Agents of Inquiry in Mooland

UPDATED: 2025-04-17 6741 WORDS

"How's it going Mooland. We come from a planet called Earth. Earth is in the Human Dimension. We are exploring existential limits."

1. Across the Rainbow Bridge ¶

Streams and spheres of radiance — swooshing across the sky-dome of Mooland! Ominous orbs, strange portents, signs of trouble brewing... In the minds of arcane Mantisian priests, yes, these were matters of great disorientation and concern not too long ago. In our modern Mooland, as common as a pair of Hawkaims soaring over the yonder majestic peaks in search of a fresh nest. Still a bit of excitement there to be sure, but no longer the anomalous harbingers of upheaval and looming doom. If anything, they were celestial paintings of a planet blossoming with potential, unfolding stories written in the heaven's scrolls.

Izzy and Manny were mere youngsters back in the days, out for an inspired quest across the realms of Mooland — collecting the best of tales and the deepest of insights, scattered across their cookie-shaped planet. Little did they know of the magnitude of change that journey would bring about. These tales are now published in twelve thick volumes, the pride of the Essence Archives library. A whole new department at the Mantisian Academy is dedicated to pursuing the inquiries that were set into motion.

With the essences of the realms recollected and unified, this compendium of tales spread to the neighboring planets in no time at all over the interplanetary rainbow network. (Visitors to Mooland will be familiar with the network of rainbow bridges connecting the planetary system of Doughland.) In today's post-quest society, the sky-kissing Rainbow Spire station at the heart of Mooland's central ocean is a bustling interplanetary hub of exchange and fellowship. The cosmopolitan embassies of Butterland, Candior, Cerealia, and the rest serve a growing cluster of migrant colonies from the fellow planets.

Many as the marvels of modern Mooland may be, a visit from beyond the planets is still an anomaly of some measure. In today's tale, we witness the fulfillment of one of Mandakini's many visions. Mandakini, the Mantisian elder dwelling at the far side of the Uppermost Viewpoints, a multidimensional seer who hosted Izzy and Manny for their first peak orientation. Should you wish to meet her, the basecamp astral teleporter is open for public. The cranky old watch-mantis will toss you straight to the topside.

2. Such a Hideous Space-Ship! ¶

Another ordinary Mooday morning at the Rainbow Spire. Izzy and Manny had wrapped up the meet with a Butterland delegation, consulting on a franchise concept for introducing native treats to Mooland. Whether fermented yak butter tea was a good fit for Moolandian palates, neither of them was quite sure. The flavor was frankly bizarre. The Guardian of the Gateway, to most residents a legendary celestial up atop, seemed to be enjoying his cuppa strange. At this point, the three were friends bound in a rainbow.

In a sudden flash and boom right above their heads, with many a cup of odd tea spilled, a vortex splashed open at the Rainbow Spire's upper halo. "What in the damnest Mooses was that!", Izzy yelped. Manny's fractal eyes were locked into the anomaly. Even the Guardian was caught off his guard for the briefest moment. This was no interplanetary armada, not the random scout ship of an intergalactic envoy landing in at an off angle. "I've never seen this — but I have heard of it. Kids, we witness the first opening of an interdimensional portal in our times!"

Like a nugget of edgy poop hatching from a flower bud, a most hideous-looking angular vessel emerged from the most beautiful vortex. It was a roughly chiseled and creepy-looking alien ride. Manny found herself in thought on the dread her ancestors must have felt on these sorts of occasions. Such things have happened before, or so the legends tell. The word "MOOSK" was spelled on the front panel of the ride in blocky capital letters. It felt reassuring, if ever-so-slightly so, spotting something familiar in a spectacle otherwise so radically disconnected from the aesthetics and atmosphere of Mooland.

A glossy steel panel turned translucent and slowly opened. A volley of vomit poured out. A rough half of it bounced back inward. It must be that the engineers of this vessel didn't anticipate landing scenario realities. Someone's tummy in there didn't take kindly to the dimensional shift. Not a very romantic opening for an interdimensional first contact scenario. Not that anyone present had much of an idea of how it should play out. Whoever's in there is not going to be into fermented yak butter tea.

