There were signs of possible rainfall that night Soul noted as he spotted thick clouds heading over the city, giving the sky a soft-grey watercolour painting feeling. There were a few stars out flecked across the sky evenly like street-lights, but at fire-fly size of course. The buildings he passed still smelled of garbage and urine as they had every night he had made his way down this regular rut of his towards his only form of "entertainment" for the day.
He could already hear the music and ruckus before he could see the bar in sight. He bent his neck to one side until it made a cracking noise and stretched one arm over his chest, taking turns with the other as he approached the building. He stopped at the door and gave a sigh before he let himself through the doors. The bouncer hadn't even asked him for identification due to him being such a regular customer as he waltzed on in and found himself perched on his favorite bar-stool.
"Heya Soul! Bout time you got here!" Patty slapped his back. Kim and Ox were behind her with Liz and what looked to be Jacqueline also.
"It's only been open for an hour for god's sake; I don't wait at the door like you bunch of alcoholics. So who's the sober one tonight?" Soul lifted his head coolly, giving a half-assed wave of one hand to say hello to the company before him. Kirikou made his way up to where they were all situated at and ordered a drink from the bartender.
"Well it won't be me, I've had a few drinks before even coming here, and getting drunk at a bar just costs too much for my liking." Kirikou handed some coins over to the bartender, receiving his tall glass of what appeared to be some sort of stout; very dark in colour.
"You're just as bad as Soul when it comes to drinking you know." Kim scoffed at him while he sipped all the bubbles from the edge of his glass. He put it down and waved a hand at her argueably.
"At least I don't complain while I drink and make all those around me depressed. I'm a reasonable guy and know when I'm at my limits. No offence by the way."
"None taken." Soul was approached by Lou who lowered his spectacles as he leaned in towards him casually.
"I see you're back here again. Jail cooled your head I spose?" Soul snickered and placed some change on the counter, which was taken by Lou and counted.
"The usual?" he stated more rather than questioned. He grabbed a short glass and put some ice in the bottom before tipping some strong smelling alcohol in to join it.
"That stuff makes your breath stink man, girls won't like that." Ox stated as he placed a palm around Kim's waist possessively showing off that he had something Soul didn't; which got on his nerves a little.
"And what are you drinking then?" Soul spouted at him, showing a little irritation in his voice. Ox adjusted his glasses and ran his hand through his short-rough hair before answering.
"I'm not; it will be lemon-lime bitters for me tonight. I'm driving the girls and Kirikou home tonight. I don't want to be thrown into jail for DUI or something like that; jail is for losers am I right?" Yet another cruel jab at Soul's ribs with a metaphorical electrical spear. Soul took the rest of his glass in and swallowed quickly, feeling the burn of the spirits go down his throat and into the pit of his stomach.
"You'd better stop your attitude now while I am just beginning, if you continue after I have a few more we will be taking this outside you scrawny little prick. You don't kick a man while he's down, it's uncool." Kim wandered off with Patty from boredom to find Black Star at a round table with Sid. Sid wasn't a regular visitor to the bar but often came for the company of his ex-students.
"I was a bold drinker when I was alive." Sid told to no one in particular. Black Star looked at his glass of clear liquid and cocked an eyebrow.
"That's water isn't it?" he questioned as Sid drank the whole lot in one gulp.
"I said I was when I was alive…" Black Star nodded his head in a "oh ok" sort of manner and continued babbling on to Tsubaki beside him who was slowly working her way through a cup of hot chips.
"Can I have one Tsubaki?" he asked loudly going off topic with whatever he was previously talking about. Tsubaki handed the cup to him and let him take a few out before getting it handed back to her.
"You should have savored yours, if you want more, you can walk down to Reggie's." Patty pulled up a chair beside Black Star and slammed a large glass of beer on the table spilling a bit from the impact.
"Whatchu doin'?" she asked in a rather pleasant volume, which would rise later in the night in par with the consumption of alcohol taken. Liz came from behind holding three drinks carefully and placed two in-front of Black Star and Tsubaki; keeping the last one for herself.
"Just chattin'. Sid was saying that they are looking for a new teacher and might just have one fly in soon to start. Spreading hundreds of students across so few teachers just isn't working so well…" Patty lost track or interest as she stared into her glass ambitiously whilst consuming the whole drink without taking a breather. Tsubaki rolled her eyes and placed her elbows on the table in a bored manner.
"Don't worry Tsubaki, I'm sure no one really cares but you. Don't take it personally." Liz made her way around the table and sat next to her and Sid. Tsubaki glared at Liz's drink and then at Liz's face.
