lucetilogs | After the glory of battle, there is awkwardness

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After the glory of battle, there is awkwardness

Who: Sabriel, Viral and House 44
What: Need a medic over here!
When: Late Evening of June 4th
Where: Western forest, House 44
Summary: Sabriel and Viral have finished an epic battle and require medical assistance. And head slappings.
Rating: PG-13 for blood, self inflicted ouchies and swearing.

Continuing from this thread

After the duel in the woods the last remaining Shift from the Event affecting Sabriel and Viral had ended, leaving Sabriel to deal with the consequences of her AU persona’s rash decision to ‘end’ her life fighting. With a moderate slice along her side and a bruised and battered everything else, Viral carried Sabriel from the battlefield on the shores of the Western lake back towards House 44. However with the state of her injuries, it would be best to have some sort of assistance meet them halfway, it was an awfully long hike after all. Once Sabriel found Adele’s name in her journal she opened up an audio message, hoping she doesn’t alarm the older woman...er, man...too much.]

Adele? There’s been a... [How exactly do you word ‘a warrior’s duel’ without getting a boatload of questions? ...Simple; you don’t.] ...I need medical attention. We’re coming from the direction of the Western lake, can you meet us?

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[ Helios might wince a little at the take off. Not the smoothest of them, he'll admit, but he was trying and that's all that matters right? He'll be flying fast just above the forest's treeline taking care not to turn or rock or do anything else that might frighten the already terrified woman on his back. ]

W-We're getting close! [ His voice booms over the howling of the wind around them and he'll look down at the stream he's following which branches off from the Western lake. The trees getting sparse also gives clues towards their direction too. ]

Ohthankgod.

[Not that she believes in one- it's just something to say around every twist of vulgar frustration and panic that claws it's way past tightly grit teeth. Wind in her hair, blaring past her ears and she keeps her eyes. Shut. If she looks, if she thinks about looking-

Better to not. All the while her skin starts to crawl and she can't keep herself calm. Her pulse starts to race, it becomes difficult to breathe and they'd better get there soon before she forgets to hold onto him and falls right the fuck off.]

[ The rustling of leaves beneath them and sound of the wind rushing past them is the only sound for a good few minutes. Helios will let out an airy, almost breathless 'ah!' when the clearing opens up beneath him. He'll crane his neck back around to look at Adele, apology written in every line of his face. ]

W-We're here. [ And he'll slowly, lazily, glide himself down to the ground being extra careful to not have a bumpy landing or any such thing like that. There's a loud thud, a sudden jolt, and then the rustling of leaves and dirt beneath large claws. ] A-Adele?

[She sobs at the jolt, scrambling to slide off his back as soon as they're down. Lands with a grunt, stumbles her way to the nearest tree- braces herself against it. Clings to it and tries to breathe. Sabriel was injured, she needed to work- but the world's spinning and she needs to center herself.

Stomach tight and senses reeling, she hunches over. Retches, bile thick and sour and acrid. She feels better once it's up. Sags against the tree and just. Breathes for a long moment. Wipes her face with a hand, her mouth with a kerchief and clears her throat.]

I'm....I'm. Alright.

Gods A-Adele I-I'm so sorry. [ He tried to make sure it wasn't too bumpy a smooth ride as it were, but he knows how hard it is to fight against something like that. No matter what he did this was probably going to be the end result, it's why he insisted on teleporting. But even then when he had used it before...

Helios will hold up a paw from where he is and just...look so terribly apologetic about all this. His green eyes conveying his concern for the other woman. He would try to help her calm down but in this state...it's so very hard to maneuver himself and she'd probably just want some space anyway. Still Helios is there should she need anything. ]

[Right on time Viral pushes his way through the brush, curious about the sudden disturbance in the otherwise quiet woods. The injured Sabriel is still in his arms, held carefully so as to agitate her injuries or accidentally injure her further. It would have been the best--or worst--way to cap off this Shift.

Never loosening his grip, he slows to a halt and stares askance at the dragon and the retching blond woman he eventually recognizes as Adele. With a low grumble he shifts his weight on his feet and clears his throat, just loud enough to be heard. There was no clear way out of this situation, but his yellow eyes show clearly that he thinks their reaction is too strong.]

[In the silence after the transmission over the journals Sabriel had fallen into something of a doze; warm and braced securely in Viral's arms it was hard to keep her eyes open. She had lost a fair amount of blood during and after the fight though, so it would be best for her to stay awake...but sleep fueled by how exhausted she was was just too tempting.

Sabriel barely notices as Viral moves through the forest towards the clearing, cracking an eye open at the odd sound of someone gagging. Lifting her head a fraction she frowns into the darkness until the gold gleam of Adele's hair registers in the moonlight, along with the bulk of Helios' dragonic form.]

Adele?

