RP:Rabid Symptoms
Synopsis: Noah Atwood introduces Savannah Hayworth, his client, to Penelope Halifax. Savannah, Savvy, is flirty and addicted to lust and desire. Penelope tries to get a diagnosis, but something... strange happens. A rabid, impulsive behavior. Penelope ends up having to sedate the woman while the mercenary and therapist, Noah, tries to fend her off. The gears turn... and there might be some hypothetical reasons why this behavior is occurring.
Kelay Healer
Noah arrives at the clinic a good thirty minutes before the appointment and he comes bearing gifts. A large box of chocolate covered strawberries is tucked under one arm, while he holds a magnificent bouquet of flowers in his hands. He gives Penelope and Ruari a sheepish grin as he slides the offerings onto the counter, “Good day, you two! These are thank you gifts for agreeing to meet Savannah… As well as an apology for anything untoward that she may say or do.” The flowers are a lovely assortment of white roses, yellow carnations, and orange poppies. The man recalls that poppies happen to be Nel’s favorite flowers and so he made certain that they were included in the arrangement. Noah is clad in a pair of black slacks with a burgundy button down shirt tucked into them. A pair of leather loafers are on his feet and there’s an expensive watch on his right wrist. The man feels a little awkward and he nervously casts a glance at the door, “She’s usually a few minutes early to her appointments. I assume she’s coming alone as her husband left her last week, but they’ve both been a bit fickle in the romance department.” Clearly, he disagrees with anything outside of monogamy as he makes a disgusted face. Hazel eyes rest on Nel’s fair face for a beat longer than is socially acceptable, “After this, we can head out to grab a bite to eat… If you’re not too busy?” He wonders if she told Ruari that they are friends and that they are going to grab an early dinner after Savannah is diagnosed. Will the man be jealous? It must seem like he means to court the healer as he’s given her gifts on several occasions. He didn’t ask for Ruari’s permission! Noah is internally panicking as he doesn’t want to come to blows with the man over a simple misunderstanding. On the exterior, he’s calm and cool. Even if he keeps glancing at the door with an expression of dread.
Penelope made sure to dress on the, not so messy side today, as she knew that this was a clinical appointment, and hopefully with not much blood. Also, this was her only appointment scheduled today, so really, if there was any gore? It was probably because Noah Atwood was going to suffer from a bad bite attack again from this ‘Savannah’ woman. Penelope wears green cotton pants that ruffle around her waist, a brown blouse, and brown heels that tie the outfit together. She stands off to the side as she is watering some plants before the door rings and the psychiatrist is standing there with a large bouquet and chocolate-covered strawberries. Ruari makes a snarky little comment, “Quite the apology gift.” The dark-haired man stares at Noah who is giving him quite the look. Not out of jealousy–maybe, but a look that appears to be one of teasing. Ruari Erickson is holding his tongue heavily, as he wants to pursue further with Noah’s claim of ‘just thank you gifts’. That smirk rests on the half-elf’s face, and Penelope is left furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. “Kind of you, and you remembered the orange poppies. Observant of you,” she smiled easily. Moss eyes sort of dance about his clean frame. That smile turns… lazy before she catches her gaze. She knew the line that Noah crossed with her. That odd line that he delivered. Friends–it was a safe line. One that she would easily fall into. A relief to fall into. “Oh my gosh, are those chocolate-covered strawberries?” Her hand is peeking into the box, but she quickly shuts the lid before nodding. “Yes, your client. I have the space set up in the back. I even am going to make sure that other patients come in in the front, so we have our privacy.” Beat. “This appointment is the only thing scheduled on my plate today, so I think we can go to a much needed, and deserved, lunch after this.” Her eyes follow his eyes to the door. “It’ll be okay. We have plenty of backup here–if you’re worried about the, uh,” biting, she wanted to finish, but she was worried that the door would open any moment.
