image [https://i.imgur.com/0htGLs8.jpeg]

The small mushroom parasite, known as Sprig, scuttled into the quiet house with all the excitement a young spore could muster. It had finally been assigned a host household to infect and it was ready to bring glory to the Mushroom Legion. There was just one problem: the house was empty. Not a single human in sight, no sleepy residents to latch onto. Sprig huffed, a puff of spores floating around it in frustration.

"Boss said bodies. But where are all the bodies?" Sprig murmured, wobbling up the staircase, hunting for any sign of life.

It eventually stumbled into a small bedroom, soft pink curtains fluttering in the breeze, and the scent of lavender in the air. There, seated in rows and piles and heaps, were dozens of stuffed animals—plush bears, rabbits, unicorns, a smiling tiger—all watching it with glassy, innocent eyes.

“Hmm.” Sprig frowned, considering its options. “They’re not people, but they’re… well, they’re bodies, right?” It tapped a little paw against the bedpost thoughtfully. “Boss did say any bodies would do!”

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Without another moment of hesitation, Sprig leapt onto the bed and scurried over to the first bear, a big, fluffy one. With a mischievous grin, it settled in, rooting itself in the soft fabric, sending tiny tendrils of mycelium threading through the seams. The bear twitched, just a little, before sitting up straighter, a faint glimmer of magenta in its eyes.

“Oh-ho! This works perfectly!” Sprig cackled, hopping from one stuffed toy to the next, carefully spreading its spores. Soon, the entire bed of stuffed animals came alive, moving in a slow, shuffling unison as they followed Sprig’s commands.

Sprig strutted before its new, plush army with pride. “Alright, recruits! Boss wants an army, and we are going to be the best plush soldiers the Legion has ever seen!”

The tiger raised its paw in a small salute, the unicorn whinnied silently, and the bears lined up in formation. They weren’t the fiercest army, but they had spirit.

Suddenly, a car pulled up outside. Sprig froze, listening to the jangle of keys and a child’s laughter.

“Alright, everyone, fall back!” Sprig whispered, and the plush army dropped back into their places on the bed, returning to lifeless toys in mere moments.

As the little girl entered the room, she gave her stuffed animals a fond smile, unaware of the little mushroom hidden among them. A small, squishy cackling emanated from the pile.