Project: iaseki

Chapter 17: Lost child

"Today, your bounty is to look for Autumn"

Lu perked up, confused. "Is she lost?"

"She regularly takes her morning bounties from me very early then heads off. However, today she wasn't in her room, nor anywhere I am aware of. Which is why your bounty today is to search for her"

"How am I supposed to do that?" Lu asked.

"Yeah, how are we supposed to do that?" Esther echoed.

Chrio turned around and walked out the door. "I'm sure you'll find a way. After all, your wage this day relies on your success" she winked before leaving.

Lu sighed and looked at his companion rubbing her fist on her cheek and her tails waving like a cat cleaning itself on standby.

"I guess we're looking for a runaway child today" Lu told her.

"I can help!" Esther beamed.

"Really?" Lu smirked as if challenging her.

"Oh you bet! I can't exactly pinpoint her location but I can tell if we're getting closer or not. It's like a scent! More of a blurry sight really, it's kinda hard to explain" she enthusiastically portrayed her words as she went through them.

"Well isn't that convenient?" Lu said.

"I have to close my eyes while I'm doing it, so I'll just have to come with you and tell you if we're getting closer or farther. Tell me when you get outside so we can start" Esther closed her eyes and put her hand on Lu's shoulder.

Lu stepped out the door and out the town hall, taking in the marvelous sight of the whole city again. "I'm out" Lu said as soon as he confirmed that there was nobody near enough to hear him talking to her.

"Alright, we got warmer already since we got outside" Esther directed him.

Lu was more curious as to how Esther "clings" onto his shoulder despite phasing through everything including the floor all this time. He wanted to ask about it, but each step he took reminded him that there was a more important task on hand that he has to focus on, and that there are people who might hear his words directed to nobody in sight which might lead to misunderstandings.

As he weaved himself through the roads and houses following Esther's guidance, there was one store where three women were sharing gossip among themselves.

Lu overheard a few words. Phrases which concerned him more than anyone including the women themselves.

"Really!? There's an Aurum in Elle!?" One of them said in an ordinary, conversational tone.

Another hushed her. "Keep your voice down. You never know who's listening"

The third conveyed her thoughts silently. "Besides, she said it's only a rumor that she heard from someone else. There might not actually be one"

Lu swallowed the saliva allocating in his throat. One of the qualities that made him a great monitum player was his sharp ears, but he wasn't so sure he wanted to hear what they were talking about. His steps slowed down enough that Esther noticed.

"Hmm? What's wrong Lu? Stepped on a stray's poo?" She asked, her eyes still closed.

"Nothing" Lu dismissed. He was getting anxious about being caught in a city a second time. The only possible explanation he could think of was that Autumn was the one spreading the rumors because she was the only one who knows aside from Chrio, who could have him in jail instead of spreading rumors.

Lu then sped up, with a strengthened motive to search for Autumn and prevent her from ratting out on him any longer.

"Lu? Are we going faster now? Woah--it's getting warmer...and warmer!" Esther smiled.

Lu did not utter a single word and ran. His search with Esther led him to the mouth of the black market which he dreaded for so long. That was when he first met Autumn unsuspectingly, and he felt that if he meets her there again, she will finish him for good unless he does it first. Still, it was not how he wants it to end. He would try to reconcile with her if he could.

"We stopped again, didn't we?" Esther asked.

"Just had a little déjà vu" Lu replied before proceeding.

"I know we've started moving but.. we're not getting any warmer or colder...and I'm getting tired..." She announced. Lu could see her form go back and forth from becoming more transparent and less, as if to represent how she was fighting against her fatigue.

"But it has only been a couple of hours. Have you been getting enough sleep?" Lu ask.

"Yes, thanks. It's not that, though. It's not like what I can do just comes out without any condition" she said before disappearing to thin air.

"Rest well, Esther" Lu bid his friend. "And now it's gone from déjà vu to nostalgia" he said, speeding to a sprint into the black market, taking a mask, putting it on, and moving on swiftly as if nothing happened. Everyone around him also did not mind him running around as if in a wordless agreement that nobody is to notice anything suspicious, because each of them is.

Using up all his stamina in a dangerous place was not ideal, but considering that Esther said they were not getting any closer or farther earlier, Lu thought that it meant Autumn was likely moving away as fast as they were approaching her.

Lu ran as fast as he could into the direction and kept a close eye on the people he passed by. He soon faced a wall that stretched into both directions, but never seemed to end. It should be the end, and Lu could not locate his target.

After deciding that it was too dangerous to stay, Lu ran outside, giving up on his search. The black market was also the farthest institute on the west of Elle, so it was difficult to imagine something farther than it inside the city.

Lu gave up his search and decided to continue tomorrow. He knew better than to disturb Esther in her sleep for a job he was supposed to do on his own.

Lu had another place in his itinerary, and he was planned to visit it after learning to change the color of his feathers. He decided it was time to pursue it.

He waved to Allan casually as he exited the gate. However, Allan stopped him using his arm to warn him.

"Careful. You run back at the first sign of danger. Do I have your word?" The noble guard asked. Lu thought it was something the guards reminded people who go out alone for their sake.

Lu nodded hesitantly, unsure if he could keep his promise or not. After all, he had never gone out and came back, for he had always been unconscious and had to be taken back. Nonetheless, he was permitted to go outside.

Lu could never get used to the sight of the smooth, green fields with occasional trees and a dusty brown road. He had only seen it from behind a monitor playing Monitum, that was why experiencing it instead of just seeing it would always be a welcome feeling to him.

He continued his travel and followed a path he used the precious time he had gone outside the walls. He traced it until he found what he was after, the Monitum play station, which was thankfully, half intact despite five titans ravaging out of it the last time.

He was curious as to why it would exist in another world. In the very world it was supposed to take people to.

One aspect that surprised Lu was that the last time only one of the devices were operational. Now, two were lit up and ready to use. What's more, is that there was someone using one of them. A girl with purple hair and a unique style of clothing.

Lu sighed, relieved that two items in his to-do list were checked on the same place at the same time. He laid himself down the other working device, which is the only other one that has not been destroyed by the titanic rampage, and booted himself in.

The white light that Lu had seen a thousand times and over consumed him and took his consciousness into another plane.