Maku
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Post by Maku on Nov 3, 2009 1:48:34 GMT -6
With a dry-throated groan, Maku awoke, blinking his eyes open only to shut them tightly at the bright fluorescent lights. His right hand shot up to cover his eyes, but a shift of weight on his left side distracted him from the ache in his eyes. Once the pain faded, he opened his eyes and took a cautious look down.
The sight of an arm on his left side made his heart skip a beat. From a little below the elbow, down to his fingers, was smooth, unbroken skin. However, from the elbow to the shoulder was a metallic column, covered in a patchwork of panels that hid the inner workings. The shoulder joint was a bit larger than the rest, as though the metal there was thicker to serve as armor for the connections beneath it.
Out of curiousity, he tried making a fist. At first, there was no response, but then a quiet whirring sounded from his forearm, and his new fingers curled ever so slightly. A broad grin broke across his face. It wasn't much, not yet. But, unless the doctors told him otherwise, he planned to consider it a good start.
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Darzul
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Post by Darzul on Nov 3, 2009 2:15:21 GMT -6
"Ah, I see you're awake."
At the foot of Maku's bed stood a nurse, looking at a clipboard. "It looks like you've noticed the implant. The frame is installed and online, but it might take some time for the nerve pathways to adjust to sending messages to your arm. The pain receptors were not reattached, so your bionic arm will be incapable of feeling pain. However, changes in pressure and spatial changes should function normally after some time to get used to it."
She then walked toward him, and gently held his metallic hand as she looked at it. "The frame is high-strength carbon steel. Very strong, but it can corrode if not properly cared for. But, to make that easier, we have this," she said, rapping on Maku's new forearm with a finger. "Made of microscopic plates of aircraft-grade stainless steel. Very resistant to corrosion, so maintenance will be a non-issue once the shell is completely created and installed. They slide along each other, so they look a lot like skin when you move your hand or arm. The plates are covered in a polymer matching your skin tone, to make the arm look more realistic and further prevent corrosion. But be careful, if the arm is exposed to severe heat like an open flame for a long enough time, the polymer will flake and fall off." She then looked at Maku, and smiled. "I'm afraid we'll have to keep you here at least 4 more hours until the rest of the shell is created, installed, and attached to your frame. Any questions so far?"
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"Ah, I see you're awake."
A nurse stood at the foot of Drixel's bed, reading a clipboard. "You had us worried when you got here," she said. "Your wings are very beautiful, but they do take up a lot of space." She looked up from the clipboard, and smiled at Drixel. "We could barely get at your shoulder until we found a way to tie them back. Don't worry, they're fine, and so are you. Your nervous system was very low on neurotransmitters when we got you here, but we've been monitoring your levels and over the last few hours we've given you medications to bring your levels back to normal. They seem to have worked."
Her face then turned to one of concern. "I have two questions for you, though, Mr. Drixel," she said. "Firstly, and this may sound a bit silly, but are you an angel? While we tried to get your neurotransmitters back to normal, we found a few we couldn't identify. One we almost didn't find, it was almost totally depleted. A few of us guessed you might not be entirely human. And no offense if you are," she quickly added. "The second question is one I have to ask, even though I feel just awful doing it: Do you have any form of insurance, or a method of paying for the treatment?"
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Post by drixel on Nov 3, 2009 2:26:57 GMT -6
Drixel smiled at the nurse's comment about his wings, even made him blush a tad bit. "to answer your questions yes i am an angel..." drixel trailed off caught up in the nurse's eyes. "to your second question i dont have any insurance but im sure i can work some type of payment plan for something" Drixel once again as lost in her gorgeous eyes. "if you don't mind me saying your eyes are gorgeous." drixel said
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Darzul
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Post by Darzul on Nov 3, 2009 2:59:33 GMT -6
A look of shock crossed over the nurse's face as Drixel began flirting with her at the first mention of paying for the treatment, even going so far as to suggest a 'payment plan' of mutiple encounters. Sure, he was attractive - he literally had the face of an angel - but she was hardly about to whore herself out to him and let him pass it off as some form of 'payment' to the hospital.
She brusquely walked up to him and slapped him across the face. "How dare you even suggest such a thing? An angel, of all people?" She then stomped out of the room in a huff, muttering to herself. "Thinks I'm just some hussie, someone he can use to fuck his way out of debt..." she trailed off as he walked down the corridor.
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Maku
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Post by Maku on Nov 3, 2009 3:03:32 GMT -6
Maku paid close attention as the nurse gave the details of his new arm, honestly intrigued. When she rapped on his forearm, he could feel it, though the sensation was greatly diminished from what his other arm would have felt. He felt most of it through vibration in his shoulder, but he felt enough from his new forearm to prove what she'd said about being able to sense changes in pressure.
When the nurse finished her explanation, she asked if he had any questions. He thought about that very carefully. About his arm, he had none; everything he cared to know had been explained quite thoroughly. The questions he did come up with, he felt might be a bit out of the nurse's ability to answer.
