tampered | That Voodoo that You Do (complete)

That Voodoo that You Do (complete)

When; Thursday
Rating; R
Characters;

milanbutterfly
Summary; The Thursday after their appointment the ticking began and Caterina is blackmailed rather willingly into allowing Isaak to treat her. This is the result of that treatment.
Log;

She was slightly nervous for the process, more than that. Incredibly nervous. Kampfer used black magic, alchemy and Caterina knew this would affect her in some way aside from simply healing. Yet still she sat before the garish dressing mirror and tidied her hair. The magician had not been completely specific with what the process would entail tonight.

Though her vanity was strong, she managed not to apply the heavy foundation and powder that she wished to cover her pale, sallow expression, so she wished her hair to be neat, at least. Since they were here in her apartments, she had left off a hat and the formality of gloves, opting instead for a lighter gown, pale blue silk, no coat or cape covering her. A silvery corset girded her midriff, showing off the slender waist.

Rising, she ensured that no one was about- Tres followed her orders, but he still worried for her and so she had sent him out on a scouting and supplies mission for the evening while this procedure was to take place. Once more she tidied at her hair before rising from the dressing table and heading towards the door, peering out from the peep hole carved eye-level into the door. Sometimes it showed what was truly out in the hall and other times it showed what looked like the inside of a gumball machine.

Eyelids dropping, she continued to resist the urge to cover herself in the safety of makeup. Kampfer would have to see her like this sooner or later and it both irked and worried her that she cared so much for his good opinion on her appearance as well as intelligence. And that he would see her so feeble.

Finally, when she heard the gentleman announce himself, Caterina opened the door and ushered him inside, "Goodevening, Kampfer, I hope you are well?" The lighting inside was low, the decorum garish as his own place, but much more simple than the rest of the outside.

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As the comforting liquid turned to regular water, she continued to breathe it in, eyes opening wide. Caterina thrashed about, getting her bearings before realizing that she would not drown if she only sat up.

Shooting up from the water, she splashd it over the edge of the bathtub, her mouth open in a gasping 'o' as she sucked in air, coughing and sputtering, hair plastered to her face and head.

She looked like a drowned person, quite at odds with the austere portrait she showed daily.

Isaak held his laughter at Caterina’s problematic awakening. Her hair was smothered down and unravelled; her expression wild and face clean of make up. Despite the circumstances, she looked lovelier and more importantly, healthier. Her chest was rising to a rapid pace, her lungs strengthened.

Strong but confused like a new born.

Silently, Kämpfer moved behind her, placing the bathrobe over her shoulder and then covering her dripping hair with the towel, mussing to dry the strands idly.

“How do you feel, Duchess?” he asked, interested to know the results. “How does your body feel?” Isaak said nothing about the unorthodox treatment, she already knew his methods were unusual.

She rose out of the water, shivering to the cooler temperature of the air now that the embryoic warmth of the water was gone. As Kampfer placed the robe around her shoulders, she snuggled into it, amused at his attempt to dry her hair. It would tangle that way, but for now she indulged him.

"Stronger," She replied, a bit hoarse from swallowing and regurgitating the water. "Less ill than before, thank you." And closed her eyes, enjoying her newfound health though the ticking had returned.

"Kampfer, what ill effects will this have on me?"

Isaak continued to rub the towel on her head as he had done to Dietrich when he was younger much to the Puppet Master’s eternal annoyance and the Magician’s delight. Then, satisfied, stopped the motions, heading to close the windows so Caterina would not catch a chill.

“Effects? None the first time,” informed Kämpfer, “But if the baths continue you will become less human, more aware of the elements. Your life would prolong and you probably never get ill anymore. This isn’t the treatment I give to Mein Herr. His are quite different,” he assured her with a dark smirk. “His entire genetic structure must be treated specially.”

"I see," Caterina replied. "Am I healed then or will the treatment need to continue?" She did not want to be kept in the dark on this, but the prospect of becoming inhuman disturbed her greatly.

Closing the tie of the robe around her waist, she caught a glimpse of her hair in the mirror and frowned slightly, she would have to comb it out before the mess dried into one giant tangle.

Moving to a counter, she picked up a comb and began to pick through the locks, the comb began to vibrate and let off bubbles to which she cast it aside and tried another.

"And how do you treat Cain?" She asked, tone innocuous, eyes looking guilessly at Kampfer.

“No, I am afraid you aren’t healed yet,” Isaak explained. “But much of your affliction is gone. If we were in our realm you would be almost cured. Your health will continue to worsen with the ticking however I can rejuvenate you again until you feel is necessary, Duchess.”

He watched her with mirth as Caterina attempted to untangle her untamable mess of golden strands. It was almost comical to see her doing this mundane task that he was willing to bet the Cardinal bestowed to her storage of maids in the Vatican.

