1569/Greenery in the Hospital

Greenery in the Hospital
Date of Scene:	22 May 2024
Location:	Mitakihara General Hospital
Synopsis:	Cure Suzhen comes to heal the guy with the burns, and there is marked improvement.
Cast of Characters:	Mamoru Chiba, Jadeite, Naru Osaka, Usagi Tsukino, Yaling Yao
Tinyplot:	Sunset of Sora

---

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
It's a tired day. Earlier, Rashmi came by again with another dose of her Solar Healing, and Usagi and Naru and the Shitennou have all been taking shifts just being there, being in sight, reassuring Mamoru that the entire world isn't just the small sterilized room he's in or the square of the outdoors that's visible through the window.

It's such a tired day. Every time the bandages are changed, it hurts badly enough that that's when they give him more pain medication than usual and he ends up very loopy indeed -- but as bad as that is, it's worse when he's just not there, like nobody's home inside his head even when he answers questions.

That's kind of where he's at right now.

There's a teddy bear in a tuxedo, wearing a felt cat-eye mask and sitting on the windowsill on the opposite side from where Anko the calico cat comes and goes as she pleases, and on the little table there's a three-tier camo-painted bento box full of sweet and salty and savory snacks for Usagi.

"You should play cards or something," Mamoru sighs. "Draw each other. I feel like you're looking at me."

He himself is looking at the ceiling.

His right hand is basically a mitten-ball of bandages, and his left arm is bandaged, and his shoulder is very enthusiastically bandaged, and there are also bandages on his face -- his cheek and chin. But the all-over puffy pink bad-sunburn on his face and front and side, that's at least faded away thanks to Rashmi and Chiyo -- and he's moving his head a little more readily than he'd been before.

Jadeite has posed:
It's Tamaki's shift; he's been taking a lot of night shifts so that he can gather homework and information for everyone else, and because he knows he'll get antsy if he just - stays there, knowing he was useless. There's always work to be done as a bodyguard and he is not going to falter! Even to the despair in his own heart!

He arrives with a foursquare tray of drinks fresh from Barstucks and his backpack, and comes in as Mamoru bemoans the plushie situation.

He sets down drinks and picks up the teddy bear, waving it at Usagi.

"I challenge you to a d-d-d-d-duel," he says, doing a passible immitation of A Certain Card Playing Protagonist.

Naru Osaka has posed:
Tucked into a corner, and technically breaking the 'two visitors' rule is Naru. She's as much here to ensure that Usagi is fed and watered as she might be keeping an eye on Mamoru, although Tamaki has that well in hand.

Naru looks up from her homework as Tamaki brings a tray of drinks, sniffing to see if one might contain coffee. There's a little smirk of amusement as the bear gets dragged into things.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Well, I didn't bring any cards," Usagi says apologetically, "And I was looking at you. Sorry?"

She's sorry in case it made him uncomfortable, but she was watching him as much as she was watching her homework. She didn't so much as take shifts as spend time in the hospital until somoene kicked her out for private time or secruity or insistence that she go somewhere else, and frankly, she thinks this is the best use of her time - otherwise, she'll go hunting for Sunbreaker, warning or not, pleading or not, following that false star in the back of her mind, and it will go badly for everyone.

But it probably is uncomfortable to have someone string -

And then Tamaki is back with drinks, waving the teddy bear at her, and she laughs a little. "I don't know if I can accept your request, Tuxedo Kuma! You have very short arms, see?"

Yaling Yao has posed:
Yaling has not seen Rashmi's message at the Shed for one simple reason: she doesn't even know the Shed exists. Instead she is here because BaiBai had suggested that volunteering at an hospital would be a good way to practice the knowledge the fairy had been imparting her. Sometimes she met a patient that could use some serious help and so she had taken that opportunity to use her magic for the occasion. What's the matter? The Veil will soon erase that memory anyway.

