Oh, right, Kii!

I ran straight to the backyard and flew off, instantly remembering her. I thought I heard Boss and Miia shout behind me, but that was okay. Boss would forgive me, and Miia was a big meanie, so it didn't matter what she said. Besides, I needed to see Kii!

Wait, why did I need to see Kii? Um... I forgot. Whoops! But I'm sure it was a good reason!

Now... where did she live again? Oh yeah! In the trees! I flew higher and higher, looking around for the woods. That got boring quick, though, so I decided to glide around for now. The wind would take me wherever I needed to go. It always did!

I laughed as a rush of warm air came up below me, carrying me further and further through the blue skies. When it was this nice out, with calm breezes and the sun shining down on me, I sometimes forgot that the ground existed. I might've panicked several times because of that... but who's counting? Either way, I probably wouldn't stay on the ground for long if all my friends weren't there.

I should try bringing them up here more often! Big brother seemed to like it!

Ooh, what's that?

A brown speck was flying in the distance, going fast away from the big tall buildings. That kinda looked like... oh, it was her! The super cool reptar girl from yesterday!

"HIIIIIII!" I shouted, pumping my wings harder to catch up with her. She turned to face me, and her eyes widened, probably because she was happy to see me, too!

"Aello give me strength..." she said quietly but not really, because I still heard her. Reptars say the weirdest things!

"Hee hee, hi!" I greeted, flapping right up beside her so our faces were close. She immediately moved away, which was fine 'cause it's super hard flying that close to someone.

"You said that already," she replied, doing that cool thing where she doesn't look at me while we're talking, "But yes, hello, Bluebird."

"Whatcha doin'?" I asked.

"Merely stretching my wings before that coordinator woman takes me to my new host family," she answered, staring off into space, "I am not optimistic, so I had thought I might clear my head amongst the clouds. Alone."

"Well, now you don't have to be alone!" I told her, "Nothing's funner than flying with a friend!"

"... My kind tends to prefer the opposite," she sighed, spreading her wings. Wow, hers are way bigger than mine! So cool! "What was your name, again?"

"Papi!" I beamed, "And yours is... um... Slaya?"

"... Preya."

"Right, that!" I giggled.

"Right. So, I'm curious, are you not supposed to be out and about without your host?" Playa asked.

"Hee hee, I forgot to ask~" I admitted before I realized something, "But what about you, Naya? You can't be out alone, neither!"

"Preya. And, well," Kraya coughed and looked away from me even harder than before. I didn't even know she could do that! "I refuse to be bound by such insipid and unjustifiable human laws, so I shall hunt at my leisure."

"Whoa! I understood maybe eleventy-percent of that, but that's so cool!" That's kinda like how I am, too! Except I keep forgetting about the law instead of trying to beat it... Wait.

"I forgot something!" I declared, making Slaya squawk and flap away from me for some reason, "Oh no, what was it? What was it...."

"... Perhaps if you retrace your steps," Playa turned her head back briefly to the empty air behind us before looking forward again, "So to speak. That may jog your memory."

"Mmm..." What was it?! Something about... trees? Something green? Ugh, think, Papi, think! Think harder! Think harderrrrrr!

"Ah, Bluebird?" Oh no, Playa sounded worried! "Breathing might be an advisable course of action."

I took a deep breath, and wow, that did help! Playa was so wise and cool! Kinda like Big Brother, if he was a girl and a reptar and could fly. Then we could fly around together without me having to carry him, and it'd be super fun and - Wait, right, I was trying to remember what I forgot!

"... I can't remember," I whined, sinking a little lower through the air.

"Now, now, that is," Playa brought herself next to me, looking flustered for some reason, "Perhaps if you look around, you may find what you seek?"

"Ooh, good idea, Playa! Let's fly through the city until we do!" When I saw a great big black building (I think they're called shyshamers), I had another great idea. "Let's race to that big black thing, and whoever gets there or finds what I forgot first wins!"

"First off, it's Preya, and second off, I don't even know what you - Hey, wait!" Playa shouted after me, but I was already flying off. Reptars were super fast, so I needed a head start!

