Private ✪ Finweald Sick Leave

[Yugam]

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Ad Astra

The last thing Yu recalled was fighting someone, a boy, who's name he couldn't remember, in the school cafeteria. Except...that couldn't be right. He hadn't been to that school since he'd graduated three years ago. And that girl...that was...it had to have been. Was that what she looked like?

The man's head swam in a fog of uncertainty as he slowly roused from his unconscious stupor, eyes blinking against the harsh light streaming through the window. Squeezing his eyes shut against the blinding light the man groaned as he tried to sit up in the bed. When his sight had finally cleared, eyes adjusted to the brightness of the room, a quick look around revealed him to be in a hospital room. And in the bed across from him, was Toko.

Confused and more than a little bit concerned, the man shifted uncomfortably, looking around the room for anyone that could explain what was going on. Not seeing anyone, however, the man tried to call over to Toko. "Hey. Nuna. You up?"

@Toko | @Askera Question

 

[Toko]

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The Lepus slowly stirred back to consciousness, an audible groan escaping Toko as she felt the residual traces of a splitting headache still lingering in her brain. "Hey. Nuna. You up?" A familiar voice managed to cut through the dull throbbing in her head, causing the hare to shift her body in the direction of the sound.

"Yu-chan…?" The moment Toko had opened her eyes she’d instantly regretted it, the bright light of the room causing the rabbit to quickly close them once more before squinting… vaguely able to make out the familiar shape of the younger boy as her sight adjusted. "… d-doko ni iru noh?"

A hand tried to reach up to her face in the hopes of rubbing her eyes, before the hare stopped the movement as a sharp pain shot through. Confused she glanced at her limbs, finally noticing the various bandages around both forearms as some of the memories begun to flood back into her mind. Most of it was a muddled mess, though she vaguely remembered Yugam socking Askera in the face.

"… what the hell happened?"

@Yugam @Askera Question

 

[Yugam]

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Yu winced slightly, sucking in air through his teeth, as he sat fully upright. Everything hurt. "I don't know," the man answered, looking around the room again. "Isn't...isn't this the hospital?" he asked the woman, recognizing the place from the first time two had officially met.

"How did we get here?" he asked, now taking the time to actually examine his body. His whole torso was wrapped by bandages, and though he could not see them, he knew from the steady throbbing coming from beneath them. The man was almost certain he was black and blue underneath it all. "Weren't we...in Askera's lab?" he asked as he slowly recalled bits and pieces. Toko had been asleep on a cot set up in the corner of the room. That much he remembered. But that still didn't explain why either of them were in the hospital. Had they been out long?

@Toko | @Askera Question

 

[Toko]

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". . ."

He seemed to be just as confused as Toko was, which in turn made the lepus question her own vague memories of the matter at hand. Had she really witnessed Yugam punch Askera right in the face, much like Fiora had done to the boy not long ago, or had that just been part of a long dream the rabbit had? She did remember drinking a potion from the scientist, and then feeling oh so very tired for countless hours afterwards...

"I... I'm not sure. I do remember helping Askera with an experiment," The memory of the tar like liquid she had imbibed made the Lepus frown slightly, it had been quite the disgusting experience—though she supposed it wasn't as terrible as that time when she ate a piece of raw Myconid's arm. "... everything after the potion seems hazy though. I thought that you... nah, it was probably just my imagination making things up as I slept."

By now the hare had also switched, albeit with some difficulty, to an upright position like her roommate not too far away... though she tried to move her bandaged arms as little as possible.

@Yugam | @Askera Question

 

[Askera Question]

Did you have a question?

"Yes, I'm sure. Please step aside. Thank you for your understanding." That was a particularly familiar voice that they could hear behind the door to the hospital room. Lo and behold, they could see a nurse open the door for the man himself as he put out a cigarette in his hand, ashtray in the other. He made sure that it was very well out before allowing himself into the room while muttering a few polite necessities that were needed for entering anyone's room.