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The rear panel of the alien vehicle slammed open in a violent swing. A most hazardous drop of heavy metal, just as well the vehicle was still hovering mid-air. Two groggy-looking creatures toddled out from the rear end of the vessel into the daylight. They looked much like the Moonkeys thriving in the jungles on one of the Deep Purple planet's moons at the outer rim — but these two were modestly dressed and appeared to possess higher cognitive faculties. One would expect as much from interdimensional travelers.

Gazing about in initial disorientation, the creatures swaggered toward the edge of the landing panel. They were dressed in slick white suits, still soiled from the landing jolt, with protective shields covering their eyes, little devices plugged into their ears. "Greetings! We come from the Human Dimension!", hollered the near-identical creatures in one voice, signaling something with the first and last of their five digits raised. Nobody present had five digits to respond with an exact match, but in good effort Izzy and Manny returned the alien greeting with their finger equivalents. "Welcome to Mooland, Human Dimension!"

As the hideous human vehicle descended to the Rainbow Spire landing platform, the front section turned translucent. There was a third creature at the helm, dressed in a funky black outfit and clearly stressed out with the process. Following the standard operating procedure for intergalactic envoys, with no procedure yet in place for dimensional visitors, the Guardian sent for the Elemental Ministers at once. Izzy and Manny, now Mooland's ambassadors to the Universe, stepped up to the reception stage.

"Greetings, Humans! Once again: Welcome to Mooland! I am Izabella of Highlands. My friend and associate, Mandalika of Peaklands. Whatever the reason for your arrival, we're here to serve you with the best of what Mooland has to offer."

"How's it going Mooland. Hello Izabella and Mandalika. You're like a cow and a cricket right? How excellent. We come from a planet called Earth. Earth is in the Human Dimension. We two are Mr. Henderson and Mr. Nickelson, interdimensional agents of inquiry from the country of Burzeria. This is our pilot journey to another dimension. We are exploring existential limits. The fellow back there at the helm is our friend Mr. Silverman. He was astral tapping into the cyber-streams and just punched in some coordinates that sounded cool. Then we landed here with y'all. Sorry about the puke."

Manny took over. "It's a pleasure to meet you two, Mr. Henderson and Mr. Nickelson. Just call me Manny. A mantis by the way. Not a cricket. Would you care to freshen up or perhaps eat or drink something before we convene and talk about your visit to Mooland?" — "Sure I'll drink something. Love a triple shot Americano here. On ice and shaken, not stirred. Same for my brother." — "Can you add some extra shots for me please? Also a Frappucino with Moccacino topping for Mr. Silverman. Can you do room service please, he's still being confused with the coordinates."

In a curious twist and twine of destinies, there's a moon orbiting Cerealia inhabited by coffee beans. Americano is the resident bandit king. There's a gray market trade network for the shavings of expired beanies, so "triple shot Americano" actually made sense. It's a bit of a hush-hush thing, but the good stuff is available at Mooland embassies. As for Mr. Silverman's exotic beverage, nobody had the faintest idea. Crispy bitter beans whipped with leftover yak butter tea then. There was a bit of a hip beverage culture taking hold at Mooland — thanks to recent Butterlandian efforts. Hope he likes it. Let's take a break and relax.

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Invigorated by the beverage with way too many shots of shaved beanies, Mr. Nickelson stepped forward. "Alright Manny, thanks again for welcoming us! And Izabella, a pleasure! Shall we sit down and get to business then. We're here and we're always ready — and we intend to go deep into everything that exists in your Mooland dimension! Thank you, we appreciate."

"Just call me Izzy please." The human fellows seemed casual enough to merit switching back to nicknames. "We have a meeting lounge just downstairs at Moopetals. Our capital, right, at the base of the Rainbow Spire where you landed. It's a quick elevator ride down. There's a bit of a dimensional shift as we descend from the Zenith Crown, but I imagine nothing like the experience of your journey here." The prototype teleporter of Sir Borgflash at Peaklands had been adapted to work with the native frequencies of the rainbow flux, so no need for Moongoose rides up and down the crystal tower — still a pop vintage attraction though.

