Donny Novitski

Suddenly a man who had lost his nose to a shelling could have it back, or at least a close approximation, and not have to field the stares, intentional or otherwise, he would recieve. A woman with burn scars from the chemical attacks could have her arms unblemished, or at least less obviously so, and not feel the scared looks of her children on her as she went about her day. People had whole halves of their face reconstructed!! And it was all in the name of healing. As they had the scars removed and returned to normalcy, they could see themselves not as people changed and forever harmed by the trauma which touched them, but instead as the them they knew, who had overcome it. Obviously it's not a complete solution, and it is informed by peoples reactions to those who are different, but it was intended to help.

But now? Tiktok nurses who tell you that you need lip fillers at 21. "Doctors" who want you to drink from a special straw and never smile so you don't get wrinkles. Nose jobs to remove most of your nose and ruin your nasal passages so you can look on trend. BBLs to make you an hourglass so men will think you're worthwhile. All for profit and almost all targeted at women with beauty standards built demean them for the sake of making them desperate enough to come to you so men will give them the time of day.

Harold Gillies is considered the father of modern plastic surgery- he put together an amazing team of surgeons, dentists and other medical professionals from around the world because of the dramatic increase in facial injuries caused by WW1.

He did this off his own back- the amazing book The Facemaker by Dr Lindsey Fitzharris is a great resource about this- because he saw the injuries and the lack of care. Men who survived the horrific facial trauma caused by bullets or shrapnel would be left for dead in many cases; some would be rescued only to suffocate when lain on a stretcher. Some would survive- only to be shunned and isolated when they got home. Some had prosthetics made- but these were often made of metal, and were uncomfortable and hot.

Five members of Les Gueules Cassées were present at the signing of The Treaty of Versailles. The name for the organisation translates to The Broken Faces. They attended as a reminder of the price of war.

Plastic Surgery was created to help. To save. To give hope and provide some semblance of normalcy. Not to create deeper neurosis for people who are perfectly fine.

Oh, and Doctor Gillies? Performed the first known FTM Phalloplasty in 1945, and is quoted as saying;

"If it gives real happiness, that is the most that any surgeon or medicine can give.”

“If there’s something fantastical about me I’ve yet to find it.” She was normal, nothing more and nothing less. And why did he have the idea that she was summoned? Who would even summon her to this place?

Julia was very thankful for the hot meal, she felt like they’d been in that forest for an eternity. Not to mention falling off a cliff, that had certainly not been a fond moment of the day. In fact none of this day made much sense, but she’d decided to roll with it. She had the feeling that things were only going to get stranger.

“I can live with that if you can. It is your arm after all.” He was the one who would have to deal with it most.

A wry smile crept up his face. “You’ve been remarkable at not mentioning the arm,” he said, leading her towards the edge of town. “For someone who’s never seen one splinter before. At least, not in this way. Do arms shatter like this where you’re from?”

Summoned? Everything this man said seemed like a lot of nonsense to Julia. “No one special.” Not that she knew of at least. She was just a person, like everyone else. Well, maybe she wasn’t just like everyone else in this place. There were people here who practiced magical spells and people whose limbs turned to wood. Those weren’t run of the mill occurrences where she came from.

He shook his head. “No one summons an outsider to our realm if they’re “no one special,” he said. “There’s more to you. There has to be.”

They arrived in town. Donny scrounged up the cash for a hot meal for two, which felt wonderful after a day of hiking and danger. But it was all the cash he had--none left for a craftsman to sand down his arm’s jagged edges.

Lina had arrived at the restaurant about twenty minutes before the time she and Donny had agreed to. The eatery was familiar enough, it’s where she’d had her first job. A family business in a sense, one that just so happened to coincide with the other Novitski family business. But the restaurant never did quite tear their family apart like their other activities did.

She was trying to collect her thoughts, to try to put together a cohesive and thorough argument. She knew she only had one shot at this, one shot to try and convince Donny to get out. He’d taken over for his father and she knew he was getting in too deep. She got out and she was doing everything in her power to bring him out of it too, even though Donny has never hated the business quite like Lina does.

But Jacob could use this to his advantage, he already knew what he was going to do but he could trick Donny into trusting him. He was going to be behind bars by the end of the night, but Jacob should let that be a surprise. “Fine. You can try. But if your plan doesn’t work I’m sending my forces out to find the perpetrator and apprehend him. But not tonight, Lina won’t be happy if you’re not here when she wakes up.” He knew that Lina would want to see him when she wakes up. He knew she’d still want to try and get Donny out of the business. And Jacob needs to keep him here for as long as possible, to make all of this easier.

