I Called You Friend
Chapter 3
Written by Michael Mark Maquilan

"You said it was only going to be a while!?" Menkyu panted, "Where is Wani's house!?"

"Um, let me see..." Poch said, scratching his head. "I just know it was here... somewhere... it's just at the back of..."

"Hey!" Menkyu interrupted, "I see it-behind those trees... another meadow... come on!"

Menkyu darted between the bushes for the opening in the woods, panting "...water...water..."

"I meant," Poch continued as his friend left, "I meant that it's just at the back of my head." He walked through the last of the trees, and through the bushes at the edge of the woods, to see Menkyu crouching, his hand like a visor over his eyes.

"W-where is it?" Menkyu asked himself, "It must be around..."

"Ahem." Poch interrupted. "It's the mound you leapt over."

Menkyu turned towards Poch, and, seeing the wooden door behind his friend, he grinned, and half-giggling, said, "Oh, yes, yes, it's there-yes..."

And then the heavy wooden door swung open, revealing a green figure in blue robes and a tall pentagon-fronted hat. Two white gloves floated close by him-one holding the door handle, the other adjusting the large spectacle over his left eye, next to the orange diamond in his forehead. Below the robes, only a blackness can be seen, with only the end of his tail poking out the back.

The scaly head cocked over to one side. His wide mouth showed only a small opening as he remarked, "Whenever the ceiling vibrates, I could only expect the two of you, Mr. Yalong; Mr. Menkyu."

Poch turned to the floating snake, and narrowed his eyes. "Funny, Wani, old friend; since when did you ever call us 'mister'?"

Menkyu pointed at the spectacles. "Wani-your glasses-your right eye, what happened to it?"

"So you didn't know." the snake said, stroking his chin. He motioned at Poch, making a request: "You explain, old friend."

Poch sighed. He went over to Menkyu and whispered into the monkey's ear: "To cut the story short, it's due to... a freak accident that happened long ago. Don't worry about it."

Menkyu crossed his arms. "Whatever." he whispered back, "Another of his... failed experiments."

Poch simply nodded.

"So, what do you want from me now?" the old snake hissed, "Pakaracci's set a little tete-a-tete at my hose today, so make it short..!"

"Lord Racchi, he's coming here?" Poch pondered. "I wasn't notified."

Menkyu followed, "Cool. That saves us a dangerous ride."

"A dangerous ride?" the snake hissed again. "A dangerous ride? I suppose you speak of my 'Interdimensional Transport Craft Prototype 1', aye? I'd never let you into the cockpit ever again; last time you two got on, you half-crashed into a ravine, and if not for my tractor beam... what else? So don't bother."

Then a deep voice came from behind Poch and Menkyu: "You speak too much, old friend." it said.

Wani turned to the voice. "Pakaracci? Now? I haven't had time to prepare tea yet..."

Menkyu and Poch turned around to see a tall, scaly figure in a heavy yellow robe, with a red shawl over his shoulders, bound over his chest with four nails in the formation of a rectangle. On his head is a white turban with a red emblem, from which two sharp green ears extended. Below that, his orange hair and green face, with a muzzle like an alligator hint at his true form. Behind him, a firm thick tail hangs low, with its end trailing along the ground.

The dog looked up in slight obeisance to the dragon in his humanoid form. Still about two-and-a-half heads taller, Racchi's muscular features seemed to demand respect. His title of High Priest demanded yet more respect.

Poch spoke formally, "I wasn't notified of your arrival, Lord Pakaracci. Menkyu and I were supposed to stop by your temple today."

"Enough of the titles, Yalong." Pakaracci called the dog by his nickname. "Yes, friend, I see; what a coincidence that we met beforehand."

Menkyu grinned and added, "Well, you saved us the trouble of borrowing Wani's... what was that?"

"So," Wani interrupted, "where is this 'descendant of a legendary figure' you were supposed to introduce me to?"

