Amelie and Kotori had been walking through the forest for a while when Kotori had begun to notice the undergrowth was getting less thick and trails were beginning to show. 

The steady sound of civilization began to grow closer and closer until Kotori realized that they were in fact inside a small village.

She didn’t notice it but the house seemed to be carved out of the tree’s and thus it wasn’t until she was straight in the middle of it did she realize that she was in fact surrounded by buildings.

Despite this, the village was quiet. Unlike the other villages that Kotori had lived in. This one seemed to not have that many people inside of it. 

“So where is everybody,” She asked

Amelie scratched her head.

“Well, they’re all probably out working?”

“Working?” Kotori asked suspiciously

If they were bandits then that would mean their work was “harassing” innocent people for money

Amelie immediately backtracked

“No No No, not like that!”

Amelie sighed 

“Look, I was joking earlier, we are not really bandits. People just call us that”

Kotori looked at her quizzically

“Well, there must be some reason why they call you bandits”

“Look,”  the girl said “people, call us that because we look scary. We just live here. We’ve always been nice to people that come by, but whenever they see us they throw down their stuff and run away before we can get a chance to explain ourselves.” 

Amelie actually looked quite sad.

“We’re really not all that bad.”

“So where is everybody at” Kotori asked

“Ah that, most are probably dungeon diving”

“Dungeons?” 

This was the first time Kotori has heard about anything like a dungeon in this world. This world was now starting to sound more like a magical world. Kotori who had been in a small village for her entire life so far was unaware of what was outside her little bubble. Now that she had finally left home she began to feel the vastness of the world. 

Amelie didn’t seem to notice Kotori,

“Well we’ll just wait here for now”

Amelie led Kotori to a small little hut that seemed to be made for public use. There was a well-worn table and chairs already set up so Kotori obliged and sat down with her.

Shu, who was on her shoulder, began to lay on the table and take a nap. 

They waited there for the rest of the village to get back. 

It was to Kotori’s annoyance that Amelie was a very talkative person. She talked at a great length on many topics. In the beginning, Kotori humored her and kept talking with her but eventually, her responses grew in her nodding and saying “hmmm” and “yes that seems interesting” Amelies didn’t seem to notice Kotori’s disinterest and kept talking. It seems she didn’t have very many people to talk to in her village and the arrival of Kotori had unleashed a dam of words that she had kept pent up. 

She talked about her life, about her favorite food and least favorite foods, her dreams, and even waxed on about her favorite way to tie her shoes. A subject that she seemed to be especially interested in. 

As the day grew long and the sun started to set, people began to slowly trickle into the village. Amelie was right when she said that most of them looked quite scary. They mostly wore green mottle suits like Amelie. When they passed by Amelie, She would give them a cheerful wave and they would wave back respectfully. As soon as their eyes drew to Kotori who was next to her many of them raised their eyes but didn’t comment further. Incidentally, most of them were men which made Kotori surprised.

“Where are the women,” she asked

“Oh, you noticed?” Amelie said, “They’re with the boss.”

“You keep talking about the boss, who are they”

Amelie seemed confused 

“Well… They’re the boss?”

“What’s the boss like?”

“They boss us around?” Amelie said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. 

Kotori was beginning to get exasperated

“I mean what are they like as a person”

Amelie understood what she meant now

“Oh, The boss let's see… They’re big and they’re strong”

“Anything else,” Kotori asked

“Umm” Amelie looked uncomfortable

Kotori was surprised

“Do you not know anything about the person who leads you”

Amelie protested

“No, I know a lot! The boss is ummm tall and muscly” 

“That’s just the same thing you said earlier”

Amelie tried to give more descriptions that were synonyms of what she just said

[I guess I just have to learn who this person is for myself]

Kotori thought to herself. 

They waited there in uncomfortable silence for a while even more people streamed in. Soon there became a visible change in emotion among the men a group of women appeared from a path in the undergrowth

They were an imposing group. All of them seemed verifiably amazoness in appearance. All of them were near two meters tall and their bodies were filled with rippling muscles. The way they moved was almost cat-like; their bodies seemed filled with energy. Kotori noted that their ears all had pointed tips like Amelie. 

