when you're feeling lost
Harper!
Seren Taliesin


Age: 25 | Height: 5'7 in (170cm) | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Stormbreak
Level: 3 - Strg: 16 - Dext: 20 - Endr: 30 - Luck: 16 - Int:
UMBRA - Mythical - Dragon (fire breath)
Played by: Chan Offline
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Posts: 1,448 | Total: 5,765
MP: 1897
#29
This is the long forgotten light at the end of the world
The bloodied arm might be hidden from sight, but it did not escape Umbra's sharp nose. He pressed in, past Seren's hindering hands, and a supple neck snaked out with fast precision. Aiming a sharp nudge at the man's side, as if to demand he showed where the blood came from.

"Please leave him alone," the girl begged of her companion, too torn up to have this kind of fight with him again. If he was about to act like a spoiled kid whenever she got close to others...
Umbra chuffed, and swerved around to fix steely eyes on Seren instead. Anger and worry and disgust poured through their bond - how could she doubt him so? - and this time his nose jabbed at her. Straight into the gut, so that she was knocked sprawling to the ground.
"Umbra!" Seren gasped - but the Blue was already spinning on his heels. Spreading wings wide, and taking off into the darknening sky.

Confusion and outrage warred within her as Seren struggled back to her feet. Wobbly, shaken, more tired than she had ever been; she shook her head and looked at Harper.
"I'm sorry about that. Did he hurt you?" The arm he so carefully meant to hide was given a long look. "Would you... let me see your arm? I might... be able to do something. For the pain."

This was the second time he was injured when saving her from her own stupidity. First the rocks falling when dragging her from the Fingers, and now this. Seren bit her lip. Would those lessons be worth all the trouble she put this man into? Much as she wanted them, the idea that being around her would lead to more incidents like these was enough to make her hesitate.
Seren
Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
Harper Quinn
the Stalwart
Teacher

Age: 33 | Height: 5'10 | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Nomadic
Level: 5 - Strg: 15 - Dext: 15 - Endr: 27 - Luck: 19 - Int:
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Posts: 1,036 | Total: 6,168
MP: 9427
#30
HARPER
All he can do is stand and watch, despairing, as the two commune through the bond of their souls, unable to really do much but give a grunt of surprise at Umbra's striking nose towards his arm. He is torn between obeying and letting the dragon get a better feel for him and his scent, which would hopefully put him at ease, and hiding the admittedly unpleasant sight from Seren. It seems he doesn't have much choice in the matter however, watching with wide eyes as Umbra - newly named - shoves at Seren and then takes off into the sky as if he'd never been. Harper reaches out with his good arm to steady her as she rises back to her feet, a concerned look creasing his dark full brows.

"No, no he didn't hurt me. I'm sure he was just worried. Is he okay?" Quick to come to Umbra's defense, and more than willing to downplay his own emotions if it meant smoothing over the bumps he'd unwittingly caused between the two. Though Seren's concern is appreciated, Harper still hesitates, eyes flickering uncertainly.

"I'm sure it doesn't look too pretty, I don't want to make you look at it." Ruin any of her innocence with shredded flesh and rope burn, blood and gore. "I'm a good field medic, remember?" He gives a playful smile, trying to turn around her emotional state even this late in the game when he has done nothing but make it worse it feels. "We're not far from the Society anyway, I'm sure even though it's not fixed up there'll be someone there to help. It's not too bad." Hopefully the assurance would help settle Seren, put her off the scent so to speak.
if brokenness is a form of art
I must be a poster child prodigy
Seren Taliesin


Age: 25 | Height: 5'7 in (170cm) | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Stormbreak
Level: 3 - Strg: 16 - Dext: 20 - Endr: 30 - Luck: 16 - Int:
UMBRA - Mythical - Dragon (fire breath)
Played by: Chan Offline
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Posts: 1,448 | Total: 5,765
MP: 1897
#31
This is the long forgotten light at the end of the world
Looking after the dark speck that was slowly shrinking against the bright sky, Seren sighed. "I don't know," she answered, more truthful than reassuring. "He's been acting strange for a while now. One moment everything is fine, and the next it's like everything around us is dangerous and scary. This reaction... it's one of the better, honestly." Which did not make it alright, not in the slightest. But it wasn't Harper's fault, and Seren really hoped he understood that.

