Chapter 19.3
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Paracsus
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Final Preparations
The television had been playing in the background for hours now, the volume turned low. An old documentary about nomadic cities drifted across the screen, showing massive steel landships slowly crossing barren plains while the narrator spoke about Catastrophe patterns and evacuation routes.Niko sat cross-legged on the bed, her notebook open in her lap. The pages were filled with messy handwriting, long lists of country names with lines drawn through most of them, and columns of pros and cons that had been written, crossed out, and rewritten several times. She looked tired but determined, her pencil moving slowly as she reviewed everything they had already talked about.
Arno sat at the small desk, the folded map spread out in front of him. Several notes from Rhodes Island about their smaller clinics were placed neatly beside it, along with his own scribbled observations from the past few hours of discussion.
They had been at this for a while.
Niko flipped back through the notebook, her finger tracing the crossed-out names.
"So to start from the top," she said as she tidied up her notes. "We can't go to Yan because you said it was too connected to Lungmen. Even if we went really far, word could still reach the wrong people."
Arno nodded. "That's right. Meanwhile in Columbia, there are too many big companies watching everything. It might be easy to disappear in the crowds, but it's also easy for us to get found out by large corporations. It's also gonna be hard to answer unwanted questions considering it's basically the City of Science."
Niko turned another page while Arno continued along the list.
"Victoria is way too dangerous right now because of the civil war that's happening over there. It's too dangerous because we'll be fighting off both bandits and soldiers who want our food."
'If the regular people here arguing over the last Windrunner's Fuel and Coffee is any indication,' Arno thought to himself. 'Then the desperate and hungry refugees can cause a massive uproar over food that helps them get full for a whole day. Much less said about the soldiers on either side, the better.'
"Yeah," Arno said. "Bolívar might as well be in the same boat, and it's rife with bandits and other things in between due to the war there as well. Ursus was crossed out fast because of how the military can be especially cruel to those who don't give them what they want."
Niko made a small sound of agreement and kept looking through her notes.
"Leithanien had nice-sounding music cities, but we put it on the maybe list because of all the noble politics and strict Originium laws. Kazimierz had the knight tournaments, but we crossed it out because it would draw too much attention."
She closed the notebook partway and rested her chin on her knees, looking at Arno.
"So… we've crossed out almost everything," she said softly. "What's left?"
Arno leaned back in his chair and looked at the map again. He pointed to a few areas they had marked with light circles.
"A couple of smaller city-states near the borders," Arno said, pointing at the map. "Some small towns in the western parts of Yan that aren't too connected to the capital. Maybe a few places in northern Columbia if we stay away from the big industrial zones. And there are still those smaller Rhodes Island clinics we could use as safe stops if we need them."
Niko stared at the map for a long time, her expression thoughtful and a little sad. She had been looking at it for so long that her eyes were starting to feel tired.
"It feels like there isn't a perfect place," she said. "Everywhere has something that could be bad for us."
Arno was quiet for a moment before answering.
"Yeah. There probably isn't a perfect place. Not for people like us right now."
Niko hugged her knees tighter to her chest and looked back down at her notebook. The pages were covered with crossed-out names and columns of pros and cons they had written over the past few hours.
She flipped through the pages slowly, her finger tracing the crossed-out lines.
"We even looked at Siracusa, but you said the mafia families there fight too much," Niko said softly, tracing the crossed-out name with her finger. "Laterano and Siesta seem pretty good though. They're pretty lax in their rules and guidelines."
Arno leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. They had been talking about this for hours, and most of the countries on the list were already crossed out.
"Laterano is safe," he said. "The Sankta run everything with clear laws. Crime is low, and the Notarial Hall keeps order. They are generally pretty welcoming and hospitable for as long as we follow the Law. Most people there are Sankta. Outsiders stand out. And they have very strict rules about guns. If anyone found out about the Remington, it could cause problems."
She looked back at the map.
"What about Siesta?" she asked. "The hot spring city. You said that it's pretty fun and loud and lots of tourists come and go. That might be nice. It's warm there all the time."
Arno nodded.
