[The pervasive rain had been helpful for most of the plants in her impromptu garden, but there were still a few that didn't look to be doing quite as well. She frowns as she looks down at them. She'd put a lot of effort into transplanting the strange native plants that had sprung up without any effort when they'd returned from the first world Astoria had transported them to. Being unfamiliar with the local vegetation and with such a strange mix of seeds, she was erring on the side of caution. But unless she'd missed a few very aggressive roots, it shouldn't be an issue of all the plants competing for nutrients in this formerly overgrown courtyard. Maybe it was the lack of consistent sunlight...]
[Tefé calls out on her approach, hands stuffed into her pockets. Ever since people mentioned to her that there was a garden, she's passed by a couple time to see just what the deal was.]
Maybe you should have just left them where they were.
[Okay look, she's still mildly cranky about... well, everything.]
[She doesn't seem put off by being somewhat ignored - Tefé was still here, after all, and apparently trying to hold a conversation - and her expression doesn't change as she turns to face her fully.]
Not exactly. I had some seeds I brought with me from home that I wanted to plant here, and Lady Astoria said that no one was using this space. And I thought it might be good to supplement the food supplies that were already in the kitchen, especially with so many people arriving, so I brought some more back with me from El Minha.
It was. [She nods, again in agreement, to both questions, even if it wasn't needed.] They had some very interesting varieties that I wasn't familiar with before coming here that are well-adapted for survival in the dry climate and in sand.
I wasn't expecting that there would be so much rain when we returned, so I haven't been able to plant them since returning though.
[Tefé's only really, deeply, familiar with one planet and its plant life. But she can only imagine that other plants from other world would have the same kind of deeper connection... and sentiments about animal life, although she'd rather ignore that part. The Green would still be felt, here so close to the forest, but a garden isn't exactly an ideal life in her opinion.]
Unless the witch decides to change the weather, there's probably not much you can do about that. Maybe the next one world will be dry enough for it, and you can plant them there. I mean, she already gives us enough food, I don't see why you have to have a garden, too.
Unfortunately, there are things other than food that might be needed, and there are limitations to what the Temple here can provide without any input from us.
[She's a little leery of sharing too much more, particularly since she had no guarantee that her small attempts would be useful at all, in this place where a number of people had been granted miraculous healing abilities. It's as much a comfort to her as anything else, being able to bring life to familiar plants from home, what she was used to when treating her patients.]
[Tefe's expression isn't unreadable per se; more like conflicted, and mildly peeved about it. Irritably, she can't help but point out:]
Other things you might need? It's always take, take, take with you humans, isn't it? You never think about giving back or even just letting things be.
[Nevertheless, she gets up off the seat and crouches down next to the garden and the particularly waterlogged and pathetic ones. Even if they're not familiar plants from home, she's probably knowledgeable to at least make an educated guess about what they are.]
[She's a little surprised at the reaction, but is well aware that her presence and actions had touched on it. At the same time, it seemed to go far deeper than the immediate present circumstance, with her mention of 'you humans', and so Jing muses a little as she steps back to give her space to examine the plants, absorbing and considering her offhand words in silence before she speaks up again:]
[With her old powers it would have hardly been even a thought from where she'd been sitting. Here... she frowns and gently touches the leaves, concentrating a little. The difference is obvious and immediate, wilted leaves firming up, the plant even even putting out new shoots and leaves.]
Of course it's possible. Whether or not they stay healthy is another question.
[If she hadn't already been here for some time, and seen the many different powers that Astoria had caused to manifest in the people she'd brought to this place, this demonstration of miraculous ability would have floored her. As it is, she stifles a quiet gasp of appreciation and tries to focus on her words.]
If...it's additional care or effort they need [Something she can actually provide]...
If you're already going this far, some of them might be better off potted inside, especially in this weather.
[Tefe replies, in that same tone, clearly not exactly happy. She could make them grow to full size, but... that wouldn't last, judging from her own little experiments out in the forest.]
I can only give them a nudge in the right direction. The rest is going to be up to you.
[She's not hearing a refusal to help - quite the opposite, in fact, and were she less controlled and careful, the surprised elation would be very visible on her face. As it is, she nods her head almost gently, with genuine gratitude.]
I truly appreciate your guidance then, young miss. I have space inside if you truly feel they would do better there than out of doors.
Then that's all the more reason I should express my gratitude. [This kind of manner might be intentionally off-putting, but it was refreshingly straightforward and easy to deal with.]
I don't know if you're also able to communicate with them more directly?
[Finally she stands up, brushing a bit of wet dirt from her knees. Her clothes are already a bit damp and muddy from the rain and wandering in the forest, one new muddy patch isn't gonna hurt.]
