like rain that you slept through

I will not be brave, but I'm grateful to get through

It had taken the aviator a good hour or so of silent but intense deliberation to figure out both what needed to be done and in what order. Once he'd decided and had committed his plan to paper, he was off without hesitation, boarding La Verbena and flying through the night.

First, he would take the honey that he and Mateo had harvested to Flora. That her arm hadn't improved worried him about as much as her ever-shortening temper. If magical means hadn't healed her wound, perhaps more mundane but tried and true remedies would. His mother had suggested it; for centuries honey had been used as both a disinfectant and salve to encourage wounds to heal.

Second, he'd go to the beach to record (diligently, of course) what he saw in the sky.

Third, he'd see if perhaps he could speak with someone about a medical resource-share program between Stormbreak and Torchline.

So, wearing a sweater knitted for him by his mother with a rain jacket overtop to protect against the weather, Everest had set off with his bag once he'd safely moored Mateo's schooner. Reaching Flora's home and wondering if perhaps he shouldn't have gone to the Tavern instead, the aviator reasoned that since he was already here he might as well knock on the door.

Isla

The Hanged Man may have been a better idea, honestly, but someone is home at Flora's place at least. The Doubletake's condition had been worrying Isla about as much as it had everyone else, and she's considering the nuclear option (bom bom bom, telling Flora's fathers) about the issue. Prior to that, though, there are medical texts to pore over and other things worth trying.

Abandoning her text at the sound of the door, Isla has been distracted by the sight of the moons in the sky anyway, and as she answers, it's with a pencil still between her teeth and hands busily knotting her fair hair atop her head. In only a tank top and a pair of DAISY DUKES shorts, the Remedy feels permanently on vacation in Torchline. She can't decide if it's a good thing or not.

"Oh! Hello," she says upon seeing Ever, taking the pencil and threading it through her bun to keep it tight. "Are you looking for Flora?" She recognises him, mostly from the Hanged Man, but she's also sure she's seen him with Mateo a few times as well.

sooner or later, we all have to wake
and try forgetting everything

I will not be brave, but I'm grateful to get through

As Isla opens the door, it takes Everest's mind a moment to register that while there is a beautiful blue-eyed blonde standing before him, that this was not in fact the person he was looking for. Blinking at Isla for a moment as if utterly confused by who and what he was seeing, it's year's worth of ingraining politeness into everything he does that unlocks his tongue. "Yes I was. Sorry-" he adds hastily, before taking a step back. "And hello."

A touch unsure where to go from here, Ever tries to think what his mother would do, what his father would do, what Mateo might do. All of them, he thought, would at least smile, and so while it's a touch delayed, the aviator offers Isla an apologetic smile before patting his bag as if to offer an explanation. "I brought something for Flora that I thought might help her arm. My mother is a doctor you see, and I'd mentioned that her wound didn't seem to be healing and so she suggested that perhaps this might help despite being nonmagical." Everest explains in a single breath.

"But if you're a doctor, and you're here..." Knowing likely more about Isla than Isla knew of him, the aviator frowns slightly, suddenly doubting whether step one of his plan for that evening had been necessary at all.

Isla

"No need to apologise. She is at the Hanged Man, I think," Isla says, assuming that would be the extent of their interaction. (It usually is, when people come to the door looking for Torchline's gorgeous queen). As he continues, though, her pebble blues flick down to the bag he carries, and one can consider her curiosity piqued.

"That's very kind of you," she says, stepping aside in the doorway. "Please, come in - you can drop it off here. Did you say your mother was a doctor? Gods, hopefully she's having more luck than I am trying to figure this all out. I'm Isla, by the way." Taking it in her stride that Ever has already recognised her as a medic if nothing else, it's still polite to give an introduction.

"You work at the Hanged Man, don't you?" she calls back, having already stepped further into the house towards the kitchen. "I think I've seen you there a few times."

sooner or later, we all have to wake
and try forgetting everything

(If this thread takes place at night...)

