Frustration (D5, EM, Open)

[Jin]

"It's not silly to be worried or to feel hurt. You just can't allow those feelings to drag you down."

[Anjing Xia]

"It's not silly to be worried or to feel hurt. You just can't allow those feelings to drag you down."

"Like uh, mud in a surprisingly deep swamp? You have to keep traveling through it and make sure you've always got firm footing?"

[Jin]

"Indeed." Jin grins, "If we don't find a path, or anything useful, I'll pretend this was entirely about being a teachable moment."

[Anjing Xia]

"Indeed." Jin grins, "If we don't find a path, or anything useful, I'll pretend this was entirely about being a teachable moment."

Xia nods, this story was going in the record...although maybe she'd make herself look a little less naive.
"Multi-tasking like that is very impressive! Looking for a path literally while helping to find a path metaphorically....oh that's brilliant!"
Waving at the swamp
"I didn't think such a setting would be so ideal for inspiration."

[Jin]

"I suppose every place is what you make of it. But personally I'm glad we won't be staying here long."

[Anjing Xia]

"I suppose every place is what you make of it. But personally I'm glad we won't be staying here long."

"But it's got...."
Xia searches for a redeeming quality
"....reasonably fertile soil?"

[Jin]

"Ever the optimist." He laughs, "That is true but I prefer dryer and warmer homes."

[Anjing Xia]

"Ever the optimist." He laughs, "That is true but I prefer dryer and warmer homes."

Rubbing the back of her head
"Yeaaaah, it is nice to have firm dirt underneath and not wake up to find you're lying in a pool of water. And to not have to change your clothes every few hours, not to mention the havoc it wrecks on the vellum."

[Jin]

Jin nods, "Plus I can only imagine a hotter day would bring many insects."

[Anjing Xia]

Jin nods, "Plus I can only imagine a hotter day would bring many insects."

Shudder
"Oh that's...that's very unpleasant to think about. We probably need to find a way out as soon as possible."

[Jin]

"Not a very big bug fan I take it?"

[Anjing Xia]

"Not a very big bug fan I take it?"

"With their legs and their horrible faces and they bite you or sting you."
Xia starts checking herself over for bugs
"They're terrible things."

[Jin]

"As with all things they have their place. But may that place be far away from us."

[Anjing Xia]

"As with all things they have their place. But may that place be far away from us."

"Or underneath a good swat"
An innocent ant gets flicked off her shin
"They're just....nasty."
Okay, deep breath.
"Shall we return to the non-crawling, venomous or flying plants?"

[Jin]

Another chuckle, "Well hopefully none of those apply. Last thing we need are weeds chasing you around the swamp too."

[Anjing Xia]

Another chuckle, "Well hopefully none of those apply. Last thing we need are weeds chasing you around the swamp too."

Xia starts giving the plants vigorous side-eye and a hesitant poke to make sure any movement was just from the wind.
"There aren't plants that do that....right?"

[Jin]

"Not that I've yet encountered." He shakes his head, "Vines fast enough to cover a tent in a few days and flowers that trap and eat insects but nothing truly mobile."

[Anjing Xia]

"Not that I've yet encountered." He shakes his head, "Vines fast enough to cover a tent in a few days and flowers that trap and eat insects but nothing truly mobile."

"Well that's a relief....unless we find and document the first human eating southern vines. Which would not be my preferred way to make it into the histories."

[Jin]

"Better or worse than the giant insects they must otherwise eat?"

[Anjing Xia]

"Better or worse than the giant insects they must otherwise eat?"

"Better!....Wait, wait, no, definitely worse."
Xia squints at him as if to say 'no fair, no making a point about ecosystems and the circle of life.'