Words: 4,782
Ships: Kanan x Dia, implied You x Riko

Kanan blinked blearily, groaning when rays of sunshine almost blinded her. She childishly shut her eye and turned sideways to escape the annoying sunlight. She smiled against the soft and warm thing she was hugging, appeased by the pleasant scent and felt her consciousness slipping back to dreamland.

Wait.

She furrowed her brows and moved her hands. She dared to peek open her one eye as she felt up the unknown object, no, person snuggled in her arms. Her mind reeled when the stranger let out a sigh of contentment and burrowed against the crook of her neck. Heat crawled up Kanan's neck as the black-haired stranger's warm breath tickled her skin.

What happened last night?

Kanan blinked repeatedly, wondering if she was still half-asleep and hallucinating things. One time she ate too much bamboo that was dipped in some sort of berry juice, causing her to dream that she was diving in a large body of mesmerizing blue water. Such notion was ridiculous, since Pandas couldn't swim let alone dive. Probably.

Carefully and just a little reluctantly, she tried to ease out of the stranger's embrace. To her surprise, the black-haired girl hissed and curled up against her even more, as if angered by her attempt to leave.

Gulping, Kanan stilled and observed the stranger, whose exotic outfit and appearance didn't ring a bell in her mind. The Panda was familiar with many residents here at the magical Land of Numaazu, and waking up with girls in her arms was actually how she made many friends. She wasn't a big, soft Panda for nothing, so during cold nights many locals would either wrap themselves against her arm or even perch on her tummy. When morning came, their animal forms would transform to the human-like ones and Kanan often found herself buried under a pile of girls.

Therefore, perhaps this newcomer chanced upon her last night and decided to borrow her as a self-heating pillow? Kanan smiled softly at the girl clinging to her shirt. Well, she would never say no to huggles. The stranger smelled so very nice after all.

Pleased with her deduction and the fact she may have made a new friend, the Panda shifted and hugged the girl, ready to fall asleep again.

Her hand must have touched a sensitive spot around the stranger's hips, for the latter stirred and sat up slowly. She suppressed a yawn and stretched, her silhouette outlined by the gentle glow of sunlight and her movements tantalizing.

Kanan could only watch with bated breath.

As if noticing her gaze, the stranger looked down and froze. Those vivid emerald eyes widened as the pupils contracted into slits.

"Pigyah!"

Everything happened so suddenly then. Kanan felt something smack her on her blind side and the pleasant body heat was gone from her arms.

Groaning, she shook her head and rubbed vigorously at her left cheek. She would mostly likely get an interesting bruise later to match with her comically heart-shaped eyepatch. Kanan pouted at the direction of the rustling bushes, concluding that the startled stranger must have fled in that direction.

Even though the girl must be long gone, she still called out. "Hey, come back any time? My name is Kanan! I want to know your name too!"

There was no reply, not that she was expecting any. The Panda lethargically stretched and stood up as well, deciding that it was no use to just sit here and roll the rest of the morning away.

Time to get some breakfast!

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"Hahahaha! Daw, you got dumped? What a way to start your day, ne?"

Scowling, Kanan munched on her bamboo stalks extra loudly, regretting to share her story with her best friend. Her cheek still smart in pain but now it was burning with humiliation as the Peahen continued to laugh.

"I did not get dumped. I don't even know her name."

"Well, she must like you at least, to sleep with you."

"The way you put it is very misleading, Mari."

The Peahen only giggled and continued to groom her feathers. The residents of Numaazu would automatically change to their animal form at night and to human form at the break of dawn, but they could also switch between the two forms during the day if they so wished. Mari liked to preen and stroll around the area in search for 'shiny spots', whatever that was, in her Peahen form. On the other hand, Kanan preferred to stay in her human form during the day so she could jog and be overall more active. Her huge, lub of pudge Panda form did get cumbersome sometimes. No, she refused to be called fat, she was quite fit and muscular thank you very much.

