The Gardens, Early Afternoon

[nothornlessrose.livejournal.com]

Cassidy was out in the garden again. It helped her think and it was easier to be working out here than to be in her room and feeling so damn helpless. The dorms had always been a safe haven before and being out with the land was helping in some form to keep her from being completely unsettled.

She was on her knees, digging out weeds from the cold ground and trying to unleash some of her power into the ground as she felt it needed. She was being careful not to siphon off too much power because she didn't know when she might need it to help someone. And, well, she really didn't want to get scolded by anyone for doing too much.

She just hoped that they could come up with a way to stop what was happening, soon. Every time she looked up and saw the dark clouds, she had to take a deep breath to calm her nerves again.

Everything would be all right, soon, right?

Comments

[not-the-irs.livejournal.com]

It depended upon your definition of all right. Did yours include humanity being erased?

Three figures in gray--one male-shaped and two female--strode toward the garden. "What is the purpose of what you do?" Mr. Gamboge demanded.

[nothornlessrose.livejournal.com]

Cassidy looked up from her position amomg the plants and gave them a smaller smile than her usual one. However, she was still fighting to be cheerful.

And, she hadn't listened to the radio, either.

"You mean gardening? I'm taking care of the plants."

[not-the-irs.livejournal.com]

"Do plants not do that for themselves?" Ms. Tangerine wondered with a frown.

Surely this human could not be taking care of all the wilderness they had seen growing on this island.

[nothornlessrose.livejournal.com]

Cassidy blinked at her, tilting her head to the side.

"Well yes, for the most part they can," she agreed. "However, sometimes, they could use the extra help." You know, like when something was erasing land and people.

She had her hands flat against the ground to hide the small cuts in her palm. "Haven't you ever worked with your plants before?"

Cassidy, you're assuming that everyone likes plants.

[not-the-irs.livejournal.com]

She received three blank stares in reply. "Worked with them how?" one asked.

[nothornlessrose.livejournal.com]

No one had ever asked her that before and she was trying to think of an answer that she could give them as all of her internal alarms started going off.

"Water them, make sure they're fed." She slowly got to her feet, because there was no way she could defend themselves while she was on her knees in the dirt. "Clear the weeds away from stealing the nourishment they need."

[not-the-irs.livejournal.com]

"That seems only like you are doing work," Ms. Orange replied. "The plant does nothing but...stand there."

[nothornlessrose.livejournal.com]

This was decidedly not good.

"Sometimes plants are like babies," Cassidy explained as she started to raise her strongest shield around her.

And this would be one of those times that she was going to wish she had some way of accessing a stronger Jewel to shield herself instead of her just her Tiger Eye.

"Babies need you to take care for them and do everything for them," she said. "Just like some plants."

[not-the-irs.livejournal.com]

Mr. Gamboge did not look remotely impressed by that argument. "If it deserves to survive, it will do so. If it needs assistance, it does not deserve it."

[nothornlessrose.livejournal.com]

Now see, something like that just offended and upset everything Cassidy believed in about life and made her more positive than ever that these people were the bad guys.

"That's not at all true!" Cassidy said with a hint of shocked anger in her voice. "All life deserves a chance and sometimes we have to help it."

[not-the-irs.livejournal.com]

Ms. Orange felt her eyes rolling without her permission. "Immaterial," she said dismissively, reaching out and disintegrating a nearby pine tree.

[nothornlessrose.livejournal.com]

"Mother Night!" Cassidy cried out at the wanton destruction of the helpless tree. "You horrible bitch!"

The only defense she would be able to give to people later for what she did next was shock over someone defiling the land in front of her.

She shot out her hand, expecting a bolt of Tiger Eye energy to fly from it and slam into the tree murderer. When nothing happened, she tried again. Still nothing.

No. Oh no.

When she couldn't make her Craft attack these people, she started feeding all of her power into her shield as she tried to call in something to fight with.

[not-the-irs.livejournal.com]

"I think she's trying to hurt us," Ms. Tangerine said, looking amused.

"Hurt her," Mr. Gamboge corrected, pointing at Ms. Orange.

"The body dislikes the idea intensely," Ms. Orange replied, stalking toward Cassidy with her hand outstretched.

[nothornlessrose.livejournal.com]

When the hand went through her shield, Cassidy automatically reached to block the hand so that she could run.

Cassidy did intend to call for help as she tried to run, she did. But when she wanted to make a decision between calling out a warning to the person in her Court who could hear her, or calling for help, she naturally chose the path where she could protect.

*SHIR -- !* The warning cry on an open Tiger Eye thread suddenly cut off as she touched the woman's hand and Cassidy disappeared.