Chapter 6 Scene 8

Rogula and Nicole take the shovels after Pelubo and John are done with them to dig holes to grow the vegetables.

Quest 74: Grow six potatoes, two tomatoes and one fuki.

"We need nine holes; the recipes call for six potatoes, two tomatoes, and one fuki," declares Rogula. They dig the holes and plant the seeds. "Now we have to wait for an hour."

Trying to make conversation, Nicole asks, "Do you like farming?"

"Yes, but I want to be a shaman when I grow up. It's important to know how to do all the tasks on this island."

"I'm a doctor back home, a healer who takes care of children."

"That's great. Yadifo is going to be a healer."

At that point a butterfly flies by. Rogula holds out her hand, but the butterfly flies away. "Animals will come to a real shaman if he or she concentrates," explains Rogula. "I need to catch this one, though."

Rogula jumps up and chases the butterfly, which flies toward the holes Pelubo and John dug for worms, but she is focused on the butterfly. Its course takes her up the half-meter high ridge of dirt at the side of one of the holes. At the top of the ridge, she catches the butterfly, but the dirt gives way beneath her feet and her momentum is taking her into the meter-and-a-half deep hole. She has a split second decision to make. One option is to let go of the butterfly and lunge backward. Of course Rogula is not going to do that. Holding the butterfly carefully, she slides down the ridge partway and then jumps into the hole. Dirt cascades in all around her and buries her a little past her waist, but she is holding her prize in front of her face.

You found a Red Ancestor's Moth!

Nicole rushes over. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Will you please put this butterfly in the box of rarities?"

Nicole steps into the mostly-filled-in hole and does as Rogula asks. Then Nicole returns with a shovel. "Those guys should have filled in these holes after they got their worms."

"But that would have delayed their fishing."

"Well, in any case, let's get you out of there." Nicole plants the shovel in the dirt in front of Rogula and scoops out one shovelful.

"No! I have to get out of this by myself." Rogula pushes some of the dirt in front of her stomach off to the sides, enough to expose her navel.

Nicole is startled and takes the shovel back. She wants to make sure Rogula is fine, so talks with her. "Why?"

"This is my fault. I should have realized I'm not at stage yet where I can attract a butterfly, and caught it sooner, before it flew over this hole."

"You're being very hard on yourself. It was an accident that could have happened to anyone."

"Yes, but this is the kind of thing a shaman should be able to do."

Nicole now realizes this is very important to Rogula, and has an idea of how to handle this. Nicole smiles, and now finds it amusing to talk to Rogula in her current position. "I guess it was kind of careless of you."

"I got myself into this, and I have to get myself out of this. You can take the shovel and fill in the other two holes while I'm digging myself out."

"That's a good idea, but ...." Nicole pushes the shovel into the dirt again, and throws a scoopful against Rogula's stomach.

Rogula doesn't understand. "Why did you do that?"

"Because I ruined your shaman test by taking out that one scoop of dirt, so I'm resetting it to the way it was. Did I get enough dirt back?"

Now Rogula smiles broadly. "No, I already pushed some to the sides."

"Oh, right. Let me fix that." Nicole shovels two more scoops of dirt to Rogula's sides. "Is that enough now?"

"I think so."

"You only think so? That's not good enough; we have to be sure." Nicole is grinning while Rogula suddenly realizes what is about to happen and raises her arms in anticipation. Nicole shovels more dirt all around Rogula, adding at least ten centimeters and burying her clear to her chest. "There, I think's that good."

Rogula lowers her arms, resting them on the surface of the dirt. "Yes, that's better than before. Thank you, you're a great doctor."

"You're a great patient. Now my doctor's orders are to get some exercise and dig yourself out of that. I'll see if I can fill in those other two holes before you get out."

On her way to the other two holes Nicole spots a shell, picks it up, and puts it in her bag.

You found a Blue Amberro!

It takes a solid hour for both to accomplish their tasks. It takes Rogula longer than she expected because NIcole had compacted the dirt around Rogula while Nicole was shoveling dirt around her, but Rogula isn't complaining. When they meet, Rogula just says, "let's see if the vegetables have grown."

All the vegetables have just grown, so they pick them and bring them to the campfires.

Quest 74 complete!

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