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RESPITE CLINIC - NOONISH
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Maybelline knocks as she walks into the clinic, peering around to see if Plume's busy or if they can spare a few moments. She's just wearing her casual clothes instead of her usual work-suit, carrying a large (to her) box in her hands. "Hello? Plume? Are you in?"
Doc Plume is over at the exam table, wiping down the leather and otherwise tidying up on a slow day. They turn at the knock and smile at May. "Ah, you caught me on a slow day, Maybelline. I hope this is a social visit?"
Maybelline nods, lifting up the box, "Yeah, just wanted to stop by with some pastries and uh... say hi, and such."
Doc Plume walks over to where May is standing and takes the box from the little stoat, setting it on their desk. "Of course... tea?" Before May can answer, they've already turned around and started to put on the kettle.
Maybelline smiles, "I'd love some, sure..." She glances around awkwardly, "I could use some to calm me down a little, to be honest."
Doc Plume pauses and gives a quiet nod. They turn off the burner under the kettle and turn back around. "Let's take it upstairs, then." They walk over to the door, locking it and turning the sign around in the window. "I have a couple of hours before my next appointment, and I think we both have the same thing on our minds..."
Maybelline nods, "I... imagine so, yeah." She pauses, then nods and follows Plume. "I don't want to bring you down though, I just figured... a bit of company that knows how I'm feeling would be good for me."
Doc Plume picks up the box from the desk before opening the 'hidden' door to the stairs up to their apartment and heading up them. "I was going to stop by the generator later, actually, so yes, I know what you mean..."
Maybelline gives Plume a smile as she follows them upstairs. "I appreciate that. I'm so used to be alone, you'd think being lonely wouldn't be so hard."
Narrator: A few minutes later, the pair are settled down at the small table in the apartment.
Doc Plume pours the tea as they marvel over the sheer quantity and assortment of pastries that May brought over. "Did you just buy out the bakery or something?"
Maybelline shrugs, "I just picked out a few things that looked good. I uh, guess I got carried away?"
Doc Plume laughs as they select a raspberry tart and nibble on it. "Fair enough... so... have you been sleeping badly too?"
Maybelline nods, reaching in to take a brownie. "Moreso than usual. I mean, I never really sleep all that well anyways, so it's not much of a change... but I can't even get myself to lay down. Just feel so... anxious."
Doc Plume frowns a bit. "You know..." They pause, then shake their head. "No, sorry, doctor instinct kicking in. I know exactly how you feel though, it's just a little off, not quite right..."
Maybelline takes a bite, eating a little more slowly then some might have seen her do in the past. "Yeah. I keep worrying about like, maybe I should have done more? I could have built something else, or walked with her to the gate, or... or... just a million little things that I should have done, but didn't."
Doc Plume shakes their head. "You can't let yourself think that way... You'll make yourself sick." They take a sip of tea. "My father headed up lots of trade expeditions so he'd be away for months at a time... but he always came back safe. Worrying about Louma won't help her and will just make it worse for her when she gets back if she comes back to a wreck of a stoat."
Maybelline sighs, but nods. "Guess that's fair. I'm so bad at this, I can't believe she sees anything in me. I'm already a wreck of a stoat, but dammit I'm trying." She smiles at Plume. "I'm not the type to let go."
Doc Plume shakes their head. "You're not, though. You built a new generator out of nothing but your head and hard work. Who else in town could do that? You're worth plenty, May, and Louma is right to see it in you."
Maybelline blushes a bit, hiding it behind her tea cup as she reaches out to take a drink. "W-well, you and Nesseth make a good couple too, from what I've seen. I was feeling pretty jealous of you two at first."
Doc Plume blushes as well and gives a cawing laugh. "Well, it just sort of happened... he and I were spending a lot of time together and I just sort of... kissed him."
Maybelline blinks a moment before giggling, "You make it sound so scandalous. I mean..." She glances around, as if anyone were listening, "With Louma and I, it was all a bit of misunderstanding. We kinda stumbled into a date, and then she thought I felt obligated and I thought she wasn't interested. It's all sorts of embarrassing to think about now."
