JOBI the Moon Fox 序章 8 - Traveller 與 JOBI

JOBI the Moon Fox
序章 8 - Traveller 與 JOBI


如果可以在短暫的人生中找到一件值得堅持下去的事情，那會是多麼的幸運。


「終於......」


在 JOBI 消失後的第七十七個月圓之夜，我暫時放下牠交託給我的任務，急不及待乘上再次出現的月光通道，回到一切事情的起點。


對於每次月光狐重生，月光通道都會自動開啟這件事情，我覺得可能是 JOBI 國王預先設下的程序。為的是製造機會把「命名者」帶來這裡。


而我亦因此再次回到月球。


熟悉的寂靜，熟悉的環境，還有在那個熟悉的小山丘上，坐著一隻等待命名的白色小狐狸。半夢半醒的牠看起來十分惹人憐愛。


「久等了，小狐狸。你的名字叫 JOBI。」我在牠頭上輕輕拍了一下。


小狐狸得到命名後，毛色立刻從本來的全白色變成金黃色，牠的額頭上冒出了跟 JOBI 國王一樣的下弦月胎記。


我以為這隻新生的小 JOBI 會像上一代的 JOBI 般充滿活力地亂蹦亂跳，怎料牠竟然流起淚來。難道是因為等得寂寞了？


看見這一幕，我總算清楚意識到牠是個新生命，而不再是我以前熟悉的 JOBI。亦同時讓我作出了一個決定。


「JOBI，月球很沒趣的，到那邊去交朋友吧！」我指向遙遠的地球，鼓勵小 JOBI 自己去探險。相信牠一定會找到更多住在地球上的狐狸，探索更多的可能性。


而且，經歷過之前的事情，我覺得自己實在沒資格再跟小 JOBI 做朋友了。我怕自己的軟弱隨時會害牠再次變成透明......


我把圍巾拿下來套在小 JOBI 身上，並送上那瓶自旅程開始就一直帶在身上的糖果。


「待會將會出現一條月光通道，你只要乘上它就能夠前往地球了。到了地球之後如果遇到想結交的朋友，就送他糖果吧。」我拖住小 JOBI 的手，準備送牠乘上月光通道。


怎料牠突然拉住了我。


「我......我叫 JOBI，請問你叫什麼名字？我們......可以交朋友嗎？」


小 JOBI 含羞答答地向我遞上一顆糖果，一雙小手還在微微顫抖，就像花盡了力氣向我示好似的。


「......」


我立刻拭去禁不住湧出的眼淚，以免讓不知情的小 JOBI 難堪。


那顆糖果的甜味，我永遠也不會忘記。


「當然可以！我叫 TRAVELLER。」我微笑著向牠作自我介紹。算起來已經是第三次。


讓小 JOBI 乘上月光通道之後，我向牠送上最後的叮囑：


「無論如何也要堅持自己相信的事情喔！」


這也是上兩代 JOBI 教會我的事。


多得 JOBI 國王堅持自己的理想，我才得以來到月球，認識到狐狸。


多得二代 JOBI 堅持相信我的能力，我才能夠認清自己的軟弱，重新出發。


牠們的堅持讓我對未知的世界有了跟其他人不一樣的體會。


這次該由我做點什麼了。


我想踏遍全世界，尋找更多狐狸，記錄牠們的生態及習性，然後讓牠們聚集起來，不再因為被遺忘或者得不到命名而消失。


我希望世界上不再有孤獨的狐狸。


-Ms. Traveller


JOBI the Moon Fox
序章完


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JOBI the Moon Fox
The Neverending story - 序


旅程途中，一陣怪風突然迎面吹來，使我混身不舒服。


我感到跟小 JOBI 的連繫正在不斷減弱！


發生什麼事了？


等我，小 JOBI，我現在就來找你！


-Ms. Traveller

JOBI the Moon Fox

Prologue Chapter 8 - Traveller and JOBI

It is a blessing to find something worth fighting for within the short lifetime we’re given.

