Logs:Need More Sun

Need More Sun
Dramatis Personae Isolde, Kieow, Marcus, Naomi
In Absentia	2020-09-24 "Look at us. Bunch of cute weird-ass looking mutants."
Location <XAV> Gardens - Xs Grounds
From indoor gardens to outdoor, though without the protective greenhouse glass the back gardens do not last all year round. Still, the gardens out here are well-tended and well-worth spending time in, as well. The paths wending through the beds of flowers and herbs and vegetables spread out through the school's back grounds, tended by students as a credit class. Benches offer seating and a small pond is home to koi and turtles, as well as a few frogs. At the far back edges of the garden, a droning buzzing marks a few stacked white boxes as beehives. As autumn starts to sink its teeth into the countryside, Kieow is spending as much time as she can outside, in the sun and warmth. It's still fairly important to the student body's most literal wallflower as her body is still doing a healing from her long bout with the pandemic overseas. The plant child is seated on the grass with her bare feet loosely covered in the dark nourishing dirt of one of the flowerbeds. Her skin is prickly like that of a sunflower, covered in dense hairs with no sharp edges. Her head is ringed in a halo of large yellow petals and covered in pebbly skin and a coating of smaller flowers. She's wearing jeans and a long sleeved shirt, at least one of the side seams of each of these articles of clothing split open to allow for large leaves that soak up the sunshine. Eyes closed, she looks up at the sun, breathing in deeply, a smile naturally tugging at the corners of her mouth. She would be there forever, still and happy, but an alarm goes off on her wrist. She silences it quickly, then starts digging in her bag for a protein shake and a straw. While Kieow is literally in a sense photosynthesizing, Isolde is sitting by the koi and various other aquatic animals pond, enjoying the sun in a different way. She notices Kieow, but is unsure if the girl wants to be interrupted. She seems busy with her shake, and Isolde doesn’t like to barge in. She knew that there were all kinds of mutants here, but a plant mutant was not something she admittedly expected. Then again, her whole skeleton was now metal, so... In any case, Isolde decides it is time for her to take charge for once, and makes her way over to Kieow. “I apologize if I am bothering you, but I saw you sitting here and figured you wouldn’t want to be by yourself. You probably could stand to be, but I know what it feels like to be alone when you do not wish to be. Anyhow... my name is Isolde. It is a pleasure to meet you.” She says, Polish-accented English making it somewhat difficult to understand—that or you mistake her for being Russian— but in any case, the introduction is done. Marcus is quiet as he moves through the gardens, eye-catching in his own way if less thematic out here than Kieow. Blue skin and eerie uncanny-valley proportions; his clothing, at least, is an incredibly prosaic jeans, sneakers, light track jacket combination. At first he's almost overlooked Kieow, half-blending in with the flora around them, but when she moves a smile lights his face and he starts to veer towards her. Checks himself, when Isolde arrives first, and now just hesitates awkwardly on the periphery, large square-pupiled eyes darting between the girls uncertainly. His hands join in front of him, long tapered fingers wringing together slowly. Naomi has once again given up on algebra homework for the day, the side of her hand still smudged with graphite and a few pink eraser shavings caught in her scales. She slams the binder with a solid thud and stuffs it into her bag, stretching as she peels herself off the bench. She's just got a Xavier's hoodie and jeans on today, and her black manicure is mostly chipped away. Her eyes light up as Marcus passes by, but where she is and where he's headed make a strange triangle where her wave goes unnoticed. Heaving the bag over her shoulder, she catches up to him. "Hey," she says, smiling. She follows his gaze - "You know Isolde? Polish girl? She's neat." A beat. "I dunno the plant person though." She gives a little wave in their direction. "Oh. Sorry," Kieow replies, eyes widening, irises full on dark brown with white streaks in them. Her voice is airy and rough, squeezed through her thin stalk like neck, not all together loud, lacking the lung capacity to put any power behind it. "Could you speak slow?" Her hands rise, moving in the ASL for 'slow' unconsciously. "English... not so good." When she finishes, she smiles as brightly as she can, shoulders straightening as she sits a little taller on the ground. "Isolde? Kieow." She looks around as more people start to gather. Joy dances in her expression as she waves Marcus and Naomi closer. Isolde almost wishes she knew how to sign to make this easier. She knew the sign for slow, and simple expressions like ‘I love you’, but those two signs were about all she had in her arsenal. Neither of which was applicable except for slow. So, Isolde signed it back. “Slow. Got it.” She puts more space between her words, speaking slower for