Griswald Altair's Story

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Griswald stood in his room, hands pressed firmly to his chest as if a corpse about to be mummified, his gaze set straight ahead, piercing the wall. "Focus..." he stood there for a few moments more perfectly still, before he pressed forward slightly with his shoulders, and began to fall.

Hands still pinned, he accelerated quickly toward the floor, a cool breeze mustering in his wake. Suddenly, as he willed it so, he felt a force tugging on him, he felt it first in his head, rippling down his spine until it shot down his legs. His face was now a mere inch from the floor, his knuckles grazing the ground, but he lay there, suspended in midair, though it would appear he were laying face flat on the ground. "Good...now, higher." Focusing his concentration, the floor began getting further and further away as the lighter gravity around his body caressed him upward, a gentle force pushing him slowly to the ceiling. Before he made it all the way, he leaned back to press his feet against the ceiling, appearing now to be standing upside down.

He couldn't help but smirk as he scanned the room from his new point of view. He took a couple of steps forward, making sure he could accommodate the distance. Suddenly his bedroom door opened, a nurse now in it's frame, looking at his bed with a certain surprise before she noticed him on the ceiling. "Uh, care to join me?" He offered a stupid grin which was met only with a stern gaze. "That'll be enough for now, thank you. You've got plenty of time for that in your tests. Now come."

Shifting the flow of gravity back to its normal state, he dropped to the floor, landing precariously right side up. His stupid grin had been replaced with a blank gaze, it didn't bother him that she didn't have a sense of humor, but that she had ordered him like a dog. Now come, like he was going to put up a fight in the first place. As he made his way by her, he shouldered by, not bothering to let her guide him along the way, he knew where he had to be. "Y'know, you should be glad I practice, never know. I could lose control one day and the last thing that would go through your mind is your ass." He waved a hand dismissively over his head as she was left to contemplate his words. Her gaze piercing into his back as he wheeled the corner. "Now to see if Dashure's awake. They can wait a little longer."

In the common room of the laboratory, curled up upon a grey beanbag, was a girl with a book dangling precariously from a limp hand. Light blue hair covered the fair girl's face and shoulders as she slept blissfully, and though her cheeks were damp her expression was peaceful. However as the book finally slipped from her hand and fell onto the ground with a soft thud, the bluenette's gentle slumber came to an end as she stirred at the noise, eyelids fluttering open to reveal deep blue eyes like the ocean. Pushing herself up with her hands, the girl's face was partially hidden by her light blue locks again as she wiped her eyes sleepily before reaching her arms up in the air to stretch and giving a big yawn. Really, it was a adorable - like a puppy waking from a nap.

Raelyn brushing her light blue bangs out of her eyes she looked around, blinked a few times as tears sprung to her eyes (which she wiped away out of habit). 'Huh, I must've fallen asleep on one of the beanbags in the common room,' she thought, her eyes coming to rest upon the book on the floor beside her and she bent down to pick it up, tenderly re-reading the cover as she closed the book. 'That's right, I was reading as I waited for Dashure to finish his testing.' she recalled, walking to the shelf and putting it back where it'd come from, and slowly a whimsical smile grew upon her face - an expression so natural and fitting it almost looked (and felt) strange when it wasn't there.

With another yawn she wiped her eyes again and turned towards the doorway, tugging at her simple white dress to unwrinkled it. This wasn't actually a dress but in fact it was her "testing uniform" as the doctors said, but it made her feel pretty and she liked the way it billowed whenever she ran, so she more it far more often than any of the others wore theirs. She did not fully understand why the others were so opposed to the doctors and their experiments. She didn't like the needles and testing and everything of course, but it was all she'd ever known. It was normal, expected, and they'd never been outright cruel to her before so she had no ill will against any of the staff. If anything they were kinda like family; always there, taking care of herself and the others.

It was possible that, if Raelyn saw her own file, she'd feel differently after them. "She is so sweet and eager to please, like an innocent little child; an excellent candidate for the program," - was a note written in regards to her - "it will be all too easy to get her to follow through with plans. However at this point it is only a matter of time." Raelyn, however, did not know of these plans and smiled at the guard - Mr. Joe Frederick - as she skipped out the common room door, who gave a slight nod and smile to her in return. She did have an effect on people that simply made them smile - it was one of her most defining characteristics, and if someone only knew one thing about her it was her friendly, loving aptitude she held towards everyone. Skipping down the hall she saw two familiar figures passing each other and her smile grew.

