Selena threw her hands wide as she came into their room. "I have a mission, and you're all invited." She grinned, showing rows of shark teeth. "We're going dungeon crawling!"

Cedric peeked over the top of his book. "So suddenly? What brought this on?"

"More than just that." Selena twirled in place. "You're all my boyfriends and girlfriends and lovers. I want you all there when I go for the finish." She settled before the group, arms behind her back and eyes on them, waiting.

Daisy rolled a hand. "You're skipping the part we need to hear. What brought this on? This is a little sudden, yes?"

Selena looked between the three of them, her voice taking on a desperate tone. "It's not that sudden! I've been talking about it all along." She shook her head slowly before lifting it. "There's this dungeon, where this new mutation's cropping up. Unlike most, it comes with a wardrobe shift. I want it, and my teacher's given the okay for it to count towards school work." She rubbed at her cheek slowly. "She thinks it'll help me focus my work, if I have this one I really want."

Theo nodded quickly, though he didn't look thrilled by it. "I like the fashion I have." He plucked at his collar, the same shirt he'd worn a while. "But if you're going and it's counting for school work, sure. I'll blast whatever gives you trouble."

Cedric smiled warmly. "Sounds like you're serious, so of course we'll help out. You just want that new mutation, or are there others you want to get while we're down there?"

Daisy's brow lifted. "That's a good question." She hopped to her feet. "If we're in there, may as well know everything we're after. It's not something we'll run into all the time, right?"

Selena grinned wide. "I'll get some notes on it and what all can be found." She rubbed her chin. "I have a lot I'm considering, but I can narrow it down." She giggled with poorly-contained excitement. "I can't wait to come back wearing mutated clothing."

Theo nodded slowly. "Yeah, sounds interesting."

Daisy poked him in the nose. "What's got your tongue, Theo? You don't sound excited."

Theo rubbed a hand along her arm lightly. "We were getting to some stuff that was actually kind of interesting, in class."

Daisy gave him a light swat. "Then stay. Stay and get good grades and learn things." They all looked at her oddly. "What?"

Cedric raised a hand timidly. "What's a grade, and what makes a good or bad one?"

"Ah... well, um." She cleared her throat softly. "You know, points your teacher gives you for doing a task right or wrong. Don't they have those?" She sank to her bottom on the edge of the bed. "New world, new rules? Okay, so." She rubbed the sides of her head. "Can you just stay here and learn while we're gone? I'm sure Selena can handle it with me and Cedric."

Selena smiled weakly. "I'm not trying to pull you all apart. Now I feel guilty."

Cedric hopped to his feet, holding his battle staff at the ready. "There's no problem, really. We are students too, so, um, what Daisy said."

Daisy quirked an ear up. "Are you also missing class? I'm no pro, but I hear some doubt there." She leaned over to nudge him lightly. "If you want to stay and study, we can handle ourselves."

Cedric nodded quickly and sank back into his chair, looking away. "Yeah, that's what I'm getting at. Badly. Sorry." He let out a sigh. "Will you two be alright on your own?"

Selena gave a little shrug and turned back to her room. "I'll go get the notes. Be right back." She skipped from the room, leaving Theo, Daisy, and Cedric to consider.

Daisy grabbed her heavy hammer and inspected that her dagger was in its sheath. "I will do my best, we'll clobber some monsters, take their snazzy mutagen, and get right back."

Theo rubbed her arm slowly. "I think we need to work on the idea of us being apart." He looked down. "We also need to get used to not feeling like something is about to break, if we're not together."

Daisy wriggled her nose at that. "Pretty sure, mm, never mind." She bit back her complaint, swallowing it down. "It's just one dungeon. I'll tough it out. Besides, it's more dangerous for Selena than me. Just gotta do this right."

Cedric cleared his throat, drawing the others' attention. "We're all going to be together most of the time, we should know how to act without being afraid something bad might happen."

Agreed upon, they settled in to finish homework and settle for the night.

The next day, two of them set off to class. Daisy and Selena headed down the main road of town. "Which way is this dungeon?" Daisy looked back to see Selena not there. "Sell? Where—" She squeaked as something landed on her shoulders.

Selena got comfy up there, holding Daisy easily. "I will be safest, and most useful, up here." She leaned down against the other girl, nose poking out from between her ears. "Don't worry. I have you."

Daisy blushed at that, feeling Selena pressed so close against her. "Really?" With no real argument forming, she resumed her steps. "I still need to know which way we're going."

Selena pointed. "That way, out of town, through a grove, and into a cave." She swung her legs idly, dangling over Daisy's shoulders. "The cave's more of a pass, but it'll get us pretty close to where we want. The entrance is just around there."

Daisy nodded slowly. "Which part is the most dangerous for you? Going through that?"

Selena shrugged. "I can't say. There are always dangers, but the dungeon itself is full of traps and monsters. I expect the dungeon to be worse."

They headed on down the road, heading for the outskirts of town, then into the wilds. Selena kept an eye out for any dangers, looking in every direction she could. The cave proved to be far more cavernous than Daisy had imagined, with the ceiling stretching far above them. "This place is huge," she said, voice echoing off the distant walls.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Selena whispered in her ear, "Yeah, but don't make a ton of noise. You don't want to wake anything up that might be living here. There could be a bear, or something worse."

Daisy nodded and continued in silence. A sharp rumble in the distance made her step back. "A bear?"

"That wasn't a bear." Selena pointed ahead. "But we need to keep going."

Daisy broke into a proper jog, going as fast as she felt she could keep going for a distance, but the rumbling was growing closer. She sped her feet, breaking into a proper run, but the steps closed in behind her. "Sell, please tell me what's catching up to us, now."

