Dandys World: T.B.O.T.G. (infection Au)

Chapter 3: Into the dark

Apparently i forgot to release this chapter?????

So ig y'all get 2 pieces of bread instead of one today because I finished the next chapter too!!!!

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The forest was quiet as the group trudged deeper into its depths, but the silence was anything but comforting. It hung in the air like a heavy shroud, pressing down on the toons as they made their way through the dense underbrush, the flickering shadows cast by the rising sun playing tricks on their tired eyes. They had escaped the lab—barely—but there was no time to relax. They had the vial of ichor that had infected Dandy, but now came the hardest part—surviving long enough to study it and figure out a solution.

Rodger, at the front of the group, gripped the vial tightly, his thoughts racing. The experimental ichor inside pulsed faintly, as though it had a life of its own. Every step forward felt like it was leading them deeper into unknown dangers, but he couldn't stop. He had no choice but to believe there was a way to stop the infection. But with Dandy still hunting them, he feared the ichor might become something far worse before they could make any progress.

Behind him, Glisten, Sprout, Finn, and Cosmo followed in silence. Each of them was worn out, their usual personalities muted by the intensity of the danger they were in. Glisten, ever the performer, adjusted the large pink bow on his back but was uncharacteristically quiet, his mirror head catching faint flashes of light through the thick foliage. Sprout, his strawberry head low, seemed thoughtful, casting worried glances at the vial Rodger carried. Finn was trying to shake off his nervous energy with weak puns, though they fell flat. Cosmo, usually so full of warmth and comfort, had taken up the rear, his gaze alert for any signs of movement as they journeyed through the forest.

Rodger suddenly came to a stop and raised a hand. "We'll rest here for a moment," he said, his voice quiet but tense. His eyes scanned the area. They needed to stay alert—there was no telling if Dandy or the infected were nearby.

The group collapsed onto the forest floor, breathing heavily. Even Glisten's usual flair was dimmed, and he muttered, "Darling, I don't think I've ever teleported that much in such a short span. I'm an escapist, not a marathon runner!"

Sprout nodded wearily, his voice soft. "We can't keep running like this. The ichor... it's different. It's like it's hunting us now."

Finn sat down beside Sprout, his fishbowl head bobbing slightly as he wiped his brow. "I don't know if this is the kind of thing we can outrun, Sprout. We're fast, but whatever this is—it's getting faster."

Cosmo rested a hand on Finn's shoulder, his touch comforting but his voice steady. "We've made it this far. We'll figure it out, but we need to stay sharp."

Rodger knelt down and looked at the vial, watching as the ichor inside churned sluggishly, pulsing like a heartbeat. A faint, unnatural glow emanated from the liquid, and he felt an unsettling presence as though it was aware of them. The blob-like creature it could become was a terrifying prospect.

"The ichor..." Rodger said, his voice trailing off. "It's not just a virus. It's something alive—something that's still growing, still adapting."

Glisten stood beside him, his mirror head reflecting the vial in eerie fragments of light. "And if it doesn't find a host soon?"

Rodger looked up at him, his glass turning pale, as if it was fogged up. "It'll turn into something worse."

The group fell silent, the weight of Rodger's words sinking in. They had already seen the horrors that the ichor had inflicted on Dandy, and the thought of it turning into a monstrous creature on its own sent shivers down their spines.