#and what i personally care more about which is DISABLING THE SLOTS THANK GOD

[thecoolertails]

sonic frontiers jukebox is really good, i wasn't actually expecting to care abt it much but the added collectibles of the songs (some being in obscure places that i made the effort to get to before just for fun, so having a collectible there is nice) + the whole feature of you being able to replace the background music whenever you want easily with the d-pad is great and gives the game a whole different energy depending on the song. makes me really excited for future games with a more typical go-get-em sonic atmosphere. i love frontiers soundtrack and i think it's one of the best in the series but playing it with the more upbeat music from other games is like WEEEEEEE!! yk

[jesslcover]

H.E.A.L.T.H. What is it?

For many years, ive been trying to get all these beautiful inspiring stories out of my head and out into the public. I believe that I have a message and maybe my delivery is off but its there....  There is no right or wrong way to deliver a message because it truly comes down to the perception of the receiver, not you that creates the problem. If you have a message to share with the world.. share it, and if the world isn't ready, thats there issue, not yours. So here’s mine.... well a small piece of it... 

Have you ever thought about what the true definition of health is? Is the worlds definition of health congruent with your own definition? How did you come to your own way of health or do you follow others and envision yourself as them maybe when you were completely out of balance with yourself. Or did you do research on ways to quick fix your health Hit?  

There are so many ways we can view health and in each one of us, its different. Take a smoker of 30 years.....    If you or someone you know has smoked for a very long time and are thinking about quitting, you know its gonna be stressful. Even if you are 100% committed to giving up the filthy habit and saying good rides, the body and mind are going to, at some point be in stress overload. The nasty chemical of nicotine has adapted inside your body and your cells feed off of them but then ll of a sudden, you are suffocating the fuel for which stimulated the craving when they were on empty... So your brain thinks, “feed me nicotine, feed me oral fixation.” 

No patch, gum or physical ailment has ever been the true reason some someone killing the habit. The real healing and transformation comes from the energetic balance between what our mind is telling our body, and what forces surround us in our environment the controls our cravings within our body. 

For 12 years, I smoked very heavy cigarettes. Not the Light to Ultra light brands but the stuff the big boys, construction workers, mechanics, Beer Bellied red necks, used to smoke. My mom allowed me to smoke as many cigarettes as I wanted, just as long as I only smoked cigarettes and nothing else. 

In June 1999, after a car accident nearly caused my death, I was awaked into a new light and mindset. Still smoking cigarettes, going to church and attending local exercise classes, my perception to things was different.  

After 4.3 drooling months of battling a disconnect of me headspace and my Mind Body Spirit connection being in OFF mode, I was turn on with more voltage and internal power than ever before. 

In October 1999, 2.5 weeks after I was forced to drop out of high school, I was blown away that something so big, and active was living inside of my head. I asked myself, how could this tumor, be so unkind to just appear out of the blue and say, “That’s it Lady, POWER OFF.” 

I was a senior in High School, passionate about hospitality, working for Marriott hotels 23-28 hours a week in front office operations and selling shoes at Nine West 13-17 hours/week M-F. Marriot was a Fri-Sat-Sunday job with Holidays for  the additional overtime. After my accident, I lost my job at the shoe store however Marriott loved my positive energy and life force I expelled to guests while they checked in, even when I couldn't see over the front Desk front sitting in a chair from Pain. Although I felt much loved at this hotel, I would soon be discharged from here as well. 

October 24th, 1999, after my first attempt to get my GED, the equivalent to a High School Diploma, I failed. I felt horrible with my life. I had no job because of my disability, I quit high school and barely saw my friends, no driver license because they were taking from me by the State of Ohio for safety of other drivers and I was smoking 2-3 packs of cigarettes a day. How was I able to come out of this mess and go from SURVIVING to THRIVING?                           It certainly wasnt some Miracle pill or Reconstructive Surgery that changed me from the outside to inspire my inside......  It came from within me! How I looked at the physical things around me, how I gave thanks to everything, even a bird dropping its poo poo on my head while trying to sunbathe next to my neighbors pool, or having a check for $3.84 bounce over a pack of cigarettes. What taught me the greatest life comeback in these scenarios.

It was a wet and muggy Wednesday morning in October, the 27th to be exact, when my mom dreaded waking at 745am to take me to get a second opinion from a doctor at the Cleveland Clinic office near my small hometown. She had finished work at 1130pm the previous night to only arrive home around 1215am from the heavy rain that evening. My first appointment was at 830am. 

There were actually several appointments scheduled that day however my mom had to be at work by 1pm and wasnt able to take me to all of my appointments. After the first appointment, we decided to skip the potential MRI and take me to grandma’s house. 

For the next 9 months, until June, the summer of 2000, I stayed with grandma. It was a much happier place to be. Grandma had 3 fun loving dogs, a pool with a beautiful wooden deck big enough for 5-7 lawn chairs, and my aunt Kathy living within walking distance. Kathy smoked and she was more like a smoking buddy. I was able to make some money mowing yards for the neighbors and helping grandma with the house and her dogs. In June, I got my driver license back and went on a mission to find a job that would give me independence away from everyone! It was the greatest stepping stone into womanhood I could've ever taken. 

