Daisy tapped the enter button on her ghostly keyboard. Around them, the dungeon shifted and changed. It was no longer a dusty, abandoned dungeon of a mad man. Birds called in the sounds of spring as beams of light shone down on them. Daisy wasn't paying attention to that. Her family counter went up and kept on raising, climbing and climbing. She felt her heart leap at the idea of so much family. They were all around her, all full of love for her. She could sense them, feel them, and knew that they'd all do what she wanted.

She had found home, and she settled with a dazed look. "Home."

"Now home. Not even close." Theo grabbed her by one of her large ears and pulled in a yank. "On your feet. We're moving!"

Her eyes focused, but her heart remained lost. She fell into step behind Theo without complaint.

Cedric took her hand, walking next to the walking Daisy. "I think we're doing great."

"Where are you taking mother?" A small squirrel with big eyes approached with a nut held between its little paws. "Momma, do you need help?"

"Momma!" A rabbit hopped over. "Momma's come? Really come?" She hurried alongside the trio, her ears bouncing with every hop.

Daisy felt the joy rise as they were joined again by a deer that wanted to walk along. "Y-you two go on." She brushed Theodoren away. "I'm alright here. You can go."

"Not leaving without you." Cedric pulled Daisy along and away from her children. "Don't listen to them. They're not yours."

Daisy looked at them, tears in her eyes. "Of course they're mine. Tell them you're mine."

Theodoren rolled his eyes. "We're not having this conversation." He pointed towards the door that Daisy herself had built. It was almost within sight. "Come on."

A small mouse tugged on Daisy's tail, joined with others that together hugged and pulled at Daisy in a desperate bit to keep their 'mother' close at hand. She slowed and then stopped as the little ones clung and held her tight.

"Mother! Stay!"

"I love you!" A rabbit clung to her waist, eyes full of sadness. "Don't go!"

Cedric was tugging, but it wasn't enough. "Let go of her, please! She said to make her go."

"I would never." Daisy shook her head. "I want to stay. Stay with them." She gathered a few of them up in a great hug. "We're such a happy family."

Theodoren and Cedric exchanged a look, and the rabbit man grabbed her other arm. Together, they managed to pull Daisy from her family's grasp. The deer and rabbits were too weak to do much about it. At least until the floor rumbled. The boss of the dungeon had arrived, shimmering with dangerous magic as he flexed his furry hands at his side. "You will not take her!"

Theodoren stared. "You, you're me?" He gestured towards her with a finger, pointing between himself and the other. "She made a version of me."

Cedric's jaw was wide open as he stared at his own version of himself. "O-oh. That's, um, nice, but disturbing. She made us bosses of her dungeon. I'm flattered and terrified."

"Yield! We will treat her well, we promise." It was Theodoren, but more powerful in every way. "She is our Queen and we are her defenders. We will keep her safe, happy, and content for as long as we exist."

Original Theodoren snorted at that. "We had her first. She made us promise to get her out of here, even kicking and screaming. Now are we fighting or not?"

Daisy struggled in his grip, trying to push her way through the group, towards her beloved children. "Please, just let me be happy!"

"Mother!" A child from behind the Bosses called to her.

Cedric whirled around to get between Daisy and the cute monster. "I'll block her, you tackle them head on."

Theodoren didn't need another prompt, he charged in, wand at the ready. The boss version of him was a powerful opponent. Theodoren was knocked down more than once by various strikes, but Daisy healed him each time without thought. She healed the bosses too, seemingly unable to determine which of them needed her love more than the other. "Stop fighting, please."

The boss version of Cedric sent a powerful bolt of magic towards the real one, only to be blocked with a shield spell. The two fired magic bolts back and forth rapidly, sending a volley of attacks in all directions as they connected and clashed in mid air.

Cedric smiled at his copy. "Hey. So, uh, we're both magic creations."

The copy ran a hand down a long ear. "Guess we are. Do you really love her?"

The original bobbed his head. "So much! She taught me how to love myself, and how to be loved. I want her to be happy."

