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Post by PFA on Jun 27, 2020 15:40:50 GMT -5
Her magic still wasn't working. After everyone working together to support her, after doing everything she could possibly do, her magic still wasn't working. Her last attack had only managed to damage the kudzu golem for a short while, before it just grew right back. Princess Sunshine was at a loss. This was supposed to be her big moment. She'd come all this way to save the day, to bring back the sun and restore normalcy to Uffnewt, but she couldn't do it. What was she to do? Was she doomed to be a failure? She looked around to see how the others were faring. Aggie was able to easily pull up the bamboo shoots with her magical gauntlets. The others had been making use of the Sheer Shears they'd picked up in the desert, which seemed to be relatively effective. Maybe, Princess Sunshine thought, it was time to put down her wand for the moment. She leapt into the air, doing an impressive dodge roll over to where Rose and the others were. She left her wand on the ground to instead take the Sheer Shears that Rose had dropped. Wielding the new weapon, she took up a battle stance, turning her attention to the snake plant. " Sunny Sheer Shears STRIKE!" The Sheer Shears' attack shot forth, fueled by Princess Sunshine's sheer determination, and the power of friendship on her side. The gust of wind was powerful enough to send the snake plant flying halfway across the room. She kept an eye on it, waiting for its next move, relieved to see that the snake plant decided to retreat. Princess Sunshine grinned. She did it! She'd helped! "Are you guys okay?" she asked to those standing behind her. Princess Sunshine is upset by how her attacks seem to be ineffective. Seeing that the Sheer Shears seem to be working (and that Rose ( Liou) had dropped them), she decides to take them up and deliver the final blow on the snake plant. Yay, she helped! She then asks Rose and the others ( Kat, June Scarlet) if they're okay. |
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Post by Lizica on Jun 27, 2020 22:21:53 GMT -5
“I must say, the weather recently has been terribly disappointing,” said Phyllis. “Oh, I agree, terribly disappointing,” agreed Gladys. Gladys served herself another slice of cake as she held her hat in place with her other hand. A quaint violin concerto played on their old record player, whose volume was turned up to the highest level to accommodate the gale force wind and rain whistling past their porch. “And it’s been dreadfully muggy,” added Jonas. “Oh yes, simply dreadfully muggy,” agreed Phyllis. “Who can tell weather or not it’ll improve soon?” said Gladys. Gladys’s cake was blown away, crumbs and all, and she blithely reached out her plate and caught it mid-air with a loud splat. The record player hiccupped as a large twister composed of swirling wind and an assortment of flying blue Err Bears went past in front of the house, swiftly moving down the street. “I do believe they’re traveling over the speed limit,” said Phyllis. “My, how very rude,” said Gladys. “My, how very inconsiderate,” said Jonas. “Perhaps we should report such bear-faced road rage.” Phyllis, Gladys, and Jonas from this post discuss the weather from their porch while having a nice luncheon. An Err Bearnado goes down the street. They defy proper tornado protocol. They are immune to tone shift in all its forms. |
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Post by Pixie on Jun 29, 2020 2:03:13 GMT -5
Despite their impassioned protestations, the overwhelming mass of kudzu continued its steady advance forward, swallowing more and more of the area around the explorers. Nothing seemed to be working. They kept being driven back, but there was no time to consider a momentary retreat outside the doors now. This matter was too urgent to wait for plant temper tantrums to pass.
The greenhouse was filled with the cacophony of pounding rain, errant growling, flailing attacks, and the cries of this particularly strange battle. The kudzu rustled with a force like the storm above, crashing about in green waves around the explorers.
The person still clutching the Ethereal Earplugs gazed up and squared their shoulders. “Give me a boost!” they cried to those near them.
Understanding immediately, three adventurers rushed forward as well, one with the Shears in hand, the other two with one Gauntlet each, and in tandem pulled and clipped at the whirling mass of green-- a perfect diversion.
And while the kudzu golem was focused on shifting around and recoiling from the Shears and Gauntlets, other teammates were forming handholds and a human ladder. The one with the Earplugs hoisted themselves up, dodged a distracted swing of the kudzu golem’s arm, and with a leaping lunge, they pushed off from the human ladder, kicked off the golem’s other arm--and slam dunked the Earplugs just around the kudzu’s top, crowning its head-like form with the strange, silvery item.
And for a brief moment, everything felt suddenly still and silent. The wielder of the Earplugs was poised high up in the air, arms outstretched; the people who had boosted them up still stood with their hands locked together into footholds; the people with the Shears and Gauntlets were mid-swipe, fighting for their chance to distract the creature; and the kudzu golem was partially shapeshifted around the potential blows and preparing to strike the ground with one of its mighty arms.
And then, as if in a great exhale, the entire scene relaxed. The kudzu golem’s wide, leafy shoulders slackened until they melded with its main form. Its extended vines drew back, similar to that unnatural motion it had made when the teams first entered the center of the greenhouse. The person who had placed the Earplugs fell gently through a rush of leaves, and everyone was softly brushed by withdrawing vines as the kudzu pulled away, twisting and spinning and weaving itself back into its own whole. All its pillars and barriers of foliage and all its low-lying vines receded like the tide of the ocean. The rain continued to thunder overhead and people continued to be noisy in their exclamations of relief, but the kudzu now relaxed into its own quiet.
With the path ahead now clear and with his lungs filled with that mewing, noisy relief, Mr. Snuggles ran full speed ahead to Iris, the Lady of the House, and immediately bounded into the lap of his now-startled owner.
“Oh!” she exclaimed. Then upon realization, Iris held the purring cat like a baby and called out in glee, “Count von Mister Snuggles the Elaborate, Skillful, and Greatly Adorable, Connoisseur of Skritches and Keeper of the Void!” She cooed at him, kissed his forehead, and showered him with pets. “Did you come in through the tree entrance, my little angel fluffypaws? Where did you leave your sweater this time? Did you play with the snowman for me? Did youuuu?”
The flamingo approached, clearing his throat. Then, remembering she still had those headphones on, he and Holiday poked into her field of vision. She looked up suddenly from Mr. Snuggles, finally seemed to realize something odd must be going on, and removed her headphones. She was far more accustomed to seeing the gate guardians hanging out by the gate and not in the middle of the greenhouse. “Oh, hello, dearies!” she said brightly, giving Mr. Snuggles more skritches on the side.
“I beg your pardon, My Lady,” the flamingo began apologetically. “Please forgive the intrusion, but there was a bit…a bit of a situation at the front gate, and--”
“It’s time-sensitive,” Holiday emphasized.
“Oh dear, were you not able to find those flowers I asked for? It would be awful if they’ve withered, I haven’t checked the garden for several days.”
“I…” The flamingo blinked a few times. The incident with the flower identification felt like months ago. “...We tried our best with the front garden plants...but, uh, well, of more immediate concern--... With all due respect, My Lady, your greenhouse plants here especially have been…maybe overly lively in greeting all of us.”
