voice;

[thecourier]

[He sounds.. tense. Like he's half holding his breath. Still, everything he says is as clear as his drawl can make it.]

First thing-- y' see someone what looks like me, 'cept scruffier-- know what yer thinkin', 'shit, Dan, there's scruffier than you?'. Yeah. Amazin'. Longer hair, no attention t' personal hygiene, y' know--, stay the fuck away from him. I'm gonna kill him myself.

[A pause.]

Second thing, I think I need a doctor. Anyone here good at diggin' bullets out? Or, whatever. Magic. Don't care.

Comments

[voice]

[littledhampir]

I might know somebody who could help you... but doesn't sound like you're feeling the mirror! trust right now.

[voice]

[thecourier]

Ah--shit, don't make me laugh.

[Ow.]

Look, I know they ain't all evil sons of bitches. Feel kinda sorry for the ones that ain't.

[voice]

[littledhampir]

Speaking as somebody whose Mirror, isn't? Don't. [Feel sorry for them.

Rose you just don't like what her being the opposite of you, says about you.]

She has healing magic though and can fix you up in no time. [A beat.] She just... might need a little persuasion.

[voice]

[thecourier]

[A pause. Did he pass out? No, if the slightly awkward-sounding breathing is anything to go by.]

'Persuasion'. [You can almost feel the air quotes. And the suspicion.]

What kind'a persuasion.

Re: [voice]

[littledhampir]

My Mirror is a weak, timid, suck-up who seems to be all about trying to be the Queen's lapdog.

[In other words, she's not going to want to help a 'real' but given she is the opposite of Rose... Rose is in the perfect position to convince her.]

And you don't really sound like you can be fussy about the kind of persuasion that might be required... Exactly how bad is it?

[voice]

[thecourier]

Oh, great.

[Another pause, then the sound of movement and a semi-pained grunt.]

He shot me in the back. Can't see how bad it is exactly, but there's no exit wound an' it's.. still bleedin'. Reckon it missed anythin' vital. I'd already be dead.

[voice]

[littledhampir]

Dick. [Putting it mildly there, Rose.]

I mean... if you're really not big on the Mirror help idea, I can have a look for you? But you should probably know my experience in first aid comes from being on the receiving end it. [A lot.]

[slapfight]

Is it made of metal?

[they don't have bullets on homeworld okay.]

omfg that icon

[thecourier]

Uh.. yeah. [That's... What kind of question is that.]

Bullets usually are.

[slapfight]

Good. Then I can remove it.

[time to find out how good helping others when you don't really have to feels!! also it's a great way to show off her metal powers.]

[thecourier]

Uh huh. An' who are you, exactly?

[You know, just so he has a name to give to the person he might let poke around his insides to remove a bullet.]

[slapfight]

I'm Peridot, and I have power over metal. [that's all you need to know.]

[thecourier]

Peridot. You don't know Amethyst, do ya?

[Shot in the dark.]

voice;

[nascensibility]

Dan.

[The real question is: how did he not expect this kind of response? Gunshot wounds are par for the course in her line of work, which should come as a surprise to most contemporary academics, but not to Dan.]

Where are you? Has anyone helped you yet? I have a kit-

voice;

[thecourier]

... Evie.

[He expected it. Of course he did. She was bound to see this and she's probably going to scold him once she's sure he isn't going to die.]

Someone's comin' to help me stop the bleeding. I can handle it from there. Look, I don't know if he's still hangin' around here.

voice;

[nascensibility]

[Dan is not incorrect: Evelyn is absolutely going to scold him when all is said and done. She tries to keep the concern from her voice but falters miserably, venting her frustration in a great huff instead.]

I-If you think you've got it well in hand...

[She is worried. She should be allowed to worry. Evelyn waves a somewhat dismissive hand even if he can't see it, aware that she is capable of taking care of herself should anyone unsavoury wander into her general vicinity.]

I'll be fine, Mirrors don't frighten me.

voice;

[thecourier]

Yeah, I got it--mm.

[He doesn't say don't worry, because she will anyway. If he didn't think he had this well in hand, as she says, of course he would tell her exactly where he was and ask for her help.

As it is.. he's got this. Mostly.]

Don't frighten me, either. Shot me anyway. [Snort.] 've had worse. It ain't no headshot.

voice;

[nascensibility]

It doesn't mean you should treat this so flippantly.

[He isn't - not necessarily - but it won't keep her from being concerned. Dan, like Evelyn, is accustomed to taking things in stride and downplaying dangerous situations. They'd been on one together, once.]

Where were you when he- when he shot you?

voice;

[thecourier]

In the corridor, on the third floor. Used my own tricks t' get the drop on me. Bastard.

[He's annoyed, but there's almost a note of admiration in it. Dan won't claim to be invincible, and he won't for a moment claim any kind of superhuman power in any of his senses, but for someone to sneak up on him without even a prickle on the back of his neck to warn him...

That takes some skill.]

Blood flow's sluggish. Dark too. Won't be dyin' any time soon. Victor's tryin' to lecture me, I reckon. 'M gonna settle on bein' touched that 'e cares.

voice;

[lifeskills]

_{[Well, this was not what he'd been imagining when he'd suggested Dan investigate his Mirror. He doesn't sigh, because this is not really the time to express what he thinks of these Mirrors running amok, but it's a near thing.]}

Did you forget I'm here?

_{[Stitches are his specialty, you know.]}

How bad is it?

voice;

[thecourier]

[Snort.

Crap, he shouldn't laugh. He shouldn't, but he does, and.. ow. It would be worse if he knew what Victor was actually thinking - that he had actually sought his Mirror out for some kind of altercation... No, the other guy had found him.]

How could I forget you, doc?

[Please.]

'S.. eh. Awkward t' reach. Had worse. Reckon I'll live.

[lifeskills]

_{[Does he ever get tired of acting like the toughest country bumpkin in the room?]}

A blood infection won't wait around for you to finish posturing.

_{[Victor is dryly unamused by this response and it shows in his tone. He hadn't been joking. Dan should have done the smart thing and called him.]}

Where are you? I'll bring my bag.

[thecourier]

[Never, to be honest, and maybe he would if it was actually an act.]

Posturin'. I'm insulted. [Sort of. He's pretty sure he knows what that means.]

Go down t' the clinic. I'll make my way there once I know the coast is clear. Won't be long.

[lifeskills]

_{[A fool is what he is, but saying so would only be stating the obvious. Victor's strongly tempted to tell Dan not to dally when he's walking around with a gunshot wound, but the debate doesn't seem worth the wasted time.]}

I'll be there.

_{[Hanging up, Victor takes up his medical bag and heads straight to the clinic. And the clinic is where he waits, his thoughts turning to the pistol he'd added to his bag at the last minute. If he has to use it because a Mirror had guessed where Dan would seek medical treatment, he will.]}

[thecourier]

[He doesn't take long, and Victor's decision not to try and argue with him was definitely a good one on his part. They could have wasted a lot of time bandying back and forth over whether or not Dan ought to move while he's still bleeding.

That he had walked off worse would have been, no doubt, utterly irrelevant.

When he enters the clinic, it's with some slight amount of stiffness and a grimace as the effort of pushing the door pulls at something he'd rather it didn't.

There's no witty comment, but he sits down. He makes sure he's facing towards the door.]