Kieow’s benefit. “Unfortunately, I do not know more signs, or I would make this a lot easier for you. However... I will try to speak slower so that you may understand me. My accent also does not help that.” She spots Naomi, and wonders if the girl remembers how Isolde had scared her last time they met. She gives the girl a wave nonetheless. It can also be interpreted as a wave toward Marcus as well. Isolde is a girl with fiery red hair and green eyes—though sometimes she will wear contacts for different eye colors. Purely cosmetic. This is not one of those days. Isolde has fair skin and a decent build, not too muscular but not too skinny either, with the right amount of curves. She’s wearing a solid color black shirt, dark blue jeans and black logger-style boots, along with a similar jacket to the one she was wearing when her and Naomi first met—potentially the same one, with four pockets in front, two inside, and a zipper for ease of use. Marcus's expression lights as Naomi approaches. His head bobs -- maybe a hello, maybe just excitement, though as his eyes track back to Isolde this morphs into a quick shake of negation. "You know?" he asks, gesturing toward Isolde, and then, his voice dropping lower as his weight shifts, slight and embarrassed, "I do not understand. Her." His own English is stilted, heavily-accented as well though its Caribbean influence is a far cry from Isolde's eastern European one. He does come closer when beckoned, his smile easier as he makes a gesture -- hand moving in a halo around his head as he looks to the fringe of sunflower petals crowning Kieow. After this, not one but TWO thumbs up. "Yeah, met her the other day. Plays music." Naomi imitates the tangelharpa to the best of her ability, though it comes off more like a cello or possibly just a saw. Her expression gets quizzical as Marcus shifts, realization dawning slowly. "Oh, uh, she's ESL too, I think. Just takes a minute to get used to the accent." She smiles again, though this time with a hint of uncertainty, as she follows Marcus over. "Hey, Isolde," Naomi says when she's closer, hands stuffed in the pocket of the hoodie. She gives the plant girl a better look, copies Marcus in delivering a thumbs up. She points to herself - "Naomi." Keiow watches Isolde's mouth with rapt attention while she speaks, blinking only when absolutely necessary so she doesn't miss anything. "OH. I am just learn sign. So, not... lot of help." She continues speaking as if she is out of breath, turning her attention to the others when it appears safe she will not miss anything. Her smile renews when Marcus demonstrates why he's giving the thumbs up. Her right hand rises, making a check mark with her thumb and first finger, framing her chin, as she sticks out her (white, hairy) tongue while she winks. She bows her head immediately after, cheeks darkening in a blush (which is hard to tell with the current texture), before reiterating once more. "Thank you. Kieow. From Thailand." Thailand. Interesting. She debates speaking up on the topic, but does not want to have Kieow worry she is missing anything. “Naomi.” She says instead, nodding to the girl. “Pleasure to meet you again. And you, whose name I have not yet heard. A pleasure as well.” She says, addressing Marcus second. While there is a language barrier among all three—maybe even all four— of them, it doesn’t seem to be affecting things too much right now. Admittedly she does not know what to say to most of the conversation, as it has only just begun, but she tries. “What brings everyone out? Just enjoying the day?” Indeed it does take some time to get used to her accent, but once you understand it, it should be easier to converse with her. Marcus's eyes scrunch up in focus; he nods intently as Naomi speaks. "Get used," he agrees. Determined. The bounce of his gaze between the others is a little bit comically ping-pong esque as he tracks the conversation. At first all he offers is, "Marcus," tapping at his own chest; his smile returns when Kieow sticks out her tongue and he pokes his (just a bit longer than feels normal) out in return. "Not -- from Thailand." His arms cross over his chest, uncross again. "I like," he declares, a little more confidently, with a gesture between Naomi and Kieow. "More of us now. I like that." Though here he looks to Isolde, head ducking and his smile sheepish. "-- Sorry." Naomi can't help crack a grin. "From Georgia," she adds, nodding. "Kieow, Thailand, Isolde, Poland, Marcus, Not-Thailand." She nods her way around the circle. "Look at us. Bunch of cute weird-ass looking mutants." A glance at Isolde, and she amends. "Yours is stealth though, that's cool too." She rolls her eyes at Isolde's question, pulls out her math worksheet. "Algebra." The distaste in her voice is obvious and comical. "I still need more sun. Dirt. Not back to good yet." Kieow admits, gesturing to her feet. She wiggles her toes to show that there are roots attached to them, partially digging in the ground, sucking what they can from the earth. She nods along with Marcus and looks very much like she is giggling breathlessly at Naomi. "Yes. Also. I like. Was very empty when people... avoided