[PRP] A Bad Case (Temperance & ???)

[The Semblance of Unity]

Per Rabbit's instructions, she stared at the cloth, folding it over and over in her hands. What was she supposed to do - say some magic words, think really hard at it, rub her face all over it like some over-excited cat? Temperance had chosen to do this when he wasn't around for a number of reasons... She already took up so much of Rabbit's time - between the tending of small creatures together and simply living in his and Oroh's space - and she was afraid it wouldn't work. Or that she wasn't good enough or something.

Temperance sighed. She leaned back in the chair and closed her eyes, thinking about the healer. Rabbit had mentioned they weren't quite human, but she had no idea what to expect, she only wanted to learn something. Anything.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

There was a tentative presence that brushed against her. Temperance was acknowledged and the cloth warmed in her hands. The world seemed to bend around her, as if something was breaking through, and then popped back into normal shape.

Except that once it popped back, there was a small figure sitting across from her. It looked a little humanoid, at least from the torso up (though the face had multiple eyes; never mind multiple arms). The Healer had answered her call and was now before her.

You- You are the one- who wishes to heal?

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

She blinked her eyes open at the strange pop, like a change in the air pressure - and perhaps it was, for there was someone new here. Temperance's mouth fell open, just a bit. The healer wasn't what she expected, but she hadn't really known to what to expect. Suddenly, Rabbit's oblique comment made sense. It was rather... spider-like.

"Ah, ah, yes! I'm Temperance and I've been... trying. Rabbit talked with you, yes?"

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"Yes-" It's voice was soft, wispy. Around it small, dark shapes appeared. They were the same things that appeared around the Ashdown hospital.

"It is an- honor to- meet you- young Tithe." Georg smiled, head tilting and eyes watching. "I do not- know many who- wish to heal."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"No, the honor is mine! I've heard you are the one everyone here goes to to be healed." She folded her hands neatly in her lap over the cloth. Her eyes followed the wispy shapes - the spiders in the hospital.

"Do you... do you heal across the, um border too? I've seen them before." Temperance gestured loosely to the dark shapes.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

If it were possible to blush, Georg would have. Instead he simply ducked his head a little. "I do- what I can- to ease the- burdens."

One of his hands went to gather up a small wispy shape and cradled it. "It is not- easy to do so-" A finger brushed across the wispy form. "They help ease- make it bearable-"

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"They can take away the pain? I cannot do that, excepting through more scientific methods." She watched him cradle the small shape. Even they were so far ahead of her.

"I try, but it's... it's not enough, you know? I need to do more."

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"Yes," replied Georg. "They carry it- back to me- and I take it." A hand was held out then, towards Temperance, for her to take the small wispy spider. It would feel light in her hand, as if it was not really there.

"What have- you done?"

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"You... take it. What happens to that pain - does it dissipate for you?" She cupped the wisp gently, feeling only the slightest of tickles. Temperance didn't know how to feel about the idea of this healer just carrying everyone's pain around inside of himself. It was distressing.

"Hello," she said softly, to the spider. "I... I have tried to save people, but it's never enough. I watch people bleed out. I... the one time I was able to get someone to safety, everyone told me to let her die, but I couldn't." Temperance sighed. "There are things I cannot do, but I need to."

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

The wisp spider, at first, felt as if there was nothing really present. Then warmth seeped into her hand, faint and barely there, like the unsteady beat of a failing heart.

"It- does- not," Georg replied, hands folding in his lap and watching as the spider crawled over her hands. "If I- do not keep- it returns to- them." The voice softened then. "You try to- heal those who- others wish would die- a true healer. Have you healed- any that have been- brought to you?"

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

She blinked and flushed a little at being called a 'true healer'. She certainly didn't feel like one. "Ah, yes - the beacon. It's brought some to me, little wounds, easy things to heal, mostly.I'm glad if anything I do can help, though I cannot take away pain..." Temperance chewed her lip.

"Are there.. are there others, to share that pain?" She couldn't imagine how heavy it was. "Can you give it to someone else?"

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"I am- glad you were- able to help." One pair of hands rested idly, the other were weaving another piece of cloth it looked like. He blinked at her and the delay in response spoke of surprise.

"Easing the burden- taking pain- is not the same- as healing a wound." Two sets of eyes focused on the wispy spider in her hand while another focused on her. "Others can help- but they cannot take- this burden upon- themselves. It would drive- them to madness."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Not even... not even some of it? It can't rest all on you! There should be a distribution or something." Taking pain wasn't the same as healing, of course... of course, but it was important nonetheless. Temperance could heal small things, but they would still ache, still hurt.

"It might drive others to madness, but what about you?"

azuredreams

don't carry it all by the decemberists is blasting in temps brain lol

 

[azuredreams]

"When the time comes," he spoke and his voice was steady, not disjointed, "I will die and take it with me." He reached forward, one of many hands held out for the spider that she held.

"It is the role of the Healer." Once given back, he covered the spider in his hands before holding it out once more. "I can show you- who came before."

The Semblance of Unity

lololol of course it is xD

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Temperance held out the spider. "But that burden shouldn't be on just one... Sharing the load would be much less painful, wouldn't it?"

Obediently, she took the spider back. "Show me?"

azuredreams