With my full cowl, I raced across the lush green countryside, desperate to cover as much ground as possible before the sun dipped below the horizon. Though I longed to linger amidst the verdant rolling hills and breathe in the fresh outdoor air, I had to keep my eyes peeled for any sign of the winding Serpent River. My ears perked up at the calls of songbirds in the treetops and the occasional far-off howl of a wolf, but I did not let those pleasant sounds distract me from my urgent task. As the clouds above me turned brilliant hues of orange and pink in the setting sun, I felt a pang of regret that I could not slow down to appreciate the natural beauty surrounding me. But the second clue was out there somewhere along the banks of the Serpent, and I had to find it before nightfall.
"I come from muddy places but am beautiful and pure.
People love me for my looks and my spiritual charm.
I have your next clue. Come and get it before I close the shop for the day"
I have strong feeling that the 2nd clue is near the Serpent River.
The winding Serpent River earned its name for the way it twists and turns through the dense forest like a slithering serpent. As the murky waterway meanders through the wilderness, it carves out deep bends and loops back on itself time and again. From above, the river looks like a long, sinuous snake making its way lazily across the landscape.
This serpentine shape is not the river's only claim to its name, however. The Serpent River is also home to an abundance of creatures just as dangerous as any venomous snake. In the brackish waters lurk snapping turtles with sharp beaks capable of taking off fingers and toes. The riverbanks provide the perfect home for slithering copperhead snakes that blend in with the fallen leaves. Even the air above the Serpent River is not safe, as swarms of mosquitoes deliver their itchy and potentially disease-spreading bites. It's no wonder this river earned the name Serpent River.
After a quarter hour of focused searching, I finally spotted the Serpent River gleaming through the trees up ahead. My heart leaped with excitement, knowing the clue must be close now. Pushing through the underbrush, I stumbled into a small clearing containing a still pool, ringed by ancient trees whose gnarled roots gripped the shoreline. Lotus flowers in shades of pink and white floated serenely atop the dark water.
"This is it. The clue has to be here somewhere," I thought, my pulse quickening. But as I scanned the tranquil scene, I noticed several dark, scaly shapes lurking just below the surface - crocodiles. There must have been more than ten of the massive reptiles, camouflaged in the murky depths as they waited motionless for prey. I dared not go near the alluring pool, realizing it could become a watery grave with one wrong step.
The afternoon light was fading fast, so with great reluctance I turned away from the tantalizing lotus pool and began heading back to our tent and campfire, hoping tomorrow would reveal the clue I sought.
I checked my watch and realized that I am getting late. I hurried back to the safety of our tent before darkness fell completely, following the smoke from our campfire to guide my way. I made sure to bring the bag of zip ties I had packed. Using my quirk, Full Cowl, to speed my pace, I paused every dozen trees or so to firmly loop the zip ties around sturdy branches, blazing a clear path to follow back tomorrow without getting lost.
It was taking longer to return with these periodic stops, the gloom deepening steadily as the sun slipped below the jagged horizon. I was at risk of losing my way without the guiding smoke. But eventually, I stumbled into the little clearing that held our tent, the dying embers of our campfire casting a faint red glow. I saw Kacchan was ready to go somewhere with his small bag.
Before I could ask him, he roared "What were you doing? What took you so long shitty pipsqueak? Were you knocked out cold? I have been waiting here for over half an hour". His voice boomed through the forest, causing birds to take flight in fear. I flinched at the harshness of his tone, the anger radiating off him in waves.
"Kacchan, I found the Serpent River and marking my way back took longer than I anticipated. That's all." I said timidly. "Where are you planning to come search for me?" I asked hopefully, part of me still clinging to the wishful idea that our childhood bond remained. That maybe he had started caring for me again after I had received my quirk. That the Kacchan I once knew still existed beneath this hard exterior.
For a brief moment his eyes widened when he heard the name Serpent River. The his face twisted in disgust, as if I had said something absurd. "What? No way, shitty nerd. I just don't want anything happening to you that can get me in trouble. You can go wherever the fuck you want. I'm happy as long as you're away."
