162/First Aid Through Black Magic

Function: CargoSQLQuery::run
Query: SELECT `cargo\_\_Characters`.`\_pageID` AS `cargo\_backlink\_page\_id\_Characters`,`\_pageName` AS `\_pageName` FROM `cargo\_\_Characters` WHERE ID=x ORDER BY `cargo\_\_Characters`.`\_pageID`,`\_pageName` LIMIT 100

**Student Eternally Rising (56) has posed:**
Student Eternally Rising had prepped the room accoarding to the type of demon she was summoning, this time, for dear Amethyst, a swarm of Sesseljae. Several nearly empty liquor bottles had been artfully arranged within the circle, along with some offal (which had gotten strange looks from Delsha, to be sure), and other assorted refuse. Luckily, there wouldn't be too much mess for very long, given the nature of the creatures she was going to summon for Amethyst.
    She just hoped that Amethyst wouldn't see this trash heap and turn around, walking right back out.

**Amethyst (52) has posed:**
It isn't too long before Amethyst limps in. Her body is still covered with bandages, it's like she hasn't heal at all! Standing up and moving around, even if only limping around, probably isn't great for recovery efforts. But that's what these magic beatle bug thingies are for. "Hi!" She chimes happily to Student. She looks about the room, and shrugs, "Had a fun time?" Amethyst asks, gesturing to the liquor bottles.

**Student Eternally Rising (56) has posed:**
Looks back at the pile of half empty booze bottles and snorts, "I wish, told Delsha to restock all of Alphonse's liquor cabinets throughout the building and collect all of the nearly empty ones. Please, come in, and dont mind the mess, the demons I'm summoning today feast on poisons and illness and such, and this will make them more focused on their task."

**Amethyst (52) has posed:**
Amethyst giggles a little, and finds a place on the ground to sit. She lands on the ground with an 'uff'. "Al does like his liquor, doesn't he? I prefer water and tea, personally." Amethyst says, her ears perked up.

    Then her brain processes the bit about eating injuries. "...They're going to... /eat/ my injuries?" Amethyst's tone is a confused startled one with just a sprinkling of fear for flavor, and her ears are straight out to the sides.

**Student Eternally Rising (56) has posed:**
Student shakes her head, and sort of waffles from foot to foot in anticipations, "Well, no, but... ahh, they will sort of.... swim through you, repairing the damage as they go." She continues in a rush, "It's supposed to be a bit itchy and uncomfortable... in places you may not have thought could be uncomfortable."
    She winces, hoping that the ordeal wasn't too daunting for Amethyst to subject herself to.

**Amethyst (52) has posed:**
Amethyst rubs her head a little, and idly scratches at her ears. "Well uh, that sounds fun. Do you have any idea how much it'll heal me?" Amethyst asks. She seems put-off by the thought, but, she hasn't said 'no'.

**Student Eternally Rising (56) has posed:**
Student Eternally Rising shrugs her shoulders, "I dont honestly know Amethyst, part of it depends on their skill, part of it depends on your natural ability to heal. They can perform wonders, but it can take time to do so. Luckily, they are perfectly at home in your flesh, so they can stay there until you feel well again."

**Amethyst (52) has posed:**
Amethyst thinks to herself. She's slain things over twice her size, though she isn't too sure how comfortable she is with something living in her flesh. She might just be rethinking the whole 'stay in bed and get better' thing Al's probably told her a dozen times now. If not Al, then Delsha, certainly. "Alright, let's do this." Amethyst hangs her ears; clearly, she isn't quite enthusiastic about it.

**Student Eternally Rising (56) has posed:**
Student nods her head, "I am glad you've decided to give it a try, I can command them out should it feel too uncomfortable, though I'm just glad to be able to help. If you would please stay seated where you are, this is going to take a little while."
    Then standing, she moves to stand before the summoning circle. "Any more questions before we begin?"

**Amethyst (52) has posed:**
"Stay here and not move? Got it." Amethyst says, in a way that implies it was her plan all along to just stay sitting here until she felt better. "Uh, don't be too offended if I choose not to accept it permenantly."

**Student Eternally Rising (56) has posed:**
She nods, and begins the ritual. The shadows in the room seem to deepen as she begins intoning, references from the Pax Arcana, and the Laws of Malfeas slip forth from her lips, binding the demon through skills and cunning. The ritual is long and protracted, involving several offerings of liquor being poured over the offal that had been placed in the center of the circle, once a bottle was empty it was ritualistically smashed and the shards added to the pile of trash, essentially becoming a glassy, booze soaked pile of potential disease.
    Several hours later, the mass of uncleanliness begins to bubble and writhe before, finally, the Sesseljae arrive, issuing forth from the mass before consuming it entirely, in a frenzy of what seems to be excited happiness. They seem to have consumed the mess entire, and no trace of it's presence can be seen or even smelt.
    Student turns to Amethyst, "Are you still sure about this?"

