- An Unlikely Friendship -

Along a lonely dirt road, two figures slowly make their way towards an unknown destination.

“Ahhgh…” Taro bemoans,

The man drags his feet as he walks, the pack weighs heavy on his stride. Though a good meter ahead, a young girl burdened with a far greater load walks with far more gust in her sail.

“Stop complaining!” she shouts,

“Akkarii!” he continues,

“No! I’m not going to carry you again!” turning down the idea instantly, “I’m going to end up smelling weird like you!”

“I don’t smell weird!” he refutes, “You’re going to make this old man cry!”

The pair had been walking for three days straight.

“You’re not old! At least you don’t have to wear this heavy coat around with you!” Akari cries,

“Hey! It can’t be helped!” Taro reminds her, “Adventurers attack you on sight, it'll be hard getting anywhere being constantly attacked!”

“I can’t help how I look!” she looks away, nose upturned.

Here Taro ponders if there were any illusion spells amongst the tomes the pair carried with them. Though if such a tome did exist Taro assures that demons would probably already be ingratiated with humans to a degree that such discrimination didn’t exist.

The red oni sniffs the air,

“A river is nearby.” she claims, “Let’s rest there momentarily,”

The pair follows the scent until they find a river. A small waterfall runs along the rocky bank. The surrounding area is filled with green trees and plants. Taro takes this moment to wash his face and set down his great pack.

“Hmph!” Akari scoffs, “I suppose I could let loose a little,”

Akari drops her baggage and kicks off her trekking leg wear so she could dip them into the cool water.

“Ah! Do that downstream!” Taro angrily shouted, “I'm washing my face here!”

“Do you ever stop complaining!” she says undeterred, “It's just water!”

“(The water isn't the problem!)”Taro thought, but before he could vocalize his displeasure, he was interrupted.

“Eek!” A girly scream was produced by Akari.

Taro looks in haste to see a blonde woman holding up her legs and inspecting it closely.

“No! No! No!” The strange woman shouts, “This will not do at all!”

“W-Who are you?” Akari cries confused,

“Dahh-ling! Even you must see this atrocity!!” 

“Mhm,” the burly man beside her nods noncommittally.

“This, this! Tragedy of skin care!” The woman screeches, her long claws took hold of Akari's cheeks and smushed them together so that she looked like a carp.

“To be so young, yet so callous of your skin's need! They weep! Weep they do! Can you hear them darling?!”

“Yeah… that's… BAD!”

It was undeniable, this dim witted couple were the same ones as the first adventurers that Taro had seen.

Akari and Taro lock eyes, unsure whether the couple recognized them or not.

*clap clap!

The woman claps twice.

“Dae-vee! Prepare a warm barrel! This one's going for a bath!” she decides, “When was the last time you bathed in hot water, dear?”

“Uhm… never?” Akari answers,

“Oh! Mercy!” the woman swoons into the nearby boulder.

“By god! Dahvy! You were supposed to catch me!” she yells, despite just moments ago sending her partner to another task,

……

Despite their recent luck, it appears as though the couple have recalled nothing from their dungeon expenditures. Completely unable to discern an oni when outside of a dungeon setting, Akari and Taro decide to play along silently.

……

“H-Help!” Akari shrieked!

“Hold – Guh! - Hold still!” The blonde woman fights with her,

“I can wash myself! You crazy bat!” she continues to struggle “Taro! Taro! Help HEELP!!”

Behind a very large rock, Taro sat on his knees hearing the altercation from a distance away and beside him sat the burly man. Both in waiting like husbands left at the food court while their women shop.

“By the way, my name is David,” the burly man outstretched his hand,

“Huh, I couldn’t have guessed,” Taro meets his hand for a shake, “Taro.”

“-AAAAAAAAAAAA” Akari screams “ You got me in the eye!!”

Both men stare off into the distance.

After some time and torture the two girls finished their cleaning session. Looking satisfied the blonde woman glows with admiration for her new pet project. Akari on the other hand looks somehow both simultaneously disheveled and spotless. Her hair was let down to her waist and given a temporary garb, she looked almost like a new person entirely. Though it appears as though her soul was leaving her body as we speak.

“H-Hey Akari, looking snazzy…” Taro attempts at lightening the mood,

Akari looks away muttering something that can only be considered a profane curse,

“(Scary!)”

“Well since we’re together let’s set up camp, ”David interrupts, “Would you guys like to join us for a meal aswell?”

“Food?!” Akari jolts back to life, "Like cooked?!”

“Gyahaha! Let’s eat!” the woman cackles,

The group sits together by a fire. It was late afternoon by the time their camps were set up. A large pot sits atop the fire. They had set up a communal soup. The meal consisted of a thick broth, cuts of preserved pork from Taro, some carrots from the couple, and a few spices. They agree to share some ingredients amongst each other afterwards for a more balanced diet. Akari couldn’t keep her head out of her bowl.

“Good girl! Good!” The woman pets Akari, “A healthy diet ensures good skin and hair!”

“Get your paws off me you witch!” Akari barks! But she doesn’t do anything beyond that. While she kept petting the red oni, it reminded Taro of an angry chihuahua.

“So… Where are you guys heading?” David asks,

Akari and Taro looked at each other but Taro felt it would be harmless to tell.

“Into the Marshes,” he explains, “We want to find Black Serpent’s dungeon,”

“Oh! That’s scawey!!” The woman swoons into David’s arms. He continues to eat his food, barely interrupted.

After swallowing, David continues the conversation,

“That’s a long trek,” he looks into the fire, “Dangerous too, What’s so important that you guys need to delve into such a high level dungeon?”

“That’s true!” the woman adds, “You guys should just come with us!”

“Who would want to do that?!” Akari yelps from her food bowl,

“Oohh Akawee!! Sooo Meann!!” The woman tries to cuddles Akari who keeps her at bay with her leg.

“It’s important,” Taro says plainly “That’s all I can say,”

The couple pauses and looks at each other.

”OOhh! How mysterious!” David jeers, he wraps his arm around Taro’s neck. ”What are you doing trying to look cool, hehehe!”

He ruffles Taro’s hair while he was in his headlock.

“(AghhH!! This brute!)”

The night continues on with conversation about goals, diet, combat strategies and survival tips. When morning came, the group packs up and stood by the crossroads where their paths diverge.

“Well it’s been fun kids,” David says with a hearty laugh, “Be seeing you,”

“Mhm, take care guys!” Taro reciprocates,

The woman turns back and calls out, “Akari! Take care of your boyfriend, ok!”

“He’s not my boyfriend!” Akari protests, “I hate you!”

The couple were a good distance away now.

"Be careful, guy!” David yells, “Oni aren’t taken too kindly around these parts! So keep safe!”

Taro and Akari stood dumbstruck,

“Huh... they knew, I guess.”