Chance Encounter

Kotori had been running for a while. She was unsure of the distance she had run. She wasn't completely sure she wasn't running in a straight line and could only use the sun as a general marker for the correct direction. She was small so it was unlikely she had moved as much as she would have liked. It was approaching midday and Kotori took the time to assess the contents of the sack that Roland had given her.

Inside was a small knife, a few pieces of bread, a small water skin, and a tinderbox. Kotori appreciated the tinderbox since she didn't know how to start a fire, but was unsure of how to use it in the first place. She quickly finished with her small break and began to move again. Although she could slow down her pace Kotori didn't want to stop until she felt she was in a safe position. She noticed something at her feet, it appeared to be a small pile of dirt. That had suddenly appeared she poked it

[that wasn't there before right]

The dirt formed itself into a rat shape.

[Oh you]

Kotori had been so preoccupied that she didn't realize that Shu had been with her the entire time. She lifted the small spirit and nuzzled it. Now she had two reminders of the home she once had. She finished her break and began her journey with a renewed vigor.

.

.

.

Kotori and Shu had been walking for a while.

Shu seemed to like perching on her shoulder so she let him stay there.

They continued walking until she felt a presence. She immediately stopped and looked around.

"Where's there"

As soon as she said that the presence vanished again. Kotori began to quicken her pace and all she could feel was a pair of eye staring at her. It was unnerving, she couldn't see anyone nearby. Though it was highly likely they were hiding in the forest and undergrowth she knew that whatever it was she didn't want to be associated with it and kept going.

The presence kept getting closer and her quickened pace began to turn into a run. She began to hear footsteps behind her and was unable to ascertain the existence of what was causing them. Not wanting to look back.

When the footsteps grew unbearably close,

[I have to fight] Kotori Thought

Kotori pulled out her flute and stood her ground.

Raising the flute to her mouth She began to play the same tune she used on the Count's men. It was a shrill tone that caused people to seize up and Kotori's only offensive tool.

She heard a small yelp and the sound of something falling.

She heard something from above her and quickly moved out of the way. A little while after a person collapses in a small heap in front of her.

Kotori instantly took several steps back.

And readied herself to play another tone.

The body on the ground groaned

"Karma -50"

[I'm really going to lose karma for defending myself, or wait did this person mean me no harm?]

Thinking this, Kotori lowered her guard a little to see who the body was and was surprised to see that her pursuer was a young teen girl. Her face which was scrunched in pain, was lightly tanned and speckled with freckles. Her hair was a burnt orange. And she wore a mottled green suit that probably served as camouflage in the verdant forest. Upon closer inspection, Kotori saw that the girl's ears ended in pointed tips

She stood there watching the girl who continued to lay on the ground and groan

"I think you broke my arm!"

Kotori was equally startled and confused by the statement.

[Wasn't this girl the one chasing me]

she instantly thought

"Are… you okay?" She said carefully. The Girl didn't seem to radiate any hostile intent. Kotori still kept her guard up in case the girl was trying to lull her into a false sense of security.

"Here I was trying to follow a small little girl making sure she didn't get into trouble, and she pulled out a flute and nearly BLOWS out my eardrums." The girl said

"You weren't trying to kill me?"

The girl who had stopped groaning, stoop up. Holding her arm she looked at her in surprise and said

"No? Who would try and kill a small child walking in the forest"

"But you were chasing me"

The girl sighed

"Look, I was trying to watch out for you. You're way too young to be walking around this deep in the forest"

She looked at Kotori

"I don't even know how you got here in the first place. The closest village is a day's walk from here and across the border."

Kotori was instinctively about to say that's where she was from but bit her tongue before she spoke. She didn't want to reveal too much about herself.

"Why are you here in the forest little girl? Where your family?"

Kotori felt sadness welling up but didn't say anything but it was obvious the girl had noticed her change in mood.

Her face softened

"It's okay you don't have to tell me. It's obvious you don't want to be here."

"Am I in Faramouth?" She asked

"Kinda? The border changes every year. Not like it matters since it's all forest anyway."

She looked confused

"Look, a little girl like you shouldn't be walking around a forest there are wild animals roaming about and you could get hurt."

Kotori looked at the girl

"I have to get away from Atlea"

The orange hair girl stared at her testing resolve and finally said

"Okay, Okay I get it. Can you at least come with me for a little bit and we'll get you patched up."

Kotori took some time to consider the proposal

If she took it and it was a trap she could be in a much worse situation. On the flip side, it was not like she had much choice. The girl was right that she couldn't possibly survive in this deep forest on her own. She eventually decided that she would follow the girl.

"I'll go" She said curtly

The girl smiled, obviously relieved.

"Great!" We should probably introduce ourselves. My name is Amelie, yours?"

"Kotori"

She avoided saying her last name in the small chance that Amelie knew who she was.

"Follow me then" Amelie began to trudge along the forest gripping her arm obviously in pain.

"Wait," Kotori said

Amelie stopped obviously confused

"What? Is there an issue?"

Kotori looked at Shu on her shoulder and sent him a mental image of a cast and asked him if could make one.

Shu looked a little confused, but then manipulated some clay nearby to form around Amelie's arm. She looked in surprise upon seeing a pile of clay float and wrap around her arm

"There, it should be better to walk now" Kotori murmured

Amelie softly tapped the cast on her arm and it made a hollow sound.

"How'd you do that," she asked

"I didn't do it, Shu did," Kototir said, gesturing to Shu who sat on her shoulder.

"Are you friends with that dirt spirit?" Amelie asked

"Kind of?" She said unsure of what to say

To be quite honest, Kotori didn't know how important she was to Shu. It seemed the little spirit just liked to follow her around.

Amelie decided to not press the issues further seeing as Kotori didn't know the answer herself

"Well then, thank you. I'll make sure to let the boss know you're alright"

"Wait!" Kotori said remembering something Roland told her,

"What about the bandits around here?"

Amelie laughed

"Ah that, Well that's us."

Kotori looked at Amelie in surprise who had dropped a bombshell of information on her.

"I promise we're not that bad," Amelie said, noticing Kotori's surprise

"I didn't kill you right?" she mused

Kotori, her surprise fading, couldn't argue with that and began to silently follow Amelie into what she assumed would be a bandit nest.