CH6: Aku, the Best Bud

In the peaceful outskirts of Parmedia... Nope, this place was never peaceful at all. Lots... and lots of people are starving. Everyone is as thin as my wooden stick. Every time I walk in a tight alley, I see women and children begging for coins, their ribcages shaped distinctly on their chests. They must have thought I have something to give because I'm carrying a small bag, but I'm just like them, someone with nothing. However, Parmedia is not entirely a poor town...

After I walk through that tight alley, on the other side is a town with people wearing clean-looking clothes... Merchants are laughing here and there, displaying their seemingly expensive items. The houses were pretty as well, ornamented with lots of colorful flowers and made of bricks. But I don't understand, they have the money, right? Why can't they spare some of it for us?

When I grow up, and I have lots of money, I will give some of it to those fellow poor people. But for now, my money is just enough to sustain me for a week. I could buy an apple, slice it into three and eat it for the morning, lunch, and then at night, and that's all I can afford. It seems like today, there is tight security that I can't do my job. Lots of soldiers are here and there, surveying the surroundings. And when they look at me, they tell me to 'shoo'. Is there some event going on?

At noon, well-clothed people clustered. It seems like a parade is about to begin. I see, so that was what the soldiers were all about. A man in cool black armor rode a horse, and around him were tough-looking people. With their march, they started the parade, and everyone screamed their praise.

"Praise for the bravery of our heroes! The conqueror of the Death Dungeon, Fezora Silkfury and his party, the Law of Abode!"

That was so cool! Heroes! Knights! Adventurers! I want to be like them! A conqueror of dungeons! I, Theo, will become a knight one day and have lots of money!

In my excitement, I waved my wooden stick, imitating what a knight would do when confronted by danger. UGHH! My stomach ached! I need something to eat or else, being a knight would be just a fleeting dream. Wait... There was a parade, so everyone's attention is on the adventurers. It's my chance! While they are distracted by the commotion, I'll steal some bread from the store! I thought I couldn't steal something for today because of the tight security, but everyone's eyes are on the knight, so it might be a good chance.

After searching for a target, I braced myself for a run. I swallowed lots of air so I wouldn't have short breaths. Then I dashed, I immediately grabbed the loaf of bread that I could easily grab, then ran as fast as I could. But the store owner immediately noticed and shouted.

"Thief! Someone, catch her!"

Not her! HIM!

Crap! Soldiers are already on my trail! I need to run faster! I ran left, then right in the alley trying to lose them from my tracks, and I entered the outskirts and out of the town itself by entering tight spaces only outlaws would know. It's impossible to track me down this way. Maybe I should leave this town altogether and live in another country, but I'm afraid I would die along the road. But everyone has already seen my face. Sooner or later, I will be chased out of here, or I might be imprisoned and tortured, or worse, I might get killed one day. Just for a loaf of bread.

I found myself on a cliff, under was a shallow river. It was silent, only the chirping of birds could be heard and the gush of water. I sat near the edges, it was my first time in this place, but the scenery was more beautiful than in the outskirts. I am alone now, thankfully. Honestly, I don't know how I survived for this long without a parent. As far as I know, I just found myself fending for myself by stealing from others. Someone might have raised me, but I don't know, as far as I know, I am always alone.

What should I do now?

Before I could even take a bite from the bread I stole, I heard the stomping of a horse. I looked back and saw the knight from the parade earlier. The horse crashed into me, and I was hurled towards the edge of the cliff and fell. The knight looked at me from above, holding the bread I meant to eat. Now I was falling, I crashed down on a stone and rolled downhill. I must have hit my head or something because slowly, my consciousness is fading.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself near the river. My head is still in pain, and my stomach is grumbling. But I'm still alive, thankfully.

And two dogs are staring at me. Is there something on my face? It must be my blood. Wait... why are these two dogs stuck with each other on their butt!? Are they twins? But the two dogs don't look like each other. One looks like a pit bull with a metal dog muzzle sealing its mouth, and one looks like a golden retriever but it has white fur. I don't really understand why they are attached like this... What a mystery.

"Cerberus?"

No, that might not be it. Maybe, they are tied somewhere between. Oh... I think I found it. There was some red thing attached to the white dog's butt hole. So that's why they are stuck together, poor dogs. Luckily, I had the tool meant for this job...

"Scissors."

My bag is packed with sharp tools. I had a dagger, scissors, and random stuff I stole from random merchants. Eh? Why are the dogs whimpering like "hrr... hrr..."?

"Don't worry. I'm going to save both of you," I said while I snipped the scissors.

I approached them and they tried to run away, only that they stumbled on the ground, trying to break free from being stuck.

"H-hey. Don't struggle. I can't cut it out."

I just need to cut off the red thing and they will break free! Honestly, the red thing look like a big hotdog that only rich people could eat. I snipped the scissors and cut the red thing off.

"Ahh! What's with all the blood!?"

Blood is gushing out from the red thing! Did I do something wrong? What should I do!? The pit bull just became more aggressive, struggling with all it had. But soon, it stopped howling and moving altogether...

He died.

After burying the pit bull, the white dog tapped my arm.

"Sorry, I couldn't save your friend," I apologized to him, but I don't hope he will forgive me. But the dog looked at me as if he is about to tell me something.

"Arp!" he barked excitedly. After that, we became friends. I didn't hope I could fill the lost friend in his heart, but this is all I could do to apologize.

After some time, we became best buds. He would often assist me in stealing from merchants. Since he's faster and larger than I am, I used to ride on his back. His nose was sharp as well, and he helped me in finding coins on the ground. His fur was amazing! It's so soft that I am used to sleeping with him as my pillow. I decided a name for him; I called him Aku.

Oh, after some time, I realized that the red thing I cut was the pit bull's dong. I just found out why hotdogs are called hotdogs, because they look like dog's dong when they are in heat! I should never tell this to Aku; I will never tell him that the reason his friend died was because I cut his hotdog!

Often times, I found Aku being attached to another dog again, but I ignored it this time. The next day, he would be attached to a different dog. Why does he keep doing this?

Other than that, we became both happy with each other's company. We were best friends forever... until... Aku died from a strange disease. His death prompt me to study medicine on my own trying to find out the sickness that killed him, however, it was too late.

Huh? As soon as I opened my eyes again, I am underwater! I can't breathe! A strange creature pulled me up... and it was the manticore.

"Kah!"

I swallowed air as soon as I had the chance to, then I stumbled to the ground. The water around my body quickly turned into steam, evaporating and leaving my body dry. The wounds on my neck... they are gone...

Where am I? It seems like I'm in a cave, and upon seeing the manticore, I realized it's the beast's nest. I need to get out of here before I'm eaten; all I know is that this creature is dangerous and evil. Historically, they've been known to eat people as a form of sport.

I quickly hid behind a rock as soon as she locked her eyes on me. I needed to stay on high alert, or I'd end up as ground meat. Then, the beast turned her back, opened her wings, and flew away. She seemed confident that she could chase me down if I tried to escape, leaving me in this place without tying me up. The beast was belittling me, but it also created an opportunity for me to escape.

And so, I started crawling towards the exit without knowing what's waiting for me outside.