After attempting to retrieve my job with Marriott and being unsuccessful, an amusement park on the lake outside of cleveland contacted me for a summer job at one of their hotels in the park. Cedar Point is the PRIME ROLLERCOASTER park in the USA. Without hesitation, I took the job and moved 2.5 hours away in a cabin villa with 2 other girls, for the summer. 

Cutting to the chase... at the end of the summer, I felt like i was ready to go back to school and try my HSD again. It didnt take long to see that, this wasnt supposed to be the option for me. 

August 2000, just days before school was to begin, mom and I, her friend Cheryl and our long time neighbor were shopping for school supplies at our local Staples Store. Cheryl had MS and I took care of her also. Without her with us, my mom would've been in the Emergency room. 

As we were walking out of the store, I started to dauntingly walk a different direction than my mom and Cheryl. Completely disconnect from the world, my mom said she continued to yell at me but I didn't listen. Was I not listening or did I not hear her? 

In the moment when my mom gently grabbed my right shoulder to bring me toward our truck, I physically attacked her, bruised her face and she fell on the ground. Immediately she got back up and “started calling me names”, Cheryl said. Before we got to the truck, I came out of this brain freeze and began to ask my mom “Oh My God, what happened to you?” 

You can imagine my mom’s confusion, frustration and contemplation as to why I seemed to disillusioned to the event. This object in my brain was moving again and this time caused a disconnect that changed my life traumatically, with myself and my mother. 

A week before my Mom’s birthday, September 4, school had only jut begun and I was doing good until the long 3 days weekend for Labor Day. Labor day is the 1st Monday in September and my mom’s birthday happened to fall on that day however our doctors office was closed. 

The very next day, with a luck of the draw, Dr Angerman, who I saw the previous years, had a slot open at 9am which my mom booked me without question. The findings were what had been daunting me for more than 15 months. 

Ganglioglioma is low-grade tumor of mixed cell type. It is a type of brain tumor that contains properties of both glial cells (responsible for providing the structural support of the central nervous system) and neuronal cells (the functioning component of the central nervous system). It is very rare!! Being rare was one thing but with the location being life threatening inoperable, my mom burst into tears with fears of what to do with me. 

My Ganglioglioma treatments included:   ��           Neurosurgery – to remove as much of the tumor as safely possible; surgery is often limited due to the deep, central placement of these tumors within the brain                                                                                                     Chemotherapy – either before surgery to shrink the tumor or to kill cancer cells 

Radiation therapy – precisely targeted treatment to control local growth of tumors; not recommended unless the child’s tumor has re-grown due to potential long-term side effects of therapy.

Cleveland Clinic has some of the most highly acclaimed doctors and surgeons in the world. They are one of the best trusted hospital resources for Neurological, Cardiac and Pulmonary operations. With a higher success rate than any other hospital affiliation on the entire planet, Dr Angerman relaxed my mom and assured her that I was in heaven’s hands.  On March 12th, 2001, I became a successful survivor of this rare scare of a brain tumor however the end wasn’t close yet. 

After 3 days, I was released from Cleveland Clinic Neurosurgery in Cleveland, Ohio, with 100% full confidence by Neurosurgeon Dr. Morris, that I would recover with no problems. March 16th, while at my grandmothers house, I had a stroke. I was paralyzed on the entire left side of my body for 6 weeks until April 29th 2001...... 

Dr Morris did an amazing job at my surgery and was the first person and step that gave me internal hope that led to my wellness path to what I call HEALTH however, it was the energy practices of Yoga& Pranayama, which no one in my red neck town had ever heard of), Mindfulness, Chiropractic, proper nutrition and guided imagery that allowed me to transform my mind, come back in tune with my body and provide positive feedback that would change my life, inside and out, forever. 

It’s now 18.5 years later, Aug 2019, and my passion for helping people, inspiring wellness and Mind Body Medicine to everyone I meet, especially as a career, gains excitement everyday! My true meaning of HEALTH is Holistic Enhancements Aspiring Longevity Tranquility & Happiness. Because true health starts with me, not with money, a beautiful BMW, fancy vacations or diamonds... It starts at the HEART... tap deep within and you will win.... no matter what you are going through!

When we live life in a state of our own positive definition of HEALTH, whatever it may be, we are creating an art that is unique to us and us only, but its from the heart. Learn to BREATHE... and used the same formula components(letters) to BE HEART! 

Sorry for any typos...

Namaste, Good Night friends. 

[freezing-kaiju]

Stardate: 2689

Chapter 9: Echoes of a Crew

a fire emblem Heroes fic by me and @pupmon1 in a Ster Trek AU

warnings: injury mention

Captain’s Log. XX/XX/2689. Camilla. We FINALLY received a message from Valm regarding the crew they promised us. They’re finally sending their delegation to us, fourth captain and all. And yet, we received word that we will have to pick them up from a Valm station...because of course we have to...

Camilla fidgeted restlessly in the hangar bay as the ship docked with the station. The fourth captain slot has been empty for longer than it should have been, and Hinoka had been taking care of that shift, something she is not trained for.

“Why the hell did this take so long?” Severa asked. “It sucks having to work extra shifts...”

“Because screw Valm…” Lucina muttered. “This Union was their idea...but they still get their own little bubble of ‘don’t go’.”

