An Imagination of Darkness [Klein, Liltotto]

Everything was going swimmingly, as far as Klein was concerned. He'd made it out of the Soul Society, he'd gotten more than enough of those corpses to begin his research, and he'd enjoyed a pleasant little evening with one of his dear ladies. Of course, he still had to check in on one of his other research projects, and that was why he'd once again made use of Tarnhelm, shrinking down to his smaller form and entering the satellite laboratory with a smile.

"Hi again, miss. I hope everything went alright in my little absence, my lovely assistant isn't quite as friendly as I am, but she's good at her job. Did she treat you alright?"

Of course, he knew that Flosshilde would have treated their guest perfectly. He'd told her to, after all, and that was just about the only reason she would ever need to do so. Her cooking would have been above the norm, she would have been just a little bit kinder than her usual stern professionalism. That was what made her such a good assistant.

A brief huff and the shift of sheets would answer him; she had gone down for another nap not too long ago, and hadn't yet fallen asleep proper - normally that took a lot longer when she wasn't at her limit starving. Several plates were stacked neatly on the nearest surface, and a good amount of reading material was organized at the foot of her bed. Was hard to even keep track of time here, not to mention it was incredibly boring. Wasn't a meaningful way out with this seal that kept her pinned down like a dog gnawing at a cage, so the best course of action was simply to wait it out and play along.

"Well, she kept me fed and gave me stuff to read," She'd speak matter-of-factly, but overall pretty neutral - it wasn't like she was annoyed or angry with her situation, she'd long accepted this was her reality for however long it decided to last, "Just so you know, your taste in fiction comes across similar to a teenager discovering themselves - in the most developmentally expected way."

Tossing herself upright, she'd give a big stretch, "Hope ya had fun on your excursion. I don't want any details on that, rather would wanna know what you plan on doin' with me today."

"Wow, that's rude. And here I thought we had a nice understanding here, but I see how it is."

Despite his words, however, it hardly seemed as though Klein was particularly insulted. He just took it in stride, studying his lovely guest the same way he always did, a gaze filled primarily with curiosity above anything else. She was certainly his type, and make no mistake, he would have loved to make a mess of that bed she was in, but there were other things that were more pressing if she wasn't particularly inclined.

"We're in the last stage. I just want to get a last point of data for a few of my longer studies on your spiritual function, and then I can let you out of here. Sound good?"

"Huh? I was moreso making the point to diversify your fictional reading material a bit; more perspective's good and all. Least your academics are a better read to pass the time with, i'll give ya that." Her eyes would draw back to the pile, "Interesting amount of.. Leibniz writings."

Guess she was a little bit grumpy that most of her ability to entertain herself was reduced to read-sleep-exercise, and the whole not being allowed to go anywhere else with proper sunlight, or people, or anything stereotypically pleasing to the eye and mind. Overall the entire held against her will situation was not ideal, but she doubted this one had a grasp on her perspective.

"Sure, yeah, okay." She'd pull herself out of bed with a grunt, walking over with a casual pace; whatever got her out of here and back home to debrief on what the hell she had happening to her faster. Everything prior was whatever, it didn't hurt or bother her much, she couldn't imagine this last thing was any worse, "Let's just get it rolling."

"He's a smart guy. But I'm not one for fiction really, so I don't think too much about finding new things other than what I've got already."

It just wasn't in Klein's nature to really think too much on things that weren't real. After all, there was already a ton of work to do here in the real world, so why should he waste that brainpower on imagination? He knew other people enjoyed it, but for him, any creative efforts could, and should, be directed somewhere else. He had productivity to optimize, after all.

"Aaanyway. We'll get this last exam finished and get you on your way. It'll probably take a while longer than the last ones though, since I'll be comparing the data with the rest of your time here and getting it all verified and compiled. Mind stripping down and hopping on that exam table for me?"

Klein gestured toward one table in particular, attached to much more elaborate machinery than previous. It was, after all, designed for more extensive study than the previous handful had been made to handle, and he didn't like to skimp on details.

