The Missing Alchemist

[Stare]

(closed to arcana)

It was a place she had been but once, but that which brought closeness to her heart.

Friends were few and far between in her world, and it was all she could do to keep them close. Thus, Stare knew she had to take the opportunity when she was this side of the sea. Who knew when she would be back in this island nation, unless the church of Sabazios ended up being here. Despite all their work, and efforts (two whole days in the public Radasanth libraries, the old Ixian castle private library and the council archives) she and Vitruvion had not been able to find any source. It seemed that the church was too small, as Vitruvion had considered it might be, to be on any holy records.

Thus, the choice had been made to head back to Beinost and seek the other Bounty Hunter Guild hideouts over time. When they would certify the location of one the new plan was to send Stare out with a number of core guards, not just on her own. The fact that if she did go by herself that she could end up being yet another victim of the Guild chilled her blood. So she had agreed.

The final couple of recent days had been spent observing Vitruvion's new brewery. The Grand Celestial, it was called, a joke on what he was as well as the size of the thing, for apparently it could produce a hundred barrels a month when working at full capacity. It was something that made the noble smirk and be pleased, as his eyes wandered over the structure of the great brick and wood building.

Very structurally sound, he had said.

And so, she had gotten approval for her choice.

Now, she had her own spare half day, as Vitruvion made new connections with the merchants who would be his patrons. Heading over to the small town of Stonevale she took the same path as before. Her clawed feet took her past the same pub where they had met, around the same set of buildings and to the same street. A creaking sign above a familiar shop declared it to be an alchemists. The alchemist's. Her alchemist's.

Stare grinned in her eyes and marched onwards, resting a hand on the half helmet she had tied to her belt. The narrow head shape with a long beak marked it out as able to fit her and made her look powerful as she got faster. Some eyes turned, curious to see a crow humanoid coming to halt outside the door, just briefly, and others stared. The kenku however, did not pause to staisfy their curiousity, but marched straight in.

Ready to see her now bald, young dear male friend.

Not the androgenous, pale-haired weirdo currently standing behind the desk.

She stopped dead. And did what she does best.

Stare ... Stared.

[ArcanaFate]

Nevin had been gone for three days.

Three days on a 'research trip' for more supplies. Or alchemical knowledge. Or something. Ezra wasn't quite sure what exactly the alchemist had ran off to do, but the homunculus had been left in charge of the shop. Well, sort of. They were expected to sell the product that Nevin had left them, but not to produce any more until his return. Apparently, they could not be trusted working with the alchemy set by themselves. They wanted to argue, but, at the same time, he was the teacher and it was his shop. It would be disrespectful to disobey. Since his departure, the shop had been quite slow, and the main product bought was the Miner's Delight. Even then, the miners who came in barely spoke to Ezra and would hand off their money and depart. Apparently, without Nevin around, the store had lost some of its luster.

But, they would manage.

As they leaned against the counter and stared at the door, wishing, just wishing that a customer would walk through, their wish was granted! In the form of a humanoid bird. Ezra blinked, not quite expecting this turn of events. They quickly shook their head, braid bobbing against their chest before they stood to their full height.

"Greetings! Welcome to Herbal Magicks. My name is Ezra, how may I be of assistance to you today?"

They had been rehearsing that all day in the hopes of using it, and having someone there let it finally pay off. However, the avian just stared at them, and they couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable. Was the avianoid even capable of common speech? Behind the counter, their hand slid down to their thigh, where their hunting knife lay within its sheath. They had learned to always carry a weapon on them in case another attack occurred, but they were unsure of what the raven's presence meant in the shop.

[Stare]

Definitely not Nevin.

Stare focused in, narrowing her vision immediately and taking a tense but friendlier (than some) pose. Jaw tightening, her heart began to race and for a mad moment she thought she might be in the wrong shop.

