Food Crisis In The Forest

The group exited the colony, walking towards a giant tree (presumably they need to pass it). Unbeknownst to them, a robot was concealing in front of them, whom removed its invisibility status as they approached. It looked like a levnis, but a very small one, humanoid shape of human height, and seemingly a manned levnis than an unmanned one like the little friend Valdi built from before, and with the head of a horn and single eyed, some thorns that pinged out from its elbows, a really fat and protruded chest, and long legs.

The group immediately get into defensive posture, Lanz shouted out his mind, "Wh-what the snuff?! Where'd this come from?!" Behind him, we could see unshattered glass windows arranged layers by layers, with a tree trunk that seemingly grew in the balcony (a.k.a. ground, we assume they're walking on a balcony right now).

As the robot withdrew its weapon, a dual-hand axe, Noah did too while warning the group, "...Careful! Here it comes!"

(After the fight)

Seeing that it had no chance of winning, it sheathed its blade and immediately concealed itself, disappeared from the scene. The group sheathed their blade, seeing the danger's gone, while Sena was still puzzled over the situation, spoke the group's question, "It... It disappeared...? Uh, what just happened?"

Now that Taion had the time to think, in his thinking stance, "It's likely we're being pursued... But I've never seen a Levnis like that before. Could it be a new model...?"

The group turned to face him, but Noah ended the conversation, "I don't think we'll get very far just theorizing about it. Let's hurry on ahead."

Mio crossed her arms, agreed with him, "Fair enough. But we should stay on our toes, until we leave the woodland."

¹

As they continued their journey, the series of buildings were still visible behind but getting into the background. Instead, replaced with more trees, leaves colored like late in the Fall under the evening sun; barren ground with occasional grass patches growing stoutly.

Manana stopped on her track, the rest move on unnoticed, not until she shouted, "Everyone! Is emergency!"

The group turned to her, with Sena asking, "What's up, Manana?"

"Manana cannot." She shook her head, tears flowed down her eyes like waterfall, "Manana cannot go on like this one extra step."

Noah was perhaps being considerate with her well-being, "We have been walking since Colony Tau, I suppose... If we can find a good place, we'll set up camp, OK?"

Manana eyes lit up immediately, full of energy, "Meh! Plan need more dinner!"

Sena encouraged her to retain the thought as "You can be strong a little longer, can't you, huh? Just a little?"

"Fine! But Manana very very starving today. We need make dinner soon, and everyone must help cook!"

Mio nodded in agreement, "Sure, we'll all be happy to chip in. Right, guys?"

As the night falls, the group sat on one side of the bonfire, under a tree with a giant trunk, whom had some undergrowth. The surrounding area was cleared for the bonfire, while further in the distance, grass carpeted the soil.

Mio and Sena were talking to each other, Lanz and Noah, and Eunie, Taion, and Riku sat around a table behind Mio and Sena. To Mio's right were a bunch of turnips and potatoes and whatever ingredients. Manana were to 1 o'clock of Mio. To her left were equipment laid bare, including Taion's teapot.

Manana walked in front of Mio and Sena, humming a tune, "Meh meh meh, meh meh," She jumped up on a table to look at the cooking pot, then her hair jumps on all ends like us having goosebumps, "GASP! Food is entirely missing!" Except for the ladle, nothing was inside the cooking pot, licked clean. That did attract the group's attention; she continued to complain bitterly, "Manana not even get single fill of stomach yet!"

"I just saw you stuffing your cheeks!" Lanz instantaneously rebutted.

Taion: "The rations should have been divided equally."

With tears, she seek to emotionally persuade, "Manana walked more than used to today. Tummy was rumbly-grumbly...!"

Eunie stoically replied, "Not much we can do, though. Not now."

Sena walked up and squatted before Manana, looking at her eyes, "Manana... Look, we've still got a way to go, so you're gonna have to get used to rationing stuff out, 'kay?"

"Mehhhh..."

