Project Eden (1x1: Burning Rose and Artesian)

[Artesian]

PERSONAL LOG NOTE, 10/29/2751

"YES, I'M HU-" I STARTED ANSWERING, BUT HER CURIOSITY SEEMED TO HAVE OVERRULED HER DESIRE FOR AN ANSWER, SO I LISTENED TO HER NEXT QUESTION WITH A BEMUSED EXPRESSION ON MY FACE. SAME WITH THE NEXT ACTUALLY, AS SHE WAS HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE IDEA THAT TO HAVE A QUESTION ANSWERED, YOU CAN'T ACTIVELY BE ASKING A QUESTION.

WHILE I WAITED FOR HER, I TOOK A SIP OF MY KALEIDOSCOPE DRINK. THE FLAVOUR TABLET AT THE BASE GLOWED BRIEFLY, AND I SWIRLED IT AROUND IN THE DRINK, WATCHING THE SMALL RELEASE OF A NEON-PINK TINTED LIQUID FROM THE TABLET DIFFUSE THROUGH THE REST OF THE LIQUID. I COULDN'T QUITE TELL WHAT FLAVOUR IT WAS, BUT I TOOK A SIP ANYWAY. UGH, WATERMELON, REALLY? WHY WOULD ANYONE DRINK SOMETHING SO BLATANTLY CHEMICALLY? I COUGHED AND PUT THE DRINK DOWN, KEEPING AN EYE ON IT FOR THE NEXT CHANGE IN COLOUR THAT WOULD SIGNAL A NEW FLAVOUR.

THE COMMUNICATOR FLASHED, THE INDICATOR LIGHT GLOWING AS SHE SPOKE, GIVING ME THE GO-AHEAD. "WELL, HOW TO START... I'M A HUMAN, YES. MOSTLY, ANYWAY." NO NEED TO EXPLAIN ABOUT THE SMALL GENETIC TWEAKS THAT HAD BEEN DONE TO MY ANCESTORS, ABOUT HOW MY VISION WAS NATURALLY AND PERMANENTLY 20/20 OR ABOUT MY INABILITY TO CATCH FLU. I SAID, A BIT FOOLISHLY, "SPIRIT IS A JOB DESCRIPTION, ACTUALLY. I WONDER IF I CAN PUT THAT ON MY RESUME: FOREST SPIRIT."

RAMBLING, I SUPPOSE. HEY, BUT GIVE ME SOME CREDIT, THIS WAS A PRETTY STRANGE CONVERSATION.

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(STIMULANT, RELAXANT, FUN AND GAMES, AND FOR KIDS!)
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(the snozzberries taste like snozzberries, of course!)
THE PARTY DRINK OF CHOICE

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Okay, that was silly. 8D

[rose;]

[ silly is the best xD ]

Kaleena frowned as he spoke, because every question he answered gave her five more to ask, and he hadn't even touched on those about stars. She was quiet even after he had finished talking, reaching out to take a small stone and throw it into the water. She'd never learned how to be able to skip them, but just tossing them into the water would suffice. "I don't understand," she said, the frustration clear in her tone. She didn't think she was going to be understanding anytime soon either, not without a lot of explaining that was going to take quite a long time. IT was just a feeling, but she knew it deep down.

"Peter, why are you even talking to me?" the girl asked abruptly. "You said you were at a... a celebration, so why are you sitting there and talking to me, if you have others to talk to." She was more or less putting aside the other, more confusing topics for now. She wasn't done with them, but she was just putting them aside. Now she just wondered why he would be choosing to talk to her.

[Artesian]

PERSONAL LOG NOTE, 10/29/2751

"IT'S OKAY." I TOLD HER, FEELING A BIT DISAPPOINTED. IT WAS A LOT FOR HER TO TAKE IN, I KNEW, BUT I DIDN'T LIKE HEARING HER FRUSTRATED. SHE'D GET IT. THIS WAS JUST... I STARTED THINKING ABOUT HOW TO EXPLAIN WHAT I MEANT, BUT SHE SPOKE AGAIN, SO I SWISHED THE LIQUID IN MY CUP AROUND AND LISTENED.