Jacob had to admit that the offer was tempting, but he would rather have his police force handle this. Donny was the exact reason all of this was happening, he didn’t want him to be able to hurt anyone again. He was the reason Lina was in that hospital bed.

But Jacob could use this to his advantage, he already knew what he was going to do but he could trick Donny into trusting him. He was going to be behind bars by the end of the night, but Jacob should let that be a surprise. “Fine. You can try. But if your plan doesn’t work I’m sending my forces out to find the perpetrator and apprehend him. But not tonight, Lina won’t be happy if you’re not here when she wakes up.” He knew that Lina would want to see him when she wakes up. He knew she’d still want to try and get Donny out of the business. And Jacob needs to keep him here for as long as possible, to make all of this easier.

@betterthansinatra

“Of course, of course,” said Donny, eyes narrowing. “I wouldn’t dream of leaving her side tonight.” The mayor acquiesced to that far too easily for the righteous bastard he’d fought with time and time again.

“I can’t say that we do.” Madam Mouserinks? She’d never heard of her. Julia had always believed that magic was a mystic and fictional property. Magic wasn’t real. But apparently it was real enough, how else would this man have limbs that resembled a tree? “Why is she the only person who can still use magic?” What did everyone else to do that would allow her to be the only person with permission to use magical properties?

He nodded up towards the cliff. “Because anyone else who does finds themselves swallowed up by a horde of her soldiers. They found us quickly in those woods--only half a day’s time.”

Maybe Julia’s arrival here wasn’t so accidental or coincidental. Would Mouserinks have sent for her, somehow? Or...

“Maybe someone summoned you here, and Mouserinks detected you somehow. But why you?”

Before Julia knew it they were falling through the air. She was gripping onto his jacket and her eyes were squeezed shut. She couldn’t watch as they fell further and further from the cliff, she didn’t want to see what was happening as they fell closer and closer to the bottom.

When they landed she heard a sickening crack and she opened her eyes slightly, seeing what seemed to be his arm on the ground near them. But it was made of wood. What exactly had she gotten herself into? Who was he and where exactly was she? She did as she was told and stayed perfectly still, hoping to sell the illusion that the mice had completed their mission.

He waited until he was sure the mice had gone away, and then a little longer. Only then did he extricate himself from Julia, sitting back on his haunches to check up on her. “Are you hurt badly?” he asked. “I tried to protect you from the worst of it.”

They walked along the path towards town, aching and limping and eager to lick their wounds. “I don’t know what world you’re from,” he said, “but I wager you don’t have a Madam Mouserinks in it. She’s the one who sent her troops after us. She has to be.”

Before Julia knew it they were falling through the air. She was gripping onto his jacket and her eyes were squeezed shut. She couldn’t watch as they fell further and further from the cliff, she didn’t want to see what was happening as they fell closer and closer to the bottom.

When they landed she heard a sickening crack and she opened her eyes slightly, seeing what seemed to be his arm on the ground near them. But it was made of wood. What exactly had she gotten herself into? Who was he and where exactly was she? She did as she was told and stayed perfectly still, hoping to sell the illusion that the mice had completed their mission.

He waited until he was sure the mice had gone away, and then a little longer. Only then did he extricate himself from Julia, sitting back on his haunches to check up on her. “Are you hurt badly?” he asked. “I tried to protect you from the worst of it.”

Lina had arrived at the restaurant about twenty minutes before the time she and Donny had agreed to. The eatery was familiar enough, it’s where she’d had her first job. A family business in a sense, one that just so happened to coincide with the other Novitski family business. But the restaurant never did quite tear their family apart like their other activities did.

She was trying to collect her thoughts, to try to put together a cohesive and thorough argument. She knew she only had one shot at this, one shot to try and convince Donny to get out. He’d taken over for his father and she knew he was getting in too deep. She got out and she was doing everything in her power to bring him out of it too, even though Donny has never hated the business quite like Lina does.

Jacob froze for a second, his wife could be paralyzed. He knew Lina would be devestated if that possibility became a reality. His wife was an incredibly active woman, he’d met her on a night out at a club a few years back. He’d never met anyone like her, he fell in love with her after she’d pulled him out onto that dance floor. But all he could do was hope that she’d be alright, that she’d be able to walk around again. That he would be able to dance with his wife again.

The doctor could sense that they all needed their time to digest the information and decided it’d be best to take their leave. “Someone will be out to let you know when Lina is ready for visitors.” The doctor gave them one last sympathetic glance before leaving and moving onto their next patient.

