Closed For Medical Purposes [Malla]

[Uleru]

60th day of Summer
Year 513
19th bell


It was a bad idea from the start. Why did she have to be so stupid? A bell ago the moulding had been happily pillaging the tortoise nests buried on the beach, scarfing down egg after egg and fending off greedy gulls. Usually she would wait until the nests have hatched, leave the little ones to run for the surf, and snap up the unhatched eggs while they are still fresh. But she was hungry and didn't want to wait for hatching season for her treat. And now she's paying for it.

At least one of the eggs she had eaten was rotten. But it was too early to notice the smell.

And now she is violently ill.

The Otani gives a great gasp from her gills as she drags herself ashore on the beach just outside Riverfall, leaving her mouth free to retch egg and a seemingly impossible amount of sea water. As is always the case when she is sick, her body is rippling like the disturbed surface of a pond, making it harder and harder to hold a coherent shape. At least she made it out of the water before she lost shape completely. But even so, her beautiful streamlined body has been shaken down to its most basic form. She looks like some sort of androgynous mannequin; no hair, no features, no details that make her human. A cheap copy.

"Gods damnit!" she roars in frustration and building pain, before sputtering as her body give another contraction and she chokes on egg and sea again.

She feels vulnerable laying prone of the beach without a shape to hide behind, and she seriously questions her capacity to defend herself with magic at this point. The slowly setting sun hits her back and throws beautiful colors on the sand; reds and yellows and inky blacks roll through her like storm clouds. All warning colors, like a cat arching its back or a beetle clicking its wing case. She can get through this on her own. She just needs a few bells to suffer through it and it will pass. Eventually.

The moulding groans into the sand, hands clasped and twisting each other into grotesque shapes as she fights the rising pain. Serves her right, she supposes, for getting ahead of herself like that. Despite being three centuries old she has not quite learned to be a patient woman.

A thin hiss pushes through her lips as her body spasms madly. Just a few more bells...

[Malla]

Malla really needed to go to the beach or someplace wide, wide open. She had recently decided to maybe get an actual house, since not having one and living outside the city in a tent had people look at her like she was crazy.Thankfully she had heard about Godiva's refuge and had tried to go say she wanted a room, but she ended up running out almost as soon as she walked in. It was probably going to take a few more tries before the Konti woman could actually stay inside a...building. It didn't help that, she figured, if she wanted to stay here much longer, she should probably live inside the city's borders. She moves over to the edge of the water, looking to where the water and sand meet, trying to decide on something. What she wanted to do was take her clothes off and go swimming, but she couldn't since her scales would shine up and her Windmarks would be rather visible, too. Though the scale part...it seemed Konti were more recognizable than she had hoped, so she mostly only cared about the Windmarks bit. This was starting to get rather frustrating. The beach was mostly empty, so chances were slim of anyone looking and pointing her out as a Konti who obviously belonged with the Drykas. She crosses her arms, looking to the water rather angrily. She couldn't go in with her clothes on since, well, that would just be silly. Besides, she was wearing a white top, thanks to the heat and her clothing style, so that would not end well. The woman looks up and glances around a moment, her gaze falling on...a person? Or a pile of water? No, it looked like a person. Sort of. A hairless person. But...at the same time...somehow it, she wasn't sure if the creature was male or female, looked like water. Very angry water. Malla blinks and tilts her head, her brows furrowing as she watches the colors shift through the creature's body. The colors were certainly beautiful, there was no doubting that, even if she was more partial to blues, greens, grays, and silvers. She watches for a few moments until the thing seems to get sick. Apparently not for the first time. At that, Malla scurries over, guessing the spasming wasn't from just how the thing moved now and kneels relatively near it. She pauses a moment as she felt a sort of vibration come off of it and grimaces slightly. It wasn't that strong of a feeling, but it was certainly something.This thing had killed someone a few seasons back at the most. That could explain the colors. She bites her lip, torn now, but ends up asking, "Are you alr- I mean, what happened?," and sounding honestly concerned. Her hands hover uselessly near the body seemingly made of water, not hiding the light webbing between her fingers since she was more worried about this thing. Sometimes she cared too much, she knew that, but she did want to see if she could help this...whatever it was.

[Uleru]

"Are you alr- I mean, what happened?"

