A traveling doctor from the sky realm, uses magic and medical know-how to treat people
Only 19 but she's seen a lot
Accordant with the Asclepius Rod, a powerful tool with "soul interference" abilities
Hunting down the criminal organization Navis; she has a bone to pick with one of their chairmen, Ferdinand
Used the Asclepius Rod's power to draw the soul of a young girl named Shannon into her body after Ferdinand brainwashed her and her mother, tortured them, and then killed them
Joined up with the Grandcypher crew and met some other accordants who are also looking for Navis
Generally on the support team, but apparently doctors in the Sky Realm don't swear to do no harm
Very stressed but doing her best
Also very self-conscious about her weight. Comes up more often than you might think
“W-water would be great, th-thanks…” She’s so nice… Till doesn’t want to tell her why he’s stressed. He doesn’t want her to feel bad about something that’s not her fault. He looks away avoidantly.
“Y-yeah…” He says softly. Hesitantly. “It’s n-not 'cause of y-you or anythin' , I just… I d-don’t have any good experiences with d-doctors… In m-my world, a lot of h-humans have to—”
Till’s eyes snap back to hers, surprise written all over his face. “Would it be okay t’ stop? You’re not gonna… make me?”
The doctor told him not to hold his neck, but Till can’t help but rub at it as he remembers the events leading up to him waking up in this world.
“Um… I think… I first noticed it after… In my old world, I was an idol, an’ somethin’… b-bad happened while I was on stage. The… the next time I went on stage, a couple hours later, it started happenin’ then. It was really hard t’ sing, but… I finished my performance. Then, right after that… I got sh-shot in my neck… an’ I woke up here.” Helplessly, Till shrugs, like he’s trying to brush it all off, avoiding eye contact.
There's paper cups in the cupboard, and a faucet in the exam room- something you'd find only in the most luxurious offices back in the Sky Realm that seems to be the norm here in Spirale. Tikoh fills one as Till speaks, holding it out to him before she returns to her seat.
Her composure shifts from the firm hand of a medical doctor to that gentle openness she uses when discussing mental issues, and she lets him talk. The story is familiar, somehow, something hazy dancing at the edges of her memory just out of reach. Her brow furrows for a moment as he speaks.
"I won't make you do anything," she says, her ears twitching. "I'll recommend care, but the choice is yours. Of course, most of the physical is already done; I'd like to examine your throat but I can still offer some medicine to help with your symptoms."
Her ears twitch again as he continues, as she's a little surprised by how easily Till speaks of what's troubling him. It's trauma, stress, and bodily harm combined, so no wonder he's hesitant around doctors. And then-
Tikoh frowns. She doesn't voice the question that leaps to mind: Were you killed? It doesn't take someone as smart as her to put the pieces together, to wonder if the doctors, the performances, and that final shot are all connected somehow. There's nothing she can do about it except nod.
"I'm sorry that happened. That sounds awful," she says. "Like I said, our minds and bodies are linked in lots of ways. Even when we're so far from home, it's not always easy to heal from the things that happen to us."
Pausing for a moment, Tikoh notes a few things on her clipboard, scattered notes for herself to look over later. "Where we go next is up to you, Till. If you'd like to continue the physical, we can do that. If you're not comfortable, you can leave. If you're looking for recommendations, I would say we should finish the exam, and try and see you again in a few weeks. Not for another physical, just to talk."
She finally stops and looks up at Till, smiling. "How does that sound?"
虫 "Have I given you the impression that I don't like hearing you talk about your home? You can rant about whatever you'd like to me, Tikoh-san~! You seem happiest when you have a chance to do so!" It was true. Shinobu could tell how much Tikoh's home meant to her. It was the same for her, of course, but the Demon Slayer had a tendency to be more guarded about herself in general. Tikoh was one of the few people she felt comfortable enough doing so with, but the timing had to be right.
This "date" would eventually be one of those moments, she had hoped.
She followed Tikoh along as she hunted down a fitting "punishment" for their game that wasn't much of a game at all, while giving equal attention to her surroundings to figure out what she would choose when her turn came around. "I agree. This is likely the most crowded I've seen it! I'd imagine the holiday has something to do with it!" There were a lot of couples around.
The food that Tikoh eventually returned with was simple, but surprisingly recognizable. It was clearly seafood in nature, and she was accustomed to having things like octopus from time to time whenever they were able to purchase it. "Thank you!" She took a moment to blow on it before inserting it in her mouth. It looked very hot! But chewed and swallowed it with a satisfied "Mm!" at the end. "I'm assuming they're made with some sort of creature from your world? Were they poisonous by chance?"
That was the least surprising question for Shinobu of all people to ask.
Tikoh hums to herself as she eats the briny bite, the flavor bringing her mind back to the blue seas of Auguste. It's not as familiar as she'd like it to be, so perhaps whenever she gets home, she should take a vacation. After things are resolved with Navis, of course.
