Woah. Woah! That is a lot of options! Well, it's twelve. There are twelve, but still! Quickly my focus scrolled down the list. Reading the title of each one. Some of these sound pretty good right off the bat. Let's see here… Verdant Sanctuary and Nectar of Vitality both look amazing! But ten points each? Assuming I only get two points a level, I would have to not spend anything and be level five to get one of them. Hmmm. Let's just look at the ones I can afford for now. If I don't like any of them, then I will save for something else. If I don't, then I'll just agonize over the decision until forever.
Vine Manipulation – Basic Level
Description: The ability to control vines to perform basic tasks like grasping objects, pulling, or lightly entangling enemies.
Effect: Allows the user to manipulate small vines for utility and basic combat functions.
Additional Effects: The vines must be connected or apart of the user. This skill does not grant the user's vines any additional strengths or defenses.
Duration: Special
Stamina Cost: 5 to Activate, 1 per Minute
Skill Cost: 2 Skill Points
Spore Production – Basic Level
Description: The ability to release a cloud of spores that can be used for a wide variety of purposes. This ability can later be specialized into numerous Utility, Combative, and Defensive skills.
Effect: The user can release a cloud of spores for communication with other plants.
Range: Limited to a small area around the user.
Control: At this level, control is limited to simple communication, not complex emotions or behaviors.
Stamina Cost: 5 per use
Skill Cost: 2 Skill Points
Root Perception – Basic Level
Description: This ability enhances awareness by utilizing root tendrils underground, allowing the perception of vibrations and to detect movement.
Effect: Extends the user's perception to detect vibrations and environmental changes.
Range: Double normal perception ranges around the user.
Duration: Passive.
Skill Cost: 2 Skill Points
Pheromone Communication – Basic Level
Description: This ability allows communication using more complex pheromones.
Effect: Allows the use of pheromones for communication, including complex emotions or behaviors.
Range: Limited to a small area around the user.
Stamina Cost: 5 per Minute
Skill Cost: 1 Skill Point
Desert Resilience – Basic Level
Description: This ability grants the user improved survival capabilities in harsh desert environments. The user's physiology has adapted to withstand extreme heat and arid conditions, allowing for more efficient use of water. The user can go longer periods without water and is less affected by the intense heat of the sun. This skill also offers moderate protection from desert-related hazards, such as dehydration or heat exhaustion, making it easier to thrive in desolate landscapes where others may struggle.
Effect: This skill allows the user to require significantly less water to maintain health and hydration, enabling longer periods between water intake while retaining the same physical and mental condition. The user also gains minor resistance to desert hazards like dehydration and heat fatigue.
Skill Cost: 2 Skill Points
Down to five out of twelve. Still a few, but it should be easier now. My leaves swayed as I thought over my options carefully. Reading them over. Wait a second… what did that say again? Desert Resilience… 'The user can go longer periods without water and is less affected by the intense heat of the sun.' I've been in this desert for what, four months now?
Steadily as I grew, my roots had pushed deeper into the ground as well. Slowly I encountered more moisture down below. It was still very little, like I was brushing against the condensation on the outside of a cup. Just that little distance away from what I needed. Because it was still so little water, I refrained from using Nutrient & Water Absorption in an effort to find its source. Or at least more. I was getting the feeling I wasn't benefiting as much from eating the ants as I would from proper plant care. Maybe I am dehydrated already from the lack of water. I don't see anything about 'conditions' or 'penalties' but that wouldn't be the first time the sheet hasn't shown everything.
I let my perception diffuse out over my space and felt a small sense of pride. With my growth had also come a slight increase to my range. Instead of losing awareness at the inner edge of my brick ring, I could a couple inches across their tops now too. Speaking of 'seeing things', Root Perception would let me sense more. Though something about the description makes me think that it wouldn't be the same as what I can do now. I think I can cross that off the list for now. Spore Production as well. I haven't even grown flowers yet, and while its potential for versatility sounds nice, I think it will be a while off.
Down to three. The annoyance circling me slowly shifted to contemplation as my Stamina dropped a little more. Vine Manipulation looks cool, but maybe I should focus on staying alive? Desert Resilience seems to be the best option for that, but… My focus went back to the Available Skills. This one might have the most immediate use though.
Pheromone Communication. Allows the use of pheromones for communication, including complex emotions or behaviors. I could use this to talk to Eldritch. Actually, talk to them. And its only one Skill Point. I could save the other for something else later on.
