Ah, at last. The star player had joined them, even if his opening line was... somewhat less than ideal. The doctor rose to her feet, clapping softly as she did. "Welcome, welcome," she said, as she took hold of the handle of her cart and pushed it out of the darkness and into the circle of the light. Her heels clicked against tile with each step as the equipment on the tray rattled noisily, then stopped a short distance from the table.
"So kind of you to join us this evening, Kemanorel." The woman laughed softly, moving over to stand next to the table as she ripped open an alcohol wipe. "How are you feeling? Ready for the opening act, I hope?"
"Oh, no, dear boy." The doctor chuckled softly and began wiping down a spot on the inside of his elbow, then paused and stared into the distance with a thoughtful frown. "Well. Not as such, but... in a manner of speaking, perhaps." She thought a moment longer, lips pursed as though she rather liked the idea, then finally shrugged and drew back again, discarding the used wipe on the tray she'd brought with her. It was an interesting thought, and one she filed away mentally to use on her report later.
She rattled equipment around on the tray for a moment longer before turning back to her subject, taking hold of his arm and a tourniquet around his bicep with the absent efficiency of long practice. "You should be used to change, though, shouldn't you? It's natural for your kind, shifting here and there into whatever you'd like." She prodded at the vein in his arm for a moment, then picked up the needle and carefully slid it into the vein. "You're like... natural actors. It only requires seconds for a costume change."
Oh, he should be grateful. She was doing him a favor, after all, in restoring something that he'd lost, but they never saw it that way. They always resorted to threats or demands or begging to be released, as he was. If only they could truly understand just what their roles were in all of this, but -- well, it wasn't as though the rats in their cages had to comprehend why they were there, they simply had to run the mazes as they were supposed to.
The doctor simply shook her head as she gently slid the needle from the catheter inserted in his arm, discarding it on the tray with a metallic clang before she turned back with a piece of tape. "I don't understand why people seem to think I'd just... change my mind," she observed, as she carefully taped the catheter in place on his arm. "After I've gone to all the work of planning and preparation and getting you here, do you really think I'd just turn out the lights and say the show's over
( ... )
There was no response to his call, no indication that the woman had even heard. Even the click of her shoes against the tile had disappeared, as though the woman had simply left him there. Alone, with only his thoughts and the monotonously even drip of the IV fluid.
Gradually, though, the subtle hum increased in volume, as hidden in the shadows the doctor prepared the equipment for the next phase of the experiment, to be performed as soon as the drug had made its way through the dragon-boy's system. It should soften him up, so to speak, lay the foundations for what she intended to do. And it had the added side benefit of making him drowsy -- it was ever so much easier to do what she intended when he wasn't trying to whine or struggle.
For now, though, she just waited. And watched. She had no shortage of patience, after all, and a great deal of interest in the results of this experiment.
Time passed, but how much? It could have been hours, days, perhaps even weeks, but once Keman woke again it was much dimmer, the light low enough that again he couldn't see much around him but this time for the opposite reason. The harshly bright whiteness of the overhead light had been replaced by a faint, apparently sourceless blue-green illumination that allowed him to see himself and little else. Something about this felt different, however. More closed-in, or confined, like a small cave.
He was still on what seemed to be the same table, but the IV was gone and a bright neon pink wrapping left around his elbow where it had been. The reek of ozone was even stronger now, strong enough to taste, and the humming had grown to an almost bone-rattling buzz. Otherwise, again, it was silent. No sign of the doctor, or anyone else for that matter. To all appearances he was alone.
"I wouldn't suggest that you move too much yet." The doctor's voice echoed against the walls of the small chamber, its source impossible to pinpoint. "Use of this medication could cause lightheadedness, dizziness, or drowsiness. Do not operate heavy machinery while using this medication." She laughed at that, the sound slightly distorted by whatever speaker was broadcasting it. "Not that you're that large, are you
( ... )
Pinpoints of light within each gem grew and expanded until they were almost incandescent, and slowly, ever so slowly, the power within them seemed to flow out along the inset patterns along the walls. The doctor's chuckle echoed oddly now, the speakers sounding more and more distorted as the seconds ticked past. "Do to you?" she asked. "Nothing you shouldn't be able to do yourself."
