Blossoms

[Anadwen]

All the time the visitor took to speak, Seiki remained silent. Both because there wasn't anything to say, and because his mouth was too dry to let out a word without risking sounding stupid.

Only when he was already almost gone, he spoke up again. "Please, tell the doctor to remove the needle. I am no longer in need of anesthetics." he reminded him, raising his head a little, before dropping back onto the covers. His strength was quickly returning, and he didn't want to be stuck on a tube for any longer than really, really necessary. Comfort was a secondary matter.

In the meantime, Isako has finally found Amaria's room. She broke in with similar theatricality as before, her heels clicking on the ground, and stared at the two women with wide crimson eyes. Her hands slowly ran up to her bag, resembling a tiny coffin on a chain. "You... Are Amaria Connara?" she asked, silently, in contrast to her loud entry. "Seiki has sent me to search for you, and asked how you're doing."

[pryatama aphrodite]

Both women turned to glance at the new arrival. Clary suddenly shooting off the bed, and seizing her things. In all the ministrations, she took a leave, converse squeaking irritably on the tile flooring as she ran. Amaria, throughout the scene, stayed collected and calm. A sigh coming to existence apon clary's leave. I worry for that girl, sometimes...

The CEO turned an inquisitive glance back to the woman, an eyebrow arching skyward. So, that solves all questioning for Seiki, then. All except the fact he had sent a woman to... Check on her?

She tucked a stray tendril from her face, and gave a lift of her shoulder. "Yes, I am who you speak of. I do question his curiosity to my condition, which, in answering to your question, is unnecissarily unstable, and, if I may ask with all respects, who you may be?" Her tone rose in pitch. The lift of voicing that marks it as soft questioning. With no intentions of inquisition, or uncomfort.

[Anadwen]

The small woman, resembling a doll, more than a human, mad a step forth and unbuttoned her coat. "I'm Isako Adachi, Seiki's sister. I only found out what happened yesterday, and I had to get an emergency flight from Hong Kong, where was my photo shoot, to get here, it took so incredibly long, I thought I'm going to faint on the airport, I was so worried about him!"

As she spoke, she almost broke into tears, but that was quickly gone when she finished. "But it looks like you're doing better than him, I think he just woke up and the nurse said he needed surgery, I was honestly scared when I saw him for the first time." Her hand flew up to her hair, and corrected the position of two black roses on a satin ribbon that she wore in it.

[pryatama aphrodite]

"Isako," she said softly. A smile teasing her lips. "I promise his condition will stabilize. It just takes time, and though this may not be what you need to hear, I assure you the gift I had sent him will do well to protect your brother."

Her fingers laced together, resting upon her uninsured, right thigh as she dropped her gaze to the glass handle of the knife at her hip. "And my condition, according to these mundanes, is apparently unstable to the extent that they charge me greatly for a surgical procedure done on the entirety of my body. It's purpous not being for my recovery, but to remove excess debris."

She pushed the covers from her waist to her ankles, stifling a groan at the bend to her waist, revealing major injuries. An opened gash to her left calf, a glass shard having yet to be removed lodge in her hip, and a broken left ankle she hadn't notice until she had awoken with pain originating from that area mostly. She pulled the covers back, only to tilt her head forward and show the blood pasted roots of her chestnut brown hair. "As you can now plainly tell, I am in need of attention I will not get. And it hurts when I breath since a rib had broken and pierced my lunge. Somehow, I was cured around there... Strange phenomenon, but not one I will contradict since it's in my favor."

Her chin indicated the seat on the corner, empty and most likely cold from absence of visitors. "Care to stay or return to your brother?"

[Anadwen]

"I'm... I'm so terribly sorry, Amaria. It's... It's horrible, how things like this even happen." Isako replied, shaking her head. Beads of tears glimmered in her large round eyes, which were so similar to that of her brother, only their color was a vibrant crimson.

"I'll explain him. I'm staying till he's well enough to go home, work doesn't matter. After all, he's my brother... I don't ever wanna lose him or see him hurt because it breaks my heart! I should be back in a while. I'll... I can be a messenger between you two if it would help!" Her hands dropped down to Amaria's, and she assured her that she's willing to do that with a smile, just to spring back up and run out of the room, followed by her fluttering skirt and clinking heels.

