16185/Mutant Town Checkup

Mutant Town Checkup
Date of Scene:	26 October 2023
Location:	Mutant Town Clinic
Synopsis:	Kiden comes to the clinic in the middle of a bad downer and is treated by the youngest healer on their staff.
Cast of Characters:	Joshua Foley, Kiden Nixon

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Joshua Foley has posed:
The Mutant Town clinic is usually a very busy place. There are not many choices from healthcare in Bushwick. And those places that do offer it get picketted or worse by the flatscans.

Just recently, the last Walgreens in Bushwick had been firebombed, cutting back substansially on the at home care and pharmacy.

There are bright spots though. Mutants that can help with healing are in low supply. Especially when one of those mutants was known to heal almost anything. Joshua has had to cut his time to one day a week unless there was an emergency. And it's his turn in the rotation for the week, so the mutant with the golden skin is making his way through the patients that have arrived. He treats their cuts, sprains, small injuries and illinesses. He's got a well-practiced hand by this time, using the weekly visit as a chance to hone his skills."

Kiden Nixon has posed:
Kiden had been at a rave, when the rave ended, she wound up at the after-party. And then the after-after-party. She doesn't drink, but then, with the cocktail of drugs floating around her system just now, she doesn't need to! Shuffling along in a haze of blurred figures, bright colors, and muted sounds, Kiden eventually manages to stumble her way into the clinic as the beautiful trip starts to turn sour. Faces, voices from her past now haunting a world turned staticky and gross. She's huddled in the corner on a plastic chair, feet up, arms around her knees, head tucked as she shivers her way through the bad trip, mumbling incoherently to the ghosts of her past floating in and out her consciousness.

To the outside observer, she's a short, scrawny blonde, probably sweaty and smelling of all sorts of weird things, either mentally ill or tripping hard.

Joshua Foley has posed:
Joshua had just finished treating someone with a broken arm. The golden glow from his skin is obvious when he uses his powers. After giving a reassuring pat to the arm of the person he just healed, he stands up and takes a drink of water.

However, as he does that, his eyes fall upon the woman -- easily around his age -- huddled in a corner. He sets down his bottle of water as he comes over to kneel down on both knees in front of Kinden. "Hello." he greets, trying to gently touch her hands to try to get a reading from his biokenesis to determine what is currently troubling her so that he can start to figure out a course of treatment.

"My name's Joshua. I'm a healer. You can call me Josh, if you want. Do you have a name?" he asks, though his nose doesn't wrinkle at her smell. He knows what homelessness smells like. "Can you uncurl for me so I can check you out?"

Kiden Nixon has posed:
There's no response at first, his voice melding in with the others in her head. But when he names himself, she startles, her head jerking up. He can see the wide-eyed fear and haze of drugs in blue eyes.

"AHHH!"

She screams, her body tensing, greasy blonde locks plastering to her cheeks and forehead.

"AHHHHhhhhh-h-h-k-kk-Ki-.. Ki-den... I... I'm.. Kiden."

As the words finally sink past the layers of guilt and fear and intoxicants, she manages to calm somewhat, able to give her name at least. She shivers again, wincing as a light catches her eyes and sends her ducking her head back down. Shaking bodily, it's easy to miss the shake of her head.

"N-no... h-hurts.. everything... h-hurts... too bright.. too... r-real..."

Joshua Foley has posed:
There's a wince of pain as Kiden screams in his face, but Joshua doesn't retreat from her. As she ducks and tweeks and shakes her head, it only takes Elixir a few moments to realize that she's gotten a hold of something she thought was good.

And instead, it is taking her only down the bad end.

"Okay, Kiden. You don't need to look at me. But if I'm going to treat you, I'm going to need you to cooperate. Hopefully you won't need an IV. Even if she is clearly dehydrated. He doesn't even need his powers to see that.

Instead, he's focusing on everything else. One of his hands closes on hers. "Hold my hand and concentrate on it." And as she does, he's immediatly allowing his powers to take over. To calm her frayed nerves. To try to repair the damage from a nervous system that has been pushed well past it's limits."

It takes him longer. These are not cases he's used to. He's used to more traumatic and physical injuries. However, he is trying to subdue to detoxify the drugs that are in Kiden's fragile frame. "Can you tell me what you took?" he asks her. "It would help."

