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Who: Azura + you
When: late Noveuer
Where: the Outer City, the river, & around
What: questing and some magic practice
Warnings: possibly some discussion of nsfw things but nothing explicit

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[ So...this is one of the few times Azura's actually ventured out into the Wilde. Not unwillingly, she just usually stays content taking work in the Inner City, doing shopkeeping work and testing items. But she's doing something a little more dangerous this month, as dangerous as going to the Outer City might be. For the first time in a while, she pulls her lance out of its spot by her bed and takes it with her.

You can catch her as she's departing, lance in hand, out in the Outer City on the medical team, sorting out medicine. ]

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[ Or maybe you're not venturing out there. Azura can be found practicing her magic by the river. Specifically, she's trying out her barriers and ice magic. ]

Pardon. If you have a free moment, would you mind tossing those at me? I'm trying to test the strength of the barriers I can make.

[ She gestures to a little bucket full of tennis balls. THROW THEM AT HER LET'S DO THIS.

The ice magic is a little. Uh. Well, she's using it on the bottom of her feet, and then running across the river. It works, because ice forms on the surface of the river and supports her, preventing her from crashing into the wintery water. She looks pretty tired after that, though. She's probably gonna have to work on this one, more. ]

wildcard
(( hit me with anything! ))

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I SEE YOU'RE A PART OF THE MEDICAL TEAM, IF THE ELIXIRS AND BANDAGES STREWN OUT BEFORE YOU ARE ANY INDICATION. SO YOU PRESCRIBE THE MEDICAL TREATMENT. THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE HERE FOR, YES?

[A question only a robot would ask... Or maybe just Mettaton.

Mettaton approaches suddenly, enfolded in an ornate cloak embellished in feathers raven and burgundy with its hood drawn over the top of his body. Its trailing cape is pinned up so as not to drag on the ground after a sentient wheeling rectangle, reducing its elegance, but the hood alone is satisfactory to him. {And its purpose, transparent: one can easily make out something lumpier than the corners of a rectangle under there.)

Before she can clarify her position any further, Mettaton claps his hands together.]

FABULOUS!! THEN. LET'S GET DOWN TO BUSINESS, SHALL WE...? [Mettaton leans toward Azura, hands on his "hips."] WON'T YOU HELP ME WITH SOMETHING, DARLING? IT'S DIRE.

[ She thought she'd seen it all by now, but no. She has so many questions. Why a box on wheels? Why is it talking? Why does it have a cape? Why does it want to talk to her about medicine?

His tone seems to imply shenanigans are about to happen, so Azura sighs and braces herself. Don't stare. Just be polite. ]

That will depend on what it is you need help with. Define "dire," in this present situation.

[Once again satisfied that she'll accept his proposal (that's what "depends on" means, sure), Mettaton raises a finger and tilts his body away from her, as though gazing off into the middle distance.]

DIRE. OOH, OF COURSE. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE CITIZENS OF THE OUTER CITY, I'M AFRAID. [So... already outside of quest scope.] I'M SURE YOU'VE DEALT WITH MORE HARROWING CASES THAN WHAT I'M ABOUT TO PRESENT TO YOU. DISCOLORATION, COMPULSION... DISFIGURATION. WHICH IS PRECISELY WHY I THOUGHT THE MEDICAL TEAM OUT HERE WOULD BE MOST SUITED TO ASSIST! IT'S NO NORMAL CASE OF THE CWYLD... AND PERHAPS LACKS ANY RELATION TO IT WHATSOEVER!

[He turns back toward Azura suddenly, pressing his hand against the flat surface of his front.]

I CONSIDER MYSELF AMONG THE HEALTHIEST, AND FORTUNATE FOR IT. GIVEN THAT I'M LACKING IN A RESPIRATORY SYSTEM, LENDING MY TALENTS OUT HERE IS NEVER A RISK FOR ME! HOWEVER. IT SEEMS I HAVE FOUND MYSELF AS THE ONE IN NEED OF MEDICAL ATTENTION. [He wheels closer to her.] A PATIENT. YOUR PATIENT. YES, THIS IS DIRE.

[ why this. What did she do to earn being hassled by a talking box. Is this her payment for not volunteering to go into the Outer City sooner? ]

If it has nothing to do with the Cwyld, I likely won't be able to assist, as I know virtually nothing about machinery.

[Mettaton's glowing screen goes red as he raises a finger in objection once more.]

