Mami's Night Out

by Rhyno Holter

Mami intends to sit alone with nothing but her thoughts. A cute stranger has other plans for her. R&R.

A/N: Beta'd by angel0wonder. Inspired by a true story... but with more fun. And lesbians.

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One step in the club, and the first thing I notice are the blinding lights. Always, the lights. Sure, the pounding bass is a little too in-your-face, but it's the lights that keep me from thinking properly. Still I have to remind myself that it's a club, so why would I need to think anyway?

"Hey, Mami!" I hear a voice pipe up. Not quite squeaky, but almost. Cute too, clashing with the noise and the environment. "Mami, over here!"

I look to find the source of the voice. Finally I see her, her pink hair still in those silly pigtails. How long will she continue to sport those childish things? It's been years since middle school, she's an adult now. But even as I think this, the sight of her makes my heart flutter. Ah, Madoka…

With Madoka as her date, I have to say I envy Homura quite a bit. She always seems so unappreciative of what she's got, though I know this is not the case. I still wish she'd give a warm smile, perhaps not sit and stand and move so stiffly. Tut-tut, Ms. Akemi. After all the time you spent idolizing her, now that you have her…

I join the two at the bar, laughing at Homura's hat's inscription: "Kiss Me, It's My Birthday!" Both her and Madoka's dresses were impossibly pretty and matched their respective hair colors – pink and black. Homura's was a strapless one-piece, fit to show off her tiny figure, while Madoka's was layered down to her knees. They both looked stunning. I'm glad I chose this particular dress -a long one, pale blue, draped over my left shoulder. At least we all look good.

"Hey there!" A broad smile crosses my face as I walk over to the girls. "Happy birthday, Homura. I like your hat."

She held back a groan. "Kyoko made it for me. I'm not allowed to take it off."

I giggled. "How are you two doing tonight?"

"We're fine," Madoka said as brightly as ever. "We've been waiting on you!"

"Oh?" I raise an amused eyebrow. "Why me? Why not Sayaka and Kyoko?"

"They're already on the dance floor," Homura tells me. I follow her pointing finger to a blur of red and blue, never staying in one spot for more than a second. Everywhere they went, they seemed to knock more people over – people were starting to figure out to avoid them all together. Goodness me, I couldn't tell them apart.

"Did you let Kyoko drink at all?" I inquire. "She's funny when she's drunk. Her karaoke is flawless."

"No, she's just excited to be here is all. Never thought those two would hit it off so well!" Madoka bit her lip. "At least now that they've given each other a chance."

I sigh in disbelief. Kyoko too, huh? I'm almost jealous. I shouldn't be – I should be proud of them. Sayaka and Kyoko, they were all the other had talked about for some time. Even though they couldn't stand each other's guts, somehow they were a perfect couple.

"Thanks for coming tonight, Mami!" Madoka's enthusiasm was infectious – she seemed to truly believe every little thing, every person, was worth the effort in some way. I almost believed that she really wanted me there, wanted me with their group. If only I weren't the fifth wheel.

"Any time. I enjoy coming out." I try my best to match her smile, but the effort tires my mouth.

"You sure? If you had something better to do…" Madoka's smile faltered by a fraction.

"Oh no, it's fine. I had nothing important to do." And that was the truth. My simple desk job was all I had, it was a simple 40-hour-a-week job. Aside from that, I'd probably be stuck inside all the time if my friends didn't drag me out with them.

"Good to hear," Homura told me with a half-smile. "I think it's good for you. You need to meet new people, Ms. Tomoe." That was odd to hear come out of Homura's mouth. It caught me off-guard.

"Oh, I'm fine," I finally laugh. "Close set of friends always worked best for me."

Homura narrowed her eyes – not in a malicious way, but in a "that's a load of crap" way.

"I think Homura may be on to something, but it's fine if you don't want to. As long as you have a good time, Mami!" She gestured to a table on the far side of the bar. "We're sitting over there. I think Kyoko ordered some food, but then she took off with Sayaka, and… you saw." She giggled. "Anyway, feel free to order anything. We're gonna go and dance a bit." She hiccupped.

"Madoka had a few drinks," Homura explained. In this light, I hadn't noticed how pink Madoka's cheeks were. "I may have had one or two. Free drink for the birthday girl, you know."

"Ha, alright. I may join you girls in a bit. Happy birthday again, Homura."

Homura tried to smile, for Madoka's sake, but her smile didn't really match the brightness or the warmth of Madoka's. Thankfully Madoka smiled as well, so it was more than made up for. Then they were gone, lost in the sea of dancers and throbbing lights.

People go to the club all the time and meet new people, have a little fun. I wish I could say the same for me, but no matter what I always leave alone. I kind of wonder how long it will be before my friends find out how much of a Debbie Downer I really am and stop inviting me altogether.

It's not that I don't try. I do, every so often. But I always feel like a foreigner, as though no one would want to be near me for too long a time. I've sat at the bar and tried talking to people, but I never know what to talk about. I try karaoke, but everyone's too drunk or with too many friends to care. A shame really, I think I sing rather well. I even offer to buy people drinks.

Not tonight. Tonight, I'm just going to watch my friends have fun and be happy for them. I planned this out since before I got here. No matter what, I'm going to just sit on the sidelines and cheer them on.

