𝐘𝐮𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐡! - 𝐍𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐡

3. Evening routine

For the rest of the day, Neith spends looking for other cards. But no luck. Getting those two Numbers in the morning, was all she could get. She just finished her dinner, something easy she bought and gets up.

Even Nebula has some time to her self and enjoys a normal conversation with her owner. 'Cosmo is cleaning the table. Unfortunately, Celeste ate alone. Mason is not home yet, miss.' 

'Contact my father. He said he would be home for dinner for Celeste.' Neith knows very well that Mason would do anything for her sister. Skipping dinner is not his style. Walking away, she looks at the robot for a split second but that is enough to bump into someone. 'Sorry about that.' Having her balance, she looks to whom it is. 

'It's fine.' The man is surprised to see a mix of colors in the woman's eyes. Brown mixed with a bit of green. 'I've never seen you before.' 

Neith shrugs her shoulders. 'Good, I don't tend to get any attention, so it works.' Again she apologizes to him. 'Come on, Nebula.' A quick look, she notices a long coat but it's his blond hair that stands up with some green bangs.

'He is not answering his phone, miss.' Nebula sees a robot, who is a few steps behind the man. Then to turn her attention to her owner.

'M..master Kite, are you alright.' Orbital has yet his eyes on the female robot.

'I said I'm fine.' He turns around. 'I guess you know my name now. Can I have yours.'

Neith tilts her head slightly. 'Is that a question or a command?'

Kite looks at his robot first. 'I'll deal with you later. It's a question.' He makes his voice sound more friendly since he is now addressing the woman. Noticing she looks quite lovely, even in a more casual outfit. It's the duel belt that draws his attention.

'It's Neith,' she answers while turning away. 'There is something I have to do.'

The only thing Kite can do is nod. 'So do I, maybe I'll see you some other time?'

'Maybe.' Neith repeats his word. Not saying no or yes. 'Let's go, Nebula.' Even walking away, she can feel eyes in her back. 'Keep trying.' 

'I have. Four times now,' responds Nebula, who looks back. 'He's still looking at you, miss.' Momentarily she even sees the deck box on his belt.

For a moment, Neith closes her eyes. 'I did not need to know that. Try to track Mason down. Where is he?' With the robot right next to her, she turns around the corner. Into an alley.

Nebula knows instinctively what she wants and attaches herself to the woman. Flying off. 'He hasn't used his phone in a while. Last time was in the office.' 

A sigh escapes Neigh. 'Thanks. The bar, Nebula.' Something tells her that he took off earlier and went to the bar.

'The young man had a deck box on his belt. It seems he's a duelist.' The robot remembers and tells her about it. 'For that, I'll try to find out who he is. We might come across him again. It could be of assistance to know more about him.'

Neith can see that the bar comes closer. 'Alright, when we're back home but don't stay up too late. Otherwise in the morning, I have some things to do before we can leave.' 

***

Carefully Neith supports her father to his bedroom. Where the man almost passes out that she has to take his shirt and pants off. 'We'll talk tomorrow, father. It's the first time you broke your promise to Celeste.' After that, she leaves the room and heads for the kitchen.

'Sorry Neith, it might be the first time that he skipped dinner but it's not the first time he came home drunk.' Celeste comes off of the couch.

With something to drink, Neith turns to her sister. 'So if he's drunk, you help him in bed?'

Celeste nods. 'It's weird, why does he accept that our mother is gone? Even the police did everything they could to find her but nothing. Yet he believes she's dead.'

'I can't believe that he broke his promise to you. He said this morning that you would have dinner together. Still, I found him in the bar, drunk enough that the bartender didn't want to pour him anything anymore.' Neith finishes her drink fast. 'How was your day at school?'

This time, Celeste starts to laugh. 'That idiot kid again. Every time he accepts the challenge to swim a lap underwater or try to jump twenty boxes. He never succeeds, it's a failure every time again.'

'Who's the kid?' Neith smiles by the created image in her head. 'Wait, it's not hard to swim one lap underwater. So why hasn't he done it?' 

Celeste raises her arms. 'No one knows but he keeps trying. I have heard his name a few times. It's Yuma... sorry, I lost his last name. I have some classes with him but it's annoying that he sleeps in class... or eat. He only seems alive when we have a duel period.'

It makes Neith grin. 'Is he any good at that or does he fail at dueling also?'

'Oh no, Yuma is getting better at dueling. He won the duel against Shark, everyone talked about it the day after at school.' Celeste puts her glass on the bar.

Cosmo takes the glass to clean it.

'Cosmo, cut your damn power and charge up. I can do it myself, I'm not in bed yet.' Celeste takes her glass back. 'Oh, before I forget, there's talk about a dueling tournament. It's somewhat announced but that is all I know.'

'A tournament?' Neith takes the bottle out of the fridge and pours in for Celeste and herself.

She nods. 'You think you might participate?'

Neigh shakes her head. 'I'm not sure.'

'Miss,' comes Nebula in between. 'In the tournament, there will be duelists who are Number holders. The ones who just start to duel will be out of it fast and the ones with Numbers might be going for the final.'

Neith thinks about it. 'Can be, but I don't need a tournament to find Number cards.'

'I think you do. This Yuma kid starts to win duels all of a sudden when he usually loses duels all the time.' Celeste disagrees. 'There is talk about that Yuma has a Number card. That would explain why he would win his duels. He sure will be in the tournament.'

'I'll think about it.' Neith looks at the clock. Telling her it's after nine. 'Just because he's ignoring his responsibility doesn't mean we should do the same. Go to bed on time. I have to do a few things and then I'll go to bed.'

'Have a nice swim. I'll be in bed when you get back.' Celeste knows her sister likes to swim. Preferably in the evening. 

'Only for an hour,' smiling Neith puts her glass in the dishwasher. There is something she wants to check first. On the computer, she looks at her father's e-mails. Way too many unread and even some important messages that need a fast reply. Now she needs to talk to her father. Not that money is an issue but her father is the CEO and it seems he's neglecting his job. After answering some e-mails, she even checks his e-mails. Knowing enough, she closes the computer. Time for a swim, shower, and then to bed. 

***

The quick meeting with Kite and Orbital. Even Yuma shows up in the conversation between the two sisters. Unfortunately, it's her father who's not taking his responsibility for being the head of the family. Is he right to drink? Maybe, but not at the cost of his daughters.