Title: OurBonsaiTree Source revision: https://mythcommunity.miraheze.org/w/index.php?oldid=109023 Contributors: https://mythcommunity.miraheze.org/wiki/OurBonsaiTree?action=history License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ unless otherwise noted {{Myth Template |title1=OurBonsaiTree |image1= BonsaiRender.png|Ruggen Render ourbonsaitree3.png|Current Avatar |page_image=BonsaiRender.png |caption1=Ruggen Render |activity=Retired |join_date=October 18, 2021| place_visits={{#expr:({{#robloxAPI: userPlaceVisits | 2988228821}}/1000)round1}}K+ |role=Retired Myth |affiliations=garden spirits [[Robloxian Myth Hunters]] [[RMH Myth Development]] [[Bureau of Myths]] [[The Tower Of Cogs]] traveler's way The Dwelling Myth Community Pride}}{{Quote|'''a poem of love, and loss.'''|OurBonsaiTree}}'''OurBonsaiTree''' is a myth widely known for their self-titled game "Our Bonsai Tree". Their game delves deep into the mental health of its characters and describes a story of a young queer relationship. OurBonsaiTree discusses LGBTQ+ experiences, loosely stemming from the creator's own life. == Biography == '''''Trigger Warning: Beware, this story contains multiple sensitive or triggering themes, including self-harm, incidents of homophobia, death, trauma, memory loss, and family issues. Click "Show More" to view.'''''
'''Context''' OurBonsaiTree’s story is told in a non-linear manner. As such, it is difficult to reconstruct the story reliably. However, a possible chronology of events is listed below. Note that although the myth's creator has confirmed that Alphie is a transgender person (female to male), practically all of the dialogue seems to refer to him as male. Thus, it has been difficult to pinpoint when exactly Alphie transitioned. Perhaps it was possible that when Alphie revealed his relationship (with Blair) to his parents, he also revealed the gender transition, and it could have become another point of dispute with the parents. This is not clear, though. '''One Interpretation''' Alphie was a young man who grew up with little to no friends. He enjoyed books and poetry but was a recluse of sorts. Sometime, he had an incident with someone whose name is often obscured with blanks; for simplicity, this obscured individual will be referred to as Doe. (This is not a canonical name. This is just a name chosen for this article in the hopes that it may simplify the explanations.) Doe traumatized Alphie in that Alphie became reluctant to initiate a friendly or close relationship with anyone. However, this changed when Alphie went to his school, Greenbranch Academy, and met a boy named Blair. Blair was an outgoing student who loved nature, and he struck a chord with Alphie. They soon had a friendship, and Blair became Alphie’s only friend at the time. Alphie and Blair gradually grew closer to one another. A particularly interesting event in their relationship occurred when Alphie was crying from a mental breakdown, perhaps due to memories of Doe or for some reasons related to the family. Blair was able to visit Alphie and comfort him that night, holding his hand as they both went to sleep. Alphie appreciated Blair’s support, and it came to the point that they developed feelings for each other. In 2018, Blair started by leaving notes of affection for Alphie, a practice that Alphie continued. They decided on having an unofficial relationship as they moved into 2019; Alphie was unprepared to say that they were officially in a romantic relationship. However, sometime in 2019, Alphie became ready to make their relationship public. When Alphie told his parents that he was dating Blair, a heated argument ensued. His parents thought that a relationship between men was “not normal”. With his mother screaming at him, Alphie became nervous, and already traumatized from his past, he ran off and attempted to take his own life using a knife. Luckily, Blair was going to Alphie’s house to check on him, and in doing so, Blair was able to call for emergency services and have Alphie transported to the hospital. By this time, Alphie’s relationship with his parents became distant. While Alphie was recovering in the hospital, Blair stayed by his side and watched his recovery. He promised to never leave Alphie. Once Alphie recovered, he did not want to go back to his parents; he felt uncomfortable around them. So, Alphie and Blair decided to move into a living space with some other acquaintances: Charlie, Mahi, and Amy. For two years, Alphie lived together with Blair, Amy, Charlie, and Mahi. They took care of a wandering cat named Flip. Amy’s girlfriend occasionally visited their home. The group was known to huddle on their red sofa, a memory which Alphie remembered fondly. Alphie considered all of them as loved ones. During this time, Alphie sought mental health support through a therapist, who encouraged him to write down his thoughts in a diary. Alphie’s troubles were not over. As he and Blair publicized their relationship, they received homophobic notes in their lockers. Nonetheless, the two pressed forward with their relationship. Alphie