fandomhigh | First Aid for Fandom

Class had been tasked with meeting in the Danger Shop again, and Hannibal greeted them as they arrived. "Welcome. And well done last week. This week, we move on to actually helping those you find. Since part of our determination in triage was whether or not they were bleeding, we're going to find out today how to help if they aren't."

He called up an unconscious human body. If it looked a little like Frederick Chilton, well, the man was a perfect example of dreadfully average humanity, and deserved any indignity he suffered.

"The technique we will learn today, I should mention, was developed for use on human beings. Similar things may work on other species, but you will have to know the location of their heart, lungs, and breathing orifices. If you think you may have occasion to offer help in future, you might want to ask them while they are conscious.

"This technique is called CPR, which is the abbreviation for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. A human's body tissue requires oxygen to live. As a simplified explanation, the lungs extract oxygen from the air, and blood carries this oxygen throughout the body. If the brain does not get oxygen, it begins to die. Brain damage is largely irreversible, so even if the person is later revived, they may have permanently lost function.

"The primary object of CPR is to ensure continued brain function by giving it the oxygen it needs. The secondary object may be to restore enough of a heartbeat that medical means can restore their pulse, or to enable them to begin breathing on their own. However, remember that whatever you may have seen in the media, CPR is unlikely to make a difference on its own unless followed by medical attention. CPR must continue until the person has their pulse restored or is declared dead."

He waved them all forward to observe the body.

"The most important part of CPR is chest compressions. If you feel confident enough, you may attempt to use breathing as well. We will discuss both methods."

He went over them, then brought out a bag valve mask. "If you want to try the breathing, but are unable to do so yourself, you can use one of these." He explained their use, too.

"So," he said, "show me both methods. We'll go over them and I'll help your form. And feel free to use the mask if you would rather not breathe for him yourself."

Hannibal would certainly understand that.

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"Well, it is very different from the structure of nonsentient gems," Hannibal said. "But I have no idea how different your structure is from nonsentient gems. Apart from the obvious point that yours allows for sentience."

"The structure of the Gem itself isn't all we have to consider when creating new Gems," Peridot pointed out, her tone a little wry. "We do have bodies, after all."

Case in point, then one she was using to squeeze a breathing bag for the patient, here.

"They do have to meet a certain standard, and there are a surprising number of structural similarities, considering we come from a completely different galaxy."

Hannibal frowned slightly. "I thought that your body wasn't actually part of your self, but a construct."

"It is," Peridot replied, "but it's a construct that reflects the quality of the work put into creating the Gem it's projected from."

She paused, and then added, "Some Gems can control what they look like. I can't. I am what I was made to be. And the fact that these constructs of ours share so many similarities with your species is... uncanny, really. I mean, our scent sponges are even in the same place."

Scent...

"Ah," Hannibal said. "You mean what we call noses?" He tapped his own. "It is quite intriguing, since you mention it. Many of the species from other worlds are remarkably similar. Do you know how Gems decided upon their forms?"

Peridot shook her head a little.

"I never exactly asked," she replied. It had never really occurred to her, at that. "We're the most efficient forms for our functions, I suppose."

Most things boiled down to efficiency with 'Dot.

"And yet Gems did not evolve, as near as you can tell." Hannibal pondered. "Perhaps they saw other forms from various worlds and intentionally developed what they perceived to be the most useful traits of each species for each sort of Gem that might need them?"

"... Maybe," Peridot replied, though her tone was dubious. "But that doesn't take into consideration that Gems have a sort of... default form. If we've been poofed and have to re-form, we start at that, and then cycle through every other variation on that form we've taken until we settle at whatever we take next. So there's room for improvement, but only to a certain degree. And straying too far from that default or rushing a regeneration can end... poorly."

"So, when you re-form, it isn't automatically in the precise form you were before being...poofed?" Hannibal asked.

"It can be," Peridot replied, thoughtfully. "The last time... the only time... I ever did, I returned to pretty much exactly as I was before my body sustained the damage. It might be something that Gems get better at with time and experience. Homeworld Gems don't tend to stray far from their original forms. But I've known other Gems who have."

"Do they stray in order to become better adapted to their environments?" Hannibal asked.

"I think mostly they stray to become better adapted to themselves," Peridot replied, thoughtfully.

That seemed very astute. "Can you give me an example of that?" Hannibal asked.

Peridot shrugged for a moment, pausing to consider the human equivalents for Gem terms she was more familiar with.

"... Hairstyles," she offered. "And... clothing. Gems who have lived on Earth might regenerate with appearances that better fit the... style... of their surroundings? To fit the... era...? Or to reflect their personal tastes."

Hannibal thought about it and nodded. "That makes sense." He smiled. "Fortunately, you fit here fine without needing that."

Because Fandom.

"Here," Peridot agreed. "Most of the time. Once the new students stop telling me to stop being green."

She rolled her eyes at that one.

Hannibal raised an eyebrow. "Somebody actually said that?"

That was rude.

"I believe she thought it was a... costume?" Peridot wrinkled her nose a little. "I tried to point out that I wasn't the only green person on the island, and that just made her more upset."

It likely didn't help that the other green person that Peridot had pointed out at the picnic had head tentacles.

Hannibal made a moue in distaste. "Hopefully she will learn to deal with the island's selection of people soon."

"She seemed... better... in class last week," Peridot admitted after a pause. "Once she accepted that I'm not exactly from around here."

And, in fact, came from a violent dictatorship.

"I was preparing myself to kick her, though. Just in case."

"Ah, good." Hannibal nodded.

About her being better? About Peridot preparing to kick her? Pick one.

Peridot was going to choose to believe that he meant both.

She gave a little knowing nod of agreement, satisfied with that.

First Aid for Fandom | Thursday, period 1

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