hold your burning hands up, the emblems of eternal youth

[heardmermaids.livejournal.com]

Who: Only Velcro is owning up to his real name in this one.
What: A visit to the mob doctor.
Where: The backroom at a dodgy apothecary.
When: Newdi evening.
Warnings: Exposure may cause or contribute to: itchy rashes, full body hair loss, projectile vomiting, gigantic eyeball, the condition known as 'hot dog fingers,' children born with the head of a golden retriever, seeing the dead, bone liquification, possession by the Prince of Darkness, tail growth, elderly pregnancy, and back pain.

A city as diverse as Baedal provides a glut of strange medical practitioners and without much to base his opinions on, Sebastian is forced to scan the local papers, trade on word of mouth, and spend a fair portion of his spare time calling on various practices. Once he'd put out a quiet word at work, the staff at Hellsing have been quite helpful in suggesting magically-inclined doctors, healers, shamans, and a few truly alien specialists that left him confused but pleased by the thought of progress. Admittedly, there had been a good deal more walking and interviewing than actual headway, but a little CONSTANT VIGILANCE caution when describing his condition was the prudent course of action.

One consultation led to another, which lead to contacting a small apothecary that was known for poor bedside manner and efficiently dealing with odd problems. After sending off a brief description of himself and his problem, Sebastian consoled himself that no matter how suspect the apothecary, he had the luxury of time and choice -- no more stitches by veterinarians or hasty and ill-brewed healing by untrained students. Still, as he reads a book in 'waiting room', there's a touch of same atmosphere and he's not sure if it's worrying or comforting.

Comments

[inkdamage]

At a more regulated establishment, there might be an air of waiting in a treatment room for a doctor to arrive - slight anxiety, sterile edges, ominous movement from outside - but here, in this strange apothecary Severus is, for all accounts, trying to get away from, it feels a bit like prison visitation. He should really stop doing this - and after this case, he is he tells himself - but the details were so plainly bizarre that his curiosity's got the better of him.

The metal door opens, rusty creaking hinges more old and full of irked character than foreboding, and he steps inside, keeping a close eye on the man sitting before him. There's something odd about him, and -

- yes. That's some interesting curse work, there, he can practically feel it. Severus frowns, pulling the door closed behind him and judging the air in the room.

It takes him a second to realize only the dog is looking at him.