was known to ascend to a treehouse and write poetry by himself, although there were occasions where he hung out with Blair there. Alphie was reluctant to open up about himself and his family in particular. Blair wanted to protect Alphie from physical and emotional harm, but Blair believed that he was incapable of doing so because Alphie was already “broken” in Blair’s view. Later on, Blair decided that he was going to go on a nature trip by himself for a few days. Alphie was concerned about being without Blair, but Blair reassured Alphie that he would return. During this time, Amy and the other tenants (of the home) were busy and had to be away; so, Alphie was the sole occupant of the house for a few days, and he was expected to take care of Flip. However, perhaps due to malnutrition, Flip seemed to die under Alphie’s care and was placed inside a box. During Blair’s nature trip, he was going to explore the area near a river. There was a storm and the river’s current was dangerously strong, but he enjoyed the thrill of the situation. Unfortunately, Blair fell into the river and drowned. His last thoughts were that he only had an official relationship with Alphie for a year, and he wanted to see Alphie one last time. Blair’s body was found by police in the river a few days later. Alphie was left at home with the dead Flip. When Amy and the other tenants (excepting Blair) returned to find Flip dead, Amy cried; she had a deep affection for Flip as a pet. Alphie became dejected when Blair never returned home. Alphie held onto Blair’s promise that Blair would always be there for him, and his heart was broken when he found out that Blair was never coming home. By this time, the events at the start of “Our Bonsai Tree” were taking place. Alphie appeared to be moving out and tried to forget about Blair. Alphie thought that moving out of his current home was “depressing” and reminisced about his time living with Amy, Blair, Charlie, and Mahi. In Amy’s room, Blair noted that Amy and her girlfriend were going to live by themselves and that due to Amy’s organized minimalism, she did not need to pack much. Multiple factors led to the group moving out. Alphie needed to move out because the law required him to go back to his parents' house, even though he shut off communication with them and refused to answer their letters (where the parents were asking Alphie to return to their house). The other friends needed to move away for their own reasons. Alphie seems to have an unreliable memory; he wrote that Flip was not allowed to be taken to the house of Alphie’s parents and that Flip was wandering outside the home, but it was already likely that Flip died. Alphie knew that he needed to get a new therapist because his therapist’s office was an hour away from his parents’ house, a distance that Alphie’s mother did not want to drive. Furthermore, Alphie’s mother did not like the idea of Alphie receiving therapy, believing that he could talk to her if he had problems; however, Alphie was not fond of talking to his mother. At this point, Alphie considered his parents to be crazy because they believed that if they reunited with their son, then their family dynamic would be restored. Alphie’s story ended on this sad note. His memories were scattered, and his emotions oscillated between joy and sorrow. The game depicted him reminiscing on his experiences, which were hidden by puzzles and codes. '''An Altered Interpretation''' Despite the neatness of the story presented just prior, OurBonsaiTree confirmed an inaccuracy with it. During the heated argument between Alphie and his parents, OurBonsaiTree claims that Blair is not present. Rather, Alphie's memory is playing tricks on him. In truth, it is Amy who travels towards Alphie's house, calls for emergency services, and watches over Alphie in the hospital. Since it is highly unlikely for Blair to never show up during a distressing part of Alphie's life, a myth hunter may conclude that the heated argument happens after Blair has already died. So, when Alphie reveals that he dates Blair to his parents, Alphie may be revealing parts of his past which he chose not to disclose to his parents. Alternatively, it is possible that Alphie is struggling to admit that Blair died and explains the situation as if he is still dating Blair. '''The Question of Whether Chronology Matters''' Some may argue that a complete and correct chronology of OurBonsaiTree is important to understand his story. However, it may not be necessary nor desirable. Alphie's unreliable memory makes it difficult to recreate the "original story" of Alphie and Blair. Furthermore, one may ask whether a chronological story is even needed to get to the main ideas of the myth. More on this is presented in the theories.
