*A young girl looks at the shop from the outside. a small, nine tailed fox sits next to her.* What dis? *The fox seems to shrug.* Wanna explore, Kyu? *The fox nods slightly. Maria grins before entering the shop, Kyu plodding after her..*

can i be part of this

Within the workshop would be many bookshelves lining almost every wall. They were all filled to the brim with many books concerning the topic of the natural world, plants, and minerals. There seemed to be no end to them as they extended to the ceiling of the workshop. Over near the entrance was also a desk with many unlabeled vials of different colouration. Some of the flasks were bubbling and others were simmering silently. On the right wall of the workshop, in the only spot not filled with books, was what looked to be a painting covered by a large curtain. Finally, to the left was a large cauldron with a boy sitting in front of it with a book in his hand and a box of random materials at his side. He seemed to be heavily focused on what he was doing as he at times would add another material to the cauldron and then go back to reading. He didn't even seem to notice that anyone had entered the workshop. So, if I add in this then...

*Maria would over to the boy sitting at the cauldron. She looked up at him and tipped her head to the side slightly* Hello mister? Whatcha doing?

The boy seemed to jump a bit for a second upon being asked. He seemed genuinely surprised that someone had entered without him noticing. "Someone's here? When did you come in? Nevermind, it doesn't matter I suppose. I was in the middle of synthesising something new. I wanted to see if I could change the properties to get an interesting reaction." Finally he'd turn away from the cauldron to greet his guest accordingly. "I'm Alt, an alchemist living here. and this is my atelier. Since you didn't know what I was doing should I assume you weren't aware of what this place is?"

Al-kem-ist. Oh, you make stuff with magic do powa stuff. *Maria aims and fires some finger guns when she says " Magic do powa stuff"* Your like one of the science guys that make stuff from other stuff. I getcha. *Maria nods proudly.*

Alt would sigh a bit at Maria's response realizing that she reminded him of someone else he had trouble dealing with. "Alchemy is a bit more complicated than just magic stuff, science might be a better way to describe it but isn't quite right either. Though I can't really blame someone who calls it magic based on some of what can be created. Anyway, did you just come here out of curiosity or is there something else I can help you with?"

After walking off the beaten path, Alex promptly noticed the workshop and decided to stay for any of the action, sitting by the doorway, looking inwards at the alchemist, possibly his superiors would be intrigued by the young alchemist, or that nine-tailed fox. It might make some nice mittens.

Uuuuuuuuuh.... Did we want something? *Kyu looks like it's shrugging.* Hmm. Is there anything wrong with curiosity? Eh heh heh. *Maria looks down bashfully.*

Alt would walk over to the covered painting and seem to be thinking while staring at the curtain covering it. "No, actually. Curiosity is one of the most important aspects of an alchemist. It would be hypocritical for me to say curiosity is bad. Perhaps if you're curious then... Have you ever heard of a mysterious painting? They're paintings with breathtaking scenes depicted in them. Usually, they'll have a certain feeling to them that's different from average paintings."

Just now, a head could be seen popping out of the doorway, looking, seeing the potential fire hazard in all of the books, as well as the boy, probably older than him.

*Maria would hum slightly* Mist-ear-ee-ous? Oh! You mean unknown and stuff. Nope. Never heard of a painting like that. What about you Kyu? *Kyu would eye the covered paining with suspision.* I... guess not then? Well, it does sound cool. Is that one? Can I see it?

Alt would seem hesitant to answer her question but would eventually carefully place his hand over the curtain. He'd carefully remove the curtain to unveil a painting that seemed to depict a strange looking desert. The sky in the painting was a vivid violent and cogs could be seen littering the ground. There was also strange orbs floating in the air in the painting: https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/atelierseries/images/5/58/Etel_Nepica.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/640?cb=20180430044610 The painting would seem almost lifelike in a way like one could simply jump into the frame and walk around but its surface would be that of a painting nonetheless. "This is Etel Nepica. A world where the past can manifest itself before those who enter. It's possibly one of the strangest of all the mysterious paintings and a dangerous one for those who would rather forget their past. Though all mysterious painting can be dangerous in some ways regardless."