"Siesta is a place that is really big on tourists from all walks of life," he said. "It's a nation that is full of resorts and concerts. People come for the springs and the beaches, so new faces don't attract much attention. The rules are more relaxed than most places. No big central government watching everything. The biggest problems there are the seasonal Catastrophes and sometimes trouble from big companies, but it's still one of the calmer spots as weird as it is to call it that."
Niko made another note: "Siesta — fun and warm, tourists come and go."
She stared at the two names for a while.
"So… Laterano or Siesta," she said quietly. "Or maybe one of those small border towns we circled earlier."
She was quiet for a long moment, then looked up at Arno.
"It still feels scary," she said. "Picking somewhere new. Leaving everything behind. What if we choose wrong? What about the people here"
Arno thought about it for a moment while he looked at the map, then at her.
"There's no correct answer when it comes to these things because there are so many other things that we can't control," he said honestly. "But we'll choose together. And if it doesn't feel right when we get there, we can move again. We don't have to stay anywhere we don't want to."
Niko considered this before she added one more line underneath:
"We decide together."
Arno watched her write with a small smile. After a moment, he spoke again.
"We should also think about how long we stay in each place. Siesta might be good for a few months because of the tourists. Laterano could work longer if we keep a low profile. The small border towns might only be safe for a short time."
Niko nodded and added those notes to her list.
"What if we start with Siesta first?" she asked. "It sounds easier. Warm, lots of people moving around. We could try it for a while and see how it feels."
"That could work," Arno said. "We'd have to be careful about what we say and who we talk to. But it's a good place to test things out."
Niko leaned back against the bed and looked at the notebook in her lap.
"It's still a lot," she said quietly. "There are so many places we can't go. So many things we have to watch out for."
"Yeah," Arno replied. "It is a lot. But we've already done the hard part; we crossed out the places that are too dangerous. Now we just have to pick from what's left and be ready to move if we need to."
Niko was quiet again. She closed her notebook and set the pencil down.
"Can we look at the map again tomorrow?" she asked. "I want to see the roads to Siesta and Laterano."
"We can," Arno said. "We'll do that first thing in the morning. But after that, we still need to tell our friends at Penguin that we're leaving."
Niko's ears folded back slightly as she remembered. She looked down at the notebook in her lap, her fingers tightening around the edges of the pages. For a long moment she didn't say anything. The soft sound of the documentary continued in the background, but it felt far away now.
"…Yeah," she said finally, her voice soft. "I know."
She shifted on the bed, pulling her knees closer to her chest again. Her shoulders looked smaller than usual.
"I really like Exusiai," she added after a pause. "She's always so happy when she comes. And she brought us apples today because she was worried. It feels… mean not to tell her sooner. Texas, and the others at Penguin Logistics too, even if they're kinda silly."
Arno watched her carefully. He could see the guilt sitting heavy on her.
"We're not doing this to be mean, or that we don't like them anymore." He said gently. "It's just hard. We didn't want to make her sad right after she ran all the way here thinking something bad happened to us."
Niko nodded, but she still looked troubled.
"I know. But… when she comes back in a few days and we're not here, or when we have to tell her we're packing up… she might feel bad too. Like we didn't trust her enough to say it earlier."
She traced a finger along one of the crossed-out names in her notebook.
"And the others at Penguin Logistics… they're nice too. They always stop to say hi and talk to us when they drive by. Sometimes they stop for coffee or bread even when they're in a hurry. It hurts to imagine what they're gonna look like when we say that we're leaving!"
Arno leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.
"They might feel that way at first," he admitted. "But we're not disappearing without a word. We'll tell them why we have to go. Exusiai might be sad, but she'll understand. I'm sure that she's the type who wants people to be safe more than anything."
Niko picked at the corner of her notebook with her fingernail.
"I hope so," she whispered. "I don't want her or the others to think we didn't like her. Or that we were hiding from her."
Arno reached over and gently placed his hand on top of her head, his touch light and steady.
"We're not hiding from her," he said. "We're protecting ourselves. The more people know exactly where we're going, the easier it is for the wrong people to find out too."
Niko leaned into his hand for a moment, then sat up a little straighter.
"…Do you think we can still visit them someday?" she asked, her voice small but hopeful. "After everything calms down? Maybe we can come back for a day and have coffee with Exusiai again. And she can show me more of her guns if she wants."
Arno gave a small, tired smile.
