38th day of Winter 513 AV
Winter. Bob did not expect much to happen considering so far he only saw his uncle treating people stupid enough to get injured because of the weather, normally slipping on the ice but this would not be the first time he was proven wrong. It just meant he had more work to do. The table before Bob had a cat laid down on it and he really could not stand the sound it was making. He rather the sound be from him strangling the cat himself. "You know...I don't even want to know how a cat can get burned in winter..." he told its owner which was not true. Despite him acting disinterested Bob wanted to know what was going on. Was she someone crazy to burn her cat or maybe a crazed Zeltivan mage? Stories of crazy cat ladies are not really uncommon after all and when he looked at the cat there was no trace of it getting burned. Not even the disgusting smell of burned skin. The only reason he knew the cat was burned was because the owner told him which meant she was the source, or so Bob could conclude.
He would have to find out eventually if he was really going to treat this cat. Bob let out a sigh as he got to examining the animal, mumbling profanities about the annoying noise it was making. The noise intensified when he put his hand forward to examine the cat's injury and Bob shook his head. "This is not going to be easy is it?" he asked himself before looking at the cat's owner and saying "you're a distraction. Get out!" His curiosity was really getting to him. There were some protests of course but Bob immediately faced the woman and looked sternly at her. Not even giving her a chance as his eyes narrowed unto hers and he said coldly "get out, or it isn't going to be treated" which was untrue. As long as he was getting paid he would finish the job. He did not look away during the pause for the few seconds that followed. Never said anything when the woman protested again. Bob just continued staring, ignoring the cat until the woman gave up and left.
Bob knew that was not going to be the end but he could just intimidate her again if she started anything. His experience in Sunberth worked well when dealing with people especially when they were not cooperative. Now that he would not be interrupted and more importantly, be seen, he could get to work. Bob took a little ink and headed over to the mirror before applying it around his mouth. The result he could see in his reflection was a ring of black that barely surrounded his mouth. That however was not finished yet because he had to use the water from the nearby bowl to wipe the black lines trickling down his face from the wet ink that was making his glyph look off. Once it looked as much as a proper circle as he could get it to Bob used the remaining water to wash off the ink on his fingers. Not exactly an easy task for Bob that wanted nothing more than to strangle the cat with its annoying racket. Put it out of its misery once and for all.
And it might have looked that way when he headed over to the cat again hand stretched out or at least to the cat that started hissing again. Bob shut his eyes as he tried to ignore the noise, concentrating on his mouth and the focus around it to pull in his djed from other parts. The noise started to get louder and Bob's eyebrows were squirming but he did not stop until he could feel the power welling up in his mouth, the glyph around it keeping it all together. When he finally opened his eyes and looked at his target, he released it while saying nice words in a calm voice. It was not important whether or not the cat actually understood him because Bob only needed to make sure he was heard. His djed in his voice as it entered the cat's ears will bombard it over and over with the suggestion "let me help, or suffer. Let me help, or suffer. Let me help, or suffer..." until the cat stopped opposing him or Bob decided that the animal was not worth the trouble.
Fortunately for the cat, it took the suggestion and stopped hissing. However Bob knew better than jumping on the opportunity right away. Bob moved his hand forward a little bit more and then without any resistance from the cat, moved it even further until his hand could feel a little of the fur brushing against him. He twitched his nose a little just as the cat twitched its body, not looking forward to what he was going to have to do next and said softly to the cat "don't try anything funny alright?" It could have been easier to give another wave of suggestions but Bob would rather save his djed in case he needed it further in the treatment and was hoping that the cat would be able to pick up what he wanted of it from the tone of his voice. The one that would tell it he meant it no harm and he did not want to get harmed by it either.
Slowly pushing the fur apart Bob could see the exposed skin of the cat. "That doesn't look too bad..." he said expecting to see something a lot worse. Bob remembered something his uncle told him to look for in cases like this, where he should consult his uncle right away but so far it did not look like the cat's skin was any different than it should be. Bob continued to push the cat's fur apart as he went further into his examination telling it to shhhh quietly when it tried to move away or make more noise. Much to his relief what he found was just swelling and some blisters. "Nothing I can't handle..." he assured himself before moving away from the cat and consulting the notes his uncle gave him. While his uncle took charge on educating Bob in medical practices as a boy, that was ages ago and Bob needed some refreshing on what he needed to do. The only thing he needed to make sure of was not screwing things up. Maybe the animals is how his uncle is testing him.
But Bob did not have to wait long to actually screw up. After consulting with the notes his uncle gave him to refresh his memory of things he had learned long ago when his uncle wanted Bob to turn out a respectable citizen of Zeltiva, before he decided to up and leave the vet got to work following the instructions. First on the list...Bob immediately grabbed the water basin that was used in treatments, the one he used earlier and hovered it above the cat. "Just relax kitty" he told it before tipping it to let the water flow. The cat however as predicted started to squirm as the water touched it but Bob was already prepared. Quickly, his free hand went out to hold the animal in place. He was so focused on waiting for the cat that he only noticed after securing the cat that the water falling on it was blackish. "Crap!" he told himself remembering he used the water to wash the ink earlier and immediately stopped but it was too late. The water was already spilled.
