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[Baiya]

45th of Spring, 521 AV

The setting sun was warm and incessant as it beamed through the glass walls of the Crystal Seed Bank. Plants craned their necks here and there, trying to savor the last bit of Syna's touch before nightfall, or just opening for the soft kiss of Leth.

Baiya, too, bent her body to capture the last bit of sun as she tried to sort and read through the faded print of some of the files. She had spent hours wading through information on the invasive nature, how mint plants could be utilized in cooking or medicine, and even information on how to extract mint scents. All of it was out of her depth. She only wanted to know about basic care.

Mint plants cannot withstand overwatering. Avoid watering unless the soil is dry to an inch deep. Use a thumb or other dry probe to test near the roots.

Well, that's not a problem. She thought scornfully.

Though the water wasn't technically out yet, she still struggled to justify watering her plant. She had thought that coming here she would find some information on how to extend the time between watering safely, or at least the bare minimum she could water it without letting it die. So far, she had no such luck. Even finding the files on mint had been a task, and one she had needed assistance with at that. She had never imagined that gardening would require so much book work!

She closed the file and tossed it back in the box with a defeated sigh. She would have to come back another day, perhaps with a clearer picture of what she was looking for. Until then, it was time to get some rest. She stretched her arms above her head and rocked to her feet with a moan.

"Finished?" Asked one of the researchers, looking up from their own work.

"Yeah. I'll have to come back some other time."

The researcher nodded sympathetically. "Do you want me to walk you out? We're just about to close for a rest and it can be, well, a jungle out there."

Baiya waved them off. "You look busy. I'll find my way."

What she said was true, but she also wanted just a moment to herself to stop and smell the flowers. Luckily, the researcher was too absorbed in their files to insist. They simply hummed an understanding and went back to scribbling furiously, leaving Baiya to meander out into the greenhouse alone.

[Nola Adams]

The Crystal Seed Bank sprawled around Nola. Gardens twisting in all directions, a giant maze of greenhouse where anyone could get lost. Nola had to wrap up what she was working on and then sweep the building to make sure no one was left inside before she headed home for her much-needed rest period.

Nola looked up into the sky. Syna would be setting soon. She tightened her black bun. Dark circles smudged her eyes. It had been a long day and promised to be another long night. She’d quickly left the gardens the other day when her illness first started. Much work remained and her body hated all the activity, but if she paced herself, she could manage the symptoms.

Unfortunately, the aches spreading through her body zapped her energy, and hives dotted her pale face. Leftovers from the disease no one knew how to cure. All these reminders that things weren’t right in Lhavit.

They may never be right again.

Many citizens, including Nola had gotten sick. They were plagued with nausea, fatigue, weakness, and hives. They were told the water was dangerous, causing the symptoms. Nola had drunk plenty of water that morning. Before she found out there was something wrong with it. What, she might never know. For now, they were forced to boil water from the Amaranthine River. It might last forever.

Nola had even given the poisoned water to her plants that day. Who knew what it might do to the seeds she’d just planted?

She’d been keeping a close eye on them since she started her shift today, but it was too early to tell if there was something wrong with them too. Could plants also get sick from this disease?

Nola needed to finish up her tasks around the Crystal Seed Bank so that she could head home before the next rest period. She had a few things left to do before she could.

She tightened her grip on her shovel and headed over to the plot of soil she’d tended to the other day. Nola knelt to the ground and eyed each of the dark soil lumps. Nothing had sprouted yet, but it was still too soon.

She stood. Her filthy white dress hung to her boots. Bells on the ground working on her knees had ruined another dress. Mud caked her boots and lined her broken fingernails.

Nola headed into the fadeongs trees that she’d watered the other day. The huge trees’ branches started above Nola’s head, and rose into the sky. Their tiny leaves a mixture of blue, pink, purple, orange and green. Though she’d watered them the other day, they appeared stubbornly healthy.

It gave her hope for her precious seedlings. That they might be immune.

She sighed. But it was too early to know, much like everything else. Unfortunately, it was getting late. She needed to go back inside, put her shovel and bucket away and make sure no one was left in the building before she closed up for the next rest.

She headed back to the greenhouse, and toward the lab.