Friday 9:00 PM
Star was in her room trying to pick what she wanted to wear to the Stray Sheep. It was just a bar. There wouldn't be a dance floor for her to get her groove on, but then she wasn't going to get her dance on, she wanted to watch Marco get fucked up on the kinds of drugs that you couldn't get outside of multidimensional bars.
Star giggled just thinking of the uptight boy staggering around making a fool of himself. Maybe he'd even find a nice alien girl to go to bed with. Star bit her wand thinking of the kind of scream he'd let out when he found a swamp squid in his bed. This was too much fun, now she knew why Janna teased him so much.
She eventually decided on a deep red Chinese style dress with black boots underneath. Her horns stayed in place but her hair piled itself into a tight bun behind her head. When she stepped out of her room she saw that Marco hadn't changed anything. Fortunately, when he saw her he quickly popped into his room and traded his normal red hoodie with a red blazer.
Star shrugged, "It'll do." She dropped a pouch into his hands that clinked, "That should be enough for an emergency.
"What is it?" Marco looked in at the unassuming coins.
"Enchanted pewter. It's one of the few things that can't be summoned or created using magic, so it makes for good coinage. Anyway, if things go south just drag me into a coach and tell them to take you home. There's enough there for four round trips or so."
Marco pocketed the pouch and followed Star into her room. Excuse or no his parents wouldn't be letting Star and him leave the house at nine on a Friday. Too many dangerous people about, even in this quiet neighborhood. Even if those 'dangerous people' were just dumb college kids looking to crash a party.
Snip-snip and they're in. They stand in a wood paneled foyer. There's only one door that sits behind a black wood desk. In the desk sits a minotaur in what could only be called a suit of armour. It looked like someone had taken a business suit and sewn in metal plates that matched the colour. Professional and practical.
The beast snorted, "River's brat. You didn't make a reservation, but fortunately for you we still have room in the private booths. You gonna actually pay this time or do you want this one on your tab?"
"Just put it on the tab, you know I'm good for it." Star smiles at the beast.
"Indeed you are, princess. Though it grinds my horns that you can convince your parents to let you come here."
Star shrugged, "I think that they'd rather I be under your tender love and care than out in the streets getting nasty with places that are for real dangerous."
The minotaur snorted again, "Right then, follow me."
They were lead through the doors and down a short hallway. A couple of doors on the left and right muffled sounds that were either sexy or horrifying depending on what species you were. At the end of the short hall was another pair of double doors that opened out into a large, vaulted, circular room. The walls were lined with curtained booths. The central floor was tiered so that you could see the large central stage from anywhere in the room. Tables sat on every tier and these tables were filled with strange and interesting creatures.
The stage is large enough to house a large family if needed, but atop it is a single grand piano that belts out a surprisingly fast and catchy tune. The pianist is a green skinned humanoid with four spindly arms wrapped in rags. Marco doesn't question it as he sits in the booth across from Star. The table itself is some kind of crystal screen. Instructions flash by in a thousand different languages before settling into Spanish.
Strangely named drinks sit beside brands that he recognizes. Next to the drinks is an order button. No prices that he could see. "This is supposed to be slightly better than a pub filled with burly guards?" He asks incredulously. "I could eat off the floor this place is so high class."
Star grins at him, "Just 'cuz it's fancy doesn't mean it's not fun." She gushes, "Just wait until later. But until then, we both need a drink, and I'm going to order for you."
"Sta~r." Marco whines, "I can order for myself, they even serve stuff I recognize."
"Exactly, you think I'm just going to take you out so you can be Mr. Safe and not have fun? My tab, my call. Unless you think you can pay for this place?"
Marco thought of the coins he was carrying but decided that he could trust Star not to go to overboard. "Fine, but if anything funny happens we're getting out of here."
Star held her hand up, "I promise to completely ignore that order."
Marco stares at her for a moment while she smiles back. A huge mug of frothing brown liquid slams down in front of her while a glass chalice on a needle thin stem full of neon pink liquid is placed delicately in front of him. The waiter rotates away on more legs than Marco is comfortable with. He looks from his own pretty pink glass to Star, who is already guzzling down her drink. "Just chop my balls off why don't you?"
Star slams the half empty mug back down to the table with a satisfied gasp. She wipes her foam covered mouth and grins at him, "You offering? I'll call you princess pillows. Because, y'know, pillows are safe, I guess? Whatever, drink your cocktail, it's good, it's even non-alcoholic."
"They serve alcohol to minors here?" Marco stage whispers.
Star sits back, "Oh yeah! There ain't no age restriction in the multiverse! The multiverse is free and wild, like that punk band Free and Wild that got put in the zoo on Pandora."
"Inspiring," Snarked Marco, "But I know you Star, you wouldn't come all this way just for some booze. You could probably just magic some up if you wanted to."
Star had finished her first drink and waved the waiter down for another, "Just you wait princess Pillows, you'll get a taste soon enough. Now drink up, I'm paying after all; you won't get a chance like this again."
Marco took a tentative sip of the cocktail. It tasted like cherry soda with a bit of a strawberry aftertaste. "It's not bad." Marco commented. Star giggled. Marco looked nonplussed, "Alright, what's the catch."
Stars giggles grew, "Your tongue is glowing pink." She giggled out. Marco sighed, it could have been worse. The pianist plays for about fifteen minutes and gets a modest clap when he bows out. Star is four mugs in and Marco is nursing his second when a tall man in a pinstripe suit and no face walks out onto the stage.
"And now for tonight's main act. Gladatorial Co~mba~t!"
Marco grins and Star claps. This is going to be good. Marco thinks to himself, not realizing that he would have thought something quite different fifteen minutes ago.
A/N: I'm going to be posting these once a week on Mondays. There are only two more parts in this little story, but I may consider doing a sequel if I get the itch. But I also have another story that I'm filling with one shots. So, if you like this so far pop over to that and make a request and I'll see what I can do about writing it up for you! Remember to be descriptive!