Learning by doing, or not

[traaaaaash]

WHO: Eda Clawthorne and YOU, mayhaps
WHEN: End of June.
WHERE: The Pariah.
WHAT: Hands-on learning.
WARNINGS: Minor explosion.


[ It hasn't been long since Eda got Hermione to lend her her book on potion-brewing in this world. Eda promptly took plenty of notes from it and has been studying them, but ever the impatient one, she has decided it is time to do less reading and more doing.

So, she has snuck into the kitchens and nabbed a small pot, probable ingredients and some kindling and also procured a fire-safe surface to light her little cooking fire on.

Now she's chucking stuff into the pot while poring over her notes at the same time, and rats, was her handwriting always this messy? She thinks that says 9 drops of squid ink, so she adds that to the pot --

And it explodes in her face.

Luckily, it's only a small explosion, but enough to produce quite a bit of smoke, making Eda cough profusely and desperately wave her hand to get rid of it. ]

So I guess that said five.

Comments

[good_taste]

[Sneaking is a popular activity around here, it seems. He's quite fond of it--it's the only way he keeps fed. seduce a crewman or two, rendezvous somewhere in the cargo hold, oh, by the way, you're fine with a little biting, aren't you darling?

It had been working out quite well for him. Yes, some of the crew had mysteriously developed a bit of anemia, but they enjoyed themselves, so what's the harm, really?

But remaining well-behaved for the rest of the day was boring, and that white raven he'd ended up with needed solid food. The sailors thought the thing was an ill omen on deck, because everything was an ill omen. He absolutely did not care, and in fact was more determined to bring it everywhere he could get away with. So! Into the kitchens he went, accompanied by the bird.

The sound of the explosion produced a startled squawk from the raven, which flew off onto the highest shelf it could find, feathers ruffled.]

Well. We could always throw it at the mermaids. [They've quickly become his least favorite denizen of the deep, and any chance to ruin their day sounded like a good idea to him.]

[traaaaaash]

[ The combined sounds of the raven squawking, the footsteps approaching and the voice clearly talking to her produce a yelp from Eda -- for a moment, she thinks she's been caught by the pirates.

But no, it's just the vampire dude.

She calms and smooths down a few feathers of her own that sprouted, then ponders this suggestion. ]

I guess that way we'd find out if this stuff has any effect.

[good_taste]

Exactly. Alchemy's all about experimenting, right? [It's why alchemy schools had such thick walls and contracted the best fire brigades.] And if you detonate a few mermaids in the process, what's the harm in that?

[He wanders over to where the food's stored, idly lifting the lid off a barrel or two.] What was that actually supposed to do, by the way?

[traaaaaash]

[ She awkwardly looks at the ruined concoction. ]

Anti-nausea potion.

[ She figured she'd start with something easy. Well, that sure backfired. ]

[good_taste]

[Ha! Oh, that's adorably unfortunate. He flashes her a cheerful smile.]

I think it could still work. Nobody who drinks that is going to feel nauseous for long.

[Now, where are they keeping the meat? It takes a few more tries before he finds a barrel of salt pork, taking out a chunk and cutting the crust off.]

But honestly now, you're surprisingly multi-talented. When I saw you up on that volcano, I didn't take you for an alchemist.

[traaaaaash]

Witch, actually. I used to make and sell potions at home, so I figured I could do the same here. But everything's different - the ingredients, the methods... there's a lot to learn.

[ She looks at him skeptically. ]

Yeah, I'm not here to kill people.

[intermingled]

[ Spock is still finding his bearing between the two ships, but when he hears an explosion he abandons his careful exploration and comes right into the kitchen to help however he can. When he sees that she's waving the smoke away instead of on the ground or across the room, he helps to wave the smoke out the door he'd come in through. It's better to find this sight after an explosion than to find her burned or worse, but there's still the concern of breathing in too much smoke or the potential of a fire in all of this while they're on a boat. ]

Are you injured?

[traaaaaash]

[ Eda is still busy coughing when she notices the guy who came in and is looking at her with concern. Awww. ]

I'm fine. You know, what's learning without a few explosions here and there?

[intermingled]

Safe.

[ The answer comes easily enough, but he cannot claim nothing has ever exploded in one of his science labs, either. ]

I am a scientist, myself. What are you trying to learn?

[traaaaaash]

Boring~

[ She sing-songs that, then eyes her failed concoction again. ]

I'm trying to brew an anti-nausea potion. I made potions at home, but everything's so different here I pretty much gotta learn from scratch!

