Work Text:
Scar stared at the figure standing in the doorway to her office. They stood stock-still, not even breathing. She twisted his pen in his hand. She had paperwork to do, regarding the acquisition and repurposing of the old Moo-Pop factory for HEP. The sooner she did it the better. But the figure in the doorway was possibly the only reason for him to put it on pause.
They were silhouetted, in a tattered long dress and a mushroom shaped hat with a veil. Spindly wings, with feathers askew and broken twisted out from behind them, light just flirting through enough to show the red, yellow, and blue undertones. Scar felt like setting his own back into her skin, as tattered as they looked they were at least taken care of.
She took a breath and set his pen down.
“Come in. Feel free to take a seat.” He said, waving them in.
Mother Spore walked in, not even making a sound as her shoes met the ground. Their gate was off, over balancing for wings that didn’t weigh as much now. All scraggly, looking more akin to that of a seabird in shape than a parrot. She took a seat in the chair that was kept for guests off to the side of the room. Not the one in front of her desk. Shadows were dragging at her, the only light in the room coming from Scar’s desk light.
“What do you want? Got free paper on the desk if you need.” Scar asked. He was already tired of this, it was well past sunset and she wanted to sign off on a few more things before retiring to bed. Mother Spore just tilted her head, and even though the veil blocked his view Scar knew she was smiling. Nothing charming, or sweet, or surprising, or even the smile of a vex that was wrong in so many ways it was terrifying. Just a smile, exactly what you’d see if the dictionary had pictures.
“You must want something. Speak now or forever hold your peace, because I have a job.” He said, picking her pen back up to point it at her. After not getting a response she returned to his paperwork.
The Moo-Pop workers could be reassigned jobs looking into the mycelium. It would just take a bit of training for use of PPE and handling of dangerous chemicals and weapons. And testing they’d be doing would likely be more or less just hitting the mycelium with random things and recording what works best. And they could have that training while renovations are being done. So no one loses a job, in fact some are created for a brief stint, and he can kill the mycelium. The perfect plan, he doesn’t even lose any standing with the general populace!
He wrote down the plan, having to smudge a few letters to be correct on a second pass, then wrote her name at the bottom. It would go through her advisor for further screening, then she could enact it.
As he set the paper aside he happened to look up slightly.
Mother Spore was standing in front of the desk, leaning over it to stare at her. She hadn’t made a sound walking over, to be expected really, but had left a few tattered feathers and strands of mycelium in her wake.
Scar leaned back in his chair. She simply lifted her head slightly to follow her movement.
“What is it?” He asked. Mother Spore held her hand out to him, hanging slightly as if showing off a ring.
“I don’t get it.” Scar said, rubbing her face with his free hand and disturbing his monocle slightly.
She plucked the pen out of his other one and began to write on one of her sticky note piles. Then turned the note around so she could read it.
‘You’re meant to be a gentleman Ms. Mayor, correct? I believe it’s typical then to converse with a lady while dancing.’
Scar looked up at her, he didn’t think his face could hold any more tired disappointment than it did.
“You want me to dance. I’m afraid that’s not happening today.” She said, nodding her head to where he kept his wheelchair just behind a plant and her in easy reach of her desk. Mother Spore ripped off the sticky note and started writing another.
‘If you can sway slightly and do the right hands I’ll count it. Could be in the wheelchair or your desk chair if it moves.’
“That can be done then.” Scar said, looking her directly in the eyes- or at least where they probably were.
Mother Spore clapped her hands, silky gloves muffling any sound.
He reached over and grabbed his chair, before transferring herself into it. She made sure he was more or less settled, then went around the side of the desk. Mother Spore simply watched, turning her head and body to follow in an inhumanely smooth form.
When Scar was in front of her she took his hands, placing one on her side then her hand on her shoulder. Then took a slight step to the left, Scar swayed with her best he could from her chair without having to actually move one of the wheels. Mother Spore went to the right and Scar followed. There was no sound in the room other than Scar’s breathing.
“Does this count?” Scar asked.
Mother Spore tilted her head for a moment, then spoke, “I think it does.” Scar felt hazy then, as if there’d just been something released into the air. There probably was, it wasn’t as if there was any air in her lungs to be made into the sounds of speech.
