[.Nightengales Song.]{Seymour}

[Tai Ling Mizuki]

Tai Ling rushed into the hospital post haste,hoping she wasn't followed.A fellow worker welcomed her and handed her a chart,thanking the women and dismissing her she looked at some samples she had collected to make a medicine.Going into one of the rooms,there was one girl in a bed but she was non responsive and seemed to be in a deep sleep.

"I promised I would make a cure,and it seems I got a breakthrough".

Going out of the room and down to another,she gave access clearance and entered a small lab.Grabbing what she needed from there,she once again left and went back to the hospital room greeting a few people here and there.Taking a seat at a desk not far from the bed,Tai Ling looked at some tubes with strange liquid in them and began to write some things down.

"Sample #86,after so much I hope this one works otherwise it's back to the drawing board and I don't get much of a break from the research lab".

[Seymour Guado]

The room, containing only Tai Ling and the still body on the bed, was deathly silent. The footsteps outside were dull, dampened somehow, as if in a wholly different existence. But with such a flimsy method of entry, it was only a matter of time until this little sanctuary was breached by one who was not welcome. That time had arrived.

The first step, though taken with style and care, rang sharply throughout the hospital room. This was followed by another, then another, and another after that. Slow, rhythmatic, and with a purpose, every step took the intruder closer to the comatose female. A hand slowly inched towards her, stopping just before it would have made contact. This hand, with its inhumanly long fingers, ran down the body lengthwise while still maintaining that distance.

The owner of the hand, Seymour, swiveled his head to face Tai Ling. He looked amused as always. “Who might his be, I wonder....?” His hand continued to hover just far enough from the body.

[Tai Ling Mizuki]

Tai Ling gasped almost almost dropping the tube,she fumbled with it and put it back in it's holder.Swirling around on her chair,she quickly stood up but found her feet just wouldn't move.She had dreaded this for a long time,and knew sooner or later he would find out about this but not right now when she was so close.

"Please...don't touch her,I forbid it".

Her voice quivered,she knew that was a defiant tone but she cared deeply for her friend.She had lost her mother to this illness,some other people had succumbed to it as well.She had tryed so hard to keep this under wraps,and now that he knew she didn't want him anywhere near her hard work.

"Leave......".

[Seymour Guado]

Seymour’s hand did not move a muscle. In fact, it almost seemed to go rigid. The Guado placed a finger to his lips, staring at the unmoving body again. “Oh, is she that important to you?” His hand moved up the body, towards the face. He felt the urge to push back a strand of hair, but decided against it and withdrew. Stepping away, he turned to face Tai Ling fully.

“Miss Mizuki, there have always been questions as to what your secret project might be. I had a hung that it might exist, but had no idea what it might be.” He slowly approached. “So you see, when I ask you who this girl is, it is with a great interest in my research staff that I do so.” When it seemed like he would be face-to-face with the scientist, Seymour diverted his path in favor of the desk. One finger skimmed along the oak, his eyes quickly skimming over the written works without actually reading their contents. “Now, shall I repeat my question, or will you cooperate with my inquiry?” he asked innocently. Despite the implied threat, there was no hint of malice in his tone.

(Garb, that was forced.)

[Tai Ling Mizuki]

"You we're not suppose to know about this,what I do here is none of your buisness".

Tai Ling watched his movements,her friend was not leaving this hospital room and she wouldn't allow it.This was one time she would stand her ground,no matter what may come her way.Standing still and not even daring to turn to face him,she just closed her eyes for a momment hoping he wouldn't touch any of her important documents or the test tubes.

"I may work in the research lab,but what I do here is for me and my closest subordinates to know".

She had worked too hard for all this to be lost,Tai Ling wanted to make a cure and see her friend wake up finally instead of looking like this day after day.That test tube #86,if she could just get the chance to test it on her friend she could see if it works.It hurt her to use her own friend as a test subject,but she wanted her to get better.

[Seymour Guado]

Seymour gave one of his amused chuckles. This was roughly the response he had come to expect out of this woman. He suspected that her resistance to him would span to her grave. “I am not so certain that this research should be kept under wraps, Miss Mizuki.” The papers were, for the most part, covered in scientific lingo that was mostly beyond him. Despite this his time as the ruler of this miracle of science known as the Crystal Capital had taught him to recognize biological research when he saw it.

“Unless I am mistaken, you are using this youth to perform some sort of biological testing.....pharmaceutical, perhaps?” He turned away from the desk, facing Tai Ling’s back. “Oddly enough, I cannot recall having sanctioned this sort of experimentation. You would not happen to be performing unauthorized testing on a living being, would you?” He cocked his head to one side. “That would be most unfortunate for those involved.....”

(Worse than the last one >_<)

[Tai Ling Mizuki]

"And if I am......".


Tai Ling already knew the answer to that,from what he had to say.She let her gaze fall to the floor of the room,no one else had to take the fall for this but her.If anyone had to take the punishment for running this she would take it full force and without hesitation,after all it was her friend she was testing this on and nothing had worked to revive her.

"No one else was involved but me,she is my best friend and I will take care of her".

Turning to face him she frowned,there would be no way in hell she was giving this up.Tai Ling promised to find a cure,and now being this close she wasn't about to let Seymour take it all away from her just because she didn't pass it through him first,if it worked she could use it on herself as well.

"I will not abandon her.....".

