Kido village
Linn, Tomodachi, and Yuzu walked through the town, taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling village.
"This is a nice place," Linn complimented, genuinely impressed by the cheerful atmosphere and the friendly faces of the villagers.
"Yes, it is," Yuzu said, her smile warm and genuine. "It's a small village, but it's filled with good people. We all look out for each other."
"Speaking of people," Linn said, turning to Yuzu with a hopeful expression. "We're actually looking for two people ourselves."
"Oh?" Yuzu said, tilting her head to one side with curiosity. "Anyone I might know?"
"Maybe," Linn said. "They're two girls, about my age. Maybe you've seen them around?"
"Maybe," Yuzu replied, considering. "Can you describe them for me?"
"A really sweet and friendly girl with short raven hair. And an ugly, annoying, rude blonde girl with pigtails," Tomodachi deadpanned, his tone dripping with sarcasm. Linn shot him an annoyed glare.
"What? Those are accurate descriptions," Tomodachi insisted, shrugging innocently. Linn rolled his eyes.
"Have you seen anyone like that?" Linn asked Yuzu, his voice filled with hope. Yuzu shook her head, her expression apologetic. "No, I haven't seen anyone matching those descriptions. I'm sorry."
"It's okay," Linn said, though a hint of disappointment was evident in his voice. "We'll find them, I just know it!"
"But Master, how will we find them?" Tomodachi asked, his ears drooping slightly. "We don't even know where we are, really."
Linn turned to Tomodachi, his expression determined. "I know it seems impossible, Tomo, but we can't give up. If we came to this world, then it stands to reason they did too. We just have to keep searching."
"Um," Yuzu interjected hesitantly, drawing their attention. "What do you mean, you 'came to this world'?" she inquired, her brow furrowed with confusion. "And why are you looking for these people so urgently?"
"Well, it's... It's complicated," Linn said, scratching his head awkwardly. He wasn't sure how much to reveal to this girl he had just met.
Yuzu stared at him curiously, her eyes searching his. Then, her expression shifted into a scolding one, her hands on her hips. Now, Linn-san, you should know better than to keep secrets from your friends," she said, her voice surprisingly firm. Come on, you can tell me anything. I'm a good listener."
"Sorry, but this is our problem," Linn said, his tone apologetic but firm. "There's no need for you to get involved in our mess."
"But I want to help, please?" Yuzu pleaded, her eyes wide and earnest.
Linn shook his head, his resolve unwavering. "I'm sorry, Yuzu. It's too dangerous, and I don't want to drag you into something you don't understand."
"Fine..." Yuzu pouted, her shoulders slumping slightly. "But can you at least tell me about this 'coming to another world' thing?"
Linn and Tomodachi exchanged glances, a silent conversation passing between them. After a moment of consideration, Linn nodded. "Okay, it's like this..." He proceeded to explain their situation, from their normal lives to the strange portal and their arrival in this new world. He even recounted Tomodachi's transformation, much to Yuzu's wide-eyed amazement.
"I see," Yuzu said, her expression thoughtful as she absorbed the information. "That is interesting. But what makes you so sure you came to another world?"
"Because I've lived in my country my whole life, and I've never heard of Desiro Plains or Kido Village," Linn explained, his voice filled with conviction. "Not to mention," he gestured to Tomodachi, "my dog over here turned into a human after we entered that portal. That's not exactly something you see every day, is it?"
"Oh, I see!" Yuzu exclaimed, clapping her hands together in realization. Then, a thought struck her, and her eyes widened. "Wait, so you guys were in Desiro Plains?"
"Yeah, I think so," Linn confirmed, nodding. "At least, that's what the girl we met there said it was called."
"Girl?" Yuzu questioned, her tone suddenly sharp.
"Yeah, a girl was being chased by a group of men," Linn replied, his brow furrowed with concern as he recalled the earlier encounter.
A strange expression flickered across Yuzu's face, a mixture of shock and dawning horror. "A group of men?" she repeated, her voice barely a whisper. She recalled her earlier conversation with Martha about Hendrick and his men chasing after a girl who had stolen from the village. She then remembered the state they were in when they returned, and their unbelievable story about being defeated by a half-naked boy and his dog. A horrifying realization began to form in her mind. Half-naked boy... she thought, her eyes snapping to Linn. He had been half-naked when she found him, and he had admitted to running into a group of men. The pieces of the puzzle clicked into place with terrifying clarity.
