Thanatos 5-1

[19:34] <Neph-GM> The room is dark. what little ligth filters in between the blinds must be the Shaft's night illumination. Unnecessarily large, the hospital room contains only a bed, a chair, a pair of unused machines and a pole with IV bags. Connected to them is the boy connected to them, waking up from dreamless sleep, immediately assailed by the oppressiveness room.
[19:35] <Neph-GM> No, not the room, but the source of the loud breathing noise, hidden in the dark.
[19:36] * Abraham gropes where a night stand would be. Hoping to feel a lamp.
[19:37] <Neph-GM> The nightstand is emtpy. The breathing stops.
[19:38] * Abraham tries to sit up, keeping his eyes open so they can adjust.
[19:40] <Neph-GM> A figure stands at the far end of the room. Abraham is just able to make out the bottom of his coat and legs with the filtered light.
[19:41] <Abraham> "Mmm...mind hitting the lights?"
[19:42] <Neph-GM> There's a knock, as if something hard hit the floor. The man speaks.
[19:43] <Neph-GM> "Angels... are complete beings," he says with hoarse voice, "possessors of the Fruit of Life, each of them is a superior form of life compared to anything produced by this planet."
[19:44] <Abraham> "...Commander? "
[19:44] * Abraham isn't sure if he recognizes the voice.
[19:47] <Neph-GM> "The Evangelion units are poor imitations, incomplete." There's a knock as his walking stick taps the floor, and he takes a few steps forward. As he advances, the light reveals the indigo blue coat, and a tined glasses. "We feed them scraps from humanity's boon, the Fruit of Knowledge, in hopes of being able to match them."
[19:47] <Abraham> "Feed...sir?"
[19:48] <Neph-GM> "You." The man accussingly points his walking stick at the boy with his right hand.
[19:49] <Abraham> "...We pilots serve as the minds of the Evas, I know."
[19:50] <Abraham> "I also know I failed you, and as moot as it is,  I deeply apologize."
[19:51] <Abraham> "Just...make it painless, sir."
[19:54] <Neph-GM> "...No."
[19:54] <Neph-GM> Already standing besides the bed, the man stabs the stick forward, into Abraham's ribs. As he twists the head in, the pain is excruciating.
[19:54] * Abraham wants to cry out, but bites his lip and stays silent.
[19:55] <Neph-GM> "Pain is an illusion of the senses, but it leaves deep memories. Remember the pain; embrace it, that you may never forget your shortcommings."
[19:56] <Neph-GM> The man twists the stick again.
[19:57] * Abraham still refuses to scream, his fingers digging into the bed.
[19:58] <Neph-GM> The man withdraws the pressure, allowing the boy to breathe again.
[19:59] * Abraham finally opens his mouth. Breathing in short pained gasps.
[20:03] <Neph-GM> "Remember this: you're made from the scraps and dreams and hopes of fools, emerging something lesser than they ever were, to be used as an instrument of the worthy." A tap. "You failed not me."
[20:04] <Abraham> "If I fail, I'm failing everyone...I know.'
[20:10] <Neph-GM> "Obey your orders," he says as he turns around towards the door, "you're a tool that wasn't meant to be fully replaced, but excesses can be filed away if it leads to increased sharpness."
[20:14] <Abraham> "I understand sir."
[20:16] <Abraham> "Uhm, sir?"
[20:17] <Neph-GM> The man stops.
[20:19] <Abraham> "Were you listening to the radioes before I was struck?"
[20:20] <Neph-GM> "...I read the logs."
[20:22] <Abraham> "Who was it I heard before I was hit? "
[20:25] <Neph-GM> "Your commanding officer, telling you not to charge the enemy." The door hisses open, the sudden influx of light blinding the boy. "Worry not, her failure has already been dealth with."
[20:26] <Neph-GM> The man takes a step forward, and the door closes behind him.
[20:27] <Abraham> "What? No...I heard someone else."
[20:31] * Abraham wants to wait for an answer...but drowsiness takes him.
