Kouji frowned and kept his eyes closed when he awoke. He felt himself lying on the cold, hard ground. Apparently, his body ached, therefore, he knew he was alive and could feel all his limbs. He kept his eyes shut as he tried to make out the garbled voices around him. As he listened, he could make out what they were saying as his hearing became sharper.
“Shimatta!! We got the wrong boy!” a rough voice said.
“We could still use him. He is of Hikari.” A kinder, but animal-like voice said.
“Hmph. Like a ningen could help us. I say we cut him up, cook him, then eat him,” the first voice said.
“Shush now!” Can’t you see he’s awake??” said the kinder voice. The voice was light and airy, giving Kouji the impression that he could trust it.
Still, he did not open his eyes. He wished they would just go away so he could get up and figure out where he was. As he tried to breathe steadily to mask that he was “sleeping”, he could smell moistness in the air.
Maybe I am in a forest. But… that’s impossible. The boy thought. The last thing I remember was being at school… and falling… Oh… no… “Kouichi-niisan!!”
Kouji yelled, remembering about his older twin brother. The younger sat up quickly, snapping his eyes open to sweep his surroundings. Sure enough, he was in a forest. It was dim, there on the forest floor, under the thick green canopy.
He tensed, seeing the two creatures near him. One was a dog, although this one had two tails and a pair of white wings on its back. This ‘dog’ was also a pure white color. Beside it was a creature; unlike anything Kouji had ever seen in real life. It stood, as tall as himself, centipede-like, a scorpion tail, a face full of black compound eyes, and a round mouth lined by white jagged teeth and saliva dripping from it. Kouji was instantly revolted by the sight of the more ugly creature, and backed up into a tree.
“Hah! It’s afraid of me, see??” the giant bug barked and gave what seemed to be a laugh.
“I’m not afraid!!” Kouji spat out.
“So, it speaks.” The creature said. “I still say we should eat him. A ningen this scrawny shouldn’t even be alive.”
“I’m not scrawny either!!” Kouji revolted. He was obviously offended by the nasty bug.
“Now, now. That’s enough out of the both of you!” the dog barked at the both of them.
Kouji snorted and crossed his arms as he looked around again. “Where am I?”
“This is Chikyuu, where else would you be?” the dog said, cocking its head at Kouji.
“Chikyuu…
That’s… Earth in nihongo…. The Japanese language.” Kouji muttered
to himself. But… if it’s
still Earth… I don’t get it…
I’m on Earth, and yet… I don’t seem to be.
“O namae wa nán to osshaimásu ka?” the dog said politely to Kouji.
Kouji blinked at the dog’s formality. “Minamoto Kouji desu.”
“Inuomi to mooshimásu.” The dog said politely, despite Kouji’s informality and impoliteness.
“I still say we should have eaten him.” The scorpion bug muttered.
“Shush Sasoritenma.” A voice said from behind the giant bug.
“Nani?? Shukun!!” The scorpion then quickly stepped aside and bowed.
A girl walked forward. She was just about Kouji’s age and height. The girl had short black hair that reached just under her ears. She wore all blue, gloves, tank top, skirt, shorts, boots and all. The only things that were not blue were the white ‘straps’ of her top that acted like a cape, and her tiara.
“Minamoto Kouji-kun… It’s not safe here. You must leave.” The girl said.
“Nani?! I don’t even know how I got here!!” Kouji snapped.
The girl looked hard at Kouji then turned. “Follow me then. We must hurry.”
Kouji watched the girl walk off. In his mind, he wondered if she could be trusted. He took note that Sasori had called her ‘shukun’, meaning ‘master’, and followed her.
How can she be a master? Especially of that… ugly… thing… Kouji then shrugged it off, following the girl in silence.
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