Recovery of a Warrior [Private/Toriel]

It was a beautiful day outside, complete with birds singing and flowers on the windowsill. In the distance, the tall buildings and urban areas of Little Tokyo could be seen. Saige sat up in her hospital bed, with her hammer leaning against the wall next to it. Her forehead was wrapped in bandages that laid underneath her mass of messy hair. Her left arm was wrapped in bandages and hung in a cast, and her right arm was wrapped in bandages and had been laying on the side rails. Her torso was wrapped up in bandages that extended to her breasts like a dress. Her lower body from the waist down was covered by a blanket. This medical team was pretty good.

Saige thought about the fight and looked up at the ceiling before sighing. "That was great. I wonder if I'll get to see her again..." She said to herself, blushing. "Amber, huh? She was really pretty..." She blushed more before slapping herself with her right hand. "No, she was my opponent. I'm supposed to not like her! I'm supposed to be the bear and she's supposed to be the fish that I eat for food!" She said this, but she couldn't help but think about those pretty eyes she saw in those final moments. They were just so captivating...

(I'm going to be writing via my tablet. I apologize for grammar.)

Toriel made her way through the halls of the Little Tokyo hospital, shuffling one unease step in front if the other. She had been lucky enough to make it through the first round if the Iron Fist Tournament succesuflly, though she knew there we're a few that did not get off as was as she did. Herrnstch was quick and swift, ending in hee opponent staked by hee Trident. Even tough that man was out for blood when he fought, she still silently wished for his well being.It seemed the furthee she advanced in the fights, the more dangerous they became. What did se get herself into..?

All the fighters knew about the bout that had conspired between the barbsrisb Saige and the strange girl named Amber. It saddened Toriel to think of the pain that the poor girl had to go through in that fight. Saige did  it deserve that. The day she heard, Toriee had set out to purchase a bouquet of flowers and see the girls in the hospital to ensure she was okay. With flowers in hand, she neared the room the doctors had directed her toward that was supposed to hold Saige. The woman knocked on the door. "Hello? May I enter please? I'm a visitor..." she said through the door.

Saige was knocked out of her thoughts by the sudden knocking and she jumped a bit. That startled her, and Saige didn't usually deal well with being startled. This time, however, her emotions were under control and she couldn't move all that well, so it was okay. "Come in!" She beckoned to the woman on the other side of the door. Many people had come to see her, there was a little pile of bones and wrappers by the garbage that symbolized the remains of food that had been brought to her. In another corner, there were bags and boxes, all with wrapping, that contained other presents such as toys and clothes. Everyone felt so bad for her, and she didn't know why. In fighting, the winner is the one who doesn't die. She dealt with it again and again in the wilds, she just hadn't lost that badly before.

She would wait for the woman on the other side of the door to walk in. She could return to her thoughts later.

The door creaked open as a tall anthromirohic goat woman ducked under and entered, a bundle of dress flowers in hand. A elegant purple gown covered her with satin white fur that looked softer than a cloud. Upon seeing Saige, her eyebrows arched up in worry. She was so banged up... the poor dear. Toriel cleared her throat and said, "Um... Hello. My name is Toriel. I saw your fight and thought I night give these to you..." and extended the flowers out to the barbarian. It was the least Toriel could do. The girl was so young and small... "You we're so brave out there," Toriel muttered.

Saige smiled and took the flowers from the lady. Most might be put off by a tall goat woman, but she'd seen weirder. "Thank you, Toriel!" She said happily. It was one bouquet of many, but something about this gift from this particular person was special to her. Something about it calmed her. Maybe this woman was the secret to curing her curse...

She was snapped out of her stupor of thought once again when Toriel muttered something about her being brave. Saige blushed at this. "It wasn't being brave, she just pissed me off..." Her voice trailed off until she muttered the last bit to herself. "That beautiful woman totally pissed me off..." Saige's face was visibly red as she returned to her thoughts.

Toriel took a chair and pulled it up to the red haired girls bed stand. She looked down the the floor, diverting her eyed from her broken and bruised body. "That was bravery to me..." she said assuringly. "I don't think I could have ever find up against an opponent such as her. You fought well." A grin broke across Toriel face. A bit reckless she was, but brave none the less. But an ear perked up upon hearing... beautiful? Toriel looked up in confusion. "What was that?" She said

Saige was snapped out of thought once again, her face red in embarrassment. She was awfully spacey lately, but this might've been a bad time to get lost in those thoughts. I-I-I didn't say anything, I dunno what you're talking about!" She said before laughing awkwardly. She glanced around quickly for another topic of conversation. "Ah, you're fur looks really soft, do you mind if I pet it for a bit?" She asked innocently, if a bit panicked. She hoped this would work to change the subject. Talking about her crush would get awkward really quickly...

