SUN SHORT #1 - Scavenging

Exiting out of the mall, Parker & Quinn are making their way through the parking lot. Quinn’s going back to playing on her 3DS while Parker is still gloating about the win earlier. However, as they walk, Parker gets a call from someone.

It’s The Massachusetts Boy’s third-in-command. Codename ‘Cambridge’.

Parker picks up the phone, “Hey Cammy what’s up?”

“Nothing much, just got done watching the little league game,” Cambridge answers, “How’s the scavenging going Number 7?”

“It’s uh,” Parker says as he tries to think of a lie, “Going well. We actually found a place that we might be able to use.”

“Oh really, and what’s that?” Cambridge asks.

Parker takes a look around and sees that they’ve walked into the northern district, and he spots a peculiar store. It’s a small run-down store with cracked windows, the smell of old furniture, and graffiti sprayed all over the entrance.

Seeing how great of a target it is, Parker answers, “The Starlight City Bookstore.”

SUN SHORT #2 - Clearly Has Some Favorites

“Here’s your order of chips and salsa,” Mesto groans, “As usual.”

He sets down the chips and salsa at a table with Ronnie, Alex, Marcus, & Elizabeth. Mesto then limps his way over to the cash register before letting out a loud sigh.

“Hey, is it just me or does Mesto seem a bit grumpy?” Ronnie asks as he eats some chips.

“Maybe it’s because today’s a slow day,” Alex suggests.

However, Mesto’s whole mood is changed when the front doors to the restaurant open and two people walk inside. The first is Timothy McGee, who is sporting a black hoodie, gray shorts, and red sandals. The second is Thomas Dolby, who is wearing a beige hoodie with blue and red stripes, black sweatpants, glasses, and foam runners.

“Tim! Tom!” Mesto says in delight before he daps the two up, “How’ve you been man?”

“Oh we’ve been fine, just working,” Tim replies, “You got the to-go order?”

“Yep, and I added a few extra tortillas. Don’t worry about the check, they’re on the house,” Mesto responds as he hands Tom a to-go bag.

“Really? Thanks, man, this is why you’re the best!” Tom says before paying Mesto, “We gotta go bowling again sometime.”

“That’s what I’ve been saying!” Mesto laughs, “I’ll see if maybe Ivory can come with this time.”

“Sweet,” Tim says as he and Tom begin to leave, “Take care, man!”

“You too!” Mesto states.

As Tim & Tom leave, Ronnie looks at the other 3 miracle clinic members there.

“Did we all just see the same thing?” Ronnie questions.

“How’s he so nice to them but not to us?” Elizabeth asks.

“Y’know I could go bowling with them if they just asked,” Alex states, “I’m the best at the Wii version.”

Mesto, doing a complete 180, walks over to their table very grouchy and refills their chips and salsa before heading back to the front counter.

However his mood returns to being delighted when Crunch & Suzy Dark walk in. Mesto & Crunch perform a 20-step secret handshake while Suzy pays for the to-go order.

“Wow you sure memorized that whole thing,” Suzy says impressed.

“Well you know what they say,” Crunch begins to say, “What happens at the Summer Jamboree…”

“Stays in the jamboree!” Mesto finishes before the two laugh, “Man that was almost as fun as that night at The Mayflower!”

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

“I think they banned the use of caramels there because of us!” Crunch yells as he and Suzy leave.

After they leave, the four at the table go back to whispering to each other.

“How does he know Crunch?” Marcus whispers.

“What the hell is a Jamboree? And The Mayflower?” Elizabeth questions.

Mesto, very uninterestedly, walks over to the group and pours them some water before walking back to the register. However, when Ivory Dutchingson enters to make some deliveries, Mesto is delighted. As the two chat, Mesto gives her a farewell kiss before she has to leave.

Ronnie, Alex, Marcus, & Elizabeth look at Mesto absolutely confused.

Mesto seeing this, asks, “Is there a problem?”

“Yeah, how come you’re so happy with them and so upset with us!” Alex asks.

“Well Ivory’s my girlfriend, but as for the others,” Mesto explains, “They actually tip me.”

“Oh,” Ronnie, Alex, Elizabeth, & Marcus realize.

“And they actually order stuff that isn’t free,” Mesto adds.

“Oh,” Ronnie, Alex, Elizabeth, & Marcus realize.

“....you’re still not gonna tip me today, are you?” Mesto asks.

The group of four falls silent, yet their silence is far more telling than any answer they could have given.

SUN SHORT #3 - Night Jog

The full moon illuminates the empty streets of Starlight City in a blue glow. There’s barely a sound to be heard from the streets; almost all stores have closed, no cars are driving by, and there aren’t even any stray cats walking around. The only noise on the street is a young man going on a nightly jog.

