SpaceCase
Liquid Emperor
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Originally posted by Venus: pfft. You're my beta. You've already read the next installment. As well as the one after that and the one after that etc. Yes I am: Yes I have. [dead-serious] What you've written is good, I like it, and it is my honor to be your beta. If you find some use in my humble ravings, all the more is my privilege. Please do not mistake my enthusiasm for impatience.That you have graciously allowed me to "read ahead" leaves my eagerness undiminished. My dear Venus, you have a gift. You tell a fine story: Addictive as Slurm; satisfying as a big meal... And I’m keen for more. ‘Yer doing great bunky! Keep it up. I’m only an e-mail away.
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jle1993
Liquid Emperor
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I just finished reading you story, I do believe that it is the best story I've ever read, ever. Now I have something to say: SHIPPY SHIPPY SHIPPY YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY, VENUS ROCKS. HURRAY HAIL THE GREAT SHIPPY ONE ALL HAIL VENUS, QUEEN OF SHIPPYNESS
*bows down* You are too fantastic to be real, how do you do it? You write angst and humor and shippy and everything like a muse straight off Mount Olympus. *bows lower*
You are elite, I am in awe of you dazzeling present. I give offerings of pizza and icecream *holds out pizza and icecream*. Everything you right just seems to fit like a fantasticly huge jigsaw.
I am seriously looking forward to reading more. Please! I need to read more, when you have time of course. Greatness cannot be rushed I'm sure, and you are definatly great.
Thankyou so much for writing something so fantastic, it gives me hope for the future.
If you keep writing I'll keep reading, I hope to read more soon, jle1993
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Venus
Urban Legend
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Ack! Gushing praise... must respond... compelled to update ...can't resist...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Taco Bellevue Hospital, Waiting Room 4:53 pm Recovery: Day 6
“Twenty minutes.” Fry grumbled fiercely as he glared at the clock. “Twenty minutes my ass!”
“Alright, so it was more like twenty-two minutes. Close enough.”
“Leela!” Fry’s mood instantly perked up when he saw her leaning casually against the door frame. “You’re back! Finally!”
“I would have been on time, but I found a vending machine on the way back.” She tossed a chocolate bar at him, which he caught awkwardly.
“So how were the tests?” He asked between mouthfuls.
Leela wandered over and sat beside him, carefully unwrapping her own prize from the vending machine, a non-fat reduced-calorie muffin bar.
“Surprisingly non-invasive.” She answered, “And none of the doctors gave me any pity looks, so I think the news may actually be good.”
“I can’t wait till this is all over and you’re okay and you can come back to work. I miss you when you’re gone.” Fry confessed.
Leela smiled softly. Her nearly dying had certainly brought out the affectionate side of her co-workers. It took a little getting used to, but wasn’t altogether unpleasant.
“I miss you guys too.”
A light knock against the open door frame caught the pair’s attention. Dr. Marsters walked in, a stack of print-outs in his hand.
“Alright,” He began as he settled himself in a chair across from them. “I’m glad to say that the news is fairly good.”
“No surgery?” Leela asked hopefully.
“Nope. No surgery.”
Both Fry and Leela breathed a sigh of relief.
“See? I told you.” Fry said as he poked her gently with his elbow.
“So what happened? What caused it?” She asked.
“As you know,” The Doctor began, “Your immune system is breaking down the bee-venom into its base proteins, which will eventually be metabolized by your body. What’s happening now is that the venom is being broken down in stages, and at its current stage some of the more complex proteins are interfering with the chemical signals of your brain resulting in these seizures. You will continue to have seizures for at least the next few days, but eventually the venom will break down past this stage and the seizures will stop on their own.”
“Are they dangerous?” Fry demanded as he squeezed Leela’s hand reassuringly.
“There is a significant suffocation risk. The seizures themselves will not harm her brain, oxygen deprivation however can be fatal.” The Doctor turned his address back to Leela who was looking a little frightened. “Resuscitive action can not be taken until after a seizure has ended. The brain can only last roughly two to three minutes without oxygen, so a particularly long seizure could result in permanent brain damage or death.”
Seeing Leela’s slightly traumatized expression Fry wrapped his arm around her shoulder and drew her close. He needed the physical comfort just as much as she did.
“So what now?” She asked flatly, frustration clearly evident in her voice.
