Akio smiled at faust. "Hey, how are you doing?"
"I'm doing better- and you?" He asked, smiling back.
"Good…but I never have figured out how to turn on the stove."
Akio laughed softly and sat up. "Here, I'll come help you."
"No, you stay her- you sleep."
"But I'm getting better," Akio insisted- sure that her headache was more than totally gone. "Let me help."
"Please? I can handle it." Faust said, standing up as Shii ran in with a box of eggs in her mouth.
"Alright…I'll stay." Akio said, lying back down."
"Thank you," Faust said, going downstairs with Shii and the eggs.
"You know you still have to pay for those?" Shii asked, looking way up at him. Faust touched the stove and looked at it.
"I will…"
Shii hopped up on the stove and looked at it. "So, have you figured out how this works yet?"
"I don't know," Faust said. "I think it's burning."
"Think what is burning?" Shii asked, looking at the stove.
"The burner is," He said. "Lets start the eggs, hand me that pan." He got some eggs and Shii went to get a pan, then jumped up and put it on the burner.
Faust took the pan from her. "I hope I haven't used this for anything." He put some eggs in the pan and looked at them, Shii craned her neck and looked in the pan as well.
"You know, if you put water on the burner, it sizzles…" she looked at the burner.
"Are you…supposed to get all the shells out?" Faust asked, looking at the eggs.
"Yeah, I think you are—unless you like crunchiness…"
"Well some of them went in."
"You just pick them out," Shii said.
"Um…alright…" Faust said, picking shells out of the eggs.
"That's right, do you have a spatula…or a…?"
Faust grabbed a large butcher knife out of a drawer and looked at it. "I'll have to wash this off," He went over and rinsed it with soap and water before scooting the eggs in the pan around with it. "Alright."
"Ok, that works too."
"Look, it's cooking."
Shii looked in the pan. "Wow."
Faust poked the egg around. "Is it done? I think its done."
"Did you poke it in the middle?"
He did so and then looked at Shii. "It didn't explode.."
"Then its done!" Shii said, grabbing a plate.
"Lets give these to Akio." He said with a proud smile, pouring the runny egg on the plate. "And she'll need a spoon," he slid the egg around on the plate and grabbed a spoon before going upstairs with Shii and opening the door. "Akio?"
"Hm?" She asked, sitting up.
"We made you something." Faust said, smiling as Shii went in the room.
"That was nice of you," She said as he brought her the almost uncooked egg.
"We worked hard."
Akio took the plate, starving and not wanting to turn their hard work down. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Faust handed her the spoon.
She ate the eggs, knowing they were not cooked nearly as far as they should be, and knowing that she couldn't die again- so she felt safe. "I'll have to cook for you guys sometime." She said, finishing.
"Not until you've rested."
"I have rested!"
"Do you feel better?"
"Yes, you guys are excellent caregivers." Akio smiled at Faust and Shii.
"Thanks…are you off your medicine now?"
"My curare?" Akio asked, knowing curare was a heavy drug and nothing close to medication. "Yes, I hid it."
"Good."
"Yes, very good."
"And you should be proud of me, I've been off morphine for eight hours." Faust said.
Akio beamed. "Yes, Yes I am very proud." She was very glad he had tried to give it up- she wanted him off of it somehow so he wouldn't have to rely on it. "You doing ok?"
"I feel strange…"
"Strange?"
"I know how to explain…but… I don't want to make you uncomfortable."
"You should tell me," She said. "I am a physiatrist after all."
"I don't think I should, I don't really think you'd like to know."
"How do you know…?"
"Trust me, Akio."
"What if you told someone else? You could just tell someone else- I'll pretend to be a doctor…Dr…uh...Doctor K- and you can trust me."
"Hello Dr. K."
"Would you please tell me your symptoms?"
"Symptoms? Do I have them?"
"I'm not sure." She admitted, smiling and lying back down. "Oh well, I'm me again now."
"Ok…"
"Unless you wanted to talk to Dr. K again?"
