luggage | luck voltia

five

"We should buy groceries so that we don't have to eat out too much." [Name] said, sipping on a soda they'd ordered.

[Name], Noelle, Rill and Charmy were sitting inside a McDonald's they went to for lunch, since the place Charmy wanted to go to wasn't open until dinner. Charmy had been disappointed at first, seeing as they'd gotten downgraded, but immediately forgot once the food came.

"And I assume you'd pay for some of them?" Noelle raised an eyebrow.

"Geez, get off my back, will you?!" [Name] groaned, picking up a limp french fry. "I get my wallet back for 5 minutes and then you make me empty it out again! How am I gonna pay for my Crunchyroll subscription?!"

"Once we get back, we're getting you a job." Noelle sighed. "You can't go a minute without complaining about being poor."

"Sure, sure, but let's think of that when we get to it." [Name] shoved another handful of fries into their mouth. "Man, I am so ready to wear my own clothes."

"Are you sure that's your actual suitcase?" Noelle asked teasingly.

"Of course it is!" [Name] said. "I might be an idiot, but I'm not stupid!"

Noelle laughed at [Name]'s annoyance.

"At least it's a done deal. I will never have to embarrass myself by seeing the person whose suitcase I stole ever again." [Name] messily chewed on french fries with finality.

"Well, you never know!" Rill chimed in, stealing some of [Name]'s fries. "Anything can happen!"

"Thank you for your constant flow of reassuring words, Rill." [Name]'s voice dripped with monotone sarcasm. "Now I know it's possible that I make a fool out of myself yet again."

"You're welcome!" Rill beamed, grabbing more of [Name]'s food.

"Dude, those are mine!"

"Come on! Sharing is caring!"

"I do not care."

"You're so mean! They don't even taste that good!"

"Then why are you stealing them?! Buy your own, rich kid!"

"Shut up, both of you! I'm trying to eat here!"

"Sorry, Charmy!"

-

"This is quite possibly worst town you've ever dragged us to." Noelle complained. "The crime rate's high, people are rude, and—"

"Oh stop complaining, will you?!" [Name] groaned. "It's always 'this is bad', 'that is bad'—just enjoy things!"

"Well it's hard not to complain when we're in a dreary town like this. Plus, I have a right to complain; you got us lost and it's like, 2 AM."

"Come on! It's a tourist destination. Everyone likes LA. I'm gonna kick you if you complain again."

"I could sue you for that."

"On second thought, continue complaining."

[Name] looked at their phone's GPS, trying to figure out where they were. The four of them had left to go spend a day or two in LA, but the town was so large that they got lost on their way to a grocery store. Noelle had taken to complaining over every little thing, Charmy had to be carried, and Rill was practically sleepwalking, so things weren't going very well.

"Why don't we just find a place to stay at for the night and then come back tomorrow.." Rill offered. "I'm exhausted.."

"Nope." [Name] squinted at their phone, which was giving them very simple instructions—though, they weren't the sharpest tool in the shed, if you catch my drift. "We're close! Why give up now?"

"You're stupid. What if they're not open?" Noelle asked, glaring.

"..." [Name] fidgeted with their phone in silence.

"You didn't check the closing time, did you?"

"Hey! Don't assume that kind of stuff!" [Name] said defensively.

"Oh, so you did?"

"Of course I didn't." [Name] sighed.

Noelle sighed, putting a hand to her head. "Well, I see a 7-Eleven nearby. Let's hope they take us in."

"Of course they will!" [Name] said excitedly, glad to have found justification for wandering around for four hours. "It's open 24 hours!"

[Name]'s enthusiasm was met with groans from their companions, but they ignored it, sprinting around the corner and opening the doors to the small convenience store.

Bright fluoride lights pierced their eyes and they sort of wished they took Rill's advice. A tired cashier simply stared as the group of four wandered in sleepily.

[Name] let Charmy find food—though her need for gourmet food at all times was usually a bother, in this case it proved useful, as she came back with tons of delicious gems. The other three wandered aimlessly throughout the seemingly endless aisles of the small shop.

How could a place so small feel so large? It was like how playgrounds felt when you were 6 years old, but instead they were 18 and only awake because of the adrenaline boost they'd gotten from sprinting.

"Hey, do you guys want a Slurpee? Is that what they're called?" [Name] asked. "It's sugary, so you won't be as tired."

"As if I'd drink something from this dingy, dirty, rundown machine." Noelle scoffed, but kept looking back at it as though she was considering it.

"Apologies, your highness, I forgot you only drink fine wine from hundred year old cellars." [Name] bowed dramatically. "Anyways, Rill, Charmy? Want some dingy Slurpees?"

"Yes please!" Charmy said excitedly.

"Sure..." Rill murmured.

"A..Are you really even Rill..?" [Name] felt themselves start sweating. "I thought you said you would stay up for days painting.. Well, whatever."

[Name] begrudgingly paid at the counter for everything Charmy had picked up, as well as some other stuff they sprinkled in and walked to go get their friends some of the signature 7-Eleven 'delicacies' when the door opened with a little jangle and someone spoke.

"Hey, it's you again!"

A loud voice yelled, startling [Name]. They turned, handing Rill and Charmy their cups of colorful sludge and (unfortunately) saw three slightly familiar people. The really short kid with ashy hair, the delinquent and the suitcase guy stood at the entrance of the convenience store, the small kid pointing at [Name].

[Name] nudged Rill in the side.

"Whaddya know? You should become a prophet."