WELL, THAT WAS AN AWKWARD QUESTION. I FELT LIKE SIGHING, BUT DIDN'T, INSTEAD MAKING A NON-COMMITTAL HUMMING SOUND. I DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT. MOST PEOPLE I JUST... WELL, I JUST DIDN'T LIKE THEM. THEY WERE SO WRAPPED UP IN ARTIFICIAL THINGS. TAKE THIS PARTY, FOR EXAMPLE. WE WERE WATCHING THE SLOW PROCESS OF A PLANET BECOME A HOME, YEARS AND YEARS AWAY. THERE WERE MOUNTAINS BEING BUILT, CAVERNS BEING CARVED, AND VAST PLUMES OF OXYGEN FILLING THE SKIES. IT WAS TRULY AWE-INSPIRING, IF YOU THOUGHT ABOUT IT. THAT'S WHERE THINGS WERE HAPPENING, WHERE PEOPLE WEREN'T JUST EXISTING. UNFORTUNATELY, IT WAS TOO FAR AWAY FOR SOMEONE LIKE ME TO TRAVEL TO. THE ASTRONOMICAL DISTANCES MEANT THAT, BY THE TIME I'D HAVE GOTTEN THERE, I'D BE DEAD AND BURIED FOR OVER A CENTURY. ONLY ROBOTS COULD MAKE IT ACROSS THE STARS, OR CAREFULLY PRESERVED HUMAN EMBRYOS. EVERYONE HUMAN ON THOSE PLANETS WOULD BE NATIVES, NO FOREIGNERS ALLOWED.

"I..." I BEGAN, AND STOPPED. "IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T LIKE CELEBRATING, BUT I LIKE CELEBRATING WHEN THERE'S SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE, NOT FOR THE SAKE OF CELEBRATING," I EXPLAINED. "I'M NOT A VERY SOCIAL PERSON," I ADMITTED. "YOU ARE MUCH MORE ENJOYABLE TO TALK WITH. YOU LOOK AT THE WORLD DIFFERENTLY, AND NOT JUST BECAUSE OF WHERE YOU ARE FROM, BUT BECAUSE OF WHO YOU ARE."

THAT WAS A BIT MORE THAN I'D MEANT TO SAY, BUT IT WAS THE TRUTH. "MOST OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE STOPPED THINKING ABOUT THINGS, AND INSTEAD THEY JUST... LIVE. WITHOUT REALLY STOPPING TO THINK." MY WORDS PETERED OUT. "IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?"

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((Sorry for the delay, I wasn't quite sure how to go about answering that question. He's so closed off, he wouldn't just say, "I don't like these people, they are boring. Being social is boring. Partying is boring too. You, on the other hand, are interesting." xD))

[rose;]

Kaleena felt almost like she was disappointing Peter in not understanding- there was something in his that she thought she detected, but couldn't be sure of. She reached down to pick up another rock, watching as it arched through the air, sending ripples through the still water when it landed with a soft plunk. She stretched out her toes to dip in the water, just the tip of her toes breaking the surface. She tossed another rock, listening to him as he spoke. IT made sense when he said it, but the more she thought about it, the more it made her think, made her confused.

"Yes, I suppose it does," she said, nodding, even though she was unable to be seen. She pondered it for a few moments, silent as she did. "They do not worry, they tell me that I worry too much," she added in explanation, still trying to make complete sense of it. "When there were no deer, they did not worry, but I worry. When the temperature drops, lower than it normally is, they do now worry. It worries me though. There has always been deer, but when they went hunting, they came back with none. They said they found no trace of them. There has always been deer though...And yet they do not worry."

She wasn't sure that was exactly what he had meant by 'they do not think anymore', but this was something that she had been thinking of since they had returned. Why did no one think it was a big deal? There was no food! Perhaps Peter would know something about it though, being the forest spirit he was.

