Dustin Silver (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
quark_assassin) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
revivalproject2022-11-15 08:52 pm
quark_assassin) wrote in revivalproject2022-11-15 08:52 pm
Into the Depths | Closed
WHO: Dustin, Tony, some mushrooms
WHERE: Temba Mines
WHAT: Dustin and Tony do some Funfrond-spotting and subterranean map updates
WHEN: Late November, post-event
WARNINGS: Foul language as always
Honestly, Dustin had finished this project for the Funfronds at the beginning of the month. All it took was a few more replicated biochemistry tools (before the replicator was taken and subsequently ruined by the Agrii) before he had a whole culture of spores growing, identical to the original sample gathered nearly three months ago. Dustin can no longer claim to be low on supplies for such undertakings in future; half his shop might as well be a bioengineering lab at this point.
What's kept him from distributing is second verification. And what's kept him from getting that second verification is...distraction. Pedantry. He doesn't like that there's a sheer pit in the center of town that the Funfronds tend to gather around, and he wants to be able to get out of it if he ever falls in. A couple of near-misses during last month's storm might be inspiring this impromptu project, but either way, it's set back his schedule by nearly a week and he only slightly regrets it.
For several hours every day, Dustin arrives at the cavern like clockwork, sets out a bundle of climbing gear, rappels himself down the hole and installs metal footholds as he goes. He stops for breaks, obviously - the noodle-armed boy doesn't have the stamina for this kind of sustained labor - when he runs out rope, and when he runs out of footholds. It is a long and tiring process.
But, finally, he's nearing the end. It's dawn, and Dustin is approaching the mine with more than just construction and climbing gear; now he has a backpack of non-perishable food, some towels and a blanket, basic first-aid supplies, a flashlight and batteries, a lightweight pick and shovel, among other things weighing him down. A section of Funfrond spore culture is carefully tucked away in a padded side pocket. The whole ensemble is half as big as he is, and it's all necessary.
Today, Dustin plans to reach the bottom of the pit and stay there.
WHERE: Temba Mines
WHAT: Dustin and Tony do some Funfrond-spotting and subterranean map updates
WHEN: Late November, post-event
WARNINGS: Foul language as always
Honestly, Dustin had finished this project for the Funfronds at the beginning of the month. All it took was a few more replicated biochemistry tools (before the replicator was taken and subsequently ruined by the Agrii) before he had a whole culture of spores growing, identical to the original sample gathered nearly three months ago. Dustin can no longer claim to be low on supplies for such undertakings in future; half his shop might as well be a bioengineering lab at this point.
What's kept him from distributing is second verification. And what's kept him from getting that second verification is...distraction. Pedantry. He doesn't like that there's a sheer pit in the center of town that the Funfronds tend to gather around, and he wants to be able to get out of it if he ever falls in. A couple of near-misses during last month's storm might be inspiring this impromptu project, but either way, it's set back his schedule by nearly a week and he only slightly regrets it.
For several hours every day, Dustin arrives at the cavern like clockwork, sets out a bundle of climbing gear, rappels himself down the hole and installs metal footholds as he goes. He stops for breaks, obviously - the noodle-armed boy doesn't have the stamina for this kind of sustained labor - when he runs out rope, and when he runs out of footholds. It is a long and tiring process.
But, finally, he's nearing the end. It's dawn, and Dustin is approaching the mine with more than just construction and climbing gear; now he has a backpack of non-perishable food, some towels and a blanket, basic first-aid supplies, a flashlight and batteries, a lightweight pick and shovel, among other things weighing him down. A section of Funfrond spore culture is carefully tucked away in a padded side pocket. The whole ensemble is half as big as he is, and it's all necessary.
Today, Dustin plans to reach the bottom of the pit and stay there.
no subject
[The plants! The Away Plants! Plants of not here. Will make of here. Need time. Much time. Many seasons. Many sproutings. Sproutings and diminishings. Much much MUCH cycles of work. But wrong storms undo.
Not fault of plants they are of away. That upset balance. But we will help. Guide. Make of here. Make part of world.]
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"Naturalization," he explains for Tony's benefit, since he's expressed already that he's been having some difficulty following the Funfronds' dances. "Their spores apparently assist with the process by 'calming' the plants, but the storm reset their progress. I wonder..."
That thought turns into a question, which goes to his hand on the ground. [Understand. All wrong storms do this? Not just last one?]
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[All wrong storms regress work. Last storm was worse. Almost all progress lost! Soil rich in wrongness. Take time to heal.]
Then it considered Tony, and if it was possible for a dance to be done with outrage, that was happening now.
[With plants! Only change plants! Never change animals, cannot. And no know Arm Animals. Unless mean Interlopers. Stories tell animal Interlopers. Not my knowledge. Do science, not history.]
Even Funfronds apparently had their own specialized fields.
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"Seems pretty firm on that," Dustin mutters to Tony out of the corner of his mouth. Not that he's ungrateful for him asking; the way the Funfronds talk about non-plant creatures sometimes makes him wonder if they would treat them like lab rats, should the need arise, but this sounds like they have more of a moral compass than that. Or perhaps it's just their physical inability to affect animals more than anything else. Details.
He continues, clarifying for the Funfrond this time. [Iron Animal means ones in Sacred Place,] Dustin explains, once he has a moment to regain his composure. [They're...Interlopers? Wrong Storms hurt them more than us. They bring us here to fix.]
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[Better ask history speakers. They tell tales better.]
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[Fruit-kin?] Simultaneously he mutters to Tony, "Barrys, in Sh'Ka. This Funfrond had mentioned them last time we talked. Apparently they've had colonies established for a significantly longer amount of time - or at least, they keep better records."
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If they're really that interested, it seems a fair payment for the science that has been done today!
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That particular rant is put on hold as he catches the Funfrond dancing a reply out of the corner of his eye. Dustin cuts himself off, turning his head slightly so he can get a better look.
"--Wait. They..." His hand jigs, tentatively. [Yes. Now?] Then, back to Tony, his temper thoroughly doused by curiosity, "...It's not just the Barrys. The Funfronds have their own historians, apparently. This one's offering to give us an audience with them."
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[Must ask. See if waking. Follow then wait?]
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"Yeah," is the out-loud answer, said as well as kicked with his fingers before he stands back up. At this point his conversation with the Funfrond is effectively put on hold - which means his previous thread with Tony can continue, uninterrupted. At least he's had a few moments to simmer off some of the previous heat.
"Who else do you think should know?" Dustin asks, quirking an eyebrow. "I'm not telling everyone. The Funfronds are obviously very secretive; I can't betray their trust like that."