The Jubokko

The thoughts’ stream drops me off in front of the ivy-clad building, its leaves beginning to take on an orange hue.

     All around, the plants quiver in the daunting current of air as I walk down the central alley, my steps resolute. The door opens as soon as I reach the threshold and before the hologram usually guarding the security gates fully appears it is blown away like sand in the wind.

     Instead, the clear voice of the main AI of Amahara Corporation echoes.

“I have disabled the security system. You will be able to progress without difficulty in the building. Please, hurry up.”

     My thoughts have never been so messy. The desire to join him as soon as possible, the fear of arriving too late, this need for him to take me seriously, this pang in my heart…

     I keep my fists clenched.

     Contradictorily, what I have to do is obvious to my eyes.

     The lift takes me floor by floor to my destination and as soon as my particles reassemble, my silhouette taking shape, I let my souvenirs guide me through the corridor. The path I take is the same Niji and I took the day we surprised Marygold Leafeyorb acting suspicious.

“I hope he didn’t do anything senseless…”

     Once facing the door he crossed at that time, a chill runs down my spine.

     As if by reflex, as if I were trying to protect myself, I press my hands on either side against my arms.

“This presence… That is noxious.”

     My reason tells me to move away, to go as far as possible.

     Though, my heart disagrees.

“…”

      It is only after a few moments that I realize something is wrong.

     The door. It does not open.

     Approaching a hand, I touch the cold matter with the tip of my fingers.

“The director has just manually locked all the remote control system of the room.” Kodama’s voice rises. “I can’t open the door for you.”

     I mid-close my eyes, leaning my hand against the door.

“I am so close… How do I get through, now?”

     Even if I call him from here, he will not hear me. This door is too sturdy, forcing it through is not realistic.

“Miss Andersen, the director decided to solve the issue in his own way. He will let the Jubokko drink part of his blood…”

     In a slow motion, I widen my eyes. My heart tightens.

“No… Not that… A bloodthirsty creature will not be satisfied with a sip.”

     A low chuckle rises near my ear.

“A door that resists you? Why not ask your fellow parrot hacker?”

     Extricating himself from the folds of my scarf, Niji hops onto my shoulder before launching himself in a rustle of feathers to land on top of a digital casing near the door.

“You can… unlock it?” I whisper as a hope allows me to breathe in.

“Easy peasy!”

     And the next second he taps and taps, taps and taps the screen with his beak. Then he summons his integrated device and…

     Wait.

     Pets’ devices only allow them to understand and get understood by humans. How…

“Done!”

     A beep sounds and the door begins to slide, opening access to the room. Niji flies up to land back on my shoulder.

“Beware. Don’t let him pluck you with his branches, or he’ll drain your blood through its ends.” Kodama’s voice warns.

     Advancing step by step I cross the threshold of the room as soon as the opening is large enough.

     What I see then lets Niji speechless. I mid-open my mouth.

“!!!”

     Elongated shapes, wrapped in dark bark, undulate here and there like snakes emitting intermittent cracking sounds. In the middle of the room looms a tall, ominous trunk.

“More blood…” A low voice hisses.

     Among the sinuous lines running through the bark, embedded circuits glow. They drape its surroundings with a bluish glimmer.

     It is from its trunk that long boughs extend, the thin ends of which it has enfolded Mr Leafeyorb’s arms. Angular twigs have slipped under his sleeves, if not pierced the fabric.

“I want more blood…” The voice hisses again.

     The latter, standing meters away from the Jubokko, doesn’t make a gesture.

“Marygold!” I call rising my voice, feeling my fists clench.

     His gaze, blank until now as he has been staring into the void with an absent smile, recovers its vivid aspect as he directs a bewildered look at me.

“Aurora?…” He mumbles. “What are you… Don’t stay here, you should not be there.”

     Straight away, I shake my head.

“Cease it immediately. You have to abandon this project.”

“I can’t. I understand that you may be anxious, but once the Jubokko has quenched his thirst he will calm down. He just needs a little more-”

“A little more blood before you lose your life.”

     Cutting him off, I approach with resolute steps until I am standing beside him, raising my hands to his arms.

“Don’t approach, I don’t want to endanger anyone. …You don’t realize the importance of this project. It will benefit everyone, you included.” He objects as if his words were enough to convince me.

     As I work to untangle the branches, carefully removing them from his forearms, I raise my golden eyes to meet his.

     I don’t even have to hesitate, my words come out naturally.

“Benefit?… What will I benefit from if you perish? The world is already a pleasant place to live. Why look for more, always more? You are too much of a perfectionist.”

     Perhaps surprised to hear me speak firmly, perhaps numbed by the blood that was stolen from him, Marygold doesn’t interrupt me. Soon, I achieve to free him from the branches.

“To preserve our peaceful world is enough.” My voice softens. “I don’t need you or the world to be perfect. I just need you being yourself.”

“Aurora…”

     But the branches begin to fuss nervously.

“More… More… More…” The Jubokko growls in a sharp breath.

     Suddenly, its branches rush forward, forcing me to step back so I can avoid them. Then, one bends over and pushes me rudely backward – causing Niji to fly away in a panic, with an abrupt flutter of feathers – until I fall to the ground, at the other side of the room.

“Jubokko. Don’t hurt her.” Marygold orders, frowning. “We had a clear agreement. If you are thirsty, take it from me.”

     At these words, the swarming twigs turns towards him again. The tree emits disgruntled shrills.

“I am sorry, Aurora. But if I forsake now, all that my father has done would be lost.”

     Leaning on my hands, I straighten up. Many of these wooden snakes continue to stretch, twist. They obstruct the passage, ready to chase me whenever it would cross my mind to try reaching the director. There is no way to avoid them…

“And this,” he adds. “I can’t come to terms with.”

     Tightening my fingers against the palm of my hand, I place it close up to my heart.

“He is like a lost child…”

     Out of the corner of my eye, it is at this moment that I notice the Jubokko lowering a large, sharp branch. Far too sharp… It winds down the trunk and moves back as if to better spring forward. Aiming at Marygold…

“No… Not that. But how can I reach him in time with the Jubokko ready to attack me?”

     As my thoughts twirl relentlessly, when the answer clearly appears in my mind.

     And I rush forward.

     The Jubokko targets me, but I dodge the blow, leaning slightly forward. Another branch in my trajectory which I bypass with a light spin, passing from the tip of one foot to the other.

“It is like dancing…”

     Each time I feel the air being shaken by the sudden movements of the Jubokko, my eyes mid-closed, I make a graceful gesture, avoiding any superfluous move.

“…All I need is to comply with the moves of my partner.”

     Like snowflakes, which are carried by the wind.

     When I am only a few steps away from Marygold, I take a glass sphere out of my pocket and throw it towards the tree trunk, accompanying the gesture to the tips of my fingers.

     The sharp branch is about to spear the director when I push him away forcefully, falling over with him. At the same moment, the glass sphere shatters against the grim bark.

     Felling on my knees, one hand pressed against the floor on either side of his head, I find myself leaning over the director. His eyes are wide-open.