[Fortuna]: Luck depends on no one....right? (4/3)

You head out of your house, tired and confused with a camera in hand. You don't know what happened next, or well, don't remember. Not that that's a surprise to you. You hadn't slept and spent most of your day playing Fortuna.

If anyone saw you they might have mistaken you for a zombie.

You make it back home with bird pictures, or maybe you weren't able to get any good ones and instead decided to google up a few. You're not sure. Your memory is a bit of a mess right now. It was nice to feel the sun though.

I'm so tired....Here's the bird pictures you asked for.

This is a robin. They're really common in people's lawns, looking for worms. This one was enjoying a snack.


Now THAT'S a strong fighter! This robin must be quite the fighter. A fine bird to bring to me!

But then it saw me and I felt bad because I interrupted it.

There was another one after that, but it wasn't as colorful. Maybe it's like how aftiks are with different colors. I'm not really a bird expert.



Yes many birds are like this, I wouldn't be surprised if the bird before was a male, and this one is a female! Do you have anymore birds or did you only find these two?

Here is this funny fella! Look this bird has a crown like you do!



I have seen an Athena unit that looks like this bird! Could it be possible that we're all designed after birds in the world outside of this computer? I wonder what sort of bird I'm based off of if that's that case.

This bird!


It could fit anything it wanted in its mouth.


Did you know that there's a species that lays its eggs on a mountain, and then a bird much like this one migrates over a few months later and grabs many of the eggs to eat as it flies down the mountain.


About half of the eggs are eaten but the others have enough time to hatch and jump out of the neck pouch, tossing themselves into the safety of isolated lakes! What an interesting cycle isn't it? I wonder if these birds of yours also carry babies inside of their neck pouches to eat.


What is up with this game and consuming babies as snacks? Geez.

This a goose. They like to hang in packs around grassy fields near lakes. They hiss at you if you get too close to them and run after you. One time I had a sandwich and a goose charged me and only stopped once I dropped the sandwich behind me...


Pitiful player. You should have turned around after dropping that sandwich and aimed for this goose's weak spot, THE NECK! With one swift move you could have had a meal for days.


Athena come on! I'm not going to kill a goose for food!


Fine co-player, but do not call me when you are hungry.

??????????????


Co-player all the other pictures showed me grassy warmness, where did you take this photo in the middle of all of that?


Uh, well, you see....


You can just tell me that you decided to show me a picture you found co-player. Thank you for showing me this torpedo bird.


It's called a penguin!


Please co-player, I know it's called a penguin. I just wanted to call it a torpedo bird because that's how it works.

On this is a rather cu-

!!!!!!!!!!!


IT HAS A HIDDEN FEATURE! No one would ever expect its secret move. A true assassin.

This one's a finch. I don't know much about them, but it was tweeting a nice song when I took this picture.


Remember, song birds are so good at their job of survival that they can have the leisure to dedicate their whole life to singing. What you are looking at is a bird at the top of its food chain. Look in to its eyes and you will see the soul of a killer.

I can't tell if this bird and plant is really small.....


Or if the bird and the plant are giant! With no frame of reference I can only assume you either crush these birds in your hands or you ride it like a mount.

Here's a pair of mallard ducks! They're the kind of water bird I see second most often, behind geese. Instead of hissing or honking, they make quacking sounds.


But did this tinier and weaker version of the goose steal your food as well?


No Athena, they didn't.


I sense it player, in your words. How many sandwiches have birds stolen from you? No need to answer me. I understand this must be an embarrassing question for you so don't worry.

Same.


No comment after that. I know this one. This one is an owl. The greatest of birds. I claim this owl and all like it under my order.

And here's a dove. One made a nest in a nearby yard once, and you could hear them making "hoo-hoo" sounds in the morning and evening all summer long.


This is the bird co-player! The prime bird. The alpha bird. Look at how fat this bird is. Look at her, she standing on a downed tree. I cannot believe that you braved the wilderness outside of your house to get a photo of such a large bird.


No wonder you don't leave your house much with such large birds outside.


That's a twig.


Co-player. I don't feel like retracting my comments at this moment. So instead I will say that I'm proud of her no matter what.



Anyway I had a lot of fun with this! I might take some more pictures of different birds at some point if you want me to share more.



Thank you co-player, maybe one day I will take you up on your offer. For now, I must leave.



Out of all the patrons we’ve ever had you were definitely the one with the sharpest nose.


......................



Are you ok?



I’m not good at saying goodbyes and also it’s like 6 hours after I normally sleep, I just took these bird photos, so not really!



But yeah what I want to say is that'll I'll miss you Athena. I know you have some important stuff to do so it's best to let you go now. Don't get hurt out there.



I might be killed, but hopefully I'll be alright. Prepare for either options.


That doesn't quite give me a boost in confidence....



Co-player, making promises that you can't keep like everything is going to be alright even though you're currently flying into a death trap is what fools do. I don't make emotional promises co-player, I make results.


It's ok to tell people you have no idea what's going to happen at the end of the day. It's my personal opinion that that's the best way to do it! Anyway, hopefully we'll meet again co-player. Hopefully I'll be trailing alongside your next crew!

[Athena has left your patron group.]

So are you ready to set up for the next game, student?



Uh yeah, after I sleep I’ll be ready to start the next game. I feel like I coULD SLEEP FOR HALF A YEAR OR SOMETHING. But uh yeah, I haven’t thanked you yet for telling Hermes about solar flare Helios. I know it’s a sore spot and I really appreciate it.



Right. I am sorry for the way that was handled, but I refused to let Hermes win. He knew where he wanted to aim, and went for it.



Sorry. I understand Helios. But please, if you ever finally get to a point where you can tell me, please do. I just know that this is important somehow, but I don’t want to harm you in the process of questioning you.



That’s fine student, I understand. Now are you ready to start the next game? I’m sure you’ll want to pick your next patron.



Sure thing Helios! I have to sleep, but first thing in the mor- well it’s going to be evening.... First thing in the evening we’ll start up our next game. It’s going to be pretty wild from the looks of it.


And it’s only going to get worse from here on out, but, I think we can do it student. Anyway, goodnigh- morning to you, I suppose.


See you soon Helios.

You slowly turn off the game, thinking to yourself if you should even turn it off while you sleep, but you don't want to risk your computer. You stand up only to fall right into your bed. At that moment you get a text. You lift up your phone to check it.

Cowboy: You're still awake?
You: Yes. I'm about to go to sleep.
Cowboy: I forgot, do you get like this about every new game you get?
You: I have to save the universe.
Cowboy: Have you considered saving something a little smaller? Like a kingdom of mushrooms?
You: Nah.

You set your alarm clock for 6 hours.
You sink into your thoughts as you finally go to sleep.
It's going to be a long day.