"Good morning Vance! Good morning Kano!" she chimed happily, wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging affectionately before letting go and doing the same for Kano, "Kano, you're all wet! Did you just get to go swimming?" Raelyn said with a giggle as she let go, beaming up at him before something seemed to occur to her. "Oh no, does that mean that the pool is closed? Darn! I accidentally feel asleep in the common room and missed swim-time." she said with a giggle, then suddenly another thing seemed to occur to her, significantly more alarming than her previous revelation as she glance up at a wall clock and paled a little bit. "Oh no!" she said with a horrified gasp, her hands having found their way to her mouth, "That means that if I don't hurry I'll be late to meeting Dashure!" Quickly wiping away the tears that'd run down her cheeks (a feature almost as well known about her as her smile) she turned to Vance and Kano and smiled at them both. "Sorry, but I've got to go! Bye Vance! Bye-Bye Kano!" she said cheerfully turning over her shoulder and taking off down the corridor, giving a frantic wave behind her as the faint padding of footsteps faded away.

Within a minute or two Raelyn had reached Dashure's door, pausing a moment before knocking their secret knock. "Daaaaaaaashuuuuuuuuure!" she sang happily, reaching for the handle when suddenly something smacked right into her and Raelyn flew a few feet, landing on her butt with an undignified "Oof" sound. Shaking her head a moment to get her bearings again, Raelyn looked up to find none other than- "Griswald!" she exclaimed happily, jumping up and wrapping Dashure's younger brother in a bear hug with a giggle. "Hi there! Have you come to see Dashure too?"

Dashure was a bit more tired than usual today. He blamed it on the scientists trying to push him too hard. He didn't mind the experiments when they related to his powers and exceeding limitations since he got to learn more about his abilities and move past previous expectations. It came with a cost however. He didn't have the stamina of the other alloys though he had worked on building it. He and Kei often practiced together after all. He had improved remarkably but once he had reached the end of his built up stamina, he began to fade just as he had that morning. The scientists had been asking him to build up a tornado in the special wind room and he had gotten up the speed of the wind to 45 mph but when asked to maintain it, he had been able to hold it for maybe 4 minutes before his body had started to shake. He had tried to keep it up but a sharp pain had spiked through him, dropping him to his knees in a shaking heap. Blood had started to drip down from his nose, a migraine that he was sure would split his head, following it. The researchers had quickly brought him back to his room to let him rest with a portable heart monitor to check on him, just in case.

Dashure lay in his bed, sightless eyes closed. He had managed to sleep for about an hour before he woke but he still didn't want to get up. His whole body felt bruised as if he had been run over by a big-rig truck. Moving sent pain through him so he found it better to just lay still. It made him a bit sad. It meant that he couldn't get up and hang around the others too much today. He would be confined to his bedroom based on his fatigue. He had wanted to see how Kei was doing but he didn't think that was an option today unless Kei visited but he didn't think Kei would. He sighed softly to himself and very slowly rolled onto his right side to face the door. All throughout the movement he groaned and curled up. He buried his face in the pillow and willed himself to go back to sleep where there was no more pain.

That didn't last for much longer however. He heard Raelyn's secret knock and he smiled lightly. She had come by after all. He had wondered if she was detained somewhere since she wasn't on time today. She heard a thump and then Raelyn talking. He opened his eyes and stared blankly in the direction of the door. Oh, Griswald was here to see him to. That made him feel a little better. He did like seeing the two of them even if sometimes he was quite sour with them. He loved them both dearly. He closed his eyes again and listened for a moment.

"Raelyn, you're late," he called out though he wasn't actually angry with her. He just liked to tease her when she wasn't on time. "I hear you both out there. Are you going to come in and say hi or just admirer my door all day? I am a very busy person after all. I am going to be laying her all day."

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"Now is the perfect time for me to voice my opinions," Kokurai growled. "I will not let you do to them what you did to me, you sadistic fuck." Kokurai would probably do well to curb his tongue but he couldn't help himself. He was in frantic papa-bear mode and he didn't have much of a filter beforehand anyway. His hand turned into fists and he glanced at his children. They didn't look harmed just yet. That was good. That meant that maybe he could actually save them from this. If he got Dr. Tadoshi mad enough, he would be exhausted and perhaps post-pone the testing to deal with him instead. One could only hope. He knew that Tadoshi wasn't often flustered by his antics but maybe he could find a way to bargain with him. Dr. Tadoshi knew that Kokurai never gave anything up for free so maybe that was his key.

Kokurai started to gather up his energy then, a pale blue glow rising around his body and electrified the air but he didn't unleash it. He couldn't exactly help the surge of energy since it was reacting to his emotions. He knew the doctor could press that little switch and all three of them and any other alloy in the near vicinity would drop to the ground. If he didn't take up an aggressive stance, maybe he could prevent the doctor from pressing that evil button. "All of this is about limits right? That's why you want to test them? I'll submit to it. If you don't test their limitations and fears, I will submit to your damn tests. Every single one of them. I will give you the answers you want and comply like a good little dog. As soon as you turn your attentions to them and try and test their limits, the deal is off and I'll come after your ass. Deal?" he asked quickly.