“Finally…”

On the night of the 77th full moon after JOBI’s disappearance, I took a break from the mission he gave me, rushed onto the moonlight tunnel, and went back to the where it all began.

Regarding the moonlight tunnel’s automatic activation whenever a moonlight fox is reborn, I believe it might be arranged by King JOBI to allow the “Namer” to be brought here.

And that’s also how I got back to the moon.

The familiar silence. The familiar environment. On the same familiar tiny hill, sat a little white fox, waiting to be named. It’s half dreaming expression is extremely endearing.

“You’ve waited a long time, little one. Your name is JOBI.” I gave him a gentle pat on his head.

After receiving his name, his white fur immediately turned a golden hue, and a crescent shaped birthmark - exactly like King JOBI’s - appeared on his forehead.

I thought the newborn little JOBI would be just as bubbly and flounced around like the previous one. But, out of the blue, he started crying. Could it be that he got too lonely waiting?

Witnessing this, it finally struck me that he is a new person, and not the JOBI I was once familiar with. I came to a decision then. 

“JOBI, the moon is very boring, why don’t you make friends over there?” I pointed at the faraway Earth, encouraging little JOBI to go exploring by himself. I believe he would definitely find more Earth dwelling foxes, and discover more opportunities.

Anyway, after all that had happened, I feel like I don’t have the right to befriend little JOBI anymore. I’m deeply afraid that my weakness will cause him to fade away again.

I wrapped my scarf around little JOBI’s body and gave him the jar of candies I had with me since the beginning of the journey.

“You can get to Earth via the moonlight tunnel that will appear later. After arriving on Earth, if you meet anyone you want to be friends with, just give them a candy.” I held onto little JOBI’s hand, preparing to send him off on the moonlight tunnel.

Unexpectedly, he held onto me.

“My...my name is JOBI. May I know what’s yours? Can we...be friends?”

Little JOBI shyly offered me a candy. His hands shook slightly as if he was trying his best to befriend me.

“...”

I hurriedly wiped away my tears that are running down my cheeks uncontrollably, in case the innocent little JOBI is embarrassed.

 
I’ll never forget the sweetness of that candy. 

“Of course we can! My name is TRAVELLER.” I smiled and introduced myself to him. Including this time, this is my third.

After I took little JOBI to the moonlight tunnel, I gave him my last piece of advice. 

“No matter what, hold on to the things you believe!”

This is also something the last two JOBIs taught me. 

Thanks to King JOBI insisting on his dream, I got to go to the moon and discover about the foxes. 

And thanks to the second JOBI believing in me, I got to recognise my weaknesses and start over again.

Their perseverance made me experience the unknown differently from other people.

 
This time, I should be the one doing something.

I want to travel all around the world, find more foxes, record their habits and their habitats, and gather the foxes. So they will never disappear again because they are forgotten or unnamed. 

I hope there will never be another lonely fox in the world. 

-Ms. Traveller

JOBI the Moon Fox

End of the Prologue chapter

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JOBI the Moon Fox
The Neverending story - Prologue

In the midst of the journey, a strange gust of wind blew directly at me, making me tingle all over.

I felt my connection with little JOBI begin to dwindle steadily.

What happened?

Wait for me, little JOBI! I’m going to you now!