“We’re expecting around 25-30 new members,” Rhajat said, looking at a holo-clipboard. “Hopefully on the low end. We already picked up 5 extra crew...”

“Ye-” Camilla stopped as the ship docked and the airlock slid open...revealing about 16 people standing there in uniforms.

A redhaired girl stepped forward with her hands behind her back. “Commander Camilla?”

“Yes. Are you...Captian Celica?”

“Yes, I am the Valmese captian. This is my crew.”

“Oh fuck no…” Lucina grumbled.

“Your crew is about 20 people short,” Rhajat mused, checking off names while listing them off. “Celica, Mae, Faye, Silque, Mathilda, Sonya, Saber, Genny, Valbar, Leon, Delthea, Kamui, Catria, Palla, Est...those are the crew that’s present.”

“My ship needs more people than this!” Camilla snapped. “What happened?”

“...there was a borg attack on this station as we were preparing...we lost fine men…”

“A borg attack?” Camilla and Lyn glanced at each other nervously. “Well...that’s not good…”

“My sympathies,” Lucina said. “We managed to avoid that disaster narrowly...”

“We drove off the cu-” Celica paused for a few seconds. “Wait...you avoided the borg? How did you manage that?”

“...experimental technology that Camilla...acquired...about a decade ago.”

“That technology could be useful. I would like for my sci-”

“No,” Camilla said firmly. “It’s...not that simple…the technology is very……temperamental.”

“Integrated into a person who doesn’t want to give it up,” Rhajat responded. “We’d have to kill her to extract it. Hey, the Union approved this.”

Celica’s eyes narrowed. “...I assume I will get a proper report once we’re on board and settled in.”

“Of course,” Camilla responded. “And your crew is welcome to take a tour of the ship before assuming their shifts.”

Celica nodded and gave a wave to her crew, allowing them to stand down and relax. A large man with an eyepatch stepped up behind Celica.

“I want to see this technology,” Saber said.

“I’ll ask her.” Rhajat pulled out a comm and stepped away. “...yeah, one of the crew wants to see you...he’s big, red mohawk, eyepatch...no? Okay. She says no.”

Saber frowned and stepped forward. “I am your deputy, it wasn’t a request. I will see this woman.”

Rhajat rolled her eyes and pulled out the comm. “Yeah, he wants to see you. He’s not taking no for an answer and he outranks both of us. Yes yes, I know, organic...” Rhajat let out a sigh. “She says no. I’ll take you to her anyways but she’ll probably be hostile, she’s not very balanced yet...oh and i’ll remind you again, this is just observation. You can read the report we gave the Union if you want a justification, they seemed to agree...”

Saber nodded and followed Rhajat.

Celica turned back to Camilla and the other captains. “Now, am I going to be staying in a captain’s quarters? Or can I select another room?”

“You’ll be staying in the captain's quarters,” Camilla said simply. “The large bed belongs to me and Lyn, the other two...can be worked out between you and Lucina.”

Celica nodded. “...may I request that Faye, Silque, and Mae be put in the same quarters?”

The three captains all glanced at each other and grinned. “Yeah sure,” they said. “Why not at this point.”

Off in the distance someone shouts. “Might as well rename this the USC Polyamory!”

“I don’t want to have to pay for the paint job!” Camilla shouted back.

Celica frowned. “Wait...you have...open relationships on this craft?”

“Darlin’, when you’re floating in the loneliness of space, with only your fellow crewmen to talk to, not much stays hidden for long.”

Several audible sighs of relief could be heard from Celica’s crew, including her. “...good, then I see no reason to keep it from you. I’m dating Mae, Faye, and Silque.”

Camilla put a hand around Lyn’s shoulders, pulling her into a hug. “We’re together, with Hinoka, Florina, and Setsuna as well.”

Lucina squirmed and looked away. “I-...uh...Noire, Severa, and Kjelle…”

Mae grinned and jumped forward. “Yay! So far this is awesome. Better than back home, at least!”

“I’m a Nohrian who feels emotions and dares to show it, I clearly care that everyone is socially acceptable to those on their planets,” Camilla said with a dismissive gesture. “Now, let’s get you all settled in.”

“Hinoka! Severa! Florina! Show these crewmen to their quarters!” the captains called out.

“Yes ma’am!” the three deputies responded before herding the Valmese away.

---

Rhajat led Saber to the science lab, where Beruka spent her regular shifts. “Here she is.”

Beruka looked up, twitched, and snapped to a salute. “Hello, Deputy Saber. This unit greets your unwelcome arrival.”

“So...you’re the reformed borg, huh?” Saber walked up and circled around her. “Ya sure don’t sound like it. Or look it, for that matter. Ya just look like a Borg with a chrom job.”

“This unit does not understand what you are implying. This unit cannot replace my essential parts without quick and painful death.”

Saber stood in front of Beruka, looking down at her. “So...you helped this ship evade the borg cube that was recently found in this sector?”

“Yes.”

“Did you tell them where the station was to send them away?”

“They did not ask. And all communications had to be disabled to stay safe. I assume by the time we managed to send a transmission, the Borg intercepted it, or it just got there too late.”

Saber stood down and crossed his arms. “...that’s acceptable...have a good day…”

“You too, Deputy,” Beruka said, with a very forced and unnatural looking smile.