"Yes, it's usually made from monsters called octopus," she says, nodding. "Back in the Sky Realm there's an island with a huge body of water on it, and all sorts of unique monsters and animals live in it. Bonito, urkin, eal, deepflight oysters... I suppose there's some similar creatures in this place too. Or maybe they've lifted things from the Sky? In any case, no, they're not poisonous. Is that a common thing where you come from, Shinobu?"
She shrugs, eating another briny bite. It's hard to tell if Shinobu's question about poison is a genuine concern or just a unique interest of hers; she seems to use poisons in her fighting style, but it's not exactly a common thing to find it in street food.
Is this all her punishment will come to? Being forced to try delicious food? If this is a festival, they should have other stalls too, so Tikoh focuses her hearing, her ears shifting from side to side.
"Ah, there it is," she says, gesturing Shinobu to follow her. "This way, we can burn some calories while we get to the next part of your punishment."
She walks at a quick clip, slipping through crowds with practiced ease. The smells of food begin to fade away as she walks, replaced by exclamations of joy and failure. Before long, the game stalls come into view, and Tikoh turns to grin at Shinobu.
"Well, we know you're a skilled swordswoman and a doctor, but let's see how you do at some of these games."
War listens to her without question and does as he is instructed. He walks towards the nearest bed and lays the unconscious man down on the soft sheets. "I did not see what happened. Only found him laying in the street while everyone around him did nothing."
He took a step back and crossed his arms. "I in good conscious, was unable to leave him lying there." Also no one had been able to give him a straight answer as to what happened either.
Times like these are where Tikoh feels the sting of her limited magic the most. Normally, she'd be able to use a spell to see the patient's internals, monitor their heart rate, and more. There's technology that replicates the spells she worked so hard to develop, but they're a little out of the reach of her modest clinic.
There's so many causes for syncope. It could be related to illness, or something he's eaten or drank recently. Sometimes it can just be from a sudden change in the body's elevation. Without much to work with, she starts with a physical exam.
"Pulse elevated... temperature seems a little higher than normal... still breathing... No visible injuries," she murmurs to herself as she goes about her work. She shakes him gently by the shoulder. "Sir? Can you hear me? Sir?"
No response, but it's part of her checklist. His skin seems moist but not clammy, so she's not concerned about heatstroke. Without a witness, it's difficult to know what could have triggered his lapse. Tikoh sighs, bringing a hand to her chin just as the smell hits her nose.
She pauses, and sniffs again. Alcohol. She has a theory now, at least.
"Sir? Are you still he- Oh, good," she says, turning around. "Where exactly did you find the patient, do you remember? Even just knowing what business were around there could be helpful."
虫 "Hm~? I've told you how quick I am before, haven't I? Is it really that surprising that I'd be back so quickly?" It hadn't felt that quick though, probably because she was injured. Pain was pain. She may have been a little stronger and substantially faster than your average human, but she was still human at the end of the day. "I think this should be the worst of it. No broken bones! I just need to make sure it isn't infected. No idea where that thing's claws and mouth were~!" If there was worse, then she was going to try and hide it to take care of it herself later.
There were signs that it might have been worse than she'd been letting on, however. She'd crouched down to speak to Shannon before, but she avoided doing the same thing this time. "Mhm! I said I was strong, right? I wouldn't let that big lizard hurt you~!" She still smiled down at the girl before they set off in place of somewhere to treat her. "It's gone, I wouldn't worry about it coming back!" But she did glance at Tikoh briefly.
Maybe her injuries would keep the erune from thinking about any more monsters for the time being?
When Tikoh looked her in the eye, Shinobu had her facial expression soften to make her look more innocent. "Uh oh, Shannon-chan! Shinobu-san might be in trouble~!"
Tikoh's used to dealing with people like this. People who thrust themselves into danger without thinking it through, people who count on her to help patch them up afterwards. It's nice that they trust her, but she doesn't want to see them hurt over and over. Is Shinobu someone like that too?
She grumbles to herself as Shinobu shifts her attention to Shannon, but doesn't want to ruin the younger girl's mood. Shinobu's a doctor and an accomplished swordswoman, so if she says she's fine and they don't have to worry about the dragon, Tikoh just has to believe her.
"I'd feel better if you'd let me examine you," she says. "You've never seen a dragon before, right? Sometimes even just being near one can be bad for your health if its elemental alignment is aspected a certain way."
Though that dragon didn't seem nearly powerful enough for something like that. It's mostly for Tikoh's peace of mind. She sighs, reaching out for Shannon's shoulder. "We were going to find a place to spend the night, anyhow. After something like that, it's better to rest so we can start fresh tomorrow. We still have a bit of travelling to do, after all."
Shannon nods, putting her hand on Tikoh's. "Shinobu's staying with us, right?"
Tikoh turns to look at Shinobu, her lips pursed lightly with some unsaid answer. Part of her wants to chide her a bit more, but really, she's happy to see her again. She's happy Shinobu hasn't been charred to a crisp where no one will ever find her. Looking back towards Shannon, a small smile settles on her face.
