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 Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2020 2:43 pm
"I want to keep this brief. I was told it would just be a shot?"
The girl standing across from him, a short thing with a pixie-cut and a look about her that rivaled Rakovanite's own no-nonsense expression, narrowed her eyes as she squinted from him down to her clipboard. "Someone told you your broken arm wouldn't take more than a shot to fix? And you believed them?"
It would have sounded ridiculous if she'd had all her facts straight, but since she didn't, Rakovanite tried not to be terribly offended. "It is not now, nor has it ever been 'broken.'" His tone was still measured and flat, but since he'd already given this information to the woman running the first-aid station, it seemed like an exorbitant waste of his time to be repeating himself now. "It was dislocated in a fight two months ago. I was able to have it re-set on the field, but there seemed little reason to fuss over it more than that since it remained functionally usable."
"I have had only minor problems since then, but it is... somewhat inconvenient to try and fight while maintaining a certain care for what serves as one of my main weapons. It is not beneficial to me to tread so lightly over using my entire arm." His fingers were laced together in his lap where he sat, and they tensed as if he wanted to reach and rub at his shoulder but reminded himself not to.
He cleared his throat. "The Mirror senshi who set it initially informed me that a steroid shot would likely stimulate healing, reduce swelling, and lessen pain. My hope was that you would be able to provide me with some of these to take home so that I would not need to waste my time trying to hitch a ride to Negaspace any time a pang would inhibit my function."
The woman's expression remained some combination of suspicious and incredulous as she stared at him. Rakovanite made it all the way through his explanation before she blankly stated, "So you came here to ask for drugs?"
"I- Well, not in so many words, but-"
"You know we function pretty similarly to a hospital, right? We can't just hand that stuff out to people because they ask for it. If it hasn't even bothered you for two months, then-"
"I never said that."
She rolled her eyes. "If it only inhibits you to the point of seeking care every two months, then it isn't that much of an inconvenience to make one trip to Negaspace during that time." She dropped her eyes back to her clipboard and scribbled something on it that he couldn't see. "You should be coming more frequently than that anyway, if only just to file your reports..."
Rakovanite was immediately besieged by the notion that she thought he was trying to swindle something out of her. "I just believe it would be easier if I were able to handle it myself when an issue arose-"
"Please just roll up your sleeve while I see what we have available. It's not really up to me what you take home. You should go bother a regular doctor or a regular pharmacist if you want more than just immediate treatment." And even though Rakovanite had more he would've liked to argue (like how he didn't have the funds to argue with a regular doctor or pharmacist, and how it seemed unwise for him to continually bring his powered injuries to a normal hospital), she whirled around and strode briskly from the room before he could say anything else.
With a quiet huff, Rakovanite sat back in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose beneath his glasses in muted frustration.
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Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2020 10:55 pm
It was difficult to miss the presence of the Queen, unless she wanted to arrive unseen. Her energy signature was overwhelming, crushing at times. And yet, she arrived with no fanfare, in the door to Rakovanite's room. She had a pleasant little smile on her face, a perfect mask, and kept her hands folded before her. It wasn't until she stepped into the room that her energy signature ebbed, stronger, until it was at full power. It could be stifling, and yet it seemed only to bubble around her--there, but not suffocating. She wasn't here to upset him. Not exactly, at least. "Oh, my," she said with feigned sweetness. "That arm must be giving you such trouble if it's got you barking at the medics. What did you say happened to it?"
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Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2020 8:21 am
Rakovanite felt her before he saw her. Even though he had never met the Negaverse's queen, it wasn't hard to reason out who could possibly have an aura as oppressive as hers was. He rose from his chair, folding his arms loosely in front of him and giving the woman in the doorway a short nod in greeting. "Queen Laurelite."
Did she come here often? As far as he understood it, she was barely even human, anymore, which made it seem like she wouldn't benefit much from normal remedies. ...Or maybe she needed them more because of it. It didn't seem pertinent to ask, though there was an obvious flutter of curiosity through his eyes before he tipped his head away.
"I did not 'bark' at them," Rakovanite grumbled quietly, though he did have to try not to look annoyed at having to explain the situation again.
"It was dislocated in a fight two months ago. Since I had it re-set, I saw no benefit in going to a hospital afterwards. I know they will not force you to explain how injuries happen, but I have concerns that repeatedly showing up with unexplained wounds might start to seem... suspicious to anyone who is wise to everything that happens in the city." His brow pinched ever-so-slightly, and he stared at the wall just to the left of Laurelite's shoulder. "It is an unnecessary risk," Rakovanite explained flatly. "Besides," he rotated his shoulder. "It functions well enough usually, and I find it more inconvenient than outright troublesome. I prefer not to worry over being too rough or worsening it, but it is tolerable."
