A Coco Panda's Tale/3

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>
> **Part 3 - Tamero's Decision**
>
>
> My name is Tamero and I'm a Coco Panda. I prefer to do things on my own, so I don't spend a lot of time with the others in my pack. When I'm in a crowd, all I can see is everyone hiding their true intentions. Subtly fighting over territory, obsessing over social standing, giving fruit, just to make sure someone else owes them a favor. It all makes me sick. That's why I moved my bed out to the edge of the camp. I thought I could avoid all that stuff, live on my own, and solve my own problems.
>
> But Yuiyui, a panda I'd known since we were subs, was always pestering me.
>
> 'We're both usually in the same part of camp, so why don't we hang out for a while?' she'd ask.
>
> We're only in the same part of camp because you moved your bed closer to where mine is, I'd think to myself.
>
> 'Tamero, stop! You can't eat that fruit! It's rotten!' she said, grabbing my food out of my hand.
>
> Honestly, I'd rather eat rotten fruit than have to go beg someone else for theirs.
>
> 'Why didn't you call for help as soon as that Bracked Monkey attacked you?' she grabbed me, tears still in her eyes.
>
> I didn't have an answer. Maybe, deep down, part of me knew if I was in trouble, she'd come to my rescue...
>
> 'You might like the idea that you're some strong independent loner, but in reality, when you push everyone away, you're just being self-absorbed!'
>
> She was right... Any time things got truly difficult for me, I'd end up relying on her help in the end. I was only being so stubborn because I wanted everyoine to think I couldn handle things on my own.
>
> This whole time, I'd just been acting tough... but I couldn't keep it up anymore.
>
> 'Yuiyui, I...I don't work hard at all. I'm just a pathetic excuse for a panda who's done nothing but take advantage of your kindness. I was only fooling myself, thinking I was fine on my own. I'm such an idiot...'
>
> But it was too late now. She probably couldn't even udnerstand what I was saying anymore. She'd become a wild beast. I watched as she approached the Bracken Monkey, snarling.
>
> It only took a few quick strikes from her before the monkey was collasped in a heap on the ground. I could tell that he wouldn't be waking up any time soon, but I knew I couldn't relax just yet.
>
> Her opponent defeated, Yuiyui began to gnaw on the fern-like crest on his head. I could only imagine that she saw it as just another plant in her feral state.
>
> 'Yuiyui, stop!' I pleased, 'Don't eat that! This isn't like you...'
>
> I grabbed her and tried to pull her away, but it was no use. She was the strongest Coco Panda I knew--even if I hadn't been exhaused from the battle, I wouldn't have been able to budge her.
>
> I wasn't about to give up, though. I couldn't let my best friend lose herself liek this.
>
> I looked around for a way to help her, and saw my weapon lying on the ground nearby. I thought that if I her her with it just right, it might bring her back to her senses...
>
> But no, it was too risky. If I messed up, it'd just make her angry, and if I had to fight her, I could end up going feral, too. Yuiyui wouldn't want that.
>
> 'You said you didn't want to lose me...' I looked at her and dusted myself off, 'Well, I don't want to lose you, either, and I don't care what I have to do. It's time I stopped acting tough...'
>
> I took a deep breath and shouted for help as loud as I possibly could. I shouted until I was completely out of breath. It was the first time in my life I'd ever asked for help, but I didn't care anymore.
>
> Getting Yuiyui back to normal was the only thing that mattered to me.
>
> In mere moments, our entire pack had come to my side.
>
> 'When we heard ya finally askin' fer help, we was all so happy, the whole pack come a'runnin',' one of them said to me.
>
> I recognized him--he was the same panda who had shared his food with us the other night. I never knew he could move that quickly. He'd always seemed kind of dopey to me, but now, his eyes were sharp and focused.
>
> 'It's Yuiyui! She got hurt protecting me, and now she's gone feral. P-Please! I need your help to calm her down!' I stumbled over my words trying to get them out as quickly as I could.