"As far as my arm goes, I'm good for the time being. I wonder, though, could you tell me if there's anyone here from the army?"
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Darzul
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Post by Darzul on Nov 3, 2009 3:27:17 GMT -6
"Yes, Darzul Vorca himself has been waiting since you arrived, along with a captain," she told him. She smiled again. "Sometimes I don't know what to think of that man. He forced others who had showed up before you to wait to get into the ER to make sure you recieved treatment," she said, a hint of disdain in her voice as she frowned amost derisively.
"But once you were in there he sat, and barely moved, watching the door and waiting for updates on your condition." She then smiled. "I suppose he's a good man overall. But sometimes he goes about being a good man in very strange ways." She giggled. "Sorry, I'm babbling. I'll send them in."
The nurse then walked out of the room and toward the waiting room, where she saw Darzul and Apek had not moved. "Gentlemen, private Riskan can see visitors now," she said. "Room 314."
Darzul nodded, standing up and smiling at the nurse. "Thank you, ma'am," he said as he walked through the door, Apek in tow, and entered Maku's room.
"Look at this thing," he said, rapping on Maku's new mechanical humerus with the knuckles of a loosely balled fist. "State of the art. One of the many things this army and Thoncir gives to you in exchange for all you give to them." His face then became more serious. "How you feeling, soldier?"
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Maku
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Post by Maku on Nov 3, 2009 4:04:44 GMT -6
Maku's eyebrows shot up in surprise at the news that General Vorca himself had been waiting. He assumed the captain to be Captain Apek, but this wasn't nearly as surprising as hearing that the leader of the entire army had stayed to hear news of him.
When the General entered the room, followed by Apek, Maku had raised the bed to bring himself to a sitting position, again feeling pressure and vibration in his new arm from the knocking. "All things considered, very well, sir."
Maku was quiet for only a moment before the biggest question on his mind couldn't be held back. "I'm almost afraid to ask, sir, but...could you tell me what's happened to Sergeant Remta?"
He bit his lip. He asked out of genuine concern, born out of some cross between camaraderie and a schoolyard crush. During his brief time with her, she'd...well, she'd made quite an impression on him. However, when last he'd seen her, it didn't look good. In his mind, he readied himself for bad news, and hoped he was wrong.
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Darzul
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Post by Darzul on Nov 3, 2009 4:24:31 GMT -6
Darzul smiled and nodded approvingly. "Concern for your fellow soldiers, even while you lay in a hospital bed with three-quarters of an arm. I think you'll fit right in with the Vorcan Army, private."
He turned to look at Apek. "If they brought her here, someone would have told us. She's probably in the medical area on base, get on the radio and scare up a status report."
"Yes, sir," Apek said, turning to leave.
"Onnie, will you save that 'sir' shit for the base?" he said jokingly.
Apek chuckled. "Sure thing, Darzul. I'll see what I can find out." He then headed out the door to use the SUV radio.
Darzul then got up himself, and closed the door to the room. "There are a few things I'd like to discuss with you, private," he said, turning the lock. "Sort of a sensitive matter, so I'd rather not have some nurse wander in and overhear any of this discussion," he continued as he turned back toward Maku and began to walk toward a chair in the corner, dragging it near Maku's bed and sitting down.
"I want you to tell me what you know about the demon you and that angel fought today," he said. "And I'd like to know more about your...gift," Darzul said, laying his hand on a nearby glass and making a gesture which implied the glass shattering.
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Maku
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Post by Maku on Nov 3, 2009 4:59:21 GMT -6
Maku managed half a smile at Darzul's praise, and couldn't help but crack a whole one as the General kidded with Capt. Apek. However, as Darzul stood and closed the door, Maku felt the mood in the room change, and his smile disappeared.
Maku cleared his throat. "What I know about the demon is fragmented, sir. The angel, Drixel, probably has a bit to offer as well. But, if you don't mind my going backwards, my 'gift' is probably a better place to start."
"A few months back, I was living with my brother and our parents in Rerden. I don't know why it happened, but it was like one day, a switch got flipped in both of us. Now, my brother, he's amazing. He can heal people just by laying his hands on them, close up wounds in seconds that would take weeks to heal by themselves."
"Me, on the other hand...well, I'm kind of his opposite. I...break things down, somehow. The 'black lightning'..." Maku raised his right hand, letting his energy dance between his fingers, "is just energy moving from me into whatever I touch, and that energy takes things apart. Sometimes they crumble, and other times...other times, they explode."
"Now, what I know of Shard, the demon, starts a few days ago, when I was attacked and hurt my arm in the first place. Drixel and I ran into each other in the woods, and he was in a sorry state. He attacked me, and he shot me in the shoulder with a black crystal, the same as what Shard used."
"See, sir, Shard didn't just control those crystals. He was the crystals. A long time ago, a man named Baalaose set himself up as a god among men. When he died, he was sent to Hell to be punished for it. Now, I'm not sure when, but sometime between his rule and his punishment, a black crystal was bonded with his heart. That crystal took a part of his evil and grew a mind of its own. That crystal was Shard.