Noah (1-2) Noah shakes his head in response to Ruari’s jest as he knows the comment is well-deserved. He had been awful to Penelope in the past and he hopes to make up for it by extending his friendship. It’s strange that he keeps reminding himself that the healer is a -friend- as he’s not the type to harbor a crush or want something more. Given his past and the curse of immortality, it makes it rather hard to plan for a family or consider settling down. Not that he’s been considering this, no, he consciously is aware of the fact that they are plutionic friends. Even if his subconscious repeatedly registers that she’s a beautiful, career driven woman, Just dangling before him, ripe for plucking. Penelope is making a big deal out of the flowers and the strawberries and he awkwardly clears his throat, but finds that he doesn’t know what to say. His nerves are frazzled at the thought of Savannah hurting anyone and he hopes that no one will think less of him for taking her on as a patient. The door opens and the wind chimes blare a warning that the hellish woman has arrived to see the doctor. Noah swallows hard and whispers to Nel, “The sky’s the limit for lunch.”
Noah (2-2) Savannah Hayworth strolls into the clinic as though she were walking along the stalls at the market and perusing each seller's wares. She assesses the front room and all its furnishings before she takes in the front desk with the gifts atop the counter. “Someone’s birthday? I hope you didn’t do all of this on -my- account?” Her voice is a seductive drawl that pulls the attention of others and she shifts her gaze from Noah to Penelope and finally, to Ruari. Painted lashes flutter dramatically as she saunters over to the male and extends a dainty hand to make his acquaintance, “I’m Savannah Hayworth, but friends call me Savvy.” The buxom blonde is a sight to behold up close and Noah sighs and rolls his eyes as he hopes that Ruari will be immune to her little tricks. Savvy has waist-length platinum tresses, big blue eyes, rosebud lips, and a disarming smile. She’s turning the charm on Ruari as she leans over the counter a little to show off her cleavage in that skintight blue sundress, “You wouldn’t happen to be Doctor Halifax, now, would you? I wouldn’t mind the slightest if you checked me out!” She gasps and giggles at her naughty little joke and twirls a strand of hair around her pointer finger. Noah clears his throat and motions to Penelope, “Savannah… This is Doctor Penelope Halifax.”
Penelope searches Noah’s face. That hard swallow, and that low voice. It brings a puzzled look on the Ardelian’s expression, but amusement is daring to dance in her eyes. Green eyes watch as the seductive blonde enters the clinic, and even Penelope’s eyes are sizing the woman up. Not out of maliciousness, but out of shock. This woman was stunning, but so stunning, she was insane. Perhaps the ‘insane’ thought was not polite–good thing the freckled girl did not say that out loud. The blonde sways over to Ruari, who almost drops his jaw on the floor, as he has a weakness for platinum blondes. Penelope knew, and her eyes sort of squinted towards the half-elf’s direction who was basically hypnotized. To say Ruari might have been jealous of Penelope–well, not anymore, if that was the case. Ruari Erickson’s grey eyes ogle the woman, a brief glance towards the cleavage, but smooth as ever. “Savvy,” he grins, “I like it.” He smirks with the woman who is giggling over being checked out by him, and the man is playing cool and suave. Ruari is about to open his mouth, but Noah is cutting in on the correction. Before Penelope gets the chance to speak, Ruari cuts in again, “Not Doctor Halifax, but I am Doctor Erickson. I can maybe perform a physi–” The green-eyed woman cuts in at that point. “Like, ew, do that on your own time and not on some dying patient’s cot,” Penelope muttered. The blunt woman could not help it. She clears her throat, as she might have botched being a charmer with her attitude towards the flirty mingling. “I’m Doctor Halifax, but you can just call me Penelope. How about we go to the back and we can have a chat with Doctor Atwood?” Penelope would lead the way to the back of the hut behind a curtain where a few chairs were neatly placed, and a cot just in case.
Noah bites the inside of his cheek and tries not to chuckle at Penelope’s comment because he badly wants to elaborate. Savvy isn’t picky. She has an addiction to pleasure and if she chomps down on foreignt furniture and flesh, he doubts she will be picky in where she places her bare body. He’s a little disappointed in Ruari’s behavior because he thought the man would see through the skanky behavior. Not that he blames him. The blonde is a looker but all Noah sees is possible transmitted diseases brewing on her silken flesh. It’s a hard pass. “Yes. Let’s head back there…” He extends a hand to motion for Savvy to follow after Penelope and he grinds his teeth when the blond latches onto his arm. “Savannah. It’s not professional for my patients to cling to me and I’ve already told you that I don’t like it.” He’s completely immune to her advances. The wretched woman is blowing Ruari kisses and promising to exchange info with him on her way out, before she snaps to attention and drawls, “Noah. Come on. We both know that I’m not your patient today! I’m seeing Dr. Haley Fox.” She can’t even get Penelope’s name right and that grates on Noah’s last nerve. “Enough. She brought you in to see her as a favor to me and you will not humiliate me in the process. Sit down and answer her questions.” Savvy rolls her eyes and drops onto a chair and she avoids the gaze of either doctor. However, her anger is directed at Penelope as she pointedly asks, “How long have you and Noah been sharing germs?” The psychiatrist looks at though he will need therapy after this session, but he remains glaring at the blonde with his arms crossed.
