ME: I am so sorry. Life has been extremely busy and I was going through all the crap of collage. Debating if I want to change my major

Kida: To what?

Blood: *sips tea* What's this 'collage' you're talking about?

ME: *explains collage*

Blood: That sounds boring as hell

ME: it is...and maybe a therapist...anyway I need a disclaimer...anyone?

Hikari: We belong to her *points to me*...HE *points to Blood* does not...nighty nite *Passes out*

ME: Close enough

R&R

Chapter 4: Mushroom Madness

I wait in silence, my back against the coolness of the door, and listen for the tell-tale sign of him leaving. My heart thumps against my ribs, and it's so loud that it echoes in my brain. I doubt that I'll be able to hear it with that in the background, but when the not so subtle sound of shoes on tile starts, and then gets softer and softer as it goes farther and farther away, I finally exhale the breath that I didn't know I was holding, and slide down it, melting into a puddle onto the floor.

OK, so it's only NOW that I realize that slamming the door in the face of a Mafia boss was not one of my brighter ideas. But what else could I do? When he said something like that it made me...made me feel... a strange sense of mortification. Embarrassed even. Yes, he annoys me to the extent I would like to hit him with the biggest object I can get my hands on. And sure, he's somewhat a curiosity in my mind...I do enjoy things like a good riddle and figuring things out and he's been a challenge since day one...but I didn't know that was so...so blatant! Is that what I really look liked to him? And what the hell was that about my eyes? Fuck, it isn't anything serious like that! I just want to figure the guy out! That's all! I swear!

I cover my face in my hands, humiliated beyond belief. Dear lord, how am I going to face him again? Knowing him he'll give me that all knowing shit eating grin, and I won't hear the end of it for a WHILE, while he goes and makes up stupid shit like THAT.

I let out a moan of grief and distress and peel myself of the floor and somehow make it to the bed on the opposite side of the room, kicking off my flats along the way, and flop upon it in an ungraceful way, which is different coming from me. Hikari is usually the messy one while I'm the tidier, but at the moment I really don't care. I turn over to lay on my back, my checkered shirt wrinkling a bit.

I'm so damn tired. Being anywhere near him makes me so damn tired, and I've only been awake...what...about six hours? Eight? Fuck in this world does it even matter?

But seriously, what the heck have I done to have a day like this? First I'm waking up to Hikari's screaming her head off, then I end up going on some half-planned adventure to a completely different place we've never seen before. Then we having some guy run into her and crash into an overgrown fungus, and then having to drag her ass here of all places and finding out she's been doped up somehow. And now more of Blood's constant pestering, and I'll probably see a lot of it given that we'll be here a while until Hikari either gets an antidote or it wears of, and who knows how long that will take.

I roll over and bury my face in a nearby pillow.

Well what do I do now?

I lay there, simultaneously calming myself from the previous fiasco and racking my brain to see what I can possibly do.

Well, I can't leave, that's a given. I could try to figure out what it is that poisoned Hikari, but I have no idea where I could even START with that one. And I don't have my drawing stuff to keep me preoccupied because Blood stole it. In fact all I have on me is my earphones, my cell, and the charger to it. Thoughtlessly, I reach into my pocket and pull it out, clicking on the side button tapping at it to bring out my pictures. I slide it to aimlessly look at some of the other pictures I have. A couple dozen of various angles of Vivaldi's roses and garden, some viewpoints from the very top of the Clock tower (I tried very hard not to look down while taking them), another couple dozen of Blood's garden, including the tea party table, the fountains, some of the trees, and different angles of the house in general. Boris, with a fish hanging from his mouth, taken by Hikari and sent to me thanks to a special app on both of our phones (It only sends pictures). A tea party where the twins have cake on their faces face. And some various pictures of plates of food, for some reason. Like plates of cakes or tarts or soup or meat. I can only surmise that these too, are from my ever voracious friend. She's always spamming me pictures, and my phone automatically saves them.

For some reason, my fingers stop their flicking to pause on a particular dish. If I could describe it, I am guessing it looks like a giant steak covered in an equally huge mushroom, and their both covered in some sort of dark sauce. Steam rises off of it, making it look rather delectable. If I remember right, Hikari was telling me about this one...I think she called it...Portobello? Portabella? It was something like that. Something to do with mushrooms...mushroom?

Mushrooms?

...mushrooms...

...why am I staring at that huge mushroom?! It's not like it has some sort of relative importance-

I let out a gasp, followed by a victorious sound as I sit straight up in my bed.

That's right! ThAt'S RiGhT! THAT'S RIGHT! Mushrooms are important! They crashed into a mushroom, didn't they? In the forest! Pierce and Hikari did! A-And there were glittering silvery dust...things...SPORES! Hikari inhaled the spores! And spores can be an airborne contagion!

