Ch. 36: Oil and water
He tried to be still as Sidd examined him.
Gaster watched as Sidd gently held his arm while slowly running a hand just above the bones. A light tingling slipped through the bone just below Sidd's hand, it was a much more dull but also more wide spread and unfocused feeling than last time. Gaster glanced up to Sidd's face, the gingerbread monster's eyes weren't glowing this time either. The doctor stood just to Sidd's side, watching what was being done as he tapped his foot against the floor.
"Well?" The doctor let out an impatient huff as he waited the inevitable amount of time it would require for Sidd to answer him. Sidd continued to move his hand along the arm for a few moments before he released it, moving his hand to pass just over Gaster's chest. Gaster was grateful that Sidd didn't ask him to remove his gown as the tingling magic settled into his rib-cage.
"The density has increased." Gaster tensed slightly as Sidd moved the hand over his sternum.
Gaster listened as the others spoke, watching them without making it obvious that he was looking. Sidd was focused on his magic while the doctor was more looking at what Sidd was doing than actually looking at Gaster.
Gaster found himself carefully watching what the doctor did. It had only been about a week but the doctor hadn't really poked or prodded at him lately, not as much as usual anyway. He knew it shouldn't matter, that he should just do as he had been and ignore the doctor. It would be easier that way. But Gaster couldn't help the feeling in his chest that was much like holding his breath. It was more of an anticipation than a hope but it was there just the same.
"The scans did not indicate a major shift in energy level, progress has been gradual yet steady. I am unable to determine when this occurred." The doctor shuffled through the papers he was holding, mumbling to himself as he did so. "Is it a change in physiology due to greater connection to the soul? Or is it merely retention from repeated and prolonged submersion?"
Sidd cocked his head for a moment, pulling his hand away from Gaster's chest. "May I?" Sidd gestured to Gaster's head.
Gaster gave a small nod, tensing slightly as Sidd's hands came to rest on either side of his face and tingling magic wove through his skull.
Sidd shifted the magic around for a few seconds before he pulled his hands away. "Physiology, not retention."
"What?" The doctor looked up from his papers to scrutinize Sidd, "on what reasoning?"
Sidd gestured to Gaster's face, "the skull was not submerged."
The doctor glanced at Gaster before returning his gaze to Sidd, "it also has greater density?"
Sidd waited a few long moments before he spoke, "yes."
After a moment the doctor gave a nod to that, returning his eyes to the papers in his hands. "We will need to take some samples, a dozen should do for now."
Gaster didn't really like the sound of that. "Is that many necessary Drake?" The king had remained silent up to this point as he stood by Gaster's side, listening as the other two spoke.
"There is an unknown substance residing within the liquid magic that I am having great difficulty analyzing. I cannot be certain if scans will be accurate because of this." The doctor did not look up from his notes as he spoke but his voice took on a lecturing tone as he was forced to explain himself. "I must have more samples in order to determine it's properties quickly and ensure the validity of our data."
The king let out a sigh at that, "very well."
As they spoke Sidd moved to the side counter of the exam room, searching through it to bring out several instruments and containers. He arranged the items on a tray before bringing it back with him to set on the exam table next to where Gaster sat.
Gaster eyed the items unhappily, there were more empty syringes on the tray than he would have liked.
"You will explain the procedure before you begin Drake," the king voice was firm as he placed a hand on Gaster's shoulder to give it a gentle squeeze.
The doctor let out a sigh, speaking without looking up from his papers. "We will apply local anesthetic to the extraction sites before using a syringe to take the samples. It should be relatively painless and not worthy of such fuss."
Gaster watched as Sidd took a bottle and generously wetted a large swab with it's contents.
"Humerus." The doctor instructed as he still studied his papers.
"May I?" Sidd indicated Gaster's left arm.
Gaster gave a small nod and a sigh as he held out his arm, at least this time he didn't have to take the pain medicine that made him numb all over and made it hard for him to think.
Sidd took the arm in a gentle hold as he pressed the swab against Gaster's arm a short distance down from his shoulder. Gaster shuddered slightly as he felt the tingle of Sidd's magic slide into his arm, making the liquid from the swab seep into the bone a little bit faster.
Once the anesthetic had soaked in thoroughly and a good portion of the bone was numbed Sidd pulled the swab away, setting it aside to pick up one of the syringes. His gaze moved to Gaster's face, studying it for a few long moments before he moved to bring the needle up to Gaster's arm.
The king's hand moved from Gaster's shoulder to the hand opposite of Sidd, taking it and giving it a squeeze. Gaster tensed at the pinching feeling but did his best to hold still as Sidd slowly pulled back on the plunger of the syringe, taking a small portion of liquid from the center of the bone.
Sidd pulled the syringe away to set it aside, picking up a small piece of gauze to tape over where the needle had punctured the bone. Gaster watched as a small droplet of liquid magic well up in that spot before it was covered.
The doctor glanced up from his papers, eyeing Gaster for a moment before returning his attention down again. "Metacarpals."
Sidd indicated Gaster's hand, "may I?"
Gaster gave a nod and watched as Sidd took his hand, shifting it and probing it with magic until he seemed to find a suitable spot. Sidd pressed the swab against the back of it just to the side of the thumb, letting it numb properly before bringing a new syringe to the bone. Gaster watched the small amount of liquid magic be extracted, focusing on the few tiny pinpricks of red that floated unmixed within the liquid magic.
