Little Mushroom

You are a mushroom. > [[I am a mushroom.]]

Your goal is to cultivate into a human form. > [[My goal is to cultivate into a human form.]]

Why is this your goal? > [[I don't know. It just feels right.]]

Can you feel that? > [[Feel what?]] > [[I can.]]

Try to focus on //you//. On what's around you. On your little mushroom body. Your stalk, your cap, your roots -- your hyphae. Can you feel it now? > [[I can.]]

What is it? > [[It's kind of ticklish, near my stalk.]] > [[It's wet, on my cap.]] > [[It's scratchy, but only on one side.]] > [[Ouch!]]

(colour: red) [''You're a dead mushroom.''] Well, that didn't last very long. Let's try again, shall we? [[Sounds good.->Start]]

I believe that's called grass. That means you're a common, soil-bound mushroom. > [[I'm uncommonly cute though, right?]] > [[Hm, that doesn't sound right. I think I was feeling something else.->I can.]]

I believe that's called rain. That means you're in a forest. You must be some kind of wild mushroom. > [[Neat!]] > [[ Hm, that doesn't sound right. I think I was feeling something else.->I can.]]

I believe that's called a tree. That means you're some kind of bracket or shelf fungi, growing off the side of a tree. > [[That sounds right.]] > [[Hm, that doesn't sound right. I think I was feeling something else.->I can.]]

{(set: $wild to true) (set: $home to 'forest')} \ Exciting! Wild mushrooms can have some of the most unique appearances. If you try hard enough, we can find out what you look like, little mushroom. Here's what we know about you so far: (display: "PersonalInfo") > [[Let's continue, shall we?]]

{(set: $bracket to true) (set: $home to 'bark')} \ I wonder what tree you live on... If you try hard enough, we should be able to find out. Then we can know exactly what type of mushroom you are. Here's what we know about you so far: (display: "PersonalInfo") > [[Let's continue, shall we?]]

{(set: $common to true) (set: $home to 'grass')} \ Oh, the very cutest mushroom! If you try hard enough, you might even be able to figure out what you look like. Here's what we know about you so far: (display: "PersonalInfo") > [[Let's continue, shall we?]]

(if: $wild is true)[– I'm a wild mushroom!] (if: $home is 'forest')[I live in a forest!](if: $common is true)[– I'm a common mushroom!] (if: $home is 'grass')[I live somewhere grassy!](if: $bracket is true)[– I'm a bracket mushroom!] (if: $home is 'bark')[I live on a tree or log (ooh, or maybe a stump)!]

(text-size: 0.8)[(display: "PersonalInfo1") \ (display: "PersonalInfo2") \ (display: "PersonalInfo3") \ (display: "PersonalInfo4") \ (display: "PersonalInfo5") \ (display: "PersonalInfo6")]

Now, I'm not an expert on mushrooms cultivating human forms, despite what you may think. There's no manual or checklist for this. But I feel like you should start with trying to focus on the energy around you. You need to focus on your (colour:green)[mycelium]. > [[My what?]]

That's your //actual// self. Your structure, the part of you that connects to the world around you, in the {(if: $home is 'forest')[forest you live in](else-if: $home is 'grass')[soil and grass](else: )[tree or log you live on]}. Your millions of hyphae, those slender and entangled threads that you use to soak up water and nutrients. Focus on that. Reach your awareness all the way to the ends of them, where they're buried, //what// they're buried in, and then beyond. Stretch out into the world around you. What does it feel like? > [[Reach out.]]

You send your awareness out in a million directions, following the hyaline threads to their very ends. {(if: $home is 'forest')[You can feel... soil. Maybe some kind of moss. A //lot// of dead leaves, wow. The rain feels nice.] (else-if: $home is 'grass')[You reach out beyond the soil and swaying grass. There's some dead leaves half-decayed around you. The breeze feels nice.] (else: )[You're buried much further into the trunk than you thought, far deeper than just the scratchy bark. You feel nice and secure.]} And then suddenly, you can feel an abundance of //life//. > [[What is this?]]

Bugs. A //lot// of bugs. A whole colony of ants and beetles and aphids and ladybugs. Oh, that one's flapping, it must be a moth! How cool would it be to have wings and just fly away? > [[Stay on track!]]

