victory_road | [closed] March Catch All

[ A : Politely Staying in Bed ]

[ Lysithea is perhaps the easiest patient- which might surprise someone who's familiar with her horribly overwhelming work ethic! But the thing is, Lysithea is also notoriously frail of health- she can't even wield weapons or wear armor without it causing her more damage. So of course she's used to actually getting her rest when she's ill.

One might find her at most sitting up in bed with a novel, content to let her furret cuddle up to her while her other pokémon try to make things easier. Chiffon, her indeedee, has been seen at various times fetching tea. But if she can't focus on even reading, she'll still at least be petting her pokémon and talking idly until she notices you. ]

Oh- did you come in to check on me?

[ B : Not So Politely Having Bad Dreams ]

[ When she's not awake and idly reading more-fluff-than-substance novels, Lysithea sleeps. Or rather, she's stuck in some horrible nightmares, because illnesses are hard enough already in a medieval fantasy world. Having a compromised immune system only makes it more harrowing, and then combine her childhood... You'd be forgiven for assuming the worst and racing in when she wakes up with a strangled scream. ]

[ C : WILDCARD ]

[ We can't all be horrible patients but like. Maybe something will come up, I don't know. ]

It's while Felix is propped up against his pillows and occupying himself with his photos that he hears the bloodcurdling scream. Fever or not, headache or not, a warrior's instincts are strong; in a second, he's pushed his work aside, scrambled up from the bed, grabbed his wooden sword, and run from the room.

He barges into Lysithea's room with his weapon already up in a defensive position, but when he gets there, it's...just her, still in bed. It takes him longer than it should to realize what's happening.

...oh. He slowly lowers the sword.

"Nightmares." It's a question phrased as a statement.

[ Tiramisu, the furret, immediately scuttles up to Felix to paw at him gently with a concerned expression before returning to Lysithea- who is curled up on her side and hiding her face, but clearly awake. No one is happy with anything right now. ]

... Yeah.

[Felix glances down at the concerned Furret, and only then does the adrenaline abandon him, taking all of his energy with it. He sways in place for a moment, and then with an annoyed grunt he stumbles over to sit in a nearby chair with a thump. He rests his elbow on the arm of the chair and his head in his palm.]

...I've had them, too.

It's- it's always worse when you're sick, isn't it? Which is stupid, we're already suffering and- and then your stupid mind decides to play horrible tricks on you to make everything worse.

[ Chiffon, at least, seems to have recovered from everything enough to spring into action. As Felix stumbles to a chair, the indeedee is racing around with quiet little tip-taps of her feet. Shortly, she brings them both a glass of cold water. She's a little insistent that the humans take it, actually. ]

[Felix blinks a little blearily at Chiffon before he understands what it is she wants him to do, then takes the glass.]

Thank you.

[He doesn't drink it right away, though, instead just resting it against his face. That feels pretty good, actually.]

I don't usually have dreams like this. Or at all. It's...jarring. And unpleasant.

[He scowls at the hazy memory of babbling something ridiculous to Sylvain in the middle of the night about his nightmares. He barely remembers the specifics now, but the feeling of it still haunts him in too-quiet moments.]

I used to. They'd come back sometimes. Especially once the war broke out- but. It hasn't been this bad in some time.

[ Sometimes its the war. Sometimes its killing in Rhea's name. Sometimes it's three older brothers and two older sisters, falling one by one over lab tables and in dungeons.

Sometimes its a familiar agony that has never gone away. ]

I'm sorry for worrying you.

You're not the only one. Dimitri has nightmares constantly. Or he did, before he had Kent. Many other soldiers, too.

[Felix looks up from cooling his face on the water glass to shoot her a disdainful look.]

What an inane thing to apologize for. You didn't wake up screaming on purpose.

[Ah, apparently when he's ill, even the thin filter he's tried to build up over the last year or so starts crumbling. Whoops. But his voice is a little softer when he goes on:]

Do you...need anything? To uh...talk, or whatever?

[ Typical Felix. To the point and far more caring than people would realize because of his own prickly nature.

She thinks for a moment, before speaking softly. ]

Did you know? I'm the sole heir to House Ordelia. But this wasn't always the case.... I was the youngest of six.

[ And isn't all that telling enough on it's own. ]

...I didn't.

[He takes a long sip of water. So she must have been having nightmares about whatever happened to the rest of her siblings. Understandable.]

I wasn't always the heir to House Fraldarius, either. I had an older brother.

[A pause, as he tries to put more words together.]

