Palace Game 6/5

[fujimaru]

The Dreamer In The Grand Temple
Humanity Foundation Value: ????

What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.

Comments

[rootsforyou]

[oh worm, that was not a fun game for her too

removes all of the pieces and puts them into her pocket instead. can she check out the tentacle figurine instead, that's probably safer]

[fujimaru]

As she draws nearer to the figurine, she will realize that it might not actually be just a figurine--all of those eyes, small and red and faceted, swivel to stare at her. They don't have lids, and so they can't blink, but she is definitely being Watched.

[rootsforyou]

[gives it a tiny bow]

Hello there. Can you hear me?

[fujimaru]

It considers, and then it waves at her, not entirely like a hello.

[rootsforyou]

Do you mind...?

[holds out her hand in a gesture like she wants to pick it up, but she's waiting for permission]

[fujimaru]

When she reaches out, it recoils back, hunching itself into as much of a ball shape as it can, all those eyes glaring, a very clearly defensive gesture.

[rootsforyou]

[pulls her hand back]

Of course, I won't if you'd prefer me not to. Would you be able to answer a few questions, though? It seems I'm looking for a key. Have you seen anything that could be considered a key around?

[fujimaru]

The tentacle ball stays curled up as it is, but there is something that is sort of... weirdly guilty? As it stares at her.

Which is frankly impressive for something that is questionably-shaped and is studded with a bunch of small red eyes, but you know.

[rootsforyou]

[...]

You don't know? That's surprising. Since you've got the best spot in the room to see everything, I thought for sure that you'd have some knowledge of it.

[fujimaru]

It's wiggling now, back and forth in place, without trying to uncoil very much.

But if she listens very, very carefully, she can hear there appears to be something scraping the shelf when it wiggles.

[rootsforyou]

[waits for just a little bit longer to see if it uncoils of its own volition. when it doesn't, she sighs.]

Hmm. You won't give it to me, then? Perhaps you've been asked to guard it. Then it's only fair that I compensate you for your troubles. Would you like to trade for the key?

[fujimaru]

It appears to be vibrating a little, clearly anxious. It's just a little baby creature, it does not seem to know how to handle someone talking nicely and politely to it.

[rootsforyou]

[it's just a lil guy!

she pulls a piece of candy out of her sleeve and offers it]

I could trade you for this. Unless you'd prefer something shinier.

[fujimaru]

Just a little guy, a little confused creature. It does not appear to recognize what the candy is, streeeeetching out to not quite touch it before leaning back again. It does not appear to know what to do with a candy, but it is interested.

[rootsforyou]

[coaxes, gently]

It's for eating! They're very sweet; do you like sweet things?

[fujimaru]

It curls slightly in place; for all that it has been acting like a hostile cat when she gets too close, this is more birdlike, curious. After a second, it does reach out to quickly pat the candy, then snap back again.

[rootsforyou]

...

[pulls out a SECOND candy. yes she took a whole bag of kiss chocolates. this is the time]

How about two? They're shiny and they taste good. We could shape the wrappers to look just like the key you have and no one would be any the wiser that we traded. I don't want you to get in trouble, after all.

[fujimaru]

TWO CANDIES... THE FIEND...

The tentacle vibrates a little, the tip swiveling from the candies in her hand to her face, as if that is operatively the thing's head. One can get the strong impression it is considering...




And then it very tentatively scoots back, nudging something gold out from under itself, towards her.

[rootsforyou]

[carefully reaches for the golden object with one hand and offers it TWO whole candies with another]

[fujimaru]

It snatches the candies with all the greed of a small child, and while it is distracted with trying to figure out how to get the wrappers off, she can in fact take the object it is trying to guard.

It is a ring, heavy and gold, with no noticeable adornments.

[rootsforyou]

Ah.

[this seems important! tucks it into her sleeve safely for the time being and gives the little fellow another bow]

Thank you kindly. I don't suppose you know where I might find another one of these, by chance?

[fujimaru]

It pauses in the process of pulling off bits and pieces of the foil wrapping and curls into a pretty good imitation of a question mark.

[rootsforyou]

[debates how much information to offer the figurine, and decides...why not]

I'm looking for Ritsuka, you see. She's a very dear friend of mine. So I was trying to find a key in order to reach her. Since this is her room...I'm sure you miss her too, right? It must be a bit lonely.

[fujimaru]

It flattens itself into kind of a blob again, all of those eyes fixed on her face. It appears to be considering, and then it points, over her shoulder, to the wall on the opposite side of the bed from where she stands.

[rootsforyou]

...? Over there?

[turns around to look, and goes to wander over to that wall. does she see anything there? or is it just a wall]