The contemplation changed to a chittering nervousness, before annoyance once more. I really got to get a handle on my emotions. I guess it's a good thing that Skills are more like a muscle or second nature rather than activations. The more I had used them over the last few weeks, the easier it had been. Like breathing, back when I did breath. Downside, if I am not careful it eats into my Stamina and Mana.
Taking a deep, mental breath, I selected Pheromone Communication and watched it disappear from the Available Skills list and reappear on my sheet. That was easy. I still have one point left. What do I want to save it for?
As I looked back to the availability list, I activated Photosynthesis to refill my missing Stamina. Now, let's see… Verdant Sanctuary and Nectar of Vitality would take a long, long time to get, but are good options. Most of these other ones are also quite expensive, seven and eight costs. I wonder why no nine? The three and four costs? Here we go. Sap Reserves and Wisteria Bloom… wait. What?
Wisteria Bloom – Basic Level
Description: Yadda Yadda
Effect: Yadda Yadda
Additional Effect: Yadda Yadda
Number of Blooms: Yadda Yadda
Duration: Yadda Yadda
Stamina Cost: Yadda Yadda
Skill Cost: 2 Skill Points
Two points? Wasn't this three points? Why did it go down? I looked everything over once more. The only difference is the new skill. Right? I focused back and forth between the two screens. I guess they both have to do with pheromones but, would that really change the cost? Being related? My leaves sagged. Is this another thing I'm gonna have to test? Like the Stats? I can save up for Sap Reserves, see if it affects Arcane Sap?
An illusionary and pheromonic groan escaped me, dipping both my Stamina and Mana. Great. Just great. I need a planner or something.
Wait… What's this? My Stamina dropped again as I let out another spray of pheromones, this time of curiosity. What is a 'Trait'?
Trait: Verdant Essence "Your roots draw strength from the lifeblood of the land. Your leaves cycle the air and drink from the sun. This feed your growth in unseen ways. "
Effect: When performing the duties of a plant, you passively gain a small amount of power over time.
Well damn. So that is cryptic and vague. If I didn't have a guess already, I might be a little lost. But… I think this confirms that I gain xp from doing plant things. Primarily, Nutrient Absorption and Photosynthesis? I have a way forward. I might actually survive this!
That's Chapter 12! Here is the time for the votes! What should Cy focus on over the next few days?The next chapter is going to cover one week.
Majority Vote, With Approval
[ ] XP
[ ] Overall Growth
[ ] Downward Growth (Find that Water!)
[ ] Food Supply
[ ] Relationship with the Eldritch
Would be best to work out what exactly we can just ask for and the ants provide for cheaper. Would help the dry soil more if the ants could just pick up dead leaves to cover the soil and preserve any rainfall better.
I apologize for the tardiness of getting this post drafted and posted! I will admit, I got distracted with character creation for a WoD game that I am joining soon. It's looking to be a fun one!
Pheromone Communication
Description: This ability allows communication by utilizing pheromones.
Active Ongoing: 20 Stamina, Locks 5% of Stamina while in use.
Wait. My new skill was… different from how it had been listed in the Skill Shop. What happened here? Why? I began searching around. Had I missed something? Let's open up the Shop. Maybe…
Notification
Patch v. Ξ71.69a
Skill Shop under review for improper implementation.
Due to a mathematical translation error, Skills were improperly labeled with the incorrect costs. Your Skills have been updated. Skill Trees are currently being reviewed to make sure that the proper Mana and Stamina costs are in place. 5 Stat Points have been allocated to you for the inconvenience.
Growth - Level 2 - Active Ongoing: 5 Stamina. Locks 15% Stamina while in use. Photosynthesis - Level 2 - Inherent: Restores 1 Mana and Stamina per minute while in direct sunlight and low light conditions. Nutrient Absorption - Level 1 - Inherent: Restores 1 HP per hour Pheromone Manipulation - Level 1 - Active: 10 Stamina per use. If Pheromone Communication is in use, Lock out 10% Stamina instead. Poison Production - Level 1 - Active: 20 Stamina Illusions - Active Ongoing: 20 Mana. Locks 15% of Mana while in use. Pheromone Communication - Active Ongoing: 20 Stamina. Locks 5% of Stamina while in use.
This is… I don't. Why did it have to be math? Well, the Stat Points are nice. Let's see… I pulled up the stat section of me screen. I've put 5 in Health and 5 in Stamina so far. That raised my Health from 15 to 16 points. My Mana went from 26 to 27 points. So stands to reason that means that 5 Stat Points are needed to raise each stat by 1. So, I like even numbers. Let's raise my Stamina from 59 to 60. All points in!