**Amethyst (52) has posed:**
Amethyst looks between Student and... /it/. Amethyst looks queezy. "Are you kidding? No, I'm not sure. But do it anyway." Amethyst says with her ears down. She sounds angry, but it seems like she's more disgusted and afraid than angry.

**Student Eternally Rising (56) has posed:**
Student nods and steps forward towards the circle, into the light, the darkness having receeded after the spell had reached its apex. "Sesseljae, I have bid you to this realm for a reason, there is a young woman here in need of your aid. The offering has been made, and you have accepted. You will inhabit this young flesh and see to it that it be made fit and healthy, and stay so for so long as you remain therein."
    For their part, at her approach the buglike creatures had skittered away into the furthest corner of the circle, being creatures of no real power, in the presence of one such as Student they knew their place absolutely. As she broke the circle to release them they screetched in what seemed to be a mixture of fear and excitement, speeding (and jumping and skittering) towards Amethyst before finally leaping into her very frame, which parted as water. Immediately they went to work, moving about within Amethyst to correct what damage they could immediately attend to.

**Amethyst (52) has posed:**
Amethyst stares at the incoming swarm. It takes every ounce of her willpower to not brandish her weapon and leap away. But then they jump inside of her flesh, skittering around and playing like her skin is an ocean. Her skin moves mends and flows to them, maybe with a little ripple here or there one could see their effects. And surely, there's not a part of Amethyst's body they do not touch, for almost all of it is scarred to some extent or another. There is even buldges around her stomach, her back, and her shoulders for where they seem to investigate old scars. All while quietly making a sound that only a chittering skin fish could make.

    At this point, Amethyst loses it a little. She springs up and hugs herself, as though trying to hold herself together. "God, d-damnit. Not even the wyld makes me feel this, this, this uh, this, this..." And she just keeps repeating the word 'this' for a while.

**Student Eternally Rising (56) has posed:**
As Student stands in the half-light, perfectly fine and at ease with the scene and the strange Sesseljae, one might think that she was also somehow quite strange herself. She moved forward to comfort Amethyst, reaching a hand out to sooth her friend, "Yes it takes some getting used to, and right now they are very active, dear, you are really quite injured you should be in bed not walking about like you have been. They will quiet down in time."
    She smiles, "The Sesseljae really are some of the best demons, very happy to weave flesh and bone, and they are useful for other things besides. They can ingest poison that you've eaten and nullify it, and disease or sickness as well."

**Amethyst (52) has posed:**
Amethyst stops talking, and nods a little. Her ears couldn't be down more if she tried. They almost look an extra inch longer from how they're stretching. She's even shaking a little. "Will growing wings feel this weird?" Amethyst asks, struggling to smile, trying to ignore the marco polo game going on in her skin.

**Student Eternally Rising (56) has posed:**
Student's expression softens and she gives Amethyst a hug, "I'll do my very best to make it as easy for you as I possibly can," she says, leaning back from the hug and looking Amethyst in the face, "Unfortunately though, this is the only way that I can provide medical assistance for you, as that hasn't been an area of study as yet." She sounds like someday she'll get to medicine, as if its on a long list of things she intends to learn.

**Amethyst (52) has posed:**
Amethyst hugs. And Student can feel Ame's skin rippling as she hugs. "T-thank you. Gah, I wish I could fight this sickness like I fought that Raksha. That'd make things /so/ much easier." Amethyst seems to be trying to calm down. "I definitely can't have these things in me while I'm trying to fight if they're this crazy when I'm injured." Amethyst sits back down on the floor. A tear falls from one of Amethyst's eyes. She's tough, but she's not invincible. "I really don't know if I can deal with this."

**Student Eternally Rising (56) has posed:**
Student rocks Amethyst a bit back and forth with her hug, and lets out calming shhshing sounds, "It will be fine, they really are very happy to help, let me see if I can calm them down a bit," and then she focuses in on the Sesseljae, "Alright, you've had your fun, you are making the lady uncomfortable. No unecessary discomfort is now rule number 1, to be superceded only by rule 0, which is Amethyst's life must be maintained at all costs." The command is a curt snap of someone who expects utter obedience. The Sesseljae start, Amethyst can feel them freeze in terror like deer spotted by a lion. Then, a bit sullenly, get back to work.

**Amethyst (52) has posed:**
Amethyst likes hugs. She hugs Student in response, and leans with Student. "Thank you, Student Eternally Rising. Is there an easier name than that I can call you by?"

