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albany academy posted:Is the pebble thicc less thicc than a brick, I would say |
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Jul 18, 2020 18:05
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Manifisto posted:"now that my legs are free," said weed, "I would like to get away from this road and find out what dancing is all about. also I'm a bit thirsty to be honest." say "idk sounds legit my bro, like totally radical man" |
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Jul 18, 2020 18:32
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alexandriao posted:say "idk sounds legit my bro, like totally radical man" lol maybe start with the garden and ask the crow to come visit often |
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Jul 18, 2020 19:45
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Let's visit the garden. |
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Jul 18, 2020 20:59
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"I for one am curious to see the garden," said pebble to weed. "it sounds more restful than here, and maybe we can learn something of value." weed nodded in agreement. "that sounds good to me." "we dandelions are suspicious of gardens," said dandelion, "and more suspicious still of gardeners. although we are flowers, they treat us as unwelcome and unwanted. but perhaps this is a different type of garden. so, reluctantly, I agree." pebble and weed exchanged surreptitious glances. they did not recall inviting dandelion to journey with them, and found her a bit rude. but neither of them wanted to say anything, so they kept their peace. "to the garden, then, friend crow," said weed, "and we thank you kindly for your offer." "very well," said the tumbleweed, "I wish you a safe journey and a safe arrival. let me offer a word of caution, however. I have heard tell of this garden, and once in my youth I saw it from afar as I was tumbling along. all is not as it seems there. some things that seem beautiful or friendly hide danger or ulterior motives, while other things that seem sinister may prove true. in any event, I hope we cross paths again someday." "then let us go!" croaked crow, gathered the three into its beak, and launched into the air. "good riddance," said the damselfly, who had once more buzzed past. tumbleweed, ignoring this, watched the crow shrink into the distance with thoughtful eyes.
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Jul 18, 2020 22:24
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 bye tumbleweed friend 
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Jul 18, 2020 22:37
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circling there is no entirely accurate name for the sensation of being aloft, of banking and swooping and heaving pebble, having experienced this once before, tried to set aside the giddiness of flight and observe the surrounding landscape, but this proved impossible. there was altogether too much to take in, from the lonely mountain peaks to the billowing clouds, to the endless undulating green of the land below, to the mysterious blue of the horizon. dandelion, predictably, had plenty of disapproving words, but they seemed curiously inadequate to the experience. she, too, it seemed, was caught up in the rapture of flight, and could only praise it with faint damnation. it was very likely only a few lifetimes before crow located a patch of cleared land in the forest. quite an extensive clearing, it seemed, with acres dedicated to an orderly arrangement of color and texture, bleeding into chaotic patches of intermingled vegetation recalling a war, or a dance. a few large buildings were set, jewel-like, in the center of this curious tableau. although the hour was approaching midday, and there should be no shadows, there was in fact a fascinating lattice of dark streaks throughout the whole, delineating areas of luminous intensity and patches of oppressive dark. crow descended in great curves that provided an intriguing but incomplete perspective on the compound, settling eventually on the edge of an unremarkable field in the far periphery of the clearing. after a careful inspection, crow alighted delicately on a low tree branch. "friends, we have arrived at the garden," said crow. "shall I set you down?"
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Jul 22, 2020 06:31
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Manifisto posted:circling > grow arms and give a thumbs up |
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Jul 22, 2020 07:00
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maybe we should set down on the edge and observe the garden's tactics before entering |
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Jul 22, 2020 16:59
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"please set us down somewhere we can watch what goes on in the garden," said pebble. "we'd like to get a sense of what we're in for." "it is a big garden!" said crow. "I can think of a few places you might see something interesting." "first, there is an ornamental pond off to the north. it seems peaceful but a lot goes on there. I can set you in a sheltered area with a good view, but if you hear a fish sing to you, please exercise caution." "next, there is a formal garden near the center of the compound. the blooms there are extravagant, but can be treacherous. there are some rocks near the entrance that might make a good perch." "there is an herb garden close to one of the buildings. many exotic and lovely smells come for there, but you'll find that it is a popular spot because of that. there is a statue nearby with hollows that might protect you from prying eyes." "there is also a place we crows call the Evening Glade, because shadows seem to linger there always. at night it comes alive with glowing lights and curious movement. there is a very large and friendly tree nearby, I could set you in one of its lower branches." "finally, there is always movement and color in what we call The Bramble. I could put you somewhere nearby but, unless you can fly, there are not many places to observe it that are not right in its midst."
