Colin's posts

"That's... simultaneously a relief, yet frightening." Ash admitted.

"Regardless, thank you" he said.

"People already don't like me raising a child." he muttered. "The last thing they need is ammo to reason that I'm not fit to care for a child." he added, shaking his head.

"How bad was it?" he asked.

"I know her leg was broken, but how badly?"

"I see..." Ash muttered.

"Well, at least she'll heal." he said.

"That's good." he reasoned.

"...I have to find out what's happening." he then said, seemingly out of nowhere. "This... this isn't good." he mumbled, shaking his head.

"I thought I could be someone to help her..." he added, trailing off and sounding a little more dejected than before.

"Was I wrong...?"

Ash was silent, and nodded.

"Right." he said.

He then made his way to the chair, and sat.

And waited.

As he waited, he wondered what had happened back there. Why it had happened. What did it mean?

'...are things much worse than I had originally thought?' he wondered mentally.

"I don't dare go elsewhere." Ash responded.

"I know if I do, I'll just end up coming back here again and again, wanting updates." he sighed.

"So... may as well, just wait and see." he told her.

"And yes, I know you're a miracle worker, and this will be nothing for you." he then quickly added. "I just know how I'm gonna act if I leave... as irrational as it may be." he sighed.

'...question later.' was all Ash thought.

He then carefully picked Desiree up in his arms, making sure not to aggravate her injury, and stood up, as they both disappeared in a swirl of black fire, appearing right outside the medical wing, in a designated emergency incoming zone.

He then quickly stepped through the doors, and looked around.

"Hm." he muttered, before quickly making his way further in, attempting to find Emma.

"DESIREE!" Ash screamed, immediately using his mana to teleport from where he was, to where SHE was.

"Holy hell!" he exclaimed, as he looked at her, and the injuries she had sustained.

'Need to take her to a hospital. NOW. he thought, as he paused for a moment, wondering if she would be taken from him if this came to light.

He knew she needed medical assistance, but he also knew that if she was taken from him, and put into the system, it would be even worse for him.

If he had to, he'd take her to OLA, but there was one person he knew he could rely on for this. But her number was... non-existent.

"...all I can do is try." he mumbled, taking out his cell phone, going to Emma's messages, and replying to the last one she sent him.

Desiree's hurt. She needs help. it read.

"............." again, Ash was silent as he witnessed this.

"Desiree....?" he muttered.

A thought entered his mind at that point. Had she jumped? Had her fall been purposeful? Or had she merely slipped or tripped? He had no way to know right now.

And right now, he dared not approach her, for fear of startling her and causing her to potentially fall again.

But her expression said a lot to him. She looked like she had some heavy stuff on her mind... meaning she had probably tuned out the world around her.

"What the hell...?" Ash muttered to himself.

This was completely unlike Desiree. Normally she wouldn't ignore him like this, nor would she curse like that. At least, not for no reason, anyway.

"....." he was then silent, before getting to his feet.

He wanted to see where she was going. So he decided to follow her.

To say he was surprised would be a massive understatement.

He let out a loud exclamation as the girl landed on top of him, causing him to fall forward and land on his front.

He wasn't hurt, not by any means... he'd suffered a HELL of a lot worse in his chosen profession... and he probably ended up cushioning Desiree's fall.

He then looked back, at the girl that was atop of him.

"...hello." he greeted her.

Ash watched her leave, and looked at the blade again, before he started to wash it clean once more.

"...she's not normally this clumsy..." he mumbled, as he pondered the situation he'd walked into. it was definitely plausible, but was it... likely?

-Some more time later-

"Huh." Ash muttered, as he looked around the manor.

"Where IS she?" he asked the air, referring to Desiree. He wanted to find her and ask what she wanted for lunch, but she seemed to have disappeared.

Desiree, where are you? he sent to her via text, as he stepped outside to the backyard, thinking she might be there.

Ash read the text, and nodded.

Indeed. That's true. he responded, before grabbing a juice from the fridge.

Have something to drink with the cheese and crackers. I'll clean up here. he then said.

He waited until she had read the text, before handing it towards her.

'That was a close call.' he thought, looking at the blade again.

Ash looked at the crackers, and then cut an appropriate amount of cheese... plus a little extra... for her.

"There you go." he told her, handing her the plate.

"And remember, be careful with the knives here." he reminded her. "They're made of an Everlasting Quick-silver alloy, and will slice through you in an instant." he said.

"You're lucky you only managed such a shallow cut." he added.

Ash just smiled at her.

"It's okay." he responded.

"We all make mistakes." he told her.

"I'll cut up some of that cheese for you, though." he then said, taking the knife and running it under the water, dabbing some detergent on it to clean it.

"How much do you want?" he asked, taking the knife and slicing through the hard cheese, the light from the window reflecting off of the blade, making it seem to shine brilliantly to Desiree.

Ash looked at the block of cheese on the counter, and sighed.

All right. he signed.

Just hold still and I'll bandage that for you. he told her.

He then grabbed the first aid kit, made his way back to Desiree, and started to disinfect her wound, clean it, and then bandage it up with what was there.

"...luckily it's shallow." he said.

"Guess OLA's not needed."