Just What the Doctor Ordered [Era] { Complete }

[Marmadue]

The air in the room was still despite the small window being slightly ajar, hidden behind curtains that had certainly seen better days. The entire room seemed to be in the same vein, the wallpaper peeling from the walls and the furniture looking old and scratched. Not much actually seemed to match, the two bed frames sporting a very different designs and the blankets and pillows covering them wildly different in their colors and patterns. A small flame flickered inside the glass container of what seemed to be an oil lamp of some sort on the bedside table, covering the room in a soft, warm light. No light made its way through the window – and even without the curtains, the eternal night with the starless sky wouldn't have provided much.

But even if the room was dilapidated, it was better than many others. All four walls were intact, the roof didn't leak. Maybe it even was cozy with its homely décor and dim light. At the very least, the beds were soft and the blankets warm.

It was more than Marmadue had at the moment, at least. What he had been able to bring with him were the clothes on his back, everything else in his new home was scavenged – and it seemed like the best things had been taken a long time ago, leaving him with the scraps. But he had a gift that helped him survive, a way to make himself useful enough for others to help him out in return. Not many in the town seemed to be able to heal, but Marmadue had the knowledge of such magic.

And that was why he was making his way up the stairs of a small makeshift inn. The Yuke had been making sure that everyone knew where they could come if they were injured and needed help. It hadn't taken long for the word to spread and for someone to come seeking Marmadue out. Not for themselves, but a girl…

Walking through the door and closing it behind him, Marmadue walked over the creaking floorboards to the bed where he had been told the girl was. And indeed, there was someone there. A young-looking face with orange hair, resting beneath the blankets. She did not open her eyes. Apparently, she had been that way for a while now, not having awakened. There had been some kind of a beast that attacked the town earlier, before the Yuke had been whisked away from his home. He certainly was glad he had ended up in Twilight Town after such an attack.

He brought one of his large, feathers hands to the blanket, pulling it away so he could inspect the damage. The girl had many scrapes and bruises, some wrapped in bandages. Some had started to heal, but she certainly wasn't looking all that healthy, if one asked Marmadue. Taking in a deep breath, he placed his hands over the girl and concentrated on letting his magic seep out. A faint green glow started to envelope his hands, the warmth spreading from them to the body he was trying to heal.

[Era]

Her slumber had been far from peaceful. Deep in Era’s subconscious, her mind continued to battle. From the moment she had shut her eyes, she had been shrouded in the darkness. Black clouds swirled. It was hard to see, but there had been a dim light from somewhere, just enough to barely illuminate the area where she stood. It was as if she’d been wandering some haunted maze, and the visible light only stretched a few feet beyond her body in any given direction. It wasn’t enough light to feel safe, just enough to make one realize the depth of the Darkness.

There was no more Erax; the dragon had become a part of her now. No longer was she taunted by her own shadows. Of course now that one of her soul fragments had fused with her, for the first time since she could remember, Era hadn’t felt protected by the Light.

It was a strange path to walk: this in-between. So what had she been fighting? Outside of herself, what did she have to wrestle against?

Her consciousness seemed to be writhing within her, but Era’s physical body lay motionless. Her persona in her mind’s eye had been frantically looking for the way out: frantically searching for the Light that suddenly seemed further away.

At this point a peaceful sensation transcended the boundaries of physical science, reaching into her spirit. Tendrils of something calming began to soothe her body. It felt almost.. warm.

In her hazy state of conscious being, the feeling struck memories within her.

“The Light… will guard us.” Even now, time had not made his voice any less potent. It still rung clearly in her ears.

Her sinking heart was churning as she held his body. They hadn’t known each other very long. She remembered her guilt. Perhaps if he hadn’t been so willing to face her demons with her, he wouldn’t be bleeding out now.

She could still sense his resolve, even while his strength was fading. The guilt she wanted to feel was suppressed because whatever he had to say was of far more worth. She had no time to wallow; it was time for action.

“End this. Feel it pass from me to you… and let it go..!”

Finally, her waking mind would begin to stir. …Light? Her first thought. The calm was soft and peaceful, but something told her it was too cold. So what she was feeling right now - whatever was pulling her back into reality - it wasn’t Light based magic, as she first thought it might be.

