melodiesoflife | Gen CR Hospital

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Gen CR Hospital

WHO: Rialynn Kollmann, Ruby Rose, Ellana Lavellan, Tear Grants, Albel
WHAT: Wedge assigns several Heroes to keep an eye on the comatose ~~Darth Tater~~ Palitutu to soothe the nerves of the hospital staff. Nothing eventful happens......EXCEPT FOR AMAZING CR!
WHEN: Throughout the month of September
WHERE: Aqures Ixen Hospital

Considering the runs of bad luck the hospital faced since Halloween of the previous year, it was understandable that they'd be more than a little nervous at having Palitutu safely sleeping in the intensive care unit. If the Heroes were anxious about her waking up and blowing the city to smithereens, imagine how much more fearful the non-job-wielding staff members had to be.

But despite their unease, Palitutu remained safely locked away in a coma, sustained by the IV unit hooked up to her small arm. It was almost hard to believe someone so small had posed such an enormous threat all by herself.

[OOC: Feel free to put up a thread for your character, and then tag whoever you like for guard duty CR.]

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"What?! Oh, no, I gotta get her ba--" Ruby began before stopping.

"Waiiit... you're playing."

Cloud doubled over laughing before Ruby could even get through that revelation. "Yeah...ahaha, sorry, I couldn't resist."

Ruby pouted a bit before chuckling as well. "I guess I deserved it!"

Rialynn laughed sheepishly. It had been an enormous shock to move from a world of superstitions to a world of supernatural proportions. Magic, monsters, giant living seas of crystal... Yeah, she kind of preferred the relative normality of her home too.

She nodded enthusiastically at Ellana's response. "I've heard of elves before. They're popular legends where I'm from, though, the stuff of stories. It's kind of amazing to sit here and talk with one so freely. Kind of nice, too," she smiled, resting her cheek in her hand. "I didn't know you had clans, though. How many clans are there?"

Rialynn lifted her head, surprised. The hospital staff didn't usually bother to knock, and she couldn't think of anyone who legitimately wanted to pay a visit to Palitutu. So had someone come to see her?

She frowned a little, and put her book aside before making sure the knives she had, hidden and visible, were easy to dispatch. While she didn't expect any trouble, she also thought Cid probably had a good reason for assigning so many Heroes of Light to watch over the comatose researcher. Then she pushed herself off of her stool and went to the door, opening it partway.

Kidd was easy enough to recognize, and she drew her head back. "Kidd?" she blinked. "Uh...you're not here on business, I hope," she said with a nervous little grin. She hoped not. Mary was one of the first people she'd met in this place, and she liked her a lot. But when an assassin showed up in a room that needed a personal guard, well...

"Hey, you said you were bored." He got up and offered her the seat again. "I thought I'd make things more interesting for you...but it's probably better they're not THAT interesting."

"You do realize there is a similar race native to this world--elezen, I believe?" She raised an eyebrow. Part of her wondered if the other spoke to any of the 'elezen' in this world as well. "There are many of us, though forgive me if I ere on the side of discretion. We are a proud people, and any knowledge that survived the centuries is precious to us."

Yet despite her response, she smiles faintly. "It likely isn't the same among different worlds, however. So I can't speak for all elves everywhere."

Consider yourself lucky, she's one of the nice ones.

"Oh, no, I wouldn't assume that much!" Rialynn quickly waved her free hand. "And it's hard sometimes to ask people about themselves without seeming nosy, or phrasing it in a way that comes across as condescending or offensive. If I ask or say anything ignorant, feel free to let me know. I promise, it's not my intention."

She turned her head, as if to look off in the direction of Mysidia, and nodded. "I spoke to a few when I could. Bangaa and Moombas too. It makes me wonder if humans are called different things in different worlds."