But no, it had to be the same. She wasn't an idiot. Her memories, feet, mind were clear - the sign was even the same. Nothing had been altered shelf-wise or colour-wise, with the same rough stock and order, apart from ... consultant behind the desk ... was not Nevin.

And was speaking in an alarmingly friendly manner. Not something the kenku was used to.

Analysis had to come first, then assumptions could be made. There might be, after all, a perfectly reasonable explanation for this, Stare just had to find out. Waiting and hoping to see a bright white, honest heart, Stare moved her focus out of the physical plane and into the soul's ... Where she received one of the greatest shocks.

Well. The heart did glow white. Which was an excellent start, it was only that everything else was ... Wrong.

The aura was entirely messy. Stare had seen one very wrong aura in her life and that had been from Eteri, the soul collector. This one was not as messy or disgusting but it was ... Odd. Mainly, overall, it was a dirty lichen colour, but there were what could only be described as imperfections. Spots of actual veridian, a deep green that was almost blue, which spoke of a calm evil, were scattered like scars throughout. A small spark of teal, that was a similar neutral to the overall, was nestled as coming from the skull. Stare, if she had had one, would have curled her lip in distaste, but as it was she showed dislike in her eyes as she went on to spying the power lines of the being.

Which made stop. And her heart begin to race as the sight of many bands of wriggling black lines scurried over the surface of this ... Man, woman? Stare couldn't actually tell, there was no discernible gender right now ... Black interfered with lavender. The purple-pink Stare had not experienced before, but the black alone was enough to make her heart pound painfully. So dark it made her shiver just thinking about it, despite the standard neutrality of his ... their aura.

Feeckk ... Demon!

Wait!

That voice in her head.

Vitruvion ... I thought you were with investors? she spoke quickly back to the god in her head, as her hand tried to secretly grapple for her dagger hilts.

I am glad I decided to look in on you. Let me ... and suddenly the air was clearer. Like the pollution and the stench of sweat had been torn away. Any distracting essence or was done away with to be replaced with a lingering smell.

The harsh stink of manure hit her nose. Very thick and very heavy. Definitely demonic, she said as she commented on Vitruvion's sense that he had gifted to her. A gift, like her aura sight, which could tell by smelling what types of lingering magics and creatures there were around. Each had their own recognisable scent. In demonic case, poo.

I knew it! she began to rip her white dagger from its holder.

Wait ... and was right. For there was a second, other smell. One of ... Lavender, like the colour lines in their chakras. Sweet, unimposing, gentle.

Nice.

What the ...

Ask them, the intrigued god said.

Stare blinked as she resumed the normal world, and was face with a very shocked and maybe scared shop keep. She paused, then pointed at them.

And accused.

"What have you done with Nevin?"

[ArcanaFate]

Ezra let their hand fall away from their knife. The avianoid had accused them of doing something with Nevin. Was it implied murder? Some sort of inquiry into their relationship? Was this a new villager who had already heard the rumors? By the Fates, this was getting out of hand. Looking over the avian, their purple eyes seemed to glitter with curiosity. They were bipedal, yet wore clothing for the sake of modesty, or perhaps mimicry of the other humanoid races. Apparently sentient, as they were able to communicate in the common tongue and emphasize emotion as this raven or crow seemed upset about Nevin's whereabouts.

Or, if listening to the rumors, his ever-changing love life.

Ezra blinked. Was this his lover? They had yet to learn much of Nevin's past, but this would be a rather interesting turn of events. Their eyes focused on the corvid's eyes once again, the gold runes in the Homunculi's irises lighting up for a moment before fizzling out. Apparently, there was some kind of magic the corvid was using that they could not copy. Another interesting development. Oh, the avianoid was waiting for an answer.

