Toadette's Story: Book 2

Chapter 119 - Bitter Aftertaste

The rhythmic squeak of Terro’s rag against the candy shop window was like a metronome for his grief. Each circular wipe brought back Penelope’s face—the inextinguishable hope in her eyes during their one secret conversation.

Smarter than all of us, he thought to himself. Just not fast enough.

A shadow fell over him. The Black Sugar guard shifted his weight, his leather whip creaking. Terro braced for a lash.

The lights flickered.

The doors then exploded inward. Three blue sharks impaled the guard before he could blink. Gasping, Terro scrambled backwards, knocking snacks onto the floor.

One of the sharks bared his teeth at him. Terro traced a star in the air before putting his hands together.

“Get out of here, kid,” the shark grunted.

“Huh?”

“You gonna make me repeat myself?” he grunted, jerking his head towards the shattered doorway. “Get out!”

Terro didn’t need to be told twice. He bolted. Outside, Captain Syrup’s “paradise” had descended into chaos. The sunset-kissed island city was full of sharks battling various Black Sugar Gang monsters while robots ran around helplessly.

“Hey, kid!”

A hand spun him around. It was one of the mushroom people.

“Almara’s boy, right?” Toad shoved Terro behind him and fired a flare at a pirate.

“You’re…” Terro was cut off by the arrival of somebody else. “Penelope?”

“You’re coming with us, okay?” Penelope proudly put her hands on her hips. She then looked into the broken candy store, her smile faltering. “Are those… Are those wallpapers of my mom?”

Toad glanced inside. “Hmm. Eating a lollipop, looks about ten… Exactly what I’d expect from Syrup.”

Penelope’s eye twitched. “Ew… Is that why she was so obsessed with trying to kiss me?”

“With all due respect, can we take this elsewhere?” Terro asked, eyeing the spears and daggers from both sides.

“You bet.” Toad pulled him into a sprint down a narrow alley. They burst onto another street, with Toad firing a flare into the face of a charging Gaugau without breaking stride. “Penelope said you were close to Syrup. Did you learn anything? Any weakness?”

“Weakness?” Terro shook his head, breathless. “I ran away from her and got beat for it! I didn’t fight like a pirate! I’d be dead!”

“Seems she spent a lot of time with you,” Penelope panted. “You must’ve seen something! Think, please!”

They scrambled up a retracting ramp. The ship was already starting to pull away. At the helm, a massive figure spun the wheel, his expression determined.

“They’ll be alright?” Toad asked him. “Your guys?”

“If they fall, they shall fall with honour,” Jones replied. “Let us set a course for Full Moon Island!”

Terro looked around. The deck was crowded with children huddled in blankets, all being watched over by Minh. Across the deck, Toad joined Toadette, who gave him a relieved pat on the back.

“Sixty or seventy,” she said, panting. “We still got hundreds on that island.”

“Hey, it’s a start,” Toad countered.

Catching his breath, Terro approached them. “Excuse me.”

They both turned. Toadette’s expression hardened for a moment as she flashed back to her first sight of Terro. It quickly softened.

“I don’t know if this is helpful,” Terro began, his voice quiet. “But Syrup hates when she’s not fighting one-on-one.”

“Is that right?” Toadette asked. “She handled Jones and Wario at the same time just fine.”

“But she secretly hated it,” Terro insisted. “I saw her spar with twin guards once. Identical. She couldn’t read them at all. She kept getting hit and got furious. She… She despises chaos she can’t predict.”

Toad’s eyes lit up. “Wario. She fought him, but she didn’t win.”

“Because he’s completely unpredictable,” Toadette finished, the pieces clicking into place. “What the kid’s saying makes sense. As long as we keep her on her toes, she can’t get the upper hand.”

“She did beat those guards eventually,” Terro warned. “It’s not a guarantee.”

“Even a sliver of a chance is worth taking,” Toadette said. She stroked Terro’s mask. “Just ask Penelope.”