He inclined on the wall, his hair and body almost melted with the shadows lingering there. Isaak took a pause to reply about Cain’s treatment. “His affliction is different than yours. Your body is dying; his is in a convulsed process of destruction. For Cain Knightlord is already dead, the Nanomachines are using his shame and form, masking in the remains of his personality.” He cast his gaze down, almost musing to himself. “But dead had come back to life in this world, hadn’t they? I wonder…”

"I will leave my treatment to the descretion of my physician," Caterina replied with humor, watching him from the corner of her eyes in a mirthful glance. Then continued to attempt to comb her hair, perhaps she should not have so hastily dismissed Tres.

"The dead have come back to life? What are you saying, Isaak, how is that possible?" His name slipped out, she hadn't meant to address him so informally and she did not even notice what she ahd done.

When she looked to him again, face serious to his admission, she was slightly unnerved with the way he melded with the shadows, eerie. But then, she knew he was not a human being in the sense.

“I was thinking aloud. Forgive me, Caterina,” Isaak commented, shaking his head lightly. Stepping onto the light to materialize firmly. He was smiling coyly. Unlike her, he did not slipped her name accidentally.

“Lady Sahl was dead, wasn’t she?” questioned Kämpfer with a matter-of-fact voice. “Not just her but people who die in this realm are… returned to life. Dietrich tested my hypothesis already. However, could they join their worlds again? That is what I don’t know yet.”

He strode towards the window, his hands joined together on his back, giving him a thoughtful appearance. “What I mean is that… if dead are resurrected. Perhaps, and this is but a theory, Cain Knightlord may return. I don’t know how his siblings or Lilith or you are aware but Cain is completely innocent of his crimes. He didn’t even choose to be a Kreznik. He used to be a loving leader who worried about his people much unlike his twin.”

She noticed his use of her first name, but it was only fair for one because she realized that she had used his and for two because she liked the way he pronounced her name.

"She was," Caterina replied quietly, thinking for a moment on all of his words. "Then, if the real Cain, the one who died comes back, could he be placed back into the body to deactivate the nanomachines?"

She knew not how the Kreznik system worked, Isaak was the expert, but she was theorizing.

Isaak was smugly delighted Caterina had not protested about his daring addressing by her name. He turned to face her, expression half concealed by his long hair.

“Maybe he is there but too weak, too lost and blaming himself for all that he has done,” he commented. “He should be hidden purposefully to not face his siblings. If they tried to reach him as their brother, perhaps he will struggle against the Nanomachines.” Kämpfer passed by Caterina to gather his supplies in the kit. “His sister is here as well, Empress Augusta Vradica alias Seth Nightlord. She’s the young girl that you have probably seen nearby your priest. All family together. It would be better if they all remained in this world, wouldn’t you agree?”

Her eyes widened and she turned sharply, "What are you implying, Kampfer! Abel and Empress Augusta, they are needed in our world. Especially the Empress, no one would be able to rule the Methuselah empire as she does."

Then inclined her head, stopping her actions of combing her hair, "Or do you have a plan to take care of that already?"

“My original plans were… replaced by this city,” Isaak commented, smiling maliciously. “Our world should never have those creatures. They are a time bomb no matter how controlled some appear to be. One little slip, they would be taken over and seek only destruction like happened to Cain.”

He bowed before her, his smile faded a bit. “Only in this city they could be happy and together without death to be an issue for either. And, think about it, the times are changing Ion Fortuna’s last misadventures displayed him in a positive light among the nobility of the Empire. He also thinks Humans and Methuselahs are equals. He would be a proper Emperor or at least a good figurehead for his grandmother would really reign as she has as Augusta’s decoy.”

He tilted his head. “Blanchett will rule in Albion, Alessandro in the Vatican and Fortuna in the Empire. The three are pure hearted, naïve figureheads who are needed to build the world. But us, the adults, must show them the way. Think about it, Duchess.” He inclined his head, closing his kit with a snap. “Have a good day, your cyborg must have found the way back home by now.”

"If he has not, he will shortly," Caterina murmured. "I will show you to the door." There was a strange sense of disconnect when she thought about it.

After her family was killed, Abel was there. Always there. How could she get used to him being gone?

But her thoughts betrayed her, hadn't he found another? Wasn't he happier here? With Lilith and if they brought Cain back, with him as well. And Seth.

She wanted to cry, to scream, instead, she paused at the door, opening it and holding it for Isaak. "I... agree."

Isaak paused, noticing how troubled she was. Of course the turmoil was great. He should have waited to reveal this. Cursing his lack of timing, he reached for her free hand and gave a light, uneasy squeeze.

“It is hard to leave behind someone you consider family,” he commented. Comforting was something he was not able to do. He just prayed that he was doing this the right way. “I understand. But you have your brothers and your Professor. Even your Mental Watchdog. I will be there if you need me, as well. Don’t be ashamed of your sentimentalism, Eisendame, cherish it.”

Without further ado, he released her and bowed deeply, clutching his right arm against his chest. “Farewell, Duchess,” Kämpfer bid before he walked out her apartment.

She smiled to his words, at his attempts to comfort and the caress of his hand. She returned the squeeze until they both released hands and he turned to leave.

"I will overcome my emotions, he will be happy with his family, our world will be safe and I will not be alone. Farwell Kampfer, and again, thank you." Then, as he left, closed the door, waiting for Tres.

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That Voodoo that You Do (complete)

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