**Student Eternally Rising (56) has posed:**
Student laughs, smiling, "Well, you can always just call me Student, as I am ever striving to learn, but I hope you also call me friend." She rubs Amethyst's shoulder, "Are they beter now? I dont see any reason why you wont be able to pull this off, and by the time we're halfway through the trip, you'll be ready for anything again."

**Amethyst (52) has posed:**
"YOu think a bunch of bugs would stop me if either of our lives were in any sort of danger?" Amethyst asks, perking her ears up and looking towards Student. "I just save my strength for when I truly /do/ need it. I mean, remember, I can move without limping, just, it hurts like hell and I'd rather /not/ hurt myself more than I already have. But you can trust that if there's anything I can do if our lives are threatened, I'll be there, with a weapon in hand. Though I'll be much better once my armor's fixed up and I get a new spear since my last one kind of snapped in half on my way down after I tried to use it to break my fall."

**Student Eternally Rising (56) has posed:**
Student ducks her head to hide her smile, glad that her friend is getting her spunk back, "And for you that shouldn't be a problem for very long, I'd wager you already had your eyes on a few new ones you could nick. As for armor, as you know I'm looking for some myself. I know how to defend myself, but my art is a subtle one, and overt armor would not work for me," she sighs, trying to distract her friend from any lingering discomfort or feelings of weakness from the ordeal.

**Amethyst (52) has posed:**
"Yeah, as soon as I stop feelin' like someone took me and beat me into a tree a couple of times, I'll have a new one. And Delsha is working on repairing my armor, last I heard. Mine's equally to protect me from swords and from accidentially cutting myself while goin' through the trees." Amethyst explains. "I'm keeping my eyes out and ears low for that armor, but most I talk to don't even seem to know what I'm talkin' about." Amethyst stretches, "Do you mind if I just sorta sleep here today? I'm exhausted, and I don't really feel like journeying back to anywhere else. It /is/ effort to walk."

**Student Eternally Rising (56) has posed:**
Student nods, "Of course, I will set a guard to keep you safe while you slumber, give me two shakes of a monkeys tail and I'll get you the bedroll I keep in my chest. She fetches said bedroll and lays it out for Amethyst. She sets a candle and some water from her office down as well, and a book on the habits of Sesseljae (Large chunks of old realm with scribble notes in forest tongue and high realm, her translated notes from the summoning), saying, "In case you get curious, knowledge is power." Then, giving Amethyst one last hug, "Sleep well, Amethyst, and get better."

**Amethyst (52) has posed:**
Amethyst smiles. "I was planning on just sleeping on the floor, but a sleeping roll is good, too. Maybe here I can keep pesky Raksha out of my dreams."

    But, there's trouble brewing. A quick thud could be heard from the door of Student's office, where a dagger was thrown, with another note attached.

**Student Eternally Rising (56) has posed:**
Student snaps "Erymanthus guard her," and dashes to the door whipping it open, her mouth forming commands as she does so, "INTRUDERS! HUNT THEM! IN CHAINS AT MY FEET BEFORE SUNRISE!" Her eyes scan the office, and she looks back to Ametheyst.
     There is a sudden silence as the whole building becomes unnaturally still, followed by a roar, a primal, savage roar tinged with strange chords and fervent patterns of bloodlust. It doesn't just stop, but builds as other blood apes in the viscinity echo the first, and also begin hunting.

**Amethyst (52) has posed:**
Upon exiting, Student can see the Raksha quite clearly. He's flying, with what look to be dragon-fly wings. He's no bigger than 3' tall, and his eyes are massive. His ears are extraordinarily reminiscent of Amethyst. In fact, most of his body form is reminiscent of Amethyst, just, more fantastic.

    He stares towards Student, and cross his arms, as though not sure if he she can /actually/ see him. Right now, he wields a charm that effectively renders him invisible, so long as he remains immaterial. But there's a much deeper, much much more important charm he holds.

    He has a shaping effect cast on Amethyst herself. One that causes his views and ideas to have a very strong impression upon her. And that, in large part, he only exists as a figment of her imagination, or so he pretends. But before Student, he flies, quite real.

**Student Eternally Rising (56) has posed:**
Student, reading the flows of essence around this creature, who would like to think it was hidden from her sight, but as her anima burst forth from her skin, the caste mark that had become radiant as she dashed out of the room, and glanced back at a wounded Amethyst, guarded by her own loyal familiar demon, was subsumed by an overal luminescence. Despite this light however, there was still a solid shadow trailing from her form. This /thing/ was threatening her friend, and /that/ was not acceptable, was /not/ tolerable, and she would make it answer.
    She let out all of the breath in her lungs, and found her center, the well of dark knowledge and power within, and she tied those metaphysical senses to her lungs, her burningly bright anima flaring brighter as she drank in all other available light besides that of her own incandescence. The shadows deepend.

