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 Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2025 2:13 pm
Quote: Winter Apples (10) : Whereas most trees have already lost their leaves and stand barren in the winter months, these trees are still a lively green and don't seem affected at all. The most interesting thing about these trees isn't their color--it's the sudden fruit that has appeared on them. A few days after the first snowfall, little apples began to grow--small, bright red. They range in size from berries to plums--but taste like the sweetest apple you've ever sampled. They're all over the city, and the harvest is bountiful; more appear after every snowfall. There's just one catch--eat too many, or eat the wrong one--and you're out cold. Every apple risks drowsiness, fatigue, and even unconsciousness that can last for a few hours up to a day. If you're looking for a sweet treat and a good nap, you've come to the right place. Just make sure you're somewhere comfortable first. Going out without his fuku was a new experience, but with that little item that helped him blend in, he felt that things might go a bit smoother when meeting humans. It was still odd that his ears and tail were gone. Looking in the mirror, he felt less expressive without them, but then again, humans didn't have them either. The walk through the forest had him a bit anxious, looking around for any sign of something following him or looking to attack. It hadn't happened since that first time, but he took Antisana's warning to heart about things coming close to the home. The borrowed coat and bag he had felt way too large, but it did help him keep warm as he trudged through the snow. As he dipped out of the thick of the treeline, he noticed some lights hanging from other snow-covered trees and the odd human walking around looking up at the decorations. One tree stuck out to him, one that seemed to offer fruit even in this cold weather. Basil found himself amazed by it, walking up to the tree and looking up at the red fruits that dangled from its branches. Just out of reach for him, even as he stood on his tiptoes to try and reach. So he decided to look around, seeing if someone taller might help or if he could ask about the oddity.
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Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2025 1:31 pm
Nataniel was not someone who would meander about in the cold for his own enjoyment. For all the people that complained about how winter was a cold, depressing season, he found that the shorter days didn't disturb him as much as they did other people. He welcomed the socially acceptable excuse of 'cold, bad weather, dark' to stay inside and mind his own business. If he had his way, he'd be happy to be a hermit and barely go out at all. 'Tis the season- to snuggle in bed with his fiancé all day. ...However. Things were rarely so simple, and against his personal desires, he did have to go out nearly every day. For work, Other Work, supplies, pleasantries, etc etc... If he was any less frugal, he would have groceries delivered and would DoorDash nearly every meal. But Nataniel didn't like change, and he'd never used such services before. And if he was going to hide inside as often as possible, he needed to take such measures to get appropriate exercise, anyway. A pho place was near enough to the home he shared with Basyl to walk to, and had suitable options for both of their tastes. He was on his way home, head tucked against the chill breeze, when Nataniel just happened- to look up his phone and see... what had to be the greenest tree in all of existence. The pines were gray by comparison. A very small selection of others had also stopped to marvel, and it was only morbid curiosity that led Nataniel to step closer, up to the side of a smaller green-haired boy. He reached up to pluck the- apple?- from the tree that the boy reached for and studied it with a curious expression. It was smaller than he might've expected, and firmer. But it otherwise looked like a pretty good fruit. Except that Nataniel was absolutely not someone to stick any strange, mysterious food items in his mouth. With a soft, dismissive hum, he handed the apple to the boy. "I would probably not eat it, if I were you."
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Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2025 1:15 pm
More people approached, but it wasn't until one who looked like they were otherwise busy offered to help. Seeing the fruit up close, as they inspected it, he could tell that this wasn't a normal Earth thing. If it were, he was certain it wouldn't have so many people curious or interested in it. Looking at the apple, he had been halfway toward biting into it when the man offered a warning. Frowning, he pulled it back away from his mouth and looked at it a bit more closely. "How come? Is something wrong with it besides being out of season?" He asked with genuine curiosity as he looked back up. Turning the apple over between his hands, it felt firm, but otherwise, it didn't look like it had any discolored bits or soft spots that might mean the thing was rotting internally. It didn't smell off either, but he waited to hear about why there was suspicion around the thing before continuing. Thinking on it, though, he jumped just slightly as he remembered something else. "Oh, and thank you for handing it to me. I thought I might have been able to get one myself, but the branches are a bit taller than I had thought... I'm Basil by the way," he said as he offered his hand in introduction.
