melodiesoflife | #7 | Return from the Brink

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#7 | Return from the Brink

Characters: Sephiroth & OPEN (except 8th Feb: CLOSED to Jade Curtiss)
Where/When: 8th Feb - Republic of Esdham: A makeshift clinic, 9th Feb Onwards - Aqures Ixen: Hospital
Summary: Sephiroth's ordeal out towards the Desert of Roalie has left him battered, most notably with a leg which is now broken in two places. Even with potions and white magic available, the resources at Esdham are strained in the wake of the recovering effort after the attack by the Herans. Sephiroth is later transferred to Aqures Ixen Hospital where help befitting a Hero of Light is more readily available. Still, it's going to take time for him to get back on his feet.
Warnings: Cuts, bruises, broken limbs; as expected considering. Also he's lost a good few inches from the length of his hair but probably best not to talk about that.

EDIT: Added a #3) Here

#1) 8th Feb - Republic of Esdham: A makeshift clinic [Closed: Jade Curtiss]
Late on the 7th Feb, a rush of activity had ripped through one of the makeshift clinics set up to deal with the aftermath of the attack by the Heran Empire. Someone had been found, much further out than anticipated, by one of the preliminary patrols sent out towards the oasis, and even though the medical staff on hand had tried to keep their tones hushed on account of the late hour, the clinic was already over-capacity and so the urgent healing required by a Hero of Light couldn't be kept a secret.

The unmistakable sound of rain hitting the roof of the tent, or rather the absence of it's wetness hitting his face was what greeted Sephiroth as he came around. The afterglow of a Cure-spell receding it's color as the white-mage Tarutaru currently on shift lowered her hands and offered a kind smile in his direction before leaving just as he squinted eyes first and then chanced to open them. There was no more open-sky above him; so he hadn't dreamed that patrol after all. It had been difficult to tell, given the hallucinations -that dream a few nights ago, for example- that had to have signaled that his body were finally giving up on him.

As if it were waiting specifically for him to regain more consciousness first, the pain then all came crashing back. Sephiroth had gotten an elbow under his one side -the other were in a sling tight up against his chest- but the reeling nausea, centered in particular around that deep agony of bone moving like it shouldn't put him back down prone instantly. With stars across his vision no less. He blinked, registering details as he looked down over himself. There was a plaster cast up to his thigh, and also a supportive brace around his left leg and it were elevated just slightly by way of a few pillows beneath his ankle. He couldn't feel his toes as they poked out of the bottom. He swallowed a rising sick feeling that was stirred and -for the time being- drew his focus into the roof of the tent.

#2) 9th Feb Onwards - Aqures Ixen: Hospital [Open]
If there was something to say of the Aqurean government, they cared for their Heroes a lot. As soon as Sephiroth were out of the immediate hypothermic danger he'd been found in, arrangements had been made for his transportation to a better facility. A small airship had been arranged -no small feat considering the devastation to the airport that had been inflicted- and he'd been away.

Still, not much that Sephiroth could do with one arm still strapped in close to his chest and his leg throbbing away in it's heavy plaster cast and brace which was more often than not elevated into a position from which he couldn't miss it even if he wanted to. Talk about it being staged directly in his face. Hindsight really was 20/20, that leap had been a risk; but what was the alternative? To be killed anyway? Captured? Spencer had already informed him that some of the other Heroes had been taken. Sephiroth scowled heavily every time his thoughts were inevitably drawn that way; another failure to chip away at his pride.

His silver hair had been braided and was set down across one mostly-unblemished shoulder; it was noticeably shorter though. Having had to have had the singed ends cut away. Overall, Sephiroth sat mostly with the backrest up, alone in the ward they'd given him, in silence while the lesser injuries he had sustained; various cuts, bruises and burns, were gradually treated by potion, lotion or Cure-spells. Most often he could be found reading a book, slowly sipping at a glass of water, or reviewing some of the notes that he'd had Spencer bring him from his study area back at the house.

He hadn't the heart to have Spencer send a message to let significant others know he'd been recovered safely, as such exchanges would only lead to what he considered to be unnecessary concern; even as it became obvious that he wouldn't be getting back on his feet nearly as quickly as he would have had he been mako-infused, or so 'special' as he had been before. That and he wasn't sure he could take the pity.

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"Discussing more...complicated issues away from so many ears does seem more prudent," Ashelia answered. She entered the living room, moving to deposit her materials on the table. "Do have a seat. Merlose will take care of the food."

