This story is part of the Wanderer series.
“Hurry up!”
“I’m going…! I’m going!”
Already on the top of the hill, Tokiwa crossed her arms underneath her cloak. “If you don’t hurry, the big bad monster will catch you!”
Looking up in dismay, Yuriko swung her arms wildly as she dashed faster. “No way! Save me, Tokiwa!”
“You don’t need saving, fool! Save yourself with your own two legs!”
Finally reaching the top, she leaned over, hands on her knees, panting. Her friend did not give her a moment to rest.
“Now, look yonder!”
Drawing in her voice to a hiss, Tokiwa hunched forward, as if they were hiding behind a rock, and pointed, away from the direction they came from.
“There! … is a sleeping monster. See it hiding. Hidden in the forest!”
Yuriko looked up, still catching her breath. “Where?”
“It pokes up over the forest. Over there! See?”
“I just see a tree.”
“That’s what it wants you to think!” Tokiwa hissed even louder. “But deep beneath that mighty tree rests the soul of an evil spirit!”
The girl seemed genuinely shocked. “Really?!”
“Really!” Tokiwa echoed. “It has the ghost of a thousand spirits! Vengeful to those who conquered this land from its rightful owners!”
“Wait, now it’s a thousand?!”
“No, it’s… you know…” Tokiwa paused. Clearly, she was making it all up on the go. “A thousand souls combined into a single evil monster!”
Wide-eyed on the thought of such an opponent Yuriko eyed the forest’s edge. “Scary!”
“It waits! … still as a statue! … for any daring adventurer to approach it! Then, when they get too close, the monster will roar! … with mighty might!”
Seeing where this was going, Yuriko gulped. “What do we have to do to defeat it this time?”
Tokiwa jumped on the opportunity to spring right into the action. “The only way to defeat it is to climb it and stab its heart!”
Her eyes widened. “What? You know I can’t—”
“But don’t let it roar! It’s roar will paralyze you! And then—”
“Girls!”
From behind, down the hill and towards the cottage, the call of Tokiwa’s father interrupted their play. She whirled around, impatiently pouting.
“Father! We’re busy!”
But her father hardly blinked. Yuriko’s father was standing near him, his arms full of papers. Both of them peered up the hill, squinting against the sunlight. Approaching the base of the hill, Tokiwa’s father continued.
“One of my associates will be visiting today! If you’re going to continue playing, you two will have to play somewhere else, okay?”
Crossing her arms under her cloak once more, Tokiwa took a breath and held her chin high. “Fine! Fine! We were on our way to fight a monster anyway!”
Her father nodded. “Come back before it’s dark, okay?”
“Yes! Yes!” Throwing out an arm, she flaunted her cloak like a cape, whipping it behind her as she turned away. “Come on, Yuri! Off we go!”
With that, Yuriko straightened. She still looked uncertain, drawing in her own cloak, but was ready to set out.
“Take care of Yuriko, okay?!” Father shouted after them.
“I know! I know!”
And the two dipped behind the hill as they ran off, out of sight from the two men. Yuriko’s father chuckled.
“Dressing your daughter like a princess huh? Your old roots are rubbing off on you.”
Tokiwa’s father laughs softly. “I guess I can’t help it. It’s the only way I know how to make her happy.”
“Is it not enough for her to see you every morning?”
He sighed. “It’s not always easy. She doesn’t like being pulled in for work. She would rather play outside.”
“Good for her, at least. Children this age should be running around outside.”
“I do my best to give her the time she needs. Yet, with our research this close, we cannot let a moment go to waste.”
Nodding, Yuriko’s father straightened the papers in his arms and headed towards the cottage door. Tokiwa’s father followed behind.
“If you need me to pick up some slack, I’m always willing.”
“No, that is not necessary. I wouldn’t want to take your time away from your daughter.”
“Yuriko is a quiet child,” he chuckled. “She is perfectly content with any amount of time we spend together.”
Tokiwa’s father went silent for a moment as they settled indoors. “I fear it will only get worse for Tokiwa as the kingdom closes in on our work.”
His friend similarly darkened.
“They have been gathering up the scattered scientists from the old kingdom. With where my roots are from, I’m certain I am a prime target.”
“I’m surprised they haven’t done so yet.”
“They’re clever. They know I will not comply, so they are biding their time, squeezing every little clue they can out of us.” Striking a match, he lit a candle and glanced up at his friend. “So don’t reveal too much today, right?”
Yuriko’s father only smiled, setting down his papers. “This isn’t even a quarter of my research.”