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[This morning she coughs, and there is blood on her palm.

She has no idea how long she sits, curled up in the blanket and leaning against her bed, staring at those damning traces. It's not a lot. It's all she needs. Makie knows the symptoms well enough, watching as her mother wasted away over the passage of time. Suspected from nearly the very beginning. Feared and denied. There's no denying it now.

She showers and dresses without a word, paying barely any attention beyond making sure to wash her hands thoroughly. Her mind is turned inwards. Seems that she's inherited more than her mother's profession, then. How fitting. Fuki took less than a year to succumb, but her living conditions were squalid. She has no idea if that's a good length of time or not. In a place with cleanliness and running hot water, maybe it will be much longer.

What does that mean, in a place like Luceti? They say the dead come back to life. Does she merely have to serve penance the once and come back healthy, or... does she look forward to dying time and again as the disease runs its course over and over? She should find out. She should... somehow... it's hard. How? She can't see herself asking on the journals about it. That would be telegraphing it to the town, and far too much attention. Unlike her home, she has a half hopeful, half afraid thought that the people she has met won't take the news well. She doesn't want to draw all that-- no, she should tell people. Saori. Rin. They deserve that much.

...she's in a house with too many people. She should leave. It's safer. Plenty of empty apartments. She can isolate herself and make sure she's no burden to anyone.

She doesn't want to. That's a surprise.

Life is good, here.

Then there are tears, and she packs her things. There aren't many.

Order of business. She's a coward, and leaves a letter on her bed, addressed to Saori:

I'm very sorry, but I feel I need to move away for a while. You've all been very good to me, and I thank you. It isn't because of anything any of you have done. I don't know how to filter on the journal. If you write to me later, I will explain.

- Makie

After that, she visits three places:

- the forge, to pick up her hopefully now repaired weapon.
- Seventh Heaven, although by 'visit' she'll stay outside and ask one of the staff to fetch Rin, if they could
- finally, community building #1 on a search for Tenten. She met the girl in a kitchen when she first arrived, and she needs to return a sword.

After that, well. She still has a list of empty apartments. She'll find a quiet one somewhere.]

((ooc: despite Makie's intentions, housemates are more than welcome to action in on her before she leaves the house if they prefer. She'll still be visiting these places regardless of the fallout-- where she ends up at the end of the day may change, that's all. Chrissakes Makie, it's not the 18th century, go see a doctor :|))

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[In fairness, Makie is by far the most 'normal' person living in this house ~~if anyone in the house could be called normal~~ and any normal person would probably have jumped to the same conclusion. ]

Lung illnesses are fatal if untreated, so I can see why you're worried. But don't. You'll be taken care of. I know for a certainty that there are ways to heal sick lungs in the world Ami's from.[She holds out a hand, offering some support, while making a mental note about Makie's mother. Clearly this particular situation was striking close to home, and it was likely her friend had contracted it from her mother. It explained the fear of being near people, certainly. And it adds to the poignancy of the situation for Saori, who lets her smile widen just a hair. A chance for someone she liked to overcome a personal demon was a decidedly worthwhile cause]

I know it's overwhelming. At worst you'll have to stay in the clinic for a night or two, and you'll probably need a special medicine called an 'inhaler' but that shouldn't be any trouble at all.

Now, shall we go? Everything will be fine, I promise.

Edited (frakking html, and wordorder. Last edit, sorry) 2013-07-23 07:27 (UTC)

[Everything will be fine.

She can't allow herself to believe that. Not yet. That a doctor could help her doesn't sound so farfetched in a place like this. She should have thought of that, shouldn't she? And yet, Makie is reluctant to go. It is oddly attractive, the idea of just quietly letting the disease take its course. She doesn't examine that too closely. There's no need.

What eventually gets to her is the smile, and the hand Saori offers. Makie might have certain beliefs about the course of her life, but if a Japanese goddess is saying it's all right, then maybe...

She lowers the bundle in her arms to set it quietly just inside the door, and prop her shamisen beside it. She'll return for the instrument later.]

I'll go. I'm... I apologise for being foolish.

[Saori reaches out and takes Makie by the hand, still wanting to offer what support she can. It can't be easy, living like that.]

There's no need to apologize. All I ask is that if you have a problem or a concern...talk to us. Any of us. We'll help you, and it won't be a problem. Friends and family have each other's back, don't they?

[With a perfunctory nod at the door, she heads out into the summer heat and down the street towards the clinic, Makie in tow.]

[Makie follows along unresistant, fingers closing over Saori's hand lightly. Her steps are pretty small, but that's more because she wants to save her breath.

She's not sure how to answer that question. More, she's struck by the discrepancy, that at home she has neither of those things. Luceti is so very different.]

...all right.