[Artesian]

((Your post is just perfect, Rosie. :3 They're getting a real connection... and we can get sorta back on topic. <-<))

PERSONAL LOG NOTE, 10/29/2751
I FOUND MYSELF RELAXING AND SMILING AS SHE TALKED. I WASN'T SURE WHY, BUT HER VOICE SOOTHED ME. I FOUND MY EYES DRIFTING BACK TO THE STARS AND AWAY FROM THE PARTY, AND JUST... EVERYTHING FELT MORE MANAGEABLE AND A LITTLE LESS OVERWHELMING. HER WORLD WAS SMALLER AND EVEN MORE PRECARIOUSLY BALANCED THAN MINE, BUT SHE LIVED AND BREATHED AND THOUGHT FREELY EVEN IN AN ARTIFICIAL BUBBLE. MY BUBBLE, NO LESS ARTIFICIAL THAN HERS, BUT PERHAPS MORE OBVIOUS TO THE EYE, SHOULD HAVE LESS EFFECT THAN HERS DID. I PULLED OPEN THE TOP OF DRINK CONTAINER AND REMOVED THE TABLET, WATCHING AS THE VIBRANT COLOURATION FADED TO A CLEAR CRYSTAL AGAIN.

THEN SHE CONTINUED, TELLING ME OF HER WORRIES. THE DEER VANISHING, THE TEMPERATURE DROPPING, THE LACK OF FOOD THEY WERE HUNTING... THAT SHOULDN'T BE. "HOW FAR AFIELD DID THEY HUNT?" I ASKED, KEEPING THE NERVOUSNESS OUT OF MY VOICE. "WE REGULATE THE NUMBER OF DEER VERY STRICTLY, TO PREVENT OVERPOPULATION, OR..." I STOPPED AND REPHRASED MY WORDS. "THERE SHOULD BE JUST ENOUGH DEER FOR ALL OF YOU. THAT'S NOT RIGHT."

AND THE TEMPERATURE... THAT WAS NO NEWS TO ME. CONSISTENTLY, THE TEMPERATURE INSIDE THE VALLEY HAD BEEN ON THE LOWER EDGE OF THE ACCEPTABLE THERMAL ZONE. THE CLIMATE DEPARTMENT CLAIMED IT WAS SIMPLY NATURAL VARIANCE AND WELL WITHIN A NORMAL SPREAD, BUT I DIDN'T BELIEVE THEM THEN, AND I CERTAINLY DIDN'T BELIEVE THEM NOW. ANY MORE 'NATURAL VARIANCE' AND THE CAREFULLY TENDED GENETICALLY ALTERED PLANTS THAT PROVIDED MUCH OF THE FOOD FOR THE NATIVES WOULD BE DYING BACK. SEVERELY.

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[rose;]

[aw, thanks x3 Its funny to refer to him as a forest spirit. xD ]

Kaleena dropped another rock into the water in agitation, this one clattered on the rocks beneath the one she sat one, and she watched as it rolled to a stop within reachable distance of his foot. She didn't move for it though, content to leave it right where it was. "I do not know," she said with a small sigh. "They did not let me go along this time." How sullen and disappointed she was that she had not been allowed to go along was evident in her tone too, and it wasn't as if she tried to hide it. She had wanted to go along, but no, she'd been told that she couldn't. They didn't ever mind her going out to hunt for small things- rabbits, squirrels- but the moment she wanted to go on a big hunt, it was a big deal.

"They usually travel a quarter of a day to a half a day away from the camp, to the west or south," she told Peter though, recalling that from the few she had been let on. "They hunt for a half a day to a day, and come home with their catch, never more than we need." This she was sure Peter knew- the tribe had never taken more than they needed, and they made use of everything. "They did not come back when they were supposed to this time, and they came back with nothing, saying they had searched farther than normal, and found no signs at all of any deer. I do not think they looked hard enough." This last bit was said in a grumble, and she shook her head, taking another rock and tossing it into the water, this time a bit more angrily. Soon, she was going to be out of rocks.