Woah! *Maria would look at the picture, stars in her eyes.* It's so pretty... *Kyu meanwhile would growl lightly, eyeing the picture, narrowing it's eyes. It's tails part slightly.*

Long black hair and a weird teddy bear backpack that had a plastic sword stuck in it's head was the trade mark of this middle school girl. She was in her final year of middle school and was pretty well known among the students. She was walking around the city while trying to find a book store a friend of hers has told her about when she chanced upon the Atelier. Tilting her head before looking back at the paper that had the address of the book store, she looked back at the Atelier incredulously. "this is....the bookstore?" She looked around to see if maybe there was something else around before finally deciding to bite the bullet and check it out despite how shady it looked. She walked through the door as she looked around before her eyes fell onto the boy. "Um, excuse me. Is this a book store or perchance do you know where the nearby bookstore is?" she asked nervously as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other

That was too much for Alex, who felt his nerves break,so he moved his head away from the doorway, took a slightly warm beer out of his rucksack, and sipped it. "Damn, that's bad," said Alex unintentionally, "Shit!" By now, Alex threw away any semblance of stealth he had and stood heart pounding, back against the outside of the workshop, just to the right of the doorway.

Alt would continue explaining the painting and it's properties though he'd take note of the reactions it had garnered. "I've been inside this painting once or twice but there's still a lot about it I'm uncertain of. The only way to enter a painting like this is for someone to approach it and wish strongly to enter the world within the painting. The method is definitely strange but they say the paintings can detect people's desires." He'd finally look over to the young girl who just entered. "Book store? I guess it kind of looks like one in here but if you were looking for the book store then you wandered pretty far. This is an alchemy workshop. The closest book store would be somewhere back in town." Alt tho0ught he saw someone else outside for a moment too but he wasn't too sure. Whoever they were, they seemed to be hiding. He thought it may not matter for now so he ignored it.

You can enter a painting? I played a game like that. With the guy with the red hat that goes "Yahoo" alot to kill the evil king turtle guy. So could I... *Kyu would prod her lightly with it's paw. Maria would down, hum sadly but nod.* Actually. Forget it. It's still nice to look at though.

"Alchemy!?" Mirei couldn't even hide her surprise at those words. At her school alchemy was one of the electives for the general education curriculum and a required class for crafting majors. Last she checked alchemy was an art that wasn't practiced in the human world anymore for over a century. Were there really still humans that practiced it? "Y-you can't be serious right? W-wait! Does that mean that all of the books in this place are alchemy books?!" she said as she tried to reign in her emotions before her eyes wondered to the painting on the wall. "That....." she became silent as she looked at it It was faint but it had a magical construction. It's own magic circuits? No. This was different. Did it have it's own origin? Something about it was strange.

With her short blond hair, black and white outfit with a pretty obvious skull motif, and even a choker, piercing and black bow to top the look off, the next girl who comes by would obviously seem more in place at a mosh pit than out in the woods. Though that doesn't stop her from strolling right up like she owns the place. "Couldn't help but notice some kinda party all the way out here, hope you don't mind if I jump in." glistening on her back is what almost looks like a well-kept barbaric axe, but upon further inspection one could easily tell its a guitar, one that matches her overall look pretty well, even if said look totally contrasts the location, while standing just outside the door, the girl gives Alex a look to the side "You alright there? Kinda look like you've seen a ghost dude."

Alchemy, huh? The beer brought back a memory: Usually, it takes rare n' valuable thingies to craft potions, stuff most adventurers don't got, but they did have something. Sometimes, when watching an adventurer get attacked, they would combine the wrong materials, making a giant explosion. What did they call it again? Oh yea, Herbal Blast. Nasss-tee. "Magic painting."