The Highlands oracles had relaxed over the exclusive use of their celestial transports. Perhaps to share some of the majestic celestial vibes of Highlands, weaving an aura of mystique before the visitors. It was also just for the fact that the Moongoose population had revived to a point of abundance, and there simply were quite a few of these celestial geese to spare. The Moongeese themselves, sentient in a very different tuning of awareness, were all too pleased to oblige. Soaring above the Central Ocean, touring the Essence Islands, basking in the halo of the Rainbow Spire — it wasn't your average Highlands hill!

"Into the rainbow teleporter we go, Mr. Nickelson and Mr. Henderson! Hold on to the frames of your minds, we'll be swooshing right through the center of the polarized alignment conduits embedded into this ancient crystal spire. The Rainbow Spire isn't a Moolandian creation you know, it's a splinter from the Crystal Planet at the farthest reaches of our planetary system. It's been here since the beginning of our time. Some of our alchemists theorize that it sparked the dawn of sentient evolution at Mooland. We feel that Mooland exists in symbiosis with the Rainbow Spire. It's a unifying beacon for our planet."

"Wow that's an absolutely sick legend, Izzy! We have a lot of cool mountains on Earth too. Mount Satori on the outskirts of our Burzeria for one, though we've never been all the way up. Some weird stories about that place. What you got here is something else huh. Alright so let's hop in then! Are you ready, Mr. Henderson? I'm a bit worried here but hey — what's the worst that could happen right." The worst that could happen is, if your mindframe were completely backwards-wired, you could for example land on the dark moon ruled by the despotic Americano, into forced slavery at his muuny plantations. It's a safety misdirection mechanism built into the teleporter. Make sure that the wicked land where they belong. Mooland does not entertain twisted alien agendas.

"What about Mr. Silverman? Is he joining in?" — "Yeah I just checked in, he's still patching together the return coordinates and chugging down the weirdest drink of his life. Can you set for someone to accompany him when he's done with the engineering. Give him a tour of the facility. Just call him Mr. Slick okay. He doesn't do formal very well." — "Certainly. I'll fix up a liaison for him. There's plenty to explore at Moopetals. I'm sure Mr. Silverman will be thrilled to meet the Chromatic Warden. She's our master flux engineer regulating the rainbow fields. Any Mooland-specific dimensional tunings, she'll know it all inside out."

3. Lounging at the Capital ¶

An interesting but entirely uneventful ride down the teleporter shaft. Left a bit of a funny tingle in your spine, but that was all. Mr. Nickelson was relieved and actually feeling pretty damn good. "This way please, just behind the corner. We'll use the east side lounge." It was a fantastic lounge with a panoramic view of the central ocean, clearly designed to wow the visitors with the vastness of Mooland's potential and depths. "Damn Izzy, a serious lounge you got here! Check out those glowing islands, bro!" Mr. Henderson was already at the windows, taking in the mesmerizing visuals of the late morning sun dancing in the ocean.

"Whenever you're settled and ready, this way please." Manny pointed the brothers to a circular configuration of organic couches. It was a living set of seating, a single Wonkyroot organism from the Strangelands, shaped and sculpted by the kinder gardeners into a most comfortable arrangement. In its native habitat, Wonkyroot is a cranky plant to work with, but it turns pliable when fed with adaptive essence from the Riverlands springs — bending and molding to accommodate and support the person seated. There were two couches in the middle, with four more around the center in a diagonal arrangement. For the elemental ministers.

"Alright bro, Mr. Nickelson I mean, this could be an endless gazing session. Got to snap out of it, rolling brave into the future. We're not heading back to Earth anytime soon are we. Have a seat. Left or right. I'm good." Mr. Henderson was trying to keep up a formal decorum. It's not like they ever called each other by such long-winded names outside of special occasions.

Izzy and Manny took their seats on the couch opposite the agent brothers, a flower-shaped table with a choice of snacks and beverages resting in the center of the lounge. "Please help yourselves to whatever's on the table, and if there's anything you need, you'll let us know please. We will also have the four elemental ministers attending. Really it's just the two and two of us here, but they're present to witness our meeting and will provide consultation where necessary. Allow me to introduce." Punctual as ever, the four ministers entered through a side-door and settled into their respective couches.

