The hot sun

The sun blazed overhead like a furious god, unrelenting and merciless.




Olorun trudged forward, Timmy lounging on his head like a wilted leaf. Just ahead, Chiyo carried the flopped, wobbling form of Kawai on her shoulder. The little penguin creature was drooping like a melted marshmallow.




Olorun wiped his forehead with the back of his arm, panting.




"Man… those idiots are dumb," he said, voice cracked from the heat. "How could they fall behind?"




Timmy yawned lazily, arms behind his head. "Maybe the sun made them so hot they had to stop for a break. That's what I'd do… if I wasn't already riding for free."




"It's been way too long for a break," Olorun muttered. "It's like they just disappeared."




Chiyo huffed. "Forget them. We need to find shade before we all shrivel into jerky."




"Meep Meep Meep…" Kawai mumbled weakly from her shoulder.




"Agreed," Olorun nodded. "My mouth is so dry, I feel like I've been chewing sand. I don't care what anyone says—I like the moon better."




Chiyo squinted up at the sky, middle finger raised high. "Yeah. Screw you, sun."




They kept walking, their footsteps sluggish in the soft sand.




Then—




"WAIT!" Olorun pointed ahead dramatically. "I see water!"




Timmy jolted upright. "Where?!"




"There! Over there—by that rock!"




Chiyo shaded her eyes. "…Hold up. I think I see it too."

Olorun squinted at the mirage, then suddenly turned.

"Wait a minute, Chiyo—you're a vampire, remember?"




Chiyo raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? What about it?"




Timmy, still lounging lazily on Olorun's head, chimed in, "He means… you don't need water. You drink blood."

Chiyo scoffed. "Well, unless you're offering, twig-boy."




Timmy crossed his arms. "I'm, like, 20 centimeter tall. I'd die from a paper cut."




Chiyo turned to Olorun. "What about you, hotshot?"




Olorun laughed nervously. "Haha—very funny. I ain't getting bit. That's how weird forest diseases start."




"Ugh. You're both so mean."




Despite the banter, the mirage ahead shimmered stronger.




Olorun's eyes lit up. "I'm going for it!"




He bolted ahead, arms flailing with excitement.




"CANNONBALL!!!" he shouted, leaping into the air.




"Wait, HOLD ON—" Chiyo called, but it was too late. She took off running after him.




Olorun face-planted into sand.




Chiyo dived in a second later and landed flat in the dune, her arms sinking into dry dust.




"…You have GOT to be kidding me," she growled, spitting out a mouthful of sand.




Olorun lay there, unmoving. A big, stupid grin was stretched across his face.




"Wow… the water feels so good…" he muttered dreamily.




Timmy pulled on one of Olorun's dreads. "Olorun. Buddy. It's not water. You're hallucinating."




"No, no… I'm just… just…"




He collapsed onto his back, arms spread like a fallen hero. "I can't go on anymore…"




Timmy jumped off and landed on Olorun's stomach, pressing both tiny hands to his chest.

"No! Olorun! You can't give up now!"




Olorun opened one eye, dramatically. "Look at Kawai…"



Kawai, still on Chiyo's shoulder, had slumped completely over, tongue out, legs dangling lifelessly.








"…He's gone. I'm next. It's his fault anyway. He jinxed us with his Meep Meep."








Chiyo scanned the empty horizon. No caves. No trees. No anything.


"…He's right," she said softly. "We're screwed. I'm next."








Timmy's leaf-like hair drooped. "No, no no—stop it. You guys can't quit on me! You're strong! You're—well, dumb—but still strong!"








Olorun wheezed, dramatic to the end. "If I die… I want you to know… I love you."








Timmy blinked. "Aww…"








"And NOT Kenji. I hate him."








"HEY!" Chiyo shouted, staggering up. "WHAT ABOUT ME?!"








Olorun peeked at her. "…Eh. Sure, I guess."








Chiyo's eye twitched. "You absolute jerk."








She kicked him lightly in the ribs—not enough to hurt, just enough to make her point—then flopped down beside him.








All three of them lay there, defeated, staring up at the blinding sky.








Kawai puffed out its chest one last time—then fell over with a sad little "meep..."








The sun baked the group in silence as they lay sprawled across the burning sand like exhausted corpses.








Then—








"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!"








Olorun shot into the air, flailing wildly as he screamed in agony.








Chiyo jolted upright. "Olorun?! What the hell?!"








"Something stung me!!" he yelped, hopping in place and clutching his leg.








He reached down, yanked something from the back of his leg—


It was a black scorpion, its tail still twitching. He held it up with a weird look on his face.








"…Huh. Isn't this ironic?" Olorun said, eyes half-lidded. "I used to be part of the Scorpions… and now I got stung by one. Ha… ha… ha…" He wobbled.








Timmy sprang up from the sand. "No! Olorun, this isn't something to laugh at—that's a desert scorpion!"








Olorun blinked. "Uh huh… and~?"








Timmy's expression dropped. "And… they're super poisonous."








Olorun froze.








"WHAT."








He spun in circles, panicking. "OH NO. I'M—I'M—WHERE'S A MIRROR—I'M GONNA DIE!!!"








Kawai immediately dropped to his stubby knees, flippers together in prayer.


"Meep… meep…"








Olorun pointed accusingly. "HEY! Stop that, you little penguin! I'm not dead yet!"








