Waku/Will/Various - Kah'li did WHAT?

Willam Hicke leans against the wall, humming a small lullaby to himself. His large hands expertly work a pair of needles, but they've begun to shake in the recent hours. "Heavens above, what'd yeh lot get yerself inta...?"
Waku Motohama is breathing still, but that's about all the movement that comes from her prone form. There are no injuries on her, no concrete, obvious problems, but having most of her aether forcibly sucked out of her certainly did things to a body, and it was the only logical response for a body to shut down under that kind of strain. A needle connected to a tube was inserted into her arm, administering a constant stream of liquid so the raen didn't dehydrate in her coma. Not once had she stirred since -
Waku Motohama - being brought in yeterday eve... except until now, her fingers twitching slightly and a slight groan escaping her throat.
Willam Hicke immediately drops his knitting and moves over to Waku's side, kneeling to get a better look at her. "How yeh doin', Waku?" His voice is soft and surprisingly gentle, despite his thick accent.
Willam Hicke kneels respectfully.
Waku Motohama: ...Will...?
Waku Motohama doesn't seem to be entirely conscious yet, but she's getting there, lashes fluttering slightly.
Willam Hicke: "Aye. Don't yeh worry yer head none, yer at the ship; circumstances got me ta workin' up here now, ta keep it short."
Waku Motohama: Heard 'bout that. Sorry I didn't say...
Waku Motohama: Hi...
Waku Motohama: So busy...
Waku Motohama speaks in short bursts between laborered breaths, which she soon begins trying to moderate.
Willam Hicke: "Don't yeh apologize, Waku. Now yeh can choose not ta answer if yeh don't want, but... I have ta ask, what happened ta yeh? It's somethin' with yer aether, I got that much, but..." He trails off, choosing not to finish his thought. "Whoever brought yeh back took good care of yeh."
Waku Motohama: Aether...
Waku Motohama pauses. "Circle back to that," she talks slowly, as if having to think about each word. "Kowa: status?"
Willam Hicke sighs and looks to the ceiling, frowning. "Altani got back a bit ago; girl looked like death so I wasn't about ta ask her what happened. She took Kowa upstairs, didn't say a single damned word ta me." He pulls a small wooden token from his pocket and begins turning it over in his hand.
Waku Motohama: ...Took Kowa upstairs. Kowa - is she conscious?
Willam Hicke: "She was when the girl brought her up." He gives a sad smile. "However, fatherly duty states two things: First, I'm going ta say neither of them looked like they needed more company. Second, yeh yerself aren't well enough ta be going anywhere for a few."
Waku Motohama: Only wished to confirm that Kowa is alive and lucid enough to make her own choices. Uninterested in interfering further, particularly considering what Altani did. Kah'li. Status?
Waku Motohama: Did it work?
Willam Hicke: "Misteh Kah'li? As far as I'm aware, aye." His voice drops. "Now, I'm no expert when it comes ta aether," he holds up the token. It flickers with a small amount of lightning-aspected aether. "But he's... Well, 'well' isn't the word I'm using, aye. He's alive, though. Hell of a shape, but breathing."
Waku Motohama: Alive is better than dead. Okay. Your question. Simple answer: he did something idiotic. How idiotic, still need to investigate. Result: Aether, gone. Pulse, nonexistant.
Waku Motohama: Dead.
Waku Motohama: Circumstances made treatment difficult. People need crisis training. Plan with highest rate of success: ripping almost all my aether from me and shoving it into him.
Waku Motohama: Result: my current state. The procedure worked.
Willam Hicke looks absolutely shocked. His eyes go wide. "Waku... yeh said he died that night?" His head drops. "Tell me," his voice was grim, "what the girl did, if yeh would. I'd like ta know all the details, aye."
Waku Motohama: Yes. Sort of. Different forms of dead. Heart can stop but patient can still be resuscitated through various means. Too long in that state - dead-dead. No coming back. It's a short time window; had to act fast. Kowa and I were the fastest available to act.
Waku Motohama: Otherwise there would be lasting mental damage. May still be mental damage. But it's a chance. Mm. Details? Full set, or focused on procedure?