Dr. Tadoshi always had tried to do tests on him but Kokurai fought him so much that he never had the chance to truly test him. If Kokurai now submitted, there wouldn't be a need to test Hiro or Suki. Especially Suki considering she was just another photo alloy like himself. What more could Dr. Tadoshi get from her that he couldn't get from Kokurai? It seemed like a perfect deal for the bastard. Dr. Tadoshi would still get his answers and Kokurai... Kokurai would be able to keep his children safer for just a bit longer. He wanted their lives to be as stress-less and harmless as possible.

As he wheeled quickly around the corner to Dashure's room, he collided with something soft yet solid, giving him quite the bump on the nose.

After a moment of wincing and clutching his nose, he looked down and saw Raelyn. Immediately the rest of his face flushed red. How could he have been so careless? Reaching down he quickly caressed her arm with his hand, offering her assistance to her feet, though she practically sprang up as if she were made of rubber, gripping him into a tight hug.

He held her close for a moment, savoring the smell of something that wasn't the sheets of his bed or the stale, stagnant aroma that wafted throughout the lab. "Sorry I ran into you like that, it was a mistake, honest." Pulling away, but still keeping his hands lightly at her arms, he smiled. "Yes, I'm here for Dashure, but I guess seeing you can be the added bonus." Offering a silly grin, he turned his attention toward the door, as his brother called out to them.

Making his way in, he saw his brother, still in bed. "As busy as you are, I'm honestly surprised you find the time for us sorry folk." He teased, taking a knee at the bedside, resting his hand by his brother's side. "How are you feeling today, Dash? Honest." His brother's physical condition often worried him, especially with how often they were testing him as of late, and he wanted to make sure he were around in case he needed anything.

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Before Kinjuro had a chance to continue his conversation with Kimiko, the nurse informed the two of them that instead of her, the head doctor required him for some kind of testing. Immediately his heart sank to the pit of his stomach, and he was hardly able to stay stable as he prodded his walking stick out in front of him, making his way along with the others toward the testing room. Instinctively, he gripped for Kimiko's hand as they walked.

He walked in silence for the most part, not wanting to ask what type of testing they were going to be doing today. "This is it...I can smell the fear in the air...they are bringing us to Tadoshi...he will ask us to kill....." Momentarily overcome by doubt, his mind flashed with the dark, tempting rage that boiled beneath his service, gripping Kimiko's hand tighter for a moment, his breath still. He could smell it...

The walking stick tapped several times in front of the door when they had arrived. Judging by the fact that Kimiko and the nurse remained still, they had reached their destination. He tried to maintain his composure, until he heard the nurse open the door with a loud clack!

Suddenly, his ears began to pound, it all that could be heard was a ringing in his ears. He could smell the doctor, and an unfamiliar scent that sent an odd chill down the back of his neck. The ringing continued, until slowly the garbled mess of Kimiko's voice began to make sense. He heard her say she should signal him in the way they knew should things become unsafe.

"Miss Kimiko...everything will be alright. I'm not afraid." He offered a smile that he hoped was reassuring to her before slowly letting go of her hand, reaching forth with his walking stick as he made his way into the room.

Instantly the door was shut behind him. He winced, pausing for a moment where he was. The unfamiliar scent was just to his right, and he could hear breathing. Tadoshi however, was on the other side of the room. Without a word, he made for where the doctor was seated. "You...wanted to see me, Dr. Tadoshi. Please, how can I help?"

Should his eyes have been capable of displaying any sort of emotion, it would have been noticeable that once childlike glimmer had been replace with a blank, cold stare.

Ah Griswald, the ever loving younger brother. It was Dashure's role to be the protective older sibling. That unfortunately wasn't the case as Griswald sat beside him. Dashure was the one lying sick in bed and needing protective measures. Griswald was healthy, as far as most could tell, without many of the side effects that came with the bit of Aero blood in his veins. Dashure was happy he didn't have his problems but he still wished he could be strong. He wanted to protect his younger brother and be strong for him until he finally croaked. Dashure shook his head to try and clear his thoughts.

"I am fine. Just sore really. I pushed myself too hard earlier," he explained. "I just need to rest a bit. I'll probably be stuck in bed for today. Now is the only time I sort of wish I had a wheel chair," he answered, a melancholy grin touching his lips. "That way you two can move me around everywhere and I wouldn't have to do a thing."

Dashure reached out slowly to touch Griswald's hand reached for Raeyn's as well. He could hear them and feel where they were in the room but physically touching them kind of helped him truly center himself. Having a physical connection often helped him get the sense that he was truly interacting with someone else. He was an active member of the scene, not a shadow that just looms. It was a nice feeling. He closed his sightless eyes and just listened to their breathing and heartbeats.

