[Video; UN: grapefairy]

[watergrape]

Has anyone gotten a love letter before? They seem to be long, don't you think? I like the imagery and the emotion, but when it feels like I'm reading a scroll, I can't remember all of it!

[Does she comprehend the deep emotion behind such things? No. Magically, she can't. All the same, she is reviewing a few letters, trying...trying so hard...to understand.]

Do they want something special? I can give them flowers and I'm pretty good at the knots the Moon Immortal likes. Though I don't want to tie myself to anyone accidentally!

Can...

Can you explain love to me? What's it like? How does it feel?

Comments

[firefalling]

[ Silently, secretly, just to himself...he's glad she doesn't bother really trying to read the names. But does she have to compare them to his writing? Huff. ]

No matter. [ Maybe said too quickly. ]

People come and go here. How do you know they live here?

[watergrape]

[The itching intensifies and she squirms, reaching behind her to try to scratch it.]

You think they're from our world? [Not that it matters.] If they're humans, I would never see them anyway.

I miss being in your palace.

[firefalling]

[ He frowns as he finally registers she's itching. ]

Maybe...Jin Mi? What's wrong?

[ As for missing being in his palace...That makes him smile. ]

Maybe it can be recreated here. I'm working on it.

[watergrape]

[She flushes and pulls her hair to the side, revealing...

A feather. Sticking out of her robe.]

I'm okay. [Just growing hummingbird wings. No big deal.]

Really? [She looks up, hopeful.] Can I help?

[firefalling]

[ A delighted smile spreads across his face. ]

Do you know how to preen feathers?

[ His fingers might be itching now. To touch that pretty feather.

Xufeng draws a doubtful look, with effort, at her hopeful request. ]

Do you have a way to earn money? This world works differently to ours.

[watergrape]

[She stares, gaping, at him. Has he ever smiled like that at her?]

P-Preen? [She planted him and poured water on him. Preening feathers is a little beyond her.] Do you need help, Phoenix? How old are you? You should know how to bathe!

[Turning her head, she finally sees the feathers. ...oh.]

There's a bird on my back!

[Give her a moment.]

Someone said I could be a gardener?

[firefalling]

[ He's been fighting it! It's really really hard! He waits for her to see her feathers, shaking his head as he struggles to rein his smile back in.

Even if it eases his heart, hearing her concern. But then she finally notices her own feathers...and he has to cough behind a hand again when she initially believes something else entirely. Or not, surely no one is that oblivious! Yes. He'll go with that. ]

Come to my rooms sometime today, I'll show you how to tend them.

[ By them...he means her feathers. Really. Really really. ]

Gardening would be something you might find familiar, and soothing. It's a good idea.

[watergrape]

[She pokes the feathers and wiggles in place, gasping when the delicate cloth of her robes...rips. Two small, jewel-colored wings, looking a little ruffled, are revealed and they flap happily. Hurrying to a mirror, Jin Mi gasps and points at her reflection.]

Phoenix, you turned me into a... [Well she's not a crow or a phoenix for that matter! What is she?]

They're too small for me to fly! [For now. She regains her seat huffily.] I wouldn't mind gardening and I'm good at it.