The Misadventures of the Very Real Bob Dobalina

Xander, Tsuki and Priyanka stood in the coffee shop in Sangaria they were told to go to. Simple looking place, newly constructed. A couple nice looking stools alongside some wooden tables for people to discuss things at. And behind the counter was a slightly intimidating girl with green hair and lip piercings.

“You’re the three, right?” She asked.

“Correct.” Priyanka replied.

“But…the three, right? You gotta say something.”

“Oh, right.” Priyanka nodded slowly to herself. “The sock, the alec, and the yank. That good?”

“Sure is.” The girl responded with a finger snap. “What you want is in the back.”

The girl let them hop over the bar into a room in the back. Unpainted walls that could barely be seen thanks to the massive amounts of smoke.

“You the legion guys?” A man’s voice came out when the door was opened. Priyanka barely saw the outline of a man in the middle of the room. Tsuki put her silkworms in her hat and left it outside the room.

“The fan, dude!” The girl shouted from outside.

The man turned on the fan in the back of the room and blew all the smoke into the main room, revealing the slightly muscular man covered in tattoos casually sitting behind it.

“So, you three are the legion guys?” He asked, looking them up and down. “You look weaker than I thought.”

“Well, we’re really not meant to-“ Xander started before Priyanka shut his mouth.

“Look too intimidating. Draws attention to us.”

“Ah, got it.” The man nodded. “Well, name’s Trent, and I’ve been told you need these bad boys.”

Trent revealed three fake ID’s from his pocket.

“If anyone asks, you three are small time college students from Ropear doing some traveling during the warmer months. I put skyships that match your physical appearances, so the guy is from Ropear, plain girl is from Gurut, and the flashy girl is from ShiShi. Got all that? New names on the cards too, so make sure to memorize them.”

The three looked at their cards. Xander was Bob Dobalina, Tsuki was Ina Lu, and Priyanka was Riya Rau.

“Is that all we need?” Priyanka asked. “No family history or specific housing ships we belong to? Nothing like that?”

“More things added means more potential holes in the story. Just think up a quick story and think of it. Nobody thinks of Ropear around here, just say something mildly believable.”

“Understood.” Priyanka nodded as she tucked the ID into her back pocket. The man then produced a pure white plastic card.

“And here’s a credit card. Bank took the fake Luxa without an issue, so we’ll hopefully be good. I think you got the basics down, anyway.” Trent asked. “Any questions?”

“Just one, not really related to this.” Xander asked. “What’s in it for you?”

“Whatcha mean?”

“Well, you aren’t with the New Legion. So why are you so happy to help us?”

“It’s all about the new society.” He responded calmly, snapping his fingers into the sky. “This whole skyspace and the Lux? Gotta be hiding something. Also, try not to mention it in front of Gwen in the front, but the Zeus followers here have a lot of power over certain areas and surrounding ships. It can get pretty messed up and the rulers haven’t done anything to help.”

“Weird cult?” Xander whispered. Trent gave a silent nod. Xander nodded back, but he just thought about how she was basically just trading one weird cult for another one.

“So, our mission is to get the shield.” Tsuki said. “Any ideas on how to do that?”

“Well, thanks to Gwen’s…connections, we were able to get this empty place turned into a coffee shop. It’s pretty near the medical academy Luminita goes to, and starting a new place with cheap coffee means she’s guaranteed to show up. Grand opening is tomorrow, so feel free to go find something to do.”

Tsuki checked her hat, and the silkworms were still alive if slightly distressed, so she let them rest on her fingers as she stroked them. When she thought they calmed down, she put them back in her hat.

The three of them stepped out into the evening air, and Xander finally got his full look at Sangaria. It seemed like a relaxed enough place, especially in the grand. Humble little streets with a couple small stores, with a few small neighbourhoods peeking out beyond them. Behind them was the pristine white walls that guarded the castle. It was a large circular keep being kept behind the wall, with a smaller tower attached on either side. All the same white as the walls, with the occasional red covering the perimeters of the windows, the same red used to colour the roof. The whole place made Xander feel nostalgic for a place he’s never been to.

“There’s an inn over there if you want to rest.” Priyanka said calmly.

“Nah, I wanna see what this place is about first.” Xander replied.

“Yeah, I heard the styles here are pretty neat.” Tsuki added.

“I’ll go see if they have any spare rooms at the inn.” Priyanka said. “I’ll see you later.”