"It is okay Raelyn. I actually was asleep earlier anyway so it worked out. I am glad you are both here now."

Dashure slowly moved until he was sitting up against the bed board and stifled the groan that tried to slip passed his lips. He did not want to worry his brother or Raelyn. "So what are your plans for today? I heard the scientists talking about some new experiments today that they were going to try. I don't think we are on that list today so we should have the rest of the day free unless one of you has a test scheduled for later. I think going to the gardens or the library would be nice," he answered. "If you find an interesting book there, could you read it to me? They have very little the way of interesting books in brail. Oh, maybe Kokurai and Kei are in the library to. We can always ask them about the new experiments to.

Clenching his jaw, he gently caressed his brother's arm. "I really wish they wouldn't make you push yourself like that. It's not like we're going anywhere, what's the rush?" His thoughts drifted for a moment as his brother mentioned wishing he had a wheelchair.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. Recently, Raelyn had spent some of her time trying to help him come up with different ways to utilize his abilities apart from battle prowess, and this gave him an idea. A desk chair in the corner of the room caught his eye. With a flick of his wrist, the chair wobbled for a moment before springing a few inches from the ground, hovering precariously in midair.

With a come hither motion, the chair slipped forward, remaining in the air, but getting closer to the bed. "Well, it's not a fancy wheelchair, but we've made due with less, eh Dash?"

Raising his knee, he placed his foot on the seat of the chair and pressed down, trying to make it touch the floor. He felt his ability sap at his strength to keep the chair where it was, and to his surprise it was rather easy. Satisfied, he turned back to Dashure.

"Come on, I won't take no for an answer. We're getting you out of this room today. We can go to the library until it warms up outside, I don't need you getting sick."

He knelt once again by his brother's bed, holding both hands slightly outward, feeling forward with his ability until it draped over his brother's frame. Gently, as if being raised by an invisible wire, Dashure began to rise from bed, he would be able to feel the comforting support of Griswald's ability, caressing his being gently as not to cause him any unnecessary discomfort. He hated that his brother was in pain, and would do anything he could to prevent more.

Resting him down upon the chair, his feet dangling slightly above the floor so they weren't dragging along, he propped one of his bed pillows behind his back for extra comfort.

He spared a glance at Raelyn, offering a slight smile. "Not bad, huh?"

Wheel chair? Dashure heard his brother doing something but he couldn't quite tell what he was doing. He extended his energy lightly to try and 'see' what was happening and he did feel the chair moving closer. Before he could do or say anything, Griswald enveloped him with his gravity power. Dashure gasped and his hands immediately extended outward to try and catch himself. It was always so unnerving when Griswald did that since Dashure couldn't see what was going on. He did not like feeling anything around him. It made him feel 'lost' and out of touch with the world. Thankfully, it did not last long before his brother sat him down in the floating chair. Dashure clung to the bottom of the seat like a cat tossed into the backseat of a car. If he had fur, he'd be bristling.

The chair wobbled a little in he air but Griswald had control of it. He was sure that his brother would not drop him so he tried to force himself to relax. He leaned back in the chair with a groan. All of that tensing and flailing reminded him of how sore he really was. He closed his eyes and forced a small smile for Griswald's benefit."Thanks, Griswald. This does work." He wondered how long his brother was going to be able to keep this up. Once again a pang of jealousy touched him. Griswald had a lot of stamina, as was evident with this trick, and Dashure wished he had some of that endurance as well. If he tried to keep this up, he'd fall over panting. Ah well. There was nothing he could do about that.

Before the three of them could depart the room, there was a knock at the door. Dashure tilted his head to the side. One of the researchers was there. What did she want with him? He had already completed his tasks for the morning. The woman entered the room and looked over the three of them. She arched an eyebrow when she saw Dashure floating with a chair. "Griswald, be careful not to drop Dashure. You know how fragile your brother is."

Dashure's eye twitched at the comment. "I am blind, not deaf," he grumbled. "I am not going to break. What do you want?"

"Manners, Dashure. I was actually looking for Raelyn. I could not find her elsewhere so I assumed she was with you."

Raelyn looked up surprised at being called. "Come along dear, we have to conduct some of your base line tests this morning." Raelyn gave a nod before looking at her two friends and wiped away the pooling tears on her face and beamed at them. She gave a wave then. "Well I guess I have to go for now. I will see you both later!" She then hurried out of the room with the researcher.

Dashure sighed softly. "I guess it is just the two of us then. The library it is then. Is there a book you are looking for?" he asked his brother then.

"No problem, Dash. No reason for you to be locked away in a room all day. I'm happy to help."

