***

I was really surprised to see that only I and another guy passed the exam. I was expecting a little bit more. I'm not really complaining though. More people passing would mean that they would have to have another exam to narrow down the number of people. Chief Garak is leading me and the other apprentice where we would be working. To say I was excited was an understatement. I worked really hard for this and I'm glad that I was able to achieve the goal that I had set for myself.

"The two of you are the only ones this time who have passed the exam to become court herbalist apprentices. Higata, please wait a moment," Chief Garak stopped at a door and knocked, "I'm coming in," She slid open the door and I came to stand beside her. This would be where I'm working from now on. I can't wait. "This is Emiko, she's going to be your new assistant. She did an outstanding job on your test."

The boy, whose name was Ryu from what Chief Garak told me, that I had seen twice now was there. That's right. She told me that I would be working with him. He was sitting on the floor and seemed to be working something out on a large paper. Books and herb bottles surrounded him. He turned back to look at us, "I'm Ryu. Hello."

"If there's anything you have questions about, just ask him," Chief Garak told me. She motioned for Yatsufasa and Higata to keep moving down the hallway, "Come on, let's get back to work."

I stepped into the room, "Hi, I'm Emiko. It's great to formally meet you." I gave him a small bow.

Ryu didn't glance up from his paper. He just continued to work, "Same here. Could you close the door?"

"Yes, right!" I exclaimed, "I'll totally do that," I closed the door. I turned back to him, "Sorry about that. Ryu, sir?" Should I call him sir? I'm technically supposed to seeing as I work under him now, but it's kind of weird calling a child sir.

"Please don't call me 'sir.' In fact, you don't have to be formal at all." Ryu was quick to inform me.

"Sure." I nodded. I smiled at him, "I'll just use your first name if you would like that more, Ryu. Oh, I almost forgot," I reached into my bag to pull out a container. It had koko grass and rainbow leaf inside it, "Here you go. It's a gift," I knelt down beside him to give it to him. He took it from me and opened it. "I remembered that you needed them. They were picked at sunrise when their medicinal properties are strongest, like you said."

He looked at the herbs in slight surprise, "You remembered that?"

"Yeah. To be honest, I was a little shocked by it." I replied.

"How do you mean?" He inquired.

"It's a really innovative and wonderful idea," I commented.

He turned away. Ryu took the herbs out of the container, "I'll grind the herbs up. You put in the rainbow leaf first, and the koko grass second."

"Got it," I said. Ryu got up and went to grind the herbs. I just stand to the side so I can watch him work. I didn't really have anything to do until he was done so why not just watch him work. I heard the bell that hung above the door ring. I turned and saw a man sitting on the couch. He was holding his stomach. I walked over to him, "How can we help you today, sir?"

"For some reason, I've been feeling queasy," He sounds like it. His face is also contorted into an expression that shows he's obviously uncomfortable, "I'm wondering if you have a quick remedy for nausea."

"Yes," I glanced at Ryu, "Ryu, could you please come in here?"

"What?" The guy looked and sounded terrified. What was that even about? He was acting normally literally a second ago and now he's scared? Weird.

Ryu stepped into the room. I took a step back. Ryu bowed to the man. He studied the man for a moment causing the man to look away nervously. Ryu suddenly said, "I can't do anything for him. He should go see the chief, or someone else." Ryu left the room to go back to grinding the herbs.

I looked at him in confusion, "Ryu?"

"I'm so glad he left," The man let out a sigh of what seemed like relief, "I want no part of any concoction that boy's prepared."

This really shocked me. It clearly showed on my face too. I gave him a puzzled look. How could he even say something like that? Why did he say that? Whatever Ryu would prepare for him could've helped him and he doesn't want it? I made sure to voice this to him, "Excuse me? Why would you even say something like that?"

"Who'd want his help?" The man questioned, "His principal studies are plant poisons. And he needs a way to test out their effects. The only way he could do that is to try them on humans." Wow... Just wow. The absolute idiotic-ness from this guy. I almost can't believe it. The fact that he would think that Ryu would purposely poison him without even knowing him is beyond stupid.

I glared at the man, "Did you know that some plants must create toxins to help protect themselves from predators? Did you also know that those same toxins are used to cure sick people?"

The man had the audacity to just laugh it off, "Yes, but according to the rumors-"

I cut him off by hitting my fist on the table in front of him, "If you're going to just come in here with rumors then you might as well leave right now," He was one of those people. The people who always jumped into believing whatever was told to them. You wouldn't be able to convince him to believe anything other than what he heard first. I hated these people, "If you believe in everything that you hear, you're not going to be able to trust in anything ever again," I straightened up and gave him a pained, pained because I didn't even want to be nice to him, smile, "Now do you want help or not?"

"Uh, yeah." The man paled.

"Then please excuse me." I walked back to the room where Ryu was. It didn't seem like what happened in the next room phased him at all. He was just sitting on the floor, working on whatever he was doing on the large paper. Did this type of thing happen a lot? Is that why he looks so calm and unbothered?

