In the Rooftop Gardens [Bart!]

[Jason Minas]

Classes had finished up for the day, students stretching their arms in relief and going to dump their textbooks in their dorms before having a much-deserved rest. (Homework? What's that?) Jason Minas did no such thing, slinging his satchel over his shoulder - the heavy bag nearly overbalanced the featherweight - and ascending to the rooftop of the Celadon Wing. It wasn't far from the classroom he had left, but the small exertion left him short of breath.

He needed to check up on the practical part of his latest project - to analyse the proliferation of insects and other critters across varying climates and environments. The greenhouses were a perfect source of data, maintained in constant surrounds, a bountiful source of life. Beyond that, his other source of data was external, - a completely different story. Winter was a perfect time to put nature to the test; the icy snap outside, the frequent snowfalls and weak sunlight, challenged every living thing. In combination, he could compare and contrast variations on the same local ecosystem, as well as the growth and development of foreign species.

The endless tangle of living organisms was unbelievably complex - but that was why it drew him in. To untangle and make sense of a single thread was rewarding in and of itself, and reason enough for him to continue down this path. Not everybody understood that. Jason smiled vaguely to himself, thinking of just the person who was on the same wavelength regarding the wonders of nature and plant life. Would Bart be somewhere around here? Probably.

The muggy damp and the strong scents of soil, fertiliser and pollen assailed him when he checked into the first greenhouse or two. He'd already recorded his observations from the plants in there, so he would progress to the next greenhouses today. He paced patiently through the plots of summer vegetables, rows upon rows of vines and creepers propped up high, great flowering bushes... Through the obscuring tangle of greenery, he thought he spotted a familiar figure... He peered closer, squinting as his one bad eye struggled with the odd perspective. Ah-hah, it was him.

"Oh, Bartholomew, where are you~?" The teasing croon was a rare one from Jason, and not one he would make unless he was completely at ease. Dainty giggles followed, and he ducked down, quietly pattering down the path - not so that he could hide or run away, but because he was trying to find a way to his friend that didn't involve trudging through the garden patches and destroying fragile crawling plants and root systems.

He got there eventually, a gentle but cheery grin evident on his face. "Hello, Bart! I thought I would find you here."

[Bartholomew B. Sauer]

The smell of fertilizer, loam, decaying plants from the compost heap, the heady scent of flowers in the air - this was why Bartholomew loved being in Horticulture. The air was filled with nature, and to him, it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. It was why he spent much of his time here, when he wasn't working on homework, or perhaps hanging out with friends. He sometimes liked the plants more than people - the plants needed his carbon dioxide, and they were better listeners than many people, especially teenagers. Not all people were bad, of course, just as not all plants were poisonous. He just preferred the kind that needed chlorophyll.

This afternoon he was doing double-duty - homework and being on the terrace. He was writing a reflection in his composition book about how the cold affected plants, and how plants managed to resist enough to grow back in the next spring time. He wrote with a heavy hand, leaning on the potting trough that contained some rosemary bushes. Their scent was fragrant, if not a bit overwhelming. He paused to consider a phrase when he heard his name. He looked up for a moment. Who could that be? Most people didn't call his name, nor did they call it in that sort of sing-songy tone.

He leaned back on his heels to see around the bushes. He shifted too much of his weight back than his feet were ready to hold and had to catch himself as he fell backwards, throwing out a hand to stop himself. It was at this moment that his friend Jason appeared from behind the bushes, greeting him cheerfully.

"Well where else do I go after classes?" Bartholomew smiled as he lifted himself up, grunting slightly at the exertion. It was good to see his friend - he was one of the few who understood Bartholomew's love of plants, and even rivaled that love with his own.

"What brings you up here? Are you going to do your journal entry as well?" Bartholomew indicated his notebook. He wished he wasn't so bad at small talk, but generally, he wasn't the most exciting person to talk to.


Comments:

[/i] Too lazy to put in a summary. xD Hope the reply is okay, despite its lateness!
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