Kinship in the making

Kiro rode with Ramses to the next bustling town talking back and forth the whole way. Ramses had an old sense of humor Kiro was used to with his dad. He felt a kinship toward the old goat... Er... Ram.

Kiro watched the land go by in it's amazing vastness and had an uneasy feeling. What if he wasn't dreaming? But then, how was any of this possible? He had to be dreaming, right?

"It's been fun, Kiro, but I'm afraid my last stop is home. If you need a place to stay, the Ole Drake will let you sleep in it's kitchen if you help clean up.

"Thank you, Ramses!" Kiro waved to the old ram as he slowly pulled away.

Kiro looked around the strange market getting more and more uneasy. He'd shared a meal with Ramses hours ago and he was getting hungry again. "I don't think I'm dreaming."

Kiro walked into an alley and crouched down behind some garbage. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do now. He'd never really had ambitions like his other coworkers and he never got that attached to anyone. He didn't even have a girlfriend. He'd lived with his grandmother for nearly ten years before his parents took him back and by then, they weere little more than strangers. At eighteen, he'd graduated highschool and got an office job.

"Mrww." A small whisper pulled Kiro's attention away from his thoughts. He looked over and saw a board laying on a furry little white body.

"Oh no!" Kiro jumped up and lifted the board off the creature. The poor thing was hurt and almost dead. Kiro bent down and placed his hand gently on the creature's head.

"Such kindness from a human." The voice startled Kiro and made him jump back. "My death would have been made obsolete, but now I can pass on my helper onto you, kind soul."

Kiro watched the body slowly desinigrate into ash and dust. Dumbfounded, he made his way down the alley and layed down under a small torn tarp. He was exausted beyond though. If he wasn't dreaming, surely he had lost his mind.

"I'm hungry! Wake up! I'm hungry!" Kiro tried to ignore the loud voice but it was getting annoying.

"Would you please quiet down..." Kiro jumped up but didn't see anyone.

"Fine, but I want food!" Kiro looked up saw the source of the voice. The floating fox like creature had tiny wings that obviously weren't large enough to keep it in the air yet there it floated.

"So much for laws of physics." Kiro sighed to himself. By now, he knew he should be freaking out but he was starting to accept his madness.

"Please, Master, just a little sustenance..." The furry creature begged.

"Alright, but what do you eat?" Kiro asked.

"I'll take that as permission!" That said the furry thing flew at him with such force it knocked him back to the ground. The creature's mouth was sucking on Kiro's ear and it was extremely tickling.

"Okay! Enough!" Kiro swiped his hand back and forth dislodging the fox from his ear.

"Aw... But, I'm still hungry." The fox pouted.

"What's going on? Just who are you?" Kiro asked standing up and dusting his clothes off.

"Ah! I forgot my manners! Cheone would be so upset at me. My name's Toma and I'm your new Guardian! Though, I usually only care for creatures of the forest, but Cheone passed me to you. Now, you're stuck with me!"

"Who's Cheone?" Kiro asked wondering if he looked as weird as he felt talking to a fox like fuzball.

"Cheone was my last master. She got chased by a grappler and had to flee to the city. We were actually safer in the forest, but Cheone was always curious. Even more so than me. Though, I guess the saying's true about the curious ones. We never saw the board coming."

"The furry little creature from last night. I was wondering if that voice last night was real or if my madness was getting worse. Though, it still could be..." Kiro rubbed his head.

"So, what's Master's name?" Toma asked landing on Kiro's shoulder.

"My name's Kiro Higame. I guess it's time to make a living." Kiro said taking a deep breath getting ready to face the day.