The brilliant sunlight was shining on the garden…-.
Saiga was walking along the porch, smiling fondly as he heard the sounds of excitement coming from the garden.
Saiga: “They are quite lively.”
The princes from the Country of Wondermare were visiting, having brought the traditional tools for celebrating the start of the new year.
Saiga could hear the princes in the garden, laughing and playing for the new year.
Saiga: “…hm?”
Saiga happened to pass by a room and stopped as he noticed a figure.
There was Dormouse, his breathing quiet as he slept on a tatami mat.
Saiga: “If one does fall asleep here… thou might catch a cold. If only there was an item to…”
Dormouse: “Ehehe…OO…”
As Saiga looked around, Dormouse gently grabbed his tail.
Dormouse: “Hmm…huh…?”
Dormouse opened his eyes and looked around in confusion.
Saiga smiled gently.
Saiga: “Wert thou dreaming?”
Dormouse: “Yeah… in my dream, I saw OO…”
Saiga: “Hoh. That doth mean that thou has seen a good dream for the new year. Dost thou always dream when sleeping?”
Dormouse: “Uh-huh…I have lots of different dreams… before that, I dreamed about playing with everyone from Wondermare…”
Dormouse spoke slowly as he rubbed his eyes, and Saiga listened quietly as he moved to sit next to him.
Dormouse: “You know, before that… I was in a town with lots of mushrooms…”
Saiga: “I see… quite intriguing, these dreams of yours.”
Dormouse: “Everyone was looking for mushrooms together… and then… hah…”
His story became punctuated with more frequent yawns before Dormouse was once again sound asleep.
Saiga: “…didst thou fall to slumber? Yet I am unable to move from this position…”
Saiga looked at the sleeping Dormouse, who was now using his shoulder for support, when he heard voices in the distance from the garden.
??: “Heeey! Dormouse, where’d you go? We’re going kite flying!”
??: “Dormouse, come play with us~!”
Dormouse: “Mmm…hehe…play with… everyone…”
Saiga: “Haha… Could it be that thou bethinking of this as a dream as well?”
Dormouse answered the calls of the princes in his sleep and smiled with a happiness from the heart.
Saiga: “Next time, let us revel with everyone in truth rather than in the dream thou seeth.”
Saiga looked at Dormouse and listened carefully for the voices, coming from nearer now, as he smiled warmly once more.
END
*NOTE: Saiga speaks in very archaic Japanese. This is why his translated speech pattern is reminiscent of old English.