Doc Plume laughs before quieting themself with more tea and tart. "They'll be good stories to tell when we're old and grey..." They look at May and smile. "As much as I worry, I have to trust that they're going to be OK. This is what they do. I mean, you wouldn't want Louma to worry about when you're building the new generator, right?"
Maybelline chuckles, "I... yeah. I did promise her I wouldn't explode again. I know what I'm doing, and I know she knows what she's doing, and Nesseth is there, and the others going with them, so they'll watch one another's backs."
Doc Plume nods. "Indeed. Besides, this is all to help Erika and the others, if they're out there..."
Maybelline frowns, "I... still don't know the full details. Only that Erika is sick, and that there's a few guards possibly stranded out there."
Doc Plume finishes their tart and leans back a bit. "It's mostly magical, which has me a bit lost, but I'll do the best they can with what they bring back. Transformation isn't an everyday thing for a doctor to deal with..."
Maybelline tilts her head. "Transformation? I thought..." She shakes her head, "Well, magical, so I guess that makes sense. I... I had no idea."
Doc Plume blinks. "Oh, yes, right... so Erika's body... is quadrapedal, like the wild okapis of Orela... and apparently the other guards may have suffered the same fate, with respect to their own species..."
Maybelline blanches a little, "O-oh... Oh hell... I..."
Doc Plume pours another cup of tea. "It's quite disturbing, yes, though Erika maintains her mental capacity and the ability to speak, at least..."
Maybelline nods slowly, "I had no idea... I thought, you know, 'sick' but not..." She shakes her head, "Thank goodness she's still herself otherwise, though."
Doc Plume sighs. "She's holding up remarkably well, considering. And isn't degrading, though I still check on her and test her acuity every few days." They pick up a cherry turnover and nibble at it.
Maybelline pauses a moment before she takes another pastry, thinking. "I don't really know magic at all either, or I'd offer to help. I mean, the offer's there, of course! If there's anything I can do to help, just name it. That sounds awful, no matter how well she's taking it."
Doc Plume nods a bit, thinking. "Well, maybe if you could do something to help her life be more normal in the interim. Cavro has made her some garden tools she can use without hands, but if there's some gadget you could whip up for her, I'm sure she'd appreciate it."
Maybelline thinks, "I'm not great at the gadgetry stuff but... I'll think on it. Maybe I can come up with something?"
Doc Plume sips at their tea. "Maybe you could just ask her what she needs, if anything? Or maybe you could work with Cavro to improve the stuff he's already made for her?"
Maybelline nods, "Cavro stopped by to look over the generator stuff. I think this is hard for him too, but he wants to help her however he can." She glances away, "I had no idea what he was going through... here I am all worried about Louma when..." She sighs.
Doc Plume sets their teacup down and folds their hands in their lap. "It puts it all into perspective. At least we can hug them when they get back..."
Maybelline nods, "Yeah... yeah, for sure."
Doc Plume smiles at Maybelline. "We're not going to give up on Erika, though. We'll get her better again."
Maybelline chuckles, "Well, I think that's why we get along, Plume." She takes another brownie out of the box and nods, "We're both stubborn, and don't give up. Erika couldn't ask for better help in finding her cure."
Doc Plume laughs a bit. "Too stubborn to know better. We might need your help too, if any magic needs to be teched..."
Maybelline nods. "In so much as I can, you have my help. It's a tricky business, dealing with magic."
Doc Plume picks up their tea and sips it. "So what have you been doing to keep yourself busy? I mean, what are you even supposed to do when the generator isn't falling apart?"
Maybelline chuckles, "Mainly I've been drawing up designs for the next steps towards building the full one. In theory, the job I was hired for was to be maintaining the generator and upkeeping the town's power-grid, preventative maintenance, running tests, etcetera."
Doc Plume nods a bit. "Well, I guess you'll make your own work now. Oh, when you have some time, could you take a look at my autopump? It's been stuttering a bit since new generator came up."
Maybelline nods, "Anytime, sure! The temp generator is running smooth right now, and... I can't say I know when Cavro will be able to start forging new parts, so I've got plenty of time right now."
Doc Plume sips at their tea. "When we're done here, I guess..."
Maybelline smiles, "Sure." She takes a big bite of her brownie and switches to somewhat lighter conversation, as the two spend the time until Plume's next appointment just enjoying the company.