Chapter Text
“And so,” Merapi said to King Saltoro and Queen Kirat of the Royal Merfolk Kingdom of Maoke, “with the automated farming system you don’t need a skilled farmer like Viv to coax the crops out of the ground. Viv will help you set up the system and then any of the Maokiris can run it.”
“It would be my pleasure to get everything started,” Viv said. “I’ve seen the site you’ve set aside for the automated farms. It looks perfect.”
King Saltoro bent down and watched the small machine spit out seeds and fertilizer onto a freshly hoed plot. After it was finished, it spat out light nutrients to nourish the seeds and soil. “This is incredible,” he said. “We haven’t been able to grow much of anything since the oil spill. And you’re saying we can have fruit and vegetables like we used to?”
“We’ve tested your soil. It’s similar to Merikiha’s. I can take all the lessons I’ve learned farming in Merikiha and apply them to the automated farms here,” Viv said. “With Merapi’s machine, anything that grows in Merikiha will grow in Maoke. Sproutfruit, sea spuds, bluecole, red reefbuds…you name it.”
“I’ve so missed sproutfruit,” Queen Kirat said wistfully. Viv smiled. Merfolk love their sproutfruit. It was sometimes hard to get sproutfruit to the market because Semeru ate so much.
“We would be happy to provide you with seeds to get started,” Princess Miranjani pronounced.
“And then, a side benefit of the automated system is that it will produce extra seeds, so you’ll never run out,” Merapi told the King and Queen.
“This is just wonderful,” the King said. “We are truly honored that you are sharing this technology with us.”
“It’s our honor,” Mira told them. “It’s important to us that we build links between our Kingdoms. We’re each other’s closest neighbor, and if there’s anything we’ve learned from the experience with Pufferfish, it’s that we’re stronger together.”
“Very true,” the Queen said. “We are in your debt for helping us find our people.”
“We have recruited twenty volunteers to help with this initiative,” the King said. “Including Merdai, so this will be a family affair.”
“Semeru’s uncle is a talented gardener,” Viv said. “I’ve never seen such lush seaweed. In any case, if you gather the volunteers, we’ll start this afternoon. I went a bit nuts so I have little gifts for them.”
“Let’s all have lunch then,” Queen Kirat said. “Afterwards, Your Highness, we would love to have a meeting with you while Merapi and Viv are training the volunteers.”
“That sounds wonderful,” Mira said, and the five of them swam to Maoke’s palace. It was grand, but made of grey stone rather than Merikiha’s creamy white palace, and so looked a bit drab. Never mind, Viv thought to herself. This whole place will be purple and blue with sproutfruit soon enough.
Later that afternoon, Viv and Merapi met the volunteers at the field.
“I’m glad Surya tested the soil,” Viv whispered to Merapi.
“I know, can you imagine if it wasn’t good soil? Thank the Goddess we thought ahead.”
Viv handed out hoes to all of them and showed them how to make the correct size plots with the automated farming machine in the center of each. Merapi demonstrated how to work the machines, and Viv handed out instruction books and showed them the signs of healthy crops as they grew.
“Now for each of you, I couldn’t let you go without showing you our appreciation. 80 cycles ago, the land-dwellers had a terrible war and it threatened the food supply. As a result, the government started a program called Dig for Victory, where ordinary land-dwellers planted gardens in their yards to increase the amount of fruit and vegetables in our food supply. We’re doing the same thing in Maoke, and we’re so honored to partner with all of you in that effort. So I had Dig for Victory pins made for you.”
“You’re such a land-dweller,” one of the older volunteers, a man named Pauhunri, laughed. Viv saw Merdai frown.
“Guilty,” Viv said with a grin. “So do you not want your pin? It’s sparkly,” she said, waving it in the light.
“Of course I want my sparkly pin,” Pauhunri announced, and all of the volunteers laughed. “Such a merfolk,” Viv laughed. She swam over and handed him his first. It depicted a merfolk tail pushing a hoe into the ground and the words “Dig for Victory,” with a small citrine sun in the sky.
“That’s pretty,” Kangto, one of the women volunteers said. They each took the seeds and loaded up the machines, watched the seeding, harvesting, and watering, and then the work was done for today.
“Come back tomorrow to see how your plots are getting on,” Viv said, and they all agreed and waved.
“See you later,” Merapi told Viv. “I’m going to catch up with Mira at the palace.”
“See you,” Viv said. She swam over to Merdai, Semeru's uncle, and gave him a hug. “Hey, you.”
