goddammit takakage

[thirdarrow]

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?

Comments

[thirdarrow]

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.

[unbroken_chain]

Inside, Kotoha is already talking to a receptionist.

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

[thirdarrow]

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.

[unbroken_chain]

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.

[thirdarrow]

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.

[unbroken_chain]

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."

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

[thirdarrow]

"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.

[unbroken_chain]

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.

[thirdarrow]

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.

[unbroken_chain]

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

[thirdarrow]

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.

[unbroken_chain]

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.

[thirdarrow]

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.