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 Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 6:15 pm
Elst's grin spread into a wide smile as he heard the comment about the landlady. “Oh, I’ve heard landlords tend to be a little… eccentric, but that’s fairly new, a woman trying to make you eat vegetables to make you manly…” He trailed off, however, as the Amaranth re-distracted him. He suddenly moved towards the plant, a jar quickly withdrawn from his coat. His hands moved swiftly, accompanied by his vines, slowly wrapping the entirety of the section of the plant he was working on. One by one he collected the caterpillars, placing their tiny, engorged forms within the jar. This was much faster acting than most any poison, and more humane. Monarchs, tomato hornworms, even the occasional Luna larvae were placed in more jars from his jacket, and soon the plant, though worse-for-wear was completely devoid of caterpillars thanks to the swift-moving vines.
“My word, Verdant, you said these accumulated over how long? It’s like having an entire etymological ecosystem all in one place… I mean, there are Luna moth larva, they aren’t even indigenous to this region.” He took the now-empty teacup Aoi handed him, watching the sprite-like being descend down his shoulder, reaching the floor to approach the jars of caterpillars with a look of wonder. “They’re caterpillars, Aoi, and anyways, I think I’ll release these all into the special area I’ve cut into my nursery for such insects. Soon enough the entire place’ll be flooded with butterflies and moths… I don’t know if you’ve ever seen a Luna moth, Verdant, but they’re gorgeous, I can tell you that.”
His eyes wandered along the form of the Amaranth, tattered as it was, it was still beautiful. This was his life, the plant before him represented another step in his journey through seeing all the plants he so dearly loved. I can’t believe I’m actually seeing this…
“Verdant… I’m amazed that you’ve kept it safe for so long, without any extra security. And, aside from caterpillar warfare, it’s impeccably unharmed. I truly wish I could help you keep it more strongly protected. Unfortunately, other than just giving it regular check-ups, there’s nothing I could do short of moving it to my Nursery, and I’m sure you want to keep it here. Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to see such a wonder.”
He kneeled slightly, reaching to the floor to pick up one of the leaves that had fallen off of the majestic plant. Taking this opportunity, Aoi jumped back onto his shoulder, following his owner’s fascinated gaze to the leaf. In his own mind, he wondered why it was so special to them.
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Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 6:37 pm
Verdant looked away as the caterpillars were picked off the plant by Elst's... vines?! Elst could sprout vines? What kind of creature was this man? No way was he a nymph or dryad.
"I really don't know how long they've been there," Verdant replied, his voice still shaky from the realization that his secret was out. "They could've been there for days, even weeks. I like catching butterflies and bringing them here to play with. They seem to like my music and they're always hovering over the amaranth. It's big enough to feed all of them at once; it's quite a sight, I have to admit. And I've seen Luna moths; I think that might be where the... ugh, larvae... came from. The butterflies and moths stay for a few hours, but they fly out my window when they're done playing. I guess they left their children as mementos..."
Verdant blushed a little when Elst told him how surprised he was that the amaranth had stayed safe for so long. It was a kind compliment and Verdant felt that Elst could definitely be trusted. "W-well, it's easy for me because of our... connection..." He knelt down next to the amaranth and leaned in until his lips were almost touching the stem. He closed his eyes, focused, and blew.
As soon as his breath touched the plant, it twitched ever so slightly and released a strong, delicious scent that Verdant was sure Aoi would enjoy. The edges of the leaves and petals that had been devoured by the caterpillars began to regenerate, bright green sparks dancing in their wake. Before too long, the whole plant was healed, as if the caterpillars had never even touched it. In fact, it looekd even beter. Its leaves were glossy and the petals a more pronounced pink.
Verdant looked over at Elst and wondered what he must be thinking.
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Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 11:57 pm
Elst listened levelly as Verdant described his catching of butterflies. “Ah, yes… Where there are butterflies, there are inevitably butterfly eggs, and where there are butterfly eggs, there are caterpillars. They’ll keep their eggs for quite a long time, actually, waiting for the perfect spot. And your Amaranth, apparently, was what they considered perfect.”
He watched, this time with a bit more interest, as Verdant apparently rejuvenated the mythical flower. He’d repaired his plants before, yes, but he’d never seen plants fixed quite like this. Who was really interested, however, was Aoi. He seemed lost as he watched the process. He walked forward, his hands lightly touching the newly refreshed leaves.