Rialynn leaned onto her book, shifting her jaw thoughtfully. "The elves of legend in my world are supposed to be ageless beings who can live for centuries and still look young. They're supposed to be wise and influential over the powers of nature. But as far as I know, they're just stories. Nobody's ever seen one, so..." She shrugs a little. "But I don't think humans are the only intelligent beings in the land. Better to exercise a little superstition than be wrong and eaten by a werewolf or something."

No offense, werewolves.

"I will be sure to let you know." It's an odd, and refreshing, change of pace for Ellana, who in turn waves it off until Rialynn speaks once more. Oh yes, they definitely called different things, though she would likely never aim the term at her new acquaintance. The legend, however...

"That's--" oddly specific, she almost said, before redirecting the conversation slightly. "Different races in Thedas have different words for each other, though none would be said in polite company. Then again, humans there aren't used to seeing elves of high rank in society..."

So speaking as an equal, albeit even as a bit of a mutual curiosity, is something she appreciated more than she'd say. She almost missed the friendly debates back home already. "Also the werewolves would attack, but rarely eat mortal flesh. Though that may just be one instance."

She may be smirking. Just a tad.

She was a little surprised and dismayed to find Rialynn answering the door. This visit would be simpler with someone who knew her. On the other hand as brief as the last meeting they had was, it was pleasant. And Bonnie had been saying she ought to get to know some of the other Heroes better.

"No, nothing of the like, no matter how tempting. I found out a number of you were tasked with watching over our...guest, something I was planning to do myself regardless." In fact she already had been doing so, just not in the room.

"Thought it might be a good idea to offer my help before someone misunderstood my lurkin' about." She turned to the bed and made no effort to hide her distaste. "I still don't trust the woman. I'm not going to do anything to her, but I'll feel more secure if I have my own eyes on her." Her eyes went back to the bard and she offered an apologetic head tilt. "Not to say you lot aren't trustworthy of course. Just a touch of nerves after all she's put us through."

"You really had werewolves?" Rialynn asked after a slow, drawn out gasp. "That's so scary!" At least they didn't eat people...most of the time?! Probably no more than people became psychopathic degenerates and ate other people, she supposed.

She shivered. These were unpleasant thoughts for a quiet hospital room where Palitutu was sleeping in a heavy coma.

"I think I just gave myself goosebumps," she half-laughed, her nerves showing. "What else was there? I mean, different monsters, different races, things like that."

"I guess that makes sense. I wasn't really here for most of that. I wouldn't blame anyone for not trusting her, if they were around when she told everyone her name was Jessie."

As for Rialynn herself, her expression seemed to be neutral. She glanced back at the comatose Tarutaru with neither pity nor resentment. To her, this was just a job, and she was just a history-recording bard. Taking sides on such a divisive issue seemed dangerous.

"Anyway, I don't blame you for not trusting me," she sighed. "The things that guy did...sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and can still feel my flesh crawling. It's not fun." She gestured toward the empty hospital bed, inviting Kidd to take a seat. "Anyway, I feel better being able to watch her as a pair in any case. Heroes of Light aren't the only ones bound to have a grudge, you know?"

"Yes. Granted, I've never met one in person, nor do I care to. Though perhaps this discussion is best served elsewhere?" She can see that it was actually doing more than giving goosebumps, and for as much as her kind love to torment their oppressors, this girl was not one of them.

Alas, they were on duty... so she sits down in another chair nearby. Perhaps later they could share spooky stories. Like that holiday she's seen decorations go up for lately.

"The most common race is human, but aside from them and elves... dwarves and qunari are the only known races of Thedas." Monsters could be saved for later.

Rialynn flashed a quick but grateful smile. She'd honestly prefer to talk about monsters in a nice public space. With sunshine. And blue skies and singing birds and rainbows and flowers. It wasn't that she didn't want to talk about it -- if she didn't, then she wouldn't learn how to best protect herself and prevent unwanted encounters. She lined all of the windows of her home with salt already, just in case.