Everyone laid out their sleeping bags in a semicircle, their head facing the bonfire. At the "base" part of the bonfire, to Lanz's left and Taion's right, were their food (giant turnips ahem) and Taion's tea set on a table. Lanz slept with one leg outside his sleeping bag, touching Sena's; but it didn't disturb her as he didn't touch her, and she's facing the other side anyways. Mio and Noah slept beside each other, with little space between their sleeping bags. Riku and Manana shared a sleeping bag, and given their height, their sleeping bag was arranged horizontally. Eunie and Taion enclosed the final part of the semicircle.

Some Tirkins, animals with bird face, bird wings so stiff it looked like sword with teeth than wings to the translator, quietly sneaked up and purloined their turnips, one by one, quietly and quickly escaped hugging it, waking no one in the process.

As the morning rise, the bonfire was put out; smoke continue to rose from the pile of charcoal remains. Sena was stretching as she casually walked by, but something registered in her unconscious to be off, so she reversed back to position, turned her eyes on the sack of food as the smile on her face faded. With an inspecting look, both sacks laid open horizontally on the ground, "GASP!!! All the food's completely gone!"

Noah jumped up from his lying down position, gasping for breath as he adjusted to the imminent danger. Lanz was already awake and practicing his sword, retorted to her siren, "WHAZZUP!? What's wrong?!"

Noah, now standing up on his feet, questioned in a higher tone, to ensure he listened correctly, "What did you say was gone?"

Mio came up beside him, "I think she was... yelling about food?" They looked at each other.

Eunie exclaimed from the other side, "Wha-? No way! For real?!" They quickly dashed to Sena. As the group gathered, excluding Manana whom couldn't be woken even with fire alarms ringing beside her ears, they examined the sacks.

After a while, Riku questioned calmly, "Friends sure did not just put elsewhere and forget?"

Sena, shaking her heads, replied with a slightly quivering tone, "Nuh-uh, I'm positive it was right here!"

Taion affirmed, "Indeed, I checked it myself before I turned in."

Eunie took a step back, redirected the blame at someone who was very hungry yesterday, "Don't tell me someone scoffed the whole lot?"

Lanz: "Ugh, no way..." Then, everyone turned to the still happily sleeping Manana.

In her dream words, eyes closing while she turned to her side, "Mmmeeehh... Manana will leave no plate unpolished..."

(After she woke up)

She fussed as she fluttered, "That awful! False accusation!" Lanz was giving her the ruffled look for her dwelling too long on the topic, "Not even Manana ever stoop to such crude vulgar behavior!"

Lanz gloomily asked, "All right, all right, we get it, just chill out already."

She was adamant. "Manana refuse to become frosty! This now matter of honor and dignity! For starters...!" Sena, Taion, and Eunie walked away, jettisoned themselves from their arguments while perhaps looking for more clues. Noah, Mio, and Riku continued watching the drama between Lanz and Manana.

Noah, his arms on his waist, logically commented, "I know Manana was feeling a bit peckish, but she can't have eaten up the lot"

Mio folded her arms, wondering, "So, who then?"

"Hrmmm..." All the while, Manana and Lanz were quarreling in the background with illegible words.

Eunie was walking off in some directions when she saw a white feather that caught her interest. She squatted down to observe, picked it up, and turned to Mio and Noah, whom turned their attention to her as she called out, "Hey! Check it!"

Noah: "... A feather? But what kind?"

On the other side, Sena squatted over some footprints and shouted, "I found tracks, here!"

Taion ran up to investigate the footprints, remarked, "These footprints... I think they're... Tirkin!"

Still holding out the feather, Eunie: "Mystery solved, then. A Tirkin feather!"

Mio turned to Noah for conclusion, "Sooo... They raided our supplies?"

As the group turned to Manana's group, whom was still furiously baffling Lanz with her hyperactivity, "Lanz can stuff apology! Honor and dignity of Manana left in tatters from vile and baseless accusation!"

Lanz, scoffed, "C'mon, please, lighten up already..."

Letting them deal with it, Noah turned to the rest of the group and the others turned to him, "All accusations aside, we're really... strapped for food."

Mio suggested, "Guess we'll have to go foraging."

Taion nodded, "I concur." On their path, there was forest, trunks large or small, and grass on the floor, though not very clearly distinguished from the darker soil color. Sunlight aren't as bright as they were, given the leaves blocked some out, as Taion continued, "Luckily, this area is pretty bountiful all in all, so we might not be too hard-pressed."

