"That guy has been staring at us for some time. Don't look! Maybe he's some kind of pervert,"
"Eeek! Let's get out of here,"
"No, wait. He's been following us since school, remember? We should lost him in the mall of something,"
"Yeah, you're right. Besides, I need a new pair of shoes for next week,"
"Oh? Fair's birthday party, right? Come, he's catching up... I don't want him to get close..."
The two girls, still in their school uniforms hasten their steps. They send short and piercing glances behind their backs, occasionally with a worried frown on their foreheads. The uniform they had was that of the nearby high school, Juilin's High School. Quite a prestigious school, privately funded, of course, with almost all the students came from families with high status in community and positions in politics. Their children, they send them here to educate. But as they say, education don't just stop at the school, it needs to continue at the home level. Some of the students in that school wasn't as lucky as them, though. They are the ones who had entered the school with their aces and hard work, starting back from their Middle school, they picked up the idea of those who does not work, will eventually die in a ditch somewhere. Especially in these times and days. Especially when their daily lives consists of the thoughts of them and the ones that can brought the fate upon them.
That guy isn't a pervert nor any kind of criminal. His name was Trafial. No family name. Twice he had been removed of such title, and twice again he was given that name, only to be resulted in total exile from his old family tree. The family that had played the game that costs lives and money in glances and tweaks of the eyes. To think he had been adopted long ago made him squirm somewhat in delight. What kind of strings pull him now, he wondered. Since the ones that his own adopted family had attached to him had already been severed, for what he lives now? The reason he was following those two girls was because he knew that those girls will think him as some common rapist, and in that, if they are clever enough, they will lead him directly to the mall. To think he had lived under a roof for such a long time, the outside world became an almost alien aspect he nearly forgotten. Yet, he managed his way with as much money he had dug up in that old mansion and using the knowledge to read maps would be a start to his re-entering of the world.
Yes, the new world. Trafial knew the new world like the back of his mind. The new world, my ass. All that was added was this glossy feeling inside him telling tales of of unbelievable through his eyes. He did wonder how did the maglev work, and how did that piece of board float, he thought someone called it "Hover Board" or some kind, and why are the women's clothings resemble that of shapes distorted as in dreams and the height of their shoes. He thought that maybe the issue between a man and woman was because of their each own height. Thus, by becoming taller, women will close that gap up. That's what he thought anyway.
The two girls were very aware of him following them. He was wearing a long coat, made of brown leather, with as many pockets he can pick out from. Very effective in storing things that requires very delicate limited view of the public, like the hidden daggers he kept with himself as long as he can remember. The man that adopted him taught him that. Always arm yourself. Even when unarmed, the sole of your foot and the palms of your hands can be weapons. But Trafial was somewhat low in terms of stamina. True, he mastered some 2 or 3 forms of Kung Fu and some other martial arts, if he can remember them. Yet, he put his trusts in the hidden knives more. The hat he had on was wide brimmed and covered half of his face when he tilt the his face the right way, an effective hiding tool when you are following someone but you need to get a view of the followed as well, so had to glance up once in a while.
For some time now, since he had been stripped of the family name and any kind of possessions, although he is quite fast with his hands most of the time, he had wonder what he will do next. To become a commoner would be the best form of any kind of idea he can managed, since he will be safe within the walls of the city and it's citizenship and at the same time, he will not be involved in the chess board of the higher ups that rule half the city. However he think, that way was the best for his safety. Yet...
"Uh! Those two... where did they go?" Trafial snapped from his thoughts. He looked around, there were no girls in Juilin's uniform anywhere. The people around him gave him looks. He noticed and lowering his head, he made his way to a bench. "Tch. I lost those two. Maybe there's a map that I can use around here."
When he sat down, though, he realize where he really is all this time. Those two girls are either taking some long way route or really clever. The people around him consisted nearly of couples or families, lounging around the grassy floor or in the shadows of trees. In the park, some people basked in the sunlight and almost all of them had caps to hide their frown. Although the place was quite small, it's placement right in the middle of the city was really quite clever. Whoever had invented the idea of park in the city may claim the nobel prize whenever he wanted. There were also some vendors there, with stalls and huge parasol, shadowing their wares and whatnot. One of them were being squirmed by children and ladies alike, the ice-cream stand. It hold a small space beside a tree, and the sign on it's stall, one would call it somewhat idiotic, three lolipops sticks together. But call it foolish, the attendant's hands were full with the ice-creams and other sweet stuffs. He was smiling, though. Having quite some time, that man. Trafial wondered why. Working seemed quite an alien term for him too since he got fed all this while. He understood doing physical or mental labor for the sake of money but that man was smiling at the same time. Perhaps he was having fun? In work, one is not supposed to have fun, though. Well, as far as his job concerned, that is. He decided to look away before his mind wonders again.
"Looks like I have to find my way around, myself," he said. His hand automatically slipped into one of his coat pockets and fingered a knife. The edges and the point. The hilt that was leather. It was the length of his hand that one, with delicate precision, that knife can pierce a target 100m if he concentrates. He had done it once. That one was for an object, though, not a living man.
After 5 minutes twirling the knife in his hidden pocket, he stood up and went away. Finding a map in this city wasn't quite an easy job before. He wondered if anyone would need a map here. Someone must've got lost here before, like him. No, not like him. His situation was that of a nestling, trying to flap it's wings to gain lift and failing rapidly. He had to flap harder before the ground reaches him.
