While Paul had been staring at his phone, mostly shifting through his troubled thoughts, the distraught cries of a familiar doctor would suddenly alert the mushroom to their presence.
“D-Doc!?” Paul exclaims, abruptly pushing himself off a slab as he landed on his feet.
“He- ...He isn’t here...I’m...You’re the first to get here?” The mushroom blinked, fidgeting with his gloves slightly while looking up to Aster, mostly relieved that they were here.
Could they fix him? They were the ones that helped Johnny the most so maybe the doctor could be the solution to changing his friend back.
Seeing that there were hardly any takers of his beckoning, he'd exhale a brief scoff until he noticed the veil of ink creep and cover over his screen. For a moment, he had made no sudden moves as the great eye on his shoulder darts its gaze toward Vainglory ; it's iris shrinking in the process. Did they actually think he was none the wiser?
To match the ink's efforts, vines would suddenly burst apart from where they were before darting towards Vainglory and ensnared the ink with the foliage constantly wrapping around them - the point of trapping them in a hollow ball of plant growth.
Before he could make an attempt to scratch off the remaining residue left on his screen, a resounding CLANG!! Echoes across the stadium, as Revak had crashed down and struck true with his attack.
However, not even that had made the titan flinch with how the impact never registered. The only thing it did though was infuriate Johnny even more. With the half-ling near his presence, the best course of action was to dart his right hand up and snatch Revak once again, rearing back the ensnared fist to set one more example but before that could happen...
Paul
"Wait!! Wait! Timeout, timeout!" Paul rushes forward and ahead of the group, proceeding to gesture his hands to form a 'T' while calling out. Clearly, he needed to put in the moment of sparing his friends from Johnny's out of control attitude. Though, he blinks, not sure as how to respond to the other...Giant appearing behind Johnny. Nonetheless, a quick redirection was in order!
AlphaJohnny
Johnny blinks, easing his tension as he looked down at Paul and for a moment caught sight of the shoe's imprint on his red cap. Though, with his trained and steeled gaze masked the grimace he wanted to share as he acknowledged that he had got caught up in the moment and kicked his friend. "...What?"
Paul
"U-Uh..." He quickly darts his eyes from to and fro, thinking of a quick excuse in order to sway Johnny's decision.
"H-How about I- uh, talk with 'em! Y-Yeah! Maybe they can totally see your reasoning!" Hopefully, the others would catch on to his white lie.
AlphaJohnny
For a moment, he was beginning to weigh on the decision whether he should let his best friend give them a good reasoning. Hell, so far, maybe they got scared and hid behind him thinking that was the only reasonable conclusion he'd come up with. A mental note was made, since harming Paul wasn't something he'd like to do but with the rest...He knew, KNEW that the others weren't strong enough. For all intents and purposes, if they could hardly make a dent in this body then how could they survive if they met a common enemy with that strength alone? Regardless, Johnny proceeds to lengthen his right arm back in front of him, with Revak still held and lightly tossed them forward, knowing that they could land without being damaged further. "Alright, you have your time. If you can convince them then hopefully, we could all take a moment to explore my home."
Paul
"Y-Yeah! Sure! Th-That's totally great!" It wasn't. With a hesitant nod, he looks back to the group and proceeds to jog back to the exit of the coliseum, ushering the others to follow as they needed to discuss the matter at hand and possibly work on a new tactic.
Revak
[Revak landed with a slight roll, still admittedly disoriented from being snatched out of the air, but still recovered to his feet fairly quickly, giving a quick sideglance to Johnny before hobbling over to Paul, rubbing his arms gingerly.] * ...Thanks for the save, Paul. I'm pretty sure I was about to be "example number 2" there... [
He collapsed onto his butt with a small huff, looking up at the self-proclaimed future champ.] * ...So... this isn't exactly working, huh?
Paul
"Wait...Wait not here, let's go back to the lobby." He makes sure to gesture a glance to Johnny, so as not to be within hearing distance.
Vainglory
Vainglory let out a surprised squawk as vines consumed his sight, leaving him blind and in unknown territory. He fell over and was now laying on the back of his stem in literally nature's hamster ball.
He swallowed, looking around nervously and well, to say the least, he doesn't like being alone in dark, cramped spaces. He began to panic, rolling his foliage hamster ball around in a circle.
"G-guys? Fight companions? W-where did you all go?!??" He heard Paul's muffled voice trailing off and tried rolling in the direction he heard it from, before bumping into one of the coliseum walls.
"GUYS? M-MUSHROOM ALLY??" His voice was muffled and the source of his jittery yelling was the panicking, foliage hamster ball.
Revak
[Revak, noting the screeching of a frightening ink, he quickly stood up, rushing to pick up the vine ball, carrying it back towards the group.] * ...H-hold on, we're gonna get ya out of there, Vainglory. Let's just get to safety first.
Lilith
[* Good, a timeout. Something they needed at this point to do some SERIOUS planning. Lilith would follow behind Paul as he beckoned. She wouldn't protest against the idea of moving elsewhere for the short break. THe only question on her mind now was.. How the hell were they gonna go about this now?..]
Corrupt
[Corrupt Sighs, Half Relief and Half Frustration, as He Turns to Paul's Direction. He Stood and Watched for a Moment Before Walking to the Meeting Place. At least it was a Break from the Chaos.]
Vainglory
Vainglory let out a shaky gasp when his hamster ball was lifted off the ground and he immediately lurched up off of the back of his stem, curling into a ball. "Revak? Is that you?" He was happy about not being alone but being shrouded in darkness still wasn't fun for the ink.(edited)
Happy
Happy put his viney fists down and followed the crowd. He was grumbling so loudly it wasn't hard to hear a profanity or two in his speech.
Revak
[Having carried the floral prison over to the rest of the group, Revak brought the ball of foliage over to his allies.] * Yeah, it's me... I'd get ya out myself, but my claws wouldn't cut it. * My only other skills have the unfortunate possibility of damaging you too, so I'm getting someone to help.
AlphaJohnny
As Johnny watched over the group, he'd go ahead and turn his back on them once they had left to give him his space. If he were to trust Paul, then this was the right time to do so.
