An Apple a Day (Anti-4th Wall)

((A couple of things before we start:
1. If anybody has any other ideas for what to call these kinds of RPs, I'd be interested to hear
2. If anybody has an idea for a plot, feel free to take the initiative and start the thread
3. The setting for these RPs as a whole is (as has been tentatively suggested) that we forum members have living quarters set up where we wish in the galaxay, but we also have a way of returning to the "real world" when we need to. For example, I would be living on Star Command, and anyone working for Zurg would be living on Planet Z.
And now, back to the regularly scheduled crack))

Doc had woken up this morning with the most peculiar feeling, like a nagging voice in the back of her head was trying to tell her to just stay in nest today and not go to work. At first, in her half-asleep state, she had been more than willing to heed the voice, but as she became more aware of her surroundings, she realized how good an idea this was not.

So, after dragging herself out from under the pile of blankets, having a breakfast of fruit native to her home planet, and putting on her biosuit, she strolled down the halls of Star Command towards the medical bay, nodding good morning to everyone she passed. Getting to her office, she started up the computer and checked the calender to see if she had any appointments today.

TODAY'S EVENTS: ANNUAL CHECK-UP

...Well, that would explain why Doc didn't want to get out of nest today.

It was strange, really; most of the people on this station can and did face extreme danger almost every day, from trigger-happy criminals to natural hazards of whatever planet they were stationed on to, cosmos forbid, attacks from Zurg. Yet so much as mention the possibility that they would need to visit a doctor, and faster than a blink they're cowering under their beds. It was difficult enough performing the medicinal practice these days; uncooperative patients was just one more unnecessary burden.

What was it about doctors that made everyone so afraid of them, she wondered with a slight sigh as she brought up another program and started typing.


About ten minutes later, an announcement would be sent to every person on Star Command:

ATTENTION STAR COMMAND

This is Senior Doctor Thalassi reminding you that today is the day for your annual medical check-ups. At your soonest convenience, please come to the medical bay so that I and the LGMs may look you over. Appointments will be on a first come, first serve basis, and we highly suggest getting this done as soon as possible so that you may resume your normal schedule, particularly those that will be departing for assignments on other planets.

Also, please note that anyone who tries to avoid this will be TRANQUILIZED to be brought to the medical bay and RESTRAINED for the remainder of their check-up. We do not want a repeat of last year's horrible attendance.

Have a nice and healthy day!
~Senior Doctor Thalassi

Space Ranger Ty Parsec's ears perked up when he heard the announcement about today's medical check-ups while he was out jogging around in the gym...and his enthusiasm, and jogging, slowed down.

It wasn't that he hated medical check-ups, but ever since the.... past incidents he'd been through, he wasn't that happy to go back to the doctor's office. But he also knew that if he put it off anymore, he would come to regret it later. And he certainly did not want to put things off any longer, as in the case of the Wirewolf incidents. And so, he stopped running around the gym and walked back to the locker room to change into his Ranger uniform.

XL had a feeling he was going to enjoy today. He and XR didn't have to go for checkups so it would be hilarious to watch the rangers go. Especially since they both knew a lot of the rangers hated even the notion of going to a doctor.

Ginger was aboard Star Command as well. It was her first time in years. She had tried to avoid the place since Alan's death and Renee's dissapearence, but had to come to deliver something privately. She wondered if she was exempt from the checkups.

Booster was in the cafeteria finishing breakfast when he heard the announcement. Uh oh, he thought. I'd better get down there before the place fills up. Shoving the last of his breakfast into his mouth and gulping it down, the Jo-Adian quickly made his way to the medical bay.

As he was walking along, he noticed the hallways were surprisingly empty. Almost as if the other Rangers were too afraid to show their faces...

He quickly shook the idea out of his head. Space Rangers weren't afraid of anything. A simple check-up wouldn't scare them... right? He pondered this as he stepped through the doors of the medical bay.

Ty stepped out of the locker room, sighing as he started to make his way towards the medical bay in his Ranger uniform. He wasn't looking forward to this at all. With gripped fists, and a not so sunny disposition, he walked down the hallway.

He thought it would be crowded, but much to Ty's surprise, it was very empty.

"What the....? Where is everybody?" He continued walking down the hall, occasionally looking around to see if there were other Rangers, but by the time he reached the medical bay, not one Ranger was caught in his eyesight.

But as he stepped inside, he figured that it was perhaps because a lot of his fellow co-workers were either on missions...or that they were simply afraid of going to the doctor's.

He inwardly shrugged. That made some sense; Rangers were not always keen on letting doctors look at them when they've been through fighting villains, entering horrible planet conditions, and many other things a Ranger can go through. But still, it was better just to get it done now, rather than later.