“...how about...not trying that...” Rhajat said.

“Okay…”

---

“Well this is a lot better than the station!” Mae said happily as she donned her uniform in the morning, her antennae wiggling happily.

“I hope they have a kitchen I can work in,” Faye said. “Wonder if anyone will like my cinnamon rolls...”

“I’ll punch anyone who hates it,” Mae said, punching the air.

“And I won’t heal them,” Silque said with a light giggle.

“Now now girls, don’t antagonize our crew members,” Celica said as she slipped into the room. She noticed there was one large bed. “Huh...they’re really used to people being in a relationship, aren’t they?”

“Probably,” Silque said.

Mae smiled and hugged Celica. “I missed you. This ship is too big...I couldn’t see you…”

Celica sighed and petted Mae’s head. “I know, I know dear. I told you...the walls are going to mess with your signal. But don’t worry, based on what Lucina did last night, I can come in here a sleep with you three.”

“Ooo, who’s Lucina with?” Mae asked. “Sorry, I get like...super into all this kinda gossip.”

“Believe me, I know Mae.” Celica paused, trying to remember. “Her deputy...along with her communications officer and one of her security officers.”

“Oh cool.” Mae shrugged. “Guess I’ll get to know them.”

“I hope they’ll be okay with the fact that I let my cats loose in the ship,” Celica mused.

“Did you tell the-”

“WHY THE FUCK ARE THERE SO MANY CATS?!?” they suddenly heard Camilla shout. “THEIR FUR IS EVERYWHERE!!!”

“SORRY!” Celica shouted.

Celica sighed and shrugged. “They’ll...be fine…” she muttered. “Now, I want to make some rules for you three. First off, no messing with Mae on duty, this is more serious post. Understand?” Faye and Silque nodded. “Okay, good. Now Mae, no smoking on duty. But, if...you can’t find one of us to help you during your off duty times…” Celica hesitated, nervous to give Mae the okay to smoke during off hours.

“...they have a bar, i’m sure there’s somewhere she’ll be able to smoke,” Faye said.

“I know...I’m just nervous about telling Mae she can smoke whenever she’s off duty...which...I know is how she will take this…”

“Well I think that’s all the confirmation I need,” Mae said with a grin. “They have a bar too? Gods, this ship is loaded.”

Celica frowned and put a hand on Mae’s shoulder. “Mae...please...don’t hurt yourself.”

Mae’s smile vanished with a sigh. “...I know...just...”

“I know your power is a curse as well as a blessing. I just…” Celica pulled Mae into a hug. “I don’t want you hurting yourself…”

The other two joined her in the hug, and Mae sighed again. “...thanks, guys...hey, maybe the weapons tech thing will occupy me enough..?”

Celica nodded and smiled. “Yeah...hopefully.” She pulled away and stretched. “Now...I have to spend time with Saber to get used to the ship. You three have fun.”

---

Maria walked up to the science lab and knocked on the door. She had been called up here to consult on something the new science officer had devised. She wasn’t completely sure why a science officer would request the presence of a medic, and a junior officer at that, but orders were orders.

The door slid open. “C’mon in!” Delthea said.

She was leaning over a workbench, adjusting something on...well, Maria didn’t exactly know what to call it. It looked like someone took apart two shotguns and a medical extractor and haphazardly assembled the pieces.

“What’s that?” Maria asked, puzzled.

“Oh, it’s uh...it’s like...it’s a multi-chambered tranquilizer gun!” Delthea responded. “Perfect for administering multiple medications at once from a long range or delivering a ludicrously potent dose of anything you choose to inject. I just...ah... need you to observe it and...stuff...”

Maria nodded. “Okay...don’t see why you need my opinion...”

Delthea nodded and aimed the gun at a target on the other side of the room. She pulled a lever and cocked the gun. “Here goes...”

She fired the gun. Three syringes hit the target perfectly...but one missed, bounced, ricocheted off a wall..and hit Delthea in the leg.

“Oh no...aim needs work...” she said. “...I feel kinda dizzy...”

“Did you load that with actual tranquilizers??” Maria asked panickedly.

“...yep...probably a bad idea...” Delthea responded sluggishly. “...sorry...screwed up...”

Delthea passed out. Maria wasn’t sure whether to be more concerned or frustrated...but what she knew is to take Delthea to the medbay, immediately. She pulled out her comm. “Hey, um...Dwayne?”

“It’s Dwyer.

“Right. Uh...prep for medbay, science officer Delthea accidentally shot herself in the leg with uh...” Maria pulled out the syringe. “...a full dose of military-grade tranquilizer, enough to bring down an adult rollenratl.”

“HA! Wait, you’re serious?” Dwyer chuckled through the comm. “Shit, she’s fitting in with this crew already...alright, I’ll prep for it. Stomach pump necessary or just the regular accommodations?”

“Uh...regular prep.” Maria put away the comm and sighed, attempting to shoulder the other short woman...to little effect. “...guess I’m gonna have to drag her...”

---

“Ugh....” Delthea blinked and looked around. She was in the medbay, and Maria was looking over her. Great. She had fucked up...maybe she could salvage this with a smooth line. “H-hey, doc...am...am I in heaven? Cause you’re an angel...”

