songerein | { a bit leafy }

Entry tags:

{ a bit leafy }

A BIT LEAFY

More details on everything can be found here.

I. LEAF STORM

II. INFESTATIONS

COMMENTS

I. LEAF STORM

During the first week of November, a storm of leaves will pass through town. It starts innocuous enough, with just a bluster of leaves carried in the wind that looks normal for the changing of the season. But as the days progress, there are large bursts even downpours of leaves that just fall all over town. And with this storm come strange things…

A. Leaf Monsters. As the leaves pile up and people attempt to rake and blow them away, there will be some strange movement...until it's revealed that oddly shifting pile of leaves suddenly rises up to try and attack, blasting sharp leaves and even trying to "engulf" the unexpecting, trapping them in piles of leaves. Time to deal with this sudden leaf invasion! (Note: the leaf monsters will be most active during the first week of the month and then taper off by the end of the second week. By mid-month, only a few will pop up here and there.)

🔥 Burn Burn Burn! Using any kind of wind will only disperse the leaf monster and make them split into more. They need to be destroyed completely, and the best way is through fire. Dreamotion fire especially.
🪤 Trapped. But be careful with that fire! There may be those trapped within the leaf monster itself, and burning it may hurt those inside. This is the one time using wind to disperse the leaves may be warranted, but maybe a "controlled blast" will help to keep the monster from spreading.
🐌 Animal Aid. While fire is the most effective, there are other methods—mainly through certain critters. The chickens around that statue from the Dream Board could probably help scratch and break them apart. Finding some special rainbow snails from the lake just south of town will also help as their glittery slime will not only trap the leaves, but also break them down quickly.

B. Leafever. The strange leaf storm and the leaf monsters are also bringing a strange cold-like disease, likely spread through the pollen or spores attached to the leaves. Those who get caught by the leaf monsters are most likely to catch it. Fortunately the effects are mild and only last a few days, week at most, but can be caught multiple times. There is also a cure, but it requires the same leaves that brought it.

🤧 Achoo! While having the leafever overall feels no different than a bad cold, some of the symptoms and side effects are a lot more…unusual with little consistency between individuals. Some may find themselves sneezing bubbles, others secreting slime as they sweat, and all dreamotion effects going haywire.
♨ Incense Burner. One way to help ease and lessen the effects of the leafever is to burn the leaves in a special incense burner infused with special dreamotion focused on healing and soothing emotions. A special stone must also be used, and it can only be found in the hot spring caves in Dragefjell, Dragon Island.
🍂 Leaf Sap. For the actual remedy, sap must be collected from the leaf monsters. How? Well—that's for everyone else to figure out, good luck. Maybe try squeezing the leaves? Or cook them?

C. Dryad. The most severe side effect of the leafever is the individual slowly turning more tree-like, some becoming similar to dryads. There are no serious side effects and will only last for about a day or two. In fact, those who "turn dryad" will feel healthier and livelier than usual. But it may be an interesting experience regardless.

🌲 A bit stiff. As the skin turns more bark-like and limbs become a bit more "wooden," those affected may find their movements a bit more limited at first. A bit of exercise and a gallon of water dumped on them will help loosen them up.
🌷 In tune to nature. While in this state, there will be an increased sense of awareness regarding all things plant. This includes the leaf monsters, allowing them to sense and pinpoint any that may be hiding or lurking around. There will also be a brief time where they can even control and call upon plants to do their bidding.
🍃 Big shed. When the symptom finally ends, all the leaves, branches, and bark will just fall completely off the individual and they will return completely normal without a single blemish. …And clothes. Hope this isn't happening out in public, ahem.

II. INFESTATIONS

With the changing of the seasons, all kinds of critters are either passing through on their migratory route…or burrowing in to start hibernation. Usually it's not a problem, but perhaps due to all the strange dreamotion energy flux over the past year, the creatures are behaving a little differently and getting in the way more than usual. The storm of leaves isn't helping matters, aiding in some of them to travel through. While some will appear during it, the majority will cause problems from around the second week onward.

A. Bugged Trees. Those living in treehouses are going to have a bit of a time as a number of insects will be looking to find a new place to chill during winter. Specifically, their home. Those who are under the dryad effect may want to be careful of any bugs that may be attracted to them.

