The Power Enthusiast

MINERVO 47: Umbrella

"So" Feeling the silence between the three of them sitting in the same bus seat, Colin ventured to break the silence with his voice. "What kind of people will we meet?"

The sound of the bus engine was growling, as Colin raised the question. Nico and Paul who were originally silent a thousand languages, simultaneously, turned his gaze to the blue-haired man sitting next to them. From the look on his face, they both looked like they were saying 'Good! Topic has been found!' with roaring breaths, eager to chimed in on the question Colin was asking. Of course they were excited, because from that moment on, Nico and Paul refrained from making a sound or starting a topic first, they didn't want to be the first to start the conversation, it was due to the high prestige, given the quarrel earlier this morning in the living room. That's why the atmosphere between Paul and Nico is getting colder.

"The person we're going to meet is-" Paul's words are instantly cut out by Nico.

"A woman!" nico said, trying to convince Colin that his speech was true and in accordance with reality. In fact, Nico is aware that his speech is only original, not based on real evidence from Paul. But as his relationship with Paul cools, Nico is forced to look more omniscient than his mentor. "I'm pretty sure the person we're going to meet is a woman."

Paul's eyebrows twitched, he looked annoyed because his words were cut off just like that, when he was about to answer Colin's question. His frustration grew when he heard the pretentious answer from the annoying Nico. Obviously Nico didn't know what kind of person they would meet, but he acted as if he knew everything, it really irritated Paul to death. Actually what was the guy with the glasses thinking, was Nico not ashamed if such nonsense was wrong? Even though the reality is wrong! But Paul's anger suddenly dampened, he got a good idea to play the brash-mouthed man sitting next to him.

With a dismissive smile, Paul said, "Really?" Paul's smile became more and more fluffy, like a brother who was mocking his sister. "Where do you know about that? But you seem to be very confident, yes, when you say it."

"Of course," Nico directly chimed in on Paul with an overbearing look, as if whatever he said was an indisputable truth. "It's very easy for me to predict the figure I'm going to meet," Nico blurted his eyes cynically at Paul. "Unlike you, who always relied on Roswel in search of heroes."

"Huh!?" But even Paul who ended up being played by Nico, it was due to his anger that was too explosive, making things reverse quickly. "What did you say!?" Unmitigated, Paul squeezed the collar of Nico until their heads were close together.

Coincidentally, Colin's position was in the middle, making him a victim was followed by the movement of two hands of his friend who was now fighting in front of him. Feeling pressed by the bodies of Paul and Nico, Colin widened his hands to the stomach of the two of them, making two friends who were fighting in front of him, separated. "Come on!" Colin groaned, he didn't like to see Paul and Nico throw each other sneers and sharp words, "Can you guys get along? We cannot carry out this task properly if your conditions are still hostile like this! So, comeon! You guys understand, right?"

"He's the brash one! So he's the one who should apologize to me!" sergeant Paul with a furious rage.

"What's your basis for saying I'm rude? You should be reflecting on yourself, stupid." - timpal Nico with a haughty eye movement, looking calm but piercing.

The problem is getting worse, Nico and Paul look even more crazy. Colin was confused as to how else so that the two friends could return as usual. "All right! I getcha!" colin said after twisting his brain for a moment. "I assume you two are both wrong!" Suddenly, Paul and Nico were surprised, they did not accept Colin's decision.

"I'm not wrong! He's the wrong one! Don't fuck with me! Colin!" Paul begins to threaten Colin so that he no longer calls himself wrong.

"Considering yourself wrong, but accompanied by a threat," Nico smiled as he held back his laughter. "isn't that suspicious?"

Paul's eyes immediately glared wide at Nico. "Who do you think is wrong here!? Me!? That's impossible! Goddamn bum!" Paul clenched his hands tightly. "Don't you think I'll just shut up! Bastard!"

