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“Another Island!?” The three grumpuses shouted in unison.
As the tremors subsided and the freshly agitated ocean waters crashed onto the shore, three sets of eyes focused in on the land mass on the horizon. Moments ago, across the sea, a massive island rose from the ocean depths. According to Snorpy’s instruments, it had been making its way up for a while now.
Chandlo extended his arms to gesture excitedly, “Bros! That’s a new island!” He turned to face Snorpy and Buddy with a wide smile that showed off his large tusks, “We gotta check it out!”
Chandlo was always the more vivacious of the pair. His purple irises beamed with an energy that was hard to match except by his muscular frame. The thick, bright green fur of his did little to hide the sculpted musculature of the shorter grumpus as he moved around.
Snorpy’s yellow paws moved to adjust his heavy-duty green apron with a mirrored excitement, “Yes, this does indeed merit a thorough examination. I propose we organize a miniature expedition to this new island with our finest minds. That, of course, means Triffany… and Floofty.” He finished with no amount of his consternation hidden as he uttered his sibling’s name. Buddy smiled at their mention.
“Don’t forget about Shelda!” Chandlo chimed in.
“Shelda? Well, I hardly think that-”
“You said you want the finest minds! Shelda is loaded with wisdom, dawg! BAM, team assembled!”
Snorpy sighed as he thought it over, “Well, I suppose she is an herbalist…”
With a huff, he turned to face the journalist with a request. A task in and of itself, since Buddy was so much shorter than him. His purple eyes studied their face for a moment before beginning, “Chum, if you would be so kind as to gather Triffany, Floofty, and Shelda and bring them here to the beach so we may brief them?”
Buddy hopped into a mock salute, “You can count on me!”
Before they could move, however, Chandlo stepped closer and nudged them with his elbow, “Don’t spend all day in the research tent this time~”
A burning flush raced across Buddy’s features as they heard him say that. Snorpy may have been confused at first, but then quickly joined in with Chandlo’s tittering at their flustered expression.
“It wasn’t all day! I mean, I- uh- BYE!” They shouted as they scampered off to town. Their tail furiously wagged the whole way.
On their way up the boardwalk leading back to Snaxburg, they thought about their current circumstances. A new island emerged from the ocean just off the coast of Snaktooth. The implications and speculations to be made from that alone were driving Buddy’s investigative mind wild. They knew it would be the same for the others as well.
As they crossed the threshold into the town outskirts, they decided to go over to Shelda first since she would be the closest. They were a bit annoyed by her riddle-speak, but Chandlo was correct that she had knowledge to share. It just took some fishing to get out of her in clear language.
“Hey, Shelda! Are you busy?” They asked as they stepped toward her gazebo-hut hybrid.
She was sitting in her usual lotus pose, which concerned them since she was almost all fur, skin, and bones. They even heard her bones crinkle and crack as she stood up. Her coffee-brown fur was thin and wiry from age and malnutrition. Though she had been eating just fine, now that the journalist started bringing Bugsnax for everyone. As they finished that thought, she finished standing up and looked down at them.
“One is always entrenched in the depths of meditative thought, my child.” She said with a wry smirk. “But, uh, not at the moment. Why?”
“Well, Snorpy and Chandlo had brought me out to Simmering Springs to discuss some findings from Snorpy’s seismic readings, and a huge island rose from the ocean! We were hoping you would be willing to partake in a mini expedition to explore the new island! What do you say?”
“You’re asking me?” She sputtered, momentarily falling out of her facade. “I-I mean, of course! One would be happy to join this expedition and share my knowledge.”
Her face took on a somber shade as she dropped her forced speech pattern entirely, “And if this island is what I think it is, there’s something I need to see… Go in peace, my child.”
She didn’t wait for Buddy to respond as she turned to head for the beach.
Her mind was a mystery to them, but she did have a vast amount of knowledge she could share if you got her to speak normally. Buddy was always happy to learn things and listen to people talk about subjects that they were knowledgeable in. So the current lineup of this expedition was looking to be a very interesting time for them.
With Shelda secured, they made their way toward the research tent to get the other two. As they passed through town, they greeted the other grumpuses milling about.
Once under the shade of the tent, they called out to Triffany, who was combing over some dusty texts she must have uncovered from some part of the desert. She was also a fair bit taller than them, so when she turned to face them, she had to shift her gaze down a bit to meet their eyes. Likewise, Buddy had to shift their eyes up from the ruff of curly green fur peeking out from her light brown vest to her bright blue eyes. Floofty glanced over from their desk but quickly looked back when Buddy noticed.
“Well hey, hun! You doin’ alright?” She called in a motherly tone.
“Yeah, I’m fine! Snorpy and Chandlo are putting together an expedition to a new island that rose from the sea! We were hoping you and Floofty would join us on the beach to depart!”
“Oh you better believe I will! Islands don’t go rising out of the ocean every day ya know! Think of all the new corpses there could be!” She clapped her paws with excitement as she thought of having more grumpus remains to study. “I got no business left here, so I’ll go on ahead and meet ya on the beach!”
The tall green grumpus sauntered off to the beach, leaving only two grumpuses in the research tent. Much to Buddy’s delight.
With a beaming smile, they turned to start walking over to Floofty’s area. As soon as they made their 180-degree turn, they yelped in surprise as the aforementioned grumpus was now right in front of them, seemingly waiting for them to finish with Triffany.
“Please, stow your excitement and divulge the details of this expedition immediately.” They demanded without acknowledging the shocked expression on the journalist’s face.
Buddy took a second to calm their racing heart before speaking. However, having the image of the slightly shorter plum grumpus inches away from their face was enough to keep the cycle going. Those piercing magenta eyes, blown up by their thick prescription goggles, were burned into their mind, and they couldn’t be happier. Though they had to fight the urge to run as they felt the fur along their neck rise in sync with their blush. They quickly smoothed themself down before the other grumpus could notice.
With an audible clearing of their throat, Buddy began to describe the expedition in largely the same way they had with Triffany. Although they did drag it out a bit more, just so they could keep those eyes on them for a little while longer.
“Hmm… So you mean to say that an unknown piece of geography has erupted from the ocean, unexplained and unstable, likely to sink again at any moment…” They summarized while tapping their chin in a thoughtful way before facing Buddy once more with a smirk. “So of course I’m going! I will gather my equipment.”
“Need any help with that? I’d be happy to carry your things for you!” Buddy chimed as Floofty walked back to their station.
They took a moment to study their features. The burnt orange fur and their bright green eyes exuded nothing but sincerity in their eagerness to be of use to them. Their long arms do make them useful for carrying things.
“Fine. I would not say no to such an eager assistant. Open your backpack, and I will instruct you on what to grab.”
“Right away, Professor Fizzlebean.” They said with a wink and a blush.
“If you insist on referring to me as such, then I will start giving you homework assignments just as I would a student,” Floofty responded in a huff.
“I wouldn’t mind getting to spend more time listening to you speak~”
They returned a smirk. “Yes, well, if only everyone were as easy to please as you are, then I would be vastly more published than I am.”
Buddy chuckled and began to pack up the supplies they were ordered to. They knew Floofty could be dense, given who their brother is, but they didn’t realize how dense the Fizzlebean brain was regarding affection.
