Crystal Horrors: Stories from Before the Rift | Stevetober Prompts

Day 16 - Fungus

[Prof. Red's (SS) POV]

"Come on... almost got it..."

I'm currently trying to correctly measure out the amount of a substance I need in order to run an experiment. Carefully, I drip the blue liquid down into a beaker, making sure not to spill or accidentally pour too much. I've almost got the right amount.

"Hey Professor!" Rainbow says as he suddenly opens my door.

Startled, I almost drop the flask containing my supply of the liquid. Luckily, I keep my hold on it. I sigh and set the flask down on my desk as I turn to face Rainbow.

"Rainbow, you almost made me drop my-" I start, but I pause when I notice Rainbow is holding something in his hands. "You better not be bringing a frog in here again."

Rainbow stays silent for a moment, turns around, and disappears outside. I then hear a frog croaking as it hops away, and Rainbow comes back with a slightly disappointed look. I facepalm.

"Really, Rainbow?" I say.

"It was a cool frog! I wanted to show it to you!" Rainbow argues.

"Okay, okay, whatever." I say. "Now did you just want to show me another frog, or did you need something?"

"Oh yeah, I actually had something I wanted to ask you!" Rainbow says as he walks in happily.

"Okay, shoot." I reply, leaning on the counter.

"How'd you get that mushroom that's growing on the back of your head? You never really told me." Rainbow says, curious.

"Oh, this?" I say. I turn my head and point to the fungus on the back of it just underneath the strap of my goggles. It's a normal red mushroom, nothing more.

"Yeah! How'd that happen?" Rainbow asks.

"To be honest, I don't really remember." I begin. "I just have a few vague memories of when it started growing, other than that it's been there pretty much as long as I can remember. I can't even recall what caused it. Why?"

"Oh, I was just curious." Rainbow says, then giggles. "I mean, a mushroom growing out of someone's head isn't common, you know?"

"Heh, I see your point buddy." I say. "Speaking of fungi, did you get those brown mushrooms I asked for in exchange of that trade from last week?"

"Oh crap, I forgot!" Rainbow says, springing up. "Sorry Red, I'll get those now! Be right back!"

Rainbow rushes out the door, closing it behind him. I chuckle, remembering how he's always been like this. I can't believe it's been so long since the last time we were like this... over hundreds of generations ago. I wonder what it was like when he had to go into that seal for eight generations...

...But that's a query for another day.

Right now, I need to finish what I started. I pick up the flask of blue liquid again and finish the measurement. Then, I pick up a flask of a red liquid and pour in an equal amount. After a few seconds, the resulting compound turns a shimmering, almost glowing purple. The same color as the liquid residue I saw back when we found slashes in the wall one morning.

Okay, this should be able to dissolve the weird substance into a safer form, and then I can study-

"ᓭℸ ̣ 𝙹!¡ ∷ᒷ!¡ᒷᔑℸ ̣ ╎リ⊣ ℸ ̣ ⍑╎ᓭ ᓵ||ᓵꖎᒷ. ||𝙹⚍'∷ᒷ 𝙹リꖎ|| ᒲᔑꖌ╎リ⊣ ᒷᔑᓵ⍑ ᒷ∷ᔑᓭ╎𝙹リ ∴𝙹∷ᓭᒷ ⎓𝙹∷ ||𝙹⚍∷ᓭᒷꖎ⎓."

What the-

...

..

.

—————————————————————————————————————

"Emerald, what's happening?"

"It's just an anomaly with a fungus that's attached itself to you, don't worry, it's not harmful to you in any way. Think of it like when leaves get stuck in your hair."

"What's an anomaly?"

"Well, have you looked in the dictionary I got you? I'm sure the definition of 'anomaly' was on one of the first few pages."

"Oh yeah! Uhm, 'anomaly'... it's a strange, out of the ordinary... occ-ur-ence, right?"

"You got it! Your memory is getting better, Red. I'm glad you've been studying."

"Hehehe, thank you!"

—————————————————————————————————————

"You sure you're okay, Red?" Alex asks me. "That little explosion in your house looked like it was right next to you."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Ruined my experiment I was setting up, though." I say. "See, I'm not even burned."

"Okay, okay. I just worry about you guys, you know?" Alex says. "Especially you, with your history of explosions. What was this one, the 76th?"

"86th..." I mumble. "At least it'll be easy cleanup."

"Alright, be more careful next time." Alex says as I walk out of her house.

I walk back over to my house, with its lab attached to the side. I can see through the lab window the scorched marks on the walls. It's only soot, nothing bad.

...Still, how'd it even happen? I don't remember what I was doing after Rainbow left...