The next day they went to the Jungle Planet so they can begin Terra's training in private. They trained at the Rocky desert side of the planet, away from life, as promised, only Zircon needs to make sure the Cactabloom roots are secured and not damaged. Zircon used a special fertilizer beads to strengthen the roots grip, so they don't get easily plucked out or fall down of position, with the help of Zirc's flying animal friends the fertilizer beads rain fell on all the Cactablooms like rain. The beads worked like a charm, the Cactablooms never looked stronger and pricklier. The appearance of these sharp plantae are similar to Earth's cactuses, like the Rebutia, only its color is Blurple and the honeysuckle flower on top is periwinkle, the stamen of the flower part is like a straw, you take a sip and you're able to drink water from the plant.
"Wow, Zircon these Cactabloom plants are similar to Earth's cactuses, only it looks more exotic and it's easy to drink water from" Terra gave the unusual cacti a great commendation.
"Thank you Terra" Zircon thanked her. "It is easy really, you just take a sip from that stamen and you're drinking tasteful water from it, just avoid the glochids."
Terra took one sip and it tasted so sweet, like one of nature's healthiest cocktail drinks. "Hmmm, taste like sweet cactus. It's refreshing, especially in this heat."
"Yeah, it's really hot, do we really have to train her in this heat wave?" said Red, complaining about the heat.
"Yes, we do" replied Sapphire, for she also didn't want to work in the heat but they have to for they made a promise to Zircon. "We need to keep clear away from the jungle's trees, plants, and especially the animals incase if things get... out of hand."
"Don't worry, I'll do my best not to cause a rocky disaster" Terra assured them in the voice of confidence. But Sapphire could see in her eyes that she's really nervous.
"Relax Terra, no one starts perfect in their first day of training, what's important is that my creatures are safe, the Cactablooms are secured, and we can begin training freely with no pressure" Zircon supported her. "But let's train somewhere with a bit more shade and not in this open heat. You're not the only ones who can't stand this heat wave."
Sapphire, Red, and Terra were relived to hear her say that. Zircon knew an oasis, a cool place where they can train in peace and cool down, and it's not too far, it's just near by with the help of a Camequus. A fast creature that can run 200 miles an hour and it can go 10 days without water, which Zircon will transform into to give them a ride.
When Zircon transformed into a Camequus, to Terra the creature looked like a mixture of camel and horse, it mostly looks like a horse but with a small hump on its back and it can run really fast. Its color is also Peru mixed with Wood Brown, its hooves are Dark Brown, its eyes are Brown (RYB), and its mane and ponytail are Russet.
"Thank you for giving us a ride to the oasis Zirc" Sapphire thanked her for her generous offer of a ride.
"Yeah, that's really cool of you" added Red.
"Anytime. Now hop on so we can go" insisted Zircon.
And so the four of them journeyed to the oasis.
When they arrived at their destination, Sapphire, Red and Terra were eagerly grateful to finally arrive at the oasis, and they were eager to drink fresh water from the small pond, except for Zircon cause her Camequus creature self can go days without water but still she could go for a drink.
After they freshened up themselves, they can begin training, only one problem, where to start?
Sapphire did some organizing, she was the one who planned Terra's training day straight through. "Alright Terra if we're gonna do this we need to do this right, there's no need for pressure."
"No pressure at all. I feel like I can do this" Terra said with such confidence and excitement.
"Love your confidence, but we mustn't get ahead of ourselves, remember we need to take it slow and steady" Sapphire eased her a bit.
"Right, slow and steady wins the race."
"Yes, that's right" finally something Sapphire can understand from her Earth lingo. "Shall we begin?"
"Yes, we shall. Let's do this!"
Red and Zircon were sitting on the huge smooth flat rocks, under the shades, drinking Cactablooms, and supporting Terra all the way.
"Okay Terra here's what we're gonna do" Sapphire instructed her. "First things first are the basics. Step one, take a deep inhale."
Terra did what she was instructed, she slowly took deep breaths then proceeded with the next step.
"Step two, clear your mind then focus your thoughts on moving that small rock over there."
"What? Like with my mind?"
"Yes. Like telekinesis. We are starting with something small after all, and levitation is the most basic for beginners, it'll be simple."
Easy for you to say, thought Terra, I'm not even from this galaxy but I'll try anyway. She glued her eyes on that rock without blinking, she stared at it concentrating so hard that she felt like she was about to have a headache, she can feel her brow sweating and not just from the heat but also from thinking too hard which causes stress.