She found Seiki half laying, half sitting on the bed, looking somewhat better than before. He raised a weak smile at her. "I don't need the tubes anymore, at least that's what the doctor said." he announced, but he barely finished the sentence before Isako ran at him like a hurricane, and squeezed him as if he was a stuffed toy. "Sei, I was so worried, you can't even imagine!"

His eyes almost popped out when she gripped him like that. "O-ow, Isako! Stop!" he muttered, somewhere into her hair, trying to push himself away. Her jaw dropped, and she immediately let go off him. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Are you alright? I didn't want to hurt you, Sei..." She shook her head, a couple of large, crystal-clear tears rolling down her cheeks. His hand arose and wiped them off. "I'm not doing that bad, but if you squeeze me, you'll break even those ribs that are still fine by now." he warned her, somewhat jokingly, but when he lifted the covers, he was serious.

Isako covered her mouth, gasping in horror. The part of his chest that wasn't covered was full of stitches, on more places than she could count, going down from his ribs through his abdomen and hips to his thighs, some of them holding together gashes longer than her hand. Her palms went up to her eyes. "That must hurt..." she whispered.

"Right now only if you hug me like that." he corrected her. "Otherwise not too much, although I have been warned that recovery may be painful. While you were away, the doctor was here and explained it to me. Apparently I have a lot of bone tissue that needs to regenerate," his chin pointed at his left arm, "three ribs except for that, and that may take a while. In general, I'm fortunate to be alive and without permanent damage, even though the fractures in my left arm might be felt at times." He explained, calmly as it was usual for him. Isako was nodding while he spoke, but her face was full of concern.

"Besides, have you spoken to Amaria? How is she doing? And did she, by any chance, explain you what is that thing she sent me?"
His sister opened her mouth to speak, but words came out only a while later. "I saw her, she's awake, but looks pretty bad, she's got pieces of glass still in herself. I don't know what that thing is, but I can ask as I'll come back, alright?"
"Yes. Thanks, Isa."
"But she said that her condition is unstable, or that the doctors said so, and that she'll need some... Procedure. I'm not sure what kind of care she needs, but I suspect she'll need surgery to remove the glass, that's how it looks, though she sounded worried, because it's most likely not going to be paid for by insurance or anything." she shrugged sadly. "But father has already made sure that you'll get whatever you'll need, so you don't have to worry!"

Seiki frowned a little. "It was my car, and therefore my responsibility. I insisted on driving... Tell her she'll get that paid for and done as soon as possible. I'll make sure about it. On a somewhat related note... Do you have a laptop with yourself?" His gaze pierced Isako like a spear, but she shook her head. "You're not working yet! I'm sure you wouldn't even be allowed. But I'll go and explain it all to Amaria."

She walked out of the room, the ribbons and roses on her hair and dress jumping up and down, and a moment later reappeared in Amaria's room. She tried really hard to be serious, and repeated what Her brother told her - about himself, her, and all else - almost exactly in his words, while sitting on the edge of her bed. "You wouldn't believe me, but he already wanted to work, he asked me for a laptop. I'm worried..." she confessed in the end, folding her arms in her lap and staring forwards into the distance with her sad eyes.

[pryatama aphrodite]

Amaria was in the process of retrieving her cell from her bag, seemingly unharmed in the wreck, and the contents all present aside from her computer. In fact, the throbbing in her skull proved the blasted machine was against her for all those years of constant use. Loyalty tossed down the drain. But all thoughts ceased to exist as Seiki's sister reappeared through the door. And since her talent at reading people was reliably perceptive, she could tell the situation she explained bothered her more then she let on.

A smile teased her lips upon hearing Seiki's request for a laptop. Work never seemed to slip through his fingers. Not even in scenarios where rest was crucial. And despite that obvious fact, she began to develop a plan to retrieve one of those machines just to check on some emails. A hospital such as this must  have a stock for guest usage, yes?

She pressed herself into the sheets a bit more, her head pounding louder then a nightclub at it's worst. She palmed her eyes sockets in an attempt to free her mind from the pain's grasp. Preventing her from thinking on how to respond, let alone follow through with saying it. But the words that escaped her was not pre-planned nor were they expected.

"It is unbelievable how hungry I've become since I awoke," she said softly. Index fingers pressing into her temples to dim the headache down a notch or two. Just enough to avoid further humiliation. "Anyway, in all honesty, he is the head of a company quite large. And despite his dislike for partaking in anything having to do with work the night before, I have a feeling his worry of what has been done since his departure is teasing at him."

