tampered | LOG; ongoing

LOG; ongoing

When; April 14, evening
Rating; G? They just talk, I swear.
Characters; Knives [

banditfox]
Summary; Intrigued by the idea of plants of varying sentience and emotion, Knives visits Kurama to discover more.
Log;

Knives had very little reason to leave his residence in Xanadu. First of all, the majority of citizens in the City were humans, or had been, and though he could tolerate their presence, it did not mean he enjoyed being around them. They were filthy, murderous beasts, deserving nothing more than a bloody death. But here he found his powers limited and his genocide worthless. He killed to erase existence. There was no such thing in this City.

When he did end up leaving his house, it was for matters important and concerning his interests, not strolls or whatever the usual denizen enjoyed. Of course, the pretense of this outing was to visit an acquaintance and discuss vegetation. That didn't mean Knives had no ulterior motive, because quite honestly, he liked the idea of violent plants in his greenhouse. He could try "talking" to Kurama's selection, too, to see if he could connect with them in the same way he was connected to his family.

Knives stopped outside Apartment 6 in the third building. He wasn't quite used to peaceful visits, and the last time... well, he'd let himself in unannounced. That wasn't... polite, was it?

He knocked on the door.

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The individual that answered didn't look at all like someone who had just left a vampire bleeding and helpless in the forest. Kurama wore his human form, and was dressed in a simple white button-down shirt and blue jeans. His feet were bare, after Japanese custom. He reached up and tucked a lock of hair behind his ear as he welcomed his visitor. "Please come in. I hope you didn't have any trouble finding the apartment."

Two trees nestled in large clay pots flanked the entrance. Tiny yellow flowers were interspersed with the deep green, spear-shaped leaves. Although the plants looked perfectly harmless, the tiny stingers in the flowers' mouths marked them as natives of Makai.

Knives bowed his head slightly in greeting as he stepped into the apartment and quickly assessed the seemly human male before him. "It was no trouble at all, really," he insisted.

He took a glance around, first noticing the trees flanking the doorway. They seemed peaceful enough, but upon closer inspection he noted their natural defense. Unique, he mused, smiling. He wondered if he should try "speaking" with it, and if it would reply. But he supposed he should focus his attention on his host first.

"And how are you this evening, Kurama?"

"Quite well. Yourself?"

He closed the door after his guest and led him into the apartment, which was furnished simply but comfortably, and teaming with apparently innocent house plants. Each of them was clearly well cared for, the leaves healthy and the flowers bright. "They're curious," Kurama said. "They usually are when there's a visitor."

"Also well," Knives replied, following Kurama through the living space. He paused to peer closer at a particular pot but kept a reasonable distance in case the plant found itself cornered and threatened.

He looked back up at his host. "They certainly seem like it. They're turning towards me for a better feel. You take good care of them." His gaze wandered back to the plant and its open blossoms, and he lifted a gloved hand but still did not touch, as if asking for permission from the plant itself.

Kurama smiled. "I'm glad you approve. That one won't trouble you. It's essentially a hibiscus, and one of the better-natured in my collection." He gestured for Knives to wait, and then disappeared into the kitchen, only to return a moment later with two cups of tea. The kitsune offered one to Knives.

Kurama was right; Knives felt no hostility from the plant. He gently stroked a leaf, trying to channel his thoughts through the contact in the same way he'd connected with the plants of his own world. Hello, sibling, he sent through a combination of serene thoughts and emotion. There was a trickle of a response, and, satisfied, Knives broke contact and stood to accept his cup of tea.

He remembered to say thank you and sat down at Kurama's table. He supposed it was time to pass beyond the polite basics of conversation. "You said there was a variety of sentience and emotion in your plants?"

"Yes," the kitsune confirmed as he sat down across from his guest. He cradled the cup in both hands as he considered his answer. "For instance, the plants that originated in the human realm are, as a rule, more placid than those native to the demon realm. They have less need for conscious awareness to survive."

"Demon realm?" That certainly explained the aggressive natures of some, though they all looked fairly calm. However, Knives could feel the plant behind him shift closer, as if to assess whether he was any threat. He wondered if they could sense his power. "You make it sound as if the plants were hunted, as opposed to simply growing and dying as we'd normally see."

He didn't add that there were hardly any "normal" plants in his world at all. Barren as it was, the only plants that thrived were of his kind.

"My world is divided into three realms ... the demon realm, the human realm, and the spirit realm. The plants of the demon realm have survived in a place that is never truly at peace. Being able to defend themselves has made all the difference for a number of species."

Kurama took a sip of his tea and regarded his guest with polite curiosity. Knives's nature intrigued him. "What of your own experiences?"

"As it should be," Knives commented, sipping from his own cup. He considered his answer to Kurama's question, wondering how much information he should really give, then figured that knowledge common in his world wouldn't hurt.

