victory_road | [006] - video (cw: drugs?)

~~[everett didn't you just post a thing like two weeks ago? shh this is important]~~

[Around 8 AM, a livestream gets posted to the network. There's some amount of fumbling as Egon tries to get the camera to stay still. When the PokéGear finally stabilizes, Egon takes a step back, adjusting his glasses and clearing his throat. Ray Stantz can be seen in the background with an excited expression on his face, as well as a Parasect resting on a nearby counter. A small chunk of the mushroom lip looks as if it has been cut off, though the Parasect doesn't seem to mind this.]

Good morning. I'm Dr. Egon Spengler, and I am here with Dr. Raymond Stantz and Amanita the Parasect to understand the affects of the mushrooms growing on a Parasect and/or Paras.

[He picks up a chunk of mushroom from behind the camera and holds it closely to the camera. The cap appears to be pink with dark yellow spots on it, while the gills appear to be a dark brown color.]

Now, as we know, this fungus enters an almost parasitic relationship with a Paras in its early life, and upon evolving, completely overtakes the host and acts as the "brain" of the entire creature. If the mushroom is removed from the Parasect, the creature ceases movement entirely. These mushrooms release poisonous spores, but these spores can be steeps and boiled to remove their toxicity and are used in some traditional medicines.

[He places the mushroom next to Amanita, who barely reacts. She simply continues to stare unblinkingly at the wall.]

Today, we are going to be observing what effects these mushrooms have upon human beings upon being ingested in their base forms. Our hopes is that these fungi may be able to mitigate physical pain. We will be recording this in order to further analyze whatever data we collect after the experiment has concluded. Ray and I will both be ingesting approximately 500 milligrams of fungi each.

[Egon picks up his piece of mushroom, and Ray does likewise. Ray grins, giving Egon a thumbs up.]

You ready, Egie?

Ready.

[They both eat the mushrooms and wait for the effects to settle in. The initial reactions are quite boring, with Egon droning on about fungi reproduction and how mushrooms have been used in medicine in his dimension and Ray playing with Amanita and occasionally interjecting his tidbits and facts into Egon's lecture.

About an hour later, however, things have...definitely changed up a little.]

Ray. [Egon stares down at Amanita, holding her gently in his arms. The mushroom crab makes a chittering noise.] The fungi think your hair looks nice, and they want to--

[Spengler trails off, still staring at Amanita. Ray glances over at Egon, surprised.] Want to...?

[No reply. Ray lets out a groan, sprawling across his seat.]

Spengs, I'm upset. Why won't the mushrooms talk to me like they talk to you?

They love me more. Maybe if you spent as much time cultivating spores as I did...you'd learn.

[It's amazing neither of them have died yet from their stupid science shenanigans.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Amanita is a ghost friend in my heart.

[Ray sounds... genuinely hurt.]

... Sure, but she's not a responsible party here.

[ is there any reasoning with high people? ]

Excuse you, she is most certainly responsible. She was the one who gave us these spores in the first place.

[He frowns lightly, trying to parse something in his head.]

Not spores. Mushrooms. Different things. And now we can understand.

[....Understand what?]

She gave them to you; didn't mean you had to eat them. Also, pretty sure you're the adult one here.

[ ... understand? ]

What do you understand now?

[ besides (red foreman voice) that he's a dumbass ]

... That we aren't really adults?

[So. No not really.]

I'm beginning to doubt that you are, yeah.

[ jack heaves a sigh. ]

What are the mushrooms helping you two understand, though?

[There's...a very long pause before Egon finally responds.]

Have you ever thought about the impermanence of your place in the multiverse and how, despite wherever we live, there is never a guarantee that you will achieve what you want during your lifetime?

This is why we...must.....

[He trails off suddenly.]

[ oh, that...

that cuts a little deeper than egon probably means it to. there is never a guarantee to achieve what you want during your lifetime? regrets, jack has a few.

it puts him silent for a moment before he seeks to prompt the two of them again. ]

That's why you must what?

[006] - video (cw: drugs?)

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