Journal 📚 Cats & Volunteers 🐈

[angelbirth]

Sender: Satan
To: Everyone
Subject: Cats & Volunteers

[ In a handwriting that balances on a fine line between neat and messy, the following is written: ]

Hello.

I have two distinctly separate requests, and I urge you to remember that these are separate when you read this.

Firstly, I am looking for a cat. One with a particularly charming button nose, splendid toe beans, and a mewl that could pawsitively melt any heart. While I understand that describes virtually all felines, I thought I'd see if anyone had seen such a cat around.

Secondly—and separately—I am looking for volunteers to participate in a research study. An exceptional candidate would be sturdy and healthy, even better if the candidate has experience overcoming various poisons and toxins. There are risks, such as loss of life, but ideally my research and my own magic-slash-dreamotion energy would prevent death. So ultimately, the risk is minimal. Most likely. Please let me know if you'd be willing to volunteer.

Comments

[angelbirth]

I can't help but feel concern that you're already familiar with this line of work. I'd be grateful for your help as that leaves little doubt as to whether you'd be able to handle it. However, it also leaves me curious as to what kind of research studies you've undergone.

The purpose of my research is to develop a potent antidote. My current research subject is a little too strong, so I can't quite tell if my antidotes are working or if he's just shrugging them off.

Sadly, the best way to test an antidote is to test it on a poisoned individual. So far, it's been nothing but success, but again, my research subject is very sturdy.

[masqueraid]

They were... medical studies. Of sorts.
Off the books stuff, but. For a good cause. A doctor ran the clinical trials. Sometimes there were side effects I could handle other times, well...
You said your dreamotion could help too, right?

( perhaps no one young man should have this much guts... )

If it's for an antidote then I think I might be able to lend a hand. Or a stomach.
It's not... going to be spicy like the last time I took something from you though, is it?

( it's not that ren can't take it, he just wants to be prepared, that's all. )

[angelbirth]

That spicy... incident... was a mistake. It won't happen again, although the antidotes do tend to taste quite bitter. It's at a tolerable level, though.

And yes, I am fairly confident the combination of my dreamotion and my magic would suffice if my antidote were to fail.

[ Although he supposes his dreamotion and magic are connected and practically the same thing now. ]

While I appreciate your apparently willingness to participate, are you sure you want to go through something similar again? It would be an uncomfortable experience.

[masqueraid]

Bitter is fine.
It's— the fire that was moreso the problem that time...

( but hey, you sound pretty confident, satan!
today might finally be your day, as opposed to all those nay-sayers who proclaim your name to say "not today." )

Not to worry. The experience really gave me the guts I needed to see it through to the end.
Not to mention, antidotes are an important field of study.
When should we begin?

[angelbirth]

Yes, I can understand why that was the case....

[ He is genuinely remorseful! And a little angry at himself that apparently his very BEING radiated so much anger that it made such a mess of things. ]

If you're comfortable with it, I'd like to do an evaluation first. I would administer to you the least potent poison I have and see how you react to it. If your reaction is too severe, I'd prefer we end things then and there. If you handle it well, we can gradually work our way upwards.

So, long answer short, whenever you're available. My schedule is flexible.

[masqueraid]

That sounds fair, I'd like to know just what sort of concoctions I'm dealing with, too.
I'd be able to make it the day after tomorrow if that works for you, just tell me where to be. Do you, have a clinic or something?
...Laboratory, maybe?

[angelbirth]

I can provide the ingredients of each poison and antidote beforehand, definitely. I'll note which ones have and haven't been been modified with magic.

[ It crosses his mind that if he gives out the ingredients to each antidote and poison that they could be recreated. But, he also figures someone volunteering probably wouldn't do nefarious things with these poisons. Probably. ]

A laboratory? That would be nice. But no, this is a personal project and so I'm working out of my home and my garden. Obviously, all of the ingredients are local.

[masqueraid]

That... sounds pretty thorough.
I'm not sure I'll understand all of it, but I'd appreciate getting a glimpse into the thought process, too.

( who knows, maybe he might even learn something?
nefarious intentions aside, of course. )

Have you, uh. Had many volunteers, so far?

[angelbirth]

I quite enjoy research, and ultimately the goal is to find the key to a strong antidote that can cure most local poisons - an antidote that can easily be reproduced. So, it's necessary that I keep track of what's inside each poison and antidote. That, and as a volunteer, I think it's only fair to know what you'll be putting inside your body.

[ Of course.... Satan's got a good thing going here. He better not find out a bunch of people died to the poisons he created here or he's going to be m a d. ]

A few. Before today, my brother has been very diligently been acting as my guinea pig. He's been fine with minimal side effects, even without the antidote, but... well, he's also a demon, and we're designed to handle things that would ordinarily be harmful to humans.

[ He suspects that his brother wouldn't have any side effects at all if it weren't for how this place works. ]

[masqueraid]

I agree, that does sound fair.
And truthfully, it makes me feel a bit more confident hearing you say that, going into this agreement. You can count on me coming by in the next few days.

( whether it helps him overcome some of his own weaknesses to various poisons, or he picks up a few tips along the way... it seems like a mutually beneficial situation.
that and, ren just may have a thing for contracting with demons... )

Sounds like your brother is pretty devoted to you, too— putting himself through that. But I do see where you're coming from. Several of the demons I've met have even been immune completely to the effects of poisons.

[angelbirth]

Excellent. Let me know when you're available and I'll send the directions your way.

[ Satan will have to do his best to make sure such a brave/reckless human doesn't die by his hand. To be fair, he's pretty confident Ren won't suffer... horribly. ]

Are you complimenting Mammon? Seriously?

[ This is Satan's fault for not advertising that Mammon was indeed an unknowing test subject. ]

It's the least he could do given his position in my family. But you're right - while I don't feel any of us are as powerful here as we are in our own worlds, I have a strong suspicion that I would be hard-pressed to find another demon who would actually succumb to the effects of poison here. Which is why the goal of my research is to help humans rather than demons, of course.