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[redwinekindofgirl]

So, uh, hey everyone. Julie here. [Wave!]

It looks like, um... Serah's gone, if you knew her, so that's something. But-- [She takes a breath, seemingly steeling herself against the news she just gave out. Serah was - is - her friend, and she'll miss her.]

But before she went, we were talking to Tranquility about planting some trees outside his temple. Looks like that's not the only place that could use it though, right? [The smile that comes to her face is small and crooked, a little awkward. She hadn't been to the other islands in a while, but when she did... People have been busy.]

I did some farming back home, but I don't think I can plant a whole forest by myself. Soooo... anyone want to start a project? Bet there's people here who can make seeds sprout by magic, right?

Comments

Voice

[redwinekindofgirl]

Mm, kinda is... [She hadn't really been thinking about the orchard, but now that he mentions it...

But that's something else. A bigger project. Something that would take time and thought. She can try to take it on. Maybe it's just what she needs to shake her out of the funk she's been in since she got back.]

Thanks for offering, we're going to need a lot of hands for this.

Voice

[theweakhavepurpose]

Do you think you'll be able to find someone to make them grow faster? Trees take a long time to germinate if we're planting seeds.

[Granted his only experience is planting pinecones and turning them into saplings. But that takes years to even get anything resembling a shrub.]

[redwinekindofgirl]

Don't know. A few people have said they can do something; some people with magic and a couple of the elves.

[God, real elves. It still blows her mind.]

I think we'll be okay, even without Tranquility's help.

[theweakhavepurpose]

Elves? You know what, nevermind, don't explain that one to me.

[ He snorts. ] The less we rely on them the better.

[redwinekindofgirl]

I'm not gonna turn away his help if I don't mind the price of it. That's my choice to make.

[Her jaw line sets quite firmly as she says that, then she shrugs.]

I don't know what's hard to understand about elves. They're just elves. There's nothing to explain.

[theweakhavepurpose]

Free will huh?

[ He hesitates, his voice a little confused. ]

All of it? The fact there's elves? That's not a normal thing to hear.

[redwinekindofgirl]

Sure, call it that.

[Shrug. She does grin just a little at his confusion, though.]

You get used to all kinds of things when you're stuck here. You ever read any books?

[theweakhavepurpose]

I've read books.

[In school. When he was forced to.]

So wait. You're saying there's people here who aren't people?

[redwinekindofgirl]

Y... eah? Haven't you noticed? I mean, they're all people, but not human people.

[She makes a face at him, giving the clear impression she thinks he must have been walking around with his eyes closed.]

[theweakhavepurpose]

No? I've met like three people.

[He just doesn't come out of his house. Ever.]

I've only been here [He pauses as he counts the hashmarks on his wall.] Thirty-seven days.

[redwinekindofgirl]

So... [Give her a second.] Five weeks. And you've met three whole people.

[She purses her lips for a moment.]

What the hell are you doing all day?

[theweakhavepurpose]

[Three was kind of an exaggeration, he's met like fourteen people, but still, considering how long he's been here and how many people exist, it's pretty pathetic.]

Stockpiling.

[Because that is totally a normal thing for people to do.]

In case things go to shit. Gotta have a fortified prepper stash.

[redwinekindofgirl]

You know stockpiling doesn't always work here, right? [She can't say anything, she has her own little stash thanks to her own experiences, but the truth has to be said.]

Sometimes our best resource is the people we're stuck here with.

[theweakhavepurpose]

It'll work 'til it doesn't. I'm going to be prepared for as many things as I can be.

I'm not going to apathetically do nothing and wait for whatever this hellhole throws at me.

[redwinekindofgirl]

Pft, well, yeah. You'd be a dumbass for thinking you should.

[And people do, which is the scary thing.]

But you know you just kinda contradicted yourself, right? If you wanna be prepared for as many things as you can, maybe you should actually have some people you can count on in a pinch.

[theweakhavepurpose]

People will betray you.

[redwinekindofgirl]

[Wow, buddy, what happened to you.]

... Yeah, sometimes. But it can be worth the risk, for the ones who won't.

[theweakhavepurpose]

[He doesn't wanna talk about it.]

You think so?

None of the risks I've taken have worked out real well so far.

[redwinekindofgirl]

Yeah, I think so. I've met enough shitty people. Enough to know putting faith in humanity's mostly a crapshoot.

[She doesn't really look old enough to have that opinion, but she has some Stories.]

But only having yourself to count on? That gets... I dunno. It gets lonely.

[theweakhavepurpose]

Better to be lonely and alive, then surrounded by people and dead.

[ But he hesitates, back home he's currently dying alone, so it's not like he's an expert on this or anything. ]

Maybe you'll get everyone working together on a new orchard and prove me wrong.

[redwinekindofgirl]

Doesn't have to be just one or the other.

[It's a middle ground, and while Julie isn't exactly the little ray of sunshine that a lot of people mistake her for, she has to keep a positive head on about some things.]

You gonna help with it, too?

[theweakhavepurpose]

Yeah. I miss the orchard already. Let me know what you need, and I can lend a hand.