I sit at the table and find a surprising number of chips left, with plenty of dip to spare. Kyoko must really like Sayaka to have let this many chips pass her by. I sigh again and help myself to the food before I head to the bar to get myself a drink. Or two. Or ten. However many my sinking heart needed. They won't come back for a good long while, so I might as well prepare myself to simmer with my thoughts.

Drink in hand, I take my seat at the table and watch the people around me, silently making notes to myself about each one. I don't come here but once, maybe twice a month, but I've seen some people enough to recognize them. That hair-clip girl from school, whose name I think starts with a D, is busy talking to some odd-looking redhead in the corner. Since when did she talk to boys? I could have sworn she only talked to girls.

I see Hitomi on the other side of the room, giggling as someone with a mop of grey-hair kissed her neck. The sheer intimacy made me feel embarrassed for watching them. Guess her boyfriend situation was still going well…

As I continue looking around I notice Binbou's here as well. Oh my, I wish I'd noticed sooner. How strange it is to see her around people, enjoying herself instead of sulking alone in the corner. Even she has friends surrounding her, talking to her, buying her drinks because she couldn't afford them. I remember a time when she told me she envied me – is this irony coming to bite me in the rear-end?

There's no need to waste time with drinking slowly; I down a glass in one swig and start the second before my lungs decide that okay, I need to breathe. As I continue to watch the other customers and patrons, I feel… hollow. I wish I could come up with something better to describe it. Maybe I shouldn't drink so much? I'm quite a downer when I'm drunk, after all. Don't know how to communicate that well, either.

I always end up feeling alone. But how I wish… I wish…

"That's a cute ribbon," I hear someone say. It takes a moment for me to register that the voice was referring to me. I turned my head to see who was desperate enough to talk to me.

There she stood in her pink pig-tailed glory. I almost called her Madoka, but this girl certainly wasn't her. There was a passing resemblance, sure, but her hair was darker, her face rounder. She looked younger, fresh out of her teens at most. She wore a very frilly dress, different shades of red and pink and brown that shouldn't have worked and yet did. Her sleeves seemed too large for her arms, and to tie it all together – and I feel awful for making such a pun – she was wrapped in a scarf that hugged her neck tightly just right. Very much a mix and match kind of ensemble, eclectic, weird, but I liked it. She almost looked like a piece of candy, all wrapped up and ready for consumption.

…what did I just say?

She tilted her head quizzically, waiting patiently for an answer. She seemed amused by my being lost-in-thought.

"Why thank you," I finally stated, slightly winded. What in the world just happened? This seems… far too out of the norm. I'm stumped.

"Mind if I sit?" The pinkette gestured towards the empty seats. "No one deserves to be alone, you know."

"Go right ahead," I extended my arm out, letting her know physically – as if verbally weren't enough – that she was free to join me if she wished. And she did, which was the weird part. I had a feeling she would have sat down no matter how I answered.

"Thanks!" she practically squeaked as she set her purse to the side. Such a weird aura surrounded her, I wasn't entirely sure she was real. I couldn't ask her of course, but I also couldn't ignore her.

"My name's Mami," I told her, my voice coming out controlled, smooth. I dare not let any hint of anxiety out and ruin the club atmosphere. "What's your name?"

"My name's Charlotte," she said, still smiling sweetly.

I blink. "Cha..?"

"Shar-lot-teh," she sounded out slowly. "You don't have to be so nervous. I don't bite… hard." She winked playfully at me. Despite how cliché her line is, I try to give her my own wink as well as I can. It's not as meaningful when one returns a wink, though.

"Charlotte? That's a very pretty name." It's easy to resist checking her out when I'm talking.

She giggled. "Charlotte's not my real name, actually." She spoke as though nothing bothered her.

I raised an eyebrow, curious. "Oh. Well, you don't have to share if you don't want to. I'm sure it's a very pretty name too, though. As pretty as you." Smooth, Mami. I wanted to kick myself.

If I hadn't been overwhelmed by the positive feelings emanating from her, I might not have noticed the sudden change. Her eyes lowered to the table, her smile slightly slipping from her face. "I have my reasons, ya know? Some… things happened, and my job… it's not a big deal, ya know? "

"Understandable," I told her, wondering what it was about her job that made her use a fake name. But it was of no concern to me; each of my friends had their own secrets, and the few that didn't… we'd shared the experiences, the pain. I pat Charlotte on the shoulder reassuringly, which must have turned the happy-switch back on because suddenly she was back in action.

"So, wanna hear a joke?" Her bright, encouraging smile captured all of my attention.

I blinked, taken off-guard. "Uh, yeah sure."

"So a rabbi, a priest, and a Lutheran minister walk into a bar… and the bartender looks up and says, 'Is this some kind of joke?'" She burst out laughing at her own sense of humor.

I blink again, taken slightly aback. Continuing to laugh, she tells me "I'm sorry. I've been told I'm kind of weird."

"Everyone's a bit weird, Charlotte." I smile encouragingly. "There are worse things to be."

She suddenly froze. "Like what?" Her tone implied pain, like she would be hurt by what I said next. I didn't quite know how to respond.

"I… uh… well…" I looked at her outfit. "You could be a tease," I blurted out quickly. "Like… me?"

As her smile returned, she seemed to look me over. "A tease? Really?" She gives me an unbelieving look as she rested her chin on her palms. "I wouldn't know. I don't think I've seen you around here before, either."

"I can say the same about you. But then, I have an excuse: I don't come here often."