“No, thank the gods you’re not dead,” Maria said, frowning. “Why did you load that with actual tranquilizers? You nearly overdosed! And....and...” She processed what Delthea had said...and blushed. “...and did you just hit on me?”

“Yeah...wait.” Delthea frowned. “Don’t you recognize me?”

“...wait...” Maria frowned and furrowed her brow...and then her eyes lit up. “Delly? From high school?”

“Yeah…” Delthea muttered. “It’s good to see you again...Mary…”

---

Delthea and Maria were in Maria’s quarters, sitting on her bed. Both of them were thinking of holding out a hand but were afraid that they’d just be left hanging.

“...so...” Maria began, “Uh...what’s new with you?”

“Well, a lot of accidents for one,” Delthea said, pointing to her metal eye, hand, and leg. “Though I chopped off the hand on purpose...otherwise I uh...went to engineering college, dropped out, and then got an honorary degree thanks to a few advancements in concealed weapons tech I sold to the military and a flip-out first aid arm. Got invited to join this project, decided it’d be a cool way to pick up more experience...and then sat around on that space station for six goddamn months waiting for Valm to stop screwing around and finish the fuckin prep. What about you?”

“Well...I finished college, then I went to med school, and I just got my degree and ended up here.” Maria shrugged.

“Ah. Always the valedictorian, eh Mary?” Delthea said.

“And you would have dropped out of high school if I wasn’t there to tutor you,” Maria retorted.

“Yeah...true...” Delthea sighed. “I miss those days...well, I don’t miss being covered in acne and having teachers yell at me all the time, but I miss...” She sighed and flopped back on the bed. “I miss you...and I miss us, and I miss those days when we would just hang around your house and watch tv and study, and I miss going back to my house and talking to Luth about everything and I miss writing you love letters and...yeah.”

Maria paused. “...maybe we could...maybe we could do that again. Make some new memories.”

Delthea sat up. “You mean it, Mari?”

Maria chuckled. “Yeah, Delly. I mean it.” She leaned down and hugged Delthea, giving her a smooch.

Delthea blushed. “...good...maybe now we can finally be happy.”

---

Hinoka sat in the gym, relaxing from a workout session. She looked around the empty room and unwrapped her bindings, her small brown wings fluttering as they were freed…..and then the door opened.

“...well fuck me…”

“Hi deputy!” Est announced. “Wait, are we interrupting someth- oh my gods your wings are tiny.”

“Let’s...not make fun of the deputy...” Palla said reproachfully. “Though...I confess, we all mistook you for human at first.”

“That is...kinda the point…” Hinoka muttered, her wings pressing close to her back...they don’t even look big enough to carry her.

“Can you fly with those?” Clair asked. Gods, it was more than just the whitewings who showed up...

“Why would you want to pretend to be human?” Catria asked quizzically. “I am what I am and you are what you are.”

Hinoka sighed and closed her eyes. “To answer your question...I’ll answer the first. No, I can’t fly…”

“Ah. That’s kinda sad...” Est said.

Hinoka squirmed and buried her face in her arms. “......yeah yeah...whatever…”

“...crap did I offend you?” Est asked. “Sorry, sorry!”

“....I don’t want your pity...leave me alone, fullwings…”

“Ok. Sorry,” Est said, backing up, Palla joining her.

Catria, however, continued to stare quizzically. “Why pretend to be human?

Hinoka looked up, her wings bristling a little. “...I thought I answered that…”

“...no...” Catria shook her head. “No you really didn’t...is it something to do with your parents?”

“...I...can’t fly…” Hinoka muttered. “I’m...I’m a...shame to...to my species…” Hinoka’s wings drooped and she sighed. “...I’m too small…”

“...ah.” Catria shrugged. “Never really got the whole ‘shame’ thing...sorry you feel that way, though. Flying isn’t everything though. It’s...well, okay, it is necessary to navigate our cities and stuff but it’s not really a mark on character...”

“It’s a pretty big body image thing too, sis,” Est reminded her.

“Indeed. Wings should at least be able to hold someone up,” Clair said with a shrug. “Anything else is useless and unappealing.”

“Thanks, that helps her a lot,” Palla said sarcastically.

Clair gasped and shook her head. “No no no, I didn’t mean anything by it I mean-...I-...” She looked at the whitewings, pleading for a little help.

Catria sighed. “What my girlfriend meant is that that’s how society generally views wings. Nonfunctional wings aren’t glamorous and aren’t exactly demeaned but aren’t appreciated or celebrated. There’s also a tad of envy in there cause those with smaller wings have an easier time sleeping, driving, and generally being in human society...It’s complicated and stuff.” She paused. “...huh I kinda explained it to myself there...dunno why I didn’t think of it like that before.”

Hinoka sighed and shrugged. “...I guess…” She stood and grabbed her bandages. “Well, I...shouldn’t linger around here…”

“Apologies for interrupting your workout, Deputy,” Clair said formally.

Hinoka just nodded, and pressed her wings close to her body and trying to bind them, and her chest again.

Clair suddenly blushed and turned around. “A-are you usually so indecent while you train?”

Hinoka chuckled and shrugged. “Depends...”

Palla raised an eyebrow. “Camilla’s lack of shame is spreading, it seems.”