"It's the truth, Kanan~ I may joke around but that's a fact!" A quick poof later, the Peahen was replaced by a blonde girl with the same mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "You've slept with every single one of our friends-"

"Literally!" The Panda grumbled, but she was of course ignored.

"Yup, sometimes even folks from far beyond those hills and deep into the mountains~ Oh, Kanan, you naughty naughty huggle beast. Oh well~ Even myself cannot resist your fat-"

"It's for insulation!"

"Pudgy pudgy fat, so very soft~!"

Kanan gave her a flat stare, not bothering to argue anymore and continued to chew on her bamboo. So delicious. Hmm, perhaps she ought to try those green pieces of leaves called seaweed one of these days. It'd give her an excuse to take a nice long trip towards the sea, and Mari won't be able to tease that she could only eat bamboo.

Once finished with her breakfast, she rolled her shoulders and thought about running to the pond on the other side of the forest, or maybe she should do laps around the forest's perimeter. Exercise was the way to go!

"You should come running with me sometimes, Mari, it'll be good for you."

"Not interested," the blonde buffed her nails against her dress, "I don't want to get my feathers all ruffled."

"But you're in your human form right now-" Poof. "Fine, be that way."

The Peahen only fanned out her gorgeous tail and preened again. Kanan had to admit, her friend's tail was indeed the most extravagant she's ever seen, more so than the Peacocks'. Her musing was interrupted by a pair of arms wrapping around her waist. A poof later and she had a warm and furry mass clung on her back like a backpack.

Chuckling, Kanan reached behind to pat the newcomer on the head. "Hey Chika, I take it you didn't get a good night's sleep?"

The Koala mumbled incoherently and hugged even tighter. Mari tilted her head and guessed. "Hmm? You didn't find a good tree last night?"

"No… besides, I like Kanan-chan better anyway."

"I totally understand that feel, Chikacchi~!"

Kanan was about to retort but was stopped by the sensation of claws digging into her shirt. "Kanan-chan~~~ change back, I'm so sleepy and your muscles are too hard, I want to snuggle…"

Exasperated, the Panda did as per her friend's request. Chika squealed in delight and burrowed against her furry arm. Within moments, she was fast asleep.

"I can't win against her, can I?" Kanan chuckled fondly and lied down so her friend could rest more comfortably. Rather than replying, Mari hopped onto her tummy and nested there.

"Hey, not you too! I do have to go jogging later- you know what, never mind."

Kanan resigned to being the Koala and the Peahen's bed for the rest of the morning. This was why she preferred to be in her human form; once in her Panda form, all she wanted to do was laze around and sleep.

Napping right after eating wasn't good for you, but Kanan was so soothed by her friends' steady breathing that she quickly dozed off too.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

By the time she woke up for the second time today, the sun was already high in the blue sky, beckoning her to join the rest of the world in this fine afternoon. After chatting with Chika and Mari a bit more, she excused herself to proceed with her daily routine of jogging.

Whenever she encountered a fellow resident, she would describe the stranger from this morning and see if anyone knew her. Unfortunately, just as she had deduced, no one seemed to know about the black-haired girl.

Well, good thing she was heading to the pond anyway, where the self-proclaimed Overlord of Numaazu lived.

"Yoshiko! Are you there?"

No response. Kanan grinned in good humor and tried again. "Yohane-sama!"

The pond rippled and bubbled for a while. Then, as if for theatrics, water splashed everywhere as a girl holding a translucent parasol burst out from its shallow depth.

"You called for me, O Lost One?"

Kanan nodded, entertained by her friend's antics. She first met Yoshiko one night when she stumbled upon a dehydrated flob of translucent matter over the grass. The Jellyfish apparently made the mistake of straying too far from bodies of water and thus was stranded pitifully as soon as the sun had set. Kanan had helpfully tossed her into this pond, reviving her, and they have been good friends since then.

Yes, Yoshiko was a freshwater Jellyfish who could travel up and down rivers and streams. Unbelievable, but here it was. This was the magical of land of Numaazu, so things did defy common sense. Her ability to travel far through water made her a decent source of information, and it was also why she proclaimed herself to be the Overlord.