A strand of pink hair fell from her pigtail on her face. It looked way too cute to be normal. Or maybe that's just me thinking that. Oh God.

"So uh, tell me a bit about yourself," I worked up.

"Oh, me , well I'm a junior in college."

"What's your major?"

"Culinary. I love making sweets."

"Really?" My mouth was agape. "Me too! What in particular do you like making?"

"Cheesecake, actually. I lurrrvvve cheesecake."

"Really? That's nice to hear. I'm actually something of a sucker for sweets myself. Fancy little cakes, all that." I took another sip of a drink. "Cheesecake is nice, but…"

I stopped mid-sentence when I was caught off-guard by her baffled expression, as if not sharing her love of cheesecake was the worst crime in existence. To keep me from staring, I continued drinking. And drinking. And drinking still.

"There's no way. Cheesecake is the best! It's been my favorite for as long as I can remember, through all the good times… and the bad." An immense anguish crossed her face, her eyes seemed to go dull. But before I could ask what was wrong she took a long, long drink before gasping for air, a smile on her face.

"Point is, it's the best, and I dare you to prove otherwise," she said matter-of-factly.

"I think I'll pass," I laugh after another sip. As I gingerly placed the cup back down, a throbbing begins in my head. "I feel a little weird," I note aloud, putting my hand up to my head. "Maybe I shouldn't have drank as quickly as I did… or… drink… or drinken… hmm." Words failed me. But at least I'm not as melancholic as I usually get.

Concern crossed her face. "I could order you some tea if you'd like. I hear it helps you sober up."

I snapped out of it for a moment. "Tea?"

"Y-yeah, tea. Is that a problem?"

"Well, no. I love tea. But tea doesn't help, it only makes it worse."

"Really?" Crossing her arms, she frowned and looked down at her glass in front of her. "You sure?" She seemed more concerned that she'd been told wrong now. It was my turn to giggle, which made my head pound a little more.

"I'm sure. I've tried it. It didn't help at all." I crossed my arms. "Like I said, I love tea. Trying different kinds of tea is a hobby of mine."

"Oh?" She seemed amused by that. "What's your favorite?"

I tried to put some serious thought into answering that, but my head was seriously starting to get on my nerves. I forced a smile. "I don't think I could choose just one. Besides, favorites are just an excuse to limit yourself."

She narrows her eyes. "What makes you say that?"

"Experience."

She considers me for a moment, sipping her drink slowly, enjoying the taste as it made its way down her throat. Then, as she put her drink back down, she smiled warmly again. "Fair enough."

She reminded me of Madoka so very much, and yet she was almost nothing like her. Much more confident. More assertive. Not so concerned with pleasing everyone; just herself, just for the moment. It was a refreshing change of pace, but there was something I didn't quite understand about her – how she could be so heart-on-sleeve. I've always had trouble with that. At work, with friends, I always feel like I should be the adult, the responsible one, the mature one, and where has it gotten me?

"Are you alright, Mami?" she asks innocently, or faux-innocently. I think the latter is more accurate. "You can tell me what you're thinking, you know." She stuck her tongue out to show how playful a mood she was in.

I chuckled, trying to keep my view as polite as possible. Her dress made it a little hard to concentrate. "Oh, it's just I'm no good at this sort of thing. There's either too much on my mind, or too little, and—"

"Oh, stop it Mami," she told me, her voice a smile. "You need to just relax. Go with the flow, ya know?"

"I'm sure." A sigh escaped my lips. "Ideally, that's probably the best way to go… Realistically though, that wouldn't work out."

"Well why not?"

I played with one of the many empty glasses on the table. "Because it's careless, put simply. Such carelessness is always punished sooner or later. I'd rather not take the risk." I lower my head, trying to avoid her eyes. "Otherwise… I mean, there's a lot I'd do if it weren't for that."

"Like what?" She seemed to command me to respond, as though she knew what I would say before she even asked. That, or the drinks were really getting to me. I had to fight them.

"Oh, a lot. Nothing too important to share."

"Oh, really?" I looked back up and saw her smiling at me. It wasn't just a smile, it was a look of contentment. She seemed to know more than she let on. I'd have asked what was going through her mind, but she put her finger to my lips, stopping me. "Let me show you why you're wrong," she said.

I stopped breathing. My thoughts were incomprehensible… at best.

Without warning she leaned over the table and kissed me. It didn't feel quick - the electricity shared between us in this moment felt strangely wonderful, and it could have lasted months. Years. Centuries? But just like that, reality hit us – or maybe it was just me – and I pulled away. My face was burning up, and I couldn't tell but there might have been a big goofy smile on my face. Charlotte was certainly wearing one.

"W-wow," I could only mutter. She giggled.

"Would you want to dance, Mami?" She asked with a surprising conviction, like she knew I would say yes. She would never take no for an answer! It took me by surprise. My cheeks were still quite warm. I wasn't sure how to answer. I don't think I could even think. I just held my hand out to her, and in but a moment we were on the way to the dance floor.

More eardrum-shattering music came on, but no one seemed to pay any attention to it. Everyone was doing their own thing (in more than one way, oh my). Charlotte stopped in the middle of the floor and turned around, wrapping her hands around my waist. Or more accurately behind my waist, but I was quick to guide her grabby hands away from her intended target. She giggled innocently as I wrapped my arms around her neck.

