Save the puppy from damnation

So, here's the scenario for you to wrap your head around:

Trapped by misery

Drake was a sweet enthusiastic puppy who got excited by the smallest of stimuli. He enjoyed life to the fullest. Days were spent chasing butterflies, smelling flowers and enjoying the world in general. He was a curious little puppy, often learning new tricks from neighborhood children. The future was an open road. He could become a police dog, a rescue dog or any other kind of dog. If it was up to him, he’d become everything. He loved all and enjoyed everything.

He didn’t spend much time indoors because there was just so much to enjoy out there. The only time he came inside was when the day was over and he was tired from all the fun activities. He looked forward to the morning and couldn’t wait for the night to be over. He knew life had much more in store for him and he would pursue his destiny with the tenacity of a race dog.

One morning, however, everything changed. The world was still the same, and so was he, but there was one little detail that was offsetting him. Above his basket, under the ceiling hung a big juicy sausage. He wanted it, badly.

Unlike the other mornings when he would jump right out of the basket and run out to enjoy life, he walked around the bait. It was probably just some practical joke from one of the mean kids, but it didn’t matter to him. All that mattered was him getting the sausage.

A local kid called for him outside, “Drake! Come out to play. Today’s the first day of the summer vacation and we can play all day long, every day. I brought you your favorite toy!”

Drake walked ever faster toward the hole in the door to join his friend but stopped mid-way. There was another thing calling him from behind. A smell of delight, right there for the taking. All he had to do was grab the sausage and everything would be as it was, just better.

He plunged back and jumped as high as he could. He flew high with open mouth. His tongue brushed against the hanging sausage which overflowed him with the divine taste, but it when he snatched at it, he missed it just by a little.

Falling to the floor, he rolled on the carpet and crashed at the wall. He was sore and bumped, but it didn’t stop him from trying again. And again. And again.

Eventually, he tired. The many failures damaged his resolve and his will was waning. The many injuries from the falls amounted to a limp.

Yet, he could not just walk out of the room like all days before. He sat in the middle of the room, looking up at the one thing he wanted more than anything else. The sausage dangled above him, so close, yet just out of reach.

His joy turned to misery as he sat there, looking up to the one thing that could bring back his happiness. Minutes turned to hours, hours turned to days.

He didn’t venture outside anymore. What he wanted was right in front of him. Knowing that, he stayed indoors. Nothing else could bring him joy anymore, not until he would get what he wanted.

With days, the smell only grew more enticing. His desire for the sausage grew, but inside there was turmoil. With the sausage in his snout, every other activity would be better than it ever was, but without it, everything seemed meaningless.

Drake knew the dangling sausage was sucking out his enjoyment of life. But at the same time, it was the key to his happiness. He could not leave it alone. One way or another, he would get to it, or die trying.

Even though it was torture for the Drake, he stayed in the room. Everything he loved until that point simply ceased. That out-of-reach sausage would always and forever be the center of his world. The craving wouldn't make him happy. In fact, it would make him miserable. But he could not help himself. As long as the sausage would exist, he would never be free. And the sausage wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. Drake was trapped.

If you could speak to this puppy, and he’d understand you, what would your advice be?

Comments

[Wise Cracker]

A strange creature walked towards the puppy, a rodent-like creature with a long tail and strange ears, but even stranger feet that let it walk on two legs. It smelled odd, too, like a rainstorm.

It eyed the sausage and the puppy craving it, before saying "Silly puppy, don't you know this sausage isn't the only one in the world? You're wasting a whole day for something that is beyond your reach, when there's plenty within your reach. Bark at the sausage, perhaps one of the children will climb the fence and help you get it. Whine at the sausage, and perhaps your owner will realise how much you want it and cut it down for you, or find you an even better one. Try leaving the sausage, and have fun like you did before. It might not smell so nice later, and you'll realise how silly you've been. Or your master may come around and cut it down for you. Sausages need to dry sometimes to taste extra good, it might just be ripening to be even better later."

