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Post by Zenjesi on Jul 28, 2024 10:22:42 GMT -6
As if he had somehow detected their thoughts, Spectral suddenly reemerged from the depths of the garden. A dead stick with dry, rustling leaves was clasped in his jaws. It was slightly too large for him, and one end was dragging along behind, snagging on various living things as he trotted towards them. For a moment, Zenjesi cringed inwardly, hearing plant tendrils snap, watching stems bend and buckle, but... this was what their garden would be. If the plants could not withstand this, perhaps they were not suited for Zenjesi's garden.
They offered him a smile, and a pet with their gloves that left dirt and dust on his orange pelt. He did not mind this, nor did Zenjesi. Beside them, he collapsed with his find and began to gnaw upon it. They wondered if his teeth were bothering him. At what age did a houluh lose his baby teeth?
Zenjesi: 0.3 Spectral: 12.2, 24.4
Summer: 6
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Post by Zenjesi on Jul 28, 2024 10:50:47 GMT -6
There was so much they did not know. On one hand, it was exciting in its potential and possibility. But after a lifetime of sameness and loneliness and boredom, to have such a wealth of possible knowledge at their fingertips was equally overwhelming. There was so much that could go awry. And now there was the very real potential for their ignorance to negatively impact someone other than them. Their eyes turned over to Spectral again. He was so carefree - ignorant of his ignorance. Zenjesi envied him, in a way.
But perhaps that was one thing they could trust: Spectral would know if something was wrong with himself. By now, they understood him and his unspoken language as well - he would tell them. And they ought to trust that their own instincts were reliable. They had been able to lean on them before, and even now, in an unfamiliar place, they could do the same.
Zenjesi: 0.35 Spectral: 12.4, 24.8
Summer: 7
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Post by Silver on Jul 29, 2024 22:05:02 GMT -6
A bellaberry vine is wrapped carefully, almost perfectly around a strange black flower.
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Post by Zenjesi on Jul 30, 2024 14:20:34 GMT -6
Social situations were a different beast entirely; Zenjesi had no instincts pertaining to those sorts of encounters. But when it came to matters of plants and sub-sentient creatures and exploring new locations, and when it truly mattered and life was at stake, they could be more confident. A plant was a plant, modified by the Labs or otherwise. It seemed even here there were some things that were immutable. That was a reassurance.
And, naturally, just as they had the thought, they discovered something unusual. Uncovered by their weeding was a pitch black flower bud. Though it almost could have been missed in the shadows of the overgrowth, it was framed almost intentionally by a vine. They paused, brow furrowing. It was very small. How was it that a flowering plant was thriving so deep under the others? The stem and root that were attached to it were entirely nondescript.
Zenjesi: 0.4 Spectral: 12.6, 25.2
Summer: 8
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Post by Zenjesi on Jul 30, 2024 15:16:24 GMT -6
In fact, it seemed somewhat unlikely that such a plant could support the growth of a flower that was so disproportionately large. The satyr reached out toward it, gently, only to prod with fingertips when, with only the slightest touch, the bud broke off in their hand. Involuntarily, they gasped, withdrawing as if they had been bitten. Naturally, this alarmed Spectral, who leaped to his feet and yapped in the flower's direction. Of course, he did not understand what had occurred.
"Spectral, it is alright," they tried to assure him, petting him once with their free hand. He seemed skeptical, but settled for growling at the stem that was left behind. The satyr held the flower closer for inspection. They did not believe they had seen any others like it thus far. And -- The flower wriggled in their hand. Zenjesi froze. Had they imagined it? No, it did so again, just the smallest wriggling movement.
Zenjesi: 0.45 Spectral: 12.8, 25.6
Summer: 9
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Post by Zenjesi on Jul 30, 2024 15:36:00 GMT -6
There was something... inside the bud. The satyr exhaled a chuckle to themselves. They had been paranoid, expecting the flower to be alive in some unusual manner. Surely it was a caterpillar of some kind, or a similar pest. Perhaps it had weakened the plant by feeding off it and caused the bud to fall prematurely. Well, there was a chance whatever creature it was would have value to one of the shops.
