It was a new day. A new discussion. Well, not exactly. A new start to an old discussion. Cici was in Fell's bedroom, the two mothers dressing up the well mannered little Vi. Wasn't really a big thing, Vi's well mannered-ness, because she loved her mothers' attention. Fell wanted to tie Vi's short hair into a ponytail. It was no one's suggestion, but Vi's insistence, to keep her hair short so it didn't fall past her shoulders. Today, she was in a lemon yellow frock with white frills like waves of whipped cream on a lemon cake. And Fell was convinced a pony tail would look best with the frock. Cici didn't agree. Cici loved Vi's velvety hair and believed it was best left free. Cici felt a hairband, a yellow one, would look best. They were arguing about their certainties, as Vi sat quietly laughing. Of course, even in the midst of the arguing about styling Vi's hair, they didn't miss out on the other discussion.
[Fell] "I know you're being more than lazy. You're still clinging. I hate it. Just picture it. A tiny pony tail, jiggling every time she moved. It would be so lovely."
[Cici] "You're just overthinking, like you always do. I said yes, didn't I. Let's stop at the agreement, and not read more. Our Vi's not a toy or a pony. She doesn't need a tail. Free is how her hair is best. Let's leave it that way."
[Fell] "Unbelievable. How far you'd go to keep up the lie. Unbelievable. A compromise. Let's tie up her hair with a yellow band that's unmissable."
[Cici] "How's that a compromise? You're crazy to think I'd fall for that. How about this as a compromise, a hairband of some other colour, red, sitting on top of her head."
And they would have continued, if not for the cry for help that came out of nowhere.
[Nen] "Cici. Help."
If anyone asked Cici whose voice she recognised the easiest, she'd answer Nen without hesitation. Nen was one of her older friends, and quite popular too. If only because Nen was a magnet for trouble. Until thirteen, he was small for his age. And weak looking. Everyone was always worried for him. He was the second son of his parents in a hunters' family from a village, Husan, just outside of the Centery forest. Their's was an extended family, living together in compound within the walls of which were the many houses of each family. The brothers and sisters moved to a new house after marriage, starting off their own family, but never left the compound. That was how the village was. By sheer size, Husan should be a major city of the kingdom. But the policy was that each compound was treated as a single house, and each extended family was treated as a singular family. By that, Husan was a big village at best.
Nen was the smallest in his generation. His younger cousins, boys and girls, were all bigger than him. And stronger. The result was that Nen was looked upon as the frail princess that needed to be protected by everyone. The one child who suffered no teasing at all was Nen. No one questioned the strangeness of it all, feeling it was only right.
From thirteen to sixteen, Nen had a sudden spurt of growth. He grew taller and bulkier than most of his cousins. He looked fierce and handsome. But that didn't change him inside. He was still the clumsy little boy who got lost easily and who needed everyone worrying after him. He was now a big princess needing the same attention. He was also delicately handsome, grabbing the attention of the girls and the young women of the village. That became a headache for his cousins, who had to work harder to protect their delicate princess. And Nen loved everyone, making them all fall even more in love with him.
At twenty one, when everyone had to choose their professions, Nen didn't register as a hunter. Just as everyone in the village was sighing in relief, Nen startled them all, registering as a treasure hunter. On the face, a treasure hunter didn't seem to face the same level of danger as a hunter. Hunting for buried treasures shouldn't be as dangerous as facing wild animals everyday. Only, it wasn't. Hunters faced wild animals that were all familiar. Treasure hunters faced strange and mystical creatures and traps, dangers that one couldn't possibly prepare for. It was so much more dangerous. Unfortunately, Nen was the last to register, so no one could keep him company and keep him safe. It was the first time that everyone witnessed Nen's cunning.
The Centery forest was humongous. There weren't many even in the long history of the continent who had traversed through the forest, and among the few who had most had stayed in the outer and middle regions of the forest, steering clear of the inner regions. It was uncontested that the forest held many secrets. So, it was the perfect hunting ground for the young treasure hunter Nen. He wasn't seeking the big treasures that was spoken of in legends well known. He was fonder of the smaller treasures, mostly non-human and sometimes alien, that could be found with some effort in the forest. He was in the middle of such a hunt, between the outer and middle regions, when he got into trouble.
[Cici] "What? Where are you?"
Cici started with a teasing tone, but immediately became serious. Nen was in unfamiliar territory, even in the forest. The trees were taller and larger, the shadows darker and wider, the silence heavier and scarier, and the feeling of being watched creepy and terrifying.
[Nen] "I don't know."
It was the expected answer. Shouldn't surprise, and didn't.
[Cici] "Some more details please."
[Nen] "Sure. I found clues to the yellow leaves. I'm on the trail. I'm lost."
[Fell] "No, you're not."
[Cici] "Ignore her. Go on."
[Fell] "Don't ignore me. I'm not falling for that routine, Nen. What's really going on?"
[Cici] "Fell, stop it."
[Nen] "What do you mean, Fell?"
[Fell] "You're scared. That's not the fear from being lost. Yes, you are lost. Not questioning that. But right now, it's something else."
[Nen] "Oh. Yeah. I think I understand. What you mean. I'm not afraid about being lost from home. I'm lost on the trail."
[Fell] "Oh."
[Cici] "Right. Now that we've got that cleared. Nen, go on."
[Fell] "You knew."
[Cici] "Duh."
[Fell] "Why do you two get each other so easily?"
[Nen] "Huh? Didn't you get me too?"
[Fell] "Sometimes, I think you're not the careless and foolish princess at all. I think you're extremely cunning, and you know everything you're doing."