"Don't go anywhere!" he told the cat as he raced out with the water basin and right after he shut the door he saw its equally annoying owner. "Your cat is fine. Its nothing serious" he told her before continuing on, ignoring everything else until he refilled the basin with fresh water. When he got back the woman was still there looking angry as ever. Bob took a deep breath and reassured her before she could say anything else "your cat is fine. Why don't you go and have a meal outside. She'll be ready when you return." He could tell she was not convinced when she asked Bob about him running and the noise she heard. Bob paused thinking about his response when he said "I want the same thing you do. To see your pet recovered. To do that I have to give it my all whether...uhhh...whether or not it wants it." Hopefully that is enough to explain things but whether or not she was persuaded, Bob immediately reentered the room and shut the door behind him.
It came as no surprise that the cat was no longer on the table. Bob carefully placed the basin and started searching the room. "Meow?" he said trying to get a response but there was none. Looking around, Bob could find no way for the cat to escape. The windows were shut and he was through the door too quickly although with what he has done with the cat and knowing the creature's reaction after having been in so many similar situations, he was sure the cat would not want to pass him. Bob looked under the table, under the chair still being unable to find anything. It was then he saw it. A shadow slowly creeping towards the door and Bob's eyes moved along it until he saw its source. It was the cat trying to keep silent while making its escape. Unfortunately Bob already spotted it. Not taking his eyes off it he went after the cat hands out ready to grab the animal. Like he told its owner, the cat was going to get healed whether it wants to or not.
With the cat already weakened as it is, it did not take Bob much effort to capture it and have it on the table again. It hissed wildly while trying to swipe its claws at its captor but it was no use. Bob already knows how to handle such animals. He was clawed enough times already back in Sunberth to make sure that he will not get slashed unless he needed to be. Having it secured on the table again Bob started tipping the water, ignoring the animal's squeals but it did not take him long to realise something again. The water in the basin was running out fast and he would have to get some more soon. Bob knew he had to at least clean the cat's wounds before stating on anything else but he did not want to leave it alone again. He might not be able to find it again the next time.
As the water that trickled down from the cat's body became clearer from the black color it had, Bob realized something. He would not need to get more water after all. Bob put the water basin down but never did let go off the cat. His grip on its body remained steady eventhough his hand was getting sore from applying his strength on something fighting back against his efforts for so long. It was only when the cat stopped struggling that Bob allowed his hand to loosen a little but not fully. He was still unsure of the cat and what it would do. However even as he loosened his grip while reassuring the cat that it would be alright and finding the cat did not any more intention to struggle he finally let go to get on with his work using the method he realized was still available to him. Unlike the earlier glyph, this would be easier since it would be on a flat surface he can properly see. Bob quickly took the ink again and dipped his finger into it.
Strange thing was instead of putting his ink on his palm right away, he put his thumb down first but the idea would come to those who watched right away. When Bob put his thumb and finger apart he started twisting his wrist. With the fixed length between both, Bob was able to make a perfect circle on his palm. "Hmmmm..." did he actually make it too big? He contemplated making a smaller one because of what he needed to do but decided he did not have the time and would work with what he had. Nevertheless he still had to fix it as he saw ink running down again as he brought his hand up. "Curses!" He will not have work ruined like this. Again with a wet finger he started to wipe out the marks that would make his nice looking circle looking not so nice and to make sure it does not happen again, he started blowing on his palm to dry the ink and keep his glyph intact.
Now it was time. Bob using the focus already at hand started to bring out his res. He could already feel the glyph at work bringing it out faster but that was not what the glyph was for. It was only a bonus. With a small sphere of res building up within the center of the glyph, Bob stopped rather quickly before heading to the water basin while extending his hand and at the same time allowing the ball of res to part from his hand if only a little bit. There the ball of res started to attract the water. Slowly with little droplets moving to create a layer of water that only grew thicker. Bob had no choice. This was going to require precision and he could only be patient, allowing so much water to be gathered. "Stupid cats." The cat was already giving him a hard time and their dislike for water only made things harder for Bob forcing him to limit the water as much as possible. That and there was always a chance for the water ruining his glyph. This was going to be...hard...
And then extending his other hand, Bob tried to naturally creep up on the cat if there was such a thing. Well there is, Bob saw it being done by predatorish animals, cats included but never by a person. Either there was no such person or they were too good for him to find. He advanced slowly, carefully. Each step with painstaking effort to not alarm his targ...patient. Bob only allowed his feet to touch the ground as much as needed which meant only the balls of his feet. "Creak...creak...creak..." the slightest noise by him felt like a shout telling the cat "hey I'm over here!" but he did not even see it twitch the slightest until finally, he stumbled on himself. While his already outstretched hand was able to find purchase on the table to stop him from falling down, he felt that he lost his chance. For all his effort, he saw the cat slowly turning its head towards him.
Biting his lip Bob went for it and pushed his hand off towards the cat from the table. The animal must have felt the force because it hissed and started to get back on its feet. "No!" he yelled stretching his hand forward. He needed to be a lot faster and perhaps he was just this time because of the cat's condition. He felt his hand pressing on the fur and he squeezed to get a hold on the cat which brought another hiss. Bob expected that his actions will bring some retaliation until he saw he was able to make a hold on the creature's back. This brought a smile on his face remembering how some people used to try stopping him and he started pushing the cat down. For moments they were caught trying to overpower one another but Bob knew he had the advantage especially in height and did not relent until the cat was brought down on to the table again.
But even with this victory Bob did not release the cat or any of the strength he was applying to it. "Sorry but I'll try my best to finish this quickly" he told it before bringing his other hand, the one with a floating ball of water no bigger than his palm towards the cat. His eyes searched for the spot he found the blisters earlier and once he found it again he took a deep breath. "Only a little more to go before I'm done." Bob pushed the ball of water forward and he could feel the cat putting up some fight again. "Relax" he told it calmly "its only water" which was true. That were reasons why Bob was using reimancy here. Not touching the cat's wounds was one of them and the other was because he needed precision. More precision than just pouring on water like he did earlier.
