Monstrosity [Invite]

[Phoenix]

The moonlight glinted off the balcony railing as Phoenix watched over the city. One hand held the rail while the other splayed over the slight swell of her stomach. On anyone else, the protrusion would have hardly been noticeable, but such was the level of her emaciation that even the slightest bump was visible beneath the thin fabric of her shirt. It hadn't even been a week since the encounter she'd suspected to be the cause of the thing growing inside her, but it felt like longer. Every day, the bump grew a bit bigger, so quickly it was nearly visible. Or so she thought.

Axel had practically demanded she abort the monstrosity as soon as possible, but she'd refused. Monster or not, this was her baby. Death had denied her the opportunity to be a mother, and sick as it was, she'd cherish this opportunity for as long as she could. She knew, deep down, nothing good would come of her affinity for the beast growing in her belly, but that didn't mean she couldn't hope.

Pushing herself away from the railing, Nix slipped inside out of the cold. Pregnant women needed doctors. She was pregnant, and so she would need one as well. Her nose scrunched, repulsed as she flopped on the couch. A normal doctor wouldn't do - it had to be someone familiar with the vampiric condition, and of those, the redhead only knew one.

Resigned, her hand reached out for her phone. What's the worst that could happen?

[Phoenix]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

<Phoenix> Walking in the front door of the clinic felt wrong, like she'd just stepped into some otherworldly Twilight zone that smelled of bleach and antiseptics and something else she couldn't quite place. Just sterile and inhospitable. Without her typical stash of weapons, too, Nix felt vulnerable, even in the presence of the cheery little receptionist. Approaching the desk, she pulled her health care card from her pocket and slid it across the desk. "Appointment for Lewis," she cringed at the use of her real name. This really wasn't going to end well at all.

After a few minutes of rapid typing, the receptionist nodded. "Mhum. Have a seat; it'll be a few minutes." Collecting her card, Nix hugged her jacket around her belly, went to sit and wait.

<Doc> Doc’s lab assistant Janice.. or was it Janet, called to let him know his appointment was there to see him. He did not recall making an appointment. He sighed as he figured it was probably a salesman who wanted to talk to the person that made the business deals, and was merely trying bypass Jane, and lied about having an appointment. He would have to have to have a chat with Jane about screening the salesmen out. As he closed into the front desk, his ire as being disturbed by a petty salesman, to wary foreboding. He stopped and looked at Phoenix for a moment, and then smiled at Janice, before looking back at Phoenix, “This way..” He motioned for her to precede him. ****! He wasn’t carrying his gun!

<Phoenix> She had the grace to smile when she spotted Doc despite the loathing that roiled in her gut. The warmth of the smile didn't reach her eyes as she stepped behind him, following as instructed. Though she could hardly resist ensure that she walked directly behind him, out of his line of sight. "Thank you," she replied while within earshot of the woman manning the front desk. Once out of it, however, her voice lowered. "I figured I'd come hang out. For funsies."

<Doc> Doc’s jaw clenched at her use of the term, ‘funsies’. The word, if it could be called such grated on his nerves. It was a blatant butchering of the English language. He barely refrained from dryly offering a sarcastic ‘oh joy.’ as he silently counted. He didn’t need his employees to get a hint of the animosity that he felt toward her. As they progressed down the hallway, he said in a polite yet clipped voice, “Next door on your right..” The door was open and revealed a standard medical practice set up, complete with examination table. Once they were both inside, he quietly closed the door, shoved his hands into his lab coat pockets and leveled a look at her, “To what do I owe this unexpected… pleasure?” His tone making clear, it was anything but a pleasure.

<Phoenix> She followed him into the room, and dropped into one of the standard chairs used for consultations. Her expression was bland, unimpressed, if not neutral. "Let’s not **** around with the pleasantries. You like me about as much as I like you. You're just the only medical practitioner that I know of that shares the whole being-dead affliction." She paused, eyes flicking to the wall for a moment as she chewed her lower lip. "I need help," she muttered, "I'm pregnant."

<Doc> Doc’s eyes widened appreciatively, first, at the words that came out of her mouth, namely the “I need help”, only to have that shock dwarfed by the next two words, “I’m pregnant.” He was familiar with the phenomenon, more than a little. What did she know? And how did she know if she did? He raked a hand through his hair, “You’re sure?” he prevaricated briefly. Of course she was sure, but he had to ask. He mulled the situation over, if she was, in fact, pregnant that would call for an abortion. However, the thought of telling her, that he would need to cut her open.. at this precise moment in time, did not seem like the wise thing to do. So he decided to feel her out, see what she wanted from him first, before he offered any sort of solution. “Your symptoms?”

<Phoenix> Her lips pressed into a thin line as she pushed the jacket off and pointed. Slight though the protrusion was, Nix really had no noticeable body fat to obscure the bump, making it all the more obvious. "There's that... Unless I just spontaneously got fat." Which she didn't believe for a second – Nix had found it hard enough to gain weight as a human; the 100% liquid diet had done nothing to increase her size. She sighed, slumping back against the chair and eyeing Doc. "I've also been tired and puked up a blood pack."