"There is only one 'realm' in my world, but different planets. The one I come from is a desert and would not be able to sustain human life if it weren't for my kind. We're called plants, and with sunlight, water, oxygen, and electricity we can provide food and materials for a modest community." He took another sip of tea, reflecting back on his world and attempting to keep his bias in check. "In a sense, our name derives from 'power plants' as well as from the actual vegetation."

"And is that how you're able to talk to them?" Kurama tilted his head in inquiry as he spoke. One of the nearby plants brushed its leaves against his hand, and he idly stroked the smooth surface. "Because you share in their essence?"

He nodded. "It's not quite the same. The connection isn't as strong, and not as clear, but I can still understand the basic emotions."

He sat back in the chair, letting his gaze wander to further examine the specimens around them. "My brother and I are quite different from our siblings, though. We're autonomous. We appear far more human than normal plants and don't require to be... rooted in any particular place." It was certainly odd, he thought to himself, to have to describe his world's plants.

"Remarkable." As much as his plants often thought for themselves, none had the independence that Knives spoke of. Kurama wondered if, given time, certain species in Makai might develop it. "You and your brother ... are you the only ones with this ability?" He paused for just a moment, then added, "If at any time I am intruding, please tell me."

Knives shook his head, sipping more tea. "Not intruding at all." It wasn't like he was going to spill any unnecessary information, anyway. There were some things left unspoken. "And no, we're not, but it's very rare. I suppose we're a glitch in the programming, now that I think about it." He paused for a moment, contemplating the idea and utterly hating it. "Our siblings are more useful than my brother and I are."

Kurama raised an eyebrow. "A glitch in the programming?" He disliked not understanding things, and what Knives had just said confused him.

He nodded gravely, finding his anger and hatred rising at the very thought. "My family is manmade. Humans created us as a power source. We're sentient and have emotions, but we're not supposed to act as independantly as my brother and I do."

The plant behind him nudged his shoulder, and he reached up to acknowledge it. The emotions flowing from it were soothing.

"I see." Kurama set his tea cup down and considered what he'd been told. Although he controlled his plants in certain instances, for the most part he persuaded and trained them in a manner similar to a master teaching a pet. They were his helpers and companions, not his slaves. Only a few, such as the ojigi, required force to work with. "That must be difficult."

You have no idea, he wanted to say, but he refrained. "Most of the population doesn't know autonomous plants exist, so we've managed."

He still wanted to ask about the various species in Kurama's collection, especially the more aggressive ones. "It's nice being around my natural siblings, for a change. It's why I opted to live in Xanadu and own a greenhouse. But so far, its only residents are the Earth specimens I've found in the market." He patted the potted plant's leaves and lowered his hand. "Where did you find these?"

The kitsune accepted the shift in topic easily, and ran a hand over the leaves of the plant nearest him. "Some of these are from the human realm, but most are from the demon realm ... where I am originally from. When I was forced to leave Makai, I was unable to bring my collection along, so I made do with what could be found in Ningenkai. Eventually, I rebuilt my collection."

"With seeds found here?" Knives inquired, tilting his head and turning his full attention to Kurama. "Because if so, I might look into adding a few to my own collection."

Kurama shook his head. "No. These are all from seeds I brought with me, and from their offspring. I've used some of the local vegetation to my advantage, but I haven't collected any for myself yet." He trailed his fingers down the leaf of the plant he'd been giving his attention to and gently snapped the base of the stem from its branch. A moderate application of youki encouraged the swift development of a young, healthy root system from the cutting.

"Take this with you," he offered. "It has more talent for mischief than true harm, and I believe you should be comfortable with it. I'm afraid that it's never been given a proper name by the denizens of the demon realm."

Knives accepted the gift with a nod and his thanks. "I'll be sure to take good care of her," he replied, holding the stem gently in one hand. He finished his tea and set the cup aside. "Maybe I'll learn more from her as she grows."

He'd have to give specific instructions to Legato and Kururu upon returning home, and if either of the two neglected the newest member of his family... Well, he hoped things wouldn't result in that.

Knives stood. "Thank you again for the tea and the conversation; it was very enlightening. I'm afraid I'll have to return home before," my servant kills someone out of boredom, he wanted to say, "it gets too late."

"Of course." Kurama rose and saw his guest to the door, where the pair of small trees kept their patient guard. "It was a pleasure to meet you face to face. If you require any assistance with her, don't hesitate to contact me." He bowed slightly as he held the door for Knives, enough to be polite. "I look forward to speaking with you again.

"A pleasure indeed. I look forward to future conversations," he added as an afterthought, considering it was good manners. He desperately wanted to get home so he could drop the pretense of courtesy... but at least the leaf in his hand was sending him comforting thoughts.

With a final goodbye, Knives stepped over the threshold and into the hallway. Time to go home.

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LOG; ongoing

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