"Linn-san..." she muttered darkly, her voice low and dangerous.
"Yes?" Linn replied, oblivious to the change in her demeanor. Tomodachi, however, was not. His ears perked up, and he instinctively moved closer to his master, a low growl rumbling in his chest.
"Master!" Tomodachi said urgently, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Something is wrong! I'm picking up some serious hostility coming from her!"
"W-what?!" Linn said, surprised and alarmed. He glanced at Yuzu, his confusion growing.
Yuzu pointed a trembling finger at Linn, her expression a mask of fury. "It was you! You're the one who beat up Hendrick-san and his men!" she yelled, her voice filled with righteous anger.
"Huh? Wait, who's Hendrick and his men?" Linn asked, completely bewildered.
"I think those were the guys chasing that woman," Tomodachi said grimly, his hackles raised.
"Oh! Oh..." Linn said, his eyes widening in realization. He suddenly understood the reason for Yuzu's anger and began sweating nervously.
"Yes," Yuzu confirmed, her voice dripping with venom. "And you beat up those men with no mercy, and now I am going to punish you for your crimes!" Yuzu glared at Linn, her small hand reaching into her sweater hoodie and pulling out... a ladle?
"Wait, Yuzu! I can explain!" Linn said, putting his hands up defensively and backing away slowly.
"No!" Yuzu replied, her eyes blazing with fury. "You've been a very bad boy, Linn-san. And I can't let you get away with doing that to Hendrick-san and his men. You need to be taught a lesson!" Yuzu advanced towards Linn menacingly, her grip tightening on the ladle.
Linn was panicking. He didn't want to fight Yuzu; she was just a little girl, and he had no desire to hurt her. But she seemed determined to "punish" him, and he wasn't sure how to reason with her in her current state. He frantically searched his mind for a way to avoid a confrontation.
"It looks like we have no choice, Master," Tomodachi said, his voice resigned. "We'll have to fight her. It's self-defense." He lowered himself into a fighting stance, his muscles tensed and ready.
"Wait, Tomo!" Linn said, stretching his arm out to stop Tomodachi. "This is all just a big misunderstanding! We can fix this if we just talk it out! I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation!"
"She doesn't look like she wants to talk, Master," Tomodachi said, his gaze fixed on Yuzu as she continued her advance. "We'll just have to subdue her and explain later. It's the only way to protect ourselves."
"But..." Linn said hesitantly, his conscience warring with the need to defend himself.
"Don't worry, Master, it'll be fine," the dog-boy said, offering a reassuring, if slightly strained, smile. "Besides, she's just a little girl with a ladle. How hard can this be?"
Just then, Yuzu reached them. With a battle cry, she leaped into the air, swinging the ladle downwards with both hands in a powerful arc. The boys jumped back just in time, narrowly avoiding the blow as Yuzu crashed into the ground where they had been standing. The impact was surprisingly forceful, and when Yuzu lifted her ladle, they saw a sizable dent in the cobblestones beneath. Linn and Tomodachi stared in disbelief.
"Wha-?" Linn stammered, his mouth agape.
"H-hey, I just remembered it's time for my... uh, my afternoon nap," Tomodachi said nervously, his eyes wide with a mixture of fear and awe. "Sorry, Master, I'll have to sit this one out. See you!" And with that, he turned tail and ran off in a random direction, leaving Linn to face the enraged girl alone.
"WHAT?!" Linn yelled after him, his voice filled with comical shock and betrayal.
Yuzu glared at Linn, her eyes narrowed and her grip tightening on the ladle. "Are you ready to accept your punishment, Linn-san?" she asked, her voice low and menacing.
Linn was panicking. He didn't want to hurt Yuzu, but he also didn't want to be on the receiving end of her ladle. He desperately searched for a way out of this situation. Finally, with a sigh of resignation, he decided on the only option he could think of: he ran.
