Open | Station Log

[bindsthedead]

CHARACTERS: Sabriel
LOCATION: Throughout the station
DATE: Second half of February
CONTENT: Catch-all log!
WARNINGS: Possible discussion/description of injuries

Infirmary

[It's depressing how often it's happened- the mission ends with a fight, and the infirmary fills up. Sabriel's in the infirmary, trying to help everyone who was injured in the fight against the dragon, and the dremnin before that.

In either case, Sabriel surveys the damage, working with McCoy and the rest of the infirmary staff to prioritize who needs magical healing, and who can recover with bed rest and modern medicine.

Under other circumstances, it would have been a relief to immerse herself in the Charter once more, to feel part of some greater whole and to let it flow through her and out her fingertips. But right now, it's merely grim necessity, as Sabriel cleanses poison and heals injuries, calling forth mark after mark until at some point, stray marks start hovering around her hands even when she isn't casting, reflecting off of surfaces or lingering for a few moments on whatever she's touched before fading, before she reaches the next patient]

Just relax- this should mend the damage, but you'll need to take it easy for the next few days.

[She can also be found napping, her head cushioned on folded arms or resting on an open medical textbook, only to jerk awake at the slightest touch.]

Sorry! Sorry, does someone need healing?

Training room: Magic (Closed to current students)

[Sabriel shows up early for her classes, dressed not in the robes one might expect of a mage, but rather in dark, sturdy work clothes, her hair pinned out of the way. She has papers ready, detailing the marks for the spell she's about to teach. (And more papers for homework later, because she's Like That sometimes).]

Let's get started- today, we're covering healing magic and shields.

[Which might explain the selection of objects at her feet- all small enough to be picked up and thrown, but of varying weights. But before anything else, Sabriel reaches out, touching her student's Charter mark with two fingers and motioning for them to touch hers.

She might be the only one here from the Old Kingdom, but she wants her students to understand a little of the practices surrounding Charter magic- if only to make sure that if they do meet another mage from the Old Kingdom, there won't be any misunderstandings.]

Training room: Swords and fists

[Swordplay is something Sabriel's studied since childhood, and there's something almost meditative about going through her forms- letting muscle memory guide her movements as she shifts from stance to stance, and strike to strike. Her form is elegant, but there's an efficiency to her movements as well- no flashy flourishes or wide swings.

And it feels good to hold Abhorsen's sword again, to feel the magic that's been in the steel since its forging, and let herself focus only on her movements, and her breath.

Martial arts require more thought- she's only started learning them more recently, which means that it takes more effort to guide herself into the movements, to shift from stance to stance. When she realizes she's not alone, she looks up, smiling apologetically.]

Sorry, I didn't see you. We can practice together, or I can give you some space?

[Not everyone wants to spar, or train together, after all.]

Common area

[Sabriel can often be found in the common area, her nose buried in one book or another. Sometimes, she sketches out a spell, sketching out a sequence of marks that flare with golden light- and then a book, that had been on the other side of the room a moment ago, is now in her hands.]

Well, I'm getting better at the range...

[Later on, Sabriel will try, with somewhat less success, to put the book back on the shelf by the same method, and might end up dropping it on someone's lap- or their head. Later in the evening, she can be found absentmindedly tossing a ball of golden light up and down- a ball that breaks into a swarm of golden butterflies mid-toss, that vanish before they hit the ceiling as Sabriel looks up, with a smile that looks... almost sad.]

Kitchen

[Sabriel can be found in the kitchen at various times. During the day, she can be found chopping vegetables, or helping to prepare a number of dishes. She'll cheerfully ask for help, or suggestions on what to prepare next.

But she can also be found there at night, long after the lights have been turned down, rummaging through one of the cupboards before looking up, a bit sheepishly.]

Do you know where the cocoa is? I can't seem to find it.

[Given that there's already milk and sugar on the countertop next to her, Sabriel's plan is clear. Normally, she tends to prefer herbal teas for her late night drink, but occasionally, she wants cocoa, even if it requires slightly more effort.]

Simulation Room

[If someone were to open the door, they'd find themselves looking out onto miles and miles of shallow, sparkling water- aside from the wall of darkness behind them, there's nothing else- just ankle-deep water, and a sky so full of stars that they almost blur together, forming a luminous cloud and illuminating everything in a light almost as bright as the sun, but far softer.

