Ding Dong.
Ding Dong.
Ding Dong.
Ding Dong.
"GODDAMNNIT, PAN STOP RINGING THE DOOR."
"Why is he taking so long to open the door?"
"Maybe he's BUSY?"
"He sells pet fish for a living; don't you even insinuate he might have a life outside of work."
"Maybe...he has a girlfriend?" Malincha suggested, and then the two looked at each other, before bursting into laughter.
"And perhaps even friends who care about him!" Pan suggested, and the two grinned once again before bursting into laughter, Malincha wiping her eyes.
"Oh, lord, do you think he's self-aware?"
"Of course not, his name is Andone."
Malincha put her hands to her stomach, giggling. "If I had a name like that, I'd change identities."
"Like that would do anything, that aquarium stench covers miles, I'd sniff him out, different name or not-" Pan trailed into laughter once again, the two laughing like maniacs outside the door, and then, the door finally swung open and the two leaped back.
Standing in the door frame was a tall many with shaggy, messy blue hair, a stubble, and a weird fishy smell radiating from his body, causing the both of them to instinctively scrunch up their noses.
"...Boy scouts?" The man spoke after a minute of examining them. Pan was dressed up like a little boy scout, with a light green uniform and several badges taped to his chest and Malincha was dressed up like a mom, wearing a sun hat, mom jeans, and shades.
"Hiii! Are you Mr. Andone! Sorry to wake you up, you were sleeping, huh?"
"No." He answered, scratching his scalp and then inspecting his nails.
"Oh." She bit her tongue to hold back another burst of laughter and then spoke again. He could clearly use some sleep, his eyebags are so heavy they might slide off his face, pfft!
Pan took in a deep breath, widened his eyes, and stood up on his toes, speaking in a squeaky voice. "Nice to meetcha Mister! I'm here to sell boy scout cookies, and you look like you'd love some! I've got all sorts of boy scout cookies, even the menu, if you want it!"
"I don't like boy scout cookies."
"B-"
"Bye." The man took a step back and grabbed the doorknob, about to slam it in the boy's face, only for Pan to take a step forward and slammed his palm into the door, pushing it back so that the man couldn't slam the door, and the man widened his eyes.
"What don't you like about boy scout cookies. They're delicious." Pan said in a slightly irritated tone, and Malincha laughed nervously, before slamming her palm onto Pan's head, patting him twice.
"Awh, sorry about him! I guess he was just disappointed, he heard that you knew about the Rata Sea, and he really thought you'd have some stories to tell him! But you clearly have better things to do, like, taking a shower."
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"But I did take a shower."
"Oh really! I can..really tell...the aroma, of your, shampoo, it's really.... nice smelling." Malincha clapped her hands together, laughing softly.
"I didn't use shampoo."
"Ohh." Malincha glanced down at Pan, and the two grinned slightly. "I had no idea! So..." Malincha elbowed Pan, who whipped around, ready to snap at her, before remembering his role.
"Oh, yes. My friend, Preston, told me you sold fish from the rata sea, and I really wanna go there one day! To enter the Moloc's Labyrinth and slay the bad guys, and save the day, and kill- I mean, kiss the princess!" He rubbed the back of his head and giggled before smiling up at the man, who seemed taken aback.
"I-I... well, I mean-"
"C'mon, Mr.Andone, it's his dream to be a sailor!"
"Yeah, I wanna join the Erica Ship Company, and travel the Rata Sea, and do sailor things, and ect." Pan stifled a yawn, his right eye twitching, and Malincha frowned down at him, whispering to him between a forced smile. "Children don't say ectara."
"Well, this one does so deal with it." Pan whispered back between a forced wholesome smile, and they both turned to the man, who seemed to be moved by the false wholesomeness of the child.
"It's actually called the Oruka ship company."
"Wait, what? How do you know??" Pan's eyes gleamed.
"Heh, well, I suppose I used to work for them as a sailor. I'd travel the Rata Sea, taking the passengers to the Labyrinth of Moloc and everything. But right now, unfortunately, I can't say much else."
"Oh, right, yes, I'm sure Mr. Andone is very busy doing.... well, whatever you do." Malincha grabbed Pan gently by the shoulders and smiled at him.
"I actually have a date tonight." He smiled at the two of them who glanced at each other with confused expressions.
"O-oh wow! Are you gonna put on any special perfume or groom yourself or-"
"Do I look bad?"
".... Bye Mister! See you later!" She slammed the door, and then let out a heavy sigh, before turning to Pan who was smirking.
"What the hell was that? Your acting is terrible."
"I don't understand how 'acting' and 'lying' are any different." Pan replied, turning away from the door and walking down the street with Malincha.
"Acting is like, lying, but doing it for fun! It's like a form of art!" Malincha explained, before putting a hand to her forehead. "I'm a master actress. Extremely talented at it, you know. Someday I might make my own movie."
"That's not a talent, that's a mental illness." Pan put his hands behind his head and walked off, whistling, and completely ignoring Malincha who stood back, pissed off.
"Malincha, Pan, do you copy?" Shen's voice came in through the earpieces they had been wearing.
"Sure." Pan replied.
"Mhm!" Malincha responded.
"Good. Were you able to confirm if Andone Carranza Garcia was indeed affiliated with Oruka?"
"Yes. To easily in fact." Pan grinned maliciously. "Humans are so foolish. All it takes is a child babbling nonsense for them to spew their entire life story. If he had just slammed the door, he wouldn't of had to deal with us again."
"It's not like you let him slam the door. What the hell was that? Children don't force open doors! That's not how it works!" Malincha slammed her palm into her hand.
"Shut up." Pan replied, much to Malincha's anger.
"Why, you-"
"Shut up, Malincha." Shen's voice came in through the earpiece again. "If it's all confirmed then we can proceed with the plan. Malincha, Pan, you both remember the plan?"
"Well enough. Should we flatten his tires so he can't make it to his date?" Pan grinned.
"That's not a part of the plan.... but we would be doing his date a favor." Malincha put a hand to her chin, lost in thought for a moment, before shaking her head. "Right, so I replace all of the fish food in his aquarium with salt and leave only a single can of fish food left, the salty kind."
"And I'll deploy the fake police to take in, blindfold, and 'arrest' the man so we can interogate him about the Oruka Company."
"Good. You'll start two days from now, so you have two days to yourself to do whatever you want here, in the city of Leon." Shen then disconnected himself from the earpieces, leaving Pan and Malincha on the streets. Pan slid his hands into his pockets and started to walk off.
"Wha- where are you going?"
"To the strip club." Pan replied sarcastically with a nasty grin, before dissapearing off into the busy streets of Leon, leaving Malincha outside Andone's house.
She sighed. All of this work just to find a ship willing to take us across the Rata Sea to Moloc's Labryinth. I never thought I'd end up in a plot to kidnap someone, but if it'll get us information about the Oruka Ship Company, then I suppose I don't mind.. She thought to herself, stretching a bit before yawning.
She looked up at the setting sun and grinned before yelling out to no one in paticular. "Well, I'm in Mexico, always wanted to go here to film! Ooo, maybe a telenovela...maybe I'll hook up with that guy's date and turn it into a whole drama....yes..." She rubbed her hands together as she walked off.