|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2010 7:14 pm
Who: Zeke and Lucia Where: The lab – an exam room When: Right after The Nightmare EndsWeather: It’s overcast and cold out, but they’re inside
Dark tresses lay tousled around the stoic face of the frei whose eyes were cast down to the floor. Tink. Her torso and rune were floating, barely an inch above the ground; the soft purple glow was reflecting brighter closer to the floor and it almost seemed like the light could be holding her up. Her ribbon was wrapped around her forearm, from her elbow to her wrist completely covering her arm warmer. Tink. In her hand was her buckle. She was absentmindedly flipping the prong back and then forward to listen to the metal tink against metal.
Her purple orbs seemed empty. Tink. All the fire the Kitten typically displayed behind her bright eyes was gone. Her shoulders were slumped forward, her ears were flat back against the side of her head, her wings were folded behind her, and her head was titled down. Her arms were crossed below her bust and the only movement she was making, other than her fingers flicking the prong forwards and back was a subtle bobbing of her body. Tink. She was floating slightly up and down, side to side.
But her mind was empty by design. Lucia didn’t want to think about what she did. She didn’t desire to know about anything. She didn’t care about anything. She killed…Yuurei. Delia. Rivener - probably. All those people. Tink. But so used to blocking her emotions when possessed for fear of angry screams coming from her own mind, she didn’t dare get back to any display. So she chose not to think. She chose not to examine her surroundings, plainly floating into the exam room where the woman led her before leaving her with someone else – Tink. - she didn’t care who he was.
She floated to the side of the room, not wanting to be in the way. Her body was full of pain – from her broken ribs to her torn muscles, from the gashes on her skin from Rivener’s desperate fighting to the pain on her arm from being literally bonded with the tree to the pain encompassing her entire body from Zul ripping a soul out of it. But her face didn’t display any of that. She was only expressionless and almost unmoving as she blocked out her life. Her finger flicked. Tink.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 10:56 am
Like each weekend his shift had started off well enough - waiting for him was a short list of minimal effort tasks to do, then he would check on the still-growing Freis in the laboratory, take a break for lunch in the cafeteria, clear anything he might have missed on the list, and then a repeat of talking to the Raevan tanks sometime during the late afternoon or early evening before he came back out here; waiting and ready for anyone or anything to come through the doors. Sitting at the desk for too long between tasks made him bored and sluggish, so Zeke always made sure to have something to entertain him while he sat in the reception area and tonight was no different. He had been dinking around with an old Gameboy of his he had found and the game with the bit-music coming through the small speakers kept him entertained long into his sitting shift.
That was until the Lab doors had burst open and more words per minute he had ever heard were thrown right into his face.
Zeke had been wrapped up enough to not notice the multiple bodies (and half bodies) approaching the door, but once the glass and metal seals had been nearly taken off their hinges he had vaulted over the desk before him rather than taken the long way around. What he saw coming through there made him pale and fill with a sense of dread: Alex was there and was moving while speaking to him with Zul on her tail precariously holding up two Raevans. One was Rivener, a Raevan Zeke had met before, but the other was female and a stranger to the human. No time was wasted and Zeke kept close behind his sister, watching her take the female Frei from Zul and lead her into an exam room. Once she was inside and floating toward the farthest wall, the bi-color haired man had been turned to, pointed at, and directed to watch over the Frei - named Lucia - while Alex and Dr. Kyou gave attention to Rivener. Visually, the Sigel was the more beat up and they were understaffed, but Lucia needed just as much attention. With a fast nod and steps into the room, Zeke had agreed and here he was now, monitoring the Kitten over his shoulder as he rifled through the cabinets and drawers for antiseptic and bandages.
Tink
He had lost count (not that he had been mind you) of how many times that metal on metal sound pierced the air, but in the otherwise silent room it was as obviously loud as the ticking of the wall clock. He didn't know what to say to the cat Frei; his heart had taken residence in his throat for the time being but he at least wasn't at a loss for what to do. She wasn't facing him and hadn't even blinked in his direction since he came in, but even with her back turned he could see all those on the surface wounds Rivener had inflicted. The words Alex had hastily said to him before he took up residence in this exam room were echoing in his mind and he would have to relay the information to Lucia soon, but not before he got her cleaned up. Words could wait for a few moments, infection wouldn't. A soft sound of victory passed his otherwise tight pressed lips as he pulled a regular size bottle of hydrogen peroxide out. It wasn't his first choice of antiseptic, but it worked just the same with added bubbling. Bandages of all sizes were already on the counter before him and there were plenty of paper towels in the cabinet by his right leg that he'd have the blood - caked and fresh - cleaned off in no time. Now came the part he hoped would be easy - getting Lucia over here.
Tink
She hadn't made any real movements toward or away from him, so it would be easy as long as he didn't suddenly grab her or touch her wounds. He would need to touch her arms to feel her ripped muscles and be at her back or side to see the way the skin protruded outward where the rib bones were trying to poke through, but right now he was across the room and she was floating near the exam table. He started his approach, slowly to not startle her but assuredly of his task all the same. He was a doctor and while Lucia only had the ears of a cat, he would still do his best to tend to her injuries until Alex and Kyou arrived to the best of his abilities.
Tink
Lucia hadn't noticed him as far as he could tell, but he could see that her eyes had that glazed over look of defeat or catatonia and that her visible injuries were even worse up close. Even if she was trying to hide it behind mute blankness, he could still almost feel a sense of despair coming off the Kitten and that made him want to comfort her. He had no idea what went on just before now, but he remembered what Cordelia had said earlier in the month. Lucia - the Frei before him - had attacked her. The basilisk had feared it was the virus, but after some show and tell that idea had been snuffed out, much to Cordelia's anguish and anger, though the latter was toward what was growing within the Raevan tank, not that she didn't know what was wrong with her friend. With the virus ruled out, if it hadn't been that, what was the cause? She looked non-confrontational now, but he'd be careful either way. Zeke got down to her level, squatting on the balls of his feet so they were about the same height near the floor. A patch of her shoulder didn't appear to be marked up, so with a surprisingly steady movement Zeke reached out and gently touched the Kitten's skin. He'd take care of her for now.
