The Tail Head Quartet

Before we begin, let's meet our cast of characters. [[Go ahead.]]

Too bad. This story is from Oechlay's perspective. [[I choose Oechlay. ]]

That's funny. This story is from Oechlay's perspective. [[I choose Oechlay. ]]

Nice try. This story is from Oechlay's perspective. [[I choose Oechlay. ]]

Well, aren't you smart. None of you understood how you'd come together, but you'd accepted it. Living together was the best thing that had ever happened to each of you, so any little voice questioning anything about it was ignored. You were happy. Today you were finally going to get a start on organizing this room of yours. You were off to a great start, if standing there and staring at the mass of clutter surrounding you could be considered a start. Suddenly, Odicay's outcry cuts through your haze of dread. You're glad for the excuse to walk away from this task, though it's concerning that Odicay sounds like she's in distress. Her scream sounds like it came from the kitchen. [[Go into the kitchen.]]

Next, we have Ichaelmay. Ichaelmay is the sweetheart of the group. His words, though few and far between, are always well-meaning and motivate the group to push onward. Though he is the most barbaric appearance-wise, he is anything but in his behavior. [[Proceed.]]

Then we have Odicay. Odicay is the mother of the group. She keeps everyone grounded (moreso than Anryay) and employs tough love to keep everything in order. Being the most responsible of the group, she is normally tasked with making the difficult decisions that the others find it too difficult to make. [[Are we done yet?]]

Last one. Oechlay is the most unstable of the group. While she has a unique skillset, she absolutely no control over it, which more it more of an issue than an asset. Every once in a while, though, she finds a way to gain control of her magic, making her the most powerful of the group, but only for very short periods. [[Okay.]]

Who do you choose? [[I choose Anryay.]] [[I choose Ichaelmay.]] [[I choose Odicay.]] [[I choose Oechlay.]]

Everyone in the house gets to the kitchen as quick as possible. Odicay is pale. "The cinnamon buns are gone. What are we gonna do?" There are two courses of action you can take: you can go into town and see what you can find out or purchase, or you can panic. [[Wait, what?]]

You decide that your best course of action is to head to town. Before you can share your thoughts, Odicay speaks up. "Alright guys. I've decided that our best bet right now is to head into town and see what we can do there. We don't have too many options if we just stay here." Odicay looks around at you and the others and nods. "Let's move." [[Head out.]]

Your brain jumps from the lost cinnamon buns to the destruction of the human race and/or the world. Just as you're about to spiral, though, you see that the others are worried too. You make a conscious decision to just nod your head and go along with whatever plan you know Odicay is on the verge of. Okay, that's enough panicking for now. [[We should go into town.]]

Odicay turns to face you and the others. "We can either go to Gnomelan's and see if we can get any more of the special ingredient, or we can go to the bakery and see if there's anything we can find out there. What do you guys think?" You didn't see much of a point in going to the bakery, but you've never been one to pass up a chance to smell some fresh bread. Then again, you've never been one to pass up a chance to see Gnomelan, either. He's quite the character. Which do you choose? [[Go to Gnomelan's.]] [[Go to the bakery.]]

At the sight of his nephew, Gnomelan's face lights up. "Anryay!" After a moment of thought, however, a puzzled look overtakes his face. "Back so soon, though? Didn't you just come by to get your special ingredient?" Odicay steps forward, directing the conversation as usual. A short conversation, while entertaining, doesn't reveal much other than he's out of his special ingredient and he thinks that we should come by more often. "I really do wish I could help you out." Gnomelan begins rummaging through some cabinets before whipping around, clearly having realized something. "This might be crazy-" Anryay interrupts. "That wouldn't be a first coming from you." Gnomelan waves him off. "Hush, boy. Did you wrap that tray with those buns in tinfoil." Odicay looks puzzled. "Why? Did you see someone?" "It depends on how generous your definition of 'someone' is." We all stare at him, waiting for him to elaborate. We stand there for a good few seconds, Gnomelan with his eyebrows raised waiting for someone to understand him and us waiting for him to clarify his statement. "I saw a dog." Gnomelan pauses, waiting for a reaction. We wait, again, for him to elaborate. "I think it was carrying your buns." "Jesus, Gnomelan, are you serious?" Odicay sighs. "A dog?" "I wouldn't balk at our first lead." Anryay looks at Odicay. "I trust him." "Alright, whatever. This is a waste of our time. Let's go, guys. Bye, Gnomelan." Odicay nearly sprints for the door, clearly annoyed by what she likely believes to be Gnomelan not taking our worries seriously. [[Go back to the central square.]]

"Let's try the bakery first. What have we got to lose?" Odicay nods and leads the group to the bakery. As you walk in, you're met with one of your favorite things in the world: the scent of freshly baked goods. A quick once-over of the little shop and a short conversation with the man behind the counter yields no information, however. At least you got to smell bread. [[Go to Gnomelan's.]]

