Backwater Nexus. Question Square.

[dens_extra_pups]

Toku: *has been doing some Christmas shopping, getting gifts for his family before the holiday season begins and the Mall is swamped with shoppers. Now, he's decided to relax and people-watch before he returns to the Black Dog*

square: *looks pretty empty today as it rests in the shadow of one of the islands, but there is a little pixie peeking under one of the bigger couches over there*

Toku: *will move to sit under the couch, on the opposite side to the pixie. He's curious, but he'll still give the newcomer space*

someone: *moves sharply as he comes under the couch. Plainly, they've been hiding under here, and they're a LOT bigger than a pixie!*

Toku: *startles and looks for the source of the sound* Hello?

someone: *grunts and looks over their shoulder at him. Is a big silverback gorilla with a wary and pained expression in his brown eyes*

Toku: *concerned now* *gently, putting his hands up in a peaceful gesture* Do you need medical assistance?

gorilla: *flinches at the movement and then frowns with clear confusion*

Toku: I can call one of the medics who lives here in the Nexus, if you're hurt.

gorilla: *frown deepens, and then he speaks in a voice of rough gravel* I'm hurt. ...You don't hate apes?

Toku: *now it's his turn to look confused* Why would I?

gorilla: *pauses and sniffs, then looks even more confused* Because humans do. *uncertainly* You're not human.

Toku: *still looks confused, but will shake his head* No. I'm a Vocaloid in a cybernetic doll body.

gorilla: *leans forward, then tries to catch himself without using his hands* I... don't know what vocaloid or cybernetic mean.

Toku: *as he moves to offer assistance* Basically, I'm an entertainment program, in a robot body, so I can interact with other people.

gorilla: *as the young cybernetic moves around to his front the small puddle of blood on the floor there will be clear* Oh. *sounds like he's going to fall over*

Toku: *meeps and tries to support the gorilla without aggravating the poor guy's injuries. Will also use his new PINpoint to trigger an SOS ping on the general medical frequency, along with coordinates*

gorilla: *eyes drooping as his strength fades* Not going to make it.

Toku: Just hang on. I've called a medic to come help. *trying not to panic as he tries to be useful and attempt to stop the bleeding* Hey, what's your name? I'm Toku.

gorilla: *quietly, as he lays on his back* Luca. *slight startle as the couch lifts, but he's too weak now to do more*

Toku: It's nice to meet you, Luca. *quick glance upwards to see who arrived to help*

WakeJumper: *quiet and unpleasant word* Hi, Luca. I'm going to pick you up, okay?

Luca: o.O *nod*

Toku: WakeJumper's a good doctor. *nodnod*

WakeJumper: *as he shoves the couch out of the way and gently scoops the injured gorilla up with both hands* Grab on if you want to come too.

Toku: *will move to grab onto WakeJumper's leg*

WakeJumper: *brings everyone to the hospital, then absently shakes the leg with a passenger as he steps toward the operating table*

Toku: *funny-sounding squeak as he lands on his butt*

Eclipse: *coming to see what that squeak was. Is currently wearing a baby wrap on her chest*

WakeJumper: We have to operate. He's bleeding heavily. Muscles damaged, but no internal organs.

Eclipse: *small nod* I'll be right back. *is going to get Cornelia and Blue Eyes settled in a quiet room, get supplies that aren't already in the OR, and get a bed set up*

Toku: *ducked out in the hallway to let Rhinox know where he is and what happened*

Eclipse: *soft streak as she steps over him on her way to do the things*

WakeJumper: *speaking softly to his patient as he applies sedation and then starts up the sterilizing field*

Toku: *explaining to Rhinox what Luca said about humans hating apes* *then* I don't understand why he would say that.

Rhinox: *looks into the operating room, confident in the field's ability to keep everything clean and safe* *to WakeJumper, as he absently hugs Toku* Is he the same kind of ape as Blue Eyes and Cornelia?

WakeJumper: *headshake* They're chimpanzees. Luca is a gorilla.

Rhinox: *frowns* Check for reality coordinates.