<Doc> When she moved her coat to the side, he recognized the telltale sign. He crossed his arms, lethargy was an understandable side effect, the fetus, beast, was pulling her energy as it grew. The puking, he had presumed was a human only thing, seems he was wrong. Interesting. In fact, it was becoming more than a little interesting. “How long have you known?” There was no documentation on this sort of thing. He would be breaking new ground. Imagine the insights he could glean, the information he would learn... Whoa. Slow down. He forced himself, reel that train back in. It’s a fadebeast. It has to come out.

<Phoenix> Slumped in her chair and staring at the floor, she didn't notice the interest flickering behind his eyes. Had she seen it, she'd likely have worried more than she was. Her hand smoothed over the swell of her belly, fingers idly plucking at the fabric of her simple white shirt. "A few days... It happened about a week ago, though." A wry grin curled her lips at the thought that she could pinpoint the exact moment of conception, but the grin vanished almost immediately, replaced by another thought. "What're the odds that it's not some horrible little monster...?"

<Doc> A week? And she was already showing. This was intriguing for damn sure! The metabolic rate by itself was astounding, if he were to do nothing more than tracking her physiological changes. Her question brought his anticipation to a screeching halt. That question clearly showed she knew what her options were. “Zero. It’s a fadebeast. It needs come out. When the lab closes, you can come back.. bring someone with if you would like, we can do the procedure then.”

<Phoenix> Nix listened and even nodded, but that wasn't what she wanted to hear. She wanted to hear him say that there was a chance it might be a perfectly formed little baby. Boy or girl didn't matter, so long as it was safe and healthy; on second thought, it actually didn't even need to be healthy - if it were stillborn, she could still save it, mother it and love it... her eternal, dead, baby.

Her teeth came down on her lower lip as if in self-reprimand. Her hand clenched protectively over her stomach, fingers knotting in her shirt. "I can't just... kill it..." she trailed off, finally raising those honey brown eyes to meet his. "What if it's not? What if I keep it until we're sure it's not... right...?"

<Doc> “What do you mean, ‘what if it’s not’?” He snorted derisively, it wasn’t a personal attack, it was disbelieving type of reaction, “Six days..” He looked at her evenly, “and you’re showing like six weeks.. that isn’t normal.” He clearly and slowly enunciated the last three words. Alright. True, he had no clue as to what ‘normal’ was, but he sure as hell wasn’t about to buy into her fantasy that it was a normal baby.

[Doc]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--


<Phoenix> "What if you kill it and it's... just not a fadebeast. I'm dead - that's not normal either, but here we are. so much weird **** goes on here that nothing would surprise me." She paused, turning enough to observe one of the anatomic diagrams lining the walls. It was the anatomy of an knee, all blown out and dissected and falsely colored. Surely her knee, if dissected, wouldn't be that strange yellowy-pink... "What's the harm in keeping it until it's obvious that it's not what I want it to be? It's just me getting hurt if I'm wrong. And I know I'm wrong, but I don't want to be..."

<Doc> “Let me get this straight, you are aware, that this...gestation is not a baby; it is a fadebeast. However, on the infinitesimal chance that we are wrong.. you want to carry it to term. Is that what I am hearing?”

<Phoenix> When put like that, it sounded kind of nuts, even to her, but yes, that was essentially correct. Folding her arms over her chest, the redhead leveled Doc with a resolute glare. "That is exactly what you're hearing," she confirmed, stubborn to a fault, though her tone was far less confrontational than usual. "So will you help me?"

<Doc> Doc blew out a slow long suffering sounding sigh. “Fine.. I will help you. I will chart your progress, and give you what advice I can; but you will have to sign a ******* release form. And so will the baby daddy.” Outwardly, he gave the impression of a professional that was being put upon, to ‘do no harm’. Inwardly he grinning from ear to ear as he ran through the iterations of what information like could be worth in regard to the other experiments he had going and those he had planned.

<Phoenix> He'd agreed! The serene droop of her lids and the smile on her lips were enough to convey her contentment, but she added a "Thank you," just in case. Release forms would be fine.

Though, at the mention of Axel signing a release form, Nix fidgeted in her seat. He didn't know she was here and he'd told her essentially what Doc had - abort the ******* monstrosity. "Where's the form? I'll take one back for Axel and bring it in..." after forging his signature.

<Doc> “I will be right back..” What the ****.. like he had a ‘hold harmless fadebeast pregnancy release form' on file? He went into his office and sorted through the various release forms until he found one that might work. It was a medical release form about ectopic pregnancies, and the issues inherent therein. Doc returned to the exam room with forms in hand. He sat across from Phoenix and crossed out certain words and added “FB” in their place. “You do not have an ectopic pregnancy… but this form comes the closest. Initial where I have marked out ectopic and replaced with FB .. for Fadebeast, and then sign right here.” He waited for her sign her copy, before he gave her the second one. “This one is for the Baby Daddy.. And he is to initial and sign as well..”

<Phoenix> She waited patiently while he shuffled off, idly poking at her belly and wondering when, or if ever, the thing brooding inside her would begin to respond. If it started slashing at her insides, they'd have a problem, but until the little monster grew proper claws, she'd continue treating it like the child it was. Naming it likely wasn't a good idea, though.

