BXBX NOVEL Chapter 151: Bracken Appears
Ty nodded in agreement, his skeletal form slightly tilting as they flew. "That\'s true. This trip would have been a lot more boring without you along for the ride," he admitted, appreciating her presence and the edge it gave them.
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As they approached a suitable landing spot, Ty skillfully maneuvered them towards a nearby building. Hovering about fifty feet in the air, he carefully descended onto the building\'s rooftop. The vantage point offered them a strategic overview of their surroundings, making it an ideal spot for planning their next move.
"I think this should be a good place to land now. We can work out our next spot to make our move from here," Ty suggested, his eyes scanning the area for potential hazards or opportunities. The city sprawled out beneath them, a labyrinth of streets and buildings bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight.
Nana, demonstrating her continued resourcefulness, pulled a small map from her dark outfit. She unfolded it and pointed to a specific route. "If we cut through these streets, we can easily pass as normal civilians until we get up towards the main capital house," she explained, her finger tracing the path they would take.
She then shared an interesting detail about the layout of the capital. "A fun fact about the capital\'s kingdom is that the center is touched by each of the five houses. It\'s like a hexagon shape, with the main house at the center. You could call it the \'main\'s main house\'," she said, trying to simplify the complex structure of the city\'s ruling houses.
Ty, listening intently, couldn\'t help but comment on the complexity of the city\'s design. "That\'s a bit confusing," he admitted, trying to visualize the layout Nana described.
Nana, understanding the confusion, clarified her explanation. "Just think of it as all the houses being in a circle," she said, pointing at the map to illustrate her point. The map showed the city\'s layout, with the main house in the center and the other houses arranged around it in a circular pattern.
With Nana\'s guidance, Ty studied the map, gaining a better understanding of the city\'s structure. Their plan to blend in as civilians while navigating through the streets towards the central area of the capital seemed sound. The unique architectural layout of the capital, with its interconnected houses and central main house, presented both a challenge and an opportunity for their mission.
As Ty gripped Nana\'s waist, he ignited his flame slightly, allowing them to skid smoothly down the building walls. They landed with a soft thud on the kingdom\'s ground, a mix of rough concrete and smooth surfaces.
"Let\'s go through the sales district and cut in and out of the 3rd and 4th housing districts," Nana suggested, her voice low. "That way, we won\'t risk running into the same guard more than once."
"Right, let\'s do that," Ty agreed, and they moved into the bustling crowd. The area was alive with activity: people buying and selling items, some enjoying drinks, and others simply going about their day. Among the crowd, Ty noticed some beings that stood out, their appearances far from human.
One particularly caught his eye – a creature with thick orange fur and reptile-like arms, an unusual sight that piqued his curiosity.
Leaning down to Nana, he asked quietly, "Hey, shorty, did any of your readings mention reptilian creatures with scales?"
Nana, taken aback, responded, "Uh, no, I don\'t think so. What are you talking about?"
Ty, keeping his voice low, explained, "I just saw this girl with thick orange fur and reptile-like arms for a moment, but I\'m not sure where she went."
Nana scoffed lightly. "If that\'s the case, I didn\'t see that in any of my books. Let\'s not linger on it. There are some guards up ahead. Let\'s cut through this alleyway into the 4th Housing area shopping district. We\'re only about 2 or 3 miles away from the Capital entrance."
As they carefully navigated through the crowd in the 4th housing district, Ty considered a more direct route. "Why don\'t we just cut through the living quarters? Wouldn\'t that be faster than skirting around the shopping areas?" he suggested, eyeing the dense throngs of people.
Nana shook her head, her expression serious. "That\'s not a good idea. The kingdom has a long history of kidnappings and break-ins, especially in the living quarters. As a result, there\'s heightened security there. It\'s not just about numbers; some of the kingdom\'s strongest individuals are targeted in their homes, often while they\'re asleep. That\'s why they\'ve bolstered the forces in those areas."
Understanding dawned on Ty as he ran a skeletal finger along his jawline, a gesture of contemplation. "I suppose that makes sense," he admitted, seeing the wisdom in Nana\'s caution.
Their conversation was abruptly interrupted when a slightly inebriated man grabbed Ty\'s shoulder. "What are you doing here?" the man slurred, squinting at Ty\'s skeletal form.
Nana muttered a curse under her breath. Ty, trying to diffuse the situation, turned to face the man. "Sorry, I think you\'ve mistaken me for someone else," he said, hoping to gently brush off the man\'s attention.
However, the man\'s eyes widened with recognition. "No way! You\'re that skeleton Bracken keeps talking about!" he exclaimed, loud enough to draw curious glances from nearby passersby.
Nana halted in her tracks, a puzzled look on her face. "Who is Bracken?" she inquired, her tone laced with curiosity.
Ty, recalling the encounter, explained, "Oh, she\'s this pink-haired girl who was flying the train we saw when we first entered the city. We talked for a bit, and she mentioned we should go out for drinks sometime, so she could understand how a skeleton can exist."
Nana\'s expression shifted to one of surprise and a hint of annoyance. "And you never told me this before because?!" she exclaimed. "I would have loved to fly in that train! Wait, was she flirting with you?"