"Of course!" he said. "Remember, we're not leaving forever. We're just going away for a while because it's too hot right now. And we also have phones now, we can just call them if you start to miss them."
Niko nodded slowly. She looked back down at her notebook, at all the crossed-out countries and the short list of "maybe" places they still had left.
"I know it hurts," he said finally, his voice low and calm. "They've been good to us. Exusiai especially. She ran all the way here today just because she heard there was trouble. That kind of worry doesn't come from nowhere."
Niko sniffed once and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.
"I just… I don't want them to feel like we forgot about them," she whispered. "Or that we didn't trust them enough to handle this..."
Arno moved his hand from her head to her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"We won't forget them," he said. "And we will say goodbye properly. When the time comes, we'll sit down with Exusiai and the others and tell them the truth. We'll tell them it's not because we don't like them. It's because we need to keep you safe."
Niko was quiet again. She picked up the half-eaten apple from the table and turned it slowly in her hands, as if it reminded her of Exusiai's bright smile and the way she had waved before leaving.
"…Do you think she'll cry?" she asked, very softly.
Arno exhaled through his nose.
"Maybe a little," he admitted. "But Exusiai is a big girl.. She'll understand. And she'll probably tell us to call her the second we find a new place so she can visit. Y'know, just like how Swire did."
That earned a tiny, watery smile from Niko.
"Yeah… she would say that," she said. "She'd probably bring a whole bag of apples and try to convince us to let her ride in the cart with us."
Arno gave a small huff of amusement.
"Probably."
The silence that followed was softer this time. Niko took another small bite of the apple, chewing slowly while she thought.
"It's a lot," she said after a while, her voice barely above a whisper. "Leaving Lungmen. Telling everyone. Packing the cart. Figuring out where to go next."
"Yeah. It is."
She was quiet for a long time after that. The documentary narrator kept talking about faraway lands and difficult journeys, but inside the cart the silence felt heavier, yet not entirely sad.
Finally, Niko closed her notebook and set it aside. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.
"I'm a little scared," she admitted softly. "But… I think it'll be okay. As long as we're together."
Arno looked at her for a few seconds, then gave a small nod.
"We'll be together," he said. "That part doesn't change."
Niko gave him a tiny smile — sad, but real.
"Okay."
She slid off the bed and walked over to the small table where they kept their cups. She picked up the half-eaten apple again and took one last bite before setting it down.
"We should probably get some sleep soon," she said. "Tomorrow's going to be a long day."
Arno stood up from the desk and started folding the map.
"Yeah. Get ready for bed. I'll finish putting these away."
Niko nodded and moved toward the small sleeping area at the back of the cart. Before she disappeared behind the curtain, she paused and looked back at him.
"Arno?"
"Hm?"
"…Thank you for listening to me about everything today."
He gave her a gentle look.
"You don't have to thank me for that. We're figuring this out together."
She smiled a little wider this time, then slipped behind the curtain.
Arno stood there for a moment longer, listening to the soft sounds of Niko getting ready for bed. The weight of the day was still with him.
He glanced toward the curtain where she had disappeared, then spoke in a gentle voice.
"Now, no more moping, okay? I know how to cheer you up. I'm gonna make some of that grilled cheese with the tomato and pesto stuff you like."
There was a short pause. Then Niko's voice came from behind the curtain, bright and excited.
"R-really? YAY!"
Arno smiled a little.
"Yeah, really," he said. "And if you're good, maybe some ice cream after. We still have a bit left in the freezer."
He could hear her moving around more quickly now. She came out from behind the curtain. Her eyes were a little red, but she looked happier.
"Grilled cheese and ice cream?" she asked, almost whispering.
Arno nodded. "That's the plan. Go wash your face first, then you can help me make it. Sound good?"
Niko gave a quick nod and hurried over to the small sink area. As she splashed water on her face, Arno started pulling out the bread, cheese, and the small jar of pesto from the fridge.
The simple promise of her delicious food had made the evening feel a little better.
It was a little past 2 a.m.
The cart was dark and still, lit only by the kitchen light on the lowest setting. Niko was fast asleep in her bed at the back, curled up under her blanket as she murmured something about banana bread. The only other sound was the faint hum of the small refrigerator.