"...I suppose that depends on how you intend your question. If you mean in the sense of a romantic relationship, I have done nothing. I am sure you have heard the many rumors surrounding the alchemist, but I shall, once again, go ahead and refute the many questions I have received about him, myself, and our relationship." Ezra let out a sigh, leaning against the counter and stared at the Corvid as they began to almost rant. "No, I am not in a romantic relationship with him. No, we have never consorted in the evening for a 'romantic rendezvous'. As far as I am aware, he is not currently married to a feline woman or has a child with her. No, I am not his concubine that can be bought for a 'night on the town'. He is not any of the following: a spirit, a serial killer, a vampire, some sort of demon, a con man, a retired pirate king, or a noble on the run. And on that subject, I am not a witch, a familiar, a faerie, a seductress who lures people to their doom, a spectre, or any sort of elf."

They paused, then continued. "Now for the facts. Our relationship is purely professional, I am an apprentice in the art of alchemy and he is my mentor. I am not, and never will be, looking for any sort of romantic relationship with him. If you are accusing me of abducting, banishing, or outright murdering him, that would also be a falsehood. He has gone out on a journey to restock the supplies for the shop and will return. Sir Nevin did not give a time or date upon when he will be returning, but I can do my best to assist you if it is an alchemy-related question or possibly other questions depending on the subject."

Rising to their full height, they stared down the Corvid and their emotions became unreadable from a physical standpoint. "Now, I have three questions for you, my avian guest. Who are you, how do you know Sir Nevin, and..."

They began to move from behind the counter, but made slow and careful steps as to not scare their guest away.

"Would you like a cup of tea?"

[Stare]

As the man-girl-neither spoke, Stare blinked slot observing them through the various planes she had a hold of once more. The aura itself was a mystery. Now that she was in less chance of danger, Stare could listen at the same time as assess. With a general green-ness to the aura, the kenku knew by experience that the being before her could at least be reasoned with to some extent. That would give her time to throw them a single look of stunning and be out of there before worse danger arose.

The more worrying side was the chakras. Stare had seen few bound in black before, and though these were, admittedly, woven with thin and fewer bands than, for instance, the high mage of Sabazios that her and Nevin had killed, it still made her skin prickle. The lavender - a sort of ... Pastel colour - was an oddity and it did make Stare pause in all of her assumptions but truly, this was not the best start to introductions.

Stare listened as the worker listed everything that Nevin was not. A pirate (who on earth thought that?), a vampire (that was close to the truth though) or a noble (pah - he was not, Stare knew nobles too well). Then the person went through what they weren't, and their heart glowed bright white with honesty. They told Stare that they were actually nice, that Nevin was their mentor and he was out.

Stare blinked, and paused. And lowered her knife slightly, coming out of the immediate attack stance. Brow furrowed low she tried to arrange the connection between a blood mage and this neutral-minded, demon -thing, and why that might be. When the being went in to the last few words and offered ... tea of all things, Stare began to severely doubt.

Have you heard of a demon who offers tea? she asked internally.

There was a pause before an answer came. There are many forms of demon. Sabazios was not of evil intent until we unearthed his new nature.

So that is a no?

Vitruvion sighed, his hands curled around a gold goblet of rich red wine. That is a no, Stare. Obviously.

Thank you, she grunted.

And her employer - and master, and god - waved a hand dismissively and sat back. She could almost feel the weight of him coming into contact with the bench.

"Hmm," she was still uneasy, but the kenku to let the air of calmness reign for a bit before she attacked. Carefully she slipped her mythril dagger back into its sheath and paused before replying.

"I cannot except tea from you," she said slowly. "I don't know you, and I don't know if you even tell the truth. I want you to promise me that you have not done anything to Nevin or that ..." She stopped and noticed the heart again. Full and white and pulsing with brightest truth. It was her own power. She could not deny the facts. This person here was his apprentice, and had just said they hadn't abducted him. Or killed him. Which was good.

Her black eyes, the two downward glancing daggers that could frightful things, blinked slowly.

"Right, fine you tell the truth," she grumbled. "Fine, but he had never mentioned taking on an apprentice the last time we met so it must be recently." She clacked her tongue quietly on the edge of her beak.

