Mondo takes a moment to process that name in its entirely.

He tries to think of something to say without being rude. He ends up taking longer than he wanted to, leaving the air to grow quiet and still.

Mondo takes a few seconds to speak once more, nearly letting it get awkward.

 

"I guess I can see how someone might call you that, sir," Mondo says, slightly hesitant.

"You don't need to fear being rude to me." Gardener speaks ever so softly.

"I get that by quite a lot by folk all over the world." He comments as he dusts himself off from the dirt.

 

"Thank you for tolerating my sudden conversation, Mr. gardener." 

Mondo comments gratefully.

"There is no need for thanks, young man. Just speaking to me without hubris is already enough."

 

"I would love to chat with you further. But isn't today a school day is it not?" Gardener states with a curious tone.

Mondo nods as he checks his phone and notices the time getting away.

He waves bye to Mr. Gardener as he rushes to arrive at school on time.

 

Gardener waves back as he watches Mondo leave.

Once Mondo was out of sight and out of mind, they returned to weeding.

Returning to work on a plot of land, no one else cares to weed and garden.

 

Despite losing a portion of his time to talking to a stranger, it was thankfully short.

With little time wasted, Mondo arrives at his school with a few minutes remaining.

Panting his lungs out, as he tries to straighten his body, to stare at his village's only high school.

 

Standing out in a village built with Logs and later wooden boards, a polished white stone building.

Precisely cut down to a smooth finish, with only a few signs of human error.

Rather than displaying it as an addition to the land, it places the school as the focus.

 

The government sent engineers and contractors to oversee the construction of the school.

Mondo still remembers how all the village elders were upset for months.

The elders screamed at any who disagreed with their thoughts on its incongruency with the rest of the village.

 

Few of the younger generations could care about their grumbles.

All they cared about was how different it was to the village.

How strange yet new this new building was in the dull village life.

 

They continue to go through school with only the matters of the day in their minds.

Few students were aware of the truth, beyond the few rumors spread around of the foreigner.

With even fewer students or faculties knowledgeable in any regard beyond the stranger's appearance.

 

Monto diligently does his schoolwork with no complaints throughout the day.

During breaks, he speaks to the few friends he has, on idle to pointless topics.

Making no mention of his interaction with the stranger everyone is discussing.

 

Birdie finishes work and patrols the school between periods, watching for any trouble-making.

Few tried to fight her these days, with her control of the strongest gang in the city.

Though even with all her work, it did little to stop upstarts and the like from trying to take over.

 

The gardener continues removing weeds along the side of the residential area.

Improving the image as the gardens didn't look so unruly anymore.

Though as they continue weeding, they hear the villagers worry and mutter suspicion.

 

No matter, it is unlikely they will stay for long in this place. Too many of them are quick to jump to silly conclusions.

More crops, more gardens, more places of botanical beauty are waiting to be cared for and cleaned.

If no mortal seeks to care for the land that they walk on days in and day out, then they shall do it for the ignorant fools.

 

Thankfully, it seems no mortal is foolish enough to mess with their work on the land.

If any were, then Ange would certainly react and deal with it.

The gardener ponders darkly to himself. Though he would not instigate it, Ange would certainly respond in kind.

 

Though not a soul sees the action, the shadows seem to stretch and smile. 

Before it then flows away, leaving the gardener with a lighter shadow than before.

With nary a soul aware of what had just happened, though any that were, likely would think it was a trick of the light.

 

Mondo and Birdie were unaware of the darkness that was approaching the village.

Something that will take them both by surprise and will blindside the entire village with it.

Something that would bring ruin and change whether they liked it or not.

 

Perhaps they will learn after it is said and done what it means to weed the garden.