The Lore Doesn't Hit...

Vitale, Mattia, Edvige and Lemuria were all seated at the table to hear what Rin had to say.

He told them everything about himself
but a lot of it was rambling and derailing that made them bored
they went from interested—and in Vitale’s case, super excited and could hardly sit down
to Edvige yawning, Lemuria fiddling with the buttons of his shirt,
and Mattia resting his head on the table, almost asleep.

“And your grandfather—can’t believe I’m saying that, we aren’t even old—your grandfather beat the shit outta those bullies. He was hot when he did that, unf. After that we had a good time with my sister Pia cause we were club hopping and I was spontaneously giving performances too. Pop star life! Argo and I also—”

Mattia raised his head, begging for it to end in a pained voice, “can you give us the super condensed version, PLEASE?”

“Oh…” Rin’s expression turned into a frown, “I’m sorry. I don’t usually ramble but I’ve been alone for so many years I just…”

Vitale shook his head furiously, “Nuh uh. Do not guilt trip us into feeling bad.”

“Guilt trip? I would never! I can’t guilt trip my precious little…”

Vitale interrupted, “Gramps—”

“Don’t call me that.” Rin went back to the previous topic like it was nothing, “I can’t guilt trip my precious little…”

“SO BASICALLY,” Edvige’s loud voice cut through Rin’s words like a knife, “we had a past life in another universe but we don’t remember. And apparently we are space dragons.”

“…Yea.”

“Okay, got it. I’m going to finish my food. It’s probably cold now.”
Bored out of her mind, Edvige gladly left her seat.

Mattia followed, “Yea, I’m going back on the game.”

“Same.” Vitale tagged along.

Rin’s mouth went ajar
this was not the reaction he was expecting.

“They took that better than I thought.”

Alessio wraps the blindfold back onto his eyes, “I think, deep down, they always knew.”

“That’s good. I wished I had a heads up. Would’ve saved me an hour of rambling.”

“Naah,” Alessio shook his head, “they deserve the punishment.”

“Punishment?”

* * *

Sooner than expected, it was dinner time
No one sat at the table this time, besides Rin
he thought now would be a perfec time to tell them his plan.

“Guys, I want to attend a Mythure rally.”

Mattia asks, “What? Why?”

“I want to reunite with Argo.”

Vitale snickered, “Do you miss the D that bad?”

Mattia smacked Vitale upside the head for such a crude comment.

Rin points, “Yes! but I also miss him.”
no shame at all.

That surprised Vitale
“Wow, no denial.”

“I can take you to town to get some clothes,” he said, “I can spare money for my gramps.”

Rin grimaced, not feeling that whole gramps thing
“Vita. Don’t call me that. I am not an old crinkly man.”

Vita holds up four fingers, “No, but you’re numbers are old.”

Rin crossed his arms, muttering, “am not.”

Vitale throws a cloth poncho over him, “put that on and let’s go!”

“I haven’t finished eating!”

“Save it!”

Rin sighs, he had forgotten how annoying Vitale can be
but this version of him is tame and isn’t cutting off his servants’ head because he’s bored.

“I’ll pay you back for it.”

“No need, gr—”

There’s a small, tiny growl from Rin.

“Grrreat guy!”

* * *

Rin and Vitale step into a small store owned the local tailor
none of the clothes available were brand name
all of it homemade, by the tailor and his family

Rin… wasn’t too interested in any of—
“OOOOH these shorts are so short.”

Vitale scratches his head, “I mean… they are usually worn by prostitutes.”

“It’s okay, I was one in my old universe.”

“Oh—okay. Just casually dropping lewd lore.”

Rin’s eyes are drawn to an assortment of leotards and knee-high socks

“Is this stuff actually this cheap or is there a catch?”

“It’s made with cheap material, but it’s the design that the tailor prides himself on.”

Stepping outside, Rin notices something he hadn’t before entering the shop
the ones who wore elaborate clothing
clothes with many colors
and even clothing that looked earth-modern
were all worn by humans and creatures who appeared to be rich.