Tink
"Lucia?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 6:11 pm
The slow footsteps were ignored, but not unnoticed. Her eyes moved slightly to lock onto his feet, studying them. The black rubber soles of his sneakers were slightly worn in spots, only enough to not be even against the ground in some spots. By the ball of his foot and towards the back of his heels, it was more worn. His shoes were pretty large, but not huge. The black canvas bodies of his shoe was offset by the white woven laces. Her eyes followed the crisscrossing lace down his shoe and back up to the bottom of his pants.
The bottom of his pants were slightly worn from being stepped on, but other than that the dark denim was smooth. But her eyes weren’t traveling up. She was the prey. But she wouldn’t let this guy know he was being observed. Observing him was what she was doing. If she was going to be euthanized, she wanted to know it was coming.
He was right in front of her. Her bobbing slowly moved her back towards the wall slightly. And then his face was visible if she bothered to raise her eyes. Her eyes watched his hand reach toward her. Her eyes watched his hand without moving her head. His hand looked soft. His nails were clean and short. The free edge of his nail was short, but her eyes locked on the white. Her head rose slightly with his hand. In her peripheral vision she could see his face. The scruff on his chin looked pretty cool. And she liked the colors in his hair. Purple was her color, after all. But his facial piercings and warm caramel eyes were what made her almost want to trust him.
But of course that was what they wanted her to think. Her amethyst eyes were avoiding his, but when his hand touched her skin, she reacted immediately. Her wings spread open wide and she tossed her hair over her shoulders as she scrambled away, up onto the fainting chair against the wall.
Her belt buckle didn’t leave her hand, but the frei’s eyes were wide and wild. He would NOT hurt her. Try as she might to allow them to kill her, to hold back her emotions, she couldn’t. Self-preservation and instinct kicked in.
”You can’t hold me here!” she cried shrilly, her voice was hoarse from all of the screaming that had issued from her throat that night. Her arms wrapped tight around her body, trying to protect herself. And her eyes locked on his, without her meaning to. Her breath caught in her throat. ”Please don’t let them kill me…Please don’t let Dr. Kyou euthanize me…” Her eyes were pleading and water-filled, but she couldn’t cry – even if she wanted to.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 11:18 am
Zeke hadn't the faintest idea his personage was being overlooked and mildly scrutinized. All of his focus was on the Kitten, but the tiny flicker of her eyes was lost on him. He did almost catch the turn of her head, but it was only out of the corner of one eye. During that time, his attention was on his hand; trying to make sure he touched only unmarked flesh when his fingers came to rest. Even though he had missed the once-over, the sudden flare of Lucia's pierced wings and her movements backward were not lost on the young vet. He uttered a startled cry as the cat Frei went on the move, falling back and away from her as though she would attack him as she had Cordelia. Soon he was standing on his feet, gawking at the Raevan as she cried out her pleas.
"Lucia..." Zeke said with alarm, his eyes wide with the shock of her statement and rush to get onto that fainting chair. In that instant his hands were up, palms to the Kitten, as he kept his distance. The palms out method was to show he had nothing in his possession that would harm her, nor would he do anything with his hands to strike out or hold her down. He was merely here to watch over her and clean her wounds, pure and simple, and now the purple and green haired man was assured this wouldn't be as easy as he first estimated. He'd need to calm her down, but the way she had backed herself into the wall and how her eyes had suddenly pooled with tears tugged at his heartstrings. God, what had happened to this poor Frei? Zeke was completely in the dark and he'd have to interrogate someone later, but not here, not now, and not this particular female.
"I'm not holding you here," he began again, regaining his voice once more, "I'm here to take care of you for now. You're hurt, Lucia, you need to be bandaged up before you get sick." He used plain, simple terms with her though there was no doubt in his mind this leather and lace clad figure wasn't intelligent. Her distress would make her shut down though, as he was seeing now. With his hands still up, Zeke slowly approached Lucia, one step at a time with his body angled to the side to show that he wasn't boxing her off. Never corner a cornered cat, as the saying went. He stopped his steps when he was close to the chair she had perched on before once more squating down near her. His palms were still turned out to her, but his hands flipped to rest out like one would do when visiting a palm reader. He had nothing, she wouldn't be harmed by him. Now to address the fears she had made known to him...
"Lucia, no one's going to kill you!" His eyes were still a touch wide as he reiterated that, shocked the Kitten had thought such a thing. Seriously...What had happened just now? His tone still held some alarm at that, but with a clearing of his throat he tried to make the gentle, concerned vocals all the more present. "Why are you saying that? You're here because you're hurt, Lucia, not to be euthanized! Dr. Kyou would never do such a thing - to you or anyone."
