DORAEMON & SAILOR MOON: MATSUTAKE MUSHROOM PICKING FIESTA

Chapter 6 - Hiking

Everyone, with exception of Nobita, was shocked as a bright light engulfs them, shrinking into an appropriate size to enter the Mini Garden.

Seconds later, Doraemon flashed himself and shrinks.

Everyone was amazed by the sight of the pine trees even before they enter. Even Ami's mood brightened at the sight of forestry lush.

"It's amazing!"

"What a splendid mountain!"

"I told you so!" Nobita said proudly.

"It's really nice to see something such as these," Ami muttered.

"See. I told you we need a break," Makoto poked her sides.

"Beating Mercurius is nothing if your health is in the brink, Ami-chan," Rei teased.

Ami can only pout while puffing her cheeks.

"Now, I wonder where they would be... Hey, Doraemon, which direction shall we go?" Luna asked as Doraemon watched the compass.

"Matsutake mushrooms grows better in well-ventilated places with lots of direct sunlight, so let's go scout the south side of the mountain, first," he said.

"I agree," Artemis added.

"Okay then, let's go!" Usagi shouted, answered by the chorus of "Ouu!"

***

The group are finally inside the Mini Garden, hiking towards the top spot of the mountain.

"It's getting pretty steep..." Shizuka commented.

"I can't wait to see bunch of red pines in front of us, though..." Nobita responded.

"You're right," Shizuka nodded.

Doraemon, Shizuka, Nobita, Luna, Diana, Artemis, Chibiusa, Hotaru, and Makoto jumped over a heightened step carefully.

"Usagi-san, are you alright?" Shizuka asked.

"I'm tired," she replied.

"But we aren't there yet. Besides, we can't carry you," Minako complained.

"I'm not that heavy, Minako-chan..." Usagi retaliated.

"Lies! I saw you weighing and complaining that you gained 5 kg last week," Luna jeered.

"Luna!" Usagi shrieked in humiliation. The kids, meanwhile, are giggling and snickering.

"Ah! Look! There's a bunch of red pines over there!" Doraemon exclaimed.

"All right! I'm definitely going to pick some Matsutake with my own two hands!" Nobita then ran by himself.

"Nobita-kun! Wait up!"

Nobita, followed by Shizuka and Doraemon, ran upwards. Others later joined them.

"Come on, Usagi! Once we're at the mountain, we can rest!" Rei shouted.

"Okay, okay, I am coming!" Usagi replied tiredly as she climbs the heightened step.

***

"So this is a Japanese red pine..?" Nobita touched the bark skin of the tree, amazed by the beauty of it.

"Oh... little Matsutake mushrooms," Nobita shook his head as he correct himself, "No. Great Matsutake mushrooms... where are you? I can't wait to see you!"

Nobita then crouches and walks around the tree. The rest of the group, meanwhile, started to spread out but not far, looking for the mighty mushroom that always made the headlines. Usagi, meanwhile, just sat down and stabilizing her breathing.

"Are you alright, Usagi-chan?" Luna asked.

"Don't worry about me, Luna. I'm just taking a breahter," Usagi replied.

"Here you go, Usagi-san. A water bottle just for you," Doraemon took out a water bottle out of his pocket.

"Yay! Thank you!" Usagi cheered and started downing the water bottle.

"I can't really find any..." Minako complained.

"We're just getting started, Minako-chan..." Makoto answered.

"But I want to find them immediately..." Minako retaliate.

Makoto can only sigh.

"Hey, Dora-chan, where shall we start searching first?" Shizuka asked.

Doraemon pointed at the roots while answering, "Start by looking at the red pine's roots, the follow them up to the bottom, looking nearby and all around them. They said these mushrooms like to spread out around the roots and attach themselves to them."

"So I see... I thought it was attached to the body of the tree," Minako piped in.

The Sailor Guardians' faces as well as the three moon cats' redden in embarrassment. With exception of Nobita who didn't listen to the banter, everyone went standing still.

"What's wrong, Ami-chan?" Minako asked at Ami's crestfallen face.

"Minako-chan, even Nobita knows that Matsutake mushrooms are attached to their roots most of the time..." Ami answered, rather embarrassed.

"And yet Nobita got zero for his tests, 90% of the time," Rei added.

"Rei-chan!" Minako shouted.

"You're embarrassed, I can see it," Rei teased.

Meanwhile, Nobita was already venturing out of their circle.

"Great Matsutake... Oh, Great Matsutake... Where are you?" Nobita muttered while looking around, but stopped when he hear a grunt.

"Hm?" Nobita looked up to the source...

It was a wild boar, looking straight at him.