[LOG] We’re All In This Together

[khristalized]

CHARACTERS: Khrista, Aligoté, Merlot, Maria, maybe others?
WHEN: SD 789
WHERE: Surferio, then probably Aquios
SUMMARY: Aligoté’s symptoms of advanced aging due to his contradicting genetics take a turn for the worse, and the Traydors decide to do something more about it.
WARNINGS: Ows, talks of death and dying, sad little teenage kidlets ;~;

It was a slow day at the café, which suited Khrista just fine. Slow day meant fewer customers to serve, and more time for her to hang around online with Amber. The rest of the Sanmite Republic — and the continent of Gaitt, for that matter — was still behind in terms of technology, but the Traydors at least had a communicator. Which Khrista had taken possession of, as if it was her own.

pastrychef:
amb
you there?

sexypilot:
sup k
watching a holo
can’t sleep

pastrychef:
just one customer
send me a link?

sexypilot:
your sweet innocent eyes aren’t made for this
plus it’s not to be watched at daytime
and certainly not while you’re working in the cafe
:p

pastrychef:
pffftt
you’re not that much older than me

sexypilot:
i’m MATURE
and surrounded by sexy modern men ;)
while you’re stuck
with PRIMITIVES

Khrista made a face, puffing her cheeks as she began typing a retort, when a crash from the kitchen nearly caused her to drop the device. She sat there by the counter, frozen for a few seconds, her heart suddenly racing.

The last time this happened…

“Father?” she called out, worry clear in her voice, sliding out of the chair and tucking the communicator into her pocket.

Comments

[aviances]

No answer called back to reassure her.

Instead she would find Aligoté lying on the kitchen floor, the rack of dropped metal pans on the tile and the shattered shards of what had been a glass jar on the counter. One hand was hooked into the material of his shirt, grasping at it as if in pain, and each breath sounded forced and wheezed.

[khristalized]

Khrista allowed herself to think that it was nothing, that Aligoté had just slipped or dropped something. Just a little accident in the kitchen, nothing too worrisome. But when he didn’t call back to her as he always did—

“Father!” she cried out, bursting into the kitchen. In seconds she was kneeling by his side, confused and panicking, trying to figure out what was wrong, what to do first, how to ease his pain.

But Khrista was only 14, and not yet the cool, composed rebel leader she would become later in life.

“Help! Somebody call a doctor! Please!” she shouted helplessly, tears coming to her eyes as she tried to cradle her father’s struggling form.

[aviances]

The customer from the front of the cafe, hearing her cries, appeared in the kitchen doorway to see what was going on. At her request to call for a doctor, they nodded and dashed off to get one, leaving just the two of them.

Aligoté's vision hazed, and it felt like there was a dragon sitting on his chest, barely able to get enough air to stay conscious. But though the outward signs probably looked a lot like a heart attack, he knew what it was. A feeling that could barely be described, even if he could have formed words just then: the sensation of one's body trying to shut down.

And then, just as suddenly, it was gone.

The crushing pressure eased and he gulped in a huge gasp of air, sagging into Khrista's hold. "Ss... s'all right," he coughed out.

[khristalized]

“You’re not alright,” Khrista protested with a sniffle. She was crying, although she’d gotten a better hold of herself now.

She adored her father. She practically grew up in the café, wanting to be like him. To see him in pain like that, and being unable to help — it was crushing her, too.

She hugged him a little tighter, but was careful not to deprive him of any more air. She wanted to get him to his room so he could rest properly, but she wasn’t sure she could manage that by herself. Maybe when the doctor came.

[aviances]

It was a labour, but he managed to reach up and pat her hair before slumping back into her hold. In the wake of whatever this has been, he felt exhausted like he'd never felt before. "H-Hey..." he murmured. "No cryin', it's... gonna be... fine."

[powerofchange]

The thing about living in a small town was that everyone knew nearly everyone, and so word traveled fast. Someone came out of the café owned by the cute half-Featherfolk chef with two pretty daughters looking for a doctor? That was the sort of news that got around quickly, and ultimately to the right people.

Maria had been out with Merlot that morning, stocking up on food supplies. The Traydors got most of their ingredients from their own backyard, but they couldn’t grow everything. Fortunately, over the last couple of years, more shops had appeared in Surferio, so one no longer had to go all the way to Peterny in Aquaria to get some shopping done.

They’d already gotten all that they needed, so they were heading home, arms filled with paper bags. But Maria had stopped by one of her favorite stalls, which sold an assortment of items and trinkets, so Merlot could get something she liked, and something for Khrista as well.

Then there was a gust of wind from behind them, and Maria turned around just in time to see a Featherfolk woman with large white wings land gracefully.

“Maria,” Stanice said without fanfare, urgency in her voice. “It’s Aligoté.”

——

Khrista was shaking her head, still cradling Aligoté. “Father... the doctor should be here soon. You’re going to be alright.” She wasn’t really sure if she believed it, but she tried to sound like she did.

[aviances]

I know... I've got you here... he thought, but the words were too much to form aloud.

Try as he might, Aligoté still felt consciousness slipping away from him, and there was nothing he could do to retain it any longer. The tension slid from him as he went slack in Khrista's arms, although he appeared to be having no more trouble breathing.

---

Merlot felt herself go cold when Stanice said it was her father, and her heartbeat seemed too loud in her ears, all groceries and shopping forgotten in an instant.

---

While in reality the doctor arrived in mere minutes, it must have seemed like an eternity to Khrista. The doctor, a man named Eaghan, had come to Surferio within the last few years. While he was young, he was eager and knowledgeable, and people liked him.

"Don't worry Khrista, we'll take a look at your dad," he assured the teen, gently guiding her to release Aligoté so he was laying flat on the floor again, and shaking out his stethoscope. "Can you tell me what happened?"

[powerofchange]

“Father!” Khrista cried out when Aligoté lost consciousness, tears springing to her eyes again.

Fortunately, it wasn’t long before Eaghan arrived, although she was reluctant to let go of her father. But the doctor’s presence — and his questions — at least gave her something to focus on, instead of the helplessness that was gnawing at her.

She sniffed. “I was out front when I heard a crash, and when I came in here he was already on the floor... h-he was in pain, in so much pain... He was clutching his chest, and and he was having trouble breathing...”

——

“What happened?” Maria asked, her shoulders tensing visibly as she tried not to let her fear show. For her daughter’s sake.

“I’m not sure, but Khrista was shouting for a doctor. Eaghan’s on his way.” Stanice held out her arms. “I can take those,” she offered, referring to their bags. “You go right ahead.”