Connection…?
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Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 12:41 am
"Yeah, that's probably the case," Verdant said nervously after healing the amaranth. Well, it wasn't that he was nervous, he just felt very dumb. Duh! Male butterflies plus female buterflies equals daemon spawn. He should've remembered that. "I just really like butterflies, but I don't want to start a collection. Sticking pins into them is barbaric to me."
He heard Aoi's small voice wondering about the connection he had with the amaranth, so he decided now was as good a time as any to just tell them. "Well, Aoi, I was born from this very flower, making me an amaranth nereid. All the magic contained within this flower is within me too. It's like a part of me, I guess. If the flower were to ever die, I wouldn't follow, but I would feel as if there were a huge void in my heart."
He turned to Elst and the expression on his face was somewhat sad. "Elst, you and Aoi are the only ones who know about the amaranth and me. I trust you both, but I cannot stress this enough: I cannot let any harm come to my amaranth. If something happened to it, I... I don't know what I'd do." He gulped and looked as if he were going to cry or throw up. "Do you... can I keep it at your nursery? I know that seeing the amaranth must be thrilling for you, but this is very taxing on me. There's a reason that the amaranth became a thing of myth and it is that very fate that befell the others that I'm trying to avoid. They were plucked and ravaged by people to the point of near-extinction. I would guard this plant with my life if it meant keeping it away from people like that, Elst."
Verdant walked into his bedroom and fished out a large wad of cash from under his bed. It was his emergency money and he knew that Elst had to take it. He was asking a hell of a lot of things from this man he'd just met. Hell, Verdant would give him everything he owned if it meant keeping the plant safe.
"Here," he said as he placed the money in Elst's hand. "Whether or not you accept, I want you to have this. I owe you for taking care of my pest problem anyway, so I won't let you leave without the money in your hands."
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Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 6:18 pm
Oh... You're like father, then... Aoi nodded slowly. He realized he’d never quite had a word for Elst, so from what he could understand, ‘father’ from English worked best.
Elst stood quiet for a moment. Did he just…. He did, didn’t he? No, he couldn’t have. But I heard him say it! As he inwardly argued with himself, one underlying emotion drove it all. Shock. The man had actually offered to allow him to care for the Amaranth. He actually felt light-headed. “I… Of course… He couldn’t quite find the right words.
“Verdant, I would be glad to watch over your Amaranth for you. And I can’t imagine allowing any harm to come upon it while in my care.” He stared blankly at the money Verdant placed in his hands, still in a sort of shock. Was the man actually trying to pay him for this? He would love taking care of such a precious plant, and couldn’t bear the thought of being paid for it. He took a short breath, regaining his senses a bit.
“I… I couldn't bear to accept money for this. Even for the pest problem, all I did was remove the caterpillars, it’s not worth nearly this much. Keep it, I honestly would be overjoyed to take care of the Amaranth for you.”
He pushed the money back towards Verdant, insisting.
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Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 7:19 pm
Verdant was ecstatic when Elst agreed to take care of his beloved amaranth. Why, he was so happy he could kiss the guy... but that would probably send the wrong message. Instead, he gave a warm smile and a "thank you!" to the kind man. He seemed almost as happy as Verdant was at the idea of caring for the rarity that sat in a terra cotta pot before them. The opportunity to watch over a flower blessed with eternal beauty and life was not one you let slip by.
Verdant grinned wider when Elst refused the money. He should've known the guy wouldn't take it. Why was it that people never accepted gifts from others? Then again, the only gifts that Verdant ever recieved were Mr. Andersen's sexual remarks and the landlady's bittermelon concoctions and there was no way of avoiding those "gifts" at all.
"If you won't accept it as payment, Elst, then you'll just have to take it as my gift to you. The matron at the youth center I grew up in always used to tell us that gifts were never to be refused because 'kharma will come back and bite you in the a**.' Do you want kharma to bite you in the a**? I don't think so." He folded Elst's fingers around the money and gave him a warm smile that said, "You are not leaving here without this wad of cash. With God as my witness, I shall make you take this money by any means necessary, even if it kills me."
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Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 4:38 pm
Elst frowned down at the money Verdant had re-insisted to him. “A gift… Well, can’t hurt to have a gift in return. Verdant, I’ve been thinking about it, and I believe this would be an appropriate time.” He stopped for a moment, considering his words. “What would you think of a job at my Nursery? Even with Aoi, we have a lot to do each day, and your connection with nature, this Amaranth especially, would allow you to excel at this position. Another assistant would help me greatly, and your hours would be flexible enough to allow you to continue with your singing career.”