Her touch was broken by a chilling presence. Jasmin had wedged herself between them, her movements stiff. She took Terro’s arm in a tight grip and yanked him away without a word.

“Jasmin, we’re in the middle of—”

“I don’t care,” Jasmin said dismissively.

Toadette scoffed. “We risk our lives for her, and she’s still just…”

“She’s hurt,” Toad murmured. “Let her have this one.”

Minh watched them disappear below deck. She raised a brow, looking over to Toad and Toadette, the latter of whom shrugged. She then gave them a quick gesture, telling them to keep an eye on the other kids for her.

She turned and followed Jasmin and Terro. She reached the narrow passageway just as a cabin door shut, catching a final glimpse of Jasmin’s dark hair. Minh hesitated before pressing herself against the door. Then a muffled sound came from within—a choked sob.

“Don’t,” Terro’s voice said. “You don’t have to apologise. This wasn’t…”

“Did you cum?”

Minh’s breath hitched. The bluntness took her by surprise.

“I don’t know,” Terro replied.

“What do you mean you don’t know?” Jasmin’s voice tightened. “Jeez, it just had to happen when I wasn’t taking my pills. If my sister finds out I’m pregnant, there’ll be two people dead, okay?”

Minh raised a brow. Pills? What’s she talking about?

“Jasmin, the whole ship was shaking. So much was happening. I really can’t tell what happened in that moment. I’m sorry.”

The silence was heavy.

“Then I’ll pray,” Jasmin whispered. “If they even work. The one for my cousin did.”

“True. She did come.”

“Minh-Minh…” Jasmin’s voice broke. “I do nothing but cause her problems. Probably wishes she’d left me behind.”

There was another pause. “Did I… Did it hurt when I was in you?”

Minh braced herself for the tears.

“No offence, but you weren’t big enough to hurt me. It only hurts when they’re long. That’s when it’s like death.”

Minh’s blood chilled. The casual, comparative way she said it, as if she had a baseline for comparison, sent a chill through her. What would Jasmin know about that? From what Minh had gathered, Syrup was the only adult to have messed with her, so length shouldn’t have been a talking point. A terrifying question began to form in Minh’s mind—one she wasn’t ready to ask.

She recoiled from the door, stumbling back just as it opened. She forced herself to stop, pretending that she had just arrived.

Jasmin emerged. Her eyes met Minh’s, and her entire body went rigid.

“Jazz, wait.” Minh’s fingers closed around her cousin’s thin arm. “You’re still hurt. Don’t you think you should be resting?”

Jasmin struggled to leave. In her attempt, something fell from her pants. Minh stopped to pick it up. She looked at the cover long enough to see an angel boy blushing as an older lady kissed him on his mouth. Curious, she flipped to a random page. Her jaw dropped.

Jasmin snatched the comic back, nearly tearing the pages out.

“I’m fine.” She looked down at her broken wrist. “I’m sorry. For everything.”

“Don’t be,” Minh said, trying to force a smile. “Hey, you can tell me anything, Jazz. You know that, right? I’m always here.”

Jasmin took a half-step back. “I know. But I’m fine. Really.”

She turned and walked away, wincing as she felt the wounds on her back. As Minh watched her go, the terrifying question popped in her head.

Was Jazz having sex before this trip?

***

“Mmm… You taste delicious, Captain Syrup…”

Lily moaned, lapping at Syrup’s lollipop-thick toes as the pirate laughed. Her new, youthful form made this playtime divine. She stretched her back along the raised pool containing the shimmering Brine of Beginnings.

“That’s right, cutie,” Syrup giggled. “In between the toes… Every soft, supple crevice…”

“Wah! Still acting out that garbage?” Wario crackled with new ethereal energy as he held onto the star. “I see no value in licking a boring foot.”

Syrup's giggle turned into a purr. “If you knew how to treat a little girl properly, you’d know the privilege.”