Willam Hicke takes a deep breath. "Details on the girl, if y'would. Misteh Kah'li overexerted himself, yeh and Miss Kowa saved his life, and... Well, fatherly intuition, but I'd bet my very soul that the girl was there, aye." He smiles. "Yeh did good, just so yeh know. Malms easier ta take a life than it is ta save one."
Waku Motohama gives a vague sort of shrug, but manages to offer him a smile. It's nothing like the usual Waku-grin, but... William has seen many shades of Waku's expression throughout the years, and this one is the bitter smile of an unpleasant victory. "Appreciate you saying so. Always been outside the job description, but... qualifications don't matter much in crisis."
Waku Motohama: ...So, context. You know what we were doing out there?
Willam Hicke: "Won't turn down any additional infahmation, just in case something like this happens again." He sighs. "However, I don't want seeing yeh a step away from the reaper ta become a regular thing, we clear?"
Waku Motohama: Very clear. These were the least desirable circumstances, and the factors leading to them /will/ be addressed. Only consented because I trusted Kowa not to kill me; otherwise, I would have enacted a plan with a lower success rate. I am not a savior. I am not a hero. I will never throw my life away thoughtlessly; there is always another option.
Waku Motohama waits for William's reaction to her promise before continuing with her explanation of the evening.
Waku Motohama: ...I owe that much to those who put their love and trust within me.
Willam Hicke: "Oi," his tone is sharp. "Drop that 'not a hero' nonsense. Yeh saved a life last night, not everyone can do that." He taps his chest, staring right at her, but letting his comment hang in the air.
Waku Motohama manages a soft chuckle. "My apologies, didn't mean to sound self-abasing. Been dealing with a lot of hero complexes, lately. Those who think they know they best for the world, indulging in their own self-flagellation as if it is pain that makes a hero, suffering that makes a hero. As if any hero can honestly say, 'I will bear the suffering of this world' with a straight face, as if a hero is an arrogant creature who views people as nothing more than tools to indulge in their own vanity. -
Waku Motohama: - The so-called heroes who rob others of their agency, their will, who carry on blindly and wallow in their own misfortune as if somehow /their/ pain is incomprehensible to the masses. Putting themselves in danger without a care, refusing to rest... always with the excuse of 'protecting others', but really, it is to assuage their own insecurities. And the ones who suffer are those around them who care.
Waku Motohama: ...my apologies.
Waku Motohama coughs a bit. "For the rant."
Markus Aerilius: "Your right you know. Albeit a bit rough." Markus piped in, Had he been there the whole time?
Willam Hicke chuckles softly. "Heard a bit more of myself in that rant than I'd like ta have, if I'm being ho-" He looks to Markus and tips his hat. "Pleasant day, Misteh Markus. Well... pleasant as can be given we've got Misteh Kah'li in the shape he's in."
Markus Aerilius: "Its because we /care/ to much, that some of it falls away."
Waku Motohama shifts enough so she can look up at the man in the doorway, though her movements are slight and she does nothing to disturb the IV imbedded in her skin. "Sir Markus. What are you wearing?"
Willam Hicke gestures to Markus. "The man put it better than I could." He seems to be paying no mind to what Markus is wearing.
Markus Aerilius: "I just returned from Kugane, Had to go to southern Kugane." he said flately. "Company business."
Rhys Sebastian: "Hmm, there are too many people in too many beds. What happened?" Rhys speaks near the infirmary after scouting the ship out.
Waku Motohama: Fair enough. Oh, Mister Rhys? Veritable party here. To backtrack, hope I didn't offend. You weren't included in that. Am mostly mad at people who won't stay in bed and keep re-injuring themselves. Also; apologies for any... eh, roughness of speech. Most of my aether got scooped out of me.
Waku Motohama: Am very tired.
Willam Hicke looks to the curtain. "Pleasant day, Misteh Rhys." Just like Markus, Rhys gets a tip of the man's ridiculous hat.
Rhys Sebastian smacks Markus' bottom. "Mr Horrorshow here, welcome back." He then peered over his shoulder carefully looking at Waku. "Oh, I'm glad I missed it. Looks like a shit time. Is that Ahhh It is Mr Rough Fingers. Good Day."
Markus Aerilius: "No need to apologize, lass. Its the thing of it though they will push themselves to protect others, to the detriment of themselves."
Waku Motohama: Eh. Was mostly not shit; became shit at the end. Will was just asking for details. I'm well enough to make a report. Actually, Mister Rhys. You may be helpful in clarifications.
