ANYBODY NEED A DOCTOR?

Metal on porcelain clinks once, twice, as she finishes stirring her coffee, her case folded into the seat she’s sat on once more as she takes small, quick sips for a taste of her drink. Bitter. Just how she likes it. She takes another sip of her drink, golden eyes sweeping through the battlefield before halting at their poor wounded Mercenary.

Right. She supposes it’s only right for her to take her turn.

She’d worried about it first—if this was meant to be a separate world, a dream, or a splice of reality of some sort, how was she meant to call forth her ray from the skies? But ah, she’d been in this same situation before, hadn’t she? And even in the Dreamscape, she could still use most of her arsenal.

With a small smile on her lips, she finishes her drink, and from above them the darkened cloud parts as though to make way for the trail of golden light that falls from the stars. The ground beneath them shakes the moment it falls against their foes, its force rippling outward in waves of burning heat. Swift on her feet, the Navigator is quick to follow the fiery waves with another swing of her saw cutter, case folding from one form to the other, extending outward to the very same structure others have been attacking. Again, the blade bursts into flames, sparks of molten metal spreading outward to the rest of the Meks.

She makes a move for another attack, though like before, she misses, with the clockwork quick to retaliate with both of its own.

An exasperated huff, her shoulders slumping when she finds the crystallized energy around her had protected her from its kicks.

…Perhaps it’s time for her to join the kids in their friendly fights.

Oh, but she forgets there won't be a later. She forgets that this med tent is not hers to send people to. She forgets she isn't this army's chief healer at all.

But in this moment, her duty is all that matters to her. Roles be damned, her mind is too fixated on the racing beat of her heart and the overture of battle that rings in her ears.

How lucky, if so. Although she’s not truly defenceless, Himeko’s never been one to favour combats over peaceful talks—not that there’s any chance of that, considering the monsters they’re currently facing.

Rising from her seat, she grabs her case, which snaps back into its original form with a sharp click. A press of a button extends it outward, revealing the deadly gleam of its molecular saw. And with a swing of her arm, the saw roars to life, harshly spinning against the monster’s hardened, stone surface until flame bursts from its blades. The strike lands true, carving through the monster’s stone-like body—but her next two attacks go wide.

Despite its massive stature, the creature is surprisingly quick to retaliate. Its enormous fist barrels toward her—only to be intercepted by Lyney’s adorable cat, leaping to her defence with uncanny precision. The next two strikes follow in rapid succession. She raises her arms instinctively, bracing for impact, but both blows are deflected by the shimmering crystallized element encasing her like an invisible shield.

A soft chuckle escapes her lips when she finally lowers her arms. There’s still so much for her to learn and study once they’re freed from this nightmare.

Sometimes the best defense is a great offense, no? If she can bring this thing down, then it wouldn't hurt any of her patients anymore. Twirling her staff in her hands, she rushes towards the figure and jabs at it with the blunt end of her staff. Lightning surges from her palm down the metal rod. As her opponent tumbles to the ground, it makes an attempt to get back at her, weapon swinging wildly. One of the hits lands, colliding with Bailu's leg, but the young Healer Lady is too full of adrenaline to whimper about. As long as it bothers nobody else, she'd be a happy doctor.

"Healing!" she calls around, "Does anyone need healing?"

Impatient for an answer, she sets out on her own, raising her staff above her head and bathing their group in a pale, warm glow. It's a sensation so different from cloudhymn magic, yet an effect rather similar. She continues infusing them with this healing light, feeling her own exhaustion fade with time.

It’s quite cruel how they hold much of these people’s trust only for their leaders to be unable to open up to them and do the same. It’s these soldiers who suffer the most with each loss, who celebrate the most with each victory, yet they’re the ones most clueless as to the true nature of this war they’re fighting for.

Her attention drifts to Lyney, and she offers him a subtle nod, acknowledging the truth hidden within his words. This war, this godsdamned stage, may have been written for them already, but their will belongs to them alone. No amount of script or unseen hand can ever dictate their hearts, nor shall she ever allow another to control their lives any more than they already have.