**Amethyst (52) has posed:**
The Raksha lands on the ground before Student, sighs, and materializes, ending his charm of invisibility, but not the one influencing Amethyst. "So, you forced my hand. I'm impressed, I really am, it's a shame it took a Solar to do it though. Hi, I'm Phantom Sapphire Butterfly, nice to meet ya. Sorry, keeping her held up in a room like that just wasn't suitin my style, ya know?" The Raksha shrugs, and just stands there with all of the confidence in the world.

    "How about you chill out first and let me talk? Huh?" The Raksha asks. "I am her father, you might piss her off if you kill me. Just sayin'~"

**Student Eternally Rising (56) has posed:**
"She is wounded, and not in a right mind to decide your fate. I will not do that for her, so you will /leave this place/. My blood apes scour the city even now for you, you would not like it if I marked you for their finding."

**Amethyst (52) has posed:**
Amethyst gets up, and draws her blade. But then, she stumbles and falls. "Fuck." She utters to herself.

    "Poor little Amethyst. Such a shame, isn't it?" He shakes his head, then looks towards Student. "Now, I'll tell you once. You will not threaten me, or you will find the souls of your faithful workers gone and squandered. How'd you like Alphonse if he was but a souless husk?" A twisted smile paints itself upon the Raksha's face. "Be honest now. Is that what you want? Because you aren't going to stop me. Or did your simply forget that blood apes can't fly, while I can? Take your best shot. With all of that glow, you gotta be pretty drained." Sapphire just stands there, smiling a stupid wicked smile, showing his gem-encrusted teeth.

**Student Eternally Rising (56) has posed:**
Student Snarls, her mouth twisting into a visage of rage as he threatens her friends, the darkness creeps in further as she finishes her spell, her inhalation of power coming to a close as the darkness becomes manifest as jet black obsidian butterflies, which, flying on razor wings, twirl and dance towards the creature.

**Amethyst (52) has posed:**
And Sapphire just freakin' stands there as though nothing is wrong. Yes, he's cut, and like a gem, he seems to shine where he's scratched. He just shakes his head. "So pitful. I'll be leaving now." He says, shrugging, and just starts to walk away from the two. Just casually walking away.

**Amethyst (52) has posed:**
Amethyst gets back to her feet, but by this point, Sapphire has left. She goes to run after him, but, he's gone. Amethyst curses, then settles back down. "So, you're a Solar." Amethyst says, looking over towards Student. She just says it matter of factly, her ears drooped from this defeat.

**Student Eternally Rising (56) has posed:**
Student doesn't answer Amethyst for a while, watching the raksha walk away unscathed from her spell. She would be doing research tonight, for the next several nights, if she had any guess. Turning to Amethyst, the light of Sol Invictus radiating off of her in twilight hues, she shrugs, "I'm just me, this happened after, lets get inside before I make more of a scene than I already am."
    Then, turning back towards the rooftop access, she looks back at Amethyst, "Coming?"

**Amethyst (52) has posed:**
Amethyst nods, and follows. She's not limping anymore, fortunately. But she seems so defeated now. That's twice in two days that she's completely botched her attempts at helping. At least the only person she was trying to help this time was herself, so she doesn't feel that guilty. "I need to rest. I've been awake all day. Just, if it's nothing too important, just let me sleep 'till whenever I wake up. My pain broke my concentration." Amethyst says. But it's all a dead monotone, with little to no inflection. Amethyst is exhausted, it seems.

**Student Eternally Rising (56) has posed:**
Arriving in her office, Student grabs the letter and passes it to Amethyst, "You may or may not want to read this first, I cant judge wether or not it will help you sleep or not, but I can tell you this. You just learned that I am a solar, and even I was not able to prevail entirely. I wasn't in my best condition, and neither were you, Amethyst." She hugs Amethyst, the twilight radiance passing warming into Ame's clothes and skin.
    Then releasing Amethyst she turns to her wall of books, "I, however, will not be sleeping. Something in here, or if not, in the librarys of Ysyria maybe. I will find answers to this problem. Trust me."

**Amethyst (52) has posed:**
Amethyst hugs, "I don't want to know what he wrote us. I just want to sleep." Amethyst says quite matter-of-factly. "I'll worry about it later. I just, need time to myself to think."

**Student Eternally Rising (56) has posed:**
As Amethyst settles down for bed in the ritual chamber, Student pours over tomes, a glass of scotch not far from reach, as she works on solving this new problem.