I just couldn't stop cracking up as I wrote this chapter. I imagined Goku going into an actual bar and getting drunk…Then the thought of Shin going into a bar just made me double over in laughter. No way would he ever step FOOT in one but nonetheless (grin).
Also, some of you might say that I am writing Shin as a bit TOO mature but again, it's my belief that he DID mature over time. Besides, he DOES have a better sense of maturity in Super which does slip on occasion when someone does something embarrassing or completely disrespectful of their station (Elder Kai and his dirty magazines is a BIG example). Such an occasion hasn't occurred...Yet...
Disclaimer: DragonballZ, it's characters, incarnations, settings, etc., belong to its awesome creator, Akira Toriyama. All original characters, settings, etc., belong to me!
Chapter 10: Reality vs. Fiction
"Geez, you are one lucky lady! Related to Satan-san AND familiar with THE Bulma Briefs?" Anya immediately saw the dollar signs appear in Sam's eyes. "Not the mention that you're a pretty good bartender…Who would fire YOU anyway? I've made more money in the past month than this dump makes in a year!"
The bar had been slow anyway, as Sam had told her once she started getting her station ready for the night.
"Hey…" The guy had a worried look about him. "You feeling alright?"
"Yeah…" Anya sighed. "Just family problems."
That was saying a lot.
The night wore on with very little patrons. Apparently some tournament or something was going on in another town or something; Anya frankly just drowned it all out and did what she could to get her mind off of current affairs.
She realized everyone was absolutely insane when it came to Satan-san's family and friends. She remembered storming out of the lab, ignoring everyone and just saying she had work that night.
Who the hell would even believe it anyway? It sounded like some stupid fairy tale or something! Kamis, and all that mess…There had to be another explanation…Maybe Anya really DID have cancer, it was just a new breed that no one has ever heard of before.
Whatever, she was fine; she felt healthy, and just wanted to be left alone for a bit. Working helped her a lot; it took her mind off of everything. As the middle of the night began, Anya had completely forgotten what happen that morning at Capsule Corporations and she was thankful for it.
Sadly though, when those three walked in, her happiness crashed completely.
"Anya-san!" The yell could be heard all over the bar. Gohan's father, Goku, had been the one to scream it out. The guy had a goofy grin on his face; did the guy not even know he was in a bar? Right next to him was his glasses wearing son, Gohan; right behind them with a light scowl on his face was the new guy, Shin.
"Otousan, please!" Gohan sighed then pushed his father towards the bar. "Hello, Anya-san."
Goku blinked. "Hey, wait a second…If she's turning into a kami then—" Gohan smacked a hand over his father's mouth.
"Sorry, Anya-san. My father means well." Gohan smiled but blinked when Anya's back was to him. "Anya-san?"
"If you aren't here to get alcohol then leave." She was busy making some drink for a waitress at the moment, at least that's what she was going to tell them if they asked.
Shin had an odd look about him. His eyes were darting around, taking in everything around him. "What is this place exactly?"
Anya actually turned around and looked at the guy. Was he serious!? He walks into a bar not knowing what it was in the first place!?
"Seriously?" She eyed Gohan. "Where the hell did you get this guy?"
Gohan just laughed. "Father, why don't we go over here…" He deftly pushed his father out of the way to get a table. Goku practically drooled when he found out food was served at the Silver Snake.
Anya shook her head. "And I thought MY parent was crazy…" She eyed the person across the bar. Like Gohan and Goku, Shin stood out amongst the drunks. He seemed just too…well…classy to be in a place like this. "Something tells me you either stubbornly came here with them or they dragged you here. Either way, I've got nothing to say."
"You are being unreasonable." It was obvious Shin did NOT like this place but he was holding his own.
She laughed. "Oh really? Says the guy who claims to be some 'kami' or something." Anya rolled her eyes. "Talk about one-liners…"
He frowned.
"Anya!" A server came up to the bar. "I need two of the specials on the rocks!"
"Give me about five minutes." The Silver Snake had a special drink called the Cobra. It was the first mixed drink Anya had to learn before she could work here. Now she went to quick work at making the complicated drink that normally would take two to three minutes per glass. In under a minute, under the ever watchful eyes of Shin, Anya produced the drinks for the waitress who just stood there dumbfounded.
"What?"
The waitress blinked. "Wow! Anya you've gotten faster! That was…Wow! I couldn't keep up! And I swear that bottle of rum moved on its own!"