Zenjesi removed one glove. Then, with one finger, the satyr carefully parted the petals. Two little eyes blinked up from a humanoid face. The tiniest, softest "coo" followed. Raw terror washed over Zenjesi. They clamped their hands both closed around the bud while their blood pounded in their ears. It was a child... a tiny child. Memories flashed back. Their first pachee breeding. Evainmoire had been carrying such a tiny child -- no, a harachiu. They could be found in the gardens, he had said.
Zenjesi: 0.5 Spectral: 13.0, 26.0
Summer: 10
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Post by Nadia on Aug 13, 2024 4:41:02 GMT -6
These flowers are not quite as interesting, but you should take them nonetheless...
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Post by Zenjesi on Aug 13, 2024 22:35:57 GMT -6
And here they were... in the garden... with... The satyr scrambled forward on their knees and one hand, the bud cupped carefully in the other. Spectral was running around and darting between their limbs, barking wildly. He could detect that the satyr was distressed but knew not why. This was reasonable, because to feel such anxiety over a very small flower bud was typically quite irrational. But not today. Zenjesi reached out, seeking the stem from which the flower had fallen. Perhaps it could be reattached?
Yes, perhaps, thought Zenjesi, who had recently achieved gardening knowledge and status worthy enough for them to be hired as a plant technician. Perhaps they could will the flower to reconnect to the stem. That was surely feasible. Surely. It must be. Today it must be. But the stem had already withered. It was lying limp and brown in the dirt. The satyr whimpered.
Zenjesi: 0.6 Spectral: 13.2, 26.4
Summer: 11
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Post by Zenjesi on Aug 14, 2024 17:26:23 GMT -6
But the Labs were a magical place, perhaps... Zenjesi reached out, carefully, gently, picking out the droopy stem. They held their breath... and touched the underside of the bud to it... Once. Twice. ... A desperate third time. Nothing. Then, in their distress, as they withdrew, they mistakenly snapped the somehow-already-dead stem in half. No.
Zenjesi sat back in the dirt, staring down at the bud in their hand. It had tipped slightly to one side in their palm. Did that matter? Anxiously, they reoriented it, nestling it in the crook between two fingers. Then Spectral's little snout appeared and a flurry of fresh barks emerged, his little paws planted wide as he faced the threat that rested in the satyr's hand. "No, Spectral, quiet," they tried to urge him frantically. They were not sure why it was so urgent. Was it for the sake of the tiny child, or for passersby?
Zenjesi: 0.7 Spectral: 13.4, 26.8
Summer: 12
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Post by Zenjesi on Aug 15, 2024 10:06:34 GMT -6
Somehow, this flower bud felt like something they ought not to hold. No, it was more than that. They almost felt as if they were not qualified to possess it. It was not that it - the tiny child - was something illegal to own in itself, but that, Zenjesi themselves would be forbidden from doing so. Thankfully, Spectral fell quiet, though continued to tap back and forth, endeavoring to better glimpse the foreign object.
The satyr glanced around furtively, up and down the walkway, over and across other garden plots, seeking out any prying eyes. Nobody had noticed. Or so they believed. But surely this harachiu belonged to somebody... else? Zenjesi's eyes turned back to the overgrown plot. Had another not owned this garden space before they had? Perhaps that individual had planted the seed to grow this flower. Perhaps that person had tended to the earth, watched and waited and prayed for the sprout to bloom.
Zenjesi: 0.8 Spectral: 13.6, 27.2
Summer: 13
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Post by Zenjesi on Aug 15, 2024 17:35:09 GMT -6
But if that was the case, the person was outside of their reach. The City seemed keen on secrecy - or, privacy, as they often termed it. Though Zenjesi had asked once before, they had not received an answer on the prior ownership of the garden. Though, in such a case, they could never be certain that it truly was the policy that was preventing an answer, so much as discomfort with Zenjesi being the one to request it. Either way, there was no further information available to them.
