How had she heard that Mach was in the hospital" Oh, ways. The hubbub in Dockside was a rather big deal. Bigger even, dare she say, than her numerous fires throughout the city. Not as though she would admit such a thing out loud. The Lilith was a vain creature after all. She was also intrigued that he could survive such atrocities as those the rumors said he had. So that intrigue was how she found her way through the halls of Rhydin General Hospital after stepping out of a doorway from the abyss right in the middle of the waiting room. Thankfully this was Rhydin and that didn't really faze anyone, so she and her fruit basket continued on their merry way until she found the necessary room. The two posted at the door were met with amusement and cheerful small talk. They were wary at best of the Hellcat, though she understood why even if it was mildly insulting.

As if she would stoop to such a level of tackiness to kidnap and torture someone like that. Ha!

Anyways, our heroine today eventually made it past the guardpups after slipping her number to the cuter of the two. Stepping into the room, she lofted the fruit basket above her plum crowned head with a triumphant, "TA-DA!"

"Hospital food is positively abysmal and this stuff is fresh despite the fact that Rhydin's colder than Satan's taint in the Ninth Circle on Christmas Day. Plus, I thought you'd enjoy a challenge!" That grin. It definitely came after a cursory once over of the man's condition. His poor hands. It would be fun to say the least. Her sense of humor was nothing, if not sadistically ironic. Lil set the basket on a table, perching her leather clad derriere on the table's edge while she eyed him with rapt fascination. "No need to say anything, I can't imagine you're up for chatting. Didja know they were putting bets downstairs on the whole shindig" They always get a kick out of the crazy cultist sorts."

Despite her manic jubilation and lightning fast conversational skills, her expression suddenly sobered and she leveled a more even look upon him. "Real talk though, good on you for getting out of it. That takes balls. Real admirable and I don't say that too often."

Just like that, the grin split her lips and the solemn moment quickly passed. She slipped off the table's edge and crossed to his bedside. Stooping, she smooshed a lipstick laden kiss to his forehead and tucked something against his hip before straightening and backpedaling for the door. Thin and metallic, the battered case had definitely seen better days but inside he would find a baker's dozen handrolled cigarettes and a full disposable lighter. Doctor's orders be damned.

"Take care of yourself Mach. Let me know if you need anything, yeah' Enjoy the fruit!" The vivacious laughter trailed after her down the hall as she took her leave.

January 20, 2016

Mach was set up in the Adult Progressive Care unit in the corner room at the end of the hall, the same security setup that had shown up for when he was in his later surgeries present now standing outside the door. Dressed in military fatigues, tactical gear, body armor, and bullpup assault rifles one would think the most dangerous criminal alive was being guarded in that room, or the most paranoid princess. The two men would stop and search anyone going in, wanding over visitors and their possessions with several different wands that obviously detected different things. Anything to be left behind would be closely examined and any weapons or the kind would have to be left outside the room.

Once stepping inside one would find the room spacious, obviously meant for two with the second gurney removed leaving the lone one on the far end by the window. There were a few carts of medical supplies, diagnostic gear, and what not with a large IV stand with 5 different bags hung - one obviously blood and one obviously not normal given it's highlighter green color. And all of this surrounded the lone man in the bed - Mach, or what was left of him. He looked ten shades better than he had when he was first brought in with the color of life returned to him. The most obvious injuries were noted by the bandaging that wrapped most of his shaved head, dipping down to completely cover his right eye. As well his right arm was well dressed to where it ended halfway down his forearm.

Upon entering the schmooze was....concentrating. Staring at a piece of fruit on the bedside table before him with a bit of a sullen look upon him. At the sound of the door though his expression changed, lifted as if automatically into a gentle smile as that lone cobalt orb turned to the visitor, his expression freezing as he saw who it was. "Oh....hey Serah." Quiet, simple words spoken from the man as if it were any other day.

Yeah he probably didn't exactly see her at first because of what she was carrying. It was big..It was brown..and it was fluffy. Thing looked like it was bigger than her or she could take a nap on it! Either way the huge bear was placed at the foot of the bed. Getting exhausted by a huge bear. How absolutely sad was that' Dressed in a single sleeved black and white top, a black skirt, and boots, she was wearing makeup to hide exactly how she looked, felt, and all that fun stuff. Still how she was able to smile was something else. She could hide behind those smiles though when it came to him' Was damn hard. "H-Hey. I-um- got your text. Didn't think you were a flowers type of guy so- yeah. There you go!"

Mach looked her up and down, a soft smirk escaping him as she sort of looked like she was here for a funeral! Maybe she was but he did see how she wore that make up. Him....he didn't have to bother trying to cover up how crappy he felt, he had a natural alibi. Looking at the giant bear he sort of quirked that brow he had. "Cuddle buddy' You look....well.." Okay, so he couldn't mask the awkwardness of his words as that poke fell flat. Pushing aside the table with the apple on it he motioned to the chair next to the gurney. "Please, um, take a seat....if you want....or don't, you don't have to if you don't....or aren't staying or..." A soft chuckle escaped the schmooze as he tripped over himself, his hand raising to scratch at the fuzz of hair that had started to grow back. "Yeah, sorry about the ones last week....still sort of woozy when I sent those. Uhm....how are you?"

She looked to the apple. "Do you want me to cut that for you?" She stood silently for a moment as she listened to him but did eventually move to sit herself in the chair. Knees tapped together and she tucked her feet under the chair. Man she didn't feel like she belonged there at all. Colorless eyes drifted around the room, half expecting someone to come and shoo her away. Eventually her eyes found Mach but she couldn't look at him for too long. There was guilt that she couldn't hide. "I'll stay for a little bit but not too long. You should rest so you can mend up and get back out in the world. You aren't exactly the sort to stay in the hospital for long periods. You need to heal up and get better." She nodded her head a few times. "Oh. I'm-" she could say all sort of things there but most of it would be lies so she just shook her head. "I don't know most days. Getting by I guess?"

A look was cast back at the apple with a frown. "No knives allowed in here." A little shrug. "Stupid rules. Stupid cult." He grumped at that but didn't seem interested to expand further on any of that. Telling someone you were on a suicide watch was not the way one conducted a hospital visit, he knew that much! Watching her take a seat he just sort of....took her in with that tired gaze of his, a soft smile finding him when she said she'd stay for a little bit. "Oh....okay, yeah, I guess....not really a 'resting' sorts but....yeah..." He fell silent, awkward, unsure just how much he could or should open up to her.

Of course at the mention of getting out he just sort of chuckled. "Yeah....out in the world..." There was a distant look with that as he looked down at himself, a wry smirk before he shook the thought away. Looking back to her he offered a gentle smile. "Getting by....I-I'm sorry." Guilt heavy in those words as he looked down. "Still having the nightmares I take it?" Concern in his tone as he watched her hands not quite able to look to her face. Mulling over things he worked to try and find something positive they could talk about. Anything that was better than....just the misery they'd been through.

She reached over for the apple and using her nail she started to gently make cuts along the skin. She hummed softly to herself as she worked on the skin, making thin lines that were a bit easier to work her nail under and peel off without taking off too much of the meat. "Yeah getting out in the world. You have people who have been asking about you and I am pretty sure you've had a few visitors so far. You got friends out there who are waiting for you so heal up. Plus you got to do it for you, Mach." Because that was important. Biting the tip of her tongue she started piercing the skin with her nails at the top and bottom before pulling and pop! In half! Okay so she got a little apple juice on her skirt. Didn't stop her from placing down half and working on splitting one half into two. She paused briefly while staring at the apple. "Yeah. Been taking some of the stuff I was taking before for the vision induced migraines. It helps but I tend to forget sometimes." She mumbled as she managed to make an awkward split of the apple and offered a small piece over to him. "Not the cleanest cut but there you go!" Big, if not proud, smile!

He simply chuckled at what she said about the world, his expression uneasy. "Well, I got a reaming coming first for how I botched everything. I'm sure my ass isn't coming off clean from this escapade..." A lazy roll of his good shoulder as blue eye blue watched as she worked on the apple. "But yeah....I know there are friends out there who care I'm just..." His jaw grew a little tight. "I'm just a little tired is all..." A quiet admittance as he looked down, the gravity of such words heavy upon him. The important for him to be out in the world may well have been more on head than the woman could have known.

Watching the juice fall on her skirt the man sort of squirmed a little before reaching to snag a napkin from the table that had Mount Empty Pudding Cup on it, the napkin set to her lap. "Careful now, don't need to go staining your pretty on my behalf yeah?" A cheeky, closed lip smile offered as he continued to watch her work. The fact that he had no finger nails on his one hand may well be why he didn't attempt such himself. At the mention of the stuff she'd been taking his lips thinned some. "You mean that one heavy suppressant drug..." A soft sigh escaped him at that. "You....should take better care with that stuff, yeah' Those sorts of things can be dangerous, particularly if you're self medicating..." Thinking mildly he reached to snag his phone. "I can....if...if you want, I can get you some of that potion I'd concocted for you to help with sleep and dreams....I know a few alchemists that owe me favors and that I trust to brew such up....would....would be better than you...well..." He fell silent, short of voicing his concerns she might OD on the stuff she was using.

Of course when that apple piece was offered along with that smile, well....the man couldn't help but smile in return, something warm and honest that finally looked natural upon the man's broken features. "Thanks Ser..." Gentle words as he took the apple part and began to nibble on it as he could, covering his mouth best he was able so she couldn't see just how few teeth he was working with....or the nubs of those that were growing back unnaturally. The man didnt want to come across as a monster.....at least, not any more than he was being as healthy as he were at just two weeks out from dead.

"You did what you could, Mach." she spoke softly and she shook her head. She couldn't shake the feeling that he had been so reckless because of her. She declined the napkin and took away his phone so he couldn't start making calls. She just shook her head at him. "Yeah it is dangerous but it helps. I can deal with what I got. I always do." The phone was softly placed to the side and she sat back down. The apple pieces were placed in a neat little line within his reach.

Colorless eyes watched him like she would any other time. Like he was normal. While she did see the shape he was in she was able to look past that with ease. She didn't know what to say, however. Lost, even, for what to say. What he had been through had been horrible and she had no idea what to say to comfort him.

The man chuckled at that. "I got my stupid ass kidnapped and tortured then I killed a lot of people one the way out." A snort that was self deprecating at best and more loathing. "I did what I had to....and..." He fell silent, his jaw working. "Well, I'm not sure all of me made it out..." His shoulder rolled again, carefree of such a admission. When she stole his phone he'd sort of pout at her before looking to her with a mild expression. "Dealing with what you got and getting the help you need are two different things. Look, I'm not saying you don't got this, you're a strong and wonderful woman. Just....it'd be another option, yeah' Those aren't bad to have....and having support isn't either."

Looking at the other apple pieces he would work through them, one by one, still trying to hide the worst of things. She may have seen him as nothing but normal but the man, he couldn't see himself for anything close to such. "I heard you got a new place....something by a lake." A direction of conversation as he, apparently, wasn't interested in dealing with his own problems.

"I had to do something like that, too. It isn't easy to bounce back from." Though there were differences in their situations. Many differences. "But you are strong and-" she smiled a touch and raised a shoulder almost like she was copying him. "You are Mach." As if that summed it up in a nice little bow. "Too hard headed to not pull through and be okay." She leaned in her seat while flashing one of those smiles. She did end up looking away when it sounded like he was scolding her. He got a snort but no words to follow it up. Instead she blinked and nodded. "Who told you?" Her own phone was taken out and she started struggling with the lock screen. Sigh.

"Yeah...." His expression grew a little anemic at that, knowing just what sort of differences of torture they'd gone through. The man wasn't sure who had it worse honestly though he shook the thoughts away as he knew shared trauma didn't really amount to much....not really at least. Of course at her words those...well, those had the man laughing, something airy and light. "Strong....right, yeah....that's the lie of things." A dirty snigger would die into a wry smile as he shook his head, his gaze leaving her so she couldn't see him. Instead he turned his attention for the window. "But yeah, I am Mach....too stupid to not be okay." Another huff at that. "Sounds good for a tagline or something, right?"

There was another dry chuckle before he looked back to her, his expression that stoic yet gentle and friendly mask. "Oh, Regi....a friend of mine. He's been keeping a mild eye out on things for me while I was trashed. Told me Ampersand is closed down to for some reason and that the rumor mill about the inn said you got a house and something about a lake but he had no specifics." A mild shrug. "But then he told me a lot of random stuff too that I'm not sure of....so yeah, still sort of a question."

Colorless eyes narrowed in on him like she might of actually gone over and swatted him one if he wasn't in his condition. "You are strong, Mach, and don't you give me that shit. It isn't a lie." She huffed at him for his huff. That ended when she heard about this Regi person. Oh dear lawd he had her being followed" She was waiting for him to ask other things but for now would do just that. Wait.

"What random stuff" And yes, Ampersand's doors are closed. I am remodeling some of the building and can't have customers running around while doing that can I?" she moved over to the bed and sat down on the edge while showing him some of the pics on her phone of the new place. "That's it. It is across the lake from her place but it isn't like she can see anything or anything." So no Claire with nighttime binoculars!

A mild look was given to her look of wanting to smack him. "Heh....yeah, sorry, just being stupid." And with that he pushed that smile back upon him, a roll of shoulder. "Still....wished things had gone differently. Can't believe I let myself get kidnapped like some damsel." He huffed lazily at that fact. "Think maybe I've been getting too soft, too cozy. A little too lenient with the fact that a lot of nasty out there wants a guy like me dead....mostly from my own stupidity but still!" And with that he finished off the apple...well, that was fast! The man seemed famished but then the stacks of empty food trays probably said as much.

The man leaned forward to look since, well, one eye. He took in the information while she spoke. "Just all sorts of stuff, he's a madsci so he likes to ramble. Innocent but still, kind of not." There was a look to her. "And no, I didn't ask him to follow you." He knew what she was thinking! He still remembered all the fiasco with the tracking and freezing of a part of the harbor and such trivial stuff! "He just took note of stuff I might be interested in....swear, think the guy figures I eat nothing but carryout chinese food for how much news he brought me about such..." He shrugged at such. "So when you planning on reopening" Going to have a shindig" I think one of the clerks about here would be stoked for such." Lippy smile offered as he sat up some now from her phone.

"Looks pretty swanky! Wait....across what lake from whose place?" A mild quirk of brow as he really had next to no information other than 'house' and 'lake' it seemed.

"Was it a woman with some big hooters?" Meaning the one who kidnapped him. It was said light hearted and meant to get him to chuckle some if possible. And the apple did go fast. That was good though. Meant that he was getting energy back up. He needed it. She smiled as she cleaned up the mess of apple skin and wrapped them in a napkin.

