[You are now Arcana XVIII The Moon. You will now become one with the Arcana]
Huh? The Sky is Crimson, because of the Moon? The ground is a field of flowers. The same as before. Why am I here? Wasn't I in the forest? Imma walk through the Garden. Its as dead as before. But! This time, the Azure light is not a circle in the sky. Its shaped, small like me. Standing in the distance. They live here?
The walk is boring. There's nothing here. Hopefully the Azure one will be unboring. "Hello!" The Azure figure turns to me. Smiling. She is just a blob of fire.
"Hello Fish." The body is small, but the voice is big. "This land sure is full of surprises, no?"
"Is home not just home?" The forest is just a forest. The Garden is just home. I can feel it. Azure is disappointed.
"What are you, Fish?"
"A Martial Artist!" I exclaim
"And what is that?"
"I beat up bad guys." She doesn't respond to this. Instead, after sighing she does a dance. I too must learn how to dance. Once finished, she ask.
"And, what did I just do? Can you explain it?"
"You danced." Does she not know what dancing is called?
"That's all you gleamed from that?" She turns, facing towards the sky. "I'm afraid you are not a Martial Artist. Not a Warrior. An untalented dabbler is better than the current you."
The sky flashes, and ignites into flame. Flickering Crimson. "I am a Martial Artist! What do you know? You're just a fire shaped like a small!"
"Do you not even know yourself? I am shaped like you." She begins to fade away, from bottom to top. "Without Intent. No matter how skilled an artist becomes. They will never truly advance, they cannot even perceive the path." With that final word she is gone.
A Blink. The sky is Blue. I'm laying down? Left, right. The Forest. I'm back home. I sit up, on my lap is the Ink blob. Lookin up to me.
"Good Morning, Fish. After you touched the card, you collapsed. It's been three Moons. How was your nap?" The blob slides over to my hand and presses against my left palm. Leaving a a Black Rose imprinted into it. I like it!
"The nap was dumb. A fire said I'm not what I am." A question mark appears above the blobs head.
"Oh, what are you. And why aren't you?" She slides over behind me, turning to keep track. Z is there, sleeping.
"I am a Martial Artist. But I am not, because I don't have Intent. What does that even mean?" I stand, walking over to the sleeping wolf.
"You are a Martial Artist? Well now. I think I agree with the fire." Inky places a hand on Z, he shivers and raises his head. Looking to me.
"Why?! Father trained me himself, how could I not be a warrior? Protector of The Garden!" The Snow around me begins melting.
"Well. I asked you what you are, and you answered wrong. You truly lack intent. I suppose as the Administrator of the Garden, I should Administrate some advice." Z laughs after that line. It wasn't funny, dumb. "Go. Witness the ocean. Ask yourself what it will bring." With that, Inky collapses into the snow, leaving a black spot.
"Calm yourself, Little One. What has you troubled?" Z moves over to me. Looking face to face.
I sigh. The snow stops melting. I have to find Ball later. Ball is the greatest ocean. I will witness it. "Z. What does intent mean?"
"Come with me, Little One." I follow. Z leads me through our forest. I don't see Ball or any other animals around. The pit was empty. Wood burned up. We end up at a river. A small waterfall.
"What is this? Tell me, Little One." Z pays close attention to the water. Looking to our reflections.
"This is just Water, Z." Why do so many people not know what simple things are?
Z looks to my reflection. "I see a child, short White Hair and Crimson Eyes. Not like that of a inspiring flame. But of Fanatical Blood. Wearing a beautiful red garb, enlaced with gold engravings. Looks to be that of thorns. This design is one I have never seen the likes of before in all my days. A façade of innocence dawned in beauty."
Z looks to his own reflection. "An old Wolf, greater than it's ever been. Cursed with the coming of something alien, blessed by the coming of something alien. Cursed with a newfound intellect, blessed by its newfound intellect. Cursed with its natural instincts, blessed by its Natural instincts. Now, it can truly apply its wisdom. It can appreciate all there is. But, it can also see what has cast its gaze on it. The old proverb broken. An abomination among abominations. The Cobalt Abyss has come, without the Wolf ever glancing inside."