"Sumimasen... Hoh. Well, it looks like you're doing better than I thought you would be, Yugam-san. Toko-san." The good researcher seemed as clean and well-dressed as ever, save for the mark on his cheek. It was hard to tell if it were a bruise or just an ash-stain. It looked like a wicked streak all the same enough, though it didn't stop him from speaking all the same, "You've been out for a few hours. I've concluded work on the experiment today and wanted to see you before I headed out... Though, it seems I had little to worry about. You both seem as well as ever."

@Toko @Yugam

 

[Yugam]

Per Aspera

Ad Astra

At the mention of helping Askera with another one of his experiments, the thing they usually did while in his lab, Yu nodded, slowly recalling just what that experiment had been. Something about drinking some vile concoction that the researcher had put together. And Yu was sure that it wasn't a cocktail. Well, not an alcoholic one at least.

Before the raven-haired man had a chance to respond though, a muffled voice came from the other side of the room's door, just before the man himself swung the door open, holding a cigarette in one hand and an ashtray in the other.

"Sumimasen... Hoh. Well, it looks like you're doing better than I thought you would be, Yugam-san. Toko-san."

"Do you always carry an ashtray around with you?" Yu asked the older man. And he thought he struggled with his nicotine addiction...

"Thanks for the concern, but...what exactly happened?" Yu asked the man. A few hours? Well, it could've been worse. Did that mean that they'd been out in the real world too? "Shit...I missed class..." Graphics programming. Yu didn't understand a single thing going on it, despite having an A in it. For now. "Fuck it, whatever, I hate that class anyways."

@Toko | @Askera Question

 

[Toko]

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Long ears perked up at the sound of a familiar voice in the distance, muffled as it was by the walls and closed door of the room the pair was currently resting and recuperating in. "Is that...?" Her gaze had turned away from Yugam then, peering expectantly at the door, and sure enough Toko watched it open as a familiar MIT researcher stepped into the room.

"Askera-sensei—!"

A happy greetings to the man however was cut short as the Lepus noticed the visible mark on the man's cheek, the ashtray and cigarette that he held long forgotten as the hare instead frowned in response to seeing the bruise in his face... before a sideway glance was given to Yugam as the boy spoke, it really sounded like he didn't remember much regarding the event.

Maybe it's just a coincidence...?

After all the raven haired boy was far from an aggressive fellow, Toko just couldn't see how or even why Yugam would suddenly resort to punching Askera square in the face... that was a behavior the rabbit expected from someone like Fiora instead.

"A few hours...?" For the first time Toko glanced at the small clock int he corner of her UI screen, the time confirming that there was indeed quite a gap of time missing from the last timestamp the hare could remember. "Askera-san... what happened in today's experiment?"

Neither injured party seemed to have a clear recollection of the time, and thus one could only hope that the researcher could shed some light in their missing and/or vague memories.

@Askera Question @Yugam

 

[Askera Question]

It was clear enough that the man wanted a cigarette nigh immediately in face of the question. He had been using them as painkillers to talk through until he'd entered the hospital room. Now that he was here, his hand could only reach fruitlessly for nothing in the general vicinity of his breast pocket.

"I'll speak of it in layman's terms. Yugam sought to kill me, and you sought instinctively to protect me. This resulted in a brawl. I currently need to get rid of... a few... pieces of furniture from my room as it stands. Ah, onegai, don't look at me like that," He spoke on reflex as he noted the change in expressions in the room. Askera quickly continues, "It wasn't your fault-you were impaired and acted on instinct. This was a result of the testing rather than anything to do with you."

He could see a question reach Toko as silence hit the room. He decided to answer it before allowing the atmosphere to get any staler.

"I don't know why you'd changed so suddenly, Toko-san. As far as I had known, you were going to spend an hour or two longer in low spirits. The change came as a surprise to me, too."

@Yugam @Toko

 

[Yugam]

Per Aspera

Ad Astra

"I'll speak of it in layman's terms. Yugam sought to kill me..."

Those words made Yu's blood run cold, color draining from his face all at once. The raven-haired man stared at Askera, wide-eyed and with a lump in his throat, even as Askera attempted to assure them both that their actions had been the result of whatever experiment they had been conducting, not of their own accord. All the same-

"I-I'm sorry." The words certainly did not feel like enough. Not in the slightest, but they were all Yu had to offer. "I didn't uh...I didn't hurt you too bad, right?" he asked the man, pointing at the mark on his cheek.