"First, please meet Mrs. Mulax, our Minister of Earth. Mulax, a Mantisian from the farther shrines, spent her earlier years as a Peaklands envoy to the Grasslands, coordinating the highest and the lowest of Mooland's realms. With the high orientation of a sky priestess and the grounded presence of a pasture-dweller, she embodies the essence of Earth — a master of the patterns of structure and substance. She's the warden of the formative matrix of Mooland, the one we consult for our true foundations."

"Second, we have Miss Sarada, our Minister of Water. Sarada, a Moocow like myself, is the daughter of Emmoo Matirta, the Riverlands elder at the flavored springs. She spent her youth — just as my grandmother Ammoolia did — at the Essence Islands in the Deeplands that surround us. Working with empathic mediators and the deep-diving Moophins, she embodies the essence of Water — a master of adaptation and cohesion. She's the guide of evolution in Mooland, her emphatic reflections we follow."

"Third, we have Sir Boomarch, our Minister of Fire. Boomarch, of the Boofalo tribe, a native of Strangelands. Once the kingpin of the challengers, he brought his wits to the Heatlands to collaborate with the engineers and alchemists over many a discovery and resolution. Also a consultant at the Sir Corrector Bootcamp where challenges are met with precision, he embodies the essence of Fire — a master of catalysis and transformation. The guardian of coherence in Mooland, we trust his analysis and judgment."

"Fourth, we have Lady Hamsah, our Minister of Air. Hamsah was born at the Cloud Platforms at Highlands. Her childhood unfolded in the company of the high oracles, scouting the multicolored clouds in search of signs and significance. Training the Harmonic Orchestrators here at the Rainbow Spire, she explored the scope and spectrum of our radiant planetary dome. She embodies the essence of Air — a master of perspectives and relations. The revealer of purpose in Mooland, we delight in her integral visions."

Our agents of inquiry from Earth were impressed with the assembly. A proper high-level consortium there, representatives who actually seem to have a serious level of insight and aptitude. On their native planet, you see, things worked in a very different way. In the cyclic customs of Earth, a selection of bureaucrats and popular figures are put on display. They all prance around and make outrageous claims in a very expensive spectacle. Then everyone shouts all together, and whichever figure gets the loudest shouts gets to sit on the throne for a term. In Burzeria, it's usually a battle between the donkey people and the elephant people. Then, this sort of a meritocratic assembly was unprecedented, but it made a world of sense for them. Just sitting there and feeling the vibes from the ministers was a mind-opening experience, an existential unfolding before any of their inquiries were put on the table.

"So that's all there, Mr. Henderson and Mr. Nickelson, the assembly we summon for important meetings. Any specific inquiries you may have into the basic formation of things, the adaptive flow of becoming, the reactive forces of interaction, the related meanings of the whole — our friends Mulax, Sarada, Boomarch, Hamsah, will be happy to engage you with their respective fields of expertise. There's also a fifth, the Minister of Balance and Space — but she only ever gets involved when these four struggle with consensus, when there's a disturbance in the natural rhyme and reason of the elements. Should all things land into a natural balance, with space enough for their harmonic coexistence, we won't need to bother her for an audience."

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"And we've already introduced ourselves right, Izzy and Manny — or Izabella and Mandalika if you must. In our younger days, we embarked on an epic journey across the realms of Mooland, inspired by the tales of old Moopheus. What followed took us all by surprise. The transforming power of the tales and wisdoms of the realms, when brought all together, turned our planet upside down for good. We're since living in what they call the Golden Age of Mooland, where all of our tribes see eye to eye and collaborate, understanding their unique roles as parts of a greater whole. Our planet itself is a living organism — and Mooland herself is blissful and blossoming when the tribes are working together with a wholesome vision of life. So what about you two, Mr. Henderson and Mr. Nickelson? What's your story, how's your home planet like in the Human Dimension, and what can we do for you?"

Henderson and Nickelson both reached for the biggest available cups that looked like coffee. They had little idea of what most of the items in the catering were — nor had they much of an idea of the scope of the existential catering they were about to discover in Mooland. The brothers took turns in sharing their story, clearly just a single story with two angles.