Now that he was almost complete, Bob did not want to split his attention. He pushed down on the cat harder. Hard enough so he can fully concentrate on his work. His eyes were fixed on where the ball of water touched the cat. With the glyph helping to focus it all together within its boundaries Bob could focus on on what the water ball actually did. Where his eyes saw the blisters and swells, he had the water surround and flow over them over and over in rotations to properly clean them. His eyes did not move as he told the cat that started resisting even more "this is for your own good" and once he moved the ball of water everywhere it needed to be covering all the blisters and swells he could find, he transmuted the res at the core of the ball of water fully into its element. No longer having anything to power it and hold it together, it dropped and Bob used what he caught to wash the glyph off his hand before the water was all wasted on the ground.
The cat was already at the corner far away from Bob after he released it and seeing it, he sighed. There was only one thing left his notes told him and he headed over to raid the medicine. "Damn it uncle" he said unhappily. It was in a mess. Finding what he needed was going to be hard in that mess which only Marny knew how to use, calling it an organized mess. Bob hoped that maybe today, he would figure it out. He looked at the labels on the bottles hoping its alphabetical because it would make his work so much easier. He put the items that started with A on the corner, the Bs beside it, the J's below the A with the K following beside it and so on but he already knew that this was not it. Soon he found the jar he was looking for and left the half organized-organized mess on its own. His uncle should be the one to sort it out and if Marny did not like his nephew trying to make things more accessible for others, he should have taught Bob the system properly.
Marny should also have kept his stuff well stocked because Bob found there was not much left "It should do for now I guess...for you!" he said looking at the cat while putting the jar he found on the table. The cat started hissing again and flailed its claws as Bob approached but he was not going to waste anymore time. Bob grabbed it on its sides below its forelegs and lifted it away from him and out of its reach until he could place it on the table as well. Taking some of the gel in the jar he started dabbing it on the cat's now clean wounds. The places which he spotted already earlier while he was cleaning it and after a while of trying to keep it steady by pushing it from the back while gently applying the gel he was "done!" This was ridiculous. The cat was too much trouble.
He returned the cat to its owner and told her "your pet is fine for now but you'll need to continue treating it." When she asked why Bob could not continue he answered "because there are other pets that need helping." The statement did not match his thoughts at all. There was no way he wanted to work on this cat anymore but the woman tried to persuade him. Bob did not want it and tried to throw her off looking like he was negotiating for a good offer. "Well you see, it will take up too much time so unless you can pay my daily wages for me to take care of it..." and offer which for some reason she agreed to forcing Bob to add "and I have other pets waiting already." She tried to tell Bob that she would already be paying his daily wages for it but no. "Not unless you are going to pay me for a long time since it will also cause people to get my services from someone else." Why could she not take a hint? Bob was wondering what was so important about the cat when he finally decided that there was something he could offer.
Something he could offer that she should accept and leave him alone. "I'll tell you what. I'll make you the medicine to apply on that cat of yours alright? You Just have to use it daily and you can being the cat again sometime later for me to check it up again." She thought for a few moments and Bob thought that maybe he could... "it might cost a little extra since we have to make it now but its still cheaper than me doing the work everyday don't you think? Works out well for both of us" he said with a smile. He knew the woman had something to say but as soon as she said yes, he cut her off saying "Wonderful. It shouldn't take me long to get it" before heading off smiling to himself. The unfavorable negotiations might not have worked but at least it made his second offer, the only one that could have worked out with him seem more reasonable to her.
If only his uncle actually kept things properly, Bob could not have to sort out through all this. He already knew the name of what he needed and asked his uncle about it. The uncle who was too busy to offer any help except provide a description. At least now he knew what it looked like as he headed over to where his uncle cultivated all the medicinal plants. As he looked at each plant he could be heard commenting on things like "...too gray. Too small. Too wide. Too smooth. Too spiky. Not spiky enough..." Bob has already passed one or two of the plant but the description his uncle provided him already set a predetermined image in his mind. One that if the plant did not match exactly, would not be the plant to him and then, there it was. Tall green leaves with white spikes. "Got it, unc" who only took one look at the leaf his nephew brought back and said something else about whether he got the right thing and he had to make it on his own.
Well Bob was sure he had the right plant since his uncle confirmed it but he was not sure if he got the right leaf. Bob headed back to pick a new one when "wait a second..." The leaf in his hand is the same as the ones in the plant that he passed over the first time now that he had a chance to compare it. It did not fit his mental image earlier but it did look like the leaf he had if it had been a little more grayish. It even had the leaf growing from the point his uncle told him to take it from. Bob thought to himself a little before deciding to grab the leaf from this plant and headed over to his uncle who confirmed again that Bob had the right plant in annoyance since he was treating another patient. It was interesting, the fleeting thought in Bob's mind for a while until he discarded it and headed back to work. Only this task left to be rid of the annoying customer and her equally annoying pet.