If memory loss hadn't been so commonplace in Yu's life, he would've wondered why he couldn't recall any of these events. A side effect of the potions? Or maybe the injuries? Perhaps, given that Toko couldn't remember anything either. But then, why did Yu remember punching someone. His closed fist colliding with soft cheek, hard bone. Some kind of dream?

@Toko | @Askera Question

 

[Toko]

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Askera reached out for the non-existent in his breast pocket the instant Toko's question was uttered, and the hare couldn't help but grip the light hospital bed sheet on her tightly in response... a bad feeling washing over her shoulders before the man finally begun to speak.

"S-Sookka..."

It seemed those faint memories that were beginning to surface since the hare had woken up hadn't been just a bad dream, the Lepus hesitating for a moment before she slowly turned her head enough for a hesitant look towards her hospital roommate and friend—instantly noticing how most of the color had seemingly drained from the man's face. There was a stuttered apology towards the researcher at last fromt he raven haired boy, Toko remaining silent for the time being as the fighter was at a lost of words for now. It was then Askera turned to her, perhaps reading the silent question on the hare's eyes, before he added what little he could think of regarding the Lepus' sudden shift in nature.

"Y-Yeah, I remember sleeping in a cot by your lab most of the day..." A few attempts to get her interacting with various things had been made too, though nothing had seemed to catch the rabbit's attention for longer than fifteen to twenty minutes before she had gone back to snoozing. "I t-thought I remember some fighting... but I was so sure it was probably just a wild dream."

At least everyone seemed to be well, all circumstances taken into consideration of course. "S-So... how bad was it?" Given the current physical state of Yugam and herself the fighter was sure their brawl had probably done a number on the researcher's lab.

 

[Askera Question]

Askera Question gathered his thoughts as he listened to the calming voice of his fellow home-lander recount her tale within the laboratory. He always wondered why it was that she pronounced some of her words, 'Souka' among them. Perhaps, given her accent, she was from a region that had adopted a Kansai dialect? Or perhaps she did this when she was stressed-after all, sometimes her accent was perfectly comfortable to his ears.

Pleasant, to boot, though he would never tell such a thing to the woman out loud in such a blunt manner. He felt a warm beat in his chest as he recounted the way she tried to save his life. It wasn't as if he hadn't been saved before, but the way that the fighting had occurred in the laboratory was just too realistic to not leave an impression upon him.

'They're watching you,' the researcher reminds himself, 'waiting for you to speak. You are the voice of reason here.'

"The bruising on my face was due to Yugam-san. That's about the extent of my injuries. He didn't use Hemomancy to complicate the issue," Askera informs, though he made sure to leave out the part where the boy had certainly tried. He didn't want the lad to feel any worse. Fortunately, Askera had been well-warded against taboo magics through an extensive process involving dark rituals that he had performed a month's time ago.

"Toko appeared to grow an urge to fight you in the laboratory while watching your assault on me. A more detailed report can be found on the desk at the back of the room. I... believe you should ready yourself before reading the clinical analysis. Just take some time to breathe and talk with me. How are you each feeling? Are there any lingering urges?" He asks, the question coming out for several reasons that he did not want to talk about.

@Toko @Yugam

 

[Yugam]

Per Aspera

Ad Astra

Crimson eyes slowly flicked back and forth between Toko and Askera as they spoke. Questions and answers back and forth.

"The bruising on my face was due to Yugam-san Yugam-sanning." No further injuries. Yu let out a sigh of relief as his question was answered. He would have felt far worse if he'd actually managed to seriously injure his boss while in his potion induced berserker rage. Potion induced or not.

Of course, as soon as Askera had mentioned the report in the back of the room, Yu attempted to stand (with a good deal of difficult...damn how hard had Nuna hit him?), leaning against the wall, his body still too fatigued to support his weight. The man dragged himself towards the report, not bothering to wait, and in true Yugam fashion, slid down the wall to seat himself on the floor, to read, grateful he was wearing his pants, and not a hospital gown.

