Chapter Text
Fungal was sleeping peacefully in their cell. Sitting against the wall that the chains binding them came from. Fungal enjoyed these moments as they didn't have to fear a hit or disappointing someone. They also enjoyed when they could talk with a newt named Lady Olivia. She was the only newt that was kind and never wanted to harm the fungi girl. Olivia even made the name “Fungal Anne” for the fungi girl.
Fungal find themself in a room without a roof, walls made by purple vines with mirrors in between each vine. This was their mindspace, normally the mirrors have a layer of static over them. Fungal decided to not look further, the static must mean whatever is there wasn’t for them.
‘What a lovely place this is..’
Fungal flinched and looked where a male voice came from. Standing at the edge of the mindspace was a very tall newt. He wore a blue and green robe and had long white hair and beard. Fungal couldn't see the newts eyes, but knew they would be looking at them. Fungal couldn't speak, they didn't know if this newt was like the night rangers or Lady Olivia. The newt moved his head down to look at the scared fungi girl. ‘Oh, are you the owner of this place?’ Fungal gulped and hesitantly nodded at the question. ‘I must say, it's quite unique. Is this what your shrooms do to a mind?’ Fungal, again, didn't speak, making the newt gain a different look.
‘Are you scared of me, little one?’ Fungal looks to nod at the question before putting their arms against their chest. Did they fear getting hit for being scared? The newt walked to the wall and sat against it, hoping making himself shorter will be more welcoming or friendly. ‘You have nothing to fear here. I am just curious about you. That's all.’ Fungal lowered their hands, holding them together in a nervous manner. ‘Why don’t we start with names? I am King Aldrich, do you have one?’ Aldrich knew the fungi had one, but wanted to see if they wanted to tell him first. “F-Fungal Anne..”
Aldrich smiled, ‘That's a nice name for you, Miss Fungal.’ Fungal nods, “Lady.. Lady Olivia gave it to me..” Aldrich nods, he knows a bit of the newt. She was one of his son's helpers in the castle. ‘I have heard of Lady Olivia, sounds like a caring but firm young newt.’ Fungal softly smiles, “She didn't treat me like the others do..” Aldrich raises an eyebrow, letting some of his eyes be seen. ‘What do you mean?’ Fungal shook their head, now shaking in fear. “If.. If I tell you, you'll tell them.. I know you will..” Aldrich glared at Fungal, was this his son's doing?
‘It's okay, whatever you tell me won't leave this place.’ Fungal shook their head, tears now flowing down their cheeks. “No.. I can't..” Fungal looked down, as if waiting for some kind of punishment. Aldrich raises a hand and uses a finger to gently stroke Fungal's hair, feeling a harsh flinch at the contact. ‘Shh, it's quite alright. You don't have to tell me tonight.’ To Aldrich's surprise, Fungal grabbed his hand and hugged one of his fingers. Aldrich felt tears and used his other hand to pull Fungal closer to him. This behavior made Aldrich concerned, this is supposed to be the mind controlling mushrooms from another world, there was no evidence that they can feel emotions. Yet here's one of them crying and acting scared of someone or something.
After a while, Fungal calmed down and forced themself to release the finger. “S-Sorry.. I couldn't stop that..” Aldrich used his robe to dry Fungal's tear marks. ‘It's quite alright, young one. Just know you're safe here. They can't get you here.’ Fungal leaned against Aldrich's side. ‘But can you answer me something?’ Fungal nods as Aldrich gently asked, ‘Were these people also Lady Olivia?’ Fungal looked up and shook their head, “No.. she never tried to hurt me. She's gentle to me, even taking time from her busy schedule to comfort me. I like it when she reads to me..”
“Rise and shine Fungi!”
