Hydaelyn Role-Players

((Closed except to those in the Red Wings or would have reason to be in their HQ. This thread is mostly a way to play out the changes in Alexei as the conditioning that left him emotionless deteriorates.))

The air was cold. The harsh heat of Thanalan’s day had given way to the chill of night.

Alexei opened his eyes, it was dark and silent, save for the faint sound of breathing coming from another part of the room. He blinked and propped himself up on his elbows, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the gloom. It took a moment, but he remembered where he was. He was in the basement of the Red Wings headquarters, Kahn’a had asked that Alexei move here while he recovered. Shapes began to form out of the black as he became accustomed to the darkness; a table to his right, four chairs, the rest of the room came into focus.

Reaching behind him, Alexei grabbed the rolled up coat he’d been using as a pillow against the hard floor. It was cold, but that did not bother him, he was used to discomfort. Alexei slowly got to his feet, a task made more difficult by his left leg refusing to work. He stared down at the leg and prodded it with a finger. He felt nothing. It had been almost a week since a bullet had entered his skull, the lost motor control and sensation in his leg had not improved. He frowned, it was likely a permanent effect of the brain damage.

The hyur took a moment to steady himself, then silently walked across the room to the source of breathing. Alexei stopped next to a table, on it lay a miqo’te, sleeping soundly. He looked down at Askier and laid his coat atop the man, taking care not to disturb his slumber. The night was cold, he did not want Askier to get sick. Alexei turned and limped over to a wall, sitting down with his back resting against it. Looking back at Askier he pondered the man. His responsibility. Yes, but more than that. Friend? Perhaps, Askier had told him he was. Alexei frowned again. Could he even have a friend? Unknown. It had been years since he had felt anything, and then he’d met Askier.

Their first meeting had been like many of Alexei’s interactions with the people of Eorzea up to that point, he had tried to kill Askier. Everything had changed after that. He had become Askier’s caretaker after he’d been tortured. A strange relationship had grown out of that. Askier now smiled at him, called him friend, had even hugged him. Alexei continued to watch the sleeping miqo’te. He felt something when around Askier. He was not sure what though, he couldn’t remember how emotions felt. Alexei shut his eyes and shook his head, then opening his eyes again. It did not matter. Alexei was a tool. Tools do not have friends. He had a purpose to fulfill, to serve.

A muscle in his left leg twitched. He looked down at it. Did it even matter what his purpose was anymore? Since his injury he was finding it difficult to concentrate. His left leg sometimes did not work, his other muscles occasionally had spasms as his damaged brain misfired. Sometimes he'd temporarily become unaware of his surroundings. He’d even had a seizure. Alexei raised a hand to his forehead, feeling the scar from where the bullet had penetrated his skull, and thought of his future. Was he broken? Maybe, the long term damages were still unknown. Would he still be able to function well enough to be of use? Tools that broke were discarded. Would he be discarded? Alexei shook his head. He needed rest. Recovery was a long process and staying awake pondering what was to come was a waste. The future would come in due time. He just had to wait and see what it held for him. He rested his head against the wall and closed his eyes.

The air was cold, but he did not mind.

Off in the far corner of the room Erik watched the two men for a bit. Pouring wine from its bottle into his glass. He let the moment pass as Alexei seemed deep in thought.

He had not been sure of Kahn'a's decision to keep the man here, if not for the trust in his second, he would have said something. He noted that he had become harder in the last few months, no where near as trusting as he had been. The only way he could reconcile the situation was to watch him. Not a trouble, he would be here anyway, watching over Askier. Before his time in Ishgard, he had come to genuinely like the Miqo'te as a friend. Despite the nature of their relationship, he respected the man. His cleverness, his morals, his motivation, all were things the highlander admired. He was happy to learn that he had become an ally, but part of him was sorry. Askier acted different now. Their place in the Unit had created separation. Askier "worked" for Erik now, and acted like it. He and Erik could never be the friends they were, not now.

He poured a second glass of wine and approached Alexei, "Here."

Alexei opened his eyes and looked up at the highlander towering over him. He vaguely recalled having seen the man before in Drybone. Shaking his head Alexei replied. "Thank you, but do not drink. Especially now, do not vant to reduce vhat mental capacity have left, if even momentarily." He rubbed the back of his neck, it was stiff from leaning against the wall all night. "Believe have seen you before, but do not know name. You are the captain, da?"

Erik nodded, turning to his chair, lifting it and carried toward the man, he sat, setting the wine glass on the ground, "Yes I am." He looked him in the eye, "I am Erik, and you are Alexei Kahn'a tells me."

