Setting Off

The sun has only risen an hour or so ago.

Asa’s bike hovers at the edge of Solleh. Its frame is unbent and a power crystal sparks in its chamber. “Are you sure you want me to have this?” He asks.

“It’s fine.” Says Natti. He’s the burly man who whacked Creed with a wrench. As it turns out, he’s a mechanic.

He had given the bike deluxe treatment and it looked good as new. Maybe even better than it started. He had to ignore Asa’s pleas for him to do less all day. “You already fixed the bike and a power crystal that large must’ve cost a fortune. Here…”

Asa rummages through his coin purse. A large, warm hand cups his, the callouses gently brushing his skin. The scent of motor oil that wafts off Natti soothes him.

“Don’t worry about it.” He says. “The power source won’t be worth much if there’s no world to use it in.”

Asa pauses. I don't know if it’d be the entire world that gets destroyed… He thinks.

On the other hand, he doesn’t know that it won’t. There’s no way to tell what course a future war could follow. They don’t even know what The Key does, exactly. If the priestesses were right, then it had destroyed most of ancient society. The palm-sized puzzle piece in his bag, nestled amongst the food and supplies the villagers gave him, feels like the weight of the world on his back. Asa gazes into Natti’s eyes.

Behind the grimness is genuine gratitude and the sort of trust isn’t given freely. Asa puts his coin purse away and smiles sincerely. “Thank you.”

Natti’s faith in him means more than he can say. “This isn't ideal, but you were right. We weren’t equipped to protect the Key.” Says Baaya, with a look of regret on her face. “I can only pray that Inizio won’t misuse it. Just make sure to get there in one piece.”

Asa nods, determined. “I’ll do everything in my ability to deliver it safely.”

“Niklaus.” Mint says, raising his voice. The crowd’s eyes are drawn to him, wide with surprise. He’s speaking in front of so many people?

“I’ll miss you.” He says, frowning. There’s tears in his eyes. “I wish… I could go with you.”

Everyone pauses. Mint, who’s so timid, wants to go to the outside world?

“Go.” Says Baaya.

“What?” Mint asks, doing a double take.

“Go.” She urges. “You think I haven’t seen how you stare off into the horizon? You don’t want to be here, you want to be there.” She gestures to the desert with her cane.

“Don’t you guys need a healer? One with an Animaguard?”

“What? You think I’m too old to handle myself?”

“No, I…” He sputters, then realizes what she’s saying. A smile comes to his face and he hugs her, burying his face into her chest.

“Thank you.” He says, his voice soft and emotional.

“Baaya.” Interjects Asa. “It’ll be dangerous and I can’t protect him – .”

“I’m aware of that. What you’re not taking into account is it’ll be dangerous for you as well. You’ll need a healer.” She smiles. “Consider it a favor in exchange for the power crystal.”

Mint’s face lights up. He looks to Baaya for confirmation. She nods and gestures to Asa. He looks to him.

“Okay.” Asa confirms.

Mint laughs ecstatically with childlike excitement. He runs to Asa and wraps his arms around him. Then pulls away with a blush once he realizes what he’s done.

Mint creates some distance between them, looking at his feet as he nudges some dirt with his toe. Asa looks down at him. “Before we leave, there’s something I have to tell you.”

Mint perks his head up in interest, forgetting about the embarrassment. “My name isn’t Niklaus. It’s Asa.”

“Asa?” He says, feeling the name on his tongue. His smile grows. “Asa. Okay.”

Overrun with giddiness, he dashes to the hoverbike and climbs onto the seat. It bobs as he sits on it with a satisfying plop. Baaya notices that Afra’s eyes are downcast. She’s picking at her bandaged hand.

“Don’t be hard on yourself. You protected The Key. That was your duty and you did it well.” She says. “And if you’re thinking you no longer have a purpose – You do. A priestess’s job isn’t just to guard the ruins, but to preserve our history.”

Afra looks up, a spark in her eyes. She knows what she wants to do from now on.

“Afra?” Says Asa. Her ears perk up.

He’s seated on the hoverbike, looking over his shoulder with a smile. “I’ll be back to make you tell me everything you know about my power.”

Afra grins, showing an excitement stronger than anything else Asa’s seen from her. “I’ll be waiting!”

☼

Baaya returns from the clinic with a bag packed for Mint.

“I tried to keep it light. I packed first aid supplies, a couple outfits, and a blanket, as well as a water jug and enough food to last a few days.” She says. “Get to the next town as soon as you can. That blanket isn’t enough for a desert night.”

