Arc 3 - Chapter 8: Long Time No See...

(Octavian 29, 59 / 6:52AM)

Stopping in front of a gas station, it was beyond more than normal.

Having the van right next to a fuel pump, its structure stood out. For one, he glanced all around the station, and found no one to attend to him.

‘No gas attendant? Well, this ain’t Kepputha no more… and …’

Once he opened the driver door, he allowed his boots to strain the clean concrete. Closing the door, he straightened his back, and settled his eyes on the roof of the station.

‘Not something you’d see everyday.’

Feeling the lack of blood flow in his feet, he shook his right foot once as he stubbly walked. Treading his steps in an overdramatic way, it took reference to a movie he once saw. A movie about two idiots traveling the country, trying to return a suitcase that had large sums of money.

Meanwhile, Luke opened the passenger side door, and closed it softly unlike Jack.

“So this is Dodgerock…”

Widening his eyes, he had his eyes peering across every building he saw.

The streets looked to be constructed in smoothened tiles. No business being made, they looked to be the only ones awake at this time. Taking a single whiff of the high-desert air, the cold wind grazed his back hair.

“Enjoying the sights?”

“My bad, just lost in thought.”

Rubbing the back of his head, Luke returned to reality once more.

Seeing that Jack was near the back doors, Luke readied his fingers as he reached the lockpin. Pushing the buttons within the keypad, two clicks were heard at the same time, leaving the doors to abruptly open.

Luna stomped her way out, with hair swaying in all directions.

“Where’s the restaurant?”

“Restaurant? We’re at a gas station.”

“Well I need food. Now.”

“Come on Luna, you just got to wait.”

Luna folded her arms, and scoffed at Luke with a glare to her eyes. Having her foot tap the smooth cement, she turned toward the others, who piled out of the van.

One by one, they all wore tired faces and meddled cheeks. Hope, who was the last one to exit the van, had her fingers rubbing the ends of her temples. Once she made eye contact with Luna, she saw a frown that made her internally groan.

“What?”

“Had to be last huh.”

“We’re not in any rush. Honestly, It’s exhausting that you’re so full of anger.”

“I’m hungry, I’m tired; I haven’t eaten anything all night or even the day before! So—”

Luke pressed his hand on her shoulder. Getting her attention, all of her frustration was held inside of her throat.

“Just this once, please try to be on your best behavior. We’re not as well-liked as we once were.”

All of her fingers trembled the longer he held. Wanting to scrunch them up, wanting to scream at someone, all she could do with her unnecessary anger was to bottle it up.

With no other way to put it, she blew through enlarged nostrils. Relaxing all of her muscles, she made a tch sound.

“F-Fine… Whatever…”

The others saw Luke’s handling of Luna, a woman they didn’t want to cross paths with. Knowing how strong she is, and how much anger one person could muster, Jack knew out of anyone how her punches taste like.

As he rubbed his right cheek with one hand.

“Honestly, we never got any praise to begin with. Do you remember the last time we got a ‘thanks for your service!’?”

“Almost none. The most we got for gratitude was some all you can eat coupon. It was given by—” Said Miles, before he was interrupted by…

“One of the bars from Lagefor, the same one that Boris used to go to. Worst of all, Luke won it in a gamble…” Said Stan.

“Damn…” Uttered Jack.

Having a bad taste in his mouth, everyone else besides Luke, Luna, and Hope all turned toward the city. Looking like people were beginning to emerge, all from the confines of their homes or businesses, even carriages and old automobiles spawned in. A different era, a different country, it was clear they weren’t in a nation with black and white TV.

With the sun finally beginning to rise, its rays were stronger than they thought. Feeling their clothes beginning to sulk in the heat, Luke pushed his hands in his pockets, and turned toward the others.

“Hey Jack, do you know where Boris and the others are?”

“Now that you mention it, they said they were making a stop north of town. Because they fueled up at the border, they had enough gas to kill.”

Jack reminisced of his recent call with David, but the details regarding the stop were gray. Stan, who noticed more people emerging from their homes, scratched the back of his head thoroughly.

“We should fill up now. I don’t want to be here any longer than we should.”

“Yeah … or else some deadbeat bounty hunter will try to cash us. Don’t want to deal with that fiasco.”

Jack let out a huff, before finally turning his eyes onto the gas pump in front of him. Looking slender and tall, it wasn’t short and plump like the Kepputhan ones. Resembling that of a gumball machine, he took out the fuel silo, and connected the nuzzle into the fuel tank.

And as he noticed the small dashboard, it served twenty cents to the gallon… and the van held twenty-five gallons.

‘Five bucks for gas? Well I’ll be damned!’