I dived lower so I was flying just above all the cars, which was always fun 'cause they'd make loud noises to cheer me on! People could be so nice! I thought about waving at some little human chickies as I passed them like usual, but I decided I couldn't be distracted right now. I had to win the race! Or find what I forgot! Or both!

A brown blur shot past me, quickly getting way ahead of me. I gasped when I saw Playa briefly look back at me and do that same little half-smile thing Rachnee always does. And then she just zoomed on ahead! She looked so cool, but... I wanted to be cool, too!

So now I gotta go fast!

I pumped my wings as hard as I could, pushing myself harder and harder until all I could see was Playa's back. That was fine, though, because all I had to do was beat her! Then -

AH! SOMETHING'S IN MY EYE! CAN'T SEE, CAN'T SEEEEEE!

OW, I HIT MY HEAD!

EVERYTHING'S GOING BY SO FAST, AND I WANNA STOP!

Oh, I stopped. But where am I? Hm... it smelled funny. And not in the fun way, like when Boss cooks, or Big Brother carries me. No, it smelled like when I tried to use the potty room right after Cerea does. Blech. Speaking of Cerea, my head felt like she stomped on it.

"Owwww, it hurrrrrrrts...." I whined, holding my head.

"Um... are ya okay there, kiddo?"

I peeked an eye open and saw a human guy looking down, and wow, he was so big and hairy! Hairier than Big Brother's face! His eyebrows were super bushy, too, like... two big bushes! Wait, bushes... bushes were plants. Plants reminded me of... Why did that stick out to me? It was important, I think, but why?

Oh, right, the big, hairy man had asked me something.

"My head hurts," I told him, pouting. And now it was hurting the same way it hurt whenever I had to think super hard or when people kept using big words...

"No surprise there, ya crashed headfirst inta tha trash can," the man sighed, scratching the back of his shiny, bald head. "Honestly, ya shoulda been knocked out cold, considerin'."

"Oh, my head's super tough!" I told him, bumping a fist against my head to show him, but all that did was make it hurt more. "Ow..."

For some reason, he laughed at that. "Heh, it sure looks like it." He looked me over. "So yer one a them... what's the word? Harpy, innit?"

"Mhm!" I nodded, "I'm Papi! Papi the harpy!"

"Pleased ta meet ya, Papi," the man said warmly, smiling at me in a way that reminded me of Big Brother, "My name's Sa-"

"Ahem."

Oh, Playa was here now, too! Hmm, she didn't look all that happy...

She folded her wings and huffed. "I find no joy in defeating someone that is not even making an effort to try, Bluebird. Are you quite done dallying?"

"Ay now, give 'er a sec, will ya?" the man shot back, folding his arms right back at her, "She jus' took a big tumble; least ya could do is be a little more considerate."

"Hmph. Well..." Playa looked me over, tilting her head slightly. "Perhaps I had been too forward. My apologies; sometimes, my competitive side gets the best of me."

"Oh, that's 'kay!" I told her, grinning widely, "It doesn't hurt as much anymore and-"

Wait... When Playa tilted her head like that, she looked super familiar for some reason. It reminded me of someone else who looked like that... someone that had to do with bushes...

OH!

"KII!" I shouted, instantly standing back up. Playa squawked again, and that big, hairy man yelped while stepping away from me. "I remembered!"

"... Huh?"

I needed to go before I forgot again! I kicked off the ground and flapped as hard as I could. "Bye-bye!" I called down at them as I flew away. "Let's play again soon, Playa!"

"It's Preya!"

Playa repeated something weird, but I couldn't laugh at her jokes right now! I had to get to Kii! Getting to the forest wasn't too long, 'specially when I was going super fast like I was. I hated forgetting about her 'cause it reminded me of the last time I forgot her, so I never wanted to do it again. She deserved a good friend since she was so lonely, and good friends don't forget each other!

"KIIIIIII!" I shouted down to the trees below, frantically looking around for her. I need to find her before I forget again! "WHERE ARE YOUUUUUU?!"