Seeing the puppy's eyes tear up, the creature huffed. "Or, perhaps, you can try standing on my back, and try to get it that way. It may not work, for I am not the tallest of creatures, but you were close before, and you'll get closer still with some help. I have no need for sausage myself, but it is a small effort on my part, it hurts me none to do it for you, and if it should fail, there are others we both can stand on."

[Bad Dragon]

5097737 Good job! You solved it. However, to make things even more interesting, I'm upgrading the difficulty now so that new solutions can be saught after.

---

Silly puppy, don't you know this sausage isn't the only one in the world?

It is to the puppy. For all he knows, there's no other sausage in the world.

You're wasting a whole day for something that is beyond your reach, when there's plenty within your reach.

But nothing in his reach is as enticing as the one thing that is out of reach.

Bark at the sausage, perhaps one of the children will climb the fence and help you get it. Whine at the sausage, and perhaps your owner will realize how much you want it and cut it down for you, or find you an even better one.

In my head-canon, the puppy lives in an abandoned house. It's locked, so no one ever comes inside. It's a wonder that a mean kid managed to find a way in.

Try leaving the sausage, and have fun like you did before.

He tried, but nothing is enjoyable if you're thinking about something else when you're doing it. And the puppy couldn't get the sausage out of his mind.

It might not smell so nice later, and you'll realize how silly you've been.

All the more reason to get it first before doing anything else.

Or, perhaps, you can try standing on my back, and try to get it that way.

Relying on help from others could work for some things. However, in this world, everyone wants a sausage for himself and there aren't enough to go around. Inviting others would be a sure way to fail. The puppy doesn't want to fail. He wants to win. He wants to get that sausage for himself.

[Wise Cracker]

5097746
Slightly too hungover to fix that problem with added difficulties at the moment. Will attempt it at a later date.

I don't suppose the Raichu can just zap the rope the sausage is attached to and give it to little Drake?

If you'll indulge me in a little worldbuilding question while I have your attention, here's something random: spellbutting. If I tell you spellbutting is a sport, what comes to mind?

[Bad Dragon]

5097750

Slightly too hungover to fix that problem with added difficulties at the moment. Will attempt it at a later date.

Not all problems have solutions. Hungover being one that is not easy solvable with little time.

I don't suppose the Raichu can just zap the rope the sausage is attached to and give it to little Drake?

Raichu is just an imaginary friend who Drake created out of despair. All Raichu can really do is advise.

---

If you'll indulge me in a little worldbuilding question while I have your attention, here's something random: spellbutting. If I tell you spellbutting is a sport, what comes to mind?

It's an Arena sport between two players at a time. Spellcasters are allowed to imbue their butts with various spells, be defensive or offensive. When the judge gives the signal, both spellcasters put their butts together, triggering the spells.

They are allowed to augment their spells as the fight progresses. If one used mainly frost spells, the other one can raise up fiery defensive spells before her butt freezes over. But going defensive offsets offensive spells.

It's a strategic sport. Some use the 'glass cannon' tactic and hope to overwhelm their opponent's butt before they sustain too much hurt on their own. Some play the long defensive game. It's all about reading your opponent's butt and adapting to it.

[Wise Cracker]

5097757
Okay, round two, then.

"Well, you're not looking at it the right way, are you? Sit down, little pupper, and look closely at what it is before you and what needs to be done."

The Raichu waits for the pup to sit.

"Now, the sausage is attached to a rope, the rope is attached to the ceiling. Even if you jump up high enough to grab it, all you'll get is a little taste. You'll have to lock your jaw around it, lick it for all your worth, and hope none of your puppy teeth fall out. That's no good, even if you succeed. No, what you need to do is overshoot it a little. Find some pillows, stack them up high, make a fort if need be. Make something that stands high enough so you can climb on and nibble on that sausage all you want. Once you bite enough out of it at the high end, it'll fall down and it'll be all yours. No need to fret over it now, is there? Take your time and build up. Jumping isn't going to work, even if you get high enough. But climbing and building, that'll get you the whole thing."

