🌿 Wildbender

I swear Leslie is a human transformer 🤣 Imagine having a body that can twist and turn in every possible direction like a robot! Seems he didn't even need toys as a kid, as was like a bendy plushie toy himself for his mom to play with all day long! 😜

So today, let's take a peek into the yoga commune he's from – and how he became so flexible that they wanted to sacrifice him to the local deity, the Sea Serpent! 😱 No worries! It turned out everything around their island had a twist to it ... 😏

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Once upon a time, on a mysterious island, there existed a unique tribe. They practiced naturism and extreme contortion, believing that these practices were essential for their survival and well-being. At the center of their culture was the annual ritual of sacrifice to the Sea Serpent, which they believed was the only way to maintain balance and harmony between their tribe and the forces of nature.

One year, a youth named Leslie was selected as the most flexible among his peers, and he knew that he would be the one to be sacrificed to the Sea Serpent. Leslie's mother prepared him rigorously for the ceremony, teaching him every contortion and stretching technique she could think of. She wanted her son to become a Wildbender, one of the transformed boys who were said to have unbreakable bodies and the ability to bend them to their will.

The day of the sacrifice finally arrived. As Leslie stood before the vast expanse of blue, he took one final deep breath. The salty air filled his lungs, and he felt a sense of peace wash over him. His body was already beginning to feel weightless, as if the water were pulling him in with a gentle force. He closed his eyes and began to imagine his limbs melting away, dissolving into the nothingness of the sea.

He felt both fear and excitement as he began to stretch and contort his body, pushing himself to his limits. As he moved, he saw a glistening giant creature emerging from the water, its massive body undulating and shimmering in the sunlight. The Sea Serpent opened its mouth wide, waiting for him to step inside.

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With a deep breath, Leslie stepped forward and into the Sea Serpent's mouth that looked more like a cave than the body of a creature. The mouth was smooth and cool – no tongue or teeth to be seen. For a moment, everything went dark. The air was thick with the smell of saltwater, and he could hear the distant rumbling of waves crashing against the creature's hard scales from the outside. And then he felt something shift beneath his feet.

Something smooth took him deeper into the creature's throat, when suddenly, the light flickered, and he found himself standing in a strange room lit by a thousand candles. It was unlike any room he had ever seen before, with walls covered in shiny stones and strange objects hanging from the ceiling. In the center of the room stood an athletic young man with dark skin, long black hair and piercing eyes. He introduced himself as Captain Nemo and explained that he was going to give Leslie a gift for his bravery.

"You have proven yourself worthy to enter the domain of the Sea Serpent," Captain Nemo said in a dominant voice. "In return, I am offering you a gift that will make your body near unbreakable."

But there was one catch. Captain Nemo told Leslie that he must keep the true nature of the Sea Serpent a secret – or risk endangering his whole tribe's peaceful existence.

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Captain Nemo sat across from Leslie, his eyes glinting with excitement. "You see, my friend," he said, "the name of this remarkable vessel is not the Sea Serpent, as you may have heard. It is called the Nautilus."

Leslie looked at him in astonishment. "Now- what?"

"Nautilus," Nemo smiled enigmatically. "It was over 400 years ago... A group of five boys crash-landed on an island," he began. "They had no idea that the island held a secret hideout belonging to none other than myself, Captain Nemo."

"And uh... did you help them out, Captain?" asked Leslie, intrigued.

"I wanted to help them in my own unique way," Nemo replied. "You see, I am a great admirer of contortionism, and as I had soon discovered, two of these five young men were excellent contortionists."

"I see," said Leslie, wondering where this was going.

"Of course, in your tribe everyone's a contortionist, but back then the art was still rare. So I had a plan," Nemo continued. "I had hidden several useful items in caves around the island, concealing them behind puzzles that only someone with advanced contortionist skills could solve. It didn't take long before they found the caves and figured out what they were supposed to do. Once they improved their art of contortionism, they would be able to retrieve the items and use them to survive on the island."

"Wow, that's pretty smart, Captain," said Leslie, impressed.

"I know, right?" Nemo rubbed his hands. "To progress further and find a way back home, the boys were forced to solve numerous puzzles scattered throughout the land. So, they trained rigorously each day and helped each other stretch and twist until they mastered all the challenges, retrieving plants, tools, and other essential supplies. Not to mention, the very practice of contortionism was a great way to pass time and made them feel less desperate. It gave them hope."

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As the boys moved from one puzzle to another, they eventually found themselves standing before the entrance to Nemo's legendary ship, the Nautilus. Nemo greeted them warmly, inviting them inside to share the truth about his extraordinary underwater life. The boys couldn't believe their ears – Nemo had been exploring the world's oceans for centuries, witnessing marvels beyond imagination, and everything in his ship was shining bright with the love for contortion!

However, as much as the boys longed to return home, something peculiar happened to them during their time on the island. They grew accustomed to the daily contortion practices and started to see it as an ideal way of life. The boys decided to colonize the island and turn it into Kundaville, a village dedicated to the contortionist lifestyle.They made a pact to keep the outside world a secret from their descendants, focusing solely on honing their contortion skills. As generations passed, the people of Kundaville became more isolated, but also incredibly skilled in the art of body manipulation.

Despite living for centuries, Nemo remained in impeccable shape thanks to the advanced technology he possessed on board the Nautilus. He watched over the village from afar, fascinated by their dedication and discipline. The original crew of the five boys also joined Nemo on board, helping him navigate the world's oceans.

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Leslie was stunned by the revelations, unable to believe that such a remarkable story could be true. But as he listened to Nemo's words, he realized that the world was far bigger than he ever could have imagined while living in his tribe. Suddenly, he found himself itching to see what other miracles of flexibility lay beyond the horizon.

"You know, Leslie," Nemo said with a grin, "part of the plan was to take new Wildbenders like yourself on a journey around the world. To show you the incredible sights and sounds that await you."

Leslie's eyes widened in disbelief. "You mean I could see all the islands in the world?"

"Oh, even I haven't visited them all yet, my friend," Nemo replied, nodding solemnly. "But I can make sure to visit every island we come across, to learn about its history and culture. It's part of my duty as a captain – and as a citizen of the world, if you will. So if you join me on this journey, you'll experience things that you never even dreamed possible."

Nemo smiled at Leslie and then continued. "But you see, my dear friend, our travel around the world will only last for a year. After that, we'll be back to Kundaville and you'll make way for the next Wildbender."

Leslie looked skeptical. "Just a year?"

Nemo nodded. "I'm afraid so," he said solemnly. "The rules are clear. You're lucky to be chosen for this journey. However... Didn't I mention I'm a great admirer of contortion? And I believe, if you're flexible enough, you can bend any rule..."

He smirked and continued. "For example, if you meet a true soulmate on your travel around the world, feel free to stay with them and explore the world for as many years as you want! I won't be the one to stop you."

Leslie felt a sense of pride welling up within him. "Thank you, Captain Nemo."

Nemo smiled approvingly. "You’re welcome, Leslie. And remember, you have a whole year to explore this incredible world with me. Make the most of it."