"We'll find a place with two rooms," says Tikoh. "You can't be there while I do an exam, after all."
Shannon sticks out her tongue, but nods as Tikoh begins to head towards what looks like an inn. For a moment, Tikoh slows her step, dropping her voice as she falls in next to Shinobu.
"I'm glad you're okay," she says, her ears flicking as she keeps her eyes on Shannon. "And I really appreciate what you did. But if you're hurt, don't hide it from me, okay? If you make me worry, you won't like it."
It shouldn’t have worked—the way she tries to comfort him. Till instinctively shies away from the touch of strangers, even people he knows sometimes. It was further proof of how familiar he found this doctor, as well as a testament to her professional skills, that Till actually begins to calm down.
He wrenches his hand open so forcefully he can practically hear the tendons squeak, stopping himself from grasping at his neck. Focusing on the doctor’s grounding hand on his back, he makes himself take a breath—shallow at first, but then gradually deeper. After a long, shuddery inhale, Till gives one last weak little cough, rubbing at his watery eyes.
“S-sorry,” Till rasps softly, his throat raw and burning. “Think… I can t-talk now…”
His vision cleared, Till is able to focus on the doctor, ignoring the flickering figure in the corner of his vision. Being haunted by a ghost wasn’t something diagnosable—it wasn’t a symptom that a doctor could cure.
“…Gets w-worse when I’m… stressed… or s-scared…” is the truth that he tells her instead. “Only started happening when I-I… w-when I hurt my throat…
"Take your time," says Tikoh, warmth flooding her voice. "There's no rush, I just want to make sure you're alright. Do you need water or anything?"
Her hand remains on his back for a few more moments before she straightens up, listening to Till's raspy explanation. Some kind of psychological component? Injuries can easily carry trauma, and vice-versa. The psychological can affect the physiological. If something triggered him-
"Are you stressed right now?" she asks. "We don't have to continue the physical exam if you're not comfortable with it. I'm knowledgeable in psychology as well, so if there's something you want me to know, I'm here to help."
She has a sedative spell, but it feels unnecessary for something like this. It might be needed if he lapses into another coughing fit, but she'd also rather not use it without someone agreeing to it.
"Our bodies are connected in lots of different ways. Sometimes injuries linger for a long time. Or sometimes injuries in our minds can affect our bodies as well. How long has this been happening, Till?"
[ 18 ] sender comes to receiver with a problem they have had before, but has been previously shoddily cared for.
"It might have to come out," says Tikoh, putting her tools down.
Below her on the exam chair, Lich scowls. "What? Check again, doc."
"I already have. It's a... a very large cavity. I can put a crown on it, but if it doesn't help we'll likely have to remove it," she says, turning away. "A crown is like a cap they put on top of the tooth. Though I can't say I've ever done one shaped like this..."
Lich sits up, her eyes twitching towards the door. "H-hold on, the last time I had these looked at, the guy just said I had to brush them. And I do!"
"How often?"
"At least once a month."
"It's supposed to be twice per day."
"Oh."
Tikoh writes a few notes in her log while Lich ponders, and the primal beast finally sighs.
"Guess he was just so entranced by working on a cute girl that it slipped his mind!" she says. "I'm sure it's fine, I bet the Astrals built something in that'll make it grow back or something."
"I can pull it if you like," says Tikoh, nodding. "In fact, I'm kind of curious how-"
"H-hold on, I'm not gonna be your guinea pig!"
"This isn't an experiment, I've removed teeth before," says Tikoh, frowning. "Just not on a primal beast. But I'm sure we can sedate you so you won't feel a thing-"
"Ooh, you wanna get me vulnerable so you can operate on me, huh doc? That how you get your kicks?" says Lich, She grins, but a droplet of sweat trickles down her temple.
Tikoh sighs, leaning over her. "I'm a doctor, and I take that very seriously," she says. "I don't do unethical things to my patients."
"You sure? I see you looking at the captain sometimes," says Lich, her eyes flicking towards the door. "Is that ethical? Playing doctor with the boss of the crew? Your boss?"
"Th-that's all strictly professional," says Tikoh, her ears flicking. "I'm just taking care of them. We're just... friends."
"Hey, no shame in it. The captain's a real catch. Can't blame you for being interested. You've got a lot of competition, though."
"And what about you? I see you lurking around sometimes. Don't even get me started on White Day."
Lich waves her hand, her sleeve flopping in the air. "No, that's different. They're still young, so they're shy, you know? Obviously with someone like me, they'd be scared to approach. Because I'm so beautiful."
Tikoh rolls her eyes. "Right, that's why."
"Look, I'm older than you, okay? By a lot, so I have a lot more experience with this kind of thing. I mean, have you ever even-"
Lich stops short as she realizes how groggy she feels. Her eyes snap to Tikoh, sweat beading down her forehead. "Hey, w-wait. What did you do to me?"
