Venom settled herself on the shore of black island, one of the few places that seemed relatively unaffected by the goings on around them. Or at least it was much slower. The crystals and mushrooms were not as big nor numerous, as if they could hardly survive on this desolate island. More than the land, now her wolves were being effected. Venom was sent into more worry. Worry this would be the end of Ashen and the world as everything was turned to fungus and crystal.

The Empress sighed and lowered her head, feeling closer to Archon now than she had in a very long time. Then again ever since the full moon rose and never sunk it felt as though the curtain separating them from the dead was torn. Like she was closer to the afterlife here and now. Some days, some hours even, it felt like all of them were soon to cross over themselves. She couldn’t predict the future, and she couldn’t make any decisions as it seemed like everything was changing and crumbling before her.


"Speech"

Hattori was not in his right mind, but knew enough to realise he needed to be alone. That it would do the Empire no good to have a drooling, temperamental mess of a Shogun stomping around its borders. An itch to wander further afield burrowed beneath his skin, swiftly followed by a sense of guilt as though running away would do him any good. He wanted...he didn't know any more. Everything that had once been right and fit perfectly into place seemed wrong, like a door left afar to let doubt seep in. Swiftly followed by feelings of resentment and paranoia, no one could be trusted. Not his wife, family or even himself it seemed. And it was only going to get worse, he could feel it. Dark and malignant, a tumour in the back of his mind. Lingering on Black Island felt like a safe middle ground, still within Ashen but far removed from distractions and unwelcome company. Or at least it should have been till he saw Venom, cresting a hill as she looked up at the forever night sky. He paused, brows furrowed and expression stiff. Almost pained. He tried to blink the fluid out of his eyes but it stubbornly continued to roll down his face, dripping onto the black earth with a wet plop.  Why was she here? Had she sought him out? "You should not be here. I am not myself." He warned her, keeping a safe distance between them.

Venom thought herself secluded out here, away from the madness, she didn’t realize her husband was also in hiding on the midnight island. Sunset gaze lifted to see him, and she knew more than ever they were of one soul. Despite the end of days they endured, Venom never doubted, though madness might claim him, Hattori was still her husband. Where she was trying to draw closer to those she trusted, Hattori was pulling away a victim of his own mind.

The sight of him very nearly brought her to her knees, and the sound of his voice pressed harder. Like the whole weight of the world was resting on her shoulders as Hattori sent her away from him. ”I’m the Empress, and go where I wish." Venom reminded him softly, but there was no malice or bite to her whispered words. She didn’t even know if he could hear her over the scouring winds.

"You don’t have to face this alone." Venom spoke louder this time, desperation hinting in every word. She didn’t want to be alone, Venom needed her husband and Shogun more than anything right now.

"Speech"

Hattori scowled, fluid running a little thicker from his eyes. Usually he would wholeheartedly agree with her claim, but as things were he could not allow her to shoulder this burden. What if she caught it as well? Hattori knew his silent son had the sickness too, the thought of it spreading throughout their family was something he could not allow to pass. Then again Ikiagi and Kitsune already had strains of their own, so maybe it was too late. The danger already roiling through their bloodstream, making monsters and messes out of them all. He took a step back and then another. But this distance wasn't enough, would never be. Not when certain thoughts roamed his mind, pressing him to shed blood once again. Take what wasn't his by force, to be more of a man even if it meant casting his wife into the ocean. To watch her drown from the rugged black shore. Hattori sucked in a breath, the ooze on his tongue a bitter pill. "Make me leave, order me to. I am not safe."

Venom could read her husband like a book, despite the affliction that held him as glowing blood fell from his eyes in thick running drops as he squinted at her and processed the logic and comprehension of her words. She did have the position of power, as he always had he served her. Venom’s trust in him had never been betrayed and she saw in him how wickedly he would fight for the pack and the empire he pledged his service to.

"I could not cast out my husband." She told him darkly in reply to the words he finally spoke. Venom bested him in battle before, with the hindrance of his affliction she trusted her ability more. "I would restrict him to this island. To remain, away from the pack and those he loves, as this curse weathers away at us." She spoke softly, but her whole body was tense. Her weight settled on her toes, her joints bent to spring away at any wrong move on Hattori's part. She had hoped they would be able to ride out the sickness of her wolves and the land, but all of a sudden the price was laid at her feet.


"Speech"

Venom

You have been infected with strain 2 of the Ooze.

Venom's response was expected, a given, but now what he wanted to hear. She was letting emotion and affection cloud her judgement, ordering him to remain on this island may work for now but what of the long run? What if he got worse, to the point he threw her orders to the wind? More than anything he wished it would not come to that, but he felt an ache inside of him, like he was plummeting with no end in sight. Would this Island be enough to contain him? His silver gaze roved over the black rock, noting the slight infection that struggled to settle, like nowhere was safe. Perhaps it would never be again. "If that is what you wish of me." He rumbled, simply didn't have the energy or drive to argue with her on this. If push came to shove, he would leave for some time. And come back eventually, he hoped.

