abraxaslogs | [ CLOSED ] I've been tryna catch a fever dream

Entry tags:

[ CLOSED ] I've been tryna catch a fever dream

Who: Ciri and Viktor; later, Jayce
When: early June
Where: the desert outside Cadens, the crater around the Singularity, the ocean!!, Aquila, Cadens again
What: it's an adventure!!!! that nobody asked for!!
Warnings: blood, violence (mostly against monsters, probably)

[ When Viktor reached out to her to ask if Ciri would be willing to go with him outside Cadens soon, she hadn't thought much of it. Viktor had always seemed so curious when she would come back with supplies for him, or specimens to study; and she loves talking about her work, and would often share details while he took notes, or answer question after question when he showed particular interest. It is perfectly expected, then, that he should want to explore on his own sometime -- or, rather, not on his own but with her accompaniment, considering he might have a difficult time by himself.

But Ciri doesn't ask questions. She helps find and rent a horse for the trip -- "probably just a few hours, back before nightfall," she tells the stable -- and meets Viktor at his workshop in the morning, upon the agreed time. It's early, barely sunrise, while the cool air still lingers and dew clings to the sparse vegetation.

Ciri walks up leading Nixie on one side, while her mare shoots dirty looks at the dun gelding she's picked out for Viktor, chosen for his easy temperament and the stable's promises that he's perfect for first-time riders.

Nixie's tail flicks impatiently. Ciri stops in front of the workshop, nudging her with a shoulder to push the two horses further apart. ]

You are being such a pest. [ The horse. Not Viktor.

Viktor gets a smile and a greeting. ]

Ready to go?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Perhaps he's waiting for her to bring it up--when she doesn't, his shoulders relax slightly. Maybe she'll want to talk about it later, but for now they avoid it, just as he's avoiding outright asking her about her abilities.]

We were both very lucky.

[Well, Viktor was lucky. Ciri was wholly competent. He's still guilty for wandering off and attracting the attention of the creature that started this whole ordeal, though he knows she won't want him to say as much. Viktor has a feeling he knows what she's thinking--maybe this isn't very reassuring, but it's something. He doesn't want her to blame herself.]

None of this was your fault.

[That much seems apparent by now. Something about the Singularity interfered with her powers. They couldn't have planned for that.]

Edited 2022-06-18 03:26 (UTC)

[ For a moment, Ciri freezes. The briefest pause, a hesitation of her hand between bread and bowl. She takes a breath, and the moment passes, and then she takes another bite and chews slowly.

He's not wrong. And also, he is. None of this would have happened if he'd been with anyone but her -- that's what she believes, and it might sound a bit egotistical, but she has cause for that sort of conclusion. It's difficult to explain, even though she wants to. He deserves to know, and yet there's so much she can't, won't tell him.

Ciri likes Viktor. He's smart, competent, easy enough to talk to. He has interesting ideas, and he's proven himself a reliable friend and ally over the weeks they've known each other. But she doesn't trust him, not wholly, and so she knows she cannot tell him as much as he probably deserves to know. It's for both their safety. So, despite his attempt at reassurance, probably unkindly, she remains silent for some time.

Finally, Ciri sets her bowl down, cleaned with the last of her bread, and looks back up at him. ]

It wasn't yours either. [ She concludes, knowing he probably blames himself for being a burden. The conclusion he'd come to, that she'd saved his life, makes that clear enough. Maybe it's not wholly inaccurate, but Ciri wasn't thinking of it that way; she was saving both of them. She'd promised to watch his back out there. She was only keeping her word. Neither of them could have expected this. ]

I'm going to take a bath.

See if you can't beg some stronger stuff than stew from the innkeep. Tell him I've got credit with several of the local merchants. We can pay, given some time. Use my name. He might have heard of me.

[ It's not a boast; she does business in Aquila fairly regularly, these days. ]

I certainly didn't make it any easier on you.

[He can sense the shift almost immediately--Viktor doesn't think he necessarily overstepped, but he's starting to think this runs deeper than what seems to be a Singularity-imposed malfunction of powers. He works with magic, but actual mages are new to him. For all he knows, these abilities are no different than those of other magic users he's met while in this world. He understands being ashamed, but it's possible there's something here that he's missing.

