He takes things a little too literally sometimes.

[queens_science]

[The problem with this Bill is that he's curious. Very curious. You do not tell him things that make him curious because then he will kill himself doing stupid things for the sake of science thereafter, especially if he's pretty sure he's crazy anyway. For example, if you tell him that the island is sentient, he will try to psychoanalyze it.

Comments

[triplefinished]

... [...Okay. It's not exactly the strangest thing he's ever seen, not by a long shot, but it's still a little weird. Is there something hiding in the cave there? So we're just gonna stand here near you and watch you doing this until you notice him, since he's a little curious to know what exactly it is you're doing.]

[queens_science]

[Unfortunately, Bill is focused a little too much on the cave to notice you at first. Sorry!]

Hmm. It's not responding. What would a response look like, anyway? [Pause. Sigh.] Perhaps I didn't quite think this through enough. But... if one addresses someone directly, they would respond, right?

[He picks up a rock and tosses it into the hole.]

I know you're alive, and I want you to know that I mean you no harm. Could you give me a sign that you can hear me? [He pets the ground at this point, as if tapping on it would cause it to move or something.]

[triplefinished]

[...Alright, we'll bite.]

...What are you doing?

[queens_science]

[Ohgodwheredidyoucomefrom? Bill looks up at you in surprise, but his expression quickly dissolves into a friendly smile.] Oh! Hello! Forgive me; I wasn't expecting any visitors.

It's quite simple, actually. I'm attempting to test the extent of the island's sentience by talking to it.

[triplefinished]

...Oh. [Ah right, he's heard stories about the island apparently being a living being before, so that makes sense...sort of. :|a] ...I guess you haven't gotten an answer back yet?

[queens_science]

I'm afraid not yet. Honestly, I'm not certain what one would look like. I'd imagine, given what I know about the island at the moment, we could be seeing anything from the opening of a wormhole to subtle changes in the landscape. Have you seen anything unusual in the past hour?

[triplefinished]

[You mean besides watching someone actively trying to talk to the island?] ...No, not really.

[queens_science]

[Luckily, Bill isn't telling you about one of his other options: dressing up like a rock and attempting to be the island.] Ah! Good! Then I haven't missed anything!

Oh, perhaps you could enlighten me a bit. Do you know much about how the island operates? Have you seen anyone appear on it firsthand?

[triplefinished]

[I don't think anyone knows exactly how this weird island works...and come to think of it, he's never seen someone actually "appear" right onto the island, so you get a headshake. Sorry, he's just as clueless as you are.]

[queens_science]

[He looks a little disappointed, but he's not particularly surprised. It seems to him like this island works in strange and mysterious ways. After all, thinking back on it, he couldn't remember seeing a wormhole or anything unusual that might have pulled him to the island, and he's pretty sure no one else he's talked to so far has, either.]

Ah. I see. In that case, I should be experimenting here for quite some time. If you do see something unusual happening, please let me know.

[triplefinished]

Alright. [That's the least he could do, after all, so he'll be sure to say something to you if he spots something unusual.]