Puzzled by the phrase “all of us,” Iris turned her head, and dropped her jaw at the sight of so many people-- plus the kudzu golem wearing silver earplugs and a slew of plant detritus left behind from the fight. She was completely taken aback by just how many people were here. “Oh, visitors! We so rarely get visitors. Um, hello? What brings you all so far into my greenhouse?” Previous Status - Front: 1 Kudzu Golem. Turn 6 - Use Ethereal Earplugs (physical) on Kudzu Golem Use Sheer Shears (physical) on Kudzu Golem Use Gardening Gauntlets (physical) on Kudzu Golem Results - The Earplugs’ physical attack places the Earplugs around the Kudzu Golem’s head form, and upon hearing the quiet, it relaxes and pulls back. Kudzu Golem has been defeated! The Shears’ physical attack has no effect on the Kudzu Golem. The Gauntlets’ physical attack has no effect on the Kudzu Golem. Current Status - Congratulations, you’ve completed the final puzzle! The path forward is now clear! Come say hi to the Lady! 
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Post by Kat on Jun 29, 2020 10:13:03 GMT -5
"Great, thanks!" Cassidy told Rose gratefully. There was the snap noise which momentarily distracted her from her work, and then the large bamboo swung forward, looming over them. Dread welled up in Cassidy's heart, not just for herself but for Jess and Taffy in her care, and Aggie in the line of fire, but before she could react, do something, maybe discover if healing magic had any effect on the hulking, homicidal stalk, Rose acted quickly. They successfully nipped that bamboo in the bud, literally, before dropping to the ground with the pieces. "O-Okay...now I owe you two!" One for volunteering as tribute to cover a vulnerable healer, and two for destroying that bad, bad bamboo. "I think you're better with those shears than me!" Rose's words can't stop Cassidy from feeling concerned for them, but a glance told her that they would be fine for now. Splat went the Err Bear on the greenhouse roof, causing Cassidy to jump while checking Taffy over. Surprisingly, the Guinea Pig was unscathed, and once Taffy was tucked away into the hat, the healer immediately set to work, flicking her wand and causing Jess' scrapes to glow briefly with pure white light before vanishing. "They'll heal faster with me around, and while these crazy plants are on the loose, we'll need everyone as hale and healthy as possible. Which is why..." She called to Aggie. "I'm right here if you need me, Miss Tea Witch! Save some kudzu for me, maybe I can squeeze a healing potion out of it!" Then, returning to Jess, Cassidy added, "Yeah, it's pretty likely that it's more magic at work." They were discovering new things about Taffy and the hat at every turn, but a more in-depth study of both of them was warranted...at least, once this chaos settled down and the weather returned to normal, as in, as normal and mundane as possible. Everything else happened so fast. Like Princess Sunshine saving the day with her Sunny Sheer Shears Strike. "Woohoo!" Cassidy whooped from where she still remained at the back. But she did emerge to provide handholds for the folks who were climbing the golem, her wand clutched between her teeth as she looked up at the person who held the Earplugs striking a victory pose. The vines began to retreat, the kudzu silent enough that a person walking into this scene at this point wouldn't have guessed that it was alive and kicking moments ago if they didn't notice the brigade of unlikely adventurers scattered about in different states of disarray, or the fragments and remnants of the plants that had given them such a hard time. "Is...everyone okay?" she asked slowly, the wand back in her hand and wondering if she would need to be carried out of the greenhouse once she was done tending the hurts of each and every adventurer nearby. Before the Lady of the House, Cassidy managed a proper curtsy. Just like she was taught back at the monastery. "My Lady," she said respectfully before straightening up, "hello, and sorry for entering your house. So it all started when it rained glitter, water started pouring up instead of down, and the weather went absolutely crazy. And it still...is." Her eyes flicked upward to a stray Err Bear looking like it was doing the backstroke. "It was raining puzzle pieces and when we put them all together, they showed this house." Cassidy doing the healing thing and trying not to get killed while taking care of Jess and Taffy ( June Scarlet), luckily Rose ( Liou) proteccs them! Cass also volunteers to watch Aggie's back ( Celestial) and goes WOOHOO at Princess Sunshine's ( PFA) magic shears attack. Then after joining the human ladder and checking to see whether any brave soul needs a healer or not, she curtsies for the Lady ( Pixie Lizica) and starts the story. |
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Post by June Scarlet on Jun 29, 2020 21:47:15 GMT -5
Cass was kind enough to heal up Jess' scrapes, and offered that it was indeed most likely magic that transported Taffy safely to the top hat. And then the kudzu was spreading and moving, and suddenly pacified by the earplugs of all things, which had seemed mostly useless until now. Mr. Snuggles ran to the Lady of the House, with the Guardians of the Gate following close behind. And then finally, finally Iris turned around and noticed the bedraggled group standing (and in some cases laying) there. Jess respectfully doffed her hat in greeting, and Taffy poked her head out of the top hat in Jess' hand. Cass explained how the weather was crazy, and how it rained puzzle pieces that formed a picture of Iris' house. "We were hoping maybe you knew something about the strange weather and how to fix it," added Jess. "Not much of a lead, but you were the only lead we had. I must say, your garden and greenhouse is quite impressive, so maybe you can help us after all? Or maybe we can help you." Cass Kat heals Jess, the kudzu is defeated, and Jess takes off her hat to greet Iris. Jess asks if Iris can help with the weather, or perhaps if the group can help Iris at all. |
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Post by Gelquie on Jun 30, 2020 17:11:21 GMT -5
A lot happened in a short time, and Era found themself in the throes of it. The dust storm that did indeed do well against the plants but unintentionally made things harder for the group, the healings going around (which Era waved off; they would be fine so long as they were able to keep lying down and out of the battle itself), the attacks that gave ideas, ideas that led to one plant defeat after another, from the violent fall of the bamboo plant to the deference of the snake plant to the idea about the earplugs that Era did not actually think would work but only proved to be such a wonderful curiosity when it did. Perhaps the kudzu golem only needed a break from all the noise, from the storm above, and all the people… And the bears, oh how there were bears now, flying over the thankfully closed-off greenhouse in an infrequent fractal symphony, albeit not a fun one for the bears or really for any resident in the area at all. That the winds could prove a powerful enough storm to lift bears and toss them about in this way, wow! Era only wished they could record this… And then they remembered that this was a storm of Err Bears, they may well be doing a number on their monitoring equipment right now, potentially even interrupting their data feed!! This was truly the worst of the storms!! They had to act. They had to act soon… But they were taken to heart, for they finally got the attention of the Lady of the House. And what a lively old lady she was! Of course, Era already knew that, but hearing Mr. Snuggles’ full name, they couldn’t help but smile a little. She asked about the flowers, and then finally noticed the visitors, asking what they were doing here. Cassidy and then Jess began to explain about the weather, and how they figured the Lady could help. Era decided to chime in themself. “Okay, first off, love the place and what you’ve done with it, and how you managed to put very different biomes together, it was intriguing the entire time! Just like this weather (by the way, great place to safely observe from here), I’ve been monitoring it all this time and trying to find patterns and all about it, it’s so fascinating! But it’s kind of a problem, especially with the Err Bears, and I don’t know what’s up with the puzzle pieces leading here, but maybe you know, or maybe you don’t but know something, or we can at least figure out the pattern together. Either way, let’s talk! ...Oh! First.” Era reached into the collar of their shirt and pulled out the Poet’s Narcissus plant, which thankfully avoided being crushed when Era was hit by the bamboo. “We helped find your plants! We should probably talk about the weather first if these aren’t related, but here, take them! ...Uh. Someone pass it to her? I don’t wanna get up if I don’t have to.” Era kinda gets too caught up in the chaos to react much, but you can assume Era was in on the action. Era is intrigued by the Err Bears, but for the first time is not a huge fan of this development because Err Bears are terrible on the data servers ssdfdsfs.
