Yomi removed her shoes before stepping up the low step and onto the floors.I did as she did,removing my still wet leather boots.This took a little longer than her just slipping off her shoes.I had to untie unholy amounts of laces and such.When I removed the offending boots the cool air of the house made my bare feet feel free and refreshed.
I stepped up the low step and followed Yomi into the kitchen.
"Are you hungry?",she asked me in a flat tone.
"Oh,yes quite!",I answered with a little too much enthusiasm.
"Ok,then",she said as she raided the pantry,"I'll make you some noodles.Feel free to use the bathroom if you need to.It's the second door on the left down that hallway"
She freed her head from the pantry for a moment to point down the hallway that led from the right of the kitchen.
"I think I will.",I said and walked down the hallway to the predetermined door.
It was luck that I knew how to use a toilet otherwise this experience may have turned out even more disasterous.
After using the facilities I proceeded back into the kitchen where Yomi was stirring a pot of noodles on the stove.
"Yomi",I said as I pulled my unworking device from my pocket once more.
"Yes?",she said,her bespectacled face turning to look at me.
"Have you ever seen one of these?",I said holding up my blank device.
"What exactly does that thing do?",she said walking over to the table that sat in the middle of the room and sitting in one of the wooden chairs.
I pulled out a chair and sat across from her.
"This thing is what allows me to travel.It's what gets me places and now it's not working and that's a serious issue",I said to her with a solid expression on my face.
She cupped her chin in her hand and rested her elbow on the table.
"You're not really an angel are you?",she said to me.
I was taken aback,but not as much as I would have been if it had been said by any of the other girls.Yomi looked and acted smart.She certainly wasn't dumb.I guess she had seen through my ruse.
"What makes you think that?",I said,evading the question.
She grinned."For one,I don't believe in angels.Two,I doubt divine beings would need a small device to travel.
Three,your actions are far too human,and four,your hesitation on certain things gave you away"
I thought quickly."What about the levitation?',I retorted
"Parlour tricks.",she said,"I've seen magicians do it on T.V"
If people do that shit on television on this planet I dunno where the hell I've been living.
"Well then,",I said to her while pointing my finger,"why in the world did you let me in your house?You yourself said I was crazy"
She just grinned,her chin still resting in her palm."You're an interesting guy,Prior.I believe you're truly lost"
"I am lost...very lost.",I admitted.
She sat back in her chair and a squeak was heard."Where are you from?You obviously don't look Japanese"
"Is that what you are?",I asked,"Japanese"
She nodded in approval.
"Hmm..",I rubbed my nose in thought and decided to tell her the truth."This might sound farfetched,but"
She giggled,"It can't be anything stranger than what I've already heard"
"Well,for one thing...I'm not even from this planet.",I said to her nonchalantly.
A smile crossed her pretty face,"How did I already know that"
"I really need a way out of here!You have no idea!",I said a bit angrily.
"Let me see that thing you have please.",she asked politely.
I reluctantly slid the device across the table to her.She was one of the few people in the universe to have actually touched that thing.I let her see it because I trusted her.I don't know why.I did though.
She twirled the device back and forth in her hands,observing every nuance.She let her glasses slide down her nose to get a better look.
"There doesn't seem to be any seams that could open to access the inside.",she said and slid it back to me.
"Dammit.",I said and laid my head in my arms on the table."I'll be stuck here forever"
Yomi sighed and patted my hand to comfort me."It'll be ok. I'm sure we'll find a way"
"Like hell.",I mumbled.
She scooted her chair away from the table and got up to dish the noodles which were now done.
As she placed the steaming bowl on the table before me she asked,"Do you have any family"
I still sat with my head in my arms."I have a brother.",I mumbled into the table.
"Does he know where you are?Does he even know you travel?",She asked as she sat down.
I sat back in my chair and nodded sadly,all of a sudden I wasn't as hungry.
"Doesn't he worry about you?",she asked in a very concerned tone of voice.
