The Traveler | The Promised Neverland

Warning

"Let's start over!  My name is Emma, what's yours?" Emma greeted, and Mister gave her a sinister look.

"Get the hell out." He commanded.  "I don't have to tell ya my name, and I don't want to."  

Emma pulled up a few chairs and motioned at one.  "Please take a seat." When Mister didn't sit, he sat down herself.  "Look, I'm sitting down.  Gilda?"

"Um, right," she replied with a nod, running out of the room.

"So how are you feeling?" Emma asked pleasantly. 

"I'm in a bad mood."

"I'm so sorry we had to tie you down like that.  And for the cookies," Emma apologized, unfazed by his irritation.  "You must be hungry." Just then, Gilda came in with a bowl and handed it to Emma.  "To make up for it... We made you soup for breakfast.  It's not poisoned."  She lifted the spoon up and ate some.  "And it's not bad, either!"  

She handed the bowl to Mister, but he just put it down on the table.

"But we got the temperature just right for you!"  Emma complained.  "You know, this soup... It's all made with ingredients we brought ourselves.  We're not a drain on your food supply.  From now on, we'll make do with our own food sources... As for water, energy, and space, we'll make sure to keep our use to a minimum."  

"And you figure I'm sharing my shelter if you do that?  No way.  Get out."

"No, that's not it.  This is all just courtesy... So that we can start on the right foot.  After all, I think you're not really worried about resource limits.  Am I right?"  Emma paused, and then after a silence, she continued.  "We're going to meet with Minerva... And we'd like you to be our travel guide and bodyguard."  

"Guide and bodyguard?" Mister repeated incredulously.  

"You're strong, right?  You've survived here for 13 years... by yourself.  And also, I'm guessing you have a lot of experience going outside."  

"Huh? How can you tell?" Dominic asked, looking confused.  

"His shoes are quite worn down, and he doesn't have the belly of sedentary life... on the contrary he's fit," Norman explained.  "And also, there's fresh fruit hanging in the pantry.  You can't just make those, and there was nothing like them in the indoor fields... What's more, they seemed relatively recent.  Which means he must be getting them from forests or by the waterside."  

The younger kids started to mutter in shock, remembering how dangerous those places are.

"You're no 'sucker', that's for sure," Emma continued.  "And you've got experience in searching for Minerva.  You know what this is, right?  The letter."  Emma held up Minerva's letter to him.  "We found it unsealed.  You guys must have tried to search for him, too.  Just like the letter says... even if you gave up later.  Ray, Norman, and I want to try.  And because you have the strength and experience, we're asking for your help."  

"In your dreams, suckers!  The hell should I care?  Get outta my shelter," Mister demanded. 

"Oh, we will," Norman reassured him, putting his hands together under his chin.  "If we manage to find Minerva and return safely... we're leaving the shelter at once, then.  All of us."  

The kids stared at the trio like they were crazy.  Mister sighed.  

"So that's your deal?  And with this crappy offer, you expect me to risk my life going out?  To risk my life to protect a few ridiculous assclowns?  Don't make me laugh, kid."