Welcome to Gaia! ::

All morning it had been slow. Some people in and others out, but very sporadically. It was just one of those months and Jasa knew the entire month would be like this. There had been several people in and out this week that she knew personally. Most were looking for plants for gifts such as anniversaries or birthdays.

It was just slow.

The wisp drifted around the top of the desk and counter, playing his own version of hide and seek with the objects there. He had teased her by tickling her arm a few times, but soon tired of such actions. Then he began exploring the plants again.

Most of her time had been spent sketching since there really was not much to do once the plants were deadheaded, watered, and straightened up. Deadheading was done every other day so that the dead leaves, blossoms did not detract from the plant's health or its appearance. It also kept the plant blooming longer to have the dead blossoms picked before it went entirely to seed.

She deftly sketched the outlines of the plant using one nearby as a base. Alice had liked the first one she had done and she had been working on variations for weeks now. They were thinking of having them printed as part of their business cards or even as whimsical prints to be framed and hung on the wall. Either way both had thought it a good idea and they were asking the opinions of regular customers. So far the few that had talked with them about it were interested to see what the result was.

When the bell jangled, Jasa glanced up, nodding to the woman and her daughter. The child had amazing blue eyes though she hid shyly behind her mother. "If you need any help, just ask."

"I think we can find what we want, but thank you." the lady replied, moving down the aisle towards the roses. Her daughter's hand was firmly clasped in her hand as she moved towards the carts. A few minutes later, they disappeared amongst the larger bushes and trees.

Turning back to the sketch, Jasa carefully created two eyes on the image. She stared for a moment and then laughed. She did like this one. The bell on the door rang again as three more customers walked inside. They were talking excitedly as they moved towards the trees in the back. She nodded to them but did not interrupt them.

Rukurai drifted around the side of her hand, his tendrils examining the paper as she moved her hand. She had been doing this all morning and he wanted her attention. Finally he just dropped down to remain unmoving in the center of the paper.

When the bell on the door tinkled again, Jasa glanced over from what she was doing. At first she blinked in surprise then she laughed as she recognized the person.

"Algie!" she greeted. "It's nice to see you. About time you came." Her eyes narrowed as she began to tease him. "I should be upset with you and Bloo for not visiting sooner."

Pushing the sketchpad and pencil aside, Jasa moved away from the counter. Her customers were still looking around so she motioned one of the other clerks to keep an eye on the register.

"So what brings you here? Finally going to plant your garden? Now is the right time to do so." Brushing hair from her eyes, Jasa watched Algie in amusement. "It really is nice to see you again. Bloo too."

Ruku drifted excitedly towards Bloo and Algie. A familar sensation slid through him at the presence of the other. Moving quickly over, he circled Algie's head for a moment.

Ruku's amusement was easily felt as Algie played with him a moment. He then rushed at Bloo, but phased past him as he entered the shadow beside them. It was as if he was showing off what he had figured out to do since the last time they had seen one another. He began circling the other wisp happily.

Jasa laughed, moving over to hug Algie. "I forgive you. What really brings you here?" she asked as she stepped back. "Plants or checking up on me to make sure Ruku is behaving himself. I almost stopped by the other day, but realized how late it was and decided against it. I was wondering if you had gotten your garden started yet. Obviously not." She teased him again.

The other clerk moved behind the desk, but turned to her. "Excuse me, Jasa. What do you want me to do with these." He indicated the drawing she had been making on the cards.

"I'll take them, Jerald." she said, reaching around to pick up the sketchpad, box of pencils, and the cards she had finished. "I'll just put them under the desk for now." Turning back to Algie, she said, "I came up with this idea of putting cute cards with the plants. A fun picture on the front and then the information on the back which would explain how to water, repot, what sort of light and things like that." She held one out for him to look at.

"What do I do? Um.. Absolutely nothing." she laughed. "Just kidding. I wait on customers when the others can't, I take care of ordering, logging in shipments when they arrive, getting stock put where it needs to be, water and tend the flowers, make sure that they are healthy... A little bit of everything. " She laughed, glancing at him mischievously. "Actually since I never told you last time, but I co-own this place. So I have lots of incentive to keep it going."

Instead of placing the cards behind the desk, she shoved the pencils there and handed him the cards. "I was just playing and making each plant into a little creature. Alice and I plan to reproduce them to about half that size and then put one with each plant. The instructions that will be on the back will be pretty generic." Her sketching was good enough to recognize the plant and its real counterpart even though the drawing had a bit of whimsy to it.

"So what do you think?" she asked, holding out the cards to him.

Ruku continued playing with Bloo popping in and out of shadows around his favorite flowers. The tropicals were in full-bloom now and the orchids rose upwards, blossoms bright. The broader leafed plants nearby created more shadows and he liked them best but it was not hard to see that they were his favorites.

Jasa laughed as Algie teased her. "Pftt.. I'm just doing what I like, Algie. And no, I don't think we need any magic in the store. I'm sure my customers would run away." A giggle slipped free as she took the cards back from him. "Although it could be rather funny to see what happens."

Running her fingers along the edge of the cards, Jasa stared at them a moment. "They are cute but some people just do not understand things like that. But I will think about it and talk to Alice. It is her shop too." Her caress down the side of the card, gleamed slightly, but she turned her attention back to Algie, Bloo, and Ruku.

