DAY 177, sometime after strange's announcement

[dontpokethat]

[Really, Ginko probably should have started looking into examining those poisoned by the Prince (which is to say practically everyone) sooner. With things as hectic as they've been, the threat of new injuries had pushed that thought aside. Now, though...

Ginko's voice crackles through the radio, clearly tired but brisk and professional (or as close as Ginko gets to sounding professional) nonetheless.]

I want everyone who was kidnapped by the Prince to come by the medical tent to be examined. If you can't for one reason or another, let me know and I can come to you.

For that matter, I would appreciate the chance to run some tests on everyone who ate the food, in case we've still got poison in our systems.

Comments

[spaghettimonster]

[It's Papyrus time, rejoice. He sticks his head in the door, and looks around before walking in.]

I don't remember the last time I saw a doctor... What's involved in my check up?

[eclipsingblade]

[That's considered. Really it could be a lot worse. Of the few scientists and doctors he knew, Ginko (who surely was a doctor if he was doing doctory things), at least this one didn't look crazy immediately.]

Could be worse. You're not scary or anything.

[..Was that a good thing? Did he want to be scary? Ichigo considers this while selecting a likely looking spot to sit, frowning. Green antelope weren't really that intimidating.]

Not everything's clear about all that. I had .. part of what was supposed to be a cheeseburger I think, and a few drinks. I can't tell you what the drinks were, I'm not really familiar with alcohol.

[As well he shouldn't be, Ichigo's not legal yet.]

[dontpokethat]

Hey, I can still be sorry. [Don't tell him what to do]

Okay... got it. Now, next up-- I'm going to want to take some blood, if you don't mind. Not too much, but I want to examine it to see if the poison effects your blood.

[prazerbutterfly]

Alright then. It's just wasted. [Wow, he'll do what he wants too.]

Let me sit down real quick then you can do it. [Though keep in mind he's use to crude things that look awful and might look wary or kink an eyebrow at it not looking like what it might now. Still, he moves to sit down on the couch with a bit of an awkward tip. His hand settles first to stable himself and he eases himself down without bending his back. It's because he can't right now. It's petrified.]

[dontpokethat]

Well, first, I just have to ask a few questions; for one thing, how much were you exposed to the poison? If you weren't captured or stung, that would just leave the food.

For another, I need to know anything odd you've noticed about your body and how you've been feeling - any pain, fatigue, anything like that.

[dontpokethat]

Well, technically, I'm not a doctor. But, first, I have some questions. I need to know how much you were exposed to the poison - if you weren't stung or captured, then that just leaves the question of if you were eating the food, and how much.

In addition, anything unusual you've noticed would be good; if you're in pain, tired, if you've had trouble with nausea or coughing. Anything like that.

[dontpokethat]

Thanks, I guess. [Nope, he does not particularly want to be scary. That sounds like it would make working with newcomers kind of inconvenient.]

Hm... that's alright; the fact that you did eat is what I really need. [He leans over to a small stack of papers sitting on an unused table and marks something down.] That said, I'd like to know if you've felt odd or sick in any way. Nausea, fatigue, pain... anything like that.

[dressedtothe]

I wasn't captured or stung.

[So yeah, it's the food. Food that he technically doesn't need to eat. It just really was too bad that a combination of being too curious to pass up the novelty of eating fancy food and not wanting to catch the Prince's attention meant he was eating regularly.

He shakes his head on the second half of the queries.]

I'm mechanical, so I don't really get tired the way biological beings do. I feel fine. All my system checks are reporting the same thing.

[But he does say--]

I remember it was really hard to think critically during the ball, though. And I still can't recall how I even got to the ballroom.

[But he's always had memory problems, hasn't he?]

[spaghettimonster]

That's fair, that's fair, I'm new to being a janitor as well. Special training is important... but sometimes you're just thrust into a job, and have to figure it out as you go.

[And so far, it seems like he's doing a great job as a "not" doctor. No need to be so modest, Ginko! The animals need wrangling, but so do the non-menagerie people.]

As for food and miscellany! I ate food, modest portions each meal. I've been a little nauseous... but I think that's just because I'm worried sick.

[dontpokethat]

[Sure enough, the syringe Ginko pulls from his bag is small and clean. He waits patiently for Tyki to sit down, then walks over with the syringe and a piece of gauze, which he hands to Tyki.]

Hold this; I'll be taking blood from the inside of your elbow, so make sure I can reach that.

[prazerbutterfly]

[He's eyeing something that looks like a syringe before he pops the buttons on his sleeve and rolls it up to the top of his arm. The scar that runs across his arm is now showing and he doesn't seem to mind.