“Who says I haven’t had the offer?” Wario stood upright, cracking his neck. “Got a maniac named Mona who begged me to do it to her many times. Yet I only tried once. Too bland. Too much jam, not enough garlic.”

“Yo, too much information!” 18-Volt winced.

“Yet that girl offered to extend the gesture to me,” Wario snickered. “Found it just as boring, but at least I could relax while she exercised that tongue.”

“Penny, may I please use your barf bag?” 9-Volt felt a vomit rising as Penny applied a fresh bandage to a cut. “Now!”

“No.”

“That’s screwed up,” he mumbled.

“Or maybe I just dreamt she was doing that. Great, she’s storming my slumber now,” Wario mused, deep in thought. “No idea. That gal just keeps rambling and rambling, regardless of whether I’m paying attention to her or not.”

“Yeah, sounds like typical Mona.” 13-Amp scoffed, continually scratching Stuffwell, who had tape over his mouth. “But if anybody here deserves to get that royal toe-sucking treatment, it’s me.”

“Where’s this ego coming from?” 18-Volt chuckled. “Talking real loud for the second-best rapper in Diamond City.”

“Keep dissing me, and you gonna be at the bottom of the list by tomorrow.” She plopped onto a rock, wiggling her toes. “One: I’ve got the sexiest feet on the map. Thick, strong, plumpy and perfect for your lap. Catch me with a fresh pedi and the right shoe? Boy, you’d be on your knees, begging for a view… Hehehe… Hehehe!”

“It flowed, but it wasn’t that funny,” 18-Volt muttered. “You good?”

“Hold up… I got some fans here,” she giggled, lifting her feet.

She looked down. A dry beetle tickled her left sole. Her face calmed down. But on the right, a slug oozed in between her toes. A cold shiver went down her spine, and her laughter increased. Once it descended to her sole, making her squeal louder, she finally flicked it away.

“Two,” she breathed, rubbing the slime against her pants. “While y’all act crazy, I’m the only one keeping it real. So yeah, I deserve the better deal.”

“You’re no better than the rest of us,” 9-Volt insisted.

“Oh, I am.” She jabbed a thumb at Penny. “See, Penny and I stand out ‘cause we both got brains. We out here reading novels, while y’all still struggling with simple vowels.”

Penny flinched. “Are you sure you don’t want proper medical attention?”

“Yo, who got shot with a skeet gun four times when she was seven and survived?” 13-Amp struck a dynamic pose. “This gal! Besides, ain’t like we got nobody to worry—”

“Captain! Captain Syrup!” A Penkoon skidded to a halt, frantic. “A large vessel is approaching the island! It’s the Poseidon Fin!”

Syrup stuck out her hand, stopping Lily from moving as her toes twitched in her mouth. “And why so flustered, matey? They lack their oh-so-mighty captain.”

“Negative! He’s at the helm!”

“What?” Her tiny toenails scratched the roof of Lily’s mouth. “He escaped? But how?”

“Jot that down, runt!” Wario roared at 9-Volt. “Now we know to keep the high standards of Diamond City’s prisons, not whatever nonsense let a shark escape!”

“Shut it,” Syrup growled. She marched up to her crew, small but furious. “Destroy them all.”

“Hold up, tiny. With your crew? The same one Toadette and those clowns likely chewed through?” Wario scoffed. He motioned to 13-Amp. “Street rat, you’re up again. Kill that captain and disable the Toads. Keep Peach’s little girl alive, too. Better not fail me this time.”

“Loud and clear!” 13-Amp’s body began to glow pink. “A’ight, let’s go for round two!” She pulled Stuffwell up. “We’re gonna get you to open up, or we’re gonna cast you to the ocean, suitcase. Your choice.”

“Penny, join those fools!” Wario barked. “Move! Give them support!”