AU CONTRAIRE! IF MACHINERY IS YOUR ONLY LIMITATION, THEN I'M PLEASE TO INFORM YOU THAT YOU NEED ABSOLUTELY ZERO KNOWLEDGE OF IT!

[At that, he gives her a pixelated heart on his screen.]

IN FACT, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO ASSIST ONLY WITH ORGANIC MATTERS... YOUR AREA OF EXPERTISE FAR EXCEEDS MY OWN! I UNDERSTAND THINGS LIKE BLOOD AND AILMENT ONLY IN THEORY. [He waves a hand.] TRUST ME. YOU'LL DO JUST FINE, DARLING. DON'T DOUBT YOURSELF!

Then what do you need help with?

[ OH MY GOD GET ON WITH IT

the sooner these shenanigans can end and she can go back to her work the better ]

I KNEW YOU WOULD COME AROUND!

[He has to be as DRAMATIC about it as possible, to build the TENSION

Speaking of dramatics, Mettaton's screen dims completely as he weaves his fingers together soberly. After a scan of the area with a pronounced rotation of his body, he wheels closer yet to Azura, perhaps with uncomfortable proximity. He fidgets with the hood of his cloak.]

WELL. THEN. THE TROUBLE IS THAT I AM A MONSTER. AS A MONSTER, I HAVE BEEN UNDERGOING CHANGES... THOUGH THEY'VE AFFECTED ONLY MY OTHER, MORE COMPLEX BODY UP UNTIL NOW. IT APPEARS I CAN'T ESCAPE THESE ANATOMICAL DEVELOPMENTS AFTER ALL. UNDER THIS HOOD OF MINE ARE EARS, THOUGH THEY ARE IN A CONDITION I CAN ONLY DESCRIBE AS... "HIDEOUS."

[ ..................................... ]

And what do you want me to do about it? I doubt I can make your ears vanish, or make them look less "hideous." Monster transformations can't truly be reversed.

HAHA! VANISH? IF I WERE LOOKING FOR A MIRACLE, I WOULDN'T BE LOOKING FOR IT IN YOUR MEDICINE, DARLING.

[which is entirely to say that he's vain enough to have looked into undoing the transformation already......

In one quick motion, Mettaton pushes back the hood, his screen an angry red. His puca ears flop over lifelessly, evidently unable to stand upright the way they should. Scabbing and blisters blend in with the dark fur where puca ears meet silvery metal, and Mettaton jabs a finger toward it exaggeratedly.]

IT WOULD BE INSULT TO DESCRIBE RABBIT EARS AS "HIDEOUS" WHEN I HAVE THESE, WOULDN'T YOU SAY? AND, AS I'VE COME TO UNDERSTAND, IT'S QUITE PAINFUL!

[ That is so gross.

Her blank, exasperated expression slides off her face into something that's a mixture of concern and nausea.

She's used to bloody wounds and cuts and all manner of battlefield gore, but oh no. This is new. How are flesh and blood ears sprouting out of metal? And why are they scabby? And blistering? ]

[ and then she takes a deep breath, and closes her eyes. ]

Please, please, please tell me you haven't been picking at them, and that's why they look like that.

[ because if she has to give a talking box the spiel about Not Touching Your Wounds she may pass him along to someone else with more patience

(joke's on her, she's the only one in the immediate vicinity right now) ]

[Mettaton has decided to make this entirely Azura's problem, precisely because nobody else is here for her to foist the burden upon. He crosses his arms at her reaction.]

SUCH ACCUSATIONS! AND MAKE MYSELF LOOK THIS WAY, DELIBERATELY?? I HAVE AN IMPECCABLE IMAGE TO MAINTAIN, AS A BELOVED IDOL. ... OKAY. I HAVE, A LITTLE. I ADMIT. BUT! NOT BEFORE THEY WERE ALREADY IN HORRID CONDITION. YOU WOULD DO THE SAME IF YOU SPROUTED EARS, SENSATION, AND PAIN IN ONE LOCALIZED AREA OF YOUR BODY, WOULDN'T YOU??

[Mettaton uncrosses his arms and taps at the top of his body gingerly.]

AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THIS IS SOMEHOW NORMAL. FOR MONSTERS... OR PERHAPS JUST PUCA. HOWEVER. DON'T QUOTE ME ON THAT.

[ A CONFESSION no, okay, at least he admits it. Azura fights hard not to roll her eyes because ye gods this is the most dramatic person(???) she's ever met, short of maybe Odin. ]

I did sprout puca ears last month, actually. During that horrid mist. And while I did touch them, it wasn't to the point of such glaring irritation. Hmm...

