#t: present

[betterhealing]

@skips-multi-muse     continued from here.

When the Courier decided it was time and necessary to head out without him in tow Arcade definitely did not, could not, always remain around the Lucky 38. Sure - sometimes the kind researcher could be found there, but it was never for exceptionally long... after all, he knew they knew where to find him whenever they decided to roll back into New Vegas and might need him.

After all... it wasn’t like he tended to get out much into the Mojave these days otherwise.

While things with Six was interesting enough, a definite much needed change of pace for the, hopefully, betterment of the Mojave... he was still needed at the Old Mormon Fort too. The Followers were far too low in numbers to even lose the hands of someone like himself, and with the ever mounting tensions within Freeside between the free citizens and the NCR soldiers about it was a matter of time before everything reached a bloody head.

Of course when it finally did reach that point it was almost ironic that those involved were not the aforementioned parties. He was surprised that The Great Khans would dare to try such a bold tactic, given distance and location from where they typically were, but assumptions only made an ass out of everyone anyway. Julie hadn’t wanted any of them harmed if they would leave peacefully enough, but it didn’t look as if that was going to be the case.

Unfortunately Arcade found himself amongst what very well might prove to be the first fighters against the onslaught. He was handy enough with that plasma defender after all, and he alongside a few of the others and the mercenaries that worked here as guards had to hold off the pending assault long enough Julie and the rest could get those they were helping - the sick, the wounded, the non-combatants - into the more secured towers.

It looked bad - and even when the unknown fighter joined the fray, causing chaos and disruption within the ranks of the gathered foe as well as taking out several key targets, and there was enough time given that a collective force of the Kings and several of the NCR soldiers in patrol in the area could come in and handle the rest - thankfully with as minimal loss as possible, barring those already handled, thanks to Julie’s intervention.

There wasn’t enough manpower for even this - let alone enough supplies - but those who were injured had been brought in regardless of who they had fought for. Arcade had noted one was Boone, of all people, and he had taken upon himself to settle his doctor’s bag beside him in order to check out the man’s wound - touch gentle and careful and worry on his face despite the sharp, wry barb of his own words.

He had turned to gather a few things he needed out of that bag to remove the bullet - thankfully it wasn’t too serious, should just be a matter of fishing the damn thing out and stitching him up - when he caught just what Boone was looking at. He chewed for a second on his lower lip, a hum a little under his breath. “Thank you. If you hadn’t stepped in..” The rest of that was better left unsaid, wasn’t it?

And then, “You’re still an idiot.” He wasn’t going to let him off completely! Either way he moved to try to get a better hold on Boone’s shoulder, shifting his instruments closer to him to indicate he was ready to get to work if he was ready enough for it as well. “I thought you were out with Six anyway. When did you get back?”

[betterhealing]

@tsurugixbuster;    continued from here.

Following the lure of a distress beacon had been a fool’s run under the best of circumstances, but at the very least it seemed the both of them were here in the same proverbial boat. And Arcade, with all his moral ground and compass, could not have turned away from it anyway... because there had always been the chance there had been good people behind it who had needed help.

Unlikely of course, given the hostile state of the wasteland itself but..

Instead the good Follower had found himself in hot water - and with a wounded stranger to boot. The raiders were bearing down on the two of them, and it had been all he could do to provide a quick patch job to what injuries he could see on the other guy - he would probably need more than that, however he seemed rather hellbent on vengeance. Not that he could blame him.

“Ah yes, run off and allow you to get torn to pieces? Pretty sure that’ll make me an asshole as well, you know.” Maybe his own sense of self-preservation had decided to skip town, but Arcade hadn’t exactly planned to start abandoning people today, even at the chance to save his own life. “I’m Arcade, by the way.” His tone was wry, perhaps even pinched a little bit, as he loaded his last cells into his plasma defender - it would be slower than the rifle the other man carried, and have less range, though that seemed to matter little as their foes made their way closer.

Their position wasn’t the most defended - there was a bit of a rise in the way, enough to provide some natural cover, and it was that he took... raising his own gun and opening fire at those raiders that came in from their immediate right, nailing one in the leg and causing a shocked wail from them, enough to send the couple with them skittering back a bit to try to get out of range... and right into what might be easy sight of his unlikely and unexpected companion.