"Alright, so I am Mr. Henderson, and my brother Mr. Nickelson. Please just call us Ray and Nix for short, those are our agent code names. As I duly noted upon landing, we are interdimensional agents of inquiry from a planet called Earth. Our family associate Mr. Moosk created a vehicle that can breach the barrier into alternative dimensions. We volunteered for the pilot ride, because we've actually been on a long-running mission of existential inquiry. We're investigating what's actually going on in this existence. And we're totally stoked about landing here in Mooland with all of you, this looks like a fantastic dimension to explore.

"So our planet, Earth, is honestly a bit of a sad place. There's a lot of suffering there that seems unnecessary. Our governments are nothing like you have here. Most everyone in a position are really just hollow show puppets. Self-serving people and organizations with actual power are pulling the strings, driven by greed and ego, with little concern for the well-being of our people as a whole. Even though we have enough resources to provide for everyone in abundance, the planet is driven by a system called market economy that depends on strategic imbalance, where constant need fuels constant growth. We're wondering how long that bubble can be sustained. Otherwise, it's actually a very beautiful planet. We like it, but we don't like how its residents are rolling."

"Well that all sounds quite tragic and dark. I'm sad to hear of the struggles of your homeworld. I can see why you'd want to explore other dimensions. We hope that there's something here in Mooland that you can bring back home to your Human Dimension and make your world a better place for your people. So how can we help you on you quest, agents Ray and Nix?"

Mr. Nickelson, the executive agent, stepped in to check the specs for the looming transaction of services. "So there are actually a bunch of things we're hoping for, we'll set the agenda in a moment here, but first of all I'd like to check, how much is all of this going to cost us? We have about a cubic meter of dollar bills in the trunk of our dimensional ride. So money is not a problem."

Izzy and Manny were puzzled. They had never heard of dollar bills. The only bills they knew are the flyers you sometimes get from the moonks at Essence Islands monasteries with some spiritual wisdoms printed on them. And what even is this money. "I'm sorry Mr. Nix, we're a bit confused here. When one of our moons reaches a crescent, we call it 'mooney' or 'moonie'. Sometimes crescent moons are drawn, along with rays of the sun, on the wisdom bills they hand out at the monasteries. But you must be talking about something else. Can you help us out here? What is this dollar bill money you have, and how does your costing system work?"

"Oh right really. You're actually saying there's no money in Mooland? Okay then. The basics of how stuff works on Earth. So 'dollar bills' are actually a later version of 'dollar coins'. We used to collect precious metals, minting them into little discs and trading them for goods and services. Then we created practical paper replacements for these coins in larger amounts with a number printed on them, and those are called dollar bills. Cost is when someone supplies you with a thing or does something for you, and in exchange you pay so many dollars of money as determined by the market value, and that's called a monetary transaction."

Manny was curious. "We also mine a lot of precious metals at Strangelands. Our blacksmiths and engineers at Heatlands are very skilled in turning them into both practical and artistic creations. If you had brought discs of your native metals, we could have smelted and cast them into something nice for you. Symbolic amulets or even spare parts for your vessel. What can we do for your paper dollar bills? We could bleach them and ask the scribes at the Essence Archives to turn them into Mooland wisdom bills to bring back to your planet. Is that an idea? We don't trade in representations here. We just give and do actual things for each other so everyone gets what they need. We may barter services for special things — but there should never be a cost on basic necessities. If you deprive someone because they don't have dollars, it seems wrong and even evil to me. Does that make sense?"

Nix and Ray spent the next while collecting their dropped jaws from the lounge floor. Whatever are they going to do with the stupid amount of money loaded into the trunk, a part of it theirs and a part of it from Mr. Moosk for lucrative investments. Like donkeys hauling a burden of mouldy straws, fit for compost but not worth the trouble. It would've been better to bring crates of cookies or a couple of barrels of Frappucino, or anything else whatsoever that actually has real meaning in Mooland. The dollars that stood for power and influence in their native dimension were reduced to the practical worth of the paper they are printed on. If bleached.

"Okay so let me get this straight. Manny, you're saying you will help us out with all sorts of things, and then you want nothing in return?" — "Of course you're welcome to provide something in return, Nix! As I said, we all do things for each other here, making sure that everyone has what they need. We all reciprocate and pass onward the favors. While you're here, see where you can help, see what you can improve, and look into that. That will be appreciated. There's no need to keep cost accounts like you do on Earth. We're not thinking in terms of 'he did this and we did this much in return'. It all evens out in the greater balance of Mooland."

