Villain Plot - Spa day?

[esperbuthuman]

Elysium's Resort - a few days after the battle for Flotsam

A slender young girl with long green hair flanked by two stoic guards is carefully wheeled through Elysium. She is looking around in wonder, as if she's never seen anything like this. She's also covered in burns and bandages, and currently riding in a wheelchair. While the guards seem keen to keep her away from people, they don't object too strenuously as she tries to talk, and she seems rather full of questions. There's a certain innocence about her, and she seems to be curious about everything she's seeing. A far cry from how she was in the battle, for those who had the unfortunate task of facing her down.

Comments

[lightnovelexperiences]

Deedee had been hearing rumors about the green-haired, ice cold ether-casting witch the Imps had deployed against Flotsam to devastating effect, mostly from the folks she treated that had barely survived facing her in combat.

That this curious, even vivacious girl in bad need of treatment matches the witch’s physical description but not the given demeanor…

No sir, Deedee doesn’t like it.

“Answer her questions where you can, treat her how you can given her injuries. Try to upsell her handlers on the therapeutic ether massage; I want to talk to her. If not… all hands on deck.”

Deedee needs time to compose herself. She hopes the time this girl spends bathing and getting a mani/pedi will be enough.

[esperbuthuman]

Terra gives DeeDee a curious look, but doesn't make any noise of complaint. At the very least she seems rather used to having medical specialists fret over her.

[lightnovelexperiences]

By the time they’re meeting face to face Deedee has put on her customer service smile.

“Have you had a theraputic massage before?” she asks, trying not to make it too obvious that she’s trying to measure the reactions of Biggs and Wedge here flanking the girl as much as the girl.

[esperbuthuman]

"I don't believe so..." she pauses for a moment. "What's a massage?"

[lightnovelexperiences]

“The laying on of hands for healing,” Deedee says, offering hers palms-up and fingers waggling, “with or without using ether. It’s my specialty here at the spa.”

That’s not the most unreasonable thing to be ignorant of, but Deedee expects it to be part of a pattern.

[esperbuthuman]

"Oh. I suppose that is why I'm here. Go ahead."

Terra clearly has no idea what this is all about.

[lightnovelexperiences]

“Alright,” Deedee says. “Lie face-down on that bed and I csn get started.”

Deedee pauses, thinks, and adds, “Closing your wounds with my ether may sting for a moment. You look like you’ll need it.”

Keep calm. See and remember her reactions - and the reaction of the two who are either her retinue or her captors.

[esperbuthuman]

"OK."

Terra lies down on the bed face down, still clad in white robes and covered in bandages. Her guards seem to chuckle at it all, but otherwise don't really react.

[redprayer]

Rezo normally avoids Elysium out of concern, likely unwarranted, that some of the Imperials may recognize him as a former servant. A tall, blind man tends to stand out. But today is an exception, as many wounded Corsairs are recuperating in Elysium, and Rezo's job is to be a healer.

At the moment, however, he's taking a lunch break. As are several pigeons that have been drawn in by the chance for free food. Rezo obligingly tosses them bits of bread every now and then, smiling a little at the whirring of wings and the cooing of the hungry birds.

[esperbuthuman]

As the young woman covered in bandages is wheeled by, she gives the man a bit of an odd look and he might sense her eyes upon him.

"Do you like feeding them?"

[redprayer]

Rezo idly catches the sound of footsteps, of wheels against the street; and then several birds fly off at the approach.

"That's right," he says, a little startled at being addressed. It doesn't sound like someone's here to complain about him feeding vermin, however. So he asks "Do you?"

[esperbuthuman]

"I don't know, they don't really let me do things like that."

The "they" in question is likely the other two presences near the girl - Imperials clad in armor who appear to be serving as an escort. The girl herself is being pushed in a wheelchair, likely out of concern for her current wounded state.

[redprayer]

"Hm..."

He'd caught the footsteps and, listening closer, he notes they sound rather heavy. Is that metal he's hearing clinking together? Will he get himself in trouble with the young miss's bodyguards (that is his best guess for the situation) if he stays in the interaction?

Quite possibly, and yet he still doesn't feel like excusing himself.

He crumples a bit of bread in his hand and stands up, slowly enough to keep the birds from startling.

"Would you like to give it a try while you're here?"

[esperbuthuman]

"M-may I? I wouldn't want to cause trouble..."

The guards meanwhile are chatting in a low voice, they don't seem to be particularly attentive or engaged.

[redprayer]

"What harm could feeding a few birds do?" he says.

Carefully, he approaches her and crouches so that he's closer to her eye level- even if he can't actually make eye contact- and holds out his hand. A few pigeons strut closer and coo inquisitively.