Some of the trees in front of me started to move, some of their branches rising high and waving at me. Found her! I dived toward them, laughing as all the plants around me moved out of my way so I could get to her more quickly. They were so nice!

Finally, I reached her. She was sitting next to a super old big tree, and there were bunches of green and yellow specks around her that made her look pretty. She was smiling, too! , laughing as all the plants around me moved out of my way so I could get to her more quickly. They were so nice!

Finally, I reached her. She was sitting next to a super old big tree, and there were bunches of green and yellow specks around her that made her look pretty. She was smiling, too! Yay!

"KII!" I shouted when I tackle-hugged her, wrapping my arms around her and holding tight. "I'm so sorry I forgot about you again and got distracted, but Playa was just so cool, and I wanted to play with her, and then a bug got in my eye, and I hurt my head!"

"Ah," Kii stared at me blankly, like she didn't know what I was saying, "It's okay, Papi." She smiled. "After all, you didn't forget. You came here, after all."

I giggled, so happy that she understood. "Yeah, I did!"

Kii looked around. "Is Suu not with you?"

I shook my head. "Nuh-uh, she went with Big Brother to Quarks Slim Snowball right before I left to find you."

"I... see," Kii nodded, "I've never heard of a 'Quarks Slim Snowball' before, but I don't care for snow, so I think I'm better off not knowing."

"'Kay," I giggled again, plopping down beside her. "Oh, what's this?" I pointed at the green and yellow specks floating in the air. "They're super pretty!"

"These?" Kii opened her hand, and more of the green ones floated off of her palm. "They're how dryads talk to one another, most of the time. We put our thoughts and feelings into them and send them off to be caught by others." The green specks drifted away from us and into the woods, back towards the city. "I just learned a mandragora boy lived nearby, and we've been speaking for most of the day."

"Oooh, does Kii have a boyfriend?" I asked.

She smiled and shook her head. "We just met today, Papi. Besides, he seems... nervous. I think he's scared of me."

"Really?! You?" I couldn't believe it! "But you've done nothing bad!"

Her smile fell. "That's not true, even if it wasn't my choice." Kii's face scrunched up, and looked sad. "Even then, I sometimes feel like some of that poison is still in me, somewhere."

"That's okay, Kii," I told her with the biggest smile I could make, "If that poison makes you sad again, I'll just smile enough for the both of us, and then you'll be happy again!"

Kii's eyes widened at me, then she raised a hand to her mouth and started to laugh. Yay!

"Papi, you're a good friend," she said.

"I try!" I said, "Though I'd be a better friend if I stopped forgetting about you...."

"Hm," Kii hummed, tilting her head toward the direction the yellow specks were coming from. Then she smiled. "My... friend... has an idea. As much as I wish I could tell you his real name, a dryad's real name can only be truly conveyed through our aromas. To you, he'd be Mandroot."

"Hi, Mandroot!" I waved in the direction I thought he was. "Tell him "Hi!" for me!"

"I will," Kii promised, her smile growing bigger, "Anyway, he has an idea, and I rather like it. One moment."

She leaned down, rubbing her hand against the soft grass. Kii let out a deep breath, and then... Whoa! Flowers were blooming everywhere she touched! She was so cool! And the flowers were beautiful, too! There was red and pink and white and yellow! They formed a small circle, and one of Kii's fingers stretched out into a thin branch, snapping off and then wrapping itself along the circle, connecting all of the flowers. When that was all done, Kii gently picked them up and offered them to me.

"It's a... necklace or a headband; I suppose," Kii told me, looking a little embarrassed for some reason, "It has a little of my power in it, so the flowers will never wilt so long as we are friends. If you wear this, you might remember me more easily, and..."

I hugged her again, widely smiling as I rubbed her cheek against mine. "I love it! Thank you thank you thank you! I swear I'll wear it forever and ever and I'll never forget you again!"

Kii was quiet for a while, simply hugging me back. Her shoulders were shaking for some reason, so I held her tighter. When she finally spoke again, her voice was trembling.

"No, thank you, Papi. For being you."

To be continued...