Remix Chapter 5: Recovery

Read first if you haven't already: http://featherwinglove.blogspot.com/2009/06/remix-visions-indestructible.html

DISCLAIMER: References to features of religions or faith beliefs do not necessarily mean that the authors, Terry Wilson, Matthew Costello, and Yoshitoshi ABe (or anyone else for that matter), take them seriously. All characters featured are new; none appear in either FWL, Doom 3, or Haibane Renmei. Also, don't forget that this is a work of fiction, not prophecy. This story was written by Terry Wilson, who makes no copyright claims against the concepts of the other authors. This work will never be commercially published without the permission of the copyright holders for all three worlds.

---------------
"I wasn't planning to touch the wall when I came out here, so it's a good thing you followed me," Tatakai says.

Shinomi responds, "I'm glad we found enough string to make it all the way. We don't have the same ability to navigate like you, Tatakai."

"It can be learned," Tatakai explains, then gasps, "I can feel it already, the dose must be huge. You drive. In about an hour, I will have no sense of balance."

They mount the scooter Tatakai left at the bridge and start driving. Shinomi says, "No one has ever touched the wall before. I don't know what to do."

Tatakai responds, "I seriously doubt you're correct. I remember my own kind had trouble remembering their history very far back. It seems like the Haibane have the same problem. If no one had ever touched the wall before, It doesn't seem likely that the Temple Garden would have everything we need to treat delta radiation poisoning. I'll write up a list when we get back. Who knows the garden best?"

"Kurai," says Shinomi.

"Just as I thought," says Tatakai.

Back at the guest room, Tatakai sits in a chair at the table. Menmo tapes a pencil to her right index finger. "You are freezing cold," she gasps, "How can you stand it."

"Easily," sighs Tatakai, "the radiation has screwed up my nerves so much that I barely feel anything. It also feels like I've lost a couple of stones of weight ... like I'm being vaporized from the inside out. I remember how it messed up the extra senses I had in my previous life ... it was quite unnerving to not hear the ground any more."

Tatakai continues to write her list of herbal ingredients. "Pick them in this order," she says, "The ones that need to be fresh are at the end. If you pick them first, they will lose their medicinal value before you get back. I don't remember how this remedy works, although I'm sure I once knew. All I know is that this is it. Hurry, I might be the only person in the city who can defend it."

Shimoni drives with Kurai to the temple. Shimoni is the only person who can take a scooter around the catwalk, although this will the first time she's ever done it with a passenger.

"Menmo," Tatakai sighs, "help me to the bed." At this point Tatakai can't walk on her own. Unable to even stand, Menmo picks her off her feet and carries her to the bed.

"Tatakai," Menmo remarks gravely, "If this keeps up, you're going to start growing frost."

"It won't," Tatakai says, "In about an hour, my temperature will skyrocket so much you'll think I'll burn the place down." Uselessly feeling her own forehead, she adds, "Perhaps it will help if you get a bath started, one that is slightly cool to the touch," she gasps. "I'm scared, this is I think about four or five times the dose I got in my previous life."

The two Haibane on the scooter drive it around the catwalk at high speed. Shimoni says, "We can't slow down, or the lift of our wings will not hold us to the wall. Both are bent forward on the almost sideways moped.

Kurai responds, "You know how easily we could die right now?"

"Yeah," Shinomi squeals, "Our odds are still better than Tatakai's."

They halt at the temple, jumping off the scooter before it is even stopped. Kurai has her list out. Without waiting for permission to speak, she says to the Washi, "Tatakai has repaired the West Wood wall ... part of that light show you couldn't have missed if you were anywhere near a west facing window. She used the light of The Savior against an enemy that was attacking it from outside."

"Who flew?" the Washi asks.

Shinomi responds immediately, "No one, athough I'm sure Tatakai could fly whenever she dang well wants." (They refer to the Day of Flight for Haibane.)

The Washi gasps as Kurai starts going about, following her list. "This one," she points out a tree to Shinomi, "then that one ... second and third on the list ... I'll get the first, fourth and fifth ones over there."

The Washi says, "How do you know which herbs and what order?"

Kurai answers, "Tatakai made this list. She remembers the recipe from her previous life."

The two Haibane race through their list and have it ready in twenty minutes. The Washi notices, "How did you get the scooter here?"

"Very carefully," Shinomi points out as she takes off at high speed. The sun is just starting to rise.

They arrive at Old Home to an alarming scene. Tatakai (in her robe) is in a steaming bath with a towel over her head.

Kurai gasps, "Menmo, what the heck? A hot bath is the last thing she needs!"

Kurai says this just in time to see Menmo set an old freezer's evaporator coil in Tatakai's lap under the water. "This heat is coming from her," Menmo says, "I ran out of ice almost an hour ago." To Tatakai, she asks, "Is that helping?"

Tatakai nods. As Menmo pours some water over her head to cool the towel.

Kurai and Shinomi make haste to get the medicine prepared. "Oh, crap!" one mutters as she grinds up the herbs in a mortar.

Menmo comes in as the brew steeps, "What a stench!" she cries. She carries it into the washroom, where they hold it to Tatakai's lips. She can't lift her arms out of the water, but slinks lower into the tub to increase the angle, aggressively consuming the brew.

Once swallowed, Tatakai throws up half of it into the bath. "Ew ... the flavour's about right, I hope I got enough of it down."

Kurai then asks, "When will we know?"

Rasping, Tatakai answers, "About an hour ... either way."