A penny for your thoughts but a dollar for your insights [W2, Wednesday]

[zerotohiro]

[He'd be lying if he said he wasn't nervous about what was coming the next day, but he also didn't have to verbalize it. As long as he didn't tell anybody, it wasn't real and he could keep figuring out a way to stop everything.

In order to figure things out, he needed time to think. With that in mind he sets off across the island again, this time to explore the jungle while there was still daylight to burn. He didn't get too far in his quest, however, before he stumbled across a pile of dirt and also someone sitting next to that pile. He watches for a minute before deciding he may as well crouch down next to her.]

A garden?

Comments

[sylfied]

... Mm. I asked for some fruit and vegetable seeds, so I'm going to see if I can get them to grow.

[ different than flowers, but Edel had taught her enough, and it isn't like she hasn't helped with this sort of thing in the corps. ]

[zerotohiro]

Not bad. The climate here is just enough that they should hopefully take and start flourishing on their own. I'm a little surprised they handed those over. They've been sort of picky about what they will and won't give out.

[...] Got anything to mark where you're planting? Just to make sure.

[sylfied]

I'll find something a little later, but I've memorized the spot. I was thinking of grabbing a few seashells or something.

[ ... but she has no idea why the chiefs were so cooperative about this. ]

[zerotohiro]

A ring of shells would be a good idea. Or like making a wall to separate the rows and stuff? [The Chiefs are an abomination, that's why.] My aunt usually puts everything in their own planters or separated with wires, but I don't think that's gonna cut it here. I already asked for wires for something else and they told me no.

[sylfied]

I didn't think they'd give us much, so we'll work with what we have. I like the shell ring idea.

[ will anything even grow properly before two months is up, who knows!! ]

[zerotohiro]

That's the thing I don't get about them. They're running all of this, but sometimes they still help us. It just doesn't make sense.

[How fast do fruits and vegetables grow, we just don't know.] Anyway, there were a lot of them still down in the cavern when I looked. [A beat.] We can go together later if you want? It's probably a good idea for us to stick around at least one person the further we move from the beach.

[sylfied]

Mm, I don't mind. I was just checking on the seeds to make sure nothing tried to dig them up.

[ Fie may mostly be solitary, but Hiro makes a good point. ]

[zerotohiro]

What might also work is figuring out a net or something to cover them so stray animals or...people, I guess, can't easily get into the dirt. It would allow the sun and water to still reach them but it'd be harder for a paw or anything. I mean you saw the Chiefs' big cat. Who knows if there are others out there.

We have a few hours until it gets dark again, but the cavern's not toooo far from here either.

[sylfied]

Then let's just get it out of the way for now. We could probably make a net out of vines, too.

[ She's not going to want to move in another hour or so anyway. ]

[zerotohiro]

Do you know how to tie them together? [He'll rise to his feet and begin to walk on.]

[sylfied]

Yeah. It's something I learned years ago, just not with vines.

[zerotohiro]

Survivalist training? I'm gonna guess it was probably something normal like...I don't know, rope?

[sylfied]

Human hair.

[ She doesn't mean it, but that sure is a poker face. ]

[zerotohiro]

That's...pretty gross, but effective. Unless it dries out and brittles. [What.]

[sylfied]

[ ... what. ]

Hiro. I was joking.

[zerotohiro]

...I knew that! [Sigh.] I mean obviously, like who would do that?

[sylfied]

I know a few types who'd probably do it just for fun.

[ this, she's not kidding about. ]

[zerotohiro]

[Fie why!!]

You've known a lot of interesting people haven't you? This place is really no big deal.

[sylfied]

The people aren't really the problem. But there's something about this place that bugs me.

[zerotohiro]

Besides the murders and the fact we can't leave? Because those things definitely bug me.

[sylfied]

And that there's probably more that we're missing.

[zerotohiro]

There's definitely more we're missing. We have a lot of wildcard factors and rules that are way too vague. It's almost like being doomed from the start since this sort of guarantees we have to play along to see how everything works.

It we weren't missing stuff, we wouldn't have questions. And...I have a lot of them.

[sylfied]

... [ there's a very wry tone to her voice now. ]

Yeah, you seem like someone who'd definitely have way too many questions.

[zerotohiro]

Is that really such a bad thing? How else are we going to figure stuff out? The Chiefs seem to have this lies of omission thing going and...if I can get answers by asking around, I will.

[sylfied]

I didn't say it was a bad thing. I just think you should be careful with it.