Who are you?
"Yeah, no worries. Anyways thanks for the shovel" I respond taking the shovel and making my way over to one of the slightly dug holes.
[You know it is about 89 degrees right now, and you're about to dig a hole. I would suggest taking off at least the shirt so you don't have to take another bath and get more clothes.]
I suppose you are right. Good point.
I take off my shirt and fold it neatly and place it next to me and pop my knuckles and begin digging into the dirt. Within seconds I am alright about 3 deep and just need to widen the hole for the body.
Jarvis is looking at Daniel from afar next to the brown-haired girl and eyeing him up as he digs deeper. Noticing sweat on Daniel's back.
"So, who is this guy? I didn't recognize his clothes when he came here. Even before the blood got on him. He looks like one of those Easterlings I have heard about in other villages. But I thought they were just stories of the 'mysterious mythical people of a faraway land, beyond the Great Jagged Mounts' you know?" Jarvis conveys with her.
But she just looks at Daniel from afar not saying a word. Blinking ever so often. Jarvis looks between Daniel and her and within seconds realizes what is happening.
"Ah, someone appears to be breaking her faith in her village's belief...Now now, sister, we mustn't abandon our ideals and waver in these trying times" he says teasingly poking at her shoulder.
"E-eh?! Sh-shut up you can't say that about me, I barely know him?!" she begins to hit his shoulders phasing him. Like siblings.
I turn my head to the raised voice that has gotten some people's attention including mine and look over to where the brown-haired girl and Jarvis are.
I look over to her who then freezes looking around as she has gotten the entire remaining village members to look at her. Some are amused.
She then glances over at me, who is also wondering what she is making a fuss about. She begins to get a red face from her white skin and runs away in a pouty manner.
She is so attracted to me that I have seen this trope before.
[Oh, so you were toying with her.]
Not really, what I was doing was just being me. Just so happens she is more attracted to me after I took off my shirt. Simple as that. It's elementary.
[Hmph]
Jealous are you?
I wait for a response but none. She is so angry she can't even say anything.
*1 hour and 2 minutes*
I finished digging and burying the bodies for the remaining bodies and worked up a sweat. I think I can make it to and from the capsule at this rate.
I walk away after planting the shovel into the pile of dirt of a burial and walk towards the river to wash up the dirt off my body. I should have enough time.
"I take off my pants and underwear and jump in fully feeling the sudden cool water on my warmed-up body. I begin the process all over again. I should've asked for soap again.
*5 minutes later*
After drying myself off and getting ym clothes back on I return to the village and it does seem the village is more peaceful now. Several tents are now being used as shelter seeing as a large number of the houses are somewhat burnt or damaged.
I spot the brown-haired girl near a fire that has a pot over it. Sniffing the air I can smell the scent of potatoes, beef, and carrots. I wouldn't mind that. Not eating for 3 years makes one hungry.
"Hey whatcha cookin'?" I say casually
She gets startled by me and swings the hot ladle into the left side of my face.
*SLAP*
"Agh, geez! I wasn't that much of an asshole was I?"
"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry! I just have a lot on my mind right now! So sorry, please uhm, uhm..." She begins scrounging around for something to wipe my face with, but I have already wiped the hot liquid off of it.
"It's alright, just wasn't expecting to be ladled to the face. doesn't hurt much now"
She makes a pouty face in her disappointment in herself.
"It's alright," I say giving her a small nudge with my right hand.
"O-okay...would you like some soup when it is ready?" she asks gesturing to the pot.
"I might try some, but I need to look for something new. I will be back, however. I promise. Also, do you have the map I asked for?
"OH! Yes, of course! I have it here" She reaches next to the fire pit with a bag and pulls out a rolled-up piece of paper.
Handing it over to me I open it and it looks old school. the design of the region looks details but it has this old aesthetic before the 1800's no doubt.
"Thank you so much, I will be needing this no doubt." I bow one last time and begin walking away waving. But then I stop.
"Also, what is your name?" I ask
"Seelah Hoshber," she says calmly bowing one last time before returning to cooking.