"Do you plan on getting off your face again? This is your second one and we've only been here an hour." Liz laughed out loud and took a good half of her drink down making Tsubaki feel a little irritable.
"It's been an hour? That's terrible!"
"I agree."
"By now I should be on my forth or fifth one! I might last a while if I continue at two drinks an hour. I still have to see you wasted. How bout you get yourself a drink?"
"Even if I wanted to, I have to stay tight on money. Black Star should be doing the same. I'm going to tell the bartender to put him off tap soon so we don't go broke…" Liz let out a heavy sigh and gave Tsubaki a slap on the back reassuringly.
"Don't worry girl, I'll pitch in if you ever need money desperately and I'm sure Kid would too since he is that loaded. Just enjoy yourself tonight hey? My star-sign told me something awesome will happen tonight."
"You don't actually believe in that stuff do you? You know people pull it out of their asses every morning just so people have something to read in the newspaper? Liz finished her drink and clicked her fingers at a passing waitress carrying a platter of empty glasses.
"Two shots of sambooka black ey!" she signaled two fingers to the waitress and she left with her glass to the counter to get her drinks.
"Of course not, but it's fine to see if they come true. They sometimes are so close to being word by word to the readings that I find it creepy. Seeing you drunk for that matter would make today's horoscope come true for me for sure!" Tsubaki pushed Liz's shoulder with one hand and snorted.
"I won't get drunk, its very un-lady like. And besides, it gets people into trouble. Take Soul and Patty for instance. Soul got thrown into jail 'cos he couldn't run away from the cops, and Patty just does dumb things in general when she is off her face."
"Even when she is sober she is off her face…what's the difference? And Soul had only been to jail once and it wasn't his fault but the fully sober King of Justice sitting next to you; of no fault of alcohol but stupidity." The waitress placed two shot-glasses in-front of Liz and she gave the lady the exact change for her order. Liz pushed one glass to Tsubaki.
"I'm not drinking that you know." Tsubaki glared at the blackish-blue liquid residing in the tiny glass. She could smell it but couldn't place what it had reminded it her of.
"Aww c'mon, you'll like this one. It tastes like licorice! You just need to drink it quickly; I won't make you have anymore if you don't want to. Please?" Tsubaki picked it up with her thumb and forefinger and held it to her mouth to be stopped by Liz. "Nah ah, at the same time as me 'kay!" Liz held her own up to her lips and put her other hand up with three fingers erect. She started a count down, when she had all her fingers into a fist they both drank the shots at the same time. Tsubaki didn't swallow instantly and kept it in her sealed mouth for a while before reluctantly swallowing it.
"Nice ey?" Liz slammed her glass down on the table and let out a content sigh. Tsubaki was still twisting her face trying to get over the full impact of what she had just done.
"It's terribly strong…but."
"Like I just said, nice ey?" Tsubaki had to admit it had a pleasant flavour, but figured it would have been nicer if she had swallowed it quickly like Liz had told her to.
"I want to try that one again, I didn't drink it quick enough so I think I did it wrong." Liz quickly got up from the table and dragged Tsubaki with her to the counter.
"That's the spirit ma' girl! The newspaper hasn't failed me yet!"
While they were both off, Black Star, Sid and Patty all looked dumbfounded at what they had just saw.
"Di, did Tsubaki just willingly drink…alcohol?" Sid questioned to break the silence among them. He stood up from his seat and brushed his clothes as if they were dirty. "I'd better take my leave then. I may have been a partying kind of guy when I was alive, but I'm passed that now. Don't do anything too rash now will you both?" Black Star placed his arms behind his head casually while Patty still watched her sister and Tsubaki at the counter as Liz managed to get another shot down Tsubaki's throat.
"O'course we wont Sid, who do you take me for? It's her you should be worried about…"
"Yeah, the first time drunk is the WORST time drunk…" Sid said with a wise tone. He then waved good-bye and made his way to the exit.
"HA HA HA! TSUBAKI IS IN FOR IT NOW!" Patty shot up from her seat to join the rest as Black Star sat by hiself at the table now with nothing but an empty cup of what used to have chips inside.
"He he, this is going to an awesome night, I'd better be sober enough to watch this…"
Soul finished his current glass and stood up from his bar-stool cracking his fingers in-front of him. Kirikou, Kim and Ox had moved from a few groups of people situated throughout the bar and had finally made their way over to the other end of the counter where a lot of the noise was coming from.
"Sounds like some sort of drinking game going on over there." Soul said to Lou who was still loyally chatting with him and wiping the bench down with a damp cloth. He tugged on his bow-tie so it was even and looked over to where all the commotion was.