🪲 Giant Beetles. Some may remember these fellows from previous years. The beetles are quite friendly, but they are quite large, large enough to ride on. They can also cause some rough damage on gardens and yards, their massive size creating large holes as they burrow into the ground. However, some are really useful with their pincers, capable of pruning unwanted branches. If not chasing them away, perhaps one could use them instead? (Especially against leaf monsters.)
🐞 Ladybugs. These ladybugs are average sized (thank goodness), but they have quite the attitude. Preferring colorful and well tended flowers, they will speak their mind should they find any that are wilting. They will also drop critiques on anyone with poor etiquette and living poorly. Those who have well kept homes will have an easier time with them…and also suffer large groups coming in hosting parties in the branches.
🦗 Crickets. The crickets are of the musical sort, ready to put on a performance to try and endear themselves to receive temporary lodging. Just for a few days! Their range of music is wide, from classical to punk rock to country to jazz to even rap. And while they try to be polite, well… Sometimes music jams happen whether they should or not. Like late at night. Crickets are nocturnal after all.

B. Migration Migraines. As if dealing with bugs wasn't enough, other critters are either migrating or looking to hibernate around town. One would think the Wildlands would have plenty to offer, but some may find the easy access to food in town a bit more enjoyable.

🦡 Honeycomb Badgers. These interesting looking badgers have a honeycomb for a back. While they will dig up gardens in search of tasty flowers, they need to "shed" their honeycomb and are deliberately going to people to offer it. They are not harmed and will just reveal normal fur beneath before a new honeycomb forms.
🦒 Flying Giraffes. A flock of large winged giraffes will be flying in and roosting on various tall buildings. They act a lot like Canadian geese, so…beware.
🐻 Cotton Bears. These cute little bears look like they could be living teddy bears with how small and plush they appear. And for winter, they are looking to sleep somewhere nice, soft, and warm. Like a bed. Now they don't really care if they are occupied or not, so maybe it would be better if some dens and beds could be made for them instead.

C. Field Foes. The farms situated around the outskirts of town are preparing to harvest their fields, but there's trouble. Unless it gets sorted quick, food might be harder to come by for the winter!

🌾 Scarecrow Rebellion. Something is wrong with the scarecrows, but no one is sure what. They're either sitting in the fields not trying to shoo away the numerous wildlife that have decided to come through, or actively waving their pitchforks at the very gardeners and farmers they're supposed to help. Perhaps they feel a bit underappreciated so some word of thanks could help them get back to work. In the meantime, some help clearing out the fields of unwanted visitors, especially the crows, will be needed.
🍄 Hopped Up Hares. Among the unwanted "vermin" are some hares that have somehow gotten into some…strange green mushrooms that have made them behave a bit erratic. They're digging up tunnels, wearing carrots on their heads, and stare blankly out into the distance. Catch them and drive them away! And maybe feed them some special pellets that will help cure them of their, uh, "ailment." It's not recommended to eat the mushrooms should they be found, but if one does…well, enjoy the same dizzying, heightened experience the hares did.
🍆 Oversized Veggies. Some young "genius" thought creating a special formula mixed with dreamotion would help the crops grow larger and faster. However, it only caused the vegetables to overgrow to as large as an adult person and are now rolling dangerously through the fields. Some even get into town! Pumpkins, carrots, lettuce, corn, potatoes, cabbages—all manner of vegetables are rolling around, so stop them before they cause too much destruction.

I. LEAF STORM

II. INFESTATIONS

COMMENTS

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

To learn is to grow, and to seek knowledge is to understand the world.

[ The words carry a weight far beyond what a normal child could muster. She was always ever curious, ever wanting to know more. Wisdom was the divine ideal she represented, after all. ]

So you accounted for the difference between the insects you know and these ones. That is excellent reasoning.

[ She nods in approval, eyes shining bright. And then blinks in surprise when she's offered a net. She hadn't actually anticipated participating in the catching, but... ]

Yes. Please. I would love to help.

[ If she felt like an ancient being before, it's gone in the excitement bubbling out of her, plain for anyone to see. ]

Uh... Yeah, that makes sense.

[Definitely not something one would hear out of your average kid, that's for sure. He's going to assume that she's an old soul like himself, only way more mature than he is. That much has already become fairly obvious.]

Right?? I can be pretty clever at times~

[He's mostly teasing, though it is nice to hear any kind of praise. And when she starts getting all excited along with him, he can't help grinning widely as he passes her a net of her own.]

In that case maybe we should get you a complete set of equipment yourself, the works.

[Backtracking, he finds a pair of gloves in her size and a smaller knapsack, which he hands over.]

Here we go! Now we're all set to tackle these bastards!

[ She just gives him an innocent smile. Would he ask, one day, who she is? She hopes so, if only because it would mean that they would continue to associate in the future.

