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 Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 8:47 am
Who: Lazarus, Xiu
Where: Lab, Medical office
When: About 3am in the morning
It had been nearly 24 hours since Rivener barged in with an unconscious Xiu. The scorpion Raevan left later in the morning, after making sure that the younger Sigel was still alright. Kyou attempted to call Hazeline's cellphone later in the day, but all he got was her inbox, so he left a voice mail about Xiu's condition in the lab. He called the bookstore as well, the housekeeper answered but she couldn't leave the house because she still needed to care for Joshua, who apparently was sick as well, but thankfully recovering. So that means Xiu isn't going nowhere for the mean time, although it doesn't look like he will anyway.
All this while Xiu remained in a deep sleep, his fever raging during the day but finally settled down a little towards the evening. Earlier that day Kyou came in to change Xiu's bandages, and taught Lazarus how to as well. So that at least he could help when the scientist is busy or unavailable.
The clock on the wall chimed softly thrice, indicating the third hour of the morning. The medical office was quiet, aside from the chiming and the gentle breathing of two sleeping individuals. While caring for Xiu, Lazarus must have fallen asleep from exhaustion. The fire Sigel never really left Xiu's side after he fetched him the blanket. He didn't want Xiu to wake up to an empty room alone, especially after whatever he's been through, so he stayed by his side. Wiping the sweat on his brow and putting cold towels on his forehead, trying to ease the suffering. He whispered kind words when Xiu twitched in his sleep, appearing to be having some sort of nightmare. The incubus didn't really feed that day, he probably went to the kitchen to feed like once in the afternoon, but that was it. Which is probably why he fell asleep on his arm beside Xiu's bed. His hand still clutched to a wet towel.
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Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 9:13 pm
Xiu stirred, the soft chiming of the clock seeming to nudge him gently out of his stupor. Groaning slightly, Xiu flared his wings and sat up, causing the wet towel that had been placed onto his forehead to slipped silently down. He knew this place. The room and its scents were familiar to him; it was the scent of Tsu’s office in the Lab but… wasn’t he at the graveyard?
Faces…
Rivener and…Lazarus…
Yes, apparently he had been…brought to the Lab but how had they known? Did Vyn alert them of his…troubles? Or perhaps Lazarus…
No, surely his conversation with the fiery Sigel was not enough to send them out on a search party. Was it Rivener then? The Sigel was capable of reading the stars and it seemed…likely that the stars might have alerted Rivener of his plight. Like how Rivener was alerted when he had his first blood lust.
Xiu frowned. His memory was…fuzzy at best and trying to recall what had led him to be in the Lab was akin to trying to solve a difficult math question with a headache; nearly impossible.
But…
Red eyes…
Soft words…
The white raevan shivered; noticing for the first time how chilly it was. His right hand and arm had been bandaged and Xiu’s body felt stiff and sore. His stomach growled a little from the lack of food…
His stomach?!
Xiu stared at his newly formed torso beneath the blanket with bewilderment and embarrassingly enough, the first question that penetrated the white Raevan’s mind like a searingly hot knife to ice was “How did that get there?”
Followed by…
“Does that mean…I am a Sigel now?”
Slowly, the white raevan peeled back the blanket covering him and just…stared. He had grown! But how? Confused, the newly grown Sigel turned and was surprised to find a sleeping Lazarus by his side.
“Lazarus?” the white raevan exclaimed but no words came out. Stunned, the white Raevan stared silently at the sleeping figure. That’s right… He had…lost his voice…
Slowly raising his shivering fingers to his throat, Xiu tried mouthing a few more words but like their predecessor, none were heard. The white Sigel sat silently for a couple of seconds as thoughts raced within his head. So…he had really lost his voice then…
This was…really too much. He had never expected to become a Sigel this soon and certainly not one who woke up mute and worse for wear.
In his frustration, the white Sigel flared his wings and caused a nearby roll of bandage to accidentally topple from the trolley that rested beside the bed.
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Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2010 7:15 am
It was a surprise that Lazarus did not stir until the roll of bandage toppled off the trolley, hitting the edge of the metal cart in a dull thump before the light-weight material hit the carpet floor soundlessly. Normally the firey Sigel wasn't a deep sleeper at all, often times waking up in the middle of the night even if he did slept. But woke up he did, with a soft incomprehensible mutter as his blinked his groggy eyes. His arm feeling numb from sleeping on it for too long, he must have at least slept for half an hour.