Finally they talk to the Lady of the House! And maybe Era gets a bit carried away. But they offer to help at least put the pieces together if it turns out she doesn’t know anything. They remember the plants, and offers the Poet’s Narcissus to the Lady. Without getting up; they ask someone to hand it to her for them. |
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Post by Rabbit ♠ on Jul 1, 2020 21:51:47 GMT -5
((Evi bit written by RielCZ )) Rachel was not a fighter. She was not up for fighting against those plant creatures. Instead of joining the front line, she stayed behind, hiding behind her opened umbrella, occasionally peeking out to see how the fight was doing. Cowardly? Probably. However, she did not want to get in the way of the others in the fight. She occasionally tried to coax Evi behind the umbrella, but of course, he wanted to get some photos. That man would try to take photos at his own wedding. After a bit, the fight seemed to settle down. Rachel heard an unfamiliar voice. She closed her umbrella and looked around. A new lady was in the room. “Miss lady of the house,” Rachel called. “My name is Rachel Leewind, local weatherperson at the Uffnewt weather station. Do you know about the weather that’s been caused lately?” Evi stayed silent but joined her. He set his camera to "video" mode, and recorded what was poised to be some sort of interview, or at least an explanation for the whacked-out weather and other strange events as of late. Hey, if Rachel did a good job, she might finally get that promotion from the station! Rachel is a coward during the fight, but is here to talk to the lady of the house. ^^ Evi, meanwhile, is following behind with a camera. |
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Post by Celestial on Jul 3, 2020 11:06:19 GMT -5
As the snake plant advanced upon them, Princess Sunshine grabbed the shears and charged at the plant, her magic powering the shears up to create an incredible wind, one which probably rivalled the wind that was now tossing bears around outside. Aggie's heart soared as the snake plant drew back, defeated by the unstoppable power of the magical girl. There was only one more opponent left. They could do this! She turned to the kudzu and grabbed its expansive vines, tearing them out with the gauntlets, trying to uproot it. However, for every bit she tore out, several grew back. It flopped over, but much like Purr-eh, the kudzu seemed to be more liquid than solid. The plant rolled over the ground, trying to entangle Aggie. H-oolong cried out a warning, landing on her hat and pulling her backwards. As frustrating as it was to just abandon the fight, her familiar was right: they needed to make a strategic retreat. She stroked her owl familiar, who had perched back on her shoulder, and tried to catch her breath. No sooner than she felt recovered that someone behind her shouted “Give me a boost!”The Tea Witch looked behind her and saw one of the team holding the earplugs. She grinned, understanding immediately. Tossing one of the gloves to someone else wanting to help, she circled around the kudzu, pulling at its fronds in order to distract it. For a few moments, it almost did not appear to be working. And then...the kudzu was calmed. It retreated into its former place. Once again, Aggie thought of Purr-eh retreating into her basket to take a nap after she had been rudely woken. Best of all, in her hands were a few cuttings of the kudzu plant that she had managed to tear off. The arrowroot tea she could make with this would be incredible. The Tea Witch deposited them securely in her basket. "Is...everyone okay?" Cassidy called out. "Just fine over here, dear!" Aggie replied, giving her a thumbs up. "But do let me know if anybody is hurt. I may have some lovely lemon balm tea for any aches and pains if your magic needs a boost." With their path cleared, Aggie and the others advanced towards the lady of the house. Purr-eh wound around her feet while H-oolong relaxed on her shoulder, his eyes shut now that the action had subsided maybe he could take a nap. Seeing Mr. Snuggles jump into the Lady's (whose name was Iris) arms, Purr-eh loudly mewled. How dare he get more attention from this stranger than her, the best cat? She wandered over and began to rub against Iris' legs, purring and headbutting her, marking her as hers. Mr. Snuggles scent was all over this lady, as was his fur. It was not right and needed to be fixed at once! Aggie stood by, allowing the others to explain the situation while she dug around in her basket for suitable tea and cake to present to the lady. She clearly loved plants and unusual things, as well as music (maybe a little too much). And she had unusual tastes. Eventually, the tea witch strode forward, holding out an orange and zucchini cake as well as a delightfully spicy mint and chilli tea. Everything for a plant lover who liked a little zing. The combination certainly always pepped Aggie up. "I do hope you forgive us intruding. My dear friends here have explained it all quite well. Please, take this as an offering of our good will," she presented a cup and a slice to Iris. "We were led here by the puzzle pieces that fell on our heads, and we've gone through your entire greenhouse to reach you. By the way, I would love some gardening tips. Your kudzu is especially impressive! I do hope it's alright if I take a few cuttings for arrowroot tea." Purr-eh hopped into Iris' lap, kneading herself a spot and settling down, giving Mr. Snuggles a smug look. Aggie laughed. "And I hope you don't mind if my dear Purr-eh claims ownership of you. It seems she has developed a complex friendship or rivalry with your Mr. Snuggles. I do hope it's alright if I only use his shortened name," she cleared her throat, needing to stay on task. "I think we are all wondering if you know anything about the rather odd weather we've been having," she gestured up at the Err-bears. "Among other things, my poor owl has hardly been able to sleep properly with the strange day/night cycle." The plants are defeated and Aggie even manages to get a cutting of the kudzu for herself, yay. \o/ She offers extra healing if that which is provided by Cassidy( Kat) is not enough. Letting everyone explain first, Aggie presents an offering of (what else?) tea and cake to the Lady of the House, Iris, while Purr-eh tries to mark her ownership of Iris( Lizica, Pixie). Aggie asks the lady of the house about the weather and whether she knows anything about it. |
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Post by Liou on Jul 5, 2020 13:55:50 GMT -5
