A Journey Across Terra

32

It was a new day...More like a new afternoon. After the whole fiasco with Blue poison, Yuki decided to take a step out from Rhodes Island and enjoy the sights around Bolivar. Luckily for him there was a famous tourist location near where Rhodes Island was currently stationed. It's known for its Tropical environments and its massive artificial sea.

"The one and only Dossoles." Yuki let out a satisfied sigh as the warm salty air brushed past his face as teh waves crashed on the artificial beach. "Can't believe I've never been here. Bummer, I got here late though." He sighed as he looked over to the setting sun.

The Pythian boy simply shrugged as he walked down the boardwalk. The sound of people entering various summer houses filled the area as the chatter died down. Soon enough the moon greeted the once lively summer tourist location.

As for Yuki however, he had found his way into a bar as he took a seat in front of the girl on the other side of the bar. The warm tone of the ceiling lights, the symphony of the shore quietly singing in the distance, the homey decor all collected to create a sense of serinity and peace.

"Welcome to Dossoles Delights What can I get you?" The young Liberi Girl said as she flipped a cocktail shaker, catching it cleanly with her other hand.

"Ehhhh..." Yuki looked around the area, his eyes eventually landing on another patron downing a cocktail like it's nothing. "Whatever that guy's having."

The Liberi raised an eyebrow to this. "Are you sure?"

The Snake boy looked back to the bartender before giving her a wry smile. "What's the worst that could happen."

"Okay...One Aunt Roberta coming up." The Liberi expertly mixed up the ingredients before sliding over a glass of the aforementioned Aunt Roberta cocktail.

"Thanks." Yuki said before taking a sip from the cocktail. "...Wow...That...Damn that's strong."

The Liberi giggled to his reaction to the concoction. "I don't think I've seen your face before."

"I'd be surprised if you did."

"Hehe, I guess that's true." She leaned in, perching her elbows on the counter. "My name's Rafaela."

"The name's Yuki." He replied, hesitantly taking another sip.

"Too much for you?" She raised an eyebrow.

Yuki dryly chuckled. "Is it a bad time to mention that I'm a lightweight?" The snake boy slid the half full glass towards Rafaela.

Rafaela chuckled as she took the half full glass and placed it behind her. "Hehe...You're funny." Her face then scrunched up in annoyance. "Unlike Papa and Brother..." She muttered softly.

"What happened?"

"Oh it's nothing...It's just that they were doing things behind my back." She began to twiddle her thumbs.

"Must have been a pretty big secret if you're so hung up about it."

"Yeah...It just feels so wrong that I'm the only one who didn't know about it."

Yuki chuckled. "How the roles have been reversed. The bartender is the one singing their woes to the customer." This elicited a slight chuckle from Rafaela.

"Y'know, I can tell you about the many places I've been if that's fine with you. Just name a place."

"Really?" She tilted her head. "Okay, tell me a story about Lungmen."

"Lungmen....Okay." Yuki nodded. "I'll tell you about my first time coming to Lungmen."

{ - Adventures Across Terra - }

"And yeah after that, she basically told me to F off and never show my face ever again."

"Wow...That Ch'en person seems scary." Rafaela shuddered at the thought of being in the same room as this person.

"Nah she's not that scary. She's just a really big softie."

"Really?" Rafaela gave him a questioning look. "From the story you told me, I got the complete opposite idea."

Yuki chuckled in response. "Well, the next day she invited me out to dinner as an apology. Heh, the look on her face when she invited me was priceless."

The Liberi smiled as Yuki finished his story. "Thank you, Yuki." Her eyes trailed down to look at the floor.

The Pythian boy raised an eyebrow towards Rafaela as she thanked him. "For what?"

"For taking my mind off of those things." Her eyes flickered between Yuki and the floor.

"Ehhhh. So you found out." He hung his head down in defeat. "Anyway, no need to thank me. It's what my mother would always do when I was feeling down, she would always tell stories. Though I guarantee half of those stories she told me were fake."

"Your mother must have been a good person."

"She was the best." 

Rafaela felt a pang in her heart as she felt as if she had hit a soft spot. "Well...I suppose it's time to close up."

"Is it?" Yuki pulled out his phone to see that it was in fact midnight. "Shit...I'll leave you to it then." Before he could get up, he heard Rafaela call out to him. "Hm? did you say something?"

"If possible...Could I have your number? I would like to have a chat with you again sometime."

"Sure." Yuki handed Rafaela his phone.

"Thank you" She took his phone and began to input her number into his phone. "Yuki, why do you have all your saved numbers unmarked?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Yuki said with a confused expression.

"Look." She turned his phone back to him. "They are unmarked. They are just numbers. How do you remember who's who?"

"Oh I just remember everyone's number."

"..." Rafaela's eyes widened in Suprise.

"Yeah, like...I get how it's convenient to have that feature to be able to name your contacts, but I don't feel like paying monthly for that feature."

"Pay monthly?"

"I know right, it's so weird. You don't know the reaction I gave to the engineer that gave me this phone. Like why would you have to pay to name your contacts." Yuki chuckled.

"Yuki...You don't have to pay for that feature." Rafaela was unsure to feel sorry or laugh at Yuki from the absurdity from his claims. "It's a feature that's on every phone...Even on the oldest versions."

Yuki looked up towards the Liberi, he had an incredulous expression on his face. "But Closure said...No, show me."

"Here look." Rafaela began to put her phone number into his phone and then tapped a few more buttons and set her name into Yuki's contacts. "See. You don't have to pay for it."

She showed Yuki his phone, and just like it said, her number was marked with 'Rafaela'.

"Oh...I'll be taking my leave now...I need to give someone an earful." Yuki jumped up from his barstool and snatched the phone from Rafaela's hands. "That blood sucking vampire..."

"Ah, have a good night, Yuki." Rafaela waved goodbye.

"See you round Rafaela. I'll be in Dossoles again tomorrow." Yuki didn't turn back as he promptly left the bar.

As Yuki left the bar, Rafaela was now left in an empty bar.

She softly giggled to herself as she looked at the door. "What a strange man..."

{ - Adventures Across Terra - }