His dark gaze flicked from the wall near her back to her face and held there. "May I ask what brings you?"
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2020 8:19 am
“Of course you may ask,” she replied mirthfully, but she made no effort to answer so quickly. “Please though, if you’re injured I’d like for you to remain seated. There’s no point for formalities here.” She smoothed out her dress when she stood before him, her little smile still planted on her face. “I was in the area and heard you were being a bit difficult. I thought I might stop by. You know you can come down here any time you have an injury, right? I do recommend you make a habit of it. Please. I’d rather you err on the side of caution than cause permanent damage to yourself. You’ve got such a good record so far, I’d hate to see such a bright future darkened by a simple careless mistake. How is it feeling now, have they been able to do anything for you yet?”
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2020 6:36 pm
"I am not an invalid," Rakovanite replied in a quiet murmur. He had fought like this. It was practically an insult to insinuate he couldn't manage to stand because of some months-old injury that was mostly healed. A 'doctor' had even already looked at it, technically, just not in any capacity that involved treatment.
That, and he wasn't especially fond of people standing over him. He didn't return to his seat.
Then Laurelite claimed he'd been difficult, and Rakovanite's gaze slid accusingly to the door. He'd thought that nurse-lady had suspected he was just here to steal drugs from the first aid station. She'd practically said as much, but he hadn't expected she believed it so strongly it was worth mentioning to anyone else, let alone that Laurelite would perceive it as him being... difficult.
He pursed his lips. "I must politely-" His tone was almost dismissively flat, "-disagree. It is not a matter of me being 'difficult.' When I see opportunities to streamline an inconvenient process, I take them. I was informed that having something dislocated once tends to make it easier to happen again, and given the nature of our work, it seems a very likely possibility. I have no patience to continually be escorted here for every minor twang to an old wound. My time is valuable, and I, like most people, prefer not to waste it waiting in a hospital when it would be easier to have the treatment on hand so that I could use it if I felt I needed it. If anything, I am being considerate of the time and effort of those who work here."
His good record? His attention went back to her, almost quizzical, but now slightly more wary. Rakovanite cleared his throat, pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and answered more mutedly, "You... know me?"
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Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2020 6:20 pm
"I didn't say you were an invalid," Laurelite said, smile in place. "But I want to see that you don't become one, Lieutenant Rakovanite. All things considered, this is a relatively minor injury, but I don't want that mentality to linger when things are more serious. Things being improperly treated don't always register as an issue until, well." She gestured vaguely. "It's too late. Something small can become something large, over time. Might need surgery, and all that trouble. You're still young, I don't want you to worry about such things. I expect you to be with us for a long time. I want to see you taken care of." She smiled still, and smoothed out her dress before taking a seat next to the bed. "I suppose you've got a bit of a point though. Not wanting to trouble someone to be escorted here. Would you be more inclined to see my doctors if you could make this trip on your own?"
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Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2021 8:02 am
"It was implied." Rakovanite didn't want to argue. He really didn't. He just strongly preferred when people saw things his way, and it sometimes felt that if he just explained things a little better they would come around. He hadn't just allowed some open wound to fester for months. He'd seen a doctor.
-Ish.
He'd come to the first aid station.
When it was convenient.
He didn't think he was in danger of permanent, crippling injury. He just wanted this ******** shot so he could go home already. "I know what my limitations are," he insisted. That was why he had shown up here in the first place, no matter how much after his initial "treatment" it had been. "So your..." He hesitated, dark gaze flitting to watch her thoughtfully as he considered his words. "Concern-" It definitely only very slightly sounded like a question. "-is misplaced."
Rakovanite cleared his throat. "I tend to myself when it suits me to do so. I suppose if it was more convenient, it may suit me more often." He still wasn't crazy about the implication that he hadn't followed appropriate procedures here. He knew how to take care of himself and had done what seemed necessary without wasting any extraneous time or effort.
But this was probably not the time or place to press it.
"Yes," he agreed more plainly, giving a tiny shrug of his shoulders as he did.
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Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2021 7:15 am
Laurelite hummed, in the way that she did when she was pretending to agree but very obviously did not. The smile never left her face, but there was very little in this world that seemed to rattle the expression off of her face. "You should trust that a Queen does not misplace her concern. I don't often make trips down here to see who is taking care of themselves. I'm sure you've realized that me being here isn't an accident." She spoke politely, but there was a hint of amusement in her soft voice. Laurelite was many things, but the meek young woman she appeared to be was misleading on all fronts. "If you want to be trusted with more power, it's important that you can be trusted to wield it accordingly. Metallia would not be pleased if her power was wasted on someone whose pride prevented him from getting proper care. A Captain, for example, has to worry about more than himself. What would you do if you had lieutenants who weren't seeing that they received consistent, proper care? Your team wouldn't be operating at peak efficiency, would they? That might reflect poorly on you."