“I date her...so…” Hinoka trailed off as she secured the bandages.”

“I’m aware...my girlfriend has told me...less than savory things about her.”

Hinoka frowned and crossed her arms. “Really? What as she told you?”

“Broken most social rules of her species, almost from the get-go. Also very abrasive.” Palla paused. “...I mean...those rules are somewhat strange but still. I respect her culture and she should probably respect her own.”

Est rolled her eyes.

Hinoka snorted and closed her eyes. “Do you actually know about her culture? Her culture says emotions are bad! How do you respect that?!?”

“By keeping my mouth shut and not offending the woman I love,” Palla said. “How would you feel if someone walked up to you and started making fun of Hoshidian culture?”

Hinoka stepped forward. “Even if that means she has to be half a person because humans are assholes? There’s a difference in antiquated traditions and not fucking feelings anything! I’ve met your girlfriend, and she’s a bit of bitch.”

Palla walked up to her and flared her wings out, glaring down at her. “Say that again.”

The other two whitewings rushed forward. “Palla, no!” Est said

“Your girlfriend, the great Admiral Minerva, is a bit of a bitch,” Hinoka repeated, not backing down from Palla. “She traipsed on this ship and dragged Camilla around like it was some kind of damn honor to be in her presence, told her what she felt, who she is, is inappropriate like she stripped naked and danced through the damn corridors!”

Palla seethed with rage...and then turned and punched a wall. “...you’re lucky I’m lowkey terrified of you...ow. I think I just broke my hand...”

“I’m standing by what I said,” Hinoka said. “Fight me if you want.”

“You’re the deputy. No matter how much you make my blood boil, I wouldnt dare hurt you.”

“At least I stand up for the women I love...I punched a general to get here,” Hinoka said with a shrug.

“You’re a princess, you can get away with those kinds of things,” Palla said with a handwave.”

“Or maybe you’re just too big of a wimp to actually stand for anything.”

“Stop trying to fight everyone,” Camilla called from the door.

“Yes, Captain,” Palla said. Her wings drooped. “My apologies, deputy. And I apologize for demeaning you. And for the actions of my girlfriend, if those offended you as well.”

Camilla dismissed Palla’s apologizes with a hand wave and walked forward to face Hinoka. “Hinoka,” she said darkly.

Hinoka crossed her arms. “No.”

Camilla’s expression didn’t change, but her scales shifted towards a darker shade. She grabbed Hinoka by the neck and dragged her in front of Palla, forcing her into a bowing position. “Say it.”

“Kinky,” Catria said in an aside to Clair.

Hinoka squirmed, then sighed. “Alright...I apologize for insulting your girlfriend, Admiral Minerva, and yourself. Please forgive me.”

There was a heavy pause, Palla looked shocked. Then she nodded and said, “...I forgive you.” Then she looked up at Camilla. “...what are you doing here? I am at fault. And...again, I’m sorry for my comments about your modesty.”

Camilla shook her head. “No no, you’re fine,” she said with a gentle smile as she released her deputy. Hinoka stumbled backward and rubbed the back of her neck. “I apologize for the actions of my deputy, she should know better.”

Hinoka shied away as Camilla leaned down towards her, nodding a little.

“...In all fairness, I provoked her, kinda?” Est said. “I pointed out her wings, and that got this whole awkward situation started.”

“Isn’t what you just did a conduct violation?” Clair said.

Camilla just shrugged. “My ship, I do what I want. If that means my higher officers respecting the crew, then I’ll do so whatever way I like.”

Hinoka chuckled and shrugged. “She’s...yeah...that…”

“...I’m just going to say I’m glad I don’t work your shift and leave it at that,” Catria said. “Y’know...fragile bones...actually I’m surprised you didn’t shatter Hinoka’s neck, are her bones stronger than ours?”

“Yes,” Hinoka spoke up. “Not as strong as humans or...Nohrians...but stronger than fullwings…”

“Huh. Interesting.” Palla said.

Camilla shrugged. “I’m used to doing it?” She paused and looked away. “...oh shit that makes me sound abusive…”

“She’s just a physical person, she doesn’t mean any harm.”

Palla nodded. “I see. Minerva is too...Gentle but forceful I guess?”

Hinoka shrugged. “I guess that’s just how Nohrians are…?”

“Probably. We should ask Felicia about that...”

“Yeah maybe.” Hinoka paused. “Minerva ever...uh...broken your wrist by accident during…” Hinoka trailed off. “Or is mine just an ass…?”

“...no but she shattered my foot trying to dance once...the first few times Minerva was extremely stiff though. Not..in that way, more trying a bit too hard to be careful.”

Hinoka flinched and shook her head. “Ow...that’s gonna hurt. Camilla does when she...gets ahead of herself. But every time after it she gets the same way.”

Hinoka put a hand on Palla’s shoulders, gesturing for her to follow to the med bay to look at her hand...and continue talking about the experience of dating a Nohrian.

“...did we just witness an enemies-to-friends turn in less than five minutes?” Clair asked to nobody in particular.

“I think we did…” Camilla muttered. “...fliers are weird…”

“Everyone’s weird,” Est said with a shrug.

Everyone just nodded.

