The Golden Egg.

“Are you ready, Hitsuki?” Sol asked, as they both hovered over the horizon, their target on the empty field amidst the forest. “Remember to use your power of quick travel, okay?”

“I am not sure about this idea, but I am all for it!!” Hitsuki yelled in excitement.

Both of them fixated their eyes on the golden egg, which was placed at the center of the open area. Hitsuki saw more of those glowing honeydew plants surrounding the place. But today, he was on a mission.

Retrieve the golden egg.

He tried to recall all the instructions Sol had given him beforehand.

*****

“Remember,” Sol lifted her finger. “Don’t be scared of The Hattims. They might look scary, but they are actually harmless. They are just big, thats all.”

“Are they scary?” He asked, but Sol avoided his question.

“They are… okay, I guess.” Sol frowned. “I have some memories with them.”

“And that’s why you are shoving that responsibility on me?”

“Anyways,” Sol cut him short. “There will be many eggs in the fields. But what we are going to capture is the golden egg. The normal eggs are tasty, there's no denying that, but I heard the golden egg tasted the best!”

“Sol, are you a foodie, by any chance?”

Sol continued to ignore Hitsuki’s questions. “On the count of three, you will jump towards the center and grab the egg. Then activate your running power and run with your life, okay?”

“Then what are you gonna do? Just watch as I fail to do so?”

“No,” Sol explained. “Hattims becomes crazy if they see their golden egg being stolen. It’s a communal thing among them. They protect the egg as a whole. So I will clear out a path for you by fighting them.”

“That sounds… a lot of work just to get an egg.” Hitsuki sighed. “You sure it’s worth it?”

“I will cook it for dinner if we can get our hands on it,” Sol replied. “You just have to run as you wish. I will do the rest. We fly by the anti-gravity soil and then attack via air. Honestly, you are a genius! I didn’t think we could use the soil like that!”

*****

“Are you okay, Hitsuki?” Sol asked as they were hovering mid air. “Why are you zoning out?”

“Nothing. Just trying to remember everything you said.” He replied. “Just pick the golden egg and run, thats all I am doing, okay?”

“That’s all you need to do.” Sol smiled. “Now go!”

Sol let go of Hitsuki’s hand, and he was on his own.

He left the anti-gravity zone and flew straight through the Hattims. Just before landing, he activated his powers.

He saw the hattims slow down before him. But it didn’t take a second for him to gag out of reflex.

“Eww….” Hitsuki gagged. An oversized chicken with a human face and horns was not something he envisioned. “This creature’s eggs are tasty??? Is Sol crazy?”

But the golden egg stared at him like a prize. Something he needed to catch.

But the hattims grew alert slowly around him. The power slows his surroundings, but it doesn’t stop entirely.

“What are you doing, Hitsuki? I told you to grab the egg and run!!” Sol entered Hitsuki’s dimension. Seemed like she also activated her powers. “RUN, NOW!!”

Hitsuki sprinted amongst the monochrome dimension. He avoided the hattims that were slowly creeping up to him and ran towards the giant golden egg.

But some Hattims were equal in speed even with Hitsuki and Sol’s powers.

One of them stood before the egg, guarding it.

“Trust me, Hitsuki. Just run for the egg!!” Sol charged at that big Hattim.

Sol pulled out three daggers from her uniform and parried the Hattim. But it avoided all of them with its sharp claws.

Hitsuki slowly tried to steal the eggs, but he was spotted.

The Hattim charged at Hitsuki with its beak, barely missing his head.

“Be careful!!” Sol said. “One bite and you will be dead!”

“Eh!!?” Hitsuki yelled, “I don’t wanna die to this freaking thing!!”

“NOW IS YOUR CHANCE!!” Sol charged at the Hattim again, blocking all its claws and beak. “NOW!”

Hitsuki charged at the now unsupervised egg. Though three other Hattims charged at a slower pace, Hitsuki ducked and avoided.

First a left tackle, then a duck and a roll. And in front of him were the golden egg, shining with all its glory.

“I GOT IT!!” Hitsuki yelled in amazement.

“IDIOT, I TOLD YOU TO RUN THE POWER IS GONNA RUN OUT!!”

Hitsuki ran with all his might as the Hattims now built a wall out of their body, blocking him from all exits.

“What should I do now??” Hitsuki hesitated for a moment, and it turned out to be a blunder.

For the powers had depleted, and both of them resumed their normal self.

Hitsuki panicked as the Hattims ran towards him. He tucked himself in as he protected the golden egg.

“Idiot!!” He heard a whisper beneath his ear. “I told you to run.”

But Sol was contradicting herself. He stood with Hitsuki as the hoards of Hattims approached them.

“Hold on tight, Hitsuki!!” Sol yelled. “We are flying again!!”

Sol threw a patch of dirt over a small surface and jumped over it. She held Hitsuki’s hand.

“You took some anti-gravity soil?” Hitsuki asked.

“I always plan for a countermeasure.” Sol smiled.