-Ms.Traveller

JOBI the Moon Fox 序章 7 - JOBI 與 Mei

JOBI the Moon Fox
序章 7 - JOBI 與 Mei


狐狸自身的生命能量，就是開啟月光通道的鎖匙。


可是，生命能量是需要透過同伴之間的記憶所提煉出來的。要是牠們一旦被遺忘或者被否定其存在的話，孤獨的狐狸將會失去能量泉源，身體亦會逐漸變成透明，直至完全消失。


而人類跟狐狸間的連繫亦十分脆弱。即使我們一開始能夠看見狐狸，只要稍為跟牠們失去同步，便可能無法再看見牠們，相關的記憶亦會同時消失。


就跟我一樣。


然而，即使 JOBI 知道自己已經被我忘記，卻仍然繼續以僅餘的生命能量嘗試打開月光通道，希望讓我再次找到牠。


原來月亮偶爾比平時耀眼並不是錯覺，而是 JOBI 發出的訊號！我很懊悔沒有早點發現這件事情，這樣的我還有資格再當牠的朋友嗎......？


意想不到的是，JOBI 明知道自己即將消失，卻跟 JOBI 國王一樣，看不出半點傷感。


「來，我們一起上月球去吧！」


肩上披著圍巾，胸口戴著一個 「J」字吊墜，感覺比一年前成熟了很多的 JOBI，一手拖著我，一手拖著還沒自我介紹的小女孩，一起乘上月光通道。


「噢噢噢噢！這裡好漂亮啊！」小女孩比我初次來到時興奮得多。在月球上又跑又跳的她讓我想起剛剛得到命名的 JOBI。


「Mei，過去一年我去過很多地方旅行哩！」JOBI 跟我一起坐在牠出生的那座小山丘上看著小女孩玩耍。


「JOBI，對不起......」當刻內疚無比的我終於忍不住淚水。


「不要緊的，只要你肯答應我一件事情。」牠拿出一幅地圖交給我，上面有很多位置都被標示起來。


「這是......?」我趕緊拭去眼淚，以免掉在地圖上面。


「我在旅行期間發現原來地球上也有跟我一樣的狐狸。而這幅地圖上所標示的位置，就是將會有狐狸誕生的地方。當我消失之後，你要代替我繼續尋找地圖上的狐狸，為牠們命名喔！」快要完全變成透明的 JOBI 把這個責任重大的任務託付給我，牠就像從前跟我討糖果吃一樣毫不客氣。


「我能夠做得到嗎......？」經歷過各種事情，我對軟弱的自己感到懷疑。


「Mei，你擁有特別的能力。即使我們之間曾經失去連繫，你還是沒有完全忘記我，甚至能夠跟我重新同步。我覺得這當中一定代表著什麼。而那就得靠你自己去發掘了。你要答應我，無論遇到什麼困難也要堅持下去，知道嗎？」


JOBI 把牠的圍巾戴在我肩上，並把吊墜送給我，然後就化成了一顆光點緩緩地落地圖上，成為一個新的標記。


「要記住我喔.....」


我彷彿仍然聽到 JOBI 的聲音。


隨著 JOBI 的消失，我的眼淚再次湧出。這時候，小女孩跑到我面前。擁有一雙清澈眼神的她再次讓我想起小時候的 JOBI。



「姊姊，你為什麼哭了？狐狸呢？狐狸去哪裡了？」


「小妹妹，你叫什麼名字？」


「我是在孤兒院長大的，沒有人給我名字。」


「那我把我的名字送給你。從今天開始你就叫 Mei 好不好？」


「好喔好喔！我叫 Mei！太好了我終於擁有自己的名字啦！」



跟 Mei 回到地球之後。我寫了一封信給家人，叫他們不用擔心我，並拜託他們照顧 Mei。


而我則隨便為自己取了個新的名字 - Traveller。這個名字來自 JOBI 最愛吃的那款糖果。據說製造糖果的人從某位旅行者身上取得獨特的配方，才能做出如此美味的糖果。故此把糖果命名為 「Traveller」作為紀念。


我把那瓶糖果帶在身上，耐心地等待著「那一天」。


又一個滿月之夜，我踏上尋找狐狸的旅程。


-Ms. Traveller

JOBI the Moon Fox

Prologue chapter 7 - JOBI and Mei

The life force from a fox, is the key to activating the moonlight tunnel.

But, life force is something that’s extracted from the memories shared between friends and family. If the foxes were forgotten or their existence denied, the lonely fox would lose its energy source and its body would gradually fade away until it completely disappeared.

