Experimentation [FINISHED]

[Dark]

What kinds of mutations? Well, as far as mutations went they had been fairly consistent which actually was rather positive, considering the research she was doing was about fifty years too soon. Isolating the retrovirus she used as the delivery mechanism had been a true stroke of genius, but while she could be as precise as she wanted in her measurements, her instruments just weren’t powerful enough. She wasn’t an engineer, but it was getting to the point where she was about to make a microscope of her own; one with higher magnification that would actually be beneficial to her research.

“Oh, nothing too extreme—they all demonstrate the same alterations: thicker pelt, sharper eyesight, better reflexes, a tendency towards cannibalism, ya’know. Stuff like that. So can I?”

The question wasn’t even really worth asking, as Mnemosyne was going to shoot her down cold, but it made her feel better for having tried. And, come on—how cool would a carnivorous horse be?

[Bee]

Mnem considered this for a moment. One the one hand, a carnivorous horse meant that they were providing Shinrai with both the motivation and means to kill them both. On the other hand, the stallion could develop some very interesting mutations. And really, non-consensual experimentation really wasn't any more unethical than cultivating poisons and selling them off to whoever paid enough. And Mnem considered herself to be many things, but a hypocrite was not one of them.

Besides, her knowledge of biology probably rivaled Minh's knowledge of chemistry. If they worked together, Minh's mad scientist skills and Mnem's cunning and Rai's helpless guinea-piggery, then perhaps they would create something extraordinary. The experimentation would be done in the name of scientific advancement.

She really had been spending too much time with Minh.

"Far be it from me to restrict creativity, darling. All breakthroughs come with a little risk. Feel free to do as you wish. And I," she said, "shall participate also."

[Dark]

Minh took a deep breath preparing to argue, because of course Mnemosyne wouldn’t let her—wait, what?

“I can? Really?”

If ever there was a more melodious sound than being given the green light to non-consensually alter the genetic material of a kidnapped victim, Minh didn’t know what was. Of course, considering all experimentation of this particularly strain had been done with banders thus far it was uncertain what effect it would have on an organism of higher complexity. And the effects might not even become readily apparent in this generation, though it would be delightfully interesting to see what changes were wrought in his offspring if ever he were to reproduce.

The proverbial gears of Minh’s mind grinded into slow machination, and she shot a side-ways glance at her companion. It would be interesting to see just how much Mnemosyne would sacrifice for the progress of science; or, more crassly, who she would do.

Turning back to the task at hand, she watched a little bead of liquid gather at the end of the needle as she cleared the syringe of excess oxygen, and without preamble plunged it into the stallion’s thigh.

[Bee]

"I think we should try some poisons," said Mnem suddenly as she watched the needle plunge into the stallion. An idea had bubbled up to the surface. The stallion could suit her aims, as well. She loved it when that happened. "A few diseases, maybe. Virus strains. I don't have antidotes to nearly enough of my collection. What if I accidentally got injected with something? We could practice some innoculations, see if he's resistent to anything...I have a few I haven't tested....."

She didn't have nearly enough supplies on hand as she would have liked, but it would do. And perhaps they could find some way to capture the stallion again when she had her things moved the the Gardens. The same bar stunt wouldn't work twice, obviously, but in another context she was confident of her ability to reel Shinrai in again.

Perfect. With that on her mind, she got her small pack of supplies, and set about her own work. "Minh, dear, do you mind if I borrow a needle?"

[Dark]

Poison? Inoculation? The entire field of medicine (and its anti-muse) was a wash in Minh’s mind and she’d never really bothered herself overly much in learning anything particular about its application. As such she had no idea what the outcome would be of adding toxins into Shinrai’s blood stream alongside the retrovirus she’d just injected him with. The effects could be detrimental, and the possibility for an unexpected mutation was increased tenfold.

Still, Mnemosyne must have factored in that possibility when she was considering her experiment; she was the type that preferred thinking things through, after all. And Mnemosyne had been the one to go to all the trouble of luring Shinrai in to begin with.

She was still rather leery of the idea—it would be unfortunate for the subject to die before he was allowed to pass on his newly altered genetic material—but she handed the canine a syringe anyway.

Mnemosyne better know what she was doing…

[Bee]

Mnemosyne decided to take Minh's pensive silence as an answer in the affirmative. She wondered if she were concerned for Shinrai's health--and if she was, whether it were actually for the stallion's sake, or for the sake of her experiment. She suspected the latter.

No matter, though. She was fairly positive most of her antidotes were going to work. And it would be a delight to see if the antidote for the poison of one plant would be effective on similar poisons produced by plants of the same genus. It would be so much more efficient and less costly to have a few multi-purpose cures than to need to stock dozens upon dozens of individual remedies.

