Years passed without much happening. Matt couldn't seem to be good at being a Hope. So instead, he let his curiosity flow. He still pretended to be a good Hope, but everyone still suspected him. 

When he turned 15, Mark implemented a new custom; children would be given a tattoo to mark them as Hopes. Every adult in Hope Square who had been born before this rule was made was given one too. This included Matt and Virgil, who both now had matching tattoos on their right hands, like everyone else. So there was one thing that made him a Hope. 

But then they got the news. A Dagger had escaped the dunegons. And even worse, they had killed the queen. The king ordered Daggers be illegal, and had them all permenantly sealed in the dungeon. And since Hopes were in the same catagory of "reculsive societies," they were shunned even more than they were before. This prevented the adults plan to send Matt out into the town. 

Slowly, for reasons unkown, the sky went gray. The sun stopped shining, and it wouldn't rain. At age 17, Matt finally discovered the insane "Flower Law." Mark told him that outside of Hope Square, flowers were deemed illegal. Anyone who was growing them or had one was to be arrested. Apparently, it was because the queen was murdered in a garden, but they would never know. Hope Square, at first, was the only place in the kingdom that still had flowers. Until the lack of rain and sunshine destroyed the last of them. The world went gray, much to Matt's disappointment.

However, all these events just stirred his curiosity even more. He wanted so badly to get out of Hope Square and explore. Mark and Jack had to take action against it quickly. Had to teach him fear. Had to let him see the older ones do it. 

And so finally, after years of waiting, they turned to Virgil. Now 37 years old, *I really messed with ages to make the timeline work, sorry* Virgil could have been considered a man, but he didn't think of himself that way. He was just as anxious and skittish as ever, only now a bit more condesending and sarcastic. Matt meanwhile, was 18, and DID think of himself as a young man. Strong, determined, and very curious about everything outside of Hope Square. 

So they put the plan into action. They set the two boys out to get a simple list of groceries, and one book. Maybe, just maybe, the real world would teach Matt how to be afraid. 

Needless to say, It didn't. In fact, it only made him love it more.