Izzy chipped in. "And of course there's a cost to all things in life. But it's not a cost in money dollars. It is a cost paid by yourself, with yourself. Suppose you wish to eat fruits from a blooming tree in your garden. The cost is your effort in preparing the soil, planting and cultivating the seedling, diligently removing harmful weeds, and learning what trees require and how to care for them. Suppose you wish to master the magical tuning sounds with the wizard moonks. The cost is the training of your voice and the patient purification of your heart and mind. So there's a cost to everything, and it's not measured in your money."

The brothers looked at each other in a moment of contemplation. "So that actually makes a lot of sense. There's a necessary cost that is born of the nature of how things work, and we can't substitute that with the stupid dollars we brought along. Can you please send word for Mr. Slick on where your scribal facilities are. He'll drop the stash over for bleaching and then whatever your monks and scribes and wizards like to doodle on them. We'll split half of it with Mr. Moosk. The other half we'll distribute to random people on Earth. Gonna have to tell him that each of them bills is worth like a diamond in the Mooland dimension."

Izzy and Manny both burst out in laughter. "You're actually totally right there. Our ancient scrolls speak of the Grand Prism of Inner Mū, like a diamond in the core of your being that refracts the countless rays of your consciousness. Bills of wisdom unveil the diamond of your primordial self, the prism that is there before the details of Nix, Ray, Izzy or Manny are manifest. One diamond bill is plenty for one person — but if Mr. Moosk masters half of your stash, he may yet turn into an extraordinary wizard. Otherwise, if he really wants to come trade the wisdom bills for physical diamonds, we have tons in the Strangeland swamps and more keep raining in from the heavens. It'd be a fool's plunder and a blunder though, trading your soul for a thousand trinkets."

Our opening talks were quickly reaching the human session limit. "You two drop a lot of mind-blowing bars don't you. Do you mind if me and Nix take a little recess and relax on the balcony? Like to reset my head with the ocean's waves. Spot some more of those Moophins. We are all diving deep here. Take a moment to review what we actually want or need really. We had some ideas. But the setting here resets a lot of circuits in our heads. Need to reflect and realign. Need a moment right. Thank you so much."

4. What the Agents Might Inquire ¶

Enough ocean essence inhaled, Nix and Ray returned to the lounge in a more composed frame of mind. A neat bullet point list was scribbled over a napkin with the symbol of a crowned mermaid. The napkin's edges were smeared with what we presume were Frappucino droplets, so it was probably Mr. Slick's napkin. Nix placed the list on the table with a confident smile. "Sooo. Here's the basic agenda from our side. Let's take it from there. Have a see." Izzy and Manny both leaned forward for a glance. "Such a cute logo, is that the Queen of the Moophins in your letterhead? Do you also have Moophins on Earth then?"

Split into three major headings with three topics in each, the list of inquiries touched a broad palette of concerns.

Life Inquiries

• How Emotions Work
• Habitual Patterns
• Veils of the Mind

Existential Inquiries

• Objects and Relations
• How the Universe was Born
• Unified Quantum Field Theory

Path Inquiries

• What Is a Good Person?
• What is Meditation Actually?
• The Path of Conscious Evolution

"So you two have clearly spent some time contemplating on what matters in life. It's not the sort of agenda we expected with your description on how things work in the human dimension. Let's walk through these, and we'll think about who's the best person to help you out with each. Clearly you're looking at a journey across the realms. No one person can cover all of these topics properly. How excellent Izzy, we're out for a road trip again! It's been a long while stuck at the capital!"

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Izzy and Manny were at this point the best-networked pair of Moolandians. They knew most everyone of significant essence. If not, then they knew the person who'd know the right person, like living hubs for every flavor of Mooland quest conceivable.

"Alright Manny, for most of these we have obvious leads. A couple of the headlines we'll have to clarify. First, Sarada's mom at the essence springs. As the Riverlands mediatrix, she's touched upon and harmonized just about every flow of emotion in existence. That's a clear first stop there. Then, what exactly goes into habitual patterns? Ray, Nix, what did you have in mind?"

