Athena - Messiah Lives!

[15:20] <@Earthflame> ...Pain. Despite the confusion, the mix of memories and sensations, the pain remains a unifying constant. Where there is consciousness, there is pain. Sometimes there's light, and other times there's darkness. Flashes of noise or light, flickers of colour and unintelligible whispers... Most of the time, there's nothing. During the points where consciousness creeps in, she remembers a battle...
[15:20] <@Earthflame> Urgent commands, desperate last stands, an unfinished, only half grown prototype facing up to a monster...
[15:20] <@Earthflame> And now there's a light. For a while (Seconds? Minutes? Hours?) it seems to be an ethereal glow, the light at the end of the tunnel... But then it changes. A bright, clean light in a white ceiling. There's a smell in the air, too... Clean and a little sharp, antiscpetic? Noises filter in through the silence, the quiet chuff of machines, footsteps in the distance and the clink of metal...
[15:20] <@Earthflame> Throughout all of it, there is pain. So much pain.
[15:30] <Deedles> She moved her lips, at least she thought she did, her mind forming words, questions, while her fragmented memories left her confused as to the strange flickers of reality. At least she thought they must be reality, the sensations, the lights, even the smells, were somehow more solid than everything else she experienced. 'Where am I? What's going on? Who am I?' were just some of the things she asked,
[15:30] <Deedles> her delirious mind making her certain that she must of said those things outloud, and yet they felt floaty, and the next moment she couldn't be quite sure she did. The one thing she was certain of, the one thing that, in that moment, defined her, was the pain.
[15:32] <@Earthflame> Her attempt to speak causes an intense spike of pain from her throat, and all that comes out is a rough, grating croak... But this seems to draw an immediate response. In moments, white clothed doctors and nurses are by her bed. A gentle finger touches her neck, feeling her pulse, but even the soft contact is agonizing. The doctor speaks, but his words don't seen to make sense, garbled and
[15:32] <@Earthflame> mashed... And then one of the nurses moves out of sight. A moment later, a wave of relief passes through her, dulling if not removing the pain.
[15:32] <@Earthflame> Words come into focus. "...thena. Athena? Can you hear me. Don't try to speak. Just blink twice if you can hear me, Athena."
[15:35] <Deedles> Her violet gaze moved onto the Doctor that spoke, her lips parting out of instinct as she went to reply, but stopped herself and did as he asked, her unfocused eyes attempting to home in on him as she blinked. She thought she blinked twice, but it could of been more, or even less, her head still felt too lost to keep count.
[15:38] <@Earthflame> He waits a few moments, and then nods. "I'm sure you must be confused, Athena, but you're going to be okay. We're taking care of you. Your entire body has suffered extensive tissue damage, but you're well on the way towards recovery. You're safe here, on the Moon." His expression darkens. "...I'm sure you must have so many questions, but your vocal chords are still badly damaged. Trying to
[15:38] <@Earthflame> use them will only make them heal more slowly. Do you understand?"
[15:41] <Deedles> Her eyes widened, at least that's what they would of done under normal circumstances 'The moon?', she couldn't remember much yet, but something told her, a feeling deep in her chest, that she wasn't meant to be there. She forced herself to look more intently at the doctor as she blinked in response again, this time she also wasn't sure quite how many times it was, but she felt fairly certain it was two.
[15:44] <@Earthflame> He smiles down at her. "This is going to be a difficult few weeks, but you're strong, Athena. You've survived so much, and now you're on the home stretch. We're going to give you something to help the pain, and let you sleep a little longer. I'll check in with you every day, just to make sure you're okay. If you want a few minutes to think, blink twice. When you're ready to rest, close your
[15:44] <@Earthflame> eyes."
[15:48] <Deedles> She felt uncertain, she wanted more than just a few minutes to think! What was going on? Who was he? How did she end up like this? Her gaze flickered to the sides for a bit, before she looked at the doctor again, trying to calm her mind. No matter how much she wanted those answers now she wouldn't get them, right now she could only heal, and as such she closed her eyes.
[15:50] <@Earthflame> "Sleep well, Athena." And blessed, peaceful unconsciousness descends... It's like that, day after day. A minute or two of consciousness, simple yes or no questions and then once more into the blackness.
[15:56] <Deedles> It was aggrevating to the young pilot, she wanted to be the one to ask the questions, and yet, every single time she woke up, she never found the ability or time to. Time, that was a concept she completely lost track of during the days that passed. She had no idea how long it was between each time that she was awoken, she's not sure if it's just been a couple of days, weeks, or even months.
