"Thanks, Inv" I say while accepting the rock from Inv.
"Mhm!"
With 2 rocks in both paws, I at least have a chance to defend myself now.
'Next time I'll remember to bring one at least…' thinking this to myself I put this mistake behind me and keep going forward.
Walking to the end of the corridor we pass the hole we crawled into last cycle where the popcorn plant was. There would be no point going that way right now since the only guaranteed source of food would be the 6 slime mold.
'Fuck man… gotta wait 6 more cycles for the popcorn plant to regrow back…' life would definitely be easier if we had a popcorn plant to eat every cycle.
'There just couldn't be 2 popcorn plants that could spawn down there?! Why only 1?!'
Walking further I climb up a couple ledges and pass a pole. No point in climbing that one since it doesn't reach where I want to go. The next pole is what I need to climb.
Reaching the next pole with both rocks in both paws I start climbing. It's amazing how I'm still able to climb while both of my paws are holding something. Slugcats can just somehow easily climb poles without much effort. I would've never been able to climb something like this at all before I became one!
Thinking of how awesome slugcats are, I reach the top of the pole. Looking in one direction, I see the platform where I met Inv for the first time.
…
Definitely gotta chill with him up here when I get the chance. While the only thing we can watch is the grey clouds passing by its still… somewhat calming to watch.
Shaking my head a little I focus back on the task. I can think about that later. Turning behind me, I see the next pipe we need to enter to go up higher on the wall.
In all honesty I never really bothered entering this pipe since there was no point. I wouldn't be able to climb it anyway without a yeek… I wouldn't trust my life with one of those damn things anyways.
It also doesn't help that there's a daddy long legs waiting on the other side of the pipe…
Looking down the pole, I see Inv just looking up at me. Shit I'm making him wait!
"Sorry Inv, was just thinking what to do next" I say down to him.
"N-nu et ok! I cen hol on foreve!" Inv says to me with… a little red on his face? Weird… I didn't even do anything to make him embarrassed this time?
…
I can think about this later.
"Inv were gonna have to use the egg bomb soon. You remember the weird 'blue thing' you met last cycle?" I ask Inv. I remember him calling the DLL a 'blue thing' and said he killed it with his egg bomb.
"Ye? Es et stil up tere??" Inv questions back.
"Yeah… it's going to be up there every cycle. There's nothing else we can kill it with except your egg bomb" saying this to him, I remember we can also kill it with explosives but finding one up here is pretty rare.
The few times I did find one all my attempts failed trying to get past the DLL.
…
My last attempt ended with me throwing the bomb too early and blowing myself up. It was more shameful than traumatizing… I had such a perfect opportunity to! The DLL was sitting in the perfect spot and I messed it up in the worse way pos-
"Joey?" Fuck got distracted again!
Looking down I see Inv still looking up at me and notice his face is even redder than before?
"S-sorry Inv, let's get going" Not having the time to think why he seemed flustered, I kick off the pole and jump towards the pipe. Landing on the platform next to it, I look back.
"I'll be waiting ahead" I say to Inv before crawling into the pipe.
"O-ok!" I hear behind me while crawling further inside.
…
While crawling I think to myself.
'Why was his face red? He was only looking up at me? Am I really that good looking or something?' I question myself. Maybe being pink does have its benefits?
…
Hold on… he was right underneath me…
…
…
…
Poking my head out of the next pipe I look ahead in the very narrow tunnel. Seeing nothing I crawl forward a little bit making room for Inv to exit the pipe.
Turning around in the tight space I see Inv crawling out of the pipe into the tiny tunnel. I can feel my face heating up a bit with the sudden closeness of both of our faces. But mainly due to what I was thinking about earlier.
Pushing these thoughts down I whisper to Inv.
"OK Inv, you're gonna have to get in front of me"
"Y-y??" Inv whispers back.
"The 'blue thing' is right above us and the exit behind me is the only thing keeping us away from it. Also, you have the egg bomb" I whisper to him.
"O-ok… bu I ned tu get en fron of u… hoaw I du dat?" Hearing his question, I realize just how big Inv is in this cramped tunnel…
I wasn't thinking about this when I entered the pipe first… Inv does have the egg bomb…
Thinking for a second I think of the only thing he can do.
…
"Y-you gotta squeeze through Inv…"
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A/N: oh no~, Inv has to squeeze past Joey in a small and narrow tunnel. What will Inv do~