Oops, you got distracted. Anyway, back to the bugs and stuff. > [[Back to the bugs and stuff.]]

There's a whole lot of them. Some are microscopically small, and others are almost as large as you are. Hey – you're bigger than a bug! That's progress. > [[Yay!]]

So, focus on the world around you. The bugs, the (if: $wild or $common is true)[soil and dead leaves](else: )[wood]; feel the wind and the (if: $common or $bracket is true)[sunshine filtering down onto you](else: )[gentle pattering of raindrops]. You're a living creature, just like everything around you, and everything is connected and bursting with energy and nutrients and life and decay. Tap into it, allow it to be siphoned up through your hyphae, into your vast mycelium structure. Let it strengthen and nurture you. > [[This feels great!]] > [[But what if some other creature needs this energy more than me?]]

{(set: $qilevel to 1) \ (set: $qireport to(font:"Courier New")+(text-size:0.8))} \ It's going to take a while for you to get enough of this life energy to do anything with it. For now, you're just going to keep cycling it through your system, strengthening you while you build up a tiny little wellspring of power. Once you have enough of it, you can begin to solidify it into something that can be used. > [[Let's go, mushroom meditation!]] $qireport[Current energy levels: (display: "Qi")]

Don't worry, you're not taking away any resources or sucking the life out of anything. You're just redirecting energy your way, and this kind of ambient life energy pervades through everything, and is infinite as long as the earth still has life. Just allow your little mushroom self to absorb this energy. > [[Okie dokie, lets absorb away.->This feels great!]]

{(if: $qilevel is 0)+(colour:red)[You've run out of energy entirely!] \ (if: $qilevel is 1)+(colour:orange)[You have a miniscule amount of energy. Keep going!] \ (if: $qilevel is 2)+(colour:yellow)[You've got a small amount of energy.] \ (if: $qilevel is 3)+(colour:green)[You have a middling amount of energy.] \ (if: $qilevel is 4)+(colour:blue)[You've got a good amount of energy!] \ (if: $qilevel is 5)+(colour:purple)[You're full of energy!] \ (if: $qilevel >= 6)+(colour:yellow)+(text-style:"smear")[You're positively bursting with energy, whoa!]}

Breathe in, (at least as much as a mushroom can) and... > [[...breathe out.]]

https://twine2.neocities.org/#macro_set:~:text=this)%5B%5D.-,Alternatives,-%3A type: wild, home: forest * vermillion waxcap $waxcap (pretty, tiny, wild) y * blue pinkgill $pinkgill (pretty, wild) y * lilac bonnet $bonnet (bioluminescent, tiny, wild) y type: common, home: grass * fly agaric $amanita (dangerous, pretty, common) n * death cap $deathcap (dangerous, common) y * parrot toadstool $parrot (pretty, tiny, common) y type: bracket, home: bark * black tooth $blacktooth (stealth, bracket) -- tree y * snow fungus $snow (lovely, bracket) -- log n * psilocybin $psilocybin (dangerous, tiny, bracket) y

(set: $qilevel to 6) \ (colour:yellow)+(text-style:"smear")[You're positively bursting with energy, whoa!] With this much energy, you can definitely start doing some funky new mushroom stuff. But first, how about we look back at //you//? Focus on your sporophore – that's the part of you that looks like a mushroom, the bit that sticks up above ground, that feels the wind and sunshine and rain. What are you like? > [[I'm... kinda tiny.]] > [[I'm bigger than I expected.]] (set: $qireport to(font:"Courier New")+(text-size:0.8))

(set: $tiny to true) \ Aww, you're so cute! But being small can be a good thing – you can easily hide from predators, and once you can move around, it won't take up as much energy. What else can you figure out about yourself? > [[I think I'm... REALLY CLOSE TO A BIRD, AAAA!!!]]

(set: $tiny to false) \ Ho, ho! `(¬‿¬ )` That's good, it means you'll be strong and sturdy. What else can you figure out about yourself? > [[I think I'm... REALLY CLOSE TO A BIRD, AAAA!!!]]

