open Cultures Unite (1x1 with GeneralDirection)

[Samurai Equine 50,971]

@GeneralDirection

Silver's request catches Gotaro's attention, pulling him out of his own thoughts. "Hmm? Well, sure! I'm not a therapist, but if it involves animals, then color me interested!" Gotaro pulls up some chairs for them and begins listening; interested.

[GeneralDirection 1,042]

@Samurai Equine

Silver takes a seat and begins recounting his dream. “My dream placed me in front of four creatures: a ghost, an elk, a fish, and a bird. They each wanted to take me a different way to show me something. I chose to follow the elk, though I don’t recall why. The bird and the fish left gifts behind, a feather and a pearl respectively. The ghost gives me an expression like I had made the wrong choice before it also disappeared. The elk led me to a strange land, nothing here was as it should be. Birds swam, monkeys floated in the clouds, fish climbed trees… a weasel came up to me and offered me a drink that tasted different each time I took a sip. There was a yak sitting by a cave that was crying. I went over to it, and it explained to me that something was trapped inside the cave and in pain. I chose to venture in, the cave was dark with a red glow coming from deep within. Suddenly, a beast attempted to attack me from out of nowhere. I dodged the attack, and then I woke up. That was it.”

Silver goes quiet and awaits Gotaro’s response, curious to see if his experience with animals would help shed any light on this mysterious dream.

[Samurai Equine 50,971]

@GeneralDirection

Gotaro listens with his arms crossed, smiling at first. But as the description goes on, getting weirder and weirder, Gotaro nervously begins to sweat while listening. "I think I may be in over my head..." Gotaro gives a laugh as he pulls out a handkerchief and wipes his brow with it. "I cannot even begin to analyze a dream like that. ... Although, now that you mention it, a cave was pretty important for my team. We found the dinosaur fossils and its DNA in the cave of a nearby mountain. And even when this operation was young, we incubated and raised the dinosaur in the cave first. Before it became too big for it, of course." Gotaro explains.

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@Samurai Equine

“Hmm, so my dream is a bit too ‘out there’ for you. I can’t say I’m surprised, I’ve never had a dream like this before. I have no way of knowing whether the beast that attempted to attack me was a dinosaur or not. I never saw it, and my dream ended immediately after the attack.” He explains. “Do you suppose there would be any point in going to visit the cave where you found the fossils?” He asks both Gotaro and Samurai. “Provided that is something we can do, of course.”

[Samurai Equine 50,971]

@GeneralDirection

Gotaro nods. "We could, but there is nothing there right now. It's been cleared out in favor of this institute." Gotaro gets up from his chair. "However... Would you like to see the tyrannosaurus rex? He's probably secure in his new containment center. Something stronger than his last cage." Gotaro offers.

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@Samurai Equine

Silver gives an understanding nod and also gets up from his chair. “Sure, we can go visit the tyrannosaurus next. So long as he doesn’t try to eat Samurai again.” He says half jokingly, half serious.

[Samurai Equine 50,971]

@GeneralDirection

Samurai chuckles a little. "It's true. I'm not good for anyone's digestion. Too spicy." Samurai says, momentarily making a flame appear on his horn. He has also removed his helmet, since it's not necessary right now.

"This way, please." Gotaro leads the way. Moments later, they are not only in a different, much more isolated part of the institute, but they are walking on suspended scaffolding many stories up. Because down below, in a metal reinforced chamber complete with trees and other pieces of nature, is a very angry tyrannosaurus. It roars, it paces, it even tries to ram the walls keeping it caged. Nothing works. Eventually, he hears our heroes walking up above. He tires to jump towards the scaffolding and bite it, but it's no use. The tyrannosaurus cannot jump tall distances, and the scaffolding is just too high up. Gotaro stops midway across the scaffolding to look down at the beast. "I'm sorry, big guy. I'm trying to figure you out, but I just can't. Why won't you open up to me? Are you even capable of doing that?" Gotaro says to the tyrannosaurs, crossing his arms on the rails.

Samurai gets a good look at the beast. It's not a prefect recreation of a tyrannosaurus, but it's so very close to identical. It's angry and out of control. The kind of creature that would prove to anyone just how frightening nature can be. "...Could it be that this is something science and magic should have never made? Are just not ready for this yet?" Samurai contemplates out loud.

But when the dinosaur locks eyes with Silver, for a moment, it stops roaring. It's still huffing, still angry, and yet... There's something there. A connection of some kind? A spiritual connection?

[GeneralDirection 1,042]

@Samurai Equine

They follow Gotaro to a different wing of the facility. From a catwalk suspended from the ceiling, they look down and see the dinosaur they encountered earlier, looking every bit as aggressive as it was back then. Once again, Gotaro expresses his frustration in not being able to communicate with the beast. While Silver feels bad that Gotaro is struggling so much, he can’t help but agree with the stance that Samurai has on the whole issue. It doesn’t seem like it was meant to be. But then, the kirin looks back at the t-rex, and finds it staring right back at him. In that moment, something seems to happen, the beast calms down a small bit.

