"You’re not dreaming," Kisha said, her tone calm and knowing. "This Space Hospital is an extension of your consciousness. You can mold it however you like to suit your needs; it’s always ready to adapt to your ideals. When you grow tired of one scenery, you can shift it as easily as changing a wallpaper."
Though the environment mimicked real life with moving plants, flowing air, and natural sounds, Kisha wasn’t sure if it was truly real. Curious, she stepped outside to investigate. The soil beneath her boots felt solid and textured, just like real earth. Crouching down, she scooped a handful and let the gritty grains sift through her fingers. The sensation was unmistakably genuine.
Eric watched her quietly as she approached a striking white magnolia flower, the first one that had caught her eye. It was the size of her palm, its petals as pure as snow, adorned with glistening dew. Kisha glanced at Eric, and upon receiving his subtle nod, reached out and plucked the bloom. The dew trembled with the motion, some droplets falling onto her skin, cold, crisp, and very real.
Still marveling at the authenticity of everything, Kisha turned back toward the clinic. But just as she stepped forward, she hesitated; her shoes were caked with dirt, and she didn’t want to stain the pristine white tiles inside.
Noticing her pause, Eric urged her to come in. The moment she stepped across the threshold, the dirt on her shoes and hands vanished. Eric blinked, momentarily surprised, though he quickly gathered himself and offered an explanation.
"It looks like this little hospital automatically disinfects and sterilizes everything, tools, equipment... even people. That means I can skip the usual time-consuming scrubbing protocol before treating patients. As long as I wash and disinfect my hands properly, I can get straight to work."
"That’s impressive," Kisha said, nodding with interest. Then she looked at the flower in her hand and asked, "Can we try stepping outside with this? I want to see if it disappears once we leave your Space Hospital."
Eric agreed, and with a nod, led her outside. They reappeared at the spot where Aston was waiting. To Kisha’s delight, the flower was still in her hand. She gasped, beaming.
"This is amazing!"
"Because we can grow flowers and other living things inside?" Eric asked, a bit uncertain, not quite following her train of thought.
"No, it’s great that we can bring things in and out of your Space Hospital, and the fact that the flower didn’t disappear proves it can support life," Kisha said excitedly. "Since it’s a space dimension infused with your healing ability, I believe it might even boost the growth and properties of any herbs grown inside. And it just so happens that Daisy has been crossbreeding herbs and has built up quite a collection. Maybe you could try nurturing some in your space and see what happens?"
Kisha’s eyes sparkled as she spoke. Daisy’s role as a botanist had become more vital than ever. Not only was she caring for Lily, the mythical plant, but she had also started experimenting with crossbreeding herbs, combining their properties to strengthen common effects and even unlock additional benefits.
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