It was hard to tell how much time had passed in the infirmary. Kay sat still in the bedridden Rover’s arms and neither of them said anything, only basking in the warmth of the other. It was quiet. Not the awkward, tense silence one would expect in regard of the circumstances, but a gentle tranquility. But then of course it is only the nature of such moments to disappear in the most abrupt of fashions, like a soap bubble popping in the air, and this particular instant apparently didn’t want to break well-established patterns…

Pabloc: "Are we in the way?"

Soketsu blinked in surprise and glanced over at the source of the voice, spotting Pabloc and Ahazkun standing in the entrance. It took Kay a few seconds longer to react, but then she immediately became flustered and started fidgeting. Surprisingly enough she didn’t let go of him on the spot, though it seemed like it was more because of the suddenness of the men’s arrival than a conscious choice.

Soketsu glanced at her, then back at the two in the doorway and shrugged his shoulders.

Soketsu: "Not really."

Even though the tone wasn’t completely welcoming, the two let themselves in all the same.

Pabloc: "Okay then. Now, let me see…"

As the scientist walked beside them, Kay quietly slipped out of Soketsu’s arms and sat next him. Soketsu actually felt a little vexed, since they could barely spend a few minutes alone, but he tried his best not to show his feelings on his face.

In the meantime Pabloc took a small tube out of his pocket and crouched down by the night stand.

Pabloc: "I really, really hope this experimental superglue works on wood. For your sake."

Soketsu rolled his eyes in a covert fashion. Kay on the other hand seemed to be interested in what the scientist was doing. She leaned closer, but then something else caught her interest.

Kay: "What is that?"

While saying so Kay cautiously pointed for the small piece of paper on the top of said night table, still rigid as steel. The Sigil, while less bright than before, was still quietly smoldering on its surface.

Soketsu: "This?"

Seeing the curiosity in her eyes Soketsu quickly seized the opportunity to change the subject and reached for the prescription. He picked it up by its corner, yet it remained completely inflexible and the symbol in the middle started shimmering at his touch.

Kay: "Wow… There is so much viridia flowing through that inscription. I have never seen anything like that before."

Soketsu: "Neat, huh?"

Kay: "Yes." The girl’s answer sounded quite absentminded as she was carefully tapping the piece of paper in Soketsu’s hand, then looked at the man with questioning eyes. "How did you make this?"

Soketsu: "It’s kind of my thing." Soketsu proudly grinned at Kay for a moment, after which his expression turned questioning as well. "Wait, how did you know?"

The girl seemed to be stumped for answers.

Kay: "I don’t really know. It just… kind of feels like you."

Ahazkun: "Not surprising. Alternates are very sensitive about the characteristics of viridia."

Speaking up for the first time since he entered, the man walked over to the bed Gabe used in the morning and wearily sat down. In the meantime Soketsu quickly grabbed hold of Kay’s attention again by poking his finger against the softly shining symbol on the paper.

Soketsu: "It’s called a Sigil. It’s an ability that I developed in my… what should I call it? Previous life?" Kay appeared to be somewhat confused about the topic, but since he didn’t know much about the issue either he decided to continue. "Anyways, I can make Sigils like this one to give different properties to things. For example, that is the Blade Sigil. It makes things hard and sharp."

Ahazkun: "Nomen est omen."

Soketsu: "Gesundheit."

Apparently too engrossed with poking the Sigil, Kay didn’t seem to care about the exchange between the two.

Kay: "Weird… It still looks like a normal piece of paper." The girl pondered as she tried to bend the corner of the prescription for no avail. "Wow. Just how hard is it?"

Soketsu: "Well, I could—" Soketsu spoke up, but then he was immediately interrupted by a scowl from the bespectacled man by the bedside.

Pabloc: "No demonstrations!"

Soketsu: "Fine, fine." Soketsu rolled his eyes again and turned back to Kay. "Anyways, the reason why my Sigils are unique is because I can use them to make complex modification tasks that would normally require multiple steps, and they can be applied to anything that makes sense." Soketsu waved the prescription again, making a faint sound as it cut through the air. "For example, the Blade Sigil can only be applied to things with an edge. On a ball it would simply burn itself out in a moment without any effect."

Kay: "Is it supposed to dim like that?"