[15:57] <Deedles> She tried to use her time in consciousness to puzzle her memories together, and makes some sense of it all, but all she could remember of the past events was the pain, a battle, blood and screams, and a face, a distant memory, a calm smile amongst all the chaos in her mind. Athena... That was her name, she hadn't been sure at first, but after they called her it a couple of times she recalled that
[15:57] <Deedles> she had been called such before, as such it must be her name. Heracles. She remember that name too, accompanied with the image of a black and gold figure, it was still blurry, but it was there.
[15:59] <@Earthflame> It's a long time since her first waking that the doctor changes his tune. "We have good news, Athena. We've got the latest reports back, and it seems like your throat and lungs have healed enough. Please, be careful. They're still fragile, and you shouldn't try to move... But say a couple of words, if you can. Don't push yourself, and take your time. Your poor body has been through a lot."
[16:08] <Deedles> She moved her lips, they were sluggish, and her mouth felt sore, so it took her a couple of attempts to say anything, uttering incoherent sounds at first. "Th... Ph... Whe... Where... am... I?"
[16:09] <@Earthflame> "A Nerv hospital, on the moon. You were brought here when your Eva was recovered, about four months ago. Do you want some water?"
[16:14] <Deedles> "Y-yes..." Athena replied, her eyes slowly moving away from the doctor to try to take in more of the room around her, as her only impressions so far were the bright lights, the faint, sharp smell in the air and the white ceiling. Nerv... that also rang a bell, but she couldn't place it, she didn't feel emotionally attached to it, but it held a grave sense of importance to her. "Eva..." she mumbled to herself,
[16:14] <Deedles> that word she did feel emotionally attached to. Her eyes came back to settle on the doctor, before they widened faintly in realization. "... Hero... Heracles..." she wasn't sure how she knew, but something told her that Heracles, the black and gold figure, was an Eva.
[16:17] <@Earthflame> He pauses, and then looks up to check something. "Ah yes, that was the designation, Heracles. They recovered that, too. It was badly damaged, but it's core was intact. It's been in refit while you've been in recovery." She still can't turn her head very much, and doing so a little bit hurts, but she can see white walls nearby. She must be in a small, private room. Metallic boxes and lights
[16:17] <@Earthflame> to each side must be medical equipment.
[16:23] <Deedles> She felt herself relax as he informed her that Heracles was being seen to. "Good..." she managed to say. Heracles was an Eva and he... belonged to her? Yes, she was certain that he was hers, somehow. She knew she'd fought in a battle, but wasn't sure why. She took a moment to study the doctor in silence, weighing a question in her mind. "Who... am I?" she asked him. She knew that she was Athena, but... who was Athena?
[16:25] <@Earthflame> "You're a test pilot on behalf of Nerv. A soldier of sorts. Don't worry about it too much, your memories will slowly return." He turns, recieving a glass of water from a nurse, and leans forward. "You aren't strong enough to hold this, yet. I'll pour a little between your lips. Let me know if there's any pain- Your throat and stomach were damaged, too."
[16:28] <Deedles> Test pilot? She wasn't sure what that meant entirely, but shifted it to the side of her mind for now - If her memory will return then she will know sooner or later. "Okay." she murmurred as she peered up at him, looking thoughtful.
[16:29] <@Earthflame> He gives her a moment, and then tilts the glass, letting a little water trickle between her lips.
[16:31] <Deedles> She drank, though the attempt was clumsy at first, water trinkling down her chin, but after a couple of tries she found it easier, drinking nice and slow.
[16:32] <@Earthflame> After she's drank a little he pulls the glass back and sets it to one side, before getting a cloth and wiping her chin. "You can have some more soon. We don't want to overwhelm your body while it's healing."
[16:38] <Deedles> She held his gaze, uttering a quiet "Alright..." in return. She wouldn't of described herself as apathetic, but she felt very dull towards the world around her, apart from the doctor which seemed to be her one source of information. Right now she just wished to heal up so she could go see Heracles, and for her memories to return.
[16:39] <@Earthflame> "What do you remember, Athena?"
[16:46] <Deedles> She pondered on that for a moment. "I am... not from here. Can't remember where from, just... books, a base... military base, and farms. Heracles is my Eva, but... I'm not sure what that is yet. I pilot it? Yeah, I think that's it. Nerv is important, but I can't remember why." she spoke slowly, partially because her throat was still sore, and her lungs easily lost their breath, but also to give herself time to piece things together.