Z looks to the water. Down the stream. "The flow of life. A glistening spring of hope. Once frozen. Now brought to life by our new Moon. Heightened by the reflection of snow. My Kin will flourish in this place."
Z looks back to me. "What do you see, Little One?"
How did Z get all those big words out of water, tree, and snow? I don't understand. I look to myself in the water. I am just me. A girl, hair, eyeballs. People. I look out down the path of the water. To where it all leads. A Pond. This is where people can get water in The Garden. And I'm the Boss! So I need to protect this place. But no matter how hard I look, I don't see anything. Nothing so fancy enters my head...
"I know what I want to see Z. My people smiling. They have enough water. But no matter how hard I try. I can't see anything. This is just a empty forest. This is just water."
"Intent cannot be forced, Little One. The more you try to see, the less you will see. True Intent is natural, revelations that flow like that of water. The First Step is to be yourself. And so. What are you?"
"I guess I don't know..." Z bumps into me, I fall atop him. Then starts trotting off as I sit up to properly ride him.
"Worry not little one. This journey is one that never ends. There is both no hurry in finding your first step onto the path. Nor reaching the summit. Obsession leads to corruption. Cast your worries unto the tide, for they will only form a wall." Right! Father always said to never give into demons of the heart. But, I can't fight a demon yet. I'll have to hide!
"Where are we going, Z?" Looking over Z, he has a proper collar on! The Bark I gave him hanging on from ribbon round his neck. I think that color is called purple.
"Ball and the rest went on a food hunt, as well as to get a look at the outsiders" Outsiders? Guest?
"The Garden accepts all guest, Z. All are free in the Garden. We only get rid of bad guys." Z lets out a sigh
"I fear the Abyss is all consuming, little one. It is up to you to control it" It's up to me? Well. I am the boss after all.
"System! Where is Ball?"
[Notice: While you are also Dungeon Master. You lack a few features the Host possess. This being the Map, and the Expansion features]
"So you can't tell me where Ball is?"
[Correct]
"What can you do?"
[The System's Primary Purpose is to aid The Dungeon Master]
"So you can tell me what my fire is?"
[Notice: The System cannot inform the Host on Matters it doesn't already know, pertaining to subjects such as how to use and control Supernatural abilities. As well as the laws of those supernatural abilities]
"Well, do whatever thing you do to help me!"
Z stops moving us and looks to me. "What are you doing?"
"Hm? I'm talking to the System? The floating words in front of me?"
Z shakes his head. "I do not see any floating words, Little One."
"System! Why can't Z see you? Am I actually crazy? Momma often saw things when she drank the crazy juice."
[Notice: The only entities capable of accessing the System are The Dungeon Master & The Administrator
Notice: Due to the unique effect of The Garden, all entities that obtain an Arcana can also access the System]
"You need to get a card from Ball to see it, Z"
Z Nods. "Another alien power. That shining card. Perhaps that Monster truly heralds a coming evolution. I hope that the end is not nigh." End? Evolution? What monster? Ball? How rude!
[Displaying Basic information of Fish
Name: Unknown
Alias: Fish
Age: 5
Height: 3 Feet, 6 Inches.
Supernatural Types: Unknown
???: Unknown
???: Unknown
???: Unknown
???: Crimson
Strength: 3
Dexterity:6
Constitution: 15
???: 40
None of the Host abilities, talents, skills, ect are currently consciously known and thus will not be listed]
"So I can do fancy things, I just don't know how... I will learn! And, I do have a name? Why can't I remember... Blah! Anyway, Z! Do you have any fancy moves, like breathing fire? Can you teach me?" Z was eating my fire. So maybe Z is turning into a fire wolf.
"I feel I will soon break passed my former limits. I can attempt to teach you. I do not know nearly as much as the humans do. And you are alien to me. You may not be capable of learning the powers known in this land." Even Z doesn't know much? Maybe Inky knows.