Penny jumped so hard that her clipboard clattered against the bag of supplies. She scrambled to follow the Volts, her eyes wide.

Wario watched them go, exhaling a cloud of noxious green mist.

“Even if those chumps fail, I’ll be here to finish the job. This power… It’s even greater than what the first star gifted me!”

***

The Poseidon Fin silently docked beneath a cliff face on Full Moon Island. Jones, Toad and Toadette were the first to descend the ramp. Jones held his trident upright so that the prongs caught the moonlight.

“Years since I’ve last set a fin on this cursed rock,” Jones muttered, his gaze sweeping the dense vegetation. “The kingdom’s defence force is quite fond of conducting their training in this spot. I might’ve seized a few curious artefacts from forsaken camps in the past.”

“Interesting. They never put me on any island this far south,” Toad noted, stretching his arms.

An argument erupted back on the ship’s deck.

“Jazz, you’re not going!” Minh’s voice cracked.

Penelope and Jasmin burst down the ramp, with Minh desperately gripping Jasmin’s shoulders.

“I’m not fighting, Minh-Minh,” Jasmin insisted, pulling free. “And I’m not stupid. I just want a front-row seat for when that monster suffers.”

“If you put yourself that close to danger, then yes, you’re stupid!” Her lips trembled upon seeing Jasmin’s jaw drop. “You’ve been through enough. It’s safer on the ship. Let’s just stay. Please?”

Jasmin shook her head.

“We don’t have time for this drama,” Toadette groaned. “If Penelope and Jasmin want to take the risk, so be it. But girls, if you’re coming, you’d damn well better be ready to react when the moment comes. Understood?”

“Yes, miss,” Penelope said. She forced Jasmin’s head up and down.

Jones adjusted the grip on his trident. “Let us make our move.”

The group of six ventured deeper, the path quickly becoming rocky and steep. The decaying jungle flora made Toadette’s skin crawl. They combed the area for minutes until a sharp rock landed a distance from Toadette’s boots, kicking up soil.

“Look who decided to pull up again,” a familiar voice scoffed from above. “Took you losers long enough.”

The group looked up. Perched precariously atop a stone archway, silhouetted against the dark sky, were four figures. 13-Amp stood centre, flanked by 9-Volt and 18-Volt. Tucked slightly behind 13-Amp was Penny.

“Wario’s busy right now,” 13-Amp announced, whipping her silver hair back like a stage diva. “But he left his top squad here to sweep up the trash.”

“Good,” Toad said. “He can wait. This’ll be a good warm-up.”

13-Amp’s voice turned mocking. “Still mad I crushed your little foot?”

“You’re about to wish you’d broken the other one.” Toad’s eyes narrowed. “Minh, you and the girls get behind cover. We’ll handle them.”

“Remember how that went last time?” Minh asked.

“Relax,” 9-Volt called down, twirling his weapon. “It’s just us, not some oversized rats to kidnap you. Just don’t interfere, and we won’t have to drain your HP to one.”

“Then again, I might still have to strike the yellow brat there,” 13-Amp purred, glaring at Penelope. “She busted my sandals. They weren’t cheap.”

13-Amp then held up Stuffwell. Toadette’s nerves tightened.

“The stupid box doesn’t want to open up for us. Says he’ll only do it if you guys want him to.” She tossed him over the edge, causing him to get stuck between two rocks. “So be ready to talk when this is over.”

“Let’s get it going!” 18-Volt slammed his boombox against the arch. A seismic pulse shattered the stone, sending him surfing down the debris.

“Here he comes!” Toadette yelled, shoving Minh away. “Go!”

18-Volt hit the ground and charged like a bull. Jones’ trident met his shoulder with a vibrating clang.

“Yo, how you like my new beats?” 18-Volt cranked up the volume of the music. A visible cone of sound vaporised the air where Jones’ fin had been. Jones drove the trident’s prongs deep into the speaker. 18-Volt grinned, grabbing the shaft to hurl the shark into nothingness.

