destinystrings | goddammit takakage

Entry tags:

goddammit takakage

Who: Takakage and Kotoha
When: Backdated to the evening of June 7th
Where: Aquarius and Leo Wards
Summary: Kotoha forcibly hauls Takakage to the hospital for a checkup.

Night began falling gently, draping vivid colours above the clouds in preparation for dusk. The Aquarius Ward was bustling - it was dismissal time for most students, and teenagers streamed enthusiastically out of school gates in anticipation of returning home.

Takakage was preparing to leave, too. The head librarian had cut three hours off today. While he had protested, she insisted that he went back and had some rest. But he was quite used to such schedules already - back in his homeland, he much more duties to devote himself to. Coming here actually gave him more breathing room.

He deliberately lingered in the library for a good half hour after dismissal time, but his attempt was noticed and foiled by the head librarian's watchful gaze. She made him pack up and stuffed a satchel of something into his bag - he didn't have time to find out what it was.

While he was clearing away all the books on his desk, his COMP buzzed with an incoming message. Who could it be?

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The answer: Kotoha of the terrifying cheerfulness.

"Hey Takakage, there was something - why are you still at work."

He smiled a little, even though she obviously couldn't see him. He had to keep his voice quiet, though - this was the library, after all.

"Ah, because I am employed and obliged to turn up?"

Kotoha's voice takes on a tone of steely determination.

"Right. You're going to go outside, sit on the steps, and wait. If you try to run I'll find you."

... her tone left no room for refusal, it seemed. Though he didn't see the need nor had the energy to.

It was a little surreal to have someone care about him - after all, he had pretty much been left to his own devices for the past few years. That, and the fact that he had to watch over someone else meant that he didn't really have time for himself.

Which reminded him. He wondered how Hideaki was doing. The boy was always on his mind, in fact - just not prominently all the time. Even with constant companionship he was prone to giving into irrationality - though strangely Takakage found it a little endearing.

"Alright, then."

When Kotoha finally arrived, she would see him seated on the steps of the library reading a book. Koppa Tengu was roosting next to him, covering his thin frame with one wing.

Kotoha arrives flying in on the back of a giant moth. As it draws in, she jumps nimbly down and strides over to Takakage, inspecting him with a discerning eye.

"Right. Let's go."

He stands a little shakily and stashes the book back into his bag. Koppa Tengu seems a little ruffled by Kotoha's creature companion, but it had enough restraint to not react further.

"Good evening. Kotoha. Where are we going?"

"Hospital. C'mon."

GET ON THE MOTH ~~SHINJI~~ TAKAKAGE

He blinks a little, unsure of which to address first - the fact that Kotoha wanted him to go to the hospital, of the fact that she wished them to arrive on an insect mount.

"Ah... are you sure?" The strategist responds after a pause. "I would prefer to go with my Persona, if you do not mind..."

Not that he is afraid of insects or anything - he found it a little uncomfortable to be in close proximity with someone else.

Kotoha considers that for a long moment before nodding.

"That's fine - we'll escort you, then."

With that, she releases two more Pokemon, who each take up positions nearby, forming a loose triangle around Takakage as Kotoha mounts up on Solar Logos.

... so she's really serious about this, it seems - taking so many precautions to ensure that he complied. It felt almost strangely amusing - but then again, this bore much similarity to what he often had to do back home. It feels quite surreal to be the watched instead of the watcher, this time...

The strategist climbs onto Koppa Tengu's back, resisting the urge to completely slump over into the avian's feathers. He needed to keep alert so that his Persona wouldn't fade in midair.

"Shall we?"

"Yes. Okay, everyone, take off!"

And it is now time to fly over to the hospital.

Koppa Tengu took a few moments to rise into the air, but after it got into the stride flying became easy.

He followed Kotoha on her moth companion, saying nothing.

It doesn't take long to arrive - although perhaps a bit longer than originally planned, but what can you do? Once Kotoha's landed and recalled most of her Pokemon, she walks over to Takakage.

"Okay, put your Persona away; it takes effort to keep one summoned and you look like you're about to fall on your face."

He inhaled deeply and did as she requested, still trying his best to erase any signs of exhaustion. It's become harder over the years - while he could force himself to stay alert, his physical appearance often suggested otherwise.

"I'm fine." The strategist sighed.

Kotoha's answer is as instant as it is heated.

"If you were fine we wouldn't be here, you...you ninny."

And with that, she marches into the hospital.

Don't hang back, Takakage.

Takakage didn't know what that last word meant, but he could hazard a guess. Modern folk indeed use curious terms.

He followed her into the building, out of energy to protest further.

Inside, Kotoha is already talking to a receptionist.

"Yes, that's him behind me. Just a normal checkup."

Takakage walks into the hospital, glancing around and taking in the interior. He has never been here before, not even out of curiosity. Perhaps he would be able to see some things that he had read about.

He joined Kotoha at the desk a moment later.

The receptionist taps a few keys on her computer and addresses the pair.

"Dr. Takeo is free right now. Third floor, door's open. I've already sent him a message."

Kotoha nods, thanks her, and drags Takakage to the elevators.

The strategist follows Kotoha through the corridors. His pace is a little slower than hers, partially due to tiredness, and partially due to the fact that he is paying attention to just about everything in sight.

They arrived outside the indicated door after a while.

Kotoha sticks her head inside the room and has a quick conversation before turning to Takakage.

"Alright, you go in, have a chat with the nice doctor, and I'll be waiting out here when you're done."

"Okay."

He checks himself quickly to make sure he was presentable, then enters the room. Force of habit almost made him now to the man inside, but he caught himself in time and settled for a more acceptable nod.

Outside, Kotoha releases Tomoe and uses the Samurott as a makeshift pillow as she waits for Takakage to come out.

Just a girl and her giant horned sea lion, no big deal.

Takakage comes out a while later, holding a small slip of paper. There are words written on the paper - presumably what the doctor diagnosed.

"The doctor asked me to go for a blood test." He seems slightly worried. "Though... he did not find anything of the concrete disease sort..."

The strategist frowns a little, as if he is unsure of what to say next. Feel free to take the paper from him and look at it.

As Kotoha stands up, she absently returns Tomoe to her Pokeball before reaching out and delicately plucking the note from Takakage and unfolding it.

He jumps a little, but lets her take the note anyway.

The paper is printed with the hospital's standard header. Takakage's name and presumably Visitor ID has been written in a table immediately below the header, and the rest of the note is one large textbox filled with scribbles. The doctor's handwriting is not very legible, save for one line of 'show this to the attendant at the test room'.

What Kotoha can make out from the scribbles mentions malnutrition, chronic stress and insomnia - though there are several lines crossed out about referral to possible self-harming habits. There is also one line about open injury care, as well as another section devoted to telling the attendant what he needed the blood test for - potential allergic reactions and something about antibodies that trail away into a pile of illegibility and medical jargon.

The strategist watches her read it, seeming a bit anxious.

Kotoha looks it over, frowning thoughtfully.

"Bad handwriting, but from what I can make out...you need to eat better, get some sleep, and relax."

The unsaid corollary - 'like I told you before' - is pointed.

Takakage chuckles, but it comes out more as a half-sigh.

"I will try." Though he... probably wouldn't try as hard as Kotoha wanted him to. It's hard to kick a habit you've had for more than fifteen years.

The strategist glances around. "If I am not wrong, the testing room is downstairs." He oauses a moment for Kotoha to register his words, then sets off along the corridor.

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goddammit takakage

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um are we going to thread out the doctor thing or shall we handwave it

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