"Well." I turn to Amelia and Apricot after Edsel leaves. "That wasn't as bad of a detour as I'd feared it would be. Do you think we have enough time to stop by Melanie's before going to your parents? All that talk of alchemy made me remember that I still haven't made a proper batch of rubber yet."

"Yeah, they won't get home for a couple hours yet." She nods. "But, we should swing by Ro's shop first, let her know that the Baron gave the okay to hold the meeting there. How's the node doing, by the way?"

I hold the pseudo crystal up in response. What started as a single crystal about the same size, if not shape, as a grain of salt, is now a small cluster. The biggest crystal is now the same height as a nickel, with the next largest approaching dime size, and several others at about half that.

"I'll swap this with Ro when we get to her shop, and try to bring that other one up before the meeting tomorrow." I reply. "I figured this would make a better demonstration than a tiny little crystal that could be anything. You know, a slightly larger one of these would make a nice night light for the bathroom."

"Hahahah." The blonde breaks out in nervous giggles. "Only you would think of using a mana node as decoration. But, are you even going to be able to keep that other one alive overnight without one of those circles?"

"Yeah, I already tested this." I make the node vanish and reappear. "And, as long as I'm careful when I remove it, I can keep it in storage. Probably wouldn't work on something as big as the one in the guild. But, for a little baby like this? No problem."

...

We stopped by the enchanter's shop, but she wasn't in. Her son, Jared, said that she's been running around all day, and has brought several of her closest enchanter friends to see the new node. According to him, they were nearly as excited about how I solved that math problem as they were for the mana node.

"Well, tell your mom that I'll try to get this one to the same size before the meeting tomorrow." I explain after swapping the nodes. "Oh, and that Granville will be catering. I was going to take care of that too, but he took it upon himself."

"Will there be any of that new candy there?" He asks with a hopeful look in his eyes. "I tried to ask mom for some, but she and her friends ate all of it."

"Heh." I hand him a bar. "Yes, I will be serving chocolate tomorrow, but here's a bar just for you. Now, we've got to get going, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Mmm, thank you." The boy mumbles around a big bite.

...

"Hello! Melanie, are you in?" I call out after knocking on the door of the apartment she told us she lived at. "I did get the right address, didn't I?"

"Yeah." Amelia nods. "This should be the place, but I don't think she's in."

"Oh well." I shrug and write out a note to slip under her door. "She can catch up with us later. Anything you want to do until your parents get done at the warehouse?"

"Mhm, we could just wander around." She shrugs as we walk back out onto the street. "It's been a while since I've been back home, and I like to just walk the streets sometimes. I don't feel like walking today, but you can drive us around."

"That sounds fun. We'll have to try it some other time." I point behind her to where Melanie just turned the corner carrying what looks just like any other reusable grocery tote I've ever seen.

"Oh, that's alright." She shrugs again, apparently not caring too much. "I kinda want to see what this rubber stuff can do. And, Apricot owes me a rematch anyways."

"Hey, if you want to lose at chess again, that's fine by me." The pixie wears a smug smile on her face.

"Sorrel?" The alchemist blinks up at me when she finally notices who we are. "I'm sorry, I was just picking up some stuff for dinner. I hope you weren't waiting long."

"No, no." I shake my head. "I'm sorry for stopping by unannounced. We just left a note under your door, and were about to leave when you turned the corner."

"Well, come on up." She starts towards the apartment again. "I'm guessing you're here to talk about rubber."

"Yes. Things got a little busy today, but I still want to make some and I was hoping you would have some sulfur. Or, at least be able to point me in the right direction. I could also use some dye-making supplies and a quantity of ammonia."

"Sulfur, eh?" She cocks an eyebrow at me before opening the door to her apartment. "I didn't smell any on that sample you showed me. So, I'm guessing it's used to treat the raw material?"

"Sulfur is the main one, yes." I nod. "But, there are several other agents and fillers used in the final product. I know what the most common ones are, at least by name. But, as we've already discovered."

