Summary:Shayera is taken to the Tolliver Clinic. Snark ensues Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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The text had come from Nick. 'Hank. Have a small emergency. Please meet us at the M-Town Clinic. Bring the chemistry set.' He'd have said Epi Pen but he doesn't know if those work on… whatever the hell the winged woman is.
The normal part of the visit starts when Nick's truck pulls up to the clinic and Nick and Isis both get out. Unfortunately, it also ENDS there. Because they look up. Up at a red headed, winged woman who had been following them rather than fold up her wings enough to FIT in the truck. They're really quite large, those wings.
Nick holds the door open for Isis to go in. And for Shayera to land and go in. "Come on in, Miss Hol. If the Doc, Hank, isn't here he will be soon. His assistant might also be around. Not sure."
Isis is still feeling a little bit sheepish. Of course, the general reproving feelings from Nick might not be helping that. She hasn't said a lot since they got in the truck and she's not saying a lot now.
"Catseye will be here?" OK, Isis finally says something as she stands to side to … wait.
Shayera followed the pickup truck more than easily enough, the power lines being the only obstacles she had to be mindful of. When the vehicle finally comes to a stop, she lands on the sidewalk next to it and waits for the pair to lead on.
She can't help but notice that Isis has gone from apologizing profusely to saying nothing at all, but she doesn't know the catgirl well enough to comment on it. Not yet, anyway. She enters the building when Nick holds the door open for them, and looks around a bit curiously. It seems mundane enough, but it has that smell that she's come to associate with Grounder medical facilities. Thankfully, she doesn't have to visit them very often. Just often enough to recognize the smell.
Hank's text reply. 'En route, eta 87 minutes.' He does in fact pack up a medikit (and kaboodle) and seeks out Catseye to help out, just in case. He drives…fast, but not /insanely/ fast, just enough to avoid getting a ticket. During the ride he sighs to Cat. "I really need to see if I can't invent some sort of transmat system, the commutes are getting a bit tiresome. Even if it is just booth to booth - that's /something/."
Once they arrive, he goes to the trunk and digs out his field bag, the thing is likely to have stuff the clinic won't. Very likely.
Inside the clinic they're shown to a room, and Hank's there often enough that they're willing to be accommodating.
Because he'll likely /stay/ for hours after, and -that- is worth their time.
Catseye says, "Was heading into city anyway, spend weekends with MotherFrost. Doctor Hank could get second apartment in city, or find friend to stay with some of time… Divide time between Institute and city. Commute -is- ridiculous, yes." Which is why she's planning on transferring to a college in NYC, that and the fact that she wants more than just a two year degree.
Once at the clinic she tilts her head, nostrils flaring, and once she knows where the room is, she heads down the hall, makes a turn… "Isisfriend! DoctorHank has room for patient." She looks curiously at the winged stranger, nods to Nick, and herds the group to where Hank waits.
"Hello Hank. Hello Cat." The big brown wolfman smiles, shutting the door behind them as Shayera comes in. "May I introduce you to Shayera Hol of Akah Ma'at." Beat. "I have no idea where that is." He really doesn't but he can probably be forgiven for that. It's not from around here and he hadn't had time to ask Shayera about it.
"We had a little incident in the park and Shayera has some cuts that are itching. I'll let her and Isis explain more." A glance to Isis. He knows she's feeling sheepish. Kittenish. Whichever.
"Shayera, this is Hank McCoy and Sharon Smith. They're both here to help."
They're both a bit unusual too. But Shayera may guess as much.
"Hank…" Isis looks at Hank and frowns a little as she sighs. "I'm sorry for my behaviour the other day." She says quietly. "And I'm sorry for today." Yes, kittenish, very very kittenish.
"Hello Catseye, Sharon … " The feline-like mutant rubs her ears against both of the newcomers arms before moving to stand beside Nick again. "I …. I … uh. I chased her when she was flying and leapt on her." Which is bad enough. "With my claws."
It could be worse, couldn't it?
With a polite nod hello to Sharon and Hank, Shayera follows to the indicated exam room and — in the manner she's seen on Grounder fictional programs — moves to sit on the exam table. Her wings drag along the floor when she does so, and she rustles them a bit uneasily.
"Good to meet you both. Isis did do that, and then apologized." She might be short-tempered occasionally, but she's also fair. The catgirl apologized. Repeatedly. "Nick suggested I have the scratches looked at." They ARE still itching rather annoyingly, and one is actually burning a bit. While she's had worse injuries in the grand scheme of things, the itching is definitely different.
While her wings are likely very much taking up a good bit of space at the moment, she'll move them when whichever of the pair is the doctor needs her to get them out of the way.