Willam Hicke: "Nobody in their right head acts like or calls themselves a hero. Similar ta folks becomin' adventurehs, yeh don't do it if yeh've got yerself a good and happy life." He goes back to turning his wooden token over in his hand.
Markus Aerilius: "You need to rest, a report can wait."he said
Rhys Sebastian slinks in around the curtain avoiding Markus. Rhys smells distinctly of some extremely powerful solvent, and condensed cotton candy. A rather strange if not alarming combination. "Well, I can still check on the Mistress." He said slinking to the corner.
Waku Motohama mananges to prop herself up enough on the pillow so she's sitting up and can look at all three of them without tilting her body in odd angles. "Talking isn't too bad. It's getting easier. I can cut most of it out, though - there are two things I am immediately concerned about, and would like to provide my observations on posthaste. Namely: Kah'li, and to a smaller extent, also Altani." A pause.
Markus Aerilius hmmms and continues to listen.
Willam Hicke stares at Rhys, mouthing the word 'behave.' At the mention of Altani, he immediately turns his attention to Waku. "Pray tell me, Waku, what the *hells* did that girl do this time?"
Rhys Sebastian smiled large and wicked at Will, as if just trying to crawl under his skin. Though he wasnt much in an antagonistic mood. He looked a bit tired himself. "Well, Mistress if there is anything I can do please let me know. Otherwise I will stand here and comfort you with my exotic highly synthetic aroma."
Waku Motohama: Kowa and I were forced to perform an immediate and dangerous resuscitation of Kah'li, who accompanied a mission noted numerous times to be dangerous, without informing us of any weakness of his health, which lead to his clinical death. During this process, Altani threw a temper tantrum, refused to obey orders to help save lives, and abandoned us in the wildneress despite being one of the competent fighters on the team.
Willam Hicke buries his head in his hands, letting out a low, rumbling growl. He eventually motions for her to keep going with a shaking hand.
Rhys Sebastian the shit eating grin left his face, and a look of curiosity maybe a little bit of concern crossed his face.. "Clinical?"
Waku Motohama tilts her head. "No pulse. Complete lack of aether. Mister Rhys, the day I had you check on Kah'li after the mission... he was complaining about his aether. What was that about?"
Markus Aerilius: "Hes dying."
Waku Motohama: ...Dying /now/, or has been dying this entire time?
Rhys Sebastian had a knowing look in his eyes, and looked over the three. "The day after our last mission, he was.. speaking about something 'attached' to him. I wonder if its related?"
Rhys Sebastian muses or maybe the same day?
Markus Aerilius: "Its as if hes split between worlds he said."
Waku Motohama stares at Markus.
Rhys Sebastian stays silent as anything he could potentially say at the moment, would likely see him murdered.
Markus Aerilius: "I dont know much of the details. He promised he wouldnt die though."
Willam Hicke finally looks up, studying Markus. "... Never heard someone say that before, aye, not even when they were shakin' the reaper's hand. Misteh Markus and Misteh Rhys, aside from this 'split' business, do-" He nods. "That answer's that then, I suppose."
Waku Motohama: You mean to tell me... that Kah'li... accompanied us on a /dangerous/ mission, where it was explicitely said we would be channeling aether into E'ko's device...
Waku Motohama: ...Without warning us. His team.
Waku Motohama: That there might be a problem.
Markus Aerilius: "Sounds like Kah, Hes a complex damn stubborn man."
Waku Motohama: Therefore putting us in a critical situation, in hostile territory, with NO warning or NO FALLBACK PLAN...
Waku Motohama: For no good reason...
Rhys Sebastian looked at Waku a bit of stern in his voice. "Kahli isnt the type of fellow who shows weakness. I mean.."
Waku Motohama: AND ALMOST KILLED ME?
Rhys Sebastian laughs the truth of it comes out.
Willam Hicke takes a breath. "Waku, calm yerself." He leans over and places a hand on her shoulder.
Waku Motohama snarls. No one in this room has ever seen her so viciously, violently angry. "Complex and stubborn does not even begin to cover how he risked our lives," she hissed. "Because he couldn't get over himself enough to 'show weakness'."
