Scene #2978: Maple

Owner	Pose
Izou Saitou	Still as chilly as it had been a couple of hours before. A breeze following up the pathway towards the Shed as Izou lead the way. He was almost sure Ami never had entered The Garden before, so it would be a good moment to introduce the senshi to it by this point--especially now that, as a group, they had a legitimate reason to. Thankfully it was so early in the morning, with the sun freshly rising in the sky and greeting the world. Izou had requested to stop by his apartment before they both went, only because he needed to get something important. What it was, he did not elaborate yet. Now they they started to approach, it occurred to him then that perhaps the Bonsai might be slightly heavy. 'Eh, they'll cross that bridge when they get to it.' Already at the door, Izou guided Ami on how to enter The Garden, it opening to a smell of wet earth, wood, floras and a gentle sound of rain behind the windows on the other side of the room. Different projects and potted beloveds were everywhere with a chalk board that had written rules on how to use the space--both for gardening and for scientific reasons. An example of that was Izou's little corner off to the side, where leftover spliced blooms from the Moon Kingdom wedding still glowing with ghostly pinpricks of light. Next to them was the Maple Bonsai, which to Izou's elation, was starting to look slightly better than the sickly state it was constantly in. A good sign of better things to come. On the other side of the Bonsai was a just as bigger pot where a certain ''sapling'' was stirring, stretching themselves and yarning before guiding their attention over to the two. "Good morning Zouzou! Who is this?"
Ami Mizuno	There was always a fairly concrete distinction between knowing where the Shed was and knowing how to get to a particular ''room'' within the Shed. She'd spent plenty of her time tinkering about in the former, particularly during her visits with Rashmi while learning how to interface technology with magic. Izou's Garden was its own thing, however, and not something that Ami had visited before. So, it was good to have a guide. Sapphirine eyes took in the scene before her; potted plants and nursing seedlings about, though her attention was very quickly drawn to the gently glowing flowers from the Moon. A faint smile touched the corners of her mouth as they approached. The bonsai was next. It was her first time seeing it, though she had known of it. While plants and gardens were Makoto's area of expertise, even Ami could recognise that the diminutive maple had been struggling recently and she wasn't quite versed enough to discern any visible improvement. She chewed briefly at her lower lip, readied to ask Izou openly about it, when something else caught her attention. If it hadn't been the observable movement from the sapling, it was the ''voice''. Ami's eyes widened a little and her head tilted a little to the side. "''Zouzou''?" And then she grinned. She was ''definitely'' filing ''that'' away for later.
Izou Saitou	The corner of his sharp eye twitched, but not as visibly noticeable. At least this was Ami, and not someone else that could easily use it out in the wild without proper permission. "Good morning Blue, it's good to see you." Placing the reusable tote bag on the table before reaching both his hands to caress over the sentient sapling's bulb like they were a feline. This gesture seemed to please it, smile spreading as the warmth was appreciated. "This is Ami Mizuno. She's also Mina-chan's friend and Usagi's girlfriend." He introduces, before looking over to the senshi of water. "Mizuno-san, this is Blue Spinel." "Hello Ami! You can call me Blue." As they spoke, a scent of powdery honey came from their mouth as they turned their head to ''look'' at Ami. No eyes were visible. Izou proceeded to pull a small lunch kit from the tote.
Ami Mizuno	Even without a focus on horticulture, Ami found the sapling quite fascinating. It was enough that the blue-haired senshi moved closer and leaned in before the scent of their ''breath''--for lack of a better word--caught her. "I am pleased to meet you," Ami responded to the sapling, before she straightened again. "I've never really met someone like you, Blue." Turning slightly, Ami's attention returned to Izou as he lifted the lunch kit free. Aside from the very sternly worded rules for interacting with the plants here and using the space, it was very much a nursery. Complete with something oddly quiet and reflective about it. "It feels peaceful here," Ami concluded. "It would be a great space for studying."
Izou Saitou	A little giggle left the sapling, leaves lifting to cover the smile as an imitation of Izou's gestures. "Zouzou said I'm unique because Nemesis doesn't exist anymore, so it makes sense you never did." The tone was one of pleased humor, not much caring that their home planet was gone. Then a lid popped open and Blue turned quickly towards Izou and what he held out for them. A bento full of fruits and veggies and vegan caramel. "Thank you for the food!" Leaves and vines took the bento and chopsticks before digging in. "You're welcome." His smile reached his eyes, finally returning his full attention back to Ami. "It is a good place to study. When I'm not practicing music, I come here to do my homework when I desperately need the quiet." As an example, he gestures over to the blooms used for Usagi's bouquet during the wedding. He was unaware if it would make sense. "You're welcome to use this space. Since we'll be taking the Bonsai back to Sanjouin-san's home, I'll need to update a rule or two."
