Telesquirrel - Daughter of the Samurai

  It was a radiant, sunny day. A gentle breeze rustled the vibrant green canopies of the trees while, somewhere in the distance, birds sang a cheerful chorus. This forest paradise warmed the very soul of the traveler as he walked along the winding path. At first glance, he appeared to be in his late thirties, built sturdily and dressed in a wide-brimmed hat and sturdy boots. With a sword hanging at his side, he looked like a character stepped out of a fairy tale or an old legend about musketeers.
;As he ventured deeper, the crowns of the trees knit closer together. Within minutes, the hero found himself in a dense, twilight woods where sunlight barely touched the forest floor. The tree trunks grew so massive that the last traces of the path vanished. Now, he had to navigate by the thick moss clinging to the northern bark of the ancient giants rather than the sun.
;Feeling a sharp pang of hunger, the traveler reached into his bag and pulled out a simple meal: a loaf of bread, a wedge of rock-hard cheese, a handful of nuts, and a flask of water. He ate with gusto, his appetite undiminished by the simplicity of the fare. Despite his extraordinary skills, he was a man of humble temperament, finding true contentment in life’s basic pleasures.
;As he washed down his meal, a bold squirrel approached. Unfraid, the little creature deftly snatched a nut and began its own dinner just inches away. The wanderer smiled, quietly sliding a few more nuts toward his tiny companion, and began to arrange a bed of dry moss between two fallen logs.
;Suddenly, a soft, melodic voice spoke from behind him.
"Thank you, kind traveler, for sharing your meager dinner with me."
;"Who is speaking?" the traveler whispered, freezing in surprise.
"It is I—the squirrel."
"But how? How can you speak with a human voice? Am I dreaming?" He reached up and pinched his earlobe sharply.
"No, kind traveler. You are not dreaming," the squirrel replied.
"But your mouth... it isn't moving."
"I do not need to open my mouth," she explained. "I project my thoughts into your mind, and sometimes, I can read yours."
"Oh? And what was I thinking just now?"
"You were thinking that I might be a useful ally in your fight against those who seek to do evil," the squirrel answered.
;"Correct... Well, you've got me!" The traveler laughed. For a moment, it seemed the squirrel smiled back, a mischievous glint in her dark eyes.
"In truth, I am not a squirrel," she continued. "I only appear this way to you, and to anyone else who might look upon us."
"Then who are you?"
"I am Princess Telesquirrel, daughter of a samurai from the planet Samura in the Cygnus constellation. I have come to Earth to observe and understand your people. Perhaps in five hundred years, humanity will be ready for contact with our civilization. For now, consider my visit a scientific reconnaissance."
;"Aren't you afraid to tell me this?" the traveler asked. "People might hunt you to exploit your powers."
"Do not worry for me. I can defend myself and shift my form at will. I chose this shape because your creatures resemble the 'telesquirrels' of my home. As a thank you for your kindness, I will show you a glimpse of our true nature."
;In the dim forest light, the traveler leaned in. He noticed the squirrel’s eyes were deep and remarkably human. The fingers on its paws were long and slender, far more delicate than those of any forest animal.
;Chapter One: Escape
;In the highlands of Kantyn, winter had arrived with a vengeance. Hundreds of kilometers from the nearest outpost, the castle of the Ruler of Samura towered over the snow-dusted peaks, its dark spires carving intricate shapes against the sky. Some mountains looked like slumbering bears; others like terrifying dragons or soft rabbits.
;Despite the beauty of the three moons hanging in the pink-blue twilight, Telesquirrel did not look up. She hurried toward the Flying River, her mind racing. She had to escape before her father’s guards caught her.
;Why would a princess flee her own father? To understand, one must look back. On Samura, a single year equals three Earth years, and the samurai live for five millennia. Long ago, the Ruler’s chief astronomer discovered a planet—Earth—using a magical mirror and a massive bronze tube. The Ruler, dreaming of glory and the expansion of the samurai race, sent an expedition. But the mission ended in tragedy; the starship Samurit vanished shortly after landing.
;A thousand years prior, a ship had been lost to a "Space Jellyfish"—a sentient, protected species that feeds on memories. Fearing a similar threat or a hostile Earth force, the Ruler ordered the construction of two invincible warships. They, too, disappeared without a trace. Enraged and fearful, the Council of Elders declared that Earth must be conquered.
;Telesquirrel was the only voice of dissent. Raised on ancient fables of peace and kindness, she refused to believe Earth was a nest of monsters. Now a scientist and a mother of two, she realized she could not let her sons grow up to die in a senseless war. She chose to leave her family behind to save two worlds.
;At the edge of a mountain waterfall, a modified single-seater starship awaited her. Her colleagues had secretly outfitted it with a long-range engine. Instead of weapons, she packed a "Universal Printer"—a device capable of manifesting food and tools from the void of subspace.
;As the engines roared to life, scaring a group of hippo-like Plotics in the river, her radar blipped. A pursuit craft was closing in from the castle.
"Probably the guards... or even Father," she thought. With a steady hand, she pressed the "Takeoff" button. As she broke the atmosphere, she began to hum her favorite song, "The Starry Road":
;Planets glide and stars may sigh,
In search of truth, we soar on high.
A moment’s grace is all we plea,
To find our joy on this starlit sea.
;Part Two: The Samurit
;The research ship Samurit had orbited Earth for two days before its first shuttle descended. The planet was breathtaking. Through high-powered lenses, the samurai observed whales, elephants, and the strange, bipedal humans.
;The scientists concluded that Earthlings were no threat; their development lagged behind Samura by centuries. To the samurai, humans were "smarter than turtles but dumber than mice." Yet, curiosity drove them down. When the landing party’s signal died, the Commander took the main ship down to rescue them. The Samurit landed safely, but instantly, all contact with their home planet was severed.
;The crew was stranded. Not only was their technology failing, but the very coordinates of Samura had vanished from their maps. It seemed time and space on Earth behaved according to different, anomalous laws. Two centuries later, their "black box" would be found drifting in the void, telling only half the story.
;The ten survivors were nearly lost to starvation until they met the local squirrels. These animals—so similar to the samurai in form—shared their nuts and led them to safety. Over time, the samurai accepted their fate. They lived on in the forests, their blue-tinted fur the only sign of their celestial origin.
;Part Three: The Oath
;The traveler who met Telesquirrel was no ordinary man. He was Mark Postumus, a name known across the ancient land of Iberia. History buffs might argue that "Iberia" never existed in such a form, or was swallowed by the Persian Empire. But perhaps the Earth we speak of is not our Earth.
;Modern physics suggests a tapestry of parallel worlds. It is possible the Samurit slipped through a "wormhole"—a tear in space-time—landing in a version of Earth where history took a different turn.
;It would be a pity if this story vanished into the digital void one day. So, dear reader, if you find this tale moving, perhaps consider seeking out the printed word. After all, a book from a parallel world is the only thing that might survive when the internet—and history itself—decides to change its mind.