veryroundbirdfics | Arknights | A World Where Everyone Can Live

Rating: Mild
Words: 764
Characters: Sussuro, Click
Relationships: Gen
Summary: Click interviews Sussurro about what brought her to Rhodes Island.
Notes: Request for Pride Month 2021!

"Ah. I'm on my break, so if you don't mind, I don't want to take up the whole time."

That's fine! It should be pretty quick, anyway; I just wanted to ask a few questions, since we're doing the promo video I pitched to leadership.

"Right. Are you sure you shouldn't be talking to Dr. Shining or Dr. Silence? I don't mind being a representative of the medical team, but... well, I'm not really a speechmaker, or even an subject-matter expert..."

Well, I thought it'd be good to show how even the less well-known operators at Rhodes Island feel, you know? People can put themselves in a separate category from those larger-than-life hero types, but it's like... human interest, you know?

"I suppose that's true. I never really thought of myself as anyone exceptional, but if that's what you're interested in filming... sure."

You could put it that way. I hear you've got some interesting stories, though! Everyone here does, anyway. Just talk to me like we're having a conversation. Let's start with why you decided to become a doctor.

"Ah—I grew up in Siracusa, and the medical field there is big—and parents like being able to boast that their child's a doctor. A comfortable life any parent could be proud of, so—sorry, it's not a really interesting story."

Something must have changed, if you were looking for a comfortable life then and are here at Rhodes Island now. Not to knock the lifestyle here, like—the food's great! But it's definitely more of an adventurous thing.

"I didn't have very many ambitions until I was at Siracusa-Palermo, but I met a lot of classmates who did. Some of them were looking for a stable career or an intellectual challenge, and others were strong idealists.

"It made me think—why was I there? So when the Oripathy pandemic became a local crisis and they were recruiting medical students as hospital volunteers, I realized—that was something I wanted to do. So I just... decided, why not?"

I don't know if you want to talk about how you became Infected.

"It's not something that bothers me, really, and it seems like you know already. I was overseeing care of a patient whose vitals took a dive suddenly, and crystallization proceeded rapidly before I could obtain proper safety equipment.

"...I didn't think that much of it then, either. It didn't seem like anything really changed, but then a few days later, I saw a patient who'd been doing fine just a week before declared untreatable. In my case, I'm fortunate; it hasn't changed my life that much. But since that day, I've always been conscious of how precarious life is, for anyone."

Not just the Infected?

"From one day to another, one can very quickly become Infected, or otherwise disabled. A Catastrophe might happen, or just a small accident."

—ah, that's kind of a bleak thing to say, Dr. Sussurro!

"Ah—is it? Everything can change in an instant like that, but here at Rhodes Island, I was able to get treatment that means I can live an everyday life, and continue my work as a doctor.

"There are plenty of operators who have assistive devices, or prosthetics, or who need physical or behavioral therapy, but because of those things, and because we work to support them, they can not only survive, but live independently as well, and continue working toward their own dreams."

...well, if you put it that way. Is that why you sought out Rhodes Island?

"To be honest, at first it was because it was a place that could ensure I'd be able to work. Receiving treatment as an Infected... even though Siracusa doesn't discriminate to the degree of other nations, most people are worried about an Infected treating their injuries. I thought I could receive treatment here, and in turn finish my medical training and pursue the career I wanted.

"But as I've continued working with Rhodes Island, I'm sure that this is what I want to do—treating Oripathy and making it more possible for the Infected to live in this world... no, making sure everyone can live in this world in a way that suits them—

"I guess I found my reason, huh."

See, that was pretty interesting after all.

"You think so?"

Yeah, like—you're definitely selling yourself short about being able to talk, you know?

"...if you're sure."

Well, here's my reason: people who care a lot are the most interesting people in the whole world.

"Hah... You know what, I think I'd agree."