004

[wavesofjade]

There Has Been An Alarming Rise In The Number Of Patients I Am Seeing Who Have Gained Injuries Thanks To Venturing Too Close To The Forest.
May I Please Remind You, My Dears, That It Is Given The Title Of 'Forbidden' For A Reason.
I Would Hate To See Anyone Severely Hurt.

With That Said I Would Like To Ask A Favour Of Any Herbology Students Willing To Give Me A Little Of Their Spare Time.
I Am In The Process Of Cultivating Several Cuttings From A Flitterbloom And Would Appreciate Any Assistance As It Is Not Something That I Have Attempted Before.
Any Professors Are Also Very Welcome But I Think That You All Have Quite Enough Work!

As Ever The Hospital Wing Is Open To All Of You.
You Do Not Need To Be On Deaths Door In Order To Come And Speak With Me.

Comments

[plushaeusrumpified]

Enough work my foot.

[Alright that's a lie, he probably has more work than most professors in the school, but that isn't the point.]

Y'know if I wasn't a wizard I totally would've been a gardener. I'm real good with lawns.

Sign me up.

[He really just... wants to help her. Because of all she's done for Dirk over the last few weeks, and because of their last conversation.]

[wavesofjade]

I Would Not Have Placed You As A Green Fingered Individual Young Man.
But Do Come Right Along When You Have A Moment.
I Will Be In My Quarters.

[plushaeusrumpified]

Well, maybe I'm not. But I totally fit the sexy gardener mold pretty well, so I'm sure I could learn.
Wait, who're you calling young man? I'm nearly 33 Nah you're right, I'm pretty damn old.

You're free now, then? I ain't really doing much, just sitting around. Kinda bored. I don't wanna impose or anything though, if you're busy. I'm sure the plant isn't your top priority or anything, what with all the kids sneaking off getting high in the forbidden forest and having unfortunate encounters with centaurs.

Or at least I assume that's what's happening, I could be wrong.

[wavesofjade]

Ah Yes I Am Aware That Is Is Your Birthday Soon.

I Am Free At The Moment.
Gkika Has Taken Charge Of The Hospital Wing While I Do A Little Gardening.
If You Are Willing And Eager To Learn Then Let Us See What We Can Make Of This.
What Do You Think?

[plushaeusrumpified]

No it isn't.

I'll be there soon, then. Though you wanna tell me real quick what this plant even is? It sounds familiar, but it's been like, what. A hundred years since I went to school? I'm tellin' you, I'm a fossil.

[wavesofjade]

I Have Your Medical Files Professor.
I Am Aware Of Your Date Of Birth.

[The medical profession strikes again.]

It Is A Completely Harmless Plant That Bears An Unfortunate Resemblance To Devils Snare.
As Such, It Moves.
It Is Quite Difficult To Prune A Plant When It Is Capable Of Movement.

[plushaeusrumpified]

Oh.

[Fuck.]

Oh that doesn't sound bad. I was expecting something all, y'know, dangerous and shit. Since you're a nurse and dangerous shit produces the best cures, which is ironic as fuck if you really get down to it.

But yeah, no problem. I'll be able to prune that stuff easy.









Could you, like.

Make that private or something? I don't want anybody knowing that I have birthdays.

[wavesofjade]

I Had No Intention Of Spreading The News If That Is What You Are Worried About.

[Your nephew is already doing a fine job of that.]

Come Along When You Have The Time Dear I Should Be Here All Afternoon.

Action

[plushaeusrumpified]

[He goes to write, but there really isn't much more to be said. He sighs, closing the journal.

It's not long after that there's a knock on her door, calling out one simple statement.]

Yo, gardener's here.

[wavesofjade]

[It's a few moments before the door opens and when it does, Dolores smiles warmly and beckons him inside. There's a small white bat clinging to her shoulder, which chitters curiously at the man when he walks in.]

Hello, dear. Can I get you something to drink?