"Lucy told me some so-called non-drinker is taking shots, so all her friends are edging her on or something. Poor girl won't know what hits her later on tonight hey? Ha I can still remember my first night on the booze; wasn't pretty mind you." Soul scratched his chest slowly and turned his back towards the counter, leaning on it lazily.
"I'll find out later, I need to exercise my fingers now. You can bring me a free drink if you like while I tune the piano from whatever last idiot would have used it last night." The bartender let out a sarcastic snicker.
"And why would you deserve a free drink?" Soul pushed his fedora back so he could see a little more from under its rim and smiled wickedly.
"Because all of your female customers will be arriving soon to hear me play, which should earn a drink on the house now shouldn't it?" Lou looked over to the door which had indeed opened, bringing in three young women all eagerly looking over the crowd towards the stage. One smiled and turned to the others to whisper something to them and they had all looked over in Soul's direction and waved.
"Alright then, you go run along and play now and I'll fetch you a drink." Lou grabbed a glass and started to wipe it out as Soul headed towards the stage and sat at the piano. Once again it looked superbly polished and untouched; just how he liked it.
"Let's hear you sing to me now."
Maka was power-walking down a footpath of Death City. She'd forgotten to ask if everybody had still lived in their same apartments, or where they would be at least this time of night. She made her way towards her and Soul's place from when she was still living in the City; hoping he would be there having dinner or something. She reached the bottom of the apartment and started climbing the flight of stairs until she hit the top floor where she had once lived. There was no light shining underneath the door.
"He never liked the light on anyway…" she said to herself softly. Her heart was racing as she tried to pluck up the courage to knock on the door. She lifted up her hand and tapped it firmly with her forefinger's knuckle three times. No response.
"Maybe he is asleep. I'll try again." She gave another three knocks but louder this time.
"Honey, that young man isn't ever home at this time. Are you looking for him?" a familiar feminine voice from behind her said politely. She turned around to ponder at a small black cat sitting on the rail behind her. It started licking one paw and looked up at Maka squinting at her face.
"You look like someone I know sweetie. Are you Soul's new girlfriend?" Maka's eyes lit up as she picked up the cat and hugged it tightly.
"BLAIR!" she almost crushed the cat into her breasts from the impact earning some claws to dig into her; loosening her grip so the cat could jump back onto the rail.
"Should warn someone before you go and grab them like that. Wait, is that you…Maka? I didn't recognize you with boobs, or your height. And you have such pretty hair now! When did you get here?" Blair was popping out questions before Maka could answer them for her. Maka petted Blair behind the ears tenderly as Blair quieted down and started purring happily.
"It's good to see a familiar face, even if it is you I spose…so Soul still lives here?" Blair lifted her head up as Maka stroked the fur on her neck right up to her chin.
"Yeah he does. But if you're going to wait for him here, you'd better be willing to wait until the early hours of the morning."
"Where is he? Is he out with someone?" Maka's heart sunk at the thought of that, but perhaps maybe he was working…hopefully.
"Nah, he is as a pub place just down the road there, he is often there with a few of the others you knew from school. So if you're lucky, you might get to see a lot more faces than just mine tonight." Blair gave a long stretch with her bottom up in the air and her claws almost glowed in contrast with her almost invisible black coat. "They don't allow cats there for some reason, but are more than willing to let me in when I look like a human…it's soooo mean!"
"So where is this place Blair?" Blair sat up and looked at Maka's shoulder before leaping up to perch there. Maka winced as she felt her fine pin-like claws prick her skin.
"Not too far, just listen to where I tell you to go. I can't read the name of the sign but it is lit up with all flashy lights from the outside!" Maka knew esactly where she was talking about now. She remembered Soul telling her once he was old enough, he would go to that place every night because it was classy. She also remembered telling him that she didn't want him to turn into an alcoholic and chase lots of women like her father would.
"You mean Louie's?" she said to Blair as they made their way down the flight of stairs to the bottom. Blair yawned and adjusted herself to Maka's other shoulder.
"So that's what the sign says…I knew it started with an L. Well fancy that then." Blair emitted a loud "meow" with another yawn. "Though I won't go in with you, I'm not in the mood for noise tonight. And there is some tom-cat waiting patiently for me somewhere I'm not sure of just yet. Pure-bred Russian blue, me-oooow!"
"Well you haven't changed for sure…" Maka mumbled quietly under her breath. The street was other-wise quiet apart from a slow approaching tune as they got closer and closer to the bar. It was a very nostalgic tune that she couldn't put her finger on. Then it hit her.
"That's Soul's song."