Toriyama's World - Contest #2

Watarimono
by Chocobo-kun

It was a stormy night in a mountainous area. A boy was huddled in the corner of a damp, dark, and cold cave, wet and fatigued, this boy had nothing… his life had been naught but survival or death. His name was Watarimono.

And this is his history… Watarimono was banished from his village for killing a man special to the village…his father. It started when he fought with his family, mostly his father, because of what Watari believed, that he was the evil demon that was killed in their village. His family always believed that there was good in everyone, which is what caused his father's death. It was a night just like this one…when a man had come to their village. This man was injured tremendously; he had blood everywhere, almost blind from the bloodlust in his eyes. The family took care of this man because of their rule: Treat people with our village's courtesy. After the man, Banteki, had recovered, he killed Watari's father and left the village.

Watari had been with his father but was unable to save him from Bentaki's attack. He tried his best to keep from crying but could not hold the tears back. Biting his lip, he remembered what his father would say 'To be a warrior, you must never show emotion, tears, or greed to anyone!' "I'm sorry father, I have failed you in becoming a warrior". After saying what he said, Watarimono cried himself asleep.

He was awaken by something nudging him, he looked to see what it was…he screamed out of horror. There nudging him was the most dangerous creature in the world…a meushi!

The meushi stood there, ready to attack and kill Watarimono, Watarimono was stunned with fear! 'One move and I'm dead…' he thought to himself…Then Watarimono remembered something he learned from his dad…. you are able to befriend Meushis by sacrificing a small amount of meat to it Acting quick, Watarimono tore off a piece of his clothes to keep the meushi distracted, by biting it, then he grabbed some meat of a bird he had killed and thrust it at Meushi. The little creature took it and ran off, Watarimono was shocked…he thought he would befriend the little beast. Cursing under his breath, Watarimono screamed "That little monster!! I wasted good meat on him!! Damn it!!". But the Mueshi would come back when it got hungry and soon the two became good friends. Watari named it Chiki. And with his new friend, Watari started a journy to find the man who had killed his father.

On they walked, Chiki and Watarimono, the two friends. . "It feels great to be outside, eh Chiki?" To answer the meushi nodded in a strange way that made Watarimono laugh.To bide his time, Watarimono took out a strange instrument.

He played a little ditty that made Chiki dance around him. "You're one crazy little meushi aren't ya?"

The creature was beginning to shake his head when he turned and growled. "What is it Chiki?" Wata asked silently. Suddenly a rock shot out of nowhere and Watari heard a familiar voice "Move and you're dead!! Give me your money or you're dead also!!" "Saishi, is that you?" Saishi walked out from the bush and growled, "Yea, who wants to know?" Watarimono was surprised that this man had forgotten his name "It's me!! Watarimono!!" Saishi was taken aback by this encounter "WATARIMONO!? WTF ARE YOU DOING OUT HERE!!!??"

Saishi had been an old friend but Watari hadn't seen him in a long while. Saishi had left the village and as Watari just discovered, had become a bandit. The two caught up on old times around a nice meal. After hearing about what happened, Saishi decided to help Watari out on his journey.

Chiki was perched on Watari's shoulder and in need of water. "Here Chiki, " Watari gave Chiki some water cupped in his hand "You dehydrate if you don't have water out here" Saishi looked at Watari and tried to hide a smile "What about me? Aren't ya gonna give me water?" Watarimono pushed Saishi and laughed, " Shut up man. " But Saishi couldn't hear Watarimono's comment because he was off the hill they were on. He fell with a thump. "Owww! I fell on something sharp man, it hurts!" Saishi looked behind and saw a sign. "Hmm…? Hey Watari!! It's a village sign!!" "WHA!?" Watari ran off the hill and did a flip to cut time in his jump. Seeing this, Saishi whispered under his breath "Show off…."

"So…the village is called Betto, eh?" "That's what the sign says Saishi…" Saishi looked at his friend "I knew that baka!" Suddenly a girl walked out from behind the bend "Hello…what are you two doing?"

Both boys stared at the girl…they hadn't been in contact with any other humans for weeks. They started asking questions in a fury. "Do you have a boyfriend!?" "What's your name!?" "How old are you!?" the girl screamed, "STOP! I will answer everything at the village!" And with that, the girl led the three off to Betto village.

