Make me understand

Remi knew three ascended now: Sam, Isla, and Archebold. Given the subject matter obviously Sam wouldn't do and Arche? Well...the ex-captain was a figure in the alchemist's life to whom he currently couldn't quite fix the title of friend. Arche had been nothing but generous and kind, nearly getting himself killed to assist with the barrier research, and yet...Perhaps it was some strange racism on Remi's part that made him feel so (though he didn't feel the same towards Isla or Sam). He'd think about that later. For now, he hoped to bribe the medic with the gift he'd brought her in exchange for her insight into her new found situation. "Isla?" He called out brightly. "It is Remi. I tried to do some surgery on myself and I am afraid it has gone rather badly." Voice sing-song and clearly not serious, Remi peered into some of the darkened rooms, but waited firmly in the 'waiting area' respectully. REMI What have I become? My sweetest friend—Everyone I know goes away in the end If I could start again, a million miles away, I would keep myself. I would find a way

Isla didn't need to hear Remi introduce himself to know who it was, and the medic was already smiling and emerging from one of the treatment rooms to go and greet him. Only then he went and said he had tried to do surgery on himself and she picked up her pace considerably. "You what?" she asked, bemused by his tone and stepping into the waiting area only a short few moments later. The Ascended was dressed in her usual pale tunic and leggings, her fair hair swept up into a messy bun and her expression troubled. "You might have at least involved me. If anyone ought to be able to tell you how to properly perform surgery it would be a surgeon, Remi," she chastised, as if that was the problem and not the act itself. It had become apparent to Isla that she and Remi were alike in a lot of ways, one of which being that neither of them were at all okay. But that was fine, right? Right. ISLA Hush now, I'm here

"Ahh well, you seem so busy nowadays I thought I would just save you the hassle of something boring like removing another wooden shaft from my side." He said with a grin as she swept into the room. The innuendo was a happy accident, but he grinned at the healer just the same as if it had been intentional. "Besides, it gave me time to make you this—" Pulling a set of antlers from his back, he presented them to the medic. It was from the luxere they'd killed. Though they no longer glowed which was a shame, they were still velvety and quite impressive. On one of the beams he'd carved Isla's first kill in his impeccable handwriting, as well as the date (or a near enough approximation anyways). "I know it might not be your first actual kill, but given how unstable you were on your feet that morning, I was fairly confident you had never killed as a lioness before." He said with a happy grin, holding the antlers out to her. REMI What have I become? My sweetest friend—Everyone I know goes away in the end If I could start again, a million miles away, I would keep myself. I would find a way

"Busy or not busy, I am offended that you would deny me the pleasure of operating on you." Isla grinned, her expression growing warmer as she seemed to sense that Remi was perhaps playing with her. Though the fact that she had honestly assumed that he had performed surgery on himself spoke volumes about both of them. She arched an eyebrow as he produced the antlers from behind his back, trying to stop herself from wondering how he had managed to hide them (or how she had managed to miss them). Still, at seeing the engraving on them Isla beamed and stepped forward to accept them. "Remi, this is... thank you," she gushed, unashamedly pleased and impressed with the carving. "You would be quite right. I am honoured to have claimed it with you," she said, nodding to him gratefully. "Would you like to come through to the study? I can take a few minutes." ISLA Hush now, I'm here

"We both know that there will be a next time." He sang brightly, ignoring the darkness of what was beginning to bind the two of them together as well. He didn't need to examine it, but instead let it twine around the two of them. It didn't matter, not really. Glad that she liked her gift, Remi indeed followed her back. Locking his hands on his lower back, Remi hummed gently to himself winding through the hallways that he had begun to recognize from his frequent visits. "I saw the Voice again.." He said casually, though was expecting her to turn surprised. It wasn't like Remi had the best luck with the gods, and visiting to one who had shown absolutely no interest in him seemed like an odd thing to do. Assuming that he'd properly caught Isla's attention, he reached into his bag and pulled out the 'upgrade' that they had made. It still appeared like a strip of cloth, but now the circuitry was elegant and beautiful to behold. "I...or I suppose we made this." REMI What have I become? My sweetest friend—Everyone I know goes away in the end If I could start again, a million miles away, I would keep myself. I would find a way

"And I so look forward to it," Isla trilled in reply, nodding and leading them through the bustling infirmary. It was good to see it so alive with nurses and other medics, a far cry from the place she'd had to resurrect from the dust and the dark. Remi would not be disappointed as he spoke of the Voice - Isla turned sharply in the doorway of the study, eyebrows shooting up. As well as a healthy dose of curiosity, he would likely see the respect and warmth there in her eyes as well. She smiled. "Did you now? And what did she have to say?" she asked, holding the door open for him and clicking it shut only once he was inside. Casually Isla moved to lean against her desk, arching an eyebrow as he produced the upgraded material. "What is it?" she wondered aloud, approaching him once more so that she could examine it in more detail. "It is beautifully crafted, though I am hardly surprised..." ISLA Hush now, I'm here

"I will take that as a compliment." He chuckled slyly, allowing her to touch and handle and do whatever else she might with the upgrade. "A friend of mine is an ascended as well. I believe I told you of him?" Just now he couldn't quite recall. That night with Isla was a blur of snow and should-be-frozen feet and ecstasy. "He did not chose his ascension. Not the way I have heard it told anyhow. And he misses being able to feel...or at least, he thinks the inability to do so makes him not normal." So saying with a frown, the alchemist sighed and took a seat across from Isla's desk. "I had thought perhaps I could create something for him, but wanted to speak with the Voice to see...well, if it would work, but also if she found it permissible, I suppose?" Remi shrugged gently, conjuring a feather in his hands to gently ghost it across his palm. "She...well interestingly she said she had not been there for his ascension. But she did consider his desire to feel a flaw, or at least my attempt to try and alter it was, anyhow. She did give her approval, in a fashion. Though she said the upgrade would be irreversible and might have averse effects, though she left before she elaborated on what those might be. Intentionally I assume." REMI What have I become? My sweetest friend—Everyone I know goes away in the end If I could start again, a million miles away, I would keep myself. I would find a way

