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

[wiedzminka]

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?

Comments

[wiedzminka]

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.

[techmaturgy]

[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.

[wiedzminka]

[ 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?

[techmaturgy]

[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.

[wiedzminka]

[ 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?

[techmaturgy]

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.

[wiedzminka]

[ 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.

[techmaturgy]

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?

[wiedzminka]

[ 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. ]

[techmaturgy]

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.

[wiedzminka]

[ 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.

[techmaturgy]

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.

[wiedzminka]

[ 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?

[techmaturgy]

[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.

[wiedzminka]

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. ]

[techmaturgy]

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?

[wiedzminka]

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.

[techmaturgy]

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.]

[wiedzminka]

That's all right. Thanks.

[ She nods to show she heard the warning, sitting up a bit more to give him room and moving her arm as needed. Already, she's tired again, despite having just woken up. It's not the wounds -- those are mild, by her standards. But she's used her magic a lot more than she usually does, across much greater distances, and then fighting and swimming that far after all that has left her whole body feeling rather weak in a way Ciri does not appreciate. She'll eat more; that should help. Rest a few hours longer, then go searching for their transportation.

Once Viktor is finished, Ciri gingerly moves her arm, testing her shoulder, and offers him a tired but heartfelt smile. ]

Feels better already.

I'm glad you're here.

[ She hadn't meant to drag him along but, perhaps selfishly, she's relieved at least she's not alone. ]