[16:47] <Deedles> She was quiet for a moment, before adding. "I also remember a face, a man, dark hair, stubble, a calm smile."
[16:49] <@Earthflame> He nods. "From what we understand, there was a battle. You were posted at a Nerv base near Saturn, where Evangelions like your Heracles were being tested. One of the Angels attacked and..." He sighs. "...It didn't go well. You're very lucky to be alive."
[16:52] <Deedles> Her expression was a bit blank, but she nodded "I see." she murmurred
[16:56] <@Earthflame> "As for the man..." He glances up again, flicking in thin air. "Ahh. Your old commanding officer, Boyd? It says he's actually on Earth, retired after a medical discharge."
[16:58] <Deedles> She stiffened as she heard that name. "... Boyd...." she uttered under her breath, before she made the faintest of nods. "Yes." she relaxed, feeling that she was happy to know that he was okay, he at least hadn't been on Saturn when the Angel had attacked.
[16:59] <@Earthflame> "We can't be sure about the rest of the people at Saturn, unfortunately... There's a lot of chaos, at the moment. How are you feeling?"
[17:00] <Deedles> "Not... sure..." she answered, very honestly actually. "Conflicted."
[17:03] <@Earthflame> He nods. "As I said, you've been through a lot... When we found you, you were exposed to space in the cockpit after it had been cracked open. Your entire body had frozen solid. We had to take... Extreme measures. But don't worry. We've gotten past the main dangers. We were terrified you might have suffered brain damage, but it seems like your helmet managed to let you avoid the worst of that."
[17:06] <Deedles> Athena was quiet as she listened to him, remaining such for so long the doctor might think she wouldn't say anything else, but finally she did. "What now?" she asked him.
[17:08] <@Earthflame> He pauses. "...You probably haven't noticed, with everything else going on. Try not to be shocked, Athena. We had to amputate your limbs. While thawing you, there was too much risk of your extremities necrotizing and spreading infection to your internal tissue." He gives her shoulder a squeeze... Which sends a shocking feeling through her of how little is actually there. "But don't worry.
[17:08] <@Earthflame> You're nearly recovered enough for your body to accept the cloned replacements. You'll be back on your feet in a couple of weeks."
[17:12] <Deedles> Her mind clicked and groaned as it tried to register what he said at first, her face going completely blank as he laid a hand on her shoulder, making her aware of how much was missing. She slowly looked at herself, her eyes flickering downwards as if she was almost afraid to check if what he said was true, and while she said nothing, her breaths turned deeper as she tried to keep herself calm,
[17:12] <Deedles> which was becoming more and more difficult, despite his reassurance.
[17:15] <@Earthflame> Her body is covered with a blanket... But at the lower end of her torso, the cloth lies flat against the mattress. "Breath easy, Athena. It's a miracle you're still alive... Technically, you were dead when we recovered for you. We thought it was impossible, but you managed to pull through." He gives her a smile. "You're amasingly tough, Athena, so I know you can pull through this. You're
[17:15] <@Earthflame> going to be fine."
[17:19] <Deedles> "I... was dead." she looked at him before her gaze shifted to the side "But I'll... be fine?" she seemed confused, lost even, and she felt like she had a heavy weight on her chest. It was a lot to take in, but she did as he told and kept her breathing even and steady - it was easy to do as she was told, she concluded.
[17:21] <@Earthflame> He nods. "You will. After your new limbs, you'll need to spend a month or two under observation and doing physio work to rebuild your muscles and ensure your physical coordination returns... But you'll be back to full strength."
[17:28] <Deedles> She sunk back into the bed, her gaze shifting to the ceiling as she seemed in deep thought about it all. "What happens... When I'm fine?" she wondered, so unsure where she would go from here. "Will I pilot again?" she wasn't sure what she felt about that, the thought of not piloting made her sad, and yet she was afraid, but, she couldn't explain why.
[17:29] <@Earthflame> "...I don't know. That's not my call. I'm just here to make sure you get better. When you've regained some more strength, someone from Nerv will probably come and see you."
[17:31] <Deedles> She nodded once "Alright..." she kept her eyes away from him as she held her emotions inside. The uncertainty scared her, so she tried not to think about it.
