(no subject)

[experiencepoints]

Who: Everyone messed up by the dragon plot, and visitors
Broadcast: N/A
Action: Blue Fish's clinic!
When: All throughout the Solrius dragon plot and through the space flight to the next destination.

[So several RPG characters, a dragon, and two messianic figures walk into a planet.

Everything is suffering and tears, there's a lot of dead people, there's no punchline. But, hey, for the survivors, the Blue Fish's clinic is treating wounds and generally being a decent place to rest and recover and pray you don't see a dragon again. And for those who weren't involved, there's enough people bedridden here that there may just be someone you want to visit.]

Comments

[sylphystia]

[Dezel looks like shit. Much like everyone else in the clinic, he got crunched up by the boy and his dragon. This is why How To Train Your Dragon shouldn't be a kid's movie. His face is done up in bandages, mostly his cheeks and eyes, and there are more around his neck and chest and sides. His clothes have been shredded pretty thoroughly as a result. There's also some kind of ace bandage type of deal on one of his legs. For a guy who was impaled, though, he's looking pretty good. He'd just fought a tree and lost.

He's pretty bored though, so Eithan isn't the only one playing with his element. Sometimes he sends little breezes to mess with things on the walls and snoop around. Occasionally he gets a little forceful with it and knocks something over. Whoops.

For those who have no resonance whatsoever, they'll just see an empty bed. Sometimes there's a floating communicator, or the sheets rustle, but it definitely seems like something is there.]

[monolike]

[Sorey approaches Dezel's bedside like a man awaiting execution. He's got a few things in his arms, books and snacks and that nature sounds player from his room, but he'll wait for an invitation before he does anything.]

[sylphystia]

[Dezel senses him immediately, not as the Shepherd but as a boy, almost a man, fitting the same description Dezel's always known. He lifts his head and greets Sorey not with anger or razor wind, but with surprise.]

-- Hey.

[Surprise and relief. Sorey isn't as broken as he was earlier. And he's here to see him, which is... heartening, to say the least.]

I'm fine. You can stop looking at me like that. [He has no idea how Sorey is looking at him, but he can guess.]

[monolike]

Sorry, [Sorey mumbles, though he doesn't stop looking at Dezel like that. He sits down at least, holding out the nature sounds player for Dezel to take.] Brought this for you; thought it might help you relax. And I brought some snacks too. The uh, the seaweed ones and the sweet ones.

[sylphystia]

[Sorey is so sweet and so guilty. Dezel almost can't stand it. That said, he did miss the little box that Sorey gave him to tide him over between planets, so he's happy to reach out and take it.]

You didn't have to.

[He could be brusque and the usual, but Sorey doesn't need that right now. He's lost his other half. Dezel still hasn't processed it yet. He can't imagine Mikleo not being there-- can't imagine Sorey without the water seraph at his side. Sorey is going to need... a lot of help, and Dezel thinks he's the worst choice for that, but Sorey needs him still. He's gonna need all of them.

He sets the box on the bedside table and looks at Sorey seriously.]

I'm not mad; you don't have to make it up to me. [He lowers his voice so only Sorey can hear, and reaches out to set a hand on the former Shepherd's shoulder.]

Listen. I'm not going to coddle you, Sorey. I'm not going to tell you that you had no part in this because you don't need lies and empty reassurances. They'll only make you feel worse. [His silver eyes are visible from this angle, and they're surprisingly gentle, considering all the scratches and such around them.] But I will tell you this: you're alive. As long as you're alive, you're still able to do something. You can make sure this never happens again-- to you. To anyone else.

[Finally, his hand shifts to Sorey's hair, and he musses it up. Gently, though.]

Just something to think about.

[monolike]

[Mikleo always scoffed at the romance literature Sorey liked. Said the things were 'unrealistic' and 'had no perception of what life is actually like.' But all Sorey can remember from them now is one novel where a hunter had lost her lover and she likened the feeling to missing a vital limb.

That's what it feels like. Trying to stand without your legs.

Dezel giving it to him straight is actually more appreciated than he knows. Sorey treasures all the support he's received, but when you know you're to blame and you can't stand the thought of accepting one more word of kindness, having someone lay it out for you like that is...a comfort. A solid, real comfort.