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Jul 24, 2020 23:26
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Manifisto posted:"please set us down somewhere we can watch what goes on in the garden," said pebble. "we'd like to get a sense of what we're in for." Herb garden, herbs are a real mixed bag of dudes. Some will help your food taste good, others will just make you pee lots. |
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Jul 25, 2020 07:23
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the herb garden was centrally located, and as crow flew towards it the companions got a peek at what must be the ornamental pond. it was surprisingly extensive, with a network of small island connected by bridges and stepping stones. from this vantage point, they could see a rainbow of bright fish moving beneath the surface, covered in startling patterns that seemed to move of their own accord. the surface itself was filled with huge lily pads and even larger blue and white flowers. a patch of song drifted up to them as they passed. pebble thought he saw one of the flowers leap forward and snap shut on a hapless frog, but it was over so quickly he wasn't entirely sure. they then passed not to far from what looked like the formal gardens. hedges and flowerbeds were laid out in an intricate curving design. the flowers were of every shape and color imaginable, obviously thriving, and moving among them were furry creatures of some sort. dandelion sniffed derisively as they flew by. the herb garden itself was indeed not far from a large white barnlike structure, its great doors closed tight. the garden was laid out in a great circle, at the center of which gleamed a gigantic armillary sphere. the beds were neatly manicured, and set among them were statues and sculptures. some of the statues were of extremely tall, thin, flexible creatures with long arms, legs that terminated in hooves, and snaky tails. some of them were apparently dancing, which excited weed even though weed found the statues themselves odd and a bit unnerving. crow headed directly to a white stone sculpture near the outer edge of the circle. it vaguely resembled a dolmen, but it was quite smooth and pocked with perfectly circular openings of various sizes that looked not unlike eyes. crow darted straight into one of these hollows, landed, and gently placed pebble, crow, and weed onto the floor. "this is a lovely place in the sunlight," said crow. "can you smell that?" the rich cacaphony of aromas that floated in the breeze was, in fact, impossible to miss, even for creatures who entirely lacked noses. "you will likely see various creatures gathering or grazing on herbs," he said. "do you see that one with the red spiky leaves? watch out for anything that eats those leaves, it can lead to, uh, unpredictability." "and so it has come time to part," said crow. "I may fly by here on occasion. if you happen to need me, let out three great caws." (to be honest, pebble, weed, and dandelion were not quite sure how they would manage to do that). "we are greatly in your debt," said pebble. "many thanks to you, and I wish you safe travels wherever you are headed next." weed also spoke words of gratitude, and dandelion mumbled something conciliatory. once crow had disappeared from sight, the companions took a moment to recover from the exhilaration of their journey and the dizzying array of curious sights they had seen. unexpectedly, a voice called to them from the darkness at the back of the hollow. "my goodness," it said, "I have not had visitors since approximately forever!"
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Jul 25, 2020 17:39
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"hey you guys?" |
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Jul 29, 2020 23:41
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RickRogers posted:"hey you guys?" call back to voice and introduce ourselves cautiously |
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Jul 29, 2020 23:49
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Beware little pebble! The voices in the dark, they always call us back to where we came from. But we must not listen. |
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Jul 29, 2020 23:58
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as there was no point in concealing themselves, and nowhere to run, pebble saw no choice but to answer. "hello?" he said, somewhat tremulously. "we didn't know anyone was in here! we certainly didn't mean to disturb you." "nonsense," said the voice. "I appreciate the company." something moved towards the party from the shadows, and the voice's owner soon appeared: a mushroom, brownish-red, with a pointy speckled cap. "who are you, and why are you here?" asked dandelion, somewhat forcefully. "it might be more polite for guests to introduce themselves first," said the mushroom in a low, rich tone. "but as you can see, I am a mushroom. a magic mushroom some say, although I consider that quite an exaggeration. some of the Keepers like to find us and eat us, so I prefer this little hiding spot where I can keep an eye on things." "well met, mr. mushroom," said pebble. "or is it ms?" "mushrooms have thousands of sexes," said mushroom. "to keep things simple, you can use "mx"" "thousands?" said weed in wonderment. "yes, and we all get together in huge orgies that last days," said mushroom. "that's what you were wondering, right? that's what everyone wants to know." not knowing how else to respond, weed chuckled nervously. "very well then, mx. mushroom," continued pebble, "I can speak only for myself. yesterday I was a pebble in a mountain stream, where I lay for eons. why and how I am here now is a strange question that I cannot fully answer, but we were told that the garden was an interesting place to visit." "I saw the crow who brought you here," said mushroom. "crows are capricious, personally I do not trust them. what of your companions?" "I am a weed from the roadside," said weed, "and I too am curious about the garden. also about these statues of the creatures with hooves." "I'm a dandelion, and my business is my own," said dandelion in a huff. "mx. mushroom, we have heard a number of curious things about the garden. what can you tell us about this place?" "what do you want to know?" asked mushroom.