Or maybe not. He is still the same old Kacchan. No matter how much I pretended his words didn't hurt, they still stung deep down. "Okay, I am sorry Kacchan." I mumbled weakly, sighing. "Let's get back to the tent and have dinner". He grunted in reply and stomped off ahead of me.
I retrieved my cup of ramen and went to the diminishing fire to heat it up. When I exited the tent, Kacchan looked at me curiously and asked "Where are you going?"
"Oh, I'm just heating up my cup using the last flames from the fire" I replied. Kacchan's gaze followed me as I crouched by the dying embers, blowing gently on the woods to stoke the fading flames. The fire had dwindled to barely more than a flicker amidst the ashes, providing just enough heat to warm my dinner. As I held my styrofoam cup of noodles over the meager fire, I heard Kacchan's footsteps approaching behind me.
"Come here, I'll do it. Thick head. As clumsy as you are, you'll only burn the cup and its contents," he said, his usual abrasiveness softened by a tone of concern. I handed over my cup and watched as Kacchan activated his explosion quirk, heating his hands to a gentle warmth rather than allowing the small blasts he was capable of. He cradled the cup in his heated palms, steam rising from the broth as he warmed it to the perfect temperature before handing it back to me.
This normal conversation from Kacchan felt like he cared about me and worried for my safety in his own gruff way. I was surprised by this rare thoughtfulness from someone who was usually so quick to mock and deride me. Could this be a sign that our relationship was evolving into a real friendship? Or was I just over-analyzing a simple act of civility?
After dinner, I explained that one of us needed to stay alert throughout the night since Kinnigan Hill was unsafe after dark. Strange sounds echoed from the brush and glowing eyes watched us from the shadows. I volunteered to take the first watch, hoping Kacchan could get some much-needed rest. However, he refused, reminding me that he had slept for a few hours that afternoon after taking pain medication. Too tired to argue, I simply nodded, found my pain relief spray, and quickly treated my sore muscles and joints before collapsing, exhausted, into my sleeping bag where I immediately fell into a deep sleep.
I awoke to the first light of dawn filtering through the nylon tent walls. There, dozing lightly at the entrance, was Kacchan - he must have kept vigil all night. Though it was only 5 AM, he looked exhausted after the long watch. I decided to start packing up camp to let him rest a bit longer before we set off on the next leg of our adventure.
"Kacchan!" I said gently, trying not to startle him. "Come lie down inside the tent and get some more sleep. I'll take over the watch now." Dazed with fatigue, he stumbled over to my vacant sleeping bag and collapsed onto it. I draped a spare shawl over him before heading out to keep an eye on our surroundings until he had gotten a bit more much-needed rest.
It was 8AM when he woke up, the morning light filtered through the leaves, dappling the forest floor and lending an ethereal glow to our campsite. The birdsong was a welcome relief from the eerie silence of the night before. Stretching, he ducked behind the tent into the bushes to relieve himself while I swiftly folded the nylon tent and stashed our gear. Kacchan soon returned, looking refreshed, and I took the lead since I knew the way to the river. Unbelievably, Kacchan followed without protest. As the rushing water grew louder, I selected a sturdy oak and concealed my bag high in its branches, with Kacchan following suit.
As we reached the serene lotus pond, we both started looking for our 2nd clue. Suddenly he exclaimed "There, tangled in the vines beyond the pond, is a wooden box similar to our first clue." I must have missed it in the dark last night, but now I could clearly see it in the broad daylight. This seems like the handiwork of Kamui Woods sensei. The only question is how to retrieve it with a barrier full of crocodiles.
"Kacchan, one of us need to distract the crocodiles and the other needs to retrieve it. Just like last time. Thinking about it, there must be something to help us distract them as well. Let's see, how can we distract them? Crocodiles are predators but we can easily distract them by either offending or feeding them. I don't think offending them will work in our favor as they are vicious creatures and their razor-sharp teeth cuts their prey like a soft butter..."
"Shut Up, Nerd. Your babbling is already distracting them." he said as some of the crocodiles turned their heads towards us. Need to change technique. Kacchan is right. I need to keep control of my nervous chattering, or it would be the death of me someday. We retreated some distance to observe them while we think of a strategy. We had to get this exactly right. Failure is not an option.
"I have an idea that will retrieve the clue and take care of dinner too" Kacchan said with a smirk.