Ernesta's Trail

"There are three little pigs, each one of them needs to build a house. The first pig built his house out of straw. The second one is made of wood. The third one built a house made of bricks. One day, a big wolf Outsider is starving. He walks to find some food. He saw the house of the first pig. He knocked at the door, the first pig panic. The big wolf Outsider keeps knocking, but the first pig didn't open the door. The big wolf Outsider leaves no choice but to destroy the house. He uses his claws, he destroys the house in one slash. The first pig panic and run towards the second pig house. The second pig also panics and lock all the doors. The big wolf Outsider uses again his claw to destroy the house of the second pig. The two pigs run to the house of the third pig. The third pig didn't panic because he's confident that his house wouldn't destroy by the big wolf Outsider. He was right, the big wolf Outsider couldn't destroy the house made out of bricks using his claw. The three pigs were happy, but the big wolf Outsider didn't give up. He uses his strong jaw and sharp teeth to destroy the door of the house. The three pigs panic so much that they couldn't move anymore. After that, the big wolf Outsider eats the three little pigs!"

"Ehhh???", the children shouted.

"And the big wolf Outsider eat happily. The end."

"I don't remember any story like that.", Vinna said.

"Of course, that story is made by me!", Ernesta said proudly.

"What's with that story.", I said.

"Hehe. Now kiddos, what lesson did you learn?", Ernesta asked.

"Wait! Is there any lesson from that?"

"Of course, the lesson is, you can't fight or defend yourself against an Outsider unless you have a weapon with the amulet."

"Wow..."

"Don't scare the kids."

*Smack*

One of the nuns hit Ernesta using the book she's reading.

"Ouch! T-that hurt."

We're still at the Orphanage of the Novus where Ernesta grew up, although... Ernesta never grows that much.

"Hey, Ernesta, it's getting dark, we should go back now."

"Yes!"

"Good luck to of all you."

"Bye Sister Mary, see you again.", Ernesta said while waving her hands.

"You're going back already?", one of the children said.

"Don't worry, big sis Ernesta will be back sooner!", Ernesta said.

All of us said goodbye to the children and the nuns.

We went to the place where the others are drinking. Thankfully, only a few of them are drunk and can't walk. They were carried by their fellow warrior. Darius and Rick didn't get drunk that much, but we have to support them while walking.

It's already dark when we reach the headquarters.

*I hope Commander wouldn't be mad.*

As I expected. Ernesta is the first one who went inside and starts shouting.

"We're back!"

"Ummm... you shouldn't shout. There's a chance that Commander is mad right now."

"Don't worry, Lisa wouldn't get mad over this."

*Stomp**Stomp*

I hear some footstep that looks like coming this way, no, most likely coming to Ernesta.

*Stomp**Stomp*

"Hiiiiyahhh!!!"

"Guh!"

It's Relaine, she's running towards Ernesta and jump. She gives Ernesta a powerful kick.

"T-that hurt."

"You deserve that you brat!"

"You look drunk.", Commander said while walking this way.

"Sorry..."

"It's okay, go get some sleep."

"Woah! She's not mad." Rick said.

"Cut it out. She'll hear you."

"Were back Lisa...", Ernesta said while holding her stomach.

"You look in pain."

"Yeah, someone really misses me that much."

"Shut up! How dare you to give to me all of your work here!"

"Hehe. My bad, my bad."

"Also your room is a mess too! Your underwear is everywhere. You didn't even lock it!"

"Well, I didn't lock it so you can clean- I mean enter to rest."

"You!!!", Relaine said while clenching her fist.

___________________________________

Early in the morning, the Commander calls us into the meeting room excluding the Polos's warrior except for Cedric.

"Ahhhhh."

Ernesta yawned.

"So, what's the matter, Lisa?", she asked while rubbing her eyes.

It looks like she just wakes up.

"Yeah, why did you even call all of us?", Rick asked.

"Ah.",

Commander exhale.

"There's some report where there are some children who have been missing since last night."

"Maybe they lost in the forest or something like that? It will be easy since there's so many of us", Cedric said.

"Unfortunately no. They're not lost in the forest or anywhere."

"Don't tell me..."

"Yeah, someone kidnaps them."

"That's why you call all of us?"

"Not actually."

Commander clicks the remote in her hand. The windows close automatically and some images appear on the wall.

The image shows some persons that entering the door.

"Take a look at this."

Commander zooms the image.

The person is bald and has a weird skin color. I lean forward to look more clearly. I realized that the skin is gray.

"Wait that's an..."

"Wait! It's that bald Outsider!" Rick shouted.

"You know that Outsider?"

"Yeah, Greg and I encounter that one. We almost die but thanks to Relaine, we survive. I thought he's already dead."

" I see."

"So, where do these kids live?"

"Ah."

Another exhale coming from Commander.

"Ernesta. Sorry."

"Hmm. Why?"

"These kids came from the Orphanage where you grow."

"Huh?"

Ernesta's eyes open wide, same with her mouth. Her whole body suddenly shakes.

"Hey, Ernesta are you oka-"

"Don't worry about me, we just to find them and defeat bastards.", Ernesta said.

She smiles forcefully.

"Don't worry, you will prioritize this mission. All of you will find those children."

""Yes!""

"It looks like we're going back to the Orphanage again.", Ernesta said.

She looks in pain. Not the Ernesta that you see every time.

"Don't worry, we will try our best to find the kids and defeat those bastards."

I try to cheer Ernesta but it's useless.

All of us including Cedric and his men arrived in Novus. All of us are fully prepared. We went first to the Orphanage where we went yesterday.

"Ernesta!"

Sister Mary runs towards Ernesta.

Base on the report, five children are missing. Two boys and three girls.

"Don't worry Sister Mary. I will find them and make sure to make pay those bastards.", She said angrily.

