Work Text:
“It’ll never work.”
Dali shook his head as Shichiro Balam got to work on his newest experiment. Something so crazy no one had ever bothered to try it, merging different animals together was one thing, and it wasn’t so weird trying to combine plants either.
A plant and an animal however? It could never work, they were just to different this was sure to end in failure. It was such a crazy idea that when he’d heard well he couldn’t help but ask if he could watch. If it did work this would be an incredible break through for the Alchemical community
Balam continued to set everything up placing down a some sort of lizard, an unimpressive little creature with nothing all to distinctive about it and a bizarre tropical carnivorous plant- how he acquired some of these things without grants from the government was a mystery and that Dali wasn't sure he wanted answered.
Perhaps it was due to his ability to try things no one else would ever dare, never dissuaded by failures simply using them as another learning experience. It may have also explained how he garnered something of a reputation and his own nickname, although not a state alchemist himself.
“Ah please do back up, I’m not quite sure what will happen and I’d hate for you to get hurt.” Balam told the man as he finished drawing the circle, voice semi-muffled due to the mask he wore. No one was quite sure why but there were theories.
An experiment gone wrong that left him disfigured perhaps? Attacked by one of his own creations? Maybe he just liked them and was a fashion choice. No one knew and no one asked. Just one more odditiy of an already strange, reclusive alchemist.
Placing down the chalk Balam took a deep breath, with a final glance over his shoulder ensuring his observer was at a safe distance he clapped his hands together and placed them down, the table glowed covering both plant and lizard as pale blueish-green sparks crackled around air blowing around causing some nearby papers to flutter and dust to get kicked up into the air. Moments later the light faded and sparks dissipated revealing the end result of Balam's long hours of work and research.
Laying on the table was something that still resembled a lizard, sort of except green and furry? No, not fur but foliage covered over it’s back. A sort of mossy like coat going from it's head all the way to its tail, with tiny little leaves poking out in places. He'd really done it, that crazy experiment had worked.. sort of. Dali stared at the creature not seeing any sign of life from it
“Well looks like you did it, shame it didn’t survive.”
Balam said nothing, only stared at the unique creature he’d made. A Hybrid of plant and animal. Carefully a large, gloved hand reached out to nudge the small seemingly lifeless creature. Dead? After all the hard work he put in, the research, the other experiments this couldn’t be the final product.
Despite the lack of reaction he refused to give up so easily, but what could be done? Another transmutation could very well kill it if it wasn't already dead. Suddenly an idea came as he was reminded of a similar situation involving a puppy who'd needed a little extra help coming into the world. Carefully picking the strange chimera up he began gently rubbing a large hand over its back in a steady rhythmic motion, while Dali only watched on in curious but anxious silence. After a tense few moments he felt the small creature shift and then nudge in his hands. Moving his hand Balam watched as the little chimera slowly raised its head, big round eyes staring up at him.
Behind the mask a smile spread and he proudly placed the strange little, unique and entirely one-of-a kind chimer on his shoulder, giving it a little scratch under the chin.
“Well I’ll be,” Dali rubbed the back of his head, smiling wide and unable to contain the slight laugh “Guess I’m buying drinks tonight.”
The military sure could have used skills like his but Balam wasn't the type, no amount of money in the world or promise of research materials could possibly persuade him to join. No he was clearly all to happy to stay as the strange reclusive alchemist.