A Humble Healer's First Steps

by **Torii** on August 14th, 2013, 5:12 pm

Season of Summer, Day 61, 513 AV

No gate to greet her, no guard to halt her, a disguised Konti woman strode timidly into the 'grand' city of Sunberth. The dawn's illuminated its short stature, and in truth the girl was somewhat surprised. Certainly she had heard of the state of the free city, but she knew not of just how poor it was. Torii halted as she took in its visage, lips curling down as they tightened. Well, she reminded herself. This is what I came here to do. Time to get to work.

Tugging her forest-green cloak closer to herself, she straightening out her tunic, pulling the hem taut. A hand moved to test how her circlet, and she smiled contently once everything was perfectly settled. Besides the obvious silver jewelry hiding the scales of her forehead behind its beautifully thin metal, she didn't look very expensive. Perhaps a good judge of quality would notice her cloak to be almost silk-like in its make, or the black velvet gloves shielding her hands from sight. But to all who casually glanced at her, they would just see another human woman. A pretty one, sure, but hopefully none would see her for what she was. A Konti.

She snagged a deep breath of air, chest and cheeks puffing before she let it all out. And with that, she began her march into Sunberth. At first her stride was meek and humble, but as she acquainted itself with its mangled interior, that began to fade. A confident sway accompanied her step after the first ten minutes, accompanied by the swing of her arms. The frown was cast away, gentle smile proudly spreading across her lips.

"New here, blondie?" a voice called out at her. It took a moment before Torii realized she was the one being addressed. She turned to face the voice, a lovely woman of red garb with a very low neckline's eyes meeting hers. The other woman smirked, lush red lips puckering for a fraction of a second as she approached. "New people like you always stick out."

Torii blinked, nodding her head. "You're correct, yes." The Konti woman took a much more professional pose than the swaggering red-lady, hands clasped together before her lap. "Just acquainting myself with the city."

"Passing through?"

"Staying."

"Oooh, staying?" The woman's arms folded tightly across her heavy busom, dirty velvet sleeves draping over her chest. "Getting a little taste of freedom? I could get a job for you."

"Oh, I'm very thankful," Torii replied with a deep bow, hands shifting to her lap. "But I've already a pro-."

"Don't bow," the woman said halfway through the Konti's motion, causing her to pause.

"... Pardon?"

"You bow to no one in Sunberth, blondie. Learn that quick." A few whistles echoed from behind the girl, smirk returning as she tilted her head to face their origin. Her hands teasingly moved to her long skirt, fabric swaying to reveal her slender legs, much to their pleasure. "Well. You don't bow unless someone pays you to bow," she admitted with a snicker.

by **Torii** on August 14th, 2013, 5:36 pm

Season of Summer, Day 61, 513 AV

After the confrontation with what she considered to be a 'slavenous' lady, Torii found herself in the Castle Commons. Frantic as it always was, with people coming to and from, she found it a struggle to avoid bumping into others. Granted, no one else seemed to care but her, the girl receiving more than a few sharp elbow slams for her troubles. Either people hated her already, they were trying to teach her a lesson, or they just didn't care. Probably the latter, she assumed.

She felt a hand grope at her waist, fingers brushing against her thankfully covered hips. A quiet curse was murmured by someone she couldn't see. She blushed lightly, stopping in the middle of the road so she could find and berate the man who she figured had tried to have a feel. It took a moment before she realized the truth. Looking about, she saw the very securely fastened coin-purses hanging from the hips from others. Reminding herself that her purse was in her backpack, the blush quickly faded as she sighed with relief. Best not to be caught off-guard like that again. Her cloak wrapped around her being, covering her belt from sight. Surely no one would even try if they couldn't even see. At least, that's what she hoped.

She heard a distant cry of pain. Eyes widening, she swiftly (and a little less politely than before) made her way through the ever-moving waves of humans, finding a youth on his knees, looking at his scraped hands. She looked about for a parent. Neither hearing nor seeing anyone who seemed particularly concerned for the youth, she took his hand and guided him aside, away from the traffic.

"What wrong, little one?" she inquired, voice polite and friendly.

"Nothin'." He puffed up his chest, making tight fists as he tried to make a show of being strong.

"Speak the truth," her even voice replied.

"'M speakin' it."

She sighed. "How did you fall?"

"Don't worry about it." He snorted, looking to the side, attempting to dismiss the subject. But the Konti woman was not so easily fooled. Still, with a smirk she played along.

"Very well. Would you like a suggestion?"

"What?"

"Rub your hands together. It will make the pain go away. And... where are your parents?"

"'M an orphan," he responded, eyes widening as he followed her suggestion.

"I see." She frowned, falling silent for a moment. The chatter of the roving mobs behind her overtook her thoughts, mind being left a blank as she searched for words. Eventually, she just reached out to pat the lad on the shoulder. "Well. Be safe, little one."

"Yeah, sure."

by **Torii** on August 14th, 2013, 5:55 pm

Season of Summer, Day 61, 513 AV

"So lemme get this straight. You want one of our 'luxury' apartments. Y'know they're just bigger'n cleaner than the regular ones, right?"

"I am aware," Torii replied with a nod.