She isn't expecting him to go out of his way to procure a complete set of equipment, but she accepts them gratefully. ]

Thank you. I will do my best to help, but I've never tried catching bugs before.

[ At least, not this way. The human way. ]

[For his part, Yato is trying to be both respectful and cautious while he feels her out. Some beings prefer their true nature to be kept a secret, while others like himself are loud and proud about it.]

Don't worry too much over it. Now that we're properly armed, it shouldn't be as difficult, so you shouldn't have too much of a problem.

[He himself has mostly stuck to catching fireflies and they're not exactly known for being difficult.]

Alright then! Let's get this show on the road!

[With everything set, he starts marching them out of the shop and back towards the trees he was messing around with earlier.]

[ Even if it were difficult, it would still be interesting, because then she would have to think, and solving a puzzle was always fun. But she nods enthusiastically anyway, determined to catch at least one or two jeweled bugs. ]

I look to you for guidance.

[ This tiny old soul is relying on you, Yato! She follows eagerly, clutching the net's handle close to her. ]

Heh, I can't promise I'll be the best teacher of bug catching, but we can always learn together.

[Relying on him, huh? That may be a terrible idea, haha... But all the same, he leads them to their hunting grounds and stops beneath their wide branches, scanning the trees for any movement.]

Let's see... I've noticed they make distinct noises, so maybe if we follow those it'll lead us to them.

[He goes quiet, listening. There's one nearby, he can tell, but where...? Ah, that way! Stalking over to a bush nearby, he motions for her to join him.]

I think there's one in here. I'll go around from the other side and see if I can flush it out. If something comes scrambling towards you, clap your net over it, okay?

[ Teaching a subject is just another way to reinforce one's learning, so even if he makes mistakes, it'll be fine, because he'll learn something from the experience.

She stops next to him and listens to his explanation before attempting to learn for the noise herself. She's never heard one before though, so the attempt is mostly in vain.

She stays silent to let Yato concentrate on searching for the bug and approaches when he motions her forward. ]

I think I can do that.

[ She grips her net tightly, a determined look on her face. ]

[There's the slight rustle of leaves as he pushes through the branches, trying to be careful and quiet while still getting a good view of the hollows within the bush. There's the usual insects and spiders, a bird's nest, but no sign of his target. Going still, he listens again-- ah, there... more to the right...]

Ah--! There's one! Here it comes!

[Scurrying out from beneath the leaves comes one floral-covered creature of the same style that he'd been seeking when he fell from the trees. It makes a beeline towards Nahida, only swerving as it gets close in order to go around her.]

Catch it! Catch it! Catch it!

[Trying to scramble back out of the bushes, he gets snagged on a branch and utters a swear under his breath.]

[ Nahida gives herself some distance from the bushes—enough space for her to react to the bug's appearance, she hopes. She has some idea of what needs to be done—she's seen the activity a few times, in the dreams of the children of Sumeru.

It's a matter of hand-eye coordination, she's observed. Often, children can track the insect with their eyes, but the clumsiness inherent to a being who does not yet fully understand their own range of motion often impedes their success. While she is not a child, she has far less experience moving her body than most.

The insect comes scurrying out as Yato yells, and she finds its movement less erratic than she expected. She's patient, following the insect with her eyes as she tenses in anticipation, and then—

She whips the net forward, slamming the ring of the net onto the ground. Did she get it? ]

[ Oh, she's missed. She spies movement from the edge of her vision—the insect, scuttling for freedom. It moves quickly, but she thinks she can go for another attempt. She'd misjudged the distance between her hands and the ring of the net. That can be rectified easily. She swings the net again, and she's sure she's got it-- ]

[ —but her net snags for a moment on a low-hanging tree branch she hadn't been aware of, and the chance is missed as the floral creature scuttles into the bushes, not to be seen again.]

...oh.

[ She can't help but be disappointed in her failure—which is a strange sensation. Failure is but one step closer to success, she knows, but she feels a little upset in having let down Yato. ]

I'm sorry. I couldn't catch it.

[For the first few seconds Yato tries to untangle himself from the branches before eventually giving up and just yanking himself free, snapping them off in the process. Scrambling upright, he then hurries on back around the bush in time to catch sight of their target disappearing into the overgrown grass nearby.

He lets out a sigh, shoulders sagging, but straightens up at hearing Nahida apologize. She sounds so dejected that he can't be upset. Plus she did her best, which is all anyone can ask for.

Coming over to her, he offers her a hand in getting her net off the branch it's caught on. He also throws her an understanding smile as he does so.]