As they finished packing up the supplies, they hefted the pack back over their shoulders. It wasn’t the heaviest thing they had carried by a large margin, so they decided to show off a little in front of their biologist crush. They started with a question.
“Hey, Floofty?”
At the call, they turned to face them. “Yes? What is it?”
“This feels a little light. Do you have anything else you need me to carry?” They asked innocently.
Floofty tapped their chin in thought for a moment before responding with a chuckle, “Unless you wish to carry me, you have all the necessary equipment I would need for this expedition. Now enough questions, let’s- NGAH!!”
They were cut off by the sudden motion of being scooped up in someone’s arms. The loud yelp they let out only served to titillate their captor. The longer they were held there, the more the fur along their neck and back rose in response.
“YOU PUT ME DOWN THIS INSTANT!!!” They shouted while making no real movement to free themself.
“You said I could carry you if I wished, and I do! So let’s go.” Buddy said with a toothy grin.
Floofty could only pout as they were carried along in Buddy’s arms like the royalty they usually acted like. They would loathe to admit it, but it was very comforting to be held by them like this. They couldn’t fathom why that would be, though. Perhaps it was just because they were tired from the work they had done today.
Then why was their heart rate picking up speed?
As they passed the edge of town and the boardwalk began, they couldn’t help but examine Buddy’s features more closely. Their overbite was adorned with a dark green nose and those shapely tusks that they always seemed keen to show off around Floofty. They had their hair, a deeper caramel color, hanging out of their hat and a ponytail dangling behind. The burnt orange fur that, despite the apparent malnutrition since their arrival, seems to have maintained its softness and luster. They were tempted to reach up and drag a paw across their neck to feel it, but fought down that thought almost as soon as it sprang up.
Then they glanced up to those deep green eyes. As vibrant and captivating as an open meadow that meets an endless forest, and just as easy to get lost in. Always questioning and always full of life. They were silently staring up at them when those beguiling eyes glanced down to complete the connection. It was like a zap of electricity shot through them as they gazed down at them, still being carried in their arms. Suddenly, that zap turned into a frenzy of short circuits when they smiled down at the plum grumpus in their grasp.
“I can walk from here on my own. Release me.” They softly commanded.
The journalist simply obliged with a hum of affirmation and set them down by the first set of springs at the end of the boardwalk. Floofty immediately shot their paws up to smooth out their fur in an attempt to silence their quickening pulse. Their paw grabbed hold of the thick fur on their chest as they felt a flicker of…something. They weren’t sure of what it could be, but it was not something they had ever felt before. Like a lamplight being ignited in a deep forest, it twinkled innocently but had the potential to evolve into a raging inferno if given enough fuel.
What is happening to me?
The thought to ask couldn’t even form before Buddy was walking easily toward the other half of the beach. The gastroentomologist could only stare blankly at them as they walked off with a sway in their step. They seemed to be enjoying themself.
Perhaps they should avoid this accursed grumpus for the time being.
They walked the rest of the way a few paces behind Buddy and made it a point to look everywhere but at them. By the time they made it over to the others, it looked like only Triffany had made it over. They were chatting until the duo stepped closer.
“Bro, what took you guys so long?” Chandlo asked Buddy as they got close enough. Floofty stood on Triffany’s left, and Buddy stood beside Chandlo. “Get lost or something?”
“Something like that, nice raft by the way. Where’s Shelda?”
“Thanks, Bro. Shelda said she forgot something important and went back to her stuff to get it. She should be back soon.”
“Ah, speak of the septuagenarian, and she shall appear,” Floofty remarked as Shelda walked toward the group.
She turned and gasped dramatically, “Be still, your wicked tongue! One must show respect to one’s elders.”
“I will respect you as soon as you do something respectable,” Floofty retorted.
“OH, you think so highly of yourself? That you alone are they who can know the unknowable? No! You bring RUIN to all that you touch! Ruin to Eggabell, ruin to Elizabert, ruin to your own flesh and blood! RUIN! TO ALL THOSE YOU HOLD DEAR!” Shelda finished with a glance toward the Journalist.
The aforementioned grumpus quickly came to Floofty’s defense as Shelda scolded them. “Hey! Floofty might not be the easiest grump to get along with, but they have done so much to help! Their touch is as ruinous as a soft breeze rippling through foliage on a warm spring afternoon… Uh! T-That is to say… um…” Their tirade petered out as they became increasingly flustered with their flowery description of their crush’s caress.
“...I’m starting to think this might not have been the best idea for a group…” Triffany suggested, eager to break up the tension that was building, and to save Buddy from more embarrassment. “Also, as wonderfully built as that raft is, I don’t think it can hold all six of us. Maybe one of us should stay here?”
“Which one?” Floofty and Shelda questioned in unison.
“Uh, um… Well…” Triffany sputtered.
“We’re all going! Me and Snorpy can hold it together!” Chandlo exclaimed.
“Actually, Chandlo… I, uh.. I was thinking you and I should stay here and… um, supervise!” Snorpy suggested, very smoothly.
“What!? I didn’t spend all that time building the raft just to not be able to use it, bro! Don’t you wanna know what’s on the new island?” Chandlo cried.
“W-Well, of course I do! But LOOK at that… that thing! That ‘island’ is a DEATH TRAP!” Snorpy returned.
“C’mon, Snorp-dawg, it’s probably fine! Look, I gotta go out there, they need me!”
Floofty would normally have snidely added some comment about Chandlo joining to carry Shelda around, but their heart and mind were occupied with more pressing matters than sadonic diversions. Buddy’s words and imagery rang through their vast network of neurons and left sparks in their wake. Why did their words addle them so? They just couldn’t comprehend the situation surrounding that confoundingly caring grumpus.
Snorpy and Chandlo continued their minor tiff uninterrupted.
“You can go if you must, Chandlo… But I am staying here.”
“But Bro, we do everything together. What if something happens to you while I’m gone!?” Chandlo cried.
“Me!? I’ll be on this lovely beach! What if something happens to you?”
Floofty finally found their composure again and tuned in just to roll their eyes at the situation. “Yes, yes, you both could be struck by a meteor at any moment.” They released an exasperated sigh. “Honestly, they do this every time Chandlo goes to check the mail. I don’t understand how you two can be so frivolously doting on each other when there is work to be done! Can we stop wasting time and get on with this expedition before I’m as old as Shelda?”
The older grump loudly cleared her throat before offering her guidance. “You two are like mirrors, reflecting endlessly. One must look away from the infinite abyss and gaze down only at oneself.”
A beat passed before Chandlo and Floofty responded simultaneously with opposing reactions.
“Whoa!”
“What?”
Triffany decided to attempt to step in once again. “Far be it from me to give anyone life advice, but there’s nothing wrong with a lil time apart. It’s healthy, even!”
Chandlo looked as though he was being told to choose between his own grumplings but eventually said, “Well…A-Alright. If you all say so…”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be in radio contact the entire time.” Snorpy reassured, before muttering to himself, “and I’ve got tracking devices on at least three of you…”
“Right! Okay! Then let’s get this PARTY STARTED!!!” Chandlo shouted before turning to face Buddy. “Bro, I’ll let you do the honors. Just let me know, and I’ll start loading up the cargo.”