[betterhealing]

@back-from-the-abyss;     continued from here.

Just the right place at the right time, for once. That didn’t exactly happen exceptionally often.

“I don’t think anyone was exactly predicting it to be quite this bad today.” Arcade quirked a brow before he glanced up in the direction of the sky from under that large, colorful umbrella, noting that the clouds were only growing further darker. How – unpleasant, wasn’t it? Really he didn’t mind the rain at all that much, but a storm might very well prove a problem given the risks involved with it. Honestly, he preferred to avoid getting utterly soaked by torrential downpour himself… and it was definitely a walk back to his own place from here.

He’d glanced back towards the half-devil just in time to catch that brief smile on his face, and there was a genuine one in return towards him – there and gone, almost as swift. Still… he’d take those positive signs, brief or otherwise, from the hunter where they stood and when they happened. “Where are you headed off to? If it’s close I don’t mind walking with you there.” If Vergil didn’t mind the company for however long that might take, of course.

It was the least that he could do, right?

[betterhealing]

"Excuse me, doctor, I require assistance!" The luxe debutante waved a suspiciously white kerchief toward the academic, demanding attention! "I seem to be suffering beneath some form of hallucinogenic, and I'd very much like to have my faculties returned to me~"

@cosmicskrull

That was – hm. Maybe just a little bit suspicious. You know… just maybe.

All things considered Arcade was supposed to be off duty right now – there was nothing else he had been needed for back at the Old Mormon Fort, which left the good man with far too much time on his hands. But then again a Follower’s work was probably never truly done as well – there was a lot of meaning within that lab coat he wore, and it was one that seemed rather well known across the Mojave.

Here was definitely no exception.

Though there was a momentary flicker of annoyance he sighed audibly, turning on heel to head over towards the other person’s direction. There was caution there of course – they sounded… not necessarily unreasonable, despite whatever hallucinogens they claimed to be on. Clear minded enough to recognize his use in such a matter and call him over. “Are you aware as to which may be affecting you? What symptoms have you noticed so far, if you are able to say?” He’d have to get close enough for a better look of course, but even any viable starting point was better than nothing at all to work from.

[betterhealing]

“Hey, brain damage is like chickenpox, right? I got it once, so I can’t get it again?”

@cowardlycourier

Arcade was certainly startled by the abruptness of such a question, one that seemed to have come right on out of proverbial left field, but given the circumstances he could certainly see it as one that may very well also prove to be personal to the young courier. For a moment he frowned, debating back and forth internally with himself as to just how he should answer it – after all, brutally honest was probably meaner than it needed to be.

That said – didn’t she still deserve the truth?

“Unfortunately no – that isn’t the case at all.” He shook his head; that would certainly make the Followers’ work all that much easier if it was, wouldn’t it? “In fact even if the perceived damage is seemingly healed the one afflicted – formerly or otherwise – will always need to take as much care as they are able to in order to avoid it happening again.”

[betterhealing]

@dcviltriggcr​     continued from here.

It was a loaded question and a half, of that Arcade was almost certain. He couldn’t miss the signs of injuries all across the man’s body, and that wasn’t even touching on what he couldn’t see. The scent of blood hung heavily around the area, poignant, in the air and he had to resist the urge to wrinkle his nose against it.

Something had definitely did quite a number around here. He would prefer to avoid finding out what.

Perhaps approaching a devil hunter, let along one already wounded, had been a fool’s call at best all things considered, but he was never particularly adept towards his own longevity and survival when there were people in need. “Try not to move too fast.” A kind caution as the hunter managed to reach a seated position, and he himself moved – crouching down, seeking to get a better look at those injuries he was able to see right now. There was still a respectable enough distance between them – not wanting to invade directly into his space immediately.

“Ah yes – snark. That’s definitely a promising sign right there.” Successful guise or not currently, there was still genuine concern on the good researcher’s face all the same. “I have some medical supplies on me. If you’d like I can patch up what I can with them.”

