linko
Youngling
It's dangerous to go alone; take this!
Posts: 57
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Post by linko on Aug 5, 2012 22:30:23 GMT -5
((winging it, please feel free to jump in))
Charm grunted in effort as he shouldered open the door of the clinic, supporting the weight of a nearly unconscious draik. The pair of them shuffled inside, Charm eying the citizen worriedly as he got him to an empty cot on the far side of the room.
The place was crowded with healers and the sick. A haze of smoke and in-scents clouded the air; the young peophin had to fight the urge to cough against the stench.
"Thank you, Charm," called a light blue Kyrii from across the room. She looked exhausted. The gown she wore was smudged with herbs, and her hair stuck to the sweat on her forehead. Just as the other healers, she had been fighting to keep the dozens of patients alive--a battle they were all too clearly losing.
Charm swallowed against the helplessness of it. He'd been doing what he could to help her, despite the risk that he might end up being one of the victims. "Do we have any answers, yet?" he called back, voice heavy.
She only shook her head.
Charm turned his head away, closing his eyes a moment as he tried to think. He suspected that this was no ordinary plague--someone, or something, was behind it. Without proof though, he wondered if he was merely scrambling for some hope that this could be stopped.
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Post by Eruanna's Menagerie on Aug 6, 2012 14:14:38 GMT -5
In hindsight, Aqueously acknowledged that she could have planned her vacation a bit better. She had not visited Neopia Central in many months--or had it even been several years?--so she was horrified to find the moment she stepped into town that now was not the time for a pleasant day or so spent in the main hub of Neopia.
Normally, the Kougra would have left almost immediately once she realized what the situation was. She didn't exactly feel like contracting a deadly disease this week. The first night she had come into town, however, Father Time had visited her. While such goings-on were not normally in his jurisdiction, Time was concerned about the plague. He said he felt a great power behind it, but with other Blesseds busy elsewhere, Aque was the only Immortal servant nearby.
He offered her protection from the plague if she agreed to look into it. Not that it was much of a question. Aque was bound to do as Father Time requested, whether she agreed or not. And so, here she was. Aque had a nasty feeling this contrived happenstance had something to do with Noumir, that damned fate Immortal.
So with more than a few bitter feelings, Aque set out the next day, hoping to have this done and over with soon.
Best place to start would be the the healers, I guess, the Kougra thought to herself. She leisurely made her way over to the hospital, a stark juxtaposition to the hectic and desperate atmosphere in Neopia Central, and the medical building especially.
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linko
Youngling
It's dangerous to go alone; take this!
Posts: 57
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Post by linko on Aug 6, 2012 17:57:08 GMT -5
"Charm, could you please get me some water?"
The wary peophin looked up slightly. It had been a few minutes since he'd brought in the sick draik; he'd been lost in thought.
Grace pointed briefly at an empty bucket sitting on one of the many tables, her eyes remaining fixed on the patient she was seeing to at that moment. Wordlessly, Charm went to retrieve the container and started for the door, secretly glad to have an excuse to get a few breaths of clean air.
His ears lay back for a moment, betraying the distress he felt at seeing so many sick. There had only been a couple of casualties so far, but he knew it was only a matter of time before the number grew out of control.
So lost in thought he was that he wasn't really paying attention as he opened the door and stepped out. He'd walked straight into the kougress before he'd even registered that she was there.
"Oh, I'm sorry," he was quick to apologize, reaching to help steady her. "I wasn't paying attention--are you all right?"
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Post by Eruanna's Menagerie on Aug 7, 2012 12:31:41 GMT -5
Don't worry about it, I'm fine, Aque grumbled, shaking off the Peophin quickly. She stepped back to look at him--an empty bucket in his hand, a desperate look in his eyes, which also were bone-tired. Healer or not, she could tell he was completely caught up in this plague. A good place to start, probably. Maybe better, actually, if he was just a civilian. She could get some of the rumors going around from the regular Neopians before hearing all the hypothetical jargon from the doctors.
Aque cleared her throat, talking quickly before the Peophin could hurry away on his mission. Excuse me. My name is Aqueously, and I'm investigating this breakout. Mind if I ask you a few questions while you run your errand? If he proved to be completely useless, she would just come back to the hospital.
As she spoke, her eyes were serious, but her tone almost uncaring. This was, for her, nothing more than a job that she wanted over with as soon as possible. She was a guardian of the skies, after all, not some detective or spy. Dealing with Neopians was so different from dealing with the heavenly bodies.
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linko
Youngling
It's dangerous to go alone; take this!
Posts: 57
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Post by linko on Aug 9, 2012 22:32:32 GMT -5
His ears quirked somewhat as he considered her question. It was odd, really; Most of those who were not sick and didn't have any ill loved ones wouldn't dare approach the hospital for fear of catching the illness themselves. Still, he was too tired and distracted to think on it very hard or long.
With a slight nod he continued on his way toward the well, though slower in order to allow for conversation. "I'll answer what I can," he replied softly. "I don't know how much help I'll be though--I only arrived a few days ago myself."
Unlike the healers, he carried a weapon across his back: a sword, held in a sheath that was strapped around his shoulder and waist. He also had very distinctive peophin features, when most land-roaming peophins were half-blooded at best.
