Quoted By:
<span class="mu-r">“Since when are you so talkative?”</span> you asked, drawing everyone’s attention to you.
Something resembling a smirk crept up the side of Donny’s wide gap of a mouth.
<span class="mu-g">“Hey hey, Huntsman. Growing a mouth for the first time’ll do that to a guy. Guess I got a little overexcited.”</span> he said with a shrug, finally daring to acknowledge the pumpkin guts splattered around him.
<span class="mu-r">“I’m not the one you’ve got to apologize to, pal. I wasn’t in the splash zone.”</span> you said, gesturing to the unlucky few who’d been too close to him at the time.
And unfortunately for Ember, she was one of them.
Donny shook his head and thumped it with his knuckles.
<span class="mu-g">“Right. Sorry, guys. I’m sure that’ll wash right out.”</span>
Donny gave them an apologetic nod and raised his hands as if to present his innocence and lack of bad intentions.
<span class="mu-r">“He’s tall, he talks, and he’s got manners.”</span> you observed.
<span class="mu-r">“Man…kids these days are growing like weeds. Before we know it he’ll be leaving for college.”</span>
Callisto, who was right next to you at the time, turned to stare at you. She was probably still feeling a little exasperated.
<span class="mu-g">“Donny.”</span> Glass said, drawing the pumpkin-headed plant’s attention.
<span class="mu-g">“How’d this happen to you? You’re not even a year old yet. I saw you get stuck in a drainpipe a few months ago.”</span>
Donny leaned closer to Glass, raised one finger, and waggled it back and forth.
<span class="mu-g">“Almost. I almost got stuck.”</span> he clarified.
<span class="mu-g">“Thanks in no small part to yourself.”</span>
Glass shook his head in confusion.
<span class="mu-g">“I mean: how’re you even smart enough to be talking like this?”</span>
Donny snapped his fingers to make a surprisingly potent noise. Sort of like the sound of a small twig snapping.
<span class="mu-g">“Well…that’s simple, my friends. It’s this gold stuff that’s growing out the top of my head.”</span> he said, gesturing at the giant tree.
Like he said, there were golden leaves growing at the top of Donny’s tree. The Fairy Flowers.
<span class="mu-g">“I’m all juiced up! Haven’t felt better in my entire, pitifully short life.”</span> he declared, a green, foamy material seeping out the edges of his mouth as he did so.
<span class="mu-g">“The flowers, you mean.”</span> Callisto clarified, finally making her presence known.
<span class="mu-g">“You’re hopped up on pixie plant juice. I think you’re a bit below the legal drinking age.”</span>
That earned her a few uneasy chuckles from a decent amount of Morlocks. Even Donny thought it was funny.
<span class="mu-g">“Hehe. Say what you want. I’ve got liquid gold flowing through my veins, baby.”</span> he said, staring down at his fingers as they twitched.
<span class="mu-g">“Fake liquid gold.”</span> Callisto clarified, one more.
Donny seemed to deflate a bit, as a jagged green line carved itself down the corner of his mouth. A moment later, it healed itself, and Donny’s smile curled ever so slightly.
(Cont.)