He had money. He could've bought a map. But then, he doesn't know what shop sells what. He knows of the common shops that sell almost everything, from nail clippers to knives for kitchen. He wondered whether those kinds of shops need a weapon license to sell those dangerous things. He shook his hand to stop his thinking. He never quite got a grip of his train-speed thoughts.
Wondering about whether he could really live on his own, he decided not to say about that before he get a chance at it. This is his first chance and he wasn't going to waste this one. He thought he could do this in one shot. He usually can with his knives. What could be harder than throwing knives? Life couldn't be that hard. Except the part where you must communicate with other people. It's not like he hated other people but he couldn't bring himself to trust someone that much. He trusts solely himself, never another human being, be it his friends or allies or family. Then again, maybe some of the last bit. He could've trusted an old man and a butler. They listened when he had something to talk about. Whether they really took it into their minds were unknown to him. He figured that deciding they did not was the better idea. Even after purging your heart of troubles by speaking them out loud, one can never solve those troubles without one's own hands. That is partially why he cannot seek help from them.
He had plans, of course. He even had all his strategies laid out in front of him. The trouble was finding those places, that's all. When he researched a map before this, he found out that the place he was looking for was at the other end of the city, the west side. Of course, he never went there. He figured that the place must be quite the same here, with all the riches being the city of the east side. The place would be his home and that of an apartment too. He was living on his own, so there was no need for large spaces. He wouldn't be buying other furnitures too for the time being before he settled down with a job or two. He would buy a computer though. He needed information in this place and time, and the internet was one too many place there was too many free information for the looking. He wondered if the internet came with the computer or indeed it is already in the computer. He never got quite chance to discover that part of the world, yet. There was so many things he never quite the hang of yet, in all his years. Maybe, that's why, this feeling inside of him wouldn't quite sit down still. He thinks every single time, he could think and grab information like a child would grab a candy.
He finally found a board at one corner. Adjusting his hat, he looked at the map. There were some lines connecting to west side, he figured that they was the maglev trains line. But how he would get on one was lost to him. No, he could walk there. But first he had to find a mall, where there's a lot of stores and stalls, and he had business there. Money, he had, quite a lot too, most of them in a piece of card. That money alone would last him some years here.
"Ehh? Why am I here? I need to go there. Hmm..." a voice sounded beside him.
He looked that way.
And gasped.
There standing beside him was a woman. No, a lady. No, a girl. No, a student with that Juilin's uniform. No, a pretty girl in that Juilin's uniform. No, a girl. But not just a girl.
"Where are you going?" his mouth worked without his trains of thought. He wondered why he said that.
"Oh? Who are you?" she said.
"I'm the one who wants to help,"
"Playing words, eh? Isn't it stuffy wearing that?"
"Not quite, since I have the hat,"
"Oh! Nice hat,"
"Where are you going?"
"You're not going to follow me, are you?"
"Why would I do such a thing?"
"I don't know. I just have that kind of feeling,"
"Just tell me. I just want to help,"
"Hmm... Well, I was going to the mall, but I don't know how I ended up here. I thought I took the right turn over here but then, where was that corner, anyway? I'm bad at reading maps,"
"The mall? Then, let me accompany you,"
"See? You do want to follow me! Then, you would lead me to a dark corner... and then... you would do... things,"
"I would not. Cross my Friihl's name on it,"
"Friihl?"
Tch. Why did that come out? I am no more of them!
"Freel. It is spelled as Free with an L at the end. Not the honourable Friihl. They sound alike but we are just another commoner's house," he recovered. He thought he saw the blood drained from the other person's face. But it came back. She was full of smiles and cheerfulness again.
"Oh. I thought somehow you would be... Well, no matter. Are you going to rob or do dirty things to me or not?"
"No, cross my heart on it,"
"Then, promise me,"
Crossing my heart means I am promising it...
"I promise you,"
"Pinky promise,"
"Eh?"
She was holding a hand with her pinky finger out. She was gesturing it.
"What am I supposed to do?" he asked, looking at her hand. The fingers were long and thin. Not bony but for once, he felt like he wanted to touch it.
"Do the same with your hand. No, the other hand. Now..."
She grabbed his pinky finger and shook it vigorously.
"You promised me, and if you lie to me, you will eat a thousand needles,"
She broke it with a thug.
"A thousand needles? No one would do that!"
"But you promised. Now, let's go to the mall!"
"Wait! I haven't pinpoint it yet!"
She was jumping and walking here and there. He looked at her with awe. How could you be like that? He wondered what her name was. He could figure it out on the way. He was great with those.
For once, he felt happy with something he did.
"Nevertheless, I need to place my heart on a table if this would ruin my plans yet."
He continued to find the way on the map.
No, he would not fail this plan.
For a lot of time, he had thought of this..
He would place his own liver on a spit before it would be failed.
His name was Trafial Friihl. Had been. For the 8 year of his starting life, had been a commoner, then at the age of 8 and a half, he lost his parents and was reduced to an orphan. Then at the age of 9, he became a son of Friihl, the highest power on the eastern side of the city and expanding more and more. At the age of 12, he was thrown out, only to be taken back later at the same year. Then after the next two years, the same thing happened. At the age of 17, he had had enough of the game. He threw out his Friihl's name. Forgotten what was his old family's name, he would as well be named Trafial for the rest of his life.
At the age of 17 and a quarter, he became Trafial Freel.
He smiled.
This is so not going according to plan.
But none of his organs are out for someone to eat yet.
