Rodan and Nono

Not a single monster dare come close to her. Any unfortunate people she found on her way would quickly run away in terror. No adventurers would fight her again after the tragedy that crushed the Pitbulls party. Not even the world riches could move their hand to try and confront her. Everyone avoided her. Only a fool would interact with her.

The girl, now antagonized by the entire Kingdom of Augzeria, condemned by the horrific title of White Nightmare, travels to every corner of the kingdom. But everywhere she goes, only fear she instilled by her heart-torturing aura to those she accidentally met.

But, there’s something nobody would know about her. Behind that dreadful mask of hers, droplet of tears... leak from beneath her chin. She stares into the night sky. Only the stars in the sky can she imagine as her friend. Only the breezing wind that glides around her can accompany her wherever she goes. And only the terrain would welcome her footsteps.

Deep behind the monstrous self within her, her heart cries out:

“Roro... Nono... I’ve done what I wanted. Now please... please...! Tell me... where... are... you guys...?”

In that night... a cry of a monster was heard by no one except the silent environment around her.

...

..

.

Five years ago...

In the Red Forest, lived a group of wanderers. They were originally travellers that had no other place to go or had run out of resources for their journey. They chose to settle down and build a small community in the forest by building tree houses. The community was named Red Bean Debauchery, since they made their living through red bean gardening.

But deeper inside the forest, there’s a giant tree, known to be 1.000 years old. In that tree, there’s someone living in it with his fellow friend. Both of them restructured the tree to be fitted for multiple rooms and made outposts on the branches. They literally made the titanic tree into a fortress.

Those guys were one of the longest living inhabitants in the community.

One day, a cart arrived at their doorstep, delivering a wooden box. His arrival greeted by a young man.

“Erm... this is a package for Mr. Rodan Rouge. Is he available?”

“Uh, right, wait a minute please. A-Ahem! Hey, Roro, the package has arrived!” said the young man loudly calling his senior.

“Yeah... just... put it on the table... I will go pick it up... yaaaawwn...”

“Just come down here, already! You must give a signature.”

“I’m really not willing to go down... the stairs are too much for my foot to step on. Do the signing for me, please...” said Rodan lazily.

“I can’t do that! If your signing is simply made of a single letter, then I’d do it for ya. But your signature is a damned abomination of letters and lines and mashed up dots! Get your ass down here this instant!” the young man grunted rapidly.

“...Aaah... damned-frickin’-ass-wrecking-glasses... you should really learn how to make my signature! Hah... fine, fine, I’m coming down... Nono,”

Rodan Rouge, he was a 25 year-old man, originally from a land he said as ‘far, far, extremely far away land.’ He’s taller than average adult male. He has a short spiky red hair with a clump of his hair tied to the back with a skull ribbon.

Meanwhile, his friend, Nono, was an 18 year-old man, originally from Gantz city. He was abandoned by his family four years ago and found himself winding up with Rodan, which he called Roro. He has a short jet black hair with a streak of white hair plucking out above his forehead. He wore glasses most of the time.

As Rodan went down the stairs, he took his robe and wore it while going down the stairs. He also picked a black metal mask decorated in white floral motifs to cover his mouth and nose. As he got below, his friend was waiting with his arms crossed.

“Took you some time to go down,”

“Well, it can’t be helped! The bed’s magnetizing me to go back to dream world...”

“Enough of that, Roro. Please give your sign here,” the young man Rodan called as Nono handed over the paper and a quill pen. Rodan gave his signature. It was written:

~RO-RO..O.O.ROU.GE~

“Alright, it’s done. Pardon for the wait...” said Rodan lazily. “Thank you very much...” he added.

“You’re welcome!” the deliverer replied. Though, he grunted as he got onto the cart and rode away.

“What’s in the box, Roro?”

“Huh? In the box? Guess what.”

“Well, I dunno. You tell me. You always buy something I couldn’t even comprehend.”

“Heh, then you should change glasses, Nono.”

“Hah? Don’t start ranting shit about my glasses. Aside that, tell me what’s in the box!”

“Arggh... how troublesome... fine, I’ll tell you. Inside the box is one of the world’s most important things. Everyone craves it. Everyone needs it. If it doesn’t exist, then we are all going to die a painful slow death. Mark that in your mind. This box is more than just important.”

“W-Whew... that’s kind of scary. It must be a world relic or something...”

Then, Rodan attempted to open the box... with a pike, a sharp pike.

“HEY! The hell are you doing?!”

“Huh? What are you nagging about, I’m opening the box!”

“Why use a pike? You said it’s something extremely important!”

“Well, of course it is super-duper-extremely-unbelievably-supremely important!”

“Then handle it with care!”

“Fine,”

Rodan then attempted to open the box... with a mace, a really, really large mace. He smashed the box with it, yet the box was so sturdy it still didn’t break.

“HEEEEEYYY!!! You’re just making it worse!”