Which made Bob a little mode independent in this part. He already knew what he applied on the cat and that was the gel. In his mind he needed no further instruction and thought back to what he has done in the past to make something like it. He looked at the tools before him and started arranging what he needed on the table. The scales? While he has seen his uncle using it before he did not really care to measure what he was going to give. All that mattered was giving it and he put it to the side where he would not reach. The brazier? Actually he was going to need it but there was no way he could lift it so he just lighted it and commit to mind that he was going to need to get to it later. He smiled when he saw the mortar and pestle knowing he most definitely needed that and put it on the table. Before it was a knife. That was what Bob knew he was going to need first which was why it was easier to reach. He thought to himself if he needed anything else but with nothing coming to mind, he decided to get to work.
This was going to be easy and a good way for Bob to vent his frustrations. He took the knife and immediately started chopping the leaf into small pieces in front of him. Not as small as it should be since Bob was always too careful in thigns that might hurt himself but that was what the other tools was for. The knife once used was immediately discarded to the other side where it will not block Bob from the mortar and pestle. As soon as the pieces of the leaf were in place, Bob started crushing the leaves. Grinding them down mercilessly as though they were...they were the cat that annoyed him so much until it looked nothing but pasty gel. Even then Bob went on some more. Not to be sure but because there was still a little more frustration in him that needs venting.
Fortunately Marny came to check on his nephew and his work. At that time, he could see Bob standing in front of the brazier holding a beaker of whats left of the leaf over it to heat it up. It looks like Bob forgot the beaker wasting him valuable time. Hopefully next time he will remember. Hey uncle. Just finishi-oww!" Did his uncle just hit him? Of course his uncle just did because as the man explained, Bob was not only doing it all wrong but he was also going to hurt himself. "How?" Bob asked as his uncle showed him another tool that made him say "oh" when he realized it. No wonder he felt his fingers getting hotter.
"Well since you're here you can make it right?" because Bob just did all the work for nothing. Apparently Marny was not going to get his nephew out of the mess and just oversee the work. Bob knew his uncle was quite a hard teacher in this but for good reason. A mistake can ruin a patients life. He nodded defeated and began to arrange the tools he had earlier back to where they were on the table only, with the beaker behind the mortar and pestle since it would be used after it. Bob was surprised when his uncle told him he did not need all that and told him to remove the mortar and pestle which he did obediently. He looked at the brazier at the side. "I don't think I need that too?" he asked fishing the answer from his while trying to appear not stupid. When it was confirmed he put out the fire and stood before the table. "Now what?"
He forgot the most important thing, the leaf which his uncle got for him to save time. Apparently the woman outside was getting impatient. Bob kept the plant standing like his uncle told him although a bit of a loss why. He got bored in minutes but his uncle told him to keep at it until his return. Bob saw the remains of his mess in the beaker and decided to see what was wrong with it. Putting his finger in he realized that he really went about it wrong. It felt different from when he was applying the gel to the cat earlier. Chunkier and rougher. Now he was a lot more curious about his uncle's method of preparation. After looking at the leaf he was holding he saw something interesting. It was dripping down something and piling up below. "Is this the stuff?" he asked his uncle when Marny returned to give him further instruction like cutting all the sharp points and told him it was just sap. "So its not it..." Bob told himself as he wondered how the points affected the gel.
But Bob followed his instructions and carefully cut the points. He was so engrossed in his task he did not notice his uncle leaving and returning again when he was nearly done affirming the nephew did well in cutting the spikes on the leaf from top to bottom and continued instructing to cut from the inside. Once Bob finished separating the front and back he saw how wrong he was. This. This was the gel he used and following his Marny's instruction, Bob used the knife to scrape out every little bit of the gel he could and put it into the beaker. "We're done now right?" he asked his uncle who agreed but told his nephew there was something extra if he chose to do it. Bob thought to himself for a while and with all the work he already put into it he decided to go all the way.
It was a good thing that he already sorted out the mess but his uncle did nto feel the same way when he started asking what happened. Arranging it alphabetically earlier, Bob looked for "A...B...C...Ca...Co...Co...Ce..." and went on until "I found it!" fortunately with not much difficulty although he did not organize the items further than their first letter. Next time perhaps. Taking a little of its contents and putting it into the gel, Bob started mixing it. Slowly stirring without actually getting into the gel so that it will spread nicely without knowing whether his actions were effective and then, and then "finally!" he saw the color changing and stopped as he uncle told him the same. He kept the gel properly in a jar and headed out giving it to the woman right away. "There, Aloe Vera" he said before explaining "Just dab a little on the swells and blisters every day...every hour" he corrected himself when he saw his uncle shaking his head "and come back next time to get your cat looked over" before showing the woman to the door.
At the door and out of earshot from his uncle, Bob stopped the woman and asked finally having the chance to "what happened to the cat? As the vet I should know" if nothing more than to satisfy his curiosity. The woman tried to assure him that it was an accident but Bob knew better. Everything came down to information and Bob started piecing it together for her. To get the truth. "It can't be an accident. Its winter and it was too cold for something like this. "The only way for something like this to happen is if the cat touched something hot" Bob said as if reciting something and after having to put up with the cat's caution and resistance earlier, "your cat seems a little bit too smart to actually allow itself to be in that position. It wouldn't even allow me to treat its wounds" eventhough Bob persuaded it to cooperate in the beginning with hypnotism. Not to mention, "you brought it in pretty fast if you were reacting to an accident" since when Bob found the cat the wounds were still pretty fresh.
