Toxic Child [OPEN]

[Ritz]

Remedi Grace Malheur
I'm just your average poison lover.

---

<sub>What am I doing here again?

Oh yeah, I'm out looking for poisons.

My hands shake as I pry a clump of nightlock berries from its patch. I can feel my heart race as the black berries drop into one of the bottles I keep in my satchel. However, that feeling is replaced by the steady stream of adrenaline I feel as I stand up, brushing off any dirt that might have collected onto my skirt and blouse.

Why am I collecting poisonous things, you ask?

It is a hobby of mine, collecting all things dangerous to your health. I keep them in small bottles, which I put on shelves in my room. No, I am not insane, for your information. I am only twelve, so why should I be insane already? My parents have always told me that insanity occurs more in the older years, and, apparently, I am still young.

Poisons have always fascinated me for some reason. Ever since I turned eleven, I had dedicated myself to collecting at least one specimen of poisonous vegetation that could be found either in my father's laboratory, the hospital, or some of the poisonous plants that grow near the electric fence that surrounds District 6. Some plants tend to grow past the fence, you know, and some of those were nightlock, a poisonous type of berry that I have always admired.

I remember Mewt, my twin brother, as I stare at the clump of nightlock inside the bottle. He said something about nightlock, but I can't seem to remember what he said.

'One taste of the juice of these black things will lead to your imminent death, Remy. Don't eat it.'

Oh yes, now I remember.

I spot another plant, one I recognize from my father's plant studies. Something called a narcissus. It's one of my more favorite plants, as it doubles as a pretty flower to add to my nature collection. I smile and approach the flower, kneeling down and observing it. I recall that the bulbs were the poisonous parts, and I dig up the plant, careful not to damage the bulb. It would be a precious specimen.

I hear a branch crack behind me, and I stiffen. Hopefully it's not Mewt, or my parents, or a Peacekeeper. I'd be in trouble then.</sub>

[noka]

Skye Vonigan
Medic "extraordinaire"

Skye did not make it a habit to travel near the fence, but sometimes, she had to. Many herbs and poisons were near the fence, and well, both had their uses. For instance, poisonous plants could be mixed with other things to actually create useful remedies, and many herbs were just useful on their own as natural medicine, though naturally, if they were mixed, they tended to have improved results as well. Why was she near the fence though? Why the fence specifically?

It tended to have more rarer herbs and poisons than the ones inside the district did, simply by virtue of being closer to the forests that dotted the landscape between the fences and districts. However, Skye was a bit curious; she could swear she had heard something rustling around near her, and she just could not pinpoint where the sound had come from, and then...she stepped on a branch.

Well, great; if that was a Peacekeeper she had just heard, she was really in for a bunch of trouble...and that was an understatement. True, she might be able to convince them to not like, bring her to the Capitol and make her one of those people without their tongues, because her mother's clinic was moderately respected, but there was always the possibility she couldn't. Her eyes darted around, and then she spotted the source of her fear; another young girl, similar in age to herself, and she had...poisonous plants with her?

"Those are dangerous, you know. Either could probably kill you within minutes, if not seconds," Skye informed her, though because she wasn't dead yet, she probably knew just how to handle the poisonous plants/herbs/fruits. Skye certainly didn't expect that, because not many adults could recognize poisons, so how could a little girl? Then again, she was a little girl herself. It was then that she noticed the numerous little injuries that seemed to practically dot the girl's body, and she frowned a little bit. "Are you hurt?" she asked of the girl she had found; thankfully, she had her bag with her full of medicinal supplies, like always, so if the girl was hurt, she could be fixed right up.

[Snareroll]

Vizair snuck alongside the fence, picking up many herbs and berries along the way. The medicinal ones, he put in a bag to take to his parents' clinic. The poisonous ones however, he stored in a secret compartment of his backpack. Why did he collect poisons? The answer was simple, suffering.

It is his job to end it. Whether it's frowned upon by his parents and probably any other medical professional or not, he ended suffering for no charge. They didn't have to know, nobody did. After all they just died of the disease that night right? That was the story Vizair went with. If one of his parents patients begs to just be put out of their misery and they show no signs of improvement, that's where his toxins came in. Some people would call it horrid, but he calls it generous. He gives the gift of a quick death.

