Ring Around The Rosy
Foreword I want to start by apologizing if anything seems... Messy. I haven't written anything related to a story in some time. The only reason it's in this format is because I wanted to give a less... sterile feel to this, as opposed to my others. Please try not to mind the potentially lackluster quality, I will do my best to improve as I write more. Basically just, keep in mind I'm a bit of a retard as you read this. Hopefully this stays entertaining while being informative.
Within the great underground tunnels of /rose/, at the epicenter of the entire system, proudly stood the Rosemi Dome. The shining gem of /rose/, it was an impressive sight for many Rosebuds and regarded as their most sacred home. It stood as the birthing grounds for all new Rosebuds, with Rosies making holy pilgrimages to seed the earth with their children. Alongside this, in the center of the center, was the Council Hall. While every dome was run by its own Overseer, those Overseers all reported to the same Council. The Council was made up of dozens of Overseers, but only one Overseer had the ability to mediate amongst them all. A Rosebud born from the largest of flowers, raised inside the Rosemi Dome by a special sect of worshippers. This Rosebud could commune with The Lovedaughter herself and remain impartial when dealing with the other Overseers. He would roam the many chambers of the Council Hall, never leaving the safety of its walls. The Council Hall would be decorated as the Rosebud would see fit, in accordance with The Lovedaughter's will. The walls were adorned with flowers, pink carpet rolled out along the floors, and lovingly detailed Rosestone chandeliers which let out a low flickering hum of light. The Rosemi Dome was truly the most holy land of /rose/, second to none.
The sound of footsteps echoed through the otherwise quiet chamber, pacing back and forth anxiously. These noises emanated from an Overseer, a Bud who leads one of the many /rose/ domes. Overseer Wose was a timid Rosy, relatively new at that. He had a big spot to fill after the retirement of his predecessor, who was a very firm and powerful man. This was to be Overseer Wose's second council meeting, something he was truly dreading. The first meeting wasn't anything special, a mere formality for him to make connections with the other Overseers. Some of them showed up to extend their welcoming, but it was by no means a mandatory meeting. This meeting, however, was regarded as a Code Pink. Overseer Wose did have to look up what that one meant, but it did nothing to help the butterflies inside his stomach.
Code Pink meant the Grand Overseer received a message from The Lovedaughter.
The young overseer's mind had been running amok in panic for some time now, doing a miserable job at hiding his fears. A hand on the shoulder caused him to tense up, slowly looking behind him. Relief washed over him as he saw a kind and familiar face smiling at the little Rosy. Overseer Brose was much larger than Overseer Wose, being an incredibly well-built Boar. The older man's calm smile was a little infectious, as Overseer Wose relaxed a bit.
"Wosy, my friend, what has you so worked up? You look like you're about to burst." The Boar let out a polite, deep chuckle. His shades reflected the Rosestone lighting, creating a small twinkle that served to make him look more impressive. The Rosy never understood why the overseer chose to wear the shades, since it was always dimly lit in the underground.
"M-My apologies, Overseer Brose. It's just... I'm still new and now that it's time for my first real meeting, it's a Code Pink. T-That's sort of scary, you know? I've never even seen the Grand Overseer before this and now he's going to impart the very word of The Lovedaughter onto me personally?" The young overseer stuttered through his sentences; nervousness rooted deep into his speech patterns.
"You fret too much, don't worry! You've been keeping up with the recent developments, right? Exploring the outside world, meeting new nations, taking our first real steps into the great unknown after so long. The Lovedaughter always speaks to the Grand Overseer in times of great change. If anything, it will be praise given to us!"
"M-Maybe you're right, but what if it isn't? What if this... This reaching past our sphere of influence... What if it's bad? What if we shouldn't go out? What if She wants us to stay underground? What i-"
"What if, what if, what if. Wosy, you're sounding like a broken record here!" The Boar gave a loud snort. "Yes, there is a chance She doesn't approve of what we're doing. So, if that is the case, we simply stop doing it! At the end of the day, we'll follow Her word. That's what matters most."
"..." Overseer Wose looked to the floor, mulling over the words of the more experienced member. After some time, he gave a small nod. "You're... You're right. Her word is all that matters. And... Yeah! Maybe she'll even approve of our dealings! You know, I've recently been negotiating a deal wi-"
"Yes yes, the deal with those space suit wearing people. What did they call themselves, again? Nausea? Fascinating group, they are. Not even requiring much, just some tea and whatnot." Overseer Brose never seemed to be interested in things like diplomacy, the Rosy realized.
"N-Nasa, actually. Um, maybe we should get going now? I think it's around time for the meeting to begin. Wouldn't want to be late!" Overseer Wose gave his best smile. He felt pretty good about it, a solid 6.7/8 if you were to ask him. Not that anyone did, of course, he just liked to imagine people complimenting his smile and such.
The older Overseer patted him on the back and gave a nod, walking off in the direction of the council hall. Overseer Wose was quick to follow, now more comfortable with the thought of seeing the Grand Overseer.
Overseer Wose settled into his seat, which hadn't quite been adjusted for someone of his size yet. The large space didn't do anything to quell his returning nervousness. Three large rings of seats elevated around the center podium, where the Grand Overseer would be. A massive Rosestone chandelier hung above him, the dim glow occasionally blinking and keeping him on edge. His own seat, though made of comfortable wool, felt too large, as if he were about to sink into it and drown. The other Overseers seemed to be minding their own business and doing just fine, judging by what the small buta could see, but he couldn't shake the feeling that they were all expecting him to exceed his predecessor's accomplishments. He awkwardly adjusted his thick-furred suit, attempting to appear as presentable as possible.
