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MPC-52C: Patients and Patience
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Post by Cross on Jul 10, 2018 22:35:25 GMT
"This was foolish of you." Doctor Cross intoned her voice flat, mechanical even as red glowing eyes stared down at the sick and exhausted form of Mikemon where he laid curled up upon the couch his breathing shallow. Here she did not bother with her disguise. Not when her colleague knew very well what lay beneath the facade of her holosuit. Clicking her tongue lightly in disappointment the gesture coldly familiar though it lacked any of the warm scolding the woman had once held. On reflex she reached a clawed hand out to take his hand in her own pressing her fingers to the pads of his paws before blinking. Recalling once more, and not for the first time, that the EV suit she was forced to wear for the safety of herself and others robbed her of such a simple thing as touch.
Undeterred the woman fished a thermometer from her lab coat motioning for the cat to open his mouth. "You really should be cautious. Weakening yourself for others is...foolish. You're worth little to them if you are dead from exhaustion." Cassandra spoke going through the motions of faked concern with a mechanical casualness even as her crimson eyes shifted from the Digimon before her to stare aimlessly at the wall.
"They'll be quick to dispose of you then. When you have nothing left to give." She whispered something like pain flickering in her gaze before she blinked her eyes distant and impassive returning to him once more.
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Post by Dr. Mikemon on Jul 11, 2018 0:21:02 GMT
((Bits on this!)) The sound in Mikemon's ears was dull - feeling almost as if they were underwater - and yet every word that Cassandra spoke seemed to bore into him like a knife.
It wasn't just Cassandra that Mikemon had to treat: Carlos' back. Haru's eyesight. Amelie's fatigue and strain. Alice's ankle. All of these required at least Mikemon's attention, and after the long and straining task of 'normalizing' Cassandra's condition, the doctor didn't have a choice bot to force a smile on his face, and do his best for the rest of the club. After all, how could he do anything else, when they had all put their necks on the line?
Well, Cassandra seemed to think otherwise. The tables had quickly turned, Mikemon now a patient of Cassandra's, Dr. Cross' piercing red gaze looking right down into the feline. Even without that scathing voice, he felt pained, cold, and weak. Whatever bug he had in his system had clearly taken advantage of his tired body, leaving him little more than a furry lump, resting on the couch.
"Ugh..." That faint touch did little to let her feel the heat radiating from those paws, Mikemon taking that thermometer under his tongue. Even before it would register, Cassandra would see that he was more than a degree hot of where he should be - at least, according to the cat's own directory on Digimon species. If nothing else, Mikemon had time to think, to parse together his thoughts as Cassandra spoke...
... But as that beep came, and Cassandra viewed the temperature, Mikemon seemed to return a dismissive groan. "Let's just say I'll take that under advisement. But if I hadn't helped you, you wouldn't be helping me right now." He let out a cough, paws fumbling around a cool bottle of water, taking a small drink through a straw.
"Right ear is burning. Arms in particular are bad... stomach seems fine, though." He was more mumbling at this point, giving Cassandra a rough idea of the diagnosis. Ugh... what do you think it is?" Just an 'ick', if the cat had to guess!
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Post by Cross on Jul 11, 2018 0:58:21 GMT
"From your books I have reference your symptoms match that of a low grade flu. Logic would dictate that it took advantage of your weakened state." The Doctor would diagnose clinically as she observed Mikemon struggling to move his lethargy evident even has he attempted to sip his water.
"Take it under advisement if you will, but you need to be more careful Mikemon." Cas murmur her voice soft something almost like concern tinging that mechanical tone as she held Mikemon's yellow eyes with her own the red light of her crimson gaze almost...hypnotic.
"A weakened target," She spoke reaching out one clawed hand to lightly caress the felines ear the only thing separating him from those scythe like claws being that of the thin shimmer of the EV's force field. "Is all too easy to infect." Cas whispered softly in the barest whisper.
"And they shan't be as merciful as I am." The Doctor warned as she stood with the barest tremble to her limbs willing her body to function as she wished it regardless of the strain to her tortured muscles. Her nerves still screaming at even the barest brush of fabric as her steps faltered. Cloak however would be quick to move from where he had leaned against the far wall silently observing his Tamer. Taking her arm with surprisingly gentle hands as he steadied the Doctor.
"I shall check with your assistant to see what medicines you have on hand for reducing fever." Cassandra murmured voice once more hollow as she returned to the task at hand.