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Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2025 4:14 pm
Nataniel peered at the apple, perfectly round, red and crisp, and then he glanced over the green-haired boy's shoulder, to where a beautifully green, leafy tree erupted from a ground dusted in the gentlest snowfall. Nearby people had tamped much of the snow down, leaving it a little messy, but it was still obviously very cold everywhere- except this tree's branches, beautiful and vibrant and swaying in the breeze. "Do you need more of a reason than it is strange?" Nat asked, one brow piqued curiously. He had been in this city long enough to know that 'strange' things tended to lead down uncomfortable paths. Tasted a treat from a vendor who is gone with the wind? You'll fall ill. Bitten by a never-identified creature? Debilitated. Pick up an item that seems out of place? Teleported to an alternate dimension. If something was weird and inexplicable, Nataniel knew to avoid it. "It is not my business what you do, but I know I would not put something grown in this city- in this season- in my mouth without knowing exactly what I was getting in to." "...Basil." He had only ever known one person with that name, and he'd thought it was an uncommon and unfortunate name, then. He still thought it was uncommon and unfortunate- and 'inexplicable' to meet another. Another meek thing beneath a weird tree. "Hm. That is interesting," he murmured, staring at the offered hand, but otherwise doing nothing about it. Giving his own name seemed... pointless. He wasn't going to remember this interaction in a few weeks, besides to think it was weird he'd met another 'Basil.'
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Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2025 9:17 pm
Giving their comment a thought, Basil looked at the apple for a little longer before wiping it off with his sleeve, then taking a bite out of it anyway. Sure, it was strange, but so was everything else on this planet to him. His eyes did widen slightly, though, as he chewed the first bit while looking at the rest of the apple in his hand. "Oh wow! It's super sweet!" Maybe a bit too sweet since it left him feeling just the smallest twinge of a headache from how sweet it was. "It may be strange, but it still tastes like it's supposed to." At least he thought, since all the fruit he'd tried so far had been sweeter than what had been growing on his own planet. Maybe it was due to the different climate, or maybe they farmed differently; either way, everything tasted stronger here, no matter what type of flavor. With them repeating his name but not shaking his hand, he tilted his head slightly and looked at them while snacking a bit more on the apple. Though he didn't say more until he finished chewing the next bite, he did take a moment to look up at the other red fruits that stood out against both the green leaves and the falling snow. "What, my name is interesting?" That was a surprise to him, considering he knew many others with the same name back home, or at least had in the past. "Would it be alright if you could help me grab just a few more? If not, that's okay. I won't make a habit of picking up strange things, but these taste really good and I want to bring a few home." Being extra polite, the advice Maus had given him about him being cute or adorable came to mind as he looked up at the man. It wasn't something he really understood, but apparently, that was a thing that mattered here on earth.
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Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2025 11:40 am
"I am sure it does," Nataniel retorted flatly. It did not come as any shock to him that his caution was completely ignored. Why would a stranger take any of his advice? It wasn't like Nat knew the treachery Destiny City was capable of, or anything... But for all he knew, this weirdo had lived in the city just as long as Nataniel had- or maybe he was just very lucky and DC's trickery had never assaulted him. Either way, it was not his business. He had said his peace and offered what seemed like the most appropriate response. Whatever happened from here didn't concern him. "As you wish." As he reached for another apple to give to Basil, Nataniel couldn't help but think it took a certain kind of gall to completely ignore his warnings and then ask for more help in acquiring the very thing he had warned against. It was Nat's fault, probably. He should know better than to engage with these things, shouldn't have even given him the first one. Whatever. He shouldn't think too much on it, since he was already here in this situation- and wasn't planning on being in it much longer. He rounded up a half dozen more apples from the lower branches that he could reach, passing each one to the boy before going for another. "I hope that is satisfactory." It was plenty of probably-poison for one person.
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Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2025 1:01 pm
With a few more bites, the first apple was done, and he had a few tucked away into the pockets of his too-big coat. He'd have to space them out a bit now that he was starting to feel a little tired from all the sugar in the first apple. It wasn't too bad, but he thought maybe it might be better to have them a bit spaced out. That, or maybe with something to balance out the sweetness. "Thank you so much, this is perfect!" It was more than enough, he thought, for now, maybe there would be other trees he could find with lower hanging branches. Smiling brightly up at them, he nodded in thanks at first. "You're so kind for helping, I hope your night goes well, friend!" Since the man had looked like he'd been heading somewhere and also hadn't given his name, he knew enough so far that this wasn't going to turn into a full-blown conversation, but that was okay; they'd been nice enough to help, and he thought it had gone pretty well. With a yawn, he looked around for a trash can for the core he had from the first apple; it wouldn't be good just to throw it on the ground. He'd seen signs about that, at least even if it took him a bit to understand them. For now, he'd carry it at least, until he found a can.
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