"You do not have to watch young one." The king gave Gaster's hand another squeeze.
Gaster looked back at the king, waiting for Sidd to finish with his other hand before he took both hands back to answer. 'I'm fine.' It didn't really hurt and he wasn't afraid to watch Sidd work. He didn't particularly like seeing syringes stuck into his bones of course but he wasn't afraid of them. He had spent far too long having them stuck into his soul daily to be bothered by the slight pricks that he felt now.
The king gave a nod as he took in Gaster's calm expression, giving Gaster a warm reassuring smile nonetheless.
The doctor glanced up again just long enough to chose the next bones. "Radius and Ulna of the other arm."
Sidd and the king switched sides, the king carefully taking Gaster's hand to avoid bothering the bandaged spot. Sidd turned Gaster's arm gently, carefully choosing a position on one of the bones that was well away from the old thin fractures that crawled across it's surface. Gaster wasn't worried about them being worsened by this though, the doctor had put his body under far more stress and they had never been a problem before.
Gaster watched as Sidd took a small sample from one bone and then the other, tolerating the pinching sensation that accompanied each.
The doctor looked up again, his gaze sweeping Gaster up and down. "Sternum."
'No, not there.' Gaster signed quickly, moving his hand to hold it over his chest.
Gaster stiffened slightly as the doctor's irritated gaze settled on his but his features remained firm as he absently rubbed at the bone with his fingers. He could just barely feel the scar that ran down it through the relatively thin fabric of his gown.
After a few moments the doctor gave a thick huff, snapping his papers straight in his hands as he looked down again. "Anterior rib."
Gaster relaxed some in his surprise at the doctor's relent, he hadn't expected the doctor to give in so easily. He pulled down the collar of his gown a little as Sidd asked him to access one of his ribs. Gaster accepted the rest of the doctor's choices without complaint as Sidd took several more samples from his legs, spine and even the top back ridge of his pelvis.
By the time Sidd had finished taking the last sample Gaster was beginning to have more feeling in his arm again, it ached a little but it wasn't too bad. Gaster rubbed at the bone just below the bandage absently as he watched Sidd finish carefully labeling and sorting the syringes of liquid that had been collected.
"That is all," the doctor gave an absent shooing motion as he continued to study his papers.
Gaster gladly slid from the table and left the room with the king. Cadis waited for them in the hall as he chatted with the king's guard, he looked Gaster up and down with some concern as he took in the many small bandages. "Are you alright pup?"
Gaster gave a nod and a smile, 'I'm fine.'
The king turned to Gaster, giving him a small smile and squeezing his hand. "I'm afraid I must be going now my child." Gaster let out a soft sigh as he embraced the king, large arms wrapping around him in return. "I will see you tomorrow."
Gaster gave the king a nod and a smile before he left, turning to head toward his room once the king was gone. He changed out of his gown and into his clothes, careful not to accidentally pull the bandages off as he slid on his sweater and pants.
He decided to walk around with Cadis for a while. They didn't really play any games or talk today, he just wanted to walk and think. His thoughts kept returning to the doctor as he tried to puzzle out why the doctor was looking at him differently now. It wasn't as if the doctor had never seen him broken before, the doctor had been the one to do most of the breaking.
Would things just go back to the way they were before or could they really change? He didn't really know what to think about this either. He couldn't afford hope when it came to the doctor, that was far too dangerous. The first scars the doctor had given him hadn't been physical. He would wait and he would watch, that was the only thing he could really do.
Gaster was pulled from his pondering when he rounded a corner to see Sidd and the doctor at the far end of the hall, they were facing the other direction as they walked. Gaster watched them curiously for a moment, glancing at Cadis after they disappeared around the far corner of the hall. 'Quiet.'
Cadis gave him a confused look but followed quickly as Gaster hurried to the corner the other pair had disappeared around. Gaster cautiously glanced around the corner and watched as Sidd and the doctor made their way along the hall. Once they had turned another corner Gaster quickly rushed to watch them make their way down the new hall, Cadis following after him.
'What is it pup?'
Gaster watched Cadis sign, he didn't really have an answer to that. He gave a shrug but thankfully Cadis went along with him anyway, even if the other flashed an amused grin as he followed.
Gaster and Cadis pursued them without notice through the halls of the lab, quietly spying on them as they went. After not too long though Gaster felt a light itch in his bones, he stiffened slightly as he realized they were heading in the direction of the soul hall. He frowned as he watched the other pair slip around another corner ahead of them. He continued to follow after even as the prickling itch in his bones increased.
A little while later Cadis placed a light hand on his shoulder to draw his attention, 'we should go back pup.'
It had taken Cadis that much more distance to feel it. 'Not yet.' They were already close, he might as well know for sure where they were headed.
They followed along a little more, it didn't take long for them to reach the soul's hall. Gaster peeked tensely around the corner as he watched the other two slowly make their way down the hall. Halfway down they stopped, turning to the door where the soul was held. The doctor placed his hand on the scanner next to the door and a moment later they were inside.
Gaster watched a few moments longer before he turned away and quickly traveled away from the area that was thick with the soul's radiant energy. The prickling itch deep in his bones lessened as they moved but the shadow of it remained even once they were far away. It would be a little while before it disappeared completely. Gaster was thankful for the distraction of the light aches in his bones where the numbness had worn off from earlier. It made it easier for him to concentrate on the new puzzle piece that he had just picked up. He didn't know what to make of this yet but he had nothing if not time to think on it.