The links between humans and foxes are very fragile. Although we can see foxes at the very beginning, if we lose just a little bit of our connections with them, we might possibly lose our ability to see them, and along with this, our memories of them might also vanish.

Just like what happened to me. 

Yet, even though JOBI knew I’d forgotten him, he still tried to activate the moonlight tunnel with the last bit of his life force, in hopes that I’ll find him again.

Turns out I wasn’t mistaken when I thought the moon shines brighter from time to time. It was a signal from JOBI! I regretted that I hadn’t found out about this earlier. Do I still have the rights to be his friend? 

Unexpectedly, even though JOBI knew he was going to vanish, just like king JOBI, he didn’t look sad at all.

“Come. Let’s go to the moon together!”

With a scarf wrapped around his shoulders, and a letter “J” pendant hanging in front of his chest, JOBI seems much more mature than a year ago. He took my hand in one of his, and with the other, he held on to a little girl, and together we got on the moonlight tunnel. 

“Oh, oh, oh, oh! It’s so pretty here!” The little girl was much more excited than I was when I first came here. 

“Mei, I’ve travelled to a lot of places last year!” JOBI said. He sat down with me on the tiny hill he was born on while watching the little girl play. 

“JOBI, I’m sorry…” I could no longer held onto my guilt driven tears. 

“It’s okay, as long as you promise one thing.” He took out a map and handed it over to me. A lot of locations were already marked. 

“This is…?” I hurriedly wiped away my tears, in case they fell on the map. 

“When I was travelling, I found foxes like me on Earth. The marks on this map tells you where foxes will be born. After I’ve disappeared, you have to keep finding the foxes on this map instead of me and give them their name.” The almost transparent JOBI entrusted this important mission to me. He’s just as brazen as he was before when he asked me for the candy.

“Would I be able to do it…?” After everything, I’m doubtful of my weak self.

“Mei, you possess a special power. Even though we lost our connection before, you didn’t forget me completely. You can even resynchronise with me! I feel like this must mean something. It rests on you to find out what it is. Promise me, no matter what kind of difficulties you encounter, you must persevere, okay?”

JOBI wrapped his scarf around my neck, and gave me his pendant. Then, he faded away into a speck of light, and slowly landed on the moon on the map, becoming a new mark.

“Remember me…”

It’s like I can still hear JOBI’s voice.

Following JOBI’s disappearance, my tears poured out again. Just then, the little girl ran towards me. Her clear eyes reminded me of JOBI’s when he was a young fox. 

“Sister, why are you crying? How about the fox? Where did the fox go?”

“Little girl, what’s your name?”


“I grew up in an orphanage. No one gave me any names.”

“Then, I’ll give you my name. From today onwards, you’re called Mei. Okay?”

“Yay! My name is Mei! Yes! I finally have my own name!”

After going back to Earth with Mei, I wrote a letter to my family. I told them not to worry about me and to take care of Mei for me. 

Then I randomly picked out a new name for myself, Traveller. This name comes from JOBI’s favourite candies. Legend has it that the candy maker took a unique recipe from a traveller, and made these delicious candies. That’s why as a namesake, the candies are named “Traveller”.

I kept the jar of candies on me and waited patiently for “that one day”.

On another night of the full moon, I started my journey of finding the foxes.

-Ms. Traveller

JOBI the Moon Fox 序章 6 - 糖果 與 記憶

JOBI the Moon Fox

序章 6 - 糖果 與 記憶


「嗯......？我為什麼哭起來了？」


我一臉茫然，完全摸不著頭腦。


回家後，我看見書桌上放著一瓶糖果，突然感到若有所失。雖然不知道是誰放下的，卻感覺它已經放在房間很久，只是說不出為何會有這種感覺。


可能因為跑得太累，我靜靜地坐在床上凝望著那瓶糖果，不知不覺就睡著了......