"Uh huh." Yep she didn't believe him. "Has he told you I've been sleeping with some guy' Blond hair?" She was actually curious how recent his intel was. At the question she shook her head. "When it is done" I'll be having a grand re-opening of sorts, yeah. When things are ready tho. I am not going to rush things along because I am impatient. I want things to be awesome when it is done."

She blinked and tilted her head to look at him. "My sister's place is across the lake. I mean it is pretty big and she can't see across it or anything but yeah. It is on her property. Or- uh," she blinked a bit. "I own a sliver of property on her property' Something like that!"

There was a huff at her words about a woman with big hooters, his expression thinning. "More a monster in cheongsam." His tone was bitter at that remembrance, a darkness crossing him before he shook it off. "Never saw the bewbs though, too busy screaming for my prince or r-running away all woop woop." He did finally chuckle though it felt flat, tired. Watching as she folded up the apple by the time she was finished she may have noticed an orange had now appeared on the table where the apple had been. No idea how that happened, swear!

"I didn't!" Another pout at those words. "I....I respect your right to a private life....I mean, yeah, I can be an overbearing pushy asshole but....just because I care..." His words petered out softly, eye dropping to his lap for a long moment before he finally looked back to the pale eyed woman at that one news. "No, I hadn't heard that. He just gave me an update about stuff while I was gone and not a really good one. This been a long thing?" A curious tick to his tone as he watched her, not really judging, shocked, or jealous as really - what right did he have to feel any of those"

As she continued on about Ampersand he nodded. "Well, be sure to have a big shindig yeah' Show off all that awesome and love you've rocked on the place." Encouraging words from the man broken in a gurney but then when was that ever going to stop Mach from trying to be supportive. Watching her as she spoke about her new house the man nodded softly. "Oooh, her place....the mansion out like the fortress of solitude yeah where..." He suddenly fell silent, his expression growing anemic at that thought and those that came with it which he simply shook off with a slight motion of his head. "...uh, she lives. Didn't know there was a lake there. Good for you! Not quiet the beach but it's still water, yeah?"

She winced when that backfired and her eyes lowered. "Sorry." She really had no idea what to say now. She saw the orange and started to peel it, simply figuring she had missed it. It gave her hands something to do and her from shoving her foot in her mouth more. Lately she had been doing a lot of that. Being completely and utterly stupid. "Huh' What has been going on long?" She blinked up to him, completely confused. She'd eventually lower her gaze back to the orange. She'd start to break apart pieces and pick out the seeds before placing pieces on the table nearby.

"It isn't the beach but it is still nice. There is a forest out back and I set up a little place so I can practice my bow. Good place and quiet." Really quiet. Her brows furrowed a bit. "Claire and her family are going to be out of town for a while so I have been going over and checking on her place. Not that the staff really needs me to but you know. Sisterly thing."

He noticed that wince, his expression sort of thinning before he reached out and nudged her with his hand. "Hey, none of that, yeah' I'm just....I don't know....I don't know what I should or shouldn't tell you....anyone for that matter. It's....a crap experience....I'm not sure how to deal with it so I'm trying to deal with it myself....strong, right' So no need for you to feel bad, alright?" A soft smile offered to her, a squeeze given to her shoulder before he let that hand slide away. At that confused question he just quirked a brow once more. "The..." He fell silent, a shake of head. "....well, nothing. Doesn't matter." A soft chuckle to try and play such away figuring if she wanted his advice, which, really, why.....then she'd ask for it or talk to him about such.

As she spoke about her new home he'd nab piece of the orange and nibbled them, still hiding the actions as he could. "No plans for your plot on beach?" A curious question between slices of orange, his expression curious as he'd continue. "I see, sounds nice and natury...." His tone drab as, she may remember, nature wasn't Mach's best suit. "Are they' A holiday away from the holiday?" He chuckled mildly at that before something else occurred. "How was your holidays anyway?" An honest question since, frankly, he'd not been around to hear how everyone's holidays went.

"Tell someone then. Sarai. Hope. Zynn. Someone." She shook her head at him. "It will help." she said it softly but didn't look up. "You are strong, Mach. You survived. It isn't easy to do that." she looked up when he said it doesn't matter and she realized what he meant. "I haven't slept with him in the sense you are thinking. More like um- almost roommates" Bunkmates" He's a new friend that is all and just coming back to Rhydin." she shrugged as if that was it and it was.

"I had a small place built on the water and gave it to Graham and Jo. A sort of Christmas present I guess you could say." At his question of her holidays she pursed her lips and looked to him. Really she didn't want to answer that! Not at all. "I gave Claire and her family a getaway package so they could get out of town and enjoy some time out and about. It is good for her after the IFL." The orange was done and she swiped the seeds into the trash.

Mach chuckled softly at that list of names, the exception noted. He just shook his head. "Maybe....maybe..." The way he said that sounded like he had no intention of talking things out with someone but then what could one expect' "I just....feel lost is all....like I'm missing something or that not all of me came back or survived....probably booze and smokes and schmooze." A lazy chuckle at that joke which really wasn't one. Whatever he felt like he was missing one could be sure he'd fill up the voids with those vices! As she filled in him about the fellow she was sleeping with he simply nodded, a gentle smile offered. "I see. Hey, it's a start, yeah?"

His expression was thin as he smiled, tired as he fell silent in guilt once more, sullenly finishing off the orange on the table. When she turned to dump the seeds into the trash she would find a banana in place where the orange had been. She may want to consider getting glasses yo! "Oh' Well....how would you like to have a house next to theirs?" A simply stated question as he cleaned off his fingers from orange juice in the most primitive way possible of suckling on them. Hey....free OJ! "So you spent it with Claire and hers huh?" A tip of blue eye to her as he asked. "How about the New Years" As I understand that rolled around too." She hadn't mentioned the apartment at all and so he simply drew his own conclusions to such and felt more like an idiot for what he did.

"Give it time, Mach. Just focus on healing up. That is important." To his vices she didn't say anything. Instead she kind of stared at him. "Yeah a start to a friendship." Cause that was all it would end up being. She was too much of a mess for anyone to want. She'd shake her head and look to the teddy bear. It looked like it could topple over and swallow him up. Maybe she should move it. For now she was just kind of staring at the fruit that just keep appearing. She looked very, very confused!

"No. I didn't spend it with her. I mean I spent Christmas morning with them to watch the kids open their gifts but pretty much spent it alone at my place. I went out for a short while to a party where I wore this horrific sweater." she slid up out of her seat and moved to collect the bear and placed it on the chair where she had been sitting. "Sat in on some fireworks for the twin's birthday on new years and drank the rest of the night away. You didn't really miss anything."

There was a smirk at those words. "Time huh..." A bitter tinge found his smile but he fought such back. "Well, good thing is I'm good at healing. I should be up and out of here in a few weeks as I understand. Will need to go back to Tang to get....well, another eye and hand." The man just shrugged such off as though it were normal to get parts ripped off and replaced.....but really, for his lot, it kind of was. As she made it bluntly clear about the friendship part the schmooze....well, they just chuckled. She could believe whatever she wanted but he figured far differently though he was sure sharing such would just annoy her. And the man was trying not to do that, believe it or not!

At the confused look to the banana he, well, he didn't say anything though he was disappointed the game of peeling fruits for him was over. She would have found that a new fruit would have appeared ad nauseum until he ran out of the ones he'd squirreled away at his side, tired of trying to get them himself or she caught on to his little game. Watching as she moved and set that bear up to....stare at him....he quirked a brow but didn't say anything quite yet. "Oh, I see....well, sounds loads better than mine!" A smile almost on the edge of opening as he cracked that joke. At very least self deprecating humor was still strong in him!

"But it's good that you're getting out, mixing with friends. You....you're a wonderful person Ser, you deserve happiness." Spoken softly as he looked down to his hand. Noting she didn't say anything about his offer of a house next to Jo and Graham he just filed that away for later too skipping up to the pressing matter. "Heading out now?"

Her lips thinned when she realized what she had said. it was his expression. Yeah. She shook her head a single time. Wonderful person. HA! Who was he joking. They both knew better. "Yeah I need to get going." Before she stuck her foot further in her mouth. "Before it gets too late. Besides I heard them in the hall when I came. Something about after I leave you getting a sponge bath?" She pressed on a smile for him. "You get better, you hear me" I mean it. You are stronger than you think."

"You are a wonderful person Serah." That stated bluntly as he saw that shake of head. "And one day you'll find someone good enough and strong enough and exactly what you need to make you understand that, yeah' Because you deserve that and I know the universe gives to those what they deserve." A stern expression upon him as he said that obviously not keen on that defeatist attitude which he always hated about her, always fought to correct but failed to even effect just a little. But then what did he expect"

Of course as she spoke of leaving before it got to late he let his heckles drop, his expression falling to tired and back to that gentle stoic once more as he pushed everything back behind his smile. "Alright, yeah, sounds like a good idea. Don't think you want to see a fifty year old gruff man bathing by broke ass....has a crack in it as I was told." Zing! No' Drat. "Alright, you take care yeah' Be careful and happy, because I lot of people care about you. And don't you worry about me, I'm like a cockroach, yeah' I'll....get over everything, it's what I do because I'm Mach!" He pressed a cheery smile on in mirror to hers before it waned to a gentle expression.

"And....yeah...thanks for visiting. Wasn't sure I should send another set of texts but....glad I did..." His gentle smile took on a little warmth for just a moment before it faded away as quick as it came, his single blue lifting to her once more. "You take care now, alright' Catch you around."

Yeah the universe gave to her alright. By making Magnus human and taunt her with nakedness. The universe was fucking cruel and laughed at her daily. She didn't answer him or even really respond. Instead she drew her hands slowly along her skirt. Something he said seemed to almost make her nervous. Shaking her head she sighed and leaned over to gently press a kiss to his temple. Once she stood straight she blinked at him. "Another set of texts?"

Hey, he never said the universe wasn't a royal ass about things - just look at his life! He was getting what he deserved but didn't mean he wasn't hitting every crap branch along the way to that early grave! Noting that almost nervous tension that crossed her he quirked a brow. "What's wrong?" Head tilted in mild curiosity as he called her out. Hey, he was broken, he had leverage to just bluntly as such questions! Of course as she moved to pressed a kiss to his temple he'd brush one to her cheek on her escape, crafty and sly like that then she would have had to cross before him to get at his unbandaged temple.

"Oh, and I'll have those potions delivered to Ampersand....because options are good, right?" Yeah, he totally didn't forget about that and it really concerned him her self-medication with that suppressant. Of course he confused question did garner a tick of brow. "The ones I sent after I woke up from the medical coma I was in." Stated simply. "Like back on the twelfth. I was still intubated then but figured I'd let you know I was okay and....yeah..." He fell silent not wanting to go into the details of the conclusion he drew.

She shook her head to his question. "You don't want me to answer that. Trust me." She smiled faintly as she tucked back some hair. "No, Mach. No potions. Thanks tho." She was retreating but shaking her head as she went. "I haven't gotten any texts from you cept the one suddenly popping up saying to have a happy holiday."

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want an answer, but alright." Stated simply as she was already making her retreat. There was little he could do for her, such was abundantly clear but he could still prod as he could, for as long as such was an option though he was sure it wouldn't be one for much. Letting that thought sink away as he just feigned an ignorant face to her thanks, no thanks on the potions. It was that look he had that just sort of said that regardless her words she'd find said potions there regardless. Whether she threw them in the trash or not was her prerogative at that point.

Watching as she finally got to the door he offered a quirk of brow before looking to his phone. "Really' Huh....wonder if it's something with my phone and....yeah..." The case was much more worn and damaged, likely from his fun times with it. "Well, come back to visit if you want...and thanks again, yeah' I'm sure Fuzz here and Tiffany will have a grand time." A wink that was more a blink given his monocular state as he motioned to the stuffed teddy bear and.....the IV pole. Cute, he gave his IV pole a stripper name - classic Mach. "Take care..." He'd keep that gentle smile upon him, that warm expression until she was gone.

"Just do me a huge favor. Please take care of yourself. Heal up and be good for your nurse's." She scratched at her arm a bit and smiled over to him. "I may and you will have to tell me about the magically appearing fruit." Cause serious. Whhatttttt. She waggled her fingers at him. "See you later, champ." She'd step out and close the door gently behind her. After a moment of collecting herself right there she huffed at the guards and started on her way out of the building.

"It's what I do, yeah...." A tired smile to those words before he perked up cheekily. "And hey, I gotta get my entertainment somewhere, pissing off the nurses seems just as good an activity as any!" He smiled warmly before it turned goofy as she pointed out about the fruit. "Sure....take care Ser." It wouldn't be until he heard those footsteps fade down the hall that he'd finally release that fake expression, falling back whatever mood and thoughts held him when he was alone to his own mind.

(Adapted with many thanks from live play with the awesome Serah Farron!)

Mach was in the middle of breakfast (a pleasant and overly large meal of pancakes, sausage, oatmeal, grits, biscuits, eggs, hash, and gravy) when suddenly a total stranger just "popped" into existence in his room! The schmooze was pretty jacked up but not enough so to dull his senses or reflexes as in perfect form he jumped in surprise just before he lobbed a plastic fork at the fellows face. Was he really expecting that to do anything more than annoy the intruder" Hardly' but the compact 9 mm he was grabbing for under his bed certainly might! A curse was growled as the hunter's knee made solid contact with the bedside table during his attempt to snatch that hidden gun though the attempt faltered as cobalt gaze watched his fork sail effortlessly through the fellows head. Oh great, he just lost his fork defending himself from a projection!

"Damn it?" A sour grumble as pulled his hand out from between the mattress and gurney frame so as to rub angrily at his abused knee. If the fellow could see him he'd see a rather displeased Mach just sort of glaring at him, a word "master batting" or something yelled out for some reason before they just settled to stew. That reason, so happening, was to keep the guards that knocked on the door at the sudden disturbance outside the room; because Mach figured they'd either yell at the projection until it vanished drowning out what message it had or else they'd try to shoot it and, in doing so, shoot him. He" didn't fancy either of those scenarios and so with a little social engineering he bought himself a few hours of privacy as he settled in to listen to the projection.

Why didn't he try talking back to the interloper" Because he was sure if they could hear him they'd have chimed in something or at least twitched at that yelled word since it certainly wasn't one that you'd expect from a stranger! So no, Mach figured the man was deaf....and distracted as he watched the pantomime of a firefight take place. Cheeky. Trying to follow along as he could Mach's attention seemed a little split as he ogled his breakfast, a look cast past the man named Hawk to the fork that lay on the far side of the fellow" wait, Hawk"

Something about that name stirred remembrance in the hunter, the face looking much more familiar too though from where?" It wouldn't be until that name was dropped that he'd finally put it all together. Val" or Valentine Song the Unreal Unihippographs Huntress Girl. A woman who had been elusive indeed save for that last message which had told him to find Hawk. Likely the same Hawk who had found him though it couldn't have been nearly as hard to find a fellow that was hospitalized after blowing a few buildings up! Of course he had started to look into the fellow, those strange symbols sent off to a cryptographer for analysis before" well, before he'd gotten kidnapped and made "not 100 percent."