Without even glancing up, he said, "There's no need to get so worked up about it."

"Well then, you're being stupid," I don't tolerate that type of thing. I wasn't going to let someone get away with something like that so easily. Ryu froze. "I'm just going to go get the chief herbalist." I left to do so, not even closing the door back.

***

Chief Garak managed to take care of the man. She gave him something to help his stomach. I hadn't talked to Ryu since me telling him I was going to go get the chief. I was just working on my own thing that I had to do. My first day at work could certainly go a lot better, but it honestly wasn't that bad. There were just some minor inconveniences. I still can't believe that one guy. It would take me a while to get over what he said.

"Emiko," Chief Garak called out. She walked into the room with two thin books, "Once you finished the patient records, please read this. It's the prince's medical history," She held it out to me, "I thought you might wanna look it over."

I took them from her, "Thanks, but why would you give it to me?"

"Because out of all the court herbalists, you seem to have the closest relationship with him," She smiled, "It may help you deal with emergencies, not to mention helping your resolve." It was then that Chief Garak took her left.

I might as well just go ahead and read it now. I set it down on the counter and opened it up. I voiced my comments out loud with a quiet voice, "This is all the medication for past injuries," I turned the page, "He's had a scratch and a sprain from a rough sword practice. A bruise from falling off the castle wall," I laughed a little, "Why was he even up there in the first place?" Knowing him, he was probably trying to sneak out. I got started on the second book as soon as I got done with the first one. "Zen, at age thirteen. Poisoning symptoms and progression?" I gasped, "A record of being poisoned? February fifth. Seven hours after administration, he broke out in a high fever. Breathing was shallow. Speech and conduct were normal. Remained stable for 31 hours. May the eleventh. Right after administration, he had difficulty walking. Called for antidote three hours later. July the first. Thirty minutes post-administration, he began to run a fever. With stabbing pains all over his body."

I went to turn the page when I froze. A memory hit me.

"I've been building up an immunity to poisons."

That's right. He said that to me when he came to save me from Prince Raji. It slipped my mind that to build up an immunity to poisons he would have to have been exposed to poisons... Many times. I couldn't stop the tears from falling. I wiped them away as I tried to get through the rest of the book. It was honestly so painful to know that he's had to go through that more than once. I stayed like this for a while when suddenly I heard someone.

"You read the history." A familiar voice said. It was Zen. I didn't have to look over to know that.

"Yeah. How did you know?" I asked. He always seemed to come at the wrong times and the right times. I couldn't bring myself to look at him. I don't know why, but I just couldn't. I would probably just start crying even more if I did.

"It's about me. And I know you," Was his reply. I clenched my fist tightly. "Please, just turn around," I finally turned to him. He was sitting in the window. He had a gentle and understanding look on his face. He reached out and brought me in for a hug. I felt him rest his hand on y head, "I'll stay until you're done. Okay, Emiko? Don't cry."

I nodded, "Okay."

***

I had finally been able to calm down and stop crying. Unfortunately, Zen decided to tell me that Ryu came and told him that I was crying and the poor boy thought that it was his fault. I knew that I had to find him fast so I could tell him that it wasn't. It sucks to feel like something was your fault. I knew that feeling all too well and it definitely wasn't a good one. I made it outside with Zen not far behind me.

I spotted him sitting with his back against a pillar. His head was hung low. He also had an empty glass beside him. I called out to him, "Ryu! Hey!" He looked up to see me running toward him. I got down on my knees to talk with him better, "Are you okay? Zen just talked to me. It looks like I might've scared you a bit. I'm so sorry."

"No, it's my fault," Ryu hung his head again, "I didn't mean to make you cry. I'm sorry that I was being stupid."

"It's alright," I gave him a small smile, "Do you remember my name?"

"Uh," Ryu looked at me with a confused expression, "Yeah, I guess so."

"Okay then, if you call me by my name, I will tell you if I'm mad or not," I stated.

"Ryu was taken back by this, "Uh. No, I uh..," He trailed off, "Em- Em- Emi- Emi... Ko."

"Yep!" I laughed a little. I reached out and ruffled his hair, "Thanks for running all the way here for me, Ryu." Even though he was technically my superior, it honestly felt like he was my little brother.

"Uh, yeah," The boy had a smile on his face and a small blush, "Lavender."

"Lavender?" Zen inquired. Ryu quickly covered his mouth and looked embarrassed by what he had said. He probably didn't mean to say it out loud.

"Is that your favorite medicinal herb, Ryu?" I asked him. He made a noise of confirmation. I nodded, "Is there any reason?"

"Because it's purple and pretty." He responded.

"I'd like to see it," Zen spoke up. I turned to see him looking away with a hand on his hip. He looked... Jealous? It was kind of funny to see, "Apparently, it's important to become more familiar with it."

Mitsuhide seemed to notice the slight hint of jealousy as well, "Is he jealous?"

"Green-eyed monster," Kiki said.

"I wouldn't mind taking you to see it," I told him. Zen and I smiled at each other. I could get used to working here from now on. This was going to be a great experience. I just knew it.