> Rose: Say Goodbye to the Life you Knew
> And hello to the one soon to start.
Your ALARM GLOCK fires off a shot at 6:12 am.
You never set your alarm glock to fire at a specific time, but instead set parameters, and a time between them is chosen at random. There is no doubt about the time you read along the base as you sit on your bed awake, focused, and alert. You have no cobwebs to clear out of your head, no sopor to rub from your eyes, the numbers are as clear to you as the day soon to dawn. Using muted GUNSHOTS as alarm bells tend to take care of post-dormant drowsiness rather effectively -- just as you've hypothesized and proven conclusively (a superfluous experiment, perhaps, but one that was fun all the same). You're not sure if you even needed to set your glock in the first place; you were really excited before you went to bed last night and would have probably awoken on your own, but you love the sound of a good gunshot, and everything about guns, actually. So, you set it anyway.
Addiction is a powerful thing.
Never are you too excited to sleep, though, to dream. Your dreams have been, are now, and will be really important. Especially today. Everything you've dreamt, planned for, and worked towards has been for today.
The day that you and your friends play a game together.
That won't happen for a few hours, though, and that's just fine with you. You have other friends to greet, first.
You pad down the stairs and out of your room, stepping on the TRANSPORTALIZER when they end and rematerialize in your GARDEN ATRIUM. This is one of your most favorite places to be and brings a big smile to your face every time you enter it. In your happiness, you might have missed something moving around just in the corner of your vision, something that will no doubt be gone should you choose to look in that direction. You don't look, and you aren't worried, either. Why would you be? There are plants all around you, and you couldn't be happier. Green is, obviously, the predominant color in the room, but it's as though you've made it your PERSONAL MISSION to render the entire chromatic spectrum in fragrant, elegant form with all the colorful flowers you keep absolutely EVERYWHERE. How you love them and trees, and anything possessing CHLOROPHYLL and the ability to PHOTOSYNTHESIZE, really. Whether you've grown them from conventional seeds, or GENETICALLY ENGINEERED in the lab, they are all of them MARVELS and very loved friends.
You hum a song made by a friend (of the human persuasion) and start to fertilize your plants when a slick vine suddenly wraps itself around your neck. You cease to move, the song quickly dying in your throat. You know the feel of this vine and immediately recognize the species, mind rolling through the specs with as much effort as it takes to recite the alphabet. Higher locomotive functions. Vines with incredibly high tensile strength. Nocturnal. Concealed spines that secrete both a PARALYTIC TOXIN that doubles as a biological preservative, and a slow-acting enzyme that breaks down solid tissue for easier CONSUMPTION. The NIGHT GLORY. It's a plant whose grasp the world's strongest person would have no hope of escaping, one capable of liquifying your insides as it drinks them, slowly. All while you're still ALIVE.
Good morning, Saria!
It's also a complete and utter sweetheart.
You smile and reach to curl a finger under one of her huge petals now that she seems settled around your neck and shoulders. You knew that was going to happen, and you didn't want to move while she was getting comfortable! That would have been a little inconsiderate of you, even if you probably shouldn't indulge her, right now--it's past her bedtime. But you do it anyway before heading out to work outside, because she is your friend, and a little miracle. For all your commitment to and knowledge of SCIENCE, there is something undeniably MAGICAL about watching a single, infant-like seed grow into something as hardy as a tree, tall and stalwart, with tips that could brush against the heavens themselves. Such noble majesty.
You are perfectly aware that the name of said magic is called MITOTIC CELL DIVISION. You also give no shits.
Even as you believe this and will forever believe this, though, there is also an ITCH at the back of your mind, an endlessly persistent tingling all along the skin of your curiosity and intellect that demands SATISFACTION. Your itch has a name.
WHAT IF.
WHAT IF you could take the best of technology and combine it with nature? WHAT IF instead of being forever rooted to the earth, plants were able to roam as free as any animal? WHAT IF instead of lacking in defense mechanisms, they could instead rival some of the greatest predators? WHAT IF they had higher mental functions and managed to express the collective consciousness that you know them to have more strongly? WHAT IF you could make blue bananas? All around your atrium, house, and island are the answers to these WHAT IFS and more (the bananas are delicious, by the way), but perhaps the greatest one you've asked yourself was...