When Doc returned, forms in hand, she chuckled at the explanation. "Alright..." Taking the form, she skimmed the lines. Sure, he’d agreed to help her, but this was Doc. She wanted to make sure the form included absolutely no stipulations about strange pelvic exams. Satisfied after a few moments, she initialed and signed where he'd indicated. "Stop saying baby daddy. You know full well it's Axel... Can I just sign it for him?"

<Doc> Doc gave her a look, “No. He needs to sign as well.. so I can ensure that he too, is fully informed.” He sighed, “No offense; was intended, if you had done as many paternity DNA tests as I have you would be calling him ‘Baby daddy’ too.” He collected the form Phoenix signed and folded it, and placed it in his pocket. “I will need to see you again in two days, and bring his signed release for with you. My supposition is that you will be the equivalent of eight weeks, and we can do an ultrasound.”

<Phoenix> She shifted again, clearly uncomfortable at the thought of mentioning it to Axel, but folded the form and slipped it into her bag with a slight nod. Sure. 'Axel' would sign it later when she got home. Or he'd throttle her for going to Doc and not aborting it like he'd asked. Her nose scrunched momentarily, but instead of commenting, she just laughed. "If I was sure fadebeasts had DNA, I'd get the paternity test. I'll schedule the appointment on my way out," she confirmed, slipping her jacket back on. The thing was large enough to cover the growing bump. "And if Axel doesn't sign the form...?" Or tries to kill him... she really didn't want that.

<Doc> Doc nodded absently as he was already making notes on the patient. Female of approximately 25 years, seemingly well nourished... “Yes Julie can sort you out for an appointment. Two days’ time...” He finally looked up at the mention of Axel not signing. He took the standard ‘woman’s body is her property’ outlook, “You’re not married. You can’t be 100% sure he is the father without a DNA test; which you so candidly pointed out may not be viable anyway. So it ultimately comes down to what ‘you’ want.” But he gave her the look he would give Cat or Jacq if they were trying to pull something on their significant other, “But you will eventually be married, and you do not want this event to be a stumbling block.. now do you?”

<Phoenix> Her mouth opened to retort something about how she certainly was 100% sure of who she'd slept with over the past week, but then snapped her jaw shut with an audible click. Bickering with Doc really wasn't in her best interest, even if he was lecturing her like some father figure. Once her jacket was done up, her arms crossed over her chest and she shot the older man a glare. He was right, and she hated that. Admitting it seemed like even worse of an idea. "No, I don't. Fine..." she grumbled, heading for the door. Before leaving, she turned back to eye the man curiously. "Careful - for a second there, you actually sounded like you care." With a cheeky grin, the redhead slipped from the office to book the appointment with Julie.

<Doc> Doc merely returned to his notes. He had actually lost count of the times, he had had this precise conversation with young unwed females who were sure that the father of their baby would marry them once they found out they were pregnant. What the **** made females think, that, because they were about to spew some mewling needy infant out from between their legs, that, it would make a male all eager and ready to marry them. Did females not realize the minute they said the word ‘baby’, men instantly envisioned a concrete weight tied around their neck dragging them to the depths of the blackest water, which meant certain death. He snorted derisively, rightttt. Him care? More like he didn’t want to see or hear Axel sniveling around the Eyrie, because Phoenix did what she wanted to ******* do regardless of what he wanted.

[Phoenix]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

<Axel Rosen> Sometime earlier this evening Nix had asked him if he would come with her to the raid, work as a team, just the two of them. That's a little odd, really, as usually they do it with Kyrian, Every, and some others. It's odd to him that the two of them would do it alone, but it's some time with her and that's good enough for him. His feet clog along the lower floors as he makes his way up to the floors she's already come through. Finally he gets to the floor that she had recently told him she was on. Once there, he encounters his first enemy. It notices him and misses it's first attack in an attempt to get surprise. Axel swings his blade. The blade is just a distraction as he pours bullets into the Worker. Taking a step back around the corner, he reloads and waits a moment. Finally he comes out and charges the man, gunning at him until he finally has him cornered. The St. James sword impales him through the chest. His eyes, blue and shining, look around for his mate. "Nix?"

<Phoenix> She was there, watching the encounter from the dark recesses of an alcove. Doppel had alerted her to Axel's arrival, and the Shadow had come, if only to watch. Once he'd dispatched the worker, Nix padded over to her partner as silently as she could manage before carefully slipping her arms around his waist. Likely not a wise move when he had a naked sword in hand, but she nestled against his side nonetheless. "Here," she mumbled unnecessarily.

<Axel Rosen> As her arms go around him he almost brings his blade back to stab behind him; however, her voice stops him short of actually committing the violence. He smiles and sheaths the blade and straps the gun back to his side. "I knew you were up here somewhere." He points to his nose and then rolls his shoulders a bit, running his hand back and down her thighs. His eyes move over the worker, "Look a key.."

<Phoenix> "A key," she agreed, leaning in to pluck the thing off the worker's corpse. A smile on her lips, Nix laced her fingers with Axel's and tugged him towards the stairs that would lead them to the next floor. Now that she was standing in front of him, the slight swell of her belly could readily be seen. "So... I went to see someone today..." she began as she slipped through the door. "About the baby."

