Chapter 10: Tavern × Dinner × Sweet Dreams
Maybe it was because of what Alistair had said, but when the two boys finished their bath and came out, Gon looked a bit downcast.
He'd finally met a friend the same age, with similar dreams and equal strength—only to realize they might soon part ways.
It made Gon feel a little lost.
Alistair, as usual, didn't dwell on it. He pulled Gon along, saying, "Come on, let's see if Aunt Mito and the old man are done talking yet."
As soon as they opened the door, they spotted Aunt Mito on the upstairs balcony, washing Gon and Alistair's dirty clothes.
"Huh?" Alistair was curious why she was washing his clothes, too.
He asked, a bit nervously, "Um, Aunt Mito, I'm Gon's friend, Alistair."
Aunt Mito turned, her previously serious expression melting into a gentle smile. "I've already heard all about you from Kite."
She turned to Gon. "Did you have fun playing with Alistair?"
"Super fun! I've never had so much fun!" Gon nodded enthusiastically.
Gon was always so genuine and straightforward about his feelings, never hiding anything.
Mito turned to Alistair. "And you? Do you like Gon?"
Hearing the word "like" made Alistair feel a little awkward, but under Aunt Mito's expectant gaze, he mumbled, "Like… uh… Anyway, it's really fun hanging out with Gon."
Aunt Mito's smile grew even warmer.
She turned back to washing the clothes and said softly, "That's wonderful. You two should get along well."
Alistair glanced around and noticed Kite wasn't there. He quickly asked, "Aunt Mito, where's my master?"
Mito didn't look up, just kept washing and answered, "Don't worry, Kite is downstairs in the shop having a drink."
"The shop?" Alistair asked, confused.
Gon nodded, "The first floor is a little store that Aunt Mito and Grandma run. In the day, they sell groceries. At night, it's a small tavern where the villagers come to relax and drink."
With that, Gon pulled Alistair along. "Come on, I'll show you."
When they entered the tavern, they found the tables filled with villagers.
A tanned uncle saw Gon come in and joked, "Hey, wild boy! How many trees did you knock over today?"
Kite was sitting alone at the bar. Seeing the boys, he stood and walked over, patting Alistair's shoulder. "Come outside for a moment."
Alistair shrugged at Gon, then followed Kite out.
By now, the sky had darkened. Laughter echoed from the tavern, and Aunt Mito watched them from the balcony, sighing deeply.
Kite stood with his back to Alistair, silent.
Since arriving on Whale Island, Alistair had felt something strange about Kite. Now, that feeling was stronger than ever. He asked seriously, "Master? What's wrong? Did I do something wrong?"
Kite turned, smiling, and gently ruffled Alistair's hair. He put on a relaxed tone, "I'm happy—happy you've grown up, found a friend, and have goals of your own."
Relieved to see Kite acting normal again, Alistair relaxed. "Of course! Who am I? I'm the future Triple-Star Hunter! Someday you'll have to call me 'senior.'"
Bonk!
"Ow! That's a sneak attack!"
Alistair clutched his head and squatted down. This time, Kite had hit him especially hard.
Kite put away his fist, finally smiling, "You can't even dodge that and you dare talk about being a Triple-Star Hunter?"
He pulled the red crystal pendant that had fallen off during Alistair and Gon's earlier scuffle from his pocket and put it back around Alistair's neck.
"Don't lose this again. It's your most important thing."
Alistair still didn't know where the pendant came from, but he touched it and nodded, "Got it."
"These past three years, you followed me searching for clues about my master. It must have been lonely."
Kite's sudden words surprised Alistair, who quickly shook his head. "No worries! I'm fine with a little loneliness. Got any spare Jenny to cheer me up?"
Kite ignored his joke and said seriously, "Gon is my master's son. You're my disciple. The two of you must become each other's most trusted companions."
Alistair nodded, then tested, "Of course. So can I sleep over with Gon tonight?"
"Fine! Go play with Gon tonight. I'll be at the harbor."
With that, Kite turned to leave.
Alistair suddenly felt something off and called out, "Ma—Master!"
Kite stopped, looking back, "What?"
"Tomorrow, are you coming to get me, or should I find you?"
Kite smiled, said "I know," and walked away.
Gon called from a distance, "Alistair!!"
"What?"
Alistair turned, just in time to see Kite leave.
"Aunt Mito says dinner's ready!"
Alistair took a deep breath, suddenly feeling cheerful at the thought of food.
"Coming!"
He ran toward Gon.
Dinner was incredibly rich—Aunt Mito's cooking was fantastic.
Alistair wolfed down mouthful after mouthful, sighing in admiration, "Gon, you're so lucky. Aunt Mito's cooking is amazing!"
He meant every word, but there was a hint of flattery too.
Gon nodded proudly, "Of course! Aunt Mito's food is the best!"
Aunt Mito was happy but looked a little awkward as she watched Alistair's carefree eating.
"Aunt Mito, can you teach my master how to cook? His food is deadly."
"Deadly food?" Gon was gullible enough to take it seriously.
"Yeah, and he uses knives too. My martial arts—learned from cooking!"
Alistair's nonsense made Gon laugh.
Aunt Mito finally smiled, "I'll teach you instead. Wouldn't it be better if you could cook for yourself?"
Alistair waved her off, "Forget it. Cooking is torture. Kite and I believe if it's not deadly, just eat it till you drop."
"Hahahaha."
Aunt Mito really liked this mischievous, cheerful boy.
After dinner, Alistair helped Gon tidy up. He'd never used dishes in the wild, but as a guest, he decided to be polite.
Gon washed plates as he asked, "Alistair, want to go to the forest with me? I want to show you something fun."
Alistair was about to say yes, but Aunt Mito came in and vetoed it, "You two played all day. Rest early. You can go tomorrow."
So Mito led the two reluctant boys to Gon's room.
Gon's room was simple: a small bed, a little desk for reading and writing, and a wind chime hanging in the window.
Mito set a quilt on Gon's bed. "Sorry, it's a bit rushed. Alistair, if you don't mind, you can sleep with Gon tonight. I'll buy another bed tomorrow."
Alistair waved, "No need, Aunt Mito. I won't stay long anyway."
Mito smiled, told them to rest early, and left.
After their afternoon battles, both boys were exhausted. They horsed around for a while, but their eyelids quickly grew heavy.
"Let's sleep?" Alistair yawned.
Gon followed suit.
Yawns really are contagious. With their eyes closed, they fell asleep instantly.
That night, Alistair slept especially well. Gon's breathing and the soft ringing of the wind chime made the night unusually peaceful.
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