AVISPA: Cease puzzling nightmares, yes.

[apiarycryptonaut]

All things considered, things are going great! You've successfully prototyped your sprite once, your lusus is still alive and protected in your hive, you have more puzzles than you could ever ask for, and you'd finally decided to rest. After some planning, you'd decided that some exploration of LOSAR was in order and after plotting out a path, a plan, and preparing back-up plans for your plan the only remaining thing to do was to sleep.

So you slept. That was your first mistake.

Your eyes opened to neither the golden, bright moon you'd heard about nor the darkened, twilight moon. Instead, you are somewhere you'd never imagined even in your wildest dreams. Bright, blue skies with fluffy white clouds. You stand before an endless, clean landscape of white and black with green trees. You've never, ever laid eyes on living trees, though as awing as they are the skies above draw your eyes to them and don't allow you to look away.

That was your second mistake.

You'd only seen clear, blue skies for only a few moments twice before, when the darkened clouds you were so familiar with parted for only a moment. But the clouds here were fascinating, amazing, and... there... was something in them. You couldn't tear your eyes away, especially when the blur of a troll appeared.

That was your third mistake.

The troll hopped around, making short work of what you assumed to be Imps. She was using her arms, no, her sleeves as weapons to utterly decimate her foes. There was something familiar, something that made you think you knew her but you just couldn't place it. Sleeves for weapons, crescent horns, no glasses, and a very, very rage-driven fighting style. As you watched, you were paying so much attention to the clouds that you don't watch where you're going...

That was your fourth mistake.

You sit bolt upright, woken pre-emptively from your slumber, and the very first thing you do is open a memo. This was puzzling.

-- apiaryCryptonaut [AC] RIGHT NOW opened memo that dream was scary! --

AC: I h4d 4 very... puzzling 4nd confusing dre4m!
AC: It w4sn't on the... um, wh4t were the... n4mes of the moons.
AC: Um um um um
AC: I know them I... just c4n't remember, no.
AC: Oh, um, Prospit, yes!
AC: 4nd um, I think... the other one was... Derse, m4ybe, yes yes!
AC: Um, I'm very very... very very confused, yes.
AC: Bec4use, um, I dre4med... 4nd it w4sn't 4t... 4ll wh4t I thought... I w4s expecting, no!
AC: There were trees, yes!
AC: Living, green, t4ll trees!
AC: I've never seen trees... 4ll green like th4t!
AC: They were re4lly, re4lly... re4lly, re4lly pretty, yes!
AC: OH! 4nd I s4w... 4 troll, but I... don't know who it... w4s, not 4t 4ll.
AC: But she h4d, um... clothing, sort of, um... on her 4rms, yes!
AC: 4nd she w4s super... strong 4nd be4ting up... 4 lot of imps!
AC: It w4s 4 dre4m... within my own dre4m!

[ OOC: Make sure you check out Avispa's Skaian Cloud Visions Glitch page and maybe suggest some if you think of some! ]

Comments

[apiarycryptonaut]

I think I c4n... 4nswer questions m4ybe, yes.
So m4ybe I should... t4lk to Lily sometime!
But um, for now... questions, yes, I think!
Um so you re4lly... don't h4ve horns, no.
Hum4ns, yes, um, well... one big question, I... think, just one, m4ybe.
Is your blood re4lly... th4t t4n-brown color, m4ybe?
4nd the s4me for... other hum4ns, re4lly, with... the colors they use?

[twintimes]

ActuAlly no
humAns don't hAve dIfferent bloodcolours At All
so our font colours don't correspond to thAt, we just sort of pIck them
All humAns hAve red blood

[apiarycryptonaut]

Woah. That's puzzling. But then, you stare and wonder.

So um, oh, then... th4t me4ns you just... we4r 4ny colors, too?
Usu4lly trolls m4tch, from... the trolls I've w4tched.
But then um if... hum4ns m4tched you'd 4ll... be red, I think.
Th4t would be very... silly I think, yes.
Hum4ns 4re re4lly re4lly... re4lly re4lly different, I... think, 4bsolutely, they 4re!
But yet we're 4ll... here in one g4me!