[plushaeusrumpified]

[The sight of the bat on her shoulder gives him pause, and his eyebrows shoot up, though mostly out of curiosity more than anything. He hadn't realized she had bats before.]

Uh, sure, that'd be great. What've you got?

[wavesofjade]

[She shuts the door behind him, looks him up and down a moment, then smiles again.]

Coffee, tea, apple juice or water.

[plushaeusrumpified]

Well if those are the options, AJ wins hands down.

[Where do you think Dave gets his borderline AJ fetish from? That's right. This guy.]

So... I'm gonna stop ignoring the big pink elephant in the room and point out the fact you've got a bat on your shoulder. Just so we're clear, you know that, right?

[wavesofjade]

[Dolores laughs softly, and moves to fetch him some. She might not drink it herself, that often, but the students seemed to like it. And apparently some of the staff, too.]

Mm? Of course.

[A few moments later, she's offering him a glass of juice.]

His name is Zephyr.

[plushaeusrumpified]

[He takes it when she offers.]

Alright, just makin' sure. You mind if I ask why you a bat, of all things? I dunno, you seemed kinda more like a miniature owl type of person or something.

[He takes a sip of his juice, swishing it around in his mouth before swallowing and letting out a content hum.]

[wavesofjade]

I have three.

[She makes a small gesture to a large cage in one corner of the room. The door is open, but there are two bats inside - one a small thing that could easily fit in a child's palm, and the other quite large with long ears.]

I've always kept bats. My parents would have liked me to have an owl, I think, but I never wanted one.

[plushaeusrumpified]

[He casts a glance to the cage she pointed to, before walking over to it to look at them a little more closely. He's never really seen bats up close, so it's pretty interesting, to be honest.]

Huh. Can they deliver mail, or d'you have to use the school owls for that kinda thing?

[wavesofjade]

Zephyr and Scirocco can take lightweight items, but Shade is far too little.

[Moving up beside him, she leans down to look into the cage. The bats ruffle their wings and peer out at them both.

While she's not paying attention, Zephyr creeps over onto Bro's shirt.]

I tend to use the school owls, but most of the people I would be sending mail to are already here.

[plushaeusrumpified]

Oh, okay. Yeah, I didn't figure they w-

[He cuts off as he feels the bat crawling onto him, quirking his head to look over it it, eyes widening slightly.]

...-ould be...able to...

Hi.

[And he's talking to a bat.]

[wavesofjade]

[He is talking to a bat. Zephyr squeaks at him, and Dolores covers her smile with one hand.]

I think he likes you.

[plushaeusrumpified]

You can tell all that by one little squeak?

[He still hasn't moved from his position, afraid it might... do...something, if he moves too much.]

He's not gonna like, poop on me or something, is he?

[wavesofjade]

I can tell because he decided to initiate contact with you, Strider. They're good judges of character.

[The other two bats are squeaking at each other.. and Zephyr makes an attempt to crawl down the back of Bro's collar before giving up and going for his hat instead.]

I don't think so. He's quite well behaved over things like that.

[plushaeusrumpified]

Oh. Well I guess I can't argue with that. I mean, I am pretty damn likeable.

[It's definitely a relief when she tells him it won't poop on him. If there's one thing Bro can't handle, it's bodily waste. That's just a recipe for disaster right there.]

Good, because I'd hate to h- whoa, whoa, whoa, what's it doing?

[No, of course he doesn't sound slightly panicked.]

[wavesofjade]

[She watches him carefully, an amused expression on her face.]

I believe he's climbing onto your hat. Try not to move.

[Of course, she'll remove him if he gets too freaked out.]

[plushaeusrumpified]

But why my hat? [He's not super freaked out right now, just. very, very cautious. He does have the potential to freak out though.] It ain't like I got treats up there! It's not gonna eat my hair, is it? 'Cuz I've heard that some bats eat hair and if he does, then...

[VAGUE AND EMPTY THREAT.]