help me, darling. help me, please.

[rosestolilies]

[ So much to think about, and the clouds are no escape for your fine Queen today.

"Their own love in their rightful Queen can be strengthened. Compassion will show you both the way, I am certain. Some girls just want to ride the wind wear ever it takes them, and live life to the fullest."

Oh dear oh dear oh dear. Such a mess, it's all become such a mess! ]

- ♡ -
[ The mirror is recording as the Queen stands at the shoreline, the long stretch of the dunes at her back, the sheer plane of water before her. And overhead the clouds are still flashing with lightning, even as the serpent's bones rain down and warriors close in upon the ship. The storms are banished first, brushed aside with nothing more than an impatient motion. The ship will have to come down next, and she reaches upwards, pausing for only a moment when the High Priestess appears, her feet wet when the tide rolls in, and her head shaded beneath a paper parasol. She says something that can't be heard and the Queen nods distractedly, beginning then to reel down the Labrys as if she has caught it round with a lasso. The Pirate Queen appears at the rails, looking startled and irritated, calling out gruffly,]

Ready to open your mouth, woman?

[ Her majesty sighs, stating very deliberately, ] We do need to talk, yes.

[ The ship hits the ground with a spray of sand and sea, but the gangplank is lowered, and the Queen steps onto the ship, leaving the High Priestess standing at the edge of the tide. A squadron of large brown bears take up positions around the site. The Warrior Princess does not take long in joining them, her face cut and streaked with ash and blood. She does not take her eyes off of the ship, not even for a moment.

When the Queen reappears to see her there, she smiles bashfully. ]

High Priestess, you still have those bottled little folk, don't you, my dear?

[ Whatever the expression on the High Priestess' face, it is not pleasure, but she inclines her head obediently. Soon enough, a cat can be seen walking slowly down the beach, a rope in its mouth that is tied to a floating crate. The faeries inside rattle in their bottles, lights flashing within.

The Pirate Queen crows something rude and self-aggrandizing from the rails, grinning, and the damsels are led up from below deck by an honor guard of battered skeletons. The Queen opens her arms to them. ]

Darlings! I'm so glad to see you safe!

[ The Damsel goes to her, if no one else, and even she has soon moved on, hurrying across the sands to greet the Warrior Princess with a hug that is not returned.

The gangplank of the Labrys recedes when the crate is safely onboard, and though the ship does not seem to be moving, some of the skeletons wave cheerfully from the decks, giggling in that eerie way of theirs. ]


[[ooc; We will leave the comments open for all of you, but there will not be any NPC interaction on this post.]]

Comments

[ritsu_kouyou]

D-don't touch--

[ARGH! It was bad enough that she was injured and the most tired she'd been in a long time, but she hated being handled or touched by anyone other than Kohaku when she was having an attack. It was hard enough to draw air into her body, but to also be carried wherever she was being taken...

Maybe it would be better to just pass out.]

[of_the_highest_caliber]

[ There are times when it is okay to yell, hit, or kick Subaru into staying away. A crisis is not one of those times, and she expresses that clearly in her tone. ] I'm not leaving you like this! [ Though she just doesn't understand what was happening with Akiha, besides equating it with the onset of shock, which means she needed immediate assistance.

So Subaru steps forward into her rematerialized skates and then turns to head back toward the shore. Her pace is urgent, but not reckless. ]

[ritsu_kouyou]

[At least Akiha isn't arguing anymore; she didn't have the breath for it. She focused on the dyspnea attack, trying to endure and work herself through it. It was going to take her a few minutes, but she'd manage.]

[of_the_highest_caliber]

[ Subaru wishes she had an oxygen tank, or something, to help with that shortness of breath. At least her speed isn't such that it would be a further hindrance.

Once at the shoreline, she cruises along, alert for anyone who might be able to help with the rest of this... ]

[ported]

[If she was looking for someone, Kris was always a good bet. She showed very little interest in this whole thing, even with Akiha going along, but she at least wanted to see a bit.

She didn't quite know what was going on but she waved at Subaru as she approached.]

[of_the_highest_caliber]

Kris! [ She would wave, but her arms are kind of full. Her magic road dissipates along with her skates, and she strides over to the woman with her boots in the sand. ] Kris, do you know any healing spells? Or anyone else here who does? [ It should not be infeasible of an expectation. And it is the quicker way to fix things rather than try to scrounge together or build equipment and supplies.

