|
Both the Techo master and Ryshu walked along the beach.
The cerulean waves calmly slid on and off the shores of Mystery Island. The
wise old Techo had noticed a change in his student’s behavior.
"Ryshu, why not tell me what's wrong?"
The Nimmo rubbed the back of his head and lied,
"Nothing Sensei." Ryshu didn't want to worry his master. The old Techo gave
him a stern look. "All right, I guess. I'm feeling a bit lonely."
The Master nodded his head in understanding,
"I see... so you are in need of a companion?"
The Nimmo looked toward the horizon of the sea,
then finally nodded in his guru's direction. The Techo master smiled and floated
toward the docks. Ryshu then saw his master boarding a ship and leaving, with
the natives sorrowfully waving their routine goodbyes.
***
The next day, the Master came back during one of Ryshu's lessons.
"Master, you’re back. Hey, what's that you're
hiding?" asked Ryshu.
The old Techo laughed and took out a little petpet
carrier cage from behind his back. Inside of the cage was something quite intimidating.
Ryshu backed away as the shadow grinned widely.
"Is that thing stable?" Ryshu asked as he poked
the box with his Bo staff. He turned his head to ask his master another question.
But the old Techo was long gone, and Ryshu was
left with the shaking cage. "I got it for free!" was what the guru shouted from
a distance. Ryshu slowly undid the lock, making sure that he wasn't in front
of the cage door, in fear of what the creature might do, once released from
its cage.
Suddenly, Ghi Pharon jumped into the scene, scaring
the anxious Nimmo. "Ghi! Don't do that!" shouted the angry Nimmo.
The stealthy ninja Grundo's voice was like a
sly whisper. "Heh, reminds me of the days back when we were just rookies. So
Ryshu what do you have there?" asked Ghi. The cage door hung open and Ghi's
right antennae dangled over the entrance. Suddenly a large crack was heard,
and five seconds later, Ghi is trying to shake a blue Krawk petpet off.
Finally the little monster let go, along with
a tiny chunk of Ghi's antennae in his mouth. "Well, that makes it final, Ryshu,"
said Ghi.
"What Ghi?" asked Ryshu who had his hand under
his chin.
“The master must seriously hate you, to have
given you such a vile beast for a companion," Ghi said as he staggered away,
taking along with him the remains of his dignity.
Ryshu gulped and saw something in the back of
the empty cage. He reached in and took out a wooden spoon, which was just about
the same size as his new petpet. Before he could ask himself what it was for,
the little Krawk greedily snatched it away.
"KRAWKRAWKRAWK!" it snarled, it snapped its jaws,
and glared with its cold grey eyes.
"Come on, NoName. I did not mean any harm," Ryshu
told the little creature. Ryshu called the Krawk that, for it was the default
name for all newly owned Petpets. NoName spat a raspberry and slammed his wooden
spoon upon the Nimmo's foot. "AAAIIIIIIEEEEEE!" Ryshu's wail caused a flock
of exotic birds from across the island to fly into the sky.
The little creature ran away from the Nimmo.
"H-hey wait! You're a gift, the master will be angry if I let you get hurt!"
Ryshu shouted. The Krawk just turned his head to what the Nimmo just said, with
a look of disgust on his face. The petpet snorted and ran away faster.
Ryshu could not understand what angered the little
creature, and tried his best to catch up with NoName. But he did not succeed,
and NoName ran into some deep dark jungle. It seemed to be the same exact jungle
that Ryshu had crossed through during his Grand quest. Ryshu stopped at the
cave-like entrance, made by the exotic vegetation.
Little NoName was completely unaware of the danger
he was in. He was in the jungle of Pango Mango, the biggest, and most hungriest
being on Mystery Island. The large chief saw the elusive little creature walking
within his territory, thanks to the help of a magical black pearl.
A slurping sound came from under his coconut
shell body, showing that he found NoName quite tasty looking. He sat in his
throne within his huge mansion, made up of the finest wood and rocks found on
the island. He walked through his hallways which were decorated with burning
lanterns and seashells that would only be found at the bottom of the sea. The
warm shaggy carpet patches under his feet were the furs of all the beasts that
he had conquered in his youth. The ones without fur had their scales spread
upon the walls like a multicolored wallpaper.
He shoved his doors open, causing a typhoon-like
gust that blew his loyal servants away. The tribesman quickly recollected themselves
and bowed in their leader's presence. Mango Pango still had the black pearl
in his hand, he lifted it up and pointed at the image of the little Krawk.
He then spoke in a loud booming voice, one that
was perfectly normal to his own ears. "CAPTURE THIS CREATURE, AND MAKE A LOVELY
KRAWK PIE. AND USE MY MOMMY'S RECIPE FOR WHEN YOU'RE MAKING THE CRUST!" Only
a fool would question Mango Pango, so they all picked up their spears and charged
out of the boundaries of their settlement. The holder of the cage slowly staggered
behind.
***
Meanwhile, Ryshu had swapped away an annoying bug, with his Bo staff. The humid
subtropical weather of the jungle made him sweat, and question his purpose in
the area. He then swatted away another wall of vines and giant leaves. He looked
above his head, wondering if maybe NoName had gone up one of the very high trees.
But then suddenly, chanting voices rang through
his invisible ears and he quickly hid behind a Nurako bush. He plucked one of
the yellow fruits off, and removed the stem, its sweet smell calmed his nerves.
The faint scent of a Nurako plant would always relax the Nimmo, its smell reminded
him of the ocean he was so close to.