After Kanan relayed her story, Yoshiko tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm, while I don't know this stranger either, I know someone who might. Hold on."

Kanan patiently waited by the pond after Yoshiko disappeared under the water, presumably swimming around to retrieve that person. The Panda occupied herself by lifting the rocks and boulders piled up nearby, which she had gathered some time ago to build a fort for Yoshiko. She didn't mind humoring her spirited friend, and this way she could train her muscles too.

"Kanan-chan~"

"Oh hey, Maru! Haven't seen you for a while, how are you?"

"I'm good! I found a great pasture over there zura~"

The Sheep's smile was just as serene as Kanan remembered. They became fast friends over their mutual love of food, sleep and the fact they were both popular huggle-partners. The last time Kanan saw Hanamaru, the latter had gone on a food pilgrimage of better grass and berries.

Behind her was a pigtailed girl with red hair peeking out shyly from over her shoulder, which was a rather adorable sight considering she was taller than Hanamaru. Yoshiko came up from the pond soon after, shaking her wet parasol before introducing the newcomer as Ruby.

"She came to Numaazu last week, and she's been looking for someone who matched your description, Kanan."

"Oh?" The tall girl peered at the redhead, whose flighty reaction made Hanamaru pat her in encouragement.

"Y-Yes, I've been looking for Onee-chan. We got separated but I haven't been able to find her… ah, my sister's n-name is Dia."

"Dia, huh…" Kanan smiled to herself, happy that she finally had a name to the girl who's been on her mind the whole day. Ruby explained that they were both shy and easily startled. On their first night here at Numaazu, a sharp screech from a raptor frightened them enough that they instinctively bolted. By the time Ruby calmed down, she found herself alone.

"I-I was lucky to run into Maru-chan, or else I wouldn't know what to do. I hope Onee-chan is ok… oh, she's a Snake, so she should be okay by herself but still, uuuu…."

"Ah, she seemed fine. I didn't see any injury on her," Kanan rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "If only I didn't scare her away, I would've been able to bring her to you."

"Hmm, but Onee-chan isn't the type to approach strangers though? She must have liked you?"

"Why did you say the same thing as Mari…" Even as Kanan said that, she felt her heart skip a little at such possibility. All she could think about were that mesmerizing silhouette and those beautiful emerald eyes. Oh, and that smack against her cheek left quite the impression. She sort of wanted to be hit again. No she was not a masochist. Very few, if any, ever dared to be so hostile against the Panda, so such experience had been refreshing.

Hmm, was that why she couldn't forget about Dia and just go on her merry daily routines? Or was there something more?

"Perhaps she'll return again tonight?" Hanamaru changed to her Sheep form and sleepily flopped on her side.

"What do you mean, Maru-chan?" Ruby, who turned out to be a Rabbit, hopped onto the nest of wool and contentedly settled there.

"Fufu, this Kanan here is one of Numaazu's most popular resting spots. Not that I'd understand anyway," Yoshiko twirled her parasol and mumbled so quietly that Kanan almost didn't hear her. "And Zuramaru's softer anyway."

"Maybe. But I think I know who might be able to help out," the Panda paused and casually pushed Yoshiko, who tripped and stumbled right into the Sheep's wool. Yoshiko flushed red and sputtered indignantly, but she was unable to get up when Hanamaru draped her foreleg over her chest.

"Come on, Yoshiko-chan, the sun is so warm and nice, perfect for an afternoon nap zura~"

"It's Yohane!"

However, the Jellyfish didn't struggle and allowed Ruby to hop over onto her lap.

"How about you, Kanan-chan, want to join us zura?"

"Haha, that's tempting, but I already napped enough earlier. Don't worry, Ruby, I'll find your sister and bring her back."

Kanan hastily jogged away before Hanamaru could reply. The longer she stayed, the more likely she would give in. Hanamaru was indeed cuddly and Ruby appeared so very cute and tiny. Evidently, Yoshiko thought so as well, smiling with her eyes closed as she snuggled against the wool while caressing the Rabbit's ears.