Rhys Sebastian taps her tail playfully and walks off. "I have a delivery to make, don't let all the guys here harass you with their caring. Delivery Time!" He nodded toward Markus, and slinked off.
Waku Motohama has probably only not forced herself out of the bed to go on a rampage purely because of Will's hand on her shoulder.
Willam Hicke: "Misteh Rhys!" He snaps. "What'd I jus' fuckin' mouth t'yeh, boy?"
Markus Aerilius: "You have every right to be mad, I would be."
Rhys Sebastian shakes his head. "Hey Grumps, keep it in your pants will you? Waku is hurt, but she aint weak. Stop babying her."
Willam Hicke takes a long, deep breath and begins slowly counting. When he finishes, he speaks in an even tone. "Misteh Markus, I would like ta personalleh thank yeh for standin' between me and the onleh exit." It's becoming a bit apparent where Altani gets her temper from, although it seems Will is far better at clamping down on it.
Waku Motohama takes deep, shuddering breaths, her fists clenched into tight fists. "I cannot work," she says slowly. "If I cannot trust the teammates I am with to be blatantly suicidal. If they cannot care for themselves, they cannot care for their allies."
Rhys Sebastian smiles Waku is on the midst of a discovery! He swept to the other pillar to keep listening.
Waku Motohama: Kah'li did not just hurt himself. He has potentially hurt many, many members of this company. Neither Kowa and I are now in any state to function due to his /antics/.
Markus Aerilius: "Oh sorry," He shifted over to the side. "Ill deal with it."
Waku Motohama: If an emergency happens, we cannot function. Even if no one died /yesterday/, that could lead to someone dying today. He needs to understand the full severity of what he has done.
Willam Hicke: "No sorreh required, Misteh Markus. It was genuine."
Rhys Sebastian shakes his head and stifles a laugh. "I wonder if you were greater at detecting if you could notice these things about people? Sometimes people don't know themselves, or their limits!"
Willam Hicke wordlessly offers Waku his other hand.
E'ko Lalia plops down on the floor in front of Enne, slightly unsteady. "Got th' lass back...how'rre th' bed bodies?"
Waku Motohama bares her teeth. "I knew he was stupid, but this transcends stupidity into outright -- " Deep breath. She notices the hand, clasps it with a death grip (which, for a man like William, isn't really that much,) and calms her tone. "And that is not even touching about Altani. If we had been attacked by a creature at that moment, it is likely some of our party would be injured or dead. And she left because she was too /emotional/ to control herself."
Waku Motohama: She overtly refused to bring me supplies I requested.
Waku Motohama: Gil is the one who helped us get back.
F'ennelise Tkhar 's ears twitched, shooting a quick glance to the Ward, "'s..." she paused, "Noisy."
Waku Motohama: That man deserves a raise. He is very competent, and reacts very well under pressure.
Rhys Sebastian tries hard not to obnoxiously laugh. "Now you know the secret Waku! Keep thinking about it! Your getting warmer!"
Rhys Sebastian slinks off outside of the Airship, quiet steps padding
Willam Hicke growls under her breath. "Rhalgr steady me, I am burehin' that man in the snow in about twelve ticks if he says anotheh word."
Waku Motohama takes another deep breath. "E'ko also deserves commendations for assisting and keeping her cool. As does Miss F'enne."
Markus Aerilius nods continuing to listen
Markus Aerilius nods continuing to listen.
E'ko Lalia pats Enne's knee, getting back up from her spot with none of her usual flourish. "Goin' t'check on 'em, will be herre mo chrrridhe."
Waku Motohama lets out a shuddering breath through her teeth. "I should have intervened. Cautioned E'ko against his presence. I knew something was off, just not how /bad/ it was, I --"
E'ko Lalia nods as she walks in.
Waku Motohama stops, looks at E'ko. One hand is clenched in William's, the other is balled up on the bed, and she seems to be trying to keep herself from thinking Very Angry Thoughts.
E'ko Lalia: "Cautioned 'gainst what?"
Willam Hicke looks to the newcomer, offering her a polite nod as both of his hands are currently steadying Waku. "Pleasant day, don't believe we've met, but I'm willing ta put the formalities aside fer now."
Waku Motohama: ...Kah'li's attendance. My apologies, E'ko. Sir Markus just told me that apparently his aether is fantastically amiss and that he is /dying/, yet still decided to come with us.