“So, what is it?” Scar asked, she knew he was beginning to sound exasperated. But that was just what happens when you adopt Bdub’s sleep schedule then one day stay up late. Mother Spore seemed like she was picking her words, to use as little faux breath as possible. The insistence on dancing seemed odd, when they were better off with her being able to write. Nonetheless Mother Spore answered.
“I’m here with a warning. Stop, or we will turn the city to dust.” She says. This time Scar can see the little particles of dust that come out as she speaks.
“Is that all?” She prods. Mother Spore nods, but continues stepping back and forth.
“You’re not some sort of nature spirit, are you?” Scar asks. It’d be absurd if she was, but it might prompt something worth knowing.
“No. Just picked up the role, it’s in principle to keep the mycelium.” She said. Scar nodded, nothing useful there then.
“Mr. Mayor, your eyes are glowing.” Mother Spore said suddenly. Scar blinked, then ran her tongue against his teeth. If his eyes were glowing then her teeth would be sharp, but they were as flat as normal. He felt his head get floaty, and began to hold onto the fact she was just tired as an anchor of sorts.
“You’re a liar.” Scar said. Mother Spore’s shoulders shook in an imitation of a laugh.
Scar pulled her hand down, holding her somewhat steady with her other one- she felt her hand on his shoulder grip tight in surprise. He glared at her. She felt somewhat bad about yanking her down like that, but the sooner this was done the better.
“Was a compliment, not literal.” Mother Spore said, rolling her head around to show off her annoyance. It wasn’t like her voice could carry any more meaning than the words alone, no tone or inflection ever present.
“And?” Scar deadpanned. Had her hands been free he would have dug her palms into his eyes as well. Mother Spore took her hand from hers and carefully tucked up part of her veil. It was only enough to show the bottom of her face, the veil resting just above the tip of her nose.
“You know, it’s polite to kiss a lady’s hand before dancing. Now I’ve complimented you, while you’ve tried ignoring me. So I’m redeeming that now.” Mother Spore said. Scar just stared. She made the best confused face he could.
“A kiss. If you’re good I’ll ignore that factory until you get to use it.” She offered. Scar sighed. It wasn’t the worst deal ever, but it was only Mother Spore that had to ignore the factory then- not any other mushroom rebels.
“And no one hears about the factory. Then we’ve got ourselves a deal.” Scar says. Mother Spore smiles and nods. Still half leaning, supported mainly by Scar’s hand with a bit of help from one hand on her shoulder. Mother Spore wraps her other arm around him as well.
“Then do it.” She says.
Scar leans down with all the enthusiasm of watching paint dry. Mother Spore leans up to meet him. Scar’s careful to breathe only through his nose as she opens her mouth. Mother Spore copies him. Scar carefully holds the side of her face. Her cheek feels dusty like a thin mold had grown on it, and he could taste the odd particles.
She carefully tugged on Mother Spore’s bottom lip with her teeth, then went back to running their lips together occasionally closing them slightly. He felt her sucking on her upper lip for a few moments before dropping it. Scar was careful to hold his breath then, until she was certain no spores were left there for him to breathe.
After a few more moments Scar pulled back, placing her hand on the wheel of his chair.
“Did that meet your requirements?” She asked.
“For being a kiss at all or being a good one?” Mother Spore returned. Should have seen that one coming to be honest.
“Either.”
“Well, it was a kiss,” Mother Spore paused to take one hand to run it on her lip slightly, “but I need a better sample size to say whether you’re any good or if that was just a once off.” Scar just stared at her, he could feel her eyebrows dropping to a look of quiet annoyance.
“Deal was one kiss. Unfortunately your data may be biased, but we’re not scientists here.” Scar said, tapping the push-rim. Mother Spore righted herself, then dropped her veil.
“It was good enough.” She said.
“I’ll hold you to your word, just you see.” Scar promised. “Now if that is all, please leave.”
Mother Spore nodded and turned around, beginning to walk away. Only pausing to wave slightly before going out the door and rounding the corner.
Scar ran a hand through his hair, she had papers to finish reading and decisions to make. But looking at her shoulders where Mother Spore had wrapped her arms around him revealed little trails of mycelium. Not to mention that there were now spores in the air, so he’d have to swing by HEP Headquarters before she could go home. Paperwork could wait. Mother Spore kept her word, so the resistance likely wouldn’t be more of an issue than usual. At least she hadn’t come asking for Scar to give up her seat as mayor, or for him to give her all the diamonds from the diamond throne or anything else ridiculous like that.