Though, despite not noticing Malevolent arrive, he had not given them a hint of acknowledgement
Paul
He'd nod, taking a moment to exit on back as the group had been lead to the lobby. As Paul stopped in his tracks, he'd take a moment to groan before it was soon replaced by a low wailing, going so far as to grip and pull at his cap and hide his face under it as this situation had just become even worse then before, bringing about an immediate stress upon the mushroom. "I don't know...I don't know what to do here...I want to help him but he can't just do this...!"
Vainglory
Muffled chatter came from the hamster ball in response to Paul's tone.
"Do not fret, 'shroom pal! Vainglory and all of these friends of yours are here to assist! They all will surely talk some sense into your titan friend, whether it be through violence or serene methods." His tone was surprisingly reassuring, instead of the usual vainglory in his voice.
"Besides," he added, "Vainglory just met you and he can already tell that stress isn't a good coat of paint on you. Lighten up!"
Hollow
Hollow watched everything go on. The entry of a larger entity. The actions of Alpha and Paul...he was glad for the break, not really wanting to fight. So he followed along, keeping silent until they we're away from Johnny. "First off, I can help the trapped one... either burn the plants or cut him out with my trident. Second...if we can avoid fighting I'd prefer it, but I doubt that'll happen. Last...if we have to fight, my magic may help once I recover from my entry."November 13, 2017
Sela
"I would think that trying to show him that he's putting us in the same damn situation he was in would make him be like 'Hey maybe I am being the alpha male asshole throwing my weight around' like a boy who went to the gym a few times and thinks he's tough shit. Only problem is, he's actually physically fucking tough."
The demoness put her hand on her hip with a growl. "Hit him directly in that snotty TV face of his and it did nothing.
"He grabbed me like I was paper, and for a moment--yes I was worried about what the fuck he'd do to me."
Paul
Paul...Would begin to weep right then and there, restraining some effort to not baul out but instead destress themselves. It took a few seconds for the mushroom to acknowledge the comforting comments which did add on to his emotional breakdown.
Releasing his grip on the cap, he then straightens up before planting his wrist against his face and quickly swipes away any left over tears as his expression had immediately changed to a hardened look.
"Okay...I got that out of my system..."
Once he goes ahead to look at the group once more, he's more or less trying to boast an optimistic outlook despite this huge set back they were dealing with.
"So...Let's figure somethin' out. I'm not sure why but...Seeing how he brushed off those attacks like they were nothin'..." He scratches at his head for a moment, weighing in on the evidence from what just happened. "Do you think he's...Invincible?"
Sela
Sela felt bad that he cried, but sometimes you gotta just let it out. At his other question, she sighed. "no."
Revak
[Revak could only nod softly, a softened look in his eye, viewing Paul's destressing attempt before giving a soft smile when the mushroom man calmed himself.]
[The dragon scooted the ball of vines over to the towering other boss monster.] * ...C... Please just... use the trident.... Gently though. I wouldn't want him getting hurt.
[He turned back to Paul, listening to his question; scaled brow furrowing in concern.]
* I don't think so. Everything has at least some kind of weak point. What Johnny's might be, I have no clue... But we may need to find it.
Vainglory
Vainglory shook his head but of course, no one could tell, as he was still in a ball of vines.
An ink tendril surfaced from the cracks in the floor and shook left and right as if it was saying no.
More muffled comments came from the foliage hamster ball, "Well, there's no way he's invincible.
And if he is, then the best strategy would be keeping him locked up or something. At least until mushroom pal and company figure out a solution.
"Uhh, Alpha did mention to Vainglory that he was once a flower but now isn't, or something like that. Is there any chance you guys know what he means by that?"
Revak
* Before he becoming a hulking, 15 foot wall of a beast, Johnny was something... similar to what mighta appear to be a mix of human and plant, with a flower for a head.
[A small flame-breathed sigh escapes the dragon. He resists the urge to glance at Corrupt, admittedly curious as to potential similarities between Johnny and the other beings similar in appearance to him...]
* Apparently he only became this after absorbing human souls.
Sela
"If you look at Paul here, but imagine slightly taller and with a flower head, then you get the idea." A sigh.
"Johnny's weakness is probably emotional, but I'm sure we all know how bad it is to smack at someone when they're that emotional..."
Malevolent
Well, still quite confused, it seemed the others were going off to talk? After a moment Mal opted to take on a much smaller form to follow after the others (Now being more around 5'6" instead of the full 47 feet he once stood). Instead of the massive screen for a head, he now had a more flower-like one.
Although not too much seemed to change otherwise, aside from a few minor details. He quickly ran after the others to properly figure out what he had missed and what was happening. "Hey- So ah, if you don't mind my asking, why exactly was Johnny fighting all of you? What is going on anyways-”
Revak
[Revak's horned head whipped around to spot what was once the immense monstrosity that the dragon totally hadn't been violently ignoring the presence of for the sake of his own sanity, but relaxed a bit upon seeing they were now in a far more managable size for his mind to digest.]
* Long story short, he absorbed some souls, became that, we get called by Paul here to help, then he denies our help then tries to trap us here "for our own safety" in what can only be referred to as terrifying.
Lilith
"And even trying to literally knock sense into him hasn't worked.." [* She'd add to Revak's explanation.]
Vainglory
Vainglory wasn't exactly following along. Humanoid flora? Absorbing human souls? All this talk was making him dizzy. He remembered his host reading about human souls but he also remembered his host putting the book down after the first page, so he didn't exactly have that much to go with.
"Uh-huh.." He mumbled, before hearing a new voice.
The ink wasn't exactly thrilled about newcomers but since he was sitting in a hamsterball of vines and foliage in pitch black, this person could've been here the whole time and he just hadn't noticed. More muffled chatter came from the ball of vines that Revak was holding,
"Well, newcomer, as dragon friend Revak just said, he apparently absorbed souls! Vainglory wasn't exactly called to help by mushroom pal but he did stumble into here through that portal just like you did. Vainglory can confirm that the titan wants to force us to live here because the Underground is dangerous and, well, since you're here too now, he'll probably force you to move here too."
"But! With the wonders of rebellion, mushroom pal and company can overcome this.. people-hoarding mayhem! And put a stop to Alpha! And possibly make him un-absorb those souls!"