Era allowed the tranquil feeling deep into her body, simply resting while it bound her injuries, magically and painlessly sewing together the cuts and bruises she had endured. Magic was interesting - as, depending on the user - it also had the ability to mend levels much deeper than physical medicine ever could.

Outside of Potions, this would be the first time Era had ever received magical healing; the sensation was one she welcomed. It was calming in its own right, and yet revitalizing. All the sleep she hadn’t gained, well, it seemed the magic had done its part to restore rest to her as well.

Marmadue would have been healing her for nearly two minutes while the magic took effect, before she had begun to stir. First her breathing steadied, then the fingers on her right hand twitched a bit in recognition of Marmadue’s efforts. Finally, frost colored eyes would open, their glacial blue tint shining bright.

Now Era had fallen asleep on her back, so the first thing in her vision had been an oddly-shaped helmet attached to a wiry body. The first thing she would do was crack a gentle, sincere sort of smile.

Perhaps it was due to how long Era had already spent with so many other types of people, from the time she’d first emerged in Traverse town to Now, but contrary to the cultural norm, Era didn’t see people strictly through Spirian eyes anymore. She saw people as people; whatever shape or color or gender they came in no longer surprised her. What was noteworthy was that someone had come to heal her. Once again, someone had come along to help her out of her darkness.

She pulled herself into a sitting position, resting her back against the bed’s headboard. She wouldn’t push herself too hard, but it felt good just to be up. Her gaze rested on the other person for awhile. She took note of how the small lamplight’s gentle flicker had caused Marmadue’s helmet to glisten in a rather pretty way. Yes, it was a little dim in this room, but just as it was meant to be for guests, this room actually felt quite cozy.

“Thank you.” The young woman made sure to show gratitude. “You brought me back from a dark place.” Her voice was sweet and polite, but her mind had remembered where she had just been.

It was assumed that someone from the alleyway skirmish had brought her here, though whom was a mystery to her. But this guy needed some kind of payment for healing her, it would only be fair. The fingers of her left hand down to her side and into the pocket where she kept her munny pouch. The pouch was mostly empty, save for a few munny. She withdrew what she had, offering it to the one who healed her. “It isn’t much, but I can always give you more once I make some extra munny.”

[Marmadue]

Marmadue had closed his eyes after a while, feeling how the magic flowed through him. It wasn't a bad feeling – nor was it particularly taxing, in this situation. There was no danger. There was no need to be nervous, so there was nothing that made the healing process difficult. He didn't even have to rush. It was such a natural magic to him, especially when allowed to come out at its own pace in a situation where he could feel at ease. Still, he couldn't help but feel like perhaps it was going a bit slower than usual…

He had been so engrossed that he had failed to see the girl stir, until the slight movement on the mattress caused enough sound for him to take notice. With the helmet, it had been quite impossible to say where the Yuke had been staring – or if he was watching at all – but now that he turned his head towards the girl's head, it was quite apparent where his gaze was pointed. And what a surprise it was, to see those eyes that had been closed a moment ago open and looking right back at him!

He flinched, pulling back. The spell ended, though it had already managed to heal the bruises and knit together the skin – at least, that was what he could say from the most visible wounds at a quick glance. Marmadue didn't quite manage to find the words, his mouth occasionally trying to open and say something, but it was the girl who broke the silence. With a thanks.

"Oh. O-Oh, ah, yes, you are welcome," he cleared his throat and awkwardly rubbed his other arm. The surprise had taken the wind right out of his sails, for sure! But this was good. It was better than good! For the girl to wake up after her slumber, that was excellent news! Surely everyone would be thrilled. He was! He took a step forward…

And the girl was digging her pockets for something, causing the Yuke to tilt his head slightly and glance at her face before looking back down. She was offering him… Ah, that strange currency he had seen before, used in this town apparently. It certainly was a useful gift, especially in these trying times. And he definitely didn't have much wealth himself!

He did often take gifts. Food, money, other goods he might be able to use… Marmadue needed the gratitude of the people he healed to survive. But the girl had never asked to be healed. He had never asked her if it was alright, either. And she was new. No one seemed to know who she was, much less her name. She was just like all the others. Just like Marmadue. A refugee with nothing but the clothes on her back.