Pecked, Colin could no longer bear to hear the dispute that occurred between Paul and Nico, his frustration was already unstoppable. That's why, with a warming head, Colin said, "When I've been waiting for moments like this, where I would go with my friends to visit the city to find new heroes. Even when I worked in a tavern, I always missed moments like this, because I thought it would be fun and exciting. Unfortunately, all of this is just a fantasy. You did not make the atmosphere of this trip so pleasant, on the contrary, you two have made things worse! If I knew it would be this way, I shouldn't have to come with you guys."

Paul and Nico were wide-eyed, they seemed shocked by what Colin had said, and slowly, guilt began to creep through the minds of the two beings. Paul became silent, he did not expect that Colin had been waiting for moments like this, but because of his actions, the pleasant atmosphere desired by Colin, was not created. Nico, too, feels guilty for worsening the situation, he should not have to serve Paul, but his arrogant attitude has enslaved his mind, making Colin uncomfortable with the conditions that occur here.

And finally, the two of them fell silent simultaneously.

There were no more harsh or piercing words from the two mouths, all that happened was a frozen silence. Colin is happy to see Nico and Paul have been made aware by their respective mistakes. Although Colin actually had to say what he had in mind, in a raucous tone, so that Paul and Nico felt sorry for him. But really, Colin did not like being in a lot of solitude.

"Emmm," And again, it was Colin who started the conversation. "So which city are we going to, Paul?" Even so, Colin's question is now more indicated to someone, so that the other person, does not answer with origin.

In a relaxed tone, Paul replied, "Cocoa, we're going to Cocoa City," Paul's eyeballs told Nico, "And the person we're going to meet is a man, and he's a man, not female. That's what Roswel said." Aware of being touched by Paul, Nico's lips pursed.

"And what's his name?" Colin asked again with an enthusiastic face.

"Abbas," Paul put on a flat face. "A too ordinary name, right?"

"Not really," Colin shook his head. "That's a great name, really!" After saying that, Colin's attention was transferred to the teary-eyed man sitting to his left. "Emmm, do you know about the condition of Cocoa City?"

"Of course," Nico started turning his head at Colin with a very friendly look. "You don't know at all? It's a city filled with controversy, right?"

"Controversy?" Colin furrowed his brows. "Is the city dangerous?" Apparently, Paul was secretly surprised to hear the conversation between Colin and Nico.

To be honest, Paul also this time did not know about the state of Cocoa City, which is why he was shocked when Nico said that the city was filled with controversy. Just like Colin, Paul in his mind wondered, is the city dangerous? Until such controversy. Paul was really curious about it. He needed a detailed explanation, but it was too prestige to ask Nico.

"I've read in a book" said Nico, trying to explain the condition of Cocoa City to Colin, without knowing that Paul was listening. "That the city, according to the books I read, has a strange system, more peculiar than the City of Aljelvin, if you want to know," Nico paused for a moment. "So, the natives who live there, they are required to wear a red bracelet, which on the surface of the bracelet, there are numbers lined up. And if you want to know, what those numbers mean. That was the sum of the rest of their lives in this world.

Colin and Paul were shocked to hear it. "Geez!" Colin could not hide his surprise at that. "Isn't that so horrible!? I mean, why should there be a bracelet that shows the rest of one's life!? And I was shocked when you said that no matter if the person was sick or healthy, if the rest of the time was up, then the bracelet would instantly explode," Colin shuddered in horror at the thought. "My skin gets goosebumps, my God!"

"Other than that?" Now, Paul asked Nico, even though he actually refused to speak. "Is there another strange system?"

Nico tilted his smile when he heard Paul's voice. "I feel like I hear someone's voice" Nico said in a low tone. "Is there a ghost on this bus?"

"Suck!" Paul got up from his chair, and pointed at Nico with an oppressive look. "What do you mean talk that way! Huh!?"

"Hm?" Nico acted as if there was no Paul in the seat of the bus they were riding. "Colin, did you hear that? His voice was roaring. Did the other passengers bring a dog?"