(if: $tiny is true)[ – I'm a very little mushroom `[2x movement distance, 0.5x energy use]`](if: $tiny is false)[ – I'm a big, sturdy mushroom `[0.5x damage taken]`]

It's okay, little mushroom, remain calm! Deep breaths! (Well, metaphorically, since you're a mushroom without lungs with which to breathe.) What is the bird doing? > [[It's getting closer! Help!]] (if: $bracket is true and $tiny is true)[> [[No, seriously, it's getting way too close!->PsiloAlt]]](else-if: $bracket is true and $tiny is false)[> [[No, seriously, it's getting way too close!->It's getting closer! Help!]]](else: )[> [[No, seriously, it's getting way too close!->False alarm]]]

I can't do anything to help, remember, I'm just a disembodied entity. You're full of power now, though. What do you want to do with it? > [[Get away from here!]] (if: $common is true and $tiny is true)[>[[Conserve your energy and wait.->False alarm]]](else-if: $bracket is true and $tiny is false)[> [[Conserve your energy and wait.->BracketAlt]]](else: )[> [[Conserve your energy and wait.]]]

(set: $pretty to true) \ Wait, it seems to be... avoiding you? Purposefully? Oh, that must mean you're (colour:red)[aposematic]! That means you're colourful to warn off predators. > [[So... I'm pretty~? ♡]]

Nothing like a bit of a life-threatening experience to learn new skills! Now, you're a mushroom, so you don't have feet or fins or wings, but what you //do// have, is a seriously big network of hyphae that sprawl all (if: $home is 'bark')[over your tree](else: )[throughout your soil]. Use your stored up energy to shift your main mass of mycelium to somewhere else in your hyphae network. That way you can move your body to anywhere your hyphae are rooted within. > [[It's time to be the world's first locomotory mushroom!]]

That seems like a smart move. Maybe it's a bird that hates mushrooms! (text-style:"shudder")[(colour:red)[''OUCH!'']] ...Or maybe not. Did it just bite you? > [[Yes, it bit me. `(ಥ﹏ಥ)`]]

(set: $hurt to true) \ Don't panic, you have enough energy to heal yourself. But... what's happening with that bird? > [[I don't know, I'm a mushroom, not a bird expert!]]

(set: $dangerous to true) \ The bird seems to be sick or something? Wow, I didn't even know birds could vomit like that. I thought they just kinda politely regurgitated food for their young. Oh well, at least it's gone now. Hey, this must mean you're some kind of dangerous mushroom! Maybe you're poisonous, or hallucinogenic? > [[Nice.]]

But that doesn't mean you aren't hurt. (if: $tiny is true)[You're quite small, so a big chunk was taken out of you. It'll take a bit more energy to heal yourself up. (set: $qilevel to it - 1)](else: )[Thankfully, you're a bigger mushroom, so the bird didn't do much damage, and it'll be a breeze to heal yourself up. (set: $qilevel to it - 0.5)] Try to focus that stored up energy you have onto the part of you that's injured. (set: $healer to true)(set: $hurt to false) > [[*mushroom exertion noises*]]

You get the heck outta there! (text-style:"rumble")[`─=≡ε┌(;・ω・)┘`] (if: $tiny is true)[It takes a bit of energy, but not as much as it would if you were a bigger mushroom.(set: $qilevel to it - 1)] \ (else: )[It takes some energy, but you manage to shift your main body out of the clutches of this evil, evil bird.(set: $qilevel to it - 2)] The unexpected movement of a mushroom (if: $home is 'bark')[sliding swiftly across the bark](else-if: $home is 'grass')[rapidly scooching away through the grass](else: )[parting the leaf litter on the ground as it quickly scuttles away] startles the bird into squawking and taking off. (set: $speedy to true) You're safe, if a little tired. > [[Phew.]] $qireport[Current energy levels: (display: "Qi")]

Now that you're out of danger, it's probably time to rest. You've learned some handy new skills today! What do we know about you now? (display: "PersonalInfo") I think we're getting closer to finding out what kind of mushroom you are! > [[I need to rest now, though.]]

(if: $dangerous is true)[ – It's a bad idea to try and eat me!]

