Chapter 33: The Lonely Girl
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Reiko POV

"I don't know what I've been told! Something something something something!"(Kamoume)

We were walking down a dirty path... dir-. A- a dirt path with Kamoume, holding a stick marching down like a leader of a band. She had a half-moon shaped mouth, and crescent shaped eyes. I followed the blondie till we got to a secluded part of the village, we came to Kamoume's secret garden.

"birdy it's me, come out."(Kamoume)

She crouched down, whispering to a den. 

"gugugu..."(Birdy)

A small head of fur popped out. A blue ball rolled out like a bowling ball. It had closed eyes and drooling mouth, giving it a sleepy appearance.

"wakey wakey!"(Kamoume)

Kamoume pat Birdy using only her index finger. From the small pouch she was carrying, she took out pieces of meat and bread, giving it to Birdy. Its snooze bubble popped, its eyes wide open like a crystal ball, with its small mouth it gobbled up all the food it was offered, not leaving even a crumb. 

"mugugugu..."(Birdy)

It had a smug face as it quickly doze back off into dream land, acting as if it didn't just eat half its body weight.

"Awee, come on, I gave you food, so play with us for a little!"(Kamoume)

Kamoume's cheeks puffed like a chipmunk's, as she grumpily roared at Birdy. An exclamation mark appeared on Birdy's head because it was awakened by Kamoume's uproar.

"That's better! Hmph!"(Kamoume)

"hmheheh~"(Cheryl)

"What's so funny!"(Kamoume)

"It's nothing."(Cheryl)

At that moment Kamoume's smiled turned upside down, her brows becoming a 'v'.

--------

Time whisked away; Kamoume was playing and teaching Birdy tricks.

"Now sit! No no no! That's roll over, I mean sit!"(Kamoume)

With varying degrees of success...

Enjoying the pleasant, fresh air that was a completely contrast to the more suffocating, dustier air back at Japan... the thought crept on onto me. Should I ask her? Would she even know...? I- I don't know... I- I'll ask, after all, I need answers, I have to leave this place in order to find Kana.

"hey, Kamoume?"(Reiko)

"Hmm? What is it?"(Kamoume)

"do you know how I can leave P'horruki?"(Reiko)

"Oh, you can't."(Kamoume)

She shot back with a quick, devastating blow, before going back to training Birdy.

"huh? what do you mean?"(Reiko)

"I mean that no one can leave here, it's been a rule since like millions of years ago!"(Kamoume)

This can't be real right? She must be joking!

"b- but didn't you leave here before? L- like when I first met you!"(Reiko)

"That's an exception. Ok now I want you to just..."(Kamoume)

Kamoume replied nonchalantly, unware to the fact that my world has just been crumbled.

"Well, there is that one way... but that's not important, let's go play!"(Kamoume)

She got up, patting her dress. I immediately lunged at her, face sweaty from desperation.

"Tell me!"(Reiko)

She was taken aback, grimacing. She lightly pushed me off her. 

"wh- why do you want to know, isn't it nice here? I mean, you get food, you get to play, and y'know..."(Kamoume)

Kamoume said in a whispery tone, twiddling her fingers, head cocked downwards.

"it's, it's because there is someone out there, someone that I have to find no matter what."(Reiko)

"what do you mean by that? Actually, it's nothing, let's just go do something else, ok?"(Kamoume)

"but-"(Reiko)

I didn't get to finish my sentence; Kamoume yanked my arm, pulling me away.

------

"Reiko! Look!"(Kamoume)

Kamoume pointed at a large tree,1it was actually not that big -Cheryl actually, no she was pointing at a squirrel like animal in the tree. The creature jumped from branch to branch opening its arms, making a glider, gliding. She excitedly hugged the tree and, and she began climbing like a bear!

Sitting on a branch, a wavy branch, she grabbed hold of the animals bushy tail.

"Reiko! Look I have it!"(Kamoume)

"Uhh, Kamoume, isn't that dangerous?"(Reiko)

"Nope I have done this multiple times!"(Kamoume)

"I meant for the animal..."(Reiko)

My ears folded down as Kamoume jumped down, landing perfectly on her feat. The animal she was holding was, well, an animal, moving about wildly, becoming a blur of brown.

"Rahrahscraaaaaaaaaah!"(The animal)

It was scary.

Kamoume was holding the animal, an unempathetic smile on her face. Reminder to never get on Kamoume's bad side. Her hand was on her hip as she proudly showed off her finding. 

Ptack ptack ptack ptack

There were sounds of footsteps nearby, the sound of leaves crunching. My white ears wiggled in reaction to the sound. Turning my head to see who it was from, I noticed a group of kids. They were all about Kamoume's age, maybe a little older. There were two boys and one girl.

One had coal black hair that hid half his face making his left eye pop out a ruby red. An orangish plaster was on his left cheek, another on his arm, which shown because of his sleeves being rolled up. His clothes was muddy, dirty, torn as if he fell down a hill a few minutes ago. His ears, just like everyone else in this village, resembled that of an animal's, his own being round like a bear.