I'm...fine. Truly.

[She coughs, clears her throat. Turns to spit a mouthful of phlegm and saliva into the leaves. It's thick and bitter in her mouth, unpleasant enough to have her shuddering for a moment longer. She can work. Think. Function. She has to. At Sabriel's voice she shoves everything back and turns, wild eyed and tense, and starts to make her way over.

Blood- quite a bit. Cuts, no way of knowing how deep just yet. And while bloody Viral was unharmed.

That didn't quite make sense.]

Helios will f-. Will fly us back. To the clinic. Or the house. Whichever you wish, Sabriel, but choose quickly- I do not care for how much blood you look to have lost.

[ Helios looks down at the three of them, Sabriel injured in Viral's arms but he himself was unharmed at all. Peculiar and strange though Helios guessed it had to do with what he was. Probably a being that could heal themselves possibly...

He'll blink and move a bit closer, shifting his wings so they flatten against his back, his tail swaying behind him. ] Wh-where ever you're m-more comfortable staying.

[~~No, it wasn't as bad as it looked--~~

Viral didn't need to understand humans very well to see the questions in their eyes, but he didn't have the patience to explain.]

The clinic. [His tone is rough and low, his own concern for the young woman quickly being walled behind his distant professionalism.

Final word would come from Sabriel, but he had come to like her. Perhaps it was Sabbi, but the details weren't important.]

[Sabriel nods at Viral's words before letting her head fall back against his shoulder, she was just so tired.]

The clinic is fine.

[Now the question became, how exactly were they all supposed to get there on Helios? It's not like she could hold on, and Viral's grip would be compromised so long as he was holding her...]

The clinic, then.

[How Helios would get them there...she doesn't know. They would work something out. She could ride him back- as much as the thought has her breathing pick back up again. He could hold onto Sabriel in one hand, Viral in the other?]

[ Helios might look like a very odd dragon as he brings a claw up to his chin in a motion that's oddly characteristic to his humanself. Somethings never change. His tail will flick back and worth as he looks at all three of them, considering his options. ] Ah. I-I can hold Sabriel in my h-hand while you two sit on my b-back. That's, um, p-probably the best option I think.

[ Even if he's all sorts of awkward even saying it. ]

[A jolt of something akin to possessiveness made Viral balk at the idea initially, holding Sabriel tighter in his arms scowling at the...dragon. How many times was Helios going to be Shifted this week? After a moment of considering it, Viral cedes and carefully steps forward.]

You take care of her.

[It was low, gruff, and an order.]

[Were Sabriel not so sore and in a general state of unhealth at the moment she'd be more surprised at Viral's protectiveness; an odd part of her a little touched.]

I'll be fine.

Helios will take the utmost care Viral.

[Pronounced carefully on the first go- that is how serious this situation is. Even if she has no desire whatsoever to climb back on top of the dragon and fly again- this needs to be done. She makes her way over to help Sabriel's transfer from Viral's arms to Helios's hand. Claw. Thing.]

Ah! Y-Yes. There's no need to-to be concerned. [ He gives a shaky toothy smile. He will do his best to keep the ride smooth and safe. The weather is at least good enough for it. ]

I promise no h-harm will come to Sabriel. [ And that he says with conviction and certainty. He'll hold open his clawed hand for Sabriel to rest in while using the other to lift Viral and Adele onto his back. His moves slow and gentle for such a large form. He's at least gotten better at maneuvering himself like this. ]

[There was no choice but to acquiesce. Bowing his head slightly, his heavy bangs obscuring his face, he emits a barely audible growl for a heartbeat or two.]

You both better be sure.

[Or else. It wasn't spoken, but some things didn't need to be.]

Play nice, Viral.

[For half a second a flicker of a tired smile crosses Sabriel's face, Sabbi resurfacing for a moment as she murmurs low for Viral to hear as she is settled in the palm of Helios' hand. In the blink of an eye it's gone, leaving Sabriel to curl her free arm around one of Helios' talons for some measure of support before they set off.]

[Adele sighs at the growl. Honestly. They don't need this right now. Sabriel is going to bleed out before they get her to a clinic at this rate.

But she's moved. She's secure. And now Adele has to climb back up Helios' arm.]

Merde.

[She doesn't wait. Just. Starts hauling herself up to where she'd been clinging and whimpering earlier. Forces her eyes closed once she's settled.]

I-I'll try to be as, as quick as possible Adele.

[ Helios would be wincing at that growl if he was in his human form. He does look extremely apologetic as he looks down at Sabriel than back over at Adele though. He'll wait for Viral to climb on them, getting a bit more tense when the other does so. It's not that he doesn't trust the other man it's just...those words echo familiarly in his mind. Nero's words to be exact. But, no, there's no time for that. And so with another powerful kick into the air, once everyone is safely adjusted on his back, he'll fly back towards the village proper. ]

[Saying nothing more on the matter, Viral climbs on with surprising delicacy and carefully secures himself behind Adele--careful not to hurt Helios with his claws as he searches for a handhold.]

[The lurch of take off was terrible when you didn't know it was coming. At least with the Paperwing she could prepare for the rise and flight in a gradual process but this was organic and jumpy. Despite being securely in Helios's grip she can't help but hold on tighter, wincing when the effort pulls on the slash across her ribs. They'd be there soon.]

I'm going to kill someone when we land-

[It's all she can grind out between her teeth before they're in the air. Her eyes slam shut, her body locks up, and she counts her breaths. Her skin's too tight, her heart's beating too damn fast and she's going to die. They're going to fall, crash, and die.]

I'm s-sorry! I'm so sorry Adele. W-We'll be there shortly. Just, just a few more minutes. [ And here his pace might quicken a little for about another ten minutes or so. His large wings beating faster and faster through the air as the wing rushes by them. The Community buildings can be seen off in the distance then, just over the thinning treeline. Helios looks down at Sabriel as he continues onward. ]

Are you f-feeling alright? We're almost there just a minute or two more. You can s-see the town now at least. Looks rather different from up here. [ He always found the change in view astonishing and breathtaking all at once. ]

[Viral says nothing throughout this--just grits his teeth at the lurch, hangs on tight, and watches the scene with a careful eye for detail. Adele's distress gives him pause enough to wrap a bracing arm around her. There was no need for more people to get hurt this night, and the woman was obviously ill suited for such transport.]

I'm alright, just a little...sore.

[She calls up as loudly as she can through the wind rushing by. Once she had gotten used to the motion of flying like this it was actually quite relaxing, almost like being rocked to sleep.]

[Faster- christ why were they going faster?

Sabriel. Right.

It makes her curl tighter, forehead pressed to the scales in front of her and a low, pained whimper pulling from her throat, swiftly followed by a string of obscenities at a particularly jarring stretch of air.

She flinches at the arm braced around her, only for a moment. Then she presses a hand on top of his. Clings to it. They'll be fine.]

We're here. [ Just a booming exclamation that Helios didn't mean to make so loud. Whoops. Helios will land far away enough from the clinic to not damage any of the surrounding buildings while also being close enough to safely get Sabriel there in a minute or less. He'll set both Sabriel and Adele and Viral down next, his wings folding back as he moves away a little. ]

[The landing was welcome, and once on solid ground Viral takes Sabriel into his arms again in another instinctual protective impulse. No matter what questions Helios, Adele, or even the other villagers raised, he and the young woman shared something unique. He was going to see this through regardless of where the path led.]

Where to? [His tone was a gruff and business-like as ever; it was a very sturdy screen that hid his own concerns.]

[Truth be told Sabriel had never been to the Clinic before, generally whatever injuries she's had have been fixed up at home thanks to Adele or Helios. When Viral picks her up again unconsciously curls a little closer to his warmth, her arm still clamped over her wound under his cloak. She'll let the rest of you worry about the details while she dozes against Viral's chest.]

[Adele couldn't scramble off Helios fast enough. This time she managed to avoid vomiting. Barely. Only by reminding herself she had a patient. There was work.

It still takes her longer than she'd like to steady her breathing. Lock everything down tight and away so she could point at the double doors to the clinic.]

First- [A deep gasp.] First room on the right.

[ Helios will look over the three of them with some concern as he moves out of the way and off to the side. He'd like to help somehow but...he's probably done enough of that already, hm? Still he'll look at Adele with a worried expression. ] D-Do you want or n-need me for anything else? I-I could try using some of Nala's healing magic on her if, if you'd like some assistance.

[Viral doesn't need to be told twice; he's in through the doors in a heartbeat, not bothering to stick around for Helios' suggestion...though he does hear that too. Regardless, Sabriel's safety was paramount.

He wastes no time.]

[Since they left the campfire behind Viral had barely spoken to Sabriel about what happened, about the things she remembered or what she now knew about the man. Although, with everything that happened close to the end she could understand why for the time being those words could be put off. At least for now with Helios outside and Adele still catching her breath she can get something out of the way.]

Thank you Viral. For...everything.

[A hint of a smile curls her lips as she murmurs.]

I do not regret it.

You should be returning to yourself soon Helios. If you do in the next half hour? Please come inside and help. If not I will bring you in once she is stable so you can help with the mending. Sabriel will most certainly need it.

[One last deep breath as she walks to Helios' side. Pats his nearest limb and offers him a tight smile before running in after Viral. Once in the examination room she scrubs up, quick and instinctive, and motions for him to start removing her clothes.]

I need to see the cut.

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After the glory of battle, there is awkwardness

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