Are you gonna finish that

“Tha’s a good point. Even more reason why I should stay out an’ keep th’ fire goi-” Oooor to stay inside and keep the tent warm in the cold night. Despite there barely being any room, Lucas didn’t mind if he had to compromise on his own space: it was Ninten’s sisters’ tent after all. “…or stay with y’. I’ll let y’ have as much room as y’ need!”

With that out of the way, Lucas let Ninten be the slingshot-wielding leader in their little excursion. Amongst the wilderness and trees, he was sure to keep an eye out for anything ‘supernatural’ (something Lucas is more than used to), yet kept his mind mostly on admiring the natural beauty of it all. So much so, in fact, that it barely registered in Lucas’ mind that NInten needed to stop. Almost bumping into the back of him, Lucas nodded. This was the first time since they started that Ninten had a proper sit-down: Lucas couldn’t blame him one bit for his actions.

“So uh… I get th’ creatures we’re supposed t’ be lookin’ for don’t get seen, bu’ were y’ looking for anythin’ in particular?”

Ninten has siblings and is used to sharing, so he's glad Lucas seems alright with the tent situation as well.

“You got it, dude!”

Ninten stretches his arms, folding them behind his head in a relaxed pose that hopefully hid just how tired he was from the walk. Being an athlete meant he knew his physical limits, but in his own excitement he overextended his energy. He brought his inhaler this time, right..?

“For sure! I'm alway keepin’ an eye out for my favorite cryptid...a seven foot tall denizen of the forest~”

A pause for dramatic effect. Ninten unsuccessfully checked his pockets, then dug a hand into his backpack in a slightly more desperate search while he gathers his thoughts and continues in his trademark dramatic storytelling voice:

“It all started, like, a long time ago...some loggers were doing their thing in their forest when they discovered totally huge footprints embedded in the ground. I saw a picture of it in the old newspapers at the library. It was crazy, dude...at one point the authorities offered a whopping 1000 bucks to anyone who could prove he was real, but no one has ever been able to do it!”

Ninten finishes his tale while he gathers up his items, inhaler safely stashed away as he hops to his feet:

“C-c'mon Ninten. Y’ managed t’ set up th’ tent, if anyone should be out there tonight then it’s me…” There’s little chance of Lucas dragging down the mood before he’s distracted by Ninten’s change in topic. It’s an issue they can work out later, if at all. Although with Lucas’ long legs, he full well knew his stance on the matter.

“C-cryptids?” Pulling out his trusty branch from his backpack, Lucas remembered back to several conversations with Ninten: this mountain ended up being the last trek on his own adventure. No doubt there were all sorts of creatures both weird and strong to block his way. That’s just how these things went, right?

“Are those like some sort o’ creatures… like chimera?”

“Hey….it’ll be alright! Besides, I’m counting on your pk fire to keep us warm later, right?”

Ninten’s emphatic powers pick up on something...maybe guilt, or worry? He’s instantly washed over with a strong desire to comfort, hoping his smile does the trick.

Ninten’s nose wrinkles his nose in thought at the question, free hand stroking his chin thoughtfully.

“Kind of? They’re like...supernatural dudes that don’t get seen very often. Kind of like me once summer vacation starts and I get to play Final Fantasy all day.”

His laugh is short but relaxed, and he boldly takes the first steps towards the woods, waving his slingshot around as a motion to walk forward.

The beginning of the journey is peaceful, scattered conversations and jokes entertaining them both as the sun rides across the sky at its leisurely pace, Ninten really enjoying the scenery, though part of the scenery Ninten’s admiring is his friend’s face flushed with pink from the walk, and the warmth Lucas’ smile brought to his heart.

“Hey, can we stop here a sec? Think I got a rock bounding around in here or something….p-plus it’s nice to stop and enjoy the scenery!”

The afternoon had just begun, the sun peeking lazily out from behind some wispy clouds. Lucas’ house seemed peaceful enough from a distance, unaware of the chaos that was about to befall it.

The thick, leathery sound of dragon’s wings beat through the air as a friendly face was gliding towards the house. It was Ninten, his scaly arms full of berries and flowers that he was sure were safe for humans to eat.

