We finally arrived at the adventurers' guild inside Chine village. It was only about a twenty-minute walk.
"Finally here! The adventurers guild!" Emilia screamed, opening her arms wide while staring face-first at the front door.
It was decked out in oakwood with a metal sign at the top. 'Chine Fights!'
What a lazy name. That sounds like something I would think of. I don't have the most creative mind, but I do have pride. In this world, not too much in the other.
The entrance was two little wooden doors that swung back and forth with a hollow clack, like two restless wings.
Creak.
Emilia went through the entrance, and I followed along. Inside, it reeked with the smell of drunkies. As the doors flapped back in place behind us, we looked ahead.
"Huh!" The human-looking gator stepped forward, pressing his face right against the orca's. "Who are you to tell me what to do!?"
We came in while two monsters were clearly in the middle of something heated. One was a demi-human-looking gator, while the other was a demi-human-looking orca. Honestly, they look to be nine feet with male human faces and buff physiques. The rest of their body exactly resembled their type of animal. Below, the brown wooden floor creaked. Four tables were at each corner of the guild. Many adventurers simply stared while they got closer to one another. Both had one hand to each of their weapons like they were about to slash each other's heads off.. Two long metal swords, almost to my height
"Give me my Goddamn quest back. Overgrown fish!" The Alligator demi-human yelled, spitting all over the Orca.
"Was mine first, swamp breath!" The Orca replied, spitting back.
"Fight! Fight! Fight!" Huh? Why are the other adventurers encouraging the fight? Do they want to wreck this place?
I looked to the front desk of the guild, it was a beautiful, curvy lady with shoulder-length brown hair and brown eyes who leaned over the brown table all across, and joined in with the crowd.
"Fight! Fight! Fight!"
Does she not care? Isn't this where she works?
I turned to Emilia, anxious for a task.
"So, Emilia," I said. "What should we do?"
"Oh, nothing, we're just supposed to watch what happens, then clean after them. That's the point of a cleaner, silly." She replied, excitedly.
So they call 'Cops'. . . 'Cleaners.' Not inquisitors, watchmen, or Yamen, but Cleaners!
Cops are supposed to be heroes to the public, a role model. Are they paraded in this world to be glorified Janitors?
But, how to explain this uniform? It's exactly what a cop back on earth would wear, down to the last detail. Fabric, same buttons, same pockets, even the badge looked like it came straight from the Florida state police. Well, one difference was the title…
'Cleaners.'
"Then, what's the point of being a cleaner?" I then pointed at my gun, "What's the point of this?" I asked her. "My father was a hero to many people. I should help the same way he did."
She let out a little giggle. "Silly, it's because the royal capital wanted a sanction set up where we can get in close contact with stronger adventurers. What would we even do to beasts like those? Unless you're an awakened, you'd just get yourself killed. We'll just clean up after them. Isn't that the point of a cleaner?" She smiled while looking at me. "And about the Joyburst you're calling a 'gun'... It's just for the kids."
Cleaners? Like some insignificant cleaning company? If that's so, they don't deserve to wear this outfit. And what's this about a Joyburst? Meant for little kids, as in they shoot them? Then I don't deserve to wear this uniform. If all I'm going to do is stand here, I don't deserve to call myself my father's son. Or a person whose aspiration is to become a policeman.
"A fight it is!" Both the Orca and Gator agreed.
"We have to do something, Emilia. We can't just stand here. This whole place will crumble. People will get hurt." I said nervously. "And one of them is going to die."
Sure, I might be afraid, but the urge to do something erased that feeling. I guess it fits for a son of a top-ranked cop. Not wanting to be the same person as before was my goal. To do that, changing myself is necessary.
"Just listen to my orders, Chris. Why are you suddenly being a drag? You've changed." She said, angrily. "Th-this. This person is not you."
This was the first time I heard her become slightly mad. But, for some reason, I enjoyed it. I guess she's that type of girl. Kind when everything goes your way, and rude when it doesn't. Honestly, not much of my type.
Both the Orca and Gator pulled out metal swords from their leather sleeves.
"Well…" I smirked, "I'm not the Chris you once knew." I declared, not knowing about the one before me.
"Chris!" She screamed, almost as loud as the demi-humans. "Listen to me. Just do what you always did. Don't change." She begged me, almost like I was her toy.
I began walking forward to the fight, ignoring her. It's not like I felt overpowered, but… glad. Glad I get another chance to help others. Glad that I could teach someone else what my father taught me.
"Hey!" I heard Emilia's scream from behind as I continued to walk forward. "You can not win! Get a grip, you're just a non-awakened. Nothing you could do about it."
Maybe in my old life, I would've accepted it. But not here.
I stopped walking to the Orca and Gator, as both of them were about to use their metal swords. I looked back at Emilia, smiling. I had to keep going. It's the only way to stay true to my morals.
"Hey, silly," I said with a grin. "If there's one thing I'll always live by, it's this… if you can do something, do it. And if you're not strong enough… do it anyway." I smirked, feeling like I was about to pull off something epic.
Emilia just looked at me, speechless, as I turned away and kept walking, hand on my gun, or what they call... 'Joyburst'.
As the Orca and Gator were about to slash, I reached just five feet away. Gasps filled the air; most of the other adventurers looked worried, for me.
"Hey! Animals!" I screamed towards the Orca and Gator. Eyes closed with the most sarcastic smile on my face. I looked up to them like an insect to a human.
Swoosh!
They stopped as both swords were about to reach their heads. I felt the wind of the pause blowing away my hair. Both the Orca and Crocodile looked down on me.
"What did you just call me!?" They roared, their breath reeking of goat cheese.
"Why don't you both take me on a two-on-one instead?" I asked, grinning. "If you win, I'll give you a gold coin." I smiled as I put myself into an orthodox fighting stance. "But if I win… both of you stop fighting."
I didn't know what I was doing, and I didn't understand why that was the best option I thought of.
But I couldn't back down now. I have my pride too. I will do what I can.
Both the Orca and Gator turned their attention towards me.
If cops are called 'cleaners' here… then I'll be the one to change that. I'll make 'policeman' mean something again, even in a fantasy world.