Like the completion of her novel's first movie will have to be celebrated without the writer herself. Doomed to be hospitalized at the hands of humans. But even then, she knew she had little skill in healing as quickly as she wanted too.

Amaria expelled a sigh that sent a bite of pain through her left side entirely, which was ignored, before eyeing the young one seated upon he bed. Not in need of any real talents to tell the situation was upsetting her. So, to offer formal, yet much needed comfort for Isako, she layed a hand to her shoulder and spoke with a voice of silk. "Has he asked about the gift I had given to him recently?"

[Anadwen]

She nodded fiercely. "Yes, he asked me to ask you what is it. I don't recognize it one bit, but it looks nice!" she giggled, covering her mouth with one hand, but that moment was soon gone. "But he's stubborn. I think it was a mistake for taking out the needle in his arm, I'm sure he's going to crawl out of the bed and find a laptop, tablet, or whatever. Even though father has made sure that he'll take even his responsibilities while he's away. He'd have a holiday anyway, he had a flight reserved... Somewhere south, so that was made sure of, but like this, there isn't going to be any holiday."

How uncomfortable Amaria seemed didn't escape even her sight, and that was when she remembered. "And... And he told me to told you that you don't have to worry, you'll receive all care that is necessary, that he'll make sure of it, even if it's not covered by insurance. He said it was his car and therefore his responsibility..." She shrugged with a bit of confusion, and reached into her bag for her phone, encased in a black and red cover, with a skeleton doll hanging off it. "Besides, you've already been even in the newspapers. I subscribe to a virtual edition and the first thing I see when I get off the plane from China is my brother's name and the picture of the carnage that was left there!" She put the screen right in front of Amaria's face, showing an article in the newsletter that talked exactly about their crash.

"I believe there's some bad luck over us... First him and Kanami, then Shinobu, and then him again. It must be avoiding me..." she shook her head, and hid her eyes behind the velvet-gloved tiny hand of hers.

[pryatama aphrodite]

"Bad luck.... Oh, please don't tell me you believe in karma..." she moaned, dropping herhead in her hands. Honestly, they were dragons... karma could bite them in the ass, and they'd just spit fire back. What was the issue?

"And the ring," she said through the muffle of her fingers, "is meant to enhance protection both mentally and physically for your brother. It's handmade and intricately designed. Original, as well. Not a single one like it." She rubbed her temples in thought, feeling her stomach protest for what seemed like an eternity since she had woken. And it seems to her that consciousness was worse then unconsciousness...

"My dear, could you do me a small favor?"

[Anadwen]

"I don't believe in karma! We're just an... Unlucky... Family." she shrugged, still avoiding Amaria's gaze. She didn't believe in something like that, but she believed in a lot of other things for sure! She was never as skeptical as her brother and sister...

The description of the ring made her smile. "That should help him. I'll explain him when I return to him, that's for sure! I'm glad you gave something like that to him... I think he needs it. Thank you, Amaria!" She leaned in, and her arms carefully embraced Amaria, touching her only where she wasn't hurt and not squeezing her. "Yes, what favour?"

[pryatama aphrodite]

Amaria slid a bandaged hand into her bag, retrieving two twenties, and clipping the buckle back to ensure nothing comes tumbling out without her notice. "Could you run down to the subway on the first floor and get me a foot long? I trust you to choose what decorates it, just exclude any forms of spicy anything." Of what had once been a lovely, deathly intelligent novelist, and CEO of an internationally known company, was now a beaten to a pulp, grammatically incorrect, and restless woman in her twenties. A sad thought, really. She'd wanted so badly to uphold her reputation even when this did intrude.

"It would be my treat if you would keep the change," she said with soft smile.

[Anadwen]

"Sure, don't worry! But I don't need to keep the change or anything, really. It's fine!" Isako assured her with a wide smile, and proceeded to stand up and walk out of the room.

Actually, she was hungry, too. And so must be Seiki... Well, she can sure carry three instead of one baguette!

When she returned, half of her chest was hidden behind three huge baguettes and two bottles of cola. "I brought one for me and my brother, too! But I didn't know what to get you, so I took... Well everything!" she shrugged, laughing, and handed Amaria the monster of a sub, filled with all kinds of salads and meat. "Enjoy it, Amaria!"

