Title: Puppet
Rating: K
Genre: Undecided
Summary: A little Paras is acting... strangely, and his best friend can't help but notice...
Author's Comment: A very short story I wrote really, really quick just cuz I can. Hope you enjoy it.
His friend, Nugget, has been acting so strange today.
Tearing his attention away from their teacher for a moment, the young Wartortle by the name of Morph glances at the Paras sitting a few chairs beside him. The little bug has been sitting silent in the same position since class started a couple of hours ago, not moving a single inch like a stone statue. He stares straight ahead, in the general direction of the teacher and blackboard, but his big blue eyes are distant and unfocused.
He's been like that since this evening, when his Water-type friend came to pick him up from his burrow so they can walk to class together, like usual. But this time, the Paras hasn't said a single word to him, just going through the motions with that glassy-stare. If he didn't know better, he would think the little guy was sick or something, but no; Nugget told him before that he never gets sick because of his mushrooms.
His eyes travel to the said mushrooms on the kid's back. He's heard a great many things about those 'shrooms, about their efficient use for defense, their medicinal properties… and about what happens upon the Paras' evolution to Parasect. He's tried to warn Nugget many times to get rid of the damn things, but the young cicada simply wouldn't listen, adamant that he's just getting paranoid about something Nugget claimed was just a myth…
And who knows, maybe it is just myth, but he's seen Nugget's parents before. He saw those blank white eyes and the giant mushroom overtaking their entire body; something about it just never settled right with him and adds further fuel to his conviction that those fungi were bad news.
Surely, those mushrooms had something to do with Nugget's odd behavior today…? No, no… Nugget is still a Paras, so even if the 'myths' are to be believed, those mushrooms should still have no power over him… right? Truth be told, the little guy has always been a bit on the odd side. He's heard Nugget talk to himself many times before, carrying on a conversation with someone he can't see. The bug always claimed to be talking to "Tochi", the name he gave to those mushrooms. He wonders if the child knows that the mushrooms can't talk back, or maybe…
No, that can't be it. He shakes his head slightly. He's just overthinking things. Maybe Nugget's been having an off night, woke up in a bad mood, or didn't get much sleep during the day. And starting these classes must be draining to the kid; the medical field is quite demanding and although Nugget has been keeping up extremely well, it shouldn't be surprising that it's starting to take its toll on him a bit.
Removing his eyes from Nugget towards the clock, he waits anxiously for the minutes to pass, until finally, the professor calls them off for a short break. Many of the students leave the classroom, but Nugget remains glued to his seat, not moving in the slightest as if he didn't hear the teacher announce break-time.
Standing from his seat, he wanders over to the Paras with a concerned look. Nugget makes no reaction to his approach and he clears his throat a bit. "Hey, bud, are you feeling okay?"
Nugget doesn't respond, still staring straight ahead, unblinking. Morph places a clawed hand on the child's shoulder, shaking him gently to try and snap him out of whatever daze he was in. "Nugget…? Hey, can you hear me…?"
Finally, the Paras responds, his voice barely above a whisper. "Fine…"
"What?"
"Fine," Nugget repeats only a bit louder, his voice monotone. He turns his head slowly towards the Wartortle, his eyes looking at reptile but still unfocused and vacant. "I… am… fine…" His words seem very off, spoken in a strange… 'accent' he not sure he's heard before. Yeah, there's something up with the little guy and he swallows slightly.
"Nugget? You sound… weird… Do ya need to go home, catch some extra sleep or…?" He trails off when Nugget slowly moves his unblinking gaze back to the blackboard.
"I… am… fine… I am… wonderful…"
At this, Morph quickly leaves the room, searching for their professor. He needs to take the kid home, and after finding and speaking to their teacher, he was given the okay to leave. Thankfully, their professor, an elderly Alakazam, was understanding of the situation and too was worried about the uncharacteristic behavior of the little Paras.
So, Morph returns to Nugget, gently easing the bug off the seat and prompting him to follow him home. The Paras makes no objections to this, just walking silently alongside his companion until they reach the large burrow Nugget called home.
"Take care, kiddo," Morph says, his brow furrowing as two large Parasects emerge from the burrow, their empty eyes staring at him. He tries to hide his unease under a brittle smile and he gives a half-hearted wave as the little Paras wanders silently to his parents, the adult insects sniffing their child as Nugget makes his way into the burrow.
"I'll come check on you in the morning." Morph states awkwardly as the adult Parasects follow their child into the burrow, leaving the Water-type without a single word or glance.
And true to his word, when morning arrives, Morph returns to the burrow, looking down into the dark depths. "Nugget? You there?" He hears a slight rustling sound, followed by silence for a long moment. "Nugget?"
"I'm up," comes the response, obviously spoken through a yawn.
He relaxes a bit at the voice, knowing that the little guy made it through the night alright. His relief grows when the little Paras comes up to the entrance, wincing at the sun and staying back in the shadows. But even with this, Morph can see that Nugget no longer had that distant stare and in fact, the little guy smiles at him, something lacking from the night before. He smiles back heartedly.
"Hey, Nugget." He greets. "How're you feelin', bud?"
"I'm alright," Nugget states, yawning again before shaking himself out. "Had a bit of a rough time yesterday, but I think it's better now."
"That's good," Morph replies with a sigh. He really was worrying over nothing last night, it seemed, as Nugget certainly wasn't bothered by what happened. "I just wanted to make sure, y'know, since you were acting all strange during class last night. Was worried you were sick or something."
"Class?" Nugget asked, tilting his head.
Morph hesitates, feeling his body stiffen and his blood run cold. He wasn't too sure what it was that set his alarm bells off. Maybe it was the confused response, or perhaps the way Nugget stared at him with an expression that genuinely looked like he had no idea what he was talking about. This is made worse when Nugget carries on with the last sentence he wanted to hear, as the turtle's eyes trailed towards the mushrooms on the child's back and beyond those, the blank eyes of Nugget's parents as they watched from deeper within the burrow…
"I didn't go to class last night."