Subaru will have to make some emergency kits for later. ]

[ported]

I have a couple. Why do you-

[Whoops, she took a peek at Akiha. Now Kris is a little worried.]

Oh dear, she needs some help, doesn't she?

[of_the_highest_caliber]

She crashed in the water in one of the flying ships, but she has other injuries. [ And there's the heavy breathing, too. Subaru is miles away from true panic, but her expression betrays a considerable amount of consternation. ] Have you ever pulled an arrow out before? [ Is the tip even all the way through? That's one thing she has heard about, but she's never had to actually USE that knowledge before. ]

[ported]

Yeah, I can get it out. We should probably set her down first and make sure she's stays sitting up.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

Okay, thank you, Kris. [ And Subaru looks around. ] ...the sand is probably a bad place for this.

[ported]

It's Akiha so I want to help. Let's just take her a little ways away then. [Nope, knows nothing about germs or dirt being bad.]

[of_the_highest_caliber]

Right. [ And she just sort of stands there, as if expecting something to happen. ]

[ported]

[Kris had no clue why they should move in the first place but she knew she wanted to hurry and help Akiha.]

...where are we going?

[of_the_highest_caliber]

It's nothing but sand for a short distance. I can drive again, but I don't think I'm helping matters. Can you teleport us all? [ She doesn't know the details about Kris' ability, just that she has it. ]

[ported]

You should have said so in the first place! [Slightly berating. No sense in keeping Akiha waiting.

Kris puts a hand on Subaru and teleports everyone some distance away. More like quite a ways away since they're not in Akiha's sitting room.]

[of_the_highest_caliber]

Sorry! I di— [ Poit! ]—dn't nnwhoa... [ Steadying herself on the floor. She didn't expect it to be quite as sudden or disorienting as THAT.

Fortunately, she is nothing if not adaptable. ] Thanks. [ Quick, she looks around, and deposits Akiha carefully in the softest chair around. ] Here we go. I'll get some supplies. Do you keep a first aid kit around? Bandages, disinfectant, etc? [ She should know this, having worked here off-and-on for months, but she hadn't thought of needing that info! ]

[ported]

[Kris shrugs helplessly. Disinfectant, she has no idea what that is.]

How about you go find that and I will take care of her.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

[ ...right. Less developed origin worlds. Gotta remember that. ] Okay! I'll be back. [ And there is a glimmer of light as she sprints out of the room, to rustle through cabinets, pantries, and the bathrooms for some kind of kit, or to put one together. At least she can find towels and a basin of some kind, right?

(Feel free to skip her for a few rounds!) ]

[ported]

[When Subaru is out, Kris lightly pats Akiha on the cheek, seeing if she can get her attention.]

Akiha. Akiha.

[ritsu_kouyou]

[Akiha hadn't been unconscious, but more focused on making herself breathe than anything Subaru or Kris had been doing. She was starting to finally get some substantial breaths in when she was laid down, but she hadn't opened her eyes. Not until Kris touched and called to her.

Bringing her right hand up to touch Kris', she opened her eyes a little and nodded. She was going to hold off on talking for a bit longer; she was still having breathing issues.]

[ported]

[Kris smiled back.]

This might hurt a little bit so hold on.

[With that warning, she grasped onto whatever was left of the hilt of the arrow. She didn't push or pull but just touching it could be enough to send some pain through.]

[ritsu_kouyou]

[Enjoy having Akiha's blood all over your hand, Kris.

Akiha flinched a little and the muscle along her jaw twitched, but that was the extent of her reaction. It hurt. It definitely hurt, but she could endure it.]

[ported]

[Kris isn't phased in the slightest.

But after a moment, the arrow is gone. Sent off to who-knows-where but at least it's not inside Akiha anymore.]

Okay, that's taken care of.

[ritsu_kouyou]

...

[Akiha was expecting something... not that. Whatever Kris did. She was expecting more pain as the arrow was pulled out. She blinked and drew in a slow, shuddering breath as she felt and smelled fresh blood leaking from the hole in her shoulder.]

[ported]

[As always, Kris' healing spells weren't the best since she never focused on that. The best she could do at the moment was stop the bleeding with magic and let Akiha heal herself up.

Which is what she did, letting the warm energy seep into the wound.]