.04.06.
Check-up @ua-stein
[Another meeting. One that's actually interesting, at least, and not other commission members droning on and on and on with nothing that's actually relevant to his own work. A meeting that he actually has control over. Monoma's back again, this time in the labs, a few floors below his office. He's been there before, a few times being tended to by someone other than Stein, one of his gentler assistants instead.
This time, it's just going to be himself and the boy.
He's in a small room, similar to a regular doctors office, a long medical bed for Monoma to sit on one side, a larger, more complex computing system than usual on the other, Stein sitting in front of it. He's waiting, quite patiently, for him to arrive so they can begin, filling in some of the remaining paperwork as he waits.] [Monoma arrives as early as usual, reluctant but dutiful. If his schedule is correct, this was another routine check-up, which he didn't... terribly mind. The check-ups were never as invasive as he perhaps feared they would be, which was nice.. More importantly, they were quick, and they were easy. Usually he just had to sit there as he was poked and prodded. Maybe answer a few suspicious questions, if he were lucky. Maybe get a hint or two of what the commission's plans for him were, if he were incredibly fortunate.
Either way, he's not expecting much. He definitely wasn't expecting to see Stein in the laboratory room... alone. He hesitates for a second at the door as he opens it, gawking before he fixes his expression, giving him a short bow as he closes the door behind him.]
MONOMA: Good afternoon, Naishou-sensei... [he greets, already moving to the bed to sit down in.] STEIN: Hello, Monoma-kun, [he smiles, turning to him as he enters and sits, crossing one leg over the other.] Did you expect someone else? I have to see you for myself some time.
[Chuckling softly, he stands, taking the stethoscope from his desk and putting it around his neck.]
STEIN: I want to do a full physical today, and then some. I have some proposals for other tests we could do today that you'd have to sign off on.
[He moves it up to listen, pressing the flat end on Monoma's chest, murmuring to him to breathe normally and then lingering, wanting to know if he can hear how foreign the heart is. When he's satisfied he moves it to his back a moment later, telling him to take a deep breath, carefully listening to his lungs.]
STEIN: How does that sound? [he asks, finally taking it away.] [Monoma only hums vaguely as he's teased. The man seems to be in an especially good mood... Is he just imagining that? Or was Stein truly happy to see him? Or to experiment on him, rather...? Oh, wondering about this seems silly, he thinks, berating himself briefly as he watches Stein stand and get closer. He's about to respond when he stops, a faint flush on his cheeks as his heart is listened to.
It's not a procedure he appreciates. It makes him a little too hyperaware of his body, making him fixate on every flaw he's sure he has. How foreign does his heartbeat sound? What if it sounded monstrous? Worrying, he sigh a little as Stein pulls away, simply giving him a little nod.]
MONOMA: Sounds wonderful, sir... [he murmurs politely.] [So polite. He smiles wider.
He reaches for the blood pressure cuff next, not wasting any time in pushing up Monoma’s sleeve himself to wrap it around his arm, not bothering for his permission.]
STEIN: I want to test your secondary quirks, [he hums, turning it on.] If you can't activate them yourself, I want to help you do it.
[He watches the numbers tick as it tightens around his arm until it cuts off his blood flow and then relaxes.]
STEIN: I'm sure you know that forcing quirks isn't easy.
[He slips the device off, finally looking at him again.]
STEIN: It might be complicated. Or unpleasant. [Monoma nods slowly, wary. 'Secondary quirks'. What a strange and almost normal-sounding name for it. As Stein speaks, he tries to remember the last time he's even had access to one of them. He remembers all the damage he's suffered when he'd been taken away... and even before that, during the simulation, when he’d been...]
MONOMA: I'm... rather familiar with quirk development, considering... [he mumbles out as he watches Stein work, thinking vaguely of his childhood, how complicated he'd been told growing up with his original quirk was.]
MONOMA: So I suppose I don't terribly mind... no matter how, ah, unpleasant it's going to be.
[He sighs out, fixing his sleeve absentmindedly.]
MONOMA: I've only used the regenerative one, if you recall, and I remember it being rather conditional... [Stein quirks a brow, busying himself again as he speaks, getting a small medical light and waiting for him to finish before he flicks it on and puts a hand on Monoma's face, pulling his eyelids up one after another and shining it into his eyes, watching how quickly his pupil dilates.]
STEIN: Conditional?
[He puts it down, slipping back to his desk to quickly type out his notes and what was recorded.] [Monoma wrinkles his nose at the sudden flash of light reaching his eyes.]
MONOMA: Yes, well... The whole procedure also involved another person and-
[He stops short, suddenly remembering, suddenly realizing something. Frowning, he touches his fingers to his face, rubbing his temple.]
MONOMA: ... Toga Himiko. The League member...? Her quirk activates with blood consumption. I've only ever been able to heal after doing the same. Sir, I think...
[He frowns.]
MONOMA: Maybe, since her DNA is involved... [Stein turns, watching him again, very interested.]
STEIN: ... Do you think you got her quirk as well? [He asks, voice lowered, suddenly engaged.] Or is it a variation...? Mm..
[Tapping on the keyboard, he takes a few more notes.]
STEIN: I'd like to find out.
[He takes a few papers on his desk and hands them to Monoma with a pen.]
STEIN: Sign these. They'll allow me to do what I need to do. I'll be frank, part of it is going to involve hurting you. I want to record the regeneration. You said blood consumption makes it work? Has it ever been anyone elses? [Monoma just barely holds back a groan. He hopes he hadn't inherited that as well, but he chooses not to voice that thought, only weakly shrugging as he glances listlessly at the paperwork.]
MONOMA: Maybe a variation, or a side effect... I don't know. The memories of the procedure itself aren't the clearest, but I think... maybe...
[He sighs again, deciding he doesn't feel like pretending he's doing more than a quick skim of the papers as he starts to sign even more of his life and body away.]
MONOMA: That's fine, though, I understand why it'd be necessary. I've never... really attempted to do it much on purpose, so... it's always been just my own. STEIN: Hm.
[Naishou nods curtly and writes that down, copying everything he says about it.]
STEIN: We'll find out. What about the other quirks? Do you know what they are?? [He watches him sign from the corner of his eye, tapping the edge of his desk.] You can put them here when you're done.
MONOMA: Not even an inkling.
[He scrawls the last signature out with a bit of a flourish before moving to follow his instruction.]
MONOMA: Usually I receive a sort of... impression of what a quirk is when I copy one, but since I haven't attempted to do so with those quirks yet...
[He gestures a hand vaguely.]
MONOMA: Otherwise I've been made to use a noumu's quirk before, though, and the experience of trying to borrow from them was.... incredibly overwhelming. It's a lot of information at once... [Stein nods, turning again once he's done typing.]
STEIN: No idea, then. Come with me, [he stands, suddenly, opening the door for himself and walking down the hallway, expecting Monoma to be behind him.]