"Oh, just a sedative spell," she says, shrugging. "Figured we could just do the procedure now. Since obviously you don't have anything better to do."
Lich's eyes begin to flutter, but she finds her body isn't quite responsive to her efforts. "C-c'mon, is this for teasing you? Don't be like that, I was kidding!"
Tikoh leans in, smiling softly. "Well, dental health is no joke. We can keep talking after the procedure, alright? Now, I'm going to count backwards from ten. Ten..."
"I'm telling the captain! That you're doing weird shit to me!"
"Nine..."
"I'm... I'm telling... the..."
"Eight..."
Lich's eyelids flutter close. The last thing she sees before she passes out is Tikoh's smiling face looming above her. No more doctor's visits, she decides.
”I don’t,” Reinite says. She would prefer not to collapse on the job. It wouldn’t be a good look for either of her bosses.
When Tikoh gives her diagnosis, the Pirate lass doesn’t hide the disappointment on her face. Rest? She’s never done that the way Tiko’s reccommending.
So when the doctor suggest majyk, the Godling grins. “Let’s give it a shot,” Reinite says. “Rather be back on my feet sooner. It’s not really in my nature to take it easy.”
She can't help but note the look of distaste on Reinite's face at the mention of rest. It's not that Tikoh doesn't understand, but rather that she understands it all too well. With so many things that need doing and so many thoughts swirling around, throwing yourself head-first into work is all-too tempting. At least, it's tempting until you collapse from exhaustion.
Lectures can wait, though. It's time for treatment.
"Alright, let's begin," says Tikoh, taking the Asclepius Rod into her hands. She spell she readies is ordinary healing magic, nothing like the extensive medical magic she'd worked to develop back in the Sky Realm. Normally, she'd use the magic that allows her to see the client's internals, followed by tension-reducing magic and some pain medication, but the Stars have taken most of that away from her.
A golden glow issues from the rod, and a matching aura shines across Reinite's body. "This magic only accelerates what the body does naturally, it won't fix everything on its own," says Tikoh. "And obviously, it won't stop whatever caused the injury in the first place. I'd still recommend limiting physical activity for the next few days to be safe. Even if you don't feel any pain, it doesn't mean everything's okay."
That should be enough. Tikoh ends her spell, drumming her fingers along the staff. "There, how does that feel? It should be a little less sore, at least. Normally I'd have much more powerful magic, but-"
She sighs and shakes her head. "Well, just let me know how you're feeling."
Tikoh's mind, while treating this patient, will have flashes of various scenes:
A young girl in a remote hospital, black hair and striking red eyes.
𝐓𝐑𝐘 𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍 ﹕↻
That same girl, hair turning white, in a different hospital, more sterile, looking over a desolate cityscape.
𝐓𝐑𝐘 𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍 ﹕↻
That same girl, hair turning more white, beaten and kicked by faceless students in school uniforms...
𝐓𝐑𝐘 𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍 ﹕↻
𝐓𝐑𝐘 𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍 ﹕↻
r̴̳͚̭̝̯̓̓̆̾͒̏͛̈̚ͅe̸̢̛͙̰̠̰̹͔̣͇͙̬̿͜s̷̛̠͉͎̯̟͗̋̐̋͌̕͜͝͝ţ̶͔̪͓̳̀̐̌ͅạ̷̰͇́̉̀͋̏̆̔͋̈́̕ŗ̵̡͇̻͓̟̳̖̋̚t̴̨̹͎̗͕͕̹̮̟̓͂͋̓͛̎͒̑́̔̾̕͘͝
"I can be pretty clumsy." She admits, holding her hand out for the doctor to observe. A cut on her arm, with bruising already appearing. She was anxious, trying not to tug her arm away, or trying not to just get up and run away.
Swallowing, she looks for the nearest exit, just in case.
What she doesn't know, is what she had been projecting into the mind of the doctor, instead finding her hesitation to be...
Tikoh isn't familiar with magic like this. It's something that's putting images into her mind, memories that aren't hers. Scenes play out, each one slamming into her gut with their weight. She feels ill.
Instinctively, her hands reach out for the Aescelipus Rod, and she brings it close. Muttering under her breath, a golden glow issues from the staff, and Tikoh finds her mind unclouded. It's a numbing spell, she's just using it for purposes that its creator perhaps didn't intend.
"No. It's not alright," she says flatly, placing a hand to her temple. "You're already bruising. Do you have some kind of health issue you're aware of? Perhaps something to do with your blood? It's possible this isn't a concern, but sometimes it can be a symptom of more serious illness."
Even without the numbing spell, the patient's health would come first. This just gives Tikoh a little leeway, a better chance to focus.
"For now, let's clean and dress the injury. It's not especially large, so I wouldn't worry about it too much, but keep an eye on it. If it doesn't stop bleeding or won't heal, let me know as soon as you can and we'll try something else."
When her hands touch Ariane, the images strike at her again. Her grip on the roll of bandages tightens, and she grits her teeth. She's seen worse, but still.
