Age: 9
A lot of things can happen in the span of a few hours.
A marriage can occur.
Someone might have a baby.
Someone might die.
Maybe you'll make a new friend?
What happened in the span of a few hours in the enchanted forest was too much for even me to handle.
Why?
For one, Ricin, still a cat, is being slowly roasted over a fire while screaming profanities at a couple of trolls.
Xavier is in a tree with a stomach ache after Ricin fed him some dangerous mushrooms.
Where am I?
Good question. I am currently hanging about five feet above the ground, upside down might I add, with my feet bound.
This happened after I walked straight into a trap set by the trolls.
Everything was fine this morning after waking up and eating breakfast.
Until a certain fairy attempted to play a practical joke on a certain leopard.
All hell broke loose. Xavier went for the kill and soon a cat and a leopard were gone in an instant, leaving me to run after them.
While I attempted to stop the two, from a bloodbath, I ended up being careless of my surroundings.
Here we are.
The trolls made quick work of Ricin while Xavier climbed high into a tree to throw up whatever he had actually eaten.
Me? I'm in shock still. On one hand, I could get down easily, and on another, I'm curious if Ricin will actually become a cooked meal for some trolls after all his bragging on being such a capable fairy and protector.
Currently, it looks like a one sided show.
"STOP YOU FOUL BEASTS!!!! I swear when I cut these ropes loose I'm gonna- H-H-HOTTTTTT ITS HOTTTT STOPPPPP MY FURRRR!!!!!" Yes... on second thought, Ricin is the most annoying like this. How can he still be confident? Also, trolls can't understand you?
Sighing within my heart at my very lame companion, I quickly grabbed a dagger and cut the ropes, before turning by body to land on my feet. In total, there's about six trolls, all warped and ugly, with odd wooden weapons. Somewhat like a club, but not exact.
"ROSE!!!!!! HELPPPP!!!!" Ricin now looked panicked, which was amusing seeing as he's a cat right now.
"Yes yes.... The mighty leader of the PussyCat's will save the day!" I yelled proudly, holding my dagger in the air before striking a guts pose.
....
Oh? It's oddly silent now. Even the roasting Ricin isn't speaking anymore. Just calmly laying above the flames.
I won't think too much about it then, and without a word of warning I took off at the first troll, throwing my body to slice with the dagger at its jugular.
And since Xavier is far away and Ricin isn't affected by any kind of poison....
I threw a small ball, that may look like a smoke screen but contained a real deadly amount of poisonous gas within it, at the ground by the fire.
After that, I quickly jumped away from the cloud, remembering to hold my breathe.
Yes.
I'm not a god. I could get sick too, I ran.
"IM STILL TIED UP?!?!?" Ricin cried indignantly. To which I only let out a "is that so".
"Why don't you just... get out of the ropes" I asked casually, seeing the smoke begin to clear and the coughing die down from the trolls. They were haphazardly laid out on the forest floor. Ricin was still tied up but no fire was left.
"...." ah... he's silent.
I watched at the pathetic cat struggled with all its might to escape.... to no avail.
"Hey.... why don't you.... use magic?"
I asked bored, am I really the youngest?
Xavier is apparently older! When I asked his age and guessed '3' he got offended, so by using my fingers I figured out he's actually 11! I guess his species developed slowly? Which is good in a sense, it just means he has a longer life span!
"Good idea..." Ricin said downheartedly. He used wind to cut the ropes, easily freeing his small fluffy body.
I feel like a proud parent at their child's first recital. Good job Ricin....
I swear I'll be forced to mature even more on the journey than any other time in my life. Dealing with a moody leopard that will only listen if I threaten his snacks or cuddles I give, and apparently an idiot for a fairy. How has he survived so long? A miracle? Am I being fooled?
"Y-you did good! That was a test! All a test for you! You have brilliantly passed" Ricin... you're eyes are shifty...
"Never mind that... we should really be going. Don't feed anything else to Xavier. I fear for your life" I said expressionlessly.
Ricin looked pale despite being covered in white fur...
"Where is he anyway?" Ricin said seriously now, and now that he mentions it... he wasn't in the tree I saw him climb last time.
"Xavier! " I called out, hoping he'd come.
"Shh!!! This is a magical forest, don't go treating it like your own home!!" Ricin scolded. I gave him another blank look.
"Oh? Is that why you fed him something that'd make him sick?" I asked, a little curious about what he gave to the leopard...
"Oh... it's not poisonous... it's a magical plant which forces beasts to sh-" he stopped suddenly.
Oh dear god. Is he gonna be okay? Is this a plant to make Xavier have horrible bowl movements?!
"To what?!" I asked aggravated.
"No no, he'll be fine! It was just a prank since he keeps hiding it!" Ricin defender. Hiding what?