"Probably better not to enter if you're uncertain on your past anyway. It's certainly given me my fair share of problems." Alt would look over to the boom he left next to the cauldron. He walked over to pick it back up before looking through it a bit more. He'd pick up one of the random ingredients from his box before pulling out what looked to be a beehive in a glass jar. He'd open the jar and drop the beehive into the cauldron. He'd place the book down before reaching for another he kept at his side. Rather than simple words though the book seemed to be full of mysterious symbols written in an ancient language. The symbols would glow as a metal rod would materialize out of thin air and began stirring the cauldron. The liquid inside the cauldron would turn a deep shade of red before concentrating into a tiny ball of light. The li9ght would solidify as Alt reached out to grab it. Upon pulling the ball out he'd open his palm to reveal a strange looking bomb that almost looked to be made of fire. "It was about time to finish that." He'd once more notice Mirei, especially her own interest in the painting. "It seems alchemy has caught your attention as well. I didn't realize it was so unknown here. I take it alchemy isn't as big of a deal as it was back home for me." Finally, he'd address the large amount of people around the atelier. He'd sigh before muttering something under his breath. "Some things never change....do they...?"

Nyeh? *Maria would step away from the picture. Kyu would calm down, closing it's tails more closely together, and following behind Maria.* Wow. There's a lot more peoples here now, huh Kyu? *Kyu yips.* I know. It really is exciting. Hee hee hee.

"You can say that again sister, the more the merrier amiright?" With a grin Tot Pop heads inside, taking a quick look inside the Atelier. The white-haired kid was talking about Alchemy, though Tot doesn't know much about that stuff, it looks like Mage work, something that'd be kinda boring anyways. At least boring to watch, the results could be cool "Though it kinda sounds like you were hoping for a little more peace and quiet for your work right?" Tot directs that question at the white-haired boy working by the cauldron, probably doing that alchemy stuff they were talking about earlier. "Guess that's alright too, not really my style but to each their own right?" no reason not to give them a chance at least, if they turned out to be cool, that would be great, if not then there's no real loss, as with all things in life she sees it as kinda a win-win

Alex finally decided to enter the workshop, crawling as to not be seen, just to look at the painting, but got sidetracked and started reading one of the books.

Alt would look back to Tot Pop, almost wondering if she was an alchemist too with her flashy appearance. He'd answer her questions after a moment of hesitation. "I don't dislike having a lot of people around, it does make it harder to work in peace but there are also benefits to having a lot of people around. It might even be more accurate to say I'm not really used to not having someone to talk to." Alt would notice the odd boy near the painting reading one of the books. He wasn't exactly sure who the boy was but decided to engage him. "Hey? Who are you? I don't remember seeing you come in."

"I'm... Armed?" Said Alex as he pulled out the beer bottle from before and took a sip once more.

"Oh really?" The girl takes a moment to brush some of her hair to the side with a grin as she takes a quick look around the Atelier "Didn't think Mages were ever given a break, guess I might be able to swing by a bit if you're really missin' me." Tot Pop gives Alt a bit of a grin before looking back at Alex with an eyebrow raised "Sure you're gonna be alright dude? You look kinda wasted. Probably shouldn't have any more of that stuff."

*Alex pulls out a humerus, and brandishes it* "Told ya!" said Alex before tossing the bone out through the doorway. A glance reveals that it is gone. "Trust me, I'm fine."

Alt would look over to 'Armed' with a bit of surprise. "Armed? That's a strange name, guess I shouldn't be one to judge though. You seem rather attached to that alcohol too. Reminds me of some other people I know when they drink. They're much worse drinkers than most people though." He'd turn back to Tot Pop once more with a more relaxed expression. "I won't object if you feel like visiting from time to time. People are free to do what they want wth their time."

*Maria would point at Alex* Hey. That's not an weapon. That's a bone. You can't fight with a bone. Apart from booping people hardly on the head. Don't do that though. It's rude.

Tot leans back a little, holding both arms behind her head with a grin as she glances back to Alex before looking at Alt Since we're all here think you can whip up something for hangovers, kid's probably gonna be hurtin' in the morning. Tot Pop snickers and steps next to Maria, crossing both arms as she sizes up Alex I'd like to see him try though, especially in this state. Bet it would be hilarious, don't ya think?

Alex groaned and replied, "You don't get the pun?"