With this resolution in mind, he made his way inside the medical bay doors.

Ah, nothing like spending a day doing nothing but at least three towering piles of paperwork. At least to MINERVA, it was a bit of a blessing and a curse. However, it was slowly turning into more of the curse when the announcement that the annual check-ups where today. As soon as it was finished she was not in the best of mood after. Being stuck in a Spiritoian lab for almost seven to eight months the feeling of being poked and prodded was something the cyborg was not wanting to experience at the moment. Still, best to get going while the getting's good and get the best early appointment available when she got there.

Taking a rather slow pace, she was there and come to find out there was basically nobody here. Except for another Ranger, Ty Parsec MINERVA thought his name was. She was somewhat familiar with what happened to him but not a whole lot. And Booster was here as well. Thank Great Spiritos that she had a fellow teammate to talk to while they waited.

When Booster, Ty and MINERVA arrived at the medical bay, they would find a group of LGMs dressed in white medical coats carrying around clipboards. Turning towards the sound of the doors opening, they spotted their first patients and came forward with a simultaneous "Weeelcooome."

"Please take a seeeaaat," one LGM said, motioning to the chairs situated next to the door as an impromptu sitting area, while another waddled over to Doc's office. "The first patients of the day are heeere," it reported to the Bubonese.

Doc, while waiting for her announcement to be answered, had been checking individual tranquilizer darts for defects before slipping them into a belt. She seriously hoped she wouldn't have to use these, but considering what happened last year....

She had just gotten started on assembling the rifle when she heard the door to her office open and looked up at the LGM. "Ah, good, good," she said, putting down the trigger pin. "And who would they be?"

"Rangers Munchapper, Sparkstar and Paaarseeec." The LGM's gaze shifted over to the rifle on Doc's desk, antenna wiggling slightly as it conversed with the others over their mind link. Ty, MINERVA, and Booster, should they be paying attention to their surroundings, would notice the LGMs suddenly pause in the last minute check-overs of the medical equipment as their antennae started waggling, too, before resuming their tasks as if nothing happened.

Hmm. Wonder what they were talking about? Nevertheless, Doc thanked the LGM and, pulling Ty, MINERVA and Booster's files out of her cabinet, strolled out into the more open bay towards the seating area. "Ranger Munchapper, Ranger Parsec, Ranger Sparkstar, welcome, and thank you for coming!" she said, spreading her arms out in greeting. Turning to the LGMs, she handed a manilla folder over to one of them and said, "Once you finish with those, could you please look over Ranger Munchapper? Thank you. Now Ranger Parsec, if you could please come with me so we could get started, and Ranger Sparkstar, if you could please be patient I will get to you as quickly as possible." And with that, she led Ty to one of the beds/examination tables furthest from the door and surrounded them with several curtains for privacy.

"Any questions before we get started?" she asked him as she drew a table holding various diagnostic devices closer.


Elsewhere on Star Command, there was a temporary pause from the rest of the LGMs as they picked up the message from their brother in Doc's office. Those who happened to be in the presence of other Star Command personnel would immediately turn to their independent thinking co-workers and say, seemingly out of the blue, "Your attendance is required at the medical bay todaaay."

Aww, it looked like LGMs were going to try to help Doc with rounding up everyone!

"Hey, Minerva!" greeted Booster, waving at her and Ty. "We seem to be the only ones here." Were the other Rangers really that afraid of a simple check-up?

A group of LGMs arrived and motioned for him to take a seat, then disappeared into the Doc's office. They soon returned and led Booster to an examination table (which was just a bit too small for the hefty Jo-Adian).

"So, uh, this won't hurt, will it?" Booster asked nervously, eyeing the medical instruments the LGMs were bringing out. He winced when he saw one of them place a needle on the table. Maybe it wasn't so strange that the other Rangers didn't like medical exams...

Still, he'd been ordered to attend, and there was no way he was backing out now.

Ginger frowned unhappily and decided she might as well go. Pushing some hair back behind her ears, the Zephyrite walked to the medical bay. It was becoming apparent that she couldnt be a hermit forever. As she passed a mirror she realized some of her lovely red fur was gaining shades of grey. She grumbled and walking into the medical bay with everyone else.

Sitting down like the LGMs had asked, MINERVA heard Booster say his hello, she returned with, "Hey Booster. Apparently. At least it gets me out from doing paperwork for a bit." Soon the doc appeared and said her introduction, then ordered her assistants to take Booster and she would examine Ty. Nodding in agreement to be patient, she had noticed another come in and with the features it sort of looked like Renee but not. She then figured it was her mother with the similarities.