As he allowed the gasoline to flow, Jack turned his attention toward the rest of his friends. Keeping his hand on the nuzzle, he used his left to comb his short wavy hair.

“You guys could hit up any random restaurant. I’ll let Boris know and await orders.”

“Sounds good.”

“And the four of us will be raiding the gas station. We’ll see if we can pack anything essential with the little money we have.” Said Stan.

“Got it.”

Giving Stan a nod, Luke, Luna, Hope, and Miles began their walk into the heart of the city. But before they would even walk, Luke gave Jack and Stan’s group a firm nod of approval.

While Benn stayed behind, as it was for his safety.

“Be safe you guys.”

________________________________________________________________________

(Octavian 29, 59 / 7:02AM)

Being the leader, Luke was obliged to be in the front.

As he had Miles, Luna, and Hope walking behind him, they glanced at the white buildings captained in brick and wood. The air turning drier by the second, the citizens of the high-desert town only grew.

Men wore cardigans and polo-shirts, as Haxouburg was much older in time than Kepputha. With women wearing long-black dresses, their hats blanketed their shoulders and backs from the sun. Which made them feel out of place.

“We should’ve found some tailor or something…”

“We barely have enough money for food. What we’re wearing is what we’re rocking.” Said Miles.

“Then that means we’re eating at the cheapest diner…” Muttered Hope.

Walking past some of the citizens, they side-glanced them with curious to furrowed eyes. With bits of judgement to them, it was clear that their fashion was out of place, or rather futuristic.

Luke looked down, as he shyly rubbed the back of his head.

“You know … following Boris wouldn’t be so bad.”

“Blame Jack. He should’ve fueled up at the border with the others. Because he goofed up, we don’t know where the others even are.”

Miles gruffed out yet another complaint, while sunlight prowled across every rooftop. Shining and radiating against the white brick, many windows from all around were opened and lifted. The air was all too dry, but filled with fresh beginnings, it only led time to flow ever so slowly.

Before they noticed an old building.

Yellow windows rusted against the walls of the worn brick. The doors constructed with hardwood, the walls were lavished in turquoise as its age corroded the dust.

“How about that diner?”

“No. Way too cheap for me.”

“Goldigger.”

“What did you say!?”

Stopping in front of the building, Miles ignored their banter as he took in the disfigured bricks.

Luke sighed from his mouth, as he glanced to his right at Hope and Luna. Still tired from her journey, Hope didn’t even try to talk back to her. Which left him no choice but to pat Luna’s back.

“If you want to get rid of your hunger, then we have to eat here.”

“There’s more better diners than—”

“That’s an order, Luna. We’re eating here. No exceptions.”

Luke didn’t need to raise his voice, but his sharp tone made Miles and Hope stare at him. As for Luna, she shivered at his command, making her pout puff her cheeks outward.

“Y-You still owe me those donuts!”

“That I don’t forget.”

Letting her anger subside for once, she drew away from Luke and walked toward the door. Gushing out air through her nostrils, she let her left hand sway with her body, while she tightened her right.

Her body relaxed, it was like she was unrestrained from the frustration that puppeted her. Raising her right fist, she banged the wooden door; hard.

“Hey! Open—”

It swung straight into her face.

Hitting right where her nose was, she collapsed onto the hard concrete ground beneath her. Clenching all of her eyes from the pain, blood instantly swept down her nostrils, while her palms crazed the ground.

Unwilling to check who opened the door, Luke knelt down beside her.

“Y-You ok?”

“Who the hell did that!? I know someone opened that door!”

With everyone pinning their eyes in front of them, they failed to trace a single figure of movement. Having his palm press her shoulder, Miles and Hope analyzed the door along with the wall.

No way to tell, no way to clue, it left Luke to furrow his brow.

“Why isn’t anyone coming out?”

“Or … maybe the door is automatic.” Said Miles.

“Yeah … automatic. You hear that Luna, it’s probably automatic.”

“You two better be right!”

Once she was up, she gripped her boots with uneven strain. Pulling a clean tissue from his pocket, he placed it underneath her nose, and began patting it gently.

Having it folded in a square, he pushed his tissue back into his pocket, and then turned toward the door.

“Alright, we’re ready.”

Pushing their feet forward, they felt like the outside and inside were two different worlds. Stepping into the shadowed diner, they took in the total emptiness, as chairs and tables were completely empty. They noticed a tavern bar in the center.

Which held a sleeping man, who had his head resting against the table.

No trash or crumbs littered the floors or tables. Looking well kept for something so old, Luke instantly found a table where they could all fit. But as he did so, he glanced across every corner of the room, as if the shadows had eyes…

—Just who is watching me?

“You alright Luke?” Questioned Hope.