We were swaying to the rhythm, a slow-building electronic gurgling that I couldn't clearly make out. Charlotte didn't seem to enjoy it either, but that huge smile on her face she seemed pleased enough. This was most certainly out of the ordinary. I don't even think I was in my body as we moved to the beat – I swear I was looking down at the two of us, as the strobing lights bounced off our skin. We seemed to glow, and her unique outfit definitely made us standout in the crowd.

"You look pretty when you smile. You should do it a little more." I snapped out of my thoughts and pulled away. I must look like a fool. I quickly make my way back to the table. I had to get a drink, I *had* to. Not to mention, my head was still pounding. Finally I made it to the table and in one motion I gulped down the last of the drinks. I didn't think I'd left so much in one glass.

"What's wrong?" I heard Charlotte ask behind me.

I downed the rest of the drink as fast as I could before I had to gasp. "Oh, nothing. What makes you think something's wrong?" I ask, trying to hide my sarcastic remark.

"The fact that you stormed all the way back here just to drink the last of my drink." I lowered my head in embarrassment. "Are you okay, Mami?"

"No, no, no, I'm not." I held back a sigh, trying to gather my thoughts properly. "I don't understand why you'd want to be here, dancing and having a blast, with someone like me. I don't get it. I feel so out of…"

Her face, which wore a small smile, was right next to mine. My self-depreciating thoughts melted away, her breath part of mine. "We were both alone here. You looked like you needed some fun, and I know I sure as hell do." She shrugged. "I know that's not a very good reason, so if you want me to go away…"

Guilt started creeping up my spine. This selfishness needed to stop. I vaguely took note that the next song wash much more up-tempo, more impossible to dance to. Still made my head hurt. "I don't know if you noticed, but I don't even know how to dance."

A laugh escaped her lips. "You don't need to know how to dance. All you have to do," she practically sang, "is move. Find the rhythm and do what feels right. Like I said, go with the flow."

"Go with the flow…" I muttered. I was half out-of-it, so I didn't notice she was walking with me, leading me. Only when she started moving, flailing her body and arms around, did I pay attention to my surroundings. I was back on the dance floor, frozen in fear as everyone around me moved in patterns. No couple seemed to sway in the same way. I didn't know what to do. I felt dizzy.

But not dizzy in the bad way. In fact, I felt kind of… different. A little more confident, in a way. It was liberating. Freeing. My heart beat was still pretty fast, but I noticed that it was in sync with the rhythm of the song. I still felt bashful, but I watched Charlotte for a few seconds before beginning to copy her movements.

"There ya go!" Charlotte yelled over the crowd. Her grin was as wide as her face would allow, her eyes amused. Was it me, or was she also blushing? "What did I tell ya?"

"You enjoying the view?" I asked, noticing her eyes. As I became more attuned to the beat, I tried to close the distance between her and I. I don't know if I was. With my hair and movements, I probably looked like a clown bouncing on a trampoline.

Charlotte seemed to understand my problem, so with a fancy twirl she closed the gap between us.

And so there we were, faces nearly touching, bodies moving in near-perfect synchronization. I was burning up, seriously sweating trying to keep up with her dance moves. One song, two songs, three… we were going at it. It was a contest, a challenge, to see if we could last. I knew she could. I had doubts about myself.

She started doing things I didn't dare do. She popped, locked, and dropped as the songs required, lowering her body to suggestive positions that would have made even Kyoko's eyes widen with concern. Even this new-found confidence couldn't make me stop blushing. She danced like a professional dancer or something, it was unreal. I slowed down my dancing, almost shameful of my lack of technique.

She noticed and pulled herself back up, slowing down to dance alongside me.

"Are you having fun, at least?" Concern filled her voice, her smile barely there. I smiled in return, as brightly as I could. Truthfully... okay, so she danced better than me. But at least I'm willing to keep going! Impulsiveness blazed inside me, pure instinct driving me now. I ignored all my thoughts that told me to "stop, now." Go with the flow, right? That's what I'm trying to do, at least for the night. Electricity tingled at my fingertips as I touched her face. Without thinking, I leaned in and kissed her.

My knees went weak as our lips touched, a hungry embrace. I closed my eyes, trying to drown myself in the moment. My mind melted, Charlotte's scent and touch filling what was left of my thoughts. Was anyone watching us? I don't think it would have mattered. Nothing but this sensation matters now…

"Hey, Charlotte! You going to introduce me to your girlfriend?"

This time it was her turn to pull away and gasp. I was disappointed, but then I noticed we had company. A woman in unfitting clothes, big and blue as the night sky. Her lips, as blue as her dress, were drawn in an amused half-smile.

"Oh!" Charlotte pulled away, leaving me to stumble forward and fall flat on my face. No one seemed to notice. "Hey, boss, what are you doing here?"

"Boss?" I asked as I tried to pick myself back up. Charlotte knelt to help me to my feet.

"Yeah," she told me. "She's my manager where I work."

"Oh," I mumbled. My eyes were kind of blurred. I held out my hand and put on my best, I-swear-I'm-not-drunk smile. "I'm Mami. Nice to meet you. Always nice to meet new people."

She returned the gesture, holding out her hand in such a lady-like way that I felt like a peasant. "You as well. Call me Walpurgisnacht."

"Walpur-?" I mumbled. I couldn't quite grasp her name or accent. I felt so rude.

"Walpurgis Night," Charlotte seemed to have said. "Or just, Walpurgis. It's okay, I didn't quite get it the first time either." She offered a friendly smile.