Turning back to him, Seren pushed the concerns about her dragon to the back of the mind. Her friend was smiling again, boyishly charming as he tried to take her mind off his wounds - but though she smiled back, she was not being fooled. The Wren society was a long walk away, and she could help him now. If only she was allowed to.

"I know you are," she said, and held her hands out for his arm anyway. Palms up, waiting with all the patience in the world. "I was impressed. So much that I'm thinking of becoming a medic too. Even soldiers need tending, right? And I have to learn someday. Better here with you, than alone on some battlefield somewhere, wouldn't you say?" Soft spoken and quiet, she gazed hopefully up at him. Like this was a favor to her, rather than something she was doing for his sake.
Seren
Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
Harper Quinn
the Stalwart
Teacher

Age: 33 | Height: 5'10 | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Nomadic
Level: 5 - Strg: 15 - Dext: 15 - Endr: 27 - Luck: 19 - Int:
Played by: Brit Offline
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Posts: 1,036 | Total: 6,168
MP: 9427
#32
HARPER
Harper hums contemplatively. "Well, I don't have a companion myself, but if you found him as a baby he's growing up, and having to do it quickly to match your adult mind. Maybe he's just going through growing phases mentally?" It's mostly conjecture, but anything Harper can give her is handed freely in the vague hopes that it will maneuver her closer to an answer.

Seren does not strike him as a manipulative person, but Harper can't deny her words are convincing. Sighing, he slowly pulls his arm from behind his hip to lay it palm up across the offered expanse of her hands. It really is gruesome; a deep gouge in his palm, bruises and lacerations in a winding pattern up his forearm, ropeburn searing the edges where the line hadn't managed to break skin fully. "Alright, if you want this to be a teaching moment we'll make it one." Maneuvering to stand slightly more parallel to her, he lifts his good hand to point out areas along his arm and palm. "The first thing you'd check for is a break, but I can already tell it's not. With the impact of the weight, if I hadn't kicked off the wall I might have ended up with a dislocated shoulder like you had. Since those are off the table, the next step is cleaning the wound. Any debris can cause infection. Remember this if nothing else - infection can and will kill you faster than any wound alone." He impresses this with raised brows and an intense gaze of clear blue eyes.

"So there's some rope fragments in the lacerations we'll have to clean out. Sterilized water is best since nails have bacteria that can cause infection. Can you think what we would need to do next?" It's a gentle prod, unassuming and far from expectant, clearly sinking readily into old teaching ways.
if brokenness is a form of art
I must be a poster child prodigy
Seren Taliesin


Age: 25 | Height: 5'7 in (170cm) | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Stormbreak
Level: 3 - Strg: 16 - Dext: 20 - Endr: 30 - Luck: 16 - Int:
UMBRA - Mythical - Dragon (fire breath)
Played by: Chan Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,448 | Total: 5,765
MP: 1897
#33
This is the long forgotten light at the end of the world
The idea that Umbra would be going through the same internal struggles as she did, and feel as though he had to hide them from her to boot, made Seren ache. Their bond went so deep, it was really more to Harper's suggestion then even he might know. Bowing her head, prodding the awareness of the dragon like a sore tooth, she vowed to make this up to him. Somehow.
"You might be right," she replied quietly. "Mother told him to protect me, too. I'm sure that's not helping anything." Striving to live up to expectations, while still learning who you were... it was not easy.

Not intentionally manipulative, Seren was nevertheless her mother's daughter. She knew how to get what she wanted - though as Harper dished up his arm, she had to wonder if he hadn't been right to hide it. She wanted to wince at the sight of the mangled flesh and oozing blood, flinch and cringe and shrink away. But carefully schooled features showed nothing but calm, and only long, deep breaths revealed her need to get a roiling stomach under control.

The lecture, and focusing on the weight of the arm on her palms helped. Harper's dry, schoolmaster tone allowed her to start seeing beyond the seeping blood and the gore, beyond the pain he must be feeling - empathy was of no use here. No breaks, no dislocation.

