The sound of conversation and the aroma of a feast filled the dining area. Almei sat silently inside the little wooden house perched atop a branch of The Tree while her family celebrated her reaching adulthood. Almei's thoughts were filled with dread for the conversation she knew was coming as food was served around and the younger siblings bickered.
She clung onto the newly gifted scarf. Her knuckles turned white as she anticipated the inevitable question.
“Honey, are you going to join your brother and father as a Watcher?” her mother casually inquired.
There it is. Almei thought to herself, her gut churning at the idea.
She mumbled one word in response, “No.”
"What did you say? For generations, our family has proudly served the common good as Watchers of the tree. Your brother has even been promoted to a Strider."
The words were soft, well-intentioned yet they felt like nails in Almei’s ears. The irritation lent strength to Almei’s voice, “No! I don’t want to join the Watchers or Striders, not even the Guardians could sway me! I want to be an adventurer, I know it’s what I’m supposed to be.”
Despite this proclamation, her mother continued.
“But honey, it’s so dangerous out there. You haven’t even tamed a Goloid yet. What if you get hurt?”
Her mother’s condescending tone pointedly concluded the conversation. This would normally be sufficient, but not today. Because Almei's future was at stake, the young woman's smouldering ember sparked into flame.
“I want to live, mom! I want to see the world even if I get scars! There cannot be anything worse than standing around all day, wearing a uniform, and making sure no one falls off this stupid tree!”
Everyone at the table, from the little ones to the elderly, fell silent. Almei felt the lurching feeling of regret swelling inside. She knew it was one of the most disrespectful things a Lifetender could say, but she was just so angry at how unfair it all was!
With tears starting to form in her eyes, Almei stormed out of the room. Despite her mother's cries, her father spoke up for the first time that evening.
“Let her be.”
…
Almei careened down the stairs of the great tree with reckless abandon. As the girl sped past them, several traders heading up from Roothome looked at her with shocked expressions. She didn’t care. Her only wish was to escape. She eventually made it to the foot of The Tree, slipped out of Roothome, and disappeared into the thick forest.
Her lungs were burning, but she was unable to stop crying. Almei continued to run until her legs became fatigued, at which point she fell to the ground alongside a river. She lay there, gratefully gulping down handfuls of ice-cold water, trembling. When the crying finally stopped, her exhaustion carried her off to sleep.
Almei awoke the following morning with several insect bites and a growling stomach. While it hadn’t protected her from the bugs, at least her scarf had kept her warm through the night. Almei stretched, her thoughts filled with determination. She came here without a plan, but it was immediately obvious what she needed to accomplish. Almei would prove to everyone where her path led by bringing home something spectacular. A treasure, or, well, something. She was sure she’d know it when she found it.
She picked some fruits for a sizable breakfast and then set about traversing the forest. To her, everything was unfamiliar, which made it ideal. But after a few dull minutes, Almei made the decision to ascend a hill for a better vantage point. The earth groaned beneath her feet as she reached the top. Before she could think much about the strange noises, her footing vanished as the ground she stood on gave way.
She fell, caught onto something, lost her grip, and fell again before landing with a thud. She was dizzy and her thoughts were racing. The bewilderment started to fade, but the hissing noise lingered. A straw-like bundle had cushioned her landing, but a lengthy cut ran across the back of her hand. Though it didn't appear to be very deep, it would leave an impressive looking scar. That’s when she noticed the dozen enormous cherries surrounding her, and her initial relief turned to terror.
Almei found herself in the centre of a massive nest of Cherrybombs, creatures with a notoriously explosive disposition if their nests are disrupted. Thankfully, they all appeared to still be asleep, except for one.
At the edge of the tunnel, pushed up against the muddy wall, was a tiny Cherrybomb. The runt of the litter. Even its iconic spark fizzled with weak energy. It watched Almei with indifference.
When Almei saw the tiny being, her heart fell. There wasn't enough room here for so many Cherrybombs. This one got the short end of the stick and was pushed to the coldest, darkest corner of the nest. Her thoughts drifted back to how her family always welcomed her home, gave her food, and kept her warm.
She muttered to herself as she gently slipped past the sleeping Cherrybombs, "So much for my first day as an adult."
Almei moved through the muddy tunnel until she reached the exit. The familiar river was just still in sight. A sudden tug at her scarf caught her attention. The little Cherrybomb held onto her birthday gift with an almost pleading motion. She stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do.
“Do you want to join me on my adventures?”, she finally asked in a gentle voice, adding “I could use a friend.”
The Cherrybomb seemingly understood her words and leapt at her. Almei held the creature, pondering what she’d name her new companion. She wrapped it in her scarf, before walking off away from The Tree and into the great, wide world beyond.