The visitor was unexpected, unanticipated and certainly unwanted. Her body jumps into a surprised white when the woman speaks, and turns with the intent to either hiss at her or roll back into the water. But what she sees stops her dead.

Her eyes take in whats closest -her hovering hand- and sees the scales and light webbing thats much like her own, when she takes her human shape. Her eyes travel up her arm, wondering briefly about the disproportionate amount of clothing she is wearing, and finds her face. She immediately recognizes the Konti, from the silvery pale hair to the exotic features. Uleru has always had an affinity for the Konti. The first few decades of her life were lived near their Island, for gods sakes. A delicate kind of concern is written in her features and the Otani recognizes that the woman means her no harm. Being Konti, and therefore companionable with the sea, Uleru assumes the woman knows what she is. That must be why she is not afraid of this multi-hued avatar hacking away on the beach.

And The moulding is able to smile fleetingly before turning away to retch somewhere other than the Konti woman's feet.

She weakly raises a brightly coloured hand to point to a smattering of holes dug in the tortoise hatching ground a few lengths away. The sight of her fateful banquet.

"'Might have... just kindda- I might have poisoned myself", she admits, bringing her hand back to massage her temple so hard it makes a dent in her head. The voice, though shaky, is definitely feminine, and she is finally able to assign a gender to the monster.

Another spasm ripples through her body and the mouldings hand lashes out unthinkingly to grab the Konti's. She takes an incredible amount of comfort with the solid warmth the contact offers, since she lacks both, and the monster visibly relaxes.

[Malla]

Malla blinks at the change to white in the creature, barely able to keep her curiosity from begging her to ask what other colors it could change to. She bites her lip and moves back some as the creature seemed on the offense with how quickly she flipped to look to her. Granted, that only made sense seeing as it was in a vulnerable position. And who didn't get put on the offense when they were weak and open for anything? But as the thing looked to her rather than hiss and claw or...whatever else it might be able to do, she tilts her head, smiling gently to it to try and show she meant no harm. She would never attack someone, even if this creature seemed more like a 'something' than 'someone', and that was mostly due to her upbringing. The Konti relaxes some at the weak smile from the creature, though grimaces as it gets sick again. She really hoped she could remember where the healing place was, since she didn't have the map with her and she really doubted there was much she could really do. She looks to where the thing points, frowning. Did she mean something bit her? Or...did she eat something that made her sick? Malla wasn't even sure one could bite this creature, which probably meant that dragging it tot he healing place wouldn't work so well either. The woman blinks as it, no she, speaks. "'Might have... just kindda- I might have poisoned myself." So it could speak, was a female, and apparently even spoke Common. If anything she had expected this woman to speak some obscure language that would sound like nothing but gibberish to her. "Poisoned how?,", she asks, before biting her lip, though blinks as the sick woman takes her hand. So hand-holding it was then. She doesn't pull her hand back, but only just smiles reassuringly to the woman while going over options in her head.

[Uleru]

No more questions, the moulding groans in the privacy of her own mind, his is humiliating enough as it is. Behold one of Laviku's most trusted and faithful servants, a creature hand-made by a god and tasked with carrying out his will. Watch it roll around on the beach, grunting in pain and spewing rotten eggs. Such divine grace.

But if anyone will be able to help with this debacle its a Konti, and, truthfully, she considers them more trustworthy than humans.

Uleru mimes eating with her fingers to her mouth, "bad food" she admits with a deep pitch of disgust "bad, bad, bad food." She'll never be able to look at an egg the same way again. Not without destroying it on sight like some horrible, watery avenger.

"I need, I need..." the Otani's forhead hits the sand, and the gritty particles stick to the moisture on her forehead. What does she need? What would help this unique type of agony? She knows nothing about medicine. Not even enough to hazard a guess. But she has seen people receive treatment, even if she has never participated.

Uleru makes the effort to sit up amid another spasm (selfishly taking one of the Konti's hands with her) and casts around for inspiration. There is an abandoned campfire pit just down the beach, and as she stares at it its brittle remains tickle at a memory. What was it about charcoal? Does that treat food poisoning? At this point she'd try anything. Even if it meant swallowing campfire wood.

But before she just makes herself worse, she better ask the woman if she has a better idea.

