Chapter 415: Mushroom girl

Demi Adair sat at her table near the ‘House of Mason’ balcony, and did her best not to look like she was staring. The bright green eyes of the 'Western Warlord' looked out over the promenade like a conqueror surveying his domain. He'd been talking to some handsome blonde for at least an hour as he shoved down enough meat to feed a tiger.

She'd seen his fights, of course, especially when he beat this eastern 'emperor'. The emperor's attacks had been basically blurs on the screen, hitting with so much force Demi had winced at half the blows. She wasn't sure if that or the fact that 'Baron' Mason had withstood them had been more terrifying.

It had only made her decision harder.

So she stared and pretended not to. She turned her eyes away and kept eating, still trying desperately to put on as much weight in the week of free food as she could.

Only two days left in the Neutral Zone, then back to her hidden cabin and her 'swamp', as she liked to call it. There was quite a bit of food for someone with her powers and survival skills, but winter was coming, and she had no idea what things would be like.

Her gut told her it would be bad. If the water all froze and most of the plant-life stopped producing, what exactly was she going to eat?

Back before the world blew up, she'd eaten vegetarian as much as not. That wasn't possible anymore, but she wasn't sure there'd be enough game near her safe little cave. She would have to move. But the problem remained: where?

She knew now her home was relatively south in this new continent, but it was also still definitely to the north of the equator.

Not that the world seemed to really worry much about physics. She'd seen terrain change so fast it was like some creator drew a literal line in the sand. And in a world like that, what the hell else might she be taking for granted that would bite her in the ass?

After a few more struggling nibbles at her food, she again looked up at the hulking warrior above and winced in her seat. He was like fucking Conan the Barbarian from Texas.

‘Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentation of their women, y’all!’

She supposed it was probably good he was American, and from a state just five or six hours from her native Oklahoma. They were bound to have at least have a few things in common. Probably.

Except it was yet another white man in charge of her fate.

But he seemed better than the alternative. These weird eastern people scared the crap out of her and lived in a giant city on purpose, which she hated. ‘Baron’ Mason at least offered his opponents mercy, she'd seen it with her own eyes.

He had a diverse group of loyal people who all seemed free to do or say what they wanted. He wasn't wearing crazy religious robes and decreeing himself the master of the world. At least not yet.

And he's young and handsome, practically shouted the sex-crazed piece of Demi's brain that just wouldn't shut the fuck up.

Nights were…long in her little cabin. And the days were pretty long, too. She was alone in a way she'd never been in her entire life, not even back camping or fishing near the reserve. She'd always had a phone. Or books. Or the ability to drive or canoe a few miles to a friend or at least some trace of civilization to talk to another human being.

But she'd lost the few people she trusted in this new world, then hidden herself away hoping to ride out whatever madness this was. She was stubborn, she knew that.

She'd resisted the obvious signs that this thing wasn't just going to 'end'. That she couldn't hide forever and that this alien thing was coming for her one way or another.

And then the Neutral Zone happened, and she'd been slapped in the face hard with just how screwed she was if she didn't make a change.

Sooner or later, if she didn't keep up to the rest of the world, she'd be found and destroyed like her ancestors. The thought made her feel so angry and helpless she had no idea what to do, who to blame, who to talk to.

The answer was no one, of course, except maybe the god-like alien that wouldn't give a shit. Little flowers were blooming out of her broccoli and she fought down her Primal Growth power. It often sprouted when she was emotional.

And this time the power was right. It was time to do something. To take a chance before it was too late.

Demi took a deep breath and summoned a Floating Bloom. She knew this Baron of Nassau was nature affinity like her. He'd notice her magic. Maybe even be able to understand it.

The thought sent a little thrill down her body and pretty soon re-activated that asshole horn-dog inside her gut.

"You can do this," she whispered. "You have to do this."

She held out her hand and blew, watching the Floating Bloom’s seeds drift up towards the balcony. The baron’s head snapped up like some animal that sensed food, or danger.

Demi felt herself flush with panic and success and oh who even knew what it was. She could tell instantly she'd been right, that whatever natural affinity gave her the control over her bloom was strong as hell in him. The magic was drawing itself towards him like a fucking magnet.

"Shit shit shit."

She turned and stared at her food again. She couldn’t control the message in the bloom. All it did was communicate desire, emotion. She was just hoping it would make the man trust her. And maybe bring him over. But it was so honest she could have died.

He was going to feel the magic and probably get the messages, whatever they exactly were. It was all so embarrassing and terrifying and she could only hope she didn't come across like the desperate, lonely, probably horny idiot she was.

Not to mention she'd knocked at least one of his house members out of the tournament. And, oh shit, he was probably angry about that...