That’s when Jacob decided it was time to finally talk to Donny. But he had no interest in being civil, he had an interest in giving Donny a piece of his mind. “She might be paralyzed. All because she wanted to go and see you. Because she was trying to talk you out of your chosen career path.” It was obvious that the mayor and the leader of the mafia would have issues with one another. But the both of them had one thing in common, they both loved Lina. “She wasted her breath, all because she cares about you. And now she may never walk again.” He walked up to Donny so that they were face to face. “And that’s on you.”

Julia’s hand was holding onto Donny’s, squeezing it tightly as the doctor told them about his cousin’s condition. She wanted it to be a reminder to him that she was right there. She was by his side and she’d continue to be here. She knew he’d blame himself.

Jacob froze for a second, his wife could be paralyzed. He knew Lina would be devestated if that possibility became a reality. His wife was an incredibly active woman, he’d met her on a night out at a club a few years back. He’d never met anyone like her, he fell in love with her after she’d pulled him out onto that dance floor. But all he could do was hope that she’d be alright, that she’d be able to walk around again. That he would be able to dance with his wife again.

The doctor could sense that they all needed their time to digest the information and decided it’d be best to take their leave. “Someone will be out to let you know when Lina is ready for visitors.” The doctor gave them one last sympathetic glance before leaving and moving onto their next patient.

That’s when Jacob decided it was time to finally talk to Donny. But he had no interest in being civil, he had an interest in giving Donny a piece of his mind. “She might be paralyzed. All because she wanted to go and see you. Because she was trying to talk you out of your chosen career path.” It was obvious that the mayor and the leader of the mafia would have issues with one another. But the both of them had one thing in common, they both loved Lina. “She wasted her breath, all because she cares about you. And now she may never walk again.” He walked up to Donny so that they were face to face. “And that’s on you.”

@betterthansinatra

“She’s alive, isn’t she?” Donny snapped. “She’s coming back to you. Don’t you know when to be grateful?”

Lina might be paralyzed. A shock to the system, but one he could weather. One Lina could weather, too. She was a Novitski, tough and resilient; she might crack, but she’d be stronger for it.

That was a rather callous way of looking at this, yes Lina was alive. And Jacob was thanking god and every single star that he’d wished upon. He’d get to see her again, to talk to her again. He’d nearly lost her and he was grateful. But she wouldn’t be able to go back to the same person she was before. And he knew this would be difficult for her. And he sure as hell knew that Donny wouldn’t be around for the recovery, he wouldn’t be by Lina’s side while she was on the mend. While she was adjusting to this new quality of life.

“I did serve. And yes I know plenty of men who consider themselves lucky to be paralyzed instead of having laid down their lives. But this is different. Lina wasn’t serving in a war, she wasn’t fighting for her country. She was having dinner with her cousin. She got caught in the crossfire of someone who was aiming for you. And now she may be paralyzed. Lina wasn’t putting her life on the line for her country, she was visiting you. This never should have happened. And it never will again.” He won’t let it happen again.

“Then you and I have the same goal, pal.” 

Julia rolled her eyes at Donny’s suggestion, it was incredibly obvious to her that he was trying to get her to leave the two of them alone. And to be completely honest she didn’t really want to hear whatever he was going to say to the mayor. This was how their relationship worked best, him keeping his business information away from her. “Sure, I’ll go get some coffee.” She let go of Donny’s hand, leaned up to press a kiss to his cheek, and then left to go and get some coffee.

Jacob didn’t really want to hear what Donny had to say, all he wanted was for his wife to be safe. And that meant her not being around Donny. He was the reason that they were here. “I don’t want to hear what you have to say.”

“Yes, you do.”

Before Julia knew it they were falling through the air. She was gripping onto his jacket and her eyes were squeezed shut. She couldn’t watch as they fell further and further from the cliff, she didn’t want to see what was happening as they fell closer and closer to the bottom.

When they landed she heard a sickening crack and she opened her eyes slightly, seeing what seemed to be his arm on the ground near them. But it was made of wood. What exactly had she gotten herself into? Who was he and where exactly was she? She did as she was told and stayed perfectly still, hoping to sell the illusion that the mice had completed their mission.

He waited until he was sure the mice had gone away, and then a little longer. Only then did he extricate himself from Julia, sitting back on his haunches to check up on her. “Are you hurt badly?” he asked. “I tried to protect you from the worst of it.”

Lina had arrived at the restaurant about twenty minutes before the time she and Donny had agreed to. The eatery was familiar enough, it’s where she’d had her first job. A family business in a sense, one that just so happened to coincide with the other Novitski family business. But the restaurant never did quite tear their family apart like their other activities did.

