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Post by Kasatsu on Jan 19, 2008 15:26:56 GMT -5
She awoke. A smile greeted her face when she remembered what day it was. It was the first day of her apprenticeship to her aunt, Mnem. She was going to learn all about plants, something she was more then excited for. All of her other siblings were with Mr. Aiolos doing who knew what to who know who, though Iphis had begged to stay. Sitting up in the bed she saw that Iphis was still asleep on his side. Throwing herself on him, she nuzzled his neck playfully before she shook him gently. “Get up lazy!” She cooed to him. When he only mumbled in protest before rolling on his stomach, one of his dolls clutched in his arms, she gave a disgruntled sigh. Oh well. Getting up and out of her side of the bed she left him to sleep before heading into the kitchen. She could not wait! ((Iphis written with permission <3)) |
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Post by Bee on Jan 22, 2008 2:15:32 GMT -5
 Mnem had never really attempted to teach anything to anyone before, and when the question of Elyse training under her came up, she had said no. When asked again, she had said no and then laughed. The third time she had laughed, said no, and tossed back a rather large quantity of alcohol. This had served to blurr her surroundings for quite some time and render incomprehensible the voices badgering her. But eventually they had wheedled their way back in. And here she was. Bad enough that she was forced to pay attention to her own spawn, but now she was mentoring her sort-of niece as well. It could be worse, she supposed. She liked Elyse as much as her own children. More than Vishne, even. And she had a strong interest in botany, which helped greatly to make her less irritating. So she lay out the various and sundry plants that she planned to introduce Elyse to on her first day. She was almost tempted to do what her own master did, and throw her headlong into some of the most dangerous stuff she had, but she did not anticipate a dead child going over very well with anyone. Which was really a shame. It would be nice to have fewer of them running about the house. She heard the racket from upstairs and knew that Elyse had finally woken. Iphis was up there too, she knew. She hoped he stayed there. One of these days she was going to need to just lock that kid in a box for his own good. |
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Post by Kasatsu on Jan 23, 2008 23:07:42 GMT -5
Making her way downstairs she entered the kitchen to see that Mommy Mnem was already up and about. She was kind of surprised to see that the human formed canine was up especially this early in the morning. Maybe it had something to do with all of the ‘spawn children’ that she called them being gone?
“Good morning, Mommy Mnem.” She greeted with a smile. She was well prepared for the usually greeting she gave the kids though she did usually tend to not treat her in such a ‘harsh’ manner.
Giving a serious face she said, “I am here and reporting for training!” her serious face was broken in the end however by her giving into a grin. Eyeing the table she wondered over what it was that was on the table. Bouncing a little on her back legs her tail waving happy, she was the portrayal of eagerness. She wanted to see what Mommy Mnem had come up with for her to learn on her first day.
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Post by Bee on Jan 27, 2008 20:40:15 GMT -5
There were about ten plants on the table, silent and innocuous-looking and patient. How very unlike her spawn. She could scarcely remember life without that noise.
She sighed as Elyse came down. Sometimes her unfailingly chipper attitude tried Mnem's patience, but it was easier to deal with than various forms of dementia. She didn't know what it was about Shinrai's doubtless-faulty genes that had made her own children nuts, but Minh would need to investigate it someday. Or maybe it was Minh's fault, some long-delayed reaction to the serum she had injected him with ages ago.
"Good morning," she said, shortly. She gestured to the table. "I know you've been interested in plants for quite some time. I'm going to see what knowledge you've managed to tuck away, if any. I want you to pluck a leaf from each of the plants that is not poisonous. If you pick correctly, you can benefit from the fact that I will assume you are moderately intelligent and knowledgeable. If not, you can get your first hands-on lesson with treating wounds. Have at."
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Post by Kasatsu on Jan 27, 2008 21:53:35 GMT -5
When Mommy Mnem gestured towards the table she made her way over looking at the ten different plants that she had laid out before her. Listening to the instructions carefully she tilted her head in thought.
After Mnem had stopped and had let her begin she eyed the plants with an analyzing gaze. Three of the ten she knew right off were not poisonous and thus three leaves were gathered quickly into one of her hands. She eyed the seven remaining with a more hesitant gaze. She was sure that four of them were outright poisonous from the many times Mnem had yelled at the other kids to stay away from them if they did not want any reactions.
