Sciel (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
cache_coeur) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
etraya2026-01-17 07:03 pm
cache_coeur) wrote in etraya2026-01-17 07:03 pm
Video | un: ScielCandide
[Here’s Sciel, recording herself. She’s out in the wilderness, wisps of hair caught on the breeze, scarf loose around her neck, face a little flushed from the cold air. She laughs under her breath, holding the camera out at arm’s length; she’s sitting on the hood of a vintage off-road vehicle.]
Salut, mes amies! [A little wave. She speaks with a mild, pragmatic cheer:] In a week, we will be visiting Mesa, where we will be getting samples. Miserable business when you have to cut and run, but we’ll save whatever we can. And with that in mind… I wanted to go over a few very important things in handling plants, both for your safety, and for the survival of the specimens.
[She holds up a hand, raising one finger.]
One… gloves and long sleeves! Many plants secrete oily compounds that can start an allergic reaction. The smoother and shinier the leaves, the more likely you’re looking at something toxic. If you happen to touch something by accident, scrub your exposed skin with soap and water. Don’t scratch or put your fingers in your eyes or mouth, unless you want to risk a very bad time.
[There’s a dull thud of boots on metal as she shimmies across the hood of the vehicle, and she slides down to the ground. Chattering as she goes, and a second finger goes up:]
Two! If you must eat something, test each part against your skin first for a reaction. Roots, stem, leaves and flowers, test all of them separately. If you have no reaction, cook it and rub it on your lip. If there still isn't a reaction, you can try a very small bite. If you’re still fine after a few hours, you’re at much smaller risk than if you did no testing at all.
And with that said, you’ll need to know how to take samples…
[Sciel looks away from the camera for a moment as she focuses on grabbing some things from… somewhere, then she’s tromping across the fields, into a wooded area. She takes a moment to set the camera up where her worksite is visible. It’s a tree with peeling bark and bare branches, the best the winter can offer, but it’ll do.]
Now, I assume we’re not collecting samples in the dead of winter, so you’ll have to imagine I’m doing this with something fresher than a wintering tree… but the principles are the same! Listen carefully:
[This is followed by a candid but thorough explanation of how to take plant cuttings with a sharp knife. Her voice is warm, she makes jokes here or there, but it’s mostly to the point, delivered with the cadence of someone very used to teaching.
By the end, she has several cuttings of different parts of the tree, with notes for habitat descriptions, descriptions of the plant itself, its phenological state, miscellaneous observations –– the notebook she shows off is full of near-illegible chicken scratch, but she can read it, and that’s what matters.
And then she’s done! She smiles at the camera and gives a little gesture with her knife – ta.]
And don’t be a stranger! If you have any questions while you’re out there… I'm Sciel, and you can send me a message any time.
Salut, mes amies! [A little wave. She speaks with a mild, pragmatic cheer:] In a week, we will be visiting Mesa, where we will be getting samples. Miserable business when you have to cut and run, but we’ll save whatever we can. And with that in mind… I wanted to go over a few very important things in handling plants, both for your safety, and for the survival of the specimens.
[She holds up a hand, raising one finger.]
One… gloves and long sleeves! Many plants secrete oily compounds that can start an allergic reaction. The smoother and shinier the leaves, the more likely you’re looking at something toxic. If you happen to touch something by accident, scrub your exposed skin with soap and water. Don’t scratch or put your fingers in your eyes or mouth, unless you want to risk a very bad time.
[There’s a dull thud of boots on metal as she shimmies across the hood of the vehicle, and she slides down to the ground. Chattering as she goes, and a second finger goes up:]
Two! If you must eat something, test each part against your skin first for a reaction. Roots, stem, leaves and flowers, test all of them separately. If you have no reaction, cook it and rub it on your lip. If there still isn't a reaction, you can try a very small bite. If you’re still fine after a few hours, you’re at much smaller risk than if you did no testing at all.
And with that said, you’ll need to know how to take samples…
[Sciel looks away from the camera for a moment as she focuses on grabbing some things from… somewhere, then she’s tromping across the fields, into a wooded area. She takes a moment to set the camera up where her worksite is visible. It’s a tree with peeling bark and bare branches, the best the winter can offer, but it’ll do.]
Now, I assume we’re not collecting samples in the dead of winter, so you’ll have to imagine I’m doing this with something fresher than a wintering tree… but the principles are the same! Listen carefully:
[This is followed by a candid but thorough explanation of how to take plant cuttings with a sharp knife. Her voice is warm, she makes jokes here or there, but it’s mostly to the point, delivered with the cadence of someone very used to teaching.
By the end, she has several cuttings of different parts of the tree, with notes for habitat descriptions, descriptions of the plant itself, its phenological state, miscellaneous observations –– the notebook she shows off is full of near-illegible chicken scratch, but she can read it, and that’s what matters.
And then she’s done! She smiles at the camera and gives a little gesture with her knife – ta.]
And don’t be a stranger! If you have any questions while you’re out there… I'm Sciel, and you can send me a message any time.
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[He adds that last part a bit hastily because oh geez, he hopes that didn't come off as hitting on her.]
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Oh? Not on me specifically?
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[Okay. That's an even worse response.]
I just meant. I don't think being an optimist should be considered less attractive. Not that people have to be that way, but I think embracing optimism makes it nice to be around someone.
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[There's a laugh on her voice, barely contained.]
I agree, though! I need a few cynics around me for contrast, but too many and the whole experience starts to feel dour.
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[Geez. He can keep his cool around giant fire-breathing kaiju, but not when accidentally sort-of insulting someone over the earpieces? On some level, Clark is aware he's probably being messed with, but he opened the door to that.]
Yeah. I think we need all types of people. The world would be pretty boring otherwise.
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So if you didn't have a girlfriend, you'd find me very attractive. Got it.
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I'm not winning this no matter what I say, am I?
[For once in his life, Superman is willing to concede defeat.]
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[And also public on the network.]
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It's not the worst foot-in-mouth moment I've ever had. I suppose I can live with it.
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He made me get up and read it in front of the entire class. Every last word!
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[He's laughing, but it's very much a sympathetic kind of laughter.]
Did it at least impress the girl?
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Oh, no, I embarrassed her too, she could never look me in the eye again. But it’s alright, I fell for someone else the week after that.
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[Maybe not a happy ending, but happier for a time.]
Not sure I can beat that, but when I was writing for my school paper, I got assigned a profile on our championship wrestling team. Except I didn't know anything about the sports or its rules other than, you know, you wrestle each other, and it really, really showed in my story.
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