Glancing up, something catches your eye. Not the moon, or at least, not that moon. Faintly, just off to the side where the moon hangs bright and clear, seems to be another moon. Or at least, a very large star.

Is it...getting closer?

I will not be brave, but I'm grateful to get through

There was almost always a reason to apologize in Ever's opinion, but he'd learned long ago that there was rarely a time when explaining the extent of his people-pleasing ways was necessary or even welcome.

Also thinking that their conversation would conclude in the doorway, the aviator felt himself pulled inside by Isla's offer despite the way it conflicted with the schedule he'd made for himself. Wiping off his shoes on the mat and pressing the door quietly but firmly behind him, he reached into his bag to pull out a few jars of honey as he nodded in response. "She is, and if you asked her, she would say that she isn't. Having any luck, that is." He clarifies, falling Isla into the kitchen.

"I know." Flushing slightly and wondering if that had been a rude thing to say, the aviator quickly looks up with an apologetic smile already tugging at his lips. "I mean, of course I know who you are. I'm sure everyone does." Isla, once the leader of the Grounds, the only survivor of the war from that side of things. The woman for whom his best friend was named. "I help Flora when she needs it." Shrugging a touch bashfully as if working at the Hanged Man was something he hadn't earned despite having done so for years now, Ever places the honey on the counter.

"My name is Everest Hart." He says, and with his hands finally free, he offers one out with painful politeness for Isla to shake.

Isla

"Ah, that is a shame." Luckless on all doctorly accounts, Isla is nonetheless surprised - and quietly delighted - by the production of the jars of honey. "Then again, I hadn't even considered this," she confesses, gesturing to them. "As you can imagine, there aren't all too many apiaries in Torchline." Reaching out to lift one of the jars and admire the clarity of the honey, she places it back down with care.

"Your mother is a very smart woman. Please thank her on Flora's behalf, in case she isn't able to write?" She hates to even think it, but Ever isn't the only one who has noticed the Doubletakes somewhat shorter fuse.

Turning from the counter and promptly faced with a hand to shake, Isla takes it with an automatically warm smile. "It's nice to officially meet you, Everest Hart," she says. "Though if you already know who I am, I do hope it's for good reasons." Good is relative, of course, between Ascended leader of the Hollowed Grounds and murdered unicorn best friend of Ludo's demigod.

"Are you headed to the Hanged Man now?"

sooner or later, we all have to wake
and try forgetting everything

I will not be brave, but I'm grateful to get through

"For better or worse Stormbreak has been free of most of what has been happening on the continent." Everest explains. "So unless someone arrives with an infection, there isn't much to go on." It was why he wanted to speak with someone about a sharing of knowledge and resources, but...well, that was step three, and given he wasn't even sure if he could cross step one of his list, he kept quiet about his plans.

"There aren't in Stormbreak either. Mateo and I had to travel to the Grounds to find some." Of course the botanist had brought back some chorus bees with him, so perhaps that would change. "She said this was how they used to heal burns and wounds prone to infection before....well." Shrugging uncomfortably, the aviator ran his hand over the back of his neck before clearing his throat. "You know what Stormbreak was like."

Flushing furiously and not just because of the physical contact, Everest gives his head an instant shake. "No, of course it is! The work you did in the Grounds, setting up the first medical clinic there and keeping it open to all races despite.." Blinking rapidly and trying to keep his lips from running away with him, the aviator forced himself to take a breath and reset as best he could. "Very good reasons."

Itching at his forehead and resisting the urge to look at his notebook—he knew what the steps were, he didn't need to seem them printed out—the aviator frowned. "Well I suppose if I leave the honey here in the very capable hands of a doctor, I don't have any reason to. I was going to go to the beach and try and record what I could about what was happening in the sky, though..." Gods, was he really going to change his schedule? It made his ears hot to think about, but if he didn't, that would mean coming back here a second time which would certainly be impolite.