[17:33] <@Earthflame> "Now... We can turn on the AR in this room for you. You can control it by speaking. The machines will listen to you, too. If you need painkillers, or more sleep, they'll be administered automatically."
[17:38] <Deedles> She shifted her gaze back to him "Thank you." she said, her expression still difficult to read, though her eyes held turmoil.
[17:39] <@Earthflame> He looks a little sad. "Is there anything else I can do?"
[17:41] <Deedles> She seemed thoughtful, her gaze idly moving across the blanket covering her, before it returned to the doctor. "What's... your name?" she asked him
[17:43] <@Earthflame> He pauses, and then lets out an embarassed little laugh. "I can't believe I'd forgotten to tell you. I'm Doctor Markoff. Call me Ian if you prefer to be informal."
[17:44] <Deedles> "Ian Markoff..." Athena repeated quietly, finding a strange sense of content in the sound of a laugh, even if it wasn't entirely joyous.
[17:45] <@Earthflame> "I need to do my rounds, but the AR will relay any messages to me, so call if you need anything." He slowly stands.
[17:49] <Deedles> "I'll ... be fine." She replied softly, settling into the medical bed as she mentally prepared herself for more resting. It was surprising how mentally draining it could be to not be able to move around.
[17:50] <@Earthflame> He reaches back and ruffles her hair. "Stay strong, Athena. Just a little longer, okay?"
[17:51] <Deedles> She blinked at that, her eyes a bit wide as the sensation was familiar and left her feeling warm inside, even though she couldn't place it. "O-okay..." she murmurred, slowly looking up at him before her lips quirked into a very small smile.
[17:54] <@Earthflame> He mirrors the smile. "I'll pop back in before I leave, just to see how you are doing. See you later." With that, he turns and walks away, leaving her to her thoughts... And the AR screen that shimmers into the air before her.
[17:57] <Deedles> She watched him leave and then turned her attention shifted onto AR, deciding to entertain herself a while by studying and fiddling with it, before she fell asleep again.
[18:03] <Deedles> At first she thought the coming days would pass slow, being unable to move, and with her body still healing there wasn't much that she could do, but to her great delight she discovered that she had access to digital books via her AR, which kept her occupied for the majority of the time that she spent in the med bed. While she'd seemed restless and antsy before, while she was reading her demeanor would change entirely,
[18:03] <Deedles> becoming calm and focused, even if she confessed, in a part of her mind, that she missed holding physical copies of books in her hands.
[18:05] <@Earthflame> Dr. Markoff seems very pleased with her improved attitude, staying and chatting with her for at least a couple of minutes every day. Still, the waiting comes to an end before too long, with one moring Doctor Markoff entering along with a couple of orderlies wheeling a stretcher. "We need to prep you for surgery, Athena. Not too long until we reach the final stage."
[18:10] <Deedles> She looked away from the book she was reading and across to the doctor and entourage "Oh, okay." she replied softly, glancing back to the AR "Close." she said, the command causing the digital book to disappear from the screen.
[18:11] <@Earthflame> "You've adapted to the audio control very quickly." Dr Markoff says approvingly, as the orderlies carefully move to either side of her. "We're going to lift you. It will probably hurt, but we'll all do the best we can. Okay, Athena?"
[18:12] <Deedles> She moved her gaze between the orderlies, before nodding "Alright." she answered, her voice remaining quiet as she prepared herself to be moved for the first time in her months there.
[18:13] <@Earthflame> They're obviously well trained, but even their careful methods still send shocks of pain through her, muscles protesting at the sudden change.
[18:15] <Deedles> She gritted her teeth, but managed to surpress any pained sounds that threatened to escape her while they moved her from the bed.
[18:16] <@Earthflame> The stretcher isn't exactly comfortable, but it provides some relief... And a fresh wave of chemical bliss washes over her as they begin to move, Dr Markoff walking beside her. "Don't fight it, Athena... Just let yourself drift off to sleep. When you wake up, you'll be whole again."
[18:18] <Deedles> She blinked, her vision blurring as he spoke, she answered, it was a word, but it sounded more like a faint grunt as she fell unconscious.
[18:20] <@Earthflame> Darkness descends once more... For a long, long time. Her dreams are strange, where her body is an entire universe, each limb a new dimension, and she's falling, falling into a black hole as all four spin away... Then she sees her own skeleton, bright and shining with metal, grinning as it reaches towards her and begins to climb down her throat... Stars spin and whirl above her, and then one
[18:20] <@Earthflame> of them turns red, a baleful eye staring down at her in hatred... A surge of pain crashes through her mind, causing her to awake with a start, back in her bed.