[twintimes]

yes we just weAr Any colours
And Is It true thAt All trolls hAve grey skIn And blAck hAIr??
becAUse we hAve dIfferent shAdes of those, skIn And hAIr And eyecolours
but yes even though we're reAlly dIfferent I suppose we're All plAyIng
whIch I thInk Is pretty cool!

[apiarycryptonaut]

Yes, m4ybe, I think?
I've never seen 4ny... trolls without grey skin... or bl4ck h4ir, no.
So I think we're... 4ll like th4t, m4ybe!
But wow, hum4ns, wow!
Do you me4n you... c4n h4ve green skin... 4nd blue h4ir, m4ybe?
Th4t would be 4... funny combination, I think.
But wow wow wow... wow th4t's 4bsolutely very... puzzling, yes, h4ving v4riety!

4nd yes yes yes... We're 4ll pl4ying, yes!
I wonder if there... 4re 4ny pl4yers who... 4ren't hum4n or troll?

[twintimes]

hAhA, not quIte thAt crAzy
skIn colours vAry from neArly whIte kInd of pInk to neArly blAck dArk brown And we're All sort of In between those
hAIrcolours Are sImIlAr In thAt they vAry from blAck through All sorts of shAdes of brown to lIke, reds And yellows
but there's chemIcAls to bleAch or dye your hAIr All sorts If you wAnt to, I'm just lIstIng the more nAturAl stuff
I thInk the vArIety Is kInda neAt!!

I dunno!! so fAr humAns And trolls Are the only two types I'm AwAre of!

[apiarycryptonaut]

Oh oh oh oh.
Th4t's not 4s m4ny... colors 4s I thought... it w4s, m4ybe, no.
But oh, um, I... think th4t m4kes sense!
I wonder if 4ny... trolls would try to... um, "dye" their h4ir... for v4riety 4t 4ll.
Th4t would be very... interesting I think, yes!
Oh, then, 4lso, um... wh4t um, combin4tion m4ybe... do you h4ve, Ri4?
Of colors, m4ybe, yes?

4nd oh, then th4t's... very e4sy, I think!
Just hum4ns 4nd trolls... m4kes it very simple!

1/2

[twintimes]

..I thInk descrIbIng would be kInd of tedIous uhm..
gIve me A moment to fInd somethIng or AlchemIze It fAIlIng thAt

disjoinedCulinarian [DC] is now an idle chum.

2/2

[twintimes]

It takes you a few minutes to locate an old polaroid camera. Not exactly something you can hook up to your computer. But perhaps the TARDIS can work with it?

...that takes another couple of minutes of technical fudging around and some alchemizations later, you're back in business.
Ready to send your troll friend a picture.

okAy I'm bAck And I've got A pIcture for you!!

[apiarycryptonaut]

You sit and wait, wondering what Ria could be up to with alchemizing things, but thankfully you're not left thinking for too long.

4 picture, oh wow... um th4t will be... so much less confusing!
I'm excited to see... it I think, yes!
M4ybe I should find... 4 w4y to send... one b4ck, yes, m4ybe?

[twintimes]

You send the file! Even if you feel a bit apprehensive sending a picture across the universe, the way you figure, there can't be any more harm in it than what has already happened anyway.

Sending lets_clear_this_up_a_bit.png
This is, naturally, a picture of both you and your sister, even though Ira is barely looking and mostly doing something else, but it'd feel awkward to have just one of you in it.

mAybe!!
I'm pretty sure I've seen A few trolls before whIle I wAs dreAmIng
but It'd stIll be neAt to know whAt you look lIke too

[apiarycryptonaut]

You accept the file and quickly open it. If your eyes could become stars to express how exciting this is to you, they would have simply exploded. Instead, you're just staring at the picture going "wooooooooooooooooow"

Wow wow wow wow!
Woooooooooooooooow, I think, wow!
Oh 4nd um two... so th4t me4ns th4t... m4ybe th4t's Ir4 there?
M4ybe, I think, yes?
But um, oh, yes!
I should try to... t4ke 4 picture, somehow!
Um. M4ybe. Somehow. Yes.

