"Hello. I'm doing a research project, and I was wondering if there's anything like a scientific community for critters. You know, research journals, controlled studies, that sort of thing."

"Specifically for critters? I think most people who want to go into science use human universities - there's even distance learning now for monsters."

"That makes sense. I'm looking for someone I can ask questions about experimental design, but it's a magic-related experiment. I don't suppose you know any critters in academia?"

"Doctor Morris teaches at South Seattle College, but I think he works in European history."

"He might know some critters in other departments, at least. Do you have his phone or his email?"

"I can't give out patron information, but I can let him know you want to talk next time he's in."

"Right, of course. Can you give him my phone and email if I write them down for you?"

"Yes, I can."

"Great, thanks. Here you go!" She hands over a slip of paper. "Have a nice day!"

While she's here, might as well check for anything on runecasting that she hasn't already read.

If she looks in other sections she can find an archaeological text with partial ancient rune diagrams.

That is extremely cool and might even mention what languages early runecasters might have cast in. It also reminds her to check the history and languages sections for books on ancient languages, especially anything that looks like it might talk about phonetics. 

She can find textbooks and courses and dictionaries for Spanish, French, Latin, Vietnamese, Mandarin, German, and Korean.

The French textbook she got for school is already quite good, and she doesn't feel like picking up a third language with so many balls in the air. She heads home and calls Dr. James on the phone the next day, rather than bother her in person in an office full of sick people.

"Dr. James's office."

"Hi, is now a good time to talk about the healing spell?"

"My next appointment will be here in ten minutes, but I have till then."

"Great. I talked to the Avalon Council, and they want me to do a big formal study with someone who's studied experiment design helping design it and someone who can evaluate people's medical condition doing the actual trials. So I was thinking you could keep the rock in your office, and people would come in and try it, and you'd write down what if anything about their condition changed. Would that be alright with you?"

"I haven't actually studied experiment design; I'm a clinical practitioner."

"No, I mean I would get someone else to help design the experiment, but you'd be the person actually watching people touch the rock and writing down what happens. Since I might find someone who knows experiment design but not how to evaluate a person's medical condition."

"Did the council say that would work?"

She looks back over her notes of the conversation for a minute. "They didn't specifically say I could get help from multiple people, but they also didn't say I could only get help from one person. I'm going to show them a detailed proposal before doing anything, so if they veto it you won't have done any extra work."

"Well, I don't mind taking notes according to a study design if you get the council to clear it."

"Awesome, thanks! I'll let you know if and when I get a study approved."

Her next step is to email Bella with an update on the situation, and a request for introductions in the unlikely event she knows a magic-savvy scientist.

They're not being very reasonable. It's like they don't care about upside potential at all.

I don't know anybody, though, sorry.

They're really not. Though to be fair, what I have right now is basically a cheaper way of fixing minor ailments. I'm sort of thinking of this as a trial run for de-aging, so that if and when I get it I'll be able to scale it as fast as possible.