[18:24] <Deedles> The whole experience was out of this world, and while it would probably unsettle most she found herself curious at the strangeness, up until the end of the dream that was. As the eye stared at her she felt a searing, and familiar, burn torment her. She woke with a jerk, her body and clothes soaked from cold sweat, her breathing quick and shallow as she stared, wide eyed, at the room around her.
[18:25] <@Earthflame> The light in the room is off, so it's probably late. But... She can feel her limbs again. The sensation of completeness is almost euphoric.
[18:29] <Deedles> She froze as she realized that, remaining completely still as she lets her mind process the feeling of being whole again. She carefully curled and uncurled the fingers of one of her hands, taking it very slow as if she was almost scared that she would find out it wasn't real if she moved her body too hastily, as if it would wake her and bring her out of a dream.
[18:30] <@Earthflame> They respond slowly, and weakly, but they do. The all too pale flesh of the vat grown limbs stands out in a stark contrast against her, all those little marks and scars of a life gone... She sees the back of her own hand for the first time.
[18:34] <Deedles> She attempted to lift her hand so she could get a better look, her staring gaze locked onto the new limb. It was strange, it felt like something was missing, an image flickering through her mind of the same hand, but with mechanical parts on it. She slowly turned it, peering down at her own palm.
[18:36] <@Earthflame> Even the spirals and patterns across her fingers and hand are different. A strange new part of herself.
[18:39] <Deedles> She kept staring down at her hand, her eyes unfocusing after a while, looking past her new body part as she recalled the strange dream she'd had. That red eye, she'd seen it before, that she was certain of, and she was also certain that she was terrified of it, even if she couldn't say why.
[18:40] <@Earthflame> She can feel the memory eluding her, like so many others. Every time she feels herself latching onto it, it slips away...
[18:42] <Deedles> She grunted in frustration as it kept escaping her grip, dancing right on the edge of her vision, but disappearing each time she tried to focus on it. She decided to try to take her mind off it, lifting her gaze to study the room around her.
[18:43] <@Earthflame> The room is illuminated by the dim light of the machines to either side of her, but it's still the same small, clean and empty space... Cold and isolated.
[18:45] <Deedles> She began to slowly push herself up so she was sitting straight, the room beginning to feel supressive, and scary, with the painful memory of the red eye echoing in her mind.
[18:45] <@Earthflame> She gets about halfway before she slips, falling back. Her core muscles, her limbs... They're not strong enough to support her.
[18:47] <Deedles> She growled and tried again as her eyes narrowed, refusing to give up just because it didn't work the first time.
[19:02] <Deedles> She kept trying to push herself up, her arms slipping and failing to push and keep her up over and over again until she finally crawled backwards, until the back of her neck was pushing against the wall behind her. Using it as support she slowly managed to work her way up, her forehead soaked with sweat as the back of her shirt was turning damp. Her upperbody screamed with ache as she pushed herself,
[19:02] <Deedles> but she didn't want to stop, she couldn't stand being weak any longer, she felt too scared to stay in a single place any longer. She couldn't be like this if the red eye turned up, she needed to be ready. She shifted to the side, using a weak grip of the fences on the sides of her med bed to pull herself towards them. Her breathing came out in puffs as she felt exhausted, moreso than she could ever recall feeling before,
[19:02] <Deedles> but she didn't stop, she couldn't stop. She leaned against the metal fence, the cold material sending a shiver through her as it connected to her warm and moist skin. She stayed there for a bit, trying to catch her breath for a few moments, before she began pushing and pulling herself forward, so she could get around the metal in her way and get off the bed. It took a while, moving was painful and slow,
[19:02] <Deedles> but she stopped and leaned against the bars whenever she needed to, until finally she moved past them, and nothing was in the way of her and the floor. She kept one arm over the bars, holding her up while her other helped shove her legs towards the edge of the bed. It went an inch at the time, her eyes slowly growing wider as they got closer and closer to getting off the bed,
[19:03] <Deedles> and finally one did, hanging from the knee over the edge, and she kept trying to push the other. What she hadn't considered was that once her second leg went off the edge so did the rest of her, the combined weight of her almost limp legs becoming too much and causing her to slip off the bed and land on the floor with a thump. "... Ow..." she breathed for where she laid
[19:05] <@Earthflame> The lights in the room rise, and the AR flickers up around her. "Do you require assistance?" A pleasant, automated voice asks. Naturally, hospitals have plans for this kind of thing... But does that mean someone is already on their way?
