Part 58: The Future of Bush Shrub

Update 58: The Future of Bush Shrub


Please vote => HERE <=
(I won't count votes in the thread, but you can say what you voted for if you so wish! The votes are fully anonymous, no email required, so honor system, please.)


After his time in the spotlight, Bush has decided he needs to stop lounging around and look to his future instead of alternate presents.

That's right, it's time for Bush to get married. It's the vote I've been hyping up the whole time!

You get two votes. Choose wisely!

Alongside this, Bush will end up having a child, so we have some decisions to make on that front as well.

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-Rosetta, the Golden Heart of Determination-

Birthday: Autumn 21

Constellation: Serpent

Favorite Gift: Cherry Pie

Family: Jean (lives in Kardia)

VA: Julie Ann Taylor


First on the list is Rosetta, the girl from our past who arrived again to be our business partner. She ran away from home to try and make her father stand up for himself more, and established her own business in Trampoli. After outdoing her competition and taking them over, she continued to do well until she heard her father had grown ill. She was then mostly absent for a month until Bush's healing potion helped him get better.

She's long had something for Bush, but she's never stood up to say it herself, and is friendly rivals with Mist in the meantime.

Even if their relationship goes no further, Bush and Rosetta will likely remain business partners.





-Anette, the Carrier of Dreams and Futures-

Birthday: Winter 04

Constellation: Buffamoo

Favorite Gift: Pumpkin Tart

Family: None?

VA: Shelby Lindley


Bush first met her after she playfully scolded him for not filling in the proper paperwork to the Noradian Postal Service in regards to moving to a new address. She's since been part of his day nearly every single day of the week, a highlight of the mornings even. Mysteriously chased by monsters and unable to see Kross, she cheerfully has gone about her mail route every day.

When the stress of post-secondary education and her work finally caught up to her, she collapsed on our front lawn like a good few people. Bush helped her through the brief following depression, of which she finally broke free of once she realized her dream of teaching kids. She's since moved into the town herself.

For some reason, the stars thought it prudent to send letters from her childhood to us, and Bush is privy to her secret something (of which he'll never tell.)

Even the two just stay friends, Anette's got goals in life and tall girls to look up to. Now that she's really going, it'd take a lot to stop her in her tracks.





-Selphius Josephine, the Princess of Otherworldly Knowledge-

Birthday: Fall 3

Constellation: Crown

Favorite Gift: Sandwich

Family: Unnamed, ruling monarchs of a distant kingdom

Voice Actor: Wendee Lee


Selphy literally passed out into Bush's life, falling face first on his lawn like he already tends to. Holing up in the library and absorbing all of it's knowledge relentlessly, Selphy's made ends barely meet by selling books she probably doesn't have right to, (nobody's said anything yet,) and likely halfway lives off of Bush's gifts. Bush has still been a constant visitor to the Rune Archives nevertheless, and has even passed on some writing ideas onto her.

Eventually convinced to clean up the library, Selphy got around to writing a mystery novel and made a good name for herself in the literary world. This still didn't stop her from storing books in the bathhouse like some sort of book chipmunk, and also ending up in debt to the church. In the meantime, she kept reading the same book constantly until we discovered it was a memory eating monster. Said monster is still on her wall, locked in a glass painting frame.

Despite all this, she has shaped up quite a bit in regards to her personal life from when we first met her, even quietly admitting her past as a princess. Bush still leads his own irregular lifestyle, so is the similarly eccentric Bush the person she needs in her life? She'll always march to the beat of her own drum, and Lara seems to be there to keep her from completely ruining herself, at least.





-Bathhouse Melody, the Water Witch of Soul Cleansing-

Birthday: Spring 11

Constellation: Hat

Favorite Gift: Relax Tea

VA: G.K. Bowes


A longtime friend from Kardia, Melody came in search of more hot springs. Establishing the Laga Springs in town gave Bush a permanent fixture in his routine that has done wonders for his career. Not to mention she charges a pittance for it.

A girl who aspires to be like the wizard who once saved her in her past, Bush got her tutelage under Cinnamon and she even finally learned a bit of magic on her own. There was even that time she tried to turn him into a frog so she could probably kiss him like a fairytale. Privy to her reason for dressing like a witch, and being the one to come to her aid whenever the hot spring flow has problems, they're undeniably close. She was even his first date and the person to help him win the Ganesha Cup Boat Race.

A practicioner of magic himself, Bush almost looked the image of that savior wizard when Nolan's attempt to adopt her went wrong. She's stated before that she imagines her married life being one of traveling the world in search of more springs, but even if Bush isn't the one for that, they'll always be "bath family".




-Cinnamon, the Reawakened Great Sorceress-

Birthday: Spring 26

Constellation: Fish

Favorite Gift: Magic Crystal (a 5% drop that seems more like a 1%)

Family: Super Gramps Kanno and Candy

VA: Cristina Valenzuela


She literally fell into Bush's life via way of landing on him while flying in, and has remained a more stable, background presence in his life. Be it introducing him to the varieties of magic, instructing him on the local fishing seasons, or complex lessons on astronomy and constellations, she's taught him much. Although he's spent a lot of time searching for the Magic Crystals she uses, she's never asked anything of him in return.