"Oh, okay." I still didn't get it, but it was best not to argue or show my ignorance.

"Well now that introductions are out of the way, come." Walrus Night gestured off the small dance floor. "Let's have a seat. Other people want to dance too, you know."

We were led back to our table, where we sat down one by one. The glasses were all gone, the table cleaned off. I almost thought that there was no way this was our table, but everything around us was in the same place as before.

"So how long have you girls been here?" she asked, eyes on me. Was there something on my face? Was it my face? I felt hot and sweaty and so very… not good.

"Not that long, I think," Charlotte replied with a shrug. "When'd you get here?"

"Just now." She sighed, readjusting her dress. "Thought I'd have me a quick drink before I walked home." She gave me a weird look, a knowing look. I tried not to be weirded out.

"Great, let me go get some more drinks then," Charlotte said with a smile before getting up. I had to resist the urge to watch her walk away. Such unladylike behavior on my part, and yet her beauty…

"So, Mami." My poor self-control was saved by the Dark Knight's voice. I looked back and saw her focused intently on me. "How did you two meet? She's never mentioned you before."

"We uh," I began, not really knowing how not to disappoint her, "only just met tonight."

"Really?" Her voice was powerful, her laugh booming. Try as I might, I couldn't tell if she was making fun of me or not.

"Okay, here you guys go." Three drinks were placed on the table, each of them filled with a different colored liquid. "Got you and me the usual, ma'am. And uh, sorry Mami." I looked up to see the apologetic expression on her face. "I don't know what you like, so I just asked them to make something tasty."

"It's alright," I assured her, taking the glass and downing its contents in one gulp. "See? It's fine."

"Damn, girl!" Walpurgis – hey, I finally got it! – started laughing like a hyena. "You should enjoy the drink!"

"I did enjoy it," I smirked. "And I'm still enjoying it."

"Are you now?" She gave me a look once over and then turned to the pinkette. "Hey, get us a couple of shot glasses, could you please? And uh, a couple bottles of your fave."

"Uh…" Charlotte looked to me than back to her boss. "Which fave?"

"Mix it up. You can put it on my tab. I promise, we'll take it slow." She gave her a nod that surprisingly seemed to satisfy Charlotte well enough, though she still didn't seem pleased as she walked away.

"Why do you need shot glasses, W—uh, Wa—"

"We're going to have a little contest, little miss Mami. A drinking contest."

"Oh?" My interest was piqued. "What's the occasion? What for?"

"For kicks and giggles, really. But hey," she shrugged, "if you want a reason I'll give you one." She looked over and my eyes followed. Charlotte was walking back, her resplendent ensemble hung off her form, shaking with every step. "See, I have to work with her tomorrow, and I don't want her coming to work on the chance that you two shack up and you leave her high and dry."

The words struck hard. "I'm sorry, what?"

She looked me dead in the eye. "I can see you dig her. And even if for some reason I'm wrong, she's had a tough time recently. She's happier than I've seen her in a while, and I get the feeling that's because of you. I want to… test you. Make sure you're worthy of being included in her life. Lord have mercy on your soul if you fail."

Gulp. "So uh, how will me beating you in a drinking contest convince you? I'm not sure I understand."

"How should I know?" She smirked. "Kicks and giggles, like I said."

A pair of pink pigtails obscured my view, a couple of shot glasses and several bottles filled with different colored liquid all clanking on the table. All of the bottles weren't tiny, but they were smaller than I'd expected. The last one to hit the table was by far the largest and it was one that Walpurgis seemed to take an interest in. I didn't know what any of these drinks were; I couldn't see the label, it was conveniently on the other side of the bottle. "I'm back. Here you girls go. Now Walpurgis," she looked at her employer with a worried look on her face, "you sure this is a good idea?"

She poured two tiny glasses. "Of course. When have I ever had a bad one?"

"What kind of…?" I started to ask Charlotte before her boss interrupted my inquiry.

"Ah ah ah, it's my little secret."

"Secrets secrets are no fun," I pouted, doing my best Charlotte imitation until my voice trailed off. "Secrets secrets hurt everyone."

"Fine fine," she laughed. I guess it worked. "It's just my drink of choice." She showed me the label, a company name I couldn't pronounce. "There. Now no more stalling." She worked with a steady hand, pouring two drinks and handing me my glass. She put hers down, eyeing me with a look of interest. Charlotte looked like she was about to say something important, but Wall-E Night raised her hand to silence her before she could start.

I looked to Charlotte and tried to subtly toast to her. "Bottoms up," I sigh and trying not to waste another moment, I pour the substance down my throat as fast as I can… which was the stupidest thing I could have done. Not even a second passed before it felt like a dragon was clawing from the inside. I did a little jig, waving my hands, trying to gesture "OH-MY-GOD-I-NEED-WATER-RIGHT-NOW."

Charlotte dashed off as Where's Waldo Night laughed her big blue ass off.

"Damn, drinking vodka straight? That's hilarious!"

"Wh-what?" I exclaim, trying to talk in between my wheezes. "Is that…? But then…"

"Oh, I guess you didn't know the brand." She shrugged as Charlotte returned with a glass of water. It was gone instantly, as I had to drain it to put out the fire making its way down my throat. "If you'd known, you might also know that you don't shoot vodka. Not straight, anyway."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I said after I was sure my throat had calmed down enough. She shrugged.