Noah made the final call, "Well, better get to it."

To which he nodded, "Right."

Mio: "'Kay!"

Riku was ruffled, "Anyway, that clearly too much eat." The group ignored them and walked off in different directions, his voice became the background. "Manana is bottomless pit."

"Meh-meh! Whuh- Will have Riku know Manana is dainty eater!!!"

Closing his eyes, "Not denying!"

Still fluttering, she didn't concur, "Lies! And deceit! On this day of days, Manana will have retribution!!!" The final words sounded like echoes through chambers.

Also in the forest, someone was panting and running; every step was a torture. Borealis looked back to check for pursuers; none, yet the situation was more than dire. He had hurt his legs, yet he couldn't stop now. He limped his steps therefore.

Alas, pursuers wasn't following, but CCTV tracked him down. O questioned, "Looks like we've got ourselves a runner. Slipped out from the Castle." It was O.

P questioned as they walked towards the Queen's seat, "Is this OK? He could get in touch with Ouroboros... Won't that impact our previous arrangements?"

N was looking at the hologram screen showing Borealis hovering over the Queen's seat, his back facing them, replied, "Not to worry. If he does make contact, they'll come."

"Hah. Really?" She don't believe, folded her arms.

"Ouroboros are... simply like that."

O: "Hmmm..."

P: "Well, if you say so, we can probably take your word. Right, O?"

"Hmmm, certainly. As you said, P. We probably can take his word." N didn't reply.

The group gathered under some tree, probably just beside where they camped last night. We could still see the modern buildings in the distant, through the "tunnel" comprised of tree trunks. A pond with clear sprinkling water filled beside the tree. Soily ground around them; further away, we could see short grass.

Noah: "Since we're already out here gathering food, we could think about building up a reserve of stuff that'll keep for a while."

Mio concurred, "That's a good idea. What would that be...? Mushrooms, nuts, that sort of thing?"

Sena nod in her encouraging stance, "I'm on it!" Someone actually lit a bonfire while we weren't looking, the light from the flames caressed the surrounding, which embodied them.

Lanz still doubted, "By the way, when the Tirkins got into our camp, did no one seriously notice?"

Eunie replied affirmatively, "Nope! Not even slightly. Not even a tiny bit."

Riku explained himself, "Riku was busy sawing logs all last night."

Mio felt it was her responsibility, in her appreciation stance, "...I'm sorry, you guys."

Sena explained her away with optimism reasonings, "We'd walked a lot yesterday. I'm sure you were just super pooped. You'd never miss something as obvious as Tirkin footsteps on a good day, Mimi!"

Noah shook his head, declining her assumed responsibility, "I think it's safe to say we were all partially guilty of negligence this time."

Taion agreed, and thought ahead of time, "Indeed. However, we should also reconsider our storage arrangements, for the future."

Eunie shook the blaming off, "Ah well, it's water under the bridge now. No point talking locks after the Ardun's already bolted, am I right? Let's just get to the searching already."

Everyone nodded, and Taion replied, "... Very well."

Something in the distance caught Noah's eyes, as he redirected the group's attention to it, "Hey, is that...?"

They turned and saw a goat² with white-ish fur walking down the path in the distance. It seemingly didn't notice them, or maybe it did but care less. It stopped beside a bush under a tree and grazed. To the right where the cliff fell off, we could see more high-tech buildings some distance away from the cliff.

Sena: "An Anlood!"

Perhaps it finished grazing, it kicked some dirt for a while (like how some but not all dogs kicked some dirt after they pee/poop) and ran off into the distance down their targeted route. Lanz looked at the target, suggestively smiled, "It's hard to fill up on mushrooms alone... I say we hunt us some meat, as well."

Sena agreed, showing her muscles, "Woo-hoo! I love me some hunter-gathering!"

The location where they were gathering food. The groups gathered in sub-groups of two or three under 3 of the giant trunks. The triangle that they formed, in between them was barren, nothing grows; though the rendering shows something reflected, it may be mirage, but it could be some giant puddle. Outside of the triangle (and beyond the trees) were thick undergrowth of various heights, flowers, some coconut-like (palm?) trees, and a single yellow flower patches in the distance. Noah was seen walking towards Mio's group.

