We'll be adventurers

Another week or three meandered by, so slowly that Goji missed it going by entirely. Her newfound best friend had gotten into fall fashion. It was a growing trend in the surrounding forest. She appreciated the company; watching the sky alone would otherwise be pretty boring. A perfect blue imperceptibly shifting hue. Portions of green managed to remain in her friend's leaves. And the two colors looked like good friends. True fall fashion was all the rage right now, but she had to agree with her new friend that she didn't mind holding onto summer for a bit longer.

"Gooojji! Goji! Are you by the tree?"

Hangout session over. Mark had gotten into the business of making friends, and he was quite lucrative at it.  Showing off his giant robot was a great marketing tool. His newest client seemed to buy in already.

"Woah! It's huge! My dad said there's no way you summoned it, and it's your grandpas!"

"Hey! I summoned her! Her name is Goji, and she's my familiar."

The goal wasn't to see who actually summoned her, they were just here to play. Small carved paths in the flowing grass followed, charging foot steps up the hill. Mark pushed to be the first, and his new friend was well enough mannered to let him.
Hands forward, Mark and his friend plinked into the side of her leg.

"I win!" Spoken out of breath.

"Yeah." Spoken a good portion less, out of breath.

Both maintained an active smile. The being friends portion seemed to be coming along well. Despite the likelihood of being the same age, Mark's friend stood a good head taller. Neither had really gotten their breath back, but play was at hand.

"Goji! Can you carry us to the river? And play with us, making beaver dams?"

"Yes, master, we may."

Eyes enamored, and about to leap from their place. Mark's friend stood, mouth draped open in surprise. It was hard not to play favorites, and also, that reaction was really cute! Seeing the little looks his friends gave was entertaining. Goji didn't mind the daycare assistant that was added to her resume. It was just the cool portions of having a kid, getting to play, and everything.

Offering her hand, Mark led the way and helped his friend up. Trial runs had preceded this to varying degrees of success. But routine was set up and Goji could see the sense of pride in Mark as he gave instructions to ride the Goji-O-tron.

The years that had been going by felt so long. But they didn't go by fast enough. It was a feeling that intrinsically Goji would regret. But right now, her plan really wasn't everything she hoped it would be. On rare occasions, Mark would speak with lucid intent, as if his past memories were present. But more often than not, he was starting over and re learning everything. In their case, that was probably a good thing. The growing dread of when Aero would find out wasn't something she liked thinking about too much. Plans hadn't yet been figured out for what to do when confronted. Plus, she hadn't done her nails in a LONG TIME.

The boys settled down in the palm of her hand, waiting expectantly. As practiced, heading for the recently carved trail through the trees, she thought it wise to get rid of the stinky thoughts on her mind.

"So, who are you? I haven't met you yet. Is your family new to the town?"

"Hhh, yeah? My name is Trent."

Trent's eyes kept glancing away. Talking to your friend's parents was always scary, much less their massive metal lady golem, who was very pretty. Steam boiled off his head as she continued to speak to him.

"Well, it is nice to meet you, Sir Trent. What land do you hail from?"

Attempting an answer, his eyebrows curled.

"What's that mean?"

"Oh, sorry, where did you and your parents come from? Where did you live before you came to this village?"

"Oh! We lived by a big castle called Calidonia. We were going far South, but we ran out of money, so my dad stopped us here to make money. Prince Noga doesn't use our money well and is having problems keeping the kingdom safe, so he's a pretty bad guy because of that. I think my dad would make a better king."

Ahhh mmmm, oversharing and politics picked up from his parents.

"Oh, well I'm glad you and your family are safe, wouldn't you agree, Sir, Mark?"

"Oh, why yes, and indeed, Miss Goji."

Giving a little bow and a royal arm extended as he did.
They'd made it to the river. Partway into the bank was a calmer pool that had been built during previous playdates. They smushed their heads between her cupped fingers to look at the water below. The countdown began. Five, four, three, two, one! The grounding hand beneath their feet vanished! The boys screaming with delight as they plunged into the water below. Resurfacing, they gave the appearance of little bugs bobbing about as they splashed at each other. Cute!

The bank of the river gave way under her weight. Leaning back, a sizeable portion of mud enveloped her. Her nails had suffered immensely from the years of neglect. But at least she could get a mud spa whenever she wanted. Hoisting her hand to the sky, her metal shone like none other. Well, not really. She hoped anyway, the grit and sand were good for her joints. Would a blacksmith be willing to buff her out?

"Goji, can we start on the beaver fort! We need to build it bigger so we can put a fort inside, like real beavers do."

"Yes, we may."

Water and mud sloshed and plunged out of the way of her shortcut through the heavy river. The latest efforts by Sir Mark had taken the better part of last week to get here. She'd dug out a small stream branching out from the river, gathered spare trees, and meticulously woved them together. I'm beginning to feel like an excavator.

Mark and Trent began their conquest of the beaver fort.

"I remember crossing a big bridge like this when we were moving. Except the bridge was super big, there was a big drop and waterfall next to it, and it was made out of rocks!" Trent now had a supply of things to tell from the recent journey, leaving the kingdom of Calidonia.

"I don't think I'd like to move. I really like my home." 

"Why not? My dad says moving is like we're adventurers! We go find new things, and we get jobs and build houses."

"That's not what my grandpa told me adventuring was like. He said there was a lot more fighting. And I think I'd die if I fought. And I don't want to do that."

Picking up another stick for the fort, Trent considered it for a moment.

"Not if you are a good adventurer. Your grandpa is alive, so that means he's a good adventurer."

Mark was smarter-er

"But I'm not."

In front of them, Goji glunked down the large platform intended to hold their fort in the handmade lake.

"Last one there has to be an adventurer!"

"Hey!"

Trent didn't hold back this time. sticks bobbled in their arms as they raced along the dam. Mark made his legs move faster than ever before! No adventuring! But Trent had longer legs.
In the last stretch, Mark sputtered, sticks scattered the edge of the platform.
Trent triumphantly planted a stick like a flag, and turned to give his punishment!

"By deck-kree of losing the race! You must become an adventurer!"

The stinging scraped hands weren't his favorite.

"Ahh! I don't want to! Mmmm! I don't think I'd be a good adventurer, and that's scary because if I'm not good, I die!"

Trent's good manners outweighed his bad ones; having other siblings, an art of compromise was developed.

"Okay! Don't be mad! You don't have to be an adventurer who does the scary stuff. I can do the scary stuff. We can be adventurers together and learn to be good."

Mark turned away and scowled at the offer. But Trent was smarter-er-er

"Because I'm the only adventurer, I get to build the beaver fort, and you can't cause you're not an adventurer."

It was a sweeping blow

"Fine! I'll be an adventurer! You can do the scary stuff. But I get to tell how we build the beaver fort."

"Okay, adventurer, beaver king! Help me build a house!"