"Your people's naming system is somewhat different." She finishes my sentence.

"I hate to interrupt." Amelia interrupts. "But, could I use your bathroom?"

"You feeling okay?" She looks a little pale. "Do you need some more healing sap? I'm sorry for dragging you all over when you aren't feeling well."

"I'm fine Sorrel." She laughs. "I think lunch has just caught up with me."

"It's just down there, on the left." Melanie points her down the hallway. "Is she alright? You seem worried."

"Oh, I was just afraid her cramps came back." I explain. "My little sister used to get them bad around this time of month."

"Just get that book done for her and she'll be fine." Apricot tells me.

"I'll work on it tonight." I promise. "Right after I make her some chocolate ice-cream. Yes, I'll make you some too. Uh, where were we." I turn back to an amused looking Melanie.

"Translation problems." She answers with a barely concealed smirk.

"Nnh, it's not so much a translation problem, as my just not knowing the common names for stuff." The Gift of Tongues ability feels like it's working fine, but scientific nomenclature just isn't common around here. "I don't suppose you know where I can find a scholar to Varecian dictionary?"

"Sorry, no."

"Eh, don't worry about it." I wave the matter away. "Sulfur and lamp-black are the big ones, everything else we can figure out later. But, before we go any further we really should figure out how this arrangement is going to work."

"You're not talking business without me, are you?" Amelia rejoins us.

"Wouldn't dream of it." I smile. "I'm just trying to figure out what Melanie needs, and what she wants." I turn back to the alchemist with a questioning look on my face.

"I need supplies and a workspace, or the coin to acquire them. My landlord is very firm about her 'no alchemy on the premises' rule." Pretty reasonable so far. "What I want is more of that chocolate stuff." She draws a laugh out of me. "That, and for this rubber of yours to be as useful and profitable as you think it will be."

"I'll need to speak to William and Sophia first, but if they don't object and you don't mind going outside the north gate. I can set you up with a workshop on a corner of the farm to start off with." I reply. "As for the supplies, I will be providing the main ingredient. But, between your contacts, and Amelia's mercantile skills, getting the rest shouldn't be a problem."

"I should be able to rent a workroom through the alchemist guild if your neighbors object." Melanie offers. "But, uh... can we talk coin?"

"I shouldn't have a problem bankrolling the business. -including whatever salary you think is fair- But, I don't particularly care for running it." I certainly wouldn't mind the coin, but becoming some rubber magnate just doesn't interest me. "Amelia, would you be interested in handling the business side of things while Melanie takes care of the alchemy?"

"What about me?" Apricot chimes in.

"Well, I suppose we can put you in charge of the hedonism department. You'll be working 'directly' under me, of course." *Ding**Ding**Ding* Temmie and the pixie crack up, but the Amelia and Melanie just groan and share a look.

"I think my salary requirements just went up." Melanie says while rubbing her temples. "I'm going to need it for all the headache pills."

"Aww, you two are no fun." Apricot blows a raspberry at them.

"All jokes aside." I turn serious for a moment. "If you want to do something with this business, or anything else. Just tell us and we'll do our best to help you make it happen."

"..." She clams up under the sudden intensity of my words. "I... I was just going to make a stupid joke, but yours turned out better."

"Oh, Sweetie." I walk over and pull her into a hug. "The company still needs a name. How about we call it Apricot Rubbers?" A division of Apricot World Domination Incorporated.

"..." This is one of the rare times we get to see her bashful side.

"I like it." Amelia says with a wide smile on her face.

"I don't particularly care what it's called." Melanie breaks the mood. "And, we can work out all the business details later. I'm more interested in finally learning how this stuff is made."

"Wasn't there a no alchemy rule here?"

"Dammit." She smacks herself in the thigh. "Do you have time to go to the guild with me?"

"We have a few hours until my parents should be done at work." Amelia answers.

"It won't take that long to make some, will it?" Melanie asks hopefully.