...Illuminating.

She'd follow him along, the scents and feels of the lab having grown familiar to her too quickly, the dark and clinical feel of her surroundings merely being yet another temporary perch for her endless journey. She supposed the lack of much else to do but read material got her to think about some things instead of pushing them aside for more mortal pleasures and distractions.

Thoughts aside, she did wonder if today would be any different; she acclimated just fine, she wasn't angry or belligerent of a subject - the simplest way to get out when she had no other option was to make nice, after all. It wasn't like she was starved or treated badly; if not for the circumstances of how she got here and why she ended up staying, she probably would've been a little more amicable with willingly coming to be tested - or at least spoke to Ehefra about the proposal first so the Vandenreich could have some awareness on what he'd pick out. Though being sealed up was pretty uncomfortable with her body actively trying to fight it the whole way through, it at least made getting a read on her possible...

Her eyes floated to the table he'd gesture to, a strange feeling about what may be on the horizon... But, damn it, she was already almost done. If it was just this last thing, and she could go home, probably get detained or something, be set up for questioning... And hopefully back to normal, could go home and reassure Santa she was safe, and then get back in touch with everyone else. She took her clothing off with little fuss - she just wanted this to be over already and any thought of decency was past her mind at this point.

"There something different about this test?" She'd calmly question as she'd go to lie down, getting herself comfortable on the table, "That makes it longer, that is?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah."

As Liltotto laid down on the exam table, he moved over to his usual observation seat, looking over the panels with a bit more intensity than usual. Of course, that was only natural, he was going to be much more focused in on this particular exam than the rest of it. As he hit a few buttons, restraints formed from something that resembled the black flesh of a hollow slithered out of the exam table's sides, quickly taking hold of Liltotto in a firm, but not overly tight, manner. They were simply meant to keep her where she was, not torment her with their presence.

"Since this is our full exam to confirm all my findings and get the last sweep, I'll be much more thorough than before. We'll be going through a full anatomical exam of all your body's systems, so this will probably be pretty invasive by most people's standards."

Klein had quickly understood that this woman did not take to his usual medical tools, but he wasn't nearly mean-spirited enough to simply let her go through all his procedures without coming up with a plan. Despite the notion of what he was saying, though, there was no real cruelty, or even particular excitement, in his voice. It was simply the same as any other doctor speaking about a routine procedure.

"I've got a full-body anesthetic made up that should prevent you from feeling much in the way of a pain response, and I could probably try and knock you unconscious, though with how all the previous tests have come back, I'm not sure that would be very practical. Still, I can give it a shot, up to you. Otherwise, we should be able to have a chat through most of this."

Most was, admittedly, the key word. There were a few parts of this that he doubted she was going to be able to speak through, just from a practical sense. The exam table itself had already begun to move toward the larger mechanical setup nearby, shifting to a vertical arrangement before locking into place with the machinery. With a hum, multiple small ports on the device unraveled long, thin black tendrils, which simply waited for Klein's further input.

"So, what'll it be?"

..!

She flinched when the sudden sensation of warm flesh touch her cold, bare body, an instinctive flourishing fear raking her senses as her eyes tore from Klein and down to her sudden restraints; It smelled like hollows, that familiar burning fresh scent hitting her nose. His next line of explanation did not lend much confidence to how easy this one would be to go through much like the prior ones, yet he still treated the situation with complete clinical neutrality. This was just another test to him, and nothing more - she understood that plenty, but it didn't do much for the instinctive dread her mortality screamed into her senses.

Anesthesia was an option, but her expression didn't give the indication she was eager to readily accept it, rolling through the possibilities in her head. Anesthetics have never worked on her, well the doctor couldn't even get a needle in her but this was a different situation where that was possible. How she saw it, several possibilities were in place - either she took the anesthetic, it worked for the most part, and she didn't have to feel anything or better yet be unconscious.. But then who knew where she'd wake up? Would she be compromised in any way? Then there was taking it, but it wasn't a strong enough dose so her body's ridiculous metabolism just burns through it and she rouses during a terrible or uncomfortable part - that was definitely not optimal, in fact it was the most possible and worst outcome to her taking it.

