I Called You Friend
Chapter 5
Written by Michael Mark Maquilan

Valerie lay flat on a white bed in the theme park's infirmary.

Menkyu looked upon her flustered, exhausted figure. He took on a slight worried look. "What happened to her, doc?"

"I know not," the duck in a white shirt said.

Menkyu paced around the room. "Um, you know doc, she didn't even become phased during the first half. She spoke to me right before the ride ran backwards..."

The doctor rubbed his beak. "Her case is not the first instance, Menkyu. I've heard that for many the forwards part of Space Shuttle^TM provides no thrill. They fall in line for the backwards part, because it feels like free-falling, and in truth, it's even faster."

"I... see." Menkyu sighed.

"Well," the doctor added, "perhaps the backward part reminds her of something... she might have experienced. If you said that she rides one of those magical clouds then she should be used to the thrill of high speeds, and the occasional fall."

"Hggghhh..!" Valerie snapped awake gasping, holding her chest.

Menkyu and the doctor eyed Valerie.

"Tell me, young girl, if you are all right." the doctor asked her.

Valerie let out a few more exhausted gasps, before she finally spoke, "I-I'm fine."

She sat contemplative on the bedside. "I'm fine. I'm fine." she assured.

The doctor held Valerie's forehead, then said, "Are you sure? You seem a bit hot. Maybe you and your friend should go home now."

Valerie shook her head. "No, I'm fine. I want to see more of the park today."

"Valerie, are you really sure?" Menkyu asked her.

"I'm fine, I said." she made clear, standing up.

The duck crossed his arms. "Well, if you insist. You may leave with your friend when you want."

***

Valerie hobbled alongside Menkyu as they passed the 18^th century-era park. The small, friendly trees cast their protective shade on the ground, standing watch over the grass and the flowerbeds which gathered around them, while bushes of purple leaves and yellow-pink flowers smiled at each passer-by.

"Hey-I-said-I'm-fine!" Valerie insisted, refusing Menkyu's shoulder.

Menkyu crossed his arms. "You're fine..? But you look pale."

"Hey, I'm fine. I'm all right, can't you see?"

Menkyu shook his head.

Valerie sighed, "Oh, all right. You win."

Valerie found a shiny black bench at the side of the path. She breathed a long tired breath as she slowly seated herself.

Menkyu sat next to her. "Finally." he taunted. "Finally."

She stretched her arms on the backrest and sighed. "Hey, Menkyu, why don't you just... believe me-that I'm fine?"

"I just know you're tired." Menkyu answered, looking at the yellow-orange clouds floating above. "You don't have to lie to me."

"Lie? Lie!? If you think of it that way then I can't deny it. I tried to lie, fine."

Valerie turned away from Menkyu.

"Well, I'm just concerned about you, okay?" Menkyu sneered.

Menkyu crossed his arms and turned away from Valerie.

The wind whistled a slight breeze, blowing some fallen leaves away.

"Well," Menkyu broke the silence, standing up, "you had already destroyed all the plans I had for today. I was planning to... to do what I want... yet you had to come and tell me to show you around!"

"Hey, if you thought of this as wasting time then I'm going now," Valerie stood up, answering back. "Thanks anyway."

Valerie snapped her finger, and in a streak of white cloud and a breath of a soft breeze, she's gone.

Menkyu crossed his arms and once more spoke to himself. Heh. That's rid of her. I was planning to go to the video arcade for the afternoon. She kept me in the infirmary long enough...

And so Menkyu left the park within the theme park and made his way to the video arcade, the coins tinkling in his pocket.

Menkyu immediately took a seat in his favorite fighting game. He popped in one of his coins, and he was ready. He chose his three favorite characters... an army officer (who was not wearing eyeglasses), a ninja warrior with a strangely-shaped blade, and... a female monkey?

The two other characters merely provided support for the monkey character, whom Menkyu is most proficient with. He showed great skill with the monkey, showing off her special moves and combos, including her cooking the enemy on a cauldron, fanning the flames with a strange butterfly fan, and whacking her opponent with a large version of her stretch staff. Her most powerful move was her transforming into a huge monkey, blasting opponents with fire breath.

In the last stage, the final enemy transformed into his third and final form of a large red acidic flame monster, his most powerful form, and executed a flame attack which almost depleted the life of the monkey character. Unhampered by this setback, Menkyu went on to defeat the final boss with what little life the character had. Menkyu wiped his forehead and sighed, "Whew! That was quite a close one. I thought she'd fail me this time..." Seconds later, he sat back and prepared to watch the ending sequence, which he had already grown tired of in his playing career, but he decided to watch it anyway.

As the credits rolled on the right side, the left showed a few picture slides. The first slide showed a ship fleeing from an exploding volcano. The second to fourth slide showed a pirate woman throwing a strange crystal ball into the sea. The strange crystal ball looked like the essence-the heart of the final enemy, which he leaves behind when he sinks into the ground. And then the next slides showcased the characters featured in the game, including the monkey character smiling at the camera. Heh, she's so cute. I wish I could have her for a girlfriend... hahahaha.

When he left the video arcade, though, Valerie's words suddenly popped into Menkyu's head.

"Hey, Menkyu, why don't you just... believe me-that I'm fine?"

Why didn't I just play along with her? Menkyu thought. But I can't... she looked really weak and I can't shake off the feeling...

"Hey, if you thought of this as wasting time then I'm going now..."

And so Menkyu sighed, left the theme park, and hailed a hovering taxicab.