“Thanks, Chandlo. I think I’m just gonna go refill my sauce ammo, then I should be all set. I’ll be right back!” They turned to go, letting their gaze linger on the shorter Fizzlebean just long enough that their eyes met for only an instant, and then skipped away humming a happy tune.
Floofty tried not to watch them go, but something about their gait captivated them, and looking away would feel discourteous of its generous splendor. When they turned back, they could’ve sworn that they saw and heard the other four grumpuses pausing their conversations briefly to watch as they were momentarily mesmerized by the Journalist’s exit. Just as the thought appeared in their mind, however, the others flashed back into their own discussions.
It only took Buddy a few minutes to replenish their stock of sauces and stow them away in their backpack. With a heft, they got it settled comfortably on their back and headed back to the beach. But their thoughts slowed their stride to a crawl as they pondered to themself aloud.
They began with a sigh, “Oh, Floofty… I wish I could just admit how I’m feeling. My journalistic instinct tells me they feel at least something towards me! But your dumb, critical, logical, beautiful, gorgeous, wonderful mind probably would just dismiss it or explain it away without really thinking much about that feeling… Maybe I should ask the others for some advice and give them some space in the meantime…”
After a moment of pause, they looked down the path of the boardwalk and hyped themself back up. They could do this! They’ve handled more difficult tasks than this…
Right?
When they arrived back with the others, Chandlo welcomed them back and started moving the equipment and supplies onto the raft. Once it was all set, they took their spots on the raft. Floofty sat between Triffany and Chandlo, the green grumpuses to their left and right, respectively. Buddy sat themself down on Chandlo’s right, and Shelda was sat by Triffany.
While the five of them formed a circle on the raft, Floofty felt a little singled out. The other four had paired off into their conversations, and the plum grumpus sat alone at the edge of the raft. That was fine by them as it gave them time to think of all the experiments they could potentially conduct on the new island. They only threw a few glances at Buddy on the hour-long trip across the sea… And they were only mildly disappointed when they received none in return.
That lamplight continued to twinkle…
Once the shoreline was closer, they were able to discern more detail than what was previously possible. Namely, the massive coral growths that dotted the coast. This struck everyone as interesting, but none more so than Floofty. This was the first evidence of non-Bugsnax life that was displayed on the Tooth Islands. Who knows what else this new place would bring?
As soon as the raft was secured on the beach of the new island, Chandlo tore out his radio and attempted to get in contact with Snorpy. Much to his dismay, however, there was too much interference for it to maintain a clear signal, and the connection fizzled out.
“Oh, how unfortunate. I suppose we will have to proceed without Snorpington’s so-called supervision.” Floofty commented flatly.
“M-maybe we should go back and check on him? It’ll only take an hour!”
Shelda piped up this time, “The threshold is crossed. It cannot be uncrossed.” She turned to mutter to herself but also to Buddy, who was standing beside her, “and if you think I’m spending another minute on that plank of wood, you are dead wrong.”
The two of them shared a light chuckle at the aside before Chandlo responded.
“Yeah… you’re always right, Shelda. Snorpy knows we got this. He’d want us to keep exploring!” As he finished his exclamation, his eyes caught something on the cliff above the others, “Huh… Looks like there’s a way across up there! Let’s check it out, bro!”
“I’ve been wanting to get my body warmed back up after that raft ride. Let’s do it!” Buddy followed behind him, and when they glanced back at the others, they found Floofty looking back at them.
The physically fit pair made their way up the rocky emergence easily enough and took a second to look around. One of them was looking for any kind of mechanism, while the other…
“...Hey, Chandlo. Can I ask you something?” Buddy began softly.
“Of course, dawg! Lay it on me.”
“So, I know you’ve answered this before, but really, how did you and Snorpy become a thing? I think I need some advice with, uhhh-”
“With Floofty?” He smirked.
“SHHH!!! Not so loud!” They felt their orange fur flare out around their neck as they were called out. “...But yes, with them. I can’t tell for sure if they like me back or not. I’m not being too subtle, am I?”
“Bro, they’re a Fizzlebean. I think straight-up asking them out would be too subtle for them. But they definitely like you, that’s for sure.”
“Wait… really? What do you mean?” They questioned.
Chandlo just stared at them for a moment in disbelief before responding, “...Bro, are you being serious right now? I’d be surprised if anyone on this island besides you two knows that.”
Buddy brought their paws up to their face to push down their puffed-out fur. How was it so obvious, but they couldn’t see it? They are a Journalist for crying out loud! But if it was true, then maybe this whole trip could be just what they need to finally ask them.
“I think I know what I’m going to do, but I want to ask Triffany and Shelda for advice first. Maybe they can give me some perspective I can’t see.”
“Good luck, dawg! I’ll be here too if you need anything. Now let’s find a way across this gap!”
“Oh, I figured that out as soon as I crested the platform here. Watch.” They said casually as they took the Tripshot out of its holster on their backpack and placed it on the fire next to them. It instantly caught and spread a nice warmth across the two grumpuses.
With practiced ease, they aimed the laser over at the unlit bonfire on the opposite side of the gap and pressed the launch button on their left wrist. As soon as it managed to light the other bonfire, Buddy retracted the shot of the Tripshot and doused it in chocolate to put out the flames. After a moment to let the whole thing cool down from being on fire, they picked it up and held it in their right paw and idly licked the chocolate off.
“There, see? Easy! You know, besides having to clean this thing now,” They emphasized their point by lifting the now sauced Tripshot up and gently licking it.
“...Bro, are you gonna lick that whole thing clean?” Chandlo asked hesitantly.
“What the grump? No! Once we find a stream or river, I’m gonna rinse it off and put it back on my pack. I was just feeling hungry, so I shot it with what will be part of my lunch.” They gave another lick to the sauced device.
“Oh, right. Sorry, dawg. It’s so easy to forget that you’re not able to eat Bugsnax when you’re as strong as you are. Hey, maybe we should start working out together!”
“Heh, maybe… Anyway, let’s let the others know it’s clear to cross now.” They stepped toward the edge of the platform and called out to the three grumps below them. “Hey! The path is clear now! Come on up!”
Various sounds of agreement echoed through the rocky cove, and so Chandlo and Buddy walked a bit further ahead to see what awaited them. Only to find a wall with some strange mechanism blocking their way.
“Ah grump...” The titian grumpus plopped themself down, slung their pack off their shoulders, and fished around for Sprout’s Buggy Ball. They liked to play with the lil critter when they were feeling a bit overwhelmed. It was not too dissimilar to playing with a cat after a long day of work, and they appreciated the familiarity that it brought. Especially considering the fact that they couldn’t eat them even if they wanted to.
It took a few minutes for all the expedition members to make their way up the coral platforms and into the cave where the other two were sitting. Once they did, Triffany rushed over to the wall puzzle and traced her paws over it.
“Well, would ya look at that? Some kinda ancient maze carving! With movin’ parts and everything!” She said with as much giddiness as a grumpling in a candy shop.
Floofty, however, was not as impressed. “Well, whoever built it put it directly in our way. Chandlo, you excel in brute force,” they began as they turned to face the eponymous grumpus as he stood up. “Destroy this,” they finished with a point toward the wall.
“You got it, Floofdawg!”
Turning back to Chandlo with a scowl, they chided, “Call me Floofdawg again and see what happens.”
