A Rose In Bloom [Ask for invite]

[Aisede]

Rose had to admit, as she cantered at a steady pace towards her scholastic destination, that she had more than a few butterflies flocking around in her tummy. The weight of stuffed saddlebags softly thumping against her flanks were little comfort compared to the veritable well of anxiety threatening to spill over inside of her.

 

She'd heard this Mister Star was a very talented and enthusiastic teacher, but considering she had never even participated in primary school- and was entirely self-taught- she had, regrettably, very little experience interacting with such ponies. A true irony considering the occupation her original now possessed.

 

Regardless, she knew that If she wanted to advance her research into mortality any further than basic observation and resources would allow, she would need to consult this pony and absorb his teachings. She had much to learn, but also much to exchange for such knowledge. The weight of her Índice de flora y fauna Equestrian was particularly comforting in this regard, the relatively light index including notes from her homeland as well. She had yet to seperate them due to time constraints, but she'd get to that in time.

[PyroBlaze]

Dox sat in a library, pouring over a book while disguised as a brown unicorn. It was one he had read previously, but sometimes looking at the work again revealed something that went unnoticed before. Mostly, he was just killing time until his information network brought him something good. He was sated in terms of feeding, and there were no plans to do anything with Hou, so he had to find other ways to fill the time for the moment. Who knows, maybe he could recruit some students here or find someone to trade info with. 

[Aisede]

He wouldn't have to look very long for a student; as he loitered in the library, pouring over his bibliography, a particularly curious- and meek- unicorn mare would poke her head around the corner of a bookshelf. She had just spent the last fifteen minutes wandering aimlessly through the isles of shelves- occasionally getting distracted by a title or cover that caught her eye- and was about ready to ask the librarian where she could find this pony when she happened upon him.

 

In hindsight, perhaps she should have lead with inquiring the librarian. It would have saved them both a fair bit of time.

 

"Oh! Hello there." She properly stepped into view following this greeting, awkwardly rubbing her foreleg as she surveyed his reading area, her mind already picking out details here and there and steering her train of thought clear off the tracks before she caught herself with a start. "Uh, I... Was looking for a Mr. Star? Here. I mean, I suspect that might be you, but incase it's not I thought he may be here, somewhere-" 

 

She cut herself off, eyes wide and more than a little nervous. "Heh-Anyway, I'm Rose Compass. Nice to meet you!" She thrusts a hoof forward in greeting, her smile just a tad too wide. 

[PyroBlaze]

Dox looked this mare over, examining her as she talked. When she mentioned she was looking for him, or rather the form he was currently wearing, he closed the book he was reading and slid it back into the bookshelf. 
 

“Why yes, I am Rising Star. It is a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Compass. What can I help you with?” He asked, shaking the offered hoof and giving her a smile. Nobody really knew that Rising Star wasn’t real, or any of his predecessors for that matter, so generally when others sought out this form, it was to learn something. The only question was what that something would be. 

[Aisede]

His cordial attitude did wonders for her nerves, the green mare visibly relaxing as he shook her hoof. "Oh, well, I heard you were a teacher." She shimmied her hips, causing her packs to rattle with the sound of miscellaneous alchemical tools. "I'm an alchemist, but my research has reached a plateau as of late. I was hoping, perhaps, you may allow me to reach further."

 

Her tone shifted, and her expression suddenly became much more serious. "... To cure this plague called mortality."

[PyroBlaze]

Dox nodded along to the first part about her being an alchemist looking for fresh input on her work, it was something he understood and had helped with before. Part of the reason he did this side job as a teacher was to teach what he knew and see if any of the students did something new with that knowledge so he could add it to his own stores. There was only so many things one mind could figure out, but bringing in a fresh perspective could open up new possibilities. The subject of the research, however, gave him pause. 
 

“Well, that’s a surprise, I don’t get many students asking about things like that. I should warn you though, meddling with mortality does not do good things to the soul, especially the more effective methods I’ve seen.” He said in a quieter voice, trying to not be overheard. “We should go to a more private environment to talk about this though. Perhaps where you are doing this work? So I can see what you’ve done so far.”

[Aisede]

Oh, she knew exactly how black her soul could become. It was that selfsame mare that had become so consumed by her quest that produced her from dust and delirium. She gained a far-off look for a moment as she recalled the exact moment she awakened; it was in a dimly lit room, the walls swallowed by darkness as the stench of spent magic and chemicals burned the air, setting her senses on fire as if she had been submerged in acid.

 

Her emergence into the world was anguish, but her banishment from it was redemption.

 

She will not become that shadow of a mare.

 

"Yes," she said slowly, returning to reality. "Although I must warn you, my work isn't always a pretty sight."