From where they had stumbled over the bamboo stalk's last act of malice, Rose pointed sternly at the tea witch. "Aggie! If you try to grow a single stalk of kudzu I will disinherit you! I will bequeath something to you just so I can disinherit you!" Rose then pointed to the Err Bears that were currently flattened against the ceiling. "Kudzu," they warned, as a public service announcement. "Not even once." Having taken a breather after the tea witch assured them things would be fine, Rose abruptly searched for the next rude plant. Which one was left? The snake plant, coming up right after the bamboo. With a magnificent dive and roll, Princess Sunshine had swooped in to pick up the Shears and wield them against the not-so-fierce flappy beast. Rose applauded with gusto from the ground. "My hero! Hey-" Rose jerked against the tickly thing that had poked them mid-applause. They slapped off the creeping kudzu vine, glaring at it. "No!" The insolent thing did not even wilt away, staring back as hard as a plant could. Rose would have continued this battle of wills were it not for another vine sneaking past them. "Hey! No! Bad kudzu! Off!" They snapped and clicked their tongue, got to their feet, shrugged off the vines and pointed threateningly at them both. "Nuh-uh! Don't you dare!" The vines smirked at them - vines did not have any faces to smirk with, but Rose knew they were smirking in a vegetal way. All of their viney brethren were swarming over the greenhouse, too. Such terrible influence. "I'm drawing the line here, kudzu." Rose traced a line around them in the dirt, puffed their cheeks and waited with their hands on their hips. One of the vines wriggled. Rose's eyebrows rose menacingly. "Ey!" The vines grew right across their carefully hastily traced line with no care or concern. Rose let out a growl. "That's IT!" They reached for the Shears - which were still in the very capable hands of Princess Sunshine, whom Rose gave another thumbs-up. In search of a weapon, they began to jump over the tidal wave of kudzu like a beachgoer running into the sea on hot sand. The gauntlets were safe with Aggie and no magical hoe had spontaneously sprouted out of the ground, which meant that they were left to gingerly grab the set of earplugs that the snake plant had so rudely thrown off. At this point, Rose was so past caring that they could have hit the kudzu with an old boot. "Give me a boost!" they called, eyes on their archenemy. "Kudzu! This is it! The one we've been waiting for! Just you and me and plenty of people helping me! It all comes down to this! Our destiny!" Perhaps this was not the best idea, as Rose was not the most lightweight member of the group. But several of their fellow explorers had already formed handholds and were bearing them quite well. One heave to give them momentum, and then Rose was flying towards the kudzu. "Eat earwax, you pest!" And with a resounding "YEET!" they swung their arm, releasing the earplugs. The kudzu withdrew all of its appendages oh so innocently. Ugh. "And stay there!" Rose called after it, shaking a fist. Rose disapproves of Celestial 's kudzu growing plan and makes it clear. They are dazzled by the heroism of PFA . Then there's a lot of hostilities against the kudzu, culminating in its defeat. Tagging some people who are around yay Lizica Pixie Kat Gelquie June Scarlet |
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Post by Lizica on Jul 6, 2020 2:37:10 GMT -5
Iris quickly found a second black cat vying for attention at her feet, rubbing her all over and purring loud enough that the new cat and Mr. Snuggles became a low chorus of thrums against each other. This cat seemed in dire need of some skritches. Iris bent down and used one hand for each cat to give the poor things some love at the same time. She became completely covered in black cat hair, and Mr. Snuggles decided to tolerate Purr-eh’s presence on Iris this time, as long as he got the most prominent spot and the most skritches. “Did you make some friends?” Iris cooed, momentarily distracted again. “Oh, she’s so soft and sweet, yes, she is!” The human visitors quickly called her attention back to the reason they had come. They were marvelously polite, curtsying and doffing tophats while they explained their strange situation, one after the other in swift and concerned succession. "It was raining puzzle pieces and when we put them all together, they showed this house."
"We were hoping maybe you knew something about the strange weather and how to fix it."
“I don’t know what’s up with the puzzle pieces leading here, but maybe you know, or maybe you don’t but know something, or we can at least figure out the pattern together.”
“Miss lady of the house, my name is Rachel Leewind, local weatherperson at the Uffnewt weather station. Do you know about the weather that’s been caused lately?”
"I think we are all wondering if you know anything about the rather odd weather we've been having."“I’m afraid I’ve been so busy in the greenhouse of late-- Have we had some bad weather recently?” Iris wondered aloud, not sure which person she should address first. “I thought I might have heard some thunder when I had my headphones on. Nothing of that puzzling sort you mention, though. Jigsaw pieces raining down with pictures of my house sounds very thrilling, though, I can see why it might have brought you here!” When she noticed quite a few people glancing and gesturing upwards, Iris squinted up towards the ceiling. “Hmm, I think I'll need my long-distance glasses. It sounds like a heavy rain, at least?” she guessed, and felt around the pockets of her gardening apron trying to remember which one she had placed her glasses in. “Oh, and thank you for your compliments about my greenhouse--gardening is my favorite hobby, you know,” she added. “It just takes a lot of love and dedication. --Oh, thank you!” Several people poked forward and carefully presented her with her requested flowers--not just the Poet’s Narcissus, but also the Fairy Wand and Spoonwood. “I appreciate all of you helping out my gate guardians for these. These will be perfect for that triangle ward I’m planting.” The visitors continued to be generous, and Iris next learned that the other witch’s cat was named Purr-eh, in addition to being offered a zesty-smelling tea. “Well, your Purr-eh seems like a real sweetie pie, isn’t she? I’m glad Mr. Snuggles has made a nice friend.” She gave each of the cats a vigorous belly rub before remembering the tea and turning back to the tea witch. “That’s very kind of you to offer, though shouldn’t the host be offering to the guests instead? But then, I’m not one to turn down such an exciting-smelling tea. Would any of you like a cushion to sit on? I might be able to summon a couple from my living room--pardon me just a moment.” In order to accept Aggie’s tea and cake, she got up (with some difficulty, as she had to gently displace the two cats nestled in her lap) to wash her hands. A fibrous curtain of Spanish moss moved aside as she approached a wall of plant life, revealing a mossy brick washroom with a sink outside. She rinsed off the dirt and cat hair, and then turned to a large glossy box resting on the side of the structure. Iris bent down and retrieved her long staff, shaped much like her flowery namesake at its tip, and directed it at the box. The staff’s petal-like pieces softly curled downwards, and its head released an arc of magic at the strange box. She then lightly opened the lid and produced an armful of cushions and offered them to the travelers. “Things tend to stay cleaner if I summon them into the box first--just in case any curious plants are nearby,” she explained. “I can send up food as well, but I’m afraid I’m running low on groceries at this moment.” Somewhere above them, another Err Bear splatted against the greenhouse roof, gazing in enviously at the mention of food. A small cloud blew past, hurling several ceramic mugs onto the rooftop, most of them rolling off harmlessly. The Err Bear hopefully caught one (which read “404: Coffee not found” on its side), but growled in disappointment when it indeed found the mug empty. The flamingo turned his head back downwards and took in a slightly exasperated inhale. “My Lady,” he exhaled sharply. “While I have always admired your generous nature, I might urge you to remember the reason why these people even bothered us at all and came to the house in the first place? Which actually might be somewhat dire??” Iris looked up from where she was comfortably sitting on a cushion and blowing her spicy mint and chili tea cool. Holiday added, “It’s been going on for