They mostly wore black cloaks and they carried a wide array of weapons. It took a moment for Kotori to realize that they were dressed as honest to god delinquents*

*Author Note: look up Japanese delinquents to understand what I’m talking about here.

Amelie ran over to them and Kotori followed with Shu on her shoulder

“Welcome back guys!”

The group seemed to lose its tension and began to happily greet Amelie. They gave her a lot of pats on the back. Many of them seemed concerned about her broken arm but Amelie explained that she hurt it in a fall

Kotori smirked

[That’s technically true I guess, but she is not mentioning I’m the one that caused it.]

Noticing Kotori one of them asked  

“Amelie who’s this?”

Amelie said 

“Ah this is a girl I found wandering the forest, I felt bad for her and picked her up.”

“Weren’t you supposed to be watching the border side of the forest?” the person said

“I uh… had to bring her back”

The tall woman sighed

“You really shouldn’t shirk your duties that much, it's not good.”

Amelie looked apologetic and then asked

“By the way where is the boss?” Amelie asked 

The tall woman pointed towards the back of the group.

“She back there”

“Thanks!” Amelies used her free arm to grab mine and drag Kotori over

As they got towards the back of the group. Kotori found them walking towards a tall imposing woman with brown hair. Standing over two feet tall she had a metal club slung over her tanned shoulder.

Her face was incredibly scary and Kotori instinctively shirked away from her until she realized that Amelie was leading her to that woman. 

The boss seemed to be in a conversation with another one of the amazonesses until she notices Amelie and Kotori approaching them.

“Amelie!” The boss had a very harsh tone 

Amelie yelped

“Yes!”

“Who is with you! And what happened your arm” the boss barked

Amelie quickly gave an answer

“Ah, it's a girl I found she was wandering the forest and I followed her to make sure she didn’t get her, then I brought her back to the village. About my arm, I uh fell out of a tree.”

“Amelie! You are a ranger how did you fall out of a tree!”

Amelie’s eyes began to tear up “Well... I”

“Hmm! I don’t care anymore get out of my sight”

Amelie meekly began to walk away, shoulder hung in defeat. Kotori began to follow until she heard a voice behind her

“You there! I’m not done with you.” Kotori stopped and then backtracked and brought herself to the foot of the amazoness. 

Because of the difference in size, Kotori had to look up at the woman looming over her. 

“What your name”

“Kotori” She replied strongly, not wanting to show a sign of weakness

“Why are you here?” she asked

“To get stronger”

Kotori had decided that it would be her plan to get as strong as possible. She never wanted anybody important to be taken from her again.

The boss nodded obviously happy with her answer

“Good answer! If only that welp Amelie would be like you.”

“Ummm, Boss?” Kotori said hesitantly

“What”

“You shouldn’t be so mad at Amelie. I was the one who caused her to fall out of the tree”

“What! That girl was taken down by you” The boss put extra emphasis on the “you” obviously shocked that Kotori was able to knock Amelie down

“She’s even weaker than I thought”

“Well I used this” Kotori pulled out her flute and showed it to the boss 

The Boss looked confused, 

“you took her out with this reed?”

“No, I did something like this”

Kotori began to play the flute and used her only attack move

[I should really give this a name she thought]

Instantly the shrill tone echoed over the group

Many of the women in the bosses covered their ears in annoyance, some in pain

The boss herself didn’t move at all and listened intently

“Hmm, I see. I might as well apologize to that girl. It seems I underestimated you. You do have some teeth little girl”

The boss sighed

“Hah, I just wish she was stronger”

Her expression instantly changes the tough scowl she once had on her face was gone and replaced with a face of worry.

“That girl gets herself into so much trouble and I can’t watch her,” she said to herself

“Umm” Kotori asked “are you alright”

The boss's expression instantly reverted back. 

“Of course I am”* She said gruffly, trying to regain her composure. 

*I like to imagine that “the boss” uses “ore” Pronouns 

[I’m starting to think this boss isn’t so tough at all]

“Do you have any other business with me?” Kotori asked

“Not in particular,” she said trying to avoid eye contact 

It was at that moment that Kotori realized

This woman is an absolute TSUN