“I’ll never get used to people making fun of my family,” Merdai said gruffly.
“Don’t worry about it. If I had a coin for every time people called me a land-dweller, including your nephew, I’d be richer than both our Kings combined.”
“We could only dream. Well, come on over. I want to show you a new kind of seaweed I’ve been growing. And you told me you brought that dressing for seaweed salad you people eat in your hometown.”
Viv pulled the bottle out of her bag. “We’ll eat like Pokyans today.”
They swam towards Merdai’s grotto.
“Where’s that nephew of mine?” Merdai asked.
“It’s his training weekend, and he’s got some new moves he’s showing the soldiers. But he swore up and down by the Goddess he’d be here for dinner. I hope it’s okay that we’re staying with you tonight.”
“I’d be upset with you if you didn’t,” Merdai said. “What kind of new moves? Dangerous ones?” He lifted an eyebrow.
He’s as paranoid as his nephew, Viv thought with a hidden giggle. “The Goddess has four Guardians that protect the magic on Coral Island: Forest, Garden, Savannah, and River,” she told Merdai. “Semeru’s friends with the Forest Guardian and they train together all the time. King Tan has taught Semeru some moves he’s sharing with the guard.”
“Interesting,” Merdai said. “I’d like to go to Coral Island some day.”
“I need to get Cho Oyu some more ingredients for the potion, but as soon as I get off my butt to do it, I’m sure we could make that happen.”
“I’m not sure what a butt is.”
Viv laughed. “This part on a human,” she said, pointing. “It’s an expression.”
“I gathered.”
They arrived at Merdai’s grotto. Viv noted that the last time she was here, old food and clothes and books were thrown everywhere, as though the person who lived here didn’t care much about keeping things clean. Now things were much tidier, though books were still piled up on every available surface.
“Come see the seaweed,” he said, and took Viv out the back to his lush garden. “Look at these gorgeous plants.”
“They look so familiar,” Viv said, gently touching the fronds of seaweed. “Then it hit her. “Oh my Goddess, Merdai, we call this kombu at home!”
“Do you grow it?”
“No, I don’t think I’ve ever seen it growing. You buy it dried at shops. But it makes a stock that’s absolutely gorgeous. I haven’t seen kombu at all in the ocean. Lucky you! Lucky me!”
“Can we make the stock tonight?”
“Have you got any dried fish?”
“As it happens, I do,” Merdai said. “How much of this do you need? We call it margros.”
Viv looked at the fronds. “I don’t know. I’ve never had it fresh. Let’s try five fronds and see how it is.”
Merdai cut the fronds and went inside. He placed them on the counter of his kitchen.
“Can I get you a cup of tea?” he asked Viv.
“I’d love one,” Viv said. “Mind if I look at your books?”
“My books are yours,” Merdai called from the kitchen.
Viv opened one book, The Origins and Meaning of Solendre, and found that it was very interesting. She was so absorbed in it Merdai had to clear his throat to give her the tea.
“What’s this festival?”
“We used to have it before the oil spill, but we stopped. I don’t know why we haven’t started again.”
“They haven’t started again in Merikiha either. I don’t know why.”
“The last big party was your wedding,” Merdai said. “We had so much fun.”
“We’ll have a big party in Maoke when all the crops are harvested. A huge feast. We did that in Merikiha and it was awesome.”
There was a knock on the door. Merdai opened it, and there was Semeru, covered in bruises on his chest, arms, and tail.
“Nephew,” Merdai said in dismay. “What happened to you?”
Semeru waved his hand dismissively. “We can always expect a few bruises when the soldiers are learning something new. I got off lightly. It’s nice to see you,” and he rubbed noses with his uncle and gave him a bear hug along with some hearty smacks on the back. “Hello, my darling,” he greeted Viv, with a much more tender hug and kiss. “I’m sorry I missed the demonstration. Were the King and Queen happy?”
“Very happy,” Viv said. “Everything worked perfectly.”
“The system is amazing. Farming’s going to be as simple as a swimming sea slug now,” Merdai said. “Sproutfruit wine, here we come.”
“I have a surprise for the two of you,” Viv said. “I brought two bottles of our sproutfruit wine.” She pulled them out of her bag, and treated herself to Semeru’s and Merdai’s huge grins. Yup, they definitely are related, she thought. “The question is, should we try to save one for the King and Queen or drink both tonight?”
“I’ll tell you right now,” Merdai said with a laugh. “There’s no way we’re going to be able to save that second bottle for the King and Queen.”