"First I'm not an 'avian', I am a 'kenku' also known as 'tengu' but we prefer the former. My name ... I'm not telling you that yet, Nevin is my friend, and ..." She huffed deep. "Is the tea going to be poisoned?"

((OOC note: I think Nevin did make some kenku medicines a while back based on Stare's blood. They might still be in the shop))

[ArcanaFate]

Kenku... Kenku... Now why did that sound familiar?

In a fluid motion, the Homunculi reached underneath the counter and pulled out a small, leather-bound book. Opening it quickly, they flipped through a few pages until finding the list they were looking for. Nevin, in his infinite wisdom, had left Ezra a list of the current stock of the store before his departure. It was a clever idea, and they had been using the stock sheet in order to calculate how many potions were left in stock. On the list, they had seen three bottles for a 'Kenku healing remedy', but had forgotten to ask what its origin was. Apparently, the potions were designed to help with the healing process for Nevin's supposed friend. They stared at the kenku for a long moment, brow furrowed slightly.

"Well, then, mister kenku... Or is it miss? I do apologize, I have yet to meet your kind before, but I do have quite a few questions for you. But first, I do believe it is time for a break. I think I shall close up the store for a certain amount of time." As they shifted away from the counter, their footsteps were moving ever closer to the kenku and the store's front door. "Do not worry, I have no intention of instigating a fight with you. I am, however, going to lock up the shop because I do believe based on your line of questioning- which I will answer, mind you- it should be discussed in private without the wandering eyes of small-minded villagers." Making sure to give a decent birth around the bird, the homunculi quietly closed the door and locked it. With a simple flip, the open sign now read closed, and they let out a small sigh.

"So, first things first." Ezra stated, placing their arms behind their back and once more giving the avian guest a wide berth as to not invade their space. "I am a recent addition to Sir Nevin's shop, you are correct. We met in here in Stonevale and had a minor discussion before I was swept into the middle of a crisis involving an ambush party of Goblins. Thanks to the alchemist's quick thinking and prowess in potion making, he was able to save many lives here. Which has made him a bit of an oddity, especially with the rumors previously discussed." They continued moving through the shop, adjusting a few of the potions on shelves that were slightly unaligned among the others.

"I have already told you as well, I have done nothing with Nevin and he is, as far as I can currently assess, still out retrieving herbs to restock our supply. But I do find it rather interesting that you keep asking such questions or declaring such accusations, then state I am telling the truth. How are you able to ascertain that I am speaking the truth? Do you believe yourself to be able to understand the human emotion so well you are able to detect my honesty? Or..." They paused, returning to the counter and tracing a finger along the open notebook Nevin had left behind, "Are you perhaps using some form of magic to sense the truth to my words? Is this an ability that all kenku possess, or are you the only one? I cannot comprehend which one it is, but I do know that I am incapable of copying it."

"As for your tea, no, I have no intention of poisoning you. Even if you were not Sir Nevin's friend, as you claim, I have no reason to inflict harm upon you. You are wary of me, yes, but most of the villagers in this town are so it is not a feeling I am unaccustomed with. So, I shall make two cups of herbal tea, then, unless you have a preference of some other flavor? I will ask, is there any sort of thing you cannot digest due to your avian nature? I would rather not accidentally poison you and have to explain how I slew one of his friends. It would be a... less than enjoyable conversation."

They moved away from the counter, now stepping towards the doorway that led into the kitchen. Pausing, Ezra looked back at the kenku with a flat expression. "And I understand the wariness of sharing a name, but I would rather have something to refer to you as instead of 'the kenku' or Sir Nevin's friend. Names are important, after all."

[Stare]

She left the being time to say more ... If they wanted to. It seemed at least they really liked to speak, blabbering on about the rumours that weren't true and questions about Stare and trying to convince the kenku that they weren't at all a danger to her.

