Protected witness and the time after

[Guest]

A world of white. A world of syringes and green synthetic cloth. Plastic tubes and plastic gloves gripping skin. The smell of it fills the nostrils and leaves the lungs light. As if there was no substance within the air to begin with.

In other words, a hospital area.

Osamu, who had changed her hair to red, and her skin to dark brown was laying in such a green apron on top of her examination table. The steel was cold against her skin as they were placing certain lights over a left arm. It was to see if she was able to react to changes in cold and heat.

Her arm felt hot like a stuck pig, but her arm remained straight and smooth.

" Hotter."

" But it'll damage your skin."

Osamu gave a look at them as if it was no worry. She saw the look on the doctors change also, remembering that her powers of regeneration had raised exponentially since she had turned 18.

They cranked a cylindrical heater knob on the portable cooker to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and her skin began burning. The area affected immediately singed, blackened and bone soon showed. Though the camera caught what had happened before.

The area before her skin was singed had turned back to original white color and then was damaged.

" That's enough data for today."

The head doctor said as they began scribbling down their findings. They were not only doing this for tracking the newfound spies, but for more testing on high-level chimereas.

Though she was glad that they hadn't found out her secret that she was keeping for later.

Osamu turned back to her pale self. One eye purple, one eye red; and hopped off of the now-warm steel table.

She heard the shift of air. It was an automatic door opening. The red and purple eyes looked over and grinned in reply. " So hows the data rolling in? My file turning fat yet?"

[Captain Kelly Tián-Yé]

Tap. Tap. Thunk. Tap. Tap. Thunk. It was as if the wild-haired half-Criegsman had three legs, with the noise he made stepping down the silent and pristine hallway, immaculately cleaned and polished, and now nearly empty, causing his footsteps to resound much more. His shillelagh in one hand, it taped the hard linoleum every few steps, as he slowly walked towards a room containing a familiar sight. Honestly, he felt a bit bad for her; he'd been against it from the start, but despite his concern and authority, majority rule was majority rule; he could ensure that she'd be fine throughout, but the rest of Intel wanted to run testing on her and her abilities. Meh. He could do little to stop them, but still, he wanted to check on her. He felt obliged to, honestly, she was in his witness protection program. And even beyond that, he well... He felt it was his responsibility to look after her, since it seemed like nobody else would.

That said, he arrived pretty soon to the room, and stepped inside as the door opened, allowing the doctors to flee, off to record their findings. Perfect timing; his impeccable sense of timing did wonders for him, indeed. His ears perked up as he looked over to the girl, grinning at him as she asked him a question. She'd become quite fluent in Xingese, since he had first brought her here, so it was a breath of fresh air to see that the two could carry on a legitimate conversation without his Xingmestrian making things awkward for him. He was much more comfortable with either of his native tongues than with a foreign one he was barely proficient at. "The data is flowing in as good as ever; I wouldn't say your file is fat, compared to some I keep, but it's certainly not empty. Though files and data aren't what I really came to talk about." He offered a rugged smile, masked into a slightly less neutral expression than the norm by his battered old face, a face scarred from years of crime-fighting and youthful brawls, to the point that a smile didn't normally suit it. It was an ugly face, but it was his face.

He then revealed his other hand, held behind his back, which contained a large picnic basket. Within the basket, he was carrying a fine Crieg lunch for two. It was rather thoughtfully put together, and he'd cooked it himself, just for the occasion, with some of his mother's old recipes. Barmbrack*, bacon-and-cabbage, a homemade lobster and cod chowder, two wineskins of apple cider, and for dessert, a batch of fudge squares, made from world-famous Crieg chocolate. A bit lavish? Probably. But it was a nice gesture, surely, and definitely beat a bag of fast food, or a box of rice.

"Figured I should treat you to lunch, for being so cooperative in everything. Hope you like trying new things, hehe; sometimes I get a bit tired of Xingese food, and have to have a nice Crieg meal, just like me ma made when I was a lad, y'know?" As he spoke, he set out the food on a table nearby, and pulled over a pair of chairs, sitting them at opposite ends of the small table, where he placed the food and two plates, quickly setting out the meal. Propping his cane against the wall behind him, he lowered himself into his seat, waiting for Osamu to sit as well. "So, how've you been? Well-adjusted, I hope?"

[Guest]

And there stood Kelly. It was this man who had kept her out of harms way. If it wasn't for him, the doctors who had gone to their respective places would be preparing for an autopsy with a severed head instead of a live subject. Truly Interesting, this man was. He who was so determined to get information on every person available.

Sometimes, she wondered why.

Osamu quickly pulled her sweater over her head. There was a box of things near the metal table. I held boots, some pants, the previous sweater, and a purse. " What is it you want to talk about?" Kelly would hear, through muffling wool.

As she pulled the collar through to meet her shoulders she saw the basket and grinned. Food no longer became a need these days. It was more like a luxury now. Esparian, Xingese, Arguese, and Amestrian had good food. She wondered how Crieg would taste.