== History == OurBonsaiTree made his account on October 18, 2021, with their game being published shortly after. They soon joined the RMH, and after their game stunned the hunters, it was quick to become the subject of many Twitter, Discord, and group hunts, thus gaining more popularity in the process. However, this was all brought to an end in mid-April, when they announced that they would be going on a hiatus. On May 7, 2022, the OurBonsaiTree Roblox account announced the myth will be retiring and has since left the community for good. Nonetheless, OurBonsaiTree was nominated for the [[RMD Myth Awards|2022 RMH Myth Development Myth Awards]] under the "Best Building", "Best Atmosphere", and "Best Overall" categories. == Appearance == OurBonsaiTree current avatar consists of the "[https://www.roblox.com/catalog/4903953795/Black-Bun-Hair Black Bun Hair]", the "[https://www.roblox.com/catalog/5066678986/Black-Vintage-Glasses Black Vintage Glasses]", a "[https://www.roblox.com/catalog/7667042275/White-Fur-Trim-Collar White Fur Trim Collar]", the "[https://www.roblox.com/catalog/6902079407/Chunky-Headphones Chunky Headphones]", a "[https://www.roblox.com/catalog/8210597039/Simple-Backpack Simple Backpack]", the "[https://www.roblox.com/catalog/5322232582/sarahs-jacket sarahs jacket]" shirt, and the "[https://www.roblox.com/catalog/8138971449/last-christmas last christmas-]" pants. He also uses the "[https://www.roblox.com/catalog/8560971/Stare Stare]" face. == Personality and Traits == OurBonsaiTree is rarely seen in-game, but when he is, he talks with perfect grammar and is depicted as a very polite person. === Alphie === Fatigued from past and current events, Alphie is shy and introverted, his days consisting of staying inside and drawing. Before The Event, Alphie was more social, going out with his group (Charlie, Amy, Mahi, and Blair) regularly and attending school. Post-Event, Alphie stays in bed, sometimes refusing to eat. The only productive thing he does now is write in his diary, something his therapist recommended to him. Alphie does not use punctuation or civilization, and his spelling and vocab are rough. In interactions, he only speaks when spoken to, and only says what needs to be said, nothing more. === Blair === Blair can be seen as the polar opposite of Alphie, confident and out-going, always open for a try. He has an interest in nature, his days consist of gardening, catching and documenting wildlife, and nagging Alphie. Blair loves attention and is extremely clingy. Blair uses perfect grammar, spelling, and punctuation when interacting with. He's bright and enthusiastic, always taking the opportunity to have a chat. Blair's memory and perception of reality can be seen as decaying over time, doubling back on things he said earlier and forgetting things mid-conversation. === Oliver === Not much is known about Oliver, but he shares traits with Alphie and is almost always the one who interacts with people. It is known that he is an artist, running an art gallery with paintings that teleport you to OurBonsaiTree's games. His appearance is OurBonsaiTree's main avatar. Oliver uses perfect grammar, spelling, and punctuation when interacting, but unlike Blair and Alphie, he is dull and provides extra information when he feels necessary. == Game == === [https://www.roblox.com/games/7770374187/Our-Bonsai-Tree Our Bonsai Tree] === ''Our Bonsai Tree'' is a story about a boy named Alphie and his boyfriend, Blair. They lived in a flat with their friends - Amy and Charlie. Throughout the game, by saying various words, you unlock secrets and discover the history of two boys. The game revolves around mental health and other heavy topics. === [https://www.roblox.com/games/9122278927/Icicles-form-on-Branches Icicles form on Branches] === When you enter the game, you spawn on a snowy baseplate, next to a stump and a small house. Two snowflakes can be seen on the stump. If you click one of them, you get a hint to the next part of the game: "''ten snowflakes gently fall''". After finding the snowflakes, some of them will "create something new" - trees. Finally, when you collect all the snowflakes, you can enter the house, which has a dark secret. == Groups == === [https://www.roblox.com/groups/12740680/garden-spirits#!/about garden spirits] === ''"garden spirits"'' is owned by MyWerifesteria, OurBonsaiTree's main, non-myth account. It has six ranks from "wanderers" to "oliver". ==== Important Ranks ==== ===== one with the garden ===== Our Bonsai Tree + garden spirits moderators ===== spirits ===== Members of the GPTU group (gay people with trauma universe) ===== oliver ===== MyWerifesteria - OurBonsaiTree creator and garden spirits group holder == Theories == * '''Alphie may have Athazagoraphobia.''' ** In the main game, we can see many notes (or polaroids) written (signed) by Alphie, for example: "Please, never leave me, Blair" or "I can't live without you, Blair". * '''Alphie has dissociative amnesia.''' ** The description of "Our Bonsai Tree" states: "story game of dissociative amnesia". ** In his diary, in his last entry, he wrote that he "cant even remember correctly about everything that happened, but it wasn't good". *** In the next sentence, he says that he doesn't want to see his parents. **** That could mean that Alphie has a type of dissociative amnesia called "localized amnesia" or "selective amnesia". He could also have both. ** In "Hollow", a sub-game, some of the clickable notes, tell you that "This moment in time is blurry, like you can't remember what happened". ** From a note in "Our Bonsai Tree", we can see, that something happened between Alphie and his parents. *'''Doe is a family member or past relationship partner which hurt Alphie.''' **Alphie claimed that he was reluctant to enter into a relationship with Blair because of what happened with Doe. This indicates that Doe was close to Alphie in some way; so, Doe might be a family member or past relationship partner. *'''The bonsai tree is significant because it is a representation of a treehouse in which Alphie wrote poetry.''' **Obviously, nobody can climb up a bonsai tree. However, the bonsai tree is an object that can be interacted with, and it is a common motif throughout the myth. **Alphie wrote poetry in a treehouse, and the only known person to go with him is Blair. This information is found near the bonsai tree, so one may hypothesize that the bonsai tree is connected to the treehouse itself. Perhaps the bonsai tree is of the tree's same species, or perhaps the bonsai tree is a desk ornament that Alphie and Blair picked out together. **Alphie and Blair are both connected to the idea of a tree. Alphie wrote poetry in a tree, while Blair loved nature. So, it is natural for them to pick a bonsai tree to represent their relationship, as they are "one" or "united" in their love of nature (although obviously, their relationship goes deeper than this). *'''Alphie's fragmented memory suggests that a chronological understanding of OurBonsaiTree is less important than an emotional understanding of it.''' **By presenting events out-of-order and with inaccuracies, OurBonsaiTree makes it difficult to give a good chronology of events. It is a suggestion that perhaps the order of events is not as important as what occurs during those events. **Referring to various teleporters throughout the game, there is frequently an emphasis on the details of experiences. Arguments and expressions of love are described in detail. The scenery presented (in the games) is perhaps meant to be taken less literally and more metaphorically (for example, the black goo in some of the games is likely to represent negative emotions rather than there actually being an existence of black goo; furthermore, the blue lighting in one of the later games might be suggestive of the sad death that is mentioned within that game). **Since the myth emphasizes specific emotional experiences rather than plot details, it seems reasonable to conclude that the true meaning of OurBonsaiTree lies in being able to understand Alphie and Blair on an emotional level. **Alphie's life has a lot of trauma, whether it means rejection by his parents or Blair's death. He helps us understand how a loss of love (stemming from his parents' homophobia) and the death of a lover can lead to bad mental health. It is encouraging of empathy towards people in these situations. **Blair's life presents a contrast to Alphie's life in terms of their personalities and life circumstances. One may argue that Blair is more "put-together" than Alphie, and yet, Blair's relationship with Alphie emphasizes the exceptionality of their relationship. Their relationship provides some support and happiness that Alphie requires. This understanding amplifies how devastating it must have been for Alphie to lose Blair. == Trivia == * Alphie loves Roman numerals. ** Blair thinks it is kind of cute. * flyday is Blair's lawyer. * Some parts of "Our Bonsai Tree" are inspired by [[D3tectiveBailey]]'s games. * Alphie is FTM (transgender, female to male). This has been confirmed by the creator. * Alphie's therapist is named Geoffrey. ** This is a reference to "Heartstopper". * Alphie's birthday is on November 24th, and Blair's birthday is on March 3rd. * Blair and Alphie adopted two kittens, even though Blair is allergic to them. * Blair likes coffee and his favorite movie is "The Secret of Kells". He also owns a giant stuffed bear that's almost the size of Alphie. *There is a fallen flowerpot in the room with the bonsai tree. The dialogue remarks that it is nothing important but that it is sad that the flowerpot has fallen. *Alphie, can you hear me? == Gallery == File:Ourbonsaitree spawn.png|The spawn area of "Our Bonsai Tree" File:Ourbonsaitree desk.png|Alphie's room in "Our Bonsai Tree", where the bonsai tree is placed == References == [https://www.roblox.com/users/2988228821/profile/ OurBonsaiTree's Roblox Account] [https://twitter.com/myemptyarms OurBonsaiTree's Twitter Account] [https://discord.com/invite/PQCW6NdkQK OurBonsaiTree's Discord Server] [https://a-cold-winters-night.carrd.co/ One of Alphie's and Blair's Stories] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isqq7VmNvVo OurBonsaiTree Interrogation Part 1] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLHavIxhFl8 OurBonsaiTree Interrogation Part 2] [[Category:Myths]] [[Category:Robloxian Myth Hunters Related]] [[Category:Puzzle Based Myths]] [[Category:Retired Myths]] [[Category:Outspoken Era Myths]]