With a tired snort he pushed those thoughts out of his mind as that unnerving worry clawed its way back to the surface. She didn't have time" and this Hawk fellow, a fighter at heart it seemed, had gone out of their way to seek him out without the woman in the middle which could only mean one thing: she was in trouble and the fellow didn't know where she was. This thought brought a frown to the schmooze, something deep and full of anxiety which turned pensive as he worked through several problems at once; both the obvious and the not so. After no small amount of lip chewing he set upon his phone to start sending out texts and arranging payments and such, pushing the wheels of his particular brand of a shady information network to motion with a particular interest in exotic and rare acquisitions/procurement, containment of dangerous and illegal creatures, protection, and medical supplies. And once he'd set all this to as much motion as could be done from a hospital bed he flopped back and made a call he'd been avoiding, one that acknowledged something he'd been attempting to avoid though he could no longer? not when one of his was in trouble.

Things had been like a rollercoaster and she hadn't been enjoying the ride. Not in the least. She tried to leave town but somehow got pulled back in. That part she may of not minded so much. The lure of liquor filled chocolates was quite impressive to move the woman out of her cozy home. The source of these chocolates might of helped with the reason as well.

Now that she was in town, however, she had started sorting out a few things. And that was why she found herself, again, at the hospital. This time she didn't come empty handed. She had a bag in hand that she would allow to be checked if she had to but if they so much as messed with what was inside she'd have a grand moomoo!

The same process was in place with the pair of guards, a gruff older man and a younger woman, checking those who entered and whatever they brought. They'd....be a lot kinder in their search than the first time and especially with what was brought; likely due to some talking to on the hunters part. Stepping into the room it seemed....in much more order than it had been. The gurney had been dropped and the IV pole had been changed for one that could be rolled about obviously indicating the man could get up and about....which was likely why the room was organized! Yeah, Mach was still cleanly and obviously not one to just rest. In the corner was a basket with a few other gifts in it covered over with a napkin while the giant bear.....well, they sat at in a chair at the man's bedside as if there to read him a story....perhaps even doing such as it seemed to hold the man's cell.

As for the schmooze himself he was just lying there looking much the same as he had save his hair had grown out to a buzz cut now giving him a much more personable look....and his nasal canals had a unhealthy yellow tinge to them obviously indicating what else the man may well have been doing now that he was up and at 'em. At the sound of the door Mach looked up from the laptop he was working on, his expression lifting from that serious one of a man working to the bright and light one of the schmooze. His smile was gentle as he closed the screen of the laptop hiding whatever it was he was working on. "Hey, fancy seeing you."

She stopped seeing him close the laptop and a brow arched high. "Should I come back later" After your porn search." She said it with a smile and she tilted just faintly like she was ready to leave the room. He did look a bit better but she wasn't sure if she trusted his expression. They both knew the reason why. "I just stopped by to bring you some things I thought you might enjoy."

The man smirked at that, a look cast to the laptop. "Hah, yeah, no....that's my 1 am activities..." Waggle of that lone brow before he'd crack into a chuckle. "No, no, you're good. I was just doing some work. You know....not dead, fill out a form, that sort of BS." We rolled his shoulders as he pushed the laptop away so as to make grabby hand at Serah. Mach demands hugs! "Oh?" A curious glance at the bag while he still beckoned her to him.

"Mm." she hummed as she made her way into the room and closed the door firmly. She'd make her way to the bed and placed the bag on the table before leaning over to hug him. "Well I know how hospital food sucks ass so I brought you some yummy things. Promise I didn't cook it but I did help supervise." Cause while he was hurt she didn't want to kill the guy.

Mach pulled Serah into a warm, firm hug that spoke of a certain need for that contact. The man seemed to be rather affectionate as of late but then it was in his nature to seek comfort from such things. Giving the woman one more squeeze he'd finally let up so as she could retreat. "You didn't have to go out of the way....but thanks, yeah?" A warm tone as he smiled up at her something genuine. Making motions now for her to sit he'd start to pull the bag over on the table so as to take a looksie within, the fellow almost drooling at the prospects of real food. Hey, he had some chompers now so this shouldn't be as comical as it would have been last week!

"And you're cooking doesn't kill Ser.....it's the prep that's dangerous." Zing! A wry little smile at that as peeked into the bag. "How have you been?"

She lingered in the hug as long as she was allowed but she would withdraw soon as that it seemed he had enough. When he went for the bag she swatted his hand so he couldn't get it. Instead she drew it close and with a foot pulled a chair over. "Are you kidding" I cooked for Hope one time and he was hospitalized for two weeks. Pretty sure it was going to kill him."

At the question of how she was she turned her eyes to the bag. She was tempted to avoid that question. "Do you want something warm or cold first?"

Well, it certainly wasn't when he'd had enough or else Serah would find herself in that hug all night! There was something....vulnerable....in that contact, a need to seek comfort in the way he held on but at the same time there was that push that he probably shouldn't be doing such with Serah because....yeah. He was still the monster in things. At very least by some strange mix of signals they would depart so as things could continue on ....to him being swatted! He gave her a 'whaaaat!"' look but didn't say anything as she set herself up, the humor returning as she spoke of cooking for her personal madsci friend. "Pft, I've got an iron stomach and drink poison for a living. Beside, we....well, made some tasty things together." A gentle smile at that remembrance before he pushed it forward. "Though I do remember the death of quiet a few pots..." And there was his humor, his smile bright though he still avoided grinning as, yeah, his teeth weren't fully grown back yet, If anything his grins looked even more awkward with those mini teeth!

"Let's go with warm first yeah' So you can warm up some....been crazy cold as I hear." Because she was eating too, right' Right! Food shared was always the best food in his opinion. Of course he did notice the avoidance of that question which just made it that much more interesting to the man who was just too dumb to let things lie. "Been doing that good, huh?"

She didn't find humor in it but smiled all the same. Sitting on the edge of the bed she wiggled a little so he'd give her rump room before digging in the bag and pulling out a plastic container and spoon. The container was opened and she showed him the orange-ish creamy soup it held. "This is some kind of carrot soup. I know it sounds weird but it is really tasty. I mean it isn't just carrots." She'd wait for him to take the bowl before she'd hand over the spoon.

If he was expecting her to eat he would find she wouldn't be. Instead she was digging through the bag. "I don't really know, Mach. Confused for the most part, hurt a little. Some part of me is good. Um-" she stopped and lowered her hands a bit. She wasn't sure if she should be talking about that part. Her lips pursed a bit as she looked at the container she had unknowingly withdrawn. It was smaller and a bit cool to the touch. "Yeah." Wow that did a crappy job of summing things up.

As she wiggled onto the bed the schmooze happily moved so she could join him, keen on the idea obviously. Of course, didn't figure folks were keen for his self-depreciating humor or his odd humor any more than they usually were but smiled that very smile regardless because they were being polite. He....actually really hated it but there was little he actually liked about the situation he was in to begin with so what was a little more! Eying the container he'd give the orange soup thing a little quirk of brow. That was....well....orange! He'd give it a few pokes before looking at her noting no second spoon. "Not eating yourself?" Asked gently as he took a spoonful of the soup and slupped it up, his lone eye widening a little in surprise at how good the odd looking stuff was.

Taking another few bites as she spoke the man listened to the sort of rambling non-answer she gave, mild nods offered to encourage her to continue until that final grace note of a 'yeah' at the end. "Ser....you....can talk things out with me if you want. That offer is always there yeah?" He spoke softly as he watched his soup. "I know....things went a bad way for us....but....I am here for you. Always will be, yeah' I know that means a bag of dicks probably but..." He rolled his shoulders before giving her a soft nudge of encouragement. "Why are you confused and hurt and good....if you don't mind me asking?"

She snickered quietly at his expression over seeing the soup. Yeah she pretty much had the same expression. "Nah. If I end up eating I'll end up clonking out in a chair." Waking up a few hours from a nightmare, most likely freaking him out, blah blah. They both didn't need that. Her smile softened as she watched him take a taste and actually seemed to like it. Awesome! She finally did something right for once.

His words caused her a bit of silence. In a bad way' That was how he summed it up" The man seemed to not know how much pain he had left her in and how utterly broken she had been. That probably didn't matter either. The container was set down and she shook her head. "I don't even know where to start, to be honest. I've been opening myself up to people and its came around to not just bite me in the ass but like come at me with a baseball bat straight for the face." She shook her head and pulled out a thermos and that was set to the side too. "Confused in many shades. Including-" she glanced to the bag and she shook her head. "There is someone. Maybe? I don't know."

She pulled out a few more containers, each different in size. A few of them were warm, a few cooler, but the last one she pulled out was a metal box of sorts. She grinned to him, maybe a bit too proud. "I snuck you in some sherbet. This little puppy will keep it cool for almost twenty-four hours so make sure you hid it somewhere good so they don't try to take it from you."

The man smirked as she spoke about clonking out. "Well, you can always cuddle and sleep with me or Fuzzy there. He's pretty cozy actually." Stated matter-of-factually. Had he cuddled with the giant teddy bear" Hell yeah! The schmooze was a tactile individual after all and sought comfort where he could find it. As for the offer it was genuine....which may have made her wonder if the man didn't have some of his restful sleep potion on hand in that room! The very such that, true to his word, would have been delivered in bulk to Ampersand just after Odin rolled on through.

At the silence the man just sort of went with such. A bad way - it was a good enough descriptor because to keep bringing it up as he felt it, as he figured she felt it....that wasn't going to do either of them any good. She was seriously hurt and broke from it, still bled from it now perhaps and he....so was he. But he didn't want such to define how they interacted. Even through it all he really did care for her and would stand with her as he could....well, when he wasn't being a dumbass so yeah. As she spoke about getting bit in the ass about opening up the man gave her a comforting squeeze about the shoulders with that ruined arm of his. "I'm sorry to hear." His words soft and kind. "That.....shouldn't happen to you....jackass people." A bit of an angry sigh on her behalf before he calmed himself with more soup noms. He wouldn't ask what she'd been opening up about as he was sure he knew and could only imagine the scathing reports. But then he probably deserved every last one.

"Are you at least starting to feel better getting it out there, talking things up with folks" I can't imagine it's all been bad." Of course when she brought up that she was confused about perhaps there being someone the man perked his brow at that. "Oh' What do you mean you don't know" You're not sure what they feel or are they finicky...?" He worked to keep any judgement from his tone as he didn't want to come off as boorish and jealous as was so often the case when talking about potential nexts with the ex.

His attention ticked about the growing number of containers that were being set out, a grin pulling on him which quickly extinguished as it started to show off his freakish half teeth though he continued to smile. And that last one, the snuck in sherbert' That warranted another warm squeeze about the woman's shoulders. "You..." He fell silent, his jaw working to keep back how touched he felt. Working for a moment he'd finally let a broad and genuine smile cross his features. "Thank you....I....really appreciate it yeah' And I'll make sure to hide that treat well! I've just about bullied all the guard shifts to leave my crap alone but yeah...I fully intend to enjoy that!"

How funny, and ironic, was it that the storm was called Odin" Seriously she couldn't of been the only one who found it amusing! At the squeeze she blinked a bit and shrugged. "I seem to be good at sticking my foot in my mouth so maybe it is just me who is the jackass." At his question she shook her head a single time. "Not really. In fact I kind of left town the other day. Went to my place out by Claire's. I didn't want to be near people. I mean I have made a few friends but then there are people who just make me wish I had never tried to share a piece of myself to them."

Her head dipped a bit and her hair slid down over her shoulder and partly over her face. She was tired. "Neither." She said it quietly as she fiddled with the container in her hand. "I am not sure how to explain it. I find comfort in his presence. At night we just kind of talk until I pass out. He hadn't done anything to make a pass or anything. Though we've joked about how freaking horny I am." She blinked. That may of been too much info right there! "We had a bit of a misunderstanding and my friend, Sai, kind of jumped on the guy for upsetting me. So he started to pull away and distance himself because he was afraid of getting fussed at again."

The container was finally placed down near the rest of them. Leaning into the squeeze she giggled and smiled up to him. "No problem, Mach. Figured you could use some good stuff. And there is a bunch of it here. Cheesy potato soup, some apple sauce with chunks of apple and sprinkled with cinnamon," she was trying to remember everything she demanded Garrett make. And yes she could be so demanding. "Some mac and cheesey and not the kind out of the box. I mean some really good stuff. Oh and some blue berry pancakes." She smacked her lips at him and grinned. "Good stuff. I don't know how long it will keep you but you can text me if you want more."

The man just sort of held the woman as he could with wrecked arm of his as she spoke. It was probably pretty hilarious to someone somewhere that broken schmooze was work to console his friend when he was the one in a hospital but then....that was just Mach. He liked to solve problems or help those he cared for and wasn't much for others fussing over him. Just the way he was for better or worse. "We all are good at that but I doubt it's you Ser, take it from a grand master of the foot to mouth way, yeah?" Cheeky smile as he rocked her humoringly even as he continued to work at that bowl of soup in as civil a manner as he could manage. "Ahh...sorry....but it sounds there has to be folks you were glad to share such with." He paused a moment. "So you've finally got yourself a car or a chauffeur?" Because he didn't remember her having such before!

As she explained the complicated situation between her and the fellow she found comfort in the schmooze just listened and reserved judgment to he, himself, and him. "Ahh....well, sounds like you two just need more time to see how things will go yeah' Or if you're interested you could brooch the subject....he may be hesitant as....yeah....dealing with a woman after a bad relationship is....it's not easy..." He stumbled over his words, his heart sinking though he soldiered on regardless. "Sorry...I'm kind of shit on advice for such....but if you find comfort in him and he finds interest in you you two should really try just to work through things. Even if it doesn't lead anywhere having someone you're comfortable like that with as a friend is....it's a good thing, yeah?"