“Gotaro?” Silver asks quietly. “The tyrannosaurus looked at me, and I sort of… felt something. I don’t know what exactly, but it felt like a connection of some sort. It seemed to… calm down a bit. Not a lot, but enough to be noticeable.”

[Samurai Equine 50,971]

@GeneralDirection

Gotaro looks up at him. "Hmm? Silver-san?"

The moment had passed as quickly as it began, with the dinosaur going back to roaring and even swinging its tail in a vein attempt to break out. But somehow, through it all, Silver hears a voice. It's rough, cutting though the haze and the noise, but it reaches Silver telepathically. And it simply yet aggressively says "Release me! Release me!"

[GeneralDirection 1,042]

@Samurai Equine

Silver isn’t quite sure whether his own ears to are be believed, but he can’t help but think that the dinosaur had tried to talk to him.

“You’re going to think this is really weird, but… I feel like it’s trying to talk to me.” He replies to Gotaro. “I hear a voice that sounds desperate and angry that is saying ‘Release me!’ as if something inside of it is trapped and wants to be freed.”

[Samurai Equine 50,971]

@GeneralDirection

By now, Silver has both Samurai and Gotaro's attention.

"Oh-- That explains it completely! As I've always tried to explain to others. It's not so much that I can communicate with nature, but rather, nature communicates with me. Animals have allowed me to hear their inner voices and desires. This dinosaur was always reaching out to someone, he just wasn't sending his thoughts and feelings to me. He was sending them to you!" Gotaro says. "Wait... Are you saying he wants to be set free?! We can't do that! We saw how dangerous it is when set free. If we release him again, he might attack others! We can't risk that." Samurai says.

[GeneralDirection 1,042]

@Samurai Equine

Silver thinks quietly for a moment. “I agree that we cannot allow the t-rex to roam free, it would be far too dangerous. But, perhaps it’s not the dinosaur that’s making the request.” He offers. “Gotaro, I seem to recall you mentioning that you used DNA from other animals to help complete the Tyrannosaurus. What if this message is from one of those other creatures?”

[Samurai Equine 50,971]

@GeneralDirection

Gotaro thinks but shrugs. "Even if it's possible, it seems unlikely. By now, all that DNA has coalesced to make one functioning creature. Pulling it apart would be like pulling you to pieces just to see if I'm talking your father's DNA, your mother's DNA, or you specifically. If that dinosaur is reaching out to you mentally, take my word for it, it's the dinosaur talking to you." Gotaro says, putting a hoof on Silver's shoulder. "No offense, Gotaro-san, but how can you be sure? You may be a skilled samurai, but you're not a scientist." Samurai says. "Simple. If Silver-san needs convincing, all he needs to do is talk to it. If the tyrannosaurus has really chosen Silver, it'll respond to him and only him." Gotaro says.

[GeneralDirection 1,042]

@Samurai Equine

Silver raises an eyebrow at Gotaro’s statement, not fully believing what his ears are hearing. But, in this particular situation, he doesn’t find himself with many other options. He has to raise his voice quite significantly in order to be heard over the ruckus the dinosaur is causing.

“Uhhh…. hey there? Not sure if you can hear me, but I heard you asking to be released. Just who exactly is saying that, and what are your intentions?” He yells to the beast.

Silver figures that if he can indeed communicate with the t-rex, he might as well try to ask it something meaningful.

[Samurai Equine 50,971]

@GeneralDirection

The dinosaur roars loudly before looking at Silver. "You're too loud! I am speaking to you. No one else. Tell them to release me! I want to be free! I want to rampage! I HATE it in this cage!!" The dinosaur mentally responds. He wasn't very specific, but that seems to answer the question. It's not any borrowed DNA, it's the tyrannosaurus itself that is talking to Silver. And his telepathic voice does sound like the kind of deep, gravely, angry voice a t-rex would have.

Gotaro watches this interaction with weighted breath, fascinated.

[GeneralDirection 1,042]

@Samurai Equine

Silver looks back to his friends with a discouraged look on his face. “Unfortunately, it’s just the dinosaur speaking, here. He says he wants to be free to rampage and he hates being in this cage. I’m… not really sure what else to say at this point, there’s no way we can let this beast roam free as it wishes to.” He feels sorry for the t-rex, clearly it was very unhappy to be trapped inside this facility, but letting it be free was simply out of the question.

[Samurai Equine 50,971]

@GeneralDirection

The news discourages Samurai as well. "No animal deserves to be caged like this, but what else can we do? Unless Gotaro-san, do you have any ideas?" Samurai asks. Gotaro thinks about it. "We'd need a lot of time to prepare a working solution... But is it really so bad the way things are? He'll be taken care of. We have enough food for him. We can make his cage a little bigger. We can provide activities for him. He won't have to worry about any medical--" But as Gotaro goes on, something about the tyrannosaurus catches Silver's attention again. This time, he is bashing his head against the cage walls, blinking and shaking his head when it doesn't work. "Must find it... It hurts without it... Release me!! I need to find it!!" The dinosaur calls out.

