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 Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2011 11:18 am
Walking hurt.
Malodore ground its beak as it tried to balance its way across the room, its back objecting mightily to every movement. Its wings wobbled in their slings, loops of fabric crossing over its chest to support the weight of said wings. It would be some time before the wings would be integrated and healed enough to support themselves.
But walking - and exercise - were vastly important, and with the much-vaunted President of the Fitness Club here to assist it... well, surely it would get better very soon. Physical therapy was vital to good healing, or so it kept telling itself.
It stopped by its lab table, putting both palms flat against the surface and leaning on them heavily. Allegedly wings would be wonderful someday, but they certainly weren't right now. It didn't feel victorous and glorious. It just... hurt.
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Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2011 12:12 pm
There were two sides to Riley, warring constantly in her mind, as she watched Malodore walk across the room.
On the one hand, Riley desperately wanted to run to it, and carry its wings for it. She wanted to relieve Malodore of the burden and pain associated with a new appendage, and her hands twitched to do it.
On the other hand, Riley knew this was a necessary process for Malodore's recovery. If it had been anyone else, she would have told it to suck it up and take it like a man.
But it wasn't anyone else. It was Malodore.
Her fingers twitched again.
You're doing very well. She encouraged it nervously. Just a little bit at a time, gradually increasing as it gets easier. Don't overstress yourself.
Her eyes stung dangerously, and she blinked hard to make them stop. She just wanted to pull Malodore into her arms and carry it everywhere for the rest of her life. It wouldn't need to strengthen its wings then, right?
Right.
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Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2011 1:20 pm
Malodore sighed. "Who heals the healer?" it asked, with only the faintest hint of amusement in its voice. "Something we never consider. We stay in our Casa, bundled up, unhurt. Unless some catastrophe befalls us, we need never treat our own kind. It is the others who come to us from outside, begging the protective power of our halls and hands..."
Which was to say, really, under all the fancy words: it hurts and I am tired of it hurting, and I almost regret what I've done, but I can't actually say that, because that hurts too, and I am so tired.
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Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2011 1:56 pm
It was the tone underneath the words, and not the words themselves, that had Riley surging to her feet as the irrational side of her won over. She was in front of Malodore all at once, reaching her arms around in a careful, but firm embrace, as she tried to free it of all its burden by taking the weight upon herself.
Her voice was hushed, but urgent. I would give up everything to have the power to heal as you do, right now. I would put aside my aspirations and follow the path of Fearhealing, if I could do it quickly enough that it would soothe your pain. Tell me something, anything I can do. Please, before I go mad and keep you so tight in my arms that you may never move again.
It went against every one of her instincts, and her common sense. And yet, it was clear neither of those things were playing a strong part in her decision making process at the moment.
Come. Rest. You have all the time in the world.
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Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2011 2:26 pm
For an instant, Malodore was deeply, deeply tempted to just slump into her arms and not move - but its own training, its own knowledge, came to the fore. "Some pain cannot be soothed. It must be borne until it passes," it said, quietly. "Borne, and worked through, si..."
A shadow flicked past the window, briefly.
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Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2011 4:01 pm
It was right. It was right and she knew it, but it did not change her desperate need to comfort it one bit. She sighed long and hard, before slowly extracting her arms from around its body. All right. She didn't sound convincing, but she was trying. Make sure you're not tensing up inappropriately. Does your neck feel tense right now? Roll your head, to release some of it, if it does.
She hadn't seen the shadow in the window, but her attention was strictly focused on the plague doctor she was taking care of. Her hands slid into its own, as she tried to lead it away, and watched the muscles at work. Make sure your back is taking the weight, and not your shoulders. You'll just be in more pain later if it's all in your shoulders.
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Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2011 4:10 pm
The plague doctor rolled its head obediently, wincing slightly. "I see, now, why they have so many elders present," it said, wearily. That level of forced FEAR-healing wasn't exactly healthy, but it was probably better than this slow slog back to wellness.
Then there was a sudden scrabbling at the window. Malodore jumped and winced again, then turned to see a dark shape on the outside sill, crouched low. "Just another bird," it muttered. There were always carrion birds around the undead dorms, but it seemed the past week or so there had been more of them around than normal... or maybe it was just that it had been confined to its room, and thus noticed them more.
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Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2011 4:22 pm
Riley was not as easily convinced to ignore the bird at the window. Persistence was a virtue, and the bird did not necessarily seem like it was giving up on getting in - or at least getting noticed.
Don't jump like that. She told Malodore, as if it really needed her to tell it that. You'll only make things worse. She released it from her grasp, and made sure it was stable, before walking to the window and bending forward.