And she needed to catalogue to effects of a few of her rarer, more non-fatal potions. She wanted to produce a version of her (non-narcotic, like opium) sleep draught that wouldn't lead to subsequent weeks of near-total insomnia, debilitating stomach cramps, and vomiting so severe it nearly destroyed the esophogus with acid.

But that one would need to wait until Shinrai was awake. For now, she grabbed a needle and prepared a poison. She would let the effects settle in and then inject him with what should function as an antidote.

"This won't hurt a bit, sweetie," she told the stallion, with sing-song kindness. She was lying, but she felt like it was something she should say. Then she stepped back and grabbed a clipboard, prepared to jot down the signs he exhibited. The earlier stages of the poison tended to be muscle spasms, vomiting, shortness of breath that was exacerbated by the vomting and muscle spasms, and panic attacks. But panic attacks were a common side effect to most of her brews. She didn't think they had much to do with the concoctions themselves.

"We're in for a show," she told Minh cheerfully.

[seraaches]

Mnemosyne had the right of the prediction, and it wasn’t very long before the stallion began to thrash slightly on the table. A low moan issued forth from green flanks and his long head tossed up into the air. Grey-green eyes flew open, rolling white, though it was doubtful he truly saw much of anything just yet. The groaning started again, sounding as though there was a low grinding through his body. His body shuddered again and he kicked out, unaware of his actions as the poison worked its way through his system. The stallion huffed and groaned at the same time and his tail lashed out, thumping heavily against a nearby bookshelf.

Some form of consciousness was returning, but in the drug and alcohol induced haze, kept him from being fully cognizant about why he was where he was or even where he was at. The guttural noise was definitely one of pain, though it wasn’t a normally accepted sound; it was low and soft. He’d learned long ago to mask his discomfort, but this rode his subconscious mind beyond even his training.

Rai’s head tossed again, eyes rolling white and this time he caught a glimpse of two figures… two familiar figures. The moment of almost recognition passed swiftly and the horse gave another pained huffing sound as his body fought to find a way to expel the poison in his system; but horses can’t vomit and the green stallion gave another unhappy sound. His body thrashed again, a mix of his instinctive need to roll and attempt to fight the toxins as well as uncontrolled muscle spasms.

[Dark]

Out of self-preservation the minute Shinrai started thrashing about Minh took cover under a nearby work bench, wondering belatedly if they should have strapped him down. She winced as he let out another pained moan and sent instruments flying off a table with his erratic tail. Yeah—definitely should have strapped him down.

She peeked out of hiding haphazardly to observe Mnemosyne’s reaction. She really probably should have asked what exactly Mnem was giving the poor fellow, because not only was the possibility of unplanned mutation increased but she had no idea what effects this kind of strain would have on him. His body was already having its base code rewritten from the inside out; what would poison do to him? She didn’t need him dropping dead on her, damn it.

Drawing on a previously untapped reservoir of calm, she asked Mnemosyne quite reasonably: “Just out of curiosity—what are the symptoms of this particular toxin?”

[Bee]

Mnem was so busy surveying her subject that she almost didn't catch Minh's question. She hardly glanced up when replying.

"Nothing too serious, in the grand scheme of things. Spasms. Vomiting. Breathing difficulties."

It got worse when it progressed, of course, as the spasms subsided into full-body paralysis and the victim eventually died of massive organ failure--lungs were the first to go, usually, which often made lack of oxygen the primary cause of death--but Mnemosyne didn't plan on letting it get that far. Now that Shinrai was exhibiting the initial symptoms, she was confident her brew was working its magic, and she had no intention of letting him suffer the more unpleasant side-effects. Now it was time to test the antidote.

She grabbed another clean needle, glanced at the stallion again, and made a contemplative noise. "Minh, dear, would you mind holding our friend still while I administer the cure?"

[Dark]

Minh stared at the female in abject consternation before she scuttled her way out of hiding with a disgruntled huff, observing the thrashing stallion with trepidation. How exactly was she supposed to hold him down? He was bigger than she was, and outweighed her by a good thirty or forty kilos.

Weren’t graze animals supposed to have some sort of innate kill switch that caused to freeze if they were grabbed—the throat, or something? Of course, if she was wrong and he continued to thrash about he’d rip his own jugular out… Better not to risk it.

So where did that leave her, besides nowhere? Hrm…

She glanced at the rope bindings she used on more riley test subjects, and wondered if it wasn’t too late to try trying him down. She was pretty good at a hog-tie, and with his limbs locked together it would be easier to pin him. Yeah.

Minh moved in quickly, ducking to avoid a rouge limb. If she got kicked in the head, Mnemosyne so owed her a bag of roast from her secret stash--the yummy, imported kind.