Part 20: The Mushroom Mountain

Chapter 19: The Mushroom Mountain

Welcome back, children. It seems that your little friends are still on their quest to find someone to exorcise Lujei.
Yeah. They've been gone awhile now...
You don't think something's happened to them do you?
PROBABLY DEAD.
Oh! I'm sure they're alright.
I'm equally sure I just want to get on with the story.

We rushed back to the church following the ball of light...

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It went inside!
It's going toward the infirmary. Let's hurry!
M-more r-running?! G-give me a break! I'm out of shape!



Rocini's Mother: A ball of light...?
No, I didn't see anything like that.
Prier... I believe the ball of light we saw was made up of spirit energy.
People not attuned to the spirit world wouldn't be able to see it.
Sister Alouette... Look at this picture...



Who drew this picture?
Rocini's Mother: That? Rocini, my little boy drew it.
He loves monsters. He draws pictures of them every day.
He's always been so sick... I think he looks up to them because they're so strong.
Where is your son?
Rocini's Mother: ...He's being treated right now...
He's been hospitalized here for some time, but he just took a turn for the worse...
He was looking so well this morning. What could have happened?!

I'm sure the monster he was creating with his mind couldn't have been savagely beaten and then shot with cannons, causing him to become ill.
Who's telling the story?
But still, that's what happened, yes?
Just listen to the story.



I see. So that means that the ball of light we saw was the boy's being, his energy?
I guess that means that the creature will keep appearing until the boy recovers.
Hey, what's wrong with your kid?
Rocini's Mother: He has Jujube Disease. It cases red bumps to appear all over your body.
According to the doctor, the only medicine that can help is "Kinoko Jiru."
That would cure him?
Rocini's Mother: I understand that it exists on top of Mt. Champignon, but...
I also understand it's impossible to reach...
Oh, my poor Rocini...

Say, didn't that mushroom earlier mention that stuff? Why didn't you go ask him?
Wait, did I miss a talking mushroom?
You didn't really miss much not hearing about it.
The talking mushroom from before did have some, but Culotte wouldn't let me sell his organs, so we couldn't afford their price. We'd need to go to Mount Champignon.



It will be my pleasure. No thanks are necessary.
I heard the whole story. To think that a little boy could create such a creature!
And that means that the sudden change in his condition was due to our attack!
The great Captain Homard won't allow an innocent boy to die!
If you don't come, we'll go by ourselves!
No, don't say anything. We air pirates are used to risking our lives.
A true man goes out to meet death head-on!!
It won't do any good to try and stop us! Come on men!!



So we boarded the airship Escargot...



High-speed turbulence engines engaged!! Meow!
Output is 30% of maximum!! Meow! 40%!......50%!......60%!
What's that? ...A bug?
Don't call me a bug!
Hey Homard! What're these women doing onboard?!
What's the matter? Jealous?
Enriched inochium batteries fully charged!! Meow!
We're ready for takeoff, Boss! Meow!!
Don't call me Boss. It's Captain!
OK, cat nip fans. Let's do it!! The Escargot is airborne!

And with that we were on our way to Mount Champignon.

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Aaaahahahahahaha!
Oh! But, that looks like...
WHAT AN UNFORTUNATE SHAPE.
I don't get it.
What's not to get? See, the mountain, it looks like a giant, you know.
I know what?
*whisper whisper*
Oh! Oh dear!
It's supposed to look like a giant MUSHROOM. NOTHING ELSE.
But, it really does look like a big---
NO IT DOESN'T. I'm just glad that little brat's not here, or this would be even worse.



70% of the mushrooms found on Mt. Champignon grow nowhere else.
So I guess it's not surprising that its nickname is "Mushroom Mountain."
But watch out for the savage dragonshrooms! They surround all the other mushrooms.
They're highly territorial and will attack anyone entering their territory.
I'd suggest you avoid them rather than try to fight them.
Wow, you seem to know a lot about it.
Of course! He's a world traveling air pirate!



Dragonshrooms?
I'm sure he was just messing with you, right?
Oh god no. Giant mushroom dragons, bigger than a man.
That's one of the stupidest things I've ever heard, and I once walked in on Laharl and Gordon arguing over whether Batman could beat Spiderman.
The mushroom people of the mountain offered to give us some Kinoku Jiro if we discovered the reason the dragonshrooms were attacking them. We agreed, and set out.

VIDEO


And we ran right smack into a dragonshroom.



The dragonshrooms were tough, but honestly I was far stronger. Weaker folk might have decided to flee their wrath, but I needed do no such thing.

Anyway, I think that's it for today. We'll continue our journey through Mount Champignon another time.
Mushroom men, dragonshrooms, mountains shaped like, um, unfortunate things. Could this get any lamer?
CALCULATING... CALCULATING...
CALCULATION COMPLETE.
NO.
Shut up, robot. My story is awesome.