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Post by Dr. Mikemon on Jul 11, 2018 1:22:39 GMT
The flu, huh? The diagnosis made sense, Mikemon merely letting out a low breath at the simplicity of the diagnosis. "Ugh... then thank Sovereign our flu doesn't impact any of you on the tamer side." Taking another sip of water - half regretting it as he felt the burn in his throat - he gave a frustrated sigh, and moved back to simply curl up on the bed.
Though, it didn't seem like Cassandra was done yet - even now, she thought it was necessary to warn him, just to let him know what it could have been. Giving a blink, his amber eyes met right with the red glow of Cassandra's, the D-Reaper's gaze staring right back into him. As she was, Dr. Cross might have almost felt an urge, a drive to simply turn off that Environmental Suit and drive that claw right into the 'uninfected' cat's side - the very tease was enough to make the cat shudder, shifting right into a cold shiver from his fever.
"Tch..." There was so much that he wanted to say - that the very reason that she was even still breathing, or not a writhing mess in some containment unit, was for his last ditch effort in that freezer. That the oath he took as a doctor wouldn't have allowed him to look away. That the Cassandra he first met would have done the same thing.
But he didn't - he left that quiet, especially as Cassandra seemed to stagger simply from standing. A mere nod was given as she walked out, Mikemon resting his chin against his forepaws. At the very least, he had the rest of the club to look after Syre...
Due to the cat's absence, Stingmon had to pick up the slack. Cassandra might have already run into the bug before: he had taken to the lab, currently working on decanting a few of Mikemon's chemicals, to replace the mixes that he had to use on both Cassandra and Haru. The room would smell faintly of carbon, the Stingmon currently huddled over a fume hood.
"Hm?" Hearing Cassandra's entrance, the insect would give a nod. "Box-label medicine is in the left cabinet. You'll be looking for the green labels - you can figure it out from there." Between the different types of Digimon, Mikemon had to keep a good stock, even of brand medicine, just to be able to help with the 'simple' cases. 'Green label' would be the most plentiful, though the dosage amounts would vary wildly based on size. "He's considered a 'small'."
Apart from that, as the insect would click a centrifuge shut, he'd ask, almost in an idle tone: "Holding up?"
Whether he meant Cas or Mikemon, well, Stingmon didn't bother to clarify.
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Post by Cross on Jul 11, 2018 2:46:55 GMT
"Yes...thank the Sovereign." She murmured eyes sliding away from his form ignoring the itch to claim, to infect, to possess as a feeling she couldn't identify tightening her already ragged throat. It felt like pain, but perhaps that was merely due to the blood she could still taste on her tongue and that tinged her breath every time she breathed. It would be a few moment before she would realize Cloak had already guided her from the room grasping her good arm with one hand the other gentle upon her shoulder as he steered her.
Blinking in muted surprised she could offer Stingmon a shallow nod as she limped towards the indicated cabinet going over the meds as she selected one for fever and sleep aid picking out a 'small' dosage as instructed. Only giving pause in her retreat back to her patient to consider Stingmon's question for a moment.
"He is....he will recover." She spoke voice flat, the way the Dark Knightmon shadowed the little Tamer's steps handling her as though she was spun of the finest glass in her distant moments speaking enough on the woman's condition. Though Cloak would pause to offer the Assistant a quiet nod. It was progress. Not by much, but the blank periods were the woman would seem to lose herself staring at everything and nothing had decreased. The task at hand giving something for her wounded mind and spirit to concentrate on.
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Post by Dr. Mikemon on Jul 11, 2018 3:06:28 GMT
"He better. The kids are hard enough to keep track of even when they're all healthy." The Stingmon's tone didn't flex too much in relief, one way or another - well, it wasn't the first time that he had to deal with Dr. Mikemon being sick. He trusted her enough to get the right medicine...
... Though as Cloak gave a nod, Stingmon would turn, and give a silent nod back. It seemed that he understood: Cassandra had been a right mess before, and that she was even doing a touch better was the best bit of news. But it wouldn't be enough to move him to words, the Stingmon already moving towards the next chemical to decant.
Even in that short interval, the feel in the room had changed. No, Dr. Mikemon wasn't any better or worse - in fact, he was still curled up on the couch, right as before - but his focus was now on a TV at the far side of the room, running at relatively low volume. The Stingmon came with a rather interesting collection: several DVDs and movies from the human world. And right now, Mikemon was trying to make heads-or-tails of 'The Matrix', simply giving a nod to Cassandra as she walked back in.
"He give you any trouble?" The cat's voice cracked through his sore throat, the cat shaking his head, giving his eyes a moment to water up. "Ugh, forget that for now..."