"Of course he does.",I said and stirred the noodles in my bowl.
"Then why do you do it?",she rose her voice to me.
"Cuz I'm lonely.",I answered simply.
"Lonely?Your brother and your friends are there for you.",she said to me.
"Heh..",I chuckled,"My brother is my only friend"
She looked down and twiddled her fingers."I've never had many friends either"
"What do you mean?All those girls I met today seemed to like you"
"Yea...,but..",she hesitated,"Tomo has been my only true friend..I've known her since elementary school"
"I had a friend like that once.",I said and gazed into my bowl of rapidly cooling noodles.
"Where are they now?",she asked.
"In the ground.",I answered cryptically.
"You mean...",her former smile quickly revered itself.
I nodded.No reason to make it vocal.My best friend Hazzor had died the day my home city was besieged.
"Hazzor was my best friend...",I said with a frown,"I guess you could say..I loved him"
Hazzor wasn't well liked.He was a hobgoblin and his race was profiled as a group of savage barbarians and thieves.Hazzor was different though.He was the nicest guy you could meet. We had all sorts of wacky adventures while he was alive.I still miss him terribly.
Yomi gazed down at her own hands,wringing them together."I love Tomo..it's just.." Her voice cracked and it sounded like she was about to cry.
"What's the matter?",I asked standing up and rubbing her shoulder in an effort to comfort her.
"It's nothing.",she said.Her voice was full of emotion."You can sleep on the couch tonight.Let
me get you some blankets.",she said and stood up and walked down the hallway.
I could only wonder what had made her become emotional like that.I let it pass though.Yomi came back carrying a mound of soft looking sheets and such.
"Here.",she said handing me the blankets,"Feel free to watch T.V. or sleep.I have homework to do"
"Alright then.Thanks,Yomi",I gave her a curt smile and haphazardly spread the blankets upon the couch.
When I turned back Yomi had already gone.I shrugged and settled myself on the couch.I was insanely tired. I would have liked to see what sorts of programs were on this planet's T.V.,but I just couldn't keep
my eyes open.My eyelids fluttered and I slipped into a deep sleep.If I dreamt anything,I can't remember it. The sleep was comfortable,at least it was until I was awoken by a vigorous shaking of my shoulders.
I opened my eyes as my head flopped back and forth on my shoulders.As my eyes adjusted I saw the heavily grinning face of Tomo fill my vision.I was about to ask what unholy master had commanded her to wake me when Yomi yelled,"Tomo! I told you to leave him alone!Look,now he's awake"
"Good!",Tomo said and grinned wider,"I wanted to make sure he was asleep and not just...waiting"
"I swear Tomo,you're out of your mind.",Yomi said with a sigh.
"Oh am I?",Tomo questioned,"What if I'M the sane one"
Yomi answered that by a quick pillow smack to Tomo's face."Tomo,go home.It's late"
"Awwww..but I don't wanna.",she whined and sulked.
"Tomo,Prior needs his sleep.Not to mention I need my sleep.",Yomi said with emphasis on the 'I'."We'll see you tomorrow"
"Awww..ok.Don't do anything dirty.",Tomo said with a wink in my direction.I was far,far too tired to even remotely think about doing anything even halfway sexual in nature.
Yomi blushed."Tomo,just go home please"
"Ok,going Miss Whiner-pants.",she said and jumped up on her friend's shoulders.
I saw Yomi turn even redder when Tomo did this.
"Ok,Prior you can go back to sleep once this nut is out of here.",Yomi said,still bright red.
"Get off my back,Tomo."Yomi said and dropped the smaller girl to the floor.
"You ruin all my fun!",Tomo whined.
"C'mon,Tomo.Good night Prior.",Yomi said and turned to walk away with Tomo in tow.
"Yea,nighty Mr.Prior.",Tomo giggled and followed Yomi away.
As my eyes closed once more and I drifted off to sleep the last thing I heard was,
"I'll just copy your homework in the morning then."followed quickly by the sound of a small slap.