Overseer Brose took a seat next to him, easily dwarfing the younger even in a seated position. He patted the little one on the head, giving a thumb up.
"Don't worry too much, just relax and listen. If you have anything to say, just be calm and wait your turn. If you're addressed directly, speak clearly and concisely. You'll do great." The Boar lowered his shades to give the other Overseer a wink. It was at that moment that Overseer Wose understood why the older man constantly wore those shades. He was blind as a bat, two murky white orbs lingered where his eyes would.
"R-Right, of course." He nodded slightly, before turning his gaze to the center podium. Overseer Wose felt ready for anything, a determined look on his face.
And then, the Grand Overseer himself stepped forward. The Rosebud made his way very elegantly, a clear level of confidence and poise in every stride. He was a baffling 3'7", with a remarkably thin build. His rose was enormous, hanging over his head like a sunhat. The buta wore beautiful robes, expensive white fur lined with beautiful gold. Everything about the Grand Overseer radiated immeasurable perfection. Once at the podium, he cleared his throat and spoke loudly for all to hear.
"Greetings, Overseers-"
Overseer Wose had eyes the size of saucers as he frantically whispered to the man next to him.
"The Grand Overseer is a CHILD!?" The older bud shushed him and gave a single nod, before pointing to the Grand Overseer to tell him to focus.
"-I am, as you are aware, Grand Overseer Rose. For some time now, The Lovedaughter has been dormant. I have interpreted this as good news, assuming all has been well. Recently, due to developing circumstances regarding overcrowding, we have been looking into ways for us to expand our current living arrangements. Some of us, such as the Tosemi Dome, have begun constructing secondary domes as a method to deal with this. Others, such as the Wosemi Dome-" Overseer Wose felt a lump form in his throat as the council room looked to him for just a moment. "-have decided to begin reaching outwards to find methods. These were deemed good ideas, revolutionary even. Overseer Tose has been making strides in excavation technology and we are very impressed with his work. Overseer Bald of the Baldsemi Dome has been communicating with the lands of Risu, I've been told, and has made some progress with them. While we are very new to these sorts of communication, we are very impressed with how persuasive Overseer Bald has been. Every Overseer has done their part and we are all proud of each and every one of you." The Grand Overseer took a moment before continuing, taking a sip of water to lubricate his throat.
"This meeting was given a Code Pink Alert. The Lovedaughter has spoken to me, and She has imparted wisdom for me to interpret. As you may know already, our entrance into the world isn't just facilitated by our need to grow. The Lovedaughter has entered a flourishing period, allowing us to become even more devoted to Her cause. The bringing of this flourishing period brought us a week of worship and mandated time off for all workers. Once this week has passed, we must renew our efforts twofold, and I expect no buta to go unworked. This you all know already, I'm sure. However, the new words She has imparted just the other day has had me... Struggling for interpretation. Her words left me floored, but no less willing. The Lovedaughter has asked something of us that will shape our future as we know it. And failure will not be allowed. The Lovedaughter has spoken to me, and she has called for..."
"Omnicide."
In an instant the council room was ablaze with yelling, both furious and terrified. The Overseers were in an uproar, their words of distress melding into one long scream of panic and confusion. Once the Grand Overseer raised his hand, however, all talking ceased immediately.
"That is, the extermination of all other species. We will create a world of only plants, which may flourish and blossom a new era of the world. Now, this does not mean everything must die. She has whispered to me a way to convert those who wish to be spared. They, instead of simply dying, may be converted to plant matter. That way, a complete massacre may not be-"
Overseer Wose shot up like an arrow, slamming his hands on the table in front of him. His eyes spoke of the horror on his face, speaking loudly.
"Grand Overseer, this is madness!"
Overseer Brose was appalled by the sudden reaction, unsuccessfully attempting to get the younger bud to sit back down. It didn't work as the overseer continued to speak.
"We have just begun to learn of the outside world! We have no experience in true war! Our men are trained to fight beasts, not other men! Even assuming we could fight in a combat situation like that, we lack the power to do so! This is an entire PLANET, Grand Overseer! We would need to form relations with people we plan to kill! Do you understand the difficulty of such a position we would be put in!?"
The council was enraged by the words of this new overseer, some of them beginning to stand up to shout back. But, again, they were instantly quelled by the raised hand of the Grand Overseer. The Rosebud smiled at Overseer Wose, before speaking.
"Yes, I am perfectly aware of the situation. We are in no position to fight a war. Defending is not an issue but going on the offensive is just not a possibility. As of right now, that is. I don't blame your retaliation; I was in your place when The Lovedaughter spoke to me. But the more I thought on it, the more I realized Her plan was possible. No, we cannot kill everyone. But with the proper allies, proper planning, proper training... We could convert the world. We don't need a world that believes in only The Lovedaughter. We can thrive alongside those who worship other idols. As long as the world is removed of all animal life, we will have achieved that perfect goal. No betrayal is necessary at all, though our true intentions for the world should go unspoken. Yes, we will bid our time. Let our technology reach a point where our goals are more feasible. Our best inventors, our best diplomats, our best philosophers... They will work tirelessly to find a way to obtain what we need. We have lived underground, away from the rest of the world, for a very long time. Spending a little more time to plan shouldn't be too unrealistic."
Overseer Wose felt as if his mouth went dry. He made a childish move as an adult, but the child in front of him responded in the manner of someone far older. It was humbling, even a bit humiliating, but the Rosy understood. He began to sit down, but the Grand Overseer spoke to him once more. He opened his arms wide to the Rosy with a large open smile.
"Which is why I am putting you in charge of our main diplomatic efforts, Overseer Wose."