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

[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.

[brave_heart_verity]

"Of course. On the count of three. One." She raises her hand and curls her fingers into position.

"Two." The little light forms in her palm again.

"Three." And then there's pretty ribbons of light and a pleasant tinkling chime sound. She's watching his expression closely and will stop as soon as he protests.

[ixis]

He hisses even when she's just gotten to 'two'. Bein' a total baby. Screws up his face like he's expecting something horrible and stinging. But instead, he can feel something warm and soothing making the deepest portions of his wound stop hurting so much!

But this doesn't stop him from eventually going, "Okay, stop, stop, stop. Give me a moment." TOTAL BABY.

[brave_heart_verity]

She stops on the first 'stop', lowering her hand again and waiting. "Yeah. No rush. You're just bleeding to death."

Such a baby. She shifts her weight so she can rest her elbows on her knees and cup her chin to watch him. "You want to tell me how this happened?"

[ixis]

"I got into a fight." Yeah, no kidding, guy. He also doesn't think to elaborate past that, looking at Verity with his blood-streaked face, completely calm and neutral.

Then he thinks to add, "I won." Oh, right. The most important part.

[brave_heart_verity]

The obvious part just... she just sighs. Really, grandpa, she knows you're racist against her a little, but she's not that dumb.

"Glad to hear it. Who were you fighting?" Apparently he has two options, and they're either answering questions or letting her do more magic. Either way, she wins. (And it's not like he's getting out of these questions any time soon, she knows where he lives and controls his muffin supply.)

[ixis]

Muffin Crisis Rocks Local Wizard's World. Details on pg. 7.

"Some Overlander girl. Amalla. No, that's not it. Ameeeeel-...Amelia! Silver in her hair? She started it." Is that a lie? It sounds questionable, but snaps into focus as not-lie when he adds, "She took the first swing. Threatened to cut me if I didn't stop insulting her world of origin." And...going on how he's indeed cut, apparently he didn't stop.

[brave_heart_verity]

Local Girl Goes Mad with Moderate Amount of Power, details at 11.

"Amelia?" There's a brief look of surprise, then her eyes narrow and her tone drops into an unusually vengeful range for her. "Glad you won."

Somebody is not in Ver's good graces right now. Pretty much the opposite thereof, so. Yeah. "Why were you antagonizing her? She's not worth it."

[ixis]

"Because she has a stupid world and I had to make sure she knew it!" Right. Totally mature and noble cause. Well done. Worth getting stabbed over it.

He squints at Verity now, though, surprised at the cold response! He's never seen her like this, not that he can recall, anyhow. He's not upset or confused. Just surprised.

"You don't care for her?"

[brave_heart_verity]

The subject of Amelia's world doesn't get much of a response from her because she doesn't think much about it. The lack of maturity in the situation had already been noted.

"No, I don't." He never heard about the coffee or the thieving, did he? She'll have to think about whether or not to tell him. It probably won't make things better and might make them much worse. "You ready for more?"

[ixis]

"...Probably a good idea, yes. Not the dislike, the healing. If nothing else, it's deadening the pain." He raises his arm again as the end of his tail curls around his ankle to brace himself for NOT being a baby this time.

"Don't worry, though. I hurt her where it counts. She'll know now not to trifle so with Ixis Naugus."

[brave_heart_verity]

"Oh yeah? What'd you do to her?" Maybe if she keeps him talking, he won't remember to be scared. If this doesn't work, she's not above promising him a lollipop if he's good. Too bad the magic is so showy. She'll have to ask Felix if there's any way to turn down the lights and sound effects.

[ixis]

"She said she wanted to protect her world from the encroaching corruption of the Nexus. All of it's horrible magic and tech. So I just did her a favour and caused just that. The way home is broken. No portals to or from there will ever occur again, if my spellwork was solid. And I assure you, it was."

He quirks a grin at Verity, sticking out his tongue. "Just another person stranded here, like us, now."

[brave_heart_verity]

Maybe she's quiet because she's concentrating on the spell, or because she's thinking. But eventually, she looks up at him again. "I wish you'd sent her away first."

The spell fizzles to a stop about then. Time for all good Veritys to rest and let the magicka replenish.