The man glanced at the prescription and the sigil on it has indeed faded considerably compared to the time he first applied it.

Soketsu: "Yeah… These things only work for a short time without supplying them with viridia, and this one is a little sloppy to begin with. I need to get my touch back …"

Even though Soketsu apparently wasn’t really satisfied with his first Sigil, Kay appeared to be entranced by the shimmering symbol and her eyes were sparkling with curiosity.

Kay: "But how does it work?"

Soketsu: "Um…" Soketsu suddenly felt a little stumped himself. "I don’t really know, actually."

Kay: "You don’t?"

Ahazkun: "It’s a Core Pattern." The oracle came to the rescue. "Soketsu developed it without actually knowing the underlying principles."

Soketsu: "Right, it’s kind of like how you transform. No one knows how exactly that works either right?"

Pabloc: "We do."

Soketsu arched a brow as Pabloc nonchalantly answered while just finishing up the repairs on the furniture.

Soketsu: "Really?"

The scientist turned to him while sinking the tube of glue into his pocket with an ever so slightly condescending look on his face.

Pabloc: "Of course we do. It’s done by using one’s Soul Core to directly influence their Image Core, which then first disassembles one’s physical form into Ether and Viridia, and then re-assemble said physical form in accordance of a new Image Core while the Soul Core remains intact. It’s quite basic, really."

For a few very long and very awkward seconds both Soketsu and Kay kept staring at the man, their brows furrowed and mouths drawn into a confused grimace.

Kay: "I… didn’t really understand that." The green haired girl glanced up at the man sitting beside her with expectant eyes. "Soketsu?"

Soketsu: "Sorry, I have absolutely no clue what that torrent of random jargon was supposed to mean."

Pabloc: "Don’t look so proud about it."

Soketsu: "Hey, it’s not like—"

Before the man could finish his sentence it was cut short by the creaking of the door and the sound of someone stomping through it in a hurry.

Tiari: "…!"

The catgirl much less walked than jumped through the doorway, promptly followed by the blonde girl at her heel, though it seemed a little odd how the floundering Lily could stay so close to the disheveled Tiari.

However, just the moment before she would have reached her, the catgirl quickly scanned the room with her eyes and the moment her gaze met with Ahazkun’s she lunged at him with lightning speed.

Tiari: "Save meee!!!"

The girl covered behind the sitting oracle as Lily merrily entered the room.

Lily: "Tia-chaaan~"

Once she noticed her target she lunged at Ahazkun’s direction as well, though considering her way of running it might have been better to say ‘she tottered over to them slightly faster than usual’.

The group silently watched as the girl slowly and without even a hint of menace walked over the room, but just as she was about to reach them she suddenly found herself obstructed by Ahazkun's long arm.

Lily: "Nyuuu… Ahazkun-kun! Don’t help Tia-chan. It’s not fair!"

Ahazkun: "And what exactly are you two doing, if I may ask?"

Lily looked up at the man on the other end of the long arm pressing against her forehead and flashed a toothy yet innocent smile.

Lily: "Playing tag!"

Tiari: "We are not! She wants to chew me into a pulp!"

Ahazkun: "…"

Looking sharply over at the blonde girl, the oracle retracted his hand and then lightly tapped her on the top of her head.

Ahazkun: "Sorry Lily, but Tiari apparently doesn’t want to play right now. Please do it later."

Lily: "Nyuuu… Okay."

The bubbly girl turned her back on them with a disappointed look and moved to Pabloc’s side. As she felt the situation was finally defused, Tiari’s wandering eyes suddenly met with someone else’s.

Tiari: "You!"

Kay: "…?"

With one lightning-quick leap she landed right next to Soketsu and pointed at Kay.

Tiari: "Why did you leave me alone with her?! I could have died!"

Kay: "Ummm… But Gabe told me to go with him."

Tiari: "That’s not an excuse! You should have at least tried helping me, or kept the door open or something…!"

Kay: "S-Sorry."

Seeing her embarrassed display made Tiari sigh as she shook her head.

Tiari: "Fine, fine. You don’t need to be that sorry, just… next time, please be more considerate, okay?"

Kay: "Next time?"

