Sorry for the delay! Enjoy~

Chapter 23

After searching through the woods, the young men realized that they knew nothing about what the mysterious Elderberry looked like. Or any berry that wasn't a common one that was found in stores. It only took them a couple of hours to realize they were roaming through the woods with no certain direction or message clear in their minds. Eventually though, they had to head back to the library where the woman who hated them resided, to check out a couple books on plants.

What they quickly found out was that elderberries were a pretty commom fruit, dark purple berries attached to red vines. While it was said to encompass magical abilities, it was also said that it could be deadly poisonous if used incorrectly. Yet that had never been proven, and was nothing more than a wide superstition. In fact, along with what the Elderberry looked like, the young men also found that it was used in anything from wines to syrups.

"But it could be poisonous?" Matthew asked as soon as Ivan read the part aloud. Kiku stayed silent, reading over a recipe he found for rice with sauce, and a fresh salad. His mind was already miles away from his friends, and more on what he was going to have for dinner.

"It's never been proven, and it's used in a lot of food nowadays," Ivan replied. His eyes were beginning to get dry, he rubbed them lightly.

"It needs to be crushed into a fine paste, and then we need to add the milk and blood right? Is there an order to it? Like in Harry Potter, things needed to be added in a certain order for potions," Alfred asked, it was a valid question, despite the reference to Harry Potter among the mix.

"I'm sure it won't matter. But just in case let's have the blood added last." Kiku replied rationally. Everyone voiced their agreement.

"So it seems rather easy. We just have to find a way to get some milk straight from the cow right?"

"Let's not forget the blood!" Feliciano squeaked out. Relaltively he had been freaked out by that, despite it was only a few drops he would have to give up. It took an hour for his brother to calm him down, and get him back to a somewhat normal state.

"Feli..." Lovino started, ready to comfort his brother all over again.

"No it's fine Lovi! Look I'm okay, see?" he gestured wildly to himself, trying to prove a point but his hands were shaking as they moved. Lovino just sighed, already close to a mental panic himself. He turned to his friends while Feliciano clasped his hands together, trying to get them to stop shaking.

"Isn't there another person we could use?" he asked, almost pleading.

"Well I'm sure we could have used Mattie but everyone knows he's anything but pure like Feli," Alfred joked, earning himself a smack from Matthew.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Matthew growled back.

"Gosh, relax Matthew. Everyone here knows you watch moose porn."

There was complete silence in the library for all of two seconds, then Matthew exploded.

The young boys are no longer welcome in the library.

Elderberries, for being such a ' common' fruit found in nature, were surprisingly hard to find for the young men. Matthew and Ivan were the one's searching for it deep in the woods by the carousel, while Alfred and Lovino were getting the fresh milk. Finally Kiku was tasked with keeping Feliciano company, so the young man wouldn't run off while they were busy.

"Why can't we go and get some from the store?" Ivan suddenly asked, Matthew raised his head, but kept his mind on the task at hand.

"Because we were told to get it fresh," he answered. He peered into a tree, unsure if it was going to be growing on a bush or a tree, but he thought he might as well check both.

"Store's keep fresh fruit."

"Well in one of the books I read it said that Elderberries begin to rot almost as soon as they're taken off the vine. So we have to find it growing naturally and just take one of the vines to be safe." Ivan just sighed.

"Oh quit your bitching and set to looking. The sooner we find them the sooner we can go home."

"Big tough Matthew all in an uproar because of little Alfred, you know-"

"Did I not just say shut the fuck up Ivan? God, just get back to work."

Meanwhile, Alfred and Lovino were doing anything but getting along. One moment Lovino would be bitching about how they got stuck with the crappy job, then Alfred would complain that his head still hurt from where Matthew punched it. Either way, it was a bitch fest between the two over who could complain the most.

"But really, he doesn't want anyone to know that he watches moose porn. I don't get why, I mean we all have weird kinks," Alfred complained, yet again, while Lovino rolled his eyes.

"He does not watch moose porn," Lovino countered. The same exact thing he replied when Alfred said it the first time as well.

"He does too!" Alfred almost screamed, "I walked in on him…you know!"

"Gross. Shut up."

"It's true."

"Don't care."

They finally arrived at the ranch that was supposed to have dairy cows. The two quickly looked around to see if anyone was around, before hopping over the waist high fence. Luckily, the farmer seemed to be out, or at least in another part of the farm at the moment. The boys on the other hand were feeling a bit cocky, and decided there was no need to rush.

"Check out that cow!" Alfred exclaimed at the very first cow he saw. It was large with brown and black spots, as well as large horns upon its head. Lovino stood a bit farther back from his friend.

"Alfred…"

"Okay, where's the milk things…"

"Alfred."

"Oh here they are!"

"Alfred! That's not a girl!"

The words were barely past Lovino's lips before the angry bull let out a mighty roar and kicked back, making Alfred let go of some very precious family jewels. Luckily, Alfred had been standing to the side and not behind, when the bull kicked back, and wasn't hit. That didn't stop the bull from chasing after the young man as soon as he started running away.

"You idiot!"

"Hey I didn't know!"

"Shut up and run!"

Lovino and Alfred took off in different directions, both praying that the bull would follow the other. Luckily for Lovino, and unluckily for Alfred, the bull chased after the one who harassed him in the first place. Soon, Lovino was left alone in the middle of a field surrounded by other docile, and this time, female cows.

"I'm getting this done before anything else happens."

An hour later Lovino was waiting outside the gate for Alfred, who was still missing. The American showed up ten minutes later, covered in dirt, and a couple hoof prints on the front and back of his shirt. When Lovino asked how Alfred got away, Alfred wouldn't reply, only saying he would never go near another cow, male or female, again.