And if they were to look up they'd feel a calling- an urge to just let go, leave everything behind, and rise to join the stars. But that calling is muted- and impossible to answer. Sabriel is standing some yards away from the entrance, eyes closed and in apparent meditation.

Or perhaps you've come across Sabriel standing in the middle of a rose garden, filled with roses of all colors- red and pink, white and yellow- and some that are such a deep purple they're nearly black. Sabriel looks up from the near-black rose and smiles, a bit sheepishly]

I suppose one of my ancestors had a flare for the dramatic.

[For a family of necromancers, black roses seem both appropriate, and rather cliche.]

Comments

Common Area

[legalcy]

[Thud.

Minimus looks down at the book that had suddenly fell by his foot He didn't see it get knocked out of place when he removed Pride and Prejudice from the shelf, but it must have fallen out of place regardless.

He picks it up and searches for an empty spot to no avail. The bookcase is completely full save for the novel he just removed.] Who would even leave this here when there's no space?

[It's utterly confusing. He must post a sign reminding readers not to leave books in unstable positions.]

[bindsthedead]

Sorry!

[Sabriel is on the other side of the room, looking apologetic.]

That was me. I was trying to put it back on the shelf, but my aim was a bit off. I was trying to put it on the top of the shelf.

[And she probably shouldn't try any more magic while Minimus is around- she doesn't want to hurt him.]

Training room

[deaddrop]

[Natasha stands a bit to the side, hands raised in mock surrender as Sabriel notices her. Not that she was standing close enough to be in danger, but it's the thought that counts.]

No need to apologize. Just, call it professional curiosity.

[Natasha likes to see other people workout, their fighting styles—strengths, weaknesses, how they can be best exploited.]

I wouldn't be against a partner, if you're open to it. Always more interesting with another person than beating up a practice dummy or a punching bag.

not here

[essenceofdeadlybeasts]

[Don't mind the gangster watching from the other side of the room. It's not creepy if it's professional interest! He's just watching his student spar against his favorite karaoke buddy. nbd.]

[bindsthedead]

I wouldn't mind. I'm still learning hand-to-hand, so I can't promise I'll be that much of a challenge.

[But she knows enough to actually spar now, and any practice is helpful.

Sabriel slides into a ready stance.]

No magic, correct?

[She wants to practice hand to hand, not spellwork, but sometimes, people want the experience of fighting against someone using the supernatural. Better to check first.]

common area

[coordination]

[ Guess who just got KNOCKED THE FUCK IN THE HEAD BY A BOOK? ]

OW!

[bindsthedead]

Sorry!

[Sabriel scrambles over immediately, checking if Yzak's hurt.]

I was practicing a spell, sorry. I still need to work on the precision a bit.

training room

[essenceofdeadlybeasts]

[Zhao watched Sabriel go through the forms with a small smile on his face. She may have been a beginner but she was dedicated and a good listener, a quick study, and she did good work. She could use a little more practice on the latest forms but the earlier ones she'd learned were pretty perfect as far as he was concerned.]

Not bad. Your stance through the eighth form needs to tighten up in a few places but you're getting it much better now. It's looking much better.

[bindsthedead]

[Sabriel is, in many ways, an ideal student. She practices frequently outside of class, listens attentively, and asks questions as necessary.]

So- like this?

[Sabriel shifts and repeats the form, narrowing her stance as she runs through the form's combination of strikes and kicks. Her moves are swift and precise, elegant but without any flourish- she's learning this for practical reasons, not to show off.]

common area

[evasives]

[ cassian may not have been here as long as others, but he's been here long enough to have accepted magic - it exists for others and they use it. he can see it with his own eyes and it would be stupid to push back against it. instead, he would prefer to try and understand it. ]

[ he walks into the common room just as sabriel seems to use some magic, seemingly teleporting a book across the room. he allows a small fraction of surprise on his face for effect, but the curiosity takes precedence. ]

Sabriel. [ that's his hello. ] Is this something you have learned here, or a skill from your home?

[ what? no reason to be subtle here. ]

[bindsthedead]

Cassian. [Sabriel inclines her head, nodding.]

It's a spell I learned at home, but that I've... elaborated on here.

[Mostly, that she's learned to increase the range, rather than being restricted to arm's-length. Precision... is taking some time.]

