"You know, being a monster is actually quite a hassle." Atop Guru Mountain, a strangely-shaped creature seemed to be talking to himself while facing a pine tree. The odd creature sat on a large pine tree branch, dangling his long, slender legs. At times, he rested his chin in his hands, his gaze fixed absently to the side. His pointed ears were perked high, as if fervently trying to listen to the whispers of the wind, and his large eye darted left and right as if searching for the sun’s colors.
"You must be wondering why I find being a monster so troublesome, right?" The peculiar creature said, brushing the errant snowflakes from his body with his tail as he continued his monologue to the pine tree. "I’m not like you, all busy preparing for the coming deep winter. My life is just boring me to death."
The tall pine tree, bathed in sunlight, stood exceptionally straight, completely ignoring the creature pouring out its woes upon it. However, the pine tree couldn’t be blamed for its indifference; after all, it wasn’t the creature’s only audience. "You crawled out of that tree hole, and it hopped out of that egg, but I don’t even know where I came from," the strange fellow said, shifting his gaze to a squirrel on a nearby branch.
The little squirrel, a large pinecone clutched in each paw, walked precariously along the branch. It looked like a tightrope-walking acrobat, struggling to maintain its balance in the narrow space.
"Let me help you." The monster stretched out the long hand that had been cupping his cheek and enthusiastically grabbed one of the pinecones. However, this helpful gesture did nothing to enhance the thrilling acrobatic display. Instead, it had the opposite effect; this sudden, clumsy move instantly shattered the poor squirrel’s hard-won coordination. The squirrel’s body tilted as it lost its balance, and in that instant, the other pinecone slipped from its tiny front paw. Then, with a CLACK, the escaped pinecone bounced once on the branch before sailing in a graceful parabola to greet the world below.
"I didn’t mean to..." Before the monster could offer a reasonable explanation for his actions, another calamity struck the poor squirrel. Perhaps the escaped pinecone had bounced too vigorously, causing the tall pine tree’s branches to feel an itch. Its entire trunk immediately shivered, and it slowly stretched as if waking from a nap. This stretch was comfortable for the pine tree, but for the squirrel, it was a disaster. The movement caused all the pinecones the pitiful squirrel had painstakingly gathered to tumble out of its tree hollow, one after another, cascading down to greet the earth.
Utter embarrassment was written all over the monster’s face. His large eye bulged wide, his mouth gaped open, and his two sharp canine teeth seemed to pop out from under his upper lip against his will. But he was a monster, after all. This awkward expression made the squirrel shiver all over before it scurried back into its tree hollow in a flash.
What... what have I done...? The monster covered his face with one hand and started muttering to himself again. Why do I always end up making things worse? Is it really because I’m a monster?
"That’s right! Look at the ’good’ you’ve done. You scared away a perfectly fine squirrel. You’re an idiot!" The monster suddenly whipped his head around, his tone shifting as he bellowed at the empty air.
"S-so, is there any way to make up for it?" After shouting, he turned his head back to the original side, as if that space wasn’t empty but occupied by another living, breathing monster.
That’s right. This one-eyed monster was playing a game of make-believe all by himself.
"Make up for it? Are you kidding? You’re just a monster. You don’t know where you came from, and you don’t know where you’re going."
"But I was born on Guru Mountain!"
"Too naive! Look at these squirrels, these birds, these bears—they all have their own kind. Do you have your own kind? Idiot!"
"Don’t Kevin and the others count?"
"Idiot! Open that single eye of yours and look around. What does ’your own kind’ even mean? Your own kind should share basic characteristics. At the very least, they should look somewhat alike. Does that old geezer Kevin look anything like you? Far from it!"
"But... we’re both monsters!"
The monster twisted his slender body back and forth, alternating his tone as he poured out his woes. He was completely absorbed, like an actor about to go on stage, repeatedly rehearsing his lines.
While he was engrossed in his practice, a bird circled down and landed unmoving on his shoulder.
"Hey there, little fellow." The monster turned his head and waved a hand at the bird.
The bird cooed at him, also tilting its head slightly.
"My name’s Kadi. What’s yours?"
"Oh, is that your name? Come on, Coo, let’s shake." The bird’s arrival pulled the monster out of his earlier soliloquy.
COO! The bird ignored him, flapped its wings, and took flight.
"Don’t go! I haven’t finished chatting with you yet!" Seeing the bird take off, the monster scrambled to his feet on the branch. free.webn\ove(l)(.)c(o)m
THUMP! The consequence of his rear end leaving the branch was a greeting to the earth in a graceful parabola!
"OUCH!" The monster named Kadi rolled on the ground, rubbing his smarting backside, with no spare attention for the bird anymore.
However, that bird—the one that had just flapped its wings, preparing to fly away—suddenly PLOPPED to the ground.
"AH! Kevin, you bastard!" Seeing the fallen bird, the monster Kadi immediately forgot the pain from his fall, shot to his feet, and bellowed at something in the distance. "Why’d you knock it down? It was just a bird!"
"Little one, how many times have I told you not to expose yourself so easily on the mountain? You just don’t listen!" An ancient voice drifted from the distance—no, to be precise, it seemed to come from all around.
"It was just a—" Kadi started to retort, but the change in the bird on the ground made him choke on his words.
The black bird was gradually losing its color. Its feathers were shedding at an astonishing speed. In moments, all that remained of the bird was an empty skeleton.
"Look closely, little one. Is this a bird? This is a pet of those people from down the mountain, a conjured Exchange Beast." The ancient voice suddenly became stern and imposing.
Kadi, the monster, gulped as he stared at the Exchange Beast’s skeleton.
"If this Exchange Beast had successfully flown off the mountain, your fate might have been even worse than its!"
I’d really like to go down the mountain and see for myself, Kadi thought.
"Do not go down the mountain. You *must not* go down the mountain," Kevin’s voice boomed, as if reading his mind or perhaps just reiterating a known rule. "If you truly wish to make contact with those from below the mountain, you can go to Dawn Peak."
"This... What’s the difference?" Kadi asked, his earlier defiance now tinged with curiosity.
"Difference? You’ll understand once you meet those fellows at Dawn Peak. The deep winter is approaching. Before it arrives, enjoy the sunlight while you can!"
Kevin, you’re always so infuriating! Why can’t you just tell me a little more...? Kadi fumed internally.
"Always remember, little one, you are a monster," Kevin’s voice continued, its source unseen. "On Guru Mountain, you must abide by the monsters’ law of survival, and that law is: do not go down the mountain."
"See? I told you. Being a monster really is a hassle," Kadi muttered to himself again, finally. He patted his still-sore backside and set off towards Dawn Peak.