He held up the roll of cash he still held. “Plus, if I can’t give this back to you, I can certainly have you earn it back. What do you say, eh?” He gestured his free hand, Aoi imitating the gesture for fun, towards the Amaranth. “If you accept, you’ll have plenty of time to spend with your Amaranth, as well.”
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Posted: Mon May 11, 2009 7:57 pm
Verdant's jaw dropped. Had he really been offered a job at Elysian Gardens, where there was a multitude of beautiful flowers and plants to admire as he worked? The aromas of so many different flowers would be exquisite in the morning and Elst had even said that he would still be able to sing! Not only that, but he'd still be able to spend time with his amaranth in the safety of Elst's nursery. It sounded like a great job! Of course he'd take him up on the offer!
Close your mouth, you moron. You look like you're missing a chromosome.
Verdant nodded furiously and smiled. "I'd love to be your new assistant! Thank you so much for the opportunity; you won't regret it!" Verdant then eyed both Elst and Aoi with mock suspicion. "You are a shrewd man, Elst." He was clearly referring to his comment about earning the money back; he'd found a loophole in Matron Sandy's gift rule. He chuckled at the man's cleverness; he'd been the first to find a clause in anything Matron Sandy had ever said. "There's just one thing I have to know."
"How are we going to get the amaranth to the nursery?"
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Posted: Mon May 11, 2009 10:10 pm
Elst watched the man’s jaw drop, and smiled. Something tells me that was a ‘yes’… And soon enough came the verbal confirmation. “Ah, excellent, I’ve needed new help…. And yes, that is a rather puzzling question, I was about to ask you the same.” He reached in his robes, retrieving a metal thermos from an inside pocket. He poured out a measure of the greenish fluid, downing it all at once.
“This is just some of my stronger tea, the stuff I gave you was the rather… weaker version. If you’d tasted this stuff, you’d understand why I gave you the watered-down version… Anyway, I think I may have figured out a way to transport your Amaranth, and in broad daylight, no less. I’ll need your permission to do this with the entire plant, however.”
Elst lifted up the leaf he’d earlier picked up, the one that had fallen off of the Amaranth. The tendons in his hand strained slightly, and a quick nod to Aoi indicated that he should help. The flower wasn’t sure of what he was helping with, but his hands began to glow nonetheless with his epithetical green misty aura, and he focused on Elst’s hand. Whatever Elst was trying to do, Aoi was making it easier. The leaf quivered, then began to dye itself a shade of dark pink, with a slight accent of white. The pink leaf curled, altering its shape, and grew still. What then sat in Elst’s palm was an unmistakable rose petal.
“Of course, it’s still an amaranth leaf, but no one on the streets’ll notice, that’s for sure.”
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Posted: Tue May 12, 2009 11:07 pm
"That was the weaker stuff?" Verdant whimpered before catching himself. "Er, I mean, it wasn't that bad."
You're not fooling anyone, dork.
Verdant's thoughts took a detour when he saw one of his amaranth's leaves transform into a rose petal. His eyes grew wide with curiosity as he inspected the leaf-turned-petal. It looked just like a rose petal, smelled like a rose petal, and even felt like a rose petal. This was very strong floramancy (or floramantics or whatever their magic was called) at work here. He grinned and picked up the petal. He held it up to the light and could see a faint trace of the leaf's veins, but only slightly. Anyone else would've just assumed it was crumpled or something. Elst and Aoi certainly were an interesting pair. Working with them would be fun.
"I am thoroughly impressed, Elst! I mean, I turned the amaranth into a big flowery gown to get it over here the first time, but this is a way better plan. Hm... come to think of it, that's probably why Mr. Andersen thinks I'm a chick. I have to say, I love wearing that dress... not that I do it anymore. Or something. Anyways, you have my permission to do whatever it was you just did to my amaranth, so long as it doesn't have any lasting negative effects on it."
