Two kids stood up with fear in front of a big brown dog which was blocking their way to elementary school. They didn’t try to run away, fearing the animal would startle and chase them. As the dog barked all they could do was step back.“Onee-chan, I’m scared.”
The youngest kid grabbed his sister’s hand while trembling. Looking at his frightened brother, she decided to step up and protect him. She took the recorder in her backpack and held it in front of her.
“B-back off beast! We must go to school!”
Feeling threatened, the dog’s barking intensified. Both it and the girl stepped forward. Finally she swallowed her fear and was about to take action...
A whistle, a wind breeze, a short-haired girl with blue ribbons dashed to the middle of the conflict.
“Don’t worry children and mister dog!, I’m here to help you!”
Tsukasa had just arrived at the right place at the right time. The elementary schoolers were amazed by the girl’s flashy entrance and the canine was confused.
“So what is the problem here?”
Tsukasa turned to the kids. The sister glanced at her brother and replied nervously.
“We just want to go to school but that beast won’t let us!”
“I see.”
Angry, the dog started barking at Tsukasa, who immediately shifted her attention to it.
“That’s a very convincing argument you got there, mister dog.”
Witnessing the middle school girl’s abilities, the little brother’s eyes sparkled with wonder.
“Amazing, onee-san. Yo can understand what it says?”
“Not really, I’m just assuming!”
“Then don’t!” Remarked the sister.
Tsukasa smiled gently at the dog and it stopped its noise. She then walked towards the siblings and leaned towards them.
“Kids, did mister dog ever try to attack you?”.
After looking at each other, the older kid answered.
“Well, no.”
“And yet, why did you raise your weapon against him?”
Even knowing well the reason why, a feeling of guilt stroke the boy’s sister, impeding her from replying again. Noticing this, her brother stepped up.
“O-Onee-chan was just trying to protect me!”
“But no one was trying to protect mister dog, and I believe he was just as scared as you were.”
Before he could say anything else, the girl stopped her brother.
“It’s alright.”
Earnestly, Tsukasa turned around. She got near the dog and squatted down in front of it, then reached out her hand for it.
“I don’t know anything about you, nor can I understand what you say...”
Her voice acquired a sad and tender tone. Yet it came out of a sincere, friendly smile.
“But starting from now, let’s all get along!”
The dog stopped growling, and cautiously approached her. Having finally succumbed to her kind expression, it allowed Tsukasa to pat it. She then extended her other hand to the kids, inviting them to join them in their new found friendship.
“As I thought, you’re amazing, onee-san!”
“Not really, when I do this, I usually get bitten.”
“Then don’t!” Remarked the sister.
With the conflict solved, the kids bid goodbye to Tsukasa and the dog, who remained by her side. Even if she thought it was wrong, she couldn’t help but feel proud of herself. “Where” or “When” hold no meaning for me. I’ll help everyone. She giggled a little.
“Well then, mister dog, I have an entrance ceremony to attend so if you’ll excuse me…”
A piercing sound interrupted their farewell. The girl turned around to see the red, rotating lights of an emergency vehicle passing by at great speed. In a matter of seconds the sound faded away into the distance, along with her conceitedness. She took out a golden pocket watch and opened it.
“Once again, I couldn’t beat time.”
Tsukasa grabbed her school bag and slowly got back on her way to school, walking with her head lowered, followed closely by the dog.
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