Lanz and Riku as a group, Lanz punched both his fist together before putting his hands below a giant rock; its width about 1.5 times his height, and its height to his waist, a giant rock indeed. As he squatted and exerted forces, the rings on his vest sparkles with electricity. "Yerrrrrrrrrrrruuuuhhhh!!!" In a squatted position, he lifted the rock over his head and throw it to his left. It smashed into the ground, sending dirt flying and created a slightly dent crater. "Phew..."

"Much relief! Glad Riku adjust power frame last night. Should perform 30% better than leading brand." He walked and plucked some leaves and tucked them behind him.³

"Whatcha on about, 'leading brand'? I get that we're weaker than Agnians, so we need this to get on more of an even footing in combat, but..."

"Friend say 'but'. Why 'but'?" He stopped plucking the plants and turned to him. Riku is Riku, he wanted the best reviews from his customers, and he wanted respect for his job.

Turning to face him, "We just need... OOMPH, you know, like? KAPOW, sorta thing!"

"Sound-effects not help comprehension."

Putting his hands behind his heads, "Oh, you know..." He was reminded about Noah unsheathing the Lucky Seven from its shackles, pierced into the Flame Clock. "Like that... doodad Noah has."

"Doo...dad?" He continued to hug the plants and moved them to the two sacks, seemingly full of mushrooms while Lanz continued. And perhaps, since he said Noah, he got what he meant.

"Oojamaflip! You know what I mean. Don't make me say it."

"What friend want to use for?"

"Uh...? Well, I..."

"Not on Joran by any chance?"

His eyes wide opened, stuttered as he caught him, "I-I..."

His back facing him, shook his head, "If so, Riku have to pass."

"Aw, come on."

"So Riku guess right." Lanz took a step back; his minds was transparent. Turning to face him, "Backing up, this plan of Lanz... Noah privy to it? Make decision without consult allies? Bad form."

With a poisonous looking eye, "But he's our... enemy."

"And who decide that? Joran ever say himself? That he enemy?"

Quietly replying, "He didn't. I did."

"In absence of complete picture?"

Raising his voice to rebut, "Well, but... He's different...!"

"So, after meet just once, Lanz make up mind?"

"Umph... Then... what're we gonna do?!" He shook his head, uncertainty took over.

"Only things friend can. Keep moving forward."

"How's that gonna solve anything...? Should never have asked..."

Turning away to face the old building, his back on Lanz, "Also... 'Doodad' not that kind of thing." He had high respect for Lucky Seven, eh! To which Lanz made a grumbling noise from his throat for him dwelling on that word.

In another search area. Yellow grove and blade grass grows up to knee high, purple/magenta (depending on whether you see it in daytime or nighttime) vines stuck to one side of the tree that allow climbing. The chirping of birds, the calling of cicadas, naturally meant silence to the ears. As before, the group still split into 3 sub-groups, searching different locations.

Mio's wanderlust took her to a direction, scanning her side until something above in front of her caught her eyes. A tree that stretches like cherry blossoms, with green-yellow gourds dangling from the tip of its branch, high up. To Eunie and Manana whom was in her vicinity, she shared her curiosity, "Hey, look! That's a really odd-looking tree."

Manana and Eunie stop whatever they were doing and turned to face her. "Meh?" The shape, the color, triggered Manana's memories as she searched her memories for similarities. Fluttered, she ran past Mio to find any gourd on the ground for closer inspection. Eunie walked up to join her. They looked at each other for a moment, they knew nothing about the "odd-looking tree" nor the "odd-looking fruit", could only join Manana and hope for her experiences.

"Oh, wondrous day!" Her excitement unconcealable as she raised the fruit high up in the air, as if 'releasing kaching kaching light so bright that it could blinds one's eyes'. "Cannot believe eyes! It fruit of legend, Bright Fig!"

"Bright Fig? What's a Bright Fig when it's at home?"

Eunie, with a teasing tone, entered the game of "Lemme guess. They're stupidly delish?"