[ixis]

"And give her the satisfaction? Never! If it's ever a choice between revenge or the high road, you know which I'll take," he chortles. Thinking back on his victory keeps him plenty distracted from this method of healing he hates so much.

Although now that it's taking a pause, sure, Naugus can at least appreciate how there's less bleeding and less pain now. Experimentally moving his arm around, because it's not like that wound needs a chance to stay closed or anything.

[brave_heart_verity]

"No, not to make her happy. Just. To get rid of her. Stop that, you're going to pull it open again." Really, grandpa, how'd you get to be so powerful with so little sense?

Please don't tell her those things in your dreams were telling the truth.

[ixis]

"Vale's bones, but you seem to dislike her more than I do. I always just found her to be petulant is all. Enjoyed antagonizing her." Right up til he got stabbed. Like he'll ever figure out tweaking noses and physical assault are somehow related. Again, so little sense. "I'm going to make a guess. I've never seen you stabbed or bleeding, so it wasn't that. She...insulted your cooking? What else could it be. Something to do with spurned love?"

[brave_heart_verity]

It is entirely possible Ver hates Amelia at this point. She is not the nice person people think she is.

"She stole something from my world. An important cultural artifact. Then she bragged about it to me, threw coffee at me when I objected, and doubled down by giving it away as a Jül gift. After everything I did to try and help her..."

It's not something she wants to think about for long. She isn't built for long-term sustained anger like this. "You ready for more?"

[ixis]

"There's more?" His ears are upright and swiveled towards Verity. Ready to soak in that gossip. But then realizes she's talking about the healing. Aw. Ears go back to their neutral position. He sighs and gives a shrug. Sure.

"What was the artifact in question?"

[brave_heart_verity]

She really thought that Naugus, out of everyone, would understand why she's so upset about this. Maybe be on her side. It's good to know where she stands.

"A book written by one of the greatest minds who ever lived. His writings changed the world, and influenced the course of discovery ever since." She falls quiet again as she concentrates on the spell, which doesn't last as long this time.

"It's like if someone from outside your world had taken a chaos emerald and taunted you about it."

[ixis]

Oh, Naugus will likely voice his understanding at some point! Or at least make it clear that he's fine with Verity holding grudges. He's a grudge MACHINE. But right now, he's gotta get all those sweet deets.

"There's preservation of knowledge, of course. But sounds very much like that wasn't her intent. Did she taunt? Gloat that she scrounged such things? Maybe she's just dense. Not to play devil's advocate, mind. It is VERY CLEAR where I stand on her." He waves over his wounds and generally bloodied appearances with a grin.

[brave_heart_verity]

Sooooo hugs are out of the question. Probably just as well, less laundry for her to do if she doesn't end up covered in his blood.

"Well. Bragged. No, her intent was never to preserve anything. She was clear from the start that her intentions were selfish and self-serving. She'd always intended to use it to buy a second chance with-- someone." Verity flexes her fingers idly while she waits to be able to do more.

"I think the worst part, though, is that when she apologized, I forgave her. I actually helped her, right after..." Well, when she shouldn't have been worrying about anyone but herself. "And then she did this to me anyway."

[ixis]

Yeah, don't hug this mess until some laundry has been done on his part. And maybe a shower too.

"What would have been the preferred outcome? Giving you the book instead? Pity that it wasn't the case. Now I wonder what it said." Knowledge compared to the significance and power of a chaos emerald? That's a big deal! "Well, fear not either way. I've dealt such a crippling blow to her ego and mental state, she'll likely not be a problem for us for some time to come."

And to perhaps reassure Verity of this point, he leans over and gives her a smooch on the top of her head. Great, bloody face kisses. Just what she wanted for Valentines.

[brave_heart_verity]

A shower when he gets home isn't going to be optional if he wants her to stop bugging him about it.

"I... don't know. It's hard to know what the right answer in a situation like this." This is not something life has prepared her for. "I guess I'd want to put it in a museum. Where everyone can enjoy it."

Not the best kiss she's ever had. But she's not complaining because his affection is more rare than diamonds. In fact, he's getting a little smile for his efforts.

[ixis]

Imagine Verity having to shove Naugus into the bathroom to finally go get clean. Stop tracking blood in the tower, g-paw.

"Maybe it can be retrieved? Do you know who she gave it to? Acquisition may be so easy as finding the right shadow."