“Huh? Dammit, you’re so noisy, Nono. Even a mace could not open it.”

“Well, let me open it with my magic!”

Shortly, Nono used a gravity magic to open the top part of the wooden box. And voila! It’s finally opened. Nono carefully put the wooden plank he opened beside the box. And when he looked inside the box, he prepared himself to witness the important stuff Rodan talked about.

He saw spherical objects in light green. But then, he realized.

“—Eh, fruits?”

“Yeah, they’re fruits. Green apple, to be precise,” Rodan said casually.

“You said it’s something extremely important. Did you trick me?”

“No, I didn’t trick you at all. They’re fruits, right? They’re literal food. Food is one of the world most important things. Everyone needs food, too. If everyone’s hungry, then they’ll crave for food. If there’s no food, then you might die slowly. Unless you’re one of those creepy creatures lurking in the dark~ he-he-he,”

After that, Nono left the tree house and wandered off.

“Oooey! Where are you going, Nono?”

“To the city!” he replied.

“Well, then! Go buy me some apple syrup from that lady, okay?”

“Hah, go to hell! Buy it yourself!”

In reality, though... Nono left the house to hide his embarrassment. He thought of something great in the box. Yet he was betrayed, by himself.

Meanwhile, Roro ate some apples as he was left alone in the tree house.

...

..

.

Nono rode a horse to the city and took about 35 minutes. He’s incredibly skilled in riding horses, thus making it easy for him to get from one place to another. Even horses love him.

As he reached the city gates, the guards immediately welcomed him in. Why not, he had a brass plaque that was used by those who lives in Gantz city as identity tool.

Once inside, he immediately went to the guild house, which was not far from the gate.

The guild house is home to adventurers for years. But it didn’t only serve as a place for adventurers to accept quests. It also served as a tavern for those who want to drink, or perhaps eat.

Nono was not an adventurer, however. He’s just a normal visitor that came regularly.

He ordered a cup of hot chocolate to the bartender and then sat near the wall magazines, where quests posted. He then saw adventurers from different ranks and levels went by checking the quests. Some took the paper as their acceptance to take on the quest and some just walk away since there’s no appealing work for them.

Nono was offered to become an adventurer before, and even offered easy promotion to reach higher level faster, but Nono turned them down. He preferred a quiet life outside the city, where little to no trouble occurs.

“I’m different from these guys. Many of those of my age would willingly risk their lives accepting dangerous jobs and thought of it as something fun and exciting. Meanwhile, I don’t think I would like to put my life on the line so easily.”

He sipped the hot chocolate that was just delivered to him.

Then... he heard hushed voices from two adventurers. The way they’re talking attracted Nono to eavesdrop on them.

“Eh? That maniac Rodan? Yeesh, I’m not gonna deal with him. Nu-uh, not a chance!”

“But the price was pretty high... we could be rich just by apprehending him!”

Nono now got his ear locked to their conversation, knowing that his friend was potentially threatened.

“No way, I don’t have the time to deal with an asshole like him. I’d go back to my grandma if I’m forced to do this sick job.”

“I understand... let’s leave, then. Wanna go buy potions?”

“Okay, let’s go, then.”

Once those two adventurers left, Nono immediately picked up the pace and checked the wall magazine himself. He was shocked to see Rodan’s masked face posted on it. He read the paper as follows:

WANTED ALIVE – RODAN ROUGE

PAYMENT: 5 GOLD COINS

“Geez, what the hell did you just do, Roro? Your face is on the hook now...”

Nobody except the people of Red Bean Debauchery knew about Nono being affiliated to Rodan Rouge, nor knowing his friendship with him. Shortly, Nono heard another conversation talking about his buddy.

“Did you hear? A group of mercenaries are going to take on the job to hunt Rodan!”

“What, you serious? Ain’t that a bit overkill just to hunt down a single criminal?”

“What made that asshole a criminal though?”

“Meh... he destroyed a noble’s wagon for no reason. The noble must’ve been really angry about it and wanted him to be caught.”

“What a fool he is.”

Nono immediately left the guild house and rode his horse out of the city. “I must go tell Roro about this.”

Meanwhile, back in the guild house...

“When would the mercenary come?”

“I dunno. The guild said that they’re coming at evening. My guess would be that they’re gonna hunt him down at midnight.”

“Why would the guild still have the quest running, if they’re going to use mercenaries anyway?”

“Well, the mercenaries might need some help from adventurers. You see, Rodan is a really tricky person to deal with.”

...

..

.

On the road, Nono spurred his horse, rushing to the Red Forest in maximum speed. He felt anxious all of sudden and eager to tell about the incoming threat to his friend.

“He destroyed a noble’s wagon?! Dammit, Roro, you’re literally asking for hell aren’t ya?! I doubt he would even realize the consequences of his actions!

I must go quickly... and tell him of this news!”

Meanwhile, Rodan was napping on the couch after eating six apples consecutively.