In her quest to settle herself in, she came to the quick realization that she would need a home -- and fast! After the failed pick-pocketing attempt in the Castle Commons, her imagination overtook her. Gods have mercy if she were caught out at dark. Perhaps her entire backpack would be taken. Perhaps... she had started to think, mind focusing on the hooker, the grasping hands that once made her blush in embarrassment. Though she quickly pushed the notion to the back of her mind, it ended up being a major factor in her decision to acquire a home as soon as possible.

"I intend on using it as a small personal clinic as well as my ho-."

"A clinic, eh?"

The Konti's eyes narrowed. I've just about had it with people interrupting me toda-"

"You're not going to be like that Doctor we already got, are you?"

Not even save in my own thoughts, she internally remarked as her expression drooped. A sigh escaped her. "Doct-?"

"Yeah, doctor."

"Tell me, who is thi-."

"Doctor Petricious. Downright vile fellow, he is. Locks up people in a lil' shack for him to torture. And I hear if you need someone t' sing, he's who you go to. Bet he's on a gang's payr-."

"So he's not trustworthy." Torii smirked.

"Nah, 's why I don't go to him. Best not to take your chanc-."

"Well, maybe I'll offer a safer opt-."

"Maybe you wi-."

"I-."

"..."

"..."

They both paused, staring at one another. Eventually, they spoke in unison.

"Good."

The human opposite the table Torii was seated at laughed, reaching out to shake the Konti's hand. "You'll do fine. I'll take you to your apartment in just a tick."

by **Torii** on August 14th, 2013, 8:39 pm

Season of Summer, Days 63-66, 513 AV

A few days after the girl had gotten furniture for her home, she was out advertising. Not entirely sure as to how to go about this, she just elected to get some sheets of paper and start scribbling out advertisements to lay at doorsteps. Talking to the occasional person, setting up clients. Even doing a few free check-ups to get a reputation going.

Besides a few awkward situations, it went relatively well. She didn't leave home at night, locking up her door unless someone knocked. Thankfully managed to get a lockable slide for the door, so she could see who was standing in front of it. A necessary security when someone could be a thief.

Every once in a while she liked to look at her old velvet dress, one of many she would have worn back home. She wondered when she might get a chance to don it again. Of course, she reminded herself that there were more important things to do than reminisce about the past. And she had sincere doubts that she'd find a fitting mate in Sunberth. Not that she was in any rush to go back to the White Isle with a child.

It was relaxing to finally be able to shed her disguise at night. Though gloves and circlet were always close by, she loved the freedom of flexing her fingers, letting the webbing loose as it should be. Torii occasionally would run her fingers over her scales, as if to remind herself that they were still there. And of course, it always brought a smile to her face to see the Gnosis of Rak'keli on the back of her hand.

When it came time to sleep, she'd offer a prayer to the goddess of healing, tucking her golden symbol beneath her pillow before she drifted to sleep. Then the next day, it was back to work.

Things were going smoothly. Until one day...

by **Torii** on August 14th, 2013, 9:26 pm

Season of Summer, Day 67, 513 AV

"All right, I'm ready," said a grinning man, laying on his back on the woman's massaging table in her home/clinic. Granted, it was often used for people to sit on so she could conduct a check-up, but today it was to be used for its true purpose. She turned to face him, eyes swiftly narrowing at the sight.

"... Sir. The towel. Please put it on."

"Thought you did massages."

"Not those kind of massages."

"You foolin' me? I saw you with Kari a few days ago, you're one of th' girls, right?"

"No. No I am distinctly not 'one of the girls'."

"... Oh."

"Now do you still want an actual massage? If so, calm yourself and lay on your front."

"... Yeah. Yeah, sure," the man grumbled as he turned around onto his belly. Swiftly she brought up the previously offered clean towel, covering what she didn't need to see. He was a bit dirty, something that gave her pause as she looked at his visage. Not shamefully so, but he wasn't the freshly bathed version of 'clean' she was used to back home. She looked at her soft hands, then to his hard flesh. Then there and back again. Hesitantly she dipped her hands in water, before getting to work. I'll just have to get oil one of these days.

She paused, hands but an inch before contact. Welts. Bruises. All over his arms and back. "... Sir?"

"Yeah?"

"Got into a fight?"

"Oh? Yeah, just a bit of a scrap at a tavern. Y'know, bunch'a guys getting a bit wasted and just goin' at eachother over nothin'. No big deal, don't worry about it."

She winced as her hands weaved over the wounds, each one part of the same tale. Her fingers were as gentle as could be as she tended to his back, rolling over muscles, kneading out knots. She occasionally would give commands to him. "Deep breath." "Hold." "Relax." The Gnosis on the back of her hand glowed as she asked for Rak'keli's healing powers to at least ease the man's pain, confident his turned head wouldn't see. Whether he really deserved it or not, she didn't care. It was her duty to tend to him.

When the awkward moment passed, it became a swift and simple check-up. He paid, she gave him his privacy to change back, and then he was out the door. She contemplated the idea of getting a screen for changing as she watched his tunic-covered back, the man heading out her door with a 'thank you'.

"Last I checked," she murmured once the door shut. "People don't bring clubs to bar fights."