As he had collected many herbs, both medicinal and poisonous, he heard a branch crack. His first instinct was to run, but instead he dropped down to the ground. Instantly, he stuffed all of the narcissus, nightlock, and other toxins into his backpack. If a peacekeeper catches you with herbs, they're likely to get confiscated and let you off with a warning. Poisons however were a much more serious issue, that would at the very least get you a whipping. Worse, you could get a one way trip to the Capitol to let President Snow decide what to do with you.

He relaxed a bit when he just saw that it was two little girls. What were they doing out here? One had a bunch of herbs, likely the daughter of a clinic owner, but the other was carrying poisons. Either way, they posed no threat so he stood back up. He saw a nice patch of herbs near the two and silently walked over to grab some.

[Ritz]

Remedi Grace Malheur
I'm just your average poison lover.

---

<sub>I look up at the girl before I relax. She was just a twelve - or possibly thirteen - year old like me, so I was in no danger. I pry the narcissus bulb once more out of the soil, placing it in one of my bigger bottles. Later I would fill it with water.

Now that I think about it, the girl looks somewhat familiar. I think I might have seen her in class before, and maybe I saw her in the hallways, but that was it. She looked pretty knowledgeable about herbs and everything else medical. I watch her observe my scar-marked body, and I wince as she asks if I'm hurt.

"I-I am perfectly c-capable of keeping myself of s-sound m-mind and body, t-thank you." Oh great, I sounded helpless back there. I trace the long scar on my arm, which was hidden from the girl with my long sleeves. It still hadn't completely healed, as far as I know. That mutt must have had pretty sharp claws.

I gaze into the girl's eyes. "W-who are you, anyway? What are you d-doing near the fence? Not collecting p-poisons like me or him, aren't you?" I gestured to the older boy near us, collecting what I assumed was nightshade, another poisonous plant.

I've seen him around before; the first time I picked up a poisonous plant - hemlock, it was called - I saw him lurking around a few meters away from me. At first I had assumed he was just lolling about, doing nothing, but then I saw him reach for a poisonous mushroom whose name I cannot recall. Back then, I had assumed that he collected poisons as well, but that was it. I knew absolutely nothing about him except for that.</sub>

[noka]

A man was nearby...no, not a man, he could hardly be called that. But he wasn't a boy yet either...a teenager, that was an ample description for him. What was he doing here? She had noticed him hastily stuffing a bunch of stuff into his back after she had so stupidly cracked that branch, and she felt she recognized one of the plants he was stuffing in there as poisonous...what was with people and collecting poisonous plants? She certainly had no idea at all. Skye decided to turn her attention back to the other girl there; she was still worried, despite the girl's assurances that she was just fine.

Why did she trace her arm like that? What was the purpose to it? Skye kept her gaze on the odd girl, and suddenly, the other girl was staring at her eyes; Skye returned the stare and listened to her question.

"I could ask the same of you," Skye said, planting a smile on her face as she knelt down and picked up yet another herb. Or rather, two. Plantain and Yarrow. It took away pain, itching, and swelling, which was quite useful, in Skye's opinion; besides that, the heat could sometimes cause people to swell too, so it was double useful in that regard. It was very useful against insects too. Yarrow, on the other hand, stopped bleeding, or at the very least slowed it down; also useful. Especially when you were her. She sometimes didn't recognize all the plants, and it was useful to have knowledge of Yarrow and Plantain if she happened to touch a less than safe plant. Of course, she also carried numerous anti-poison remedies in her bag for the rare occasion she didn't recognize a poisonous plant. "I'm collecting herbs, but poisons are useful too, if they're mixed with the right stuff," Skye paused here, frowning a little bit as she glanced to the boy, then back to the girl.

"Why are you two snatching up poisonous stuff?"

[Snareroll]

Vizair gathered the nightshade and stuffed some of it into his backpack. He looked at the girl with the poison, who had noticed him first. He thought he had seen her before, probably looking for poisons by the fence like him. But why would a kid like her need poisonous plants? He couldn't imagine someone like her... No, it couldn't be. She was too young and innocent to kill. She couldn't be doing what he does; she must just collect them. Yes, that had to be it.

Then, he looked to the other girl. She sees to be about the same age as the one with the poisons. He watched her grab some yarrow and plantain. She was smart, she had to be to identify the medicinal plants. The way she was gathering herbs, he assumed that either her parents own a clinic, or she or someone she knows is in need of them. He assumed the latter, as she didn't seem accustomed to sneaking around when she stepped on the branch.

