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Post by Zenjesi on Dec 30, 2023 10:44:38 GMT -6
Thus began a slightly silly game. It reminded Zenjesi of childhood, of children screaming 'stop copying me!' at one another, while one continually antagonized another. Florian did not seem to be any more thrilled with the robot's continued mimicry, but this was a preferable outcome to destruction and bloodshed. Still, the satyr felt they ought to find a way to assist their poor Bulldozer. Perhaps they could simply distract him by continuing about their procedures and ignoring the robot altogether. They patted Florian on the head, told him he was good and that everything was alright (they were mostly sure of the former and hardly at all assured of the latter), and then dropped onto their own hands and knees to crawl over to peer under the armchair. A little black mouse was cowering underneath. For a moment, they thought they had found a potential snack for Florian, but the mouse rushed them instead.
Zenjesi: 0.05 Florian: 15.2 / 9.6
December: 16
(the cryodragon is here but not gaining levels/loyalty right now)
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Post by Zenjesi on Dec 30, 2023 10:53:36 GMT -6
More quickly than they could react, the mouse grasped onto their dangling braid, deftly using it as a makeshift ladder to ascend into the mess of hair and vines atop the satyr's head. They let out an involuntary gasp as they threw themselves backwards. This alerted Florian, who did in fact forget about the robot for the moment as he rushed to Zenjesi's side, though the threat was not easily going to be found as its little feet were scrambling over Zenjesi's scalp. Zenjesi, meanwhile, knocked back into an end table, rocking the bowl atop it and knocking out several shining, jingling bells and a couple of coins. All clattered to the wood floor, and scattered. This startled another little robotic beast out of hiding (they were not even sure where from). Florian and Zenjesi both lunged for it, each trying to beat the other. The two bumped into the chaise, which jostled everything atop it, and sent a white plushie bouncing onto the floorboards.
Zenjesi: 0.1 Florian: 15.4 / 9.7
December: 17
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Post by Zenjesi on Dec 30, 2023 19:17:06 GMT -6
It landed before Florian's muzzle and became the immediate victim of his pent up wrath. For just an instant, Zenjesi feared it was a living thing, but as his jaws closed around it and he thrashed his head, only a bit of stuffing flew free. They let out a sigh of deep relief, leaning onto the back of the chaise and resting their forehead on their forearms. Peace. And then they felt mouse fingers in their hair again. They sighed a second time. It was time to go home. They were quite tired.
After their momentary respite, they decided they could no longer linger unclothed in the Mansion. If they waited, another obstacle would be presented, and they did not want to face something new in this condition. Actually, they did not want to face anything else at all. They wanted to take Florian and the myriad of critters they had found, and return to the safety of the kennel.
Zenjesi: 0.15 Florian: 15.6 / 9.8
December: 18
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Post by Zenjesi on Dec 31, 2023 0:36:39 GMT -6
So, Zenjesi began the slow process of cleaning up. They gathered all of the fallen objects, the little creatures that wished to be rescued, and urged both the living and robotic creatures to follow them. The robot obeyed as Florian did, but thankfully the latter was preoccupied with his plushie. Bits were dangling and dragging, but he did not seem prepared to release it just yet. Perhaps that could be repaired later. Either way, it had served its purpose.
They retrieved their clothes from the floor, finding that, to their great displeasure, they were now warm and largely still wet. They opted to dress before the clothes cooled off again. Their bag now hung heavily against their side, loaded with treasures from the journey. The next item to collect was their thoughts. Generally speaking, they had a good directional sense; they were going to need to rely upon it now. "Come, Florian."