She herself unpacked her food, and begun eating, taking small bites off the baguette. She didn't want to eat fast, since eating fast contributes to obesity, and she couldn't afford an ounce of fat!

[pryatama aphrodite]

Amaria was shocked enough to get five pounds more then she could possibly down in one serving. Ah, well. Now, at least, she wouldnt starve through the week, so that was a definite plus... "So, Seiki neglected to mention much about you. Do tell me, what is it you do for work?"

By Isako's looks, it seemed to her that she was a woman involved in a line of work that requires public pleasing looks... a model or make up test bunnie.

[Anadwen]

"Model, part time actress for commercials," Isako mumbled through the food in her mouth, smiling widely. "I'm not one for business like him. I couldn't sit in an office or a conference room all day!"

She took another few bites off the big baguette, before she continued talking. "Plus, I like clothes, and they say that I'm a natural talent for acting, so I often play in commercials, or minor movie roles. It's fun, I wouldn't want to do anything else... You work in a, erm, company like Seiki does, right?"

[pryatama aphrodite]

"I own the company, yes." Amaria tilted her head briefly, in thought of what she would look like doing Isako's job, before shivering and shaking the thought away fast then it appeared. Goo riddance, it seemed. "So. It's fun, judging by the way you speak of such a job."

She paused. "And sitting in an office isn't as bad as ya think."

[Anadwen]

"Oh yes, it is." Isako countered her. "I was taken to work with Seiki and father a few times... I couldn't stay there for an hour!" she giggled. "But that reminds me, I gotta bring the other sub to Seiki! He must be hungry already. Be back soon!"  She waved to her with the remaining half of her own baguette, and ran out of the room.

She found Seiki unnaturally pale, and frowned when she noticed the phone in his hand. He attempted to hide it when she entered, but wasn't quick enough, and Isako snatched it off him, placing it out of his reach. "You shouldn't do work yet." she reminded him. "You don't look good."
"I'm starting to question my decision..." he sighed, moving a few strings of hair out of his face. She raised a brow with confusion, handing him his baguette in the meantime. He carefully unpacked it, but didn't yet start eating.
"The effect of the painkillers is starting to wear off. They cut me open this morning and it hurts, really." he confessed, and bit into the food she gave him.

With a sigh, Isako sat down onto the edge of his bed, careful not to accidentally sit straight onto him, and finished her own food, casually explaining the matter of the ring and other things she talked about with Amaria. But while she was chattering, perched by his side, his mind drifted apart from her high-pitched voice, pondering somewhere in his thoughts.

"Are you even listening?" Her annoyed moan broke his thoughts, and Seiki raised his gaze from the baguette in his hand. "Sorry, I got carried away."  he apologized, but at his voice, his sister frowned with concern. "Is everything alright? Something happened while I was gone?" 
"Actually, yes." he confessed, closing his eyes and rubbing his cheekbones with the slim fingers of his left hand. "One of the surgeons stopped here to check if everything is alright, and he mentioned that I will most likely need another operation. No, I'll be fine, Isa." For a moment, he went silent, before his hand sled off his face, and dropped beside him. "Today or tomorrow."
Her face was twisted with concern. She grabbed his hand, and sadly glanced at him. "Why's that? You said all was good." she sighed.
"It's not anything risky, or too big. There was something potentially dangerous with the bones in my right arm, or so I've understood, so they'll have to open it again and correct it. I'll be fine in a few weeks' time." he assured her, but it didn't seem to calm her down.

She walked over to the other side of the bed, and laid down right beside him, dropping her coat off onto the floor, and putting one arm softly onto his chest. "It's not fair, Seiki. It's not fair." she whispered.

[pryatama aphrodite]

Amaria fell back onto her pillows with a wince. Life wasn't fair. This dilemma wasn't fair. None of this torture meant any sense! Who was she to judge a brash by the driver? For all she knew, Seiki was in bad shape as well... and the people responsible... alexander and clary... they own up but refuse to admit?

What the fuck?

"You're stabalized, but will have to be sedated," said a husky voice. Unfamiliar to her ears. And she wouldn't find out who the owner was... since her world then faded to black...

[Anadwen]

Isako fell asleep right beside him, but when she woke up a while later, she was stretched across a few chairs. Alone.