Toriel just chuckled,.moving from the chair to the side of the bed. Children these days, then and their raging hormones. They we're attracted to anything that moved. "Go ahead. My daughter loves the feeling of it." And she pulled back her sleeve and offered out her arm for Saige to feel. Toriel would not press the matter and let the girl direct the flow if conversation wherever she so chose. She was still a strange after all. What place did she have to go probing in her business. "How are you feeling? Anxious about the next match...?" Toriel asked. "I know I am..."

Saige marveled at the arm. It looked so soft and fluffy. She reached her arm out to pet it, moving her hand over it with care. She was so enamored by it that she almost started drooling. In this, stupor of sorts, she heard something about a daughter, which she was curious about, but didn't press into. What snapped her out of her stupor was the word "fight". At this word, her head perked up and she looked at Toriel in excitement. "Nervous about a fight? Why would I be? Fights are all about excitement and glory!" She said, a bit louder than she intended, but she got the point across. "Why are you so nervous about your next fight?"

Toriel arched an eyebrow towards the red-haired young girl. Quite the spirit she had, despite the turmoil she had just went through. Toriel smiled, tilting her head to the side and letting her ears follow and droop off. Such a sweet young girl. Almost reminded her of her own young one. Noire was such a headstrong young girl, but she was a fighter one the less. Not the best, but still. To Saige, fights were for the excitement and adrenaline. The fun, the hype. In the back of her mind, Toriel wished she could share the same confidence as this young girl had. Inside, Toriel felt she was a coward. Though, whatever sliver of strength she had, it stemmed from her young ones.

When questioned on as to why she was nervous about her own fight, Toriel just chuckled, looking off out the window across the room. All the reasons she could give. And seeing Saige's own fight did not do anything much to help her growing anxiety. She did not want to befall the same fate. But instead, Toriel simply stated with a sigh, "I've never been the best fighter. There are so many more out there that could do away with an old lady such as myself..." Toriel shook her head, smile still on her face. "But I will still try."

Saige smiled. She liked the resolve that Toriel had shown her. "I hope you do well. Just remember to try and have fun, okay?" She tried her best to be reassuring, but it didn't work very well. She wasn't very used to dealing with things like this, but she wanted to try and help nonetheless. She had hoped to try and become a bit more caring, but her nature and upbringing weren't really helping her in that.

Saige looked down. If Toriel was nervous, how could she help? It wasn't a feeling that Saige could remember feeling ever in her life. She thought about it for a while, but nothing would come to mind. She decided to stop trying to think about it, and turned back to Toriel. "Sorry, I can't really help you with it. I wish I could, but we think very differently..." She said, trailing off at the end. Saige started to wobble a bit, and her eyes lost the fire and excitement that were in them, and instead became blank, staring into space. Her head became clouded and she found it hard to think. She fell back a bit into the pillow on the back of her bed and laid there for a bit. Her face drained of most of it's color. As she laid there, Saige spoke very quietly. It was audible, but it was quiet. "Ugh, damn curse. I hate this feeling..." She whispered. "At least this didn't happen during the match..."

Toriel smiled, her gaze from the window returning back to the battered young girl. She had a strong will, one that Toriel could envy herself. This girl... Toriel just knew in the back of her mind that she was going to grow up to be something amazing. The Iron Fist Tournament really did wonders for people. How would young Saige turn out after the tournament? 1 year from now? 5? 10? Either way, Toriel expected great things form the girl in the future. Perhaps she would make it a point to watch one of her matches when she was not in one herself.

When Saige finally admitted to being unable to help Toriel, the woman chuckled, waving her hand leisurely. "Oh, you're fine. We may have different thinking patterns, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Your will is strong. Not a thing I see much more around. This might have been a strange match..." her words trailed off before she resumed, "but you're gonna do great things." Toriel got to her feet, moving toward the door. She hesitated for a moment, Saige's last words lingering in her ears. Curse? Toriel's hesitance only lasted a moment, before she pushed open the door. Perhaps when the girl was well again, she would return. The story just seemed to get better...