The buzzing hum within the room grew louder and stronger until the table on which he was sitting was rattling against the floor even with his weight on it. The doctor continued to speak, voice now coming between bursts of pure static. "-- hope you -- tonight. It's a -- tunity -- see what -- within you." Click, click went two more switches on the panel before her, the sound oddly sharp and clear before the static resumed. "Good --, you're -- need --. Enjoy!" The intercom shut off with a final ear-piercing squeal of feedback.
And almost simultaneously the light flared blindingly bright as the power surging into the chamber reached its peak.
The monitors had all gone black, of course; in the presence of that much power it wouldn't have been surprising if they'd shorted out completely. It was unfortunate that she couldn't directly watch what was going on, but the doctor felt it was an acceptable compromise. If Keman should get a somewhat higher dosage than intended, well, he'd live. Most likely.
The doctor watched the seconds tick by on her timepiece, lips pursed as she counted. That should be enough, but just to be on the safe side she waited a tiny bit longer before switching off the machinery. As the light faded and the humming finally ceased, she removed the protective helmet she'd been wearing and leaned over to tap impatiently on the monitors. One of them seemed like it wasn't going to ever turn back on, but the others were slowly flickering back to life
( ... )
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"So kind of you to join us this evening, Kemanorel." The woman laughed softly, moving over to stand next to the table as she ripped open an alcohol wipe. "How are you feeling? Ready for the opening act, I hope?"
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She rattled equipment around on the tray for a moment longer before turning back to her subject, taking hold of his arm and a tourniquet around his bicep with the absent efficiency of long practice. "You should be used to change, though, shouldn't you? It's natural for your kind, shifting here and there into whatever you'd like." She prodded at the vein in his arm for a moment, then picked up the needle and carefully slid it into the vein. "You're like... natural actors. It only requires seconds for a costume change."
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
The doctor simply shook her head as she gently slid the needle from the catheter inserted in his arm, discarding it on the tray with a metallic clang before she turned back with a piece of tape. "I don't understand why people seem to think I'd just... change my mind," she observed, as she carefully taped the catheter in place on his arm. "After I've gone to all the work of planning and preparation and getting you here, do you really think I'd just turn out the lights and say the show's over ( ... )
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
Gradually, though, the subtle hum increased in volume, as hidden in the shadows the doctor prepared the equipment for the next phase of the experiment, to be performed as soon as the drug had made its way through the dragon-boy's system. It should soften him up, so to speak, lay the foundations for what she intended to do. And it had the added side benefit of making him drowsy -- it was ever so much easier to do what she intended when he wasn't trying to whine or struggle.
For now, though, she just waited. And watched. She had no shortage of patience, after all, and a great deal of interest in the results of this experiment.
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
He was still on what seemed to be the same table, but the IV was gone and a bright neon pink wrapping left around his elbow where it had been. The reek of ozone was even stronger now, strong enough to taste, and the humming had grown to an almost bone-rattling buzz. Otherwise, again, it was silent. No sign of the doctor, or anyone else for that matter. To all appearances he was alone.
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
The buzzing hum within the room grew louder and stronger until the table on which he was sitting was rattling against the floor even with his weight on it. The doctor continued to speak, voice now coming between bursts of pure static. "-- hope you -- tonight. It's a -- tunity -- see what -- within you." Click, click went two more switches on the panel before her, the sound oddly sharp and clear before the static resumed. "Good --, you're -- need --. Enjoy!" The intercom shut off with a final ear-piercing squeal of feedback.
And almost simultaneously the light flared blindingly bright as the power surging into the chamber reached its peak.
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
The doctor watched the seconds tick by on her timepiece, lips pursed as she counted. That should be enough, but just to be on the safe side she waited a tiny bit longer before switching off the machinery. As the light faded and the humming finally ceased, she removed the protective helmet she'd been wearing and leaned over to tap impatiently on the monitors. One of them seemed like it wasn't going to ever turn back on, but the others were slowly flickering back to life ( ... )
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