"Are you... casting some kind of spell?" she says, a bead of sweat rolling down her forehead. "Can you stop? It's very... distracting."
Seeing Tikoh's ears droop did manage to strike somewhere in Lich's heartstrings, prompting the beast to look away in order to keep eye contact with the erune. There was no reason she should've felt that way but maybe it really was just as simple as someone she had prior experience with looking like that right next to her. Even if she wouldn't care if it was anyone else.
...Or at least most people.
"You and me both. I guess it makes sense if I don't got a lot of my powers that my body isn't gonna work as I expect. But there's gotta at least be some line in the sand right?" Otherwise there was going to be less of a reason for her to leave anywhere in the first place.
"I mean it's annoying sure. But I wouldn't say it hurts. Granted I don't know what sunburn is supposed to feel like in the first place. So if a little tingly feeling is what I'm supposed to feel then I guess I'm prety al- GAH!"
The touch did make it a little worse. How or why humans dealt with this was beyond her comprehension.
"Like a 6 probably. It ain't gonna kill me but I sure as hell ain't havin' fun with it."
"You'd think so, but I'm guessing you don't know the exact circumstances of your creation, do you? With the primal beasts I've met while in the crew, some are practically indistinguishable from skydwellers, some just act like monsters, and some..."
Tikoh trails off, her mouth slack. For a moment, her eyes flick to Lich. It feels unlikely, but would she know about the Argos Navi? It's technically not even a proper primal, just something similar. She has no way of knowing how much of a hand the Astrals had in it, if any.
No, treatment must come first. Tikoh takes a breath, sitting back on her stool.
"As I was saying, a primal like you could easily pass as a human. So I suppose there just must be some physiological similarities. It could just be as simple as that," she says, pursing her lips.
Lich's reaction confirms it in her mind. Regardless of the why or the how, Lich has a sunburn, and Tikoh knows how to treat that.
"Ah, sorry. I suppose I should've been a little gentler... But that's good news. Plenty of skydwellers get sunburns, so the treatment is straightforward. I'll prescribe you an ointment to help with the healing process, but it'll take some time for it to fully heal. You'll likely be sensitive for a while longer, but there shouldn't be any lasting damage so long as you're careful. You'll want to use sunscreen in the future just in case, as well."
Of course, all of this begs the question of how exactly this happened. Lich and Tikoh aren't particularly close, but the primal is kind of a gloomy girl. The idea of her traipsing around without her cloak is... difficult for Tikoh to fathom.
"If you don't mind me asking, what were you doing before you noticed the sunburn? I guess the weather is getting a little warmer, so a day at the beach isn't out of the question."
He really, really tries to avoid seeing doctors and clinics as a whole for a whole medley of reasons. Coming here felt like pulling teeth; if it wasn't for Anya he probably never would have considered it in the first place.
Gregor very carefully does not grimace when she starts prodding at his shoulder, fingers twitching from the sharp pain that lances like lightning when she gently tries to lift his arm. She doesn't get very far at all. "That— right there. That's too far."
"I've only got the one hand, so. Well. Guess I figured it wasn't gonna be all that simple to just wait out." Nevermind the fact that he's got a kid to be looking after. Kind of hard to make her breakfast when he can't even get his hand high enough to comfortably touch the counter.
"Just been… eh… two or three days, maybe? It's happened before, but the issue usually just fixed itself, you know? A few minutes and it's all right as rain."
He can barely lift it. It wouldn't even be enough for Tikoh to be able to write on her clipboard, if she were the one hurting. How did Gregor manage for so long with one arm he can't use and another arm he can only use a little bit?
"The longer you wait on things like this, the higher the odds it'll get worse," she tuts. "When you ignore issues, it tends to exacerbate them. Even in a place like this, we want to make sure we're taking care of ourselves."
She doesn't like to lecture people, but it seems to be happening a lot lately. Sighing to herself, Tikoh sits back down. He can use the arm, so it's not dislocated; hopefully it's a muscle strain or something of the like.
"A few minutes?" she says, frowning. After a moment, her expression softens, and her ears twitch. "Ah, you must have had some kind of innate healing ability, right? I've seen similar things; you get so used to not having to worry about it, that when something does happen you're not sure what to do. If I still had my medical magic, I could easily find out what the problem is..."
Some of the machines back at the hospital replicated her medical magic, but Tikoh doesn't have any of that at her clinic. "I'll check a few more things, and then I should know what we're dealing with," she says, rising to her feet again. "Hopefully it won't be anything I need to refer you out for, but we'll see."
Prodding at Gregor again, Tikoh hums to herself. She touches around the joint, gently, trying to feel at his muscles. "How old are you, Gregor? And what were you doing when the pain began?"
[ 04 ] sender comes to receiver with an injury they got during sex.
"Alright, what seems to be the problem?"
Although Tikoh needs to hear it from the patient's mouth, she already has a good guess about what the issue is. Eiden came into the clinic with such a wide-legged stance, and he preferred to stand in the waiting room.
