Winter Wonderland - 12th Night Party!

[herr_bookman]

Father Christmas returns from the mountains this 12th night, leading the chained Krampus and his former captives. Some of them are triumphant, some hurt and limping, some are huddled with their friends who have been searching for them.

Those entering the bar today will find one corner of it decked out in a minimalist theme of white, silver, and blue snowflakes. Warm, enchanted snow drifts down from the ceiling, disappearing before it alights on the floor, but piling up on the window sills and mantle of the fire.

Snowmen dance outside on a glassy floor, circling and swaying in lines. Should one want a fancier change of clothes after an ordeal in the labyrinth, it'll magically be provided at the door.

[OOC: Welcome to the Winter Wonderland party! It's officially open through the weekend--hope you enjoy!]

Comments

Re: Arrivals & Reunions

[road_to_calvary]

Valjean does not want to go to a party. Indeed, he goes straight to his room to wash, and try to get sand out of his eyes. But he cannot stop the irritation, so after he is clean, and changed into clothes that make him respectable once more, he comes back down to find this infirmary he has heard spoken of.

He never sees a doctor. But he has to be able to leave this place in the state he arrived in. But no distaste registers as he knocks on the infirmary door.

'Hello?'

Re: Arrivals & Reunions

[cook_the_rude]

Dr. Hannibal Lecter had been abducted as well, and now is in the infirmary to doctor a few small cuts on himself.

"Monsieur Valjean," he says, turning. "How can I help you?"

[road_to_calvary]

'Monsieur l'docteur.'

Ah. God's way of chastising him for choosing to seek aid. A doctor he does not trust. So be it; he will stand by his choice.

'I fell in sand, and cannot remove it from my eyes.'

It does look painful, but he is not asking for help with that. Just someone to force the stuff out, if possible.

[cook_the_rude]

The untrustworthy doctor nods, and start getting things from a cabinet.

"Have you tried anything yet," he says, "or have you come straight here?"

[road_to_calvary]

'Water, that is all.'

He cannot keep them open long enough for it to do any good, and even now is struggling to manage it at all.

'I would not wish to waste your time, however. Perhaps you could simply tell me whether it will right itself if I sleep.'

He knows little of medical matters, beyond how to bind and sew small wounds.

[cook_the_rude]

"You wouldn't waste my time; this is what I do," the doctor says. "Let me have a look?"

He puts down the things he has been taking out, washes his hands, then puts on thin latex gloves.

[road_to_calvary]

He is resigned, then. He sits, and turns his face up - the irritation of his eyes is obvious as they are bright red and streaming, along with painful sunburn in patches on his face.

'There was a desert,' he says, by way of explanation. As if that explains everything. He does not know Lecter was taken as well.

[cook_the_rude]

"In the labyrinth?" Dr. Lecter says. "So you were taken by the Krampus as well?"

Dr. Lecter takes a little light that looks like no more than a pencil, steps close, gently pulls the lids of Valjean's left eye apart, and peers in closely, using the light. It is bright without being blinding.

[road_to_calvary]

He does try and help, and keep it open, but the reflex is to blink away. He attempts to stay still, though it is only seconds before water is running down his cheek.

'Apparently so. And yourself?'

He knew a man in Toulon who got too mush salt in his eye. It infected, and he was blind within two weeks. He would not like that to happen, though he will endure it if he must.

[cook_the_rude]

Dr. Lecter peers into both his eyes, then nods. "There is sand still in both your eyes," he says, turning to fill a small, soft cup brimful with water.

"Bend your head, put your eye in this, and open it under water," he says, holding it directly before Valjean's face.

He will find the water pleasantly lukewarm.

[road_to_calvary]

'That is how it is done?'

He will remember that for the future. Trying to pour it in from above was an exercise in futility. So he does as told, though it is deeply uncomfortable.

[cook_the_rude]

"Try and blink under water," Dr. Lecter says.

[road_to_calvary]

Uncomfortable and awkward. He does as he is told. It is impossible to know whether good is being done.

'If I keep doing this, it will right it?'

Re: Arrivals & Reunions

[patterns_bloom]

Alana had been running around the infirmary, familiarizing herself and marveling at the new technologies different worlds provide. And avoiding the rats entirely is much easier when they avoid you, she realizes, so she makes a concentrated effort to objectively observe them putting their hands all over everything.

Startled by Valjean's knock, she turns to the door. "Oh, hello," she says, and then pauses. "Are you looking for a member of the staff?"

Re: Arrivals & Reunions

[road_to_calvary]

He has his head down because his eyes do not want to stay open. It is rude, but he cannot help that.

'Yes, mademoiselle.'

He does not assume that she herself is a doctor.

Re: Arrivals & Reunions

[patterns_bloom]

Alana smoothes her long, lotus-patterned skirt and stands. "I'm Dr. Bloom, a psychologist," she says, peering at him. "I have basic medical training if you don't mind my helping you, or I can find a colleague of mine, Dr. Lecter."

As he's the only person with training here that she'd recognize on sight.

[road_to_calvary]

He hesitates - not because she is a woman who is a doctor; nor because she is a psychologist, as he does not understand what that means - but because she is a colleague of Hannibal Lecter.

He reasons with himself that the man has not proved to be untrustworthy in any way, and there is no reason why this lady would be.

'It is nothing. Merely sand in my eyes that I cannot remove myself. No doubt it will work its way out.'

He never sees a doctor. He feels foolish for even admitting something bothers him.

[patterns_bloom]

As much as she'd like to, she doesn't point out that he wouldn't have sought help if this was nothing. Alana cants her head to the side, examining his face closely.

"Are you sure? Sand can lead to scratches on the eye or an infection," she says quietly. "Flushing it out requires very little on either of our parts."

[road_to_calvary]

'Is that so?'

She speaks quietly, and does not presume. It is reassuring, and he tells himself he is a fool for allowing these unfounded doubts.

'If it would not trouble you, then.'

The pain, he can deal with. But he would not like to return to France blind. That would take some explaining to Cosette.

[patterns_bloom]

"It wouldn't be any trouble at all," she says, keeping her tone professionally soft. She turns to wash her hands, focused on the methodical motions to give him a sense of privacy in the room.

"So how did you get sand in your eyes, sir?" she asks, donning a pair of thin latex gloves.

[road_to_calvary]

'There was a desert. I fell.'

He is sunburned, and his skin is dried out, it is true. He has tried to drink enough water that the latter will no longer pose a problem, though his pounding head says it is not enough. He can deal with that himself, though. The eyes, not so much.

[patterns_bloom]

Alana nods politely, silently cataloguing the extent of his sunburn. It takes her a little while to locate a pair of sterile cups and a bottle of water, but she prepares the wash by filling the cups as soon as she can.

"Immersing the eyes mimics the natural process of tearing up," she says, placing the cups on the table, "but it's not pleasant. Should be better than sand in the eyes, though."

[road_to_calvary]

'I believe many things are better than that.'

He finds it ironic that he managed a whole day in a sewer without the use of his hands, and got nothing in his eyes, but cannot manage half a day unimpeded in a desert without having to resort to this. He regards the cups as best he can, then internally sighs.

'I will do as I must. Thank you, mademoiselle.'

[patterns_bloom]

Alana smiles at the sudden burst of dry humor, but she sobers up with a nod. "You're quite welcome," she says. "The process may take up to ten minutes, but just try to stay under the water as long as you can. Blinking also helps."

[road_to_calvary]

'Yes.'

He waits, hesitant. Then asks, 'will you be staying? I could do this in my room, if there is no other treatment necessary.'