There is No Epic Loot Here, Only Puns

31: Japing about

Delta watched as Cois narrowed his beady little eyes at the rough shape in the middle of the fort room. Mr Mushy watched from slightly down the hall, unwilling to get any closer to the heat. The fire died down and the scorched thing wobbled slightly. Delta had only come to check on things and to see if her gobs had returned. Instead, she had found most of the floor monsters gathered around Cois, his fire magic cooking something.

"What is that?" Delta asked faintly as the misshapen black thing smoked near the foot of the hill, away from any wooden structures.

Her Mushy came nearer. It seemed to be unable to look away from the black thing.

It sagged to one side and the odd ears or loopy things at the side made it look like a haunched man that Cois had just cooked. Cois sniffed as he admired his work.

"Done. Bring next one!" he commanded and Mr Mushy waddled out, both hands holding a brown muddy thing. He put it down and began to pat the sides as they became runny. It was round and Mr Mushy's hands came away covered in mud.

Cois cackled and flash fried it as Mr Mushy ran away from the licks of fire past Bily and back into the tunnel for protection.

Numb cheered as Billy shot Cois a glare. The bow-using goblin murmured something to Mr Mushy and the giant being clapped his hands. The pot looked just as misshapen as the first and Delta watched as Numb dragged it off to one corner where five or six more black pots sat.

"What's going on?" Delta asked casually and Cois yelped, hiding his staff behind his back. Numb panicked and just threw the pot up the hill where it hit the slope and rolled, bumped and tumbled its way back down with hollow clunking sounds. Billy just snorted and pushed his green cap down to watch the scene.

Nu appeared with a rather sour sounding ding.

They are attempting to... create art. It seems like they, or rather, Mr Mushy, was inspired to try his hand at the craft after seeing your pot. It has been met with laughter and fire. The mushroom moulds it from the mud and the goblin cooks it to ash. It's quite frustrating as they don't actually seem to be learning how to correct themselves.

The menu appeared to be frustrated and Delta hid a smile as she answered.

"Not everyone learns to understand something or replicate it after one attempt or sample. Some of us have to practise!" Delta hummed and Nu seemed to let out a low noise.

Then why bother? This project will offer no fruit. It is wasting your mud and making Cois waste energy. Those pots will not be reabsorbed into the dungeon system. They don't improve or offer any new designs. I just don't understand why they are so invested in doing this.

Delta watched as Mr Mushy was already patting a new pot. He seemed to be trying to give this pot a moustache and a monocle for some odd reason. Cois was still frozen to the spot, smoke still curling from his staff.

Numb tried to hide the pots behind himself and failed utterly. Billy was rather calm but he was also looking a little guilty at taking part.

"Hm, there is no reason. Doing something fun is... just fun. You should try it, make a pot or something," Delta encouraged and then bent down to smile at Cois.

"Less heat, they might actually look good then, hm?" she giggled and got up to head to the grove. Cois nodded as if her words were a command.

"Less...less fire," he repeated with a petulant tone. Delta complimented Mr Mushy as she went past and the giant fungus tried to do a bow but seemed to forget there was a wall and blinked in confusion as his cap hit something solid and the force from that, in turn, tipped him over so he landed in a sitting position.

Delta smiled as Billy moved over to help without a word. The little archer seemed like Mr Mushy and that made Delta pleased as a button. The sound of roaring fire rushed out and Numb's voice called out.

"Master say less, less!" he said in a panic. Cois just cackled loudly again.

I cannot make a pot.

Delta slowed as she entered the Grove. The stalks on some natural shrooms were easily taller than some men.

"Oh, it's fine! Just try!" Delta encouraged again and Nu made a frustrated sound.