"My dear Konti", she gasps, but smiles just the same. "Please tell me you know something to help. I'd be all kinds of grateful. Really, really grateful."

[Malla]

"Bad food. Bad, bad, bad food," Malla hears the water-woman admit. Bad food...food poisoning then. She chews her lip, trying to remember if she knew anything about food poisoning...and comes up with nothing. Why couldn't it be a snake bite? That she knew how to take care of. Maybe she could drag her to wherever the healing place was; not that she knew where it was, but she was more or less certain she could find out. "I need, I need..." The woman tilts her head, looking to the sick person carefully, rather hoping that this meant she knew just what to do to help herself. Her eyes widen slightly when she sees the creature puts her forehead on the ground, rather hoping that she hadn't passed out. But just as she was about to ask, the water creature sits up. She follows the woman's gaze, furrowing her brows and not sure what she was looking at a fire pit for, then looks back to the woman, still chewing her lip in thought. "My dear Konti, please tell me you know something to help. I'd be all kinds of grateful. Really, really grateful." It was official; she was definitely done trying to keep her Konti-self from being obvious, since basically everyone and their cousin knew right away. It takes a few more moments of thought, but Malla shakes her head, looking rather apologetic. "No...I...my mother never taught me about food poisoning. Do you know? If you do, I can help with that...or...I can take you to the healing place inside the city. The people there are bound to know what to do." She smiles back tot he woman then and would gently squeeze her hand, since she hadn't taken her hand away yet, in a reassuring fashion. "And maybe you should watch what you eat...so you don't become ill again....though you probably already know that," she adds quickly, in a bit of a ramble, but she still felt it important to say. It was obvious this woman was not only humanoid in shape, but seemingly in mindset, too. At the same time, though, she wasn't sure if the water-person would think that far since she wasn't entirely certain what it was. She knew what Otani were, at least the bare basics that related to the Konti, but she wasn't sure what one looked like or acted like; hence why she couldn't identify the woman's race.

[Uleru]

"No...I...my mother never taught me about food poisoning. Do you know? If you do, I can help with that...or...I can take you to the healing place inside the city. The people there are bound to know what to do."

The Otani is at first dismayed that this Konti knows nothing about her plight. But this is quickly supplemented by shock at the end of her explanation, as if the woman had just suggested she gut herself to get the poison out. And such a strange answer begs a necessary question:

"Go into the city? In what?!" she exclaims with something close to horror, thinking of the sweet-faced woman stuffing her into a jar. All to transport her into one of those alien dwellings these people live in, while she has never been more than a hope, skip and a jump away from shore. "I'm Otani! I not -I mean- jeez!" she sputters, before fighting down another body purge.

"And maybe you should watch what you eat...so you don't become ill again....though you probably already know that."

If the Otani hadn't been so incapacitated she would have smacked her. And she suddenly severely wishes she had the eyebrows or nose to wrinkle with sarcastic incredulousness, thus enabling her to achieve the human equivalent of the "no shit" face.

No matter, she is here to help. And its kind enough that she is staying without abuse from her patient. No matter how justified the abuse. Now lets see how far an Otani's medical knowledge goes, she tells herself, head lowering to her hand to resume the temple abuse.

"Ah, lets see. Charcoal. Over there, can you bring me that? And, and... Honey? No. That wont work. Basil? Maybe. Do you have something like that? That makes things clean?" she asks ineffectually, the term 'disinfecting' completely passing her by.

[Malla]

"Go into the city? In what?! I'm Otani! I not -I mean- jeez!" Malla blinks at the woman's outburst. "Not in anything...just walk or..be carried?," she frowns a bit before blinking at the last words. Otani... Oh! That's what she was. She had never seen one before and she tries to think of the little she knew about them, but not of that said they couldn't go to healing places. All she knew was that Avalis was supposedly an Otani and that was how Konti came about; other than that, nothing. "Sorry, I...I didn't mean to upset you," she apologizes quickly, her eyes big. "Ah, lets see. Charcoal. Over there, can you bring me that? And, and... Honey? No. That wont work. Basil? Maybe. Do you have something like that? That makes things clean?" The Konti nods. "Charcoal, alright. But makes things clean...no, I don't. Ah, but water usually does...though you look made of the stuff, so that might be pointless.." The woman hops up quickly, letting go of the Otani's hand and scurries over to the dead fire, taking some of the coal out before coming back to kneel near the creature again. "I have the charcoal...exactly what do you what to do with it?" She bites her lip, looking rather confused and wondered if this was to be swallowed or put on her stomach or...gods knew what else. She couldn't help but think it was a rather good thing she hadn't been marked by Rak'keli like her mother had, since, if she had been, her lack of knowledge would be currently putting that mark to shame. Admittedly, maybe she would actually know more of what to do now and she would have been taught more of healing, but those were ifs and buts, not what was going on right now. Malla fiddles with the charcoal, coloring her palms black, as she waits for an answer.