"..if it isn't too much of an imposition, I wonder if I could moot an idea pitch an idea I had about a medical program between Stormbreak and Torchline?"

Isla

"Oh, it has? I suppose being up in the sky means you're less likely to have anything appear from outside." Unless flying plants and winged void animals - but that seems almost worryingly likely at this point, so Isla doesn't say it. Instead, another smile blooms across her face to hear mention of Mateo, rounding her cheeks with cheer. "How is he doing?" she asks. "You two are quite good friends, right?"

Thoughts of her namesake somewhat topple the prospect of introducing apiaries to Stormbreak (perhaps the Celestine could have a zone for them, though?), and Isla leans gently back against the kitchen counter. Scrunching her nose and nodding her agreement, she gives one of the jars of honey a cursory pat. "I do remember what the region was like. It's a big step for Stormbreak, removing the Abandoned barrier."

It's Isla's turn to flush as Ever starts to list her Top 10 Greatest Achievements, the Remedy shaking her head quickly. "I wasn't fishing for compliments - but thank you," she says, clearing her throat and promptly straightening back up.

For the second time that evening she feels as though their meeting ought to have come to a natural conclusion - but then there are the two moons in the sky. A shadow passes over Isla's expression, and she approaches one of the kitchen windows with the shutters open to peek out. "It's worrying," she says of the pair of lights. "It reminds me of... gods, I don't know. Just of more dangerous times."

Glancing over her shoulder and happily distracted by the prospect of a partnership, she tilts her head. "I'd love to hear it, yes. The healing fountain here always makes me feel as though traditional efforts are a bit redundant, I'll admit."

sooner or later, we all have to wake
and try forgetting everything

I will not be brave, but I'm grateful to get through

"That is the current theory." Everest agrees with a nod, before his expression changes to something altogether more relaxed to speak of Mateo. "He's doing well." The aviator confirms. "And yes, we are." It's perhaps tersely said for how the aviator actually feels, but just the mention of the botanist infuses him with a boyish sort of joy that makes him seem more like a man than a stilted mannequin.

"Oh, I didn't think you were." He says hastily, not wanting to interrupt. "I just wouldn't want you to ever think otherwise." So saying, Everest watches Isla go to the window, already knowing what she'll see and feeling all the more conflicted for changing his order of activities for that evening. "Even if it is somehow a natural thing and nothing to do with Safrin's warning...having another celestial body so close is going to wreak havoc regardless." The aviator agrees.

Not wanting to drop all over Flora's floor, Ever holds up a finger before disappearing back to the front door in order to hang up his raincoat. Tugging a touch at his sweater to smooth it back into place, Everest opens his notebook (trying to ignore step 2 as it screams accusingly at him), and places it on the counter. "Well, you would think so, but given its effects on Flora, I did wonder...Oh-" glancing up, the aviator flushes anew. "I should mention, I'm Stormbreak's Spyglass. It's just a fancy word for an advisor I suppose, but...just so you don't think I'm speaking out of turn."

Isla

"I'm glad to hear it - on both counts," Isla says, her smile only growing to watch the somewhat wooden man before her start to thaw somewhat. "I keep meaning to visit him, but it doesn't feel like my place to do it," she admits. It's a strange contradiciton, to be so significant in someone's life to share part of her name with their child, but also to have never really had a conversation with them.

Forcing herself to back away from the window - it's too easy to just watch and watch and watch the moon and its double, in case anything changes - Isla turns fully back towards the aviator. "You're right," she says through a sigh. "The tides, the weather... I wonder if that's why the Arclight has been so choppy this season around Torchline."

Raising a brow to see him suddenly back away, only to realise what he's doing, Isla takes the few moments as an opportunity to collect up her papers and medical text, bringing it to the counter as well. Ever's handwriting is neat and easy on the eyes, and she peers at his notebook curiously. "A Spyglass for Stormbreak and a bartender at the Hanged Man? That's quite a career split," she says with an amused smile.

