Chapter 5: Transport
[Word Count: 1605]
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"Make haste, Leo. You've wasted enough time as it is," the ⬜⬜⬜ Devil complained, its impatience evident in its tone.
Currently walking around the streets of Hanabuchihama, Leo pondered their next move, uncertain of what to do in their current predicament. They found themselves in a rural beach town, far from any convenient transportation options. Walking, hitching a ride, or perhaps even stealing a bike seemed to be their only viable choices.
"We don't even know which direction to go in yet," Leo retorted, feeling frustrated by the devil's demands.
'Excuses,' the ⬜⬜⬜ Devil scoffed dismissively.
Sighing, Leo acknowledged the lack of guidance from the ⬜⬜⬜ Devil's former friends, realizing they would have to rely on their own instincts and luck to find their way.
With limited options, Leo decided to return to their old reliable spot—the beach. Azukihama Beach, to be precise.
As Leo strolled along the concrete path, they observed the various beachgoers who had already arrived, ready to soak in the beauty of the waves. Couples, families, and aspiring artists seeking inspiration all congregated there, enjoying the serenity of nature.
However, for Leo, who was financially struggling and eager to avoid an arduous walk, the beach presented an opportunity to obtain some quick cash.
Scanning the surroundings, Leo identified their target—a middle-aged man in his early forties, sporting shorts and an unusually long jacket.
Picking up their pace, Leo casually "bumped" into the man, deftly slipping their hand into his back pocket and discreetly stashing the stolen item into their sleeve.
"HEY!" the man exclaimed, swiftly grabbing Leo by the elbow.
"Hmm?" Leo turned around, facing the man innocently.
"You little—" The man paused mid-sentence, suddenly staring straight ahead, confusion washing over his face as he scratched his head.
"Sir?" Leo inquired, feigning innocence.
Continuing to scratch his head, the man looked around, perplexed by his own interrupted accusation. His outburst had attracted attention, and onlookers began to gawk.
Shaking his head, he released his grip on Leo, offering an apology. "Sorry about grabbing you. Just pay attention to where you're going next time, alright?"
"Will do. Sorry about that," Leo responded with a smile, giving him a small bow.
As Leo swiftly made their escape and the man questioned his own sanity, the small crowd of onlookers returned to their previous activities, disregarding the incident.
Slipping into a nearby patch of trees, Leo counted their newfound earnings—¥12,457.
While not a substantial sum, it might be enough to leave this small town and gauge the distance to their ultimate destination.
Continuing to wander along the beach, Leo's gaze settled upon the person they had been seeking.
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Speeding down the pier on her new bike, Michiko reveled in the thrill of the present she had received for her birthday. Eager to test it out, her parents had brought her to the beach for a ride.
On her final lap around the pier, Michiko spotted a boy with black hair waving his arms, flagging her down. Curiosity piqued, she gradually slowed down and stopped next to him.
The boy pointed at her...
"Could I use your bike?" Leo asked, pointing at Michiko's bike.
"What!? Of course not," she exclaimed, caught off guard by the sudden request.
Leo contemplated for a moment before making an offer. "I'll give you 100 yen if you let me ride it around the pier once," they proposed.
Michiko leaned on the handlebar, considering the proposition. "500 yen," she countered, trying to establish a higher price.
"150," Leo bargained.
"450," Michiko continued.
"200."
"400."
"250, final offer," Leo declared, trying to meet halfway.
"300, and you got a deal," Michiko conceded, pleased with the negotiation outcome.
"Alright, then," Leo said, reaching for their wallet.
A victorious smile adorned Michiko's face as she realized she had just made the easiest 300 yen of her life. Confident in her decision, she reassured herself that even if the boy decided to steal her bike, her parents would quickly track him down in their car before he could get far. Moreover, her father had mentioned getting insurance for the bike, providing an extra layer of security.
However, as Michiko looked back up to the boy she had made the deal with, he had mysteriously vanished. Panic surged through her as she frantically searched the surroundings, but he was nowhere to be found. While she had been celebrating her victory, the boy had swiftly pedaled away, making a clean escape.
In a state of distress, Michiko hurriedly ran off to find her parents but abruptly halted, her eyes widening with realization.
'Why am I running?' she thought, questioning her actions.
Shaking off her confusion, Michiko slowly made her way back to her parents.