Tiari: "Ugh… Right. Let’s focus on avoiding situations like this instead…"

Soketsu: "Tiari?" The catgirl looked up at the source of the voice, only to find herself face to face with a completely transparent smile and a somewhat menacing glare. "Would you be so kind to get your knee out of my side?"

Suddenly realizing where she was, Tiari jumped off the bed in a hurry while her eyes kept darting between the place she was at and Soketsu’s face. Needless to say he didn’t seem amused.

Tiari: "Sorry, my bad…" Suddenly her eyes opened wide as she remembered a perfect topic to change the direction of the discussion and faced Kay. "Hey, you recognized me! That means your memory is back! Congrats!"

Soketsu silently nodded and was about to answer when…

Lily: "Yay! A hiragana!"

Soketsu: "A what?!"

Seeing everyone’s surprised faces, Lily started enthusiastically pointing at the paper in Soketsu’s hand.

Lily: "There! It’s a hiragana!"

Tiari: "No, it’s a seal."

Soketsu: "Actually, it’s a Sigil…"

Tiari: "Seal, sigil, all the same."

Soketsu: "No, they are not…"

While they were arguing, Ahazkun’s figure quietly moved up to them with a slightly concerned expression and slowly extended his hand towards Tiari’s head.

Ahazkun: "Tiari, are those bite-marks on your ears…?"

Hearing the remark, the catgirl quickly hid her ears under her palms and looked up on his master with an embarrassed glance.

Tiari: "Just… Just don’t ask, OK?"

After sending an annoyed glace towards Lily’s back and letting out a small sigh, Ahazkun gently brushed away her hands and took her ears into his palms.

Ahazkun: "I’ll take care of this, please don’t squirm."

With that a weak, green light engulfed his hands alongside Tiari’s ears, and a moment later they were completely healed.

Ahazkun: "Here."

After checking them out for herself, the catgirl glanced up at the oracle with a slightly sheepish smile.

Tiari: "… Thanks…"

Ahazkun: "Don’t mention it."

Kay was just about to raise her voice about this last piece of the chain of oddities she had seen that day when, yet again, the door opened and drew everyone’s attention to it.

Gabe: "Whoa, why is everyone here?"

Soketsu: "Good question."

The mad scientist swiftly entered the room with his long, black lab-coat soundlessly fluttering behind him. Soketsu couldn’t help but smile in amusement. The man was exactly the same as in his newfound memories, down to the clothing. However it wasn’t him who spoke up first after all.

Pabloc: "What are you doing here? Weren’t you going back to your place?"

Gabe: "Yeah, but I got sidetracked." He answered while absent-mindedly scratching the back of his neck. "Oh, by the way, catch!"

Tiari: "Nya?!"

Before she could even realize what was going on, a small projectile hit Tiari on the middle of her forehead with a soft thud. The catgirl almost fell backwards in surprise but in the last moment she regained her balance and somehow even managed to grab hold of the small blue marble that hit her. Once she was steady on her feet she shook her head and leveled a furious scowl at the black-clad scientist.

Tiari: "What the hell are you doing?!"

Gabe: "That’s your new pass." Came the nonplussed answer as Gabe plopped down onto a nearby bed. "I made it even harder to break, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to look after it this time."

Ahazkun: "New pass?"

Under her master’s piercing gaze the catgirl awkwardly scratched her chin while averting her eyes.

Tiari:""Hehe… That’s… a long story."

Gabe: "Oh, and by the way, since I know you won’t be able to take care of it even if I warn you…" Gabe mused with a smile apparently completely unconcerned with the glare of the catgirl, "… here’s a tracker."

Just as Tiari was about to voice her dislike, the man reached into his pocket and handed a small device to the baffled girl.

Tiari: "What is this?"

Gabe: "I just told you, it’s a tracker that helps you find your pass when you lose it again."

Tiari: "…"

Gabe: "Oh, and here."

After reaching into his pockets for a second time he handed two other small devices to the oracle at their side.

Gabe: "This one is a spare tracker in case she loses that as well."

Tiari: "HEY!"

Gabe: "The other one is a tracker for her tracker so you can find that too when she inevitably loses both."

Tiari: "I said “HEY”! I’m not that scatterbrained!"

The two men looked at her with deadpan faces, though it admittedly looked much less natural on Gabe than on the oracle, and they spoke in unison.

Gabe&Ahazkun: "Yes, you are."