"Hey, hey easy there" Sapphire stopped her for a moment. "You don't have to force it, just relax, let go, be in the moment."
"What kind of moment?" Terra asked, while wiping her brow.
"Like, taking your first steps to achieve your goal. And your goal is-"
"To regain my memory back."
"Yeah, that's the spirit. You just keep your thoughts on that and you're able to do it in no time" Sapphire supported her.
Okay, so Terra tried it again, and this time she did it by following the basics. She took a deep inhale, relaxed, cleared her mind, and then focused her eyes on that rock again. And finally she did it. Well sort of, she only managed to levitate the rock five inches high, then she dropped it by mind exhaustion, apparently those powers aren't meant for the simple human mind. Her body isn't used to all that energy, it looks like its going to take time for her to figure out what to do with her powers. "Yes! I did it. Did you see that, I lift that rock with my mind" Terra exclaimed, while she gasped for breath.
Red murmured to Zircon in secret. "Really, that's it. She only levitated that small rock five inches high and now she's tired already? Humans are soft."
Zircon elbowed Red as a signal of "don't be rude"
"Sorry, I was just mouthing it out" Red apologized.
Honestly though Sapphire thought that was the weakest levitation she had ever seen, she thought she thought out the lesson through, before on their mission to the White Terra's powers were strong, out of control, but strong. What don't I know?
"That rock levitation was not what I expected, but it's a start. Good work Terra, keep practicing like that and you'll eventually get it" Sapphire embellished her notion a bit, just for the sake of encouraging Terra's confidence. "Why don't we take a break and talk technique. Come let's sit by the shades of the trees and drink some Cactablooms."
"Okay then, I could use a drink, all that concentration really tires me out which is weird cause I didn't even cause a natural disaster like I did before" Terra was now confused. "What's going on? Why all of a sudden my powers are shorting out?"
Sapphire wasn't sure either. "I don't know, but let's rest for a moment and figure out what to do next."
Terra agreed. "Can I have some of that Cactabloom juice please?"
Zircon handed her the drink. "Sure, here you go. It'll cool you down."
They sat down under the shades and drank together the cocktail cacti. It was refreshing. While drinking Sapphire rethinked her strategy plan, on their previous adventure Terra's powers were powerful and yet uncontrollable due to strong emotions, and if her powers are powered by her emotions then perhaps she can control her emotions as well as her powers channeling them In control. "I think I figured it out."
They stopped drinking and focused their eyes and ears on Sapphire's theory.
"Last time when we were questing to the White, Terra's powers interacted when she felt strong emotions like fear, panic, surprise, excitement, etc. If she can control her emotions she can get through to it, she can be in control of her powers."
"It's worth to try" Zircon agreed with her theory. "I discovered my powers with love for my animals, and the next thing I know I transformed into my first creature, a white Dovel, the simplest and gracefulness of birds."
"Can we see it?"
"Of course." Zircon transformed into the most graceful bird, the Dovel, which has the most elegant soft white feathers and the sharpest talons as well as its eyes that can see from a far. "I hope this demonstration will encourage you Terra to help find your grace."
"I don't even know if I have a grace?" Terra replied, puzzled. She might've been a clumsy girl in her past?
"Well you're gonna find out soon. Ready to try your second trial?" Red encouraged her.
"After drinking nature's most refreshing drinks, yeah I'm ready!" answered Terra, triumphantly.
"That's the spirit."
Terra tried again, only this time she tried to feel something, like excitement cause she is feeling really excited to use her powers, but with no luck. The rock barely moved.
"Do it with more conviction" Sapphire coached her. "You've got to dig deeper than ever before, find your inner you from before, you can't hide yourself."
Terra closed her eyes and looked inside herself, she dug deep for her spark. Then once again, she tried lifting the rock with her mind, and once again... nothing. She's starting to lose hope. "It's no use, I can't do it" she whimpered.
Sapphire would've comforted her, but as a coach she tried a different method. "Okay, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe you can't do this. Why should I even bother teaching you? I don't even know where or why you got those powers? There not meant for a puny human like yourself."
Terra started to feel angry by Sapphire's hurtful words. She can feel her blood boiling like lava within her skin, her face feels hot and not just from the heat.