"Eh?!" Yuzu's eyes widened in disbelief as she watched Linn turn and bolt in the opposite direction. Her jaw dropped for a moment, and then her shock turned into fury. "Hey, you get back here, mister!" she yelled angrily, her voice echoing through the streets as she took off after him, her ladle held high like a weapon.
Linn ran through the town as fast as his legs could carry him, with Yuzu hot on his trail. She's fast! Linn thought, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he tried to increase his speed. He weaved through the crowded streets, narrowly avoiding collisions with startled onlookers.
"Hey!" "Eek!" "Watch out!" some of the villagers shouted as Linn bumped into them, sending them sprawling. Linn muttered a string of apologies as he kept running, his eyes darting around for an escape route. He even crashed through a food cart, sending cabbages and other vegetables flying through the air. He didn't see exactly what he ran through, but he heard the cart's owner wailing about his ruined produce, his voice filled with despair.
Linn eventually spotted a narrow alleyway and darted into it, hoping it would provide a means of escape. His hopes were quickly dashed, however, as he reached a dead end.
"Uh oh," Linn said nervously, his eyes widening as he saw Yuzu standing at the entrance of the alleyway, blocking his only exit. She was smacking her ladle against her other hand, her expression grim and determined.
"There's nowhere to run now, Linn-san," Yuzu said, her voice low and menacing as she slowly advanced towards him. Linn gulped, his heart pounding in his chest.
"C-come on, Yuzu, can't we just talk about this?" Linn pleaded, his face pale and covered in sweat. "I'm sure we can work this out peacefully. There's no need for any... punishment." Yuzu said nothing, her eyes fixed on him, her expression unwavering as she continued to approach. Linn closed his eyes and braced himself for the inevitable, raising his arms in a defensive position. He waited for the impact, expecting to be struck by the ladle at any moment. A small scream and a soft thud were heard, followed by... silence.
Linn slowly opened his eyes, his confusion growing. What happened? he thought. He lowered his arms and looked around, trying to make sense of the situation. His gaze fell to his feet, and he saw Yuzu's ladle lying on the ground, seemingly forgotten. This is... strange, he thought. He cautiously picked up the ladle, his brow furrowed in bewilderment. He scanned the alleyway for any sign of the little girl and was met with a rather unexpected sight. Yuzu was lying prone on the ground, her limbs twitching slightly. She didn't appear to be seriously injured, but she was clearly incapacitated. Linn couldn't believe what he was seeing. Did someone attack her? he wondered, his eyes searching the alleyway for any sign of another person. But there was no one else around. And Yuzu didn't seem to have any visible injuries. After a moment of stunned contemplation, a horrifying realization dawned on Linn. Don't tell me... he thought, his eyes widening in comical disbelief as he screamed internally. SHE TRIPPED?!
"Ow..." Linn heard a weak groan, confirming his suspicions. Yuzu slowly sat up, rubbing her head and wincing in pain. "That hurt..." she mumbled, her voice groggy.
She looked around, her eyes searching for something. "Ah! My ladle! Where did it go?!" she panicked, her voice filled with distress.
Yuzu got to her feet and began to frantically search the ground for her missing weapon, her earlier anger seemingly forgotten in her current state of disorientation. She then looked up and noticed Linn standing nearby, holding her ladle in his hand.
"Linn-san!" she exclaimed, stomping towards him with a pout. "You have my ladle! Give it back!"
Linn blinked and looked down at his left hand, as if surprised to find the ladle there. "Oh, yeah. I forgot I was holding it," he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head with his other hand. Yuzu sweatdropped, her earlier fury replaced by a mixture of exasperation and embarrassment.
"Anyway," Yuzu said, holding out her hand expectantly. "I'll take it back now, please." She reached out to grab the ladle, but Linn pulled it back out of her reach.
"Hold on a second," Linn said, his expression serious. "Are you going to try to 'punish' me again if I give this back to you?"
Yuzu put her hands on her hips, her expression a mixture of confusion and annoyance. "What are you talking about?" she asked, her brow furrowed. "Of course, I am. You attacked Hendrick-san and his men and need to be held accountable for your actions!"
Linn sweatdropped. At least she's honest... he thought, a wry smile playing on his lips.