Waku Motohama: I am unhappy about this, to put it mildly.
Willam Hicke clicks his tongue, looking between E'ko and Waku. "I would like ta apologize on behalf of the girl." He pauses. "Altani, that is. Yeh can rest assured, I'll be speakin' with her. This *is not* happening again."
E'ko Lalia: "E'ko. Am guessin' y'arre Will, less self's eyesight's worrse'n thought..." She sighed at no one in particular. "Altana's grrace, kenned sommat werre wrrrong wit' th' boy but nae tha' bad." She moved to take a seat on the bed. "An' y'have everry rright t'be, Waku."
Waku Motohama seems to be finally settling into less... outright yelling, and more disgruntled dragon fuming. E'ko's presence seems to help settle her, and she looks over at her. "I appreciate that, I do. I'm glad to know that I'm not /insane/ at thinking that some of yesterday's behavior was ridiculous. As for Altani..." She glances at Will.
E'ko Lalia: "Look Will, whateverr's 'tween yourrownself an' y'daughterr, am thinkin' tha' tha' may nae be th' best idea rright now. Dja have some differrent plan forr how t'handle it this time? Orr arre y'goin' t'trry an' do whateverr is y'have always done?"
Waku Motohama: She has been engaging in destructive, self-harming behavior, both literally and emotionally. It... cannot continue.
Waku Motohama: That kind of poor response to crisis is lethal.
E'ko Lalia pats Waku's shoulder. "T'be fairr...most of yesterrday werre all 'rrround rridiculous, but y'have th' rright of it."
Waku Motohama: You warned us it would be dangerous. I calculated that danger and attended, both from my own knowledge of the situation and my trust in you, that it would be worth it. You did not disappoint me, E'ko. I do not think I made the wrong choice in coming to help you.
Willam Hicke gives a small smile. "Not busted in the head enough ta think that doing the same thing over and over again will get different results, Miss E'ko. I don't have a plan just yet, but I'll think of something." He turns to Waku, frowning. "Behavior she picked up from me, from the sounds of it. Yeh remember how I used ta be, don't yeh? Imagine *living* in the same damned place as that soddin' mess."
E'ko Lalia relaxes, just a little. "An' will trry t'make surre tha' all bodies' choices bearr frruit forr us. Next bit should, at least, be a little morrre norrmal t'deal wit'...no channelin' obscene quantities of aetherr int' sommat what's basic-like a overrr-engineerred tunin' forrk."
Waku Motohama leans her head against E'ko's arm. "I believe in you. Your ideas are interesting and they've already been useful when put into practice so far."
Waku Motohama: Besides. You have a good head on your shoulders. Don't think I could have gotten through the past two weeks without you, you know. You're ultimately where a lot of our ideas about how to deal with... this Saeva nonsense originated from.
E'ko Lalia chuckles a bit. "Trruth told 's th' firrst time have actual been worrkin' in self's rreal field forr a while noo...but eh, 'nough of tha'. How'rre y'feelin'?"
Waku Motohama: Exhuasted. Stressed. Not in pain, luckily, and thanking pretty much everything under the sun that some of our ideas /have/ been working, because I don't even what to think about being asleep for - what day is it, even? - that long would have been like if I'd been... trapped there.
E'ko Lalia shudders. "Yeah, tha' wouldnae been...well...isnae grrand. Jus' th' next day though, y'havenae been oot forr tha' long."
Waku Motohama nods, cheek rubbing against her. "I'm glad. I'd been a bit worried, having heard Kowa was already conscious, but... well. She probably has more aether to work with than me."
Waku Motohama: ...Or...
Waku Motohama pauses, thinking.
E'ko Lalia: "...orrr?"
Waku Motohama: ...Mm. It's not my place to vocalize any of my theories about Kowa's whole... Well. Everyone in the room has seen blood coming out from her from /some/ place it ought not to be.
Waku Motohama: Feels rude.
E'ko Lalia: ((One moment, I need to recover from that. XD)
Markus Aerilius: "Blood out of her face moment?" Markus asked shocked.
Waku Motohama: ...Yeah, it was, uh, going to be in my report. Just a little bit of crying blood? Like, enough that I am massively concerned, but that's more of a personal, "Hey, I like you and this is distressing!" concern than a professional "I am afraid you might turn into a voidsent and/or dragon and eat me" kind of concern.
