The Cupid Complex

29. Finding Ame

"And there we go...Finally!" exclaimed Charming as he freed his left leg from the hole; dirt spraying up into the air as he did.

He noticed his foot was shoved through a shoebox as it fully emerged from the hole. Using his hands, he tugged it off, leaving it on the unearthed ground. Now came the matter of walking. He wasn't used to walking upright on two legs - and if he did - it was only in small bursts to get Ame's attention from his cage.

Ame. Where was she? The last thing he remembered was seeing her run at him in the street. Then everything had gone white, soundless and senseless until now.

"Come on," he said out loud to himself. "You have to find Ame. She must be worried. Besides, everyone makes walking look easy. It can't be that hard."

From his seated position on the ground, Charming moved to put the palms of his hands down in front of him, keeping them flat against the grass. He then pushed forward against his hands so that he could tilt up enough to force his feet to be flat on the ground underneath him. This move resulted in him sticking his hind end up in the air. To anyone walking by, it looked as if Charming were in the midst of some really strange yoga pose.

"Alright, now all I have to do is push up off the ground and stand up straight," thought Charming as he took a deep breath and shoved himself upright.

Though he managed to get upright, he had shoved himself off the ground with such force that he was unsteady on his feet. He could feel himself falling backwards, turning sideways a bit to catch hold of the oak tree behind him to keep himself from falling down onto the ground.

"Okay...that's okay...It was a first attempt..." He said to himself as he leaned against the tree. "I just need to try again..."

"Umm...mister...are you okay?" asked a little girl.

Charming's face turned to look at the little girl that appeared in front of him. She was wearing a sky blue t-shirt and overalls; her dark black hair separated evenly into two ponytails. She couldn't have been more than eight-years-old.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just not used to having legs."

"Not used to having legs?" the little girl asked. "You've never walked before?"

"Well, no," said Charming with a soft chuckle. "Don't suppose you have any tips for me?"

"Here," she said as she reached out a hand to him.

Charming looked at the outstretched hand then to the little girl and then back to the hand again.

"Take my hand," said the little girl. "I'll help you walk like I did my younger brother."

He nodded, shifting his position against the tree to free one of his hands and take the girl's hand in his. He used his other hand to push up off the tree. He could feel himself wobbling and thought for certain that he was about to meet the ground, but the little girl tightened her hand about his to keep him upright. Soon Charming's wobbling evened out and he was standing on his feet. A laugh of disbelief and joy left his lips; his eyes sparkling with happiness.

"I'm standing! It's incredible!"

He looked about him as he held the little girl's hand. The world felt a bit smaller now. When he was a bunny, the world seemed so big. Charming wasn't used to being so tall, but he knew he could be with time. He couldn't wait to get to Ame and show her that he could be everything she always wanted him to be. He turned to look at the little girl beside him with a wide grin still on his face.

"Okay. Now what do I do?"

"Now you have to put one foot in front of the other."

"How?" He asked, watching as she showed him an example.