[Nen] "Of course I do. Who wouldn't?"
Fell laughed humourlessly. Nen allowed a smile before pulling on a serious face and turning toward Cici.
[Nen] "The Breecer trees are supposed to mark the outer boundary, home to Pline apes. I see the trees. But no sign of the apes. And, it's a creepy atmosphere. Don't you agree?"
[Cici] "Hmm. Yeah. I feel it too. Show me what else you have."
Nen nodded, and opened up. A few months ago, where he found the dark stones that fell from the sky a long time ago, he also found a carving on a boulder of this world. He couldn't read what was on there, so he made a copy. Returning home, he started studying the drawing, for that was what it looked like, a drawing. It was three concentric circles, with a series of symbols inside each of the circles. By himself, it would have proven extremely challenging. He had help, however. His mother and second aunt were both from inner cities, had studied at state academies. They were his teachers, and after he registered as a treasure hunter, they were his helpers with deciphering clues. Then, there were his friends from far away, introduced by Cici. Horn offered the Surien alphabet, which was built on a similar principle, rings bearing series of symbols representing ideas. Fell and Cici worked with the Hefucian principle, which was a method of deciphering and decoding languages by substitution with letters and words from more familiar languages. It took months to draw the trail to the treasure, yellow leaves. Of course, there was no mention of yellow leaves anywhere he looked. But it couldn't be nothing, not when it was such an effort finding it. Nen was fixated on finding yellow leaves, certain it would be beautiful.
He set off on the trail without informing anyone. It was the same every time. He would always disappear, leaving no note or explanation. He would return with the treasure, accepting all the scoldings like a good little boy. His proud smiles would tick everyone off as much as they pleased them. This time was no different. Only, halfway through the trail, he felt lost. And scared.
[Fell] "Seriously? This, I've got to share with everyone."
And Fell was off. Cici was the antenna that connected them all. Anyone else would need Cici's explicit permission, but Fell was special. She grabbed onto Cici, and called out to their friends. She was determined to share the laughs with everyone, at Nen's stupidity.
[Cici] "Sorry Nen. But you deserve this."
Nen was confused. And began to feel worried. The expressions on Fell and Cici's faces weren't very comforting, nor was the tone of their voices.
[Nen] "What?"
[Cici] "We're all going to have a blast, laughing at you."
Nen shuddered. Fell and Cici were still okay. Horn was bearable. But, Dude and Jin would be a nightmare. Nen was pushed to tears just remembering their wickedness.
[Cici] "In the meantime, continue on. The trail mentions the trees, not the apes. You're not lost. Maybe it's the apes' gazes you feel. Even if it's something else, stop being so scared. Not as if they can actually hurt you. Get going you big baby."
Before the friends could gather, Nen made it through to the final part of the trail. The climb.
But even before that, Cici had to leave.
**
First came the loud knocking. Immediately followed by Lucille's loud and excited voice.
[Lucille] "Come out, my sweet little daughter. Sessa's found someone."
Cici rushed out as fast as she could. She was sweating, even though the sweat wasn't showing.
[Cici] "Lucille, what did you say?"
Cici intended to sound threatening. Lucille, however, was entertained. The older woman didn't mind repeating herself, fully expecting to be entertained again.
[Lucille] "Your dear gramma found someone. Grandson of a very old friend, I think."
Cici's face was a mask of disbelief. And that was as much as Lucille could take stoically. She burst into loud laughter, deaf to Cici's grumbling.
[Cic] "Now, who's scaring our neighbours."
[Lucille] "Gramma will call you. Sooner than later, I'm sure. Keep your phone close. Actually, I'll call her. I don't want to miss this conversation."
Lucille ran into her room, returned with her phone held against her ear and her beloved camera that was as large as her head in her hand.
[Lucille] "Hey ma. She's here. Speak to her."
Lucille ignored Cici's glare as she passed the phone and lifted the camera to shoot. This was going to be a memory immortalised.
[Cici] "Gramma. What is this mama's telling me?"
[Sessa] "What is she telling you?"
[Cici] "Stop. Just spit it out."
Sessa burst out laughing, so loud Lucille could hear it, before spitting.
[Sessa] "His name is Reve. Remember Gloria? That old bat with the ugly smile. He's her grandson. He's 28. Younger than you. But that's not a problem. Age is just a number after all. And even if he was 35, you'd be older, with that old soul of yours. He's handsome. Works at the state bank. Manager. Of a personalised banking branch. You know, one of those that you keep talking about. For high value customers. I hear that's a lot of promise for the future. The old bat couldn't stop gloating. I'll send you his number by message. Call him. Fix the place. Meet him. Tell me you like him."
[Cici] "Damn you Sessa. What do you mean tell me you like him? I'll tell you I don't like him. That's what I'll tell you. Then you and that old bat friend of yours can sit crying together."
Nothing Cici could say could faze Sessa right now. She was just so happy. She was laughing with such joy, she was deafening. Cici ended the call, and threw all of her anger into her glare directed at her mother behind the camera that was still recording.
[Cici] "It's over, Lucille. Get lost."
[Lucille] "Oh sure. I'll be sending this over to everyone. They'll all have a blast for sure."
Lucille grabbed her phone and trotted back to her room, to do exactly what she said she would. Cici stood watching in shock. She had been blindsided, and it was a terrible feeling. All the more so with all of her friends laughing until they were spilling tears and grabbing their hurting stomachs.
[Cici] "Damn it all."
Too bad no one cared about her swearing.