45 Danger in Playing with Human

"WHAT should I do with this?" the thundering voice of Naru echoed thru throughout the land as he held Maeko in the air. Floating in the winds.

Maeko's giggle can be heard up until Naru lifted her more. She was high up in the ground as high as the trees. Now, Maeko cannot laugh anymore.

"H-hey, can..can you put me down? This isn't fun anymore." Maeko trembled as she looked at Naru. "Please. Please put me down. I didn't mean to offend you. I just want to see what your face looks like."

"Foolish! Stupid!" Naru's voice thundered again. "These humans never learned their lesson. And you, Deity," Naru looked at Dandy. "As I told you before, never mingle with these humans. They are fragile. Ignorant. And arrogant."

Dandy looked down. She cannot argue with Naru as he was an older God. She wanted to defend her newfound friend but how, when he was as angry as now.

"B-but…Naru, I…I think she has a reason why she wanted to see." Dandy still tried to defend Maeko. She knows in her heart that Naru can forgive maeko. "Y-you see, she's just a child like me. Curious and full of questions. I..I think she just wanted to be friends with you."

"Yes, yes! Friends. Please, put me down. It's scary up here."

Maeko pleaded as the tears started to fall. Dandy can feel how Maeko tried her best not to cry. She tried her best to be brave but she was just a girl like Dandy. And a human at that.

Dandy looked at Naru to plead again but there was something different with him. He was just there, standing at a branch of a tree looking at Maeko.

"Megumi," Naru then called.

Dandy saw how Shina, Yoshiko, and Tamotsu looked at Naru before looking at Maeko was now bawling her eyes. It was then that the scream of Maeko got all their attention as she was falling from where she was.

"Naru!"

"Maeko!"

"You're Grace!"

"No!"

The muddle of voices. The mixed explosion of power happened in a split second. The wave of power washed the whole forest that the birds flew and animals run away from that disturbance.

Dandy could only close her eyes as flashes of lights blinded her and as to not see what would happen to Maeko.

Everything was quiet. The silence was deafening.

Slowly, Dandy opened her one eye to peek at what happened. And then she saw what happened.

Shina and Naru were in their adult God form. Naru was cradling Maeko in his arms as Shina was beside them. Below the twins, Tamotsu and Yoshiko were ready to cushion Maeko's fall.

But what was fascinating was that were no ground was waiting for Maeko. For there was a big bowl-like on the ground made out of the branches of the trees. Moss and Leaves gather inside of that bowl to act as the pillow.

Now, they looked like a statue.

Shina and Naru at the top. Yoshiko and Tamotsu in the middle of their human form. And Dandy's garden bowl.

"Wow," Sora exclaimed after a moment of looking at it.

"Naru, that was dangerous," Shina reprimanded with her cold voice. "The girl could have died. You can your temper!"

Naru didn't speak a word and just carried Maeko until they were on the ground. He didn't take away his gaze from Maeko's face who was pale white as the clouds in the sky.

Shina looked at Maeko who were still clinging to Naru's robes as her eyes were closed. Everyone gathered to look at Maeko and simultaneously sighed with relief.

"That was a close one."

"That's a nice bowl, Your Grace."

Tamotsu gave Yoshiko a killer look. "Really?"

"I'm just passing our Deity for her fast action. If it weren't for that extra cushion, it'll hurt if Maeko falls on us."

Tamotsu shook his head in resignation to Yoshiko's reason. Tamotsu then looked back at Naru was still standing there not letting go of Maeko.

"Your Grace, you can let go of Maeko now. Here, let me help you." Tamotsu offered a hand. It took a minute longer before Naru finally let go of Maeko.

"Now, now, child. It's okay now," Tamotsu walked towards Dandy and Sora and carefully put her down. "See here, Our Deity and Sora are waiting for you."

Slowly but carefully, Maeko opened her eyes. When Dandy met Maeko's gaze, she started to cry again and clung to Dandy. With a smile, Dandy held her, too, and gently pat her back. Trembling from what happened, Maeko didn't stop crying.

"Naru, What happened?" Shina asked her brother.

Dandy's eyes flew back to the twins who were talking not too far away from them.

"I…I don't know," remorse and confusion can be seen in Naru's face as he looked at his hands before glancing at Maeko. "I thought she was Megumi. Her…mark…the mole under her eyes."

Dandy now looked back at Maeko. And true to what Naru said, there was a mole under her right eye.

"Then.. is she…?"

Naru gently shook her head. "No…No…maybe I'm just mistaken."

"She had two moles. Under each eye." Shina answered. "This girl has only one. No, she's not Megumi, Naru. You need to pull yourself together."

With a heavy sigh, Naru tried his best to control his emotions. Compose himself.

He then flew towards Maeko. His hands reached to Maeko who flinched as his hands softly cress her forehead. "I'm sorry, girl."

And as if to pay for his mistake, Shina let a gentle breeze lightly lift the cloth and made them see a part of Naru's face.

A pinkish small lips, a high proud nose, and lashes that fan his checks. He was beautiful as the clouds that carried the lightning and thunder.

"Dandy," Shina called. "We would be taking our leave for now. It will take us longer to come back and I want you to take heed and warning. Remember the story. Remember the curse. Take care of the forest."

Dandy could never forget about that story as she now knows how heavy it will be to carry the burden of losing the one you love with simple and forbidden feelings.

"Well, then…Naru," she called and flew first.

Naru followed after a while along with the dark clouds and thunder.

Now left in the forest, together with Maeko, Sora, and her guardians, she doesn't feel lonely anymore.

{I'm sorry, Shina. Can I get greedy for now with Maeko and Sora?}

****END OF CHAPTER****

6 more chapters before the lock~

Hope that you'd stay until the end of the novel~