[1.2] - Basics of Alchemy: Coffee and Tea
Augustine, 32nd
9:02 am
Dr. Lobo has certainly earned his vile reputation. I’ve never before in my life met a more manipulative man so self-centered and antisocial. Most of the professors at the university are pretty bad, but Lobo is king among his misanthropic peers. If I didn’t need this internship so much, I would leave the old man stranded in a desert somewhere, with a bag full of salt — also bees.
Earlier this morning, about 8-o-clock, the coot and I had just arrived at the station on the edge of town. He was lumbering along, slower than he had when we left the university. He had bag slung around his back and another in hand, he limped along casually with the help of his odd cane. Of course, I had to carry the heavy instruments on loan from the university as well as my own effects. I was the one weighed down, but rushed ahead of him, reminding him of the time.
“We’re going to be late!” I shouted back through the crowd.
“I am never late.” he replied laconically. He seemed strangely satisfied with himself as if ready to face the sea of travelers before him, but preoccupied, gazing into the crowd, as if searching for something.
“The train leaves at 8:30 and we haven’t even reached customs yet. Look at all these people!” I could barely move through the crowd. It was so thick, with travelers, I couldn’t help but bump back and forth between them. It was gross. I could tell by the smell that some of them had been in very strange places.
I tried to push on into the crowd as quickly as I could, but it was so dense, I couldn’t move quickly.
“Oh you poor man.” I heard from somewhere behind me. I turned, surprised to find Lobo almost faint with pain. He was panting and held his chest, trying to catch his breath. There was a younger, attractive woman with her hand on his back and a look of deep concern on her face. By her uniform, I could tell she was a station employee. I was shocked for a moment, afraid he might have suffered from a stroke or attack of some kind.
“I’m alright, Miss. Thank you for your concern.” He was oddly kind . . . “In the guard, I used to carry three times this weight many kilometers every day. That was before . . . well, as you can see — “ He motioned to his [conveniently] bum leg. He was never in the guard. . .
“Here, let me get those bags for you.” She picked up his bags before he could pretend to refuse and he smiled innocently. “What’s your mode?”
“The 8:30 to Terrell. I’m not sure my daughter and I will make it in time however.” He motioned to me. And the lady turned to notice me while people passed by, bumping up against me as I watched the scene unfold. Unbelievable.
“Don’t worry, honey, we’re gonna take good care of you an your daddy. I can get you to your train on time. Trust me!” She winked at me enthusiastically.
As she led the way, he limped prominently after her, watching her butt in the short skirt uniform. And I followed, disgusted.
“You’re an evil, dirty, old man.” I whispered to him.
“You wanted to hurry, so now we hurry.” He whispered back. He limped ahead, closer to the woman’s butt. All the while she weaved through the crowd, clearing a path for the fake old war veteran and his lovely daughter.
I caught up to Lobo before before he could get too close to the station employee. “I know in my heart there is some wicked circle of hell devoted to people like you.”
“If I stick out enough, my damnation might be less crowded than this place.” He glanced around.
“Oh you noticed it too?” I scoffed.
“Almost there!” The woman turned to reassure us.
We both smiled innocently at her, reassuring her of our wonderful family bonds.
“Light of my life this one. Bless her, she’s not the brightest young one,” He patted me on the head. I wanted to bite his hand off. “but she’s learning. Her sister, my other one, is an actress in theater.” He glanced at me quickly and hid his mouth from me, whispering to the woman ahead of us, “She’s the pretty one.” I rolled my eyes and gave up. Then I noticed the station employee looking back at me while she walked.
“Don’t worry, honey, you’ll grow into your looks.” She seemed to notice my slightly-smaller-than-average bust and glanced at me with a sympathetic pity. Then smiled and stuck out her chest encouragingly. I quickly covered my shirt with some of the luggage, embarrassed and stupefied. Then she turned and pointed towards the signs hanging from the tall station ceilings. “Here we are!” She announced, triumphantly. “I’ll find someone to check your bags quickly so you can get on the 8:30 in time.”
I checked my watch. It was 8:22.
“You are too kind, miss. . .”
“Elise” She blushed slightly as he took her hand and kissed it. “You two have a pleasant journey.” She winked at me and disappeared into the crowd.
Lobo tapped on the customs counter, patiently waiting for the customs clerk to arrive.
“I’m the pretty one.” I said.
“You have a sister?” he said.
“You’re a horrible father.” I said.
He stared at me.
“What?” I stared back.
“Are you really the pretty one?” He grimaced. I reached up to slap him when I heard a voice.
“Oye. Are you carrying any fruits, vegitables, animals, plants, potions, spell books or weapons with you today?” I hadn’t noticed the customs clerk pop in. He startled me.
“Just the girl, and some scientific instruments.” Lobo hit the heavy bag with his cane.
“That’s an Alchemist’s sash, isn’t it?” The clerk pointed to my belt.
“She’s a graduate student at The University and my assistant. She is qualified and licensed to practice Alchemy.” Lobo interjected before I could say anything.
“I’m sorry, we do not allow for alchemy ingredients or potions on board. They are a hazard and a possible risk to passengers and the train.” The customs clerk held out his hand to confiscate my bag. “We will mail your kit to the local post office at your destination and you can pick it up in a week’s time.”
I started to untie my sash when I noticed the line next to us. There must have been 40 people in it at least. “Wait, that man is carrying a giant sword!” I pointed at the guard in the line adjacent to us.