Infirmary

[locumstudentesquire]

[As a guy who famously hates going to see the doctor, the infirmary is just about the last place Ryunosuke wants to be. Unfortunately for him, something about his body seems to be reacting particularly strangely to the dremnin's venom, and even though the worst of it has been cured, he's still in a lot of lingering pain, even several days out.

The bad news for all the infirmary staff is this: regardless of whatever state he's in, he's not about to take his medicine-- or any other healing treatment-- without at least some fuss.

He leans away from Sabriel, his creased brow paired up with the slight grimace on his lips to create what is a rather dubious looking expression.]

Hold it-- I need to make sure... You're not going to charge me for this, are you?

[As far as remaining physical damage goes, his torso is raked with gashes from monstrous claws, and his right arm is pretty badly mangled from where the creatures fangs delivered the poison. He clearly needs this... But he's still going to be a pain in the ass about it.]

Re: Infirmary

[bindsthedead]

What- why would I even do that? There aren't even any shops here. What would I buy?

[Sabriel's sketching out spells to ease the pain and heal damage, winding them about his limbs and torso like a series of glowing ribbons that sink into his flesh, leaving behind only a stray mark or two that linger on his skin for a few seconds.]

You were badly injured- you could have been killed- and you're worrying about money?

infirmary

[tochnyy]

[ on the best of days, mal's not the best patient. one could ask the first army medical officers, sure, but alina is a better source of that information. he squirms, huffs and tries to get out of any sort of treatment.

this time he has burns and a sprained shoulder to deal with, the latter of which makes him grumpier than the former because he can't get comfortable. he's spent a couple of days actually resting, going about things the non-magical way before he's agreed to alternative treatment. ] If the magic makes the wound go away, why do I have to keep resting?

[bindsthedead]

Because the spells aren't completely instantaneous- they take time to work fully, and if you disrupt that, your wounds will reopen. You can walk around, take a bath- but save any training for later.

[The healing spells wrap around him as she speaks, golden symbols shining like sunshine reflecting off gold as the wrap themselves around their injuries, soothing pain and repairing damage.]

Common Area

[heroooic]

[ Since arriving back at the station, Finn's dance card was full. Errands to and from the infirmary, check-ins on friends, assisting with Helen's medicine production, cooking (questionable) meals for those recovering, and otherwise being anywhere and everywhere anyone might need him to be.

The only person who couldn't get a date with Finn Mertens lately was a good night's rest.

Sleep had to sneak up on him these days. Today, it managed to catch him while organizing books in the common area. Alphabetical order, he'd been told, by someone who almost certainly just wanted the kid out of their hair. Finn made it through the B's before his eyelids got heavy, finally falling asleep from his spot on the floor against the stacks.

And there he stayed, until an errant book fell from the sky and--]

I'm up!! [ He sits up wildly, looking around in a blind panic. ] I'm up, what is it, what's going on!?

[bindsthedead]

You're fine!

[And Sabriel's scrambling over, to check if Finn's okay. And then she sees how tired he looks.]

Sorry, I dropped a book. Are you- Finn, when was the last time you slept?

kitchen —

[realists]

[ jyn is something of a night owl. her parents were and saw didn't police her bedtime so she's always been more awake at night and only begrudgingly exists in the morning. six months in prison didn't knock that out of her, she went right back to her owlish ways the second she had a warm bed to knock out in.

usually she reads while cassian dozes, but sometimes she wanders the hall like a ghost (she can't decide where they land between living and dead) or drinks one cup of tea after another whilst sitting on the kitchen floor.

she looks up when sabriel says... something, blinking before the words make sense. cocoa. ] The chocolate powder? [ she hums, the noise a thoughtful note, before she sets her tea aside on the floor and literally ducks under the pantry shelves so she can reach the very back underneath the bottom shelf and unearth the unopened tin of cocoa. ]

This one? [ a beat. ] No one looks at the bottom shelf.

Re: kitchen —

[bindsthedead]

Yes, thank you!

[Once she gets the lid off of the tin, Sabriel pours some of the milk into a saucepan, being careful not to turn the heat up too high before adding measured amounts of cocoa and sugar and stirring, even as she speaks again.]

Normally I drink tea, but I felt like something different tonight.

training room

[spikedbats]

[ It could have easily felt like being back in school. Steve thought he escaped that by graduating by the skin of his teeth, but apparently the universe had a funny way of poking and prodding at him.

It could have felt like being back in school, but it doesn't. Especially not when he volunteered for this, and not when the subject matter actually proved useful for a change.