Ginger sat down and tried not to make eye contact with any of them. If she had to talk she would. However, she wasn't going to up and have a good conversation with them. Watching Ty Booster go for their examinations, she waited her turn patiently

When the LGMs greeted the Rangers, Ty nodded in acknowledgement to them, and to Booster, who waved at him. Ty gave a small wave back and gave a short nod to MINERVA.

One of the LGMs instructed the Rangers to sit down to wait for the doctor. As Ty sat down in a chair, alongside Booster and MINERVA, he watched the LGM waddle off to the doctor's office to retrieve them.

While waiting, he took to leaning back against the chair and crossing his arms, trying to force himself to relax....which didn't help much when Booster asked a seemingly innocent question.

"So, uh, this won't hurt, will it?"

Ty seemed to be keeping a cool head, but deep down, he felt a small pang of anxiety burst in his heart. Craters, why was he feeling so nervous?! He shouldn't be feeling nervous; this was just a checkup! It wasn't like he was going in for a surgery or anything!

Ty closed his eyes and leaned over in his seat, rubbing the bridge of his nose to calm himself down and taking a deep breath to quell his anxiety. Too bad he didn't notice the LGMs' antennae waggling for a moment before they walked off like it was nothing.

"Ranger Munchapper, Ranger Parsec, Ranger Sparkstar, welcome, and thank you for coming!"

Ty lifted his head up when he heard his name called by a female voice, who he assumed was the doctor. He looked up and guessed right.

"Goody for me...." He was not going to enjoy this.

He watched her handing a folder to one of the LGMs and instructing them to look over Booster. She seemed highly professional, that was for sure. But then again, she was a doctor; it was protocol for them to be professional...usually.

"Now Ranger Parsec, if you could please come with me so we could get started, and Ranger Sparkstar, if you could please be patient I will get to you as quickly as possible."

Ty took one more deep breath and stood up, following the doctor as she led him to one of the beds/examination tables...and away from the door. He couldn't help but feel a little impressed. She knew what she was doing, alright. As the Ranger sat down on one of the beds/examination tables, he heard her ask,

"Any questions before we get started?"

"Just one. You won't...have to do any EXTENSIVE checkups, will you?"

((Since I'm going to be out of town for the next few days, please bear with me if I don't respond back to the RP immediately. I hope you all have a good weekend. ^^))

After removing her hat and coat, Doc turned to a rather large white box and placed her hands in an opening in the side. As a blue sterilizing light came on, killing any pathogens that had gathered on her suit's gloves, she listened as Parsec voiced his concern.

"...I had actually hoped to do a couple of extra tests, if that would be alright with you," she answered, turning her head to look at him as she waited for the machine to finish. "I'd like to keep a close eye on a couple of things in case there are any after-affects from your time on Canis Lunis and Planet Z."

As a small ding rang from the machine and the lights turned off, she removed her hands and picked up and scanner and...a tongue depressor. "There are quite a few diseases and conditions whose symptoms only appear a while after the event that caused them, and if anything should crop up, I'd like to nip it in the bud. Of course, I can't force you to do these if you don't want to; I can only strongly recommend them as someone who is trying to look after your health.

"I'll give you some time to think about it, though. For now, we'll begin with the basics. Say 'Ah....'"


Meanwhile, the LGMs, having finished checking the equipment, ushered Booster over to another examination table...hmm. Did they happen to have any extra large tables lying around?

"So, uh, it won't hurt, will it?"

"Nooope," answered one LGM as it placed a needle on one of the smaller tables.

"Just a booster shooot," another clarified as height adjustable platforms were brought forward. Soon, Booster would find himself surrounded by several LGMs who were simultaneously checking his ears, eyes and mouth.

One LGM, the same one who had alerted Doc to the patients, was standing off to the side and rifling through the papers on its clipboard when it noticed a female Zephyrite walk in and sit down. Funny, she didn't seem to be Star Command staff. One of those "forum members" who had shown up recently?

Well, only one way to find out. Waddling forward, clipboard held up for easy access, it looked up at the woman and asked, "Naaame?"

"Ginger Gade." She said plainly. "My husbad used to work her." She felt the need to add it, as if everyone had forgotten who she was. It was doubtful but a reassurance to the woman.

XR and XL were coming in just to watch. Joining them was one of the so called 'forum members', Python.

Ah, so MINERVA was right. This turned out to be Renee's mother. With the way her inner expression had looked she was stressed about something which was puzzling the cyborg a bit. She then saw the robotic brothers and waved to them in a hello then propped up her head with her arm on her knee and sighed as she patiently waited for her turn to go.

"...I had actually hoped to do a couple of extra tests, if that would be alright with you," Ty watched as she turned her head to look at him, listening to the machine's whirring.