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Post by Cross on Jul 11, 2018 3:37:58 GMT
"Trouble?" The Doctor questioned staring at Mikemon blankly as she processed his words attempting to figure out just what he was implying. The Stingmon had certainly not been hostile or attempted to impede her progress or....ah, she realized, Mikemon had meant it figuratively.
"No. No trouble. Refrain from speaking. You will only damage your vocal cords more." Cassandra instructed as Cloak guided her to a seat on the couch the Doctor's eyes shifting from her patient to the bottles in her hands as she attempted to open them. Her clawed fingers scrabbling loosely at the seals as she attempted to put pressure and twist to little avail a low irritated growl rough from her own damaged throat tearing its way painfully from her form in her annoyance.
"Allow me." Cloak murmured deftly taking the bottles and swiftly opening them and returning them once more as Cassandra blinking down at them in muted surprise before tipping out the right amount and offering them to Mikemon.
"Tea with honey or the digital equivalent of it would be better for you." She intoned placing the pills lightly into the cat's palm as she glanced at his glass.
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Post by Dr. Mikemon on Jul 11, 2018 23:56:28 GMT
Damage his... vocal cords? That didn't sound right - certainly, speaking was doing a number to tear up his throat, a hot burning sensation in the back of his throat, but certainly the cat could grumble out a word or two here or there, right? Well, the dizzy cat wasn't about to argue: feeling the cushion dip a bit as Cassandra sat down next to her, Mikemon's eyes settled on those pills.
He waited... and waited... sheesh, was she having that much trouble? In his addled state, he was tempted to reach out and just handle it himself, but thankfully Cloak was quick enough to fix the issue. Grasping his paw around those pills, he gave a nod - not in agreement, but one of thanks.
"Not feeling tea... juice, something." Shaking his head, he took those pills, giving a large sip of water to allow those pills to slip down that shaky throat. Taking just a moment to catch his breath, the feline would soon rest forward - chin rested on his forepaws - as he tried to make sense of the screen.
"... I mean, of course the air's real... he's there, right?" As a resident of the Digital World, he wasn't entirely sure exactly what had been going on up to this point, and his sick mind wasn't about ready to suddenly fill in all the plotholes - existing or otherwise - that cropped up in his head. "Ugh..."
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Post by Cross on Jul 12, 2018 4:30:30 GMT
Cloak couldn't help, but let out a soft snort of amusement as the Dark Knightmon realized just what movie the cat was watching. "You would be better off with any other film. This one barely makes sense when you're at full mental capacity even less when you are ill." Cloak rumbled out shaking his head, but settling down near the couch as Cassandra glanced up at the screen the only sign she was processing what was being shown there was the barest tick of a muscle in her cheek. At least until the agents appeared on the screen their presence sending a slight shudder through the woman as she reached out to rest her hand upon Cloak's arm before she seemed to even process what exactly she was doing.
"That's not how it works. That's not how...any of it..." She whispered form trembling slightly before she blinked shaking her head as she turned to assess Mikemon's condition ignoring the screen in favor of her work though her hand never left the Dark Knightmon's arm. Seeming to unconsciously take comfort in the contact even if all she could feel was pressure bereft of touch.
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Post by Dr. Mikemon on Jul 12, 2018 5:22:33 GMT
"Mmph... I'm too invested in it now." Mikemon gave a groan. Truthfully, he just felt too sick to bother to even reach out or try and change the DVD... and besides, this movie had... content, at least? In his simplified thinking, he could at least accept that some of the things that were happening looked cool, even if some of it violated every law of the 'Digital' World that he knew.
There's that samey-looking agent again... Reaching forward to take another long drink, Mikemon found his ears flicking at something Cassandra was saying. 'Not how it worked' - what did she mean by that? The doctor's attention was drawn briefly away from the screen, Mikemon's amber eyes meeting right up with Cassandra's own, that red, piercing gaze seeming to stare right through him.
Right... taking that uncomfortable glance in the best stride he could, the cat turned his head away, quickly trying to shift the topic. Instead, he spoke out to Cloak: "Well, then... I don't know. It might have been more interesting to see him try and break the illusion from the inside, rather than get torn right out at the start. I mean..." he gave a cough, "If you're already able to see it from above, how hard is it to accept from the outside-looking-in?"
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Post by Cross on Jul 14, 2018 0:58:40 GMT
"Perhaps, but remember most humans believe the concept of other worlds to be only that... a concept. It's hard to imagine some all encompassing machine like being controlling every fabric of your reali~" Cloak explained only to trail off as Cassandra's trembling grew worse her pupils bare pinpricks as she did her best to avoid looking at the screen her breaths coming shallow and short as she busied herself putting the caps back on the medicine with fumbling fingers.
