Synth

Not long after the call had ended, DH rushed into the makeshift med-room with their ears twitching frantically and a bag slung over their shoulder. TO realized that this bag wasn’t their normal med kit, it was a different kind of old threadbare canvas bag, held together by hope and patches of mismatched fabric. Before TO could ask what it was or where it came from, DH was at Avery’s bed and pulling out supplies that ranged from stuff that TO recognized–syringes, stethoscope, thermometer– but there were other things that they didn’t recognize and which they had no opportunity to ask about before DH started plugging things in.

“Ok.” DH said before TO could ask what was going on, “The alert you heard was something that’s hooked up to Averys’ brain; it detects brain activity and gives and alert when it picks up anything that’s beyond the span of what’s expected in this kind of coma.” They looked over at TO as they plugged one of the strange devices into a machine which sat under the gurney. “It’s like when I told you we had some brain signals a few days ago, and that meant that Avery would soon wake up.” The machine they plugged in gave a few odd beeping noises before its screen flashed and came up with a loading screen. “That there’s another flash of activity so soon is a good sign.”

“You think they’ll wake up soon?” TO asked, watching DH work.

“I hope so.” DH said. They put the stethoscope on, their ears twitching and contorting oddly as they put the ill fitting civilian equipment in their ears and pressed it to Avery’s chest.

“I thought you had to put that on under the clothes.” TO said as they watched DH work. DH flinched when TO spoke, and made a gesture for TO to be quiet.

It wasn’t even an emergency, and TO was getting in the way. They fell silent as they clasped their hands in their lap, rubbing their claws together the skin. With their claws retracted of course they couldn’t do any damage but they realized in that moment that it was odd to feel the hard stub of their claws under the otherwise soft skin of their fingertips. For the first time, they wondered how they managed to keep from clawing themself when they retracted their claws. What kind of sheath existed under the skin?

They thought to draw their claws so they could check, but for some reason the idea made them feel sick to their stomach, so they kept their claws in and contented themself with just rubbing them together through the skin.

“Right. Sorry about that.” DH said once they were done and had taken the stethoscope from their ears. “We don’t have any stethoscopes designed for ears like ours, so I have to work with one for smaller ears. They’re far more sensitive, and a lot louder. Even the hum of a heart can make my ears hurt with this, so I listen through the fabric.” They gave an apologetic smile to TO, “And, if someone talks around me when I’m listening, it hurts.”

“I’m so sorry!” TO said, their ears dipping down again, “I didn’t know-“

“Oh, I should have told you, don’t worry about-“

DH couldn’t finish before the door slid open again. TO turned in their chair as Flit and Snout entered the room, led by GiDi whose ears were flicking in that same anxious-but-excited way that DH’s had been. They noticed that Flit and Snout seemed far more cautious, their ears pinned slightly, the twitching minimal. Did they know something that DH, GiDi, and TO themself didn’t?

That didn’t matter, at least now for now. GiDi was here, and that’s who TO had wanted to see in the first place. They swivelled in their chair to look at GiDi but their smaller friend’s attention was entirely on DH and Avery.

“Everything is alright?” They asked as they hurried up to DH, “I read that people in comas can-“

“I told you not to read anything!” DH said, their ears flicking down, “You’re just going to worry yourself!”

“I know! But I had to know!” They gestured to Avery, “They’re my friend! how could I not want to know?”

It hadn’t occurred to TO to look up anything: DH told them what they needed to know, and TO had trusted that. Meanwhile, GiDi was the one who went out of their way to research things, to learn about issues. Another pang of guilt hit their stomach… GiDi really was better than they were, weren’t they?

“Nothing went wrong.” DH said, “There was additional brain activity-“

“But that can happen when something goes wrong!” GiDi insisted.

DH gave another sigh, “GiDi, calm down. Yes, that can be the case. Just like a headache can be a tumor! Most of the time, it’s not the case.” They looked back to the small machine they plugged into the system, “Especially since we picked up brain activity a few days ago, it’s a more likely to be a process of slowly waking up. Still, I am checking all Avery’s vitals to make sure that everything is fine *as a precaution*” they activated their chip, and made a note in a file they had which contained all kinds of numerical information which TO couldn’t identify. “And from what I’m seeing here, the stats look good.” They input the new stats, and some calculations ran in a window to the side. After a moment of reading the information that came up they added, “The stats are excellent, actually.”

“So, they’re going to wake up.” GiDi asked, “When?”

DH’s ears dipped down once more, “That, I don’t know.” They said, “But from what I’m seeing, and from what I’ve been studying, I’d imagine anywhere from a few days to a period?”

“Maybe.” Snout said as they took a step forward, “This kind of thing is never specific like that. The frequency of enhanced brain activity is a good sign, but it could also fade off again.” Flit gave a little nudge to Snout’s ribs with their elbow. “Well, I mean, I’d say it’s still unlikely that it will fade off at this point.” Snout added as their rubbed their side, “But I just want you to know that it’s a possibility.”

Oddly, the lack of certainty from Snout didn’t bother TO that much. DH was certain, and that’s all they really needed! Avery was waking up! They would likely wake up before they got to Scraprock and from there they could get Avery to Apoikia so they could get better!

Well. Avery could go. TO wasn’t sure if they themself would be able to go. As they considered that, all the worries they had held in their heart moments ago which had been pushed aside by the activity from Avery and the comment that they might wake up soon suddenly flooded back: concerns about what might happen to them if they didn’t prove useful to their pod. Another thought game to TO’s head As well; Why had this happened now while TO was talking to them? They considered that perhaps Avery was able to hear them and worried about how Avery might feel if could hear but couldn’t react, so what if that was what caused the sudden brain activity.

The story played out in TO’s head instantly. From the depths of their coma, Avery had heard everything that TO had said and was so enraged at their actions that they struggled to wake up, to tell TO to get out and leave them and their pod alone. That surge of brain activity had come right after TO told Avery everything that happened and everything they did and failed to do, so from TO’s perspective it made perfect sense!

Avery waking would be a cause for celebration, but also it could a sign of the end of the life TO had. They glanced at DH who was still focused on all the stats that came from the devices attached to Avery. What would DH do if that happened. Would they go with TO, or would they stay with their pod. Would DH even want to go with them? Would DH be happy if they had to live apart from Avery and GiDi? Would they ever be happy apart from TO? That thought brought a stabbing pain to TO’s stomach, since it meant that when Avery told them to leave DH would have to make a choice, and that choice, no matter what they choose, would hurt them for a long time; maybe for the rest of their life.

If TO had only been better, then DH wouldn’t have to make such a choice.

“Right.” GiDi said as they took a long breath, “Thank you for telling me.” They stepped up to Avery and gently touched their fingertips to Avery’s hand. “I…I want to know when they wake up. The second they do.” They looked to DH, “Please, tell me immediately?”

“I will.” DH said, their voice short and clipped as they were still so focused on the stats.

“Good.” GiDI said, taking a deep breath and closing their eyes for a moment before turning around, “I have stuff to do. I’ll… I’ll check in later.”

While TO heard what GiDi said, their mind was elsewhere and it took them a moment to actually realize that GiDi was leaving.

“GiDi, wait-“ They said, but GiDi was already gone, the door sliding shut behind them.

“DH, I’m going to go talk to GiDi.”

“Right.” DH said, glancing up from their stats and flashing TO a quick smile, “Go on, get them before they go in the elevator.

TO nodded, turned their chair, and hurried off. Avery wasn’t awake yet so they still had time too fix things. They still had some time to make things better. Even if they couldn’t fix things to the point where Avery wouldn’t consider them damaging to the pod, they could at lease make things better with GiDi.