Arno couldn't sleep. He quietly got up, careful not to make any noise, and walked over to the small sink area to get a glass of water. As he filled the glass, his eyes drifted to the table in the middle of the cart.
There was a new piece of paper there.
He paused, glass halfway to his lips. The paper hadn't been there when they went to bed.
'Must've come while we were asleep…' he thought.
Arno set the glass down and picked up the notice. It was a simple white sheet, folded once. The handwriting looked neat and official.
He unfolded it and read the short message.
For a long moment, he just stared at the paper in silence. His thumb brushed slowly over the edge of the sheet as the meaning of the words settled in.
This changed things.
A lot of things.
Arno let out a slow, heavy breath and placed the notice back on the table, face up. He stood there in the dim light, staring at it for a while longer. The quiet of the cart suddenly felt heavier than before.
He glanced toward the back where Niko was sleeping peacefully, completely unaware.
After a few seconds, he turned off the small lantern, leaving only the faint moonlight coming through the window. Then he walked back to his sleeping area and sat down on the edge of the bed.
Tomorrow was going to be more complicated than he had planned. But that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
Arno slept like a baby, now that things are finally looking up.
Not Goodbye, But See You Later
The morning air was still cool as Arno locked the cart's side door. Niko stood beside him, holding her small backpack with both hands. She looked a little nervous, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.But mostly, she looked pouty.
"You didn't tell me about the notice," she said, her voice carrying a clear sulk. "I saw it on the table this morning when I woke up. You could've told me last night."
Arno glanced at her as he finished locking up. "You were already upset about leaving. I didn't want to make it worse right before bed."
Niko's ears folded back slightly. She hugged her backpack closer to her chest.
"I was crying so much for the past few days thinking about saying goodbye, you know?!" she said, her voice rising with emotion. "And then you just… hid the notice from me? Hmph!"
Arno paused and turned to face her fully. He crouched down a little so he was closer to her eye level.
"I wasn't hiding it," he chided calmly. "I just wanted you to sleep first since it was basically 2 o'clock in the morning. Kids like you need sleep to grow big and strong, after all."
Niko looked down at her shoes for a moment, still pouting. Then she gave a small, reluctant nod.
"…Okay," she mumbled. "But next time, tell me right away. Even if it's bad news."
"I will, don't worry." Arno promised. "Besides, what I got can't be considered bad news unless they're not the kind of people we thought they were."
He straightened up and started walking. Niko fell into step beside him, still looking a bit sulky, but the pout slowly softened as they continued toward the Penguin Logistics warehouse district.
They walked side by side in silence for most of the way. Every now and then Niko would glance up at Arno, then look back down at the sidewalk. Arno kept his hands in his pockets, his steps steady and unhurried.
After about twenty minutes, the large warehouse buildings came into view. The Penguin Logistics logo was painted in bold white letters on several of the metal structures. A few trucks were already parked outside, and workers were moving crates and packages around.
As they approached the main entrance, a familiar voice called out from one of the loading bays.
"Arno? Niko?"
Exusiai was standing on a raised platform, holding a clipboard in one hand and an apple in the other. Her wings perked up the moment she saw them. She jumped down from the platform and jogged over, her usual bright energy showing.
"Hey! How've you guys been?" she asked, stopping in front of them. "Did you come for more apples? I can grab some fresh ones from the back if you want!"
Niko gave a small, shy wave. Arno offered a brief nod.
"Good Morning, Exia." Arno greeted. "We need to talk to you and the others. Are Texas and the rest of your crew around? Emperor too, if he's not busy."
Exusiai tilted her head, her cheerful expression shifting into one of mild confusion. She looked between Arno and Niko, clearly sensing that something was different.
"Yeah, Texas is inside doing paperwork," she said. "Emperor's probably in his office. Croissant and Sora's still sleeping in the break room, I think." She paused for a second. "Is everything okay?"
Arno glanced at Niko for a moment before answering.
"We'll explain inside," he said. "Can you gather everyone if they're not too busy? It won't take long."
Exusiai's wings twitched slightly. She studied their faces for another second, then gave a quick nod.
"Okie-dokie!" she said as she led them around. "Come on in. I'll get them. You can wait in the lobby where the vending machines are while I go look for them."