Isla was not certain, in truth, whether Remi had told her of this friend of his (her night had been an understandable muddle as well, after all). As he explained, though... She nodded. "Samuel," she murmured. "He came to me, to ask whether or not I would be able to reverse his condition. I had only been a few days Ascended myself, so I... was not able to offer much, only that what we had been through seemed rather permanent." Reaching out, Isla accepted the upgrade and turned it this way and that in her hands, though something within her balked at the mere idea of holding it. Like if it got too close to her skin it might... She wrinkled her nose and offered it back to Remi, listening closely at his explanation of what he had done and what the Voice had said. Sitting across from him, she sighed and drummed her fingers upon the desk. "Quite," she agreed, smiling and shrugging her shoulders. "From what I can see, it seems quite suited for the purpose. Though I don't know what help you think I might be able to give...?" ISLA Hush now, I'm here

Remi hummed sadly under his breath. Apparently it wasn't just to the old gods that his friend had gone. But why hadn't he sought out the Voice himself? Glancing up, Remi reached out a hand to accept the device back. Unlike Isla, he was quite sure it would have no effect on him, and so he held it loosely between his fingers. "Ahh...Well. I know that this is new for you, but imagine if it was not your choosing ... Imagine if you lived with it for years. If you had not drank tea in so long you forgot the taste, or could never feel the warmth from a fire on your skin, or feel the touch of another's hand in yours?" That last part was meant more in terms of Sam, but given what had passed between he and Isla that one night, Remi smiled a bit sheepishly and shrugged. "I worry about giving this to him and having him accept it without thinking of the consequences first. That he might just think of the short term benefits, and not that he would feel pain as well as whatever else might come from it. But would it be worth it, do you think? If you could imagine yourself in his position?" REMI What have I become? My sweetest friend—Everyone I know goes away in the end If I could start again, a million miles away, I would keep myself. I would find a way

Isla frowned gently as she listened to Remi speak, glancing down at her hands as if to try and put herself in Sam's position. Her objections lay hidden beneath her tongue and she refused to let them out. Because... she might not be able to feel in the traditional sense, but what she gained from losing that primitive sense was... infinitely better, in her opinion. She could scan her body for injury, for illness, for stress, without needing to feel the fatigue and pain of it. And if she wanted pleasure, well... She forced her gaze from where it had suddenly fallen upon Remi's neck, clearing her throat. "If I had not chosen it, I could see myself as a very desperately sad individual," she conceded with a nod. But you say he has been like this for years... I wonder, then, if he does not feel nostalgia rather than sadness? Would he even know how to cope with the everyday pain of being alive?" Sighing deeply, Isla shrugged her shoulders. "I wish I could help more, Remi. But unless I were truly in his position I don't think I could make a choice that is not tainted with my own bias. I could see Samuel saying it was worth it, however. Ultimately it... it is not our choice to make. Is it?" ISLA Hush now, I'm here

Raising his eyes at the mention of the pain, Remi could only press his lips together with a worried sort of nod of agreement. "I had wondered that too. I saw him fall once, off of the Bone Bridge down to the bottom of the ravine. He lived of course, but he felt nothing at the time. I cannot even imagine the pain that something like this would make him endure. And, given the way his body works, I believe he probably would not even have the luxury of passing out because of it." No, it wasn't their choice to make, though given that Remi was the one with the patch, it did make him feel somehow responsible. Then an idea struck him. "Could I leave it here? I am sure you could lock it away somewhere. If I let him know of its existence, at least he would have to wait to find you in order to receive it? And having someone with medical knowledge there to witness its...ah..." Remi shrugged vaguely, unsure what the terminology here was meant to be. "...application would probably be very wise." REMI What have I become? My sweetest friend—Everyone I know goes away in the end If I could start again, a million miles away, I would keep myself. I would find a way

Whilst Isla knew in herself that she would be able to shrug off the same sort of fall that Remi described, she still winced. The surgeon in her knew all too well what stresses a body could go through when it was subjected to the unforgiving nature of gravity. "No," she agreed, "he probably would not." With a sigh, she settled her hands in her lap and continued to think on what they might do about the situation when Remi spoke again, seemingly struck by an idea. "Yes, I mean... if you think that would help," she said, nodding and rising to her feet. Producing a key from within her tunic, she unlocked one of the drawers in the desk and slid it open, lifting a few files for Remi to place the upgrade within. "If it is all the same to you I would like to avoid touching it. I am getting used to my situation and I feel going back now would be difficult, even with how short a time it has been." She smirked to him. "I will keep it safe for you, though. And I will monitor him if he should call by." ISLA Hush now, I'm here

Remi flashed her a wry grin at the mention of not going back. He wasn't sure whether or not the smear of salaciousness was an indication that she should, given what had happened between them...or that she shouldn't. Either way, he laughed. "Thank you Isla. I knew I could count on you. And..if you wouldn't mind...please do not tell Sam it was I who made this. I would rather that not...ah..complicate his decision." Rising, not wanting to bother the medic given that she was almost always busy, he made his way towards the door. Halting and spinning elegantly, he tapped his fingers on the door frame with a crooked smile. "Pop by the shop when you're free and we'll go for a fly." He said wryly with a boyish smile, before letting himself out. ~ FIN Isla has Sam's item now REMI What have I become? My sweetest friend—Everyone I know goes away in the end If I could start again, a million miles away, I would keep myself. I would find a way