What if...
You could make a dream real?
You did.
But you'll leave her be, for now. You know she's sleeping. You know a lot of things, thanks to her.
Even as you endeavor to scratch this itch, you know it's an ULTIMATELY FUTILE effort. You will never be SATISFIED, but you can't ignore it, either. Such a wonderfully vicious uphill battle, it's some of the BEST FUN you've ever had! Speaking of fun, it's almost time. Before you get to it, though, you should feed your dog first. You haven't yet managed to create a hybrid plant strong enough to endure being near a nuclear power source without being vaporized (again, the operative word is “yet”!), so you're still using your COOKALIZER to lightly irradiate his steaks. If there's one thing you will never know, though, it's where BECQUEREL ever is. He comes and goes as he likes. It's something that you've come to accept of your friend, even if it used to really bug you. You like being able to keep track of things. Oh, well. You do know that he won't be able to resist the allure of ionizing radiation for too long.
You look up to the sky, the clouds, and sun, and feel the wind breeze through your hair, inviting you to stay outside. You accept, happily, and deploy your LILYTOP after climbing into a very large hammock that you wove yourself. It's a gorgeous day out, and you should enjoy it.
It's the last one you'll see like this, after all.
-- transcendentTopiary [TT] began pestering gamersTrenchant [GT] at 08:17 --
TT: Hello, John!
GT: oh hey rose what's up.
GT: was totally just about to pester you there sweet catch.
TT: I had a feeling you were, thanks.
GT: so what's new over there on frankenstein's botanist's island anything cool?
TT: Not so much right now, I don't think!
TT: But, hmmm, Frankenstein, that's giving me an idea. :o
GT: okay so just throwing that out there if the cops knock on my door and go all
GT: "hey man there is a fifty foot venus fly trap with arms and legs wrecking downtown houston"
GT: i am not going to be telling them i know you.
GT: just fyi.
TT: Thanks, John, you're so sweet.
GT: yeah, bff of the year right here.
TT: I should make you an award. Such dedication and commitment to the virtues of bffship are certainly deserving of recognition! :D
GT: oh man that would be totally sweet.
GT: but seriously now you got me curious what you got working in that crazy head of yours flower girl.
TT: Hmmm, this and that. :)
GT: well i imagine you'll tell me when you try it just like i'll end up documenting something like it for my "stories from beyond audacity" blog of sorts
TT: That sounds like it might be fun! :D
TT: I could take some pictures of them for you, but I think you would do a much better job of it.
TT: What with being the expert photographer that you are. :)
GT: man i will break out that photographer's shop like you wouldn't believe
GT: don't worry though, i'll blur out most details.
GT: protect the innocent and all.
TT: Wow, John, you sure are racking up all the friendship points here. :D
TT: It's a shame that you live so far away and can't take them in person.
TT: Saria wants to meet you!
TT: So do a lot of my plants. :D
TT: She says "hi", by the way.
GT: tell her i say hi back. which one is she again.
TT: The Night Glory, John! Fast-acting paralytics and liquefying enzymes?
TT: She also has very pretty purple and white petals.
TT: :)
GT: oh yes that one, now i remember why i helped you name her that.
TT: Because I asked you to?
GT: yeah exactly clear as mud.
TT: Then I guess I should remind you that you get to take care of her if anything should happen to me.
TT: Careful, she's a slippery one. You'll need to keep your eye on her, sometimes.
GT: oh man you have no idea how good i am at keeping an eye on things that shouldn't be moving.
GT: regardless of anything the prospect terrifies me a little bit.
TT: Oh no, that won't do, John! :(
TT: She can pick up on that easily and might think you're prey.
GT: oh no now you're gonna say something like she- yup called that one
GT: she is like raptors smelling fear and all that noise.
TT: Augh, those raptors were completely inaccurate, but whatever.
TT: I was only teasing, John.
TT: Mostly.
TT: Saria won't eat you, silly, she likes you a lot! :)
GT: yeah i was kidding about the raptor part mostly too jurassic park was the most historically inaccurate movie by a country mile.
TT: The raptors were very clever and interesting predators, though.