Don't worry about it! You had better luck than I did. We'll get it next time, okay?

[With her net unhooked, he takes up his own equipment, heading back towards the trees. Selecting one that looks good, he sets down his rucksack and rubs his hands together. Alright you little buggers...! Round two!]

Let's see if we can get one from up here. I think there's a nest for them somewhere nearby. All we should have to do is stir it up and then go to town!

[And pray they don't behave like bees when disturbed. That could be bad.]

[ She nods, still frowning as she switches gear from disappointment to analytical. She follows Yato to the trees as she turns over their attempt in her mind. ]

Your strategy was sound, but failed because I didn't anticipate how difficult it would be to stay aware of my surroundings when involved in the action. You didn't know my capabilities, so you couldn't have foreseen this outcome.

[ This was one of the things you had to learn through experience, rather than just learning about it through dreams and the Akasha. It really is different when it's your own body in reality, rather than a dream of your own making. ]

You seem to have more experience moving your body, so perhaps it may be better to swap our roles.

[ Agitating the insects would be a far easier job for her, most likely. She could try catching again once she's observed Yato a few times, she thinks. ]

[Wow, she's... really putting some thought into this, isn't she? Way more than anyone her apparent age could or would do. At some point he'll have to ask her just how old she is, strictly out of curiosity. Or maybe it has more to do with what species she is? Those ears don't exactly scream "human."]

It does get exiting when you're in the thick of it, doesn't it? I'm sure I'm shouting wasn't much help, either. We'll do better next time, I'm sure.

[After all, working as a team takes practice. He knows that much all too well. Thankfully this isn't a matter of life and death like a lot of his team-building exercises have been over the course of his life. They can take their time to practice, get coordinated, and tackle the bugs again.]

That's not a bad idea. I am pretty speedy when it comes to moving around. Alright then. Can you climb trees okay or do you think you'll need help?

[Last thing he wants is for her to fall and hurt herself. Even if this is just a dream, it still hurts like hell.]

Practice makes perfect, as they say.

[ Plus, now that she's had a bit of time to detach herself from the disappointment, she thinks bug catching might actually be somewhat fun. At the very least, she's starting to understand what drives humans to look for excitement. ]

I've never climbed trees, but I'm willing to try.

[ She looks up at the tree, tilting her head slightly as she assesses the rough bark for... she's not sure what she should be looking for, actually. Footholds and branches, she presumes, but there is nothing easy for her to grab on at her short height.

She looks at Yato questioningly, seeking his guidance. ]

Heh, that they do, though how true it is remains to be seen.

[Hell, he's practiced a lot of things over his long life and he's yet to attain perfection in any of them. Possibly because it's an ideal that doesn't exist. But that's neither here nor there, what they're looking for is enough skill to capture a few bugs, nothing more. So he'd settle for luck aiding them in their endeavor.]

Alright, then! It's pretty fun once you get the hang of it.

[Waiting with hands on his hips, he watches her scan the tree, then realizes the problem.]

Here, let's try it this way--

[He reaches out to grab her by the waist, hefting her up onto his shoulders for a piggyback ride of sorts. Moving closer to the tree, he starts scaling it, raising her higher and higher until she's level with the lowest branches.]

Think you can manage from here?

[ Taken literally, the saying is impossible—no one is perfect, not even gods. But the intent behind the saying—that practice brings you closer to proficiency, is true, and she knows Yato understands that too. ]

Oh!

[ She wasn't expecting to be picked up so abruptly, but she doesn't protest. She's amused, actually, as she finally gets to experience what all children do with their parents—a ride on the shoulders. It's novel, viewing the world from such a height, and she finds she rather likes it.

Once she's level with the branch, she reaches out and grabs onto it. With a little maneuvering, she manages to get herself atop the branch with little difficulty. Looking up, she finds it much easier to plan a route upwards, and—she spies something that could potentially be a nest for the bugs they're seeking. ]

Yes. I see the nest as well.

[ She points up at it, so Yato will have information to plan his position. ]

[In hindsight he probably should've asked first before getting all physical, but thankfully she doesn't seem to mind. He's just gotten so used to grabbing and going during harrowing situations that the thought didn't even occur to him.

Only once she's secure in her place on the branch does he remove his hand from her, twisting around in order to see the nest of their targets. Yep, that looks like what he spied before he got bitten last time. Alright you little creepy crawlers, it's time to fight!]

Okay, I'm gonna climb back down and situate myself nearby under it. If you can just knock it around some, or even pull it down, then we should be good to go in regards to actually catching something this time.

