Re: A Time To Heal - Makshim, Shiezin 119 4A

[Nara-pyon]

Khetal smiled. "Mirror communication is something we've been introduced to while traveling with Lancaeriel," he explained, looking around and pointing her out to his new acquaintance.

He glanced around for Ahkshi again, but the Fire Elven healer had gone to his wife.

"If you're up for it, Ahkshi and Kyrie look a bit occupied with each other," he said with a bemused smile. "I can introduce you around. It's ... rather an eclectic bunch, but I'm sure you've figured that out already. Otherwise, if you prefer, we can give you a place to wash and rest."

[Kara Winters]

Hikaru wanted to meet the people who could create such an interesting space (his brain had only made a slight note of the fact it was all Japanese in design). However, he was so tired at the moment that he felt he would say something stupid or worse yet out of character. So opted for the latter.

"As much as I'd like to meet new people, wash and rest first before, so at least I'm a bit understandable later," Hikaru joked.

[Nara-pyon]

Khetal chuckled. "I understand. I had the fortune of being able to meet them ... well, not a few at a time, but fewer at a time, so it wasn't nearly so overwhelming. And you can wash and rest here, because unless Ahkshi has redone his home since I first met him, he doesn't have the space for even one guest."

He led Huron down the hall to the bathing rooms. There hadn't yet been the time to make more, so it was still the original three, and he brought Huron to one with a shower. The bath might be more familiar to the man, but showers were faster and more efficient, and from the looks of him, he thought that Huron needed a bed as soon as possible.

[Kara Winters]

Huron blinked when he saw the room he was brought to. Maybe it was the fact he was tired, but his brain seemed to be a bit slow with coming up with Huron appropriate responses. At least to him.

"Uhm....."

Should he ask where the bath was? But that would assume he knew somewhat what this room should be, and besides the sink, and the towels, and the soap, there was no indication of what this room should be. Then again would one know by looking at this room? He didn't know.

He was pretty damn sure that was a shower head he saw, but showers did not exist here (except for that time he got to have buckets of water dumped on him but it was all cold).

[Nara-pyon]

Khetal chuckled softly. "Sorry, I take it for granted. Here."

He explained how everything worked, showed Huron how to use the water runes, and then left Huron to wash up on his own.

He himself waited out in the hall for Huron to finish. He didn't want to leave the poor man alone. It would be too easy for him to get lost in the tent.

[Kara Winters]

It seemed like that was the right response, but the moment Khetal left, Hikaru didn't care. He stood for a minute, starry eyed at the shower. A real shower, that was big enough to hold two people weirdly enough, but he didn't care. Mentally he reminded himself he wouldn't have enough time to dry himself fully even with magic if he reverted fully back to himself.

So he settled on a compromise (after he checked the door was locked), he was washing his damn hair. As he activated the water runes and stepped into the (blissfully) hot water. Hikaru had to admit he didn't recall when he became so vain about his hair. Probably after his colours inverted, he hated his hair before then. Kept it as short as possible because he always looked like a delinquent with his former hair colour.

Once done, he used some subtle fire magic that was warm (not burning hot) to the touch to dry out his hair so he could apply the illusion back on. After all Huron had short spiky fire hair. That reminded him, his hair had to look a bit wet, so less spiky, more wet looking, not too much he had short hair it would dry fast. Once he was pleased with the application of the illusion, and fully dressed, Hikaru stepped back out of the bathing room.

[Nara-pyon]

Khetal was waiting for Huron patiently, his eyes closed lightly. He was used to dozing on his feet during the busier times as a physician, and the moment he heard the door open, his eyes opened too, and he was ready to go.

"You look much better," he smiled at Huron. "Come. You can rest in my room. Follow me."

He could have said more, but Huron looked ready to drop, and he wasn't sure about the man's abilities to follow or remember much more conversation than that.

[Kara Winters]

The shower did make Hikaru slightly more alert, and now that the patients were (relatively) out of danger it allowed for him to look around as he followed Khetal.

"This place is big...." he couldn't help but comment.

At least, it was big considering they had gone into a tent earlier.

[Nara-pyon]

"That's thanks to two of our companions," Khetal smiled. "Actually, three. Miyuki - she's the young woman with fox tails and ears that was helping us out in the clinic - this is her project, for the most part. Then Cael and Lancaeriel, the other two who knew what they were doing in there, they've helped out with parts of it, too. Those three know an incredible amount about magic, more than I'd ever dreamed possible. Each room, right from the moment you enter the tent, is a different plane of existence. That being said, you can be assured that your rest will be undisturbed."

