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"Not quite sure how I'm having the luck. Tree whispering maybe?" He shrugged slightly. "Some of the trees aren't very nice so I wouldn't suggest eating them"

The next tree he passes is another tall but slender tree. He's expecting something new from this one, after the behaviour of the last two.

"Hello," the tree says.

Dreadpirate hopes he's wrong, but he has this sinking suspicion...

"I have a small question," the tree says. "I have two friends-"

"No," Dreadpirate interrupts. He's not having the same argument with a different tree again. (Or is it the same tree? It looks very similar, but he's sure he walked away from the other in a straight line...)

"I do not think that's the answer," the tree is saying, growing faint as Dreadpirate strides away as fast as he can without running.

"A tree with stripes?" Dreadpirate stares at the latest tree. It might have been alright if they were a normal bark colour, or even a neutral colour against the bark, but there are lime green stripes against a cherry pink trunk. It looks... a little silly.

"I beg your pardon," says the tree with stripes, "but I am not silly at all."

Dreadpirate hadn't been aware he'd spoken his thoughts out loud. He's wary of another speaking tree, but this one is at least saying something different.

"My apologies," he says after the tree gives a little spiel about how unsilly it is.

"Accepted," the tree agrees. "Now, give me a good shake. I want to get some more colour out. Shake me really well, if you do I'll reward you."

That's more than he was expecting from a tree he just insulted. He's up for the challenge. Stepping closer, he grips the tree with both hands (and falters for a moment, god, what a strange feeling that is and how depressing that he's gotten used to it and this is what feels strange instead). He's not sure this fake body has muscles, exactly, but it feels like they're there when he pushes hard against the tree. It has more give than he expected - a bendy, rubbery sort of tree.

It changes colour again - electric blue against neon purple, this time - and something drops from the branches. Dreadpirate catches it and looks down at the fragment. When Dreadpirate puts it in his coat pocket, there's no expected bulge or weight to it. Instead there's an addition to his inventory, which flashes as a transparent overlay in his vision.

"This will take some getting used to," he realises.

Dreadpirate finds another striped tree. It also displays a mix of colours that hurts his eyes, but he knows better than to say so this time.

"Would you also like to be shaken, by any chance?" he asks the tree.

It would be awkward if this tree wasn't one of the talking ones, but Dreadpirate doesn't have to worry about that. "Why yes, thank you," the tree says in an accent that's not entirely dissimilar to Dreadpirate's own. "But not stirred."

~I don't get it,~ his hidden companion says after a pause. ~Why are you cackling like a deranged hyena?~

Thankfully, the only audible sound Dreadpirate has made is a choke-snort. The laughter is entirely in his head.

"Of course," he tells the tree, before shaking it just as hard as he had the last tree. He receives another fragment and more well wishes as he leaves.

Quest completed, he returns to the signpost. There's no announcement or dialogue, which he was expecting.

~Ooh, look, the little number changed. You're slightly less pathetic now!~

Sure enough, the numeral one next to his username display has updated to a two. His inventory blinks again, and a map icon appears with new locations. He decides he'll check his new loot on his way to one of the other destinations.


>> Exiting

Quote:

10: You reach a tree and on top of it is a smiling set of teeth. Not the tree itself, just on top of it. "You seem a little lost", says the smiling set of teeth, "but not to worry. Everyone's quite lost here. I hope you find your way, there's so much more for you to get lost in."

Before you can ask what it means, it is gone.

Reaching the first of five trees he paused and inclined his head up to a set of smiling teeth at the top. Well that was interesting. Blinking silently he listened a smirk rolling over his lips as the teeth spoke and disappeared before he could ask what it was rambling about. Lost, him? Never. He was simply ...strolling and now it was time to stroll on to another tree.


1 / 5

Quote:

2: The second tree is a wide tree and doesn't look too happy to see you. It crosses its arms. "I don't think so, the last people who were here were terribly mean about it. Terribly, terribly mean and it just won't do anymore. If you come any closer I will have to resort to violence I mean it! Don't come any closer!"

If you move closer it hits you for -5 damage with its branches.

"Well aren't you a scream." Frowning at the tree he doesn't chance a possible attack, not at the very beginning. "I hope you fall and don't make a sound.." A finger teased across his neck as a cut tease before he trotted off. Stupid tree.

2 / 5

Quote:

7: You reach a tree stump and it isn't able to talk because it is a tree stump. It makes a great item for sitting though.

Well a stump was a tree technically right? It still counted for his five, this was his dream after all. Smirking he took up a seat for a moment, glancing in each direction as he rested to figure out which way to wander next.

4 / 5

(Lets pretend i didn't just roll!)

Syrup, Maple Syrup, Whatever. Sap was just delighted. A dream world MMO thing? THAT SHE WAS DREAMING?

AND SHE STARTED IN A FOREST?!

This was a happy tree. Sap hurredly picked a class and a tagname - she wanted to get RIGHT INTO THIS RIGHT NOW.

"So! Quest time, right?" she chirped into the main chat, excited beyond belief (aided by her new fluffy tail!)