There was a tick as she kept calling him Mach but then he knew why she was doing such - his own stupidity. Of course it did help the man to keep his own feelings, his own thoughts under wraps so maybe it really was his past self being oddly brilliant for once. "Damn....sounds delicious! You really should help me eat some, yeah' Food tastes better when shared and like I said....clonking out on Mr. Fuzzy is hella comfortable." At the mention of texting for more the man simply smiled at such. He....really hadn't been texting or calling anyone during his time in the hospital after that initial mass texting. Of course he welcomed visitors when they came but otherwise....well, he was just sort of silent. It was rather odd for the man to seek such solitude but then when wasn't he odd"

"Not sure Sven would like being called a chauffeur." she probably shouldn't look so amused as she was. Tilting her head she leaned to hug him. She knew he had been through a lot and needed all that he could get. "Huh?" She blinked and tilted her head. "I told him I liked him but for the time being I just enjoy talking and getting to know him. I-mm." she chuckled quietly, "Shouldn't be bothering you with this." She bumped her face softly to his like a cat.

The tick was noticed and she blinked, sitting straight. Oh crap had she hurt him' "S-Sorry. Didn't mean to hurt you!" She whimpered and slid slowly out of the bed so not to disturb him. Combing back her hair she smiled meekly to him and she shook her head. "No, Mach. I had it made specially for you! If you can't eat it all just save it for later." Clasping her hands behind her back she smiled over to him. "Pretty sure you have other people you can share it with anywho. Um. Oh! Did you need anything or want anything brought over?" She was sure he had people to do that too but it didn't hurt to ask.

He smirked softly at that, some humor found in Sven being a chauffeur. "Yeah, don't think he'd appreciate that. Though I think I know what kind of hat to get him for his birthday now..." An innocent look even as he smiled in that wicked way. Bad Mach, bad! As she spoke about the new fellow the schmooze nodded up to that point that she was suddenly shutting down with a face tap to his. This had the man chuffing softly. "It's not a bother Ser. You can talk with me about anything and it won't be problem, yeah' I'm here for you." Stated simply as he gave her another squeeze.

A squeeze that may well be trying to hold the woman in place on the bed when she 'd suddenly work to escape though if she were insistent he'd not stop her. "You didn't hurt me Ser. I....actually can't really feel this arm. Good thing really because it looks like shit!" He chuckled softly at that before shaking his head. "N-No....just....beating myself up over my own stupidity is all. Nothing new." Another little shrug as he finished off that carrot soup and moved on to another container. The shooting down of sharing with him did thin his smile a little but he didn't push the issue anymore.

"Oh don't worry, I'll finish it, trust me. Still a growing boy, yeah?" A wink/blink. "And all myself too since you had it made specifically for me!" And he nodded at that sure of such. Well, okay, his guards might get to sample a little....but only enough to be friendly! As she asked about anything he needed brought over the man though a tick before shaking his head. "Nah. Got some military goons going to fetch me some clothing I'll need for discharge. Past that it's just the boredom. I've been limping my ass around wherever they don't stop me from going for as long as they don't realize I'm gone." He shrugged as he started in on the apple sauce.

"But yeah....keep at it with the fellow if you like them and their company. Talking and getting to know someone is a good way to avoid....well." A point to himself with that spoon as prime example. "But total pro-tip, getting jumped on by friends is bad.....even if it is to protect you. I can see why he'd not want to deal with the fuss....just....keep at it being friendly and open with him. They'll come around or else you two can come to the conclusion that friends is a good place to be" Taking a scoop of applesauce he nomed it mildly. "And don't start off with the bar bending, bed breaking sex first....gotta work a man's expectations up to such." Yeah, that was just tossed out there.

"Why are you beating yourself up?" Yes he said it so of course she'd question it. Since he seemed to want to keep here there on the bed she'd abid if only for a little longer. "Well if you think of anything." Her colorless eyes blinked at him. "Is there a plan time for your discharge?"

Tucking her legs she watched him. "We spent a lot of time together too, you goober." she would of poked him if she wasn't afraid of hurting him. "I was surprised when Sai did it. I was good at just leaving but- well." she fidgetted a bit, "She said she was tired of me always being hurt and just sucking it up, slapping on a smile, and just holding the hurt." The last bit was said meekly. She did choke a little and her face went bright red. "M-Mach! Geez. N-No. I mean-uh. I-bwah." Her brain seemed to of went splat. Thanks Mach!

The man shrugged at that question, no real good answer to it.....or none he was sure Serah wanted to hear. "Just....a lot of things. That last hunt, my life.....what I did to you. Just.....stuff, yeah?" He smirked softly, a gentle smile offered. "Plus, you know, other folks beating up on me too....less fun that!" And a twist for distraction along with a half toothed grin! As she spoke about his discharge though the man's expression sort of faltered, his expression stepping back a bit. "Nah, no time yet. Probably in a few weeks or less from what I understand. I'll....probably be heading back to Tang for debrief given the foreign affairs cluster fuck this has all been....that and I need a new eye and pincer hand." He emulated those really archaic robot pincers with his other hand as if that was what he could expect for a replacement.

At that mention of them spending a lot of time together the man just sort of chuckled softly. "Yeah....probably should have just stuck with that pushing me away instinct, huh?" A soft smile at that though he'd wipe it away. "But you're showing interest first which is good!" A bright smile though this dimmed as she spoke about Sai and her reaction. The name was familiar and he figured he knew the woman, if only from brief encounters. "Sounds like she's a good friend....a real keeper yeah?" He nudged her softly, his tone warm. He obviously agreed with Sai and Serah should well know that. Of course how Mach pursued such was pretty much via one screw up after another but then he knew he was an idiot.

At that last part though the man couldn't hold in that manic laughter as Serah's brain suddenly took a faceplant at his words. That was the exact reaction he was hoping for! "Hey, just saying. You may be rip roaring for some action but it wouldn't do to break them on the first rodeo, yeah' Gotta work the bulls up to par." He really was being sincere with his advice and especially so since he had experience with the woman but....yeah....there was no way to talk of such without coming off as a mad jokester.

She shook her head faintly and reached over to press her knuckles to his cheek. "What happened to me is my fault not yours." She frowned a bit and her hand lowered to rest in her lap. She didn't like the idea of him going back to Tang. If they were going to treat him like crap. No. No she didn't want that at all.

"Yeah she is a real good friend. A cheater, but a good friend." She chuckled and looked tot he containers before moving to the bag again and this time to dig out a beanie hat for him. Reaching over she pulled it over his head. "To keep you warm. I know sometimes that the hospital rooms get way too cold." With that being said she moved off the bed and grabbed the plush blanket out from the bag to fold over the end of his bed. Just in case he did get cold.

"Okay yeah so I could probably break a man right now but I- I don't think it-" she shook her head. A small smile touched her lips. "I am content with simple things really. I'm more concerned with being stupid. We haven't known each other long and he is just returning to Rhydin. I really should just leave him to meet other people and be his friend."

The man smirked lightly at those knuckles to his cheek, a shake of head offered. "It was on both of us, yeah' Just....weren't in the right time for....or....well..." He fell silent unsure what to say. He didn't want to blame her for anything, he didn't want to play that because of what he wanted for her. No, he just shook his head. "You can't just blame yourself, yeah' This is why folks like me and Sai get angry at you you know!" A humph added to emphasis to this point as he was keen to move away from the topic they were spinning about. As for the topic of what treatment awaited him back in Tang....yeah, he avoided that one like the plague too. He had his theories and he knew they would only add to whatever it was she was frowning about.

"A cheater?" That.....had the man craning his head to the side. H e was obviously missing context as she was chuckling so obviously it wasn't meant in the 'Mach' way. Finishing off that applesauce he was already on to the mac and cheese when he felt something snug up on his head. Hand lifted to feel at the warm headwear. He....was sure he must look like the worlds most slummy, hobo pirate right now! That cobalt gaze now followed as she moved to lay a blanket at his feet. He....didn't know what to say as he just smiled. "You....you didn't have to go through all the trouble..." His words were softly spoken. "Not for a scoundrel like me, yeah' But....thanks." Another genuine smile that settled into a warm one as she spoke about the new fellow.

"I'd offer but yeah...." Those words cheeky and joking in tone, probably poor humor but whenever did he have anything else? "Maybe something battery powered....or wall gas..." Ok, yeah, totally poor humor now! Shaking it off he finally calmed down that idiocy. "Serah....don't stand in your own way of being happy yeah' And don't push him away for his sake....only for yours if things seem wrong. If things work out than great....if they don't, then you'll be his friend....but I guarantee you, always pushing just breeds doubt and that.....that's never going to make a good foundation." He sighed softly fairly certain he was the last one she wanted to hear such from but he was content in his roll of being her personal troll in shining armor. "Just....let the chance have a chance, alright?"

"Yeah." He could get angry at her all he wanted. She blamed herself. She told people this. While Mach was set in his ways she should of adjusted. Should of sucked it up and accepted it. That was what she was supposed to do.

"Yes, she cheats. She knows me better than I know her. She has special skills that allow this." she wasn't going to say more on it. Sai's abilities were her own to discuss. Blinking she looked up to him and offered a cheeky smile. "Oh shut up." She straightened and shook a finger at him (totally Meanie Miss Farron style). "I didn't have to but I wanted to make sure you were warm and comfy. Now you stop referring to yourself like that you hear me?" Finger shake! Finger shake!!!

Her finger curled in and she blinked at him. She spluttered and straightened. "Bad! I do not need a BoB!" Okay that was probably a lie but he did NOT need to know that! "There is already doubt, Mach." she tipped a small smile and shrugged her shoulders. Looking down at her hand she smiled a bit. It was kind of weird him giving her advice like that. She knew what he was doing, tho. "He likes my company, too. So it is a start. Nothing wrong with being friends, Mach." she dipped her head to the side and looked to the blanket which she'd reach over to smooth, "Are you and Lauren a thing now?"

"Don't you ' yeah' me Ser, forgiving yourself is a key part of healing and you....you need to heal. And that's on you to do....believe me." He spoke softly, the tension held back behind that gentle smile. He really did want the best for her because as terribly as things went it was obvious he still cared deeply about the woman. Of course there were many who would say such was a bad thing but then again such really was par for course for Mach.

As she explained the cheating Mach....well, he looked perplexed. He certainly had theories, some he much preferred to give imaginative power to than others (and those he would most certainly never tell the woman!) "Well, good on her I suppose. Certainly seems it's granted her a fully picture to work from....but....this cheating....not something like touch related, yeah?" A cheery tone at this random joke. He certainly didn't think anyone would be better cheating to know him....though honestly he really was just being a lewd little boy! At the finger shaking the man simply smirked, his expression warm but a little tired as he shook his head. "Well thank you Ser, but I'd not hold your breath on changing how I refer to myself. I know what I am." Cheeky little wink/blink offered to add levity to such thoughts.

Of course the splutter did help with that immensely! "Ooooh~" I think the lady doth protest too much. And I was thinking something more than just a 'B' operated one..." Brow waggle offered as he really as just cruising for the woman to add to his list of injuries! As she spoke of doubt though and just being friends the man's jovial expression shifted, softened. "No, there's not....but there's nothing wrong with being more either. Look, I'm not telling you to go at him....I don't know anything about the guy other than you're comfortable with them. Just....I don't want you getting in your own way because you totally do that. That's all. A fair shake for the both of you because you deserve happy....but that said" Be careful Ser if you've got doubts....get those worked through first before anything builds. Because selfish as it is I want to see you happy....as much now as I ever have."

He knew she probably thought him full of shit, especially with the numerous contradictions he's been known to sputter and spew. The problems of being an idiot....but he could easily average such inconsistencys out and see the truth for what it was. Of course when she dropped that name the man's expression, well, that was a twist of guilt swooping into a weak smile if ever there was one. The man's expression was thin as he contemplated that, his gaze upon the bowl of mac and cheese before him as he thought for a long moment before finaly a sigh escaped him. "Right....now I remember where I've met Sai from...." Spoken softly in a mutter to himself as he took a few bites from the mac and cheese.

"We....aren't." Stated simply, opting not to try and play dumb as is usually his first tactic. "Probably won't be, really." There was a different guilt to his expression, a pain that wormed in the tension of his brow before he finally released all such with a shrug. "But then things and me don't really mix, yeah?" There was a hint of defeat in his tone but it was well masked by that gentle smile he held. "Do you know her?"

She didn't answer his question about Sai. It wasn't hers to answer. She just kind of seemed to bypass a few things actually and did so quite gracefully by digging in the bag and pulling out one last item. This was placed next to the bag with her hand held over it. "Oh be quiet, you." She chuckled and shook her head a single time. Happy. It was a weird, foreign word to her. "You need to worry more about your happiness, Mach. And getting better."

At his answer about Lauren she tilted her head and sighed at him. "Yes, I know her, Mach. And seriously if you are going to be in something with her that is fine. I-" wasn't surprised" Not really given who she was pretty sure who he was banging. Her lips pursed a moment, "If you haven't yet, don't tell her we were a thing. I don't want her to be uncomfortable. If she makes you happy, yeah?" She didn't want to talk about it anymore and that was made clear when she pushed the small device. "I know you have a laptop and all but here. It is a little gaming device. I thought you could have fun with it."

The man simply smirked at her as she told him to be quiet. Yeah, they both knew how well the man was at that! But he wouldn't push things much further, instead his solve gaze watching as she fished one last thing out of the bag, hiding it on the table. The curiosity was certainly enough to have him leaving the unanswered question about Sai to rest as....yeah., he really wasn't expecting much from his inquiries about that one. Though if she was willing to give Serah's interest crap he was all too sure that he was probably due for a double heaping of crap since he was effectively working on hurting two of her friends now.

At her speaking about his own happiness the man simply snorted. "Aren't I always?" A queerly posed question, more rhetorical than not since he already knew the answer and figured he knew Serah's as well. It served well enough as a segue into the topic of Lauren. "Ahh....well, yeah, okay....and I know, just..." He rolled his shoulders not sure how to answer such that wouldn't get him a Gibbs smack. Serah wasn't the only one with really negative views on things! As for that request...well, that got a shrug as well. "Too late." Simply stated but he'd not push such and instead happily let the topic change as looked at the little device as if it were gold and shiny and blue. "Oh?" He'd take up the device, turning it about in his hand as he investigated it. He....obviously hadn't handled many gaming devices in his life but that much was obvious when she'd first showed him a console and crushed him repeatedly in games many months back.

Oh well then it seems she had little to nothing to worry about if Lauren already knew. She'd bop her head a few times. Yes, let that subject go onto shiny things. "Yeah! I installed a few games in it for you," like fifty, "some are simple. Even got card games like blackjack." No solitary he would find. "Simple games, and a few hard brain games." She just smirked when she said that. Hey those could be really fun! And help with strengthening the brain so ninner!

A beep from her phone startled her to grabbing it form her skirt pocket and she looked over the message with a strange little smile. Shaking her head she looked over to him. "I gotta go." Leaning over she pecked his temple softly and gave a lingering hug. "If you need anything you let me know, k?"