"Maybe I do, that was fun."
"Alright," She sat back up. "You're back sir?"
"Yes I am."
"Do you have anything new you could report about?" she asked.
"Maybe I do."
"Would you like to tell me?" She asked, looking at him.
"No."
"Oh…"
"You can stop now, Akio, its fine—I just wanted to be troublesome for a few minutes. Was I?"
"Nope," Akio said, lying back down again. "Why did you want to be?"
"Like I said- I feel strange."
"You feel strange like crazy?"
"Yes, like crazy." He said.
"See!" she smiled. "THAT wasn't so hard to admit."
"…yes but you don't know what's in my head…"
"You just said you were crazy though,"
"Yes, about certain things…"
"Like…lots?"
"No, just certain things."
She smiled at him. "Like what things?"
"So innocent…even in death…" He said, smiling back.
"I am NOT innocent!" she said, laughing. "Maybe I can be naïve, but not innocent."
"You're naïve and innocent…"
"Then make me not so innocent and naïve," She said, looking at him.
"You don't even know what I'd do.."
She raised her eyebrow. "Is that really supposed to scare me?" she looked at him. "Just do it."
"Nein…" he looked at her then leaned over and bit her lips. She closed her eyes and hummed and he stopped suddenly. "I'm…um…going to go cook something."
"Why are you being so shy," She asked him.
"I'm not- I just don't want to get carried away…"
"What do you mean."
"You're being naïve again.."
"How am I being naïve again," she looked at him. "Faust…? Please…tell me…" she got quiet.
"No- I don't really want to—I just don't want to get carried away…don't make me get my drugs out again." She went silent and sighed, curling up on the bed. "I'm sorry…"
"No, it's fine."
"I don't think so."
"Well…I cant change it…so I wont complain."
"I'm a horrible man." He said slowly.
"How…are you horrible?" she asked sadly.
"…horrible…"
"Why…?"
He looked at her and his eye twitched.
"Faust, why are you a horrible man?" She sat up and looked at him, concerned.
He got up and left the room suddenly. Akio sighed as she heard him get something from downstairs- his morphine. Akio lay back in bed and looked at the ceiling sadly. "That was difficult…"
She heard the door slam.
"I cant believe I forgot about this body," Faust said, pulling the sheet of the body and looking at it. "Its getting old now."
"Then you'd better hurry and get on with the project." Akio said, looking at the body of the girl.
"Oh, I will." He said with an excited grin. "I'll go fast—do you have any ideas?"
"How did the rib work out," She asked, watching him take some books down.
"It didn't, I never figured out the chant."
"Why don't you make up a new chant?" Akio asked.
Faust looked up. "Make one up?"
"Yeah, sure—what would it have to say?"
"Just about becoming alive- things like that."
Akio paused. "Would 'alive forever' work?"
"We could try."
Akio closed her eyes and chanted softly. "Hi-ra-U-O, Beo go Deo…" then carefully she counted the thirteen chants inbetween before ending. "Hi-ra-U-O, Marbh go deo.."
Faust watched. "Here, do it to the bone…" He gave it to her and watched as she chanted. "You can do it with that chant…you did it!" He hugged her. "Now try it on the whole body, I'll help."
The two of them chanted, concentrating hard on getting the body to come back to life- Faust watching with wide eyes while Akio squoze her eyes tightly shut.
The body opened its eyes and sat up, looking around in confusion. Faust looked at her. "What is your birthday…"
"Its August 13…why!"
"I just wanted to know if you're a real spirit! YOU ARE! IT WORKED!" He said, laughing insanely as he hugged Akio.
"I DIDN'T KNOW IT WOULD WORK!" Akio said, looking at Evadine, the body.
"Oh...you'll be staying with us for awhile," Faust said, pulling out morphine and injecting it into Evadine- watching her get drowsy and fall asleep.
"I can't believe we did it!" Akio said, laughing.
"I can't believe you did it so easily!"