Penelope can hear the giggles and blows of kisses behind her as she walks. She also hears that the blonde is latching onto the psychiatrist’s arm, and she cannot help, but to take a look back before quickly brushing it away. She pulls back the curtains and lets the rest go through to sit. ‘Haley Fox’? Is Penelope internally seething now? Her neck might be a shade darker than usual, but she collected herself. Patience. Patience is a virtue, as her school teacher Mr. Lamb once told her at that young age. It stuck with her since. She might have thrown back the curtains too hard to close them all in. And the curtains are also thrown in Ruari’s face who attempted to follow, but that closing of curtains was a non-verbal cue for Ruari to stay the hell out. Her body temperature cools as she stares out a nearby window before she turns to sit across from Savvy, who is throwing a question at the healer. Does she dare glance at Noah? No. Her eyes stayed steady on the girl beforehand. “Germs?” Her smile flickers. “Why would I share germs with an impossible man? Wouldn’t you know? I heard you and your husband have taken separate paths. How’re things for you?” She is trying to get Savannah on a girl-talk level. A kind approach. Whether she can sneak her friendly-way in or not, she had to try to gain trust. “Doctor Atwood tells me you crave abnormal substances? Is that true?”
Noah grows uncomfortable when Penelope states that he’s ‘impossible’ because he supposes that it’s the truth. Out of all of the women he’s met in the past few months in the lands, Penelope Halifax, is the only one that’s drawn his attention and kept it. Yet, here she is stating that she’d likely never date him. It irks him for reasons unknown and his gaze flicks from one woman to the other as they both seem to be sizing each other up. Savvy smirks and drops her voice in a conspiratorial manner, “Maybe he’s into men? It’s strange that he hangs out with that mutt and old lady all the time.” She shrugs her shoulders and giggles, but her expression grows sad at the mention of her husband. “Yes. We separated. He was unfaithful -first- and then I slept around to even the score. Things went from bad to worse and it seems that I can’t help myself… I cannot be faithful.” It’s hard to tell if she’s merely playing the act or if she’s truly suffering, because she’s a bit unpredictable with her emotions. Case in point, Savvy’s mood shifts and she spears Noah with a venomous glare, “I didn’t say that you could share my secrets with this woman! You are such a creep. I hope your stupid dog dies and-” She cuts off when Noah lifts a hand in a surrender gesture, but his gaze and tone are flat, “Don’t you -ever- speak of my dog or my grandmother again. Do you understand me? If you continue to behave in this manner, you will need to find a new doctor because I have little patience for a woman with attention seeking behavior that cannot keep her legs closed or her mouth shut.” He is seething and has completely unraveled before both women. He desperately wants to leave but he refuses to leave Penelope alone with the psychopath, so he takes a step back and gives the healer a nod to proceed. Savvy lifts a hand to her lips and giggles at Noah’s outburst. She then chomps down hard enough on her thumb to draw blood, and she sits there sucking on the crimson trickle as she nods to the line of questions. “Yes. I don’t know why. It started about a month ago? I seem to have a taste for hard objects or things that aren’t meant to be chewed. Mostly wood, sometimes rocks, basically whatever I can sink my teeth into.”