Then she asked both him and the other girl why they were collecting poisons. He needed an alibi quick. He couldn't exactly tell them that he kills sick people, regardless of the circumstances. However, he still had to explain himself. He ripped off some bark from a nearby birch tree and put them in the bag of herbs, raising it high enough to clearly show the girl that he had many medicinal ones too. He said calmly, "As you said, poisonous plants can work well with medicinal ones, so I gather them both. As long as you keep them seperate, it's no big deal."

Thankfully, lying was one of Vizair's many talents. It had to be to keep the "fatal diseases" a secret from his parents. They didn't believe in putting people out of their misery, but not everything could be cured. If only they understood that sometimes death is the best option, but until then he had to stay quiet.

[Ritz]

Remedi Grace Malheur
I'm just your average poison lover.

---

<sub>I glance at both people suspiciously, feeling somewhat insecure. That guy looked as if he was telling us the truth, but something tells me he was lying. But I don't try and point that out. He probably has a good reason not to tell us what his real reason was, but I'm just going to assume he has a good reason.

"I-i collect them." I stammer childishly, pulling out some of my bottles. Nightlock, hemlock, calla lily. I only kept the calla lily in my bag all the time because it was so pretty, but it was poisonous as well. "P-poisons have always fascinated m-me, but m-my brother seems to love h-herbs more."

I wasn't lying about what I said about Mewt. He really did prefer medicinal herbs over my poisons, but he did adore my calla lily the first time I brought it home. He said beauty was deadly, and I guess he was right. I had accidentally touched the petals at first sight, and I had run home, crying because my fingers burned. My mother had put on some salve on it, and told me never to touch the petals if I wanted it. The stem, sure, but not the petals.

I raise my eyebrows at the yarrow. Funny, Mewt said he'd come here later to collect some. "What's with the yarrow?" I ask, thanking my lucky stars I didn't stutter. It was a bad habit of mine, stammering like a child, one that I can't - and won't - overcome. It's been handy when it came to adults.</sub>

[noka]

Skye got the feeling he was grabbing the actual herbs just for show, but she was not going to say that without any evidence. Not only would it be incredibly rude, but she had no idea what this boy was like; he could be wildly violent and unpredictable for all she knew, and she didn't relish getting punched in the face. Not that anyone relished getting punched in the face, aside from a few odd people. "But...what're you gonna use 'em for?" Skye questioned. Sure, there were a ton of clinics in District 6, owing to its medicinal nature, but still, she didn't know this boy at all, and that was kind of strange if he helped around at another clinic somewhere. Her mother had to compete with the other clinics to get patients, after all.

With that said, she soon turned her focus to the other girl there; she felt much more comfortable around her, if only because she seemed...childish. It was a refreshing change of pace from the dread most faced at the prospect of being Reaped some day. "That's a dangerous hobby. How much do you know about poisonous plants?" Skye wasn't trying to insult her knowledge on the subject at all, she was ultimately just making sure the girl knew what she was doing and wasn't going to do something stupid like just snatch up water hemlock. Hrm...did that even grow around here? Skye wasn't sure, all she knew was that it was a good idea to stay far away from such things.

"Anyhoo...the yarrow is for bleeding, obviously. Slows it down and all that; you'd think you'd know that if you recognized it." Skye was trying to remain civil to the two of them despite the fact that they were relative strangers.

[Snareroll]

Vizair listened to the toxic girls explanation intently. So she just collects the poisons? That's it? A strange hobby, but everyone has their quirks. she pulled out her collection bottles, which included a calla lily. He was impressed; she had to have a good knowledge of poisons to know to pick it from the stem, not the petals. There was definitely more to this seemingly innocent girl than meets the eye.

Then his attention turned toward the other girl. She was just full of questions, her most recent one being what he uses the herbs for. She was a nosy one alright. He just hoped her questions were coming to an end. The more she asked, the more likely she was to be suspicious. But if she was buying this other girl just collecting them, there was no reason for her not to believe him. He calmly answered, "I gather herbs for my parents' clinic. Sometimes some of the poisonous plants can have some medicinal qualities that work well with the herbs. Though it's not always the most effective, but it gets the job done when you're on a low budget."

They're also quite handy for lethal injections, he thought as he picked some of the nightshade. The poison collector had pulled out many bottles of poisons, but he didn't see the nightshade in any of them. He held them out to her, "I don't think I saw any of this nightshade in your collection. Be careful with the berries. They look sweet, but they can be fatal. Basically as long as you don't eat it, you're safe."