" Mothers' food sounds the best right now." she said as she hopped into some pants, while leaving the green apron under everything else. Sitting down and watching as the food rolled in.

Things so new, things so strange. Would they be delicious? Who would know but time.

" adjusting well. Did you know this place has cameras in their vents? I didn't."

She took small bits of everything when things were laid out. Recognizing some things like the chowder, the cider, and chocolate, but not much else. Being picky with food was not a factor in terms such as these.

" So what brings to all the way to Guineapig island? Not just for me I hope?"

She hated how she spoke Xingese, but it was the only way she could. She learned Xingese by watching cable television....

[Captain Kelly Tián-Yé]

As he was laying out the food and such, he heard her speak as she was changing clothes. "What do I actually want to talk about? Ehh... Well, mostly just dropped by for a visit, to be honest. Nothing in particular, really." And indeed, he hadn't come in with any particular set of questions, or any ulterior motives. The doctors? Made of motives and tricky questioning. Himself? He had his honor and integrity; it wasn't his place to pry, despite prying being the very basis on which the fabric of his job was woven together. In this case, however, Osamu was his guest, an honored guest at that, rather than a lab rat or prisoner. In fact, he'd really have to have a word with the doctors...

His thought process was broken as she spoke up, and he grinned again, although very few could tell it was a grin, disguised by a weather-worn face. "It always is the best, I think. Though the real benefit of having mixed ethnicity and two parents who can cook is the variety of it, hehe. Was brought up on potato stew and orange chicken, I was." Small talk really did make the world go 'round. But in addition to just providing conversation, he was also giving her some details about his life; it was a subtle courtesy, discreetly tossing her a bone now and then about who exactly Captain Kelly Tián-Yé is. It was always the proper thing to make it an exchange of information, rather than just him collecting it from her.

He had to give a small chuckle as she noted the level of security. "Yeah, had them installed in case of a break-in, after RIOTE took Briggs and the Palace got stormed by Aerugo and RIOTE. Safety precaution. Why were you sneaking around the vents, though, I wonder?" Jokingly, of course, rather than accusatory. As he spoke with her, he watched as she took small portions of the food, to sample it for what she'd like of it, as he laid out normal portions for himself, taking a bite of his piece of brambrack, savoring the sweetness of the bread. Tasty food, tasty food... He quite enjoyed it, that he did.

He looked to her as she asked why he was here, and gave another smile and a nod. "Ahh, yeah, pretty much. Not much else for me to do in the land of the labs, y'know. Though since I did kinda land you here, unintentionally, of course, I feel I should keep an eye out for you, aye?"

[Guest]

" Potato stew and Orange chicken, ey?" She mumbled as she ate through each piece of what could be martian-food for all she knew. Each one inflamed each of her taste buds in new ways. One was overly-savory with lots of peppers. The other was high in protein which caused her to salivate. Another dish was cold and easy to let it slide down her throat like a snake going down a watery hill.

What good food for a visit. So he was mixed with other races other than Creig? Interesting, but at this day and age, it wasn't uncommon. Due to modernization, mixing with other cultures were now being considered normal.

He noted why she went into the vents in the first place. Osamu leaned back to let a portion of the food sit. " I never had to stay in one place long enough to get antsy. I'm not used to doing nothing but watch tv and take tests. So I have fun prodding the security around here. If I can get through them, so can they."

Osamu took her hand over her food and shaded it exactly like the dish underneath. Only when she moved slightly did it seem out of place and that the outline of her hand truly showed. She didn't do this however for any effect, it was simply out of boredom. Though it would seem that her own blending powers were getting more advanced.

Keeping an eye out? Osamu grinned. " I think I have an idea for you to receive more information about people. Though you may not like it."

[Captain Kelly Tián-Yé]

"Yep; some nights ma would cook, other nights, me da would." And it was almost always something simple, but delicious, from either of their homelands. He grew up with quite a cultured sense of taste, actually, compared to many. Starting in on the lobster-and-cod chowder (one of his personal favorite foods ever), he listened as the Aerugese girl spoke once more. He had to grin and give a little chuckle, at the least. "Ahhh, fair enough. Heh, certainly makes them exercise their brains, neh?" Indeed it did... Which, while frustrating for his men, was actually vital to the success of airtight security. Plus, it seemed to relieve her boredom, so it was doubly good.

And given just the amount of boredom she must be suffering from, it'd make anyone antsy. Makes him a bit antsy just sitting in one of the sterily bare rooms. "Just remember, if you need anything to do, you can always call me in, I can find something." Some nice pictures up on the walls, a board game or two, perhaps he could coerce the labmonkeys to let her out for a bit, under his watchful eye. Could work.

As he pondered that, he watched in slight interest as her hand shifted colors to blend in, first appearing to disappear completely, before she moved her hand, revealing it to be an illusion. Quite neat. But before he could really comment on it, she grinned with an idea. "Oh? What idea might that be, then? And why wouldn't I like it...?"

[Jay Furor]

~BUMP~

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