Right next to him was another boy, he was taller, with tangerine coloured hair. Unlike the one next to him, his hair was well groomed, his eyes were amber, and wore a simple shirt and short pants, which was not torn. Staring at use with a cold, unfeeling eyes, his ears and cat like tail, unmoving. 

Finally the girl, holding hands with the orange haired boy. She looked just like the black haired boy, long black messy hair, that covered... basically her entire face.

"HEY RYO!"(Kamoume)

The orange haired boy scoffed, looking as if he just saw ugliest pile of garbage. The others turned their heads, looking away from us. I could hear snickering among them, although I didn't quite make out what they said. 

As the three walked away, I noticed Kamoume. Her eyebrows lowered, her mouth forming a small '-'. 

"kamoume?"(Reiko)

"R- reiko le-LET'S DO SOMETHING ELSE!"(Kamoume)

...

--------

We were walking for a while, going into a small bakery. We ran from isle to isle, looking at what was on sale. Kamoume looked at all the food intensely. Time slowed to a near halt, a second taking a year to pass, but eventually, with careful consideration... Kamoume bought the item to the right of it.

Leaving the store with a satisfied grin as large as the horizon, Kamoume took a large bite off of the pastry. 

"Hoh! Hoh! Hoh!"(Kamoume)

Kamoume, stuck her tongue out, fanning it with her hand. 

"HAWT!"(Kamoume)

It took a while for her to calm down, but she eventually did.

We strolled down the dir-, dirt path, peacefully, enjoying the cool, crisp air. However the daunting thought itched its way ever closer. It lived in the back of my head. 

"hey, Kamoume..."(Reiko)

"Hmmg?"(Kamoume)

She turned around, mouth full of bread.

"about the thing earlier today, the way to- !?"(Reiko)

"Have this bread! It's yummy right!"(Kamoume)

I choked on the bread Kamoume shoved into my mouth. I munched onto the soft bread, swallowing after.

"uh, thank you for that b- but-"(Reiko)

"Hey! Look, look it's a uh, it's uh, flower..."(Kamoume)

She had a wobbly smile, with eyes wide open. She had a bouquet of slightly discoloured flowers, all looking a little wilted. I saw beads of sweat going down the side of her head, as her arms were shaking in place.

"n- no?..."(Kamoume)

He brows furrowed; she frantically looked around, panicked, looking for something, anything. Desperate sweat shot from all directions, her arms moving about crazily.

"k- kamoume?"(Reiko)

"Uh what about something like this, do you want more bread!?"(Kamoume)

"KAMOUME!"(Reiko)

Kamoume was taken away, her ears folded down like origami. Her eyes were watery, her lips sucked into her mouth. She dropped the bag of pastries onto the grassy land. 

My heart twinged at the sight, I didn't know how to respond, I didn't know what was going on. I felt like I should stop seeing her mouth jitter, yet I knew, I had to continue. If I stay here forever, if I never leave, I will never find Kana.

"Kamoume, I want to know how to leave."(Reiko)

I took a deep breath, I said what I needed to. 

"b- but why? I- is not fun anymore? Y- you don't like me anymore?"(Kamoume)

Her voice was as steady as an old building during an earthquake. The dam broke, waterfall of tears gushing out of her blue eyes. Her golden hair had become completely disheveled.

"WAAHHH!"(Kamoume)

A loud cry left out of her mouth. I clenched my hands, bit my lips as her cries became louder and louder.

"I d- o- n- t- un- der- stand-."(Kamoume)

"Kamoume, I, I..."(Reiko)

"You're like everyone else! You're like Ryo and and Maia and- !?"(Kamoume)

I rocketed to her, pulling her into a tight hug. Kamoume's wail made a complete halt. I slowly released her from my embrace, loosening, holding her hand instead. Looking into her tear stained face, she had the occasional hiccup, but her sobs had mostly stopped.

"I- I- why do you want to leave so badly!"(Kamoume)

Kamoume shot back, half angry, half sad. 

"It's not because I hate you, not even because I don't like you. It's because I have someone out there waiting for me, someone important to me."(Reiko)

"r- really?"(Kamoume)

Kamoume said wiping her face with the back of her hand.

"One hundred million percent!"(Reiko)

I smiled at her. Her emotion made a complete one hundred and eighty. Her face uncurled, her mouth turning into a large smile. 

"o- ok, I, Hiyah!"(Kamoume)

Kamoume lunged at me like a Bengal tiger, pinning me onto the ground. I was being choked with her powerful hug, it was suffocating. In the near distance, I could hear the quiet giggling of Cheryl.

-------

Sometime had passed, we were sitting on stumps, eating food, while Kamoume began explaining how to leave the village.

"There's only one way to leave, at least one way I know. You have to beat one of the higher ups in a fight. It's been like this ever since I was born. So far, only like two people were able to do this."(Kamoume)

Listening to Kamoume, my body tensed, I know what I have to do.

I fear my story is a bit fast paced. I may or may not start writing longer chapters.

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