Unpredicted Intersection

"What proof?" she muttered tilting her head indicating that she doesn't have any idea about the proof the little boy was talking about.

"A proof that my grandpa and I did not lie!" Peter said in a childlike voice, his fingers are fidgeting and he was pouting while looking at her with his doe eyes.

He was wearing the same clothes he wore last night. Brown trousers and a checkered sweater. Cleo noticed that his cheeks are bright red and his curly brunette hair are slightly messy but overall, he is an adorable child.

Cleo noticed Peter's trembling shoulders as she bends her knees to touch his forehead and to his shoulders.

"You don't have a fever, but your clothes are damp. You should go home, change some dry clothes and rest," Cleo uttered softly to her.

Peter did not respond to her instead he just avoided her gaze and lowered his head.

"…Do you believe me now? That we're not swindlers?" he asked.

"I did not think of you and your grandpa as a liar at all," Cleo replied. "Now go and change or you'll get sick," she added.

"Okay," Peter replied smiling showing the gap between his teeth.

Holding his small hand as she straightened her bended knees, the wind began to blow hard on her almost taking her mask away, but before it could fall from her face, her free hand automatically held it slightly revealing half of her face to the small boy beside her.

Peter who sneaked a peek at her face had a small glimpse of her emerald eyes glimmered from the direct sunlight before she covered her face.

"Go, your grandpa must be waiting," she muttered patting Peter's head gently.

And before he bid her goodbye with his bright gummy smile, Peter waves his small hand at her and run away.

The beauty of the scenery is not enough to fight against the awkward and sharp gaze of the crowd. Every time she passed by and meet strangers along the way, they would look at her like she was someone who escaped a mental facility. Cleo is not surprised at all. Who would think of her seriously in this situation? A lone person who covers her face with a plain and boring mask with no prior reason at all! —and even the system would not even give her some explanation for her to conceal her face. She cannot even determine the necessity for this.

Regardless!

Cleo has no choice at all. If she had, then she does not know the consequence thereafter.

Turning to her left, the pathway ahead is linear and narrowed being sandwiched by tall buildings. Although shadows from infrastructures occupied the whole path, she can still clearly see what's in front of her because of the outdoor lamps lighting the way.

Walking at a normal speed as she entered the strange eerie road, Cleo was glad that the path is remote—at least there are no captious stares she would encounter ahead, she hoped so. Stray cats are running beside her, and on the other scale of the road, some old kinds of stuff and broken furniture were left abandoned on the side—a very typical pathway anyone could say.

She then took a piece of paper from her pocket and she slightly moved the mask covering her face to see it more clearly. The paper she's holding is a map Ron draw for her—she frowned while she analyzes the direction he gave her.

'If not for the arrows he drew, I would be lost now. Such an ugly drawing,' She commented in her mind.

"Okay… next would be right then straight ahead… two more blocks and… the library." She murmured to herself while staring at the symbol of an 'X' Ron marked on the drawing. Her nose crinkled and her mouth gaped open in displeased.

'Honestly? He could have just given me a proper map,' Cleo thought stuffing the map back into her pocket and properly putting the mask back to her face.

There were three libraries she needs to go to, if only she can access the main library, there was no need for her to go to the other three.

"Life's a b-tch sometimes," she whispered while walking, and there was still a long way for her to go.

***

It's almost sunset and Cleo just finished searching for information from the third library. She sat on the pavement beside the street with down shoulders.

She had… a hard time.

The moment she stepped inside the very first library for the day there were a large number of books however there was no computer that would help her do her job faster, and she knew it will be worse. However, the worst case she encountered is the part where there's no book or any helpful information that could enlighten her on how she ended up being stuck in Wonderland and how can she exit the game as soon as possible. In the end, the only choice she had is to gather books about the history and origins of Ordinaries and Travelers—which Verity suggested to her.

Her gaze was fixated on the ground when a pair of white sneakers appeared, standing in front of her.

"You're here…" A smoky and polite voice muttered.

Cleo lifted her head and shifted her gaze. The sun is setting so her eyes didn't hurt from the scorching sun anymore.

Her body slightly jolted when she saw Klyde Rivers's face. His gaze remained observant and keen but his smiling lips made his stern expression soft just like the orange and pinkish sky above them.

He was like the sky and clouds.

Cleo did not respond, she remained baffled and cannot think for a minute before her body automatically stands from sitting on the dirty road where she had the perfect glance at the big signage across the stage—O R I O N.

"Have you made up your mind?" Klyde said in a unique accent.

The thought of his offer came into her thoughts out of the blue.

"I—I'm not going to enlist myself …Sorry," Cleo responded while she wipes off the dust on her sweatpants, while doing so, she cannot help but notice how casual his clothes were.

He was wearing a pair of white sneakers that match with plain black military pants and a white tee-shirt. And yet, no matter how plain his fashion was, just as who he was—just as him being Klyde Rivers, the word 'plain' will not exist, not on him.

'Looking at how perfect he is right in front of me is a reminder that he's not real,' Cleo's inner self commented.

Klyde straightened his posture as he put his hand behind him reminding her of her strict professor who was about to knock her down with his deadly questions during oral recitations.

"Being a member of Crusade will give some benefits on your behalf, you must think very carefully about my offer," he instructed while his hunter's gaze made her composure shake.

"You have a point…Sir, but with my lacking experience plus, me—being a 'new' traveler, I can't possibly pass the standards," Cleo replied itching to walk away.