Landing with too much force as he usually did, his clawed feet hit the ground with hop and a skip before finally slowing to an excited bounce. He pokes his head in an open window, eyes bright as they scanned for his dear friend.

Now that they’re finally there, Lucas took in the sights: the lake and the trees reflected in its waters were a quaint visage, the dock a nice little addition. Any doubt Lucas had over Ninten’s taste in camping spots immediately vanished, especially after word about all his adventures. The air was indeed clear too… smelt a bit like home.

“‘s beautiful… Ah! Y’ don’t need t’-” But before he could offer to help, there Ninten went like a loyal boyscout, already setting up their temporary home. He seemed so determined to set it all up, plus he probably knew what he was doing! Taking this chance for a break, Lucas leaned against the tree, staring into his reflection in the lake. His mind wandered, pondering about all the time they could spend here, what they might end up doing… A familiar voice brought Lucas back eventually as he turned his head to look at the source.

“Huh? Explain wh-” Oh. At least the tent was set up well enough. Still, Lucas doubted that he’d fit himself in there, let alone the both of them. “W-well, we can’t just leave y’ out… Maybe it’s more roomy on the inside.” Maybe? Lucas wasn’t afraid to give the idea, just to ease Ninten’s mind a bit. “Why don’t we jus’ take a break?”

Ninten anxiously dug a foot into the ground, trying not to feel too badly about making yet another blunder. The gentle chill of mountain air mingled with the heady scent of lakewater and soothed his nerves though, and he acknowledged the blonde’s kindness with a cheery pat on his shoulder. 

“Aw, I don’t mind bein’ one with nature...but we’ll definitely worry about that later.”

At the suggestion of a break, Ninten’s memory suddenly sparked to life, and he cast a wary glance at the nearby forest. Innocent as it looked, it very well may still hold some enemies within its shadows. Digging through his bag once more, the boy pulls out a weathered but trustworthy slingshot.

Lucas hadn’t even thought to let go of Ninten’s hand since their teleport, yet nothing especially compelled him to. Not even the sweaty hands phased him right now. Besides, it’s easier for Lucas to be lead this way.

The hike up was quite tiring, but if it were easy, it wouldn’t have been much of a hike, would it? Eager steps kept up with Ninten’s excited pace, Lucas being ever so receptive of the stories handed out to him. There’s no reason to doubt those grand tales, especially the tank. Yes, Lucas could relate to seeing those.

“So going up here an’ fighting y’r way through? Must’ve been tough… Oh, is this th’ spot?”

The path the boys are on is a long, tiring one, but thanks to Lucas’ enthusiasm and the steady pressure from his gentle hand, Ninten’s sore legs and tired feet aren’t even an issue. He does pause in his endless chattering sometimes to take some deep breaths, as he doesn’t want to run out of air while he’s trying to look cool.  He’s a bit flattered that Lucas isn’t skeptical of his adventures; Lucas has seen some fantastical things too, after all.

Ninten’s eyes, glazed with nostalgia and excitement, finally snap to focus at the question. He takes in the area: there’s a lot of trees near the lake, and the little pale dock he remembers is still settled on the lake’s edge. “You betcha! Take a whiff, Lucas--this fresh mountain air is supposed to be really healthy stuff! I can’t wait to kick off my boots and relax...but first, allow me, a former Boy Scout, to set up our wonderful tent~”

He lets go of Lucas’ hand in a flurry of movement, wiggling out of his backpack and opening it, only to pull out a mass of sticks and material. Ninten was actually booted from his local boy scout troop as a child, mostly because he couldn’t control his psi and caused unintentional mayhem. All was in the past though, as he took everything he learned there and committed it to heart. Within minutes the tent was set up and ready for action….and that’s when he noticed it.

The tent in front of him was pink, covered in cartoon fruits, and...way too small. He had brought along Minnie and Mimmie’s tent and it would be a while before he recovered enough psi to go back and retrieve the right one…

He faces Lucas, rubbing the back of head with his usual sheepish grin, though the pink of his cheeks gives away his real feelings.

“Baka? You remind me of someone I read about in a manga…same hair color, too!”