"That would be....?" I said more accusingly, eyeing him suspiciously as he began to become nervous.
"If I didn't value my life so much I would tell you..." he finished with a cough.
Should I pry? It might not be good. If Xavier is hiding something, I'm sure it's nothing bad? He is a good leopard, intelligent and sweet. I see no harm in him having secrets...
Alright. I'm a tiny bit curious.
"I won't pry I guess... it's his secret, which you should apologize for trying to meddle with" I finished lightly, at least glad Xavier isn't in any danger.
"Now then... we still have to find him... we should be able to find he magical portal before sundown... though your little 'test' wasted about two hours of sunlight" I said, giving him another glare. He ignored it though and happily agreed to help locate Xavier.
Cats have good noses too right? Good thinking my dumb Fairy.
"Alright then... lead the way" and like that, we set out through the forest again.
It was getting dark now though, and as Ricin explained, Xavier had diligently hidden himself. Even with magic it'd be difficult to locate him. Why was he hiding?
"He's evading us... but it seems like he's nearby, so I don't think it's too much trouble to just let him follow at a distance" Ricin said, now using my shoulder as his mode of transportation.
Why is he being so mysterious all of a sudden? He's a leopard. What the hell kind of plant did Ricin give him?!
"Alright... if you say so" I said slowly, before resuming my original path to the mountains that lay in the North, where the portal should be located. Occasionally I would check with Ricin to make sure that Xavier is still near.
***
I was correct in my timing, as it was almost sundown, we arrived at a cave.
Finding the portal? Check.
Finding a DRAGON WHICH GUARDS IT? Also check.
Yes. I said dragon. Currently, a giant red dragon is curled up in the cave we are supposed to use to get into the Fairy Kingdom. Only fairy's really know about this portal, but I suppose I'm not the only human who dares to attempt entry. That means a dragon... a legendary creature that hasn't been seen in nearly 100 years, is guarding it.
I can now assume why no one has reported it. This dragon likely ate them.
"What now" I whispered.
"Now? We fight!" Ricin said full of confidence.
Xavier... who had finally came back.... gave Ricin a death glare. I swore his eyes nearly turned red.
I ignored the two. As I looked up at the cave with a large, red and scaly, tail sticking out.
Suddenly the tail disappeared, and I was too shocked to even shut Ricin up.
"HAULT. WHO GOES THERE?!"
Oh sweet stars spare me....
"It's Ricin ya old fool!" Ricin shouted up. Did he just insult a DRAGON?! How careless could this worthless fairy get?! He wants us dead apparently. Ricin... light a candle on my grave for me....
Xavier now stood protectively in front of me, his stance low and ready to pounce if needed.
"So you've returned heretic! With unwelcome guests" let me tell you Mr. Dragon, it isn't a guest If they're unwelcome.
"Let us through you fool! My guests include a leopard and a reincarnate" Ricin yelled out again.
My mind froze for a second.
I don't ever remember telling Ricin I had reincarnated with my past life memories intact.
I started to have a cold sweat, despite the chilly air setting in as the sun went farther down.
I have questions?
"You May pass" I have even more now?! Is it that easy?! Shouldn't there be a security clearance?
"Come on!" Ricin said now, transforming into his humanoid form as he gripped me under my arms to fly me to the top of the cave.
I was currently in shock, and very unresponsive.
Xavier jumped easily from rock to rock to reach the entrance... where a giant dragon lay.
"Human. All reincarnates in this world that pass receive the same question: (what does the fox say?! I was off track and still dazed...)
What is the name of your old planet and home?"
"......."
I stayed silent. Just staring off into space now.
Is it alright if I cry? I couldn't say whether I was happy or sad.
Ricin seemed to not mind my reincarnation. Xavier didn't didn't bother either.
Both knew? Or am I going insane? Does EVERYONE know? Obviously not... it can't be so common with everyone being shocked just by the invention of conditioner and shampoo.
I realized now that all eyes were trained on me.
"...Earth... and Japan was my home country" my voice was only a whisper.
"Nn. Same as the last one" huh? Someone else was from Earth... specifically Japan?!
"Who... was the last boy?" I couldn't help but question. The dragon ignored me as he lifted his body up and moved to the side now.
We were greeted by a large puddle of glowing and mystical water. I assumed to be the portal.
"Come on! We can talk later" Ricin said, not bothering to hide his excitement now. Why? Why were reincarnated people excepted in? How did he know? At least Xavier could brush it off... he's a leopard, I doubt they care for human emotions and law so deeply.
Heretic... is that why Ricin called me a heretic when we first met? Could fairy's tell? Nothing was explained and before I could even process it, Ricin had dragged... and quite literally dropped me through the portal.