Regarded as a child prodigy in the past, she overused her emotions in her magic and eventually lost her ability to cast altogether. Capable of only minor emotion for a long time she eventually regained what she lost through teaching him and the magic study club he helped set up.

After her now very close friend Melody nearly took a fatal fall on a windy stargazing night, she was able to tap into her new emotions and save her life. She credits Bush with helping but has never specified how, but regardless of what happens they'll always be fellow scholars and peers in the magic world.




-Iris Noire, the Last Warden of Spirits-

Birthday: Winter 23

Constellation: Whale

Favorite Gift: Tomato Juice

VA: Michelle Ruff


The now singular Iris is the last of the ancient Vampire tribe, stewards of the land's Spirits. Once split into two from overwhelming loneliness, everything Bush has worked to achieve has finally united the two.

One half once idly spent nights high on Whale Island admiring flowers and trying her hand at art while the other was being used by Gelwein to create the Dark Rune. Through their accidental blood bond from that time she licked his hand after he nearly got exploded, conflict was eventually avoided.

Since Gelwein's plan was ended, the two have lived a quiet nocturnal life in Trampoli, working at the bar and apparently, keeping Ganesha out of trouble.

Bush will always be her first friend and the one that reunited her with her other self, but does that blood bond go deeper? It's hard to say what the future has in store for her.




And of course, our surprise two alternate possibilities! Even though they weren't part of the first 6, these two gals still managed to find a way into Bush's attention (aka show off their storylines).




-Lara, the Preserver of All Life-

Birthday: Winter 1

Constellation: Cross

Favorite Gift: Chocolate Cake

Family: Father Wesley (in Kardia)

VA: Karen Strassman


A figure from Bush's past, she found him passed out in front of his house yet again, and Selphy soon after. Lara has a long history of saving Bush when he overworks himself or falls in battle, and has retained her constant worry for his life even here in a new town. Even when he refuses to rest or insists on powering through the situation, she still provides support through her medical herb supply.

Dedicated to her life as a nun/nurse, she took up permanent residence in Trampoli to keep an eye on Selphy. This aside, she even helped with curing Rosetta's father and Iris. Things were all pretty normal in her life until she started having dreams that continued to prove prophetic premonitions. Premonitions so eerily accurate she stopped being able to sleep until Bush made her a sleeping aid. That night they both found themselves in the Dream World where the tree behind the church requested she take care of its sapling.

Even if Bush has retired he'll inevitably find himself in some sort of trouble, but will she be the one who's there to help him? Her vows do allow her to get married after all, but should Bush be that person?





-Tabatha, the Unflinching Royal Handmaiden-

Birthday: Fall 12

Constellation: Wooly

Favorite Gift: Oatmeal

Family: Queen Minerva, the elven royal family

VA: Julie Ann Taylor


A final fixture from his past, Tabatha is the ever polite personal handmaid to Miss Bianca Viviash de Sainte Coquille. An outspoken friend of monsters and specialist chef, she's a kindred soul with Bush in more than a few ways. Her days are that of a quiet life, tending to the whims of the oft-friendless Bianca as one of the few people she gets along with (one of the others being Bush himself).

Her normal life as a maid was shaken up when her younger sister Minerva re-entered her life and eventually revealed her status as absent queen of Elf Country. It was through Bush's actions she was able to re-enact the overdue ceremony of passing down the crown, letting her continue to live the life that she enjoys best.

Minerva once hinted Bush was a reason Tabatha wouldn't leave this life behind outside of Bianca herself. Tabatha has once stated that marriage for her might be a bit odd given her current job and reluctance to leave Bianca's side, but with Bush already an established name to the Coquilles could there be a chance a balance could be found?





-Nobody, the Late Jester's Option-

Birthday: April 1st

Constellation: They guide us

Favorite Gift: Everything

Family: Pony and our Axe/Staff collection (maybe Lute if he'll come with idk)

VA: ???


In his early mid-life crisis (or perhaps timely, who knows how long he's been trapped in the timelines,) Bush just... does something else. He's made good friends, and while maybe he'll drop by again someday or send a letter or three in the following years, his path is his own and Pony's alone. To take all he's learned, and strike out on his own into the future, free of regrets.

Does another crisis call his name? Or is it merely time to flee the Runeys? Perhaps his true love lies elsewhere, or maybe it's time to take his cooking on the road? Perhaps it's just a simple yearning for the world he's never gotten to see in his agrarian/warrior lifestyle?

...Does someone out there know who he is, truly?

(it's only half of what Brodink wants at least, we're not going with him of course)


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Provided Bush does get married, he'll eventually end up with a kid! You'll need to choose between a Boy, a Girl, or Random. Votes for names are also open in the poll form.

THE LAD
Default Name: Leona



he got that cloak style


THE LASS
Default Name: Lucia



she be munchin'

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And there you have it thread collective of voices in Bush's head, what shall the decision be? Pony's ears are listening- where shall she direct him?



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BONUS:

I had to cut this from the previous update. I BARELY made the text limit.

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(I think we've seen this conversation once long ago, thus why I cut it. I didn't want to cut anything from the update, but at least it gets to live here.)

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This is a special side result for throwing in a medicinal herb of some kind.