63

basement.order

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ src/epistolary/00059.md
 src/epistolary/00060.md
 src/epistolary/00061.md
 src/epistolary/00062.md
+src/epistolary/00063.md
 src/notes.md
 src/acknowledgements.md
 src/afterword.md

src/epistolary/00063.md

@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+---
+title: 00063
+created: Tue, 14 Feb 2023 07:01:53 -0700
+updated: Tue, 14 Feb 2023 07:01:54 -0700
+public: yes
+syndicated: yes
+---
+### 00063 {#00063}
+
+> "Greetings, Great One." Inky bows, back parallel to the ground while
+> they stand on the branch, now a humanoid child in a black uniform and
+> matching bookbag hanging under one arm. The banana boat is nowhere in
+> sight. Fuko follows her errant charge and the cloaked figure from a
+> nearby branch.
+> 
+> "This lowly one wonders if they may be permitted to seek the Great
+> Spirit's insight, whose wisdom endures before and beyond." Inky
+> begins, staring down the blurry reflection of silver boughs overhead
+> on the polished toes of their black shoes. They notice idly they do
+> not see themselves in the reflection.
+> 
+> Straightening from the bow, they look up at the figure and hold out a
+> plate of taiyaki. After a moment, the child asks haltingly, "There
+> may come a day when this one will be asked to choose between the
+> chance to protect many and that which they desire to protect most.
+> Should this one choose equally? Will the choice matter if both paths
+> eventually lead to destruction? Could destruction and salvation be
+> two sides of the same coin?"
+
+You and the Dude are sitting in small upholstered chairs, across a
+small half table from each other. There is a large sticky bun on a
+white lacy doily on the table. Next to you is a small portal-sized
+window, and outside you can see green rolling hills and small copses
+of trees fly by. The other seats on the small train car are all
+empty. The two of you are alone.
+
+"I cannot give you advice," the Dude says. "But I can offer you
+experience."
+
+They raise a hand and hold a loosely closed fist out over the table.
+The walls of the train become fuzzy and blurry, then translucent, and
+finally transparent. They disappear and you have the sensation of
+rocketing through space at dizzying speeds.
+
+The track splits ahead you. To one side, bound to one track is that
+which you desire to protect most. Bound to the other are the many.
+
+"You can choose safely here. It's just a dream, after all." The Dude
+opens their fist. The Twenty-one Fiver coin rests in their palm.
+"Heads, you steer the train into the many, sparing that which you
+love most. Tails, the opposite. You spare the many, and sacrifice
+that which you hold dear." They hold the coin out to you.
+
+The train barrels toward the fork. "But choose quickly, lest the
+choice be made for you."
+
+
+> Alex scrambles from the wreckage of his mech, or what remained from
+> the gore portal he'd just experienced. The thought of what had
+> occurred made him grimace, which was an unusual state of affairs for
+> an octopus, that is until Alex realized he seemed to be back in his
+> own body. 
+> 
+> "Sunset, or perhaps rise? It's hard to tell. Pretty though.. could be
+> prettier without the creepy knife dude." Alex mutters to himself
+> while he rummages through the destroyed cockpit of the mech. He makes
+> quick work, detaches a side panel, pulls a couple of wires, and a
+> compartment in the back opens revealing the smooth dark blue metal
+> and wood grain of an ak74u sub machine gun. Amused Alex pulls the
+> weapon from the compartment and notices a distinct lack of additional
+> magazines, just the one large drum attached to the weapon with large
+> red letters emblazoned on it [INFINITE AMMO]. "Neat."
+> 
+> Alex pulls himself from the wreck, and jumps down behind one of the
+> fallen tentacles taking a firing position behind cover, ak74u aimed
+> down range at the faceless figure. 
+> 
+> "I don't know who you are, but I don't trust anyone who approaches
+> with a weapon. Let's both stand down and talk this through! I'm not
+> supposed to be here, and I reckon you don't want me here either. I'd
+> be happy to oblige and skidaddle if you'd be so kind as to point the
+> way out!" Alex pauses waiting for a reply.