He watched her bopping her head but didn't disturb such as he was sure she'd rather not talk about her thoughts at this time....just a hunch. He did like to fashion he knew Serah some after all.....fashion a lot of things really though most were probably just fantasies on his part. Looking over the game system he figured she'd not have brought him something that couldn't be used one handed....not that such would make much difference as he'd probably still totally crap at them regardless! "Thanks Ser....you're....to kind to me..." His tone was soft and mild at that despite the thin smile he wore as he looked at the game system and the food still laid out before him. His jaw grew tense but he held whatever thoughts worked through his mind as he heard the beep.

A look and, well, that smile turned into something coy as he caught her reaction to the message. "I bet." Oh he was so bad with his tone! A warm smile pulled upon him as she leaned in to hug him, his own arms wrapping around her and holding on for as long as she allowed, one final squeeze given before he'd release her with a kiss press to her cheek in passing. "Sure, if there's anything but I seriously don't think you want to play our old cigarette game." Zing! One last cheery smile for the woman as he laid back against the backboard. "You be safe and careful, alright' And happy!" A shake of his own finger to the woman.

The system had a kickstand so it could be propped up and played single handed, yes. She's clever like that. Seeing his expression she's blink a bit. "What cha mean, you bet' What is up-". Ohhhh wait. "I'm going meet with the people working on Ampersand , smart guy.". She smiled some at the mention of the little game. Days seemed so much simpler then. Nice. Snapping her teeth at his finger she mumbled, "No promises.". And before he could say more she scurried her way out the door.

The man was sure days would seem simpler for her again someday though it was always hard to see such beyond the mire of the trenches she was in now. The one good thing though was that she had the time now to see such a cycle turn around whereas he....well, she was well acquainted with his view. At the comment he simply smirked. "Hey, I didn't say anything..." Of course his smile was devious nonetheless as he made his own conclusions.

Offering a twiddle of fingers as she scooted off the man simply smiled until the door clicked behind the woman, his expression softening some as he let his hand finally drop. "Goodbye Serah." Spoken simply to the empty room before he turned back to working through the smorgasbord of food.

(Adapted with many thanks from live play with the wonderful Serah Farron!)

Mach lazily played about on his phone, browsing through random news stories as he whiled away his solitude. Lauren was off and away for physical therapy at the moment while he" was sort of sat in the "bad kid" corner to think about what he did. And after some insight he did suppose, in hindsight, that trying to start a giant, real life game of foosball with the woman and the other folks in PT was probably a really bad idea but it was fun for the time! But, like many things, it came about to nip him in the ass in the end but he didn't really mind the quiet time. As much as he was a 'schmooze" and the "life of the party' the man really did crave and need quiet downtime so as to recharge sometimes.

He would be on his third story about some of the strange occurrences regarding a purple cloud of smoke when he heard a quiet yet firm rap on the door to the room. Well, that was curious as most people either just walked in or were let in by the guards still stationed outside. Setting aside the phone the schmooze straightened up in the bed, his appearance smoothed out before he planted that gentle smile of his before responding. "Come in!"

Sole cobalt eye fell upon the figure that stepped in, that smile loosing just a little bit of its luster. It was a middle aged man with sandy blonde hair parted choppily with a lean build which bordered on ridiculous in the sharp, crisp angles and broad panels of that brown military uniform. Closing the door behind they proceeded to approach, the leather bound folder in hand shuffled so he could cut a lazy salute to the prone figure. "Lieutenant Turner."

A lazy smirk pulled upon the hunter as he offered a lazily, left handed salute to the officer. "Pardon the disrespect Captain Albright." The schmoozes tone was wry as he wiggled the remnants of his right arm. "Not really up for attention or having the right configuration of appendages for a proper salute and all?" He couldn't help that dirty grin of his at the poor humor which simply drew a snort from the other.

"I'll let it slide this time I suppose." A dry chuckle left the career administrator as maple brown eyes looked over the broken hunter. "How're you holding up?"

Mach rolled his shoulders, a blas" expression crossing him. "Alright for getting my ass shot, chopped, and baked to a crisp. How's tricks with you?"

The man's expression thinned, a tinge of guilt coloring weathered features as the soldier nodded. "Ah, yes, right' you're looking better than initial reports had you listed as. I'm sure in no small part thanks to Dr. Ibanez."

"Yeah, she's a peach!" A bark of amusement at that. "When she's not threatening to stick me in the morgue! Feisty she is." Fresh, new, pearly white teeth shown as the schmooze cackled merrily for a few moments before shaking away that humor. "Don't think the military ever really left her even though she's come here. So how are you liking it' Rhy"Din?"

The captain simply chuckled along with the schmoozes merriment before his expression curled into a well-practiced yet still pretty wooden smile. "It's" different. Very?"

"Fun" Exciting" Sexy' Colorful?"

"Diverse." The word rolled out with more than a little disdain. "I can see why some of you hunters would like it here."

Mach smirked dryly. "You mean the bad ones, yeah?" Needling look cast to the officer who simply looked uncomfortable, shined black leather shoes shuffling some before the hunter let up. "I know, I know, 'shut up Lieutenant.?" Another smirk before the humor drained from the hunter, weariness left upon those features as he considered the man before him. "So....what brings my handler all the way out to these toxic lands?"

The man frowned defensively, a dim look cast at the broken hunter. "One of my charges is hospital bound and grievously injured-"

"But not dead so any other lesser peon could come to check up on me in your steed. Anyway, you saw the reports" I was due back in Tanga anyway for a new eye and hand cause as cute as it is to claim I'll be the next great dread pirate the reality in regards to debilitated hunters is more Old Yeller" erm, that is, take out back and put two to the brain pan. So why not stop wasting each other's time and just tell me what?s in the folder."

Capt. Albright's expression paled under that drab, clinical tone Mach used to take apart his fa"ade, the smile that drew upon him pained, guilty. "Something tells me you already have an idea."

The hunter gestured flippantly with his hand as he settled back against the elevated backboard of the gurney. "Humor me, it's your job, yeah?"

A tried sigh escaped the man as he reluctantly fiddled with the leather bound folder in hand as though a child reluctant to show their parents their failing marks. After a little more hemming and hawing the officer finally tipped open the folder, their gaze hollow as they read over words that they'd studied many times along the way to this room. "Ehm...well...it is my regrettable duty as your commanding officer to inform you, Lieutenant Elitia Turner, of the indictments of negligence, flagrant destruction of property, disregard of RoE, and premeditated murder that have been levied against you by the U.T.R.A. Hunter Purity and Disciplinary Board. You are" you are to face a compliance peer review to determine whether what you've done was a criminal act requiring trial or falls under the purview of military and peacekeeper acceptability."

Morgan fell silent; maple orbs focused on that document a moment or two longer before braving a look to the hunter. What he saw was far worse than he could have hoped; truly drove that guilt home as the hunter didn't flinch or bat an eye to hearing such news. "I see." The answer to those charges leveled so drab and accepting before a dry smirk bubbled from the hunter. "Color me humored." Taking a deep breath, Mach just let his gaze fall to the silent motion of life, of Rhy"Din that bustled outside his window. An elongated, tired sigh left the man as he collected his thoughts, not bothering to look back to officer.

"You don't seem too surprised."

Mach could only shrug at that as his lone cobalt eye traced a gaggle of beasts milling about in the pavilion below. "I got captured, tortured, blew up two warehouses in a foreign land, and killed no small number of people on my way out." Turning his blue eye blue gaze back to the officer the hunter wore a tiredly amused expression with just a hint of curiosity. "Murder" not homicide. Who in particular did I kill that got me that one, the terrorist Rister?"

The schmoozes question drew an involuntary flinch from the Captain. "No' she's your breech of RoE. The murder charge is for Travix Volston?" Morgan fell dumbly silent as Mach just burst into inappropriate laughter that filled the empty room mockingly. There may have been a thought to try and quiet the hunter but that undercurrent of bitterness that soured the usually jovial sound pinned him in place, making the man feel impotent and small. Of course he knew the bitter irony which Mach laughed at; how hauntingly close things were following the chain of events that went down eight years prior when Mach had burnt a hole through the older brother. "Eli.."

"What' No, no' this is fucking great man. Pleased. As. Punch to see that the system still wants to dick me in the way I'm accustomed to?"

"Eli...it's not like that?"

"Right." The sharp snap of that response caught the administrator by surprise, the pretext of any humor dead upon the hunters features leaving what could only be called profound fatigue left. "So how long till I'm to stand trial?"

"It's not a trial, Eli; it's a peer review to-"

"How long till I'm to stand "peer review.?"

Albright sighed warily, the man's dry acceptance of everything far worse than any outrage or depression that the hunter could have reacted with instead."As soon as you are able to walk."

"I can walk now?" Blue eye blue shifted away from the giant teddy bear that watched the proceeding with a dopy smile and warm message of getting better. Taking in the pale, heavy look that hung on the middle aged man's visage told the hunter all that he needed to know for an answer. "Ah?"

"I'm having your service and dress browns brought from the apartment. I'm' giving you tomorrow to get your affairs in order and then we'll leave on the morning transport back to Tang."

Mach let his attention drop away from the man and down to his lap, a pensive note tinting that tired expression. "Why so quick" Brass can't wait to rip up my ass?"" His tone was caustic at best.

"Actually it's by my pushing?" Morgan flinched under the hard glare the hunter shot him. Broken as the man was he was still far more dangerous than the almost waif like officer that was the bearer of bad news. "Look, this is a good thing. I fought to get you a peer review-"

"Oh' So *** kind."

"You may not see it but it's true Eli. You are military but on the civy side" a peacekeeper. That means you're "peers" include low level military types, police, even civilians."

"So what, you're aiming for the bleeding hearts?"

The captain leveled maple gaze on the broken man, his expression frank. "Not a normie about could see past what has happened to you, be blind to the plight of what you've had to endure. Just looking at you screams 'self-defense" or "fight for life.?"

"Or "monster.?" This noted mildly as the hunter sat back, his gaze settling upon the administrator with disinterest.

"That's why we need to get you there as soon as possible, maybe even take you off regen until then so you stop healing at such a clip."

That last part had Mach snorting in humor, his head shaking sympathetically. "Yeah, good luck selling Ruth on that. Chances are, I'll end up with a third person in here."

Morgan huffed lightly, obviously not so entertained by that notion as the hunter was. "Look, all I'm saying is that chances are really good you limp in like you are and you'll walk away from a peer review with demands for a commendation than a trial. But we've to got to move on this hence why the second I got word that it'll be a peer review I jumped on a transport here."

"Hmm?" A pensive expression worked on the hunter as he mulled over things though his overall mood didn't seem to brighten, even as he nodded his consent. "Alright, we'll do things your way, see if I can get a bonus, yeah?"" Mach smiled but there as something hollow about it that dug at the captain.

"Don't worry Eli, we'll get through this and then you can continue being a headache for me and the brass." He tried to improve the hunters smile with his own though it was a miserable effort. Morgan knew his strengths and weaknesses, and charisma or natural charm was not one of them. Still, he tried and for his effort he drew out a chuckle from the hunter if not with him at least at him.

"Well, I do enjoy being a pain in the ass for folks?" A thought grin before he wink/blinked at Morgan. "So by 'get my affairs in order'..."

Maple gaze dropped away. "Just....as a precaution. I....don't know if they'll let you return to post here even if you walk."

Mach snorted at this, his humor bitter. "Figured that since you've got a pair of hunters here already to replace me."

"To clean up..." The captains response was sharp, crisp, well practiced. "Still a lot of cult and terrorist elements loose out there that need to be mopped up quick and quiet."

This drew a snort from the hunter. "Really' I thought stuff blowing up, kidnappings, and murder were local past times here in Rhy'Din..."

Morgan obviously didn't share Mach's glib assessment. "This place is anarchy but our government doesn't abide by such. And we clean up our own problems via proper means and channels rather than letting whatever masked lunatic enact their own personal brand of justice as they see fit." A snort escaped the officer at the notion of the rampant vigilantism that purveyed Rhy'Din. "Besides, you should know better than I that if you cut the head off a magical snake..."

"You gotta burn the body before it grows anew....or two....or even just splits...yeah, I know." His tone was drab as he spoke, cobalt blue turning to hazard a glance back out over the cityscape. "Alright"I'll do what I gotta and we'll head out the day after tomorrow."

Albright nodded at the acceptance of the plan before coming to attention so as to snap a salute to the damaged hunter."Alright, then I'll see you soon." The captain turned to leave, his steps catching. "Oh....and Lieutenant....don't....think about running from this. I don't think I have to remind you, but that would only lead to more problems for you down the line."

A dry chuckle left the hunter, his gaze already departed from the superior officer and back out to the horizon of the city outside the window. "I'm always running Morgan, you know that. But no....you don't have to remind me. I'll be a good soldier."

Something about those words, about the drab manner of the hunter just tore at the administrator as he nodded tiredly. He wanted to say more, to try and reassure Eli of things but there was an underlying feeling of guilt to such a desire. A feeling that such would be little more than self serving, to alleviate his own stress than do anything for Mach, particularly when the man just seemed so stolidly defeated. Taking one last glace back at the schmooze, Morgan couldn't quiet shake the feeling that he was being played for a fool, that the hunter knew something that he just wasn't seeing....and that his ignorance would only lead to tragedy. Offering one last salute the officer stepped out of the room, the door snapping shut with a thud leaving the hunter to alone to his thoughts.

February 8, 2016

Ammy made her way to Rhy'Din General. Normally she avoided hospitals like the plague. She hated the smells of chemicals that assaulted her nose, the shrillness of medical alerts and status reports, and a complete aversion to needles. It didn't help that most of her life in Rhy'Din revolved around having her ass put in the hospital from a lot bad choices.

Still, she had a new friend that could use some more cheering up and some of her services. She made her way to the hallway leading to Mach's room, the nursing staff well aware of who she was and that she was relatively harmless when she chose to be. Ammy would pause in front of the two guards keeping Mach safe. They'd see her in shredded jeans that let her white fur spill from the slits and dressed in a blue t-shirt with an airbrushed portrait of the Silver Hawks cartoon cast. A very large black back pack was over one shoulder.

A smile to the guards. "Hey guys. Just here to visit Mach for a while. Hangout, cheer him up and see about fitting him with a temporary arm till he gets home." She'd unsling her pack and hold it out for one of the guards as well as assume a T pose for pat down and wanding. A younger her would have balked the 'man' and break the rules. The older her often smirked at the younger her.

