003 - early September - video

[ruinsprofessor]

[Raine looks serious when she starts the video feed. This isn't unusual, per se, but she also looks like she might have been ill recently. Either that or she needs a lot more sleep than she's getting.]

If you were wounded in the recent altercation, even if you were healed at the time, please check in with one of the Foreigner healers at the hospital, just to be sure. Whatever toxin was on those weapons is a nasty piece of work; I thought I'd purged it from my system almost immediately, but still suffered some not insignificant illness. [If anyone's familiar with how quickly she can heal most things -- very -- this may be slightly concerning.] Given who exactly was most probably at the root of the attacks, this is not the time for stoicism, especially if you were exposed to a greater dose.

If you were hurt, and especially if you notice anything out of the ordinary, let someone know. If the hospital bothers you, or if you have privacy concerns, you can come to me directly. Even if it turns out to be nothing, it's far better to err on the side of caution when it comes to the enemy. There are few enough of us that it's foolish to take needless risks.

[Raine is far, far too familiar with how hiding potentially serious injury or illness goes. She's not even sure there will be any aftereffects, but this is something with which they can't afford to take any chances as far as she's concerned. And given that the majority of Foreigners she's met seem to have a similar sort of stubborn independence... well, she's not even sure she'll get a response, but it's worth trying.]

---

[[ooc; this should be only a few days after the big fight. timeline slightly fuzzy but definitely not after the fifth of September or so.]]

Comments

[ruinsprofessor]

"We don't know enough yet," Raine said to Enjolras, over the examination of his wound. "The non-physical aspect suggests simple amputation is out of the question, however. Killing those infected also doesn't seem like a viable solution; at this point, there are simply too many, and it's too soon to say whether a cure won't be found." She glanced at Gazelle for confirmation on the first part, but she was relatively certain.

She stepped back a bit when she was satisfied, and added, "Pragmatism is an admirable trait, but it's a little soon to give up. I can physically heal that the rest of the way for you, at any rate, and there's another technique I can try that has at least the potential to help with the other aspect." Gazelle would be able to tell her if it worked or not, which made this the perfect time to experiment.

[akito]

Akito shakes his head. "It originates and is strongest where the wound is, but it's already spread everywhere." He doesn't know how to properly explain what he sees, and doesn't know if he wants to even try. He's seen many awful things in his life but doesn't remember any of it feeling quite so unsettling.

[solo_patria]

"Good enough."

Enjolras nodded at Raine's answer, a bit relieved that nothing of that sort was happening today. If he had to die to end this, even though he had died before, he would have rather had the time to prepare himself, find homes for all of the books currently at home, and to organize things a little more. He'd left all of his affairs in order last time, a simple letter with his name and address, a note placed on the desk in his apartment in Paris, instructions to burn several volumes worth of his personal papers to avoid incriminating anyone who might be left alive, a separate letter for his editor containing his thanks and a good quarter of his assets. Carrell had been in prison, and funds could go a long way towards making life easier there. The rest of his money had been earmarked for the free hospitals in the city where it could have at least done some good, most of his personal effects offered to his closest friends, had they survived, and, if not, to some of his other contacts.

Here, Enjolras did not have nearly as many things, and less money to offer, but he would have felt better, organizing their distribution as it was. That said,the news that followed Raine's assessment was really rather dire, though he tried to respond as normally as he could. It was not Akito's fault what had happened after all. Still, he was composed throughout. It would not change if he panicked for any of this, as it was.

"I am willing to try near anything to stop it making things worse, then." He told them both, giving Raine a nod. "And yes, the pain being gone would be nice."

[ruinsprofessor]

She was honestly beginning to be a little concerned about Gazelle. If he stuck around, she'd have to make sure he was all right, as well, but one thing had to be handled at a time. "All right. Hold still."

Not strictly necessary, but it was nice. Raine concentrated for a moment, and a circle of white light appeared, centered on her feet and rotating slowly. It was full of patterns, sharp and angular, visible only for a few brief seconds before the entire thing vanished into a warm green light, centered on Enjolras' wound. "Heal," she said firmly, both the name of the arte and an imperative all at once. The mid-level arte should be more than sufficient to close what remained of his injury.

"I believe I know already what you'll see, but it pays to be thorough. Any change?" Raine asked Gazelle next, faintly apologetic for the repetition. He'd already been a help.

[akito]

Akito takes a moment to really look for any change (hoping), but sees none. He imagines it's much the same as being bitten by a snake - wait too long and by the time the surface wound is healed the venom has already run its course.

Finally, he shakes his head.

[solo_patria]

"Then, I suppose that we must see what we might see." Enjolras wouldn't deny that this is bothering him, but he is still appreciative of the efforts being made, all the same.

"My shoulder feels much better, so that is a help." He adds, giving Raine a little nod, and then turns to Akito.

"Better that I know what I might face than not. This cannot be easy for you to go through, but it is appreciated."

