A Strange Sensation

Well it seemed as though Barban was doing well enough for him to be able to laugh without it hurting. Sensoa, on the other hand, was still groggy and lacking equilibrium. One could only wonder if it was just because he was tired, because of the wound, or because the anaesthetic was starting to affect his lower extremities. Either way, he was up and able to move.

"Well you ain't got much of a choice," chimed in Saizomaru as he grabbed hold of the roll of bandaging that was left on the bedside table. "Actually… you do. The other option is making that bed your death bed."

He couldn't help but smirk as he approached Sensoa, unravelling some of the bandage from the roll. Kyuki was right—he was going to need bandaging to hold his body together before he was to be subjected to the healing tank. If anything, the cloth would soak up some of the fluid after the tank would be drained.

The larger demon posed a good question. "That would be the anaesthetic numbing the pain for you," replied the android as he began to wrap the demon up like a mummy. He wasn't as neat nor efficient as Zoe was, but it was good enough for the time being. "Trust me, nothing short of a tank is gonna heal whatever the hell made that nice hole in you. Love it or hate it, you're gonna be spending all night in there. At least you'd be able to get some sleep."

It didn't take long for Saizomaru to finish the bandaging. For as sloppy as his work was in this regard, at least he was quick. Once he was done, he returned to one of the free seats by the back wall.

"Now… we play the waiting game." He looked up to Sensoa, then continued, "So, to bring you up to speed: Barban is fine. He just needs to get some rest while his wounds heal. He's not in any danger. However, we need to bring you down to the third floor for healing, which means you two will be separated. One nurse will remain here to tend to Barban's needs, while another is gonna come down to the third floor to operate and monitor your progress."

He turned his gaze to Kyuki. "If I were you, I would remain here. There's not much you're gonna be able to do for Sensoa once he's inside. Not unless you wanna watch his body float about in a container for the next eight hours."

It seemed that the large demon was still trying to wake up, if his yawning was any indication. Saizomaru gave a smirk when Sensoa asked when he could grab something to eat. "You can have something to eat once you're all healed up," he responded. "If we get you cake, I have a feeling the healing tank would end up bringing back the chicken from the egg used to make it."

The android crossed one leg over the other as he waited for Zoe to return. His gaze trailed from Sensoa to Barban, who was now getting his snuggles from his feline wife. It made Saizomaru feel longing for going home back to his missus. He hadn't even told her how long he was going to be in the city for. No doubt she was worried. No doubt she'd beat him around the head for making her worry.

The lupine was quick to thank him again. As overly grateful as he was, it was better than being disinterested as Sensoa was.

"Kindness doesn't need to be repaid," replied Saizomaru as he folded his arms across his metal chest. "Well… not to me, anyways. Take this kindness that I have shown you, and show it in kind to the people of this planet. If you plan on living here, then you'd better start working on having a good reputation. You can start by trying not to get your asses handed to you and pissing blood everywhere."

The door clicked, then opened. Nurse Zoe had come back with one of her colleagues.

"This is nurse Pommy," she introduced. "She will be taking care of you at the healing chamber. She is the most qualified to monitor your progress."

A small one, Pommy was. She was a short Pomeranian zoanthrope, barely clearing two feet in height. Her white fluff was thick and dense, looking like a walking cloud in a nurse's uniform. Her small ears twitched a little when her name was called—a canine instinct, to say the least. Her black lips held a smile as her small, golden eyes looked towards the group.

"Hi there!" she greeted in a somewhat loud and energetic voice. "I'm gonna be taking care of the big guy! Should we make our way down to the healing chamber?"

Saizomaru's eyes lit up. He had to fight back any and all urges to just run over and pick her up and scratch her little doggy ears.

"Yeah, I think we're good to go," he responded as he stood from his seat, maintaining his composure as best he could. He walked over to Sensoa and draped one of the demon's arms over his shoulders. "You can whine about the help later. You barely look like you're able to take two steps forward before falling flat on your face… or faces. Whatever."

The Pomeranian had to stand on her tiptoes to reach the door handle to open it. When she did, she turned back to the two. "Okay! If you'd like to follow me, please."

Saizomaru did as such, holding onto the injured demon as they followed the short nurse to the elevator.

Back in the ward, Zoe made her way to where Barban's bed was. There was small patches of blood where the gauze had been placed, but the colouration was a dark brown with barely any traces of fresh blood. It seemed that the wounds were healing quickly, but it was best to leave the bandaging on until they were completely healed.

"Your friend is in the best capable hands here," she said as she checked the first IV bag. It was half empty already. "I'm sure my brother would like to meet you all if you ever want to go to his restaurant for something to eat. He always said he wanted to meet a demon up close."

Saizomaru couldn't help but snicker at the demon's idle threat. With the state Sensoa was in it was any wonder if he even had the strength to open a door, let alone the strength to punch someone. Idly brush his hand over the android's face, maybe, but certainly not a strike.

"Yeah, a'ight then," he chuckled. "Well, if you were to do that, then I would fist you so hard that no amount of healing is gonna help you. But we'll leave that for another time, a'ight?"

Pommy let out a giggle. "It's good to see you two getting along so well," she jived as she closed the door behind them, then proceeded to escort the two to the elevator.

"Yeah, sure. We'll go with that."

