Summary: Poppo has a dream, or does he? What seems like reality may be a lie and what he dreams might be reality. Bewildered and confused, Poppo starts to think about certain events and realises something important that he was missing.
Please note that any similarities and ideas are purely coincidental and by all retrospect, property of this author. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PLAUGRISE.
The leaves rustled in the wind and danced through the sky, the flowers swayed gently. The creek was peaceful as ever, except for the person in the middle of the small creek.
Poppo was standing in the creek contemplating something, as he was; he felt the cool creek water gently flowing down the stream, brushing his small feet. Although the calming sensation of the water was something that Poppo was familiar with, he felt a heavy weight and responsibility on the ground he was standing on.
Poppo tried to remember what it was, but couldn't. In frustration he kicked at the creek water angrily.
'Poppo, what are you doing?'
He quickly turned around to respond to the voice that had called him out of his concentration, Menma was leaning and smiling with her long silverly hair drifting in the wind.
Menma was standing.
Menma.
In a sudden rush of emotions Poppo slipped on the pebble that he was standing on in the water and hit his head. A sudden tinge of pain resonated through the back of his head, as Poppo turned his head around to try and stand up, Menma's figure quickly became bigger while she ran to help Poppo.
All of a sudden there was a thump.
Poppo saw Menma crying with big her big tear droplets sliding down her face. Her arms were flaying in the water, her sobbing somewhat bittersweet and nostalgic. It was almost suffocating.
That was when Poppo realised what was happening. He was always slow when it came down to thinking, but right now he couldn't afford to wallow in his thoughts and figure out what was wrong. Poppo stretched out his arm towards where Menma was. He sloshed through the water which was so much lighter a few moments ago. Everything all of a sudden was heaveier and slower, the effort it took to move Poppo's own legs became required so much more energy, and more pain.
Menma started to cry and suffocate. Unaware that Poppo had already climbed out safely, she only panicked more thinking that Poppo would be injured seriously. She flailed her fragile skinny arms around, desperate for some support to hold her up and desperate to find her dear friend, but all of a sudden, none of that seemed as important as getting out of the water.
Menma was drowning.
Unbeknownst to her, Poppo had also been frantically searching for her.
And he did find her.
Lying in the creek as peaceful as Menma could ever be. Not moving nor breathing.
.
.
.
.
Poppo's eyes flashed opened.
The air was calm and as it was supposed to be. Jin-tan stood with Menma looking curiously down over at the creek where Poppo was. Again, Menma asked her question.
'Poppo, what were you doing?'
'You really scared us when you fell down,' Jintan laughed nervously, 'we thought that you were going to drown with the way you were thrashing around.'
Poppo still bewildered, started to laugh. After all, it was what he did best when he didn't know what to do. Poppo was just relieved that Menma was safe, he smiled at Jintan and Menma to show them that he was fine, and then said:
'I fell down in the water and think that Menma was trying to save me!'
Menma and Jintan's eyes widened in surprise, they both laughed a little. But Menma's painful smile and Jintan's disheartening expression worried Poppo. They seemed distant and far from his grasp, their demeanour told Poppo not to press any further into the matter.
'Let's go Menma.' Jintan said.
'Mmn.' Menma replied.
As they were walking to the secret base, Poppo tried to liven up the sudden heavy atmosphere by telling Jintan and Menma about his travelling adventures. Especially the stories about him in Vietnam, those were his most exciting and thrilling tales.
'So the old man asked me something and I couldn't understand,' Poppo continued on 'and after a while I realised he was pointing at my pants…'
Jintan and Menma were listening. But Poppo could still feel the heavy air that surrounded them.
'…and I took my pants off because I assumed he wanted to check what was in them, but instead he started yelling and crouching and pointed to my seat!' Poppo laughed and then quickly turned to Jintan to see his expression.
But there was no response.
'Poppo is always like that, right Jintan?'
Menma's small clear voice quickly dispersed the remaining tension in the air.
Jintan laughed at Menma's statement and Menma smiled in response, Poppo laughed as well with relief.
'This is how it should be,' Poppo thought, 'this is how everyone should be.'
And yet, Poppo was still experiencing the same sense of dread that he was right before. He was worried, worried that something was wrong, worried about Jintan and Menma's worries. He desperately wanted to know what it was that Jintan and Menma were blatantly hiding from him. What was so important that they couldn't tell their dear friend Poppo?
Poppo nervously opened his mouth: 'Ah, hey you know guys?'
Jintan and Menma's backs did not turn to respond to Poppo.
'Jintan?'
The silence was pierced through the air by Menma's voice. Her voice sounded concerned about whatever it was that Jintan was doing. Poppo turned to look at him and saw Jintan angrily furrowing his brow in frustration.
'This wasn't right,' Poppo thought, 'Jintan wouldn't be like this for a reason.'
Out of worry and concern, Poppo asked what was bothering him. There was a brief silence and then Jintan's mouth opened and a small voice came out.
'Shut up.'
Poppo thought he had heard incorrectly, or that somehow it was a joke, a cruel joke, but somehow a joke. After all, Jintan could never say those hurtful words.
Or could he?
'Hahahaha,' Poppo laughed nervously at hesitantly at Jintan, 'you are such a joker aren't you J-Jintan?'
'Shut up.'
There it was again. Poppo had now heard those hurtful words come from Jintan a second time. Whatever the issue was, it was serious. Poppo started to think what had he done wrong to deserve the sudden animosity between Jintan when all of a sudden his thoughts were interrupted by the snarling voice.
'You just don't want Menma to be here don't you?'
Menma started to cry again.
That's the first chapter folks, hope you enjoyed it. Just a heads up that I probably will not be updating this series soon and it will also be irregular updates as I will be re-writing my other story "The Predestined Ordeal".
That's about it and thanks!