Colin's posts

"In my office." Nate responded.

He then paused for a moment, seemingly realising what he has said.

"...at my desk in the corner of the storage room." he clarified sheepishly. "When I was still in school, but working here, that area was designated for me to do my schoolwork and such." he told her.

"Now it's just... become 'my space'." he shrugged.

"So you'll usually find me there." he said.

"If not there, at the receptionist's desk."

Nate paused for a moment.

"Actually, I'll just tell you where she is." he said.

"Her name's Olivia, and she's just 5 doors down that way." he said, pointing in the direction they'd come from.

"After you try with Erica, you can see if you can do anything for Liv, if that's all right." he went on.

"Because all we ask is that you try." he assured her.

"Anything you can do would be appreciated." he added. "Anything at all."

Nate merely nodded and led her to the room where Erica was being kept. They paused at the door, and he sighed.

"...I'm sure you've been told about her and the state she's in and such." he told her. "So I won't bore you or waste your time rehashing information you already know." he said.

"I merely wish you luck." he finished.

"I'll be waiting for you when you come out." he went on.

"..." he was then silent, before sighing.

"Oh, and there's one more person here that you may be able to help." he then added. "But we'll discuss that after Erica."

Nate just chuckled as well.

"Indeed." he replied. "It's the main reason why I decided to become a doctor." he told her. "I wanted to use my gift to the fullest, to help people." he reasoned with a smile.

"And at least you've found something you like doing, I assume." he then went on.

"That's all that matters." he said, as they stepped into the medical wing, and Ashleigh felt several... familiar... mana signatures.

"Anyway, the one in question we need you to look at is Erica Windsor."

Nate looked her over again, and smiled.

"Makes sense." he said. "You have a very vibrant and healthy aura." he told her.

He then turned away and kept walking with her... however, before Ashleigh could ask what he meant by that, he paused, and she saw the look of realisation in his eyes.

"...oh." he muttered.

"Right." he said. "I have the unique ability to see people's life-force. Or aura. Or whatever you want to call it." he explained. "At a glance, I can tell how generally healthy someone is, or... well, how long they may have left." he continued.

"And yes, you're in no danger, obviously, but I just wanted to make sure about the injuries you have." he then clarified.

"But a bounty hunter, huh? Must be exciting."

Nate looked at her, and sighed.

"I was wondering about it." he admitted. "But I wasn't going to say anything about it." he told her. "For all I know, you're tired of always hearing those kinds of questions, so... I wasn't about to add to that potentially repetitive chorus." he reasoned.

"But the horns, ears, and wings are real, huh?" he asked.

"I see." he said.

"I... bet there's a story behind all of them." he mumbled further, shaking his head a little.

"And I bet the wings come in handy a lot." he then continued, but looked her over more closely.

"...also, you seem hurt." he noticed. "Are you all right?" he asked her.

Jake just chuckled again.

"Well, it was appreciated, nonetheless." he told her, just as Nate stepped through the door.

"Hey Jake, I'm here to-" he started to say, before pausing, seeing Ashleigh there.

"Ah, you're the one here to help?" he asked.

"Yup." Ashleigh responded.

"She's cleared to enter." Jake told him.

"All right, this way then." Nate told Ashleigh with a smile.

Jake was silent again, before sighing audibly.

"I'm sorry." he apologised again. "It was just sudden." he told her. "And... it's been a VERY long time since we've actually seen each other." he went on, before pausing again.

"...actually, come to think of it, from what I remember, you always treated me with the most dignity, compared to everyone else in that place." he recalled.

"Been meaning to say this for a while, whenever I saw you next, but thank you." he told her. "It meant a lot to me." he said.

"Still does." he admitted further.

"Oh yeah, and I was told someone would be here to escort you to the medical wing and such, and meet you here." he went on. "My guess is you got here quicker than expected." he added with a light chuckle.

Jake looked over towards Ashleigh, froze for a moment, and he could feel the fear and memories swelling up inside him.

"Ah... ah-ah-ah..." he stammered.

"L-L-Lady Encrae." he managed to get out. When Ashleigh and Jake were both still with Vanessa, because they were sisters, Ashleigh was referred to as 'Lady' by others. Under extreme punishment otherwise.

He then paused for a moment, and shook his head, smacking the side of it.

"Ah, sorry." he apologised.

"Force of habit, I guess." he mumbled.

"And you're here to help the patients with dark elf mana in them, huh?" he asked, his tongue darting out.

"Yeah... yeah, you're you." he confirmed quietly.

Nate was silent for a moment, and shook his head.

"All we can do it wait and see." he said.

"Neither may be innocent, but... they may have a chance at redemption." he told her, before pausing. "Okay, Ayla might. I don't know much about her. I don't know if Chris can ever be truly redeemed." he admitted.

"Anyway, the more I talk about this, the more agitated I get, and I'm sure it's not doing much for any of YOU, either." he then reasoned.

"So I'm going to go wait at security." he said.

"I'll see you later." he told her with a warm smile.

Nate looked back towards Ebony, and nodded.

"All right, sure." he said. "I can do that." he told her.

"I'm scheduled to unpack these deliveries, but I'm ahead of schedule, so Dr. Edwards won't mind if I disappear for about 5 minutes or so." he reasoned. "I assume it won't be long, though?" he asked.

"5 minutes sounds right." Ebony confirmed.

"Cool." Nate responded.

"You all right?" he then asked.

"I mean, aside from... HIM." he then muttered. "You look stressed as all hell."

"Got it." Ash replied.

"See you in a few." he told her, before looking at Ebony.

"I'll be back in like, 5 minutes." he said to her.

"Now, technically, -I- can slip past the barriers here." he went on. "And you know why." he continued. "However, Ashleigh can't." he then said further.

"Might want to wait at security so lizard-boy knows to expect us." he suggested.

"All right." Ebony responded.

"See ya in a few." Ash replied, before he was gone in a burst of black fire... though she felt some familiar mana to it.

Ash paused for a moment.

"Oh, well... I didn't know you were helping Aunt Rocky with something." he told her. "I'd say you don't need to hurry, but... well, I wouldn't say time is a luxury we have a lot of right now..." he mumbled.

"I mean, if you want to get out here and then back ASAP, to keep helping Aunt Rocky, I can be there in a flash." he said.

"And then bring you back just as quickly." he added.

"So all depends on you, really." he went on.

"I know extracting your sister's mana from someone isn't exactly too much of a task for you."

"Got someone here... probably multiple people, from what I can sense... with her mana in them." he told her.

"Think you can make your way here and remove it?" he asked.

"And if so, how soon?" he asked further.

He then looked around, sighing quietly to himself, and looking at Ebony with a small smile.

He didn't say anything, but she knew the kind of look he had. It was one that told her to please not judge Ashleigh by her past. She was a new person, and she would help in any way she could.

"...and how are you getting here?" he then asked her.

"You need me to come and pick you up to teleport you here?"