However, the numbness of his arm was not what occupied his attention right now as his sleepy eyes saw that the pillow was void. Blinking blearily, now feeling more awake, he need not look too far to see the conscious white Sigel. "X-Xiu." Blinking a couple more times, he looked wide eye at the fair Raevan. "You're finally awake! How are you feeling? Do you need anything? Some water perhaps?" Without realizing, Lazarus bombarded Xiu with a string of questions before he waited for an answer, his hand still clutching tightly onto the wet towel which probably wrinkled his hands by now.
Then he saw the pained expression on Xiu's face and went silent. The newly grown Raevan probably felt somewhat confused now, maybe he should have been a bit more... gentle with his approach. Settling back down, his brows furrowed gently into a soft frown as he looked at the injured Sigel. "Are you... alright?" Lazarus asked, his tone much more gentler now compared with before. He don't know why, but he wanted to reach out and touch Xiu's face, that expression, he wished he could wipe it away.
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Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2010 7:56 am
The questions swept over the dazed Sigel like a tidal wave of confusion. So many of them and…none that he could answer…; verbally at least. Heart beating wildly in mild panic at the onslaught of concerned questions, the white raevan backed away from the other Sigel instinctively. He…needed time to gather his thoughts. To make out what all this was about and to… remedy it if he could. Flaring his wings defensively, the white Sigel stared at the concerned Raevan before him. Something about the other’s expression made him pause. Lazarus was…genuinely concerned about him and after having realized that he had scared Xiu (somewhat), the fiery raevan had settled back down onto his chair once more. This simple act nonetheless made Xiu calmer. Staring quietly at Lazarus through sky blue eyes, the white raevan bit his lip. He…was…mute…
"Are you... alright?"
Finally, a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ question. He could answer this!
Lowering his wings slightly, Xiu subconsciously fingered his bandaged shoulder and nodded slowly. Yes, he was alright. Blue eyes then turned to the fallen roll of bandage, then to Lazarus. Was it…Lazarus then that had treated his wounds? Then what about…Rivener? Xiu remembered seeing the scorpion Sigel just before falling unconscious. Was he still here?
Or rather…
How long had he been asleep? Questioning eyes stared at the fiery Sigel as Xiu sought to find ways to convey his questions. He needed paper… and a pen.
Drawing up his left hand (since his right was thickly bandaged), Xiu made writing motions in the air, indicating that he’d like to write. When confusion showed on the other Sigel’s expression, Xiu lowered his hand slowly. He was trembling despite his best efforts not to show it. He could not speak. He might…never be able to speak again…
Balling his fists, Xiu lowered his gaze from the other’s worried one. Conflicted emotions were raging within him. He had saved a life. That was good. That was…very good. Yes, some people might even say that…he got the better end of the bargain. After all…what was one’s voice compared to…a life?
But it was his voice. How was he ever going to talk? To make light conversations? To have a playful banter with a friend? To expression himself with words? Those beautiful sounds humans make to interact. A way of sending messages and getting the point across that was older than the written word. How? Such things that a child would take for granted were…no longer his to have. He would be…defective.
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Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 9:30 pm
Lazarus let out a sigh of relief and relaxed his tensed shoulders when Xiu nodded, he is alright! Although the strange silence still plagued the room, the only voice heard is only the fire Sigel's in this confined space. It just felt so strange that Xiu is so quiet, normally he was so talkative.
Just when he was wondering why Xiu isn't talking to him, the white Sigel made a strange motion in the air. Arching one of his eyebrows Lazarus cocked his head and stared at other Raevan, confused. What was he doing? It was probably due to the fact that Xiu was right handed, so his writing motions with his left hand looked awkward to Lazarus. Was he drawing in the air? Waving? Something wrong with his arm? He was about to ask a question when Xiu lowered his hand, the firey Sigel couldn't help but notice that it was trembling as it settled down onto the blanket.
No, Xiu wasn't alright, something is wrong. Lazarus watched quietly as the trembling hands balled into fists, the knuckles turning white with the intensity of the grip. Something is really, really wrong. Concerned crimson eyes raised up to look at Xiu again, although it was not met with the other's bright blue ones.
The silence, so overwhelming right now. That was when it hit him. The silent struggles, the mouthing of words without sound, the quiet and sad form before him without a sound. Lazarus's brows knotted into a furrow as he lean in a little closer to Xiu. "Did... something happen to your voice?"
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Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 10:27 pm
Xiu raised his blue eyes to meet Lazarus’ when the other leaned closer towards him and nodded glumly. He couldn’t speak now and well…it was probably only a matter of time until someone noticed it. It is a shame that it would have to be another Sigel though. Xiu wanted to be a strong Sigel, a Sigel younger freis would look up to just like…how he had looked up to Lazarus and Rivener when he was a frei.
