254 days since Praimfaya (196 days since Madi).
They were trudging along when they found the truck in the mud.
''Holy cra—'' Clarke exclaimed and ran up to the truck. Madi's eyes were similarly wide, as she followed suit, while Lexa stared on from behind as she wheeled up towards them, unsure of why they were making a fuss over it.
''Whoa! This is a beast!'' Madi almost squealed, visibly impressed as she wiped the windshield with her sleeve. And then, she bounded down the back of the truck, and ran her fingers across the military truck's side, the colours of green and brown camouflage painted on the truck, weathered over time, but still apparent.
Lexa titled her head at the truck once she caught up, as she ran her gloved fingers over the mud. What was so special about this piece of metal?
''I can make so many bear traps from this!'' she heard the Nightblood yell out from the other side of the truck, as she heard the sounds of an excited shuffle and a lot of excited glances into the wheels of the truck. ''And—oh! A trebuchet!''
Lexa hoped that by a trebuchet, the Nightblood meant that she could use the truck wheels to construct a trebuchet, and not that she found a trebuchet in the truck.
''No bear traps for now,'' Clarke murmured in response, as the Nightblood groaned. ''Or trebuchets.'' Another groan. Opening the hood, and peeking into the engine— ''I think I can find a way to make this work.''
...
284 days since Praimfaya (226 days since Madi).
Though it had been a month since they found the truck, Clarke still hadn't gotten around to making it work yet.
Madi wasn't really sure on the specifics of trucks or engines and whatnot, but she was pretty sure that a month was a bit of a long time in trying to get a truck up and moving.
Clarke had spent most of the days now trying to make the engine work. Madi sometimes joined along with her, mainly because a) she was bored, and b) she might be able to take some parts away for her bear traps and trebuchet. So far, though, the truck had only filled her desire for Option A, while Option B generally remained nonexistent as Clarke had insisted so.
But that was okay. Madi had patience.
Sometimes, Madi wondered if Clarke actually made process on the truck. Because all Madi really saw Clarke do was peek under the hood, check stuff like under the truck and the gas in the back, and pace around in frustration. Madi had firmly decided that if Clarke ever abandoned her project in ''making it start'', she was gonna take it over and dissect the truck for studying and bear-trap related purposes.
But that thought had flown off her mind when one day, Clarke managed to jumpstart the engine. Madi had been completely surprised when the truck made a sound akin to a low growl, and then became excited, because sheesh Clarke actually might make it work and then they might be able to drive all over the place!
They still had a long way until driving it, though. At least that was Madi's guess because if it took a month for Clarke to jumpstart the engine, she guessed that it was gonna take quite a bit of time until they actually managed to get to drive all over the place.
...
Notebook - 285 days since Praimfaya.
(Translated from Trigedasleng)
CLARKE ACTUALLY MADE THE TRUCK WORK.
SHE JUMPSTARTED THE ENGINE AND GOT IN THE TRUCK AND TOLD ME TO GET ON. THEN SHE PRESSED DOWN ON THE GAS AND IT SPURTED MUD ALL OVER THE PLACE BUT THEN WE WERE FREE FROM THE MUD DITCH!
I RODE IN THE TRUCK. WE DROVE BACK TO LOWODA KLIRON KRU. LEXA WAS SO SURPRISED WHEN WE GOT OFF THE TRUCK BUT THEN SHE PRETENDED NOT TO CARE AND LOOKED AWAY BUT SHE WAS STILL SURPRISED.
I SURPRISED THE HEDA!
IT FEELS AMAZING.
THE RIDE WAS AWESOME. THE FORESTS SWEPT BY SO QUICKLY. CLARKE WAS BEHIND THE WHEEL AND SHE WAS GRINNING THE WHOLE TIME. NOW WE CAN DRIVE ALL OVER THE PLACE! I WANT TO DO IT AGAIN.
I CAN'T WAIT TO DO IT AGAIN.
...
Lexa was rendered fairly incoherent when Clarke and Madi drove into Shallow Valley in a truck.
She had been tending to their ''farm'' when she heard a screech come from behind, and when she had twisted her head to the source of the sound she saw a large sage-green truck, that had parked to a stop in front of their abode.
She should not have been so surprised, she supposed. However, she did not exactly expect Clarke's ''three-step daily plan to fixing the truck'' to actually become a success.
Perhaps most of her surprise had stemmed from the fact that Clarke had actually managed to imbue the once-lifeless truck with life, even though it had seemed rather implausible-bordering on impossible when Clarke had first announced the project. Or perhaps it was merely surprise at seeing a truck bump through the untended paths, through trees, and enter the village while stopping in front of their abode. Either way.
Glee and a hint of happiness had resided on Clarke's expression when she had left the truck, slamming the door (despite the indignant creak that came from it when it did), and grinning with pride as she looked at Lexa for some form of emotion to appear on her face, which was hopefully none, because yes, she did have her doubts regarding Clarke's truck-plan, and yes, she was proven wrong, all of which she thought while she schooled impassivity on her features.
However, at Madi's exhilarated glee once she jumped off the truck when it halted to a stop, followed by Clarke closely behind, Lexa had shaken her head, hiding a small smile underneath, as she turned away and wheeled into their abode.
A truck. They had managed to kickstart a truck, which had only been stuck, broken, dead in mud a month ago. A truck, something with far too many mechanisms to keep ahold of and parts that seemed unnecessarily complicated. They managed to make a truck work, and to drive it, even.
Silently, Lexa hoped that a trebuchet wouldn't be next. Though it was a desperate hope, a frivolous one at that, when taking into account Madi's obsession with olden-style contraptions, it was still a hope. And desperate hopes were usually those most answered, weren't they?
Hopefully, it wouldn't be a full-scale trebuchet that was next.