>
> Everyone banded together to drag Yuiyui away from the monkey and hold her still. Then, with a swift blow to the head, they knocked her out.
>
> She slumped to the ground and lay there, as if she'd simply fallen asleep.
>
> 'That oughta do the trick. Now, we better go'n and grab somma her favorite berries. The smell'll help wake her up,' the helpful Coco Panda said.
>
> The others all went to gather some berries and placed them in a neat little pile right in front of Yuiyui's face. After a few moments, her nose began to twich, smelling the sweet fragrance, and her eyes fluttered open.
>
> 'Huh...? I'm...okay?' she said, still a bit groggy.
>
> I couldn't believe my eyes. She was back to her old self! I was immediately overcome with relief, so much so, that I might have even cried a little. It was then that I finally understood how she must have felt when she came to save me.
>
> 'Tamero...? Are you okay? My head hurts a little, but other than that I'm fine and--Huh? What are all of you doing here.' She looked at the rest of our pack with a bewildered expression. It was no wonder she was confused. I bet she never expected me to swallow my pride and ask the whole pack for help.
>
> Everyone looked on with warm smiles as I took Yuiyui's paw in mine. I decided there and then that I wouldn't tryo to act tough anymore. I was going to tell her exactly how I felt.
>
> 'It's just like you said. It only makes sense for us to all help each other out.'
>
> I turned to the rest of our pack. 'Thank you, everyone, for helping us.'
>
> 'And thank you, Yuiyui,' I said, turning back to her, 'for always being there for me.
>
>
>
> ◇
> From that day on, I decided to give the other Coco Pandas a chance. It turned out that working together isn't so bad every now and then. We're all friends now, and the days I spend with Yuiyui and the others are filled with smiles.
>
>

>
> **下巻【運命の分かれ道】**
> 俺、ココパンダーのタメロウは一匹でいることが好きな、群
> れないココパンダーだ。群れの中に居ると、水面下の縄張り争
> いや社交辞令の言葉の数々、恩を着せるための木の実のやりと
> りばかりで嫌気がさす。恩を売るだの買うだの、そういった関
> 係に巻き込まれたくなかった。だから俺は群れから外れた場所
> に寝床を作り、他のココパンダーと距離を取ったのだ。これで
> もう俺は悩む事は無い。一匹だけでは生きにくい世の中ではあ
> ったが、他のココパンダーとは違い、孤高に生きている自分が
> 好きだった。
> 俺が群れと距離を取ってしばらくすると、俺の寝床の近くに