She still recalls what Kora and Adrian had told her, and that nightmare she had in the med tent. She only ever caught fleeting glances of the barrier they spoke of, but what she saw sent terrible, feverish chills down her scales.

She's blessed to not be alone—had she been, she thinks she'd feel less safe within this space. But she's with other people who each play their own roles, who each fit into this world with the same discomforting automation. If they choose see this thing to the end, then she'll do the same. When Prince Lyney makes his declaration, she cheers alongside the soldiers of the crowd. And when his purple eyes search for familiarity in the sea of ensemble, Bailu makes sure to catch his gaze—and give him a vigorous nod.

"Kora!" Bailu admonishes, her frown growing deeper in its crease. The admission that she had been here the whole night was expected but still upsetting. "Well, I mean, I'm glad the patient is still alive but..." she furrows her brow, not knowing exactly how to word what she wants to say, "Ah, whatever! I'll think about the ethics some other time. For now, I'm ordering you to take a break. Leave Adrian to me."

As Kora details the nature of Adrian's injuries, Bailu leans in to take a closer look herself, finding that she is unable to stop the grimace that comes across her face. It's not a reassuring motion, coming from your doctor, but then again: this wasn't a reassuring sight. The statements line up with the wounds that canvas his skin.

"How did you manage to sustain this many injuries during battle?" she asks, recalling the somewhat demeaning way he spoke about himself.

Kora seems to want to say something, but in the end, relents. Orders are orders, and she can no longer find the strength to protest. Nodding silently, she gets up and walks off; the first couple steps are a little shaky, but she eventually finds her footing. Among the bandages and other materials, she finds a cloth to wipe her face. Adrian’s one remaining eye follows her, then returns to Bailu. Noticing the grimace on her face, he takes a deeper breath. “It’s okay, Lady Bailu… I know what this looks like.” In response to her question, a light frown appears on his face as he recounts the events. “Well, I was with my unit, attacking an enemy one… We pushed on, and as luck would have it, I found myself face to face with their commander…” He sighs. “Not an enemy I should have dueled, but I had to stop him from advancing…” His left arm, less injured than the right, moves slightly upwards, towards his face. “That’s from one of his buddies.” As he continues, a faint, tired smile appears on his face. “But, I did stop him… Bought enough time for one of our generals to arrive and finish him off…” He sighs. “Very grateful for that. I was saying my goodbyes there...”

She's all too familiar with the notion of soldiers throwing away their lives to win one battle—how many Cloud Knights has the Luofu lost this way? Bailu's cheeks puff up slightly.

"It's a good thing you made it here, then. Listen, I'm going to do my best to heal you, but... you can't keep throwing yourself into battle like that." a handwave, "I'll talk about it more once you get discharged. For now... I'll replace those bandages."

She sets off to the stash of medical supplies at the corner of the med tent, surprised to find the path so familiar to her—each stride and step is as practiced as a surgeon's slice, as instinctive to her as her mother tongue. On her way to it, however, she spots someone she recognizes hanging by the entrance. She pushes past the tarp covering and pokes her head out of the tent.

"Hey!" Bailu calls out, blinking up at them, "Did you wanna come in? There's a patient who's not looking so good. If you wanna help with that, then feel free."

“Hello, hello! Single file line please!” Wearing a uniform not too much unlike what she wore day to day, Sedene waves a small flag as she gestures to a line of ensemble actors making their way across the stage. “Amenities may be enjoyed once you are on board. Please have your passes out and ready at the gate!”

Phew! Now where was her partner…?

The shuffle of shoes and bringing out of ship tickets marks the mechanical clockwork that makes the line move about. Each ensemble member moves forward at a pace of about a second, inching closer and closer towards the exit at stage right. Bailu follows the flow of the crowd too, but unlike the rest of them, she's not the only one standing in her place.

Swaddled in cloth and strapped to her chest, its scaly head pocking out from under the covers, is a baby crocodile. Was it real? Or was is simply a hyperrealistic meka prop? Either way, the Vidyadhara cuddles and coos over it, right about until they pass Sedene in the line. Bailu acknowledges the officer with a salute, before pointing to her beloved emotional support Bao Bao.