I was really worried about what Ernesta will do. An angry person can't decide properly. If she does something recklessly, it might affect our mission. I have to make her calm first.

"Hey, Ernesta, want to drink some tea first?", I suggested.

"Eh?"

___________________________

Both Ernesta and I went inside the Orphanage and drink some tea. It's only two of us, the others stay outside. It seems they also confuse about my suggestion to Ernesta.

*I need to make her calm as soon as possible. By doing this, we can find the children faster.*

"Hey, Hiro.", Ernesta finally speak.

"Yeah."

"What are you planning to do?"

"Eh? What's with that question. Of course, to relax."

"Hey, Hiro, I need want to kill those bastards now.", Ernesta said while clenching her fist.

Her aura suddenly burst.

*Scary*

No wonder why Relaine and her are friends.

"Ahhh."

A deep exhale came from her.

"I know what your doing, Hiroro."

"Really? That's good then."

I sip some tea.

Ernesta hasn't drunk her tea yet.

"Finish your drink first."

"Ahhh."

She sighed.

She grabs the cup and drinks it in one gulp.

"Geh! Bitter."

She put the cup on the table and push it slightly.

"You should grab juice instead.", she said.

"My bad."

I also prefer juice or maybe coffee to tea.

"Ahhh.", she exhaled.

"Feel relax now?", I asked.

"Yeah."

I feel so dumb about what I'm doing right now for some reason but this is the only thing I can think of.

"Thanks.", Ernesta said.

"So, what's the plan. Vice Commander."

"Hee!"

Ernesta smile lightly.

____________________________________________

Ernesta orders us to check some places where could the Outsiders hide the children. We search from every corner of the place. After an hour of searching, we still had no clue where the kids at.

"How about we try searching to this place.", Rick suggested while pointing his finger at the center of the map.

"I don't think so, that place is full of people. There's no way that those Outsiders hide the kids there.", Vinna said.

The security of Novus is so tight, especially at the night. It might be easy for Pure blooded Outsider to get inside, but going out with kids is not. That means the kids are still here inside Novus. The Outsider might also still be inside lurking around.

"We should get back first. Let's see if the others find some clue.", I suggested.

Even though Ernesta is with us, there's no loud noise we can hear. She keeps her mouth shut.

We walk again to go back to the Orphanage. We decided to make it our meeting place. Ernesta stops walking when we pass one of the shops.

"Hey, Ernesta, what's up?", I asked.

"Wait."

Ernesta walks towards the man who looks like the shopkeeper.

"Hey, what's that?", she asked the shopkeeper.

The shop is full of metal.

"Is she buying a weapon?", Rick asked.

"Who knows."

Ernesta already went back without buying anything.

We already went back to the Orphanage.

Base on the report of Cedric and his men, they didn't also find anything that connected to the Outsider or the kids.

"It's pointless. How can we even found those kids?", Rick said.

His right. We search all of the places where the Outsider can hide the kids.

"Change of plan. If we can't find the kids, then we're going to search for those who kidnap them."

"Don't tell me..."

"Yeah, we're going to find those Outsiders."

We decided to search outside the Novus to find the Outsiders.

We split into two groups: Vinna, Lulu, Rick, and I will go to the North while Ernesta, Greg, Darius, and Cedric to the East. Cedric's men split into two groups and search the South and West.

Our group went to the forest to find the Outsiders. There's no Pure blooded Outsider or even a normal Outsider in the forest.

"It's strange, we should have already encountered at least one Outsider.", Vinna said.

"Maybe those pure-blooded one order the Outsiders."

"Maybe it is."

"Hmm?"

Lulu stop for some reason.

"What is it, Lulu?"

"Look, Hiro."

She pointed something at the ground.

"What is that?"

It's a footstep that most likely came from the Outsiders.

"Where's are they going?"

The footsteps of the Outsiders are going to North-East.

"Should we follow it?", Rick asked.

"No, it's too dangerous. We should go back first."

We went back to the Orphanage. We saw the others are already there. The group of Darius looks restless.

"Hey, what happens?"

"Sorry, Hiro, but Ernesta is missing right now."

"Huh?"

"Yeah, we just notice when we're already here.", Cedric said.

"This is bad."

*I thought she's calm now.*

"All of you, split into two, the first group will find the children while the other one is focus on searching Ernesta."

"How about the Outsiders?"

"If you find Ernesta, you will also find the Outsiders."

"How about you?"

"I'm going back to headquarters."

"Huh? Why?"

"There's something I need to do."

________________________________________________________________________________________

Sitting on my chair while resting my arms on the table. I was waiting for any reports regarding the kidnapping.

I was wondering, what is Ernesta doing now?

I was worried since those kids are close to her. Ernesta is childish and annoying sometimes or most likely every time, but she's a kind person, too kind that anything bad that happens to the people who are important to her can be a big impact on her.

*Stomp**Stomp*

Someone is walking towards my office. I thought its one of the Polos' warriors but I was wrong, it's Hiro who's sweaty and tired.

"What are you doing here? How's the mission? Did you find the kids already?"

"No, we still can't find the kids. Also, Ernesta is missing."

*So, she makes a move already.*

"Can we ask for help from Relaine?", he asked.

"Unfortunately no. Relaine and his team are in the middle of the mission. If we tell her what's going on, she might abandon their mission."

" I see..."

"That was not your reason why to run from Novus to here right?"

"Yeah."

"Speak up."

"Tell me about Ernesta."

*About Ernesta?*

I don't know what's on Hiro's mind but I think it might help to find Ernesta.

"You should ask the nun in the Orphanage instead."

"I didn't mean the Ernesta in the Orphanage. What I want to know is Ernesta as the Vice Commander and a member of A-1 HQ. Commander, tell me, who's Ernesta is?"