This would have to be tended to before he could treat her and then break the layers of news Alex wanted him to relay to the femme. It didn't dawn on Zeke he hadn't introduced himself yet, but then again now wasn't the time for that. Again, with slow movements, he reached his hand out to Lucia, but this time it was toward her hand rather than her shoulder. Some of her nails were broken and bleeding along with the rest of her, but otherwise they were free of scratches. Must have been thanks to the arm warmers, but no matter. Zeke was trying to establish a connection with her, though his hand stopped short of his fingers gracing hers. She could take his hand, slap it away - whatever with it - but he was going to show her he wouldn't let anything bad happen. Cleaning the wounds out would be painful, but that would be the only negative thing he'd let befall her while she was under his care. His eyes were gentle and held intensity but also sincerity as his lips parted to speak again-
"I'm not gonna let anything bad happen to you. I'm gonna stay here until Rivener is taken care of, clean out your wounds in the meantime, and I'll even stay in the room with you when Alex and Dr. Kyou come back if you want me to, okay?" God he hoped she believed him then, but even if she didn't he'd keep repeating it over and over until she could see she wouldn't be killed. She'd be cared for instead.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 12:30 pm
The frei was afraid for her life. Yet his apparent fear of her only made her voice face to silence. She bit her lip again, and cast her eyes down. Yes, she realized. She was a pariah. She was to be feared and avoided. This grown man was afraid of her. And even without Brian in her she felt dirty and small and squashed. Lucia’s soul was still sealed inside herself. Because how could it possibly come out after all she had done. She was always so…free. Now, even without Brian, she felt anything but. Her wings slowly melted down to be back behind her shoulders and folded neatly.
Of course she had to be fixed. She had to be healed and mended before she was euthanized. She read somewhere that it wasn’t humane to execute someone who had a treatable sickness. It made sense that this was what was happening to her now. But the pain was almost overwhelming, so as much as she might want to fight Zeke, she also wanted him to make her feel better. Though that would speed her death, maybe it would be worth it. Part of shutting herself off was avoiding the pain. Now that she had reacted so strongly, the waves of pain were rolling back towards her.
She lowered a hand to the back of the chair, to steady the waves of sharp pain that throbbed throughout her body and threatened to make her falter. She didn’t even notice as he stepped closer to her. A soft purr escaped her lips as her diaphragm vibrated slightly – only for a short burst of slight noise and then it stopped. With that purr, however, the pain eased up slightly, enough to allow her to focus her eyes on Zeke, who was again, right in front of her. Her knuckles were white from grasping the back of the chair so tightly. But she let out a breath of air slowly, trying to steady herself.
She looked in his caramel eyes as he told her it would be fine. That she wasn’t going to be killed. The shock showed in his eyes as clearly as the pain and hurt and fear now showed in hers. “But . . . I deserve to die. I’m a murderer.” Her voice was a whisper, barely audible even to her own ears, and she closed her eyes, bit her lower lip, and scrunched further into herself. She didn’t know that Dr. Kyou wouldn’t do that. He had put her in a coma when he said he wouldn’t. He had tricked her. Maybe this guy was doing the same.
His purple and green hair. His piercings. His warm eyes. How did she know that those weren’t all just the deceptive techniques Kyou was employing? She wouldn’t put it past the cunning manipulative doctor. But the shock in his voice and look in his eyes made her want to believe he was sincere.
She again watched his hand approaching her body, but she did it resigned. Friend or foe, it didn’t really matter. If they were going to kill her, that was her punishment. It was no more than she deserved. And making her die without pain, after mending her body, that was better than she deserved. As his hand approached her own, she found herself opening it slowly, with effort. It was much easier for her to just keep her arms around herself and tink her belt buckle. But she opened her hand. She didn’t make the effort to touch him, but it was plain she would not hurt him. She didn’t have any more energy in her body for violence. Nor did she have any drive. If she would die, it would be without a fight. All of her fight was currently gone. She had been fighting for months. She had been crying for months. She had been desperate and scared and angry and unable to DO anything for months. And so any drive was gone.
As he spoke again she tried to hear the truth in his words. Rivener is taken care of . . . did that mean he was alive? Or did this man mean his body? The brief mention didn’t give any information. What about Zul? Was he okay? Alex and Dr. Kyou come back . . . yeah, she was sure that that was when they would kill her. But he said he would protect her. Yet she didn’t even know him. Her eyes were downcast. ”Why would you wanna protect me? I wouldn’t wanna protect me. Not after what I did.” Again, her voice was hoarse and she was barely whispering it, but she allowed herself to float towards him more. She hoped he wouldn’t run away again.
“I guess you can clean me up.” She was facing downward, her eyes cast down, her ears back. She was not sure of her words, but it was what would happen. ”P-please,” she added, keeping her head down but only lifting her eyes to his. Her lower lip trembled slightly, so she bit it again as her voice failed her. She was unable to finish the sentence. Please heal me. Please don’t let me die. Please don’t let me hurt anyone else. Please take care of me. Please let this all have been a nightmare. Please let everyone really be okay. Please let me not be what I am – a killer. Please erase my past. Please put me out of my misery. Please save me. Please just—please. There were unasked pleas that couldn’t possibly be fulfilled, but Zeke could help in some ways. If only he would. And she silently pleaded for that as well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 2:04 pm
That momentary purr reached his ears when Lucia made it, the sound coming as a surprise to him. Why was she purring...? Though the sound was soon gone and he shoved it to the back of his mind. No time to linger on such matters. When her eyes met his own Zeke made sure to keep his gaze steady; that shock of her sudden short retreat away from him now gone and replaced fully with that patience and desire to help the poor Frei. Her bleeding had slowed now but looking at how pale she was she'd need those bandages and some intravenous fluids pretty soon. He wouldn't rush her though, her pace was key to her trusting him and in the end her own physical attending to. Zeke almost didn't catch her whisper, but he leaned in enough to make out what she had said well enough. He didn't know how to respond. Pierced lips parted slightly as though to say 'no' or 'that's not true', but he was lost as to what exactly went on besides the memory of Cordelia saying the older Frei had attacked her. He closed his mouth again, but once she was set, words would be had with either of the two humans or even Zul if he wasn't preoccupied with Rivener. She really was yanking his heart.