I'm ecstatic at my sudden realization, and I jump out of the bed. And just as suddenly as I'm elated, I'm mentally reprimanding myself

Why didn't I think of that? Why didn't I remember that? That was the most crucial of information! Perhaps in my hurry and worry it seemed to have somehow slip my mind. Damn me and my brain!

Okay...I really need to calm myself. This is no time for hysterics, and I REALLY NEED TO CALM DOWN AND THINK! Because now I can actually DO something other than sit on my ass. THINK!

I take a couple of deep, calming breaths

So it's now obvious that the only thing that could have poisoned Hikari, given the information given by the doctor and our set of circumstance. And that's the spores that were let out by the crash collusion of Pierce and Hikari into the mushroom. I pace the room, back and forth again and again, mind running rapid

Now all I need to do is remember what type of mushroom it is, possibly get a sample, and bring it back to the doctor for an antidote.

I pause in my step, and rack my brain trying to remember what type of mushroom it was that they collided into. I remember it being huge, and it reminded me of an absurdly huge beanbag chair stuck to the side of a tree. Ah, but the color! What color was it? I rack my brain, but I'm coming up with nothing.

I'm an artist for crying out loud, and I'm having trouble with colors of all things?

Well, I suppose that's okay. Perhaps I could look for a book on fungi, hopefully with pictures and descriptions, and I can use it to find the mushroom. But...hmmm...where is the closest library?

...

A thought comes to mind. A dreadful thought indeed

Sure, I could probably go into town and search fruitlessly for a public library, or maybe visit Vivaldi. I'm sure she has some sort of information archive...But there is only one place that I can think of at the moment close enough and easily accessible, where information like that can be found and quickly...

...

...

...Crap

I tiptoe down one of the many hallways, the light of midday shining through the windows giving me a guide to my destination. Ok, so maybe I'm not really tiptoeing or sneaking by any means, especially in a place like this because it's filled with servants, but I definitely don't want to give myself unneeded attention. And the way I was going definitely gave enough attention for some of the maids to turn their head towards me with a questioning look on their Faceless faces.

...Why am I doing this again? Ah, that's right. Because I actually care and need to find out what the hell that mushroom was called so that I can cure Hikari

With a hopeless moan, I trudge forward, and up ahead of me is what looks like a dead end. But I know it's not. It's a split in the road. To the right leads to another hallway, which leads outside. To the left and up a set of stairs...my destination

Blood's room

Yes, that's right. Right after I just slammed a door in his face I have to go and visit him...AGAIN. But that's only because his office probably has the book I need in order to find the information necessary to complete my mission

I spin on my heel when I get to the turn off, and pause in my steps and look forward. The ceiling here is taller, and lining the walls in front and behind me into the hallway are hat shaped light fixtures. A set of red and white rugged stairs lead up to an impressive doorway with a huge black hat hanging over the top of it, and on each of the four posts of the stairs is a hat-lamp.

Yep...defiantly Blood's room. No one else in their right mind would have decor like that...

I take one good look around, to check and see where everyone around me is, and, after a deep breath, I start up the stairs. As I get to the top step, it is now that I notice how huge the door is, as it looms over me.

Might as well get this over with

I raise my hand and knock ever so softly

"Hello? Blood?"

No answer

That's strange...this is his room, right? Maybe I wasn't loud enough?

I knock for a second time, only this time with a little more intentional force, and as my fist goes near the door, the door cracks open with a creaky squeak of the hinges, just enough to let light through. Curious, I push the door open to look inside

"I'm letting myself in" I say aloud. But I don't think that there is anyone in the room to hear me, and upon looking around I find myself quite alone...in Blood's room

I DO NOT like this...not even a little. And where the hell IS Blood?

I walked into the room and carefully closed the door behind me, "Uh, Hello?"

Again nothing

'Well...maybe this is a good thing. I mentally rationalize as I walk with a confident stride to the closest bookshelf on the leftmost wall, I can just get in here, look for the book, grab it and go. Simple enough of a plan, and I won't even confront Blood

With my finger I start at the very top of the first bookcase, scanning the names on the bind of the book, silently mouthing the titles as I go.

A Memoir of Diamond Country...no

Artemis...no that looks like a novel thought...might check it out later

A Thousand Ways to kill Discreetly...Hell no

I go like this for a while, about three bookshelves worth, until I have an epiphany about the order of the books

It's in Alphabetical order duh...but that's surprising. I never pegged Blood to be organized

So I skip a couple of shelves, until I get to the M

Marvelous Misadventures...Mischievous Maniacs that I Live With...what kind of titles are these? They look almost like biographies

I scan and scan, only to find that there is no book on Mushrooms

What the...Where is...Ohhhhh...maybe it's labeled as F for Fungi...