Jones cackled, riding the momentum into a mid-air somersault. His tailfin slammed into 18-Volt’s chest, launching the boy into the wall. A loose boulder followed, cracking against 18-Volt’s skull. He collapsed, groaning.

Jones flashed the other two a toothy smile.

“9-Volt, what are you waiting for? Get in there!” 13-Amp snapped.

“You’re not gonna help? I can’t fight that thing by myself!” 9-Volt squealed.

“You won’t be dealing with that captain,” Toadette said, stepping forward. Her hammer came out. “Just us two, gaming geek. Again.”

9-Volt let out a sigh of relief. “Fine. At least it’s just the idiot.”

He held out his Wii Remote sword. Then he pulled something else out. Toadette looked in confusion as a gun took aim directly at her. It was an NES Zapper. A red ray charged up and fired in her direction.

“Come on. That’s pathetic.” Toadette vaulted the blast, climbing the cliff face and landing on the arch. 9-Volt gasped. He switched back to his Wii Remote as she closed the gap. 13-Amp leapt away, hovering.

“Hey, ugly!” Toad’s pickaxe grazed 13-Amp’s heel. She yelped, anger rising as she saw the small prick of red on her heel.

“I’ve had it with you morons!” Sparks of electricity flew as she sent out a bolt.

Toad dodged the magic, cutting through quickly. He cornered her with his slashes. With a shout, she managed to push him away.

He grinned, using the tip of his pickaxe to brake, bounce off a rock and land with flair.

He faked an overhead swing before delivering a real slice across her back. As she slowly turned around, he swept her legs out from under her, slamming her onto her stomach and pinning her down.

Then he raised her legs. The smell of low tide and crusty cheese hit him instantly.

“Get off me!” She squirmed until she felt something crawl across her foot. It felt like a spider. She snorted and finally squeaked out a giggle.

“Now I see,” Toad said, darting his fingers all around her exposed soles. “You’re magically gifted, but that’s your one trick. Without that headache you call music to boost your power, you’re just a sloth.”

“Fuck you!” 13-Amp screamed. Despite her predicament, she started to summon more energy. “Taste— Ahahaha!”

“Taste?” Toad remembered how much Toadette squirmed when Minh licked her feet.

I’ll be damned if I’m putting my tongue on this girl’s foot. But the longer he resisted, the stronger she seemed to get. Even with his weight on her back, her magic began to levitate them off the ground.

He looked around, hoping no one would catch this in the chaos.

He squeezed his eyes shut and mashed his face against her sole. It was warm and moist from the island’s terrain. With a low groan, he slid his tongue along the filthy curve of her arch.

Her body went rigid, her toes splaying. “Ew! Did you just…?”

Toad didn’t stop. He jammed his tongue into the musky crevice between her plump toes. It tasted of putrid sweat, damp grass and earthy minerals. As if searching for treasure, he delved his tongue further into the abyss, wriggling the tip.

13-Amp shrieked at the top of her lungs. “Stop it! It’s too slimy! HAHAHAHAHA!” She gritted her teeth. “Boy, I will— Gah! Hehehe!”

Her fingers sparked, but the magic sputtered. Her entire body was seized by the relentless licking.

Toad dragged his tongue in a continuous, slobbering line from left to right. He made sure to hit every toe, popping each grubby toe into his mouth for a second before sliding his tongue through the briny gap.

Yet he sought to sap her strength even more; he scratched a particular spot beneath her toes. 13-Amp’s eyes bulged, and she pounded the ground.

“I’ll… I’m gonna… Hahahaha! Get off my feet, you mushroom freak!”

“Gladly!” In one swift motion, he twisted her ankle.

13-Amp’s laughter cut off into a deep gasp. Toad gave her a nice moment to process the pain. He then took the blunt side of his pickaxe and smacked her in the back of the head. She dropped limp, her heavy feet finally falling to the dirt.

