Submission (#1395) Approved

(643 words)

At sunset, the hour when the desert sands begin to cool and the air fills with silence, Traveller walked along the dunes. She paid no attention to the slipping shadows - there were enough of them here. Her steps were sure, her gaze focused. Everything was under control. Almost everything.

Somewhere behind her, at the edge of her vision, a green silhouette flashed in the sand.

Impon sat behind a rock, holding the lid of his container with his hands. He had been carrying around a small bug-shaped whistle filled with firecracker pollen for two days now. With this gadget he had three ideas and no conscience. Today was day number three. Which meant it was time.

Traveller stopped. Something wasn't right. She squinted her eyes. Her ears twitched slightly. The sand became suspiciously flat. Too smooth. Too...

Pshhhh!

A thin fountain of glittering pollen rose from the ground, raining a golden rain over her head. Traveller flinched, and instinctively ducked sideways, covering her head with her cape. But it was too late: her cloak shimmered, golden patterns beginning to flicker like garland at a fair.

- LUCKY... - she breathed through her teeth.

- Hi there! — came a cheerful voice from the dune. - What a meeting! Perfect weather to... I don't know, shine?

He stood waving his towel as if it were the official banner of victory. Traveller silently shook the pollen off his shoulder, drilling him with a glare.

- You think this is fun? - Her voice was flat, but there was a sense of menace in it.

- Of course! - The impon jumped down, managing not to hit a single thorny bush. - Look at you: you're rugged, dangerous, intimidating. Everyone's like, “Oh, my God, it's Traveller!” And now you're a shimmering menace! That's even cooler!

She didn't respond. Instead, took a step forward. Lucky backed away, but kept smiling.

- All right, all right, peace! I've brought the offering as it should be. - He pulled a tiny pouch from the container. - A gift to the great desert huntress.

Traveller raised an eyebrow.

- What are these?

- Mini marmalade caterpillars. With sourness! - He shook the pouch, and the caterpillars moved inside like the real thing. - Handmade. No harm to the body, sort of. I've tested it. But on myself.

She took the pouch, keeping her eyes on him. Weighed it. Then put it away.

- This time, - she said, - you will live.

- Oh, how generous! - He bowed so low that he almost spilled the contents of his vessel when the lid began to roll off.

Traveller had already turned around to leave when she heard the slight plop again. She froze.

- LUCK-...

He stretched his arms up.

- It's not me! Or...

Another jet of pollen slowly floated out from behind the rock. But this time it went straight for Impon, showering him from head to toe with pink glitter. His cap stuck, his nose glowed, and his gachapon began to sound like a music box.

Traveller turned to face him. Stared for a long time. Then... grinned. Barely noticeable.

Impon, sitting in a pile of shiny sand, lifted his head.

- That... what was that? How did that happen?

- Serves you right, - she cut off and disappeared behind a rock, leaving only gold dust and the glimmer of a red cloak.

Lucky scratched his head. This was the first time something like this had ever happened to him. Had the... Traveller herself had planned this? It couldn't be, it was so unlike her.

He still sat like that for a while before taking off on his wings.

- Gee, this world continues to amaze me, - Impon muttered to himself with a genuine smile, before heading off to cause trouble for the other snugzi.

Reward	Amount
Impon MYO	1
Tickets	5