Chapter Text
“Everyone has secrets, some might lose their lives over them, but some will get to live another day because of them.”
“And our job, is to deliver those secrets into the hands of those who need them.”
“Catastrophes be damned, ‘completing the delivery’ alone is the sole criteria.”
- Motto of Penguin Logistics
Penguin Logistics is said to be an underground logistics company. What makes it different from its contenders is that they can deliver literally anything, including Lungmen Lions, and they will absolutely deliver it on time and safely.
Although that’s what’s written on the advertisement, rumors of goods that never arrived along with the disappearance of the clients still circulate. It is a gamble, one might say, but Penguin Logistics is the only logistics company still active under such dangerous times. However, the operating squad of this mysterious, powerful organization that walks in the gray area of Lungmen laws weren’t really having a great time.
To be more precise, they’ve been like this since about a few months ago. It’s not just because of the increasingly frequent and dangerous orders, but also, possibly, some friction amongst their ranks.
“Um, hey Texas…”
“Hm?”
Texas, with a chocolate stick dangling from her mouth, replied casually while reading through the documents she was holding.
“What’s the matter, Exusiai? Is there anything I need to look out for?”
“Actually, I’ve been wanting to ask this forever… Are you doing drugs?”
“Pfft! W-Where did that come from?!”
“Because, see.”
Pointing at the remaining chocolate smudges around Texas’s lips, Exusiai replied in a serious tone.
“Dogs can’t eat chocolate, it’s poison for them. Texas, you’re a Lupo, right? So, I heard from someone that maybe you’re doing drugs or something……”
“A Lupo is a Lupo, a dog is a dog, how can you even mix them up… Another nonsensical statement from that Prophet again?”
“Well, he’s the one that said it, but I’m also quite curious myself.”
“Is that so? You listen to him quite well.”
“Ahaha, we’re both from Laterano, so it’s only natural that we help each other out when we're away from home, don’t mind it.”
“No, I’m asking why do you trust him so much.”
“Huh? Why?”
“You… no, it’s nothing.”
“You’re weird, Texas~ But it’s you anyways, so I’ll forgive you.”
After making an embarrassed smile while scratching the back of her head, Exusiai went back to humming and wiping her gun with a concentrated look. It seemed that she had completely missed what Texas wanted to convey in her words.
Or maybe, she did catch them, but pretended not to notice them?
When compared to just not understanding, this answer was even more frustrating…
Seeing her companion just smiling and saying nothing on the matter, Texas couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh.
They’ve been working together for a long time, so Texas understood what she could say and what she couldn’t say. If something, upon mentioning, would harm their relationship and bare no fruit whatsoever, it’s better off left unmentioned. That’s because she could tell just from Exusiai’s usual behavior that this Prophet was definitely someone special to her.
What annoyed her was the fact that she knew who that Prophet is, and that she had once met him.
In her eyes, that man was nothing but an unskillful conman.
Not for anything else, just because that she was the first person Prophet had encountered.
About four months ago, she ran into this so-called Prophet on the streets of Lungmen.
Back then, the Prophet that Texas saw was just a feeble, confused man. He roamed the streets of Lungmen, walking around lifelessly like a zombie. When he saw her, he approached her for some reason and asked her where he was and what year was it.
Texas did not answer him and chose to just walk around this mentally ill person. She didn’t pay any attention to this matter back then, but now she regrets her decision.
The reason being that this man’s path actually crossed with Exusiai’s.
The self-proclaimed amnesiac was kicked out of Lungmen and into the wilderness, possibly because he had broken the law. Three months ago, he somehow blocked Exusiai’s car, hugged onto the still long-haired Exusiai, crying along the lines of ‘Save me WA2000’, while swearing that he will join Griffin or something.
After Exusiai had finally escaped from his clinging limbs, he suddenly started to talk about religion and gained Exusiai’s trust with just a few words. Now, he’s living together with Exusiai in an apartment unit in Lungmen, doing nothing.
Texas did not know what on Terra happened between them, nor what they talked about on that night. The only thing she knew was that Exusiai happily patted the man’s shoulders while declaring him to be her friend the next day. She even planned to let him join Penguin Logistics and live in the dorms, but the offer was rejected by the Prophet himself.
However, Exusiai did not give up. Even under the unanimous opposition of Sora, herself, and all the other members of Penguin Logistics, she still made him move into Exusiai’s own apartment unit.
The others mentioned this matter to Exusiai during their missions, but Exusiai would always just gloss over it.
Why does she care for him this much? I don’t understand.
“……”
Another chocolate stick that served as Texas’s anti-smoking-habit measure went into her mouth. She read the documents through squinted eyes, and yet the abnormalities of her companion occupied her mind.
No matter how you viewed it, this Prophet was really, really suspicious.
During a few private conversations, Texas’s sharp senses noticed Prophet’s disdain against religion. He was also unnaturally knowledgeable about firearms. From the fact that he recognized the guns on Exusiai's back and rushed towards her while shouting out the names of the guns, she could tell that he knew the appearances and functions of those guns well.
Furthermore, he had his own attitude of living and his own set of ideals. They resemble what those that live near the obsolete Lateran regions have, but yet, not exactly the same. Rather than saying they’re similar, it would be more accurate to say that the people living around Laterano lived strictly according to doctrines and are very touchy on change, but that man whom Exusiai calls Prophet (not to Texas, obviously) appeared to be more natural. His actions were fitting of the doctrines, but people wouldn't feel uncomfortable around him at all.
He was oblivious about originium Arts, he didn’t know too much of the world he was in, but he knew a lot of weird stuff and secret codes. Sometimes, he would write down stuff in unrecognizable codes and frown as he sunk into thought.
Is he someone from another organization? If this keeps on, Exusiai…
Would she leave Penguin Logistics?
“……”
“Once I get back I’m gonna eat apple pie~ apple pie~ apple pie~”
Watching Exusiai humming delightfully while wiping her guns, Texas made a decision.
“Exusiai.”
“Apple- hmm? What’s up, Texas? You want to play with my guns? Careful not to break anything, alright?”
“Let me eat at your house tonight.”
Seeing Exusiai’s innocent face, Texas said so in a deep tone.
“I want to eat at your house.”
“Eh? It’s fine, but why so sudden?”
“It’s been a long time since I went there, I kind of miss it.”
To help pull her friend out from the fiery pit of doom, Texas replied so without even batting an eye at the confused Exusiai.