Malevolent
"Yeesh... Well, from my personal experience at least, things that have absorbed souls are a lot more durable than normal. I mean I figured he had some souls from when I first visited him, the altered form and screen was kinda a dead giveaway... That seems to be a reoccurring theme... ANYWAYS- From the sound of it, it seems like the power might have gotten to his head a little- that's rather common for recently absorbing souls."
Mal makes a soft hum, thinking this over and briefly wondering exactly how many souls Johnny had absorbed, he didn't really ask when he first visited, not one to pry.
So much for being impressed over Johnny's seemingly good self control for not letting power get to him, couldn't really fault him for that though. Forcing people to stay though? Definitely a flawed plan...
Revak
[...Huh. So the hybrid's hunch was correct. Either way, this still left the question of wtf the fuck they were expected to do about it?]
* ...Well... that's a start, but is there any kind of way to help him come to his senses that won't result in one or more of us becoming a dusty smear on the wall?
[...Rather morbidly put, but not inaccurate, based on what had nearly happened to him just now.]
Vainglory
"So you know about soul absorption?" Vainglory spoke up while accidentally rolling his hamsterball-made-of-vines out of Revak's hands, landing on the floor with a light thud. "Do you know if there's a way to undo the effects of absorbing souls? Or at least.. remove the souls?"
Paul
"Mmm..." Paul had been idling with trying to figure out the major powerhouse that Johnny was while trying to listen in on the group's retrospective of all this. "Can I ask...What else these uh, souls can do exactly? I dunno if it's a hunch but I kind've wanna get an idea."
Malevolent
"Know? Granted you can't see" he chuckled slightly "I happen to be an omega myself, I have seven souls to be exact. Anyways ah- At least from my expereince, if you wanna remove the souls, you gotta get them to rebel, call to them or something. If you can get them all worked up they might try and help you fight him, like make it easier to deal damage or something. How long it takes to do that and if it even would work on him are different matters entirely... And then there's the matter of do the souls want to leave. That's entirely up to them once you do some real damage. Though removing them might not be necessary in the end" he shrugs "Again, for all I know things could be entirely different so don't base all the things to try off of what I'm saying"(edited)
Hollow
"I know about soul absorption." The ex king finally spoke up after listening to the banter for so long. He was still trying to come to grips with everything, given that his prior conversations with Alpha didn't seem so bad, but the fight clearly showed where the problem was.
"Depending on how long they've been there, the host can willingly give up the souls....otherwise someone has to Save them. But, even that has a limit...." He stated, looking towards the ground briefly, before turning to the omega. "Seven? One more than myself."
Revak
[He stares curiously at the immense boss monster, similar in appearance though perhaps an alternate of the king.] * ...Either way, it's the one lead we've got. I say we should try it.
Sela
"... From what little experience I had with one human soul, they might have some level of communication with him, but if he's not listening to them and drowning them out, then they might want out just as much..."
Paul
"...I...Think we should ask him if he can talk to the souls. Maybe that'll give us a way to scope for somethin' at least?"
Sela
"I doubt he will listen, honestly."
Malevolent
"Souls sometimes don't like to talk if they don't agree with your actions anyways"
Hollow
"I have a question for you, other Omega and little mushroom guy." His attention was on them for a moment before he remembered something he was supposed to do. With a flourish, Hollow conjured his trident, almost as big as himself. "Someone hold the ball still...I need to aim true."
Revak
[Revak, with a shock, quickly dropped to his knees and braced Vainglory's prison in his hands.] * Vainglory, brace yourself, you're gonna be free in a sec.
Malevolent
"You can call me Mal by the way, but go ahead, ask whatever"
Paul
The mushroom blinked as he looked up to the goat monster, though grimaced with the sudden introduction of their weapon.
Lilith
"I would hope if we bring their voices to his attention, then perhaps they can persuade him further. Hopefully..." [* Lilith meanwhile eyes the ex king a few folks over. Careful with that buddy.]
Hollow
Hollow made his way over to the ball containing the one he heard was called Vainglory, tappng on it with a claw on one side. "Press as far away from my tapping as possible."
Corrupt
[Corrupt Quietly Listened to the Talk Around Him as He didn't have Anything to Say. The Talk of Souls Rang up a Few Personal Questions of His Own Existence and His Own Silent Souls.]
[The Summoning of the Overgrown Goat's Trident Caught His Eye Though. Oh. That's Something He would Want for His Own. A Giant, Red, Three Pronged Weapon of Power. That would have to be for Another Day.]
[But for Now He would Watch in Silent Curiosity as They Tried to Free the Ink from its Plant Prison.]
Vainglory-Yesterday at 6:52 PM
Vainglory could barely hear what they were saying through the viney walls of the vine hamster ball, but he had a good understanding of what they were saying. All he heard was "Vainglory, brace yourself" and immediately tensed up, curling into a ball against the side of the vineball furthest from the side Hollow tapped on, and began preparing for the worst.
Happy
Happy watched all the talk of the souls and Johnny rather quietly, but still grumbled every now and then about what had happened earlier with the fight. He didn't plan on making any convo himself about the souls because it would only lead up to a rather awkward convo to him about himself that he'd rather not focus on.
Heck was it already getting a bit weird for him to see a goat king right now. He stopped thinking about that rabbit hole of awkwardness when he'd notice them now trying to get the mouthy ink out.
Oh. Happy quietly wondered if this was going to get bad really quickly for them seeing what Hollow was going to do.
Hollow
After giving it a few moments, trying to ignore the others who seem a bit...distressed at what he was preparing to do, the goat monster raised his trident into the air, pointing it straight down.
Memories of certain fights crept into his mind, but he managed to cast them away as he slammed the trident down, trying to cut off the end of the ball of vines.
The ball of vines were easily torn up, releasing the small ink from their prison without damaging the hostage.
Vainglory
He gasped for air, almost falling out and onto the ground as he was released from his prison of vines.
He got up out of his curled-up-in-a-ball position and sighed with relief.
"Oh thank the stars, Vainglory is free!" He made dead eye contact with Hollow, and continued, "Vainglory would like to say th.. tha.. t..th.. th.. you.. th.." He seems to be struggling with his words, hesitating as if he doesn't know what to say.
Revak
[Revak couldn't help but smile at the ink's struggle to thank Hollow. It was clear he was impossibly grateful, even if he didn't know how to express such.] * You're free now, bud.