"Inky! ... System, how do I contact the Ad- Oh." I watch Inky crawl out of the Black Rose left on my palm.
"Hello Fish. What's up?" Looks like Inky can stick to things, I can have her upside down
"Inky, do you know what the humans do? Can you help Z teach me?"
"I will not. The things I want to teach, you are not compatible with." Inky speaks like a librarian, she sounds so uninterested.
"Okay Inky, do you know where Ball is?" Inky slides over ontop of Z's head and directs him. Well. I guess we're not lost anymore. "Z! Can you go faster, weren't you a experienced fighter before?"
"Combat Speed and Travel Speed are different things, Little One. If you desire speed, perhaps after I practice more. Or you ca- Sorry. That reminds me, I believe you were going to ask about the 'bunny bird'? You fell over before finishing"
The Bunny Bird? ... Oh! The fluffy thing with floppy ears and wings, bunny shaped "Yes! It is very cute. Is it faster?"
"I don't know what a Bunny is. But I presume you meant the thing with floppy ears and wings. There are many creatures like that with Floppy ears, they are called Lops. Humans call that creature, Volatus Lop. The Flying Lop. It is a miracle they are not dead. Those not bound to a mage are quite helpless creatures. And before you ask, I do not know magic. And those ones are not tied to a mage. For certain."
"I don't know what magic is but okay, Z. So, I can take them as a pet?" I wonder if they can get bigger. Could I fly around on one?
"You already did, did you not? All who's were blessed by your flame are subjects in the Garden, no?" Z is right, and wrong. Hehe, I get to teach Z now.
"No no Z. I do not own my people. I protect them. For they are the Flowers of my garden. I have to ask them to be my pet. Not force them. The Garden is that of freedom." I am the good guy after all.
Z stops. The Inky on his head collapses, leaving a stain on Z's fluff. "I thank you. All I ask for me and my Kin is freedom." I look ahead. And Ball is there! Surrounded by people laying down covered in red. Some of them are missing parts. All gone.
"Ball!" I hop off Z, running over to Ball. "What happened? Why are the outsiders dead? Did you mistreat our guest?" I see Inky Poke over Balls head as it turns to look to me.
"9f78ygu9hjj" Ball speaks. I forgot, ball speaks nonsense sound I don't understand.
"I was wondering if your position in the Dungeon would let you understand Monsters. It seems it doesn't." Inky says. Lookin down at me from atop Ball's head. "We came across this group of people while splitting up from the animals, looking for food and other places of interest in the Garden. These people were horrified, as expected. I tried telling them to simply leave peacefully, or ignore us. They did not do that. Fight over flight they chose. None of them were any trouble. Not that I did anything."
So Ball is a 'Monster'? Z said that too. They can't both be wrong! Momma had story books, Monsters attack and kill all other life that isn't them. And that is all they do, they aren't even alive she said. But I'm no Monster. and Ball didn't beat me up. I guess Story books are wrong sometimes... "So, they tried to hurt ball?" I pick up a stick and start poking one of them. "I guess they were bad guys." Z walks over to me. Those eyes, concern?
"You okay Little One? None of this horror bothers you?" Hm? What a silly question.
"None of these are flowers in my garden. They were Outsiders, guest who tried to take our Ocean. Why would I care what happens to them? They chose to be enemy. Enemies Die. Very simple." Z looks a bit frightened at first, but is quickly back to his usual self. Am I spooky?
"Apologies. But there is another group of Outsiders in the Garden. Could you and Z go to them? We'll clean up this spot." I nod in response to Inky. Climbing onto Z. Inky splits in half. Two Ink blobs. The new one flops off Ball's head onto the snow, making her way onto Z's head. Is Inky one or many? Perhaps this Inky is willing to teach me.
"Okay Z, Inky two." I decide to lay down this time. Very fluffy. Comfy. Nightfall has come. I look to Ball. Just standing there staring at it's own hands. "System, how old is Ball?"
[Ball is 5 years old]
Ball is small too. I'll get a gift, make Ball feel better. "Z! Let's go!"
The sky will soon be illuminated in Crimson.