Private Good for what ails ya

[Tibera Jessen]

The Tidewatch Aerie rose above the clifftops on the back of a monstrous tree, overlooking the sea as it's name would suggest. Tibera had tracked this place down through stories from others. There was a man here that was said to work medical miracles, and Tibera was always keen on that. Her body often needed "tune ups" as she called them. Things that would help keep her going.

Whether that was physical or not was entirely dependent on the day. Today though, her issue was a bit more than just being physically drained. She needed help, and hoped this medicine man atop the maple-sequoia could be that help.

The travel from the mainland here was done by an old-fashioned wooden boat. Nothing like a bit of sea sickness to make one forget their problems. Not to mention the scent of a fresh catch of shrimp being pulled from the tide pools. It was a good thing she'd eaten very little today! At least the view was pretty, there'd be a lot of time to enjoy it too. Because that aerie was not easy to get too!

It took a while to get even to the base of the tree, the climb up it's towering height was somehow even harder. It'd be worth it though, if only to get this medicine. Normally long climbs weren't the worst thing to Tibera, but this was kicking her butt. She was so tired, but she couldn't rest yet.

Asking locals seemed to be the best bet, which directed her to the garden area. The hulking woman made her way there slowly, feeling her eyes getting heavier and her muscles aching. She couldn't remember her last restful night sleep, it must have been a week ago. She'd tried many a remedy, but nothing seemed to work. Going days and days without rest was getting to her.

The garden of The Aerie was beautiful, and just inhaling the scent of flowers made things feel less like hell. She must have been a sight to see standing there. A bulky armored suit standing amongst wildflowers. Her gait was slow and lumbering, clearly she was in bad shape...

Tag: Kaito Starfall

 

[Kaito Starfall]

Tibera Jessen

"You seem weary, traveler… perhaps you should sit down and rest a while." The words came in a velvety smooth tone from a man watching her from the shade of a breezeway, his figure half-veiled by the cool shadow of the building. "Perhaps you might join me for some tea?" He gestured with one slender hand toward a low table and the pillows arranged nearby. "It is not often we have guests who wander this far."

 

[Tibera Jessen]

Kaito's voice was like milk and honey, a soothing balm on an old wound. There was plenty to be thankful for now, not the least of which being she could stop walking for a while. Slowly, deliberately she walked towards the pillows on the other side of the room. She shed the uncomfortable duraplast shell that was so often her barrier from the outside world.

There was an alien feeling of vulnerability in her gut, she detested when she wasn't in fighting shape. It was a disgrace that she wasn't strong enough to fight off what made her this way. But you couldn't box your psyche, no matter how amusing the thought pf it might be.

"I could use something a lot stronger than tea," She muttered, before taking her place on the pillows. Her shoulders soon went slack, and she cleared her throat. It was pretty good tea at least, not too bitter, not too sweet. Stuff like this was actually pretty hard to find, Tibera once met someone on Nar Shadda that collected teas like this. If she recalled, this was an Echani blend.

"You must be Kaito right? I came here looking for you, you're supposed to be able to help people. Well I will be honest, I need quite a bit of help..."

Tags: Kaito Starfall

 

[Kaito Starfall]

Tibera Jessen
"Perhaps I can… what are you suffering from?" Kaito asked gently, looking her over with quiet curiosity as he fetched a fresh hand towel and dipped it beneath the cool running water of an exterior sink.

He wrung it out, then moved closer to the large woman and carefully pressed the damp cloth to her forehead.

"Here…"

He lifted his other hand near her cheek, close enough to feel for warmth, though he stopped just shy of touching her skin, trying to gauge whether she was radiating more heat than was typical.

"You've come a long way, and spent a fair bit of yourself to get here," he murmured. "I can prepare a room for you to rest in, if you wish to be treated."

 

[Tibera Jessen]

"Perhaps I can… what are you suffering from?"

"It's nothing contagious, just too many stims," Tibera said with no lack of embarrassment. She'd never been one to shy away from using chems to improve her performance in battle or in training. Now she was starting to feel the effects of it a little too much.

"Rest sounds great, can't remember the last time I had a good night sleep. Honestly I just feel strung out..."

