After the Grand Opening, Continued [Tayari and Blue Star][Closed]

((The first part is copied and pasted from the last post of this thread.))

Following the Zebra, he eventually reached a cozy, if worse for wear looking shop. Various bottles and vials decorated the outside, an errant breeze sends them rattling, filling the air with a discordant melody. As his host holds the door open he walks inside, eyes taking a moment to adjust to the change in lighting. Inside thin slivers peeking in between the closed curtains that declared a closed shop. Towards the back sat an old, weathered looking wooden bench with a bronze cash register resting on top. A variety of bottles, pouches and other odds and ends littered the couple of wall mounted shelves. He could see a closed door behind the service counter, presumably leading to the living quarters and workshop. Inspecting Tayari's wares, he could feel the latent magical properties in some of them, but then Zebra's have always been known for their alchemical prowess. Sensing his host behind him, he turned around.

"I love your store, very rustic."

---

Tayari smiled. "Thanks. And yeah, while it doesn't look like much, I really like this place."
The zebra turned, and opened the door behind the counter to reveal a short corridor, which split in opposite directions at the end. "So, you're stayin' here for the night, I'll go set up your bed. Won't be a minute. Feel free to take a look around." Tayari started to enter the corridor, but thought of something first. "Er, don't drink anythin' marked 'Toxin' or 'Solar Flare'. Or anythin' green. Anythin' else is safe." After this warning, he moved down the hallway and turned left, to change the covers on the bed to something cleaner.

With Tayari leaving to prepare his bed, Blue Star decided to take a look at some of the merchandise. While there wasn't an abundance, there certainly was enough to fill the shelves. The warning he'd received had piqued his curiosity, in a way that he hadn't felt in years. He could almost feel the flickering flame of a the old bees wax candles that he used when working late at the university.

Moving along the nearest shelf he located a bottle marked 'Solar Flare', a thin clear liquid swirled as he picked it up with his magic. Closing his eyes he reached through his magic aura and began to inspect the mysterious liquid. Now not having formally studied chemistry, he wasn't entirely certain of what he was seeing. But many of his studies had brought him to various chemicals and other Zebra creations. Though that was late in his career and hadn't done a lot of work on them. But he did recognize some of the base elements in the magical signatures it created and the chemicals the might create such an effect. But if those chemicals were to interact with air and provided enough kinetic energy. Upon realizing what the potion could do, Blue Star found himself thinking about how he could improve it.

He'd lived in a lab with a couple chemists over the years and studied a bit in his many years to know a thing or two about this sort of thing. So he open his eyes and scanned the shelf not finding what he was looking for he trotted over the the counter and opened the counter to access the back, a handful of raw materials sat hidden from the public on some low lying shelves. It was here that he found what he was looking for, a small vial of dark green liquid marked as toxic. Setting down the solar flare he picked up the new vial and gently removed the cork, allowing the sweet tang waft up. He new without deep examination what it was, he could smell it anywhere. A common poison that if used in small enough doses was a powerful remedy. But when combined with the core ingredient of the Solar Flare, oh he was so excited. Locating a measured drop, he sucked up some of the green fluid and carefully let out two drops into the solar flare.

Corking the poison he put back under the counter and picked up the solar flare and gently swirled it around so as not to agitate the contents. the green liquid quickly began to color the previously clear liquid until it was a translucent green. Giving it a sniff, he then brought it up to his mouth to take a swig. If he was correct then the liquid should--

He paused, caught in the act as a throat cleared itself behind him in the doorway.

Tayari returned from the preparation of his guests' bed, to see him levitating his 'Solar Flare' concoction. Internally, he thought, 'Long as he doesn't mess around with it too much. Could've given him better warning, though. I don't think he realizes that's not normal solar flare he's holding, it's a near-complete concoction.'
He watched as the unicorn proceeded to investigate another vial; 'Toxin. Probably one of my Lunar-grade ones, as well.'
At the end of the unicorn's experimentation, Tayari finally announced his presence by clearing his throat. "I'd warn you about doing that. I don't think you really know what you just mixed together. That 'solar flare' liquid isn't the one you're probably more familiar with, though it does share a few ingredients; it's one half of a rapidly-combusting mixture. Final ingredient's hidden away, at least."
Moving forward, Tayari grabbed the bottle. "This could be useful, though. I'll have to test it, first, but the part's shouldn't have changed much. Could distribute fumes filled with that Lunar-grade Toxin. The narcotic fumes would reach farther, faster, than before..." He trailed off.
Snapping back, and giving a small smile to show his guest there were no real problems, Tayari finished, "I've got the bed set up. I may as well show it to you now, rather than later." With this statement, Tayari moved back into the corridor, indicating for Blue to follow as he showed the way to the bed.

