Kapitel 29: Chapter 029: Lost In The Big City 01: Where Are You Shelly?
"Phew! That was good. Nyan!" Anna dropped the fish bones on the plate. "Wanna start looking for Shelly now?"
Maou dropped the fork in the bowl.
"Yup! But how are we gonna find her?" Maou asked.
"Hmmm…. The old fashion way I guess." Anna waved, calling to Paul. "Bill please! Nyan!"
Paul walked over to them but was cut off halfway there by the energetic Baba.
"I'll handle this, Paul," Baba stated joyfully. "Anna, how may I help-"
"Baba! What were your instructions?" Paul grabbed Baba by the head, lifting her off the ground.
"Ow! Ow! Ow! But I just wanna help!" She grabbed Paul's arm, trying to pry his eagle talons from her head.
"Finish cleaning the mess you made first!" Paul quickly released her. "What if a customer ends up hurting themself?"
"Haa…. Fine." She went back to pick up the glass shards, bummed out.
Paul collected 8 silver coins as Anna and Maou left the table. Baba waved to them as they walked out of the tavern. Stepping outside, there were still crowds of people present.
"I can't see her from down here." Maou stood on his tiptoes. "Ugh! I hate being short."
"Up you go." Anna lifted Maou onto her shoulders. "Can you see now? Nyan!"
"Wow! I can see people's heads now." Maou lit up like a bulb.
"Tell me when you see her." Anna stepped into the crowd, aimlessly walking.
For 15 minutes, Anna struggled through the crowd, people brushing against her so very often while Maou strained, trying to spot any resemblance of Shelly.
"Can you see her yet? Nyan!" Anna asked, pushing against the flow of the crowd.
"I still can't see her from here," Maou answered.
"I have an idea." Anna moved from among the crowd. "Are you scared of heights? Nyan!"
Anna crouched down, preparing to jump. "Hold on tight! Nyan!"
"Why? What are you–"
Anna launched off the ground, soaring through the air and landed softly on a high rooftop. She glanced at Maou expecting to see him horrified.
"I hope that didn't scare–"
"That Was Awesome!!!" Maou shouted. "Again! Again!"
"Hahaha! I thought you'd be a little scared at least." Anna giggled.
"Scared? That was cool!" Maou happily shouted.
"You like the view? Nyan!" Anna turned around.
The sight of all the different buildings stretched on for miles like a field of cabbages.
"Wow! It's so beautiful up here! I can see everything." Maou's jaw dropped and eyes bulging out.
"Hang on tight. I'm gonna start moving now. Tell me if you see Shelly. Okay?" Anna lowered Maou off her shoulders and to her back.
"I will!" Maou replied.
Anna took a deep breath before she couched down once more.
"Boom!!!"
She launched herself off the rooftop and seemingly glided through the air, the wind blowing across her orange feline fur. Maou's face oozed excitement as the breeze danced in his black hair. They were metres off the ground, looking down on the people.
"Can you see her yet? Nyan!" Anna asked.
"Ah, I'm looking but… I don't see her." Maou squinted his eyes, trying to focus hard.
Upon descending, Anna landed on another roof and started jogging atop. Suddenly, her eyes noticed someone fitting the description of Shelly.
"Maou, over there!" Anna exclaimed. "I think I found her! Nyan!"
"Really?! Where!? Where!?" Maou started frantically looking around.
A red apple haired person stood in front of a fruit stall chatting with the vendor. Anna leapt from the rooftops and landed next to the person.
"Gahhh!!!"
Their sudden appearance caught the person by surprise, causing her to let out a scream as she fell to the ground, dropping the fruits she just purchased.
"Is she Shelly? Nyan!" Anna asked.
"Nope, not her. There's no white at the front." Maou replied.
"Sorry Lady, but we mistook you for someone else. Have a good day. Nyan!" Anna turned around and jumped onto a close-by roof.
"Over there! Someone with red apple hair!" Maou pointed.
"Oh yeah! I see her too." Anna took off running atop the roofs.
The red-haired lady walked among a group of four other women about to enter a clothes store. Just then, Anna landed in front of the group, frightening them. The women were in their 40's, dressed in frilly colourful dresses with matching purses, hilariously long eyelashes and pounds of makeup on their faces.
"Is she Shelly?"Anna asked.
"Ugh! Not her either." Maou's face looked disgusted. "Shelly doesn't look that ugly."
"Unto the next one, I guess." Anna turned around to jump to another roof.
The women's faces became ugly with rage by Maou's harsh comments and scornful attitude. But Anna left before they had the chance to say anything back to them.
Returning to the roofs, Anna spotted another red apple haired person and immediately went towards them.
"Excuse me." Anna tapped on their shoulder. "Are you Shelly?"
A pale-skinned guy with dark circles around his eyes, unkempt red hair and a spiked collar around his neck turned to them.
"Uh, the name is, um, Richard." His dead eyes sent chills down Anna's spine. "Uh, sorry but I like, um …. don't know a Shelly."
"Uh, ah, thanks. Sorry to bother you. Bye–."
"What happened to your eyes?" Maou asked, causing Anna to lose her chance at a quick departure but she suddenly noticed someone fitting the description.
"Maou, look! Apple hair, corset and leather leggings. That's got to be her. Nyan!"