Anya rolled her eyes. "Just take the drinks, Emely."
The bewildered waitress just nodded and left.
"Can you not see what just happened?" Shin spoke up again. "Your reflexes—"
"It's called practice, idiot." Anya took a deep breath. It wouldn't look good for her to bicker with a customer. "Even the waitresses here get a little tipsy sometimes, it's best to just ignore their rants."
Shin stared at her incredulously. "I see…It appears you need more convincing." He looked around the space. Besides Goku and Gohan there were only two other patrons in the establishment, not that Anya was counting she just like to know how many guests were at the bar at all times.
Shaking her head Anya just went back to the work at hand. She had chores to do and now was as good a time as any to do them. She couldn't waste her time dealing with a crazy idiot who needed a dose of reality at the moment.
"The male over there in the corner will ask for something called a beer, his fifth one I believe. The other sitting near the window will be coming up here to speak with you, though you might not enjoy such a conversation."
Anya's green eyes stared at Shin like he suddenly grew three heads. Almost instantly the lone server that night came up to the bar.
"Anya, you might want to get Joey inside to escort that guy out." She nodded over to the guy in the corner, the very one Shin had just spoken about. "He's wanting another beer, it's gonna be his fifth one! I think he's totally wasted."
A blink of confused, green eyes. "Uh…Yeah…"
"Hey there…" The man that sat at the window came up a few seconds later, plopped his rather large behind into a stool right next to Shin and gave a grin at Anya. He tried to lay on the charm as he spoke, "I hear you're Satan-san's step-daughter…Just so happens I used to—"
"Save it bud." Anya felt another headache coming on. "Whatever you're selling, I ain't buying. So take your greasy butt away."
The guy wasn't happy with Anya's answer. "Hey! You can't talk to me like that!"
"I just did." Anya huffed.
"You little—" The guy reached over the bar but Shin was faster. He gripped the guy's wrist, stared the guy down as though he were staring at a the lowest of the low.
"You should leave immediately."
The guy suddenly relaxed as Shin let him go.
"I should leave immediately." The guy was like a broken record. Anya watched the guy grab his keys then walk out the door without another word.
Anya just stood there completely stunned. What the heck just happened!?
"All Kaioshin can read the minds of mortals. We also have the power of telekinesis, which allows us to control others if the need arises." Shin explained without batting an eyelash. Did the guy even HAVE eyelashes? Who knew under all that eyeliner.
"When the time comes you too will most likely obtain these abilities, though I am unsure as to exactly how strong those abilities might become." He frowned. "I am sorry…this situation must be quite unsettling for you to comprehend. Even I am shocked to know that my blood saved someone…but…I did not know it would in fact change that person." He stared at her. "You might not know of it, nor feel it happening, but even as I sit here in this…interesting establishment, I can plainly see that you are indeed changing."
She rolled her eyes. "This is a bar...of course people would want alcohol…Well…besides those two." She nodded over to Gohan and Goku who were enjoying their fifth plate of food. "And everyone knows who my step-father is…" Cue confused look from Shin. "Never mind, whatever. What just happened…yeah it happens all the time around here."
Another frown. "I see…Would you please step to your left a bit? I do not wish for you to be harmed."
Anya eyed him. "What?"
It took seconds before she realized his eyes were glowing, or was that just a trick of the light?
There were shouts all around as the back wall, where hundreds of glass bottles containing all sorts of alcohol, began to suddenly burst, spraying glass all over the place. Anya quickly moved to her left but in the process got stabbed by a shard of glass; it practically impaled her left hand.
"What the hell happened here!?" Sam came out from the back, shocked at seeing the glass all around and alcohol covering the floor.
"Anya-san!?" Gohan was at the bar as well, concerned for Anya clearly written all over his face.
"I'm alright." She hissed as she pulled out the rather large piece of glass from her hand. The blood oozed out as she took a clean cloth to wrap it up while Sam went to get a broom.
However, the cloth was taken from her as Shin gripped the wrist of her injured hand. A mere touch of his finger and Anya watched in shock as her wound completely closed up, healed to perfection.
Despite the clamor all around him, Shin was calm. A chill hit Anya then…Those eyes of his staring her down. The smirk he wore spoke of absolute triumph.
"Now do you believe me, Anya-san?"
Next Time: Fleeting Thoughts