[B] It Caught on in a Flash (Monster Mash x Real Big Fish)

[lilacfishie]

Monster Mash stirred. The nest was rather crowded lately, and the cold of the caves could not reach her through the warmth coming from the kin snuggled around her. She smiled lightly as she looked over to her lifemate, Life of the Party, and their companions scattered amongst them in the mound of dried grasses, mosses, and pelts. Two tails draped over her from Spooky Season, who was at her back, snoozing away. She felt nausea, the source of her waking in the first place, wash over her again. That was...new. Monster Mash looked back around at their nest and thought about all the partying and fun everyone had been having lately. Spooky Season's fur beside her felt more and more apparent as she thought about what this might mean. Oh.

A little tingle of delight rushed through her, making Monster Mash forget about the nausea that had troubled her briefly. She barely contained a joyful giggle as she reveled in this new realization. So far, Monster Mash watched her lifemate grow their family with their companions, but had not had a chance to join in yet. Until now. From what she'd heard, though, there was much to do outside of making the nest bigger and gathering more food. With that in mind, Monster Mash carefully extricated herself from the pile of kin entwined together in the nest.

The acha's curls bounced around her flicking ears as she trotted through the tunnels. She knew all she had to do was need them to come. Maybe they could share a dance? The whole thing was so exciting! Soon enough, Monster Mash found her way to one of the more open chambers of the caverns and figured this would be a good spot. Gently, she placed the mushroom she'd grabbed on the way atop a small rock in the corner. Hopefully whoever came would like the tasty snack!

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[Scaramouche Fandango]

Fish wasn't down in the Zikwa caves for herself. She was actually feeling... well, not left out, exactly. She knew why Strange Creature wanted to come down here, and also why she'd wanted an escort- but oof, was the food down here... terrible. She didn't mind waiting, because Fish didn't mind helping a friend, but couldn't she have found some reptile friends elsewhere, where there was better food than algae?

That's when she smelled it. Mushrooms! Delectable, tasty mushrooms! Stomach growling like the bear she resembled, Fish lumbered off, following her nose past writhing snakes and clustered knots of blind Zikwa. When she found the source of the smell, not far from where she'd been, she despaired just a little bit. It was... fancy. And there was only one. She knew that some kin went in for elevated cuisine; that they'd focus on one little exquisite morsel, an itty bitty dash of something or other, flavored finely or using seasonal produce or whatever. She'd seen all kinds of kin coo over these precious dishes, but she'd never gotten the point. She was pointedly uncultured when it came to grub; the more, the merrier. (Were there grubs down here?)

But as she snarfled the single mushroom, a feeling hit her, and her annoyance with the single 'shroom dissolved into mist. The kin who'd placed it here... well, probably shouldn't have, because she needed the nutrients. Blinking her glowing golden eyes, Fish looked around, finding the dark-colored Acha in the darkness of the cave. "Ah! There you are! Almost swallowed up by the black. No matter- your spirit burns bright enough I could find you all the way down here. My name's Fish- what should I call you?"

[lilacfishie]

Monster Mash heard thick hooves approach almost immediately after she'd placed the mushroom. They came from deeper in the cave system, and the acha doe hoped that it was who she was looking for and not something scary. Strange things happened down in the zikwa caves. Her tail flicked warily and she moved further into the shadows just in case her worries were right.

Soon enough, a figure came into view under the very low light of a few glowing mushrooms dotting the chamber. Was that...a totoma? Monster Mash barely caught a glimpse of the very furry creature's brightly glowing eyes before it thundered over to the mushroom she'd left out. She was about to speak up, before the other doe turned to her and introduced herself.

"Oh! It's so nice to meet you all the way down here! I'm Monster Mash," she replied, giving the older doe a head nod in greeting. Her heart was racing. This was all happening so quickly! She had no idea that they could come so quickly and be so...well, Monster Mash wasn't quite sure how to describe Fish yet, but she seemed very kind!

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Thank you so much for picking this up!

[Scaramouche Fandango]

And just who have you been monster mashing it with? she thought to herself. The doe was obviously pregnant- Achas were always so obvious, what with the hard-shelled eggs and the naturally sleek frame. "It's lovely to meet you too. Are you an explorer, or do you live down here full time- or as much of the time as possible? Me, I'm an explorer. I think I could wander these caves my whole life and I'd never reach the end of them. Such a twisty, turny labyrinth down here! The obelisks might have made getting here possible, but navigating is a whole 'nother story." She swallowed, running her tongue over her back teeth for the last of the mushroom crumbs. "So much to find around every corner! Tell me, what have you found down here?" Fish's eyes glowed brighter; questions like this always helped her figure out how to help expecting parents.

i am so sorry for that indoor thought of fish's

[lilacfishie]

Monster Mash listened intently to Fish. She seemed so well travelled! The acha couldn't blame her newfound friend for feeling confused about the zikwa caves. Monster Mash had been down here for ages and still felt turned around sometimes. She wouldn't have it any other way, though. Fish's mention of the Obelisk and the moment of nausea at the memory of her one and only travel through it solidified that fact. Fish was very brave to travel from place to place like this!

"I used to live in the desert where I was born, but I met my lifemate through a series of silly events and moved down here! It's much comfier, I think," she said, before adding, "The dance parties are livelier too, which I wasn't expecting." Monster Mash glanced around at all the entrances before them. "It can be a bit confusing to get around if you're not used to it, yeah! I definitely needed guides at first, but I'd like to think I'm better off now, even in the mistier parts of the system. It helps that those mushrooms grow in the mistier caves, I think, so I got lots of practice," she said with a giggle.

"As far as what I've found? I think the only thing I could claim was a den of tea dragons that were nesting by one of our dance spots," Monster Mash pondered. "I heard some scratching and splashing while trying out a new routine, and so I followed it until I found them holed up in a chamber with a few ponds in it. How about you? I'd love to hear about some of your favorite discoveries." Monster Mash smiled and regarded the Mare, whos eyes seemed even brighter than they were when she'd first encountered her. The acha knew she'd have to try and invite her to a party or two for some dancing and snacks when she was, well, less encumbered.

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I cackled, not gonna lie