The customs clerk sighed impatiently. “Swords don’t blow up a train compartment and cause a wreak. Also, that man is a Royal Guard.” I guess the royal emblem on his armor was pretty obvious. The guard waved at us and smiled.
“Well Dr. Lobo is an Alchemist. What about his -”
“He’s not wearing a kit, miss” The custom’s clerk interrupted me. I felt dumb. “But I’m going to be without my supplies for a week.” I appealed to the clerk.
“Wait, you didn’t forget to send supplies ahead of time, did you?” Lobo turned to me.
“Do what?” I turned at him, puzzled.
“Did I forget to tell you?”
“Yes!” I yelled at him and then stopped, confused. “Tell me what?” I yelled again.
“My medication!” He yelled at me.
I shrunk. I didn’t know what he was talking about. I looked in my kit. “What medication?” I peeped, still bewildered.
“You were supposed to send my medication to Terrell a week ago so this wouldn’t happen! I gave it to you, you didn’t put it in there, did you!” Lobo was enraged. I was frightened. I didn’t know what to do. He looked like he was going to hit me, so I instinctively screamed “I’m sorry!”
“Sir, calm down” The customs clerk reached over the counter and grabbed Lobo on the shoulder.
“Don’t touch me!” Lobo yanked back. He grabbed my sash and opened my kit, violently, digging through it, frustrated. He then pulled out a small container and shoved it in my face. “Why is it here? How did this get here? Are you trying to poison me, woman?! You should have sent this a week ago! Instead, it’s in your kit next to lethal ingredients! Stupid child!” I was too confused and hurt to understand what was going on. I almost felt like crying but I didn’t. I just sunk back and stayed quiet, embarrassed. My stomach hurt.
By now the guard with the giant sword had made his way over to us. “What’s going on here?”
“This foolish little girl almost lost my medication and could have killed me!” Lobo threw his arms in the air.
“Sir, the kit please.” The custom’s clerk motioned to the professor.
“Certainly! And don’t bother sending it, either! This stupid girl shouldn’t be in possession of such a tool.” He threw my sash and kit down on the counter, still glaring at me. I felt tiny.
After the customs clerk had procured my bag, he nodded to the guard. “We’re okay here.” He said. The guard nodded and walked off, back to his spot in line.
The rest of the inspection, while short and uneventful, felt awkward. I spent the entire time looking at the floor, too scared to find Lobo glaring at me. The clerk finished inspecting our bags and loaded them onto a cart.
“If you’ll follow me, please. We have only a few minutes before your departure.”
I checked my watch again, 8:27.
He loaded our bags onto the cargo cart and led us to the terminal. Then very happily tipped his hat and left us, grumbling something as he went away. We entered and let the ticket master check our tickets.
Alone in our cabin, we sat for several minutes after the train had started. Neither of us said a thing. Lobo simply sat in his seat and looked out the window, watching the countryside pass by. I was the first to speak.
“I’m sorry.”
Suddenly, the steward opened the door. “Refreshments?” He asked, turning to me.
“No, thank you.” I said.
“And for you, sir?” He turned to Lobo.
“Tea, please.” He finally turned away from the window and smiled at the steward.
“Certainly,” The steward said and reached in his cart for a small kettle. He poured the boiling water into a metal mug and reached for a tea bag.
“Uh, I’ll do that.” Lobo stopped the steward.
“Certainly, Sir.” The steward nodded and handed the tea bag and mug to the Professor. He tipped his cap at me. I smiled at him and he closed the door.
Lobo carefully blew at the small top in the mug, trying to cool off the water. I just sat there looking at my feet.
“Hold this, please.” He said to me and held out the mug. I held it, quietly and watched him.
“Do you like tea?” He asked.
“Uh… Sure. I guess” I said.
“Good” He took the tea bag and tore a small hole at the top, near the string. “Give me your hand.”
I held out my hand, still holding his hot water in the the other. And he carefully emptied the tea bag into my palm. Then he blew into the bag and brushed away the remaining herbs.
“I hate tea.” He said and smiled at me with a quick glance.
Then he reached for his cane. He held it up and put his fingers to it, counting the niches in the wood. I watched curiously. Then he pushed gently on a small cross section of the cane, revealing a small compartment with a dark powder in it.
“That’s why you carry that cane around? That’s your kit?”
He tapped some of the dark powder into the tea bag and tied a knot around the top of it to seal off the hole he tore in it. Then he took the mug from me and dropped the bag in.
“I’m a coffee person.” He sipped his mug contently.
I just sat there with a pile of herbs still in my hand. “You’re not still mad at me?” I asked.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out his medication, then tossed it at me. I caught it with my free hand and — “These are the core materials from my kit!” He had saved me my most rare and important materials!
“An alchemist is never without tools and ingredients.” He sipped, smiling from under is coffee mug. He continued glancing out the window, smugly. I was so impressed and enraged at the same time, I couldn’t think. I had to leave so I put my core materials in my pocket and reached for the door, noticing I was still holding the tea herbs in my hand. “What do I do with these?” I thought out loud, not really speaking to him.
“Make tea.” He said, again laconically. I was dumbfounded. So I poured the herbs into a chamber in my materials case and put it back into my pocket. Then left.
As of now, I am in the trains dinner cart, listening to some wonderful, live music. I thought it best to write down the experience so that I can remember to hurt him later. And thank him. Or something.
Calvin Page
Alchemist – Apprentice Class