Akio grabbed him and kissed him. "That was amazing! This is amazing! You're amazing! This is all amazing!"
"You're amazing too," He said, kissing her. "That was great."
"Yes," Akio said, smiling.
"And you're tall."
"Yup!"
He looked at her. "I..I feel like a fool."
"Why?" Akio asked.
"I just, get so flustered easily."
"It's fine."
"Fine for me to feel like an idiot?"
"Are you a happy idiot?"
"…Yes."
"Then its fine…" She said softly as he kissed her. /Just remember, you're amazing./
/Only with your help…/ he looked at her lovingly and led her upstairs.
Akio followed him and walked in his room as he shut the door, shivering slightly. "You sure you're ok with this?" Faust asked, looking at her and nipping at her jaw.
"Y-yes.." Akio said softly.
"Akio….?"
"Yes?"
"I'm…worried…"
She looked at him. "Worried about what?"
"You're not worried?"
"No, I'm not- should I be?"
"Maybe…no…not yet at least." Faust said.
Akio paused, trying to think what he was talking about. "Can…can that happen when you're dead?" she grinned.
"I don't know…"
"Why are you worried?"
"I don't know.."
"Then you should be excited- i mean- you dont know and if it doesn't work then you know...but if it does-- think what we could learn-- !" Akio said with a grin.
Faust chuckled. "You know, you're taking the scientific standpoint on this." He sat down and sighed."Faust," she said, sitting by him.
"We shouldn't let this bother us…"
"I know."
"You're a shaman, you can figure this out and put your problems to rest if you wanted to."
"Yes, I am a shaman."
It bothered Akio that she couldn't make him feel better about this- things lik this were supposed to be good things, weren't they? She wasn't sure what it was supposed to be--- it was overlooked when she had had children, because it was something that happened all the time. She bit her lip. "You can sense souls better than me."
"I don't know if I can." He said. "I've never really tried to find a spirit before."
"Do you know any shamans that have?"
"Not that I know of."
Akio stopped talking, thinking. "Ren?"
"Tao Ren?"
"Yes, the Tao in Canada."
Faust paled as Akio looked up at him. "Its ok."
"I'm so sorry, Akio." He said quietly.
She held in a small laugh. "Its fine Faust- are you ok—you look kinda pale.."
"You don't mind?"
"No, not at all."
He sighed. "I don't know what's going to happen."
"Neither do I…" Akio admitted.
"Are we staying in the lab?"
"I like it in the lab," She said, smiling.
"That means I'll have to move in…which means… I'll have to talk to Eliza."
"Or I could, if you wanted." She said.
"No, I don't think that would be a good idea." He said, rubbing his head.
"Are you ok…" Akio said, watching him with concern.
"I need to lie down, but, I'll talk to Eliza first." He said, standing up.
Akio looked up at him. "Good luck… if you need to talk, I'm here mentally."
He nodded and left.
Shii nudged Akio into the room, she looked and saw Eliza and froze. "Hallo…" She said, starting to freak out that Faust's wife was in the room with her- Eliza was supposed to know.
"Ich verstehe nicht Ihre Sprache! Verlassen Sie ein sein Labor!"
"NEIN!"
"Sie haben kein Recht, hier zu sein! ie hatten Ihren Spaß mit meinem Ehemann, verlassen jetzt!"
Akio looked at her. "Ich bin hier irgendwie Ich verließ ihn nicht"
gehen Sie hinaus!
Ich wünsche Sie mich bilden Zwingen Sie mich heraus!
Eliza grabbed Akio by the throat "ich Wille Sie Gör!"
Akio gasped. "Fein."
"gehen Sie! hinaus!"
"Ich kann nicht! wir werden hier bleiben!"
"ja können Sie! gehen Sie hinaus! Faust ist meiner!"
"wir werden hier bleiben!" Akio said.
Eliza looked at her darkly. "gehen Sie..."
Akio looked at her harshly. "ich und mein Kind bleiben hier"
"Kind... welches Kind..." Eliza said darkly.