The man is none other than Starlight's Brightest Boxer; Tim-Tom Pitt. The young man is wearing a white t-shirt, red sweatpants, and beige high-top shoes. As he’s running he can’t help but think about everything; his sister Tammy, the man who took her from him, him almost losing his rematch against Li-Wei, his father being in prison, and how despite it all… he’s still no closer to answers then he was back then.

After exhausting himself, Tim-Tom sits down on the sidewalk, sweat dripping down his face as he takes a look up at the starry night sky. As he sits there, he feels something cold pressed on his neck. Tim-Tom jolts up before turning to look behind him to see that someone placed an ice-cold water bottle on his neck.

The person who’s holding it is Sally Everst, the owner of a nearby tattoo parlor.

“You’re looking quite parched sweetie,” Sally says.

Tim-Tom takes the water bottle and says, “Thanks.”

As Tim-Tom drinks the water, Sally sits down next to him.

“So, what’s a kid like you doing up so late?” Sally asks.

“Just training,” Tim-Tom replies.

“Training for what?”

“Nothing in particular, just needed to clear my head.”

“And is that working?” Sally questions.

Tim-Tom is silent, he finishes the water bottle before tossing it behind him. The bottle flips in the air before landing perfectly in the recycling. Sally and Tim-Tom look back impressed at Tim-Tom’s perfect throw before they go back to chatting.

“Y’know, I’ve seen some many strange tattoos in my time,” Sally remarks, “There’s this one guy who came in all ecstatic, and you wanted to know what he asked for? Me to tattoo two bumblebees kissing with a heart behind ‘em. I’ve drawn weirder stuff so I did it and then that’s when he told me what it was for.”

“Which was?” Tim-Tom asks.

“Some girl he wanted to ask out,” Sally chuckles.

“Really?” Tim-Tom laughs, “Did it work out for him?”

“No of course not,” Sally responds, “He came back crying the next day, begging for me to remove it. I had to tell him we had to wait about 2 months before we could even remove it.”

“Yeah, at least he was able to get rid of it eventually,” Tim-Tom says.

“Yeah, though unlike tattoos, there’s some things in this world where once you do them, you can’t take 'em back,” Sally says, “Stuff that’ll live with you for the rest of your life.”

Hearing that, Tim-Tom goes silent before saying, 'Well, I already got much to live with for the rest of my life, what’s one more thing?’

Tim-Tom stands up, and begins to walk away.

However he stops as Sally stands up and calls back to him, “If things ever get too rough out there, just know you’ll always have a home here.”

Tim-Tom falls silent for a moment before beginning to say, “Thanks ma’am, it really means a lot.”

Tim-Tom looks back to Sally and with a pained smile he remarks, “But this was her home more than it was ever mine.”

Sally remains silent as Tim-Tom returns to his jog. Eventually she finds herself returning to her parlor, and once again the streets of Starlight City return to its usual nightly silence.

SUN SHORT #4 - Generational Differences

The teacher’s lounge at Starlight High is bustling as Amnestor pours himself a cup of coffee from the coffee machine. The school day has come to an end so most of the teachers and faculty are in there chatting amongst themselves.

The gym teacher, Jolyne Joggers, is explaining her course regimen to the math teacher, Wilsten Jefferson. The biology teacher, Sam Penningebrg, is congratulating the culinary teacher, Zesti Champion, on the successful new business venture with the Dawnbreak Dance Studio. X Locke is also there sipping on some apple juice.

However, the energy in the room would change as another member of the faculty would enter.

“I was wondering when you’d get back,” Amnestor says, “Good to see you, Ray.”

The teaching assistant, Ray Ramirez, walks into the room fully. He’s a very tall, Hispanic man with long black hair, amber eyes, an extremely muscular physique, and animal tattoos covering him from the neck down. He’s wearing a navy blue hoodie, white cargo pants, and black flip-flops.

“Ugh, can’t you follow the dress code?” Jefferson groans, “And tie up that disgusting mop of yours!”

“Hey old man, your hairline is receding so fast it should be against the Geneva Convention, but you don’t see me complaining!” Ray groans.

“Why you little!-” Wilsten begins to say but gets cut off.

“Heard you had to fill in for a teacher at Seastar until they found a replacement, how did it go?” Zesti asks.

“Good for the most part,” Ray says, “I know most folks here hate Seastar but they all were pretty easy to teach and we could easily relate to each other.”

As Ray continues to talk with the rest of the teachers, Amnestor hears the words ‘relate’ over and over again in his head. Once the conversation has died down, Amnestor walks over to Ramirez.

“Hey, Ramirez,” Amnestor begins to ask, “I need your help with something.”

“Sure what is it?” Ray asks.

“How do you relate to the students?” Amnestor asks.

See You Next Chapter!~