The faintest ghost of a smile appeared and vanished as Lucia's hand opened near his own. His own moved in closer and cupped the Raevan's as his other floated over and placed atop the one being held. Zeke clasped Lucia's hand between his own, not daring to give her even the gentlest of squeezes for fear of putting her in more pain than she was already in. Instead, however, the thumb of the hand over the Kitten's own brushed against her warmer-clad knuckles - a slow gesture of trust and stability. His eyes remained locked on her purple ones still, showing just a glimmer of hurt for the Frei at her next words.
"Why?" He questioned, brows raising a slow inch up his forehead. "Because...Even though the only thing I know about you is your name, I can see that you're hurt, you're scared, and you need someone here with you to make sure you're going to be all right. Besides, what guy on earth wouldn't want to protect a lady as pretty as you?" It was his stab at making her smile a little, though even through her lacerations and all those emotions lined up in her eyes it was the truth. She was a pretty thing and even through pain, a glimmer of a smile could make all the difference, especially to him. When she floated near to the young human, he didn't run. He remained put though his hands shifted so the one on top was now beneath hers and the one that had been there before was just beneath the other hand.
"Okay," he said softly. Once he had her by the sink and was treating those open claw wounds he'd start to tell her the information he had in store. Bit by bit, little by little. Slowly he rose back up to his full five-foot-nine height, making sure Lucia was floating up with him rather than having himself tug her up though his hold on her hands was not even close to a grip. The look she gave him pained his heart and he nodded to her askance. "Tell me if I'm tugging you too fast, okay? We'll take this at your pace so you don't hurt anymore than you do."
With the same speed he used to rise, Zeke started to step backwards while bringing Lucia with him. One step at a time, though he would look behind his shoulder to make sure nothing was in his way as he walked. Her head was still bowed as they moved, so Zeke used that time to give her a full once over. He couldn't see the torn ligaments beneath her skin, but he could see the poking of a rib. He made a soft hiss with his teeth and another echo of 'what happened to her?' beat around his brain. That would be something for Dr. Kyou to tend to, but he'd do his best with it regardless. A few steps later and Zeke felt the handle of the cabinet's swing door against his backside. He gave a slight start at that, looking under his arm with a low hum of disapproval at it. The man with the two-colored hair looked back at his temporary ward, giving her right hand a tiny tug to bring her over to align with the sink.
"I'm going to use paper towels and warm water to clean your cuts first, okay?" He'd explain his motions, releasing one of her hands to unclasp the spiked bracer on her left wrist, setting that aside before doing the same for the other. "Your arm warmers have to come off too, just so they don't get wet or anything." He waited for any response, left hand supporting the Kitten's right elbow while the fingers of his right touched the lace at her wrist. He'd wait for her okay before acting, though his mind was already spinning on how to start off the information reel. She had come in with Rivener, maybe that would be best?
"Hey..." He cleared his throat, working out some of the cottonmouth that had suddenly cropped up. He didn't know her relationship with the scorpion Sigel, so he'd tread carefully, though she had to be told either way. "About what you said...About...Being a murderer?" Slowly, so far so good...Nothing was jumbled, everything was clear, though slow. "If you're talking about Rivener...Don't worry. He's being taken care of, like I said. He's pretty beat up, Lucia, but he's alive." Alive, but smashed. Everything out there had seemed like a blur to Zeke, but he had seen a lot of blood and the Sigel's wings were held at odd angles. Definitely broken.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 2:47 pm
Her hand was held between his two and she felt how gentle he was being. It almost reassured her. Yet she was still afraid. To her, her fear was understandable and reasonable. It made sense. But something in his eyes made her want to trust him.
She could tell he was searching for a flicker of a smile on her features. But Lucia wasn’t allowed to smile. Wasn’t her appearance part of her problem? It allowed her to kill that couple. ”If you knew what I did…You wouldn’t think I was so pretty.” She didn’t want to talk about it, but something about how nice he was to her and the recentness of it all made her unable to stop the references to everything that had happened.
She let him hold her hands. She let him pull her along. She was docile and it was fine that he was leading her. She accepted her fate, whatever it would be. ”I’m fine,” she told him as he lead her up and towards the sink. She moved, little by little with him. She deserved any pain she got from the cleaning, through her death – if that was what they would do (she wasn’t so sure anymore), from the movement. And even the injuries she sustained were deserved.
She nodded slowly once they reached the sink and he told her she would be cleaned. She slowly unwrapped her ribbon from her forearm, releasing the buckle hesitantly. Other than that, she held out her arms for Zeke to undress.
Being a murderer… That she was, but not in the way that Zeke believed. Her deserving of that title was no misunderstanding. She had murdered people. But Rivener was alive. That was reassuring. She knew the damage she did to him. She broke his wing with her bare hands. If he would live, well she could deal with that.
”That’s not all…Delia. Yuurei. Those four humans. I—I killed them all…” she closed her eyes, and bit her lip as it began to tremble. Instead her whole body vibrated, as if she was cold. Even that small movement hurt her muscles more. But she wasn’t cold and she couldn’t control it.
”It’s not just Rivener.” She repeated as she shivered. She lowered her right arm, as he gently held her elbow, to touch his forearm right below his elbow. She held it gently, and as emotions threatened to overwhelm her, she gently squeezed his arm. ”S-sorry.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 11:52 am
"That's the thing though," Zeke replied, "I don't know what you did. We're just meeting for the first time and all I know so far is that your name is Lucia and you need someone to get you better." Once the physical 'okay' was given for him to take off her arm warmers, Zeke did, resting the thin black material on the counter near those studded bracers. "My name's Zeke by the way." He realized now he hadn't introduced himself and now that his name was out Lucia might relax a bit more and know she's not in the presence of a true stranger. He was as much a Lab employee as Alex, just new.