No it all doesn't add up and Bob who believed he was on a roll already decided to go with the next idea in his head. "The only conclusion is that is has something to do with you. But why?" he asked accusingly but Bob could not have been more right and wrong at the same time. The woman told him he was insulting her and after that explained. Bob found himself nodding in agreement and saying things like "I know what I saw" and "but I thought..." as she explained the cat being too cold from the weather got a little too close to her when she was cooking and accidentally pressed itself on the cooking pot when it wanted to her leg. Bob could only say "sorry" when she told him he might have been right if he was not too focused on trying to make her look bad. "Ok I'm sorry. Just bring it back the next time something happens and I'll fix it right up alright?" he said before going back in and shutting the door behind him.
He would have to find out eventually if he was really going to treat this cat. Bob let out a sigh as he got to examining the animal, mumbling profanities about the annoying noise it was making. The noise intensified when he put his hand forward to examine the cat's injury and Bob shook his head. "This is not going to be easy is it?" he asked himself before looking at the cat's owner and saying "you're a distraction. Get out!" His curiosity was really getting to him. There were some protests of course but Bob immediately faced the woman and looked sternly at her. Not even giving her a chance as his eyes narrowed unto hers and he said coldly "get out, or it isn't going to be treated" which was untrue. As long as he was getting paid he would finish the job. He did not look away during the pause for the few seconds that followed. Never said anything when the woman protested again. Bob just continued staring, ignoring the cat until the woman gave up and left.
Bob knew that was not going to be the end but he could just intimidate her again if she started anything. His experience in Sunberth worked well when dealing with people especially when they were not cooperative. Now that he would not be interrupted and more importantly, be seen, he could get to work. Bob took a little ink and headed over to the mirror before applying it around his mouth. The result he could see in his reflection was a ring of black that barely surrounded his mouth. That however was not finished yet because he had to use the water from the nearby bowl to wipe the black lines trickling down his face from the wet ink that was making his glyph look off. Once it looked as much as a proper circle as he could get it to Bob used the remaining water to wash off the ink on his fingers. Not exactly an easy task for Bob that wanted nothing more than to strangle the cat with its annoying racket. Put it out of its misery once and for all.
And it might have looked that way when he headed over to the cat again hand stretched out or at least to the cat that started hissing again. Bob shut his eyes as he tried to ignore the noise, concentrating on his mouth and the focus around it to pull in his djed from other parts. The noise started to get louder and Bob's eyebrows were squirming but he did not stop until he could feel the power welling up in his mouth, the glyph around it keeping it all together. When he finally opened his eyes and looked at his target, he released it while saying nice words in a calm voice. It was not important whether or not the cat actually understood him because Bob only needed to make sure he was heard. His djed in his voice as it entered the cat's ears will bombard it over and over with the suggestion "let me help, or suffer. Let me help, or suffer. Let me help, or suffer..." until the cat stopped opposing him or Bob decided that the animal was not worth the trouble.
Fortunately for the cat, it took the suggestion and stopped hissing. However Bob knew better than jumping on the opportunity right away. Bob moved his hand forward a little bit more and then without any resistance from the cat, moved it even further until his hand could feel a little of the fur brushing against him. He twitched his nose a little just as the cat twitched its body, not looking forward to what he was going to have to do next and said softly to the cat "don't try anything funny alright?" It could have been easier to give another wave of suggestions but Bob would rather save his djed in case he needed it further in the treatment and was hoping that the cat would be able to pick up what he wanted of it from the tone of his voice. The one that would tell it he meant it no harm and he did not want to get harmed by it either.
Slowly pushing the fur apart Bob could see the exposed skin of the cat. "That doesn't look too bad..." he said expecting to see something a lot worse. Bob remembered something his uncle told him to look for in cases like this, where he should consult his uncle right away but so far it did not look like the cat's skin was any different than it should be. Bob continued to push the cat's fur apart as he went further into his examination telling it to shhhh quietly when it tried to move away or make more noise. Much to his relief what he found was just swelling and some blisters. "Nothing I can't handle..." he assured himself before moving away from the cat and consulting the notes his uncle gave him. While his uncle took charge on educating Bob in medical practices as a boy, that was ages ago and Bob needed some refreshing on what he needed to do. The only thing he needed to make sure of was not screwing things up. Maybe the animals is how his uncle is testing him.
But Bob did not have to wait long to actually screw up. After consulting with the notes his uncle gave him to refresh his memory of things he had learned long ago when his uncle wanted Bob to turn out a respectable citizen of Zeltiva, before he decided to up and leave the vet got to work following the instructions. First on the list...Bob immediately grabbed the water basin that was used in treatments, the one he used earlier and hovered it above the cat. "Just relax kitty" he told it before tipping it to let the water flow. The cat however as predicted started to squirm as the water touched it but Bob was already prepared. Quickly, his free hand went out to hold the animal in place. He was so focused on waiting for the cat that he only noticed after securing the cat that the water falling on it was blackish. "Crap!" he told himself remembering he used the water to wash the ink earlier and immediately stopped but it was too late. The water was already spilled.
"Don't go anywhere!" he told the cat as he raced out with the water basin and right after he shut the door he saw its equally annoying owner. "Your cat is fine. Its nothing serious" he told her before continuing on, ignoring everything else until he refilled the basin with fresh water. When he got back the woman was still there looking angry as ever. Bob took a deep breath and reassured her before she could say anything else "your cat is fine. Why don't you go and have a meal outside. She'll be ready when you return." He could tell she was not convinced when she asked Bob about him running and the noise she heard. Bob paused thinking about his response when he said "I want the same thing you do. To see your pet recovered. To do that I have to give it my all whether...uhhh...whether or not it wants it." Hopefully that is enough to explain things but whether or not she was persuaded, Bob immediately reentered the room and shut the door behind him.