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Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 7:51 pm
As he watched the slight whimper issue from Verdant in regards to the tea, Elst couldn’t help but wear a hint of a grin. “Don’t worry, I don’t even dare give the strong stuff to anyone, last time I did that the contents of their stomach didn’t remain there for long. And even the stuff I did give you is enough to send some to their knees. I’m surprised you handled it so well, actually.” He smirked at the thought of anyone walking around in a gigantic Amaranth dress, before rolling up his sleeves. “Now, let’s get to work… Ready Aoi? Aoi nodded, and his hands began to surround themselves in their usual jade aura.
The entire, massive Amaranth began to tremble slightly, as both Elst and Aoi placed their hands on it, and a deep shade of red began to spread among the plant’s many leaves. Even the flowers themselves began to change, and the plant’s vines began to grow thorns. Next, they turned a slightly paler shade of green, as the scarlet leaves changed their shape. Slowly, but surely, the entire plant had begun to shrink down a bit, conforming into a sort of shrub. Or more specifically, a rose bush. Soon, each newly-shaped petal began binding to its neighbors, twisting into full-size roses, and the transformation was completed. Before them stood a full-grown rose plant, scent and all.
“Alright, this look good to you, Verdant?
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Posted: Fri May 15, 2009 11:32 pm
"Good? Elst, that's fantastic! I am enthralled by your magic; I've never seen anything like it before!" Verdant crouched down to get a good look at his amaranth-turned-rose bush. It was beautiful and the scent was heavenly! It made him feel very happy and his body responded by blooming again. He made no attempt to hide the blooms as he smelled the roses. He couldn't even find a trace of the amaranth's scent. This was a strong spell, perfectly executed. 'Impressive' didn't do it justice. "Elst, if you don't mind my asking, what are you? You're not a nymph or dryad. I just cannot figure it out. Aoi has me stumped as well."
Verdant wasn't sure if he was being rude or not, but curiosity was getting the best of him. He wasn't suspicious of the two in the slightest, but it would be nice to know a bit more about his employers.
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Posted: Fri May 15, 2009 11:52 pm
Elst grinned slightly. "Oh, I'm glad you like it, it only works because it's both mine and Aoi's specialty, I assure you. Anyway, I suppose we should get going to the nursery; I think I've made it portable enough-" He stopped however, hearing Verdant's question. He was fine with telling his own species, but... Aoi was a different case. He trusted Verdant, but he'd feel more confident speaking of essentics whilst in his own, secure home.
"Well, this may or may not surprise you; I'm quite literally a plant. I started out nothing like humans, until I started integrating their features into my own to become what I am today. I haven't gotten it all down perfectly, but I'm fairly close. It's a select set of certain emotions that I have trouble with." He narrowed his eyes, slightly. "As for Aoi, well... It would be best if we discussed this at the nursery, away from potential eavesdroppers."
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Posted: Sat May 16, 2009 7:08 pm
"Hahaha! That really doesn't surprise me; no human could possibly withstand that bitter tea!" Verdant was actually very surprised at this. He'd never heard of a sentient plant before, let alone one that could take on the appearance of a human. He had several more questions, but he ddin't want to pry any further. His curiosity spiked when Elst said he'd prefer to discuss Aoi at the nursery. "Oh, of course. I completely understand." He pointed to the rose bush to emphasize his point.
"Well, let's get moving. It's a good-sized bush, so the less time I carry it, the better." He walked into his room and found a pair of gardening gloves he'd planned on using to pluck the caterpillars off his amaranth, but had ended up running out of his apartment and down one floor to play with the kids. To his horror, they'd been playing with earthworms they had found in a pot outside the landlady's room. They had to splash him with ice-cold water five times before he came to.
He picked up the rose bush and held it close to his body. The many layers of his outfit would ensure that no thorn would ever draw blood and the plant wasn't really all that heavy.
"Lead the way, Elst!"
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Posted: Sat May 16, 2009 11:37 pm
Elst watched as Verdant retrieved his gloves, and hefted the rose bush with surprising ease. “Alright, we’re lucky it’s a short walk, I guess.” He held his hand at the side of the bush to avoid it toppling over, then exited the apartment, careful not to break any branches on the doorframe. They passed the usual group of children on the way out, who thankfully were not playing with worms this time.
Before long, the familiar sight of the first massive greenhouse loomed over the horizon, the green glass glinting glossily in the sun. As they neared the outer gate, Elst realized something. “Verdant… Where precisely should I keep it? I mean, I could always keep it in my home, it’s at the very neck of the Nursery…” He opened the ivy-coated gate for Verdant, its wide arch large enough for the rose-laden man to get through.
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