Alchemy

Russell and Fletcher's shop wasn't anything too fancy, just a store front with a cozy apartment upstairs and enough space for a garden out back. There were plants of all kinds taking in the sunlight from the greenhouse style front windows that looked out into the street (the only really distinct feature of the place), bookshelf lined walls (filled with a collection three years in the making and still growing), and small tables and shelves scattered throughout the main room, every surface so covered by greenery that it was difficult to see what they rested on (and almost crowded enough to get lost in).

It hadn't been a very busy day so far, it was mostly the regular customers that had stopped by, looking for advice on planting this or that or needing something fixed. Not very many people came in on Sundays.

Fletcher had been away for most of the weekend, working on his own research, which left Russell with the place to himself. He was looking forward to getting some of his own work done that he had no time for during the week.

Russell is pretty sure that no one else would stop by today, but he leaves the open sign out and keeps the door between the front and back rooms open, just in case.

The lab takes up the back section of the shop and is by far Russell's favorite room in the place. There are two desks (Russell's is the messiest), a work table dotted with a mix of microscopes, glass beakers, empty pots, and notebooks.

Russell decides to deal with the newly potted plants first, wondering if there is even any more room in the front to put them.

Still, that won't be a problem, he is an alchemist, after all.