What? No. That's stupid.
Who the heck eats flowers??? Not you, as far as you know.

Nino: Nino you have to eat the flower.

No. There's better things to do with glow-y flowers than that.

C'mon, stop messing around and focus.

Nino: EAT THE FLOWER.

No! Shut up already!
Seriously, why is that the first thing on your mind?

You're not even particularly hungry!

Nino: Poke the flower, it could have radiation...

Radiation? Does that happen to flowers? Eh, you're no scientist.
This one glows a strange green color, and... it feels somehow...

Familiar?

You will need to conduct further investigation on this matter, regardless of the fact that the flower may or may not be radiated.

Nino: ...Wait, have you thought this before?

Have you? Actually, wait...
Yes! Yes you have!

And now you realize that you've had to battle the thought of eating flowers at least ONCE before, for sure. God, those have got to be the strangest intrusive thoughts anyone has ever had. Why is your brain like that? Anyway...

This has happened before indeed.

And that's why, you think you know exactly what's going to happen if you use your healing hands to interact with the flower.

So, before trying that...

Meimona: Nino?
Five: What is Nino looking at?
Nino: Take a look.
Aria: Whoa! A patch of flowers?
Meimona: Whaaat, I can't believe something's actually growing here!
Nino: That's not all.
Nino: Do you see that soft glow around the tallest flower?
Nino: I've seen this in the monster world before.
Nino: I don't know what it is, but...
Nino: If I use my healing ability, I know that it'll resonate with it somehow.
Reed: Pause.
Reed: What glow are you talking about.
Nino: Huh? Y-you don't see it?
Reed: I see nothing.
Aria: Me either...
Nino: No way... then only I can see it?
Meimona: Yep, I dunno what you're on about!

Nino: Reed did say you should experiment with your ability, and the glow seems similar to your healing hands. Maybe this can be a test?

Meimona: If you saw the same type of flower in the monster world,
Meimona: Does that mean it's native there, or here?
Nino: Uhh, I'm not sure.
Aria: I can't say I've really seen plants this vibrant there...
Aria: They must've come from the human world!
Reed: Where'd you see it, anyway?
Nino: A forest just by Red Tulip town, I think.
Reed: That's in... Akkarmara?
Reed: Then, it probably didn't originate there.
Aria: Yeah, it's definitely not the most lively region around...
Nino: I want to try something with my ability and this flower.
Nino: You guys did say I should experiment with my healing.
Aria: Well, it's not unexpected for healing types like you to have something to do with nature, so I'd say that's a good idea!
Reed: Go ahead? Not sure why you're asking for permission.
Nino: It's just that, uh...
Nino: Last time I tried doing something with a glowing flower, I kinda...
Nino: Spaced out for a while.
Nino: That might happen again now.
Aria: What? That doesn't sound good...
Nino: No no, it's not a big deal!
Nino: I'm just giving you guys a heads up.
Nino: 'cause I don't wanna freak you out!
Meimona: Umm, I can snap you back to reality if you want!
Meimona: Would a quick bonk to the head do the job?
Nino: I don't like how eager you sound.
Nino: Are you just looking for an excuse to hit me on the head?
Meimona: Hahahaha! Maybe?
Meimona: But if it'll suffice, then why not?
Nino: ...I think that actually would do the job, yes.
Nino: Just don't hit too hard, and-
Reed: No.

---->

Nino: What?
Reed: If this is possibly dangerous to you, then don't try it.
Reed: I wouldn't describe feeling disoriented as "not a big deal".
Aria: I agree! Don't be so careless.
Nino: Eh. I can take a little discomfort if it means I might learn something new!
Reed: ...That's a worrisome philosophy.
Reed: Experiments are good. Putting yourself in danger isn't.
Nino: But... it feels like a waste to not do anything here.
Nino: When am I ever going to run into a chance like this again?
Nino: Besides, it's really not that serious!
Nino: If anything happens, I'll snap out of it as long as you guys are around.
Nino: That's what it was like before, so I'm sure it'll be fine.