<Axel Rosen> "About the fadebeast", he gives her a look, still trying to tell her that she's wrong, but she won't listen. "But go on." He stands with her at the top of the stairs, looking back down to the other floors and then to her again. The smell of Lesser Jorogumo is lingering in this place. But the one that is in this room now is far off. It's about fifty feet away from him, but he can't tell the direction at the moment.

<Phoenix> She frowned faintly, giving him a light shove at the mention of a fadebeast. "I went to see a doctor about it... to monitor the progress. And... other stuff in case something happens. There's a consent form you need to sign." She smiled and fished the form from her bag. It was a modification of something a doctor would use to monitor an ectopic pregnancy, but with 'ectopic' crossed out and replaced with 'FB'. "Just initial each FB and sign at the bottom."

<Axel Rosen> "Did he tell you what the 'FB' stands for?"He looks at her for a moment and then reads over the form a little bit. The form is printed so there is no way to tell handwriting and he's not looking at the bottom just yet, he's reading through things. "Just who did you go to see?" He doesn't know of many vampires that are doctors and the one that he does know of he isn't very sure he wants his fiance going to see.

<Phoenix> "Fadebeast," she replied without hesitation, though by the set of his jaw, he hardly seemed please. Fishing a pen out of her bag, she offered it to him. "I went to see the only person I knew of with any medical expertise... so... Doc." She flinched away from Axel, not at all expecting a positive response to that tidbit of information.

<Axel Rosen> He nods his head and then looks at her for a moment. "So the doctor you went to see told you that it was a fadebeast, but you still think it's a baby?" He is confused by her logic at the moment he watches her pull a pen out. Her second sentence starts out bad as he only knows of one as well. He breathes in and out just once, trying to calm himself. It's not that he dislikes Doc, it's just that he knows the two of them don't get along, and it bothers him that she would go to him. He shoots her a glare, but takes the pen. "And why did you go to him?" The pen isn't being used to sign anything.

<Phoenix> She folded her arms over her chest and shot him a glare, clearly unimpressed. "I went to him because he was the only option. Sign it!" Inching over, she nudged at the pen he was holding, trying to guide it over to the appropriate place. "He said it's likely a fadebeast, but I'd rather chance getting torn to shreds than chance killing our baby. Our baby, Axel. If it's a little monster, it's a little monster, but if it's not... I don't want to be responsible for aborting a miracle."

[Axel Rosen]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

<Axel Rosen> She shoots him a glare. "You know that I'm not going to sign this." he looks at her for a second and then removes the pen from anywhere near the paper. The pen is used like a small dagger as he makes a short jab in her direction. She's pressuring him to sign something that makes no sense. Something that, honestly, has no chance of happening. He doesn't understand what is wrong with her. She can glare all she wants but he will defend this.

<Phoenix> When the pen came at her, she swatted it away, and the proceeded to redirect his hand back to the form. Of course, she was still glaring daggers at him. "Sign it, Axel. Please? You stuck the damn thing in me, so you can at least ******* support me wanting to see it through! I'm not going to get rid of it unless I absolutely have to. Unless the ultrasound shows the damn thing has itty bitty little monster claws!" She hadn't really intended to let him know she'd scheduled an ultrasound, but she'd snapped it out before thinking that one through.

<Axel Rosen> Luckily for here there is a wall right beside them and she wouldn't be traveling far. His hand reaches up and grips her throat, pinning her to the wall. The pen falls to the ground and he glares at her for a moment. "You're going again?!" His voice is both in her head and out loud. The very area around them begins to shake. His anger is more out of his desire to protect her.

<Phoenix> Her eyes went wide as the hand gripped her throat, slamming her against the wall. She didn’t really have time to react other than flinch away from his rage. Axel’s reaction surprised her more than it hurt, but the back of her head still smarted where it had knocked against the wall. "Day after tomorrow," she croaked around the hand crushing her windpipe. "You can come with me." Her hands came up, encircling his wrist and giving a light tug.

<Axel Rosen> His hand loosens a little bit, releasing partly but moving to hold her there by her shoulders. The pen and papers on the ground behind them, forgotten. His eyes do not leave hers, though there is a part of him that wants to beat her. "Go with you.. good cause that's the only way it's happening again." He doesn't know what else to say.

<Phoenix> Once he'd released her neck in favor of her shoulders, she slid her hands to flatten against his chest. Honey brown eyes met his as her fingers knotted in his shirt, gently pulling him closer. This likely wasn’t the place to be having this conversation. "The form has to be signed if you want to come, though..." Her voice faltered, realizing a second too late that that was likely the last thing he wanted to hear. It’s not that she feared him; she just didn’t want to argue.

<Axel Rosen> His hand comes up to her cheek. He grabs her face, both of her cheeks at the same time, puffing her face a little. "You owe me... I do not like this, and think it's a mistake, but I'll go." He growls as he releases her and leans down to get the papers and pen and then signs at spots, mumbling as he does so.

<Phoenix> Her expression remained somber until he'd release her to sign the form. After testing her jaw to ensure everything still worked as it should, she allowed herself to grin. Success! "Thank you," she whispered, trying not to sound as smugly satisfied as she felt with her victory. Holding out a hand for the pen and paper, she arched a brow. "What do I owe you, exactly?"

