BE STILL (Elsee visits her brother Tai'zen)

“Be still.” He said as he walked slowly behind her, tilting his head to the side.

“Tai’zen… T’is isn’t funny anymore. I was only dropping off t’is shit momma sent me.”

“Mother will wait. This is important. Be still.”

Elsee had grown to hate spending time with her brother one on one. Things like this were always happening. She winced as the tiny animated glob of gook tangled in her loose hair.

“TAI GET THAT THING OUT OF MY HAIR RIGHT NOW!!!” Patience was leaving her.

“If you had announced your arrival, I would not have been working. This was avoidable.” Tai’zen reached out to pinch one of her braids between his index and thumb, moving it for a better angle. He narrowed his eyes, studying the movement of the glob as it spread itself out in attempts to devour is current surrounding. Elsee let out another shriek, flailing and batting at the back of her head in panic.

“If you will not be still, I will not help you.” He said flatly, dropping her braid back and giving her his signature disconnected gaze. Elsee huffed, squeezing her eyes shut in rage.

“Will you JUST DO SOMET’ING!?!”

“I will synthesize an anti coagulant. It will take a few moments.”  He walked over to where his alchemical supplies were and began reaching for various ingredients in a calm and collected demeanor.

Elsee sat on the crate in the center of the room and watched her brother assemble… whatever. Her legs bounced in anxious anticipation. She couldn’t help but reach up and scratch at her head again. It was pulling and possibly BITING her. Whatever it was doing, it hurt and she was pretty sure it was going to leave a bald spot.  Soooo pretty much it was like part of her life was ending.  Tai’s eyes shifted over to his sister fidgeting where she sat.

“If you are not still, you will incite it to mitosis. Eleanor, be still.” He spoke in his robotic quiet tone. She paused for a moment, not understanding what he meant and feeling suddenly inferior.  

“I’m going to tell Papa.” She burned holes in the back of his head with her gaze as he worked.

Tai’zen blinked, and set down a small vial on his desk.  “No, you will not. I’ve heard several incidents concerning you that I don’t think either our parental units would enjoy having disclosed. Be still. You are also to blame in this scenario. I am almost finished.” Elsee let out a whimper of protest, her eyes welling with tears. Her chest began to shudder with shaky breathing. He picked up the vial again and poured it into a larger beaker, swirling the liquids together, unphased. The combination created a herbal scent that filled the room quickly.

Elsee sniffled to herself, looking at her hands. Another pull to her scalp made her cry out to her brother. “Owwwwuh… Taaaaaiiii. Pleeeease!”

Taizen’s brow furrowed, his eyes widening, knowing that he should have a pre-conceived response for this behaviour. Instead, his irritation and uncomfortableness rose and he said nothing besides “Be still” For the schmillionth time. He stood behind her and held the beaker over her head, once again lifting her largest braid to reveal the nesting goop.

“Hurrryyyy!” She urged him, still bouncing her legs.

Without another moment’s pause, Tai’zen dumped the liquid over her entire head. The goop began to bubble, then gave a POP, dissolving where it had been. What happened next, he hadn’t prepared for. Elsee tensed up, having a cool smelly liquid dumped over her entire head.  

As her hair soaked up the potion, it began to darken further and further until the ends were dripping a black inky liquid. His eyes studied this reaction silently. He let go of her braid, that was also now a dark navy blue.

“The incident has been resolved. You may leave now.” He turned, walking back to his desk without another thought. She gave a sigh of relief.

“Any of my hair missing back t’ere?” She reached up, feeling around where the most pulling had come from.

“There are no hairs missing.” He stated.
“Oh good” She laughed a little at her seriousness, running her fingers through her loose hair and pulling it lovingly over her shoulder. She dropped it like it was on fire as soon as she noticed the colour. “T-tai… TAI!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Grabbing hands reached out, pulling all that she could into view in utter panic.
No noooo no no no no no!! NO!

“WHAT DID YOU DO?!!” Her voice could have been heard for miles.

“It is temporary. You must have had something in your hair before you came. It was unforeseeable. Please go, now. I have much to do.” He didn’t even turn around from his desk.
Elsee fumed. She hadn’t planned on dying her hair EVER let alone black. Standing, she marched over to him and gave the back of his head an open-handed smack.
“FIX IT. RIGHT NOW!”

“I cannot. On its own the effects will wear off. You must simply wait a couple of days.”

“And what? Just NOT go out in public?!”

“What you do is your business. I do not care.”

“You’re such an asshole, Taizen.”
With that, she threw open the door to his lab / home and departed into Tirisfal.

Oooh, that's what happened to her hair! - cheese grin with giggles included. -