“Ummm. Not really how my powers work.” Doc said to the request to the princess before looking back at Carrick who was giving her a mocking look. “An elephant?” ”He was a shifter like me.” he said as a matter of fact. ”I don’t know if I want to talk after…” he said wishing he could reach into his back pocket hoping that his buzz didn’t leave with his injuries.

Doc touched Carrick on the shoulder then went to work on healing a soft light from his hands passed to Carrick as the injuries began stitching themselves up. His arm went from black and blue back to Carrick’s normal. His lip was next followed by his eye. The shifter figured the healer was done but stood over him for a few more moments. “How many times did you… fly into the window?” Doc asked.

”More than I should have. Can ya tell?” he asked with a smirk glad the pain was dissipating unfortunately so was his buzz but he had the solution to that in his back pocket. Heck maybe he didn’t even need it at this point. He only started drinking because it was a long two days and he knew if he fell asleep after he wouldn’t wake up.

“I can. You’re body was ran ragged. You’re dehydrated, lacking several key vitamins to promote recovery and I’m almost positive the blood on you’re fingers aren’t yours. Not only that but half the mansion staff had been looking for you. Glad you’re okay but you got to take better care of yourself. I’m gonna recommend a lot of sleep and a lot of water… and if you could not shift for a while…” it wasn’t the first time Doc healed Carrick and so he knew as soon as he said it Carrick was going to go somewhere to shift. “Maybe you can make sure he does as I tell him for once?” Doc asked looking to the Princess.

Carrick rolled his eyes now that they were healed. The light faded and he hopped from the seat his feathers still out of place. ”She can try.” the shifter said confidently and started flailing each appendage as a means to make sure everything was on the up and up. It be embarrassing to have to come and get healed again. He still felt a little fatigued but he gave the Doc a thumbs up.

”Well, if that’s it then.” he opened his wings and folded them. “I did what I could with the healing he should be at one hundred percent tomorrow. The smell will be gone once he showers. A few times.” Doc smirked then shook his head trying not to laugh and went back to his paperwork.

”Worried for nothing.” Carrick said turning to the princess and smirked. His tail flicked behind him. ”Best looking one in the room once again.”

Amethyst watched curiously as the doctor laid his hands on Carrick; there was light, and bruises and cuts disappeared. In a few minutes, Carrick was back to his old self, for better or worse. The princess sighed.

>>“You’re body was ran ragged. You’re dehydrated, lacking several key vitamins to promote recovery and I’m almost positive the blood on you’re fingers aren’t yours. Not only that but half the mansion staff had been looking for you. Glad you’re okay but you got to take better care of yourself. I’m gonna recommend a lot of sleep and a lot of water… and if you could not shift for a while…”

The look on Carrick's face plainly said he was not going to do any of those things. The princess rolled her eyes. The healer clearly knew what was good for him, and telling him things that were useful. Obviously, he could not keep the fly boy from sneaking out and getting into a drunk fight again.

>>“Maybe you can make sure he does as I tell him for once?”

>>”She can try.”

"Me?" Amethyst blinked. Why on earth would the healer think Carrick would follow anything she said? He would probably do the opposite, more likely than not.

>>“I did what I could with the healing he should be at one hundred percent tomorrow. The smell will be gone once he showers. A few times.”

>>”Worried for nothing. Best looking one in the room once again.”

"You look like you were just dragged out of a dumpster." the princess clarified, rolling her eyes at him. She nodded to the healer in thanks, then turned to walk back out the door "Are you coming or not?"

”What’s that say about you then?” Carrick flashed his teeth in a grin and walked out after her only to turn and wave, ”Thanks, Doc. No offense but I hope I don’t see ya soon!” his tail flicked behind him as he turned heel and followed out behind the princess.

”Yeah, yeah, yeah I’m coming.” once the door was closed behind him he caught up to the princess with a few quick steps.

Looking at his wings while talking, ”So….” he waited a second and started messing with one of his feathers, ”Thanks loads fer bringing me down there. Feel like a new man! So new in fact I think it’s a good time for a fly.” a feather fell out in his hand and he looked at the singed ends of it with a shake of his head. ”Fek…. Hopefully this isn’t a bad sign.”

