Prompt: Something involving the gympie gympie tree.
Because that is one scary tree.
[AN: Slightly scarier is the Manchineel, aka The Tree That Hates You. It’s native to Florida, possibly by cosmic accident. But if you read up on the Gympie Gympie, it’s a close call.]
Every living planet in the known universe has an island or a continent like Australia. Except for N'Oz (Originally, New Australia) which is almost all like Australia, except for one small island/continent which is like a fairy-tale pastoral Europe. Nobody on N'Oz lives there.
And it is in one of the more heavily forested sections of N'Oz that a curious visitor may spot the Gympie Gympie Research Centre. In its heavily-fortified confines, guarded by airlocks and multiple hazmat precautions, there grows a stable population of Gympie Gympie trees.
A tree that, like most things found in Australia-level toxic environments, is out to get even with anything that moves on behalf of its leafy brethren.
“I do not understand,” say the visiting aliens. “This tree is so toxic that even third-hand contact causes excruciating pain. And you bought it with you?”
“Yeah, sure,” say the native N'Ozies. “Something that bloody dangerous has got to be good for something.”
Visitors are regularly reminded that humans are a species that expose themselves to toxins - not just for medical purposes, but also for entertainment. Yet, they are inevitably surprised when they find out about the GGRC.
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