She nodded at the humans, the elves, and the dwarves...but blinked at the mention of qunari, as that was a term she hadn't heard before. Interested, she scooted closer to the edge of her stool. "I've heard of dwarves, but no qunari. What are they like? Have you met any before?"

"Aye, but it's one thing to use an alias and another to plot against the whole group of people you've been working with. To try to kill them." She frowned and shook her head, "When we ran into her in the past she sacrificed a whole city in the effort to bring us here. And the question still in the air was if she did it because she thought it was the right thing or because she felt she was supposed to."

The physics of time travel were not something that Mary intended to spend much thought on. But the fact that someone would put that many people to death just to bring forth pawns for another scheme was something she was disinclined to abide.

But she shook her head at Rialynn's comment, "If there's someone in this room I don't trust it's not you. Not by any measure. We've had more than our fair share of allies bein' controlled by outside forces, and it's happened where I come from as well. But that's not the real you. And depending on the why and how you can't be blamed for being made into a puppet. Not unless you had some intent that helped let them in."

She shook her head and walked over to Palitutu's bedside. She traced her left hand, the one with the hidden blade, along the sheets at the edge of the bed. "I've told a fair few, but you seem trustworthy enough, where I come from I'm part of a Brotherhood. A group that lives in the shadows so that others can enjoy the light. We do the things that must be done so that others can live free." She glanced over her shoulder, "The Assassin job, that must have come from one of my fellows in another cycle."

"I guess that's possible," Rialynn conceded. It made her wonder if perhaps there was a swashbuckler job hidden away somewhere to match the swordsmanship of her old friends back home. Probably not. Most of the jobs seemed crafted to incorporate magic, and there wasn't anything supernatural or incredibly enhancing that resulted from being able to wield a rapier and a musket.

She turned to watch Kidd as she crossed the room, and much as she might have wished herself to have complete faith, she did feel a little nervous about letting someone stand that close to Palitutu while freely admitting to being an assassin.

"Do you think that's how she saw herself too?" she asked quietly. "Doing what needed to be done for the sake of the greater good?" Because it kind of sounded like she had a lot in common with this Brotherhood and its ideals.

There was the pirate job. Perhaps not quite the thing that Rialynn wanted, but it was close. And the sky pirate advanced job certainly had the style too it. It was one that had done Mary quite well. In fact she was frequently torn between whether being a Pirate or an Assassin would do her best from month to month.

"Perhaps, but there's a limit. Not a line, nothing so specific...But the sacrifice of a city does not balance with the world. Especially not if your goal is to keep things as they are rather than try to stop the problem all together."

After a long beat she finally turned away from the bed. "The economy of lives is not a simple one, and oftentimes more lives are lost than originally planned. It's bloody work, but my Brotherhood strives to only kill those few and specific people who are causing harm. We don't simply kill because people stand in our way."

She glanced over her shoulder at Palitutu, "I don't feel it's hypocritical to say that her way is wrong. My own hands may not be clean, but innocent blood is never a fair trade, no matter for what greater good."

"...I suppose that's true," Rialynn conceded, her gaze flicking back and forth between Mary and Palitutu. She was still a little tense about it all, so she just had to hope that her gut instinct about Mary was correct and that she wouldn't take advantage of Rialynn's desire for neutrality to assassinate the comatose Palitutu.

She scrubbed a hand over her face that came to rest over her mouth as she exhaled her frustration in a long, muffled sigh.

"You know, this was a lot easier when I could stick to my goals of just writing down the stories of others, and not being a part of those stories myself. I don't really have a way to judge what the right choice is, or what's wrong. I just don't know enough."

Just because she could didn't mean she would. As she'd scolded an old friend the Creed demanded that she be wise. The freedom to act came with the implicit responsibility of the consequences. She took a few more clear steps away from the bed, but the exhausted noise that Rialynn made pulled her focus to the other woman.

