Run! run! run! run! run! run! run! run! run! run!run! run! run! run!
"Eek-!" I squirmed like a little girl as I dodged an attack from the dark king of furries.
"STOP, YOU FOOL! HOW DARE YOU TRY TO RUN AWAY FROM ME! YOU COWARD!"
"Oh shut it already!"
I held the sword in my right hand and continued rushing down the stairs.
"HUP!"
One by one, I ran over each of the weird looking skeletons, their skulls creaking under my feet as I made my way out.
Fighting him here would be meaningless. I need to get back to metropians and think of a plan.
-THUMPPP-
Odorome appeared in front of me.
"Shi-" I stumbled over my feet as I stopped myself mid fall.
"YOU MUST NOT ESCAPE ME!"
"Get a mouth freshner!"
I sliced down a vine he grew from the ground and jumped away from him.
Anyway, I'm pretty fast and strong now. I could thank the dragon for that I guess.
I kept running until my lungs felt like two hot hot dogs stuffed with regret.
The corridor bent left, then right, then somewhere between geometry and nonsense....typical Odorome architecture, probably designed by a migraine.
I ducked into the nearest door and slammed it shut behind me.
Silence.
Finally.
The room was small, lit only by a single floating candle. Books were scattered everywhere, pages whispering as if gossiping about me. I leaned against the wall, gasping, trying to make my heart stop beatboxing inside my chest.
"Okay... think, genius, think."
Sword-check. Pride-barely. Plan-nonexistent.
I closed my eyes. Images flickered: Shizuka laughing under the old banyan tree, Gian threatening to "train" me again, Doraemon's disappointed sigh whenever I did something stupid. It hurt. In a soft, nostalgic way that made me hate it even more.
"No, no, stop that. Focus!"
My brain, traitorous as ever, dug deeper. That one time I tried to impress Shizuka with 'Nobita the poet.' I'd rhymed love with dove and dove with stove. She'd smiled—politely. I still wanted to crawl into the sun and perish.
"Great. My life flashes before my eyes and it's all cringe."
I stood up, brushed off imaginary dust, and stepped toward the window for some air....and froze.
Why didn't I think of this earlier?
I saw dense forests, covered with creatures looking straight out of an eldritch horror scene. The trees were as green as any blueberry..... I know they're purple, but that's why.
"Wait.... If the worlds are 'Colliding'....for whatever reason...Doesn't that mean 'it' should be here too?"
My mind brainstormed some ideas. I knew this sword wasn't enough to kill that furry.
"Tch... Kid me did it coincidentally..."
It was frustrating how a mere nightmare demon I met as a 10 year old was now literally trying to be my nexus..... Nothing new being honest.
"Wait"
Then, I got an idea.
"Holy dimensional spaghetti…"
I clenched my pocket, grabbing the copter.
"Yeah... It'll work, probably"
I barely had time to blink before the sky laughed. A deep, metallic Ho-Ho-Ho! shook the glass.
I turned.
And there he was.
Zanda Claus.
His eyes burned like overcharged LEDs. It flew in the air as the castle was covered in a shadow it.
"NOBITA! Where are you?!"
"Oh come on....what list am I even on now?!"
But it was perfect. I needed to escape anyways.
"Pippo!" I screamed as I jumped out the window, putting on the copter, flying towards it. "I'm here-- whoaaa!"
The dark army was certainly not happy seeing him here I guess. Several dragons flew by my side, closer than i was comfortable with, attacking.
I tried to fly straight under the wind as Zanda claus sliced a dragon in half with his eyes.
"HEY! DOWN HERE!"
"nobita?!"
The tiny voice came from on top of a flying robot that sounded like an overexcited pigeon.
"I'M HERE TO SAVE YOU!" Pippo yelled, waving his tiny arms.
The robot grabbed me mid-protest—"Wait-wait-WAIT, I'm still processing existential dread!"—and yoinked me straight out of the room, glass raining behind us.
Zanda Claus bellowed after us, swinging his candy-cane halberd. "YOU CAN'T ESCAPE CHRISTMAS!"
Frick! Who gave him the Christmas theme for real?!
The robot jolted upward, engines screaming, as the merging sky twisted into a kaleidoscope of nightmares and holiday cheer.
"Pippo!" I shouted over the wind, "please tell me you actually have a plan this time!"
"Define 'plan!'"
"Oh yeah... Sorry, you are a BIRD brain, no?"
"Heh, I'm great aren't I?"
I didn't bother telling him what I meant. I just sighed, as I climed on top of zanda, standing in front of pippo.
"Okay, I-hm?"
I stopped mid sentence. Pippo looked down, sulking. Tears brought up in his eyes.
"Huh? Wait.. What?!"
I quickly looked behind. We were already far away from the castle. No one attacking us either.
"What happened-"
"N-Nobita." He stuttered... "Would you.... Really not help us?"
I paused.
Ah.... I'm so dumb aren't I? Obviously.... He was hurt.
I looked on him still for a few seconds. He was shaking, trying to hold back more tears. This bird's expression reminded me of exactly what I was about to do just a few moments ago.
What do I do? Apologize? Or do I justify myself. What can I do-.... No....
That's not what I should be thinking.
The question is.... What does he 'Expect' me to do.... More accurately even. What does he 'want' me to do.
Suddenly, I smirked. It crawled up my lips on its own this time. And I picked him up.
-HUP-
"Huh-What are you-?!"
"I'VE GOT A PLAN! I'LL STOP HIM. AND I NEED YOU FOR IT! SO... TRUST ME!"
My eyes stared at his in an unblinking stare lock. I didn't know how I was getting this much motivation... But... I had to do something.
Seeing people sad just because I'm not special enough to change it... Fuck that. That's not who I am.
"NOBITA NOBI.... WILL SAVE YOU AGAIN!"