The "I'm fine" Lucia gave him was something he couldn't really respond to. In his opinion she was so far from that truth they weren't in the same area code, but saying otherwise and putting her down wouldn't be wise or kind. He left that be. Instead, he busied himself with looking at the now bared skin of the Kitten's arms, seeing the red marks and ripped skin from scrapes and scratches but otherwise there was no blood. That was a small victory at least. As he surveyed both the front and back of both arms, Lucia began to speak and Zeke left his small task to catch her gaze once again. This poor girl...But at least he had some good news in regards to the two she spoke about. And with that in mind, it was likely she hadn't really killed four others like she had thought!
"Lucia, that's not true." He smiled a little at her; it was good news after all. "Cordelia showed up at the Lab earlier this month. I saw her with my own eyes and talked to her and her guardian myself too. She came here to tell Dr. Kyou that she saw you and you weren't acting like yourself, and even thought you were still infected with the fel virus!" Show and tell had put that idea down but Cordelia had left with no more information than she had come in with. Zeke still felt bad about that, but Lucia was here now, banged up but not aggressive. "She was worried about you Lucia, and she's perfectly fine too!" Yuurei though...Was that her guardian? There had been a buzzing in his ears out in the corridor but flipping through the Raevan names there had been no Frei or Sigel with that name.
"Yuurei's your guardian right?" He waited for confirmation before continuing. This would be the largest part of his relay to the Kitten Frei and likely also the most changing for her for the next few months or so. "Alex told me to tell you this - your guardian is alive, but she's going to stay with her brother for awhile." He felt that vibration of her quarter body and wanted to pull her in for a hug or...Something...Something to tell her it was okay and that she (in his mind and current knowledge) did nothing wrong. He didn't though, just kept his hands steady around her thin arm. With her ribs and the fact he was still just a stranger with the Lab, she probably wouldn't take kindly to it. There would be words later, oh yes. "Now while she's with her brother, you're going to be staying with Alex and Zul, okay? You're gonna be with good people Lucia, and you're going to be a-okay now."
Hopefully that would push any thoughts of her being euthanized by the doctor out of her cat-eared head. The very idea was ridiculous; the good doctor would never do that to anyone, let alone a Raevan! Zeke felt like the doctor must see them as more than just science experiments and it wouldn't surprise him if the horned man thought of each one as a child. It was just so, in truth. Zeke made to turn toward the sink and start the water flow, but the squeeze on his arm made him stop his reaching. A soft, paternal sort of smile took over as she apologized, shaking his pony-tailed head ever so lightly.
"Don't apologize. You can squeeze my arm as much as you want." His free hand started moving again and turned the faucet on. Hot and cold soon made a balance after the flow started and Zeke felt the stream. Warm enough that it wasn't cold and hot enough that it wouldn't burn the Raevan's skin. He nabbed a sheet or two of paper towels and dampened them in the water. "This'll probably sting even though it's just water. Your wounds have to be cleaned out before I can put some antiseptic on them." And with that warning he carried the wet white towels away from the faucet and applied it to the Kitten's shoulder. Blood, grit, and other nastiness began to come free of Lucia's skin and it was easier there than at the sights were here skin was rendered open to the air and beginning to heal. Soon Zeke had to stick the bloodied paper cloth beneath the stream again to clear it some before going back and restarting at the spot again. It was the first of likely over a dozen times for this spot alone and there was more than just this spot to cover.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 6:25 pm
Zeke… she thought. Weird name for a human, but it fits him. As he pulled down her arm warmers, a chill ran up the frei and goosebumps rose on her skin. She saw the nasty gouge below her elbow from where Zul had trapped her to the tree. She wanted to gasp. She wanted to cry. But it was as she deserved. That would probably need to be sewn together – she realized looking at her own flesh. How bad was her body beaten up? It wasn’t fair . . . but, she supposed, it was.
As he began to speak, her eyes cast downward – he was going to discuss the people she killed. She knew for a fact that she WAS a murderer. She had watched herself kill people, and he was telling her it wasn’t true. And then her eyes snapped back up to his face as he mentioned Delia.
Her mouth hung open, her lips were parted slightly. Delia was okay. And she was worried about her. The purple eyes stared as she let out a breath slowly. That was a relief. The dark-haired frei cast her head down slightly. She felt awful for what she did, but she was relieved to know her friend was okay. She thought about the sleepover from New Year’s Eve. Their first meeting where they went Halloween shopping. Cordelia was okay.
When Zeke asked if Yuurei was her guardian she nodded slowly, her eyes not leaving his. She’s alive . . . She has a brother?! So she didn’t want her anymore. It was understandable. She shouldn’t be around people. Who knows what will happen. I’ll be with Alex and Zul. Her breath caught in her throat slightly. She didn’t know Alex. The whole ride over the woman had been cursing and speeding. And Lucia had been silent and half conscious. But Zul. She didn’t know how she felt about being around another raevan. She had tried to kill so many. It seemed like she had failed in those attempts, but it didn’t change the fact that she tried.
But Zul had saved her. She pictured the dark eyes, the melting skin that seemed to be on fire. And she thought about the look as he punched her. If he hadn’t Brian would still be here. Zul could protect himself and Alex. Just in case. She nodded slowly. She wasn’t happy. She didn’t know what she felt should be done with her. Wasn’t she supposed to be locked up like bad humans? Or like a bad animal, shouldn’t she be euthanized? She didn’t want either of those for herself, but didn’t she deserve them?
She didn’t want to say it. She wouldn’t remind him about the humans she had watched die. The humans her hands had killed. So she floated in place, even as he told her not to apologize. As he thought she was sorry for the gentle squeeze that was only meant to keep her from exploding or breaking down or dying or screaming or whatever her body threatened to do.