Dezel's hand slips through his hair and Sorey bows his head into it, lacing his hands between his knees tightly. The advice feels too big. He's still trying to remember how to breathe without Mikleo reminding him to; the idea of grasping something so large, something like I'll never let this happen again (and wasn't that what he hold himself when Mason died, when Dezel died?) is just preposterous.]

...I'll think about it.

[He has so much to think about. Too much. He'll never manage to keep it all inside of his head.

Sorey gropes for a book.] I don't know if you have enough wind here to read...I brought some books but if you can't make them out, I don't mind reading them to you. [Please let me.]

[sylphystia]

Do it later. Right now, it's still too hard to process anything. [He tilts his head in a subtle, fond manner.] I know.

[He's been through this. Sorey isn't going down the path of revenge, but Dezel wonders if he'd be in the same spot had he remembered that Lafarga and Brad dying were his fault. He certainly had that reaction when the memories came back. It's my fault. I can't do this alone. I can't do anything. Sometimes he still struggles with those thoughts, but he doesn't want to worry Sorey with that.

Sora told Dezel to help him, so he's going to.

Sorey fumbles for a book and Dezel finally realizes what his intent is. He pauses, surprised enough to pull his hand away from Sorey's messy hair.]

You brought these for me?

[Oh, Sorey.]

I can't read these. It's a little easier if there's pictures, but... [He shifts on the bed, trying to prop himself up on his elbows. It hurts to do, but he wants to sit up for Sorey's sake-- to make him feel less like he turned Dezel into an invalid.]

Is there one you like?

[experiencepoints]

[His playing with his element is mrt by an opposing force- Someone else doing the same, though her wind is much weaker than his.

She doesn't move at all, using her magic just by willpower, but when his wind moves near her, it will encounter a contrary wind moving against it, as Nightingale is using it to levitate food from around the room to her.]

[sylphystia]

[Oh, that's interesting. Humans don't use magic on his world. They can't, not without it twisting their bodies and eventually turning them into misshapen wraiths. He drops what he's doing and observes her use of the wind, curious. It doesn't feel unnatural or tainted like he'd expect. There's a sense that she is not a nature spirit, but the resistance is minimal; she isn't abusing the wind, so Dezel has no immediate problem with it.

He makes a subtle gesture with his fingers after a minute. There's a new wind in town, and it's bringing her a napkin.]

[experiencepoints]

[She stops for a moment to stare at it, then reaches out with her own wind to take it.

(She would really like to use her arms, but those are pretty messed up right now, and if she moves them, she thinks Beverly might just kill her herself.)

Still, she's going to lower the napkin to her bedside, and gently lower her food onto it, before taking stock of the room. Allen can't do that, Sorey probably(?) can't do that, Eithan uses fire not wind, it could be Zaveid except he's not flexing or trying to show off his abs while he does it (she just met him, but she's pretty sure he's that kind of person, like Silver with better hair). So that leaves... the other guy with green-tinged hair. Huh. She's going to have to ask one of the Seraphim around here if that's a natural thing, or if the colored highlights are just Seraph fashion.]

Was that you?

[sylphystia]

[To be fair, Zaveid definitely used his wind while flexing and showing off his abs once, so she's entirely right about that.

He lifts his head as he's addressed, though he doesn't make eye contact. He seems closer to a shaggy dog than a person with eyes. Where is his hat? Who knows. It'd only make this worse.]

Yeah.

[He tilts his head a little.]

You can see me?

[experiencepoints]

I can. If it weren't for the hair, I wouldn't have even realized you're a seraph.

[She's becoming used to them, somehow. But her mana sight passive skill is the equivalent of resonance so great, she can't even tell there's a difference between them and humans.]

You must be "Dezel"?

[sylphystia]

[The hair? Oh. It's true, that's one way of telling, especially if you don't have proper resonance. It's just not something he depends on.]

That's me. I'm a wind seraph.

[He shifts a little, and she might be able to tell that his eyes are closed.]

And you are?

/LOOMS

[sansseraph]

[Lailah is feeling well enough to visit Dezel in the clinic. She walks in with a strawberry shortcake, a small smile, and an ominously big book. It has the title Animal Puns.

Apparently, the fire seraph also walks in just in time to see him knock something over. She sighs, setting the book and shortcake on the table next to his bed, and picks up what he knocked over.]

