How Green Becomes Wood

Milo shrugged. "The media landscape is changing. Most people don't want still images, they want short form videos."

~~

"Yes," Dark answered, while Ivy picked up a worm, "Slowly. I am not fond of this stage." His face was so itchy.
 
"Sure, but still pictures will never go completely out of style," Becky said with a shrug. "They are a lot easier to store and carry with you. Like a picture in a wallet or a locket." She sighed wistfully and smiled at the romantic thought.

"Right," Xander said slowly, watching her. He turned to Milo. "Of all the careers you think you can have, which one has the intersection of likelihood, money, and most tolerable? Maybe even some level of enjoyment."

~~

"I bet Daizi's not too fond of it, either," Lex snickered. She crouched and watched Ivy. "What have you got there?"
 
Milo squinted slightly at Becky, feeling like what she had described wasn't the sort of thing to be impacted by the death of traditional journalism, but then he looked at Xander and said, "I guess I could just lie. I can say any career, it doesn't mean I have to stick to it. Since I was, like, 13, all I've planned ahead for is that I want to go to college. Didn't, um, think beyond that."

~~

"She is coping bravely," Dark told her, looking down at Ivy.

Ivy held up the worm to Lex with a big grin. The poor worm was wriggling in her grasp, but to her credit, she was managing to be gentle enough not to squash it.
 
"Sure, that could work," Becky agreed. "There's nothing saying you can't. I know what I want to do, but that doesn't mean I won't change my mind in 4 years, so it doesn't really matter what we put down ultimately, right?"

"What do you want to do?" Alec asked curiosly.

"I want to be a stage actor and a costumer!" Becky grinned. "Not big money, I know, so I'll have to marry rich." She winked at Peter.

Peter rolled his eyes upward. "Dear me."

~~

"Wow. Nice worm," Lex praised Ivy. "It's pretty squirmy. What are you going to do with it?"
 
"I didn't know you were that into acting," Milo commented, tearing his sandwich into little pieces with his fingers.

~~

Ivy looked down at the worm and grinned, bringing it close to her face, as though she was going to rub it against her cheek. When Dark prevented this, though, she promptly put it into her pocket.

With a little sigh, Dark said, "Ivy, you cannot keep a worm in your pocket, Tifla," and holding her steady put his fingers into her pocket to try to get the worm back out. Once he had his fingers in there, though, he paused and shut his eyes very slowly, lowering his head. "Ivy-Qadira."
 
Becky blinked at him. "I've been in the drama club ever since they'd let me in. Actually, before then. I was sneaking in before I was technically allowed. Haven't you gone to any of the school plays?"

"I went to a couple Alec was in," Xander remarked. "That was it."

~~

Lex tried not to laugh, she really did, but with that expression, how could she not? "I take it she's discovered pockets?" she cackled. "Good luck with your new phase of laundry! Paranoid pocket checks."
 
Milo shrugged. Her reasoning made sense, but there were also people who were content to keep acting as a hobby.

~~

"Her pocket is full of worms," Dark said, pulling his hand out. "I do not know when she was able to collect so many."

Ivy just giggled and leaned against her father.
 
"Anyway, I really want to be a brilliant background character. One who can blend into any scene at any time! And I've been practicing being able to memorize pages in no time flat," Becky grinned. "Being a star role is fantastic, and I wouldn't mind being in one or two of those, but if I really work at being a good background character, surely I'll be able to land more roles. And I love clothes and creating new things. What about you, Peter?"

"Me?" Peter asked in surprise, mumbling around a bite of sandwich. "I'm going to be a Biostatistician." There was no question in his tone.

~~

"One by one, squish by squish," Lex sniggered. "That's a good collection you have there, Ivy. What are you going to do with it?"
 
"What is that?" Milo asked. He was able to guess it was something about statistics relating to biology, but couldn't understand what that meant practically.

~~

This time, Dark did take out his phone, and pulling Ivy's pocket open, he took a photograph of the worms squirming around in there with the flash on so they were visible. Ivy babbled back at Lex although she was answering her question, but if she actually understood was unclear at best.
 
"Basically a statistician for nature or the medical field," Peter told him. "Lots of numbers, loads of data, the type of stuff that makes a lot of people scream. I want to work for nature preserves and help further research into how to help preserve, protect, and nurture parks, preserves, and reserves."

"Wow," Alec said. "That is really impressive! That has to pull in a lot of money."

"Not really when you're working for parks and recreation or similar," Peter said with a shrug, "but as someone so politely pointed out, my family is not exactly short on money." Becky blushed at that. "I'm still hoping to make enough to make a living on my own, but I figure, since I'm privileged enough to have a fall-back system, then I should do something good. You know?"

~~

"Very good idea," Lex told her with a grin. "A nice amount of worms."
 
Looking at Peter, Milo couldn't help but feel a bit forlorn. He wondered what it would be like to have a safety net to that degree. His mother, obviously, didn't have much of a savings account. He supposed he didn't feel like he had much room to take risks , or else he'd end up back at the mercy of other's, again, and subject to their wills and whims. That was something he had put up with for so long, and in his mind, as soon as he went to college he'd be free of all that, but that required very careful planning. If he got it wrong, or went down the wrong path... He didn't have a savings account, either. Once again he was in a position where he couldn't just... be bold. Somewhere, he was sure, Emma was stapling her 20 year plan to the assignment and demanding extra credit for an ungraded assignment. Tugging lightly at his sleeves, he felt the old instinct to run away somewhere. He felt like he should have some answers, and in a way he did, but logically he couldn't actually support himself on them. This whole thing was stressing him out, and being around people who actually did have plans felt a bit overwhelming.