「Mei，今天沒有狐狸故事要分享了嗎？」


第二天回到學校，鄰坐同學向我問道。


「什麼狐狸故事......？」我聽不明白。


「喔？你終於選擇長大了。那我們得好好慶祝一下。哈哈！」鄰坐同學拍拍我的肩膀，一副替我高興的樣子讓我有點不知所措。


我好像很久沒有試過如此放鬆了。


那天放學後，我為自己的房間換上了新的桌子跟床鋪，然後在窗台上裝上漂亮的窗簾，用來阻擋窗外偶爾過份耀眼的月光。整個房間頓時煥然一新。


唯獨是那瓶糖果，我由它繼續放在原位。


不知何故，我總覺得要是把它拿走，就會失去某些重要的連繫，而且再也無法尋回。


也或許這瓶糖果已經是最後留下來的東西了......


如是者，一年之後，一個月圓的晚上。


那天我感冒發燒，只好窩在床上休息。可是吃過藥後又覺得口腔很淡，於是披著綿被走下床，從書桌上的瓶子裡拿糖果吃。


突然，一陣怪風把窗簾吹起，月光滿滿地照亮我的房間。這種似曾相識的感覺讓我那半夢半醒的腦袋開始運轉起來。


「Mei，你看見了嗎？我做到了喔！」


我聽見一把熟悉的聲音。這聲音在我的腦海中轉化成一幕幕熟悉的畫面。畫面聚集起來，構成出我最寶貴的回憶！


我.....我怎可能會把它忘記的？


「......你在哪裡？」


焦急的我連衣服都沒有整理好，就怱怱跑到街上四處尋找聲音的主人。奈何所到之處都沒有看見那個熟悉的身影。


就在我累到幾乎要跪在地上，而且徬徨得快要哭出來的時候，有個小女孩迎面跑向我。


「姊姊，你看得見嗎？有隻狐狸在月光下施法術喔！」她......竟然能夠看見狐狸！


我連忙望向久違了的那個比平常更大更光的月亮，並隱約發現一條幼小的光柱落在學校後山山頂。回憶的畫面再次湧現。


我立刻抓著小女孩的手，帶她一起奔向「牠」初次來到地球時所踏足的地方。


我從遠處已經能夠認出「牠」 - 一個被自私又軟弱的我遺忘了整整一年的朋友。


「JOBI！」

「Mei，你終於來了。」



我雖然已經氣喘得腳步躝跚，卻還是用盡力氣衝上前，希望能夠盡量奪回失去了的時間。


然而，當我看見 JOBI 的身體呈半透明的時候，終於意識到自己已經來得太遲。


-Ms. Traveller



JOBI the Moon Fox
Prologue 6 - Candy and Memory 


I didn't stop until I couldn't ran anymore. By that time, my tears had stopped. 


'Oh...? Why did I cry?' 


I was so confused. 

I headed back home and saw a can of candy. I had a strange feeling of losing something, yet I couldn't recall. I didn't know who put the candy here, but I feel like it had been put here long ago. 


I was too tired from running so I sat on my bed and stared at the candy until I fell asleep...


'Mei, don't you have fox stories to share today?' 


My classmate asked when I attended school the next day. 


'What fox stories...?' I couldn't get it. 


'Well, you finally decided to grow up! We gotta celebrate!! Haha!' The strange manner of my classmate confused me. 


Felt like I hadn't been so carefree for long time. 


I replaced my desk and bed sheet with new ones, also decorated the window with cute curtains in order to block the over-shiny moonlight. The room was so refreshing. 


But I left the can of candy in the same place. 


With unknown reasons, I felt like some important connections would be gone if I put it away.



Maybe this can was the only thing left...


A year passed by, the moon was full tonight. 


I stayed in bed as I had catch a cold. I went to take some candy from the desk after taking medicine that was too plain. 