“I’m going to start you on anticonvulsants. They won’t stop the seizures but they will limit their number and severity. You’re not staying alone are you?”
Leela shook her head. “I’m with family.”
“Good. Stay there. In the event that you don’t resume breathing after a seizure you will need someone nearby to aid you. I’m also going to send you home with an alarm which will alert your family every time you stop breathing. That way you can be safe and still maintain a little privacy.”
“A baby monitor. How dignified.”
At his patient and her companion’s miserable expression Dr. Marsters smiled kindly. “You should only need it for a week or so and then after we get you through this you should be well on your way to making a full recovery.”
He left then, to get Leela’s prescriptions taken care of leaving the pair alone in the waiting room for the third time that day.
“Well this certainly Robs Zombie.” Leela muttered darkly. “Survive the coma only to suffocate in the comfort of my own home. My parents are gonna love that.”
Fry moaned and buried his face in his hands. “My nerves can’t take much more of this!”
“Your nerves?” Leela stared at him with a raised eyebrow. “I’m the one lounging in death’s deck chair! And what the hell am I going to tell my family?”
Residence of Turanga Morris & Munda 5:53 pm Recovery: Day 6
“A baby monitor?! That’s it? That’s the best they’ve got? This is where my Medicare dollars go??”
Leela sighed deeply. “Mom, you don’t pay surface Medicare.”
“…Well if I did, and this is what it went for I would be outraged!”
“They also gave her like a bajillion pills.” Fry chimed in handing over the brown paper bag filled to the brim with Leela’s multitude of prescriptions.
Mollified that the doctors had an actual medical plan for her baby that extended past ‘attach to alarm and hope for the best’ Munda accepted the bag and rummaged through it.
“He’s right.” She said after taking a moment to count the pill bottles. “There are a lot here.”
“And that’s not counting the medication I was on to begin with.” Leela griped. “I’ve become a walking pharmacy. And I still can’t have coffee!”
“Caffeine’s bad for you honey.”
“Says the woman that had three cups today.” Morris teased from his place on the couch where he had been examining the instructions to the monitor.
“If you’re paying enough attention to our conversation to be making witty remarks, I assume you’ve figured out how to work that thing?” Munda asked pointedly.
“Yup.”
Munda motioned for Leela to come over which she did, trading the easy chair for the edge of the coffee table. Fry stepped over too, partly for moral support and partly for his own curiosity.
Reaching into the small box that contained all of the components to the monitor Morris handed his daughter a small patch. About an inch in diameter, the clear plastic disk looked similar to a nicotine patch but with a small electrode protruding from the center.
“You stick that to your chest.” Morris explained.
Obediently Leela peeled the backing paper off but hesitated before applying it.
“I am not reaching down my bra with everyone looking.”
Bemused, Morris and Munda looked away while Fry placed his hands over his eyes. It was obvious that he was peeking so Leela glared at him until he complied. Once she was satisfied that she had some degree of privacy she reached down her shirt and firmly placed the electrode under the top edge of her bra.
“Alright. It’s on.”
Morris reached back into the box and pulled out the main receiver as well as a packet of batteries. He narrated as he readied the device.
“So we just put the batteries in, turn it on, and up the volume. That should be it.”
“We should test it.” Munda advised still not seeming like she was ready to trust a machine the size of a digital camera with her only child’s safety.
“That should be easy enough. Kitten, hold your breath for a second.”
Thoroughly unamused Leela took a breath and held it. After a roughly five-second lag the receiver let loose with a piercing wail. Nibbler and Muffin soon joined in.
“Okay honey, that’s enough.”
Leela let out her breath and after another five-second lag the wail cut off. The pets continued on for another few seconds before finally quieting down, both looking disconcerted. Nibbler rubbed at his ears cursing his supersensitive hearing.
“I guess that does make me feel a little better.” Munda admitted after a moments consideration.
“Glad someone does.” Leela muttered.
Munda frowned, concerned. “Having the alarm doesn’t make you feel better?”
“It makes me feel…conspicuous. I can be in my room completely alone and still be the center of attention.”
“Honey if you’re having a seizure you need to be the center of attention.”
“Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
“Nobody likes this kitten.” Morris pointed out. “This has been an absolute nightmare for everybody.”
Leela’s face fell and her expression became guilt ridden. “A nightmare I created. I deserve all this.” She buried her face in her hands. “I’m getting my ass kicked by karma.”
