Death fish

"Oh my god, Kit, what is that? Haha, that's the funniest thing I've ever seen. I'll never let you live this down." Mars exploded into fits of laughter, while Kai beside him struggled to contain his own.

Kit let out a sigh, unable to blame them for finding humour in his current predicament. He couldn't help but take another glance at his body, causing a shudder to pass through him for a completely different reason than before. He mentally vowed to get revenge on Kat once he was out of the game.

Kit was initially shocked by his sudden change in appearance and voice, but as he stood up, he realised that the strong emotions he had felt from the river were no longer present. He didn't know how long this break would last before the pull of the river returned.

With a shuddering breath, he quickly made his way across the bridge, afraid that the overwhelming feelings might come back at any moment.

Thankfully, the transformation didn't include high heels and soon Kit reached safety. He collapsed onto shaky legs leaning against a tree to catch his breath.

Even with some distance between him and the river, the overwhelming emotions still lingered in his mind. He stopped under a nearby tree and waited for the others to catch up, grateful for Snowball's comforting presence in the sling.

"I'm feeling better now, Snowball. Thank you for pulling me out of that dark place," Kit said with a frown, not liking the sound of his own voice. He hoped this wasn't a permanent change.

Kit reached into his bag and pulled out a piece of Apelop meat to give to Snowball as a treat. The little creature had earned it. Carefully, he placed the meat on the ground and released Snowball from his sling. The tiny companion eagerly pounced on the food.

Kit was still reeling from the events that had happened earlier. After managing to calm himself down, he couldn't stop thinking about the ghastly pink dress that he was still wearing.

"How in the world do I make this hideous dress vanish? And this voice...it's downright unsettling coming out of my own mouth." Kit was baffled by how Kat had managed to conjure up the dress and change his voice.

He felt embarrassed as Mars and Kai saw him in the outfit, but he was grateful that the shock of wearing it distracted him from his traumatic memories. Secretly, he would rather wear the dress than relive those painful moments.

While waiting, Kit did some breathing exercises to calm himself down and push away negative thoughts. He focused on his dream in CAL until he felt a sense of peace wash over him. Opening his eyes, he noticed that his clothes had returned to normal. Curious, he tested his voice to make sure it had also reverted to its original sound.

"Kat, we need to have a serious talk once I get out of this situation." Kit let out a relieved sigh, movement down the road caught his attention. Two figures were walking towards him in the distance.

Kit's face turned red with embarrassment. How would he face his two friends after throwing up and showing up in a pink dress? He braced himself for the jokes and teasing he was sure to receive.

His mind was fragile, and he didn't know if he could handle being laughed at again. Maybe it was a mistake to try to make friends; he wasn't ready for people to see him at his most vulnerable.

The last time he had broken down in front of others, they started whispering and spreading rumours about him being bad luck. Some even told him directly that he was a burden and should go back to the mental hospital.

Others avoided him or gave him pitying looks keeping their distance. Kit patted Snowball, trying to calm himself while he waited for his friends. He knew that they would leave soon, and he could fall apart in private. People always seemed to avoid him after seeing him like this. It made them uncomfortable, so they either lashed out or ignored him altogether.

This was why Kit had avoided making friends for so long; as much as he missed having company, it wasn't worth feeling like this. He felt even more agitated as his friends finally joined him, but to his surprise, they both looked apologetic rather than mocking him like he expected.

"I apologise, Kit. I shouldn't have laughed at you when you were going through a tough time. I should have been there to support you instead. I was just taken aback by your sudden change. I'm not being a good friend." Mars hung his head and started to fidget nervously.

"I promise next time I won't laugh. If changing clothes helps you feel better, I'll help you pick out some outfits. I'll even wear them with you if it will make you feel more comfortable." Mars gazed at Kit, waiting for his response. Kit was surprised by Mars' offer of support.

It was a rare occurrence for someone to apologise to Kit after he had a meltdown. He was used to being avoided and treated like an outcast. However, this time was different. Mars not only acknowledged his mistake, but also sincerely apologised without trying to shift the blame onto Kit.

Although Kit felt grateful for the apology, he couldn't fully forgive Mars yet. When Mars offered to wear a dress as well, Kit couldn't help but have mischievous thoughts about it. "Thank you for apologising, Mars. It would make me feel better if you also wore a dress," Kit replied with a hint of mischief in his voice.

Kit lowered his head, hoping to avoid any attention being drawn to his lie. He had no control over the malfunctioning dress he was wearing, he honestly hoped he would never have to see it again. As for Mars wearing a dress, he wouldn't push it that far, just getting to buy a dress would be enough for Kit. 

But as he considered his plan, he couldn't help but wonder if Mars would truly stand by him or if it was just an empty gesture. Kit nervously waited for Mars' response, expecting him to refuse. But instead, he was surprised by what Mars said next.

"I'll get a fancy dress to match yours," Mars replied with genuine kindness.

"I'm sorry too, Kit. I forgot about the deadly fish in the river. Did you lose someone close to you?" Kai asked sympathetically.

Kit didn't want to bring up his father again, so he just nodded. "What are death fish?" He figured Kai had brought them up for a reason, so he wanted to know more about them.

"Those fish in the river are known as death fish, but they are actually called corpse fish. They have a unique power to stir up memories of losing someone dear and feed off the sorrow and anguish that follows. To feed, they draw out painful recollections of their victims' loss, trapping them in a state of helplessness. While trapped in this nightmarish state, the death fish slowly drain their life energy without their awareness." Kai relayed this information to Kit.

Kit's spirits lifted slightly when he discovered that his breakdown was caused by a fish. He didn't want to develop a fear of crossing rivers, it would restrict his movement around the Fornax continent.

He hoped there was a solution to ward off the fish so he wouldn't have to resort to wearing women's clothing every time he came across a bridge.

Kit turned to Kai with a pleading look in his eyes. "Is there anything I can do to prevent or lessen the effects of the deadly fish?" he asked.

Kai's expression was apologetic as he replied. "No, nothing has been found to be effective against them yet. But if you keep moving, they won't be able to consume your life force." He suggested that Kit ride across the bridge next time on Pint instead. "it may not stop the memories from resurfacing, but it could save you from death."

Kit sighed but still thanked Kai, he at least had a plan for dealing with the death fish now. Now all he had to do was build a bond with Pint so he could ride him." Kit looked over at the massive horse, wondering if his plan of bribing the animal with alcohol would work.

"Kit, are you sure you're okay to leave for Flower Field town?" Mars queried as Kit stood up ready to leave.

"I'm fine now, Mars. It turns out my emotional breakdown was caused by a fish. At least we know what to do next time," smiled Kit.

"Kit, you were very brave to face your fears head on." Mars nodded in agreement as Kai spoke up. "It took a lot of courage to step onto that bridge after such a traumatic experience. Even the strongest person can falter when confronted with their memories."

As Kit received the kind words, he felt a sense of comfort and warmth filling his chest. This game was exactly what he needed; it showed him that true friends could be supportive. Up until now, Kit's life had taught him not to trust anyone except for Kat.

"I don't think I could have handled that situation as calmly and bravely as you did. You really are incredible, Kit." Mars' expression was filled with admiration.

This was the first time anyone had ever admired Kit like this, and he wasn't sure if he deserved it. He couldn't forget how he had vomited in front of everyone earlier, only making it through thanks to the bracelet Kit had given him. Kit couldn't help grimacing at the thought.

"Let's continue our journey, shall we? I'm eager to see what other towns have in store for us." Kit wanted to move on from this experience, besides he was excited to explore a new place.

The three of them turned towards Flower Field town.