And I'll Tell You What You Are

This is Will's Eden For the Task Ahead

“Have you chosen a candidate, Master Fogg?” Grayson asks as he takes the plans off of Phileas’ desk. 

Phileas is sitting behind his desk, holding his head in one hand, telling him, “The Baron wants to elevate what is already perfect. A feat that would only seek to ruin it. And I am provided with amateurs. There is not one doubt in my mind that if I fail, my career is as good as over.” 

“Or perhaps it’s an opportunity for a new one.” Grayson says optimistically. “Maybe there’s more value in doing it yourself. That’s what you told me your trip around the world in 80 days was like.” 

When Phileas says nothing to this, Grayson walks to the other side, reminding him, “I believe I recall you telling me once, ‘A man’s work is only as valuable as a critic’s words deeming it so’.” 

“And I still stand by it.” Phileas agrees, right as Grayson picks up the discarded plans and brings them back to the desk, dropping them with a knowing look. 

Phileas only stays in the same position for another second before he flips through Captain Charity’s plans again. 

Will finally finishes washing his arms and hands of the dirt clinging to them, then proceeds to start picking away at the dirt trapped underneath his fingernails. 

When he hears friendly laughing, he can’t help but be curious as to the source, and pauses his ministrations to investigate. 

The closer he gets, the louder the laughter becomes, coupled with the sounds of a carriage, and before he knows it, he’s been frozen in that exact spot for nearly a whole hour. 

A knock finally breaks through Will’s reverie, but it’s only when the door is answered by someone else does Will finally register where he is. 

“Mr. Charity?” Catherine greets him. “A gentleman is here to see you. A Mr. Fogg.” 

Will’s immediately on alert, “Him? Here?”, which prompts Catherine to quickly assure him, “I can hold my own in a fight, just say the word.”, then gesture. “Come on, then.” 

Quickly, Will takes what Catherine tosses to him, then rushes upstairs to get properly dressed. 

While he does that, Catherine answers the door again to tell Fogg, “Charity will be down in just a moment.”, then step aside for him to come in. 

Which he does, slowly, even as he chooses to hold himself just so as to not disturb anything. 

And even so, his eyes can’t help but catch sight of the sketches on the table, the detailed notes of many different plants. 

Intrigued to see more, Phileas takes a lamp on the table and walks just outside, to get a glimpse of the backyard. 

He takes a match and starts lighting the lanterns he finds one by one, and just like that, he’s surrounded by greenery. 

There’s so many plants, so many flowers, that Phileas is sure it could go on forever, and he still couldn’t see everything that makes up this garden. 

Will eventually does come back downstairs, walking to the backyard and approaching tentatively as he sees Phileas walk through it. 

When Phileas turns, they lock eyes, so the Englishman speaks first, “I learnt gardening after my trip around the world in 80 days. I wanted to take all the colors and beauty of everything I saw and bring it back here, not to relive the only remarkable thing that’s ever happened to me, but to believe that one day the world over could be inspired to have adventures of their own.”