…
When he was a frei…
Was it really that long ago? Xiu did not think so. And yet… he was starting to sound as though he had simply slid into Sigelhood just like that; no fuss, just a quiet transition... Had the others been this way too?
Looking up at Lazarus’ concerned face, Xiu felt embarrassed. He seemed to be causing the Lab no end of trouble. Clearly Lazarus had been staying the night by his bed; judging by the other’s tired look and…the damp towel in his hand. Shifting slightly and lowering his head, Xiu fiddled with the blanket nervously. He did not know why but…
Sorry …
The white Sigel mouthed the words softly.
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Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2010 4:21 am
Something happened to his voice. But... how? Questions raced through Lazarus's mind as he stare at Xiu silently. That quiet, forlorn form, it just looks so depressing. The firey Sigel need not to ask what happened to his voice, as the facts were clear - Xiu lost his voice. And not just like another flu or whatever is that sickness called that the humans usually have, Xiu literally has no more voice, no sound could come through his mouth.
How did this happen? That question popped up again. Now that he couldn't speak, the only other way he could tell him was... then it finally dawn on Lazarus. The strange motion that Xiu was doing just now, he wanted something to write on! Looking around the office, he spotted the medical chart hanging at the edge of the examination table, Kyou had used it to record Xiu's temperature. Taking it off from the hook, he flipped the filled pages back and showed an empty page to Xiu, offering him the pen as well. It was then he saw Xiu mouthed that single word.
Sorry...
It was a simple enough word that the incubus could recognize immediately. And judging by his embarrassed look, he must be referring to the care he was given from Lazarus; the care that he deserves. "You don't need to apologize to me..." He said softly, shaking his head. "You didn't ask for this, I... I wanted to do this. You don't need to feel bad. But... do I look so horrible?" That Xiu could see that he had not rested well while taking care of him. Consciously he reached up a hand to touch under his eye, did he developed an eye bag or something?
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Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 7:29 pm
Xiu accepted the pen and paper gratefully. He might not be able to write with his bandaged right hand at the moment but…he still had his left…
It was then that Lazarus had enquired about the state of his physical appearance; touching a hand to his eye worriedly. That gesture somehow made the white raevan smile, looking very much like his frei self. Who’d thought that the Sigel was conscious of his looks? Sure, Lazarus was good looking but…so were all the raevans that he had met so far. It was just that… Xiu had assumed that that was…rather all taken for granted.
Shaking his head, he once again focused on the job at hand. Placing a shaking left hand to paper, Xiu wrote…
“ How long have I been here?”
And…
“What happened?”
…
Yes, those were the questions he needed answered most. There was also the constant worry about Joshua but…the young boy…he should alright. The threat had been eliminated after all. The threat that had once been a human…
The white raevan shuddered. He had killed a human. He had really and truly killed someone. It does not matter that the being was lack a physical body. The pain and anger of the dark being had all been too real and knowing her story had not made the white frei feel any better for it. It was…so twisted; and somehow he had got himself entangled into it all.
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Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2010 8:18 pm
When Xiu smiled, Lazarus smiled too. The newly grown Sigel looked nothing but sad and angry after he had grown, it was very comforting to know that he could still smile. The fire Sigel found himself missing the good old times when they would sit, chat and laugh when Xiu was still a Frei. But now Xiu can't speak anymore, much less laugh. How come Raevan growths are always so depressing? For a moment, he was reminded of the time he had grown.
Thankfully Xiu distracted him from his bitter memory as he started to write shakily on the paper. The handwriting was a little difficult to discern but it was easy and short enough to recognize the questions. Turning his head, Lazarus looked at the clock for a bit before turning back to Xiu. "You were here for nearly 24 hours. Rivener brought you in at about 5am yesterday, and you were unconscious." Pausing for a moment, he wondered if he should tell Xiu about the time when he woke up in the middle of treatment, he don't look like he remember it. He is already upset as it is though, so perhaps Lazarus could save that detail for later. "You were having a raging fever when you arrived, but Kyou treated you and your temperature finally went down earlier. Your clothes were dirty when you arrived, so I helped clean them earlier as well." He gestured to a pile of neatly folded garments on a table nearby.
Then floating upwards, he settled onto the edge of the examination bed, now leveled with Xiu. Reaching over he pressed his hand to Xiu's forehead, feeling his temperature. "You're still having some fever though, you should rest more."
