rattle...what’s that rattle?

[felinemystique]

Characters: Bastet/Yoruichi felinemystique, and OPEN to witnesses/arrivals after the fact
Date/Time: late morning, Monday, August 15, directly after/during this entry.
Location: A remote area of the Park
Rating: PG-13 or so
Summary: Yoruichi has unwisely taunted the Tree and its creator, and so pays the price.
Notes: While I know some people will arrive during

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[crimsonmischief]

Holding her close with one arm, Crimson slowly began to do his best at assessing the amount of damage Yoruichi had taken, his hand hovering over the wounds as grey eyes took in what they could through the fatigues before they snapped up to meet Yoruichi's.

"I've already told some," he replied, doing his best to keep his voice level and calm as he watched their surroundings, only relaxing by the slightest bit when he felt Kagerou and Lin approaching quickly, though his grip on Benihime never loosened. Just in case. When Kagerou reached them, he shifted, gently pulling Yoruichi into his lap while careful to keep his arms around her, almost curling himself around her protectively. Should the Tree decide to attack again, it would have to get through him first.

And Lin, from the looks of it. Despite the young woman's dislike of him, Crimson found her presence at his back reassuring. Out of everyone in the Tree, he trusted her most when it came to being willing to give up their lives to protect Bastet. Nonetheless, they should work quickly.

"Kagerou-san, could you make sure that Bastet-san is stable enough to be moved?"

[weaver_girl]

Kagerou scrambled upright again, giving Lin a glance but zeroing in on Yoruichi. She was the important thing here, never mind all Kagerou's misgivings about Lin--surely they could work together here?

"I'll do my best." Please, please don't fail me now. "Please don't move her any more, Crimson-san. Actually, just stay right there, I can..." There might have been a way to manoeuvre her healing shield with more finesse, but she found it easiest to just make it completely encompass the person she was healing.

Shunou, Ayame--help me! With her thought, the two fairies detached from her hairpins, drawing a tawny dome of energy over both Yoruichi and Crimson, as he was still crouched beside her. To her enormous relief, Kagerou felt her power flow into the shield without restraint. The damage began to reverse itself, the gaping gashes in Yoruichi's limbs and torso rapidly closing up. The wounds were deep: Kagerou wasn't sure if she could fix them all the way, but at least she could turn them back from life-threatening.

[felinemystique]

It became harder to concentrate as the adrenaline drained from her body, leaving her woozy and chilled. She almost hissed at Crimson for moving her; even with as much care as he'd taken not to jostle her, pain still flared up from her wounds.

Kagerou's and Lin's arrivals were noted vaguely, but injuries were pushing everything else to the background; things like tactics and planning would simply have to wait.

The conversation above her sounded far away and fuzzy, as though they were speaking through a layer of cotton wool. But a moment later, amber light seeped through her barely open eyelids, and she could feel her wounds beginning to mend. The temptation to simply slip into unconsciousness was great, but she hung on, concentrating on keeping her breathing steady and shallow.

[sting_to_death]

Lin held her breath as she heard Crimson and Kagerou talk behind her. Much as she wanted to turn around and see if she could do something too-- or at least check what was going on, Lin didn't budge. She stood there, staring instead at the branches, turning towards any creak or noise. She picked apart Crimson's tone and words to figure out what conditions her mentor was in, gladly not finding any trace of desperation in it. She should have realized that he was probably able to keep a calm voice even in the worst of situations, but right now she just thought it was incredibly reassuring to hear him speak like that.

And he was right in thinking she wouldn't have hesitated a second if she had to put her life on the line for Bastet. She would have, without a second thought. She would have given up her memories and her life happily if that would have meant Bastet was going to live on.

The amber light made her quickly glance at them. She knew it was the right choice to let Kagerou take care of it. What could Lin have done? Tried her best at healing, and her best might not have been enough, in this case. It didn't matter that she was leaving Bastet in other people's hands. If that was necessary for her well-being, Lin had no qualms standing there without a word, waiting for the moment Crimson or Kagerou were going to say it was fine to move her back home. She was going to have all the time to watch over her and help her, later on.

[crimsonmischief]

When the amber light engulfed Yoruichi, Crimson had to fight to keep from jerking towards Kagerou in surprise. Instead, he settled for letting his eyes dart towards her as fragmented images seemed to slam home in his head, settling in with hardly any finesse even as that ever familiar niggling sensation tickled at the back of his mind. But this was not the time to think on those, not when his best friend was like this, not when the Tree could attack again at any moment.