He leaned his head forward, spying upon the bouncing
flames that marched into two single file lines, which were carrying a small
cage beside their heads. Ryshu hopped into a tree for a better view, and saw
little NoName trashing about in his chamber. The bouncing flames were really
burning spear tips; that waved triumphantly over the happy tribesman's heads.
They had succeeded in catching Ryshu's new Petpet,
and the Nimmo knew that this wasn't good. But trying to save the little guy
right now would be too dangerous. Also, attacking the tribesman would cause
a dent in their current friendship.
Ryshu had to figure out a peaceful way to solve
this problem. The coconut people were already rushing into their village and
Ryshu had run out of trees to sneak around in.
Suddenly, the ground shook and Mango Pango entered
the scene, a sinister glare of hunger blazing in his eyes.
"Hey Ryshu!" Ghi shouted. Ghi was on the branch
beside Ryshu, and his greeting scared the Nimmo, causing his former classmate
to fall off. Ghi landed down beside him, you could see a gleam of silly playfulness
in his eyes. When Ryshu got up, spears immediately jolted under the duo's chins.
The two Training School instructors had gotten themselves captured...
“You’re not really that secretive for a Ninja,
Ghi... ” growled Ryshu who was in a boiling cooking pot with the Grundo. His
head was sticking above the water from the neck. Ghi was beside him as well,
a serene expression was shining in his eyes. He ignored Ryshu and whistled an
unknown song, gazing the other way at a passing butterfly.
Ryshu rolled his eyes over and watched helplessly
as the tribesmen prepared NoName for an old-fashioned Krawk Pie. NoName was
still inside his cage, and the Krawk’s behavior drove a lot of them away. Only
Mango Pango wasn’t afraid of the beast, because he was too occupied by the feast
at hand.
Ryshu couldn’t leave the pot on the count that
he was surrounded. He turned toward Ghi and asked, “Ghi What should we do?”
The Grundo shifted his glance upward and thought
intently. Then he leaned in Ryshu’s direction. “Why not just talk to them?”
Ryshu raised a brow and shrugged his shoulders.
Then he got to courage to say, “Um. Excuse me Mango Pango.”
Mango turned his head toward Ryshu and replied,
“WHAT DO YOU WANT?”
“Well, Sir, that Krawk over there, he's my petpet.
He’s a gift from my master, and I really can’t let you eat him ... ” Mango Pango
knelt down to the pot and grabbed Ryshu out.
"SO YOU’RE SAYING THAT I SHOULDN’T EAT THIS
KRAWK BECAUSE HE WAS A GIFT?" Mango Pango roared. Ryshu was hesitant in
his nod, and this caused the great Chief to sigh. He had the Nimmo standing
within the palm of his hand. “IT SEEMS THAT YOU STILL DON’T UNDERSTAND, RYSHU...
YOUR BEHAVIOR TOWARD THE KRAWK MAKES IT SEEM LIKE YOU NEVER WANTED IT IN THE
FIRST PLACE.”
Ryshu bowed his head shamefully. Such a thing
was true. “You still can’t eat him though. It’s true what you just said, but
he’s still my responsibility. Such a privilege was given to me, and I’m not
willing to take it for granted." The Nimmo gave the huge coconut a determined
glare, his hand on the Bo staff that was strapped on his back.
The tribesman below noticed Ryshu’s weapon. Finally,
one spoke, “Why does he have a weapon?”
“I guess we forgot to take it away from him when
we caught him.”
"Sounds more like an idiotic plot hole to me."
"SILENCE! You guys act as if the Chief couldn’t
handle the little frog.”
There was a long eerie silence, and Mango Pango
gently placed Ryshu back on the ground. Then he took his huge club and positioned
its shadow over NoName's bamboo cage. The huge coconut lifts his weapon over
his head, posed in a striking position.
Ryshu’s eyes widen and he dashed toward NoName
NoName was squirming in his cage, and he looked toward his side. Mango Pango
then forced the club down, letting it land with a huge thud. Finally, the smoked
cleared, and NoName was distanced from the fallen club, three feet away from
his open cage.
The little Blue Krawk got up. Still, shaken by
what just happened. He saw over his shoulder the huge club that was about to
crush him. Sticking from under the club was Ryshu’’s hand. The club slowly lifted
from its spot and the Petpet quickly ran toward his comically crushed master.
The Nimmo lifted his head up slightly, then asked,
“You okay NoName?” The little Krawk smiled and nodded his head happily.
One hour later
Ryshu woke up in the bed of the Training school
infirmary. He got up and slid open the door. The Techo master was having a conversation
on a small seashell-shaped cell phone. “That’s good... yes. But I still think
you might have been too hard on my pupil.”
The old Techo saw Ryshu and said his goodbye
to the other end of the phone. He stuffed the cell phone into his Gi and smiled
at his pupil. “Ah, Ryshu you’re awake. Now that you and your petpet have bonded,
it is time for you to give him a proper name.”
The little Krawk entered the room, with his trademark
wooden utensil in his claws. Ryshu looked at his petpet, he thought hard on
a name. Finally the Nimmo snapped his fingers. “I know what I’ll call you!”
The Krawk leaned forward with his spoon clutched
tightly in his claws, an excited gleam in his grey eyes. “Jubei Musashi!” Ryshu
smiled. Jubei showed his approval of the name by doing a cute little dance.
Epilogue:
Jubei Musashi (or Jubei for short) has been Ryshu’s loyal petpet and friend
for more than a few years now. His fighting skills have improved since then,
and he is currently one of the top fighters of the petpet battle arena. But
he prefers to lounge on the beaches of his new home, along with his master who
usually scribbles haikus in the sand.
The End
| 