"Here. Be sure that the pieces are small, and then just toss them out where the birds may find them."

[esperbuthuman]

Terra tentatively takes the bread and starts shredding it carefully, scattering it before the pigeons. Her guards take the opportunity to take a break and chat about what sounds like some kind of sports team.

[upupatomway]

It's a little hard not to notice someone who is flanked by guards. Most of the nobles in the area left their guards with their transport or at a door to go have their fun. Atom couldn't help wondering if she was someone important. Having heard only vague descriptions of the green haired sorceress from the battle, he doesn't assume there's a connection.

He had stopped at the side of the street to pet a friendly stray cat. Seeing how friendly it was, he wondered if it had a home, but it was clear it was underweight beneath its fluffy fur when he stroked it. So he decided to do what his sister would in her absence. He picked it up and set about looking for a way to feed it and get it a home.

Seeing the girl in the wheelchair though, he figures a short detour to cheer someone up won't hurt. He waves to her, cat in one arm, and cautiously approaches. He's just a normal kid! What do the guards have to be worried about?

"Want to pet a cat?" he offers.

[esperbuthuman]

The girl involuntarily reaches her hand out, hesitation clear on her face as she looks anxiously at her guards who look more annoyed and disinterested than anything else.

"M-may I?"

The guards don't even bother answering as they turn away and start chatting about how awful their wives are.

[upupatomway]

Atom takes the guards' decision to act like they're invisible as a green light. He steps up in front of the girl in the chair and holds out the cat in his arms so she can reach it easily.

"He's really soft, especially on his head. I just found the little guy on the street."

[esperbuthuman]

Terra leans in to pet the cat tentatively.

"Wow, he really is..."

She's very cautious, but she seems to be enjoying herself at least.

[upupatomway]

He doesn't know if she's shy, anxious, or tired, but she seems to like it, so he stays where he is so she can keep petting the fluffy stray. The cat rubs its head against her hand, closing its eyes contently.

Atom chuckles. "He likes you! You can hold him in your lap if you like. You might get some cat hair on you though."

[esperbuthuman]

"I... I don't mind!"

She opens up her lap to give the cat a chance to sit, looking a little eager to see if he will.

[upupatomway]

Atom bends his knees a little so the cat is more level with her lap and leans in a bit closer. The cat seems to nonchalantly stare into the air for a moment, then he takes a step out of Atom's arms and onto her lap. He stands half on her, half in Atom's arms, going at his own pace. Atom laughs at the cat's obliviousness. It takes a moment, but the cat finally settles onto Terra's lap. Her hand gets a headbutt, asking for more pets.

Atom straightens up again and watches as the cat makes himself comfortable. "I'm thinking of buying him a fish to eat. I don't know what type is the best choice though. My sister is usually the one who takes care of strays."

He's not sure if making casual conversation is better or worse for convincing the guards to give the young lady some time to enjoy this. Thankfully, he hasn't reached the point of nervous babbling.

After the spa visit

[relentless_sentinel]

Now that the fighting's done, life starts to head into the general direction of a new normal for the Corsairs. For Nephenee, today's been more ingredient running, picking up a "violin" (she's pretty sure it's a fiddle, but whatever you say, shopkeep) with some money she'd made selling some baked goods, and grabbing a dress for the funeral...and she's feeling even this light errand running. She's been going full-speed for awhile now, even as it's started to calm down, and frankly, she's not doing great.

But, she's at least remembering to eat and stay hydrated (well, usually), and that's what she's taken a break to do now. Most people don't sit huddled on a bench with their knees up near their chest while they're eating, though. Perhaps surprisingly, she's not in her armour, instead wearing a more "normal" outfit of a blue wide-brimmed hat, a light, deep blue blouse that covers the bandages on her arms, and some shorts over boots. But she's still got her halberd and shield nearby, so between that, the huddle, and some amazing legs on display, she's inadvertently getting looks anyway. For once, though, she doesn't notice it, being too deep in her depressed thoughts. The last time she was at a funeral...

The squeaking of wheels nearby snap her from her spiraling; she's heard those enough from helping with triage after things that it's habitual now to find out what's needed. Looking around, it's not hard to spot the young woman being pushed nearby. Given the little bits about the "witch" she's heard, namely that it's a female with green hair, is rather broad and could apply to herself as well, she doesn't put two-and-two together. If she had, she might have exercised more caution...maybe.

Holding a hand up, she calls out to the young woman, and rises. "M-Miss, are ya alright?"

Re: After the spa visit

[esperbuthuman]

"Oh, hello."

Terra seems a bit surprised. The guards, however, roll their eyes but come to a stop.

"I'm doing all right, I'm just here for treatment."