"That's not a yes." The copy shook his head, looking disappointed. "Why do you think she made a boss of me? I can see the other, but me?" He gestured to himself with his staff. "I'm here because she wants to be loved, even by a rabbit."

"But I do love her!"

The copy smirked in a way the real one didn't often. "Got you to say it."

The original froze, then blushed with a nervous laugh. "You, um, did. You love her too, right?"

The copy nodded. "She's mother, so I guess I do. Don't tell her, she has enough issues."

The real Cedric laughed at that, then fell silent as they both looked over towards Daisy and the two Theos locked in battle. "I don't want to fight myself."

The copy nodded in agreement. "If we're both constructs, we know the answer." He offered a hand. "Let's help mom."

"She's my wife." The original Cedric glanced away. "But yes. Let's help her." He offered an uncertain hand. "Are you going to hurt me or something?"

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"No." Copy smiled. "We have a better plan. Together."

Both Cedrics took hold of the others' hand, and there was one Cedric left. He looked down at his own hands, seeing them in a new light, then hurried to Daisy's side. "If you can come to an accord with the other you, you'll win."

Theodoren glanced his way, but got blasted by the boss. Daisy healed him, but she was clearly not in any mood to listen, tears streaming down her face as she tried to push past everyone, to reach her children. Renewed and unopposed, Cedric kept her back. "Talk to him." Cedric waved between the two Theos.

The real Theodoren stared at his copy, who stared back. "I guess I get to do this too." He offered his hand. "Guess we both love her?"

"You don't love her." The copy sneered at Theo. "You lust for her. Her big boobs turn you on. Her body excites you. Her presence makes you weak in the knees. That's not love. Love is wanting what's good for her. What she wants, what's best for her."

Theodoren smiled at that. "She asked us to get her out, and that's what she wants. It'd be a lot easier to walk out, or grab her while she's not arguing. Pretty sure I could do whatever I want right now." He shrugged. "She made us bosses, but she didn't give us orders not to hurt her, or take advantage of her. We can do whatever we want." He glanced at the boss. "But I love her, so I'm out for what she wants. What she really wants, not in this moment."

The copy hurled lightning at the original, ducking to the side. "Easy to say. Filthy fox, all girls are targets for you!"

"No, just the cuties." Theodoren dodged away from a second blast. "Now stop doing that. I'm not here to fight myself. She dragged me out of that dark place, kicking and screaming." He gave a kick at his couple, even if it didn't connect. "I haven't looked at a lady like that in a month."

"Then why are you helping her?" The copy's arms wreathed in magical energy. "You just want her."

"Of course I want my damn wife." The original hurled a bolt of fire, but the copy dodged. "And I'm going to get her out. You can help me, or we can stand here fighting until I beat your sorry ass. Your choice." He stood there, panting for breath.

Cedric strained, keeping Daisy back just barely. "You're, mm, not a construct like me. A handshake won't do it. Convince him. Convince him this is what she wants."

Theo snarled, but stopped his attacks and faced the copy. "Please, just look at her." They both did, watching Daisy struggle against Cedric as she tried to get to the children that had been created for her. "She wants to become a better fighter. She wants to explore other dungeons, make friends, and find treasure. She wants to do a lot of things she can't do if she stays here with you all."

Daisy's struggles weakened. She was looking between Cedric and Theodoren, tears in her eyes. "I just want to stay." The words were weak, as if she didn't believe them.

Theo's copy hesitated. "It doesn't matter what you say. If I join with you, I'll disappear and all that will remain is your opinion of me. I will cease to be. No more self, no more being me.

The original laughed at that. "You joking? She leaves, you get to keep on being a dungeon boss until some other brood mouse comes in here and conquers it, which you won't let happen. You're me. We'll fight!"

The copy looked thoughtful.

Cedric was having trouble with Daisy's bulk. Each moment, he was slowly pushed inch by inch. "Oh, please hurry!"