 

Rustling around in her bags, Dox would be able to glimpse a varied assortment of filled vials and pouches before she withdrew a small but compact booklet. Its title read Libro de Transformaciones.

 

She held the booklet out to him expectantly. "In the meantime, I've transcribed a number of fruitful recipes in this. It's... Uh... In my native tongue, though, so you may not be able to read it."

[PyroBlaze]

Dox nodded to her return warning, glancing into the bag when it was opened. It certainly seemed like she was telling the truth about being an alchemist, not that he really doubted her on that front. Taking the booklet, he looked over the first bit of it, humming slightly. Interesting, it was similar to a language he knew, but there were some differences that made reading difficult. He would have to go over it with her later. 
 

“Lead the way then, let’s see if I can help you.” He said, stowing the booklet away for now. 

[Aisede]

Rose tittered, but lead the way regardless. Time to see if today is the day she gets evicted...

---

A relatively long walk later, most of it filled with smalltalk- "So where are you from?", "Why'd you become a teacher?", And "What are your thoughts on cheese?"- And the two 'ponies' arrive at a charitably homey establishment/abode. A large phosphorescent sign in fancy script proclaims the place as "Rose Compass' Cure-All's and Curios!"

 

She opened the door for him when they arrived, the design simple but efficient- "After you ~" -and followed behind if he accepted the courtesy.

 

Inside, a strange but invariably "clean" aroma would permeate the air, covering up something floating just under the surface. It wasn't toxic... Per se... But she didn't want anyone thinking there was much beyond the foyer. Speaking of, just about every solid surface in the appropriately storefront-sized room was covered in bottles, vials, and jars of varying sizes. Some gave off a gentle glow, some gave off a glow slightly more concerning, and one single bottle tucked away in the corner of a top shelf was somehow plaid. 

 

"I don't suppose you ever wanted a potion that swaps your mane and coat colors?" 

[PyroBlaze]

Dox followed the mare as they walked, answering her questions with “Canterlot, originally.”, “I became a teacher because I want to enable the next generation to make breakthroughs that have never been seen before.”, and “Cheese is alright.”

 

Upon arrival, he graciously accepted her offer and entered first, looking around the shop. He could tell the aroma in the room was to hide something else, he could smell the faint scent of something underneath it all, but he wasn’t sure what it was. 
 

“No, I can’t say that I have.” He responded to her question about the potion. “This looks to be quite the selection in here, but it all looks finished. Where is the work you wanted my help with? I’m eager to see how far you’ve gotten already.”

[Aisede]

Rose chuckled, some of that nervousness creeping back in with a flick of her tail as she led him further into her den. Passed the front counter and into an L shaped corridor, they'd walk past a few closed (and locked) doors until they reach the end.

 

It bisected into two seperate rooms on either side, the wall between them decorated with a painting of a ship lost in a storm. She traced her horn down one of the arcs of tempestuous energy, and at its terminus there's a nearly inaubidle click, her horn briefly sparking with aqua colored magic.

 

Suddenly, the picture comes to life, the waves scrolling over the ship's groaning frame as if sampling its dinner, ready and eager to devour the wayward vessel.

 

"While minor, I've managed to connect two points in space using paintings as the focus." She looked back and smiled, "It's like unicorn teleportation, but the destination is already set for you. You just have to step in for it to work."

 

And she demonstrates as such, raising a hoof and dipping it into the animated image. It phases through, rippling like the surface of a disturbed pond. The rest of her body follows suit, her tail slurped up by the drink with a warbling sound.

 

If he was brave enough to tread those waters, he'd immidiately come out the other end. The scents that the foyer covered were unimpeded here, rancid and acidic, but not neccesarily harmful. The lab- for it could not be called anything else- was drawn straight from a witch's dream; two isles of tables, some metal and others wood, were lined up before a roaring hearth, a classic cauldron nestled on its throne of twigs and coal.

 

The tables were lined with projects in various stages of completion; beakers filled with red and opaque fluids, some viscous and others runny, funneled into taps that filled smaller vials. Measuring tools and arcane mediums were strewn about, and creatures large and small were contained inside see-through jars and tanks.

 

An axelotl with double the head-blades and extras of each limb scrambled feverishly within it's enclosure, its vocalizations contained within. A noot dooted its natural horn at what appeared to be its sickly clone, and a frog leapt into its glass wall and all but vanished before their very eyes. 

 

"Joder!" To say Rose was alarmed by the development was an understatement. She rushed to the glass case and studied the hollow interior, raising the lid with sweat beads trickling down her brow. "LEAP FROGS! They're always abusing their power. I thought it was properly sedated... " Her ears flicked down, and her features wilted. "This is leap year, yes?" 