+
+The tall figure halts a short distance away. It raises a hand and
+waves. In greeting? Surrender? In a fluid motion it continues to lift
+the same hand and grabs a hold of its trunk, a little less than a
+foot from the tip. It squeezes its fist tightly and the tip begins to
+swell. It raises its other hand, and the knife, and starts to saw
+into the flesh of the trunk behind its fist. The blade cuts cleanly
+as though through a loaf of bread. There is no blood or gore.
+
+When the creature lowers its hand, you can see that the center of the
+trunk is a solid, bright pink fleshy material like a grapefruit, in
+the center of which are two pin-prick eyes and a wide thin gash of a
+mouth.
+
+It still holds the tip of its severed trunk in its hand, a thin stalk
+and a bulging cap looking for all the world like a large white button
+mushroom. Peering up from the stem of the mushroom, an identical pink
+face regards you stoically.
+
+Both faces speak at the exact same time, one high pitched and one a
+deep baritone. "Welcome, Dreamer, to Ousia, the Sea of Dreams. We are
+Kasutva."
+
+Big Kasutva stoops down to set the small mushroom Kasutva down on the
+ground. If they're both Kasutva, that is. If that's the way their
+biology and sense of self actually works. Mushroom Kasutva wobbles
+side to side a little bit and waggles its stalk as it looks around.
+Big Kasutva places its knife back in its satchel and takes a few
+small steps closer to you.
+
+"We did not mean to offend you," the two say, still perfectly in
+sync. "As for the way out, that depends only somewhat on your
+destination. Whatever the answer, we can assure you that it lies
+across the sea." Large Kasutva gestures broadly toward the expanse of
+ocean. Small Kasutva lacks any limbs and cannot gesture, but smiles
+softly at you.
+
+"But tell us what it is you seek. Perhaps we can be of help."
+
+WHAT DO YOU DO

www/index.html

@@ -286,6 +286,7 @@
 <li><a href="#00060" id="toc-00060">00060</a></li>
 <li><a href="#00061" id="toc-00061">00061</a></li>
 <li><a href="#00062" id="toc-00062">00062</a></li>
+<li><a href="#00063" id="toc-00063">00063</a></li>
 </ul></li>
 <li><a href="#afterword" id="toc-afterword">Afterword</a></li>
 <li><a href="#appendix-a-dramatis-personae"
@@ -359,11 +360,11 @@ into the <a href="#current-story">current story arc</a>.</p>
 you can <a href="https://tilde.town/~dozens/quest/rss.xml">subscribe to
 the rss feed</a>.</p>
 <h2 id="stats">Stats</h2>
-<p>Total length: 80312 words / 343 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
+<p>Total length: 81317 words / 347 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
 length of this entire page, including all the extra bits and bobs. Not
 just the story.)</p>
-<p>There have been 217 messages posted over 215 days since the first
+<p>There have been 221 messages posted over 217 days since the first
-post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.00.</p>
+post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.01.</p>
 <h2 id="chapter-1">Chapter 1</h2>
 <p>This is the first installment of BASEMENT QUEST.</p>
 <p>Jump to: <a href="#00001">1</a> <a href="#00002">2</a> <a
@@ -6630,6 +6631,102 @@ rainbow colored light crackling along the inside illuminating very
 little of the smoke-filled interior.</p>
 <p>“What is it you seek from Dude 215R?”</p>
 <p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
+<h3 id="00063">00063</h3>
+<blockquote>
+<p>“Greetings, Great One.” Inky bows, back parallel to the ground while
+they stand on the branch, now a humanoid child in a black uniform and
+matching bookbag hanging under one arm. The banana boat is nowhere in
+sight. Fuko follows her errant charge and the cloaked figure from a
+nearby branch.</p>
+<p>“This lowly one wonders if they may be permitted to seek the Great
+Spirit’s insight, whose wisdom endures before and beyond.” Inky begins,
+staring down the blurry reflection of silver boughs overhead on the
+polished toes of their black shoes. They notice idly they do not see
+themselves in the reflection.</p>
+<p>Straightening from the bow, they look up at the figure and hold out a
+plate of taiyaki. After a moment, the child asks haltingly, “There may
+come a day when this one will be asked to choose between the chance to
+protect many and that which they desire to protect most. Should this one
+choose equally? Will the choice matter if both paths eventually lead to
+destruction? Could destruction and salvation be two sides of the same
+coin?”</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>You and the Dude are sitting in small upholstered chairs, across a
+small half table from each other. There is a large sticky bun on a white
+lacy doily on the table. Next to you is a small portal-sized window, and
+outside you can see green rolling hills and small copses of trees fly
+by. The other seats on the small train car are all empty. The two of you
+are alone.</p>
+<p>“I cannot give you advice,” the Dude says. “But I can offer you
+experience.”</p>
+<p>They raise a hand and hold a loosely closed fist out over the table.