Paul's anger grew.

As Paul was about to chim in on Nico's talk, Colin hurriedly covered his mentor's mouth with two palms. "Have it! J-Don't reply! Paul!" Colin's views were transferred to Nico. "You too! Stop playing Paul!"

Suddenly the bus stopped, indicating that the place they were headed had been reached. "We've arrived!" Colin was happy with the bus stop. "Let's get out! We have to hurry!" Colin quickly walked to the bus exit, leaving Paul and Nico inside. After successfully getting off the bus, Nico is shocked as the spatter from the rain water soaks his head. "Ah, rain."

"I haven't had time to tell you, have I?" Nico had gotten off the bus and was standing on Colin's side. "Cocoa City is just like Vineas City, it is a one-season city. And here, it is the rainy season that reigns. So don't be surprised if you'll always see umbrellas along the way, because that's the way things are."

"Fuck the rain!" Paul had also gotten off the bus, and now, he was walking straight away leaving Nico and Colin still standing at the stop. "My job here is to find a hero! Not talking about the weather, asshole!"

Seeing Paul walk ahead of them, Nico and Colin quickly chase after his mentor from behind. The three of them continued down the small streets between the tall buildings. And they walked without using umbrellas, which is why they got soaked. Colin whines for Paul to stop for an umbrella, but unfortunately, Paul doesn't care about it. Nico to the cold because it continues to be flooded with very heavy rain. The rumbling sound of lightning also complemented the atmosphere in Cocoa City, the flash of light from the thunderbolt was repeatedly created in the gray sky that stretched.

All the hikers who were milling around Cocoa City always carried umbrellas in their hands, it made Colin and Nico envious of seeing it. Paul did not pay attention to the pedestrians. His gaze continued straight, and he walked following the instinct he always used in finding heroes in a city. Until he did not realize that his body was now not much different from Nico and Colin, shivering cold.

"It turns out to be true, yes," Colin voiced beside Nico, among the rushing sounds of rain. "I always see red bracelets in the hands of those who cross paths with us. And I never once saw a number under ten in the bracelet they were wearing. The average I see is 60 to 100, doesn't that mean their lives are pretty free? Because it was still decades away until the bracelet they were wearing exploded," Colin suddenly got a question in his head, he hurriedly told Nico. "Then, if for example the rest of their time is a little longer, can the time be increased?"

"Can." answered Nico with a mouth that shook with cold.

"How's it?" Colin was curious about this.

"Buying time to time sellers."

Paul suddenly flicked his steps as they had walked into a vast, wet field of grass. "Buying time? Whatchu mean?" paul asked Nico, because he felt that there was a discrepancy in the explanation that Nico revealed.

At first Nico did not want to respond to the question, but because of the cold, he was able to answer it, because he wanted to quickly go to a shady place so that Paul moved his legs again.

"It's like a pulse" Nico said with a mouth that was already bleached. "We can buy time to the outlets that sell time."

Just now Paul was about to ask another question, suddenly, the rainwater stubs no longer touched the bodies of the three of them, because a large umbrella appeared that protected them from the rainwater, he said, the umbrella was being held by a tall man.

Colin, Nico, and Paul are shocked by the sudden presence of an umbrella appearing above their heads. Their shock grew when they saw a tall man wearing only shorts, showing off his mighty sturdy body. The tall man also had such black skin, but his face was very handsome, even his good looks exceeded Nico, Colin, and Paul.

"Who is this guy, P-Paul?" Colin's heart was pounding loudly, afraid that the burly man was a bad person.

"Nothing, Colin," Nico smiled at Colin. "He's bugging us, so I think he's a good guy."

While Paul was staring at the figure he saw. "It's not wrong" said Paul in a loud voice, making Nico, Colin, and the burly man look at him. "This guy..., you're Abbas, right!?"

The burly man gasped at Paul's words.