Cleaning with sterilized water, and then... "... see if anything need stitches?" It was a guess, since she really had no idea what the steps were. Trying to recall what Tobi had done with her arm helped little, because Seren had not been paying enough attention. "Or maybe... it looks deep. Are your fingers going to be alright?" Recalling the many sensitive nerves and tendons that ran through the hand, the girl looked up, seeking Harper's blue gaze to see if any of this was right.

She was completely absorbed in the task, and had forgotten that they were standing in the middle of the street. If passers by had to step around them to get past, it concerned her not at all.
Seren
Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
Harper Quinn
the Stalwart
Teacher

Age: 33 | Height: 5'10 | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Nomadic
Level: 5 - Strg: 15 - Dext: 15 - Endr: 27 - Luck: 19 - Int:
Played by: Brit Offline
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Posts: 1,036 | Total: 6,168
MP: 9427
#34
HARPER
A soft understanding hum leaves him. “You are both feeling the weight of trying to live up to lofty expectations. It’s a lot for both of you, especially so young.” Whether he means Seren or Umbra there is up to interpretation. After being with Phoebe, Harper has learned to be careful about calling them young. By his own modern standards they are scarcely adults, but he has had to come to terms with the fact that in Caido, they do not have the luxury of growing up slowly.

Harper gives a wry smile as Seren’s face smooths out into nothingness. It’s a tell unto itself, but he’s proud that she manages not to show her discomfort. His pride only flourished at her tentative answer. “Very good. So, if this was a different injury your first priority would be stopping the bleeding with pressure, clotting agents, or a tourniquet. With this one, determining stitches is the exact right step.” His praise is warm and encouraging, eyes crinkling at the corners with his smile as if he is not hurting at all.

“The palm is much deeper and more resilient than you think. The inner elbow and more delicate structures like what you’re thinking of would be found here,” and he gestures with his good hand to the knuckles, the joint of the wrist, and the fragile bones at the top of his hand. “It looks like I’ll need stitches here and here. No more than six I’d say.” Harper points out with a singular finger the deepest areas - dead center of his palm, and the back of his forearm where the rope had caught their descent. Seeking Seren’s eyes with his own, there’s a question in his gaze before he ventures to ask it. “Do you want to learn on me, or do you think you’d like to wait?” Refusing to use words like ‘not ready’ or ‘scared’, all too aware of the effect that could have on students eager to show their brave face. “I can walk you through them, or you can watch me do it myself.” Perhaps the options would make it easier for her.
if brokenness is a form of art
I must be a poster child prodigy
Seren Taliesin


Age: 25 | Height: 5'7 in (170cm) | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Stormbreak
Level: 3 - Strg: 16 - Dext: 20 - Endr: 30 - Luck: 16 - Int:
UMBRA - Mythical - Dragon (fire breath)
Played by: Chan Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,448 | Total: 5,765
MP: 1897
#35
This is the long forgotten light at the end of the world
Had he said 'child', Seren would probably have scowled. But she could accept being young, just as her companion was, and so Harper was granted a thoughtful nod before the conversation went on. The sympathy and understanding was a balm, a warm blanket to nestle into as blood and torn flesh became the focus of their attention.

It shouldn't mean so much, that proud approval in his eyes when she guessed right. But it did, and unconsciously the girl's back straightened a notch. Taking note of the areas that were more prone to ligament damage, she frowned softly when he began talking about sutures.

"I have magic that could heal you," she said softly, keeping the voice quiet enough that passers-by would not hear. It was a confidence, a small secret entrusted; it was a fairly new development. "What I really want is to just make your wounds go away. But, since we're doing this..."

Nibbling at her lip, Seren looked up at Harper. Met his gaze, and weighed her options. "Do you trust me?" she asked suddenly. "I have a first aid kit, but we would have to go... elsewhere, to get it." And in any case, the open street was probably not the best place for experimental surgery anyway. Holding out her hand for him to take if he wished, she would let Harper choose; magic, no magic, or some magic.
Seren
Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
Harper Quinn
the Stalwart
Teacher

Age: 33 | Height: 5'10 | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Nomadic
Level: 5 - Strg: 15 - Dext: 15 - Endr: 27 - Luck: 19 - Int:
Played by: Brit Offline
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Posts: 1,036 | Total: 6,168
MP: 9427
#36
HARPER
A slight smile plays at his lips to see her straighten, a bit of strength returning to her now that she had been assured she was on the right path. With how intently she was gazing down at the wound, Harper felt he could get away with a bit of sentimentality without incurring her ire.