The wisp was having a great deal of fun phasing in and out around Bloo. He led a merry chase through the plants on the table, and then to the next table. The small bonsai trees there became his hiding place as he waited, before disappearing into the bamboo behind Bloo.

"Ruku is really excited to see Bloo." she commented, not noticing that the cards in her hand suddenly began to glow. Her finger tapped on the side as she continued watching the two wisps. "You think that..." she began but then flinched as her hand suddenly became very hot. The cards flamed up and she blinked, wincing, eyes wide, tossing them at the table of plants that were getting misted. Suddenly havoc broke out as the water, plants, and magic mixed. The entire table began to glow as she stared. "What....?" Then she turned to Algie, confused. "You didn't...."

The shining mass began to move as the plants changed, shifting slightly. They began to pull themselves upright, jerking their roots from the pots. Several began to slide off the table, dropping to the floor. Then they ran, scattering around the way a swarm of small animals would scatter when a larger predator appears in their midst. Jasa managed to get a look at one before it vanished around the corner. It was using its leaves as arms and roots as legs. It looked almost like the creatures in her cards. Several more skittered from the area as she simply stared at them. What had happened?

--
(( lmao this should cause a lot of havoc. I'd say since she tossed those cards into the table of plants there are probably about 50 -100 of those little buggers running around now. And she thinks Algie did it by mistake. ))

Jasa stared as the creatures began to run amok in the shop. Some skittered into the greenhouse to do heaven knew what. "Then how?" she muttered. "How did this happen if you didn't?"

Moving towards a basket, she began scooping up the creatures one by one. she was not afraid of them, but she had to catch them before the customers became frightened. Where had they really come from?

The girl had about half of them in the bottom of the basket. When she stopped to simply stare at them, she gasped. "They look just like those plantlings I was putting on the cards, Algie. And the cards burned my fingers when I tossed them away and this happened. Why?"

"I just don't understand this. Nothing like this has ever happened before." Frustrated, Jasa moved over to pick up one of the cards left. At first nothing happened, then the card flashed brightly causing her eyes to open wide. She dropped it immediately, stomping on the card as if putting out a fire. Her fingers were tingling again. "Was it me?" she asked softly, blinking again as she stared at the plants in the basket. "Crap! No more cards! What am I going to tell Alice?" She panicked. "Algie, what do I do to stop this?"

Ruku drifted around following the plantlings as they dashed here and there. He was careful not to stray too far from Jasa, but he was curious. And amused. Extremely amused. When one stopped just below him, he reached out to touch it. The plantling shivered but settled down into the soil beneath the larger plant where it was perfectly hidden. The wisp seemed to approve moving back to Jasa and her basket. He held onto the brim as if peaking down at them.

((Sorry took so long Halo. I wasn't sure what she was going to do clearly. ))

She was not amused. "No way. I can't have any magic." she muttered, staring at the card on the floor. "But... I mean.. I was just sketching like I always do. So why is this happening now?" Her question was rhetorical but on some level she still wanted an answer.

Looking at the basket of squirming plantlings, Jasa sighed. "I don't know what to do with them. It's not fair to kill them. Is there any way to change them back, Algie?" Here she was feeling sorry for a plant creature. What in the world was wrong with her? They would run amok and create even more trouble for her and others.

The wisp was amused as he held onto the rim of the basket. A tendril or two reached out to stroke the nearest plantling he could reach. A slight chittering sound was heard as the rest crowded to that side.

Jasa picked Ruku up, shaking her head as she slid him into her pocket. "Don't even get ideas, Ruku. You cannot have one for a pet. "

Jasa watched Algie closely. Her fingers tingled as he cast the spell on the plant. In a moment it was a card again. She sighed. "I don't really know. I had a great aunt that talked to plants and seemed to think they had human feelings. Her name was Zsussana B. Louhi. She never had any children but she and I hit it off immediately. I remember she had once told me she could make the plants dance for her. I thought she was joking. She had all sorts of rare herbs that she used for various things. I remember... all the bottles that lined one room in her house. I sneaked in there once and she caught me, but seemed amused and said I was not ready for it yet. Then she said something else odd. That she would never see what I would become and it seemed to make her sad, Algie."

The girl hesitated as she reached out to touch one of the plantlings. "I remember something Auntie Zsussa said to me once. It seemed odd at the time, but I wonder if she did not know that there was a chance I would have something happen. She said that she and I were alot alike but nobody would be able to see it yet. And probably by the time I did she would be gone. She said that.... Hmm... I wonder. She said that she was leaving me the key to a chest that was being held for me at her bank. I've never checked to see what was in it. I forgot about it until now. The key is in my jewelry box at home."

She watched Algie closely a moment. "Do you think she might have left something that would explain this, Algie?"

Ruku drifted over to the card. He touched it, sliding his tentacles across the surface. Then a bit of sadness creeped across his emotions causing Jasa to pick him up and put him in her pocket. It was as if some part of him did not like their returning to the cards.

((Up to you whether Algie knows the name or not. She probably would have been active in the druidic groups. Maybe even slightly famous. I think there is a pendant that is a strong focus for earth magic that she has left and several large books documenting her plants and the things she knew about earth magic. hehe... I think this will cause trouble later for Jasa. It makes a good plot mechanism. ))