyn. If she declined, he wouldn't be sore - disappointed certainly, but not sore - but either way, just taking the idea into consideration was enough for him. Zeke stood near the female Raevan, watching her hang there in thought. When she spoke, his smiled dimmed, but his eyes softened in knowing before he reached out and lightly touched her arm in a reassuring way.
"That's alright Vyn." He said as his hand withdrew and he moved back around the opposite side of the table. Ethan's cough caught him too and he seemed to recall Thorn wasn't quite yet done with his check up. "Next, I will check his ears for any infections, wax build up, or any of that sort of thing. If you could put him down on the table again please," Zeke picked up the ear light and waited for the dog to be placed back down. Once he was seated back on the metal top Zeke got to checking, gently tilting the pug's head once the first side was done. Despite being a bit pudgy, he was in excellent condition. Even with the characteristic squished face, the pug didn't seem to have any breathing troubles and he was quite healthy. Zeke scratched him once more behind the ears once that was done, pulling the plastic protective cap off the light and tossing it in the trashcan. The virus talk was over now, and despite Vyn's outburst and reluctance to meet his Raevan, the human with the two-color hair was feeling remarkably lighter now.
"His ears are clear. You take really good care of him Vyn, I'm impressed. We don't get a lot of pugs that are as clean and healthy as he is." The light went back into its drawer and Zeke now drew out a pair of nail clippers. "Other than his weight, seems the only thing he really needs is to have his nails trimmed, which I'll do now. Well, that and get his first shots too, but that can be scheduled at another time." Given the busy day, they likely didn't have the proper vaccines in stock any more, and even if they did, they only ordered so many vials of each in case the hospital was ever broken into and ransacked.
There was a light on a metal arm on the other side of the table, and as Zeke came back with the clipping tool he pulled it down and switched it on. All three fluorescents turned on and lit up the table, though Zeke was mindful to angle it so there wasn't a glare. "This is really easy to do. If you take Thorn to a groomer's they'd likely do this for you, but you can also do it at home." He pulled the black pug toward him and encircled one arm around him to lift him up, hand supporting one paw as his thumb lightly pressed down on it for the toes to spread. He was happy to see that despite the dark coat, the dog's nails were light, so this would make his example a lot easier. "When you trim his nails, hold him like this, so he can't squirm too much. It feels a bit weird, which is why he would." He raised Thorn up a little, leaning across the table so Vyn could see. "See that little red triangle where his nail goes into his foot? That's a vein. Each nail has one, and when you're doing this you have to make sure you don't clip that too. If you do he'll bleed and it'll hurt him." He took the clippers in his left hand - hooray for being ambidextrous he thought - and carefully put Thorn's nail in. Zeke measured by eye but once he was sure he wasn't near that sensitive spot, he pressed the handles together in his grip and the nail came off with one slice. Thorn didn't even seem to flinch, giving the vet an 'okay' to do the rest of the same foot and the three remaining. Once Thorn was done, he set the pug down and started to sweep the clippings into his palm.
"And it's that easy."
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