Chapter Text
“You have to be kidding me.”
Anti’s voice was the only one to break the silence as Shroomy stared at the pink slip in his hands.
The counselor’s cabin was empty except for them. The wooden floorboards creaked with every gust of wind outside, and the curtains on the windows gently fluttered with every breeze that drifted inside. The desk was cluttered with paperwork and children’s drawings, and the corkboard on the wall had photographs and a paycheck schedule pinned to it with animal thumbtacks.
The counselor in front of Shroomy crossed her arms. “I’m truly sorry, Shroomy, but this isn’t our choice.” She explained. “Our sponsor company is starting to break down, and as a result, we aren’t getting enough money to pay all of our instructors. We have to let a few people go to save on costs.”
Shroomy didn’t respond, his eyes firmly affixed on the pink slip that boldly declared what he had been fearing.
The counselor continued, “There are plenty of other job opportunities out there that fit your passion for the children. You could be a teacher, or a tutor, or a daycare supervisor!” She tried to smile, but it appeared strained. “Don’t worry about the specifics of this, okay? You’ll get your last paycheck by the end of the month.”
She patted Shroomy on the shoulder awkwardly, who still hadn’t said a word since the slip got into his hands.
“Well, um… I’ll leave you to it. Your last day is next Friday.” The counselor hummed, stepping back towards the door before turning around and rushing out. As the door creaked shut, Shroomy finally spoke.
“We’re fired.”
“Okay, thanks for having me, goodbye!”
Shroomy hung up on the video call, shutting his laptop and keeping his smile for about half a second before he groaned, slumping forward over his small desk as Anti materialized in the mirror.
“Another lousy interview?” He asked, his arms crossed with annoyance. Shroomy didn’t need to reply; Anti already knew the answer.
“I don’t get why you’re bothering with these, no one’s gonna hire a freshly fired mushroom.” He scoffed, tapping on the glass of the mirror. “And besides, if they found out about me, they’d be even less likely to hire ya.”
“I’m aware of that.” Shroomy groaned, sitting up and pushing himself away from the desk as he stood up, fixing his shirt as he glanced at Anti. “And you’re not helping, either. All you’ve been doing is robbing banks with Bob.”
“It’s keeping us afloat! I’m doing you a favor.” Anti huffed, dematerializing from the mirror as his voice reappeared in Shroomy’s head.
“Look, I’m trying to help out here. Your interviews have been dogshit—”
“Language.”
“—And if I’m not getting cash from my crimes, we’ll be homeless when the rent money runs out.”
Shroomy sighed in exasperation, dropping his head against the wood of the door. Anti winced softly.
“I know my methods ain’t conventional, but they’re keeping us from drowning for the time being. The least you can do is not nag me about it.”
Anti’s voice then disappeared, leaving Shroomy to his thoughts alone.
He had to admit, Anti was right. Thanks to his actions, although unconventional, to get large sums of money, they’ve been staying afloat in the small apartment, though only just barely. Shroomy had implored his counterpart to try not to get suspicious amounts of cash just so he wouldn’t get into even more trouble, and mercifully, Anti had complied. But only God knew how long that would last until Anti let his habits take over and he robbed a bank for millions of dollars that they couldn’t keep. And Shroomy was NOT prepared to plead insanity in court.
Shroomy’s attention was directed away from his minor existential crisis when he heard his phone buzz on the desk. He slowly approached it and lifted it, turning on the screen to see a long line of texts on the lockscreen: Rent due, financial aid denied, and a dozen emails from the jobs he applied for saying he wasn’t suited for the role. Scrolling down further, he noticed an odd one out: A text from Hal.
Curious, Shroomy opened the text and read what it said.
I heard about the layoffs from the camp. Hopefully you weren’t among those fired, but Junior is pleading otherwise. If you need a bit of extra cash, you can come and babysit Junior for a few hours on Saturday; I have a case out of town I need to help handle. Reply when you make a decision.
Shroomy’s eyes widened. A babysitting gig? Well, he was good with kids, but only in large groups where he could yell to get their attention. One singular kid was going to be more work, trying to figure out what helped and harmed. But, he was desperate for some cash right now…
Shroomy texted back immediately.
I’ll take the job! I won’t mind working with Junior again for a few hours, he’s a great kid.
He pressed send before he could second-guess himself, dropping the phone back onto the desk as he moved to his calendar and marked the date. His phone buzzed again, and he snatched it up faster than he intended.
Good to know. Thanks for agreeing, I’ll make sure to have the cash ready when you arrive for your pay.
Then another text appeared shortly after it, surprising Shroomy slightly.
Don’t be afraid to reach out if you need extra help, okay? I’m here to help.
Shroomy smiled, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly as he typed a reply.
I’ll keep it in mind :)
With a relieved sigh, Shroomy set down his phone and set to packing a bag, determined to be as ready as he could be for Hal and Junior.