Oh yes, they asked about her magic. But Stare wasn't quite ready to give any information there. When asked if she could see emotions she shrugged slightly - the first real natural movement aside from tensing she had done - and then let the being continue.

The being. Whatever it was. Honestly, even that was unclear, and that was the basis of her sight sometimes. Stare had merely been putting it off because it was so confusing. They were ... Something. Certainly there were elements of human but there was also a darker beast and elf like features. A true chimera.

And so, more questions. As many as the other being seemed to have for her. With a final promise of not making poisoned tea - backed up by that still white hot heart - Stare let herself relax further, and she stood straighter, though remained alert.

So this being was Nevin's apprentice, and that meant he trusted her. It would take some time for Stare to get over the demonic parts, but perhaps some explanation was to be had. Slowly, she blinked, let the time wear on.

And when it was not filled, when it was clear the being had finished, Stare took in a long breath.

How to proceed?

Suggestions?

It took a couple of seconds for the man to reply. She caught a glimpse of him writing on a fine piece of parchment in a calligraphic hand, then he answered.

On how to proceed? Only with caution. You like the blood mage,
he intrigues me. This one does too, despite its ... Disgusting parts. He paused. If things go wrong and you kill it, bring it back. I want to study the body.

Vitruvion. Ever the scholar. The things he knew were vast, and the things he didn't were very few and far between.

Stare breathed in slow, watching the locking of the store and knowing perfectly that there were several reasons to do so. One being to kill a victim, another purely for privacy. She wasn't that freaked. But she was still ready. And so she waited until the being was back in full view and she answered with a low voice.

"People call me Stare. You like to talk. But you still haven't given me your name. And I'd really like to know what the freakish Ansaldo's balls you are. You're really ..." She paused. "Confusing."

[ArcanaFate]

Ezra blinked, watching the kenku for a long moment.

"Stare is a curious name." They finally answered, shifting back to the kitchen to start preparing the tea. They began to rummage through the cabinets looking for the kettle, mentally slapping themselves when they found it already over the fireplace. After a few moments of struggling to rekindle the flame, they were able to successfully light a fire and began brewing the water. They weren't entirely sure when it would be safe enough to drink, but they could estimate it well enough.

Now, to focus on Stare's request.

The avian wanted to know what they were and believed they talked too much. It wasn't intentional, to be fair. This was the first kenku they had ever met, and to be a friend of Nevin's atop of that? Why, it was almost too good to be true! Ezra had seen behavior like this before from a few of the other villagers before. This was the feeling of nervousness, and this line of questioning was a dangerous one. It could end very badly, with one of them likely slain and Nevin's shop destroyed in the crossfire. So Ezra took a deep breath and once again returned to their spot behind the counter, and just eyed Stare with an almost judging glance.

"So, Stare," They finally started, trying their best to keep their breathing even, "I do believe I gave my name to you when you first walked into the shop, but you might have been distracted and missed it. My name is Ezra, and I am an assistant to Sir Nevin here in his shop. As for what in 'Ansaldo's balls' I am, well, that is a little more complicated to explain. It is not something I so easily share with people I have only just met, so do understand my hesitation in just giving you an answer straight away."

They trailed their fingers across the wooden counters, as if in thought. After a few moments, the homunculus would look up at Stare, purple eyes seeming to dance with an innate curiosity.

"How about this: we make a deal. I have questions about you, you obviously have questions about me, so I believe that information should be traded as knowledge should be free, not contained and locked away. I would like to know how you met Sir Nevin and more about your friendship with him, and in return, I shall do my best to answer any question about my origin and 'what I am', as you so crudely put it."

They attempted a small smile, but quickly hid it away. Ezra didn't want to make Stare feel any more uncomfortable than they already were.

"Do we have an accord, then?"