That left just three plants. She was sure that one of them was poisonous because of the leaf style so she labeled it with the four bad ones. Just two left. After a few long minutes of debating she placed on in the poisonous pile and the other she took a leaf from. That was six poisonous plants and four not. Looking over her work once more she gave a nod.
“Was that correct?” She asked, curious to know how she had done on her first task.
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Post by Bee on Feb 14, 2008 20:32:37 GMT -5
Mnem was mildly impressed. So she paid attention. That was a good sign, at least. Mnem usually had a difficult time dealing with stupid people; stupid children were a discrete and terrible level of hell unto themselves.
She nodded at her. "Well done," she said, slighty grudgingly. "The leaf you're holding actually contains an acid that causes minor irritation of the skin, among other small annoyances, which you will discover in the next hour or so--the other plant was harmless. But you identified the dangerous ones. We can begin with that little leaf, actually--grab the rest of the plant, and I will teach you how to make a very basic salve."
Gesturing to one of the cleaner tables, she said, "Put it right there. I'll show you the ingredients we're going to use to prepare the salve, and I'll tell you a little more about you misidentified."
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Post by Kasatsu on Feb 17, 2008 22:47:11 GMT -5
She was a little disappointed to hear that she had not chosen one of the plants correctly. She look down at the leaf, blinking. She had chosen wrong and it would cause a rash? Well, considering all of the plants that Mommy Mnem had she was sure it could have been much worse.
Doing as she was asked she grabbed the rest of the plant, bringing it over to the clean table Mommy Mnem had motioned towards. Placing it down she also made sure the leaf was placed down as well. It probably would not do her any good to keep holding it.
“Wot do we need to do first?” the small mouse asked all ears and willing to learn. She had made a mistake she might as well learn how to counter it. This would be her first real lesson in making antidotes and she wanted to make sure she took it all in. If she did not get this easy stuff how was she to be able to do the harder?
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Post by Bee on Feb 18, 2008 1:01:21 GMT -5
"We need to make the medicinal oil first," she said, and picked up one of the "safe" plants. "This, as you probably know, is used as a fairly common antidote for skin infections and rashes. We don't use fresh ingredients for the salves; we used died product. Allowing moisture in at this sage in the game will cause the salve to spoil too quickly."
A thick tendril of the Hair snaked over to a nearby, deep shelf and grabbed one of many smallish boxes obscured in the dark recesses.
"We'll be using this. It requires slow cooking to make the oil, so get a low heat going in the oven, and get the extra-virgin oil. This is the quick method of preparation. You'll also be doing things the hard way--putting another batch in a jar on the roof, to let the sunlight cook it. Now get moving."
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Post by Kasatsu on Feb 18, 2008 1:22:51 GMT -5
She watched as a box was pulled off one of the shelves that Mommy Mnem never let the touch. Upon opening it, it revealed a collection of dried plants. Listening to Mommy Mnem’s directions she gave a nod - she was going to learn how to make this two different ways? - before she hurried off to do as she had been told.
Placing a few wood pieces in it she started it up before she went about searching for the extra-virgin oil. Things tended to often get misplaced and moved in the kitchen, what with all the other children searching for things to make bombs or use as poison.
Finding it she pulled it out of its hiding spot, in the back corner of one of the cabinets, and then placed it on the counter. “Stove is set and here is the extra-virgin oil, anything else?” She asked ready for the next step.
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Post by Bee on Feb 20, 2008 2:18:52 GMT -5
Mnem grabbed a moderately-sized pan and filled it about halfway up with water, and then she set it down on the table in front of Elyse. The girl was good at taking instruction, at least. Which was more than she could say for some of the other brats. Children should be like those trainable little beasts you can program to obey simple commands, like "sit" and "stay" and "go kill yourself painfully."
"Take the dried herbs, put half in one jar, half in another, and then put in the oil. Seal them. Then I want you to put one in the oven, and then take the other to the roof." She glanced upward. There was an ominous thumping noises coming from the room directly above them. "We can take my back staircase so you can actually make it to the roof alive. And be quiet; I don't want Iphis to fully wake and decide to join us."
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