Alexei returns the highlander's gaze and nods, his face is impassive as ever. "Da. Am called Alexei. Thank you for letting me stay here. Is good that can keep close to Askier. Need to make sure body does not reject new arm. Please let know if object to presence. Do not vish to intrude."

Erik looked over at Askier, "No. It is no problem. You saved my man I am told." He then looked back at the man, "You are a doctor yes?"

Looks over at Askier for a moment then looks back and nods. "Da. Am doctor. Am other things as vell." He pauses a moment and cocks his head. "Have been informed of how know Kahn'a and Askier? Vould not vish to keep knowledge from you."

Erik stood and paced a bit, like a caged coeurl, "There was a time that little passed without my knowing. But things change I suppose. You have no need to fear me. I trust Kahn'a, and the work you did for my fr.... soldier, you have earned at least a respite of suspicion." Erik sat again, tired, more so then most times. His arm aching, he growled to himself. He was to report to the Hall of Rule the next evening. He had been called to see one minister or another, that with the intelligence Warren had given Kahn'a.... skipping the meeting would be ill advised. His Sultana might need a touch of his darkness to protect her light.

He looked at Alexei, "So Doctor, where do you come from?"

Alexei's eyes followed the man as he paced back and forth, taking a mental note when Erik almost said friend instead of soldier. He looked down at his leg as it twitched involuntarily, frown slightly at it. He looked back up again to answer Erik's question. "Come from across ocean, Vest. Beyond that cannot say." He pauses a moment. "...is condition of exile. Apologies." He paused again before speaking. "Am guest here, vould like to offer services if am needed, as vay to repay hospitality."

Erik stood again, heading for the stairs, "This is Eorzea my friend...." he says as he pauses beside Askier, patting his shoulder, ".... there is no shortage of injured people." He then made his way up to the front office.

Askier's sleep has been sound, his mind mercifully devoid of dreams of any adjective.  His right arm was wrapped around the stuff animal tightly and his curled body was warm underneath the coat.  He was content.

But his ears twitched and he heard distant voices.  He started to stir and the, as Erik patter his shoulder, his right eye opened and he gazed at the wall.  He blinked and then slowly rolled over.  In the dim light he saw Erik walking up the stairs and Alexei looking over.  Askier yawned and nodded.

"I miss anything important?"

It was still dim in the basement as Alexei watches Erik ascend the stairs, disappearing to the floor above. His gaze lingers where he last saw Erik and considered the man. A familiar voice roused him from his thoughts.

Alexei looks over at Askier as he stirs and offers him a nod before speaking. "Have missed nothing. Vas just meeting Captain." He stands up and arcs his back as he stretches. "Hope slept vell." He finishes stretching and cocks his to one side as he watches Askier. "How are feeling? No problems vith arm?"

Rubbed his tired eyes with his right hand as he slowly sat up, the dim light dilating his pupils.

"I slept pretty well...for once."  Askier gave a sad smile and rolled his neck to the left, his bones popping audibly as he winced and then sighed.  He blinked a few times and the looked down at his left hand.  He felt nothing, but felt his shoulder tingle as he made the magitek hand wiggle each finger in turn from the thumb to the pink. 

"Other then the disorientation from not being able to feel anything when I move it and the weird tingle in my shoulder, nothing serious.  Should probably speak with Oria for the adjustments she told us about for it.

Watches Askier move the fingers on his new arm. Alexei frowns a little bit as he considers Askier's situation.

"...Have idea. Exercise for improving control of arm. Might not vork, but vill not hurt to try." He limps over to the miqo'te, left leg still making walking more challenging. "Try to close eyes. Picture arm vith mind. Think only about moving finger. Create image in mind."

He leg buckles as his muscles relax against the wishes of his brain. Alexei resigns to sit on the floor rather than fight to control his leg. "Have theory that seeing arm just acts as point of focus. If can move arm vith just mental image, then can maybe practice until becomes unconscious action."

"Might not vork first few times, but should keep trying. Vill vatch arm and tell you if is movement."

Askier's gaze rose from his metal fingers to the limping hyur, the miqo'te flicking his ears occasionally as he listened, his fuzzy brown tail wrapping around and resting in his lap.

"I'm willing to try your exercise but you sure we need to be worrying about my arm when your leg is still acting up?" Askier inquired, genuine concern for his one-time-attempted-murderer-turned-friend crossing his ashen face.