Viktor knows, however, that she doesn't want him to blame himself. He's going to, anyway, but at the very least he can keep it to himself. She announces that she's going to take a bath, and he doesn't stop her. While she's gone, he does what she asks--sets up a real meal for them with the innkeeper, then messages Jayce. It takes up most of the time she's gone. When she returns, she'll find him finishing the conversation, though a shopping bag on the table indicates that he's been doing some errands, as well.]

I used your name, and the local apothecary donated some supplies. You should take care of those wounds.

Please, Viktor. There's no point. We can toss the blame at one another back and forth for an hour, but all that matters now is that we're both in one piece. I don't want to hear it.

[ Largely, this is because she doesn't want to keep dwelling on how badly she'd fucked up for both of them. It's not entirely her fault, sure-- but it's more her fault than Viktor's. She should have been paying more attention out in the desert instead of feeding her horse treats and letting Viktor wander about. She should have been more careful, not gotten over-reliant on her magic when she knows it's not reliable. There are so many things she can think of in hindsight that could have prevented this whole situation, but none of them are relevant at this point in time. They could drive themselves crazy trying to backtrack for no reason. She just wants to move on.

So she'll have a bath and clean up as well as she can, take stock of her injuries, find something else to wear until her clothes can also be washed. She'll take her time, focusing on each step to the exclusion of other thoughts as much as she can help it. At some point, she remembers to reach out to Jaskier, realizing with a sinking discomfort that he'll probably worry-- and that doesn't really go as well as she'd hoped, either.

In the end, the bath doesn't improve her mood too much. Ciri emerges wearing only towels, and carrying a too-big dress to change into, awkwardly borrowed from the innkeeper's wife.

She looks disproportionately relieved to find that Viktor has not only procured more food, but also ale. And supplies. She'd just been gearing up to go talk to the apothecary herself and trying to decide if there's a temporary bandage she could make to keep from bleeding on the borrowed clothes. Now, it's one less thing to do. ]

Good thinking.

[ She sits back down, reaching back to gingerly touch the gashes on the back of her shoulder and see if they're still bleeding, which was a slight problem after the bath. ]

I'll need your help. How good are you with a needle and thread?

Edited 2022-06-19 20:33 (UTC)

[She's right, though it's not necessarily going to stop him from feeling that way. He knows himself--knows it will take him some time to come to terms with everything, and he's not sure if he'll be making any trips back out into the desert soon. Still, he has the sense to keep it to himself, especially when she comes back in a similar mood.

Similar, but she seems more amenable to talking, at any rate. The least he could do was be industrious in her absence, though he knows what she's getting at right away and offers a little grimace.]

I can mend clothes. That's not what you're asking, is it?

Sorry. I can't reach it.

[ She smiles faintly, a wry look more than one of real humor. ]

Bit more of an adventure than you were expecting, is it?

[ Ciri reaches for the jug of ale on the table, drinking directly from it. ]

If you can mend clothes, you can do this. I trust you.

Let me clean it first, at least.

[He knows enough basic first aid to do that, and he understands sutures in theory. Ideally, there'd be forceps, or an actual surgical needle in the supplies he brought back, but that's not the case. They're going to have to make do.

There is, at least, disinfectant and clean linens, which he prepares and starts to dab on the cuts.]

It will certainly be a story for me to tell. In the future.

[Just, you know, not too far in the future.]

Thanks.

[ Ciri lets the towel slide off her upper back, and reaches up to move her wet hair out of the way. Judging by the evidence of many other scars all over her shoulders and arms, it's clear she's probably used to this sort of thing -- and there aren't always baths and clean linens available.

There are two prominent gashes from the beast's claws down her shoulder blade, and two more that are little more than scrapes from the angle. Luckily, they aren't very long. ]

I talked to Jaskier. Our horses made it back.

[Viktor, for his part, seems mostly unbothered by the state of undress, more than willing to approach all of this as clinically as possible. He gets the idea, from the state of her back, that he doesn't need to warn her about the sting of disinfectant as he presses the gauze to the cuts.]

That's a relief. [He's only started to give it some thought, with all the other excitement, but it's good to know that the horses and their belongings are in good hands.] I spoke to Jayce, as well.

[ At least she's figured out by now that a lot of other Summoned aren't nearly as familiar with things like common baths and people walking around shirtless, so he's spared any extra awkwardness. It's all just practical, in any case.

Ciri takes a sharp breath, jaw tightening against the sting, but she doesn't complain or whimper about it. After a moment, she asks, tightly: ]

Of course.