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Jul 30, 2020 15:00
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If there is a garden, there must be a gardener.... |
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Jul 30, 2020 20:05
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Who, or perhaps, what are the Keepers? |
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Jul 30, 2020 21:49
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copulate with the mushroom |
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Jul 31, 2020 17:51
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RickRogers posted:If there is a garden, there must be a gardener.... Barking Gecko posted:Who, or perhaps, what are the Keepers?  alexandriao posted:copulate with the mushroom lol |
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Jul 31, 2020 20:13
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"the Keepers? why, they are the same creatures you see depicted in these statues," said mushroom. "the ones with the hooves and tails. they do much of the work maintaining the garden, and they love to dance, especially during moon festivals. however, the Keepers are not in charge. the Masters here, who are few, generally keep to themselves inside their great buildings. and that is just as well, because they are extremely large. some find them quite terrifying." weed was obviously still flummoxed, and slightly intrigued, at the concept of having thousands of sexes. "do you really have huge parties like that?" weed said. "and who all is invited?" "I am very flattered by your interest," said mushroom, "but we have developed a very strict fungus-only policy. this is partly because many of us are composed primarily of vast networks of underground mycelia that can cover an acre or more. non-fungi have a hard time dealing with that without damaging us or becoming consumed and decomposed by us. as fun as that all might be at the time." weed had the distinct impression that mushroom had, somehow, winked. mushroom glanced towards the opening of the hollow. "ah, I see the storexes are getting into the tanglemyrrh again. an interesting show if you've never seen it. or is there something else you'd like to know?"
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Jul 31, 2020 21:03
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a loud "eep"ing, presumably from the storexes, drew everyone to the entry of the hollow to see what was going on. a group of large birds with gold-white plumage and stilted legs was moving frenziedly around the bushes with the spiky red leaves. every so often one of them would take a nip--either of the plant, or of one another--with a shining curved beak. every time there was a lunge or a nip, all the birds would cry "EEP!" and flap their wings. mushroom shook its head. "I don't know what it is about tanglemyrrh. there are plenty of more interesting herbs here--better smells or favor, ones that cause interesting dreams, ones that can cloak your scent, some very effective poisons--whereas the tanglemyrrh just brings on delirium. I've never tried it to be honest, it doesn't seem very appealing to me!" what seemed at first to be chaotic jostling now appeared to settle into a rhythm. the birds were moving in a regular pattern, cycling around each other and the bushes with a fierce energy. they seemed to be taking nips of the plant in sequence, and even their attacks on each other and the resulting "eeps" occured with a discernible regularity. but the dance, if you could call it a dance, was also changing. more and more, the birds were moving with hops and leaps, sometimes accompanied by wing flaps that sent them into the air for a while. soon they were taking short flights with a curious spinning motion. it soon became clear that the birds had tiny claws attached to their wings, which they used to lock on to one another while in flight, creating a feathery whirlwind. "uh oh, here comes the dangerous part," said mushroom. the birds were now all aloft, and they started taking turns dive bombing everything they could see on the ground. most of them managed to pull up before impact, but one or two smashed headlong into various plants, causing a large chorus of "eep"ing that sounded a lot like laughter. the next time this occurred, a huge silver foxlike creature suddenly leaped from concealment and attempted to grab onto the crashed storex's leg with its sharp teeth. however, it could not manage to get a grip before the bird made an alarmed escape. the other birds started dive bombing the foxlike creature, stopping just short of the reach of its frenzied leaps. after a few more minutes of this, the frustrated fox-thing retreated, and the birds flew off into the distance. "yep, there's plenty going on here," said mushroom.
