On the Eve of Bloom

*sigh*

Psyche.

...

Is that you... Vita?

I promised to come check up on you, remember?

Your eyes... are you having trouble seeing things again, like what happened at the pit?

Yeah, my vision's a bit blurry again... Don't worry, it's just an old problem acting up.

I might be a bit tired. A few days' rest should help.

Why were you sighing to yourself here all alone?

Why did you sigh at the flowers?

I'd love to, but Mr Henrik told me to stay inside, so... Oh! Now that you're here...

...Could you do me a favour?

The potted plant here... Can you describe for me how well the flowers are blooming?

Hmm... like I guessed.

...Thank you for saying that to make me feel better, but...

I touched it and the petals felt wrinkled. I don't think the flowers are doing well.

Could you take a closer look? The well-being of flowers hinges on careful observation, but I can't do that now...

The flowers are bright yellow... A very vibrant hue.

Mm, I love yellow flowers. They remind me of the sun and warm my heart...

The petals don't have smooth edges. Instead, there are plenty of irregular gaps running along the margins.

Right... Try touching the petals softly. I love running my fingers along the edges of petals. Every petal feels different as if they have their own story to tell...

But these petals seem to have lost their shine. The edges are dark and curled, as though they've been burnt...

Hmm... I believe the flowers are thirsting for some water.

The petals have soft stripes that radiate from the center outward, somewhat resembling the veins of the leaves. However, they seem not to be very plump...

The stripes deliver nutrients and function just like the veins of the leaves.

Although the flowers usually steal our attention, they're not that different when compared to leaves. Both parts of the plant are doing their best to respire and grow.

Let me see... If they look shrivelled, they may be low on nutrients.

I think I understand the issue now, thank you.

Is this kind of flower hard to care for?

No, it's quite resilient actually, it can even thrive in places with long winters, like Icelake.

As long as it is well trimmed, fertilised, and given the proper humidity and temperature, it can bloom beautifully for weeks on end... But I didn't do it well. I'm far from being as good a florist as my parents.

You might be right, but... oh, wait, Vita! Something just occurred to me.

I've grown it the same way as my parents did, and it's always been in Icelake, so the environment should be consistent... Ah, I get it!

Maybe it's the soil...

The soil?

Yes. Dad used to gather special soil from a cave beyond Icelake for our plants.

He mentioned that the special soil is more fertile than the others. Perhaps I can go there and...

...Um, forget it. I'll worry about this later...

Don't worry, I can collect some for you.

You don't have to do that... Just coming here and talking with me is already...

It's okay, I'll have to leave town for the commissions anyway. Gathering soil isn't that hard. So where's that cave you mentioned?

...Thank y... um, no.

I was about to say thank you, but I think we're beyond such formalities with each other.

Let me give you the location of the cave.

The soil here feels dry... perhaps I should look elsewhere.

Found it...! The soil is soft and the wetness feels right. I should collect more.

Vita, did you manage to find the soil?

No, not yet.

It's alright. You don't need to go to all this trouble for me...

Oh, before I forget, I have a couple of questions:

Have you ever stood under the Heaventree? Are the legends really true, is the Heaventree so massive that its crown covers the entire sky? Could we see... a glittering canopy of crystals looking up its trunk?

And... and another question, is the sandy beach really as soft and smooth as they say, malleable like dough, and not at all rough on the feet?

Sorry for bombarding you with so many questions! I'm asking for my friends at the inn... Hehe, they are all very fascinated by your hometown.

Okay... This should be enough. Time to head back and bring it to Psyche.

Psyche, here's the soil from that cave. Does it look right?

Hmm... Its touch is exactly like that of the soil Dad used to grow flowers with.

And there's so much of it... This should be enough to help every plant thrive here.

Aww, it's that flower I gave you... And you've been carrying it around all this time.

Of course, it's a precious gift. You love these flowers, don't you? Is it okay for you to pluck one from the plant and give it away?

Hmm... I was not, when I was little.

Have you seen freshly cut flowers sold at the florists? I never liked that practice... It always made me feel sorry for the flowers.

Flowers, stems, and leaves all belong to the same plant, yet people cut the flowers to admire their beauty, leaving them to wilt and die alone.

It does seem so, from our perspective...

You said when you were little... Does that mean you feel differently now?

Not entirely. But...

Can I ask you something first? What do you think about flowers that are plucked from their plants?

I'm glad I gave you the flower. I knew you'd take good care of it.

Hmm... I understand. That's what I thought.

You feel the same way I did when I was little.

Now, when I see cut flowers, I still feel a bit sad. But over the years, I've come to realise that they are amazing, far more amazing than I thought.

A plucked flower would no longer bear fruit. It's fated to perish in a slow, wilting death...

Yet it tries to absorb water, as if still rooted, blooming fully before its brief life fades.

I no longer pity them, I'm impressed by them.

You feel the same, right?

You have a kind soul... And yes, you're right, it might be best not to cut them at all.

Oh, just listen to how sombre and heavy our conversation has become. That wasn't my intention...

Anyway, the soil you brought back is great. The wetness and softness are perfect... You might have a real knack for gardening!

Certainly! I'd be delighted to share all the gardening secrets I know! ...If time allows.

Okay, it's settled then.

Vita... you are such a wonderful person.

Apart from my parents, nobody else has ever taken my casual remarks so seriously or done so much for a simple plant.

Please, take this as a token of my appreciation. It's not much, but I hope you'll accept it.

Do come back and admire these flowers when they bloom once more.

The soil here feels dry... perhaps I should look elsewhere.

Found it...! The soil is soft and the wetness feels right. I should collect more.

Psyche, here's the soil from that cave. Does it look right?

Hmm... Its touch is exactly like that of the soil Dad used to grow flowers with.

And there's so much of it... This should be enough to help every plant thrive here.

Aww, it's that flower I gave you... And you've been carrying it around all this time.

Of course, it's a precious gift. You love these flowers, don't you? Is it okay for you to pluck one from the plant and give it away?

Hmm... I was not, when I was little.

Have you seen freshly cut flowers sold at the florists? I never liked that practice... It always made me feel sorry for the flowers.

Flowers, stems, and leaves all belong to the same plant, yet people cut the flowers to admire their beauty, leaving them to wilt and die alone.

It does seem so, from our perspective...

You said when you were little... Does that mean you feel differently now?

Not entirely. But...

Can I ask you something first? What do you think about flowers that are plucked from their plants?

I'm glad I gave you the flower. I knew you'd take good care of it.

Hmm... I understand. That's what I thought.

You feel the same way I did when I was little.

Now, when I see cut flowers, I still feel a bit sad. But over the years, I've come to realise that they are amazing, far more amazing than I thought.

A plucked flower would no longer bear fruit. It's fated to perish in a slow, wilting death...

Yet it tries to absorb water, as if still rooted, blooming fully before its brief life fades.

I no longer pity them, I'm impressed by them.

You feel the same, right?

You have a kind soul... And yes, you're right, it might be best not to cut them at all.

Oh, just listen to how sombre and heavy our conversation has become. That wasn't my intention...

Anyway, the soil you brought back is great. The wetness and softness are perfect... You might have a real knack for gardening!

Certainly! I'd be delighted to share all the gardening secrets I know! ...If time allows.

Okay, it's settled then.

Vita... you are such a wonderful person.

Apart from my parents, nobody else has ever taken my casual remarks so seriously or done so much for a simple plant.

Please, take this as a token of my appreciation. It's not much, but I hope you'll accept it.

Do come back and admire these flowers when they bloom once more.