Ammy may have noticed when she left the elevator that the detail had increased in presence as there was now a guard stationed at the elevator to the medical wing as well as one that sat lazily about the nursing station atop of those guards at the door. Of course the men at the door were still as humorless as ever with the lupe, perhaps even a little moreso since it was just the fury non-human. Regardless they'd treat her with respect as they wanded her down, an appreciative nod as she took to the position for the pat down which was....oddly more personal than before. This was 'no fly list at the airport' sort of pat down! When they were finished one guard held a hand out for the bag. "We'll need to hold on to that for the moment and go over all it's contents first ma'am. We'll bring it in to you when we're finished." Stated flatly.

The bag was either given up or the man with the assault rifle before the door was not moving so it would seem the only way forward was to give up the bag for inspection. And upon doing that, well, they would let the woman pass on into the room with perhaps a few withered glances. Stepping in the first noticeable difference would be the second gurney that now occupied the other half of the room, the bed emptied and made but the presence of personal affects and monitoring equipment spoke volumes that, usually, it was occupied. And in the far bed, well, there was Mach putzing about on his phone. The man looked far better with hair and everything, the number of bandages down to a minimum and the color fully restored to him though he still looked fatigued and haggard.

Shifting blue eye blue from this phone to the door a wry grin pulled upon him as he saw the lupe entering. "Hey Ammy, fancy seeing you!" He chuckled as he dropped the phone to make grabby hand at the woman.

Ammy let out a small playful growl at the guard patting her down. "Hey. Hey. Ease up or your buying me dinner and explaining to my mates why they shouldn't break your legs." she grinned, showing all white, sharp canine teeth. The bag was handed over with ease as they let her pass, she looked to the guard taking her bag. "I need most of that equipment. Nothing is lethal and would snap if used as a weapon. You hawk or break anything and I remove your intestines through your nose with a local."

Threats and jibes given, she'd smile seeing Mach and head inside. "Hello Mach. Looking much better today. You have company?" A nod to the spare gurney and gear. She would give him a hug. "Thought I'd drop in, keep you some company and.....get you that temporary prosthetic arm so you can grab things twice as good." a small wink attached to that statement.

The gaurds....well, their expressions only seemed to thin at those joking threats, the subtle sound of rubber squeezing on metal becoming evident as the one guard took a firmer hold of his rifle. They were obviously nervous and distrusting of the non-human, a stark difference in attitude from Mach it seemed! As for the comment about breaking or hawking anything, well, the man just gave a nod. "I'll keep that in mind ma'am." Yes, cheerless sorts indeed.

Inside the room the atmosphere was much different as Mach pulled the woman into a hug, a kiss pecked to the side of her muzzle and one for the other. French a la Lupe greeting it seemed! Giving the woman another squeeze he'd finally release her, a full teeth grin offered. "Yeah...a friend of mine got into a scrape with some bastards." There was a dangerous glint to that sole cobalt eye as he spoke on such. "Pulled some strings to have her in here since one of the bastards got away and yeah....armed guards, good for the peace of mind even if it might put her a little close to me and the bad that can come after a dope like me." He shrugged lazily at that before motioning for the chair bedside or to the spot next to him on the bed. Her choice, either or!

"Company eh' Your a sweetheart!" Bright little smile at that as the man set aside his phone, pulling the bedside table over so as he could snag a box of cookies which were opened and offered over like a proper host. Of course at the mention of a prosthetic the man's expressions lifted some in surprise. "Oh' A temporary' Like....no surgical?" That peaked his interest as he liked grabbing things! And perhaps more importantly so long as it was removable he'd actually entertain the notion since were it not it would likely be ripped off of him when he got back to Tang. Alien tech and disciplinary boards and such and such.

Ammy was happy to be on the other side of the door and not a target. She'd hate to explain to Mirius why her favorite shirt had bullet holes in it and why she'd have to bail Ammy out of jail for killing guards.

"Yup. Company and an arm." she grinned and accepted a cookie. She'd sit on his bed, making things a bit more relaxed and friendly. "Enjoying the better reception on your phone" And yeah. Temp prosthetic. I'm not a surgeon. I got really good at making non-invasive limbs. The more serious ones I could make and design, but I'd have to check in to get put in, back in the day. In fact, here's some pics of what I did personally for myself during those years." she'd pull out her phone, swipe it open and show him pics.

Mach was clueless but likely very glad whenever one of his friends came along and there wasn't a firefight outside his room! Hey, he knew the sort of views those back in Tang held and the sort of people he associated with. And the fact that this one had artificial limbs, fur, and a tail....yeah, he could imagine the sort of treatment she was getting. He'd apologize himself if he thought such would do any better but instead he simply decided to do what he did best. Ammy was Ammy and that was how he'd treat her.

As she'd find herself on the bed the man would hit the switch on the doggle thing...yeah....the doohickey that made the back raise up! It would get him into a comfortable position as he looked over the photos shown, his expression gentle. "Damn....you've lost a fair bit..." Spoken softly as he tapped her arm and legs softly. "Sort of a fear of most hunters like me, yeah' To loose so much of ourselves when we're barely human to begin with." A lazy chuckle escaped him as he settled back, a look to the phone. "Oh yeah, it's been great! I could get all the porns now for my lonely nights here!" And he'd burst into a cackle at that teasing joke, his head shaking in apology for the crass humor.

"Sorry, sorry, but no, it has been nice, thank you! I'm still not sure how the hell it works....I mean, I can feel it working but....it tastes odd....the magic that is." He shrugged mildly.

Ammy just giggled hearing the man. "I'm not bothered by porn. Hell, I'm a mother and a grandmother." As if that explained it all. She looked at the photos, lost in thought a moment, a slight frown touching her muzzle.

"Marks of an idiot that didn't know how to keep herself safe most days. I was always throwing myself into the meat grinder of life those days. If there was a fight, a war, or some damn deity or monster mucking about, I was there, usually first to charge and first to get thoroughly reamed protecting others. Here, this pic..." She pointed to one of her being almost teen like with silver white metal limbs and black orb joints, "Was my first case of thinking of someone else and not me. The guy had an idiot friend that shoved him around a lot as a joke in a laboratory they were breaking me out of. Dummies didn't realize they were surrounded by liters of transmutation fluid just waiting to shift and change anything falling into them. Well the horseplay got out of hand on a catwalk as the one guy started to go over the rails. I lunged forward to push him back and well, gravity grabbed my butt and pulled me into a vat. That day I learned real fear. My legs and arm vanishing to be replaced by the metal ingots in my back I had on, part of what I could scrounge to help us escape."

She'd chew on a cookie a bit more. "Since then those limbs were fine until, well....a god threw me out of Sliinkaa and into a realm gate. I woke up on some artificially intelligent ship with limbs that didn't work. My first lesson that magic is not equal in all realms. I was the proud owner of three solid metal limbs with no magic to animate them. The AI race, the Mardooks, taught me how to make robotics and prosthetics." She grimace and grinned then. "Lessons served me well since getting here."

She'd give Mach a good look with her golden eyes. "I don't have prosthetics anymore, but then again, when.....the weird happens and turns you into a sun goddess, permanent limb loss, well isn't an issue anymore. They just regenerate now." she said a bit glumly. "I used to count my wounds and maiming as lessons I survived, now.....they just vanish, like I'm some gifted idiot given infinite chances to screw up more." She shrugged some. "Sorry about the blather. I can see why most people fear loss of limbs. You literally lose your freedom in things and parts of yourself. Though I will have to say.....when I got my real limbs back I...missed the fake ones. Felt naked, vulnerable and weak."

The comment about odd taste in magic had her giggle. "Well it's because it's not really pure magic for the Aethar Ware. It uses a piece of special crystal our moon, Moresh, has. My colleague brought them to me one day. Their whole society revolves around their use. They have magical patterns imprinted on the crystals at the atomic level. This is naturally occurring and well, the crystals resonate and radiate energy patterns that mimic and harmonize with magical energy."

The lupe may have found a comforting stump drawing her into a cuddling hug as she spoke about her past, about how she'd lost her limbs and gained them back and was now, effectively, impervious to her own stupid actions. It was something the man could understand oddly, in his own way. Obviously limb loss was a serious thing for him but the woman may have noted that Mach, for what he did and how familiar he was with hospitals, was pretty clean of scars. It was, honestly, miraculous for a man like he to be so well off though by the smell of the regeneration potion he took it was probably not much of a hard trick to wrap ones head around.

"Damn....transmutation fluid doesn't sound like a lot of fun..." Stated blandly as he looked over the picture, a slight color rising upon him at the lack of clothing to keep modesty in those clinical sort of photos. "And it looks like you really did put yourself through the grinder..." A mild smirk escaped him at that. "So is the older, more porn okay you less prone to such boughts of youthful stupidity since..." Oh hey, those taps were to furry meat and not metal. Squish, squish....well, not so much given the strong build but still. Totally unexpected!

"Well...since you're no longer held accountable by stupidity?" A mild smirk though he'd give the lupe a squeeze as she grew glum, his smile thin. "Yeah....I can see that....to look at me you probably wouldn't guess some of the stupid I've lived through. Got chewed near in half by a dragon once and...yeah....a little hip pain when it rains is all I get for it." He shrugged softly. "Well, you just have to remember them....the wounds that make and craft you. Remember the hard times that make you into you, yeah' Keep you balanced and humble." A nudge into her cheek with his brow into a form of broface.

Listening about the talk of the crystal and how it worked, well, the man nodded in that vacant sort of manner that just told that he wasn't exactly the best academician. Yes, resonation and radiation and mimic and stuff....the professor in the woman would very much recognize the vacancy in his eye! Of course this could also have been because he was chewing on some other bit of query that niggled in his mind. "Wait....hold on....you're a goddess!?"

Ammy smirked. "Funny how everyone goes into stupor when I explain physics and latch onto 'goddess' when it comes out of my mouth." She chuckled and snagged another cookie. "Yeah.....I guess I am a goddess. I am still wrapping my head around it and still trying to learn and understand what the hell I really am. I just know my....uhm.....heavier powers are sun fueled and vampires really, really hate me." She grinned.

"Transmutation fluid is bad. During the early days of alchemy back home on Sliinkaa, the process off transmutations was crude. Often the impurities in reagents would create a....magical liquid that was basically distilled alchemy. The liquid would cut out the middle man you could say by making anyone an alchemist without the study, the arrays, the signs, just put stuff together, a few drops, poof, transmutation. It was my first sin as a Lupinossai. Making that stuff for my captives. My second one.....well let's just say my mates get funny feelings and really protective when I want to back and correct that sin."

The man gave a sheepish grin as he was caught being a bad student. "Hey, I'm pretty dumb yeah' I mean, sure, some of my idiocy is an act, good for throwing folks off kilter....but you don't take a lifetime of getting blown up for a living if your smart....least not where I come from." A mild shrug as he gave the woman a nudge while he cuddled with her, the blanket let to drop some from his lap as, indeed, she was pretty warm! Snagging a cookie of his own he'd nibble upon it as he listened. "Yeah....I can only imagine trying to wrap your head around that. I mean, it still makes my head hurt just thinking about some of the things I've gone up against." The man shrugged. "Well, you'll forgive me if I just see you and worship you as a sexy woman and not someone I should drop to the ground to worship as some divine thing that could squash me like an ant, yeah?" His tone was cheeky but the words were genuine as he spoke.

Of course as she spoke about the transmutation fluid and what it did he just sort of nodded along in some understanding. Mach wasn't the sharpest tool around, but he was still pretty good. And he understood 'bad stuff' rather well. "So wait....for your captives...like....you used to transmute folks?" This was said numbly before he even had a chance to think about the tact of asking such a question. "Ah...er....sorry, that was pretty rude of me. Not that I'm judging...I...we all have skeletons in our closets....and I mean....really, feel free not to answer anything you don't want to." He backpedaled hard with a dopey little idiots grin. "I know how hard taking about such stuff can be....especially with a strange stranger like me."

Finishing his cookie he'd snag yet another and would work on that one as he made note of that second sin in accordance to the first. "Mates..." Spoken mildly. "How many do you have?" A curious tilt of features as he considered this. "Sorry if that's personal. I'm....actually kind of clueless about your particular culture." A motion to her in general.

Ammy just smiled and made two bottles of soda appear for them to enjoy from thin air. "I....don't look for worshipers. Contrary to popular belief, being a god or goddess back home is a job title, not an honorary thing. You put your life on the line daily for those you care about and those you don't know. We....well....our people have a bad history for hating gods and viewing them selfish. None of our gods have worshipers or followers. Just extra ordinarily gifted people that others fear or enjoy. So praying to me wont do a thing. I am just Ammy, with a few new perks. That's about it." she was very modest and low key on her new status.

Hearing him dig some into who she was didn't phase her much. They were in relatively private company and she'd gotten over her urge to deny how dark she'd fallen over the centuries. Well he wouldn't know about the centuries, she assumed. "I did....transmute many living creatures and people." she pulled in a small breath and let out a relaxing sigh. "Pretty much when my Lupe body matured into a teenager and the powers of my Phoenix soul manifested.....I became a lab play toy for a Lupinossai Mage named Spiritor. He, like most over ambitious males wanted to take over our country and then the world. He had me as his little experimental mage toy and spent years torturing and testing me and making me repeat many rituals, spells, and experiments to further his armor of mages along..." Ammy said casually though her golden eyes had taken on a hardened look of someone that had accepted she had done many things against her will, her fault or not. She still had to live with the memories.

"Did you know that a human soul can live and animate one mechanical object for exactly 223 years and 15 days" Or that weapons imbued with the soul of child will actually cry at night when it's dark" That a shield soaked in a mothers blood will be the hardest thing to ever penetrate when it guards a child but will turn brittle like paper when held by an adult' That with proper focus and a snap of fingers, the closest a battle alchemist needs to be to a living target is 30 feet to allow them to deconstruct bone, flesh and muscle" That Nethicite, a mineral that absorbs and negates magic, introduced into the blood will poison a mage for years and every spell they cast removes portions of their body till their blood is cleansed. That a lupinossai teen can endure being beaten, starved, cut upon and left in the dark for 7 years and only want to kill one man. One man that turns out to be the father of her husband." she grimaced and lowered her had a moment, a silent snarl rippled over muzzle and then calmed again. She sipped more soda and relaxed again.

"But I digress. Normally our race takes on one mate, often like humans. Some though have a more clan mentality where harems are encouraged to improve the survival odds of offspring and to cement border peace and alliances with other neighboring clans. I have three mates and often get looked at with disgust. Oh well, just means I have a warm bed all year round and a very loving family. Then again....it's sort of a roll reversal. I wear the pants in the family usually and everyone else follows my orders until one day I snapped mentally and just about lost their respect and love. Now, we all follow someone else's rules."

