OPEN || Kinda Bug and Kinda Snack

[fractales]

Who: Turo & You!
Status: Open
Where: Snaxburg Island
What: Snaxburg Secrets MANTA Quest, exploring the town-sized island and taking everything in. Building up what is essentially a Snaxdex. Other shenanigans likely to ensue.(Prose or brackets, I'll match you)
Warnings: Will but any up as needed.

Exploration 🐞

A
[Really, this was just the thing to get into after properly resting after an incident last month -and fortunate he did rest, given the mess of things elsewhere- was to head to a newly discovered island. Even if on the smaller side, the rumored life there sounded absolutely fascinating, and reason there were several notebooks stashed away in his leather bag along with a few other items more meant for anyone else exploring he might stumble across as well.

Even the moment he started in, the darting sweetie flies of various kinds were eye catching, and carefully he was able to coax a glittering one that looked like rock candy on a stick to land on his hand.]

Well, you are magnificent little one.


B
[Turo had stopped to take pictures of a few Bugsnax that were marching along, a section which had fallen behind racing to catch up, when a rather glittering, brightly colored bugsnack practically leapt into view to strike a pose the moment the sound of the shellphone's camera had gone off. Rather excitedly as well.]

Oh. You... like attention?

[INSTA!] Ah, I see.

[This one would likely stay still enough for him to sketch out- even if it wasn't necessary, but easier to share like the pictures would be...]


Take It All In 🍔

[It hadn't really been too long into Turo's adventure before a couple of Bungers had taken to following after him. Bouncing along with every step, even rushing along as if to ensure a few more aggressive of their kind kept a distance.

More so when Turo had found a good place to sit that had so many varieties of them milling about so he could pull out one of the notebooks and start sketching a few groups amongst the pages that carried a few more individual pieces that had notes with them.

Even with a few of the somewhat larger Bugsnax flying around, almost at ease with his presence.

Even with things like Loaded Spuddies and a few Flapjackarak meandering around. Watching how they seemed to 'hunt' around here.]

Are you two not hungry?

[Bunger Bunger Bunger—]

Hm. If you are sure.


Wildcard! 🃏
[Bring your own take on a starter, or hit me up if you'd like me to write something a little more personalized ᓚᘏᗢ]

Comments

[yuezun]

They are... abundant.

[The island had a strange spiritual presence that made it difficult to sense the presence of the much smaller 'bugsnax' that lived upon it. But the sheer number of the creatures was obvious. They may have scattered, but that didn't mean he couldn't see where they hovered in the distance, their tiny minds certainly trying to decide how dangerous it was to return.]

They look akin to that island where meat 'grows'. Only more...

[He waved at them]

...'bug' than plant.

[fractales]

Incredibly so, along with the varieties there are even within those that are similiar.

[All of the 'Sweetie Flies', 'Sodies' and 'Bungers'; all the same sort of subspecies, but with their own in appearance and at times behavior. What could attract them. He could spend such a long time here studying them if left to his own devices for too long.]

Mm, and this island appears to have flowers which sprout a sauce-like substance that attracts them. Things like- cheese, chocolate, and some other condiments. I have never seen anything like them before.

[yuezun]

This world is often very strange.

[He muttered, eyeing bugs in the distance before turning his head to focus on the plants and see if he could spot the sauce-like substances Turo spoke of.]

It is if hundreds of minor realms have merged into the mortal realm. Forcing creatures and beings to live along side others they should never have mixed with. Each island like a realm unto itself.

[fractales]

Incredibly so, and very much how I would describe it as well. Perhaps it is very true that it is not only people, and other beings, that are pulled here as Riftfarers, but with all large it may be the pieces of land go more unnoticed- and perhaps add to ruins of old more natural to it.

[There was a chocolate sauce plant nearby sprouting from what looked like a patch of sandy soil. A plucked 'bulb' from the middle of a bloomed 'flower' would very much handle like a squeeze bottle in hand.]

Given the smaller size, this one shows some unlikely climates alongside each other- the other side seemed covered in snow, to some degree.

