Chapter 10

Into the Shadows

I'm lost! Seriously, what kind of directions are these? "Take a left at the big pine tree." Yeah, really helpful when I'm in a forrest! It's starting to get darker. I let out a big sigh. All that planning for nothing. Instead, I am forced to become one of the forrest people, living off the pinecones and wild grass around me. Wait, that sounds gross. I need meat. Maybe I can hunt some small animals. Just imagine, a squirrel roast. That doesn't sound all to bad. My stomach growls just thinking about it. Now that I think about it, I was so busy prepping for today I forgot to eat anything. Ugh, now I'm starving. And just as those thoughts cross my mind, a squirrel walks in front of me. We stare at each other for a bit..."Mine!" I leap at the squirrel in an attempt to catch it, but it nimbly jumps out of the way. "Come here so you can be my dinner!" I chase the squirrel through the forrest. who would have thought such a small animal could be so fast. Slowly but surely, I manage to close the gap. Closer. Closer. Closer. Until finally...it jukes me and I fall into some water. I swim to the surface. Curse you squirrel, one day, you will be on my plate! As I shake my fist at the fleeing rodent, I hear a commotion behind me. I turn and see some hooded figures running towards me. In a panic I hide back under the water, but after a moment, I realize something. I peek over the surface to the hooded figures finally reaching me. After seeing that I'm not actively drowning, one offers me their hand.

"Are you okay?" I turn around and across the water, there's a huge gathering of hooded people along with food, plant-like decorations, and a stack of boxes. Yep. This is definitely the cult gathering, and this is definitely great Susururu lake. I hide back under the water to let out a huge scream before climbing out.

"I-I'm fine, don't worry." I say as I keep my eyes on them while maintaining a distance. "A-and I don't need a change of clothes or anything. I'm a slime so water doesn't really bother me."

"Slime? Wait, are you Leaflit?" Uh oh. They call out to the rest of the crowd, "Hey everyone, Leaflit managed to make it!" The crowd cheers. There goes stealth.

"Y-yeah. Glad to be here" I say unenthusiastically as I join the group. Immediately the cult members start flocking around me.

"Wow, you guys were right. She is super cute."

"it's no wonder our great leader favors her so."

"Can I make a plushie of you to take home?"

I was completely bombarded with questions and comments. In those moments, I completely forgot what I came here to do, as those thoughts were replaced by the stronger

"Social awkwardness at large gatherings". All I could do was smile awkwardly, avoiding eye contact and hoping I can find an opening to escape. As I internally panic, my stomach growls.

"Oh, are you hungry? Come, come, we have plenty of food." Food? Those are some words I love to hear. I'm taken to some tents made of leaves, branches, and vines that stand over a long table of food. My eyes light up as I see my favorite, meat! I stack a whole plateful so tall I couldn't see the other side! I take a piece. "Thank you for the food!", but before I eat it, I pause. I return to my senses and remember, this food might be poisoned! I don't see anyone else eating right now. I look once again towards the alluring meat. As a half-slime, I do have poison resistance, but as a half-fairy, I also have a poison weakness. So I question, do I risk it? Before I finish that thought, I'm already gulping down the meat like there's no tomorrow. Looks like my hunger decided for me. It tastes so good! But it also has a tingly taste to it. Yup, that's poison. As tears roll down my face, I take out the antidote, and take a a sip after every few pieces.

Everyone let me eat in peace and went about doing their own things. Finally, some alone time. After I finish eating, I sneakily head over to the stack of boxes. These must be the offerings. I dare not look inside them for I might end up seeing something I'd wish I hadn't. I walk around the stack, trying to figure out what to do. I take out my cross to hide it in the pile. That should stop any monstrosities from coming out.

"Watcha doin'?"

"WAAAH!" I throw the cross at the person who snuck up behind me, hitting them in the chest.

"Ouch. Sorry, didn't mean ta scare ya." it doesn't look like the cross did any damage at all. "So, ya addin' somethin' to ta pile?"

"Oh, uh, y-yes. I was adding, uh...t-this cross." You idiot! Why would you openly say you're adding something that would sabotage them?

"That so? A lil' unconventional, but ah'm sure it'll be fine. Thank you for yer contribution." The member walks away with a smile on their face.

...What the heck does that mean!? Could it be they're gonna summon something so dangerous, even holy power can't stop it? I look at the cross once more. Well, guess this is useless. I throw it behind me into the pile.

"Attention everyone! Attention everyone! Please gather around!" The entire cult gathers around a stage I strangely didn't notice before. I fight through the crowd to make it to the front. "It is time for our great leader to make her appearance. Everyone, give it up for our great leader, our Queen of the forrest, Harukaaaa!" The crowd erupts as Haruka walks onto the stage, smiling and waving at the crowd, downed in the same black cloak as everyone else.