> 幼馴染のユイユイが引っ越して来た。
> 「寝床が近い者同士、せっかくだから一緒におしゃべりでもし
> ない？」
> ユイユイの方が勝手に俺の寝床の近くに来たんだろと思った。
> 「ちょっとタメロウ！腐った木の実なんて食べないでよ」
> うるさいな、誰かに頼るなんて御免だ。それよりは腐った木
> の実を食べる方がマシなんだよ。
> 「まず、野性のワラビモンチに襲われた時に、
> どうしてすぐ仲間を呼ばなかったの！？」
> それはきっと――俺が頼まなくても、いつもみたいにユイユ
> イが来てくれるんじゃないかって、期待してたんだ。
> 「独りで無茶をするなんて、
> 孤独に生きる自分に酔ってるだけだよ！」
> ユイユイの方から俺を助けてくれることに甘えて、格好つけ
> てた。一匹で生きていけるって周りから思われている、格好い
> い自分を壊したくないから、いつも見栄を張ってたんだ。
> 「ユイユイ……俺は頑張ってない。ただの甘ったれ野郎だ。
> ユイユイの優しさに甘えながら自分の力で孤独に生きてると
> 思い込んでる、馬鹿なココパンダーだ……」
> いつも真っ直ぐ俺の目を見て話をする彼女の姿は遠く、
> 俺の目の前には完全な獣と化したココパンダーの姿があった。
> ワラビモンチの投石によって野性と化したユイユイは、反撃す
> るかのようにワラビモンチに向かって拳を放つ。ユイユイの鋭
> い三段突きが急所に入ると、今度こそワラビモンチは気を失っ
> た。
> 「だからって安心できる状況じゃないけどな……」
> 俺は一難去ったことに少し安堵した。しかし、本能の塊と化
> したユイユイは、ワラビモンチの頭に生えている、ワラビそっ
> くりの頭皮にかじりついたのだ。今のユイユイにはワラビにし
> か見えていない、ということだろう。
> 「止めるんだユイユイ！
> そんな変なものを食べるなんて、ユイユイらしくないぞ！」
> ワラビモンチにかじりつくユイユイを引き剥がすため、俺は
> ユイユイの胴体を抱えて力いっぱい引っ張った。しかし相手は
> 百戦錬磨のユイユイだ。彼女の力が緩まるはずもなく、俺では
> 全く及ばない。だからと言って、野性化したユイユイを認める
> つもりも毛頭無かった。
> １つ方法があるとすれば、俺が持っている武器だ。これで彼
> 女を殴れば、気絶させて正気を取り戻させる事が出来るかもし
> れない。……運が良ければの話だがな。一番恐れている事は、
> 野性のユイユイの怒りを買ってしまう状況だった。怒ったユイ
> ユイを正気に戻すために奮闘したなら、俺も野性に目覚めてし
> まうことだろう。
> 「もし俺が野性に目覚めたら……ユイユイは悲しむんだろうな。
> こうなったら――もう格好つけるのは、おしまいだ」
> 自嘲気味に呟いた俺は覚悟を決めた。大きく息を吸って――
> 生まれて初めて、ココパンダーの仲間を大声で呼ぶ。すると、
> 草木をかき分けて群れに属するココパンダー全員が駆けつける。
> 「タメロウが初めて仲間を呼んでくれたから、
> 全員で来ちゃったよぉ」
> ユイユイが近所のココパンダーと呼んでいたヤツが、間の抜
> けた声とは裏腹に俊敏な動きで俺の前に出た。
> 「ユイユイが怪我をして、野性に目覚めたんだ……
> 頼む、なんとかして正気に戻してあげてくれ」
> 近所のココパンダーは二つ返事でうなずくと、他のココパン
> ダー達と力を合わせてユイユイをワラビモンチから引き剥がし
> た。そしてすかさず跳躍をすると、ユイユイの鎖骨らへんを狙
> い両手でチョップをきめる。ユイユイはあっという間に気を失
> って、力なく森に倒れ伏すのだった。
> 「これで正気に戻ったはずだよぉ。
> 後はユイユイの好物の匂いで目を覚ますはずぅ」
> 近所のココパンダーがそう告げると、他のココパンダーがユ
> イユイの鼻に新鮮なベリーを近づけた。すると、彼女は鼻をひ
> くつかせて早速目を覚ます。
> 「…………あれ……私、元に戻れたの？」
> そう言って瞬きを繰り返す姿は、いつものユイユイだ。俺は
> 安堵のあまり少しだけ涙する。不覚にも、彼女が俺を助けてく
> れた時の気持ちが分かってしまい、苦い思いをした。
> 「そうだ、タメロウ無事なの？
> 私の怪我も少し頭が痛いくらいだし、
> どうして……一体どうやって？」
> 俺が助けを呼ぶなんて考えもしない様子でユイユイが辺りを
> 見渡した。そこには群れの仲間が全員集結しており、暖かい眼
> 差しで俺たち２匹を見守っている。
> 「ユイユイが俺に教えてくれたんだろ」
> 俺は驚くユイユイの手を握りしめて、今まで孤高のココパン
> ダーを装っていた自分が嘘のように、ありのままを声に出す。
> 「ココパンダーのみんな、助けに来てくれてありがとう。
> ――そしてユイユイ、いつも俺を助けてくれてありがとな」
> ◇
> こうして今までの自分を捨てた俺は、ユイユイや群れの仲間
> たちと一緒に助け合い、笑顔が絶えない幸せな日々を送るのだ
> った。
>
>
>
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