It was hard to appear regal when one was sick.

Amethyst did not appreciate having "a cold." She had never had it on Atlantis, but since she'd come to the Mansion, she had it on and off. The healer said something about her 'immune system', and categorically refused to do anything about it. So, in the absence of servants, the princess had to resort to mediocre tea, whatever 'cold medicine' was, and looking awfully under the weather.

The worst was the itching in the nose. Normal people usually had mucus running from everywhere, but Amethyst was far from normal, which meant she had gemstones dropping from her eyes and nose, and occasionally her mouth, basically all the time. Jade, topaz, and sapphires dotted the trail in her wake, and feeling sick and miserable as she was, she could not be bothered to pick all of them up. She knew Praxi or Carrick or some Mansion kid would get to them soon anyway.

Walking down the hallway towards her room, the princess stopped, suddenly overwhelmed with the urge to sneeze. And she did. A small shower of sapphires and jade clattered to the floor, and the princess huffed, continuing on, carrying a large mug of tea in her hands.

Illness was the worst.

Since it was the weekend she didn't have to be at the Mansion for any reason for herself. She had escorted her sister over for some reason she had already forgotten about in the grand scheme of things and set about exploring the marginally more quiet mansion for additional hidey holes to take naps when she was supposed to be in class. Not that she couldn't (and often did) nap in class. It was just nice to stretch out on occasion. Then a foot slid across the floor as it hit something smooth and backstopped off of it.

Blinking she peered down to see it had little twinkling brothers and sisters. They looked like gemstones, but they certainly couldn't be real could they? They were definitely a hazard for less athletic people, which by her standards meant almost everyone at the mansion! Procuring a broom secreted away to sweep up the non uniform tripping hazards. As she rounded a corner she blinked as she heard a sneeze with a pattering of gemstones hitting the floor. "Your just going to leave those lying around?!" She huffed out as her sweeping pace accelerated to catch up to Amethyst, pocketing the latest haul into her ever present backpack then moved to square off on Amethyst. 

Her hands on her hips and (annoyingly as with most of the west), looked slightly up at Amethyst as she blocked her path. "Your leaving quite the obstacle course laying around for other people." Not even remotely considering that the woman might have seen her napping in class on many occasions or worse that she never seemed to speak English.

Amethyst sneezed out another shower of gemstones, when someone piped up behind her:

>>"Your just going to leave those lying around?!"

Oh, great. There was, like, one person in this building who didn't like free shinies?

"You can keep them" she shrugged, attempting to walk on, but the pink-haired girl cur her off. She'd seen her before in class, whenever she deemed to attend, and she vaguely remembered her sleeping.

>>"Your leaving quite the obstacle course laying around for other people."

"Someone will pick them up" the princess pointed out, gesturing at the broom in the girl's hand. Praxi or Carrick were not the only ones in the building who liked finding free gemstones, and sick as she was, she could not be bothered to pick them up anyway.

Worthless as they probably were Himari would find some use for the shinies, perhaps have her sister embroider her up something nice or use some of the harder gemstones to make some sort of gemstone knuckle dusters. That would be awesome! She however shoved any elation at the free shinies down way deep as soon as the girl opposing her saw fit to say stupid anger inducing things. Westerners! Always leaving crap for others to pick up. In a horribly roundabout way she appreciated how her old school did things.

"Some people are taught to behave like proper people and pick up after themselves. Usually around the toddler stage you don't appear to have grown out of." An irritated sigh spewed forth as she spied more of the shinies on the ground. "Someone could hurt themselves! Why in the kami are you.. expelling them everywhere?!" Having to search for an appropriate word. The woman did look a bit worse for wear, but a cold hard disciplined fist gripped it in her chest and strangled it quietly.

>>"Some people are taught to behave like proper people and pick up after themselves. Usually around the toddler stage you don't appear to have grown out of."

The princess looked the girl over again. She seemed intent on picking a fight. Or teaching her a lesson or something. Obviously, Amethyst had never been taught to pick up after herself; she had maids and servants for that work, as any royal would. She did not see it as a failing. Now that she lived at the school, she had to do the basic necessities of keeping herself tidy, which was, honestly, annoying. But the gemstones, well. The kids needed some entertainment, didn't they?

>>"Someone could hurt themselves! Why in the kami are you.. expelling them everywhere?!"

"Hurt themselves?" the princess arched an eyebrow "Honestly, you are the first one to complain about free gemstones lying around."

Ugh. The woman didn't even seem to be the slightest bit concerned about anyone. Some of them were like little bearings rolling about and she could all too easily see one of the smaller residents not seeing one and do the splits or face plant somewhere. Which would be quite hilarious to someone deserving of such treatment, but not any old random person. 

