IC INBOX {driftfleet}

[idealistic]

"Hey, this is Lloyd! Sorry I didn't catch this; just leave me a message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible!"

"...Did I do it ri--" -click-


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[save_the_souls]

[Don't worry Lloyd, it's just the frown of this shit is weird and that means I'm gonna have to do extra work to sort it out ew. But whatever, he attaches the clip onto his index finger so it can read his oxygen levels. Plus side, no squeezing here.]

Mm, for a little while. When I was about your age? Maybe a little younger.

[He gives a little nod. There's a smile on his face, faint and nostalgic.]

I have...a rare condition. Your father tried to help me. It didn't work, but I was always grateful that he tried.

[idealistic]

[ at first, Lloyd was surprised by the "when i was your age" line from Allen — he already looks like he's his age! — but after thinking about it for a moment, he… really has no room to talk. angels don't age when they reach a certain stage, and Mithos was 14 for over 4000 years. ]

…Heh. Sounds like him. [ like Allen, a small, nostalgic — albeit sad — smile appears on Lloyd's face as well. ] He acts like a jerk a lot, but I know he's always looking out for others.

I'm glad he tried to help you.

[save_the_souls]

[God he hopes he doesn't make it to 4,000 years without aging. 7 extra years of puberty has been bad enough]

Mm...he's a good man.

[He knows Kratos always meant well. Even if things didn't work out the way he intended, he never bared ill will towards the guy. After a moment, the little finger device will beep and he takes it off. Huh. Perfectly normal.]

So if I can help out his son, I'd like to.

[idealistic]

[ it feels a little awkward hearing Allen say that, and he can't even stop the slight blush that appears. it's a little embarrassing, admittedly, but he knows Allen means well.

it fades when he realizes why he's here and why Allen is helping him in the first place. ]

So what's it saying? [ at least, he's assuming those weird machines are saying something. ]

[save_the_souls]

[It's okay, it's an adults job to embarrass you teens. But he'll let the subject drop in favor of talking what they are actually here to talk about. Meanwhile he grabs a thermometer and holds the end out at Lloyd] Hold this under your tongue please.

[With that done, he'll actually answer the question.]

Something...odd. I mean, your blood pressure and oxygen levels are normal- no, not just normal, they're ideal. I've only seen these numbers in text books.

[Since hey, any place he's study medicine? Far from ideal, stress-free experiences]

Which, on its own that's not bad at all. It's good, actually. But it doesn't make much sense. Because according to your blood tests? Your nutrient levels are so low you should either be dead or suffering from severe malnutrition.

[idealistic]

[ ugh, a thermoscope? (at least he thinks it's a thermoscope-- it looks different than what he's used to) why did he have to pull those out HE HATES THOSE THINGS SO MUCH but fiiiiiine he'll let him stick it under his tongue.

but his explanation... that's definitely concerning. his nutrient levels are really that dangerously low? but he feels fine! he doesn't feel like he's dying!

even though he technically is, but that's uet to occur to him. ]

How cuuhd idh be hhat bahd dho? I reahhy dohd feeuh ih.

[save_the_souls]

I'm not sure. I'm trying to figure it out myself.

[It takes a moment before it beeps, he takes it from Lloyd and looks at it]

Hmm...a bit on the cool side, but nothing unreasonably so...

[He dispenses of the used thermometer tip, and puts it away. He reaches over for Lloyd's wrist to check his pulse.]

You wrote something on your blood drive information- "Toxicosis"? Did you mean you've been exposed to a poison or toxin recently?

NEVER MIND

[idealistic]

[ oh thank Martel, he hates those things. he gladly lets him take the thermoscope once it beeps. it doesn't sound like nothing's wrong with his temperature either, which is only adding to his pile of concerns… which quickly gets swept under the rug when Allen mentions "toxicosis". ]

--Huh?

[ nnnnnno, he hasn't been around any poisons besides engine fuel, and he knows better than to drink that. and besides… ]

No, it's supposed to be some sorta disease. People get that when they're turning into an angel.

[save_the_souls]

[He pauses as he looks up at him, his fingers still on his artery on his wrist]

So you're saying you're turning into an....angel?

[did he hear that right?]

1/2 FOR REAL FOR REAL

[idealistic]

Yeah.

