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Ep 13. Bug Catching

12/16/22

Painkiller, on the couch in the lab, turns to look at Fossil and asks, Can we do something about this? Fossil says, That's why I brought you here! Painkiller asks, Is that, the only reason? Fossil shouts, Get off your stupid lazy ass and follow me! There's no time! Painkiller squeaks, OK. In the elevator, Fossil stands with her hands on her hips and asks, Still worried about your job? Painkiller, unimpressed, says, Love the jokes. Fossil says, Call your loved ones. Painkiller says, Har-dee-har.
Painkiller asks, Why don't you call your butt buddy in Reaching Gardens? Fossil, waving her hand dismissively, answers, We are not butt buddies. I don't need her help. As they enter the main lab room, Fossil continues, Help me find where Carrot keeps his stun baton collection. Painkiller asks, They're owner of the lab, I presume? Fossil says, Not so much now that he's stumbling around the woods as an abomination.
Painkiller asks, The woods near the lab? As she taps a code into a keypad, Fossil says, Yes. We will be seeing him soon. Painkiller asks, were you two, close? The wall slides open to reveal a large collection of stun batons as Fossil answers, Not particularly. Painkiller looks over at her, asking, Are you, close with anybody? Fossil repeats, Not particularly.
Later, as Fossil pushes them through the forest, a scared Painkiller asks, What's the plan here? Fossil answers, Find him. Catch him. Painkiller asks, Where? How? Fossil, determined, answers, It will be easy. The stun baton is not for him. Painkiller says, Explain before I get us both killed! Fossil shouts, No time! He is over there!
Painkiller screams, Oh shit! whipping the stun baton out in front of them as they spot Carrot. Fossil, grinning, hisses, Yes, he is still unmoving. The next panel shows assimilated Carrot, a green mass rooted into the forest floor and twisting upward. The mass opens up at the top into a red, vein-riddled flower-like shape, with torn leafy arms coming off it at off angles. Painkiller is speechless, but Fossil is smiling, loading a net gun with a clack sound.
With a thunk the net shoots from the gun, wrapping the top part of the assimilated object as Painkiller asks, Seriously? What's the baton for? Fossil shines their flashlight on the ground and says, Those fucking things. In the flashlight beam, several small grubs can be seen. Fossil continues, Take the flashlight. I can see in the dark just fine.
Painkiller, frustrated, starts zapping grubs, saying, This is making less and less sense. Why couldn't you just be a serial killer like a normal person? Fossil answers, Just clear the path! Whiny! If you want it so bad, I'll kill you later! Painkiller looks back and asks, Why didn't you bring your dumb ass arcade laser gun? It was fake, wasn't it? Suddenly, they scream as Fossil whips out a machete, slashing it in front of her.
Instead of swinging it at Painkiller, though, Fossil used her machete to cut the assimilated Carrot from its base, causing the whole mass to thud to the ground. After a pause, Painkiller zaps the stump left behind, and they both head back towards the lab with Fossil dragging the net behind her. Painkiller asks, How did he get, y'know? Infected? Afflicted? Fossil says, Assimilated.
Later in the lab, they slide the net into the Specimen Dump Chute, and Fossil explains, Well, you were right about this not making sense. He had not left the lab for days, recovering from being re spawned not too long ago. That is why I was sent here, to help him. We were collecting plant specimens in the woods when he changed. So I thought, this started here. But no, suddenly, it was happening everywhere in High Society.
Then in Center Ring. Middle Ring. I wouldn't be surprised if it were in Outer Ring. I suspect this spreads in numerous different ways. But we will soon see.
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