[Finally! You kept calling her "brown-haired girl" this entire time and I was going inside]
Why did you say something then?
[Not my responsibility to tell you to ask]
*Sigh*
*Hours later*
The sun is getting darker and the sky is getting a bit more orange now. With clear skies. At least it is not as warm. I push the shrubs out of the way and begin making my way to the trail that I walked through after I left the capsule.
Within minutes I arrived at the capsule, which is still under the branches, roots, and vines that grew over it.
"Okay now it's your job Seila"
[Yeah, just get me close enough and I can connect a neuro-connection to it and read the data off of it, as well if the footage works as well.]
As I get closer place my hand on it and feel the outside, still feels smooth and I feel like a gun couldn't put a scratch on it.
[It is made of Ademine. A bullet made of ademine could scratch.]
"What am I supposed to do?"
[Just keep your hand there for a moment, it is transmitting]
"Oh, it's transmitting data over?"
[Yes, now give me a moment...And.....Done!]
"Sweet, what does it show?"
[The data shows that after the flash during the experiment years ago, the capsule appeared in the air. As it fell it slammed into the side of a mountain and rolled down it into the small ditch where the tree grew over. The Capsule has a GPS in case it is teleported in an unwanted area, the capsule could get located. But after the flash, the GPS signal vanishes. So I can't even tell how far we are approximately from Test Site 1]
"So basically all this was for nothing..."
[Not per se, we do have something now]
"What would that be?'
[A resource of Ademine ripe for the taking]
"How are we supposed to lug around this thing?"
[We aren't, we are going to leave this but hide it and use it when needed unless we figure out where we are.]
"Fine with me, because I am not going to drag this hour back..."
[Let me disguise the capsule we will return. I will give you a boost of Adernal to allow you to make a jog back to reduce time.]
As the Nanite begins processing the capsule, it begins reshaping and I back off and watch it turn from a cylinder-like object into curves and twists like a tree and its texture begins to mimic that of bark. With moss and leaves. However after the nanites finish I notice the tree somehow feels fake, even though it looks extremely realistic.
[Simple answer, it lacks living behavior. It is solidified Ademine in the shape of a tree. It is static, the leaves, branches, and moss are all made of Ademine and won't move.]
"Ah, I see. We should get back though now."
[Indeed]
I begin jogging back the way I came in hopes of returning before darkness arrives.
{Adernal injection....20%}
I suddenly feel a sudden feeling of energy in ym body making me want to throw some jabs in the air exercise.
[The Adernal is doing that.]
*Couple of hours later*
*Huff huff huff huff*
[You are about 149 feet from the village. You can slow down]
*huff huff huff* "Oh man, I am surprised I jogged for that long."
[Thanks to the improved version of adernal in your body. However, as I said, high amounts of it can overload your body. Might not hurt today, but tomorrow your whole body will feel like someone was ripping your muscles. But we have not gotten to the point as of yet.]
Luckily, I don't want to feel that. I need my sleep anyways.
[You've been asleep for 3 years]
Yeah, and I traversed several miles in one day on my own. Human bodies are not perfect.
As I get through the clearing I see the camp is still lit with some people walking around sitting, or resting already. As well as the smell of the food somewhat faded. I walk closer in and someone spots me, calling me out.
"W-who are you!?"
I turn to see someone holding what looks to be a spear, although it looks somewhat in poor condition. Likely maybe one of their fish-hunting ones, as the metal point is long, and thin, but crudely forced into the end of the wood shaft.
"It's me, the one who helped the village!" I say showing my arms and walking out of the shadows and bushes.
"Oh, my bad I am so sorry!" she says dropping it on the ground with a loud wooden plow.
"It's fine, I didn't announce myself yet so," I replied walking out of the shadows and into the little light in the camp.
I look around more and see a pile of wooden bowls, some with liquids on the side of them. I am guessing they ate as I was gone. Is there any left?
"Hey uhm, is there any food left? Kind of hungry after walking to and from my little...Uh....place."
[Subtle...]
Shut up.