Interrupted from his experimentation, Blue Star looked over at the Zebra that was indicating the way to the bedroom. It was killing him that he would never know if he was right, but he didn't want to impose on his host. So he went in the direction Tayari was indicating and began to walk down the hallway. Walking to the end he then waited for his host to indicate the direction to go to the bedroom.

"Sorry for messing around with your stuff, but ah, could you let me know what it turned out to be?"

The question made Tayari bow his head slightly in thought. "To be honest, I'm not entirely sure yet. I'll have to test it first, but I have some theories. Oh, and don't worry about it, the main reason I warned you was so you didn't get poisoned or burnt. If anything, thanks, I'd probably not have dared mix those myself; now you have, and things haven't exploded, I could possibly have a very useful concoction."
Tayari was silent for a moment. "Oh, right yes, the bed. It's just in here." Tayari pointed towards the bedroom. "It's there whenever you want to sleep. Meanwhile, I'm going to be at my alchemy station. I think that cider I had has me drunk enough to notice, but sober enough to think clearly; I'm going to use this opportunity to see what brews work on relieving drunkenness and hangovers. The station's other direction in the corridor. From the main room, go into the corridor, turn right instead of left, go straight ahead from there."

Thanking Tayari, he turned down the corridor and headed towards the bedroom. It'd been an interesting couple of days since he left Hollow Shades, or rather the bunch of hovels it had become. Walking down the creaking corridor, he recalled memories of his first home. A dodgy shared living space with seven other university students and his first love. Shaking away unpleasant memories he finally entered the bedroom. A simple affair, but he'd slept on worse in his years, at least it had a mattress of sorts.

Tayari seemed nice, a bit reserved maybe but who the hay wasn't these days? Still it payed to be cautious, so he closed the door, flecks of ancient paint to slowly drift to the floor. Letting the magic flow through his horn he lent down and touched it to the door handle. A small ring of runes circled it briefly before dispersing like smoke. Now he'd never been particularly with spells beyond analysis and some surprisingly minute control of his telekinesis, but over the years living under griffon occupation you have to learn a thing of two.

With the ward on the door he at least would be awoken should Tayari or someone try to enter. It wasn't much but it was better than nothing, but now it was time for bed. Lying down on harsh mattress he felt all of the tension release from his weary body. Quickly closing his eyes, he slipped into the deepest and most comfortable sleep he'd had and a long time.

Meanwhile, Tayari worked for much of the night brewing potions. It wasn't difficult for him to stay awake so long, considering he'd being doing so for a while now.
A number of brews were made, none of which had the desired effects for that time. One mixture, though, proved interesting; a few small ingredients in water had no noticeable effect, until the mixture was spilled; then, however, all the water almost instantly turned to steam. Thankfully, the amount of water was small, so little noise or steam was produced.
'I'll have to look into that later. It could be useful.'
It wasn't long afterwards that the zebra finally succumbed to his tiredness, and fell asleep on the floor of his workshop.

He awoke to the sound of silence, his one friend that ever returned to his side. That had been possibly the best sleep he'd had in years, without a doubt. Not one to waste daylight without good reason, he hopped out of bed and quickly neatened the covers. With the bed sorted the next port of call would be the shop proper as he hadn't seen a kitchen on the way through last night. Arriving in at the counter he looked around but found no trace of Tayari. Perhaps he'd gone out, or perhaps he was still asleep, who knew? Either way he didn't have much to do around here, he shouldn't mess around with the Zebra's materials again without permission and he was starving. He gave his money pouch a rustle producing a small jingle, perhaps he could grab a bite to eat at that pub from yesterday. Locating a piece of paper and a pencil he scribbled out a note informing his host if his plans. Leaving it on the counter weighed down by an empty beaker he exited the front door and turned towards the direction of the pub.

Tayari woke on the floor of his workshop, with a small headache to match the amount he'd had to drink, rather than the effect it'd had on his sobriety before. After verifying that none of his recent brews had any effect on the measly headache, the zebra left the room to check on his guest, only to find him gone. Further investigation led him to find the note underneath the beaker.
The zebra paused, then thought, 'I need food and have nothing better to do today. I may as well join him.'
The zebra left to return to the bar he'd visited yesterday, making sure the door was locked and the sign in front read 'Closed' as he did so.