Raising her head from behind the desk, she noticed Dojima and her little fae flitting about, trying to help him dust off the powder.
Walking around to help, she shook her head.
"You were carrying too much again, weren't you?" The fae did well to look abashed. Naomi sighed. "I was using that to help some of the patients here. A small bit mixed in water helps numb pain, but this much can be a sleeping draught."
Annnd it was about that time, that Dojima clued it. Just in time, too, because the glitter might as well be sand for how his eyelids were suddenly...feeling heavy...
"Kimishima I have, reports to write up, and follow, ups--"
A sudden, loud yawn overwhelmed Dojima, causing him to cover his mouth quickly--
"I... can't..." fall asleep now... Even as he started to wobble on his feet.
It was some time later before Dojima actually began to stir. Maybe it was the sleeping draught, but his sleep was mercifully dreamless... just a dark and deep slumber.
That had been part of the reason he'd pushed off going to sleep, even taking a nap-- having to deal with the possibility of nightmares and thoughts he didn't want to deal with.
But eventually, the waking world returned to him. He felt warm covers, a pillow below his head... several actually, but the bed didn't feel quite as familiar as his own.
Slowly, he opened his eyes, vague shapes and colours coming into view, before the contours, hard lines and shadows gave him...
A bedroom. One he'd never been in before... it reminded him of the undersea palace from the Little Mermaid story...
Slowly, he raised his hand to wipe away the sleep from his eyes, try to rouse himself more fully. What... had happened? What did he remember last?
While he awoke and searched, he would find there really was no door to the room he was in. Instead, it was only a pool of water, beneath the surface of which, something glowed beyond sight.
That was, until another source moved closer.
The bell upon her head emerged first before even her eyes appear above the surface, blinking slowly and staring at him. Once sure enough, she swam to the water's edge and pulled herself out, opaque limbs turning into the usual solid pale complexion the doctor had as she climbed out.
She rose, flicking her hair, and crossing her arms, once more human in her usual mermaid gown.
Ah, no, that pool of water. It'd make sense that the Sea Witch's room would be hidden away like this in the depths, wouldn't it?
Though, how did she get him--
That thought was cut off as he saw an image he hadn't seen since their time in the little mermaid emerged from the water... the bell of her moonjelly like head, followed by those eyes that remained as piecing as ever. He swallowed thickly as she pulled herself out and returned to her human form, before realising he was staring again, glancing away and rubbing his head as she spoke.
Because there's a tick in her brow and a rather annoyed look on her face, her finger even began tapping on her arm. He was lucky she was out of the water; otherwise, she'd have a few more limbs and abilities to use to get her irritation across.
"Someone invested too many emotions into their case and left a blasted heath in the forest. Same someone who didn't adequately rest or clean himself up for days..."
He... didn't quite look up to her as she spoke, able to tell her... irritation just from tone alone. Maybe out of shame, or fear, or both.
"I..." How did he even begin to explain something he was still coming to grips with himself? His shoulders slumped a little, sighing softly.
"... I'd gone into the castle, managed to track Adachi down with some help from Eugene and Rapunzel, but Adachi ran, and I..."
Pulling back his hands, he looked at them. They were still bruised, obvious cuts... his knuckles torn up and barely wrapped to keep from bleeding on his work. No one had noticed under his gauntlets.
"I chased after him on Llamrei and with Cavall, but something... changed. I was using my spear instead of Excalibur, and it was like everything, Darkened. All I cared about was getting him to stop, no matter what it took. I'd tear up the whole forest if I had to..."
He risked a glance back up at Naomi, and then... kept looking at her. Maybe... maybe she'd understand.
"...The Wild Hunt. I'd seen it noted in my journal as something I could do with my Spear after our last Draft, but I didn't know what it meant. Didn't have time to look into it since Adachi just, dropped in afterwards. I... I think I activated that ability."
She was quiet, listening, and her expression didn't change even though some of his wording confused her. He used a spear instead of Excalibur? And 'The Wild Hunt'...? It sounded familiar, but for the life of her, she couldn't recall what precisely it was.
But, overall from the sound of it.
"... So you activated an ability you have no idea what it wholly entailed and don't remember anything after that?" She might know what it meant to become so laser focused on a goal, but she'd gotten better about being reckless.
"Yes and no. I activated it unconsciously, I think, not knowing what it would do-- but I remember everything. That's... the problem."
His eyes went back to his hands, staring at them.
"...When Nanako," his breath hitched, pained-- “...when everything happened,” she knew, better than most. They’d talked about it over sake… she’d actually listened to his sob story, “I hadn’t been able do anything. Save her, solve the case… chase after Adachi. I was stuck in the hospital with broken ribs, falling to the floor like a useless old man when I tried to...”
