*Out in a lush woodland.

Tatsuo is drowning in a river. The foam of the rushing river splashes about with Tatsuo’s desperately flailing about. However, despite his struggling appearance, his mind was calm…Emboldened by nostalgia. For a similar event happened not too long ago.

Tatsuo (calmly thinking): Ah…This is a familiar feeling…Is this what they call…déjà vu…? This has happened before….

Tatsuo (thinking): Only except…

Next to Tatsuo, a small boy is drowning as well.

Tatsuo (thinking): Someone else is drowning with me.

Compared to Tatsuo, the boy is struggling even worse. His obnoxious gurgling overpowers even the roaring sound of the river. Unlike Tatsuo who has already resigned himself to his fate, the boy brazenly thrashes about as the river takes the both of them away.

Tatsuo (thinking): Aah~…! Sharon… Windie… Save meeeeee…! – He cries out in his head as his body washes away with the currents.

*After some time has passed, the two boys are unconscious on the riverside.

Tatsuo slowly wakes up and sees the boy next to him. He calls out to the boy to wake him up.

Tatsuo: Ooii~! Wakey~wakey~! If ya don’t wake up soon, the monsters are gonna eat ya—

The boy’s eyes open wide. He flings his head over and it smashes against Tatsuo’s.

??? rubbing his forehead: Ooww~…!! My head…!

The boy holds his swollen head in pain.

???: Ouch it hurts…! Did I Just hit a brick wall or something…?!

The boy darts his eyes at Tatsuo.

???: Why were you that close to me huh…?! Haven’t you ever heard of personal space..?!

Tatsuo: … I was just trying to wake you up.

???: There are other ways you could’ve done that, why’d you have to go about it like that? What am I, your sleeping beauty? A kick or a slap would’ve been fine.

Tatsuo:…That’s a bit rude…

???: Oh yeah? And you’re a bit stupid. It’s only right I treat you accordingly.

It wasn’t the first time somebody had acted rude to Tatsuo. Nor was it the first time somebody had belittled him. Yet, when this boy does it…Something about him emotionally triggers Tatsuo.

Tatsuo (thinking): …Hey Henteko…We’re in a forest…

Tatsuo with a violently scowled expression: No one will know anything…If something happened to him, right?

Instead of resorting to violence, Tatsuo tries to make up with the boy.

Tatsuo: Well anyways, I’m sorry about earlier. I got lost from my group, do you think you can help me? I’m trying to get to Argonaut.

???: Beat it man, I have business to do in this forest. I’ve got no time to waste helping out a monkey brain like you.

The boy walks away.

Tatsuo: at least I have a brain

The boy stops. Then he turns to Tatsuo with a deathly irritated look.

???: Huh…??!

Tatsuo smugly glares back at the boy.

Tatsuo: Hehe, what are you gonna do…?

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

*Meanwhile somewhere else in the forest…

Sharon sighs to herself: That Tatsuo…! How could he get lost at a time like this…! We’re almost at Argonaut as well…!

Queenie: Umm…Are you sure this is okay…? Shouldn’t we find him…?

Sharon: Forget it, we’ll just end up getting ourselves lost too. We’ll wait for him at Argonaut. Besides if it’s him then there’s nothing to worry about.

Before, Sharon in this situation would be frantically looking for Tatsuo, or she would rant off into a storm. However currently, she has resigned herself to the notion that despite his eccentricism, for some incomprehensible reason fate favors him.

Sharon: He’ll make his way there himself…You just have to believe me on that…

*Back to Tatsuo and the boy…

As they venture deeper into the forest, The two are at a squabble with each other. They both take turns trading slurs and insulting each other.

Tatsuo: I guess that pretentious attitude makes up for your size of being half a person.

???: Is running that mouth of yours all you ever do? Why are you even following me?!

Tatsuo: What do you mean? I can’t just leave a lost kid like you alone in the woods.

???: Ha-ha…Very funny…Is making short jokes the only thing you can come up with?

Tatsuo: Mushroom cut.

???: I don’t wanna hear that coming from someone whose head looks like a banana!

The boy puts his head against Tatsuo’s, glaring straight into his eyes.

???: What’s up with you, why are you being so annoying?

Tatsuo: You’re the one that started this. – He says with intense passion.

???: Look I’m being serious, I’m hunting a very dangerous monster. If you value even a shred of your petty life I suggest you leave this forest as soon as possible—

Suddenly a whip-like tentacle launches Tatsuo in the air, slamming him into a tree.

???:…!

A creature that looks like a giant mantis with four whip-like limbs with scythes attached to the ends drops from above.

???: That’s…!

[https://i.imgur.com/IAbQWWb.png]

Tatsuo sits back up groaning. The boy glances over to him puzzled.

Tatsuo: That really took me by surprise…

???: What the--?!

???: (thinking): That guy is still alive…?!

The boy calls out to Tatsuo, advising him to hurry and run away.

Tatsuo: Ok, got it.

Tatsuo runs towards the boy.

???: Not to me!!!

The monster begins chasing after the two whilst swinging its arms in an oscillating pattern, clearing out the nearby trees.

???: You idiot! Now it’s chasing after the both of us!!!

Tatsuo: What is this thing anyways? Do you know?

???: That’s a Mandaeliscopod, they’re known as the forest cleaver! That’s the monster I was talking about! Many people around this region fall prey to this monster every year! Dangerous monsters like these are actively hunted down by experienced adventurers so they could be cashed out. Since we’re in Irene, monsters like these aren’t plentiful within this continent! It's the reason why it’s also known as the continent of peace…!

Tatsuo: So are you trying to do the same too?

??? (sarcastically): Would you look at that, it seems like you can think after all…!

Tatsuo: Then it’s a good thing I brought it over to you then…

???: No! There’s no way I could take this thing out in a straight up fight!

Tatsuo: So…What should we do then…?

???: Keep running you fool…! Unless you want to end up in pieces like the trees behind it!

??? (thinking): Having said all that though…

Both the boy and Tatsuo glance over to each other. At that moment, the two of them were thinking the same thing about one another.

The boy and Tatsuo thinking in unison: He’s keeping up with me…!

Putting aside their animosity, both are surprisingly impressed that they were keeping pace with one another.

The two then run off a cliff where a river is running at the bottom.

Tatsuo: Ah.

???: Oh no…

Both of them thinking: Not another river!

The sound of something falling into the river can be heard. The Mandaeliscopod catches up and looks over the cliff. It scuttles about the cliff’s edge carefully scanning the area before stomping back into the forest.

Below the edge at the cliffside, Tatsuo is holding onto the boy while the fingers of his other hand are firmly implanted into the cliff, holding them both.

??? (thinking): This guy has some insane finger strength…!

Tatsuo chuckles confidently: Hehehe…! There’s no need to worry…! For today…

Tatsuo: We will not be drowning a second time--!

The cliff mass around Tatsuo’s fingers crumbles and Tatsuo and the boy are left falling. Tatsuo awkwardly flips his head to the boy.

Tatsuo: Well…

Tatsuo: I sure hope you’re ready to go with the flow…

The boy’s face sinks into horror as he shrieks “NOOOOOOO!!!!” While the two of them plummet into the river…Again.