 

Other, more mundane creatures were present on shelves and neglected desks, but most of them floated within preservative fluids, evidently expired.

[PyroBlaze]

Dox followed behind, examining the building as she made her way to a painting. When it activated and was revealed to be a portal, he smiled a bit. He had a portal of his own, but he had just hidden it in a secret room. Maybe this method would be better, or as an additional measure of defense. 
 

In any case, he followed closely behind her into the portal, examining his surroundings as he emerged into the new location. It was certainly an interesting variety of creatures in here, and with mutations to boot. That frog was indeed interesting, teleporting like that. 
 

“Well, at least you know for next time, right? More sedatives are required.” He chuckled slightly, making his way over to her and patting her on the back. “Little failures like this are fine, they help you learn for next time.”

[Aisede]

Rose pouted, looking down at her hooves. "Yes, yes they do."

 

Sighing, she looked back at the hoof on her back but didn't make any move to remove it. "It's just difficult finding the right dosage. It's so easy to accidentally kill them with the stuff- but in any case," her confidence swiftly returns, ears perking up above a small smile. "This is something I've been having trouble with."

 

Gesturing towards the featured specimens, she elaborated; "Axelotl's are hardy creatures. Perhaps too hardy. Studying their methods of regeneration have revealed that it's an immune response, of all things. Most animals just use it to fight off the common cold, these guys in particular-" She grabbed a spoon-like tool in her aura and tapped its case, provoking it into slashing at the glass. "-are able to use it to grow back their blades and appendages. but attempting to extract their essence and apply the same thing to... uh... " she coughs into a hoof, "other creatures, either results in the subject spontaneously gaining deadly and sharp accessories, or developing deadly cysts."

 

"Noots are a similar deal. The subject starts dooting as vocalizations or grows a malnourished copy of themselves. Not even practical for donor organs."

 

"As you've just seen, leap frogs have the uncanny ability to abuse the leap year, but their regenerative properties are confined to their immature stages. Luckily, tadpoles don't have legs, but when 'applied', only immature subjects seem to gain any benefits. While they do gain enhanced healing, it only affecting juveniles makes it inconvenient for public consumption if I tried selling it... although foals do get quite  a few scrapes and bruises." She seemed to ponder this last part, a hoof to her chin as she considered just such a thing.

[PyroBlaze]

Dox nodded along while Rose talked about the creatures and the subjects in her experiments so far. It was all rather interesting stuff, maybe he should look into integrating some of these things into himself once the kinks get worked out. 
 

“Very interesting, but I believe part of the problem might be transferring the axelotl’s regeneration without their ability to regulate it. These creatures are the way they are because they’ve developed ways to control their abilities, so when trying to extract certain abilities from them, you have to make sure to also give the recipient control, even if it’s the body unconsciously controlling it for them.” He said, looking over the creatures again. Given how many creatures he had taken traits from over the years, he knew what to avoid. 

[Aisede]

Rose pondered this with a hum, looking him over as he examined her specimens. He was taking all of this fairly easily for what she had assumed to be a regular academic type, but his advice was still solid. 

 

"How do I aquire control, though?" She already knew how it regenerated, and under what conditions. But giving that same thing a new environment with new cells to boss around doesn't seem to work out well. 

[PyroBlaze]

“Well, you would have to discover how it tells the body to stop regenerating or how it tells it to regen just the parts that it needs to, and use that knowledge to adapt it to the recipient and give them the control. Constant regeneration is bad in an otherwise healthy body, and only useful to counteract constant degeneration, so there needs to be a way to stop it from happening until it is needed.” Dox nodded, enjoying this little academic discussion. He felt like, in another life, he would’ve been happy living out a normal lifetime as a full scholar. But then again, the other part of his life was what enabled him to pursue this for as long as he had.

[Aisede]

"I see." She said, focusing on the deranged salamander. She surmised that must be why it sprouted entirely new limbs instead of repairing the ones she damaged, which means something she did disrupted its natural healing processes. What, then, she needed to learn, was what she broke. "I will need to swap this specimen out for further testing to proceed. I believe the reason for its mutation may be because I somehow disrupted this control."

 

What came next was a pretty simple exchange of one axelotl for another, grabbing the salamander in her aura and holding it just above the table's surface as she slid a metal plate under it. She had a couple more in similar containment around the room, and simply grabbed the next healthy specimen, bringing it over.

 

"No time like the present to test some hypotheses. You don't mind, do you?" She asked as she levitated a precision cutting tool in her aura. Some more magic was at play here, a simple magnifying spell beginning to form. Why waste time with a crude microscope when she can replicate the effects with her own eyes?

