Author's Notes - Winning entry for challenge #135 - Disaster at kh_drabble on livejournal. Speculation on the origins of the little fungus Heartless, in a headcanon where Emblem Heartless are All Even's Fault.
Well, his and Braig's.
Mushrooms
"Even!"
Ansem. Not good, oh no. He sounded pretty far away though, at least enough for a quick gathering of notes that shouldn't be left behind. "Even, where are you!"
The door slamming open proved that assumption wrong. Quite annoyingly wrong. He set his papers down, losing the pen in the process, and looked up into the face of Ansem the Wise, king of Radiant Garden and self-declared 'leader' of the team of scientists currently researching the workings of the heart.
Pointedly looked up, though not even he believed that Ansem could be expected to think he didn't see the small and exceedingly friendly mushroom. It was, after all, clinging to Ansem's leg.
And cooing.
"Even. What in the name of all reason possessed you to make such a thing?"
'Braig', he thought. "It was less possession, sir, and more the addition of specimens behind my back." He frowned as the simpering fungus detached itself from the King's leg and began fumbling toward him.
"Behind your back. As if you hadn't learned not to turn your back around Braig by now." he said grimly, with just the slightest amusement as Even prepared an ice spell.
"Sir. At least it isn't-"
He halted and they both stared down in shock as a pained bellow resonated through the castle walls. "- one of the poisonous type?" Even whispered, and then the noise rose to an impossible decibel as Elaeus forced his voice through the very stonework of the castle.
"Braig you bastard! I'm going to track you down and force feed you this damned thing!"
* * *
After every last shambling black fungus had been tracked down and dispatched, Even was forced to concoct an antidote for the cases of poisoning they'd all contracted. Braig was given his very own cleaning detail, the castle servants being forbidden to help him no matter how utterly pitiful or convincing he might sound. He still insisted that it had been worth it, even when Even threatened him with the poison samples he'd gathered.
That might've been the smirk he couldn't quite wipe off his face, though.
The only thing that worried them at all was that no one could find Dilan, and really, the lancer could take care of himself. Couldn't he? Or he might have been out of the castle when the little monsters got loose...
* * *
He smiled broadly as he watched them bouncing higher and higher along the paths of air he'd woven. For something completely voiceless, they were practically gifted in expressing delight. Deftly avoiding trees and birds alike, they would pause midair and wave clumsily at him before rising even higher.
Dilan laughed. "Why would they want to lock you all up?"