But no, Kanan wanted to experience that pleasant sensation of waking up with Dia in her arms again. She had better hurry up and locate the pretty Snake.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Kanan tirelessly travelled over the hills and through the forests, though night had arrived and forced her to journey in her Panda form. By the time she reached her destination, she was already huffing and puffing in slight annoyance. Why couldn't her stamina from her human form transfer to the animal form?

"Who's there?"

"It's me, Kanan." She called out to the gigantic shape in the middle of the clearing, waving her paw when the Elephant greeted her with a bashful swing of her trunk.

"What brought you here?" Riko squinted at the approaching Panda, clearly nervous until she was certain that it was indeed her friend. Riko had bad eyesight during night time, and not to mention she disliked being seen in her Elephant form, thinking it was uncute and too big. Therefore, she tended to settle here in this clearing far away from the others.

"I'm looking for the Warden, but who knows where she could be? I just figured wherever you are, she must be nearby-ack!"

The Panda got smacked for the second time on her blind side, this time by a very embarrassed Elephant's strong trunk. Kanan made a note never to tease Riko again unless she wanted to get trampled, even though she was saying the truth about the Warden.

"Yosoro~! Fancy seeing you here, Kanan-chan!"

A silver Owl flapped its wings overhead and one poof later, a fair-haired girl sat perched on the Elephant's back. The Warden was Numaazu's true protector (unlike the self-proclaimed Overlord), so she would often patrol the area to ensure that there were no intruders. Unlike the rest of the residents here, You could transform at will whether it was day or night.

"Like what I've told Riko-chan, I came here because I thought that's where you must be, at night at least-" The Panda laboriously dodged another swing from the mortified Elephant. "Er, can you stop your girlfriend from attacking me?"

"E-Eh girlfriend?!" To Kanan's surprise, You blushed and soon found herself thrown off Riko's back.

"You're not? But Mari and Yoshiko told me-" Kanan sat on her haunches, confused. As much as Mari joked and how Yoshiko fooled around, their information about such things has always been accurate.

"Ha! Ha! Ha! They always say the weirdest things, don't they?" You frantically waved her arms and used all her strength to pull at Kanan's furry arm. "I'll be right back, ne Riko-chan? I just need to chat with Kanan about something."

Though bewildered, the Panda followed You until they were way out of the Elephant's hearing.

"I can't believe you did that!" The Owl was in near tears as she repeatedly battered at Kanan's pudgy tummy. "How am I gonna face her later…"

Kanan was never the most intuitive especially when it came to such things, but she acknowledged that she must have done something bad. "I'm really sorry You. So, um, I guess you haven't confessed to Riko-chan yet?"

"C-Confess!" You flailed and hopped a little to place her hands over the Panda's mouth. She nervously glanced at the direction of the clearing, sighing when she heard nothing. "Ahaha, why would I confess? I don't want anything to ruin what we have now!"

Kanan was beyond confused. From what she could see, Riko clearly liked You but then again, she had 'a dense boulder for a brain', or so Mari always said. It would be best if she didn't interfere anymore.

Once the Owl's blush subsided, she coughed and schooled in her expression. "Anyway, why are you looking for me? You usually don't call me Warden unless there's a problem."

After You listened to Kanan's story, her piercing eyes softened in guilt. "Rabbit and Snake huh? Erm, it was my fault then. I was patrolling that night and when I spotted them, I thought the Snake was going to eat the Rabbit, so I screeched a warning…"

While there were no carnivorous species in Numaazu, there had been outsiders who were meat-eaters. It was actually quite hectic back in the days as opposed to the peace they had now. Though the Warden herself may be a predator, she only ate mikan or other berries as concession to other residents. Those meat-eaters were unable to adapt and unwilling to yield to such new lifestyle, so at the end they moved elsewhere after a long period of brawls and negotiations.

Kanan rubbed at her left eye to ease the phantom pain, recalling how she lost it in a fight against a Tiger. "I don't blame you for reaching that conclusion. You wouldn't have known the Rabbit and Snake were sisters."

