Hi, I’m Rose
As we come into Middle Park, I can see some of the greenery slowly return to the park and the trees are beginning to bud.
“It’s going to be Spring soon, huh?”
“Yep, it’s already March after all.” Rayla answers.
“It felt like a long winter this year…”
“Yeah…It really did.”
“But it still was a good Winter. We managed to pass the mountain range, I found manya and soon we can go on adventures again.”
“About that, oko…Are you sure that’s what you want?”
“Yes, a hundred percent!”
“If you say so…”
“Kikikiki, it will be alright. I’ll be her shield from now on.”
“Do you even have a shield, manya?”
“Not yet. But Sher Aka said she’ll teach me how to use one.”
“Are you sure you’ll be okay, manya? Maybe I should be the one protecting you.”
“Nope. No way. The day that I rely on my baby sister to protect me is the day I failed as your big sis. Anyways, looks like we’re here. Do you want me to give you some help or do you think you can do it alone?”
“Do I really have to, manya…”
“Of course you do! Five minutes, you promised me you’d talk to some of the other kids for at least five minutes.”
“But we won’t have anything to talk about…They’re kids, we have nothing in common.”
“We did do a lot of fun things together though, there must be at least one kid that saw the same play or tried something similar to you.”
“I guess…”
Coming up to the entryway my heart starts to pump quickly again. Just like the last time, the entrance seems to be guarded by a male and female Frigant and a male and female Wolf-Beastkin. They look like different people than the last time though.
The Beastkin woman then takes a deep sniff and says, “Are you all going in together?”
“Yep.” Scarlet answers.
“Then I’ll need to ask who you two are,” She asks pointing at Sher Aka and John.
“We’re friends of the family,” Sher Aka answers.
“I see, I’ll just need to see identification from you two then you can go in after leaving your weapons here.”
After they show their guild cards we enter without further questioning, “Eh? They didn’t ask a bunch of questions like last time, manya.”
“Why would they? We’re obviously family.”
“Huh…But we were family before too, right?”
“Yep, but now it’s even more obvious. So, even an idiot can tell.”
Scarlet then puts me on the ground and points at a group of kids, “Time for you to go.”
“W-will it really be alright, though? What if they find out I’m a boy in this form?”
“They won’t,” Rayla reassures me, “Just go.”
“O-okay…”
Walking over to the group of kids, I get really nervous. It feels like I’m about to face a strong enemy in battle. My belly feels really weird as my heart starts pumping quickly and before I know it I’m holding my tail close to my chest to soothe myself.
Eventually, I do get to the group of children who are all a little taller than me and stammer out, “H-hello, I…I’m Rose.”
Two girls then approach me, a Wolf-Beastkin with long black hair and a Highelf girl with deep blue hair reaching down to her knees.
“Hi Rose! I’m Kelly. You have such pretty clothes!”
“Th-Thank you.”
She then touches my ears and says excitedly, “Oh? Are you part Elf!?”
“I…I…”
Slapping Kelly’s hand away, the Elven girl says, “Don’t be rude Kelly.”
“I wasn’t being rude! Right, Rose!?”
“Uhm-Uhm…H-hi, I’m Rose.”
“See you broke her, Kelly. She already looked way too shy. You can’t just touch someone’s ear like that without warning. Anyways, nice to meet you, Rose. I’m Ser Ulian and this is Kelly, do you want to play with us?”
“Uhm…If y-you don’t mind.”
“Of course not, we invited you after all!”
Gently, Ser Ulian takes my hand and together we join some other kids and start to play. At first I’m a bit apprehensive but eventually I have loads of fun! Ser Ulian is especially kind to me, always keeping an eye out for me and telling other kids to stay away when I get overwhelmed. Eventually though, my body starts to give out a bit and I need to rest.
Ser Ulian sits down next to me and asks, “Taking a break?”
“Yeah…I’m still not fully recovered.”
“Were you sick?”
“Yeah…I was sick for a long time, apparently I almost died.”
“Eh!? Really?”
“Yeah…Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that…”
“No you should have said so sooner! Are you okay?”
“Yeah…Just exhausted.”
“Where are your parents? I’ll go bring you to them, it’s better than resting on the cold ground.”
“I came with my sisters, I think they’re over there.”
She then squats down and offers me a piggyback ride, “Alright, I’ll bring you there.”
“Are-are you sure? You don’t need to do that, if you give me a bit I can walk on my own.”
“I’m sure! As the older one it’s my job to take care of the younger one!”
After hesitating a bit I take her offer and get on her back, “How old are you Ser Ulian?”
“Hehehe, it might be hard to believe but I’m already eighty years old!”
“Huh…So you’re about six years old in human years?”
“Yep, that’s some quick math for someone as young as you!”
“Thank you!”
“By the way, how old are you, Rose?”
“I don’t wanna say…”
“Eh~ Okay give me three guesses. You say higher or lower.”
“Okay.”
“Hmm…Thirty?”
“Wayyyy lower.”
“So, not an Elven scale…Four?”
“Lower.”
“Two?”
“Lower…”
“Eh!? No way! How little are you!?”
“You said three questions, I’m not answering more.”
“Sigh Fair…But still that means you must be really smart right?”
“Huh? Why?”
“Because we can talk just fine. That means you must be super smart!”
“Heh, thank you but I really don’t think I am.”
“Nope you totally are! Also, do you see your sisters yet?”
“Yeah, they’re over there.”
“Okay. Do you want to come back to play with me again tomorrow, Rose?”
“I-If you want to, sure. B-but I’ll have to ask for permission.”
“Then let’s ask together.”
Ser Ulian then quickly walks to Scarlet and Rayla and says, “Hi! I’m Ser Ulian, can Rose come back to play again tomorrow?”
“Eh~ Don't tell me you made a friend already, Rose? Aren’t you Miss Popular?”
“I-I’m not sure I’d say f-”
“Yes, we’re friends. Can Rose come again tomorrow?”
“Sure!” Rayla answers with a smile.
“Hehe! Then let’s meet again tomorrow, Rose!”
“Uhm…Okay.”
Ser Ulian then drops me off and waves me goodbye as she runs back to the other kids.
Scarlet picks me up with a smug look on her face, “So~ Who’s that friend of yours?”
“Uhm…Her name is Ser Ulian…And she’s really nice and we had a lot of fun. She always made sure I was feeling okay and she even carried me back here after I got too exhausted to walk…”
“How nice of her!”
“So, oko…How did you befriend her?”
“I’m not sure…I was just really nervous and she was very kind to me and then we suddenly had fun.”
“I see, so she took the initiative!”
“Y-Yeah…I guess.”
“But why are you so nervous, Rose?” Sher Aka asks.
“I dunno…It just feels like I shouldn’t be allowed to do this.”
“Don’t worry, that feeling will go away with time. Just don’t make John jealous by only playing with your new friends.”
“Puh I’m not going to feel jealousy over some kids at a playground. Obviously Thoma Ahad and I have bonded in a way far stronger than some playground antics.”