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Feyrahl, SoFurry Edition

Not Without Recourse, Ch 2.2

The following morning was awash with activity for Mac. Having finally gained a grasp of what passed for proper social interaction among the Feyrahlians, the Human felt much more comfortable walking among them and, with Khosk in hot pursuit, he went into the large town surrounding the palace, walking the streets until he found what he wanted: a local healer. Stepping into the shop, Mac tried to minimize his presence but, as he should have figured, the appearance of a Human wasn't a casual event and so he drew tons of attention.

At first the Healer wasn't sure about having him in her shop but, ultimately, after a large number of passers-by took an interest in him, they ended up entering her business and most of them bought something. After that, she didn't seem too inclined to throw him out and so he was able to stay. He spent the time (in-between attracting customers) watching what she did and the way she did it. He started to comprehend the ALMOST scientific method she used, seeing where mysticism and dogma led to a breakdown in fallacy and false presumptions.

He joined her on the second day too-- the Impala woman finally took the time to introduce herself as Asha, and demanded to know his. Once he introduced himself as MacKenzie (he didn't bother with his last name, since he didn't want to further alienate himself with a family name like some kind of noble) Asha said that he could linger, but she didn't want any trouble from him. He promised that he'd offer none and, with that simple verbal exchange complete, she even went so far as to let him behind the counter so he could watch her work.

Many of Asga's mannerisms gave Mac the impression that she was on the border of old age, but, if he had to guess based on her build, the ease of her movements, and the supple grace of her body, he was sure she couldn't have barely been past the first stages of middle-age. If he were into women and the Impala-thing didn't bother him, he would possibly have even considered her pretty. She was also entirely enthralled by her craft and, unless he was mistaken, she was sharing that knowledge with him in some small way.

It was a passive instruction of a kind, at first with her going about her business putting together various concoctions, but it wasn't long before she started talking as she did so, narrating what she was doing as if speaking to herself, yet, each time she did, Mac noticed that her eyes, ears, or both were on him. Had she noticed his interest in the craft and presumed that he wanted to learn? Moreover, if that was the case, was she that free with the secrets of what seemed to be a very elitist profession? She sent him away at the end of the second day with a simple statement of "I am closing up now. Go bother someone else, MacKenzie the Human."

When he returned the third day he did so relatively early and he encountered her just as she was opening up her shop. Glancing over her shoulder at him, she pushed the door open and gestured to him. "Are you coming, or do you plan on camping out on the street today?"

With no objection, he stepped inside and she followed him. He was surprised when she snapped at him once they were making their way behind the counter. "I am combining ten thimbles of fogwater with ten thimbles of flat water. How do I accomplish this safely?"

Mac smirked; she was testing him. Although it had taken him most of the first day watching her to identify the different chemicals she used, he'd picked out hydrochloric acid fairly quickly as what she'd referred to as 'fogwater', presumably because of the visible vapors caused when things were dissolved within it. "One thimble at a time of fogwater into flat water... if you add the flat water to fogwater it splatters and splashes."

She grunted softly, apparently satisfied with his answer. "And, if someone is stupid enough to add fogwater to flat water? How best to limit the damage with resources close at paw?"

Mac considered the question a moment. "Potassium carbonate mixed with flat water would be a good start."

She turned to regard him. "Potassium... carbonate?"

He reassessed his answer. "Oh. Uh... Potash."

Asha let out a faint chuckle. "You are a strange one, MacKenzie the Human, but you seem to either be learned, or a quick study."

Mac offered a smile in return. "Perhaps both?"

She stepped to the side, gesturing to the cauldron where she was working; he realized right away that she was making a rudimentary soap. "I see... and, presuming you are also an alchemist, or perhaps one in training, where was it that you would have received your training among your people?"

He answered calmly, watching as she worked. "University. That is where all the Humans I know go to learn advanced concepts."

Asha didn't so much as pause her work, but she did shove the stirring spoon into his hands. "And you know many Humans, do you?"

Mac nodded, beginning to stir at her direction. "Where I come from we are very common, yes."

If the answer surprised her, the Impala didn't let it show. "I see. And where is it you come from?"

"Another world."