If you feel like talking more about it, I'm listening. If not, that's fine, too.

I was... two years old, when the Empire siezed control over House Ordelia, in retaliation for them assisting in a civil conflict. We merely answered a call for aid, but the rebellion was suppressed and all who were involved were to be punished, regardless of politics or even if they were part of the Empire or not. Strange mages showed up, locking my family all away.

We answered a call for help, but no one answered our own.

[ She could keep going. She probably will. But first, water. And time to process, as he's just as much in the same boat as she is. ]

[Seized control of House Ordelia...through the haze of fever, Felix dimly recalls being told about this as part of Fodlan's recent history, the whole Hrym debacle. He never knew the details, nor had he really ever connected the story to Lysithea. He visibly shudders when she talks about the rebellion being suppressed and the wanton punishment of those involved...it hits too close to home, and he doesn't have the capacity to hide it right now.

But the rest takes a minute to fully register. He frowns, confused at first, then alarmed, and then pissed.]

What the fuck? ...the Empire still has strange mages. The...bird mask ones. Are they the same? Has this creepy shit been going on for that long and nobody did anything about it?

No. And one by one, my siblings died to their rituals and experiments. My parents could do nothing but watch, until they finally left the few survivors and returned to whatever pit they came from.

( did lady rhea ever wonder what happened to the other ordelia children? announcements would have gone out, certainly. and yet...

she sees the shudder, but. she isn't sure how to ask. )

It's been a very long time since I've thought of this...

[Hearing a scream like that has Dimitri hitting red alert almost instantaneously, grabbing the first heavy object that his hand finds and racing over to Lysithea's room. Silkie is right behind him, wielding a broom just as threateningly as Dimitri is wielding a small desk lamp.]

[When he sees no threats, no enemies, Dimitri pauses in the doorway with his chest heaving.]

Lysithea - you - are you all right?

[ For a moment, there is no answer. Chiffon is crouched beside her with Tiramisu and a worried Litwick both hovering nearby, and when the indeedee looks up it's clear that she's immensely worried. Eventually though, Lysithea shifts to sit up, not looking at anyone just yet. ]

I- I'm sorry, I must have caused- it was only a nightmare. I'll be okay.

[ Liar. ]

[Ah.]

[Lowering his lamp while Silkie starts to sweep like absolutely nothing happened, Dimitri tentatively steps closer into the room.]

I... have a partner that helps me deal with nightmares. Would you like me to introduce you?

Don't you need him?

[ Her ability to read people and what they mean isn't all there yet, sorry. Still, Silkie must have the right idea because Chiffon is going to tiptap to the little... barely-a-sliver-of-a-kitchen, to grab a kettle. Sleep might not come again for some time. ]

I need him when I am asleep. I am not sleeping for now, so it is fine.

[Let him just... awkwardly place the lamp down on the nearest flat surface.]

Besides... You are a companion. A treasured one. If I can help even this much happen, then I will be glad for it.

[It can be one of the many ways he makes it up to everyone from home.]

So you intend on staying up, then. I woke you up, didn't I?

[ She can't help but feel guilty, the way children might when something breaks on accident but they hadn't touched a thing. Chiffon frowns for a moment, but continues her self-appointed duty of making tea.

But she's not saying no. ]

You're very kind, Dimitri.

I have woken myself up many times before, Lysithea. You need not feel bad.

[Even with Kent's abilities, well... That is only to eat the nightmares. Even slight sounds can disturb him, sometimes, his heart thudding in his chest and his eye searching out an enemy in the darkness...]

[There's never any enemy. At worst, it is a stray Pokemon, peering at the campsite before scurrying away.]

[Closing her eyes in concentration, Silkie raises one hand, and soon a Pokeball covered in psychic energy floats into the room. Dimitri accepts it, murmuring his thanks to her.]

...I suppose I am trying. Thank you, Lysithea. [And with that, he releases Kent, who appears already floating in the air as he blinks around in confusion. It takes only a slight nudge for him to start idly floating over to Lysithea. Oh, hello there]

( lysithea stares for a moment and then... just. hugs kent. he's so round and pink.... soft. hello kent. thank you for being a good little baku. )

No. Thank you.

[He is a very good baku indeed, and indulges in being enveloped in hugs. There's just a light and curious little snuffling noise.]

[Dimitri relaxes, a bit. Good, they're getting along...]

I am not doing much... It is Kent who can help such things.

While you are awake, do you need any water, tea? Silkie or I can get something.

[closed] March Catch All

11/12 - at least SOMEBODY is behaving

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