You follow the others through the forest surrounding your cottage into town. You make several attempts to lighten the mood as you begin your trek, but your jokes and questions are met with a stiff silence. You decide to give it up once you notice your housemates have become visibly annoyed. The collective silence lasts until [[you arrive at the central square.]]

First, we have Anryay, a cautious ex-knight that often functions as a voice of reason for the group. Though he is largely kind-hearted and seems to be the type to shy from a fight, his first instinct is actually to attack, though that instinct is almost immediately quelled by the persistent doubt that hangs in the back of his mind. [[Continue.]]

Before the story proceeds, it should probably be explained why the cinnamon buns are of any real importance. Where you live, the royal family requires a tribute of sorts around the same time each year. It's become a tradition for your household to donate cinnamon buns, and the royal family looks forward to them specifically every year. Coincidentally, since your household began offering these buns to the royal family, the kingdom has been a very peaceful one. For a number of years, thye haven't been involved in any wars or other major conflicts. In fact, domestic relations improved too. Your household assumes that this can be attributed to a super special secret ingredient that Odicay adds to the cinnamon buns. It would make sense, knowing that the ingredient can have relaxing qualities. Either way, it's not something you all want to risk. So the cinnamon buns being gone is kind of a big deal. [[That's kinda crazy.]]

Yeah. Well, now that you know that, you should be able to make your decision. [[We should go into town.]] [[We should panic.]]

"Great. This has been a complete waste of time." Odicay rolls her eyes. "What are we supposed to do now?" Anryay shrugs. "I still think we should look for that dog." Anryay looks towards you and Ichaelmay. "Let's put it to a vote. What do you two think?" [[I think we should look for that dog.]] [[I don't think we should look for the dog.]]

"I think we should give it a try." Ichaelmay, too, votes yes, which makes a simple majority. Odicay grumbles a bit before finally accepting defeat. You recall that Gnomelan saw the dog retreat into the forest behind his shop. Trusting blindly in Gnomelan, you are led into the forest. This time, you decide cracking jokes might not be the best idea. [[Continue through the forest.]]

"I vote no." Ichaelmay votes yes, and he and Anryay make the argument that their opinion matters more because they're men. This does not amuse you and Odicay, but you decide to look for the dog anyway. Gnomelan had mentioned that the dog went into the forest facing the back of his shop. Trusting blindly in Gnomelan, you enter the forest, searching for any tracks or other signifiers. You decide not to try to tell jokes this time. [[Continue through the forest.]]

After nearly an hour of going in circles, Odicay breaks the silence. "This is dumb." "Eloquent," Anryay quips. "Anything else to say, fearless leader?" Anryay receives a glare for that. "Why are we even doing this? We're searching for an animal that may or may not exist that may or may not have our cinnamon buns. Why don't we just go home and try to salvage this?" Ichaelmay looks up for the first time in a while. He takes a breath. [[This oughta be good.]]

"You know exactly why we haven't gone back yet." Ichaelmay clears his throat. "There is absolutely no way we can replicate this batch of cinnamon rolls. We simply don't have the materials. Complaining about all the work we have to do to get this back is incomparable to the lives we're potentially saving by giving the royals these buns every year. Even if it's just a hunch, something's been keeping them out of war this last few years, and if it's the buns, we sure as hell aren't going to deprive the royals of them now. So suck it up and keep walking." Ichaelmay, now at the head of the group, leaves everyone behind in a stunned silence. He turns around when he notices that the others aren't following. "Well? We haven't got all day." You follow Ichaelmay. [[That sure was something.]]

It really was. Thanks to Ichaelmay's kick in the rear, the group forges onward, still without luck. As the sun begins to reach the tops of the trees, however, we find them: tracks. Odicay looks like she's about to explode. All we can do is follow them, and follow them we do. For nearly another three-quarters of a mile, we follow them. After that point, though, they become unclear. After that point, too, is one of the strangest things we've seen yet. There's a nice single-family-sized home sitting in the middle of this dense forest. [[A what?]]

You know, a single-family home. Like they have in that Tamaya neighborhood or whatever. Almost criminally suburban. Anyway, there it is. Right in the middle of the forest. And again, all of you standing there and staring in a stunned silence. Surprisingly, you're the first to break it this time. "What the f-" The door swings open before you can finish your thought. A dog, almost identical to the one Gnomelan described (though almost any dog would fit Gnomelan's description) is sitting in the doorway. You decide your last statement being cut off was for the best. "I guess that's our dog." You take a confident step forward before Anryay grabs your arm. "You're just going to walk over to some random dog?" You both realize the stupidity of his question immediately, so he tries again. "You're just going to walk into some random house?" "I guess not." You step back. A voice comes from inside the house, shouting "Don't be afraid, come on in!" [[A stranger telling me not to be afraid makes me more afraid.]]

