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[img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/909715047918497815/1037211200871731300/Umbri_banner6.png[/img][/center]


There was probably a moment where Alex became a deer-in-headlights before shaking his head and giving a shrug. [color=deepskyblue][b]“Too late now. Besides, you needed a friendly face more than staring at a helmet.”[/b][/color] He gave her a smile before turning to the doctor. Both shared a look after hearing the confirmation of this potentially being Apex venom. [color=deepskyblue][b]“If that’s everything you can do I need you to listen carefully. I need you to go into the other room and ask Miss Ako and the full-borg to get in contact with Freya if they can. Explain the situation. I’ll yell if anything changes.”[/b][/color]

There was a pensive look from the doctor before giving a curt nod. Rummaging through his bag, the man pulled out a much more sophisticated medical “gun” and set aside a few pills.

He held up the gun for Umbri to see first. [b]“This is to help slow down the venom.”[/b] He then pressed it to one of her arms. Micro needles were supposed to be less invasive and painless, but that didn’t stop it from hurting regardless. The pills were then handed to Alex. [b]“Make sure she takes those with water after she eats.”[/b] He then hurried out the room.

Alex looked back to Umbri after watching the doctor go, less worried now. [color=deepskyblue][b]“Ok! Good news, we should be able to fix all of this. Bad news is we’re going to be having to call in one of my friends and which means more waiting. Worst comes to worst, I’ll carry you to meet her.”[/b][/color] He rummaged in his bags with his one free hand and pulled out a canteen. Keeping the one with the pills open and towards Umbri. [color=deepskyblue][b]“In the meantime, I play nurse. Which means you will unfortunately have to continue to deal with my [i]terrible[/i] bedside manner.”[/b][/color] That smile might have been a bit dopey, but it was genuine.

[color=#A4303F][b]“Wait, wait, wait,”[/b][/color] Umbri blurted, just recovering from an almost-panic attack to scramble after all the hustle and bustle that suddenly erupted around her. She was also just now registering that something had stabbed her in the arm. Her blood sample had stopped whizzing and was just left behind in the machine and they were calling somebody [i]else? [/i]She put the sandwich down and lunged up, using Alex to get her there. [color=#A4303F][b]“You’re not carrying me anywhere,”[/b][/color] she asserted before calling after the doctor, [color=#A4303F][b]“I have something!”[/b][/color]

She grabbed it as she hopped her way outside to the doctor who’d stopped in the hall. [color=#A4303F][b]“What’s happened? Why can’t you do anything?”[/b][/color]

The doctor sighed and rubbed his cracked glasses on his shirt. [b]“It’s Apex venom that’s in you, dear, I have nothing for that. And I can’t take more blood from you, not in your condition.”[/b]

Umbri nodded and thrust her hand out. [color=#A4303F][b]“You won’t have to.”[/b][/color] She forced something large, sharp and rough into his hands. The stinger. [color=#A4303F][b]“That’s it. That’s the thing that stung me,”[/b][/color] she rushed out and stepped back, looking at it like it would just… magically… do something. [color=#A4303F][b]“Will that do it?”[/b][/color]

[b]“Uh… hm,”[/b] he turned it over, fixing his spectacles back on his nose. Umbri stared intensely. [b]“Mmm. Yes. You didn’t happen to harvest its venom sac too, did you?”[/b]

[color=#A4303F][b]“What are you talking about.”[/b][/color]

[b]“...Ok. Two things. Without the sac, there isn’t… [i]that [/i]much of a sample here, and beside that, the sample… is this the Apex’s blood?”[/b] He pointed to the gunk smearing the tip of the stinger.

[color=#A4303F][b]“No, uh, that would be from the, [i](cough)[/i], zombie?”[/b][/color] Umbri’s voice became smaller and smaller with every word of that unbelievable sentence. The sound of red goggles shattering rang in her ear. The doctor handed the stinger back to her.

[b]“It’s contaminated.”[/b]

Umbri didn’t really hear anything as the doctor gave her his sympathies, beyond something about painkillers, and the end there [b]“-and call Freya.”[/b]

She almost burst a vein. [color=#A4303F][b]“Who the HELL IS FREYA?!”[/b][/color] She shouted after him, frustrated at no concrete path to survival, that her life was in the hands of calling yet another [i]someone,[/i] and the doctor didn’t fucking reply to her and she was wobbling her way back to the room. Inside, she glanced at Aegis, her confusion and mixed emotions over the useless stinger almost making her blind to his presence for a second. 

[color=#A4303F][b]“I feel naked,”[/b][/color] she murmured, [color=#A4303F][b]“Can you wait outside?”[/b][/color]

Alex looked like he wanted to say something. And maybe he should. [color=deepskyblue][b]“Yeah, ok.”[/b][/color] He looked a little deflated at how things were going as he grabbed his helmet and bento. Leaving the water and pills. [color=deepskyblue][b]“Just . . . Sorry if this is becoming more confusing and complicated to you. I- Nevermind. I’ll give you your space.”[/b][/color]

He turned on his heel and went for the door. [color=deepskyblue][b]“For the record, Freya is a super healer Rogue that just lives a little bit away. Figured it would be better than you having to deal with any more needles.”[/b][/color] He spoke over his shoulder as he passed the threshold. Despite everything there were still attempts to try and keep her comfortable. Though maybe part of that was him having a fear of needles. . . Despite having Kevlar skin.

Umbri nodded with an attempted smile to comfort him back, then pressed the button to let the door slide closed. She stayed at the door, looking at the same place Aegis must have been behind the screen.

Not feeling. Just standing.

The quiet crept in.

[img]https://i.imgur.com/4uuThLm.jpg[/img]

A c-shaped clip kept Temujin in place atop one of the workbenches. His armour plating had been stripped and put aside, exposing the human-like musculature beneath them, canvassed by seams and marred with damp, gaping tears. Ako sat in front of him, one hand scratching behind her head as her brows furrowed with a single thought. [color=#ffb561][i][b]“Where in Boswell’s Blue Moon do I even start?” [/b][/i][/color]

The Doctor’s hunched shape emerged into the workshop’s main area. Temujin’s head turned towards him in an instant. [color=DC091C][b]“How is she?”[/b][/color] Ako followed suit. The Doctor shook his head.

[b]“I did all I could, and that isn’t much. We’re going to call in for that alternative medicine.”[/b] He was obviously displeased by the prospect. [b]“I was told you would have the contact for Fre…”[/b]

The question drifted off, as several people dropped their instruments at once. Shouting once muffled by the clamour of the workshop became clear, accompanied by the retching of something… not natural. The chaos caught. Murmurs erupted. Bodies were nudged and equipment abandoned as the shop started to clear out, everyone rushing outside.

Temujin whipped his head towards the sound. [color=DC091C][b]“What? What is it now?”[/b][/color] He wiggled and darted his gaze everywhere. [color=DC091C][b]“Where is everyone going- Ako! AKO!! Don’t just leave me-!”[/b][/color] Ako turned towards him, amidst the sea of orange and black, and shrugged. Then followed her curiosity. 

Exclamations of horror morphed into joy, until the shouts reached deep into the workshop, all the way to Alex outside of Umbri’s room -

[b]“Dove’s home!”[/b]