me, back home." “I suppose companionship is not that bad. I know what it’s like to be avoided, Kieow. And I will tell you that with some exceptions—some people who do not fit what I am about to say— no one will avoid you here. The humans.. they do not understand us. They most likely never will. However, we must do our best to forgive them for that.” Isolde says, speaking as slowly as before so Kieow can take in every word, as well as Marcus, who may need the slower speech as well. Upon seeing Naomi pull out her algebra, Isolde gives a sympathetic look. She doesn’t understand algebra either. “You have nothing to apologize for, Marcus. You have done nothing wrong.” She reassures, giving him a rare smile. Quite a beautiful one too. Marcus's eyes widen slightly at Naomi's declaration. 'Cute', he mouths, silent, to himself, looking down at his own hands before he looks up at Naomi. Nods, decisive again. "Some exceptions," he agrees with a very small wince, but his smile isn't much dimmed. He stands up a little straighter at the mention of algebra before offering a hesitant confession. Almost guiltily: "I know the algebra." This is followed up, uncertain, by: "I do help. If you like." She glances at Marcus, a little bit of heat forming under her scales. Naomi looks away quickly, getting a good look at Kieow's roots. "Girl, we gotta get you a UV lamp or something." Pause. "Maybe a planter too." Her lips curl a little bit at Isolde's comment. "Humans." She rolls the word around her mouth. "I'on know 'bout forgiving them yet, but that's a neat idea." The algebra goes back in her bag. Her eyes shift back to Marcus, smiling softly. "I would like, I think. I know I can get it, I'm just...." she shrugs. "Behind." "I have that! Some. Just," Kieow starts to rise, pulling her feet one at a time out of the dirt and shaking it loose. "want to get back to food. It's so good. I miss food. I miss breathing." Here she tries to take a big lung full of air, but falters quickly, the capacity just not there. She then pauses, waiting for her insides to catch up with her movements, her head drooping on her neck. "Sorry. Thank you. for... words." She nods to Isolde. “You’re welcome. I cannot imagine what this is like for you. Do you live like this all the time?” She asks, curious moreso than anything else. She’s slightly jealous, but also not. She wouldn’t want to live that way, but not having to worry about more than sun and water seemed like a fair trade, if that was how she worked. She had never met anyone like Kieow before. It was interesting. Someone who worked like she did. “Like I told Marcus, you have nothing to apologize for.” "You can get. Teachers -- explain bad. Sometimes." Marcus's eyes light again. "Oh! Mr. Holland have -- many lamp." His brows pull back in as Kieow tries to breathe, and he lifts a hand, reaching out but stopping shy of actually reaching to her. Just dropping his hand back to his side with a frown. "Maybe," he suggests, "we bring game. Here. Outside. To your dirt." His thumb and forefinger mime holding something small; it's not entirely clear what the little hoppy motions he makes might be representing. Checkers? Chess? Who is to say. Naomi shrugs again, but she's still smiling as her bag goes back over her shoulder. She doesn't say anything for a moment, but her eyes flick over to Isolde when she asks, nods as if she also wants to know. "Food's great, ain't it," she agrees. Her eyes light up - "Great idea, Marcus-" and she pauses, squinting at his motions. Giving up, she asks another question. "Like, now? I can run back up an' grab somethin'." "You guys are sweet," the phrase rolls off Kieow's tongue quite easily, as if she's heard it a time or two before. "No. This is not normal. Sun and earth and water is not enough, but I was so sick... it helped Kieow stay alive. But not good. Had to come here. Brothers helped make me not sick, but insides are still... what is the word... {scarred}," she utters the word in Thai while searching for a way to pantomime it. "Old ouch?" Something like that anyway. "Now... always starving, but tiny tummy." She glances around the circle before shaking her head. "I want to go in. Play some No Man's Sky. You guys play?" “I do not. Though, I hear it was not... good game at launch. Joke intended.” She meant pun intended, but close enough. As for old ouch, she has no idea that Kieow is referring to ‘scarred’, but finds the confusion cute anyhow. Something about Kieow playing the game made sense. Exploration, beyond most people’s wildest dreams. Kieow was often rooted to one spot, but perhaps this gave her an outlet to feel a little more free. Who knew? Marcus frowns sympathetically at Kieow's explanation, but nods at the suggestion of the game. "Like now," he confirms, happily. There's an extra bounce in his step as he starts to lead the way back inside. "No idea that game. We go. Play." Naomi clicks her tongue in what could possibly be an expression of sympathy. “Fuck an old ouch,” she says at last, glancing at Isolde and Marcus as he begins to lead the way. With a smile, she holds her hand out to Kieow to help her up if she needs. “Fuck that old ouch. Let’s ply some video games.”