"Kicks and giggles, like I said." My cheeks burned, though whether from vodka or anger I wasn't sure.

"Okay, you had your fun," Charlotte said. "If you really wanna do your stupid contest, at least be fair."

"Fine, fine." She took my glass and filled it with vodka again, then poured in another drink into both of our drinks. "Here. This'll be good. Vodka's best mixed. Cheers," she said before downing her drink. I waited a moment to survey any changes or reactions on her part, then when I decided the drink was safe this time I followed suit. It still kind of burned, but not as much so. It was definitely covered up by something with a bit more… flavor. The most I had to drink before was wine and beer, most of which were nasty anyway, but this made me smack my lips, intrigued by what I tasted.

"There you go." There was something in her voice, a mocking tone. I tried to breathe normally, let myself cool down, but the way she held herself was getting to me. I held out my glass for another drink, to which she happily obliged, this time from two bottles she hadn't quite gotten to yet.

"Mix things up, ya know?" she said to my inquiring stare as she mixed the drinks. After a quick show that I swore involved juggling and whistling, she handed me another drink. We both took a swig and finished rather quickly, which only made her smile her twisted smile. She took my glass back and grabbed another as-yet untouched bottle.

She started explaining to me a bunch of drinks as she mixed them, the table suddenly turned to a chemistry set. She gave the drinks such weird names, like the Saniyan, the Angel of Wonder, all sorts of silly names that no one in their right mind would name a drink. Some were even named after people, like the Yuki Kajiura, or the Urobutchi which was supposed to burn so bad you wouldn't be able to think for twelve minutes at least. It seemed fine for me – the pain went away after three. Or maybe something's just wrong with my head. Probably need to go to the doctor…

The worst one was the Holter, named after some guy who got rejected… however many times, I didn't really pay attention to the story. The drink matched the story though, because it sure tasted like failure.

As all of this happened, I noticed a pattern in her handy work. With every explanation, with every drink being poured, she seemed to move slightly slower. Maybe it was all the work she was doing, the talking and the pouring and the mixing and the drinking, an endless cycle. She didn't seem quite groggy, but her hand definitely wasn't as steady as it was to begin with. If I didn't know any better… I'd say I was kicking her patootie.

Such satisfaction it gave me.

"You got some nice drills there," she slurred after a gulp, her eyes suddenly drawn to my hair. "Is that a sign?"

I've gotten compliments before about how impossible my hair seemed, but I didn't know if that was what she was getting at. "A sign?" I murmured, masking my interest.

"Yeah. That you wanna get drilled."

Charlotte bit her lip, trying not to laugh. I sympathized – it really was quite the struggle to resist laughing.

"Well, is it?"

"No, no no no no no!" I breathed quickly, adding a quick "No," to the end.

The laughter was sudden, a burst. Charlotte and Walp-whatever, just giggling like school girls over whatever the hell just happened. I couldn't help but join in, it was so infectious. Even my irritation subsided.

"Last one," I said, holding out my glass. Walpurge's nodded in agreement and poured the remaining contents from the bottles. As she drank her last drink, Charlotte took the empty bottles and walked away to dispose of them. I watched her with interest as she returned. There was something that was bothering me, something obvious, whispering in the back of my head.

"Question." I slurred as intelligently as I could, trying to steady myself in my chair. "You guys work together, right?"

"As we've mentioned a few times," Charlotte said matter-of-factly. "She's my boss."

"So… where do you work?"

"Oh…" Charlotte suddenly seemed very interested in her feet under the table. Whattaburger Night tutted disapprovingly.

"You haven't told her?" She pursed her lips, but her arms-at-hips position implied playfulness. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, Charlotte. We've got to make a living somehow." Her tone was that of a mother trying to console a child while still reprimanding them for doing wrong. "I'm sure she understands."

"I know. I was… gonna mention it sooner or later, honest."

"It's best not to keep secrets, you know. What was it Mami said? 'Secrets secrets are no f—'"

"I know!"

"Charlotte?" If there was one feeling that filled my mind, my body, it was confusion. I didn't quite understand, so I went ahead and drained it completely. She sighed in exasperation.

"Mami, I'm a stripper."

Mid-swallow, I started choking. There was only one way the drink was going to travel now. I tried my best apology face before I sprayed out the alcoholic mist. Brazilian Night's dress dripped with the stuff. Charlotte was as pink as her hair, her eyes on me.

"A-a-a-a stripper," was all that came out of my mouth.

"Yeah. 'Charlotte' is my stripper name," she admitted. "Everyone I work with," she looked at her boss, "has one. No exceptions."

"But," the wheels started turning when I remembered what she said earlier, about her name being job related. Suddenly it made sense, why she was able to dance so well, how she carried herself in such a way. But something didn't fit with my train of thought. "But this isn't a strip club."

For what felt like the longest time, there was silence. When laughter broke through the quiet, it was a relief – both girls were laughing, though if at me I didn't quite comprehend.

"We don't work here, Mami. It's not that kind of club! And besides, we don't do any of that stuff anywhere except work. We're not…" She searched for a proper way to phrase it. "It's… strictly professional. "

"Oh," I mumbled, slightly aware of how foolish such an assumption must have made me sound. "Okay."

"Well, I'm done ruining your night," Walgreens Night said. "I've got to get this washed," she gestured to her now-soaking dress.

