Complicated Dreams

(Originally published at SarahPin.com. You can comment here or there.)

A girl called the Monkey has been chosen to lead the Host of Heaven, who are made of metal and have no eyes. Much of the world below them is in ruins from the Host’s attempts to conquer the people there. Once they have the Monkey, they will begin the final assault.

So the Monkey has run from them for a long time, having adventures and rescuing people and making new friends, elves and ghosts and animals and humans. She is only thirteen or fourteen, but is probably the greatest martial artist in the world.

Most of her friends think that is why the angels want her. But the quiet and cool-tempered Princess, who is helping to coordinate resistance against the Host, and whom the Monkey has rescued from them over and over and over, thinks there is another reason. Something the Monkey already knows, but does not want to admit to herself. The Monkey keeps her distance from the Princess, telling herself it is to protect her.

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What Japanese kids do with their English lessons.

(Originally published at SarahPin.com. You can comment here or there.)

There isn’t room on the sidewalk coming up to the apartment for two people to walk abreast of each other. So when two middle-school girls on a bicycle together came up behind me, I stepped into the gutter to let them pass.

The girl pedaling stopped and squinted at me. The other giggled.

Pedaling Girl said, “S - sss - orry!” She worked very hard to get the “s” sound right. I said, “Daijoubu desu.”

They zoomed off, both chortling at the fact that they had actually used their English lessons.