Arlene walked from the forge, allowing herself to skip slightly on the cobblestone road.

  The sun shined down on her still, the villagers were walking around with tired eyes. They made their way to their homes. Lunch perhaps?

  Children had already retired to their house for the time being. Definitely lunch. Though there were some children outside, playing under the cover of a roof.

  Arlene tilted her head barely as she observed her surroundings. The trading halls came to a quiet too, many seemed to be resting.

  The noon sun signalled everyone to rest.

  Arlene rested her arms to her back, under her cape. She walked around with a destination in mind, an eatery somewhere.

  First though, she wanted to make a detour to the stable.

  She could see the teller of the stable exhausted. His face melted under the star’s heat.

  She struck up a conversation, “Is the sun comfortable for you?” her tone’s playful.

  “No…” the teller started scratching the back of his head. “It’s your companion…”

  “Wattyson?”

  Teller sat upright now then leaned back to the cushy chair. Hands resting on his chest.

  “He came here earlier to negotiate your Horse’s fee.”

  “Negotiate?” she raised her eyebrows. “I thought you had a set price for it already.”

  “Yeah I did. Then he came demanding negotiation… through rock paper scissor.”

  Arlene scoffed. Who on Celes’Ira would negotiate like that?

  “You didn’t… do it, did you?”

  Teller groaned.

  “I was in full confidence of myself. No way is that robe nerd going to beat me. I even sworn to it!”

  Arlene playfully tapped her chin with a finger.

  “Let me guess. You lost?”

  “All five rounds. People have habits, right?! They would shake up their decisions to throw people off, right?! HE JUST KEPT THROWING OUT ROCK! YET I DON’T KNOW WHY I FELT COMPELLED TO NOT THROW OUT PAPER!”

  “So… how’s the fee now? How much do we owe?”

  Teller let out a huge sigh.

  “None! None at all! I lost all the rounds and… I’m miffed but I swore to it!”

  He leaned back slightly.

  “Anyway, I assume you’re here to check on Horse right? It’s at the back on the left.”

  “Yes, thank you!”

  Arlene strode along to the inside.

  The stable was well kept and cleaned. A long hall with both sides were vacant slots for horses to stay.

  She travelled till the end and the left. Horse was there just… resting on its belly.

  Horse let out a nicker at Arlene. Its head twirled left and right with its hair flowing. Those smooth hairs.

  “Horse!” she greeted it, hands going out to hug and caress Horse. “When did you get this makeover?!”

  Horse sang out a whinny like it was doing an opera.

  She was petting it.

  “I guess he really took care of you, huh? Sorry I left you for so long… things happened and… well it’s been a busy few days.”

  It nudged its own head to Arlene’s.

  She put on a faint smile.

  “I’m okay.”

  She let out a heavy sigh.

  “We’re leaving tomorrow by the way. This is our last day here.”

  It yelped out a neigh, facing away from her.

  “Huh?! We got to go! You’re not staying here!”

  It didn’t turn back, but it exhaled out snorts.

  She shook her head.

  “Got comfortable here, did you?”

  She gave it one last stroke before leaving.

  “I’ll be back tomorrow alright?”

  It neighed out a short one to her leaving.

  Arlene’s exiting the Stable, intending to ask the teller for recommendation to eatery, but found a small girl with cape outside instead.

  “MISS CHOSEN ONE!”

  A familiar face, waving with a wooden branch? She’s standing on a small reinforced book.

  The teller slumped on the table, slouching and head nested between his arms. Sandwiches unfinished on the plate.

  “WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!!!”

  The chaotic bubble of energy continued her inquiry.

  Arlene took the time to reach her first, then crouch down to her eyes level. The girl stood on a box but it still wasn’t high enough.

  “Just checking on my steed. What are you doing here, Lini?”

  Lini’s eyes lit up like the starry sky. She hopped off the box and threw away her branch.

  “STEED! WHAT’S HIS NAME!”

  “Horse!”

  Arlene said it with such glee. Lini looked… confused.

  “He’s a horse?”

  “Mmhmm! He’s Horse!”

  Lini blanked before returning back to her boundless energy that kids seem to have!

  “WOW!!! CHOSEN ONE WITH HER MIGHTY STEED, HORSE!”

  She raced back to pick up her branch and used it as a pretend horse. She hopped back to Arlene.

  “Are you going somewhere Miss Chosen One?”

  Arlene stood to her feet. Brushing off dirt from her lower cape.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “Call me Arlene, little one.” She rested her hand on her stomach. “I’m feeling peckish right now, know any places to eat, Lini?”

  “Ok, miss Arlene!!” she hopped and twirled around, facing away from her now. “I know a good café!! I brought the sandwiches to Mr.Teller from there!”

  “Hmm? Why?”

  “My dad asked me too!”

  “Does your dad work in that café?”

  “Nope! But I like it there! My dad is the teller’s friend. He said the teller is a workaholic and doesn’t leave his workplace so he sent me to bring him lunch!”

  Lini hopped backward, stubbing the branch at Arlene’s knee gently.