Hollow
The trident vanished in a puff of red magic, the king moving away to sit in a slightly isolted spot. "No need to thank me....just trying to help. Sorry for scaring everyone."
Vainglory
"Yes, it would be best to save the gratitude until the war is won." He piped up, his face scrunching up as he looked in the direction they came from.
"Now that all assets in this battle are free of shells of vines, it would be best to come up with an actual strategy, whether peaceful or not. The more time wasted stalling, the more Alpha will get impatient, and Vainglory has a feeling that Alpha isn't any better when he's grumpy." He turned to Paul. "Mushroom pal, do you have any ideas?"
Sela
Sela huffs. "It's not that he would get impatient, it's that some of us might. After all, Johnny technically has what he wants, and that's us being here."
Paul
At least that was fixing something, but the true problem awaited them and they needed to dilly dally no further then this. Straightening up, he'd take a deep breath, pumping both fists in front before smacking them down onto an open palm.
"...I know he's my best friend but bottom line is...He's become his own worst enemy. This is kinda, bigger then we expected and I'm really sorry for bringin' you into this mess."
A brief hesitant sigh, solemnly looking down for a moment. "We've always had a great connection, sticking up for him...A lot of the time, I've been helpin' him when we were growin' up and in a way, I look up to him - technically before the big guy phase - but still! We need to save him before he does somethin' a lot worse."
With a new goal in mind, motivating the mushroom to gaze back up and for a moment, a grin had crept in to show that he was determined enough to get through this. What would prompt his next action is to take a few steps forward and extend out his hand. "Let's do this, for freedom."
Hollow
"I brought myself into this mess...I wanted to fix things here, it's what I do. And now that I'm here I'll do whatever I can to help you guys. There are two of us here who haven't fought yet...perhaps with our added strength we can topple him, and knock some sense into him. If we can find an opening, I think the little mushroom can Save him."
Revak
* We can do this. And once we do, all of you get one item from my shop free of charge. [Honestly, Revak was just eager to get back to Solo.]
Sela
This situation was feeling too... anime right now. Her hand finds it's way in her pocket and she sighs. "We might as well go back with some sort of game plan."
Revak
[Revak, of course, relishing the sheer amount of anime, places his hand on top of Paul's like the weeb he is.]
* Our one chance is to try to get the souls to rebel. If they help us, we can possibly do enough to save him, whether it's by knocking him out of the power trip forcibly, or convincing him that he's gone too far.
Corrupt
[Corrupt was Slightly More Pumped to Smack Johnny in the Face. With How Great the Want of going Home was Growing and How Many People Wanted to Kick Johnny's Ass Right Now, Those Internal Battle-Enthusiasm Levels were High. Only Internally.]
[He just Stares at the Hands. What is This? What is This Ritual? What was going on? What?]
Hollow
The former king looked at the hands being put together. He didn't belong there, and didn't feel right putting his own in, so he just stood aside. "When you're all done being all cheerful and friendly...we need to talk tactics."
Malevolent
Y'all can be party crashers but Mal is gonna join this anime moment, extending his arm and placing his hand in unlike SOME people. He grinned, this could be fun, he hasn't had a proper excuse to fight in a while. "I'll help the best I can, maybe I can help y'all get a hit on him. Sometimes all it takes is a good few smacks to knock some sense into people."
Corrupt
[He just... Awkwardly Puts His Own on All the Hands. He doesn't Know What He's doing but He's doing the Thing of Touching Hands Now too.]
Vainglory
Vainglory lets out a sigh, all four of his mouths smirking. He definitely felt wholesome, getting to be apart of something. Being apart of an actual team made the ink feel alive. He finally spoke up,
"That titan, Alpha, may be a powerhouse wall who's set on hoarding visitors. He may be fixated on keeping mushroom pal and company out of the Underground, and he definitely has the strength and willpower to back that up."
"This team's chances may not be the best and they may not be the brightest.." "But Vainglory has faith in you all. He knows that mushroom pal and company can overcome the wall that is Alpha."
"So, from now on.. Vainglory can.. no, everyone here can beat that titan! Vainglory is sure of it!" He extended an ink tendril to join the group cheer.
Revak
* Well said, Vainglory.
Sela
"...." Well now she was feeling like an asshole on top of slightly awkward. Stepping to join the group, she puts her only hand down. "Whether we talk him down, or beat his ass into listening to reason... So we can all get back to where we need to be."
Happy
Happy put his vine on Corrupted's hand to join the group cheer. He look's very... eh about it but his "hand" is there. " I still vote on kicking his ass. Even after all of this."
Lilith
[* Lilith nods, having been listening to everyone else. They could do this. They'd bring him back no matter what. She places her own disembodied hand down.]
Paul
One way or the other, either tactic was welcome. Paul wasn't sure why but maybe this different approach he was having in mind may just work. Whether it be physical or mental, some would call his action stupid but that was for later. "Alright..." He would then lower his hand before raising it up, to let the others disperse. "Brea-!!"
Suddenly, a ring tone would alert Paul, causing him to immediately jump up in surprise. "A-Ah!!" The mushroom wasn't focused on saving face as he was busy fishing through his pockets before procuring Johnny's phone from his pockets. What he didn't take into account that he accidentally pressed speaker on the phone, to which, everyone could hear a rather angry person on the phone.
🌹 "Paul! I swear to- Do you know where our son is!?"
"M-Mr Rajotte!? Uh...F-Fancy talkin' to you here..."
🌹 "Oh yeah it's pretty great knowin' that our son has disappeared and you hung up on me. For cryin' out loud, if that boy is doin' somethin' illegal..." The voice would drop down in volume indicating they had stepped away, probably to vent some stress, to which Paul had began to sweat slightly.
Oh boy.
Sela
".... Is that Johnny's dad?"
Hollow
"Well this is going to cause a delay...but it sounds like we have all the more reason to Save Johnny. Perhaps we should wait until this call is over before we talk about how though."
Paul
"Ah- Ah ha...Uhm, that was his dad."
Revak
[Revak couldn't help but sweat nervously himself.] * O-oh no... Should... Should we tell 'em...? I mean... T-they'll have to know eventually...
Hollow
"They deserve to know about what he's done...but not what is about to happen."