"Anything gained so easily is worthless." Very diplomatically she didn't add that the quality probably matched the source. It was entirely possible that some might be worth some coin to the right person, even something flawed. To her they were just pretty baubles and nothing more. Especially if they came from this sack of flesh vaguely resembling a person of whom her opinion was dropping into unseen territory. Of course she was quick to change opinions of people, but thus far redeeming qualities seemed in short supply.

"Is your whole body slowly turning into gemstones? Are you dying?" That thought struck her suddenly and it seemed possible. Anything was possible in mutation land why not a rebirth cycle of gems to human then back again?

>>"Anything gained so easily is worthless."

Amethyst quirked an eyebrow at such a blatant cliché.

"You must not know much about gemstones, do you."

When had anyone ever, ever cared about where a gemstone really came from? There was a reason there were bloody conflicts around the globe. At least hers were... ethically sourced.

>>"Is your whole body slowly turning into gemstones? Are you dying?"

The princess huffed, a piece of jade falling from her nose. She couldn't sniffle now, could she? It was mechanically impossible.

"Well, the headache makes me wish I was. But nah. It's just a cold."

When someone accused her of not knowing something it grated on her, immensely. Most inevitably stemming from her rather lackluster dedication to her scholastic studies. She loved studying! Just not on any of the subjects at school that people placed so much emphasis on. The urge to strangle the woman came and went yet again and took a slow breath to steady herself. 

"English is not my first language so I doubt I could explain sufficiently for you, but just because a thing has monetary value does not automatically imply worth." It was a poor attempt to impart wisdom perhaps, but she tried. It wasn't her fault people fought over stupid things like money.

Her purple eyes blinked somewhat as the jade clinked to the ground, still half disbelieving. 

"I didn't think the gifted could get colds." At least she couldn't remember ever having one.. and her sister was a cat so human afflictions didn't affect her. The intense scrutiny of her purple eyes landed on the large mug in the princess' hands. "Is that medicine then?" Genuinely curious what the woman had to drink. Most westerners made poor choices about beverages in general and that only got even worse when they were sick! 

>>"English is not my first language so I doubt I could explain sufficiently for you, but just because a thing has monetary value does not automatically imply worth."

Oh. She was one of those. The 'money is not everything' people. Sure, Amethyst was aware that money in itself did not constitute everything, but you could buy pretty much anything with it, and she didn't feel like apologizing for understanding its value. She was not rich, she was royalty. Royalty who made her own gemstones. If someone envied that, they could deal with it alone. Because she was dealing with being ill.

>>"I didn't think the gifted could get colds. Is that medicine then?"

"It's tea." the princess peered into the mug, and the filter floating in it "... I think. It's supposed to be good for a cold."

The woman didn't respond to her little philosophizing. It was hard to tell if her expression of extreme unamusement was due to her cold or in reaction to what she had just said. Himari was going to assume both. She did envy the walking fountain of cash to some extent. It certainly made things easier. Himari however was on a path far more interested in physical and soulful accomplishments more than any pursuit of wealth. It probably also helped that if it wasn't for being temporarily exiled to the USA then she wouldn't have to worry about money at all. Oh well. 

The shorter girl gracefully closed the distance to peer into the mug and got a little closer to sniff it. A brief look of disappointment crossing her face. "Well it is tea, but it is all Americanized. Westerners.." She sighed a bit and shrugged. "You have a hot plate in your room or something. I can make you some tea and a bit of food that will clear that cold right up. Medicine isn't supposed to taste great." Statin the latter as almost an afterthought.. an offer and a warning to help the woman through her cold. Not that she liked her much, it just seemed the right thing to do. It beat the alternative of punching the woman in the stomach and walking away. Time to get the high ground..

The girl moved closer, sniffing her tea. Amethyst was not sure what the point was supposed to be; it was the same tea everyone else seemed to be drinking in the cold season.

>>"Well it is tea, but it is all Americanized. Westerners.."

The princess blinked, tilting her head. She was still bad at guessing where people came from.

>>"You have a hot plate in your room or something. I can make you some tea and a bit of food that will clear that cold right up. Medicine isn't supposed to taste great."

"What's a hot plate?..." she ventured. It sounded like something useful. She'd have to remember that. "Where are you from, then? Are you some kind of a healer?"

Himari stared for a moment. Unsure or disbelieving the woman had no idea what a hot plate was. Was she fisking with her? Himari pushed up a pink eyebrow then decided that the woman probably didn't know much of anything. Seemed like the butler and waiter type for some reason. Mainly the previous conversation of money equaling power.

