Just a Scratch [TW: Blood]

[ixis]

We've all seen it before. Someone shows up to the Nexus, fresh from some assault or battle, all beaten and bruised. It's just one of those things that happens in this place.

But it's usually newcomers, not well-established residents.

Ixis Naugus has hobbled his way to the Forum, leaning heavily on his staff and looking like hell. His face is covered in blood, in equal parts from his nose and a long diagonal cut slashed across his face. He's been bleeding from it long enough that it's streaked down his beard and stained a good portion of it red. The wizard is also sporting a gouge in his left side; a grievous puncture wound from the looks of it. That's got the whole of that side darkened with blood as well.

Naugus finds himself a chair and drops himself heavily into it, panting for breath. Adjusting both hand and claw on his staff, he looks about before managing a weary, possibly sarcastic, smile.

"How are you today? I'm fine."

Comments

[smartass_captain]

You would expect a certain starship captain to be laughing pretty hard at the sight of the magi in pain. Normally, you'd be correct.

Jim wanders over with a wince and shakes his head.

"I'm really glad we swapped back when we did, if your enemies found you today." He sighs and heads to a wall to retrieve one of the many Nexus first aid kits. "What happened?"

[ixis]

He sniffs loudly, as if that'll do any good to stem the leaking blood from his nose, and looks up at Jim with one eye squinted shut.

"Oh, nothing. Just settling some differences. Someone thought they'd try and start some issues with me but I put them properly in place. I'm sure they'll think twice and possibly thrice before trying anything again."

[smartass_captain]

"You got into a fight? I didn't think that could even happen in here?" Jim's not about to dote on Naugus, but he does open up the first aid kit and start handing him some things.

This is as close to getting along as they have ever been.

"Couldn't wait to bust some skulls with your body back, huh?"

[ixis]

"We agreed to it. Seems the moment consent is given, even if non-verbal, the field will drop." Handy knowledge, that! "She was deadset on teaching me a lesson, but I ended up being the one doing just that. Hah! Idiot girl."

Naugus takes what he's handed, squinting, trying (uselessly) to wipe blood from that one eye, and then squinting again. "I don't suppose you're any good with sutures?" Assuming the kit even has the equipment to do stitches.

[smartass_captain]

"You beat up a chick right after you get your body back." Well, looks like she fought back pretty hard. Props to whoever did that, Jim supposes. Best not to tell Jim who he was fighting with, if Naugus doesn't want another fight on his hands.

Jim's snorting but pulling out the tweezers and rubbing alcohol.

"You owe me a drink for this, Naugus."

[brave_heart_verity]

This is what she's been training for. All those hard runs, all that magic, this is why she's been pushing herself. So she can help the people she loves when they need her. No more being, or feeling, useless here. ... Just as soon as she can get her feet to move.

...

There we go.

"What-- You-- Hold still!" If he's going to protest about her using restoration magic, he'd better pipe up quickly.

[ixis]

Verity approaches him on his for-the-moment blind side, the left eye squinched shut against all the blood running down his face. So her voice makes him jump and look towards her sharply, surprise clear on his face. He relaxes gradually, however, when he sees who it is.

But then stiffens again when he remembers her method of healing. Sure, they'd cleared it back during the swap, that it doesn't cause his body and whatever's in him that conflicts with light magic any discomfort. But Naugus has honestly lost a good portion of blood and just remembers he hates that light show. "No, no. I'm fine. No need to-...Don't bother with the-...Uh. The, uhhh."

He's at a loss for a moment, then gestures vaguely, like a very tired jazz hand. You know, the light-up. The rays. The flashy-flashy.

[brave_heart_verity]

Her instincts say to yell at him and then do what she wants anyway. She even raises a hand, and a little light starts to form in her palm.

But, no. She needs to do better than that.

So, instead, she crouches down in front of him so he can see her. "Naugus, you're hurt and you've lost a lot of blood. You need help. And we already know it's safe, remember? I'll just do a little and if it's bad, I'll stop, and we'll find you a doctor or something. Please let me try."

How can he say 'no' to that face?

[ixis]

He frowns, that one open eye focusing on her face. Then he sighs and raises his left arm, giving her better access to that wound in his side. It looks...deep. Right in the ribs.

"Be ready to stop if I holler," he adds. Don't be a baby and flinch at nothing, Naugus.

[icebearforpresident]

[Ice Bear is in the Nexus today, but not in his usual means. By that, he's actually riding along on a relatively fast delivery moped. What. How the bear is actually able to do this is a mystery to anyone. The bear parks his vehicle next to Ixis, and one might notice he's wearing a cute little pair of goggles, a driving helmet, and a knitted scarf.]

