[CONSOLE] VIDEO

[backwordscompatible]

[If it hadn't been for the urgency of what she'd discovered, Zatanna might have stayed away from the Network for a few days.  Granted, those jerks had snuck up on her, attacking from behind before she could ever get a decent look, but she was the daughter of Giovanni Zatara, and a trained fighter in her own right.  With magic.  She should've been able to take a couple of street thugs without breaking a sweat.]

[Well, not only had sweat been broken, but there was a bruise on her forehead where she'd hit the ground, and the wrist that normally carried her bracelet--which had been moved to the opposite arm--was pressed firmly against her chest.  Wrapped tightly in bandages.  As if even the slightest movement caused her pain.]

[Needless to say, she didn't look particularly happy.]

[Worried, yes.  Her weight occasionally shifting in her seat, lips pressed together in between sentences.  Face slightly pale.]

[This was about more than just getting ambushed.  Much, much more.]

Something's wrong.

[Stating the obvious, or what she thought was the obvious.  From the furrow in her brow, even Zatanna wasn't quite sure.  A glance down at her unsprained wrist, where the glimmer of her soul jewel could just barely be seen on the console screen.]
 

My--I was attacked too.  They caught me by surprise--don't ask.  [That part, she really didn't want to talk about]  But the weirdest part was that, I went back this afternoon and found my bracelet again.  Right where they'd gotten me.

Only...I can't explain it...I didn't even notice at first, but the longer I've had it on...

[She didn't even know how to explain it to people who didn't carry a natural affinity for magic.  Who couldn't sense what she was sensing.  Part of her still wasn't even sure she wasn't being paranoid.  Reacting to the attack.  Maybe it was nothing.  She couldn't be sure.  And she couldn't just sit by and do nothing.  What if she was right?]

Anybody who's been attacked in the last few days?  Check your soul gems.  If you don't know how, find somebody who does.  Especially if they were out of your sight for more than a minute.

Comments

[solo_patria]

[Enjolras looked at the console screen and Zatanna, who he recalled, of course, from many events in the past, and frowned to see her injuries.]

So far, I have been lucky to avoid attack. But I would help those who've been affected if I can. I learned to heal some minor injuries the last landfall we made before the war. If I might offer you my services now, I would be glad to attempt helping.

[backwordscompatible]

[Shh, no, you see nothing. No juries here, nope. Just talking 'bout some souls and stuff. >.>]

I'm fine.

[The response came out probably a little quicker than normal.]

Does this mean you've been working down at the medical center?

[solo_patria]

[It's getting her an eyebrow, a sort of suspicious Leader Of Men Who Tried To Hide Things Like This And Failed look on his face.]

I do hope so. And alas, not these days. I am not experienced enough to do anything miraculous. I can step in at emergencies now, but that IS about the extent of it all.

[backwordscompatible]

It's still way more than I could do.

[Well...without magic. She knew how to put a bandaid on a wound, maybe even clean it out, but that was the extent of her First Aid expertise.]

Hopefully, we won't have as many emergencies as we used to. Though I did hear about that dust scare down by the Palace construction area.

[solo_patria]

I would like it if they stayed far away, yes. With any luck, things will keep going as they are. And yes, the dust.

[There's a little wince as he thinks of the people he came across who were dealing wit the ill effects.]

That looked entirely awful. We had epidemics at home, from time to time, with no apparent cause. It brought back a few memories from home, unpleasant ones.

[Mostly being a bit afraid for Combeferre and Joly, although he sees

[backwordscompatible]

Are we sure it's all gone now? The dust, I mean.

[Or even relatively sure?]

[solo_patria]

Do you know, I am not sure of that. It has a way of cropping back up, doesn't it?

[It's done it before, after all.]

[backwordscompatible]

Most illnesses do.

Honestly, I'm sort of surprised that we don't get sick more often around here. Then again, some of us have been here so long, that maybe we're just used to it.

[solo_patria]

[He looks thoughtful at that, as he considers it.]

And there IS no quarantine for the new arrivals, is there? How strange that we do not see more sickness indeed! This place is so mysterious sometimes.

[backwordscompatible]

Magic usually is.

[She's only partially joking; magic very well could be the answer. Whatever it was, summoning them, also protecting their immune systems.]

[solo_patria]

Now you mention it, it does seem likely. Frustrating, of course, but still. So long as it works, I suppose.

[backwordscompatible]

Now what's that supposed to mean?