Demi forced herself to sit still. There was no going back now. But she desperately wanted to get up from the table and run.

* * *

Mason stared out over the promenade without really seeing it, just doing his best not to puke.

"Why didn't you stop me," he said. "And why did I eat like half the pie?"

"Brother, the days of my being able to start or stop you from doing anything are past. Like everyone else I'm but a helpless observer of your descent into a feral state. You're like a wild animal that broke into a pantry."

"So many words." Mason groaned and felt himself sweating. "Why so many words."

"Also, I've been thinking, we can probably smoke now." Blake looked like he was trying to produce a cigarette in his fingers. "Our generation practically outlawed it, but I always thought smoking was cool. I don't imagine we'll get lung cancer anymore, would you? Not a dramatic enough death. Maybe I should wait until I find immortality. How did you do that, anyway? We need to talk about this again. You'll be a miserable immortal but I'd be fantastic."

Mason let out a breath and thought back to the dungeon and the cave where he met Gaia. It was a good point. actually, and they really ought to figure out if they could find ways to get something similar to...

Mason's nostrils flared as a scent like the nymph caves hit him. His bloated stomach was temporarily forgotten as the scent seemed to blow straight into him and overwhelm his senses.

There were…words in it somehow, whispering without sound, a quiet but feminine and beautiful voice like the great trees calling to him in the fey.

It sounded sad. Afraid. Lonely. It reached out to him like the white stag that had needed his help, but this time feminine and urgent and…true. He was standing before he really thought about it.

"Oh please don’t actually throw up," Blake said, leaping away. "If you do I’m next. You know that. I have a weak stomach."

"I smell something. I'll be back."

"Are you serious?" Blake gave him a horrified look. "You can't possibly eat more."

Mason groaned as he forced himself across the balcony and swiftly down the steps. The system servant bowed as it always did and he ignored it as he always did, almost frantic as he searched for the source of the voice. He sniffed and followed the scent like a dog, doing his best not to accidentally run over anyone as he followed to a secluded spot just under the balcony.

He found a young woman at a table, half sitting as if ready to run. She had long, dark, and somewhat disheveled hair, wearing green and brown shirt and pants that looked home-made. The scent was obviously coming from her. It was so good and powerful Mason damn near walked up and grabbed her just to take a sniff.

"Hi," he said, realizing with a bit of embarrassment he had no idea what he was doing here or how he'd explain himself.

So. You smelled like you needed me?

"It was me," the girl said, her voice cracking. She cleared her throat and slowly sat properly in her chair. "I called you. It’s a spell."

Things were starting to make at least a little sense now. But Mason was feeling a bit awkward at just how fast and thoughtlessly he’d come running when he heard (smelt?) a woman in need.

He wanted to tell himself it was some kind of mind control, but not only was that off limits in the Neutral Zone, Apex Predator was damningly silent. So this was all him.

"Should I…sit?" He gestured at the seat, and the girl almost jumped to gesture towards it like she was going to pull it back, then flushed a little and just kept still.

"Yes, ah, please."

Mason really wished he hadn't eaten most of a pig. He sat with as much decorum as possible, keeping a polite but neutral smile on his face. It took him several long seconds of sitting in totally wordless, awkward silence to recognize her. He snapped his fingers.

"Mushroom girl."

She stared, then her pretty face crinkled and she lowered her voice, like somewhat might overhear.

"Excuse me?"

Mason began to realize a stomach full of meat and a comfortable hour with his brother had left him about as close to drunk as he now got. He pulled himself up and tried blink his brain back to reality.

"Sorry. You, uh, beat one of my people with exploding mushrooms, or something. They've been talking about you. They call you mushroom girl." He decided even this explanation was quite stupid, and took a breath and held out his hand. "Let's try this again. Hello. My name's Mason."

The girl smiled and took it awkwardly, mostly by the fingers, then pulled back like she'd grabbed a snake.

"I'm Demi. From the west. I mean the western continent. Which you know obviously, since you are too. And I guess..."

Mason decided Demi looked and sounded like someone who hadn't actually talked to anyone in awhile. He waited patiently, silently cheering her on, no stranger to the feeling himself. She took a breath and finally looked him properly in the eyes.

"I guess I'm wondering if I can come live with you. I mean your settlement. When this is over. But it's OK if I can't. I mean I understand. We aren't friends, I realize that. I mean you just learned my name so obviously we aren’t. But I..." she swallowed and forced out another breath. "I'm pretty strong. I think. And I have some knowledge. I…I could be an asset."

Mason smiled, thinking he probably shouldn’t sound too relieved or eager before just giving up. He would especially be happy to have someone else who had nature affinity. Though for a moment he kind of wished she was a middle-aged dude, and not another attractive young woman…

"Demi, we would love to have you."