"A hot plate? It is like a..." Trying to think of all the proper english words. "Single stove top deal. Good for cooking one pot or heating tea. You plug it in to the wall. Japanese people have efficiency living down pat." Answering two questions in one then unable to help a single great bursting laugh. "More of a fighter, but natural medicine is one of the few subjects I am interested in. I figure if you get over your cold sooner we are both happy. I can head to the kitchen and whip something up then bring it to your room if you like?" 

 

>>"A hot plate? It is like a... Single stove top deal. Good for cooking one pot or heating tea. You plug it in to the wall. Japanese people have efficiency living down pat."

Amethyst was only familiar with some of those words, but it occurred to her that if there was a way to make tea in her own room, that would definitely be preferable to sharing the kitchen with all the annoying other students. She made a mental note to look into purchasing a hot plate. Once she was done feeling miserable. Which this strange, pink person might be able to help with.

>>"More of a fighter, but natural medicine is one of the few subjects I am interested in. I figure if you get over your cold sooner we are both happy. I can head to the kitchen and whip something up then bring it to your room if you like?"

"That sounds good." the princess nodded. People bringing her things to make her feel better, now that she was familiar with. She turned and walked back to her room. Whenever the pink person decided to show up with the medicine, she would find the princess in bed, surrounded by scattered gemstones and boxes of chocolate.

The princess did Irritate Himari.. quite a bit in fact. She was slowly learning it was just the fact the woman was a flaw of personality and not some purposeful attempt to draw out the powerful pink person to punch her pointedly. Her eyebrows furrowing up a bit in amusement as the offer was accepted so easily. perhaps the older girl wasn't as prideful as she seemed? The curious personality of Amethyst only made the offer more interesting, a case study in imperialist attitudes if nothing else!

Bowing she scurried off to the kitchen, heedless of the eyes on her. Normally she left the cooking to her sister, for good reason. Cooking for healing purposes however.. that was a different story entirely. It took a bit longer then an hour before she made her way to the room sick lady indicated, knocking politely before peeking in and entering. She wouldn't have put it past some people to tell her the wrong room. Fighting down a little wave of nerves, first at entering an unknown persons room, and second in hopes her humble remedies would be well received. Carrying a tray with with a teapot with two ceramic cups, two bowls that at first glanced appeared to be white rice with a yellow hue to it, two shriveled up purple balls that were pickled, dried plums if the princess happened to be knowledgeable about such things, and of course utensils for eating it all.

"Takes a bit to get it just right, but it is all easy on the stomach as well." The taste.. well that would be entirely subjective. "Sit up please." Giving a disapproving look at all the chocolate boxes laying about. No wonder this girl was sick! Setting the serving tray over Amethyst's legs to free up her hands. She poured a mysterious orange liquid into the Princess's glass first and handed it to her before pouring one for herself. 

"Now this is healing tea, start with this while I finish preparing the rest." It was a mostly subtle tea with a growing sensation of spiciness the longer one drank. A pleasant mixture of green tea, lemon, honey, and most importantly of all a healthy dose fresh ginger. Designed to warm the body from inside out and packed with all sorts of healing goodies. 

Taking one of the pickled plums and crumbling it into the soupy rice that had been simmer into a porridge in the yellow broth before taking a spoon and mixing it slightly, leaving the spoon in it for the princess and pushing it towards her. Once eaten the rice had a gentle fish undertone that was complemented by the smoky flavor of the broth. The pickled plum pieces providing a tart, sour taste that was strong without overwhelming the more subtle flavors completely.

"Please enjoy." Fixing up her own bowl the same way and taking a sip of the tea and a bit of the rice with a generous grin on her face. Clearly happy with her own work.

The pink haired girl did show up eventually, with a tray of food and tea. Amethyst looked at it curiously as the tray was placed on her lap. So far, being served healing things seemed familiar. The smells were not wholly so, but she was willing to try.

>>"Takes a bit to get it just right, but it is all easy on the stomach as well. Sit up please."

She did, wiping some gems to the floor as she did so. Someone would have to sweep them up later.

>>"Now this is healing tea, start with this while I finish preparing the rest."

She did tart with the tea. It was hot, kind of spicy, and it made it feel easier to breathe. Amethyst sipped it carefully as she watched the food being prepared. It looked like a meticulous process.

>>"Please enjoy."

"This is very elaborate food" she pointed out, tasting it. The taste of fish felt familiar, but the plum was an interesting addition. "What does it do? For healing? Or is that due to your powers?..."