And there was still no guarantee that a prior owner existed at all. The plot could have been unclaimed since the inception of the gardens. Wayward seeds and runoff rainwater could have washed the harachiu's origins down into their plot by happenstance. "Bad luck," the satyr whispered, though they were not sure if they were speaking more for themselves or for the harachiu.
Zenjesi: 0.9 Spectral: 13.8, 27.6
Summer: 14
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Post by Zenjesi on Aug 15, 2024 18:42:35 GMT -6
The end result was the same. Sighing, they lowered the flower to the dirt, and were about to set it there when a flash of orange and white interrupted them. Spectral's paw was a moment from crashing down upon it when the satyr tackled him. "No, Spectral! You cannot punch the child." The houluh was startled by this reaction, but the intensity with which Zenjesi hissed it seemed to cause a shift in his body language. As they withdrew, Spectral lay down on his stomach, sticking his nose forward as far as he could to sniff at the bud without further approaching it.
"That is good," the satyr reassured him, watching the exchange carefully, lest the bud find itself in his jaws next. But that left a thought on their mind. If there was a houluh adoption agency... could there be one for harachiu as well? Perhaps they could contact somebody...
Zenjesi: 1.0 - logged! Spectral: 14.0, 28.0
Summer: 15
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Post by Zenjesi on Aug 15, 2024 18:53:51 GMT -6
But who? Evainmoire, who they knew already owned one? Elvye, who was competent and confident? Or... Ramal? Did Ramal want to raise a tiny child of the gardens? Zenjesi took the stick that Spectral had been utilizing to chew and placed it in his eager jaws once again. That would distract him from the bud for the time being. It was a blessing that the child was contained within the bud and not more interesting -- "Coo!" came the tiny call. The houluh's head immediately cocked to the side and he dropped the stick.
In a panic once more, Zenjesi scooped the harachiu bud up. "No, this will not do." They took Spectral's stick and threw it wantonly into the garden. But he had no interest in the stick any longer. He was at the satyr's heels as they stood to move away. "Oh no..." Where could they go? What could they do?
Zenjesi: 0.1 Spectral: 14.2, 28.4
Summer: 16
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Post by Zenjesi on Aug 15, 2024 19:10:29 GMT -6
The satyr stood frozen while Spectral stood on his hind legs, as tall as he could manage, trying to understand how the inanimate flower had spoken. The child was waking. Or it had woken when the bud had been released from the plant? Perhaps that was the moment that this irreversible chain had been set in motion. If only they had left it, let it be, allowed it to flourish on its own... Or would that have left the poor child to be a victim of the elements? Would it have gone hungry? They looked down to the bud once more, thought back to the infant-like creature pinned to Evainmoire's lapel.
The child needed them. It had fallen off in their palm. This was their responsibility now. Zenjesi let out a shuddering breath, crouching once more with the bud cupped in both hands. "You may look, Spectral," they invited him.
Zenjesi: 0.2 Spectral: 14.4, 28.8
Summer: 17
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Post by Zenjesi on Aug 15, 2024 19:25:17 GMT -6
He needed no further bidding. His nose reached into their hands, gently prodded the bud, and left a small wet spot on the dark petals. Then his dark, wide eyes turned up to them hopefully, and the satyr sighed. "Yes, perhaps... someday... it will be a friend," they mumbled, feeling as uncertain as the words sounded. They thought of Vossa. She, too, was sentient. She was inexperienced in the world, but she was fully grown and independent. In many regards, she was more competent than Zenjesi was.
But this was an entirely different scenario. This was complete dependence. This was the blank slate mind of a humanoid child. Zenjesi shuddered. For now, the bud was closed. If the satyr knew anything about gardening, which they once did, they knew a flower would choose when to open on its own. There was nothing that needed to be done now, anyway, but to finish what they came for.
Zenjesi: 0.3 Spectral: 14.6, 29.2
Summer: 18
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