Chapter 53-Rocky Eats, Part Two
"What a jackass…" Khione grumbles as she storms away from Rocky Eats, "I didn't even get to enjoy a meal…"
"Gaia is horrible…" Mary sighs, "How can someone like HIM be related to Noah…"
"Man, you guys sure are harsh!" Ana chuckles awkwardly, "I don't even WANT to know what you guys were saying about ME."
"Well you were an asshole, too," Khione replies as she turns and peers over her shoulder towards Ana, "Well…still are."
"Jerk…" Ana grumbles as she turns away from Khione.
"I can't believe we climbed an ENTIRE mountain JUST to have to climb back down now…" Old-Man F sighs.
"And we didn't get to eat," Ana frowns as she rubs her stomach, "I'm starving…"
"Oh, actually, there's a motel nearby!" A small voice chimes in, "So you guys can spend the night, rather than having to climb down the mountain!"
"Oh yeah, Mary?" I ask, "Good thinking!"
"Um…that wasn't me," Mary replies.
"Huh…?" I ask as I turn to where I heard the voice, seeing our tour guide from before standing in the middle of our pack.
"AH!" I yelp as I stumble backwards, "When did you get here?!"
"Just now!" The tour guide answers.
"So…what's this about a motel?" Old-Man F asks.
"And what IS a motel?" Khione asks.
"It's like a house that someone owns that they let you spend the night in!" The tour guide explains, "That way, you guys don't have to climb back down the mountain!"
"I don't know…" Khione sighs, "I'm not really in the mood to hang out around here anymore…"
"They have great room service!"
"I'M IN!"
"Great, well the motel is just over yonder!" The tour guide says as they turn and point into the distance, where a long wooden cabin lays.
"Thank you," I reply, and the five of us head towards the motel.
"UGH, is THIS it?" Khione asks once the five of us are standing outside the motel, which is suuuper gross, and rundown, and decayed. Flies are buzzing all around it.
"Whatever, I'm starving," Ana says as she pushes past Khione and enters the motel, and the rest of us follow.
Upon entering the motel, we're greeted by a very greasy looking bellhop, with huge, dark bags under their eyes.
"You need a room?" The bellhop yawns.
"Err…yeah, one with room service," I answer.
"That's gonna cost you," the bellhop grumbles.
"Ana," I say, "Team Noah's Treasurer."
"Right," Ana replies as she reaches into her bag and pulls out a handful of gold coins.
The bellhop's eyes light up.
"R-right this way!" They stammer as they begin leading us deeper into the motel, then into a large dining room with a set-up table standing in the center.
"Take your seats, someone will be with you shortly," the bellhop hastily orders, then hustles away.
And so, the five of us take a seat at the table, where we order and are served delicious piles of food.
And so, our conversation resumes over dinner.
"How about Gaia, huh?" Khione grunts as she rips a mouthful of meat off a bone, "What an ass, huh?"
"I can't believe Gaia won't join the team…" Mary says as she sadly stares at her plate.
"You said the same thing about Ana," I reply, "And YOU didn't join at first either."
"I didn't NEED to join unlike those two!" Mary pleads.
"Meh," Old-Man F shrugs, "We needed a healer as much as we needed the other elements."
"So what are we doing about rooms?" I ask, "Girls and guys, same as always?"
"I am NOT sleeping with HER!" Khione and Ana simultaneously snap before turning away from one another and crossing their arms.
Old-Man F and I sigh.
"Sooo…who's sleeping with Old-Man F, and I?" I ask.
"Eww, gross!" Ana snaps, "I am NOT sleeping with guys!"
"Same here!" Khione adds as she slings an arm around Mary, causing the small girl to flinch, "I'll stay with Mary!"
Old-Man F and I sigh again.
"Three rooms it is…"
And so, after finishing dinner, and paying the bill in whatever gold we stole from Gambino, we buy our rooms, and the five of us head off to bed.
"What do you think Khione's problem is with Ana?" I ask Old-Man F as I fold my arms behind my head and flop backwards onto my bed.
"Not sure," Old-Man F answers as he lays down as well.
"You don't think it has to do with Ana not wanting to join the team at first, do you?" I ask.
"Nah, no way," Old-Man F answers, "That's been resolved. Gaia MUST have a good reason for not wanting to join the team, just as how Ana did."
"Right…" I reply, "What…DO you think Gaia's reason is?"
"I don't know, and I have no way of knowing," Old-Man F answers, "We can only hope that -just like Mary and Ana- there is something that we could help Gaia with, that'll allow him to join the team. And also hope that Gaia really isn't just an asshole who hates humanity."
"Oh well!" I then exclaim as I turn over in bed, "No use thinking about it now! Goodnight!"
"Goodnight," Old-Man F groggily replies as he turns over in bed as well.
Silence…
"MAN I HAVEN'T SLEPT IN A REAL BED IN A LONG TIME…!"