Malevolent
"You make it sound like we're about to commit a murder"
Paul
"S-Shhh! Don't make it sound wo- I...Ahh...."
Revak
[Well... he couldn't help but snort at that.]
Sela
She sighs. "Paul if you want, I could talk to him."
Vainglory
Vainglory winced. "Wait.. is Alpha actually called Johnny??" The inkling gasped, having just now realized no one else was calling Alpha "Alpha".(edited)
Lilith
[* Lilith's .... keeping out of this part. She's no good with parents of other folks. Keepin' to the shadows so to speak.]
Corrupt
*...We're going to Kick Their Son's Ass Though, Not like That's Better... Except it is but I Don't Think You could Say That.
Malevolent
"I mean, you could although whether you should is a different matter entirely"
Corrupt
*...I Guess.
Hollow
"I could talk to them. Maybe the voice of a King can settle them. Even if I'm not anymore."
Revak
* I doubt they know who ya are.
Vainglory
Vainglory shook his head. Now wasn't the time to think about what to call Alpha. He turned to Paul, narrowing his eyes. "Quick, come up with an excuse before this "mister Rajotte" guy comes back to the phone!" He whispered. "Tell them Johnny is super sick and at your house or something!"(edited)
Malevolent
"A familiar voice is probably for the better, and making up lies wont make things better"
Vainglory
"So mushroom pal should just blatantly tell them their son turned into a monster and is hoarding people so they don't leave?" He retorted with a snort in Mal's direction.
Sela
"Considerin how mad the voice sounded at Paul, wouldn't it be better for someone level headed to talk?"
Malevolent
"I mean possibly, although it could be worded better"
Revak
[His tail flicked anxiously behind him.] * We may need to answer fast. I dunno how well he might react to being kept waiting...
Paul
"No I...I'd rather them...Get settled down, don't let this be too fast. I'll try and speak in his defense at least" By then, after a few seconds have passed, a new voice comes in, though more comforting to the reciever since they were currently trying to adjust to the shocking idea of their son running off.
🌻 "Hello? Paul? Are you there?"
"...Hi Mrs. Rajotte..."
🌻 "It's okay, we're both...Stressed right now. I don't want to get mad at you, I just want to know if you've seen our son. I want to know why he's ran off."
"Y-Yeah about that..."
Sela
Sela can be a cutthroat when it comes to being direct about things, but doesn't argue.
Hollow
Hollow just listens and waits in silence. Speaking up right now could cause a problem.
Vainglory
Vainglory listens intently, preparing for the worst. How would they react? Would he hear sobs over the phone? Glass smashing? Chairs flying? He scrunched his face at the thought of it.(edited)
Paul
"Something has...Well, happened, and..." He paused, trying to figure out how to word this without freaking them out. "Okay...I can't keep this hidden for too long but Johnny's...Undergone somethin' way worse and he came to me for help but..."
🌻 "...What? What are you talking about? Is he going through something that he's kept a secret?"
"S-Somethin' like that, yeah."
"..."
"You all didn't notice the...uh, new tree right?"
🌻 "Well...Sort of? Most of the- James, gimme a moment...You'll what? Police? Just, let's try and figure out what Paul's getting at."
🌻 "I'm sorry...But, this talk of the tree, I was just thinking it was usually some of Ellinia's students being taught new lessons in magic, why?"
"...Uh...Johnny did it."
🌻 "Excuse me?"
"He's more, uh, how should I put this? Changed? in some senses?" There was a brief pause for a moment, which felt all the more nerve wracking given how Paul was beginning to sweat nervously.
🌻 "Changed? Wh- that doesn't make any sense. Did he get injured? Has he eaten somethin' foul or-"
"Johnny'stransformedintoabiggiantguyandimtryingtogethimbacktonormal!" Whoops, he just blurted that right then and there.
🌻 "...What?"
Revak
[He pinches the bridge of his snout.] * Ooooh boy...
Lilith
[* Just. Sloooow facepalm.]
Sela
"Oh my ... fucking god..." She mutters low enough so the phone wouldn't pick it up, putting her face in her hand.
Hollow
"I recommend plugging your ears for this next part..."
Vainglory
Vainglory started fidgeting with his spiked collar nervously, glancing left and right at the others around him to see their faces. "Damnit, here comes the glass breaking and the screams and sobs and the chairs crashing.." He let our a shaky sigh, looking back at Paul and the phone.(edited)
Paul
🌻 "I-...T-that doesn't make any sense."
"I know! I...Please bear with me, We-er, I! Found him and- He's...Okay! ...For the most part." Another pause, much to the inaudible argument serving as background noise before Mr. Rajotte returns to speaking.
🌹 "Paul, elaborate. Now."
The mushroom takes a moment to swallow down his fears, as he drew in a deep breath before exhaling. "Johnny's...Look, I don't know what else to say but he's...Changed, it's hard to describe real-"
Sela
The demoness straight up walks over and takes the phone from Paul with ease, who was probably not expecting anyone to do that.
Paul
"Aaa-!!" Paul immediately jumps, putting up both hands in surrender while watching her in surprise.
Revak
[Just... Blinks. Revak has no clue what's going on anymore.]
Hollow
He wasn't sure what the demoness had planned, but it was better than watching Paul stumblr through everything.
Sela
She puts the phone to her ear. "Hello, is this Mister or Misses Rajotte? You have to forgive Paul, as you can tell he's a bit flustered. My name is Sela, I'm one of Johnny and Paul's friends. Paul called us for help after Johnny ran away."
Vainglory
Vainglory muttered a quick, "Ooooh, snap!~" under his breath when Sela snatched the phone.
Paul
🌹 "Wh-...We've never heard of you before. Though...The kid did pull a reasonable thing, can't blam- Ugh, okay. Do you know WHAT happened to Johnny? Why does Paul have his phone? And what about that tree he mentioned?"
Sela
"Yeah, sorry we had to be introduced like this but that's besides the point." She shifts her weight on her feet,
"Johnny was trying to help his friends out by messing with some magic he didn't really understand and it's backfired a bit on him. I imagine he ran away because he was afraid of what you guys would think of, er... what he looks like right now. The tree is an after effect, sir. Paul has his phone because Johnny dropped it at one point."
During the whole time she's explaining, she's holding the phone up with her tails to her ear to ... check her nails while talking.
Hollow
At least someone was able to explain clearly about the whole ordeal. Though he was worried about just how much Sela would reveal if they kept asking questions.
Vainglory
Vainglory watched Sela intently, impressed by her multitasking ability.
Paul
🌹 "...Well...Never thought he was the one to get into magic. Must've been good at hiding it apparently because we've never saw him get interested into it."
🌹 "Okay uh...I'm not sure if I'm able to wrap my head around this. So the tree is his idea of testing it out? Ugh...When I get my hands on him..."
🌻 "James! Don't imagine disciplining him, that's just gonna make you more angry!"
🌹 "...Right, sorry honey. Anyways, just...Is it possible to speak to him? Paul mentioned that he found Johnny."
Sela
"We did find Johnny, but he's not really... listening to anyone right now. With the changes, honestly, he probably couldn't... hold the phone." She frowns a bit, holding the phone properly with her hand, "Other than his stubbornness getting worse and the effect of the magic, he's physically okay. We're going to try and reason with him, but it might not be a good idea to come and try to see him right now... He's all over the place emotionally. I'm sorry to say it."
Paul
🌹 "...Fine...As long as he's okay. Swear to hell if he's gettin' into some Black Mage nonsense I'm gonna flip more then just tables..."
🌹 "Thank you Sela, give Paul my thanks at least."
After stating that, there was a moment before the phone would be hung up as Mrs. Rajotte would come back on the line.
🌻 "Please be careful, I don't want my sunshine to act as if he's alone."
And with that, the conversation would cease as they had hung up, much to Paul's relief of Sela steering the situation to something they could understand. "...Dude, thank you so much...”
Lilith
[* Thank god that ended MUCH better than it started. A small 'breath' of relief.]
Hollow
"That went a lot smoother than anticipated....good work Sela. I'm glad I saved you, or else you might be unconscious right now."(edited)
Revak
[A small relieved sigh escapes the dragon, a clawed hand placed lightly on his chest.]
Sela
Sela clicked the phone with a sigh. She's not surprised it ended that way, though thankful it was a bit easier than she thought. The phone is held out to Paul, her expression casual. "They're parents, they're worried so it's understandable... I didn't tell them exactly everything but just enough that they got some ease. Just a matter of staying calm so they pick up the vibes from you." She gives Paul a pat on the cap.
Vainglory
"Yes, staying calm seems to have made that go much better than expected." The inkling smiles at Sela. "You have a way with words.. 'Sela', was it?"
Sela
Her head turns to Vainglory. "Yeah, it's Sela. And it's hard to think on the fly but even a brief moment to take a breath can help level things."
Paul
Paul only hums for a bit while appreciating her gesture, receiving the phone and placing it back into his pockets. How Johnny knew all these cool people, he'd never know.
Vainglory
Vainglory nods at Sela, before turning his gaze in the direction of the arena. He fidgeted with his collar nervously as soon as he started thinking of fighting Alpha again.
He knew that this time would be different, for he would have to trust in the others, as well as himself. It was somewhat reassuring to have other people backing Vainglory up this time, even if it's more like he's the one backing them up. A nice thought indeed.
Hollow
After a brief moment to collect himself after it was all over, Hollow decided to speak up. "Now that that's over, we need to discuss how to save Johnny, for his parents. We can't just go in there fists blazing..."
Revak
* Excuse you, sir, my fists are currently not blazing at all. [He's joking of course.]
Lilith
[* She... can't really help her flaming wrists. Just subconsciously rubs the wrist portion of her gloves.]
Hollow
He pauses for a moment before sighing, once again having to collect himself. As he looks around, there's a orange sparkle in his eyes,"Right, everyone tell me your strengths and weaknesses. If we pair the strengths up correctly we can do some damage, and we can cover for each other's weaknesses."
Malevolent
"You're making this sound like some elaborate battle plan, man, honestly all we need is the basics as far as i'm concerned. We're not playing chess"
Paul
"...I'm not sure if we want to make this complicated but I'll try again and talk to him. Maybe...Try and make myself assertive besides you guys? He'd usually trust any of you right?"
Lilith
"Assertion would be advised. After all, you are closest to him, are you not?"
Revak
* I'd assume he'd trust us...
Hollow
"I had a chance to talk to him before all this happened. We seemed to get along, so there's a chance I can still do something in that manner. He did let me leave without hassle..."
Vainglory
"Vainglory isn't so sure Alpha trusts him since he hasn't known Vainglory for very long. Plus Vainglory made him trip and tried to blind him." He lets out a sigh, before shuddering
"Also that big eye keeps looking at Vainglory funny.. as if it has a concious.."
Sela
"My right side is a bit of a gap in my defense." And that's all she'll reveal about her weaknesses. "You guys seem to be forgetting, he wants us to go at him and fight, so that it proves his point even further."
Sela said nothing when the others remarked on Johnny's trust or feelings toward them. The last time she saw Johnny... It ended pretty poorly. She frowns, wondering if he was being more aggressive because of her presence.
Paul
"We're all strong in our own ways. Just that...Whole soul thing and uh...'Bastion' entitlement isn't giving him a good way to gauge it."
Hollow
"About that soul thing....what do you know about that, Paul?"
Paul
A shrug, "Honestly, I'm just gettin' this whole info from you guys."
Revak
* Yeah, the whole "living wall" thing is kinda a hinderance... though, as far as the "souls" thing, I like Mal's idea of seeing if we can get a response from them.
Malevolent
"I mean, if you CAN get a response from them, you can usually tell at least"
Hollow
"That's why I wanted to know more, if anyone knows perhaps where the souls came from? Mal and I both have a...fair few souls ourselves. We might be able to use that to reach Johnny's."
Lilith
"We just have to either gauge a response from his or get him to listen a bit more closely to them. "
Paul
Another shrug, this time only giving a meek expression to their statement. "...I just wanna ask him a few things. I'm not gonna be scared this time."
Malevolent
"I ain’t gonna do anything that risks my souls I'll have you know, so whatever you have planned better not be something risky. But yeah, for now maybe we should start with a verbal approach"
Hollow
"If he stays calm...maybe he can tell us a bit more. And don't worry, I'll do the brunt of the work if necessary, i don't mind risking myself."
