Mom nature

"There can't be that many people wondering what to wish for, right?" Ryu asked his companion, looking at the white insects walking in the street.

Some specialists were applying treatments in an attempt to clean the streets, the land had strict rules about street cleanliness, after all.

"I don't think it's about the quantity of people, one very, very indecisive person can cause this on their own." Roxy blinked.

"Can you give your kid another cryptic piece of advice then?" He flicked a cockroach trying to climb his leg.

"Natasha is almost done with her wish, I don't think she's indecisive anymore."

"Then who's the bozo responsible for all this?"

"As long as it's not my kiddo." She giggled, enjoying the chaos and everyone's distress.

"Why are you happy? This will affect your rich people party thing?"

"Oh shoot! Wait...I dealt with that already~~"

They seek temporary refuge in a skull themed fusion cuisine restaurant located on a high hill with a view of the ocean.

Ryu took a gulp looking at the menu and prices, touristy prices high enough to make an apex predator nervous.

'Didn't know that cockroaches would be the demise of my net worth...'

"Are these still valid?" Roxy pulled coupons from her planner, showing them to the cashier.

"Certainly! Thanks for always bringing customers!"

"My glorious queen." Ryu deadpanned when they sat down, she looked strangely offended by the nickname she uses.

"So, how's life?" Roxy asked before taking the first bite of her savory taiyaki stuffed with ropa vieja, a hardcore fusion cuisine.

"...Girl we live together, in the same room actually." He took a sip of the carbonated agua de nopales.

Thinking about what he said made him realize that he didn't know much about what's going on with her too.

But she started eating, which meant she wouldn't talk till she was finished with her meal.

'Why did she ask then to begin with?' He let out a sigh before digging into the onion soup in a bread bowl. A seemingly non fusion dish if not for the spicy masala flavor in it.

They waited as the coupons got swallowed by a hexagonal machine. Roxy blinked twice, eyes wide open for a second.

It was so subtle anyone else would've thought she had something in her eyes, not him though.

"Something happened?"

"Natasha might make her wish soon." She murmured, he caught the excitement in her voice, like a parent about to witness their kid's first.

She looked at the cashier with well hidden urgency.

"I'm sorry! The machine seems to be lagging!" The employee told them before going to attend to other customers, leaving them alone.

"Funny timing!" She sulked a bit.

'Her thought process doesn't function like a human...or anything else? Though she gets this excited when her plant puts out a new leaf. So Natasha is a plant in her mind? And if so, does that mean she feels attachment to plants?'

"That's rare." He said.

"Yeah, these things lag once every zillion years."

"No, I meant you."

"I am very rare, actually." She bragged.

"I meant your excitement...over something that's not overly silly or dangerous."

He looked at her neutral expression, hoping he didn't hit the wrong nerve.

"Hmmm, I guess mundane milestones get you emotional sometimes, it's lovely to see the kids grow."

The unusual sincerity froze him for a bit. She was an alive being after all.

"Make sense. I judged you harshly, I'm sorry." He had a guilty look on his face.

"You may atone for that with a donut." She teased, not offended to begin with like her usual self.

Then it dawned on him.

"Wait, you said kids...plural?" He whispered.

"Yeah, it was nice watching my older kiddos grow!"

"...You mean imaginary kids? Like your three imaginary husbands?"

They stared dumbly at each other, blinking with confusion.

"..You know I have actual kids, right?"

"No. I don't! You never told me."

"..."

Broomy landed on a smaller younger forest in the green zone, he followed her with a doubtful expression as they walked to a tree.

"I have two biological kids, as the human says." She patted the big tree. The outer bark moved, making room for a circular gap, like an eyeball. The disjointed pupil that appeared washed away all his doubts.

"This is...well, we plants don't care about names. This one is a boy though, my girl lives in the next stop."

The other tree had the same eye, it was almost impossible to differentiate between the two.

"She says hello!"

He looked as she patted the tree. He recalled how she watered the houseplants and dusted their leaves. She patted Natasha quite often too.

Speaking of which, in her white and red, mushroom decorated room. Natasha was looking at her draft and a broken colorful slinky toy, its shape was a star instead of the regular circle. Roxy brought it to her from the flea market. They played with it often when Natasha got discharged from the hospital.

---

"HAHA! I shall destroy the city!!" Roxy said with a comical villain laugh. A glittery cape and giant Uno cards as a weapon.

"I won't let you! I have the Star Ray to stop ya!"

She remembered with a giggle how she would throw one side of the slinky, causing it to extend till it reached Roxy. Then she would fall dramatically to the ground.

'I used to plea her to repeat the same game over and over again.'

She laid on the mushroom rug, remembering the fun days.

Then she sat down and ordered the scroll to appear. A detailed draft in one hand, a sweet memory from the past in the other.

She was ready.

Roxy on her broom watched as the slinky got sucked inside the scroll, bluish and purple light shone as Natasha's points decreased.