It came as no surprise that the cat was no longer on the table. Bob carefully placed the basin and started searching the room. "Meow?" he said trying to get a response but there was none. Looking around, Bob could find no way for the cat to escape. The windows were shut and he was through the door too quickly although with what he has done with the cat and knowing the creature's reaction after having been in so many similar situations, he was sure the cat would not want to pass him. Bob looked under the table, under the chair still being unable to find anything. It was then he saw it. A shadow slowly creeping towards the door and Bob's eyes moved along it until he saw its source. It was the cat trying to keep silent while making its escape. Unfortunately Bob already spotted it. Not taking his eyes off it he went after the cat hands out ready to grab the animal. Like he told its owner, the cat was going to get healed whether it wants to or not.
With the cat already weakened as it is, it did not take Bob much effort to capture it and have it on the table again. It hissed wildly while trying to swipe its claws at its captor but it was no use. Bob already knows how to handle such animals. He was clawed enough times already back in Sunberth to make sure that he will not get slashed unless he needed to be. Having it secured on the table again Bob started tipping the water, ignoring the animal's squeals but it did not take him long to realise something again. The water in the basin was running out fast and he would have to get some more soon. Bob knew he had to at least clean the cat's wounds before stating on anything else but he did not want to leave it alone again. He might not be able to find it again the next time.
As the water that trickled down from the cat's body became clearer from the black color it had, Bob realized something. He would not need to get more water after all. Bob put the water basin down but never did let go off the cat. His grip on its body remained steady eventhough his hand was getting sore from applying his strength on something fighting back against his efforts for so long. It was only when the cat stopped struggling that Bob allowed his hand to loosen a little but not fully. He was still unsure of the cat and what it would do. However even as he loosened his grip while reassuring the cat that it would be alright and finding the cat did not any more intention to struggle he finally let go to get on with his work using the method he realized was still available to him. Unlike the earlier glyph, this would be easier since it would be on a flat surface he can properly see. Bob quickly took the ink again and dipped his finger into it.
Strange thing was instead of putting his ink on his palm right away, he put his thumb down first but the idea would come to those who watched right away. When Bob put his thumb and finger apart he started twisting his wrist. With the fixed length between both, Bob was able to make a perfect circle on his palm. "Hmmmm..." did he actually make it too big? He contemplated making a smaller one because of what he needed to do but decided he did not have the time and would work with what he had. Nevertheless he still had to fix it as he saw ink running down again as he brought his hand up. "Curses!" He will not have work ruined like this. Again with a wet finger he started to wipe out the marks that would make his nice looking circle looking not so nice and to make sure it does not happen again, he started blowing on his palm to dry the ink and keep his glyph intact.
Now it was time. Bob using the focus already at hand started to bring out his res. He could already feel the glyph at work bringing it out faster but that was not what the glyph was for. It was only a bonus. With a small sphere of res building up within the center of the glyph, Bob stopped rather quickly before heading to the water basin while extending his hand and at the same time allowing the ball of res to part from his hand if only a little bit. There the ball of res started to attract the water. Slowly with little droplets moving to create a layer of water that only grew thicker. Bob had no choice. This was going to require precision and he could only be patient, allowing so much water to be gathered. "Stupid cats." The cat was already giving him a hard time and their dislike for water only made things harder for Bob forcing him to limit the water as much as possible. That and there was always a chance for the water ruining his glyph. This was going to be...hard...
And then extending his other hand, Bob tried to naturally creep up on the cat if there was such a thing. Well there is, Bob saw it being done by predatorish animals, cats included but never by a person. Either there was no such person or they were too good for him to find. He advanced slowly, carefully. Each step with painstaking effort to not alarm his targ...patient. Bob only allowed his feet to touch the ground as much as needed which meant only the balls of his feet. "Creak...creak...creak..." the slightest noise by him felt like a shout telling the cat "hey I'm over here!" but he did not even see it twitch the slightest until finally, he stumbled on himself. While his already outstretched hand was able to find purchase on the table to stop him from falling down, he felt that he lost his chance. For all his effort, he saw the cat slowly turning its head towards him.
Biting his lip Bob went for it and pushed his hand off towards the cat from the table. The animal must have felt the force because it hissed and started to get back on its feet. "No!" he yelled stretching his hand forward. He needed to be a lot faster and perhaps he was just this time because of the cat's condition. He felt his hand pressing on the fur and he squeezed to get a hold on the cat which brought another hiss. Bob expected that his actions will bring some retaliation until he saw he was able to make a hold on the creature's back. This brought a smile on his face remembering how some people used to try stopping him and he started pushing the cat down. For moments they were caught trying to overpower one another but Bob knew he had the advantage especially in height and did not relent until the cat was brought down on to the table again.
But even with this victory Bob did not release the cat or any of the strength he was applying to it. "Sorry but I'll try my best to finish this quickly" he told it before bringing his other hand, the one with a floating ball of water no bigger than his palm towards the cat. His eyes searched for the spot he found the blisters earlier and once he found it again he took a deep breath. "Only a little more to go before I'm done." Bob pushed the ball of water forward and he could feel the cat putting up some fight again. "Relax" he told it calmly "its only water" which was true. That were reasons why Bob was using reimancy here. Not touching the cat's wounds was one of them and the other was because he needed precision. More precision than just pouring on water like he did earlier.