>>”Yeah, yeah, yeah I’m coming.”

They left the infirmary together. Carrick was all healed up, but, at least according to the doctor, he had some more recovery to do before he was back to normal. Carrick did not seem to agree with the sentiment. He started fidgeting with his feathers, which were still ruffled and out of place. And a bit singed.

>>”So…. Thanks loads fer bringing me down there. Feel like a new man! So new in fact I think it’s a good time for a fly... Fek…. Hopefully this isn’t a bad sign.”

"Oh no you don't" the princess shook her head, grabbing for Carrick's sleeve to drag him along "Didn't you just hear what the healer said? You are a mess. You are not going flying, you gotta get cleaned up first."

She had no idea why the healer assumed it should be her responsibility to keep Carrick from doing stupid things, but she considered him a friend, although a very annoying one. So, instead of letting him fly off, Amethyst dragged him along to her room. As a diplomatic guest, she had a room all to herself, complete with a nicely furnished bathroom. She doubted Carrick could claim the same.

”Don’t I what? Fly?” he looked back to his wings then the the princess was she expecting him to listen to what Doc said to do? Fat chance! He’d have better luck getting a group of cats to do something than have him not fly. Carrick was about to say more on this when he felt the tug at his sleeve. ”But! Fly!”

”I heard him, but it was only gonna be a short one then I’d go back and shower.” he looked to his wings and they folded up in response to him being told he couldn’t fly. Carrick’s tail flicked behind him and reached out for a passing picture frame on the wall trying to knock it off the wall. The princess’s pulling caused him to miss however.

”I already had a mother, don’t need another.” Carrick said starting to pout. Already forgetting she did just help him get all the way to the infirmary to from his room. Carrick rolled his eyes wishing he just flew there instead, but he didn’t mind hanging on the princess too much.

When they got to the female hallway Carrick started to wonder where they were going. ”My room’s in the other hallway.” he said pointing in the direction. Being part bird Carrick always thought he had a good sense of direction and being part cat made him think most people were usually wrong. It was one of those weird instances when all of his forms agreed something was amiss.

>>”Don’t I what? Fly?... But! Fly! I heard him, but it was only gonna be a short one then I’d go back and shower.”

Carrick protested, but she tugged him steadily along. Sure, he thought he could just go flying around, disregarding the healer, the state he was in, and even the bracelet on his ankle. The princess didn't budge. He followed, but he kept whining about it.

>>”I already had a mother, don’t need another.”

"I'm not your mother." Amethyst huffed. She wasn't even sure why she was doing all this, other than being used to bossing people around.

>>”My room’s in the other hallway.”

"I know." the princess stated, as they arrived to the door of her room. She opened it, dragging Carrick inside. "As I said, you really need to get cleaned up. So, I'll help you. You're welcome." she told him, opening the door to the bathroom.

The bathroom was bigger than those of the shared rooms. Big enough, in fact, to fit a quite large free-standing bathtub in the middle. The whole place smelled like the princess' favorite scents, and along the edge of the tub there was an array of bottles and vials and other containers, filled with oils, scents, and beauty products. Amethyst had recently discovered something called a bubble bath and she greatly approved of it.

Her door opened and she dragged him in before he could argue. He’s been in a few of the rooms on this side of the mansion before however he didn’t remember any of them looking as nice as this. His tail flicked when he spotted the bed. It looked comfortable, he looked elsewhere so he wouldn’t think about sleep or the fact he was in the wrong room for that

”Well, good yer not me mother init? You told me to look at yer,” he changed his tone to mock the princess, ”nice breasts.” he said it loudly because he was in the wrong hallway and it would give her a headache later or at least he hoped. ”Didn’t the make a play about that?” Carrick thought more to himself.

”Wait… what!?!” Carrick asked looking to the princess who already opened her bathroom door he followed only because he wanted to see if he could upgrade his room now. ”The F**********k… I didn’t know we had options for the bathroom.” she clearly won in terms of rooms.

