The Foreigner & The Pessimist (malexmale)

23. Lane

Lugging Zuuro's half dead ugly leaf plant across campus wasn't exactly what I had in mind for today. Then again, neither was wasting half the day sitting in the theater watching Zuuro's practice, but I just keep telling myself that this is a relationship, and when you're in a relationship, sometimes you have to make sacrifices for the good of the other person.

Plus, it's not like I had anything that important planned. I was just gonna finish Zuuro's room and do the rest of my homework for Monday. Now Zuuro's room is just going to have to be put on hold for a bit, and I'll have to do my homework in the theater. It's not that big of a deal. At least, that's what I keep telling myself.

I push open the door to the botany department – located at the very top of Unity High under a large, glass, green house like roof – and make my way to the main desk at its center. I let out a heavy puff of air as I drop the pot down on the desk, glad to finally be able to set it down again.

I seriously underestimated the weight of this thing when I decided to carry it here, but I figured showing a plant expert the problem first hand was going to get me better results than just trying to explain it to them.

"Umm...can I help you?" asks the small, red headed, Yethian woman behind the desk as she glances at the ill looking plant that's just rained dirt down upon her workstation

Yethians, from the planet Yethia in the Heluna galaxy, are master gardeners, and as such, they make up most of the professors in the botany department. Nobody is really sure how, but they have the ability to grow just about anything, anywhere, even when a planet is no longer conducive to the growth of plants.

They were who the Juary brought here to help Uniterra when our soil became toxic from centuries of pollution, and we could no longer grow enough food on the surviving lands to feed everyone. I figure if they were skilled enough to reverse all that, then surely there must be something they can do for one measly little plant.

"Yeah, I need to talk to someone about this plant. It's dying, and I need it to...I don't know, stop doing that?"

She stands so she can get a better look, frowning slightly as she touches one of the already brown leaves and it crumbles in her hands. "You really should have brought it in sooner...how long has it been like this?"

I shrug "A few weeks, I think? It's my boyfriend's plant, so I'm not really sure." I tell her, not liking that look on her face. "Is it basically just a lost cause at this point?"

Zuuro is gonna be devastated if that's the case. I don't know why, but he's unhealthily attached to this thing.

"No...not necessarily. You should speak to Quarax. His office is down at the end of that hall over there. The last door on the right. I'll let him know you're coming."

I nod. "Thanks." I tell her as I pick up the pot again and lug it down the hall in the direction she pointed me in. By the time I get there, Quarax is already opening the door for me.

He's tall, and bald, and he's got really kind, friendly, granddad-ish face when he smiles. "I hear you've got a plant for me, mister –" he stops, waiting for me to give him my name.

"Nishimura. Lane Nishimura."

"I'm Quarax." He says, shaking my hand. "Now how about you set your plant down over there –" he gestures towards a little table against the wall under some florescent purplish lights in the corner. "- and I'll see what I can do."

I weave my way through the maze of pots, and plants, and small trees littering the floor, and leave the plant on the table as instructed, then take a step back while he looks it over, humming, and hawing as he pokes, and prods, and tastes the soil.