With a thought I pumped all 5 Stat Points into my Stamina and watched with growing confusion as my Stamina rose from 59 to… 62? 62? Why 62? It rose three points? But my nise even number. Ugh. Okay, well its good to have a higher one. Especially since it looks like 2 of my skills now lock out 5% and 15% of my Stamina? That's… carry… times? Uh, I know there is a way to figure this out. But, uh, this will just be easier.
I activated my Growth.
Stamina: 47/52(62)
That's new. I like it though. I should be able to keep things like my Growth going on all day now, actually. Oh wow. I don't have to cycle anymore. The thought hit me and it felt like a huge weight was lifted from my leaves. I don't have to cycle anymore. I can just grow and be. I can be a proper plant now.
I sat there, letting my perception spread out over my area. Imaging if flourishing with my leaves and eventual flowers. I watched as the Eldritch ants diligently worked on their hill. Hill? That is not a hill.
My focus zoomed in to the 'hill' and I took a proper look. How did I not notice this? The 'hill' looked more like a ziggurat or pyramid. It had four sides that were made out of steps. Each one was about half one of my leaves in height and width. It went up four steps before leveling out at the top. A ramp went down the middle of each side of the little pyramid. On top, in the center of the flat space was a square hole that led into the depths.
Then, built over top of that, was a little pergola. That's right, I might not know math, but I know fancy words. Basically, it was a little roof held up by four columns or posts, one at each corner. With a thought I tried peering into the opening and only got just a little ways down before everything went… fuzzy.
Oh, right! My new skill!
Stamina: 24/49(62)
Keeps the gap. Okay, either way… I could feel something kinda… pump through my limps and to my leaves. Like the sensation of drinking water on an empty stomach. I think I've used that analogy before… Pheromones began to waft from my leaves and diffuse out into the air.
"Hello? Eldritch… queen… ant? Can you understand me?"
One of the ants, the one closest to me stopped what it was doing. It's antennae waving in the air as it 'listened' to the pheromones. After a few moments it, and a small collection of others scuttled over to me. "Hello? Tree? Did you gain a new skill?"
"Yes, yes, I did. I just unlocked Pheromone Communication. I figured, if we were going to be neighbors, it might be a good idea to be able to chat properly. Uh, my name is Cy. Short of Cyrus."
The ant seemed to consider things for a moment before it suddenly started communicating wildly. "Oh thank God! Finally! Someone to finally talk to! Ever since I was kidnapped and put into a bunch of ants, everything has been trying to eat me! I mean, I can talk to those ants that look like glass windows, but they're a bit simple. I don't know, their ants? They're smart, but more like dog smart than people smart. I know you must think this is weird. Talking about being kidnapped and turned into a hive of ants, but I don't care! I can finally talk to someone!"
"Uh… huh?" My mind reeled at the onslaught of scents. It was all so much more complex to understand than what I was able to get before. "Wait… did you say turned into a hive of ants? Did you also die?"
"Die? No. At least I don't think so. I hope not. Oh god, did I die?" The ants started to get worked up into a little frenzy stampede. Slowly they got themselves back under control. "I'm sorry. Even before getting Initiated, things were stressful. Finals were only two months away, and then the Initiation happened for this Beta Test thing and having to figure out how to be an ant of all things. So you died to get here?"
"I think so? I was hit with a car, and then I was in a white void. A whole bunch of tests. Then I was put in this plant, uh, a wisteria."
The ant did a little dance. "Oh! I wish I had been put into a plant. It must be so peaceful. I mean, being human would have been better. Ah, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Miryam."
I let out a pleased scent, watching as my Stamina dropped to 14. Let's fix that, yeah? I connected my Manipulation to my ongoing Communication.
Stamina: 18/43(62)
"Pleasure to meet you Miryam. So, you were human? A student. And now you are a hive of ants? Aren't ants colonies?"
Miryam shrugged, well, as much as an ant could shrug. "That's what my Race says. Ant Hive. But yeah, I was a student. University. I know I've pretty much just be kind of complaining so far, but honestly. This is so much less stressful then school. And I guess, I can focus on what I want to do, rather than try and get a head in life."
"There ya go! What is it you want to do?"
"Well. I like to garden, and I would really like to get a class or profession that would allow me to focus on that."