“What’s the matter? I kinda like the new name for you, Floofdawg!” Buddy called out from their seat on the ground with a toothy grin.
At those words, the lamplight grew just a bit brighter…
“Wha- you…Hmph! Fine, I’ll do it myself!” Floofty adjusted their goggles as they turned to face the wall, which had suddenly become much more of an immediate nuisance.
Buddy was going to keep the teasing going, a fun but undoubtedly troublesome habit that they had. It had gotten them into plenty of tricky situations throughout their career that would’ve been easy jobs if it were not for that. Regardless, they may have technically been on a job right now, but teasing their crush was not something they were going to pass up. They always love seeing their plum neck ruff rise when they get embarrassed.
Triffany ran up to stand in front of the puzzle wall with her arms stretched out. “Now hold on! Hold on there! Let’s not go smashin’ the priceless antiques just yet! I think I know how to get by this!”
“Oh, very well… I suppose I will have to find something else to destroy.” Floofty pouted.
With a sigh of relief, the team’s Archeologist gestured for Buddy to come closer. “Looks like your Buggy Ball could fit in that entrance at the base of the wall. Why don’t you try that out for us, ya?”
“Sure thing, Triffany!” They were still holding Sprout, so they set his ball down and got ready.
After taking a step back to better see the whole maze, Buddy lifted their right paw to get ready to aim their laser pointer. It only took about a minute for them to lead Sprout to the top of the series of simple tracks and elevators. With a click and a heavy tremor, the wall began to descend into the floor.
“So much for preserving the priceless antiques…” The Journalist muttered.
“Goodness! I had a hunch, but to think that that mechanism still worked after all this time! Not to mention the water damage. If that’s just the door, who knows what kinda historical goodies we’ll find inside there!” Triffany beamed as she clapped her paws in excitement.
“Yes, though one must admit to a growing feeling of trepidation with each new puzzle that is encountered…” Shelda calmly said.
The five grumpuses began to walk through the new opening and shielded their eyes as the light from the shining sun above shrouded the land in white. After a moment, it faded away to reveal a sprawling vista of architecture and nature woven together seamlessly. Giant trees and massive rivers framed a decrepit temple just barely visible through the light mist that hung in the air.
“Whoaaa! It’s a jungle out there!” Chandlo yelled.
“Oh goodness, to think that this valley was underwater not that long ago! I can even see evidence of civilization from who knows when! Check out that impressive lookin’ temple up there!”
“One is more concerned with the ominous crater that lies beneath…” Shelda added.
“And if my eyes do not deceive me,” Floofty began as they adjusted their goggles. “I believe I have spotted new varieties of Bugsnax as well.”
“Whoa! That’s sick! …Think they could be dangerous?” The strong grump asked as he rolled his shoulders.
“There’s an easy way to find out. I cannot wait to collect more data on these specimens!”
“Well!” Triffany called out to get everyone’s attention. “Before we get too ahead of ourselves, we might wanna set up a base camp!”
Buddy hummed in agreement. “That would give us time to plan out what we’re going to do. I’m looking forward to getting off my paws already.”
“A wonderful idea! One could also use time to- ouch,” Shelda rubbed her knees gently. “Re-center.”
Floofty, not one to miss an opportunity to heckle, scoffed at her remark as they stepped closer to the others. “Five minutes in and you already need a nap? Leave the labor to the productive members of society, Shelda.”
“Ugh, please don’t start this again…” Triffany sighed.
Buddy was about to ask why they singled out the older grumpus when Chandlo called out from the edge of their future base camp. Everyone turned to see him waving his paws in the air and pointing at something they weren’t able to see quite yet.
“Bros! Come check this out!” He waited until he was sure they could see before continuing. “You all seeing what I’m seeing? It’s Bunger time!”
Floofty closed their eyes as they began, “Excellent! Why don’t you go and fetch it for us?” When they heard no response, they looked again to see empty space where Chandlo once was.
“Way ahead of you, dawg!” His voice grew faint as the four of them watched as he ran down the cliffside and through the river toward the Bunger.
Triffany turned to face Buddy with a look they were all too familiar with, and they sighed. “Yeah, I’ll go help him out.”
“Oh, thank you, dear! Well, then we’ll start settin’ up camp while you two are gone.”
After taking a deep breath, Buddy also jumped off the cliff. It only took them a moment to catch up with Chandlo because they opted to jump right into the river beside him instead of running. They both shared a look and nodded before turning to face the Bunger, which had now seen them.
“Bro, is it just me or is that Bunger way bigger than nor-” His words were cut short by the thundering charge of the Bunger, and he was sent flying toward the cliff face. “BROOOOooo o oo o…..”
Buddy winced as they heard a shattering sound and rushed over to see if Chandlo was alright. As they ran up, they noticed a statue of some old grumpus lady holding a vase. They noted it but quickly turned to check on their green friend. He was still breathing, so they breathed a sigh of relief.
“How am I going to catch that thing? It’s massive! Hmm…” They pulled out their SnaxScope and looked around at their surroundings to try to find anything useful. “The island always gives us a way to catch them. What is it?”
They ran through a list of possible options, but all of them depended on the Bunger being, well, bunger-sized! As they furrowed their brow and thought hard, their eyes caught on the vase that the statue was holding. There was a faint purple glow emanating from it. With their mind running through possible uses for it, they decided on one…
The last thing the Bunger saw was an orange grumpus throw a vase at its head, and then the world grew larger. Except, in reality, the Bunger shrank to normal size! Buddy deployed their Tripshot to stun the Bugsnax long enough to capture, and was delighted to see Chandlo running up to them. Wonderfully unshattered.
“Are you ok? That thing sent you flying!”
“Yeah, my muscles and bones are aching, but nothing can keep Chandlo down for long. Anyway, you got Bunger, I got hunger! Now Bunger me, bro!”
Buddy laughed, “Alright, Chandlo, I’ll Bunger you. Open wide!”
With a munch, he had consumed the Bunger Royale, as Buddy had named it. They noted the normal snakification, but they were honestly hoping to see him get bigger.
Chandlo licked his lips and opened his eyes wide. “SO GOOD! That’s a whole meal in one bite! We gotta tell the others about this! Plus, I should probably help unpack now that I’m feeling better…”
Once the duo reunited with the rest of the expedition, they quickly regaled them with the details of their Bunger encounter. Floofty was elated to find a correlation to their theory on the relationship between size and age in Bugsnax. However, Shelda was mortified to discover the shrine that held the key to capturing them was actually a shrine to Mother Naturae. The reason Shelda came to this island, Broken Tooth, as she later named it, was to uncover the truths of her religion. While Triffany was just excited to explore some ruins as usual.
Buddy decided to go with Shelda first, to help her get answers and to hopefully get advice of their own.
As the morning mist cleared and the sun rose above the horizon, Buddy made their way over to Shelda’s lean-to with a quizzical look.
“You brought the box?” They asked with their arms crossed casually.
“Ah, the new Huntress has arrived. Yes, One brought the Box of Purity on our expedition just in case you happen to want to *ahem* purify any toxins you may find.”
“Rrrrrright…” They shook their head with a chuckle. “Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted help with your little investigative mission here.”
