2429/Queen and Pawns

Queen and Pawns
Date of Scene:	11 June 2015
Location:	The Citadel - Ward 17 <CW>
Synopsis:	Ariah and Nine welcome Medusa back.
Cast of Characters:	22, 56, 269

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Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    It's only been a few hours since the snake witch was admitted to the own ward that she herself was in charge of running half a year ago. But still, reports have been made and people are talking. Just how often do people return from death?

    For now ward 17 is quiet though, which is not so weird late at night. The nightshift is busy working on some other patients, so for now one of the solitary rooms is left alone where its patient is only monitored by the medical equipment there. For the first time in half a year the nurse is here, but this time she is a patient. A patient that is sleeping soundly in her bed, her arms resting over the covers to not tangle up the IV lines that feed various fluids into her arms.

Ariah (56) has posed:
     Though she couldn't be there to admit Medusa personally, it isn't very long at all before one of the witch's assistants enters the Ward to visit her. Ariah makes her way into the patient's room, one hand holding her staff, the other with fingers curled and resting on her chest. Her expression is the same motionless, emotionless one she often wears. For the moment, she just looks on, eyes flicking to the monitoring devices and their readouts, ensuring that she is indeed stable. And returned.

No. 9 (269) has posed:
    Was that weird? Being served in the same place she used to rule? And, theoretically, would once again?

    Was she inclined to bite anyone? Or was that just him?

    That was probably just him.

    She was a much sleeker more deadly predator than he ever could be.

    The door is eased open with a head- a very ugly head. A very familiarly ugly head. He's got a gift basket under one arm, the other holding a large bouquet of some sort of flowers. some sort of lilies, irises and orchids, of some disturbing sort of black and deep red foliage, the leaves lacy and cruel looking. they seem to alternately lay still and, at times, claw at him or attempt to suck his blood. He's being very careful to avoid mussing the actually rather strikingly beautiful arrangement (if a little morbid) so it's mostly just harassing the Golem unmolested, one eye resolutely closed to avoid having it scratched open or scooped out. Bad plants. Bad! Seeing Ariah there, he offers a soft smile, uptilting his head at seeing her and unless, say, clawed in the face, he'd offer her an affectionate headbutt because, well, his hands are full of fine gifts and murderous flowers.

Ariah (56) has posed:
     Ariah can easily sense the visiting golem. Whether it's the smell to her sharp hunting senses, or just the sound of his large boots, she turns her head to regard his entrance with a nod. The gentle headbutt isn't rebuked, but it certainly isn't returned. She's used to the 'shinki facecling' but a greeting headbutt is new to her. She looks bewildered for a moment before taking in the gifts he'd brought and turning her head back towards the napping nurse. "Miss Gorgon is asleep. She is stable, from the looks of the readouts, but I am not sure if we should awaken her or not. She looks... peaceful." The woman's French-accented voice is cold, but quiet and somewhat reverent.

No. 9 (269) has posed:
    He does have very LARGE boots. Big steel-lined clunkers around big heavy alloy feet. He clomphs like few do. Champion clompher this guy.

    Looking over Miss Gorgon's bed his expression is an aggrieved sort of bleakness, a hope and a joy sort of smothered under a tired sort of pall of stress and strain, perhaps at the events that had come about before. Losing a friend is a hell of a thing, and having them come back is a wonderful thing, wonderful, but it doesn't erase the shame and the sadness, the regret. The flowers go where they can't hurt anyone, the gift basket nearby but not nearby enough for the tea or other snacks to be torn open and eaten by the flowers. The Golem crouches at the edge of the bed, his chin on the side of the bed, his expression one of a dog in a tragic existential crisis, worry and a poisonous sort of relief at war on that fugly fucking face. "She does look peaceful, dun she..." he does not touch her. He would not dishonor her thus. He turns, towards Ariah, still leaning on the bed a bit but looking up at her. "...She works too hard." it's almost a whine. Looking back. "Well she, did. And I'm sure she will again, but-" His voice does something funny and irritating and he stops talking, swallowing with difficulty.