<Axel Rosen> "You'll just have to find out later." He smirks at her a little bit for a second and then he leans his head back. His eyes just sort of look at her for a moment and then hands her the paper. His hand smooths out his pants for a moment.

<Phoenix> After double checking that he'd initialed each FB and signed off on the form, she folded the form almost reverently and tucked it away in her bag. He wouldn't be able to take it back, not now. "You know how I am about the patience thing," she huffed at him, trying for a winning pout to dissipate the tension of a moment before.

<Axel Rosen> "You. Have. To. Wait. We're not doing it here." He growls at her, knowing there are others on this floor that he would prefer not see her without clothes. His eyes look her over, then to her stomach. Part of him just wants to cut it out now, but he'll wait.

<Phoenix> Her lips pressed into a thin line, trying to hide a grin as she slipped her arm around Axel's waist. What he thought as he looked over the swell of her belly she couldn't guess, but she hardly thought it was promising. "Fiiine, I'll drop it." Pressing against his side, Nix rested her head against his shoulder. "Lets go get another key."

[Phoenix]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

<Phoenix> This time when Phoenix walked through the doors of the sterile little office space, she was far less worried. Nervous about what the ultrasound would reveal, yes, but Doc's professionalism had indeed assuaged her hesitation. The receptionist smiled as Nix handed over her health card, and the redhead even managed to return it. Once registered, Nix made her way to the little waiting area and busied herself toying with her phone while she waited.

<Doc> Doc arranged to have an ultrasound machine delivered, in time for Phoenix’ next appointment. He wasn’t sure they would actually get that far; because he had a feeling she may have wised up and changed her mind. However, on the off chance she still wanted to go forward, this would be an excellent time to get a sonogram of what she was carrying. It would serve a twofold purpose. He would have documented proof for her, it wasn’t a child, and if she still went ahead, it would serve as proof she was fully informed. Jane buzzed him and told her Phoenix had arrived. He instructed her to tell Phoenix to head on back.

<Phoenix> "The doctor's ready to see you," stated the receptionist after half a minute; it wasn't even long enough for her to have gotten through a single Plants vs. Zombies level. Reluctantly pausing the game, her phone was stuffed into her pocket as she made her way back to the same room she'd entered a few days prior. Pausing in the doorway, the woman peeked inside before slipping in, eyeing the new machinery more skeptically than she'd ever eyed Doc himself. "That thing doesn't look very high tech."

<Doc> As she entered, it would be hard to miss the standard paper drape and oversized hospital gown that lay neatly folded on the sterile uncomfortable looking examination table. Doc dispassionately spoke, “It’s an ultrasound machine. They are pretty basic. Will Axel be joining us? If so, I will let Jane know, so she can send him on back. Gown is over there. You can leave your socks if you want. I will knock before I come in.”

<Phoenix> Seemingly satisfied with the machine, Nix nodded and stepped over to the gown. "No, he's not coming. I have the form though, and I didn't even have to point a gun at him." Smiling, Nix fished the crumpled piece of paper out of her bag and set it on Doc's desk.

Once she was alone in the sterile little room, Nix stripped and slipped into the gown as fast as she could manage. The gown, like most every other piece of one size fits all attire, was far too large for her nearly skeletal frame, and so she set about knotting what bits of fabric she could. It wasn't that she felt the gown should flatter her - she'd just rather the thing not slide off her shoulders. Satisfied, the redhead hopped up onto the examination table and waited.

<Doc> Doc had gone to his office filed the signed consent form from Axel, which he was surprised to receive, but he made no outward expression to Phoenix other than a brief nod. After filing it, he pulled the folder and clip board that he had prepared ahead of time. This part was actually going to more important than to the ultrasound. At least.. if this went full term. He headed back to the exam room and knocked on the door, counted to 5 and then entered. Pen in hand he glanced at her just briefly before looking down at the clipboard and speaking, “First off, I have some questions for you. I will be asking you the same questions each visit so that I can judge what sort of side effects this pregnancy could be having on you. Are you ready?”

<Phoenix> Thankfully, she didn't have to sit there waiting for long. She didn't want to admit it, even to herself, but she was nervous. Legs swinging over the side of the table, Nix lifted her eyes from the floor tiles when the door swung open. He didn't leave much time between that and starting to speak, and so she just nodded along. At least he wasn't trying to be social... She had a feeling that would have been ******* awkward. "Alright, ask away." She stated simply, lips pressed into a thin, serious line.

<Doc> He looked at her again, just briefly, idly thinking it would be useful to have Axel’s answers to these questions as well. He would broach that subject later. His voice was flat and bland as he unemotionally asked the first question. "On a scale of one to five, one being no change at all and five being severe change, have you noticed any mood changes?"

<Phoenix> Her brow furrowed thoughtfully. It was only the first question and she had no clue how to answer. Was being more placid a mood change? "Um... 2? If calmness counts as a mood change."

<Doc> Doc noted her answer with a slight lift of an eyebrow and nod, and moved on the next question, “On a scale of one to five, one being no change at all and five being severe change, have you noticed any changes to your energy levels?”