[ yep, you heard that right. Lloyd sobers up as he tries to think of the right string of words, frowning at the finger on his wrist. ]

It's… not exactly an easy thing to go through. Sometimes, it's actually…

[idealistic]

[ and then it hits him. ]

…Holy crap, that's it!

[ Allen might notice a slight spike in his pulse, and how. the malnutrition, the glowing blood-- it all makes sense now. ]

That's probably why my blood is being so weird now!

[save_the_souls]

H-Huh?

[He blinks]

You think becoming...er, an angel is why your blood tests turned out so unusual?

[idealistic]

Yeah! It has to be! It's, um…

[ he has to take a moment to properly word it. how would the Professor explain it… ]

It's pretty nasty stuff-- Angel Toxicosis, I mean. It happens a few times when you're going through the transformation and it can make you really sick for a little while. After a while, it even messes with your body: you can't eat anything, taste anything, you can't sleep, you can't feel stuff like hot or cold-- it's… bad.

[ angel toxicosis: 0/10 would not recommend ]

[save_the_souls]

[Wow all of that is brand new information. And it's pretty freaky sounding, even if part of him feels like it sounds familiar in a far-off memory sort of way (what? It's been like 5 years since Kratos explained this to him). He's really not sure what to make of the idea of someone transforming into an angel- but one thing sticks out in his mind]

- Eh? You can't eat?

[Sweet mother of Christ what would the point of living even be then.]

[idealistic]

I can eat now! But I couldn't before.

[ now he only refuses to eat willingly because screw those proteins. ] After the Toxicosis first hit, every time I tried to eat, it was like I was always losing my appetite. The food just felt weird in my mouth and it would just make me feel sick.

[ it was the worst three or so days of his life. ]

[save_the_souls]

That's terrible....

[Absolutely terrible. The worst. He's never going to whine about gray skin or feeling like there's things in his head again]

[But...it would explain the low nutrient levels]

But you've been eating now?

[idealistic]

[ he's glad to see a kindred spirit in you, Allen. he legit cried a little when he was able to taste beef again. ]

Sometimes. I can eat now, but I still don't need to. I usually try to pack a lot of food onto the ship when we're on planets and waystations, but sometimes we get low, and I'd rather let everyone eat real food. [ again: because screw those proteins. ]

So I let the ones who actually need to eat have the rest.

[save_the_souls]

I see...

[That is very noble of you Lloyd. Very self sacrificing. Even Allen's not that nice.]

[But honestly, this whole thing still screams very weird to him. So he'll finish checking his pulse then pull away to wheel over a whiteboard. He writes down "ANGEL TOXICOSIS" at the top and begins listing the symptoms: glowing blood, loss of taste, loss of appetite-]

Let's start with food-

Has your appetite returned to normal? Er- do you still get hungry, even if you don't need to eat? And what about your taste buds?

[idealistic]

[ believe him Allen, it was a tough call. he's pretty sure that the chef on duty would sometimes cook up steak just to spite him ]

Um… [ also why did this suddenly turn into a classroom ]

Kinda. I can still taste stuff and my stomach still growls, but I can ignore it for a while. Then it just stops and I feel fine even if I don't eat for days.

[save_the_souls]

Hmmm...

[He considers that, before writing "Increased Cytokines? Hormonal Changes?"- that'd at least explain the lack of hunger feeling. But- what makes up for the lack of calories and nutrients?]

When you decide to eat again after a long fast- can you eat with no problem?

[idealistic]

[ "cyto"-what? ]

Yup. I can eat as much as I usually do without feeling sick or anything. [ which is a lot ]

[save_the_souls]

Interesting...

[No total shut down of the digestive tract- maybe it goes on standby? But what acts as it's replacement?]

And you still use the bathroom as normal during periods you decide to eat?

[idealistic]

Uh…

[ cue feeling weirded out. what does his bathroom habits have to do with-- …wait a minute. now that he thinks about it… ]

Actually, yeah. It kinda stops whenever I don't eat for a while, though.

[save_the_souls]

...Well, yes. Of course it would stop if there's no food in you.

[Way to know your digestive system basics Lloyd! But at least it doesn't sound like there's damage to the digestive system. Hmmmm. He considers and puts "Digestive system becomes secondary?"]

What about sleep? You said you can't sleep anymore?

[idealistic]

[ wow be quiet, he doesn't think about these things! ]

Nah, it's the same as when I eat. I couldn't fall asleep before no matter what I tried, but now I can-- I just don't have to.