Hello! This story is about Eki, Sol and Naru from the black root burrows, and tells about their friendship. I've always loved this section from the game, and wanted more backstory on Eki and Sol, so I decided to make my own story on how I think they met. anyway, hope you like it!
Prologue
A spirit was dashing through the clearing of the forest, racing against himself for the fastest running time. He loved the thrill of going fast, dashing through the forest and feeling like nothing could stop him. He whizzed by someone that was much smaller than him, and she shouted "HEY! EKI! COME BACK!" He heard the spirits words just in time for him to skid to a stop, and walk back to her. "Yeah Sol? What is it?" He questioned, and she looked up at him with stern eyes "you know not to go that fast around here! You almost ran into me!" She exclaimed, and crossed her arms. He sighed, remembering the dozens of times she had reminded him of this, but he had hit others in the past before, so he couldn't blame her for worrying. "I know I know, but this area is great for running! The forest has so many trees and rocks in the way so I can't run as fast there!" He said, and her stern expression lightened a bit, "I know, but you don't want another accident!" She pointed out, and he nodded "true, sorry about that." He apologized, and Sol pat him on the back "it's alright, anyways that's not what I wanted to tell you" she continued, and Eki followed her to a spirit well. "Come on, were going to the sunken glades" she told him, and he held her paw as they warped there. Sol looked to a high up wall that seemed to lead to a tunnel, and turned to him. "Give me a boost?" She asked, and he lifted her on his shoulders, "woahh!" She exclaimed as he set her on the ledge. She held out her paw and he took it, heaving himself up to join her, "just ahead, there's an area I've never seen before! It's not marked on the map stone, so we might be the first to explore it!" She said excitedly, and summoned a ball of light. He always found her power to be quite dazzling, able to hold and toss light as she pleased. He didn't know any other spirit capable of this, and he knew no one else could hold the light like she did. Sol raised her arm, and the orb floated in the air, illuminating the space around them. It was pitch black, but he noticed small platforms made of tree wood scattered everywhere. Someone must've built these, he guessed and Sol led him further down, her light glowing against the darkness. He saw her body trembling a bit, she probably waited for him so they could explore together, and it was clear she didn't know where to go. Her round ears were pinned down in fright, and her small stumpy tail was curled around her leg. Eki always found it kind of ironic, how she had the gift of light but was scared of the dark. He didn't blame her though, he himself sometimes found the darkness to be quite spooky, especially alone. They weaved their way around deadly thorn bushes and jumping frogs, and eventually found a mysterious statue of a creature with a white face and four horns. Sol looked at her friend in confusion, and he shrugged as they stepped towards it. The statue had some kind of pillar with a bowl on top, seemingly missing whatever was previously in it. Sol looked up at it, and noticed that it was the perfect size for her orb of light "huh...?" Eki wondered, noticing it too. She warily placed the orb inside, and a low rumbling sound echoed throughout the area. The light seemed to be growing bigger and bigger, and some of the stone ceiling was falling to the floor. Sol ran to Eki in fear and they held each other tight with their eyes closed. The noise suddenly stopped, and they looked around to see a brightly lit clearing with lots of platforms shifting from side to side. They looked at each other in astonishment, and stood while taking in the scenery, lots of differently colored mushrooms of various sizes, and ferns and moss and flowers blooming before their eyes. Eki spotted something to his left, it was a map stone fragment! That must be why this place wasn't on the previous one, there was already a map stone for it! He raced over, and just before he went to get it, he noticed these huge boulders on top of the tunnel leading to it. He knew these, they would fall down and crush you if you weren't quick enough, but he was quick enough. He took a deep breath, and dashed through the tunnel as he heard loud thumps behind him, signaling that the rocks had missed their target. He made it, and picked up the fragment. It was heavier than he expected, but it wasn't heavy enough to slow him down as he dashed back to join Sol. She heard the rocks and turned to see him returning with the fragment, and her eyes went wide. "Wow!" She gasped, and Eki placed it on the stone floor for her to inspect closer. "We need to find the map stone for it," she told him, pointing to a small pit where a tunnel seemed to be. Eki stepped towards it, and peered down the abyss, there seemed to be a small stone that shot a green laser every few seconds. Curious, he dropped a small pebble down to test it, and the stone disintegrated upon impact of the laser. He stepped back, and turned to his friend who was studying the map fragment closer. He looked back down to count the seconds between the laser, one...two...three... it turned on again, and another three seconds after it turned off. I can make that, I think he told himself, and but his lip in fear what if Sol can't run fast enough? Would she die?! He wondered, and then rolled his eyes at himself oh! Duh, I can carry her! He thought. Then after making a plan, he went to meet her at her spot. "Sol, I have to carry you for this next part" he said, and she raised her head to look at him with concern "...why?" She asked, and he gestured for her to follow him "over here, come look" he told her, and pointed to the green laser. She covered her mouth with her paw, and looked up at him "I'm scared.." she admitted, and looked around frantically for another solution. But she didn't find one and her ears drooped, "what if we don't make it?!" She whispered, and he hugged her as she was shivering. "We will, I'm fast enough, you just hold on tight." He said, trying to hide his own fear. He was just as scared as she was, but he had to be brave right now. Sol picked up the map fragment, and Eki picked her up in his arms, "here goes nothing" he said, and dropped down as soon as it was safe. He dashed away and felt Sol's grip loosening, he ran faster and felt her fall off him. "SOL!!" He screamed, and she ran as fast as she could to him. They had to jump, there wasn't any time left. He grabbed her tight, and threw himself off the ledge just in time, he felt himself falling and closed his eyes is this the end? Are we going to die? He wondered, then soon felt his body landing on the cold hard surface of stone. He let go of Sol, and they started panting once they realized they were safe. "We...made...it.." Eki gasped, and Sol nodded as she held his paw with her own. "I'm so glad your safe" she told him, "me too, I thought you were a goner" he replied, and Sol pushed the stone fragment off her chest with a heave. Eki sat up to look around, and behind him was another statue with the same creature on it, only it was much bigger and it's arms were spread out. They heard a soft crack, the sound of feet on stone, walking towards them. Sol stood up and summoned an orb, ready to protect her friend "what—" "shhhh!" Sol shushed him, and he remained silent. Another step, and the sound kept getting closer, but eventually came a small black creature with a white face and blue stomach. It was about their size, and looked similar to the statues they had seen, Sol lowered her orb and the creature waved to them "hello" it said, and the pair looked at each other in confusion. "My name is Naru, I didn't know spirits lived down here!" She said, and Eki stood with Sol "Uh.. hi?" He said, and Naru walked to them. "What are your names?" She asked, "I'm Eki, and that's Sol" he answered, pointing down to the little spirit. "Nice to meet you, Naru" Sol said, and gave her the orb of light. "Oh wow... that's so pretty!" She said in amazement, and Sol smiled "you can have it" she told her. "Want to be friends?" Eki asked, and Naru nodded in happiness.