While Yuuya and Labor traveled, somewhere deep in the untouched reaches of nature of Cevanti about hundred kilometers away from where they were, a new journey began for someone that they would meet very soon.
The story started somewhere where fox and hare bid each other good night, where even the Zoids that roamed most of the planet did not venture having no reason to, where a tree stood that was known as the tree of spirits. Like a silent guardian watching over the forest it towered over the other trees, a marvel of nature that must’ve sprouted shortly after the cataclysm that had destroyed Cevanti to have grown as big as it was. The forest surrounding it was like one of fairytales, where sprites and creatures catalogued in no human book lived together. The days and seasons passed peacefully here, the circle of life spun round and round, the delicate balance of nature remained undisturbed.
Was it another cataclysmic event that changed everything? A spaceship uprooting the tree of spirits, a forest fire burning everything down, a plague destroying the forest’s population, an Akata finding their way there? No, it was quite the opposite. Of course, Totoro knew nothing about that when he woke up that evening.
To be a spirit of nature was to be connected to the anima, the soul of nature. He could sense it when a creature got injured or died, when a new plant sprouted, when the winds snapped a tree’s branch off and more yet. He could sense if there were problems, if the balance was upset, if something threatened the harmonious life of this part of the forest that was under the protection of the tree of spirits. And he as the strongest spirit of nature in the area was appointed to be the guardian. Not that there was much to guard given that the worst that he had needed to deal with ever since becoming a guardian twenty years ago was poisoned riverwater causing several animals to fall ill.
As a result his days were filled with lazy mornings, sleeping throughout most of the day and getting active in the evenings to overlook the forest from the top of the spirit tree. Only out near the horizon, far beyond the reach of his guardianship, were some Zoids roaming about but they never took an interest in the big tree. As a result he did not even have to consider proactive action. He could stand atop the tree all night and practice playing on his Ocarina while the daytime animals went to sleep and those of the night came out to play their part on the stage. Had a human seen him they probably would have called him a walking cliché, with the nights spent playing songs being the cherry on the cake.
The passing of days without so much as the tiniest incident happening ended when Totoro felt the voice of the “old man”, of the spirit tree, calling for him. Hmm, he was not unwell, was he? No, he would have felt that. What could it be? ‘Come see me’ was all that he got. And so Totoro climbed out of his bed, shook himself to fluff up his furcoat, and exited his little den to find himself outside, where the roots of the spirit tree spreaded outwards from its trunk.
“Groooouhr… Gruhhh rah?” (Good evening, old man. Is something wrong?), he greeted the spirit tree with his broadest smile.
“No”, the response came after a moment, deep and rumbly as ever. It sounded like bark and wood groaned, forming a deep voice that fitted a tree of its size and majesty very well. “That is why... I have asked for you.” Every word came slowly, as if carefully picked. Yet Totoro knew that plants were among the slowest creatures, even their fastest agents - Ents and dryads - were sluggish compared to the fauna. This held even more true for a tree that had been old long before he had been born.
“Graaaarh groouh?” (You ask for me because nothing is wrong?) He knew the saying about old people getting weird as they aged, but the spirit tree wasn’t THAT old - a couple hundred years, at most as old as the “End” dated back. “Grooh toooo rhaaaa grooo?” (Is the forest not exciting enough for you?)
“All is… balanced. It... is perfect.”
Totoro nodded at this. They’d not had issues for over a year now, not even quarrels.
“That is… why I called you… to me, little spirit.” Was there an amused tone to his voice? But he humored him.
“Toooh rghaa?” (Why have you called me then?)
“Tell me, little spirit… what is your job… as a nature spirit?”
Totoro motioned around, waving at the forest. “Gruhhh.” (To protect.)
“And, little spirit… how much of that… have you done… lately?” When Totoro failed to provide an answer, the spirit tree continued: “This forest is… in balance. It requires no aid. Your talents are… squandered here.”
Squandered? He frowned. “Groouh?” (What do you mean?) he asked.
“You are not needed here… little spirit. But there is a world… out there. A world… needing protection.”
“Rroooo…”
“A world… that requires your aid… more than this… tiny shred of land. That is why… I relieve you of… your responsibility… Totoro. You are no longer bound… to guard this forest. You are free… to venture out and… do as you like.”
Free to venture out. Easier said than done, thought Totoro. He knew that there was a world out there but he had no idea what it was like. Where he could go. What he should avoid. What he could even do.
“There is nothing restricting… you, little spirit. You can… roam the world as you like. Have fun… learn about the world out there. Do whatever… you wish to do.”
“Roooarh?” (But how should I start?)
“Make your way to… the city. The wilds are dangerous… the city will be safer. That is all… you will be fine.”
That day marked the end of Totoro’s days as a guardian of the forest, and the beginning of something far bigger than he could have imagined that day.
Though he tried to get more out of the spirit tree, it had nothing left to say to him and fell silent. For a little while he thought that he could just choose to stay, to lock himself out from the world around him and never worry about the world outside. But then the curiosity of the dangerous wilds out there, of the city the spirit tree had spoken about, took over, and nudged him in the right direction. And so he wrapped a few pieces of fruit and some acorns into a big leaf that he tied around the end of a stick, and took off to leave everything behind him that had been his world up to that day. He was going to head towards the city. And then? Well he’d just have to see about things when he got there!
Being mostly nocturnal, he was able to travel through the night dodging the few predators that roamed the forests and plains during the dark hours, then sleeping through the day while the Zoids were more active and the sun revealed dark-furred creatures like him more. He kept to the woods whenever possible, as the treetops held off the moonlight and cast more shadows over the area, while the branches and leaves prevented predators from swooping down or jumping on him from above. And of course, the trail of plants that he left where he set foot was best concealed among other plants, rather than as a green carpet cutting an open plain in half.
He withheld from calling the Catbus to travel directly to the city as he wanted to see the world beyond the forest for himself, but the first three days or so turned out fairly uneventful. Only once did a group of the mechanical Zoids catch onto him and pursue him for over an hour, and only thrice did he come across a river too large to jump over, that forced him to find somewhere to cross. On the fourth day however, just an hour before dawn, however he arrived at the first set of ruins in his path, a massive structure of cold rock overgrown by vines and grass amidst the thick forest that had reclaimed the land after the place had been abadoned, and probably collapsed.
Totoro pulled his Ocarina from his satchel and produced a few notes. Before long a handful of early-morning birds and rodents came out of the ruins and surrounding forest, even a large stag showed himself. They curiously inspected the big spirit before withdrawing again. Without words or actions from him they knew that he was only going to stay in their forest for a while and meant them no harm. They had allowed him to stay.
Totoro spent the next two hours digging out a shelter under a massive tree’s root and securing the walls with sticks and a few rocks. It was small, but he needed nothing more. As he laid down, his aura brought the vegetation around him to life. Within a few seconds the entrance to his little hideout was concealed behind bushes and grass, giving him as much safety as he could ask for without shutting himself in completely. The sun was already coming out, bathing the ruins in warm light. That was when the spirit drifted away to a deep sleep.
Totoro's shelter would look something like
this here, plus some bushes in front! If one looks close enough they'll be able to see him, or hear his breathing.