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    The moment Nine turns his head towards Ariah he might notice something in the peripheral of his vision.

    Medusa's eyes snap open, and intense serpentine eyes /stare/ at him for a second before her pupils revert from slits back to regular pupils.

    While she doesn't move from where she lies just yet, the familiar voice of the nurse can be heard by both of them. "If you did not wish to wake me you should have been quiet..." she says somewhat tiredly as the hand closest to Nine rises from the covers... and moves out to touch his face, the tips of her fingers gentle as they brush against his cheek. "Yet it does help seeing some familiar faces... Ariah. Nine." The last visitors she had were new and alien to her. And of them thought he could use her as a bargaining chip. What a fool. But with Ariah and Nine it's different, isn't it?

    They are not the ones using her. She is the one who has used them in the past.

Ariah (56) has posed:
     Ariah could hardly call herself used. She is a soldier. And at times, a doctor. A tool perhaps. "Nurse Gorgon," the witch states to the witch, moving closer to the bedside. Her staff taps very quietly on the floor, "Dead and back. The instruments say you are well, but I wish to hear it from your lips. As one who has experienced death and resurrection myself... how are you feeling? Is there anything I may do for you?" Soft, cold, but not unkind is her voice.

No. 9 (269) has posed:
    He freezes, the look one of intense, aching shame and horror at the vast depths of his crime. He has woken the sleeping snake and interrupted her very important rest. As the fingers find him, they might find a bit of wet on his face as he keens softly, "M'sorryyyy..." he woke her up, and oh the horror, the tragedy of it. Another harsh swallow and he looks to her, adoration and pain in his eyes.

    The very definition of a tool, one that's complicit in it's status as such and almost seems to need it, he's always been a useful patsy, oh yes, and one that's been worried about her in her absence. he leans into the touch, eyes closing. He looks up to Ariah as she approaches, then back to Medusa, and if Ariah weren't careful she'd be leaned on by the ugly mutant 'borg of a super soldier. Just a little.

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    Such predictable reactions...

    A knowing smile crosses Medusa's lips as Nine utters his pityful apology, though she says nothing to silence him. Instead her hand remains in place so he can lean into her gentle touch. "Did you bring me gifts...?" she asks, her voice slightly hoarser than Nine might remember.

    Ariah is right. She was dead, but now she is no longer among the departed.

    "I am... not completely well yet, this body is weak. It isn't the first time I have died and come back, I will recover," the witch adds in a casual tone as if death is merely a pesky stage to go through before things resume as they have. As for what Ariah can do?

    "... what day is it?"

Ariah (56) has posed:
     "Thursday. The eleventh of June. You have been dead for..." Ariah tilts her head to the side, jogging her memory. "It must have beem months now." The white-haired woman looks away for a moment, "If you two wish for privacy, I can depart. I can oversee your recovery if you have need of it, and me," she states with a nod. "My duties carry me beyond the Ward, as they always have, but I am still yours to command here within these walls."

No. 9 (269) has posed:
    He nods against her fingers, swallowing again. "Yes'm." Always so polite with her, this one. "I-is there, anything I can do t' help?" He looks up at her hopefully, but then a glance up at Ariah. "I doubt Miss Medusa wants t' be left alone wif me. I'd prolly hover in quite a vexin fashion..." A difficult admittance but the truth nevertheless.

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    June.

    The witch inhales sharply, her pupils constricting just for a moment. "Half a year..." she states almost breatlessly.

    She shakes her head when Ariah asks whether they need privacy. Now why would they need that? "We do not," Medusa responds calmly even as she pets Nine's face the same manner some might pet a dog. "I will need information about the time I was gone, Nine... And somebody to make sure that the upstart... Hiei, was it...? That he doesn't disturb me. He... was part of the group who retrieved me and ensured I was revived," even if she isn't exactly clear on the details just now. "He seems to think my life is his to use as a bargaining chip." Good old Nine. Always there ready to do as he's told. As for Ariah? Her subordinate presents herself as somebody to command as well. "I spoke with the physicians. I will require physical therapy to rebuild my strength, but... if you wish to help me, you can go to my office. The code to the medical cabinet is 4485271. Find a bottle marked 'lot#84'. It should help me recover quickly..."

