A most curious creature stands before us, resting beneath the cooling shadow of a tree.

A pair of beady, black eyes stare our way. They remind me of a bird’s eyes, they remind me of a hobgoblin’s eyes.

Burch takes a step back, lifting her hands and I watch in curious fascination as the thing, the animal, the monster, which looks exactly like a very big mushroom, begins to move. It is much larger than a normal mushroom, by a good measure. Its head reaches up to Burch’s waist and far more interestingly, it is able to move.

Most mushrooms can not say the same.

- Wow.

Mushrooms sure are strange things, aren't they?

“Nyah~!” shouts the strange little-large mushroom monster as it lunges towards Burch with angry eyes.

(Burch) uses: [Ambient Energy Wave] SOUL: 16/21

Similar to her other magic, a wave of energy shoots out of my friend’s hands. Now however, it is far more visible in the air, taking on a bright yellowish-green hue.

The monster is struck and it flops backwards.

(Burch) has struck (Mush-Mush{Orange}) for {09} DMG with her [Ambient Energy Wave]

NAME HP SOUL Burch : 23/23 : 16/21 Sunflower : 17/17 : 13/13 Mush-mush (Orange) : 11/20 : 08/08

Burch lifts her hands again.

“Nyah,” grumbles the monstrous mushroom, just barely getting itself back upright.

Poor fellow.

He doesn’t even know that he doesn’t stand a chance.

Burch is a killer, after all.

(Burch) uses: [Ambient Energy Wave] SOUL: 11/21 (Burch) has struck (Mush-Mush{Orange}) for {9} DMG with her [Ambient Energy Wave] NAME HP SOUL Burch : 23/23 : 11/21 Sunflower : 17/17 : 13/13 Mush-mush (Orange) : 02/20 : 08/08

My friend splishes and splashes around like a fish, as she finds much joy in the bountiful waters of the lake.

The landscape is serene. The grass is bright and green and healthy. Each emerald blade glistens with hints of the warm, yellow coating of the sun’s light.

My roots dig through the soil, reaching and touching and prodding the roots of the others here. The grasses, the trees, the mycelium of the native fungus; they all whisper to me, these others, they whisper to me that this place is peaceful.

This place is good.

I give them some of my sugars as thanks for their exchange and then spare a glance to watch Burch splash around for a time, before my attention focuses on that which matters most in life.

- The sun.

Ah.

Its golden splendor reaches me as I lift my face up to meet its touch, which gently strokes my body as if it were a long lost lover.

Salacious.

- [Sunflower] -

You bask in the light of the sun

+ 1 EXP

EXP: 180/310

We have rested well by the waters of the peaceful lake.

Burch had made a fire and then roasted the meat that she had harvested from the large mushroom monster. Now, she feasts.

As for myself, I simply watch in curiosity as she eats.

- It’s a rather odd thing, eating. The more that I think about it, the odder it appears to be.

I suppose that I am glad that I do not need to partake in such a thing in such a direct manner. Although, it also saddens me.

There is something in this world that I might never experience. Even if there are a million other things and then a million more, this one, the act of eating, is not available for a sunflower.

Interesting.

I never knew that I could get sad about something so trivial. Feelings are a complicated thing.

- Right, Burch?

Burch, not hearing my thoughts, continues to munch away at her prize, her cheeks flush and full, like those of a proud squirrel, having found a treasure of nuts and seeds.

Hmm.

Perhaps I was mistaken?

Perhaps Burch really is the smarter of us two?

After all, she seems happy.

- If I am so smart, then why am I often unhappy?

Haha.

A conundrum.

I am a riddling sunflower.

A new day has come.

The valley which we have been walking through closes in on both sides, the way we take growing tighter and tighter.

I must say, I have grown to care for the nomadic lifestyle.

I wonder, is this what it is like to be a bird? To fly across the world and to see far and different things each and every day. It almost pains me to think, but I imagine that being a bird must be quite pleasant.

A fool. I truly am a judgmental sunflower.

I recall the days when I had cursed the birds and their ways and now I realize that they were right all along.

Life sure is fun. I never knew that I could be wrong about so many things.

The forest passage comes to an end and before us sits a cave.

However, it is a most unusual cave.