[yuezun]

[Fully 'cooked' or 'prepared' foods growing on plants were what just crossed the line as a little too strange and unnatural for Daqiang. Even immortals had to cook their food if they wanted to eat roast meats and indulge in chocolate sauce. In the same vein, eating living creatures was not unusual, but living creatures that were effectively some sort of cooked food? Perhaps if he were still entirely emotionless he would not care that he found it so off-putting. But for the time being, he simply couldn't ignore how the strange plants and animals made him feel.

He could, of course, still observe them and wander through them. The dragonfly like creatures - especially the rainbow-colored ones - might be something worth capturing and taking back to the barge for Orchid to enjoy looking at.]

We will have to visit that side. See if the climate is really so extreme.

[Considering Avaleci, it was entirely possible. But Avaleci was a much, much larger island.]

[fractales]

It is at least some walk away, given this island is walkable enough given its size. [Like it was its own little world, the size of it just one of the impossibilities presented in the existence.

Really, the creatures and all of that combined made this island absolutely fascinating- a few plants samples could likely coax a few of the creatures to follow along while giving their what was perhaps the majority of their 'food' supply.]

There are a few creatures there that are a bit more aggressive along that side, but are easy enough to side-step.

[yuezun]

Then let us walk.

[He said, moving off at an easy enough pace to follow that Turo - or most people, really - wouldn't have to strain to keep up.]

See how long it takes to get from one side to the other. Certainly that knowledge will be informative. Let us get the lay of the land before focusing on one place over another.

[Obviously Turo would have to be the one making notes on terrain, estimated distances, and climates as they wandered. Daqaing had his arms crossed and didn't seem inclined to uncross them and take up any sort of writing duty.]

[fractales]

[Walking and writing was something Turo was rather good at; without a word he was bringing a notebook to balance in hand along with one of the pens/pencils that he kept on his person. Fell easily into pace as well.

Walk, write, talk—]

Very much so, and one way to get a more exact measurement on the size of this island. Able to note the various plant life along with the interesting fauna.

So far it looks as if the more unique flora are those plants that produce... sauce.

[yuezun]

Their version of nectar, perhaps.

[Or pollen. Whatever it was that attracted bugs and birds to them to feed.]

Do you recognize anything as a variation on specific creatures or plants? The ones that are shaped like a dragonfly, this venerable one recognizes well enough. But many are... excessively strange... in appearance.

[fractales]

It could be- certain ones attracted to specific sauces and the like.

[Turo flipped back through his notebook a bit, nodding slowly-]

There are a few spider shaped ones, scorpions, types of beetles, centipedes, and a larger one that looked a bit like a- I believe they are called praying mantises? I do not doubt there are more than that as well.

[There were even- well, they looked like crabs. Apple slice crabs.]

[yuezun]

You will have to point these out. This venerable one has been having difficulty placing what some of them may resemble.

And what foods they may resemble, as well.

[Because there were many foods he was still unfamiliar with and he'd found that what were 'common' among many of the mortals of the world were simply unknown - or did not exist - in his.]

[fractales]

I will be glad to. Such as the dragon-fly ones that resemble various hard candies typically found on sticks that you likely saw earlier. I do not doubt you know what they looked like, but they were not typical lollipops- one was rock candy.

[The purple one- it had been the most eye catching to him, but the heart shaped and rainbow one was as well. Really, their different appearances had been eye-catching all together; even the one that looked like peppermint.]

They are very quick, but appear to enjoy resting on cooled stone surfaces.

[yuezun]

Rock candy? This venerable one thought they were tanghulu or tangren.

[Which were also sugar candies, but done in a distinctly different way from what he knew of lollipops and rock candy.]

Cooled stone is sensible. Warmed would melt them. If they are truly made of a similar substance and not merely sharing it's appearance.

[fractales]

Rock candy is made by allowing sugar to crystalize around the stick, and thus build up looking as if they were made of crystal -or rock- to be enjoyed as such. It can be made in various colors and flavors, but otherwise appear the same.

[He could pull upon a memory of it being a very fun 'experiment' for young children- and some adults alike f they wanted to try to get more creative with flavor and color. A simple treat.

Nodding along still- something that looked like a carrot inching along burrowed into the ground ahead of them.]