“And did you pack the…” Mint trails off, turning sheepish. He eyes her expectantly.

“I did.”

“Thank you. You’re so great!” He wraps his arms around her neck.

Baaya smirks proudly. Asa is curious about what she packed. He figures he can ask Mint later. “Wait!”

It’s Emiyeh, running from her home with a neatly fabric-wrapped box nestled in one hand. She gently hands it to him.

“I know you’re already carrying too much, but I couldn’t let you leave without giving you something.” She says. “It’s fritters.”

Mint’s eyes water and a grin breaks out across his face. Some drool also breaks out of his mouth. “Thank you, Emiyeh!”

He leans forward, then stops. He can’t spontaneously hug anyone else today! “You don’t have to thank me. The village is safe because of what you did. You’re a hero, you know.”

Emiyeh presses a soft kiss to his forehead. “Come back safe and there’ll be lots more where that came from.”

His eyes light up. “Okay! I’ll be looking forward to it.”

Asa finds the exchange charming, but can’t help feeling a little awkward. He’s never met someone who’s so frank about what their stomach wants! It makes it seem like he’s more interested in the baked goods than Emiyeh.

She doesn’t seem to mind, though. So, it’s probably okay. “Well, we have to get going…” Says Mint, so soft that it’s almost a murmur.

“You’re right.” Baaya says. “I’m sure you’re eager to meet all the girls out in the city. The ones here won’t do, will they?”

Mint’s face flushes. Asa could swear he was steaming, too. She seems to be referencing something that happened in the past.

Everyone gives their goodbyes. The hoverbike zooms out of the village, but Asa stops it before they’re too far away to be heard. “Oh yeah! Afra!” He yells.

“Yeah?!” Afra shouts back.

“Take good care of the ruins! They’re really cool!”

“I will!” With her confirmation, Asa rides off into the desert. Villagers snigger at the oblivious comment, including Baaya, who cracks a grin. Afra does, too.

“Did he think that I wouldn’t?” She says, pointing out the absurdity with amusement. Ruins freak. She thinks, affectionately.

☼

“I can’t believe you left me off the entire time!” Mimo complains, strapped to Asa’s hip once again and bobbing with the hoverbike.

“It’s not my fault you’re so loud. What would you do if we’d gotten caught?”

Mimo wants to counter, but fails to come up with an argument. He sighs his same strange, robotic sigh. “Hey, Mint.” Says Asa.

“Yeah?”

“I noticed your mom and dad weren’t there to tell you goodbye. Why is that?” He hopes he’s not prodding a sore spot.

“They’re out on a trip. My mom and dad are big fans of the outside world.” He says. “That’s actually where I got my name from. My mom is obsessed with Earth plants. My eyes are green, so she called me Mint.”

“I wanted to go with them this time, but I had responsibilities at the clinic…”

“So, you have a good relationship with your parents?”

“Yeah. I like them a lot!”

“That’s good.” Asa says. He feels relieved, but also a bit lonely. I thought he might be like me…

“Hey, Asa?”

“Yeah?”

“What does your name mean?”

“It means purpose.”

☼

“Oh, oh! I’ve got a connection! I’ve got a connection!” Mimo chirps giddily. Having had the empty, sprawling desert as the only entertainment for the past 9 hours, anything is exciting.

Asa perks up. “Wow, this far out from the city? That’s great! Thanks, Mimo.”

He parks the bike and opens the phone app. “What are you doing?” Asks Mint, peaking over his shoulder.

“Calling my boss.” Commander Deshpande appears on screen.

“Hello, Commander. Just checking in.”

“Confirmed.” Says the commander, expression unchanging. He hangs up.

Mint quirks a brow. “Why’d he say nothing, then hang up?”

“Mimo’s security is some of the best, but interception’s still possible. It’s best to be on the safe side.”

“But all you did was say hi.”

Asa leans to his ear and whispers. “‘Just checking in’ means ‘I have the item and I’m heading back’.”

He pulls away with a playful smile. A light bulb goes off in Mint’s head. “Ohhhh.”

“So now we’re going to head to Rosa.”

“Where’s that?”

“On Inizio’s border.”

“That’s so far away!”

“That’s where the closest, non-monitored airport is.”

“So we have to travel across the entirety of Litora?” Mint’s already overwhelmed just by thinking about it.

“Just look at it as a road trip. We’ll both have lots of new experiences.”

The uneasy feeling doesn’t go away, but a long journey with a beautiful, interesting person like Asa doesn’t sound so bad. Mint wraps his arms around Asa’s waist and they set off for Nehru, the least surveilled Litorian border city.