013 - [Action]

[lostinmyway]

[After breakfast, after Norma has broken the news of Stella going home, Grune walks outside to the little vegetable garden at the side of House 34. For the longest time, she simply stands in the middle of it, staring blankly, a packet of seeds in her hand

Comments

[puppet_paladin]

[Cecil is not one to interrupt busy people, but he happens to walk by the Memory Garden this afternoon. And it's been some time since he last saw Grune in person...]

Readying the garden for spring?

[lostinmyway]

[There's just a little pause before she reacts, and when she looks up, her smile isn't as full as usual.]

Yes, that's right. Some flowers need to go into the ground now, so they can sleep all winter and be ready to wake up in the spring.

[She carefully sets another bulb into the hole she's just finished digging.]

[puppet_paladin]

[Cecil is not the most emotionally aware person there is, but he has no trouble telling that something is upsetting her. Which is why he keeps his conversation on a subject he knows she enjoys.]

What sorts of seeds are they? Do they come from your world?

[lostinmyway]

[She holds out a bulb for him to take, if he wants.] They're golden crocuses. They're nice and pretty, and they're one of the first flowers of the spring.

[puppet_paladin]

[He manipulates it with all the gentleness in the world.]

They'll be a cheerful sight, if the winters are as cold as I've been told.

[lostinmyway]

Oh, the winters here are very nice. There's lots of snow to play in.

[puppet_paladin]

Good. All of the children here deserve that much.

[lostinmyway]

[And the amnesiacs.]

Is there a lot of snow where you come from, Cecil?

[puppet_paladin]

On the fields and in the mountains, yes. The town is too crowded for snow to survive very long.

[lostinmyway]

Oh, that's too bad. It's good you can play in the snow here, then.

[She gently pats dirt over the top of one of the holes she had made.]

[puppet_paladin]

Perhaps, if I have the time. I've no doubt the Malnosso will keep us all busy.

[He returns the bulb she lent him.]

[lostinmyway]

[She gently sets the bulb on the ground, then starts digging a hole for it.]

I hope you won't be too busy. It would be nice to do something together this winter.

[puppet_paladin]

Indeed. We should bring both of our families, too. I'm not even certain my uncle has ever seen snow before.

[lostinmyway]

Oh, my, hasn't he? Then I hope this winter has lots of snow for him.

[puppet_paladin]

That'd make your blossoms even more impressive once spring returns, too. Unless too much snow is bad for them?

[lostinmyway]

No, it's important to have snow. Otherwise, the flowers won't know it's time to go to sleep.