Friday, June 08, 2018, 2:00 PM, Norfolk, Virginia, United States of America

I started out the morning by immediately checking the Alchemical tool sets first and found that the Vitus flask was just about one third done, but the Aqua Regia was already completed. Thankfully, since the Aqua Regia is the universal cleanser, it made the prep work easy for the last item, the Balm of Arnica. I usually don’t mess with Alchemical items this frequently, but since this is for the company that has been so helpful for me this is the least I can do. It also uses up all of the resources that I had acquired for this purpose, so it goes without saying that I would be needing to restock for whatever else I might need to make in the future. With all of the Alchemical items prepared, I finished up on my prep work for the workday and got in a good breakfast.

My pottage was a about empty afterwards, so I set it aside and cleaned out the various items that I had been using for it. I’d need to start another one when I got back, but today I was going to have to go to wherever S.H.I.E.L.D. needed me, so that means it is a good time to start another one when I get back. Rex was happily gnawing away on that large salmon that he had just pulled out of the chill box and noted that he’d keep the place on lockdown until I got back. I thanked him verbally, taking a little pleasure in one of the few instances of being able to speak Draconic here on this planet, before I did a double check to make sure that everything that would need to be packed for the trip tonight was packed.

Riding to work was an interesting experience, making it, at times, a struggle to survive. While I was riding on my bicycle, on the side of the road, there was a contingent of individuals on motorcycles with the moniker “The Warlocks”. They crowded a bit about me for a while, laughing while they did. I could smell a chemical scent coming off of them, being in the mental stance of the Running Hunter while I was one my bike. I was very convinced that none of these were in any way “warlocks” as I knew them, which answered my question from earlier this week regarding witches and warlocks. There was a lot of bullying and bumping, which really kept me from focusing on much else while the ride was going on.

They bumped me at first, getting hurt a little but I managed to get my bicycle under control, before managing to the next two bumps. The next two were a LOT harder to come back from, where they teamed up and for the next twenty to thirty seconds, I couldn’t do anything but get hit more for more damage and continue to try to get the bicycle under control. After that, I had pretty much figured out how to avoid the most of their attacks, so it got pretty boring for them. They eventually just sped off before throwing a beer bottle at me, which I managed to avoid getting hit.

I managed to make my way the rest of the way to work, a little scuffed and wounded, but still okay to work. I skipped stopping anywhere and went straight there, so Doug was the first person to see me after the roughing up. Doug immediately asked me what happened, and I went on to tell him that I just happened to get into a group of motorcyclists, and they apparently didn’t like me much. Doug helped me get my bicycle in and then took me to right away to Bob’s office. Bob wasn’t in yet, but he would be in shortly.

Doug told me that he would inform me Steve, and that I can just sit and relax while I wait. While I was waiting, I got the feeling that I had noticed a few days ago, that more of the world was being revealed to me. More arcane knowledge was revealed to me, increasing the capabilities of what effects I can bring forth, and the varieties of what I can do. More knowledge was coming into my head, and now I think I have figured out how to make enchanted items. Maybe not weapons yet, but I’m pretty sure that those will be on the way.

While I was pondering on all of this, Bob made his way into the office, saw me, shut the door, and then asked me if the wounds were from last night. I shook my head, snapping out of my reverie, and replied back that no, this wasn’t from last night, those wounds were already healed. I added that this was from this morning, where some individuals on motorcycles with “Warlocks” leather jackets decided that they wanted to push me around and almost succeeded at knocking me off my bicycle. Bob looked at me and asked me if I had not interfered with anyone from their group last night. I shook my head, saying that I had only taken down four more of the Painkillers last night.

Bob dropped a newspaper on his desk, which read, “Bad Bloods? Inter-gang warfare strikes Norfolk.” It had a picture of the house where I had stopped them with some red tracings on the ground that looked like bodies. I asked him why the cops painted around the criminals this time, as last time they had just picked them up. Bob looked at me and asked if I had checked to ensure that they were alive before I left. I told him that they were definitely alive when I had left, but that they had been at the house where I had brought down the Pepsi Boys the first time I had went out.

