Big Lip and Small Lippy stood in awkward silence as the towering mushrooms loomed over them, casting shifting shadows across the spongy ground. Their rivalry hung in the air, as tangible as the faint mushroom spores that glowed softly around them. Big Lip could feel his oversized lips twitching with a mix of annoyance and something else he didn’t quite want to acknowledge. Small Lippy, with her tiny lips pursed into a tight line, crossed her arms and waited for him to speak first.

“You’re really going to follow me?” Big Lip finally asked, his voice a bit more exasperated than he intended.

Small Lippy rolled her eyes. “Follow? Don’t get ahead of yourself, Big Lip. I’m not following you—I’m just making sure you don’t mess this up.”

Big Lip grunted, smacking his massive lips once in irritation. “Mess what up?”

Small Lippy pointed around at the massive forest. “This. The Queen Lipper. You don’t even know what you’re getting into.”

“I can handle it,” he snapped, his lips flaring slightly. “I don’t need help.”

Small Lippy’s lips curled into the tiniest smirk. “Oh, you’ll need it. But it’s fine—when you get into trouble, I’ll be there to save your big lips.”

Before Big Lip could respond, a low rumble echoed through the forest. The ground trembled beneath their feet, and the mushrooms began to sway, their caps shuddering as if alive. Big Lip’s lips twitched nervously. Small Lippy’s tiny lips tightened into a focused line as her eyes scanned their surroundings.

“What... what is that?” Big Lip asked, his voice wavering slightly.

Small Lippy didn’t answer. Instead, she gestured toward the largest mushroom ahead. Its stem seemed to pulse with life, glowing faintly as the rumble grew louder. The mushroom tilted toward them, and suddenly, the ground beneath it split open, revealing a dark, gaping hole.

“Welcome, Lip Lippers,” a deep, booming voice echoed from within the darkness. “You have entered the Trial of the Mushrooms. Only those with true mastery of their lips may proceed.”

Big Lip swallowed hard, his massive lips trembling. He glanced at Small Lippy, who was already stepping forward, her tiny lips set in determination.

“I guess this is it,” she said without looking back. “You coming, Big Lip? Or are you too afraid your lips will get stuck?”

He gritted his teeth, feeling his pride flare. There was no way he was letting Small Lippy make him look weak. With a sharp smack of his lips, Big Lip stepped forward, following her into the mouth of the cave.

The moment they crossed the threshold, the air grew thick with the scent of damp earth and mushrooms. Glowing spores floated lazily around them, casting an eerie light on the cavern walls. The tunnel sloped downward, and the deeper they went, the louder the rumble became, until it felt like the very ground was alive.

“This place gives me the creeps,” Big Lip muttered, his lips twitching with unease.

Small Lippy shot him a glance. “Keep your lips in check. We’re not alone.”

As if on cue, the walls of the tunnel began to ripple. Massive mushroom stems pushed through the earth, their caps unfurling above them like umbrellas. But these weren’t ordinary mushrooms. Their surfaces were covered in mouths—tiny, chattering mouths that snapped and gnashed, whispering unintelligible words.

“What... what is this?” Big Lip asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“The Trial,” Small Lippy said quietly. “They’re testing us.”

Before Big Lip could ask how, one of the mushroom mouths shot forward, its tiny lips smacking loudly. It lunged straight for Big Lip’s face, its gnashing mouth aiming for his massive lips.

Without thinking, Big Lip’s lips reacted. He smacked them together, sending a powerful wave of air toward the mushroom. The force of the lip smack sent the creature flying backward, its tiny mouths still snapping as it disappeared into the darkness.

“Nice one,” Small Lippy said, though her tone was more grudging than complimentary.

“Thanks,” Big Lip muttered, his lips tingling from the impact.

But there was no time to celebrate. More mushrooms sprang to life, their mouths opening and closing as they lunged toward the two Lip Lippers. Big Lip smacked his lips in rapid succession, sending blast after blast of air to knock them back, while Small Lippy dodged and weaved between the attacks, her tiny lips barely moving as she delivered precise, almost surgical lip-smacks to disable the creatures.

The tunnel seemed endless, and the attacks relentless. For every mushroom mouth they knocked back, two more appeared. Big Lip’s lips ached from the constant smacking, and his breath came in short, sharp bursts.

“Is this... ever going to end?” he panted, wiping his sweaty brow with the back of his hand.

Small Lippy, still focused, didn’t look at him. “The Trial isn’t about endurance. It’s about precision. Control your lips, Big Lip. The harder you smack, the more they come.”

Big Lip paused, blinking. Control. That’s what the Whispering Mushrooms had told him. His lips were strong, but without mastery, they were useless.

Taking a deep breath, Big Lip centered himself. Instead of smacking his lips with all his might, he let them relax, barely moving them as the next wave of mushrooms came toward him. With a gentle, controlled lip-smack, he sent out a soft ripple of air, just enough to knock back the nearest mushroom without causing a chain reaction.

To his surprise, the attacks slowed. The mushroom mouths began to retreat, their chattering fading into the background.

Small Lippy nodded approvingly, her tiny lips curling into the faintest smile. “Not bad.”

Big Lip grinned, his massive lips parting in relief. “I guess I’m learning.”

As the last of the mushroom creatures disappeared into the shadows, the tunnel ahead began to glow. A soft, pulsating light beckoned them forward.

“That must be it,” Small Lippy said, her voice quiet but steady. “The end of the Trial.”

Together, they walked toward the light, their footsteps echoing in the now-silent cavern. Big Lip could feel the weight of the Trial lifting from his shoulders, but he knew this was only the beginning.

The Queen Lipper was still out there, waiting. And whatever trials lay ahead, he would face them—with or without Small Lippy by his side.