“Foot for a foot,” he said with a low chuckle. Then he hopped off, frantically wiping his tongue on his sleeve. “Disgusting… I’m gonna be tasting spoiled tuna all night…”

Nearby, 9-Volt and Toadette plummeted from the shattered arch. 9-Volt fired point-blank. Toadette let her hammer take the blast, causing it to glow red for a moment. A scream left 9-Volt’s mouth. Toadette drove the hammer into his gut. He landed in a shallow bit of water, his legs submerged with his body dry as it rested against a rock.

Toadette landed, boot on his groin. “Game over, loser.”

“No fair… You cheated!” He let out a moan. “My Zapper should’ve…”

“Maybe my hammer’s stronger than a stupid video game gun.” Toadette removed her boot. “Be smart like Penelope and try to update your tech, nerd.”

Before 9-Volt could protest, he was hit by an overwhelming stench. It was a sharp, pungent musk, the result of days spent on the high seas without a proper shower. He gasped as the toxic aroma filled his lungs. His will to fight evaporated, replaced by dizziness.

His eyes rolled back, a faint frown on his face as he passed out completely.

“Goodnight,” she sang, pinching his cheek with her toes.

Penelope, Jasmin and Minh cautiously emerged.

“I barely saw what happened,” Minh whispered. “Whatever it was…it was fast.”

Toad and Toadette high-fived one another. Toadette let out a giggle. “Good work, Toady. You really went into those chunky piggies, huh?”

“Don’t.” Toad gagged. “It was a tactical decision, Toadette.”

“Mmm-hmm. Tactical. Funny how I have to beg you to get so tactical with me.” She pressed her boot against his. “Now that I know you’re willing to do that to shut someone up, I’m gonna start whining every day and night.”

“And how’s that different from now, genius?” he scoffed, turning to catch the other three approaching. “All good here, guys. Shall we move on?”

“Hold on a tick. Where be the fourth thug?” Jones asked, scanning his surroundings. “There was another lass.”

Penny, who had dropped from the archway when 9-Volt and Toadette destroyed it, suddenly let out a piercing scream.

“You monsters! You hurt my friends!” she shrieked, her voice wobbling. She put a finger on 13-Amp’s neck, checking for a pulse for less than a second. She then grabbed her large bag. “I won’t let you get away with this!”

She then swung the bag upward and outward. “Don’t you dare—! You’re not getting these rare items that my friends rightfully stole in Mushroom City! They’re for us Diamondites, not for you…you…you filthy, unhygienic yeastballs!”

But nothing even came out the bag.

She gasped, clumsily unzipping it and flinging the contents—a handful of Life Shrooms and some medical gear—directly on the ground near Toadette and Toad. The recovery items landed with hard thuds.

Penny’s eyes darted past the mushroom trio to the suspicious Jones. She looked Toadette in her eyes.

Toadette instantly understood. She returned the gesture with a swift nod, keeping her face neutral. Penny nodded back and let out one final, hellish cry of despair.

“Gosh darn it! I won’t be brought down by a smelly sporehead!” With a flourish, she banged her head against a large rock, hard enough to cause a massive bruise. She then tumbled dramatically into a patch of dense ferns and landed with a groan of pain.

Toad stared dumbfounded at the Life Shrooms at his feet, then back at Penny.

“Hmph. Thanks for returning our items,” he said, picking up a Life Shroom. He bit into its hard texture. He then swallowed it whole and felt his previous injuries vanish. “Oh yeah…”

“How about giving those to the ones who need them most?” Toadette scoffed, handing one each to Penelope and Jasmin.

“Hey, last time Penelope snubbed me. I was owed.”

Jones let out a mighty roar as he ate one in a gulp. “At full power! Just as I should be!”

“Now where the hell are Syrup and the others?” Toadette asked.

