A Study On Cross-Pollination

Yun Yoo-ah has always been studious when it comes to her studies.

To Yoo-ah, knowledge is power. The more one knows, the more one will be able to face the adversities that come with life. Some may find that certain knowledge is useless but to Yoo-ah, everything is priceless.

Yoo-ah does have a favorite subject that she likes to learn about, however. Even someone like her isn’t immune to favoring one thing over the other. In her case? Her favorite topic to learn about would be anything flora-related, which includes the anatomy of a cossetling. 

Though, that isn’t the topic that Yoo-ah would be exploring today, no. Today, Yoo-ah is going to be spending time at her little personal garden and looking at the blooms. Today, Yoo-ah will be checking if any of the flowers planted successfully cross-pollinated. That has been her study for the past few months.

“How interesting…” Yoo-ah mutters under her breath. 

Dainty fingers brush against ruby-red petals of a tulip, noticing the yellow outlines nearing the tips – making it seem as if the petails itself are shining. “So this is how a darwin hybrid is made.”

From the sack clasped around her waists, the witch would fetch a pen and notebook to write down her discovery. Once she is done with the current bloom, she would move on to the next ; taking note of the smallest changes and variations the new blooms would have, then theorizing if there are possibilities of further mutations.

Of course, her research wouldn’t end with just flowers. Just days ago, the thought of cross-pollinating fruit trees and vegetable plants crossed her mind. Fruits and vegetables are not much different from flowers, after all. Therefore, if a mutation can occur for one, then perhaps it can occur in another… 

This is a theory Yoo-ah will need to confirm on a later date.

While lost in her thoughts, a certain cosprout has snuck its way into the garden and began pecking at some of the blooms curiously. By the time Yoo-ah takes notice, a few unfortunate blooms had been cut off from its stem and lay resting in the cuerasu’s beak.

“Bo-ram!” Yoo-ah’s sudden raising of voice causes the cuerasu to flinch before it peers up at her with guilty eyes. It knows that it has done something wrong just by hearing the tone of her voice, the cuerasu slowly lowering its head and letting the flowers fall from its beak ; never once breaking eye contact with Yoo-ah.

Yoo-ah, on the other hand, watches as it does this. Her arms are rested on her hips, a small pout on her lips and a crease forming between her brows. Then, she exhales a sigh and shakes her head. “Oh, Bo-ram…”

Slowly, Yoo-ah lowers herself down into a squat and reaches for the cuerasu, giving it a little bop on the head. “You can’t just pluck out the flowers here,” she chides, waving her finger. Bo-ram caws in response.

“I’m not angry,” she reassures with a smile. “But you do need to make up for this mess.” 

Yoo-ah brings her hand close to her face and taps on her cheek with her index finger, contemplating. “Why don’t you help me plant a couple of new seedlings?”

Bo-ram tilts its head and caws. Yoo-ah watches as it flaps its wing, lifting itself off of the ground and circling above her before landing on top of her hat. Then, it caws again. She supposes she’ll take that as a yes.

“Let's see what I’ll need, then…” Yoo-ah hums, glancing around the garden and carefully thinking about the arrangements within the area. A little more research about cross-pollination would definitely do her good…