[WAR] Role Play: Terminus

[Grassy_Aggron]

(I strongly apologize if I step on toes with this post, but I saw nothing in the rules for info on what BHs could do to the person, soooooo...I took some liberties. Tee hee. And apologies for another long post...Oi.)

Grassy_Aggron
Claressa Nissa
Goldenrod General Hospital in Goldenrod City
Affected RPers: Possibly everyone, considering the information revealed (for readers) about health effects from Burst Hearts :P
Heart Burster? Surely you chest!

Having dealt with several people in the room, cleaning up after them and addressing their injuries, Claressa began to walk down and check on every room on the floor. It was robotic to her, a natural instinct which decreed that it had to be done. She could hear her patients talk to her and her own automatic responses, feel her hand writing down information that she would later read for reports, but her mind was only half there. Unless they said something that required all of her attention, her mind was focused on her research, pondering about what to try next. This did not make her a bad doctor, no, as she was excellent at multitasking, but rather made her a grand one in that regard.

Burst Hearts fused people with a Pokemon of their choice, really, and took the most desirable parts to compliment the human. The minds were merged, but they retained a distinct sense of self – aware that they were together, yet understanding that they must remain apart. Communication between the two was instantaneous and perfect. It apparently did this by modifying appropriate genes, perhaps liquefying the Pokemon in question to allow the host to absorb them through the skin. Through the Pokemon’s power they remained alive and supplemented the host.

At least, that was the theory she had.

The issue here was the health effects, and she was trying not to become alarmed about what she had so far discovered. Occasional use was not too detrimental to one’s health, but the Pokemon was another story. She had attached receptors to Mr. Shoatter – her helper and “lover” – and his Dragonite, Stark, and monitored them several times when he used it. The results were quite clear. Tony experienced a rapid sense of euphoria while Stark had experienced extreme pain. Afterward, she had him perform clinical tests such as matching puzzles pieces and strength, and they were above the average, which was to be expected.

She quizzed him on facts about his home life that he had informed her about before. Normal response here, which was good, and watching the monitor as the “de-fusion” occurred, she noted that both were slightly sluggish but quickly snapped out of it. The first few tests happened this way, and it seemed there was nothing to worry about…until the later tests, where symptoms began to develop, and develop quickly.

The euphoria was akin to a high and, after using MRI scans, the same parts of the brain showed heightened activity that was comparative to a cocaine user, for example. Stark’s pain seemed to be getting better with every fusion, which was odd, and she had to wonder why exactly. Each fusion seemed to better mend the two together and increase strength and prowess, as if reaching a perfect equilibrium. Yet, worryingly, Mr. Shoatter was having more and more trouble recalling facts of his past life, such as high school or even worse, his own birthday. It was as if the fusion was giving him amnesia.

He stayed fused for longer and longer periods, and when they eventually did separate, he reacted negatively and often was scatterbrained – more than usual – for hours or even days, being irritable to anyone who came near. Stark on the other hand didn’t react much to stimuli, almost as if in a zombified stupor. At one point he had managed to knock over equipment as we pushed him to move, and it had drawn blood from his thick hide. There was no reaction, and when he finally became aware again, it was clear the Dragonite had no idea where the injury had come from.

She had put an immediate stop to experiments and allowed them a month or two to recuperate. He continued to insist he was fine, and when she allowed another test, she was, admittedly, relieved when he seemed react much better this time. She was even able to confirm that injuries on the Pokemon did not transfer to the host – and the Pokemon would be healed upon being separated – but injuries to the host itself remained, healing at an accelerated rate if given enough time. As they ran more tests, however, the same negativity and stupor began to emerge once more, and an immediate stop was called for yet again.

The conclusion to her was clear, and it was that Burst Hearts were even more dangerous in nature than others thought. The issue was finding some sort of blocker to the effects entirely, and unfortunately that was where she was having trouble. Time was not a luxury; it was now a red hot commodity. She couldn’t release this information yet, not without a way to counteract it. Governments were stupid enough to ignore the negatives in light of the positives, and it could cost them greatly. Hoenn would likely start feeling the effects soon, she imagined.

The very thought of what the Ancient Burst Hearts could do to the mind made a chill crawl up her spine, and with a sigh, she decided that it was time to visit the duo and make sure they were recovering well. Even if they had agreed wholeheartedly to the testing and signed paperwork for it, it still caused her guilt for what they went through. Everything is such a mess. Why did those wretched things have to be invented? There are some lines that should never be crossed…

Yet, perhaps, and she hoped this growing feeling of suspicion was correct, everything was not as it appeared. She was putting all of her blame for the health effects from numerous tests on a single item. Numerous tests were good; using a single product is bad. If that product itself was flawed, then the results for a normal test were completely thrown off. Burst Hearts were manufactured, and presumably in mass quantities to supply Hoenn's army. Mass produced goods were notorious for being of cheaper quality than the originals or those that were produced by hand, so perhaps...this one wasn't functioning properly.

Now she had even more reason to revisit Tony, since she needed to take a look at the actual device. She didn't know what they looked like normally, but maybe she could figure out if something wasn't right. Ugh, why didn't I think to check it before? Granted, I didn't have much of a reason to suspect anything...I'll have to look up online and see if people are having similar issues. If worse comes to worst, maybe I can get in contact with the one who invented them. I don't have a choice. If this follows my new theory, it could have even more terrible consequences.