He clenched his hands shut, ignoring the pain it caused him.
“But when Adachi came out, he was… humbled. Whatever Souj-- Yu and the rest did, made him take responsibility, promise to serve his time. But here, him running away, after poisoning so many people, because he was bored...
His hands went back to his head, his eyes clenched shut--
“All I wanted to do was hunt him down. Rhongomyriad, the spear-- one of King Arthur’s other weapons… I … it felt like everything I’d been keeping under control took over. The forest was in the way of hunting him? Well… it wasn’t there, anymore, once I was done with it. I felt like I …”
For a moment, silence. He didn’t want to say it, admit it, but--
In her mind, if he had killed Adachi here, it probably would be no harm no foul, but still bother him. Death was meant to be inevitable, inescapable, and when one granted death on another, usually it was damaging.
Usually, but she was far too used to it; and to be ashamed of a desire was just generally not there anymore.
"You wanted vengeance. No reason to be guilty about it - most people in your position would and a few would've succeeded. Even someone like your nephew, I'm sure he struggled with it."
But whether or not it had been Adachi he would've directed that ire at, she doesn't know. She was still missing details about this incident that happened.
"...Maybe. But I shouldn't have acted on it. I... When I thought it was Namatame, and Nanako was gone, I... I was too weak to do anything, but I still tried to get into his room."
It was true that death was transient here, not that he'd remembered in the moment. But for someone like him, who dedicated his life to the truth, and more importantly, to justice, to protecting people...
"But this time, I was strong enough. Once I cornered him, I... I don't know how many times I punched him."
He'd tried to wash his hands, bandaged them, but, he couldn't tell sometimes if the blood on them was all his, or still some of Adachi's.
For a long moment, there was silence.
"... And... the funniest thing is..."
He looked up at her... and he was smiling, but... it was so tired, and sad at the same time.
"...I couldn't do it, anyway. All I ended up doing was... hah. Crying. Can you believe that? ... Crying over a bastard like him."
How pathetic could you get, right?
"...Asking him what I could've done... how I could've stopped him. Helped him..."
Naomi's again quietly listening, but as Dojima goes on, she was considering one of the small decorative seashells in her room and its aerodynamics. Of course she understood asking what more could be done, but he really didn't need to... not when it was Adachi's job to try making his life better without endangering people.
"Nothing... Unless he wants to try doing anything, there's nothing you can do. And at his age, it isn't your job to see that he does. You're a kind man, Detective, but this isn't something you should blame yourself for."
And if he kept doing it, she thinks she found a good shell to use... or she could distract him by some other method. He had too much stress.
Sliding his legs over the side of the bed, Dojima nodded at Naomi, before pulling himself up, started walking towards the bath, already undoing his shirt somewhat.
But, for now, it was time to strip down and wash up. He wasn't used to the western style of washing yet, but he'd try to scrub down outside of the tub as much as he could...
And... use Arthur's dagger to try and shave some of that 5'o clock shadow that was starting to become a beard. At least it's 'never miss' quality made it so he could avoid cutting himself.
Finally, he let himself just... sink. Into the water, a long, low sigh of relief leaving him. This was really nice... and definitely something he needed. He sort of lost track of time, and when he finally pulled himself out of the water, was already pretty pruney on his fingers.
Drying up, he glanced at his shirt... noting how dirty it was. His pants were still workable, but he didn't feel like putting his shirt back on. Folding it under his arm, he walked back to Naomi's bedroom.
In the eight hours that he'd been unconscious, Naomi had taken her time to better analyze the vials of poison she'd been delivered. It was during then that she got ideas about antidotes, jotting them down in her journal on the pages that wouldn't be sent to others, and then proceeded to brewing again. Unless their little poison connoisseur decided to really alter another batch, this would be about as close to a panacea she could brew at this time.
Quite a number of ingredients to gather, and the brewing time would be very extensive with portions needing to be added while the cauldrons simmered, boiled, or stirred.
She had it underway while Dojima bathed, but she wouldn't have another part to worry about for a good five hour. Her fae would warn her fifteen minutes before; and in the meantime, she emerged in her room again from the waters, missing Dojima's shirtless state (maybe) while she rose to her feet.
He might note that her gown was a little more... translucent while she brushed back her hair over her shoulders.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Raising her head from behind the desk, she noticed Dojima and her little fae flitting about, trying to help him dust off the powder.
Walking around to help, she shook her head.
