Diary of a Legendary Lugia [Complete Series]

ii. A Dude Made Of Dust

We finally made it! That taxi ride felt like forever, my wings are practically screaming at me. Mum thinks I'm exaggerating, but she doesn't know the struggle. Anyway, as soon as we stepped out, I whipped out that equipment list. And boy, is it long! First stop? You guessed it, a bookstore. Like, seriously? Could they be any more cliché? But hey, gotta do what we gotta do.

***

This bookstore is straight out of a time warp. I mean, dust everywhere, shelves looking like they've never seen a duster. And then, out of nowhere, this ancient Ho-oh appears. Dude looked like he's been around since the beginning of time, wearing these faded librarian robes. Creeped me out, to be honest.

"You fellas lookin' for books?" He croned, in a voice that unsettled me immensely.

Mum took charge, thank Arceus. She went on and on about why we were there while I stood there feeling like a third wheel. The rest of their conversation, I didn't hear, since I had strayed down a library alley and was glancing at the vast assortment of book titles, trying to determine which ones would possibly hint at anything about the school.

A cake baker’s guide to fondant…Learning Galarian in 30 days…How not to die, by Lion Barbecues…

"I'd advise getting that one, if I were you." A positive sounding voice came from right behind my back. I jumped back, startled, to see a Ho-oh, much younger than the librarian. "You never know when you'll need it." He shrugged.

"Uh. Okay?" I said. "Forgive me for asking, but, why are you here?"

"What, in a bookshop? I'm terribly sorry, does that violate the rules of personal space?" And then he started to do an abysmal impression of a posh accent, that was so bad I almost found it funny. "One shall not be within the same room as at least one other person from another family, for personal space reasons and fear of contamination -"

"No, no, It's - alright, yes, you can be in the bookshop." I stammered. Hello? Where did all my confidence go? "What I meant was - why are you here? Like, right behind me?"

The boy sniffed in a fake indignant fashion. "Well, I was going to pick up that book you are ever so conveniently standing in front of."

"Oh! Sorry." I grasped my arm and moved out the way sheepishly. He waved his hand.

"Pshaw, it's fine, I can get it later. I literally live above here."

"You do? With that crusty old man?" I said, with a level of shock. The boy raised an eyebrow in response, and stuck a hand on his hip.

"That crusty old man happens to be my father."

"O-oh! Oh, Arceus, uh, I'm so sorry, I didn't-"

He then broke out into laughter, not gentle chuckling or giggling - it didn't seem like that was a possible option for him, ever - full on guffaws.

"I'm only joking, it's fine. I know he's a little ancient and mildly decrepit. Honestly, you should see the jobs he makes me do. Cleaning, organising..."

"Um." I said, looking around sceptically at the dust covered shelves and unlabeled book spines. My voice was finally starting to return. "Forgive me, but this doesn't look very clean. Or organised, come to think of it."

"Oh no, his son's a very inadequate cleaner." He joked. "You should ask him, he can go on for hours about it."

Then mum calls me away to help carry these books. Just as we were starting to talk. Bummer. But guess what? He shows up at the checkout seconds later! We exchange more awkward conversations, and I manage to ask his name without sounding like a total dork. Score one for me. Turns out, he's Cynder, and I'm Silver. Friendship potential? Definitely. And get this, since Cynder's dad is stuck at the library, he's tagging along with us for the rest of the shopping. Talk about luck!