JJBA CLINIC EXPERIENCE

[seacub]

WHO: Anasui, Emporio, and YOU...Potentially all at once!
WHAT: Anasui is treating patients (and harassing visitors), Emporio is Recovering, and later there's BASEBALL
WHERE: The Clinic, and the Beach
WHEN: Late April/Early May
WARNINGS: References to the prior Heavy Quest

[YOUR DOCTOR, UNFORTUNATELY]

For someone who supposedly doesn't care about the well-being of others, Anasui volunteers at the clinic frequently. Most people know they can find him there if they can't find him in the library and you will see him there as usual.

However, over the last few days, he seems more pissed than usual. His already poor bedside manner seemed worse, and patients and visitors alike will notice Anasui irately clicking his tongue as he comes over to deliver medicine or do regular check ups. He may even mutter 'oh great. You again.' But if his grumbling about the teleporters is anything to go by, it may not be your fault.

"Fucking hell... Asking us to find what's different with newcomers? Why don't they fucking find what's wrong with their stupid teleporters?"

Occasionally, he'll slam cupboards closed or hiss as he's forced to visit a few patients. If you're coming to visit someone, you may see Anasui glaring at you unblinkingly as you walk in.

"What do you want?"

[CLINIC BUDDIES]

It's not exactly small news that Emporio's been admitted to the clinic.

...Again.

His team was, reportedly, carried in from beyond the cliffs by way of Robin and Agnes- they were unconscious, a scene not at all unlike the last heavy quest Emporio participated in, and ultimately they were handed over to Dr. Denne and the rest on stretchers. When, precisely, all three woke up is perhaps largely irrelevant.

What matters is that eventually Emporio does wake up, and proceeds to have a heck of a crisis of identity, before settling back against his cot to just try and muddle his way through the way he does most things. He's really not changed that much, if he thinks about it hard enough. This is still basically the same shape body, even if he has to keep blinking auras out of his eyes, and also figure out how to replace the bag he'd more or less used his old helmet for.

But while Emporio adjusts to this (and also to being bloody huge compared to prior), others will probably want to visit. And...unlike Anasui, who absolutely tracked him down before the boy awoke, it might have been easy to miss the kid.

If only because, as noted, he's a lot bigger now. ...Roughly five times bigger in fact.

It appears Emporio has evolved, and that might be causing a little confusion when it comes to locating his cot in the clinic.

[OH! THAT'S A BASEBALL!]

((Collaboratively written between Pyra and Usagi - tags can and likely will come from both!))

The air in the beach is tense. It's thick, heavy, and nearly choking as two giants (well, Pokemon larger than 5ft) stare each other down. Despite the ghost-type Marowak formerly known as Emporio the Cubone being literally five times bigger than he used to be, he still looks small next to Anasui, especially when the bird straightens his neck and puffs up his feathers. Anasui is bristling, and if the dark look in his eye is any indication, he's pissed off.

Emporio holds, in his hand, a long bone club. There's no flames on it- that would involve scratching it against the almost star-shaped mark on his brow- but rather, he holds it over his shoulder, the way a baseball would be positioned.

The marowak swallows. On the one hand, Anasui told him they were going to be playing baseball.

On the other, it really didn't feel like an offer so much as a threat, and he's not sure what to do about that.

Another swallow.

"...So....where are the baseballs..?"

Emporio's question is unfortunately unanswered- even if an audience has already gathered.

Anasui doesn't say anything. One moment, he's staring down Emporio, the next, he's moving. A grey and purple blob of shadow forms in his mouth and he shoots it straight at Emporio. Emporio gasps and ducks out of the way and Anasui snarls.

"Stay still or I'll make you." It'd be nice if there was context but it seems Emporio doesn't even have that. Anasui just charges up another shadow ball and fires it again. "Emporio!"

"YOU SAID THIS WAS BASEBALL-!!" is all the Marowak shouts in turn- and, for anyone watching, one wonders if they'll have to step in for that to actually happen.

Comments

[dripdrive]

"You're not being helpful," Anasui echoes in the same tone as her. Frankly, he doesn't care he's being loud. He simply goes back to searching the cupboards.

"...I'm just looking for the Sitrus berry stash. Someone's moved it and I have to bring it to Dr. Denne to make a new batch of medicine."