Hank grins at Cat and nods. "Well, there /is/ someone I might be able to stay with, though Perhaps I should get a place of my own." He doesn't go into details, however, things are too new for him to presume.
Once the patients arrive, he smiles to Shayera, not even batting an eye at the wings. Not like he's a stranger to winged folk!
A smile to Nick. "Looking much better than the last time I saw you." He comments a bit wryly, and then nods to the explanation. "A pleasure, Miss Hol. I must warn you I'm not a licensed MD, that said, I /am/ fairly adept at medical things." Understatement much?
When Isis acts contrite and kittenish, the rather burly fellow - and Shayera would definitely notice his proportions are VERY off the human baseline, hugs the cat-girl and cheek rubs. "You were upset, Isis, no need to apologize. It worked out, and you did all the right things."
Yes, it could be worse than jumping on, even with claws. Those claws could very well have done FAR more damage.
With all that done with he breaks open his trauma back and begins his examination. "So…itching, any other symptoms, Miss Hol? Excessive pain, numbness, burning?" He'll be asking after he dons some gloves and gently examines the injuries. It is VERY plain he's used to wings, having Cat hold one up for examination in turn - both to be sure there's no injury, but also so he can understand their structure.
Catseye gives Isis a look that blends 'I know that feathers are tempting' and 'You didn't, really?' and 'we'll make it better somehow' She dons a special set of gloves sealed in a sterile pack, reinforced against her thicker than normal nails. Then she helps hold the wings steady in an extended position, murmuring, "Some damaged feathers… check the shafts for bleeding. Will have to preen into shape, see if can be repaired." She looks over at Isis, then back to Shayera. "If have old or lost feathers, can perhaps imp the damaged ones." She uses the falconry term, not knowing of Shayera might have a different one.
Nick finds a table to sort of half sit on and watches. He puts a hand on Isis shoulder in a mostly comforting way. She was a bit of a bad cat but… well. Cat. It'll be okay. The damage here isn't too bad and Hank and Sharon are here to make it better.
"Fairly familiar with feathers, there, Sharon?" Nick doesn't interact with Catseye or indeed anyone at the X-School much. He's mostly out in the Bronx or occasionally teaching his wilderness survival classes.
"So I meant to ask earlier, Shayera. Where and what exactly IS Akah Ma'at and why are you here from there?" It's partly to satisfy his curiosity but it's also partly for the benefit of everyone present. After all she's not a mutant - okay she might be a mutant but she doesn't present like one - and they'll all probably want to know.
Isis just nods at Catseyes looked questions. She won't say it was an awesome jump and quite exhilarating. The anger coming from Shayera was enough to make her forget that - or not think on it.
"Imp the damaged the ones? Is Illyana around?" Oh Isis.
The instant Sharon gets her hands on Shayera's wing, her expression goes stormy — her ire is definintely aimed at Catseye now. Forcing herself to not react the way she wants to, she answers Hank instead, though her words and clipped and it's patently clear she's displeased. "One high on my right shoulder is burning a bit."
She finally hits tolerance limit with the young woman's pawing at her wing, and yanks it away from the young woman… swatting Hank rather soundly in the process.
"There will be /no/ little demon monsters anywhere near my wings, thank you very much."
Hank is rather soundly swatted in the face, and blinks a couple times. Apparently he's fairly resilient, he doesn't seem to be very /hurt/, though he does 'oomph' a smidge. "No, what Cat just described is a means of dealing with any damaged feathers by IMP-lanting replacements in the case of damage to some." After clarifying the term for Sharon and Shayera's ease of mind, Hank takes a moment then to look Shayera in the eyes. "And you do have some minor damage, though that can likely be handled with some trimming of damaged tips, and some oil for the feathers." Hank is not perturbed at all by the swatting, by the way.
He takes a look at the claw mark on Shayera's upper right shoulder, and nods. "Looks infected, I'll have to clean it, and will administer some antibiotics, as well as give you some in pill form." A toothy smile reveals he actually has fangs to go with the bizarro ape-like physique. "Assuming you'll let me, of course."
No comment when Shayera declines to answer Nick's question about Akah Ma'at - girl has a right to privacy.
Catseye answers Nick's question seriously, "Trained for first aid on various non-standard body types. Is reassuring for people that treasure their differences to be treated by someone who feels the same, yes?" Then Shayera wing-smacks Hank and the fur on Catseye's tail bristles. "Damaged feathers means slower flight, or worse, -grounded-. Too bad can't hood like hawk and have featherbrain sleep through treatment. Might be easier on all."