“There’s a tiny…cave…” Penny groaned, sniffling. “The rats made it bigger now. They should still be there…”

“Thank you,” Toadette whispered. She then raised her voice. “A shame I had to beat that information out of you, Miss Scientist! Let’s go, guys!”

As they continued onward, a small, pained smile came to Penny’s face.

***

“You finished grooming those nasty toes?” Wario asked, on his two-thousandth push-up. “I’m ready to focus on my next target.”

“Doesn’t that little boy have your radar?” Syrup countered, dipping her toes in and out of Lily’s obedient mouth. “Might as well wait until they return to give us the good news before we head off.”

Wario grunted. “Anything to delay my schedule, huh?”

“Hmm… The girl’s a withered flower at this point. But those boys, especially the smaller one? Mmm… Surely you wouldn’t mind if I sampled them once we return to Kitchen Island?”

“They’re both hyper,” Wario grunted. “If they’re willing, have at them. Just don’t break ‘em. Broken soldiers don’t make me money.”

“Tell that to the four sleeping right now!”

“What in the—?” Wario’s eyes widened. Upon seeing Toadette, he nearly broke his teeth against each other. “You’re still… Impossible! Those kids should’ve torn you to shreds!”

“Maybe you need some better help,” Toadette said. “Or we’re just undefeatable.”

Wario clenched his fist. He then took a deep breath. “I’ve got no reason to worry. Syrup, they’re yours.”

“Delegating the heavy lifting to a delicate maiden?” She ruffled her own hair. “I’d call you undignified, but clearly you know the extent of my powers.”

Toadette froze. Penelope let out a choked gasp and buried her face in Minh’s side. Only Jasmin stood coldly, her expression unchanged. Syrup strutted before them in a hastily made pirate outfit reminiscent of her regular one. Her bare feet brushed the stone floor. She swayed her hips from side to side as she pulled out her sword.

“How’s this for a little preview?” she asked. “Lily, go hide. I wouldn’t want you getting injured, now.”

“As you command.” Lily disappeared into the darkness.

“Captain!” A Gaugau stepped forward. “Let us—”

“Stand down. None of these dullards is equipped to handle someone of my calibre.” She pointed at them each. “You!”

Toadette raised a brow.

Syrup’s feet began to move. She charged forward with her sword, almost slashing Toadette’s shoulder. Toadette dodged the next series of slashes, shrieking as she tripped against the pool in the centre of the room. Syrup dipped her foot in the pool and placed it on Toadette’s face, scrunching her toes.

“Inhale that bouquet! The legendary Brine of Beginnings!” She then pressed her toe against Toadette’s lips. “A single drop of this elixir, and you could be forever youthful like me. Why choose to rot when preservation is an option?”

Toadette’s body trembled as Syrup’s toes tried to break into her mouth.

“Back away from her, Syrup!” Jones unleashed his Diamond Saw technique. One of the sharp snowflakes came within an inch of slicing Syrup’s neck. Despite this threat, she barely flinched. She seemed more annoyed as she looked back. But this didn’t deter Jones. He kept his trident pointed at her as he circled the room.

“You are just begging for your demise, aren’t you?” Syrup snarled playfully. “Ready to join your buddies in their watery grave?”

This gave Toadette the perfect opportunity. Without her tongue, she bit hard on Syrup’s big toe before she could roll over and escape. Syrup yelped and grabbed her foot.

“That hurt!” Syrup yelled, brandishing a silver bomb.

She hurled it at Toadette, and it exploded on contact. But it merely electrocuted her rather than blowing her up. Her eyes were forced fully open as she felt the hairs on her body stand. When she hit the floor, she gasped for air.

Toadette dug into her pocket slowly.

Syrup giggled. “What shall you do, mushroom lady? I’ve got you completely outclassed.” She shifted from Toadette and let her eyes linger on Penelope. “And when I’m done mopping the deck with you disgusting adults, I might just get the chance to enjoy my new property properly…” She winked at Penelope.