Today was no different, because she had heard of a patient with quite serious burns having just been admitted into the hospital. Which is why she is walking towards Mamoru's room in her Precure form, having already decided to chime in with some of her healing. Though that wasn't all, since BaiBai had tested on what she would use in this occasion if magic is not enough for the burns, and the pupil had correctly brought up cream with boswellia serrata for its anti-inflammatory property and aid in formation of blood vessels.

Peering in the hospital room, she notices it's quite full of people already. All the better since she was intending to use magic first. 'Oh, that's Naru-san!', she thinks recognising the fellow RHA student. 'Should I come another time? I am clearly intruding on friends.' Somehow being able to tell exactly what the girl was thinking, BaiBai lightly pushes the tip of her tail against her neck. "Don't worry too much, they will be less worried if his burns have a marked improved", the snake reminds her.

"Ok, thanks BaiBai, I will go ahead then", she whispers back. Knocking on the jamb of the doorway, she speaks up. "Hello, someone got burned here right? I am here to help!", she exclaims decisively, walking into the room with a smile.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Tuxedo Kuma was staring," Mamoru's voice floats over from the bed, disconnected. His uninjured fingers tap at the sheet, near Usagi. "Tamaki fixed it. You can hold my hand if you want to. You can always look at me. You don't expect me to be a good host, but Tuxedo Kuma is very judgemental." It sounds like he's making the effort to talk from deep underwater -- or maybe that's just how he thinks he sounds. It's an effort but he doesn't want Usagi feeling bad, and he doesn't want her to stop looking if she doesn't want to-- he just can't reach.

That's what it is.

"I can't reach you," he says apologetically, himself. "I can see you, though."

And then there's a knock at the door. Mamoru lifts his unusuably bandaged hand and gingerly mashes his glasses up with the back of it, and blue eyes squint through glass at the Pretty Cure just out in the hallway in front of everybody, and he realizes he recognises her. "Cure... Suzhen?" he asks blankly. "You were at the greenery thing yesterday...that youma made of a blender..."

That was not yesterday. That was the day he got burned.

Jadeite has posed:
It's - good. He thinks. He doesn't nkow who the real problem starer was, but if Endymion says it was th bear, it was the bear, and so the bear will have bestowed upon him silly plushie status.

"I have a strawberry and white chocolate latte for Usagi, milk tea with boba for Mamoru - I'll hold it so all you have to do is use the straw - and some actual real decent coffee for Naru." And a caramel iced latte for him, thank you very much. "Usually Tuxedo Kuma would make you all duel for your spoils, but since he has tiny little arms, he can't hold on to the coffee properly."

Cups for all. Cups for everyone! All hail the bean.

And all hail the girl with the snake, apparantly. His prince recognizes her, so she's cool to be here. Probably?

"If we've met, I'm afraid I don't remember," he tells her apologetically. "If I'd known we had company, I'd have bought for five."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Thank you Tamaki." Naru uncurls just enough to retrieve her coffee. Plain black coffee. An oddity in Japan as much as it's common in North America. She settles back into her seat, one hand having kept her homework and sketchbook on her lap as she rose.

"I'm glad I don't have to duel the bear, I'm pretty sure he can take me." Naru comments dryly as she opens the little tab on her coffee and inhales the fragrant steam. Ahhh.

Naru looks over to Cure Suzhen, not recognizing her in her current guise and she nods politely.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"He is pretty judgmental, isn't he?" Usagi commiserates, tapping Tuxedo Kuma's furry little paws. "Not like the real thing at all. But he's almost as cute as you!"

Sorry Tuxedo Kuma, in the game of love and war, you are destined to lose every round if it makes Mamoru happy!

"Thanks, Tama-chan," she chirps, accepting her coffee, and then slinking closer to Mamoru to take his hand now that he's implied the problem - reach.

He can't feel her, after all. And she... she can't feel him either.

She's still wearing gloves, soft ones, and she entwines their fingers, pretends it's just the fabric that keeps his golden-home-touch from her.

And then there's...

"Oh," a noise of surprise, "I don't actually know you!" That's kind of impressive, actually, she usually knows almost everyone. "Mamochan was burned, and - if you can heal, I think some help would be okay, if you tell us how you're helping?"