The Queen settled herself on the edge of a couch, back straight and hands in her lap. She waited until Sephiroth to make himself comfortable before starting to speak - she wasn't the type to injure such a man's pride by flitting about adjusting pillows and such. "Firstly, I would like to thank you for your counsel during the meeting the other night. You were right; Biggs, Wedge and Jessie have been nothing but accommodating where they are able and are closer allies than I previously thought."

He didn't particularly seem to need the help either. As Ashelia settled on to the edge of one couch in the large living area, Sephiroth made his way to the larger one that -it was fairly obvious, with it's footrest nearby- he'd been spending most of his time sat down upon. He turned, bringing both crutches together in front of him and lowered himself onto said footrest first, then lifted the apparatus out of the way so he could scoot himself back onto the couch with one hand on either side of him. Not elegant by any means and certainly lacking a particular fluid motion he had usually, but eventually Sephiroth settled well enough with his broken leg extended out front.

Apart from the fact that the impatience he had with his condition was tangible in his whole body language, he was silently grateful that Ashelia afforded it no more attention than it needed. Rewarded him back some of that pride that recently he'd had to bitterly swallow in the face of those that only meant him well.

"Ah, so you have been to see them." Sephiroth nodded, making the natural jump of logic. He took a careful stock of Ashelia then, mindful not to come across as arrogant even though his confidence could not help but to swell at the notion that she'd followed up, and his intuition had -once more- been proved flawless. It was a familiar feeling to Sephiroth, but as on Gaia, in Crystallis also it wasn't a matter of scoring points.

"It's good to hear that it went well, then. I presume?"

Ashelia nodded slowly. "It did. I...did not speak to them of our plans," here Ashelia shook her head, "but only because, through speaking with them, I know they would never support us."

She continued quickly, not wanting to give Sephiroth time to argue. "Their position is precarious. I mentioned the invitations some of our number have received and Wedge urged them not to accept." She tilted her head to the side. "Prudent advice, but it would seem Wedge wants none of us anywhere near the Empire. I wager the only presence we would be allowed by our hosts is a small party of dignitaries."

As for the others? Ashelia waved her hand. "Jessie's concern is naught but the crystal research, and Biggs...while we tend to agree on more fronts than I wager either of us found comforting," Ashelia's tone was dry as a soup bone here, "was concerned only with what little he could do to prepare the war effort and support Esdham. Just so, I did share some information from Kalki's diary with them in a show of goodwill."

It was a good thing that she didn't give Sephiroth the time to get a comment in edge ways because it immediately looked like he would have retorted; his posture straightened, his jaw set and not just against his own discomfort anymore.

He waited though, holding the spark of his irritation beneath his usual guarded composure, until Ashelia had finished speaking. Fools, the lot of them. Furthermore, the so-called counsel that she'd referred to in her previous remark was all but dashed by the way side in some, in his opinion, flawed idea that their benefactors wouldn't help them if they but asked for it in the correct manner. That they couldn't be trusted, and the Heroes had to operate as a entirely separate entity.

"I see. Yet the plan is for all to go sneaking around in exactly the place where you've been advised to steer clear of." It defied all logic, really. Wedge was certainly better positioned to give that advise than any of the so-called Heroes were to stand to ignore it. He then broke Ashelia's gaze, and looked down over himself briefly before giving a random point across the room more attention, drawing his arms up into being folded across his front.

"So what did you share?"

Ashelia raised an eyebrow. She expected resistance from Sephiroth - that much he had made clear at the meeting - but this seemed a little much. "Of course they will advise us to stay away from the Empire; they know nothing of the place themselves, they cannot tell us anything we do not already know. I did learn something of the history of the formation of the Empire from Wedge, but even he states it was so soon after the tragedy of Aqures Tosf that not even he knew of Kalki's connection with both incidents."

The Queen sighed lightly, shaking her head. She could already tell this conversation wasn't going to go how she wanted it to. "I told them that there was talk among the Heroes of doing something drastic, something rash, to retrieve the Heroes captured at Esdham, and that there was naught I could do to stop such plans but try and discourage talk of it where I may."

There had been a lot of time since the meeting that Sephiroth had spent mostly on his own and in the company of only his own thoughts, he had had perhaps too much time to sit and ponder. On what was said, on what was not, and though the fervor of the Heroes was admirable he'd come the conclusion again and again that ultimately they were all still very too much in the dark. Sephiroth disliked that immensely, and so it had been more of a reason for him to choose to take up Scholar as his next Job to grow.