Manana affirmed, hugging it, "Ohhh, guaranteed! Deliciousness is such that friends will be picking up jaws from ground for weeks!" Suddenly, her unconscious caught her conscious, and excitement instantaneously evaporated, "Uh-oh..."

Rolling the Bright Fig she was hugging on the ground in front of her, Eunie was curious, "What's up? Are they rotten or something?"

The peak and the trough of a roller coaster could not describe her journey from excitement to sorrow; which only grew deeper to desolation with limitless tears. "...Tragedy strike. These not ripe for plucking yet, let alone eating. If eat now, bitter flavor cause agonizing death..."

Eunie wasn't discouraged, looking up at the tree, "Huh...? I dunno, they look tasty enough to me..." Mio followed her glance.

Manana shared her experience, "Bright Fig not good for eating even after full yellow... Still have to wait another year before able to enjoy..."

Eunie, on hearing the sheer length of time, shrugged, "That's too long! Man, so much for that..."

Hearing her down tone, Mio encouraged, "Never mind. You can always come back next year! It's legendary, right? You wouldn't wanna miss out." She look up to the sky, perhaps trying to imagine the future, or perhaps, imagine a future where she could enjoy with them. Manana's eyes wide opened as she heard her uplifting words.

Eunie didn't immediately realize the timings, "Tch... Guess we'll have to."

Manana remarked in a low tone, "But Mio... Year from now..."

She replied inscrutably, "Mhm, even if I might not get to do it, you guys can still have a taste."

"Why wouldn't you- Whoa!" Eunie's subconscious caught up with her conscious, took a step forward that took Mio by surprise, her pupils dilated as she backed a step. Her tone jumped two octave lower as she lectured, "Love, you gotta stop being so detached about it. You'll just get everyone feeling guilty."

Shaking her head, "Oh, sorry, sorry! Please don't mind me."

She abnegated, "Don't mind me, she says... 'Course we're gonna mind you, doll."

Some moment later, they sat under the Bright Fig Tree, perhaps on its roots. They looked at a different direction (of course, given how circular are tree trunks!) with Manana in between, whom closed her eyes; the two sacks of food located in front of her. Whether or not being caught in their thoughts, the rustling wind, cuckooing birds, and chirping cicadas; the aromas of bright yellow flowers; together with the night sky, provides a cultivating bed for anything that has to come, and anything that has to go.

Eunie calmly asked, "Hey, how can you be so casual about it?"

Turning to her, "What do you mean, 'casual'?" Eunie turned to face her, pointed at her breast where her term symbol was.

Turning away, she looked at the floor and the sky as she reminisced, hoping they would take some nervousness away, "I assure you, I'm not. I'm actually pretty flustered."

"You deffo don't look it."

"If it looks that way to you, well, that's because... I shouldn't even be here."

Quietly prompting, "Whatcha mean?"

Taking out her flute and held it with both hands, she softly shared, "This life's a gift, from... a dear friend... It should've been me... I should have died out there that day."

Mio's memories: Inside a building, seemingly (multiple) T-shaped tunnels, Miyabi was helping Mio, whom injured at least her feet, to move forward. Explosion and flames raged from the junction, but they escaped it. Sitting inside an escape pod, Miyabi spoke her final words to her as she closed the door, closed herself out of her reach. Purple gas now filled the outer atmosphere as the escape pod launched into the distance, its rocket engine flares as it zoomed across its escape tunnel. Mio could only held her hands out, pressed it against the windows, and shouted, "MIYABIIIIIII!!!" Flames ignites the purple gas and Miyabi was no more to be seen.

"So this isn't really me. I'm just living on her time. Maybe that's why..."

"Hmmm..." Eunie let her have the conversation she needed to without disturbing, only following her glance on her. As Mio stood up and make a few steps ahead, she pressed the flute to her lips and started playing a melody. It wasn't the Agnian off-seeing melody, an alteration indeed⁴. Manana's eyes opened to 'look' at the melody. The single song that strikes the tranquil forest, even birds lowered their chirping and cuckooing frequency, listening to her.

As she finished a short segment, Eunie stood up, accompanied by Manana, approached her and softly spoken, "Somehow, that remind me of us..." Mio put her flute down and turned to them.

Mio connected with her thoughts, "I know. When we're Interlinked, I can see a glimpse. Inferno, destruction... Lanz screaming."

"Noah's memories..." To which Mio nodded. Then, Eunie looked down to presented a recourse, trying to rephrase her words, "What if... Bear with me... That friend of yours, she showed up, like Joran?"

"As an enemy?"

"As an enemy."

Her tone quivering, "I suppose... I'd want to know, same as Lanz. Simply... Why?"

"Gotcha. I figured."

She could no longer hold her thoughts to herself, tears aggregating at the tip of her eyes, "Mm... Why is it that you gave your life for mine? Why...? You could've lived longer yourself, Miyabi. Why did you do it?"

"So her name was Miyabi...⁵" To which she nodded. "Sorry... Guess it's a sensitive subject."

She shook her head, trying to hold back her tears, "It's funny... I thought I had it all locked down..." Manana held out a handkerchief below her that caught her vision. "Thank you." She bent down and took it to her hands. Eunie patiently waited as she wiped off her tears.

She continued, reflecting determination, "Whatever her reason... I'd accept it. The facts. Whatever the truth may be."

"And that's it? No looking back?"

She nodded, "While my de-facto partner's running full steam ahead? I mean, I can't very well go backwards, can I now?"

Eunie changed to a teasing tone, "You're partners now, eh? Heh, I s'pose you are, at that." She turned to face her left.

"Hm?" Mio's followed her glance, and saw that Noah was rationalizing with Taion while Sena listened in.

Eunie continued, "I wonder... How does he see things?" Behind Sena, there were bamboo sticks grown in groups.

Somewhere near but not the original location, under a giant tree, its trunk so huge it looks like a hundred human cannot make a circle that fits the trunk. Even the mushrooms that suck their nutrients out of the tree were huge, some of the stems as tall as Taion, width as buff as Lanz. Their cap could make do a few person shielding from rain. Taion examined some mushrooms and wondered, in his thinking pose, "...Hm? What's this...?"

Sena stood up beside him, "We ate those yesterday, didn't we? Must be lotsa them in these woods..."

"Seems so... Well, that explains it."

Lanz, to his left, prompted him to explain, "What explains what?"

"At first glance, it looks just like a Kelp Mushroom, but in fact... it's what's called a Naiti-Nait, causing overpowering drowsiness when ingested."

"Huh?!" Sena was shocked to hear.

Lanz similarly, "Uh, so you're saying..." Far behind them, there was an Anlood seemingly raising its front limbs and knocking against a tree???

"We ate these, and that's why we all slept clean through the Tirkins stealing our food. That's my working hypothesis, anyway." The Anlood was perhaps tired of knocking the tree now, walked off the scene like how models showed their shirt and walked off the stage. Turning around, before walking off, "I'll go and warn Mio and the others." Lanz and Sena saw him off.

Manana approached them, overhearing their conversations, "Meh mehhh... Was Manana who put in dish... Should have known better..."

Sena tried to take her off her sole responsibility, "We all picked the ingredients together, so it's not like it's you that was at fa-"

She cut her off, "But then Manana blow up on Lanz and say many lots of mean things! Very deeply sorries..."

Lanz just scratched his head as he turned to his side, awkward... "Hey, it's all in the past. More importantly, all this trudging around foraging has given me a wicked appetite. We've got enough now, surely? Let's go back to camp and make it into something edible."

Sena seconded with enthusiasm, "Yeah!"

"Manana agree also!" Her low mood was quick to go, fluttered her wings as she jumped about.

Footnotes:

1: For the continuation of this tiny levnis, check this story out. But a warning! It contains details that're into the future. It's recommended that you only read this story after completing at least Chapter 5, or better, after The Sword of the End story, for better clarifications.

2: Is it a goat? Looks more like mountain goat to the translator.

3: Unfortunately, although translator saw that kind of plant before, one can't remember where one saw it; and when one saw it, one don't bother to know its names so... shame on me.

4: In retrospect, like Crys whom created his Crys's melody, this is Miyabi's Melody.

5: Eunie don't know about Miyabi, Noah knows a bit from her memories.