"Dieses Kind," akio said, putting her hand on her stomach. "Erika."
"wessen!" she said angrily. "wer Ihr Kind! hervorbringen!"
"Ich habe es nicht noch gehabt"
"ignorieren Sie mich nicht! wer der Vater Ihres Kindes! ist!" Eliza said angrily
"Ihr Ehemann"
Eliza paused, angrily. "Sie liegen!"
Faust walked in the lab. "Eliza…"
"ich hasse Sie Ehemann! warum Sie angetan diesem mich haben Sie! lassen Sie sie im Augenblick!" Eliza said angrily.
"Eliza... sind nicht, bitte verärgert -- ich kippe nach Hause gekommen mit Ihnen... eliza, habe ich liebte Sie, denke nicht, daß ich nicht habe. Aber ich bin ein Vater jetzt, und ich liebe akio. Bitte behinderen Sie nicht mein Leben. Nach Hause, gehen eliza.."
"Ich bin so traurig..." Akio whispered sadly
"Sie sind ein schrecklicher Mann, Faust." Eliza said, leaving.
"I don't think shes too thrilled." Akio said, watching Eliza leave.
"She doesn't have to be." He said. "Are you ok?"
"Yeah—I'm fine…oh…I found out what it is…"
"You did? How?"
"I just knew…" she said as he touched her stomach. "..Mädchen..."
"She'll be perfect." Akio's eyes got wide. "Hm?"
"I've never done this while I was conscious."
"You haven't?"
"No, blaze always knocked me out and I'd wake up the next day."
"if you don't mind, I don't want to knock you out—I don't think you should miss something like this…"
"Akioooooooooooooooooooooo." Faust called, walking in the lab happily and looking around. "Hellooo?"
"Hey," she said, smiling at his much happier attitude.
He blinked hard several times. "When did you cut your hair?"
"Me?"
"No, the one beside you." He said.
Akio twilighed, knowing that he was on something strong today. "Um…Yesterday."
"Oh come now, Akio, introduce me to your friend."
She smiled and pointed beside her. "Faust, this is my friend."
Faust put out his hand. "Hello, my, you have a firm handshake." He paused. "AKIO! I NEED A FAVOR!"
"Hn?"
"Get me a pot!"
"A pot of what?" she asked, looking at him as she went to the cupboard.
He laughed happily. "An empty pot."
Akio came back and handed him the pot. "Oh, here."
"Thank you," He smiled and looked at the pot before hurling it out a window.
"Faust, are you ok?" she asked, looking at him with concern.
"Of course I'm ok!" he said. "Akio! I need a favor!"
"…Alright, yes?"
"I need a pot!"
"You just threw the pot out the window- there are no more pots, Faust- they're gone."
"Goodness," He said, running outside into the yard and picking up the pot. "Hm, so I have…" He brought the pot inside. "I like the pot, but…I don't like the liquid IN the pot."
Akio watched him in wide-eyed puzzlement. "I have a question for you."
"Yes?"
"If you could have a little boy, or a little girl, what would you have?"
"Is this a trick question? I LOVE trick questions!"
"Yes, Yes it's a trick question! See how well you answer it."
Faust walked back over to the window and smashed the broken pieces of glass out of the frame. "Hm..I'd want a dog, a bone dog."
"Ah… a dog like Frankenstieny?"
"Yes, they're good and loyal." He paused before whirling around. "Akio- I need a favor!"
Akio, wary of another pot window smashing nodded. "Yes? What is it?"
"There is a box, in that cupboard, will you get it?" He pointed to a cupboard. "I need to look in that box!"
"Yes," She retrieved the box and handed it to him.
"I need to look in that box! Oh, thank you!" he took the box and looked inside with big eyes.
Akio couldn't help but laugh. "What's in the box, Frausty."
"Das ve I, das nie allem gesehen wird, mögen dieses! es ist wirklich! erstaunlich! oooh, liebe ich Medikationwunder!" he laughed and showed her the empty box.
