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"You're up!" Rin's bright smile was the first thing that came into focus.
"He isn't injured Rin," Nemu's unfeeling voice said. "He has to get up eventually."
"But it took so long," Rin complained. "His spiritual pressure's low, too."
"We had to extract most of it to obtain its signature and help the dolls grow properly," an unfamiliar voice said. "Not to mention the 77-4343 should only feed on his spiritual pressure until it can create its own."
"W-what?" Hanataro sat up, holding his not because it was pounding, but rather it felt so light that it might float away.
"Oh, it's nothing you should worry about. We extracted your spiritual pressure," the unfamiliar man answered. He looked like a test dummy, with strangely colored skin and horns growing on his forehead.
"Akon, you should explain better," Rin complained.
"Fine, fine," he said, knowing if he didn't concede now, Rin wouldn't leave him alone. "The hollow created from your zanpakuto had to be advanced from its doll form, which won't develop correctly unless it's fed your unique spiritual pressure. Normally being drained of all your spiritual pressure would take months to recover-"
"Months?" Hanataro exclaimed, though his head began to throb dully when he rose his voice.
Undeterred, Akon continued. "However, we left a minute amount of your spiritual pressure, as well as gave you a special supplement. You should have your normal levels back by the end of the week. Anyways, we have your spiritual signature now, so we shouldn't need you for the 77-4343's development anymore."
"B-but, I thought that I was supposed to have a lot of training – with my zanpakuto."
"Oh, yes. I'll be monitoring that from now on, Captain said all he wanted was to oversee the doll and hollow creation. Don't worry, we're not done with you in that field yet," he smiled at Hanataro, and despite his many unappealing features, the smile was sincere and even comforting.
"What's the thing, 77- forty, whatever, what's it going to do?" Hanataro asked, stumbling over his words and confused.
"77-4343 is going to show us quite a bit. Once we study its healing stipulation, we'll be able to remove it as mandatory and make it an option, so you'll be able to attack with you zanpakuto then absorb the energy from the attack and release it with more power," Akon picked up a clipboard. "Judging by the complexity of this ability, it will take months. I've never seen a zanpakuto so strange. Even Captain's was easier to decipher and control, but there's too many elements to this one in particular." Just as his captain did so often, Akon spoke lowly to himself more than to Hanataro.
"I'm going to help!" Rin said happily.
"I was only to oversee your condition until you woke," Nemu said, standing and leaving with a small bow.
"Rin," Akon began, speaking distantly still as he scribbled on a paper on his clipboard. "you up for getting some supplies?"
"Yes, sir!" Rin chirped, ceasing his gaze on Hanataro that he'd held since the medic had gotten up. Akon tore a piece of paper from the legal pad he was writing on, giving it to Rin who hurried out while reading the list. Not even a minute later, there was a commotion in the hallway.
"Watch where you're going!" A deep voice shouted, and Rin ran away shouting back apologies.
Akon didn't pay any mind to the noise that grew outside however, he was used to Rin's constant squabbling and clumsiness. He only wished that everyone else would give the boy a break, but there was no use wasting his breath on grunts who each somehow convinced themselves that they were important or even unique.
So many members of the twelfth division gave themselves credit for things that they hadn't done. They feel as if they're necessary for certain things if they were chosen to be a test subject, and if lengths were gone to so said subject would live, then they started to feel more and more sure of themselves. Akon hated most of the test subjects for their cocky attitudes and on more than one occasion he dismissed especially annoying disposables, though new groups always came with the same cocky attitude.
Maybe Nemu's strange melancholy was seen as overt kindness, as she always yielded to a request and most test subjects were too stupid to see the truth even if it was right before their eyes. Any reason for someone being so sure of themselves would be welcomed by Akon so he could take away the annoying support and have everyone be more compliant.
"Hanataro," Akon began out of nowhere. "How are you feeling right now?"
"U-um. Just, a little lightheaded. And sick."
"Nauseous?"
"Yes," Hanataro replied and tried to focus on the floor, as Akon's casual movements were dizzying to Hanataro and his eyes couldn't take any type of strain by following any type of motion.
"Are you going to vomit?" Akon asked concerned.
"Maybe."
Akon rummaged around the room, though Hanataro didn't look at him and rather still focused on a spot on the floor. In moments he was handed an empty trashcan. "If you do need to vomit, then don't concern yourself with trying to hold it down. Would you like some soda crackers and water?"
"No," Hanataro answered lowly and held the trashcan weakly, focusing on the bottom of it and trying to get used to the new view, his eyes still weary from seeing the change of scenery.
"Very well," he muttered and scribbled something on his paper. "I would like you to eat something within the next few hours."
"Not now, please," Hanataro muttered, looking into the trashcan. He knew very little about the room he was in. His peripheral vision wasn't picking up anything, all he knew was that the floor was dark gray and the trash can had a lighter gray bag. When he first woke up, he saw the lights on the ceiling but not its color. He couldn't remember the color of the walls though he knew he looked at them and he didn't think he set his eyes on anything else. He didn't care very much either.