"Miryam, I think we are going to get along just fine."
The next week went by fairly smoothly, if I do say so myself. Most of the time was spent chatting with Miryam. I had been tempted to use the time to just grow, but with Miryam setting up her hive, I had decided to hold off. If I could give her the time to get at least the foundations of it set up, then I could grow around it. We agreed that we could work on any future expansions together.
Miryam had actually been going to school for architecture while also preparing for law school. And taking basic courses to get ready for nursing school. Yeah, I'm pretty sure she died. How could she not with that kind of course load? From what I could understand, each of those things were either to make some family member happy, a requirement for getting her college paid for, and an attempt to make sure she would do well in life. I think she had either a heart attack or aneurism and just didn't notice with how stressed she had been.
She still gets stressed and worked up rather easily, though now that she has the time and luxury to do so, she manages to bring herself back down and plan things out.
Speaking of planning things out. Miryam definitely knew what she was talking about when it came to gardening. First of all, she brought in a bunch of dead and dried leaves. Her hive worked long and hard to mulch them and spread them out over my dirt patch. It wasn't much, from what she said there was another garden bed nearby with a lot of dead plants. Most of their leaves were gone, but she promised to collect what she could to add to the mulch.
I could actually feel the ground being a little bit cooler under the light blanket. It was nice. Not only that, it seemed she had a skill: Soil Enrichment. When I heard that, I was elated. She was quick, but nervous to burst that bubble. Apparently, with the lack of moisture, while she could still use the skill, it was not to its full effect. She was still willing to use it though.
She didn't want much in return, but she said when I really started growing, she did ask if she could clip some leaves every now and then. Occasionally, maybe steal a glass ant or two from one of my honey pots. I was more then ready to agree to the second option. The leaves I was a bit more hesitant on. When Goldie had managed to rip at one, it had done a bit of damage. I had recovered, but still, I'm not that high on health.
Speaking of Goldie, I still hadn't seen her in a while. Though there were still plenty of glass ants that fell prey to my Nymph's Call. They were a great, and my only, source of food. Not soon enough, the week was over, and it was time to test out my new growth capabilities.
Experience: 112.36/300
Stamina: 52/52(62) - Pheromone Communication - Pheromone Manipulation
Alright! Again, I apologize this was late. I do realize it technically means less time to vote, but I hope that doesn't affect things too much. This story is still just building after all.
So, technically a few repeats from last week. It doesn't make anything less important, it just changes up what they might affect. Feel free to ask questions! I probably won't go into too much detail about actual mechanics, but happy to help explain things!
Majority Vote, No Approval
[ ] Grow Down (Find that Water!)
[ ] Grow in General
[ ] Try to find out more about the Glass Ants
[ ] Experiment with Illusions
[ ] Mapping Mission with the Eldritch
This won't change anything this week. But a heads up. Sunday's Vote will now be a 48 hour Vote. Gives me time on Mondays to plan things out. This mostly means 3 chapters a week instead of 4.
So that means:
Posting Schedule:
Tuesday
Thursday
Saturday
So next chapter is on schedule for tomorrow! Keeping the 11pm timings.
Okay, let's take a moment here. I've been in this spot for, what... two months now? Maybe? Honestly, time's been a little fuzzy.
I should've been keeping better track, but, well, I'm a plant.No clocks or calendars here.Still, not bad for my first couple of months as a Wisteria. I've done some growing (literally), hit my first level, made a friend, and even established a somewhat reliable food source. The soil's getting better too—thank you, glass ants—and I've even got a bit of mulch going. Fancy, right?
I basked in the early morning light, letting the sun seep into me, chasing off the chill from the night. So… what's still missing? What do I need that I don't already have?
I ran a mental inventory, checking my status screen a few times over—no changes there. I even stretched my awareness across my little patch of territory, which has grown, thankfully. Still haven't reached the edge of those blasted bricks surrounding me, but at least I've got better warning now when the glass ants start their forays into my space.
With a rustle of my leaves, I let out a pheromonal sigh. Water. Yeah, that's the one. I mean, digesting on ants has been a decent stopgap, but I'm starting to feel a little… dry. And I get the sense that as I keep growing, my water needs are only going to go up. The ants won't be able to keep up forever, even if they do come with a side of protein.