<Phoenix> That one was easy. "None - 0." She'd been as active as ever, as far as she was aware.

<Doc> He nodded and made a note, “On a scale of one to five, one being no change at all and five being severe change, have you noticed any to your sleep patterns?”

<Phoenix> "Does that apply to vampires?" she asked, though the question was more rhetorical than anything. She'd not noticed any changes in sleep whatsoever. "0..."

<Doc> Doc looked at her, "If you didn't sleep before... and you do now.. that would be a change. If you didn't sleep before, and you still don't... that would be no change." He explained blandly. "On a scale of one to five, one being no change at all and five being severe change, have you noticed any change to your appetite?"

<Phoenix> She frowned, reaching down to poke lightly at her belly for a moment. "Maybe a little... Say 1? It's only been a bit over a week or so though, so I'm not entirely sure I'd notice any of that yet."

<Doc> Another notation of her answer with a vacant nod, "On a scale of one to five, one being no change at all and five being severe change, have you noticed any pain?"

<Phoenix> She shook her head. "None. 0." That in and of itself was proof that it wasn't a little monster trying to eat its way out of her uterus. Nix felt absolutely fine, other than a bit fat.

<Doc> Quick jot of and then he looked up at her, “The next few questions, may upset you. But be assured it is not meant that way. If this is a fade beast, and if it has fae properties, it would not be out of the realm of possibilities, for ‘it’ to try to exert it’s will over you. We do not know at this point what such a gestation can do. Better we ask ahead of time than not to ask at all. Do you understand?”

<Phoenix> The explanation seemed strange to her, especially the part about the fae. Axel wasn't a damn fairy - or so she'd always hoped - so the probability of it being a fae-type creature was... low. As far as she was aware, a fadebeast was essentially guaranteed. Regardless, the redhead gave a nod. "I understand and likely won't be upset."

<Doc> Doc resumed his flat question reading, "On a scale of one to five, one being no change at all and five being severe change, have you done or said things you do not remember, that others have told you, you said or did?"

<Phoenix> Her mouth opened to inform him that she couldn't remember any such incidence, but then realized that was the point. Instead, she stated simply, "I haven't had anything like that happen. No memory loss or blanks or things I don't remember saying coming up in conversation."

<Doc> "Thank you.. " He noted it, looked at her again, "Any objection if I check with Axel? on some of these? Think about it.. On a scale of one to five, one being no change at all and five being severe change, have you noticed any lost time?"

<Phoenix> "No objection," she stated pleasantly, "and no lost time. 1 on that one too. I feel... exactly the same."

<Doc> A nod, "Last one.. On a scale of one to five, one being no change at all and five being severe change, have you heard a voice or voices you never heard before?"

<Phoenix> "I don't hear voices, Doc," she replied firmly, though she wasn't upset by any means. She just felt the need to remind him that she was not, in fact, crazy. "1."

<Doc> Doc made the last notation, and set the clipboard to the side. “Now then. I presume you are still wanting to go forward with this pregnancy?” Once he had Axel’s signed consent, he figured she was still gung ho to go forward, so the tone of his voice was more or less in the perfunctual ‘laws require me to ask yada yada’, as he looked at Phoenix, and pulled open a drawer to grab the ultrasound ointment tube.

<Phoenix> "Yes. Until the ultrasound shows the little jellybean has claws. If it does, then... we'll talk about the options." The tone of her voice said that she did not expect the thing to be clawing at her insides anytime soon. Her eyes followed his movements, squinting at the instrument that would show her her baby.

<Doc> "Then here we go, lie back, lift your gown to expose your belly." He started typing into the machine; he used eight weeks versus the truth of eight days. He filled in some other key bits, before he pulled on a pair of latex gloves. He reached over to squirt the ointment on to her belly. 'This will be cold."

<Phoenix> Grumbling, Nix complied with the request and flopped back against the uncomfortable table. She should have been uncomfortable as she lifted the gown to expose the belly protruding just past the peaks of her hip bones, but she didn't. Phoenix deeply and truly did not care what Doc thought. When the gel was slathered over her skin, she scrunched up her nose, but otherwise didn't complain. "Will I get a picture of it?" If there's an it to take a picture of…

<Doc> "Yes... you will get a picture.. It is called a sonogram." Doc took the wand and used it to move the ointment over her belly. Staring at the screen, he pushed the wand with firm pressure into her belly. His brow furrowed as he stared at the screen. Slowly he moved the wand back and forth, and finally he said, "Congratulations... You’re having a blob of black." Absently he said, "Maybe it's the vampire physiology... ******* with the machine."

<Phoenix> The disappointment was clearly etched on her face. A blob of black? "May I have a sonogram of my blob of black?" She asked, tongue in cheek, "Maybe it's just not big enough to be seen yet...? I don't see why shadowblood would interfere with sound waves. That's what that thing does, right?"

<Doc> "Sure.. " He was still trying his damnedest to get an image to show up, "Yes… that is how it works," he confirmed as he stared at the screen, "Right there..!" He points, "There is something there... I am not moving... and it fades." He wasn't ready to give up, "Don't ******* move... Don’t twitch... Nothing…" his voice was preoccupied. He was going to stay perfectly still until what he spotted showed back up, and he would screenshot it.