[Bad Dragon]

5098150 Congratulations. Level 2 completed.

Unlocking level 3:

The puppy adheres to the advice of the imaginary friend.

He drags all the rubbish around the house and stacks it on top of each other.

Drake slowly steps on the layers, trying not to upset the balance of the trash.

He gets so close. The sausage hangs right before his snout. Just a little more... He extends his neck, but the rusty toaster he stood on leans and they both plunge to the base of the pile. With the foundation shaken, all the trash falls on Drake. All he can do is hold his pows in front of his face to take the brunt of the junk.

When he finally digs himself out of the pile, he notices that he can't stand on the right foreleg. There is a thorn stuck in his pow. The blood is slowly dripping on the dusty floor.

With teary eyes, the puppy looks at his imaginary friend for advice.

[Wise Cracker]

5098222

Well, you didn't do what you were supposed to. You didn't overshoot so you could comfortably grab the sausage: you stacked only a little, and tried to grab too soon. But now you know. First thing you're going to have to do is get that paw cleaned up. Go outside, to where the children were calling you. Whine and bark, they'll find someone who can help. They wanted to play with you, after all, and they'll surely find help from a grownup, if only for the opportunity to play with you again.

[Bad Dragon]

5098701 Very good, but I'm afraid you will find lever 3 more challenging than you thought. Maybe the difficulty of this level is called 'impossible' for a reason.

The puppy tries to move outside, but a limp, combined with the thorn in his paw grounds him after just one step.

He gathers the last of his remaining strength, clenches at the thorn in his paw with his teeth and pulls it out.

Yelping, the puppy falls on his back. Droplets of blood trickle from his injured paw onto his chest. Above him dangles the only thing that matters to him, but he's so much below it. The sausage is more out of reach than ever before. And he is not good enough to obtain it, weakened further by his own mistakes.

Tears flow in his ears, but he can't even find the strength to move his head. He closes his eyes and imagines a world where the sausage just falls into his snout.

[Wise Cracker]

5098706
I dunno, man. I mean, the rules and settings of the game appear to change in between my moves, and the controls aren't exactly airtight, but I can still try:

"Look, this is getting silly. You're starving yourself because of a piece of food. You hurt yourself doing the wrong thing when you knew what the right thing was. Take a little rest, lick your wound, and go get help to get yourself patched up. If you don't, you're not going to get the sausage, ever, or any food for that matter. Keep your priorities straight: make sure you can continue to make attempts, then do the actual attempts. You're not going to be able to do much of anything if you don't solve this problem first. So get up, go to where the children were, and yelp a little until they come find you. Who knows, they might have a sausage to spare."

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that either the pup messes up and gets himself into more misery, or the pup was dead all along, in which case it could have just flown up and ghosted the meat already.

[Bad Dragon]

5098728

I dunno, man. I mean, the rules and settings of the game appear to change in between my moves, and the controls aren't exactly airtight

That's the game of life for you.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that either the pup messes up and gets himself into more misery,

You're probably right. Misery only invites more misery.

or the pup was dead

Nah, that's just his newly developed secret wish. His heart is still beating in his chest.

You did really great in this challenge. You lasted more than I thought you would. Alas, not all stories have a happy ending. There are times when victory is simply an impossibility.

The puppy lacked the energy to go outside. The mistakes of the past came to haunt him. Drake licked his paw until it stopped bleeding, then dragged himself into a corner when he kept a big bone for the times of despair he thought would never come. He hugged it with all four and licked it, all the while watching the sausage, wishing it was the sausage he was licking.