"Ah, it's a... little embarrassing," he says, fidgeting.
"That's fine. I'm not here to judge, I'm here to help," she says, smiling gently. "Please, don't be nervous."
Eiden fidgets a little more, giving an awkward laugh. "Honestly, I was kinda hoping it would go away on its own, but it's been a few hours and it hurts really bad, so-"
"Well, we want to treat it as soon as possible, right? The sooner you tell me what's going on, the sooner we can look at options."
"Y-yeah. Guess you're right," he sighs. Eiden takes a few moments, rubbing the back of his neck, and Tikoh lets him gather his courage. Finally, he looks her dead in the eyes.
"It's my balls."
One of her ears flick, but she's otherwise a model of professionalism. "Genital injury," she says.
Eiden nods. "Right. It was, well, we were trying something new, and I was all tied up-"
Tikoh holds a hand up. "Please, just the part where the injury happened."
"O-okay, sure. Basically, the knot slipped, and I fell against the foot of the bed. And it was kinda like..."
Eiden puts two of his fingers in a v-shape, and then chops his other hand between them. Just mimicking it makes him wince, and he squirms some more.
"I couldn't get up for like five minutes," he said. "Standing up, I mean. It hurt really bad. Still does."
"I see. And what did you do afterwards?"
"Well, he untied me and I just laid down for a bit. But it still hurts, you know? Makes it kinda hard to walk."
Tikoh makes a few more notes before coming to a decision. She's a doctor, so she can't be hesitant about these things; if she gets shy, it could impact a patient's health. She can't let that happen.
"Well Eiden," she says, putting her notes to the side. "I'll need to see. Go ahead and take off your pants."
"Oh, I..." He trails off, glancing around. "Right now?"
"Yes, now. If you really don't want to, I can't force you. But you understand I can't really treat you otherwise, can I?"
"No, yeah, that makes sense. I guess it's just kinda... I wasn't really expecting it. Don't you have magic, doctor? You can't just... I dunno, cast a ball healing spell?"
Her ears flick again. "I do have healing magic, but this isn't the kind of thing we'd want to use it for. It's better if we rely on it healing naturally."
"Well, you're the doctor," he says. And Eiden takes off his pants.
Tikoh does her examination. They're quite swollen. She's seen enough.
"You really should have some in sooner," she says. "This level of bruising is.... it's really bad, but you don't need me to tell you that, right? If you're not careful, you could end up losing them. You can pull your pants up now."
Hastily putting his clothes back on, Eiden makes a whining noise. "I-is it really that bad? I thought this kind of thing went away over time..."
"It usually does, but in severe cases, it can cause infection," says Tikoh, tossing her gloves into the trash. "And depending on how bad it is, it can require draining to reduce swelling."
Eiden crosses his legs. "Draining?" he squeaks.
That's enough making him squirm. Finally, Tikoh looks back up at Eiden, smiling. "But it doesn't seem like this is quite so bad. I'm going to give you some medication that should help reduce the soreness and swelling, and you can try a cold compress as well. Oh, and no sex for two weeks. You'll mostly just need to rest and recover."
Falling back into the exam chair, Eiden's eyes widen. "T-two weeks? Are you sure that isn't a little extreme, doctor? I mean, it's not that bad-"
"Giving or receiving," she says, frowning at him. "Don't make me repeat myself."
Mostly because it's embarrassing. Thankfully Eiden seems to finally get it, and he nods, sighing to himself.
"You're the doctor, I'll do what you say," he says. And then a moment later, he sits back up, tapping his chin. "Wait, you said no sex, but what about mastur-"
"None of that, either.
"For two weeks?!"
"It's not that long! Honestly."
"It's pretty long!" And then he smirks. "And it's a long time, too."
Tikoh slams a piece of paper on the desk beside him. "Here's your bill, Eiden," she says. "Please pay it promptly."
"Y-yes doctor."
As Eiden takes out his phone, Tikoh sighs to herself. It's not like it's embarrassing; it's a normal part of the body, and he's just doing normal things. It's just... kind of tiring. Maybe she needs to be more selective with her clientele.
“Umm… A w-while…? I guess…?” Till stutters out nervously, trying to calm his racing heart. He’s too distracted to even look at his doctor properly. ‘She just wants to help. She’s not here to experiment on you.’ He repeats the mantra over and over in his head, eyes flicking around nervously as they try to track a white shape that keeps appearing in the corner of his vision — a familiar face only he can see.
“I h-hurt m’ throat a w-while back…” Till traces over the bullet scar on the right side of his neck with a finger. “N-normally I wouldn’t b-bother ya with s-somethin’ like th-this, b-but my f-friends were worried it c-could be related…”
Till wishes that person was really here with him now. Just having him nearby would make Till less nervous… Maybe he would lean against Till, quietly comforting him… Maybe they’d even hold hands—
“I-I-I don’t th-think so…?” Till wracks his brain, but usually when his captors talked about his health, it was in their own language. “N-not that I kn-know of…”
Till flinches when her stethoscope touches him. Skin prickling, he can hear his own pulse in his ears, and even Till knows it’s going much, much too fast. The ghostly familiar face looms closer.