She was trying to collect her thoughts, to try to put together a cohesive and thorough argument. She knew she only had one shot at this, one shot to try and convince Donny to get out. He’d taken over for his father and she knew he was getting in too deep. She got out and she was doing everything in her power to bring him out of it too, even though Donny has never hated the business quite like Lina does.

Jacob froze for a second, his wife could be paralyzed. He knew Lina would be devestated if that possibility became a reality. His wife was an incredibly active woman, he’d met her on a night out at a club a few years back. He’d never met anyone like her, he fell in love with her after she’d pulled him out onto that dance floor. But all he could do was hope that she’d be alright, that she’d be able to walk around again. That he would be able to dance with his wife again.

The doctor could sense that they all needed their time to digest the information and decided it’d be best to take their leave. “Someone will be out to let you know when Lina is ready for visitors.” The doctor gave them one last sympathetic glance before leaving and moving onto their next patient.

That’s when Jacob decided it was time to finally talk to Donny. But he had no interest in being civil, he had an interest in giving Donny a piece of his mind. “She might be paralyzed. All because she wanted to go and see you. Because she was trying to talk you out of your chosen career path.” It was obvious that the mayor and the leader of the mafia would have issues with one another. But the both of them had one thing in common, they both loved Lina. “She wasted her breath, all because she cares about you. And now she may never walk again.” He walked up to Donny so that they were face to face. “And that’s on you.”

Julia’s hand was holding onto Donny’s, squeezing it tightly as the doctor told them about his cousin’s condition. She wanted it to be a reminder to him that she was right there. She was by his side and she’d continue to be here. She knew he’d blame himself.

Jacob froze for a second, his wife could be paralyzed. He knew Lina would be devestated if that possibility became a reality. His wife was an incredibly active woman, he’d met her on a night out at a club a few years back. He’d never met anyone like her, he fell in love with her after she’d pulled him out onto that dance floor. But all he could do was hope that she’d be alright, that she’d be able to walk around again. That he would be able to dance with his wife again.

The doctor could sense that they all needed their time to digest the information and decided it’d be best to take their leave. “Someone will be out to let you know when Lina is ready for visitors.” The doctor gave them one last sympathetic glance before leaving and moving onto their next patient.

That’s when Jacob decided it was time to finally talk to Donny. But he had no interest in being civil, he had an interest in giving Donny a piece of his mind. “She might be paralyzed. All because she wanted to go and see you. Because she was trying to talk you out of your chosen career path.” It was obvious that the mayor and the leader of the mafia would have issues with one another. But the both of them had one thing in common, they both loved Lina. “She wasted her breath, all because she cares about you. And now she may never walk again.” He walked up to Donny so that they were face to face. “And that’s on you.”

@betterthansinatra

“She’s alive, isn’t she?” Donny snapped. “She’s coming back to you. Don’t you know when to be grateful?”

Lina might be paralyzed. A shock to the system, but one he could weather. One Lina could weather, too. She was a Novitski, tough and resilient; she might crack, but she’d be stronger for it.

That was a rather callous way of looking at this, yes Lina was alive. And Jacob was thanking god and every single star that he’d wished upon. He’d get to see her again, to talk to her again. He’d nearly lost her and he was grateful. But she wouldn’t be able to go back to the same person she was before. And he knew this would be difficult for her. And he sure as hell knew that Donny wouldn’t be around for the recovery, he wouldn’t be by Lina’s side while she was on the mend. While she was adjusting to this new quality of life.

“I did serve. And yes I know plenty of men who consider themselves lucky to be paralyzed instead of having laid down their lives. But this is different. Lina wasn’t serving in a war, she wasn’t fighting for her country. She was having dinner with her cousin. She got caught in the crossfire of someone who was aiming for you. And now she may be paralyzed. Lina wasn’t putting her life on the line for her country, she was visiting you. This never should have happened. And it never will again.” He won’t let it happen again.

“Then you and I have the same goal, pal.” 

Julia’s eyes widened as she looked down from where they stood at the edge of the cliff. Heights weren’t one of her biggest fears, but that fall was quite a distance and she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t a little terrified of it.

“I trust you.” Well, she trusted him as much as she needed to. She’d just met this man, but he knew this place much better than she did. He knew how to get them out of this safely.

The roar of the mice grew louder and louder behind them. With only a few seconds before the tide hit, Donny threw his arms, hold her close to his chest, and leap off the edge of the cliff.