Penelope does not smile at the mention of Noah liking men, though she keeps her eyes softened anyway. There was no comment, as she would not judge the man in that aspect. “Angela is actually very nice.” Maybe she should have never said the older lady’s name, but she does anyway. “That must have triggered a lot of stress. That… cut in devotion. That cut in your marriage. That was probably a traumatic cause… Sometimes, that can cause an imbalance in our neurological systems, as I’m sure Doctor Atwood knows.” She glances his way to give him some credit, despite his quiet behavior. Though once Savvy goes on about the dog, Penelope frowns at these rash, venomous words from the girl with the up and down behaviors, but Noah’s words are even. The way he looks down upon women sends a chill down her spine as he says the patient with an addiction due to trauma could not keep her ‘legs closed’. “I think what Doctor Atwood fails to see is that this trigger was from your husband, Miss Hayworth. A man that was also unfaithful from the beginning.” Her mossy gaze looks over her shoulder and up at Noah calmly. Non-aggressively. Passive. “No offense, Doctor, but men tend to have blinders when it comes to a woman's necessities, don’t you say? It’s all about men and their needs. Where’s the wrong with Miss Hayworth’s husband? Shouldn’t he have stopped himself? Had his own self-control?” It was a testing question, but Penelope Halifax was as bold as Noah Atwood, and friends or not, she would stand by this patient’s side from a clinical, professional perspective. “Between all of us in this room, there is no judging each other. Miss Hayworth, that goes for you with Doctor Atwood, and Doctor Atwood, that goes for you too with your -patient-.” Penelope was stern, but polite in the situation. Treading on the surface of a full-on blow-up. “Savannah, I have something that may help you with those swings of yours. An oil–Dragontime. It’s made of licorice and some other ingredients, and it helps in times like this. As for the sex? If you really want to stop? I can prescribe some medicinal herbs to help the temptations.” Penelope then reaches for a cart with a nearby clipboard on it. “I want you to trust me that Doctor Atwood put your hands in the safest care. Everything clinical is confidential, but.. Your appetite concerns me. When did it start?” The eating of wood, she meant. “Do you have any symptoms of nausea? Fatigue? Have you been protected during those times of… desire?”
Noah arches a brow when Penelope attempts to scold him for being rude with -his- patient. He quickly rises to the bait because she is an intellectual and someone that he respects. If he doesn’t prove his point, she will think he’s some misogynistic jerk. “I think what you’ve failed to recognize is that I’m blunt with all of my patients. They come to me because they know that I will not sugarcoat their behaviors, and most of them do not want my pity. The point of being a doctor is to get them well again and I have reason to believe that Savannah’s sex addiction is learned behavior, a manufactured addiction, if you will.” He pauses as he glances the blonde’s way, “I do not agree with Jeffrey’s behavior. You both were going through some tough times and he thought it best to go out and get drunk and spend the night with someone that’s not his wife. That’s inexcusable behavior. Perhaps, if he wasn’t so inebriated he could have stopped himself, but he cannot undo the past. He showed remorse and suggested couples therapy. He tried to do everything he could and when you realized that it wasn't working, you both should have just separated. Instead, you stooped to his level, countless times. No one should cheat in a relationship.” Noah stops talking as Penelope continues to badmouth the male species and throws shade at the way he runs his practice. She cannot be fooled by Savannah’s guileless gaze and husky giggles, can she? As the healer is asking more questions to rule out pregnancy, Savvy abruptly lunges for Penelope with her teeth bared and her arms outstretched. The feral look in her eyes mimics that of one that’s possessed by demons, as she growls and knocks several medical supplies from the nearby counter. The cot is lifted in a fluid motion and hurled at the window as she continues to advance on the helpless healer. The breaking of the glass pane likely draws Ruari’s attention, but he need not be present, as Noah swiftly moves so that he’s standing between Penelope and Savannah. He extends his arms and presses his back against Nel’s chest so that she can safely fit between his frame and the wall. The blonde claws at his shirt and bites his bicep, then his wrist, and finally she snaps at air as Noah gets the upper hand. Years of training come back to him as he grabs Savvy’s arms and pivots her so that her back is to his chest and he grips her neck in a chokehold. “Do you have any sedatives, Doctor Halifax?”