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Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2021 9:39 am
Rakovanite slid slowly back into his chair, sitting stiffly as he folded his hands in his lap. Since he had no idea how the queen spent her time, it seemed unreasonable to assume anything about why she'd come here. Though he certainly didn't think it was an accident.
His expression was thoughtful, brow slightly furrowed, gaze contemplative as it hung on the floor in front of him. "I am not sure I would consider it 'pride.'" he murmured.
"It is just tedious to worry about these things continuously and unnecessarily. I did receive initial treatment," Rakovaite reiterated again. Of course his initial response was to say that he would do exactly nothing for someone under him who weren't seeking care when needed. They were all adults here (mostly). They should know what they needed, and it shouldn't fall to anyone else to ensure they were being cared for.
People could make their own choices.
That probably wasn't what a 'captain' would say. Rakovanite acknowledged that. People were supposed to care about other people and make sure they were taken care of so that they could perform optimally. He did like efficiency. "I am not sure what I would do," he replied quietly. "I want to hope people know how to take care of themselves and know what they need without being commanded by someone stronger."
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Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2021 10:11 am
"And yet, here we are," Laurelite said, the amusement nearly sparkling in her eyes. "I don't distrust your judgment, Rakovanite. I wouldn't be here if I thought you were just any old agent being difficult about his health. I just want to ensure that you keep yourself in top quality. You're important. Inconvenient as it is to pursue follow up treatment, we can't trust that the Senshi won't use every weakness against us. I don't care if you have a bad papercut. Come down and get it treated. Better to be safe than sorry. You'll have people looking up to you. If you're feeling up to it." She leaned forward. "That is to say, I want to promote you. I've received several commendations, you know. There are people here that think you can go far. People that want to see you succeed. Myself, included. I just need to know you're committed to this. Or, at least, to appeasing me and such whimsical requests as regular check ins with the medics when necessary." She smiled sweetly. "And if I can help with that by giving you the ability to bring yourself here, I'd like to." It wasn't quite a question; she'd made up her mind. She posed it as an option, though, giving him the opportunity to decline more power.
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Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 2:20 pm
Rakovanite's gaze slid slowly from Queen Laurelite and down toward his shoulder. It was inconvenient to be injured, and at his level of ability, it wouldn't exactly take much for someone who wanted to hurt him to outclass him. He couldn't do anything to prevent senshi spells from affecting him, and a knight with literally any degree of training or weapon probably fared better than a grunt lieutenant in top form. It just happened that he banked on the thought that he was likely to be more aggressive than anyone else. Most he'd interacted with from the White Moon didn't want to hurt him.
But when they did, it lingered. It wasn't practical to be worse off for the next time, no matter how distant into the future it was. He acknowledged that. He just didn't know what was efficient to do in terms of treatment. Was it worth waiting for some kind of medicine or shot if he'd just have to come get it again in a handful of days or weeks or months?
He eyed Laurelite again. "If you had a 'bad paper cut,' would you go out of your way to see it treated? Even if there were people with worse afflictions who needed tending to, or it was inconvenient to seek care?"
Could she even be injured? Was she ever sick? Would anyone have the knowledge to help her if she was?
"I will... try to appease you," Rakovanite relented in a quiet murmur. "I am trying. It is just difficult to know what is appropriate all the time." He'd be lying if he said he didn't want the added benefits of promotion. Teleportation was still easily the most useful skill he'd seen from literally anyone, agent or otherwise, and it was Laurelite standing before him, offering. "Then, I would like your help," he agreed.
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Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 7:24 am
Laurelite continued smiling sweetly. "If I had a bad papercut, of course I'd get it treated. If I get down here and someone's worse off than I am, I'll wait. Or, they'll call someone else in to help. Others being worse off than I am is no excuse for me not to reap the benefits of proper care. We only have one body, what's inconvenient about taking care of it? I deserve the best treatment, don't you?" It wasn't a real question; it was obvious that she expected him to receive the best treatment if there was ever cause to require it. Papercut, or otherwise. "You can sit up or lay back, make yourself comfortable. Power always comes with a bit of a bite, I'm afraid, but at least you're already in the infirmary. I hope with more power comes a bit more clarity." She reached over to gently pat his knee, as if the gesture was meant to be reassuring. "It is always appropriate to take care of yourself, Rakovanite. Do not wander this world thinking you should ever be in discomfort. You are a part of the Negaverse, and if you should ever need something to better yourself, I hope you'll ask. I want you in top shape, always. You work so hard already." It wouldn't do either of them any good if he started breaking down.