“One welcomes any assistance you may give. One must see what lies in those supposed ruins to Mother Naturae. Not shrines destroyed and forgotten, but one untouched by the ravages of time. One has seen it! Up by the river! And mercifully, there are no obstacles blocking the path.”
“...Well, let’s go, I suppose!” They offered a paw to help her stand and walked with her down the path to the river shrine.
As they were about to disappear from the view of the campsite, they looked back at the others and saw Floofty watching them go with an unreadable expression on their face. Buddy turned away morosely. Once they were far enough away from the others, Buddy decided to speak first.
“Hey, Shelda?”
“Yes, my child?”
“Can I ask for some guidance?”
Shelda looked shocked for a moment before gaining a warm smile. She looked around to make sure the others couldn’t hear her speak casually before saying, “I’m so happy you have finally come to me for guidance! I am happy to share my wisdom and the wisdom of Mother Naturae with you. What is it you seek guidance for?”
“...I need help confessing to a crush. I think I’m being too subtle, but if I get any more bold, I’m gonna pass away!”
Buddy blushed a bit as the thoughts of Floofty started rising to the surface like silt being disturbed under a vast lake by a passing creature. They bubbled to the surface and threatened to force their way into the open air.
She sighed, “This is about Floofty, isn’t it?”
That blush continued to rage into a blaze as they bashfully nodded. “Is it that obvious?”
Shelda could only give a blank stare as she heard this. “My child, if it were any more obvious, you may as well get their face on a t-shirt.” Buddy’s tail began to swish at the thought of having their face on them at all times. “That was a joke, Buddy.”
“I-I know! I just… I really like them, Shelda. I really think it could work, but they’re just SO DENSE! I don’t know how Chandlo deals with Snorpy, to be honest.”
They stopped walking a ways down the river, and Shelda placed a paw on their shoulder. “While I may not understand your infatuation with them, I cannot deny the fact that you two are very similar. If there were any burgeoning couple to last after the island, it would probably be yours.”
Buddy’s fluffy tail swished quicker now, beaming at the praise. They seemed more like a child who was told they could have anything in the store with the way they smiled up at the older grumpus.
“You really think so? OH! Now I really need to figure this out!”
“In the light of the Mother, all will reveal itself, my child. Your chance will come sooner than you think, so you must be ready to act on it when it appears. It may even be on this very island…” Quickly, she pointed back to Snaktooth. “Or that one, who knows?”
As Buddy and Shelda made their way down the river path, Floofty couldn’t help but watch with barely concealed jealousy. Though they didn’t realize they were feeling it, their lab equipment certainly did, as evidenced by them dropping their scalpel for the third time because they gripped it too hard and cut their paw.
“NGYAH!! Blast it all!” They yelped as they gripped their paw.
“Oh dear! Did you cut yourself again, Floofty?” Triffany called out as she grabbed the first-aid kit from her desk. After the second time, she opted to leave it on her desk, knowing that Floofty was prone to accidents when they were distracted.
“Tch. It’s nothing, Professor Lottablog. Your doting is misplaced-”
“Yeah, ya may have been right the first time, but if this keeps happening, we’re gonna have to have you operate under adult supervision, ya hear?” She scolded playfully as she treated the wound. “Ya seem to have a lot on your mind. Anything you wanna talk about, hun?”
They looked away as she tended to their tender paw pads and tried desperately not to react as they were brushed. The contorted face they were making gave their efforts away, however. “Please be careful when handling my paws, Triffany… I am slightly-eeEE!”
Floofty’s free paw slammed over their mouth, but it was too late. They both froze as a most undignified sound came from the biologist. They instantly felt all the fur along their neck and face puff up in embarrassment, along with a burning blush.
“Oh my! That was the most adorable-”
“Never. Speak of this. Again.”
Triffany could only chuckle as she agreed not to bring it up. Though she may have accidentally brushed their paw pads a few more times. Who knew the stoic and reclusive scientist was ticklish on their paw pads? She smiled deviously to herself as she knew exactly whom she would tell this information.
“Anyway! I am unsure as to why I am not operating at a normal level of functionality. I surmise it may have something to do with that blasted Journalist. They are always so distracting when they are around! Asking all these questions and staying in my area all the time. How could anyone work like that?” They asked, as they looked up at the older woman.
She smiled the kind of motherly smile that tells you she knows the answer but doesn’t want to tell you. It irritated Floofty to no end, but they couldn’t understand what the secret was.
“Oh, Floofty. I remember when I was that young and naive… Well, maybe not this naive, but anywho! Sounds to me like you’re a little jealous that they haven’t come to you first on the expedition.”
“Hmph, nonsense! What reason would I have to be jealous that that insipid journalist isn’t invading my personal space while we uncover the mysteries of this island?” They returned with a smirk.
Triffany could only smile as she shook her head, “Looks like you’ve still got a lot to learn, Professor.”
With that, she left them to return to her work. They shook their head in return, believing her words to be nonsense. Even though they did give them pause.
Why were they so distracted by Buddy?
They spent the rest of the day lost in thought until night fell and Shelda returned, followed shortly after by Buddy. Floofty tried their best not to stare, but how could they not? The journalist had returned in such a disheveled state that they couldn’t help but look. They had messed up fur and some burn marks along their body. It also appeared that their tie had burned up at some point, so their chest was bare, revealing their fluffy neck in its glory.
Floofty gulped as they felt their face getting warmer at the thought of seeing Buddy in such a state of undress. A silly thought, given the fact that most of the grumps on the island were not wearing much in the way of clothing. But the sight still captivated them, regardless. They stood up and decided they needed to take a walk to clear their head.
Their meager lamplight had tipped over now and had begun growing brighter in the forest of their heart…
Buddy watched as Floofty stood up and left the campsite, and their mood almost instantly fell.
Triffany noticed and made her way over to them. “What’s the matter, hun?”
With a sigh, they said, “I just hate seeing them upset. Did something happen?”
“Oh! No, no, no, no, no. No, nothing really happened. They just have a lot on their mind, ya know?”
“That’s good.” That seemed to lift their spirits a bit, and they gave a small smile.
There was a small pause as Buddy fidgeted with their paws for a moment before asking, “Hey, Triffany? Could I ask you for some advice?”
“Well, sure, hun! What’s the matter?”
“Well, you’ve worked alongside Floofty for a while, right? Do you happen to know of things that could cheer them up?”
Triffany clapped her paws together in delight as she realized she was getting to play a sort of matchmaker. “Oh, I was wondering when you were finally gonna ask! I have so much to say about them, so I hope you take good notes~.”
Their eyes lit up as the older grumpus started whispering things to them, and they happily jotted it all down with incredible detail. Every newly discovered secret made their face burn with a deeper and deeper blush. They were getting to know their crush so intimately, and they hadn’t even confessed yet! When Floofty eventually came back to the camp, the two were still talking. When they both caught eyes with the biologist, the two giggled and waved, which flustered Floofty more. Their tail flicked around in response, and they harumphed around to their sleeping bag.
This just sent the two of them into another round of laughs before they decided to go to sleep as well.
The next morning, Buddy set off to explore more of the island with Triffany this time. Floofty watched openly as the two left the campsite, and they sighed.