Morris reached over and gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder. “Hey, it’s all going to be okay. Would you feel better if we Feng-Shuied your bedroom?”
Miserable, Leela shook her head.
“You need to stop blaming yourself for all this Leela.” Munda said with a frown. “It was an accident. You made a mistake and now you know never to do it again. Everything you’ve been through is punishment enough. There’s no point in making things worse for yourself.”
“It wouldn’t matter to me so much if I had been the only one affected! I mean, look at how much you guys have had to change your routine to accommodate me. I hate that!” Beginning to become hysterical Leela motioned wildly at Fry. “Fry spent over two weeks in a chair for me! I can’t even get him to sit still for ten minutes without sticking a TV in front of him normally! Hell, he nearly got himself killed trying to protect me! He shouldn’t have had to do that! And you guys shouldn‘t have had to make decisions about my medical care or be expected to take care of me, and miss work…and speaking of work, I’ve put Planet Express at a major inconvenience. I didn’t make a mistake. A mistake is forgetting to put a cling sheet in the dryer. What I did was so past being a mistake I don’t even think there’s a word to describe it!”
There was a long moment of stunned silence after she finished. Silence that was ended unexpectedly when she abruptly burst into tears. Feeling pathetic on top of feeling guilty Leela ducked her head to hide behind her hair which she hadn’t bothered to pull back into a ponytail after she had been asked to take it down for the MRI she’d had that morning.
Her heart melting Munda reached for her child. “Ohhhh honey…” Leela tried to resist at first, but finally curled up in her mother’s arms and sobbed while Morris gently rubbed her back.
“Baby, we’re your parents,” He said softly. “We want to take care of you.”
“Like you even had a choice one way or the other.” She whimpered bitterly.
“We had a choice.” He assured her. “We easily could’a locked the front door.”
Leela gave a small shaky smile.
“And I just wanna’ be with you,” Fry softly added. “And not go to work. So you being asleep and not able to kick me out let me do both. And now I get to go on extended lunch breaks and take off suddenly without anyone being able to yell at me.”
“See honey?” Munda asked. “You haven’t hassled everyone nearly as much as you think you have.”
Beginning to regain control of herself Leela straightened up and wiped her face. “You guys are horrible liars, but I guess I’ll take what I can get.”
“That’s the spirit!” Morris encouraged.
Residence of Turanga Morris & Munda 9:45 pm Recovery: Day 6
“She said she’d felt guilty,” Munda stated as she stepped out of the master bathroom in her nightgown. “But I never realized she felt that guilty.” She shook her shoulder length hair out of its bun and slid into bed next to Morris.
After her emotional display earlier Leela had been a little subdued the rest of the evening. She hadn’t wanted to discuss it any further and not wanting to upset her again they had obliged her. But it had been difficult. Fry had been invited to stay for dinner and had tried valiantly to keep the mood upbeat. His efforts hadn’t been too effective but were appreciated none-the-less. He’d gone home soon after, giving her a hug that she had returned almost desperately. A little while later she’d had another seizure which seemed to depress her all the more.
“She is taking it rather hard.” Morris agreed. “And not for the reasons I would have expected.”
“What do you mean?” Munda asked as she stroked Muffin, who had just leapt purring onto the bed.
“She seems more concerned about her effect on us than her own health. I thought she would be more frightened of the seizures than she seems to be. She acts mostly embarrassed by them.”
“Maybe because she doesn’t remember them. All she gets to see is our reactions afterwards.”
Morris nodded. “Probably.”
Ready to call it a night he turned off the bedside lamp and the two slid down ready to sleep. Muffin took her place at the foot of the bed and curled up. For several minutes there was silence. Then Munda sat upright and turned on the lamp on her side of the bed.
“Are we in range?” She demanded abruptly.
“Hmwha?” Morris mumbled trying to shield his eye from the light.
“The receiver. Are we in range? If she needs us will we know?”
“S’gotta hundred foot range. She could be in the backyard and we’d know.”
She still looked anxious. “Do you think I should put new batteries in it?”
“Those batteries are brand new. Go to sleep.” Morris rolled over and buried his face in the pillow.
“Maybe I shou-”
“Good night Munda!”
Chastened, she turned the lamp off and laid back down. Once again there was silence.
“Maybe we should sleep in shifts.”
Morris sighed deeply.