[GeneralDirection 1,042]

@Samurai Equine

While Samurai and Gotaro have their discussion, Silver returns his attention to the t-rex. It proceeded to start bashing its head against the wall in a vain attempt to try and break out. When this doesn’t work, he sends another message to Silver.

“Guys! The tyrannosaurus sent me another message! He mentioned about how he needs to be set free because… it hurts without it; he needs to find it.” He explains before addressing the dinosaur once more.

“What hurts? What do you need to find?” He asks.

[Samurai Equine 50,971]

@GeneralDirection

The conversation is interrupted by Silver's words. "Needs to find something? That's why it escaped?! It needs to find something?" Samurai says.

The dinosaur does not answer Silver this time. However, Gotaro has begun walking away. "Maybe I can figure out what it wants. Feel free to join me, my friends." Gotaro says, leading the way.

Samurai gets one last glance at the dinosaur then back at Silver. "I wonder why he chose you, Silver-san. Seems rather random, if you ask me."

[GeneralDirection 1,042]

@Samurai Equine

Silver is somewhat disappointed that the dinosaur doesn’t reply back, but regardless, Gotaro seems to have an idea of what they can do to figure out what the beast seeks. He follows his friends along as they leave the enclosure.

“I have no idea, my friend.” He replies to Samurai as they walk along. “A few minutes ago, I wasn’t even aware ponies could do this sort of thing, never mind understand the nature of it. It does seem random, I will admit, but perhaps there is more to this than we know currently.” He suggests. “I suppose only time will tell.”

[Samurai Equine 50,971]

@GeneralDirection

"Well I know there have been some spells that bring inanimate objects to life, but such magic is chaotic and never gives perfect results. Perhaps with science and team work, it is possible..." Samurai speculates as they follow Gotaro.

A little later, they are now in a science lab. The place is big with lots of scientist ponies busy at work. Test tubes, chemicals, various machines, and a huge incubation chamber of some kind at the back. It's so big, it could be a small house. Once more, Gotaro finds the scientist they met in the desert. "Gene, can you give me a complete list of all the DNA we used from the animal kingdom to augment the dinosaur's DNA?" Gotaro asks. "Of course, sir." Printing out the record, he gives it to Gotaro, who scans it. "... ... ...Why do I feel like this list is incomplete?" Gotaro asks. "Well, it is. We were able to get lots of different DNA samples, but there were some things we just couldn't collect in time." Gene explains.

[GeneralDirection 1,042]

@Samurai Equine

Silver soon finds himself in another lab, this one full of many ponies doing their various research projects. He figures a couple of the houses from back in his village could fit in this space easily. They find the scientist they encountered earlier here, Gene, who Gotaro asks to produce a list of all the animals used to build the t-rex.

“Incomplete?” Silver questions. “That doesn’t sound very good. If I may ask, Gotaro, what is it that you seek to do here, exactly? Having this information will help us determine what the tyrannosaurus is looking for? Maybe this is all just a bit over my head here...”

[Samurai Equine 50,971]

@GeneralDirection

Silver asks some very important questions. "And if I may... Which DNA samples were not obtained in time?" Samurai also asks an important question. "Well, for one, we couldn't get any dragon DNA. Dragons are too rowdy and not very welcoming to ponies. We also couldn't get any Kirin DNA since, until a few days ago, we didn't know they existed." Gene explains. Gotaro nods. "I bet this is it. The dinosaur needs more DNA samples to make him complete. He feels incomplete because he is genetically incomplete. Hmm... Silver-san, would you be willing to make a donation?" Gotaro asks. Samurai raises a head and gets ready to stand between Silver and his fellow samurai. "Uh... Gotaro-san? How exactly do you plan to get a DNA sample?" Samurai asks. "Oh no! You misunderstand! We don't need blood. DNA can be collected from anything. A little bit of saliva. A strand of hair. Sweat. Lots of things contain DNA." Gene explains.

[GeneralDirection 1,042]

@Samurai Equine

Silver blinks in surprise. “Oh, wow, ok, I didn’t realize kirin were so important. Then again, I guess nopony here knew that either, until now. I suppose it makes sense in a way, kirin are part dragon, after all. Very well, then.” He runs a hoof through his mane and produces a strand of hair in the split of his hoof, before presenting it to Gene. “There you are, as quick and painless as it can get.”   

[Samurai Equine 50,971]

@GeneralDirection

This piece of information surprises them. "You are? I had no idea." Gotaro says. Gene has to snap out of his surprise so he can collect the hair. "I'll run this off and convert it to a pure genetic extract." Gene says before walking off. "Tell me, Silver-san. If you are indeed part dragon, can you communicate with them? The elders of the species have a tendency to lose their ability to speak. They often become more beast like." Gotaro explains.