video- don't you put it in your mouth

[zen_en_vert]

Hello, Hadriel.

We have a garden now, and Sorrow has made comments to the effect that the food in it might disagree with us, so I'm going to talk to you about how to test for poisons in plants.

First of all, to those of you who aren't human, let me apologize, because I won't be able to help much with your physiology. But for those of you who are-

We need to catalogue and name everything we can that's growing in there, and then identify the plant species that no one knows. Once we have the unidentified species, each one needs to be assigned a volunteer. The testing period takes several days, and if you do two at once and get a reaction, you won't know which are poisonous.

The first step is to test for contact toxicity- that is, touch the leaves and stems and fruit juices of the plant to your skin, and see if it poisons you that way. Plants that provoke that kind of reaction aren't generally safe to eat. You take a few days to see if a reaction develops, and then begin by cooking small portions of the plant, and holding it in your mouth for a few minutes- three, and then later fifteen, testing to see if it provokes tingling, swelling, or any kind of reaction.

No one should try to test any plant with milky sap, white berries, or any kind of pod. You never want thorns, spurs, on the plant itself or on grain heads. If you get an almond scent or a bitter taste, stop eating, and just to play it safe, avoid plants with leaves in clusters of threes.

I've got a small supply of activated charcoal in the clinic. Let me know if you can help. Nothing is ripe yet, but we can begin classification and contact testing immediately.

Thank you, everyone.

Comments

[unknowable]

I already knew some of it. I was around when you - lost control.

[And Ronan told him more, because they talk, of course.]

I know that was you, anyway. And obviously you usually have better control.

[zen_en_vert]

But it has taken the better part of ten years for me to get that kind of control. Initially-

-the accident came about when I was trying to duplicate the process that made Captain America. Steve Rogers was a good man, and made better by what happened to him. I, on the other hand, was furious.

[unknowable]

Did it make you angry, or were you already angry and it just gave you way to express that?

[The difference is negligible, maybe, but it matters to Adam.]

[zen_en_vert]

I was already very angry. In fact, I'd already blacked out so badly during a fight I probably killed someone.

[He says, just to illustrate the threshold he's describing here.]

The person who murdered my mother, to be clear, not- not some stranger in a bar. But all the same, I had this capacity before it was amplified.

[unknowable]

[He nods. A lot of Ronan's anger stems from his father's death, as well. Adam's has different roots, but he thinks he understands.]

I guess it's not the same for me. I'm afraid of something like that happening, I feel like it could easily happen - like it's in my blood, it's inevitable. But it hasn't yet.

[zen_en_vert]

I'm sorry. It's frightening, feeling like a time bomb.

[He remembers that.]

[unknowable]

[He nods. Like a lot of things, though, it's something he needs to live with.]

I've always been afraid of that. So when I actually did hurt him, even though it wasn't really me - it was awful.

[zen_en_vert]

What happened? From your perspective, if you'd like to talk about it.

[Proposing, quietly.]

In complete confidence.

[unknowable]

[He considers it, for a moment. Adam is always cautious when talking about himself. He's too used to having secrets. But he supposes Bruce already knows some of it, and the rest doesn't really need to be a secret.]

I was possessed by a... creature, a demon that wanted to destroy Ronan and everything he's made. It used my hands to choke him, to hurt him, and some of my other friends - and me, I guess.

[He still has fading scratches on his face where his own fingernails tore into skin.]

[zen_en_vert]

I'm sorry.

[He says, again, but very earnestly.]

I really can't imagine- and I know Hadriel isn't an easy place to be, but I'm glad you're back. The things here that happen like that, we live through.

[unknowable]

I've got to live through it at home, too.

[He doesn't know whether being here is good or bad, really. It's just something he has to deal with.]

Um - thanks, though.

[zen_en_vert]

Any time.

[He promises, with a nod, moving to get back to work.]