<Phoenix> "I'm not moving!" She protested, voiced pitched an octave higher than normal. Something in her was... moving and fading...? A chill crept down her spine, but she managed to hold perfectly still, just like he'd demanded. Her eyes were fixed on the screen, but she couldn't tell what she was seeing other than the black, and some abstract lines that looked like... nothing, really.

[Doc]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

<Doc> Doc stared at the screen, hit the button when it showed up again, but he wasn't about to take just one screen of it. No. He wanted a better view. He leaned forward slowly, angled the wand, ever so slightly, and it showed back up and he got it. He gave a exalted bark of victory, grinned at her. The grin promptly died when he saw her. He hit the print button and the machine slowly spit out a sonogram. He took it and handed it to her. "Here." He stood up, grabbed a handful of paper towels and thrust them at her. "You can get dressed now." He left the room.

<Phoenix> He was entirely too damn happy about this whole thing - that first chill that crept down her spine was far from the last. Her eyes tracked the images moving on the screen, but her mind couldn't process what she was seeing. Numbly, she took the photo, the paper towels, the photos, and watch the screen of the monitor go blank. Even when staring at the photo - the sonogram, she corrected herself, her brain refused to focus on the blob of... blob peeking out of the bigger black blob. It looked like a head... or a round protrusion, but then there was something else nearby that did not fit the proper directionality. It took her a few minutes to realize Doc had even left; she needed to dress.

<Phoenix> Pressing the photo face down, she wiped the gel off her stomach and slipped back into her own clothing. She waited for him to return, refusing to turn over the image. Arms and legs didn't fit together like she'd seen in the picture - especially not in an 8-week old sonogram...

<Doc> As much as he wanted to her to go through with this. There was the whole breach of the masquerade that he swore to protect, and he was aiding and abetting a fadebeast. He sighed. He had to convince her to abort. It was the best thing all the way around. He debated longer than he should have. There was a real part of him that wanted to see this through. He knocked on door, counted to five and entered. Doc sighed, once more heavily. "Phoenix, you have to let me abort this."

<Phoenix> She stared at him for a long, uncomfortable moment, eyes wide as saucers. "Its arm isn't attached to its head body thing. Its limbs and body parts are moving around inside a ******* placenta of black good. You are sure as **** going to abort that goddamn little monster." She twitched, absolutely refusing to look down. "I can't even look at myself. Doc. Its limbs are not attached to its ******* body. I don't even think it has a body." She was scared that if she moved too quickly, she'd claw the damn thing out herself.

<Doc> "Good..I think sooner rather than later. Before it gets stronger… and bigger. I can't put you out. I can probably give you something to take the edge off the pain, but you will be awake. I could do it now… but I think you should have Axel here... maybe?" He didn't ******* care. He merely had to pretend he did, in order to give her the option.

<Phoenix> "The number of times I've been gutted, shot, stabbed, whatever else, I think I'll survive." Her voice had taken on an edge of panic. "Get a knife," she snapped. "Maybe one of those morphine IV drips that delivers enough to kill someone my size, normally." Really, she didn't care about the pain. She just wanted something to keep her still while he worked, and she figured a bucket of morphine would do the trick.

<Doc> Doc shrugged, "Alright." He crossed over to the cabinet and started pulling utensils and implements out and playing them on a medical tray. "I keep the narcotics under lock and key. Code you understand. I will be back. You might want to put the gown back on. I will knock before I enter." He left once more, and headed back to the narcotics cabinet, collecting a couple of vials of morphine. She might want an IV but, IV were slow for continuous release of small amounts of narcotics. He was going to give her a shot of it. Maybe two. If he was quick, he have her open and stapled shut in under five minutes. The beauty of the vampire body. It would start to repair itself immediately. He grabbed the biggest specimen he could find. He knocked.

<Phoenix> The ******* gown. Again. Scowling, she put the damn thing back on and, once she was ready, sat back up on the table. The idly swinging of her legs before was calm compared to the nervous tapping of her heel against the metal body of the examination table. "I want it out. Get it the **** out," she muttered as the knock sounded and the door swung open, though the muttering was more to herself than to Doc. Without prompt, she lay back down and lifted the gown, not really caring for the shot so long as the little monster was removed.

<Doc> Doc sat the specimen jar down, took a hypodermic and filled it will the one full vial of morphine. Without preamble, he unceremoniously stuck the needle in her neck, and depressed the plunger. "Count backwards from one hundred." He knew it would knock her out.. but when her words slowed down, he would act. He pulled on another pair of latex gloves, grabbed the number eight surgical scalpel, and waited for her counting to slow.

<Phoenix> After an initial, indignant snarl as the needle pierced her flesh, she dropped her head onto the table and counted down. "100, 99, 98, 97, 96..." The morphine started to take effect at about number 95, and her eyes fell shut. By the time she reached 85, her speech was well and truly slowed. This felt nice... In the back of her mind, she knew the effect wouldn't last nearly as long as she wanted it to, but she kept counting. From somewhere far beneath where her head seemed to be floating, she felt pressure... then something gave... There was more pressure, followed by pulling or tugging. And none of it mattered.