TT: Hmm, I think that might give me another idea, but that'll have to wait.
TT: What with the game and all! :o
GT: wait game what.
GT: you lost me there harley what game.
TT: The game that all four of us are going to play today because I know you have a copy of it under your bed, John Strider.
GT: woah wait what
GT: hahahah holy shit very funny rose.
GT: is this one of your tricky fake psychic magics again.
GT: no seriously that shit is uncanny.
TT: I wouldn't need psychic powers for that. You love world-builders, there's no way you didn't jump on that at the first opportunity! :o
TT: You pre-ordered it, didn't you. :)
GT: not a chance that was so overhyped you know i don't go for that.
GT: i totally did not preorder any incredibly hyped game that claimed to be an incredibly deep worldbuilder that is currently residing under my bed.
GT: totally.
GT: eheheh.
TT: Of course not, why would that ever be a thing that you'd do? :)
GT: exactly.
GT: but no seriously i mean i guess i didn't realize you all would be playing it is there something actually important about that or what.
TT: Can't a girl just have fun with her friends, John?
GT: well yeah totally.
GT: but the way you phrased it with your classic psychic psychobabble it sounded like it was important or some shit.
TT: Did it? :o
GT: yeah like idk one of those cheesy "world hinges on us doing this" plots or something.
GT: you know the ones where they pick four average joes who have nothing special about them.
GT: but i'll save my power ranger rants for another time.
TT: Don't be silly, John, it's not quite like that.
TT: And okay, sure!
TT: Why don't you get some leftover takeout, and I'll see you later, okay?
GT: how did you know i was stashing some leftover takeout
GT: you know what never mind i gotta stop asking these questions
GT: yeah check you later rose. whenever we get this game set up or whatever.
TT: Bye, John!
-- gamersTrenchant [GT] ceased pestering transcendentTopiary [TT]--
John seemed a little flustered by the end there, but you can't imagine why and you certainly didn't enjoy it. He's such a good friend, at any rate, and you know that even if you were kidding around earlier (mostly), he will always have his friends' backs. You weren't lying to him, either; it really wasn't going to happen quite like he said it would.
The four of you were far from average, after all.
Your ALARM GLOCK fires off a shot at 6:12 am.
You never set your alarm glock to fire at a specific time, but instead set parameters, and a time between them is chosen at random. There is no doubt about the time you read along the base as you sit on your bed awake, focused, and alert. You have no cobwebs to clear out of your head, no sopor to rub from your eyes, the numbers are as clear to you as the day soon to dawn. Using muted GUNSHOTS as alarm bells tend to take care of post-dormant drowsiness rather effectively -- just as you've hypothesized and proven conclusively (a superfluous experiment, perhaps, but one that was fun all the same). You're not sure if you even needed to set your glock in the first place; you were really excited before you went to bed last night and would have probably awoken on your own, but you love the sound of a good gunshot, and everything about guns, actually. So, you set it anyway.
Addiction is a powerful thing.
Never are you too excited to sleep, though, to dream. Your dreams have been, are now, and will be really important. Especially today. Everything you've dreamt, planned for, and worked towards has been for today.
The day that you and your friends play a game together.
That won't happen for a few hours, though, and that's just fine with you. You have other friends to greet, first.
You pad down the stairs and out of your room, stepping on the TRANSPORTALIZER when they end and rematerialize in your GARDEN ATRIUM. This is one of your most favorite places to be and brings a big smile to your face every time you enter it. In your happiness, you might have missed something moving around just in the corner of your vision, something that will no doubt be gone should you choose to look in that direction. You don't look, and you aren't worried, either. Why would you be? There are plants all around you, and you couldn't be happier. Green is, obviously, the predominant color in the room, but it's as though you've made it your PERSONAL MISSION to render the entire chromatic spectrum in fragrant, elegant form with all the colorful flowers you keep absolutely EVERYWHERE. How you love them and trees, and anything possessing CHLOROPHYLL and the ability to PHOTOSYNTHESIZE, really. Whether you've grown them from conventional seeds, or GENETICALLY ENGINEERED in the lab, they are all of them MARVELS and very loved friends.