“Why…” Rin turned to Vitale, his gaze solemn, “why do the rich people wear clothes like that?”

“Expensive material,” Vitale shrugged.

Rin opened the bag, taking a peek at his clothes
linen shirts with puffy sleeves and ornate sleeves
a vest adorned with a lot of bows
knee-length breeches and jackets that look like something out of the 17th century

“This isn’t right. This shouldn’t be happening.”

As Vitale and Rin walked back home,
Rin noticed a brown-haired cat with golden ear tips and golden-tipped tail
in his hands were two Molotovs, Rin knew exactly what would happen next
the catboy threw the Molotov into a shop that sold modern clothing

The glass breaking alerted some people,
causing them to scramble like chickens
others watched in morbid curiosity.

The catboy turned to face the crowd, raising a Molotov in his hand.

“This brand supports a bill that allows dragon eggs to be stolen with no legal repercussions. The overpopulation claims are FALSE.”

Rin’s interest is piqued, stepping closer to the catboy, but then—

“Arrest that man!”

The catboy jumps onto a booth and another high jump onto the rooftops
that boy has to be from Mythures
he has to be!

Rin throws his bags onto Vitale, “hold these.”

“Wait WHAT?”

The catboy is running along the rooftops
police chasing him from ground level
Rin follows along, eventually super-jumping onto the roofs
Vitale followed close behind
grunting loudly as he used inactive strength to jump onto the rooftops

“Damn. I haven’t run like this since college.”

Rin can keep up with the catboy’s speed
“Hey! Cat guy! I need to talk to you!”
The cat looks back, but he speeds up rather than slowing down
Rin reaches out, nearly about to grab the hood of the cat boy’s hoodie
but he is hit by a force so hard he is tumbling onto the ground

Rin gets up, but he senses an oncoming attack
he raises his arms to blocks punch
and he takes a peek at his attacker
it’s none other than Argo,
his brown-haired wolf, in attack position
Rin’s heart can’t help but flutter at the sight of him
the last time they met was four billion years ago
when Argo told him goodbye on a snowy planet
a place where Rin laid his body to rest
buried beneath the cold, sparkling snow

Argo threw another punch that Rin easily dodged
and the two engaged in an unintentional rhythmic fight
Rin feels an adrenaline rush throughout his body
blocking and matching each of Argo’s blows
until they launch together and both their punches collied with each other’s faces.

They both stumble back
shaking it off.

Rin wipes the blood off his mouth, “it’s been so long since I felt this good.”

Argo rubs his head and gets up. “Why are you following my partner?”

“Partner? As in, friend? Or… business? You know what, don’t answer. It doesn’t matter. I wanted to talk… with you specifically.”

“I have no business with you.”

Rin’s head tilts, putting on a cute smile. “Oh, but you do.”

“I do not.”

“You don’t remember me at all? Rin? Your beloved?” Rin gestures at himself.

Argo withdraws a knife, prepared to attack again with a weapon.
“The only thing beloved that I hold close to my heart is a secret that no dirty wyrm will ever hear. Follow me and I will use this to murder you.”

That’s cute!
Rin couldn’t help but giggle at him, “Hun, I’ve died a million times, that little toy is nothing new.”

“Whatever. Just stay away.”

“WAIT!” Rin shouts, an important question dying to be asked.

“What?”

“Your name, what is it?”

Argo didn’t want to answer, but there was a tiny tug in his soul
it suggested to him that maybe
just maybe
he should say his name to this curious dragon.

“It’s… Argus.”

Rin’s expression turned into bewilderment.
‘What an ugly name… its nothing like Argönon.’

“Thanks.”

Argo turns his back and leaves with the catboy,
not sparing another word.

Rin could enter his mind
but he’d rather not violate him like that
he has morals.

He lets Argo leave this time.

* * *

Author's note: it is 1:41 am CST, and I have until 3 AM CST to finish this. I... I don't think I'll make it ;-; I wish the word count requirement was lower. I so dearly wanted to be in this contest. Maybe if I had won, my work would finally be seen by more people as a manga.