(no subject)

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

Who: Zecora and everyone else
Where: The medical tent and in the carnival
When: Soon after the Agent battle
What: Zecora does her job. And is tired.
Warnings: None?



A.

[The medical tent is a dark and shadowy place in the aftermath of the Agent attacks, but those shadows are not unwelcoming. The very essence of the air seems permeated with Zecora's personality, warm and exotic and welcoming if you can get past how mysterious and occasionally creepy it is. In the depths of the tent, Zecora herself stalks from tables to seats to cauldrons bubbling in the back, seeming everywhere and nowhere at once, as if she's less a being and more a force of nature.]

[Given how the carnival is, this is probably a little alarming.]

[Those who are already here, she has instructed already -- whether they're awaiting minor treatments or major. But for those just arriving? Even in the middle of her exams, she lifts her voice to greet them, a faint rasp at the very depths of her rhymes.]

Please enter. Have a seat.
I'll be with you soon to treat
Whatever ailment is your trouble.
Call if I'm needed on the double.

B.

[Late at night, when the businesses of medicine in specific and the carnival in general are done, those keen of eye or sharp of ear -- or who just happen to be walking past the food stands -- will find a zebra half-sitting, half-lying on a bench, a partly-eaten funnelcake lying next to her muzzle. She'd tried to get some food, the first she'd had all day, once she'd single-hoofedly seen to every patient and ailment in the carnival's numbers... but exhaustion had won the day.]

[On the upside, she's looking properly solid now -- but beneath her fur, her fae marks glow a faint grey, apparently unable to stop even out of the presence of active magic.]

[Wait a moment and the observer gets to spot one hoof twitching violently, proof that her sleep isn't quite as restful as she needs it to be.]

Comments

[puddingemote]

[He does recognize her right away, and stops moving around so much. He doesn't try to stand, especially when he sees her raise a hoof.]

Zeco-san! What happened?

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

Some few hours back
We came under attack.

[Oh good. She isn't certain she can hold anypony down at the moment...]

[puddingemote]

An attack...

[That's right, it's coming back now - the agents, trying to take over his body. Trying to hurt his friends.]

Manager knocked me out... Did anyone get hurt?

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

Several, unavoidably.
But nothing beyond me.

[The volume threatens to strain her, but not the severity. That she can handle.]

[puddingemote]

Oh.

[Zecora must be a pretty great doctor to handle all this by herself. Tamaki is impressed.]

But why am I here?

[He doesn't remember getting hurt... unless Joker hit him that hard.]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[She's very good, yes. But what choice does she have but to do it all? She has nopony else, and the faint edges of exhaustion are creeping into her voice.]

Our visitors from the Matrix
Had a few nasty tricks.
The one most naughty
Was claiming your body.

[puddingemote]

Oh. [Right. That.] But he's gone now, right?

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

Good and gone, thank the Ringmaster
Nopony could have done it faster.

[puddingemote]

That's good.

[He still wonders why she didn't just decide to leave when Joker asked her to. They could have avoided all this if they had; if she has the power to move the carnival any time, there was no reason not to.

It makes him wonder. His manager and producers in his own world always do a lot to make sure their performers are safe and taken care of. Does the Ringmaster not care if something happens to them?

But there are more pressing issues at the moment, like...]

Then can you untie me?

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

Will you agree
To sit quietly?

[The last thing she needs is him getting up and running around, undoing her hard work and exacerbating everything.]

[puddingemote]

I guess...

[He doesn't sound totally convicted.]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[Zecora just fixes him with a Look.]

I do not have power
Or another free hour
To again heal you
From what you might do.

[puddingemote]

I won't do anything!

[Still not the most convincing.]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[Zecora snorts, a very equine noise.]

You seem to think this is a joke.
I'll not free you from that yoke.

[puddingemote]

[In return, Tamaki wiggles a bit.]

It's not a joke! I don't just like it!

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

Maybe not but quiet rest
For you, right now, is best.
This requirement may smother--
But you'll get it one way or the other.

[puddingemote]

...fine.

[He stops, lying still against the table.]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[Zecora watches him a moment more to judge his veracity, then begins undoing his restraints with careful tugs of her teeth on the bonds.]

[puddingemote]

[Tamaki watches her (he knows it only makes sense that a zebra would have to do things with their teeth, but it's still weird to watch), but as per their agreement, doesn't move. He does feel better being untied, though, and gives a sigh to that affect.]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[Really, Zecora doesn't want to keep anyone restrained. It has major drawbacks, not the least of which are the psychological. But she can't have him doing more damage to himself.]

When you go back to your bed
I'll send a brew to soothe your head.
Where nightmares might try to creep
You will instead find restful sleep.

[puddingemote]

Okay...

[He'd like to say that there's not way he'd get nightmares (even though that's not true), but he feels like arguing at this point won't go well for him.]

Thanks.

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[Good. He's learning.]

Now then. Can you move your arm?
Does it feel as if there's harm?

[puddingemote]

[Experimentally, he moves his arm. A little sore, particularly from his previous restraint, but otherwise fine.]

It's okay.

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

Give your fingers a whirl.
Do they flex and curl?
Then it'd be best
If your other arm got a test.

[puddingemote]

[He flexes his fingers on his extended arm, then raises the other and does similar movements. Everything seems to be alright there.

He nods his satisfaction to Zecora.]