The Yuke brought out both of his hands, completely enveloping the girl's own with their size as he closed her hand into a fist and gently pushed it towards the girl herself.
"I am ah, thankful for the kind offer, but right now you might need it more than me," he clarified before he pulled his hands away, leaving the money behind. He couldn't take it. What use was there, if she was going to starve later! Or something.
"Are you… Still in pain? Should I continue?"

[Era]

A frost colored gaze had been focussing on the striped coloration of his feathered fingers as Marmadue’s hand wrapped hers closed. Her ears were open to hear what Marmadue had to say. So he didn’t want any compensation? His kind heart made her smile. It did her some good to see that he wanted nothing for his service, but surely there would be a way to repay him for his kindness.

The thought hadn’t gotten much time to take hold before he asked if she needed any more help. “I feel much better, so I won’t ask for anything further.” She put her coins back into the pouch and tucked it away again. “Thanks again.” There was no need to expend him further; especially when she already felt pretty good physically speaking. Still, there was a heaviness that wasn’t there before the battle at the rooftop. It felt something of the gravity of loss. Yet to her knowledge, none of the good samaritans who’d come to aid her had died. This loss was from the past; her friends from before the Nightfall: Vapor, Shiro, Rook, Hero, Renzo...

Why had the Nightfall left this mark on Heart? No, it wasn’t the Nightfall alone. It was burgeoned by the teeming Darkness now living in her heart.

That blue-snow gaze took in the room where she sat. In the corner some old books had been stacked - somehow remaining relatively upright after the desolation that brought forth the night. Aside from her bed and the lantern there was little else. A large, darkened drape covered most of the window, likely to discourage any opportunistic pillagers from inviting themselves in.

Era’s gaze settled again on the one standing at her bedside. He held a pretty unique appearance; one she quite enjoyed for its authenticity. He was unlike anyone she had ever seen before. How far away from Spira might his world been?

Despite the interesting thoughts she tried to pull her thoughts toward she was having difficulty shaking the immense feeling of heaviness in her spirit. There would be no ignoring and hoping for it to go away. She had to deal with it here and now. Mentally she succumbed and faced this inner subject. Why do I still feel so strongly about what happened the past? What's done is done. She had already acknowledged that she could no longer live in the past. Before the Nightfall she had dedicated herself to traveling the worlds, warning them of the impending Darkness and bolstering the impact and the readiness of the stronghold of Light. And this, only because of Ansem’s plan she’d been privy to hear so long ago. She had selflessly given herself in the name of the Light for a long time. So why had her heart felt so marred by the Darkness; so incapable of protecting the friends she’d made along the way? Was it to drag her down? To try and submerge her into a gradual downward spiral? I won’t let it.

She closed her eyes, breathed deeply and mentally let go of the negativity actively trying to hold her down. Her gaze drifted opened again, determined. She had made her decision, let go of what she needed to, and set her mind on the journey before her. “My heart is set now. I want to rebuild Traverse Town; I want to build up the Light so that we can take back what was lost in the Darkness.”

She knew Marmadue could heal; it was a branch of magic and a mindset that fascinated her — a dynamic she had been silently in awe of. Era was more of a fighter. Her expression lightened with another smile. “Let’s work together.”

[Marmadue]

Marmadue nodded when the girl turned down any further healing, not pushing it if she felt like she didn't need it. Then again, who knew if he should have insisted. It did seem like she wasn't asking for anything because she felt like she had already gained enough, rather than because she didn't need anything, but… But she did seem content enough. She was smiling – and he didn't think she was faking it.
"Ah… Do not think you have to thank me so many times, miss," the Yuke rubbed the back of his neck, feeling quite bashful due to the sudden praise. He couldn't help but glance to the side, his gaze staying there for a moment…

Now what? He had done his part, what he had been asked to do. But the girl was alone and most likely did not know what was going on or where she was. No one in Twilight Town had stepped forward to claim to know her identity. Perhaps it was his job to try to figure that out and help her get started. Slowly, Marmadue's gaze returned to the girl, who in turn was getting acquainted with her surroundings. And eventually the Yuke, when her gaze stopped on him and stayed there for a moment. Oh. Was he… Supposed to do or say something? It was a bit awkward, just standing there.