[He carefully half-slides, half-climbs back down to the ground, hopping off a few feet above to land with a soft thud from his boots. Gazing back up, he shields his eyes from the sunlight with a hand and takes several steps to put himself in a better position. There. That ought to do it. Waving a hand at her, he grins.]

Ready whenever you are!

[ In the meanwhile, Nahida makes her way up the tree. It's not hard, tree climbing. The bark is rough on the hands and feet, but ultimately, they do not scratch her skin. Perhaps it would be more difficult if she were not a god, and did not have the strength of one. Though she may be among the weaker of the Archons, she most certainly had enough strength to lift her own weight.

Harder though is getting to the nest without disturbing it early. It takes her a moment to figure out which of the branches wouldn't shake under her weight, but eventually, she manages to get close to the nest.

It would be best to completely detach the nest and have it drop below where Yato can contain it within his net, she thinks. She hums, testing the insects' ability to hear through the air. Nothing. ]

I'll drop the nest in five... four...

[ She continues the countdown as she contemplates using Dendro here. She's not trying to hide her abilities from Yato by any means, but she had wanted to experience things as humans do. In the end, she decides against it. ]

...Three... two... one!

[ She grabs onto the nest, shakes it a bit, and the pulls. The nest holds stubbornly onto the branch, but in the end it's no match for a tiny god. Nahida pulls it off the branch and drops it directly below. ]

Here!

[Watching Nahida make her way up further towards their target has Yato a bit on edge, worried that she might slip and fall. The last thing he needs is to be responsible for the injury or worse of someone who looks like a child. That sure would win him points with other people.

But it seems his concern is for nothing. She has a good grip on the tree and is making smart choices of which branches to use. If he didn't know better, he'd have thought she did this on the regular.

Once she starts the countdown he grips his net tighter in preparation to strike. His gaze falls to where he thinks it'll land, and he braces his feet.]

Alright, here goes...!

[As the nest hits the ground and the insects begin scurrying out of it, Yato unleashing his net, wielding it not unlike a sword. It comes crashing down over top the fleeing creatures' home, containing the remainder of their targets within. The sheer number of which almost causes the net to scoot away from him, so he plants a foot on the handle while readying his knapsack.

After debating how best to go about it, he hauls up the net in a scooping motion, catching most of the loose insects. Quickly, he dumps the entire contents of the net, nest and all, into the sack, tying it off with its cord.]

We did it--! Nahida, nice going!

[Holding up the wriggling sack, he waves up at her, grinning widely. This more than makes up for the few that got away! All they need is a couple more types and they'll have plenty in order to make some pretty jewelry.]

[ Nahida fervently watches as Yato successfully contains the insects. As she suspected, Yato was the better choice when it came to capturing the insects in the net. She claps in glee as Yato completes the capture. ]

Our plan worked wonderfully.

[ Now, to get out of this tree... She could easily jump down and cushion the fall with her abilities. But she has thus far progressed through this experience without using any of them, and she wants to continue doing so.

She shimmies backwards towards the trunk of the tree and then stands up on the branch she's on. At the very least, she should reduce her height. She gets down a few branches before she runs out of branches to go down, and then frowns. It would still hurt a bit to land from this height, if she were human. Should she try scaling down the trunk? Hmm. ]

Edited 2023-11-12 09:38 (UTC)

Sure did! You were great.

[With the pack securely tied, Yato dusts off his hands with a triumphant hmph. He looks around for any stragglers that he might still be able to catch, but finding none, heads back towards the tree. For a bit he just watches her descent, until she runs out of hand and footholds and seems unsure of where to go from there.

At that point he hauls himself up to her height, presenting his back to her.]

Go ahead and climb on. I'll get you down the rest of the way, okay?

[ Oh! That would indeed be a solution. It's a bit strange to be so close, physically, to another person though. With a shy smile (not that Yato sees it), she gently wraps her arms around his neck and clings onto him. ]

Thank you very much, Yato. I appreciate the help.

No problem. I got you up there, after all. Only fair that I get you down.

[Aaaand back down they go! Once safely on the ground, he crouches down so she can slide off with ease. Mission accomplished!]

You up for hunting for more, or was that enough for you? I've still got a ways to go before I can turn them in.

[ She slides off his back, giving a gentle pat on the shoulders as thanks before smoothing out her dress with her hands. ]

I would love to continue helping you. So far, this experience has been very stimulating.

[ Not to mention Yato has made for very pleasant company. There's nothing much else for her to do besides gathering information about the world, and this too would further that goal. ]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

1/3

2/3

3/3

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject