Leti lets his skirt swish as he follows Marcus and the blue text constantly scrolling his wrist.
Sure Leti had a few tasks left that they had to do before dusk, but exploring Natare through the eyes of Marcus was something that was drawing the svelte man into this new and unique adventure.
Marcus had mentioned something about 'glass' and then had tried to make a beeline to the arboretum, only to be wildly disappointed by the walls of the encasing. The outside was a constant marvel of construction and architecture, with gardeners and architects coming together every three years to coax the vines and membranous leaves into these large panels, smaller trees grown and positioned to provide structural support for the entire 'dome' around the bottom two thirds of the massive Sakura and the garden beneath its bows.
The low level sound of hundreds of lazy birds can be heard, today's warm heat just bringing a level of calm joy to almost everyone but Marcus, even if this mood is causing Thalia to drop aimlessly back.
Leti helps guide Marcus under the arch that leads from city core to the garden of the arboretum, trying to guide him away from the poisonous (Like the stinging nightweed) and the aggressive (like the teeth laced moss clutch sample), towards the pretty and bright. Under trees of weeping eucalypt Leti leads them, past bushes that look like blood red aloe vera with gold spines - which of course Marcus wants to touch.
Leti snaps lightly but firmly - better let the human hate him than to need to hunt down a healer. Plus Leti was more a tender than any kind of botanist or plant mage (or Solaris forbid a botanical necromancer) so there was very little Leti could do to stop Marcus getting himself in over his muscular and toned head.
Butterflies and dragonflies and glimmer swirl around them all as in the centre of the garden looms the massive trunk of the Grand Sakura tree, its dark brown branches and thick green leaves. The tree leaves a shadow stained mark over the gardens, and Leti curls his toes in the soft soil as he guides Marcus through and past locals and tourists alike, even as he watches Br1n talk to Marcus through his wrist. Both seem distracted by the massive tree, even as Leti tries to explain some of the local flora, to show off that knowledge and impress the human.
A troll seafarer moves past them, all grey-red skin and lichen clad shoulders, a city local obviously looming tall over them with those thick tusks from the lower lip. Leti is forced to drop back to let them past while noticing all the foliads that have grown curious at Marcus.
Leti tries to press forwards towards him, his slight frame jostled by everyone else even as a part of him checks to see if Thalia can get closer, wanting to stop Marcus getting overwhelmed by the crowd, or by curiosity.
His eyes widen as he sees Marcus step over the ledging that seperates the path from the base of the great cherry blossom tree, hoping some of the ground cover is not getting crushed under the human's thick shoes. A breathy whine passes his throat as he finally makes it through, seeing Marcus press his hand to the bark at the base of the tree.
The code on Marcus' wrist goes a vibrant green as magic seems to span around his fingers. A pulse goes up the trunk as all the locals take a step back.
As the magic fades, small pink blossoms open along the path and over some of the lower branches. And then there is a pause in the world.
Leti pushes through the crowd to stand behind Marcus, the human's eyes closed in communion with the cherry blossom tree.
And then there is light. Insects an birds take flight out of the arboretum as deep purple and vibrant blue blossoms join the pink, spreading across the massive canopy.
Leti rushes forwards and catches the man in his arms. The sakura tree still keeps blossoming, until colored petals begin to rain down on the gardener. It is a miracle and Leti can't help but cry (even as they stand among the trodden remains of the ground cover).
The sakura tree brought to life by the human.
Thalia wakes inside the arboretum not remembering getting there. Purple and pink and blue petals rain down on her. She wipes it from her hair with black tipped fingers.
Tears prick her eyes as she catches sight of Yarrow, the other grinning wide around this miracle. "What, how?" They say, looking to Thalia.
"I don't know, the grand tree hasn't flowered in a hundred years." Thalia is still trying to process the vision she had, even as butterflies are coming to rest on people after the initial chaos.
"You look spooked, are you OK?" Yarrow says even as the crowd jostles them, sending the butterflies up and into the air again.
"Everything is moving too fast, and I keep having weird dreams and visions."
"Is it the stress, are you sleeping well?"
Thalia groans, Yarrow isn't listening. "All this with the human and the case isn't helping but, this and this are not about those." She motions to the air before pointing to her head. Everything is just too much.
She stalks away, against the crowd for once in her life even as Yarrow fights after her to follow.
"Thal. Come on, be reasonable. Can't you see we are surrounded by the impossible right now? The strange has slipped into the vines of the arboretum, the small trailing flowers that would light it up at night blowing out and almost triple in size and that mix of blue, purple and pink.
She shakes the remaining petals from herself before turning to poke Yarrow on the chest. "I just can't take it. Every time I think it is all stable this leaflitter happens. And I'm left picking up the pieces. Where have you even been? I was to go to your training and you were supposed to help." She pokes their chest with black fingers again in emphasis.
They puts up their hands, blocking with the satchel. "Come on Thal. There were other things going on, and it was barely a day. You even said you were going to think on it."
Yarrow is too calm for her liking, disinterested in the way her life seems to be crumbling from the centre out in ways that are 'better' for her. Where in the dark grove is Marcus anyways? He is supposed to be sticking with her for the moment. (Ignoring her getting away from the crowd). She pokes Yarrow in the chest and hears a slight crack.
