First Quest: 02

Subaru wandered the streets, keeping her eyes peeled for anything that resembled a lead. The town bustled around her, its cobblestone paths alive with vendors hawking goods, children darting about, and the occasional stern-faced guard patrolling the area. Though her primary mission remained elusive, Subaru found herself stopping to help people along the way.

A hunched old granny struggled to load sacks of grain onto her cart, her frail arms trembling with effort. Subaru stepped in without hesitation, easily lifting the heavy sacks and arranging them securely. The old woman clasped her hands together in gratitude, her wrinkled face lighting up with a smile.

"Thank you, kind knight," the granny said.

"Knight?" Subaru muttered, scratching her cheek. "Well, sure. Let's go with that."

Further down the street, a young boy stood beneath a tree, his tear-streaked face tilted upward as he called out to a fluffy white cat perched precariously on a branch.

"Hold on, kid," Subaru said, striding over. "Your knight in shiny—er, slightly scuffed—armour is here!"

With a graceful leap, she grabbed the branch and swung herself up. Her newfound strength made the task almost laughably easy, and within moments, she descended with the feline in her arms.

"Here ya go!" she said, handing the cat to the boy, who beamed up at her.

By the time she reached a vendor's stall with a broken door hanging off its hinges, Subaru was starting to realise just how strong her new body really was. Fixing the door took barely any effort; she lifted the heavy wooden frame back into place as if it weighed nothing.

"This body's kinda awesome," she mused, flexing her arm beneath the armour. "Maybe I really am a protagonist."

As she dusted off her hands and prepared to continue her search, a flash of silver caught her eye.

Subaru turned, her sky-blue gaze locking onto a figure moving through the crowd. The girl stood out starkly against the earthy tones of the market—a slender form with flowing silver hair, eyes that sparkled like amethysts, and a white frilly dress that billowed as she moved. But what really grabbed Subaru's attention were the pointed ears peeking out from her hair.

"An elf?" Subaru whispered, excitement bubbling up inside her. "It has to be!"

Without thinking, she jogged after the girl, weaving through the bustling crowd until she caught up.

"Hello there!" Subaru called out, plastering on her most disarming smile.

The girl turned, her amethyst eyes blinking in surprise.

"Hello," she said softly, her voice lilting and melodic.

Subaru cleared her throat. "Are you, uh, from around here?"

The girl hesitated, her gaze darting to the side. "I… I am, but… excuse me, I'm in a hurry."

She turned and began walking away, her steps quick and purposeful.

Subaru frowned. Her protagonist instincts tingled. This girl had to be important. Maybe helping her was the first task in her heroic journey.

"Wait!" Subaru called, catching up to her again. "What's wrong? Maybe I can help?"

The girl paused, her silver hair shimmering in the sunlight as she turned slightly toward Subaru.

"I… It's personal," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Subaru's shoulders slumped, disappointment flickering across her face. "Oh. Well, alright, if you don't want to—"

"Wait!" the girl called, stopping Subaru in her tracks.

Subaru spun around, her sky-blue eyes alight with curiosity.

The elf stepped closer, her expression tinged with both hope and hesitation. "Are you… a knight?"

"Um, kinda?" Subaru replied, scratching the back of her head. "It's a long story."

"Great!" The girl clasped her hands together. "Do you know a short blonde girl? A thief?"

Subaru tilted her head. "Hmm, nope. But let me guess—she stole something from you?"

The elf nodded, her amethyst eyes glimmering with frustration. "Yes."

Subaru crossed her arms, grinning confidently. "Alright then! As the hero—eh, or protagonist—I'll help you find your… uh, what was stolen again?"

The girl hesitated, her cheeks tinged pink. "It's, um… a trinket."

Subaru blinked. "A trinket? Wait, what?"

"It's fine if you don't want to help!" the elf said quickly, waving her hands as if to dismiss the whole conversation.

"Whoa, whoa, slow down!" Subaru interjected, raising a hand. "It's fine! Helping people is kinda my thing. By the way, what's your name?"

The girl hesitated for a moment before answering, "Emilia."

"Emilia!" Subaru repeated, a grin spreading across her face. "What a great name. Behold, I am the great hero, Natsuki Subaru!"

Emilia blinked, clearly taken aback by Subaru's dramatic proclamation.

Subaru held out a hand, her grin softening into something more reassuring. "Don't worry, Emilia. We'll find that thief and get your trinket back. Leave it to me!"

With that, the two of them set off, weaving through the busy streets in search of the elusive blonde thief. Subaru's heart raced with a mix of excitement and determination. This was it—the start of her journey. And if she played her cards right, she'd make sure it was one for the ages.

Subaru and Emilia wandered through the busy streets, stopping at every corner to ask passersby if they had seen a short blonde girl—a thief, specifically. But no one seemed to have any useful information. Each inquiry was met with shrugs or polite apologies. Frustration bubbled beneath Subaru's surface, though she kept a smile for Emilia's sake.

As they approached the central square, Subaru's eyes caught a lone figure sitting on the stone steps of a fountain. A young boy with green hair sat there, his face buried in his small hands as he sobbed quietly. The bustling crowd seemed to ignore him, passing by without a second glance.

Subaru pointed toward the boy. "Hey, Emilia, what do you think? Should we check on him?"

Emilia hesitated, glancing from the boy to Subaru. "Well, um… sure, I suppose. He does look upset."

The two approached the boy, Subaru taking the lead but gesturing for Emilia to speak first.

Emilia knelt slightly to meet the boy's eye level, her voice soft and kind. "Hello there. Are you alright? What's wrong?"

The boy lifted his tear-streaked face and looked at Emilia, his lip trembling, but no words came out. He hiccuped and wiped at his eyes, his crying only growing louder, leaving Emilia looking flustered.

"Oh, um, it's okay! You can tell us. Don't be afraid…" she said, though her voice wavered slightly.

Subaru stepped in, quick to think. "Alright, kiddo, how about this?"

With a dramatic flourish, she reached behind her back and pulled her hand forward, palm outstretched. Then, with an exaggerated twist of her fingers, she seemed to pluck a small berry out of thin air. It was a sleight-of-hand trick her dad had taught her as a kid.

"Ta-da!" Subaru said, holding the berry up like it was a priceless treasure.

The boy's crying stopped almost immediately, his wide, teary eyes staring at the berry in astonishment. "W-Wow… how did you do that?"

Subaru grinned, flipping the berry in her hand before offering it to the boy. "Magic. Pretty cool, huh? Here, you can have it."

The boy hesitated but then accepted the berry, his small hands clutching it tightly. "Thank you… I-I was lost."

"Lost, huh?" Subaru said, crouching down to his level. "Well, don't worry, kiddo. You've got the great hero Natsuki Subaru and her trusty partner, Emilia, on your side. We'll get you home!"

Emilia blinked at Subaru's confidence but quickly nodded in agreement. "Yes, of course. Don't worry, we'll find your parents."

To emphasise her determination—and maybe to show off just a little—Subaru scooped the boy up in her arms with ease. "Hang tight, kid. Let's find your folks!"

The boy clung to her armour, his earlier tears now replaced with a small smile.

It didn't take long before Subaru spotted a familiar face in the crowd. The broad green-haired man selling appas—the same one who had kindly given Subaru a fruit earlier—was searching the area frantically, his booming voice calling out a name.

"Oi! Appa guy!" Subaru called, waving an arm.

The vendor's eyes widened as he spotted them, relief flooding his face as he ran toward them. "My boy! You found my boy!"

Subaru handed the child over to his father, who embraced the boy tightly. "Thank you, Sir Knight! Thank you so much!"

"Knight, huh?" Subaru muttered, scratching the back of her head but choosing not to correct him.

Emilia watched the interaction with quiet amazement, her amethyst eyes lingering on Subaru.

Subaru crossed her arms, grinning. "No problem, but hey, I need a favour. We're looking for someone—a short blonde girl who's, uh… not the most honest person around."

The vendor straightened, his brows furrowing in thought. "Ah, you must mean Felt."

"Felt, huh?" Subaru said, committing the name to memory.

"She's a thief, lives in the slums," the vendor continued. "You'll find her at Old Man Rom's Loot House. Not the safest place, but if you're looking for her, that's where she'll be."

Subaru's grin widened. "Awesome! Thanks, Appa guy!"

The vendor chuckled. "Be careful, Knight. The slums are no place for a lady."

Subaru waved dismissively. "A lady? Pfft. I'm a protagonist, remember? Nothing can stop me!"

With that, Subaru and Emilia headed off toward the slums, their goal now clear. The bustling market faded behind them, replaced by narrow, shadowy alleys and the faint smell of decay. The air grew heavier, the laughter of children replaced by hushed whispers and furtive glances.

Subaru's confidence didn't waver, though she glanced at Emilia with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Emilia. We've got this. Just stick with me!"

Emilia nodded, her earlier nervousness giving way to quiet determination. Together, they ventured deeper into the slums, ready to face whatever awaited them.

To Be Continued

Join my Discord Server: .gg/X7sphRUsxJ