Blue Lacuna — 421 of 467

Chapter - Big Tree Flashback

Dream-BigTree is a flashback-room in Dreamlands.

The printed name of Dream-BigTree is " [if player is DB-Progue]Big Tree, In The Branches[otherwise]Underneath The Big Tree[end if] ".

The description of Dream-BigTree is "[dbigtreedesc]". To say dbigtreedesc:

if player is DB-Progue begin; say "The hammer in your hand sends jolts up your arm as you pound the next board carefully into place. The [o]treehouse[x] is slowly taking shape around you, and not even an afternoon rain shower will keep you from finishing it. [one of]A place for the girls to come for a span, when they need time alone. Or you do.[paragraph break][or][stopping]Around you, water drips down from leaves, the remnants of the rain shower, and wet breezes rustle the yellow leaves of the [o]windsigh[x], harmonic tones singing something strange, and so much the pleasant[one of]. No, this [o]island[x] is not what you trickling expected. But mayhaps you and the couplets can find healing here.[run paragraph on][stopping]"; end if;

if player is DB-Phoebe, say "You are lost in thought, lying on your back on a carpet of wet leaves, watching hundreds of water droplets fall from them towards and around you, imagining you are floating through space, some infinite lemon-yellow space. You are not thinking about mother, for a change, or about your friends and house and school that you'll never see again. It's just that lying in this spot, letting your mind wander, you find a strange sensation sometimes creeps over you. Like someone trying very hard to speak to you, only they don't know how to talk.[run paragraph on]";

if player is DB-Lethe, say "Your sister doesn't want to do anything, and you're getting bored, watching the rain spiral down the windsigh as you try to decide what to do next. You can't really go exploring without Phoebe, and dad won't let you go swimming alone either, and it's too rainy to go [down] to the beach. You hate this place sometimes. You wish mom were here.[run paragraph on]".

Dream-BigTree-stuff is stuff in Dream-Fork. Understand "hammer/board/water/leaves/curtains" as Dream-BigTree-stuff when location is Dream-BigTree.

First instead of going nowhere when location is Dream-BigTree and player is DB-Progue: say "You'd have to get [down] from the tree first.". First instead of exiting when location is Dream-BigTree: try going down.

First instead of going down when location is Dream-BigTree and player is DB-Progue: say "[one of]You hesitate. For a ment, here in swaying branches and sighing trees and gent as gentle ocean breezes peeking through the forest, you're almost happy. It could last forever, languid, timeless, but fragile; the slightest twist will shatter it.[or]You set down your hammer and climb quick down from the tree. The couplets look up silently as you approach, their smiles vanishing, and your idyll is gone.[paragraph break]You're the one who brought them here. You're responsible.[paragraph break]'Come on, angels,' you say, trying to keep your tone cheerful, 'let's go see if we can catch some dinner.'[paragraph break]{(*mind*)}[line break][end-flashback][stopping]".

First instead of going up when location is Dream-BigTree and player is not DB-Progue: say "The spiral-wrapped vines create channels for rainwater to drizzle down the tree, making the vines wet and slick. You kind of think it would be fun to make some dam high in the branches, letting the vines dry out and making the tree easier to climb, but daddy...".

First instead of going down when location is Dream-BigTree and player is not DB-Progue: if player is DB-Phoebe begin; say "[one of]You want to, but for a minute longer you stay nestled in the roots, letting the feeling of comfort and safety surround you.[or]You get up, brushing the soil and leaves off your clothes, and look down at Laylay skeptically.[paragraph break]'Well? Are you coming down?'[line break]{(*down*)}[line break][end-flashback][stopping]"; otherwise if player is DB-Lethe; say "[one of]Yeah, you guess you might as well. But now you've gotten lazy, and it'll take you a minute or two to work up the energy.[or]You jump to your feet, unable to bear the boredom any longer.[paragraph break]'I'm going to go look at the tide pools,' you say boldly to your sister. 'Are you coming down?'[paragraph break]Phoebe opens one baleful eye at you, but then gets to her feet.[paragraph break]{(*down*)}[line break][end-flashback][stopping]"; end if.

DB-Progue is a dream-progue in Dream-BigTree. The description is "[if player is DB-Phoebe]He tries so hard to pretend to be happy. He fools Laylay, of course, but you know he really misses mom. You watched him {(*[d]progue[x]*)} cry last night, wading out in the surf, letting the sound of the waves mask his sobs. It scares you. He scares you now.[otherwise if player is DB-Progue]Are you still whole, gander? Or have you burst, all those memories spilling out in fractured pieces? Are you still awake, or has everything since then been scattered dreaming? You can't tell. You can't tell. The hammer, rough wood callousing your palms, seems realer than the universe.[otherwise]Your daddy {(*[d]progue[x]*)} tries so hard to make you and Phoebe feel loved, but you know something you will never tell either of them. He loved mom more than either of you, and always will.[end if]".