Now that he was almost complete, Bob did not want to split his attention. He pushed down on the cat harder. Hard enough so he can fully concentrate on his work. His eyes were fixed on where the ball of water touched the cat. With the glyph helping to focus it all together within its boundaries Bob could focus on on what the water ball actually did. Where his eyes saw the blisters and swells, he had the water surround and flow over them over and over in rotations to properly clean them. His eyes did not move as he told the cat that started resisting even more "this is for your own good" and once he moved the ball of water everywhere it needed to be covering all the blisters and swells he could find, he transmuted the res at the core of the ball of water fully into its element. No longer having anything to power it and hold it together, it dropped and Bob used what he caught to wash the glyph off his hand before the water was all wasted on the ground.
The cat was already at the corner far away from Bob after he released it and seeing it, he sighed. There was only one thing left his notes told him and he headed over to raid the medicine. "Damn it uncle" he said unhappily. It was in a mess. Finding what he needed was going to be hard in that mess which only Marny knew how to use, calling it an organized mess. Bob hoped that maybe today, he would figure it out. He looked at the labels on the bottles hoping its alphabetical because it would make his work so much easier. He put the items that started with A on the corner, the Bs beside it, the J's below the A with the K following beside it and so on but he already knew that this was not it. Soon he found the jar he was looking for and left the half organized-organized mess on its own. His uncle should be the one to sort it out and if Marny did not like his nephew trying to make things more accessible for others, he should have taught Bob the system properly.
Marny should also have kept his stuff well stocked because Bob found there was not much left "It should do for now I guess...for you!" he said looking at the cat while putting the jar he found on the table. The cat started hissing again and flailed its claws as Bob approached but he was not going to waste anymore time. Bob grabbed it on its sides below its forelegs and lifted it away from him and out of its reach until he could place it on the table as well. Taking some of the gel in the jar he started dabbing it on the cat's now clean wounds. The places which he spotted already earlier while he was cleaning it and after a while of trying to keep it steady by pushing it from the back while gently applying the gel he was "done!" This was ridiculous. The cat was too much trouble.
He returned the cat to its owner and told her "your pet is fine for now but you'll need to continue treating it." When she asked why Bob could not continue he answered "because there are other pets that need helping." The statement did not match his thoughts at all. There was no way he wanted to work on this cat anymore but the woman tried to persuade him. Bob did not want it and tried to throw her off looking like he was negotiating for a good offer. "Well you see, it will take up too much time so unless you can pay my daily wages for me to take care of it..." and offer which for some reason she agreed to forcing Bob to add "and I have other pets waiting already." She tried to tell Bob that she would already be paying his daily wages for it but no. "Not unless you are going to pay me for a long time since it will also cause people to get my services from someone else." Why could she not take a hint? Bob was wondering what was so important about the cat when he finally decided that there was something he could offer.
Something he could offer that she should accept and leave him alone. "I'll tell you what. I'll make you the medicine to apply on that cat of yours alright? You Just have to use it daily and you can being the cat again sometime later for me to check it up again." She thought for a few moments and Bob thought that maybe he could... "it might cost a little extra since we have to make it now but its still cheaper than me doing the work everyday don't you think? Works out well for both of us" he said with a smile. He knew the woman had something to say but as soon as she said yes, he cut her off saying "Wonderful. It shouldn't take me long to get it" before heading off smiling to himself. The unfavorable negotiations might not have worked but at least it made his second offer, the only one that could have worked out with him seem more reasonable to her.
If only his uncle actually kept things properly, Bob could not have to sort out through all this. He already knew the name of what he needed and asked his uncle about it. The uncle who was too busy to offer any help except provide a description. At least now he knew what it looked like as he headed over to where his uncle cultivated all the medicinal plants. As he looked at each plant he could be heard commenting on things like "...too gray. Too small. Too wide. Too smooth. Too spiky. Not spiky enough..." Bob has already passed one or two of the plant but the description his uncle provided him already set a predetermined image in his mind. One that if the plant did not match exactly, would not be the plant to him and then, there it was. Tall green leaves with white spikes. "Got it, unc" who only took one look at the leaf his nephew brought back and said something else about whether he got the right thing and he had to make it on his own.
Well Bob was sure he had the right plant since his uncle confirmed it but he was not sure if he got the right leaf. Bob headed back to pick a new one when "wait a second..." The leaf in his hand is the same as the ones in the plant that he passed over the first time now that he had a chance to compare it. It did not fit his mental image earlier but it did look like the leaf he had if it had been a little more grayish. It even had the leaf growing from the point his uncle told him to take it from. Bob thought to himself a little before deciding to grab the leaf from this plant and headed over to his uncle who confirmed again that Bob had the right plant in annoyance since he was treating another patient. It was interesting, the fleeting thought in Bob's mind for a while until he discarded it and headed back to work. Only this task left to be rid of the annoying customer and her equally annoying pet.
Which made Bob a little mode independent in this part. He already knew what he applied on the cat and that was the gel. In his mind he needed no further instruction and thought back to what he has done in the past to make something like it. He looked at the tools before him and started arranging what he needed on the table. The scales? While he has seen his uncle using it before he did not really care to measure what he was going to give. All that mattered was giving it and he put it to the side where he would not reach. The brazier? Actually he was going to need it but there was no way he could lift it so he just lighted it and commit to mind that he was going to need to get to it later. He smiled when he saw the mortar and pestle knowing he most definitely needed that and put it on the table. Before it was a knife. That was what Bob knew he was going to need first which was why it was easier to reach. He thought to himself if he needed anything else but with nothing coming to mind, he decided to get to work.
