New year stroll

- Hey Arkadina! Get the fuck out of your bed; it's the first day of a brand new, whole fucking new year!

   Abigail shook the bed as violently as an earthquake. With lots of energy and a voice that's louder than a speaker, she pulled Arkadina out of her peaceful sleep. Without barely any consciousness, she opens her eyes slowly to see a piece of very colorful clothing right in front of her eyes. What is that clown doing here in the morning? And what is so important that it makes her run from Sanctuary to Tougata, where Arkadina is staying? She uncomfortably pushes Abigail to the side, rubbing her eyes when the new day's rays of light enter the room. The curtain has been opened, revealing very beautiful weather outside. If she's not in a very unsightly look right now, Arkadina would not be that pissed off. No one could blame her for the messy hair, sleazy sleeping clothes, and bags under her eyes. She would never want to get in front of her allies with this appearance.

   Arkadina grabs a clock and looks at the time on it. It's 6 a.m. She threw the clock at Abigail's head, then fell to her bed again.

- What are you doing at this time and in my room? What do you want?!

   Abigail catches the little clock and puts it on the desk nearby.

- I  already told you, sleepy worm. It's a new year! You should get up and hang out; I brought Elena!

   Arkadina's eyes open wide.

- Elena? Really? So where is she?

- Dumb ass, you already know her and what she might be doing here! She's out there making breakfast and waiting for you, Sloth, to get the fuck up.

   Abigail answers it like they were even close. Arkadina never likes that, but she knows it means nothing to lecture this wild clown. So without any energy from the bombastic start of the day, she got out of the bedroom.

   Just like that clown said, Elena is silently preparing breakfast in her tiny kitchen. Arkadina walks toward her while combing her hair.

- Hello, Elena! I'm glad you swung over!

   The submissive girl was a little bit startled, then she turned around and saw Arkadina. She looks very happy when she smiles brightly and opens her arm. They have a quick greeting hug before Elena sneakily looks at Abigail, who watches them from the bedroom.

- Um, I'm sorry if Abi is bothering you. I don't mean that; at first, I only wanted to bring her along for some fun. Um, you know, she lives in a busy city after all; maybe that's where she learned all these geeky behaviors and stuff.

- Ugh, yeah, she does bug me, but I won't mind; I do need to wake up either. But not that way; I prefer not to be seen in a messy puddle when I get out of bed.

   Cleaning the hair that fell off while combing, Arkadina drops it into the garbage bag. Elena is cutting an apple. Along with pear, watermelon, dragon fruit, and cantaloupe cubes, she puts the apples in and pours milk over them. The way she prepares a healthy, light meal is just like that of a mother. As quick as she has been, Elena finishes the final step of adding some sprinkles and places three bowls on the dining table in the middle of the kitchen. Abigail was sitting there from the start, scrolling something on her phone. Arkadina knows to keep this peaceful; she shouldn't talk with this loud chatterbox.

   But it fails; Abigail finishes her bowl in a blink. Then, still scrolling, she asked.

- Hey! What should we do to celebrate the new year? That means we have a day off to do anything.

   She got closer to the other two, showing them a list of fun things to do. Elena seems interested, but Arkadina only answers shortly.

- A day off? I want to go to bed.

   It's so obvious that she has been lacking sleep recently. All three of them have jobs to keep them alive in this new world, and Arkadina's profession as a scientist leads her to sleepless nights. To her, a day off means a day where she can sleep freely. Abigail's work as an entertainer couldn't understand that.

- Come on, there's only one day that all of us can have no work. Hmm, I see lots of fun places in Tougata, isn't it? Let's try some boat rides; this is the mangrove area, right? I've never seen those big trees in my whole life! Can't you agree, Elena? Those are local travel services; the information here says it. Those won't be expensive! Isn't it amazing?

   Elena and Arkadina couldn't say anything as Abigail continued to be a chatterbox and listened to no one. They exchange glances. Elena seems sorry for bringing Abigail over, while Arkadina looks very bothered. Finally, she gave up and said,.

- Whatever, clown. Just this time, then don't ever bug me with these stupid things again! I don't care about new years or such. It's just basically Earth finishing a turn around the sun and done!

   Abigail looks stunned by how pissed Arkadina looks, then she quickly stands up. Elena looks more than worried, ready to pacify them if they ever have an argument. People said having fights at the start of the year would bring bad luck for the whole year. Gladly, they didn't fight, but it gives her some goosebumps. Abigail decides to wipe out the tense atmosphere by pulling Elena out of the house for a walk down the street to clear their minds. The water area is pretty far from there, so this walk is to reach where they decide to have fun too. As they stroll down the street, Elena breaks the silence and says,.

- You know, Arkadina, I used to think the same way as you about New Year's. But as I've grown older, I've come to appreciate the symbolism behind it. It's not just about the Earth completing its orbit; it's a chance for us to reflect on the past year and set intentions for the year ahead.

   Arkadina listens intently and then nods without paying attention. That's a nice way to explain it, but she doesn't agree with it as her own thinking. Elena really sounds like one of the most iconic mommies in this world. She's like telling her child that everything has meaning. After all, Arkadina believes in and describes everything with science, so this whole "new year" concept is just a joke, and it's just like any other day. Why does she need to understand why people attach such importance to the mere completion of Earth's orbit?

   In their stroll, they come past a trading center or a market of stores. People here don't buy or sell food, housewares, or local crafts, but other more valued things such as information, artifacts, or area-exclusive items. To not get Abigail involved in any risks, such as scamming, Elena and Arkadina pull her away from the good-looking items that this place has. Their destination is where the boats settle, not to be tangled here with traders.

- But hey, you need to admit that you won't find this stuff in other places.

   Abigail tries to get back, but she doesn't struggle with the two others who're pulling her. Arkadina answers in impotent.

- Yes, yes. But do you need it? You don't, so let's go.

   Just a few minutes later, they were walking and viewing the forest's hidden beauty when, gradually, the sound of water flowing in came in. It reminds them of the large vinegrove trees and a trip around there to wipe out the discomfort in the morning. If you look up higher, you'll see their top and foliage from afar. Arkadina's not as stunned as the other two because she has been at Tougata for pretty long. But for most of the time, she stays inside her lab to finish jobs and then go home for sleep, so a visit to the groves is something too luxurious. The girls quickly approach a service provider and ask for one boat to ride around for half an hour. While Elena and Arkadina talk with the boat sailor about somehow decreasing the price on the first day of this year, when everyone has free time to hire a boat, Abigail takes a look around. There are many people rowing slowly on the water, enjoying the stunning view. Both humans and Lovabuns are interested in the new year. She can't wait to talk with one of them, as this is the most suitable occasion when people are happy to welcome a new year. She smiles brightly when Arkadina returns with a boat prepared, ready to sail behind her.

- Hey, what are you looking at? We got the boat; let's go give it  a try.