Yaling Yao has posed:
Well, so much for counting on the Veil to hide magic, but this is even better, as much as it is surprising for Yaling to be recognised. It is certainly a first. Though what is worrying is Mamoru believes the greenery event had happened yesterday. That was certainly a bigger problem than just the burns. "Yes, that's me!", choosing not to contradict him until she has more details on what has happened to him.

"I didn't expect to find a fellow altruistic mage here. You were one of them, right?" she asks, the Veil preventing her from picking the only one tall enough to even remotely match Mamoru, or tie the mention of Tuxedo Kuma to Kamen for that matter.

Shehe bows towards everyone before addressing Tamaki. "I don't think we have met, but you are very kind", she communicates her appreciation at his semi-offer of having wanted to count her in. "I do have something, I am actually here for that! I used my Precure Verdant Harmony at the Greenery Day Festival, so he might remember!"

And without further ado, a jade pipa appearing in her hand, the pleasant music that Yaling starts playing flowing with magical energy, focusing on Mamoru and helping speed the healing process. At the same time medicinal plants start growing in the room, filling the air with a pleasant aroma. "I have heard from the hospital staff of his condition, so I have brought things. BaiBai, my teacher", she says, temporarily tilting her head to the right, "has also suggested we bring cream with boswellia serrata, to help him even when my magic had done all it could."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
At least the Veil will still continue to hide the magic from everyone else--

Mamoru glances at Tamaki and the milk tea for a moment, clearly considering it as he holds Usagi's hand through her glove... but it's too complicated for him to grasp in his head right now, when Naru's not dueling a bear and Usagi's agreeing, yes, yes, the bear is a judgemental little--

His hand tightens slightly in Usagi's.

"I'm Tuxedo Kamen," he says simply to Cure Suzhen. "I do remember. I'd like that, thank you." He's running out of concentration to deal with words right now; it's a tired day, and he hurts so much, and--

--and the music washes over him, and the cooling aspect of it, and the pleasant and refreshing scent of the green things growing in the room makes him want to cry from a combination of sudden relief and an aching homesickness. He doesn't cry. He won't do that in front of a crowd, and rarely even in front of the people he'll let see it.

But he wants to.

"Ohhh," he lets out a breath. And then.

He yawns.

He yawns and doesn't flinch, doesn't twitch, doesn't react in pain to the stretching of the skin on his face... which he realizes a second later. "Oh, wow." A beat. "Will the plants stay?"

Jadeite has posed:
The smell of freshly fallen rain cut with herbs fills the room. Tamaki watches quietly, taking in th emusic, taking in the growth of the plants... and the way the pinkness on Mamoru's face fades, the way his swollen skin finally calms.

"Oh, wow," he echoes. "Do we need pots for the plants? I can get pots. We should probably make sure the doctors still have a path to get places - " no, wait, what is he saying? "Thank you," and he bows his head to Cure Suzhen.

Naru Osaka has posed:
The scent of coffee is momentarily replaced with the scent of green and growth and rain and soil and Naru blinks, arching a brow. "Well that's impressive." Naru comments thougthfully as she watches.

Questions about the details of the plants are asked by others and she leans over to be able to set her coffee down on a table and pick up her pencil to go back to sketching.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Oh wow," Usagi breathes as the plants bloom around them and the scent of herbs fills the air and, as, most importantly, Mamoru yawns and doesn't flinch, or wince, or make an obvious gestures of 'oh I hate that'. There are still wounds - though with just about everything bandaged she can't see that, but she's sure, because if he was entirely healed she thinks Mamoru would jump up and dance - but it's obvious he's in less pain, and she is so, so grateful. She squeezes his hand and beams at Cure Suzhen.

"That was amazing! And - thank you, thank you seriously, for coming and helping. It's really wonderful that you come around the hospital to help people like this!"