[twintimes]

yes thAt's both of us, hehe
so now you hAve some IdeA of whAt we look lIke!
//oDo
uhm, I'd send you the code for the cAmerA devIce I mAde but I'm not sure It'd be compAtIble wIth the technology you're usIng so uh
I'll just let you fIgure thIs out

1/2

[apiarycryptonaut]

Y4y y4y y4y y4y!
Yes I do, yes.
Um um um um... just one moment, m4ybe!

You can figure this out, you can. It's not that hard at all, you just need a moment...!

apiaryCryptonaut [AC] is an idle chum.

[apiarycryptonaut]

You actually take a bit longer than you'd hoped, bordering on almost ten minutes, as you fiddle with various machine parts and connections to the husktop you've got. Eventually, though, it flashes and a picture pops up on the screen. You managed a little smile, at least, the moment it worked.

Before you've even replied back, you're already sending "Ithinkthisworked.png" over. Besides yourself, a pile of puzzles, honeycombs on the walls and ceiling, and several large animal skulls are visible in the picture.

Um, yes, here, I... think I did it!
I don't know if... it will work 4... second time 4t 4ll.

Considering the smoke coming from it, you're lucky it worked once.

[twintimes]

It dId work!!
And now I know whAt you look lIke!!
hehe, thIs Is pretty greAt
oh cAn I Ask you About
..thIngs?

[apiarycryptonaut]

Yes, you do, yes!
It worked, it did!
Th4t's very good, yes!
4nd um, oh, yes?
You c4n 4sk, Ri4!

[twintimes]

do All trolls hAve horns??
how come they're All dIfferent shApes??
And do they do AnythIng or Are they just sort of there??
And do you All weAr your blood colour on your shIrt
Also when you blush (do you blush?) do you turn more whatever colour your blood Is??
And whAt Are the honeycombs for
And whAt sorts of skulls Are those

[apiarycryptonaut]

Oh oh oh oh!
Yes yes, 4ll trolls... h4ve horns, they do!
4nd um, I suppose... they could be used... as we4pons m4ybe, yes?
But otherwise they're just... horns, re4lly, yes, m4ybe.
Some of them even... reflect the symbols we... use, they do, yes!
But not 4lw4ys, I... h4ven't solved th4t yet.

But oh oh oh... oh, yes, we do!
4nd everyone I've t4lked... to uses their color... for their text, too!
I h4ven't met 4ny... exceptions, I think, no.

4nd 4nd 4nd 4nd... oh, um, I don't... know 4t 4ll, no.
I know trolls c4n... I think, yes, m4ybe.
But I h4ven't seen... it in 4 mirror... or 4nything 4t 4ll.
But um, Cheriour s4id... he'd m4de it 4... mission to m4ke me... blush somed4y, he did.
So I'll h4ve 4... mirror re4dy, yes yes!
I'll find th4t 4nswer... if my blush is... 4ctu4lly green too, m4ybe!

Oh 4nd um, oh... honeycombs, yes, those 4re... from my lusus, yes.
They help keep us... s4fe inside 4nd they... tr4p b4d things outside.
4nd they smell better... th4n 4 lot of... things 4round, they do.
They're 4 little sticky... though, 4nd th4t's icky.
But otherwise they're just... honeycombs, they 4re, yes.
Sometimes the bees used... to live in them... but now they're gone.

But oh, yes, skulls!
The skulls 4re 4ll... kinds, they are, yes!

You start grabbing holding up the skulls to yourself as you explain, making sure to remember their little intricacies and details that you don't want to miss.