The smells quickly his eyes darting to the source or at least where he thought the source was, there were so many smells. His nostrils flared slightly as he tilted his head some. It was overwhelming. ”Stinks in here. Why do you have so many? I don’t even know what they are?” he looked to all the bottles and then looked to the single tub in the middle of the bathroom. There were no curtains.

Carrick’s face started to turn red again. ”Ehmmm… I got me own shower.” It was smaller his whole bathroom was smaller. His whole room was smaller. ”…..how are you planning on helping?” he scratched the back of his head and looked anywhere at the princess. ”Cause I can bathe meself.” his tail flicked behind him.

>>”Well, good yer not me mother init? You told me to look at yer, nice breasts. Didn’t the make a play about that?”

"You really can't let go of that, can you. Grow up." the princess huffed, ushering Carrick into the bathroom. It was about damn time he cleaned himself up. Both physically, and in terms of being awkward about her breasts.

>>”Wait… what!?! The F**********k… I didn’t know we had options for the bathroom.”

"You don't" the princess smirked. She had to pull some strings about the basic comforts she was used to as royalty back in Atlantis. But the Mansion deemed it harmless, and so she got a ice bathtub.

Carrick, on the other hand, was sniffing around like he didn't like it.

>>”Stinks in here. Why do you have so many? I don’t even know what they are?”

"That explains a lot" the princess pointed at the containers by the bathtub "Bubble bath, shampoos, conditioners, soaps, skin oils, hair oils, scents."

Obviously.

>>”Ehmmm… I got me own shower…..how are you planning on helping? Cause I can bathe meself.”

"Get over yourself. I'm not bathing you" Amethyst rolled her eyes. "I'm helping you by allowing you to use the bathtub, and the soaps and stuff, and get properly cleaned up. Put your clothes in a bag or something. Towels on the shelf." she pointed, before she walked out, ad closed the door.

”It just happened…. Today!” Carrick said shrugging, ”Also growing up isn’t really my style. Tried it once.” he said with a smirk reminding her he de-aged.

>>>>"That explains a lot"

Carrick stuck his tongue at her while she explained everything. His tail flicked behind him trying to knock something over without any luck.

>>>>"Get over yourself. I'm not bathing you"

The shifter visibly relaxed and the color from his face left. She exited the room and shut the door behind her. Looking around confused at everything he spotted a window. He smirked and walked over to it and opened it. There was no reason why she thought this was going to work. His tail knocked over a bottle of soap and he stopped while the room started to smell even more like the princess. ”******” he groaned loudly. She was trying to be nice and help him and he was ready to run off.

Instead of climbing through the window he pulled the flask from his pocket and set it next to the tub and then started to strip. He didn’t put his clothes in a bag though he just dropped them when he took them off. Looking at himself in the mirror he flexed once or twice while the tub started to fill with hot water. ”You know, if yer helping me ya could at least put some music on.” he called out as he climbed into the tub with a loud splash.

Amethyst sat on her bed as Carrick rustled about in the bathroom. She could hear the window opening, and huffed. Everything she had in there had really nice scents, from jasmine to roses to coconut. If he couldn't handle nice scents, he would have to learn. He rustled around some more and knocked something over, but eventually she heard the water splashing, and she assumed he'd gotten into the bathtub.

>>”You know, if yer helping me ya could at least put some music on.”

"I am not entertaining you!" she yelled back, shaking her head with an amused smile he couldn't see "And you better use soap and shampoo!"

The water was warm and once it was up a certain point he turned it off and sat in the tub his tail submerged for a moment before it erupted from the water with his wings all of which was only in the water for a moment before resting on the edge of the tub. No way a shifter like him could drown in a bathtub. Too many limbs to sink beneath the water.

”It’s called a playlist.” he called back holding the soap in one hand, at least the thought it was soap it could have been something else. Scrubbing his fingers the water discolored a bit at first where the blood washed off. Carrick let out a yawn and then added, ”Got too many, not sure if I’m using the right stuff mom.” he said knowing it would bug her.