Yaling Yao has posed:
"Oh, yes, Tuxedo Kamen, the tall guy in the elegant clothes!", Yaling repeats as the Veil stops clouding her perception, and relieved he doesn't actually have memory problems. "They are medicinal plants of all kinds, so you can take them and even make tea with them. The plant with red dates is good for insomnia, while the one with thin leaves and purple flowers willl strengthen your body's resistance to stress, improve energy levels, and reduces symptoms of chronic stress. Or you can take the red berries, they have antioxidants and help calm down and improve the quality of the sleep you do have."

"Yeah, you can take pots, sure, I will make sure to take away those you don't want." And as if to prove her point a vines pops up out of nowhere and tears away a plant.

"Thank you, Naru-san", she replies to the compliment. "And hey, if you want some more help, get into contact with me at any time! Mamoru-san has my number, but I am also at school, I am Yaling Yao", she replies to Usagi, also giving her the bottled cream she mentioned earlier via one of the vines. "You can apply that if you want to reduce the inflammation some more, guaranteed by my teacher", she adds, patting the snake.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"It is so wonderful you do this-- I'm-- I'm normally a healer too-- can I send people to you?" Mamoru doesn't say 'I can't do it right now', he doesn't say 'if it never comes back', he doesn't say anything he's thinking about it being permanent, about him having to learn to live without three quarters of himself-- doesn't think about the Fade-- doesn't DOESN'T

simply does not

He just holds Usagi's hand tightly and thinks about the fact that for the first time in as long as he can hold in his head at once, his face doesn't hurt.

And then Tamaki is dealing with the plants, and Cure Suzhen says she's Yaling Yao-- "Oh I do have your number! I'll send people to you, definitely. Thank you so very, very much."

Jadeite has posed:
"I'll get these potted up! Leave them here for now, I'll figure out - something. There's got to be a garden store I can hit up nearby..." This is not Tamaki's stupidest stunt, not by a long shot. If he can get those purple flowers and red berries going properly, get Mamoru to have some actual restful sleep -

"I wish I could thank you more for this. I'll try and take good care of your plants."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"The plants make the room look a little less sterile." Naru comments, which is sort of the point of the hospital room, to be fair but isn't all that much fun when you are stuck in one for ages and ages and ages.

Naru ooohs softly as Cure Suzhen revleas herself to be Yaling Yao, understanding crossing her face and she nods a little, filing that little tidbit away. "Thank you for coming to help." She echoes the thanks of the others as well.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Ah, that's so awesome! You can make real plants with your magic, that stick around! That's way cooler than what I can do with my magic," Usagi says cheerfully, "And thank you! Do we do anything special with the leaves and petals and such, or can we just make them into tea as is, or..."

She has no idea how to do any of this, honestly, but she's glad to ask, and get insight, because all of those effects sound helpful, and -

"It's great to have more healers. Mamochan's a really strong healer, but having more people who can do it too - like Page Mage and Guardian Daifuku - to support everyone is amazing."

Because she refuses to believe Mamoru won't get his power back. Because she'll do it no matter what.

Yaling Yao has posed:
Yaling frowns when she hears he lost his healing powers. And being largely unaware about Sunbreaker, she is only wondering if the Fade can hit you earlier. But he has his memories still, that can't be it. "That happened to you!? That's horrible, Mamoru-san. You will find your power again, I am sure."

"Don't mention it, really", she remarks to everyone, before examining the state of the burns on Mamoru. "It's time to stop, Yaling. It's not doing anything more", the fairy snake says, stopping Yaling from using energy on something that isn't doing anything. Besides, looking at him, the green-haired girl can actually attest he looks much better. Making the jade pipa disappear. "You are right", she agrees with BaiBai. "I am glad to get to cooperate with everyone, and just use them for tea as you would any other leaves", she smiles at Usagi.

Looking at the situation, she thinks it's best to leave things to them. "Well then, I will leave you four to your hanging out, see you, and get well in no time, Mamoru-san!", Yaling waves, detransforming and leaving the room.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
With the combination of painkillers, tiredness, delightful cooling healing, and the fresh scent of greenery in the room, Mamoru's asleep within thirty seconds of Yaling leaving. The next time the bandages get changed, the nurses will have quite a surprise to see the problems reduced as they are. Tamaki will have to save the milk tea for later, though.