"Something really dangerous!" Selena urged her on with a kick of the heel. "Keep moving!"

"Really not helping!" Daisy leaned forward, putting all her effort into running as quickly as she could. Her yelp joined Selena's as they were lifted from the ground. Part of her quailed, wondering why her defensive skills hadn't responded to the attack.

She was brought around into the grip of a smiling cyclops. "A big mousey!" it cried with obvious joy. "You're so cute." He nuzzled Daisy without asking. "And what's this?" He examined Selena in his other hand. "A, uh... Not sure what you are. What are you? Maybe you'd make a good snack for me and my brothers."

Selena shivered where she was held. "Oh no, I am not getting eaten by some dumb one-eye. Daisy, help!"

Daisy tried to get her hammer from her back, but the way she was held made it impossible. Its grip was too sure on her to reach for much of anything. "Don't eat her. She's twice as fun as I am."

The cyclops inclined their head left and right, puzzling through this dillema. "Twice as fun? You look pretty fun." His eyes sparkled as the math started to be worked out. "If she's twice as fun, that's a lot of fun. I keep." The cyclops hugged them both as he started down a new tunnel. "I will take such good care of you. Promise!" They were held tight. Selena looked to Daisy, eyes pleading. Daisy tried to move, but she was still held tight.

"I'm not a pet, or some toy," Daisy said with a snort. "Put us down."

The cyclops didn't look impressed at the demand, taking them right back to his home. The home proved to be a little hut in the cave. He closed the door, barred it, then set the two on a little, compared to him, table. "Such lovelies. I never had two such amazing things at the same time. I have to tell them about this!" The cyclops went for the door again.

Selena's finned tail slapped the table. "I am not an amazing thing, not like that anyway." She leaned in towards Daisy. "So we're clear, I am pretty amazing, but that's for me and the family, not that brute." She pointed to her chest. "Mutagen me, right now!"

Daisy blinked at that. "Right now?"

The cyclops pulled open the door. "You'll be okay here, right?"

Daisy flashed a smile at their 'host'. "We're just fine, thank you."

"Okay!" He slapped the door shut and they could hear his steps receding into the distance.

Selena tugged Daisy's arm. "It's now or never! I don't want him to take us back out of here before we're ready. Mutagen me now." She puffed out her chest, lips pressed together.

Daisy shook her head slowly. "I can do lots of them, give me a clue what kind of mutagen you're hoping to swig down?"

Selena bit her lip. "You know, just something that'll make me bigger, and stronger, and more powerful! So when that big dummy comes back, I'll kick his ass all the way to next month!"

Daisy chuckled at the idea. "Leave being big and strong to me. You're an illusionist, illusion us." She looked to the door, then to Selena. "Use that magic you've been learning. You don't know how to be a big brute. I do."

Selena's eyes widened, a smile creeping over her face. "That's actually a good idea. But, I'll still need a mutation. Can you make something that'll make my magic stronger, or let me cast a lot more?"

Daisy thought back to the lessons she did have. "Mutations that do that can be very dangerous. I don't want you getting hurt. What can you do with what you already know? I'll let you get a sip later, once we're safe. Promise!"

Selena gave her a playful shove. "Oh, fine, be a goody two shoes." She rubbed her chin in thought. "Let's see, I could try making an illusion of us running off into the tunnels. He'd go chasing after that. Then we can escape."

Daisy nodded slowly, considering it. "Okay, that sounds like a plan." She got to her feet, taking a few deep breaths. "Now, we need to hide. If he spots us in here, the illusions won't mean anything. Let's find somewhere he won't think to look."

The two quickly got searching, finding some convenient chests. Daisy took the big one, while Selena opted for the smaller. They both settled in and waited, trying not to make any noise. They heard large steps approaching, the cue for Selena to weave her illusion into existance.

But whoever it was didn't seem to react. They hummed softly as they opened some box, then another. "I know he's hiding some," came a new voice.

Selena peeked from her box. A different cyclops was looking around, though he seemed to pay her no mind. He opened Daisy's chest and tried to pull the mouse from it. She gave a nervous squeak and tried to squirm away. "Hey! What are you doing?"

The cyclops froze, blinking rapidly, then started to laugh. "Was he trying to hide you?" He grabbed Daisy firmly and got bit for his trouble. This only made him laugh all the harder. "Aren't you a feisty one? A little biter. What's your name? He examined her, turning her around slowly as if to find some tag on her that had her name.

Daisy wiggled in his grip. "My name is Daisy. What do you think you're doing?"

The cyclops laughed again and nuzzled her as if she were some sort of plush toy. "Daisy, that's a pretty name for a little pretty toy. Hello, Daisy. You're mine now. Finders Keepers, yeah?"

Daisy wiggled in his grasp. "I'm not a toy, and I don't belong to you." She looked around the room. Selena had ducked back into hiding. "I can take care of myself, so let me down."

"Don't be silly." He pet down her head and back in broad motions of a hand. "Such a cute thing. We'll have so much fun." He pulled a bit of rope from his pocket and tied it snugly around Daisy's wrist. "First thing you need is a lead." He looped it around his big finger as he headed out.

Just outside, he bumped into the first giant. The original looked surprised, as did the other behind him, but that turned to anger as they saw Daisy. "You're stealing my toy!"

"You stole it first!" Daisy tugged on the rope binding her to the brute's finger. "Listen, I am not your toy, not anyone's toy!"

The original pointed at Daisy, not really paying attention to her. "That's mine, and I was hiding her from you two because you're always stealing my stuff and breaking it!"

Daisy froze at that, imagining how such a toy could be 'broken'. She shivered and willed it not to come to that. The three brutes started arguing over who had actually found her, and who she actually belonged to.

Selena walked along the wall, unnoticed.