Nino: See how your healing hands interact with the flower... again

Reed: ...OK. If that's what you want.

You reach out to the flower.
It glows in unison with your healing hands.

Just like before...

---->

Somewhere, you feel something change.
And, um... oh! You're still conscious this time around!

Meimona: Nino, did anything happen?
Aria: H-how do you feel?
Nino: I'm fine, don't worry.
Nino: Uh, as for that, Mei...

Nino: Inspect subtle change.

Nino: I think I just recovered some healing power?
Nino: And the glow's disappeared.
Nino: Oh right, you guys can't see that, can you...
Nino: You'll just have to take my word for it!
Aria: Whoa, so you have more capacity to heal us?
Nino: Um, a little bit, yeah.
Meimona: Woah, that's a pretty good outcome!
Meimona: But why would a random flower just do that to you?
Aria: It's got to have something to do with the glow you mentioned...
Aria: Hmm, did you take something from the flower?
Nino: What do you mean?
Aria: Ah, to put this idea in adequate words, well...
Aria: It's sorta like the flower gave you a little bit of its "life", no?
Aria: Maybe that's the glow you sensed, an extra bit of healing energy!
Nino: Huh... maybe?
Aria: If you can borrow some of this energy from wildlife,
Aria: Then that means this is another method to recharge your healing, isn't it?
Meimona: Whoa! What an environmentally-friendly ability!
Reed: That'd explain this glow you're going on about...
Reed: Only the person with the right ability can notice it, huh.

Healing energy comes from lively plants... is that it?
That gives you an idea.

However, if your hypothesis is correct, then testing it out may not have a very pleasant outcome on this little flower.

---->

But of course, that's not going to stop you.
It only means you shouldn't do it in front of these guys.

Nino: So we don't have to worry too much about me running out of healing juice.
Nino: That's great to know, huh?
Meimona: As long as we run into more glow-y plants on our way, yeah!
Reed: Okay. So you're a battery.
Reed: That's my understanding of you now.
Aria: Ohh! Hehe, that's true!
Nino: Excuse me, what?
Reed: You take in "healing energy" and store it for later.
Meimona: Holy smokes! You're so right!
Meimona: And he can recharge, so at least he's not a disposable battery!
Nino: What are you talking about!?
Meimona: Why do you sound so offended?
Reed: Yeah. Being a walking life-battery is a good thing.
Nino: Uh, I just think there's better ways to put it than that...
Nino: Oh, and I didn't even space out back there, by the way.
Nino: See? I told you it wasn't gonna be that serious!
Reed: ...
Reed: If you're done charging, then unplug yourself and get a move on.
Nino: Wha... hey, I'm a HUMAN BEING, dammit!

Nino: Do you really need to ruin some of the last vestiges of life here?

Hey, it's not like you want to.
It really is impressive how life managed to grow here, against all odds.

But, if it's for the sake of uncovering more about yourself...

---->

Then you have to make a little sacrifice every now and then.

Nino: Test the flower's limits.

Five: W-woah!
Five: Little flower...!

Wait... F-Five?

Oh no.
She's been so quiet that you totally forgot about her.

Nino: Attempt damage control.

Five: Awwwh...
Five: Little flower is wilted.
Nino: Uhh, hey! Don't worry!
Nino: It'll grow back, I'm sure... maybe.
Five: But it was so pretty...
Five: And, only big flower left here.
Five: Nino, what did Nino do to flower?
Five: Why does it have to go...?
Nino: That's, uh...
Nino: ...It's alright, Five.
Nino: Flowers grow everywhere else.
Nino: Besides, the other flowers are still there!
Five: But, but why is it okay for this flower to go?
Five: Five, doesn't understand...
Nino: Er, this one, I just...
Nino: I had to try something to learn more about my ability.
Nino: That's very important to me, Five.
Nino: You understand that part, right?
Five: But...
Nino: C'mon, it was a brave little flower to sacrifice itself to help this much!
Nino: So let's see it off with a smile like it deserves, okay?

Five: Nino knows best. So, try to smile.