It will sting. It was a warning, but certainly was not what she expected. And as he pat the wound on her shoulder she let out a soft moan. It turned into a crying out as some sand was pushed against her open flesh. And into a shriek when the paper towel seemed to scrape against her exposed tissue. Away for more water. Back again. She tried to hold in her cries of pain – she had had so much pain that night. But she couldn’t. It was like, for all the pain she had felt and all the cries she had kept in, every pat of the towel seemed to bring it all out. Through the thin walls her cries could be heard down the hall.
She wasn’t crying – or tears weren’t falling down her cheeks at least. But every move of the towel hurt. Even just floating in place hurt. She had to shut herself down again, she realized, knowing that earlier she hadn’t felt nearly as much pain throughout her body. Her cries slowly died out as she withdrew again into herself. But it wasn’t helping. The pain was still there. And her head began to throb with her heartbeat. She rolled her head back, letting out a quiet moan.
I deserve the pain, she thought. But it didn’t stop it from hurting, she thought biting her lip and holding her breath to keep from screaming.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 12:17 pm
The veterinarian took Lucia's silence as he explained about Cordelia and Yuurei without a second thought. To him, the silence was due to the obvious - she was absorbing all this info and just had her convictions shaken to the ground, though in a good way. With no word in however, he wasn't sure how she was in regards to living with his sister and her ward. Again, Zeke didn't know the Kitten's relationships, and he wasn't one to speculate but her options were slim. His heart gave another squeeze, wishing he could take the Frei home with him to keep safe until her guardian came back, but this was a job for someone more experienced with the Raevans and the Lab, not the weekend receptionist.
Zeke watched the Kitten's down turned face as he started the cleaning process. She looked so sad, so hurt, and he dearly hoped from here on out things would be better for her. No one deserved these gashes and especially not a Raevan who so far came off rather nice, if not being to hard on herself. The moment she started crying out, however, Zeke flinched. It was expected, yes, but it was a dreadful sound on the ears and not just because he was so close. He was a veterinarian and was used to treating injured bodies but the wailing, the whining, and the animal sobs always pained him inwardly. The fact this kitten was humanoid only made it harder; her screams were laced with the yowls of an injured feline.
"I'm sorry..." He murmured sincerely, a small frown now gracing his features as he bit down on his lower lip. If the water was causing her to shriek like this, the hydrogen peroxide and it's bubbling cleansing would be all the more difficult. That was the stuff that really stung.
Footsteps were expected to be heard coming from down the hall even over Lucia's agony but none came. Rivener must have been more beat up that he looked in that single blurred moment and Zeke knew Alex was aware of his profession and skill. This was all routine with injuries. Zeke tossed that first towel aside when the blood wouldn't wash out any longer and grabbed some fresh sheets. One arm was down at least, but there was another one to cover and he still had to mind her back and wings. Lucia's screams had quieted into that single moan and Zeke could barely imagine why that was. His ears still rung and echoed painfully but he ignored it the best he could for now; he had to. He shifted his footing and took hold of the Frei's other arm, starting the process over again. He waited for the screaming to begin again but his eyes and focus were on those wounds. Lifting her arm, Zeke could see the gash below her elbow and once again he sucked air in through his teeth. That would need stitches, and he could do that himself, but this room wasn't stocked for such treatments. She'd have to be moved once Dr. Kyou and Alex showed up again and hopefully still awake and able to move. She was light, but injuries would only get worse if she would have to be carried after passing out for whatever reason.
"Lucia?" Zeke finished with her opposite arm and made sure to dab at the marks over her collarbone and on her neck. She wasn't looking at him and her gaze seemed far off and glassy. She didn't have a concussion did she? The young receptionist tossed that now-red glob of paper material down with the others and washed his hands free of any lingering blood. He was an idiot, he realized then; he hadn't put on latex gloves. "You're almost done. Just some antiseptic and I'll bandage you up, then I'll call for Dr. Kyou."
He wasn't sure if she could hear him, but either way that was his task. Zeke watched her out of the corner of his eye as he screwed the top off the brown bottle and - getting a bright idea - pulled out a syringe from a drawer. The needle wasn't large, but neither was the plastic tube where liquid would be held. Still, he could use it like a squirt gun and get the water-like substance into her cuts without getting it everywhere else in the process. Hopefully she wouldn't mind this, but he wasn't going to inject her. With a few quick movements the syringe was out of its sterile packaging and the needle was stuck into the peroxide bottle's opening. Clear liquid was drawn out and Zeke filled the barrel as much as he could without the plunger possibly becoming unwieldy. Out of habit he tapped his nails against the barrel to draw any air toward the needle and pressed the plunger down a bit to get it out. A short spurt was released and he turned back to the kitten, taking the first arm he had cleaned into one hand and hovering the needle over the topmost cut.
"One...Two...Three..." He muttered the short countdown before firing the hydrogen peroxide into Lucia's cuts. On contact with the blood, cuts, and torn flesh the antiseptic started to hiss and bubble up into a white foam - beginning its job. Zeke didn't linger to watch the show, already on the move to repeat the process for the Frei's entire arm and hand. With a couple more refills the first arm was done and coated with the cleanser and Zeke nabbed Lucia's other hand, ready to start fresh with his eyes on that large gouge first.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 17, 2010 12:03 pm
”It’s okay,” she said, her voice hardly above a whisper. She couldn’t scream anymore. Her voice was cracking and her speaking voice was all but gone. ”I’m fine.” The phrase was repeated. The pain was really nothing compared with what she did. And it was nothing compared with the agony she had felt when possessed. Unable to scream anymore, she resigned herself to remaining quiet. Again, she didn’t have a choice.
