Eternal darkness fell over them, even all the way out here in Auster. Not only had the sun refused to rise, but he was very much regretting his encounter with the glowing mushrooms at Mort’s side. He regretted being so close and the after effects now. He didn’t want to return home to the Armada, not like this. They had to though, and even though their vacation turned into this, Hikaru was glad to be at Mort’s side.

Who else could he find hope in when it felt like he was going to die? The left side of his face was plagued, his silvery eye had grown a mushroom cluster from the corner along with his ear on that side. He couldn’t really see or hear. It hurt far too much to try and rid himself of them, and no matter how deep his desire even knocking them accidentally sent shockwaves of pain through him.

His breathing was hindered as it felt like the spores he inhaled were multiplying. Hika coughed, waking himself up as he struggled for breath on the furs next to Mortis. They were almost home, but he couldn’t travel as well with his breathing so hindered. At this point he wasn’t sure he could swim home.

"Speech"

Mortis had so many regrets. He should have seen the mushrooms, and pulled Hika and himself far, far, away from them. Instead, his curiosity had brought him a little closer, and now they were both paying the price. As he lay curled up with Hika, he felt the plague of stress in his chest turning his head to the grass, he coughed bitterly. Thick phlegm falling onto the grass.

He fought the urge to wipe his face with his paw, knowing that it would only knock against the cluster of mushrooms that seemed to be growing all over his face. There was a cluster in the corner of his right eyes, and his right ear. Everything was muffled and strange. He had never felt so sick in his life.


"Speech"

x

Hikaru tried not to let Mortis put too much blame on himself. As he looked around now with his good eye he knew this was inevitable. The mushrooms and the crystals seemed to be glowing and spreading so it would have only been a matter of time. They were doomed to this, now the question was if they were going to survive this. Hika leaned against Mort as she struggled for breath, it felt like everytime he coughed the glowing spores fell from his lips. Breathing was hard, moving was hard, and they were struggling just to survive.

"Mortis,” he muttered quietly as he clung to him. By now he wondered if their life together would end here and now only just after they started their journey together. He just wanted to be close to Mort, he could hardly move, he could hardly breathe, but the mushrooms couldn’t detract from the feelings inside his chest for this amazing man. "Do you think we’ll die here?” He coughed hoarsely as he forced the words from his mouth.

"Speech"

Hika leaned against him, and miserably, Mortis wrapped a wing about the other boy. Bringing him in close. Breathing in the scent of him, as much as he could throw the sickness growing in him. The other wolf smelled wrong, as well. Sickly, and strange. Mortis drew in another shaky breath, wishing… wishing things had gone so differently. He took too long admitting to himself and to Hika what the other wolf meant to him, and now it all was for naught.

“I… I don’t know Hika.” he rasped, hiding his head in the other wolfs coat. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” he did not want Hika to die, he would do anything to see his friend well again.


"Speech"

x

Hikaru wasn’t sure that he had ever been so sick before. He didn’t have any desire to move or do what he needed to. He couldn’t breathe and where the mushrooms erupted from him were sore and oozing. He couldn’t tell if it was his own blood or some other substance but as he lay there dying it didn’t really matter. If this was the end, he was glad he had Mortis beside him. Not that he wanted to die, he wanted to keep going, to see the life that he couldn’t have with Mortis. At least he knew how he felt for him now…

Mort creed to him softly, uncertain what they were facing. Maybe it was death. "Don’t be sorry… my love.” The added pet name on the end made him smile a bit despite the harrowing future they had ahead of them. "I don’t want to die,” He coughed up more spores then, having to pause himself. "If I do, I’d want to be next to you.” He added softly, leaning further into Mortis as he did, clinging to him like it might be the last time.

"Speech"

Firefly Shoppe- Hikaru

The sickness deepens... You are temporarily disabled by your illness (-15% in all fights and races until event's conclusion).

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:

• Fun shroom- 1 /
  An ordinary everyday mushroom that just has a little handwritten tag on it that reads “eat me”. It seems pretty risky, but it might pay off in the end. Maybe...
  
• Equalizer- 3 /
  A small bag in which you can see two sickeningly green cookies, on the bag is a small tag with instructions: “Afore the eve of war, when the outcome is yet to be drawn eat one biscuit and leave the other for your opponent and all battlefields shall be made equal.”
  
• Go fast juice- 1 /
  The liquid in this bottle is thick and dark, and has something that looks surprisingly like muscle.
  

He didn’t know if it was possible but suddenly Hikaru felt sicker, like he couldn’t lift his limbs, like he’d finally met his end. When his vision refocused he was alone save for a few fireflies that seemed to bid him follow. Weakly he hobbled forward to find the mysterious shop. Was he in the afterlife? Had he passed through into the beyond? Why did he still have these mushrooms and crystals? Hikaru didn’t know where he was or why, but he’d play the game laid before him if that was the requirement.

Hika didn’t know but he steeled himself, and made his decision pointing towards the Fun Shroom and offering his currency in return.

(Bought)