The trio made their way to the lift after a few moments, the zoanthrope keeping her pace slow not to fall in speed with the other two, but simply because that's how fast her little legs could carry her. She stretched up to reach the elevator button to call it back up, no doubt being used by another member of staff beforehand. She let out a cheery, humming tune as she waited. When it finally arrived, she made her way inside. Saizomaru followed suit with Sensoa in tow. The tiny white hand pressed the third floor button, then the doors slowly closed.

Pommy gave the two a glance as the elevator made its descent, jostling a little. "So how did he get that big injury?" she asked.

"He got punched," the android replied bluntly.

"And it did that much damage to his body?"

"He got punched really hard."

=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=

Zoe took a spare blanket from the briefcase and draped it over the small feline demon. It seemed that Kyuki was as tired as Sensoa, if not more so. It should keep her warm for now.

"I think you will like it there," the nurse said as she made her way around to the other side of the bed. She began to put back the leftover materials—bandages, gauzes, and the like. She kept the bottle of anaesthetic on the bedside table in case Barban began to feel pain in his wounds again.

"Although… he is not getting as much business as he once did," she continued. Her hands fidgeted with interlaced fingers as she returned back to her seat. "Ever since the people had come out of their stupor, they have been too busy trying to get their own lives back in order. Every businessman and woman have been suffering from the lethargy. Most of their workers are taking time off or coming here just to get over it. It is like a recession of labour right now."

She sighed as she brushed a curtain of dark hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. "I guess it also doesn't help that the restaurant has been past associated with demons—and my brother isn't afraid to goad about it."

She looked back up, watching Kyuki breathe through gentle purrs. She smiled a little. "She must be really special to you for her to look after you like this."

Zoe blinked one as she held a finger against her chin. She smiled before resting both of her hands in her lap. "I did not realize you two were married," she admitted in a sheepish manner. It took her a moment to realize that demons had to have offspring somehow. At the same time she found it humorously charming that a wolf and a cat were an item. "That would explain why she is so attached and affectionate towards you."

She was beginning to understand these two increasingly more as Barban continued to retell their past history. It sounded as though the feline was a travelling salesperson who just happened to find love in all the strangest places. She pondered what exactly her wares were until the wolf demon's revelation of his wife's apothecarial status.

Even Barban's occupation of being the butler to Sensoa was a new tid-bit that she had not even picked up on before. She though he was the larger demon's caretaker in some other capacity like a servant or retainer—a simplistic handyman of low status. He must have been well respected by Sensoa's family to be honoured that title. It made her wonder what exactly aristocratic life was like for demons. Was it any different from human society? Or was there more to it.

"I think you two make a nice couple," she said as she stood up, pushing those prior thoughts to the back of her mind as she continued her duties. She made her way to where the drips were stood, switching the pine line from one bag to the other as the first was running low. With as much blood as the lupine had lost, two bags of blood would be plenty to keep him stable and recovering now that his wounds were sealed. The healing liquid from the gauze patches would help in increasing his blood cell count too.

"You all had a pretty hard life from what I can imagine," she said in a gentle tone. She unhooked the empty bag from the stand and placed it inside another empty plastic one, then placed it into the case beside her. "I am not sure if things will get better soon, but I know they will do in time. Things always do. Every kind of wound can be healed—some longer than others. But the people here will forget about all of this in time."

=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=

The elevator jolted once it had reached its stop. A bing sounded before the steel doors slid open. Nurse Pommy stepped out first.

"We're here! If you would like to follow me this way," she said as she waited for the other two.

Saizomaru hunched down and took the demon's arm once more. "Upsy-daisy, sleeping beauty," he teased as he gently pulled Sensoa to his feet. "Ain't got too far to go now. You'll be right as rain soon."

The trio made their way down the corridor before they stopped in front of the double doors to the healing chamber. The Pomeranian girl pushed them open with more strength than what should have been necessary. She struggled to keep one of them open to allow the others entrance.

The workers turned to see the three walk in. None of them were too happy to see who Saizomaru had brought along, however.

"H-hey! What's he doing in here?" their boss called out as he furiously pointed a finger towards the injured demon.

"Here for healing, obviously," groaned the android as he carried Sensoa towards the fixed healing tank. "Or did the huge amount of blood-stained bandaging not give that away? Do us all a favour and go stand In a corner counting your stocks or something. The important people have a job to do."

While the boss was livid, his fear and unease overtook all sense and reasoning. He was more than happy to do as the android suggested, getting as far away from Sensoa as was spatially possible.

Saizomaru took the demon up the small set of steps that lead up to the tank's container, the large glass lid having been raised up. A vertical table stood erect with hand and footholds. He placed the injured man against it, helping thread his hands and feet into the holds.

"Gonna need you to stand still—no thrashing and no whining," he instructed Sensoa. He reached around the back and grabbed a half-face respirator before strapping it around the demon's mouth. A high amount of oxygen mixed with general anaesthetic pumped into his lungs, slowly causing him to drift off the sleep. "Just relax. Think of it as a nice soothing bath… in green goo." He passed the demon on the shoulder and gave a reassuring smile, then made his way back down the steps.

Pommy, meanwhile, had gotten herself her stool to reach the console. The press of a button brought the glass container downward until it was sealed around Sensoa. Another key keystrokes began to tank's process, quickly filling the chamber in green liquid. It quickly reached the demon's knees, then his waist, chest, and head. It only took several moments for the tank to be completely filled.

"You okay to keep an eye on him?" the android asked the nurse.

"Of course!" she replied.

"Great. I'm gonna be working on getting all of the other tanks up and running. We'll see how far we get."