Zenjesi: 0.2 Florian: 15.8 / 9.9
December: 19
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Post by Zenjesi on Dec 31, 2023 10:16:21 GMT -6
This time, he did. The two traveled close, still trailed by the robot. Room after room opened up in the Mansion, a miniature maze, until finally, the door revealed instead a frigid but recognizable landscape. Zenjesi let out a sigh of relief that curled as smoke in the air. " We are going home," they whispered to their Bulldozer. And so, they stepped out into untouched snow. Just as they believed they were freed... a flickering light caught their attention, half-buried by a small drift. The satyr hesitated, then decided they could not resist a closer look. A lantern. Another familiar object. Their breath caught, their fingers plunged into the snow and they dug, they searched around and beneath, nearby, but... it was only this lantern, the flame inside weak and dying. No footprints or other marks in the snow. They lifted it out. Red stains. Zenjesi's eyes turned around the courtyard, then up to the Mansion. One last trick? Or one more reason to return? Zenjesi: 0.25 Florian: 16.0 / 10.0 December: 20
(Zen and Florian are leaving the Mansion)
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Post by Silver on Jan 6, 2024 7:11:02 GMT -6
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Post by Zenjesi on Jan 19, 2024 19:06:11 GMT -6
To the Mansion once more. Zenjesi had intensely mixed feelings about their imminent return to this place. The last journey had been... eventful. Some of those events had been exhilarating and intriguing, some had been heart-wrenching and terrifying, and all had been quite unpredictable. It seemed somewhat like insanity to willfully subject oneself to the chaos of the estate. But, bearing all those factors in mind, they had no choice but to visit again. This time, they were bringing a very different sort of companion. Convincing Florian to accompany them at all had been a task, and it had taken quite some time and dedication for him to begin to warm to their presence. Meanwhile, this little creature - a Malii, they learned - was very much the opposite. If she was put down, she mewed to be picked up again, and had made a habit of sitting between the satyr's hooves when their hands were full. Zenjesi: 0.3 Raillery: 0.2, 0.2 January: 1
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Post by Zenjesi on Jan 23, 2024 11:55:20 GMT -6
She had a leash and a properly sized harness, but despite the satyr's many attempts along the way to encourage her to walk or to sniff at tracks in the snow, she continued to request to be carried. Zenjesi was not sure what to think of the situation. None of the creatures they had taken in so far had behaved like this. The houluh had been the most comparable, but even they seemed to desire a touch more independence than this Malii was interested in.
To some extent, Zenjesi found it endearing; it was nice to know there was something that desired to be close to them. Yet, it was so unfamiliar that it unnerved them slightly. Was something wrong? Was the Malii sick or injured, and that was why she did not want to be alone? Her coloration and leaf-like tails could imply that the weather was simply too cold for her.
Zenjesi: 0.35 Raillery: 0.4
January: 2
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Post by Zenjesi on Jan 25, 2024 14:43:15 GMT -6
This explanation seemed the most plausible, and so they would embrace it, at least until they had evidence that indicated something more was wrong. She certainly did have a plant-like motif. And the prospect that she simply wanted to be held by Zenjesi was the most unbelievable of all. In fact, perhaps that was the least desirable option; that would imply she had something askew with her judgment.
Regardless, their arms had grown weary and stiff from holding her for the entirety of the walk, so they had now settled her into their bag, nestled in with a scarf for an added layer of warmth. It seemed this was acceptable for her, though she did continue to sit on her haunches. Her little front paws were braced on the edge of the bag, and antennae and horn poked out from the under the flap as she watched the scenery pass them by.
Zenjesi: 0.4 Raillery: 0.6
January: 3
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Post by Zenjesi on Jan 25, 2024 15:05:12 GMT -6
As with their first journey to the Mansion, they were arriving in the evening. This time, with the season as it was, it had been dark for hours already. Their hooves crunching along the frozen sidewalk made the only sound in the snowscape, and the silence gave them too much room to think. It had been some time since they had last visited, leaving ample opportunity for the Mansion to change its form once again. What would its disguise be this time?