The three of them did not make it very far outside of the room before they encountered a nurse. Instantly a surge of discomfort coursed through him, momentarily risking his brother's makeshift chair faltering from its perch, but it remained steady. It was always uncomfortable to be around the staff, whenever they were around it was always safe to assume someone was about to be summoned for testing. Though it was safe where it was, Griswald instinctively gripped the back of Dashure's chair, hoping to comfort him with a physical contact he knew Dashure would be aware of, preparing to openly oppose the nurse should any of the doctors gone back on Dashure not having exams today.


"Griswald, be careful not to drop Dashure. You know how fragile your brother is."

Even as Dashure responded, a remark about him not being deaf, Griswald could feel his small discomfort rising to a feeling of unfiltered rage. This was the second time today that a nurse had gone out of their way to comment on the use of his ability. They say you aren't supposed to use your ability without previous authorization, but his harmless ventures had thus far gone tolerated. Then for this one to assume that he would in any way risk harming his brother, as if he would even attempt a task he wasn't certain of.

In that moment, his pulse quickened, and a thumping sound filled his ears, drowning out the rest of the conversation consisting of Raelyn's summons and Dashure inquiring about the library as the nurse and Raelyn turned to leave. A desire to show this nurse up, to prove that there was zero risk, and that she was wrong to have even said such a comment, that it was an obvious put down of Dashure's limited stamina.

Before he could act, the force seeped out of him. From where they were standing in the center of the hall, there were approximately twelve light fixtures dangling from small chain links that swung from the ceiling down the massive hallway. All at once, they moved upward, a clinking noise emanating from the ceiling as the fixtures collided lightly against the wall. In the same moment, the clothes of three of the four people in the hallway ruffled loosely, as if an unseen force were trying to carefully undress them. Dashure however, would have felt nothing, his small area effected by a completely different field of manipulation.

The nurse wheeled around in her spot, a look of anger and panic plastered across her face. Before she had a chance to speak, the force was alleviated, the fixtures swinging loosely back into place, the light in the hall bobbing to and fro, the clothes flattening back to their original post. "You don't have to treat us like kids. Your methods in this place assure each one of us grows up pretty quickly. I don't need lectures on caution, I wouldn't hurt anybody."

The nurse scowled at him for a moment, the blood rushing to her face, brightening it a deep red. She opened her mouth to speak, but instead gripped Raelyn by the arm, spinning around and shuffling away, a furious scuffing noise in her wake as she wheeled around the corner.

Letting loose a sigh, he pushed forward with the hand that gripped his brother's chair, and it once more propelled forward down the hall, making their way to the library. Clearing his throat, he remembered his brother's earlier question. "Eh, I'll probably pick up some fiction if they have anything interesting. Last time I bothered to look they still only had three. Anything specific nipping at your curiosity?" He pinched softly at the nape of Dashure's neck as he said 'nipping', a playful attempt to lighten the mood. He didn't want anything to spoil today.

He couldn't help but think of what kind of tests they would be forcing on poor Raelyn that day as he pressed into the door to the library with his behind, clearing a space by holding the door open with his bulk while Dashure's chair hovered into the library. Taking his place back behind his brother, the door closed with an audible 'thunk', and he looked around the library, noticing the two other alloys who were also present. "There's others here Dash, Haruta and the Geo lady." He whispered, craning down behind his brother's head.

"Mmm. Not really." She leaned over to examine one of the lower shelves of a nearby bookcase. "They scheduled me for a test, but if they really want me they can come get me."

In all honesty Mora had expected to be "escorted" as soon as she reached the library, but it looked like most of the researchers had cleared out for the time being. She'd noticed a few near the back, but they weren't anyone to be worried about. She'd been here long enough to know which scientists were brave or sadistic enough to risk the whistle on the more fragile Aeros, and these certainly weren't in that category. It made her appreciative of Haruta's presence, even if his impending mortality made her a bit uncomfortable. She also marked the arrival of two other Alloys - another Aero, judging from the wheelchair, and another she recognized immediately as the program's resident wonder child, Griswald, the only gravity-based Alloy yet to be born. If Mora could get the chance to talk to him properly for once, this little field trip with Haruta would be even more fruitful than she'd expected.

She flicked her eyes away immediately after noticing the two, however. It wouldn't do to give the impression she were watching them. "So, any bets on how long before they get impatient?" she asked of Haruta, referring to her playing hooky from the tests she'd been scheduled for. She took a book off the shelf which appeared to be something about geology. Planet layers, formation of magma, macro stuff like that. "Ooo, maybe if I'm lucky I can draw out the big man himself. Wouldn't that be something."

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"Mmm. Not really. They scheduled me for a test, but if they really want me they can come get me. Mora spoke answering Kei's previous question. "So, any bets on how long before they get impatient?" she asked Haruta. "Ooo, maybe if I'm lucky I can draw out the big man himself. Wouldn't that be something." Kei listened quietly to her while he used his power to make a few books float over in his direction, still facing Mora while doing so. After grabbing them he inspected them to see if they could be a worthwhile read. But unfortunately, the books that he got his hands on didn't seem that promising. "Knowing the scientists, it really isn't going to take them that long anymore before they are going to demand you come along I guess." Kei spoke softly, possibly making a slightly sad facial expression while speaking. "We all share the miserable life of a lowly guinea pig in their eyes." He muttered under his breath. "I'm sorry, I'm just talking to myself." He corrected himself, speaking a bit more cheerful while he grabbed another book, just to be disappointed again. "I hope your test won't be too painful."

Only a moment later the door to the library opened before it closed again with an audible 'thunk'. Kei didn't bother looking to see who was there. He was after all still trying to look for a good book without losing focus in his conversation with Mora. So he decided to ignore the people who had just entered. Well, that was until he felt a familiar breeze filled the room. "Dashure" Kei thought while he fixed his gaze at the door. Unsurprisingly it was indeed Dashure who had just entered the room. He wasn't alone, however. He was with Griswald, a man Kei only slightly knew as the brother of Dashure. He didn't pay much attention to Griswald, though. Kei was just taken aback to see Dashure in the state he was. He was sitting in an improvised wheelchair and this bothered Kei a bit. Was Dashure also at this horrible point already? He considered asking something about it but quickly decided not to. If he wanted to talk about it, he would probably address the topic himself. And just as if nothing was wrong, Dashure waved at Kei.

"Good to hear you breathing," Dashure said directed at Kei followed by a greeting towards Mora "And hello to you." Kei chuckled. "I'm glad to hear you're still around too Dashure." Kei really meant that. Kei was painfully aware of the dangers Aeros had to cope with and considering that Dashure, just like Kei himself, wasn't that young for an Aero anymore, it wouldn't be that surprising for one of them to drop any moment now. Kei just wished that Dashure wouldn't die before him, though. Maybe it was a bit selfish of Kei but he really didn't want to see another friend of him die before he did and if there would ever arrive a situation where he had to give up his life to save his friend, he would undoubtfully do so without any hesitation. Kei's time was, after all, long past its original end. And while he still finds enjoyment in life, not wanting to give it up for some silly reason, he also feels a bit bad because he was able to survive much longer than other Aeros up to now could.

"So are you also out here to pick up another book?" He asked Dashure, still inspecting book by book while speaking to his friend before suddenly coming to a halt. He fixed his gaze at Dashure again. "Or are you here to pick a fight with me?" Kei's tone changed into a serious, maybe even a chilling one. Honestly, it was just a harmless joke considering the physical states they were both in, and while he was sure Dashure knew this was just a joke, Kei's statement must surely have surprised both Mora and Griswald.

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"I am pleased to meet you. As you can see there is a great deal of work we have to do. I hope you are prepared to work." Dr. Tadoshi said which made Takami nod. "You won't have to worry about that." He calmly spoke. "I do have a burning passion for science after all. Just tell me when you need something done." He walked a bit closer to the window. Observing the Alloys who previously were desperately trying to help what seemed to be a slightly older man, presumably another Alloy, before this slightly older man was taken away by the medical team together with a really young boy. "They must have a special bond." Takami thought. It was interesting to see how they tried everything in their power to save this older man, and while it might have helped, it still wasn't enough to truly save his life. Takami didn't doubt that without them the man would have probably been off far worse, but he still realised that a few electric jolts wouldn't be enough to truly save his life. He wondered if those Alloys also realised that. Filling them with despair knowing that they still had to rely on the scientists they hated so much to keep their loved ones alive. It was quite ironic considering that the scientists were both the reason for their injuries in the first place, but also the reason they were alive at all. Even though it might seem to be a bit immoral to some, the Alloys who are currently alive could thank their lives to this program. It surely was a complicated case, but Takami concluded that this breeding program was a far better thing than it got credit for.

It didn't take long for one of the doctors returned to give a brief report to Dr. Tadoshi. "Dr. Tadoshi, I have some news about Kokurai. This seemed to be the name of the slightly older man. It seems that the blast he produced or maybe a side effect from Kinjuro's attack has left him in a catatonic state. I am having a CT performed right now to see if there is any bleeding or damage in the brain that could explain the state. This was an interesting development. "A catatonic state, huh. This must surely have been quite the battle." Takami thought as the doctor continued. With your signature, I'd also like to perform an EEG to check his current potential. I won't be testing for responses since he obviously won't be performing any but I would be interested to see what is going on electrically at this point." The doctor waited for Dr. Tadoshi's response. Takami was quite sure that Dr. Tadoshi was going to accept and this turn of events surely intrigued Takami. "This job just keeps getting more interesting." Takami thought as he stared at Dr.Tadoshi also waiting for his response.