[hurt-spock]

Chapter 5 done! Spock finally gives into a physical, and doesn’t seem to like the doctor much.

Unformatted version:

Spock crunched his eyes shut and collapsed to his knees with an oomph. Chapel came through the curtains at the same time.

"Doctor, I cannot... control it, it... I..."

McCoy's mouth formed a thin straight line. It was just one thing after another.

“God damn Vulcan physiology” he muttered under his breath. "Try to breathe through it Spock, you're gonna be okay" he reassured him, carefully picking himself up around all the loose hypos scattered on the floor.

"I.. cannot.." Spock stuttered, keeling over to the side. Chapel lurched forward to grab him but hesitated.

"What's happening to him?" Kirk finally asked, seemingly the only person still standing, apart from Chapel.

McCoy glanced down at the only reason this could have happened again-- then muttered a string of curses under his breath.

"Grabbed his arm, forgot to put the gloves back on." he realised, rubbing his hands together and reaching for the gloves.

Spock was in a fetal position on the floor, very clearly shaking and out of breath.

McCoy knelt down and bent over him, putting an arm onto Spock's back and another on his head. Spock instantly tensed up, but slowly sagged when no new feelings pounded him.

Luckily his hypothesis worked, having the new fabric in the way of touching skin stopped any touch telepathy.

"Okay, now nurse Chapel here is going to give you a medication to calm you down. Try not to move.” he gave a nod to the nurse, who knelt down and pressed the hypo against Spock's neck, being careful not to touch him.

After a couple of seconds, the shaking stopped. McCoy thought he was asleep before he heard a slurred;

"Doctor, I believe... loss of consciousness.. is imminent."

McCoy held himself back from laughing.

"Yeah, that's why it's called a sedative. Go to sleep you idiot."

Spock became too tired to come up with a retort and immediately became dead-weight in the doctor's grip, who then man-handled him onto the biobed.

After being satisfied that the man wasn’t going to wake up and attempt to murder someone, he sighed and turned to Kirk.

“And back to bed with you. You shouldn’t even be awake, let alone walking n’ talking.”

...

The second that Spock woke up, he instincts immediately kicked in to check for people around him. He was lying on a bed, again, with the sound of very fast beeping behind him. Letting in a delicate breathe, he opened his eyes and started scanning around without moving his head.

The one who called himself Kirk, or, the Captain was next to him, but the loud rough doctor was no-where to be seen.

Thank god.

“Spock?”

The Vulcan snapped his head to face the voice, obviously it was Kirk considering he was the only person in the room, but somehow he had to think it through anyway.

“Captain,” he greeted, letting his eyes glance around the room some-what more invasively.

“Who you searching for?”

Spock met Kirk’s gaze and looked away again.

“The doctor. He is not here.” The Vulcan clarified.

Kirk stood up instantly.

“Want him to get him? Hold on—“

“No, I do not wish to see him,” Spock added quickly, albeit in desperation.

Jim rolled his chair closer, pulling Spock's bed up to a sitting angle.

"Better?" he asked the perplexed man.

"Captain, I do not believe I had a problem with lying down,"

Kirk grabbed the handrails again.

"Oh, sorry, let me just--"

"But I do not object to the new angle at which I am positioned at" Spock added, then leaned his head back to look at the beeping monitors.

Curious.

"Is it possible for the noises on this machine to stop?"

Kirk stood up and smiled, "Bones can," he stated, walking over to the desk. He looked back at Spock but there was no objection on his face.

"Kirk to Doctor McCoy"

Almost instantly a gruff voice answered him.

"McCoy here, Jim. Is Spock alright?"

Typical of the doctor to assume something is wrong the second someone wants him.

Though that's usually the case.

"He's fine, but he's complaining about the monitors making noises"

"Must be those damned Vulcan ears. On my way"

Kirk ended the transmission and sat back down next to Spock.

"You feeling alright?" he asked quietly. The Vulcan was merely staring thoughtfully at him. For once, he looked at peace. At least he appeared less pale, and more talkative.

"Hmm" was the reply at first. Then, "Captain, how do you propose I discontinue touch telepathy?"

Jim glanced up at the man sympathetically. He wanted to get rid of an ability that he would usually pride himself over.

"You can't, Spock. You've always just..." Jim was stumped to explain, "...controlled it."

Spock sat forward slightly.

"Control over my emotions seems most beneficial." he states, resting back again.

McCoy entered not moments later, of course glaring at the vitals before making eye contact with any other object or living being in the room.

"Looks good." he declared, silencing the monitors with a single push of a button. "For your species anyway" then he turned to Jim.

"Jim, I thought I told you to stay in bed?" he grumbled, but not paying any more attention to him than that. Clearly he had recovered well enough to walk, but McCoy wanted the last word.

"I want to stay with Spock" Kirk admitted, rubbing his neck pensively.

McCoy grunted but returned a slight nod. "Probably a good idea actually. I'm gonna do his physical today." McCoy didn't make eye contact with his patient, knowing he was holding some kind of a glare.

"I'll stay with him just in case" Kirk persisted, hoping it would calm his friend.

--

"Captain, may I enquire as to why you are so adamant about remaining in the room with me?" Spock suddenly piped up, after the fifth argument over whether Kirk should return to the bridge or not was started.

