Chapter 3. Criminally Adventurous

Another day has begun to open the shop.

"Ahh, what a day."

I stretched and prepared for the daily routine.

"I guess it's time to open the store again and hope for things to not go troublesome."

I sighed, thinking of the potential challenges ahead.

One of the customers came in and decided to look at the items.

"Good morning, Alfonse!"

The cheerful greeting was a welcome start to the day.

"Welcome to the shop, grab your stuff here!"

I gestured to the various items displayed.

One of the concerned individuals ran towards me and brought a paper.

"Hey Alfonse!"

His urgency caught my attention immediately.

"Yeah?"

I looked up from the counter, curious about the commotion.

"You have to see this news."

He handed me a newspaper with a worried expression.

"Missing, White fox, reward: 1,000,000 Lunar Fragments."

The headline was alarming and unexpected.

"Missing Fox?"

I furrowed my brow, trying to understand the situation.

"This happened last night. And one of the remains of the crash seems to be under the ocean."

He pointed out the details, adding to my concern.

"Huh, too many parts here."

I glanced at the cluttered shop, feeling overwhelmed.

"ALFONSE!"

The mayor's voice was sharp and commanding.

"Yes, Mayor?"

I turned to face him, bracing for his next words.

"HOW MUCH DID YOU EARN?!"

His tone was accusatory and urgent.

"Uhh, still a few, probably around 500 Fragments."

I replied honestly, feeling the pressure.

"You better earn 2,500 or the log cabin will be taken away from you! UNDERSTAND?!"

His threat made my heart sink.

"Y-Yes Sir... Sigh..."

I nodded, feeling a mix of anxiety and resignation.

I then saw something running like I felt the wind.

"What was that?"

I wondered aloud, intrigued by the sudden movement.

Afternoon reached, around 4 pm, I only had 1,000 Lunar Fragments.

"Oh shoot, the deadline is tomorrow, I have to start paying."

The realization hit me hard, stressing me out.

One of the enforcers who followed the fox seemed to be searching this place with their lights on and their red sensors.

"What are those things?"

I asked, noticing the strange devices.

I guess it's time to close the shop.

Upon reaching home, a shaking figure under the blanket was under my bed.

I was then curious to see and remove the blanket immediately.

"Ahhhh!"

I reacted as the white fox was in it.

I then grabbed my sword and aimed directly at the white fox.

"Please don't hurt me, your planet is in danger!"

The fox pleaded, looking scared and desperate.

"What are you talking about? Wasn't a bounty placed upon you?"

I was skeptical, unsure of what to believe.

"I'm so lucky today."

I seemed relieved and hopeful.

"Why?"

He inquired, trying to understand the significance.

"Because, I can finally pay for this log cabin where I have been staying at for so long!"

I then told him the reason why I need to send him to one of those robot enforcers.

"You have to see this"

He then opened the box where it contains a robot where it contains info of what this villain is intended to do.

"Hello, citizens of Sylvaris. I am King Orion. Our planet has become too polluted, overpopulated, and toxic for us to inhabit. To address this, we are creating a new world by extracting parts of your planet using advanced technology. Unfortunately, this process will destabilize your planet, causing it to lose resources and transfer them to our world. Sacrifices must be made for progress. Thank you for your cooperation."

The broadcast from King Orion was ominous and unsettling.

"So, you're the one who's being searched for, placed a bounty on you, expected me to believe all these things?"

I was struggling to reconcile the information.

"That's the reason why I escaped with this box. I'm trying to warn planet Vespera as that planet will be destroyed too."

The fox's explanation made the stakes clearer.

"Then we need to act quickly."

I realized the urgency of the situation.

"We have to get to the ship and enter planet Eldoria; people there will be able to help us."

The plan was forming in my mind.

We then entered the crash site where the crashed ship is near the beach.

"Some parts of it are under the ocean, I believe that we won't be able to make it fly."

"Don't worry, once we're in it, I'll try to repair it quick"

"One of the enforcers"

The fox is worried as we might be captured

"Just stay quiet"

We then arrive to where the fox's ship is at.

"Is that your ship?"

I pointed to the vessel, hoping it was still functional.

"Yeah."

The fox confirmed, relieved to have a way out.

"We have to get to it quietly."

I suggested, knowing discretion was crucial.

"Besides, this has no autopilot installed and they won't follow it."

The fox explained, adding another layer of complexity.

"Huh, you crashed here and they followed you."

I was trying to piece together the events.

"Well, probably the autopilot was activated."

The fox speculated, offering a possible explanation.

"Engines start"

As the engines roared to life, a shrill alarm blared through the ship. One of the robot enforcers, a hulking figure of metal and menace, had zeroed in on us.

"Warning! Intruders detected!" the enforcers' automated systems blared.

"Halt! What do you think you're doing?" the enforcer's voice crackled over the comms, icy and authoritative.

"Does this thing have weapons?" I asked, eyes darting around.

"Yes, but we only have 20 rounds remaining!" Rex replied, his voice strained as he scrambled for a solution.

"You fight them, I'll repair this part!" I ordered, trying to keep the fear out of my tone.

"Got it! Travel part has been fixed!" Rex's voice came through, triumphant but edged with urgency.

"Pulling the steering handle!" Rex shouted, gripping it tightly as the ship lurched forward.

"Two individuals have escaped. Contacting King Orion!" the enforcer's voice echoed ominously.

"YES FINALLY! I'm out of this planet! Been stuck here for so long!" My excitement was a thin veneer over the raw fear of our situation.

"Haha, we did it!" Rex's exhilaration was a brief respite from the chaos.

"Oh, I haven't got your name," I realized, trying to ground myself in the moment.

"Rex," the fox said, his voice steady despite the chaos.

"Alfonse," I responded, offering my name in return.

"Nice to meet you," Rex said with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Nice to meet you," I echoed, though my nerves were still on edge.

"I guess we're both criminals now, huh?" I joked, attempting to lighten the mood despite the tension.

"Yeah, I guess," Rex chuckled, but his laughter was tense, the gravity of our situation sinking in.

"We have to get to Eldoria quick; we need another friend to help us," I said, focusing on our next steps as the ship shuddered under enemy fire.

"Got it, I'll try to monitor the holo-map in the meantime, REX," Rex agreed, his voice tight with concentration.

"You should rest too; your left foot is greatly injured," I noticed Rex's injury, concern sharpening my tone as I tried to keep us both together through the crisis.