Is this a common occurrance? You said just 'another'. Are birds bothering you often? Vultures had been watching her as of late, but she was vaguely aware they had something to do with Christof's master, and learned to ignore it. This was no vulture, and it was certainly not as stealthy in its presence - it wanted to be seen.
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Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2011 5:44 pm
Malodore shrugged, stubbornly, even though the movement hurt. "There are often crows and carrion birds around - this is the undead dormitory, after all. Bats, too, in the upper levels where the vampires live..." Though it supposed they didn't usually land on its windowsill with such frequency.
The bird perched outside leaned forward very deliberately; as it did so, it became clear that its face and beak were oddly pale.
Tap.
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Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2011 8:05 pm
Riley took a step back when the bird tapped on the window, and then turned back to Malodore with an inquisitive look. Do they often knock before trying to enter? Never one to ignore an omen such as a crow knocking on a window, she put her hand flat against the glass, waiting to see if it responded.
Birds are often used as messengers. This could be such an instance. Would you mind if I opened the window? If it acts out of turn, I will dispose of it immediately.
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Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2011 8:39 pm
The crow blinked its four red eyes at Riley's hand, then pecked at the window again. Five times, one tap at each fingertip.
"Birds... messengers..." Malodore's voice slowed, and then its beak dropped open.
"Armida?! Riley, do you suppose-"
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Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2011 9:02 pm
Riley did not wait for Malodore's permission any longer. The bird had just tapped on each of her fingers - that alone was sign enough that it desired entrance. When she opened the window, she heard Malodore's hypothesis, and her heart leapt. The mere possibility excited her far more than she could have expected.
Perhaps.. She whispered, as she let the bird in and waited to see what it would do. She held her breath in anticipation.
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Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2011 10:47 pm
The bird - no, the crow - hopped inside, and the light revealed its true colors. Its beak and face were a stark bone white, the color streaking down its back to mingle with red dappling over black feathers. The effect was altogether striking.
Malodore reached out one hand, hesitantly. "Buon giorno?" The crow tilted its head to one side, then held out one leg. A leg bearing a message, Malodore realized, a thin curl of paper wrapped around its ankle. "Ah..."
It fumbled the message free with trembling hands, then opened it. "I-it's in Italian," it announced, voice shaking, emotion unreadable. "Shall I read it aloud?" There was a long pause, but instead of beginning to read, Malodore instead pulled the message close, folding it against its chest. "I'm afraid to look," it confessed, after a moment.
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Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2011 11:11 pm
Riley was right. (Who is surprised?) The bird had come with a message. Riley stepped up close, wrapping her hands around the claws that held the message close to it, and pressed her face gently against the tip of the beak.
Don't be afraid. She whispered. Never be afraid again.
She let go of its hands, and waited patiently, but the excitement was palpable from both sides.
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Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 6:23 pm
Malodore took a deep breath, for the calming effect, then slowly unfolded the paper. "I... I will translate," it said, quickly, then looked down at the words. "'My... my dear, wicked Malodore-child...'" It had to pause and clear its throat. "'I-it should not surprise you to know that I have been watching you, from time to time..." The Letter My dear, wicked Malodore-child, It should not surprise you to know that I have been watching you, from time to time. It is so easy to hide a few eyes within the flocks that plague your school, hah - I could be the greatest spy-master in all Halloween if I'd only stop plucking at the Casa's corpse. Alas, it chains me here as thoroughly as any still trapped within its dying walls. An irony you have escaped, wicked child. I see you have progressed quite far in such a short time. I knew you would, of course; all those the Casa expels are clever and canny, too good to fit within those narrow confines. It was not so long ago that we had a hatching and gave my dear Celeste her eyes, her voice - but there was a third in that clutch, oddly marked. Only one swampling child has ever been marked so, masked so. Thus, I send him to you - he is called Fedele, faithful. He will serve you, I believe, or he will have me to answer to. Feed him good carrion, and make sure he does not make snacks of your comrades. I would not have our swamp ambassador behave so rudely, but sometimes the corvid nature will out. Now, continue forward in your quest - what you have stolen is a good start, my wicked Malodore-child, but it is only a start. The higher you climb, the lower they are pushed, down into their open and gaping graves. Remember this, and take your vengeance. - ArmidaP.S. - Don't forget to use protection charms with your purple friend, wicked, cheeky child. Malodore snapped the letter down, face burning under the bandages and mask at that last postscript. The crow, meanwhile, tilted its head to one side and cawed.
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