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Post by Eruanna's Menagerie on Aug 10, 2012 19:01:30 GMT -5
Well, a few days is more than I know, Aqueously said fairly, shrugging. Before walking into step beside him, Aque got a good look at the weapon across his back--sweet Immortals, why did this Peophin have a sword? Aque raised her eyebrows, but quickly went back to her nonchalant gait as she caught up to him. As for Aque herself, her casual walk, graceful and unrushed, suited her appearance: tall, long-legged, with a healthy look to her figure. Someone who took care of her appearance more for her own sake than to impress others.
So, when did this plague start? Do you know? the Kougress began. Might as well start at the beginning. And maybe this Peophin would volunteer other details as well without her having to ask, which would be nice.
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linko
Youngling
It's dangerous to go alone; take this!
Posts: 57
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Post by linko on Aug 12, 2012 22:53:45 GMT -5
Charm shook his head somewhat, tired eyes focusing on the task at hand as he reached the well.
"The healers figure it started a few weeks ago, but it's hard to say for certain. By the time they found out what was happening, some of the first who'd gotten sick had already..." his voice trailed into silence, broken only by the quiet squeal of the crank as he reeled in a metal bucket from the darkness below.
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Post by Eruanna's Menagerie on Aug 15, 2012 20:26:55 GMT -5
Aqueously pursed her mouth. Well that hadn't been very helpful. She probably could have figured that out on her own. And this Peophin wasn't much of a talker yet. Then again, to be fair, he looked dead tired. (And Aque wasn't much of a talker herself, so she supposed it was unfair to assume everyone else was.) That's horrible, she said, somewhat unconvincingly. She quickly moved on to what really mattered. What happens to the victims of this disease? It must be something very strange if the healers can't treat it.
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linko
Youngling
It's dangerous to go alone; take this!
Posts: 57
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Post by linko on Aug 19, 2012 21:03:26 GMT -5
Charm eyed her a moment, again somewhat thrown off by the lack of feeling behind her tone of voice. He frowned faintly, staying quiet while he hauled the full bucket over the edge of the well.
"It starts with a fever," he replied quietly after a time, not looking up at her. "Some complain of aches and pains. Most lose their appetite. But then it gets worse." He looked off, watching the distant citizens going about their business without really seeing them. "Most break out in a rash of some sort--the place varies. They get so dizzy they can't keep their feet. And then, in all of them, they lose there sense of vision. Eventually they just...fall asleep, and they seem to suffer from nightmares until the life drains out of them."
He reached up, rubbing the back of his neck with a sigh. "The healers are doing what they can, but nothing seems to have any effect. And now the number of sick is so great, they're simply overwhelmed."
The beating of wings interrupted him. The peophin gazed up, a hint of a smile lighting on his weary features as a whoot descended towards them. Charm simply extended his arm, allowing the petpet to land. "Welcome back, Kaep. Did you deliver the letter like I asked?"
"Whoot!"
"Thanks, old friend. Maybe she'll know what to do."
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Post by Eruanna's Menagerie on Aug 19, 2012 21:10:50 GMT -5
Definitely not natural, Aque thought to herself silently. She was lost in thought as the Peophin's Whoot returned. Of course, it was the nightmare symptom that was the most out of place. Troubled sleep often had nightmares, to be sure, but a long sleep plagued with them that led to an exhaustive death--that was certainly not natural.
Despite her detachment from the whole event, Aque couldn't help but feel a pang of fear. It took something very powerful to strike down so many people with such a fearful disease. If for nothing else, Aque wanted to get to the bottom of this just to make sure she didn't fall prey to this new force in Neopia.
Aque knew she probably wouldn't get much farther than this unless she explained herself, but she had one last inquiry. Did you contact someone about the disease? It sounds like we're going to need a powerful ally to discover who's behind this, she said thoughtfully.
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linko
Youngling
It's dangerous to go alone; take this!
Posts: 57
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Post by linko on Aug 20, 2012 9:34:49 GMT -5
He eyed her again, curiously this time while he moved Kaep to his shoulder. "I must admit, I suspected that there was someone behind it as well." The possibility that it was caused by his own enemies had also crossed his mind, but he wasn't sure that this was within Tsuka's power. He'd only just found out about the Krawk recently though, so he couldn't be certain either way.
He bent to lift the bucket of water and started back towards the sick house. For the first time the x-shaped scar on his shoulder was facing her. "I sent word to Lady Illusen. If she can't help, she might be able to get a hold of someone who can."
Another sidelong glance was cast as he walked, his expression difficult to read. "Can I ask why you're so interested? Most would want to stay as far away from this mess as possible."
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Post by Eruanna's Menagerie on Aug 22, 2012 22:45:49 GMT -5
As the Peophin turned and continued talking, Aque took another look at him and frowned. He seemed a lot more knowledgeable than she had first thought, and she was slowly beginning to think that there was more to him than met the eye. Or perhaps it did meet the eye, if that scar was any indication. Ah, Illusen. Good idea, she said approvingly, nodding.
She gave a little smile when he asked about her interest in this whole affair. My name is Aqueously. I'm a representative of Father Time, one of the many forces watching over this little world. Honestly, the vast amount of powerful beings that had made niches for themselves in Neopia was ridiculous to Aque. The Immortals weren't the only ones out there, she knew, and how all these beings were working together was incredibly confusing.
Aque coughed. Normally this isn't my kind of situation, but as other servants are busy elsewhere Time asked me to look into it. She debated whether or not to mention that she had been granted protection against the disease, but decided that there was no reason for this Peophin to be aware of that just yet.
But what about you? I'm guessing you have some reason to be lingering in this death trap as well.
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