[Stare]

Stare had her body still caught in a heightened state of awareness, the flight or fight mentality burning through her. Many things told her to trust this being of neither gender and no firm race - their honest heart, their neutral state of mind, the way they were trusted by Nevin. The alchemist would never have taken on an apprentice that he would not trust. And Stare trusted him beyond probable reason - because of their trials and triumphs.

Stare had very few friends in the world. This was a mixture of both coming from a private society, and working for a man who was fiercely over protective. Vitruvion said it was down to safety - there were times he would not allow her to walk down a street without talking to her about every step of the way. After all, he had made her his own property partly for the simple reason of finding her if she went lost.

Stare looked at Ezra for a moment - do they did have a name after all, she must have missed it beforehand - and then grunted quietly.

"Questions are ... Hard to answer, confusing apprentice," she replied, eyes sweeping down to watch the tea brew. "Very much so."

She had come through to the kitchen without much hassle. Now here though she was beginning to feel awkward and somewhat lost - she had never been back here with Nevin. Instead they had met once and then made very good friends in one night and just happened to then end up in some cells together.

Stare blinked and looked the strange creature up and down, collecting in the messy whitish hair (like Vitruvion), the almost adorable purple eyes. They looked honestly just normal. No missing eyes, scars that told terrible stories or odd veins like Nevin. Just oddly pale skin, but that was not strange to Stare. She rubbed her shoulder, taking in a general sweep of the wooden cabinets and tables and stone worktops and oven, before nodding once.

Yeah? she asked.

But strangely, she received no answer.

Thus, she made her decision and proceeded with caution.

"In brief I can ... see things. More than others see," she said quietly, still tense but far more less agitated than how she had been at the start. So far she had not seen any poison go into the tea, or indeed any evil enchantment said over it. "Not emotions directly ... Not completely. More like ... I can see a person's true self, see their soul, their gender, their race, their chakras, what ..." She fixed Ezra with a glare then. "What type of power they have."

And a deep-rooted caution came again and she moved back slightly, shifting from foot to foot.

"I will defend myself if you attack me, friend of demons. I know Nevin will be not pleased, but I'm sorry - I will defend myself."

[ArcanaFate]

The water in the kettle began to bubble and boil furiously, but it was ignored.

What had Stare just called them? Friend of demons? Ezra was not certainly a friend of demons, although there might have been one. Ezoreth did make a deal with some form of entity to keep Ezra safe, and thinking back to their conversation, the homunculus was pretty sure the masked figure had stated they were a demon. But did that make them friends? It was more like a business deal, but they didn't really understand how that made one friends. But, if that is what Stare saw them as, there had to be a reason why, and perhaps it had to do with her magic. Further investigation was needed.

"Interesting. So your vision allows you to see the 'true self' of an individual. You stated that you are able to see the soul, the gender, race, even powers? I would say that I am rather upset at this turn of events. Having you here would have sped up my research significantly, and the fact Sir Nevin hid such a fascinating friend makes me upset."

Despite stating their unhappiness, the homunculus' face and voice showed no sign of displeasure, no clear showing of any emotion at all. They began pulling various herbs out from one of the cabinets, muttering aloud about the ratios of lavender to sage and how much of the dried citrus needed to go in. Retrieving two rather plain teacups from another cabinet, Ezra quickly portioned out various ingredients that went into the teacups before moving the kettle from over the flame to pouring the hot water. Once both cups were full, they gently poured the remaining water over the flame to douse it and turned back to Stare.

"Stare." They started, eyes locked with the kenku. "I am in need of your ability. If you can see what I truly am, as you so claim, then I must know the answer. Sir Nevin and I have been at a crossroads for a while regarding my origin, so you may be the catalyst to restart my investigation. Will you assist me?"

"Also, please stop assuming I am going to attack you. I feel at this point I am just repeating myself. I do not want to fight you. I do not wish you harm. I have no interest in delving into a contest of blows with you in this shop or even outside of it. We are to have tea and have a nice social gathering with you, the kenku, and myself, the alchemist's assistant."