Her body wanted her to collapse. Her mind wanted to close down. But she wouldn’t let herself. Even through – or maybe because of the pain, she knew she could pass out. But her soul resisted. She had been passive for months. Unable to control her body. Unable to control her thoughts. She didn’t want that to happen. And the idea of darkness scared her. The night – Brian’s prowling time – scared her. The darkness of her closed eyes scared her. And in the back of her mind there was unease. What if she went to sleep and Brian came back? What if she went to sleep and Dr. Kyou decided to euthanize her? She wouldn’t put it past him . . .
Antiseptic and bandages, she heard Zeke tell her. But the concept didn’t hit her. She was still focusing on remaining conscious. And then she watched him pull out the needle. Her eyes, half-lidded before, went wide. The last time she was shot it was to kill her. Or put her in a coma which is the same thing. She did NOT like this. But her body wouldn’t react. She didn’t blink as she watched him place it in the brown bottle and filled with clear liquid. He was being so kind. And now he was going to kill her.
As his warm hand wrapped around her arm, the frei wanted to pull away. She wanted to scream. But she didn’t have a voice. And she was too tired to struggle. As he counted, she took a deep breath, but began coughing as the first spurt of peroxide hit her wound. It bubbled; it turned white; it talked. And the Kitten wanted to scream, but only a weak pathetic yelp issued from her mouth. She hadn’t watched him stick her with the needle – she had been coughing. But she knew that sooner or later the cold would fill her body, spreading from the cut. And then she would be dead. Or in a coma. That’s all that seemed to come from this place – other than raevans that was – and the checkup with Zavier.
Then immediately there was another stinging and another and another as it felt like he slammed the needle into her arm. A cackling-laugh filled the air as Zeke slammed more and more of the deadly substance deep into her muscle. But the cackling was her own cries mixed with her coughs.
He paused a few times to get more antiseptic and she wanted to run, but she couldn’t. No legs, she thought sadly. He moved onto her other arm. It was then, with her arm turned awkwardly so he could get the hydrogen peroxide on her wound, that she saw that he wasn’t sticking her. The fluid was just burning. Her coughing slowed. ”Sorry,” she tried to say. But it just came out as a solitary rough-sounding squeak. When coughing she had tasted blood. Her throat was too gone for her to talk.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 17, 2010 2:47 pm
He minded Lucia's yelp and the way she began to cough when the peroxide started to take effect. It wasn't a pleasant sensation but in his mind bactine was a lot worse. At least the frothing of H2O2 was an eye catching and unique sensation. Zeke didn't know Lucia's fear of the syringe he held in his hand so he readied the needle over the gouge in the Frei's elbow. That cackling laugh made him pause however. Was she choking? There was no stomach for him to perform the Heimlich maneuver if that was the case but he did know CPR and if needed could get by with that.
"Lucia?" He said with uncertainty. Her coughing then slowed and she apologized, her face and posture strained and paining while her voice was rough as sandpaper but still able to warble out on a high note. He didn't see the blood she was sampling. "Try not to speak. Save your energy, but lean on me or tug on my shirt if you need to, okay?"
And that was all he said, other than another countdown spoken beneath an exhaled breath. Once the numbers fell to that "one..." Zeke pressed down on the plunger once again. Peroxide was sprayed into the gouge and half of the barrel was emptied on that one point. Soon it was hissing as it was being disinfected and Zeke moved on, now going top to bottom as he had with the first arm. The clear solution mixed with fresh blood and excess slid down the Frei's skin, dipping into other cuts where it was either caught up in the foam or simply continued down until it reached her hands and dripped to the floor. Arms were soon done completely and Zeke took care of Lucia's neck, shoulders, and the area around her collar. He took a few steps to the Kitten's side, checking her back. There were scrapes that could be called "mild" compared to the rest on her shoulder blades and back, but Zeke made sure everything was doused down with the needle that again needed multiple fillings. By the time that step of his caretaking was done, the brown bottle was nearly half empty and a portion of that was on the floor after it drained.
"Almost there Lucia," he reached for the paper towels, once again taking a couple sheets and folding them but this time not running them beneath the now off faucet. Instead, he used a tender touch to dab at the unmarked skin, drying it off so the gauze pads and bandages wouldn't be soaked through. Even as he worked his eyes kept glancing back to Lucia, watching for any signs that would tell him she was about to collapse. She was waning, certainly, but even in the glassiness of her eyes he could still see her determination to keep up and awake. She was strong, even in such pain.
"Okay," he breathed after finishing with the dry dabbing, "bandages."
Towels were tossed in the garbage and the previously used instruments were pushed to the back of the counter. Peroxide would be stored, syringe put in the proper receptacle once everything was said and done. For now though, Zeke busied himself with a large box of gauze pads and rolls of bandages that were soft, but might be slightly itchy later on against Lucia's unmarked skin. Medical tape followed after the bandages and Zeke grabbed himself the pads. Packing first.
"One more step, Lucia, and then you can rest on the chair again. Your ribs are broken, but I'm not a Raevan specialist so that'll be up to Dr. Kyou to treat I'm afraid." She wouldn't have to speak, a nod or even a look of understanding would suffice.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 4:59 pm
Lucia clenched her eyes shut and her fingers slipped around a loose part of Zeke’s sleeve. Careful not to pinch his skin, she squeezed as the pins and needles spread through her cut and the peroxide began to burn. Breathing out a sigh as the burning eased slightly, she opened her eyes and released the sleeve, her knuckles white.
Zeke’s body movement brought her back to the room. As he grabbed towels again, her body tensed up. But instead of digging into her gashes, he was gently patting her wet skin that was unmarked between the scratches. She let out a breath again and her amethyst eyes glanced at Zeke. She decided she liked him. And she was happy he’d be leaving soon. She didn’t want to hurt him too.