He tries to take a deep breath in, but ghost places phantom hands around his neck, and suddenly Till can’t breathe—
All of a sudden, Till coughs explosively, hands reaching up to feel… just the skin of his own neck — nothing else. Till coughs and coughs until he gags with it. He feels sick, breath wheezing as it fills his tortured lungs.
Chronic coughing. Non-productive, so probably not allergy-related. Physical trauma caused by a past injury? She can't rule it out, not with her magic limited like this. Tikoh will have to rely on good old-fashioned medical know-how.
A gentle smile touches at her lips. "It's really not a bother, Till. This is my job, after all. If you don't feel well, you go see a doctor, and I'll do whatever I can to help."
He's nervous. Goosebumps, cold sweat. Traumatizing past experiences? He jumps a little when the cold stethoscope presses against his back. She needs to take it slow.
"Tell me if anything doesn't feel right, okay? Even if you think it might be nothing. Now, please cough."
He does, and she listens. There's something a little off with the sound, and she can't help but frown a little. She wants to ask him something, but he keeps coughing. At first, she wonders if he might have worked himself into a coughing fit, but it gets worse, and he doesn't stop.
"Till? Are you- it's okay, Till. I'm here, I'll take care of you," she says, still watching him. Were his symptoms exacerbated by coughing? Is this a trauma response brought on by stress? His hands are on his throat, but that isn't going to help him.
Tikoh rubs his back, slow circles to help ground him. In her head, she times it.
"Don't put your hands on your throat, if you can," she says. "You don't want to put pressure on your airway. Just focus on your breathing, Till. Let me know when you can talk."
”I try … probably could do better about rest.” Rennie replies as she settles on her chosen seat.
”Lorene’s doing alright.” Reinite says before TIkoh starts pressing on her back. “I lift with my knees, I swear.” She manages to squeak out as Tikoh presses on the worst spot of her back.
”I think ya hit the spot, doc!” Rennie says through clenched teeth. “‘Cause, fuckin’ hell, that’s awful.”
It's easy to overwork oneself, something Tikoh knows all too well. Not taking breaks, not getting enough sleep, not eating properly; it all contributes little cracks in the foundation until it all comes crashing down. She clicks her tongue as she continues her examination.
"You don't want to collapse on the job, right? Make sure you're taking time to recover, or you'll have worse things to worry about than muscle strain," she says.
Reinite's reaction only confirms Tikoh's suspicions, and she hums to herself. It's a fairly straightforward diagnosis, which is a good thing for everyone involved. Muscle strain, mild swelling, tenderness- it's all one of the most common kind of injuries she's seen among skyfarers, and easy to treat.
"I think you've got a back strain," she says, returning to her seat. "It'll hurt, but the worst usually goes away in a day or two, and then we'll make sure you get enough rest to recover properly. Some cold compresses, maybe medication, lots of rest."
Or...
Tikoh's eyes go to the Asclepius Rod standing by the doorway; it's never out of reach even if she's not using it, because you never know when the situation might change.
"I could try and cast a healing spell," she says, her gaze still lingering on the horoscope weapon. "This city's limited a lot of my magic, but it might help accelerate your natural healing a bit. If you'd rather stick to non-magical treatments, that's fine too. It's up to you."
"Oh please you think I'd give a social call to you? That's pretty bold even for being one of the only people I know from back home."
And a pretty big lie as well. There were a few times Lich did consider calling Tikoh just to see if she'd be willing to bum it out somewhere. The doctor didn't seem too busy with patients from what the primal beast gathered which only meant the shady being had to suck it up and actually do it herself.
But at least now she could make up for any "lost time". By being a patient of all things...
"And yeah yeah sure poof goes the robe too." Almost just as quickly did it fall to the ground, revealing rather large red spots on the usually pale individual.
"Tell me about it. I thought we were immune to the whole "human" stuff but I guess something went wrong. Maybe I should tell Rose next time to put more sunscreen on so she doesn't brighten up like a tomato in that Auguste sun."
Tikoh's ears sag, but she doesn't say anything more on the topic. No point in dwelling on personal feelings when there's work to do.
She's thankful Lich doesn't have reservations about taking off her clothes, not that's there anything to hide, really. Primal Beasts might look like skydwellers, but it's mostly a superficial resemblance. Digestion, respiration, reproduction, there's no guarantee they even can do those things if they want to. So the fact that Lich can get a thing like a sunburn is almost surprising.
"I would've thought so too, honestly," says Tikoh, leaning in. "Every time I see you, I learn something new, Lich. But the more we know, the better we can try and make sure it doesn't happen again."
A lot of Lich's chest and shoulders are tinted red, and there's some spots on her face as well. It could be worse, but it's also pretty bad as is.