And with Priyanka gone, Xander and Tsuki were left to wander around the town, with the people not paying much attention to them. Just two people in a crowd of hundreds. It felt nice.

“You see any clothes shops yet?” Tsuki asked.

“Not yet.” Xander whispered back.

As the two passed one narrow street to another, they began to notice a small crowd building up. Tsuki glanced around and saw multiple stores with different types of clothes in the window. Xander watched her face light up in the same way when he saw the clothes. It never got any less adorable. Tsuki looked at the clothes in the window, a white jacket with puffy shoulders and bits of torn fabric on the sleeves. It all came together so well.

“Xander, I need it!” She yelled, fogging up the window with her excited breath.

“Sounds good. I’m just gonna see what’s up with the crowd over there.”

Xander walked over to the commotion across the street. From the outset, it seemed to be lively town shenanigans. But as he got closer, the crowd wasn’t excited or happy.

They seemed to be mad.

As Xander pushed through the crowd, a group of men in blue suits were standing outside of what seemed to be a very big and very new store. The small looking man looked incredibly distressed at what was happening in front of him. As opposed to the wild fashion and pictures of models lining the wall, he was dressed in a relatively simple leather jacket with his simple black hair neatly brushed to the left side. In a very simple way.

“Now, mister Jian Tang.” The one at the front started in a calm voice. “It has come to our attention that you want to open up a new boutique here in the middle of the town.”

“Um…yes. It’s all been cleared with the Sangaria building people if that’s what concerns you.”

“That’s not the issue.” The man continued. “We’re concerned you might take business from the smaller stores around here.”

“Don’t worry there! This store is mostly dedicated to ShiShi inspired fashion, and anything taken from Sangaria will be treated with the utmost respect!”

“Well, that’s only one issue.” The man said as he glanced back to the crowd. Xander finally got a good look at him. Blonde and pale with shifty grey eyes.

“There’s also the content of the things you’re selling. Take that, for instance.” He pointed towards one of the mannequins in the window, sporting what looked to be a flannel bikini top.

“Slightly perverse for this ship, don’t you think?”

“Well, it’s very simple! We’re nearing the warmer months, so in ShiShi it’s very common to wear less clothing during those times. There’s nothing perverse about it.”

“I see. Well, modesty is important to us here, so I’d recommend not overstepping while you’re here. After all, I’m more than willing to make your visit here as short as possible.”

“Okay, I think you’re going a little too far.”

The mans neck snapped back to see who was opposing him, a look of contempt thrown onto his face. This man in a hoodie and a tie simultaneously was about to lecture him?

“And who would you be?” He asked.

“Name’s Mr Dobalina.” Xander lied. “And are you seriously threatening a guy who wants to sell some clothes?”

“I’m sorry, you’re not from around here, are you?” The man asked, slowly approaching Xander. He had to look up to him due to being cursed with average height.

“Nope, I’m from Ropear.”

“Well then, young man. I’m from the Zeus organization around here, and we’re somewhat important. It would do you well not to get in our way.”

The man turned to the terrified store owner, and calmly tucked his hands in his pockets.

“Well, I feel our point has been made. I’ll be seeing you. Hopefully not soon.”

The man and his two associates walked out of the crowd which quickly followed, only leaving Xander in front of the store.

“Pricks.” He mumbled under his breath. Definitely the cult that made the girl at the coffee shop want to join the Legion.

“What was that about?” Tsuki whispered next to Xander, before ger gaze shifted over to the man in front of the store.

“Jian Tang?” She yelled out.

“Yes.” He said, trying to adjust a stray hair.

“Oh my god, I’m like your biggest fan ever!” Tsuki had the sparkles in her eyes. Xander knew she was about to go into what he dubbed ‘fashion frenzy’ mode.

“So, what are you doing here? Are you doing a new line here? World tour, maybe?”

“I…I just want to make a new line here. Not a lot of competition here yet, so I wanted to see what the world of fashion in Sangaria was like. Respectfully of course.”

“Oh, obviously. But like, can I see what you’re working on next?”

“Well, the grand opening is tomorrow. If you’re still here I’d be glad to have you.”

Tsuki stopped in place for a second, before letting out the most euphoric scream Xander heard anyone make.

“Yeah, we’ll probably be able to make it.” He said calmly.

“Good. I think you could do with it.” Jian said with a nod. “We open at midday.”

He quietly retreated into the store, and Tsuki was left stunned.

“Wait, did he say tomorrow?” Tsuki asked.