They arrived at Khetal's room, and he slid the door open and led Huron inside. The room was simple: futon, tatami mat, chest of drawers for his clothes, shelf and table for his belongings. Most of his things were in his lab, so his room was pretty sparse.

"Make yourself at home," he invited Huron. "If you wake up, I'll be three doors down, same side of the hall."

At least, he presumed it would be all right if he napped with Wren. Circumstances were extraordinary, after all.

"Runes here control the light," he added, showing Huron the runes next to the door. "Anything else you need, just ask."

[Kara Winters]

Hikaru nearly had to bite his own tongue from saying anything. The name and description was a dead give away. There was a kitsune in this tent, and a part of him wanted to go and seek this Miyuki out. Only, he wasn't a kitsune and he should really be sleeping before doing something stupid.

"Thank you," Hikaru murmured as he looked around, "I think I'll be okay for the next few hours."

If he slept at all. Thanks to Khetal, Hikaru just wanted to go out and see these people.

[Nara-pyon]

Most of the rest of the group also went to bed for a much-needed and well-deserved rest. Only those who hadn't participated (or at least, not much) in the activities of the night and morning stayed up and went about their activities. Kyrie went back to her own house with Ahkshi, and the two of them left Uruloki behind with the others to answer questions if necessary or to be a guide for those who were new to the area.

Overall, however, the tent went mostly quiet for several hours.

[Kara Winters]

Before sleeping, Hikaru made sure to readjust the illusion to make Huron's hair dry in case anyone walked in on him.

When he next woke up, he was... confused. It looked like he was staying in a guest room at his family's estate, but he hadn't been 'home' for several centuries at least. Now that he thought about it, he was still illusioned to be Huron. Patting himself down, he found his talisman and he wasn't in his original form.

After thinking for a long while he remembered this was Khetal's room, in a tent that was impossibly big. He was sure the man explained to him how this worked, but for the life of him, he couldn't remember the explanation. Opening the door to the hallway, he looked both ways before realizing he wasn't quite sure which direction he should be going in.

"This is a maze...."

[Nara-pyon]

"But a maze that is possible to get used to," a soft voice spoke up from the end of the hallway.

Takari was just entering the hall from the direction of her bedroom. As slim as she was, her pregnancy was very visible; in fact, she was probably only weeks from delivering her child. Little other than her size had changed since they had left Keliac: she still wore the same white clothes, her golden hair was as long as it had been, and she still didn't bother to tie it back.

If she was surprised by Huron's appearance, she didn't show it. She simply smiled at him demurely. "Who or what are you looking for? I can help you, if you wish."

[Kara Winters]

Hikaru opened his month and closed it. He almost said the kitsune's name, but thankfully he had enough sleep to know that was a bad idea.

"Something to eat, since I suspect that Askshi and Kyrie probably went home by now," Hikaru laughed, "And then maybe I'll catch up with Khetal afterwards, he promised to introduce everyone! But I was quite tired last... I have no idea what day it is anymore..."

[Nara-pyon]

Takari giggled softly. "It's still the same day, don't worry," she assured him, sliding her door closed behind herself. "Kyrie and her husband went home hours ago, before you were out of the shower." She started towards him, and when she reached him, motioned for him to follow her. "Come."

She led him down the hall.

"There are really only three areas in the tent," she explained as she led him. "This is the residential hallway. Almost all of the bedrooms are here. The only exception are a couple who live in a tree in one of the gardens, which is how they live in their own country. The foyer is the main area, with the kitchen and dining room off it, and the third area is the hall where the bathing rooms are. It also includes the gardens and workrooms. So if you ever get lost, just come back to the foyer."

She led him through the foyer to the kitchen. If it were meal time, she would have brought him to the dining room, but they would have to prepare some food on their own - provided, of course, that no one else had already made anything. She didn't know. She had also napped, despite not having helped with the medical crisis.

[Kara Winters]

"Thanks," Hikaru replied, "I'll remember that."

Though he doubted he would be here again in the future, not unless he was allowed to come along. Now wasn't that a thought that tickled his funny bone? Of course, going meant leaving here and after three centuries it was hard to imagine another kind of life.

The kitchen also looked vaguely familiar to him. Though he would admit, it was more sleek looking (if that was possible) than back home. It was probably using more rune work he guessed? He didn't know that much about runes.

[Nara-pyon]

Daenis and Mailon were both in the kitchen. Daenis was scooping food into bento boxes, and Mailon was closing them and putting them away.

"Oh, hello," Daenis smiled at Takari and Huron. "You must be Huron. Are you hungry? I'm afraid my only usefulness around here is preparing meals, but with everyone resting ..."