+The walls of the train become fuzzy and blurry, then translucent, and
+finally transparent. They disappear and you have the sensation of
+rocketing through space at dizzying speeds.</p>
+<p>The track splits ahead you. To one side, bound to one track is that
+which you desire to protect most. Bound to the other are the many.</p>
+<p>“You can choose safely here. It’s just a dream, after all.” The Dude
+opens their fist. The Twenty-one Fiver coin rests in their palm. “Heads,
+you steer the train into the many, sparing that which you love most.
+Tails, the opposite. You spare the many, and sacrifice that which you
+hold dear.” They hold the coin out to you.</p>
+<p>The train barrels toward the fork. “But choose quickly, lest the
+choice be made for you.”</p>
+<blockquote>
+<p>Alex scrambles from the wreckage of his mech, or what remained from
+the gore portal he’d just experienced. The thought of what had occurred
+made him grimace, which was an unusual state of affairs for an octopus,
+that is until Alex realized he seemed to be back in his own body.</p>
+<p>“Sunset, or perhaps rise? It’s hard to tell. Pretty though.. could be
+prettier without the creepy knife dude.” Alex mutters to himself while
+he rummages through the destroyed cockpit of the mech. He makes quick
+work, detaches a side panel, pulls a couple of wires, and a compartment
+in the back opens revealing the smooth dark blue metal and wood grain of
+an ak74u sub machine gun. Amused Alex pulls the weapon from the
+compartment and notices a distinct lack of additional magazines, just
+the one large drum attached to the weapon with large red letters
+emblazoned on it [INFINITE AMMO]. “Neat.”</p>
+<p>Alex pulls himself from the wreck, and jumps down behind one of the
+fallen tentacles taking a firing position behind cover, ak74u aimed down
+range at the faceless figure.</p>
+<p>“I don’t know who you are, but I don’t trust anyone who approaches
+with a weapon. Let’s both stand down and talk this through! I’m not
+supposed to be here, and I reckon you don’t want me here either. I’d be
+happy to oblige and skidaddle if you’d be so kind as to point the way
+out!” Alex pauses waiting for a reply.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>The tall figure halts a short distance away. It raises a hand and
+waves. In greeting? Surrender? In a fluid motion it continues to lift
+the same hand and grabs a hold of its trunk, a little less than a foot
+from the tip. It squeezes its fist tightly and the tip begins to swell.
+It raises its other hand, and the knife, and starts to saw into the
+flesh of the trunk behind its fist. The blade cuts cleanly as though
+through a loaf of bread. There is no blood or gore.</p>
+<p>When the creature lowers its hand, you can see that the center of the
+trunk is a solid, bright pink fleshy material like a grapefruit, in the
+center of which are two pin-prick eyes and a wide thin gash of a
+mouth.</p>
+<p>It still holds the tip of its severed trunk in its hand, a thin stalk
+and a bulging cap looking for all the world like a large white button
+mushroom. Peering up from the stem of the mushroom, an identical pink
+face regards you stoically.</p>
+<p>Both faces speak at the exact same time, one high pitched and one a
+deep baritone. “Welcome, Dreamer, to Ousia, the Sea of Dreams. We are
+Kasutva.”</p>
+<p>Big Kasutva stoops down to set the small mushroom Kasutva down on the
+ground. If they’re both Kasutva, that is. If that’s the way their
+biology and sense of self actually works. Mushroom Kasutva wobbles side
+to side a little bit and waggles its stalk as it looks around. Big
+Kasutva places its knife back in its satchel and takes a few small steps
+closer to you.</p>
+<p>“We did not mean to offend you,” the two say, still perfectly in
+sync. “As for the way out, that depends only somewhat on your
+destination. Whatever the answer, we can assure you that it lies across
+the sea.” Large Kasutva gestures broadly toward the expanse of ocean.