Bob thought for a minute and then asked me if I had shot any of them in the back. I thought for a minute, going over the whole encounter, before saying no and then I explained to him exactly what I had done, and in what order. Bob listened, and then leafed through the newspaper until he came to the rest of the article and read after I had stopped. Bob looked up at me and asked if I waited until the cops arrived. I shook my head and said no, that I had been shot twice, and that while it wasn’t life threatening, I didn’t want to have to explain it at all, should they show up and I wasn’t ready. Bob told me that someone must have showed up after me, because the four of them were all shot at point blank range in the back. I countered with the fact that I had used my ultrasonic ray on the one of them that was in the car.

Bob nodded along and said that either the Pepsi Boys came around and took them out, or there was another gang that showed up to try and take over territory. I sighed and noted that I had even gotten the powder flash off of my hand and put it on the unconscious man’s hands. Bob looked at me with a vicious grin and asked me if I had really set up the one that was unconscious for killing his friends. I shook my head in disagreement, telling him that it would have, at worst, been greater bodily harm, or maybe attempted manslaughter, but not murder. Bob smiled and shook his head with amusement, before saying that I should really be a bit more cautious next time and added that I might need to look into getting a better vehicle than a bicycle going forward.

While we talked, I figured that I could spare the healing, and when the conversation came to an end, I told Bob that I was going to use my magic to recover from some of the wounds. Bob listened and watched as I used one of my newest spell capabilities, to cure wounds. With a single invocation, all of the bumps, bruises, and scrapes were gone from the effects of the vehicular assault. Bob looked amazed at the glowing golden light that emanated from my wounds as they sealed up. Bob asked me again what the limits were for something like this.

I reiterated that the ceiling of what they can do would be basically small lacerations, not too deep punctures, and bruises, but that I definitely couldn’t heal diseases, poisons, or broken bones of any sorts, and that I probably would never even be able to do so. Bob nodded, and smiled, noting that as long as I was an employee, we probably wouldn’t need the fancy first aid kit. I sighed and said that I was certain that there were some things that the first aid kit could deal with that I was unable to do anything about. Bob laughed a little bit and said that he would keep that in mind, but that if someone was dying, he wouldn’t think twice before asking me to help. I replied back, with a smile, that I’d be glad to help in that case.

With the damage to myself healed up, Bob asked me if I was still planning on going off this weekend. I told him that I definitely was, but that I hoped to be back as quickly as possible. Bob nodded and said that I just needed to call him if I wasn’t going to be making it back in time. I promised that I would, as long as I could call, not making any assumptions of where I would be. Bob clapped me on the shoulder and said that I can spend the day working in my “workshop”, getting it ready for another assignment next week.

I raised an eyebrow and Bob told me that after Matt had seen the improvement, he had told a few people who had decently thick wallets, and there was a Seal team that wanted their main battle rifles to get “the treatment”. I asked him how many rifles that was, and he told me it was sixteen. I whistled and said that this would take me at a bare minimum four days, but more likely six days. I added that it was going to take almost one thousand pounds of salt, about twenty-five bags worth. Bob snickered and said that he could get that for less than two hundred bucks.

I balked, and asked if he could order an extra pallet worth for me myself, to for my own usage. Bob asked me why if I already had such a finely crafted weapon. I told him that I knew that the weapons that are from this world hit harder than my own revolver, but that I was going to try another experiment in advancing items, and that if it was successful, I would definitely let him know. Bob offered to take it out of my next retainer, and I approved his suggestion immediately, saying that it was definitely something that would work for me. Bob asked if I would be willing to offer a discount to military and veterans, and I shrugged, saying sure, and that he could notch off the same percentage that he would take off anything. No use in not supporting those who would or had fought for the defense of the country.

With our discussion done, Bob led me to the room that I had used for the rifle upgrade, a glorified closet more than anything, where I spent the day getting everything ready for next week. I didn’t waste time, but I certainly used as much “free” magic as I could to set up everything, even if it took slightly longer than to stop and focus before every major event for six seconds or whatnot. I used mending on as much of my clothing and gear as I thought that I could get away with, without making it obvious that it was repaired. I put some notes in my follow-up journal for getting rumors for the Warlocks, and other motorcycle gangs in the area. My space was as set up as I could before Bob knocked and came in to let me know that he was getting pizza delivered for everyone.

