[hr][hr][center][img]https://s26.postimg.org/4icwbobzd/death_of_a_garden.png[/img]
[img]http://www.madametalbot.com/13/ani/chemical_lab.gif[/img][hr][color=9999ff][b]Location:[/b][/color] Crypt Manor (London)
[i]#SomethingWickedThisWayComes[/i][/center][hr][hr]	[url=https://68.media.tumblr.com/12dd0f666306f4f0855bc42b865a5430/tumblr_nysr09h76y1t7lpiro2_400.gif]Miss Evers[/url] returned, interrupting Virginia's concentration for a mere moment. While Virginia felt a bit exasperated, as she had begun to have some ideas as to which tests she might perform on the carcass, Miss Evers' presence was not entirely unwelcome. Carefully placed on a sealed tray that Miss Evers carried, Virginia assumed were the hairs that had been collected from each member of the household staff. With a full staff, having the samples to compare things with would make the work much easier. She may be familiar with most of those who worked in Crypt Manor, but she certainly would not have been able to identify each person's hair on sight. 

	"All the samples, just as you asked," Miss Evers explained, setting the tray down and removing the lid. The hairs were laid out on a sheets of paper, with their names identified in a messy scrawl. It took Virginia by surprise for a moment--she was unaware that Miss Evers could read or write. It was uncommon for the lower classes, especially women. But that was a matter for another time--the carcass decayed with each passing moment. 

	[color=9999ff]"Excellent,"[/color] Virginia said simply. She took the hairs she had obtained from the specimen and began her comparison, jotting down notes as she went. She compared the hairs in terms of texture, color, structure, and so forth. Creating a table of sorts among her notes, Virginia filled in the columns for Alfred, James, Peter, Miss Evers, herself, and her beloved dog Ripper. The rest of the household staff was added as well. 

	"This is all rather ghastly, isn't it?" Miss Evers pressed, sounding excited and showing seemingly no shame about it. "Think of all the stains there'll be to clean...There's already blood on your dress, my lady."

	[color=9999ff]"Interesting. Two hairs that appear to be human with no correlation. A dark hair, thick structure and short, texture is greasy, shaft is smooth. Second one is a course auburn, short as well,"[/color] Virginia said, jotting down the notes. She ignored Miss Evers' prattling about how she would manage to get the stain out of Virginia's dress as best as she could. Removing bloodstains from clothing, if possible, was a key part of Miss Evers' job. 

	Virginia then took the two hairs she had identified and placed them between two wetted pieces of glass. If done properly, it created a decent seal that would ensure the hairs would not go amiss in the laboratory. Walking away from the bench for a moment, she set the hair samples down on the shelf, leaving a small note near them to explain what they were. She didn't care for miscellaneous specimens and chemicals of unknown origin to be in her laboratory. 

	"Any leads yet, my lady?" Miss Evers pressed once more, as Virginia put a second pair of gloves on and grabbed a small flask. To the best of her ability, she filled the flask with some of the carcass' blood. She could attempt to analyze it later. [color=9999ff]"Take this to the well, place it in the bucket, and lower it down. The conditions at the bottom of the well will keep the temperature constant and appropriate for preserving this specimen."[/color]

	Miss Evers nodded, looking at the flask with fascination as she gave it a bit of a swirl. "Remarkable," she whispered. 

	Virginia glanced up at Miss Evers, her eyes partially narrowed. [color=9999ff]"If you are to be my assistant in these affairs, I expect that you follow my orders as holy writ. If religion is not your opiate of choice, then I can certainly amend my analogy,"[/color] Virginia warned. The laboratory was her dominion. Those who ignored her instructions earned her irritation and seemingly sensing this, Miss Evers made her apologies and hurried to deal with the flask. 

	Virginia grinned a bit once she was alone in the laboratory. She fetched a cloth mask for herself and put some lilac inside of it, knowing that the smell of death would be upon her soon. She was entranced by death, but even Virginia found it much more preferable when combined with flowers. It was reminiscent of funerals. Placing the mask on, she considered for a moment placing a third pair of gloves on, but decided ultimately against it. 

	She began the process of dissection, working slowly and carefully. Not even the lilac scent of the mask could conceal the awful stench that filled the laboratory. Blood drenched her gloves and the sleeves of her dress, as well as the front. It was not some small creature she was dissecting--this was a fully grown wolf. She removed its organs that she found and set them aside, intent on preserving them separately. They could prove useful for analysis. 

	[color=9999ff]"How curious,"[/color] Virginia murmured underneath the mask. The wolf was missing a kidney, gallbladder, and pancreas. There was no indication as to when the organs were removed, but another development appeared to be more pressing. Taking the organs turn by turn, she attempted to deduce as much as she could about the wolf's last few days of life, placing the organs in jars filled with the same spirits filling the basin once she finished. 

	[color=9999ff]"The sex is male,"[/color] Virginia noted, but that was not what captivated her. [color=9999ff]"The subject appears to have been digesting human remains."[/color][hr][hr][center][img]https://s8.postimg.org/nvq4ksl7p/maeve.png[/img]
[img]https://s2.postimg.org/88devw7h5/Regency_Chloe_12.gif[/img][hr][color=ff6600][b]Location[/b][/color]: Annan[/center][hr][hr]	Maeve felt bewildered as she took in the parson. While he had changed his attire and chosen to hide underneath a new profession, his entire personality appeared to have changed. The clumsy parson she had traveled with had been nothing more than a ruse, then. It was impressive commitment, she had to admit. However, some small portion of her felt disappointed that it had all been illusion. She had become quite fond of the clumsy man in the last day. 

	[color=ff6600]"'tis al' de seem ter me,"[/color] Maeve answered with a tone of indifference. She was curious as to who Calum actually was, but she was too prideful to ask that type of question. She didn't want to admit that she had been fooled, amongst other things. It was better to just use Calum as a means to an end. This man was likely just the same as all of the others, then. She couldn't decide if she was more irritated with Calum or with herself. 

	[color=ff6600]"Let's git 'eadin', den. we're wastin' our time,"[/color] Maeve added. [color=ff6600]"Unless yer 'av another costume change yer nade ter git done, kid."[/color]