"Tell me a story," the feline girl requested, cross-legged, and seated upon hard wood. Eyes twinkling with curiosity, she stared up at the panda who sat before her on the chair before her.
She was young, yet maintained a sedated mood of someone who walked the earth for far too long, desiring rest for the first time in eons. She looked down at the feline before her. Her tail idly swished about, showing excitement with her bright eyes, and hopeful expression that looked into her the weariness of her own. "About what?" The panda asked, sluggishly rolling her head as she sat up.
The feline smiled, glad to finally have the attention of the panda. She breathed in deeply, taking in the fresh scent of blooming flowers, and earth around them. They were alone at this idyllic home, away from the busyness of society, and away from the heartlessness of men and women that walked the earth. Here, nature was the only one that welcomed her, just like the panda. Here, regular and attentive visitors like her were the only ones given the time of day by this panda.
"About you," the feline then said. Her eyes continued to sparkle.
The panda shifted in her seat, leaning forward slightly as she blankly stared at the feline. She was a regular, and someone who showed genuine knowledge and interest in both the arts of magic, and of nature itself. "About what?" She repeated, slower.
Frustration flashed across the feline's muzzle and brow. She hummed, then thought, realizing that there was more to the repeated question than before. She brought a hand to her chin, and tapped her tightly pursed lips as her gaze carried off to the side of the porch she was seated upon. Finally, after a minute, she turned back, her face tight, and her eyes still maintaining their twinkle. "You're a fighter aren't you, Miss Aichi?"
The panda nodded, and leaned back in her seat. Her gaze went back to her front yard, leading to eventual forest that towered over her home. A packed down path of dirt split from the front steps to a car parked in front of a small garage. Worn down earth showed her most traveled paths in and out of her property.
"Yes," she responded, having considered an answer for a moment. "Why?"
"Could you tell me a story about you -- about a fight you had against some bad people long ago? In your early days of exploring." The request was earnest, non-specific, and didn't touch on anything recent. The trouble however, was remembering it.
"Mmm..." Miss Aichi mumbled. Her eyes closed, and her hands finally moved from the armrests of her seat. She rubbed the wrist on her left arm, then the back of her forearm. She sighed longingly, and ran her hands against her thighs.
She hunched forward, crossing her arms over her knees. That was over a century ago for her to tell. Gaps in her mind told her well enough that she was no longer capable of holding anything in her head; the old was removed and replaced, and memories of the past were becoming scarcer and scarcer with each passing day. She did have standouts however...
There was a bit of shuffling from the feline, scooting herself out of the way and back.
Opening her eyes, she raised her head slightly, and turned to the right. The feline was sitting closer to the steps of the porch, away from her to avoid the awkwardness of being a bit too close face to face. The panda's arms uncrossed, a hand was raised and cupped the bottom of her chin as her elbow was perched on her knee. A faint smile and visible amusement formed at her eyes and muzzle, no longer appearing tired.
"Over a century ago, back when I started in my home country, I didn't have much experience about the outside world. I was naive. I was foolish. I was still growing up," she explained. Miss Aichi sighed longingly. Going through such an adventure again would be an experience she wouldn't mind reliving.
"I happened upon a small town upon a trade route between two cities," she began. Her eyes wandered, surveying the land, as did her mind, to faint recollections of the past, and of one town she at first saved.
To her, the smell of fish became prominent again, as did she remember some of the town's children running amok, despite what was going on. Some had a look of fear about them, others remained resolute and brave despite the brigands. In the end though, she couldn't remember their faces any longer. The smiles, the frowns, the looks in their eyes, but she remembered the body language.
"A fishing village near a river. It didn't have that many people in it, but their economy was small, and stable enough from travelers. Brigands from some nearby group decided to extort the people of the village," she paused, remembering the moment she met the leader face to face. Her scabbard was pulled away, using it to jab one of the bandits firmly in the muzzle before tossing it aside. She remembered holding her sword in her right hand; still a year fresh from the forge, and sharp as ever.
She paused, remembering how she had struck them down, maiming but not outright killing them as retribution. Their hold on the town had lasted months, apparently. They would be back, and the battle thereafter was hard-fought by her, and her alone. The forests back then, had started to become her closest ally.
"I met them after investigating the small town. Children trying to ignore the looming fear of these bandits occupying their town. Its people brave, and fearful of the hold they had over them. It was I who liberated them," she finished glumly. "They were my first trial of youth. They were the first responsibility I had after leaving home."
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First entry, starting off small. Will be only uploading art of Panda Latch that I commission onto this website.
