Birch, tell me, why do you want to go to heaven?
We wandered, through meadows, through forests, over the hills of the world, to the west of the river.
The scenery here is similar to ours, but different at the same time.
Although the grass is green, it is bluer than the green grass at our house. The rolling hills are denser and richer than those near our home. Birds, bugs, and flowers are all brilliantly colored, full of energy and joy, but they are different colors and shades from our homes.
Even the air tastes sweeter and less smoky on this side of the river. Birch and I were the only ones who stayed the same. Here, it’s not that the world has changed, but that we have changed.
-We are different things.
But that's okay.
-[sunflower]-
you bathe in the sun
+1 exp
Experience value: 31/310 EXP(Birch): 64/160
After all, different things look more interesting.
-Grass is amazing, but I don’t spare much sight for grass.
Yet a unique flower, a strange tree, the twisted expression on my friend's face, these are my vision, my attention, and my memory.
These thoughts all got me wondering, why are we looking for heaven?
What is unique about heaven, what colors are there, what magnificent sights are there that are not found in the world here?
I can't say, I'm just a sunflower. But it must have been worth it for the trouble we went through to get there.
We wandered for a day and then walked for a few more days, and while I'm not sure we actually got anywhere near where the sun set, I certainly enjoyed the time.
We saw a lot of things. We saw a large bird, as big as Birch. We see a crooked log twisting like a snake. We saw the skeleton of something larger than anything I'd ever seen before. We walked through it as if it were a cave. Wow, that's really cool.
We saw many amazing things and kept going hoping to see more.
A stag stood before us.
I think it was a deer, but I'm not sure. I don't think I've ever seen a deer before.
Well, this is so weird.
We crouched down and stared through the bushes at the tall, muscular animal, hiding deep in the dense forest and eating grass deep in the fields.
It stands proudly on four hoofed legs, which are thin but very muscular. It keeps its head down while eating grass. Its crown was adorned with a jumble of antlers that reminded me of a thorny thorn tree, like the one we climbed earlier.
Birch plucked some thorns from her own long hair, which was forest-covered, with loose twigs and old leaves stuck in messy brown piles.
The thorn deer turned its head, sensing us, and everything seemed to stop in a most stunning moment of natural splendor.
Golden sunlight shot down from the sky, painting the forest clearing with an auburn glow. The air is peaceful and clean. The birds are singing and the weather is warm and nice. We find ourselves in tranquility.
The spiny deer, weighing a ton and some muscled meat, came straight toward us.
Birch made a terrible sound and scurried back into the bushes, climbing up a tree with a speed I had not realized she possessed.
I find this very humorous.
I "laughed" calmly.
-At least that's what a sunflower can do.
How strange.
The thorn deer walked to the base of the tree we climbed up and stared at Birch with its wild eyes, running its hooves through the forest soil in a display of dominance and territorial aggression.
The sight of Birch fussing while sitting on a branch brings me nostalgic joy. I haven't heard her say anything like that since her car broke down the day we met.
My friend raised her hand and used her magic, for the first time since that night in the village.
(Birch) Use: (Small Pulse)
Application status: (confused) to (deep forest moose)
A spurt of chaotic air bursts from her dirty palms, her skin streaked with scratches and bark shavings. Her magic was far greater than I remembered her being able to create.
My leaves were blown back together with my head, which tilted a little to one side under the influence of my friend's strength, which was like an amazing gale.
The thorn-deer uttered a low, pitched cry of surprise, fell to its knees, and scampered away with a speed and frankness befitting his strong, noble majesty.
Birch broke a stick from a tree and threw it at the monster, continuing to complain and curse.
I love this scene.
My friend is very energetic. The look in her eyes reminded me of fire.
I find it enjoyable to observe.
- So unusual.
One day and three days passed. Birch and I ate from the sun, and we grew fatter and richer. She also shared meat from the harvest that she had stolen from a cart days earlier. Because it shared the same bag with me, it was covered in dirt, but it seemed that it would rather do that than starve.