"Yeah, but still it's my fault they got separated. I'm responsible for Numaazu after all," You saluted with the utmost severity in her voice. "I promise I'll find Dia-san… um, starting tomorrow," she lowered her head sheepishly. "I promised I'd keep Riko-chan company tonight."

"That's fine. Ruby-chan said her sister doesn't like travelling at night if she could avoid it, so she must be resting somewhere. Speaking of which, I'm going back to my usual spot in case Dia returns." Kanan then ruffled You's hair with her massive paw. "I don't want to be a third wheel either, ne?"

"Mou Kanan-chan!" You shook it off and transformed to her Owl form. "Anyhoo, I'll keep in touch. See ya!" In spite of her disgruntled hoots, she was obviously eager in returning to the clearing.

Out of curiosity, the Panda lingered for a few moments and smiled at how comfortable You and Riko were with each other.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Riko-chan. Let's go take a stroll ne? The stars are beautiful tonight!"

"You know I can't see well, right, You-chan?"

"That's alright, I'll describe them for you."

"Well, I suppose… it's better than just staying at one spot all night."

Indeed, there was something heart-warming about the way they interacted. The Owl gently directed the Elephant as they moved through the forest, conversing freely in quiet tones, as if they were the only ones in the world.

They seemed very happy with each other.

Kanan rubbed her cheek, which still throb a bit from Riko's hit earlier, but all she could think about was Dia. She would like to get close to Dia, close like how You and Riko were.

How nice would that be?

It had been fleeting, but she did feel quite happy when she hugged Dia then.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Kanan slumped against a tree and stared woefully at the moon. Several days had gone by and there was still no sign of Dia. She wondered if the Snake was truly scared away or maybe even offended by how she had hugged her. Such thought saddened the Panda, because no one had ever been scared of her before, in spite of her size and strength.

Her friends had been worried about her despondent state, enough that even Mari and Chika went jogging with her this morning to keep her company.

Kanan herself didn't understand her feelings. She had only met Dia once and didn't even have a proper conversation with her. This couldn't be 'love at first sight', could it? Mari or even Yoshiko seemed so certain of it though.

The Panda patted her cheeks resolutely. She just needed to try harder! Once she saw Dia again, she would surely find her answers.

As she prowled around the bushes, prodding and poking at the rocks and fallen tree trunks, a familiar hoot called her attention.

"You, have you found-" Kanan's jaw dropped. "What are you doing!"

There, gripped in the Owl's deadly talons, was a white Snake with its tail and head dangling lifelessly.

"Eh, I haven't done anything, this is how I found her…" You gingerly deposited the motionless Snake in the panicking Panda's paws. "She didn't even react when I got near. I don't see any injuries on her though, so I'm not sure what's wrong."

Indeed, Dia appeared to be sleeping soundly, except she felt very cold and her breathing was too shallow to be normal.

"I'll go retrieve Ruby first thing in the morning," You promised, flapping her wings in a rough salute. "In the meantime, you should do what you're best at."

"What I'm best at?" Kanan's mind was in such pandemonium that she barely understood what her friend was saying.

"Hug!" The Owl's large round eyes twinkled cryptically before she flew away, leaving the perplexed Panda alone.

After a while, You's words finally sank in, that all she could do right now was provide heat and comfort for the cold Snake. Kanan carefully lied down and tugged Dia against her furry chest, frowning when the latter didn't even struggle.

Determined, Kanan kept careful watch on Dia throughout the night, feeling the weight in her heart lift a little when Dia steadily regained body heat. Alas, all the travelling and worrying the past few days finally caught up to Kanan and she succumbed to fatigue. She did not know when and for how long she drifted off, but the sun must have risen a fair distance already by the time she came to, judging from its blinding ray on her face. She sluggishly rolled onto her side but sat up abruptly when she couldn't feel anyone in her arms.

"Dia-"

"I am here."

Kanan jolted and turned around to find the black-haired girl seated gracefully and gazing at her with an unreadable look. She stared blankly at Dia, wondering if she were dreaming or not but concluded that this was real.