Penelope blew a raspberry at her.

“Oh, the harder you resist, the more I like it.” Syrup cackled again, but the sound snagged mid-breath and turned into a strangled gasp.

Something shifted inside of her.

It was a crawling movement under her ribs. A pressure expanded in her gut. Syrup froze, her posture snapping rigid as every muscle locked.

The pain came from inside, like someone had poured thick cream into her and allowed it to harden against her stomach walls. Her nerves sizzled with raw heat, each surge rendering her vision white. She gagged, but her throat refused to give way. Whatever resided within her was burrowing deeper, anchoring itself firmly in her belly.

Toadette took a step back. Everybody else held perfectly still.

Syrup collapsed to her knees with a heavy thud. Sweat dotted her forehead. Her gut clenched and expanded in violent spasms, as if something were desperately trying to ram its way out. A whimper slipped from her lips before her pride could swallow it.

“Hurts, doesn’t it?” Jasmin’s voice drifted from the shadows.

Syrup snarled, or at least tried to. “You… You…!”

“All that milk,” Jasmin mused, stepping closer at a slow pace. “Guzzling it like you were thirsty in the desert. Gluttony really is a sin, ain’t it?”

A look of dread crossed Syrup’s face.

“Our milk isn’t for you.” Jasmin tilted her head. “When it’s raw, it’s teeming with fungal spores. Thousands of them. Healthy for us, dangerous for non-Toads. You humans need to build resistance over years if you want it. One sip at a time. But you?” She let out a breathy laugh. “You treated it like it was fine wine.”

Syrup clawed at her navel hard enough to scratch it. The flesh there was hot and pulsing.

“This new, smaller body of yours just made the process quicker.” Jasmin’s tone softened, almost turning affectionate. “Gave the toxins less space to work with.”

Syrup’s stomach convulsed violently. Wet tearing noises were followed by the sharp snap of something parting inside. When her mouth finally opened, the substance that slithered forth was a tangle of pale, pulsing filaments. They writhed as tiny beads of milky pus oozed from their tips.

She clawed at them in a blind panic, feeling the nauseating suction as they pulled against her grip.

“That’s… That’s what happens?” Penelope struggled to breathe. “Ew…”

“I’ve never seen this before,” Minh whispered. “A bit of sickness can happen, but this?”

Toad scoffed. “Drank so much that her body can’t even try to defend itself from the toxins.”

Jasmin bent close enough that Syrup could practically taste her breath.

“Tell me, captain?” Her smile widened. “Am I sweet?”

Syrup bellowed in rage, stumbling to her feet. Jasmin slipped back into the dark without resistance, leaving Syrup glaring at Toadette through the haze of her pain.

“Come at me with everything you’ve got. You’re gonna need it,” Toadette said, her feet planted firm.

From her pocket, she drew out a red fruit—the Double Cherry from the Gemini Jungle. Almara’s warning flashed in her mind, but she shoved the thought away and bit deep, swallowing it whole.

A sharp glow exploded outward. Everybody watching was petrified by what they saw.

There was not one but two Toadettes. The Toadettes looked at each other from head to toe, mirroring each other’s actions. When one Toadette grabbed her braid, the other did the same. If one nodded, the other nodded back in agreement. Together, they faced Syrup and whipped out a hammer each.

“What kind of game is this?” Wario mused.

Syrup’s nerves twitched. Her one good eye darted between the two identical Toadettes.

“What’s wrong, Syrup?” they asked simultaneously. “Wish you were a true woman again?”

“I…will…not be mocked…by an overly ripe vegetable!”

With a feral yell, Syrup lunged at them, vaulting high into the air.

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Author’s Note:
This is the first chapter to miss its intended Saturday upload date. I simply had a busy day, and I didn’t want to upload it without giving it a thorough read-through first. Who saw this twist coming involving Syrup and Jasmin’s breastmilk?