Tama

  “Tama doesn’t what? You are a super good fighter, you are super clever and good at lots of neat things. You have lots of speed and make lots of interesting friends! Tama doesn’t read? Yes, but that can be taught.

  Tama doesn’t know? Tama can learn! I will tell you the same thing your grandmother told me when I was a kitten. What you can’t do, is what you believe you can’t do.”

  Alissa ate one of her own cookies and sat down while humming to herself. I stared blankly at the roof of the building, looking at the intricate cracks. How they weaved and molded into pretty patterns. I wanted to make them purple.

  So I did. I gently put my hand on the ceiling and let my water mana flow through me and onto the stone ceiling. I began to use the water as a sharp stick to engrave a rune into the ceiling. The rune was simple, when activated it would turn anything into the primary color of the reagent.

  I reached up and plucked a single hair from my head, not even wincing as I did so. I gently put the single lock of purple hair into the center.

  I returned the water to me and gently put my finger at the tip of the rune. I allowed the power inside me to flow through me and into my finger, then onto the rune.

  The runes intricate pretty lines activated as the rune was filled with power. My lock of hair floated for a second, then was used by the rune and sucked into it.

  It started small, but as I poured more power the roof began to slowly change. A ripple effect as Sensei called it. From one little rune, the entire roof was slowly converted to the color purple.

  “Wow Tama! I didn’t know you knew runes! Those are super hard to learn! Most people study for years and never reach that level! You must be as good at runes as I am at baking cookies!” Alissa said. I blushed at the praise, and Sensei had said the same thing.

  That I had a knack for creating runes. He also told me to not rely on it too much in direct combat though. He suggested I make stones, but I never really cared to use it in combat.

  “Nya, Tama will never be as good at anything as Alissa is at baking cookies!” I said seriously as I stood on the now purple roof and walked over, grabbing the last cookie from the basket to the glare of Alissa, who had eaten the rest.

  I turned and looked over at Saki and Lyran. They were now holding hands and Saki was blushing again. I smiled as I took a bite of my cookie.

  Maybe, maybe Saki wasn’t the smartest. But it didn’t matter, did it? Saki was the most important to me, and that’s what really mattered.

  I stared at the pretty purple roof, after a moment I added to the rune and caused the roof to have swirls of gold in it. Making it a spiral pattern. I smiled at the pretty color. I had gotten the golden blonde color from Alissa, I had pulled one of her hairs.

  She had yelped, but she thought the colors and spiral were pretty too. After that I looked out over to Saki and decided I could talk to Lyran later. I still didn’t want to approach Saki. Just knowing she was safe was enough for me. Instead, I blinked past them in the air and landed directly inside the Trelloark Forest.

  I was going to go check on Jiggle. Blinking from tree to massive tree, I slowly made my way to Jiggle. The truth was that I could go much faster, but I didn’t want to. I almost feared what happened to Jiggle. Normally, he was fine. But whatever Lyran had done had made him disappear and it worried me.

  His tag hadn’t moved at all and I was beginning to panic slightly. Still, I kept my methodical pace, trying to give me time to think. Something Saki.. No, something that was important.

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  I winced and sped up slightly. After another few seconds I reached the clearing and found Jiggle. I also found out why he wasn’t moving. He had been charging at Lyran when he had been suddenly moved.

  Apparently, he had kept going when he ended up here and hit a tree hard. His tusks were stuck in it and he was trying to get them out.

  I felt rage at what Lyran did to Jiggle, but I also considered that maybe it was my fault… My tail lashed aggressively and I jumped down to help Jiggle from his spot.

  “Looks like they hurt your pet. Some friends they are.”

  I turned and brought out Serenity. But no one was around that I could sense. My eyes narrowed and I yelled “Go away Manna!”

  The sound of laughter echoed through the trees and her voice cut through like a knife. “Why? Do you wish to push me away too? A classic Tamaneko move it seems. Always running from your destiny. But eventually, destiny comes for us all.”

  I felt my anger rise and my vision started turning red. “Nya! You have no right to talk to Tama after what you did to Saki!” I screamed out into the empty area. I felt somewhat foolish, but I knew she could hear me.

  More laughter echoed through the trees and Manna responded with mirth. “Ah yes, the little Foxkin. Where is she now? Not here to help you, is she? Why would that be, I wonder? Maybe you ran away from her too?”

  I swung Serenity and a water whip left the tip flying across and lashing into a tree. Serenity tried to calm me but red was now coloring my vision and all I could see was Manna everywhere.

  “NYA I WILL KILL YOU!” I screamed and jumped towards the nearest one. I swung Serenity down and Manna disappeared. Followed by more laughter.

  “Why do you fight me Tama? I only want to help. You can be so much more. Why do you need her anyways? She is useless.”

  Why you need her to be

  I froze and felt my anger, really felt it. Then after a moment I took a deep breath and sheathed Serenity.

  “Running away again I see.” Manna's voice came from everywhere. But I ignored her.

  Tama doesn’t what? You are a super good fighter, you are super clever and good at lots of neat things. You have lots of speed and make lots of interesting friends!

  I smiled and turned back to Jiggle, my rage almost entirely gone now. Walking over I lifted him at an angle and pulled him loose.

  Turning around I called out “Thanks for talking with Tama, but Tama has to go now.” And with that, I set a marker right next to Saki and watched as Jiggle rushed towards her. I giggled to myself as I went to blink away.

  But a hand grabbed my wrist.

  “Why are you leaving in such a hurry?” Manna asked sweetly.

  I felt my anger surge, but I pushed it down and turned to face her. Making a point to not pull away. “Tama has to go be with her friends. Maybe Manna should find her own friends too. She looks lonely.”

  Manna stared at me for a long moment and her smile faded. She let my wrist go and I blinked away.

  Making my way back through the forest was silent other than the sound of Jiggle going through bushes and destroying rocks. Also the cries of random animals caught in his path.

  I giggled as I wolf jumped out of the way of the charging boar.

  Keeping pace I made sure Jiggle didn't get stuck in any more trees. As I did I considered what I would tell Saki. But first, how I would deal with Lyran. I didn't want to. But I was starting to believe that even if I didn't want it. It was still going to happen. As future Queen I… I would have to do better.

  I paused for a moment and jumped down as Jiggle ran into a tree. I never understood why he did that. When I wasn’t around he was more than able to reach me quickly.

  Sensei used to grumble about finding the path. Not sure what that meant but I dislodged him and pushed him to the right of the tree.

  As he took off again I decided to ride him. I blinked a few times and landed on his back. He tried to throw me off like a silly little boar, but I created water chains around his tusks and pulled them to keep him steady. I had a lot of practice back at Grok’s old camp where we planned to fight the Lich.

  Chapter 122: Stupid Crivar