"You were carrying too much again, weren't you?" The fae did well to look abashed. Naomi sighed. "I was using that to help some of the patients here. A small bit mixed in water helps numb pain, but this much can be a sleeping draught."
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Annnd it was about that time, that Dojima clued it. Just in time, too, because the glitter might as well be sand for how his eyelids were suddenly...feeling heavy...
"Kimishima I have, reports to write up, and follow, ups--"
A sudden, loud yawn overwhelmed Dojima, causing him to cover his mouth quickly--
"I... can't..." fall asleep now... Even as he started to wobble on his feet.
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And as he began to wobble on his feet, the oh-so clumsy fae from before it bringing something over to help: pillows.
"You'll be able to get to that work in... eight hours. Good night, Dojima."
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But there was no fighting magic, and after a few seconds, slumped down... onto his knees--
"B-but, Nao...mi..."
Annd then falling to the floor, out like a light.
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"Idiot... He would've been able to fight it longer if he'd actually rested."
But that was his mistake. Now her mistake... getting him to a bed.
... Well, there was one still open. Looking at her fairy and then towards her closed work door, she supposed that would be fine.
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That had been part of the reason he'd pushed off going to sleep, even taking a nap-- having to deal with the possibility of nightmares and thoughts he didn't want to deal with.
But eventually, the waking world returned to him. He felt warm covers, a pillow below his head... several actually, but the bed didn't feel quite as familiar as his own.
Slowly, he opened his eyes, vague shapes and colours coming into view, before the contours, hard lines and shadows gave him...
A bedroom. One he'd never been in before... it reminded him of the undersea palace from the Little Mermaid story...
Slowly, he raised his hand to wipe away the sleep from his eyes, try to rouse himself more fully. What... had happened? What did he remember last?
"...Kimi...shima...?"
That's right, he'd been at her place...
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That was, until another source moved closer.
The bell upon her head emerged first before even her eyes appear above the surface, blinking slowly and staring at him. Once sure enough, she swam to the water's edge and pulled herself out, opaque limbs turning into the usual solid pale complexion the doctor had as she climbed out.
She rose, flicking her hair, and crossing her arms, once more human in her usual mermaid gown.
"Sleep well, Detective?"
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Huh. No door... was it just hidden away, or--
Ah, no, that pool of water. It'd make sense that the Sea Witch's room would be hidden away like this in the depths, wouldn't it?
Though, how did she get him--
That thought was cut off as he saw an image he hadn't seen since their time in the little mermaid emerged from the water... the bell of her moonjelly like head, followed by those eyes that remained as piecing as ever. He swallowed thickly as she pulled herself out and returned to her human form, before realising he was staring again, glancing away and rubbing his head as she spoke.
"...I should be upset at you for doing that."
But his tone said that he clearly wasn't.
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Because there's a tick in her brow and a rather annoyed look on her face, her finger even began tapping on her arm. He was lucky she was out of the water; otherwise, she'd have a few more limbs and abilities to use to get her irritation across.
"Someone invested too many emotions into their case and left a blasted heath in the forest. Same someone who didn't adequately rest or clean himself up for days..."
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He... didn't quite look up to her as she spoke, able to tell her... irritation just from tone alone. Maybe out of shame, or fear, or both.
"I..." How did he even begin to explain something he was still coming to grips with himself? His shoulders slumped a little, sighing softly.
"... I'd gone into the castle, managed to track Adachi down with some help from Eugene and Rapunzel, but Adachi ran, and I..."
Pulling back his hands, he looked at them. They were still bruised, obvious cuts... his knuckles torn up and barely wrapped to keep from bleeding on his work. No one had noticed under his gauntlets.
"I chased after him on Llamrei and with Cavall, but something... changed. I was using my spear instead of Excalibur, and it was like everything, Darkened. All I cared about was getting him to stop, no matter what it took. I'd tear up the whole forest if I had to..."
He risked a glance back up at Naomi, and then... kept looking at her. Maybe... maybe she'd understand.
"...The Wild Hunt. I'd seen it noted in my journal as something I could do with my Spear after our last Draft, but I didn't know what it meant. Didn't have time to look into it since Adachi just, dropped in afterwards. I... I think I activated that ability."
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But, overall from the sound of it.
"... So you activated an ability you have no idea what it wholly entailed and don't remember anything after that?" She might know what it meant to become so laser focused on a goal, but she'd gotten better about being reckless.
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His eyes went back to his hands, staring at them.
"...When Nanako," his breath hitched, pained-- “...when everything happened,” she knew, better than most. They’d talked about it over sake… she’d actually listened to his sob story, “I hadn’t been able do anything. Save her, solve the case… chase after Adachi. I was stuck in the hospital with broken ribs, falling to the floor like a useless old man when I tried to...”