You don't think magic works?

[solo_patria]

No, magic works. I've seen it. But...so long as things keep up, perhaps I do not always need to see the way it works. As nice as that would be.

[backwordscompatible]

[She grinned a little at that, eyes glistening with hints of nostalgia.]

You're not supposed to.

That's half the point. Magic isn't supposed to be something you can explain away or know all the secrets to. It's just something that happens.

[solo_patria]

Ah, but to those who work in it themselves?

[he's leaning forward, grinning.]

It might be nice to have some idea besides concentrating very hard, of how it works. Or I'm just a bit too curious.

[backwordscompatible]

[She placed a finger to her lips teasingly.]

Uh uh.

A magician never reveals her secrets. It's the number one rule of the trade.

[solo_patria]

I see. Mysterious but the mystery IS fun.

[backwordscompatible]

And that's how we keep our audience coming back for more, night after night.

[solo_patria]

A business strategy then! A good one too.

[backwordscompatible]

[She let out a small chuckle, mostly in relief at the thought of being able to laugh again. Already, the frivolity was starting to wear of, but it had been wonderful while it lasted.]

I learned from the best, after all. My dad.

[He wouldn've known what was going on. I'm sure of it.]

[solo_patria]

[It had, hadn't it? Things here had been so quiet for so long. It'd been almost eerie for a while, seeing Foreigners like that, at least. The kedan had been full of joy among themselves and that had been nice, but... This is different, anyway.

He's nodding at her mention, a little smile on his face. ]

I miss mine too.

[backwordscompatible]

I don't suppose he was a doctor, was he?

[solo_patria]

Sadly no. [There is a small smile there.] He was a merchant, of sorts.

[You know, if you count owning several valuable shares of cash crops in various territories, overseeing their work, and making decisions about the production, and the best ways to sell it as being a merchant, anyway. Owners of large trading properties and valuable goods, and the importation thereof, is sort of being a merchant, right? Anyway, he's smiling.

He taught me Occitan, our local dialect, and took me to the beach and sailing sometimes, when he could be spared. And to stand up for myself and my beliefs even though they didn't quite match his.

[To say the least. Though at least the Enjolras men had agreed not to speak of politics with each other ever. It had been a way to keep their love and respect for each other intact.

Though Enjolras has to wonder, now. What must his father have thought about his death? No doubt his mother went into histrionic tears and tried to arrange a funeral,even though his body would have been buried with his friends, as per his will. She's always been one to overact to the smallest things, and it was better to avoid her, particularly as she's terrified of him. Ah well, it's just a fact of life, after all.

That said, he's smiling anyway with the subject of doctors.]

My Etienne's A good two-thirds of a doctor. I keep hoping he will return here. And my friend Joly studied medicine as well. If they both managed to return I think things could be better. They have the knowledge, after all. I could never had survived the medical school, but I have to admit people with that sort of training could be good to have in reserve. I expect nothing major, but if some kind of ague comes through, it may be better to see a foreigner doctor of the same species. They would know more about the way each of our bodies function, I should think.

[backwordscompatible]

[That was...quite an answer.]

[A simple yes or no would have sufficed, and yet he felt compelled not only to elaborate, but go off on a few relative tangents. Not only speaking more of his father--a sentiment she could empathize with (if people asked her about Zatara, she would have done the same thing--but going on to mention friends of his who were knowledgeable in the area.]

[All this for a simple quip. Go figure.]

I guess it's too bad they're not here, either.

I mean...we do still have healers. Ones who are way better than I am at it--fortunately--but...sometimes, there are things even magic can't fix.

[solo_patria]

[Enjolras does tend to do that some...okay, a lot of the time, yeah. He'll lose track of himself or lead conversations into other directions,and the like. And sometimes, for whatever reason, things like jokes or quips do tend to fly over his head with people he doesn't know very well. He tries, anyway?]

Or someone else with that sort of experience. [There's the familiar serious frown, not so much because he's upset or annoyed, but just because he is thinking, running over a list in his head.]

Besides healers, do we have any actual doctors here?

Etienne had a clinic before I went over to the hospital, before I got any abilities too, and I helped in both the clinic and then the hospital after the explosions, back then, but about all that I can do is set a broken bone, if it's not too badly broken, or stitch someone up. That only goes so far, especially with what magic cannot do, you're right. It is too bad we cannot recruit others here, if they are still being dragged in.