Anna chased after the other Shelly lookalike, leaving the other guy to talk to himself.
"Well, ah, um, I've been stressed lately and, um, haven't slept in like three days." The guy started scratching his head while blushing, still having yet to notice they were gone. "Thanks, man. This means so much to me. No one's checked up on me lately and I've kinda been depressed– Huh? Where'd they go?"
They chased after the girl but she ran into a crowd, causing them to lose track of her. Anna ran into the crowd frantically searching but they had lost track of her.
"Shelly! Shelly! Where are you, Shelly!? Can you hear me?!" Maou yelled his lungs out, as tears slowly crept into his voice. "I can't see her. All these people are in the way."
"Don't worry. We can spot her easily from the rooftops." Anna leapt to the nearest roof and continued their search. "Do you see her now?"
"Give me a sec, I'm checking." Maou squinted his eyes, scouring through the crowd of people. "I see her! She's going that way."
They followed her into a dark alleyway that led away from the watchful eyes of others.
"Shelly! It's me, Maou!"
He called out to her as they landed on the ground but the girl only kept running further down the meandering alley, away from them.
"Why is Shelly running away from me? Did I do something wrong?" Maou clenched his fist tight with uneasiness and wet eyes. "Does Shelly hate me?"
"Hey, don't get so gloomy. It's probably not what you think it is." Anna tried comforting him while smiling. "There's no way anyone would hate a little cutie like you. Nyan!"
Her kind words and warm smile eased Maou's frustration, causing him to wipe out the tears that welled up. Soon after they caught up to the girl by a dead end. Her back was turned towards them. Maou climbed down from Anna's back while slowly approaching the girl before calling to her.
"Shelly, it's me…. Sorry for letting go of your hand but–"
"Why are you chasing me!? The girl asked, cutting Maou off while turning to them pissed off. "You should've left me alone when you had the chance."
Just then, five hostile individuals stepped out, blocking their exit.
"Crap! This doesn't look good." Anna thought to herself as she turned to face them, prepared to fight. "I should've noticed them sooner?!"
A tall human male with ear piercings took a step forward and said. "Lucky us! You brought back some easy prey this time, Maddi."
"O.M.G! That little one is so cute! Can I keep him? Please!" A female frog beastfolk begged.
"No way! If he stays then I won't be the cute one." A girl halfling refused.
"I want the cat girl. What do you say, brother?" A lesser lizard-man spoke.
"I've always wanted to taste one of those too." Another lesser lizard-man spoke while slowly crawling along the walls with his twin brother.
"Oh, my. Seems like everyone wants to get to know you two." The human approached the two. "But here's the deal. Give us everything you have and I'll let you two go."
"Stay back! I don't want to hurt you." Anna tensed her fists.
She knew there was no way she could take on all of them in a fight and protect Maou at the same time. Not to mention all the running and jumping she did slowly wore her out.
"Anna, let's leave. She isn't Shelly." Maou said.
"No, stay behind me! I'll get us out of this. Trust me." She reassured.
Maou stepped from behind Anna and walked towards the group with a blank expression but just as he was to pass the human, he was stopped.
"Oi, brat! Who said you could leave?" The guy put his foot in front of Maou. "You have to pay first, dumbass."
"Move! You're in my way." Maou's voice was cold and tactless with his head tilted downwards.
"Or else what, little boy?" The guy bent over, patting Maou on the head with a belittling grin. "Gonna cry to mommy?"
The air soon became heavy and filled with danger. Maou grabbed the guy's wrist and a wave of bloodlust and annoyance left him, protruding towards the group that blocked in his way. They all felt a chill shoot down their spine and blood running cold.
Out of sudden fear, the guy tried to pull his hand away but he couldn't move it an inch. Instead, it was slowly being crushed. Sweat soon filled his forehead and he began to breathe harder from the stifling aura that left what he thought to be a weak, pitiful child before.
Maou slowly looked up and made threatening eye contact with the guy and with a cold and heartless voice he said.
"Or I'll kill every one of you."
He released the guy's hand afterwards and he quickly moved aside, clutching his broken wrist. The others stepped aside and let the two leave unharmed. At that moment, Maou was more than ready to release his frustrations onto them, but they were smart enough to know otherwise, and merely anxiously watched as they left.
Anna walked closely beside Maou, unable to say a word to him, she was still too stunned by what she just witnessed. He scared away those people without lifting a finger. Who was this silver-eyed boy?
"Hic! Hic! Hic!" The sound of subtle weeping came from Maou.
"Wha…. What's wrong Maou?" Anna hesitantly asked.
"Why?! Why can't I find Shelly?" Maou rubbed his teary eyes while sobbing. "Did she abandon me?"
"Cheer up kiddo. She didn't abandon you. It's a really big city after all." Anna tried comforting Maou but his sad mood stayed the same. "Hey, how about we have some fun? Nyan!"
"But what about finding Shelly?" Maou responded.
"Don't worry about it. It's just a little break and we'll be looking again." Anna lifted Maou unto her shoulders once more. "Sounds good? Nyan!"
"Fine… I like fun." Maou wiped away his tears.
"Then let's go have some fun! Nyan!" Anna sprinted down the alley and quickly reached the open street.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein