>>1596007
what happens next?

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>>1596007

A direct continuation from the previous thread;

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/1514772/

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>>1596021

You are Owen, a 20-year-old newcomer to the town of Diamond Shoals, and new acquaintance of the resident Gems there. In your spare time you've been helping them out with the odd job here and there, though this is another proper mission you've accompanied them on. And so after making your way into the structure and past the initial defenses, you've come upon some sort of odd little storage room. You'd think it to be a vault considering those previous dangers, but there are other doors into and out of the room you can see. Either way, situated around ledges adjoined to the walls, are little display areas with different, strange looking objects in each. You can only guess of their purpose, but while some are missing, the rest look like they haven't been moved in a long time. The buildup of dust and eroded, crumbled portions of the room are signs enough of that.

At that moment, Sol is trying to keep Lee from being dragged towards one of the larger objects, apparently having attracted the few gem objects which Lee herself owns. Emma is busy examining the place but taking care not to disturb anything. Sarah meanwhile hangs back with you, holding Bentley and on alert for any signs of danger. Like you, she doesn't seem comfortable here, and seems content to do as the both of you were told and remain behind Emma in case anything should go wrong.

>Try to help out Lee as well, so she doesn't get pulled into some weird gem item.
>Check out some of the items yourself, you shouldn't have to worry since you don't own any gem items yourself... right?
>See where the other doors lead, maybe there's a clear way out of this place?
>[Write-in.]

>>1596033
>>Check out some of the items yourself, you shouldn't have to worry since you don't own any gem items yourself... right?
Carefully does it.

>>1596033
>>Check out some of the items yourself, you shouldn't have to worry since you don't own any gem items yourself... right?

>>1596033
>>Check out some of the items yourself, you shouldn't have to worry since you don't own any gem items yourself... right?

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>>1596038
>>1596089
>>1596119

With the others busy on their own, you figure to give the different objects in the display areas a closer look. You see Lee struggling for dear life to avoid the one over on that other side of the room, but you've got no gem items like she has as accessories. So what's the worst that could happen, right? Taking a few steps aside from Emma then, you approach a display ledge and start checking out the different trinkets and such. One in particular, some sort of old scroll catches your eye.

"What'cha doin'?"

"Woah! You scared me, I thought you were staying by Emma?"

Hearing Sarah's voice, you jump in shock to see her followed after you and looking at what you're doing. You're a little less keen on checking out the different items now that she's here, in case anything goes wrong, but you'd feel bad telling her to get lost and just stand by Emma while holding onto Bentley. So picking up the scroll you dropped, you try opening it, looking over the contents as you hold it to the side for Sarah to see as well.

"Nah, I can't read Gem language."

"I... don't think this is Gem writing. I mean what do I know, right? But we've been seeing Gem text a lot recently, going to these places. This just looks like an old scroll to me... well, except for that picture there." you point out an image of a humanoid figure with sharp edges and angles to their figure, wearing robes or a dress of some sort. The depiction is faded with time, but to your impression it looks like the person(?) is gardening or holding some big plants, "Or is it called a hieroglyph? Whatever it is, we've seen ones like it before."

An interesting detail, but as far as you can tell it really is only a normal scroll like the sorts you see in museums, and considering Sarah's visible lack of interest you decide to roll it up again. Harmless enough to bring with you though, as you carefully put it in your backpack. After you finish doing so though, you see Sarah picking up some complex moving object and quickly rush to take it away from her.

"Hey! Why'd you do that?!"

"You can't just go grabbing this stuff, it could be dangerous! Like this... uh... cuckoo clock?"

You do a quick look over the stolen item but realize that indeed, it just looks like a normal, little old wooden clock. A lot of floral patterns, and you notice a little green lady surrounded by plants that would move around the track if the clock was still working, but otherwise it seems hardly like it belongs here. Indeed there are some strange Gem objects for sure, but there are plenty others which look like totally normal human-made items. Apart from sharing a similar depiction of this plant woman though, you're starting to notice.

>An interesting room but you should keep moving. Emma could probably be in here all day examining the place.
>Before you go, swipe whatever the coolest, fanciest thing is that you can find. Not like it will be missed.
>This isn't just old climbing gear left behind by humans who tried to explore this place. What's with this collection of items?
>[Write-in.]

>>1596355
>>Before you go, swipe whatever the coolest, fanciest thing is that you can find. Not like it will be missed.

>>1596366
>>Before you go, swipe whatever the coolest, fanciest thing is that you can find. Not like it will be missed.

>>1596366
>>Before you go, swipe whatever the coolest, fanciest thing is that you can find. Not like it will be missed.
But alert the gems that this place has been found recently.

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>>1596494
>>1597038
>>1597750

It seems that once Emma was called on to help pull Lee to safety, that was your chance to take something from this room that caught your eye. So whispering for Sarah to keep quiet about it, you do a quick survey of the room and manage to find a pretty cool looking jade box of some sort. It could be nice to have something to put your keys in back at your apartment, meanwhile Sarah seems set on the cuckoo clock. So quickly and trying not to draw attention, you empty out the backpack a little, and wrap up the ones you're taking with your jacket. By the time you zip it all back up, the other three were able to drag Lee a safe distance away and so are ready to move on.

Exchanging sly glances with Sarah then, you both follow after the others further through the structure.

---

It's a short trip through another connecting green corridor, running through the interior of the tree you imagine, before reaching another room albeit one less cluttered than the last. In a similarly poor condition with the erosion of time, but only a few standing blocks here and there and against the wall, which resemble tables, desks or consoles. Fortunately, no sign of any other defensive measures so far.

"Now this looks more like it, those look like, what... gem computer things, right? Ah right, but I'm not going tough anything!"

Perhaps trying to make up for the mishap in the previous room, Lee speaks up in identifying the place and trying to help however she can. Emma by contrast takes a keen interest in the "computer things", though you notice the only other door in this chamber and approach it with interest, but to no success. Getting an idea, you call Sarah to come over towards you and as she nears, the door glows a little and grinds open. That's to be expected, probably at least half of any Gem stuff you've ever encountered required having an actual gem to operate.

The outside, beyond the door that just opened is though. Jumping back in fear, you see the door opens to the actual outside again, the forest and other giant trees ahead and the group far below. It's not a sheer drop to an untimely death, it does open onto another branch which extends far out and to a vague glimpse actually reaches over to another giant tree, with another gem structure like this one built into it. However if you can avoid it then you will, and you do. Trying to take your mind off the great height then, you bring up something that's been on your mind to the only other full gem present, in case she might have a clue to what it means.

"H-Hey Sol... some of the objects in that last room, and the old climbing gear left behind... I think this place has been explored recently. Well, relatively recently."

"Oui, I did notice zat'. I do not zink' any 'umans made it past ze' first chamber 'owever, ze' defenses."

You have to wonder then how all those obviously human-made objects ended up inside the previous room...

>Emma made it sound like she was here for any information, but see if maybe she could access the... system, or whatever might be in place here? Perhaps she could do something like disable any possible further defenses.
>See how Lee's doing. They all had a bit off difficulty helping her, maybe something to do with that new gem item you notices she has?
>Ask someone else, probably Sarah to take a better look outside. You'd do it yourself but ah, you know, you don't want to hog all the work being done for yourself. Definitely for no other reason!
>[Write-in.]

>>1599624
>>Emma made it sound like she was here for any information, but see if maybe she could access the... system, or whatever might be in place here? Perhaps she could do something like disable any possible further defenses.

>>1599624
>>Ask someone else, probably Sarah to take a better look outside. You'd do it yourself but ah, you know, you don't want to hog all the work being done for yourself. Definitely for no other reason!

>>1599624
>>See how Lee's doing. They all had a bit off difficulty helping her, maybe something to do with that new gem item you notices she has?

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>>1599664
>>1599715
>>1599754

Taking another look outside and feeling queasy, you figure to ask Sol if she could take a better look around for you out there. You are talking to her after all, so that's easy enough. It ends up being Sarah though who hears the request and speaks up in volunteering herself for it. Sol's reasonable concern for the kid removes her from the conversation with you as she tries and fails to catch Sarah rushing out the open door and onto the big branch, following after her and trying not to scream about her being careful.

Not what you had in mind but you're not getting involved now, and you know you can trust in Sarah to be good enough at this at least, to not have to worry like Sol does. Putting some more distance between you and the door then, you take the time to see how your fellow human is doing. Sitting on the floor against one of the walls and watching what Emma's doing, you lean against the wall and slide down to sit and join her.

"Hey Lee, you alright? I noticed you've got another gem thing on you, looked like that thing back there was trying hard to pull them away from you."

"O-Oh this thing?" she starts loud in surprise at first, trying to act calm as she holds up her wrist to show a bracelet with a little red gem chunk, "Emma g-gave it to me after the dodgeball game... an apology I guess. She said it would help against being hurt from falling, even from really high up. Oh, but I haven't tested it out yet!"

If this new gem piece is anything like the first one Emma gave her then it must be good for something, though you're not sure it's fair compensation after that dodgeball game about a week ago. You remember watching how Lee and her team unexpectedly went up against the team of the gems, and after her teammates had been taken out, Emma hit the poor girl full force. A unintentional move by Emma but nasty nonetheless which resulted in disqualification. Despite a prior injury you managed to step in and play in Lee's place as a last minute decision, and somehow you managed a win against Sol and Sarah on your own, but Lee was out of commission for several days. You were surprised in fact, that she even came along on this mission to begin with, but she at least looks alright.

>...

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>>1600000

"Well don't try and find out if it works, if you don't have to."

She laughs in reassurance, though you can't tell if that's her way of expecting or inviting a challenge to test the bracelet for real. Up here in the treetops at least, a challenge is never far but you hope it doesn't come to that. Speak of the devil though, as Emma finishes up with a projected display from one of the consoles, and turns around with a small reaction of surprise as if expecting everyone to just be right there behind her.

"Weeell... there's definitely some information here, buuut it's broken up in parts and I can't make sense of it! I believe originally the structures here were connected in some way, but those connections have looong since been severed. Never fear, however! A quick trip to one, maaaybe two other chambers like this one, and we should have eeeverything we need!"

"Hey Emma, you were looking through like... the system in this place, right? Do you think you could shut down any more traps we might come across, from here?"

Your suggestion goes over well, as she gives you a smile and a complimentary point (at least you think it was) and quickly resumes back where she was on the console. Some moments more and she clutches at the air in accomplishment, before offering the two of you helping hands to your feet again. With that, the three of you proceed towards the open door to the outside, following after Sarah clamoring all over the branch like a monkey and Sol panicking over it. Well, the two of them proceed towards it, you hang back more and more.

>Ah, wouldn't you know it, but you've got a terrible pain in your leg! It would be such a great help if Emma could carry you across the gap to the other side. Just until the pain goes away!
>Ask Lee if she'd hold your hand and guide, basically drag you across. Emma is the more stable one, but you know you can count on Lee not to slow down for you, and not baby you over it either. Just plain and simple help.
>[Owen] Take a deep breath, map out the path ahead and even close your eyes if you have to, but just run as fast as you can across the gap. The less time spent out there, the less time to lose your balance. Just try not to look down!
>[Write-in.]

>>1600002
>>[Owen] Take a deep breath, map out the path ahead and even close your eyes if you have to, but just run as fast as you can across the gap. The less time spent out there, the less time to lose your balance. Just try not to look down!
Be brave old boy

>>1600002
>>Ask Lee if she'd hold your hand and guide, basically drag you across. Emma is the more stable one, but you know you can count on Lee not to slow down for you, and not baby you over it either. Just plain and simple help.

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>>1600029
>>1600042

You know that you could get help across quite easily, and you're not afraid to ask either. Maybe just a little ashamed, but mostly you want to see if you can do this yourself. You're always pushing yourself to run better, always improve, so why not other things besides running too? Even if you want to though, you can't just magically overcome your fear, but you think you know a way you can manage this. By looking on ahead, straight ahead, you can get a visual impression of the path you need to take, and keep it in your mind. Kind of like mapping out a path through a room before turning the lights out; as long as you gauge and remember it well enough, and are quick, then it shouldn't be a problem. Still, it's quite a long way, and longer still to the ground. You'll have to do your best not to look down and if worst comes to worst you may need to close your eyes.

So with the others going on ahead across the great branch reaching to the next tree, only Sarah notices you hanging back and climbs up in case something's wrong. It's alright though, as long as no one just suddenly switches to move in your path then you should be able to make it across okay. You were never a short-distance sprinter, but maybe you can break your own record for this. So after getting into position and mustering all the courage you can, you take a few deep breaths and psyche yourself up for it, before taking off in a dash out the door. Footfalls against the wood of the branch, the open air and wind again, the others as you pass them by one by one. Going good, still no sight of the ground or slowing down, it sure is a long distance but the end is approaching every moment. The farther you get along, the more confident you feel as you even start to laugh a little between breaths, feeling more invigorated than scared now in knowing that you can actually do this.

Some might call it hubris if they wanted, but none could ever blame you then, when your effort to fight your fear and never look down comes to cost you. No looking down means no seeing dangers on the path till it's too late, and the truth comes in the moment when you realize that the path wasn't one giant branch, but two appropriately large branches meeting in the middle but at roughly different heights. Not that far of a jump to make, but a jump required nonetheless, where instead you made another step in running. Caught in a panic, your mixed attempt between stopping short and attempting a weak jump costs you, and you end up sliding forward and springing off the edge. Your stomach jumps to your chest, the feeling of falling, with a dreading yelp.

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Scrambling for your life you flail out every which way to grab whatever you can, and manage to land among and grab the leaves and lesser branches towards the end of the opposite large branch of the first half. Your landing isn't half bad actually, if a little precarious, but you wouldn't know and completely lose it. Screaming for help, struggling and grabbing whatever you can to keep from falling, if you're not already falling to your death you might as well be.

"Owen!"

Agonizing moments that feel like hours, as your heart races as fast as your mind, and the fear of death is real. Only one thing manages to that fear, something soft-ish but firm. Looking up wide-eyed, you see Lee, having jumped across and moved to help you up. You don't think for even a second, simply grabbing one as much as you can and scrambling up as fast and hard as you can. Insodoing you actually put Lee at risk of falling too, but that's not on your mind, just something solid and safe to hold on to. Even when you're on the solid of the great branch and know that you're not going to fall, the fear is still real but of all things it's Lee's presence which continues to slowly drive it away. Not completely, but enough that you can finally unwrap yourself from her legs and waist, and with her helping hands find your feet.

"Th-There you go, that does it. You're standing, now we can start moving."

To panicked to open your eyes, but that doesn't bother her one bit and she even says you don't have to. She just leads the way, calmly but steadily, and firm. She's dragging you for sure but your feet are moving. Step by step, one after the other. Her words and her hands something to focus on, other than down. And while the struggle to keep from falling felt like forever, in strange contrast the time till reaching the start of the branch where it joins the trunk, passes by surprisingly quickly. She takes your hand and places it against the trunk, shortly after which Sol catches up and opens the door again to allow you both inside the next structure. You still need Lee's help to move, but when you can feel the open interior ahead you practically dive in and just embrace the feeling of solid, stable, reliable floor. Now, finally the fear begins to fade completely, assisted along by a supporting hand on your shoulder and encouraging words that it's alright now. Sol, always supportive when it matters.

Emma and Sarah are soon to follow, asking if you're alright, but it's Lee still standing outside you notice most. Still leaning against the doorway to catch her breath and grasping at her chest, still looking back at the path you just shared together. She looks just as scared as you were, though clearly not of the heights. Scared for something else, you're not sure, but you've never seen her that frightened before.

>Tell the others you're alright, you just had an unlucky slip but you're good to go. Just a little bit to settle down and all.
>Ask the gems, either one, if you had actually fallen could they have done anything?
>Thank Lee, properly, for her help.
>[Write-in.]

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Just a heads up, this will probably be my last response of the night. Will resume tomorrow though as usual.

>Thanks all for playing!

>>1600117
>>Tell the others you're alright, you just had an unlucky slip but you're good to go. Just a little bit to settle down and all.
Calm down before your heart explodes.

>Ask the gems, either one, if you had actually fallen could they have done anything?
Don't ask questions you don't want to know the answers to.

>Thank Lee, properly, for her help.
We can buy her lunch when we get back home.

>>1600119
Night Ro-I mean Kon-Tiki

>>1600117
>>Thank Lee, properly, for her help.

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>>1600331

No longer at risk of any heights, you take the welcome chance to calm down, and thank the others for their support. The one you really care about for her help though, remains outside. After all you just went through, you don't want to head right back out again, but it matters to you enough to suck it up and take a deep breath. To face your fear, or at least not let it control you for a few moments. So taking Sol's hand to help you to your feet again, you try and still your heart and steady your breathing as you approach the open door back out the way you came, just long enough.

"Lee? I just wanted to say... thank you, I really appreciate your help."

"O-Oh, it was n-nothing, really! I'm j-just glad you're alright now, speaking of which why don't we g-go back inside?"

She'd been looking back across the way you both came, so you catch her off guard when you approach and give her a hug in thanks. Her confusion causes some resistance at first but she quickly melts in your arms, and she reciprocates as best she can while being terribly embarrassed. Worry you might have hugged her too hard or that she's still coming down from the adrenaline rush, you ease up though she still clings to you some, so you just return inside till eventually she lets up completely. Finally, that whole fiasco is over with and not a moment too soon.

"Zat' was well 'andled Lee, quick zinking' to 'elp Owen zere'. I was worried zis' quest was too dangerous and I am still not convinced zat' it isn't, 'owever it is reassuring to see zat' you can 'andle zese' more... mundane zreats' togezer'."

Sol is there of course to see the both of you and your conditions, grabbing at your head and arms in particular to see where you've got some scrapes and bruises, making sure it's nothing serious and taking care to wipe away the little blood here and there. You appreciate her attention as well, but your attention is soon drawn to the rest of the room. Emma has already taken to inspecting it, and all the strange workings within; the chamber is not as big as the previous ones, but resembles the interior of the actual tree rather than a gem structure. Like the former inhabitants had hollowed the giant tree out enough for this room, the surfaces are all the natural wood, and it's the machinery brought in which is the artificial touch. All sorts of pipes and tubes, troughs and gutters, basins and even funnels, a plethora of various apparatus around the room for gathering and transporting water. Like the inner workings of some water treatment plant, and the decently loud sound of much running liquid all over the place, it's obviously a complex setup. Like the rest of the complex, the erosion of time (and regrowth of the tree in places) has damaged the system, with broken or bent pipes around and even liquid pooled in areas across the floor and dripping from the walls and ceiling.

It's all very impressive nonetheless, and rightfully captured your attentions.

>Check out the... plumbing system? Whatever it is, you can't help but be curious.
>If the machinery in here fell into disrepair, then maybe that's how it was for the whole complex? The connections between the structures that is, the reason for them being severed.
>This doesn't seem to be a trap, but then what's it for? Try and see where it leads to.
>[Write-in.]

>>1603534
>>This doesn't seem to be a trap, but then what's it for? Try and see where it leads to.


The reason it has fallen into disrepair, you imagine, is because the trees have grown since the building was installed.

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>>1606370

You have no clue how long these structures have been here, though from what Emma's opinion sounds like it's been a very long time. Long enough apparently, for the place to have eroded and crumbled on its own. And maybe that's true, it certainly appeared to be the case for the previous Gem facility you traveled to. However unlike there, this place has the giant trees to account for, and you're not going to write off the effect they may have had.

That much is clear from the exposed water system in this room alone. Emma at least, seems more interested in the why though rather than the how.

"Isn't it fascinating, trying to determine what the purpose of aaall of this was?! The trees clearly don't need a mechanism such as this to survive, one has to wonder what the builders were thinking."

"I think I know why... take a look over here."

Having wandered ahead to follow some of the old pipes elsewhere, you locate a further room similarly cut into the tree and with signs of former inhabitants. Lots of big square tubs (to your eyes) situated around the room, filled with dirt and withered husks of plants, masses of old foliage spread across the wooden floor in piles. It's also better lit despite the lack of doors leading to the outside, but some sort of window array taking up the entire outer wall. Far too dirty to let any sufficient light through, and mostly covered up by old dead plants and portions of the tree outside. Along with what you now believe to be rows of planter boxes, and pipes of the water system running to and along them, you can formulate a pretty good guess in your mind as to what this place was. This tree even, at least what the interior of it had been converted to.

"...it's a greenhouse. Anyone recognize any of the plants in here?"

"Summa' them." Sarah speaks up, following the others into the new room with Bentley in her arms, "Lotsa' flowers, some vines too I sees, but they's all dead. Whosever room this is ain't doin' a good job."

A sad sight for the young girl it seems, as she immediately sets about trying to figure out how to get the broken water system running in here again, while Emma tries digging through the dirt a little and Sol goes on to check out a room ahead from here that Lee found. Proceeding onward is appealing for sure, as among other things the smell in here after so much time is less than pleasant, but maybe getting some air and light in here could help with that.

>Follow Lee and Sol, if you're all here looking for some database then it won't be in this place.
>Try and help Sarah out a little, maybe open up or clear off the windows if you can. Seems a shame to leave the room as dark and dead as you found it.
>Do, or did the Gems care about stuff like this? You know Sol has a garden, but what is Emma expecting to learn here?
>[Write-in.]

>>1607426
>>Try and help Sarah out a little, maybe open up or clear off the windows if you can. Seems a shame to leave the room as dark and dead as you found it.
Don't leave Sarah by herself.

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>>1607451

Even with Emma present (not as though you trust her all that much) you're of a mind to always keep an eye on Sarah, as much as you may wish to see what awaits in the next room. It's not such a burden though, as even having fallen to decay without its occupants, you don't mind restoring a little hope to the room. Thus while remaining, you opt to help Sarah out even if it is a fruitless task.

"You're trying to get the water running again, right? You think it'll help the plants grow again?"

"Nah, they's dead-dead but mebbe' if someone else come up here, they's can plant something... but still need other stuff too." she says, while smacking at a portion of the water system, Bentley resting comfortably in the planter next to her and watching the work.

You'd have offered to try to fix the pipes in her place, but looking around you figure there's more that can be done. Emma's already checking the dirt though probably for a completely different reason, but along with the water some light would be nice. So making your way to the big curved window taking up that side of the room and tree, you know you can't reasonably clean all of it. Maybe enough to shed some light on the planter boxes at least though, and setting the backpack down to rummage through it for a bit, you pull out a small towel you threw in as a last minute decision. You get to work then wiping away at the glass which strangely contorts to your touch, but that doesn't prevent a good spit shine. Between that, and pulling down some of the old plants overgrowing the frames and glass, at least a couple of the planters have some rays of light shining through. Dim for sure but better than nothing.

During your cleaning though, and examining the strange properties of the window further, you followed it along to the wall and came across an old panel of sorts. Ripping away more of the ingrown plants, you ask Emma over to check it out, and to her touch it surprisingly springs to life and activates some centuries (or longer?) old mechanism. A period of delay, some grinding, and the long curved window separates in the middle and retracts in a path as to follow its curved shape and presents a clear opening now to the outside. By Emma's examination, it seems the panel is like a dial, so the window can be selectively opened. The obvious option then is to open it as much as you can, and upon her effort from your asking, the windows slowly falter and grind their way to a point of full retraction.

"You know, I wish I'd done that first."

>...

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>>1607986

A large accumulation of dead plant matter, but now a grand and wide opening to the outside beyond. You don't get too close to the edge, but the view is impressive and the increased light and airflow is welcome.

"I's think that it! Water working, pipes all full a' dirt!"

Not long thereafter and Sarah gets her own end of the problem solved, some reverberating groans and creaks in the plumbing system but soon enough you can hear and see the effects of it working. The girl is clearly quite proud of herself and Emma is quick to congratulate, while at the same time examining and offering improvements upon her work. You figure some more compliments without an edge would be nice, but when you make your way over and wait for a chance, you notice it isn't just the three of you celebrating your efforts. Bentley, the coconut, is shaking rather vigorously. Enough that you'd think his hat is sure to fall off, until he starts to move along the dirt of the planter box he was placed on. Thoroughly creeped out, you're not sure if you're losing your mind till other movement becomes clear. The withered husks of the old plants, thought dead and surely so, writhe with a disturbing vigor and sound of rustling and cracking. Dragging Bentley away, the various vines, leaves and flowers, perhaps now with renewed access to their natural requirements begin to adopt a liveliness and activity greater even than when they were actually alive.

At least you assume they aren't, you're not sure if the idea of them properly resurrecting is more or less disconcerting. Certainly though, you're not aware of any plants which move like this and seem to have an awareness. A hostile one too, if their approach is to be guessed at.

>You'll never abandon a fellow teammate. Risk yourself to save Bentley, and dive into the animating plant mass if you have to, to get him back.
>Keep your distance, do what you do best and run... away.
>Call for the others, Sol and Lee to help. Head to the other room if you have to.
>[Write-in.]

>>1607988
>>You'll never abandon a fellow teammate. Risk yourself to save Bentley, and dive into the animating plant mass if you have to, to get him back.

>>1607994
Seconding.

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>>1607994
>>1608847

You don't have to think twice about risking your own wellbeing, in order to save a teammate. Well, actually you do since Bentley is a coconut, but if he matters to Sarah then you're not going to abandon him to the animated plants. You know if you were being dragged off by them, you'd want Bentley to save you in return.

So after a moment's hesitation, you dive onto the dirt of the planter box, among the writhing mass in order to grab Bentley.

"Owen!" you hear Sarah yell in panic, as you struggle against the plants. You even quickly feel her pulling at your legs, what little good it does against the amassing vines and stems. The much bigger and much stronger hand soon grabbing at you, that you know to be Emma's, has a greater effect as she drags you back away from the plants. The collective efforts of the animated flora though is nothing to laugh at as more and more reach out and wrap around you and Bentley, and between Emma and Sarah pulling at your on the other end it becomes like a tug of war.

"Let go! Let go!" you yell back, as you feel your body wearing thin from the stretching of being pulled both ways. Even if Emma is super strong, you aren't so this is only going to hurt you. To make up for the failing pull however, the planter box enlivens a flower with nasty thorns and even causes it to grow in size as it approaches to reach for you. When you notice it, well you don't want to end up caught by that, "Don't let go! Don't let go!"

You have only a precious few moments before the oversized flower like a big arm comes swinging at you, and when it rakes at your hands and cuts them you're forced to let go of Bentley in pain. By your own lost effort now, you end up flying backwards into Emma who's been pulling you all the while, and you slam against her as if she were a brick wall. Dizzy from the impact and trying to regain your senses, you take care of what's most pressing to your temporarily addled mind.

"Eugh... sorry Sarah, I couldn't save Bentley."

"S'ok Owen, come with me!"

Things are a little blurry as you adjust from the impact, but you can feel Sarah pulling at you while Emma takes your place against the plants. Well, not exactly your place, she didn't dive in, but she's doing her best to keep them away from you and Sarah now. Of course you're not giving up on Bentley, but you can't get him back on your own, against that.

>Emma should be able to handle herself for the time being, yours and Sarah's safety matter the most here.
>Have the girl get back, but you can help Emma fight against these things. Maybe at least, give her a chance enough to draw out her gem weapon.
>Run with Sarah to the next room ahead, and give Emma the signal when you're both to safety so she can follow.
>[Write-in.]

>>1610789
>>Have the girl get back, but you can help Emma fight against these things. Maybe at least, give her a chance enough to draw out her gem weapon.
WARRIORS NEVER GIVE UP!!!

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>>1610848

Retreat isn't something you're going to consider, at least not yet. So moving back a ways with Sarah and handing her the backpack to keep ahold of, you look around for something to use. Finally settling on a piece of broken-off pipe protruding from one of the planter boxes, you rejoin Emma to help her in the fight.

"Need a hand?"

"No, actually, buuut if you want to risk your life then I won't stop you!"

Her struggle against the green adversaries is occupying her fully, but maybe your effort is all she needs. So as she ducks an incoming swipe of a vine, you wind up with the pipe for full swing and... clunk against it with minimal force. You thought you had a good grip on the pipe, but the lack of feeling from the impact with the vine is good evidence of your hands going numb. That would explain the dull, throbbing pain where you were cut up by the thorny flower.

Fortunately your effort isn't a complete failure, as the vine treats you as a threat again and wraps around the pipe in response. Just the chance Emma needs, in order to swing her caught up arms around to tie up all the plants she'd been keeping at bay, and manage to produce her gem weapon. The spiked flail, you remember it from the Reedy Sea. Her skill clearly hasn't diminished as in a similar spinning motion she manages to tear apart the threats actively assailing the both of you, and then bring it down to smash right into, and break the planter box open.

"Hey guys, what's with all the racke- waaagh!"

With the box split asunder and the dirt dumped out all over, your attention falls to the other planter boxes too soon. Lee and Sol return to the room, just in time to share in the eerie sound of leaves and stems rustling, and the shock of a sudden burst of whirling green from among the spilled dirt. As if no longer bound by the broken planter, a vine cluster emerges from the old soil and showers everyone nearby with it. About the width of a tree trunk, you already know what to expect but the others are caught when the cluster audibly and visibly tenses, and then whips around in one spinning counterclockwise motion to sweep the room above a certain height and smash into anyone it catches. You were quick enough to dive for the floor, but poor Emma was caught and whipped around to where she smashed into Lee and the two were thrown clear out the open window of the room. Sol was able to avoid falling to such a fate, but seeing the two defenestrated, rushed to the edge. Looking over in a panic, she didn't have time to react when the vine mass performed a reverse sweep to catch anything else, and managed to smash her right into the wall.

>...

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>>1611498

"Salaud!" her exclamation is cut short when the impact appears to vaporize her. Just a small blast of smoke between the vine and the wall and as it withdraws, a little orange-y rock drops to the floor followed by her clothes drifting down on the breeze in a strewn little pile.

Your blood runs cold as you see the team dispatched, and possibly killed in such a quick and simple manner. Hoping for the best but fearing the worst, you keep low and crawl along the floor, keeping an eye out for the writhing plant mass in the center of the room. While taking cover behind another planter box though, you hear whispering and see Sarah in the previous room with the water system. Calling and signalling for you to join her, you give a quick look over the box to see the floral mass unraveling, and dash to join the remaining teammate from the hopeful safety of the watering room.

In your mind though that sounds more dangerous, but for the time being as you watch it by peeking through the doorway, the plant... well, monster if you had to call it, appears to be in a diminishing state. Not as though you take that as a signal to act against it, of course.

>Try not to panic. Sol just exploded and Emma and Lee fell to their deaths, but together you and Sarah might be able to escape with your lives.
>Panic hard and retreat, there's no way you're staying in the same place as the plant monster. Even if it means running back across the giant branches to the other tree.
>As always, the only way out is forward. Sarah has a gem and that might be all you need, so make a distraction for her to get to the room beyond the greenhouse, and follow after her when she's safely across.
>[Write-in.]

>>1611499
>>Try not to panic. Sol just exploded and Emma and Lee fell to their deaths, but together you and Sarah might be able to escape with your lives.

>>1611499
>>As always, the only way out is forward. Sarah has a gem and that might be all you need, so make a distraction for her to get to the room beyond the greenhouse, and follow after her when she's safely across.

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Just a heads up that I'm going to be traveling for several days, and have to leave a day earlier than planned otherwise I'd have continued things along today.

I'll try to keep things going if there's reliable internet, but can't guarantee it. Just wanted to let everyone know that ahead of time. Thanks for playing so far though, hopefully we can continue to the end!