---

Though it was certainly unexpected, Griswald couldn't help but burst into laughter when Haruta suggested Dashure might be here to pick a fight. Surely he was joking, so hopefully he wouldn't be offended by his laughter. Composing himself, he cleared his throat before falling silent a brief moment. "So, you're scrappin' now Dashy? No wonder you can hardly get out of bed." This time he refrained from making any physical contact, less he accidentally hurt his brother again. Instead he offered Haruta a slight smile. "Well don't be shy, Dash." He commented teasingly. Suddenly, he gently pushed the chair forward, loosening his grip and letting it meander to a spot by both Haruta and the bookshelf. With a motion of his hand, the gravity slunk back into the air around his chair, gingerly drifting him to the ground.

As he made his own way to the bookshelf, he couldn't help but try and place a name to the face of the woman in the room. She wasn't a staff member, that much was certain. He vaguely recalled overhearing a story about a Geo Alloy woman, and she would seem to fit the description. She was healthy looking, something Geo alloys were known for. He caught himself staring, and immediately he flushed red. He had to say something now. "Uh..sorry, er..I was just thinking of whether or not I'd seen you around before. Sorry for staring. I'm uhh...Griswald, Dashure's younger brother." At the end, his voice cracked fiercely, adding a sharp pitch to his tone. He clenched his jaw as he went an even deeper shade of red, wheeling around and marching to the bookshelf. "What in the hell was that?!? She didn't even say anything to you, what in the actual hell is your problem?!?" He scolded himself silently as he pretended to be interested in the books on the shelf, acting as if he were pondering which title to read.

---

---

Darkness encompassed him. He knew not where he was, or how long he had been trapped in this state. He felt restrained, but upon attempting to move, he realized he wasn't in control of his motor skills. Coming to the conclusion that he must be unconscious, which would also attest to the darkness. A garbled noise emanated into the void where he currently existed, slowly becoming more and more audible, until it was revealed to be the concerned voices of multiple nurses and doctors. "..don't know whether or not he's going to walk again. We're doing what we can." That couldn't be good. He struggled to make more sense out of the noise. "..explosion left his spine jarred and slightly dislocated. Even if surgery goes well there is no telling how long until he is back on his feet." More bad news, but what explosion were they talking about? Had something happened in the facility? Straining his memory, he came up with nothing. That was until he heard another voice, someone he recognized as not a member of the staff, but another alloy. "...I will do better Kinjuro, I swear."

Kimiko? What could she have meant by that? Suddenly he remembered being summoned to see Dr. Tadoshi, the Photo Alloy, among others, being corralled into the room before the Dr., and Kimiko, hugging him tightly just before he blacked out. This filled him with a great despair, since there was no other conclusion but the Dr. had summoned forth his power, and whatever ensued beyond that is what resulted in his current state. He couldn't help but wonder what became of the Photo Alloy and the others if he was in this bad of shape. The only thing he could do now is wait, wait for the doctors to attempt to save his life, though at this point he wasn't sure whether or not he was deserving of such rescue.

---

---

Nazuro couldn't help but feel happy on this day. He was free to do as he pleased, most of his tests throughout the week had gone exceedingly more positive than the staff had initially expected, so that meant they were able to give him a little more slack. He had already spent a good part of his morning doing laps in the pool, the most relaxing way to start the day, in his opinion, and after he had showered and dressed for a more social situation, he made his way for the library. As he rounded a corner, however, there were several nurses rushing a young boy on a stretcher. The boy didn't appear to be in critical condition, but the way they moved suggested otherwise. A young girl with jet black locks was in tow, a look of concern upon her face. This tugged at Nazuro in a way that made a small lump form in his throat.

He watched as the nurses wheeled the boy behind a set of double doors, leaving the girl alone in the otherwise empty corridor. She stood there, still as a statue. "The doctors are very skilled, dear. I am certain whatever ails that boy will be remedied. Though the methods can seem a bit less than adequate, they are all capable medical professionals." He hoped that his words would be comforting, but not knowing who this girl was, there was a chance she could be antisocial, and chances are she wouldn't respond to his reaching out.

"Regardless, I wish him a quick recovery." Having said that, he turned back the way he was headed, down the long hallway that lead to the library, making a mental note to occasionally pester the nurses on the boy's condition. Perhaps he'd see the girl again as well.

She'd read a book once that said God was good, but this was the first time she'd seen it in action. Mora looked at him out the corner of her eye, placing the book she'd been pulling out back in its place. If she didn't know any better, she'd think he was intimidated.

"Mora," she called after him. "That's the name you're looking for." She moved close enough to speak normally, but kept enough distance that no one looking on would think she were speaking to him. She pulled out a book at random and pretended to read it. "You should be careful, the scientists might not appreciate their little gravo talking to such a troublesome element."