Paul
"Well...I guess we should just face the fireworks at least, eh?" Regardless, Paul would decided to trod his steps over to the entrance leading to the arena
.With that said, most of the group would follow suit with the mushroom taking the lead. Now more organized in their thoughts and perhaps a plan in mind, maybe, just maybe that the calm atmosphere now would lead to a possibly better outcome.
After hearing from his friend, Paul was...Immensely confused. Sure, he gave Johnny a week after that whole ‘Portal’ ordeal that just happened. These were all questionable things but he stayed true and loyal to help them out.
Regardless, the mushroom had already detected the obvious signs that something was clearly wrong. Even from the time Johnny had managed to transport him back home.
No matter what, Paul kept a chin held high and knew whatever his friend was going through, then just maybe he can aid them to sort it out.
With the clack of the phone placed onto the hook, he soon readies himself to prepare for the worst, unbeknownst to whatever was coming from the event horizon.
Moving towards the door, the mushroom was met with a little problem of grasping the knob but so far, it was smooth sailing once he had opened it.
What met his sights had made his heart sink in absolute worry when he spotted the flora lounging down the end of the porch, his posture hunched over greatly but what confused him even more was the fact he hid himself under a blanket, only showing his floral bloom.
Paul soon foregoes any sense of caution, choosing to approach Johnny in a quick jog before stopping in front of them, a hand delicately reaching out as if he himself could fix it.
The notion was stopped, by Johnny to pat them on the cap, their expression showing a pained grimace but found some leeway to smile softly towards the mushroom. Blinking, Paul stared at Johnny in curiosity as he picked up the signs of the forlorn look in their eyes.
“...Johnny, what happened to you?” The question was met with a dejected turn of their head, mulling over their words in silence.
“...Well...It’s...” They paused, not sure as to explain their situation. Much to Paul’s patience though, he only expects for some manner of good news but with the way they looked, distraught and hobbled, that could easily betray and shatter the assumption for better times.
“H-Hey! It’s okay! I’m your friend! No matter what happens, I- I’ll totally understand.” He hoped that this would convince them, judging by how Johnny had hesitantly looked to him with a hopeful shine in that expression of theirs. Had he already gotten through?
“...Alright but...We need to go hidin’ for a bit. I’m...Goin’ through some changes.”
Changes.
That word itself seemed to echo in the mushroom’s mind. “Uh...Like what? N-Not that I’m judgin’ mind you!” Paul was quick to try and take back at what he thought was an offensive statement but his friend had easily dismissed it with a wave of his hand.
“N-No it’s-”
The abrupt halt in their sentence was followed by another pained groan, darting their hand underneath that blanket, acting as his cloak while he spotted them...Clutching at something?
He was trying to make heads or tails while drawing closer until Johnny would stop him by stepping back slightly, not wanting to share what ailed the flora. “...S-Stop! Not until we get to that spot...”
Paul, had grown to be even more bewildered and idly blinks in perpetual thought. Didn’t he want his assistance? Whatever this was, it definitely sounded like they needed assistance, be it them actively rejecting it.
“...Alright Johnny...Lead the way.”
The flora responds with an eager nod, wincing slightly before proceeding to shift their steps, dragging their shoes across the sidewalk. Hobbling as if he had been bulldozed by a truck and trying to walk off their injuries.
Reluctantly, he was considering whether to speak up and suggest that he go to a doctor but alas, decided to follow along while the uncertainty on his mind soon became a dreadful burden on his shoulders.
“Agh-!!” Johnny cried out, almost falling to shambles before regaining his steps. Carefully making sure not to tread so quickly. The walk to his friend’s house wasn’t long but again, it almost seemed daunting with how his body seemed to ache from his chest down to his knees.
Including the fact his arm was part of that category. It had all felt that this was somehow unraveling to an unpleasant situation.
Frankly...He chose a good time to run away considering it was still in the middle of night. Despite how lucky he was to be shrouded away from prying eyes,
Even still, there was the idea of calling Paul on his phone, as that seemed to be the most reasonable then just, knocking on their door to have the mushroom’s parents to voice their concern over his well being.
The flora soon grits his teeth once again, wincing as the mutilation of his body continued it’s progress, locating itself around his shoulder as it inadvertently twitched in a violent motion, jostling him out of his thoughts and giving enough reason to stop in his tracks and look over the damage.
His eyes soon widened in shock, urging himself to scream yet a hoarsely choked cry was uttered once he surveyed that it had once again changed. Despite that he was concealing it, it was clear enough that something was jutting out from underneath the blanket, it’s form showing a rather crude spike that towered above his head and floral bloom.
“O-Oh no...No no no...” He whimpered, his voice quivering with absolute fright. With each passing second, the flora’s time was drawing near. To what exactly? There was no answer as the unknown itself seemed to be the most acknowledge of them all.
Darting a hand inside his pocket, Johnny had quckly grasped the phone and withdrew it, taking special care to not drop the blanket and proceeds to jot down the number for Paul’s household, putting him on hold.
“C’mon...C’mon pick up already!!”’
While he stood there, Johnny had been growing more impatient by the moment until he heard the familiar voice of his friend pick up.
“...Y’ello? What’s up?”
His grip loosened slightly, as if his friend was the only solace he could find comfort being with.
“Paul!? Paul, it’s me, Johnny I-I need you for somethin’-”
“Uh, whoa wheres the fire?”
His way of trying to hurry things up did warrant some concern, but that wasn’t important. For whatever reason, he just needed to be nearby his friend at all costs.
“I- ...Listen to me, I’m- ...I’m gonna be meeting you outside your house.”
“Wha- Wait, why? I- Johnny? Is it about that weird...Light I saw comin’ from you?”
The description that was brought up in liue of past events was ignored for the most part, as the flora made the mistake of dragging his claws against his chest and noticing a minor change.
From what he could tell, it appeared to be as if there was...bumps, lined and heading downwards to his waist. Hard and jagged but felt as if he was still rubbing at the skin. It was difficult to describe what it was but the fact that it was spreading...The fact something was changing him, was truly more than he could fathom.
“...O-Oh god-...My chest-”
“...Johnny? You’re startin’ to scare me...”