Tiari: "Ack! Ahaz! You are supposed to take my side!"

Ahazkun: "Thanks, I will keep these safe."

Gabe: "You are welcome."

Tiari: "Don’t ignore me!!!"

Without paying any attention to her demands the mad scientist turned to Soketsu while Ahazkun promptly turned around and moved to the back of the infirmary with the catgirl in tow.

Gabe: "Hey there buddy. It looks like they finally peeled you out of your cast."

Soketsu: "Yeah." The man answered awkwardly. "Actually I—"

Before he could finish the sentence he was cut off by Gabe as the mad scientist’s eyes suddenly sparkled the moment he noticed the paper sheet in Soketsu’s hand.

Gabe: "You can draw your monkey-thing already! Awesome!"

Soketsu: "It’s called Sig… Wait, what?!"

Gabe: "The monkey-thing! You know; the monkey-thing!"

For a moment everyone looked a little bit confused, though in Soketsu’s case it was closer to being outraged.

Soketsu: "How the hell does this look like a… ‘monkey-thing’ to you?!"

Gabe: "It’s not just looks like that; it is a monkey-thing! You know the monkey-thing, right?"

For a second or two the bedridden man’s annoyed glare clashed with the mad scientist’s nonchalant smile, and it appeared that it was the glare that lost the ensuing struggle.

Soketsu: "… I give up. You are still too random for me."

Gabe: "Why, thanks!" Gabe flashed a toothy smile and moved closer to the bed. "By the way, how are you doing? I mean, besides being out of the cast."

Pabloc: "It was only necessary for the first day. We were only waiting for him to wake up before we took it off." Pabloc added absentmindedly while petting Lily’s head. She was in turn resting her head against his side in bliss.

Soketsu: "And just to answer your question, I’m fine. My head seems all right, I can move my body and as you have seen my power works as well."

Gabe: "So you can move, right?"

There was something about the man’s demeanor that worried Soketsu. He was too… eager. He couldn’t pinpoint the exact memory, but he had a feeling that he had at least one very, very bad experience starting like this, so he was immediately put on guard by the mad scientist’s cheerful smile.

Soketsu: "Yes, but—"

Gabe: "Great!" The man declared before Soketsu could say a single word more. "Hey Kay, do you remember what you said? How about we do it today, since we are all here and everything?"

The girl blinked at him in surprise, not expecting to be addressed in this situation, and could barely squeeze out the words through her lips in her flushed state.

Kay: "You mean the city?"

Gabe: "Of course! Someone, get a wheelchair!"

Soketsu: "But…"

Ahazkun: "Here, I got one in advance."

The oracle promptly arrived back from the rear of the room where he was apparently putting together an old wheelchair all this time, bearing an expression as unreadable as ever. For Gabe it was a different expression though, and he slowly narrowed his eyes into a squint saying ‘you smug clairvoyant…’. Not literally, of course, only effectively.

Soketsu: "Hey, are you sure I should be moving?!"

Pabloc: "Well, your body is all right and we are done with the final tests as well. You should be fine if we take the regenerative IV with us." Saying so Pabloc stepped away from the fixed night table and readjusted his glasses. "Speaking of IVs… Kay?"

The girl slightly twitched when she heard her name and sheepishly looked over to the scientist.

Kay: "Yes?"

Pabloc: "Can I see your package?"

Kay: "Ummm… Here."

Pabloc swiftly checked the package and let out an impressed whistle.

Pabloc: "Well I’ll be damned. It is almost empty… I best give you another one."

Kay: "But…"

Gabe: "Don’t worry."

As if he knew what Kay was about to say, the black-clad scientist spoke up while he helped Soketsu into the wheelchair.

Gabe: "We are going to show the labs to Soketsu—!" Gabe let out a small groan as he helped to lift the immobile man into the seat. "Geez man, you are heavy."

Soketsu: "Gee, please excuse me."

Gabe: "Well, okay, but just this once." Rolling his eyes, Soketsu shook his head while Gabe continued. "Anyways, we will wait for you guys at the labs so we can go to the city gate together."

Seeing his partner’s expression Soketsu decided to try his hand at convincing her as well.

Soketsu: "Listen, if Pabloc says it’s necessary you should really get that IV. Don’t worry; I won’t let them go anywhere until you catch up with us."

