Apple's Heart

[dramatispersonae]

Your arrival is marked by the feel of sand under your feet, with the sound and smell of the ocean wafting in from behind you. A dampness hangs in the air and the sky is overcast. Directly in front of you the sand fades into a grassy hill, on top of which a white castle rests. To the left, a little ways off, you can see tall sandstone cliffs. Off to the right is a large field of sunflowers that stretches out into the distance. There are no paths or signs anywhere to be seen.

((#applecore))

Comments

Re: THE SUNFLOWER FIELDS

[fullmoonblooms]

[droopy flowers...] Here, I'll help. First Aid!

[healing flowers helps, right?]

Re: THE SUNFLOWER FIELDS

[appleofhiseye]

It does. They regain some, but not all, of their vitality, and face towards the sky.

Re: THE SUNFLOWER FIELDS

[fullmoonblooms]

That's better.

[lets see if I can navigate my way through this maze.]

Re: THE SUNFLOWER FIELDS

[appleofhiseye]

The sunflowers are very thick, but you can work your way through them if you're careful. There is a faint sound of laughter from somewhere up ahead.

Re: THE SUNFLOWER FIELDS

[fullmoonblooms]

[definitely going that way now]

...Hello?

Re: THE SUNFLOWER FIELDS

[appleofhiseye]

There is no response, and the laughter seems just as faint.

You step into a small section of withered sunflowers. They are standing tall, facing towards the sky. But over half of the petals are missing and the stalks are a sad brown. The ground beneath you is tile rather than soil. A light mist covers the area.

Re: THE SUNFLOWER FIELDS

[fullmoonblooms]

[A little more familiar but this is still a bad feeling...Still stepping out.]

Hello?

Re: THE SUNFLOWER FIELDS

[appleofhiseye]

The tile is mucky, and your feet sink into it. But moving away fixes that. The laughter fades away.

Re: THE SUNFLOWER FIELDS

[fullmoonblooms]

[that...that was unnerving.]

[looooking around. what can I see?]

Re: THE SUNFLOWER FIELDS

[appleofhiseye]

Lots of sunflowers. It looks like there might be a clearing up ahead?

Re: THE SUNFLOWER FIELDS

[fullmoonblooms]

[going for the clearing then]

Re: THE SUNFLOWER FIELDS

[appleofhiseye]

It's a small clearing, big enough to fit 3 people comfortably. All of the sunflowers around it are healthy and facing towards the sky. The mist grows heavier to the right. To the left there is a path so small that you’ll overlook it if you’re not paying attention. Straight ahead you can faintly hear the sound of laughter.

Re: THE SUNFLOWER FIELDS

[fullmoonblooms]

[...good thing Selenia is not the one in this heart.]

[following the laughter]

Re: THE SUNFLOWER FIELDS

[appleofhiseye]

Safest option. The laughter gets a tad bit louder, but the sunflowers get thicker.

Re: THE SUNFLOWER FIELDS

[fullmoonblooms]

[storming through those sunflowers!]

Hello! Can you all hear me?

Re: THE SUNFLOWER FIELDS

[appleofhiseye]

Suddenly the sunflowers stop, and you enter a much larger clearing. You are at a large open air stage made of polished wood. There are a bunch of children running around, but there is something off about them. Their laughter is faint and you can see right through them; they are all blurry and transparent, with no identifiable features.
The stage looks rather run down. Off to the side there is a rack of instruments, a wardrobe, and a big box full of toys.

Re: THE SUNFLOWER FIELDS

[fullmoonblooms]

[...the children are creepy but omg new clothes]

[what sort of toys can I find in the box?]

Re: THE SUNFLOWER FIELDS

[appleofhiseye]

Any and every kind of toy you can imagine is inside of the box. Actaully, as soon as you think of a toy it appears in the box. As you're looking through it, once of the children notices you.
"It's a person!"
The children crowd around you.
“Play with us, play with us!”
“Tell us a story!”
“No, do a play!”
“Swordfight!”
“Dance!”
“Play some music!”
“No, a game, a game!”
“Something fun!”

Re: THE SUNFLOWER FIELDS

[fullmoonblooms]

[stopping and setting a doll down]

Oh, you all want to play? I think we can come up with a game everyone can enjoy if we work together.

How does that sound?

Re: THE SUNFLOWER FIELDS

[appleofhiseye]

"Yeah!"
"Let's do that!"
"I want a swordfight!"
"No, a dance!"
"What should we play?"

Re: THE SUNFLOWER FIELDS

[fullmoonblooms]

We can have a play with a swordfight, a dance and some music. No need to fight over it.

Re: THE SUNFLOWER FIELDS

[appleofhiseye]

"I get to be the knight!"
"Then I get to be the other swordsman!"
"I wanna be a lady at the dance!"
The children all rush for the wardrobe.

Re: THE SUNFLOWER FIELDS

[fullmoonblooms]

[...supervising the children and helping them with their costumes...]

Re: THE SUNFLOWER FIELDS

[appleofhiseye]

All of their outfits are adorable and frilly. They look more solid, and you can hear their voices more clearly.
"So I can still be a knight?"
"I want to be a noble runaway."
"What do you want to be, miss?"

Re: THE SUNFLOWER FIELDS

[fullmoonblooms]

Oh. I'm a...a librarian.

[picks up a book from the chest and holds it close]

See?