Of course, that didn't stop part of him from wondering over Kagerou's healing ability as he watched Yoruichi's wounds close up seamlessly, seeming to disappear, though something told him that closing up and disappearing weren't exactly the right words. A good part of Crimson, however, couldn't care less what the right description of Kagerou's abilities were right now; Yoruichi was being healed, and that was all that mattered. Once she was stable enough to be moved, he would take her back home. For now, all he could do was brush his thumb along her knuckles, a gesture that was both silent comfort for Yoruichi and quiet reassurance that she was still here for himself.

[weaver_girl]

What Kagerou would not have given to be able to simply mend Yoruichi, to make the horrible injuries knit up and bones and muscles become whole and sound again. When she had healed Kazahana in her memory, it had been taxing, but somehow... clean and wholesome, as if something in the Sphere's air were clouding the flow of her energy when she focused it into healing.

However, she did the best she could, gripping her wrist to hold her hand firm above the glowing shield, funnelling her power into it as quickly and steadily as possible. It would not lift the pain, but it would heal what it did cleanly, beginning from the deepest part of the injuries. She wasn't certain if Crimson had sustained any harm getting to Yoruichi, but any minor hurts of his would vanish at the same time.

"There," she finally stammered, breaking off the healing only when she felt herself nearly wobble sideways. "That-that's the best I can do. How... how do you feel, Yoruichi-san? Should we get you to Wellspring? I'm sure Kazahana could... help some more."

[felinemystique]

Being healed by Kagerou was different than being healed by Kazahana, in some distinct, unidentifiable way. She didn't try to determine the specifics, simply noting it as 'different' and leaving it at that.

As the glow of Kagerou's shield faded, Yoruichi took a few moments to take physical stock of her injuries. Ignoring the pain, she resolutely shifted both arms and legs, then tried to sit up in order to gauge the remaining damage.

She'd have to stay in bed for a while, but she wouldn't die. Not this time.

She fell back against Kisuke, panting; even those small movements had taken a lot out of her. "Better," she rasped, opening her eyes to look up at Kagerou's worried, tired face. "Thanks, kiddo."

If she was honest with herself, she didn't want to go to Wellspring. It was too open, too bustling; during her last stay, they'd had to sedate her in order to get her to sleep. Her friends had taken turns keeping her company, just so she wouldn't feel so exposed. Sniper--

Her throat burned at the thought, and she slowly laid the back of her hand over her eyes, unable to stop the sudden sting of angry tears.

"He took them all away. That's...how he used his power," she said, her voice thick. "He deserves...to lose it now. I don't think...I've ever been so angry." Yoruichi would normally never let anymore see her like this, but she was far too exhausted--physically, mentally, emotionally--for her usual composure.

[sting_to_death]

With every minute that went by, Lin was beginning to feel more and more reassured the Tree wouldn't attack again. By the time Kagerou was done, her heart had stopped pounding loudly in her chest, and she even risked walking around them, standing behind Kagerou and before Crimson. He would surely keep his guard high and watch for any branches that could come behind Lin's back, and she'd do the same with him. That way, they'd be protected from all sides.

As it turned out, she'd done the right thing leaving the healing to Kagerou. Bastet's injuries were serious, she'd surely need to spend some time resting, but she wasn't going to leave them. That was all that mattered.

She took half a step closer when Bastet tried to sit up, wanting to stop her, but soon enough she was lying back down into Crimson's arms (and Lin would have never thought she'd be glad to see that happening). When the woman spoke, though... it made her heart twist in her chest to hear her talk like that. To see her cry.

"Bastet-sama..." She had no idea what she was on about, either. There was absolutely nothing she could do. "Please, rest now. We'll talk about it later."

[crimsonmischief]

Now that Bastet was out of immediate danger, Crimson could feel the anger start to rise again. Anger at Fugue and the tree for all that it had done, but also anger at whoever had told Bastet such things.

And perhaps some anger at Bastet herself for believing such things enough to lose her control like that, for placing herself in danger.

Forcing it all back down though, he merely focused on his worry, lightly placing a grateful hand on Kagerou's shoulder before he withdrew it so as to be able to stand up with Bastet cradled to his chest. It would be best to take her home and let her rest there for now.