After a moment of hesitation, Kay finally nodded.

Kay: "Fine."

Gabe: "Okay, then we should hurry! The Main Labs are huge and we have only a little time to show you around."

Saying so he started pushing Soketsu’s wheelchair out the room.

Soketsu: "Hey, slow down!"

Gabe: "No time! See you soon!"

As the commotion suddenly settled, only three people remained in the infirmary. Kay, Pabloc and…

Pabloc: "Aren’t you going with them, Lily?"

Lily: "No, I want to stay here! I want to be the nurse!"

The man chuckled to himself affectionately and patted the girl on the head.

Pabloc: "All right, please bring me some sterile needles and a high-density package."

Lily: "Hai isha-sama~~!"

While Lily left with her radiant permanent smile, Kay lifted herself onto the examination table she got used to during the previous few days. Pabloc couldn’t help but notice her slight fidgeting while she waited for her treatment.

Pabloc: "Are you still scared of the needle?"

Kay: "Hm? No. I mean, I am. A little, but…"

Pabloc: "But…?"

Kay: "Can I ask you something?"

Noticing the serious tone of her voice prompted Pabloc to readjust his glasses and answer in kind.

Pabloc: "Of course, ask away."

Kay: "I am…" She began, but then she paused uncertainly. Her discussion with Tiari before gave her a glimmer of hope, but she wasn’t sure she should act on it yet. At last she swallowed and instead asked, "What does it mean to be a Familiar?"

For a moment the scientist seemed to be thinking, apparently less about the question and more about the questioner.

Pabloc: "Where did that came from?"

Kay: "Tiari said I should ask you because she couldn’t explain. She said you could tell me and help me with… various things."

While readying a pair of sterile gloves Pabloc visibly pondered for a second.

Pabloc: "Well, for you understand them I would also have to explain the basics, like the relation between Existence Cores, Soul Cores and Image Cores, the nature of viridia and ether and how one affects the other… I’m afraid we don’t really have the time for that."

Kay: "Umm… I see." She paused uncertainly for the second time before asking, "So… could we talk about it later? I don’t understand what’s going on at all right now."

Pabloc contemplated some more as he was readying the package and finally his face lit up as an idea surfaced in his mind.

Pabloc: "You know what? How about I give you a few books on the subject?"

Kay’s eyes opened wide for a moment.

Kay: "Books? You mean there are books about those things?"

Pabloc: "Yes. They were written by Gabe, so they are a little… strange, to say the least, but they explain the basics quite well. And now that we are talking about it…"

He suddenly put down the medical tools and began quickly rummaging through the contents of a nearby cupboard and returned with a small, hard-cover book in his hand.

Pabloc: "Here, I just happened to have the second volume on me."

Kay: "The second one?"

Pabloc: "Don’t worry, I told you it was written by Gabe. He has a tendency to repeat everything, so you can find almost the whole first book in this as well. It should explain the basics."

Kay: "Ummm… Can I borrow it?"

Pabloc: "No need. I give it to you."

Kay: "Really?"

The girl’s eyes suddenly became so lively that Pabloc could have sworn he had seen the proverbial sparkles in them.

Pabloc: "Sure. I only used it to refresh my memory after my reawakening. It will do more good for you than it does sitting in my desk."

Kay: "Thank you!"

Seeing her ecstatic expression Pabloc broke into a smile himself.

Pabloc: "Do you like to read?"

Kay: "Yes, a lot."

Pabloc: "But this one is a little boring…"

Kay: "But I want to understand what you are talking about! I’m going to read no matter what!"

Looking at the how fired up she got, Pabloc couldn’t help but smile.

Pabloc: "Haha… Well, good luck then."

Kay: "Thank you."

Pabloc: "Don’t mention it."

Lily: "I’m back~"

Lily returned from the sully room at the back of the infirmary with a new pack and a handful of needles on a plastic tray, cheerfully smiling all the way though. The man took the tray from her and gently patted her on the head again. In response she began squirming like a puppy that was being petted after fetching the stick. It was a heartwarming but kind of odd spectacle.

Pabloc: "Well, let us begin then. We don’t have all day."

As such, Pabloc began the treatment of the girl pored over the book in her hands while the other girl kept cheerfully tugging on his sleeves.