<Doc> He needed not further hint. He pressed the scalpel firmly into her belly in the area known as the bikini line. His first cut was evenly paced, and accurate. The first layer of skin and muscle was cleaved in two, he proceeded with the second, which severed the muscles of the abdomen wall. He pulled her intestines out through the incision and laid them on her belly. Then it was simple act of slicing open the womb and pulling out the .. thing that had been growing in there. He clamped and cut the cord, and then pulled the placenta out. Thing and Placenta went into the jar. He draped a paper towel over the jar. He then went to about replacing the womb and intestines inside her. He sutured the inner muscle wall and then stapled the outer wall and skin shut. He pulled off the gloves, filled the hypodermic again and jabbed her in the neck again. He pulled her gown down, collected the jar, and leaned down to say in her ear as he was leaving. "Rest."

<Phoenix> Blissfully oblivious to the procedure, she lay against the surprisingly comfortable metal slab. The pressure and slicing were nearly rhythmic - almost enough to lull her to sleep, but something kept her awake. She didn't know how long it had been before those impressions of pressure turned to impressions of pain. It didn't hurt, but she knew it should. The sound of something snapping, clicking into place jarred her consciousness and suddenly, the pain went from an impression to a dull ache. There was another jab to her neck and the pain receded moments later. She didn't know how long that haze lasted - minutes, hours, days... All she knew was that once the morphine wore off and she was able to peek around the room, she was alone.

<Doc> Doc took the jar to the secured room, and started pulling samples. He started the tests. It had been about an hour, he figured, he should at least go check in on her. The exam room door was still shut. He knocked, counted to five and entered.

<Phoenix> Too groggy and grumpy to care much about what was going on beyond that little door, she pushed herself up onto her elbows to eye Doc as he entered the room. The movement jarred something in her belly - she knew the feeling of torn muscle and broken skin. With a groan, she called upon the reserve of spiritual power she maintained, negating the effect of the wound. "You killed it, right?"

<Doc> "It is dead, dismembered, and in various vials, jars, and test tubes." He looked at her passively. "Do you need help getting.. out of here.." God he hoped not. He had tests to do.

<Phoenix> She nodded somberly, something in her gut twisting painfully at the news. Even though she knew it was a monster, it had been her monster. Despite all reason, the redhead still harbored some fondness for the creature she'd created, and sadness that it was now gone. The morphine was clearing from her system quicker than she'd expected after the minor use of power, so she knew she didn't really need help, but... "I wouldn't mind a hand after I get dressed." She smiled. "Thank you."

<Doc> '****.' was the word that reverberated in his head, when she actually accepted his half assed offer. ****! "I will leave you to get dressed." He would take his time, "I need to check some tests." Maybe she would get clear headed and be her usual gtfo self by the time he came back. Why did he even ******* offer? Had he not learned a long time ago you don't ask questions you do not know the answers to! He stalked out. ****.

<Phoenix> Smirking to herself, she rolled off the table with a wince, this time taking her time to dress and ensure she looked presentable, despite wanting to scour herself clean of the blight lurking off somewhere, distributed through a multitude of Doc's jars. There wasn't much of interest in the exam room, so she busied herself with her phone. Axel would need to know what she'd done, but doing so via text seemed wrong, so until she heard the knock and door opening, she went back to her Plants vs. Zombies game.

<Doc> He dragged his feet as long as possible, and then just decided to suck it the **** up and get it over with. He went to his office, shed the lab coat, grabbed his suit jacket, shrugging it on as he headed back to the exam room. He knocked on the door calling out, but not entering, "Ready?"

<Phoenix> "Yes," she called and stashed away the phone before slipping out. Her expression was perfectly pleasant in comparison to Doc's mask of neutrality, bordering on disdain. "Admit it; I'm not half as bad as you think I am." She walked herself out to the waiting room, clearly in no need of an escort. She just wanted the distraction.

<Doc> He made some noncommittal sound that could possibly be anything at all. He headed to the front desk. "Jane, I am taking..” ****. He forgot Phoenix fake name, "… her to her boyfriend's place. "I will be back a.s.a.p. Call me if you need me." He then headed to the entrance, opened the door, and waved Phoenix through, "After you Ms... whatever.." The allure of her condition was gone, now that it was gone. "Did you drive? Or do I need to drive you?"

<Phoenix> She'd driven, but he wouldn't know her car from a hole in the ground. "I ran," she lied, "But West Towers isn't far from here, though - it won't take long for you to drive me, but I can walk if you don't want to." She gave him an out along with a smile. It was entirely his choice.

<Doc> "I don't want to and you look and sound in full control of your senses Wait two days before any strenuous activity. Tell Axel to use a ******* condom." He turned to head back in, and then paused, "Should I file this with insurance or bill you?"

<Phoenix> She couldn't help but laugh, especially at the bit about the condom. At least he hadn't called him baby daddy... Giving her head a slow shake, she nodded. "No strenuous activity. Got it. You mean you weren't doing this out of the goodness of your heart and your desire to protect our dirty little secret? Pity... You can send me the bill."

<Doc> Doc smiled pleasantly, "I will."