| Outskirts of Jinzhou |
The roar of the waterfall grew louder as they approached, mist curling around their ankles.
Yangyang raised her hand to shield her face from the spray, her short feathery hair damp against her cheeks. "This should be the shortcut to the back mountain," she said, pointing toward the cascade. "Once we cross that waterfall, we'll reach Mt. Pingting."
Jeff adjusted the strap of his pack, grinning slightly as he eyed the wall of water. "You sure about this?"
Yangyang shrugged. "You have a better idea?"
Before he could reply, Rover was already walking forward, her boots sinking into the slick moss. She didn't even hesitate. Jeff let out a quiet chuckle and followed her through the veil of falling rain.
The world on the other side was… peaceful to say the least. The sound of the waterfall became a heartbeat behind them, and the place filled with life. Flowers bloomed where they stepped, glowing faintly under the sunlight a trail of gentle blues and pinks that seemed to whisper follow us.
Yangyang's eyes widened. "The flowers… they're showing us the way." She bent slightly, her fingertips brushing against a petal. "A bridge of flowers…" she murmured, a smile tugging at her lips. "That's… impressive."
They followed the trail in silence until a gentle voice broke through the quiet.
"Hello… are you lost? Do you need help?"
The group turned. Standing at the curve of the trail was a girl that was slender, and barefoot, her long pale-blonde hair falling loosely down her back. Her dress was the color of morning dew, and small flowers clung to the fabric like they had grown there naturally. Her presence felt… peaceful, and soothing.
Jeff blinked. "Are you Lil Starflower?"
The girl tilted her head, eyes bright with curiosity. "...Starflower?" she repeated softly. "That's what Grandma Lin likes to call me."
Her lips curved into a small, shy smile. "Oops—sorry! I should've introduced myself first. That's the polite thing to do here in Huanglong, right?"
She straightened up and clasped her hands in front of her chest, trying to look composed. "It is… it is a delight to make your acquaintance. I am Verina. My… uh…" she hesitated, frowning slightly, "…'pressure' to have the opportunity to meet with you today."
Rover couldn't help it she snorted. "It's pleasure," she corrected, trying to hide a smirk.
Verina's eyes widened, and she laughed awkwardly, cheeks flushed pink. "Ah! My apologies! I used to live in the New Federation, so I'm still learning the language here."
Jeff chuckled. "No worries. You're doing great. No need for formalities, really."
But Verina shook her head quickly, her hands fluttering in front of her like nervous butterflies. "No, no! I must try to be proper! I'm also… not very familiar with the etiquette here."
Rover raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "What if we were bad guys?" she asked teasingly. "Aren't you at least a little worried?"
Verina blinked at her, tilting her head in that birdlike way she had. "Eh? Really? But…" She pointed delicately at a nearby flower blooming by Rover's boot. "That flower beside you said she likes you a lot."
Rover froze. "What?"
Verina smiled sweetly, eyes soft as sunlight through leaves. "Plants don't lie. I trust their words, so you can't be bad guys."
"Hi, Verina!" Chixia called out, jogging up beside her. "I'm Chixia, this is Yangyang, and those two are Rover and Jeff! Grandma Lin said we should find you!"
Verina's expression brightened instantly. "Oh, right! Grandma Lin mentioned you." She looked down the trail, where flowers seemed to shimmer faintly under her gaze. "I left those blooms so she'd know how to reach me. What brings you here?"
Yangyang stepped forward, brushing damp hair from her cheek. "We're looking for a special flower."
Rover pulled the photo from her pocket and held it out. The picture a deep, velvety black bloom with faint, cross-shaped veins.
Verina's eyes lingered on it, her expression sharpening as she studied every curve and shadow. "Hmm…" she murmured, crouching slightly to see it better. "That's an unusual flower indeed. Pure black flowers are rare. It could have been dyed, but…" She frowned thoughtfully. "The structure says otherwise."
Her voice softened into a rhythm as she thought aloud. "Let's see… its petals are oval, similar to Iris, but it's missing the double layers. Not Viola either — Viola's petals are notched." She paused, her finger tracing the air as though drawing the outline. "Cliffrecluse? No, this one has a longer stamen… and an extra petal."
Chixia blinked, utterly absorbed.
"Lemongrass, maybe?" Verina continued, unaware of her audience. "It's native to the New Federation, though people here might not recognize it. Still, the inflorescence doesn't match — Lemongrass has a trumpet shape, see?" She gestured lightly with her hand, mimicking the curve. "Ah, and Pecok Flower—same stamen length, single petal… but Pecok has a distinct peduncle. This one doesn't."
When she finally looked up, Chixia's jaw was practically on the ground. "Wow," she breathed. "You really know your stuff. That was… kind of amazing."
Verina blushed again, rubbing the back of her neck. "Oh, I just… spend a lot of time with plants. They talk to me," she said softly. "Sometimes more than people do."
Rover and Jeff exchanged a small, amused look.
Verina continued, her expression growing more serious. "Anyway, this black flower… it's definitely special. There aren't many like it. My guess is it might be a newly cultivated species. Its veins form a cross pattern, and…" —she paused, her hand hovering above the photo— "I can sense faint traces of Resonance energy. It's overflowing with Remnant Energy. Which means…"
"It was made by someone," Jeff finished quietly.
Verina nodded. "Exactly. A Resonator must've created it. But to figure out what kind, or what soil it grows in… I'd need to see the real thing, not just a picture."