"Thank you, thank you. I'm so glad all of you were able to come on this special day. It really does mean a lot to me."

"Woo!" "Yay!" "I love you Haruka!" the crowd is going crazy for her.

"And now, it's that time of the night. It is time for us to choose-"

"I nominate Leaflit!" one random audience member shouts. Wait, nominate for what?

"Yeah, lets go with Leaflit!" "Leaflit would be perfect!" "Leaflit! Leaflit!" Before I knew it, the crowd was cheering my name. What am I being chosen for?

"Oh, Leaf's here?" Haruka's face lights up with excitement. "Well, come on up! I would be super happy if it was you." A spotlight beams down on me. Huh, we're in a forrest, where is that even coming from? I awkwardly walk up onto the stage, racking my brain trying to figure out what I'm being chosen for. I look to the crowd, all cheering at the top of their lungs. I look towards Haruka. She walks towards me while taking something out of her sleeve. Time seemed to slow down around me. Then, it hit me. I quickly take out my frying pan.

"Stay back!" I hold the frying pan in front of me like a sword. The crowd goes silent.

"Huh?" Haruka pauses with a confused look on her face.

I've shown my hand. It's do or die time. Probably die. "I know what you guys are and what you're up to! I'm not going to let you sacrifice me for your cult ritual!"

"Ritual?" Haruka looks towards the audience. Half of them look away whistling, and it clicks in Haruka's brain of what happened. "Ooookaaaay, listen. No one is sacrificing anyone today."

"TODAY!?"

"EVER! No one is sacrificing anyone ever! We are not a cult!"

"Yeah we are. Join us!" one random audience member shouts.

"Guys, come on, cut it out. You'll only confuse her more. Just look at how paranoid she is." She turns to me. "I'm so sorry Leaf. It's just a little joke that my fans sometimes takes A LITTLE TOO FAR." She glares at the audience. "I can assure you, 100 percent, we are not actually a cult."

"B-but what about the offerings?" I point to the stacked boxes.

"Offerings to our great leader!" one member shouts

"Presents." Haruka corrects. "They are presents. Birthday presents. It's my birthday today and I wanted to celebrate with everyone. That's what this is. A birthday party, not some satanic ritual."

"T-Then why does the meat taste all tingly if it wasn't poison?"

"Secret family recipe." the chef says. He shifts his eyes left and right, then loudly whispers "It's lemon juice!"

"Well, if this isn't a cult, why are we wearing these cloaks?" As if on comedic queue, it began to pour heavy rain.

"They aren't cloaks, they're raincoats." Haruka says. "Made them myself with some special materials that make them waterproof, yet soft like cotton, though sadly, I can't do anything about the color."

I genuinely feel stupid. I drop the frying pan and pull the hood over my eyes. "S-so...if not for a sacrifice, what is it that I'm being chosen for?"

Haruka sighs and a smile returns to her face. "This." She once again reaches into her sleeve and pulls out...a flower. A beautiful blue petal flower.

"The Queen's Blessing!" someone shouts.

"I suppose they're not wrong this time." Haruka puts the flower in my hair. "It's a flower I managed to cultivate that can hopefully bring good luck. It doesn't have a name yet, so you were the person who we're going to name it after." She turns to the audience. "So I shall name this flower Leafalite." Sounds more like a rock than a flower, but still, it's nice. My slime blue face turns completely red. "Now guys, what do you have to say to leaf?"

"WE'RE SORRY." The audience does seem genuinely remorseful.

Haruka gives me a hug. "I'm sorry you had to go through that leaf."

"I-It's okay. It was my fault for jumping to conclusions like that." I hug her back, but as I do, The fire bomb accidentally falls out of my sleeve. Oh no.

"Look out!" I pull Haruka away from the bomb and brace for impact. However, all I heard was a hissing noise. I look at the bomb, and it suddenly shoots up into the sky. There, it explodes in colorful sparkly fireworks.

"Oh, a fire flower bomb. I have never seen one before. It looks so pretty, even through the rain. Was this going to be your 'offering'?"

"...Yes" I lied. "Yes it was and it was totally not for anything else." I'm going to have a firm chat with the merchant I brought it from.

From there the party continued with fireworks lighting up the night sky. Eventually, the rain cleared up. There was singing, games, and even a comedy contest. I have to admit, I walked in not expecting to walk out, but instead, I'm having the time of my life. And I'm glad to see Haruka having just as much fun.