The voice echoing in the space made Fungal flinch and curl up against Aldrich's robe. It must be morning and it means that the voice belonged to the one harming this fungus. ‘Don’t worry, he can't hurt you here. Want me to stay with you?’ Fungal nods as Aldrich smiled, running a finger through their hair. ‘Alright, it's going to be okay.’ Fungal flickered and harshly disappeared from the mindspace, Aldrich kept his word. He stayed until he returned to the Core.
Once back, he looked for the cameras he knew his son installed in the castle. Searching for Fungal, if they could allow Aldrich to enter their mindspace. The fungi beast had to be in the castle. It's in a dungeon camera that Aldrich found Fungal. They were awake and being tested by a newt in the night ranger outfit. Aldrich zoomed in on a slap mark on Fungal's cheek, this ranger must have been impatient and slapped them awake. Aldrich watched the ranger trying to get Fungal to use their infection spores, but everytime they tried to, Fungal refused and when they did so, the ranger either slapped them again or pushed them against the wall with his foot. “You stupid fungi! It should be easy for you to infect others.” The ranger showed a black Kill-A-Pillar with white stripes on its back to the fungi beast. “Just infect this Kill-A-Pillar and this can end for today.” Fungal shook their head, “I don't wanna-” Something about hearing real fear from the fungi made Aldrich want to act. But what more could he do? He was just a spirit kept alive within the Core. But the cell door opening stopped Aldrich's thoughts.
“Enough!”
Aldrich looked and saw a blue newt near the opened cell. She wore a dress and her hair up in a proper manner. “Oh, don't stop me, Lady Olivia. We need this fungus to infect something to learn more about it.” Olivia sighed exhausted, “No, we don't. You should know better than me that this fungi doesn't want to infect others. I would suggest you stop forcing them to.” The ranger looked angered and left the cell with the Kill-A-Pillar.
Olivia stayed with Fungal afterwards. Aldrich watches Fungal's defenses drop, quicker than they did when he met them, at the sight of the lady newt. “I can't understand why he does that to you.” Fungal looked down, “Cause I'm not what he wants..” Olivia's calm expression broke as she gently stroked Fungal's cheek. “Hey, let's not hear that today, dearie. I know someone accepts who you are, Fungal. I accept you for who you are. And someone else can care about your well being as well.” Olivia gave a gentle kiss on Fungal's forehead, “I'm going to get something to eat. Do you want me to get something for you?” Fungal nods, “c-can it be those sweet centipedes please?” Olivia smiles, “The chocopedes again? Does someone have a sweet tooth?”
Fungal's mushrooms turned pink as they looked down, “M-Maybe..” Olivia giggled and scratched Fungal's hair. “I'll be back shortly with your request.” Once Olivia left, Aldrich kept watch on Fungal. It was when Fungal looked at the camera, Aldrich made the camera lens zoom in as Fungal's eyes widened. “King.. Aldrich? Is that you?” Hearing the fungi beast call out for him makes Aldrich have the camera move as if it's nodding at the fungi beast. “You stayed? Even through that?”
‘Yes, I did say I would. Didn't I?’ Fungal was shocked, Aldrich kept his word. “Why?”
‘Remember what Miss Olivia said? None of that today. I don't think you are a disappointment. I'm sure Lady Olivia didn't think that of you.’ Fungal nods, “S-Sorry, it's hard to ignore that feeling..” Fungal moved a hand to remove their tears, letting Aldrich see the chain on their wrist better.
“I'm back, Fungal.”
Olivia walked to the cell as Fungal looked at her. She held a small bowl with the chocopedes inside. She placed the bowl inside the cell as Fungal raised to take them. “Thank you, Lady Olivia.” Fungal said, eating one of the bugs. “You're very welcome, Miss Fungal. I have some free time, wanna continue where we left off?” Olivia showed a book as Fungal nodded, “Yes please.” Olivia pulled up a wooden chair placed for her to use and went to a bookmarked page.
Aldrich listened and watched, Fungal clearly trusts Olivia to not hurt them. They feel safe around Olivia. Maybe he can slowly gain the fungi's trust.