SPECIMEN REPORT:

Cortex sat in front of a spinebrush with a leaf in one paw, peering at it critically. He let the leaf drop and started to draw the plant on a flat piece of rock and a piece of chalk he'd found was particularly useful for such drawings. Easy to erase mistakes and as long as it was kept dry, the drawings seemed to last.

"EVELYN!", he called out suddenly, staring at his piece of chalk in betrayal as it broke and crumbled. He needed more.

"My chalk pile- go get me more," he said, snapping his fingers, "The little white stones, don't break any, I don't want to go out and get more already, I just got it all!"

The gruff racoon stared at the bush for a bit longer, eyeing its sharp thorns along the long, stiff leaves, much sharper than they appeared. It was a nice green color and he wished he had more such colors, but alas he only had this white chalk. He'd have to see if he could discover such colors.

> Task: Gather different colors for drawings in order to render them as realistically as possible.

@Evelyn

Evelyn was sat nearby, being Cortex's little lab assistant- which meant that she shouldn't leave his side, if he needed her. But, that didn't mean she couldn't daydream. With her legs sticking out in front of her, Evelyn's head watched the distant twister, idly wondering what it would be like to be inside of it. Probably not good, right?

Her head shot up with a nervous chirp when Cortex called for her. Chalk- chalk, yes, she knew this! "Right away!" Scrambling up, Evelyn raced to the rocks. Which one to get, which one-- ah! There, she gathered up a large chunk, just barely fitting it in her beak. It tasted strange, but she didn't have Cortex's useful hands- and, if she didn't get anything wet, it was usually find to carry things like this, she imagined. Especially if they were fragile!

Turning back, Evelyn fluttered closer to the researcher, dropping the chalk carefully on the ground next to him. Here, she was closer to seeing what he was working on, and she went around his back to lean over his other side. Her head twisted this way and that and even upside down- what was so interesting about plants?

Quietly and meekly, Evelyn looked up to Cortex, her voice soft. "What are you working on?" Because, somehow, she didn't retain anything he'd told her probably five minutes ago.

@Cortex

SPECIMEN REPORT:

Cortex stared off into the distance until Evelyn came back, reaching out to grab the chalk and immediately getting back to work. He continued with his drawing and marked little attention drawing marks around the spines to drive the point home that they were sharp. He'd cut himself on them before.

Looking up, he glanced at Evelyn, grumbling softly as he looked back at his drawing, "I am illustrating this plant for filing purposes. If we can teach others and log information without having to remember it all, that would be optimal and would reduce misinformation in case someone were to forget something or misremember. I don't have this problem, but others do."

His mental lists and notes were always ready to be recalled and he remembered details incredibly well. He called it a 'picturegraphic memory' after his own drawings. Even after time they remained clear.

"You are hovering," he noted, though not unkindly, "If you wish to learn about something, you need only ask."

Cortex set down his slab and picked up a leaf, slicing it open with his scalpel, squeezing out the soft, juicy flesh inside, "The spiny salvebrush is a spiny plant with healing properties. When applied to burns it cools immediately and encourages healing on all wounds. A very useful plant."

@Evelyn

Cortex talked a lot. That was okay, to Evelyn- she liked hearing the other ones talk, but she often got lost in the monotone cadence Cortex spoke with. The information passed over her head, and she blinked blankly, trying to comprehend the complex words he used. Optimal? Misinformation, misremembering? Well, whatever he was on about, she nodded to it enthusiastically, putting on airs of understanding what he meant.

She assumed that meant he wanted to show this to others. That would make the most sense, right?

But, she blinked hard when he said she was hovering. Oh- she was, then. "Okay," she responded, ready to learn, then. What should she ask? He'd explained the plant, and Evelyn nestled down, looking even smaller against the larger raccoon.

"What does it taste like?" She nudged her beak to the revealed inside- if it was good for the outside, then it should be good for the inside, right?

A very good question, she thought. She would learn!

@Cortex

SPECIMEN REPORT:

Cortex blinked and looked down at the plant. Of course he knew what it tasted like, he'd eaten them before, but perhaps...

"Taste it for yourself," he said, pushing the plant towards Evelyn, "Here. Tell me what you think of it, use descriptive words."

He finished his drawing and set it aside, gathering himself up into a proper sit and curling his tail around like a cat. He looked down at her expectantly, observing his curious assistant.

Was he fond of her? Perhaps. He wouldn't admit it, though.

@Evelyn