At last, the gate came into view, where the warning sign was posted. That, at least, did not seem to change. But before they could slow down to review it, they found their eyes distracted by the sight beyond the gate. The Mansion was... unrecognizable. The grounds were glittering and gleaming with a mesmerizing light that came from... where? The satyr's head tilted back. The sky had lightened, from inky winter black to a soft, deep purple.
Zenjesi: 0.45 Raillery: 0.8
January: 4
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Post by Zenjesi on Jan 25, 2024 15:29:54 GMT -6
When had that happened? They had not noticed the shift. But there was now a twilight glow over them that illuminated every leaf of every tree in a strange sort of crystalline brilliance. The space was very still, not a rustling wind to disturb the strange, glass-like serenity. Snow, too, was absent from the grounds, replaced by an inexplicably shimmering bed of grass, or something like it. It was impossible to discern from this distance. The Mansion itself now towered over the trees, a stark black and white structure with beautiful design.
Zenjesi found themselves staring, mouth slightly ajar. It was a surreal scene, as if they had just wandered into a dream. Well, that was sort of what the Mansion always represented, did it not? Their finger traced down the sign on the fence. "Inkantana," they breathed aloud, eyes turning down to the Malii in their bag for just a moment. So it began again. They entered through the gate.
Zenjesi: 0.5 Raillery: 1.0
January: 5
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Post by Zenjesi on Jan 25, 2024 16:39:44 GMT -6
As it had on the ice, their hoof crunched upon contact with the Mansion grounds. But unlike the ice, the ground here did not splinter or crack under their weight, but simply crackle as it shifted. A little wondering smile drifted onto their face. It was devious, this place. It knew how to entice them. The gate swung shut behind the duo, all but forgotten by the satyr already.
The air here had a different quality. It was notably warmer, for one. They could not quite articulate what else had changed. Pushing their cloak back over their shoulders, they looked down to Raillery. "Perhaps you will like to walk now?" they mused, carefully easing one hand underneath her and scooping her up. She accepted this change readily enough, though seemed uncertain as the satyr began to lower her towards the ground. Once her paws actually made contact, she seemed to relax again.
Zenjesi: 0.55 Raillery: 1.2
January: 6
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Post by Zenjesi on Jan 29, 2024 15:59:02 GMT -6
This seemed reasonable to Zenjesi; they were not sure what was covering the grounds either. Raillery stood quite still, only shifting her paws a bit while staying in place. Her antennae were twitching around wildly. The satyr crouched down onto their knees, then carefully pressed their palms to the ground to lean in and get a closer look. Unexpectedly, the sensation under their hands was not sharp, but soft, and unusually silky. Visually, it did appear to be some sort of crystal that had formed a thin layer over every individual blade of grass. They thought for a moment, then pinched one blade between their fingertip and fingernail. There was a soft snapping sound, and the end broke off in their hand. Yet, by the time they brought it up to their eyes for inspection... it appeared to be a crinkled, dried-out scrap of dead grass. Zenjesi blinked, turned it over. No shine.
Zenjesi: 0.6 Raillery: 1.4
January: 7
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Post by Zenjesi on Jan 29, 2024 18:57:26 GMT -6
The crystal was gone. They clicked their tongue at the revelation. This was not the sort of souvenir the Mansion wanted them to take, it seemed. That was a shame. Though they had done some research to improve their experience in the mines, they were more familiar with gemstones than crystals. It would have been helpful (or at the very least interesting) to take a sample with them. Alas, it was almost as if the Mansion knew this.
Emboldened by Zenjesi's investigation, Raillery ducked her head and began to sniff around the ground as well. Whatever scent she received prompted her to dig at the crystals, shoving her nose in a bit deeper. They wished their nose was as refined as hers. Reaching out a hand, they petted along her back. She was so small, it required a very little gesture. This also seemed to reassure her, and she finally began to play.
Zenjesi: 0.65 Raillery: 1.6
January: 8
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Feb 5, 2024 15:53:50 GMT -6
A small, cold mote of light floats up from where your malii digs at the ground.
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