It only took a couple moments before Yu's eyes flicked up at Askera again. "I don't know what half these words mean. Explain."

@Toko | @Askera Question

 

[Toko]

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.

She was unaware of the thoughts filtering through Askera's mind, her own head still trying to make heads and tails of the fuzzy memories regarding the last twenty four hours or so of her life. A concerned look was shot towards Yugam when the researcher confirmed his bruise had been caused by the man, before the Lepus let out a sigh of relief Toko hadn't realized she was holding as Askera confirmed he had no additional wounds to his physique.

"T-That's good—h-hey, Yu-chan?!"

It was then she noticed her roommate struggle to get up from his bed, the raven haired boy up and about before the Lepus had time to refute or even attempt to stop him, before he shuffled over to the mentioned report.

"Moooh...! Are you trying to open up your wounds, Yu-chan?" The scolding words came as the Lepus herself got up to her feet, a wince crossing her face whenever she moved her arms around too much... though aside from that it seemed the rest of her was fine. "You should know by now how detailed and complex Askera-senseeh's reports are."

Her attention then turned to the researcher as he asked a few questions of them, taking a moment to properly try and gauge how she was feeling... before Toko gave a soft shrug in response.

"I feel fine... tabun?"

@Askera Question | @Yugam

 

[Askera Question]

"You would be correct." A nod of the head accentuated this much as he continued, "I write those reports for superiors to read. Naturally, I'd need to make the clinical report as clinical as possible. Not the most interesting read, unless you happen to take an interest in the subject."

Askera waved in an assistant-another one-after noting Yugam's state and the way that Toko fretted over it. The nurse wasn't there to do anything other than to hand him something smaller than his hand, which he put in his pocket as he dismissed the woman out of the room with a murmured instruction.

"It's quite simple," He clarifies for the confused lad, "Toko was part of a previous experiment that caused her to be depressed. You tried to assault me after drinking the bottle that held the diluted arsenic base-the one I took three paragraphs in there to regulate to a non-toxic level. You probably would have tried to attack anyone-I was just the nearest person in sight. Toko saw this, and became very intent on fighting you in return."

The nurse came back into the room at this time. It appears that his instruction was to go get the prepared meals that had been set aside for the two patients.

@Toko @Yugam

 

[Yugam]

Per Aspera

Ad Astra

"I can close all my wounds again," Yu reminded Toko, waving off her concerns as he clicked through the pages of the report. "It's the bruises and broken bones that I can't heal." And boy did those fucking hurt. Yu was more than certain that several of his ribs were punctured. And judging by how difficult it was to breath, he'd wager he'd also punctured a lung.

The raven-haired man looked up again Askera began to explain in more detail what had occurred between the three. "Wait, you had me drink arsenic?" Non-toxic levels or not, that sounded beyond unpleasant. It was no wonder Yu had tried to kill Askera.

"No, no. I don't think..." Yu began to say, before his eyes suddenly darted away. No, that was a dream. And a poorly remembered one at that. "Nevermind. Yeah, you're probably right. You know what was in that potion better than I."

@Toko | @Askera Question

 

[Toko]

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A deadpan expression crossed Toko's face as Yugam mentioned he could just seal shut any open wounds on him again, the lack of amusement almost palpable as his nuna attempted to cross her arms together out of habit—before wincing as she quickly desisted on the motion when it caused her own bandaged cuts to flare up in pain.

"W-Wait, an arsenic...?!"

Granted, the Lepus knew by now that Askera was usually very meticulous and careful enough to ensure his assistants didn't actually cause any of them an accidental death... or, well, at least as much as it was humanly possible of course. That still didn't make hearing that their potions had contained something related to it any easier though.

"... no wonder it tasted like sin."

There was a light frown on her face as Yugam begun to speak, before the man suddenly backpedalled on his words, but before the hare could press the matter further the nurse had returned to the room once more, this time with prepared meals for the lot of them. The sight of food reminded Toko that she was actually feeling hungry, a thankful nod given to the nurse as she took the offered tray before the rabbit sat on the edge of her bed.