Friday, June 08, 2018, 7:30 PM, Norfolk, Virginia, United States of America

*****

I had thanked him and cleared up what I was working on before heading to break room. Both Doug and Steve were already there, along with a young woman who was being considered for the front area cashier position. The young woman seemed to be fairly well put together and I didn’t have much in the way of face-to-face conversation with her during the lunch. We were, of course, introduced, and her name was Jessica. I didn’t think to ask much more about her, as Doug and Steve were both explaining more about the business than I ever could. While lunch was going on, I sent a text to Jonathan, informing him, and thus S.H.I.E.L.D. of what had happened last night, and thus this morning, and also that I was going to have to head to the safehouse after work to pick up the remaining Alchemical Items.

The lunch went quick, and I went back to my space to get everything as set up as I could, even better than it was for when I dealt with Matt’s rifle. The addition of various magnifying lenses and cleaners, some files and brushes, and some cleaning compounds to make everything look more “logical” to anyone who happened to look in here after such work was done, to keep any inconvenient questions down. It wasn’t like it was impossible for anyone else to do what I was doing, in fact, it would be something that could be done with regular work and time, but assembly line manufacture isn’t designed for this. Any really competent gunsmith could make the items of higher quality, hell I did it with the revolver I made, but it would take more time than anything. At least the tools and the setups I have in here now, will make It look like it was set up to perform this level of aftermarket work.

I finished off the rest of the day getting a “observation table” in place, that was actually to be the ritual table for putting the salt and the item on, with a slight lip around the edge to “ensure that no parts fall off”, but in reality, it was to keep the salt for the circle in place. With everything that I was working on ready for work next week, I left my new auxiliary workroom and headed to Bob’s office to ask Bob if he had any ideas about what I could get for a vehicle or whatnot, that would allow faster movement, but still not need to be registered or licensed, or whatever. Bob offered up that he could look into it, but that S.H.I.E.L.D. would probably have something a lot better than was available on the open market. I felt exceedingly stupid for that and noted that I should probably check with Jonathan tonight, to see if he can get something in the works for when I return or Monday hopefully. Bob nodded and said that it was good to remember all of my resources for getting things, and that the salt will also be here onsite Monday morning, so as soon as I get in, I can start on the first one of the set of firearms scheduled for next week.

At the end of work, I got my bike ready, and started my plan to head back to the safehouse. Before leaving, I sent the text to Jonathan asking if he had access to any resources for the kind of vehicle I was looking for. Jonathan responded back fairly quickly that he would look into it, but that there had to be something, especially if there was some degree of remuneration thought out for what was going on this weekend. I thanked him in a reply text, but noted again that I might not be able to do much. Jonathan replied back that he was certain that as long as I gave it my every effort, some kind of progress would be found, even if it what was discovered that the affliction couldn’t be addressed at all with my assistance, that would be more information than they currently had.

I didn’t reply to that text, as if would have been redundant, and I got on my bike and headed back to the safehouse. As soon as I got within one mile, I sent Rex an empathic feeling of coming home, and Rex sent me back the feeling of success. As I rode my bike home, I kept watching out for any possible danger or issues from the Warlocks, or the Painkillers, or even the Pepsi Boys. Thankfully, I didn’t see anything or anyone that was actively trying to attack or follow me, so I was glad to get back to the safehouse and ensure that everything was packed up. I was certain that I didn’t need my bicycle or my cart, and that if I needed any of the supplies that I usually kept in the house would something that I was certain would be able to be gotten at a moment’s notice by S.H.I.E.L.D.

Of the things I did make sure to pack up, my Alchemy crafting kit, my Gunsmithing kit, my normal “adventuring” loadout, and any of the other things that I usually carry. I left behind the manacles and fetters, as if I did, for some unknown reason, need to lock someone up, I am sure that S.H.I.E.L.D. would have something. The gallons of mead, the extra sets of clothes, the extra undercover vests that I had acquired from the criminals busted, and anything related to the bicycles or the sets of tools that I had acquired since getting here. That still gave me a LOT of different options to work with for what I was bringing, based on any of a number of possible occurrences. This was all with the knowledge that I would be getting picked up for transit at “twenty-hundred hours”.