The way the girl drew in a deep breath caused his eyes to flick in her direction once more, having strayed for a moment. Luckily, it did not seem to be the kind of a breath caused by a sharp pain. Instead, it seemed like she had come to a conclusion. To help protect and build the town, together… It wasn't a bad plan.
"Ah, yes, of course– Oh, please hold on a moment. Traverse Town?" Marmadue had of course been all for it. It was what he was trying to do, in a way. Of course, there wasn't much he could do, but he did what little he could.

That wasn't the issue though. This wasn't Traverse Town. The Yuke frowned. He supposed she didn't quite know where she was. Perhaps Traverse Town was where she came from. Perhaps she still didn't know…
"This is… Twilight Town. I ah, I have never heard of Traverse Town…"

[Era]

There was a way about Era's gentle perseverance that seemed to add just a little more light to the room; either beauty or stupidity seemed to anchor her optimism and perhaps it was a tad sickening how her happier traits had still refused to die. Despite the Darkness seeming to hold its head high as the last of the Light dwindled on what felt to be the very last of the Sanctuaries left in the world. Somehow even knowing all of this, Era refused to give into the temptations toward bitterness or depression. Instead, her sights were set high - perhaps a bit too high. The Nightfall was still fresh, and all the details to how she would work into what she proposed were not yet in her sights. Foremost in her mind had been the goal.

Her interest in the idea was obviously building as she went on. “Before the calamity, Twilight Town was a world I visited a lot. It was similar to this one: a Sanctuary for all. I made a lot of friends. And I was thinking that perhaps if I had remembered there being so much Light there, well… maybe it would be just what we needed! It would open up a second Sanctuary - give us two points for harnessing the power of the Light. And maybe —” She paused. For a moment her grin had melted into a reflective and somber expression: and how could it not? Whenever she thought of that first sanctuary, she remembered those whom she had met there. Her voice grew a hair more somber. “—Maybe others could make those same kinds of friendships.” 

But then she had remembered that those lights had gone out. Those friends she'd made left her feeling the weight of emptiness inside. It was almost cruel. In the wake of the very calamity she had been warning against for so many months, the happiness of so many individuals - all of them friends - felt to have been snuffed out. And now she felt the weight of it. Rook in particular, for of all of the friends she made, he stuck out to her. It was Rook who had given her the strength to first fight her Darkness. Was the reason she had wanted to rebuilt Traverse Town still because of him? Was she somehow hoping that if they had done so, perhaps she'd still catch a glimpse of him somewhere?

She weighed the idea as she sat in the flickering candle light. No, it wasn’t that. While she had stored up the treasured memories of her friends and embedded it deep within her heart, Era now wanted to rebuild Traverse Town because of her own reasons. She was no longer living in the past. So it was important that she figure out what to do with where she was now, for the good of everyone she knew. “But perhaps that’s a bit of a lofty goal,” she gently rubbed the back of her head, feeling a little sheepish for jumping to such a high expectation so quickly. “We should probably start with rebuilding Twilight Town first.”

[Marmadue]

Marmadue clearly was interested in the girl's words, his gaze fixated on her face as she spoke, telling him how she used to visit this other town she had mentioned… And it wasn't just a town. It was a world. The idea of visiting worlds was… Well, the Yuke hadn't even known for something like that to be possible. It hadn't been that long since he even learned that there were other worlds than his own! But no one seemed to be able to leave Twilight Town. No one had even mentioned the possibility. Was there a way…?

The idea of a sanctuary was also new. Well, alright, it was pretty obvious this town was one, but the girl brought up how this Traverse Town also was similar – a place where people from different worlds gathered when they had nowhere else to go, perhaps? Still, it was obvious that the truth started to dawn on the girl, the fact that this sanctuary of hers might very well be gone now. Marmadue looked down. He wished that they would sometimes have good things to talk about.

"Ah, yes," the Yuke looked back up when the girl was already feeling like perhaps she had gotten a bit ahead of herself, how they might want to concentrate on where they were living right now, to make it a safe place,
"It's ah, people certainly have many worries and there are so many who still ah. Haven't gotten used to all this, but… But I feel eventually we all will ah, work towards the same goal of rebuilding," he continued, looking at the girl. It wasn't like she had to worry about something like that on her own! It wasn't like she was alone, like she was the only one who wanted the ruined town restored to its former glory. Well, former glory Marmadue had never seen, but he assumed there had been some kind of glory to go back to.