He blew air out of his nose forcefully when Ashelia finished speaking, trying to dispel his irritation since he did understand well why she might think that there might be need for caution still. Sephiroth still believed firmly that keeping their benefactors at arms length wouldn't work out well at all in the long run. Then he took a breath, carefully reigning his mood back under wraps to at least sound a bit more polite.

"Even before taking up this new Job, I have spent an extensive amount of time in one Library or another trying to discover as much of this World as possible." He nodded at the vast pile of notes that were set aside on a wooden tray; his own workings on this, that, or the other topic. "Not only that. I serve in the army at Esdham as I believe that it is the best way that I can apply myself constructively to the stacked-up problems that we uncover on a near-daily basis.

"Charging off into a territory that we know nothing about on the say so of a shared dream is reckless to say the least. Did you ask of Biggs what he might know?" There was an undeniable edge to the question that Sephiroth either didn't bother to cover or didn't catch in time; he felt completely useless, and was attempting to assert himself in a different way. Socialization had never been his forte.

"I asked all three of them about the Empire," Ashelia replied, "though, no, I did not inform them of the dream. As I've said, Biggs puts no stock in such things. The other two..." The queen trailed off for a moment, but shook her head. "I simply do not believe that divulging such information prior to the operation will aid us in any way."

She held up a hand. "I do not believe you are wrong; this dream is entirely too convenient. It revealed just enough information to spur us to action and give us a likely window of opportunity." She tilted her head to the side, putting her hand down. "And yet...what choice do we have? Political tensions are too high. If we were to involve Biggs, Wedge and Jessie in any way, the Empire could catch wind of it and suddenly Aqures Ixen is no longer neutral in the struggle." Ashelia shook her head earnestly. "Aqures Ixen is barely neutral as it is, supporting Esdham as they do. I'll not be the catalyst that sets off the next war. I swore off such agitations long ago."

Sephiroth had convinced himself already that the dream had been somehow broadcast into the minds of all Heroes of Light -probably via a black crystal if his suspicions were correct- and that on it's own was enough of a dark omen. How any of them could think, especially those that had been here for the attempted resurrection of King Moggle Mog, that it should be acted upon exactly as was sub-consciously suggested, was the definition of ludicrous.

He finally managed to get his mood under control enough to glance back up and over Ashelia again without looking anywhere between desperate or arrogant despite how every urge simmering away inside wanted him to leap up and do something about all of this insanity. A sharp hiss followed her words, a new spike of pain started deep in the worst of his fractures; probably not helped at all by the tension in the conversation.

Blinking away a few new dots that swam across his vision, Sephiroth attempted to reform the words that he was going to say next.

"You don't think, that by the very fact that -as far as we know- all Heroes of Light come from Aqures Ixen, won't be seen by the Empire as exactly the catalyst you hope to avoid? It's no big secret, given what we know they know of us."

"Hence my sending Captain Harkness and Ser Ramza," yes, 'ser,' she doesn't care that he doesn't consider himself a knight, "as dignitaries on our behalf. If we are to posture ourselves as the Heroes of Light in true, we cannot be intrinsically connected with any government. It may well be that we can avoid further conflict altogether." The Queen sighed, shaking her head. "The rescue operation is to be indicted as being organized by a fringe group of the Heroes, unused to the ways of Crystallis. They will be summarily 'punished.'"

Ashelia adjusted her position, looking to meet Sephiroth's eyes. "After the operation and the safe return of the captured Heroes, I do intend to open wider the channels of communication with Wedge and the others. Until our comrades are returned safely though, I cannot in good faith jeopardize the operation."

There were a lot of 'we', 'our' and 'us' involved in Ashelia's words and none of it sats very well with Sephiroth, as evident in his suspicious expression that he didn't see any point to hide from her. A lot of putting the Heroes forward as one entity when Sephiroth was more than 100% sure that he'd signed up for no such thing. To him, there were a distinct difference between working together cooperating with each other, and acting as one.

Already the threads of the necessary web that such organization would undeniably have to spread out in order to sustain itself seemed poised to tangle and bind them all in ways they might not see until it was too late. The dishonesty in it, all the cloak and dagger- Sephiroth didn't like it. Considering how they were all going in blind when the help was there to support them. He found a bitter lump forming in the back of his throat, as he came to the conclusion sorely that he wouldn't want anything to do with that but at the same time, annexing himself would only put him behind. Further behind and out of the loop than he already felt by being currently not at his best.

