"What's your plan out there then?" Alfred asked as they began walking out.
"Nothing really, just finding my way around in case I get lost," Dion replied.
His actual intention was to go see if he could find Keyla. He had a strong feeling she might be somewhere close by. He didn't really care if she remembered him or not; he just wanted to see her. He was aching to see her that day.
They took the small door out. Dion was actually getting popular now as he was getting to know some people down the hall as they walked. Some even shouted his name as they moved.
Alfred, however, spent most of his time in the room and was also quite popular. Most of them knew about him from others; they might have heard whispers about the weird shadow seeker who does nothing but stare at an uninterested book and blab all day.
Dion had earlier checked to see if he could locate where Keyla was, but he was short on points and there was no task available for the day, so he decided to do it manually.
"Which way do you want to go? Right or left?" Alfred asked as they stood in front of the base, contemplating whether to go left or right.
"Let's go right. That sounds right, huh?" Dion replied, gesturing for them to take the right.
Alfred didn't hesitate or oppose this decision. He took the lead and started walking to the right.
************
"There's the control center," Alfred said, pointing at a very tall building with almost no one in front, prompting Dion to inquire more about the building.
"What do they do there, and why do they call it the control center?" Dion asked.
"There are things not penned in books, kept from the public eye," Alfred replied.
"People do work there?" Dion asked.
"Yeah, but they're hardly ever out, just once in a blue moon on weekdays," Alfred replied.
"Well, I guess you're not quite the most knowledgeable person there is here; those who work there know some things you don't," Dion taunted playfully.
"It's just a matter of time; I reckon I'll suss it out soon enough." Alfred replied optimistically.
They continued walking around, Alfred showing some of the prominent places there. Dion, however, was not very interested in knowing them; his eyes were just scanning around to see if he could find his beloved Keyla, whom he was there for in the first place.
"Where's the most crowded place here?" Dion asked tactically. He knew his chances of finding her in crowded places were higher than in low-populated places.
"We have the food market, dress market..." Alfred was mentioning when Dion suddenly remembered Keyla loved dresses. She might well be at the dress market, so he opted for that.
"Why head there of all places? As an Extinguisher, that's the last place you'd wanna be, 'cause all the gear you need's laid out for you in your closet, 'cept on days off." Alfred questioned.
"Remember I said I'm trying to make myself conversant with the environment. I can't go around relying on the trackers given to us at the base; they sometimes fail," Dion replied.
"Yeah, I fell victim to one myself actually. Got myself lost when I first arrived; that's how I stumbled upon all these spots. Most folks are too thick to suss out where the base is tucked away," Alfred complained as they continued walking towards the dress market.
********
As they approached, the tall gate of the dress market stood adorned with intricate metalwork.
Above, a sign in elegant script proclaimed the market's name, "Get Dressed Market!" while colorful fabric drapes cascaded down its sides, inviting visitors to explore within.
As they entered, they saw various stores identical in size, shape, and design, but differing in contents. Some had normal casual wears, while others had suits not quite like those of the Extinguishers they were both wearing; the designs and colors varied.
Dion walked to some of them, feeling the texture and appreciating their beauty. He never had the intention of buying any, though he was running low on or had no cash to pay for them.
"Each bit of clobber you see here tells a tale, expresses the vibe, gig, or event of the day." Alfred explained.
"Is that supposed to be a dress?" Dion questioned out loud, pointing at a web-like network of tubes sewed into a cloth form.
"Yeah, one of the favorites and quite expensive actually," Alfred said.
"But I've never seen anyone wearing one," Dion replied, scanning around to see someone with that style.
"Of course, it's just for special gigs, like Ladies' Night. Only the gals get to rock those on that day." Alfred explained.
"That must be quite the special day," Dion replied, imagining how some of the fine ladies like Ava, Gina, and others would look in that dress.
"The day's coming up soon, hopefully in a few days or weeks," Alfred replied.
"I don't think I'll be here when that day comes," Dion whispered to himself, his mind preoccupied with his plan to confront Xalvador and bring Keyla back to life before long.
They continued their walk around the area, exploring every path they could find, ensuring no path was left untouched.
"Aren't you knackered yet?" Alfred asked, suddenly feeling fatigued. He never fancied walking around, and even if he did, it was usually for only a few minutes. Today, however, was different; they had been walking for hours.
"We're only getting started," Dion replied.
"Well, I hope you've got the strength to piggyback me all the way back to base then," Alfred replied, his demeanor reflecting his exhaustion.
Just then, Dion saw a lady whose stature and gait looked very familiar. As he looked closer, he noticed her unmistakable purple hair—it was Keyla.
"Wait here," he told Alfred as he began rushing towards her.
"You don't need to say it twice, mate. I'm done in, can't muster the strength to walk another step," Alfred said, finding a seat nearby and sitting down.
"If you get lost, rendezvous with me at base," Alfred added, but Dion was already out of earshot.
"Keyla?" he called out.