Suddenly an unnatural flow of wind blew into my room, followed by bright moonlight. I felt like I had seen this scenery before, my brain was flashing with some memories. 


'Mei, can you see it? I did it!' 


I heard a familiar voice. This voice recalled pieces of memories that were long forgotten. 


These pieces were put together and formed my most cherished memory! 


How... how could I forget? 


'Where are you?'


I rushed on to the street in haste before tidying up my clothes to look for the owner of the voice. Yet It could not be found. 


I was too frustrated to go on, and when I was just about to knee down and cry, a little girl ran into me. 


'Hey, can you see that? A fox was casting magic under moonlight!' 


So she could see the fox!! 


I looked at the moon that was fuller then usual and discovered a tiny light tunnel linking to the mountain located in the back of my school. The memories flashed by. 


I grabbed her hand and took her to where 'it' was when 'it' first landed on earth. 


I could recognised 'it' from distance － a dear friend that was forgotten by the weak and selfish me year ago. 


'JOBI!' 


'Mei, finally, you are here.'


I was nearly out of breath but still rushed to it at full blast, hoping to gain back the time that was lost. 


However when I saw JOBI's body, I realised it's too late － It was transparent. 


-Ms. Traveller

JOBI the Moon Fox 序章 5 - 無力的堅持 與 無情的言語

JOBI the Moon Fox
序章 5 - 無力的堅持 與 無情的言語


「月光通道？怎可能有那種東西？」


「狐狸在哪裡？少騙人！」


「該長大了，Mei。」


如此這般的說話，我已經數不清聽過多少遍了。雖然我很想讓更多人知道狐狸的存在，可是礙於大家都無法親眼看見，他們就只會覺得我在胡說八道而已。


我總算明白 JOBI 國王的苦況。當堅持已久的事情得不到別人認同，那種無力感真的會讓人感到十分氣餒。


甚至令我對自己產生懷疑......


「Mei，你不需要勉強去實現 JOBI 國王的理想啊。反正我們現在生活得很好不是嗎？」


新生 JOBI 悠閒地躺在我的房間邊吃糖果邊看書。一向悠然自得的牠倒是沒有很在意要繼承上一代的志向。


不經不覺來到我家快三年的 JOBI，成長速度跟學習能力都非常高。牠已經長得跟 JOBI 國王差不多高了，而且很懂得照顧自己。唯一不變的，就是牠仍然會經常跟我討吃初次見面時送給牠的那款糖果。


所以，為了讓牠跟我一起努力。我決定用糖果引誘牠。


「JOBI，我想請你幫我做一件事情。如果你答應的話，我就請你吃一個月份量的糖果好不好？」我拿出一整瓶價值相等於我半個月零用錢的糖果放在 JOBI 面前。


「噢噢噢當然好！你想我幫忙做什麼？」JOBI 興奮得雙眼發光。


「我想你在大家面前開啟月光通道。這樣的話即使他們看不到你，也還是會因為月亮突然變得更大更光而相信我的！」這次我一定要成功。


誰知道 JOBI 聽到我的計劃之後，興奮的情緒一下子就冷靜下來。


「可是我不懂得打開通道的方法耶！我又不是國王......」牠面有難色。


「既然你跟 JOBI 國王一樣擁有月光狐血統的話，我相信你一定會找到方法的。拜託你嘗試看看吧。我再也想不出其他辦法去讓大家相信我了......你要幫我！」我明白自己的想法可能有點胡來，可是三年來不斷碰釘已經讓我開始失去耐性。


而 JOBI 好像也能夠看得出來。


「......Mei，你要我這樣做，真的是為了 JOBI 國王的理想嗎？還是其實只為了滿足你自己啊？」


牠的質問深深刺中了我的痛處。


雖然我不想承認，可是當我鍥而不捨地努力想讓大家相信狐狸的存在，卻沒有得到任何成果的時候，一直存在於心中的懷疑開始變得愈來愈強烈......