Instead of attacking anything when player is DB-Progue, say "Yes, some spans you lash out, destroy things. You always have. But in front of the girls you must keep control of yourself, act like a father.".

Check hugging when we are hugging and ( player is db-phoebe or player is db-lethe ) (this is the reject sisterly affection rule): if noun is a person-trigger or noun is a dream-lethe or noun is a dream-phoebe, say "Yuck." instead. The reject sisterly affection rule is listed first in the Check rules. Instead of kissing db-phoebe when player is db-lethe: try hugging db-phoebe. Instead of kissing db-lethe when player is db-phoebe: try hugging db-lethe. Instead of kissing bt-lethe-trigger when player is db-phoebe: try hugging db-lethe. Instead of kissing bt-phoebe-trigger when player is db-lethe: try hugging db-phoebe.

The dream-treehouse is a setpiece in Dream-BigTree. Understand "treehouse/board" as dream-treehouse. The printed name is "treehouse." The description is "[if player is DB-Phoebe]During the day dad keeps busy with all his projects-- first the cabin, then making paints for you and Laylay, now this stupid treehouse. You wonder when he'll use his magic again. You want to go somewhere new. Somewhere else.[otherwise if player is DB-Progue]You have always thought and membered with your hands. In the past few weeks it is as if you've been trying to drown out all other thoughts: first the cabin, then the safety door, now this treehouse. And you have. Drowned them out. So far.[otherwise]Dad's building pretty quick, but you're still impatient. You've already decided it will be an important forest outpost, and you'll have to stand guard keeping a watch out for the angry volcano people if they decide to invade.[end if]".

A dream-hammer is held by DB-Progue. The printed name is "crude hammer". Understand "crude/hammer" as dream-hammer when location is Dream-BigTree. The description is "A crude thing, more a mallet than a hammer, cobbled together from local materials. You'll make a more precise instrument later, maybe, when the time comes to leave this [o]island[x].". Instead of dropping dream-hammer: say "No. You must keep working, keep your hands busy, or you might start to remember. To grieve. To cry.". Instead of using dream-hammer, say "You hammer another board into place, easing the carefully shaped wooden notches together and forcing them into place in an interlocking pattern.". Understand "build [dream-treehouse]" or "construct [dream-treehouse]" or "make [dream-treehouse]" as using. Instead of using dream-treehouse, try using dream-hammer.

dream-lacuna is a setpiece in Dream-BigTree. Understand "island" as dream-lacuna when location is Dream-BigTree. The printed name is "the island". The description is "Gushing strange how your magic works, and cruel. At the end of that black week when you lost Rengin, you gathered and gathered your tools and girls and began to sculpt, wishing only to find a place your family would be needed, wanted, somewhere you wouldn't be powerless as you watched the one you love slowly die. The image of the [o]windsigh[x] came to mind something shocking, clear, and you sculpted as quick as quick and quick while the couplets watched, wide-eyed and silent.[paragraph break]But there is no one here. No one who needs you. No community to join. Just a deserted island. Empty and alone.".

dream-windsigh is a setpiece in Dream-BigTree. Understand "windsigh/tree9" as dream-windsigh when location is Dream-BigTree. The printed name is "windsigh". The description is "It's a good tree for a treehouse.". Instead of climbing dream-windsigh, try going up.

Understand "girls/daughters" as D1-both-girls when location is Dream-BigTree. D1-both-girls is a setpiece in Dream-BigTree. The description is "Your daughters are on the ground beneath you, playing quietly near the writhing roots of the windsigh. You wish you could hear them laugh again, like they used to before you came here.

Phoebe {(*[d]phoebe[x]*)} and Lethe {(*[d]lethe[x]*)} -- your beautiful girls. And now when you look all you see is their mother.". Instead of hugging or kissing D1-both-girls, try hugging db-lethe.

First Instead of greeting or hugging or kissing when player is DB-Progue: say "It seems like you never know what to say to them, any more.". Instead of greeting DB-Progue when location is Dream-BigTree and player is not DB-Progue: try going up. Instead of greeting DB-Lethe when player is DB-Phoebe: say "You don't really feel like talking right now.". Instead of greeting DB-Phoebe when player is DB-Lethe: say "You think about trying to convince Phoebe to go exploring again, but keep your mouth shut.".

DB-Phoebe is a dream-phoebe in Dream-BigTree. The description of DB-Phoebe is "[if player is DB-Lethe]You have given up trying to get Phoebe {(*[d]phoebe[x]*)} to go frog hunting with you in the marsh today. Who cares about getting dirty when there's no one around to see, anyway?[otherwise]You feel strange lately, though it's not just the funny feeling under the tree, or because mom died, or because dad took you to this empty island. It feels like something is starting to wake up inside you, or maybe grow up, that all the strange changes in your life are somehow triggering another, more important change, some power or unnamed creature you'll wake up one day and possess or become.[paragraph break]You really have to stop lying under this tree. It's making you weird.[end if]". Instead of examining db-phoebe when player is db-progue, try examining D1-both-girls.