Penelope keeps an open ear and does not settle on her observation of Noah, by any means, so when he opposes her again, she listens intently. A learned behavior. He is also not agreeing with the husband’s behavior. She remains silent. Penelope Halifax, is now getting more detail, although she did read part of the file. The lunge, however, takes her off-guard, and Penelope slides back in her chair and stands up immediately. She wanted magic to play a part, but she had been trained in the other way. Restraint. Patients who were… dangerous. Like… Linken a time ago. That animalistic gaze–it was unusual, but really she barely had time to digest as the cot is being thrown her way, and she dodges by ducking very low. The glass shatters, and Noah throws himself between the two. She stumbles back before searching the medical counter that is in disarray before looking around. A brown vial sits on the counter with a label of ‘quiet mind’--a mixture of herbs to create a relaxer. With enough, she was sure to knock the girl out. The woman grabs a syringe before sucking out the liquid. Her hand brushes around Noah’s waist to get a good angle of the vicious woman before stabbing the needle in the girl’s neck. Soon, Savannah would fall into unconsciousness for enough time to get her strapped to a bed. “Hurry, let’s get her to a cot nearby.” Ruari throws the curtain back. “What in the actual hell?!” Ruari exclaims before Penelope begins to direct orders. “Ruari, get the restraints. This is… -not- mood swings. This is something else. Something… monstrous.” Beat. “I don’t know how to really explain it right now, but… do you remember Linken? That darkness? That uncontrollability?” Ruari looks grim at Penelope’s words. “I think something is causing this, and it’s more than just a simple hormonal problem. Your practice is out of Cenril, Noah? What was the timeline for this… uncontrollable shift? Was this before or after she started seeing you?” Did something happen within the span of a plethora of men?
Noah inhales when Penelope snakes an arm around his waist and sinks the plunger into Savannah’s neck, as he’s worried about getting jabbed with the needle and because it’s the first time in a long time that a woman’s embraced him from behind. Although it’s for clinical purposes, there’s a stirring of foreign feelings at the back of his mind and he’s quick to clear his throat and exhale once the healer steps away. The blonde grows sleepy and about thirty seconds later she goes slack, so he’s forced to hoist her into his arms while he goes looking for a vacant cot. Noah will retrieve the one that was tossed out the window later, but for now he finds a cot behind a curtain in the adjacent area. He lays Savvy onto her back and leaves the curtains drawn as Penelope and Ruari discuss, what he assumes, is another patient they’ve treated. “Linken? What was his diagnosis? The cure?” He feels bad seeing Savvy lying there with her lips parted and her long hair splayed across the pillow in a haphazard fashion. Maybe he -should- have sugarcoated his words a tad. Nel has the audacity to imply that it’s -his- fault that she’s in this beastial state and he gives her a hard look, “Woah, woah, woah. I didn’t do anything to Savannah. Her husband started coming to me after she miscarried, right after he got his drinking under control and confessed his infidelity. He said she was behaving strangely and he blamed himself, but he always felt there was more at play. She started acting ‘funny’ about seven or eight months ago.” Noah runs a hand through his hair and sighs, “They lived in Cenril for years, and I opened my clinic about four months ago. They were one of my first patients.” Why does the timeline matter? The psychiatrist is at a loss for words and he simply shakes his head and stares at the unconscious woman on the cot. Ruari applies the restraints to her wrists and ankles and it’s a sobering moment for all that are gathered.
Penelope catches her breath once the girl goes slack. The small girl follows the rest behind before coming into the clearing where another cot rests. When he questions more about Linken, she feels like she loses her breath again, as her thoughts were so immediate with Ruari, she did not process Noah. “Uh, unknown. The cure?” Should she say death? Was that wrong even if he was… gone? An unknown vanish? “Death.” She commits to those words, and they are clipped. Raw. Odd. Tainted. There was something more to that story with the response. Penelope then furrows her brows as he says that the Ardelian blamed him. “No, no, no, doofus, not you!” Doofus? Really? What a charmer. “I meant if there were any men that might have–” Pause. Four months ago. Seven or eight months ago. “I think there’s a little more to this than what is really… here.” She feels weird trying to explain. “I know Cenril was infested with… zombies. What just happened? That was not some hormonal impulse. That… an out-of-body experience.” Pause. She exhales. “I think we should have lunch. We can talk more then. She will be out for a while. Ruari, you need to keep watch. Since… well, you’re here.” Ruari frowns, but he did know he inherited light magic. Penelope turns to the brunette psychiatrist. “Odd timing, but adrenaline made me famished. We won’t have to worry. We’ll be back in time. Let’s go.” Who would want to eat now after an attack like that? She insists, and without waiting for him, she is shuffling out the door and on her way to… lunch?