Seeing the city without a grainy, darkened filter was a satisfying feeling. No blurring, no spotty vision; just pure, unhindered, undaunted observation.
Now that I was no longer crippled, my mood had been sufficiently improved - even to the point where I could actually start to anticipate leaving the confines of Judy's apartment.
She hadn't let me out yet, but it was only a matter of time. Patience was a valuable asset, and something that had been crucial for my former profession.
Over the next few days since visiting the ripperdoc, I had begun to train; the first concentrated effort I had invested in since arriving in this place.
Unfortunately for me however, I soon realised just how useless my old muscle memory was going to be after attempting some basic hand-eye-coordination drills.
In more apt terms, I was trying to juggle - and failing at it, miserably.
'You're complete shit at this.' Said Pride, after watching me fumble catching the plastic beads I was throwing around in front of me for the seventh time.
'Don't I know it.' I replied, studying my hands intently. 'My palms and fingers must have a different structure than what I'm used to, the ratio is different. Just like with our stature.'
'Maybe don't try something so major right off the bat? Throwing and catching will do for now.' My alter suggested, his tone uncharacteristically dissatisfied.
He was incredibly bored, and truthfully, so was I.
'Walking wasn't an issue for us, why should this be.' I said, picking the beads up and trying once more.
'Walking is an intuitive skill,' Said Pride, his voice silky and arrogant. 'Even monkeys can walk, albeit in a less sophisticated and developed way than we can. Juggling however is not an intuitive skill, and it never will be. Go and do something productive with our time instead of messing around.'
I huffed, my horrendous attempt at juggling causing my props to fall onto the ground and roll steadily towards the couch, coming to rest beneath it.
How annoying.
It was at this point that my carer finally made an appearance for the first time that day, brushing aside the threaded doorway that separated us with one arm before stepping through.
She looked thoroughly put out, judging by the look on her face. And stiff - very stiff.
She took all nighters every single day, and it showed on her face. No amount of eye shadow could hide the darkened patches of skin beneath her eyes.
Judy's spine cracked audibly as she brought up a hand to massage the back of her neck. "Fucking hell, I need to get a new chair. One of those automated self care ones would be preem."
She stretched, sighing with genuine relief. I eyed her observantly; noting the slight tremors as her body shook from the sudden release of escaping out of her very restrictive sitting position.
Her posture reminded me of a certain detective I had seen in an anime once - what was his name again?
'L.'
"Welcome back to the land of the living." I said, all while crawling forwards to the couch and making slight detours to pick up the other three beads along the way.
"Ha." Judy laughed, arms dropping to her sides contentedly before staring down at me. "Nothin's more alive than one o' those. Especially the ones I get my hands on."
That sounded sad, quite frankly, but I didn't say that aloud. Judy was very proud of her BD's, something that I had picked up on quickly after asking about them.
Judy was a recluse, hesitant to open up for surface level interest, but very passionate and knowledgable about her chosen subject.
I had found that out after asking some very technical questions that someone of my age definitely shouldn't have been asking about.
My recollection was rudely interrupted by my alter's husky voice.
'I don't think I'll ever get tired of looking at that face, It's a work of art.' Sighed Pride, sounding almost wistful.
Ugh. Not this again.
Pride had started fawning over her appearance again; he had been doing a lot of that lately. 'She's a beauty, truly. I mean look at her; her facial structure is completely and utterly symmetrical, the geometry and distancing is identical. It's just… perfect.'
I ignored this, putting him on mute until he started talking sensibly again.
I snuck a hand under the couch, struggling to grab a hold of the bead before pulling it out and sitting up on the tiled flooring.
Judy yawned before walking over and plopping herself down onto the couch I was now leaning against. "Anyway, what are you doing this time? That doesn't look like yoga."
Ah yes, yoga.
While my current reflexes were terrible, and I was clumsy to the point of being labelled deficient; this body was highly flexible, unusually so.
Yoga and extreme stretches must have been the hobby of Judas', which I suppose made some vague semblance of sense. It was odd but not unbelievable. What else could the kid have done in his free time? Playing outside with other children definitely wasn't an option available to him.
Still, I don't think many gymnasts could achieve the positions I could put myself in. I wasn't sure what to feel about that.
A skill was a skill however, and I wouldn't be letting something so useful downgrade back into inadequecy on my account.
"No, I'm doing juggling now." I muttered, staring down at the collection of blueish beads settled in my palms.
Judy looked slightly baffled, then her gaze sharpened. "Are those beads from my curtains?" She asked, eyes narrowing as they darted towards the threaded door to her studio.
Sure enough, one of the long strands hanging from the doorway was missing four blue colored beads from its base, the singular thread tied up just a tad higher than the others were.
'I told you that wasn't a good idea.' Pride smirked, and I felt his ego burn with content at being proven right, even at something so mundane.
There was no suitable way to avoid blame for this.
"I'm sorry." I said quietly, looking at the ground. "I'll put them back."
Judy sighed, placing a hand on my head and tracing my curly hair with her fingers.
She seemed to like doing that, I didn't know why. I had long since given up trying to stop her doing it.
"If you wanted some toys you should have just asked." She said, her voice quiet and understanding.
I stayed silent, pausing for a second before continuing.
"I want to go outside." I said, fiddling with the small spherical beads held within my hands.
Judy stayed silent now, and I could tell she didn't want to let me out of her sight, but knew I couldn't stay cooped up in her apartment forever.
"I'll think of something." She said, the comforting motion of her hand stopping still before returning in full strength. "Just wait a little while longer okay?"
'If Judy doesn't let us go in a week let's leave her behind.' Said Pride, clearly not caring one bit for the moral dilemma which was so evidently raging inside our guardian's head. 'We have our eyes back now and could be doing so much more with our time. Yet you let our progression be stunted by her protectiveness.'
I pondered his words, there was an element of truth to that, there always was. 'She's my ticket into the story, I'm not compromising that because you're bored. Besides; the road unto heaven is always paved with bad intentions.'
'Road to heaven my ass,' Pride snorted. 'Out there isn't anything close to heavenly.'
I gritted my teeth irritably.
'It's a quote you dumb bastard.'