The subject of her magic was an interesting one, admittedly, but Harper didn't immediately jump to the idea. She had asked for training. This wasn't exactly that sort of training, but it falls in line with it enough, and - "I've dealt with much worse. A little pain is worth being able to teach you on something better than a model." Models that, in Caido, did not have the same technology he'd learned on in his modern home world.

Seren's question comes seemingly out of nowhere, but Harper respects her too much to answer it blithely and without any consideration. So he takes a moment, and then reaches for her hand with his good one. "I do. Lead the way, starbug."
if brokenness is a form of art
I must be a poster child prodigy
Seren Taliesin


Age: 25 | Height: 5'7 in (170cm) | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Stormbreak
Level: 3 - Strg: 16 - Dext: 20 - Endr: 30 - Luck: 16 - Int:
UMBRA - Mythical - Dragon (fire breath)
Played by: Chan Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,448 | Total: 5,765
MP: 1897
#37
This is the long forgotten light at the end of the world
"Starbug?" she protested, torn between delight at the nickname and outrage at being likened to an insect. "Oh, you're asking for it now, bird boy."

Relinquishing his injured arm gently so that it would not be jerked about, Seren squeezed Harper's good hand with as much reassurance as she could muster. His trust meant much to her, and she wasted no time to open the way; a shimmering like heat haze appeared in the air. Locking gaze with her friend - teacher? mentor? - the girl backed into it, slowly fading from view even as she tugged him along. Away, from the sunbaked streets of Haulani -

- and into midnight. The island was the same as always. White sand spread out in gently rolling dunes, sloping away towards wave-licked beaches where dark water - or was it? - glittered with the reflection of a myriad of stars. Heavily they hung overhead, closer than ever yet just beyond reach.

The usual debris treasures littered the sands, in curious heaps. Clothing, cutlery and every day paraphernalia rested side by side with seashells, driftwood and glittering half-gems. A mound covered in sand at the center of the island, and a gargantuan bone from some strange monster stood out among the oddities... but Seren hardly spared them a glance.

"Have a seat," she murmured at Harper, "and I'll find that kit." It was... a little different, to have him here, as opposed to Maeve or Hotaru. Or even Deimos. A little revealing, as if she somehow had allowed a peek into some vulnerable part of herself.

Shunting the feeling aside, she rummaged through one pile of items in particular, and returned with a Dragoon-issued field kit for first aid treatments. "I think everything we need should be in here. At some point I'm sure I would be taught how to use it, but... I'm not a very attentive trainee, lately." She shrugged, and slumped down in the sand to open up the bag and take stock of the contents.
Seren
Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
Harper Quinn
the Stalwart
Teacher

Age: 33 | Height: 5'10 | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Nomadic
Level: 5 - Strg: 15 - Dext: 15 - Endr: 27 - Luck: 19 - Int:
Played by: Brit Offline
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Posts: 1,036 | Total: 6,168
MP: 9427
#38
HARPER
"Hey there's some pretty cute bugs in the world!" The protest's sincerity is cheapened by the boyish grin on his face, dimples deep and eyes bright from where they squint beneath the force of his cheeks. It scarcely wavers, even as she squeezes his hand and does...something. It looks like a heat mirage, or a butane torch, though only one is something he'd expect to find in Caido. With magic, however, there are so few limits that the trust he has put in her is not without necessity. Still, he had placed it all the same, and so he steps through it - and into an entirely different world.

Even as she scurries about, clearly at home here, Harper turns slowly in the preternatural white sands, taking in everything the island has to offer him visually. It takes him a delayed moment to register her words and obligingly sit cross-legged in the sand, propping his injured arm on his knee to extend it for when she returns and to minimize the ache that throbs in time with his heartbeat.