[Seymour Guado]

Seymour tapped his chin with one elongated finger, as if pondering something. “I never said anything about abandoning her, Miss Mizuki.” Bringing the hand down, he crossed his arms casually. “Knowing you, and looking at the health of your......subject, I have naught but the upmost respect in your professionalism.” The Guado’s warm gaze fell upon the bedridden girl once more, seeming to scan her over as he continued. “In fact, I see no reason not to permit further experimentation for however long you like, provided that you simply explain what it is you are up to here.”

He, of course, had his reasons for this. He could not be sure, but it seemed near obvious that Tai Ling was attempting to cure this girl of something outright nasty. If all went according to plan the research done on this body might provide him with something in the near future. Something truly horrifying.....

[Tai Ling Mizuki]

"A cure for a illness,i've been working on it forever".

Everything she had tryed failed,all those test tubes and she hadn't found the right elements for it.But this one little tube could prove to be her breakthrough,she only hoped it worked otherwise she would be so disappointed again.She stepped to the side and then passed him,picking up the tube in her fingers.There was only one way to find out,walking across the room she grabbed a needle.

"I also suffer from the illness,my mother died from it and others also perished.I wanted to keep this research,and the names of those infected a secret".

Not only that but now with the refugees,she also had the task of dealing with them as well.Putting the needled into the tube,she transferred the liquid into the needle then placed the tube aside.

"I really want this to work,and.....".

[Seymour Guado]

Seymour listened intently, instinctively wiping the smile from his face. Inwardly he was rather excited by the opportunity presented to him, but he knew when to feign and when to smirk. He had been a politician before, and this was not his first rodeo. When Tai Ling had finished her story, he simply gave an understanding nod. “If your research is as important as it sounds, then I am sure the entirety of the Capital wishes for its success. That is why I will give you the full support of the science branch. Just consider this one of your research assignments from now on.”

He strode past Tai Ling, standing parallel to the bed. His eyes rested upon the girl once more. “My only condition is that, like with your other assignments, you log your results as they come. I would hope that a day comes where you do not feel the need to keep secrets from me.”

[Tai Ling Mizuki]

"But....I must isolate this,otherwise it will spread I keep a tube of the illness strand in the lab down the hall".

If that we're to get out among the people,it could be disasterous,enough have suffered and she wanted it to come to a end.Going on one side of the bed,she took a deep breath then felt around for a vein to put the tip of the needle in.Finding one she put the end of the needle in,pushing the liquid inside then slowly took it out looking at the monitor.

"Come on...work,please....".

The monitor started to come to life,it bleeped the waves going high instead of little little things.Could it be this one actually worked,but soon her happiness faded and the blips went back to little ones.Putting a hand to her head,she stomped her foot in frustration.Yet another failure,at this rate more people would die.....maybe even her.

"I am such a failure".

[Seymour Guado]

Seymour simply shrugged. “Then simply use the equipment and resources. There is no need to add manpower if you feel it will do you no good.” He was not sure that Tai Ling heard, as she went strait to the innate body and injected her newest strain into it. After a moment it seemed like it would work; something that would bring him closer to his goal than he had anticipated. However, rather than that, the serum had no visible effect. The researcher fell into a noticeable slump.

Approaching slowly, Seymour placed a gentle hand upon Tai Ling’s shoulder. He was all but certain that she did not like such actions from him under normal circumstances, but it seemed right. “You are not a failure, Miss Mizuki. Who else but you would put so much effort into this work, to cure a contagion thought to be incurable?” The Guado shook his head. “No, you are far from a failure.”

[Tai Ling Mizuki]

"I have been working on this for so long,I thought for sure this was the one".

Shrugging his hand off her shoulder,she went over to the desk and sat down once more.To her she was a failure,the equipment and the resources would help her very much but she had wanted to do this on her own.She had a promise to keep,and it seemed like she was breaking it.Also the fact she was twenty three and still single,some of her colleges had been urging for her to get married.

"But how many more have to suffer,but not only that......I thought I would be married by now".

Who knows how long she had before she started to become like her friend,but why was she spilling this all out to him.Tai Ling was sure he didn't want to hear about her sad love life,she needed to focus on finding a cure for this strand of sickness.

[Roxas]

Seymour let the woman pass, his thoughts running in silence. Once again, Tai Ling was fighting him to the bitter end. Was she aware of what he intended to do? Or did it come down to simple pride? No, it is as she said. She made a promise and she wishes to keep it. She feels that, by accepting my help, she is somehow betraying her friend. He could not say he knew the feeling, and he hardly cared for it. Here he had a prime way to spread discord throughout the refugees and he planned to utilize it.

Gripping the bed with one hand, Seymour turned to Tai Ling. The gentle smile had returned to his face. “I was married once, you know.” He shut his eyes, as if to visualize the moment. “That was some time ago, before I came to rule this place.” His eyes, now seeming to sparkle, found themselves opened again. “Everybody finds their time. You still have your own.”

[Tai Ling Mizuki]

"I bet she was beautiful,the one whom you we're married to".

She said this with her back turned to him,if she accepts his aid then she would be betraying her friend but in a way she would be helping as well.It was settled then,she would accept the head's help use the resources available to her and hopefully find a cure as soon as possible.Standing up she decided it was time to clean this all up,but then felt a sharp pain in her chest.

"Ugh......,what was that you we're saying.It seems my time is limited,don't make a fuss it will pass".

Tai Ling held her chest,it started dormant then pain soaring through ones body.Followed by becoming really sick,then winding up just like her friend in that bed.She refused to let herself become like that,to become like those who fell victim to this illness.......no disease.