Chixia groaned. "Gosh, help us out, someone! We don't even know what this flower is, and no one's wearing it either!"
Then her face lit up mischievously. "Wait… if I wore one of these flowers, would they immediately think I'm one of them?"
Yangyang froze mid-step. "What did you just say?"
Chixia blinked, caught. "Uh… I mean, hypothetically, if I wore one…"
Yangyang crossed her arms, eyes narrowing in thought. "If this flower really is their symbol, the Black Shores members would recognize it. But to everyone else, it would just look like a normal flower. Which means…"
Jeff smirked faintly. "We could use it as bait."
Chixia grinned. "Now that's what I'm talking about. Problem is… how do we get one?"
Verina hesitated, glancing between them. Then she nodded, determination flickering across her face. "I could try making one," she said softly. "With my Resonance ability. It won't be real, but it might be close enough."
She held her palms out. A gentle green glow began to bloom between them. The flowers around her began to stir, petals trembling, colors deepening. Slowly, a black bloom materialized in her hands dark as midnight, with faint violet veins.
She exhaled softly. "There… it's done."
Chixia's eyes sparkled. "No way! That's amazing! It looks exactly like the one in the picture!"
Verina's cheeks turned rosy again. "T-thank you… it's nothing. I'm glad I could help."
"Nothing?" Chixia laughed, taking the flower gently from her hands. "Girl, it's friggin' incredible! Do it again, please!"
Verina laughed, "Maybe… if the flowers allow it."
Chixia's laugh. She cupped the black bloom Verina held between both hands as if it were a rare coin. "Rover, Jeff did you see that? Miss Verina just grew a Blake Bloom out of thin air. And it looks exactly like the photo."
Verina's cheeks warmed; she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and kept her hands folded. "I—uh—it's just my Resonance. I can shape plants. That's all."
Chixia shook her head, eyes wide. "Please make another one? One for each of us! Pretty please?" She peered between them like a child asking for sweets.
Verina blinked, then smiled shyly. "O-okay. I'll try."
She closed her eyes, palms lifting instinctively. The air around them thinned, the petals of nearby flowers stirring as if listening. Light pooled in her hands, a faint green that smelled of wet earth and new leaves. Where before there had been nothing, a second Blake Bloom materialized into existence.
Chixia squealed and hugged it to her chest. "Perfect! We're officially botanical spies."
Yangyang, who had been scanning the trees with a steady, almost clinical expression, straightened. "Hold on, someone's been following us."
Rover's hand tightened on the terminal she kept clipped to her belt. "You sure?"
Yangyang nodded. "The Streams have been disrupted. same frequency range as these blooms. Not Verina's work. Someone planted them to mark or to trail us."
It must be that woman.
Jeff's mouth thinned. He crouched, fingertips hovering over a dark petal. "Not good." He looked up at Rover. "Leave it to us."
Rover met his gaze and didn't flinch. "You two should head back to the city," she told Yangyang and Chixia.
Yangyang hesitated. "Rover, are you sure? This could be dangerous—"
"Trust us," Jeff said without waiting for her to finish. "We'll sweep the area. If anything goes wrong, ring us. We'll pull back if things get serious."
"Okay—be careful. Don't go off the trail, okay?" Her attempt at a grin came out brittle.
Yangyang tucked the other bloom into her satchel, then inclining her head in a quick, soldier's nod. "We'll take the city route. If they're in Jinzhou, wearing the flower should flush them out. Stay sharp."
Rover and Jeff moved deeper into the mountain
Rover's senses were taut, keyed in spotting Fractsidus members in the mountain. "The Fractsidus?" she murmured. "What are they doing out here?"
Jeff's reply was a soft, humorless snort. "Something they weren't supposed to. Which means we're about to make them regret it." He flexed his fingers around his sword at his hip like a man flexing a knife in his pocket.
A cluster of movement peeled from behind a stand of rocks: three figures in patchwork cloaks and rusted gear, faces shadowed by scarves. The lead one spat on the ground, "Damn these locals. Always poking about where they don't belong. You — you got business here? Beat it."
His hand drifted toward a bolter slung at his side. The second man's eyes tracked Jeff and Rover like they were preys. The third had a crude insignia seared into his sleeve.
Rover stepped forward first. Her blade tapped against her boot as a warning. "We're just passing through. No trouble. But if you want trouble,I guarantee your gonna get it."
The lead Fractsidus member laughed. "You fucking bitch and your boytoy think you can command us? This place is ours. Hand over anything you've found and maybe we don't cut you up."
Jeff's smile was now empty. "That's not on the agenda." He raised his palm in a nonchalant, practiced motion. "We'd prefer for you to just walk away. But considering the words that came out of your fucking mouth."
"Your not gonna leave here alive."
The man's hand went for the bolter. Time narrowed. Rover's eyes flicked — the small twitch of a finger that meant the Fractsidus were too close to pulling a trigger.
Jeff's voice dropped. "Guess we'll have to do this the old fashioned way then."
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Author's note:
Hello everyone, feel free to leave your collections, powers, reviews, and comments as you see fit.
I used my day off of three days from duty to touch some grass and spend time with my family, and most importantly played the new fucking update of Wuthering Waves. Man 2.7 is peak cinema. I've been grinding my account a bit and I can't wait for the next update to come. That's all; thank you for reading this fanfic, and I hope you have a good day.