Tibera then shook her head slightly, she wasn't thinking straight. She huffed, her heart was racing faster than ever. It was honestly hurting with each beat, she needed to calm down. Mixing liquor and all sorts of performance enhancers was dangerous, and without the alcohol she had few ways to stop it. The answer? She'd have to ride this out...

"Just...some place to rest my head."

Kaito Starfall

 

[Kaito Starfall]

Tibera Jessen

A soft pitting yet gentle touch rested atop her head offering a soft pet.
"Oh… I see. You've abused stimulants, then, and overtaxed your body with borrowed vigor," Kaito said, his tone mild, though not without reproach. "Then I believe a detox is in order."

"This is not the sort of remedy that will scour your body clean by morning. You will need to stop taking stims for a while… and drink plenty of water. We'll need to have you lie somewhere cool and quiet, and I will keep watch over you until your heart no longer sounds as though it is trying to break through your rib cage... what you're describing is very dangerous."

His tone gentled, though the scold remained beneath it.

"And if you try to argue, I will take that as proof you are in no condition to make decisions…" His gaze settled on her, calm and expectant. "I will need a list of what stimulants you've been taking. You're likely going to suffer withdrawals, if you aren't already."

Kaito set a small tin cup down and poured hot water into it, stopping just short of the rim. Steam lifted from the surface in pale ribbons.

From his satchel, he took a folded paper packet and pinched a small measure of mineral salts between his fingers. He scattered them into the water first, then stirred until the grains disappeared.

Next came the lemon balm as he crushed the dried leaves lightly between his thumb and forefinger before letting them fall into the cup. Chamomile followed, a careful pinch of pale blossoms dusting the surface before they began to sink. Last, he took two mint leaves, bruised them against the side of the cup with the back of his spoon, and pressed them down into the water.

He let the draught steep until the water warmed to a soft gold, then added a thin spoonful of honey. It slid from the spoon in a slow amber strand before dissolving beneath another gentle stir.

"There," Kaito said, lifting the cup once it had cooled enough to drink. "Sip it slowly... I will draw you a bath and fetch you some fresh clothes... Then I will prepare a room for you... understood?"

 

[Tibera Jessen]

Borrowed Vigor, hollow strength, that was what Tibera seemed to have a lot of. It would be easy to blame herself for even getting into this position, but there was no time to feel sorry for herself. She needed to get better first, get off the drugs. Once she wasn't bordering on a heart attack she'd kick herself plenty.

"Right, slow and steady. A warm bath to relax," Tibera said in a shaky voice, she sipped at her tea and closed her eyes. Her heart felt like it was all the way in her throat now.

She wanted to cry, to break down and just let it all out. She hadn't really done that in years. Every time she tried to form a tear, the looming figures of her parents were in her head. She could remember their sentiments, if she cried, they'd make sure she had a reason. She'd be forced to train until she lost her lunch, and then she'd train some more.

Tears meant vulnerability, a reaction to pain. Pain was just weakness leaving the body, that was the goal of the training, but now wasn't the time. Kaito would no doubt soon know she was in her own head. Staring into the middle distance as she tried to fight what was inside.

Fighting, it was what she was built for. Every curl, every squat, every punch or kick on the heavy bag. It was a planned circuit from before she was even born. She wasn't a child, she was an asset, an accessory for her mother and father to wear around. That last jewel in their crown, a daughter who was perfectly built to be part of the business.

"Sometimes I think I should still be in a cage ya know? There was some kinda messed up safety in knowing you were stuck somewhere. Every day was preparing for the next brawl. Guess I proved I can't take care of myself, My skag mom was right."

Kaito Starfall

 

[Kaito Starfall]

Tibera Jessen

Kaito offered her head a gentle pat, tousling her blonde locks beneath his palm.

"It's okay…" he murmured, soothing her as one might comfort a frightened child. "Tears are the body's way of releasing what the heart can no longer hold... Ignoring your feelings will destroy you form the inside out... You can learn to take care of your self... and no... no one belongs in a cage... If some one kept you in a cage they didn't do a very good job of teaching you how to take care of yourself... Come on I'll help you up."