[19:07] <Deedles> "No..." she answered, stubbornly, despite her whole body pulsing and burning with pain. Okay, so trying to get up and stand was a dumb idea, she concluded to herself as she remained on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. The cold, solid, material beneath her actually felt kinda nice against her hot body, helping it cool down slightly while she caught her breath.
[19:14] <@Earthflame> It's not long before the door opens, a nurse stepping through before letting out a sound of surprise. "Oh no! Are you hurt?" She rushes to Athena's side, one hand rapidly gesturing as she, presumably, calls for assistance. She's an older woman, her hair a little greying under it's cap, and her smile is pained as she looks down at Athena. "You poor dear, why did you do this to yourself?"
[19:22] <Deedles> Athena looked up at the nurse as she came into view "I'm fine..." she said quietly, feeling incredibly awkward, not so much because she felt embarrassed, but because she didn't like anyone seeing her in this kind of weak state, it made her uncomfortable.
[19:33] <@Earthflame> This gets a frown. "You can barely move. That is not 'Fine' by any definition of the word." She stands, moving to the bed and then returning to Athena's side, gently lifting her head and slipping a pillow beneath it. "You rest easy. We'll get a bit of help and get you back into bed. And after that, don't you go trying to get up again until the doctors say you can. You'll do yourself more harm
[19:33] <@Earthflame> than good like this, what's the good of that?"
[19:35] <Deedles> The blue haired pilot felt an internal objection, that she couldn't stay like this for much longer, but as she kept gazing up at the nurse she finally just nodded in return, half-supressing a sigh. "Alright." she replied, despite feeling more and more stirr-crazy.
[19:37] <@Earthflame> It's just a few minutes more before the orderlies arrive, lifting Athena back into the bed. The nurse bids them goodbye before turning back to the room, fussing with Athena's bedsheets and pillows. "Goodness. It's no wonder the medical profession has it so hard. People just don't know what's good for them." She gives Athena a teasing smile. "But we're used to dealing with impatient young
[19:37] <@Earthflame> people. But have caution, dear. Another spill like that could keep you in here for an extra month, if you were unlucky."
[19:42] <Deedles> She looked back at the nurse, unsure of how to react, but she did know that if she risked being here for longer for trying that again then she wouldn't. "How long will it take?" she asked in the end, her eyes turning distant as she thought back to her dream, to what Ian had told her about Saturn, and to Heracles. Part of her felt that she couldn't be content until she saw Heracles again...
[19:44] <@Earthflame> "I'm not a doctor dear, but let's look at your chart." The nurse swipes in the air, looking over a display. "Hmm... Looks like you're booked in to start a six week course of physiotherapy, along with regenerative treatments to help you build muscle mass and get your systems going. If you'd bruised yourself, we'd have had to delay you starting by a few days, but you seem to have avoided the
[19:44] <@Earthflame> worst of it..." She gives Athena a smirk. "You seem like the sort of girl who would fall out of trees, but bounce rather than breaking anything."
[19:47] <Deedles> Athena went quiet at that, looking kind of sheepish for a moment "... Boyd said something similar once." she said in a murmur, the familiar statement causing something to click in her mind, as if poking a small hole in a large dam locking away all of her memories, allowing a trickle to come through.
[19:49] <@Earthflame> "Boyd?" The old nurse asks as she walks to the bedside. "Do you want anything? You should get some sleep, but I suppose I better make sure you don't have to fall out of bed again just to get some attention." She gives her an amused smile.
[19:52] <Deedles> Athena shook her head to pull herself out of the strange, nostalgic, state that she'd slipped into "Boyd... Ian told me he was my old Commanding Officer." she explained softly, glancing towards the nurse. "I'm starting to remember it too, small pieces at the time."
[19:53] <@Earthflame> She nods. "Well, you're still young. There can't be that much to remember." She chuckles. "Just wait until your my age. You'll look back onto forgetting a couple of decades and wish you'd only forgotten that much..." The older woman lets out a slightly wistful sigh. "Plus, you've got plenty of time for new experiences. And I'm sure a girl like you will have plenty of fun ones. I wish I'd had
[19:53] <@Earthflame> your looks when I was your age."