Firefly Shoppe- Hattori

The sickness deepens... You feel something gritty in your eye. As you blink, you find the ooze grows thicker and more viscous as it seeps out. You find yourself unable to see for the rest of the day.

Your attention blurs and refocuses. It feels as if you are in a dream as you find yourself alone in the mist. Fireflies gather and light the way to a table with a figure waiting behind it. On the table lay three items, with their prices beside them. "Choose w̶̢̧͉̥̻̟͈͙̽̉̆̿̈͒͋̓̇̍͌̇̎͠͝ì̵̢̝̄͐́͆̓̚ṣ̶̛͙̟͎̤̞̤͎̹̙̭̪͔̓̐̾̂͆̄͆͌̈̈́̏̚͜͝͠ȩ̴͔̱̗̜̾̉̀̓̀͆͛̊̂̍̕̚̚̚ͅl̵̢̦̲̼̠̖̜̺̮̜̺͋̈́y̴̧̨̧̪̗̥̘͇̾͑͗͜͠, and only choose o̷͕̭̊̃̌̊̏̀ņ̸̼͚͉͔̒͐̊e̵̮̯͛̔̀̑͜," the figure says, looming over the table as his eyes seem to peer into your soul. Are they... moving? "If you can afford it, that is. Beware, however, for there are many d̷̡̯͉̎̊̈́͐͠á̴̬̪̣̝̞̅̀̈́̄ṉ̸̢̠̤̹̥̙̜͋͆̚g̷̛͍̹̣̬̙͖̝̘̃̈e̷͓͕̖͓̝̤̿͐͐͜͠ŗ̵̤͚͔̟̹̳̽̒͝ş̸̛͓͔̩̥̦͛̊̈̾̐̒̓ ̴̺͔̃̇̆ahead." He does not seem like he's in the negotiating mood...


I̵̜̖͎͓͒̑̕n̸͓̗̘̫͉̗̻͐̔̿̊͆̋͝v̵̦̹̠͉̖̼̮̎̌͆ȩ̸͕̦͔̳̩̈́͜n̶͍̝̙̯̣̹̫̩͋t̶̟͈̟̲̜̙̣̋̿̓̆̅͊͝͝ŏ̶̼͊r̶̖͎̙͔̥͎͙͈̊̍͝͠y̴̧͔̭͒͆̉̕͝:

• Grow Potion- 1 /
  This bottle is shaped like an upside down pear and within it swirls a sparkly gold liquid. The label shows a crudely drawn image of two wolves of vastly different sizes, with a green checkmark over the largest one.
  
• Ghost Bath Bomb- 2 /
  It’s a see-through orb. The seller assures you it’s good for styling your ears or tail exactly how you’ve always wanted.
  
• Shrink Potion- 1 /
  This bottle is shaped like a pear and within it swirls a sparkly gold liquid. The label shows a crudely drawn image of two wolves of vastly different sizes, with a green checkmark over the smallest one.
  

The liquid pooled in Hattori's eyes, blurring his vision till he could barely see a figure ahead of him. The creature offered him three items, two potions that were of no interest to the Shogun and another...that looked like a see through ball of some sort. With his vision and sense of reason fading fast he knew he had to choose quickly. Even if he didn't really know what he was choosing, or the consequences of said choice. "That one." He rumbled pointing with his muzzle to where he thought the bath bomb was.  When in reality his blurred vision had him gesturing at the wrong item, the growth potion. Upon receiving the item, Hattori belatedly realised he'd gotten the wrong item but- you know what, he didn't care enough to kick up a fuss. Just like the entity said, he could only have one item and he doubted he'd take it back to swap. The purchase was no doubt final. Before he went fully blind Hattori figured he might as well drink it now before he forgot. Pulling off the cork with a flick of his talon he downed the swirling gold liquid in several gulps. And then everything went black.

Firefly Shoppe- Hattori

The hooded figure hesitates for a minute before pushing the item toward Hattori. "Are you sure? Alright then - whatever you wish," she says, sounding amused at his choice. He doesn't give him any time to protest, vanishing as soon as the bottle hit the wolf's lips.



You gain:

• Grow Potion- This bottle is shaped like an upside down pear and within it swirls a sparkly gold liquid. The label shows a crudely drawn image of two wolves of vastly different sizes, with a green checkmark over the largest one.
  

You lose:

• Currency (x1)- Used in Firefly's Shoppe, and perhaps elsewhere...
  
  

Grow Potion

Nice try....

You drink the potion and feel a pounding in your skull. Your heart and head sync as your vision pulsates in and out. Almost immediately you wonder if you've made the wrong choice... you're the tallest wolf you know. Maybe even in all of Boreas. Could you possibly get any taller? By the time you come to your senses again, you realize you haven't grown taller after all, but each of your four horns and whiskers gain 2 inches, perhaps giving the impression that you are taller than you were previously.

You gain:

• 2 Inches of height on your horns and whiskers- Weird flex, but okay.
  

You lose:

• Grow Potion- This bottle is shaped like an upside down pear and within it swirls a sparkly gold liquid. The label shows a crudely drawn image of two wolves of vastly different sizes, with a green checkmark over the largest one.