Chino finally wakes up as Mo-Mochi just looks at him, a bit pissed off, exclaiming, "What took you so long? I've been waiting here for hours!" Chino groggily rubs his eyes, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep.
He apologizes, explaining, Sorry about that. We Neko Majins can sometimes end up sleeping for really long periods of time if we are undisturbed. There are members of my family who have been asleep for decades at a time. It's a trait we inherited from our ancestors of old, who used to hibernate for extended periods to conserve energy. At least, I think that's what my Sensei told me. I might be missing something, but don't worry; I'm fully awake now and ready to take on whatever challenges lie ahead."
Mo-Mochi's irritation seems to dissipate as he nods understandingly, realizing that Chino's prolonged slumber was something natural among his species. "Well, let's not waste any more time then," he says with a determined smile. "We have an adventure ahead of us now. Come on, let's go. As they set off on their journey, Mo-Mochi couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. He never thought he'd find someone to travel with in such a short amount of time, but he was grateful for the companionship. The unknown awaited them, and the two boys were ready to discover what the world had to throw their way.
Traversing through a nearby forest, they seem to hear loud groans in the nearby bushes. Curiosity piqued, Mo-Mochi and his companion cautiously approached the source of the noise, only to see a large purple creature that looked like a pterodactyl-like monster with large hands and feet and big wings to fly. It turns out the creature was groaning in pain when it turned its head to notice the two boys standing there.
It then waved at them and began to speak in a soft, rumbling voice. "Thank goodness some people here," it said. "I've gotten my wing injured, and I can't fly. Can you help me?" Mo-Mochi and his companion exchanged glances, unsure of how to respond to this unexpected request for assistance. Mo-Mochi replied to it with a hesitant voice, "Um, sure, I've got some bandages in my backpack if that would help. But how did you injure your wing?" The creature let out a sigh and explained, "Well, you've seen I got into a bit of an incident in my village.
My name is Chiran, you see. I was supposed to be the new ruler of my village, but problems came up after our father died; my brother basically wanted to take over. He challenged me to a duel to see who would be more fitting to rule, and during the fight I sustained this injury to my wing. I managed to escape and find my way here. I never thought I would be seeking help from a stranger, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I wish I still had my glasses though."
Chino, hearing this, was excited to hear that there was something out there strong enough to beat this strange-looking dinosaur. "Wow, your brother must be really strong. I mean, you do look really strong; I'm not going to lie, but if he defeated you..." Suddenly, gears begin turning in the Chino's brain. "Hey, could I fight your brother? He could probably give me a challenge.
Mo-Mochi is using nearby sticks and bandages to make Chiran a makeshift splint for his injured wing. Mo-Mochi tried talking to Chino, saying that they shouldn't get involved in Chiran's business. Looking back at Chiran after applying the splint to his wing properly "Here, this should help your wing; as long as you go easy on it, you'll be fine," he says, his voice filled with reassurance.
Chiran nods gratefully, appreciating the stranger's help. "Thank you, and I'm sorry, but your friend is right; it would be rude of me to get two strangers involved in my family quarrel. You all probably have other things you want to do. I don't want to burden you two with my problems." Chiran's words carry a hint of sadness as he tries to maintain a sense of independence and not rely too heavily on the kindness of strangers. He takes a deep breath, mustering up a small smile. "I'll figure things out on my own. But thank you again for your offer.
Chino, sounding as determined as ever to fight a strong opponent, says, Come on, please; this is literally what I'm striving for: to fight strong foes. Maybe not Mo-Mochi, but I want to be the strongest Neko Majin, and if there are strong foes, I've got to fight them." He clenches his fists, his eyes shining with determination. Mo-Mochi knew he probably wasn't going to be able to change Chino's mind. He even started begging Chiran to fight his brother.
Chiran hesitates for a moment, weighing the risks and benefits of allowing Chino to engage with his trickster brother. Finally, he sighs and reluctantly agrees, "Alright, but I can't promise your safety; my brother Kiran is really dangerous; he might kill you."
Instead of this scaring him, Chino seems even more interested in fighting Kiran. Great, I can't wait to fight him." Chiran raises an eyebrow, impressed by Chino's determination and confidence but still concerned for their safety. He says, Alright, then follow me, you two; just remember to stay focused and be cautious. Kiran is unpredictable and will do whatever it takes to win. Don't underestimate him." Chiran gets up and begins to lead the two boys back to his village.
Mo-Mochi on the road back asked Chiran, "So what exactly are you? I've never seen a dinosaur that could actually talk. Actually, are you even a dinosaur? I honestly don't know. Chiran laughs a bit at Mo-Mochi and replies, "I understand your confusion, Mo-Mochi. I am not a dinosaur, but rather a highly advanced species known as a sapiosaurus. We possess intelligence and communication abilities that are far beyond those of traditional dinosaurs. It's understandable that you've never encountered someone like me before." Chiran's explanation leaves Mo-Mochi a bit dumbfounded and surprised that a creature like this even existed.
He had seen talking animals in his hometown when he was young but had never heard of talking dinosaurs. Chiran goes on to explain a bit more about his clan. "My race is called the Giras, and you are kind of correct about the dinosaur remark; we actually come from a race of pterodactyls that lived millions of years ago. We have evolved and adapted over time." Chiran explained.
Mo-Mochi was invested in learning a bit more about creatures he had never seen, but there was something about Chiran's story that had bothered him for a bit. Hey, actually, I wanted to ask you a question. Why don't you and your brother just rule together?" Mo-Mochi asked, genuinely curious. Chiran replied, "Ah, that's a smart question. While my brother and I may have similar abilities and strengths, we have different visions for our clan's future. I wanted to handle things more diplomatically, while my brother preferred a more aggressive and dominant approach.
We realized that we were never going to agree, thinking it would be better to settle it with a match. Originally, we both agreed to a match of strength, but then he ended up pulling a cheap move on me with our father's technique, the Merry-Go-Round Gum. I couldn't do anything, and my brother fought as if he was going to kill me, injuring my wing in the process. I lost the battle, but I was able to escape with my life, and that's when you two found me."
Hearing this, Mo-Mochi says, "So he's a dirty fighter who used a sneaky tactic to gain an advantage over you. What a jerk! Now I've got more reason to hate him. How could a brother do that to their own sibling?" Mo-Mochi then looked towards Chino with anger in his face and said, "You know what, Chino? I'll help you fight this guy. Let's take them out together. If he's not going to fight fair against his own brother, then why should we?" Chino looks back at Mo-Mochi and smiles. The two share a fist bump, determined to take this guy down.
As time passed, the three noticed that it was getting late, so they decided to make camp and rest for the day. They found a suitable spot near a small stream and set up their tents. Chino gathered firewood while Mo-Mochi started cooking a simple meal. As they sat around the campfire, they shared stories and laughter, enjoying each other's company. The crackling fire provided a sense of warmth and comfort, easing their worries about the upcoming battle.
Before heading to bed, Mo-Mochi decided to talk to Chiran. "Hey Chiran, before you go to sleep, I wanted to tell you. I think you should tell us a bit about your brother. That way I figure out an idea on how all three of us can take him down." Chiran was fine with this he was already having a bit of trouble sleeping anyways a bit worried about his people and if his brother might cause problems for when he returns.