The Fruit Pub
Love Woes
ElectricCircuslover: I worked on this for awhile. Not as pleased with this as I should be. Probably because it's too short. 4 pages which DA and will make it a lot shorter than that. All well. Wanted to try and further develop Gloria as a character and also give her some of the spotlight as she is a very important character in my little world and will be used more when I get to that point.
The words italic are Richter's translated words from Tatalog to English.
.
.
Enjoy.
It was a late night on the beach of Kokawa Town. Richter's Fruit Bar was busy as usual. Some Experiments sat at tables with large red and white, pie-sliced wedge designed sun-umbrellas outside the somewhat large building. There were only a small sum of Experiments congregating at the long row of leather u-shaped seats with tables in the middle of each row of seats. In the middle of the bar sat round two large round tables white chairs with red cushioned seats surrounding the table. On the right side of the room stood a fancy billiard table with two Experiments playing pool on the red top of the table. The rest of the room on the right was somewhat small between the pool table and the doors leading to the restrooms and storage room. The bar with counter were close to the door. Next to the many shelves against the wall behind counter, a round monitor was stuck to the wall near the ceiling close to the door leading outside, while hula girls danced on the screen. On the left of the television, three columns of shelves with glasses and mugs lined the shelves, as well pictures of Richter and a lot of Experiment in some of the pictures. Next to the shelf stood a large fridge full of different fruit from Carmen's head as well bottled water, yogurt, milk, and cans of different soda. Had a long wooden counter with mugs, a sink, a few blenders, and cash register. Under the counter there were drawers cabinets under them. Against the walls surrounding the rooms, little Christmas lights were taped to the wood walls. Some going around the large speakers at the four corners of the room. The walls also had pictures of the beach and some more Experiments. In the middle of the wall facing the counter, hanged a giant yellow neon-lit pineapple clock with the hour hand on ten while the minute hand between two and three. In front of the counter separating Richter and the rest of the bar, stood round seated black barstools with red leather tops surrounding the front of the counter.
Sitting one of the stools, a purple Experiment with small red rounded horns on top of her head sighed deeply. Her head was a round shape with long ears going down from the side of her head with rounded ends. The skin on her ears were a lighter shade of purple, while her round nose was more of a bluish purple with large nostrils at the lower bottom of the sides of her nose. She had large black eyes that glowed blue near from the outer center of its eyes while its pupils were bright white. The mouth of the alien was long with two bigger triangular rounded teeth sticking out. The Experiment's fur was not very long, with the exception of her chest that was extra fluffy, covered the entire creature's body. Fur from her lower jaw was a dark red going down her neck and making a large heart-shape on her upper body with its shoulders and arms being purple. Its body was very slender with thick digitigraded legs hanging down with blue nails on her three toes in front of the bar stool. Her long purple tail swung back and forth behind her with a large flat black heart attached to the tip.
"You still thinking about him, Gloria?" a fat indigo stegosaurus-like Experiment with long fat tail and triangular slab for an end, inquired.
Gloria kept her head leaning on her hand with elbow on the counter, while the other blue nail on the left four-fingered hand tapped the counter, "Yeah. It's been so long that I've seen him that I'm starting to forget why I fell in love with him in the first place. I'm a girl that loves power but I'm starting to realize that there has to be more to love than just the one thing I love. Last time I remembered Shadow he looked like a spiky, six-armed black alligator creature. I felt like I was the best of the best and figured my abilities could overcome anything. My programming directed me destroy his father and I came close until he bested me. I guess having someone better than me made me feel inferior or something. Perhaps I fell for his sensitively and his timid personality. I mean, Shadow was very powerful but was so sensitive. We did talk a little bit here and there before he left Earth. His personality was just so melancholy that I felt sorry for him. Maybe my emotions are attachment to a person with genuine emotion and not the average male Experiment pig," she growled.
"Ahem" the large Experiment on the other side of the counter pretended to cough on the top of his fist.
"But you, Richter? Always thoughtful and nothing like what I just said," Gloria smiled nervously, "Maybe I should just move on and forget about Shadow. I haven't heard from him in years. I don't know why I cling to the thoughts of us being together. I've pretty much lost all faith I had for his return. Don't even know if he remembers me at all," Gloria sighed.
"If it makes you any happier, Andy told me not long ago that, Shadow, is on the island. However, he also told me that his brother is very reclusive and wishes to be alone. It isn't all bad, Andy mentioned that he is trying to change his brother to be more extroverted or something similar. Andy doesn't come here regularly so I don't know how the process is going right now. On a day off, you could visit Andy and ask him yourself. That's only if you feel you truly can handle what he says," Richter said, cleaning a mug in the sink.
"Wow, I do have a chance then. Doesn't seem like a good one but a chance over all. I can't believe Andy didn't tell me. Normally he tells me everything regarding to Shadow. I guess the reason being I'd be too excited and probably get shot down without even saying, 'I' in 'I love you.' I don't know why I should even care. Shadow will never change. He will always be that introvert I knew when he was seventeen," she made another sigh, "Can I have some orange juice? Wash down my sorrows with a single cup. Maybe I'll get lucky and pass out and never wake up. I don't see the point in even holding a dream if it is never meant to come true."