After a nice feast and good rest, they awoke to a bright monring, all energetic and ready to start. But not Watarimono, he looked pale and cold. "What's a matter?" Bajin asked sympathily, "Nothing..nothing, I just had a bad dream last night." he dismissed the whole thing with a wave of his hand. "Come on, we've been needing weapons for a while, is there a blacksmith here, Bajin?" Saishi asked. "Oh! Yes, we do have one, best one around!" She led them to the blacksmiths without another word.

The blacksmiths was quite large compared to most ones the three had seen. Inside was a large table completely covered with weapons as to where the table couldn't be seen. "Wow! Look at all of them!" Watari shouted.

"Shh! If ye can't be quiet, then ye must leave yon Blacksmith!" It takes thy long to make a fine werpon, and Oi haven't had persons here to annoy thou like ye three have done! Now hursh!" The Balcksmith growled angrily. Whispering to each other, they stared at the glittering weapons lying on the table, "I wonder how much they cost." "I don't know, but we need them." "What if the blacksmith gets angry again?" "Meh...he needs customers!". The blacksmith, of dourse, heard all that they said and said in a friendly voice "So, ye wants werpons? Chose, chose! I harve the best werpons in the whole village! They'll cost ye 250($25.00) akka each." The trio both stared with mouths agape at the suddenly friendly Blacksmith. "Do ye not want me werpons?" Without hesitation, the three started picking weapons up and examining each and every one. "Ohhh, I like this one" Watarimono held up one, "Oh, ye have a good eye! That's one of the finest I have."

"AHHH!! HELP, MONSTER!!" the boy screamed as he was dragged off thru the forest. "HELPPP!!!!" he screamed desperatily, and with that he was completely in the forest. As quick as lightning, Watari and his friends were after the monster with their "stolen" weapons. "Shimatta! We're thieves!! We took these without paying!" Bajin screamed as she pursued the monster. "I know! But we couldn't just stand there as that boy gets killed!! We have to find the boy, kill the monster, and then pay for the weapons!" Saishi screamed back.

Hours later, they stopped in front of a cave, they lit torches and ventured in.

Chiki was beginning to grab on to Watari's leg and clutch it with a surprisingly strong grip. "What's a matter, Chiki? Are you scared?" -- the little ferret shook his head -- "Don't worry, it'll be okay." Then the screaming was heard, they broke off into a ran. When they reached the end, they wished they had never gone. At the end of it, there stood the monster chewing on the arm of the boy.

"Oh God, he ate the boy!!" Bajin whispered and turned away, nausaus from the sight she had just seen. Then the screaming began once again, Watarimono inspected the scene once again. There he was, the boy, arm and all. "Look!" He pointed to where the boy lay, "He's safe!" "But he won't be for long, we have to save him." Saishi said. "He's right, and I have plan" Bajin said with a smile.

It was about 30 minutes later that they set the plan into action. Quickly Chiki ran around the cave trying to get the monster's attention. As soon as Chiki ran in, the monster had noticed, and was trying to catch the little vermin menacing him. "NOW!" Bajin yelled as she ran towards the boy laying on the ground. "Let's go!" Saishi screamed as he ran off to pursue the monster pursuing Chiki. Watari knew his part in the plan and it was now his turn. He ran towards Chiki and scooped the little ferret up as he took out his weapon and slash a deep gash accross the monster's face. Letting out a high-pitched scream of pain, the monster ran off towards Watari and Chiki, only to be stabbed in the back by Saishi. Then the monster ran after Saishi and Watari stabbed the monster once again in the back. After repeating this twenty-five times, the monster finnaly fell down on the ground with a gasp of pain. The monster was dead, dead so that he could never torment the village ever again.

The boy was bruised with no limbs missing, he thanked the three with a hint of admiration in his voice. "Thank you for saving me! I would have been dead if it wasn't for you three! Thank you ! Thank you! Thank you!!!". Saishi looked at Watarimon and smiled, "You think we should have left him there?" Watarimono laughed at the comment "Hah! Then we wouldn't have to listen to him talking so much!"

At the village, they were the heros of the village, and everyone hugged them and gave them gifts, money, and food. The Village Leader ask for them to come to his home and feast with his family. They declined the offer though, having told him about the weapons. He let them leave for the blacksmiths, but not without suggesting that he pay for their purchase, but they still declined. At the Blacksmiths, the Blacksmith pushed the money away from him, "Oi can't take ye money after showing thou how powerful me werpons be!" "Thank you sir!" they both chroused at the same time. And after having gone to a feast at the boys house, they continued on their journey.

Thanks for entering the contest. Here are some images that couldn't be judged for one reason or another, but are worthy of being posted. Enjoy.