"Will need to acquire an external thermometer. Physical touch is no longer applicable for temperature readings." Cassandra quietly muttered to herself nearly spilling the medicine in the process before Cloaks hands came out to steady her shaking fingers. The Dark Knightmon swearing softly under his breath.
"Hime. Hime it's all right." He soothed unhooking his cape as he carefully wrapped the black heavy cloth around her the weight of which seemed to ease her tremors somewhat.
"I'm sure Mikemon will let you know if his status begins to deteriorate." The Dark Knightmon added glancing over at the cat urging him to confirm his words.
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Post by Dr. Mikemon on Jul 14, 2018 4:28:34 GMT
Honestly, if it were just Mikemon and Cloak, the cat would have been adequately distracted from his flu at this point. Sure, he would have still been sick, coughing, and stuffy, but just having someone to talk to, to help pass the time, was just the boost he needed to get by - and what better way than just shooting the breeze over some silly movie?
Cassandra, however, seemed nowhere close to the current situation. Stammering, shaking, talking about thermometers? Mikemon inched away, as Cloak moved to help... though considering how she was acting, the cat had a fair guess of what was happening. His paw flipped to the remote, as he tapped 'pause', and gave a small remark: "Weather on the 3's, right?" Yup: two channels down, the weather report for the Network Plains was on-air, scrolling over the various parts of Terminus and the Digital Core, for the next several hours: clear until nightfall, then a light drizzle to take over.
"Hm..." He gave a nod at Cloak's words. "I mean, I'll have you two on call, of course." Shaking his head, he rested his head back down on those paws. It just seemed better to let Cloak handle it - for now, at least.
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Post by Cross on Jul 24, 2018 4:08:57 GMT
As the channel changed to the soothing chatter of the weather some of the tension bled out of Cassandra's shoulders as she leaned into the cape pulling it about herself a bit like a blanket as she shook her head lightly. "You're right of course." She murmured, but her tone was one of hollow confirmation as she blinked staring down at her hands and the bare tremble there. She should feel the fabric beneath her fingers, but there was....nothing.
"What was it like...?" the Doctor asks quietly as she digs her claws into the cape Cloak casting her a worried and confused glance. "What was it like when you changed?" She clarified eyes lifting to stare at the screen her words mechanical and empty though her question was clear as she looked everywhere, but at the Digimon sitting beside her.
"Did it hurt? Going from what you were to becoming what you are now?"
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Post by Dr. Mikemon on Jul 25, 2018 0:27:26 GMT
The tension in the room had lifted, somewhat, but it was clear that Cassandra was still struggling. Even in the stupor of his flu, Mikemon could tell the careful way that Cloak was treating Cassandra, and the shaky tone in the doctor's voice. For the moment, the cat simply relaxed, letting it pass by as background noise...
... But then came that question. His ear twitched, Mikemon's muddled thoughts starting to roll through his head. Had he ever told Cassandra about Greed? He might have, he might have not, but why else would have Cassandra asked him about it? The tone was both panicked and earnest, enough to earn a slow sigh from the cat. He took a breath - only a small cough interrupting - as he closed his eyes to zone in on his answer.
"... It hurt." That small answer hung in the air, for a few seconds. "But that wasn't it. More than anything, I felt alone."
"Scared of those that I was hiding from. Fearful that I had no-one to rely on as I made that drastic choice. In agonizing pain and instability - with nothing to rely on but my own prowess. Its... not something I like to reflect on." He shook his head, a harsh sneeze escaping him, immediately flaring up his sinus.
"... I won't do that to you."
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Post by Cross on Jul 25, 2018 3:25:23 GMT
"You're a good friend." The Doctor murmurs though the words are mechanical the voice that says it lacking any emotion leaving the words more a statement then a compliment. Like a computer repeating back the phrase they know they're supposed to say, but are unsure why they're saying it. Still the woman carefully snakes a clawed hand from beneath the folds of her makeshift blanket and reaches out to rub Mikemon's ears gently. For a moment she likes to think she can almost feel the softness of his fur beneath her palm and though she knows he's not truly a cat there is something soothing about the motion. The Tamer's head lulls slightly as her eyes close to the soft drone of the weather. Her hand going still as it drops from his head after a time as Cloak slowly stands careful not to wake Cassandra as he tucks her in.
"Thank you." He whispers voice rough with emotion.
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