-----
'HAHAHAHAHA-'
Pedaling away, Leo occasionally glanced back, fully aware of the risk they had taken by brazenly stealing the girl's bike. Uncertain if her parents were nearby, making her momentarily forget about her bike was a mere child's play compared to the consequences of her parents witnessing the theft. It would undoubtedly lead to trouble.
Adding to the precarious situation, the ⬜⬜⬜ Devil found Leo's worry highly amusing, its incessant laughter amplifying the annoyance in the air.
Not only was Leo traveling on a straight road, making it easy for a car to catch up and reclaim the stolen property, but their physical endurance was abysmal. With barely any muscle strength, Leo's legs were on the verge of giving out, highlighting the need for improvement once they settled down.
Forced to multitask, Leo scanned their surroundings for any angry parents while keeping an eye out for available taxis that could facilitate their journey to Tokyo.
After a while, Leo began to slow down, not because their nerves had calmed, but because their legs were reaching their limit.
Fortunately, they had managed to bike their way to the next beach—Shobutahama Beach. The larger crowd gave Leo hope that they would be able to find a taxi or, at the very least, a convenient rest stop to give their weary legs a much-needed break.
As Leo walked around, their hope started to dwindle with each passing moment.
'Is that not the vehicle we're looking for?' the ⬜⬜⬜ Devil chimed in, drawing Leo's attention.
While lost in thought, Leo almost missed the blatant yellow taxi parked by the side of the street, with the word "TAXI" boldly written on its side. Thanks to the ⬜⬜⬜ Devil's intervention, Leo noticed it just in time and approached the vehicle with a relieved smile, knocking on the window to grab the driver's attention
.
"What do you want, kid?" the man asked, rolling down the window.
A waft of cigarette smoke invaded Leo's senses, much to their disgust. The driver, wearing a blue leisure suit with a yellow undershirt, peered out at Leo through the open window.
"Can you take me to Tokyo?" Leo asked directly.
"Tokyo?" The man repeated, shaking his head. "That's too far."
Suppressing a sigh, Leo inquired further, "Well, what's the furthest you can take me?"
The man stroked his chin in thought before responding, "Hmm, Sendai."
Though unfamiliar with the place, Sendai sounded important enough to Leo, who decided to take a chance.
"How much to get to Sendai Station?" Leo asked, curious about the cost.
The man leaned back, calculating the fare. "Well, it's 200 yen per kilometer, and the flag drop is 500 yen. From here to Sendai, it's roughly 18 kilometers, so a little over 4,000 yen," he answered.
"That'll work," Leo agreed, reaching into their pocket to pull out their wallet.
With the back door of the taxi open, Leo squeezed the bike inside after a bit of trial and error, finally settling down next to it.
Through the rearview mirror, the driver glanced at Leo, his skeptical expression revealing his doubts.
"Where are your parents, kid?" he inquired, starting an interrogation.
"Business trip," Leo replied smoothly.
The driver continued probing, "What are you doing way out here, then?"
"I was visiting my grandparents," Leo responded, maintaining their composure.
"Why aren't they taking you back to Tokyo?"
"They live in a rural area and don't go out much. My parents usually have someone who takes me, but he got into an accident and can't do it anymore," Leo explained, fabricating a story.
Throughout the questioning, the driver wore a skeptical look...
'Leo, let's get rid of this guy. He's asking too many questions,' the ⬜⬜⬜ Devil suggested, its annoyance growing.
Relenting, the driver asked one final question. "Can you pay for your trip?"
With a confident smile, Leo displayed their new wallet. "Yup!"
"Heh, already carrying a wallet, huh?" the driver commented, intrigued.
"What's your name, kid?" he asked, shifting gears as he started the taxi.
"Leo!" Leo responded cheerfully.
"No last name?" the driver raised an eyebrow.
"Do you need it?" Leo tilted their head to the side, questioning the necessity.
"Heh, nope," the driver replied.
With a push of a button, a screen on the dashboard came to life, displaying the fare amount of 500 yen as the taxi engine roared to life.
Adjusting the rearview mirror, the driver addressed Leo once again. "Well, Leo, my name is Yusaku. I'll be your taxi driver for the afternoon. Next stop, Sendai Station."
As Yusaku maneuvered onto the street, Michiko made her way back to her parents, a perplexed expression etched on her face as she mentally tallied her 300 yen. Observing their daughter's return without her bike, her parents hurriedly approached her, concern etched on their faces.
"Michiko!"
"Are you okay??"
"Where's your bike!?"
Michiko glanced up at her bewildered parents, tilting her head to the side.
"What bike?" she innocently questioned.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone