Jan 28 21:18:03 106 PA
From Chronicles
While the redheaded woman hadn't been quite intending to reach the museum, it is to here where she has ended up this late evening. It's been cold outside, and what turned into doing a bit of browsing and potential shopping became more... interesting. And in a less than nice manner. Stumbling into the warmth of the garden, Isabeau is quite chilled. It's a quiet time in the garden, with few people coming out to brave the cold. Yet Isabeau has always been stubborn, and that often leads her into trouble. Gone is the cloak that Etienne gifted her, and with it gone, she's left wearing a dark blue dress made of soft-spun wool, the sleeves and skirt both long to guard her at least from part of the cold. Ghostly pale and shivering from the cold, she takes a couple more steps inside before sinking to her knees, her left hand pressing against the ground to keep her steady. There's some blood on her dress... but is it hers? There's also a blood smear on her left cheek, glistening and bright.
Vixen is a level above when Isa comes stumbling in, casually walking along one of the upper pathways, her camera lifted, to chest height, panning about as she explores the garden. She makes no use of the viewfinder, nor does she have the side viewscreen flipped open. But there is a slender cord running from the hand sized video recorder, up behind her right ear. So rather than peering through the small aperture of the camera's view, she glances about idly, seeming half distracted in her enjoyment of the garden. That is, until Isa comes in, right below. The sounds of the woman's coming just barely touch the young woman's augmented hearing, the prior silence of the place perhaps all that allows. She pauses and cocks her head slightly, listening a bit closer, the business end of her camera dipping down subtly.
Already here, much like the woman taking pictures, is Abigail. Though unlike the other woman, Abigail is sitting on one of the benches near the fountain, an open magazine upon her lap. Not paying any attention as she is, Abigail doesn't notice her patient coming stumbling it at first. It's only as she flips a page, glancing up as she does so, that she sees Isabeau, seemingly materialized out of nowhere land. She blinks, and rises hurriedly to her feet, the magazine falling to the path at her feet, unheeded, or unnoticed. And rushes toward Isabeau.
Remaining where she fell to her knees, Isabeau ignores the discomfort to her knees. Lifting her right hand, she touches her fingertips to the blood on her cheek, her chin lowering slightly as she feels the warm wetness of it there. Hers, is this, and it still flows from the diagonal cut there, which thankfully isn't deep. She can feel the pain of other cuts, other injuries, and yet, those are dim to her for the cold. Shivering a little again, her pupils are dilated more than normal, and she doesn't seem to notice Abigail rushing to her. But then, she hasn't seemed to notice where she is, at this point. Closer, it could be noticed that there are some tears or cuts to her dress, most which seem to be defensive in nature -- on the forearms, mostly, but some on the upper arm as well, and a couple to the skirt.
The continuation of the noise confirms that the first wasn't imagined. Vixen glances towards the nearest set of stairs, then starts in that direction at a brisk, if not greatly hurried pace. Once she arrives, she slips down a few steps, enough to get a look at what's going on without revealing herself fully. A casual precaution as the young woman peeks at Abigail and Isa. Her brows rise and she starts down and to approach. camera still on, casually pointed forward as she approaches. "Isabeau!" Abigail tries to get the woman to focus on her as she reaches her side. She drops down to one knee and pulls off the small fanny pack she always wears with her medical kit. She unzips it and sets it on the ground beside her. "Isabeau, can you tell me what happened?" She speaks even as she's pulling stuff from her medical kit. A tube containing some gel type stuff, likely for cuts, a small tube of glue, and some bandages. At this point, Vixen hasn't yet been noticed.
Only when her name is called does Isabeau actually shift her attention, bringing it to the woman who spoke it. Yet her gaze is unfocussed, pupils dilated, and she blinks a little, her brow furrowed somewhat, as though she's not entirely seeing. Abigail gains a puzzled and confused look for a moment, and then Isabeau manages a faint nod. Recognizing, perhaps, at least the voice of the woman who has come to help. Her breathing is uneven, and her heartbeat is unsteady and quick but slowing now that the adrenaline is fading in her. Shivering a little more, she gives a faint shake of her head. "I... I don't know," she whispers quietly, sounding afraid and uncertain.
