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Post by Morgan on Jan 6, 2022 22:12:45 GMT -6
Morgan didn't remember much directly after the incident. Perhaps this was because they were young (and though they had an excellent memory, they did not have a perfect one) or perhaps because it was a stressful situation (and certainly one of their first), but they didn't quite remember how they got Kaodie to the healer exactly. They did remember being assisted by the individual (who seemed very apologetic for the giant vulticus that had gotten loose) and paying for the services, but they didn't really remember anything much more until Kaodie was sent back to them with his hind leg amputated. There had not been enough to grow back, apparently.
This sparsely remembered incident was what really inspired several of their initial aspirations. They paid for a tutor in engineering, and began teaching theirself the craft after the initial lessons were done. They began doing the best they could to research 'magic'. Each of these hobbies were initially taken up to try to assist Kaodie's recovery and rehabilitation in the long run.
[16]
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Post by Morgan on Jan 6, 2022 22:23:29 GMT -6
Both of those hobbies had taken them down different routes. Morgan had not believed initially in magic, they much preferred explanations that they could easily quantify, and most of the compiled information about magic was esoteric at best and some of it was patently false. There were very few literary resources about it and many of the verbal sources that they could locate scarcely had information that amounted to anything more than lore steeped in mysticism. At the time, very little information was to be found- even with monetary backing. They threw theirself into further research for technology; also a closely guarded secret, but something that could be quantified much simpler... It was a discipline that they could easily find individuals that were at least semi-versed in to teach them for pay- though some were not inclined to be purchased.
By the time that Morgan was fourteen, they had managed to design and fabricate Kaodie's first prototype prosthetic leg; one that scarcely functioned well but helped Kaodie regain more of his mobility. The first time that Morgan caught him climbing the stairs without assistance had been gratifying enough that Morgan kept learning all they could about the craft.
[17]
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Post by Morgan on Jan 6, 2022 22:34:44 GMT -6
Those early teenage years were spent learning any skills they could get their hands on that were adjacent to their desired fields of study. After hitting a wall towards their studies into magic (if one could even call it that, it was more like a lack of quantified information in general) they began studying botany quite zealously, in order to study a form of healing in which it would be possible to actually study by hand. With Botany and Engineering naturally came an interest in Biology, which soon became an interest in Chemistry... All of these things distracted them from looking for their father; which was probably a good thing in the long run.
It allowed them to continue to work on prototypes for Kaodie's hind leg as well. The first couple of changes were very simple and then there was a strand of changes that didn't seem to work before Morgan found a prosthetic leg that worked well for him. It was not the latest one by far, but it had been a start.
[18]
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Post by Morgan on Jan 6, 2022 22:51:37 GMT -6
Morgan had scarcely had the time to look more into their father's disappearance, but whenever they did they were able to get a few good pieces of information that pointed them to look towards their father's place of work more. They wondered if maybe any of his old coworkers would be able to give them more information- but the Labs were a generally secretive place. They began working towards studying this; and in the process of that they'd stumbled upon information regarding magic- the supposed creation of a unit of apparent 'power' (much like a battery they assumed) referred to as a node. The supposed methods of the creation of nodes was strangely brutal and highly ceremonial (not something that Morgan appreciated in the slightest) and the ingredients required were rare and typically kept only as prized objects typically in collections.
There is very little that money cannot buy. With enough grease in the right palms (and the assistance of that Jackalope- who apparently felt guilt- and that could be controlled), Morgan had the items required to study the creation of these so-called 'Nodes' and to verify their existence.
They remembered leaving out of the mansion that morning; without Kaodie. He'd come as far as the edge of the property before Morgan had sent him back. "You cannot come with me, t-today. N-not today Kaodie."
[19]
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Post by Morgan on Jan 6, 2022 22:58:56 GMT -6
Morgan replaces the piece of paper that they'd pulled from the file back where it came from and they folded the entire thing back up carefully between their hands. They were shaking. Kaodie leaned up and placed his head on their lap atop his own front paws- the clack of his hind prosthetic limb on the wood floor of their office brought Morgan off of the brink of dissociation. "It's o-okay boy." They told him, even though they didn't really feel like it was. The bespectacled human pushes their glasses further up their nose with a finger, and then pushes to stand, gently leading the malii back to the floor. They opened the cabinet back up and slid the file all the way to the back.
Every single time they did this, they wound up like this. It was best not to think of it while they were in between new information anyway. "C-come on Kaodie." They made for the door. The malii wags his tail and follows after them on the double. "I need a smoke."
[20] - [FIN]
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