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"So they want something that will improve their constitution and sharpen their focus… Alright, then I'll add some berries into the stock as well."
Clusters of yellow berries splattered against the cauldron, their juice staining the white petals of sweet flowers. After a bit of musing, he had discerned that their potency would be more than enough on their own. He can't think of what other combination of ingredients could make this possibly more effective and yet there was still space for additional ingredients. Perhaps they would appreciate another buff? Was there anybody else whose order partially overlapped? Maybe he could- Never mind.
Hmm… Maybe he'll add in some chili. He knows Barbara likes spicy food and maybe-
The contents of the cauldron suddenly sputtered and spitted, hissing as it boiled, shimmering pale white as it frothed over the lid.
"Uh, Lisa?"
A purple glow encased it, soothing the furious reaction. The thick foam sank as the bubbles stopped forming. It coughed before it completely stopped boiling, becoming more solid and chalky in nature. Lisa walked over with a concerned look on her face. "Oh dear, what happened? You didn't add anything different, did you?"
"No, it just started doing that out of nowhere."
"Hm." She sifted through the now more powdery substance with a spoon. "What did you use?"
"Just some berries and sweet flowers, but when I added a jueyun chili, it started doing that all of a sudden."
"Hm, strange, that shouldn't happen. Sorry sweetie, but you won't be able to use the cauldron for today while I dispose of this. You can give them a potion you've already made while I clean this."
Aether sighed. "Alright." He sorted through the potions storage before setting up a couple potions of a slightly lower quality, the potions quietly making a gurgling sound, clinking against each other as he put them in their boxes.
He wondered… Just what did he make back there?
A shimmery illusion powder. It called for an almost completely different recipe, far less sweet flower and berries, with the addition of cecilias and a romaritime flower. He has no idea how he stumbled upon it, if he actually did, but he's curious about it regardless. He could think of several instances of where it could be helpful - in battle, for distractions, as well as entertainment. It could show almost anything the user wanted if the quality was refined enough, from animated flying birds to transforming an entire landscape for the eye to see. But he wasn't interested in making illusions of flying birds right now.
He started preparing the cauldron and inspecting his own personal horde of ingredients, checking their qualities and took some of the mid-high to excellent quality ones. He decided that he would start with the decent ones first as he tried to nail the recipe before mastering it and using the cream of the crop. Alright, the last sweet flowers there, and a berry here… Now time for the cecilias. The white petals disappeared amongst the meld of ingredients before the cauldron shook. Romaritime flower! Romaritime flower! Its water filled petals dissolved and soothed the contents. He peeked inside to see it still hissing, hot water vapor drifting past him. Some parts still bubbled but it seemed most of its water content had evaporated. It was of somewhat disappointing quality, but he still had more ingredients in stocks, thankfully.
After a couple more panic-inducing attempts, he had finally settled with the best two batches he was currently going to get. They were of decent quality, much better than his first try, but not as great as he wanted it to be. Guess beggars can't be choosers. After settling in bed, he blew the powder of one of the satchels, the powder shimmering and sparkling as it spread across the room before funneling itself into the figure of someone that laid next to him.
He could hear it laugh. "Having trouble sleeping?" a soft voice spoke, with teasing eyes.
Aether stared for a second. He didn't expect it to speak and he thinks his circuits misfired when it laid a hand on his cheek, caressing it gently before Aether turned away. Its touch- it felt so real. So full of tenderness. So much so that it could be dangerous. "Yeah."
"I can always read a bedtime story for you," it teased.
"Sure." Aether fiddled with the edge of his blanket as he continued with a faint smile. "I like hearing your voice. Every word you speak, I drink it up like someone who has had no water for days in a sweltering desert finally meeting a monsoon, as if…" He trailed and got nervous when he glanced back and saw it stare at him with something he was always unsure of how to decipher on the real Albedo. "Sorry, I don't know, exactly, myself."
"That's fine." It smiled at him when he turned back to it. "I don't know what to make of some of my emotions either. But I think spending time with you has helped me refine my emotions and my understanding of them. And I think you feel the same way."
When he looked into the illusions of a loving Albedo's eyes, he could feel himself almost losing himself in them. "I do."
It smiled. "I'm glad it's mutual." The illusion moved closer, their legs now tangled together, its arms holding Aether. He hesitantly held it too, feeling his heart squeeze a little happily at their closeness and the warmth against his chest as he breathed in its scent. But it wasn't real. Would something like this ever be real between them?
"Alright-" it started, cutting through his thoughts, "I'll tell you a story. Once upon a time there was a prince who lived in an old castle all by himself. And in it was a broken tree that used to reach above the center of the castle's broken roof before it was cut in two. But even though it was broken, it was still alive. If he could coax it to grow once more until it was tall enough to let him climb outside, he could be free. But he had no idea how to take care of any plants, much less this tree he's never seen in any of his books. So he experimented with little flowers, and took care of small saplings. It was hard and lonely in the castle walls, but when he tended to his plants, he could hold onto hope, escaping the cold misery of isolation through them and the promise of freedom. Eventually, with enough experience, he learned enough to figure out how to take care of the ancient tree. Finally, he was able to leave the castle behind him. And to his surprise, the tree escaped with him too- in the form of someone golden."
It kissed him, soft lips pressed above . "Good night. May you have sweet dreams."
Aether's hand slipped through powder, sliding on the cold, empty bed next to him. He wished he could hear it say 'I love you', even though it wasn't true.
Aether sighed as the feeling of loneliness sharpened in his chest.