I walk back a couple of shelves back

Fruits and other sides that complement Tea...Frugal Efforts...

But no Fungi

My eyes absently rescan the shelf as I put my hands on my hips in frustration, "Well where the devil is it? It has to be in either M for mushroom or F for Fungi, that's the only thing that makes sense!"

"Perhaps thinking outside the box would be more fruitful for your search?"

My body jolts forward, away from the voice in my ear that I did NOT expect and I trip/crash, chest first, into the bookcase. It shakes upon my impact and I hear a couple of books flop onto the floor.

It is quite, but only for a moment, before I hear a poorly concealed snicker from behind me. I turn my head and glare daggers

"Perhaps letting people know that you are behind them before scaring the whit out of them would be more gentlemanly, Blood"

The man, who seemingly appeared out of nowhere, only grins, "Says they woman who is sneaking into a man's room. Not very lady-like at all"

I straighten myself up and start picking up the fallen books, "I knocked and the door was open, thank you very much. If anything, if you didn't want anyone in you room, you should lock it when you leave-Wait a moment...How did you get in here without me knowing?"

He tilts his head, confusion in his emerald eyes for a split second

"Your door squeaks when you open it", I explain, putting the books on the nearby table, "Loudly. If anything, I would have heard you come in."

He lets out a hum, "If you stay long enough, you will soon realize my room is filled with secrets"

"Are you going to riddle me like Boris or give me a solid answer?"

"You're simply no fun, are you?"

This man I swear, "I never agreed to be fun, Blood. Now, if you will excuse me, I will find what I need and be out of your hair in a...what are you doing NOW."

I watch as he ignores me in favor of walking over to a bookshelf. He then reaches for a single book, without hesitation, and walks back toward me with it in hand. He holds it out to me, cover up

"Perhaps this will be more to your liking"

With a raise of an eyebrow, I look down at the title

Poisonous Vegetation of the Country of Clover: Malevolent Mushrooms

"YES!", I almost shout the word into the heavens as I quickly go to grasp the book from him, only for it to be held above my head, out of reach. I look up at him, and his eyes sparkle in interest, "Care to explain why you would need a book of this nature? Are you planning something...foul?"

"I'm not you, Blood. I have no need of killing for my own amusement.", It comes out as an annoyed snark.

He raises it higher, his eyebrow following as his eyes glitter

I might as well tell him. He won't stop bugging me until I do,

With a sigh, I provide the information he seeks, "If you must know, it's an antidote I'm searching for"

He thinks on it for a moment on my response. Then, seemingly satisfied, he lowers the book to my level. I quickly grab it, so as that he can't pull another one of his stunts.

"Make yourself comfortable", he says as he walks towards his desk, taking his hat and coat of as he strides, "I have some things that need my signature, so I will not bother you for the time being."

Yeah I'm sure

But, seeing as I want to get the information as quickly as I can so that I may help my currently drunken colleague, I take a seat on one of the red velvet couches, farthest away from him for good measure, and, with a quick push of my glasses up my nose, I start at page one. Considering I do not know the name of the fungi I seek, I am hopeful that I will spot it out through its colorful images. I flip through the pages, and mushroom after mushroom fill my vision as I quickly scan its contents. I can't help but delve myself in the book as I am astounded of the contents. So many strange colorations and shapes...so many deadly purposes. I've never heard of any of these! Perhaps they only exist in here?

BLOOD'S POV

As I sign page after boring page, I flick my eyes up to watch as she leafs through the book at a relatively slow pace. Her eyes flick back and forth and her mouth wraps around words unspoken. What an interesting request though...an antidote in a book of poisonous mushroom. This must have something to do with the other young miss, who is currently out cold in the sick ward. At least, that's what I can surmise from the Rat's report say that I'm curious about her future endeavors would be an understatement.

I look down at my paperwork, mostly done by my second-in-command, in distaste

At least more interesting than this drivel...

"Ah...this must be it..."

It's the first word she's said in the last hour, and my eyes quickly go to her as she visibly brightens up. Ever so quietly, I lay my pen down and stand, my chair and my shoes making light shuffle on the hardwood. But she is so immersed in what she is reading, she doesn't even jolt at the sound.

It seems she gets that way when she is deeply interested in something...like she was earlier...I'll have to remember that

I walk over behind her, careful not to cast a shadow over her. And sure enough, it's a picture of a rather bulbous mushroom that she in engrossed over. Even more intrigued, I start scanning the content myself.

Lets see...