Why were they feeling like this? What were they feeling? They despised being in the dark on anything but could not think of whom to turn to for answers. Triffany was off galavanting with the focus of their confusing emotions, Eggabell was most likely dead. They shook their head in frustration and turned back to their table.
Only to find Chandlo standing next to them.
Floofty yelped in shock, “NGYAH!!”
“Whoa, sorry dawg! Didn’t mean to scare you; I thought you heard me talking to you.” Chandlo quickly said.
They had to smooth down their fraying fur and slow their heart before they could even think about speaking. If they didn’t, they feared they’d get violent out of embarrassment.
They grumbled, sighed, and turned to face their brother’s lover. “What do you want, Chandlo? I am very busy with my research!”
He gave them a deadpan stare. “Bro… We both know that that isn’t true. You’ve been distracted by Buddy every time they enter your field of view!”
Their previously smoothed-down fur was frayed out once more, flared out. However, it was accompanied by a fierce blush running along their features as their staring tendencies were brought out to air. Their long tail whipped about erratically as they put on a pout.
“That is simply untrue. It just so happens that I was… distracted by something in that direction, and they happened to be walking by. It is as simple as that! Hmph.” They said with a huff.
Chandlo, thoroughly unconvinced, placed his paws on his hips and blankly stared up at the scientist. “Bro, just talk to them. Who are you trying to convince here?”
“Well- I… You-...”
They were at a loss for words…
Floofty Fizzlebean was at a loss for words…
This was not a common occurrence, and it shook them to the core. How were they getting this shaken up by it all? All because of some journalist! Sure, they had a palatable demeanor, and they were always eager to assist in any of Floofty’s experiments, but that was it! Why would they be focused on their pleasing voice or the way they laughed? Certainly, they could not be distracted by their inviting smile, nor by the way they call their name.
With each new example, a splash of fuel was thrown on their fire, and it grew brighter; bright enough to cast a single beam of light out of the canopy. A light that had never been shared with their sky, and that frightened them…
No…
No, there just happened to be things that were pulling their attention at the same time. That had to be it.
There was no other explanation they could think of… None that didn’t utterly terrify them anyway.
Floofty chuckled and turned to smirk at Chandlo. “Your attempts to supplant my mirth with dither have been dutifully quashed. Now, what was your initial purpose in coming over here?”
He never appreciated being the subject of condescension, but he kept his cool like he always did. Albeit slightly miffed. “I came over here to see if you needed any help with anything. Shelda and I are already done with our major goals here, so I figured I could lend a paw. Plus, I wanted to talk to you about Snorpy.”
Floofty eagerly brushed off their building anxiety and gasped in delight, “A chance to speak ill of my brother? You should have led with that, Chandlo! *ahem* Complaint number one of two hundred and ninety-four…”
***
Buddy wished Triffany good luck with her monumental task of clearing a massive amount of rubble from the atrium she was in. They shook their head at her stubbornness and wondered how she ever thought Wambus was the more obstinate one.
As they made their way around the giant Bugsnax and natural hazards, they found themself thinking about what they had learned from the others on the mini expedition. There was a lot to parse through, even if it boiled down to just do it already! They sighed and looked up at the sky. The passing clouds were fluffy and bright as they strolled along in the upper atmosphere. A vast and bright blue expanse stretched out beyond them in the late afternoon. If they hurried, they could start helping Floofty and hopefully think of some kind of plan.
Right as they crested the path to the campsite, they watched as Chandlo launched a bunch of the mysterious Shrink Spice right at Floofty’s face. Concern quickly turned into horror as they started shouting about the pain. Buddy rushed over instantly.
“GWAAAAHHH!!! The goggles! They do NOTHING! gaAAAH…” Floofty cried out.
“What the Grump, Chandlo?! Why would you throw that stuff at them?” They turned their focus to the suffering grumpus and reached their paws to their shoulders. “Are you ok, Floofty? What happened?”
They finished coughing and held their eyes shut. “Your concern is noted but unnecessary. I asked Chandlo to throw it at me.” Tears began streaming from their eyes from the burn.
“Wh-Why would you ask for that?” The journalist stood there stunned.
“Well-*cough* How else was I to learn of its composition?” They said with a smirk. Although the effect of the smirk was lessened by their sniffling.
Buddy couldn’t believe what they were hearing. They began laughing. Slowly at first, but it quickly built to a deep, throaty laugh. There was nothing this grumpus wouldn’t do to learn something new. It was that very fact that drew them in at first. This settled it.
They were in love with this wonderful, wonderful grumpus.
“Here, let me wash your face off with some water.” They said as they reached to remove their goggles.
They had to bring their paws in close to Floofty’s face to get under the straps of the goggles. So they placed their fingers on their cheeks and started moving them toward their hair. They knew how much they cared for their locs, so they made sure to pay special attention to keeping them untouched. As their fingers slid along the soft plum fur of their crush, it elicited a shiver and a sound so quickly suppressed that they couldn’t quite determine what it was.
Floofty had their eyes closed still, but their face was practically glowing bright red from the tender caress they had just received from the journalist. Their traitorous tail began to furiously wag, bumping into their workbench repeatedly. The trails that were left in the path of their paws were almost instantly drowned in a sea of raised fur. They relaxed, believing that they were done, but couldn’t stifle their gasp when a paw went into their hair once more to hold their head still.
“Now don’t move, alright?” Buddy softly asked.
“...Mhmm…”
Floofty was properly discombobulated at this point. Nothing could explain what was happening to them now. There was no way they could write it off as some external distraction or convenient event. They were getting flustered by being in proximity to this grumpus.
…And they trusted that they would take care of things.
As the water sprayed onto their face, Floofty began to think. Really think about the events leading up to this point.
Have they always felt like this around them? Surely not. Yet, more and more recently, they do recall sharing longer glances with them when they went off on a hunt. They would sit in their corner of the research tent and cast occasional glances at the area they left from. Were they hoping to catch those wonderfully lively eyes in a stare when they returned? To know that they were returning unharmed?
…Did they know this? Did they… feel the same?
How-
“All done. Can you try to open your eyes for me?”
That voice of theirs…
It was a simple question. An obvious follow-up task for the events that had transpired. And yet, that flame inside their chest had been feasting on their touches and gorging on their voice. It had grown so hot that there was no hiding it underneath the forest canopy, lest it burn to the ground. They steeled themself and parted the cover of that forest to reveal the vast sea of flames underneath.
They opened their eyes slowly.
“There we go. I would’ve missed being able to see these, you know.” Buddy said with a tender smile.
Those flames threatened to swell even higher with the new air supply, so they closed the forest out of fear. Perhaps they should have been brave and dived right into that inferno, but change was one of the few things that truly shook them. They decided to leave just enough light to shine through the cover to remind them of its existence.
Yet, they turned away from it all the same.
“...Th-thank you…” They whispered.
“Did you need any more help with an experiment? I’m done helping the others, so I’m all yours now!”
All mine, huh? What a thought…
They shook themself free of their reverie and slowly removed Buddy’s paw from their head, as much as they didn’t want to. “I do need some samples of the Shrink Spice. Would you be able to retrieve some of the local Bugsnax on the island and feed them to me? I am curious to see what I may glean from the digestion of them.”
“Sure thing. I have a bunch with me already, so take your pic.” They said proudly as they slung their pack off.