@Askera Question | @Yugam

 

[Askera Question]

Lunch was a wonderful time where many things could be cleared away. For instance, he assured Toko that her own mixture didn't have arsenic in it. He did not deign to tell her what had been-she could find that out in the dossier if she had the stones to do so. The next clear-away was to get Yugam back to his bed with the help of the nurse. He wasn't trying to say that Yugam should be bedridden, but lunch and reading were both more easily done at the fold-in desk that now rest over his lap. Tonight they had fresh eggs, soft spoon-fed meals and drinks that the researcher made sure would come in a glass and not a bottle.

Askera had an apple. He was carving little shapes of bunnies into the slices before eating them. It was a gesture he had appreciated before, and now practiced to be able to do himself as a result. Besides, rabbits were nice. They were cute. The animals, Askera tacked onto that thought. Not that Toko didn't-no, he was going to stop right there. This was a time of maturity, thank you.

Another dose of Askera's potion was applied to Yugam. He had kept it coming from his spraying device, as he assumed that, for the same reason as the drinks above, he would have an aversion to drinking potions directly for a little while's time.

"That's not to say that you should be afraid-in fact, if you have a worry that it's still in your system, drinking more would help to flush the rest of that out of the body. Please just keep to this dinner, however, Yugam-san."

@Yugam @Toko

 

[Yugam]

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Being guided to the bed, having a tray pulled out for him, food served, documents laid out before him, Yu wasn't sure if he should feel like a child or a pampered prince. More likely just another hospital patient. Because that was exactly what he was.

As the man spooned the fluffy scrambled eggs into his mouth, Yu eyed the apple that Askera carved, noticing how he made them into little rabbits, not unlike how he'd seen Toko do for the researcher when they'd all met the first time. A bit cruder, but the shape was still there. Curious. Yu wouldn't have taken the researcher to be the kind of man who liked cutesy stuff like that.

"Ah, pfft, dude, what the fuck?" Yu exclaimed, waving away the mist Askera was spraying on him as he was drawn back out of his latent thoughts.

"Make up your mind dude, do you want me to drink more liquids or just eat this?" Yu asked with playful annoyance before setting aside the report, which he still didn't understand, and picked up his spoon again. "So, when are we gonna be released?" Yu asked, already getting antsy.

@Toko | @Askera Question

 

[Toko]

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She visibly relaxed once Yugam was returned to his own bed, the Lepus settling back down on her own as the tray was placed onto the fold-in desk her own bed possessed. The spread was simple but nice, but before the hare could attempt to take a bite she watched with amusement as Askera sprayed the hemomancer with a potion—the healing spray being quite the throwback Thursday (or was it Tuesday?) moment that caused Toko to chukle softly.

"Good, serves you right for moving around when you should be resting Yu-chan."

The smug smirk on her lips didn't last long however, a wince soon taking over when the rabbit went to lift the spoon up to her mouth... unlike her roommate Toko lacked the hemomancy skills to simply seal shit the various deep slashes that littered her currently bandaged forearms.

"So, when are we gonna be released?"
"... I hope it's sooner rather than later."

Toko couldn't say she particularly liked hospitals, or the fact that her arms now hurt with most of the movements the rabbit tried to do... it made her feel restricted, and that wasn't a feeling she was accustomed to—or welcomed.

@Askera Question | @Yugam

 

[Askera Question]

Ah, he had been waiting for this part. How long had he been waiting..? Long enough to forget to put the snark in his voice, at least, and so he said with a very straight voice, "Hai. It would take as long as it takes for me to spray you with enough healing potions. As you remember, this is a game. As realistic as I admit it is..."

His hand once again reached for the pocket where he usually held his smokes. The researcher sometimes wondered if he felt obligated to play the game so that he wouldn't have to smoke in the real world. Askera hoped not. He had fun playing this game for many reasons besides that, didn't he? Least of all, he had brought a duty upon himself to log a guide to the game.

"And so, the choice is yours. The wounds I can heal in minutes, while the 'injuries' I can cleanse in minutes more. You had simply been resting here for the sake of rest."