The Tale of Tara and Emiko

XX. Emiko

Two taxis, one subway ride, three denied rooftop runs from Milo, one successful rooftop run ending with a traumatized Milo, and a lot of walking later, we made it back home.

"There you are! Oh, there you are, Milo! How was your day, Em?" Tara asked, running up to me. Kyle trailed close behind, smiling. Milo ran up to him, whispered something in his ear, and the two ran off, grinning mischievously. Probably to eavesdrop. Oh well.

"Tara..." I started, but she cut me off.

"I'm sorry! Okay? I'm sorry, I really am, I swear! I didn't want any of this to happen. You've gotta believe me. We're friends, right?"

"What. The. HECK?!?" I shouted. "What were you thinking?!?! You should've had them play a board game, or watch a movie, or some arts and crafts, or bake something! Even letting them sit on their phones all day would've been better than this!"

"I didn't mean for it to happen! I never would've meant for something like that to happen, you have to trust me, Emiko! Please."

"How can I trust you when you got my brother kidnapped?! Are you even glad he's safe? Did you even notice he was missing?"

"Look, he's safe now, no one got hurt, we're all okay at the end of the day! That's all that matters here! Please, give me one more day with them. You can stay too! They're so nice, so kind, really a joy to be around."

"No."

Tara looked crestfallen. "I thought we were friends."

"We were. Out." I pointed to the door, scared that any more than the three words would set the tears free from the prison behind my eyes. Even if Tara was my friend, Milo is my family.

Tara left without another word, her head bowed slightly. I headed inside, looking for Milo. Any forgiveness she had for me would be considered later.

Strangely, he was the only one eavesdropping. "I told Kyle to go away," he announced proudly.

"That's helpful," I replied.

"So you're a bounty hunter."

"Getting straight to the point, I see."

"You didn't deny it."

"I will not deny it."

"Why hunt?"

That was the hard question. "I guess...I was bored? Being rich, royal, and a firstborn isn't as exciting as it seems. And I'm helping out too, just not in the way the public would expect."

"Or in a way that is considered legal."

"I'm a princess. Worst punishment I'll get is a slap on the wrist, maybe grounded for a week. It's our father that makes the final decision for us, you know. Not the king."

"True."

"Promise not to tell Kyle?"

"Yeah, your secret's safe with me." We're silent for a moment.

"This doesn't change the way you see me, right?" I asked tentatively.

"Are you kidding? If anything, it makes you even cooler. I've got the best bounty hunter for a sister!"

I laughed. "Second best, but don't go shouting it from the rooftops."

"I don't think I want to go anywhere near a rooftop after that stunt you pulled on our way back."

"Stunt? I do that at least three times a week."

"Running along the rooftops! That was terrifying!"

"Eh, alright." I smiled. I was glad to be back.

Later that week, there was still one last thing to be done. Tara hadn't sent any way of explanation, which was strange. You'd think someone so desperate would've offered an apology for the recent events the moment they were able. Tara could've, but didn't.

I remembered a line from one of Milo's books. Something about how we all see the same sunset at the end of the day.

Well, with the bounty for Tara I'd just put up on the digital forums of the dark web, I doubted she'd live to see another one...

...

...

...

...

...outside of a prison cell, of course. I'm not that barbaric!

(as my friend Zia would say, yet.)