Land of Dreams: a Kino no Tabi fanfic by yanocchi

Standard disclaimers apply.

---

They had stopped for lunch late in the day, just as the autumn sun was at its hottest. There hadn't been any rain, and the narrow road was dusty. More out of a desire to breath some fresh air than consideration for other travelers, Kino had pulled Hermes off the road onto the green sloping side of a field. Far in the distance the little ant-like figures of farmers bobbed over the crop, the wide brims of their hats shielding them from the sun.

"Do you remember the country we visited a few weeks back?" Kino asked abruptly. She reached into her day pack and withdrew a thick slice of bread. Eagerly, she took a bite while Hermes pondered the question. Raisins and nuts had been baked into the loaf. Kino tapped her booted feet together in wordless delight.

"Ummm, no."

Kino plucked a leaf off the piece of bread she had been nibbling at and flicked it away. "The one where everybody was always running?" she prompted.

"Oh, that one," Hermes replied. "The Land of Impotent People."

Kino paused, deciphering her motorrad's thoughts. "Important People," she corrected. "They all seemed very important, but they seemed angry too."

"Maybe being important makes you angry," Hermes suggested.

"Hmm, maybe." Kino bent over her slice of bread, still fresh from the country they had just left. A single ant trundled across the vast expanse, a crumb half again as large as itself clutched proudly in its jaws. "Important people are in charge of other people," Kino said, echoing the words she had been told. "I suppose if you mess up when you're important a lot of people suffer."

"Ugh, I'd hate to be important," Hermes announced.

"You're important to me," Kino told him. "Without you it would take me forever to reach the next country."

"That sounds selfish," Hermes laughed.

"Maybe a little. But I'm important to you, too, aren't I? Somebody told me," Kino went on, "that a person gives a motorrad balance, and a motorrad gives a person speed. But you can stand on your own." Kino tapped one foot against Hermes' kickstand. "And I could travel without you."

"But it's better to do it our way," Hermes finished for her.

Kino grinned. "Yes, I like this way much better." She tore off a piece of bread and set it on the ground. The ant, who had been a passenger on that piece, disembarked and vanished between the blades of grass. Kino watched the ant go. Silence dropped over the small embankment.

'I think I'd hate to be important, too,' Kino mused silently, chewing her lunch slowly. 'It's okay being important to Hermes. I know that I won't let him down, and I know he won't let me down. It's not so bad being a little important, I guess. I'm glad I don't have to be important to anybody else,' she thought as she finished. She dusted a few crumbs from her hands, took a sip of metallic-tasting water from her canteen, and prepared to hit the road again.

"Hermes, time to go," she said, glancing over at her friend. He didn't respond, so she called him again. When she still received no reply, she gave up. Obviously the motorrad had fallen asleep once again.

"Lazy bones," Kino accused teasingly. "Sleeping on the job."

She tucked her hands behind her head and flopped back on the grass. A few clouds scudded across the sky. They were small but their bellies were dark, promising rain.

"It's not bad, being unimportant," she said to herself. The cool breeze that pushed the clouds lulled her to sleep.

When she dreamt, it was like she was a child again. Everything seemed bigger, though she was still the same height. Her hair was short and she wore her own comfortable trousers and blouse, but still she felt like a child. She was running through the streets of a town, looking for something. Something important. Someone was chasing her, laughing. It wasn't a pleasant sound.

She had reached the last corner, the last alley. There would be nowhere else to look. If the important thing she sought wasn't here she would never find it. Kino turned the corner so fast her feet nearly slid out from under her. For a moment her eyes adjusted to the dimness of the alley. Then she fell to her knees, her willpower gone.

As was the way with dreams, it seemed as though many contradictory things were true all at once. There was nothing in the alley. The rusted decaying remains of a motorrad were in the alley. A broken door, discarded and not attached to anything but its own shadow, lay in the alley. There was nothing in the alley. Kino knelt there, staring at the dirty alley, wishing that what she needed to be there would suddenly appear. Behind her the laughing voices grew to a cacophonous pitch. They drowned out all other noise, filling her ears and mind until nothing but the raucous laughter existed.

Then, suddenly, it was gone. A warm presence was at her back. Strong arms folded around her protectively. A rich voice murmured something in her ear... Her name spoken in a tone that warmed her.

Kino woke suddenly, startled from her doze by fat drops of rain.

"Oh, no," she muttered, scrambling to her feet. Quickly, she pulled on her jacket, then her large coat and hat. "Hermes, this time we're really leaving," she said briskly, patting the motorrad's seat. He came awake with a start.

"Kino, it's raining!" he observed, distressed.

"I know," she replied, settling her goggles in place. "Let's try to make it somewhere we can stay dry for the night."

"I'm going to get all muddy," Hermes moaned.

"So will I. Don't worry, I'll clean you off."

"Oh good."

Kino guided Hermes back onto the road. The dust was now spotted with dark circles where the raindrops had landed. The road slowly darkened as the soft sound of water falling into dust changed into the more staccato noise of rain on wet earth. As they picked up speed, Kino glanced at the farmers who stood in the fields. Some had lifted their hands, welcoming in the rain.

"It wouldn't be bad, being important," Kino said softly.

"Did you say something?" Hermes asked.

"Nothing important," Kino replied with a faint smile.

---

ATOGAKI: I sat on this chapter for weeks and weeks, trying to decide if I should continue from here, or change something, or add something, or... Finally, at the urging of several people, I decided to just post it and move on.

Despite how short this chapter is (I had wanted to make it about twice as long) I really like how it turned out. I love Hermes' little mix ups with words, but I wasn't really sure how to do it properly. Also, it's hard to write Kino realistically, since we hardly ever see into her personality. I hope she turns out okay...

Something important to know about this fic: Each chapter will have two sides; Kino's Side and Shizu's Side. Shizu's Side of chapter one is coming in short order. Not all the of sides will get their own entry, but this time, because I'm dithering over Shizu's side and Kino's side is already good to go, they're gonna be separate.

On a (not entirely unrelated) sidenote, I finally got a job after 4 months of searching! Yay me! I'm now a hostess at a Japanese restaurant, and I must say that knowing where my next meal will be coming from has GREATLY improved my mood. A lot of people are on spring break now, so have a good time and eat lots of Japanese food! (And tip your hostess!)

All of you should thank JagaGirl for asking me to update, since it was her comment that finally inspired me to post.