Kifukuya: Tree Crawlers

The forest village of the Alder Elves was quite breathtaking. There were massive trees everywhere that made Ran feel incredibly insignificant. The gargantuan, arching roots at their bases alone were several stories high. It was here, entangled in and behind the trees� roots that cottages had been built, providing the Elves with great shelter.

Ran inhaled deeply, taking in the soothing scent of clean, damp air. This place wasn�t like Tokyo at all. It was so peaceful, just standing outside and looking up at the immense canopy that was so thick that not a drop of rain could leach its way through.

During his so far short stay here, a visit of only four days as he�d been told, Ran had learned a lot about this race. Powan took it as her task to educate him about the Alder Elves. These people had been in the area for thousands of years; they were an ancient race. This place was one of five cities the Alders lived in. That was the extent of the population.

This particular village had strong trade ties with the Zephyr Nymphs, two-foot-tall magical creatures that lived in the canopy of the forest. They provided the Elves with fresh water through intricate pipe systems that ran down the trees� trunks. The Elves, in turn, provided the Nymphs with food by sending parcels to them, carried by great falcons and other such birds. Ran had never seen anything so amazing before� It was so primitive� yet ingenious.

"Aya! Hey, there you are!" Flea, angry-sounding as usual, slid down a narrow tree root and landed softly on the carpet moss by Ran. He�d been standing out in the village center for quite some time. Powan had told him that relaxation would be great for a successful recovery. "I�ve been looking for you for damned ever!" the young Elf huffed at him.

"Sorry�" he answered in a mild tone. His thoughts were elsewhere�everywhere but on the agitated Elf.

"Well whatever. Grandma wanted to show you around town if you�re feeling up to it." Before she was even done saying her line, Ran shook his head. "What? You ingrate! You won�t even look around and meet the people who saved your God-forsaken life?!"

He reached up and calmly ran a hand through his bangs, cooing gently, "Go away� I don�t want to talk to you now."

This made Flea even more furious. "What the hell?!" She caught on to his passive and melancholy mood and furrowed her brow. "Fine. Dumbass human," she whispered to herself as she went back into her dwelling.

Ran began to walk, as soon as she left; he didn�t know where to, he just walked. He wore the clothes given to him by Powan; the navy tunic and khaki-colored rough leather pants, all stitched with sinew. His sword was in its proper place, tied around his waist and in its sheath. He never knew when he might need it here.

The foreigner�s bare feet led him to a shop of sorts. Before he entered, he slid his feet one last time along the smooth, coaxing moss. What a beautiful place this was�

As if having to gather up courage, he lifted up his head, and entered the establishment. Three heads turned to see him; a male and female shopper, each in there separately, and a male clerk with quite an intimidating air. He was tall and muscular, not something Ran expected after seeing the other Elves.

"What can I do for you, Aya?" his voice boomed almost amiably. Ran wasn�t surprised that the Elf knew his name; his arrival had been told all over the village.

"I� Well, what�s this shop for?"

The Alder Elf smiled grandly and extended his arms on either side of him. "Anything you need for traveling, sir, is right here before your eyes. Clothing, food, packs, gear, shoes�anything." His eyes sparkled and he leaned over the counter to Ran. "And I�ll give you the best discount you�ve ever heard of!"

Ran nodded. He then thought about money� What was their currency? He had little yen and even fewer articles to trade with. He hadn�t exactly been prepared the night he�d slipped into this world.

"I think� I need some nice boots� And do you have some kind of traveling animal?"

"Certainly!" The clerk vanished, bent over behind the counter briefly, then returned, and setting a fine pair of leather boots upon it. "And I also have the fastest, most well-bred Kifukuya in all the forest! They also have amazing stamina." The clerk beamed, full of pride.

"Ki� Kifukuya?" Ran asked hesitantly.

"Yes, yes. Go take a look out that window." A rounded finger pointed across the room to a circular hole in the wall.

Striding to the window, Ran peeked out and saw five very unusual creatures penned up. They were bird-like creatures, all large enough to carry at least two humans or Elves. Their beaks were simple, their legs long, and their wings almost nonexistent. However, they did have short arms, connected just beneath their wings, that resembles their legs. One turned and stared piercingly at Ran, its violet eyes unmoving.

The curious customer turned back. "Uh� Those are Kifukuya?"

"Yes indeed! They�re almost all-terrain animals, right there! They can�t swim or fly, but they can climb, and oh boy, can they run! How�s it sound; for your boots and one o� them�80 krems?"

Ran shook his head and pulled his yen out of his pocket. "I only have�" He counted his money. "�1,500 yen. This is money from my world. It�s not much, but�"

"Oh wow!" The man scooped the money from him and shoved his boots into his chest. "Yes, of course! Sold! Wow, I have �yen�!" Ran hurried outside to choose an animal to take, watching warily over his shoulder at the overly excited clerk.