[Artesian]

((Hey Rosie! Sorry, but due to school and work commitments, I have to have a three month break from CS (Until mid-May). So I've got to drop this roleplay.

I am so so sorry; I love this roleplay and do not want to quit. >< Maybe when I come back we could continue, but I don't know. Thanks for being such a faithful partner for this roleplay, I've really enjoyed reading your posts and coming up with something interesting to post back.

Again, my apologies, and hope to see you again someday on CS.))

[rose;]

Oh goodness arty that's too long ;-; but I wish you luck of course, and hope its not because of something horrible!

I'll definitely still be here when you come back, and I've definitely enjoyed it so far, so there's no doubt I'll be up for picking it back up again once you come back ^^

[Artesian]

I know it's practically forever. It's not too horrible, just a big crunch in studying.

Wonderful! I'll be looking forward to it. :3

[Artesian]

PERSONAL LOG NOTE, 10/29/2751

PETER LISTENED ATTENTIVELY. ANYONE GLANCING INTO THIS CORNER OF THE ROOM WOULD HAVE BEEN STRUCK BY THE FOCUS HE WAS SHOWING - IT WAS IF HIS WORLD HAD SHRUNK TO CONTAIN JUST HIS CHAIR AND HIM. A CASUAL OBSERVER WOULDN'T REALIZE THAT THE VACANT LOOK ON HIS FACE REALLY MEANT THAT HIS WORLD HAD EXPANDED TO CONTAIN JUST HIM AND THE ENTIRE VALLEY OF EDEN. STILL, THE REST OF HIS IMMEDIATE SURROUNDINGS WERE NOT PART OF HIS WORLD.

THAT WAS, UNTIL THE MUSIC BLASTED INTO HIS THOUGHTS WITH THE FORCE OF A SLEDGEHAMMER. HE PLUGGED HIS EARS, SURE THAT THE SOUNDS MUST BE RATTLING HIS BRAIN LOOSE IN HIS CRANIUM. HE SUPPOSED THAT KALEENA COULD HEAR THE POUNDING RHYTHM OVER THE MIC. "HOLD ON," HE SAID INTO HIS WRIST, HIS MOUTH UP CLOSE TO THE COMPUTER'S PICKUP. "THEY TURNED UP THE MUSIC, SO I CAN'T HEAR YOU."

HE STOOD UP, PUT HIS HANDS OVER HIS EARS AND MADE HIS WAY OVER TOWARDS THE BALCONY. HE EDGED HIS WAY PAST A FEW PARTY-GOERS: TWO A.I'S AND A HUMAN GIRL, WHO SMILED AT HIM. AN INVOLUNTARY SMILE FLICKED ONTO AND OFF OF HIS FACE AS HE NODDED TO HER STIFFLY. HE RETREATED TO A QUIET CORNER UNDERNEATH THE AWNING. THE RAIN WAS SPRINKLING DOWN OVER THE CITY, MULTIPLYING THE PLETHORA OF BRILLIANT LIGHTS THAT GILDED THE CITY LIKE SHEETS OF GLEAMING METAL. THE ROAR OF THE MUSIC FADED AS THE GLASS DOOR CLOSED BEHIND HIM, WITH THE LAST ECHO OF A LAUGH CUT OFF ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE GAIETY ON THE OTHER SIDE.

HE PULLED UP A MAP OF EDEN ON HIS WRIST DISPLAY. "TO THE WEST OR SOUTH?" HE SIGHED. "THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DEER THERE. THEY WERE RELEASED RECENTLY... WERE THERE ANY SIGNS OF PREDATORS IN THE AREA?" HE ASKED, BUT BEFORE SHE COULD RESPOND, HE REALIZED THAT IT WAS A FOOLISH QUESTION. "NO, WAIT, YOU WEREN'T ALLOWED TO GO... WHY NOT?"

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Heya Rosie! Indeed, this is not dead. ^-^