Sprig 06: A plethora of packages followed by pain

[grumpiest_tree]

Part A| Outside 5721 Cunningham Lane| Morning

[Groot is going through the packages he's received. He's actually left one of them there for awhile, still being a bit wary of the wonderful 'gifts' this town provides on occasion.

Unlike before, all three are merely pictures, and anybody passing by might notice what's on them as he flips through them and checks the back. He scrutinizes each like his eyes will burn a hole in them.

Picture 1 is of Groot, as a Flora Colossi, in a small circle of plants. Outside the circle is a rather stark plain.

Picture 2 is again of the royal tree kneeling closer to the plants from the previous picture with his head tilted to the side.

Picture 3 is of Groot with his hand on tree in a forest that he towers over.

He seems to be lost in thought after studying the photos, muttering to himself.]

Hrm... I wonder how that last one would work as a mammal... Would I need meat? This just ties into my concerns about the regeneration all over again...

Part B| Backyard of 5721 Cunningham Lane| Late Afternoon

[Groot can be seen working on the garden he has made in the backyard. A garden that is suddenly spectacular. Vegetables, fruits, and flowers all in full bloom. Quite a lot of them not even in season. The observant might see him plant a few seeds in a clear spot and then stare at it for a few moments. Just only long enough for a flower or plant to suddenly spring forth and grow like in a fast forwarded time delay video.]

Part C| Porch of 5721| Evening

[Groot is on the porch, and he doesn't look happy. Well, he hardly ever looks happy, but he looks downright depressed right now. And if to further emphasize this, there seems to be a bottle of wine nearby. It is mostly empty. He seems to be talking to himself again.]

I can understand droning of humans, or the need for several drones in general, but all the flarking plants as well? They might as well just make them brainless...

Comments

C

[noluckduck]

[Clover hears the weirdest things just walking around Mayfield. This might not be the weirdest of them all - maybe - but it's still enough to make her stop and stare at the stranger.]

The plants?

[grumpiest_tree]

Yes, the plants.

[Groot runs a hand over his face as he tries to collect himself.]

I mean I don't expect many plants from Earth to be at the evolutionary point as some other plant species, but it's disheartening to find them going on like those human drones...

[noluckduck]

... [You know what? It would be really hypocritical of her to find THIS strange.]

Yeah, the animals are like that too. [And she rushes to add:] From what I heard.

Now with new icons!

[grumpiest_tree]

They do? Was the person who said so able to talk to them? Might want to compare notes, depressing as they would be...

[Groot goes to poor some more wine. Well, whatever's left of it anyways.]

[noluckduck]

Yeah, guess she was. [She looks away for a second.] Freakin' weirdo.

... Though I guess ya wouldn't think so, if ya really can talk to plants and shit.

C

[onepointtwentyonewatts]

[Emmett spots a rather depressed man on his front porch in the admist of running around looking for various pieces for science!
In approaching the porch with Einny]

What seems to be the matter?

[grumpiest_tree]

[Groot goes to pour some more wine with a sigh.]

The matter is I am rather disheartened to find out just how far this town's imposed ideals affect everything that is not stolen from elsewhere...

[onepointtwentyonewatts]

You know alcohol never the answer....

[Emmett approaches the porch with Einstein. The dog sniffs Groot]

What brought on this conclusion?

[grumpiest_tree]

[Groot holds his hand out to let Einstein smell.]

I talked to them. Well, tried to. Earth plants are a bit more simple than those from my home, but it's still possible to have conversations with them.

Part C

[nyanpire]

[What was it with sad people, and them drinking all of that nasty-smelling alcohol stuff? First Ilsa, now Groot... Nyanpire's nose has brought him this way, but the sadness of the guy that had been so nice to him at the grocery store was making him stay.]

Nyaa... Groot? Groot? You're sad...?

[grumpiest_tree]

[Groot almost missed Nyanpire until he speaks up. He takes a moment to collect himself and gives a nod before speaking.]

Ah, hello. ...And yes. It's a little depressing to find this town goes so far to make things the way it wants.

At the very least, finding myself being able to talk to plants again is rather pointless when most of those plants act like those human drones...

[nyanpire]

Nyaa... [Groot was a complicated guy. Or at least used lots of words that he had to think about a bit to give a good answer. He pads closer, stepping gently around all the pretty plants.]

Plants talk? You talk to plants? What... what do plants say, nyaa?

[grumpiest_tree]

....Well normally not much, plants tend to talk amongst themselves. Telling its leaves to turn towards sunlight, draw up nutrients from the ground. At least that how it's been for most common Earth plants or others that haven't evolved a self-aware consciousness...

Part C| Porch of 5721| Evening

[silver_reign]

-This one can be seen idly walking on past, and his audio sensors catch the other's conversation with!... apparently no one. So he simply walks over over, in a non-threatening manner.

As non-threatening as a tall mechanical being can be.-

Ahoy! Excuse me, did I hear you correctly? Did you happen to say that the plants are "drones" as well?

[grumpiest_tree]

[Groot is too depressed to be threatened. Besides, it's not like they're a Badoon 'Monster' after all. He merely looks up with a sad look on his face.]

Yes, drones. Understandably, I did not expect them to have much to say, but I also did not expect them know me by the name the town has given me, or that I have always been here...

[silver_reign]

That's rather interesting. I've never really run into anyone who's been able to talk to plants.

[grumpiest_tree]

Really? You'd think there'd be someone in this town that had that ability given back to them already...

Then again, it's not like something to really brag about. Or useful if the plants in this town are droned as well...

[splashpuppy]

[The boy who kinda lives next door is watching the garden spring up with great interest. He only knows one person that could do that]

Wow!

[grumpiest_tree]

[Groot is slightly caught off guard by the exclamation and turns to the source, leaving the next bunch of seeds he was about to plant off to the side.]

Oh, um, hello there. I didn't realize I had an audience...

[splashpuppy]

I live next door... kinda.

Your garden is really nice!

[grumpiest_tree]

Ah, I see. Well, nice to meet you, I am Groot.

And thank you, I thought it might brighten up the place to grow some flowers and produce of my own...

C

[waiting_for_the_worms]

[And here's Kariya, looking similarly downtrodden. Maybe they can share their grief.]

...Something wrong with the plants?

[grumpiest_tree]

[Groot gives a slow nod before reaching for another glass.]

They are droned like the non-kidnapped people who live here... I mean, I know that from an evolutionary stand point, most Earth plants think rather simply, like bacteria. But yet the plants here seemed to also know me here as Mr. Sambucus and that I have always been here...

[waiting_for_the_worms]

You can talk to them?

[grumpiest_tree]

Yes, I find it a little odd that I can even if I'm no longer a plant myself, but this town saw fit to allow me the ability to regrow my cells quickly earlier, so I guess it can pick and choose what we receive...