hh_mirror | ::Owls to A and Kusuriyuri from Kurama::

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::Owls to A and Kusuriyuri from Kurama::

Owl to A
A,

I believe it is time for us to consider the lessons I spoke to you about.
Please meet me in the mangosteen grove as soon as you are available.

-Kurama
_{Attached is a magnolia flower, the meaning of which is "newness, and a love for nature."}

Owl to Kusuriyuri

Kusuriyuri,

I have invited A to the first lesson, I would appreciate your company and insight. We are meeting in the mangosteen grove, please come at your leisure.

-Kurama
_{Attached is a white chrysanthemum, the meaning of which is "truth."}

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"Let it tell you, then," he murmured, pressing a little energy into his own seed, feeling the minuscule shoots dig into the dirt in his palm. "let it show you what it wants to be, and help it along."

The threads were stronger now, a good lesson so far.

Nodding, A lets his eyes close, trying to sense the seed's own energy as he visualizes a sunflower, trying to let it tell him what a sunflower is, picturing the heavy head, the vividly yellow petals, the thick green stem and broad leaves.

"Very good," he said gently, noticing the tiniest strengthening in the energy around the seed. A was slow, but determined, and the seed was responding, the tiniest crack in its shell revealing the infant green within.

"I can, I can feel it." There was wonder in A's voice, but he fought to maintain his concentration. "I can feel it being alive."

Kusuriyuri watched, paying close attention. The channels that Kurama used were ones he could feel but not control or use. He could write wards to block them and maybe ones that would reinforce those channels, but to do as A was doing was beyond his skills. He was impressed that Kurama could coax such energy from his deshi.

"Careful," he warned, noticing the shaky hold A had on his seed.
"Here, have a visual."
He urged his own seed into a shoot, the tiny stem bursting from the seed, part of the shell stuck to it like a cap.
"If you can get that far, we'll call it your first success."

He glanced over to Kusuriyuri and smiled just a little. I'll need your help on this, he thought. He's stronger than I thought.

The sight made A smile delightedly, and he sent a flicker of eagerness to the seed in his hand: See? That could be you. That will be you!

Kurama watched carefully as the seed shot into life, responding to A's energy and encouragement far quicker than he had expected.

There are channels in him that shouldn't be open, or have been re-routed. Reiki? Something Kusuriyuri did?

But, he smiled. That would have to wait.
"Excellent job, A. I wouldn't have expected you to get this far so quickly. Would you like to see how far you can take it, or would you like to rest for the day?"

A looked at the little shoot in his hand, so green and proud and new.

"I think, I, I think I would like to see it grow, see it do the rest of its growing at its own pace."

Good boy, not taking things too quickly. It would have to be a patience game, no mater how much he dearly wanted to see how far A could go.

"Set the seed in the pot, we can replant it with some others after we're finished," he smiled a little. "Would you like to see a mature sunflower, so you know what to look forward to?"

A set the seed down very gently, not wanting to jostle it too much.

"I would," he told Kurama softly. "I have only seen sunflowers in photographs."

Kurama took another fistful of dirt from the pot, careful of A's seedling, and spread it on the ground, setting his own seedling atop it. Then, slowly, for A's benefit, he bade it grow, from seedling to shoot to bloom, growing as tall as A was standing, the bright yellow flower bursting to light.

He smiled.

"Sunflower."

"It's beautiful," A said in awe. The fast-forward progression from seed to tall, proud plant made him gasp with wonder.

"But will it live as long?"

He smiled at A's awe, and was impressed by his foresight.

"It will. The energy I gave it is the same as a few weeks of sunlight, water and soil. If I need to, I can grow a seed to maturity with nothing but my own will and its cooperation. With practice, I believe you'd be able to do the same, should you wish it. And the energy stays with it, forever. cut the bloom from the plant, and it'll survive twice as long in a glass of water than a completely un-tampered with flower, without you having to give it anything else. With a little boost now and then, a bloom could survive in a vase for years, though that seems like it would be a little crueler than letting it return to seed and grow again."

"Cut flowers are not as lovely," A said a little sadly. "They are not growing anymore, away from sun and soil. If they're not being used as food, or medicine, or to make dye or ink, or something like that... then, then I would not pick one."

A ripe fruit seemed like a better gift, to A, than a bouquet.

"A bloom in a vase can serve its purpose as well. All flowers have their meanings, their truths. A flower can convey love, or loyalty, hate or betrayal. But you are right in your feeling; they should never be used when they are not serving a purpose. For beauty, they should be grown in the sun and soil." He gently coaxed the sunflower back into a seedling.

"I'll let this one grow up with yours, it's unfair to have one ahead of the other," he said with a little laugh, placing it in the pot next to A's.

If the plant's rapid growth had provoked awe, seeing it regress into a seedling brought shock.

"You can... you can do that?"

"Of course, though it takes far more work than making it go from seed to bloom. It requires a lot of technical knowledge of the plant, and pulling the energy out and around it in such a way that it doesn't just wither," he unconsciously ran a hand through his hair, fingers brushing the rose seeds tangled at the nape of his neck.

Would A be able to progress fast enough to make plants his weapons? Probably. And he'd have to be careful if that happened, especially if that whoever-it-was who A hated so much made a bad step... he could probably take down half the school if he snapped.

"I think that'll be it for now. Later I'll show you what the clay is for. How about you go replant these? I bet they'd be a fine addition to the garden."

A lifted the pot, nodding. "I will plant them, and care for them so they will flourish."

He looked at Kurama thoughtfully. "Thank you for the lesson."

He bowed. "It is my pleasure and joy to teach you, A. Thank you for being an attentive student."

Holding the pot carefully, A left the grove for his garden, to plant the sunflowers in the earth.

Kurama watched him go and sighed, looking over to Kusuriyuri.

"He's strong. Stronger than I had expected," he waited a moment, before continuing. "You've been helping him via Reiki?"

Kusuriyuri nods. "It was needed. He was badly damaged. He would not have progressed so far or so well without it." He pauses. "There was much malice inflicted on him." Kurama would understand the effects of malice on the spirit, even if L had dismissed it.

He winced. He didn't know the whole story yet, but he was sure whatever A had endured had been... nasty.

"The reiki may have been what enables him to learn from me, then." He paused thoughtfully. "And, what would prevent him from becoming or attracting mononoke. You have done more than one kindness for him."

Kusuriyuri looks down at the compliment. "He was eager to learn, to know. He was open to direction. He also seems to have an almost instinctive understanding." He looks back at Kurama. "We have moved our sessions from my room to the greenhouse and he responds much better, as if he is drawing on the plants."

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