Chiyo jumped to her feet. "Is there anything we can do to help?"








Timmy nodded seriously. "Actually, yes. Olorun, did it sting the bottom of your right leg?"








Olorun wobbled. "Y-Yeah… and I feel real weird… Like dizzy… kinda floaty… and like I forgot how to blink…"








Timmy's tone turned grim. "Oh no… it's kicking in."








"Kicking in?!" Olorun whimpered.








Timmy continued, dramatically pacing. "First comes the dizziness… then internal bleeding… then your lungs collapse one by one… then your brain melts… and boom—you're a carrot with arms."








Olorun screamed. "NOOO! I DON'T WANNA DIE A CARROT!"








Timmy tugged Olorun's pant leg up. The sting mark was glowing with a strange purple hue.








"Chiyo," Timmy said calmly. "You're going to have to suck the poison out."








Chiyo blinked. "…Excuse me?"








"It's the only way."








She slowly turned her head to Olorun, smirking like a cat that cornered a mouse.








Olorun looked nervous. "…W-What's with that look?"








Chiyo tilted her head innocently. "I have a deal. You let me drink some of your blood, and I'll save you."








"WAIT, WHAT?!" Olorun clutched his leg tighter. "You can't be serious!"








Timmy nodded firmly. "Olorun accepts it."








"HUH?!"








Kawai, ever the silent judge, gave him a double thumbs up with his flippers.








"Stop ganging up on me!" Olorun yelled. "Let me think!"








Chiyo leaned in with a grin. "What's the matter? Don't you wanna be saved by a cute girl?"








Olorun's cheeks flushed deep red. He looked away, groaning.


"…Fine, fine! Okay! Just—just save me!"








Chiyo cracked her knuckles. "With pleasure."








She knelt beside him, took his leg gently in her hands, and placed her mouth over the sting.








Olorun immediately started laughing hysterically.








"STOP! STOP! Hahaha—No! WAIT! That tickles!"








Chiyo pulled back, blinking. "Do you not want me to save you?!"








"No—no—do it!! It just tickles!!" he wheezed, trying to stifle another laugh.








Chiyo rolled her eyes. "Oh, suck it up, baby."








She leaned back in.








Olorun bit down on his sleeve, face bright red, trying not to burst out laughing again, his eyes wide and watery.








He groaned through clenched teeth.








"This is the weirdest day of my life…"








After a few tense minutes, Chiyo finally leaned back, wiped her mouth, and spat the last bit of venom into the sand.








"There," she said, exhaling. "I think that's it."








Timmy leaned in from Olorun's stomach perch. "Olorun? How do you feel?"








Olorun opened his mouth. "I feel go—AHHHHHHHHH!!"








He suddenly arched his back, eyes wide, hands clutching his chest.








"OLORUN?!"


"OLORUN!!"


"MEEP!!"








Chiyo and Timmy both screamed in panic. Kawai launched himself a full inch into the air.








Olorun's voice trembled. "My… my… my GOD—"








Then, just as suddenly—


He burst into laughter, rolling side to side on the sand.








"BAHAHAHA!! Did I get you guys or WHAT?! You idiots totally fell for it!!"








He pointed at them mid-wheeze. "You should've SEEN your faces!"








Kawai slapped him across the head with one of his flippers.








"Meep."








Timmy scowled. "You JERK! We thought you were dying!"








Chiyo cracked her fingers. Both of them.








"...You think you're funny, huh?"








Several minutes later, Olorun was sprawled in the sand, thoroughly beaten, his hair dusty, clothes twisted, and one eye twitching. Timmy and Kawai now sat triumphantly on his back like they were riding a downed camel.








Chiyo grabbed Olorun by the leg like a sack of potatoes and started dragging him across the sand.








"Alright," she said, voice flat. "You two just relax. I'll try to find us some shade."








Timmy and Kawai nodded quickly, both stiff with fear.








"Y-Yes ma'am."








"Meep meep!"








As she dragged him, Timmy whispered, "Man… Chiyo is terrifying."








Kawai turned, looked back at Olorun's battered form, and chuckled with a flipper over his beak.


"Meep meep."








After some time, Timmy glanced up again. "Hey, Chiyo?"








"Hmm?"








"Do you think Eleo and the others will find us? I don't wanna go to the market without them."








Chiyo sighed, her expression softening. "We'll wait until the sun goes down. Once it cools off, we'll start searching."








Timmy nodded. "Agreed."








The sun had finally dipped behind the dunes, casting the desert in soft blue shadows. Stars began to prick the sky one by one.








Chiyo pushed forward, eyes scanning the horizon. "Guys… over there. I see it. A cave."








She picked up speed and stopped at a rocky opening nestled between two dunes.








"We've made it!" she said with relief, brushing hair from her face. "We've finally got cover."








She turned around to share the victory—








And froze.








Her eyes widened. "W-What the hell…?!"








Timmy, Kawai, and even Olorun—still lying half-conscious on the ground—had shrunk. All of them. Smaller. Way smaller.








Timmy blinked up at her, now no bigger than a thumbtack.


"Uh… Chiyo? Why are you so tall all of a sudden…?"








Kawai looked up and tilted sideways, eyes spinning. "Meep…?"








Chiyo took a stunned step back, her voice rising.








"Why the HELL are you guys so TINY?!"