Green Ribbon
Featured relevant characters:
Obvious exit: http://www.farragofiction.com/MurderOnTheScorpiusExpressSim/
Origin: This story is hidden in the code of the Scorpius Express, you can find it in SeededRandom.js
The Watcher's note: The green ribbon is a reference to a popular horror story for children. You know what, it's really short, only half page long, I'll put the whole thing here https://lostinzampanio.neocities.org/hiddenstories/Green_Ribbon_story
She looms in the waiting room, a thin green ribbon around her neck.
It doesn't actually keep her head on, of course. She would not delude herself to think that a single ribbon could hold in any amount of weight, let alone one a skull. The reason is much simpler: she read a story like that once and thought it was a funny bit to do.
Can you IMAGINE the look on someone's face if they made the connection to that old story after her head fell off?
A classic.
Her eyes do a quick scan of the room she's in, all too accustomed to looking for threats. She is unlikely to find any in a place plagued by illness, however; the few people next to her cough the signs of early spring flu, awaiting their turn with this Doctor. She wonders how they train the medical students of this universe.
The receptionist calls her up to ask a few questions and Camille just stares at her. Eventually, the woman licks her lips, and asks for ID, which Camille happily provides.
There is always safety in documents and bureaucracy. It's part of the battle, after all. She is glad Witherby got them all official identities, way back when.
The card looks weathered with age, flaking and cracking in parts. It proudly declares it was issued two months ago. The receptionist seems hesitant to touch it, but does her duty.
Camille makes a note to get it updated in the next loop. It wouldn't do for it to literally fall apart on her. Unless.... well it WOULD be pretty funny if she could manage to get it to happen in a police officer's hand.
Really drive home how ill prepared they are to deal with ACTUAL threats. How even their documents and procedures are dust in the wind compared to what it takes to keep up with the beasts.
The receptionist returns with her card and a little clipboard with a form attached.
Camille fills it out in front of her, as the woman shifts in place.
She hesitates at the section asking what she'd like to see the doctor about today.
Really, she is here for Ria. Her heart swells with love just thinking of her name. Ria has been worried about her cold hands and feet. Worried it could be a sign of something sinister. Nothing SUPERNATURAL, of course, just regular ordinary human health concerns. It could be a sign of bad circulation!
Things have been going so well with Ria lately. They are dating again and it actually lasted more than a couple of years. Ria has stabilized. Camille will not be the one to ruin this.
She quiets the fluttering in her chest. It is not cowardice to get medical care between battles. This is simple practicality. It would hardly do to die of something as preventable as a blood clot outside of battle, now would it.
Dutifully, she writes in "poor circulation" in the section.
She hands the form back to the receptionist and resumes looming in a corner of the room. The seats look uncomfortably small and why not stand if there's room?
When she's called to the back, she allows her height and weight to be checked. The nurse seems to be a nervous sort. Perhaps that's why she chose a non combat role?
She has to get a special extender out to fully measure Camille's height. Inwardly, Camille winces. She knows how abnormal her height is, and always hates being reminded of it. Not that it's capital A Abnormal, of course. She'd been tall for her age as long as she could remember.
She's led to the examination room and left to ruminate on her height and how it makes it hard for her to fit in.
Eventually, the doctor arrives. He's a thin man. Thin body, thin skin, thin gray hair thinning in places. He looks... soft. Delicate. She supposes the medical profession rarely sees combat.
He barely glances at her, immediately checking his computer for the notes on her chart.
"I see you're here for...poor circulation?"
She doesn't even attempt to nod, but he doesn't appear to notice. He's flipping through the chart.
He doesn't notice the raw muscles on her frame.
He doesn't notice the gray and shrunken appearance of her hands. The only part of her body visible besides her head.
He doesn't notice the contrast between those dead and cold hands and the warm glow of her head.
"Yes, just as I thought", he says, declaring victory without even looking at her, "You could stand to lose a few pounds, young lady! Your BMI is atrocious! Just do a bit of exercise, even fifteen minutes a day, and skip those desserts and your circulation should clear right up!".
Later, when she's alone with Ria, she explains through wide and energetic signs that really she just needs to train EVEN HARDER and eat less food, and everything will be back to normal. It was a good thing she had it checked out!
She doesn't know why Ria seems so sad at the good news.