"I'll return your ladle after you listen to what I have to say. Deal?" Linn proposed, hoping to resolve the situation peacefully.
"Oh, alright," Yuzu sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. She seemed to have lost some of her earlier fervor after her unfortunate tumble.
"Okay then," Linn said, his smile returning. "Let's get out of here, and I'll explain everything." As Linn and Yuzu walked out of the alleyway, Linn began to explain the circumstances of his encounter with Hendrick and his men, recounting how he had come to the aid of the girl they were chasing.
"I see..." Yuzu said, nodding slowly as she listened to Linn's explanation. Her expression softened as she began to understand his perspective.
"I didn't mean to hurt them badly," Linn said, his voice filled with remorse. "I was just trying to help the girl. I'm sorry if I caused any trouble."
"I'm sorry too," Yuzu said, her gaze downcast. "I jumped to conclusions and didn't want to listen to your side of the story. I felt it was a misunderstanding, but my emotions got the better of me."
"It's okay," Linn said, offering a reassuring smile. "As long as everything is cleared up between us, that's all that matters. No harm, no foul, right?"
"I still feel bad," Yuzu admitted, her voice tinged with guilt. She looked like she was on the verge of tears.
Linn went to Yuzu and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, his expression filled with concern. "Hey now, don't cry," Linn said in a caring tone. "Nobody got seriously hurt, and I still consider you a friend. Everything's a-okay! Besides," he added with a playful grin, "I'm sure we can find a way to make it up to Hendrick and his men. Maybe we can help them rebuild their reputation."
"Linn-san..." Yuzu said, her cheeks flushing slightly at his kindness. She looked up at him, her earlier anger completely replaced by a newfound respect and gratitude.
Linn let go of Yuzu and stretched, his earlier tension fading away. "Okay, now that that's over, I..."
"There he is!" a voice suddenly shouted, interrupting him.
Linn and Yuzu turned towards the voice to find a group of angry villagers glaring at Linn, their faces contorted with fury.
"He was the one who ran into me and broke my back! Ow!" a male villager yelled, clutching his back in pain.
"He ran under my skirt!" a female villager shrieked, her face red with embarrassment and indignation.
"He destroyed my cabbages!" the whiny merchant wailed, his voice filled with despair as he pointed a trembling finger at Linn.
Linn began to sweat nervously, his eyes widening in alarm as the crowd advanced towards him. "I... I can explain..." Linn stammered, his voice barely a whisper.
"Get him!" a villager yelled, and the crowd surged forward, their anger palpable. Linn, realizing the gravity of the situation, turned and ran in the opposite direction as fast as possible, with the entire village hot on his heels.
Yuzu watched the chaotic scene unfold, her earlier anger completely forgotten as she sweatdropped at the absurdity of it all. "I guess it was kinda my fault too," she muttered to herself, a guilty expression on her face. "I should probably try to help Linn-san."
Yuzu turned and ran in the direction Linn had fled, hoping to catch up with him and help him defuse the situation. She searched the streets, calling out his name, but the village was in an uproar, and it was difficult to hear anything over the din.
"Linn-san!" Yuzu called out, her voice barely audible above the chaos. She scanned the area frantically, her eyes darting from side to side, searching for any sign of the runaway hero. "Geez," Yuzu sighed, putting her hands on her hips in exasperation. "I'm sure he went this way. Where could he have gone?"
"Looking for something?" a deep, menacing voice suddenly said from behind her.
"Oh," Yuzu said, turning around, relieved to finally hear a voice. "Yes. I'm looking for my friend. Have you seen him...?" Yuzu's voice trailed off as her eyes widened in fear. The relief she had felt a moment ago vanished, replaced by a chilling dread. Standing before her was not a villager, but a monstrous creature unlike anything she had ever seen. It was huge and imposing, with black and white fur, sharp claws, and glowing red eyes that seemed to pierce her very soul. A jagged scar ran across its chest, a testament to its brutal nature.
"What a coincidence," the creature said, its guttural growl sending shivers down Yuzu's spine. I was also looking for someone." It grinned, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth, its smile predatory and evil. And I think I just found her."