Bored, are we?

OH NO FIRE MOM

[sylphystia]

[He can tell she's carrying something, but he's too busy being a pissy cat to try to discern what it is. He makes a strangled noise when Lailah stops to pick something up.]

You don't have to-- [she's already grabbed it] ... do that. [SIGH. She doesn't have to clean up after him. He can use the wind, damn it.]

... How's the kid doing?

HELLO OTHER TROUBLESOME WIND SERAPH

[sansseraph]

[Too bad, Dezel, she's doing it and putting it right back where it should be. Lailah straightens out his table a little bit before answering him.]

Grieving, but he's trying his best. [Lailah shakes her head sadly.] I'll be checking to make sure he eats and has some water, at least.

[The fire seraph sits on a chair, looking down at her hands as she plays with the sleeves of her dress. She sighs softly.]

I've given Sorey the choice of whether he wishes to reinstate the Shepherd's pact or not, but I also told him that I didn't want his answer right away. He needs time to find it himself, when everything doesn't hurt so much for him.

(unsure) zaveid did it, whatever it was. it's his fault.

[sylphystia]

[He watches her without really seeing her. He's never really spoken with Lailah like this before, he realizes. Not plainly, not one on one.] ... Yeah. He's the kind of idiot who would forget the simple things.

[The mention of the pact makes him close his eyes again, and he shifts to make himself more comfortable. Hard to do when he's been laying in bed for so long.]

I always got the feeling that half the reason Sorey became the Shepherd was because of-- [Mikleo.] -- him. It'll be hard for him to take up that burden again.

[He's not sure about his own role in this, even now. Dezel is sure, sure that somehow, his malevolence transferred to Sorey after they armatized. The timing is just too good.]

Pact or not, I'm not going anywhere. Even if he doesn't want me to be your Sub Lord. I'll deal.

plz, dezel, you both fight like cats and dogs

[sansseraph]

Good thing we're here to remind him, right?

[Lailah tries to sound cheerful, but it only sounds like a tired attempt. She's quiet at Dezel's observation. Sorey's reasons for taking up the burden are between the two of them, even if the reason he gave him when they first met wasn't the whole story.

At the wind seraph's statement, she can't help smiling a little.]

Actually, I was going to ask if you'd mind making the Sub Lord's pact with me again, if he decides to try again. [She pauses for a moment.] He's worried about you not having a vessel as he takes his time to decide.

well, yes, that's part of the appeal

[sylphystia]

[Her subtle injection of we doesn't go unnoticed, but he doesn't argue. There's no missing the surprise in his expression when she asks about the pact, however.]

You don't mind? Even after all of this?

[Why yes, he is still blaming himself a bit.]

I'll be fine in the meantime. The malevolence on the ship isn't that bad, so don't let him rush into anything for my sake.

[notzubats]

[You know how many fucks Sora gives about following clinic rules? NONE!

So he'll be coming in to visit Dezel, with Simba following closely behind. When he gets near the bed, Simba will run over and put his front paws up on the side of the bed with a "Shinx!"]

Dezel!

[sylphystia]

[Oh my god. Dezel tries to sit up as Sora rolls in with the furry cavalry, then groans and gives up. Maybe he won't sit up for a while. That seems fine.]

Sora. Hey.

[He reaches over to give the blue lion cub an affectionate ruffle, and then after a moment, passes it onto Sora too.]

I'm fine, really.

[notzubats]

Really? So the whole "look like you've been mauled by a bear" is just a new look for ya?

[sylphystia]

[His hand stills in Sora's hair, and then he just... lets his arm fall.]

Are you scolding me?

[He huffs in disbelief and contemplates rolling over, but the other side is the bad side, so he can't.]

I was trying to avoid the dragon. My luck ran out, all right?

[notzubats]

No, not scolding. Nightingale just tried to give me the whole "I'm fine" line too. Nothing wrong with saying you're not, ya know.

[ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE IN A CLINIC, GODS]

But jeez, I'm glad you didn't get it worse.

[sylphystia]

I've been through worse, you know. I'm already healing up pretty fast. It's just a matter of broken bones now.

[He flashes Sora a dumb sharky scowl, which he should know by now isn't really much of a scowl at all.]

Yeah, well, I still have things to do.