Lily and The Cardinal

Dreams Do Come True

Even at such early hours of the day, Town Hemera was buzzing with all forms of life.

Everywhere you looked people were out and about.

Tadashi being one of them.

His eyes scan the lively city he's come to have a soft spot for after the many long years he's lived in Twyla.

His parents would often take him down here to simply stroll around the legendary Cardinal fountain parked right in the heart of Hemera's Square.

He would gawk at the stunning concrete bird and wonder at the sparkly water spewing from its beak.

Town Hemera was well known for its beauty, and it was obvious why.

Unlike the rocky pebble paths in Twyla, all of Hemeras pavement was made entirely of brick.

The red streets beautifully contrasted with the sturdy white stone made buildings placed in every direction.

Crowned with warmly lit active streetlights and healthy greenery hanging from nearly every store.

Hemera was without a doubt Tadashi's favorite habitat.

Not only Tadashi's but his butterflies as well.

Honey excitedly flapped his big wings and flew in circles around Tadashi's hair like a custom halo.

While Cyber and Freckle who are already used to this scene peacefully rest on Tadashi's shoulder as he went on to walk along the homey path.

He quietly hums a soft tune to himself as he veers a sharp corner.

Suddenly becoming focused on a lady across the street who he recognized as a frequent visitor at The Kissin' Bar.

"BRING THAT BACK!"

"I'd rather not!"

Approaching at full speed straight in Tadashi's direction was an unidentified man dressed in all black from head to toe.

In the man's arms was a gigantic slab of meat that was nearly the size of his entire torso.

Tadashi barely has time to react before the man is slamming hard right into his side.

Cyber, Honey, and Freckle rapidly fly into the air while Tadashi is completely knocked to the brick pavement with the mystery man.

"Ow! What are you made of? Steel!?"

The man angrily sneers.

"Excuse me asshole, you're the one who crashed into me!"

But Tadashi angrily sneers right back.

"Shut up."

The man deliberately puts his weight down on Tadashi's collarbones and uses him as a way to push himself back onto his feet.

"BRING THAT MEAT BACK!"

"You can have it back when you catch me!"

Tadashi lays there stunned while the man picks up the bloody hunk of meat and hoists it over his shoulder.

Then as soon as he arrived he was gone, fleeing like the wind towards the opposite direction.

"Damn he's quick! Second time this week that psycho has taken my meat!"

The raging butcher's hairy fists were gripped tightly onto his black apron.

He stood still in his place and watched the thief's back as he ran further and further away with his goods.

While the butcher was distracted, Tadashi rubs at his chest where there was surely a fresh red mark from that jerk using him as a balancing board.

Although getting tackled to the ground certainly brought a surprise to Tadashi's day, the most unexpected shock was the familiarity of the man's voice.

It was evidently masculine. Although deep in tone, the man's speech had a bit of a calm raspiness to it that Tadashi had to admit. It was pretty hypnotizing.

"Hey, kid are you alright?"

"No."

The butcher looks troubled by the freckled boy's afraid expression.

He bends down to offer his hand to the fellow but Tadashi's social awareness is elsewhere.

He leaps back up from the ground and bolts past the startled butcher.

Never once stopping to rest until Kissins' deep wine-colored logo comes into view.

The second his hand reaches the rusty handle he about yanks the worn-out door off its hinges and slams it closed behind him.

Grateful to find that no customers are there yet, Tadashis sweaty back sticks to Kissins' wall as he slides down to the tiled floor.

Holding his head in his hands Tadashi groans.

"There's no way."

He roughly grips the sweaty strands of his hair and thinks of the time just last night where he heard that voice appear in his mind.

That voice undoubtedly belonged to-

"Yamaguchi!"

Tadashi's butterflies who had re-attached themselves to his chest go into a defensive manner.

Creating a protective barrier with their wings around Tadashis neck like a necklace.

"Why we're you late!?"

Tadashi's short-tempered boss pounds his angry fists against the nearest table.

His pointy Nymph ears twitch from hostility while glaring at the freckled boy.

"I'm not paying you to rest. Stand up, Weed."

Tadashi obeys his order, gradually dragging his back up against the greasy wall to come face to face with his boss' odd minty green skin.

Ever since the first day Tadashi stepped foot in this vermin-infested restaurant, he knew that he and this filthy man would have unpleasant tension with each other.

"Oh, I apologize, would you prefer me to show up early and catch you and Mrs. Thisbe devouring each other in the supply closet?"

Tadashi internally cracks up at his Boss' classic agitated eye twitch.

"Keep that mug of yours in check boy, or else I'll force something you won't enjoy inside."

At that, Tadashi's inner festivities instantly deflate.

"If you dare touch me, I will inform your wife of the dirty acts you perform with your employees."

A raging Tadashi purposefully bumps shoulders with the green Nymph and marches towards the flight of stairs leading up to the bar area.

He roughly grips the rail and stomps up every stair in hopes that maybe he'll obliterate one.