[Saori slowly leads the way down the street then, taking care not to go too fast and offer any support Makie might need. It's a small thing, but it's something simple and tangible she can do for a friend. She's no healer, and she's woefully uneducated on anything more than simple first aid.

It doesn't take them long in any event and when they enter Saori immediately goes over to knock on one of the office doors.]

Ami? I've got a patient here who needs to see you. She's very ill.

[Makie doesn't really want to be here. But she knows well enough she should be, so she stands quietly in the background and waits for the door to open.]

[The words 'very ill' have immediate effect. Ami opens the door after barely enough time to have gotten up from her seat and crossed the room. When she sees Saori, she offers a small half-bow, and her eyes soon move to Makie, who she doesn't know and thus assumes is the patient. She offers a deep nod.]

Please come in right away.

[Quick introductions as Saori gestures for Makie to come along.]

Ami. This is Makie, and she's been coughing and sick for a few days now. She says it's lung-sickness...but I know that could mean a lot of things.

Makie, this is Ami. My friend, the doctor. She'll take care of you.

[It's been a month of coughing, but Makie's too weary to correct it. At Saori's introduction, she just glances up with assessing, cautious eyes, before her gaze slides away again.]

What... do I need to do? [The clinic's surroundings already show her things will be far different than the doctors she's seen in Edo.]

[It's alright; Ami will be taking enough of a history to clear that up anyway. Right now, she makes the effort to put Makie at ease.]

Please sit down, and relax. [She takes the nervousness to be that of someone who simply 'doesn't like doctors', and smiles.] I just want to talk to you for right now. [No medicines or shots - yet.]

[Saori just takes up a position, leaning against the wall to make sure everything goes well. No need to talk, just listen and see if she's needed.]

[A female doctor, at that. It's sort of heartening as well as surprising, and after a moment's hesitation, she sits down slowly in a chair.]

Please tell me your symptoms, and how long they've continued for; when they began, and so on. Please also tell me any other health concerns you have right now.

[She has a small notepad that seems to be used for taking notes on these histories.]

[...rapidfire? It takes her a moment to marshall her thoughts.]

There's a cough. It started... the first time I can remember was just after the cultural fair. I thought it may have been a cold, but it's grown increasingly worse. Uncontrollable at times. I feel-- [She puts a hand to her chest.] It's heavy. Like something clinging to my chest. And I've had a fever that comes and goes. And I am very tired, sometimes.

This morning, there was blood.

[She's not eaten all that much lately, but that's not that uncommon with Makie. So she doesn't think to list a loss of appetite.]

[She has a strong idea where these symptoms are likely leading, but Ami keeps herself professional as she continues to ask questions, about specifics now. After some of these are answered, she gives a somewhat serious caution.]

I think you should have come here sooner, with those symptoms. Whenever you're sick, no matter what it is, it's best to receive proper treatment right away.

I'll remember that next time. [It's an automatic courtesy. Makie isn't thinking that far ahead in any case. She keeps her eyes on the floor.]

[A lingering cough, fever... the blood. Ami begins taking Makie's vital signs first while they talk, noting down the numbers. But her questions are already directed.]

How have you been eating lately?

I... have been eating. [A slow blink. Now she thinks on it, Makie understands what she's been asked.] Not a great deal. I haven't been very hungry.

[A nod; she'd suspected that might be the case. And of course with each answer, whether it matches her guesses or not, she's closer to an accurate diagnosis as she gets more information.]

How about sleeping? Have you been sleeping alright?

It... depends. I've had a few bad nights, with coughing. Sometimes it's all right.

[Another nod, a few more notes. Ami maintains a carefully serious but neutral expression as she faces Makie when she glances up from the clipboard.]

I'd like to take a chest x-ray if it's alright.

[Free medical care, Makie. This is something to take advantage of.]

[What is taking advantage of people :|a ~~nless you're killing them at the time...~~ Be that as it may, the confusion on Makie's face may clue Ami in to her question before she asks it.]

What is a chest x-ray?

[Ami's used to breaking down explanations for various people from different points in time and technology. So she barely misses a beat before she has a fairly simple explanation.]

It's a type of technology that lets us see a rough image of inside the body. It's very useful for telling if a bone is broken, or to see whether there's congestion in the lungs.

[She chickens out at the end, doesn't mention tuberculosis yet.]

[O...kay, then. But in light of everything she's seen, Makie feels rolling with it is the easiest path.]

All right. What do I need to do for it?

You just need to show up for your appointment on time.

[This is half a joke; half because she can actually make sure it's taken care of right now.]

We can do it today if you'd like.

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[Action] and thread tracking ON! so i should be set for post order

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[Action] You guys can really go ahead and skip me...I'll interject as needed?

[Action] Yosh o7

[Action] sure!

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