The man flinched a little as that soda just appeared, sole cobalt blue snapping about as if expecting some sort of hell to rain down upon them or some alarm to wail to life. After a few moments of silence the tension would finally leave the man and he'd take the soda with an appreciative nod. It was a good thing they weren't in a Tanga facility or the whole place would have been rumbling in alarm! Popping the top with a little more practice than one as newly one handed as he should likely have been able, the man just listened as she spoke about being a goddess. "Ouch....that sounds sorta rough. Guess deification isn't all it's cracked up to be..." A mild shrug before he'd nudge her. "Well, I'll still worship you as the sexy beast of a mama and grandmama that you are!" Cheeky grin as he said that, something likely about the sacrilegious notion of worship from the schmooze was obviously humorous to him.

Taking a sip of the soda he listened as she spoke and her word grew darker and darker still, the past that she lived through apparently bubbling up to haunt her. At some point his soda would have been set aside and by the time the woman would have finished her rant about the dark side of magic, the horrors she'd been a party too....well, she might be surprised to find herself wrapped up in the man's arms as he held her to him comforting. "Hey...hey...it's alright, yeah....that's the past....and now....now your a different person, yeah?" He spoke in comforting tones until she relaxed, moreso on her own than anything he did as evidenced as she sipped her soda. This....did little to dissuade the man from comforting her still, a squeeze given to the woman that likely could have killed him ten times over. Yeah....Mach really was sort of species blind, all he saw was a person hurting.

"I....kind of knew about a lot of that actually..." Spoken softly. "Hunters....we study how magic can be used to terrible effect so as we can try to stop such. I've never experienced forcing such on others though....can't imagine how it must affect you..." Gentle words spoken softly as he held the lupe. "I mean....I can understand a little. I've....done a lot of bad things myself....enjoyed the hunt and the....yeah..." His words fell silent at that thought. "Darkness...it's a bitch, yeah?" A little chuckle at the words though there was little mirth to be had with them.

He'd hold the woman for a little longer until she finally moved off into speaking about her family life and...well...he sort of thought maybe he should just continue hugging Ammy! "Ahh...I see....don't see why there should be disgust but guess I don't really know the culture." Spoken mildly, his expression a little strained as she spoke about snapping and now being under the leadership of someone. Yeah....he didn't have any words for that so she would get a squeeze as a snagged his drink for a sip. "shit....sounds like you've had a rough time at it....kind of make makes me feel like a whiner in comparison." He smirked lightly, another sip taken when there was a rap on the door. Talk about being saved by the distraction! "Come in!"

The door would open to show a rather somber looking guard, the fellow stopping with evident disgust at seeing....well, the furry woman wrapped up in the hunters arms. Yeah, that wasn't obvious, but of course Mach didn't bother to release the woman. If anything she would have to suffer a kiss to the corner of her lips and a warm squeeze which worked to prompt the fellow to bring in the bag and leave it quickly. "Y-Youre stuff passed inspection...excuse me....sir."

"And ma'am..." Mach spoke out in a lazy but cool tone to the man as he kind of nuzzled the lupe woman, hoping to gods she didn't rip him to shreds for being so friendly with her simply for his own selfish reasons.

The soldier paused a tick, his form stiffing before he turned a look back to the cozy couple. "Ma'am." The word was sour but earnest if only because the superior officer was glaring at them. Another nod and the guard would leave and Mach....well, Mach just melted onto the lupe.

"I'm sooo sorry!" A tired whine in obvious embarrassment at the treatment.

Ammy felt the hugging and the kisses and heard the guard come in. She gave him a glance mixed between thanks and almost pity as if she saw something in the guard she'd been privy to so long ago. Immortality of the soul was a bitch. So many memories clouded present life. "Thank you." She said to the man. "Sorry to have been harsh with you all earlier." she said to the guard before he left.

She looked to Mach. "Sorry for what? You're dealing with one of the flirtiest gals in Rhy'Din that rocks the fuzz." she smirked. "Don't be worried about me Mach. I've got a good family that's helped me cope and pull through the crap I've lived through. They'll keep me going well." She'd lean over and take the pack left behind. "Besides, I'll tell you what I told my last husband. Be careful about getting close to a Phoenix. All we do is bring ash and destruction. Then again, my first husband never took that hint seriously so many centuries ago. You'd have liked him. Tan skin, a way about the ladies, ran a beach resort in Eloso, Yasmiir. For a Humaran, he was a real tiger in the sack."

She began pulling out a large metal case with lots of screens and buttons on it as well as calipers, rulers and measuring tape. "He had a kind smile too, and green eyes like sea glass. He knew how to take care of me. Course back then I was like him, a genetically enhanced Human. Humaran was the new monicker they liked...." She asked for his stump and would start taking careful, exacting measurements and even photos with her phone.

"I could only repay his love so much though...." She began tapping things upon the screens of the metal case as she talked more. "Tell me Mach.....you ever do any missions where you knew the risk. Knew the cost and still got.....attached?"

Mach just sort of huffed into her collar before drawing himself up from that mushy state. "Yeah, well, telling me not to worry is like yelling at the sun to..." Okay, he just had to smirk as that saying held a whole new meaning with this one! "....er, that is...like telling the ocean not to be wet." There, boom, nailed it! Still, throughout his chuckling he still held a serious note to his expression, one of concern. "Well, so long as you're okay. It just chaps me though....not really of the view that folks should just have to 'deal' with shit that's mounted on them though suppose that's just part of things..." A sour note at that last part, something obviously personal with that view.

Of course at the mention of Ammy being flirty and her first human husband being a tiger in the sack....well, that drew a light amount of red upon the hunters features! "Well....shit....now I'm curious!" A wry little grin at that which moved into a chuckle as she spoke that warning about getting close to a Pheonix. "But yeah, well, some of us folks are just born stupid." A lazy little shrug was offered. "Or broken since I find the fuzzy version of you rather appealing." And now he smiled warmly to the woman, the expression genuine. "So don't flirt too badly with me or I might have to have my feelings hurt at being compared to lovers past and only measuring up to a kitten in the sack!" And now he burst into riotous laughter at that self depreciating joke, an attempt to humor away the negative vibes in classic schmoozy fashion.

At the request for his stump he would oblige, the gown shifted so he could pull the limb out as he'd unravel the bandaging that lay over it. What lay beneath was....well, still pretty bad. The flesh had grown back but it was still badly mutilated with what looked like spell runes still worming along the destroyed flesh straight down to where it was folded over the bone and sewn up by the surgeons. This pattern worked it's way up to his shoulder where the damage finally subsided rather neatly. It almost looked like wild magic had been consuming his arm by the deep carving and etching of his flesh.

Offering the stump out for the woman without complaint the man listened to the question, a dry smirk escaping him. "Got attached huh?" The man toyed around with that phrase, his form growing contemplative for a long moment. "Yeah...once....kind of....well, sort of where 'Mach' came from..." The man chuckled softly at that admission. "Was your first humaran husband a 'job'?" Asked quietly as he held his stump out for the measurement that would likely need to account from some more mass growth as the limb still looked transitory in nature.

Ammy looked over the stump, was very tender and gentle with her measuring, as if she did this often with patients. She noticed the magical rune work going up his arm. "Hmm." is all she said for the moment. Hearing him answer her question she sort of hedged a moment. "No. Jeremy wasn't.....the mission." She said and punched in the measurements into the black metal box.

"He was part of the infiltration stage of the mission...." she ran fingers along the edge of that box. "Being a mage weapon for the Lupinossai wasn't my first dose of that hellish life. As a Humaran, my parents were dead when I was born, leaving me and my twin brother as charges of the State Military. I was hand raised to be their shining star for putting down all Anthro uprising on Sliinkaa and any supporters they had. Well, one nation was Yasmiir. So I was sent there with a team to gather intel and initiate stage two of the plan when the Hammer of Aethar felt they had enough data. Jeremy.....was ...." she went silent a bit and hit an option on one of the screens.

The black metal box began to gently hum and whirr. She moved it to the foot of the bed and then attacked another cookie and her soda. She rubbed at her muzzle as if she had lost the words she wanted to say from her mind. "It....wasn't right. 2nd stage....well.....many people paid for it." She sipped her soda again. "My team included." She looked to Mach. "I never could understand how one group could consider another group expendable, disposable. I knew....I knew my crew, trained them all. I knew all those people in Eloso, many in Tala-Ray, Corcoso, Varem and Halba Bay." She stared at her hands and at the label on the can of soda.

"Have you ever been viewed and used as a weapon, Mach?" She asked him. She had a sense that he was something unique the way he kept saying 'Hunter'.

The man...didn't seem to feel anything in the stump as the woman gently took her measurements, manipulated it as she needed to get all the measurements for that....black....box.....Huh, that was a little ominous! The little sound the woman made studying the arm did garner a little chuckle. "Not much to look on I know but it'll improve. One of the things that will have to happen when I go back is that they'll need to scrub the latent magic still burnt into the flesh and bone." This was said nonchalantly though it hardly sounded so easy or pleasant a procedure. "As is I can move the limb about but I can't feel it in the least. Hardly even in a phantom sense..."

Another mild chuckle before he fell quiet, listening to the tale the woman spoke of about her past. About Jeremy, about a mission, and....Ammy would find herself in the man's arms once more, being comforted as she spoke about loss, his expression gentle, kind, and stoic. That cold stoicism that spoke not of sympathy....but empathy for the plight of another. She may have lived centuries more than him, may have endured lifetimes more hardship....but that didn't preclude her from the simple comforts of contact with another, of caring hugs and open ears. Immortal souls be damned.

It was that last question that would bring him from his thoughts, from the automated response of comforting the Lupe and to the foreground as he gave her another squeeze. "Ah....that sort of attached.....yeah....I've done that too." A gentle chuckle issued. "Ellena was her name and we....were to be married." Soft smirk issued as he waited a moment for the laugh or dumbfounded look that usually followed such a bomb. Mach....married....truly a cosmic joke if ever there was one! But who one was in the present and who they were in the past were often vastly different things....this was something the schmooze sort of figured with Ammy but until today, well, he really had not a clue hadn't he.

Shaking his head he dislodged that thought. "She died....because yes, I....all of us hunters....we are just that. Weapons." And with that admission he smiled gently. "Maybe you saw it when I sort of snapped at Hope about calling herself a monster, yeah?" Wry chuckling took him as he gave the woman a squeeze though perhaps this wasn't so much for her as it was for him. "As a hunter we learn about all the dark and nasty magic can and does do....what mad science can affect on the world. And with that we learn how to stop such....but we pay a price....we give up part of our humanity, yeah' And then we get the magic and....well, we cease to be human's any more. Not human....not mage....not mad scientist....just a tool, a weapon, a monster with a purpose." Simple roll of shoulder to such cruel words as he gave the woman another squeeze. "I'm guessing sort of the view you've had to live with."

Ammy nodded quietly. "Yeah. Sorry you lost her. I....had to stab Jeremy in the back. He knew the Humaran military was coming. Wanted me to go with him into hiding. Didn't realize his darling....wife was the Humaran General of War Magic. It's....the damn eyes. Damn, hopeful regret in his eyes as I pulled my knife out of him. He....was spared at the coming quiet though."

She looked at the box, brought it back to her and looked to him once, briefly, pain in the golds that shone with too much memory. "What.....what....what colors do you want?" she asked distracted, putting in more data.

"You....never know how quiet a whole country is when. Well, when you erase everyone from it with magic." She said to Mach. Her shoulders slouched and she looked at the box grimly. "What I tell you doesn't go beyond this room Mach. Please. I am considered a class 1 magical nuke. I have a blast radius of 200 miles when I put my heart into it......I specialize in overloading magic. It....vaporized the living like a nuclear bomb, but it's clean. No radiation left behind and the structures, vehicles and more remain intact for people to move right into."

She swallowed a little. "I heard you snap at Hope. She's hardly a monster. You're hardly a monster Mach. You are staring at a real monster. I can almost name all 1 million lives I took that day in the name of the Hammer of Aethar. 1 million lives. I've done penance, hell and more and I still feel them. You have little humanity left after that. I broke. I broke hard and ran. Fled the army, went awol, went rogue. Helped the anthros defy my own people. Made and sold them weapon and magic. Was caught and killed by my own brother. Brought back to life to pay for my crimes and sent out to help create the Lupinossai to suppress and kill other anthros. I even died to protect the Lupinossai for centuries with a special spell shield and they did me no better service.

I am soaked in the blood of innocent lives. I am forged in the fires of war. I play at being nice, peaceful and yet my blood sings to lay waste with magic and steel. I am a real monster Mach. I am the type you probably come to put a bullet or five into. The type that people tell their children to keep them behaving and eat right and sleep when told." She rubbed her face, stole one of his pillows and literally smothered her muzzle and screamed to get it all out.

Mach smiled thinly at the apology, nothing more to be said on the matter. It was something used simply to bait more from the woman that looked fine on the outside but he knew was screaming within. He could hear such.....it was a silent call that few ever could understand. As she spoke about what she did against her husband his expression grew stoic, sad but there wouldn't be judgment. He did not know the particulars of the situation...what right did he have to judge her for the actions taken even if something about that just made a part of him cringe and growl.

At the mention of colors the man quirked a brow. "Oooh, my choice." A teasing little touch of levity to his voice even though he wasn't feeling very light at the moment. "Gunmetal black." Stated simply. There was no point hiding the fact that the limb would be artificial and really, for it to look like it was forever charred seemed oddly fitting for the man. More a reminder of what he'd done. Of course as the woman started to speak once more, well...he felt his little fancies may well have been a drop in the ocean as the woman let loose. She spoke about being a weapon, a bomb, and what she'd been used for. He listened to her as she talked about centuries of bloodshed, of countless battles, of how she was probably the very worst arcane horror the man had ever had the displeasure of meeting.

His expression grew stoney, that stoic mask hard bent to remain as she broke down, and when she stole into that pillow to scream all that hurt and pain that welled in her, well, she would loose sight of the man who she could feel tremble ever so slightly. Was he that frightened of her" Did her words truly shake him so' Or....or was he pulling her even more into him!" The pillow and her screams would reverberate into his chest as he held her, stroke and encouraging her to just scream all her anger, all her fears into him. She would be held as such long after she'd finished screaming, the man's features buried in those shocks of red as he crowded her in comfort.

Long moments would pass as he held her so tenderly, used himself as a shield against the world if even for a brief time. Such would pass in silence before finally he spoke softly into a pointed ear. "I....yeah....you're right. You're totally the sort that I was created to end....to put two in the head for what you've done." It was such a bland and simple admittance. "But you are not you're past Ammy. You sought redemption and you fight against the howl in your blood. That....that means something. It has to mean something because what?s the point of change if there can't be forgiveness yeah?"