WakeJumper: *will do so, then frown* None. Luca is Exile, like Cornelia and Blue Eyes.

Toku: *wibble* Poor guys.

Rhinox: *thoughtfully, as he pat pats Toku* Check for immunity to that mutant flu virus.

WakeJumper: *scanning, even as he works on stopping the bleeders* *as he works* He's got the immunity. And trace elements in his systems that show a match for that one formerly industrialized world.

Rhinox: *looks at Toku* This guy's from 'War of The Planet of The Apes'.

Toku: *quietly* Oh. *understands now why Luca said humans hate apes*

Rhinox: *nods, and then looks up at WakeJumper as Eclipse steps over again going the other way* And now we know Cornelia and Blue Eyes' story.

WakeJumper: *small nod* *quieter* Eclipse doesn't put them down very often, and Dropkick and Legacy have been very kind to them.

Rhinox: How do they respond to that?

WakeJumper: Silently. It's like they're hiding inside themselves. Eclipse and I've been discussing introducing them to Legacy and her husband, or maybe to Seaspray and her family...

Rhinox: Do you need Eclipse here right now?

WakeJumper: *checking with his wife* *headshake* She's got everything set up in the recovery room.

Rhinox: *heads for the recovery room* Eclipse?

Eclipse: *looks out of the room where she's talking quietly to Cornelia and Blue Eyes* Yes, Rhinox?

Rhinox: Tell them their people are safe. That Cornelius is safe. And that Caesar will be here soon.

Eclipse: *nods and moves to relay the message, still talking quietly and soothingly*

Blue Eyes: *seems to be ignoring her as usual at first, but then he's blinking those strange eyes of his and looking up with an intent frown on his face*

Cornelia: *also looking up warily*

Eclipse: *soothing, gentle sounds* *quietly* Everything will be alright.

Blue Eyes: Where did they go?

Rhinox: *to Eclipse* //To the oases inside the old volcano. The one Blue Eyes and Rocket found in the desert.//

Eclipse: To the oasis inside the old volcano.

Blue Eyes: *gives her a bit of an even stare, then sighs and looks at Cornelia* Is Cornelius going to come here?

Eclipse: *small headshake* He's with Lake and the others.

Cornelia: *hand to her mouth as her eyes fill with tears*

Blue Eyes: *arms around her* He's safe, Mother.

Cornelia: *nods, but still cries*

Eclipse: *gently* Luca will be alright. And don't forget. Caesar is going to be arriving soon.

Blue Eyes: *looks up. Frankly* That's only comforting because the others are safe. They need Father. But if they're there, they should be safe.

Rhinox: Now will you two please put on clothes like civilized people?

Blue Eyes: *scowls* We're not human.

Eclipse: Nobody said anything about being human.

Blue Eyes: You're not wearing clothes.

Toku: I am.

Eclipse: I've got armor on.

Rhinox: And I've got this kilt.

Eclipse: And Toku's not even human. He's a program in a doll body.

Blue Eyes: *looks toward the other voices, his scowl going to a frown*

Rhinox: Besides, bots don't have the junk organic people do. Those things are the main reason for clothes.

Blue Eyes: *looks at his mother*

Cornelia: ... *snerk*

Blue Eyes: *harumph sound as he absently scratches at the big scars that cross his chest and shoulder* *mutters something about "junk"*

Eclipse: *doorwings flick with amusement*

Rhinox: It's what it's called. *pulls a couple pair of comfortable baggy pants and a matching chest wrap out of his pocket and tosses them up toward Eclipse* Yes, I usually run around in my hide. But I'm a bot. Toku, stop that.

Toku: *picture of innocence!*

Eclipse: *more doorwing flick* *will offer the clothes to Blue Eyes and Cornelia*

Blue Eyes: *scowls, but takes the pants and pulls them on*

Cornelia: *ditto with the pants application, but the chest wrap gets fingered for a moment before she looks up at Eclipse questioningly*

Eclipse: That goes on your chest. *will show Cornelia how to get the chest wrap on*

Cornelia: *as she puts the garment on* But I don't have boobs.