[intermingled]

I see. Are you experiencing nausea yourself or is this for someone else?

[ He moves closer to lean over the failed potion carefully. ]

There may be medications available, though I might be concerned as to how they will affect non-human physiology without a doctor present to monitor.

[ It seems a safe assumption as she looks no more human than he does. ]

[traaaaaash]

Well, this one guy was complaining about it, so I thought, hey, this can't be too hard to do, why not try it for a start?

[ Looking at him now... she certainly notices something. She points at him in surprise. ]

Hey! Your ears! You're not a witch, are you?

[intermingled]

That was thoughtful of you.

[ Not one particularly comfortable with expressing his emotions, Spock finds that doing things for people is an easy way to take care of people without calling attention to the fact that that's his intent. ]

I am not a witch. I am a Vulcan.

[traaaaaash]

[ Thoughtful. Alas, she's not as touchy about being associated with feelings as she used to be, so she lets this one slide and moves on to the other part. ]

What's a Vulcan?

[intermingled]

[ The question gives him pause. It's almost too simple yet oddly complex to answer. ]

We come from the planet Vulcan. We were the first alien race to make contact with Earth.

[ It's all too easy to frame himself without his human half. Perhaps too easy. ]

[traaaaaash]

[ Eda perks up and lets out a whistle at this. ]

Whoa. A whole other planet in the human realm?

[intermingled]

Correct. We are one of Earth's closer neighbors and have been allied for many years now. My mother is, in fact, from Earth, but I was not raised there.

[ His brow furrows. ]

What... realm are you from if not one with humans?

[traaaaaash]

The Boiling Isles. Sort of an alternate dimension type thing.

[ A beat. ]

So your mom's human? Huh.

[intermingled]

[ He nods, though he's never heard of the Boiling Isles and he's unfamiliar with dimensional travel beyond a theoretical understanding. ]

She was human, yes. I take it you are a witch?

[traaaaaash]

Indeed I am. The most powerful witch of the Boiling Isles!

[ Her face falls a second after the bragging. ]

Well, at least I used to be.

[intermingled]

I see. Has someone overtaken you or are you merely expressing that you are no longer located in the Boiling Isles?

[ What a peculiar way to put it. ]

[traaaaaash]

I lost my magic.

[ A real bummer, that. But, well, she feels it's something that needs to be said every so often -- she's a witch who can no longer be of great help with magical things. Except potions. She can still brew potions. So she is here, learning how to do just that in this world. ]

[intermingled]

[ Spock nods solemnly. ]

That is unfortunate. Losing a part of oneself can feel like an ending. However, you do appear impressively adaptable.

[traaaaaash]

[ Eda puffs out her chest at that. ]

Of course! I haven't been on the run from the law for as long as I have for nothing! Gives you skills.

[intermingled]

[ Spock's eyebrow shoots up so fast it might breach his hairline. ]

And what sort of crimes are you running from?

[traaaaaash]

Not joining a coven. It's a whole thing back home.

[intermingled]

[ Spock hums thoughtfully. ]

I believe if my father could have made a law about my refusal to join a certain expedition, he would have, as well.

[traaaaaash]

Your own father? Yikes, that's rough.

At least I'm not related to the Emperor!

[intermingled]

Yes, we have not spoken in several years. He did not approve of my enlisting in Starfleet and would have preferred I remained on Vulcan and studied at the Vulcan Science Academy instead.

I do enjoy science, but I am able to apply it practically in Starfleet.

[traaaaaash]

I have no idea what any of that means, but good for you!

[ Fistpump! ]

[intermingled]

[ Something almost fond passes over Spock's face. ]

It means I have chosen my own path rather than concern myself over whether or not that choice might disappoint a man who has no concerns about attracting my own disappointment in him.

[traaaaaash]

[ That makes Eda grin. She likes you, fellow person of pointy ears. ]

Only way to live, really!

[intermingled]

Yes, I concur. To live for a single other person's expectations is illogical just as making decisions purely to spite them is.

[ A small pause. ]

Though I admit that when my decision caused him to believe I was doing it out of spite, there was a sense of gratification for that. I would not make a choice purely for that feeling, but it was satisfying.

[traaaaaash]

Nothing wrong with that! Spite can be a great motivator.

[intermingled]

[ There's a pause as Spock considers that. He doesn't like to allow his feelings to motivate him, but he cannot deny that it happens at times. ]

You are not wrong.

[traaaaaash]

Of course not! I rarely am!

[ Not one to brag whatsoever, this one. ]