awhile here, but it's spread now, and it’s definitely becoming worse.The front yard has been having awfully weird weather. We had chocolate milk floods, golf ball rain-- the works!” “There were sideways waterspouts, My Lady,” the flamingo said. “Golf ball rain! Oh, those poor garden plants. And you mentioned glitter rain earlier, didn’t you? How awful. And you’re guessing that some of my magic has been causing it?” Iris looked thoughtful. “That would be very strange. These little rain clouds I made earlier”--she gestured to the faint clouds she had created when the explorers had been battling the snake plant--“are just to water the banyan over there, it looked a little dry. And the biomes I set up in the greenhouse have never caused any problems in all the years I’ve had them set up. I wonder what could have changed since then?” So many things at once! Iris, the Lady of the House, happily gives Purr-eh some pets, and listens as everyone tries to explain what’s been going on. ( Kat , June Scarlet , Gelquie , Rabbit ♠ , Celestial ) She gets a bit distracted, however, since there’s a lot happening, what with the weather, the tea, the cats, needing her long-distance glasses, washing her hands at the promised washroom, and magically summoning some cushions for people to sit on. Holiday and the flamingo have to reign her attention back in and remind her that THE WEATHER IS KIND OF A BIG DEAL RIGHT NOW, to which Iris responds that she’s not sure what she could be doing that’s caused the current weather mess. What could it be, I wonder? GM’S NOTE: Due to some players wanting more time to reply to Iris, we’ve divided the narratorpost into two parts. This is the first part, and more will come next time in the second part in a few days. Thanks for rolling with us!! |
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Post by June Scarlet on Jul 6, 2020 22:58:53 GMT -5
Iris was a remarkably warm and welcoming woman, especially considering that a troupe of strangers had just barged into her private workspace. It turned out in addition to being gifted with plant magic, she also had a spot of weather magic, in that she had set up the biomes and summoned clouds to water the plants. But still, they had no answer as to what was causing the strange magical weather. Taffy squeaked quietly, and Jess transferred her from the top hat to her satchel. She put the now guinea pig free hat back on her head, and made her way across the greenhouse to Iris. Jess accepted one of the cushions, and sat crosslegged on the floor of the greenhouse. Taffy jumped out and started nibbling on some nearby grass. "Oh, hungry are you?" said Jess, petting her gently. Taffy purred in reply. It was peaceful in the greenhouse. Unfortunately, it wasn't to last. Holiday and the flamingo pointed out that the strange weather was getting worse, as Err Bears floated by, held aloft by ferocious winds. Jess looked up at the plant witch. "Well, even if you don't know what's causing the weather, do you know if there's any way to stop it? We have magic casters, weather experts, and even I might know a trick or two. Maybe together we can fix this." As if in reply, Taffy suddenly ran off, her little piggy legs carrying her as fast as she could. Jess twisted around from where she was sitting, only to see that her guinea pig was making a beeline for the wand Princess Sunshine had dropped earlier. Upon reaching it, she grabbed it with her teeth, and started yanking it backwards, back towards Jess. It was a rather large wand, though, and the small rodent couldn't move it very far. Jess got up and walked over. "Yes, Princess Sunshine will need that to help stop the weather, most likely." Taffy ignored this, continuing to drag it towards Jess. "Okay, okay, I'll get it to her myself." The young magician patted her guinea pig, and reached for the ornate wand. To her surprise, upon touching it, the wand had a warm fuzzy feeling about it, like a pleasant summer's day. Jess picked it up, and as she raised it, the miniature sun at the tip began to glow. Jess started, and quickly turned to Princess Sunshine. "I think your wand wants you." Taffy enjoys a snack from the greenhouse, Jess wonders if together, they all can fix the weather, even if they're not sure what caused it. Taffy takes that as her cue to run over to PFA Princess Sunshine's wand. When Jess picks it up, though, the tip of the wand glows. How strange. |
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Post by Celestial on Jul 8, 2020 11:46:55 GMT -5
Purr-eh wrinkled her nose, her ears folding back. Friends? Her and Mr. Snuggles friends? Hardly! At least the lady was right in that she was sweet and soft: she could accept that compliment. Plus she did give good scratches. Even if stupid Mr. Snuggles was taking the majority of them. Purr-eh happily accepted them until the smugness of the other cat near her got too much. At that point, she wriggled out of Iris' grip and returned to Aggie, who sensing her cat's irritation at not being the centre of attention, leaned down to pet her. Now this, this Purr-eh could enjoy. She had her human, and Mr. Snuggles had his. Aggie, meanwhile, waited for Iris to bring some cushions for them all to sit down at. She smiled in understanding when Iris summoned them from the box. "Oh, I understand perfectly: it is what I do with my basket," she gestured at the woven basket hanging off her arm. Sitting down cross-legged on one of the cushions, the tea witch set up her basket as a makeshift table, placing the tea and cakes upon it. "Help yourselves, everyone," she poured some tea out for herself. "Lady Iris- may we call you Iris- in my experience, a guest must always bring something, especially if they are barging in on the host unannounced. Hence why I am bringing you some wonderful tea," she grinned broadly. "Besides, I am the Tea Witch. What would I be if I did not offer everyone tea? Especially tea that will help calm us and facilitate a productive, helpful discussion." Aggie nodded to Iris once the latter mentioned that her magic may be causing it. "I doubt you are doing any of this on purpose, Iris. But perhaps something odd had happened, something you yourself may not have even noticed. It happens to the best of us. Why, I could tell you a story when darling Purr-eh accidentally knocked two of my blends together and the result was a tea that was supposed to calm one down but instead sent one into a deep sleep!" Aggie laughed. She glanced back at Jess and Taffy, then Princess Sunshine, then Cassidy. "However, whatever it is, perhaps we can offer some aid? Some of us do have magic on our own, while others are quite knowledgeable of magic itself," she glanced at Rose. Oh, dear sweet Rose. She better keep that cutting of the kudzu golem to herself, lest they get very angry at her. "I think it is the least we can do." The Tea Witch looked curiously at the flowers that Iris had asked for. "May I ask, what do you need those for?" Purr-eh accepts some attention, despite the fact that Mr. Snuggles is getting more and she is being called his friend. Eventually, she gets tired of that and returns to Aggie. Aggie, meanwhile, sets up a tea party, explains that she is bringing gifts because they are barging in on the host unannounced. She says that given some of them have magic or knowledge of it ( June Scarlet, PFA Kat, Liou, you are mentioned, but there's others), they may help? She also asks what Iris needs the flowers for. ( Pixie, Lizica) |
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Post by Gelquie on Jul 8, 2020 16:12:04 GMT -5
Era was simultaneously taken with the older lady's kind nature and generosity, and perplexed that she knew nothing about this. Until she mentioned that she didn't have her glasses on... and she probably spent her time in her greenhouse. Still, she didn't know anything about this, hadn't seen any of this fantastic weather? Well, Era couldn't have that! Of course, as much as Era wholly welcomed the idea of laying down on cushions while discussing this, Era was side-eyeing that washroom the moment they realized it was there. They couldn't even stand the sight of another cup of tea. They really had to go.Ah! They knew! "Hey uh, thank you so much; this will be a lot more comfortable! But uh... would it be okay if I used your washroom very quickly?" Era finally, finally, tried to get to their feet. It was a bit slow going, much slower than they'd like, there was so much to talk about! So they decided to fill the space of getting up with them talking, of course! That always kept their mind off of their body acting up. "While I'm there, you haven't seen any of the weird weather? Never fear! I've been taking records of it, it's all been documented, but if nothing else, you should at least see the videos! I'm sure there's a bunch, but I've taken a lot! Here, I'll pull up my compilation I've saved; you can watch it while I'm out." They pulled out their phone and pulled up the file with the video in question. They walked forward and gave the screen one final tap (just to keep it awake) before handing it to Iris. "Can't say I know what about the magic it'd be, but maybe it's like turbulence. A small disturbance can make a big eddy! Dunno about stuff like those rain clouds causing it, though, and you don't seem new at this. But maybe some new magic you've done or are doing could've done something? Not intentionally, I'm sure! It's still cool! I don't know, we can bounce more ideas, be arr be!" Era gave the phone one final tap before rushing to the washroom and shutting the door behind them. Era has been having treats and drinks and all matter of small snacks this entire time while walking around, when you gotta go you gotta go!
Before they go, they pull up a compilation of videos they've taken that show the various weather happenings that have been going on, while referencing the fact they've been very much documenting this and taking data on it... while still knowing basically nothing. They offer to let Iris watch the video while they're in the bathroom.
Before they go in, they offer some speculation, that maybe something new caused something, even if it was just a small effect at first. They offer this and their phone (with the video up) and then rush to the bathroom.
(I figure they'll try to finish and return ASAP. ...After washing their hands, of course, and you should too.) |
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Post by PFA on Jul 9, 2020 12:15:04 GMT -5
They'd finally managed to defeat all of the plant monsters, with a particularly heroic gesture from Rose. Princess Sunshine breathed a sigh of relief, smiling at everyone who had come together to defeat the beasts. "Nice work, everyone! We did it!" And then, finally, they were able to get the attention of the Lady of the House. The others seemed to be doing a pretty good job of explaining the situation, so Princess Sunshine took the chance to tidy up, brushing some stray leaves off of her clothes. She had to look presentable for this important moment. The Lady of the House—Iris, her name was—admitted to using weather magic to help with her plants, which was abundantly obvious after spending so long wandering around in the desert heat of her greenhouse. She seemed unsure, though, of what was causing the current weather phenomenon, suggesting that whatever caused this was probably not on purpose. (Unless Iris was lying, which was a possibility, but Princess Sunshine decided to give her the benefit of the doubt for now. She seemed too nice to be lying.) "I think your wand wants you.""Hmm? Oh, thanks!" Princess Sunshine smiled, setting down the Sheer Shears and accepting her wand back from Jess. As the wand traded hands, the glow faded from the sun-shaped tip. Princess Sunshine blinked. "Huh. I've never seen it do that before." Before she could think about it much longer, though, she overheard Aggie offering magical assistance, and noticed the Tea Witch glance in her direction. Princess Sunshine took this as her cue, striking a confident pose. "I'm an expert on sun-based magic!" she proclaimed, though 'expert' may have been a bit of an exaggeration. Regardless, she continued. "I came here to get to the bottom of this wacky weather we've been having. I'd be happy to help however I can!" Princess Sunshine is proud of everyone for coming together to defeat the plant monsters, particularly Rose ( Liou) and their heroic Earplug usage. GG, everyone! She lets the others explain the situation as she brushes some leaves off of her clothes. She accepts her wand back from Jess ( June Scarlet). The wand stops glowing as it leaves Jess' hands, which Princess Sunshine comments on. How curious! She then overhears Aggie's ( Celestial) offer to help with magical stuff, and takes this as her cue to tell Iris ( Pixie, Lizica) that she's an expert on sun-based magic and that she'd be happy to help! |
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Post by Pixie on Jul 12, 2020 2:20:08 GMT -5
“Yes, of course, please do call me Iris. Not everyone has to be as formal as my lovely gate guardians here,” the Lady answered amiably as she handed out cushions. Mr. Snuggles contentedly curled up next to his human, and the guests began to settle down comfortably as well. Their offers were thoughtful and generous.
"Well, even if you don't know what's causing the weather, do you know if there's any way to stop it?” Jess asked. “We have magic casters, weather experts, and even I might know a trick or two. Maybe together we can fix this."
“Some of us do have magic on our own, while others are quite knowledgeable of magic itself. I think it is the least we can do," Aggie added.
"I'm an expert on sun-based magic!" Princess Sunshine declared. "I came here to get to the bottom of this wacky weather we've been having. I'd be happy to help however I can!"
“Weather experts and magicians with such an array of powers! What a marvelous and talented bunch to have all come in here together!” Iris exclaimed. “I’m sure we’ll think of something with everyone here.”
"May I ask, what do you need those for?" Aggie inquired, looking to the three plants they’d gathered from the front garden.
“Ah, the triangle ward is for my kudzu pal here. Not very fond of noise, and I can’t blame it. Someone brought it in by mistake, further trespassing with complaints about an invisible greenhouse being a collision hazard. I put my fence up after that, but I let the kudzu stay. This room is far from its native habitat, and it can’t swallow any buildings while here with me. But once the ward is in place, I can go back to playing my tunes from a boombox.” Iris squinted and pointed curiously over to where the kudzu golem currently rested, relaxed and satisfied at the side of the room. “Was it all of you who gave it those silver earplugs? It’s genius!”
“We did,” someone said proudly, their chest filling with pride. “We got the earplugs from a few of the residents in the greenhouse on our way here, along with these magical garden shears and gauntlets.”
They showed Iris the other two power items, who quietly admired them. “These are so clever! And the greenhouse residents gave them to you? Oh, aren’t they wonderful! They’re just full of surprises!”