This was going to be easy and a good way for Bob to vent his frustrations. He took the knife and immediately started chopping the leaf into small pieces in front of him. Not as small as it should be since Bob was always too careful in thigns that might hurt himself but that was what the other tools was for. The knife once used was immediately discarded to the other side where it will not block Bob from the mortar and pestle. As soon as the pieces of the leaf were in place, Bob started crushing the leaves. Grinding them down mercilessly as though they were...they were the cat that annoyed him so much until it looked nothing but pasty gel. Even then Bob went on some more. Not to be sure but because there was still a little more frustration in him that needs venting.
Fortunately Marny came to check on his nephew and his work. At that time, he could see Bob standing in front of the brazier holding a beaker of whats left of the leaf over it to heat it up. It looks like Bob forgot the beaker wasting him valuable time. Hopefully next time he will remember. Hey uncle. Just finishi-oww!" Did his uncle just hit him? Of course his uncle just did because as the man explained, Bob was not only doing it all wrong but he was also going to hurt himself. "How?" Bob asked as his uncle showed him another tool that made him say "oh" when he realized it. No wonder he felt his fingers getting hotter.
"Well since you're here you can make it right?" because Bob just did all the work for nothing. Apparently Marny was not going to get his nephew out of the mess and just oversee the work. Bob knew his uncle was quite a hard teacher in this but for good reason. A mistake can ruin a patients life. He nodded defeated and began to arrange the tools he had earlier back to where they were on the table only, with the beaker behind the mortar and pestle since it would be used after it. Bob was surprised when his uncle told him he did not need all that and told him to remove the mortar and pestle which he did obediently. He looked at the brazier at the side. "I don't think I need that too?" he asked fishing the answer from his while trying to appear not stupid. When it was confirmed he put out the fire and stood before the table. "Now what?"
He forgot the most important thing, the leaf which his uncle got for him to save time. Apparently the woman outside was getting impatient. Bob kept the plant standing like his uncle told him although a bit of a loss why. He got bored in minutes but his uncle told him to keep at it until his return. Bob saw the remains of his mess in the beaker and decided to see what was wrong with it. Putting his finger in he realized that he really went about it wrong. It felt different from when he was applying the gel to the cat earlier. Chunkier and rougher. Now he was a lot more curious about his uncle's method of preparation. After looking at the leaf he was holding he saw something interesting. It was dripping down something and piling up below. "Is this the stuff?" he asked his uncle when Marny returned to give him further instruction like cutting all the sharp points and told him it was just sap. "So its not it..." Bob told himself as he wondered how the points affected the gel.
But Bob followed his instructions and carefully cut the points. He was so engrossed in his task he did not notice his uncle leaving and returning again when he was nearly done affirming the nephew did well in cutting the spikes on the leaf from top to bottom and continued instructing to cut from the inside. Once Bob finished separating the front and back he saw how wrong he was. This. This was the gel he used and following his Marny's instruction, Bob used the knife to scrape out every little bit of the gel he could and put it into the beaker. "We're done now right?" he asked his uncle who agreed but told his nephew there was something extra if he chose to do it. Bob thought to himself for a while and with all the work he already put into it he decided to go all the way.
It was a good thing that he already sorted out the mess but his uncle did nto feel the same way when he started asking what happened. Arranging it alphabetically earlier, Bob looked for "A...B...C...Ca...Co...Co...Ce..." and went on until "I found it!" fortunately with not much difficulty although he did not organize the items further than their first letter. Next time perhaps. Taking a little of its contents and putting it into the gel, Bob started mixing it. Slowly stirring without actually getting into the gel so that it will spread nicely without knowing whether his actions were effective and then, and then "finally!" he saw the color changing and stopped as he uncle told him the same. He kept the gel properly in a jar and headed out giving it to the woman right away. "There, Aloe Vera" he said before explaining "Just dab a little on the swells and blisters every day...every hour" he corrected himself when he saw his uncle shaking his head "and come back next time to get your cat looked over" before showing the woman to the door.
At the door and out of earshot from his uncle, Bob stopped the woman and asked finally having the chance to "what happened to the cat? As the vet I should know" if nothing more than to satisfy his curiosity. The woman tried to assure him that it was an accident but Bob knew better. Everything came down to information and Bob started piecing it together for her. To get the truth. "It can't be an accident. Its winter and it was too cold for something like this. "The only way for something like this to happen is if the cat touched something hot" Bob said as if reciting something and after having to put up with the cat's caution and resistance earlier, "your cat seems a little bit too smart to actually allow itself to be in that position. It wouldn't even allow me to treat its wounds" eventhough Bob persuaded it to cooperate in the beginning with hypnotism. Not to mention, "you brought it in pretty fast if you were reacting to an accident" since when Bob found the cat the wounds were still pretty fresh.
No it all doesn't add up and Bob who believed he was on a roll already decided to go with the next idea in his head. "The only conclusion is that is has something to do with you. But why?" he asked accusingly but Bob could not have been more right and wrong at the same time. The woman told him he was insulting her and after that explained. Bob found himself nodding in agreement and saying things like "I know what I saw" and "but I thought..." as she explained the cat being too cold from the weather got a little too close to her when she was cooking and accidentally pressed itself on the cooking pot when it wanted to her leg. Bob could only say "sorry" when she told him he might have been right if he was not too focused on trying to make her look bad. "Ok I'm sorry. Just bring it back the next time something happens and I'll fix it right up alright?" he said before going back in and shutting the door behind him.