Ray pitched in. "So actually there are two things. People often live their lives like programmed robots. Just following the signals from the world like a bunch of sheep, and reacting without a pause to think. To think, why are we acting the way we do? So how do we snap out of these patterns. Then, sometimes we have bad experiences that leave deep marks in our souls. These inner wounds drive us to think and act in ways that don't actually add up or make sense. How do we overcome that."

"So those two are similar but also quite different. Two basic options. If you want the lite version, we can just continue at the Riverlands and for example catch up with Moodulus, the resident stream conductor. A contemplative fellow, he knows a lot about the conditions that direct a continuum. Usually he's managing our river flow patterns, but the rivers are teachers of the flow of life. If you want the challenging version, we'll head over to Strangelands and meet the good old Boohaush. He'll walk straight into your subterranean consciousness, help you confront and reconcile the dark dynamics of your ancient mind. He curses a lot though."

The first option sounded nice. The second, quite intimidating. "We've already breached into another dimension, so let's just head to Strangelands then. We two are brave explorers of the farthest reaches of consciousness. We are going deep." Behind the chill poker face of confidence, Nix and Ray were both getting fidgety. Boohaush sounded like the sort of character that could shred your mind into a million slivers or have it explode and implode and invert from the inside out. "Strangelands it is then! No need to be nervous. It's not like he's dragging you into a nearby cave for an occult moon oblivion retreat. Not on your first visit."

"Then on the veils of the mind. How about we just hop straight up to Mandakini's dwelling at the Uppermost Viewpoints. It's been a while. Layered veils of time, space, and awareness — mist before the morning sun to her omnivision. She's an experience. Nix and Ray will also get to gaze at the golden halo from the edge of the cookie. I still remember our first visit like a yesterday. So, Mr. Nickelson, Mr. Henderson, are you excited yet? We're thrilled to take you on this journey."

"Sounds about proper epic there! We've been on a bunch of journeys across the Earth, from the Amazon River to Mount Fuji and even the South Pole and the tropical Batsheight Caves. We've met some interesting characters on our travels. This is something else though. We have this epic friend on Earth though, you know he used to be a monk and walked like a thousand miles every day until his mind melted into the cosmic sound and he ascended to the transcendent, and you should probably meet him one day. He'd love it here in Mooland. So we have these projects together, hang on, what's that..."

At this point, Mrs. Mulax intervened like a true Mantisian orientor. "Gentlemen, if I may, a kind observation. Progressive drift from the topic. If we are to establish a clear agenda for your journey, a foundation in support of your primary interests, the tighter our focus on the topic, the more well-rounded your outcomes will be. Let us ground and reorient to the agenda. Please continue."

"How about we call it a noon meal break instead?" It was clear to Manny, lucid as the real-time rendering of Nix and Ray's matrix of awareness before her mind's compound eye, that we'd reached a saturation point again. It was a good call.

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With the gravity of a fine Moolandian lunch, the flux of stray thoughts had settled. Our agents were primed for action again. "Let's go, 'Objects and Relations', who's gonna tackle that one? You know, we're super excited about all this. Let's wrap up the agenda!"

Izzy handed the stage to Manny for the Existential Inquiries gameplan. "This next set sounds like your department?" — "Sure, and the first item, I think we can just defer it straight to Lady Hamsah. This is what she handles all day long, tracking Mooland from a macro-perspective with all of its interconnected bits and pieces. Abstract complex systems modeling right. Hamsah, that work for you?" — "All good here, Mandalika!" — "Well then, great, we'll be returning to Moopetals from Strangelands then.

"And for the next item, 'How the Universe was Born', we won't have to dive far from the basecamp. Best we let the Arcane Abbot handle this one. He knows the Genesis of Mū and the scrolls of creation like the back of his head. Right here at the Essence Islands next to us. You can see the island with his monastery from our north-west lobby.