Its entrance is oddly square and cleanly struck from the rock. It reminds me of the most unnatural 'houses'. Is this the work of her ilk? Is this cave just a big house?

- Wow.

She looks at a piece of wood on the side of the entrance, covered in scribbles, like those of her book. If she can decipher them or not, I am unable to say. But we keep moving as she steps inside of the square-cave.

I would complain. After all, we are leaving the sun once again to go into a dark place. However, I feel as I have learned that the dark places are those where we find the best things and experiences.

Ah.

I fondly recall the grotto in which we had hidden, many weeks ago.

- That was nice.

We almost died there.

I lift my gaze, looking towards the glassy crystalline-formations that hang above our heads, as my friend follows the path, leading through the square-cave.

I hope that we almost die again.

It was very thrilling.

Burch laughs, her voice echoing out all around us.

She presses her face up towards a large, blue crystal that glows with a light that I find most pleasing.

Her sole reflection is present in its glassy surface and she makes an odd contortion of her face, watching her mirror image present the expression back to herself.

She laughs and then scoots over towards the next crystal that is of another color and light and then repeats the process.

- Amusing.

She stops and then stares for a time at a new crystal, yellow.

This one is my personal favorite in color. It reminds me of the sun. But whatever her reflection has shown her this time, it seems to have brought her little joy. In fact, it seems to have stolen some.

My friend laughs no more and then just silently turns to keep walking through the path of the square-cave, filled with many crystals.

It is beautiful. But it would be even more so if my friend was still smiling.

The world sure is full of strange things and events. Why do the crystals glow? Why did her ilk make a path through this place? Why is Burch unhappy? It appears that this place is not a house. It seems to simply be a way, a path.

- But to where?

I can not say.

Lifting my gaze, unable to see the sun, I instead look at the many different crystals of many different colors.

It isn’t the same as the sun. But I will take what I can get.

I am a content sunflower.

What a peaceful day today has been.

No monsters have found us. No birds have come to steal my seeds.

We have reached the top of the upwards slanted path, inside of the square-cave and rays that hint of daylight shine out on the other side, just ahead of ourselves.

Burch lifts her hand to cover her eyes as she walks forward, the vividness of the brightness too much for her to handle.

I spread my leaves out wide, my petals out wide, in order to draw in the last peaceful grace of this day’s good sunlight.

- [Sunflower] -

You bask in the light of the sun

+ 1 EXP

EXP: 181/310 EXP (Burch): 30/240

After an uneventful passage, we leave the square-cave.

- It was nice.

I would perhaps like to see it again one day.

Or maybe another like it?

I wonder how many square-caves there are? Or is there just the one?

Burch and I stand atop a cliff and we stare out over the landscape that we are above. Orange hues, mixed with reds of many tones, coat the dark-green world before ourselves as the setting sun generously paints it with its light. Birds fly through the air in flocks, visible only as silhouettes, as they return to distant nests.

There, far on the horizon, as far away as I can see the world span towards from where we stand - there sits a thing that I have never seen before.

“…A city,” mutters Burch beneath her breath.

A ‘city’?

Interesting. I gaze towards it. It reminds me of the houses, of the villages, but it is just… bigger. I suppose that this is a large colony of her ilk? A hive, of sorts.

Wait.

Oh no.

What a fool I have been. Perhaps I have been mistaken all along, once again? My friend likes to hunt. Her species lives in clusters and hives. The color yellow has brought her no joy, perhaps because she finds it unextraordinary?

I see it now. The truth.

Of course.

My friend is a wasp. It all makes perfect sense. This is why she likes to sting creatures with her knife and why she spends time around such a sweet flower as myself.

I understand.

How very interesting.

Knowing Burch, I suppose that we will rest for the night somewhere here on the cliff and then we will carefully stake out and stalk our prey for the next days to come.

- Burch instead immediately breaks off towards the left, following the road as she runs, expending a most wasteful amount of energy.

She follows the path, which leads to a road, which leads towards the ruby horizon, towards the city; the hive.

I am surprised. I was mistaken.

Oh well. I am mistaken often, yes?

Perhaps this surprise, this unexpected change of my wasp-friend’s attitude, perhaps this is the gift that life has decided to present me with today?

A blessing. One for each and every day.

Life is good.