A chuckled escaped from my mouth. I lowered my head ashamedly. "Sorry."

"It's fine, it's fine. It'll probably dry on the walk anyway… or maybe I'll get a taxi, hmm." She seemed to ponder it for a moment before turning her attention back to me. "At least you proved you could more than hold your own," she said with a hint of sincerity. "Again, 'twas nice to meet you Mami." And with that, she walked off, disappearing into the crowd.

"Nice to meet you too, Walt… Walt Disney Night," I hiccupped long after she'd gone out of hearing range.

"Walt…?" Charlotte burst with laughter, something that eased my mind greatly. There certainly was something in her face, the outline of her eyes. I almost could see what Walpurgis was talking about. I couldn't ask what happened though, because Charlotte was so intent on projecting happiness that to ask or question it might seem suspicious.

"You know, I'm surprised I haven't seen my friends around," I suddenly noted, hearing not the usually electronic dance music but silly love songs sung by whomever had the mic. "Usually one of them is doing karaoke by now…"

"Oooh, karaoke sounds fun!" Charlotte exclaimed, and suddenly she was pulling me out of my chair. I felt dizzy, and my stomach felt terrible.

"Yo-yo-you sing?" I tried to ask nonchalantly.

"Nope," she said simply. She put on a small grin, pretty much twinkling in the lights.

"Oh-no-no-no-no-no-no-no, I don't sing. I mean, I do, and very well I think, b-b-but I'm way too drunk to sing! There's too many people! Charlotte!" I tried to emphasize each syllable as she pulled to the line formed around the karaoke machine. "I won't sing, you can't make me sing!" I slammed my foot down, causing me to slip from Charlotte's grip and trip to the floor. By the time I pulled myself up, Charlotte had a slip of paper prepared.

"So do you want to fill this out, or should I?" She seemed to squeal with delight.

"Charlotte, I really don't think I can sing in front of all these people," I admitted sheepishly.

"Why not? You were able to dance in front of them. No one cared."

"That was…" I turned my head. Different, was that the word I was looking for? She seemed to read my mind.

"C'mon, can't you hear all these people singing as terribly as they are? Do you think they care? They just want to have fun. Dedicate a few songs, have themselves a blast, you know?"

She did have a point. All the looks of joy on their faces as they destroyed some of the worst pop music I'd ever heard. I knew I could do better. So much better. Ah, dammit.

So I filled out the sheet, choosing the first song I could think of, and stood in line with her, my heart racing, not quite sure what the hell I was about to do. I could sing. I would sing. But what the hell was I doing? Even though she stood next to me, even though she held my hand to try and comfort me – or perhaps because of it – I only felt more anxious.

"Next up, Kyoko Sakura and Sayaka Miki!"

Hold on, no way. I looked to the stage and there they were. Both their dresses were messes, and their faces were impossibly red, but they wore such big goofy grins I couldn't help but smile.

"This one goes out to all the birthday girls who need to get some!" Kyoko yelled out as Sayaka waved to the crowd. "Here's to you, Homerun!" A weird music-box-esque instrument played from the speakers before some synths and finger snaps made their way into the beat. I heard Madoka cheer wildly above the crowd, and I had to admit I was curious as to how Homura was reacting. "Birthday Sex" couldn't have been her ideal choice for a birthday dedication.

"It's yo birthday, so I know you want to ri-i-ide out~"

Sayaka and Kyoko weren't even looking to the audience as they sang. Their eyes were focused on only each other, a sort of hunger that they took no pretense to hide. In their minds, they were probably already doing it.

"Even if we only go to my-y-y house~"

Poor Homura. Her birthday dedication was being ruined by her horny friends. I couldn't stop from laughing at their antics, but the moment they got off stage I reminded myself that it wouldn't be long before I too was up there, making a fool of myself…

Ah, there it is. The terror's back. And oh, how it shakes me to the core.

I wasn't even paying attention to the singers anymore, my focus was on everything but. The wait was killing me, each step felt like I was walking to the electric chair. I was vaguely aware that I was getting closer, vaguely aware that time was going by in weird little segments. Fast and slow, fast and slow. This was going to be the death of me.

And then suddenly, I was front in line. Oh my God. Oh… my God, no. I need to run away. Right. Now. Please.

"Next up, Mami Tomoe!" the DJ yelled into his microphone after I handed him my song sheet. He looked at me. "You ready?"

I could cry. "No. Not at all. I changed my mind, I can't do this."

He pressed some buttons and gave me the mic, completely ignoring the look of despair on my face. "Alright, have fun. "

I felt a pair of soft hands push me on to the stage proper. I couldn't feel my legs as the opening synths thumped through the speakers. There was barely any time to mentally prepare.

"I threw a wish in the well~, don't ask me I'll never tell~"

The crowd just stared back at me. There was no telling what they were thinking, and to be perfectly honest there was no way of knowing what horrors they were seeing. There was nothing worse than this. They could have made a scary movie out of this. I stood on stage, simply soaking in the spotlight.

"I trade my soul for a wish~, pennies and dimes for a kiss~"

I trembled, not quite understanding the words or the implications or even what I was really singing. All that mattered was the end. It would eventually end.

Then I saw her in the crowd, looking up at me. Everything clicked. The big drums, the synths and strings pulsating with the beat, I finally got it. I jumped up, perhaps a little overdramatically I admit, and practically shouted through the microphone.