"You didn't leave like last time… I'm glad," Kanan mumbled, slightly chagrined by her frantic behavior earlier.

"I could not have left even if I wanted to," Dia said flatly, pointing to the hem of her dress that was gripped tightly in the Panda's hand. The latter promptly let go, blushing in frustration that she must be making an awful first impression. Well, worse, this was technically their second meeting now.

"It is fine. Like I said, I did not want to leave either." Dia's cheeks appeared to be flushed red as well. "You saved me, many times in fact. I would like to repay the favor. At the very least, I owe you an explanation."

"I saved you-?"

"Yes. Snakes are cold-blooded and thus my kind tries to absorb as much heat as possible during the day. However, I am a bit more… extreme than my brethren in this aspect. I do not just lose mobility but it could be potentially life-threatening if I do not find a proper resting spot at night. And until my strength is fully recovered, I would not be able to revert to this human form. Thus, that makes it even more difficult - whatever strength I recovered during the day would just be lost at night."

Dia fidgeted a little, her gaze stubbornly set on the ground as if too embarrassed to meet Kanan's eyes. "My little sister and I are new here, so I am not familiar with the terrain. After we got separated, I was unable to locate proper resting spots and I got weaker and weaker. I was really cold and barely able to move, but then I saw you."

Kanan chuckled amiably, sensing how jittery the Snake was and tried to soothe her. "And decided I was a good source of heat? That's fine, I'm not a big, er, chubby Panda for nothing!"

A slight smile formed on Dia's visage, and Kanan considered that a victory. "Indeed, I thought I could rest next to you and regain some of my strength. You looked very warm and safe."

Many residents had called her warm and cuddly, but the way Dia called her 'safe' filled her heart with a fluffy sensation.

"I got… carried away, I suppose. I felt so relaxed near you that I left before you woke up, and returned to your side at night long after you had fallen asleep." Dia coughed, her cheeks darkening in mortification. "It just so happened that I got too complacent that morning, and that was how you discovered me."

"Oh wow, sneaky~! I don't mind though," Kanan grinned good-naturedly. "I'm glad things happened the way it did."

"Truly? You are not upset that I entered your personal space so many times without consent?"

"Not at all. You're new here at Numaazu so you wouldn't know. Ahaha, many folks like to use me as a pillow, so I'm used to it! Again, I'm glad all that happened, because I got to meet you at the end."

Dia pursed her lips and hesitantly reached for Kanan's cheek. "Even this? I did hit you hard… I am truly sorry."

Kanan tried not to squirm, liking the way Dia's cool hand felt against her skin. "It's okay. It's because of it that I couldn't stop thinking about you."

Silence fell between them, and it was only seeing how Dia's face reddened that Kanan realized what she said.

Though embarrassed, Kanan held Dia's hand and spoke firmly. "Y-Yeah, I mean it. I'd like to get to know you more, Dia. Of course, even if you don't want to, you're still more than welcome to sleep with m-" She sputtered and hastily amended. "I mean, use me as a pillow, cushion, whichever, at night to keep you warm."

Dia's head was lowered and her expression was shaded by her bangs, making it impossible to guess how she felt about such proposal. At least, she wasn't pulling out of the Panda's grip.

Several loud heart beats later, Dia squeezed Kanan's hand. "I accept."

"Huh?"

"I shall be taking up on your offer of being my body pillow," Dia finally looked up with a hint of amusement in those captivating emerald eyes. Her voice left no room for argument as she continued. "And as my personal body pillow, you shall tell me more about yourself. In return, I shall do the same."

"That's great!" Unable to hold back anymore, Kanan dove forward and enveloped the Snake in a bear hug.

"Ack, I cannot breathe-!"

Kanan laughed heartily and only loosened her arms a little before picking her up princess style. Dia let out a startled hiss and was forced to wrap her arms around Kanan's neck to balance herself.

"Come on, I gotta introduce you to my friends. Ruby's waiting for you too!"

"Wait, Kanan-san-!"

Her life here at Numaazu would now be changed forever, for the better. She could hardly contain her joy!