The Stegosorcerers

Chapter 7

     After about half an hour of working, Gus' new stegostaff was done.
     "Okay, Gus, you ready to try it?" Feathers asked him with a smile. Gus nodded and everyone walked out the door. Feathers handed the stegostaff off to Gus. "Whenever you're ready!"
     Gus nodded again and began to focus. He closed his eyes and could imagine his magic source. He pulled the fiery heat from it and tried to make it spew out of the staff, but it didn't work. Again and again he tried, but it still failed. Gus sighed.
     "Gus, why isn't it working?" Appendix asked.
     "I'm not sure...." Gus replied. "I did everything I used to do...." Feathers looked lost in thought. Suddenly, she gasped.
     "Oh my god...." she whispered. The three looked at her in confusion as she rushed inside. A few minutes later, she came back out looking dejected.
     "Feathers, what's wrong? Is everything okay?" Mister Hache asked her. She shook her head violently.
     "No! Nothing is okay! It's all my fault!" She cried out.
     "What's your fault?" Gus asked.
     "Your stegostaff not working!" Gus looked at her confusedly.
     "How in the world is that your fault?" He asked her.
     "I didn't give you phoenix ash! I gave you fauxnix ash!" She cried.
     "The fuck is fauxnix ash?" Asked Mister Hache. "The fuck even is a fauxnix?"
     "A fauxnix is a bird that looks similar to a phoenix, kind of like how some snakes look like other species of venomous snakes. It's a way to defend themselves. And fauxnixes are known for their weak firepower! They can spit sparks and that's it!
     "I'm so sorry, Gus! I swear it was an accident! You may not be able to do much more than spit sparks...."
     "Feathers, it's okay! It's not your fault. It was a simple mistake," Gus said, trying to comfort her. Appendix and Mister Hache agreed.
     "Are you sure? What about defeating Jasper?" Feathers asked. Gus sighed.
     "Well, I figure I'll quit." The others gasped.
     "What?! You can't quit!" Appendix yelled.
     "I'm sorry, but to defeat Jasper, you'll need powerful Stegosorcerers. And I'm not one of them."
     "But without you, we won't have enough!" Mister Hache said.
     "Find a new one, like Socks. He's more than ready." Everyone was quiet for a few minutes. "Goodbye," Gus said with a tone of finality as he walked away.