At least if she experienced it from beginning to end she could adapt to it... She was a soldier, no pain could be too much, regardless of how upsetting or invasive it is. The fact he was moreso presenting it as an option than stressing she would need it was enough leverage to her, that it couldn't be more painful than it was discomforting...

Fine, she'd just bear it.

"I'd be more comfortable awake," Her tone was strained, clearly mentally preparing herself for whatever was to come next; at the end of the day... This was just another experience, a grain amongst thousands washed upon her beach.

"Alrighty. Let me know if you change your mind, it's not like we've gotta pick one lane and stay there the whole time."

Klein continued to tap away at the console before him, typing in commands while still reading all of the display's readouts with far more interest than he seemed to have in the woman providing said readouts. At his command, a single one of the black tendrils extended a thin white needle, before sliding into Liltotto's skin and beginning the injection of the anesthetic he'd made, a formula designed specifically for Liltotto and no other being. After all, even if he wasn't knocking her out, there wasn't a chance in hell he was doing all this without at least dulling her sense of pain to basically nil. The alternative was that she actually underwent the full sensation of what he was about to do, and that was the last thing he needed from a subject. That sort of stress could kill his research data.

"Anyway, since you said I should try and expand my horizons, what sort of books do you think my little library here could use to spruce it up a bit?"

He had certainly said the two of them could chat, and he meant that pretty genuinely. They were going to be here for a good while while he ran this exam, and though he'd asked her the question, Klein's eyes never wavered from the screen, far too focused on making sure nothing went wrong. Once he was confident that the specialized pain suppressant would have taken effect, the black tendrils began to move across the exam table and to Liltotto herself. Some sprouted small needles in order to create a small enough opening to make their entrance; after all, the blood vessels could hardly be mapped and properly explored from the outside. Others, however, required no needle. Their paths were, quite conveniently, already open, and they simply moved to their destination while their controller remained stone-faced and typing at the control panel.

Still, there was plenty more to be done, more examinations that would begin in time. But he had at least thought to himself that his subject might not want to undergo that full array of tests all simultaneously. Even a few at once was quite the experience, he would imagine.

"..Sure." Though her circumstances were foreboding, she'd settled on her stance.

She really, really couldn't move, not to mention the sensation that was keeping her pinned wasn't the most comfortable. It'd make anyone's stomach crawl, really, but she decided to focus on staring up and away - it wasn't like she was able to move her head or upper body very much in the first place. The nervous sensations in her body met some consistent level, before feeling her heart jump when something out of her sphere of vision had been stuck into her, biting her bottom lip in a brief wince. It took every bit of her rationale to keep herself from lashing out, she knew full well he wouldn't have injected anything that would hurt her, there wasn't a need to scream... It was just the flesh crying out, she needn't let it win here.

Breathing, she'd picked up on Klein speaking to her once more; book recommendations... The lack of anything but a tone and commentary that a doctor would give amidst a routine checkup only told her that earlier sensations of offness were fully correct - As far as she was concerned here, she was a subject of research first, and anything else second. Her heartrate was slowing down, evening to a relaxed level...

"..You said you weren't a big fiction fan? Why not some biographies? Or more science journals... Diversify your... Source variety some..."

She realized her voice was becoming a bit of a slurry to convey, her senses having grown duller, her body heavier and less receptive to movement; she might as well have fully been dead weight. All she felt she had control over was her speech and breath, staring up at the ceiling with little idea of when or how anything would start.

Then she started feeling slight sensations.. She couldn't tell what was going on, frankly, she didn't want to know what was going on, all she knew was that some things were touching at her, poking her.

"..Ecology and Anthropology were two of my bigger interests in... Most of my years attending colleges... Architecture was another..."