White Rabbit

Chapter 16: Euphoria and Dopamine

CLATTONIA

"I really am sorry about what happened to you and Kazuki, Caliber," I say as I stand at the kitchen counter with the bowl of cookie batter, mixing it thoroughly as Caliber sits at the small, circular, dining table and spins her pistol around, "I know that him coming back into Shibuya must be hard for you."

"It is...most unfortunate, but," Caliber says as she continues to spin her pistol around, pausing whenever she loses track of her words, "I'm okay. That's all I can be."

Across from the table, Indigo watches Caliber sadly before her eyes flicker over to Juniper, who bumps the white, swinging door to the kitchen open with her hip as she carries a giant, potted plant that resembles a fern but has pink roses on it. Juniper makes her way over to the counter and stands beside me, carefully placing the plant down next to the mixing bowl.

"Here's the Zygith Bush you asked for," Juniper says and smiles as she places her hands on her hips, "Although, I'm not quite sure what you wanted it for. Zygith contains healing properties within its petals, but--"

"But whenever congested, it releases a feeling of euphoria and enhances the dopamine levels within the brain," I finish as I continue to stir the cookie batter, "I know. It also enhances defensive properties and gives a sense of protection over those who ingest it, similar to a charm."

"Whatever would you need that for, Clattonia?" Caliber inquires as her eyebrows raise slightly, "It is also unlike you to cook dinner."

"Yes, well," I start, "I've decided that I want to reward those who have been working hard. Besides, we don't have everyone here together very often, and I figured that it would be nice to celebrate while we can. I know that we have work to do, but one night couldn't hurt. And anyways, we have two new additions."

"Ooh, that sounds swell," Juniper beams and raises her hands to her chest, clasping them as she leans over my shoulder to peek at the batter.

"Juniper, could you tend to the Zygith Bush for me?" I ask.

"Sure," Juniper nods and goes back out of the kitchen to grab some of her supplies, coming back with a crystal jar in the shape of a diamond that has a pink chain hanging off of it and a rose attached to the beaded chain, as well as a small pair of hedge trimmers, an eye dropper, and an x-Acto knife.

Juniper places her tools on the counter beside the bush before reaching up into one of the overhead, brown, wooden cabinets and grabbing a wooden bowl and a crusher, placing them on the other side of the bush. Meanwhile, the oven timer dings and Indigo's eyes light up as she hurries over to open the oven door, steam coming out of the oven itself as she puts on oven mitts and grabs the pan of breadsticks.

"Are you going to call Jace and invite him over?" Juniper asks as she raises the hedge trimmers up to the bush and cuts off a piece where a rose is, carefully resting the rose down on the counter and sitting the hedge trimmers down as well.

"I intended to, yes," I nod as I stop mixing the cookie batter and decide to drop more chocolate chips in before stirring again.

"Good," Juniper smiles slightly, but it's warm as her green eyes hold a certain glow to them, and she sucks up a clear, almost sparkly liquid from within the center of the rose into the eye dropper before setting the eye dropper back down on the counter and picking up the x-Acto knife.

"Hm?" I raise a brow at her and look at her from out of the corner of my eye, my stirring never slowing.

"Oh, I just think he's good for you, that's all," Juniper hums as she uses the x-Acto knife to scrape nectar off of the petals as she holds them over the wooden bowl.