"Right now, I'm working on the formula for ReVive and Opvee to put into your system. Both of those counter overdoses well. Just keep talking to me. Where do you come from?" he asks, using his free hand to wipe the sweat from his brow. New projects always take the most out of him.

Kiden Nixon has posed:
Taking her hand at least gives her a grounding point. Grubby, slender fingers close tightly around his hand, squeezing hard (albeit with no more strength than could be mustered from a normal girl of her height and stature). Clinging to his hand, almost.

"N-no needles... never use... n-needles..."

Kiden can feel the effects of his powers almost immediately, staying focused on the lifeline of their clasped hands. Her breathing starts to even out, the shivers lessening in strength and frequency.

"N-not sure... M-Molly.. m-mushrooms.. m-m-maybe.. pey-peyote.. s-s-some K2? N-no... k-ke-k-ketam-m-ine.."

All very 'feel good' drugs, though all together it's likely overloading her system, making her hypersensitive while also keeping her in a half-lucid half-dream state full of hallucinations both visual and auditory. It's something of a miracle that she's managed to make it to the clinic at all.

"N-New Y-York. C-C-City."

Joshua Foley has posed:
Josh holds onto her hand, keeping her grounded as she goes through the list of things she's taken in the last few hours. "Can you feel it?" he asks her. "Focus on me, I can pull you out of this." It's a shaky promise at best, but he's doing everything he can, pushing his fledgling powers to the edges of their limits.

"I want you to recite the alphabet to me. Starting from C." Why? Because he wants to get her more lucid. And to put her brain to work so he can help straighten it back around.

"I'm not going anywhere, but I will have someone bring over some ice chips for you. You're really dehydrated. I can't treat that with my power, but I can at least get you something cool and wet. Is that okay?"

Even if he is already waving someone over to bring the glass with the ice chips in them over for Kiden to have.

Kiden Nixon has posed:
Nodding shakily, Kiden keeps her grip on his hand, "I.. I think s-so..." She's breathing easier, and the shakes are definitely calming down. The physical symptoms are going to be easy enough to treat. It's the hold the drugs have on her mind that's going to be difficult.

"C-Cee.. D-duh-D-Dee... Ee-Eee... Effffffff... Guh-guh-Gee.."

Trying to focus, she winces as another ghost from her past sounds off in her ears, shaking her head sharply and trying to push it away. Kiden gasps as a sharp pain slices across her middle, her hand clenching around his briefly until it passes.

"K-ka-Kay... Eh-Ell..." She nods again, "Oh-okay... Em-mm-mm.. Ehn-nn.. Oh-Oh.. Puh-pee.."

Joshua Foley has posed:
Joshua lifts his free hand and brushes it across Kiden's brow. He know he can't heal her. Not completely. Addiction is on a list with AIDS and cancer. He can treat symptoms, but he cannot cure.

"It's okay. You're in a clinic in Bushwick. You're recovering nicely. I'm working on making sure your comedown isn't a complete crash." He sighs slightly, and presses his fingers against her temple, spreading the warmth there and into her head as he splays his fingers to lace with hers so she can grip tighter. "We're almost there. Just a few more letters, okay?"

Kiden Nixon has posed:
Kiden flinches from the touch the first time, still stuck in that hypersensitive state as she tries to remember the letters of the alphabet, in order. And ignore the hallucinations, if they ARE hallucinations, that keep pestering.

"Nn.. t-trying... Tuh-Tee... Uh-uh-Yuh-Youuu... Vuh-vuh-Vee.. Dub-Dub.. dub..." Dubstep starts playing in her head, across her vision, making her wince and shut her eyes tightly.

"H-Hard... Dub-Yuh... Eh-Ehhhhcks.. Wuh-Wuh-Why...Z-Z-Z-ee-Zeeee."

Joshua Foley has posed:
He had hoped that by the time she reached 'Zed' that Joshua would have her mostly calmed. Apparently he doesn't. Instead, he squeezes her hand, keeping her focused on him and the here and now.

"We're almost there. Just a few more..." a soft breath. He's feeling it, she's doing a number on him, but he's intent to see her calmed. "...just a few more moments. Focuse on something that makes you happy, Kiden."