"Ixis?" [One paw flips the goggles off his beady black eyes, as Ice stares at the mage.] "Ice Bear wants to know what happened."

[ixis]

Naugus seems confused for a time at the moped, as if he needs a good portion of time making sense of what he's seeing. Bear...on vehicle? Bear is driving-...? Oh wait! His face lights up in recognition.

That's Ice Bear. He knows him. He knows Ice Bear.

"I mmmmay have gotten into a fight," he finally replies, stroking his blood-streaked beard. "I won, of course," he adds.

this comic is winning

[icebearforpresident]

[Okay, Ice is officially confused, but hides it behind his stoic face. One might catch his ears twitching at brief intervals, but no other personal indicators beyond that. The blue helmet is quickly removed and hung on the the back of the moped. Turning the vehicle off, Ice dismounts and rests his eyes on the injuries Ixis has sustained.]

"Why?" [He's not much for words right now. Then again, when is the bear ever really talkative.]

((I edit this to say yes :D to clerks reference. carry on))

pop culture night in the beat-up naugus thread

[ixis]

"She assaulted me. Grabbed me by my beard! I don't know what her issue was; probably unstable. Maybe on drugs? Probably, yes." Right, that's totally how it shook out, Naugus. Your recollection of events is flawless.

"But I made her regret her actions! Make no mistake of that."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

Schön doesn't speak just yet, simply stands nearby looking curious. Given Naugus' injuries and mercurial temper, chances are good he'll offer some hints as to what happened in the rant that's bound to start up the moment he notices his rival standing about, calm and unharmed.

[ixis]

It takes him awhile to notice Schön, a bit caught up in just closing his eyes and waiting for a wave of pain to pass. Eventually, it's the bit of silver on the man's cane that catches his eye, turning his head to regard the man properly.

He cracks a wide grin, his teeth stained pink from the blood that's been running down his face from nose and cut alike.

"You should see the other one."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"I should like to," he replies brightly. "Where can I find them? And I don't suppose I could interest you in anything for those injuries?"

[ixis]

"Me? No, I-..." He looks himself over, all covered and stained with blood, then back to Schön. "I'm fine." He said that at the start, didn't he? Perfectly all right! It was a good day overall. He's too good to die of bloodloss. That's a death for chumps.

"Look for that Overlander waif with the silver in her hair. Amal-?...Amelia. Right. That was it. She doesn't take well to opinions on her silly little homeworld, but it's a moot point either way now. All's well."

[magnetite_plz]

"Wow someone pissed off a bigger demon today nya." Nekomata's perched atop a nearby pillar, a scarf wrapped around her neck and a knit hat complete with little ear sleeves to accommodate hers while she watches Ixis Naugus slowly bleeding out in the Nexus.

"You might wanna clean yourself up mya." Concern? Disgust? Hunger? Who knows!

Her poker face is stellar when she wants it to be.

[ixis]

"In due time. When I've caught my breath." Naugus tilts his head just enough to see the cat in the corner of his eye, giving her a pointed smirk.

"Bigger demon? No. None bigger than me, Nekomata. Just a very tenacious little girl."

[magnetite_plz]

She gives a noncommittal shrug at the magi's talk. She's seen gods of the underworld come in smaller packages than Naugus, so he certainly could be the biggest demon on the block. She'snot really in the business of finding out. It's a question she really doesn't need answered.

Intel is more her specialty than fighting ever was.

"You gonna die?" It's a fair question, he is bleeding out quite a bit.

[ixis]

"Me? No. No no no. I've received healing from several. I'm just...resting a moment. Why?" There's a lot of motives to seeing someone dead, after all. He's curious where hers is.

[shardofwinter]

A certain Winter spirit is nearby definitely not lured in by the effects of strife. Reynard stops, hands on his hips, and looks the wizard over.

"Really? You look awful," he informs Naugus with a sympathetic wince. Then his eyebrows lift and he motions to the other's face. "Though the gash significantly improves things. And the blood stains."

It doesn't really count as pushing his luck when he's empowered by a Season.

[ixis]

Naugus screws up his face, but only so he can soon spit a mouthful of blood to one side. "Improved? You think I'll get a roguish-looking scar from it?" He reaches up and pokes it, which wasn't the smartest thing to do. Naugus winces and looks at the blood now on the tip of his finger.

[shardofwinter]

The pang of pain that Naugus' prodding provokes gets a small grin from Reynard, though he's quick to smooth it out to keep up his genuine act. "If you're lucky. Anything to cover up that face, don't you agree?"

[ixis]

"Nonsense. I'm magnificent. Unlike you and your sad little attempt at facial hair." He reaches out to tap that lil goatee with the tip of his crab claw. That is, of course, covered in blood.