Rule #15: No alchemist is allowed to brew more than one potion at a time.

Sarah swore when the knife in her hand slipped for the fifth time. It clattered on the floor and the girl glared at the offending object. She gritted her teeth, picked it up, and returned to sawing through the Seed of Life on her desk. Two cauldrons bubbled on the table beside her. Their white and red fumes curled in the air and the smell of chemicals stung her nose. A little timer blared on the desk, insisting that she add the ingredients.

She threw the timer across the room.

She wanted to throw her hands in the air and quit – but she couldn't. A mage ordered the red potions and expected them this afternoon. The other potion, the homunculus potion, cost a fortune. Plus, her pride wouldn't let her abandon a challenge. If the guild leader could brew seven potions simultaneously, then she could brew two.

You're being ridiculous, a small part of her brain said. You're breaking the rule, you're trying to copy the guild master of all people, and if anyone finds out –

"Shut up" she replied. The Seed of Life cracked under her knife.

It was against the rules to brew more than one potion at a time because of the number of casualties the year before.

However, just a few hours ago, Sarah had spotted the guild master in his room, surrounded by seven black cauldrons. Instead of panicking, the man whistled a merry tune and skipped as he checked the cauldrons, occasionally stopping to prepare ingredients. Sarah had been sure something would explode and she'd have to rush to the office to tell the staff that their leader died. They probably would have cheered, now that she thought about it. The man was a hazard if he did this regularly - and he was well-known for being somewhat insane.

However, nothing exploded. The guild leader poured a different color potion out of each cauldron, still whistling.

For a long while, Sarah gaped. Then she stormed in and demanded that he teach her. Screw the rules. If she learned this trick, life would be easier.

Unfortunately, the man waved her away. "Do it yourself," he said, "It's easy."

It was his fault she was obsessively checking the two cauldrons before her, hastily preparing ingredients for both, and checking the time to put them in at the right moments.

After 20 minutes, Sarah finished the red potion and nearly finished the homunculus solution. She observed her work for a moment. Fortunately, the red potion was still red, though it was a little darker than she preferred. On the other hand, the homunculus solution was a cloudy white instead of clear. It bubbled furiously, promising death for all her mistakes. The girl sighed and picked up the embryo she left beside the cauldron. Here goes nothing, she thought as she dropped it in.

Then a finger poked her side.

Sarah screamed and spun around, knocking over the cauldrons. She looked back at them in horror. The two cauldrons lay on the floor, the liquids mixing together with the embryo in the middle. There was a sizzle and Sarah snapped out of her shock.

"You ruined it!" she wailed, falling on her knees. "I worked so hard on it…I spent so much zeny, and you ruined it."

The guild leader patted her on the back. She could imagine a grin on his face. "It's your first time. Don't be so wound up"

"I saved up for an entire year for the materials!" She cried.

The leader shrugged. "Too bad,"

I should kill him, the girl thought. The staff would allow it.

Oblivious to her intent, he pointed at the mess, "Since you're the one who messed up, you should clean. Have fun!"

Then he skipped out of the room.

Sarah miserably watched her embryo melt into the puddle of goo. It was like her resolve to stay in this place.

How was she supposed to clean it up, anyways? That puddle could probably melt a mop.

There was never time to think of an answer, as the liquid, now pink, began gathering itself into a gelatinous blob. Then it developed an innocent face with a blush brighter than its skin. Sarah was dumbfounded.

...A poring?

She spent a fortune to make a poring?

Were they homunculi?

As Sarah stared, the monster opened its mouth and cooed. It seemed tame enough. Perhaps she'd train it.

Afterward, she would feed the guild leader to it.

A/N: This idea came up when I thought about how there were porings, marins, and poporings out there. They're a similar color to all those potions...