"Aye, observing is easier than taking part, and even having the ability to be an observer is a liberty some don't get. But even if the choice is hard to make at least you can make one. And if you follow your heart then you can find the path that's right for you, even if it isn't clear." She debated her next words for a moment but then decided to continue anyway. She'd not been actively recruiting as much lately but there was no harm in sharing philosophy.

"My Brotherhood has a Creed, 'Nothing is true. Everything is permitted.' I know it sounds a bit odd but what would you imagine it to mean?"

"Hmmmmmmm..." Rialynn hummed noncommittally, tugging at the end of her bandanna as she glanced toward the window with a fretful frown. Following her heart... It sounded so good in the stories, but when actually applying that advice to herself, she had to admit that it just seemed...cheesy. Besides, she wasn't sure she trusted her heart. It was prone to cowardice and fear.

Then Mary posed her question, and there was a brief panicked look on her face. Oh no! A quiz! "Erk!" she choked, freezing up. Often times she didn't like to tell people what certain allegories were contained within fables, mysteriously alluding that the answer changed for every person who listened.

In short, she didn't really know more often than not. And this creed was very enigmatic without knowing the background or context. She could take a guess, and embarrass herself. Or she could just...

"...I really don't know."

...confess her ignorance.

In a sense Rialynn's lack of an answer was just as valid as being able to interpret it. It said a lot about how she viewed the world and the institutions established in it. A light smirk settled on Mary's face. She felt a little envious that it was the sort of thing that the bard may not have had cause to consider before now.

"That's fine. It's not an easy phrase to handle. Most simply it is a reminder that we are the masters of our own destiny. No matter what anyone tells us, our actions and decisions are our own. Not even the laws of a land can stop someone if they so choose." She paused a moment to let it sink in before she continued.

"But there are consequences as well. Legal or not. Right or wrong. All actions have consequences, and so we also become the first judges, the first to hold ourselves accountable. The Creed does not dictate how to act, but to act with wisdom. If you wish to make the change from observer to being an active player, it's something to consider."

It sounded like the sort of motto Sabien would cling to in that case. Her friend certainly wasn't above stirring up a rebellion for the sake of her goals. It was a passion that Rialynn couldn't help admiring, as that was the kind of attitude that brought about big changes in the scrolls of history.

"I'm still not sure if I should," Rialynn said quickly, pacing from where she stood to the wall, then back again. She still felt uneasy moving too far away from Palitutu as long as she was on duty, and her range was limited as if she wore invisible fetters to her feet. "I never wanted the glory, or the attention. I just want to make sure the stories are told and remembered. I can leave the Hero stuff gladly to people like you, or Ramza, or Sephiroth."

LITTLE DID SHE KNOW.

"...But I don't want to sit idly by either, and do nothing." She tipped her head back and sighed long and hard. "I need to think about it for a while longer."

Mary nodded, smiling softly, "Take all the time you need. For our habit of getting into a crisis every month there's still time to stop and take a breath. In the end the decisions you make are yours, and you're the one who decides if they were worth it. But I'd have to say that being a Hero is less about what you do than it is why you do it and who you do it for."

She casts one last look at Palitutu and then quietly exits the room, having seen all she needs for now.

"One of my inner circle and drinking buddy was, actually," she replied, a faint smile crossing her lips. Ahh, the stories they shared. "Though I'm very unfamiliar with their culture, so I can't really say what they are like as a people. Only what he deigned to share.

"The less polite term most called them in the south were 'ox-men'. They are a big, proud people; stubbornly set in their ways because they otherwise fear their 'violent' nature without their teachings."

Her head jerked up sharply as she stared for a moment. "...Ox-men?" That caused her a little uncertainty. But surely they couldn't be as bad as her instincts warned. They weren't lizard-men, and those with horns weren't necessarily wicked demons. Ellana had said that the one she knew was a close friend and enjoyed a good drink. That sounded like any other human man to her.

"Oo, I see," she nodded. "How did he come to join your cause?" At least, Rialynn assumed he was a member of Ellana's party that went adventuring into the wilderness and cities to save the world from a great evil.

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