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Hey people.

[The man in the dark shades waved coolly at the screen as he sat on the edge of a small stone fence. It was freezing cold outside but in spite of the clouds that appeared whenever he spoke Crowley didn't seem to notice.]

We've all been brought here, had our powers taken and dolled out to us again in much smaller pieces... it's inconvenient, like being trapped in a baby walker... or trying to save the universe with your hands tied behind your back.

Point is, I need some volunteers who are skilled with Light magic, Healing magic, Animal magic, Kinetic magic and maybe another Elemental magic user who thinks they would be up to controlling sand. Think of it as training.

Also Angel, meet me on the Inn roof before midnight. Not sure it would work with an angel and a demon but if it does we could use some good luck for the new year.

[He doesn't know about the fireworks. Those are going to be a nice surprise.]

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[ Whether he was being humored or believed it was all the same to him as there had still been agreement on helping out with the plants... er, using his new magic skills in unconventional training.

Crowley shot off a quick text with the address of the small farming cottage. ]

I've moved the plants out to the greenhouse in back. You can just swing through the fence and walk 'round back there.

All right.

[He started to stand up to go but before he did...]

I'm Li Min, by the way.

[ The name exchange was agreed to with a light nod. ]

Crowley.

I'll see you later.

[And then the video cuts out.

He makes his way to the address by foot, walking at a sedate pace. He does make it without much issue. It's a good day for a walk, chilly as it was.

The cloak he got after arriving worked well enough in shape with the robes he wore, still looking like he walked out of a Chinese period drama.

He was told he could just walk out back so that's exactly what he did...though he wasn't actually sure what a greenhouse was so he was interested to see what one looked like.]

[ In a shock the green house was not actually green, it glittered like a crystal in the sunlight and looked remarkably sturdy given that it had been 'built', or magicked into existence, only a few hours before. The door of the place swung open as Chinese Period Drama approached ].

Oi, in here. I moved all of the plants out to the greenhouse.

[A building made of glass...how fascinating. He had seen windows with glass, of course, but not ones that spanned the entire wall.]

Ah, so this is a greenhouse? [He walked closer.] I have never seen anything like it before.

Just something I threw together with some sand and fire.

[ Was it special? Crowley barely paid the building any mind at all as he was busy sorting through the plants and placing those most in need of looking after in the same row. ]

These sprouts over here are the ones that could use some healing. If that even works on plants...

In Great Liang and even the Western regions where glass was first made, I don't think any of the craftsman and artisans could make something like this.

[He's not self-conscious at all about seeming like a country bumpkin or someone ignorant. He's just fascinated.

Still, he does move closer to the sprouts.]

Well, now is a good a time as any to try and find out.

[The plants are too small to place his whole hand on, so he reaches out and places a finger over a damaged leaf. There's a faint glow. Any spots that are entirely brown and brittle, dried out and dead weren't affected but yellow edges around those parts that were damaged but not yet dead slowly returned to looking green and healthy.

Still, he kept it up for a little longer to see if there would be any changes to the brown parts before giving up a moment later.]

It seems there is a limit to what can or can't be healed. Whether the limit is due to the nature of this magic or my own skills I cannot say.

Mm?

[ Crowley looked up and around at the glass house they stood in, only just having been reminded of those days in centuries past when glass was a rarity. ]

Guess it's a step up from glass beads and tablets. Is that what your people were making or had they moved on to blown glass vases?

[ Leaf spots. Crowley despised leaf spots. He supposed the rest of the plant looked better but... ugh! Those spots! He growled at them, waffling between being merciful to the plants or to toss them all and start over. ]

They do look better? Might as well heal as many of them as you can. I'll give them a chance to make a full recovery...

[ He was being generous. ]

The Westerners do make vases from glass though once the novelty faded it wasn't really something that was popular in Great Liang. It seems the people still most prefer ceramics and porcelain. But we have made use of glass to make monocles and qianliyan.

[And you know, whatever passes as a translator may translate it as a monocular or 'thousand mile seeing eye'.

He doesn't make any comment on the growling. In fact, he continues about his business with the same, mild-mannered smile as if he hadn't noticed it at all.]

Once they grow more leaves you can trim off the older damaged ones. Most likely no one will notice once they've grown bigger.

Monocle? They still in fashion where you come from?

[ He preferred shades but there had always been something jaunty about a monocle. ]

I'm only cutting them any slack at all because they are so young. They have a month to shape up.

I'm not sure about what is or isn't fashionable but they're certainly useful for those who need them to see better.

[He knows at least one person who wears them for practical purposes.