"I wouldn't consider it out of place anyway, though. I have been considering founding a medical guild, and this would be a good step towards it."

sooner or later, we all have to wake
and try forgetting everything

I will not be brave, but I'm grateful to get through

"Oh?" Not wanting to pry nor to speak for Mateo, the aviator glances down thoughtfully as his head cocks at a somewhat canine angle. "He always speaks fondly of you, if it helps."

Nodding in agreement—he'd thought exactly the same of the tides—he offers Isla a somewhat crooked smile. "Well, I'm also an aviator by trade and I've recently signed on with the dragoons as well." The responsibilities have certainly piled up for Ever as of late, but for someone who is tormented incessantly by his own thoughts when he's left without something to do, he certainly doesn't mind. Not that he'd ever say so if he did.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea. If I can help at all, please let me know." There's a painful sort of earnestness in Ever's voice that even he's aware of, and so, clearing his throat, he looks down at his notebook both reflectively and self-consciously. "Erm, so...Originally I had thought that perhaps Stormbreak could assist with making first-aid kits, as our doctors don't seem to be as inundated with infection as they do down here. And then I thought maybe the Celestine could be used as a quarantine facility given the magical barriers in place to keep animals and such from escaping." Glancing up and resisting the urge to itch at his sweater, the aviator pauses for a moment.

"It just seems like there's an unnecessary duplication of efforts that maybe with a bit of coordination, we could resolve."

Isla

"He does?" Isla's soft and almost grateful expression is directed unhelpfully at the counter, but there's no doubt that she's nonetheless pleased to hear as much. "I'm glad. Perhaps I'll send him a letter come the new season." Little does she know that Mateo will soon be all over Torchline like a rash while he cultivates the plants for his fathers' houseboat.

Still adjusting to the barman-turned-Spyglass before her, Isla blinks abruptly up at Ever to hear aviator and Dragoon promptly added to his career list, and she can't help the quiet laughter that escapes her lips. "When do you find the time to sleep?" she wonders. "I hope you haven't had any trouble flying. I heard that Stormbreak has been... well, stormy lately."

If she hadn't just heard that Ever isn't managing quadruple occupations, Isla might have seriously considered seeking him out for help, but for now she keeps that responsibility firmly within her own domain. The Torchline-Stormbreak partnership, though - that's something to which they can both offer a contribution.

"These are all very good ideas," she agrees with a gentle nod, peering over his shoulder at the notebook on the counter. "Torchline's healing water doesn't work outside the region, and given how it seems resistant to this sort of infection, those first aid kits will certainly come in handy. I can establish a base down here we can operate out of - at least skyships will have somewhere to make their supply deliveries."

sooner or later, we all have to wake
and try forgetting everything

I will not be brave, but I'm grateful to get through

With a rather quizzical look, Everest smiles at Isla as if to say of course they do. Who wouldn't? For all the complexities of the war, the aviator couldn't think of a single bad word ever said about the Remedy, nor could he imagine a single fault of hers. Indeed, looking at her now he couldn't help but think she was the embodiment of something terribly good in a world gone horribly wrong.

"Typically between 1 and 5am." Ever replies instantly, flipping in his notebook to a page listing about 10 different types of schedules based on what the day demanded of him. Each had a small window for sleep that he adhered to as best he could. Realizing latently by her laughter that the question had likely been rhetorical, the aviator pushes the pages back to his notes on medical information sharing with a quiet clearing of his throat.

Trying not to tense at the nearness of the Remedy, Everest nods and begins writing down Isla's suggestions to distract himself. "We could make instructions on how to do it so that those with medical training are free to do other things as well. I know in Stormbreak there are citizens who want to help but aren't well suited for more complex tasks, so this could be something for them to do." He assumed much was the same in Torchline.

'Maybe Flora could even offer a free drink per kit made."