[sharpjustice]

Mayaka's face immediately turns red in embarrassment. Congrats Anasui, you've made this teenager self-conscious.

"I-I was just going to say that those in the wards can't get a good rest if you're slamming things shut every other minute!"

She wanders over to help look for the missing berries, wanting to make herself useful after his comment.

"What's the system for storing things around here anyway?" asks the Sneasel who barely helps out at the clinic.

[dripdrive]

Well, he's not trying to make anyone self-conscious so he takes no pride in it. Still, he doesn't exactly care she's red-faced and continues searching.

"Hmph... Maybe then the idiots who keep going out on goddamn missions with even stupider goddamn idiots should stop ending up in the damn clinic," Anasui grumbles, feathers bristling. "That way we don't have to deal with each other."

Anasui uses his psychic ability to levitate an Aspear berry over to Mayaka from where he was searching.

"It should be here but it looks like some idiot volunteer got their yellow berries mixed up." You're a volunteer, Anasui. "In this room, the berries are supposed to be organised by degree of healing it does, then if they cure status conditions, then type resistances. But I'm not sure if the berries are missing due to this mix up or if we've used most of the stash... since there were lots of injured people..."

[sharpjustice]

Mayaka can't tell if Anasui is being his usual grumpy self, or if he's just extra stressed out by the high number of Pokémon in the clinic, including Emporio.

She grabs ahold of the Aspear berry, and turns it around in her claws to appreciate the texture of its skin.

"Why don't we just go and fetch more, then? Is there a storage room here with more berries stored away?"

[dripdrive]

Anasui releases his psychic hold on the Aspear berry and then closes one more cupboard. He gives a heavy sigh but nods. He supposes Mayaka is right... but it still bothers him that things are out of place.

"Mmmm... there is a storage room. It's down one floor from here... Let's restock." Anasui turns heel and heads for the stairs, once again not stopping Mayaka from following him. Once he does see her following though, he tosses a stray question her way.

"What are you doing here, anyway?"

[sharpjustice]

"Me? Just visiting friends. I made some get well soon bentos for them."

Mayaka's wearing a little sling on her back. It's carrying the now-emptied wooden bentos she used to pack snacks for Shoka, Emporio and Eleanor.

"That's about the only thing useful I could think to do since I don't really work at the clinic much." Mayaka's more comfortable helping out in the Archives.

[dripdrive]

Better Mayaka than Anasui. Anasui doesn't have the patience to help with the other scholars.

"Not a terrible idea. After all, no matter how fresh things are prepared, hospital food always tastes like shit compared to outside food," Anasui mutters. "Hopefully, a good meal will make those guys heal and then get out faster."

[sharpjustice]

Mayaka is a bit confused over whether Anasui is wishing the patients good health or whether he just wants them off the premises. Eh, probably the latter. She sticks close to his heels as they make their way down to the lower level.

"You make it sound like you've spent a lot of time in hospitals."

[dripdrive]

It can be both... after all, you can't have them off the premises if they're sick! That's just irresponsible.

Anasui raises an eyebrow, surprised Mayaka wanted to know anything about him, but then simply nods.

"Mm... A reasonable amount. I was studying medicine before I got arrested, so I was there a lot between prac and working part-time. It was interesting."

[sharpjustice]

He was going to be a doctor... it's not hard to believe given how intelligent the Espathra is. Is that why he's always helping out at the clinic?

"Really?! That's a very... noble profession...?"

She ends the statement with a question mark, because it sounds a bit odd to say this in the context of Anasui.

[dripdrive]

Anasui shrugs, unbothered by the incredulity in Mayaka's voice.

"I didn't do it because it was 'noble'. In truth, I've never felt strongly towards helping people or saving lives. I just did it because it was interesting: the human body is complicated and there are so many components to it, like a puzzle. It would have been a profession that kept me busy."

Maybe once, he would have said that he was studying medicine because it was 'normal', and it would keep him out of trouble and from dismantling things. But that was a thought that hadn't been true for years.

[sharpjustice]

Being honest is something Mayaka values a lot. Even though Anasui can come off as rude and callous, perhaps she's never shied away from talking to him because she knows he's not going to bend the truth. She supposes he doesn't need a noble, selfless reason to become a doctor.