The concern from Paul had shook him out of his reverie, regaining his composure and hastily breathes in to calm himself.
“I- ...Just wait for me! We’re gonna head out to the jungle again.”
“Wait, hol-”
And just like that, the flora quickly taps on the end call button, not willing to discuss his problem any further and returns his phone back to it’s rightful spot. For now, he begins to walk again, ignoring the stinging pricks centered around his kneecaps.
The pain was demotivating him, urging him to stop and assess the damage but his willpower alone would give cause to make the flora plow through this, even if his outlook on life would be changed from here on out.
...There seemed to be the sound of grinding teeth now...
As Paul had honestly, grew more exhausted and worried for Johnny, while trying to keep up his unyielding hope to find him again. Was his friend sick? Hurt? Or even worse...Captured? The mushroom did try to keep these thoughts at bay but sly as they were, had only caused Paul to use that as motivation alone to further his cause.
However...
“...C’mon Paul, you can do this...You aren’t a champion for nothin’. Ya can rescue Johnny...” While he had been mumbling to himself, keeping up with the positive reinforcement that he blinks somewhat.
What was that? He wondered. From what he could tell in the distance, there was a faint shadow of...What appeared to be round shapes that formed around a head, bending from some form of light fixture on them.
Could it be? Were those shapes petals? Only time could tell as the mushroom regained his vigor quickly before abruptly starting off with a mad dash to see his friend.
Paul stands there, remaining cautious as the question he proposed hung in the air like an awkward silence, save for the static activity showed on the screen.
Clearly, this was cause to offering a helping hand, a dire need in fact. He needed to do something...But what was it exactly? The major changes in his friend had all but distracted him from finding the solution as he would inch slightly closer in a hesitant manner while already raising a hand.
Even if he wanted to reach them, there was a sudden jerk from the massive figure, as they shook that ‘head’ before the screen soon transitions into a blank, white canvas, devoid of any features.
The mushroom waits for any type of response while watching the ‘flora’ lean up and back onto their knees, noticing that off-putting maw would slowly open, exhaling an ominous breath that sent shivers down Paul’s back.
Soon after, two black lines that served as eye slits would draw themselves on the screen, a strange decoration of what Paul assumed to look like an eye mask? Until finally, a mouth forms into frown, indicating their expression was still pained.
Paul had figured that ordeal may have made them black out...Or not? They were still showing signs of movement but it wasn’t until his friend would begin to stir themselves awake.
“...Nnghh...What just...” It sounded as if Johnny’s voice was coming out of speaker, the television serving as a way to filter their speech.
“Johnny...? Uh...Are you okay...?” Even though his worries were warranted, the query he asked was nigh laughable at best, since the obvious was clear enough to see that his friend had mutated into a hulking figure of a monster.
Johnny’s face went into a slight grimace, raising their right hand up to their head. Not a second after that, he’d then flinch and recoil, now realizing how disfigured his whole entire body had shifted into.
“Wh-...What in the hell happened to-...” His eyes would soon trail down, noticing the sharp fangs exposed outwards from the gap in his chest.
Paul blinked, cringing slightly that Johnny was becoming more aware to their new form. Judging by that extreme look of disgust and confusion, it was easy to say they weren’t adjusting to the changes.
“Johnny! Johnny...Uh, look it may be not as bad as it...Looks?” Granted, they were, taller and much more menacing, so maybe he could convince them of the pros and cons?
However, there attempt to persuade them had failed by a shake of the head from Johnny, trying to deny their problem.
“N-No...This isn’t happening...Paul, I look like a freak! I can’t go back to my parents like this!!” Distraught, his voice came out in a rather static interruption. It was enough to distinguish his words but then came the flood of unbalanced fear and anxiety.
Paul grimaces, realizing that they were becoming overwhelmed by the reality of all things. Despite them saying they were a freak, Paul would beg to differ.
Best friends support each other and by whatever omniscient entity watching them, that he’d make sure to assist Johnny through his endeavors.
“Johnny, please, it’s...Okay, they’ll understand! Maybe it’s a...Growth spurt thing?” With each pause in their words, Paul had struggled to come up with a logical reasoning behind this. Obviously, most flora species don’t just up and grow into weird beasts straight out of a horror flick.
“...No...I- ...I have to go.” Without such as a warning, Johnny shot up to their feet, their full height stretched over and shadowed Paul as if they were a tower.
Before the mushroom could make so much as an attempt to halt their disheveled haste that they’d suddenly break into a sprint and swivel away from him, barreling into the trees that caused every oak to snap and crunch from Johnny’s unorganized and destructive path.
This had left Paul absolutely stunned in shock, their mouth left slack jawed at their reaction.
However, the moment of shock would immediately pass, as a sudden ringing noise alarms Paul to immediately jump in place. Startled, he looks around quickly to his surroundings until he spots Johnny’s phone down on the ground.
Shambling over, the mushroom crouches down to retrieve it into his hands and quickly answer it. Though, it seemed life had it’s own way of situational interruptions as Paul winced from the voice of Johnny’s father, an indicator that their shouting was distinctly showing their anger.
“Johnny! I swear to...Where the hell are you!? You better have one good reason why you’re out-”
“A-AAhhh!! M-M-Mr. Rajotte I’m sorry!”
“...Paul? Hold on honey...”
The mushroom stood there, knowing they were referring to Mrs. Rajotte. Shakily disorganized, he’d then compose himself before placing the phone near their head, tightening their grip so as not to drop it. Paul figured he’d need this more than ever.
“Paul. Explain to me carefully, you’re not in trouble. Why are you on my son’s phone...?”
“I- He- Well...S-Something happened.”
“...Excuse me? What’s goin’ on? The hell do you m- Wait, is he hurt?!”
“No! No...It’s, hard to explain. I’ll try to li- ...enlee-...Make you guys aware to what’s goin’ on.”
“Wait, Paul. Just say it over the ph-”
Blip!
Paul would quickly hang up, scolding themselves for stepping out of the conversation so rudely. Regardless...It was for the better. He needed to help Johnny. No matter what.
Holding the device a few meters away, he stares at it for a moment. Soon, all mere hints of worry would melt, replaced by determination alone as his expression hardened.
Reclaimed vigor and goal in mind, Paul then fiddles with the phone’s interface until finally...