Although she couldn't see it, he felt a small shudder course through his body.

His attention was brought back as she said, "I'd like to keep a close eye on a couple of things in case there are any after-affects from your time on Canis Lunis and Planet Z."

Ty's shudder increased, shown by his hand, which was slightly trembling. He took another deep breath, trying to pass it off as a normal inward sigh.

He stoically watched the doctor as she picked up a scanner...and a tongue depressor. What she said next, however, slightly furrow his eyebrows pensively, if not a bit concerned.

"There are quite a few diseases and conditions whose symptoms only appear a while after the event that caused them, and if anything should crop up, I'd like to nip it in the bud. Of course, I can't force you to do these if you don't want to; I can only strongly recommend them as someone who is trying to look after your health."

"..."

"I'll give you some time to think about it, though. For now, we'll begin with the basics. Say 'Ah....'"

He did as he was told, and opened his mouth. "Ah..."

Booster, being an easy-going guy, allowed the LGMs to poke him and prod him without too much fuss. He still eyed the needle nervously, though. Needles bothered him. They were nasty, sharp things that were jabbed through your skin. He shivered. "What's the booster shot for?" I hope it's something important so it'll be worth it, he thought.

Meanwhile, on a different part of Star Command, a certain forum member known as Ranger was relaxing in her quarters when she received a message telling her to go to the Medical Bay for a check up. "Check up?" Ranger frowned. "Why do I need a check up? There's nothing wrong with me!" She folded her arms and decided to ignore the message. After all, despite her name, she wasn't actually a Space Ranger, so they couldn't force her to go... could they? She shrugged and settled on the couch, picking up a piece of paper and beginning another love letter to her crush, Ranger Doppler... not that he ever responded to any of them, but she could dream, right? Besides, it was something to take her mind off these check ups.

python sat patiently, waiting and watching with XR and XL. She didn't HAVE to go into theward to get a checkup, but a good and more often than not delightful mental evaluation kept her spirits up. There was also good fun in watching the rangers who didn't want to go in get forced.

Ginger propped her feet up and pulled her hood down, getting a little more comfortable.

As the wait continued, MINERVA was doing all that she could to be patient and wait her turn to be examined. Unconsciously she started to rub her upper right arm without even realizing that she was doing it. When she did, she quickly stopped before anybody had a chance to question it and having to explain the attack and surgery all over again and believe that it got quickly got old and took a lot of breath. She then stifled a yawn and stared at the floor getting bored by the minute.

Meanwhile, in the Science Bay, a small portal opened up, its colors swirling with beauty. However, it disappeared as a certain green fox and forum member known as Fox Storm, or just Fox, soared outwards and landed on the floor, her purple bandana wavering slightly around her neck from the impact of the landing. She shook her fur and looked around.

A smile creased itself. Good, she arrived.

Normally, the LGMs would have alarmed somebody about an intruder in the Science Bay, but since they were helping the doctor in the medical area, she had a bit of a break. And so, she broke into a run, sprinting out the door, and down the empty hallway, making sure no one saw her.

Python got up out of raw boredom and started walking around the halls. She would wait for her mental evaluation. She stroked some of her mahogany hair behind her ear and wandered around, looking for something to do.

(That's fine, Doc. You take your time in taking care of your health and school first. Those things are more important for you now, right? I'm sorry to hear about your tooth; I hope you feel better! (hugs) I'll probably post something later. Right now, I gotta go. See y'all later.)

(EDIT: New post!)

The green fox continued to run down the hallways. She wanted to do a quick checkup on Star Command, making sure that it was okay and that everybody and everything were doing fine. As she looked all around, she couldn't help but pause in her tracks. This was odd....there was literally nobody here.

...

"Where IS everybody?" She pondered out loud.

In the meantime a young woman had just arrived at the space station just to see what was going on. TyFan or TF for short always came up to see what the latest buzz was (hah no pun intended) going on. She never wanted to be left out of the loop and since she only made the trip maybe once or twice a month it really didn't make an impact to the working enivronment. Stepping out into the hallway she was nearly blown over by a green fox that suddenly rushed by then asked where was everyone. Of course she wouldn't know since she just got there but she was starting to see that it was almost looking like a ghost town. "That's weird," she mumbled to herself.

The fox looked around at the empty hall ways, curious as to why they were empty. She didn't know what to make of it, but she knew she had to do her job. And so...looking around and making sure no one saw her, she ducked into an empty closet. She closed her eyes, and transformed herself into a human woman with a green fox mask on her face. Once this transformation was done, she walked back out and quietly walked down the hall ways, ready to do her job.