The latest entries from Professor Tungsten have been found amid the shuffle of papers at the Meeroo Preservation Society, and it seems big things are on the way. What could it all mean?

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Professor Tungsten's Journal Entry –
The appearance of the Meerunic Crystals

Usually I pride myself on the unbiased observations that I've made my life's works. In this, with the discovery of Meeroo kind, I've had a very worthwhile endeavor to sink myself into these last years. Not only for the sake of research itself and the preservation of information on these wonderful creatures, but for the magic and majesty I've been able to observe in my Meeroo companions along the way. But today I fear I must report that my emotional state is starting to get the best of me!

It seemed I had really started to understand all the mysteries being offered by the Meeroos in my company; A full comprehension of their different personality types, their breeding habits, the foods they prefer depending on the regions they were discovered in, how they interacted, and even the thin threads of any kind of social order within their “Tribes”. Though I'm continually fascinated by the different species and traits that seem to still be surfacing within the different bloodlines, Diurnal and Nocturnal like, not to mention the lovely surprise that these lines will happily mix to a new level of unique and combined traits so far, it's been something of a slow down of new discoveries lately that's mostly hinged on what the new generations reveal.

This, however, has all just changed in these last months, and I'm abashed to admit that as I sit here penning this latest entry, my hands are trembling slightly with my excitement! My usually organized mind is tumbling with that my discoveries might mean! Let me compose myself and do this in a more professional manner.

Back around the turn of the year, a marvelous thing happened. Amongst all the usual little trinkets and treasures that the Meeroos usually seem to find in their home habitats, an unusually brilliant crystal appeared. Now, I've picked up and disposed of a myriad of mushrooms, little colorful stones, feathers, bits of fruit and whatnot, but this crystal truly stood out. Firstly it was large and perfectly formed, a pristine point of color in the thick grass. Given the somewhat “well loved” state of some of the items the Meeroos seem to find or dig up, this stood out as a feature quite distinctly. Not muddy or dirty marks and no little paw finger prints, it looked like it'd been laid there fresh from the jewelers polishing cloth. As if that wasn't enough to catch one's attention, there was the light it radiated from its center, as if it was a beacon of energy. After circling the perfect crystal tip and looking at it from all angles, I noticed what looked like some sort of odd etching at its base. In my travels all over the world, I've seen many different Meeroo symbols and carvings, and I was taken by surprise when the one before me looked like a symbol I'd seen before.

Finally, having decided to take a closer look and study the glowing treasure that had every Meeroo in the area gathering near and chattering with excitement, I took a handkerchief from my pocket and used it to pick up the glassy bit of perfection from the grass, intent to turn it over and take a look at the etched symbol. However, the warmth that radiated up my arm with a soft buzz took me completely by surprise, and before I could register panic or concern over the sensation, my vision swam and I felt weightless and, well, as illogical as this sounds … transported. The kerchief in my hand provided no barrier at all between me and the information this gem was meant to deliver, and I was powerless to stop the event.

It had been momentarily disorienting, but painless, and there was never a sense of danger through the mere moments I'm sure it took for me to experience this odd waking-dream evoked by the crystal's touch. I won't go into detail here on what I was shown, not wanting to spoil it for other explorers of this path, but it's suffice to say that within moments I knew the meaning of the item in my hand. And I do mean that I truly knew and understood not only the sound of the symbol, it's alphabetical representation, the word associated with the flowing curl of the etching, but also that this was one of the fabled Meerunic letters I had observed across the world. Not only that, but that more were coming, many more, and I had only to be diligent and patient to find them and to unlock their “No'm”, their Visions.

In the weeks since finding the first Meerunic Crystal, when the usually social and happy sounds of the Meeroos in my area grows to an excited pitch, I find myself rushing out to their chosen little nooks and fields to look around. To date I've found a total of three different crystals, each as pristine as the other. Each seems to have its own color, its own resonance of energy, as well as its own Meerunic etching and meaning.

This, as a discovery, is monumental on its own, surely. The fact that, within time, I'll be able to collect all of the symbols and finally have the 'code' needed to decipher all the old cave scrawlings, the ancient statue etchings, and the little claw-carved treasures the Meeroos themselves allow me to see from time to time, is endlessly thrilling. But the real mystery here is the change I've seen in the Meeroos' behavior since the first crystal was found.

More than once I've seen one of my little companions come to my feet and look at me with such intent, and then roll out a litany of little sounds and trills with a careful slowness that can only lead me to believe that they're actually trying to communicate directly with me in their own language. The frustration of only catching minimal sounds that are familiar so far is maddening, but I've taken to carrying a little recorder with me to catch these precious moments for further study as more Mercurics reveal themselves.

In addition to this another new behavior seems to be surfacing and becoming more and more frequent. Groups of Meeroos, of all different Species, or “Tribes”, are gathering in small numbers and spending time away from their usually chosen nesting grounds to go out searching. I've followed as closely as I dare a time or two, and in this have found them paying especially close attention to different outcroppings of stones, unfamiliar flower species, clusters of fungi in the woods, and even watching the growing spring swarms of lightening bugs and dragonflies with great interest as if they're looking for something specific.

Time and again these little groups have come back empty handed, and a sense of anxiousness and frustration seems to be growing amongst the Tribes. One thing very specific to note about these little exploring parties is that they are never a mix of the two different bases of Meeroos. Diurnal Meeroo always go with other Diurnals, and Nocturnal Meeroos always go in the company of other Nocturnal Tribe members, even to the extent that mixed pairs that have come together in mating will separate for this time of hunting, and then come together again back in their nesting grounds. I can't be sure yet if the two different bloodlines are looking for different items entirely, or if their competing against each other for whatever it is they're searching for.

What I have summarized in all of this is that there is something changing amongst all the Tribes. The Meeroos, both Nocturnal and Diurnal, seem to have taken the appearance of the Meerunic crystals as some sort of sign, and they're growing restless. They seem increasingly excited every time a new Meerunic is found, and what ever efforts that have been waning from their explorations seem to pick up again with a renewed fervor. The fact that this isn't a cooperative effort through all of Meeroo kind, but seems to be segregated is a little worrisome, and I'll have to be even more attentive myself to their search parties and interactions to see if I can decipher a meaning, and soon.

(end)