tushanshu_logs | [Open] April Comes She Will (April Catch-All!)

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[Open] April Comes She Will (April Catch-All!)

Characters: Sheena Fujibayashi and YOU! No, really! You, and you, and you, and YOU!
Date: Second week of April on. (She may be visiting a certain red-head during the first week while he's "sick".)
Location: Errywhere
Situation: Oh Sheena doing Sheena things, training, summoning, working, wandering the turtle. (Plus a serious nightmare moment or two)
Warnings/Rating: PG in case Sheena starts cursing. :) Nightmare scenarios won't have much detail, but they will involve mentions of death. That will be labeled.

A - Jasmine Dragon Tea House - Open

Yes, the recent announcement is true. Sheena now owns the Tea House. And is actually pretty comfortable doing it--except where paperwork is concerned. That has been, and always will be, her greatest foe. Next to holes, of course.

None of that shows, however, as she bustles through the place, stopping to chat with staff and customers alike until she can find a moment's peace and enjoy a pot of tea herself at one of the tables. Still, there's no sense of her wanting to be left alone, so whether someone is looking for a job, or is merely stopping by to see her, or even a stranger with a question, feel free to join her.

She'll even offer you a cup of tea and something to eat.

B - Nightmare Aftermath (CW: Possible mentions/descriptions of death) - Open

Before the sun rising is a strange time for people to be up and about, but there are those who are. Perhaps they're going to work, or they're just morning people. In Sheena's case, however, she had just had a nightmare, and is out and about to "deal" with it--dressed in clothing that matches her attire from home. (A clear sign to those who know her that something's up.)

Even if Raine may have managed to stop her and talk to her about it.

And different nightmares have different reactions, so some days you may find her:

1) With a very placid, almost lifeless, expression standing still in an open part of the city. On a bridge or on a roof or even in a public square, with her face upturned, letting either the rain or sunshine wash over her. Or, with that same expression, standing quietly by, listening to the Kedan children play with Corrine's twin, Tomoya. Sheena? Quiet? Standing still? Placid and lifeless? Yeah, there's definitely something up here.

2) Or, perhaps you're sensitive to shifts in mana, or can detect when a Summon is called. Or perhaps it's the sound of lightning striking that catches your attention. Or maybe it's the sight of a huge ball of lightning with eyes that makes you head out to where Sheena is fighting against the Spirit itself.

"Volt!" she cries, launching herself at the Spirit.

Is she in trouble? Does she need help? Or is this some kind of therapy for her? Do you rush to her aid? Or do you hang back and watch, waiting?

[ ooc note: Sheena had three main nightmares. One is canon and comes from the game. The other two are based on incidents that happened during her time in AmatOmnes. While I try not to be too graphic with the descriptions, if you don't want the details, please let me know. ]

C - Healer's Guild - Open

Whoops. Seems Sheena had a little bit of an accident while fighting that big ol' ball of Lightning, and is now sporting a few burns along her legs and arms. Nothing major, but without gels or healing abilities of her own, she has no way of taking care of them. Besides, if she had been brought here by someone else, she really hadn't been in a position to say "no".

She is, however, in a position to make one request.

"Do me a favor," she says to anyone and everyone, "don't tell Raine I'm here? Please?" Surely a sensible request, right? Like the head of the Guild wouldn't find out anyway.

D - Greenhouses

When she's not working or dealing with her nightmares, Sheena can be found where the new greenhouses are, lending a hand. Sometimes alone, sometimes with Gnome. Hey, if you've got an Earth Spirit you can ask to help with the land, why not? Except this particular Spirit has Sheena sighing and rolling her eyes.

"At least there aren't any Gnomelettes."

Curious? She'll be more than happy to tell you all about those little guys.

E - Wildcard!

Got an idea that's not up there? Except for the first week, Sheena's going to be out and about the rest of the month.

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Heather had caught the case when she comes in. She has some herbal knowledge that, unfortunately, isn't working well here. But, there are also some very good chemicals that do much better. She leads the girl into one of the exam rooms and pulls over the supplies one of the other nurses has gathered for her.

She purses her lips, pulling on gloves. "You know there's nothing that goes on here that she doesn't find out about." She gently takes one arm, and begins by carefully cleaning the arm, with sterile water. "When I was brought in, she found out about it." She is very gentle, very careful with the burns. "So, why don't you want her to know, darling?"

