Chapter 02 ~ Momonda
Zeno glanced up, his grin widening at the sight of the brilliant blue sky, streaked with lazy white clouds.
He darted between people, turning sharply into a narrower alleyway, his smile never fading. He moved with a fluid energy, leaping onto a stack of wooden crates to clear a path. A stray cat hissed at him from atop a barrel, swiping with its claws, but Zeno dodged without breaking stride, continuing his sprint down the tight passage.
The alley grew even narrower, the walls of the houses closing in. Zeno didn't slow down. He jumped, planting a foot on a low-lying crate, then on the stone lintel above a door. He kicked off, launching himself across the narrow gap. His feet hit the opposite wall with a dull thud, and he used the momentum to rebound, his fingers finding a purchase on the sill of an open window on the first wall. He hung there for a second, catching his breath.
A small face appeared in the window. A little girl, no older than seven, with big brown eyes and brown hair, stared at him, her mouth agape. She was so stunned she could only whisper.
"Thief..."
Zeno brought a finger to his lips, a charming smile on his face. "Shhh. Not literally," he whispered back. "Can you just not scream?"
Her brow furrowed in confusion, then terror. She took a deep breath and let out a piercing shriek.
Zeno winced. "Damn it."
The door to the girl's room burst open. A large man stormed in, saw Zeno clinging to his window, and his face turned red. "Zeno?! Damn you, not again!"
"Damn," Zeno muttered. He let go with one hand and, with a flick of his wrist, snapped his fingers.
Snap!
He vanished in a shower of blue, ethereal sparks. The sparks zipped through the air, soaring upwards before coalescing on the edge of the rooftop meters above. Zeno reappeared, crouched on the balls of his feet on the clay tiles.
The man, who Zeno knew as Uncle Toredo, stuck his head out the window and looked up, shaking his fist. "Zeno, I'm telling your mother myself this time! I've had enough of you sneaking across my roof!"
Zeno stood up, turning to face him with an unapologetic grin. "But it's my favorite starting point, Uncle Toredo!"
The view before him was magnificent. The rooftops of the town spread out in a jumble of wood and tile. He could see most of the district from here; it was indeed one of the tallest houses in the neighborhood.
He turned and broke into a run, a fresh breeze whipping through his green hair.
Everyone in the neighborhood knows me, he thought as he leaped from one roof to the next. They say I'm a troublemaker, though from my perspective, I don't cause any trouble at all. All I do is follow the trail of treasure. Okay, so I've never actually found any real treasure in my entire life. He instinctively touched the green satchel at his side. But this time, it's going to be different. I can feel it!
"Aaaaaaaaaah!"
The scream was sharp, female, and close. It came from the edge of the roof he was approaching. He picked up his pace, and after a few more steps, he peered down into the alley below. He saw the source of the scream. His face, at first etched with concern, twisted into an expression that was closer to disbelief.
Eleven meters below, a girl with striking pink hair and blue eyes stood cornered. She wore the practical black and white clothes of a traveler and had a brown backpack with a panda logo stitched onto it. Blocking her path were three grimy, muscular men whose torn clothes and menacing scowls screamed that they were about to relieve her of her money.
But her expression didn't match the situation. She looked utterly bored.
"Oh, please," she said, her voice flat. "Somebody save me."
She tilted her head up and her blue eyes locked onto Zeno. A slow, deliberate smile spread across her face. "You, up there. Would you be so kind as to step in and help me?"
Zeno leaned over the edge. "Well, you don't seem to be in desperate need of help."
"What are you talking about?" she retorted, rolling her eyes. "I'm clearly a defenseless girl surrounded by a bunch of idiots—I mean, delinquents."
The three men glanced at each other. "Did she just call us idiots?" one of them growled.
"Yeah, she did!"
"That's it for this brat!"
They started to advance on her. The girl just clicked her tongue. "Tch!" She raised one hand, palm forward. Her voice became instantly imperious and commanding. "None of you are of any use at all!"
A moment of silence, then her pink hair whipped about her face as a concussive wave of pure wind erupted from her hand. It slammed into the thugs, lifting them off their feet and smashing them against the opposite wall before they crumpled to the ground in a heap. Garbage cans flew, and a flock of pigeons burst into the sky.
An excited grin lit up Zeno's face as he watched from above. A wind manipulation ability?! This is the first time I've ever seen one like that!
The girl dusted off her hands, then looked back up at him, her tone now gruff. "Thanks for nothing, you coward."
With a wild grin, Zeno pushed off from the ledge and leaped, plummeting toward the alley in a shocking display.
The girl's blue eyes widened in alarm. "Wait, what are you—?!" She threw her hands up, ready to unleash another blast of wind to protect herself from the impact.
But just before he would have hit her, he snapped his fingers again.
Snap!
He dissolved into a cascade of blue sparks that swirled like fireflies, then zipped past her to the spot where the thugs had been standing. The sparks converged, and Zeno materialized, crouched on one knee before smoothly rising to his feet.
The girl stared, her jaw slightly open. "What was that just now? Teleportation?"
Zeno smiled, his confidence absolute. "I'm Zeno. Zeno Tokima. I'm an adventurer who's about to have the adventure of a lifetime. I saw you, young lady, and I was impressed by your ability. Want to join me?"
She composed herself instantly, her expression turning cool and assessing. "I'm Momonda. I care about money and nothing else. Is there a good share of money in this adventure?"
Zeno's smile didn't falter. "Fifty-fifty. What do you say?"
A slow, sharp smile spread across her face. "I apologize for calling you a coward earlier. I like your style of talking and deal-making. Fine. Fifty-fifty is a very satisfactory percentage for me. Where are we going, and what are we doing?"
Before Zeno could answer, a figure in gleaming silver armor, a sword at his hip, appeared at the end of the alley. Beside him was Uncle Toredo, pointing frantically.
"He's there!" the man shouted.
The knight started running toward them. "What happened here?!" he yelled.
Zeno didn't hesitate. He turned and bolted. Momonda watched him go, completely bewildered.
"Hey, why are you running?!" she called out, turning her head.
"Last time the Knights caught me, I was grounded for three days!" Zeno yelled back without slowing down. "This time it'll be a week or more! I'll die of boredom!"
Momonda stood at the crossroads of the alley. She looked at Zeno's retreating back, then at the charging knight shouting behind her. She looked forward again, at Zeno, and a thrilling, mischievous smile bloomed on her face.
Me? Running from a Knight? My mother would go crazy if she heard about this.
She broke into a run. A faint shimmer of wind gathered around her feet, and she surged forward in a burst of speed, the gust propelling her effortlessly. She caught up to Zeno in seconds, the wind dissipating as she fell into a steady, matching pace beside him.