[20:34] <Neph-GM> Minutes, perhaps hours pass. Abraham feels something on his forehead, gentle, warm strokes.
[20:36] * Abraham shakes his head in weak protest to the new stimuli.
[20:36] <Neph-GM> The touch stops, followed by a whisper. "Oh, did I wake you?"
[20:38] <Abraham> "I guess...but it didn't hurt."
[20:41] * Abraham tries to sit up, testing how much it hurts to move.
[20:42] <Neph-GM> It's rather painful, made no easier by the earlier experience with Commander Navarro. Warm hands quickly force him back down, preventing him from moving. "No, no. You need rest."
[20:43] <Abraham> "I've had plenty of sleep."
[20:44] <Neph-GM> "But not enough rest," the female voice replies.
[20:44] * Abraham finally blinks his eyes open, adjusting to whatever light is in the room.
[20:45] <Abraham> "I do not understand the difference. "
[20:46] <Neph-GM> Dr. Ionides smiles. "Sleep is something your body forces upon you, rest is something you force yourself to do."
[20:47] <Abraham> "Doesn't that make rest a choice?"
[20:47] <Neph-GM> "Unless you're ordered to." She pokes the boy's nose. "Rest more. Doctor's orders."
[20:48] <Abraham> "Yes doctor."
[20:48] * Abraham gives up any resistance. Squirming a little to get comfortable. "
[20:49] <Abraham> "How are the others? "
[20:50] <Neph-GM> "In better shape; they already left. But you, you're going to need a week's rest at a minimum."
[20:51] <Abraham> "What am I to do for a week? "
[20:53] <Neph-GM> She smiles and reaches down the floor, rising back up with a big pile of books. She places them on the nightstand with a low thud.
[20:54] <Neph-GM> She turns on the lamp, revealing an assortment of sci-fi titles and other subjects of interest for Abraham, many of which he had intended to read but hadn't yet.
[20:55] <Abraham> "How did you know?"
[20:58] <Neph-GM> "It's my job. How else am I supposed to treat you, without knowing everything about you?"
[20:58] <Abraham> "Thank you..."
[21:01] <Neph-GM> She shakes her head. "No need to thank me, just doing my job."
[21:02] <Neph-GM> Then she leans forward. "You're welcome."
[21:03] * Abraham is feeling extremely uncomfortable, eyes darting around to avoid her gaze.
[21:07] <Abraham> "Uh...so Il be healed in time for school? "
[21:08] <Neph-GM> She takes a moment to think. "Probably," she finally states.
[21:10] <Abraham> "And how will arrangements be made for our living quarters? "
[21:12] <Neph-GM> She looks at him with wonder then shrugs.
[21:12] <Abraham> "Is something the matter, doctor? "
[21:15] <Neph-GM> She raises an eyebrow. "Problem?"
[21:15] <Abraham> "Uhh... nevermind."
[21:17] <Neph-GM> She sighs and shrugs again. "Well then, you're stable and got your pile of books- ah, they're straight from the library, so be sure to return them when you check out- so I'll take my leave and let you..."
[21:17] <Neph-GM> Her voice trails off as she looks down the side of the boy. There's blood.
[21:18] <Abraham> "Hmm? "
[21:18] <Neph-GM> She touches it, then rubs her fingers. It's fresh.
[21:19] <Abraham> "Whered that come from? "
[21:22] <Neph-GM> "Who hurt you?" She asks.
[21:24] <Abraham> "It must have been an accident. "
[21:24] <Abraham> "I stretched during the night...opened a wound..."
[21:25] <Abraham> "I don't even feel it. Would never have noticed it if you never did. "
[21:28] <Neph-GM> "...I see. I can't do anything about that."
[21:31] * Abraham throws the blankets down to his feet to see if he is still bleeding and from where.
[21:32] <Neph-GM> She licks her fingers clean and stands up. "I'll send someone in to patch you up."
[21:32] <Neph-GM> "Goodnight." She says with a smile, before exiting the room.
[21:33] * Abraham has a grimace on his face from watching her lick up blood... pulls his blankets back and tries to force that image out so he can get some rest.