"That's fine," Akon said, mimicking the subdued voice so he didn't agitate Hanataro. This was a test subject he could like very well. Soft-spoken, kind, and not obnoxiously demanding like so many others. "Could you describe how you feel now?"
"I-i..." Hanataro had to think for a minute. "Sorry... No."
The sentences were fragmented, Hanataro lurched forward and hid his head in the trashcan, retching but having nothing in his stomach to lose. He continued this for nearly twenty minutes, a small amount of liquid coming up but nothing else. It was normal for someone in his condition, but regardless, Akon became a bit worried. He walked outside and luckily a grunt was passing by. He sent for soup, crackers and water, and an IV if Hanataro couldn't keep anything down.
Right after, Akon walked in and rubbed the medic's back as he continued to try to lose what he didn't have in his stomach. Once it came to a stop, Hanataro was gasping for air desperately. It was a sad sight, but Akon couldn't do anything to help but stand next to him quietly.
Rin ran back in the room with hands full of random appliances not two minutes after Akon sent for food, and considering the amount of things he sent the younger man to get, it was very good time to make it back in just a little more than twenty minutes. "Is Hanataro all right?"
Frowning, Akon put his finger to his lips to silence Rin. Noise was only going to agitate Hanataro more, so he left his post rubbing the smaller man's back comfortingly to put all the supplies he had asked for on the counter and go back to the rolling hospital bed that they had laid Hanataro on.
While it was the fourth division's job to provide medical care, often times after experiments, the test subject were brought to one of these rooms which was designed for comfort and they were taken care of appropriately, though many didn't make it unless Mayuri had put their importance on a high level.
Rin stood patiently until Hanataro regained control, and though he was breathing heavily, he managed to speak. "I... Can't eat anything."
"You have to!" Rin protested, worried about Hanataro. He stood next to the bed, watching Hanataro's knuckles turn white as he held onto the trashcan tightly.
"I mean, my body will reject it," he was shaking. "I-i need an IV. Eating won't do me any good."
Right, Rin wanted to hit himself. Hanataro was a talented medic. Right away, Akon went outside and met the grunt he'd sent for food and a feeding tube half-way, rushing back to Hanataro. Seeing as his well-being was top priority, Akon was getting more nervous by the minute even though all his symptoms were normal.
"How are you feeling?" Rin asked Hanataro impatiently, hoping to help him though his questions were only going to worsen the medic's health.
"Nauseous," he replied evenly, trying to steady his breathing. He knew these two weren't any good with medicine because their boss was much more interested in causing harm than healing, and both of the subordinates were important, so they couldn't know more than it would require to concoct poisons. That wasn't novice knowledge, but they weren't people who he felt comfortable being taken care of by. Not if he valued his life.
"Is there something I can get for you?"
"Water."
"How much?"
"Just a small glass for now."
Rin scurried over to the sink on the counter and pulled a paper cup from the cabinet. He remembered someone telling him this room was actually modeled after human hospitals because Mayuri had liked the organization, but really it had taken a while for Rin to learn where everything was. Bringing the cup back carefully, Rin searched his mind for more questions as Akon walked into the room with the IV.
He was relieved to see Hanataro was thinking clearly enough to know how to care for himself in this condition.
Normally when a top priority subject was in any type of danger, someone from the fourth division would be called to help them, but there wouldn't be very many positive things to ensue from calling someone of Hanataro's division here. Many of the members are close to Hanataro, and they would inflate every detail to have him taken out of the line of fire, so to speak. There was less than a one percent chance that Hanataro would die from the experiments so far, and so Akon, knowing the most about the human body was assigned to make Hanataro's recovery go as smoothly as possible.
Hanataro was a skilled medic though, and recalling basic care must be as natural as breathing for him. It was great to see him thinking so clearly, but at the same time that was unusual from all the others who received the same treatment as he had.
Rin hooked up the IV effortlessly as he'd done it a million times, and Akon checked all of Hanataro's vitals, and made sure he was in stable condition.
"Where's Nemu?" Hanataro remembered hearing her voice, but didn't recall what she had said or that she'd left.
"With Captain," Akon answered, finally relaxed enough to go back to his clipboard. "I need to check quite a bit of things to ensure your recovery goes exactly as planned."
"What time is it?"
Rin checked the clock before answering. "Half past ten."
Hanataro had been here for more than five hours and most of them had been while he was unconscious. That made him shiver, just thinking of being here completely defenseless.
"Do you need a blanket?" Rin asked innocently.
"No," Hanataro answered softly. "When am I leaving?"
"If all goes as planned, some time around three," Akon answered.
Hanataro had more questions but he bit his tongue. He was curious but not so much so that he would speak freely while bile climbed up his throat if he opened his mouth for too long.
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