Best Friends

Oh, thank you! My boy... My precious Jinta... Save him!

Where could he have gone this time? Such a problem child!

Where could he have gone this time? Such a problem child!

Where could he have gone this time? Such a problem child!

Ever since he came back, Jinta seems... different. A little more mature. They grow up so fast...

Ah, Aldo. Sometimes, I still hear its voice. It always cheers me up.

Heavens, where has that boy run off to this time?!

Whoa, take it easy! What's the matter?

My son, Jinta, has disappeared! I've been searching all over, but he doesn't seem to be anywhere.

You think he went outside the village?

He must have. Honestly, I'm always warning him about the dinosaurs, but he never listens!

Okay, I'll go take a look for him. You should stay here in case he comes back while I'm away.

Oh, thank you! My boy... My precious Jinta... Save him!

He hasn't been gone long, and he's only a kid. He can't have gone very far beyond the village...

Ah-ha! That's got to be our missing kid!

Hey, is your name Jinta?

Whoa, what the, ! Who the blazes are you, Squire?!

Hey, keep it down! You're gonna have dinosaurs after us if you yell like that.

Who are you?!

My name's Aldo. Your mom asked me to come find you. Why'd you leave the village without telling anyone? People are panicking, you know.

Oops, now I've gone and done it... I did mean to tell Mom, but I forgot.

Is there any particular reason you're coming all the way out here?

Um...kinda, but...

You've got a lot of stuff with you too. Hm? This smell... Are you carrying food? Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to wander around a place like this smelling like a free lunch?

Come on, what's going on here?

......

All right, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I'm not your mother. Let's get you home.

Urgh... Maybe I'll have better luck next time.

Oh, thank the stars! You're safe!

Sorry to worry you, Mom...

What a relief. I thought you'd been gobbled up by some marauding dinosaur!

I wouldn't get eaten that easy...

Don't be so cocky, boy! A little morsel like you could get swallowed in one gulp! That's why you shouldn't go onto the Zol Plains all by yourself! What were you thinking?

I... I can't say...

So now you want to keep secrets from me, too? No dinner for you tonight!

That's not fair!

Feel like talking now?

Urgh... No, this is a secret I have to keep.

Wicked child! I'm going to give you a spanking you won't soon forget...

Wait, isn't that going a little too far? He got home safe, how about you just forgive and forget?

I wish I could, but the lad needs discipline!

Sure, but he's only a kid. Messing up and keeping secrets is practically his job.

Kindly don't tell me how to raise my children. Now, Jinta...

Huh? He's gone! Look what you've done now!

Wow, I barely saw the little guy move...

Where could he have gone this time? Such a problem child!

Let's all just stay calm, all right? I'll find him and bring him back again.

He wouldn't keep running off like this unless he had a good reason. Maybe he's in the same place as before?

Just as I thought, here he is again. What's so special about this spot?

Huh? That's...

A dinosaur? Hey, kid, run for it!

Huh? You're that fella from before... No, wait! You've got the wrong idea!

Don't just stand there, move!

No, this guy's okay! He doesn't attack people or anything!

Seriously?

Kruh? Kuhrururu?

He's really not attacking...

See, he's not dangerous! He's just a baby, and he knows I'm his friend, too.

What's all this about?

I found him when I was out playing. The other young dinos had been picking on him. He was really hurt, he couldn't even catch his own food. I felt so sorry for him, I gave him something to eat, and...here we are.

He's probably imprinted on you like a baby chick following its mom. Have you thought about what you're going to do with him? He's gonna grow up real fast. He may even turn on you one day...

He wouldn't do something like that!

Are you sure? If he was starving and hadn't eaten for days, humans might start looking pretty tasty to him.

I know that. I know this can't last... I should return him to the wild, right? But he always follows me back, even if I try to lose him or douse myself in some smell he doesn't like. It's taken a lot of work just to stop him coming right into the village with me.

I've never heard of a dinosaur being this tame... Most of the ones you find around here are really savage.

Hey. Are you absolutely sure he's from around here?

Kuhru?

What's that s'posed to mean?

Look at him. Doesn't he seem a little...different to your average dino?

Now that you mention it... He looks more like a tiny version of the dragons from the Nadara Volcano. But if he's a baby dragon, what's he doing all the way out here?

Maybe he got separated from his parents?

Does that mean he'll finally stop following me if we can get him to his family in the volcano?

He seems totally out of his element here. That's probably part of the reason he sticks to you like glue. It's a possibility, that's all I can say right now. What do you think?

...... You'd be a lot happier among your own kind, wouldn't you?

Kuu! Kuhruru.

All right. We'll take him back to where he belongs. Together, of course!

I wish I could tell you to stay home, but I guess he'll only follow me if you come too, huh?

Yep. Apart from that, I've got him pretty well trained.

Fine, you can come along for the ride. Let's head to the Nadara Volcano.

This should be far enough.

Look at that huge footprint! It's the same shape as his feet.

You're right. It was probably made by the same species of dragon. Looks like this is the place to release him, all right. Are you ready?

Yeah... Come here, little guy.

Kuh? Kuhru? Ru?

This place is full of dragons like you, maybe even your parents. So...go, be with them.

Kuuuh?

He's not moving an inch.

Go on, get out of here! I don't want you anymore! I'm not gonna feed you ever again!

Kruruuu! Ruuuh...

I don't think he understands.

I'll try something else. Look, boy, chow time! I was just fooling. Here, eat up. Mister Aldo, now's our chance to sneak away.

Right...

Is this far enough? He's not gonna find us now, right?

I don't know... He has a real sharp sense of smell...

Kuh! Kuhruruuu!

It's like we never even left...

I was hoping it wouldn't come to this... You're going to have to...y'know, frighten him away.

Are you sure?

I don't like it, but it's the only way to get rid of him at this point. Plus, he may end up getting hunted by humans if he doesn't learn they can put up a fight.

Hmm... All right. I might have to be a little rough, but I'll try not to seriously hurt him.

Sorry, little guy. This is for your own good.

Kuuu...

That's right... Keep going... You can't stay with me. We're...

We're not...friends anymore...

So go! Get away from me!

Khuuu...

I'm sorry.

That must have been hard. But you did a great job. He's gonna be fine, thanks to you. Now it's time to get you back to where you belong. Your mom's probably worried.

Right. Hey, can we stop by the Zol Plains on the way back? I'd like to visit the place I met...him, just one more time.

Sure. A little detour won't hurt.

This is where I first found him. He could barely walk, and he'd been hurt by the other dinosaurs... I wonder if he's found his family by now? Is he getting enough food? I hope he'll find a good mate someday. Live yourself a good life, little guy.

We only knew each other a short time, but I had lots of fun with you!

Kuh-huuuuuu!

Huh? What?! Th-That cry!

Kuhrururuuu!

Shadows... Kid, look! He's right above us.

Wow, no kidding! He learned how to fly after all...

Hey, there's two of them. A big one and a small one.

Graaahraa!

Kuh-kuuu!

Maybe the big one's his mom or dad...

Isn't that great, he found them already.

They're gone... Do you think...he came back to say goodbye?

I'm sure he did. I'll bet he understands why we had to do what we did now. Your feelings must have got through to him.

Yeah...heh heh. I hope so, anyway.

You're...my best...

Hm? Did you say something?

Nothing! Let's get home before my mom has a fit. Thanks for everything, Mister Aldo!