"We're putting them away for when people wake up," Mailon concluded. He nodded at Huron. "Hello. My name is Mailon, and this is my wife, Daenis."

Daenis was nearly as pregnant as Takari, but she seemed more tired than the light elven woman. For those who knew her, they knew that the heat - even the mere warmth of the kitchen - was harder on her than anyone else in the group.

[Kara Winters]

"It's nice to meet the both of you," Hikaru greeted before adding to Daenis, "And never underestimate the usefulness of a good meal. That being said, I wouldn't mind a meal, I just went straight to sleep after all of that."

So he hadn't eaten in a while, not a good thing to do but when there was work to be done it couldn't be helped.

[Nara-pyon]

Daenis smiled at Huron and held out the bento box she had been filling, as well as a fork and a pair of chopsticks - it was habit now, as many of the group now used them proficiently.

"Eat as much as you like," she told him. "We've far more than we need."

"There's more space to sit in the dining room," Mailon added, "but you're welcome to eat in here if you want the company." There was still a decent sized table and chairs in there, after all.

[Kara Winters]

"I wouldn't mind the company," Hikaru nodded as he took the bento box from Daenis.

His hands paused at the fork and chopstick. He had his own pair of chopsticks, that he only used in the privacy of the wilderness when he traveled. He had gotten someone who was talented with wood to make it for him a long time ago. It was so strange though to see a pair being offered to him. With careful deliberate movements he chose the fork and got a seat at the kitchen table.

"Interesting sticks?" he motioned to the pair of chopsticks that Daenis had offered.

[Nara-pyon]

Faint colour rose in Daenis' cheeks, and she smiled sheepishly as she came and picked them up.

"Chopsticks," she murmured. "Sorry. It becomes habit after a while. So many of our group use them."

"I suspect that most of this is likely quite new to you," Takari smiled, taking a seat at the table as well, a bento box in hand. She also chose to use a fork, and didn't even bother taking chopsticks with her box.

[Kara Winters]

"Heh... well I have to admit I haven't seen anything like this during all my travels," Hikaru admitted freely.

And he hadn't, and he had for the first century or so tried to look for anything that was similar to home without any luck. Even walked among humans (which was a questionable idea now that he thought about it). He began to eat, and he had to admit it was delicious and also... different. It was like one of those fusion foods one talked about back in Gaia.

At that moment the door open and Holly peeked her head in, "Do you guys need any help? Clean up? Anything?"

Hikaru nearly dropped his fork, that was a neko, and what was she wearing? He actually didn't recognize her clothing choice as it didn't come around until years after he disappeared. Though he guessed it was somewhere between old Victorian and some more modern wear. Which was something he wouldn't have ever described before.

[Nara-pyon]

"Everything's done," Daenis smiled at Holly. "Thank you for the offer, though. It's been a very quiet few hours, so Mailon and I prepared food. Once we've put it all into bento boxes, it's just this dish to wash and that's it."

"You do look tired, though," Mailon murmured to his wife, his features etched with concern. "You should rest."

Daenis shook her head. "Not until I've finished with this, because once I sit, I don't think I'll be getting up again until morning."

"Come in, Holly," Takari called out to the neko, smiling with amusement. "Come meet Huron. You probably didn't get the chance to meet him earlier."

[Kara Winters]

"No, I didn't, not with all the chaos from before," Holly grinned as she fully stepped into the kitchen.

Hikaru shoved another forkful of food into his mouth to give himself time to think. She was pretty much the typical neko. Except maybe the colouration, while brown was a natural hair colour among humans nekos tended to lean more towards actual colours found in felines. He also noted she had two colours to her eyes, which interestingly he knew was slightly more common in nekos than in humans. Something about their genetic make up being more similar to felines again.

He swallowed, realizing he couldn't keep that up.

"Sorry about that, haven't eaten in a while," he set down the fork and held out a hand, "I'm Huron, a wandering healer."

Holly chuckled, "I'm Holly. It's nice to meet you, and don't worry. I know you, Arkshi and Khetal weren't taking breaks during all of that."

[Nara-pyon]

"And it was a long ordeal," Takari frowned. "Not that it's over, but ... I should imagine that from this point on, it would be less hectic?"

She didn't know much about physicians or medicine. She had never needed it, and the only time she'd ever seen anyone being tended - aside from today - was when Cael and Lancaeriel had healed her mother.

"Forgive me for asking, Huron," Daenis spoke up, taking a bento box herself (with chopsticks) and sitting gingerly next to Takari, "but are you a healer or a physician? My understanding is that it's ... well ... more than rare, impossible for Fire Elves to have healing as a Gift."

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