"Interesting course of study Shar-"
Nick facepalms. This is going so very well. He looks up at Hank in a fashion of one appealing for aid. He's already seen what the winged woman's temper can be like. He'd rather not watch an extended snark contest. In other circumstances he might actually go make popcorn because Lord knows he could use the entertainment but not right at this moment.
"Did you say infected Hank? Possible that she's gotten… cat scratch fever?"
The pun is deliberate and said in Isis' direction. It's terrible, he knows that and there are two felines in the room. But better that they should suddenly both find reasons to be groaning at him rather than suggesting they put a hood on the woman that Isis injured with an overabundance of enthusiasm.
And cat brain.
"My claws were clean." Isis says indiginantly as Hank mentions infection. "I washed them…"
There's a wince as Shayera hits Hank with her wing. "Sharon was just trying to help, Shayera." she says quietly. Nicks commentary gets a frown from the feline-like mutant. "My scratches don't cause fever on their own."
Do they?
"I /know/ what damaged feathers mean," Shayera practically growls at Catseye. "I don't like people pulling at my wings, even if you're trying to help. How would you like it if someone grabbed your tail without warning?"
At Hank's words about infection and antibiotics she takes a deep breath, clearly trying to push her annoyance aside even as she settles her wing carefully out of Hank's way again. "Fine, Doc. Go for it. I don't think it's anything you did, Isis. Someone told me a little while back that I don't have immunities to some things that Grounders do because of where I came from."
Catseye should be really lucky that Shay appears to be unfamiliar with falconry terms, or that hood comment would have been grounds for a very messy fight in this very small room.
Hank channels his inner Keiko and flat-looks Nick at the Cat Scratch Fever PUNishiment he inflected. Then he does it again to be sure he is understood. And then he offers a brief flicker of grin…because Hank loves puns. He looks to Isis and offers an ear scritch to reassure. And then gets back to work on the wounds, cleaning, applying disinfectants, suturing if that is needed, and then briefly grips Shay's shoulder. "May I please deal with your few injured feathers now? I'll need Cat's help, but we can't do it if you struggle. If you'd rather preen and care for them yourself, that's of course up to you."
If there was a fight it would likely be problematic on a lot of levels. It is a good thing that there was not!
Catseye is giving Shayera a rather flat look. "If aware of the risk of damaged feathers, then perhaps consider the risk also of hitting the doctor treating them? And of yanking wing free of one holding it? If Catseye had not released immediately, more feathers could be damaged. If Catseye has bleeding tail, expect those treating to touch it. Have had broken ribs and far worse manhandled by doctors treating, without biting, clawing, or hitting. Perhaps Shayera could try the same for just -few- more minutes?"
"It's a Ted Nugent song." Nick mutters to Isis. It's also an actual thing but not every cat can give people cat scratch disease. Nick doesn't mention that, though. It's not as though he wants to make her feel worse after all.
"There's that word again. Grounders. I take it that you're from… the sky? Somehow?"
Nick dismisses out of hand the possibility that she's an angel. If she is she must be the Acerbeziel, Angel of Sarcasm. Something he very very much hopes is not the case.
"Or maybe from…" He looks at Isis again. "Dreams?" An odd concept to be sure but with Isis he's seen weirder and it would make SOME sense why Isis had the reaction she did. Though that could also be because they're still recovering from the last attempt to turn them into mere beasts. Speaking of which.
"Hank, I think we've got a lead on that serum that was used on me, by the way."
"Who?" Isis looks at Nick quite blankly. Growing up in a facility, she wasn't really socialised like that. Poor Nick, Isis rather likes Abba though.
"Not from Dreams. At least not the Dream realm." She shakes her head. "People dream of having wings though, at least, I think they're people. They are fun to chase though."
Imagine what she might have done to the students who annoyed her at the Institute.
Shayera listens to Hank's explanation even as she's glaring right back at Catseye. And then finally, "All right." She IS able to some sense of self control, after all, and the feathers they mentioned as being slightly damaged are ones that has a difficult time reaching on her own.
Scooting over on the table a bit, she lets the wing Catseye cat-handled earlier drape over the rest of the surface so they can do what they feel is necessary. She WILL pull her wing in again, though, if they do anything that causes her pain. And they can just deal with that.
"All right, ladies…that's quite enough. I'm not hurt, she's not hurt. Please, we're all trying to help here." Hank is not that keen on people fighting around him, granted he's used to being around snark, so it isn't all /that/ horrible. Fortunately Hank manages not to mention that cat scratch fever is a real thing, admittedly, likes Ted Nugent.