She chuckled and, if she didn't believe him, she didn't let it show. "I see... and, judging from your expression, I suppose you know what I am doing this morning?"

He nodded again. "Making soap."

Asha clicked her tongue. "Very much so. Then I suppose the people from your world also make soap?"

He felt no reason to be untruthful. "Yes... though we make soap on a much larger scale in a slightly different manner."

She raised an eyebrow at that. "Oh? In a manner other than using fats, lye, and wood ash? I would very much like to hear how THAT works."

Although her statement could have very easily been taken as casual conversation, Mac decided that he had nothing to hide, and began to explain the steps involved with making soap as a continuous process of separating fatty acids and glycerin, then neutralizing everything in an alkali solution so as to save the time and energy used in boiling it for long stretches. The explanation went over her head and he spent the next hour or so elaborating on how controlling the manufacturing process could help with ingredient control, allow for additives like scents, and increase the scale of production.

Asha seemed hesitant at first, asking many clarifying questions and having him stop in his explanations more than once. When she asked about the steps involved with refining the fats and glycerin he had to explain sodium hydroxide, and that was just the beginning; she made him elaborate on how to create it and he had to find the right way to explain it using the terms SHE used for chemicals, or the best place to get them (it had been a LONG time since he considered sea shells as part of chemistry).

It didn't take long before he realized that she had very real plans to try out his suggestion, at which point he had to explain the importance of vapor barriers and control of byproduct gasses. It was at that point when Khosk stepped in, cuffing him on the back of the head. "Millman... do not suggest things that could harm the people of Feyrahl."

Mac grumbled "Bad hygiene could harm people.... this is just SOAP."

By the time he'd conveyed all the answers to questions Asha had, it was already mid-afternoon; he was surprised that not a single customer had come in, at which point she explained that she hadn't opened the shop-- she closed every third day in order to get work done without being interrupted. Out of left field, she also added "I was thinking of observing your skills and asking if you were interested in an apprenticeship, MacKenzie the Human, but, after our talk today, I am beginning to wonder if perhaps it should be the other way around."

Mac held his hands up placatingly. "I honestly don't know a lot about alchemy... my expertise is chemistry, but there is a lot of overlap."

She nodded her head to him, moving away from the cauldron and to one of the wooden shelves along the wall. The Impala woman took a small, squat ceramic jar off of one and returned to where Mac stood, holding it out. "A gift for you... ground willow bark. It is useful as--"

Mac accepted it. "A pain reliever, to reduce inflammation and reduce fever."

Asha smirked, raising an eyebrow and both ears. "Not just an alchemist... but a healer as well, are you?"

The Human smiled back. "My people use something similar... like how you make soap and how we do it, there's a comparison. We identified the chemical in the bark-- Salicin, then distilled it and refined it to turn it into processed medicine."

The alchemist woman nodded thoughtfully. "I see... and so your version works better?"

Mac shrugged in response. "Not everyone agrees, but dosage is important to my people and the way we create medicine makes it easier to customize how much a patient gets."

Her smile returned. "Your people are strange, MacKenzie the Human, but your mind is beautiful. I will be closing up here soon, but you are welcome back at any time."

Khosk grunted, speaking up before Mac could. "He will be meeting with members of the court tomorrow, so you'll have to make due without him."

Asha offered a bow to the Lion. "Of course, Sir Firemane..." she then looked back to Mac and spoke with a wink. "It is a standing invitation."

As the two of them made their way out of Asha's shop Mac turned to regard his bodyguard. "This is the first I've heard of a meeting with the court."

Khosk rolled his eyes. "The Emperor and the Mystic are unaware of your recent visits to the town and it is obvious that you speaking with the local alchemist has the capacity for great benefit or great woe. Someone from the court will have to determine how to handle your... insights."

Mac was quiet after that, digesting exactly what it was he thought Khosk meant. "So... because I know about 'alchemy'," he made air quotes with his fingers, "that means I need to get permission to talk to people?"

The Lion stared at him, one ear up and the other flat. "What is... this?" He mimicked the air quotes used by Mac.

The Human sighed, not bothering to answer the question. He hoped that the meeting Khosk was proposing wouldn't be some kind of admonishment.