Era soon got to their feet and bustled over. "While I'm there, you haven't seen any of the weird weather? Never fear! I've been taking records of it, it's all been documented, but if nothing else, you should at least see the videos!” they supplied breathlessly. “I'm sure there's a bunch, but I've taken a lot! Here, I'll pull up my compilation I've saved; you can watch it while I'm out. Can't say I know what about the magic it'd be, but maybe it's like turbulence. A small disturbance can make a big eddy!"
“Oh, more fascinating items!” Iris said brightly as she took Era’s phone in her hands and skimmed over some of its extensive weather contents. “You know, I’ve never quite gotten the hang of these new phones, I usually just use my old rotary to call over an old friend from out of town to help me with the security glamour every now and then, or to order out for pizza afterwards.” (“The pizza deliverymen always try to ask me for tips, though,” murmured the flamingo to no one in particular. “And they’re never happy with gardening tips.”)
Iris browsed past videos of the glitter rain, the up-pour, a few teleporting lizards, a localized shower of paperclips. “Is that rainbow lightning?” Iris asked, showing Era’s phone to someone seated nearby. “And just through my greenhouse’s clouds and canopy! Magnificent and very otherworldly, and very far-reaching. All these do seem like they must have some very intriguing magical influence-- So, with all the talent in this room, how shall we figure out what’s causing it?”
There was a brief pause. “Throw science at it? Throw magic at it? Both? Or any less vague idea,” Holiday suggested.
“All along the way here, one of the magicians here has been conducting experiments to determine what’s behind their magic, changing around or removing different elements,” the flamingo added.
“So perhaps we could make some changes and see if we can reveal the nature of our weather?” Iris followed up. “Well! I’m a scholar, I’m game to tackle the situation with empirical testing! Let’s run a test!”
“Especially since there might be an Err Bearnado bearing down on us soon,” someone added, warily eyeing the greenhouse ceiling as the Err Bear that had been formerly staring in was presently pulled away by the winds.
“But what can we possibly add or remove?” someone asked, anxiously looking all around the plant-filled room.
Iris hauled herself to her feet, returned Era’s phone, and stood her magic staff upright. “We’ll turn the greenhouse biome magic off and on again,” she said.
“I--you can do that?” someone said.
Iris considered. “Well,” she said, “ordinarily, a job like that would take me several days on my own, and that lengthy timeframe would be detrimental to the plants. But with all of you here, we should be able to manage it in no time! Why, some would even call it a perfect storm of talent!”
A crescendoing, pounding bout of thunder punctuated this sentence, and several people rose to their feet at once.
“What can we do?”
“We’ll need to cover all four corners of this center room of the greenhouse. We will dispel each biome one at a time, and observe the changes. When I give the signal, focus your magic into the greenhouse support beams, and I’ll channel the magic into temporarily shutting the biome magic off. Weather experts and those not using magic, if you will stay here in the center of the room and take note of what’s happening with the weather and the greenhouse, that will be a great help!”
People quickly downed the last of their tea and bustled around in their haste to get to where they were needed. Getting through the thick plant life around the greenhouse center’s corners would ordinarily have been a major feat, but with a little encouragement from Iris, the plants made way for them. Sprawling oaks bent their branches out of the way, draping vines parted like curtains, and potted bonsai trees hopped aside.
First was the northwest corner. The greenhouse’s great silver support beam stretched upwards, beyond their sight. The magic-users of the group clustered around just as tightly as the foliage around them, all of whom seemed to be holding their breath in anticipation.
“Rainforest biome!” Iris called. “Send your magic into the support beam now!”
And with their wands, hands, and hats at the ready, the team sent their best spells into the support beam, which with guidance from Iris, absorbed each magic with a soft white glow. The white glow burgeoned and stretched up along the height of the beam until it reached the top, where it traveled like slow, organic fireworks along the ceiling. Luminous sparks of magic spread out and then dissipated over the greenhouse’s northwestern roof.
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In the northwest part of the greenhouse, the gentle pitter-patter of rainforest rain slowed and came to a stop. Its cloudy skies cleared, revealing the greenhouse’s glass ceiling, the night sky, the dark storm clouds, and the flying Err Bears above.
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“&e&c*d7& x6= m&uu&c mc6k& ux&n%&+e&% qdc %&e&c6+ kc*#ud$c6n% 67= kc*#ud$6n%.”
“67= 7du ud n&7uld7 d7& n6zdc kc*#ud$6n&.”
“6 kc*#ud$6n&? Wx6u’% ux6u?”
“6 $6n& wxd%& $c&6u&%u n*%u&c* l% zh%u wx* lu &0l%u% 6u 6++!”
“=DXDXDXDXDXDXD!”
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One of the observers at the room’s center carefully watched the sky above. “I think the rain outside has stopped,” they breathed.
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The rafflesia corpse flower waved and whirled its petals in a silent, aromatic cheer for its heroes.
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“Desert biome!” Iris called next, and the magic team moved counter clockwise along the room’s outer edge before reaching the southwestern support beam. “Ready and fire!”
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The indeterminate desert light source scattered and faded, and the southwest area of the greenhouse was awash in cooling nighttime, with the wind outside seeming to whistle past in an impressed way.
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“Exfi hov ug iebompg, uje fe’i ozbfpxe! / Exg cgigbe dyhgi ozfwg oe mfpxe!” the saguaro shouted piercingly.
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The reflective pool of the oasis rippled with the magic current.
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The dry watering can rattled back and forth-- two long rattles, then a short rattle, a pause, then three long rattles.
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The low-lying spiny lichen spread itself into a wide array of exclamation points. And for once, the low-lying succulent moss agreed and did exactly the same.
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“Arctic biome!” shouted Iris, and the team moved along the southern wall, past an unused door, and met the third greenhouse pillar in the southeastern corner. “Annnd--now!”
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The cold white clouds passed from above the snowy pathways, and faintly warm nighttime glimmered over the snow drifts and into the scattered footprints left behind.
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“What if they were actually right about how to solve the newspaper puzzle?” said the Labrador tea plant. “If it’s a simple matter of taking all our disparate and confused elements and putting them where they’re supposed to go, could that truly amount to resolving this conundrum once and for all?”
“I disagree,” the purple saxifrage replied. “To make the assumption that they were correct, one also makes the assumption that there is only ever one sole solution to any given problem at any given time, or ever only a single correct way to be, and I find that to be an erroneous way of thinking. … … ...Therefore, it’s definitely, one hundred percent, absolutely ‘morst,’ and not ‘storm,’ and I’m the one who’s right!”
“NO, yoU’Re nOT,” snapped the Labrador tea plant.
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The snowman paused leisurely from where they were seated at their intersection. They lifted the edge of their hat and gazed up into the sky, and with a small affirmative nod, they reached over and added a second tally under the column on their blackboard labeled with “G.”