「算了！既然你不肯幫我，那就當我沒說過吧！反正我早就隱約覺得，我之所以能夠看見大家都看不見的狐狸，並不是因為自己有什麼特別......」


「Mei......? 」JOBI 望著激動起來的我，眼神變得十分陌生。


「或許......或許所謂的『狐狸』，其實只是小時候沒有認識到朋友的我所妄想出來，藉以陪伴自己的虛構存在而已！什麼月光通道，什麼 JOBI 國王，還有你......


「Mei！我......」JOBI 試圖握住我的手，卻被我大力甩開。


「根．本．從．來．都．不．存．在！」


那個時候，自私而軟弱的我完全沒有顧及 JOBI 的感受。心中埋藏已久的不快讓無情的說話像缺堤般衝口而出。


我頭也不回衝出家門。


然後，我的世界也同時「恢復正常」。


-Ms.Traveller



JOBI the Moon Fox
Prologue 5 - Powerless Persistence and Ruthless Words


'Moonlight tunnel? How does that exist?'


'Where is the fox? Stop lying!'


'Grow up, Mei!'


All theses years, I had heard uncountable words like these. I wanted to let more people know the existence of the foxes, yet no one was able to see them, thus no one believed me.


I finally came to understand the helplessness JOBI the King once felt － I couldn't earned any recognition for what I had been believing for years.


I was so discouraged, even started doubting...


'Mei, Why do you persist to achieve the will of JOBI the King so reluctantly? We are having a good life, aren't we?'


Newborn JOBI was laying on the floor in my room carelessly, eating candies while reading. This unrestrained fox didn't have the tendency to inherit the belief of its past generation.


Three years had passed since JOBI came to my home. It had grown a lot, with the height almost as same as JOBI the King. It was a fast-learner, it knew how to take care of itself well.


The only thing that didn't change, was that it still craved for the candies I gave it when we first met.


Thence, in order to motivate it to work with me, I decided to use candies as a bite.


'JOBI, I would like you to do something for me. If you promise me, you will be given candies with the amount of a whole month, how about that?' I put a big can of candies equaled half of my spending money for a month in front of JOBI.


'OHHHHH SURE! What do you want me to do?' JOBI's eyes were brightened with excitement.


'I want you to open the moonlight tunnel and let everyone sees it. Even they can't see you, they will trust me as the moon will become fuller and brighter oddly!' This had to work.


However JOBI was cooled off after hearing my plan.


'But I don't know how to open it...I'm not the king.' JOBI seemed troubled.


'You have the blood of Moon Fox like JOBI the King, there must be a way you can do that. Please try. I can't think of other ways to let them believe me... You have to help me!' I did realised I was being unreasonable, yet I was exhausted by the failures I had faced these three years.


JOBI seemed to know.


'Mei, what you wanted me to do, is to fulfil the wish of JOBI the King? Or just for yourself?' Its questioning touched my raw nerve.


I hated to admit it. I was so persistent and had put much effort in making others to believe the existence of the foxes, still I got no retribution at all, the doubts inside my heart started to spread.


'Fine! Forget it if you are not helping me! I had a feeling about it anyway, the reason I can see foxes others cannot see...is not because I'm unique...'


'Mei...?' JOBI stared at me like looking at a stranger.


'Maybe...maybe the 'foxes' were merely my imaginary friends to comfort myself as I wasn't able to make friends in my childhood!! Moonlight tunnel, JOBI the King, and you...'


'Mei! I...' JOBI attempted to grab my hand, but I flung its paw away.


'DO NOT EXIST!'


At that moment, I was too wrapped up in myself to consider the feeling of JOBI. The unsatisfactory piled up in my heart pushed the ruthless words out of my lips.


I ran away from home.


Then my life went back to 'normal'.