[ she takes a step forward and studies the ears. blisters, what could cause blisters...? some kind of allergic reaction? ]

It's normal for some of the mirrorbound to sprout ears, yes. But not like this.

AH... SO IT'S NOT. [Mettaton tries touching his ear and finds himself recoiling with the contact. He daintily rubs his gloved hands together.] WELL, THAT DISQUALIFIES MY HYPOTHESIS. IT'S FORTUNATE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE SOME FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE... AS THE VERY MONSTER I'M BECOMING, THEN.

[It concerns him that she didn't start blistering up like him: he'd thought that at least some Monsters would have this happen to them. His screen flickers an array of colors while he tries to come up with some reasonable cause for his condition, thinking back on the hushed whispers of passersby: all to the effect of being the odd metal Mirrorbound, sorry sight.

He resents the very thought. His display settles red.]

HOW WAS IT? BEING A PUCA. DID YOU TRANSFORM ALL OF THE WAY?

It was...not at all what I expected.

[ that's all she's going to say about her experience, because uh, things got nsfw really quickly. not sharing with a stranger, thanks. ]

And no. Just ears and a tail. And some fur. My ears were quite sensitive, but not painful. [ studying the ears for a few moments longer ]

Do you mind if I take a closer look? I might be able to give you something for surface pain, but I'd like to make sure your wounds aren't from an open cut, or anything like that.

[To accommodate her request, Mettaton's single wheel retracts into his body and he sets himself on the ground, shrugging grandly with his arms.]

BE MY GUEST! I'M ALMOST RELIEVED TO HAVE SOMEONE WANT TO LOOK CLOSER INSTEAD OF AVERT THEIR GAZES.

[He tries to imagine Azura with similar ears and fur, complete with the tail of what he assumes should look like a bunny's. Sans the blistering.]

IN CONTRAST TO MY STATE, THAT DOESN'T SOUND SO BAD. CUTE, IN FACT! IF YOU'RE NOT TOO UPSET ABOUT LOSING YOUR HUMAN FEATURES, THAT IS. [He would be. Is. A human must feel the same, he thinks.] YES. THOUGH I'M SURE YOU DISCOVERED IT WASN'T SO BAD AFTER ALL... TURNING INTO A MONSTER MUST HAVE BEEN DISTRESSING FOR A HUMAN LIKE YOURSELF. EVEN AS A MONSTER MYSELF, TURNING INTO A DIFFERENT MONSTER IS STILL AN ORDEAL.

I'm quite content looking like a human, yes.

[ she puts on a pair of gloves and strides over. still talking....still talking...you know what, if he wants to talk and doesn't expect her to respond in as many words, that's fine. she'll just start examining the ears. ]

I'll be as delicate as I can, but this may sting a bit. Please bear with me.

[ Yeah, so, she's going to take a closer look. Give her the gross details, do it. ]

AND I'LL BE AS TOLERANT AS I CAN, DARLING. I'M STILL NOT ACCUSTOMED TO SENSATION, MUCH LESS STINGING.

[The tips of his ears are furry and don't look so bad. It's as the tissue gets closer to his metal body that it starts to deteriorate, the fur patchier and patchier and the skin discolored, irritated, and blistering. There is no blood, but without a heart, how could there be? In its place is a film of some kind of clearish fluid slicking down the fur, especially near the sores. Parts of the tissue look chewed away, and the surrounding metal takes on a tinge of rust.]

[ She is simultaneously grossed out and also very fascinated. Is this how Elise feels? Sakura she can see grinning and bearing it but Elise...no, she might be the type to go "oh gods, gross" and want to look at it more before healing it. ]

Not accustomed to it?

[ hmmmm. Azura picks up an ear and studies the blister. Regular irritation, or some kind of allergic reaction...? Maybe both. ]

[His ears are floppy and pliable, as if he were becoming a lop of some kind. The cartilage is pathetically formed. At least Mettaton seems to feel this, for his screen blinks yellow and red at the contact.]

YES. I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU THINK I POSSESS THE ABILITY TO FEEL. IN THIS BODY, I CAN'T FEEL AT ALL. MY OTHER ONE... WELL, IT'S STILL NOTHING LIKE THIS.

[Considering it a bit of both would be accurate, considering the nature of his condition. His Monster features are in a constant state of being poisoned by his own body.]

[ Fordola looks to the balls.

Then back to the woman.