What did you tell him?

[Once the wound looks clean, Viktor starts to disinfect the tools and his own hands. This is not a perfectly sterile solution, but the least he can do is take steps to prevent infection. In lieu of a proper pair of forceps, he uses a pair of bandage scissors and tweezers to hold the needle--slightly precarious, but more stable than his own hands. He'll warn her when he's about to start, but it seems better to answer her question, first.]

That we're in Aquila.

[Ciri's tone of voice more-or-less says it all. He's not sure why she seems to find her own magic troubling, but he has no real context for it. It's possible this is privileged information, but at the same time, Jayce wasn't going to accept no explanation for his absence.]

That we were attacked in the desert and...you teleported us here. I'm sorry. I don't want to lie to him.

[ She takes a breath. Tempers her tone, a bit. ]

I understand.

[ The relationship between Viktor and Jayce isn't something she knows a lot about, but they're clearly close. There's trust there, built on years and circumstances far more compelling, surely, than being stuck on this world together. Ciri can respect that. She just needs to know what sorts of questions she might have to field. ]

Did you tell him about the crater?

I did, yes.

[It occurs to him, briefly, that it may have been a mistake. That this is not something they should spread widely. If the Cadens military knew what happened, they would want Ciri--he might not know anything about her magic, but he knows what powerful people might want to do with it, especially if it's clear the Singularity has some influence over it.]

We can trust him. He won't-- [Viktor pulls his lips tight, as if, despite this assertion, he has to remind himself of this fact.] --I told him not to share the information. The Singularity interfered with your powers, clearly.

[ Ciri glances over her shoulder at him, weighing his assurances-- but it's already been said, and Viktor is already involved. She can't ask him to lie to his partner. Or she can, and he has no reason, really, to listen. At the end of the day, all she can really do is believe him.

With a sigh, Ciri looks down again, and offers a vague nod. ]

I don't advertise my portalling abilities. Mostly, it's magic I use in battle. Short distances. I meant to portal us maybe ten feet.

[ She doesn't say she can't go farther, though she intentionally leaves it implied. That it's not something she does, definitely not on a regular basis, and perhaps another explanation for why she hadn't been able to get them somewhere safe the second time (instead of the ocean, whoops). Viktor can fill in the blanks on his own. ]

Tell people we had to go to Aquila due to unforeseen circumstances if you must. But don't mention the crater to anyone else, please.

I don't want to give anyone ideas.

Edited 2022-06-23 01:06 (UTC)

I understand.

[He doesn't, really, not when it comes to natural-born magic, but he can, at least, offer discretion. Jayce needed to know, because Jayce wouldn't have accepted anything but the truth, but Viktor can recognize that this is not an optimal situation for Ciri. He wants her to trust him, too. He might not have any powers, but he does have talents and skills that he'd like to keep away from the Cadens government.

And, besides, his conversation with Jayce is probably the only one he needs to have. Viktor is a private person by nature. That should work to their advantage.]

I don't think I'll be messaging anyone else. Alucard, maybe, but he doesn't need to know the details.

[Or, won't ask for the details in the way Jayce did. He realizes after a moment that he's still poised to suture.]

I'm going to start now. Are you ready?

[ Ciri nods, knowing also that Alucard is hardly the type to press for details in the first place, let alone gossip. ]

All right. Thanks.

...and yes, I'm ready.

[ It'd be better with something stronger than a jug of ale, but she doesn't exactly have a lot of options. Ciri braces herself; it's not the first time, probably won't be the last. ]

Okay. Hold still.

[He tries to be as gentle as possible, but the fact of the matter is he's suturing claw wounds with materials not suited for that kind of thing. Again, he knows the principle of sutures, but in practice it's obviously not so simple.

The good news is that Viktor has steady hands and precise fingers, accustomed to delicate mechanical work. He'll try and be as efficient as possible, even if the stitches aren't exactly pretty.]

Let me know if you need a break.

[ Ciri's jaw tightens, and her breath catches for a moment when he begins, but she makes no other sound. After a little while, she speaks again, but not to tell him to stop. ]

Jaskier gave me a lead on someone who can help us get back to Cadens. Owes Jaskier a favor for a song, or some such. Between that and some of the merchants I've worked for before, if they're in the city right now-- I think we can get some basic supplies, maybe even manage to pay back our hosts here, and head out within two or three days. If you are ready to do so by then, as well.