[ruinsprofessor]

At least that much, she could help with. It might not be much compared to the greater threat of being compromised by the enemy, but it was something. She nodded briefly, returning the acknowledgement. "I'm going to try one other thing," Raine said, "and I appreciate your patience, both of you. This arte helped at the time, but if the poison, the taint, has sunk in too long I don't know that it will any more. One moment." And she concentrated again, for a slightly longer time.

The resulting arte this time showed as pale iridescence, faintly reminiscent of wings, folding down over Enjolras before dissipating. It wouldn't feel like much at all, a simple whisper of presence that at the outside might leave him a bit more alert than before. "Resurrection."

She gave it a few seconds before she looked to Gazelle again. It probably couldn't be nearly that simple.

[akito]

"It's the least that I can do to try and help." Akito isn't being humble when he says it in response to Enjorlas' appreciation. To him, he honestly believes it. Maybe if he could actually do something about the Taint he would think differently, but for now he feels somewhat inadequate.

To Raine, he nods and waits, then watches. He quick to realize that it's changed nothing, and shakes his head again when Raine looks to him.

[solo_patria]

"You have managed to do an admirable job of at least trying your hardest to keep us safe." Enjolras answered. "That you have the ability to try, and the willingness to do so is not insignificant."

And Then he fell silent himself, watching as the bits of the ...spell, perhaps? blessing?,fall on his shoulders there, staring at bit of color shifting on the surface there , watching it turn from pink to yellow, and to blue.

He does frown a bit, when it becomes clear that it did not exactly work as they had thought it might. Unsurprised as he is, given the grimness of the moment, it still worries him, especially thinking of Taraja, and how badly this might affect her. Still, the fault is not theirs by any means.

"I suppose I ought to keep you informed of any changes, then, correct?"

[ruinsprofessor]

Raine couldn't say she was surprised. Disappointed, yes, but unsurprised. She thought carefully for a moment, wondering if there was something she'd missed, but no: if that combination didn't do it, she was going to have to look outside her current skills. "Yes, I'd appreciate that," she said to Enjolras. "Especially if it worsens, but any change at all. I'll see what I can learn from others, as well. Maybe there's something I'm overlooking."

To Gazelle she offered a tiny smile, trying for reassuring. "It may seem relatively small, but positive identification is a much better thing to have than uncertainty. Do you have a little more time? There's something else I'd like to ask you."

[akito]

Akito listens to Raine and Enjorlas' exchange with half an ear, interested, but not enough to invade anyone's privacy. He isn't a doctor, or a healer. For years his place was putting people in hospitals, not helping them out of one.

Raine's question doesn't particularly surprise him. "I have some time."

[solo_patria]

"Of course." Enjolras gave Raine a nod. "If nothing else, I can write what is happening. It may be something of a rough idea, if nothing else.' You know, in case they all died here, or went mad under all of this, or anything along those lines. Or just in case, to serve as something of a projection should anyone else begin to display any traits like this.

Perhaps he ought to take his leave now, while they were speaking? He glanced towards the door, uncertain if the rest of this had anything to do with him or not.

[ruinsprofessor]

"That may be also be useful, whether to healers or others so afflicted. If you have the time, please do." Raine returned the nod, with a bit of finality: this was a dismissal. She'd done what she could right now, and needed to keep going. "Take care of yourself, Enjolras."

She turned to Gazelle properly next, already moving on. "You run a delivery service, correct? Which necessitates that you see a good portion of the city? I'd like to ask you to keep a list as you travel, if possible." If she did remember correctly, that put him in a good position to see and identify a number of the city's residents.

[akito]

Unsure what Raine is getting at, exactly, but at least willing to see, Akito asks for clarification. "What kind of list?"

[ruinsprofessor]

"A list of people affected by the taint. There will be people who are sure they're fine, or people who'll hide it intentionally, for one reason or another." She pauses there, studying Gazelle for a moment. He's cautious. That's probably for the best. In light of that, she adds, "While it's of course something I'd like to know about, if you're more comfortable keeping something like that to yourself, that's fine. However, I believe it'll be valuable for someone, at least, to have a good idea of how far it's gone."

[akito]

Akito nods. "I already was keeping a tally of any Tainted I saw on my runs. If I notice any Foreigners I can make a note of it."

[ruinsprofessor]

"Thank you," she says. Thinks briefly, to make sure there's nothing else she needs to ask him while she has him there. "It would be nice to have a rough idea of the numbers, even if you decide to keep the list to yourself, but I'll leave that to your discretion. That's all I wanted to ask." Raine inclines her head to him briefly. It's a respectful gesture, appreciation and acknowledgment all together.

[akito]

"I'll make sure to keep a tally of the numbers," he assures her. "And I can stop by on my delivery rounds to check that there aren't any tainted here."

[ruinsprofessor]

"Excellent." A brief, slightly worn smile. He seems competent and determined enough to trust. She can worry about other things now. "In that case, I'll see you later. Take care."