[Uleru]

 Taking the charcoal delicately from the fidgeting Konti, Uleru's thin mouth smiles in thanks. Even when just holding it with thumb and forefinger the tips of the wood begin to swell with the moisture off her hands. This is going to be messy, she concludes, grimacing as she thinks of the black goo she'll have to lick off her own fingers for this to work.
 
Or maybe not.
 
"Can I borrow your hands?" the Otani asks sheepishly. She hands back the lump into the Konti's blackened fingers. Folding her hands over top of the woman's, she plays her fingers and instructs her hands to break off a small piece of the gritty substance and she pushes her fingers over hers to get her to make a fist and crush the brittle wood until its little more than flakes and powder.
 
As she moves the Konti's fingers in this unique way she casually brushes her thumb over the back of her hands. She can feel the joints rolling in their sockets and the core of bone working under the layers of muscle as she moves. The Otani indulges in a secret smile for her fascination.
 
Reversely, Uleru's hand would feel much softer, almost gel-like as her flesh is less resistant. And her surface is slick to the touch and very cool.
 
Once the coal is crushed down to size Uleru cups the Konti's hand, holds it above her own mouth and tips the black powder down her throat. Usually, you mix coal with water to absorb the body's poisons. But as she is almost completely made of water, Uleru considers it a moot point.
 
Once this hack job at medicine is finished she gives the Konti her hand back with a smile and a "Thank you." Her body gives another great spasm and she looks through her own torso. The yellow of egg is almost gone, most of it having been coughed up at some point. And now flecks of black float through her like she's swallowed a shadow. Wether the charcoal works or not it cant be long now before she starts feeling at least a little bit better. And thats a small comfort at least.
 
She turns back to her Konti companion. "I never did ask your name, did I. How uncivilized", she jokes. An uncivilized monster, imagine. "I'm called Uleru" she suddenly coughs and a hand flies to her chest. "Whats yours?" she wheezes.
 
 

[Malla]

Malla blinks at the Otani's question, not quite sure what she had in mind, but nods anyway. She takes the charcoal back from the woman, watching her curiously, though keeping silent herself for now. She figures that if she pays enough attention, she should be able to help take care of any possible food poisonings in the future...if there would be a need for her to. She lets the woman guide her hands into crushing up the black lump, chewing her lip as she moves her hands with the Otani's instruction. She tilts her head slightly at teh feel of the woman's hand on her own. It was...strange, that much was for certain. It certainly lacked the warm fleshy feeling hands tended to have, not that she expected it to feel like a normal hand. After all, this creature was made out of water it seemed. If her hand had felt like flesh, she probably would have been confused beyond belief. But she decided the texture was nice, not at all unpleasant. Malla moves her arms as the Otani takes her hands to tip the powder into her mouth. She carefully shakes her hands to try to help get as much of it inside of the woman as possible, hoping that might help her get better sooner or so...even if swallowing the stuff was probably far from tasty. She smiles a bit at the thanks, resting her rather dark hands on her legs, chewing her lip. Her gaze follows the woman's and her brow furrows a moment later. The Konti barely managed to keep herself from leaning closer to peer at the black flecks that were visible through her body. She smiles a bit at the Otani's words, "You were not feeling well, it only makes sense to not ask for names." She blinks a bit, looking faintly concerned as Uleru coughs and puts a hand to her chest. After a moment, she decides to not ask if she was alright, since it did make some sense that she was coughing. "I'm Malla. It's nice to meet you, Uleru." Strangely, the woman's name seemed to fall off her tongue easier though only because her own name was still something she was getting used to.