kollo_rpg | Day 3 - A Farmer's Life

morning

[ If her friends back home could see her now, North is pretty sure they would be laughing. Well, they would be laughing but also proud of her for going with this strange new experience and that's good enough for her.

She is standing by the farmhouse, decked out in sensible rough trousers and a tank top, and heavy boots Einar had provided for her. There is a look of determination on her face as she surveys the potato field she will be working on today.

It's picking potatoes. It can't be that hard, though she has certainly not been built as a farming android and has no programming to give her innate knowledge what to do. As such, North will be listening attentively as Einar explains the work and takes them to the field for a demonstration. ]

Never thought I'd find myself working on a farm...

noon

[ It's lunch break for the field workers and now it's more obvious than before that North is no human. While the others are eating, she is just standing a little aside from the group, no sweat on her forehead from the hours of physical labor and no exhaustion showing on her face.

She looks content though, and even willing to join the group, albeit more to listen than to speak. ]

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[ Meanwhile, Haein has no idea what he's doing here. He'd kind of just... gotten swept up in the group as he was walking along, and now he's standing there with the most lost look on his face as his brain tries to play catch up. Something something about farms, something something potatoes?

Picking potatoes?

Okay, he never signed up for this. If he could bolt out of there, he would. But Haein's all for going unnoticed and so he's not about to become known as that one guy who ran away from the potato field.

His attention is drawn to the woman speaking beside him, and he can't help but ask, ]

How long is this supposed to go on for?

I... [ Her footsteps stall as she tries to find the answer to his question but no, she has nothing. Even a supercomputer brain doesn't help when you just don't know the first thing about potato picking. ] I don't have sufficient data to calculate that. [ Another hesitation before she adds ] But as I understood it's only for today.

[ She starts walking again, her steps firmer, more determined. She may not know what she's doing any more than her equally doubtful-looking companion but she can be determined, at the very least. ]

It's something useful to do. Better than sitting around at the beach all day and brooding.

[ "Sufficient data to calculate"? That's not the kind of reply he had been expecting. He doesn't hide the perplexed look on his face as he stares at her for a moment, before turning away to start walking as well to match her pace. ]

It's potato picking, [ he grumbles, the complaining tone obvious in his voice. ] It's labor we're not getting paid for.

[ Haein's unfortunate mind likes to go for the pessimistic approach. A fun outdoor activity? No. Only dragging his feet. ]

[ Noticing the scrutiny, she gives him a sharp look but since he's not making anything of it, neither is North.

She gives a snort at his complaint, though, and crosses her arms over her chest. ]

It's something to keep us busy. And it's to harvest the food which the people here are eating.

[ Not "we" are eating. So yeah, this is really more useful to some than to others but still... ]

Would you rather be doing... what? Counting trees?

[ He would honest to God count trees over picking potatoes purely out of spite. For who? No one knows.

But if it was real, he'd volunteer to get out of this job. And then never show up at the other one. ]

The people here are always eating.

[ They'd just had a feast and now they were going to have another one?? ]

Counting trees would at least be different.

[ That earns him another amused snort from North. ]

I'm sure counting trees would get boring very quickly. Not that picking potatoes is all that exciting... but it's not something I have ever done before. It's a new experience. [ Her face softens a little. ] Just like everything here. I've never been anywhere rural before at all.

[ Chasing after new experiences was never on on Haein's agenda considering they normally chased after him. He can't meet them with an open mind after all these years, though he's fairly quick to adapt to them.

He listens quietly when she speaks, figuring this was at least better than the physical activity that was yet to come. ]

It gets dull after a while. [ Memories of his mother dragging him to her old hometown when he was a small child surface. ] So I guess enjoy it while you can.

[ She's spent a large part of the life that hasn't been memory wiped hiding inside a rusting freighter. Right now, North can't imagine how the freedom to move without fear and restrictions can get dull, but she's willing to believe she will grow restless without a purpose. ]

I'll just have to keep it from growing dull then. Counting trees being boring aside, I do plan to go hiking. Maybe I'll learn more about farms.

[ She looks around, a little dubiously. ]

Maybe.

[ He tries hard not to scoff at that, but in actuality, he doesn't try very hard at all. So here he is, scoffing. ]

You do that. You'll never have to buy potatoes again, at least.

[ He looks around as well, but for a different reason. ]

I'm getting out here the first chance I get.

[ Everyone will be too focused on their tasks to take notice of him, right?? Right. ]

[ Would you believe her that she has never bought potatoes, not once in her life? Before she can allude to that, Haein's announcement distracts her completely from potato thoughts. ]

What? [ Her voice has sharpened even as she leans in closer to whisper with him. ] You mean, getting out of the farm work? Or away from the island?

[ It's the first she has heard of someone not being somewhere or doing something out of her own free will, and well, she can't help. Instant paranoia. ]

[ He's a bit taken aback by her leaning in closer, and he's left staring for a moment before he answers. ]

Out of the farm work.

[ He says it like it should have been obvious, though he's still mystified by her reaction and why her voice dropped down to a whisper like they're conspiring or something. ]

I'm on this island for a reason. Aren't you?

[ That's the picture he's gotten from speaking to like... three people. ]

[ She relaxes in sudden, stark relief - visibly so, even. ]

Yes. Yes, I'm here of my free will. Hoping for new experiences. To... learn things about myself.

[ Of a sort. More like, learn to handle her distrust better. Which... didn't work so well right now. Whoops. ]

The farm work is voluntary, though, if I've understood it right. You could just say you're leaving.

[ He takes note of her visible relief, a small part of him curious about the reaction despite his usual disinterest in others.

There's no chance to ponder on it when she speaks up about just leaving. His expression twists into one of displeasure, and he shakes his head. ]

I don't like drawing attention to myself.

[ So sneaking out is clearly the only option. ]

So?

[ Well, alright, even if she's blase about it, she can kind of understand not wishing to draw attention. To some extent. She purses her lips, looking around, before turning back to him with a look of determination. ]

In that case... Do you need a distraction?

[ Whoa. That look of determination is going to be matched with a look of suspicion. ]

You want to help me?

[ He sounds genuinely confused. People generally don't go out of their way to do anything for him. ]

[ And the suspicion, in turn, earns him an irritated look. Not quite a glare, but definitely on the scale of a frown. ]

Yeah. I did offer, didn't I? If you want to get out of here that's your choice, and I have nothing better to do right now than help you.

[ Or maybe she's sympathetic to being uncomfortable with too much attention but that explanation is easier. ]

[ That's nice, both of them have a host of issues.

But Haein thinks about the offer for a few seconds, deliberating whether or not it's worth it, and then comes to the conclusions that yes, he wants to get the hell out of this. ]

I'll take you up on that offer, then.

Day 3 - A Farmer's Life

morning

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