"But, ah, miss. Perhaps that is not something you should worry about right now," his gaze had started to drift already as he gently scratched the back of his neck absentmindedly, but he returned his eyes back to the resting girl,
"It would be of utmost importance for you to ah, rest for now. Magic may have healed your injuries, but your body needs time to recover. In the meantime, would you perhaps, ah… Require some nourishment?"

[Era]

Thinking over what the yuke was saying. A gentle grin softly curved the edges of her lips. “You’re right.” It was a simple confession; Era had no haughty sense of pride. She could admit when Marmadue was right, and he was. After all, left to her own devices, she really was a personality afflicted with the illness of Go, Go, Go. Stopping to rest wasn’t really on her mind. An afterthought maybe, but in her own life rarely was it anything more.

She took a deep breath, enjoying the warm orange waft of light that illuminated a brilliant contrast to the completely still bluish purple stream pouring in from a crack in the makeshift curtain.

It was refreshingly cool in here. Perhaps a little stuffy, but that was to be expected. The planet had just been torn into pieces from the Nightfall.

She pulled herself backward so that her back could rest against the wall at the head of her bed, and took a breath. Those frost-blue eyes turned back to her self-assigned caretaker, a content expression firmly planted on her features. “Actually, food sounds great.”

[Marmadue]

Marmadue nodded, glad that the girl saw his point. She needed to rest now, not worry about anything else. Everything else could follow – once she was back to proper health and had gotten proper rest. She had been doing a lot of resting, yes, but… Her case had seemed like a tricky one. Would she still be sleeping, if he hadn't been there to try to heal…?

The girl stirred, changing her position. As long as she still stayed in bed, the Yuke was content. Even better was that she did have an appetite! The smile inside the helmet couldn't have been seen, but he was quick to nod a few times in agreement.
"Ah, yes, if you would give me a moment, I shall go and see what is available. Please ah, take it easy for now," he spoke, already on his way through the door. Now, he did not own the inn, nor did he know what it was that they could provide for the girl – if anything. Giving her a place to stay for so long already was more than most would – or could – give. Food… Not many had a lot of it. Marmadue himself could have given the girl something to aid her recovery, but it wouldn't have been much – and that wasn't because he didn't want to share!

The Yuke made his way down the stairs, the owners of the little establishment quickly flocking to him for a status report. And it was much better than they had hoped. After all, before Marmadue, the girl had been unconscious for days. He didn't know if he could quite take all the credit for it, as she wasn't in that bad of a shape by the time he had gotten there, but such humility might have gone to deaf ears…

It took a while, but Marmadue returned as soon as he could to the room, carrying with him a small tray. A wooden bowl was filled with soup, not the thickest and creamiest one to be sure, but there had been an attempt of making something nourishing out of very little. The stock certainly smelled like it had more taste to it than just water. There also was a cup of water and a few bread rolls for a slightly more filling meal.
"Pardon the wait, miss… Ah, I believe I never caught your name…"

[Era]

Marmadue had been gone for awhile, and Era took to grabbing a nearby book. She cracked it open to see what she could read of it; what sort of stories might lie within?

While it had been dim, and perhaps not the best lighting for reading, she could see enough of the pages to at least make out the pictures. It looked to be a potion recipe book. Some of the items she recognized from many of the worlds she had visited before returning to Twilight Town; others were completely foreign to her. Still, the time and effort someone had put into this book, in the watercolored illustrations alone, well - it made it a unique art in its own right. It was with this book that she would busy herself until her new friend made his return. She wanted to pipe up with some sort of kind ‘don’t worry about it’ type gesture when Marmadue apologized, but it seemed he wasn’t done speaking. So Era would take this in stride and just go where the conversation flowed.

The plate of food he returned with was plenty. She wasn’t about to complain about the hospitality supplied by the strangers who had given her safety and shelter. Besides, her days traveling had opened her eyes to what it was really like to live off of nearly nothing; sometimes even this looked like a feast.