Saturday, June 09, 2018, 1:00 AM Norfolk time, Friday June 08, 8:00 PM Local, Tahiti

*****

At exactly eight pm, a vehicle pulled up in front of the safehouse. Rex and I quickly darted out into the vehicle, being as careful as we could to avoid causing a reason to be noticed. When we got in the vehicle, another SUV, in the back seats, I noticed Jonathan in the passenger seat, and an individual that I did not know, and was not introduced to, in the driver seat. Rex settled down in the rear seat behind the driver, and I sat in the seat behind Jonathan. Jonathan asked if I had everything that was needed, and I replied back that yes, I indeed had. Jonathan nodded and added that the item we had discussed was available and would be transferred to the branch office, and be there for Sunday, when I got back.

I thanked him and settled into the seat and buckled up. As soon as Rex and I were settled, the other Agent took off, driving towards a part of the city that I had never been in before. We finally approached what I could recognize as a military base, where the driver flipped a switch on the dash and then slowly approached the gate. The military member at the gate asked the driver for identification, to which the driver provided, and then the gate guard waved our vehicle through. After we were out of sight of the gate, Jonathan relaxed a bit and then we continued on to where a very large airfield was. When we got to a hanger, Jonathan told me that it would just me and Rex heading out to Tahiti, and that he hoped that I came back with news, one way or another.

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As I left the S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicle, I looked into the hanger, and smiled, saying something to the effect of, “Oh cool, a quadjet.” Jonathan was immediately by my side, asking me what I meant by quadjet. I told him that the individual who had shown up on my world over a decade ago had made one of these with his combination of magic and technology. Jonathan looked at me and smiled, saying that he had even more questions for me now, but that this could wait until I was back. I nodded and then headed towards the back of the jet with Rex along side me. This wasn’t the first time I had been on a quadjet, as it was something that David did for all of the students at his university. It was certainly big enough to hold everyone and then some.

Getting on board the quinjet, at this was known as, the space was certainly different in the interior. Obviously, this realm didn’t have the kind of magic that mine did, so the extra dimensionality wasn’t present, but even the machinery, of which could be seen, wasn’t the same. It was like someone had only heard of the idea, and seen it from the outside, and maybe a glance at the inside, before trying to reproduce it. The pilot spoke through a speaker and ordered me to buckle up both myself and the bird. I figured that he was inferring Rex, so I did just that, and then we were rolling out and taking off.

The flight was fairly quick, from what my phone said about two hours had elapsed. That would have been the length of time it would take to get from Sandpoint to Magnimar via flight. Of course, I spent the time napping, with Rex staying awake, just for defensive purposes. It was like this whenever we were on a stake out or anything like that. He was my backup and I his, also, he had spent the day napping, so he could easily spend a couple of hours awake, looking at the various things. Suffice to say, he ended up taking a nap as well, oh well, I’ve heard it said that good help is hard to find.

I woke up when we were touching down and woke up Rex as well. There was a middle-aged woman who held herself with the bearing and stance of a seasoned warrior. She asked me if I was Agent Zine, and I thought for a minute before agreeing and saying that yes, I guess that I was Agent Zine after all, and that I normally went by Curtis. She looked a bit dismissive and asked if I had gone to the S.H.I.E.L.D. training facility. I straightened up and decided that veracity was the best approach, and told her that no, I had not gone to a S.H.I.E.L.D. training facility, that I wasn’t even a resident of this world before the Blip happened, that I had appeared, for an unrelated reason, from some other world or dimension just after the Blip occurred.

She introduced herself as Agent May and asked me why I was being delivered to this island, as it was supposed to be a retreat for a specific high-ranking Agent. I asked Agent May if I could stand up, and she backed up slightly and motioned for me to rise. Nonthreateningly, I pulled out my phone and told her that all of my credentials had been put in by an Agent Carter, and that I had apparently been flagged as someone who could assist someone on this island with some of my capabilities. Agent May took my phone, and held it up to hers, allowing some process to occur. She then handed me back my phone while she looked at her own, scrolling down occasionally.

Then she got to the point where she stopped and was reading in depth. She looked up at me, and then back at the phone. She quirked an eyebrow up, and asked one word, “Magic?”. I replied that yes, where I was from, magic was a thing, as well as the science of technology, and that while I had some minor training in the latter, that I also had a rough grounding in the former, and that I was more than willing to attempt my services both via magical and alchemical means. Agent May seemed to be a bit more relaxed after this and then looked over to Rex with a questioning eye.