Yarrow hears it too and looks worried, pulling the satchel open to grab at two bindings. "I have to get...
Color sprays everywhere, black and magenta, covering them both in dye that sinks into clothes and hair and skin. Even as Yarrow presses the bindings into her chest.
A butterfly lands on her nose and tears of anger well from her eyes. And she screans a cathartic scream as the world around her blooms.
Four people stumble into Thalia's space, dazed, dehydrated and overwhelmed. Yarrow, knowing the space, gets the only two cups and fills them with water, their new mouse skull pendant swinging openly in this quiet space. "You'll water to share and sip that slowly." They tell the other three as Thalia flumps onto their bed.
Unlike Marcus' place that has seperate rooms, Thalia's abode is one long smear of a room except the ladder to the nook one 'floor' above.
Her building grows weirdly too, like someone got it wrong but did not have the time to regrow it right and just bundled people in. Twisted and tilted, and only the rooftop garden sitting at all right. It was also one of the taller buildings at 6 stories, with its own little training area for private activity.
For now all that meant is Yarrow had options if this space got too small for the four of them.
Leti had found a chair and was sitting, worrying the hem of his skirt as he mutters about the blooming with a capital B.
Marcus seemed dazed and was slowly sipping from the cup, green vines infusing his pale human hand for the moment.
And Thalia, drenched in black and pink dye, clutches the bindings to her chest as if any book will save her now.
Yarrow gives them time to sit, to breathe with the fact, even as Yarrow goes to Thalia's closet to see how bad the damage is. When someone only wears the academy colors, your brain slides over the minor damage and just sees every outfit as one continual mood. At least the scarf seems mostly.... oh no.
Even through the membrane on her closet, Yarrow can see the container is not good. It is too empty, and Yarrow for a moment realises how much Thalia values herself. It's even worse when the closet opens and Yarrow is able to inspect the uniformity up close. It is two spare robes and a ceremonial set, all three quickly and quietly patched and stitched at the corners and seams.
What Yarrow assumed were vanity patches on the elbows were where she had worn through the fabric and the latch that held at the neck of one seemed ready to snap in a wardrobe disaster.
Yarrow selects the least damaged outfit anyways and gets to work on the rest of the recovery. They hunt the bottom of the closet for a blanket and tosses it over the back of Marcus, briefly rubbing his shoulders to push kinetic energy through the material into the mana-shocked human.
Moving to Leti next, they guide the gardener up and towards the rooftop garden, showing him where the tools are and giving him the task of getting his hands busy - and hopefully his mind. Yarrow thinks that as a complete stranger Leti is less under Yarrow's care, but trauma caused by Thalia's human ward should be... mitigated.
Last comes to the VIP of the hour; prying those bindings from her hands, their covers lightly stained with the last vestiges of the ink, Yarrow helps Thalia up and towards the bathroom. Inside are the emnities (that are connected to various filtration circuits and grey water recycling processes), and centre stage is Thalia's large tub. At the end of the tub is a tube filled with a cleaning gel next to a well used soap, and in one of her rare splurges the gel is scented something nice - that the reader would most think of as coconut. The gel is unopened and Yarrow snarls as he opens the lid and removes the biodegradable seal.
The hunter-in-training begins to fill the tub, even as they begin to strip from their own clothing. "Come Thal, you're not going to clean yourself like this."
Thalia numbly nods, and her best friend would see the shock and tiredness still plastered over her face, still stained by the dye and smeared with magical cherry blossom pollen.
Heat swirls the air as they bathe together, the strong hands of Yarrow guiding the way over skin, trying both to wash as much of the dye into the water around them, as well as soothe the gel into their best friend's skin.
The talisman rests against her back as they work, touch familiar and relaxing, even as her body remembers affectionate touches and rough explorations from their youth. She leans into them, black leaving even her fingertips at the washing, connecting with her past and present even as Yarrow whispers about bonds promised since forever and spanning to forever.
Petals and pollen swirl the top of the bath, eddies pull most of it away as water is gently replaced after being reheated and filtered. Yarrow's hands continue their work as Thalia lets out contented sighs.
"You're an ass." Thal tells them gently, and Yarrow smiles, feeling their friend come back to herself.
"Says the woman thinking about squirming." Yarrow teases, stroking hands through her hair - unfortunately the hair and the clothes were going to be ruined for a bit, but hair grows and the clothing - Yarrow has other plans for that.
For now they cuddle until the sounds of Marcus and Leti make their way through the membrane of the door. "They're up." Yarrow reminds Thalia.
Thalia closes her eyes and snuggles into Yarrow more. "You wore a stupid necklace into the bath, dummy." Not ready to tell her yet, his toes curl as he effortlessly lies, "There was not enough time to take it off. I thought getting you back was more important than a silly necklace. Are you doing ok now?" His voice conveys peace, even as his mind is working through a dozen scenarios and options.
"Things aren't ok. But I can confront Verdan or the man from VRPI. I can get Marcus settled, though now he will have a cult. And I can see an apothecary about a knock out potion."
"Achievable goals then." Yarrow teases, before poking her cheek in irritation. "Either get up, or stop squirming, this body is still male even if I'd love it not to be."
Thalia's grin turns feral as Yarrow gets a drop in their stomach that they have unleashed something that is best left shackled - at least for Yarrow's blood pressure.