Richter frowned as he went to open the fridge and grab one of the many glass bottles of orange juice, "You know, Gloria...Dreams are meant for us to think positive for the future. They are to give us a reason to move forward and a reason to work for something. Yeah, not all dreams come true and that is a sad fact, BUT, when they do it's a blissful experience. The problem with dreams and people is that everyone is different or they don't want to share your feelings for it. No two people are the same and some have no interest in settling down or interacting with people. That's not a bad thing but the reality is dreams are fragile, and putting your dreams onto a person with a strong amount of faith in them is a big no-no. Love is a fickle thing and it is a powerful emotion, but it can also mislead you into things you don't want to get into," he said as he poured the orange juice into a glass mug and set it in front of the purple Experiment, "What I suggest you do is visit Andy and ask about Shadow. You must keep in mind that Shadow isn't a fan of change so it will be like reeling in a shark with a small fishing pole. Your dream will require, patience, determination, and flexibility. Don't force your feelings. Start with small chatter, few visits, and gifts from the heart, and there's a chance he'll warm up to you. Can't expect someone to fall head over heels for you overnight. Don't overemphasis your feelings and keep it from going overboard. Ask questions so you can continue exchanging bits of information of you and Shadow. If he doesn't warm up to you the way you want him to, a friendship is just as great. This is just my two cents of information. I never had a woman in my life so take my advice with a grain of salt."
Gloria listened intently to the indigo Experiment as she drank half her orange juice from the glass mug, "I understand what you're saying but maybe I should just give up on this dream and stick to myself. I feel unconfident in my ability to wow him. It really isn't worth the hurt if it turns out that it won't work out between us. If I fell in love with his personality before he left, it's probably dead. I feel helpless when I think about it. It doesn't help that I hardly have any money to give him gifts to show my feelings. I don't even have a real home," she began shedding a tear, "Excuse me, Richter. I don't like crying in front of people. Makes me feel weak."
Richter grabbed a few paper napkins and slid them to Gloria, "I saw on TV sometime ago of a show with a newlywed couple on their honeymoon. The man decided to carry is new wife as the hotel employee struggled to find the key for their room. After five minutes of the wife and husband complaining, the newlywed crossed the threshold but the husband's arms gave out and dropped his fair lady. They fought and such for a short while but in the end they divorced. It was really funny when I first saw it," he chuckled, trying to lighten up the mood.
He frowned, scratching the back of his head when his little joke didn't make the purple and red Experiment smile even the slightest, "Look, I'm not a miracle worker or anything. I'm just a bar tender with a limited amount of knowledge of the inner workings of this island and planet. I started off bad but a human girl named, Lilo, and Stitch found me a place to live. I'm grateful for that. It wasn't a large home, but a small shack on the beach. Lilo showed Mr. Wang that I could be useful and I worked a few years with him. I didn't get paid but it was a home. I then asked around to the other Experiments and Jumba to build me this bar and a little bit before that, Carmen and her alcoholic fruit came into the picture. I dreamed of owning a business and getting successful while I worked for Mr. Wang. This place wasn't possible without connections. If you start with Andy as your first connection and tread lightly around his younger brother, then it might very well work for you too. As I said before and I'll say it again; it takes determination, persistence, and flexibility. It takes awhile to win someone over. Depends if someone is willing to give it a try at all. Don't start off strong. Just start with small chatter. It will pay off if you are very patient."
Experiment Six-Two-Eight wiped her tears away and took a deep breath, "I will try that. Maybe tomorrow I can visit Andy and there might be a possibility he could take me to Shadow. We all could sit at a table and exchange gossip, or tell what is going on in our lives. Might even watch some television together if Shadow has one. These things could help and I would learn more about Andy's brother. I just have to learn everything about him. This might jog my memory to why I even fell in love with him in the first place," the female Experiment said, making a small smile.
The stegosaurus-like Experiment glanced at the large pineapple clock hanging on the wall, "Bar is about to close. You can head to your room and rest now. Night has been pretty quiet today. I'll have your money ready by tomorrow morning. Don't spend it all on hair care products. Your fur isn't out of control so I wouldn't go hog-wild on them."
Gloria smiled and hopped off the seat, "I just like to keep my fur silky fresh and smooth," she pushed the stool and started walking towards the storage room, "Night, Richter," lifting her paw up and put it back down while speaking.
Closing the door behind her after she entered the small room. Sighing deeply while getting on the bed and slammed her face onto the large pink pillow. It was a small room with a few large dressers on both sides of the room. There were toys, figurines, and shampoo bottles on top of the dresser next to the door leaving the room, along with pictures other experiments on stands. The dresser facing the door had more photos and a orange ball incased in glass on top of the dresser. Gloria's bed was a very small bed with red blanket under her. Next to her bed was a little dresser and lamp that had a shape of an mouse wearing red pants with two yellow buttons on it. Her window stood above her bed.
"Hopefully one day I'll have my own home and make a lot of money. Would be nice to leave this island and travel to other places. Don't even know where to start. I'm pretty sure no one would want to bugee bu with a lady that lives in a storage room," she sighed again, looking up at the moon from her window as she was looking up, "O'nala vae, I love you so. O'nala voe, I wish you didn't go," singing before laying her head down and quickly falling asleep.