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soylentOrange
Urban Legend
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^ yeah, seriously. If we all get down on our knees and chant "We're not worthy, we're not worthy", will you update more? Cuz were not worthy, and you should update more Your updates are always great, but I liked this one especially. The whole poison breaking down into its base proteins setting off seizures thing was very clever; it provides a believable explanation for Leela's sudden turn for the worse without seeming too convenient. I also really liked the dialogue between Morris and Munda, especially at the end. Also: “Well this certainly Robs Zombie.” I love that line
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KitKatBar-Fry
Liquid Emperor
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« Reply #650 on: 09-11-2006 04:38 »
« Last Edit on: 09-11-2006 04:38 »
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Originally posted by Venus: “I am not reaching down my bra with everyone looking.”
Fry placed his hands over his eyes. It was obvious that he was peeking so Leela glared at him until he complied. Best.Frickin'.Stuff.Ever. We truly look up to this kind of stuff. I mean, c'mon...it's like Jesus decided 'I wanna make a fanfic...probably about Futurama, because it rocks.' Then came down to PEEL, made it's name Venus, and wrote this. *whispers into Venus' ear.* Do you have connections with God? Seriously, though. Great stuff.
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Xanfor
DOOP Secretary
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“As you know,” The Doctor began, “Your immune system is breaking down the bee-venom into its base proteins, which will eventually be metabolized by your body. What’s happening now is that the venom is being broken down in stages, and at its current stage some of the more complex proteins are interfering with the chemical signals of your brain resulting in these seizures. You will continue to have seizures for at least the next few days, but eventually the venom will break down past this stage and the seizures will stop on their own.” This is so un-Futurama. But like I'm one to talk. So... YayYayYayYayYayYayYayYayYayYa y!...
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PCC Fred
Space Pope
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First off, a question for the English language experts out there: The Doctor turned his address back to Leela who was looking a little frightened. I was reading this, and wondering if it ought to be "The doctor" rather than "The Doctor". Then I realised that if that was the case, we'd also have to say "The professor" rather than "The Professor" when referring to Farnsworth. Which is correct? Praise time... “A baby monitor?! That’s it? That’s the best they’ve got? This is where my Medicare dollars go??”
Leela sighed deeply. “Mom, you don’t pay surface Medicare.”
“…Well if I did, and this is what it went for I would be outraged!” Hilarious exchange. I liked the line about death's deck chair too. This is another great update, particularly the gradual build-up to Leela finally snapping. Not to mention that brilliant bit at the end where Munda's fretting over anything and everything. And Fry becoming frustrated when Leela's all of two minutes late. I could go on and on. It'd probably be easier just to quote your entire installment and add a huge "YAY!" at the end of it.
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SpaceCase
Liquid Emperor
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@ Venus: See kiddo? We love you. We love your story. We love your writing. Get used to it. [Raps on ceiling with broomhandle] HEY! Keep it up, down there! >.< D'oh! I mean - Keep it down, up there! I don't get invited to the good parties...
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Ralph Snart
Agent Provocateur
Near Death Star Inhabitant
DOOP Secretary
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@ Venus:
Good update. (I can't expound any better than the previous posters have.)
Congrats on your 5th year as a PEEL'er.
In response to another post:
Yes, you are considered to be part of the 'old guard'.
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SpaceCase
Liquid Emperor
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Originally posted by Venus: awwww i should have waited till today to post that update. Then it would have marked the fifth anniversary of my becoming a Peeler. >.< D'OH!And, congratulations on your fifth PEELiversary! I've only been here three years, but it feels like forever...
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KitKatBar-Fry
Liquid Emperor
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Much better. Take no offense, it's just it would probably be better to hear it from me than from a mod :)Love to see that you listened and are interested in following the rules, unlike some other noobs. Thank you very much for your cooperation. Anyways, Venus, hear this message of hope: We demand more excellantness!!!
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SpaceCase
Liquid Emperor
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« Reply #678 on: 09-17-2006 13:51 »
« Last Edit on: 09-17-2006 13:51 »
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Originally posted by jle1993: WE WANT VENUS WE WANT VENUS WE WANT VENUS!!! *blushes* ahem, we honorably request that Venus come back and write more story for us, please. Venus is good, isn't she? Please don’t be impatient; excellence takes time. [Edit] Hey! I’m a 'Perfesser'!
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