"She should be coming." Pakaracci said, crossing his arms. "I just went ahead without her... she'll just use the map of Murgen I gave her..."

"In any case, I should be setting the outdoor table..." Wani interrupted yet again, disappearing into the door of his abode.

"Whoa!" Menkyu exclaimed, prodding Poch's side. "Descendant of a legendary figure? This girl must be some celebrity or something..!"

"Truth is," Yalong whispered back, "descendants of legendary figures usually prefer to lie low and stay unpopular."

"Oh..."

Just then, Menkyu saw a streak flash in the sky. Certainly something was on top of the comet-like object. He saw a red dot on top - the figure wore red clothes. And then the red dot took on streaks of brown... brown fur?

Then he suddenly asked, with a stammer in his voice, "Th-that one coming here, she's the so-called descendant of a legendary figure who's supposed to come here?"

Pakaracci shot a glance over his shoulder. "Here she comes; Valerie, one of the granddaughters of the great Mystic Monkey. She was at the Temple yesterday..."

"Valerie!?" Menkyu gasped, falling back, pointing towards her.

"What's the matter?" Pochiro wondered, not knowing the reason for Menkyu's surprise. "You seem to know her very well. Is it because you find her cute?"

"Of course not!" Menkyu barked, "Damn, just act casual; I'll just hide behind something... too late; I'll just turn my back..."

The descendant of a legendary figure stopped beside Racchi. She asked the dragon, "Lord Racchi, did I make it in time to meet your old friend?"

"I suppose so." Racchi muttered, not paying attention to Menkyu, whose back was turned, and Poch, who was whistling a familiar tune.

Valerie turned to Menkyu. She pointed at him, and said, smiling, "Hey, you're the one I met back there in the forest, right? You're Menkyu, right?"

"UM, NO." Menkyu replied, heavily deepening his voice. "YOU MUST BE MISTAKEN."

"If you say so..." Valerie replied back, giggling.

That girl, she's making fun of me... again! Menkyu thought. She must be following me around Murgen..! This can't be a coincidence at all... heh, what's wrong with me, huh? Why does she pick on me; why doesn't she just leave me alone..? Hmph. Very like me; I guess I don't sound too good after all, the way I joke around...

Menkyu remembered the time he picked on little Howard.

"Hey you, with the lollipop!"

"Eh, Menkyu? You want one?" the little pig ranted between licks.

"N-oh. I just needed to call you."

"Oh."

So the youngster returned to enjoying his lollipop.

"Hey you, with the lollipop!" Menkyu called again.

"Eh? Cut that out!" Howard yelled.

Menkyu simply put his arms behind his back and grinned.

Whatever. I don't care what she thinks. The point is, I'm Menkyu, and I'm cool. She's not going to beat me at that. That's right, maybe I'll just ignore her.

Menkyu combed his hair with his fingers. Heh-heh. I haven't lost my touch yet... that's the spirit!

Then Menkyu realized that Wani had set the round table in the yard without him. Wani, Poch, Pakaracci, and Valerie sat at four ends of a pentagon, with an empty chair just in front of Menkyu. The four were sipping their tea, and, realizing that Menkyu had emerged from his trance, raised their cups to toast, grinning at Menkyu. "Tea?" they said in unison.

"That's it!" Menkyu snapped, "Now all four of you are picking on me!" Without allowing anyone to reply, he stomped towards the edge of the forest from where the stream emerged.

"Hey, what's wrong with him?" Valerie mused aloud.

"I think we-we crippled his pride." Wani hissed, "Rather well, I might add."

Poch and Pakaracci crossed their arms and remained silent.

"Hey, I think we overdid it." Valerie said, standing up. "I'll go apologize."

And so Valerie followed Menkyu towards where he was going, leaving Wani, Poch, and Pakaracci to their old fools' talk.

***

Menkyu stood silently at the narrow stream's bank, gazing upon the cool, crisp wisps of water flowing past the edges of the stream-pebbles.

Why me? he thought.