Instead of attacking DB-Lethe when player is DB-Phoebe: say "[girlsfight]". Instead of attacking DB-Phoebe when player is DB-Lethe: say "[girlsfight]". To say girlsfight: say "You give your sister a quick jab to the arm.[paragraph break]'Stop it,' she says, 'I'll tell dad.' But you know she won't. Both of you know not to fight in front of dad any more. Neither of you want to see him cry again.". Instead of pushing someone (called bullee) when location is regionally in Dreamlands, try attacking bullee.

DB-Lethe is a dream-lethe in Dream-BigTree. The description is "[if player is DB-Phoebe]Laylay is the same age as you, but it's never felt like it. She is so fanciful, so immature. It's why she always wanted a nickname and you never did. Phoebe is a perfectly good name, and so is Lethe {(*[d]lethe[x]*)} , though you'd never know it from talking to her.[otherwise if player is DB-Lethe]Though of course you've been sad since mother died, you think you're the only one who actually likes it here. It's your own private island to explore and adventure in. You just wish dad wouldn't be so overprotective. You're old enough not to fall into any chasms or steam vents without having to have some stupid door to protect you.[paragraph break]Although you know how to get through the door anyway.[end if]". Instead of examining db-lethe when player is db-progue, try examining D1-both-girls.

Rule for writing a paragraph about DB-Lethe: say "[if player is DB-Progue]The [o]girls[x] are playing some game down on the ground, dimly visible through the branches and yellow leaves.[otherwise][o]Dad[x] is up in the tree working on the stupid treehouse, and your [o]sister[x] fidgets restlessly near the path [down] to the beach.[paragraph break]Lying abandoned on its side near the base of the tree is the old teaching [o]head[x].[end if]"; now DB-Phoebe is mentioned; now DB-Progue is mentioned.

The dream-head is an undescribed thing in Dream-BigTree. The printed name is "teaching head". Understand "teaching/clockwork/head/eye/eyes/mouth" as dream-head. The description is "[if player is DB-Phoebe]Dad keeps telling you to take better care of it. It's one of the few things that came with you when you came here, since dad made it, you guess. You and Laylay both learned your letters years ago, so it doesn't get much use any more.[otherwise if player is DB-Lethe]Dad keeps telling you to take better care of it. It's one of the few things that came with you when you came here, since dad made it, you guess.[otherwise]Oh, the girls probably have it somewhere, you expect.". Understand "play with [something]" as using when location is Dream-BigTree. Report taking dream-head: say "You pick it up idly, bored, running your fingers along its eyes, its ears." instead.

The dream-ear is part of dream-head. Understand "ear/ears/right/key/hleft/hright" as dream-ear. The printed name is "ear". The description is "The ears look exactly like a person's, except made from wood. You suppose it's impressive, but you've been around your dad's sculptures all your life, so it's hard to work up much enthusiasm.". Instead of taking or attacking or pulling or pushing or turning dream-ear, try attacking dream-head. Instead of attacking the dream-head: say "[one of]In a sudden moment of anger, you grab the wooden head, twist an ear off till it yanks free from its socket, and hurl it into the trees towards the drop-off into the sea. Laylay's eyes open wide in shock, but you know she won't tell.[paragraph break]And you know, too, that dad will never notice. Maybe you were secretly hoping to get his attention. But you're finding more and more that you've forgotten how, or maybe he's forgotten how to give it[or]You've lost all interest in the stupid old head[stopping]."; remove dream-ear from play. [Instead of turning or pushing dream-ear: say "You're not in the mood to play with the old head right now.".] Instead of headsetting when location is Dream-BigTree: try attacking dream-ear. Instead of setting dream-ear to anything: try attacking dream-ear. Check headsetting when location is Dream-BigTree: try attacking dream-ear instead.

Rule for writing a paragraph about DB-Phoebe: say "[if player is DB-Lethe][o]Dad[x] is up in the branches above, still working on your treehouse, and your [o]sister[x] is lying on the ground nearby, pretending to ignore you.[end if]"; now DB-Progue is mentioned.

bt-lethe-trigger is a person-trigger in Dream-BigTree with target DB-Lethe. Understand "lethe" as bt-lethe-trigger when location is Dream-BigTree.

bt-phoebe-trigger is a person-trigger in Dream-BigTree with target DB-Phoebe. Understand "phoebe" as bt-phoebe-trigger when location is Dream-BigTree.

bt-progue-trigger is a person-trigger in Dream-BigTree with target DB-Progue. Understand "progue" as bt-Progue-trigger when location is Dream-BigTree.