Chapter 43: I'll Make You Forget All About It
1000 AD - The Enchanted Forest - Fairy Tale Realm
"Hey, Senko" Nakano said "I've got the day off"
"If it was longer we could have gone somewhere" Senko said
"We can just stay here instead" Nakano said
"Not if I can help it" Shiro said as she teleports in "we're going to the beach" and they grab their things and go into an Enchanted Gate, and Shiro leads them to one with a beach "The beach baby!"
"Cool" Nakano said
"It's beautiful" Senko said
"Hey Shiro" Senko whispered to Shiro "was it a good idea to bring Nakano here? You know whose beach it is"
"You worry too much, Sen" Shiro replied "besides I wanted to share it, such a beautiful view… not the ocean, I meant my adorable swimsuit of course" and Nakano and Senko chuckle
"It is rather cute" Senko said
"Right?" Shiro replied "feel free to praise me more… well?"
"You have the most beautiful fur in the world" Nakano said, humoring her
"Of course I do" Shiro said "right, let's go out there and have fun! Now, c'mon I'm going to go swimming" and she runs into the water as Nakano and Senko settle on the beach
"Wow" Senko said "looks like she's having fun"
"For sure" Nakano replied
"Would you like some watermelon?" Senko asked
"Sure" Nakano replied and he takes some from her "it's so cold and sweet"
"I'm happy you're enjoying it" Senko said
"Sen, what's for lunch?" Shiro asked after she comes out of the water
"I've got watermelon" Senko replied
"That's good for a snack, but I want a proper lunch" Shiro said
"I'm going to go do some scouting and see if there's anything we can cook" Nakano said "you two build a fire"
"Alright" Senko said "please be careful out there" and Nakano walks down the beach until he sees a small hut
"Excuse me!" Nakano shouts into the hut "are you guys open? Anyone here?" And he looks around, but the hut appears to be empty
"Hello, young sir, you seem to be having a fun day" a voice said and he turns to see a woman
"Sorry, I didn't mean to barge in" Nakano said
"It's alright" the woman said "although I must admit it's rather unusual for us to get visitors way out here. The items you are seeking are right over there, there's some gifts from me as well" and Nakano turns to see several trays with food on them
"Woah, no way" Nakano said "this is… for me to take? I mean, that's very generous, but I can't accept…" but when he turns back, she's gone. He takes the trays back to Senko
"Oh my, where in the realm did you manage to find such an impressive platter?" Senko asked
"I got it from a mysterious woman in a shack" Nakano replied "but then she vanished before I had the chance to refuse"
"That sounds a bit odd" Senko said
"Yeah, I was thrown a bit off since I thought this was a secret beach" Nakano said "but I guess there are other people around, huh?"
"No" Senko replied "that would be quite impossible. This in a separate realm from either mine or yours. As such, just a mere human cannot enter it easily… which then begs the question: which sort of being did you encounter?"
"Look, if you're trying to scare me, it's working" Nakano said
"Is it?" Senko asked "you'd think you would be use to strange happenings since you live with a kitsune"
"That's a fair point" Nakano said
"Well, I might as well cook it up" Senko said and she begins cooking the food Nakano found
That night, Nakano looks back on the day
"You know, today was really great" Nakano said "it was the perfect way to spend my day off"
"It was nice" Senko replied
"And the weather is just amazing out here" Nakano said "with a nice breeze to cool you off and everything. All you can hear are the ocean waves and the wind, it's like the calm after a festival. The quiet helps me really appreciate all the fun we had today"
"That's very true" Senko replied
"Still though, I can't help but feel a little sad" Nakano said
"Why's that?" Senko asked
"Because it means the fun day is over now" Nakano said
"If only you had more time to relax" Senko said "I suppose all fun times must come to an end. But that doesn't have to be something you have to worry about right now. Everything has to end eventually… and while it's easy to be sad about something ending, there's no reason to let yourself suffer because of it" and she smiled and sent foxfire out in all directions, creating a beautiful display "I promise, I'll make you forget all about it, after all, the future is full of possibilities, and there will be lots of fun new days"
"Senko… thanks" Nakano said, appreciating the moment "we should come back one day"
"Agreed" Senko replied
Unknown to Nakano, Senko, or Shiro, the woman from the hut, Lady Sora, watches on
"Why yes" Sora said to herself "everything has to end eventually" and she teleports away