An Unforgettable Memory

Something feels special about today — in the way the angelic wind blows; in the way the leaves fall from the trees, dancing harmoniously on the air’s vast dance floor; just in the way the world seems dressed in orange and gold as the sweet rays of the sun shine through the sparse foliage. People walk along the sidewalk, minding their own business: so much hustle and bustle, yet not even a glance toward one another.

Such a pleasant, lovely day in October.

A pile of leaves gathers neatly on the ground, their colors making them look like a miniature straw bale. One last leaf drifts down to the top, just about to take its resting place like a tiny tiara, when the stillness of the world is disturbed by pawsteps. However, it only takes a red flash for the leaves to burst into the air as Aiko hares forward. He jolts right through them, then spins around on a small rise with his paws pressed firmly to the ground, stirring up a little dust.

He catches the moment just in time: as the fronds slowly fall from the air, Aiko's ears almost jingle like music, while he watches the memory of two young children running between the piles of leaves, laughing with delight. His ears perk up with a mixture of curiosity and amazement — he can’t help thinking that this feels almost too familiar.

Within a few moments, all the leaves settle on the ground yet again, and the memory fades before Aiko’s eyes, leaving satisfaction and happiness buzzing in his heart. He feels grateful for such a unique ability to revive memories — how could he exist without them?

Day gradually turns to night, and Aiko finds his place in a quiet park. He jumps up onto one of the benches — its coolness makes him shiver for a moment — tucking his white paws beneath him as he looks up at the sky. There are no shiny stars above yet, but it is already clear that sooner or later the very first one will appear. He closes his eyes, thinking back to the two young children, sincerely wishing that he too will find his own place in the world — that he will find such happiness, or something special that feels like him. Something that might remind him of his past — it was so long ago, he doesn’t even remember anymore.

On the edge of sleep, however, he notices his limbs begin to tingle. Several voices sound in his ears, and images flash before him all at once — all somehow familiar, yet blurred beyond recognition, as if they were a single echo. He feels so restless; a sickening feeling twists in his stomach. He got to his paws, about to jump down from the bench, when — to his surprise — his legs stretch out, his back straightens unnaturally, taking on a completely different shape.

With a horrified expression, he looks down at his own body, which no longer seems like his in the slightest. Aiko's hind legs are much longer than his front ones, and their ends do not resemble his white, tufted, soft paws at all.

"What's happening to me? Am I dreaming?"

Startled, he turns his head back and forth so quickly that it makes him dizzy, looking for the source of the voice. Confusion throbs in his head when he sees no one around. Yes, this must be a dream, he thinks with foreboding as he closes his eyes again. It will pass. It has to pass. It's just a ... bad dream. A really strange one.

But when he opens his eyes again, he realizes he is still standing on those strange long legs, while his front paws —not even paws anymore — hang uselessly at his side. He takes two steps back; the movement feels unnatural to him, but as Aiko tries again, it becomes slightly easier. He just needs to make sure his legs — the ones holding his weight and somehow keeping his balance — don’t sag.

"I have to get out of here somehow."