[center][h2]The Healing Arts - Part 1[/h2][/center] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/bNjEHiq.png[/img] [/center] JP/Collab from [@Xandrya] and [@sail3695] “Finished. Now turn over and we’ll get the front.” Abby rolled onta her back. Tha table’s padded, so it didn’t feel half bad. Nekkid as she was, she thought tha room could use a tad bit more heat, but that thing Alana’s runnin’ over ‘er skin give off a warmth what carried down inta tha muscles underneath. She lifted ‘er head fer a second tah watch the doc workin’ a big bruise on ‘er right thigh. The tool in ‘er hand, a “dermal somethinerother,” looked kinda like an axe handle, ‘cept fer bein’ all white an’ tech-like. It let out a blue light as she pressed it down. Then, she would rub a straight line over the bruised skin. One pass, two passes, three passes later an’ that bruise was gone! “Like it never happened,” Abby said as tha flesh of ‘er thigh got tah lookin’ all normal again. “Thanks fer this, Alana,” she said as tha heat climbed up ‘er body. “Won’t feel so shy ‘bout showin’ muh face, now.” "Well, your face was always too pretty not to be showed off." Alana's expression was hidden behind a surgical mask and glasses. Not that it was medically necessary, but extra precautions didn't hurt. Her movements in trying to wipe away Abby's bruises—and in turn, the ugly memories that came with it—were meticulous and precise. It might as well had been her own flesh and blood on that table. The blue flash lit up once more, its reflection on her glasses present just as well. Alana had moved to the next bruise, happy with the results thus far. The efficacy of the treatment was promising, but seeing it work right in front of her eyes was something else. "Feeling alright still?" “Uh huh,” the girl give a nod, then stopped ‘erself just in case she had tah keep still. “I’s kinda stiff where I got hit alot,” she said, “but that’s makin’ everythin’ loosen up. Feels good.” She’s glad Doc signed off on bringin’ ‘er along with Yuri this mornin’...even took her in first while he’s waitin’ outside for ‘is turn. “Been readin’ ‘bout Pelorum,” she offered. “Cap’n says we might git a few days’ leave. They got beaches there sposed tah be tha finest in tha ‘verse. “Thinkin’ I oughtta git a swimmin’ suit an’ go see for muhself.” "I'm thinking that's the right choice, evenin' out your tan an' all. You'll have eyes on ya for days..." Having finished up on the lower extremities, Alana moved on to her abdomen. Pretty nasty bruisin going there, seemingly the preferred location when someone's turned into a punching bag. She made sure to be extra gentle, gloved hands softly making contact with the girl's skin only when necessary. "I may just join you for a while, make sure you're getting your R&R without interruptions...whatcha think?" Abby took that with a smile. “Well, yeah!” she give a light chuckle. “That’d be all kindsa shiny. We could have some real fun,” she smirked, “stead ‘o’ me bein’ patched an’ yew doin’ tha patchin’.” She felt tha good warmth spreadin’ ‘round ‘er belly an’ below ‘er ribs. “An’ I’s wonderin’,” the girl’s brow creased a bit. “What kinda swimmin’ suit should I git? Never had one afore, so I ain’t sure if it should be a onesie or a bikini?” "Well for that the style depends on you and what you feel most comfortable with. I tend to get a two-piece simply 'cos the more wet fabric on me, the less [i]pleasant[/i] it feels. I take it if you do more moving aroun', a one-piece may be better for ya...don't gotta tug and pull pieces of the bikini from your [i]pi gu[/i]." Alana imagined themselves laid out on a sandy beach with Abby complaining about the fit of her swimsuit to Cal, and a smile formed behind the mask. Tha girl listened, shock wrote all over her face. “But…” Abby’d been lookin’ at pitchers. They’s more types ‘o’ swimmin’ suits than she ever conjured. Some she seen sounded like what tha doc’s talkin’ about, with nothin but a skinny strip or a string up tha backside…nothin’ she’d be caught wearin’, sure an’ true. But…even them’s covered over tha whole [i]pi gu?[/i] Don’t seem right. She tried putin’ ‘er words together, mouth movin’ silent til she could figger out jest what tah ask. “If’n bikinis are like that, why d’ya wear one? How much time yah spend pullin’ yers out?” She paused, her hand holding the device hovering over the next bruise looking to get erased. Alana thought on the question for a bit, her head angled slightly as she stared off into nothingness. "Yeah, I remember whenever I wear a bikini, it does tend to get itself wedged in there quite a bit, ya know?" she shrugged her shoulders as she continued. "It happens just 'cos the material covering your behind is narrow so it's easy for it to...get lost. But I wouldn't worry none, it happens to women all the time, but a quick tug later and you're good as new!" The light went off again as Alana resumed her work. "My personal advice? Don't get a string bikini, those are the worst! Get one that has medium to full coverage of your [i]pi gu[/i] and you're less likely to be pulling