soul_campaign | [video] 2/6, evening - Megumi vs. the modern HMO

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[video] 2/6, evening - Megumi vs. the modern HMO

[The video feed comes on to the office Megumi has now occupied in the General Hospital. You can see tatami flooring and a pot simmering on a hot plate. A timer dings in the background and there is the sound of her speaking:]

This is ridiculous. What is the need for all of these papers, I'm up to my ears in them. Taking the time to fill them all out takes time away from where we should be-- the patient's bedside. And why is this "medical board" having us perform so many tests on each patient even when the diagnosis is already clear? No one gets better from running all of these unnecessary tests, but we have to bill them anyway. It's a waste of time and money-- ours and the patients'.

[A man's voice can be heard, it's an NPC supervisor] That's not my concern, Doctor Tanaka. Fill out the files or-- do what the rest of them do, get yourself an assistant and make them do it. I don't care, just get it done. Good day.

[The door closes and Megumi turns around and shuffles back towards where the communicator is. She can be heard cracking an egg into a bowl and muttering something that sounds very much like:]

It's Takani, you stupid ass.

[She cracks another egg for her tamagoyaki, and that's when she notices the mirror was on that whole time.]

Hmph. Figures.

If you are out there, and you're injured-- and I know there are many of you after all of that. Come to the clinic at the hospital tonight or tomorrow. I won't give you the same nonsense or run-around that they are recommending us to. It's my job to get you well and back home.

[Open to action threads here, or you can tag in to this log!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Oh? You're on the floor right below me. I've just started my rest break. Let me finish up this tamagoyaki and I will be right down? How does this sound to you?

You're a lifesaver..

Oh, pish-posh. I'll be down in a moment, mm? Try to take slow breaths and relax your body as best you can. Getting excited won't help you heal, Kaoru-san.

Fine, fine..
[Kaoru sighs, not like she's going anywhere. When Megumi sees her, she'll be in the hospital bed, bandaged, pale and smaller, (if that were possible, tiny girl she is). Rei was nice to braid her hair for her but it doesn't help her from looking any less than a girl who almost bled to death.]

Megumi-san?

Good evening! Here I am~ ohoho!

[She is carrying a basket that appears to be quite full of goodies, too. she strides on in like she owns the place and places the basket beside Kaoru on a little table, then begins to unpack.]

Tamagoyaki came out decently. And I've brought rice balls as well.

Thank goodness. [she allows one more misty smile. one more brief prick of the eyes as a precious person is in her sights, safe and well. thank goodness.

she cracks a smile at that, as weak as she is. ]
Decently, huh? Geez, you know you cook better just say it came out well, you fox. [she leans forward to feebly reach for a chair. it's not her dojo but it might as well be, she is used to playing hostess]

Make yourself comfortable.

Sitting in these "chairs" has never been comfortable for me. How about for you? Are you used to all of this "furniture" yet?

Are you kidding me? [she lets out a huff]
I'm attached by strings that are either sucking black stuff out or pumping blood that isn't mine back in! It's ridiculous! Don't get me started on these weird beds that can move!

I agree, it's all extremely overwhelming. I feel quite sorry for those who are stuck staying here.

[Megumi brings out her tamagoyaki and puts it on a plate for Kaoru, then hands her some chopsticks.]

I think I'll be in shock for some time, with all of the differences. It's a bit too much to accept.

Yeah..it's not easy to adjust to and don't force it, either. We're all in a weird situation.

[she takes the chopsticks, the IV to her wrist jingling as she lifts it to her mouth. taking a bite, and remembering Megumi's delicious food from home..how they'd all eat it together. ]

Megumi-san..how are you, really?

[Megumi offers Kaoru a smile like iron-clad armor.]

Tsk. More than worrying about an old bat like me, you should be worrying about yourself. You're the one who's in a "hospital bed."

[She turns and collects the glass bottle of warm tea she'd made from her basket.]

And you're the one who was captured and forced to see horrible things, just as I did. Except that was my choice. Not yours.