Maybe it wasn’t much, but… it wasn’t as if he’d exactly expected to find anyone alive here anyway.

[betterhealing]

@of-lawbringing:      continued from here

Something nasty had gone down close by.

Arcade didn’t exactly travel this particular area exceptionally often, but when his seeking of new samples for his research had brought him around he was well enough aware from prior visits there were certain places best left avoided. Not all bandits were willing to listen and understand reason – and while there was a settlement semi-close by, he knew there to be few in there who wouldn’t rob him in a heartbeat. Not that he carried much on his right now – he had been traveling light enough, with just a bag that had his work supplies and Buddy the scythid crawler in it.

He had settled into a small building, one that no one seemed wholly interested in claiming. It was there he had been for nearly a week now – working out of it, scouring the area in the day and coming back in the late evening usually.

However there was that something particularly nasty going down at said bandit encampment close by. For the life of him the good researcher couldn’t remember what the place was even called, but while he had been out he couldn’t miss the sounds of heavy conflict, the harsh screams and yell and gunfire, and even the acrid reek of blood that permeated the air even a distance from that place. A raid? Something else? Bandit clans were usually warring with one another down here on Pandora – he wouldn’t be surprised at all if it with most options it could be. Still, despite his curiosity he had juuuust enough common sense to know to not go nosing his way into whatever was going on.

Look, he’s been shot, let alone shot at, enough for once lifetime.

Still, he couldn’t have expected for someone involved in the chaos and carnage to come knowing on his quite literal door. Or, rather, the side of what was temporarily a stand-in home – sentiment totally stood, right? Everything had finally died down, and he finally settled down to work a bit, when the sound of a bodily slam against the wall hard enough to shake the already damage structure had him jumping out of his seat, hand going immediately for his gun. He was careful though, picking his way out of the building and around the side warily to see –

- well, it was probably safe to say the woman wasn’t likely going to put up a fight quite immediately. His exchange with her had been short enough, but then she was out cold and he was left offering her unconscious figure a perplexed, divided look.

She was probably a terrible person, someone who committed unknown amounts of atrocities. In fact given she was down here she almost certainly was, but it was mercy that finally drop him to holster his SMG and move to her, intending to check her over to try to gauge the extent of her injuries. It was a little easier said than done, all thing considered, and when he noted he just couldn’t be confident that it was safe to move her – who knew how much damage that effort would cause, kindly intended though it might be! – he left her only momentarily there – heading back inside, fetching all the medical supplies he currently had on hand

The door of the structure was left ajar, using that as well as a small campfire he started to try to provide some meager light and warmth as he worked on her – intending to tend to those injuries he could with what he had, to stabilize her and bring her back once more from whatever brink she might’ve found herself landed on. And when that, in and of itself, was done, and if there was no immediate stirring from her, he’d seek to cover her partly with a blanket – scratchy, but warm against the chill of the Pandoran night.

And from there – from there all he could do was watch, and wait.

[betterhealing]

@yourexecutioner​

He was tired.

There remained that sense of tiredness that couldn’t seem to be shaken no matter how hard he tried, to droll day in and day out of the same damn thing. Sure - Freeside and the Strip had definitely improved since Dalton had taken over it, and therefore lessened the work that the Followers had piled on them considerably.. but it was nothing really different.

Maybe Arcade had been spoiled in a way - though he wouldn’t ask for the same drama that they had all went through facing the Legion again he had gotten used to the change too. Nothing had ever been the same from each day to the next, and the unpredictability had been.. exciting in a way. It had changed that dull monotony of his life.

Arcade clicked the door to their room shut behind him easily enough, trying to stifle a yawn as he rubbed the back of his neck and headed to see if Acanthus was around. It wasn’t too late at all yet; he wasn’t certain if the other man would be back from his own things yet, but if he was he would quickly find himself with the good researcher close at hand.

“Have any plans for tonight?” A brow was raised, restlessness to his step. “I want to head out - to the Strip or into the Mojave for a bit. Would you like to come along?” He wasn’t particularly fussy as to which, he just needed to go.. away for a bit.