I spoke up for him, saying that he can only speak in the language of Dragons, and that he is my familiar and assistant, and finished with saying that he was of no danger to any Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. or any friend of mine, as long as they were no danger to him. Agent May looked over Rex, scrutinizing him for any lingering threats, I gave him an empathic nudge to suggest bowing, and he picked up on the clue and did so. May asked if I might have some time to help out with more things, while I was here, and I told her that I would, but that it would be better if they could get me a large amount of salt, and that would free up whatever I might be able to do if there were further requirements for what I can make. Agent May again silently raised an eyebrow, and I quietly whispered that there were more things that I could do that I had only just discovered during my time here. Agent May nodded and escorted me off the ship to where there was a pair of bungalows, indicating that I should set up in the one that looked unoccupied.

Rex and I did so, and Rex quietly asked me if he could fly around and get a look at the island. I told him to do so, but be careful, and maybe just go hunting a fish or two in the waves. Rex shook out his wings happily, and we left the Bungalow together. Agent May was outside waiting for me, and I saw that the Quinjet was already leaving. Agent May informed me that the Quinjet would be going to get a ton of salt, and that we could right now go over what my treatment plan was for the Agent in question.

I looked around briefly, found a table outside, and sat down, motion for Agent May to do the same. As she did, I pulled out the six alchemical items I had placed in my bandoleer’s extradimensional spaces. I set the six of them in a group and started by telling her that I was from a world where there was a lot more magic and divine intervention, so I was somewhat familiar with how different unhealing wounds might be accomplished. I offered up that I might not be able to heal, even with this, but that I was most definitely wanting to try everything I could. I added that part of this would be using healing spells to try to effect positive change in the patient.

I then indicated to the six different jars, picking up the first one, and identifying to her that this was Aqua Clarissima, an alchemical agent used to assist in magical healing, but that this was not the first item that I would be using. I picked up the second jar, clearly identifiable from the first, and identified it as Aqua Regia, an alchemical agent known to harmlessly clean all organic and inorganic items it is used to wash. I would be using it to wash both my tools and the wounds, if there were any. The third jar that I picked up, was actually a flask, which I informed Agent May was called Vitus, and that the purpose of this, is to restore lost health and vitality. I would be using this one after all of the work that I could do was done for the day, and simply requires the patient to attempt a one-hour nap after taking this alchemical concoction to get the results.

Regarding the remaining three jars, I pointed to them and indicated that I had brewed up these final three, because I did not know if there was some alternative method by which the non-healing wound was caused, be it by poison – pointing to the jar of Unguent of Juniper, disease – pointing to the jar containing the Balm of Arnica, or if the wound itself was of a design to nor heal properly – finally pointing to the Tisane of Amaranth. I added telling her that I was even prepared to fabricate an entirely different alchemical item, if I had knowledge of it, or if it was written on in any of this world’s books, or if I needed to go the magical route, that I would enchant an item specifically to aid myself and the patient in this endeavor. Agent May looked a little taken aback at first, and then asked what I meant by “written on in any of this world’s books”. I told her that I had the ability to cast a spell seeking knowledge that referenced all of the written material in the world, to try to get an answer to some questions. Agent May balked at that, and asked if it crossed into the internet, to which I declared that it did not seem to, at least from the queries I had posted.

Agent May thought for a bit and asked me if there was a way for someone else to try the Alchemical items before we tried them on the patient, and I told her that normally, I wouldn’t mind, but that these items took several days to concoct and that I had only created enough for one usage each. I offered up to her that I would permit any tests that do not take any substantial amount of the alchemical items that are desired, but that I didn’t know if there was enough there for another person to fully take try the alchemical remedy without diluting or eliminating the positive results. I added that I would be more than happy to wait on the application of any alchemical item at all until after I had a chance to properly diagnose what we were dealing with, and only use the magical healing that I had the capability of utilizing today, before I went to get a solid period of rest so that I could perform the same things again tomorrow.

