Watching the processions of worms making their way through with various different flavored mana, it something I could have ever imagined, plant magic or not.
I was just joking about the worm queen thing...
But here they are and they keep coming with little offerings. I like the mana candies so it's fine and they brought so many different types too!
According to what I could understand from Wormie, the first worm to approach me, I am a "good thing". Just my presence is a benefit to the surrounding land and life. Like how I absorb the mana candies, jello pockets and....other physical nutrient the wormies and most if not all life grow from the energies I emit. Sounds like how plants release oxygen, but on some magical steroids.
I just can't see it. Like how you just can't taste taste yourself or know your flavor- wait what is that supposed to mean wormie?!
...Never mind, I don't want to know.
Additionally I can grant further growth and energy to any living thing at will, which is how I'm so close with my Wormie now. It spent the most time with me so far and has been growing smarter and stronger from it, that or I'm growing selectively more fond of it. Excuse me universe, this is my emotional support comfort worm.
Originally I didn't think to do so but when the other wormies started coming I didn't know how to tell them apart. So before it got too crowded I "blessed" my Wormie with some of my energy.
Honestly it didn't cost much. I don't have a system to tell me exactly but it feels like my energy
replenishes over time and as I digest yummy yummy foods...and not so yummy foods. I would have used those calories to grow or search for food anyways, why not see what else it can do. I made a reasonably calculated cost but boy am I bad at math.
I gave Wormie too much.
Where once stood an inconspicuous average earthworm is now now an alien, a rainbow alien over triple it's original size. Wormie oh Wormie what have I done!?!
I've turned you into a monster, a gummy worm!!!
But all the worms seem excited by the way they're wiggling, I can feel them cheering through the ground. Wormie squirms in joy at its evolution, it's kinda cute despite looking like some poison dart frog alien. Well if that makes you happy.
I can hear Wormies and the other's thanks but more obviously I'm getting a lot of food in mana candies and in some....leaf mulch? Oh it tastes like salad, that's fine I like salad too. Some more dressing would be nice but this is pretty good. If you don't eat vegetables you will die after all.
Does that even apply to me anymore? I'm a plant. I AM the vegetable.
I'm focusing on growing again. With the help of the wormies I have a lot of comfy room to stretch and grow. It's also smart to thicken my roots where they've already grown. I'm still a little too scared to grow up much above surface; let's just reinforce the the sprouts I already have. Instead of two I now have four leaves clustered together. I'm an adorable sturdy little shamrock.
Really though I was joking about the worm queen thing but it's quite nice to be served like this.
Fluff my bedding, feed me mana candies, fan me! Oh ho ho what enthusiastic wormies, how nice of them to play along. Really though their efforts do improve the soil, it's a win win relationship. I don't consciously grant any of them the energy that I have Wormie but they're all enthusiastically working around me. Some even seem to faintly gleam iridescence, a little rainbow light.
Maybe it wasn't my fault Wormie grew to a monster gummy worm, that's just how they are?
What's that wormies? No it's very much my blessing that turned Wormie into a superior gummy worm? You will all work hard to grow into fine rainbow gummies?
Oh dear I introduced a new invasive species haven't I, a rainbow zombie worm virus. But they all seem so happy, I guess it's fine. It makes sense that it has a positive effect on them since I'm pretty sure worms don't normally act like working bees.
I really like bees though, loved them as a human. I wonder if I'll ever develop a relationship with them like the gummies. Baby steps, I haven't even seen a bee in this world. Or well any other creature.
When the sun came out again I felt my digestion speed up exponentially. Plant metabolism sure does works funny. There's something else too, it feels like a different sort of energy than what I get in the mana candies or physical food. It feels warm obviously but strong, it's making me stronger.
I must not have felt it yesterday without my leaves, tiny as they are. Ok then it's decided, let's grow a bit taller on the surface. The sunlight gives me the strength and courage to do so. I'm getting better at growing and focusing my attention everywhere, both above and below surface. I was always good at multitasking, I just need to learn the ropes.
I suppose this is my new job now- no it's the beginning to my new story. An adventure or a video game, that's a nice way to think of it. Didn't I always say how nice it would be to live in the world of a book or a video game.
It's nice right?
It still stings too much to think about so I won't think about it anymore. Not yet.
I focus on cycling and digesting the energy from the sun and the nutrients underground. While I can do it unconsciously right now it seems to go faster when I concentrate.At the present I need to focus on my steady growth.
Also it honestly feels like lazing around sunbathing and eating snacks.
Definitely not one of the worst things to be reborn as so far, this is pretty good.
Please keep those snacks coming wormies, new flavors are extra appreciated. I'm even getting more used to the bugs, just the very small ones though. Remember my wormies, only little crunchy ones they're like chips. Thank you!
After staying up all night I feel myself kind of dozing off. Looks like I do need sleep as a plant still. With the warm sunlight strengthening me and the wormies bustling around, for the first time since I woke up in this world I think I feel safe.
A nap sounds nice. Not that deep exhausted sleep like before but a simple peaceful nap.
I'll give myself that.
----
The wormies are panicking. I can feel their fear, the sense of a threat and it wakes me from my snooze.
Something is wrong
Shaking off the remaining grogginess I examine my surroundings. The wormies rush to surround me, my sprout and the base of my roots. It would be a gross sight if I wasn't so tense over what is my first real threat.
I feel the radio static tingles on the edges of my newer thinner roots, something sharp and gnawing.
Something is starting to eat me.