Five: Okay.

That is NOT a smile.
Crap. Uh.

God dang it, you're not getting guilt tripped about some plant.

It's fine, she'll just have to move on somehow...

---->

Reed: Why are you such an idiot sometimes?
Nino: Ack!
Nino: Reed? Uh...
Nino: Why did you come back?
Reed: Reasons.

---->

Reed: Anyway. Come on.
Reed: You're straying behind and wasting time.

Bah. That scared the daylights out of you.

And he just walked off with Five.
It looks like they're talking...

Did he see what you did?

Well, probably not. Otherwise, he would've said something...

Nino: Dust yourself off and follow suit.

Whew. You've messed around for too long in the dirt.
Unfortunately, the second experiment wasn't as successful as the first.

There is no increase in your healing capacity at all.

Every living being has life, and evidently, sometimes there's an overflowing abundance of it. When that's the case, it seems like you can borrow from it for your own use. You certainly gain from taking "excess" life energy, but you don't gain anything from going further than that.

Instead...

You only disrupt the balance, ruining the lives of poor little plants.

Hooray.

Nino: Discard.

But what does that mean when it comes to other living beings? To... people?
You have your Fortification effect, but other than that...

You just don't know.

And there's no way you can really test something like that.

Nino: Follow party.

Oh. Five's smiling again.
She's laughing, even.

You briefly wonder what Reed could've said to cheer her up so quickly.

...Probably not something you'll ever get to know.
Not that it matters.

Nino: Investigate creepy foliage's eyes.

(Scroll the image! ---->)

What eyes? There's nothing there.
The barrier awaits! Don't fall for optical illusions now, you gotta get a move on!

Also, as the party's leader, it's embarrassing to lag behind like this.

Mei: Wish on your luck that everything works out.

14 Comments

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Bill Mo

1 year ago

Oi
The roots are alive! They got eyes!

VB.Rainer

Reply to Bill Mo

The roots are alive with the Sound of Music!

Admin

Nights

Eh, are you sure we're not falling for optical illusions again!

null + cuboid

Very cool new chapter (Hope nino doesnt commit murder)

That hurted :(

Nino: Catch up, but don't mention the flower thing. Probably best to let it die down a bit before trying any damage control.

Reed: So, how did you cheer her up? Also, did you see Nino do anything weird with the flower?

Party: Locate a breach and proceed already.

Last edited 1 year ago by VB.Rainer

7arty

Nino: How far can your power reach? Could draining a far larger area to death manage to net you some healing power? I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out Wither Garden actually came to be from someone trying that in desperation during the war, rather than some magical fire.

Unclevertitle

Better to experiment with and learn by killing a flower now than potentially causing harm later on with a person.

IHATETHEPHANTOM

Nino: Do not become an abomination, do not be as The Blue Devil.

Anonymous

Reply to IHATETHEPHANTOM

The trees are disappointed and disappear after Nino's crimes, truly one of the moments that show how evil The Phantom Menace is with his influence on Nino.

immortalartisan

Nino: heal the land. your a life force battery afterall

Reply to immortalartisan

I just realized also that it would a be pretty good twist if that lie to the sea patrol wasnt a lie nino just didnt know it was true.

elo

just read through this whole thing in like, 3 days, but this was reallly cool

i loved this whole series and tbh i cant wait for more.

Reply to elo

Welcome on board! I'm very glad you enjoyed reading. :]

yanagi

Okay so I'm a bit confused on something and it's making me think really hard
So
Nino heals things
But when he uses his healing power on plants
It kills them
So like
Is what he's doing repairing tissues and giving things more strength to accommodate for being instantly restored?
Like, if that's what's happening, it makes sense why it'd kill a flower, since plants rely on gaps in their tissue to survive
But then
When he takes energy from the flowers
Is he still doing that?
Like, can his healing power also...
Reverse heal?
Like Gold Experience in Jojo or something?
How that can heal things by replacing parts but it can also accelerate aging because the power creates life?
Is it something like that?
Or am I completely off base?