Luan didn't know what to do. She was filthy, hungry and she was staring at a stranger. It was too much for her, she began crying heavily, wishing she was back home. She expected that the boy would leave her alone but surprisingly he didn't. Instead he looked worried as he tried to comfort her.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!" The boy said searching in his pockets for something. "Are you okay? There, there. It's all right." He gave Luan's hair a gentle stroke. "It'll be okay." He said as he handed her a handkerchief.
Luan used the handkerchief to wipe her eyes. Somehow the boy seemed to calm her down but why was that? And how come he was helping her? It didn't make sense. For a while, the only sound was the music playing through the fairgrounds.
Luan picked herself up and put the handkerchief in her pocket. She had to keep moving or Lincoln would find her and drag her home. "Thanks but I must be going." She said kindly to the boy. "Come on Mr. Coconu-" Just then she noticed that Mr. Coconuts wasn't on her hand! She screamed in horror, searching frantically for her dummy. "Mr. Coconuts? MR. COCONUTS!" Luan must've dropped him while she was getting pushed about in the crowd. But there was no way she was going back there!
"Looking for this?" The boy asked. Luan turned around and that the boy had her dummy on his hand. "What the- " she stuttered as she was given back Mr. Coconuts. "You dropped that dummy when you were getting pushed around out there." He said. "Sorry that you had to go through that." Luan stroked Mr. Coconuts' head in a loving way. "It's ok." She said. "I'm used to getting pushed around." The boy looked at her surprised. "Really?" He asked. "Must be hard for you then." Luan shrugged. In a family as big as hers, fights happened all the time. It wasn't that unusual, at least to her. Luan chuckled in her head as she remembered some of the fights she had with her siblings. Some of those things that caused the fights were ridiculous, like someone eating the last ice-cream sandwich. But then she remembered why she was on the run. She had to get moving or if Lincoln caught her... well she didn't want to think about it. She had to get out of here. and fast. "Thank you for finding him." Luan quickly said to the boy. "But I really must be going." Before the boy could say anything Luan quickly disappeared. He shook his head. I wonder what's eating her? he thought.
Luan shook her head as she walked away. She knew she had no time to distracted. But that didn't mean she couldn't look around the stalls and attractions. Besides she was hungry. No harm in finding something to eat while she was at it. Soon she heard another voice call out from a attraction that looked like a dunk tank. "Step right up and win a ruby! Hit the target! Dunk the chump! 3 balls to a customer." The voice came a young man who had a sharp smile and was dressed like a student. Luan thought he looked like was a weasel.
The man up on the diving board looked like he'd rather be doing something else. Luan grimaced in horror. The face of the man reminded her of the permanent frown on her brothers face. She always hated grumps, especially her old neighbour Mr Grouse. But this man made being yelled at Mr Grouse look like a sunny day.
Just then the man on the diving board went splashing down into the tank. "We have a WINNER!" The weasel-like man cheered as he went to the lucky carnival-goer. "Congratulations my good sir! Please step to the side to collect your prize." Luan scoffed. The dunk tank was reminding her of the April Fools shenanigans she used to do. "Mr. C? do me a favour and remind me NOT to do this to my family next Pranksmas." She told Mr. Coconuts. The dummy nodded to her. She was about to move on when the weasel-like man called out. "Ah, young lady! You look like someone who thinks she's feeling lucky. So are you a man or a mouse?" "Neither." Luan muttered trying to move away. She would've made a joke if she wasn't focused on her brother. What could've made such a nice boy like Lincoln turn bad? Suddenly the weasel-like man was right next to her. "Oh come on! I don't bite." Then he sniffed Luan and gagged. "Phooey! Have you by any chance heard of a bath?" "It's a long story." Luan groaned. To tell you the truth, nobody in the Loud House have had a bath in a long time (apart from Lincoln). It was just another act of her brother's acts of cruelty. Speaking of Lincoln, she knew he would be onto her and then... Well, she didn't want to think about it. She knew she had to leave before she was her brother's prisoner. Again. But the weasel-like man wasn't letting her go. "Wait!" He said. Luan groaned in annoyance. Couldn't some people learn to take a hint?! But before she can protest a voice sounded from behind her. "Come on Sylvio. Give the girl a break will ya?" Somehow, the boy had followed Luan from between the tents! Luan was stunned. How did he do that?
"Oh come ON Yuya!" The weasel-like man snapped at him. "Can't a guy make an honest living for himself?!" The boy rolled his eyes, clearly unimpressed by the weasel-like man's act. "You looked like you were harassing her." Luan tripped to slip away but the weasel-like man grabbed her by the wrist. "I was just trying to get her to have a go at the dunk tank!"He said with what looked like a fake smile. Liar, Luan thought. Luckily the boy didn't buy it either. "Just let him go Sylvio." He said. The weasel-like man scoffed. "Sure I'll let her go." He said calmly. "If you can beat me." "So it's a duel you want?" The boy said, his tone dead serious. "You couldn't beat me even if you tried Sylvio." Luan gulped. This was not how she wanted this to go. But before she could say anything, the weasel-like man snickered. "I accept your challenge!" He said bravely. "Let's settle this at the duel stadium with our cards!" "Mind if it's tomorrow?" The boy asked. "Doing my dueltaining today has left me feeling pretty tired." Luan was confused by what he meant by that. What was dueltaining? And what did cards have to do with dueling? "Fine by me." The weasel-like man scoffed. "You couldn't beat my legless mermaid." He pushed Luan at the boy who caught her. "I'll teach you to make a fool out of me, Stinky." he hissed at Luan as he walked back to his stand.
Luan's stomach growled louder than she ever heard it. The boy happily handed her a corn dog. "Here." He said, smiling. "You like you need this more than I do." Luan happily took a bite. It wasn't her typical breakfast, but then again this wasn't a typical day. "You look like you're enjoying that." The boy said, smiling. "I am." Luan said. "I haven't had much to eat today." The boy looked surprised by this. But then he noticed Luan was smiling while she savoured the flavour. "So, uh, this is your first time in Paradise City huh?" He asked. "Is it that obvious?" Luan replied. "Well, you do kinda stand out." The boy said before gulping and clearing his throat. " I mean, uh, allow me to be the first to welcome you." He extended his hand. "I'm Yuya Sakaki, by the way." Luan shook his hand. "I'm Luan." She said. Yuya smiled at her. And Luan thought things might begin to get better.