Markus Aerilius: "I will have to report this to Xil you know." he said.
E'ko Lalia scoffs quietly. "...if he didnae pick sommat up alrready 'e shouldnae be a doctorrr..."
Waku Motohama: Doctor-patient confidentiality counts here, right? Like... I don't want everyone and their grandson in the manor to know about... Kowa's condition.
Waku Motohama: ...She's... its clear, she's trying to be responsible about it as she can, and whatever it is, it's something... painful. Given her general discretion and character, I think she deserves that privacy.
Markus Aerilius nods in agreement
Waku Motohama: ...How're you doing, E'ko? Sir Markus?
Markus Aerilius: "I am well. Been a busy day." he ssaid.
E'ko Lalia: "Fine aside frrrom self's arrse havin' rode a chocobo forr fourr hourrs catchin' up t'Tani, but y'ken how tha' is."
Waku Motohama: --You caught up to Altani? How is she? Is she okay?
Waku Motohama may be pissed off at the punch lizard, but she still also Cares.
E'ko Lalia: "Th' gel's fine, jus' didnae ken distances...orr terrrain featurres...orr temperraturres..."
Waku Motohama laughs to herself slightly. "I'm glad she's... well, okay. Ish. Did you two get a chance to talk? I won't press, but..."
Waku Motohama: I am worried. About the self-harm thing. She keeps injuring her hands. ..People rely on that to cope with emotions.
E'ko Lalia: "Did get t'talk, th' gel figurrred oot she'd made a mistake 'bout halfway int'th' night an' camped up at some rruined place. Am goin' t'trry t'teach herrownself th' crraft tha' self does. Forrces y't'have a thought maintained overr time t'get anywherre...might help wit' th' emotional bits."
Waku Motohama nods to herself. "I think... that's a good idea. Altani is a strong, brave, good person. Once she learns how to think properly - to focus under pressure, to keep her composure, to actually help those she wants to - she'll shine."
Waku Motohama: She just... needs to grow up some.
Markus Aerilius smiled at his squire.
Waku Motohama: She's young. ...And it's hard, confronting how ultimately powerless we all are and not giving in to it.
E'ko Lalia hums a little. "Eh...think might be a prroblem of scope. Powerrless on cerrrtain stages, surre. Nae powerrless t'make a body feel betterr 'bout thin's though...can get lots done thrrough tha'."
Waku Motohama laughs slightly. "Well - I suppose what I mean is... we all have power, we all have things we can do. Part of growing is learning how to always be thinking - at least in my sense of it - outside the box, reaching for a solution as close to perfect as possible. But none of us are perfect. No matter how hard any of us try... we will fail. Patients will die. People around us will be hurt, and bad things happen."
Waku Motohama: Accepting that, and learning that it... is okay, is what I mean by accepting powerlessness.
E'ko Lalia: "Ah, see what y'arre sayin'. Yeah...is a lesson th' gel needs t'learrn, an' think might help in actual t'do th' opposite...brroaden herr horrizons a bit so she feels least a little bit less powerrless, if tha' makes sense."
Waku Motohama: Mm, yeah, I can see that. Get her to see what she can do, in a way? So it's not like, "this one thing has gone wrong, everything is a mess and I'm a failure."
E'ko Lalia couldn't resist the newly-innate instinct to ruffle Waku's hair. "Tha' exact-like. Let th' gel have morre comforrt in what she can do...an' might be th' rrest will follow. But, speakin' of folks what could use a lesson, am thinkin' tha' should check on Kowa. Dja need t'stay herre a spell, orr dja wanttae come wit'?"
Waku Motohama has very, very fluffy hair. It is very ruffle-able, and she seems to appreciate the action given the way she smiles at E'ko. "Checking on her would be a good idea. I have some things I'd like to ask her, but I think for now I should rest. The procedure yesterday took quite a toll on me, and... ignoring it would be bad, I think."
Waku Motohama: But please, send her my regards, my appreciation, and my care.
Waku Motohama: Let her know that I'm okay.
E'ko Lalia gets up from the bed, patting it a few times for good measure. "Surre will, nae worries on tha'. Rrrest easy, eh?"
Waku Motohama: Roger that!
Waku Motohama gives E'ko a small salute.