Change.

Change is something often unwelcomed by most, or even ran from, the fear of having your status quo shifted ever so slightly, the reluctance to accept something new,

It could be a small change like listening to a new genre of music, or something as significant as moving countries entirely,

With it brings the anxiety of the future,

What does it hold?

What awaits me, good or bad?

****

“This shouldn’t be possible…

I thought nothing when the sky became colors, but this constant flow…”

Splash!♪

Shiryu sweeps his hand though the strong currents washing the salty water over his face

“Yo I have to get back home to see what this is about!” Mf yells down over the loud crashing of it water,

Shiryu and Pinoki now stand on the outskirts of the Kuwagata waterfall on the other side of Bakufu,

Overhead the jukebox hovers getting ready to zip off

“Shiryu and I will look for the Bakufu people and get to the Wu Tang from here” Pinoki shouts back

“Just make sure to return, we have many more adventures to pursue,”

“Aye,” Mf makes an ‘ok’ hand sign

Grtrttrtrtrtfttggrtt!!

And the ship subsequently zooms off ahead to the mountains where the large stream of water gushes from

“Come on Pinoki we have to find Aki.” Shiryu already on the move

The river from the waterfall flows out along the gravely terrain,

Gishhh!

Hot geysers of steam water blast out of the rocky surface into the air the rocks get sharper and harsher the further north leading to a dead end of the flat unclimbable wall that is the mountain,

But that isn’t where Shiryu and Pinoki head,

Avoiding the geysers the two take the south path into another swampy area…

“You see those footmarks are coming visible now” Shiryu points out steeping into some soft mud,

“Why are you so invested in finding the Bakufu people?” Frets Pinoki

“I’m sure they survived they’re warriors,

Look over there.” He gestures to the east where the silhouette of buildings can be identified from a distance

“That is probably Wu Tang city,

We should be heading there right now.”

“…

I know but I just want to make sure Aki….”

(….)

Shiryu doesn’t finish

“I guess you’re right maybe we should –”

–Fwhikk!

An arrow grazes across his nose

“Who goes!?” a voice comes with it

“agh” Shiryu stumbles back covering his face

“We’re peaceful!” Pinoki puts his hands up defencelessly

“Hey, you could have taken off my nose!” growls Shiryu aggressively

Fwihk–

Chingk!

Another arrow comes at him but he anticipates it batting it away

“You’re decent the voice compliments from somewhere in the sea of trees,”

Bzzzzzz♪

A mosquito buzzes last Shiryu’s bloody nose as dusk begins to settle into the swamp

“Are you Tonbo?” calls Shiryu

“Why do you want to know?”

“I just passed Bakufu, the entire nation was flooded, I need to find the chief.”

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“Hmm” grass leaves flutter

A masked ninja dressed in deadly mossy green garb leaps down near the two

“What do want with our chief?” they ask.

(So the people are here)

“I just want to see of Aki is ok, she’s been trying to get back to her people for a while and now entire place is flooded.”

“You speak as if you’re quite familiar with our chief.”

“I am–was…”

“Well I still don’t trust you,

Most of our people survive and we’re camping in this swamp, if that’s what you want to know,

The chief and her strongest warriors headed off to the Wu Tang to settle business,”

“What kind of business?”

“What part of I don’t trust you, do you not understand.” The ninja stares challengingly at Shiryu

“Well thanks for talking to us anyway.” Pinoki pushes a space in between the two

“We’ll leave you warriors to yourself, come on Shiryu.” The little man pulls him away out of fear of an altercation starting

Chsschkk♪

A few other leaves around rattle presumably being the other warriors who were in hiding

…

…

***

“I wasn’t going to fight them you know.” Grunts Shiryu aa the two retrace their path out and head towards the Wu Tang

“I didn’t want to take the chance you’re unpredictable Shiryu.”

“I am unpredictable??

I’m literally the least rash person on this ring.”

“Maybe that’s true but you have been slightly different since changing appearances

And that is coming from someone who barley knew you before.”

(Have I changed a little?)

“Maybe I’m a bit more agitated” Shiryu says dismissively

“But only because I’m dissatisfied and confused”

“About the requiem, or the whole being a beast thing?”

“About….

About, Aki,” he mutters under his breath

“Huh, I didn’t catch that?” Pinoki edges him to repeat

“Aki,

I thought we were friends with the potential of love on the horizon,

We were good all the while we’re stuck in Furlheim, but after everything happened,

After I got this appearance it’s like she doesn’t see me as worthy of her friendship,

She told me she was just using me but I know that’s a lie,

She just wanted me to be angry with her or resent her,

I don’t why, I don’t know what it is about that changed that she just doesn’t want us to be friends anymore…”

“Umm,

I don’t think I am the right person to talk about this with.” Comes an unhelpful response from Pinoki

“You look normal to me, in fact it’s much easier to be friendly with you like this than when you were beasty,

I felt like you could eat me at any moment.”

“I’m even worse than how I was a beast,” sighs Shiryu

“Back then even though people saw me as monster that’s all they saw me as,

Now I feel judged every time an eye gets cast in my direction.”

“I really don’t know what I’m supposed to tell you Shiryu.”

“Its ok I know talking about mundane things isn’t your forte Pinoki

We’ll leave it as that, I shouldn’t have overshared.”

….

….

****