"Fashite!" She said.
"Es gibt nichts, meine Liebe!"
She laughed. "That's fine, I understand." Faust chuckled and dropped the box. "Are you going to be ok on your medication miracles?"
"Hm? Why of course Akio. I'm not on morphine though, I've been a good man."
"Good!" she said, smiling. "GOOD BOY!"
"Yes! Yes! It is quite amazing! Akio! I need a favor!" (There was a lot of screaming..Ox)
Akio grinned at him. "You're crazy, you know that?"
"I am not ."
"What do you want then?"
"I want you."
She laughed at him. "Ich wünsche Sie auch."
"Nurse Akio!" he said, shocked. "Really now…?"
"Yes."
He held out a long arm. "I think I've broken my arm, nurse Akio."
She took his arm. "Really now?"
"I fell on it." He explained.
"Oh, I am very sorry."
"Yes, please help it."
She looked up at him. "How do you want me to help it."
"You are the nurse!"
"Yes, yes, but you are the doctor. How do you want me to fix it, Dear Faust?"
"Helfen Sie es bitte! es verletzt Krankenschwester akio!" He yelled.
Akio kissed his arm. "There, all better."
"Yes," he smiled, "It does feel better."
"That's good." Akio said, beaming.
"You are very much my medication."
She smiled. "FAUST! I NEED A FAVOR!"
"What is it!"
Akio laughed. "I DON'T KNOW!" She fell down.
"You must have forgotten! Akio! Don't fall down! I hurt my arm that w1"
He helped her up and she screamed. "AHH MY ARM!"
"Your arm!" He screamed back at Akio's strangled expression. He took her arm and looked at it. "Hm… I'm surprised, but I wont have to amputate. At least not yet."
"Phew," Akio sighed in relieve.
"Yes, its relieving."
"And we don't have to cut your arm either." She said, smiling as Faust kissed her arm.
"There, much better."
Akio smiled. "You drive me crazy, meine liebe ."
"Frausties always know the best."
"Yes you do."
"Hm..?"
"You always know the best."
"Yes I do—I am a doctor you know." Faust said.
"Yes I do." Akio said with a grin.
"Wie sie?"
"Ja, Ja, Ja." Akio laughed.
Faust laughed too. "Ja, ja, ja----WHAT!" his eyes caught sight of the window. "What happened to my window!"
"I know,"
"Who could have done this!"
"THERE!" Akio yelled, running to the window and looking out it into the yard. "There is the culprit!"
Shii, who was in the yard looking at the broken glass looked up. "Huh?"
"The cat!" Faust screamed. "I must fix the window with your secret medicine, love." He said, kissing the glass-less frame.
"You're very good at that."
"Yes I know- but it still isn't working!"
Akio patted his arm. "I know."
"AHH! You've broken my arm!" Faust yelled, looking at it.
Akio went wide eyed and kissed his arm. "There, is that better?"
"No, it's still broken."
"You want more to fix it?"
"Ja, es verletzt…"
"I know, I know." Akio said, kissing his arm again.
"It feels much better, thank you nurse Akio." Faust said.
"You're welcome doctor Fashite."
Faust laughed and Akio smiled. "Well, I believe I have made a full recovery."
"That's great!"
Faust looked a little off from Akio. "Your friend can quit worrying about it."
"Oh, she says she will."
He nodded. "That's wonderful."
"Well, I have to go to bed Dr. Fashite! Because I may be getting sick."
"To bed!" he looked at her. "But—But—"
She looked at Faust tenderly. "I'm sorry, but my body says 'GO TO BED'!"
"Then you must listen." He said, hearing her stomach lurch and kissing it.
Akio kissed the top of his head. "Good-night, my love."
"Night!" He said, smiling.
"Do you sleep upstairs still, Faust?"
He nodded. "Yes."
"Then that is where I'll be, but I'll probably be asleep—so you can talk to my stomach."
"I will."
"Alright, goodnight." Akio said, going upstairs to go to sleep.