Kiden Nixon has posed:
Kiden lets out a broken, raspy laugh at his suggestion. Lifting her head, she seeks out his eyes, a bit distracted by the golden skin, "Ooooooo... pretty.." She blinks slowly, then gasps and tries again to focus on his eyes.

"I-if I h-h-had a... h-happy. I-I-I w-wouldn't nee-eed to ex-.. esca-ape... into d-d-drugs." She shivers hard and lets out a shaky breath, then lets her her wobble back down to her knees. Squeezing his hand, she adds, "It's... working. Just... keep talking. Need to... focus. Here. Now."

Joshua Foley has posed:
Unlike his golden skin, Joshua's eyes are a silver-grey. "There's a lot of those stories here. I'm one of them." he promises her, as he accepts the squeeze of her hand.

A small laugh escapes him. "Not all that pretty. You should have seen me earlier today, got dumped by the girl I was dating." he explains, as she moves, he adjusts, ready to support her if she teeters over. "Just keep talking to me. You got a favorite food?"

Kiden Nixon has posed:
"Mm.. no story... just life. Not.. not for anyone's entertainment. That's what the dancing is for."

Kiden breathes slow and even, focusing on that for a minute before lifting her head to look at him again.

"You're still... pretty. All.. gold, shimmery. Very pretty."

She flickers a wobbly smile towards him. "Whatever's free." Kiden shakes her head and blinks. "Sorry. About your girlfriend. Sucks to lose people." That's the voice of experience there.

Joshua Foley has posed:
"Whatever's free a good choice." Joshua admits. "Have to be careful though. I nearly got arrested at some deli claiming that their trash was still theirs and I had to pay to eat it." A small frown at that.

"After I am done treating you, I am going to recommend you stay overnight. To at least get cleaned up and take the time to get your strength about you. I know there's a few places that are offering jobs to the homeless."

"But for right now, I want you to focus on you." And he shakes his head. "Not my girlfriend. Only a couple of dates. Hadn't even kissed her yet." That brings a laugh, even if he's oversharing. "Maybe I just didn't move fast enough for her."

Kiden Nixon has posed:
"Dumpster diving is for things, not food. We've had too many urgent care visits because of that."

Kiden offers a brief, quick grin towards Josh and shrugs, "Learned quick you don't pick from the dumpster.. go for the cans. Especially the ones near restaurants. People love to toss out leftovers. Stuff that's all wrapped and packaged."

Now comes her turn to frown, glancing around the clinic, then back to him, "I can't stay here. It's a clinic... you guys need the beds for emergencies. I'm not an emergency.." She glances to the door, then back to him.

"Still. Sucks to have someone leave. So... sorry still stands." Kiden lets out a breath and drops her head again with a groan, "Ohhhhhhhhh, okay... feeling that. Maybe... I'll just... uh... nap.. for a bit. Until closing."

Joshua Foley has posed:
"Until you are able to get on your feet and walk out of here, you're a patient." Josh isn't sure that Kiden has caught on that the 'doctor' is her age, if not younger than her.

"Stay as long as you need to. And when you need something to eat..." he reaches into his pocket and pulls out his wallet. It's not cash he offers, it's a giftcard to a nearby deli. "Let the owner know that Josh sent you, he'll get you a good sandwich." A smile at her. "In the meantime, I'm setting you up with a bed and a place to get cleaned up here in the clinic. It may not be a bubble bath, but you can at least scrub down. Acceptable?"

Kiden Nixon has posed:
Kiden has not, in fact, caught on to his youth. At least not yet.

She looks at the giftcard and shakes her head, "Nuh uh. I hold my own. Besides, if I can get to the deli, I can get on my feet and walk out of here..." She offers a faint grin before wincing again and letting her head drop back down.

"Ugh. Lights are so BRIGHT. Why are they so bright?" Kiden sighs softly and mutters, "Fine. I'll take the shower... no promises that I'll sleep here."

Joshua Foley has posed:
"Because it's a clinic." Joshua responds dryly, releasing her hand as he gets to his feet. His free hand goes his forehead to steady himself. He's going to need a meal himself. "It's a deal, I'll have the nurse set you up. Take care of yourself, Kiden." He avoids asking her to keep this from being a habit.

Instead, there's a pat to her leg and he leaves to start in on the next patient before taking a much reuqired break. Just one more. He can handle it.