"Finally, we have something called 'Unified Quantum Field Theory', which I've never heard of. Any ideas? Sir Boomarch, have you come across such a concept?" — "Not by that name, but I get the general direction. Just head over to the Heatlands and consult Elder Pyrogebrius, they have tons of scientific alchemists there. They'll figure it out. If you're in luck, Sir Borgflash the visionary pioneer, inventor of the astral teleporter, is still around. Last I checked, he was there working on an interplanetary model."

"So that's all a check then. The last heading, Path Inquiries — Izzy, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" — "I'm thinking we could just head over to grandma's place. Camp there for a couple of days and let her handle the last three items?" — "Exactly, to Ammy's it is!" — "Anytime, Manny! She'll be so excited!" Izzy and Manny were forever enthusiastic over a visit to Ammoolia's place, acting out of form like two giggly teenagers with hearts full of rainbow sparks and glittery wonder again.

The agents were raising their eyebrows a notch higher than usual — beyond the "being cool and checking things out" gesturing that was a standard feature in the agent swag. "Wait so we're going on a camping trip then? And whoever is this grandmother Ammy?" Suppose the reference didn't sound as convincing as the very impressive list of informants so far.

Izzy tracked back to a more formal tone. "Oh yes sorry about that, we get nostalgic! So Ammoolia, my grandmother, is the Mistress of Clouds, the high oracle at the Highlands. She taught us the heart of the Wisdom of Mū when we were still teenagers, prepping us for our epic journey across the realms. We, and really Mooland as a whole, owe her an endless debt of gratitude. Your three final questions are a breakfast in the gardens for Ammy. Anything unclear or too abstract from your earlier questions, she'll dress them up into stories that make a world of sense. She's super tuned into living insight, not that much into abstract theories."

"Okay well that sounds like one serious grandma you got there! Looking forward to meeting her. So that wraps up our agenda then. Can we summarize the Mooland gameplan please? When do we hit the road?"

"That seems to be the measure of things. We'll see what all Mooland brings to you. Manny, can you please summarize?"

"Sure. First set. Starting with How Emotions Work, we're visiting Riverlands to meet Emmoo Matirta, the elder mediatrix at the flavored springs. Then, for Habitual Patterns, we're heading over to Strangelands and plunging into the depths of your minds with Boohaush the mystic digger. Finally, for Veils of the Mind, we'll be at the peak of the Peaklands with sage Mandakini.

"Second set, we're heading back to Moopetals. Lady Hamsah, our Minister of Air, will explore Objects and Relations with you. For How the Universe was Born, we'll dive into the ancient scrolls with the Arcane Abbot, at Essence Islands right next door. Finally, we'll visit the Heatlands and see what Elder Pyrogebrius and his colleagues have on your Unified Quantum Field Theory.

"Third set, we'll cover the lot of your inquiries with Ammoolia. Cloud Orchards at the Highlands. Your remaining topics, What Is a Good Person, What is Meditation Actually, and finally The Path of Conscious Evolution. Let's take a couple of days there. I don't think you'll be in any rush to leave. We'll be on a Moongoose so we can cover the ground easily, but I suggest we still take a day each for your other topics. You're not on a schedule to return to your Human Dimension soon, are you?"

"No Manny we are not! All good here! We have a flexible schedule!" How very flexible indeed. Like elastic quantum strings. Agent Ray, whispering to his brother — "Any word from Mr. Slick yet? He was saying it's a total scramble with the instruments. Not sure he even understands all this stuff. You think we're ever heading home? I miss my cat. It's not a bad place here to get stuck though." — "So, Izzy and Manny, what say we head out tomorrow? Hang out here for the rest of the day, check out the capital?"

"We can definitely do that. Should I send for Mr. Silverman? We hear he's still in the cabin of your vehicle and he's still being stressed out. I think he could use a break and relax some. We can head down to the Moophin House downstairs at the seaside. Get you something more soothing than those Americanos. Catch the sunset over the islands, watch the auroras paint their stories over the dome of the sky. It's a very different sky spreading over the Deeplands, the halo of the Rainbow Spire turns it all special."

"Well that sounds like a plan then! Yeah please send someone to fetch Mr. Slick. He's still stressing about mapping the return coordinates in the astral cyber-streams. We don't need it all sorted today. All good. Let's chill. Good session here."

5. Moongoosing to the Springs ¶

[ ... to be continued! ... ]