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To say that Andreiya was excited was an understatement, but he hid it moderately well despite the way he rocked from heel to toe. He had a backpack full of necessities, and what he couldn’t fit there, he carried.

He was clearly here to help, and he had big plans and expectations for how much they’d be able to accomplish.

“In the buildings?” Andreiya asked, tilting his head just slightly. “In pots? …Or on the ground?”

Who was he to question what she wanted to do on her world?

His face was scrunched up, though. If he thought he was hiding his alarm well, he wasn’t.

Dubhe hummed, leading them into a park central to the city. The plants there already were vibrant and green, a few wild flowers in pinklk and white fluttering in the breeze as she set what she was carrying down, opening her pocket dimension - pocket dimensions! Susanoo told her after learning from Cardinal and she was using it now! - to produce a few flowers from the garden center, including a full pan of violets - Ratyj natives related enough to Dubhe that she was silently elated to bring them, after her talk with her grandfather.

"Well, the ground has them too, and we should check where they're laying,." Dubhe blinked slowly, thinking back to her lessons! LESSONS! iun gardening from her grandfather. "Actually, when I was picking up starter plants to helop from Andreiya's list of good plants I ran into my grandfather, and he gardens - I can bring you to his hopuse some3day Andreiya, he's... Difficult but he's devotyed to his garden, if you mention research he might be willing to share, I can ask if you're interested - but he did mention seeds can travel on the wind, but, we can try germinating seeds in paper towerls if we stay a couple days -- assuming you can, Siubra, with school - and see what sprouts. As for buildings, I think there might be ancient garden shops, but I know the palace had a science wing, from my exploration. It's the most stable building here too -- so it's possible there's samples of seeds from plants we might not find here in the capital. And opf course we can bring them to Earth if there's enough to try sprouting!"

Dubhe paused again, turning pink.

"I mean., I could take some extra seedlings resembling plants gropwing well and plant them in the garden I started at hopme.... As for pollinators, Andreiya's working on some artificial drone type pollinators. I'm still willing to test code. I haven't... Seen insects yet but... Maybe they're like tardigrades? Hibernating underground until the world is able to sustain them again?" Dubhe wasn't entirely sure. "I know the machine that likely,,, Well... Wiped out things is broken and to be sure I flat out ensured it'll never work again."

A sigh. She mentally "thanked" her past life's sire for that particular stressor.

Subra smiled sheepishly. "I can see what I can manage with school, but I make no guarantees I can take a lot of time off. One of my professors is..." Her smile shifted, turning into a pursing of her lips before she sighed heavily. "Traditional, and isn't fond of students being absent at all." And...oh, the poor...Velencian? Yeah, Velencian. The poor guy was trying so hard!

"You're fine!" Her mood shifted back to a positive one, trying to comfort him. "We humans are...kind of difficult even to each other. I can only imagine how hard it must be learning how to work with us when our myriad of cultures are entirely alien to you! So no offense taken, I promise." She hoped that she sounded comforting! Subra nudged Dubhe with her hip gently. "I think his ideas sound good, don't you? Better than what I could come up with, for sure."

Though it took Andreiya a moment to respond, he nodded at last. "I appreciate your reassurance," he said, making sure he caught Subra's eyes as he said it. Then he turned to Dubhe.

"And I appreciate your hospitality. And your friendliness. However, I must disclose, I do not have a very good experience with your avians. I find them unnecessarily hostile, and the ones at the lake are frightening. I am not ashamed to say it," he said, puffing out his chest, as if the gesture would protect his pride.

"They have attacked me too many times before, so I cannot let my guard down. You should not either. They might turn on you next."

But that was neither here nor there.

"I will study anything. Earth technology is so different. I think Velencian technology is far superior, but I am still debating on Mauvian technology. But perhaps there is a fusion from all of us that will eliminate all issues. We shall see. In any case, the task for today should be much simpler, yes? I want your world to grow lush and healthy. And then I want to learn how it happened so I can make Velenia grow lush and healthy again, too!"

Though he was fairly good at containing himself, little hints of excitement trickled through with more regularity, especially because he was excited about Dubhe's world.

"Oh, good-- yeah. Even my cousin doesn't bother the geese. He can walk near them fine but he also adnmits he'sprobably lucky. As for ducks..." Dubhe siughed. "Aceisfeeding the ducks. It helps him calm down though." Because Ace? Ace was ananxious teenager who needed help to emotionally regulate and Duiibhe wanted him to regulate. "Right now we keep plantsfor hummingbirds and a little bird house- functional - towards my BACK fence... He can watch and we don't get divebombed by angry small birds." Dubh4ee sighed. She loved her cousin, and seeing the boy happy was imnportant. Granted... So was the task at hand and she motioned.

"I know Diubhe had t4echnoilogy." Dubhe noted. "I deisarmed the dangerous one, even if it's... Already rusted beyond function, I don't wany some roaming alien species finding it and recreating it. Anmd... A hybrid of the technoklogies would be fun, actually." Duibhe paused. "I wonder if we can set up something to obbserve my homeworld's recovery and report across the distance. So it might take Mauviabn or Valencian technology but if it can help other worlds it might be worth the effort."

Dubje wanted to help people. And plants were part of the Ecosystem. Dubje rubbed her chin. "If there's enough repeat seeds, I'd be happy to donate some to study. And to plant at home if you like, Subra./" Dubhe looked between the two, esxcited. "Anything growing from seed here survived a machine meant to be a weapon that I mean... I used to be a weapon, but it wiped the animal life out. All the way up to people. So there's something in the seeds worth studying. Making a place lush after a horrible event, as far as I know, takes not only work but sturdy plants. It's one reason they have the Svalbard seed vault."

But Dubhe spared them the talkabout Scalbard. Actually it made her wonder and she tuirned, walking towards the palace in thought, arms folded across her chest as she mumbled.

"Wait, I wonder... Was the seed coillection intended as a form of seed vaulkt? Was it assumed there might be a lot of people killed in tes6ting?" Dubhe rubbed her chin, thinking as she apporoached the doors, pushing one ipen.

The Palace though, was grand. Large and elegant, in warm browns and reds with gold and cronzeinside and out, bushesof somesort planted whom knew howlong ago againat the walls, once plainly well-m,anicured, now wild, if drey and jagged. Dubhe slowly paused inside,absenmmtly stepping aside for the others as she pointed gor her own sake, and hummed, blinking, in the grand hal;l and throne room, Dubhe blinking before staring at the throne, then looking towards the science hall, brow furrowing.