Preparing her ticket scanner with the methodicalness of someone who believed it to be real, Sedene chirps, “As for crocodile-friendly activities, we have many! Every floor on our cruise is equipped with an accessible elevator for easy traversal! On the top deck, we have an open air pool, which can be used alongside other guests. If you are feeling adventurous, we also have a water park. Hm… that’s off the top of my head.”

Thinking, she mimics scanning the ticket before nodding. “Maps will be provided on the first floor, as well as in your rooms. Further recreational activities can be found there! I'm not really sure what crocodile friendly entails, no, but I am certain there is a member of our crew to assist.”

"Yay! Seems like we can have lots of fun on this vacation." Bailu beams, looking down at the scaly thing nestled over her chest. The crocodile remains unmoving.

She continues, "Other ships aren't usually so accommodating. They kick me and my Bao Bao out! I need him for my anxiety, you see…"

Bailu had prepared a long spiel explaining the whole thing, loosely based off of one of the clients she had to treat who needed a Diting with them at all times. Emotional support animals ought to be taken more seriously, especially in cases of medical need. But she senses the impatience of the ensemble waiting behind her in line growing. It feels like the sun beaming onto her back on a summer afternoon—uncomfortable, tense, and hot. So she quickly stops herself from prattling on.

"Ah, but never mind that. We'll go board now, thank you very much!" she pats the bundle of cloth, "Bao Bao, say thank you…"

it was very hard for Boothill to keep his composure , he didn't even realize he made a mistake , at this point , he was genuinely confused , you poor , poor cowboy .

" I ain't got a moment , I got places to be , lady ! "

his arms are crossed , fixing his hat on his head and crossing his arms , tapping his feet against the floor .

" I mean , I can go n' dig that goopy thing out the trash , all the papers were all soaked ! I wasn't gonna bring 'em in , you can give me it again , I'll get it done this time ! "

The realization hits with about as much force as a speeding starskiff, and the Healer Lady is sent metaphorically flying. Bailu falls to her knees. The dull thud echoes across the stage. She runs a hand through her hair, widening her eyes and clamping her mouth shut. Her heart is racing; its beat is heavy and falls fast like the strike of a drum. She's about to cry—really, truly start weeping at Boothill's feet. Thankfully, the laughter that seizes her body can easily be mistaken for shock. The audience would certainly think she was some masterful actor.

 She heaves herself upward, legs still shaking, "You… you idiot! Do you not know the difference between a squid and an octopus?!"

Quivering hands grab another piece of chalk from the board. She throws it at him once more, though the tears that begin to line her eyes make her aim quite terrible. It ends up landing on the floor between them.

" I didn't say it was no army of forkin' squids , I said one of them darned eight tentacled freakin' lousy sack of incs came up my doggone drain and shot his ink all the firetruck over my papers ! I ain't tellin no gosh-darn lie to ya ! "

the mere act of the chalk throwing caught him off guard , jumping back just a little as if to defend himself -- but . . . just staring for a second as it hit the ground .

The butt crack of dawn? Bailu is shaking. Not from anger nor academic grief, but from pure, almost giddy mirth. She heaves her lines in-between muted laughter, barely managing to squeak out each syllable. Her hands have to grip onto the surface of her desk to keep her from tumbling over.

"YOU… you... wait, gimme a moment…"

She finds herself breathless, each inhale she dare takes being robbed by laughter. But she can't break character for long—she comes back to herself eventually, straightening her posture and clearing her throat. Fingers push up the glasses that had gone askew during her giggling fit.

When she speaks, she doesn't look Boothill in the eye.

Bailu tries not to laugh. Really, she does! The director would surely give her an earful if she broke character now. But Boothill's unique verbiage and the sheer absurdity of his excuse is unlike anything she's ever heard before. Even the most deranged ingenia on the Luofu could only hope to mimic what he had going for him.

She bites down on her tongue in an attempt to stifle the giggle. 

