The Mabinogi Chronicles

Act I: The Adventures of Zeke the... Mango.

In the northern fields of Tir Chonaill, Zeke took his two-handed sword and brought it down on a pesky wolf. He leaned back and sighed, adorable raccoon tail twitching. Things had become dull lately, and the best he could do was beat up weak wolves that wanted lamb chops.

It wouldn't be long before he mastered warrior tactics. There was little he could do without utterly destroying whatever stood in his path. He was no grandmaster among masters, but he certainly could hold his own against even the scariest of situations... Okay, maybe not the scariest, but most common-difficult ones.

But today was different. Zeke wasn't just guarding sheep, it seemed. Grazing in the grass alongside the lamb chops was an alpaca, nearly the same color. It was white, fluffy, and seemingly-docile.

Zeke took out his gathering knife. He approached the alpaca. He sheered it with an eye towards its hooves and mouth.

The alpaca looked back at him with lazy eyes as it continued to graze.

So far so good.

Zeke gathered up the wool and put it away in his bag before turning to pet the alpaca. "Not so scary," he said with a small smile, face blushy as usual. He brushed a strand of blue hair off his dark skin and made a kitty face when the alpaca baa'd at him.

"You'd know what scary is?" the alpaca – yes, the alpaca – said with a head tilt. It went back to chewing cud. Zeke wasn't surprised. This was just another day in Erinn for the young warrior.

Still, the alpaca was calling him out. He shifted his weight and looked to the side. "Thanks for letting me sheer you."

The alpaca smiled and wagged its tail in an odd way. "You're welcome. Now, hop on."

"What?! Why?!" Zeke could have sweat-dropped, like an anime character.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm kidnapping you."

"Uh... okay."

Zeke hesitated, but he put his hand on the alpaca's shoulder and sat on her back. The alpaca ran them through the packs of wolves back towards town. Nothing paid them any mind, not even the sheep.

"So... you're an alpaca..." Zeke started. "Do you have a name?"

"Don't we all?"

The snarkiness was something Zeke was starting to get used to. "Well, what is it?"

"Are you going to laugh?"

"Maybe."

"It's Lady Puffball." Lady Puffball came to a stop in town square and looked back to him almost moodily.

Zeke looked back to her, a serious expression in place. "What's that look for?"

"What look?" Still, the alpaca gave him 'the look'.

"You're the one that's kidnapping me," Zeke mumbled with a pout.

"And?" but Lady Puffball was cut off as a different human stepped up, one in a stereotypical black and red robe. It looked cool, but it was all-too-common in Erinn.

"Zeke!" The guy said with his sword raising. "Fight me, Zeke. I'm bored."

Zeke could have sweat-dropped again. He leaned a little forward. "Hey, run," he whispered to the alpaca. The young man was persistent though.

"Come on, Zeke. Fight me," the guy said with a head tilt back.

Lady Puffball twitched her tail and took off towards Alby dungeon, tail twitching as she pranced. A grin spread across Zeke's face as he held on; maybe being kidnapped wasn't so bad. "Thanks..."

Lady Puffball held a smile to herself and ran past the entrance to the dungeon. They came to a large gate, magic emanating off of it, and stopped briefly. "You don't have to thank me," she commented. "But I think you could have taken him."

As soon as she passed through the gate, an icy gust blew past them. It was snowing so suddenly where the grass had grown green and tall before. Lady Puffball walked forward cautiously, each hoof delicately moved in the heavy snow. But they weren't alone.

Old and ancient monsters growled behind the spruce that grew there.

"I have an idea." Lady Puffball stopped in a field of snowmen, ignoring their cold looks. Her wool kept her warm; Zeke's robe kept him from shivering.

"Is it a good idea?" Zeke muttered crossly. Had the alpaca even had one good idea yet?

Lady Puffball smirked openly, but she kept her head forward, out of Zeke's sight. "They say the older a fomor's servant is, the better treasures they keep hidden." A howl echoed behind them.

Zeke turned on Lady Puffball's back and stared at the larges coyote he had ever seen. It bared its fangs at him and lowered his head, its growl as menacing as its glare.

"Kill it! Kill it! Kill it!" Lady Puffball shouted. She was an alpaca; of course she hated coyotes. She stamped and bucked Zeke off, baaing as she pawed the ground.

Zeke sighed and ran at the coyote. It really wasn't a challenge. He stuck his sword in and twisted, sending the coyote flying... and what was left was a ruby. A very large ruby. He walked over and picked it up after sheathing his blade. "Awesome!"

Lady Puffball pranced over to him and smiled. "Want to look for more old coots?"

"Oh yeah!" Zeke grinned.

With his trusty alpaca steed, Zeke cleared the enchanted forest of the worst evils – but that didn't make him the hero. He left the younger ones alive and full of hate for the humans and milletains. Maybe they would grow to be ancient old 'coots' themselves.