She opened her eyes, confusedly looking around the room, but there was nobody around - the bed was empty, too, although she was sure that this was Seiki's room. Something must have gone wrong. Was it...?

Did they already take him for the operation? That may have been the reason why he was gone... She sled off the chairs, searching for her phone in her bag. She slept for three hours? Well, that was well believable - after the flight, she was tired. She raked through her hair with her hands to adjust her hairstyle, when the door opened again.

A nurse entered - a fer younger one than the first one, with pale blonde hair and blue eyes. She smiled at Isako, and stepped a bit closer. "Miss Adachi. Your brother has been transferred to a different room after surgery. Everything has gone exactly as it was supposed to, and he's currently coming to his conscience, but I wouldn't recommend visiting him yet." she informed her in a kind, but emotionless tone. Isako ignored the last bit - the most important thing, for her, was to see him. She jumped up like a spring and grabbed the nurse by her sleeves. "Where is he? I have too see him!"

The nurse softly pushed her away a little. "Come, I'll lead you there. However, I warn you not to make any excessive noise, or attempt to communicate with him." she explained her, and left the room, followed by the dragon-blood like if she was a shadow.

She had to press her hands onto her mouth to stop a scream when she entered. Even now, it was still so shocking to see him connected to so many devices that were monitoring him... She may have been told not to worry, but that didn't help. He was her brother... She'd always be worried.

Kneeling down beside the bed, she watched him with her large red eyes. He was motionless like a statue, only his chest was slowly rising and sinking...

Silent clicking of heels informed her about the nurse's leave. Another doctor, sitting in the corner, kept a careful eye on her, but didn't say a word.

[pryatama aphrodite]

She awoke to a sharp pain in her left ribcage. Upon inspection, it was seen to be a syringe. Quite big in size and drained completely. Though, the cylendrical glass insides held droplets of amber liquid. It was... and abnormal location. Busted concrete walls, with dust layering nearly every peice of... furniture? And a torn up disco ball lay waste in the shadowy left corner. There were no doors, but a ceiling fan lazily spun overhead, the lamp illumination weak, as if from overuse.

Amaria gfit her teeth as she shifted, the rope binding her hands behind her chafing her outer wrists. The pain from the accident, mixed with this minor brutality was enough to mar the edges of her vision with black.

"What the fuck," was her intelligent input on the situation. As her brow furrowed at the notice of a shadow in the right corner behind her. "And, I'm guessing you're the bad guy, right? As I am acting as the heroin?"

A chuckle so dark it made her thick black blood churn arose. "You could say that. Except..." icy blue eyes lit up as the only indication of the identity, "I doubt there's a hero."

[Anadwen]

It took Seiki a few hours to wake up, which Isako spend switching between sitting on a chair by the wall, and kneeling next to his bed. She managed to inform their parents and Shinobu about what's currently going on, while finding out about the current situation herself.

He awoke soon, right when she was emailing their sister. She noticed him flinching on the bed, his eyes open and blinking in the bright light.

It was the first thing he noticed. It was blinding, so bright it burned circles into his vision... His head was still spinning, and his mind was confused from the effects of strong anesthetics he was apparently full of. But at least he didn't feel anything. Anything at all...

A different room, but Isako was still there, a dark shape bending above him. She took his face to her hands, and he could recognize the touch of her gloves on his skin, but couldn't get a word out of his mouth. Then, something moved on the other side of the room. His blurry vision couldn't recognize it, but as the shape came nearer, he realized it's most likely a doctor. Isako was pulled away.

"He most likely won't be able to communicate for a while. Miss, let him rest." he warned her, and she sat beside the bed with a nod. I should inform Amaria... He isn't going to be fully conscious for a while, anyway. She silently stood back up, and walked out of the room.

What was her surprise when she found Amaria's empty... Her bag was still there, though.
"Amaria?" she called out, carefully stepping in.

[pryatama aphrodite]

Amaria sucked in a breath. She dodged what strikes she coukd, but the whip was never to be missed. She screamed as it struck her back. Shreading what was left. "Shh, you little prick. Were in the boiler room to the hospital. Anyone could hear you."

That just encouraged a louder call out. "Seiki! Isako! Boiler roo-" a gag prevented anything else from tumbling through her lips. They must really want a measly headcourters hidden.

And she didn't want to fi nd out who else lies in the hidden corridors...