However, what is unusual is that.
We wandered for many days and finally found a beautiful river.
Then we followed it for a while.
Until the end, we find something nostalgic.
-a ship.
It was thick and ugly, and not far from it sat several non-birds. I don't miss them that much.
Wow.
I never knew non-birds could fly so far?
Very magical.
Do they migrate like real birds? Or do they come just to see my friends? They have a long hunt.
Birch looked at me, and I knew from the confusion in her eyes what she was asking. After all, we are friends. To be honest, I do find this troublesome. But, I think, if nothing else, over the course of our adventures, I became more willing to be energetic and outgoing.
Friendship makes me careless and wild. I acted recklessly in my youth.
-I am an outgoing sunflower.
very good.
But just because we're friends and because I like it.
She covered her mouth and nose with her loose bark.
(Sunflower) has started channeling: (hard water)
Boot time: {6} seconds
Soul: 10/13
One word came and Birch broke free from our hiding place. Feiniao looked at us in surprise, thought for a while, and jumped up with a roar.
(Birch) Use: (Small Pulse)
Apply status (confused) to (goblin) (goblin scout) (goblin archer) (goblin shaman)
The five non-birds all stood where she aimed with her hand, swaying in different directions driven by her magical power.
(Sunflower) Use: (hard water)
The earth shook and all creatures fell to the ground. Birch adjusted her bark to cover her nose and mouth while I released the pollen.
(Sunflower) Use: (Heavy Pollen)
Yellow dust flew around us as five creatures struggled to rise from the ground, breathing frantically, suddenly going limp or falling asleep, with one exception. It seemed to go crazy and began clawing at the dirt like a rabid animal.
Application status: (sleep) (goblin) (goblin scout) (goblin shooter)
Application status: (indifferent) (monster)
Application status: (Insanity) vs (Monster Shaman)
She waited a moment for the last pollen to fall to the ground, then lowered the bark covering her face.
She set me down, grabbed the stinger dropped by a non-bird, and went to work, cutting and stabbing them as they lay there incapable of reacting to her deadly attacks.
I listened to the slick, wet squeaking and cutting sounds and watched as she raised her arms again and again, stabbing into the tender flesh of something that seemed to be hunting us. Red flies were everywhere, sparkling as it moved through the air. Red fell on her face and hands. Red fell on me and on the grass around us both.
I watched in confusion as she killed them. This time, unlike the last time we found ourselves in this situation, she didn't scream. Birch is a silent creature, she doesn't cry, howl, or combo. She would just silently stab, cut, and maim until nothing was left alive but the two of us and the tangible feeling of our sacred friendship.
-I thought her silence was thoughtful. What a wonderful person she has become.
She finally rested, after the clearing around us both was soaked with warm blood. She was covered in blood, the grass was covered in blood, and so was I.
Birch sat next to me and I sat next to her, and the two of us, though we were red together, raised our eyes to the sun, which smiled warmly above our heads. Its light penetrates the wet slime and coats our appearance.
The idea of a sunflower may sound strange
But I love it, both of us are red now. It makes me feel like we are the same kind, the same kind.
-Maybe we already are?
Just not in a physical way, like a person bound by the bonds of the natural world. Our relationship is just different, in a way that I, as Himawari, can't explain.
Wow.
I never knew feelings could be so complicated.
--marvelous.
One of the "monsters" made a wet crackling sound, apparently not quite dead yet. Blood seeped from its slashed throat. Its fingers twitched.
ah.
(Sunflower)Use:(Bloodmeal)
My roots crawled out of the earth, through its mouth and into its screaming face, silencing it forever.
My friend, grateful for my contribution to our journey, tilted her wet head to the side and leaned gently against my stem.
She is very warm.
feels good.
-[End of battle]-
(Monster) (Monster Scout) (Monster Archer) (Monster) (Monster Shaman) are all dead.
+48 exp
Experience value: 79/310
Killing people with friends makes me happy. I wondered; could heaven get any better than this?
There's definitely a lot more to kill there.