The next few hours were fairly busy for all the grumpuses present. Chandlo asked for help talking to Shelda about Snorpy. Perhaps more surprisingly, Shelda asked for help talking to Floofty to deduce the essence of Bugsnax. They would not hear any of it, claiming to be too busy to hear either of them out. So Buddy and Shelda left them alone for a bit until they heard their constant cries of frustration.
They returned to the research tent to find a Millimochi and a Cheddorb gone, but not much in the way of results.
…Floofty was not happy about that. They had been thrashing against an impossible task for half a day, not to mention their growing anxiety over their internal discovery. The tension was enough to make them snap at the next person who approached.
“Gah! Blast it all! I was able to isolate the plant slurry from the Bugsnax, but I have no way to analyze the sample! It’s like living in the Stone Age out here!” They huffed and crossed their arms before saying, “Perhaps if I had a particle separator, an electron microscope, and a degree in botany… Plants are not my area of expertise.”
Buddy placed their paws on their hips. “Maybe NOW you wanna put aside your pride and work with the herbalist we have on our team?”
Floofty could not believe they would need to ask for help. Especially for something they considered so primitive to recreate. They turned and faced the burnt orange grumpus with a scowl. They loathed being wrong, but they despised having their mistakes pointed out even more. Even coming from someone who made their heart tremble.
That trembling was all it took to tip them over the edge at this moment. After all, when you block out the light, how long until you forget about it? You can pretend it isn’t there if you cannot see it. Perhaps they were being cowardly, or maybe even cruel, but they did not want that light to blind them. Fear can drive you to do many things you regret. And there was nothing Floofty was feeling more in this moment than fear for the changes altering their world.
Their face twisted into a grimace as their mood turned more dour. How many times had this infuriatingly pesky grumpus come between them and their experiments? Always butting in and distracting them.
“I do NOT need this right now! I just… I just need time to think. I do NOT need your incessant nagging or your distractions right now!” They started pacing angrily.
Buddy was getting frustrated at their stubbornness and reluctance to admit defeat. They thought that the whole cutting-off-my-head thing would’ve been the end of it, but apparently not. This attitude of theirs was new, though. They had never yelled at them before.
Not like this.
“Hey! I know you’re getting frustrated, but don’t take this out on us. We’re just trying to help!”
“I don’t need your help! All any of you have done here is waste my precious time. Time I could have used to-”
“To what? You have barely lifted a paw since we arrived! I brought you your samples. I fed you! You couldn’t even go around the corner to get your own powder?!” They shouted.
Floofty was taken aback by that tirade for the truth of its contents. What had they done since arriving on this island? Had they really been so complacent as to wait around until they came to help them?
…Were they holding Floofty back?
“I-I’m sorry, look, maybe we should just-” They were about to finish apologizing when Floofty looked them in the eyes with an ice-cold expression.
“Why won’t you just leave me alone already?”
“...W-what?”
Everything about their tone tore into the journalist with a serrated edge. A venom-tipped strike that began to infect their body and make its way to their heart. The fear in the journalist’s eyes meant nothing to the detached gaze they were given.
A sudden downpour had rolled in to put out their fire.
Blinking back tears, they tried to utter a response. “I… I d-don’t understand…”
“I knew you were stupid, but I never thought you were this simple-minded. Let me spell this out in baby language for you.” They took a few steps closer and leaned in close. “I. DO. NOT. WANT. YOU. You have plagued my mind enough as it is. I’m surprised you don’t haunt my dreams as well, you emotional parasite! Now do me a favor, and fu-”
A loud slap rang through the camp, followed by silence.
Buddy scowled fiercely at the other grumpus as their orange paw still stung from impacting their face. Within choked sobs, they forced out, “You know what? I guess T-Triffany was r-right. Not all g-grumps are meant to g-get al-long.” They sniffled and turned to go, but finished with, “You know, you were right. I am stupid… stupid for loving you.”
With that, they turned away from the grumpus they thought was going to be the one for them. No looking back and no hesitation. They didn’t want to look weak. Not right now. They just kept going farther into the darkness.
Each step they took out of the campsite sent a crack through their heart.
Every echoed word threatened to shatter the cracked pieces.
Each moment of anger and disgust on Floofty’s face felt as though it would burn the remains to ash.
How could I let myself be fooled into thinking someone like that could actually want an idiot like me? Of course, Floofty never liked me. Maybe I should just leave. The others would be fine if I weren’t here.
As they stepped out of view of the others, they let themself finally crumble into a broken wail, and ran into the depths of the island.
Their light, swallowed by the darkness…
Floofty still felt the sting of their slap on their face.
Buddy was left dominant, so the slap turned their face away from their exit. They didn’t even get to see them leave. Something about the force of the hit shocked them in more than just a physical sense. It’s like they were forced awake. Brought out of some fugue that they were vaguely aware of and about to be swallowed by the memories of what they had done.
Still frozen in place, Floofty began to cry.
They hadn’t even felt the tears at first, but soon the unmistakable burn in their throat and eyes led them to the truth. The words they had spat in fear were barbed and prickled. They tore Floofty apart on the inside as they left their mouth, but the pain of their existence only made itself known now that they were aware of themself. That venom that infected Buddy had begun to burn them as well.
What have I done…
Their tears began to flow quicker now, unbidden and unending. They flung their goggles off their face and fell to their knees. Those purple paws gripped their shoulders as they wailed, curled into themself.
They had a chance. They had a real chance to share the light and warmth of that fire with someone, and they snuffed it out the first chance they had. Like they always did. And now they were alone again.
Just like always…
No…
“No. I… I need to make this right.” They repeated to themself quietly.
They slowly shambled up and grabbed their goggles from the ground. Those goggles that were so tenderly cared for by Buddy. Floofty thumbed over the rim for a moment, but it was a bittersweet memory now. They needed to find them.
It was already well into the night, so they had no idea where to begin looking. They uselessly wiped the tears from their eyes and marched out into the darkness. The others let them go, knowing that their involvement would only complicate things for the two grumpuses.
“Come on, Fizzlebean. There must be something you remember!” They chided themself.
They were trying to parse through their memories of the many conversations with Buddy to see if they might offer any clues as to their location. Ruefully, they had not been paying as close attention as they should have.
How could they have been so dense? It must have been painfully obvious to everyone else but them.
Now I understand how Snorpington feels…
For some inexplicable reason, that realization brought back a memory. A conversation they had had a month or so ago. Finally, they had a clue of where to look.
“Please be right, please be right…” They whispered to themself.
After about an hour of making their way past the many Bigsnax and other hazards that the island contained, they made it to the foot of the temple across the crater. They panted as they fought to catch their breath. No wonder they never do their own hunting. They’d likely fall prey to whatever they were chasing long before the reverse happened.
Once they regained some of their composure, they cast their gaze up to the top of the temple. There they saw their goal. Buddy was sitting on the very zenith of the temple, most likely despondent.
Floofty readied themself and began to attempt to climb their way up.
It was not an easy feat. In fact, it may well have been one of the most physically demanding tasks the scientist had ever done. But they were determined to right their wrong. Buddy did not deserve any of that vitriol spat at them. Now that Floofty was thinking rationally, they realized that the journalist truly deserved more than they could offer, but they had to try. They needed to give them their fire back.
