“Are you sure? I mean absolutely sure, as this is a rather large step and can not be reversed. You never were one who liked the whole modifying your wife, and had a long time to acclimate yourself to her new look.”
“I… I am sure. She is so beautiful, even in this form. But I… I want to be stronger and foremost also leaving my former brethren behind. I am no Root anymore and I want the branch be cut completely. For me as for her to be forever together.”
Leafy… I understand your plight, but this is not something to do out of affect. Changing into a different species is normally impossible, and some risks are there.
“There are risks and also do you not think you should talk to Petal with this?”
“I am sure. Petal says I do not need to change, but I feel it needs to be done. Not only for her but for me. I want to end my hesitation and become something able to be truly with her.”
“...Okay, but I have one condition.”
“And that is?”
“Talk to Petal before. I want her to not be suddenly seeing you changed and maybe not be able to love your new you. I know it sounds hypocritical as she changed so much, but this affects not only her but you too.”
She sighs in relief. What did she think I would ask her?
“This can be troubling, but I have to go through that anyways. I suspect you want to be there to make sure we both are approving?”
I nod. Of course I do not just take her word for it. It might be a catastrophe if she lied to me. I know, she would not normally do that, but we talk about an extraordinary circumstance.
…
“My Leaf… I know about your troubles, but are you absolutely sure? You had inquired so much to see if I am really still me. What if it might be just a subconscious lure to change you too?”
“The fact you are trying to tell me not to do it shows me it is safe. If you were under some kind of control, I would have already noticed that. You are my Petal and therefore my ground to set my roots in forever. Let me do it, I am not scared to be changed, but scared to be suddenly forced back to a Forest, that I do not belong anymore.”
“My leaf…”
My Void… It was not the right decision to be here for that. I am close to throwing up sugar and rainbows! Not that I can not feel for them, but that is rather too much. Their aura of worry and determination is so much, there is a pink aura around them… Wait no, that are Petals petals…
“My Lord, as you see Petal is also conceding. Can you change me now?”
“...Well she conceded and not approved… Ugh. Fine, we can do it. What kind of Plant would you like?”
“Can I become something similar like… Red?”
Huh… Well it might be easier, as it only needs a simple fusion. She would not even be a Monster like that. Just an enhanced kind of Root.
“I still have the materials for it. We can start whenever you are ready.”
At the word ‘material’ she twitched. She might remember, what it entails to become like that. She will fuse with a former Root. With that I do not have any more female Bodies, but still one male… What to do with that body, I have no clue as of now.
“Um, Lord Null? Can the transformation be done here while I watch?”
Petal wants to watch? Well if she wants to…
“It is possible, but I need to get a Vat here and have the Portal stationary for a while. What do you think Leafy?”
“Um… I don’t know. Do I have to change in front of you?”
“You demanded to be with me, when I was in the Vat, now it is your turn.”
Well, she has a point. Still Leafy is fidgeting around. What will you do now, Leafy?
…
“Huh, Leafy wants to change now too?”
Snow visited the Labyrinth, as I am working on the fusion. Leafy has accepted the spirit, albeit there was a slight resistance. As expected, while she is ready, there are subconscious barriers still rejecting the Idea, but now it is too late. Now we need to wait for her transformation. As it is not a simple experiment I am at the ready, if there is some complication.
“Yeah, she wants to be similar like Petal and be changed. Her body will be like Red. So we need to see how she turns out.”
“I see. While I am here, how does the outside look like?”
Ah, she wants to go shopping for a bit. Well it might be a bit boring right now and we are already close to Summer. Let me see…
“The blockade is close to non existent, while there are some still around, they seem to just linger, but not really do anything. Give it a week, and the Stampede should be finally over.”
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“Yay! I want to look around some Cities! Can we go to the Orphanages?”
“ONLY… If we just donate. We do not take any more Orphans.”
“Aw… but many have gone to the Village. Is there not a way…”
“Snow, we can not take every Child with us. I sympathize with you, but let us keep your playmates on a reasonable level, okay?”
“…okay…”
She seems to sulk a little bit, but it is the truth.
“What about all your new Friends? The Black, Grey and Claw?”
