One Door Closes, Another Opens

Of Dreams and Doors

"Kid, I'm telling you that adding another clockwise stir will do nothing but make the potion unstable!"  Eda yelled as she bent down to pick up another mushroom. "I don't know why you're so hung up on this."

Percy sighed out of frustration, he'd been having this argument with the older witch the entire time they'd been ingredient hunting

"Because I know it'll work!" Percy yelled back. "Another stir should increase the potency!"

Eda gave him a flat stare.

"How do you know?" She asked flatly, her expression hard to read. "Potions are all about innovation, but that innovation is backed up by an understanding of the ingredients and how they interact. So tell me, how do you know?"

Percy clenched his fists, crushing the mushroom in his hand. He knew he was right because the potion told him would.

Ever since he started casting spells, the information he received from the potions had gotten more advanced. Instead of just telling him what was happening, he was told how it was happening as well. It allowed him to gain an intimate understanding of how each potion he interacted with worked and showed him how to improve the potion. He had shared the suggestions for improvement with Eda but was shot down every time due to his 'lack' of knowledge. He wanted to tell her how he knew, but all that would do is make the already skeptical woman more suspicious of him

"I just do ok," Percy said through gritted teeth. "Why can't you just trust me on this?"

Eda's expression softened as she walked over and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Look, I get it. I love experimenting with magic more than anything, but this is different. Potions are different," She said, her tone reminding Percy of his mother.

Percy shrugged her hand off his shoulder and looked away.

"Why can't you be as uncaring with this as you are with everything else?" Percy mumbled quietly, missing the sad expression on Eda's face. "Luz and I do dangerous stuff all the time and you say nothing, but when I want to stir a stupid liquid an extra time you get all uppity."

"Potions are dangerous," Eda replied softly after a moment. "They can be used to do wonderful things, but if they're not handled with care, they can do terrible things. I'm not rejecting your idea because I don't think it'll work, I just don't want you to jump into something you don't understand fully and suffer the consequences," She finished her tone melancholy.

Percy turned back to face Eda and saw her face, causing his brows to furrow slightly and make him feel ashamed. Obviously, he'd unknowingly hit a nerve with the older woman. He was mentally kicking himself for being careless. He had reasons for not doing certain things, yet he seemed to forget the same applied to other people as well.

"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get upset, I just want to help," Percy said nervously.

Eda waved off his apology and gave him a gentle smile.

"You're fine kid, don't sweat it," Eda said kindly. "I respect that you're standing your ground, even if the ground you're standing on is baseless and might blow up in our faces."

Percy chuckled and shook his head.

"That barely made sense."

"I'm a brewer, not a worder. Cut me some slack," Eda replied with a shrug. "Now let's finish picking these mushrooms before they-OW!"

Eda was cut off by a water droplet hitting her arm. The drop was soon followed by hundreds more. Causing Eda to drop the mushrooms and grab Percy's arm and run, dragging him along.