Kenji walked slowly around the grove, touching trees like he couldn't quite believe they were real."These weren't here three days ago.I patrol this route weekly."
"I've been here two days," the woman said.She was working on her composure, one hand resting on the largest dandelion’s head.
Jin studied her more carefully now that the immediate danger had passed.Young, mid-twenties, maybe.Velvet jacket and skirt, silk visible at the collar and cuffs, good boots.Her hair was coming loose from whatever style she'd started with.The scratch on her arm was already clotting."You're living in the cursed farm," he said.Not a question.
"The what?"She looked genuinely confused.
Kenji laughed, sharp and disbelieving."Nobody told you?This land's been cursed for generations.Nothing grows here.Every farmer who tried either starved or went broke buying food.Most gave up after a season."
The woman looked around at her thriving trees.At the treehouse.At the dandelions."Nothing grows?"
"Normal crops don't," Jin clarified."Whatever these are—" He gestured at the trees."—they're not normal."
"They're pun plants," she said, like that explained anything."The seeds were...they came with the property."
Kenji was examining a tree hung with what looked like loaves of bread."Is thisactual bread?"
"Breadfruit tree."She said it like it was obvious.
Jin watched Kenji pluck a loaf and smell it.Watched his lieutenant's expression shift from skepticism to wonder.
"It's real," Kenji breathed."This is real bread."He handed it to Jin so he could see, too.
It smelled of fresh baked goodness, and his mouth watered."What's your name?"Jin asked.
She turned back to him."Wren.I'm Wren."
"Jin Zhao, town Marshall."He nodded toward Kenji."My lieutenant, Kenji Tanaka."
"Marshall," she repeated."Walter mentioned you.He said you keep things safe."
"Walter?"
A chittering from above.Jin looked up to see a squirrel in a vest sitting on a branch.The squirrel adjusted his waistcoat and gave a small bow.
"Good afternoon, Marshall.Lieutenant."
Jin had seen many strange things in his years patrolling these territories.Talking squirrels were not new.But talking squirrels on the cursed farm, where nothing was supposed to survive...
"Afternoon," he said evenly.
Kenji was still obsessed with the bread tree."Can you grow anything?"
Wren hesitated."I...don't know?I'm still learning.The seeds have plant names, but they grow into...word-related things."She gestured vaguely."That's a breadfruit tree.There's a soapberry tree.And um—"
"Show me," Kenji said, already moving toward another tree.
"Wait, that one's—" Wren's face flushed pink.
But Kenji was already there, reaching for the fuchsia-like blooms.He grabbed one of the dangling items before Jin could stop him.
Silk fabric unfurled in his hands.
Silk panties.Embroidered with small flowers.
Kenji froze.His face went red."Oh.Oh no."
"That's the silk tree," Wren said, her voice strangled.Her whole face was scarlet now.