"Hey, I just met you~, and this is crazy~"

As I sang, my eyes were locked on one very particular girl.

"But here's my number… so call me maybe!"

You could practically see the cartoon hearts fly when I did my best wink. I tried to dance, boogey to the groove, but I was so dizzy from the drinks I merely stumbled around the stage. I must look so silly, like an elephant being chased by a mouse, stomping my feet like this. But everyone else was getting into it. I saw people dancing. Watching. Smiling. They liked me, or at the very least the song.

One person in particular, a pretty pinkette adorned in bright candy colors, who thankfully winked back. Everything that scared me seemed to melt away.

The rest of the song went by way too fast. There was hardly time to enjoy myself, enjoy the stage, because just like that it was over. My arms drooped to my side because I didn't know what else to do. People applauded kindly, not really paying much attention to me now that I was done. I was just another singer to them, but at least I gave them something to enjoy. I gave the mic back to the DJ and jumped off stage, rushing away. I had this new liveliness in me, this ecstatic cheerfulness that was completely foreign to me, and I had to unleash it somehow, had to set it free upon the world…

"Hey," Charlotte whispered as she walked into my line of sight. A huge smile was on her face. "You were great, as I knew you would be."

And my train of thought vanished completely as a huge smile crossed my face. When I looked away, flushing not with embarrassment but pride, I caught sight of the clock in the corner.

"Oh, look how late it is!" I looked at the clock in the corner and gasped. I hadn't realized how quickly time flew by.

She turned around to look at the clock then turned back to me, a mask of terror across her face. She recovered quickly enough to make me wonder if I'd imagined it, though I know I didn't imagine the sudden sobering up. "Shit, it's that late? I have to get home. Study a bit. Exams are coming up."

She wanted me to keep talking, maybe ask her more. I was okay with that. "That's right, you mentioned that." I narrowed my eyes. "Why are you at a bar when it's exam time, anyway? Where do you go to school?"

She smiled, ignoring my first question. "Mitakihara, the college a little ways away. Do you go there? Do you live in the dorms nearby?"

"Ah, no." I sighed as I rested my chin on my hands. "I graduated a few years back."

"Really? Damn." She giggled, her face slightly pink from the drinks. "And here I was, hoping to walk you home."

I giggled with her. She really was tenacious. "I do live in walking distance actually," I piped up.

"Then there's hope for me yet!" She seemed way too excited. "Let me buy you one more shot before you go. Something to remember me by, you know? Drunk walking isn't illegal, after all."

"Maybe another time, Charlotte. I don't want to keep you out past your bedtime." I made myself laugh, but she made a huge pouty face in response. I backtracked quickly, "I didn't mean it like that. It's just… you said you had to study. I don't want to take away that time. Your education is important, you know?"

She adjusted herself and grabbed her purse. Then, out of nowhere, she grabbed my hand. I felt my insides freeze up and shatter. How foolish I must be, how silly I must look now. Were my friends watching me? Would they call me or text me first thing tomorrow? I can imagine it now. "Mami-you-blockhead-how-could-you-let-someone-like -that-go?!" I just met this girl though. I should let go of her, right now…

But I couldn't.

I couldn't comprehend that she would want to hang around me. I didn't understand it. Did this really just happen? It couldn't have.

"I mean, you wouldn't want to... not with… me…" I breathed out, not sure if she could hear me.

With both her hands now wrapped around mine, she slipped something crumpled, a piece of napkin I guess, into my grip.

"Of course I would, silly," she giggled. "You seem all kinds of fun. You know, when you loosen up a bit. We could try doing that without getting you plastered next time. But…" she pulled herself up and looked over my shoulder, "for now I think I'll leave you to your friends." Her smile, while not as wide as it formerly was, still seemed to brighten up the room. "Call me. We can do this again sometime. Just remember... I owe you a drink." She gave one final wink, and my heart was sent fluttering again.

And then she let go and disappeared into the crowd. I stared off after her, not knowing quite what to do or say.

"Mami!" Madoka's voice rang out behind me, causing me to jump. "Mami, where'd you go? You were great!" The usual flutters in my stomach were totally absent.

"I uh, I was with a new friend," I told them.

"Was that who she was?" Sayaka said, her arm wrapped around Kyoko's hips. "The girl who left. She looked really pretty, Mami. Who was she?"

"She's… she's, uh…" I began awkwardly. My mind failed to give me a proper conclusion of the thought, so it just hung there in the open, sounding foolish. Madoka gave me a weird, knowing smile. But it was a pleased smile.

"Well? C'mon, tell us. Who was she, Mami? She looked tasty," Kyoko said. Sayaka must have hit Kyoko because suddenly I heard a weird grunt escape her lips.

"I'm glad you finally got someone to talk to. You did get her name, didn't you?" Homura almost seemed concerned, like my state of shock was because I fried my brain. To be honest though, it felt a little fried. I felt completely… peculiar. Queer. Unusual. Took me a few seconds before I remembered what I was holding.

I looked down at the wad she left in my head. When my mind started working again, I unfolded the napkin and saw her number. Or was it hers? A once-over and I noticed a different name was written where "Charlotte" should have been written. I wondered, was I just played for a fool? Was I just given a fake number? I could cry.

Then something clicked in my head. This was her real name. Of course. But then… she wouldn't want others to know that, would she?

"She's called Charlotte," I say through a smile. "I'll introduce you guys… next time."