Which could only be tested by catching and dissecting- but I am not one in favor of catching only to kill for such experimenting. One already passed is different, but there has been so sign of bodies for them.

[yuezun]

[Rock candy was simply hardened sugar and nothing else? Interesting. He would have to seek some out and see if it was more satisfying for it's purity of sugar.]

This venerable one is also not in favor of that.

[Not that he was opposed to killing only to experiment. But more that he just didn't like the idea of touching them more than he had to and that included for dissection.]

Have you seen any of them kill each other? Larger bugs often prey on smaller ones.

[he was keeping his eyes out for signs of such fighting as they walked.]

[fractales]

[Likely something to be found on Eltrut in the areas that sold higher end goods- some could consider sugar a luxury item at times after all. Was likely t be in the same area Turo's now favorite bakery/pastry shop was.]

I have been looking after that- some of the do appear to at least mimic predatory natures and patterns. What I've yet to observe, despite catching prey, is one eating something they have caught. It's what puzzles me the most.

[There would be, just ahead of them, one large Picantis showing a clawed threat display towards another more territorial Snack with a shiny golden outer layering; ready to charge.]

[yuezun]

[With the threat display ongoing, Daqiang indicated that Turo should pause while they were far enough back to watch it without disturbing the bugs.

Just to be sure their presence wouldn't cause issue, he made the two of them invisible to all senses.]

You may speak, but do not move more than two full strides forward or we will no longer be invisible. This venerable one can only keep us hidden in this manner for a few minutes. let us not waste them.

[fractales]

Understood, and my thanks for this opportunity, Moon Supreme.

[Words fully meant, as usual, coming from Turo as he did just as told after pausing with that clear meaning for it.

It was rather clear that the preying mantis looking creature may have held some fear for the other the way it postured and swung claws while attempting to make itself bigger- but it didn't sway the golden wrapped Spuddy. Oh no.

The Spuddy fully charged at the Preying Picantis, knocking it off it's rock to be sent flying, hitting against one of the cacti close by as soil had given way to sand. It slid down into some oasis like pond after a bounce and- panic ensued as it tried to scramble out of the water, hissing all the while, the Spuddy simply wandering off.

A surprise came when the Picantis exploded- and from it flew a large moth-like creature, a panicking worm-like one that burrowed into the sand, and then two six-legged creatures which scurried off.]

... It... broke into smaller separate creatures.

[Oh, he was getting all of this down in his notebook quickly, despite how very strange that was.]

[yuezun]

[That was definitely unnatural. And implied that either all the creatures were made up of others, or that attempting to kill them would only result in their multiplying.

Daqiang made them visible once more. He really could only hold it for a few minutes a day and any time he could save the better.]

The implications of that are... concerning.

[fractales]

Very much so- it's also something rather incredible in the implications that at least those larger ones are somehow made up of several smaller creatures joined together.

[Writing it all down even as he spoke, Turo quick to sketch up images of the pieces that had scattered, run off. An easier way for something capable of knocking it apart so it could- what? Feed on them? Scatter them off to claim its territory?

The Spuddy seemed to be pleased with itself at least, meandering off past the rock the Picantis had been on.]

Multiple creatures that combine and create one larger one. Are they more amorphous in nature, but able to fuse together in whatever shape they have taken- making them at least something more than what they appear.

[yuezun]

Observe as much as you can, but avoid touching what you do not have to.

[An order. Turo was certain to have already intended to do such, but now Daqiang wanted to know what other oddities these creatures had in case they were equally suspicious. When something is injured and dying, it should die, not scatter into multiple other creatures that looked nothing like the original.]

This venerable one will return to the ship and inform the sailing crew to avoid the creatures until we know more. We should not risk an infestation should one be injured and similarly transform itself.

[fractales]

Of course.

[A nod of his head that was a partial bow of it- these creatures had certainly crossed into something more than mere curiosity if it was possible that their form was- unstable? No, that didn't seem the right word for it. There was still mimicry at play, but what they were made up of-

Could only liken it to something of a Ditto almost, but that likely didn't cover it all either.]

I will make as thorough of a report as I can, more so than I was already planning to with this discovery, and agree that it is much better to be safe. Care will be put into finding anything further as I go.