It does not seem right to endanger a ship for one person.

Kirk shrugged and completely ignored the question for the fifth time in a row.

"Spock, hope you're feeling well?" McCoy asked, hesitantly reaching for the medical gloves that lay in a box next to Spock.

"I am. But I presume not for long." he muttered under his breath.

"Come on, you can't be as bad as Jim," the doctor joked, lowering the bed backwards so he was flat on his back again.

"Bones! I'm not that bad!" Jim scowled at him from his chair.

"Uh huh. You know what, you’re right Jim!” Bones’ voice dripped with sarcasm. “Guess I'd have to agree with you that running down four corridors, disabling the turbolift and threatening to take a shuttlecraft into uncharted territory because I wanted to give you one routine vaccination wasn't bad at all."

Jim blinked rapidly and clamped his mouth shut, Spock raised a inquisitive eyebrow at that.

"See, no one is worse than Jim," McCoy teased, stepping to the monitors and fiddling with the touch screen controls.

Jim continued glaring at him for a few seconds before asking,

"Whatcha doing?" he stood up and wandered over to the doctor, watching his quick movements swiping over the screen.

"Recalibrating the vitals to better fit Spock's Vulcan biology" he explained, looking extremely focused, "Should more or less work in the same way as humans do. Converts his results into what it would be for a human. Or something." he raised his hands in surrender, "Ask Scotty, he did all the work."

Kirk nodded in understanding, sitting back in the chair after noticing Spock was beginning to act agitated. Jim thinks he preferred it when Spock would try to cover his emotions up to an extent that it was like talking to a brick wall.

McCoy turned to Spock.

“Now, from what you’ve told me before,” a thoughtful eyebrow looked around the room, “…your touch telepathy or empathy—whatever the hell you call it, only works on skin-to-skin contact.” He raised his hands so Spock could see them, “and that’s why I’m wearing these gloves. So it won’t happen again.” McCoy tried explain it clearly to him, but the Vulcan still looked uneasy and gave no reply. “Do you understand?” McCoy prompted, wanting to make absolutely sure that his patient didn’t feel like he was about to be tortured.

Spock’s mouth opened to say something, and then closed again quickly. McCoy gave him a few more moments to gather his thoughts.

It was odd to see him so unorganized and in mental chaos.

“Doctor,” Spock paused again, but pursed his lips in thought, “I would be most appreciative if you would inform me of everything you are doing to me. It would be beneficial to me if I were to know what was happening, for as of right now, I do feel particularly.. vulnerable, and I believe that understanding what you are doing would provide me with reassurance.” he visibly squirmed a little, slightly curling his knees up as if to protect himself.

“Spock…” McCoy sighed, sandwiched between both frustration and sympathy, “I always tell my patients what I’m doing, as I’m doing it, anyway.”

Spock leaned back.

“Oh.”

“And just for the record, a simple ‘Please tell me what you’re doing as you’re doing it’ would have been sufficient” he shook his head and scoffed, “I didn’t need an entire explanation. Although.. it’s reassuring to know you still aren’t able to shut up”

Spock offered a curt nod, and then turned to Kirk.

“I would be most grateful if you could stay. I do not understand why. I just feel like it would be…” Spock hesitated and tried to think of the reason why.

Kirk patted his shoulder and smirked. “Because I comfort you?” he spun his head to Bones. “I’m not surprised, everyone needs to be comforted when McCoy is your doctor.”

McCoy grunted. “Shut up Jim, or I’ll move your physical slot up to tomorrow.” he sneered. Then he turned to Spock. “You know, it’s weird to have you saying that you.. feel so much. You never feel” then he rolled his eyes, “Well you don’t admit to it anyway. It’ll be a shame once you’re back to normal.”

“I apologise for my weakness, doctor.” He replied quietly. A slight pang of guilt hit McCoy.

“Well.. what you’re going through right now, I’m not surprised you need so much support.” then he gave a rare reassuring smile to the first officer, “You’ll be alright.”

He gave a quick glance at the monitors, satisfied that they were calibrated the way they should be, then shifted himself next to Spock.

“I’ll start off easy.” McCoy took a mask and gave it to Spock. “Now all you gotta do is breathe into that like normal. That’s all.”

Spock obliged easily and held the mask up against his face, noting that the doctor was trying to make it easy for him at first, as he could hold the mask for himself. He watched as Jim stood up and seemed to be whispering to McCoy.

“What you doing that for? Can’t you see his uh.. respirations on those monitors?”

“Yeah I can. I’m gonna make him workout later, but I want to get him used to the mask. Thought it’d help.” he hushed back.

Jim nodded, leaning up against the wall, observing Spock’s calm breathing, who was staring off into space. Literally. “So you can’t see his respirations while he’s working out? But you could with me?”

McCoy held back an annoyed grumble. “I know what I’m doing Jim, trust me.” he looked over to Spock, who seemed to be relatively settled. “Spock?” he waited to get his attention to tell him what he was going to do next. Spock’s head turn to the speaker.

Just as McCoy was about to speak, the room tinted red, and alarms started sounding loudly all over the ship. Kirk stood up instantly.

“I’m not even the bridge..” Spock jumped out of bed and glanced around the room wondrously.

“What’s that?”