This mushroom, only found in the Country of Clover...a rare species of fungus...grows undisturbed by both animal and Faceless/Role Holders alike...has been known to attach itself to tree roots, and can grow to the size of a bush...bright spotted colors warn of its pestilential nature, and can be seen in various shades of red, pink, orange, or even sometime yellow or lime green...like all fungi, it spills spores when it is endangered or reproducing...a specific type of spore. Aha...here we go. The spores, while harmless to animals, (who know to leave it alone due to its bitter, almost rubber and gasoline taste) can be rather risky to handle when inhaled in large dosages. It is slow acting and, while not lethal enough to kill, it leaves victims in a state or unbalance or dizziness, which in itself is harmful to both the victim and those around him/her. One case shows that a man who encountered said fungi ended up being mauled to death by a wild bear after drunkenly wondering into its cave. In fact, most people who have come across this fungi have come up dead, due to animal attacks, accidents, etc...

KIDA'S POV

All of that form a mushroom?! Are you kidding me?! Hikari owes me BIG TIME when I get all this done with.

I go to reach into my pocket to snap a picture of the book's illustrations with my phone, for future reference when I go looking for this stupid thing. As I turn my head to return it to where it belongs, I can't help but notice that Blood is no longer in his chair.

Oh shit. NOW where did he...

...

This asshole is behind me isn't he?

Sure enough, when I turn my head slightly, just enough to look without being noticed, I find him hovering behind me, looking down not at me, but at the book in my lap

...well at least he's not bothering me...like he said he wouldn't...anyway ignoring him...cure...is there a cure...

I turn back to my book, sneaky bastard disregarded for the time being, and scan the page again, from top to bottom. After determining that the answer isn't on this one, I flip it to its back

Antidote

Because if it's rarity in the wild, there is no known antidote. It isn't that there isn't one, it's that there haven't been enough live samples of it to make one. However, one can be procured if a sample of it can be brought back to a healthcare professional. Most if not all know how to make antidotes from just about anything, as poisoning is a common way of killing.

With no antidote, the symptoms are known to go away after about 2-4 time periods ( 24 hours-1 week at most). This time can vary given the amount said victim has breathed in.

Well that's helpful.

"Hmm...seems like you are in a predicament." Blood says. Even though I KNOW he's there, my body still does that stupid startled jump thing.

"Seems like it, doesn't it. Well, at least I know my target", With a snap, I shut the book and hold it behind me.

Needless to say, it leaves my hands, "Surely you're not thinking of retrieving-"

"Surely I am"

I hear a sigh behind me, which is a strange sound coming from the Mafia Boss, "I highly advise against doing that...but even though I say that you're still going, aren't you?"

"What gave me away?"

"The fact that you are walking towards the door", He chuckles "Alright if you MUST go, at least let me accompany you. I at least know where to go"

Ignoring his sarcasm (can that even be considered sarcasm?), I raise an eyebrow at his odd hospitality, "You? I think I would rather Elliot-"

"Elliot is out at the moment."

"Peirce?"

"With Elliot"

"...The Twins?"

"Probably skipping work to keeping watch over your sick friend until Elliot returns."

I pause and analyze the precarious situation at hand. I have two options here. Either I accept his 'gracious' kindness and let him come with me. Or I decline his invite (And I very much want to do so) and he still comes with me against my better wishes. Either way I lose. And either way, I get to spend some quality time with the enigma known as Blood Dupre, just as Hikari suggested to me.

...you owe me BIG TIME Hikari

OMAKE

"ACHOO!"

It comes from nowhere, and her body jolts at the sudden action and lets out a groan as she awakens. Lucky for the bed ridden girl, there are two able bodies to assist her, in the bodies of two young, very adult looking men

"Kari-chan, you ok?", asks the garnet.

She squirms in the bed, "Hot. And gotta bwo mu noze~"

His twin, dressed in indigo, stands and goes walks around the room, "Don't worry! I'll find some tissues for you."

After scuffling around the room and eventually finding the tissues, the boy comes back and offers them to the girl. Sluggishly, she reaches out to grab at the offered napkin, only for it to fall on the ground. She struggles and tries to sit up, but her body feels like lead, and eventually one of them have to help her to sit up and hand her the tissue.

With the help of the two, she succeeds in her endeavors and is back laying down

One of them starts rubbing her head, like one would a good puppy, "Better?"

"Dunno" she sniffles, "Gotta bad feelin"

The boys look at each other and mirror their question, "Bad feeling?"

"Uh-huh", she slurs, passing back into a comforting slumber under their ministrations. She is, however, unaware of what is to come

HAHAHAHA! I love this. I'm having fun with this...are you having fun reading this? I have a couple more chapters written, so look forward to it