From behind me, a male voice that was stern yet at the same time reassuring, addressed us, saying “Melinda, we can go ahead and give him a chance, it isn’t like it makes sense for someone from HYDRA to send a person to assassinate me when I am already dying.” I turned to look, and there was what appeared to be a fairly normal looking man, in relaxing attire, with some kind of drink in his hand. He smiled at me and told me that Tahiti is a magical place. I replied back with a smile that I had indeed heard that somewhere before after I had gotten to this world. The man smiled back to me and introduced himself as Phillip Coulson, to which I stood and introduced myself as Curtis Zine, former Investigator on another world, now Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Phillip Coulson extended his hand out to mine, and I received it in a shake. I hadn’t even had a chance to notice that Agent May was up in proper striking position and distance before I could have done anything. Phillip Coulson, or Coulson as he preferred to be called, asked if he was going to have to strip entirely, like a regular doctor visit, or if I could just investigate the wound. I asked him to please sit down at the table and tell me all about the wound, from when he got it, until now, as much as he can remember, and specify any major events that had an impact on the wound itself. Coulson smiled, sat down with his drink, and politely waited as I got out a journal and started taking notes down.

What this wound was, was vastly troubling. It was caused by what might be considered a Deity’s artifact, then healed through technological means, then the healing was found to only be temporary, and that the wound was coming back and “unhealing” before a Spirit of Vengeance (sounds like a possessor demon of sorts) required him to give up that healing in exchange for taking on the Spirit to destroy a mutual enemy. I asked what clarifications that I could before I started any kind of treatment or inspections. The fact that it had been healed by an entirely technological process involving another (presumably non-magical) body’s bodily fluids, to stimulate regeneration. I hoped that it was just a matter of the Spirit of Vengeance causing the wound to not receive healing from natural means, similar to what I had heard about those wounds caused by a Clay Golem, or even a Barbed Devil.

I asked Coulson to remove his shirt so that I might inspect the wound, without physical contact, I specified over my shoulder to Agent May. Coulson unbuttoned his shirt and showed me the barely healed, non-necrotic wound. I evaluated the wound as best I could, and immediately discounted the Unguent of Juniper and the Balm of Arnica, as this was neither Poison nor Disease based. The Tisane might help in the gross healing of tissue after the cause is determined and dealt with, if at all possible. That left the three original alchemical preparations that I had created.

The Aqua Regia and Aqua Clarissima would both be useful, at the very least, as their intended purpose, even if they did not have any substantial additional effect. I wasn’t certain about the flask of Vitus, but it definitely should not hurt. I offered up to Agent May the two bottles of alchemical items that I would not be able to use, explained the usage of each of them, and said that they were free to keep, give away, or study these two alchemical items, as they would not be useful in this circumstance and that I would not be able to get much out of them, self-administering, as they needed someone to treat the person, and the person who was being treated couldn’t be the person who was doing the treatment. Agent May took the two tiny bottles from me, and put them in her pocket, while looking at Coulson. Coulson looked at me, and asked what the next step was.

I looked at Coulson, with a bit of a mischievous smile, and replied, brute force, before invoking a curative spell on him. The energy flowed from me in golden light as the words were spoken. It tried to apply itself via my touch, and dissipated, much similar to what happens when a Clay Golem prevents healing. I knew that I would possibly be able to penetrate this blockage, but that I would burn through a lot of magical energy to do so. Agent May was standing right next to me and asked what happened while Coulson just watched, amused.

I told her that there was something of a curse interdicting me from healing him, but that it was not impossible for me to penetrate, that it would just take me repeated tries, and that I could work on something as soon as the salt gets here to try to help me get past the effect. I tried again with the healing magic, but again the interdiction blocked me. Thinking quickly, I tried an underhanded tactic, and tried casting the spell while part of a regular sentence of nonsense in another language. This third time, the healing worked! It wasn’t substantial, and it did not heal the whole wound in any way, shape, or form, but there was definitive healing going on, that wasn’t prevented by the divine interdiction.

I instantly knew that I would not succeed at this kind of ruse again, that it had only been a one-time thing, approving my underhanded tactics. I think that was something left from Loki, maybe a bit of him appreciating a grift or a con. Agent May stepped back reflexively, and Coulson perked up, saying that he felt a little better and that he was amazed that it had worked as well as it did. I sighed and said to both that the Aqua Regia wasn’t going to hurt or help the matter now, and handed that bottle to Agent May, as she reapproached. I retried a few different ways to get the spell to go through, but it definitely would not.