"Does it hurt?" she says, looking up at her. "Something this extensive, you'd usually feel it when you move. So in your case, raising your arms, or maybe bending over or moving your face a lot."
There's some topical treatments, but it usually just takes time for the skin to heal. Will it work the same for Lich? Frowning, Tikoh presses lightly at her shoulder.
"How does that feel? On a scale of one to ten, how badly does it hurt?"
As she's instructed to, Reinite does slip off her shirt. "I was lifting a box for my boss at Susie's Scoopsies, and it locked up on me. Hurts like a bitch," the pirate lass grouses as she turns so her back - tattoo, her method of covering her chest and all - is more visible to the doctor.
"Lorene recommended you when I had a splitting headache when I got here." She says. "Figured you'd be the right person to see when this happened."
Rennie sighs. "I also ref at Skullrender, and a few nights ago some hothead shoved me against the ring. I think that's what's wrong, but I don't know."
"You're a busy one," says Tikoh, pulling on her gloves. "Make sure you're getting enough rest, because if you're not resting your body, it can be harder for it to heal."
The tattoos are dazzling- designs that intricate aren't common in the Sky Realm, and it takes Tikoh a few moments to recognize where she's trying to examine.
"Lorene? Right, I remember him. Is he doing well? I'll have to thank him the next time I see him," says Tikoh, only half paying attention. The exam comes first.
"It could be bruising caused by physical trauma," she murmurs, pressing on Reinite's back. "Muscle strain could exacerbate that. Thankfully, it's usually not a chronic condition so long as you're mindful. You're lifting with your knees and not your back, right?"
She presses against a spot on her back that seems a bit tense. "How does that feel? Or... here? How about here?"
虫 The size difference between her opponent and herself was no different than between a human and an ant, where she was the ant. Shinobu couldn't help but chuckle at the thought as she leaped out of the way of one of its powerful claws crashing onto the ground where she stood, though. "Fufufu... I suppose an ant is a fitting comparison for the Insect Hashira. I've always been smaller than my opponents. It doesn't matter how much bigger the gap is."
The dragon's size was a double-edged sword for the both of them. It was so big that her blade and poisons couldn't do much to it, but at the same time it was too cumbersome to manage to hit her so long as she could dart around. She didn't have no plan, though. She had a theory she wanted to test.
"If the mist's effects are tied to one's memories, then what if enough distance is created?" That was why she had been leading it in the opposite direction of where she had assumed Tikoh had gone. It was risky, but out of the members of the group she was the best equipped to try. It took about ten minutes of leading, baiting, and dodging until eventually it disappeared without a trace.
A welcome development, but a concerning one. That meant Tikoh could potentially summon a new one without meaning to. It also meant that she had the potential to summon something dangerous. But she buried that thought... along with her hatred once more.
It took her almost twenty minutes more to find her companions once more.
"Tikoh-san~! Shannon-chan~! It's gone~!" Shinobu announced when she found them in town. She was in surprisingly good condition aside from a few gashes on her arms from some close dodges. They'd need to be disinfected and dressed, but she had weathered worse. "Do you have any tools on you, Tikoh-san? I've lost a bit of blood."
What comes next? Obviously, they're to wait for Shinobu, but for how long? At some point they'll have to move on, though Tikoh doesn't want to think about if it comes to that. Shannon's safety has to come first, and Shinobu would likely agree with that.
Damn her for forcing Tikoh into a situation like this. Shopping for supplies isn't enough of a distraction, and even as she buys some food and medical goods, her thoughts keep drifting to Shinobu. Is she alright? Did she escape? Is she dead? Is the dragon still around? Every so often, Shannon takes her hand and brings her back for a time, but the worry mounts. if only she still had her magic, if only she wasn't reduced to this.
Tikoh chews on her lip, inspecting an apple, as her ears flick with the sound of a familiar voice.
"I'm too stressed," she mutters. "Hearing things now..."
"Tikoh?" says Shannon, pulling at her hand.
"Not too much longer," she says. "Then we can find a place to rest for a bit, Shannon. Is there anything you want? I'm not a great cook, but-"
"No, look!"
Tikoh looks to where Shannon points, and there's Shinobu, with that usual smile on her face. She wasn't hearing things. How long has it been?
"Shinobu?" she says, hastily putting the produce back. "You're here? Already?"
The two girls hurry over to her, Tikoh's eyes lighting on her injuries. "Y-yes, I have some supplies, I can help- Are you okay? Is that really the worst you got?"
Her eyes go to the way they came, where the forest is still visible in the distance. "It's not still hunting you, is it? Are we safe here?"
Shannon steps forward, eyes wide. "I knew you were strong, Shinobu! I was telling Tikoh she didn't have to worry, but-"
"Aha, that's enough, Shannon," says Tikoh, patting the girl's head. "Actually, let's give Shinobu some space. We'll find a quiet place to do some treatment."
Finally, she looks Shinobu in the eyes. "Unless she's going to run off again, that is."