"Shh..." he chided softly as he tucked her close, turning to catch Lin's eyes before shifting them over to Kagerou, silently asking her to make sure that the girl would be alright. After all, they did owe her for healing Bastet. Hopefully that would be enough for Lin to at least act somewhat decently towards her. "Let's get you into a bed first, hmm?"

[weaver_girl]

She managed a wan smile in response to Crimson's gesture, nodding at him. Stiff upper lip, chin up and eyes forward, she was just a little woozy and it would pass. Her power rippled and snagged, but she willed it to still and wrap around her like a comfy blanket. That was a good mental image, anyway.

"He took them all away." Yoruichi could only mean one person. Later, Kagerou would go over this scattered conversation and try to make sense of it, but that shone clear: Fugue.

"I'll... come see you later, Yoruichi-san, but Crimson-san is right. You need to rest."

[felinemystique]

Yoruichi inhaled slowly, trying to force a little more steadiness into her voice. "Home," she said. "Don't...feel like staying at Wellspring." She still kept her hand over her eyes, even knowing that the gesture did nothing to hide her pain and anger and grief.

She didn't want to rest, even though she needed it. She wanted to get to work, to make sure Fugue was never able to do this to anyone again. Never again using people as playthings under the guise of benevolence. As though loneliness excused what he'd done.

So as difficult as it would be, she'd wait. She'd recover, and bide her time, and gather her friends, and they would work to find a way to break his power over them.

[sting_to_death]

Lin was torn for a moment on whether she was supposed to go with Bastet or watch over Kagerou. On one hand, she really wanted to be with her mentor, and the girl didn't seem to be needing assistance-- on the other, clearly they owed Kagerou for healing Bastet, and Crimson was there to take care of everything.

Eventually, she looked at Crimson holding Bastet in his arms and thought that maybe it could actually be a good thing to leave them alone a few minutes. The last thing she wanted to be was a nuisance, and she couldn't think the woman was happy about letting everyone see her in such a state. Only a few minutes, she promised to herself, then nodded at Crimson.

"I'll be there soon." Then, to Kagerou: "I'll walk you home."

Maybe by the time she'd be back Bastet would have managed to pull herself together a bit, and then she could have asked at least what had just happened, what those words meant.

[weaver_girl]

"Thank you, but I'll be fine." It was more than a polite reflex. Lin made Kagerou invariably feel on edge, not quite threatened but very much like walking on eggshells. They shared an acute concern for Yoruichi now. That notwithstanding, Kagerou could find her own way back from the Park, now that the Tree's attack seemed to have abated.

She stiffened her spine, standing up straight. "I'm all right. I'll just head home in a bit." For now, she could just find the nearest bench and sit until she felt calmer and more centered: healing left her a little mentally worn, as if she'd just solved a score of hard math problems.

[crimsonmischief]

Crimson's eyes narrowed at Kagerou slightly, assessing her silently before nodding silently. "Very well then, if you are sure, Kagerou-san."

Standing, he cradled Yoruichi in his arms, exchanged another glance with Lin that told her she could follow if she wished, and then took off towards the residence area.

[felinemystique]

The trip back home seemed to take longer than usual, and part of her bristled at having to be carried past so many people. She'd exposed enough of herself to the public today.

Neil...she didn't talk about him, to anyone. Even Kisuke and Lin didn't know. And to have something she held so closely exposed to everyone in such a way...even if they'd been lies, they'd been plausible enough, and hit enough of a chord that she'd just snapped.

Endangering herself, foolishly, and publicly tipping her hand after all these years of laying low.

"Shit," she muttered into his shoulder.

[sting_to_death]

Lin looked again from Kagerou to Crimson and Bastet, unsure of what to do. She had never valued Kagerou's opinion (or anyone's, really, if they weren't Bastet-sama) much, so even if she said she would be fine Lin still felt the obligation to make sure she was all right. Furthermore, she still thought it a good idea to leave Bastet and Crimson a few minutes.

So she didn't take off with them, folding her arms on her chest and waiting to see whether Kagerou would let her follow her around for a bit or if she really was determined to be on her own. In that case, she wouldn't insist. Surely her expression, somewhere between worried, relieved and annoyed wasn't of the most encouraging, but either way she was staying, sure that must count for something, considering it came from someone like her.