The Legend of Stephano

Chapter 2: Misfortune and Allergy

"Well, I hope that I can still find my stuff there." Marco wiped off his face with his handkerchief trying to get off the mark of the thief's stinky hand. The three of them decided to walk and just left the wagon to someone to look after it.

"If they're lying, I swear that I'll go back just to beat them up." Jennifer clenched her fist.

"You don't even know where the guards will send them to." Stephano said.

Jennifer scratched her head. She probably felt "humiliated".

A while ago, Stephano was pulling the rope tied on the thieves and was leading them to the nearest station for the guards. Luckily, Marco knows how to speak in Spanish so he was able to tell the guards the whole story. Stephano, at his "scariest" mode, insisted to the thieves to tell where did they put Marco's stuff which Marco gladly translated to them copying every word Stephano said. Stephano's words were too "brutal". Frightened, the thieves immediately told the location of their hideout.

"Anyway, let's just find out if they're lying or not." Stephano's voice became soft which made Marco looked at him. Marco thought that he's originally from Europe, but Stephano told him a while ago that he's an Arabian and only learned how to speak like a European with the help of a migrant he met a few years ago.

Stephano has this cold personality going on around him. Jennifer said to Marco that he's just like that, but he's so kind to most kids. With his piercing brown eyes, Stephano is like a man who will beat you up if you do the wrong move.

"So," Stephano said unexpectedly making Marco almost tip while walking. "Do you have any specific reason why you're here in Spain?"

"Nothing actually. I just want to see some mountains, fields, and stuff."

"Were the stuff stolen from you important?"

"Yes, especially my journal and basic needs."

"I see..."

Stephano looked at Marco with an interrogative look. Marco met his eyes and started to feel nervous.

"W-what is it?" Marco's voice was trembling.

"Why is your voice shaking?"

"N-nothing!"

Stephano gave him a bored look and let out a sigh. "Fine. It's just that you seem to be young as a geographer."

"Kind of." Marco calmed his voice. "I'm only twenty one years old."

"I guess that really makes me older by four years."

"You're only twenty five?!" Jennifer shouted.

"Of course," Stephano took out his hands from his ears. "What do you think of me? An old man?"

"You never told me your age." Jennifer backfired. "Besides, you're the one who just said that you're an old man." Jennifer grinned and teased.

"Shut up." Stephano insisted.

Near a short bridge, they noticed a small dog. The dog has a color of a chestnut as its markings on its white fur. It was playing with a small blue ball by using its snout to push it in various directions. Amused, Jennifer quickly ran to the dog. "Aw, come here!" Jennifer stopped to spread her arms and squatted down. The dog made the ball go to Jennifer and when it noticed her, it stopped and tilted its head to the left. It was somehow curious at Jennifer's presence.

"Oh, you want this?" Jennifer picked up the blue ball and it's squeezable. The dog sat down and looked at Jennifer and in the ball.

"Please, don't tell me that you're planning to adopt that dog," Stephano was surprised when the dog looked at him and put on an enthusiastic expression. "Because I don't."