Preview: Friend Shaped (Patreon)

Pocket knife. Monocular. Water bottle. Phone and solar charger. Maybe... half a baggie of trail mix. Not what I would have packed if I knew I was going to another planet today. Even if I did, I would have tried to get silly things like a space suit and a fancy flag. But instead of a rocket, I fell into a hole that didn't have a bottom.

I was going on a nature hike, and not even a very long one. The pocket knife came along out of sheer habit. You never know when you might need a knife for something, especially when out on the trail. The monocular is basically a modern spyglass, and I wish every day that they could collapse like the ones pirates used to use. It just looks so satisfying to close up with a clack. Great for looking at chipmunks and birds.

The water and food were only because it's a good idea to have both when out on the trail. Not that I'd get lost, I've gone down this trail countless times in my life. It's well worn enough that I didn't even bother bringing a gun. While there's large things like bears and cougars in the area, the trail is too well used for them to stay anywhere near.

So, I was walking down the trail, enjoying the cool fall air, when I spotted something shiny off the trail. I grumbled to myself as I went off after it, thinking it was a bag of chips or something that someone had littered. Turns out, that's exactly what it was. It was there, on a branch on a pine, just out of my reach. I looked around for something to grab it with, spotted a fallen branch a few yard away, and went over to get it.

And the ground opened up beneath me.

I thought it was a sinkhole. The ground seemed stable just a minute before, and then it just gave away. I'd never heard of any sinkholes in the area, but surely that'd be a more reasonable explanation than a portal to another world, right?

Analyzing...

Yeah... that's another good hint I'm not in Kansas anymore. Not that I started there, but you know. The trees around here have needles instead of leaves, but the air feels more like mid-spring than late fall. Not to mention the sun looks to be a light blue and a lot smaller, and I can see what looks a lot like Jupiter dominating the space past the horizon.

Analyzing...

I agree, definitely not home. Which means I should probably stand up, dust myself off, and hope following a river will lead me to some sort of civilization. Now I just need to find a river. As I walk, I start noticing that what I thought were flowers were actually just the leaves. There's not much green around, but a lot of orange foliage instead. It makes me wonder if it really is fall here, but orange needles on the trees makes me doubtful. They're evergreen, they don't change color and fall off.

I guess they're everorange here.

It throws off my sense of what to avoid, that's for sure. I recognize a lot of shapes and broad species, but the colors are off. If I took a black and white photo of this place, I probably wouldn't think anything was weird. I even pull out my phone and do just that, noting I still don't have any bars of signal. Doubt that's going to change. I turn it off and stuff it back in my pocket for now. It's basically just a digital camera now. I have a few games, but they all require a connection, and my solar charger isn't exactly designed to let me game on it. It's the sort of thing that's there to give me a trickle of charge so I can try to make a call if I actually get lost.

I try to stick to the shade as I go, which isn't too difficult with the dense conifer forest I'm in. I've got a good tan from all the hiking I do, but I don't know if it'll stand up to a different sun. Best not to take a chance, if I can help it.

I spot movement and freeze, slowly looking up into the tree. What even is that? It looks like a sort of bird, but something feels off about it. I check it with the monocular, and even getting a good look, it takes me a few seconds to realize what's wrong. Those are leaves, not feathers. Before I can investigate, it takes back to the air, leaving me with more questions than answers.

Analyzing...

I wonder how long that's going to keep up? It makes me wonder if it's stuck, and if I'll be in trouble if it is. I can't kick it or call my brother to ask how to fix it, so I'll just try to ignore it and find a river.

It takes me a couple hours, which lets me spot more examples of local wildlife, including a ground squirrel that appears to be made of actual ground, before I notice the underbrush getting a bit thicker. Usually a good sign of water not far away. The sounds of frogs is also encouraging. After a few more minutes, I find a large pond with large frogs. Or maybe toads. I forget the actual difference.

I'm not going to be filling my water bottle here, but it seems like a good enough place to take a break. There's a log that's not too moss-covered, so I take a seat and look out over the pond as I take a drink. I watch them through the monocular as I snack and sip. I'm pretty sure they're mostly toads. Frogs are usually less chunky than these are. They're also usually a lot smaller. The toads are about as big as a cat. I always liked toads and frogs... most critters, really. That's why I got the monocular, so I can get a better look at them without disturbing them. Sometimes a critter will get close, curious about me as I am of them, and those are always the best times on the trail.

I'm not sure about this one that's approaching me, though. Amphibians aren't really known for their curiosity. Usually, if they're after something, they're after a meal. And this one looks like it could be after me, in its slow toad way.

If it were more than one eying me up, I'd already be gone. No way a single one can actually hurt me, right? Still, I decide to relocate a bit further from the pond, but the toad continues to walk in my direction. It's not acting aggressively, at least. No puffing up, no stomping, no open mouth, no ribbits or croaks. But it might not need all that, as I can see the foliage curling and quietly smoking in its wake.

It looks like what I took as slime on its skin may be some kind of poison or acid? I don't think they all have that, otherwise the pond wouldn't be so green... or orange, I suppose. Maybe there's two types, and they cancel each other out? Either way, I don't want this one getting too close.

I could run, but it's still something interesting that I'd like to get a better look at. Just through the monocular. Maybe I can throw something at it and make it go away? I fish a nut out of the mix and toss it at the toad, hoping to scare it off, only for it to snatch it out of the air and eat it. At least it stopped chasing me. It's still looking at me, though.

I toss another nut at it, and just like the first, it gets eaten. The toad also looks pretty pleased with itself. It tucks its legs beneath it and mostly closes its eyes, puffing up its throat a bit, looking quite content. I toss it another nut, and it eats that, too. Then I hear a chime in my head.

Analysis complete! Class assigned: Monster Collector!

Quest assigned: Tame a Monster!

Quest Complete: Tame a Monster!

Level Gained!

Quest Assigned: Send a Monster to the Menagerie!

Excuse me? The weird windows don't offer any explanation, though the new one floating over the toad offers a few hints. The window labels it a Wilting Toad, and describes it as a toad with a very weak acid affinity. I don't think I want to touch it, and I don't want to meet something with a strong acid affinity, either. This one already wilts plants. I don't want to see something that can do that to me.

This one doesn't seem inclined for that, at least not any more. I'm still not sure if it wanted a bite of me, or if it was after the trailmix. It seemed to like the nuts well enough. Enough that it apparently sees me as its master or something? As cute as it looks, all contentedly puffed like that, I don't think I should just let it follow me around. It'll leave a trail coming right to us, for one. Sure, that'd make it easier for someone to find us, but if a simple toad can do something like that, what would a weird magic bobcat do?

Alright weird windows, what's a menagerie, and how do I send the toad to it?

Send Wilting Toad to the Menagerie?

It's that simple? Yes please. With that thought, a small white portal swirls into existence by the toad, and it hops through. The portal shuts, and I can feel something at the back of my mind.

Quest Complete: Send a Monster to the Menagerie!

Quest Assigned: Visit the Menagerie!

"How will I get back..." I muse aloud, wondering if I should keep trusting these windows. They haven't steered me wrong yet, but things are definitely weird here. I think I'll deal with that quest later.

For now, I want to get a few more hours of hiking before I have to settle in to make camp. I might be able to camp in whatever the Menagerie is, but I get the feeling only monsters are allowed to stay in there for very long. Either way, I'll figure it out once I make or find some sort of shelter. I've been through one portal already, today. I'd rather not make a habit of it.