He landed hard on his back with a thunk, the wood rattling as they tumbled down the cliff face. He aimed his wooden flesh at the rocky spires as they fell, taking the brunt of the blows as they fell.

They were nearing the bottom when one particularly wide crag threw them into the air; Donny held out his arm to cushion the impact, but when they landed, the force was too great to hold it. With a crunch that echoed in his ears, his arm splintered off completely, leaving behind a broken wooden stump.

Lina had arrived at the restaurant about twenty minutes before the time she and Donny had agreed to. The eatery was familiar enough, it’s where she’d had her first job. A family business in a sense, one that just so happened to coincide with the other Novitski family business. But the restaurant never did quite tear their family apart like their other activities did.

She was trying to collect her thoughts, to try to put together a cohesive and thorough argument. She knew she only had one shot at this, one shot to try and convince Donny to get out. He’d taken over for his father and she knew he was getting in too deep. She got out and she was doing everything in her power to bring him out of it too, even though Donny has never hated the business quite like Lina does.

Jacob froze for a second, his wife could be paralyzed. He knew Lina would be devestated if that possibility became a reality. His wife was an incredibly active woman, he’d met her on a night out at a club a few years back. He’d never met anyone like her, he fell in love with her after she’d pulled him out onto that dance floor. But all he could do was hope that she’d be alright, that she’d be able to walk around again. That he would be able to dance with his wife again.

The doctor could sense that they all needed their time to digest the information and decided it’d be best to take their leave. “Someone will be out to let you know when Lina is ready for visitors.” The doctor gave them one last sympathetic glance before leaving and moving onto their next patient.

That’s when Jacob decided it was time to finally talk to Donny. But he had no interest in being civil, he had an interest in giving Donny a piece of his mind. “She might be paralyzed. All because she wanted to go and see you. Because she was trying to talk you out of your chosen career path.” It was obvious that the mayor and the leader of the mafia would have issues with one another. But the both of them had one thing in common, they both loved Lina. “She wasted her breath, all because she cares about you. And now she may never walk again.” He walked up to Donny so that they were face to face. “And that’s on you.”

Julia’s hand was holding onto Donny’s, squeezing it tightly as the doctor told them about his cousin’s condition. She wanted it to be a reminder to him that she was right there. She was by his side and she’d continue to be here. She knew he’d blame himself.

Jacob froze for a second, his wife could be paralyzed. He knew Lina would be devestated if that possibility became a reality. His wife was an incredibly active woman, he’d met her on a night out at a club a few years back. He’d never met anyone like her, he fell in love with her after she’d pulled him out onto that dance floor. But all he could do was hope that she’d be alright, that she’d be able to walk around again. That he would be able to dance with his wife again.

The doctor could sense that they all needed their time to digest the information and decided it’d be best to take their leave. “Someone will be out to let you know when Lina is ready for visitors.” The doctor gave them one last sympathetic glance before leaving and moving onto their next patient.

That’s when Jacob decided it was time to finally talk to Donny. But he had no interest in being civil, he had an interest in giving Donny a piece of his mind. “She might be paralyzed. All because she wanted to go and see you. Because she was trying to talk you out of your chosen career path.” It was obvious that the mayor and the leader of the mafia would have issues with one another. But the both of them had one thing in common, they both loved Lina. “She wasted her breath, all because she cares about you. And now she may never walk again.” He walked up to Donny so that they were face to face. “And that’s on you.”

@betterthansinatra

“She’s alive, isn’t she?” Donny snapped. “She’s coming back to you. Don’t you know when to be grateful?”

Lina might be paralyzed. A shock to the system, but one he could weather. One Lina could weather, too. She was a Novitski, tough and resilient; she might crack, but she’d be stronger for it.

He certainly didn’t have to tell her twice, Julia broke into a full on sprint in that direction that they had been heading in. She was not game for being attacked by more little mouse soldiers like the one that just hitched a ride on her leg and attempted to attack her.

She got tired after a little while but she didn’t stop running. She kept going because she wasn’t going to take any chances and she hadn’t heard him say stop.

Donny didn’t dare look back, but he could hear the rumble of mousy troops grow into a roar as they gathered reinforcements to bolster their chase. This wasn’t looking good--all this for a worn-down soldier and a stranger in their world?

“Wait!”

He threw his arm out and they skidded to a stop, just in time to avoid plummeting over the edge of a sheer cliff. It was nothing but rock below, jagged and deadly. Not far off was the warm glow of a town safe from the darkness. He’d gotten lost in his own woods, and this poor young woman was about to pay the price.