Vixen dips her camera a bit, shifting it to be held in a discreet, 'non used' posture, though the telltale red light on it remains lit, if obscured by her thigh. "What's going on?" Announcing her presence with that question. She moves near, a bit off to the side without drawing too close. Eyeing Isa with a critical eye when she gets near enough to get a sense for the woman's condition. "One of the crazies get her?"
Once she's got the stuff she's going to need out of the little pack, Abigail reaches up a hand to catch the wrist that doesn't happen to be supporting Isabeau. She takes the woman's pulse, and frowns a little bit, but nods when it seems to be calming down with a little bit of rest. A quick glance to the side to the woman who'm she hadn't noticed before, and Abigail shakes her head a little bit. "I don't know," she says, turning her eyes back to Isabeau. "Come over here and help me," she says, with all the assurance of a doctor giving orders in her own surgery. She slips out of her jacket and lays it on the ground, behind and slightly to the side of Isabeau. "Isabeau, I need you to lay down, now, save your strength. You're safe, now, with friends," she says.
Blinking a little, as though trying to make her eyes focus, her gaze is almost on Abigail, but not quite. Her pupils are still dilated quite a bit more than normal, not seeming to be headed towards returning to normal just yet. The blood flowing from the cut on her cheek hasn't stopped nor given a sign of such, the crimson of it bright against her pale cheek. Her wrist is relinquished with little fuss and only a moment's resistance. She manages a little nod to Abigail's words, but she still doesn't elaborate on what was done to her. Isabeau shifts slightly, reaching to find the edge of the jacket first with her fingers before she actually lays down onto it, obeying the doctor's words. Her brow furrows a little, and she looks towards but not at Abigail. "What's wrong? I'll be all right," she whispers softly, managing a faint smile. This, from Isabeau -- who could be nearly dying but still manage to say that she'll be all right.
Vixen will move closer, setting her camera down close to hand, the business end pointed towards the action. Can't do much for the elevation, but she ignores that for now. She'll give Abi aid as she needs, though the young woman knows naught about handling the injured. "Looks like someone wanted a piece of her.. just a matter of who it was and what they were after," she murmurs, her eyes flicking towards Abigail.
Abigail smiles a little bit at Isabeau's words. "Of course you'll be alright, dear," she says. And hopes she's right. She looks to the other woman, Vixen, and points to the things she's laid out. "That's coagulation gel, to stop bleeding. Glue if it's big enough to need stitches. Bandages." She doesn't say what the bandages are for, thinking that's pretty obvious. For now, she takes up the tube of the coagulation stuff, and squeezes a drop of it out onto her fingers. Then she grabs one of the loose bandage pads, and uses it to wipe at the blood on Isabeau's cheek, to expose the cut itself. The coagulation stuff is then spread over the wound. And so begins the 'stop Isabeau from bleeding to death' process. Her eyes look for the next wound, a cut on the upper right arm. And she repeats the process. Cloth bandage to wipe the blood off exposing the wound, more of the coagulation salve to stop the bleeding. Or so she hopes. Each wound is found in turn, left forearm, minor cuts and scrapes on the hands. Each one is taken care of as it's found, even the smallest one. Which is odd, perhaps, but she does it anyway.
Turning her gaze to the unknown woman, she again isn't focussed or looking directly to her. Not seeing properly, it would seem. The cut on her cheek is shallow but long, diagonal, and even once the blood has been wiped away, there's fresh blood already rising again. Isabeau doesn't argue or fuss at all as her wounds are tended to by the doctor, for she understands the reason behind even the smallest one being treated. She closes her eyes for a long moment, just trying to rest, and when she opens them, her pupils are still dilated as she looks in the direction of the doctor. "They... thought I had money," she offers in a quiet voice, speaking at least a little of what happened to her.
Vixen frowns faintly when the items are pointed out. Though not due to anger of any sort. "I don't really know.." A slow admission, though after a moment she decides to give it a go. She'll be far more tentative and quite slow. No too neat at it either, likely globing a bit more than is necessary for a small cut, which is what she will stick to for sure, and uncertain when dealing with the bandages.. what they're for is obvious, though the best way to deal with them she's not skilled in. When Isa speaks as to what happened with her, the young woman glances up slightly and nods her head once. "Sounds about right.. lotta punks like that around, even outside the Dregs."
Well, better extra goob than the bleeding not stop, right? She glances over at the other woman, Vixen, and nods. "Good, good. You're doing just fine," she says to the woman. And once all the cuts are tended to, Abigail starts the slow process of getting the woman all bandaged up. Once that's taken care of, she looks closer at Isabeau's eyes. "Mugged. Assholes," she comments softly. "Did you get anything in your eyes?"
Isabeau raises an eyebrow slightly as she looks towards the unknown woman, and she manages a small nod. "They took my cloak," she says quietly, her voice near a whisper, and she frowns. That cloak was special, having been given to her by Etienne. She breathes a faint sigh, not sure how she's going to explain this to him. Tears shimmer in her eyes, but don't spill, merely at the point of gathering. At Abigail's question, she gives a little nod. "They sprayed something into them... I don't know what," she replies, sounding uncertain about it.
When the work is done, Vixen leans back slightly. She doesn't look too happy with her work, but doesn't correct Abigail. Her hand automatically goes towards her camera, though it pauses a moment when she finds her fingers are marked with the goop. She fishes a cloth form inside her coat, giving them a quick scrub before she pulls up the camera, settling it into her lap discreetly, lens given an upward lean. "You still got your life," Vixen points out, obviously not knowing the value of the cloak. The note of a spray has Vixen guessing, "Mace?" Seeming to find the concept amusing, a faint curl of her lip betraying that. "Usually the one getting attacked uses that," she says, explaining the irony.
Abigail shakes her head a little bit. "I'm sure Etienne will get you another cloak, Isa. You're what's important, not a cloak, and I'm sure he'll feel the same way." She frowns a little bit at the confession, of something being sprayed into Isabeau's eyes. To Vixen's comment, Abigail shakes her head. "Mace wouldn't have quite this reaction. It causes excessive pain and tearing, redness, a little bit of swollen, but not really dilated pupils like this. It's like she can't see properly, but I'm not sure what it might have been. Isabeau," she says. "Do your eyes feel funny? Sort of numb?"
The slender woman looks towards Vixen, and then she manages a faint nod. "That's something, at least," she says quietly. Though she's still not happy about having lost her cloak. Her attention turns to Abigail, and she raises an eyebrow slightly, listening to what's being said. She frowns a little as she considers the question, and then gives a small nod. "A little funny, aye... sort of numb. It's... strange," Isabeau says quietly, her tone thoughtful. She shifts a little bit, but still stays laying on Abigail's jacket, not wanting to earn the doctor's disapproval for trying to get up sooner than she should.
"Aren't you supposed to.. you know, risen your eyes when you get stuff in 'em?" Vixen glances at Abigail, then towards the fountain. "Wouldn't put creds on that water being clean, though. Never know what people do to it." She makes a face, then looks back towards the other two women. "Might be a fountain in the museum, though. Like, a water fountain.. reasonably clean."
Abigail frowns a bit, and nods to the woman. "Yeah, let's go inside and find a fountain. Or a bathroom with a sink. I have a bottle of water in my pack, but it's not going to be enough, probably." She stuffs the tubes back into her pack, and the bandages, and quickly zips it closed. She tosses the strap over a shoulder and rises to her feet, leaning down to help Isabeau up. "Come on, Isabeau, lets go get your eyes rinsed out. Whatever it was," she says as she looks to Vixen, "It's probably not going to cause anything permanent, even left in her eyes. It's probably a derivative of atropine."
Isabeau becomes worried a little when it's mentioned she should have rinsed her eyes. Shifting her weight a little, she starts to push herself up with her left hand, then looks towards Abigail a moment as she feels the help being given. "Do you think it'll help?" she asks softly, worry in her voice. Once to her feet, she shivers a little again, realising how chilled she still is. "What's atropine?" she asks, wary of the unfamiliar word.
"Don't even know what that is," Vixen admits to Abigail, hr camera shifted to one hand as she rises up, the other offered to aid Isa in standing. "So no arguments here.. you seem to know what you're doing." Letting go once the woman is on her feet, casually handling her camera to keep it pointed towards the other two discreetly. "Won't hurt to rinse, so might as well," she adds, letting the other two lead the way.
"Oh, almost certainly, it'll help. And then we'll get you back to the KEC and take a closer look at your eyes," says Abigail. And then, in response to 'what is atropine', she says, "It's a drug that has a fair few uses. Mostly, it's used in eyedrops to dilate the pupils so optometrists can see the nerves and blood vessels in the back of the eye. It can also be used to speed up a slow heart rate." Once Isabeau is on her feet, Abigail lifts her jacket and draps it around Isabeau's shoulders. Then she keeps a firm hold on the woman's hand and leads her inside.
Looking towards Abigail, Isabeau gives a small nod, considering what's been said. "Well... might as well check other things since you'll have me at the clinic anyways," she says softly, a faint smile touching her lips. Might as well make full use of the trip, after all. With the jacket wrapped around her shoulders, she smiles a little and nestles into the garment, thankful for it. Her attention turns to Vixen, and she gives a nod. "Thank you, for your help," she says softly, sounding sincerely grateful.
"What use would a bunch of hoods have for putting that in someone's eyes?" Vixen's confusion at such a thing obvious enough. "Don't make much sense to me." Not that she's dismissing it, her expression turned thoughtful. She glances at Isa when she's thanked. The young woman shrugging her shoulders slightly. "Didn't do much," she replies, stating the obvious.
Abigail nods a bit. "Yes," she says, tone rather dry. "We'll check out other stuff too. Since you missed your last appointment." A brow is raised, ever so slightly, as she says that last. To Vixen's confusion, Abigail shrugs. "Confusion. To make it so she can't see to fight back. Any number of things. And it's fairly easy to get here if you know anybody who knows anything about herbs."
Isabeau offers a small smile in Vixen's direction, and then she gives a little nod. "It might not have been much to you, but it meant much to me," she says softly, her tone thoughtful in nature. She looks towards Abigail, then tilts her head slightly to one side. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to miss it," she says softly, ducking her chin a little out of sheepishness. She quirks a smile, then gives a small nod. "Likely... but, I did fight back, whether they expected me to or not," she comments.
Vixen glances towards Isa. "You don't look like much of a fighter.. if there's a lot of 'em, usually best thing is to do what they want.. to a point. If they want your creds, give it up," she suggests. "Unless you want to walk around packing. Me, I always do even though I'm not big on fighting. Better safe than sorry and all that." Not that she has any visible weapons to speak of. She then shakes her head slightly, walking with them into the library proper.
A nod is offered in Vixen's direction. "I always carry too," she admits. "Better safe than sorry." Abigail looks toward the injured redhead and takes pity. For now, at least. "I know you didn't mean to miss it. Why do I get the feeling your man was off hunting or something else equally manly?"
Isabeau turns her attention towards Vixen, and a little smile touches her lips. "I threw rocks at them," she says softly, her tone giving the indication that it was enough. Well, enough for them to let her go, at least. She blushes a little and ducks her chin a bit, walking quietly with the pair of them for a moment or so. "He's... been out hunting more, lately. The more he checks the traps, the more furs he has to sell. It gets us closer to being out of the Dregs, that way," she says quietly, blushing a little more.
"Rocks won't always cut it when it comes to those types.. you got lucky, truth be told." Vixen addressing the woman levelly. "Get a few of them in some armor and that won't do much. Next time you'd best try cooperating. It sucks I know.. I hate giving in like that, but it's safe." She considers Isa then. "Dregs, huh?" That seeming to make the young woman a bit thoughtful, though those thoughts don't get shared.
