Submission (#3156) Approved

There was once a time when Minako had traveled a bit through Eyre before she had found herself in Silveil City as a seamstress apprentice. One of her best adventures she recalls is having visited Palu’au Islands. She had made a decision back then to follow her dreams and leave Faerindell. She had heard that since a lot of people tend to visit there as a vacation spot they always needed people to sew things. Whether it was nets to cast in the sea to catch some fish, fix some broken sails or to fashion some cute tropical outfits for the vacationers. To her it was a job in something she really wanted to do. Sure it wasn’t making beautiful ball gown dresses or some elaborate adventuring outfits but at least it was a start. 

Having found herself in a new place after leaving home the climate is something she had to get herself used to. It was warmer than what she was used to and there was always a breeze which she quickly found herself enjoying. There was also sand which at this part she wasn’t sure she liked yet or not. Although she had a lot of fun sinking her toes in the hot sand, Mina found it quite relaxing after a long day's work. One day after having fixed a few sails for the resort she decided to take a trip to the beach and relax but somehow she felt like she was being followed. It was strange because she would pause every so many steps to see if someone was behind her but she never saw anyone or heard any steps behind her. But somehow she felt very eerie that there was a presence behind her. The hair on her back started to raise and she started being frightened , someone or something was behind her. Mina started to walk slower as she eyed a stick on the sand that had washed to shore and she planned on picking it up as a way to defend herself. Slowly as she got closer she started to bend down and with her paws she grabbed a strong hold into it. Minako was holding on to it so tightly that she was leaving claw marks in the wood. She had felt that presence again and with one quick swing she turned around and waved the stick “ I’m warning you ! I am not afraid to use it !” She yelled slightly shaking but still having a firm grip on the stick. But to her surprise no one or almost nothing was around her. As she looked at the sand all she saw was a small crab looking up at her with its eyes and snapping its pincers. She kicked it gently, “ UGH not you.” Mina was starting to think maybe she was going crazy. She had been working a lot of hours, her hands were sore and she was thinking the sun was getting to her. Anyone would be so glad to be in a tropical paradise but she was iffy about it. Sure the lasting sunny days, the beautiful beach paradise, the mouth watering fish or the odd ones from the Rainbow Reef, made it seem like the perfect place to be. But quite frankly she was getting tired of the place. She wasn’t one much for diving and fishing. There was one thing she really fancied from the place and that was the cocktails. Boy did you ever get good drinks here and she especially loved the little umbrellas in them. Having reached her destination and still having a chill down her spine, Mina decided to set down her beach towel and sunbathe a bit. 

Time had passed as the waves were starting to crash along the beach, she was enjoying this peaceful time and the sun. Looking out in the ocean it was pristine and clear you could always see the ocean floor. She had never seen water like that before. Mina liked it because at least she knew nothing would get her in the water. Deciding to take a dip she went to water and started to soak her aching muscle. The air smelled of salt and she could almost taste it. But to her surprise something interrupted her relaxing time as she let out a yelp. “ OUCH!!!!” Something had pinched her and from the corner of her eye she saw a shadow. Afraid she ran for the coastline as fast as she could. Right on her beach towel she looked down and that little red crab still snapping it’s pincers at her was on it. “ Not you again,” she shrugged. She then heard a noise as if something or someone was chuckling at her. She looked around but no one or nothing was there … well except that crab that didn’t seem to want to leave her be. Taking a deep breath she figured it was maybe about time for her to head back anyways. That’s when she saw it for the first time, this little mostly black figure. It was so small and tiny and it was holding up that little red crab. “YOU” she yelled at it “ That was you wasn’t it.” She looked at her with big angry eyes and it just chuckled at her. “It’s not funny, you know what hurts”. The small figure put down the crab and simply vanished. From right to left, forward and backwards she looked for it but it was gone. Before she knew it, it had appeared again in front of her with a fish in it’s small hands. She looked at it blinking wondering what it wanted. Then it deposited it on her towel and made a small action of eating. Minako looked at it strangely thinking, is it trying to kill me with this fish or not? This time it didn’t vanish. She got closer to it and picked it up and started to shake it as it let out a small yelp. She then poked it and it giggled lightly. Thinking to herself she wondered what kind of creature it was. After giving it some thought she remembered what had been told to her by older Elnins, these small creatures were Pomus and everyone got one eventually. She picked it back up and petted it gently “ I guess your my little pomu.” Mina smiled at it and said “ I shall name you Crabby. But that fish is wayyy too small for me to eat.” she laughed as she took out a snack from her bag, taking out some tropical fruit she gave some to Crabby. The two of them stay a bit longer at the beach before heading back to the resort. 

The days that followed seemed slightly easier and breezier as she now had help from time to time from her little pomu. It would often do the task for her that required small hands. Minako also really loved how it could store things for her in the void and how it disappeared as well. But what she loved most was that now she would always have a companion wherever she would go, she was never alone. 

Sitting in the studio in Silveil City she looked down and smiled at Crabby who was always there to help her. Recalling how they met she smiled brightly at it. “You and me we are together forever huh little guy” forming her fist into a ball she nudged hers against her little pomu’s. “ Maybe someday we will go back to Palu’au, what do you think ?” The little pomu jumped into her arms and nodded. Someday soon the Miasma season would be over and they could travel again.