He didn't laugh nor did his smile turn amused. In fact, he sounded perfectly sincere when he said,] I am sure, even as young as they are, they can appreciate the chance they've been given.

[ This is what happens when you pal around with an angel who wears reading glasses even though he has no need for them, you forget things like that actually have purposes beyond fashion. ]

They better!

[ Crowley allowed the threat to echo around the greenhouse, even giving the sprouts a glare to drive the point home... straighten up, or else. But the manifested anger was only that, made up annoyance to scare the plants straight like one might a child to keep them off drugs, and it faded quickly as he watched the other man work. If healing magic worked that well on plants, well, it did lead the mind to wonder how well it worked on stubborn humans with heart conditions... ]

Have you had much practice healing people yet?

[Honestly, he hears that threat and can only feel amused. He had lived most of his childhood in fear of the woman who he had thought was his mother. Made up anger meant merely to scare children into behaving...that sort of thing to him seemed more endearing than fearsome.

Besides which, these were plants. No matter how you look at it, the threat was funny in that context.

So he only continued to smile to himself. And he said to the plants with all seriousness to the plants.]

Do you hear that? You must grow up strong so you can fulfil you filial duty to the person who has shown you such kindness.

[With the way he speaks it's hard to tell if he's kidding or not.]

I have a friend who has allowed me some practise but mostly I've just been practising on myself. [Fun fact, he's not sick or anything. He's just a very unfortunate combination of practical and not possessing enough self-care instincts.] I'm hoping to find work at a clinic at some point if I can.

[ As long as Crowley didn't figure out that the other guy was onto him then things would remain as quiet and as peaceful as they ever were when a drama demon was in the room. Speaking of which he paced away and flopped onto a plant bench that currently wasn't holding any plants at all. ]

So you're a newbie?

[ Frown. ]

Course you are... Why would you have shown up for training if you weren't!

[He looked away from the plants for a moment to look back at him. Then says dryly.]

Perhaps I am just exceptionally studious and hardworking.

Perhaps.

[ But it was still disappointing. One couldn't ask a newbie about a heart condition he knew some one important had. ]

I could use some one with... Mm, do you have some one who is teaching you this healing magic thing?

I have been learning on my own though I am looking for a teacher.

[He's just about finished with the plants, so he takes a moment to stop completely and turn properly to face Crowley.]

I do not have a lot of experience with healing magic but I have studied medicine before. While I cannot guarantee that I can be of help, if you tell me what it is you need I can at least tell you if it is something I can help with.

[ He shouldn't say. Alec would kill him for saying... ]

A Doctor. Some one who has dealt with heart issues before.

[He made a vague hum of acknowledgement.]

If my teacher were here she would qualify.

[And then some. But Miss Chen didn't seem to be here.

He doesn't ask who this was about, whether it was him or someone he knows. This sort of information, if it's something that Crowley wants to give then he would. If he didn't, asking would only cause problems.]

I have intended to further my studies while I am here. If I happen to come across anything or anyone more useful, I will let you know.

[ That was the best he could do. Crowley decided this quietly before setting back to the task at hand and working on tying up those few plants that hadn't yet been trained to climb a trellis. ]

Sure. Just ring me if you do run across anything.

I'll do that.

[He turns back to the plants again.]

But, if things become dire and there is no other option available, I will do what I can to help.

[ The last little sprout took to the healing better than all the others combined and once the healing spell had been completed a small bud that had been hiding behind a wilted leave actually blossomed. ]

I don't intend to let them get dire.

[ Steps would be taken to prevent that... though, it was something of a comfort to know there was a healer type out there willing to help if any miscalculations happened. He was grateful for that but it might have been missed as he spoke of that gratitude very softly under his breath. ]

Thanks.

[He can appreciate that sort of determination.

He watched the small bud blossom and thought, he if were the sort to believe in auspicious signs he'd probably consider this one one.

He's used to paying attention to quiet words and subtle signs from people. Gu Yun, after all, hid all sorts of things. But someone who would offer their gratitude so softly must not want to make a big deal out of it.

This person...he seemed to be trying so hard to act like he was so hard and tough. Could he be embarrassed?

Either way, he decides not to comment on it...for now.]

Determination can carry one very far. [He was proof of that. He stood up, brushing at his clothes absent-mindedly to get any small amount of dirt or dust off.]

[...the man said these were grape plants, didn't he? If he remembered correctly, grape wine was a specialty of Westerners, wasn't it?] What are you planning on doing with the grapes when you harvest them?

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Just making up bs about steampunk china glass products

Good improv!

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