Toku: *hands over ears. Still innocent*

Eclipse: I know, but there's laws in the Backwater Nexus about what body parts can be visible for organic people.

Rhinox: Or for any people who have the same things as organic people. *pulls sharply upward on the back of the clowning Toku's pants*

Toku: Awk!

Eclipse: Or that. *nod*

WakeJumper: *comes in, a bundled form held carefully in his hands* I heard it from someone who knows. Your people are going to be alright. And so are you, if you rest when I tell you to.

Luca: *quiet rumble*

Rhinox: *steps out of the way and shoves Toku gently with him*

Toku: *meeps as he's shoved out of the way*

Eclipse: *soft clicks* This is a safe place for all who come seeking aid. We don't let any bullies or jerks cause trouble.

WakeJumper: *small smile for his wife as he carefully lays Luca beside the two chimps* And there's a lot of wild land, if that's what means home to you.

Luca: *hungry eyes turn toward the other two, and then close as he sighs with relief*

Cornelia: *will gently fuss over the silverback, making sure his blankets are fixed*

Blue Eyes: *watches silently, and then looks up at the two orange and black giants looking down at himself and his people* *quietly* Thank you.

Eclipse: *gently* Get some rest, Blue Eyes. We'll keep watch.

Blue Eyes: *seems to lift eyebrows* We've only been resting since you picked us up. *cautious look from her to WakeJumper* Could we have something to read? We don't know anything about this place.

WakeJumper: *nod* Would a book be alright? Or do you read using something different?

Blue Eyes: *wry amusement* I can read English.

WakeJumper: *chuckles* Alright, a book then. *glances to Eclipse, who nods and heads out of the room* Eclipse will go get it. *knows how his wife can get sometimes, and this will give everyone room to breathe*

Rhinox: Here. *holds up a datapad* This might help too.

WakeJumper: *as he reaches for the offered datapad* Thanks, Rhinox.

Rhinox: It's time for Gawl's mukbang, isn't it?

WakeJumper: *headshake* No, Ryo and Sirius' Science Hour.

Rhinox: *snerk* That's so new I still forget it exists.

Blue Eyes: *curiously watching as he waits to find out what the bots are talking about*

WakeJumper: It's pretty good. It's one of the few times you can't tell how shy Ryo and Sirius are. *will move to offer Blue Eyes the datapad, with the show in question just starting*

Blue Eyes: *takes the device, his eyes widening slightly at sight of the moving image* What is it?

WakeJumper: The device you're holding is called a datapad. It's a portable computer. The moving picture is a video, and this one is done by a couple of local Nexus dwellers. Ryo is a human from a different reality, and Sirius is a LOLCat. They talk about biology and other science areas and explain how those things work.

Rhinox: It's TV.

Blue Eyes: *confusion clears. He's heard of TV. Attention to the screen* The cat's talking.

WakeJumper: *nod* All of his people can talk.

Blue Eyes: Was it caused by a virus?

WakeJumper: No. It's just how they've always been.

Blue Eyes: *wondering soft "huh" as his attention goes to the show* ...He's not wearing pants.

WakeJumper: He's got holographic clothes. They don't mash his fur, but he's still obeying modesty laws, and showing he Belongs to someone. *can you hear the emphasis on 'Belongs'?*

Blue Eyes: *hears that emphasis and looks up questioningly from the show*

WakeJumper: He's considered a person in his own right, but he's got someone to watch out for him, and take care of him. He chose to Belong to Ryo.

Blue Eyes: *eyes go back to the screen, their expression darkening as he thinks that his people belong to his dad that way* *grunt of understanding*

Cornelia: *hand still on Luca's shoulder, she peers over to see what's happening on TV. Mouth quirks at the two youngsters on the screen*

Rhinox: *stretches, and then messes up Toku's hair and turns to walk away down the hall*

Toku: *awks and moves to follow Rhinox*

WakeJumper: *soft chuckle, checks on Eclipse and finds that she got sidelined by talking to one of her alternates, will go get things ready for everyone in the hospital to have dinner*