He clenched his hands shut, ignoring the pain it caused him.
“But when Adachi came out, he was… humbled. Whatever Souj-- Yu and the rest did, made him take responsibility, promise to serve his time. But here, him running away, after poisoning so many people, because he was bored...
His hands went back to his head, his eyes clenched shut--
“All I wanted to do was hunt him down. Rhongomyriad, the spear-- one of King Arthur’s other weapons… I … it felt like everything I’d been keeping under control took over. The forest was in the way of hunting him? Well… it wasn’t there, anymore, once I was done with it. I felt like I …”
For a moment, silence. He didn’t want to say it, admit it, but--
“… I was going to kill him. I wanted him dead.”
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Usually, but she was far too used to it; and to be ashamed of a desire was just generally not there anymore.
"You wanted vengeance. No reason to be guilty about it - most people in your position would and a few would've succeeded. Even someone like your nephew, I'm sure he struggled with it."
But whether or not it had been Adachi he would've directed that ire at, she doesn't know. She was still missing details about this incident that happened.
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It was true that death was transient here, not that he'd remembered in the moment. But for someone like him, who dedicated his life to the truth, and more importantly, to justice, to protecting people...
"But this time, I was strong enough. Once I cornered him, I... I don't know how many times I punched him."
He'd tried to wash his hands, bandaged them, but, he couldn't tell sometimes if the blood on them was all his, or still some of Adachi's.
For a long moment, there was silence.
"... And... the funniest thing is..."
He looked up at her... and he was smiling, but... it was so tired, and sad at the same time.
"...I couldn't do it, anyway. All I ended up doing was... hah. Crying. Can you believe that? ... Crying over a bastard like him."
How pathetic could you get, right?
"...Asking him what I could've done... how I could've stopped him. Helped him..."
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"Nothing... Unless he wants to try doing anything, there's nothing you can do. And at his age, it isn't your job to see that he does. You're a kind man, Detective, but this isn't something you should blame yourself for."
And if he kept doing it, she thinks she found a good shell to use... or she could distract him by some other method. He had too much stress.
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He wiped his face with his arm, sighing softly. God, when did he turn so soft?...
"...Still, thank you for saying that, Kimishima. And for listening to me like this..."
It was nice to actually have another adult to listen to him, instead of relying on a teenager, after all.
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At least it sounded like she didn't need that seashell.
"You're welcome. How are you feeling now? You may need to sleep some more... without sleeping powder."
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The sleep and talking helped a lot, but, well... now that he was rested, he could tell he... needed a good wash.
"Honestly, I probably should clean up some. I can do that back at my place-"
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Looking back towards the pool she'd risen from, that would be the way back to the apothecary and out...
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Right. Water... Come to think of it, how'd he get into here in the first place and not get soaked through?
"I don't want to impose..."
But if she was offering, he really should clean up.
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"I don't mind. Go through that archway and take a right. You honestly can't miss the bath..."
Since it was fairly large and circular. Not that she often used it to bathe given she swam frequently.
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"Thanks, Kimishima, I app--whoa."
That... was bigger than he expected.
"...You weren't kidding about not missing it."
Well, he could use a good soak...
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It would give him some privacy for now. Perhaps this would lower his stress enough.
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Was that... supportive sounding? He hoped so.
But, for now, it was time to strip down and wash up. He wasn't used to the western style of washing yet, but he'd try to scrub down outside of the tub as much as he could...
And... use Arthur's dagger to try and shave some of that 5'o clock shadow that was starting to become a beard. At least it's 'never miss' quality made it so he could avoid cutting himself.
Finally, he let himself just... sink. Into the water, a long, low sigh of relief leaving him. This was really nice... and definitely something he needed. He sort of lost track of time, and when he finally pulled himself out of the water, was already pretty pruney on his fingers.
Drying up, he glanced at his shirt... noting how dirty it was. His pants were still workable, but he didn't feel like putting his shirt back on. Folding it under his arm, he walked back to Naomi's bedroom.
"...Hopefully she won't mind."
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Quite a number of ingredients to gather, and the brewing time would be very extensive with portions needing to be added while the cauldrons simmered, boiled, or stirred.
She had it underway while Dojima bathed, but she wouldn't have another part to worry about for a good five hour. Her fae would warn her fifteen minutes before; and in the meantime, she emerged in her room again from the waters, missing Dojima's shirtless state (maybe) while she rose to her feet.
He might note that her gown was a little more... translucent while she brushed back her hair over her shoulders.
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