"Mon—" she stutters a bit, "Monsieur d'Aubigné! Do you really think I'd accept an excuse as LOUSY as that? A squid squirted on your assignment? And what of the other assignments before that? Should I really believe that AN ARMY OF SQUIDS inked all over your essays?!"

The next part of the script is confusing to her—perhaps it was a habit of professors here in Fontaine? Whatever the case, she turns back to her blackboard, picks up a piece of chalk from the box that sits on the rim, and hurls it at Boothill. It lands at about the halfway point, but she continues the scene as though it had hit the bullseye.

Oh. Oh. There was not much choice, was there?

She took a slow breath, willing herself not to cringe. Her eyes shut briefly in a silent prayer that hopefully, none of her Nameless companions were in the theater. Reluctantly, she lifted her chin, letting her voice start softly, almost as if testing the waters, as she took in the rhythm of the piano’s melody.

You say I look so weary, that my steps are slow and small,

A wince, though she’d push through, finally sparing her little co-actress from struggling any further as she stood back up, taking the young lady’s hand in her own instead so she could lead them around the stage—her barren garden, so to speak, just as she continued singing.

And that flowers here have faded in this broken, lonesome sprawl… But oh darling, can’t you see?  I’ve known many days like this,  These flowers may be wilting, and the sunlight may seem shy,  But I know how to tend them, let my spirit—

Playing along with her line, she placed her hands underneath Bailu’s arms and carefully lifted her to sit on the ledge of her garden as she sang, 

—lift them high.

At last, the tune of the piano seemed to slow down, nearing its interlude, perhaps.

I’ve never needed help before,  I don’t need another’s hand to help me through the door.  But if you insist, then I must say,  Perhaps a friend is all that I need today.

The piano played softly as she transitioned back to spoken word, the melody gently fading into something soothing and relaxed. She stepped closer, holding both of Bailu’s hands now, her smile warm and inviting.

At Himeko's cue, Bailu widens her eyes.

"A friend?"

She looks down at where her and Himeko's hands meet, then back up to the navigator's bright, golden eyes. There is a click that sounds, and the stage lights begin to shift once more, converging into their spot onstage and training intensely on the both of them. Bailu rises to her feet, then begins to walk to the other side of the stage. The lights split—a warm glow remaining on Himeko, and a white spotlight following Bailu.

My powers leveled mountains and made deserts into seas I've laid waste to countless empires and put cities to siege So though I'm happy to give you help and try not to drag things— It feels a waste to be a friend, when I'm a Hydro Dragon!

She unclips the gourd that had been hidden beneath her cape then, with a great sweeping motion, she sends an arc of water flying over the stage. Before it can hit the ground, she closes her eyes and—poof! It all turns into a cloud of mist. Bailu turns to Himeko, now standing at the opposite end of the stage.

I can brew your tea alone and trim the roses too! Oh, mademoiselle, please worry not there's nothing I won't do I just want to be useful again to save this little town! I've grown to be so obsolete It feels like I might drown!

Bailu is beginning to sweat—there's a light sheen over her horns. The lights are hot, and the songs are wordy… she'd love nothing more than to take a fat nap in the dressing room once this was over.

"All by yourself? Why, that is nonsense, madam! I am strong enough to help you a thousand more days!"

She makes her triumphant declaration, looking out into the audience area. She lets her words linger in the air for a moment, for impact, then steps up onto the platform to share Himeko's light. Upon seeing her bent knees, Bailu quickly puts herself under the lady's arm and hoists her upward—as much as she can hoist given her stature, anyways.

"You are lonely, madam. Your body—" she pointedly looks at Himeko's legs, "—has failed you, and so has the rest of the world. Your garden no longer blooms. Your flowers, your bushes… they are very misérables. But you don't have to live like this. Not when I'm here…"

 After her line, there is silence. Blue eyes shift nervously around. Had she gotten the cue wrong again? Before she can throw another line in a panic, a lone piano note plays. Bailu nods, then takes a deep breath. She begins to sing.

Life in our little town has never been so kind We live through bad days everyday and say that we don't mind. But in our hearts we know the truth, we know the things we feel! So don't say no, dear mademoiselle— your 'no' cannot be real!