I used to be able to. But I can't here. Most of my powers don't work at all.
If only it had been that easy to take them away back on my world. [She adds the latter more to herself than to Jing, pretty much the epitome of bitterness.]
Were they not powers that you were born with, then? These abilities are miraculous and uncanny, but it takes a lot of getting used to just to wrap my mind around their existence. I can't imagine what it would be like if they had appeared back home.
The temptation to misuse abilities like that must be very strong indeed. It's a shame that so many people react badly when given the privilege of power, untempered by any sense of responsibility.
[She seems to be speaking from personal experience.]
Sometimes it seems that wanting power for its own sake should be a disqualification.
[Small misfire here because frankly, as much as Tefé herself was thinking of Constantine in particular, bringing responsibility into the equation just makes her think of herself. Oops.
With this little power it should feel like the weight of the world is off her shoulders, but sometimes, she feels like she'd almost rather have nothing.]
Since we're talking about powers, what did Astoria give you?
[A reasonable enough question. She thinks on it a moment, not out of any reluctance, but trying to get her thoughts together.]
I didn't have any such ability before I arrived, but it seems I can now access a space beyond my eyes and store things inside of it, or else offer small pieces of it to others so they can hold things in their own turn.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
[Action - Timing Uncertain, before Struxta World Jump]
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[Tefé calls out on her approach, hands stuffed into her pockets. Ever since people mentioned to her that there was a garden, she's passed by a couple time to see just what the deal was.]
Maybe you should have just left them where they were.
[Okay look, she's still mildly cranky about... well, everything.]
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Perhaps that would have been better for them, yes. But then the ones over here wouldn't have had an opportunity to grow.
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Is this your garden then?
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Not exactly. I had some seeds I brought with me from home that I wanted to plant here, and Lady Astoria said that no one was using this space. And I thought it might be good to supplement the food supplies that were already in the kitchen, especially with so many people arriving, so I brought some more back with me from El Minha.
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I wasn't expecting that there would be so much rain when we returned, so I haven't been able to plant them since returning though.
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Unless the witch decides to change the weather, there's probably not much you can do about that. Maybe the next one world will be dry enough for it, and you can plant them there. I mean, she already gives us enough food, I don't see why you have to have a garden, too.
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[She's a little leery of sharing too much more, particularly since she had no guarantee that her small attempts would be useful at all, in this place where a number of people had been granted miraculous healing abilities. It's as much a comfort to her as anything else, being able to bring life to familiar plants from home, what she was used to when treating her patients.]
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Other things you might need? It's always take, take, take with you humans, isn't it? You never think about giving back or even just letting things be.
[Nevertheless, she gets up off the seat and crouches down next to the garden and the particularly waterlogged and pathetic ones. Even if they're not familiar plants from home, she's probably knowledgeable to at least make an educated guess about what they are.]
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What do you think? Is it possible to revive them?
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Of course it's possible. Whether or not they stay healthy is another question.
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If...it's additional care or effort they need [Something she can actually provide]...
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[Tefe replies, in that same tone, clearly not exactly happy. She could make them grow to full size, but... that wouldn't last, judging from her own little experiments out in the forest.]
I can only give them a nudge in the right direction. The rest is going to be up to you.
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I truly appreciate your guidance then, young miss. I have space inside if you truly feel they would do better there than out of doors.
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You don't need to thank me. I'm not helping for your sake.
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I don't know if you're also able to communicate with them more directly?
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I used to be able to. But I can't here. Most of my powers don't work at all.
If only it had been that easy to take them away back on my world. [She adds the latter more to herself than to Jing, pretty much the epitome of bitterness.]
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Were they not powers that you were born with, then? These abilities are miraculous and uncanny, but it takes a lot of getting used to just to wrap my mind around their existence. I can't imagine what it would be like if they had appeared back home.
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Magic isn't exactly common on my world either. It's mostly used by a bunch of untrustworthy assholes and con-jobs.
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[She seems to be speaking from personal experience.]
Sometimes it seems that wanting power for its own sake should be a disqualification.
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With this little power it should feel like the weight of the world is off her shoulders, but sometimes, she feels like she'd almost rather have nothing.]
Since we're talking about powers, what did Astoria give you?
[She asks, a little challengingly.]
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I didn't have any such ability before I arrived, but it seems I can now access a space beyond my eyes and store things inside of it, or else offer small pieces of it to others so they can hold things in their own turn.
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[And not, you know, horribly destructive or prone to misuse. Except maybe...]
If I were you, I'd just make sure to leave things back on whatever world they came from, is all.
[She adds matter-of-factly, putting both hands on her hips.]
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That probably would be the wiser course of action. I'm afraid I couldn't resist bringing a few things back from our last excursion, though.