  “Follow me! I am KNIGHT LINI! I WILL LEAD YOU!”

  Arlene gave a soft chuckle and followed the hopping knight.

  The streets there was quiet. Not eerily quiet. It was resting quiet. It was still past noon. Clothes left drying outside on the balcony. Some people moved around with shoulder lowered and yawning.

  Some kids still playing afar, using ball of bamboo to kick around as football. Adults presumably their parents, watching from the inside on their chairs.

  “Have you eat yet, Lini?”

  “KNIGHT! Lini!”

  Arlene bowed down like they were roleplaying.

  “My apologies! Knight Lini! Have you…” she struggled to find words suited for highborn and whatnot. “…partake lunch?” She chose to emulate Wattyson.

  “NAY! KNIGHT LINI HAS NOT EATEN!”

  “Eh? It’s probably an hour passed noon now! Why?”

  Lini spun back to face her, walking backward.

  “Because I was not hungry!”

  Arlene looked to her as she spun back forward. What a carefree girl. How envious.

  Arlene had gone on days before, forgetting how to eat or when to eat. Here’s a small girl deciding not to simply because she’s not.

  Those days were long gone. Perhaps now she could learn to be like that again.

  She tilted her head slightly.

  “Then do you want to eat with me?”

  “MMM!”

  Nini replied loudly, scaring off the birds off the fountain.

  Arlene hadn’t realized they were already at the village centre.

  Nini pointed to the building, situated in a corner.

  “Here! Do you want to eat there?”

  Arlene read the scripts on the store’s front. Celestial’s Café? A strong name.

  “Quite an unusual name, huh?” she pointed out to Lini.

  “Mmhmm! But Lini’s parents always say their foods are to die for! Their foods are divine!”

  “And what do you think little knight?”

  Nini placed a pinky on her chin.

  “I don’t know… their foods too veggie for me! I want meat! Meat! Meat! Meat!”

  She hopped to be beside her now, Arlene’s shadow over her.

  “So are you ready to go in, Miss Arlene?”

  Arlene crossed her arms. Titled her head to her, eyes closed like she was trying to reminisce something.

  “I must confess, Knight Lini. I’ve… never been in a café before.”

  Lini gasped.

  “But you are the chosen one!”

  “Yes… but because of my status, I’ve… always been treated to eat in those you know grandiose type meal,” she paused, tugging her own sleeves. “I never really like those.”

  Nini didn’t pick up on what she said, too young to understand. However, she continued pressing.

  “Then-then, where do you eat when you’re resting on your journey?”

  “Usually it’s Eilifr who arranged the meal for us. I think she called those takeout and we just ate in our room or in camp…”

  “EILIFR! I heard she’s a genius in magic! She’s a genius in taking care of you too?!!!”

  That got Arlene to giggle.

  “Yes… I suppose so.”

  Lini puffed up.

  “Then Knight Lini will show you! How to behave in a café!”

  She grabbed Arlene’s hand and pulled her in with a rush… a rush comparable to a slow stroll.

  Lini’s strength to pull her and brought her along, but it was Arlene’s dictating the phase. Not that the kid would know.

  Every steps she took, she felt lighter. Something that was alien to her. Normalcy.

  The kid came first, pushing the door with all her might. Might as well just kicked the door.

  The bell rang as Arlene walked in. The door closed itself.

  She looked to the counter and see a staff there, unbothered. Lini probably do this on a daily basis.

  Lini led her to the counter, and jumped to grab the menu from the counter. Opening it wide for both to see.

  “This here is a menu!”

  Lini professed while trying to do a scholar impression. Terribly. Her voice was too high.

  “Here is the food! The name! The price! And here’s the size!”

  She pointed lightning fast. A kid excitedly showing someone else what she knew.

  Arlene was able to follow all of them.

  She took the time to read out the menu after Lini pointed out what all of them were. She of course knew what a menu was but couldn’t bring it up to Lini.

  Lini was exasperated and let Arlene have the menu.

  She was reading it while Lini was doing an exaggerated out of breath posture. A staff was tending to her muttering something, “Guiding another hero, Lini?”

  Arlene smiled and stepped to the side as she focused reading to the menu.

  On the menu, she looked over the meals, their names and their pictures.

  GRILLED CREATURE FROM FAR SEA – Just a grilled salmon.

  THE GREENTIDE – A vegetable curry.

  HOODED THREAD – Mushroom Risotto.

  Among many others, very strange name. She was only able to recognize what it was due to the description underneath and the pictures.

  Arlene looked up to the staff manning the counter.

  “May I have the… Layered Salty Meaty Goodies? And the uhh… High Temp Sweet as drink?”

  She had difficulties trying to get the name out. They were just Lasagne and Hot Chocolate.

  The staff replied, already written what Arlene said.

  “May I ask for what portion and size, miss?”

  “I… uhh.”

  The hell is Normal, Big, Desu-Desu, Boulder? They were not something Arlene could quantify and referenced the size properly.

  Normal was normal, sure.

  Big was… well big.

  Desu-Desu sounded like a spell casted on the dish… what would that mean for dish or drink size?

  Boulder was like a dare to people.

  She overheard an order next to her.

  “I’ll have the SCRUMPTIOUS CRUNCHY HEARTY! WITH SALTY BITITY! AND BUBBLY FRIZZY! NO VEGGIE!

  It was Lini.

  Arlene leaned over and saw she ordered a subway, French fries, and a soda.

  “AND I’ll HAVE DESU-DESU SIZE!!! FOR EVERYTHING!!”

  Another staff asked her.

  “Are you that hungry, Lini?”

  “I’m a growing lady! I will be a knight!”

  “Hmm… alright. I will put vegetables in those, even the fries.”

  “NOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHY!!!!”

  “Your father asked us too.”

  Lini fell to her knee, hands rubbing her face like she was betrayed by the world.

  Arlene looked back to the staff attending her.

  “I’ll… have big for both.”

  “Thank you. Will that be all?”

  Arlene nodded. “Yes”.

  “May you please give us your name. We need to call for you when your foods ready.”

  Arlene took a quick breath.

  “It’s Arlene.”

  The staff smiled and showed her the receipt for how much it cost.

  Arlene paid for it then looked to Lini, wondering if she has to pay for the child too.

  Turned out, Lini already did. She was carrying her purse.

  “Hehe! I’m a grown lady, Miss Arlene! I pay for my own food!”

  The two left to find a table. Lini leading her.

  “This here is a good table in café! It has nice view of the village outside from the window!”

  Lini slammed her hand on the table. Multiple times.

  “Let’s sit here!”

  Arlene nodded and quietly slide to her seat. Lini jumped onto her seat, next to Arlene.

  “So…,” Arlene asked, leaning against the window side. “Do they call our name to alert us our food is coming?”

  Lini shook her head.

  “Nuh uh! They’ll call us to pick it up from the counter. A full tray!”

  She looked to Arlene’s closely, to her eyes.

  “Café is different! You go take your foods! No waiters!”

  “Uh..huh” Arlene replied, hand on her mouth as she pondered.

  “Are you… against something like this, Miss Arlene?”

  Arlene was taken back by that.

  “Why is that?”

  “I don’t know. You just… new to this. I hope I give you good café first impression.”

  Arlene gazed down, shaking her head slightly and back to Lini.

  “No no. It’s… I just prefer it this way. I always get tense up when someone show up with my food suddenly you know.”

  This café thing or rather this lunch experience was oddly reassuring for her to think about. Paying for her meal, giving out her actual name, then just going to pick up your tray of meals when your name is called. It felt like she was living.

  Through the window, she could see a group of kids chasing a falling kite between houses. An old woman watching from her porch. People with tools still working on that… mound, returning to work. A fruit vendor yawning while stroking a cat. The world outside was just that. Ordinary and… nice.

  The moment passed for them while waiting for their food. Arlene telling Lini about her Chosen One day with her party members. How Eilifr kept sniffing around for Grimoires. How Lara wasn’t used to interacting with other people outside of the party, and how Harvess would always go alone in the wood and came back with a hunted animal for us to eat. He always boasted about his foraging skill.

  The names were called and Arlene stood up immediately like discipline while as Lini slouched off lazily.

  Arlene picked up her trays of sizzling Layered Salty Meat Goodies and Hot Temp Sweet. Balancing it effortless as she strode to her table.

  Lini on the other hand was struggling with her desu-desu portion. The Bubbly Frizzy might spill.

  Arlene went back to help her.

  “NO! I’M A GROWN LADY! I CAN BALANCE THIS!” Lini took a breath. “Like a knight!”

  Arlene didn’t object, but she did take the Bubbly Frizzy. Didn’t want that to spill.

  It took a considerable amount of time before Lini arrived.

  “Was it worth it?” Arlene asked, already preparing to eat.

  Lini climbed her seat, panting.

  “Yes! This will make my meal must tasty!”

  “Can you even handle all of that?”

  “OF COURSE” Lini proclaimed as she held up the Scrumptious Crunchy Hearty. “I will conquer this meal!”

  Lini took a bite. A big one. The look on her face was of content and fulfilment. Also realization. She forgot the staffs put veggie in it.

  Arlene finally took a bite from hers. The sizzling texture of the cheese and chicken in her fork challenged her to consume it. She did.

  The flavour burst in her mouth. Salty, Sweet and bit of spice. It was also hot. She could feel her tongue’s response to sudden heat stimuli. Too hot. She quickly reached for the water to gulp down.

  Yet she felt it was the most delicious bite she had. All the textures were there. All filled a flavour profile she like in a meal. The heat was there too as it torched her tongue yet she welcomed it. She felt alive.

  While she was enjoying her first and then a few more bites. A turf war has begun.

  Lini quietly shoving veggies like tomato slices, pickles, lettuces and others to Arlene’s tray.

  “Lini… you have to eat your veggie.”

  “No! I’m a knight. I need the meat!”

  Arlene began forking all those discarded veggies back to Lini and it continued with every interval bites of their respective meal.

  It was just an ordinary afternoon for Arlene, but it was a welcoming one.