Colin's posts

Jake just sighed, leaning back in his chair and staring at the ceiling.

"Yes." he replied.

"God, yes." he said.

"You've ruined me!" he then exclaimed.

"Before, I was quite content to just spend the whole day here with minimal interactions... but now I start to feel a little down when we don't have at least a daily chat." he admitted.

"You've gone and made me semi-social!" he declared with a laugh.

Sure enough, he was there.

He looked over towards her, and smiled.

"Yo." he replied.

"How's it going?" he asked.

"Heard you had to go to the medical wing for something." he went on.

"More preparation for your mechanical arm?" he asked.

It was clear he hadn't known that she already had it... and this was the perfect opportunity for her to play along, potentially.

"Hey, no worries." he replied.

"Oh yeah, I'll let the medics here know that you're awake." he then added at the end, standing up.

"Leave you to start to get used to that." he went on.

"Good luck with it." he told her.

"And I hope you never need the manual." he chuckled.

"Shouldn't. It should really all be intuitive, though knowing how to care for it is a necessity. So reading through that section is HIGHLY recommended."

The man just smirked.

"it's in the book." he told her.

She was silent for a moment, before he gestured beside her... where she saw a booklette called 'User's Manual'.

"Any questions should be answered in there." he said.

"It's quite comprehensive." he continued.

"There's also a tech support number in there in case of any issues."

He nodded.

"Absolutely." he responded.

"Your brain and subconscious just need time to acclimate to it." he told her. "Give it a couple of weeks to a month, and you should be able to manipulate it as well as your other arm." he continued.

"Just don't try and force it." he went on.

"Seriously. Just try and go about your life as usual, and the arm will catch up to you." he insisted.

"The pain will last for... about a day or two, at most." he then added.

"If it lasts longer, we'll take a look and see if anything's gone wonky."

"Careful." a male voice said.

When she looked, she saw a man sitting there, his vibrant multi-coloured hair standing out against his darker tanned skin.

"I know, it's a bit overwhelming." he told her.

"Just bear with it for a bit, and it'll soon go away." he assured her further.

"Just try and move it." he said.

"Which is to say... well... treat it like it's an actual arm." he clarified.

"We'll see just how responsive it is, compared to your previous biological one."

Nate chuckled in response.

"Good to hear." he said.

They then spoke for another 45 minutes or so, before Nate looked at the clock.

"Ah." he muttered.

"Sorry, I should probably be getting back to work." he told her.

"Tell Dr. Edwards that you and Leo will probably be attempting this." he continued.

"And tell Izea as well."

Just as she put it away, Nate sat back down.

"Hey-o. Sorry about that." he apologised. Already, she could hear the difference. He spoke as though he were far more relaxed, like the weight of the world was just taken off his shoulders.

"But I feel... SO much better now." he commented.

"Regardless, thanks again for at least looking into the whole arm-thing." he then said.

"If you can do it, it'll mean SO much to her." he continued.

It was clear that he was feeling a LOT better already. And she could easily tell it.

Her father really did work miracles sometimes.

"Of course." her father replied.

"Well, if you word your wish so that I can grant what I stated, then no problem." he told her.

She paused for a moment, and nodded slightly to herself.

"I wish that Nate will be in top form for studying, and taking, his exams." she said.

"Granted." was the response she was given, as she heard the snap of his fingers... and the smile on his face.

"I wish him all the best." he said.

"I do, too." Nate replied, before pausing.

"I'll be right back, I need to use the washroom briefly." he told her, before excusing himself and heading into the facilities in question.

That was when she received a call from her father.

"This will be easier than a massive set of texts." he reasoned when she answered.

"And I'm sorry, but I draw the line at such... direct interference... with studies." he told her. "I know you're technically asking for me to just improve his memory, but that would most likely be temporary, and we don't know if that would lead to him passing when he shouldn't have." he went on.

"However, I WOULD be able, and easily so, to calm his nerves and allow him to focus more easily, if you think THAT would help." he then offered. "I can sympathise with nerves and panic causing someone to unnecessarily under-perform." he then told her.

"So while I cannot technically improve his performance for his exams, I CAN make sure he is at his peak form for them, if that makes sense."

Nate sighed again.

"That's true." he said.

"But I really do want to make it through the first time." he told her.

"I really want all my work to be for... well... something." he said further, before shaking his head and clearing his throat a little.

"Sorry, that went to a kind of depressing place." he chuckled.

That was when she received a response.

Depends. What for? it asked.

He just sighed heavily in response.

"Yes." he admitted.

"I've been studying as much as I can, and then some." he told her.

"I just hope I pass." he went on.

"I really want a full job at the Unit." he continued.

"Not just a... well... understudy? I guess?"

Nate couldn't help but laugh at that.

"Okay, fair." he said. "I can't argue that." he admitted.

"And anything I wanna chat about?" he asked. "Yeah, actually." he continued.

"How've you been?" he asked.

"We actually haven't had a chat for... a little over a week?" he wondered.

"How have things been going for you? Besides morons stressing you out." he asked her.

Ryker had heard all that was happening inside.

"CALM!" he called.

"DON'T HAVE A CONNIPTION!" he warned.

"AND I'M JUST OUTSIDE!" he added.

He then looked at the monstrous fish in front of him, and sighed.

"Maybe should cook up a filet for him..."