Good choice. None of you understood how you'd come together, but you'd accepted it. Living together was the best thing that had ever happened to each of you, so any little voice questioning anything about it was ignored. You were happy. Today you were finally going to get a start on organizing this room of yours. You were off to a great start, if standing there and staring at the mass of clutter surrounding you could be considered a start. Suddenly, Odicay's outcry cuts through your haze of dread. You're glad for the excuse to walk away from this task, though it's concerning that Odicay sounds like she's in distress. Her scream sounds like it came from the kitchen. [[Go into the kitchen.]]

Sing it, sister. Still, Odicay moves forward first, looking back as she walks through the doorway. You understand that she means for you and the others to follow. The dog is just a normal dog. You pet the dog, because why wouldn't you? He's a good boy, no matter what. Enough about the dog, though. Once all four of you get into the house, the dog shuts the door. Yeah, I know, enough about the dog, BUT HE SHUT A DOOR. I'M SO PROUD OF HIM. Nonetheless, you're here now. And there's a woman standing in front of you. [[A woman?]]

Yeah, a woman. I guess this is some kind of feminist story now, all these women popping up and making choices. Gross. She sizes each of you up before speaking again. "What are you doing this deep in the forest?" She sure doesn't waste time with small talk. Odicay decides to risk answering. "We're looking for something. I have a sneaking suspicion you might have it." "Oh, really?" The woman cocked her head. "Strange, my dog brought something in earlier today. Actually, not too long before you lot turned up." She pauses, clearly surpressing a smirk. "Interesting." "Yeah, interesting." Odicay gets tired of fake very quickly. "I wonder why your dog would've brought those in." You follow Odicay's line of sight and, lo and behold, there sit the cinnamon buns. The woman holds steadfast in her eye contact, though she knows that you're aware of the buns. It's kind of intense, to be honest. That would really take some getting used to. All of you seem to be on the same page: you need to get to those buns ASAP. So what's the plan? Should you try to force your way past her or should you try to trick her into moving? [[Force your way past her.]] [[Let's play some mind games.]]

You see Ichaelmay, Anryay, and Odicay attempting to silently form a plan. You watch the woman watching them. Maybe you should create a distraction. [[Create a distraction.]] [[Don't create a distraction.]]

The four of you look at each other, but you're unable to get any message sent silently. You decide to take the initiative. [[Distract her with small talk.]] [[Stare her down.]]

You just start screaming. It's not that hard, there's a lot of things to scream about, and you don't usually scream that often so all that energy is bottled up. You see the woman's head snap in your direction, her brow furrowed in confusion. The other three take their chance. Anryay and Ichaelmay fully hop onto the woman, while Odicay is more concerned with making sure she can't move. Within seconds, they're all on the floor. [[Oh, sh-]]

The woman continues to stare your three friends down. You feel uncomfortable just watching. [[Create a distraction.]]

You look at her and flash what you attempt to make your most charming grin. "So. How are you?" Her eye contact has yet to waver. "Well, my morning was alright. I'm in a strange situation right now, though." "Strange, huh?" You nod, and in your peripheral vision you see the other three creeping towards the buns. You bet that the woman can see them to. "So, do you have a name, or...?" You regain eye contact. "Daly Bacmeth." Jesus, you're never going to make eye contact with anyone ever again after today. "Interesting." "Is it really?" You nod. "Yeah. Very unique." She nods as well. "Hm." They've made it to the buns. Odicay lifts them, and, somehow, through some miracle, Daly Bacmeth- [[You spoke too soon.]]

You stare into each others eyes. You feel your will shaking. You don't have the mental strength to stare down a woman with this much power in her eyes. You break eye contact. [[Distract her with small talk.]]

Yeah. Nice job. Maybe you should rethink your choice. Let's rewind a bit. [[A woman?]]

Bacmeth whirls around, looking at the buns in Odicay's hands. Before she can speak, Ichaelmay just lifts her and walks out of the room. For the third time today, all you can do is stand in a stunned silence. "Well. Alright. That seems a little too easy." You look around for signs of something, anything else that could stop you from leaving the house. "No, I think it's just as easy as I expected." Ichaelmay walks back into the room, though Bacmeth is nowhere to be seen. Odicay begins to ask a question, but stops herself, shaking her head. "Let's just get out of here." "Wait a minute. Hang on." Anryay jogs into another room, one that looks like the kitchen. He comes back out with a knife and takes the buns from Odicay. She begins to protest, but he stops her. [[Where was all of this when she was the only one talking earlier?]]

I don't know, man. Anryay cuts a cinnamon roll out and leaves it on the counter. "Maybe she just wanted one. Maybe she's stressed. Spread the love." After a collective eyeroll, you and your group depart Bacmeth's house. [[Well that was uneventful.]]

Did you expect anything more? I hate conflict. Two days later, the offerings were taken at the royal palace. Like normal, the royals ate the cinnamon buns, and the next year was peaceful. Essentially, everything is perfect and fine and there is absolutely no negative thing happening in this world. We all need a utopia. [[I guess.]]

The group lived together happily for the rest of their lives too. Everyone's just happy. That sounds nice. Or are they??? [[To be continued?]]

Not today, but eventually. <center> The end. </center>