It is another street, outside Nigella. It is dismissal time. A continuous flow of students moves forward with a tired order.
Small, quick footsteps are heard.
—Mío, stop.
It is late. Mío stumbles and falls in the middle of the road. Roy tries to help, but stops at once. She is already standing. She dusts off the dress. Turns toward him and smiles, as if nothing had happened.
Eyes settle on her inevitably. No one says anything. There is a remnant of fear—slight, hard to pinpoint. Then they continue on their way.
Roy walks toward her.
—Hey… are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?
—Nope —she answers brightly.
Roy cannot understand how someone who barely reaches his chest can hold so much energy.
—Can't you stay still for one second?
—Yes, I can stay still.
—Then—
——but I can also run and jump! —she starts hopping.
—Hey, stop… —he whispers, gripping her shoulders to halt her.
She does not resist. She only adopts a look of surprise, almost clumsy. She keeps her gaze fixed on him while Roy continues holding her.
One second is enough for him to notice. Roy flushes at that delicate face, too innocent. He lets go immediately and steps ahead a few paces.
—J-just walk without making a scene. Calm down a bit…
—Uhm… okay… —she says, following him more quietly.
The sky turns orange. The groups scatter. There are murmurs, brief goodbyes, the resignation of continuing on alone.
Mío watches the scene repeat itself.
—They look tired…
Roy keeps walking without looking at her.
—Some live very far from here… at the edges of this sector of Craddle.
—That's a lot.
—Before, no one complained… but lately I hear many complaints.
Mío steps ahead and plants herself in front of him, hands behind her back, as if challenging him.Roy stops.
—It's obvious! They must be exhausted from always going back and forth on foot.
—Yes, but—
—We should do something!
Roy is left perplexed by the demand, by that determined gaze: sweet, but firm. He does not answer.
She continues.
—It couldn't always have been like this… surely there were other ways to move around.
Roy takes time to respond. He lifts his gaze, toward the cables crossing the streets.
—The sponsors used to travel in cable cars. Those cables over the rooftops.
—Sponsors?
—Kind people who came every so often. They brought gifts, clothes, food… sometimes even the chance to go to Maxura.
—Oh… they were incredible…
—But they stopped coming —he sighs—. According to records, the other way was using Nur links. They came out of the hands, like tethers. We held onto the cables and hung until reaching any point. It was fast.
—That sounds amazing! Can you do it?
—Huh? Of course not.
—Buzzkill! Why not?
—Didn't you read the rules when you arrived? The most recent one forbids using Nur. It's one of the strictest.
Mío frowns, irritated, with a childish disappointment.
—Rules, rules, and more rules… don't you say anything else?
—Our duty is to maintain order. If we break it, there will be consequences.
—Consequences? What kind?
—Well…
——I use Nur all the time! And nothing happens.
—All the time? I don't see you doing anything. I don't see light coming out of you…
Mío exhales with pride. She crosses her arms and lifts her chin, smiling.
—Ha. I am pure Nur.
Roy arches an eyebrow.
—Oh yeah? Explain that to me.
She turns her back on him and starts walking as if strutting.
—Forget what I said. I'm not obligated to tell you anything.
She goes farther than she should.
Roy sighs and follows her.
They walk for a long stretch. Several times Mío gets too far ahead and Roy shouts for her to come back so they can take another street.
Despite Roy's slow pace, it is Mío who grows more winded, from going back and forth every time she gets it wrong.
—Wouldn't it be better if you stayed behind me and followed?
She pants, but smiles confidently.
—It's… just… reconnaissance…
—The streets are safe… you're making an effort for nothing…
—One must always stay alert, old man…
—Old man?
—Old man! Your hair is full of gray!
—That's just my hair —he says, a little weary—. And for your information, I am considered the most handsome and beautiful in all of Nigella —he turns his face away with a dismissive gesture.
—Mmm… maybe…
She says it while leaning in to examine his face more closely, again with that sweet, clumsy expression.
With a blush rising, Roy nearly falls apart. Then he notices the place. He lifts his gaze, past Mío, who was still looking at him.
—Look… we're here, Mío…
She follows his gaze.
A dark park.
Some play structures can be made out, apparently abandoned: swings, climbing columns.
Despite the gloom, a figure is visible at the top of a slide.
The figure swings their feet while humming something.
It is a girl. Short hair. She does not seem to have noticed she is being watched.
Roy whispers.
—There she is… William's second target…
Mío freezes for a moment and murmurs something that unsettles Roy.
—Do you see it?… that is a very beautiful Nur…
The notes the girl was humming seemed to float in the air.