Author's note, part uno:
NO ROMANCE! The title will be explained at the end of this chapter.
Again, no reviews, but that's because this is part 2 of 2 for today. Reviews will be kindly accepted AFTER this chapter.
I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!, any of the characters/monsters/etc., any restaurants, any famous recipes, the song "Sweet Sweet Love Magic" (that is owned by Jun Wakita), any landmarks, or any nightclubs. Again, the only thing I own is myself (and I should appear in a chapter or two. . .if Amelda ever wakes up).
Onward!!
---
It was a few minutes before midnight, and Varon still hadn't returned. The shopping center he had gone to closed well before midnight. Raphael was a touch worried. He didn't want to be woken up in the middle of the night by a phone call from anyone. He didn't like it when his sleep was interrupted.
Two of the motorcycles would be ready tomorrow morning. It wouldn't have mattered if all three had been ready when Raphael had requested them; once Amelda fell asleep, nothing short of physical torture woke him up. Occasionally, torture didn't work, either.
Without warning, the phone rang. Raphael picked it up before it could irritate him again.
"Hey Raphael, it's me. Er. . .can you give me a lift? I think the buses stopped running." Raphael heaved a sigh. Varon had gotten lost.
"All right, where are you?" Raphael hoped that Varon had the sense to stay within Honolulu. He didn't feel like making a midnight trip out to Nanakuli, which looked pretty far away on the map the hotel had so graciously provided.
Raphael paused to make sure that he had heard Varon correctly. It was some sort of restaurant that was open 24 hours, but for the life of him, he couldn't figure out why anyone would name a restaurant. . .well, that.
Varon did his best to describe where the restaurant was located. Apparantly, it was located near a school of some sort. Varon might have to wait a while for the calvary to arrive. The name of the school sounded like it could be one of many on the island.
Raphael hopped on the motorcycle he had insisted on renting on the spot. It was nowhere near as awesome as the one back at home, but he couldn't complain. He packed a spare helmet and revved the engine. It echoed nicely in the concrete structure. With a roar, he went to find the lost Doom Warrior.
Though it was fairly late, the streets were still populated by several people. Some folk looked far more decent than others. Raphael did his best to follow the directions he had attempted to memorize. In moments, he was on a fairly large street. Nightclubs lined both sides of the street. He passed a gym to his right. It might be a good place to pass the time. He made a mental note of the gym, and rode on. . .
. . .and nearly collided with a group of kids that had decided to cross right in front of the gym. They couldn't see him glare through his helmet.
While stopped at one of the larger intersections, Raphael took the time to look around. The structure to his left look quite large. Could that be Ala Moana? From Varon's directions, he would need to travel in the opposite direction of the mall.
The street he had turned on wasn't as large as the one he left, but it was still respectable. He passed a dark temple on the left. It didn't seem to be on the list of places of interest (also provided by the hotel). Varon had mentioned a six-lane street that only allowed traffic in one direction. He turned. . .
. . .and nearly collided with six lanes of traffic. With a muffled curse, he turned around and followed the flow of traffic. Fortunately, the six lanes of traffic had been at a dead standstill.
He dodged several cars parked on the right. Horns blared. He ignored them. It felt just like home.
The place he stopped at was indeed open 24 hours, but it looked more like a convenience store than a restaurant. Perhaps Varon had gotten his description wrong.
Raphael entered the store, and immediately wished for his trenchcoat, which he had left back at the hotel. He was surprised that it did not snow within the store. Rows of items, some more familiar than others, lined the shelves. This wasn't where Varon was waiting. To be sure, he walked through the cosmetics section. Varon might have decided to stop off for some cosmetics for his lady love. Raphael knew that he'd find his woman someday. . .just not today.
The air outside felt wonderfully balmy. He restarted his motorcycle and resumed his search.
He decided that he went too far when he saw a copy center on the corner. Varon would have mentioned it, because there were many more of those at home. He turned down a street, and circled back.
The mysterious restaurant was on the right side of the street. Raphael had missed it completely the first time around. The school that Varon had mentioned was dark and empty. The parking lot looked like it could use a fresh coat of asphalt.
Raphael found a place to park well behind the restaurant. He entered, and immediately found himself face-to-face with a waiter. This wasn't the place.
The restaurant's name was right, but where was Varon? Motion caught his eye. Varon waved from a window. A tray of food sat in front of him. Varon motioned towards the right. Raphael had missed the door.
"What kept you, mate?" Varon asked casually. He ate from a cheap-looking container that held the restaurant's logo. A tree sat in the middle of the dining room. It was hardly sanitary.
"Oh, don't bother answering. Try the chili here. It's really good." Raphael took the spare fork he was offered, and took a good look at the chili. It looked like it was regurgitated chili. He took a tentative bite. . .
. . .and five minutes later, he had his own container of chili. Varon smiled mischievously. Raphael didn't care. The chili was indeed good.
"Ya think Amelda will want some?" Varon asked. Raphael shook his head. Varon laughed.
"That's the spirit!" the shorter Doom Warrior exclaimed. Some of the best things in life came in disposable containers.
Raphael's spirit was much lighter on the way back. The Leviathan could wait for its meal for one more day.
---
Author's note, part dos:
"Sweet Sweet Love Magic" is actually a description of the chili. It worked its magic on Raphael quite nicely. The chili isn't necessarily sweet. Don't bother with the bean jokes; they don't apply to this chili!
Varon wasn't paying much attention, because the buses run well past midnight. With food on his mind, it's not too surprising.
The six-lane one-way street does exist, and I've seen someone (NOT on a motorcycle) nearly turn the wrong way on it. The various other landmarks I mentioned also exist.
The copy center is part of a national chain. It's one of the few things in the area that's open past 10 P.M.
The store that Raphael accidentally stepped in isn't too far away from the restaurant. The store does get quite cold at night, for some unknown reason.
Speaking of the restaurant, only those from Hawaii will know where Varon wound up eating. For those of you not from Hawaii, ask about good places to eat chili at midnight. The restaurant's name (which is darned weird, I might add) should come up. While this could count as advertising, the restaurant chain is a local landmark, even if the hotel maps won't show it.
The next chapter will be narrated by Amelda, once he wakes up. If he wakes up before Christmas.