(set: $stealth to false) \ You're as good as new, if a little weary. Now that you're out of danger, it's probably time to rest. You've learned some handy new skills today! What do we know about you now? (display: "PersonalInfo") I think we're getting closer to finding out what kind of mushroom you are! > [[I need to rest now, though.]] $qireport[Current energy levels: (display: "Qi")] (if: $common is true and $dangerous is true)[(set: $deathcap to true)] (if: $bracket is true and $tiny is true and $dangerous is true)[(set: $psilocybin to true)]

(if: $speedy is true)[ – I'm a speedy mushroom `[2x movement speed]`](if: $healer is true)[ – I'm good at healing my injuries `[increased healing capacity]`]

That's true, you've had a very long day full of exciting and terrifying new experiences for such a wee little mushie! Wanna put your cap down somewhere soft? {(if: $speedy is true)[> [[Maybe I should move to a more secure location first...]]]} > [[It's sleepy time for this fun-(but tired)-gi!->Honk shoo mimimi.]]

{(t8n: "fade-right")+(transition-time: 5s)[(align:"=><=")[listen to the sound of the wind rushing past]]} {(after: 2s)+(t8n: "fade-down")+(transition-time: 5s)[(colour: blue)+(align:"=><=")[listen to the rain gently fall]]} {(after: 5s)+(t8n: "fade-left")+(transition-time: 5s)[(colour: green)+(align:"=><=")[listen to the rustling of the leaves]]} (set: $qilevel to 2) (after: 8s)+(t8n: "fade")+(transition-time: 5s)[(align:"=><=")[ [[continue meditating]] ]] {(after: 9s)+(t8n: "fade")+(transition-time: 5s)[(align:"=><=")+(colour: yellow)+(text-size:0.8)[You've got a small amount of energy.]]}

(align:"=><=")[feel the sun (t8n: "fade-up")+(transition-time:5s)[(colour: yellow)+(text-style:"smear")[rise]] and set again] (set: $qilevel to 3) (after: 5s)+(t8n: "fade")+(transition-time: 5s)[(align:"=><=")[ [[continue meditating->medcont2]] ]] {(after: 6s)+(t8n: "fade")+(transition-time: 5s)[(align:"=><=")+(colour: green)+(text-size:0.8)[You've got a middling amount of energy.]]}

(t8n: "fade-down")+(transition-time: 3s)[(align:"=><=")[witness]] (after: 1s)+(t8n: "fade-down")+(transition-time: 3s)[(align:"=><=")[the]] (after: 2s)+(t8n: "fade-down")+(transition-time: 3s)[(align:"=><=")[changing]] (after: 3s)+(t8n: "fade-down")+(transition-time: 3s)[(align:"=><=")[seasons]] (after: 5s)+(t8n: "fade")+(transition-time: 5s)[(align:"=><=")[[continue meditating->medcont3]]] (set: $qilevel to 4) \ {(after: 6s)+(t8n: "fade")+(transition-time: 5s)[(align:"=><=")+(colour: blue)+(text-size:0.8)[You've got a good amount of energy.]]}

(t8n: "fade")+(transition-time: 5s)[(align:"=><=")[the world is so vast and full of]] (after: 1s)[{(t8n:"dissolve")+(transition-time: 5s)+(align:"=><=")[(colour:blue)+(text-style:"smear")[life]]}] (after: 5s)+(t8n: "fade")+(transition-time: 5s)[(align:"=><=")[[continue meditating->You've done it!]]] (set: $qilevel to 5) \ {(after: 6s)+(t8n: "fade")+(transition-time: 5s)[(align:"=><=")+(colour: purple)+(text-size:0.8)[You're full of energy!]]}

(if: $pretty is true)[ – I'm very pretty ♡ `[certain predators may avoid you]`]

The prettiest mushroom this side of the {(if: $bracket is true)[log](else-if: $common is true)[meadow](else: )[forest]}! And this certainly helps us narrow down the kind of mushroom you are. However, not all animals may be smart enough or have the colour receptors necessary to avoid you. We should figure out a new skill for you to learn. > [[Movement!]] > [[Healing!]] (if: $wild is true and $tiny is true and $pretty is true)[(set: $waxcap to true)] (if: $wild is true and $pretty is true and $tiny is false)[(set: $pinkgill to true)] (if: $common is true and $pretty is true and $tiny is true)[(set: $parrot to true)]

Very smart – you can't get hurt if they can't catch you! Now, you're a mushroom, so you don't have feet or fins or wings, but what you //do// have, is a seriously big network of hyphae that sprawl all (if: $home is 'bark')[over your tree](else: )[throughout your soil]. Use your stored up energy to shift your main mass of mycelium to somewhere else in your hyphae network. That way you can move your body to anywhere your hyphae are rooted within. > [[*mushroom exertion noises*->Move]]

That's a good idea, but maybe we should figure out how to get you moving //first//. It's better to prioritise getting yourself rapidly out of danger, wouldn't you say? > [[Yeah, true.]]