After his fingers were cleaned he started to scrub in a few other places. Another yawn. Carrick reached over the side of the tub and grabbed his flask. ”Ya know a guy could get used to this. Might have to put a request in to get me one of these.” he said as he started to sing to himself.

>>”Got too many, not sure if I’m using the right stuff mom.”

"It's the rights stuff if you start smelling better" the princess called back, flopping down onto her bed. Carrick was feline in a lot of ways, and suspicion towards water seemed to be one of them. But the splashing continued, which told her he was doing something at least.

>>”Ya know a guy could get used to this. Might have to put a request in to get me one of these.”

"Well, you've got enough gems" Amethyst chuckled. She could hear Carrick humming on the other side of the bathroom door "Try the bubbles."

She rolled over, waiting for him to be done. He really deserved a good scrub, to get clean. Not just because he smelled awful, but also because... well, he had been through a lot. And cheeky or not, he was probably worn and exhausted. A nice bath was a cure for a lot of things.

Carrick did as she suggested and got the bubbles out and dropped some in and kicked the tub on again. Within seconds the tub had a nice covering on the top layer of the water. ”Not supposed to spend them.” he shot back as he tried to catch his tail next. The bushy end poked above the water and it swayed back and forth.

Turning off the water again he shook his head slightly, it was starting to swim. He yawned again and took a pull from the flask and set it back down next to the top. Another yawn and before he knew it his eyes were shut. The princess was right the bubbles really kicked the bath up a notch.

Carrick yawned again and before he knew it he was asleep.

There was more splashing, and the scent of lavender and valerian as Carrick followed her suggestion and opened up the bubbles. It was a nice calming mix of scents, great for relaxing after any long and exhausting day. Amethyst had used it quite often. Hopefully, by the time he was all scrubbed clean, he would emerge from the bath less worn, better smelling, and maybe even less annyoing.

She lay on her bed, thinking about things, until she finally became aware of the silence from the bathroom. No humming, no splashing.

"Carrick?" the princess sat up. Was something wrong? Probably not. He was probably just relaxing too. But minutes ticked by, and there was no noise from the bathroom. The princess stood, and walked over to the door, listening. Nothing. She waited for some time, and then curiosity got the better of her. Pushing the door open, she peeked in. Not like she had not seen him naked before...

Carrick was asleep.

She almost giggled when she saw him. He was all stretched out in a sea of bubbles, tail hanging out of the tub one way and wings all spread out. He looked a lot cleaner, and kind of... relaxed, as he slept. Fotgetting cultural boundaries again, the princess walked closer to look at him. He was handsome, in a feline way. And the wings were still fascinating. Ruffled and singed, right now, but endlessly interesting up close. Amethyst moved closer, and ran her fingers lightly over the feathers on the wing closer to her. Like before, she started smoothing them into place without really being aware of what she was doing.

It was a peaceful sleep, the first one he had in two days. He drifted in and out of it slightly aware what was going on at least he thought he was. Carrick was asleep, but his eyes partially opened for a second when he heard the door open. Was that the princess? In his room? He didn’t move other than to close his eyes again. His body nice and warm.

He felt something touch his wings they reacted again out of instinct but the smell in the air told him there was no danger. The touch was gentle and he welcomed it not moving his wings so whoever was pampering them would continue.

A few moments passed by, he was dreaming again sitting under the apple tree with the princess his head in her lap. Did that happen? His tail flicked on the edge of the tub sending some water out. While he continued to dream. He was on stage next singing with the princess now. His hands started to knead the air both arms overhanging the tub a soft purr echoed from his throat. This was a good dream.

Some more time went by, the bubbles he once had as a layer of protection started to dissipate the shifter’s eyes lazily opened and he saw the princess tending his wing straightening his feathers. Why was she in his room? His eyes shifted to his surroundings he was in her bathroom. ”Careful love, people might think yer getting sweet on me.” he yawned and stretched his one wing not moving so she could continue preening him.

He was naked. In her tub. Carrick’s eyes snapped open and his hands went to cover himself. ”What are ya doing?” he asked looking from the tub to the princess his eyes meeting hers while his face turned beet red.