-Ms.Traveller

JOBI the Moon Fox 序章 4 - 約定的延續 與 新生的狐狸

JOBI the Moon Fox
序章 4 - 約定的延續 與 新生的狐狸


我乘上再次開啟的月光通道來到月球。眼前熟悉的風景也再次勾起我的回憶。


「當我消失之後，再過一段時間，這裡將會有另一隻狐狸誕生。到時你會願意回來為牠命名嗎？」


我沒有忘記五年前跟 JOBI 國王的約定。


而就在那座跟牠離別的小山丘，我看見一隻黑色的小狐狸在靜靜地盤坐著。


我走到小狐狸面前，牠並沒有感到害怕，只是慢慢抬起了頭。


「你的名字是......JOBI。」當我為小狐狸完成命名之後，不可思議的事情隨即發生。


小狐狸聽到自己的名字後立刻站了起來。牠的尾巴用力一揮，讓周圍吹起一陣微風。微風從下而上把牠的毛髮從原來的黑色催化成閃亮的紫色。過程就像醜小鴨剎那間蛻變成天鵝一樣神奇奪目。


「喔喔喔！」新生的 JOBI 像個精力充沛的小孩般又跑又跳。


「你好喔 JOBI，我叫 Mei。」我「再次」向 JOBI 介紹自己。


「我肚餓了，Mei。我要吃東西！」JOBI 一雙純真的眼睛有如湖水般清徹，聲線也比 JOBI 國王響亮，只是初生的牠看來不太懂禮儀就是。


「嗯？我身上只有幾顆糖果耶......你在這裡等等，我回家拿食物給你好了。」我在考慮應該帶什麼給狐狸吃才好。


「我跟你一起回家不就好了嘛？」怎料 JOBI 竟然一手拿走我的糖果就往嘴裡扔，老實不客氣得讓我有點無所適從。


不過，這隻小狐狸雖然直率得有點亂來，卻一點也不會討人厭，甚至讓人覺得挺可愛的。


再者，如果我就此讓牠跟 JOBI 國王一樣獨個兒留在月球，也未免太殘忍了。


現在回想起來，或許我從再次看見月光通道開啟的那刻，就已經做好了決定......


「狐狸跟人類是可以成為朋友的。」


我很想延續 JOBI 國王的理想。尋找更多能夠看見狐狸，而且願意跟牠們交朋友的人。


– Ms. Traveller



JOBI the Moon Fox
Prologue 4 - The Promise Continued and the Newborn Fox


I rid on the moonlight tunnel to the moon again, this reminded me of the past.


'After I have disappeared, years later in here, another fox will be born. May I ask you to name it?'


I didn't forgot the promise made five years ago.


A little black fox was sitting quietly on the mountain we said goodbye.


I walked in to the front of the tiny fox, it wasn't afraid. It merely stared at me.


'Your name is... JOBI.'


After I named the fox, incredible thing happened － it stood up after hearing its name, waved its tail and stirred the air. The wind blown its fur and turned it into shimmering purple. It's like the ugly duckling turning into a swan. Such fascinating.


'OHHHHHH!' Newborn JOBI jumped and ran like an energetic child.


'Hello JOBI, I'm Mei.' I introduced myself to JOBI 'again'.


'I'm starving, Mei. I want to eat!' JOBI had a pair of crystal-clear eyes brightened by purity. It's voice was louder than JOBI the King － it hadn't know much about curtesy though.


'Oh? I have a few candies with me only...Would you like me to go home and get you something while you stay here and wait?' I wondered what a fox might like to eat.


'I can go with you, can't I?' JOBI took my candies and threw them into its mouth unexpectedly. I was at a loss as to what to do with its frankness.


Yet, this candid little fox was not annoying, even cute. Also, it'd be cruel to leave it alone on the moon like JOBI the king.


Speaking of that, I had probably made up my mind at the moment I saw the moonlight tunnel.


'Foxes and humans can be friends.'


I wished I could pass on the will of JOBI the King － to look for people who could see the foxes and willed to be friends with them.


– Ms. Traveller