Here is part 2 of the double upload ^^

17.8 – Into the Night

She dreamed, dreamed of a field full of white flowers, she was running alongside a young boy, probably not older than 6 or 7 years, the boy smiled at her and took her

hand. It made her happy, this…this moment it was something precious to her. But who was that boy? His face was washed out like an old photograph…

…the surroundings changed, she was all alone now, looking at a little kitten. The kitten had bright blue eyes and black shiny fur. It watched her for a moment and leapt

in the air…suddenly everything went dark. Finally Akari woke up, bathed in her own sweat.

18.8 – Happy Hour

Akari managed to finish work quickly on Friday and went back to her house to read a bit or to watch TV .Something normal, no tasks for the harvest goddess, no annoying brat, just a nice cup of tea and a good book. As she heard the phone ringing, she cursed herself for being so optimistic.

"Akari? It's Chase. We could really need your help over here at the Brass Bar, Kathy is sick and I can't manage here all on my own and I'm not going to ask Maya for help, I don't intend to poison someone. So…what are you saying? You're going to get paid too."

Akari let escape a little sigh and said that she couldn't possibly refuse, after he asked that nicely and promised to be there in a minute (or two). After a quick change of clothes, she called for Night and rode to town.

The bar was brimming with people, well, brimming for a little town, that is. Akari started to tend to the customers, while Chase mixed the cocktails and prepared some snacks when ordered. "We really make a good team", noticed Akari after a while and was rewarded with a faint blush on Chase's cheeks, which she, oblivious as ever, didn't notice at all.

"I'm really looking forward to tomorrow," Chase mentioned to her while taking her orders for some cocktails. "Me too, especially to the fireworks, it has to look really beautiful with the clear summer sky here on the island. "

"Yeah, but there are some things even more beautiful to look at," said Chase and blushed, only to see a puzzled expression on Akari's face.

"Even more beautiful? You have to show it to me tomorrow, I'm so excited," uttered Akari and smiled at him. Before Chase could say something in reply, he saw Akari turning pale.

"What's the matter, Akari?"

"Gilligan Hamilton is the matter, he just came in and I would never have thought he comes to the bar after work…," said Akari while forcing herself to stay as unaffected as possible.

"Well, seldom. But sometimes he comes to enjoy a "most refined tomato juice", as he calls it.

"So he is awed by your cooking skills Chase? No wonder that you think he's not that bad when he compliments you."

"That's a bit unfair now, and just so you know everyone here on the island compliments my cooking but the only person her I really like is…", tried Chase to finally makr Akari understand, but…

"Akari", interrupted Gil the two of them, while he was stepping in front of the bar. I take it you are assisting Chase today? I would like a tomato juice, please.

"I'll bring it to you in a minute", said Akari and smiled brightly at him.

Gill watched her quizzingly and said, "you sure have mood swings first you tell me to never talk to you and storm out of my office and now your all smiles"…

"It's not that I am especially happy about being all smiles in front of you, but you're a customer and I'm at your service, at least this evening", said the girl still smiling politely.

"Great so I am allowed to insult you without retribution", said Gil smiling mischievously.

Chase interrupted their, not so friendly, conversation and told Gil to let Akari off, if he wanted to have a drink. But for some reason Chase felt really aggravated about the way Gil talked to Akari, so informal and rude. And he watched her the whole time, and from time to time it didn't look like hate… more like regret? Longing?

Since Chase had a short fuse from time to time, he did something stupid…and spiced Gil's tomato juice…..just a bit.

-2 hours later –

"An- ano- another tomato juice", said Gil with a slurred tone and Akari who got a bit suspicious about the composition of the juice grew wary. Vodka…had Gil really ordered this?

After handing out Gil his specially spiced tomato juice she headed over in the kitchen to interrogate Chase a bit. "Chase….I thought you were friends, you and Gil?

"I wouldn't call it friends but he's an okay guy I guess, why?"

" Oh I don't know… to me it seems as if you're making him drunk and I just wonder why," said the girl with an almost angry voice.

Chase looked a bit guilty and said," Well that kind of backfired …he was so rude to you earlier on. Because of that, I spiced his first juice just a bit, but then he ordered another one. I didn't spice it and he noticed the difference in taste…. so he ordered "it has to taste like the first one", so I had no choice right?

He's drunk now, you have to take him home then… , Akari suggested (ordered).

Why so worried about him? He's such a jerk to you Akari, whispered Chase.

But that doesn't mean that it's okay to make him fall drunk off the cliff, right?

Well, when you look at me like that… I'll bring him home later on.

You're the best

Well, that I knew before you told me, said Chase and smirked.

A while later Akari went over to Gil who sat a bit dizzy on his chair using the straw to make bubbles.

"Hey Kari how are you?, said Gil smiling all over his face.

"Kari? Who allowed you to call me that?

Oh don't be such a meanie now, you have such a cute face said Gil slowly leaning over to her.

So close up Akari thought, shuddered and felt like backing away. But then she looked into his eyes which made her look into them even deeper. They were of a rich

bright blue. So beautiful eyes and so friendly, unlike the sober Gil. These eyes ….

Then suddenly things sped up quite a bit. . Gil grasped Akari's shoulders ,embraced her and….gave her a fierce kiss. This led to an uproar in the whole room and made

Luke, Chase and Owen bolt into their direction. Chase reached them first, separated Gil from Akari and hit him straight in the face before anyone could stop him. A

second later Owen and Luke arrived at the site of the happening separated Chase and Gil, who had already been engaged in a fist fight, and held them by their

shoulders. Akari was still frozen in place. Suddenly, she just said "I'm off" and stalked out of the door and into the night without looking back once.