Broken ribs. Bandages. Almost done. She sighed softly and her fingers gently brushed his arm. She was ready to be mummified. It was almost over. Or this part was at least.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 9:50 am
That feeling of fingers brushing against his arm was taken as the sign to proceed. Zeke didn't catch Lucia's glance so he didn't see her recently decided opinion of him, but that was alright. She could have decided she hated him and he wouldn't have minded, all he cared about right now was finishing this last step and then letting Lucia rest while he fetched the two other employees in a room down the hall. There was a papery sort of 'pop' as the cardboard box of pads were opened and the vet pulled one out. He made a gesture towards Lucia's arm - the one with the gash above her elbow - waiting for her to hold it out before placing the soft white near-fabric on that wound. Medical tape was placed in the form of a cross atop that and once it was secure as it could be, Zeke nabbed another gauze pad and repeated the steps more than several times over.
"And...There." Again his tone was soft, speaking finally as the last pad was placed on her arm. In a more eased environment Zeke would have thought she looked as though covered in miniature pillows, but his mind was far from jokes and teasing. He checked over once more to make sure all the cuts on her arms, neck, and collar were covered. Upon seeing it was so, the young human grabbed a roll of bandages and started that. "This shouldn't take long..." He murmured, more to himself than the Frei, eyes focused solely on his work. The bandages wrapped around the Kitten's arms tight enough to hold the pads in place, but with just enough slack she wouldn't feel completely like a mummy. With the way the bandages were going into place with such skill, it would have been clear to any bystander or Lucia that the man with the dual-colored hair was no newbie to such a practice. Once each arm was done, again the medical tape was brought out, taping the ends so the bandages wouldn't slip. Another check over and Zeke gave a nod. There, done.
"It'll feel tight for awhile, but that'll hold the bandages in place so you can heal up." Zeke walked behind the Frei and looked over her back for what he had to pad up. "You're gonna have to have someone help you change them and the pads every few days or so so you can heal up right. I'm sure Alex will help and have some cream to help stop scarring too." He knew his sister had to have some scar lotion around, but that was for present scars, not preventing them. If this was his office he'd have some of that cream on hand most likely, but that was for animals, not for people or Raevans. Maybe he should have been a pharmacist...
"C'mon, you probably really want to rest now." Zeke took the Frei's hands again and guided her back to the fainting chair, waiting for her to settle on top of it as best she could before moving to nab a towel. It wasn't the best, but it'd make a decent enough blanket if she got cold. Placing that near her, Zeke looked around the room for anything else she could need before he went to fetch his superiors. "Ah...Oh. Right." A water cooler was tucked into the corner of the room and Zeke grabbed two of the wax paper cups. One was filled with warm water and the other was kept dry. He carried them both to the counter, finding some salt in a cupboard and tipping some into the water. A quick stir with a plastic spoon was given so the crystals could dissolve and then Zeke brought it over, placing it withing arm's reach of the Kitten, but not on the chair.
"This is in case you want to clear your mouth out. It's not pleasant, but it'll help, trust me. Just take a mouthful of the water, swish for a few seconds, and then spit it into the empty cup." He smiled gently at the Frei, reaching a clean hand out and touching her cheek. He'd be right back, she wouldn't be alone for long. "I'm going to go get Alex and Dr. Kyou now, all right? It shouldn't take but a minute or two, but I'm sure you'll be fine that long by yourself." Zeke dropped his hand then though the smile was still on his face. "The towel's there in case you get cold, but I'll try to find you a better blanket afterward." He moved toward the door, opening the latch with a steady hand and glancing into the hallway for the first time in what felt like ages. Zeke looked over his shoulder at the Kitten, expression one that would assure her he wasn't about to abandon her for long.
"I'll be right back." He said with a tone that matched and once the words were left for the air, the vet exited the room. When the door clicked once more in the latch, Zeke started down the hall and was soon gone from the vicinity of the room, mind already set on getting back there as fast as he could. He was a man of his word after all.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 4:10 pm
Dark tresses fell in front of her face as the frei’s shoulders hunched forward and her head fell slowly towards the floor. There was too much going on. She was being mummified, or so it seemed. She wasn’t used to being so confined. Her arm warmers were gone. And replacing them, on most of her exposed skin, was puffy white cloth. It was tight, but not cutting off any circulation. But she felt ridiculous covered in the pads and wraps and tape.
When Zeke led Lucia to the fainting chair, she tried to settle in a way that wouldn’t put pressure on her ribs. But there was nothing she could do to get comfortable. Despite their cleanliness, her wounds were still painful whenever any pressure was on them. Her body was throbbing. And she was exhausted.
But more than that, she was emotionally drained. She had been possessed for so long. She had lost track. She didn’t remember when she was possessed. Sometime after the new year. She didn’t know what day or month it was. She just knew it was starting to get warmer out. That meant Spring. It was a bit better to know that she had killed fewer people than she thought. But she had killed. She had murdered. She didn’t deserve any sort of happiness.
Lucia wanted to rest. She wanted to sleep. But she was afraid of what would happen if she did. What if Brian came back? What if she attacked another friend? What would happen to her if she closed her eyes and relaxed. She hadn’t been able to relax since – she didn’t remember. She felt like she had been on edge forever. But she knew that wasn’t true. New Years was nice. But before then was Marty. And before that was the virus. And before that was Rivener’s –
As her mind flicked to Rivener, she glanced at Zeke, who was just leaving the room. Her eyelids closed slowly and then opened again. She suddenly felt more alone than she had ever felt. She had no guardian. No family. No friends. No one to care about her.
The kitten grabbed the rough white towel and pulled it over her torso as she felt tremors through her bruised broken body. She blinked again, slowly. What had she done. . .
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
