Such a quiet, pleasent sight. The children seemed drawn to esmerelda. He got the feeling, by the blush staining her cheeks a pretty pink, that she wasn't too used to being complimented so openly.<br/><br/>The way these people reacted, and the way she reacted to them...it was so strange. Even their reaction to him. A white skinned, white haired, white eyed outsider. They showed no fear of him. And that smile she'd given them all.<br/><br/>He wanted to put that smile on her face too.<br/><br/>"Payment? perhaps i can offer my services? I'm not sure where i may go next. this is the first time I can remember being outside the la....uhm outside."<br/><br/>Smooth, he'd almost let slip he was a guinea pig. Turning to what he guessed were the people in charge, he activated a sequence of algorithms. the air seemed to shimmer a moment before settling back into the calm state it had been in previously. Yet when he spoke, the gentleman seemed to understand him perfectly.<br/><br/>"where are your wells?"<br/><br/>The asian man seemed almost startled that he could understand XIV's words. But shook it off and indicated the small well just behind him. A quick scan revealed exactly what he'd suspected. the well just barely touched the large aquifer beneath their feet. that was a problem easily solved.<br/><br/>Another set of algorithms was loaded while XIV placed the walking stick on the ground beside him. with his hands thus unencumbered, he stepped up to the well, holding his hands out, palms facing the well. Matter manipulation of the calibre required focus.<br/><br/>The data streamed through his eyes, variables constantly being added or subtracted, changing just as the well itself changed. the small pine enclosure gaining size, filling out into stone blocks, as opposed to the wood. Unseen by the townsfolk he was also deepening the well, punching through to the aquifer below. The support that the bucket and rope hung from was reinforeced, the bucket's size increased. It may take some time but with this setup they could properly irrigate.<br/><br/>A small trickle of blood trailed down from his nose as the act was completed, his hands dropping as he stumbled back as if struck. He took great heaving gasps as if he'd just run a marathon. Shit he'd over worked himself...oh he needed to sit down.<br/><br/>well, it seemed they grasped the full importance of what he'd done. as he sat, collecting himself, they set to testing the alterations. The looks of shock upon pulling up a full bucket of clean water was worth the pounding headache.<br/><br/>He reclaimed his stick, using it to help him to his feet as he wiped the blood from beneath his nose and massaged his temple. oh his head hurt.<br/><br/>"Enough for room and board?"<br/><br/>To his surprise the man actually bowed to him. the look on his face was priceless. obviously 14 wasn't used to gratitude.<br/><br/><em>"This way please. we do not have much to offer, but what we have we will happily share"</em>