Chapter 2: A Day in the Life-- circa AW 4192
"QUIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNCCCYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!"
The red monochrome android leaned out of the Krup Inn window, bellowing so loud that the windows rattled and people lost their balance. The recipient of that call jumped over children and danced through crowds, escaping the authorities trying to catch him. Laughing loudly, the brunette looked over his shoulder to survey the distance between him and his pursuer. Not paying attention, he bumped right into Mieu.
"Sorry!"
"You better be sorry Quincy de Lachute!" the android scolded, "How many times have I told you not to steal from others; especially from gracious star systems that let us in!!"
"Well, Freyna says that this was originally our home, so I'm not really stealing because all this stuff is already mine."
The android smacked Quincy on the head. "Courtesy, Quincy! You're a prince, for Orakio's sake! You of all people should be able to practice that! What in the world did you take anyway??!"
The young prince opened his vest and revealed a handful of sandworm meat. "The vendors were cheating their customers," he justified.
Mieu slowly nodded her head. "So what are you going to do with it? You weren't going to eat it, were you?"
Before he could answer, trumpets blasted outside the city gates. Leo de Lachute, Quincy's father, walked in the city and greeted his son. Beside him, Quincy's mom blew her son a kiss.
A crowd drew around the royal family. Some took pictures and others pointed. A few dirty kids managed to shove through the crowd and stand in the front. Quincy noticed them and gave them his meatballs. After the crowd calmed down, Quincy turned his attention back to his parents.
"So daddy, why are you guys out here? I thought you said that you were going to stay in Lachute."
The king clapped his hands together. "That's what I'm here to tell you! A few of the pilots of Algol and our pilots have decided to build an artificial planet!"
The crowd gasped and applauded. Some, though, weren't very excited. Quincy noticed them, but decided not to mention it.
"They've asked the future king and queen of the planet to visit it," Leo finished.
"What about the future prince?"
"You can come if you like," the king replied. "I can't wait. Do you know who's in charge of the operation? Rolz!"
"We should go right now! I'll go get some snacks for the ride!" Quincy strutted toward the marketplace. His father accompanied him.
"Ahem! Exactly where do you think you two are going??!" Mieu shouted, stopping the duo in their tracks.
The king turned to face his andriod. "Quincy might not have paid for it, but I would have," he explains. Quincy grinned and agreed with his father. Without waiting for an answer, the two pivot in unison and continue on to the marketplace.
Mieu sighed and turned to Queen Lucia de Lachute. "That child and his child of a father would be in so much trouble without you."
"You think so?" the queen replied, "I think if I weren't around, they'd mature a bit."
At the marketplace, the prince and his father examined every morsel that merchants shoved in their faces. To his right, at a distant meat stand, Quincy noticed his second cyborg, Searren, observing the stand's contents carefully. Leaving his dad to finish shopping, he wanders over.
"Umm...Question?"
Searren looked up to find his master beside him. "Good morning, prince. I couldn't help but notice that you woke the town up with your antics." Although his face and voice displayed no emotion, Quincy could tell that those words were spoken lovingly.
"I would have gotten away if Mieu didn't stop me."
"Her orders are to keep you out of trouble."
"I know.."
"What was your question?" the cyborg asked.
"Why are you looking so hard at the meat?"
"I just detected laconia on the meat."
"Oh."
The two stood silently at the stand, Searren examining the rest of the meat, and Quincy looking around and watching Searren do his work.
"Umm... Quest--"
"Yes, it's dangerous, prince," the cyborg interrupted.
"So if it's so dangerous, why do people use them for swords and armor?"
"Laconia isn't dangerous to the touch, but if ingested, the host could die of poisoning. The man running the stand knew that, too. At first, the price was high," at this, the cyborg points to a price tag, "but then, he found the laconia and lowered the price." He slid his metallic finger down to a price with the word "New!" next to it.
"Oh." Then his expression changed. "Wait, I remember this stand! This is the one that I stole from!"
As soon as he finished the last syllable, four children fainted.
*************************************************
Hours later, Quincy paced up and down the lobby of the hospital with his fingers running through his hair while murmuring "Oh man" to himself. Mieu wrinkled her imitation brows and stood in his path.
"Quincy, I know you're worried, but pacing like that is only going to wear you out." She grabbed his shoulders firmly, and looked him in the eye, "Come and sit down. Or at least do something to keep yourself busy."
Before he could respond, a nurse approached them. "The children are breathing," she announced, "but it will be a while before they fully recover."
"What's hindering them?" Mieu asked.
"The hospital's out of Alshline," the nurse answered, "It's usually used to restore flesh from stone, but it can also be used to cure paralysis."
"Aiedo City has Alshline in stock," Searren pointed out, looking at the team's monitor, "We're currently idle; we could go get some."
"Good idea, Searren," Quincy said, "Alright let's go, guys!"
The nurse smiled grimly, "Thank you very much."
Mieu noticed her expression and asked, "Why don't you look very pleased?"
"Well," she began, "There have been magicians roaming about, turning our Hunters into stone and destroying Alshline. That's how the hospital lost our supply."
"We ain't scared of any magicians!!" Quincy spat.
"Aren't," Mieu corrected, "We aren't scared of any magicians."
"Just be careful.. and guard the Alshline," the nurse warned.
Quincy gave her a thumbs up. "No problem! Don't worry, this is a cinch!"
Having said that, the prince and his cyborg companions make their way to Aiedo. As the three leave the gates of Krup, Mieu smiles to herself thinking, None of this would have happened if Quincy hadn't stolen anything...
These three had no idea what was in store for them.
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