//------------------------------// // Adventure: Cooperation // Story: My Own Wings // by Tatsurou //------------------------------// As Sunset and Tricky were familiar with the area from when they were much younger, they knew the path they had to follow, though they let Fox take the lead in case of danger. As they moved, Sunset noticed Tricky moving slower. "What's wrong, Tricky?" she asked worriedly. "I'm...I'm hungry..." he whined. "Got it!" Sunset leapt ahead of Fox, going to where she knew some Blue Grub-Tub fungi grew. These large, bouncing blue mushrooms were especially delectable to Earthwalkers, but somewhat difficult for young ones to catch due to how fast they leapt about. Sunset easily seized several of them in her magic and dragged them over to Tricky. "Eat up!" Tricky happily chowed down on the fungi, licking his chops as he finished. "Delicious!" "No time for too many snack breaks!" Fox called out warningly. "We need to get back to the Hollow somehow!" "Oh, we should just keep going forward!" Sunset called back. "It leads right there!" "So how do we get that gate open?" Fox asked, pointing to a gate blocking further progress. "I don't see any switches-" "Right here!" Tricky called out, quickly digging up a switch and depressing it at the same time. The gate slowly opened. "...why didn't the dirt activate the switch?" Fox asked curiously as he moved beyond the gate to work a mechanical switch with Krystal's staff. "Because it scans for life force and magic to activate, not weight?" Sunset suggested as she turned to track the platform it raised, carefully levitating Tricky across while she and Fox leapt over. The trio continued their way onward in similar fashion, with Tricky digging up hidden items, paths, or switches to enable further progress until they reached the Snowhorn Wastes. More Sharpclaws patrolled there, but Sunset and Fox were able to deal with them quickly as Fox got in combat practice with the staff. After stopping at a frozen lake long enough to help a Snowhorn by digging up a couple Alpine roots to feed him, they continued down until they reached the path Sunset remembered. However, a hefty-set Sharpclaw blocked the path. "You pay me 25 Scarabs to pass!" he declared pugnaciously. Fox started to check to see if he had enough Scarabs, but Sunset stepped up before he could. "Or, you get out of our way now before I get upset," she declared angrily. The heavy set Sharpclaw snorted. "And who are you to boss me around?" "Sunset Shimmer," she stated firmly, her inflection showing she'd translated her name. The heavy-set Sharpclaw stared at her for a time, eyes wide...and fell flat on his face. "Please don't hurt me!" "Move!" Sunset barked out. The Sharpclaw immediately leapt to the side. "One of these days, your Mom needs to tell me why my name has such weight in your language," she told Tricky as they moved into the tunnels. "First the Lightfoot, then the Cloudrunners, now the Sharpclaws? What's it mean, anyway?" "I dunno!" Tricky responded readily. "She says I'm not old enough for that answer." Fox frowned as he followed the pair into the tunnel. Krystal had explained the prophecy to him...but he wasn't sure if Sunset was ready to hear it. As soon as they entered Thorntail Hollow, Tricky made a beeline to his Mom's side, where she still lay upon the ground. "What's wrong with her?" he asked worriedly as Fox and Sunset caught up to them. "Looks like she's ill," Sunset observed worriedly. "And the symptoms...look kinda familiar. What was that she'd always give you for your tummyaches and the like?" "White Grubtub!" Tricky spoke up happily. "From the old well!" "Get us an entrance and we'll get the shrooms," Fox promised. "There's a weak spot I could dig through!" Tricky pointed out, quickly leading the way up there. "But are you sure I can't help?" "Better you stay with your Mom," Sunset suggested. "I'll need to conserve my magic, so I can't haul you up and down the whole way." "O-okay," Tricky agreed worriedly. "Just hurry!" A single ladder led down into the well once a tunnel was dug through the raised wall surrounding it. The bottom was shrouded in fog Fox and Sunset had to pierce, revealing large red mushrooms that shook toxic spores that would clog their airways if they got too close. Green grass covered the low sloping floor, and water flowed somewhat. Sensing something, Sunset quickly blasted a hole in a small island in the middle of the brook, revealing another chamber containing a spell for the staff. Fox quickly entered, and came back soon after. "A rocket boost," he explained. "There are spots I can use the staff to propel myself upward." "Then that's the path forward," Sunset deduced, pointing to one such spot. "Not without this lantern," Shabunga stated as he appeared. "It gets quite dark down there, and without a firefly lantern, you're sure to get-" Sunset sent a small amount of magic into her outfit, making all the sunstones glow brightly. "...or you could do that," Shabunga allowed grumpily. "Forgot it had that function. Should have charged more!" "I'll take the lantern!" Fox spoke up. "That way we can split up in the deeper areas and get the White Grubtubs faster. Time could be of the essence." "Just charge it to my account," Sunset offered. "Always do," Shabunga replied. "I'll even toss in a couple of fireflies to give you a head start." Handing the lantern to Fox, he vanished. The pair continued into the deeper levels of the well. The stone walls were dark red, as were the dirt floors. Very little light extended down there, and the red mushrooms grew everywhere, shaking their choking spores into the air. The White Grubtubs were difficult to spot as rather than a bright white, they were more a faded grey. Sunset was able to snatch the first one easily once she spotted it. "How many do you think we should get?" she asked curiously. "As many as we can," Fox said firmly. "Given the size and Tricky's appetite, I'd say at least six." "Then let's get searching!" The pair turned to seek out the mushrooms deep within the well.