[Ritz]

Remedi Grace Malheur
I'm just your average poison lover.

---

<sub>My brow furrows as I place the bottles back into my bag. Sure, I knew what yarrow was used for, but I was simply asking why she needed to use it. Meh, I'll just assume that she helps out in their clinic. Sometimes Mewt and I did that, but we usually mess up comically, with me creating either something poisonous or something explosive, and with Mewt usually the victim of these things. We weren't comedians, but our parents usually joke about how we'd be a team if I weren't so serious.

"I k-know that, t-thank you." I snap at the older boy, gazing at my legs. Battle scarred - well, not exactly from battles, but you get the idea, don't you? - and pale, I looked like a zombie child, seeking to kill others with her poisons. OK, maybe I'm being overdramatic, but who am I to know what others think of me? For all I care, Mewt's proclaiming that I sing about Marche Aquanos in the shower.

... Wait, maybe I would care.

I sit up straighter, my shoes pressing against the soil. My skirt is soiled and dirty at the edges, with a few streaks near the pockets, but that was it. I gaze at the girl with icy contempt. She was a stranger, that I knew, but it would be more efficient if I could at least set off an aura of creepiness to make her leave me alone. I narrow my eyes at her knowledge on poisons question, smoothing out my skirt and pulling out two of my more useful poisonous plants. Both were flowers, yet they held such potential that I kept them in a secret pocket at all times.

"H-have you heard of the O-oleander?" I ask. I feel relief with the fact that I am stuttering less now. "You can't question my knowledge of p-poisons if I know this, because it's the most p-poisonous flower even before Panem existed." I can feel pride radiating off me, but I don't care. I'm in my element; identifying poisons. Everything poisonous, I've heard of it, or already handled it. Mostly, I specialized in flowers, because of my mother's favorite saying, 'Beauty is Deadly'. Well, apparently, she was right.</sub>

[pianoplayer]

(OOC: Mind if I join?)
Amadeus didn't plan on going anywhere near the fence that day. On the contrary, he just wanted to find a good place to read a book. So what if the most comfortable tree around happened to be just on the borders where all those berries were? He wanted the shade and sturdiness the birch tree's branches provided. You can't get that in the uniform square buildings near his home. The poisonous plants were a downside, but as long as he didn't eat or touch any of it, he would be fine.
But then, just when he got to the good part, where Pericles was explaining the chemical reactions in the brain during dream sequences, a twig snapped; someone came walking and started picking the berries. A girl, probably his age. She was quiet though, so he went on reading.
Then the other boy, and the girl had to come, and now were loudly discussing poisons and herbs and the such. As if everyone in District 6 had to know of their prescence, as if they wanted Peacekeepers to come string them up on nooses for breaking the rules. Well, they could kill themselves if they wanted, but not on his conscious.
"Shhhhhhh, do you want to get yourselves caught?." he hissed quietly at them, keeping himself hidden the birch tree's leafy cover.

[noka]

His parents' clinic...so she had been right in thinking along those lines, but again she didn't recognize him at all. One might think she would considering her parents ran a clinic as well, but maybe his parents' clinic was just starting? Besides that, she realized she had been prying too much, and so Skye simply nodded her head, a smile on her face. "My parents, or my mom really, run a clinic. I'm always gathering stuff for her, and I'm good at healing people on my own too," she said, having made sure to keep her voice as quiet as she usually did when near the border. Quiet, but not to the point that she wouldn't be heard; no need to have Peacekeepers looming down on them?

She might be able to sweet talk them into letting her get away with all her stuff intact, since her parents' clinic was a bit well known and all, not to mention the fact that no actual herbs grew in the middle of District 6. Well, they did, but the herbs were not valuable ones at all; the better ones were near the borders. But she definitely did not want the other people she was talking to to get in trouble, hence her low voice. The other girl there, the one with scarred legs, was looking at her with a rather frosty look; Skye wondered why. She was only...well, worried for the other girl. She was picking dangerous poisons, not to mention her general appearance didn't look all that healthy anyway. One could take all the precautions when it came to poisons and still end up sick if they messed up one time.