Other scratches and wounds that were a part of daily life were healed up fully by the end of the time I spent burning through spells, even using higher level spells to try to get the effect to go through. It was still in my reach, no different than before, but this incessant wound just would not heal. I sighed and told both of them that I was completely tapped out of healing magic that had even the slimmest chance to be effective for the rest of the day, but that I could do some other small tricks if it would help or was needed at all. Coulson looked at me with a mirthful look and asked what I meant by small tricks, so I decided to use my prestidigitation powers to re-flavor his drink to be a Dr. Drake and told him to try the taste. Coulson did so, and smiled, saying to Agent May that it tasted just like flat Dr. Pepper. I sighed and noted that we had not quite worked out carbonation back on my home world yet when I had left.

Agent May brought the topic back to the healing, having noticed the wound that she had been focusing on for days having healed, even slightly, by asking me if there were ways for me to be more likely be more successful with my brute force attempts. I sighed and told her that I could start listing off three things that would help me, but they would be a bit obscure and odd. Agent May gave me a blank stare, inviting me to continue. I listed off that a tenth of a pound of gold each time I cast the spell would likely increase my chances by five percent, likewise a dab of blessed anointing oil. Of permanent items, I had needed the salt for, and I could probably craft early tomorrow after getting up, and that would give me another ten percent.

Agent May looked at me with her standard non-emotional gaze, and asked what my current chance was, and I told her about ten percent. Agent May did the simplistic mental math and asked if I would have a thirty percent chance to succeed on each one if we used all of the items. I shrugged, and noted that yes, we would, but that it wouldn’t be cumulative. Each instance would be chance, so it would be nine instances of thirty percent chance. Agent May did the math again and noted that it would be slightly less than two pounds for both days.

I nodded, noting that her math was correct, but that if either of the alchemical effects were to be successful, then it would be substantially more difficult. Agent May then asked me the smartest question left, what would it take to get more of the alchemical substance that worked the best. I shrugged and noted that it was really between the flask of Vitus, and the Aqua Clarissima, that the flask of Vitus was indeed the most expensive, and the longest to concoct of the items, but there is a chance that it would not even be effective, whereas the Aqua Clarissima would be effective with any spell that I cast those functions, definitely. Agent May nodded and asked if I could stay longer than the weekend. I shook my head and told her that I regretted that other services that I could provide were already scheduled for Monday through Friday, next week, but that if this does go well, I can try to make more items over the week and come back the next weekend.

Agent May seemed to mull this over and thanked me for all the help I was trying to accomplish for Coulson. I told her that it was nothing, that S.H.I.E.L.D. had already helped me so much by finding me a place to live and a job in this new world, that using my abilities to help others wasn’t a real stretch. I apologized to both of them, that I had now been awake since sunrise back where I was in Norfolk, and that I only got a short nap in on the flight. Coulson gladly told me to get some rest, but asked if I could change the taste of his drink back. I told him that the taste would change back in an hour, but if he didn’t want to wait, he could tell me what it tasted like, and I could try to change it again to something else.

Coulson thought for a minute and asked if I could make something from my home world. I shrugged and noted that since David had shown up a decade or so ago, that most people were still enamored with the taste of the different drinks he had made a part of the tavern chain that his adventuring buddy had started. Coulson thought about it and asked if we had any special varieties of coffee there. I thought about it and generated the memory of the taste of the best Dragon’s Coffee that I had ever tasted.

Coulson tried a drink and told me and Agent May that this was good and convinced her to try it. While she drank, Coulson asked if I could do this all the time. I told him that yes, I could make a list out of what the minor changes that I could accomplish would do, but it would take a fair while. I offered up that after eight or so hours, I’d get up and work on what I needed to make, and then I’d write up what I could do. I sent a thought to Rex at the same time, of a feeling of sleepiness. Rex flew over to us, and then spoke to the two of them in Draconic that he would be more than happy to catch some nice fish for them in the ocean.

Coulson asked if Rex was speaking to them, and I told them that yes, Rex had addressed them, in Draconic, and that he had offered to catch them some fish from the ocean if it was desired. Coulson smiled and said sure, thank you to Rex. Rex bowed and I asked Rex to keep an eye out for both Coulson and Agent May while I slept. I told them of such as well, and wished them both a good night, while I went to the Bungalow to collect my notes and sleep.