Depression Zoomies

[poaceae]

Who: Fern and YOU
What: Trying to make himself useful
When: February
Where: The New Greenhouse, other?
Warnings: will add as needed
PV told him not to waste the new body he got in exchange for his heart, and Fern is determined to make the most of it. At the same time, though, he doesn't have any real skills outside of adventuring, and since becoming Fern he doesn't seem to be very good at that, either. The only place in the Grove he's really familiar with is the greenhouse, but PV is there. He still feels like he's not really allowed in places where PV is.

But he heard there was a new greenhouse, and surely that's the perfect solution! He only ever sat and looked around in the first greenhouse, and despite being one himself he never really learned anything about plants or plant care, but it's the closest thing he has to an actual idea.

He doesn't really know what to do when he gets there. He waters the plants? He waters the plants.

Naturally, he can be found anywhere between there and the Inn.

Comments

[thebladebringstheflame]

[Flamebringer frequents both greenhouses, though moreso the clinic one since it has the important herbs in it. Today he's checking on the school one, and who does he see but Fern...

...]

Hey, careful. You don't want to over-water those.

[Local man could not give less of a fuck about the situations leading up to this, clearly.]

[poaceae]

[ He jumps a little, surprised to be both noticed and addressed. Then he turns and stares, because this, this is the guy who blew himself up. That was awesome.

Wait what did he say again? ]

...You can do that?

[outofsynth]

[Min-Gi knows a little about plant care, but nothing much beyond the basics. He's here mostly as part of his efforts to try and find his way around the Grove better rather than an interest in the greenhouse itself. Even as a first time visitor it's not exactly surprising to find he's not alone. It's nice in here.

Though since he's watering the plants maybe he works in here...]

You need a hand?

[poaceae]

[ Fern jumps, startled. He's not used to people actually choosing to talk to him. ]

Oh, what? I'm just watering.

[outofsynth]

[Min puts the jump down to him maybe entering too quietly. It doesn't even enter his mind that it has anything to do with talking to him at all.]

That's okay. It's quicker with two, right?

[poaceae]

Oh, yeah, that's true! Okay!

[ Well if Min-Gi wants to help, who is Fern to turn him away? Not anyone officially associated with the greenhouse, that's for sure. ]

I started over...

[ He looks to one corner of the greenhouse. Then he turns around to look at the opposite corner. Then another, until he's looked at all four. ]

Uh. I don't remember where I started.

[outofsynth]

[Look, his assumption is still that this guy is involved with its upkeep in some way. Why else would he be in here watering? That said, it is a little odd that he didn't keep track of where he started. Min-Gi blinks, looking puzzled. But it's okay. That shouldn't be too hard to figure out.

He picks the corner he came in at, turning so he can tentatively poke the soil around one of the plants.]

Well, that's dry...

[But that doesn't necessarily make it the best corner to start in. Really they need to find the wet corner first so they don't accidentally miss out a whole section.]

[poaceae]

[ He has a lot on his mind, okay? And the plants all look the same. He was going in a direction, but now he's not moving, so he's not sure what direction he was going a second ago. ]

That's probably right, then!

[ He's about to water the next plant in that direction, but stops. Wait. Didn't Flamebringer say you could water plants too much? If he does the wrong one, will it die?

He frowns, trying harder to remember, but the harder he tries the less sure he is. Stupid. How do you mess up watering plants? Why can't he ever do anything right?

He sighs and sets the watering can down. ]

I guess we should ask Flamebringer what to do.

[outofsynth]

[Min's distracted from working out just where Fern had started by the mention of one specific name. He hasn't technically met him, but he has been mentioned. And Min's been warned that he might not have liked some of the things he'd said in the notebooks.]

I don't think we need to ask Flamebringer.

[Although. Wait. There's something else that's weird about that.]

Don't you know?

[poaceae]

[ Fern blinks at him, confused. ]

How would I know? I don't know stuff about plants.

[outofsynth]

Oh. So this isn't, like, your job?

[poaceae]

No? I'm... just trying to be useful.

[ He tells himself that the plants need him, so he has to get out of bed. Otherwise, he just... wouldn't. ]

When your cat decides you're done with that tag now.....

[outofsynth]

[Should he be doing this then...? Min isn't sure. He hasn't been here long enough to know whether this is open for everybody to use as they want or more carefully managed by someone.

He's tempted to try and deter him from carrying on, but he sounds like he really needs this. And it's just watering them. How much harm can that do?]

Okay. Well, wetting the soil should do for now. It's just like if there's been light rain.

[He assumes anyway.]

clearly it was Cat Time

[poaceae]

Just like, a little bit of water? [ He looks hopefully at Min. ] Yeah... yeah, that should work! That won't hurt anything, right?

It should always be Cat Time

[outofsynth]

Of course not.

[It's just water. They'll be fine. Min tries the next corner of the green house, but that also seems dry. It's fine. He'll find the right corner soon.]

I'm Min-Gi, by the way.

facts

[poaceae]

[ He's cautiously cheered up, and picks up the watering can again. He pokes at the soil of the next plant before giving it just a teeny tiny bit of water. ]

Oh, I'm... Fern.

[ He hopes Min hasn't heard about him yet. ]

[outofsynth]

[Min has not, so at worst looks vaguely confused by the pause. Honestly he's a little relieved that his name doesn't seem to have been recognized himself after accidentally insulting a significant part of the population in the notebooks.

Now they can both feel comfortably anonymous. And even better, he's finally found the corner Fern started in! Min-Gi heads over to where the watering equipment seems to be so he can fill up a can, pointing to what seems to be just before the corner Fern started in.]

How about I start from there and go in the opposite direction to you? We can water the ones in the middle after if there's still time.

[Funny how much bossier he is now he knows Fern doesn't have any greenhouse authority.]

[poaceae]

[ They are both absolutely ridiculous. Fortunately Fern doesn't mind being bossed around from time to time as long as it's not by Finn. He's smiling again, and dripping water onto plants comically slowly. ]

Yeah! We'll be done in no time. Thanks man.

[thebladebringstheflame]

Yeah, you sure can. Just like you and me, they can drown.

[Fun plant facts!

Overwatering is just as bad as underwatering, and how much water they should get depends on the species.

[poaceae]

Oh...

[ Could he have drowned when he was grass? He didn't think he could. Weird. ]

Sorry. I was just looking for something I could do to help.

[outofsynth]

That's okay.

[It's actually kind of nice to have something to do, and with something as simple as watering he doesn't have to think too hard about it.]

Hopefully the sun will come back soon. I bet they'll be a lot better off when they can get some daylight.

[poaceae]

[ He looks up at the sky visible through the glass ceiling. ]

Yeah, sun is nice. At least it's not so cold anymore! Plants freezing hurts.

[ He shudders at the memory. He's lucky he got un-cursed before the sun disappeared. ]

[outofsynth]

[Min gives him a bit of a funny look at that, momentarily distracted from his watering.]

It's not good for them, but I don't think they can feel it.

[poaceae]

Maybe they can't, but I sure could.

[ He grimaces. ]

I may not be as strong anymore, but having a human bod again is way better.

[outofsynth]

[Oh. No. Why does it feel like he can't stop putting his foot in his mouth lately? He's not sure whether Fern means he used to be a plant person or a straight up plant, but maybe it's safer not to quiz him on that now. The last thing he wants is to accidentally offend anyone again.

Or maybe offend more since it's possible he's already upset Fern by being dismissive of plant feelings.]

That sounds... I don't think that's something I'd ever want to experience. I hope it didn't take you long to get your human body back.

[Being sympathetic is sort of like apologizing, right?]