at the material often." “Oh,” Abby conjured she might be overthinkin’ this a spell. “Yer real pretty, Alana,” she observed. “Knowin’ whatcha know ‘bout wearin’ bikinis, ya think we could go shop fer mine together? I hear they’s all kindsa things tah sus out, like skin tone an’ hair color. Promised I’d send a capture tah Thom…a fella I like, an’ I don’t wanna mess it up.” The smile come back tah her face as she conjured her an’ Alana, spendin’ their day playin’ together in sand an’ waves. “Some pitchers I seen,” she offered as the doc’s work moved to her shoulders, “showed big floppy kinda hats an’ matchin’ sandals. Should I buy them too?” Genuinely delighted by the news, Alana stopped for a moment to look at Abby. "Oh, so you sending a capture to this Thom guy, eh? Then we no doubt gotta go rummage the stores in search of the perfect bikini! An' I promise, one that's comfortable with matching hat and sandals! I really got a feelin' he'll appreciate the effort..." Sorta feeling "big sister proud", Alana was looking forward to their upcoming outing. She imagined a plain, black piece at first, but then thought about how nice of a match an emerald tone would make with her hair. Yes, there were quite a few options for Abby, and Alana couldn't wait to try them all. Moving on, Alana got to working on her wrists, the bruises there quite dark from the restraints. "Woulda been nice to double date, maybe next time he's around?" She woulda blushed, but she durn near give up tha whole thing, anyway. “His name’s Thomas,” Abby said, surprised to how good it felt talkin’ about ‘im. “Met ‘im on New Melbourne. He’s real nice…an’ we been sendin’ waves ever since.” The smile faded as she ‘membered their call yesterday. “He saw me…lookin’ like this,” she said. “I should’na showed him, but he could tell somethin’s wrong. He got powerful mad. Wanted me tah quit tha Doll an’ hop a boat fer New Melbourne. Guess yah could say that’s our first fight,” Abby said. “I’ma call ‘im after yah fix muh face…git things smoothed over.” "Ah well, I'm more than sure he was only concerned about ya... Some fellas can sometimes be a little overprotective of their lady, and it looks like he ain't any different." Alana moved on to the second to last bruise, glad she had a hand in helping fix Abby back up to her old self, especially now that she had someone to look good for. "Talking it out will do ya good. You know what they say, communication is key. Plus..." she smiled once more, her eyes giving her away if one were to pay attention, "...I believe he'll forget about that argument the moment he sees you in your bikini." “Yeah.” Abby thought on that a second. “He did tell me I’m pretty on muh worst day, so I conjure I don’t mind sendin’ ‘im a capture from a beach on Pelorum. Weird tah think about,” she said as tha doc took away more of her bruisin’. “Never saw muhself as pretty…most times it seemed fellas’d look right past me. Yew, Ms. Wyman…” she snickered. “I think she an’ Yuri are gettin’ sweet on each other, but she’s way pretty. An’ the new lady? Quill? Honest, I take one look at y’all an’ conjure I’m kinda on tha rough side.” [i]All kindsa rough[/I] if she’s bein’ honest with ‘erself. Beatin’s she took from the Headhunters was one thing. But since bein’ kidnapped…since Lido tried takin’ tha one thing she had was still pure, things just ain’t been right. Yeah, she put tha rapin’ sumbitch on tha deck, but not afore he planted hisself in ‘er head. And there he lives, just waitin’ tah make ‘er relive it all…’bout anytime she closed ‘er eyes. [i]”Aaaby…”[/i] It’s startin’ tah tell on’er. Mirror showed ‘er tha tired look in ‘er eye when he scared ‘er outta her bed ‘round three A.M. this mornin’...an’ pretty much ever’ night. Kinda worked in a way…makin’ ‘er coffee an’ breakfast at that hour steered ‘er clear ‘o’ Hook. "Nah, don't sell yourself short...beauty doesn't have a standard, least that's the way I look at it." Her voice was soft and friendly as she addressed her young patient. "I'd kill for your hair, and if it's done up real nice and paired with a dress, it's a done deal!" A moment later, Alana was finished. She placed the tool down beside her and removed her gloves before also pulling off the glasses. "I'd say you're ready enough to send as many captures as you want to your Thomas..." Abby sat up. “Can I see?” When Alana held up tha mirror, she gasped. Fingers touched ‘round ‘er eye an’ where her jaw had been all swole up. Nothin’...her skin was fair an’ even. She turnt ‘er head, lookin’ all about, an’ seein’ nothin’ but ‘er own skin, plain’ an’ regular as any day without bikers. “Jiminy,” the girl looked down at ‘erself. She twisted ‘er body, even took that mirror tah catch a glimpse of her [i]pi gu.[/i] All clear, ‘cept fer a small scar on tha right cheek from that bullet. “Alana,” she smiled big first time in days, “it’s all gone! Thank yew!” Weren’t a minute later as she’s given’ Alana a big hug that Abby conjured clothes might be a good idea. “Sorry,” she give a sheepish smile as she slipped inta her things. I’ll go git Yuri.”