When Nick points out the Grounders thing, he looks thoughtful, but doesn't mention anything to Shayera about it, that's for her to answer - of course - he can't help but speculate about where a city of bird people would have to be, probably someplace remote, lots of mountains…
"Do you often dream of these winged people, Isis?" Hank knows a bit about her dreamwalking after all, not a great deal, but some. And then he rewinds to the bit Nick tacked on, and that grabs his full attention. "Then we will need to find the source and destroy it." Ooh, now /that/ is one angry sounding Hank!
A moment to shake off the ire, eyes once blue going pure yellow…then fading as he focuses on treating Shay's injured wings with Cat's help.
Catseye has a deft touch, and just as important, an eye for size and angle. The feathers that can be groomed back into shape are, there are only three that need to have the ends replaced, and with modern epoxies and light weight silk wraps, it will go quickly. Far better than waiting for old fashioned glue to harden! "Only three tips needed, but two were primaries." She tests the epoxy, then backs up, and gestures for Hank to do the same. Once he's clear of the wings, she tells Shayera, "Ok… give wings a good shake." The repair should hold, and will be nigh invisible save for the three white feather tips in a section of the wing that is more grey.
"Well at least they the big ones along the edge yes?" Nick knows little about wing structure really. "Because then them being fixed or not would be a matter of a pinion." The big brown werewolf stands at that last one. He'll see himself out now.
"Hank I'm going to grab a sandwich from the place up the road. Can I grab you anything? Or you Sharon? Or Shayera?" He doesn't ask Isis. Why?
Because he knows Isis will be hungry and she's going to come with him to help carry the food in any case.
Well if she's not too busy answering Hank about dreaming of flying people.
"Also, yes Hank. There is a catch though." Nick swallows as he stands. "You may need to dose me again. I've got a fairly good notion that Isis and I are being watched. If they think they've got a shot at me. Or her." But he wouldn't use her as bait. Only himself.
"I don't dream of them, Hank. Others do and when I walk the dreams, I see them." Isis says simply. Dream Walking. That might be news to Catseye and Shayera. "I have to feed from dreams at least once a week…"
Most times people aren't aware she's doing it.
"Food, Nick? I'm … YOU'RE GOING TO WHAT?" Dose himself up. "No. You can dose me but not you …"
Needing a distraction from the wing repairs, she finally answers Nick's repeated attempts at questioning her. "Akah Ma'at is a floating city hidden from Grounders. And everyone there has wings." No, she's not going to say WHERE the city floats. Nick should be happy that he got that much out of her. "I was assigned to work with Grounders who are supposed to be preventing others from getting enough destructive capability to pose a threat to my city."
Nick's mention of food is yet another welcome distraction. "I could eat a sandwich." Though then the conversation changes, and she looks from Nick to Isis. "Dose? And who are 'they'?"
At least she's sitting still enough for Hank and Catseye to finish their work without troubles, and she does indeed shake out her wings as instructed. She can feel that the primaries are better now.
Huh. These are the first Grounders she's met that have any clue about proper wing care.
"Couple of philly cheesesteaks, if you would please." Hank says amiably enough, though a bit distracted with wing repairs, that's a finicky bit of work to be doing. He pauses though, goes completely still, when Nick suggests dosing him. "Um…unless you have a VERY compelling argument in favor of this course of action I am /not/ dosing you, Nick." And then he shakes his head to Isis. "Or you."
He goes back to work, letting Cat do the more delicate manipulations the sheer size of his fingers really won't permit, and then smiles to Isis. "I'd really like to learn more about your dreamwalking, how dangerous is this feeding you need to do? Would it be something I could experience?"
To Shayera, he sighs. "Affiliates of AIM, but we have no proof, the evidence seems to support this. Unfortunately, it is mere theory, and not even a true hypothesis yet."
He smiles and nods when Cat motions him back, and moves as she directs.
Catseye frowns at Nick's suggestion. "Not without planning, yes? Lots of planning. Backup. Plans for things going wrong and… Catseye not know what dose does… maybe could fake effects somehow?" She looks at Isis worriedly. If the idea scares Isis this much, Catseye doesn't like it either.
"Floating city? Hidden?" Nick has so many more questions about that but… not at the moment. He pulls out his phone to write down notes on who wants what. Hank's objection is… expected. And quite sensible, really. Catseye's got the right of it.
"We'll talk about it a bit later. Maybe there's another way. But we'll need a lure."
So it's a risky proposition either way.
"Anyway. I'll go get the food and be back. Don't go anywhere Miss Hol. We'll get some for you too." Since she said she could use some.
And with that he motions to Isis and is off. He'll be back quite soon. "Now don't eat half of it before we get back…" He's heard to say as they exit.