Sheena's used to both herbs and chemicals, so she's not surprised or wary when she sees the supplies on the cart in the room she's escorted into. Although, she doubts she'll ever get used to the antiseptic smell of hospitals.

Hopping up on the exam table, she assists Heather by revealing the damaged skin, making a relieved sound as the water touches her skin. That lasts only a moment, though. Heaving a heavy sigh, she says. "I had a feeling you'd say that." She pauses to peek at what's going on with her arm. "Raine and I have known each other for a long time, and I didn't want to worry her." Or answer the question of "how" this happened.

Which she'll probably have to do anyway for the records. Oh boy.

Heather smiles. She understands not wanting to worry people. She's felt that a few times now and again throughout her life. Heather pulls over one of the burn gels they have and begins spreading it thinly on her arm. "Well, while that's admirable, hiding things will get you nowhere." Heather points out.

"And it might annoy her, and the rule is, darling, never annoy the healers." She teases, wrapping the dressing around the first arm. She sighs. "But if you'd rather I told her, that is certainly something that I can do."

Yeah, Sheena's been that way her entire life. A lone wolf, taking care of things on her own. Even after she met and made friends that made that unnecessary--not to mention downright impossible at times. Her sigh of relief becomes rueful at Heather's comment, and she gives her a wry look. "Yeah, I've been told that. A lot." It's a very hard habit to break.

She starts chuckling, wincing slightly as she moves her leg against the table. The burns there hadn't been worked on yet. "Tell me about it. I know the power Raine has, and I've seen her use that staff of hers in battle." And yet, she's still willing to face that wrath. Shaking her head with a chuckle, she meets the other woman's gaze.

"Actually, I'd rather you didn't, but it's part of your job. And I really shouldn't have put you in that position to begin with. I can tell her."

When though, is another matter.

Heather smiles warmly. She understands the situation the girl is in, but can't quite find it in her to hide things from Raine. "Well, yes, it is my job, but I can hold off, if you'd rather it came from you first." She finishes with one arm and moves to the other, repeating the process.

"I'm Heather, by the way, darling." She figures an introduction is necessary, if she's going to be holding a secret.

Well, Sheena also has trouble keeping some things from Raine. But it's not for lack of trying. One would think that she would give up the attempts by now, but nope. Just not Sheena's style.

But oh maaan, why did Heather have to lay a timeline on her? Now Sheena's going to have to say something, isn't she? Because there's always that chance of an inadvertent slip. The ninja actually mulls over the suggestion, though, as she watches the woman work--part of her still fascinated with the way the chemicals work just like the herbs back home.

"Yeah, I'll tell her," she finally says. "Probably be better that way, anyway." Because for the life of her, she's not exactly sure how she's going to hide the bandages she was now sporting since she's horrible at lying.

"Huh? Oh. I'm Sheena. Sheena Fujibayashi. It's nice to meet you." She may recognize the name from when Sheena had been in the Guild in a dreaming coma in February.

Heather's hands are light, gentle. But she moves quickly, knowing the girl - Sheena - has to be in pain. At least some. She switches from the second arm to the first leg. "Well, you can always tell her 'before you lecture me...' because you did seek medical help. Just not before telling her you needed it." Heather remembers telling her mentor that several times when she got into trouble.

"It's very nice to meet you darling. Would you like something for the pain?" She asks, still carefully working on the burns.

Sheena's eyes light up as she leans back when Heather begins working on her leg. If she's in any pain, she's certainly not showing. Nor will she--strictly out of habit. And because of a little thing she's got that helps her with things like that. "You know, I hadn't thought of that. She can't really be too mad if I put getting help before telling her." She chuckles wryly. "Although, she may get angry when she finds out how it happened."

Shaking her head, she politely waves the question away. "Nah. I'm fine. But thanks for asking."

Heather chuckles. "Yes, well, I'm curious as to how it happened, but I figured you wouldn't want to tell that bit." Heather's skilled hands are still doing what they can to alleviate the pain and suffering though. For as often as she's dealt death, it's times like now that Heather is glad for her knowledge of the human body.

"Unless you'd like to confess to someone who isn't Raine, first?" She asks, archly. She's curious as to how the girl got these burns.