Stooping down, Menkyu picked up a pebble. He flung it into the middle of the stream, watching the slight rift in the water, and the smoke-like behavior of the soil displaced on the stream-bed. The plume of dust expanded to inches-wide before the flow of water dispersed the cloud and carried it downstream.

Menkyu sighed.

"Hey, Menkyu?" Valerie called from behind him. Then she lowered her voice, and apologized, "Menkyu, um, I, Lord Pakaracci, Sir Wani, and your dog friend, we apologize for we may have offended you."

"Go away." Menkyu bluntly returned.

Valerie grinned, even though Menkyu would not see it. She half-begged, "Come on. Please..?"

Getting up from his haunches, Menkyu turned towards Valerie. He said, "Well, if you're really sorry, why don't you stop picking on me!"

"I was?" came an innocent question.

The tranquil flow of the flowing stream drowned out the immediate silence.

"Oh, I was? I was only trying to be funny..." Valerie mused.

"Er, why don't you just admit it!" Menkyu yelled.

"Hey! You're being rude!" Valerie pointed out.

"Whatever." Menkyu said. "Well, since you seem to enjoy fighting, I challenge you to a duel, arrogant girl!"

"Hey, hey; I have a name! Well, if you really want to fight so badly, sure... right now?"

"Yes, right now!" Menkyu declared, pulling his staff from the straps, taking his stance.

Valerie coolly fished a small battery-shaped object from within her coat, muttering, "Why are you so like that?"

"Eh, what's that?" Menkyu asked.

Valerie gave an indignant "Hmph!" as she pointed one end of the red-and-gold battery towards Menkyu.

Suddenly, Menkyu watched the red object extend towards him. By the time he realized it was her stretch staff, it was too late. Valerie's staff struck his shoulder, knocking him into the stream.

Menkyu sat in the middle of the stream, his clothes dripping with water. He looked at the ends of his sleeves and yelled, "You!"

Valerie reduced the staff's length, and placed it over her shoulder. "Maybe tomorrow?" she asked, smiling at Menkyu. She walked towards the stream and offered a hand to Menkyu.

Menkyu looked in the opposite direction. "Oh, what the heck." he said, picking up his staff with one hand, reaching for Valerie's hand with the other.

Valerie took Menkyu's hand and began to pull Menkyu up, when Menkyu pulled her into the stream!

Menkyu laughed as he watched Valerie shaking her wet head in a feeble attempt to dry her hair. She scrubbed the water off her face and yelled, "Hey, you did that on purpose!"

"I also have a name." Menkyu said, smiling.

He lifted himself up from the stream and sat at the banks. Valerie did the same, but she sat feet away.

Valerie took off her coat and squeezed some water out. (She had a sleeveless undershirt on, anyway.) She looked at the grinning Menkyu and said, "That was fun, but I'd rather not have to walk around with these wet clothes."

Menkyu agreed. "I feel very heavy right now. This is all your fault!"

He expected Valerie to yell back. Rather, she smiled, saying, "I'm sorry." She edged herself towards Menkyu, then reached out her hand once more, this time to shake hands. "Pleased to meet you." she said.

Menkyu crossed his arms, as if reluctant to make up with her.

But he gave up and simply shook hands with her. "Pleased-to-meet-you-as-well."

Valerie held her staff on one hand and her rolled-up coat on the other; Menkyu slung his staff into its straps. They both stood up and returned towards Wani's place.

Strange. Menkyu thought as he looked upon Valerie's aspect. I professed to hate her, and now we're acquaintances. Errgh, she's so confident... Like me... I guess that doesn't seem so good either. The smile hadn't left her face since our first encounter... what's up with her? Maybe she's just happy... after all I was the first one she met in the forest who didn't fight seriously... or well. Sigh. And I thought I was good at playing tricks... I wasn't as good as I thought...

"Hey Menkyu, is there something wrong?" Valerie asked.

Sighing, Menkyu replied, "Nothing, Valerie."

They both smiled at each other.