[ Best to focus on the practical and tangible. What they can do, as opposed to what could not be controlled. ]

Without a proper weapon, I'm not sure--

[ She pauses, suddenly remembering something. It takes effort not to jump, considering what Viktor's in the middle of. Ciri takes a breath, but her voice still comes out tight. ]

I don't suppose you still have my silver dagger.

Edited 2022-06-27 18:42 (UTC)

Okay, that's--that's good. [To have a plan.] There's always repair work to be done, I can ask around town about it for some extra coin, and I'm not interested in staying here longer than necessary.

[Talking seems to be good--seems to be keeping both their minds off what he's doing and the circumstances that brought them here. Looking forward is the best they can do, now, though it's not lost on Viktor that they're very lucky. Things could be much, much worse, given the situation.

His hands are steady. His eyebrows furrow in concentration, but he can only be so gentle. Viktor is sure she feels the pull of the thread through the cuts. At the very least, he can deliver some good news.]

I have it, yes. I put it in my belt before we, uh. Ended up in the ocean.

[ Ciri makes a noise, a choked almost-sob of a sound, blinking back tears. It has more to do with the sudden wave of relief washing over her than the stitches (though probably the discomfort doesn't help). ]

Y-yes. Thank you. For holding onto that for me.

And for helping me out back there. With the insects.

[ Her voice comes out a bit raw. Everything is still catching up, settling like stones on her chest. ]

Ugh. Those things were disgusting... They didn't get you?

[He can tell that she's reaching some kind of breaking point. Being actively sutured up with no painkillers or anesthetic probably isn't helping. Viktor, too, has mostly bottled everything up for the moment, though he gets the sense that if her dam breaks, he might have a little trouble keeping his own composure.

So he focuses on the work, instead, neatly tying off the current suture and moving on to the next.]

Anyone would have done it.

[And stabbing is, theoretically, not very hard. He's still guilty about his general lack of physical ability putting them both in so much danger.]

Scratches, here and there. I'm fine, otherwise.

That's not true. You were brave. And quick-thinking.

[ She's not praising him for no reason; he really did handle the situation rather well, all things considered. There's no reason for him to feel guilty.

The only reaction to Viktor starting in on the next gash is a muffled grunt, and a few beats of silence. ]

...never seen monsters like that before.

[ Like the insects. Or... the plant-things. She glances back over her shoulder as well as she can without pulling, trying to gauge Viktor's reaction. He's unlikely to know what's common, and just as unlikely to even think of Ciri being the cause of some unknown beasts' appearance. But part of her still wants to prod, just to check. Just in case he has any theories that need to be quickly redirected. ]

Well, when the option to run away is removed from the equation, you have to learn to stab.

[That's a joke--maybe a bad one, considering the circumstance, but Viktor is realistic about his own limitations, and doesn't really like anyone dancing around them. He will also, perhaps unsurprisingly, refuse to elaborate on learning to stab.

Ciri changes the subject, and Viktor isn't sure whether she's fishing for his commentary. He decides to tread carefully.]

Anything I've seen from the desert was already dead. I suppose the geographical difference could account for it. Do you mean the insects, or the creatures that came out of the ground?

Both. [ She replies easily enough, and it's the truth. Even though she is more interested in one over the other, despite her hesitation to actually come out and say it. ]

No surprise, though. Not many make it all the way out there. Must be all sorts of monsters no one's heard of here.

[ The plant creatures had been vicious, but not very effective. Her wrist where they scratched her itches, and the cut feels uncomfortable, but all in all, it seems any venom they might've had is mild. The insects have left minor punctures and cuts, and nothing too difficult to deal with. In the end, it was the most mundane sort of beast that left a significant mark. ]

If you do find anything on either species, let me know.

Most of my research in the library hasn’t involved the local flora and fauna, but I can take a look.

[It is nice, to be saying things like that, knowing they’ll be back in Cadens soon. Even half a day ago, that had seemed like an impossibility. He manages to sound a little grateful, that they’re real

Still, he can tell that Ciri is troubled. He decides not to press the issue, instead focusing on the last few stitches. When he’s finished, he sets aside the bloody equipment in a tray.]

Okay. I’m going to bandage this, now.

[Signaling that, at the very least, the worst of it is over.]

(no subject)

wiedzminka - 2022-07-14 04:24 (UTC) - Expand

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only