Leaning sideways to peer obnoxiously into the kit, half-hovering over her shoulder like the nosy bird he is, Harper gives an appreciative noise. "This should be perfect. Grab those tweezers first; remember what I said about debris and infection?" Then he turns to sit perpendicular to her, laying his arm across her lap to give her the best angle to pluck the remaining strands of rope clinging to the raw edges of the lacerations.
if brokenness is a form of art
I must be a poster child prodigy
Seren Taliesin


Age: 25 | Height: 5'7 in (170cm) | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Stormbreak
Level: 3 - Strg: 16 - Dext: 20 - Endr: 30 - Luck: 16 - Int:
UMBRA - Mythical - Dragon (fire breath)
Played by: Chan Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,448 | Total: 5,765
MP: 1897
#39
This is the long forgotten light at the end of the world
Was that a compliment? Or was he teasing? Maybe neither, maybe both - Seren's slight blush and sidelong glance at him suggested she wasn't sure enough to keep up with the banter. The arrival to the island was a welcome distraction that spared her the need to reply.

Settling down, Seren fished out a bottle that proved to contain a saline solution. Not exactly the distilled water he had called for, but better than nothing for cleaning off her own hands before she began. The girl knew that much at least. Fishing out the tweezers next, Seren fished up Harper's hand with fingers that were gentle to the point of timidness, afraid to hurt him more than he already was. Focusing on that was easier than the close proximity of him, anyway - while he didn't have problems keeping his head straight around people, Seren could not say the same. She was very aware of the weight of his arm on her legs, and how close their heads came when both bowed over his injured hand to see what was going on.

"I remember," she murmured quietly, and began the inspection.
When the lighting proved too dark, a slight focus of her will summoned a flock of starlings that began to swarm over their heads. Their softly glowing starlight bodies did not provide a strong or steady light, but it was better than before.

"So... What do you think, about this place?" she asked him, hoping to distract them both from the inevitable pricking and tugging as she plucked gravel and pieces of twine from his palm. "I haven't shown it to very many yet..."
Seren
Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
Harper Quinn
the Stalwart
Teacher

Age: 33 | Height: 5'10 | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Nomadic
Level: 5 - Strg: 15 - Dext: 15 - Endr: 27 - Luck: 19 - Int:
Played by: Brit Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,036 | Total: 6,168
MP: 9427
#40
HARPER
It's true, Harper scarcely notices their closeness at all as they peer in tandem down at the wrapped lines of the wound around his arm. Idly he smells the subtle scent of her shampoo as they bow their heads together, but even that is a passing thought, trained to spot and memorize identifying traits and characteristics more than appreciation or anything deeper. Maybe his lack of reaction or focus will help her in that way, but for now his own mind is utterly dedicated to the task of teaching.

As the birds are summoned Harper lifts his eyes to them, appraising and appreciative at once, a syrup-sweet slow smile forming on his lips. Seren's question prompts him moments later to turn to gaze out across the island once more, barely registering the discomfort of her work. "It's beautiful. Peaceful. But a little lonely, to me." Sad, almost. It reminds him of childhood stories, the island of lost toys. Trinkets and baubles, but nobody to share it with.
if brokenness is a form of art
I must be a poster child prodigy
Seren Taliesin


Age: 25 | Height: 5'7 in (170cm) | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Stormbreak
Level: 3 - Strg: 16 - Dext: 20 - Endr: 30 - Luck: 16 - Int:
UMBRA - Mythical - Dragon (fire breath)
Played by: Chan Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,448 | Total: 5,765
MP: 1897
#41
This is the long forgotten light at the end of the world
Glancing up from the bloody, oozy wound to catch the melancholy expression on his face, Seren bit her cheek and bowed her head back, perhaps a little too quickly. He was very perceptive. Perhaps a little too much so.
"It reminds me of the stars," she said softly. "The times I spent with mother... and the first months with father too, I suppose. This isle... might be the closest I'll ever get to having both in the same space." The sea and the stars. Infinity and something solid to place her feet upon. In a way, this secluded realm perfectly illustrated the duality within her. Mortal and divine. Goddess, and human.

Maybe it seemed lonely because she was.

"What was your homeland like?" she asked, in an attempt to change the subject. Finding no more debris to pick out of his hand, she washed it clean and reach for some gauze to wipe off blood and water. When it came time for the needle and thread... she hesitated. Bit her lip.
"Maybe... show me how, for one or two stiches? Then I can try the rest." Hopefully. She usually was a quick learner, but this was intimidating. Harper was not a doll or torn shirt in need of mending.
Seren
Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.


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