He thought about the mistakes he made in the past. Each though felt like a knife in his chest, taking away even the little energy he had left. He was a puppy trying to do a wolf's job. Perhaps, he just wasn't good enough. Maybe, he didn't even deserve the sausage.

One day, when he won't be in the way and messing up things anymore, perhaps some other, more deserving creature, will come to claim it. Maybe everything is as it should be and the misery he feels is well deserved. Why struggle against something that is as it should be?

[ponybird21]

"Little One, do open your eyes." The voice came from everywhere and no where. Perhaps a guardian angel? A figment of the puppy's imagination? His insanity at not achieving the sausage?
"I know that you want it, and you feel that everything will be just as it was, but better, if you get that sausage. But it is obsolete, temporal. You will eat it, and it will be nothing in the end. You will soon forget how it smelled, then tasted, and finally how exactly it looked. It is a materialistic object. But look now, you have your friends outside. The memories with them will be oh so much more sweeter than that sausage."

The voice paused, taking note of the puppy's saddened eyes and heart.
"And besides, there are more. If you want a sausage that badly, have a friend help you get it down, and share it. That will make it so much better, because you will have a fond memory now, instead of your greediness."

[Bad Dragon]

5134267

The puppy thinks,"Others will still be around later, but the sausage is here now. It might not be here later anymore.

"Friends have their own sausages to worry about. If I showed them what I've been up to they'd either laugh at me or try to take it for themselves. They want it just as bad as I do.

"I've heard of others eating sausage. If they could get it, I should be able to get it as well."

[ponybird21]

5134373

"You have it wrong, little one. That sausage will rot soon, in fact it will soon sicken you. Friends are temporal, depending on what you do, right now."
"And don't think so bad of the world, yes there are those that will steal that sausage. But there are also those who are delighted to help you. That is how you learn to make judgments, but seeing what a person's heart is. And I think that is a very fair trade for a sausage."

[Bad Dragon]

5134464

"If the sausage will rot, I have to prioritize it even more!

"There is always an opportunity for friendship, but sausage doesn't hang around every day. Opportunities can only be grabbed when they are presented. Miss them, and they may not come back.

"Perhaps if the sausage rots, there will be time for friends. Until then, the focus is clear. Getting that sausage is all that's important. My heart is with the sausage.

"And if another were to get the sausage, I would have no right to it. Just because a person who gained something is my friend, it's no reason that I have any claim to any of that. Whoever would take a bone after I burry it is no friend of mine. And biting on a sausage that a person gets would not be a friendly thing to do."

[ponybird21]

5134485

"but if it only brings you temporal, brief satisfaction, why is it a priority? Little.pup, no one deserves anything, but when you receive something you didn't deserve from a friend, well, that makes it so much more treasured. Go bark to your friends so they can help you."

[Bad Dragon]

5134491

"I can live without friends. I can't live without food. And here's an opportunity for me to get the best food there is.

"If I get this sausage, I can be the one who's sharing if I choose to. Why should I depend on others? For me, it is better if others would depend on me. And getting this sausage gets me there. Instead of a beggar, I can be a king.

"Friends sharing their spoils is a variable. Me having the sausage if I get it is a constant. It's not smart to depend on variables if you can depend on constants.

"I was blessed by this opportunity. Why would I give this blessing to someone else? If everyone would just give blessings to others, no one would ever use the blessings. The blessings are only valuable when you use them. I'd be a fool not to use this blessing. I'd be a fool to give it away.

"And by now, I'm more experienced at getting this sausage than anyone else. I've already wasted so much time on it. Perhaps only a little more is needed. Perhaps the very time I'd waste by going to my friends.

"If the sausage is here, why should I be going anywhere else. It wouldn't make any sense.

"I just didn't want it strong enough. That's all it was. I need to want it more. I let myself get distracted by friends calling me, that was the problem. I need to focus on the sausage more, that's the solution. That's how I'll get it. I just need to stop wasting my time and devote it all on getting the sausage."