"No, that should be plenty of time." I allay her fears. "Though I hope it's not far, otherwise one of you will have to sit on the handlebars."

...

"Oh, my bottom is sore now, but that was fun." Apricot rubs her tush after hopping off the handlebars.

"You are such a goof." The alchemist guild was only a couple blocks away, but she insisted on taking the rickshaw. "And, it'd be better if the tires were made from rubber. The roads here are pretty smooth, but every little bump was transmitted straight to your butt."

"Well, then. What are we waiting for?" Melanie troops into the guild house only to come to a dead stop just inside the door.

"...rry Neal, but we can't help you." A harried-looking clerk is trying to explain something to a slightly pudgy twenty-something man. "That bastard Corey isn't part of the guild anymore, and even if he was. The most we could do is threaten to kick him out for breaking a deal."

"What about sanctioning the rest of your members for trying to rip me off?" Neal huffs. "Dad may have been the alchemist, but I still know what everything is worth, and your guild members..."

"Is that your master's son?" Melanie nods in answer to my question. "I'm guessing he had a deal with that bastard responsible for Myra." Another nod. "What's the lowest you think he'll take for everything?"

She turns to stare at me and is about to open her mouth when an outburst from the counter draws our attention. "Gods Damn it! You've got to do something." The man is just whining now. "I've got a buyer lined up for the store, but the guard won't even let me move anything out. Not unless its to someplace certified safe for alchemical compounds, and only guild alchemists have that certification. They all know this and keep offering me a fraction of what it's worth."

"How much?" I speak up.

"What?" He spins around to stare at me.

"How much is it worth?" I ask both him and Melanie.

"Mel? Is he with you?" He glares at my new business partner, but only for a moment before his face takes on a more conciliatory expression. "Look, I'm sorry about the shop. But, Mister Forrester offered a deal I'd be an idiot to ignore. If you had the coin, you know I'd sell everything to you. Hells, I'd even let it go at half of what it's worth. That's still ten times more than what these vultures have offered!" He raises his voice enough to carry throughout the building.

"Deal!" I interject.

"What?" His mouth opens wide.

"I said deal." I grin at his flabbergasted expression. "She's working with me on a new venture and needs the complete setup. Might as well get her one she's already familiar with. And, you." I lock eyes with the receptionist and tell him. "There won't be any problems with me keeping everything in my storage until we can get a certified workshop built."

"Uhh. N-no, Sir." He gulps. "Not so long as you prove to be competent with the spell." I make the entire counter vanish from across the room without a word. "T-that'll do." It reappears as if it was never gone.

"You are so fucking hot right now." Apricot breathes into my ear.

"You really are." Amelia says into my other ear.

"Alright, Melanie." I ignore the twin terrors that are clinging to me right now. "Looks like our little demonstration will have to wait for a bit. I hope you don't mind."

"I-I think I'll live." A string of nervous giggles escapes from her.

"Who are you?" Neal hurries to catch up as we stalk out of the guild house.

"Name's Sorrel. Which way to the shop?" I look between him and Melanie for the answer.

"It's about five blocks that way." She points towards the middle of town.

"Let's get a carriage then." I start walking towards one that's waiting at the corner.

"Is he for real?" I hear Neal talking to Melanie while Amelia negotiates the ride, she just can't seem to pass up an opportunity to haggle. "The store is packed, and even at half price that's still a lot of coin."

"He's good for the coin." She replies. They're both speaking quietly, but I can still hear them quite clearly. "He's the one who healed the little girl that got burned because of that bastard. So, whatever coin of his that didn't get spent repairing the farm went straight to him."

"..." The man looks pensive after hearing that, but a glance out of the corner of my eye lets him know that I'm not going to put up with any bullshit.

A short ride later and we arrive at a shop that looks slightly run down, but is right on the corner of a high-traffic street with lots of fancy shops surrounding it. I can understand why he's selling it, but I still think he's a fool to be cashing out everything his father worked hard to build up.