+Small Kasutva lacks any limbs and cannot gesture, but smiles softly at
+you.</p>
+<p>“But tell us what it is you seek. Perhaps we can be of help.”</p>
+<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
 <h2 id="afterword">Afterword</h2>
 <p>I don’t know what I’m going to put here, but I didn’t want this
 document to just abruptly end. So here you go: a kind farewell and a

www/spoilers.html

@@ -286,6 +286,7 @@
 <li><a href="#00060" id="toc-00060">00060</a></li>
 <li><a href="#00061" id="toc-00061">00061</a></li>
 <li><a href="#00062" id="toc-00062">00062</a></li>
+<li><a href="#00063" id="toc-00063">00063</a></li>
 </ul></li>
 <li><a href="#spoilers" id="toc-spoilers">Spoilers</a></li>
 <li><a href="#acknowledgements"
@@ -362,11 +363,11 @@ into the <a href="#current-story">current story arc</a>.</p>
 you can <a href="https://tilde.town/~dozens/quest/rss.xml">subscribe to
 the rss feed</a>.</p>
 <h2 id="stats">Stats</h2>
-<p>Total length: 80312 words / 343 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
+<p>Total length: 81317 words / 347 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
 length of this entire page, including all the extra bits and bobs. Not
 just the story.)</p>
-<p>There have been 217 messages posted over 215 days since the first
+<p>There have been 221 messages posted over 217 days since the first
-post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.00.</p>
+post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.01.</p>
 <h2 id="chapter-1">Chapter 1</h2>
 <p>This is the first installment of BASEMENT QUEST.</p>
 <p>Jump to: <a href="#00001">1</a> <a href="#00002">2</a> <a
@@ -6633,6 +6634,102 @@ rainbow colored light crackling along the inside illuminating very
 little of the smoke-filled interior.</p>
 <p>“What is it you seek from Dude 215R?”</p>
 <p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
+<h3 id="00063">00063</h3>
+<blockquote>
+<p>“Greetings, Great One.” Inky bows, back parallel to the ground while
+they stand on the branch, now a humanoid child in a black uniform and
+matching bookbag hanging under one arm. The banana boat is nowhere in
+sight. Fuko follows her errant charge and the cloaked figure from a
+nearby branch.</p>
+<p>“This lowly one wonders if they may be permitted to seek the Great
+Spirit’s insight, whose wisdom endures before and beyond.” Inky begins,
+staring down the blurry reflection of silver boughs overhead on the
+polished toes of their black shoes. They notice idly they do not see
+themselves in the reflection.</p>
+<p>Straightening from the bow, they look up at the figure and hold out a
+plate of taiyaki. After a moment, the child asks haltingly, “There may
+come a day when this one will be asked to choose between the chance to
+protect many and that which they desire to protect most. Should this one
+choose equally? Will the choice matter if both paths eventually lead to
+destruction? Could destruction and salvation be two sides of the same
+coin?”</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>You and the Dude are sitting in small upholstered chairs, across a
+small half table from each other. There is a large sticky bun on a white
+lacy doily on the table. Next to you is a small portal-sized window, and
+outside you can see green rolling hills and small copses of trees fly
+by. The other seats on the small train car are all empty. The two of you
+are alone.</p>
+<p>“I cannot give you advice,” the Dude says. “But I can offer you
+experience.”</p>
+<p>They raise a hand and hold a loosely closed fist out over the table.