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 4:45 am
Xiu listened as Lazarus told him of the events that had taken place when he had been unconscious. So he guess was right. That image of Rivener and Lazarus was not a dream. But then…
“24 hours?” mouthed the white Sigel in shock. He had been unconscious for that long? No wonder he had woken up hungry. The white Sigel blushed when his stomach affirmed that fact with another low growl. Goodness, if this was how it was going to be with a stomach, Xiu wasn’t so sure he liked it. All that funny rumbling noise and alarming gurgles…
"You were having a raging fever when you arrived, but Kyou treated you and your temperature finally went down earlier. Your clothes were dirty when you arrived, so I helped clean them earlier as well."
Ah…that made sense. Attention deviated for the time being from his stomach; Xiu turned in the direction indicated and saw the rest of his clothes. He had been wondering about that. It seemed…unlikely that he’d be only clad in a simple vest but then again… Lazarus and Rivener were very much lacking in the clothes department. The two Sigels were practically bare-chested; not that he had known how they’d looked like as freis but still…it was comforting to know that his clothes…grew with him instead of merely him growing out of them. Shifting his wings a little, Xiu had planned on slipping his outer garments on when Lazarus suddenly floated up and leveled himself with Xiu. Surprised, the white Sigel flinched slightly when the other rested a warm hand onto his forehead and remarked that he needed rest. Shaking his head, Xiu pulled away from the other’s hand and gave the room a searching glance. He was not that tired yet. Besides, there was something a little more important than rest at the moment.
Looking at Lazarus, Xiu once again took up the paper and pen and slowly wrote the word ‘Sword?’. It might seem like an odd question to ask but the white raevan needed to know what had happened to it and if Rivener had brought the sword along with him. It was…after all, the reason he had ended up like this.
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 5:47 am
Lazarus wasn't surprised that Xiu flinched when he reached out to touch his forehead. After all, they aren't really that close wasn't it? Having only met a handful of times, Xiu probably look at him as merely an acquaintance still, or even a stranger. But for some unknown reason, he felt a bit sadden that the white Sigel had withdrawn himself from him. He wasn't sure why he felt that way either. Slowly Lazarus lowered his hand as he lowered his gaze as well.
It was then that Xiu wrote that single word on the paper. Sword? That's right, that ominous sword. Since Rivener had left it by the sink, no one had touched it yet. Lazarus dare not go too close and Kyou being the klutz that he is, never noticed the sword at all. "It's... Rivener placed it by the sink over there." He said hesitantly as he pointed a finger in that direction. God help him, he does not want Xiu to ask him to bring it over because he don't want to touch it at all. His left eye twitched a bit as he looked at the sword in the distance.
Then there came the question that begged to be answered. "Where... did that sword come from?" Lazarus asked tentatively as he peeled his eyes from the sword. He had been wondering about that himself for a while. Does it have anything to do with Xiu losing his voice?
The familiar low growl that emitted from Xiu's stomach earlier though, did not went unnoticed. "Do you want something to eat?" He asked. Maybe it's time to change the topic now, since he felt uneasy talking about the sword at the moment. His curiosity could wait.
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 8:10 am
Xiu glanced in the direction pointed by the Sigel and was relieved to find that the sword was lying innocently by the sink. Lazarus however, seemed rather reluctant to even glance in its direction. The white Sigel gave Lazarus a puzzled look. Was the fiery raevan…afraid of it?
His thoughts however were interrupted by Lazarus asking him about the sword’s origin. The white raevan bit his lips. Where should he begin? There was so much to say and yet he was unable to. Looking at the concerned Sigel before him, Xiu felt his stomach clench just a little and this time it wasn’t from hunger but from some unknown and confused emotions within him.
It was then that Lazarus had asked if he wanted something to eat and despite his feelings, the white raevan found himself nodding. It would probably be blood since the lab was not really a place bustling with innocence. His first meal as a Sigel would be something you’d find Count Dracula drinking. Wonderful.
Xiu watched as the other Sigel left the room. Then slowly, stiffly, the white raevan floated off the bed. The first thing he did was…examine himself, feeling his newly formed torso through the vest he wore. So this was what it felt like to have a stomach; and to be a Sigel.
…
Xiu wasn’t so sure if that was a good thing. Currently, all his stomach did was grumble and growl with the occasional tensing of muscles to signify his… tension? It also made him…feel like he was floating all the more closer to the ground. Not liking it at all, the white raevan floated a couple of inches higher. There, that’s better. Turning once again to his mission at hand, the white Sigel floated over to where the sword was and fingered its smooth hilt gently. So…he owned it now?
