❧ the inner garden

[dramatispersonae]

You stumble into yet another garden, spinning and off-kilter and peculiar. This space is dominated by a massive waterfall pouring from the sky, casting a heavy wet mist into the air. The foliage is wild and overgrown, untamed and untrimmed. The flowers and leaves seem incredibly real, but everything else is offputtingly two-dimensional—rocks and boulders are papier-mâché, the stones beneath your feet are nothing but cardboard puzzle pieces, and flimsy trees hang from the ceiling by string.

Mobiles of birds and bugs swing around, hung from tree branches, spinning in the breeze, casting wild shadows. Crooked stacks of books—some short, some as tall as trees themselves—line the path, and a persistent, faint drumming sound echoes through the quiet space.

Under the waterfall, there is a single doorway.

[use this space to talk to each other and catch up, before proceeding to endgame]

Comments

[exchanged]

[that's definitely a fine face, yes. ... shrugs.]

I don't know.

[whyitgottabeblack]

I didn't think you did, I just wanted your opinion. What path did you pick anyways?

[exchanged]

The one about feelings. I thought it'd be the most... fitting. What about you?

[whyitgottabeblack]

'Who am I?' because it said to pick the one that was hardest for us. Is that what you meant by "fitting" or no?

[exchanged]

Yeah. [runs a hand through his hair] That kind of thing doesn't come naturally to me, so it's still a challenge.

[whyitgottabeblack]

No offense but I might have guessed that one.

[exchanged]

[goes a little red but doesn't look surprised.]

Most people probably can.

[whyitgottabeblack]

It's okay! Doesn't being easy to read in that way make it easier to be honest about your feelings? Whether or not you mean to, I guess.

[exchanged]

That's sort of what I told her... so I hope so.

[whyitgottabeblack]

Then it was an honest answer, right?

[peering at him] You're kind of flushed, you know.

[exchanged]

Because talking about this kind of thing is embarrassing! Even if it's important.

[whyitgottabeblack]

Heh. It is for some people, isn't it? It's okay, flushed isn't the worst look on you.

[exchanged]

[yeah like that's gonna help!!! h-huffs.]

A-anyway, I hope all this was helpful.

[whyitgottabeblack]

[also giving a huff but in amusement and satisfaction]

Me too, it would be a shame to waste all this time and energy.

[exchanged]

What happened on your path...?

[whyitgottabeblack]

A lot of ugly mask-like floating faces asking me questions in a maze after I had a conversation in a weird mirror garden with a girl who seemed to need my help. Or my answers at least. It was all pretty standard weirdness for here so far.

[exchanged]

Masks--? Huh, I was wondering if anyone else saw them... I talked to a crow, and then saw the masks. Afterwards, I found a version of Maleficent.

[whyitgottabeblack]

I found what I think was a young version of her like I said, but that was before the maze turned forest-like and the masks appeared. She gave me advice.

[exchanged]

Interesting...