Um um um well... yes, these skulls, yes!
I h4ve three e4rbe4st... skulls, yes, they still... feel like they could... hop 4round, they do!
4nd then just one... cl4wbe4st skull, it looks... like it w4s re4lly... re4lly re4lly re4lly d4ngerous.
Then two woofbe4st skulls... they're sh4ped so differently... from 4 lot of... the others, they 4re!
Even the two sc4lebe4st... skulls 4re nothing like... those 4t 4ll, no.
But um the bigger... skulls 4re my three... fuzzbe4st skulls, yes, they... were 4ctu4lly in 4... c4ve, on 4nother pile... of bones, wow, yes.
Oh oh but the... biggest 4nd most d4ngerous... is the musclebe4st skull!
It's big 4nd huge... 4nd strong 4nd wow!
4nd he4vy, too, wow... I c4n't re4lly lift... it up th4t well.
L4st is just four... troll skulls, yes, they're... 4ll very very very... very different, they 4re.
One of them I... s4w before the bees... got him, I did.
I tried to tell... him not to come... closer, but it didn't... work 4t 4ll, no.
4nd um, yes, oh...
I, um, th4t's, yes?
I s4id 4 lot!

[twintimes]

whAt's A lusus AnywAy??
I seem to recAll reAdIng thAt word before but I reAlly don't know whAt It meAns..
I meAn I guess It's A lIvIng thIng
And It seems lIke yours must be some kInd of huge bee
but I don't understAnd why you'd be lIvIng wIth A huge bee....

And I don't think I've ever heArd of Any of these AnImAls.. creAtures.. beAsts you're descrIbIng but I thInk thAt mIght mostly be A nAme dIvergence thIng
so wAIt the bees .. ..got thAt troll And.. now I'm confused
Are they lIke
cArnIvorous horror bees?? thAt Are reAlly dAngerous to people..??

[apiarycryptonaut]

Oh, um lusus, yes.
They're like, um, gu4rdi4ns?
Mine took c4re of... me since I w4s... re4lly sm4ll, she did!
She's protected me, yes.
Every troll h4s 4... different lusus th4t c4res... for them when they're... young, until they're older.
I don't know how... they're chosen though, no.
Or m4ybe how we're... chosen, possibly, m4ybe, yes?

4nd um, the bees... don't re4lly like 4nyone... except for me 4nd... my lusus 4t 4ll.
But when I entered... the g4me they stopped... liking me or 4nyone.
So now they're locked... 4w4y so they don't... hurt 4nyone 4g4in, no.
They're the size of... um, well, my puzzle... cubes, they 4re, yes.
Still 4 little sm4ll... but when there 4re... 4 lot of them, m4ybe.
It's not re4lly s4fe.
They weren't very nice... 4ctu4lly now th4t I... think 4bout it, no.
My lusus is nice... but the bees weren't.

[twintimes]

oh, so lIke.... pArents do, sort of
lIke fAmIly

oh I.. see..
thAt seems very problemAtIc
but At leAst you mAnAged to lock them AwAy, then..
It's A shAme they stopped lIkIng you though
they would hAve been very helpful

[apiarycryptonaut]

Oh um, I think... someone described them th4t... w4y, I think, yes!
So um, like th4t!

They could h4ve been.
Except they didn't ever... re4lly t4lk much, no.
I think I like... my sprite more, yes.
He t4lks 4nd sometimes... even puzzles with me.
But um, the bees... prob4bly couldn't do th4t.

[twintimes]

for humAns the most common guArdIAns Are theIr pArents
uhm, we're functIonAlly mAmmAls If thAt meAns AnythIng to you..??
whIch meAns It tAkes A mAle And A femAle Adult humAn to produce offsprIngs
And the most common scenArIo Is thAt they rAIse these offsprIngs together even If It doesn't AlwAys turn out lIke thAt
so thAt's whAt pArents Are

whAt dId you prototype??
just out of curIosIty..

[apiarycryptonaut]

Oh oh oh oh!
Th4t m4kes sense, yes!
Th4t helps me underst4nd... some of the things... I didn't know before.

Oh 4nd um, first... w4s one of my... puzzles, 4 rubik's cube!
4nd 4fter th4t I... put in 4 g4me!
One th4t's focused on... solving problems, yes, y4y!
Together they m4de 4... l4ntern puzzle sprite, yes!
Um wh4t did you... prototype your sprite with?