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

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

[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?

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With quick thinking, combat skills, and a cool head.

I guess. [ okay, Fie. ]

Who's "we"?

"You guess." [Okay, Fie. He grins a little because that, again, sounds a little impressive.] Maybe that's why they picked you.

[It's an idle thought as they continue to the cavern.] And...me and my team. We work together back where I'm from.

I don't know why they picked me instead of the others, though.

[ Well, maybe because you were also a former mercenary, Fie. WHO KNOWS. ]

But a team, huh. Going on those... missions you mentioned?

Dunno. You seem pretty sturdy to me so that probably helps. [That's probably a compliment? Sure. But there's a nod because...sure, all right, "missions" is a stretch but there's a mission currently and if the city needs them after that then...there will be more.]

Yup. We're superheroes, but I haven't really told anybody here about that. [Somehow he thinks maybe telling her will be safe.] Didn't think it was that important, but...asking questions and digging around places I'm not supposed to is sort of part of the job. If it can help people here, then I know I'm doing it right.

[ He should meet Laura and Gaius, she thinks, a little distractedly. Even Millium is sturdier, where Fie excels in speed and not getting hit. But that's an amusing thought anyway, and she blinks at Hiro now. ]

It might be able to. [ she admits that. ] And if you're a hero, you're probably used to danger. But still... you've got to be at least a little careful about not getting caught.

[There's a lingering pause.]

...I want to do my best. And if my best somehow doesn't turn out to be enough, they I want it to be enough for someone else to take over. And the best I can do is arm people with as much information as possible, so...trust me, I know. The thing is.

[He's just going to keep walking as they approach the mouth of the cavern by now.] The thing is we don't know what makes people tick. And we don't know what the roles are being told. Some things come from a role, like that knife. Some people are going to die because of other roles. So what I want to know is how do you avoid getting caught before you even realize you're in a dangerous situation in the first place?

[ Fie's quiet (again) for a minute or two, and in fact doesn't choose to answer him until they're actually entering the cavern. At which point, she keeps walking, but-- ]

Hiro. How many people here would you trust with your life?

[Thanks for the hard question, Fie.]

If we're not counting myself? Nobody just yet, but that's what they want us to do. Pal said that if we bond and trust each other and do well in trials, they'll reward us. But bonding with people is just setting us up for something even worse.

Why?

Because the biggest way to avoid being caught is to not let your guard down, for anyone.

[ She had a point there! ]

If your instincts are good, trust them. If you think something feels off, don't just immediately pursue it on your own, think it through.

[She definitely has a point there, enough that he can't argue against it. Walking into the cavern, he's silent even as he stoops down to pick up a couple of shells.]

...how's that worked out for you so far? [It sounds sarcastic, but he's genuinely curious.]

... The trusting my instincts part worked out well, but then I got stuck in a group of people who I had to trust from the beginning, so it's a little different for me.

[ she loves them, though. ]

[A nod, but.] Not sure it's that different, Fie. I mean this place is, yeah, but...how do you think I met my team?

[He hasn't really talked much about the nerd lab crew because it's easier to distance himself from thinking of them. Distance, at least, means he won't miss them as much and he won't feel as guilty for what happened.]

I was doing fine on my own until my partner decided we needed help. And they wouldn't leave me alone, so in the end I had to upgrade everybody and trust that we could work together to fix everything back home.

[And then that exploded because Hiro went with the wrong instincts, oops.] So I get it. But isn't there a problem if you don't exactly trust your own instincts but you also don't trust anybody else? Then you kinda have to go at it alone.

[ She... more or less gets that, except for the part where he's talking about upgrading people, and he'll get a somewhat perplexed blink at that part-- even though Fie won't ask, because asking is other people's job. ]

Well, if it comes to that, you should probably trust one or the other. It's better than not trusting either one.

[Someday he'll explain, but if she's not asking then today's not that day. Instead, there's an irritated little snort.]

All right, all right, I get it. I'll be more careful and figure out another way to get the answers I want. [Or poke himself with a tranq dart two days later, whatever.] I don't know what else to do right now. Gardening's not really my thing.

[Most of his hobbies involve machines. And being inside.]

What's your thing, then?

[ ... look, the first active sign of curiosity!!!! ]

[A grin. He's going to keep collecting shells as they walk through the cavern and shoving them in the pocket of his sweater.]

Robots. [So yeah.] Tech in general, I guess? Plus some programming, inventing...y'know, science. That sort of stuff. But I'm going to school for robotics and I build and upgrade them in my spare time. [...] Annnnd my partner's a robot back home, too.

[And he misses that stupid walking marshmallow every day he's stuck here.]

[ Sounds like someone George would get along with. Hiro would probably have a blast fiddling with the ARCUS and all of the orbal devices, and if he likes robots... ]

You'd probably like Valimar, then.

Who's Valimar? [Maybe it doesn't matter, but he figures if Fie's talking he may as well ask her whatever questions he can.]

[ that's fair. ]

A knight, but I guess he's more of a... robot. One of my classmates can pilot him.

Like a mecha? That's awesome! [Annnd there he goes.] Baymax's armor is built so that I can fly with him, too, but he usually does most of the piloting himself.

Valimar can do that too, but he definitely has a cockpit.

[ ROBOTS. ]

... He'd be nice to have right now.

Yeah. That's about how I feel about Baymax, too. We were together before I woke up on the island and...I'm not sure where Hal and Pal might have put him.

[But enough about that. He actually stops when he notices some flatter, smoother shells.] Check it out. These might be really good for marking your garden.

[ Fie also stops, before crouching down and picking up one of the shells. ]

... They're nice and flat.

[ Good job, Hiro!! ]

[A nod. He's very proud of himself and...his...shells.] Exactly. Less chances of them moving once you set them and they shouldn't get in the way of the seeds' growth. We could probably take back as many of these as you need.

That's perfect. We can probably each take two handfuls and that'll do it.

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zerotohiro - 2017-08-24 02:57 (UTC) - Expand

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