Gyo-Jin Pride
Chapter Twenty One
The Island of Mysterious Animals
"So that's the island.' Katarina looked out towards the Island of Mysterious Creatures. It was mainly thick forest, with no real beach and no signs of any people. "The sailor I got the map from said the strangest animals in the world live here, guarded by a crazy little man in a box." Togorogiri maneuvered the Tatsu closer to the island, carefully avoiding the many submerged rocks marring the path. He had swam to and around the island, plotting out a safe course. The giant crabs inhabiting the shallows had proven an...interesting obstacle as he made his search, but were easily repelled by his defensive soundings. A few of them could be seen lingering around the boat, and Katarina was watching them, fascinated by the size of the beasts. By rights a giant crab is as good a mysterious animal as any other, and she wondered what lay ahead on that forested island.
The Tatsu ground ashore, it's strong hull protecting it from any damage, as Togorogiri lept down with Katarina in his arms, sure, it would have been easier to use the rope ladder designed for such occasions, but jumping was far more dramatic. The sand beneath them was hard- packed, leading a few feet straight into dense forest. "Well, are you ready?" Togorogiri looked at his wife's lovely face, "I am." She smiled back up at him. The two walked hand-in hand into the forest.
And straight into a thick tangle of branches and vines. Togorogiri quickly swept them away with his powerful arms, moving onward through the dense brush. They soon came to clearing, and decided to stop for a moment in this open space. Togorogiri pulled a compass from his pocket, memorizing features, the island was quite small, but it could still take a while to get back to the ship. "LEAVE THIS ISLAND NOW!" A powerful voice called out, seemingly from everywhere, "LEAVE OR SUFFER MY WRATH!" "Who are you?" Katarina asked. " I AM THE LORD OF THIS ISLAND AND I TELL YOU LEAVE NOW! WHAT THE HECK?!" Togorogiri now had the voice located, and his eyes focused on a huge bush nearby, "What?" he said, this creature was certainly acting very odd, it had to be the strange little man he'd heard about...
"A Fish-Man! Here!" The voice was higher pitched now, the booming was gone. All was quit for a second. Goemon sat frozen in his hiding place. A Fish-Man! If I anger him he could tear this whole island apart! He decided to play it safe, as safe as you could with a strange Fish-Man. The small man emerged rom the bushes, and both visitors gasped, his green hair was huge and matted, sticking up and out like a bush, his body was trapped within a wooden chest, some kind of treasure chest, from the looks of it. "Um...Hi, I'm Togorogiri, and that's my wife, Katarina, we don't mean you any trouble. What's your name?" "Goemon." The man answered, "I live on this island. I stay here to protect this island and it's wonders. This isn't a tourist spot." "I'm sorry," Katarina said, "We just wanted to see all the East Blue offered during our honeymoon."
Goemon?" Togorogiri thought for a moment, "Isn't that a type of Pokemon?" "I AM NOT A POKEMON!" Goemon cried. Behind him a group of animals came into view, wonderful, strange, mysterious animals; A boar with a lion's mane, a serpent with the ears of a rabbit, a bear with tiger's stripes, a fox with a rooster's comb and many more..."Wow...They're beautiful." That's right girlie, and I want to keep them that way! Nobody hunts on this island, nobody takes animals from this island, nobody comes to this island! I don't care if you are a Fish-Man, these animals are under my protection, and you'll have to kill me to take them!" "Wait a minute!" Togorogiri waved his hands, "We're not here to take anything, and we sure aren't here to kill anyone. If you want us to leave, we'll leave."
"Good, leave!"
"Well, that was something," Katarina said as the Tatsu sailed away, "But it's a beautiful place, I see why he wants to protect it." "I'd probably do the same," Togorogiri said, "but at least we got to see all of those wonderful animals. We should erase this island off of our chart, the last thing I want is for someone to use our map to come here and cause trouble." As Togorogiri started below decks to get the chart, Katarina called out. "There is one thing I don't understand."
"What's that?"
"Why wouldn't he let you help him get out of that box?"
To be continued...