Luke immediately snapped from his trance, allowing himself to return back to the living. Shaking his head, he lowered his tone to almost a whisper.

“Nothing. Just my imagination…”

No music playing, no melody ringing, they all had their butts settled on the metal chairs. Crushing their tailbones, they felt their skin blister, while the morning rays blushed against the yellow tintedness.

Not even a few seconds passed, before a waitress came walking toward them. Wearing an all-white skirt, she had on red lipstick; with her body perfected in looks. Having a pencil and notepad in hand, she immediately locked eyes on Luke.

“Hey ya’all. Welcome to Rara’s diner. Do you all want to get started on drinks?”

“Actually, I think we’re all ready to order.”

“Oh ok. So what can I get ya’all?”

Smiling at Luke, he scratched the back of his head while two women stared at him. Giving him judging looks, it then led their eyes to peer at the woman, who showed a bit of her cleavage out.

Unable to make eye contact with the waitress, he had his eyes on the menu.

“C-Can I get pancakes with white rice please?”

“White rice? You want white rice for breakfast?”

“Y-Yes please. And also a glass of water…”

“Alright … how about you three?”

Finishing up the last of her notes, she then turned her eyes on Miles. Ignoring the two women, she knew their stares only made her body squirm in nervousness. Trailing his finger on the menu, he pointed toward a meal that looked to be a breakfast special.

“This is the loaded breakfast right?”

“Yes it is.”

“Then I’ll have that, and a can of soda.”

“We don’t serve soda at this hour.”

“Then a glass of apple cider.”

“Uhm … ok.”

Tallying his bizarre choice of drink, she still gave him seductive eyes that can bag an elephant. Unlike Luke, Miles didn’t feel nervous, and he knew that his confidence brimmed.

Turning her eyes toward the last two customers, she started at Hope.

Without responding, Hope trailing her finger around the menu, until she landed on a stack of pancakes. Tapping the menu repeatedly, it was like she was inscribing a code that she should follow. Seeing that she only wanted pancakes, she wrote down the order, and softly nodded at her choice of food.

“What about—”

“Orange juice. No pulp.”

“O-Ok.”

Writing down the last of her words, she then turned her eyes at the last guest. Knowing that she would be a pain, all that the waitress could do was—

“I want an omelet, crepes, and a chocolate donut. Serve me a strawberry milkshake while you’re at it.”

No smile dawned on her face, as she had her right palm rest underneath her jaw. Taken aback, the waitress continued to smile.

“I’m sorry, but we can’t serve customers two sets of—”

“Now.”

The waitress leaped back, and scurried off toward the kitchen. Still flaring her possessive side, Luna wrapped her arm around Luke’s neck, and kept his body close. Unwilling to break free from her grip, Luke softly smiled, as he felt her slim arms bulge against his nape.

“Come on Luna, be nice to the workers.”

“Don’t care. Plus, she was looking at you funny.”

Luke softly sighed.

Another waitress came out, but she had a simple rag within her right hand. Dusting away bits of the tavern bar, she motioned back and forth, repeatedly, while gliding toward the edge. Feeling her fingers accumulating dust, she was all too focused on her duty—until her rag nestled something.

Looking to be a single hand, she snapped from her trance, and turned her eyes onto the ginger-haired man.

“W-What the? You’re still here?”

“H-Huh?”

With nothing to do, all four of them took solace at the tavern, with Luke peering his eyes at the color of the man’s hair.

“What time is it?”

“It’s already morning! Don’t tell me you slept here all night!?”

“A man can’t sleep in peace? Besides, I had too much fun last night.”

The voice was all too familiar.

Feeling like his body was drawn to it, he felt all of his fingers twitch by every second that passed. Luna, who felt his uneasiness, drew back her right arm as she crinkled her eyes.

“Luke?”

Without heeding to Hope’s question, Luke softly got up from his seat. Taking no heed to his friends, he tread the wood lightly without making any sound. No strain on his boots, no quivering knuckles, he softly breathed through old nostrils while his heart thumped.

Reaching where the man sat, Luke wiggled his fingers as if he was getting them to work.

“Hey who’s behind—”

Turning his stool around, the man had medium spiked hair, with freckles underneath his eyes.

Having elf ears, green eyes, his ginger-hair was all too big of a giveaway. Without tightening his body, all the man did was slowly get up from his stool. Raising his hands high, it allowed the rest of his group to see his face.

“No way…” Uttered Miles.

“You got to be kidding me.” Said Luna.

“Can it be…?” Questioned Hope, who whispered it out through faint lips.

The man cocked his head to the right, while putting a smile. Wearing the same leather jacket as him, same black pants and boots; it was the Dark Angels uniform.

“It’s been a while … huh Luke?”

—“Sean…”—