"The most poisonous flower, the oleandor? I somewhat doubt that...it's the most poisonous common flower, but not the most poisonous. But anyway, I wasn't doubting you at all, I was just worried about you, that's it...make even one mistake and poisons can kill you. Not to mention your legs..." she let herself trail off, but it was right about that time that someone interrupted them, and she couldn't help but be a little irritable. Yes, even she could get snippy with people sometimes, and this was one of those times. "Uh, what? You're acting as if we're shouting. And I, for one, am definitely not doing that." she said, staring at him with obvious incredulity.

[Ritz]

Remedi Grace Malheur
I'm just your average poison lover.

---

<sub>I shrug indifferently. Common or not, oleander was still the most poisonous flower that existed, even before Panem. Sure, the Capitol could make more poisonous muttations of plants, even more so than my oleander, but it was still the one that came first.

I hear a hiss coming from a nearby birch tree, and I turn around quickly. That birch had some pretty poisonous specimens of fungus hidden within its roots, and I had received the bad end of some of them loads of times when I wasn't expecting them. However, I knew the hiss wasn't coming from the roots, so I quickly trace the source upwards to the boy sitting on the branches.

He looks familiar, but I can't really see his face because it's hidden behind lots of leaves. I might have seen him in class before, but that was it. Like that girl. And judging from his cozy position up there, he was reading something that I wouldn't bother with unless it involved poisons.

"Hey, get out of there." I drawl, reaching into my bag once more. Calla lily, calla lily. Where is that calla lily bottle? I trace my fingers over an elongated and intricately decorated bottle, then I uncork it and reveal the flower, delicate and deadly. "We're just having a heated conversation, mind you. You're lucky I only have a few poisons today, or I might just have tossed you the more toxic ones. I adjust my position so that I am facing the tree, to see if he would come down. If he won't, I'll lure him down. I've got enough poisons to do that.</sub>

[pianoplayer]

I am the lucky one? Hmm, the girl can think what she wants, but I doubt I am the sole party who is lucky. I've seem them all in my class before, the boy, Vizier, and the girls, Skye and Remedi. I never would have thought that they had an interest in poisonous plants, but you learn something every day, I suppose. She's threatening me with Calla Lily; contains calcium oxalate, which when ingested causes severe swelling of the throat and stomach pains. I don't have to be a biologist to know what it could do. But the Bayberry compound myricitrin would counteract these symptoms quickly.

If I wanted to, I could go tell the Peacekeepers now. I would be questioned of course, but would it be so hard as to say I was simply walking by when I caught a snippet of their conversation? She is threatening me, but it wouldn't be worth it to have all of them suffer over something so trivial. The peacekeepers would be ruthless for hearing how they keep their poisons; they would assume that my peers were conspiring to kill the President, or something equally malicious. I doubt this is their intention; they are curious with poisons as I am with chemistry and physics. I hate to come down the tree, but no point in staying up here. If I hadn't wished to be known of, I wouldn't have spoken, now would I?

Folding a crease on the page I am at, I close the book, shuffle down from my comfortable branch, and land on the ground. Brushing myself off, I look at Remedi and Skye, waiting for their reaction. Would they recognize me? I'm not sure, but I would think that they would, considering we have been in the same class for years now. We shall see.

[Ritz]

Remedi Grace Malheur
I'm just your average poison lover.

---

<sub>Now I know who he is.

He was that smart kid who always answered the teacher's questions about chemistry and physics correctly. I always saw him when I passed him in the hallways, usually reading another book, or just doing whatever it is he wants to do. During those times I was either by myself, with Mewt whenever he wasn't on a popularity run, my only friend Meridian, or with Marche, who I won't admit to being my crush.

"Oh, happy days, it's you." I say sarcastically, corking the bottle and placing the bottle back into my bag. Sometimes he annoyed me so, that Amadeus kid. We're exactly the same age, twelve, but he was just so smart I could say I'm comparing him with my twin brother. "Come to bore us to death, perhaps?"

I didn't sound like wallflower Remedi at the moment, nosiree. When I hold poisons, I feel more confident when talking to acquaintances. This is far by an improvement over my stammering little girl act a while ago. I can feel the sides of my mouth curling up into what Mewt calls a freaky cat grin, because it's so creepy that when I look in the mirror, I even freak myself out. Ergh.

"What were you doing up there, Amadeus? I ask, inching closer to the fence to reach under it and snag that weird looking fungi. I've never seen it before, but it looked weird, so I pick it up and observe it while I wait for his answer. "Don't tell me you were reading up for tomorrow's next lesson in school."</sub>