(Day 2, Late Afternoon, open) The Doctor Arrives

[Daidoji Fuichi]

Momentarily confused, Fuichi responded honestly.
"I like to get to working on something as soon as possible. Doing facilitates learning, I should think."

[Isawa O-Washi]

"We Phoenix have learned over the centuries that there are many paths to learning...as a tensai, part of my education was how to educate others. If I had walked the usual path of my school, that would be my life...teaching, learning, and teaching again. It still colors the training I give to you recruits, it seems."

Smiling, O-washi stepped back so that Fuichi could have full access to the small workspace. "Start with the salt, then. for just yourself you'll need about a palm's worth...put it in that large mortar, there, and grind it down to smaller grains...they'll dissolve faster, which is a help given we can't really heat the water here." Suddenly, the smile became a grin."Your palm, not mine, mind you."

[Daidoji Fuichi]

Fuichi nodded and set to work, savoring the rough sensation that the grinding produced in his molars. Soon, they were reduced to powder.

He glanced back to O-washi, curious as to the next step.

[Isawa O-Washi]

Moving right behind the Daidoji, O-washi had no problem peering over his shoulder at the work in progress. "Good." This close, the bass of his voice was almost a tangible rumble against Fuichi's back. "Now, you're going to need the second-largest of the measuring cups, there..." One hand reached around the slender Crane to gesture at it. "Worth of oil. It should just barely overflow the sand, not so much that you can see much of an oily sheen to it but nonugh that if you press on the salt's surface you can see it, much like if you press wet sand. Mix them together in one of those empty earthenware jars, the really solid ones that look like they'd break a toe if you kicked them by mistake."

[Daidoji Fuichi]

Fuichi shuddered, his spine vibrating in response to the nearness of O-washi. He moved through the instructions with fluid grace, though as he reached for the earthenware jar his hand drifted over the back of that of the Phoenix; delicate fingers stealing an ephemeral caress. Fuichi bowed his head in apology, the sly grin creasing his face giving the lie to his words.

Oil mixed with salt, the Crane raised one finger and deftly pressed the compound. The drop of moisture perched on the tip as he brought it back up for inspection spoke as to its perfection. He sighed in contentment.

[Isawa O-Washi]

Unseen in his place behind his pupil, a sly grin danced across O-washi's features at that stolen touch. Nothing in his voice betrayed him, though, as he calmly said, "Now take the first of the five jars of herbs there, the one with the dried pink petals. You'll need about 12 blooms. Now, it's too delicate to crush with the mortar so you'll be needing to break it down to smaller bits with your fingers. Don't be surprised if it tingles a little."

Moving his free hand so that he loosely embraced Fuichi, O-washi demonstrated by taking one dried blossom from the jar and, with the ease of long practice, rolled it between his palms, a shower of tiny petals falling into the preparation in progress. Letting his arms slide back to his sides, the gunso said, softly, "Now you try."

[Daidoji Fuichi]

Fuichi's heart thrilled to the embrace. Unconsciously, he took a half-step backwards to be more fully enfolded, the contact eliciting a light blush.

After O-washi withdrew, the Crane set to work. His delicate, nimble hands were well suited to the work of handling flowers, and soon their strong fragrance began to fill their shared space with a cloying intensity.

[Rixy]

"Right, now. Take up the dried myrrh leaves...those you will need to grind down to a fine powder. Careful you don't inhale any, though...it'll wreak horrible havoc on the balance in your lungs and you'll be laid up for days. If you don't have a kerchief, you might think of using some of the clean bandaging linen just to be safe."

Suiting action to word, O-washi pulled a surprisingly delicate scrape of crimson silk trimmed in golden lace from the inner pocket of his vest, holding it over his mouth and nose.

[Isawa O-Washi]

"Right, now. Take up the dried myrrh leaves...those you will need to grind down to a fine powder. Careful you don't inhale any, though...it'll wreak horrible havoc on the balance in your lungs and you'll be laid up for days. If you don't have a kerchief, you might think of using some of the clean bandaging linen just to be safe."

Suiting action to word, O-washi pulled a surprisingly delicate scrape of crimson silk trimmed in golden lace from the inner pocket of his vest, holding it over his mouth and nose.

[elonweis]

After the skiff was docked and secured, one of the eta carried the gaijin down the stairs and to the sickbay. He tries to be quiet when he enters, not looking at either of the samurai. Koudou sets the man down in a bunk and edges away, lingering in case he's needed.

[Isawa O-Washi]

All flirtation and lessons forgotten, O-washi turned and, after a single assessing glance, began to hussle around after the supplies prepared earlier in the day by himself and his Clanmate. "Daidoji-san, go and tell cook we're going to need the broth I mentioned to her earlier. When you come back, you're going to learn about exposure treatment."

He glanced at the eta and then tossed him a bottle and a rag. "You, start wiping down his back with this. I don't like the look of some of those wounds."

[elonweis]

The man bows silently and catches the cloth. Koudou takes the bottle and turns the survivor over, starting to carefully clean the wounds he finds. The eta doesn't look at either man, remaining silent and humble.

[Daidoji Fuichi]

Fuichi nods once and is all business, rapidly rushing out to retrieve the broth. He's back within the space of five minutes, his jaw set. "I've got the broth, Isawa-sama."

[Isawa O-Washi]

With a gesture, O-washi indicated the eta. "Support him so we can get some fluid in him. Have you ever treated someone this unwell before, Daidoji-san?"

[elonweis]

Koudou does as he's asked, hauling the gaijin up and leaning him against his shoulder. Hopefully they wouldn't have to force feed the man. That would be messy.

[Daidoji Fuichi]

With a gesture, O-washi indicated the eta. "Support him so we can get some fluid in him. Have you ever treated someone this unwell before, Daidoji-san?"

Fuichi nodded once. "My younger brother had a severe Air imbalance...as do I." That was less painful an admission than he had expected. "Mine is chronic and slow moving, his was rather quick." His face fell. "It was mostly a matter of making him comfortable before his return to the Wheel."

As he spoke, he approached with the soup.

"What is required of me?"

[Isawa O-Washi]

"The trick is to dribble down a little bit at a time...enough that if he inhales at the wrong time he doesn't choke. You have to be watchful of his rhythms so you match them. In a way, it's like dancing or playing with a group."

[Daidoji Fuichi]

Fuichi does as he's told, making sure that the poor man doesn't choke. His mouth drawn, he focuses his entire attention on his task

[Isawa O-Washi]

The bigger healer, meanwhile, started directing the eta to more involved tasks...scrubbing the infected wounds, stitching a few gashes, and covering the lot with numbing lotions. Then he set about grinding herbs, his expression as set as Fuichis.