She turned and led them through the large warehouse entrance. The sound of their footsteps echoed off the high metal walls. The familiar smell of cardboard, machine oil, and faint coffee filled the air. Workers moved around them, loading and unloading packages, but no one paid them much attention.
Niko stayed close to Arno's side as they walked deeper into the building. Her small hand occasionally brushed against his arm. She looked around at the tall shelves and busy workers as they walked along.
Exusiai glanced back at them every few steps, as if checking to make sure they were still following.
They reached a wide open area near the center of the warehouse. Exusiai grabbed her walkie-talkie and put it on the general channel.
"Hey, everyone! Can you come over here for a minute? Arno and Niko are here, and they need to talk to us."
Niko stayed close to Arno's side as they walked deeper into the building. Her small hand occasionally brushed against his arm. She looked around at the tall shelves stacked with boxes and the busy workers moving crates, taking everything in quietly.
Exusiai glanced back at them every few steps, as if checking to make sure they were still following.
They reached a wide open area near the center of the warehouse. Exusiai grabbed her walkie-talkie and switched it to the general channel.
"Hey, everyone!" she called out. "Can you come over here for a minute? Arno and Niko are here, and they need to talk to us."
After some time, people started coming in. They all eventually moved on to Emperor's main office for some privacy. Texas emerged from a side office, wiping her hands on a rag. Sora stumbled out of the break room a moment later, rubbing her eyes and yawning. Emperor was already waiting for them inside, putting away his recording equipment for the talk ahead.
"Unfortunately, not everyone is available to be with us today." Emperor notified Arno as the latter noticed some people missing. "Bison isn't here today because he had to meet with his father concerning his family's company, and won't be back for some time."
Emperor checked his logs before he continued.
"Croissant left an hour ago as she had to oversee some transactions since some of my boys have been getting harassed over by the docks. We'll just notify them later. And nobody knows where the hell Mostima went, so there's that."
'Mostima? Guess there was another crew member Niko and I haven't met yet. I wonder what she looks like…' Arno filed that away for later.
He took a deep breath and began his story.
"For the past few weeks, Niko and I have started to get heckled by people who want us to make exclusive contracts with them," he said. "It's nothing new in this industry, and we were selling especially good food and drink to people for cheap, so bigger names and people wanted a slice of the pie. We rejected them because doing so would have us shut down our own store, and we would have no control on what we can sell and to who. So they started harassing us."
Texas frowned, arms still crossed. "How bad did it get?"
Arno shrugged slightly. "At first it was just words. Threats. Then it turned into people showing up at odd hours, trying to intimidate us. A few days ago, it escalated. They came armed. They wanted to force the exclusive deal. When we refused, they attacked. We handled it, but it made it clear we can't stay here anymore."
Sora, who had been half-asleep, sat up straighter. "They actually attacked you? With weapons? Did you call the police?"
"Yeah," Arno said. "They attacked us just before we were beginning to open, so there were very few people nearby. I guess they did it early in the morning to avoid the LGD patrols."
Exusiai looked like she was about to burst. "That's horrible! Why didn't you say something sooner? I could've come over every day! I could've brought backup or at least stayed with you guys until it calmed down!"
"We couldn't do that!" Niko piped in. "You have a job here too, so we didn't wanna intrude since you looked so busy…"
"I could've made time for you guys though… You're our friends now, you lugs!"
Texas gave a short nod. "That kind of thing shouldn't happen to a small operator just trying to sell food. You guys handled it yourselves? We heard about gunfire"
"We did," Arno replied. "But it showed us the limits. We can't keep the cart running here if every week brings new people trying to muscle in. It's not safe for Niko."
Emperor leaned back in his chair, arms folded, his tone calm but serious. "So you're not just moving the cart to another street in Lungmen. You're leaving the whole city."
"That's right," Arno said. "We've been talking about it for days. We looked at a lot of places, but staying here just isn't an option anymore. Word gets around too quickly in this city, so just changing districts won't be enough. And if we did, we'd be surrounded by strangers; making it more dangerous."
Niko stayed quiet beside him, her small hand lightly holding onto the side of his jacket. She looked at the floor, clearly uncomfortable with all the attention.
