molt

it's time. [[i know]] [[im not ready]]

why not? [[i have not grown enough inside]] [[i am not in a safe place]]

you are at the top of the highest branch now. are you ready? [[i know i am->tall branch]] (link-replace: "wait, i picked the wrong spot")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ i meant to say [[this little twig down here]] [[somwhere inside that bush]] ]]

you are on the little twig by the ground now. are you ready? [[i know i am->little twig]] (link-replace: "wait, i picked the wrong spot")[ i meant to say [[that tall branch up there]] [[somwhere inside that bush]] ]

you are nestled somewhere inside a bush now. are you ready? [[i know i am->inside bush]] (link-replace: "wait, i picked the wrong spot")[ i meant to say [[this little twig down here]] [[that tall branch up there]] ]

are you in position? (text-rotate:180)[ [[yes i am->tall branch molt]] ]

are you in position? (text-rotate:180)[ [[yes i am->little twig molt]] ]

are you in position? (text-rotate:180)[ [[yes i am->in bush molt]] ]

its (link-reveal:"starting.")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ you feel your skin starting to become (link-reveal:"loose.")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ your belly starts to (link-reveal:"crack")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ you (link-reveal:"quiver")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ the crack in your belly is growing wider and it (link-reveal:"spreads to your legs")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ (link-reveal:"slowly")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ your arms make their way out into the (link-reveal:"fresh air")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ you're (link-reveal:"about halfway through.")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ a bird passes overhead(either:", but [[doesnt seem to notice you]]"," and [[veers in your direction]]"," and [[veers in your direction]]"," and [[veers in your direction]]") ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]

its (link-reveal:"starting.")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ you feel your skin starting to become (link-reveal:"loose.")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ your belly starts to (link-reveal:"crack")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ you (link-reveal:"quiver")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ the crack in your belly is growing wider and it (link-reveal:"spreads to your legs")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ (link-reveal:"slowly")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ your arms make their way out into the (link-reveal:"fresh air")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ you're (link-reveal:"about halfway through.")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ a frog is making it's way across you'r branch(either:", but [[doesnt seem to notice you->unnoticed frog]]",". it's starting to [[take interest in you.]]",) ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]

its (link-reveal:"starting.")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ you feel your skin starting to become (link-reveal:"loose.")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ your belly starts to (link-reveal:"crack")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ you (link-reveal:"quiver")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ the crack in your belly is growing wider and it (link-reveal:"spreads to your legs")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ (link-reveal:"slowly")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ your arms make their way out into the (link-reveal:"fresh air")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ you're (link-reveal:"about halfway through.")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ a tarantula is crawling in the bush not far off(either:", but [[she's already got a meal]]"," and [[she's spotted you.]]",", but [[she's already got a meal]]",", but [[she's already got a meal]]") ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]

how will you know when you have grown enough? [[i will just know]]

is any place safe? [[no but i'm afraid]]

that was close. maybe hurry it up a little. you shiver some more, and manage to (link-reveal:"free your head.")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ the skin around your abdomen is (link-reveal:"starting to loosen")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ your whole body is starting to (link-reveal:"glide downwards to freedom")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ what is that (link-reveal:"sound?")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ (either:"a bird? no, this time it's a bat! and it's [[heading straight for you!]]","oh, it's just an owl. it [[sounds far off->high branch molt]].","oh, it's [[just the wind.->high branch molt]]",) ]]]]]]]]

shitshitshitshitshitshit(link-reveal:"shit")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ you watch as the bird (link-reveal:"swoops down")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ there's nothing you can do, you arent yet (link-reveal:"free")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ in retrospect maybe a high branch [[wasnt the best move.->you die]] ]]]]]]

good. that was scary. no time to lose now, you're in the (link-reveal:"home stretch")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ you (link-reveal:"shimmy your abdomen a bit more")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ almost all of your legs are (link-reveal:"free")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ (link-reveal:"one last push")[ (t8n:"dissolve")[ you did it! you're hanging upsidedown off of your old skin. how does it feel? (text-rotate:180)[(t8n:"dissolve")[ [[it feels great->molt success]] ] ]]]]]]]]]

fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck(link-reveal:"fuck")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ the bug doesnt even notice you, but his leg brushing against yours is enough to send you tumbling off your branch and (link-reveal:"to the ground")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ you're still trapped in your own skin, moving is (link-reveal:"no longer an option")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ its the [[end of the line->you die]] ]]]]]]

looks like you didn't survive this molt. better luck next time. [[try again?->start]]

you're still pretty soft. better wait a little while before moving. [[wait and become harder]]

that was close. if you weren't so vulnerable, you could have eaten that frog. maybe (link-reveal:"hurry it up a little.")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ you shiver some more, and manage to (link-reveal:"free your head.")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ the skin around your abdomen is (link-reveal:"starting to loosen")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ your whole body is starting to (link-reveal:"glide downwards to freedom")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ (link-reveal:"what's that noise?")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ (either:"its a deer, but it's [[walking away]]","it's a deer, it [[comes close->walking away]] but passes by without trouble","it's a deer, and it's [[headed right for your branch->deer knock]]","it's a deer, and it's [[headed right for your branch->deer knock]]","[[just the wind->walking away]]") ]]]]]]]]]]

damndamndamndamndamndamn(link-reveal:"damn")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ the frog is leering over you and you (link-reveal:"cant do anything about it")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ if you werent in this state you could have eaten him but (link-reveal:"not now")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ looks like this is the [[end->you die]] ]]]]]]

shitshitshitshitshitshit(link-reveal:"shit")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ the deer doesnt even notice you as he (link-reveal:"brushes against your branch")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ the impact sends you (link-reveal:"tumbling to the ground")[ you lie on the forest floor, (link-reveal:"hopelessly tangled in your own skin")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ looks like this is where [[you die]] ]]]]]]]

that was close. after this, maybe you can fight her. for now, though, maybe (link-reveal:"hurry it up a little.")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ you shiver some more, and manage to (link-reveal:"free your head.")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ the skin around your abdomen is (link-reveal:"starting to loosen")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ your whole body is starting to (link-reveal:"glide downwards to freedom")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ is that (link-reveal:"a bug on the branch next to you?")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ (either:"no, [[just a leaf]]","yes it is, and it's [[headed right for you]]","yes, but [[it seems very stupid and prompty falls->just a leaf]]","yes it is, and it's headed right for you","no, [[just a leaf]]") ]]]]]]]]]]

ohmygodohmygodohmygod(link-reveal:"ohmygod")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ she would be scared of you if you werent in (link-reveal:"such a vulnerable state")[ she (link-reveal:"inches towards you")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ looks like [[this is it->you die]] ]]]]]

fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck(link-reveal:"fuck")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ at the time it seemed like molting at dusk would be a (link-reveal:"good idea")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ the bat sees you and (link-reveal:"changes course")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ looks like [[you're done for->you die]] ]]]]]]

you're getting paranoid. no time to lose now, you're in the (link-reveal:"home stretch")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ you (link-reveal:"shimmy your abdomen a bit more")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ almost all of your legs are (link-reveal:"free")[(t8n:"dissolve")[ (link-reveal:"one last push")[ (t8n:"dissolve")[ you did it! you're hanging upsidedown off of your old skin. how does it feel? (text-rotate:180)[(t8n:"dissolve")[ [[it feels great->molt success]] ] ]]]]]]]]]

alright. i will leave you alone then [[ok ]]

where will you go, to do it? [[that tall branch up there]] [[this little twig down here]] [[somwhere inside that bush]]

... [[...]]

are you ready now? [[yeah->i know]]

you'll die if you don't do this [[i might die if i do]]

yeah. are you ready? [[yeah->i know]]

you wait, and your new body hardens. you feel strong, and gigantic. at least you dont have to go through that for another month or so. -end (play again[[?->start]])