TBC

That sounds like a good idea. Is there anywhere nearby you can sense that you could move to? > [[Let's not go too far, I just want to get under cover.]] > [[I kinda like the look of that cave.]]

(if: $bracket is true and $tiny is false)[(set: $stealth to true)] \ There's some conveniently dense leaf litter you can hide yourself beneath to snooze the night away. > [[Leaf blanket! Leaf blanket! Leaf blanket!]]

{(if: $tiny is true and $wild is true)[(set: $bioluminescent to true)]} \ You're going to be the world's first spelunking mushroom! Just don't expend too much energy exploring. And make sure you do not answer (colour: red)+(text-style:"outline")[''the cave's call'']. > [[`(º □ º )`...the what?]] (if: $bracket is true and $tiny is false)[(set: $snow to true)] (if: $snow is true)[(set: $home to 'log')]

Don't worry about it! > [[Okay ♡ Yay ♡]]

Anyway, you're in a cave now. (if: $bioluminescent is true)[> [[Hey, what's that light...?]]] \ (else: )[> [[Honk shoo mimimi.]]]

Goodnight, little mushroom, sweet dreams. > [[Sleep->Sleep1]]

(display: "Sleep") (after:6s)[(t8n:"fade")+(transition-time:5s)[> [[Wake up.->Wake1]]]]

Why is the image of a mushroom snoozing beneath a leaf blanket so cute??? (if: $stealth is true)[Hey, you blend in to this darkness weirdly well. You must be some kind of edgy, gothic mushroom.]\ Anyway, time to sleep! > [[Honk shoo mimimi.]] (if: $bracket is true and $tiny is false and $stealth is true)[(set: $blacktooth to true)] (if: $blacktooth is true)[(set: $home to 'tree')]

It's... you? Whoa, little buddy, you're positively (colour: #9c88f7)+(text-style:"smear")[glowing!] You're bioluminescent! > [[Neat! But how am I meant to sleep now?]]

(if: $stealth is true)[ – I blend into the shadows `[more effective stealth]`] \ (if: $bioluminescent is true)[ – I glow in the dark! `[darkness is no issue]`]

I'm sure you can use your newfound mushroom powers to dim or brighten your inner light at will! Why don't you give it a go now? > (text-style:"smear")+(colour: #343536)[[Dim the lights.->Honk shoo mimimi.]]

(set: $wild to true, $tiny to true, $dangerous to true, $speedy to true, $pretty to true, $bioluminescent to true) (display: "PersonalInfo")

TBC

(set: $qilevel to it + 1) \ (t8n: "fade")+(transition-time: 5s)[(colour: #064c91)+(text-style:"smear")[You get a good night's sleep.]] (after: 2s)[(t8n: "fade")+(transition-time: 5s)[(text-size:0.8)[Your energy levels are restored a little.]]] (after: 4s)[(t8n: "fade")+(transition-time:5s)[(text-size:0.8)[(display: "Qi")]]]

It's okay, calm down, just focus your energy into your– (after: 2s)[(text-style:"shudder")[(colour:red)[''OUCH!'']]] (after: 4s)[...] (after: 6s)[Did it just bite you?] (after: 8s)[> [[Yes, it bit me. `(ಥ﹏ಥ)`]]]

Not an option, it's about to attack! Move your metaphorical mushroom butt! > [[AAAAAAAAAAAAA `(>д<)`->Get away from here!]]

You're doing it! You're the world's first self-relocating mushroom! (if: $tiny is true)[Because you're small, it doesn't take up much energy, and you can move pretty far.](else: )[As a bigger mushroom, it takes a bit more energy to move, but you're sturdy and strong to make up for it.] Wow, the world really is your oyster now. > TBC (if: $tiny is true)[(set: $qilevel to it - 1)](else: )[(set: $qilevel to it - 2)] \ $qireport[Current energy levels: (display: "Qi")]