After the debacle that had been the last mission, Steve definitely craves more of that knowledge. He has to be stronger, faster, better for his friends. And now that he's had a taste of a different sort of magic, he's eager to see what else Sabriel can teach him.

And, as it turns out, he's actually a pretty good student when it's something he wants to learn. He follows Sabriel's instructions carefully, touching her mark. He's not sure it's something he's ever going to get used to, but he lets the feeling wash over him and settle into something like a thrum of power, waiting to be called upon. Yet unlike the power that he experienced back on Alydhion, he feels a connection that stretches out, reminding him that he's not alone. It wraps around him like a blanket, comforting, reassuring him, and the corners of his lips twitch upwards into something of a smile while he waits for his next instructions. ]

[bindsthedead]

[Sabriel touches his as well, feeling the Charter, and his fledgling connection to it. And then she moves on to the lesson.]

All right. The shield spell I'm going to demonstrate involves five marks, with four of them connected to a stronger central mark. This isn't the kind of spell you just cast- you have to hold your concentration, and it can exhaust you if you're not careful. But it will shield you, and anyone directly behind you, from attacks. The sequence of marks is-

[And Sabriel traces out the five component marks slowly, so Steve can see them. Starting with the outer four, before the last one in the center. The spell glows as the marks disperse, seeming to almost vanish- but there's still the feeling of them in the air, and they flash at odd intervals, at random points around Sabriel's body. Then she releases the spell, and the marks vanish.]

Now, I want you to try to cast it. Take your time, search out the marks in the Charter, and pull them out in the same order I did. Then hold them.

Common Area

[singlelogbridge]

[If he'd been paying any attention, he would have caught the book with ease, but seeing as he's focused on the array work in his own hands, the flying book catches the kneeling Wei Wuxian directly in the temple and sends him to the floor with a startled yelp.]

Ah...[Is his very eloquent response as he rises, rubbing at his head and staring at the book. He blinks in surprise for a moment before he looks up and his gaze flitters around the room, eventually settling on Sabriel as understanding dawns.]

Aiya, if you're angry at me Miss Sabriel, you can just tell me! [He teases, a mock pout on his lips.]

[bindsthedead]

Sorry, my aim was off! I was trying to get it on the shelf.

[She really thought she practiced this spell enough to use it outside the training room. But Sabriel has the grace to look ashamed at least, as she heads over to pick up the book and put it on the shelf the old fashioned way.]

I hope I didn't disrupt anything. I was trying to increase the range of that spell, but I suppose I need to work more on my aim.

training room (magic)

[karumic]

[Kazuma dutifully mirrors the motion, pressing two fingers to Sabriel's Charter mark, though he feels a little silly doing so. Part of him still can't quite grasp magic being real, and something that he himself can learn, even as he's seen many examples of it performed by other people. Maybe part of him still think it's all an elaborate ruse, deep down.]

Is there a purpose to this? [The finger thing, he means.]

[bindsthedead]

[As soon as Kazuma touches Sabriel's forehead, the world falls away. The room is gone, replaced by the endless swirl of the Charter, marks moving around him and through him in all directions, like a galaxy of stars moving in an incomprehensibly complex pattern. When he breaks contact, the world reappears, and Sabriel speaks.]

It's a way of testing that the mark is true. And if you encounter anyone else from the Old Kingdom, they'll expect you to do it.

[Because especially nowadays, it's not uncommon to encounter things that only appear to be human, especially in the remote areas of the Old Kingdom.]

Now, are you ready to start? After... everything that happened last mission, healing spells seem as good a place as any to start.

infirmary, hobbles in late

[softshoes]

[Yujin's exhausted. They're all exhausted; there are only so many of them working this infirmary in the wake of a very, er, tactile mission. So when Sabriel starts as he wakes her, it startles him right back--]

Ah! Sorry, sorry-- [wait, why are they apologizing to each other, again? Back to the task at hand.] No, Miss Sabriel. It's the opposite.

The poison victims who needed regular, er, magical attention have all received a dose of antidote. Once we're certain it's effective, you'll be able to rest.

infirmary

[bindsthedead]

[Sabriel looks up, blearily... and then her shoulders sag with relief as she processes what Yuujin is saying.]

Good. I'm not sure why the normal cleansing spell didn't work- I'll have to adjust it for next time.

But... How long will it take? Until we know?