She placed the book back and took out a different one. "Not that I'm dangerous, of course," she added as an afterthought. It wouldn't do to push the kid away; Mora needed him to take an interest on his own. Her eyes flicked briefly across the library to where the two aeros were chatting. So the other was Dashure, huh. She didn't know much about him, but it was clear he was on the older side. Maybe she'd try talking to him later, if she were still out of her room.

She looked to the door next. The scientists were no doubt getting impatient; she wondered if they'd sent someone to look for her yet. Maybe hiding wasn't such a good idea, if it dragged these other three into it; and if she pissed the scientists off enough, they might reduce her "socialization period," which was already short enough. Maybe... Maybe it would be better to postpone talking to the gravity kid. He probably wouldn't appreciate if I got his brother... Damn it.

"Hey kid. You know that hall on the west side where all the doors are really heavy and have bars on them?" she chose her words carefully, drumming her fingers on the spines of the books, counting down the seconds as she spoke. "Might be fun to check out the one at the end later, don't you think?"

Takami looked at Dr. Tadoshi, forming a smirk hearing the next thing he said. "Absolutely. You have my full permission to perform any tests you deem necessary to assess the extent of the damage done to Kokurai in the blast." just like Takami had expected Dr. Tadoshi accepted the proposal before dismissing the doctor. "Who knows what kind of intriguing mysteries this research could unravel." Takami thought shortly before Dr. Tadoshi turned his attention to him again. "Have you received a tour of the facilities yet?" he asked and while Takami did look around a bit on his own for a little while, he didn't exactly know the whole place yet. Much less the characteristics of the key Alloy inhabitants. "I have looked around on my own for a little while but I haven't gotten anything quite as official like a tour yet." Takami glanced at Dr. Tadoshi. "I would certainly be happy to learn a bit more about the facility, however." Takami answered while taking some papers and a pen to make additional notes when needed. He was quite sure there was going to be a lot of information to memorize on this little tour he would be attending, so taking notes surely couldn't hurt. Besides it was quite the honor to be guided on a tour by the head scientist. This certainly wouldn't be a job normally done by someone with that high of a position, yet Dr. Tadoshi was still willing to do so, which could mean a number of things. "If you don't mind I would also like to learn a bit more about the Alloys living here. While I did study up on the different kinds of Alloys, that doesn't exactly tell me much about the behavior of the ones living here. Which is why I would like to ask you to tell me a bit more about them. If that wouldn't be a bother to you of course." Takami interestedly said. Takami was delighted by the opportunity to learn more about the Alloys so he certainly wouldn't let a chance like this slip past him.

---

As soon as Griswald burst into laughter Kei brought his hand in front of his mouth in a futile attempt to hide his chuckle. "So, you're scrappin' now Dashy? No wonder you can hardly get out of bed." Griswald told his brother Dashure. "Yes, Griswald. I'm scrapping now," Dashure responded. To be honest, Kei missed the sparring he and Dashure used to do, hence the origin of this little joke he just pulled off. If only he was a little younger.

Suddenly Griswald made the chair Dashure was sitting on, move closer to Kei before it finally came to a standstill on the ground. Then Kei could feel a small gust of air against passing him. Undoubtedly the skill Dashure uses to locate people in his surroundings. this was confirmed by him staring directly at Kei's face, smiling while doing so. On moments like these, you could easily forget that Dashure was actually blind. Yet this was the fate of many other Aeros just like him. It was unfortunate how fragile they really were. Yet despite being so fragile, most Aeros Kei had known were actually really strong. May it be emotionally or just raw power, they always had something, something that made them able to move forward where others would have been forced to halt.

"Hi Kei," Dashure greeted Kei. "I did come here with the intention of seeking a book but the selection of books in brail are very limited. They are mostly children books and I have read them already. There is nothing else for me to read here." To say that the books written in brail were very limited was quite the understatement honestly. There were maybe only a handful of them and most of them weren't interesting at all. Kei felt a bit guilty because he suddenly felt glad for not being blind like his friend Dashure was. "What are you reading today? I thought you already read all the books here." Dashure finished speaking. "I was reading a book titled: A study on vacuums and the void." Kei answered his question. "And honestly, I also thought that I had read about everything in this library. But a few days ago I found this hidden gem buried beneath a few other books so I've been trying my luck at finding another unread book the past couple of days." Kei sighed. "But it seems like my luck has run dry. I haven't been able to find another one like this. If only the scientists would order a few new books for us every so often." Kei shrugged. There was nothing he could do about that. The scientists in this place had always taken their time when an Alloy requested something. It was just something you learned to live with.

"I'm not going to continue my search for that much longer. Maybe I'll head back to the common room after this, or maybe I'll futilely go and complain to one of the scientists to get us some more books yet again." Kei chuckled. "What are you planning to do after finding your book?" Kei asked as he put another book away.