"Alright." I clap my hands together after Neal lets us into the shop. "Melanie, you should be familiar with everything here, but I'd like to get a proper list of what I'm buying. So, could you take this, and do a full inventory?" I hand her a clipboard filled with several sheets of paper.

"Of course." She rushes off to the storeroom in back, Neal following in her wake.

"Are you okay, Babe?" Amelia sends me a worried look.

"Yeah... no. I don't know." I heave out a deep sigh. "I guess I'm a little touchy about family stuff, and this whole thing feels like he's selling off his father's legacy. It's going to Melanie, which helps. But, I don't know... it just rubs me the wrong way."

"Oh, Baby." She pulls me into a tight hug.

"Ahem." Melanie clears her throat. "Everything in back matches up to my last inventory, I'll need to double-check everything here in the front, but it doesn't look like anything has been moved." She hands me a small sheaf of paper which I promptly pass to Amelia.

"Hmm?" She scans through the list while Melanie checks over the storefront. "I'm not familiar with everything here, but the prices she's marked are in line with around one-half the going market rates. The pouch you gave me yesterday should have enough to cover it and everything out front here."

"Here." I toss over the other coin pouch I got from Elise for the anatomical drawings. "I kept some pocket change, but you might as well hold onto this one too."

"..." I don't think I've ever seen that mix of desire and exasperation on someone's face before. "You are so frustratingly sexy right now." She chuckles before blowing a stream of air out of her nose.

"It's just coin, Babe." I say with a grin, knowing that it's that attitude that is driving her so nuts.

"Nng." The blonde's groan draws laughter from Apricot and me.

"Everything matches up out here too." The alchemist gave the clipboard directly to Amelia this time. "We won't have much use for this premade stuff, but I should be able to use my guild contacts to sell it, and at least get you your money back."

"I see a few things I wouldn't mind keeping." The merchant speaks up. "But, yeah. Selling off the rest is a good idea." She then starts counting out gold into an empty pouch before handing it to Neal who's been standing in the same doorway that Melanie came out of.

With the sale done, I start scooping everything into storage. Bottle after bottle, jar after jar, and pouch after pouch of stuff disappears with a wave of my hand. And, I have no idea what any of it does. Seeing all this reminds me of when my high school girlfriend tried to explain all of her makeup and various beauty products to me.

The storeroom was more interesting; aside from neat shelves of boxes, bags, and large jars, one whole side was dedicated to drying-racks full of a variety of plant life. These only disappeared after I secured a seed or two from each flower I could find.

The actual workshop was this strange mix of a modern chemistry lab and the arcane. Seeing tools that radiate magic made me finally realize that the alchemy of this world might be more than just the chemistry that I'm used to.

A small piece of folded paper gets revealed when I'm about half-way done storing everything. Curious, I flip it open. [Melanie, please don't be too harsh on my son when he sells this shop. Forrester has been...] I stop reading there and hand it off to the alchemist.

"Oh, Keegan." Tears start to leak from her eyes onto the note from her deceased master. "You stupid old man, you." She folds up the letter and deposits it in a pocket before dashing away her tears with a sleeve.

"Is there anything we can do?" Amelia hands her a satin handkerchief I made.

"You're already doing it." Melanie dabs away the last of the tears. "I needed a project to take my mind off of everything, and you're giving me that. But, I wouldn't say no to some more of that chocolate."

"Here." Amelia hands over a good chunk of her stash.

"Thanks." She takes a big bite out of one bar, and tucks the rest into a bag I make on the spot for her. "You seem to have everything now. I'm gonna head home, maybe open a bottle of wine. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"We'll be at the Baron's around noon, so feel free to sleep in." I offer up all I can. We just don't know her well enough to know what else to do.

She nods in our direction before leaving. The rest of us give her a moment before following after.

"We were never really close." Neal says. "But, I know a few of her friends. I'm going to go ask them to look in on her." He walks off towards the nearest free carriage.

***