I eyed the "Race" section on my status screen. Am I still a wisteria? I'm pretty sure they aren't supposed to be carnivorous. The thought lingered as I mulled over the implications. Letting the thought simmer, I shifted my perception downward, dipping into the sail around my roots. That damp patch I'd sensed a few days ago? Yeah, it had receded, but I still knew the direction it had been in.
That's where I'll start, I decided, a hint of determination bubbling up. With a thought, I focused on the distant memory of moisture and activated Growth.
Stamina: 22/42 (62)
This is freakin' amazing! The new patch that had been added was working wonders. I mean, sure, I can already see how this might bite me later, but for now? Absolute game-changer. My mental celebration was interrupted by a faint rumble near my roots, snapping my focus back.
Wha-?
The soil shifted and crumbled as my roots began burrowing through it, heading straight toward that watery promise. This is so fast! I paused, caught off guard by my own excitement. Well… no. It's not fast. It's agonizingly slow. Or at least, it would have been once upon a time. But now? Compared to my usual glacial pace, my roots are basically racing!
I sat with that thought for a moment. Huh… my life really is different now, isn't it? I don't even think about time the same way anymore. I've had a few close calls, sure, but… wow.
The realization settled over me like sunlight, warm and oddly comforting. Life as a wisteria might be strange, but it's mine.
…
By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, my roots had extended several inches into the ground. Miryam had once mentioned that my leaflets were about 3 inches long. Comparing that to my root growth now, I'd say… almost 11-ish inches? "That's amazing!" I thought with a proud rustle of my leaves. My earlier growth attempts must've been so limited because I'd been trying to do everything at once—leaves, stems, roots, you name it. Rookie mistake, I guess.
And that wasn't even the best news. Since I no longer had to constantly cycle between Photosynthesis and Growth, not only could I focus on expanding my roots, but once my stamina filled up again, my plant trait kicked in, and—drumroll, please—I started earning experience.
Experience: 113.53/300
At this rate, it wouldn't be too long before I hit level two! Level two! The thought made my leaflets flutter with excitement.
"Hey, Eldritch!"
I felt a familiar sigh ripple through the air, tinged with her ever-present amusement, as one of the glass ants marched over.
"Yes, flower?"
"What's your level?"
Miryam paused, her antennae twitching as though she was caught off guard. "Huh? Oh, um. Well, I'm actually a level 3 Ant Hive. Why? What's your level?"
"Level 3? That's so cool—congrats! I'm only level 1, but I'm about a third of the way through. I think with the recent patch, I'll be leveling a lot faster, though."
"You're only level 1?" Her shock practically radiated through her pheromones.
"Well, yeah." I flexed my leaflets in a shrug. "I don't really know the math or mechanics behind it, but the skills I have for earning XP have been pretty limited. One of them is still kinda stunted. But another just had a huge restriction lifted, so… progress!"
She mulled over my explanation, her antennae waving thoughtfully. That was fine by me—her pacing gave me time to focus. My roots were pressing into the area where I'd felt the moisture earlier. The soil here was definitely cooler, but it had dried out long ago. I directed my roots to fan out, spreading sideways in hopes of picking up a new lead on where to dig next.
"I'm curious about how this System works," Miryam finally said, breaking the silence. "Not much has changed for me since the recent patch, but you seem to be benefiting quite a bit. While things have been fairly even for me—barring any physical dangers—it seems like your start was much rougher. After all, Wisteria sinensis typically doesn't thrive in such dry, arid conditions. Honestly, I'm surprised you haven't died yet. Your quick thinking with the honey pots saved you, no doubt about that. Though the fact you could even grow something like that is… completely atypical for your species."
We spent most of the night talking about wisteria. Miryam had an impressive wealth of knowledge about plants, casually dropping facts about their needs and growth patterns. Apparently, there are four main breeds of wisteria: Chinese, Japanese, American, and Kentucky. Who knew? I let her do most of the talking, nodding along (mentally, at least) as my roots kept working.
By the next morning, my roots had done some serious expanding. "Doubled in size" isn't quite the right phrase—length wasn't my main focus after all. Instead, I'd fanned out here and there, branching off in an effort to find moisture. Overall, I'd say my root system had grown more than twice as much overnight compared to the entire previous day. Not bad for a glorified stick in the dirt.
Even better? I'd finally found signs of water! The soil was starting to feel damp. With a little help from Miryam, I figured out that the water was below the level of the ground my garden plot sat on. The bricks I could perceive formed a ring around my plot, stacked about three to four feet from the packed earth below. My roots had already reached about halfway there.
Not too shabby. I allowed myself a mental pat on the back—or maybe a root-on-the-back? Or would it be leaf? Either way, progress was progress.
Still, it wasn't all good news. I'd gotten a little too caught up chatting with Miryam last night, and by the time I realized I hadn't attracted any glass ants to my honey pots, it was too late to fix it. And I wasn't about to risk snagging any of her hive members—she'd never let me hear the end of it.
The hollow ache of hunger, or thirst, gnawed at the weird space at the base of my stem. I'm pretty sure the two are interchangeable at this point. It wasn't unbearable yet, but it was enough to remind me that I couldn't afford distractions right now. Water first. Then ants. Then I'll deal with everything else.
I flexed my roots, reaching further into the soil with a surge of determination. Gotta push through…
…
Nearly three days. Three long, grueling days. And seven XP later, I finally found it! My roots had grown deep, pushing further than ever before. And let me tell you, I felt every bit of it. While there wasn't a constant drain on my stamina, the effort had left me exhausted—bone-deep, root-shaking kind of tired.
Even without an active Stamina draw, I'd even turned off Pheromone Communication and Manipulation, only activating them briefly at night to give Miryam a heads-up and lure a few glass ants into my honey pots. Those ants had been a godsend, giving me just enough strength to keep going. But honestly? I was starting to think I'd bitten off more than I could chew—or absorb, I guess.
I was drained. Exhausted. And thirsty. So. Very. Thirsty. Maybe that's why I hadn't noticed the effects of dehydration earlier. I'd been feeding myself, sure, but I hadn't been pushing my limits like this before. It was new, uncharted territory.
Still, my roots had done their job, reaching into beautifully damp soil. It wasn't a lot of water, but I think my little garden-well-plot-thing deserves some credit. The area in which I grew provided 'shade', keeping the ground beneath me cooler and the water closer to the surface. Or something like that. Either way, I wasn't about to overthink it.
Because now? Now it was time.
With several hours left before the sun would rise, I activated Nutrient Absorption for its intended purpose.
And oh. Oh. Oh.
Satisfaction rippled through my roots as they began to drink, pulling in the precious moisture. It was like… like taking that first sip of ice-cold water on a scorching summer day. No, better. It was like diving into a cool lake after roasting under the sun for hours. Pure, unfiltered bliss.
Oh, yeah. That's the stuff.
Experience: 120.16/300
Stamina: 42/62
The Monday thing helped out immensely. I think this will be a good schedule going forward. I really hope you enjoyed this chapter. I understand fully this isn't really an action-packed (as of yet) type of story, but I really do appreciate all of your support and interactions. Thank you.
Majority Vote, with Approval
[ ] Experiment with Illusions
[ ] Mapping Mission with Miryam
[ ] Expand and Fill Out Root System, Secure the Water Source
[ ] Expand Your Vines Up, Become more Tree like
[ ] Expand Your Vines Out, Become more Spreading Vine like
[ ] XP Focus
[ ] Write In, Maybe I'm missing something or you have a really cool idea. Let's try it!
trees are the best plants! Ignoring the fungus, ofc... Can we turn into fungus? That would be nice! Or maybe try to have a CHILD! Maybe like that one clone trees that are really big and connected trought the roots or something!
Food. Water. Sun. Even a new friend. Not bad, all things considered.
I watched as the ever-busy ants scurried around, each with a job to do. Some were heading beyond my little patch of territory to forage, while others stayed behind, reinforcing their home. It was still surreal to see their ziggurat-pyramid-thing, with ants neatly marching up and down the ramps like tiny, determined commuters.
So… what now? I could just grow, which, yeah, is a valid plant goal. Or I could focus on getting stronger. Or… something else? I basked in the morning sun as I mulled over my options. The warmth kissed my leaves, soaking into me in a way that just felt right. With my newfound access to water, my green sheen had returned, and I had to admit—I was looking good.
Then, for just a moment, a shadow passed over me. Not directly blocking the sun, but enough to dim the light. A flicker of shade.
"What the what?!" My leaves stiffened. "Miryam!"
A nearby ant, one of the workers tending my mulch and enriching the soil, paused and climbed onto one of my roots. "Yes, flower? What's wrong?"
"Did you see that?"
"Oh, did you mean the bird?"
"Bird?!" I did not like the sound of that. "There are birds here?"
"A few," she replied casually. "They're one of the predators I mentioned before. Don't you remember?"
I thought back to our first 'conversation'—which, at the time, had been mostly me catching every third word and hoping for the best. "Only a little. I didn't have Communication then, so I couldn't really understand much."
"Ah, I see." Miryam turned her gaze toward her fellow ants, watching them work for a few moments before continuing. "Well, they don't come over here too often. There's better prey a few courtyards over. That's actually where I came from."
"Really? Can you tell me about it?"
"Sure. It was a courtyard, similar in size to this one. I would say…" She paused, her fellow ants giving off little pheromone puffs as if helping her think. "The courtyards are roughly square-shaped, about six of your well's lengths long and wide. It's hard to tell at our size, but I think your well is about six feet in diameter."
Mana: 3/23 (27)
As she spoke, I got an idea. I shaped an illusion, forming a tiny projection of her description. A wall of miniature bricks formed a rough square, with a small circular shape in the center. I placed a green dot inside to represent me.
Miryam's antennae twitched in surprise. "Oh my, that is amazing!"
Several of her ants abandoned their tasks to scuttle over, crowding around the illusion like fascinated spectators.
"Alright, let's see." Miryam turned her attention back to the projection. "There's only one way out of this place, and it's over here."
One of her ants scurried to the wall in question. I adjusted the illusion, shifting the 'stones' aside to create a gap.
"A little larger… there you go," she instructed. "It's like a small tunnel. To clarify, I think you're in the courtyard of a single building, and this passage opens up to a road."
Under Miryam's guidance, and with her ants acting as guidelines, lining up to show distance and widths, I built out the surrounding structures. As the picture took shape, it became clear—I was in the courtyard of what looked like a Middle Eastern-style home. A square, two-story building with an open courtyard in the center. Several arches surrounded the courtyard, leading to several doorways. Some broken, open, or closed. Across the street, the buildings were more uniform, almost adobe-like, their blocky forms surrounding the courtyard house with narrow alleys or small roads winding between them.
Further north, the road led to at least two more similar courtyard homes. Mine, apparently, was the only one with a garden. The next one up? Just a barren, empty patch of dirt. But the furthest of the two had something different—a pool at its center, covered by a tattered awning that spanned the courtyard. That limited shade was enough to protect moisture, at least somewhat, which meant bugs. Lots of bugs.
Including the glass ants.
But where there are prey, there are predators.
The nastiest of the bunch was some kind of weird scorpion-like creature. Nearly three times the size of a glass ant, its stinger had been replaced with this bizarre, flexible cup—almost like an organic cone. It didn't sting; it snatched. Its tail would whip forward, snap the cup around its prey like a high-speed Venus flytrap, and then… digest the poor thing alive.
Miryam had lost more than a few ants to those things. She seemed to be a bit subdued and not keen on talking about the details. It didn't take me long to remember her ants were a hive mind of herself.
The shade also made a decent home for other creatures—the bird.
Miryam suspected it might be a sparrow, but she had never dared to get close enough to find out. She'd spent most of her time hiding, defending her home and hive, while desperately sending out little expeditions to find a safer place. Since moving in here, she hadn't done much more exploring.
"Would you like to?"
Miryam's antennae twitched. "What do you mean?"
"I guess what I mean is… would you mind doing so?" I kept my focus on the illusionary 'map' as I spoke, adjusting a few details here and there. "I can't exactly go check it out myself. And I don't want to ask you to put yourself in direct danger or anything. But, well… I think it'd be cool to explore the house."
She hesitated, and I noticed several dozen of her ants slowing in their tasks, as if her uncertainty rippled through the whole hive.
"Do you think it's necessary?" she asked carefully.
I considered that. "Necessary? Not yet, at least. But… I don't know if you've noticed, but it's been getting hotter."
Miryam didn't respond right away, but I could feel her thinking.
"Wouldn't it be nice to find an awning here?" I continued, nudging the idea forward. "Maybe we could even open it. Or, better yet, what if there's a pump inside the house? Something leading down to a well? That'd be a way more secure water source than relying on this receding groundwater."
I let the words settle. She didn't have to do it, but the logic was solid. At least, I thought so.
"I see your point, I suppose. But if I am going to risk part of my hive, I would like something in return."
It was my turn to hesitate for a moment. "I don't think I am ready to lose any leaves."
She chuckled, "No, not that. But, uh, the water. I guess the wet soil below you. Is there anything you can do to get me down there?"
"What have you been doing for water?"
"I've been sending out groups to steal some from the other courtyard. As you can imagine, it's been diminishing returns."
"I can definitely do that. It might take a short while, but I think I have something in mind that could work."
It was strange seeing an ant sag in relief. "Oh, thank you. I'll start organizing the searching of the house."
…
I got to work immediately.
Without hesitation, I activated Growth, silently thanking my past self for experimenting with the honey pots so early on. That little breakthrough had turned out to be really useful, and this idea wasn't all that different.
My main root—the thickest one—was already anchored deep in the damp soil below. I traced its path downward, mapping out a plan in my head. Then, just like I had with the honey pot, I began ballooning it outward, carefully expanding sections along its length to form a new structure.
It was slow work, but noticeably faster than the honey pots had been. Probably because I wasn't building from scratch this time—I already had a root guiding the way.
By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, the project was complete.
Running along the outside of my main root was a carefully crafted tunnel, following its entire length. I'd widened it just enough that two of Miryam's ants could walk side by side without trouble.
Miryam was just as busy. Several of her ants remained clustered around my illusory map, relaying reports from the scouts she had sent inside. And hot damn, her ants could move. Not only that, but instead of creeping through one room at a time, she had them sweeping the entire house in coordinated teams, covering multiple areas at once. Efficient, thorough, and slightly terrifying in the best way.
The house itself was exactly what I expected—old, abandoned, and worn down by time. Even as I adjusted the illusion based on Miryam's descriptions, it was clear: this place had been empty for a long time.
The main entrance was nothing more than an arched doorway, long stripped of any actual door. It opened into a hallway that wrapped around the central courtyard, a large open-air space where time and neglect had claimed what was probably once a well-kept garden. Now, only sand and dust remained, though Miryam's ants noted patches of cracked, compacted earth—evidence that something had once been planted there. Above the courtyard were a few guides or leads that an awning would have been run along at one point in time. Now they just hung uselessly over the yard. Maybe we can do something about that.
Several small storage rooms lined the outer walls of the house. Most were completely bare, their purpose lost to history. One, however, still held the rotting remains of wooden crates, long since emptied by time, decay, or scavengers.
The kitchen was identifiable, barely, though it was just as abandoned as the rest of the house. However, in the farthest corner, tucked away from the courtyard, was something potentially invaluable—a worn, stone water pump.
"Called it." My leaves trembled with excitement at the thought. If that thing still worked…
The second floor wrapped around the courtyard, forming a balcony that overlooked the center of the house. What had once been bedrooms were now hollow, lifeless spaces, long abandoned. The decay was even worse here—these rooms hadn't seen life in decades. There was one thing of note. One of the rooms looked to have a chest, and while old, it did not look as broken down as everything else in the house.
A larger common area sat at the far end of the second floor, possibly once used for gatherings. Now, nothing remained but dust and the faint impressions of where rugs or cushions might have rested.
The whole house felt deserted, untouched.
Except for one thing.
Near the kitchen pump, the sand and dust were disturbed. The ants noticed it immediately. Something had been here recently. The tracks weren't fresh enough to tell what, but they were too new to be from whoever abandoned this place originally.
Dun-dun-duuuuuhhh! Let's get some mystery going, some potential action, yeah? Though to be fair, there is always something to be said about getting your foundations set and your home in order, yeah? I hope you have been enjoying the story thus far. I know it was a little out of the norm for this site with the first 11 chapters already being completed, but I can't tell you how much the engagement has meant to me. Thank you.
Little heads up, if the timing for Growth seems off up to this point, and after this point, it is because I had the math all wrong. (Yes, I am using actual math to determine how long growing should take at accelerated speeds). I have fixed it, but it was after this chapter was already written. I should have it all set from this point forward. Thank you very much for understanding.
Plan Vote
You get to create your own Plan, up to 3 options to focus on.
[ ] Plan
- Focus 1
- Focus 2
- Focus 3
Depending on what wins will determine the length of time that occurs during the next chapter.
[ ] Investigate the Disturbance
[ ] Investigate the Chest
[ ] Expand Your Vines Up, Become more Tree like
[ ] Expand Your Vines Out, Become more Spreading Vine like
[ ] Expand Specifically towards the Water Pump
[ ] Experiment with Illusions
[ ] Strengthen Defenses
[ ] Try to Lure More Prey
[ ] Work with Miryam to Scout Further
[ ] Write In, Maybe You Thought of or Noticed Something You Wanted to Check Out
- You can do multiple Write Ins if you like
- Still only 3 things to focus on