Taking hold of the sword, the white raevan then drew its blade and watched as its polished metal caught the glint of the fluorescence light. It looked as sharp as ever. Sliding the blade back into its sheath, the white reaven slowly fingered his bandage. His shoulder was still stiff from the wound and as Xiu clenched and unclenched his damaged right hand, a dull pain could be felt.
The trader had tricked him. He had never meant to return his voice. That the sword had chosen him as a master was probably just an excuse. After all, he had tricked the swordmaker and the unfortunate mother. What are the chances that…he had been honest with Xiu?
He had been too naïve, trusting the trader’s words and promises. He had been…too careless…
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Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 3:31 am
Lazarus got off the bed when Xiu nodded, the white Sigel's recovery and welfare is the most important right now, his curiosity could wait until later. Besides, with only paper and pen to converse with, it will probably take some time for Xiu to fully tell him what happened. He would probably feel better telling Lazarus with a full stomach than without.
But then there comes the question, what should he feed Xiu? With the lack of his natural food right now - innocence, the only other option was... blood. "I'll... get you a cup." He said as he gave Xiu a last glance, then swiftly he grabbed a packet of frozen blood from the office's refridgerator and headed off to the kitchen to get a cup, it would be more civilized drinking from a cup than from the blood pack directly itself. Warming up the blood pack, he poured the dark red liquid into a white mug with blue stripes. The average looking mug made the contents seemed less sinister, and it seemed like Lazarus could almost believe that it was actually grape juice in the cup.
Alas, reality wasn't as kind. Picking up the mug and the remaining blood in the plastic bag, Lazarus headed back into the medical office. However, as he entered the door he froze as he saw Xiu holding the sword. For some unknown reason, he could feel that the sword makes him even more uncomfortable now as it sits in Xiu's hands. Like Xiu had enhanced it somehow and it had a wider radius or something.
"I... have your meal." He said a little uncertainly as he settled the cup on the far side of the desk, which was at least 10 feet from where Xiu is. He wasn't sure if he should tell Xiu that bringing the sword over would be a bad idea as well, that would make him seem weak. Although he couldn't help but pale a little as his crimson eyes lingered to the ominous sword in the white Sigel's hands.
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Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 6:14 am
Xiu turned when the fiery Sigel spoke and was surprised to find Lazarus floating a couple of feet away from him and on the desk nearby there was a cup with… Xiu sniffed. Yes, there was a cup with blood in it. His meal. Odd though… Lazarus was not approaching him. Xiu had expected that the other would have at least gotten a little nearer to offer him the cup at least.
Noticing Lazarus’ wary gaze, Xiu looked down and realized that he still had his sword in his hand. Was Lazarus hesitant to approach him because of the weapon he had? Well, it was not like…he had a clean record after all… He had attacked people before…
Placing the sword gingerly onto the table once again, Xiu slowly approach Lazarus uncertainly. What would the other Sigel do now? Briefly, Xiu’s eyes strayed to the blue stripped mug and the white Sigel swallowed. There was food there and…it was in a mug. He had never drunk blood from a mug before. Apart from that one time where Lazarus had heated the blood pack for him, Xiu had always had his blood cold and directly from the pack. This little act of civility had for some reason given him a warm feeling inside. Looking at Lazarus, Xiu tried to smile reassuringly and pointed to the cup in a polite manner; asking if he could take it.
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Posted: Sun Jun 20, 2010 5:46 am
Once Xiu placed the sword back onto the counter beside the sink, he felt a sense of relief as the uncomfortable aura dissipated. So that confirms at least one fact - the sword's power is enhanced when Xiu is holding it. Then that would probably mean that the sword is 'pure' or 'holy' in some way, since aside from the blood diet, the white Sigel is quite righteous and holy in some sense. Surely he couldn't be wielding something malicious. Although he does feel a sense of malice from the sword itself, at least towards him. Perhaps it is because he is a demon reincarnate?
Relieved, Lazarus resumed a more relaxed stance as Xiu approached. When he pointed to the cup, the incubus got the hint and took the cup, offering to it to Xiu. "Oh! Here, you can have it." He had warmed it back in the cafeteria a little, so the cup feels a little warm to the touch, as with the contents inside. Kyou likes warm drinks when he was sick, so he assumed the same for a Raevan as well.
"Maybe you should go back and drink on the bed? You are still sick after all, you should rest after your meal." Lazarus said worriedly, nudging Xiu gently on the arm, urging him to go back to the makeshift bed. "I also need to change the bandages on your hand, burn wounds need special attention."
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