11:00 AM, Thursday.
City life was cautious, but still on the up and up.
With everyone slowly hoping that the kind boy drove that monster away from their village.
They were sorely mistaken.
Kid: [Mommy!
What’s that thing?]
The kid’s mom covered his eyes quickly before rushing to finish their errands.
Mom: [nothing you need to worry about, dear…!
How about we go get some sweets for you!]
Kid: [YAY!!]
Rhys pretends not to see them, but he knows damn well.
Dylan was also uncomfortable with the attention, but stayed silent.
Rhys: [Hey uh… where are we going again?]
Dylan: [We’re going to get some items from the food district, y’know the area near the main gate?]
Rhys: [Oh yeah…]
Rhys remembers what the little kid said about him.
Wondering if he would be there again, but that was in the morning.
Meaning that he might be done with the trip already.
Some little squirts came running past them.
Most of them didn’t look up to realize who they were missing out on.
One kid, though, couldn’t help but be a little curious.
Rhys bumps into that same kid, and they both lock eyes with each other.
Rhys could see that nothing but emptiness was behind those eyes.
The kid tried to hide that fact by tilting his head and raising an eyebrow, but that would not help.
Braindead: [Who are you?]
The kid’s conviction caught Rhys off guard.
Although Dylan seemed as if he might not have noticed.
Rhys: [U-um… My name’s… Mogi, I guess…]
He remembered what Dylan had told him earlier.
About how he should keep his name hidden from the rest of the village for now.
Rhys didn’t know that was such a big deal, but he went with it for peace of mind.
Braindead: [Mogi… you’re ugly!
like, really hideous!]
Everyone in the vicinity stopped right in their tracks.
The kid just yelled that out loud, straight in Rhys’s face.
Residents cowered in fear, trying their best not to be seen by him.
Dylan was also a little startled.
Rhys bent down, looked the kid right in the eyes, and bonked him right on the head.
Rhys: [Don’t talk to me like that, stupid.
Now run along to your friends.]
The kid’s left eye had a single tear in it as he stomped his way back to his concerned friends.
Rhys got back up straight and went back to the task at hand.
Dylan: [You didn’t have to hurt the kid, y’know!]
Rhys: [Oh, c’mon!
The fart had it coming anyway!]
???: [Fresh apples!
We’ve got fresh apples here!
Oh hey excuse me sirs…]
The seller at a fruit stand, near the start of the food district, was most likely trying to con people with overpriced apples.
That plan was never working, but why would that matter when it is arriving.
Swindler: [Holy shit!
Your*Hic new!
You want some fruit or some?]
He was clearly stumbling over every word.
Dylan: [Sorry, man!
I don’t have any money on me right now.
I’ll come back next time!]
Swindler: [Bull.
Shit.
I know you’re *Hic lying!
Why else would you be here?
Especially with whatever that thing is!]
The dude burped right into Rhys’s face.
Reminding him of something.
Dylan: [N-no!
I swear!
Me and Mogi will come back tomorrow!
I swear on it!]
While grabbing Rhys’s hand, he picked up the pace, leaving Rhys to watch as the swindler slowly faded into the crowd, getting louder every second.
Rhys: [I’m guessing he’s drunk right now…?]
Dylan: [More like every day!
He keeps pestering me every time I show up!]
Rhys: [How’s he still in business?
Not a single customer has shown up!]
Dylan: [Some people feel bad, thinking he’s homeless or something.
He somehow ends up with enough money every day to keep his service going and buy alcohol.]
Rhys: [Wow…]
Dylan: [Hey!
Look!
So fresh bread is on sale today!]
The grip and speed amplified as they both took off deeper into the district.
It only took them 25 seconds to make it over to this really fancy and decorated stand with fresh bread out front, slapped together with a 15% off tag.
Bread Lady: [Oh!
Hey there Dylan!
Who’s that…?]
This really pretty, red-haired lady trembled at the sight of Rhys.
He looked away immediately.
Dylan: [H-hi, Elliott!
This is a friend of mine.
His name’s Mogi]
Rhys gives a tiny wave, not daring to look at her disgusted face.
Elliot: [I-is he the one everyone’s riled up about today?]
Dylan: [Y-yeah, but he’s not gonna hurt you or anything.]
Rhys can hear the hard time he’s having talking to this girl.
Reminding him of someone he knows.
Being himself, of course.
Dylan: [By the way, c-can I have two loaves of bread, please!]
Elliot reluctantly hands them over with her bare hands.
Unfortunately, Dylan couldn’t accidentally touch them.
Elliot: [that’ll be 13 yauras!]
Dylan hands her the money and dashes out of there as fast as possible.
Rhys was almost left behind in the interaction.
Elliot watches the two of them leave and wonders what just happened.
Rhys: [Hey!
What’s that about!
Why’d you just leave without saying something?]
Dylan: [L-listen.
It’s too complicated to explain right now.
Let’s just focus on getting everything that we need from this place and go back home…]
Rhys: [well what else do we need?]
Dylan ponders for a second and then stops in his tracks.
The halt made Rhys lose his balance and fall to the floor.
Some kids near them try not to laugh, making Rhys furious.
Dylan: [We need…: eggs, flour, pears, milk, and… lollipops for my sisters!]
Rhys: [And how long is that going to take?]
Dylan: [If we’re fast… around 2 hours give or take.]
Rhys: [Aight then, c’mon!
Let’s go!]
There they go.
Setting off on their own little adventure; all on their own.
They forgot one thing, though.
Assistants of the elders are patrolling the streets right about now.
With one of them catching Rhys in full view.
Assistant: [Huh.
So that’s the monster these idiots were talking about…]
He walks back into the crowd, blending in with everyone else.
To a bystander, they look like any other person around.
Rhys noticed their staring, though.
Something didn’t feel right for the rest of their trip.