And without a word, she began to toss at the other. Focused. Trying to be unpredictable. ]

[ Some, uh, might find this exchange concerning, but Azura is a lady of few words, so she accepts the silence and starts tossing up barriers as the balls get close to her. Her barriers are pretty sturdy, so they manage to block most of the projectiles being lobbed at her, making them harmlessly bounce to the ground.

One of them fizzles out, though, and the tennis ball whizzing by her clips her in the ear. Ow. ]

--ah, hold for a moment, please.

[ Fordola does pause for a moment. Then slumps a little, her wings fluffing up a little. ]

Sure, sure. Your, uh... practice goin' well?

[ rubbing at her ear a little ]

Fairly. I haven't gotten to test them out in a practical sense, yet, so this is telling me where I need to improve.

Right. Theory is one thing, but nothing beats practice...

...hah. there I go speakin' like a Commander again. I'm not one of you witches, so I don't know much about how this magic works.

No, that's correct. It takes practice, like anything else.

...did your home have magic? Gotta ask - now 'm curious.

[ a nod ]

Although it's been a great many years since I've studied it, so I'm no better than any other beginner.

[ a little nod of her own, a little smile. ]

That's the good thing, though. Being able to learn from scratch, and grow even better at it.

This world's system...it's very different, though.

[ picking up a stray tennis ball and tossing it in the air ]

There's much more organization and actual schooling than what I'm used to. Mages are much more self-governed in my home world.

[Edelgard pauses at the request, but then walks over, reaching towards the bucket without hesitation. It's harmless and she wasn't doing anything important, so...why not help?]

Certainly. Let me know when you are ready.

[Hefting a ball, she looks at it, then at Azura. May as well catch up.]

You've been well, I hope?

[ She definitely looks well! Like she's actually been getting some sleep, compared to the last time they saw each other. ]

Yes, I've been feeling much better, lately.

[ the wonders a bond can do ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ]

Yourself?

[ the test can wait a moment ]

That's good.

[She's pleased by this, and by Azura's apparent improvement.

It's nice to see people's health getting better.]

I'm as well as can be expected. My changes have been limited thusfar, and my bonds have curbed any impulses.

[It does occur to her...]

Corrin and I bonded, about a month ago, in fact. I do not know if she told you. But I feel truly blessed.

Ah--!

[ her eyes widen. wait, what? ]

That was you? [ .... ] She told me that she'd found someone to bond with, but we didn't discuss details...I should have asked her, really.

That is correct. She and I met in the dream before arriving and she's been very companionable since.

[She sounds really pleased, honestly.]

She even helped Caspar and I locate the source of the mists in the district. The...thing you and I spoke on before.

I do remember you mentioning that. But, ah, it didn't seem pertinent at the time.

[ edelgard was kind of a mess at the time ]

She's mentioned our relationship, I take it?

[ for any interpretation of the word 'relationship' in this case ]

That you were from the same world, yes. And that you were allies and good friends.

[She tilts her head to the side, curious at the wording.]

Are you romantically involved?

She--

[ ah. Her cheeks go red and she stammers for a moment, looking like she wasn't expecting that question. Okay. Yeah. Bad choice of words, she probably just should have said "our history." ]

...er, yes. It's, ah, a bit of an unconventional relationship, but yes.

[ azura it's fine you're in the company of another disaster bi who gets real gay with the f protag, calm down ]

I see.

[Edelgard's tone is wry, but not amused or judgmental. She simply accepts it as fact, with a smile and a nod.

Unconventional...that certainly was a word for so many arrangements here, wasn't it? Her own with Corrin, her own with Hubert, and with others. Strange...]

You have known one another a long time, then?

No, actually. Only about a year.

[ give or take a few months. what are time scales in Fates

But...okay, that was a pretty lowkey reaction from El. Azura lets out a breath as she spins one of the tennis balls in her hands
]

But our lives have been intertwined since we were children. It is...a very long story.

It sounds it. I'd like to hear some of it, sometime.

[She wants to know Corrin more intimately, frankly. To know everything about her, though she does not want to pry too deeply, either.]

She has been...exceedingly helpful, if I'm being honest. Is she always so earnest?

As long as she doesn't mind.

[ that gets a light chuckle out of Azura ]

Oh, yes. She's one of the most noble-hearted people I have the pleasure of knowing.

She's certainly that. I've met few as genuine as her, too.

[She's really all compliments for her bonded partner, okay?]

You're getting along, then, I take it?

[ that makes her very very happy to hear ]

We wouldn't have bonded if we didn't I think.

[Realistically, would it have even worked?]

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