"That's the point, Miss Cleo Sky," he uttered, "You said you're new but you managed to defeat Quil. You are something, it's a shame that you don't see your capabilities," he continued.

It was getting dark and the street lamps are already lighting the street. Cleo needs to find a new inn—and with her current money anytime soon she will be bankrupt!

The system did not give her any missions yet, and… she doesn't know the monetary process on the third floor.

"…If Cassandra is what you worry about, I can negotiate," Klyde offered.

'My problem is this world and not any of you,' she retorted in her mind.

"I just can't—

For a moment, Cleo thought about the benefits she will have if ever she becomes a member of Crusade—she will have a chance to explore Arsenal Maine Library, a better opportunity for her to know something that might help her in her situation.

'What am I doing? If I want to get out of here, I should grab every opportunity that grabs my way,' her inner voice reprimanded.

She gazes at him again only to find out he was still staring at her with his baby blue eyes.

'Perhaps he tells the truth that I have a skill despite being new, regardless, it would be a bad decision if I don't know the reason behind his persistent action," a voice inside her head whispered.

"Why are you doing this? Why are you so persistent on me, Klyde Rivers?" Cleo questioned, her eyes squinted with wariness behind the mask.

"I want to know what you can do," he answered.

Cleo studied his reaction—his serious face, his hard stare, and his mild expression.

"Let's just put that I believe that answer," Cleo replied.

"I don't need you to believe me, it has nothing to do with me. But you must consider my offer—and what I mean by that is for you to decide now, there's no other time. We will be leaving before dawn, so you have to give me your decision," Klyde muttered.

One thing Cleo realized is the fact that Klyde River, the famous protagonist of the game, is an impatient person.

Cleo cleared her throat as she tried to compose herself.

"You said you'll going to talk to Cassandra… Cassandra Rosal right?" she muttered eyeing him.

"Yes," Klyde answered

"Then what if I failed, are you going to be my backer if that will happen?" Cleo questioned giving him the same intensity.

"You will know once you try," Klyde responded.

Cleo feeling frustrated at his response sighed in defeat. Time is running out, it was already dark, and Klyde Rivers is still waiting for her answer.

'Doesn't he have something else to do?' Cleo murmured inside her thoughts.

"I'll see then," she answered shortly.

***

Cleo thought that Orion would be a small and relaxing coffee shop. When she entered inside, she was indeed correct in thinking that Orion is a coffee shop, however, she did not also think that it was a secret military base for Crusade, and she's never been surprised her whole life.

Klyde Rivers made her sit on a high stool waiting at the counter. Feeling slightly fuzzy about being with the main protagonist of the game, her gaze scanned the whole interior of the place. From her first impression outside the shop, Orion is a simple and relaxing place. But looking at the inside, it may look like a normal coffee shop if someone is not into details.

Orion has a vibe of tranquility and focus, just beyond the counter she could see some glasses, spoons, the coffee maker, and some coffee beans. Behind her, while looking over her shoulder, at the farthest corner, behind a long rectangular table dressed in a classic beige cloth with four chairs, there's a huge shelf with books arranged in a kind of manner that is somehow strange—because instead displaying the book's title, it was arranged in a way that it can be hidden. Looking at the table and chairs again, Cleo realized that Orion is an exclusive place only for the members of the Crusade—somehow giving her a jittery feeling since she's not a member.

There were windowpanes covered with satin white cloth and beside each window there are monstera plants placed inside a white pot. Eccentric designs can be seen carved on the brown and white walls putting much emphasis on the strong structure of the place. Orion is also well-ventilated since there are ceiling fans above, and aside from this, despite that the place is closed securely to prevent exposure from the outside, the lighting of the place is well enough.

She then gazed at the other door next to the bookshelf.

"You're quite strange, did he bring you in?" A voice muttered out of the blue.

Cleo returned her gaze immediately to the counter, "—Yes?" she responded in a rising tone out of surprise.

A man with medium-length black hair tied in a messy bun appeared just behind the counter leaning his right arm forward at her. He smiled before moving away.

"What's the mask for?" he asked.

"I—

She heard a creaking sound of the door followed by footsteps making her swallow her words back.

"She's here," Cleo heard Klyde's voice talking to someone.

"Who? The one you're talking about?" another unfamiliar voice replied.

Once again, Cleo looked behind over her shoulders. Beside Klyde River is a sturdy woman, Cleo automatically stands from sitting on the stool when her gaze met the woman beside him.

"Oh… So you're the woman Klyde was talking about." She uttered with a bright impression.

"What woman?" a different voice commented before another woman appeared behind Klyde.

Not like the sturdy woman beside Klyde Rivers, the other lady is younger than her.

"…Oh, you mean this lady is Cleo Sky? The one who defeated Quil alone?" the man behind her commented.

She did not utter a single word anymore, Cleo only stood in her current spot without trying to say or explain anything. From the hard and intimidating stare she received from them, her urge to conceal her nervousness and her shambling composure is not enough. Her sudden meeting with the rest of the members from the Crusade is not a typical event she experienced back in reality. She once had met a celebrity in her world and during that time she was awed and speechless but her current situation is different, it was pure shock and intimidating knowing that all the people looking at her intently are strong people but not real.

"Nice to meet you, Cleo Sky. I am Cassandra Rosal, the founder of this team," the sturdy woman who was standing beside Klyde Rivers announced with a beaming smile and observant gaze.