Exusiai's shoulders slumped. "But… where are you even going? Do you have a place in mind yet?"
"We're still narrowing it down," Arno answered. "Laterano and Siesta are on the short list right now. We're trying to find somewhere quieter, somewhere we can run the cart without constantly looking over our shoulder."
Texas exhaled slowly. "Laterano's safe, but it's strict. Siesta's more relaxed, but the government can be pretty laissez-faire when trouble comes. Neither sounds perfect."
"I know," Arno said. "There isn't a perfect place. We just need one that'll be good to the both of us for a while."
Sora looked pretty sad. "This really sucks… I liked coming by in the mornings. Your bentos were always the best part of my shift. And the coffee and juices too. Who's gonna make all that stuff if you're gone?"
Exusiai agreed. "Yeah! The coffee is really good! Plus, the bars are lifesavers when deliveries come in late."
Emperor gave a low hum, tapping his fingers on the desk. "You're doing the right thing for the kid. That's what matters. But it's still a shame. Your food was reliable. Good quality, fair prices. That's rare around here."
Texas looked at Niko, her expression softening just a bit. "You holding up okay, kid?"
Niko nodded shyly, but her voice was quiet. "I don't want to leave… but it's not safe here anymore."
The room fell quiet again.
Exusiai looked like she was fighting the urge to say a hundred things at once. She finally settled on, "If you need help packing, or moving stuff, or even just someone to watch the cart while you get ready… just say the word. I can be there fast. Really fast."
Texas gave a short nod. "Same here. We've got trucks. If you need transport for anything, we can help."
Emperor leaned forward slightly. "And if you need a quiet place to lay low for a few days while you figure out the next stop, we've got some safe houses. No questions asked."
Arno gave a small nod of appreciation. "Thank you. We'll keep that in mind."
The then turns to Niko and gently pushes her towards Exusiai, Sora, and Texas.
"Why don't you guys spend some time together for now? Emperor and I just gotta hash out some things between us and it's gonna be pretty boring. Hey, how about changing numbers and stuff so you'll know how to call them?"
Niko nodded, and grabbed their phone as she went on to talk to the present crew. Together, they left the office talking about the places she and Arno were thinking of going to as they shut the door behind them.
Once the door clicked shut, the office became much quieter.
Arno turned back to Emperor, who was still leaning back in his chair, watching him with a calm, knowing look.
Emperor was the first to speak.
"So," he said, "you didn't just come here to say goodbye."
Arno shook his head and sat down in the chair across from the desk.
"No," he admitted. "There's something else I wanted to talk about."
He paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully.
"Before we leave, I've been thinking about keeping some kind of connection with Penguin Logistics. Not just as friends. Something more practical."
Emperor raised an eyebrow, but didn't interrupt.
"You see, I sometimes think back to the deal that you offered quite a while ago when the Windrunner's Fuel first came out. About how if we gave you some, as well as some other products, you would let me have priority queue when we needed deliveries to be handled, correct?
"That's right." Emperor agreed. "You said you wanted to think about it for a while, especially since it was such a hot item during that time. People clamoring for it and even trying to make it themselves and whatnot."
"Yes, and I thank you for letting me have all this time to think about it."
"Pshh, don't worry about it, man. You and the kid are cool. And the peeps here at the warehouse love your items, so that's a plus."
Arno nodded, then continued. "I was honestly planning on rejecting your offer because we didn't necessarily deliver our food yet, and I didn't want to take the girls away from more important things over here. Seemed pretty busy recently too, from what I heard Exusiai mention on her last visit."
"Yep. Some fashion brands recently did a massive sale and suddenly everyone and their pet slugs needed new shoes." Emperor brought his flipper to his beak in a thoughtful manner. "I think it was Epoque and Cambrian that had the most orders."
At Arno's bewildered look, Emperor snorted.
"What? We're a logistics company too, you know? You really think even we wouldn't get in on the opportunity? I may not look like it, but I didn't get this swanky office for my songs."
"...Huh, I guess you're right." Arno muttered, but shook it off. "But that's not the point I'm getting to. Due to another recent development, I think I can provide you with a better opportunity, if you don't mind listening."
"Go on, then. Don't keep me waiting with baited breath. Mostima does that enough when she's left unsupervised for too long."
'That name again. What the hell does she do around here?' Arno thought as his mind drifted to the notice that came up that morning.
BRANCH AUTHORIZATION NOTICE
Applicable Entity: Mobile Merchant Cart
Primary Operator: Arno
Authorization Level: Absolute
Due to sustained operational success and consistent demand exceeding single-unit capacity, the Primary Operator is now granted limited authority to establish designated branch locations.
The Primary Operator may appoint authorized personnel or organizations to operate legal branch outlets for the sale of approved merchandise, subject to the following conditions:
• Selection of branch locations, scale of operations, and duration of agreements remain entirely at the discretion of the Primary Operator.
• Authorized branch staff shall receive a predetermined percentage of daily earnings as compensation.
• Branch staff are entitled to a reasonable personal allowance of merchandise for their own consumption, within limits set by the Primary Operator.
• All existing rules concerning reselling, pricing, product integrity, and anti-coercion remain strictly enforced.
• No branch is permitted to produce, modify, or replicate any proprietary goods.
• No exclusivity is granted to any branch location.
• No access to production methods or proprietary processes shall be provided.
Restocking of branch locations will be handled exclusively by the Primary Operator through a designated secure transfer point. All deliveries will be conducted personally by the cart proprietor.
The primary cart's external operations will remain unchanged.
No public indicators of branch agreements shall be displayed.
This authorization is granted solely to support measured stability and controlled growth — not unrestricted expansion.
Enforcement: Automatic
Override: Primary Operator Only
Duration: Indefinite until revoked by the Primary Operator
He leaned forward slightly.
"I'm willing to set up a proper supply arrangement. You'd sell some of my food and drinks at your depots and on your routes. Your people would get a cut of the daily earnings as compensation. They'd also be allowed a reasonable personal allowance of the merchandise for themselves. Everything else stays the same — no reselling outside the agreed terms, no changing prices, no access to how anything is made. I'd handle all the refills personally through a secure point."
Emperor listened without speaking at first. He tapped his flippers slowly on the desk, thinking.
"You're offering us a branch deal," he said as he thought about it. "But on your terms."
"Pretty much," Arno replied. "No exclusivity. No access to production. Just selling what I give you. The same rules that apply to the main cart would apply to any branch you run. I deliver the refills myself. You get reliable product, your crews get good food on the road, and we both benefit."
Emperor gave a low hum. "It's not a bad offer. My crews are always complaining about the same old rations on long hauls. Your food is so much better than most of the stuff they usually get. Having a steady supplier who actually shows up on time would be useful."
He paused, then asked, "How many branches are you thinking about starting with?"
"I'll still see, but if you accept then this place will be the first." Arno said. "Nothing big. Maybe one or two in other cities once we settle somewhere. I'd rather keep it small and controlled."
Emperor nodded slowly, considering the idea.
"It could work," he said. "My drivers cover a lot of routes. If we set it up right, we could sell your stuff at stops without causing too much trouble. But I need to be straight with you. If we do this, my people will expect consistency. If you suddenly can't deliver because you're on the run or something goes wrong, it'll cause problems. My crews don't like surprises."
Arno met his eyes.
"I understand," he said. "That's why I'm only offering this if I can actually keep up with it. I won't promise something I can't deliver."
The two men sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the conversation settling between them.
Emperor finally gave a small nod.
"Alright," he said. "I'll think about it. You draft me up a contract and I'll talk to a few of the senior drivers and see what they say. But I'm not saying no."
Arno gave a short nod in return.
"That's all I'm asking for right now." He pulls out a copy of the contract that came with the notice and gave it to his potential business partner. "I came prepared, and I wanted you to look it over before you agreed to anything."
Emperor leaned back in his chair again, a faint smile on his face.
"You know, when you first started showing up with that cart, I figured you were just another small vendor trying to make it in Lungmen. Didn't expect you to turn into someone who could actually negotiate like this."
Arno gave a small shrug. "Things change."
Outside the office, the faint sound of voices could still be heard. Niko talking with Exusiai, Sora, and Texas. Inside Emperor's office, the two men continued their quiet discussion, slowly working through the details of what a possible partnership might look like.
The conversation carried on, careful and measured, as Arno and Emperor talked about supply schedules, payment splits, and how to keep everything discreet once the cart left the district.
The conversation with Emperor had gone longer than expected, but it had been productive. He glanced at the clock on the wall — it was getting late in the afternoon.
"I should go pick up Niko," he said. "We still have a lot to do before tomorrow."
Emperor gave a lazy wave from behind his desk. "Take your time. And think about what we talked about. No rush."
"Just call me if you agree to the contract, okay?" Arno says. "Thanks, Emperor."
Emperor nodded as he read over the contract once more and Arno stepped out of the office. He walked back through the warehouse, the sounds of crates being moved and workers calling out orders echoing around him. When he reached the open area where he had left Niko, he expected to see her still talking with the others.
Instead, he found Exusiai standing there alone, leaning against a stack of boxes with her arms crossed. She perked up the moment she saw him.
"Arno!" she called, pushing off the boxes and walking over quickly.
Arno gave her a small nod in greeting. "Hi, Exia. Where's Niko?"
"She's with Sora and Texas in the break room," Exusiai said. "They're showing her some of the new delivery routes on the map. She said she wanted to see how far Penguin goes. Croissant also just got back and Texas told her what you told us. Now she's trying to coax Niko to not leave with some snacks and books that she has"
Arno relaxed a little. "Good. Thanks for looking after her."
Exusiai didn't smile back like she usually would. Instead, she looked at him with a mix of worry and frustration.
"You don't have to leave!" she said, her voice coming out a little louder than she probably intended. "Why didn't you tell me when I came a few days ago…?"
Arno stopped walking and turned to face her fully. He could see the hurt in her eyes.
"I didn't want to worry you more than you already were," he said honestly. "You came running because you heard there was trouble. If I told you right then that we were planning to leave the district, you might've thought that you guys failed Niko and I."
Exusiai's wings twitched. She took a small step closer, her usual bright energy replaced by something more urgent.
"But we're friends, right?" she said. "You could've told me and I would've listened. I could've helped! I could've asked the boss to give you better protection or something. Or… or I could've come by every day after my deliveries to make sure no one bothered you again."
Arno shook his head slowly. "It's not that simple. The people who attacked us weren't just random thugs. They wanted control. If we stayed, it would only get worse. And the more people we involve, the more danger we put them in. I didn't want to drag you or anyone else into that."
Exusiai looked down at the floor for a moment, her shoulders slumping.
"I get that," she said quietly. "But it still hurts. I thought we were close enough that you'd tell me something this big. I ran all the way to the cart because I was scared something bad happened to you and Niko. And now you're saying you're leaving the whole district… and I had to find out with everyone else."
She looked back up at him, her eyes shiny.
"I don't want you to go," she admitted. "You and Niko… you're our friends... Coming by your cart in the mornings, getting coffee and snacks, talking about dumb stuff… it made the long days feel shorter. If you leave, it's gonna feel weird. Empty."
Arno stayed quiet for a few seconds, letting her speak.
"I know," he said eventually. "It's not easy for us either. But staying here isn't safe. We have to think about what's best for Niko."
Exusiai bit her lip. She looked like she wanted to argue more, but she held it back.
"…At least promise me you'll call," she said, her voice softer now. "Not just for business stuff. Call me when you're somewhere safe. Tell me how Niko's doing. And if you ever need help — any kind of help — you better not hesitate. I can go pretty fast with those bars of yours."
Arno gave a small nod.
"Don't worry, applehead." he said. "We won't disappear on you. I'm pretty sure your phone bill will rise with how Niko will probably try to call."
Exusiai let out a huff at the nickname, but smiled nonetheless.
"Okay," she said. "I guess that's better than nothing."
She looked toward the break room where Niko was still with Sora and Texas, then back at Arno.
"Just take care of yourselves, okay? Don't do anything dangerous while you guys are on your own out there."
"I won't," Arno promised. "We'll make sure of it."
Exusiai gave a small, sad smile, though it didn't reach her usual brightness. She stood there for a moment longer, as if she still had more to say, but couldn't find the right words.
The warehouse continued its usual activity around them — workers calling out, crates being moved, the distant rumble of trucks — but for a brief moment, the space between Arno and Exusiai no longer felt smothering.
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