Red and Zircon just watched there, taking a step back, not knowing if Sapphire's hard methods is such a good idea, especially for a sensitive lost human girl.
"I mean you can't even move one tiny rock, I bet you can't even skip a pebble across water" said Sapphire, while skipping a stone across the oasis pond to demonstrate how easy it is.
That's when Terra had it. With such anger she channeled it to move not only one small rock, but also three huge boulders into the air. She levitated them in circles, till she clash them together like flint to make fireworks. It sparked so bright and so loud.
Sapphire, Red and Zircon gazed at her fireworks, Terra included. She doesn't feel angry anymore, she's just enjoying her accomplished work.
Sapphire smiled at Terra proudly. "Nice work Terra, I always knew you could do it"
Terra now realized why Sapphire said those hurtful comments. "So you said all those mean things just to push me to get better at using my powers."
"Of course, it's all part of the motivation. And look, you've lifted three heavy boulders in the air sparking them into fireworks."
"Great, but next time don't push her too much, cause we don't know how unstable that would've turned out?" Zircon advised Sapphire, with concern.
"It's okay Zirc" Sapphire assured her. "Look around, no earthquakes, no avalanches, no sand storms, not even a single crack on the ground. Terra totally handled it like a pro, not even the Cactablooms are damaged, things are starting to look up."
That's what she thought, but she spoked too soon. The ground began to quake under their feet, then small cracks appeared, which grew bigger, that it broke open. They had to get to higher ground but where?
"There!" shouted Zircon, as she pointed at that trink hill rock. "That trink hill rock is high enough to keep us safe, let's go."
They climbed up the rock and waited calmly for the shaking to stop. They saw the cracks spreading all around the oasis, the trees went down, the plants including the Cactablooms weakened, and the water slowly drained. Terra felt guilty. "I'm sorry. I... I didn't mean to... I don't know what happened."
Zircon patiently respond "It's okay Terra, not all the oasis is lost. There's still some water left, some trees are bended and broken, but they're still standing, the roots are okay still stable, the Cactablooms are tough plants they're barely bruised, and most important there are no animals here injured, and besides that quake wasn't that bad. We'll find a way to grow this back."
But Terra could see Zircon was secretly upset, that made her even more guilty. Oh, Zirc I'm so sorry, I wish I knew how to fix this.
"Well that wasn't so bad for a first lesson" said Red, lightening up the mood. "Sure the oasis is a... bit of a mess, but there's still some water left, in time it'll all grow back together."
"Not without support it can't" added Sapphire, as she looked around the collapsed oasis. "I think that's enough training for today, why don't we clean up to help regrow the oasis."
"How?" asked Terra, for she is skeptical on how on this world will they regrow the oasis. Well in this world nature works in miraculous ways.
Zircon whistled to signal the Bubblebees, bees that look similar to Earth's Bumblebees except their stripe colors are Maya blue and Tang blue, with sparkling spurious vein wings. A swarm of Bubblebees flew in group, landing on all of the oasis broken plants and trees, it looked like they were pollinating the oasis back to normal. And they did, the whole oasis is glowing with bright light of pollen, it was incredible like a new scientific miracle to restore deforestation, they even restored the water.
When they finished regrowing the oasis the Bubblebees flew away leaving behind a snow of glowing pollen. Terra tried not to breath it in for she might have a runny nose then sneezing problem, but Zircon encouraged her and the others to breath the glowing pollen for it's filled with natural vitamins which will increase their health.
Terra took a few breaths in, and it felt fine and it smells good too, like daisies in the morning spring. "Wow, this smells amazing, like a perfume of flowers in the air, and best of all the oasis is restored."
"That's the miracle of nature. Nature works in miraculous ways Terra, someday you'll find this useful."
"Come on guys, let's collect some Cactablooms for the road back to the jungle" said Sapphire.
"We can hang out in my den, recount the events that happened today" Zircon offered them a stay at her place.
"Great idea Zircon, we'll figure out what to do next, come on let's gather the supplies."
As they gathered the Cactablooms, something was watching them the whole time. Red, while gathering, turned his head to see, he felt like he was being watched by something... or someone. "Hey, Zirc are you sure there aren't any animals around here, cause I think something moved in those Anthurium plants."
"No, that's just the desert wind. I told you there aren't any creatures here, just plants" Zircon assured him. She would never slip up her mind for the safety of her animals.
Unless it wasn't an animal at all.