~~

Dark was about to text the picture to Xander, but then recognized the time and instead texted, Ivy has been collecting worms in her pocket. I believe this to be your doing.

Then, kneeling down besides Ivy said, "Tifla, we have to start getting ready to go home, okay?" Then he told Lex, "Xander taught her insects and other creatures live under rocks. Now she is obsessed with them."
 
"That's pretty cool," Xander agreed. "I have no idea what the hell I'm doing. Maybe work for Uncle Cooger, I guess, or maybe take a job in construction. That's usually a pretty steady job, and I might have to be the safety net for this dude when his unknown business fails."

"Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence," Alec said dryly. "I'm feeling a lot of brotherly support here."

"Wait," Peter frowned, "you want to run a business?"

"Maybe, I think so, it sounds like a great idea!" Alec grinned.

"Doesn't that require some sort of degree?" Becky asked.

Alec thought about it. "I don't think so, no. I think you need a business license somewhere along the line, and maybe a degree would help, depending on your business."

"It does require a lot of organizational skills and a lot of paperwork. Not to mention the taxes, accounts, and all of that," Peter said.

"I'm sure I can do it! I have been developing great organizational skills, and I was thinking about trying to go for a business degree in college," Alec said confidently.

Becky and Peter stared at him.

"Um, Alec, could I borrow a pencil?" Becky asked.

"Sure!" Alec opened his bag and started shuffling around. And searching. And rumaging.

Becky watched him with a pained expression. "Not to be a pot calling a kettle black, but I think your organizational skills need a little more work."

"You hate math," Peter pointed out.

"I'll hire an accountant," Alec said irritably, still not finding the pencil.

"With what money when you first start out?" Peter asked.

Alec hesitated and finally shrugged. "I'm still writing it down because it sounds good on paper even if that's as far as it gets."

~~

"Did he really? That's so cute!" Lex grinned. "I'm not a bug person, myself, but I do try not to squish them." She looked up at the clouds. "I should get back to work. Good luck with the worms!"
 
Milo watched this unfold, stretching out his sleeves beneath the table. "You want to take over your uncle's store, right? So the structure would already be in place."

~~

"I will not keep you," Dark told her, "but if you see me next, I would request you not attempt to assault me again. If you do it a third time, I shall have to question you motivations." He was teasing, of course, but he left it at that and, taking Ivy's hand, led her back to the house where she could splash in the puddles on their property.
 
"I'll learn from him," Alec said with a smile. "It'll work out! Or not. It's okay if it doesn't work out, though. I mean, there's plenty of time to find a new plan or a new job or a new anything, really. I might fail, or I might not even get past the starting point, but that'll be okay."

Xander felt his phone buzz and pulled it out of his pocket. He grinned at the image and showed Alec, who laughed. "Looks like I created a monster."

~~

"Well, if you'd stop looking so threatening at kids, maybe I'll stop threatening you," Lex grinned. "Have fun with the puddles!"
 
"What happened?" Milo asked, raising his head.

~~

"I dread the day when you realize who I am a moment too slowly," He nodded to her, "Ivy, say goodbye," he waited until Ivy waved and then, gesturing to her said, "Okay, yalla," to get her to follow him home. Back in front of the necropolis, they played for a little while longer---this time, he gave into what he felt to be baser urges and photographed/recorded her in her little raincoat hopping in puddles--before he deemed she had been out in the cold drizzle for long enough and brought her inside. Despite him providing ample warnings, this still led to her screaming face first on the floor of their front hall after he took off her little raincoat until she tired herself out and took a nap. While she was sleeping, he removed the worms from her coat and deposited them back outside, apologizing to them for the trouble.
 
Xander turned the phone around and showed the picture and text to Milo. "I showed Mini bugs under rocks. Looks like she remembered that."

"Those poor, traumatized worms!" Alec laughed.

Peter leaned in to see while Becky recoiled at the word "worms." "Did she stuff them in her coat pocket?"
 
"I have no idea. Ba usually watches her so well he puts a hawk to shame," Xander replied, letting Milo see the picture more clearly. "I guess he missed a few."

"Looks like they were out playing in puddles, so maybe that's where she found them," Alec snickered.

"At least they got found in time to save them," Peter chuckled.
 
"That's just really gross," Becky shuddered. "Babies are cute and all, but I don't know. It's just so... I don't want to change diapers! Ugh."

"Then I guess you have to get married and make your partner do it," Peter teased.

"Or become a super famous actress first, and then you can afford a nanny," Alec grinned, leaning over.

Becky made a face at them both. "You two are both so annoying sometimes."

"Or you could build a robot!" Peter continued.

Toby went past just then, cruising on a pair of Heelies, which Alec thought weren't made anymore. Looked like he'd found a pair. Becky waved him down, and he came over with a smile.

"Toby, what are you going to put on your career aptitude test?" Becky asked.

"Oh, that's easy. I'm going to be a pro skateboarder and follow the circuit," Toby said with a grin.

"There's money in that?" Becky asked uncertainly.

Toby shrugged. "Dunno. But it's what I want to do!"

"Okay, cool," Becky said as he wheeled off to go sit with his friends.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top