The redheaded woman raises an eyebrow slightly, and then she gives a nod. "Aye, I know. I was lucky... and I guess I'll have to be more careful, in the future," she says quietly, frowning a little. She doesn't like ending up in danger, especially when Etienne isn't home. "I don't like giving in... it just feels... I don't know... still not safe, if that makes sense," she says quietly, frowning a little. "It's where Etienne and I live... is in the Dregs," Isabeau adds, offering a small smile.
"Been there, will be good when you get out," Vixen replies with a simple earnestness in her tone. "Though I left to get out.. wasn't too bad, you learn a lot out there. Giving up sucks, but living is better. You can always make more money or get new stuff. Safe is something you won't get anywhere, unless you lock yourself away. Always going to be someone doing something hazardous to your health."
Abigail has been quiet for a few minutes as she and Vixen help Isabeau into the library in search of a drinking fountain or a restroom. "Yeah, you were very lucky," she says to Isabeau. "Throwing rocks? Come on, Isabeau, you need to get yourself a gun or something. And be taught to use it. And Etienne working harder to get you out of the Dregs is a good thing," she adds. She nods to Vixen, but doesn't add anything further at that point. The light in here is, for the moment, all artificial, what with the sn having gone down some time ago. Stars glitter overhead, and outside the museum remains cold and frozen, covered with white from the snow layering most everything that hasn't already been shoveled or swept off.
Isabeau gives a small smile and then nods a little. "Aye, I know. We're trying to get out of the Dregs, since it's not really the safest place to live. But it seems not the easiest thing to do," she says softly, her tone thoughtful. She's at least working on getting a job to help out with that effort. So long as she manages to actually get it. "As you say... living is better," she affirms, giving another little smile. Her attention turns back towards Abigail, and then she gives a nod. "Aye, throwing rocks. They're good sized rocks, you know... and they don't get thrown lightly," she comments, her tone thoughtful. "I could show you... if you really wanted. It's likely not quite how you think," she says softly, a faint smile touching at the corners of her lips.
Vixen moves along a bit behind and to the side of Isa and Abigail, her camera held low and relaxed, though it continues to discreetly record the two women. "I'll show you what you should get.." She reaches into her coat as they pass through the library, calmly pulling out her pistol. An NG-45LP. Big, with a rather intimidating barrel. "This thing packs a nice punch. Eats energy fast, but get a few good hits in, you won't have to reload unless whoever you're up against is packing heavy combat armor. Hoods likely won't." Of course, with the security of the library, the weapon is inactive. She still gets a few looks as they pass through the library slowly.
Living is, indeed, better than dying. Abigail would be the first to agree to that. For a moment, a haunted look fills her eyes. But only for a moment as she shoves whatever thought it was back into the recesses of her brain. She raises a brow to Isabeau. "How do you mean, not quit how I think?" She looks at the gun Vixen displays, and shakes her head a little bit. "I prefer bullets, myself... though in this time, they're kind of hard to find.."
Alistair continues to stare into the book he's reading. He's bent over it slightly, one elbow on the table to support his head with a hand under the chin. Something about bullets and guns is mentioned, and if his ears could perk they would. Perhaps he's still getting used to this being a relatively common topic of conversation.
The redheaded woman blinks a little bit as she looks towards Vixen, though as the weapon is brought out to be shown, she doesn't see it clearly. With the issues she's been having with whatever was sprayed into her eyes, she hasn't been seeing anything clearly, though. "Oh... I don't know about guns, really," she says quietly, blushing a little. She's never used guns before. Her attention returns to Abigail, and she raises an eyebrow slightly. "Well... just that. It's not likely how you expect it to be. I mean... I don't quite pick the rocks or throw them, myself. Which is probably only making it more strange," Isabeau muses, frowning a little. She thinks she's making a mess of trying to explain.
Vixen doesn't keep the gun out, slipping it back into her coat after giving a chance for it to be seen. "You might consider some protection too.. this coat is for more than looks." she notes, patting her duster. It has obvious armoring in places, over the shoulders mostly. Could have even more. "Not for heavy combat, but could protect me from a stray shot.." She pauses as they start to pass by Alistair. She notices him and out of the blur she'll reach over and casually tap the back of his head with her fingertips without breaking stride.
Guns, yes, are a standard topic of conversation. Not so much bullets. Not in this time and place. Energy packs and bolts. Abigail ponders the redhead she's leading along. "Perhaps you should get that man of yours to teach you, then," she says. And then Isabeau talks more. And Abigail blinks. "I have no idea what you're talking about..." Then to Vixen, she looks again. "Do you know where the restroom in this place is?"
Alistair sits up and shuts the book, cover down as he looks about. "Oh - hello Miss Vixen" he greets her, eyes slightly wide. "How are you?" he stands up - it's the polite thing to do. "Hello Ladies" this whole thing is a little sudden, and he gets a little flustered.
Isabeau tilts her head slightly to one side as she listens to what the other woman has to say, and she frowns a little bit, thinking. Yet then she gives a small nod. "That makes sense, I suppose, to have some form of protection," she says quietly, her brow furrowing a little. But armour costs money, and money is something that she and Etienne need to get out of the Dregs. It becomes a vicious circle, in a way. She breathes a soft sigh, considering recent events. Her attention turns to Abigail, and she gives a small nod. "I'll show you, then. It'll clear things up. I'll talk to Etienne about it, see what he thinks," she says quietly, frowning a little again. Her gaze turns towards Alistair, though with whatever was sprayed in her eyes affecting her vision, she doesn't see him well. Though she does offer a nod of greeting. "Good evening," she offers, a small smile touching her lips.
Vixen lifts a hand when Abigail asks her about bathrooms, indicating she wait a moment. She looks to Alistair then and looks him in the eye. "These ladies are going to be going out into the fog soon. You should go with them to make sure they don't get held up by thugs," she states. She then look back over her shoulder toward said ladies. "This here is Ali. He's not too bad. Looks like he can handle himself too. You should take him with you." With those statements done, she responds to Abigail, "I think there's one over against that wall." She indicates the proper direction. "Unless they changed the layout of the place since I was here last. Probably haven't, though."
Abigail looks over at the greeting, and offers a smile. "Hello... Ali," she greets, pausing until Vixen offers a name. She frowns a bit, and then shakes her head. "Foolish..." That said likely to herself. "I'm Abby," she says to Vixen. "I'm a doctor at the KEC," she adds after a moment. She nods to the woman's words, woman being Vixen. "I think you're right. Ali, would you be so kind as to accompany us? I need to take Isabeau to the KEC. After we rinse her eyes out in the restroom." She starts heading in the direction indicated by Vixen, towing Isabeau along.
"Aaaah" Alistair smiles and blishes faintly, "I- yes, a pleasure to meet you Miss Abby, and ... Miss ... Isabeau" he nods, suddenly having been handed escort duties. He doesn't seem to mind terribly though. "I will just put the book away" and then he looks to Vixen once they head way, "I'm neither armed or armored" he points out, his brows hiking up a little. "But I'll see that they get where they are going."
The redheaded woman considers the conversation between Vixen and Alistair, and she tilts her head slightly to one side, finding it to be unusual. And interesting. Lifting a hand, she catches a stray lock of her hair before brushing it from her face to tuck it behind one of her ears. Isabeau manages a little bit of a smile, giving a nod to both Vixen and Alistair. Then she's being tugged along with Abigail, towards the washrooms, to be able to have her eyes rinsed. And hopefully made better.
"I'm sure you'll figure something out." Vixen saying so before lightly patting Alistair's shoulder. She then looks to Abigail. "Vixen. I've got to go, though. I'll have to ask you your word later." She glances back towards Ali, but seems satisfied with his commitment to the 'cause'. "Catch you later." Said in general before she starts to head for the museum itself, to head on her way out of the place.
Abigail smiles back over her shoulder at Alistair. "No worries, I'm armed if we need such on the way to KEC," she says, though hopes not. "But we'll appreciate the escort in any case." Afterall, Isabeau might pass out on the way. "Thank you, Vixen," she says as the woman leaves. And on into the restroom she leads Isabeau, where they disappear briefly to wash Isabeau's eyes out.
