Thoughts on Adventure

[valentine_rta]

I got back to Amber from Cibola and claimed nothing exciting ever happened here at the city.

Did I get proven wrong or whatWhat I'm discovering is that there's a big, big difference between Adventure! undertaken on my own in foreign places, and Adventure! undertaken in the city alongside other people, some of whom may even be counting on me.

Comments

[addison_rta]

The city needs doctors every inch as it needs swashbucklers right now, Dr. Valentine. We are flowing over with people who can make with the adventure, but few people who can put us all back together again when it's over.

[valentine_rta]

I am all for doing what's needed, and if the city needs doctors, here I am being a doctor. All responsible-like. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't feeling unsettled by the change in my primary function. There is Tine, who runs around Cibola stabbing evil priests, and then there is a Generic Mandrake Doctor who patches up all who need the patching, and I'd rather be the first of those two guys. The second guy is boring.

Maybe it all comes down to the fact that I like making things a lot more than I like sticking around to fix things other people broke. Of course, so long as it's part of my House duty to do that fixing, that's where I'll be.

[addison_rta]

I know a group of people who both need a good field medic to patch them up and have a way of finding themselves in the thick of madness. Perhaps we should have a cup of coffee. Or tea.

I understand you feeling there are these two people in your head, and you want to be one and you have to be the other. Perhaps there is a middle ground.

[valentine_rta]

I never used to worry about these things. I did what I wanted, and it worked for me. Now suddenly there's this whole vast labyrinth beyond Wine Women And Song to navigate.

Maybe we should have a cup of coffee and talk about what to do with being two people, and compromises.

[deirdre_rta]

The other thing to never underestimate is the value of a good field medic.

[valentine_rta]

For some reason, my cousin Celeste keeps objecting when I try to get really proactive about the "field" part of that job description.

[bldy_cute_molly]

If it helps at all, 'Tine (and I am absolutely certain that it doesn't, but I have to offer)? It was very nice to see some familiar faces when I had to...erm...drop into the Hospital for a visit. And even nicer that those faces were able to help us.

At least I think that was you. Sorry we didn't have much time to chat, what with my companions and I bleeding and passing out all over your nice clean floors.

I might be able to commiserate with you on some aspects of what you're dealing with. Only from the other side, sort of thing. Regardless, I'm offering to buy you and Celeste a round of drinks when this is all over.

[valentine_rta]

It was great to see you again! I'm not sure if it's a perk of working at the hospital that I keep meeting my friends there, or a bad sign for the long-term survival ability of my friends. I'll chalk it up to "Making it to the hospital means you survived" as a good thing.

I'm planning on getting very, very drunk when this is all over, with all the survivors my friends. On consecutive nights if necessary. How about Jack's?

[bldy_cute_molly]

"Making it to the hospital means you survived"

This is being far, far more generous than I've been to myself. Thanks for the brighter outlook. I just thought it meant I sucked.

How about Jack's?

I've heard a lot about Jack's and am, oddly enough, quite keen on going out there and seeing it for myself. It's a date! Well, not a date because 1) we don't know when and 2) You know. Married. But it's a defninite will-do!

[valentine_rta]

Ending up in the hospital feels like a failure until you find out how many people never get there because they're strewn in chunks across the battlefield. Or sunk to the depths of a bottomless lake. Or playing a constructive new role in a throne of bones. "Horribly injured" is leaps and bounds above any of those.

The Jack of Heart's is a great place. A cousin of mine used to run the place, though I'm a bit fuzzy on who has it now. We'll call it a definitely-not-date plan!