I have every right to be worried about you. [she glances at her seriously]
And I have, whenever I could stay awake.

[Almost gently.]

I have very good survival skills. I'll get by, eventually.

...Do you want to talk about it? [she can't eat too much, it hurts her throat.]

[Megumi blinks repeatedly, and then takes Kaoru's chart in her hands, to have something to look at and hold in her hands. She's never been able to keep her hands still when she feels tension.]

I don't know what I could say...

..It's okay to just say you were scared. And that it was horrible. I can tell you the same thing.

[Megumi looks down at the papers in her hand.]

Ah, in the caves, you mean? I wasn't alone, though. I was with a companion in the prison area and... well, I think that he helped me not to be afraid.

I was frightened when I heard the Kishin Egg creature howling, but he talked to me about it, and you know what, it... wasn't so bad.

..So you had someone with you. It's good..I had my Partner with me some of the time, so I felt alright. [she laughs a little]
The scariest part was--[she swallows]
--when Kenshin became affected. This wasn't the first time. At first I couldn't reach him..the second--was being seperated from my student. The third--was having to leave one behind because he--well, [she pats her side with a sad smile].

People..were really lost these past few days, y-you know?

[Megumi nods solemnly, thinking of what she was feeling while talking to another sword user just today.]

I know. I'm sure you haven't had an easy time of it, Kaoru-san. It's a terrifying place we are now in.

...It's a complete different from my ideals, of katsujin-ken. Kenshin really pointed that out to me. I think I am scared but--I'm more determined than ever, to keep at it.

Just like you are, right?

I... suppose? [Megumi finds herself caught off guard. What does this mean, she wonders?]

I wasn't aware that I was really keeping at anything...!

Edited 2012-04-09 07:07 (UTC)

Aren't you? [she glances at her with a small smile, tired blue eyes crinkling, a shock of color in the white room]

Using your medicine here, the medicine you told me Kenshin helped you find your answer from. You're continuing it here, even with the changes. Even when it's hard.

You're..strong Megumi-san. And mature. [she laughed, a little self-deprecatingly]
I still have a ways to go.

[Megumi's heart hurts for a reason she can't put her finger on.]

If you... think so. I'm indebted to you, for showing me a different life.

[But it was a damning life. Because now.... she knows how good life can feel.]

[It feels so disgustingly awful to her to be here. Unable to ask medical advice of Gensai-sensei, unable to play with Ayame and Suzume, unable to make dinner for everyone and watch the picture-perfect sunset together. Yahiko doesn't carry her medicine box and chatter away to calm her down, Sanosuke doesn't walk her home and talk to her to rile her up again.]

[If she really were so strong and mature, Megumi thinks, she wouldn't be as terrified as she is by all of those things.]

[She finds herself lowering her head a little bit. And she takes a breath. Then another, that's a very wet breath.]

[Then there's a silent sob.]

I-I didn't do anything..[she sounds embarassed, as she lightly shakes her head, one hand going to lightly massage her bandaged throat]

It's a life we'll come back to someday. All of us, together. [her eyes widen at Megumi's sudden intake of breath--the sounds of..crying.

her eyes swell with compassion, empathy--her own feelings. her hand trembles a little as she moves a little near the side of the bed, taking Megumi's hands in her bandaged ones. ]

We will go home, all of us. Together. To Tokyo. To the dojo, where you are always welcome. A-And you can make ohagi and make fun of me as much as you want and I'll be a silly, sweaty little girl. [she swallows the sob in her throat]

You aren't alone, Megumi-san. Kenshin, Sano, and me--we're a strange one, but we're a family just the same. We'll make it.

[Megumi is decidedly uncomfortable and frustrated herself for losing control enough to cry. She covers her face with a hand, letting the other stay in Kaoru's hand. Her voice is strained and tired and slightly angry-- not at Kaoru, but at the way things are happening.]

Tell the truth. You don't know that we'll go back. Look at these people, they've been here so long. And those witches are extremely powerful. They will always have more and more Kishin Eggs, because people are evil all over the world.

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