She'd feel something wet and warm hit her scalp as the man's words left him, as they struck a chord in him. Sage advice spoke to him from long ago, words that obviously shaped him. "We....we're weapons....but we're more....we won't just let ourselves be defined but what we've done....I mean, look at you....you're a proud mother....a grandmother even....you're living and affecting lives positively....that....that is not nothing. Maybe there is still vengeance out there for you...a bullet with your name on it just looking to find you....but who you are now is not a monster....and....I think that matters." Those last words were but a whisper as he pressed a kiss to the slope of the woman's brow, nuzzling into her as he gave her another squeeze.

Was he frightened of her" Hell yes! Terrified enough that she could probably feel the vibrations of tension that ran through him. But that did not stop him from holding her, did not stop him from seeing her as Ammy. He wouldn't....couldn't give that up. And she probably could guess that maybe all those words he spoke were the same that kept him going, the ones that helped him not succumb to the darkness that dwelt within him. "We're monsters....yeah....but more...yeah?"

She let it out, let the pillow take the brunt. Took her time to just decompress around another soul that hurt as much as she did in the world of the living. The world that ignored savagery often. She'd mumbled into the pillow a bit. "I've not given up on life..." she said and soon moved pillow so she could breathe. "I....just sometimes I get caught by the past and it boils. Hell, I'm even medicated so the flashbacks stay away and I don't lose it."

She stared up at the single blue eye with wet, reddened golds. "I have done a lot to live a right life. To be a good mother and grandmother. I wish every night and day my kids never be me. Never live to follow their mothers footsteps into battle magic. Sometimes my prayers are heard, other times they aren't. But yeah, the past isn't what matters. It's the future. Still doesn't mean the scars aren't here..." she touched her head and then his head. "....or here..." touched her chest then his.

"Yeah, we're monsters, but you know something Mach. Hope wasn't wrong thinking she was a monster. Not in the way we are. She can be a small monster in her own right, but not a vile monster. A good monster. Just....like us these days Mach. We....may be monsters, but often, we're the good kind of monsters. The ones that do what others can't because someone has to do the damn job for the day and get it all done. The dark knights, the underdog. We make the world function."

She'd tap in the color choice, a few more adjustments and the box was pushed away again. She wiped at her eyes and took a deep, centering breath. "I normally don't crack like that."

"I think we all do....those of us that....that do the dirty deeds that push shit forward....protect shit....all that jazz." The man's lipped parted into a wry grin as he moved in to nuzzle the woman, bopping her head with his playfully. It was a gesture that probably brought to mind the schmooze as some giant cat....a kind, caring, snarky asshole. "I....medicate too....with more than just booze." Stick of tongue at the obvious jab which he defused before it could be said. "Try to keep the screams and the faces back, the feelings and the smells at bay."

Seeing those reddened golds he'd give her another face to face bop before pressing a tender kiss to the top of her muzzle, resisting the urge to scruff her hair or scratch behind her ear. What....yeah, she was a sexy babe but come on, she still looked sort of like a big woofy! Mach was species blind, sure, but there would always be a little bias, a few prescribed notions that just stuck around. And to be honest he was actually rather proud that he'd not pet or scrubbed her belly by now, something that, in his past, had gotten him into trouble!

At the mention that Hope was a monster though coming from the lupe this..well, this got a shake of head. "No, she's not. Not even a little..." His tone was almost sullen as he said those words, as if he knew and understood what Ammy was saying, maybe even could see it himself....but just couldn't accept such. "I....I just can't accept that so little makes her a monster too. I....that term is not something I use kindly....can not. It's....it's something bad that I.....we....work up from....not something we own but something we have and strive against..." He shrugged lightly as he gave his own opinion on the topic, that hand leaving the woman's back so as to help clean up her fur of those tears as well as the evidence of his own.

Eying the black box as it made a few noises he turned his attention back to the woman as she worked on centering herself. "Sorry....I just have that affect on women..." This was stated so simply though he had to look away to hide the humor that sparkled in his lone eye as he gave the woman a nudge. "It's fine Ammy. I'm....glad you shared....and it was someone like me to receive it, yeah' I mean....yeah, I.....don't know heads or tails what to make of half what you told me but..." He pressed a warm nuzzle to her muzzle. "I'm not going to let it affect how I see you....You're you. That's it....and I won't be working to put a bullet to you so yeah...if you need to, you can talk to me, yeah?" Warm words and a gentle, positive smile though the man knew that, deep down, all this would take hold. But how it would change things or not was something not even he could predict given his peculiar views for a Tangian.

Ammy would nod and the black box beeped once. She'd pull it over and depress a few latches. She drew out a very well articulated, gun metal gauntlet styled glove. The kind a very rich and fancy black knight could afford except no hand would fit into the glove itself. The cuff was split in half with hidden hinges and latches on either side.

She'd take his stump and gently slide the 3D printed prosthetic on and with deft hands latched it close upon the healthy flesh. She'd adjust it a few times fiddling to get it right on his arm and once the built in sensors detected a pulse in his forearm muscles, a series of red accent lights flickered on. The arm may look like some something Knight Rider inspired from the car called Kit.

"There. Done. Give it a try. Wiggle fingers. Flip me off, pick things up. Can change the accent lights too with just a press of a finger at the LCD display. Hope....it'll work for you."

The man smirked softly at the nod, unsure if he stepped over bounds or not. Well, she wasn't trying to rip his throat out or annihilating things with magic so he figured they had to be at least a little squared as he held out his arm to receive the prosthetic. There was a slight flinch, a moment of 'oh shit this things going to eat me!' flashing across his face; the expression shifting to ' oh shit this thing is going to explode!' when it started to flash at him. Yeah....Knight Rider wasn't something he'd seen yet!

When the hand seemed to settle down well....it would take Mach a few more moments before his expression evened out, a dry look given to the hunk of black that now hung off the remains of his arm. The limb just sort of sat there lifeless as his arm had done the night he had been burnt to a crisp. "Um....how?" A very dumbly stated question as he watched the object with mild distrust as it sort of ignored all his mental commands and his normal attempts to move the hand as if he'd just gotten back the limb. If there was suppose to be sensation he was getting from it, well....it wasn't seeming to register as the man poked at it with his other hand.

"Just reach for something. Act like you still have a hand and don't think about it." she said quietly. "It reads muscle twitches and nerve pulses." she'd toss him a cookie to catch with it.

His arm would move and....yeah, cookie to the face. The limb didn't seem too keen to motion as the man's features scrunched, trying his best to think about how one normally moved an arm while trying hard not to think about what he was thinking about while he was thinking about it like a thought experiment. If it were possible there may have been smoke rising from the man's ears. "Great....this is kind of like my eye but twenty times harder....I can't even feel the thing other than the weight on my shoulder.." His brow knit as he tried to focus himself, to try and push aside that myriad of other noisy thoughts that jostled in his conscious and subconscious. After a few more for moments a rather grumpy expression crossed the man. "Maybe this tech isn't compatible with folks like me..." A look to Ammy, a look to the arm, a look to the teddy bear next to him, his phone, that paint brushed t-shirt tha- whoa, movement! Oh....oh shit...movement.... A look of cringing horror befell the schmooze as the hand finally did move taking his arm with it....and latched on to a grope of the lupe's bosom! Well....hot damn. "Shit! Stop! Stooop!" He hissed at the limb which just seemed to act like the devils play thing, giving a squeeze with each admonishment he cast at the argumentative creation. "I....I really don't know why it's doing this!" A touch of panic rose in his voice at how very, very bad this situation was turning.

Ammy watched Mach try to work with the prosthetic hand. She was started to feel like she'd lost her touch and that the hand was not going to work. Then she saw Mach reach out and grab one of her girls. She didn't know what happened, but her ears went back and on reflex laid an open hand slap across the mans face as she yipped in surprise and a little pain.

"Mach!" She moved back from him rubbing some bruised pride.

The man looked obviously confused at the grabby little devil and was focused on, well, trying to get it to stop when a rap of paw across his face would have him reeling back against the bed, hand pulling from that globe as the woman leaned back. "Ahk!" Hand came up on instinct to protect where he'd been slapped though the movement was cut short as he'd snatch that prosthetic which was making grabby for the lupe's other mamery. "I-I seriously didn't mean to do that...I...erg....y-you....nnn...you gotta believe me!"

Clear panic mixed with embarrassment held in his voice as he fought with the limb, teeth grinding in annoyance. "Shit....oh come on....s-stop that! Really, I-I'm so sorry! I'm really not this sort of guy.....y-you gotta believe me!" A few tugs, a little growling under his breath and then....well, suddenly the hand changed direction and Mach....he was now struggling to keep the black hand from grabbing and crushing his own throat! "Shit!"

Ammy's eye's widened in horror. She'd never seen her prostheses do that. She leaned in and did her best to unlatch the latches on the hand. Getting all three the device should deactivate and fall to the bed. If not, well, Ammy is going to be a bit freaked out.

It was an epic little struggle that probably would have looked hilarious from the outside as the man pantomimed trying to choke himself with the lupe struggled to save him from his own fate. Of course there was nothing pantomimed about this as the struggle was rather real, fingers curling menacing at the schmooze! After a bit of struggle the woman would get to the latches of the device, pulling it free from that stump with a soft, sizzling pop.

The man would, understandably he hoped, scoot away from the black hand for a few moments, blue eye blue glaring at the offending object a bit before finally he looked to Ammy with concern. "Are you okay?"

Ammy stared at the hand on the bed for a long moment, reached to her back pack and took a screwdriver. She poked at the hand some, seeing if it was deactivated or possessed. "I'm.....I'm fine..." she said to Mach. "Little bruised, maybe embarrassed, but fine." poked the hand more. "Never seen that happen before. Almost thinking it was going off of some very repressed thoughts in your mind."

"Uh....very repressed...yes..." There may have been a tinge of embarrassment coloring rugged features at that, the man sort of looking anywhere else but the woman. Like at the demon hand, yes. The demon hand was a good thing to look at! He'd watch it with interest as Ammy poked it with a screw driver, the hand not seeming to respond to the insult. "But truly, I'm really sorry. I certainly didn't think it would do that at such a fanciful....um....thought. W-What was weird though was that it felt like it was taking control of the rest of the arm too. That....that's not right, right?"

A look to the woman as he absently rubbed at his stump, the runes etched into his flesh throbbing and looking just a little more evident than they had before. "Same with when it tried to snuff me out." Shaking his head a light smirk escaped him. "Pretty wily little fucker!"

Ammy looked at the hand, satisfied it didn't move again. She picked it up to inspect it more. She listened to him describing it as taking over and stared at him a bit more. She noticed the runes looking fresher on his arm. "Hmm. I am wondering if those runes aren't uhm....interfering with the hand. Look pretty fresh again." She would lean in a moment to touch at this face. "I....didn't claw you did I" How's face?"

A tick of blues down to his arm that he rubbed, cobalt blue studying the limb a moment before his expression scrunched unhappily. "Hnn...you're right. Thought that felt like a strange bit of feedback. Like, I could feel the hand moving but I wasn't getting any sensation of....well....yeah. I should have at least felt a squish but nothing of the sort." He considered the hand once more until there was a lean, hand coming to touch at his face where four neat holes now oozed blood.

At the question of concern the man simply shrugged, a chuckle escaping him even as he bled. "Oh nothing bad. It'll heal, yeah' I'm just glad you were slapping and not trying to rip my fool face off!" And he'd chortle once more in humor, obviously fine with the damage he'd receive. "Well, I think I'll need to practice more with that hand before I start to rely on it, yeah' Maybe not when I'm....distracted....or feeling anything in any form..."

"Like being distracted by someone you have some....thoughts about?" Ammy gave him a small, polite smile. Hand still on his cheek, he'd feel a light warm on it, like a partial sunbeam on a warm summer day out in a farmers fields. The holes would be gone, the blood as well. She went back to looking at the hand. "Well from what I can tell, the hand itself is fine. It has no added tech for AI and no capacity to create AI. So....maybe after you've been, what did you call it, scrubbed of the wild magic, it'll work better until you get the official replacement." She looked really sorry for slapping him. "I haven't torn anyone's face off in years. No need to." she grinned.

Mach snorted lightly at that polite statement. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. I also had thoughts about wanting to die of embarrassment and yeah....seems this little fucker is a wish granter." Dry smirk at that as he lifted his hand to hers her which still cupped his cheek. He was going to pull the hand away until he felt that magic curling which had him cringing a little under it's weave. It was a gentle enough spell and so he was able to take the magic but he had to say he felt a little worse for it even if he wasn't bleeding anymore. Of course he'd not let on to this as he just smiled as he could at the woman.

"Thanks fuzzydoll. And yeah, maybe....or maybe it just interprets things oddly because of who I am or..." And he'd fall silent to a shrug. "Suppose I'll just have to try it again later. Good it doesn't have an AI because yeah.....that would be creepy!" And now the man cracked at that notion, his hand moving to boop the lupe gently, "It's okay Ammy, really. Perfectly acceptable sort of reaction." He noted the guilt upon her features which prompted him to shake his head. "But that's good you've not had to rip faces off....very much so. But yeah.....I'm thinking all this extra magic is probably screwing with it."

Grabbing the hand once more he'd sort of pick it up and held it towards his stump, watching a moment until the fingers ever so lightly twitched. Yeah....there was some definite feedback going on!

Ammy nodded and tucked the screw diver back into her pack and zipped it up. "Well, keep it unlatched and off your stump. It'll power down soon. If you need to turn off when on your arm, tap the LCD screen three times. It's a built in panic button that'll cut the power out of it." She smiled to him and leaned in and gave him a kiss on his forehead. "I hate to cut the visit so soon, but I do have a few things to run and tend to. When you get out, come find me and I'll take you out for Ramen or make you some Miso soup." She'd stand and shoulder on the pack.

The schmooze took in the information with a nod as he put the hand on his bedside table.....and gave it a little push so it was faaaar away from that stump. "Alright, yeah, thanks for the info." At the kiss to the brow the man smirked as his all organic hand snaked about for one last hug and squeeze. "You mean ' it's high time to get the hell out of here so as to ice your girls' yeah?" The man smirked but he'd not stop the lupe from her sudden departure from off the bed.

"Yeah, sure, when I get out I'll seek you out for sure!" A bright grin curled on him though it seemed a little hollow, reserved even from some thought that pattered about behind that friendly facade but not enough so as to be easily discerned. No, he would keep that mask well enough as he waved to the departing lupe. "Hey, thanks for the visit....and the hand even if it's a little cray cray, yeah?" And the man cackled at that.

Ammy just giggled. "Yeah some ice and maybe a beer are in order. Take care Mach." She gave him a parting hug and would leave the man to his wily ways.

(Adapted with many thanks from live play with the crackalackin Ammy Spiritor!)