[PyroBlaze]

“That could very well be the reason.” Dox nodded at the possibility that Rose had damaged the control. He watched as she exchanged specimens to a new healthy one, stepping out of the way so she could work while making sure he still had a good view. 
 

“Not at all, helping you further your research is why I am here, after all.” He responded, smiling slightly as his horn glowed briefly. He was activating his own sight-enhancing spells as he watched what she was doing. He was very interested in how these creatures worked as well. 

[Aisede]

"So," she started, she lifted the lid to slip in the incision tool. Magic really is an unfair advantage against most non-magic creatures, especially the smaller ones incapable of fighting back. These are the kinds of things she thought about as she focused on one of its legs and made a very, very small cut. "You became a teacher because you wanted to equip the next generation with the tools needed to keep moving forward. Did you do anything before that?"

 

She didn't look back at him, watching as three distinct sets of cells rushed to repair the damage done to the salamander's skin. One set rebuilt the original structure, one set coated that in something she suspected was protective, and the third was the basic sort of surface healing all living things had. "I don't mean to offend, but it's hard to believe a pony your age has done this forever."

[PyroBlaze]

“Well, there was a time I wanted to be a guard, but I ended up here because I enjoy exercising my mind more than my body, and it’s nice enabling others that feel the same.” Dox explained, shrugging a bit. It was true, in a way. Being a guard was close enough to what his hero days were like, from what he’d seen and heard. He watched the creature heal rapidly, observing how it happened. It was, unfortunately, harder to figure out how it stopped things from going too far though. 
 

“How about you? Did you do anything before alchemy?” He asked, keeping his eyes on the creature for now. 

[Aisede]

Him, a guard? She huffed in lieu of looking at him, a budding seed of aggravation growing in her as she watched the animal flawlessly rejuvenate. "No, sadly. Although I've never once regretted the decision, nor have I ever deviated from this path."

 

A captive audience wasn't something she had too often. Some alien part of her felt compelled to share her experiences with this stallion, to connect with him on some level. Was it intuition? Some obscure instinct nestled inside the genes of her kind? "I grew up in a wealthy estate with my grandfather. He had collected tomes on alchemy in his time, and I often spent my free hours pouring over them, and various other subjects.

 

When he died... That's when I decided that death was unfair. No living thing should have to leave this world before they've gotten to live life to the fullest, and that's why I decided to pursue this path." She focused further, and noticed something she hadn't paid attention too before Star told her what to look for. "It's been long... And treacherous." Zoom in a liiitle more. "... And I think I found something. Come, see for yourself."

 

 

[PyroBlaze]

“Are you worried I am going to turn you in? Don’t be, those days are behind me and I have reasons to avoid interacting with guards myself.” Dox raised an eyebrow and smirked slightly, falling silent as she explained her story and the reasoning behind her search. A death in the family tended to be a common reason to seek an escape, but it was refreshing in a way to hear she wasn’t doing it just for her. That wasn’t something he ran into often with those seeking immortality. In any case, he leaned in a bit, enhancing his vision further while he looked at what was being pointed out. 

[Aisede]

"Oh, I was never worried," she responded in a nebulous tone. As for their shared discovery, it turned out that when she caused an injruy to the limb, only so and so many cells would rush to the scene. She had thought it was the whole body acting as one, but here they could plainly see that only a small fraction of them replaced the old, dead cells.

 

//I'm having an incredibly difficult time coming up with any solid answer. I'm not a biologist.//

[PyroBlaze]

Dox gave a simple hum in response, observing as the creature healed itself. About what he had expected, the body only sent what it needed, nothing more. Very interesting and efficient, it would seem. He would need to capture his own subject to examine the mental activity during this process. 
 

“Well, it can be hard to tell why it happens like that without examining the mental processes that happen at the same time. In any case, even this is an interesting discovery. It only sends what is necessary.” He said, nodding a bit. 

[Aisede]

"Which means we should study the brain instead," she commented, finally peeling her eyes away from the poor creature.

 

She smiled, looking him over- up and down. Nothing too out of the ordinary, and yet... Not ordinary. Just who is this stallion to not run screaming from her lab? "It may take the two of us in that case. What say you? I shall repeat the expirement, and you tell me what you... W-well..." she stuttered to a stop, realizing that would likely require the labotamization of the lizard.

 

"Hmm... Perhaps not at this exact moment, actually. I lack the precision tools I would need to perform the surgery with minimal risk. In any case,'" she tottered off, gesturing towards the lab itself. "This is the progress I've made so far. Leap frogs that can't stay in one place, and some salamanders. I'm still setting up here, so a lot of my research is rudimentary. I don't suppose you have any prior experience in this field in particular?"