Song 27

After a successful grand second opening for Uki Uki theme park, it was time for Lucan and Meloria to say goodbye to Umculo. It was a lovely temporary home, but their next adventure was waiting for them.

Another town that Lucan was most excited about this time. A town by the sea, Kuste, which meant a chance to not only taste but also to cook new species of fish. Sitting on the train, Lucan had already opened the brochure for Kutse on the table, looking over the different species, their flavors, cooking styles, and the recommended cooking times. “Oh, sis, look,” he pointed to a particular part of the page, leaning over to show Meloria, who was trying to nap. Grumbling, she opened one eye, trying to pay attention. “They say this species of tuna can be quite meaty and is a good alternative for people who don’t eat meat, interesting.”

Lucan turned back, continuing to flick through the brochure like a child going through a Christmas catalogue, making their Christmas list. Meloria smirked, closing her eyes and shuffling into her seat to try to get some sleep. The keyword was trying to get sleep; not only were the seats old and worn out, but the tracks were bumpy, causing the train to bounce slightly as it passed over them. Her stomach churned, feeling something sneak up through her throat as they passed over another bump. “Bleh,” she gagged, the wave of nausea getting worse. “I’m heading to the bathroom.

Lucan paid her no attention as Meloria stood, making the wobbly journey to the next carriage, her hand clutching her stomach. “Ah, crap,” she whined, using her other hand to push herself forward using the back of the chairs. As she neared the bathroom, in her distorted vision, she could see someone approaching from the other direction through the aisle. She stopped temporarily, stepping aside to let the other person pass.

Through half-lidded eyes, Meloria caught a small glimpse of the person passing her: long black hair and pale skin. Wait a minute, Meloria quickly whipped her head back around, trying to get a better look at the person, but they were gone. She looked like the lady I bumped into before. It couldn’t be right. The feeling of nausea and her stomach churning was enough to make Meloria forget about the woman, sending her rushing to the bathroom.

The train journey took another hour before they finally came to their stop. Stepping off the train, Meloria stood still, taking deep breaths of the fresh air, the nausea starting to settle. Why even in this world do I get travel sick, she whined, taking another breath. Hmm, salt water, she thought, standing up straight.

The train began to pull away, Lucan turning around, his heart racing as the ocean was revealed. Clear blue waters that sparkled from the sun’s reflection. “The ocean,” he whispered, his grin growing wider. He grabbed his bag and headed towards the stairs that appeared to lead down to the ocean. “Lucan,” Meloria screamed after him, looking beside her at his abandoned luggage. Growling, Meloria managed to get a tight grip on the suitcases, struggling to pull both with her as she tried to catch up with her hyper-fixated little brother. “Lucan! Lucan, please wait up!”

It felt as if her words were muted out of his hearing, his focus solely on the ocean in front of him. Growing up in a small farm town, the only water source he had encountered was the local river, but this was something completely new, something bigger than he could ever have imagined.

Jumping from the steps, as his foot landed in the sand, Lucan could feel himself sink slightly. He burst into laughter as his balance became flimsy, but with every step closer to the ocean, his heart raced faster. He slowed down, coming to a stop as he looked out at the ocean. He couldn’t believe it; he was finally here. “Sis,” he called out, not bothering to look behind. “Look, isn’t it amazing?”

Panting heavily behind him, Meloria fought with the sand to drag the suitcases along with her. “Yeah, it's great,” she mumbled, the sand winning against her, sand clogging up in the wheels, bringing them to a halt. Meloria screamed, losing her grip on the handles as the force sent her flying into the sand. “Ah! Damnit. Lucan, help me out here.”

“Yeah, in a minute,” Lucan laughed, dropping his bag in the sand, throwing off his shoes, and rolling up his jeans. He ran to the ocean, letting out a sigh of relief as he felt the cool ocean water wash over his feet. “Wow, this feels great!”

Lucan continued to laugh, splashing in the water like an overly excited puppy having a bath. Meloria managed to pull herself out of the sand, sitting on her knees, looking over to Lucan. She sighed, realising that there was no stopping him. She ran her hands through her hair, tying it into a tight ponytail. “Don’t go too far,” she called out, a hand cupping the side of her mouth. “Or be too long. We still have to find a place to stay the night.”

Meloria laughed to herself, sitting with her back against the suitcase, watching as Lucan continued to explore the ocean. I forget he’s still a kid sometimes, she thought, watching how he picked up the shells, even finding a crab or two. He tries so hard to act mature, trying to act like the older brother when, really, it should be me looking out for him.

“Sis, look what I found,” Lucan ran over, his hands cupped together, bending down to show Meloria the small crab. “We would never have seen anything like this if we had stayed back home.” For the first time in a long time, Lucan had a soft smile on his face.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this excited for something,” Meloria commented. “Even in school, you never seemed excited about anything.” Lucan blushed, turned, and released the crab, placing it gently into the sand, and observed as it scurried away. “Don’t be embarrassed. It’s nice to see you so passionate.”

“I’m just a little excited,” Lucan mumbled, burying his face into his shoulder. “We’ve never seen the ocean before, never stepped in sand or seen a crab.”

“And we had never been on a Ferris wheel or been to a theme park before, and yet here we are,” Meloria laughed, gesturing to the water. “One big body of water has you acting like a little kid again.”

“Shut up,” Lucan exclaimed, his face becoming redder.

“Relax, little brother,” Meloria teased, ruffling Lucan’s hair. “I think it’s cute you’re excited.”

“Shut up,” Lucan whined louder this time, pushing Meloria’s hand away from him. With his cheeks puffed out, he sat on the sand, putting his shoes back on. “Stop being so weird.”

“It’s not weird,” Meloria giggled. “It’s called being a big sister.”

“And as a big sister, shouldn’t you be looking for a place for us to stay?” Lucan joked casually, crossing his arms under his head, propping it up as he lay in the sand.

Sighing, Meloria looked out to the ocean; she needed to start looking for a nearby inn somewhere. Her mind began to wander back to the days she used to visit the ocean back in her previous life, and she would stay in an onsen. “I would kill for a hot bath right about now,” she mumbled.

“A hot bath, you say?” An elderly lady walking her small Pomeranian puppy chuckled as she approached them.

“Yes,” Meloria nodded, looking up at her, trying not to let herself get distracted by the puppy. Damn, it’s so cute!

Chuckling, the old lady pointed towards the mountains, a small house situated about halfway up. “There’s a wonderful inn just on that mountain,” she smiled sweetly. “Just tell them granny sent you and they’ll sort you out a room.”

“Thank you so much,” Meloria bowed her head lowly. That solves not one, but two problems. Meloria quickly stood up, grabbing her suitcase while pushing Lucan's own. “Alright then, Lucan! Off to the bath house!”