You hum a song made by a friend (of the human persuasion) and start to fertilize your plants when a slick vine suddenly wraps itself around your neck. You cease to move, the song quickly dying in your throat. You know the feel of this vine and immediately recognize the species, mind rolling through the specs with as much effort as it takes to recite the alphabet. Higher locomotive functions. Vines with incredibly high tensile strength. Nocturnal. Concealed spines that secrete both a PARALYTIC TOXIN that doubles as a biological preservative, and a slow-acting enzyme that breaks down solid tissue for easier CONSUMPTION. The NIGHT GLORY. It's a plant whose grasp the world's strongest person would have no hope of escaping, one capable of liquifying your insides as it drinks them, slowly. All while you're still ALIVE.
Good morning, Saria!
It's also a complete and utter sweetheart.
You smile and reach to curl a finger under one of her huge petals now that she seems settled around your neck and shoulders. You knew that was going to happen, and you didn't want to move while she was getting comfortable! That would have been a little inconsiderate of you, even if you probably shouldn't indulge her, right now--it's past her bedtime. But you do it anyway before heading out to work outside, because she is your friend, and a little miracle. For all your commitment to and knowledge of SCIENCE, there is something undeniably MAGICAL about watching a single, infant-like seed grow into something as hardy as a tree, tall and stalwart, with tips that could brush against the heavens themselves. Such noble majesty.
You are perfectly aware that the name of said magic is called MITOTIC CELL DIVISION. You also give no shits.
Even as you believe this and will forever believe this, though, there is also an ITCH at the back of your mind, an endlessly persistent tingling all along the skin of your curiosity and intellect that demands SATISFACTION. Your itch has a name.
WHAT IF.
WHAT IF you could take the best of technology and combine it with nature? WHAT IF instead of being forever rooted to the earth, plants were able to roam as free as any animal? WHAT IF instead of lacking in defense mechanisms, they could instead rival some of the greatest predators? WHAT IF they had higher mental functions and managed to express the collective consciousness that you know them to have more strongly? WHAT IF you could make blue bananas? All around your atrium, house, and island are the answers to these WHAT IFS and more (the bananas are delicious, by the way), but perhaps the greatest one you've asked yourself was...
What if...
You could make a dream real?
You did.
But you'll leave her be, for now. You know she's sleeping. You know a lot of things, thanks to her.
Even as you endeavor to scratch this itch, you know it's an ULTIMATELY FUTILE effort. You will never be SATISFIED, but you can't ignore it, either. Such a wonderfully vicious uphill battle, it's some of the BEST FUN you've ever had! Speaking of fun, it's almost time. Before you get to it, though, you should feed your dog first. You haven't yet managed to create a hybrid plant strong enough to endure being near a nuclear power source without being vaporized (again, the operative word is “yet”!), so you're still using your COOKALIZER to lightly irradiate his steaks. If there's one thing you will never know, though, it's where BECQUEREL ever is. He comes and goes as he likes. It's something that you've come to accept of your friend, even if it used to really bug you. You like being able to keep track of things. Oh, well. You do know that he won't be able to resist the allure of ionizing radiation for too long.
You look up to the sky, the clouds, and sun, and feel the wind breeze through your hair, inviting you to stay outside. You accept, happily, and deploy your LILYTOP after climbing into a very large hammock that you wove yourself. It's a gorgeous day out, and you should enjoy it.
It's the last one you'll see like this, after all.
-- transcendentTopiary [TT] began pestering gamersTrenchant [GT] at 08:17 --
TT: Hello, John!
GT: oh hey rose what's up.
GT: was totally just about to pester you there sweet catch.
TT: I had a feeling you were, thanks.
GT: so what's new over there on frankenstein's botanist's island anything cool?
TT: Not so much right now, I don't think!
TT: But, hmmm, Frankenstein, that's giving me an idea. :o
GT: okay so just throwing that out there if the cops knock on my door and go all
GT: "hey man there is a fifty foot venus fly trap with arms and legs wrecking downtown houston"
GT: i am not going to be telling them i know you.
GT: just fyi.
TT: Thanks, John, you're so sweet.
GT: yeah, bff of the year right here.
TT: I should make you an award. Such dedication and commitment to the virtues of bffship are certainly deserving of recognition! :D
GT: oh man that would be totally sweet.