Her attention was again on the kind soul. Marmadue had already helped her out so much. “Era,” she chirped warmly, setting the book at the bedside. Come to think of it, she hadn’t remembered hearing his either. What sort of naming conventions did his species have? Some races had very strict naming styles and patterns. Others, like the Moogles, had nearly no rules when it came to names. But what of Marmadue’s race? Did they have any guidelines, or general rules their people used?

It was a passive thought that would no doubt dissipate when the conversation continued.

[Marmadue]

Marmadue stepped closer with the tray, trying to find a place for it on the girl's lap somewhere, occasionally glancing in her way to make sure she got into a proper position to eat. Trying to move once the tray was in place certainly would have been difficult and most likely led to quite the mess! While he was busy with that, the girl did offer him her name. Era. The Yuke finally placed down the tray, making sure it wouldn't tip over as he let go of it.
"Ah, pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Era. I am called ah, Marmadue," he spoke. Introductions for an introduction.

Stepping away from the bed, the helmeted figure certainly found himself just standing there awkwardly, uncertain how to proceed. The girl needed her rest and she definitely needed her nourishment – and his presence was hardly required for either of those actions. In fact it might have proved quite detrimental!
"I ah… Perhaps it would be best for me to leave you be, so you may eat in peace? Unless there is ah, something else I may be able to do to help…"

[Era]

She sat up, adjusting her posture with her pillow between her back and the wall. She made sure she was in a good position so that the tray would not fall out of her lap. The food smelled quite good! She hadn't really realized how hungry she was until she could smell the salty brine. There wasn't a lot to it, sure. But for her there would be more than enough.

Her expression was warm upon him, those glacial blues alight with a certain satisfaction with life - one she'd still not quite lost, even as her teen years were coming to their end.

"Well, if it wouldn't be too much trouble, could you honor me with a story about where you come from? What is your world like?" Yes, it was a gloomy time when the stars had fallen from the sky. Peoples' homes had been swallowed the the Darkness right before their eyes. But there was a reason she didn't refer to the world in the past tense: you see, Era had not yet given into the disparaging idea that the worlds could not be salvaged even now; so there would be no reason to give up the hope of getting them back. Not until they'd truly fought for them.

Twilight Town was in shambles and who knew what condition the other worlds were in. She hadn't exact confirmation of how bad it was, having only just woken up in the aftermath of her own mayhem, but this looked to be the very thing she'd dedicated all of her effort to over the last two years. This was the coming Darkness that Ansem had told his council about. This was what she had gone world to world preparing for. And it was a reason for the Light to rise up and fight, not a time of sadness as many might have presumed.

But if one had a slightly different take on circumstances, perhaps her request to hear a story from his world might have come off a little bold, or a little rude. Maybe it was both. And that possibility was only just now coming to her mind.

[Marmadue]

Marmadue had been prepared to leave and let the girl enjoy her meal in peace, but it seemed like she wasn't quite ready for that just yet. He blinked, and for a short moment he didn't say anything or really react, either.
"Ah, my… My world?" The Yuke managed to blurt out, tilting his head slightly. Well… Perhaps Era might have been taken care of physically, but perhaps she still wanted some company. Not many liked to eat by themselves, either. Glancing behind him, Marmadue backed closer to the other bed, smoothing the wrinkles on its blanket.
"I ah… Do not come from Twilight Town, if that is what you would like to know more about, miss," he explained. He didn't think he ever had – after all, where he came from hardly was the main thing to talk about when the girl had first come to!

It would have been easy to assume that he was a native. Easier still to assume that Era wanted to know about the town first and foremost, as it was where she would be spending her foreseeable future.

Adjusting his coat before he sat down on the edge of the free bed, it seemed like he was at the very least going to stay around and chat, if that was what the girl wanted.
"But if you care more about where I came from… It ah, was relatively peaceful, my village," the Yuke spoke, though he stopped for a moment, as if hesitating. Well, his village certainly was peaceful, but…
"Ah… I wish I could have a more uplifting story to tell, but where I come from, my world… I could not say we had a, ah, Heartless problem," at least not until that one fateful day,
"But my world was covered in this substance we called the ah, miasma. The air itself, quite poisonous. Fatally so, even. Did not seem to do much to the monsters, but us other tribes weren't ah, quite so lucky at surviving without precaution. Made travel quite difficult, miss. We did have these crystals…"