”Right!” Jigano couldn’t help but agree with a rueful grin, letting himself get caught up in Isla’s optimism. It was a strange experience, having someone encouraging and inspiring him, but even coming from a stranger it was comforting. He had lost much in his transition to this world, but so far he had been lucky to meet a number of pleasant – even downright friendly! – individuals, and that made things much more bearable. Indeed, his attempts to avoid making enemies and cultivate allies was hardly even calculated, the courtesy and charm flowing naturally and returned in kind. It was a good thing he enjoyed meeting new people, he thought wryly to himself, since he had a whole world of new people to meet – however small that world currently was.
And the newest person, Isla, had her own grace as she curtsied back, earning a broadening of Jigano’s grin in appreciation. Well-bred, then, as well as holding an important and useful profession. An ally worth befriending, indeed! As they started their search he hummed thoughtfully at her supposition, amused and a little horrified at the thought of flaming seeds being dropped on the dry autumn leaves scattered over the grassy undergrowth of the glade. ”Perhaps they would… but I admit, I had just poked a blossom before you arrived and it wasn’t really hot at all. Comfortable warm, but far less intense than even a candle’s flame. The light and a bit of warmth without the searing heat – at least to my finger. Perhaps we can experiment after gathering your seed pods, and see if there’s anything else it will catch alight, to determine whether it’s safe to move.” Magic was a fickle thing, after all, and the fiery flowers certainly seemed to have some small magic about them, even if Jigano’s sense for such had vanished along with his own mystic talents.
”I’d hate to transplant them near your infirmary, only to find that they burn stone or blood or some other strange thing!” His grim earnestness faded a bit, smile returning a little lopsided as he thought of another of his new friends. ”And I shudder to think of the words that would come out of the young bartender’s mouth if they did anything that threatened the alcohol in the bar! My apologies, though, on not paying my respects sooner. I hadn’t realized the other area of the temple was a hall of healing. I’m learning things in such haphazard dribs and drabs…” He turned a graceful shrug into a dip to examine another plant, staring at it intently before glancing up to get Isla’s attention. ”Is this what you were looking for?” It was brown with a bit of red peeking out, and close to the shape she had sketched though he wasn’t sure if the plant’s leaves were quite right.
And the newest person, Isla, had her own grace as she curtsied back, earning a broadening of Jigano’s grin in appreciation. Well-bred, then, as well as holding an important and useful profession. An ally worth befriending, indeed! As they started their search he hummed thoughtfully at her supposition, amused and a little horrified at the thought of flaming seeds being dropped on the dry autumn leaves scattered over the grassy undergrowth of the glade. ”Perhaps they would… but I admit, I had just poked a blossom before you arrived and it wasn’t really hot at all. Comfortable warm, but far less intense than even a candle’s flame. The light and a bit of warmth without the searing heat – at least to my finger. Perhaps we can experiment after gathering your seed pods, and see if there’s anything else it will catch alight, to determine whether it’s safe to move.” Magic was a fickle thing, after all, and the fiery flowers certainly seemed to have some small magic about them, even if Jigano’s sense for such had vanished along with his own mystic talents.
”I’d hate to transplant them near your infirmary, only to find that they burn stone or blood or some other strange thing!” His grim earnestness faded a bit, smile returning a little lopsided as he thought of another of his new friends. ”And I shudder to think of the words that would come out of the young bartender’s mouth if they did anything that threatened the alcohol in the bar! My apologies, though, on not paying my respects sooner. I hadn’t realized the other area of the temple was a hall of healing. I’m learning things in such haphazard dribs and drabs…” He turned a graceful shrug into a dip to examine another plant, staring at it intently before glancing up to get Isla’s attention. ”Is this what you were looking for?” It was brown with a bit of red peeking out, and close to the shape she had sketched though he wasn’t sure if the plant’s leaves were quite right.
