Natural beauty

As he ran the scenery changed, the world around him wasn't lush but more like savannah plains again. Seeing possibly the same group of gazelle eating some of the prickly plants he wondered if they just liked them or couldn't leave their set biomes.

From here he could see the healthy green ahead where the river south west of his base curled round.

"Maybe they use the static to charge their horns or something"

The rules here seemed different, he didn't feel he could make judgements on the natives' behaviour, the balance just seemed too precarious and volatile.

As he approached the quest marker the green grasslands had taken hold again. The area he was headed towards was particularly lush, he could already see many colourful and beautiful flowers clustered together ahead.

As he got closer he realised some of the flowers were on top of lush bulbs, he wondered how edible they were and thought about picking some to compare the names to the store options.

"It worked with the berries"

He wasn't sure of the season here but the air was thick with the multiple aromas, he thought about how much nicer it would be to have his meal here tonight and just enjoy this magical world a little more.

Within 10 metres the almost succulent-like plants were the dominant species, each flower a different colour and the scents they released truly indescribable. He could already see the target marked by the system, it was one large bulb with a very large lush flower on top.

It seemed to spread like a strawberry plant, all the other bulbs spreading out on runner vines from this central plant.

This beautiful plant had thick petals almost a metre long which shimmered some incredible colours, the scent now so strong he could taste it and yet he felt like he'd yet to smell this main specimen. He continued closer, inhaling deeply and trying to untangle the many scents around him.

Its petals had been coiled up together proudly pointing up into the air as though about to bud. He longed to see these many coloured petals unfurl and shimmer before him.

"Hang on, how do I know their colour if it's still wrapped up?"

Even as he thought this he was watching the plant raptly as he continued towards it, the whole flower head seemed to be slowly turning to face him and unfurling, promising to gift him the vibrant pulsating colours within, he could already anticipate the scent.

"How long have I been approaching it now?"

He couldn't look away but could feel something around his ankles, there were tiny prickles against his skin reaching almost up his legs, he couldn't be sure when but at some point the scents that had enticed him here had gone from light and enticing to cloying and oppressive.

Panic overtook him as he tried to move his arms and legs but couldn't, unable to even blink as his mind screamed within him the petals were ever a moment from opening and he realised that had always been the case.

As his mind raced in fear and longing he managed a single moment of clarity, enough to activate Dimensional transfer.

In an instant the plant was crushed by a 3 metre long Komodo dragon corpse along with all of Daniel weapons, clothes, potions and food, a strange high pitched screech could be heard for a few seconds as the bulbs connected to the plant shrivelled.

...….

[Quest objective complete: Pick the Flower]

Naked and bleeding, his legs covered in tiny thorn marks, he appeared back on earth and fell straight forward, crashing through a glass coffee table as a woman screamed incoherently in front of him.

As he righted himself, the sensation returning painfully to his legs, he heard a man's voice, his head was still foggy and his vision slightly blurred.

"Who the fuck are you? Clair, how'd he get in here "

"He just appeared there! He popped out of nowhere and jumped on the table!"

"I didn't jump, I"

"What do you want, why are you here?"

"Nothing, look just give me a minute alright? I think I have a concussion"

"Wait, aren't you the mojito guy?"

The woman in front of him was looking at him with a confused expression and hadn't moved from the sofa she was bunched up on. It was around this time Daniel remembered he was naked and standing.

"Can I just grab this throw…"

Before he could finish the sentence he had looked up towards the guy at the door who had reached over to a clothes peg and pulled a taser gun off his black and yellow jacket.

"Just my luck to land here"

Before he even had a chance to finish the thought two sharp needles were sticking into his chest and the electricity was buzzing as the man held down the trigger.

It wasn't a pleasant sensation by any means but, surprisingly to everyone, he wasn't curled up in a ball and was almost entirely unrestricted in his movements. He hadn't realised just how ineffective such things were on his new body.

Not wanting to push his luck he reached out, grasped the wires and used Dimensional transfer to remove it, eliciting another scream from Clair.

"Yes I'm the Mojito guy, though I didn't realise I bought that much of the stuff"

Looking down at the woman he realised it was a cashier from his local corner shop and belatedly remembered about the distance comparison between the two planets.

The guy meanwhile was staring at him dumb founded, when Daniel met his gaze he was reminded of what he knew and turned to grab his radio.

With his stats it didn't take any time for Daniel to vault over Clair, causing another scream, and grab the radio at the same time as the man, again, turning it into so much trans-dimensional energy.

"Mummy, what's wrong?"

From the stairwell behind the man a small girl's voice could be heard, the tension between the 3 adults was tangible as the man said.

"Don't worry Molly, go upstairs to your room and look after your sister."

The man's eyes remained fixed on Daniels as he said this, Daniel stayed quiet until they heard the girl's steps retreating back up the stairs and a door close.

"How are you doing that and what do you want?"

"It's hard to explain but basically nothing, all I want right now is something to cover myself with before your wife gets too far gone"

"I was looking at the wounds you idiot!"

"Sure"

"Ok, get the throw and explain to me"

The man stayed by the door, blocking the way to the stairs as the woman called Clair handed him the throw and very obviously looked at her phone laying on the floor.

"At least let me explain before you try any more calling the cops on me, speaking of I take it you are?"

"Obviously, now how did you get in here?"

Sighing as he began his explanation and demonstration he told them the whole story.

Interrupted by the children a couple of times Daniel was glad they were young enough to have an early bedtime as he waited for Clair to come back each time she left before continuing, listening carefully to her movements through the floorboards.

By the end Clair looked horrified and Dominique the policeman looked concerned but convinced.

"I'm guessing by now you guys believe me and understand my situation. I'm truly sorry to have to tell you all this but hope you can at least recognise I'm just as much a passenger as you guys"

"Our youngest is 2, she will be 5 when we're dumped in a magical world defenceless, you can already look after yourself and just teleport away when you can't."

"I know, and I'm sorry, but if it helps you guys are incredibly lucky in spite of that"

"I don't feel lucky, I feel like my children's futures have been stolen"

"You're children are some of the only people who will be transported within my catchment area, by the time this convergence happens you and they won't be going over defenceless, you'll have systems too, one's which will start at a level above 0 at least."

"You understand why this needs to stay a secret right? Dominique you can't report this"

"Yeah I get it, you don't have time to explain it to the world, the mass panic alone. It should be professionals going over to set the groundwork though, the SAS or someone"

"I told God the same thing, but he was right, if I tell the government I risk being detained or worse, it's not worth the risk."

Eventually there was nothing else to be said, they wouldn't tell anyone and would make their own plans, he'd let them know what was going on when he could. He used their shower and took some of the policeman's clothes. After calming Clair down Dominique insisted on walking back with Daniel, they weren't far from Daniel's house, about a kilometre and he clearly had some things he wanted to talk about.

"I'd come out there it I could but Clair and the kids will need me here"

"I know, I get it"

"You said higher value items netted more energy and resources"

"They do, and I appreciate the offer, but now you know what's going to happen you won't be able to keep living how you do. Figure out your money and then work as little as possible. Spend some peaceful years with your kids"