The Brush (chapter)

For the item, see The Brush.

"Back when you first gave me the Brush... did you REALLY think it was a good idea? Did you really 'choose' me?"
- Pizza, to Chicory

The Brush is the tenth and final chapter of Chicory: A Colorful Tale. It begins after the final Wielder Trial is complete.

Summary

After wrapping up whichever Wielder Trial was completed last, Pizza and Chicory return to Luncheon. Luncheon has become dark and infested in black trees in the time they were away. The people of Luncheon, as well as Pizza’s mother, father, and sister express their fear for Pizza, but also offer them encouragement.

Meeting Chicory at the base of the Wielder Tower, Chicory says that she’s been thinking, and that she believes the brush must be destroyed. She offers her reasoning, and regardless of whether or not Pizza agrees, Chicory wishes them luck. Pizza says they have a question for her, but they decide that now’s not a good time. Pizza ascends the tower to face the largest corruption at the top.

Venturing through the corruption, Pizza muses on their worries and insecurities. That they are scared of letting Chicory and everyone else down, that they don’t feel like a real Wielder even after going through the trials. The corruption manifests into the form of Chicory, and feeds into their fears, saying that they’re not.

Pizza and “Chicory” engage in a short conversation. Pizza says that she’s not real, to which she agrees. She counters that that doesn’t make what she’s saying false. Pizza asks why Chicory chose them in the first place, or if it was a good idea, saying they’ve been meaning to ask her but were always too afraid to. “Chicory” says that they already know the answer to that question. Pizza agrees. They weren’t chosen at all, they were just in the right place at the right time. They just were hoping that maybe there was something special about them after all.

“Chicory” grabs Pizza in a tendril of paint. Pizza says that all they thought they wanted was for Chicory to believe in them, but even if she does, they still feel like a nobody. The corruption responds by morphing into Pizza, saying that there’s nothing they can do to change what they really are. When Pizza tries using the brush to attack, it’s grabbed and held as well. “Pizza” says that they don’t deserve the brush and that it’s time to give it back. The brush dragged down into the corruption, and Pizza awakes in their parents’ house.

Pizza’s family is relieved to see them awake. They express that they were so worried about Pizza, and that they just found them beside the tower. Mom says that she realizes they were all putting so much on Pizza, and it’s not their fault if they couldn’t do it all. Pizza is unresponsive, and she just says that she understands, and maybe some fresh air would do them good.

Pizza walks slowly through to Sips River, but can’t cross it to Luncheon without the brush. Luckily, Lemon is there, and is willing to carry Pizza across. She says that she’s happy to be helpful, since she usually feels like such a bother. Pizza finds their way back to Luncheon, near-completely overrun by black trees now, and most denizens looking for the brush.

Pizza meets up again with Chicory. They share a hug, and Pizza explains that the brush is gone, they messed it up, and they can’t fix anything anymore. Chicory says that she’s just glad Pizza is okay.

Pizza asks them the same question they asked her shadow — when she gave Pizza the brush, if she really thought it was a good idea, or really “chose” them for it. Chicory responds honestly, that no, she did not. She just wanted to be free of the brush, the institution of it, and the legacy it carried, having to answer to old long-dead artists from the past, and having to do or be something specific. Pizza understands that she resented that legacy, but asks then if she only “chose” Pizza because they were a bad choice for it, and if that’s all they meant to her. Chicory says that by the time she had let Pizza have the brush, they had already taken it and painted their colors themself. By that time, Pizza had already fought a corruption themself and made it back. She says that Pizza is proof that you don’t need to be “chosen” to be capable, and that they kept showing her things that she had never thought were possible before. She says that they shouldn’t have to ask her if they deserved the brush, because they proved it themself so many times already.

Chicory then says that they’ve missed something important — if they even wanted the brush in the first place. She says that she basically forced it onto them without asking what they wanted. She asks Pizza if they actually wanted to have it. Pizza answers that they really did, or at least they thought they really did. They say that they always wanted to make their mark on the world, and just didn’t know how or feel ready to do it. Chicory was the first person to give them that chance, but they let that chance slip away.

Pizza says it feels like a part of them is missing now. Chicory concurs, saying that when you’re so connected to the brush it’s hard to let it go. Pizza takes it further, though, and tries to draw just one more time. A new brush tree sprouts next to them, and they grow a brand-new brush.

Chicory and Pizza are both shocked that this is even possible. Pizza says that they just remembered how it felt, and what they wanted, and it grew back. Chicory says though that it’s not the same brush, it’s Pizza’s brush specifically. Pizza realizes that this means they have another chance to face the corruption again. Chicory gives Pizza some words of encouragement.

If interacted with further, Chicory remarks that she just can’t believe the new brush tree is real. She says that she feels, in a way, left behind. She says that when things got hard for her, she gave up, whereas Pizza got back up and kept going, and that she admired them for that. Pizza responds that she shouldn’t look up to them, and that they still don’t know what they’re doing. Chicory responds that after all their time together, Pizza should realize that she doesn’t either. She comments further that when she was training to be a Wielder, she was told about all these rules and guidelines she had to follow, but Pizza is someone who doesn’t fit that at all, and is changing the rules as they go. She says that she thinks they need some changing too.

Chicory then comments that if the corruption had “taken” the brush, it’s likely still in there somewhere, hiding and consolidating its power. She says though that it’s likely not prepared to face another brush. She wishes Pizza good luck, and they ascend the Wielder Tower one more time for the final fight.

Trivia

• During the first part of Chapter 10, the theme of Luncheon changes to The Dark Forest.
  • During the second part, music is silenced in favor of ambience. After Pizza grows a brush tree, the music becomes Once More Into the Dark.
• Growing the brush tree responds to the player’s directional input, meaning one can create various shapes with their brush tree, from a straight line to a snaking zigzag.
  • Chicory’s brush tree appears to have two large leafy branches rather than one large leafy brush tip like Pizza’s. Neither are of the same size or density as the original, however.