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Aug 11, 2020 14:14
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kiss mushroom softly, on the lips |
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Aug 11, 2020 14:21
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What if he's a cool drug mushroom, do we really want to be tripping our pebble balls off? Yes. Kiss mushroom (but ask permission first). Ask about what the masters are really like. |
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Aug 11, 2020 16:42
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RickRogers posted:What if he's a cool drug mushroom, do we really want to be tripping our pebble balls off?  and beware of the fox/birds/entire garden |
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Aug 11, 2020 16:46
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weed said, "that's kind of terrifying! the part where the birds were eating the plant, that is. you don't think they'd do the same thing to me if they could, do you?" mushroom said, "a cute plant like you? I'm sure they'd love to take a bite." weed turned a slightly greener shade (this was a blush, if you will) and said, "you're kind of cute yourself. would you mind if I kissed you?" mushroom chuckled. "do you think you could handle it? I told you that some people call me a magic mushroom. that's not entirely an exaggeration!" weed seemed highly conflicted, and while he paused in thought dandelion piped in with a question. "while my friend is working that out, can you tell us anything more about what the Masters are really like?" "they have reddish fur and three large eyes, and blink only very occasionally," said mushroom. "as I said, they are very large, perhaps the height of two and a half Keepers. the Masters will sometimes bring them fruits and herbs and other things from the Gardens, but we do not know what they really eat. occasionally they venture out into the Evening Glade or the Bramble, and it is very possible that they find things there that nourish them." "do they ever speak or sing or make other noises?" wondered dandelion. "they do speak, in a very low and sonorous tone. I would call it something like a musical earthquake. I do not understand their language, but the Keepers certainly do." weed finally piped up. "yes, I should like to kiss you, consequences be what they may!" "that's the spirit!" said pebble. "very well," said mushroom, "but please remember that I'm mostly into B-alpha specificities, so don't expect sparks to fly, necessarily!" weed tumbled over to mushroom (it seemed he was picking up the knack of tumbling all on his own) and moved one of his flowering stalks to where he presumed mushroom's lips were. after a tender moment, weed pulled back and said "that was nice, thank you." shortly afterwards he added "but now it feels like everything is spinning . . . is that normal?"
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Aug 14, 2020 19:45
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weed, it soon became evident, was in anything but a normal state. his leaves were quivering in a most curious fashion, his roots twiching, and his speech quite unconventional. "they are dancing, dancing in the underworld, dancing over the ocean, dancing atop the clouds! the plants are everywhere, overtaking everything, covering ever last boulder and sand dune and animal and bird and wave! the sun grows dark with hungry insects! the Keepers are coming to feed us to the Masters! the fungi . . . I can see their orgy, they are copulating a million different ways, spores and hyphae everywhere, wriggling with delight! the stones are now talking! I am flying in the air! what is going on??" mushroom sighed. "I was afraid it would be like this. your friend should be okay in a few hours. until then, best to keep him out of sight of anything that might want to eat him or sell him something." "so what are your plans now, once your friend has recovered?" continued mushroom. "I can tell you one thing, we're getting out of here," said dandelion. "we have places to go, things to see!" mushroom nodded and turned to pebble. "and what do you have to say for yourself, master pebble?"
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Aug 23, 2020 16:20
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bonus pebble content:Manifisto posted:a mountain stream with many peble: |
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Aug 23, 2020 16:21
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Manifisto posted:weed, it soon became evident, was in anything but a normal state. his leaves were quivering in a most curious fashion, his roots twiching, and his speech quite unconventional. "they are dancing, dancing in the underworld, dancing over the ocean, dancing atop the clouds! the plants are everywhere, overtaking everything, covering ever last boulder and sand dune and animal and bird and wave! the sun grows dark with hungry insects! the Keepers are coming to feed us to the Masters! the fungi . . . I can see their orgy, they are copulating a million different ways, spores and hyphae everywhere, wriggling with delight! the stones are now talking! I am flying in the air! what is going on??" "Wait.....am I a pebble?" |
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Aug 23, 2020 21:00
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after a long moment's thought, one that seemed to span weeks, pebble replied, "this garden is fascinating and intoxicating and dangerous. I am glad to have seen some of its mysteries. but I cannot help but remember my dream, my dream within a dream, of the ocean. it seems to me that things are precarious, that stories which should come to a proper end sometimes falter despite resolve and courage. I want to see this dream through." pebble's companions regarded him solemnly. at length, dandelion said, "that's what I've been trying to say, you numbskull." pebble rounded on dandelion. "really? how so?" dandelion coughed a few times, mumbling "that's not the point."
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Oct 24, 2020 05:54
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oh poo poo we're back! personally i think we should kinda follow weed's lead for now cause he is On One for sure. maybe the bramble would be cool before we clear outta here. we probably won't get too far towards the ocean anytime soon without meeting another transport friend anyways, being a pebble and all
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Oct 24, 2020 19:14
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 owlhawk911 posted:oh poo poo we're back! personally i think we should kinda follow weed's lead for now cause he is On One for sure. maybe the bramble would be cool before we clear outta here. we probably won't get too far towards the ocean anytime soon without meeting another transport friend anyways, being a pebble and all
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Oct 24, 2020 19:58
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"bramble," muttered weed. "lost in the bramble . . . that's where we are . . . except the bramble is a rabbit, and the birds are telling us something . . . they speak an ancient language, older than time itself . . . we need to get out! jump! hop!" weed continued in this vein, his voice descending into a low muttering that was barely discernible save the occasional odd phrase. pebble said to mushroom, "I don't know what any of that means, but I am curious. what can you tell us of the bramble?" "I don't often go there," said mushroom. "your friend is right about this at least, it is an easy place to get lost, because things are always shifting and landmarks are not easy to see. there are hawks and eagles who like to hunt there, what exactly they are hunting isn't clear. the colors are quite amazing though, almost hypnotic . . . actually I have seen Keepers get literally hypnotized, stuck in place just staring, although the Masters seem immune. I have a theory, really just a speculation, that the entirety of the bramble is a living organism, and the color and movement are its way of communicating, or perhaps hunting." "we must go there!" said weed, suddenly seeming far more lucid. "there is a message for us in the bramble, I am certain of it." "that sounds like an extremely bad idea," scoffed dandelion. "our companion is high as balls, none of what he is saying is the least bit reliable." pebble paused to consider this new and unexpected possible direction for their journey. |
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Oct 24, 2020 20:39
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roll w/e eye equivalent we have at dandelion, see if mushroom wants to come/bid them farewell, and head out to commune w/ the bramble
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Oct 24, 2020 20:59
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agree, commune with bramble... very carefully... |
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Oct 24, 2020 23:00
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"weed . . . friend . . . mx. mushroom here just told us that there is a danger of becoming lost, or hypnotized, or hunted by eagles. perhaps we should choose another path," said pebble. "you do not believe me," said weed, "but I know this to be true. I have seen it in a vision, our future is dark and fraught unless we receive this message. like a shiny silver key, it will open doors that are closed to us. I must go, even if the rest of you will not." still doubtful, pebble turned to mushroom. "he feels strongly about this. I have heard it said that partaking of mushrooms can impart wisdom, perhaps we would be foolish to ignore what he has seen." "you heard this where, exactly?" snarked dandelion. "were you and the other pebbles doing a lot of gossiping in your little stream?" mushroom seemed to shrug. "I'm not going to deny that mushrooms are a source of wisdom. that's sort of our brand." "if we were to go, would you accompany us?" pebble asked. mushroom paused a moment, then said, "I would genuinely like to, but I must decline. I have affairs of my own to attend to, and the Keepers like to collect us whenever they spot us. I think, in that regard at least, the three of your are safer from that particular danger." "very well. we do appreciate your hospitality, though, and what guidance you have provided. if you don't mind, we could use a bit more information. in what direction does the bramble lie? and how can we get there, seeing as we can tumble about only very slowly on our own?" "the bramble lies in the direction of the setting sun," said mushroom. "I would say your bird friend who deposited you here would be a very convenient transportation solution. but if that's not possible, you could always take a hedgehog." the three companions gave mushroom a puzzled look. "oh yeah," said mushroom. "how do you you think I get around? you'll need something to pay them with, however. they're a bit of a stickler in that regard."
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Oct 26, 2020 01:14
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hedgehog  yes... maybe they like bugs or some other kind of food?
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Oct 26, 2020 01:17
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"there are a few stinkbugs in the back of this hollow," said mushroom. "you're welcome to them, I know where to find plenty more." |
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Oct 26, 2020 01:41
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hedgehogs gonna make a mess of them stinkbugs but h-hog food is h-hog food. the bugs okay with this before we take em? |
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Oct 26, 2020 18:32
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| # ? May 8, 2024 20:46 |
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Khanstant posted:hedgehogs gonna make a mess of them stinkbugs but h-hog food is h-hog food. the bugs okay with this before we take em? good point |
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Oct 26, 2020 18:42
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