    Tired she might be, but it appears that Medusa's mind is as clear as it ever was and not dulled by her prolonged encounter with death.

Ariah (56) has posed:
     Ariah nods. "I can stand sentry now and then when my other duties do not require my attention, but we can see to having permanent security stationed to prevent disturbances." As for the locker? She turns smartly and slips out of the room. She isn't long, knowing her way around the office and the medical cabinet. Staff in one hand, bottle in the other, the vampiress returns to Medusa's room to make her delivery. "Here you are. Hiei. The name is not one familiar to me."

No. 9 (269) has posed:
    The nostrils flare, the eyes going a little unfocused. "If you need someone hurt you kin count on me. Beaten on driven off, whatever it is I'll do it." yeahh he's a tool in every sense of the word. "he gets uppity, he gets airs he'll see just how far his influence goes when he got my boot in his- anyway." A glance back up to Medusa. He nods. Yeah he'd do whatever she asks. SO USEFUL. see? He's useful. See? See? Snff.

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    "That is satisfactory," Medusa responds to Ariah. Sure, she had threatened the man when he had thought he could use her to bargain freedom or himself. The entire story is something she doesn't know about. While she is unaware of his strengths and weaknesses it was something she would not tolerate, even in her current weakened state. If there's something that Nine is useful for it's to be a wall, big as he is. His response earns a weak smile from the witch, and she rubs her knuckles against Nine's cheek down towards his chin. "Just keep him out of the room... and you'll be doing me an immense favour, Nine dear..."

    When Ariah returns with the requested medication, though she does seem to have one final request. "Take 1 ml from the bottle, dilute it in 10 mls of sterile water and add it to the Ringer Acetate solution that hangs there," Medusa requests calmly as she point to one of the clear IV bags with her free hand. "I do believe I need some more rest, however. This body tires easily." A reaction from her sudden awakening, perhaps? She will have to consider it later.

Ariah (56) has posed:
     The interactions between Nine and Medusa are paid little attention to by the white-haired witch. She nods when she is given those instructions, and sets to work. "Then we are set, as needed, for the time being?" she asks as she handles the bottle, the water, and the eventual application of it into one of the IV bags. "If you require anything else medical-wise, I will remain on call. Aurora can awaken me if I am meditating. She is diligent in her duties, even if 'secretary' is a distant tertiary one."

No. 9 (269) has posed:
    Very predictable. he leans into the touch, a soft doglike whine in his throat. A nod. "Absolutely, any time." Yeah he adores her. It's painfully obvious and just as painfully obvious that he understands to a degree that it's unhealthy, but is simply not able to do anything about it. He's a fucked up thing and he knows it, but knowing about it does precisely jack and shit when you don't have the mental resources to do anything about it. At least it's a platonic love? Because, ew. Looking up at Ariah he sort of settles back, sitting on his big boots. "How have you been Miss Ariah?"

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    "Yes..." Medusa murmurs sleepily in response to Ariah, hearing that the vampiress is busy working and knwing she will be able to perform such a simple task without supervision. For now she rests, even while stroking Nine's face idly, her breathing even and her vitals stable according to the monitors. Even if she is tired, she does not look sick. Let them talk if they need to.

Ariah (56) has posed:
     A polite bow of her head signals Ariah's completion of her task. She slips the bottle back into her jacket to place back in the medicine cabinet. When NIne speaks and asks, she looks up to him, then gestures towards the door. "I have been well. We should speak outside, as not to disturb her," she states. "She will need her strength, but she is still the mistress of the Ward. It is pleasant to work with her again."