Now that Floofty had seen the light they emitted, they couldn’t imagine living without it in their life. How could anyone?
When they had reached the highest point they could, about 10 feet below the apex, they called out to them over the wind.
“BUDDY!!!”
The ochre grumpus flinched at the sudden noise and slowly turned their face to look. Floofty’s claws dug into the stone wall with anger at the state they were in. Anger at the fact that they had driven them to this state. The fur along their cheeks was slicked down from tears, and they could see the fatigue in their gaze. The winds had begun to grow in strength.
“What do you want, Floofty? You told me to leave you alone, didn’t you?” They said neutrally.
The biologist flinched back at the statement. It had only been an hour or so, but it felt just as salient as their slap had been. How were they going to do this? What could they begin to say?
“I’m! …I’m so, so sorry, Buddy. I… I never should have lashed out at you!”
“No, you shouldn’t have.” They agreed plainly.
“And I never should have let my fear and anxiety control me. They drove me to say things that you never deserved to hear.” Tears began to line their eyes, chilled by the blowing air.
“...” Buddy just watched them silently.
“The truth is… I…” They clenched their paw against their chest. “I was afraid! I was afraid that your light would be too much for me. I was afraid that your warmth would burn me.”
“Floofty…”
“And I was afraid… that I would get lost in those flames. So I decided to be a coward and doused that flame.” Their chin quivered as they slid their goggles to their forehead to make room for their free-flowing tears. “I don’t know if I can bring back that fire… And I don’t know if I deserve to see your light again… But you deserve to be in the light again! And you deserve to bathe in that heat.”
Floofty clenched their eyes shut as more tears fell. The winds had begun to whip around them now, forcing them to shout to be heard. They tried to maintain their hold, as one wrong move could send them falling all the way down.
“You were more than a mere flame to me; I see that now! You were the sun! Your light was vast and expansive, and your warmth was life-giving!”
“...F-Floofty…” Those tear-streaked cheeks began to glisten once again.
“I’m sorry that it took me so long to realize that! I shouldn’t have been so obstinate and blinded by my pride! I-” They had to quickly grab hold of the wall as the wind had grown violently powerful at this point. “I… I LOVE YOU! I should have seen it sooner! But I lo-”
“FLOOFTY!!!”
Before they even realized what had happened, a gust of wind wrenched their weak grip from the wall, and they began to fall.
Maybe this is what I deserve for treating them so wrong. At least I get to see them one last ti-
Buddy wasn’t sure where that gust of wind had come from, but they didn’t care in this moment. They grabbed their tools and got ready to jump down after them. The fall was one that they could survive easily, but Floofty was not as hardy as they were.
Especially when they saw them fall right onto their back with a muted thud.
“NOOO!!!!”
They lept down without a second thought and landed right next to their unconscious form. The area was a softer dirt than the rest of the area, but a fall from that height is still too much to handle like that. Their eyes began to cloud with tears as they beheld the scene. The goggles had been tossed off their head in the fall, shattered on the ground. They reached out a trembling paw to check if they were still breathing…
Their eyes widened in panic. “NO NO NO NO!!! What do I do? WHAT DO I DO?!”
It couldn’t end like this. They hadn’t even been able to say it back…
They lifted their limp form as gently as they could and placed their head in their lap. The cries turned into howls of sadness as they screamed into the night. Images of a life they could have led had they just confessed sooner began to flash in their mind. They only served to act as lashes on their already shattered heart.
“No… Floofty… There’s so much I didn’t get to say to you.” They began to stroke their cheek softly. “You were my light. You were my stars. You were the love that I found on a forgotten island… I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”
They began to gently hum a melody to help soothe themself as they continued to hold them. The tears, a constant at this point, occasionally fell onto the plum fur below. It made it appear that they were crying with them.
…
The sun was just beginning to cast the world into the first glimpses of dawn when Buddy suddenly quieted. They could’ve sworn they had heard…
“Urgh… my head…”
“Floofty!” They cried, not able to stop the trembling in their body.
“What… happened?”
“Oh, that doesn’t matter right now! I’m just so happy that you’re okay!” They placed both paws on their cheeks and tilted their head back slightly. Floofty only had a moment to look confused before Buddy leaned down and planted a soft kiss on their forehead.
“I love you, too, Floofty.”
They hadn’t been immediately able to have any discussion of what had happened between them because as soon as they had arrived back at camp, Buddy made sure to put all their focus on keeping Floofty safe while they recovered. They had a mild concussion, so Buddy volunteered to stay up with them so that they weren’t alone. The others were concerned, of course, but they received no answers from the journalist while they were watching over Floofty.
A few days later, when they were well enough to walk around, Buddy asked them to follow along on a walk. It was just before sunset as they went along the river to get up to one of the hidden mountain paths. They had actually discovered this while doing errands for Shelda early on in the expedition.
“Where are you leading me?” They asked with a giggle.
Buddy had requested that they keep their eyes closed until they arrived. This resulted in them being led by the paw the whole way, much to their blushing dismay. They were not fighting it, though. They trusted Buddy enough for that.
“Just a little further, I promise!” They squeezed their paw to reassure them, but it made them squeak a bit as a result.
“C-Careful!” They pouted.
“Haha, sorry, Floofty~”
“Oh, don’t give me your crocodile apology! You know what you’re doing!”
Buddy knew they couldn’t see, but they stuck their tongue out playfully and giggled. As they crested the last turn, they helped them sit down and let them open their eyes.
“Oh…My….”
The sky was a blazing mix of color. Oranges and pinks mixed with blues and purple in a divine palette among the sparsely clouded expanse. The many stars were beginning to peek through the veil of light being cast by the setting sun. The entire side of the island was cast in a warm golden glow as they sat on a ledge atop a coral outcropping. The entire open ocean stretched out to the horizon before them.
Buddy stroked their thumb on the back of their purple paw and began to speak.
“So, I know we… didn’t really get a chance to properly say things before, so I would like to go first.” They gripped their paw tighter as they continued. “Floofty. You have been the light of this whole trip. Not just to this island, but to Snaktooth as well. I’m so glad I got to meet you and learn how incredible you are.”
They leaned in closer now, enough to let their elbows touch. A meager glance of their flesh, but it sent shivers through them all the same. This was the first time they had truly been so close in such a way, and it was exhilarating.
Floofty chuckled lightly as they shook their head. “I’m not sure what more I could say to describe the effect your life has had on mine. You bring so much levity into my uptight and ordered world that it drives me mad, but it’s that same energy and passion that let you pierce my protective shell and engulf my very essence in your transcendental radiance. I would be a fool not to love you.”
Even closer now. Their breath cast heat onto their faces as they let their noses touch. Floofty was in an entirely new world now. They had no choice but to let their new love lead the way. So they looked into those shimmering emerald irises with half-lidded eyes. Not knowing what to expect but anticipating something resplendent.
“Can I kiss you?” The orange grumpus asked hotly.
“Please...” They whispered back.
In an instant, their lips met and their arms wrapped around one another in an embrace. Tears sprang forth in Floofty’s eyes as their heart soared. Up there, bathed in the light of the golden hour, they allowed that fire to reignite within them. It burned bright, but there was no fear anymore. Neither of them was afraid of the heat nor the light.
For now, they had each other.