#[ watched it a second time earlier ahehe ] | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

aueua · 3 years

Text

Marona’s Fantastic Tale (2019) AU where the dog lives and others are happier. Idea bounced with @mushrium a few weeks back; details under cut.

Yes, I am aware that hardly anyone knows of this movie (but maybe more’ll know it now due to the streamer albeit even then this is unlikely to be a proper fandom, maybe, maybe not). Doesn’t matter. This now exists for archiving purposes.

First and foremost: Spoilers abound, don’t seek further if you don’t want them by any means - with that said, also good luck if you aren’t aware of what the movie is but I’ll do my best to give some context as necessary. (Post-edit: No clarification. Very sorry.)

See also: The movie is not for everyone but it can be appreciated artistically for its fluidity and variety of styles. There is also a lot of symbolism and the dog narrator is impeccable. I love Nine. I love her, I do.

Okay! Here we go.

Recall the [Lost Dog Sign] that is posted some scenes after Nine (protagonist, dog) left Manole (red and yellow, acrobat entertainer) and she’s picked up by Istvan beloved (Tumblr nose, big guy). Istvan may be driving and potentially distracted; however, he absolutely sees that sign. And it doesn’t quite click, not yet. He’s worried about his mother, his wife, himself, this dog. Dog... Dog! This doesn’t register until he’s arrived at his ill mother’s home. That dog on the wanted sign looks eerily like the one he just picked up... and come to think of it, it did seem well cared for...

So he fudges around, figures out what the number is.

An answer. And with one thing leading to another, Istvan figured that this guy is sincere: He loves this dog much like he does. (But he believed that Manole loved her more, deserved her more, and it isn’t likely he can bring her quite anywhere...) So. They meet up. Guy really is nice, but Istvan can see it - the acrobat’s nerves are a bit shot after all that worrying and desperation to find this dog again. Ana (dog), was it? (There was an inkling that he should call her Sara but Ana is also quite the nice name. It’s fine. And thank goodness, that he did not name her, since goodbyes would be worse.)

They part, and that is that. Istvan checked on his mother, returned to his choking snake of a wife (yellow skin ostritch, black fluff); Manole reobtained his beloved boy (girl, he knows), managed to get a contract that allowed him to work with her in the La Circe (???) troupe thingamabob since it was either them or nothing. Both of these two keep in touch with each other as Istvan is worried and, admittedly, attached to the dog after those moments in the dumps viva la his loneliness. Plus Manole’s a fun personality. He’s considered going to see one of his acts, once, but his wife’s a bit overbearing.

A bit overbearing, as in a time skip occurs and he still had yet to leave her toxic self, nor could he bear to see his mother but still stuck it through.

Come to think of it though. Manole is obviously happy, and so is the dog. He can’t recall a moment with his wife recently where he felt... happy, sincerely. Perhaps in the past, when he’d strum his guitar and skate around - free and without the exhaustion of judgment and micromanagement? He deserved better. There’s just no right timing, though, as he can’t find the motivation to work himself up and tell his wife they need a divorce for both of their own sakes.

And then his wife gave him the ultimatum: Her, or that stupid acrobat with the dog and his mother.

Well, well. Fine. He doesn’t need to pack much, and he doesn’t need to say anything. He’s rearing to go. The wife? Cocky. All until she realized quite quickly that he was serious, dead serious, and she begged and pleaded and smothered herself all over him trying to get him to obey her every whim just like before. That it was a joke, an act, a test to see where he would be really happy but she needed him and who else would indulge her needs and fluff up her ego with the beefcake of a man?

Too bad! He’s gone, but he’s also an incredible mess and it was incredibly short-notice and maybe he should’ve thought things out better, but he’s free. He’s never felt so relieved. It’s quite cold, dark, and alone, but everything seems so much more colorful and bright now but also he really should find a place to say and strangely, his immediate thought is to call up Manole -- but he’s asleep, isn’t he? Or working? He shouldn’t bother him, he should go to his mother. But...

He called. Decided that if he did not get an answer, he would let him know another time (never, really). And nobody picked up. So as he’s ready to drive out, he gets a call: It’s Manole. He picked up, and he heard the groggy-confused voice of an acrobat ringing out with the delightful barks of Ana in the background to give him the image that oh, she must have woken him up, and oh, he’s smiling. They chat for the night. As in. They meet up again, and the two take a quiet stroll out with Ana, and Istvan gets to vent, tell his story. (His little audience is quite expressive too, he noted. Loose red strings of disbelief and high-pitched barking. Dramatic flailing of arms, a growl.)

In the end, they have to rest. Manole and Ana depart (with Manole insisting that they continue their little interactions and that Istvan finally comes to one of his showings, he swore he’d make it worthwhile - Ana agreeing in her little pip), and Istvan is home. A home of memories. Bad, good, but a place that made him nevertheless and he supposed... he should probably go to that therapist Manole recommended. He gave his word that she was fine; she had helped him back then, too, when things were dire.

Solange was her name. And oh, she was understanding - the best, at least for his circumstances. He revealed his feelings, and she helped him through most of it - enough that he was in better shape than before. Enough that he can lift his head high even with his impressive stature. But - he did ask, out of polite curiosity. What was it that made her want to be a therapist?

And it was an easy answer, the way she’d told it. A deadbeat father, a single mother with a cat and her father - her own grandfather. She had been... rebellious, in a sense, and she was a menace to her family. They had financial issues, relationship issues, the works. It was only until they’d discovered the (grand)father dead that things really started to change. Viva la insurance money, they were able to handle most of the debt and loans. She felt more inclined to... help, seeing as how badly-shapen her mother was, mourning and all. And during that - she realized it was something she wanted to pursue wholeheartedly.

Overall, they’re happy. Istvan and Manole eventually get together (after a long amount of time, only when Istvan was ready to open himself up again - easier, when he’d started acting as accompaniment as (a tech) crew and occasional musical act in the streets and they realized how well they clicked). Ana thrives (with a few other secret nicknames that the others gave to her; well. She doesn’t mind.) Solange occasionally helped out in using her artistic skills with some of the advertisements.

They’re all comfortable. They’re living.

That is all.

SUMMARY:

・[Overall] The canon diverges with Istvan actually noticing and recognizing the missing dog poster Manole put up. Manole and Ana are reunited. Istvan eventually divorces his wife and gets therapy from Solange, and Istvan is later friends (or more than that, ah-heem) with Manole.

・[Manole] Acrobat for that dreamy circus, but with a dog.

・[Ana] Dog! Beloved! Living! Happy! SO Happy. Maybe gets to meet her old litter of siblings again.

・[Istvan] No more toxic wife that tries to control and restrain him with false affections and silly desires built on creating a dumb image! Musical fun time! Also lifts and flexes.

・[Solange] On good terms with mother now! Grandpa is deader than dead but it’s for the better, promise. Insurance money and her mother made her realize she’d wanted to be a therapist. Occasionally does art for Manole’s circus thing.

No I did not proofread this. I do not care. I have self love, and this is, in fact, indulgent.

#[ watched it a second time earlier ahehe ]#[ ''I bet there's an au about this!'' -> The fandom does not exist therefore no. The AU doesn't. ]#[ (hashes out a whole verse after the movie like clowns) :handshake: ]#mushrium

23 notes · View notes

komahinasecretexchange · 4 years

Text

Title: Untitled

Author: @shippingrevolutionary

For: [redacted, at their request]

Pairings/Characters: Hajime Hinata & Komaeda Nagito, Chiaki Nanami Rating/Warnings: A bit of drinking involved

Prompt: A drunken night (or any scenario) leads to loose lips of compliments and praise from Hajime.

Author’s notes: Hi! I hope you enjoy, It was a fun write but it was tough. It was a very long time since I last wrote a fanfic. I wanted to write with the other two prompts as well but No good ideas were brewing. x-x

There’s not much of loose lips on this one, and there’s a bit of drama but I hope you like it! :)

Synopsis: Slice of life AU. After six months of avoiding his best friends, Nagito decides to rekindle his friendships when an opportunity arises. Instead of a nice night, he is met with feelings of regret, awkwardness and embarrassing scenarios.

—————-

I was supposed to disappear, so why am I here, now?

Scrolling through my phone, I scan my message log once more. I make sure to double check the details given to me the night before, to know if I’m at the right place.

Hanamura’s Seaside Grill at 7pm tonight.

I can’t wait to finally see you two again.

Please don’t be late, Nagito!

I press the phone’s snooze button and I’m greeted with my haggard reflection displayed on the black screen. I’m wearing a messy head of hair and a pair of dark circled eyes from not getting a wink of sleep last night. I brush through the messy white strands with my fingers making it look at least a little less like a birds nest. Once I’m happy I pocket my phone and look at the signage of the newly built restaurant.

Yep, this is the place. Hanamura’s Seaside grill, and I’m 15 minutes early.

I breathe in deep and let out a sigh.

How long has it been since I’ve seen both of them? 6 months?

I bite my lip as I make my way through the restaurant’s doors.

Upon entering the restaurant I immediately see the familiar head of brown hair. A jolt of electric current runs through my body, I’m stunned. I want to turn back at this instant and run back home. I thought I was ready to see him again, but now I’m already regretting coming here.

“Umm, excuse me, sir.” a voice right beside me asks.

“Oh! Uhm… hey…” I say to the petite waitress. She looks at me, confused, like she’s waiting for me to say anything further. “Welcome, to Hanamura’s Seaside grill, a table for how many?” she asks.

And before I could say anything else, Hajime notices I’m here and waves at me with a bright grin on his face. I gulp. “Oh, I’m with him.” I tell the waitress, and I point towards Hajime.

“Okay, sir. Right this way.” She says, leading me to sit right next to my friend.

“Here you guys go,” she hands us the menu. “Today’s special is octopus, It’s very fresh, it was just caught this morning. Please do take your time, I’ll be right back with some water.”

She leaves and my mind screams “Please, take me with you.”

“Hey, Nagito, it’s been a while.” Hajime says, looking up and down at me, probably checking how I am.

“Hey, Hajime.” I smile and catch myself laughing awkwardly.

“It’s been what? 5 months?” “6 months.” I correct him. “Yeah, sorry I haven’t contacted you guys in a while. I’ve been busy.” I laugh nervously.

“Oh, that’s not a problem.” he says and gives me a small smile.

I hope he isn’t upset or mad, but then again, why would he be? I’m just one of his many friends. I’m typically a background character in his life just like how I was in everybody’s during high school. “So how’s Chiaki?” I say, changing the subject of the conversation. This seemed to irritate him because His smile wavered for a few seconds. “I… uh, I haven’t contacted her in a very long time as well. I’m sure you guys made sure to catch up once in a while.” I force a grin.

“Oh, she’s doing great. She’s competing internationally, so she’s been busy as well.”

“Ah, I remember when it all started. She was really good at that video game, It’s no surprise to me. She’s exceptionally talented and filled with hope when it comes to gaming.”

“Ahehe… Yeah,” He laughs nervously. I wonder why, it’s really a mistake coming here… “So anyway, how have you been?”

“Well, I’ve been busy writing,”

“Ah, finally going to publish something?”

“Yeah, I had to move to a new apartment. To start fresh, a new life. Anyway, enough about me. What about you Hajime?” I smile and wonder how he’s been. I hate to admit it but he’s been on my mind for the past 6 months but I also remind myself, not to get close again. He possibly can’t like me the same way I like him.

“Ah, well, where do I start?”

Talking about what’s been happening for the past 6 months has filled me with tension, like I’m waiting for him to say that He’s finally together with Chiaki or something. But by the end of it I was relieved to find out nothing much has changed between them. They’re still pretty good friends. But I also hate that I felt relief. I should be wishing what’s best for them, but here I am having a bit of hope for Hajime and I. It’s silly and wishful thinking.

“So, hey, let’s start ordering.” Hajime declares

I try to talk him out of it so we could wait for Chiaki, but he has his face buried in the menu already. “Hey, so do you want to go for the sharing platters?”

I look at the time on my phone and check if Chiaki sent any messages. Finding nothing, I pocket my phone again.

“Uhm, aren’t we supposed to wait until Chiaki gets here?” I tell him.

He doesn’t look at me, he still has his head behind the menu. Instead, he waves his hand. “It’s okay, at least the food will be ready by the time she gets here.”

I sigh, and instead of insisting that it would be rude to order without her here yet, I look at the dimming sky. Some of the stars have already appeared above the rocking waves, sitting in space. I’d rather be up there with them right now—observing, watching, not having any problems with whirlwinds of feelings.

“Hey, you love Eel, right?”

My attention snaps back to my friend and I’m caught off guard. “Wh-what?”

“Eel,” He says slowly.

“I mean, you remember?”

He flops the menu down on the table and he’s looking at me with a frown and a raised eyebrow.

”Of course, I remember what your favorite food is.” He shakes his head and raises the menu back to his face. “We’re friends, aren’t we?”

Friends.

That’s all we can ever be.

“Well, I didn’t think you’d remember such an unnecessary detail of someone like me.”

He sets the menu down with another big flop and glares at me. “Nagito, I swear, I thought we’ve already talked about this little problem o—“

I raise my hands and give out a small laugh. “Geez, Hajime, I was only kidding.”

He looks at me for a while and lets out a sigh, his frown turning into a small smile. “It better be just a joke.”

Our waitress for the night comes back over and pours water, filling our glasses. “Are the both of you ready to order?” she asks me with a smile.

“Oh, he’s ordering for us,” I say gesturing towards Hajime.

She looks at him, and Hajime gives her a smile back “Yes, we’d like the house salad, a sashimi plate, the grilled eel platter, an order of shrimp tempura, and three bowls of rice please.”

“Anything else?”

“Oh, and a bottle of shochu, please.”

I feel my eyes widen. Not only was the order huge for three people—not to mention expensive—but why in the world is he ordering alcohol too?

The waitress repeats the order and once Hajime nods, she leaves.

“Hey, Hajime,” I whisper. “What are you ordering alcohol for?”

Hajime shrugs. “I just feel like celebrating tonight. That’s all.”

“Hajime, you only drink when you’re feeling down.”

“Oh wow, I didn’t think you’d remember such an unnecessary detail of someone like me.” He says, mocking me, repeating what I said earlier. I just let out a sigh as a response.

Hajime gives a chuckle and looks at the glass of water in front of me. “It’s nothing, It’s going to be the first time in a long while that we’ll be able to get to see Chiaki again, you know?” he says, then proceeds to look outside the window, avoiding my gaze.

Something’s up. The two times he ever drank was when he was down about not getting into our school’s talent course, and the other time was before the final exams of the final year. He only drinks when he’s anxious or sad, otherwise, he’d be the one lecturing his friends about drinking too much. I wonder though. Why now? Is he that nervous about seeing Chiaki again? Or maybe… he’s probably finally going to confess to her?

With that last thought, a small pain in my chest starts growing rapidly—like a tree branching out from the inside of my chest.

“Oh,” I mutter. “Well, I hope Chiaki gets here soon. Aside from the food getting cold on her, I’m excited to see her again.” I smile, trying to mask what I’m really feeling.

“Yeah, I can’t wait either,” Hajime says, eyes darting from me to the window, probably looking at the stars I was looking at from earlier.

I check my phone and it’s already 7pm. No new messages. No missed calls. I try to call for the third time, but it’s no use. I can’t reach her.

“Heeeeeey, Nagi… Gimme one more sip.”

The slurred voice grabs back my attention and my grip onto the almost empty bottle of shochu tightens. “I told you, you’ve had enough to drink, why are you being so careless tonight?”

Hajime stares at the bottle with sleepy eyes, like he didn’t even hear a single word I’ve said. He tries to grab it from me but he slips and almost falls to the floor head first. Good thing I grabbed onto his necktie. “Hajime, what’s wrong with you!?” I say in a loud voice, but not loud enough for the staff to hear… I hope. He looks at me and giggles. “You know, Nagi, you look so cute when you’re mad.”

My cheeks flare up and I mutter a “Just shut up. Do you want me to drop you?” I place the bottle at the corner of the table where he can’t reach it, I stand up, push Hajime into a sitting position, and sit right next to him so he doesn’t fall flat on the floor.

His head nestles onto my shoulder and I can smell the mix of alcohol and the ever so familiar scent of his cologne.

I sigh.

“Mmmm… Nagito.”

I feel my cheeks get hot as I feel his hot breath tickling my neck, him saying my name, not to mention how close we are from each other. I look away and I try my best to brush these weird feelings out. I know better. He likes Chiaki. Not me.

Speaking of Chiaki, I grab my phone again and try to give one more call.

Still no answer.

I wonder. Why can’t I reach her? Was her flight delayed? Perhaps, cancelled? Why hasn’t she tried contacting us? Maybe, they just landed? Did she lose her phone? Is she okay?

I look over at Hajime, who is now breathing deeply and slowly.

“H-hey Hajime, don’t go sleeping on me, now.” I try to shake him with my shoulder but I stop and look at the peace displayed on his face. I feel my cheeks warm up again. I cut my gaze and look at the table. All the food is gone. Hajime ate most of it, that huge amount of food… The expensive food. Expensive…

Oh! The bill! There’s no way I can afford all this! I dig into my pocket to find my wallet, shaking off Hajime’s head in the process. I open the cheap piece of leather and find a total of 2,000 yen, not even close to the total amount we ordered.

What now?

Before I decide to check my wallet’s other compartments, I feel Hajime’s hand on mine.

“Eh?” My mind lags and I feel my face near boiling point.

“Don’t worry Nagi, I got this.” he says with a voice that is still slurred but clearer now.

“Ah,”

He puts the total down, flat on the table and he goes out like a light.

Why in the world did you have to drink? We didn’t even get to see Chiaki, so your drinking was all in vain.

I puff out a deep breath and it forms into a cloud disappearing into the night air. I look up above me, and I see the stars once again, but this time, they’ve all shown up.

“Hmmmmm,”

“Oh, Hajime, you’re awake.”

“Wherer wi?”

“What?” He moves his face away from my back. “I said, where are we?” “I’m taking us home, you couldn’t walk so I’m carrying you. Anyway your house is on the same way as my new apartment.” I say as I shift Hajime from my back to make sure he doesn’t fall off. It’s a good thing we are almost the same height and weight, if he was a few kilograms heavier I wouldn’t be able to carry him at all. “There are no more rides at a time like this since we’re at the rural part of the island.”

“Oh… Sorry…” He says.

He tries to get off me and we almost both fall in the process.

“You can’t walk,” I say. “Why did you have to drink so much, anyway?” He doesn’t answer for a few seconds but then he says, “Chiaki…”

I swallow my saliva and I feel the branches in my chest again. Now it’s more like vines squeezing my heart.

A few more minutes pass and I can feel him just looking to the side. Probably at the ocean.

“Mmm, Hey, Nagito?” He suddenly says.

“Yeah?”

“Where’d you go?”

“What do you mean?”

“Where’d you go?”

I don’t answer. “I haven’t seen you since Chiaki left.”

Silence.

“Aren’t we friends?”

There’s that word again, friends. Just friends.

“Sorry, I’ve been concentrating on writing my first book. I needed the time to be alone.” I lie.

It’s his turn to be silent.

After a few more meters of walking, I feel his grip on my shoulders tighten a bit. “Hey, Nagito, can we watch the ocean for a while?” “Huh, why?” “Maybe we could rest for a bit, until I can walk, at least.”

I comply, not because I’m exhausted, but because of the awkward tension lingering in the air around us. I take the nearest route to the closest sands of the beach, and once we reach the shore I see the blue and green glows of the water. I stand there breathless—although it’s not my first time seeing glowing plankton on the ocean. They are like stars on the waves, but unlike those that are above, these stars are within arms reach.

Hajime gets off my back and he falls into the sand.

“See, what did I tell you?” I say at the drunken Hajime.

“Just shut up, Nagito.” He says and we both stare into each other for a few seconds, then we both laugh.

He sits upright and I sit close to him. We both grow silent while watching the mesmerizing glowing waves.

I wish this moment could last forever. Just Hajime and I, enjoying each other’s company, under the starlit sky surrounded by the glowing waves. God, It sounds like a cliché thing to say, but that’s just the truth.

“Hey, Nagito, do you think Chiaki likes me?” Hajime whispers.

“W-what?” I stutter, caught by surprise.

He looks at me “Do you think Chiaki likes me?” He repeats, but this time I feel like he is staring into my stripped out soul. I dart my eyes to the sand then towards the ocean again, trying my best to conceal whatever I’m feeling on the inside.

“I… I don’t really know.”

“I see,”

He doesn’t say anything for a while so I take a peek at him, and he’s looking above again. I shift my eyes back to the ocean.

“Do you like, Chiaki?” He suddenly says.

We both look at each other at the same time, and I can see his eyes are full of curiosity.

“What makes you say that?”

“Nothing,” he says, averting his gaze.

I continue staring at him, thinking of what he’s been asking me, why he’s acting so strange. Is he worried about me liking Chiaki? is he worried I’m getting in between them? My heart drops.

He looks right back at me and we both are staring at each other again.

“I think we should go… It’s getting late.” I say, standing up and dusting my pants.

“Yeah…” he says, standing up too, but he wobbles as he gets back up on his feet.

This time I support him by putting his arm over my shoulder. “Maybe we should just get to the nearest inn…” I suggest.

He stops to think, but he end up nodding. He follows my lead and doesn’t say another word.

“Uh-uhm, of course!” the blushing inn keeper says. “You two are lucky, we only have one room left.” She turns her back towards us to find the keys to the room.

Hajime and I shoot each other a look of confusion. “Here it is! Room 7. Now, both of you enjoy.”

I take the keys and walk over to the rooms with Hajime still right beside me. We reach our room door and I proceed to unlock the door.

“What was that about?” i whisper.

Hajime shrugs.

After unlocking the door, I put my keys back into my pocket and I open the door wide. I stare at the room, stunned. There’s only one queen sized bed in the room.

“Oh, so that’s why,” we both say in unison.

What an exhausting and awkward night it’s been. And to top it all off, Hajime and I need to share a bed. Not like the night has been embarrassing enough for me.

This is all Chiaki’s fault…

I shift under the covers trying to fluff my stiff pillow, making sure to be careful not to disturb Hajime. Once I’m comfortable I shut my eyes, expecting the night to finally end.

“You still haven’t answered my question.” Hajime’s voice echoes in the dark room.

“What?” I ask, my eyes wide open again. “Do you like her?”

I don’t answer.

He sighs, Irritated. It takes him a few more seconds before he says the next set of words. “You know, Nagito, I hate to admit it but I’m kind of jealous…”

I blink. “Jealous of what?”

He sits up and sighs again. I turn my head to look at him but he has his back facing me.

“I’m kind of jealous of how you and Chiaki get along…” He says.

My chest tightens again. He’s probably hurting and it’s all because of me. Am I really getting in between them? “Hajime, you don’t have to worry… You don’t have to worry about me anymore.”

This time he turns to look at me. I see him staring angrily at me. His face under the spilling nightlight illuminating through the window.

“What do you mean?” he asks.

I sigh and sit up so we are shoulder to shoulder. “Look,” I say, staring at the shape of my legs that are under the blankets. “Im just gonna leave the both of you alone. Starting tomorrow.”

He shakes his head. “What!? That’s not it, Nagito. I never want you to leave… I don’t… I don’t get it. Do you really like her?”

I look at him and try my best to read him but the more I analyze the more confused I get. I have to tell him the truth, one way or another. “No, Hajime. I don’t like her like that.” Even if it means confessing to him, and ruining our friendship. “I like someone else…”

He pauses, his eyes going from left to right, like he’s reading. “Someone else? No, you’re lying. I know you like her. That’s why you stopped hanging out with me when she left.”

“No, Hajime. The thing is, I don’t want to get in between you and her and please believe me, I really don’t like her in a romantic kind of way. So go ahead and just confess to her already.”

“What!?” He says, almost shouting. “Confess?” he shakes his head. “I used to like her that way but that was a very long time ago.”

I blink again, stunned. “Well, earlier, you asked me if she likes you.” I say, puzzled. “So, why are you so worried about Chiaki liking you, and why are you so worried about me liking, Chiaki?”

“Im not worried” he whispers, and scratches the back of his neck. “I mean it’s fine if you like her, but the reason why I asked if you think she likes me was to get a reaction out of you. To get a hint if you liked her or not.”

“Oh…” I say, my mind not being able to comprehend what’s going on. Why all the strangeness and the questions then? “Then wha—“ “Nagito I… I don’t know what you would think of me after this but the reason I asked if you liked Chiaki was because…”

I feel my eyes go wide. For some reason, everything clicks and I pray to the heavens it’s not just wishful thinking. Does Hajime like me?

“because I like you, Nagito… more than a best friend. I don’t know… you’re probably disgusted and all but I think you’re cute and you’re such a wonderful person and … .. .… … .… … .. .. .… … . .”

The room is spinning and my brain is going on overdrive. Hajime keeps talking but nothing is registering anymore. All I know is after he said he likes me more than a best friend I just want to jump up and down and kiss him but at the same time I fear that I’d wake up any second now, lying next to him, finding out that this was all just a dream. I blink a few time to make sure I’m awake. And I give myself one big hard slap.

Hajime blinks, horrified. “Uhh… are you okay? Look, I’m sorry if you don’t feel—“

“NO, I LIKE YOU TOO HAJIME.” I shout, ecstatic. “The person that I like… is you.”

“Wha-?” He looks bewildered.

“I-i thought you liked Chiaki too. So I uh… I decided to just leave you guys alone, since 6 months ago.” I look at him, feeling a huge weight of guilt on my back. “I didn’t want to get in the way of the romantic relationship blooming betwee—“ I stop because I feel a thud on my head.

“Ow!, What was that for!?” I scream because he karate chopped my head.

Hajime moves towards me and gives me a tight hug, and of course I hug him back.

We don’t say anything for a while… then laughter starts, him and then me.

“We are idiots, aren’t we.” Hajime says as we both release from the hug.

“Yeah…” I stare into his eyes. “Hey, Hajime. I’m sorry.” I say, giving him smile. “I didn’t really want to leave, it just hurt too much.”

“I understand. I thought you were into her too. I’m sorry too.” he says. “This is my fault, I should have listened to Chiaki.”

“Chiaki?” Before I could ask anything further, he moves closer and I move closer and before we know it, we are both locking lips.

I melt under his warm embrace and the rest of the night goes by in a blur.

I wake up to my phone buzzing on the table. I try to wriggle myself loose enough from Hajime’s embrace to reach phone, careful to not wake him. I grab my phone, lean my back against his chest and smile at last nights events.

I thumb the black screen and check my notifications and it says I have a message from Chiaki.

Oh, Chiaki! She must be wondering where we are.

I take a look at the message and my smile fades. “EH!!!???” I scream.

And Hajime wakes up, startled. “Huh!? What’s wrong?”

We are both sitting away from each other, locking eyes. “Chiaki… You!?”

Hajime gives me a sheepish grin and laughs.

Good morning, guys! I hope things worked out well for the both of you. I’m pretty much confident you guys are together by now, and I hope the both of you are finally happy. This could have been much sooner, but I’m finally glad that Hajime listened and went along my well planned secret “date Nagito" objective, since I know that you, Nagito, is lacking too much in confidence to ask Hajime out and vice versa. It took way too long for this thing to commence, and to put it bluntly, both of you are to blame. But anyway, Nagito, If Hajime hasn’t told you yet, I’m actually arriving in about a week from today. So by the time I get here, you guys better come to my welcome back home party, so, see you guys soon!

Oh and by the way all our friends know you both are into each other (Except for Soda, he lost the bet and owes me money now.), so please don’t forget to update and celebrate with them.

I’m happy for the both you. <3

#komahina #komahina secret exchange #fanfiction

55 notes · View notes

gareeku · 3 years

Text

Ok, so here it is! The first part to the story I’ve written (tentatively titled “Kingdom”, a prologue of sorts I guess, that takes place in the Super Mario AU that @earthsong9405 has going on - a special thank you to @earthsong9405 for you patience with my many, MANY questions recently! Also, apologies for any spelling or other mistakes which may appear; it’s getting late here and I was excited to put this up! Hope you enjoy!

_______________________________________________________

The sun shone down on the tropical paradise of Isle Delfino, as it always did. Naturally, as a result it was a popular destination for citizens of many different kingdoms; Mushroom, Metro, Koopa...you name it, there was at least some representation of each.

In one particular part of the island's north coast was a small harbour town; rather than featuring sandy beaches like many other parts of the island, here the land dove straight into the sea via sleep slopes and high cliffs. This town in particular wasn't visited nearly as much by tourists, and so the old industries such as fishing were still very much alive and well. Not that there wasn't the odd café or restaurant, of course.

One café in particular, located on the harbour front, a lone figure sat at one of the tables located outside; a male human from the Metro Kingdom in fact, distinguishable by his 6 foot 2 inch height. Dressed in a lightweight white cotton shirt, grey shorts and white low profile lace up canvas trainers, the man looked to be in his late twenties and was of an athletic build, suggesting an active lifestyle. A light breeze in the air softly pleasantly blew on his clean shaven face and through his short length dark brown hair, which spiked forward and up slightly.

Taking a sip from a glass of tropical fruit smoothie before setting it back on the table, the man looked out at the harbour from behind a pair of dark sunglasses, contently watching the boats sway gently up and down on the sea’s gentle waves. It was early afternoon, and the stranger had decided that this quaint little café would be a good stop for a drink after setting out from the island’s main town of Delfino Plaza, perhaps even some lunch, though to be truthful he wasn’t all that hungry after having had a hearty breakfast earlier in the morning.

“Everything to your liking, sir?”

The man turned from his gaze upon hearing a voice. Stood by the table was a smiling yellow-coloured Pianta waiter; short in stature and rotund in figure, he was dressed in a shirt of his own together with the traditional grass skirts that Piantas typically wore...at least, the man assumed he was smiling; Piantas didn't appear to have visible mouths, after all…

“Yes, wonderful thank you.” The man answered back to the waiter with a smile of his own. Nodding in acknowledgment, the Pianta waiter departed from the table back inside and left the man alone once more.

A few minutes passed when something caught the man's attention; a yelp, followed by the sound of raised voices coming from the inside of the café. Turning his head ever so slightly, the stranger listened to the voices to try and make out what was being said. Luckily things were quiet enough that he was able to listen in on the conversation...

“P-please sir, we're just a humble café! W-We don't have much! That's all that was in the cash register!”

“Don't play dumb with me! You gotta have something more than this!”

One of the voices he instantly recognised as belonging to the waiter who has visited his table only a few minutes ago, only this time it carried a stammering and fearful tone. The other, however? He had no idea, though it was deeper in pitch than the waiter's and certainly carried a tone of aggression. His brow furrowing, the stranger turned to see the source of the voices, only to find nobody visible from where he was sitting. Getting up from his chair, the man made his way inside, careful to make as little noise as possible as he sought out the source of the voices. As he did so, he removed his sunglasses and put them into the breast pocket on his shirt, exposing his deep blue eyes.

“You better bring me more where this came from, otherwise things could get very bad for you...”

The deeper pitch was now almost a growl, and seemed more threatening with every word. Having passed by the desk where the cash register was situated, the stranger made his way into the back of the building. Approaching the entrance to the pantry, the man stopped just to the side of the open doorway and continued to listen in.

“Please, I'm begging you, I'm telling the truth! If I had more I would gladly give it to you! Please let me go!” The waiter's voice pleaded in a panicked tone, drawing another growl from the other voice.

“I don't believe you, tubby...I'm gonna give you to the count of three to tell me where the rest is...one...two...”

The stranger had heard quite enough.

“Is everything alright here?” The stranger interrupted, appearing in the doorway of the pantry. Looking inside, he found the waiter at the back, being held by the shirt by another; a muscular Kremling who was about the same height as himself and had a bag of what were clearly coins in the other clawed hand. The man noted the reptilian's attire; the only item of clothing the Kremling appeared to be wearing was a long pair of shorts, torn at the bottom of the legs and crudely held to his waist by what appeared to be a piece of rope.

“None of your business, pal.” The bipedal crocodilian creature growled back at him. Slightly raising an eyebrow in response, the man glanced for a second at the clearly-terrified waiter in the Kremling's grasp before looking back at the reptilian being. He also noted a small folded wooden stepladder to the side, leaning against the wall just inside the pantry. The Kremling grimaced at him, exposing more of his sharp fangs. “Now get lost.”

“My apologies,” the man replied, remaining civil and smiling pleasantly despite the hostile behaviour he was on the receiving end of. “I was just hoping that one of you fine gentleman could point me in the direction of the nearest medical center. I appear to have cut my hand.”

“The hell you talkin' about?” the Kremling asked with a snarl, clearly growing angrier by the second. “Your hands are fine! Now get! Lost!”

“Huh...so it is...” The man replied, looking down at his right hand thoughtfully, before curling it into a fist and looking back up at the Kremling with a smile.

CRACK!

Before the Pianta waiter knew what happening, the human man had swung his right arm at the Kremling, his fist connecting with the reptilian's jaw in a powerful punch and causing his head to jerk to the side while releasing his grip on the waiter.

“Argh! You son of a-”

CRASH!

Before the Kremling could utter another word, the man had picked up the folded-up stepladder and smashed it down on the reptilian's head, sending him crashing to the floor in a heap and knocking him out cold.

“Sorry about that,” The man said, looking for a moment in disapproval at the now-unconscious Kremling on the floor before turning back to the Pianta with a pleasant smile.

“Uh...n-no problem...” the waiter stammered in response, blinking as he tried to process what had just happened. “Thank you for your help...”

“My pleasure.” The man replied, still wearing his pleasant smile. “If you need a new stepladder, I'll be more than happy to give you the money for one, of course.”

“Oh, um, that's fine...we bought a new one the other day...that one was on it's last legs anyway...aheh...” the Pianta explained with a nervous chuckle, drawing a chuckle from the human himself.

“Ah, well that's good. And so was he, by the looks of things,” The man replied in an almost cheerful tone, causing the waiter to laugh somewhat. “I would suggest you call the authorities. He won't stay unconscious forever. As for the stepladder, just say you were acting in self-defence.”

“Oh! Um, o-of course!” The waiter exclaimed, before heading out of the pantry back to the front of the café, the stranger standing aside to let him pass as he did so. Turning back to the unconscious Kremling on the floor, the man shook his head before something caught his eye, causing his smile to fade. Not turning his gaze from the Kremling, he took his smartphone out from his left-hand pocket and snapped a picture of the unconscious Kremling before heading out of the pantry to join the waiter in the front room of the café, putting the smartphone back in his pocket as he did so.

Seeing the man re-enter the front room, the Pianta went to greet him, when he noticed something with the man's right hand. “Oh, um…sir? Your hand appears to be bleeding...”

“Hmm? Oh, so it is...” the man replied as he looked down at his right hand, which was indeed bleeding at the knuckle; most likely as a result of catching it on one of the Kremling's fangs when he punched him. “Well...I did ask him where the nearest medical center was...”

************

It was later in the day, and the sun was approaching the horizon on the sea. Now back in the island's main town of Delfino Plaza, the man studied the photo taken with a concerned look on his face while sat on a bench by the seafront. While Delfino Plaza was the island's capital and it's largest urban area, it was by no means a large city and was in fact quite small.

The stranger put the smartphone back in his pocket and studied his hand for a moment. The cuts on his knuckles had stopped bleeding at least, having cleaned up the worst of it back at the café earlier. Rising from the bench, he decided he would take a stroll through the town market before heading back to his hotel to freshen up for the evening.

Taking a leisurely walk through the bustling town market, the man admired the many stalls and what they had to offer; lush fruit and vegetables of all kinds filled the stands with splashes of colour and scents, the owners of the stalls loudly touting their produce to any potential customers that wandered by. It was then however, that after turning down another quieter street to make his way to his hotel, he heard a loud voice.

“Are you serious?! Whaddya mean you can't host any gigs for the “foreseeable”?!”

Turning to the source of the voice, the man noticed two figures across the street for him in front of what appeared to be a music venue; one was a smartly-dressed, not to mention nervous-looking, male Pianta.. The other figure was much more distinct; a large exasperated-looking female Kajiukoopa, of all things. The man noted her height, guessing she was just under a foot taller than him, with a large mane of wild red hair cascading from her pink-coloured horned head to below her broad shoulders, partly covering the dark-red coloured spiky shell on her back. As was mostly traditional with Kaijukoopas, she sported black spiked bracelets on her wrists, together with bands made of black chains on her upper arms and around her broad neck. She certainly looked an imposing figure as she towered over the Pianta, but judging by her exasperated manner and the look in her crimson eyes the man could tell that if anything, she was pleading with the Pianta over something. With his curiosity spiked, the man made his way across the street.

“Is everything okay here?” The man asked the two strangers as he approached, who in turn both looked back at him with some surprise. “I heard raised voices.”

“Oh! My apologies, sir.” The Pianta answered politely. “My client and I were just discussing some business.”

“Client?” the Kaijukoopa queried, turning back to the Pianta. “How can I be your client if you're not letting anybody perform at your venue?!”

“I'm very sorry ma'am, I truly am,” the Pianta replied, “But we don't have a choice. You see...we...um...”

The man noticed the Pianta's demeanour as he trailed off; he was growing more nervous, seemingly not wanting to give away too much information for fear of something. “Is something wrong, sir?” The man queried.

“Well...it's...” the Pianta began, nervously looking around before leaning in with a more hushed tone. “We've recently had some...unsavoury...new arrivals on the island...”

Hearing this, and with the encounter at the café obviously still very fresh in his mind, the man instantly put two and two together. “...Pirates.”

“Y-yes sir...” the Pianta stammered in answer with a nod of his head. “They showed up about a week ago out of nowhere. They started causing trouble as soon as they appeared, threatening businesses with forced closure if we didn't help them with their activities, mine included...”

“Wait, Pirates?” The Kaijukoopa questioned with surprise as she looked to the human and then back to the Pianta, now in somewhat of a hushed tone of her own. “You serious? The hell are they doing here? And what do you mean, “activities”?”

“Well...I think they're trying set up some sort of smuggling operation from what I can tell...” the Pianta answered, “They've been getting people to help them take various things down to a derelict warehouse in the dockyard not far from here. I also saw some boats there which weren't there before...”

“Never trust a local to keep their mouth shut.”

Hearing the new voice, the three of them turned to find a blue-coloured Kremling emerging from the front doors of the venue. Behind him followed three others, including a particularly large and brutish-looking Kremling. All of them wore similar attire to the Kremling that the man had encountered earlier in the day, albeit with different colours and patterns. Turning to the Pianta, the Kremling who emerged first gave him a dark expression, exposing his set of sharp fangs.

“Get inside. We'll deal with you later...” he growled. Not wanting to be told twice, the Pianta rushed into the building without another word. Turning to the man and the Kaijukoopa, the Kremling sneered. “And what do we have here? A couple of nobody's who don't know when they shouldn't be pokin' around in other people's business?”

“That's one way of putting it, I suppose.” The man replied with a smirk. The Kaijukoopa meanwhile said nothing, glaring at the Kremling with a grimace and exposing her set of sharp fangs. The man continued. “I met one of your friends earlier today. Figured I'd get to know his friends while I'm in town.”

“A comedian, huh?” The Kremling scoffed, cracking his knuckles as he and the rest of his gang encircled the two strangers, closing in on them as he talked. “You and your friend are dead meat.”

“Shut up and fight!” the Kaijukoopa suddenly snarled and threw herself at the largest Kremling, swinging a fist and landing a powerful punch to the brutish creature's jaw.

Noticing the other Kremlings taken by surprise at this, the man made his move, swiftly rushing at the would-be gang leader. He jumped and raised a knee, slamming it into the side of the Kremling's heading and sending his victim crashing to the ground. He had no time to pause however, as another Kremling rushed in to attack. Barely evading the Kremling's fist as he swung it in for a punch, the man quickly swung his left arm up into a powerful uppercut, his fist connecting with the underside of the second Kremling's jaw and sending the pirate stumbling backwards.

The Kaijukoopa meanwhile had taken the opportunity to show off her impressive strength. Having dazed the large Kremling thank to her initial punch, she immediately grabbed his arm and threw him into a nearby lamppost, causing a large dent in it. The remaining Kremling had no time to react to this, as she then grabbed him by the snout and flung him with one arm straight into the larger Kremling, sending the two pirates crashing to the floor.

“I don't believe I've introduced myself.” the man said to the Kaijukoopa, not taking his eyes off of their assailants while taking advantage of the momentary lapse in the fight. “I'm Shepard.”

“Bowsette.” The Kaijukoopa replied gruffly, not taking her eyes off of the Kremlings either. Shepard grinned as he replied.

“Charmed.”

“Whatever.”

Stumbling back to their feet and now sporting cuts and bruising, most of the gang were now ready to continue the fight. The leader however, took the opportunity to literally turn tail and run.

“He's heading for the dockyard!” Shepard exclaimed as he noticed the leader run off back through the market.

“Get after him! I'll deal with these creeps!” Bowsette called in reply, keeping her glare fixed on the remaining Kremlings who were now closing in again. Not needing to be told twice, Shepard took off in pursuit of the leader, running at full pelt after the pirate as he too rushed back through the market.

Looking over his shoulder and noticing the human in pursuit, the Kremling growled as he grabbed a small fruit stall and tipped it over, sending the produce spilling over the floor in the hope of slowing Shepard down. The human wouldn't be stopped that easily however, hinting at his athleticism as he skilfully dashed through the spilt produce and leapt over the fallen stall.

As the two of them sprinted down the street towards the seafront, Shepard saw the Kremling suddenly dart to the side and scamper up the side of a two-storey building, using the guttering and balconies to ascend to the roof. Following closely behind, Shepard did the same; following the same path up the side of the building as the escapee with some relief at how the guttering in particular managed to support his weight.

Looking behind him as he darted across the roof, the pirate grimaced in frustration as his human pursuer leapt over the low wall that bordered the edges; he prided himself on his agility and to see his adversary not only display the same talents but slowly close in on him irked the Kremling greatly. Making it to the other side of the roof, the Kremling leapt in desperation towards the next building, landing unceremoniously and slipping somewhat on the sloped tiled roof and continuing his escape towards the dockyard by the seafront. Shepard followed closely behind, determined to chase down his target and making the same jump but sticking the landing much better than the pirate had. Luckily for the both of them the tiles on the roof were secure enough to land and run on.

The roof of this building, although not as tall as the previous, was much greater in length and stretched practically all way down to the seafront, including the dockyard. Once again the pirate was at full sprint with Shepard again following closely behind. It was then that the Kremling suddenly had to stop himself, having reached the far end of the roof. Shepard, however, had no such qualms. Turning around to face his pursuer, the pirate's eyes widened as Shepard bared down on him with no intention of slowing down.

“Wait!” The Kremling cried out in panic, but to no avail. The human slammed into him at full pelt, knocking the wind out of the pirate and sending them both flying off of the roof of the building. Luckily for Shepard, his recklessness would lead to a less serious consequence that one might anticipate, with the two of them crashing through a glass of a small warehouse below.

No sooner had they fallen through the roof, the two adversaries fell through another obstacle; this time an elevated wooden platform, further softening the fall to the floor below where they naturally came to an abrupt stop and the chase to an end. Landing on top of the Kremling, Shepard's momentum caused him to roll off and along the floor before coming to a stop a few feet away.

Stumbling to his feet, Shepard looked over at the pirate he had given chase to, to find that the Kremling was out cold. Looking around, the human then froze as he found himself surrounded by four more Kremling pirates, all of them glaring at the intruder after he had interrupted their operation.

“Heh...ah...” Shepard began with a slight smile, resisting the urge to make a quip about dropping in. “...Hello, boys...”

No sooner had Shepard finished this greeting, the pirates dropped what they were doing and rushed at him. Managing to get a punch in on the first of the pirates that reached him, Shepard found himself quickly overwhelmed as they tackled him to the floor. With three of the pirates holding him down, Shepard's eyes widened as he saw the fourth remove a vicious-looking knife from his belt.

“Hold our guest still while I give him a welcome present...” The Kremling growled as he approached, ready to strike. All of them were interrupted however by a large bang from the warehouse's main shutter door. A large dent had appeared on the shutter, suggesting that something large had crashed into it, and hard.

“What he hell was that?!” The knife-wielding exclaimed with all of them staring at the dent.

“Oh, that?” Shepard answered, a grin appearing on his face as he realised what it was. “That would be my new friend.”

Suddenly there was another louder crash on the door, this time the metal giving way as an object came flying through it and leaving a sizeable hole. The pirates' eyes widened when they saw what that object was; their large and brutish comrade, now in an unconscious heap on the floor. No sooner had they seen this, they heard a loud roar as a another figure appeared through the hole; a large, and very angry-looking, Kaijukoopa.

“Ah, Bowsette! Nice of you to join us!” Shepard said cheerfully. “Feel free to help yourself!”

“Don't mind if I do...Wouldn't want you having all the fun!” Bowsette snarled and leapt at the now-terrified Kremlings with another roar. Shepard meanwhile took the opportunity to quickly wrestle himself free of their grasp and dive out of the way as Bowsette began her work, laying waste to the pirates in a fury of fists and claws and sending them flying in various directions. Her companion looked on in admiration at her strength and ferocity, before taking down a stray Kremling with a well-aimed punch to the temple.

Having made quick work of the Kremlings, the two of them then turned to the hole in the door to find the local police swarming through it and quickly restraining the beaten pirates. Not that the Kremlings truly knew what was happening any more; dazed and groaning in pain as they were handcuffed and dragged to their feet.

Having been thanked by the local authorities with their help in dealing with the pirate menace, both Shepard and Bowsette made their way out of the warehouse and to the seafront, looking on as the police led the criminals away.

“Well that certainly made my vacation more exciting...” Shepard commented as he turn to Bowsette with a smile. “And your were a sight to behold. Remind me never to get on your bad side.”

“Ha!” The Kaijukoopa laughed in response to Shepard's compliment. “Good thing I did most of the work!”

“Can't argue with that.” Shepard replied. Looking back to the police for a moment, the smile on Shepard's face become more of a grin as he looked back at Bowsette. “Well then...now that the trash has been taken out...drinks?”

Bowsette looked back at her companion and grinned.

************

“Thanks for the drink.” Bowsette said with a smile to Shepard as he handed her a large glass of beer and sat down on the opposite side of the table to her. It was now evening, and the two of them had found a lively little bar in town, just in from the seafront.

“You're very welcome,” Shepard replied with a smile of his own, before taking a swig of his own beer and setting it back down on the table. “So, what's a member of Koopa Kingdom royalty doing in Isle Delfino, may I ask?”

Bowsette blinked, somewhat surprised at how Shepard knew exactly who she was. “Well aren't you in the know...well, me and my band were supposed to playing a few nights here, but we got a call a few days ago from the venue owners telling us they had to cancel. They said at the time they couldn't tell us why, so I decided to meet 'em face to face to find out why. I guess after today we know the reason.”

“We most certainly do...” Shepard replied in a thoughtful tone, his smile fading somewhat as he seemingly thought about something, before snapping back to the present with the smile resumed. “Still, now that that's all cleared up, it's good to relax with a drink and some pleasant company.

“Oh yeah?” Bowsette smirked, taking a swig of her own drink before setting it back down on the table. “What now, you work your charm on a girl and woo her? Sorry to disappoint you Slick, but you're not my type.”

“What?” Shepard said with a laugh at both her statement and her nickname for him, smirking back at her in response. “Well look who's jumping to conclusions. Sorry B, you're not my type either. Just a drink with a new friend. Nothing more.”

This time it was the Kaijukoopa who laughed, letting out a hearty cackle at his response. She also found his nickname for her amusing, but did kind of like it. “Well I guess that clears that up!”

Smiling, Shepard and Bowsette clinked their drink glasses together in a toast of sorts, before both taking another swig of their respective beers.

“In all seriousness though, I know you had your own reasons with those pirates, but thank you for your help.” Shepard said, this time with a warmer smile on his face.

“Meh, don't mention it.” Bowsette shrugged. “Felt good to let off some steam, especially on those creeps.”

“I'm sure it did.” Shepard replied, continuing to smile and nodding in acknowledgment. Taking another swig of his drink, he decided to change the subject. “So...you say you're in a band?”

“Yep!” Bowsette said proudly. “My band's called The Rockettes. There's four of us girls, and someday we're gonna make it big and rock out with our music all over the world!”

“Well I'm certainly impressed.” Shepard replied raised eyebrows in response. His reply was genuine; Bowsette certainly knew what she wanted, and she was determined to get it. Shepard respected that a lot. “I'll definitely have to come to one of your gigs sometime.”

“Definitely!” Bowsette exclaimed excitedly with a toothy grin. “So, what about you? What do you do when you're not running around and beating up pirates?”

“Me? I'm kind of a drifter.” Shepard replied with a shrug. “I've spent the last few years not really settling down anywhere, just taking jobs here and there.”

“Oh yeah?” Bowsette queried with a raised eyebrow. “Anything interesting?”

“Well...I've recently got a job in security. As a bodyguard, actually.” Shephard stated before taking a swig of his beer.

“Oh yeah? Anyone I'd know?” Bowsette asked, her curiosity showing more as she pressed the human on his activities. “Someone famous?”

“Now that would be telling...” Shepard answer cryptically with a grin.

“Heh...ok then, mystery man. Keep your secrets...” Bowsette responded with a grin of her own. “I'll get the next round.”

The evening continued with the two of them conversing and getting to know each other. Closing time for the bar soon came, and so the two of them left and headed back towards the hotel district of the town, soon stopping outside of a particularly upmarket hotel.

“Well, this is my stop.” Shepard said as he turned to Bowsette.

“Ooooh, The Golden Yoshi, huh? Very fancy schmancy.” Bowsette commented as she looked up at the front of the hotel. “Not my sorta place though.”

“Heh, I figured as much.” Shepard chuckled in reply. “Sure I can't walk you back to your hotel?”

“Thanks but no thanks. I'm a big girl, I can see myself back.” Bowsette answered with a grin. “G'night, Slick. It was good to meet you.”

“Yeah, it was good to meet you too. Goodnight, B.” Shepard said with a smile, watching the Kaijukoopa walk away for a moment before heading into the hotel for the night.

************

The next morning, Shepard packed his belongings after getting showered and dressed, and made his way downstairs to the hotel's reception desk to check out. The flight back home wasn't for another couple of hours, but he wasn't about to take any chances; better to be early than rushing while late.

“Was everything alright during your stay, sir?” the female Pianta receptionist asked pleasantly.

“Yes, everything was wonderful, thank you.” Shepard replied with a pleasant smile. Signing and paying for the hotel bill, he then turned to leave.

“Oh! Sir, I nearly forgot,” the receptionist called after him, Shepard turning around heading back to the reception desk. “This came for you this morning.”

“Oh?” Shepard queried as he was handed a small package. Curious, he studied the package for a moment before looking back up at the receptionist with another pleasant smile. “Thank you very much.”

Bidding the receptionist farewell, Shepard headed out the door and after setting his luggage down, opened the package. Inside was a CD case accompanied by with a note from its sender.

Thanks for the drinks last night! Something for the trip home!

Reading the note, Shepard then opened the case to find, of course, a CD inside. Reading the text on the face of the CD, Shepard smiled; “The Rockettes”. Bowsette had clearly taken the opportunity to promote her band to a potential fan, and Shepard was happy to oblige.

His facial expression then darkened to a frown however, as he pulled his smartphone out of his pocket with his other hand. Accessing his photos, he then scrolled through those he had taken during the events of the previous day; once more lingering on the photo of the pirate he had first met and the emblem on the pirate's waist; a silhouette of a Kremling skull with crossbones, before dialling a number on his smartphone as he picked up his luggage and headed for the airstrip.

His employer needed to know about this.

1 note · View note