GT: but seriously now you got me curious what you got working in that crazy head of yours flower girl.
TT: Hmmm, this and that. :)
GT: well i imagine you'll tell me when you try it just like i'll end up documenting something like it for my "stories from beyond audacity" blog of sorts
TT: That sounds like it might be fun! :D
TT: I could take some pictures of them for you, but I think you would do a much better job of it.
TT: What with being the expert photographer that you are. :)
GT: man i will break out that photographer's shop like you wouldn't believe
GT: don't worry though, i'll blur out most details.
GT: protect the innocent and all.
TT: Wow, John, you sure are racking up all the friendship points here. :D
TT: It's a shame that you live so far away and can't take them in person.
TT: Saria wants to meet you!
TT: So do a lot of my plants. :D
TT: She says "hi", by the way.
GT: tell her i say hi back. which one is she again.
TT: The Night Glory, John! Fast-acting paralytics and liquefying enzymes?
TT: She also has very pretty purple and white petals.
TT: :)
GT: oh yes that one, now i remember why i helped you name her that.
TT: Because I asked you to?
GT: yeah exactly clear as mud.
TT: Then I guess I should remind you that you get to take care of her if anything should happen to me.
TT: Careful, she's a slippery one. You'll need to keep your eye on her, sometimes.
GT: oh man you have no idea how good i am at keeping an eye on things that shouldn't be moving.
GT: regardless of anything the prospect terrifies me a little bit.
TT: Oh no, that won't do, John! :(
TT: She can pick up on that easily and might think you're prey.
GT: oh no now you're gonna say something like she- yup called that one
GT: she is like raptors smelling fear and all that noise.
TT: Augh, those raptors were completely inaccurate, but whatever.
TT: I was only teasing, John.
TT: Mostly.
TT: Saria won't eat you, silly, she likes you a lot! :)
GT: yeah i was kidding about the raptor part mostly too jurassic park was the most historically inaccurate movie by a country mile.
TT: The raptors were very clever and interesting predators, though.
TT: Hmm, I think that might give me another idea, but that'll have to wait.
TT: What with the game and all! :o
GT: wait game what.
GT: you lost me there harley what game.
TT: The game that all four of us are going to play today because I know you have a copy of it under your bed, John Strider.
GT: woah wait what
GT: hahahah holy shit very funny rose.
GT: is this one of your tricky fake psychic magics again.
GT: no seriously that shit is uncanny.
TT: I wouldn't need psychic powers for that. You love world-builders, there's no way you didn't jump on that at the first opportunity! :o
TT: You pre-ordered it, didn't you. :)
GT: not a chance that was so overhyped you know i don't go for that.
GT: i totally did not preorder any incredibly hyped game that claimed to be an incredibly deep worldbuilder that is currently residing under my bed.
GT: totally.
GT: eheheh.
TT: Of course not, why would that ever be a thing that you'd do? :)
GT: exactly.
GT: but no seriously i mean i guess i didn't realize you all would be playing it is there something actually important about that or what.
TT: Can't a girl just have fun with her friends, John?
GT: well yeah totally.
GT: but the way you phrased it with your classic psychic psychobabble it sounded like it was important or some shit.
TT: Did it? :o
GT: yeah like idk one of those cheesy "world hinges on us doing this" plots or something.
GT: you know the ones where they pick four average joes who have nothing special about them.
GT: but i'll save my power ranger rants for another time.
TT: Don't be silly, John, it's not quite like that.
TT: And okay, sure!
TT: Why don't you get some leftover takeout, and I'll see you later, okay?
GT: how did you know i was stashing some leftover takeout
GT: you know what never mind i gotta stop asking these questions
GT: yeah check you later rose. whenever we get this game set up or whatever.
TT: Bye, John!
-- gamersTrenchant [GT] ceased pestering transcendentTopiary [TT]--
John seemed a little flustered by the end there, but you can't imagine why and you certainly didn't enjoy it. He's such a good friend, at any rate, and you know that even if you were kidding around earlier (mostly), he will always have his friends' backs. You weren't lying to him, either; it really wasn't going to happen quite like he said it would.
The four of you were far from average, after all.