The Ever Jungle

Chapter 3

In which the teams are off

Larken's head was still spinning with everything he had just witnessed during the Color Council's stressful meeting.

Between the wonder of being in this beautiful new town, to the underground river base, with its glass ceilings for a perfect view the underwater river life right above his head during the whole meeting, and hearing about how the Council's comrades had gone missing, to the magical map, and the mechanical pixies that located every questers location.

After the meeting was over, the purple sashed girl with neon orange hair had shown Larken to a room down one of the halls, brought him food, and let him be.

The room Larken was escorted to was small but cozy, it had bunk beds in one corner, and a little table with a big blue fish shaped candle burning.

It smelled like the town Larken had been in earlier that day, with its signature Blue Sunflower scented everything.

He scarfed down the dinner of spinach sprinkled in blue sunflower seeds, which tasted like charcoal, boar meat hash and mashed potatoes with Blue Sunflower oil, which made his mashed potatoes taste like burnt wood.

Why do people even think this stuff tastes good? It's like they're obsessed with Blue Sunflowers, Larken thought with disdain, pushing his plate away from him.

He plopped down in a plush blue chair next to his window. Looking out into the dark underwater of the river, a purple fish swam up to the window and bumped its bulgy eyed head against the glass.

Larken put his face close to the fishes and stared into its big black eyes.

The fish stared back, unmoving.

Larken blinked. The fish blinked.

Larken sighed, turning around to hop into his bed, "Aaahh!" Larken yelped, jumping back and bashing his head on the window before slamming his hand on the table, sending his plate careening into the wall.

Larken turned, the fish had gone, no doubt scared by Larken's sudden outburst.

Piercer just stood in the doorway. Staring at Larken seated on the floor, holding the back of his head, as mashed potato and oil dripped down the wall onto the floor, pooling at Piercer's feet.

"And here I thought you might be suited to come on the Rescue Mission with us!" he laughed.

"No no, actually if you need me I'm happy to come along. Y-you just surprised me" Larken blurted, shigrinned. Piercer sat down next to Larken and gave him a hug, rubbing the back of his head.

"Hey, don't worry, I'm only joking," Piercer chuckled.

Joking about me coming on the Rescue Mission? Or joking about me being suited for a mission? Larken wondered.

Piercer stood and sat on the lower of the two bunk beds.

"So how are you finding your new room?" he asked, quickly glancing at the mashed potatoes still glued to the wall, "What's concerning is why those potatoes haven't fallen off the wall at all yet" He added.

"That is concerning isn't it" Larken nodded, puffing up his chest, trying not to show the pain in his head.

"This room is much more comfortable than anything I've ever had, thank you for accommodating me" Larken said, nodding. "Hopefully it's more comfortable with me in it," Piercer said, winking at Larken with his lovely green eyes.

"This is my room, so I hope you find it comfortable," he added. "O-oh, it is? I'm sorry, this is just the room the orange haired girl put me in, I can find a different one if you want me too" Larken hurriedly said, embarrassed by the mess of food and potatoes, still glued on the wall.