There’s a light breeze over their heads.
They slowly walk towards Nina’s faculty.
Marigold would be happy not interacting at all here, but that’s not how it goes.
What could Nina possibly want? Is she testing her? Trying to get some information? Did Eugene asked her to?
There’s only one way to find out.
“So-”
“Um-”
Failed step one.
“Go on”
“No, no, I interrupted you, go on”
Trying to win the politeness battle, huh?
“ What are you hiding”
“Nothing really, just wanted to compliment your attire”
“Oh! Really? Thank you! It means a lot coming from you!”
“…From me?”
“ What is it that you really want.”
“Ah, it’s just… You’re really admirable…”
“You always dress so elegantly and look so smart…”
Oh, so she’s just another vapid sort of hippie girl. Should’ve seen it coming.
“And, um, you probably didn’t notice but I was walking by when I saw you talk back to Mr. Adams…”
“I don’t know if Gene has told you anything about him but he’s super harsh when he criticizes my essays, so for you to win an argument is so…!”
“And that’s not even mentioning being a girl in such a male populated field! If I had to deal with 5 more Gene’s I’d go crazy, haha.”
…Huh.
That was… unexpected.
“ Is she trying to get something from me? Or perhaps she’s solidifying our alliance as well?
This could benefit me greatly.
She might not be her brother, but there must be something of that in there, right?
Surely she must have a sense of responsibility in there, right?”
After a long and exhausting overnight studying session with Eugene, he let out information about his… home situation.
Practically orphaned siblings, a pair who had to grow too soon.
Creating a path that assure him to never go back to that life again.
The responsibility he carried in the form of a smaller, more scared, more vulnerable person.
Marigold can’t help but resent Nina after that story, is she really just going to use him for life?
(She ignores that Marigold also wants to use him, but they’re not family. It’s different.)
“If you admire these qualities so much, why didn’t you follow the steps of your brother?”
“Ahaha, that’s really not for me…”
“You’d rather be a teacher? In this economy? If you wanted something easy, you could’ve gone with hotel management or the like. I’m sure Eugene can get you a place there.”
“ If she’s staying she’s going to work for it!”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that, Miss Marigold. It’s not where my soul calls to.”
Ugh. Hippies.
“It’s where money calls to. That’s why Eugene’s doing it. It’s why everyone does anything”
“Haha, that is something he would say.”
“But I’m afraid there’s a bigger mission I must fulfill.”
“…What do you mean?”
“Has Gene told you about our, um, raising? Our parents perhaps?”
“I’ve been told about your old home life, yes. My condolences”
“I actually retained a lot of memories from when I was young. I probably developed way faster just from pressure alone but, um”
“I remember feeling helpless”
“I’m not blind, Miss Marigold, I can tell where Gene’s need for money comes from. I know of his sacrifices. I’ve witnessed them”
“When you are alone in a big house, you need to survive. But to survive, you need knowledge.”
“And every bit of knowledge made me feel… powerful”
“When I learned to tie my shoes, I could run anywhere without falling. When I learned to use the washing machine, we no longer had to wash by han d, and goodness when I learned to read…!”
“Gene is sensible, he needs something soft to fall on. He needs to feel safe, so he works towards that”
“But I… I can’t live with myself knowing there are others like us. Small, scared beings who need to be stronger than they are.”
“I want to give them the tools for that”
“I want to give people the means to fulfill themselves, whether it be something as simple as tying your shoes so you don’t fall to how to plaster your inner turmoil into poems”
“I have that responsibility. I want to give everyone what Gene did for me”
“Ah, don’t take me for a silly dreamer, though. I know it’s hard. E specially with the number of people being crammed into one classroom nowadays!”
“But someone has to.”
“But isn’t that… bad? You won’t get anywhere as a mere school teacher”
“I’ll get exactly where I want to be”
“A little house, with a small garden. Quiet enough for me to sing while working.”
“And that’s all I need to be happy”
Happy…?
That’s… That’s wrong. That’s not how you become happy at all. She’ll have to deal with bills and sickness and lack of luxury and normal clothes and..!
“Ah, that’s doesn’t mean I don’t want anything else! Um. I’d like to get married too, and visit Easter Island! Ah, and learning some more baking recipes…”
…And she’d be happy.
That makes no sense. Nina makes no sense.
Does that mean that… she really isn’t hiding anything?
Is she just nice and polite for what? For sport? Out of fear?
It seems Marigold misunderstood her. She really is just as hardworking as her brother.
“What about you? What are you studying business for?”
That’s exactly what Marigold doesn’t want to think right now.
For money, yes? That’s normal. That’s what everyone does.
Except Nina. Except Uncle Jacinto.
Except people who smile freely. Except people who don’t have to act. Except people without hidden intentions.
“I… I’d like to form a business. A technology business”
“Oh, you like cool sci-fi stuff?”
Not really. She knows technology is advancing rapidly and she needs to get in it if she wants those stocks to grow so-
What’s the point of it?
“It’s necessary. Everyone is doing it”
Everyone is doing it. So it’s good. So it’s right.
Right?
“New technologies are always needed, you’re right”
Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you
“I think you’ll make it. You and Gene are way too much of a try-hard pair not to, hehe”
“And while you two reach the stars, I’ll take care of the Earth”
“Are you just, naturally poetic?”
“Ah, sorry, I just had class about that, hehe”
Nina is nice.
“Oh! Finally! We’re here! Ah, please stay outside!”
“What? Why? I have my student pass?”
“Wait for me!”
Nina is weird.
“Alright look away!”
“What”
“Just for a second!”
She’s probably not gonna suddenly axe her in the back, so Marigold turns for 1 to 3 seconds
A strong gust of wind passes through.
She sees…
“Happy birthday!”
“What…?”
“I saw this in a store the other day and thought you’d like it!”
“…”
“I love it”
“Ah! Your hair stick thingy! I’ll go get it!”
Nina is… dangerous.
Nina is exactly what her parents warned her about.
The sweetest apple in the whole garden. The one thing that could ruin her. That could completely erase the paradise she is in.
The paradise she constructed. That her parents constructed.
The perfect garden.
And yet, a single blue Marigold hungers. She hungers for that sweetness.
She wants to take a bite from her.
Marigolds aren’t supposed to be blue.
What made her think that, in any of the ways Marigold presents herself, that’s she’d like this silly plushie?
And why was she right?
“Did you see it, Nina?
Did you see what’s inside me?
When you look into my eyes, can you see it?
Can you see me?
Can you tell me what’s in there?
Can you open me up and take it out?
Can you let me out?”
But she won’t. She refuses to follow the steps of Eve. She’ll stay in paradise.
There’s nothing to gain from leaving.
There’s nothing else she needs.
But.
She’ll protect this little apple. It is not it’s fault that they’ve been chosen for such a task.
Such a beautiful, ethereal being. Twirling in the wind with laughter and warmth.
Free.
Surely a few nibbles can’t hurt, right?
She hears her uncle’s laugh in the distance.