Ami Mizuno	Nemesis wasn't really a name that Ami could easily gloss over without the feeling of ice water running down her spine and the corresponding stiffening of her back. It didn't last for long, but it was rather noticeable. "I--" Her brows furrowed because now Blue was ''eating''. Watching a plant handle chopsticks and ''eat'' was equally something she hadn't really come across before. "The caramel is a bit funny, since plants make sugar anyway." Ami observed. "But, I hope that it is delicious." Her attention returned to Izou. "I'm sure Masa-nii will be glad to see the bonsai home." She smiled. "And, surely, his mother absolutely ''will''." There was a brief pause from Ami as she considered whether to say what she was thinking or not. Then she shrugged faintly. "It was all so terribly sad. I never realised just how bad his father actually was." Clearly, Ami had already made some decisions about Masahiro.
Izou Saitou	At the mention of the bonsai being taken, Blue lifted their head up for a moment, turning to ''sense'' Ami and Izou and listen instead of eat. Whereas, Izou nodded at the senshi, proceeding to check over the small treeling. It would be his last time taking care of it before turning it into the Sanjouin's care, so he wanted to be sure it was ready. "I'm not surprised his father is what he was, but that was my own assumptions. My only error was lumping the mother in as well." Stated plainly. "Once I noticed the fertilizer and blood, it clicked in my mind. I don't know why." "Zouzou, are you taking Maple away?" Blue asked quietly.
Ami Mizuno	"My parents aren't always around, but they're good people." Ami commented quietly. "Mum is always working or off at some conference, and dad's off doing his painting. But, I don't think I've ever questioned whether or not they love me." It was just one of those experiences that she didn't have and really couldn't directly empathise with. She could still feel the weight of it, nonetheless, and she sighed heavily. Ami closed her eyes for a moment and shook her head slightly, trying to banish the gravity of things. "Masa-nii's mother misses her bonsai." Ami explained for Blue. "So, we are going to bring it back to her so that she can be happy again." Or something like that, anyway.
Izou Saitou	The moment that followed was quietly, with only the rain outside the windows highlighting the stillness. Izou due to his lack of reply about Ami's family, like a stone wall quickly lifting and wanting to block out the commentary a little too late. He heard it, and wished he didn't. Something about families never sat right for him and caused him to stiffen up. Yet it was thankful that Blue caught the senshi's attention away for now. Whereas Blue tilted their head, the quiet mostly being contemplative before placing the bento box down and leaning their head down into the Maple Bonsai's pot. "I had asked Blue to talk to the bonsai some weeks ago. Some studies were done about flora being stimulated by words or sounds, and it helped with keeping Blue less lonely in here." Izou explained, stretching his hand out to pet over the sapling's head. "Blue, it'll be fine. Perhaps in the future I can take you to visit it at Sanjouin's house."
Ami Mizuno	Unfortunately for Izou, Ami had absolutely no context about his family and, therefore, no clue that she'd just made him uncomfortable. Granted, she tended to be rather direct in her speech and probably would have walked right into it regardless. Discomfort hadn't been her intention--voicing her side of their shared care for Masato ''was''. The suggestion that words and sounds having a positive impact on the plants immediately drew to mind the image of Izou playing his cello for the Garden. "You probably should practice your music here, then." Ami smiled at Izou. "I'm sure they'd all very much enjoy hearing you play." It felt a little bit odd to be referring to the Garden as though it were a potentially captive audience to Izou's performance, but she really did think that it would be quite pleasant. "Blue, especially. Maybe you could even teach him to sing?"
Izou Saitou	"They." Izou discreetly corrected Ami in a whisper. "At least for now." A little smile offered, relieved that they weren't talking about parents right now. He lifted his hand to let Blue sulk a little more. It would be a new experience for them, parting with someone or something considered precious. "I could. Blue enjoys noise, flavors and temperature. It would be interesting to see how they would take to the sounds of instruments. I just haven't done so as it could be overwhelming still, in comparison to what they are used to right now." Green eyes looks over to Ami then. "As for singing, I'm not sure yet. We'll have to see if it's something they want and if it's something they ''can'' do." Vocal cords, or how it was that Blue could even talk was a mystery he was unwilling to study at the moment. "Perhaps when they are a little more mature, I could introduce the idea. Maybe when they are relocated to my apartment, Mamoru willing." It was a thought.
Ami Mizuno	"Well, I suppose you can only really wait and see." Ami agreed regarding the potential for singing. "Though, I do still think practicing here would be a good idea." The blue-haired senshi turned her attention to Blue again briefly, offering the sapling a smile, before her gaze settled back onto the maple bonsai. "I'm not really a botanist, unfortunately, and I haven't seen it before either." Ami grimaced slightly. "That's much more Makoto-chan's speciality. Is it okay? I can't really tell."