But inside of his elbow?! There are a lot of things running through his mind right now on how that works. Still, he takes the gauze with a small frown and deactivates his power enough to allow Ginko to touch him otherwise that needle will go right through him.]

I don't mind this right now but I draw the line at leeches if that happens later.

[dontpokethat]

[Ginko pulls over a piece of paper and braces it on a clipboard to note down all that 9S says. Only food-based poisoning, no current physical problems. Memory loss and lack of critical thinking at the ball.

That last part sounds very familiar.] Hm... you weren't the only one. It seemed like most of us were having trouble remembering things and focusing during that. [Even Ginko had had trouble organizing his thoughts, even if he'd been partially jarred out of it by... well, past trauma, basically.] Good to hear that the effects have worn off, though.

[dontpokethat]

I'm, uh... [Boy it seems like there are a few layers of misunderstanding here. Apparently Papyrus has come to the conclusion that Ginko... has no prior medical training and now is suddenly a doctor? He can work on correcting that a bit at a time later he guesses.]

Just the food, then. Right. ...Can't blame you for being worried, though. [His mouth twists for a moment as he thinks about what to say here.] Y'know, since you only ate the food, you should be alright by now - which means samples from you would be a big help in understanding how this might have affected your brother.

[spaghettimonster]

What? Really?! Then I'll gladly donate...! [Wait, they still hadn't figured out what he would donate. Saliva and blood samples are a little out of the options.] Uh... marrow?

[His misunderstanding will take a bit of talking to correct; it seems pretty reasonable to him that, as long as there's a more senior doctor to take care of the life-and-death stuff, new medical folks could get tossed in for routine tasks.]

[dontpokethat]

[Ginko makes sure Tyki's arm is turned so his palm is facing up, and follows the blood vessels on the underside of his wrist up to the right place. He leans over to his bag again to get a cotton ball and a small bottle of disinfectant, and gives a quiet snort as he cleans the skin.]

Don't worry about that, we don't use leeches here.

[He's pretty quick about drawing the blood, and as soon as he's done he sets the syringe aside.] And that's that for the blood. Just hold the gauze on there and press it down for a while.

[prazerbutterfly]

Good because I'd have to ask you to leave. [He's trying not to tense when he's drawing blood because he's expecting a lot more to happen than what is happening. At the simple process he does as instructed and holds the gauze where it was left with his fingers.

Just look at him eyeing the syringe again because normally things went into the body with that and not out. Okay, he might be a little confused.] I was under the impression you were going to draw my blood...

But you're keeping it? [He expected a knife and being bled into a bowl or bucket.]

[dontpokethat]

...Yeah? I'm taking a sample, not just bleeding you for the hell of it. [He places a cap over the syringe before tucking it into a pocket of his bag.] I need to examine your blood later to see if the poison has affected it.

[prazerbutterfly]

I'm sure I'm missing something vital, Mister Ginko, but alright. [At least he's off his guard now and not as tense even if he doesn't entirely understand. He watches with renewed curiosity as it is capped and stored for later.]

[dressedtothe]

[If he was still trapped in the hazy mental state, maybe he wouldn't be so aware of his loss right now. Still... he prefers this clarity of mind over letting himself be fooled by lies.

Most? 9S frowns, though most of it is hidden behind his visor.]

Are there some people who do remember what happened? Or someone who wasn't affected by the... mind fog?

[dontpokethat]

That... might work? [Maybe.] I took a sweat sample from your brother, so it might be best to do the same with you.

[dontpokethat]

Well, depending on how the poison works, it might affect the makeup of your blood; particles of the poison itself might even be visible under a microscope. Those could be analyzed in turn to figure out more about how the poison works and how to cure it.

[As he speaks, he takes a small knife and jar from his bag. Time for a stone sample, next.]

[spaghettimonster]

Oh, of course. [He laughs a little, more weakly than usual.] The most reliable fluid my brother produces...

[prazerbutterfly]

I'm not going to lie and tell you some of that went over my head but I understand a little more now. For a minute I was starting to consider foul things about you, Mister Ginko.

[He's a little more trusting and curious at least even when he takes out a knife and a jar.] Don't tell me you need skin too.

[dontpokethat]

A few, apparently. From what I've heard, the food in the manor was laced with poison; all of us who ate it were affected, but some didn't eat.

[dontpokethat]

Hah. Right.

[Ginko sounds similarly drained. He clears his throat and glances away, then goes to take a small jar from a shelf.] Well, since you're not sweating right now... I guess you should jog in place or something?