“I am not complaining, they are nice and I like to play with them while they train, but… I am sad how Children in the Orphanage have no home. I was homeless before finding the Crater. Then I walked around the dark Sewers and finally I had a home with a warm bed and plenty to eat. I want to give them similar things to be happy together.”
sigh “We will look into it. When the count in the Orphanage Wing decreases to below a hundred, we might bring more in. Otherwise the beds that get free need to be ready if there is another time like Malek. Okay?”
“Only emergencies or when the older kids left. Got it.”
...Please do not cause an emergency…
…
“...Where? Ah, I remember. Petal? Are you there?”
“Of course I am here, silly. Still a bit sleepy?”
“I need to adjust… Ah I can see clearly now. Did it work?”
“Um… You are still… No, there is a difference.”
Well that is obvious. Red did not himself come out like a Woodwalker or what he became.
“My Lord, has it worked? Am I… changed?”
“Well you are changed, but right now you are what Red became after his fusion.”
“...and this is?”
“Well… a Root with a hard carapace on his back. Your muscles should be way stronger and your body more pliable, right?”
Stretching and moving her limbs she looks around and finds herself to be more agile. Still she is mostly resembling a Root but with a smooth shield on her back.
“I feel better and can hear the Plants clearer, but… Why am I not like you in the form of a Woodwalker?”
“As I told you, I had Red inside the Mana stream in the Farms until he suddenly became what he now is. I really do not want to chain you right in the middle of it, so no dice for that.”
“Leaf?”
“Yes dear?”
“Can you come here and show me your back? I believe I know what you are.”
Without hesitation she walks to Petal and shows her back. This shows their intimacy as no Root would show their back to anyone which they did not trust. Well they are lovers, so that much is totally normal.
“My back feels different. Something to worry about Petal?”
“...No. The opposite to be exact. You are a Seed.”
“A Seed?”
A Seed? Well that makes sense with the smooth back, but what does it mean?
“I am a Seed… So I need to first go through the third phase but without a Tree. I understand. This will be problematic…”
“Um, could you two explain what is going on? I would like to know if I did something wrong.”
Ah, they remember I am here and totally clueless. Maybe they can explain?
“Lord Null, as you know we Root have two births. First from our Mother, then our Treemother. A third phase is not written down anywhere, but in some fairytales described as becoming your own tree. Like how a fruit is falling down is the first stage but the germination of the new tree is the second. Or after an Animal ate the fruit.”
So… She needs to be planted? I don’t understand.
“Still a bit confused. Does that mean she needs to be planted somewhere?”
“Um… Exactly?”
“Wait, I was just saying what I thought I heard out of it, but it is right? Where does she needs to be planted and why is Red able to walk if he is not planted?”
“She needs earthen nutrients for a long time. Mana will help tremendously too.”
“I need a secure place to meditate for a while, shallow seeded in the earth and wait for my transformation.”
“And why did Red not do that?”
“You forced him? The transformation was started by too much Mana in too little time? Whatever you did, it can not be good for the body and maybe has some severe side effects, which might be crippling.”
Well, yes he hears every single plant, but I do not think that this is the demerit. Maybe he ages faster and dies earlier? I never have him physical over a long time, so he just reverts back to the ideal afterwards anyways, but it might be possible if he were assembled over years.
“Okay, I understand, but what is the problem?”
“Um… She needs to be in a rather quiet and desolate place.”
“So with you?”
“No, even quieter. For her to grow, nothing too powerful can be near her to be the best result.”
“Then there is the Roof Garden. I already created it and she grew most of the plants there. It is her own place anyway.”
“There is the problem my Lord. I do not know how long it will take. At least a Year. Maybe more. So I will be away from Petal for a long time.”
Oh! I understand now. Yeah, that would suck, what to do?
“I will wait for you my Leaf. Not that I can run away from you anyways, right?”
“But… I will miss you and also… Are you fine with me being away?”
“Not really, but I would love to see what you will become. Will you show me? A year or two is not long for us, right?”
“...If you say so, but I want to be with you for a bit more, okay? In a week, and I will prepare in that time the garden in between. Fine?”
“Fine. Come here my little Seed.”
And my cue to go. Packing all the things and going out. Hey, Snow you too! You are too young for this!