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Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2021 11:28 am
"The 'inconvenient' bit has little to do with the care itself." Rakovanite murmured. "Of course if I could simply choose between feeling well or not, I would elect to be fine. But in addition to my 'one body,' I only have one lifetime. My time is valuable. I prefer not to spend it waiting. Or arguing with people who think my goal is to pilfer something from them." His dark gaze flickered very briefly and accusingly toward the door the nurse had exited minutes prior. "Or trying to explain away injuries that may- or may not- really be severe enough to merit more than one check-up. So while I certainly hope that if I am setting aside time to get care, it is the best treatment, I am still not convinced that every injury is worth all this hassle."
"When the inconvenience of being injured exceeds the inconvenience of wasted time, that seems like an ideal point to seek care. And if I am being honest, I am unsure a 'bad paper cut' would ever breach that threshold." Not that there wasn't all kind of obnoxiously odd things that happened in Destiny City, especially while out looking for fights. "...Though I suppose it would hardly surprise me if it did."
He inhaled a deep breath. This argument, if it could be called that, was getting repetitive. They believed different things and had different priorities. He'd agreed to try and be acquiescent. "Sorry," Rakovanite murmured. "I recognize this is... beating a dead horse at this point, but you are at least as stubborn as I am."
"This is fine," he said, giving a flippant flick of his fingers to where he sat in his chair. "If I found 'power' unbearable the first time, I likely would refrain from wanting more, but..."
Well, that wasn't what was happening, was it?
He only had a second to track the movement of her hand before it patted him, and that was easily the most uncomfortable thing of the encounter. His brows pursed, and his lips tugged down ever so slightly, but he didn't comment on how bizarre he found it for Chaos' Queen to try and be reassuring. "I think I can endure."
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Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 6:20 am
Laurelite just laughed softly. “I suspect I am quite a bit more stubborn than you.” And she had the power to back it up. “Let us agree that, as I am entrusting you with more power, you will use it wisely. I don’t want to hear any excuses that an injury is not ‘serious enough’ to be checked out. Whoever told you a shot could solve all of your problems is sorely mistaken. A check up then would have saved you a check up now, and a check up later if they can’t fix all of your problems. But. We’ve both beaten our horses quite dead.” She smiled, and it seemed to reach her eyes. “I know you won’t let me down, Rakovanite. I’m counting on you to set a good example.” Her hand moved to his chest, and she didn’t waste either of their time by giving him more time for preparation. She didn’t think he’d have appreciated it anyway; she was only dragging out the inevitable if she had. Her fingers curled around his starseed and she pushed the Chaos into it. It was a steady, effective stream, and she wasted no time or energy. It was far from painless, but there was never any chance that she wouldn’t have done it with the most expert hand. It felt like a rush, not quite instantaneous, but fast enough that it seemed she was pulling her hand out only a short few seconds after she had slipped it in.
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Posted: Sat Apr 17, 2021 5:10 pm
"If it is relevant, I do not actually consider myself to be very stubborn," Rakovanite admitted lowly. "I have no preference for being wrong, but I do hope I can admit when I am." After a substantial pause, where his lidded gaze was focused on his hands in his lap, Rakovanite added, "Though I do not believe this to be one of those times. I hope you trust me to know what my own body needs, and you can feel at peace with the knowledge that I would never allow myself to fall into any permanent state of dysfunction."
He lifted his focus from his hands to her face, and no matter how he doubted the sincerity of any smiles given by Chaos' queen, he still replied in a soft, low tone, "I will not let you down."
It had been said the first time he'd taken chaos into himself, 'There will be pain,' and Rakovanite had accepted it at the time because there wasn't any other choice in the matter. He wasn't going to refuse because of a few seconds of agony, regardless of how it lingered. He expected this time would be the same, and his body immediately tensed as Laurelite's fingers dipped into his chest.
In the sense that it was nearly an identical process, it was similar. But it was not the same. The pain was somehow sharper and more pointed, like a cascade of piercing needles, driven hot into his core and injecting something... not unpleasant. The pain was unbearable but brief. Relentless but efficient. The difference between a general corrupting him, and their queen promoting him. His breath caught in his throat and left him silent, while his muscles instinctively bunched to pull away- or retaliate. In that blind moment, even Rakovanite wasn't sure which would come first.
But Laurelite pulled away before he could react more than the pinch of nails into his own palms, and his head dropped forward with a shuddering inhale. Rakovanite took several breaths, bunching his fingers over the arm of the chair to keep from clutching at his chest, before he grunted out, "It is fine. ...It's fine."
It was. The searing in his chest lingered, but the thrum of something more addictive chased it.
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