Chapter Text
Grian twirls the pen in his hand as they wait to connect. Only part of the HEP is present, due to how urgent Cub and Pearl’s message was. It’s a good amount of them still for being last minute. The pair had been the heads of the research into the mycelium, which makes Grian worry about what they want. Of course it could also be good news for them. Grian can feel how present Scar is in his mind.
The screen lights up as the video call connects. Pearl and Cub taking up most of the screen. Pearl is holding a clipboard in her hands, tapping her own pen in her hands.
“We got as many people as we could under short notice,” Mumbo starts. “What’s up?”
Cub grimaces, “nothing good.”
Grian stills his movements, “what happened?”
“We were talking to one of the infected,” Pearl gestures her clipboard, “when they said something interesting.”
Cub nods and continues, “towards the end of the talk, they mentioned a Mother Spore.”
Grian completely drops his pen in shock, Mumbo also seems too stunned to speak. Bdubs, of course, isn’t, “Mother Spore!?”
Pearl nods, “they refused to tell us anything about this Mother Spore, but they seem to be seen in as high of regard as Father Spore is.”
Mumbo swallows, “so there’s another leader?”
“It seems that way,” Cub agrees.
“Did this… infected say anything else besides about them existing?” Grian asks, trying to hide his nerves as best as he can. He’s not worried about his sporeling outing him, but the HEP being aware of him isn’t ideal.
“Unfortunately, no. They just kept repeating that their ‘Mother and Father’ would like to speak to us themselves. They refused to say anything else.”
Grian hums, he should have expected that. Grian might not want to talk to them, but Scar definitely does. It makes sense that their sporeling would start only responding with deflecting things to them since they would never disobey him and Scar. This does worry Grian about what they’ve been asking them though. How far did they push?
“There are a few ways we can take this Mother Spore’s silence,” Pearl continues. “The two most likely options are that they’re either plotting their next move or possible appearance, or that they’re just running whatever place all the infected are staying at while Father Spore ‘recruits.’”
Both are wrong~ Scar sing-songs, almost smugly.
Mhm, Grian replies, a little bit relieved. They’re not onto him quite yet.
Of course not, songbird.
“This is rather bad news,” Xisuma agrees.
“So we have absolutely no information?” Mumbo asks, worry obvious.
Cub nods, “I’ll try asking them more later, but it’s unlikely we’ll get a different response. You’ll have to tread more cautiously from now on.”
“Including keeping this on the down low,” Pearl adds. “If Mother Spore is as strong as Father Spore, then they can be a kind of trump card. Something up the resistance’s sleeves to use in an emergency. We can use us knowing already to our advantage in that case.”
That might have worked, Scar comments, If only they weren’t talking directly to you, my dear Mother Spore.
Grian tries to keep his blush down, yeah.