Now, about a month ago, Baalaose waged a war on Etrah. I don't know how or when he got out of Hell. He lost that war, but the crystals had spread thanks to him. At some point, Drixel must have grabbed one of those crystals. When that crystal cut me, a part of Shard, a piece of his mind, interacted with me, and my ability. The result was a part of my mind being cut off from the rest, but with greater control over what I can do than I've ever had. I passed out before Capt. Apek ever loaded me into that APC, sir. Anything I did after that, was that part of me."
"When Shard attacked Thoncir, that other person took over. He decided that my survival was more important than his, and used my body to fight Shard. When Shard was killed, the bit of his mind that had bonded with my powers died with him. Everything that other person knew, about Shard, and about my powers, just stayed in my head."
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Post by drixel on Nov 3, 2009 15:50:35 GMT -6
Drixel's face recoiled from the slap, as he held his hand over his cheek he watched the nurse storm out of the room "wow what a bitch." he said. "last time i give someone a compliment. " Drixel looked for the button so he could call in a doctor so he could leave this place.
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Darzul
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Post by Darzul on Nov 4, 2009 2:53:32 GMT -6
Darzul's eyes went wide at the display of Maku's powers. "Amazing," he said. He then continued to listen to the tale of Baalaose and Shard's creation, as well as the implanting of Maku's darker side.
"So you're certainly no stranger to unique individuals," Darzul said. "I'll be totally honest with you, private. You're not the only powered being I've recruited in my army." He then heard Apek open the door, and turned to look at him. "Onnie, could you go talk to the angel for a second?"
Onnie nodded, a puzzled look on his face. "Okay, Darzul," he said as he walked back out the door.
Darzul then turned back to Maku, and grabbed a scalpel off of the table. He held his hand in the air, and thrust the blade through his palm. Blood began to pour from the wound, and Darzul removed the blade from his hand and watched the wound pull itself closed in a matter of seconds.
"Several uniques are already enlisted," he said. "I like to know which soldiers are uniques, even if they'd rather keep it quiet on base." He set the scalpel down, and picked up a cloth to wipe the blood from his foream. "Along those lines, Onnie had an unconfirmed report of the angel changing form in some way. Do you know if he's capable of that?"
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Maku
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Post by Maku on Nov 4, 2009 3:23:31 GMT -6
Maku's eyes widened in alarm as Darzul cut his hand open and started bleeding down his arm. However, before he could finish reacting to the seemingly self-destructive act, the wound was closed, and Darzul was wiping blood off of himself as calmly as if it was a regular occurrence. He was still recovering from the sight when Darzul asked him about Drixel, and shook himself out of the wide-eyed stare he'd been giving the General.
"You mean Drixel? I'm not 100% sure what his deal is, to be honest, but form-changing describes what I've seen pretty well. You'd have to ask him for specifics, but from what I've seen, he can either absorb or mimic the properties and appearance of whatever he touches. Not sure how far that goes, or if there's anything else, but it explains the form-changing Captain Apek heard about."
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Darzul
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Post by Darzul on Nov 4, 2009 3:46:11 GMT -6
Darzul nodded. "Okay, thank you, private," Darzul said. "I'll go check on him now, Apek should be in here in a second."
Darzul then left the room, and a moment later Apek came in.
"Hey, private," he said, holding a velvet box. He held it up. "My idea. Drixel's getting one, too."
"Maku Riskan, for risking life and limb in defense of the city and people of Thoncir, beyond concern for personal risk and safety, the Vorcan Army hereby confers upon you the Medal of Selfless Defense."
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Post by drixel on Nov 4, 2009 22:10:21 GMT -6
Drixel lied there in his bed board out of his mind. a nurse had came in only to bring him some lunch. Drixel lifted the lid and saw that it was meatloaf. "looks like i picked the best time to come in" he joked, picking up the fork and taking a bite out of the meatloaf. "blaa, tastes like crap, but its food." he said to him self.
after he took a few more bites, he took the fork and wondered if his strength had returned. drixel closed his eyes for a few seconds focusing on the fork, seeing its make up and tried to change it. the fork twisted and warped into a small metal figure of himself. Drixel smiled as he waited for someone to come in.
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Maku
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Post by Maku on Nov 5, 2009 1:56:46 GMT -6
Maku blushed slightly as Captain Apek began his speech, finding himself somehow embarrassed by the acknowledgement. While the other part of his mind, the part that had called itself Akuma, had certainly acted selflessy, Maku himself was simply trying to figure out why his shoulder hurt so badly and put a stop to it.
As the Captain finished speaking, Maku carefully accepted the box, opening the lid to peer at the medal inside. A golden sunburst served as the background for the basic design, which depicted a shield with a checkered black-and-white patterned, positioned behind a gray silhouette.
Maku glanced back at Captain Apek, a small smile on his face. "I'm honored, Captain. Drixel will be too, I'm sure."
Maku's smile faded after a moment, however, and he began to bite his lip again. "Did you get any word about Sergeant Remta, sir?"
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