"I fail to see how you can jeopardize an operation that has been clearly been intended to trap those involved." That's it, he had to move that leg, if only for a moment. With a short huff of a grunt Sephiroth scuffled the cast from atop the footstool, shifted himself forwards onto the edge of the couch some so that he could angle it differently. A twisted snarl of discomfort was for the most part turned away from Ashelia, out of his manners than anything else.

Ashelia took a deep breath, shaking her head. This discussion wasn't going the way she wanted it to. But was that so bad? A valid point. Sephiroth wasn't necessarily wrong, he just didn't have the same perspective that Ashelia did. This is exactly what I need. Someone to question my decisions. Without friends like that, Ashelia knew she would have jumped off the deep end and become the next Dynast-King for true.

"Perhaps, in this case, a little more faith is in order," Ashelia replied, keeping her tone light after Sephiroth's clearly painful adjustment. "This dream has shown us a hole in the Empire's defenses seemingly too good to be true. And yet..." She expelled her breath, once again shaking her head. "Perhaps we were brought here for a reason. Perhaps we were sent the dream by whatever it is that brought us here; perhaps it was the Queen. Perhaps it was someone else, some ally we've yet to meet. Perhaps it was a trap, a snare set by Kalki to remove a large number of us from the game board at once, to fuel her sick experiments. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps."

She moved to lock eyes with Sephiroth, tilting her head to the side. "There are those that are willing to risk everything for this chance; neither of us would be able to stop them, and neither would Biggs or the others - and I firmly believe they have already given us what help they can spare. Wedge has provided me with maps and other useful information. I will distribute this information to the others."

Ashelia sat back, though she didn't for one second intend on losing eye contact with Sephiroth. "If you cannot have faith in what brought this opportunity to us - even I have trouble with that, though I feel I must - then have faith in our compatriots. They will succeed because they must. None of this is lost on them."

Faith. Ashelia had no comprehension whatsoever of the impossibility she were asking Sephiroth of; even if she didn't know him that well, then by his fierce eye contact that was soon locked in hers even as he slightly lifted and moved his leg around from his hip, she might have caught some inkling perhaps.

Before her was a man who had never placed much faith in anyone other than himself and his own flawless ability in whatever capacity he applied it. On top of that, he was much too accustomed to being able to excel while doing so. The exceptions, and only slight deviations from his way of life, had been the trust he had given to his friends which had then been all but dashed by the wayside. If Genesis and Angeal, his closest and only friends, had betrayed him in such a way then what could he expect from total strangers? Sephiroth didn't make much effort at all to dismiss the scowl that had painted his face as a result of the pain in his broken leg- but then a moment later he pulled his gaze out of Ashelia's and exhaled forcefully once more.

If only he could get the rising nausea now to back off so that he didn't seem so weakened in front of her. Another sore point being the fact that the other Heroes had all but dashed off to the 'rescue' and he was stuck at home.

"Blind faith has only ever taken it's toll much later on. When short-comings are often discovered and there is little a person can do to go back and correct them." He blinked a few more times, thick black eyelashes falling and opening, eyes pointed at the carpet of the room.

"You put too much faith in the competency of too many." Finally he commented, biting back a hint of prejudice borne no doubt of his current inadequacy; he wasn't that much of a chauvinist really, though it always did seem to be women that put their hearts before their heads.

"For your sake, I do hope that the end result might be somewhere between our differing opinions."

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#7 | Return from the Brink

#3) Recovery: The rest of the Month (February) [Open]

#3) Recovery: The rest of the Month (February) [Open]

#3) Recovery: The rest of the Month (February) [Open]

#3) Recovery: The rest of the Month (More like start of March, then :p) [Open]

#3) Recovery: The rest of the Month (More like start of March, then :p) [Open]

#3) Recovery: The rest of the Month (More like start of March, then :p) [Open]

#3) Recovery: The rest of the Month (More like start of March, then :p) [Open]

#3) Recovery: The rest of the Month (More like start of March, then :p) [Open]

#3) Recovery: The rest of the Month (More like start of March, then :p) [Open]

#3) Recovery: The rest of the Month (More like start of March, then :p) [Open]

#3) Recovery: The rest of the Month (More like start of March, then :p) [Open]

#3) Recovery: The rest of the Month (More like start of March, then :p) [Open]