"No matter the reason for doing it, you'd be putting your interests to good use, even if helping others isn't your main goal," she says thoughtfully. Isn't Anasui still doing that now with all his clinic duties?

"I can't really say the same for myself." Mayaka is a bit self-conscious about this, especially when she's always kept drawing manga as a personal hobby. Who does it really benefit, apart from her ego, if she were to work on her art?

[dripdrive]

"... Not everyone would agree what I've been doing with it is good use. Knowledge of the human body combined with someone like me is... messy at times." Anasui genuinely believes he does whatever is needed to be done but he is aware that what he's done with his medical knowledge over the last seven years before the Bay could be considered as 'a bad use'.

Anasui gets off the stairs and walks down the hallway, frowning as he mills Mayaka's words over.

"... What are your interests again? Art, right? You've already put it to good use here."

[sharpjustice]

Mayaka definitely gets a little shiver down her spine at what Anasui's implying. His next question helpfully distracts her from fretting about it for too long, though.

"Yeah, we can say it's art." There is no lie here, just things left unsaid.

"If you're talking about the time with the road plans, it was only because of you that it all worked out."

Mayaka would've hated admitting that a few months ago. Now, she's only a little annoyed.

[dripdrive]

"Yes, that's true. But by making sure that the plans were in visual form, you helped convey they idea to the other Pokemon and made them more agreeable to the plans. Committing everything to paper made disseminating the information faster; I didn't have to make nearly as many corrections on the road as I would have otherwise."

Anasui has confidence that can come off as arrogance but he knows he's not a one-man army. He knows the value of teamwork and others' contributions. Also, imagine what would have happened if Anasui had to tell others about the road plans himself? By extension, Mayaka's work stopped Anasui getting into many, many, many fights..

"But if you don't agree with me, fine. I honestly don't care. What's stopping you from putting your interests to good use now?"

[sharpjustice]

Mayaka quietly listens to Anasui's reasoning. Because he's so frank about it, she knows it's an objective opinion, which makes it hard to brush off. She's secretly happy to hear this, and tries not to let it show.

"I guess... because I've never had the chance to use it that way. But maybe I should try."

When they finally reach the storeroom, Mayaka will look up to the Espathra and say, "If you ever need something drawn, you can ask me."

[dripdrive]

Even if it did show, Anasui may have not picked it up - detecting emotional cues has never been his strong point. In any case, he continues in silence to the store room, focused as ever. He likely wouldn't have said anything else to Mayaka if she didn't speak up at the door.

"... Duly noted," Anasui says with a slight nod. "And if I hear anyone who may need an artist's hand, I'll pass your name along."

With that, he opens the storage room up and lets the cool air and the waft of assorted berries hit him. Anasui walks over to a box and psychically draws it out, revealing a plethora of Sitrus berries.

"Good. At least we have a decent supply here. After we let someone else know that we're taking things, we can restock upstairs and I can get to work.."

good to start wrapping !

[sharpjustice]

"A-artist? I don't think I'm good enough to be called that yet..." she says, sounding unsure about something for once.

While Anasui prepares the Sitrus berries, Mayaka will look for the staff in charge of the storage room to give them the needed updates. There's some inventory sheets to update, but before long, they'll be back on track.

sounds good!

[dripdrive]

"Youmake art. You're an artist, whether or not you're a good or a bad one is irrelevant," Anasui scoffs.

And indeed, they will. Whether or not Mayaka chooses to keep helping him or not is up to her but once they have the supplies, Anasui will have calmed down a little bit. There will at least be no slamming cupboards now, even though he's still disgruntled with how things are still such a mess...

🎀

[sharpjustice]

Mayaka disagrees with Anasui's statement. What's the point of making art if it's not good enough? The only reason she even pursued this interest is because she got to read real masterpieces, artists who poured all their hardwork, skills, and talent to making their manga truly shine. She wants to make a masterpiece of her own one day. Even if that thought seems distant and foolish. To not want to make a distinction what's considered good or bad... Mayaka can't abide by that!

Seeing how focused Anasui is on the task at hand, she bites her tongue and swallows the sharp retort. Maybe this will come up again in future, and she can disagree all she wants to then. For now, she'll stick around and assist Anasui (asking a question every now and then about how something works) until he tells her that there's nothing else left to do.