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Outside, an Err Bear lost its support wind and slid down a nearby flagpole like a firefighter.
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“...    /     /   / /  /  / /    /  /   /  /  / /   / / / / / ' / / / , / / / /  , ' / !’” cried the drama alpaca topiary on the left. The middle and right drama alpaca topiaries sounded chattering agreement.
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The maybe-plant tapped its needles against its tablet and changed the word “TOAD” to various exclamations of excitement, and the toad followed suit, giving a satisfied croak.
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“And one last time to close it out!” Iris cried, and the group moved northward, past the door the Blue Team had used, and almost but not quite coming to the door that the Red and Green Teams had used. “Once more with feeling!”
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In the front garden, the brilliant blue hydrangeas had been whipped about in the winds, but now they began to settle. The broken picket in the fence stopped swinging, the wind chime quieted down, and the spider on the porch returned to the middle of her web to mend the damage.
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The power flickered back on at the Uffnewt Weather Station, and Ray Nextpected tentatively emerged from the station basement and poked his lizard-covered head back outside as the irregular night ebbed away back into the proper time of day.
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“A gorgeous sunset,” said Jonas.
“It’s just lovely,” said Gladys.
“Picture perfect,” said Phyllis.
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And as the magic inside the greenhouse fizzled out at last, the wind outside finally and completely wound down to halt. The Err Bearnado dissolved as the winds calmed, and the bears found themselves safely deposited all across Uffnewt. The bears skulked back to hibernation, some of them narrowly avoiding traffic tickets.
“It worked!” someone cried, pointing up through the greenhouse ceiling and marvelling at the clear skies. There were whoops and cheering, and some of the more exhausted magic-users let out a relieved breath and collapsed in gratitude upon some of the cushions, fist-pumping the air.
Amid the celebration, one person paused and pointed out, very practically, “Okay, but how do we stop this from happening again? Evacuate all the plants? No…”
The group was pensive for a moment.
“Hey… Now that that’s done, does it feel a little…drafty in here somehow now?” someone piped up.
“It does, a little. That can’t be good for a greenhouse.”
“Wait, up there--” One person with particularly good eyesight squinted up at the glass ceiling. “I think those slats up there don’t connect right. There’s a little gap between the roof panels. I never would have seen it if the plants hadn’t moved for us to get to the support beams.”
Iris finally dug her long-distance glasses from the bottom of one of her apron pockets and examined that portion of the roof. “Oh! Well, I’ll be. Seems we’ve probably had some magic leakage. I suppose it’s only natural there should be some age and wear and tear on the greenhouse after all these years I’ve been using it. I wonder how long it’s been steadily leaking small bits of magic. Turns out you were right!” she added, turning to Era. “A little disturbance sure went a long way!”
“Well, let's get to fixing it!” someone exclaimed. “Is there a special method for that?”
“I think we may be able to use a little magic,” Iris said. Here, she paused and summoned something else into the glossy box before pulling it out with a flourish. “But a little duct tape has always served me well, too.”
Next, she turned and showed the kudzu golem the three plants with white flowers, and with a few quiet, encouraging words, persuaded the appreciative golem to help with lifting folks up to the greenhouse ceiling. “Isn’t kudzu a sweet plant?” Iris said warmly while several of the visitors who had politely opted out of being lifted to the ceiling by the plant golem silently side-eyed each other. “Some people call it a weed, but all weeds are just plants that need the right home, don’t you think? Isn’t it marvelous?”
It wasn’t long before the thin crack in the roof was firmly taped up and sealed. Several more gaps in the roof were found, and with the help of the kudzu, all of them were fixed in relatively short order.
From below, Holiday and the flamingo watched the operation with curiosity. Holiday began to shift her leaves around and skyward, as if searching the air for something invisible.
When the last of the leaks had been patched, Holiday approached Iris with the flamingo’s assistance.
“Lady Iris,” she piped up, with a certain gravity in her tone that made Iris and several others look up. Holiday continued steadily, “So much impossible has happened that I don’t think such matters, well, matter anymore. I need to tell you that I’m not actually a plant.”
Iris blinked in surprise. “Wait--you’re not, dear Hotlips?”
“She’s not, actually,” the flamingo confirmed.
“I’m a weather spirit-- but this weather mess is not my doing,” Holiday clarified. “At least, not anything I did on purpose. Maybe my bound magic worsened it? And Airin doesn’t use their magic for such perilous tricks. I’m not sure how I got in here; I was just flying by at the time, then-- blam! in a plant, but it seemed to be a one-way ticket. I couldn’t get free by my own magic.” She shrugged her leaves. “But if it was a curse, it was a poor excuse for one, since I was still in a position to help! I just rolled with it. I mean, what else was there to do? But now, all that chaotic weather magic that must have been holding me in is quieter. I can help fix this mess. But I suppose with such a gathering of mages, one might be able to free me.”
“Oh, my dear Hotlips. That’s quite the predicament. I wish you had told me earlier! I had no idea,” said Iris. She turned thoughtful. “Perhaps the teleporting lizards that the kind scientist recorded on their phone might have been influenced by the same phenomenon. If chaos magic or the chaotic weather magic caused by my greenhouse was indeed involved in both, this is something that should be just within the reach of my power to fix. But it will be much easier to do as a team cast. What does everyone say? One last team effort to try to set things right.”
There was a general burst of chatter and a murmur of interest and affirmation. The adventurers may have come all this way to fix the weather, but when that goal had been proven time and again to be far more difficult and confusing than they had anticipated, they had always pushed through and helped out.
And so, the flamingo gingerly placed Holiday and her pot down on the ground and stepped away as everyone gathered around. Even those without magic joined the ring around Holiday in the center of the greenhouse. They were anchors, holding thoughts of freedom and individuality in the front of their minds. They all linked hands and let the power surge between them--and it rushed to the center in a prism of light that rivaled even the multicolored lightning. It seeped into and filled the plant vessel with a blinding, manifold brilliance, and gradually unwound the spell that had trapped Holiday inside the flower.
She rose from the plant like vapor, presenting another being of air and magic. Her form was grey and aery, her hair flowed like purple water, and her black lips smiled broadly. The red lips of the Hotlips plant, though no longer occupied by a spirit, retained her smile.
“Oh, hi, Airin,” she laughed, ascending, now more strongly attuned to the other spirit still about, “I don’t know if you’re up for actually doing your job, but you can join me in the skies above if you feel like helping me clean up the rest of this weather mess.”
Airin scowled and flew out of view. Holiday waved, her laugh crescendoing.
“Well, whether or not they’re coming, I’ll be off soon,” Holiday cheered, turning to all who gathered in the greenhouse. “But I’m so thankful for your help! It’s wonderful to be my true self again.”  Please enjoy this doozy of a denouement post, which also pushed Pixica’s collaboration doc past 100 pages! Local GMs over here flexing over how many NPCs were in this game.
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