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Once again, the children gathered in the empty lot, their faces brimming with anticipation. Today, it was Pie’s turn to tell a story. Everyone looked eager, wondering what kind of “story world” they would step into this time.

“Shall we begin?”
“My story is simple… It’s about a beautiful forest, filled with lovely flowers and friendly little animals.”

Pie explained that his tale was meant to be enjoyed in comfort, without any trouble or tension. But the boys’ faces grew stiffer with every word. They had come hoping for at least a little excitement—an adventure, maybe even a battle. While Pie went on with his cheerful introduction, Dabi and Elly quietly slipped over to Yona and whispered.
“You’ve got a secret mission hidden in there, don’t you?” Elly asked. Yona gave no reply.
Frustrated, Dabi pressed again. “Come on, there’s at least a monster in the woods, right? Or some hidden gear?”

Pie noticed Dabi’s suspicious movements and shouted, “Dabi, what are you doing!?” Startled, Dabi hurriedly pulled back.

Everyone knew the way stories worked: first Yona helped shape the overall flow, then he wrote it down and passed it on to EAT, who completed the final version. That was why the others often tried to drop hints to Yona, hoping he would slip in something extra.

Before Rogi had joined them, the children hadn’t spent much time with EAT, so most of their play had been short tales—stories that ended in a day or two at most. That didn’t mean they never tried longer ones, only that those took time to finish. For example, Yona had been working on The Magical Child, a story meant to be a full-length adventure. But now that Rogi had claimed ownership of it, Yona was left without a tale of his own. Still, Yona never ran out of ideas, and he truly enjoyed putting his friends’ stories into words.

Now the children placed their hands together in a stack and chanted: “Doritori Toris!”

Pie’s story began. The space around them shifted. In an instant, they were standing in a wide meadow, gazing at the entrance to a forest. The girls squealed with delight at the flowers around them and the tiny creatures darting about. The boys, on the other hand, traded glances, their expressions slipping from blank to openly dissatisfied.

Beaming, Pie turned to Yona with a smile. “It’s exactly as I imagined. It’s beautiful.”

Yona wanted to share in Pie’s joy, but the stares from Elly and Dabi weighed heavily on him.

“Let’s put on our suits and explore the forest!” Elly suggested, her short words carrying a spark of hope. At once, Dabi and Leo’s eyes lit up.
“Yes! We should be ready in case something dangerous happens. Let’s wear our suits!”

But Pie smiled and walked toward them. “Listen, just a little way into the forest, I’ve prepared a boat. We can ride it and enjoy the scenery together. Don’t you want to see it? …Come on, follow me!” Without waiting for an answer, Pie turned and started forward with Yona beside him. Eti and Rogi trailed quietly after. The boys’ little rebellion had already failed, but they weren’t the kind to give up easily.

“At least we don’t have to walk the whole way through the forest. A boat ride sounds nice~” Rogi said cheerfully. Yona, looking guilty, began, “Actually, the truth is—” but Pie cut him off, deciding it was something he had to say instead.
“Yona can’t walk for long because of his crutches.”

Rogi’s face fell. He hadn’t considered that. Regret pricked at him, and from that moment he kept his mouth shut, following silently behind the others. (He even gave himself a little smack on the head.)

Sensing the gloomy mood, Eti jumped in to liven things up. “Yona, should we change the next story? What if in that one your arms and legs are healed, and you go on a big adventure?” She said it with a bright, innocent smile. Yona chuckled softly. “I tried that once already… it didn’t work.”

The air grew heavier still. Now Eti too fell silent, head down, walking in step with Rogi. Pie, leading the way, couldn’t be seen from the front, but she was quietly berating herself. Why didn’t I soften my words about Yona? Why did I blurt out the crutches like that? What was I thinking…

Pie had come here today hoping for a cheerful outing with her friends. But now a heavy mood spread behind her—while the boys schemed rebellion, those ahead trudged along, weighed down by guilt and regret.

Pie was the first to spot the promised boat… except, it wasn’t a boat at all. Instead of a fine wooden skiff, a giant turtle lay before her, overturned.
“What is that turtle supposed to be?”

Instead of the bright reversal she had hoped for, Pie found only deeper despair.

Pie: Yona, what is this? Is it even a boat?
Yona: It’s a turtle-boat, able to travel both on land and water.
Pie: But I imagined a small wooden boat…
Yona: Sorry… I thought maybe it could be useful on land as well.
Pie: Why on land!? I said the story was only about the forest!
Rogi: Hey, Pie, why are you upset? I like it.
Pie: …You do? Hmm… but still, this is a bit much…

At that moment, Eti spoke without thinking: “But isn’t it hard for Yona to walk through the forest on crutches?”

Pie froze. So Yona had prepared the turtle-boat because of his difficulty walking… and I just embarrassed him. Now she felt awful. Yona, too, felt sorry for upsetting Pie with his idea. Eti, realizing how careless her words had been, now felt guilty toward Pie, who looked pained by them.

Rogi silently wished for someone powerful to swoop in and break the tension. Then he had an idea. “Hey, where’s EAT? I don’t see him anywhere.”

His cry shattered the silence like a miracle. Eti and Yona looked at him with admiration.

A moment later, a figure peeked out from the turtle-boat—EAT.

Pie glared at him. “Why are you only showing up now? Were you asleep?”
Calm as ever, EAT replied, “I don’t sleep.”
Pie frowned. “That’s not funny. Nobody can live without sleep!”
But EAT murmured, “I told you, I’m not human.”

By then, everyone had gathered. One by one, they climbed onto the turtle-boat. Slowly, it began to move along the river winding through the forest. Designed like an upturned turtle, its head pointed the way while its legs paddled them forward.

The children who had moments ago been burdened with complaints and worries now wore carefree smiles. The forest animals, the grand trees, and the wonder of it all filled them with joy. But Elly frowned. Could it really end just like this? She had been hoping for something special, something extraordinary.

She glanced at Dabi, who wore the same dissatisfied look. Together, they turned their eyes to Yona. He avoided their gaze, uneasy. Dabi stepped closer, resting a hand on Yona’s shoulder.

Dabi: Hey… this isn’t really the end, is it? You’ve got something hidden, right? Something special?
Yona: …I said there’s nothing. (Though part of him regretted it.)
Elly: Liar! …Some kind of surprise event… we’re counting on it!
Yona: What event…? (He himself felt the absence.)

Yona found their obsession a little overwhelming. A few days earlier, Pie had begged him to keep this story free of twists and hidden challenges. He had wanted to add missions, obstacles, exciting turns—but Pie’s strict veto had erased them all.

Still, Elly and Dabi’s eager eyes refused to dim. Yona muttered under his breath, “Ugh… if only something would just happen already…”

But as the turtle-boat floated down the forest river, the animals fled before it, scattering in alarm. It seemed there wasn’t even the slightest chance of an event unfolding this time.