DELTATOAD [Chapter 1]

5) ❤️ Frienemies!

After continuing to wander, you came across a few new things along the path once you passed the bridge. You came across some weird mushrooms that sprouted from the ground. These mushrooms were lacking color like the flowers from before, and they shot out spores that hurt! While this world seemed to lack in enemies so far, these deadly mushrooms made sure to pick up the slack.

You were honestly starting to get suspicious. Where was literally ANYONE else? Surely by now, you would've come across a Goomba or a Koopa. That was one more thing you could add to the list of abnormalities. It took a while, but you finally found the edge of the weird "mushroom danger zone".

Actually, you literally found the edge of it.

You were now facing off the edge of a cliff. There was a bit of a muddy slope to it, but it was still fairly high up and you didn't want to straight-up jump off the ledge.

Glancing over the cliff, you could see that it was still the grey dirt below, but there was something new. Scraps that were almost like confetti fluttered around below as if it was a snowfall made of shredded white paper. Piles of the paper-like stuff were scattered about, although kept compacted together as if magnetized to do so.

As you looked down into the open field, you could've sworn that you saw something move down there.

Should you go down to get a better look?

*Yes / *No

You decided that there was no point in NOT exploring the area below. After all, it was probably better to go take the path here and possibly encounter something than get lost searching for another path to appear. The last thing you wanted was to get lost in a place like this with so little light.

Inching towards the edge of the cliffside, you found a slick enough "mudslide" that could safely take you to the ground below. Holding out your arms for balance, you quickly slid down into the field of white petal-like objects in piles. The piles surrounding you were almost your height!

Touch one of the piles?

*Yes / *No

Seeming to not have much self-control at the moment, you eagerly reached out and swiped your gloved hand at one of the piles. Almost instantly, the white flakes scattered like a pile of leaves in the wind.

Something quickly darted out from behind the now-scattered pile.

You flinched as a streak of shadow scurried away from where the pile once stood. Whatever it was hid behind another mound of the white petals. It unnerved you a little - whatever it was seemed pretty big...

Investigate the next pile?

*Yes / *No

Whatever this thing was could be dangerous, so you decided to investigate. If worse came to worst, you could just fight whatever it was so it couldn't hurt anyone else.

You hurried over to the next heap of the white confetti and kicked at it, scattering it into the wind just like the last one. Just like before, whatever was hiding quickly ran for cover again. However, there was only one pile nearby that was left! There was nowhere else for the thing to run off to.

Scatter another pile?

*Yes / *No

At this point, it would be stupid not to do so. Not only was this creature cornered, but the pile seemed to be blocking the only pathway out of this empty field anyway. Regardless, you would have to knock it over or be stuck here for all eternity.