[19:57] <Deedles> The nurse could almost hear the whooshing sound as her compliment flew right over Athena's head, the young pilot just looking at her with wide eyes and a puzzled expression. "My looks?" she repeated
[19:59] <@Earthflame> "...Yes? By god, dear, do I need to find you a mirror? A pretty face, a fine figure, and I'm sure you'll have an even better one after all the physio. You should have men tripping over themselves by the time you walk out the door."
[20:03] <Deedles> She tilted her head to the side as she tried to wrap her mind around what the nurse was describing. The terms weren't alien to her, but at first she couldn't place it, until she pondered. A pretty face? Fine figure? Beautiful, attractive... Her eyes lit up. "Like a painting?" she finally asked in return.
[20:04] <@Earthflame> "...Yes dear, like a painting. Young, artsy and romantic types are rather rare, but I'm sure you could find one, if that's what you're looking for." She titters.
[20:06] <Deedles> "Types? What kind of type? Why am I looking for one?" she continued to ask as she leaned onto the bars on the side of the bed, scooting a bit closer to the nurse as she peered at her curiously, finding herself facinated by this chatty woman and the information she's giving.
[20:06] <@Earthflame> She pauses. "...Oh my. Have you never had someone... Give you the talk?"
[20:07] <Deedles> "I've spoken to people..." She offered uncertainly "But... I don't recall ever being given ... a talk."
[20:07] <@Earthflame> "About the birds and the bees, and the differences between girls and boys?" She probes experimentally.
[20:10] <Deedles> Athena found herself wanting to keep the conversation going, this woman was slowly helping her remember more and more. It was only small pieces of the time, like slowly putting together one of those infernal puzzles that had something crazy like 10 thousand pieces. "I know the physiological difference between boys and girls, read plenty about it, and the process of reproduction..."
[20:10] <Deedles> she replied, slowly, as she thought about it. "Why?"
[20:12] <@Earthflame> "...The bit that comes Before reproduction. Relationships." She laughs. "My, it's been so many years since my boys grew up... Have you never fancied a lad your age? Nobody caught your eye?"
[20:15] <Deedles> "Fancied?" She looked confused at the word, but pondered on it for a bit. "I'm not sure... What's it like? I've seen males that are handsome, and beautiful females, but they're just nice to look at." she looked unsure, something about confessing that making her uneasy. "Is that bad?" she wondered
[20:17] <@Earthflame> "Maybe you've not found the right person? It's different to just looking nice. Some people... You meet them, and you want them in your life. You never want to let them go..." She pauses, and chuckles. "My old husband will be missing me, right now, but to live on the moon you have to work. We've been together for thirty years."
[20:19] <Deedles> "He's not on the moon?" She looked sad at that thought, one of her hands slowly coming to grip the material of her shirt, above her heart. "I think I know someone like that, I miss him..." she admitted quietly.
[20:21] <@Earthflame> "He's waiting for his visa." She shrugs. "Life goes on, and we're not dead yet. But who is it whose caught your mind, Mm? Some young buck back on Saturn?"
[20:25] <Deedles> She blinked "Young buck?" she seemed confused again, but then shook her head "No, though... I guess? Boyd is the only person I remember feeling like that towards, and he was a grown man, but... not old." she answered as she looked down at her own hand. "Boys my age... I didn't like them, I can't remember why." she told the nurse. "But thinking about them makes me feel uneasy, and my stomach twist."
[20:28] <@Earthflame> She frowns. "...Well, a thing for older men isn't the worst taste a girl can have... But see what you remember, Mm? And now I think it's time for you to sleep. You've got a busy day tomorrow."
[20:30] <Deedles> "A thing for older men?" She still looked confused, but settled down as the nurse told her to, her head sinking down into the pillow as her hand came to rest by her side again. She nodded once. "Okay..." she murmured.
[20:30] <@Earthflame> The older woman chuckles. "I'll pop by tomorrow, see if anything else comes to mind. If you want me for anything, just ask for Nurse Daisy."
[20:32] <Deedles> Athena nodded again "Alright." she replied, looking up at the nurse. "... Thank you." she added softly after a moment.
[20:32] <@Earthflame> "My pleasure dear." She smiles. "I'm here to help my patients, however I can. Sleep well." She moves to tuck Athena in before she turns to leave, waving the lights off as she leaves...
[20:34] <Deedles> She didn't return the smile, but she seemed more relaxed as Daisy tucked her in and then exited the room, the blue haired pilot finding it easier to fall back asleep.