Sheena visibly hesitates telling Heather, eventually sighing when she realizes that it would be no use not to tell her. They need the information for her records. Besides, Raine would probably figure it out easily enough. Especially if rumors about Lightning on a cloudless day got around.

"Well...are you familiar with Summon Spirits?"

At least she's learned to ask that question first before thinking everyone knows about them.

Summon Spirits? That sounds like something some new-age wiccan decides is the proper way to honor the gods. "Haven't a clue, darling. What is it?" She's at least polite?

"Well, a Summon Spirit is also known as an Elemental Spirit. They control the mana of the different elements--like Fire, Ice, Water and so on. If they make a pact with you, you can Summon them for help." Hence the other name.

"I've made pacts with those of my world, and they're here with me." Now the hesitation kicks in. "Aaaand sometimes I spar with them. Sometimes things get out of hand." She lifts her bandaged hand for emphasis.

"I was sparring with the Spirit of Lightning, Volt." Despite her calm tone, Sheena puts enough meaning behind those words that it's clear to anyone that this is something more than just a sparring match gone wrong.

An Elemental Spirit that seems to have done quite a number on her, Heather thinks. "And Volt took exception?" Heather asks, cleaning the last of the wounds.

It isn't something she's ever seen before, though she has seen the aftereffects of a lightning strike.

Heather sits back. "Perhaps you should have a talk with Volt before sparring again, see if you can calm him down some."

Sheena shakes her head. "Not really. The Spirits don't mind sparring; it helps keep them sharp, too. I just messed up and zigged when I should have zagged." She holds up her arms and legs for emphasis. "That's when Volt called off the spar."

Something she hadn't wanted to do, which might be obvious from her tone. But when you have a sparring partner that can just disappear, there's not much you can do.

Shaking her head again, the ninja explains. "It's not like that, really!" She sighs. "Volt kinda represents me going up against my fears." She looks towards the door, checking for a certain half-elf. "And I needed to do this after a nightmare I had."

And now we get to the real reason she doesn't want Raine to know.

Heather's eyebrows go up, but she finishes up her ministrations. She's not sure what to even say about any of this. She's never been a good counselor to people who keep their pants on. But she can try.

"Nightmares are just the brain's way of parcing the things that happen to us." She pats the girl's knee gently. "If you want to talk, I have a good ear."

It probably also doesn't help that Sheena's situation is kind of a strange one. She watches Heather for a moment, weighing her options. Maybe telling someone who hadn't been there might help.

"Yeah, that's what people tell me, but..." She looks away for a moment. "These are actual memories that come back to haunt me. Sometimes magnified, sometimes left alone. But the feeling's always the same when I wake up." She pauses and looks at Heather solemnly.

"Are you sure about this? I don't want to take you away from your other patients."

Heather isn't always the best person to talk to. She dreams in memories, remembering the things that have been done to her, and she's done as well. But, she can try. And she's got the feeling that talking to someone removed from the situation would help as well.

"I'm done with my shift." She says, standing. "And I've time before my next shift. So, perhaps we should go for tea?" That might loosen a tongue a little.

Sheena's finding her pretty easy to talk to--it's the ninja's own natural reticence that makes her seem like she isn't. Keeping things to herself has always been her style--until a few people she had met back home had started to convince her otherwise.

"Okay, if you're sure," Sheena says, also rising. Testing the treatment with a few movements of her arms and legs, she smiles and nods. "Tea would be perfect. I actually own one of the Tea Houses in the Sky Sector--if you want to go there."

"That would be lovely, as long as I can get something to eat too." Because after her shift, inevitably, Heather is starving. She wants to just go home and curl up and sleep, but someone needs her and while she normally isn't so altruistic, she is curious.

"Now, are you sure you can walk?" Heather doesn't want her pushing herself too hard.

Sheena smiles. "Oh, definitely! We have dim sum. I'm sure you'll find something you like." Her comment is more confident than boastful. She may be proud of the Tea House, but she isn't arrogant about it. She knows that it isn't everyone's cup of tea for eating and drinking.

Standing, she demonstrates just how sure she is about walking by taking a few steps towards the door. "Oh yeah. I'm used to getting injured."

Which kinda says a lot about her, doesn't it?

Heather smiles and fetches her things, before motioning Sheena out the door. "Then, we shall get tea and something to eat, because you should eat too, and talk." Her curiosity is going to be the end of her one day.

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[Open] April Comes She Will (April Catch-All!)

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