+The walls of the train become fuzzy and blurry, then translucent, and
+finally transparent. They disappear and you have the sensation of
+rocketing through space at dizzying speeds.</p>
+<p>The track splits ahead you. To one side, bound to one track is that
+which you desire to protect most. Bound to the other are the many.</p>
+<p>“You can choose safely here. It’s just a dream, after all.” The Dude
+opens their fist. The Twenty-one Fiver coin rests in their palm. “Heads,
+you steer the train into the many, sparing that which you love most.
+Tails, the opposite. You spare the many, and sacrifice that which you
+hold dear.” They hold the coin out to you.</p>
+<p>The train barrels toward the fork. “But choose quickly, lest the
+choice be made for you.”</p>
+<blockquote>
+<p>Alex scrambles from the wreckage of his mech, or what remained from
+the gore portal he’d just experienced. The thought of what had occurred
+made him grimace, which was an unusual state of affairs for an octopus,
+that is until Alex realized he seemed to be back in his own body.</p>
+<p>“Sunset, or perhaps rise? It’s hard to tell. Pretty though.. could be
+prettier without the creepy knife dude.” Alex mutters to himself while
+he rummages through the destroyed cockpit of the mech. He makes quick
+work, detaches a side panel, pulls a couple of wires, and a compartment
+in the back opens revealing the smooth dark blue metal and wood grain of
+an ak74u sub machine gun. Amused Alex pulls the weapon from the
+compartment and notices a distinct lack of additional magazines, just
+the one large drum attached to the weapon with large red letters
+emblazoned on it [INFINITE AMMO]. “Neat.”</p>
+<p>Alex pulls himself from the wreck, and jumps down behind one of the
+fallen tentacles taking a firing position behind cover, ak74u aimed down
+range at the faceless figure.</p>
+<p>“I don’t know who you are, but I don’t trust anyone who approaches
+with a weapon. Let’s both stand down and talk this through! I’m not
+supposed to be here, and I reckon you don’t want me here either. I’d be
+happy to oblige and skidaddle if you’d be so kind as to point the way
+out!” Alex pauses waiting for a reply.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<p>The tall figure halts a short distance away. It raises a hand and
+waves. In greeting? Surrender? In a fluid motion it continues to lift
+the same hand and grabs a hold of its trunk, a little less than a foot
+from the tip. It squeezes its fist tightly and the tip begins to swell.
+It raises its other hand, and the knife, and starts to saw into the
+flesh of the trunk behind its fist. The blade cuts cleanly as though
+through a loaf of bread. There is no blood or gore.</p>
+<p>When the creature lowers its hand, you can see that the center of the
+trunk is a solid, bright pink fleshy material like a grapefruit, in the
+center of which are two pin-prick eyes and a wide thin gash of a
+mouth.</p>
+<p>It still holds the tip of its severed trunk in its hand, a thin stalk
+and a bulging cap looking for all the world like a large white button
+mushroom. Peering up from the stem of the mushroom, an identical pink
+face regards you stoically.</p>
+<p>Both faces speak at the exact same time, one high pitched and one a
+deep baritone. “Welcome, Dreamer, to Ousia, the Sea of Dreams. We are
+Kasutva.”</p>
+<p>Big Kasutva stoops down to set the small mushroom Kasutva down on the
+ground. If they’re both Kasutva, that is. If that’s the way their
+biology and sense of self actually works. Mushroom Kasutva wobbles side
+to side a little bit and waggles its stalk as it looks around. Big
+Kasutva places its knife back in its satchel and takes a few small steps
+closer to you.</p>
+<p>“We did not mean to offend you,” the two say, still perfectly in
+sync. “As for the way out, that depends only somewhat on your
+destination. Whatever the answer, we can assure you that it lies across
+the sea.” Large Kasutva gestures broadly toward the expanse of ocean.
+Small Kasutva lacks any limbs and cannot gesture, but smiles softly at
+you.</p>
+<p>“But tell us what it is you seek. Perhaps we can be of help.”</p>
+<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
 <h2 id="spoilers">Spoilers</h2>
 <details>
 <summary>