Theodoren lunged forward, catching the other Theodoren by the collar, locking eyes with him. "You are not me. You are a part of this dungeon. If she stays, it'll be fine, but she'll never be happy. If she goes, you get to keep the dungeon. Kick people's asses. Looking forward to hearing the stories."

The copy nodded and offered a handshake. The real Theo stared for a moment before taking it. "I can't wait." They shook hands, then he turned to Daisy. "Mother." His voice was warm, but commanding. "Go." He pointed for the exit. "I'll protect them for you."

Daisy stared for a moment before tears began to stream down her face. "I'll come back!" She struggled towards him. "Please."

Cedric held her back, and looked towards the Theodoren. Theo crashed into Daisy, the two wrestling her sobbing form out of the dungeon into the cooler air outside.

Daisy crashed to her bottom once they were outside. Her family number suddenly dropped to two. As good as it had been to feel it surge up, crashing was almost twice as bad. "N-no..." She reached for the dungeon that looked like a fenced off idyllic farm. "Let me go back."

Theo snarled, his teeth clenched. "Damn, you're heavy." He pushed himself off her and looked down at her with sad eyes. "I'm so sorry, Daisy. You'll get over this, I promise."

She sobbed and clutched her chest.

Cedric hugged her from behind, rocking her which soon became a mutal motion. "Shh. Get it all out." He was crying with her, remembering how much he hated seeing her cry. He was also glad she was out of the dungeon. "Oh, Daisy, please come back to me."

Soon she was asleep, inconsolable, but safe.

Theo sat next to the two. "Well, shoot. She's way too heavy for us two to drag her to town like this. Guess we're camping out here until she gets it together."

"Sounds good." Cedric waved him closer. "Help me get her into the bedroll."

As a group, the settled in to rest. Daisy woke first, head pounding, but not even fully remembering exactly why. "You two alright?" She sat up slowly, rubbing her sore skull. "What happened?"

Cedric and Theodoren both sat up, rubbing their eyes.

"You made an amazing dungeon, we're really proud of you." Theo started with a smile.

Cedric grinned. "I got to meet a copy of me, and he's a great guy." He rubbed behind his head. "And we had to drag you out of there, um. Don't go back in." He pointed to the new dungeon just sitting there. "You made yourself bosses of me and him, then lost your mind when you had to leave them."

She looked at it. It was familiar, but she didn't feel pulled in. "Right." She drew a hiss of a breath. "Brood. They, hm. They felt like my brood, and I did make them." It was coming back to her as she recovered. "That is what brood mice are. They aren't breeders at all." She chuckled softly. "They create monsters, then they're lost in the family, and never want to leave."

Theodoren nodded slowly. "Yeah, that's what happened." He waved over Daisy. "Not complaining, promise, but if that's what brood mice are, why the big honkers?"

Daisy gave a weak laugh and lifted one breast up. It was warm and soft, pliant to her every whim, but also heavy. "These? Well, I didn't make them, but they are mutagens, and healing potions." Her eyes widened. "Wait. Do people who 'lose' a dungeon sometimes come out mutated?"

Theo rubbed his forehead. "Sometimes, yeah. I've seen them come out of the dungeon with new ears or tails or something. Never paid much mind." His nose twitched. "Why would that matter?"

Daisy put a hand on either breast. "I can do that. The only question in my mind is if I have more control over that than I thought. Like, is mouse just the default since I am one of those?"

Theo stared at her chest, his mouth open and drooling slightly. "W-wow. So, you're just, wow." He stared for several moments before rubbing behind his head. "Sorry, not trying to stare, but if you can make different mutagens, that's pretty wild."

Daisy nodded slowly. She let the moment linger a little longer. "Yeah, I think so. I think that's exactly what it is." She lowered her hands. "Sorry, this is nuts." She scratched at her cheek. "But now I'm imagining dungeon master mice coming up on defeated adventurers, laughing. They turn them into something different and have the monsters kick them out."

Theo whistled softly. "That would be a terrifying power to have. Good thing they aren't common."