Artwork by the Incredible  Aiofluff

Tending the Greenhouse

Littleseed greenhouse used to be the perfect name for the building, thought Lily as she gathered up the strength to lift a ladder almost 10 times larger than she was. Now however, the name was purely ironic, neither the greenhouse itself, nor the seeds within could ever be described as little. The greenhouse stood at over 70 feet high, with some plants already touching the glass roofs, using the ornate wrought iron supports as a makeshift trellis. Today was a big day for the small pink kobold, her largest plant required watering and this was no easy task. Usually located in the rainforests far from here, the leaves themselves contained small collection pouches by the stem designed to catch water as it rained upon them, a marvel of evolution yes, but it certainly made watering the thing a pain.

“I think I’m going to have to extend the greenhouse” Lily sighed to herself as she prepared the ladder next to the enormous plant. Well, it would be next to the plant if the leaves were not so enormous that it were impossible to get close. Lily grabbed her largest watering can, an elaborately decorated brass container that was half her size, and filled it with water. She looked up at the plant, the sheer size of the beast was intimidating enough, never mind the long climb she would need to make up the aging wooden ladder. “I could use a hand over here” Lily called out, and as if it was waiting for the call, a large mechanoid appeared around the plant. The robot was one of Lily’s handy creations, a fully automated machine designed to assist around the greenhouse, made largely out of copper and brass, most of which had already oxidised in the humid environment. “Hello Lily, how can I assist?”

“Hey Root, you wouldn’t mind holding the ladder for me, would you”

“Not at all miss Abby” Root replied as it already began making its way to the ladder. Lily grabbed the can and began making her way up the side. When she first started she used to count how many steps this ladder had, but now she knew how many there were, counting had started making the whole process feel longer. After several minutes of climbing Lily decided it was time for a break, she was about half way up, but even from here she could get the perfect view of the greenhouse. The central area in which this large plant grew was flanked on each side by a longer wing, each holding a different style of plant from all around the planet. Flowers, ferns, tropical trees, and even some enormous venus fly traps that Lily had grown afraid of being around. The greenhouse itself was huge, its decorated supports holding up panes of glass so large Lily prayed she would never need to replace them. The tops of the wing walls carried a rounded design that resembled a flower, which perfectly aligned with the sunrise and sunset of the east and west, making the glass itself appear like a giant sunflower overlooking the plants below. There was no place like Littleseed greenhouse that made Lily feel more at home, she thought, as she grabbed the watering can for the remaining climb.