A tall, lanky blond man came out from the back room. "What's this, Rio? I'm your boss and you treat me like a busboy! I'll fire you one of these days, I swear..."
"You know you could never get rid of me," Rio joked. "You love me too much!"
"Yeah yeah, whatever you say." Jack mumbled. "Oh, Candy and Kira couldn't make it tonight. I'll help you out some, but it'll be just the two of us." Then Jack turned and really looked at Rio. "Hey," he said. "Aren't those the same clothes you were wearing yesterday?"
Rio blushed. "Maybe I just like these clothes," she muttered.
Jack came up and pinched her arm. "And you look skinnier, too. Er, not that you were fat before or anything, but you look a little too skinny now." He commented. He put his hand on her forehead to feel her temperature. "Are you feeling OK?" His voice rang with concern.
Pushing him away playfully, she said "Jack, I never get sick. Don't joke so much, I'm fine! I feel great." Just then, her stomach growled almost loud enough to echo around the empty bar.
"Uh huh, yeah, that's what I thought." He said, rolling his eyes. "Make sure you get something to eat tonight. Just do it," he added, seeing her about to protest.
"So," Jack said hurriedly. "Are you ready for some customers?" He didn't wait for a response, instead he went to the lights panel and switched the neon lights spelling Blue Moon into the "on" position. They were officially open for the evening.
Once the customers started coming in, they came in fast and heavy. Soon the bar was thumping with the bass of music playing over the speakers, and the lyrics of the music were almost drowned out by the sound of people talking to each other. Rio was soon caught up with orders for drinks, and heckles from regulars who knew her well. For every time one would heckle Rio, she would throw a snarky comeback right back at them.
As the night wore on and the customers picked up and slowed down, Rio was quite the opposite of being worn down---she thrived off of the energy from the people. Where there was no one to serve, she would strike up a lively conversation with a regular or flirt with a cute college boy.
At around twelve AM the flow of customers started to change. There were less people coming in for a drink and more people looking for someone to spend the night with. Rio was well known for hitting those who dared to make advances upon her over the head with heavy items, and Jack was well known for looking the other way. Soon Rio was bored with nobody to serve and all the customers' attention on each other.
Gazing at the entrance, Rio willed someone interesting to walk through it. At that exact moment, fate decided to smile upon the young woman and through the doors walked another regular of the bar. Much younger and considerably more attractive than most of the other regulars, he stood out. Shoulder blade-length red hair caught the eye, while a thin athletic frame kept its gaze. Rio flashed him a grin as he met her gaze and waved. As he made his way to the bar, Rio laughed to herself, seeing all of the women's heads turn as he walked past.
"I was wondering if you'd show up tonight, Red." Rio commented, calling him by the first nickname that came to mind. Customers didn't always want to share information, so Rio found it much easier to call them by whatever nickname popped into her head at the moment. "What can I get for you?"
Kurama smiled at her. "Just some water for me will be fine."
"What, no shots? You must not be trying to drown your sorrows in the bottle like Baldie over there." Rio hitched her thumb in the direction of a man near the end of the bar, hiccoughing as he talked to one of the many shot glasses splayed around him.
"Afraid not," Kurama's green eyes flashed as they met her. "I'm just here for some good company."
Rio put a glass filled with ice water on the bar in front of him. The chips of ice clinked against the glass as she said, " Really now, well I--"
A call came from a yard or so away for more beer, and she excused herself. After pulling out three or four Bobweizer beers from a fridge and handing them to the young college boy who requested them, she made her way back towards Red.
After standing in front of him for about five seconds, she realized he didn't notice she was there. His face could only be described as a worried grimace. After waving her hand in front of his face for a few moments, he snapped back to reality. "Welcome back to earth, space cadet!" She announced while the redhead grinned ruefully.
"Sorry about that, i just had to check up on the asteroid belt." He said with uncharacteristic sarcasm.
"Just so long as all those little asteroids are happy, it's fine." She smiled. "How have you been lately? I noticed that you seem less composed than usual." She continued.
The conversation continued for quite a while, jumping from one subject to the next. Only when it was time for last call did Rio realize how late it truly was.
"Hey," She interjected. "Shouldn't you be fast asleep in bed?"
"I guess it is pretty late, after all. The conversations I have here some nights make me forget all about time. I guess you'll be going home soon too, then?" He brought up casually.
"Yeah, home." Rio said noncomittally, letting a slightly bitter note seep into her voice.
"Troubles at home?"
"Oh, of course not. I'm just as fine as I always was," She answered evasively, with a laugh.
The bar closed soon after, and Rio said goodbye with a smile and wave to Kurama before switching off the neon sign and sweeping the floor. Soon the bar was clean, and Rio began to put on her coat.
"Jack, I'm out!" She called, making her way towards the door.
"Wait, Rio!" Jack called, coming out from behind the bar. "Your paycheck," he reminded her, placing it in her hand.
"But Jack, I don't get paid until next week." Rio gave him a puzzled look.
"Just take it, girlie. And take care of yourself, too." His eyes shone with concern.
Rio rolled her eyes at him. "Of course I'll take care of myself. Don't worry so much, you'll go bald." she punched his arm before leaving.
"I'll be fine."
Looking back, Rio didn't realize just how much she was tempting fate.
Rio stepped outside of the Blue Moon and breathed deeply. She was tired, but happy. Jack had paid her early, so she had enough cash for an early breakfast before she found somewhere to sleep for the rest of the night.
"You know, it's dangerous for a pretty girl like yourself to walk home alone. Would you like an escort?" said a voice from beside her.
Rio smiled as she recognized the young redhead from the bar earlier that evening. "Afraid not," she said, while thinking how bad it would be for him to discover that she had no home to be walked to. "But I'm just about to get breakfast, if youd care to join me."
"Only if you don't mind, and I get to pick the place. I have somewhere in mind." Kurama said, smiling.
"Please, lead away," she beckoned him onward.
As she followed him down the street for a block or two Rio said softly "Thank you for waiting for me. That was very kind of you."
Kurama threw a quick glance her way of what almost looked like guilt. Rio rubbed her eyes; she was sleepier than she thought. She turned into an alleyway, following Kurama, following him for a few seconds before she realized that not only had Kurama stopped, but he had turned to face her. Even before she noticed that they were two other shadowed figures in the alleyway alarm bells started going off in her head. Immediately she began to take steps backwards to make her escape.
"H-haha, n-now Red, you wouldn't mug your favorite bartender, would you? I mean--" She bumped into something--no, someone. Another person, there to mug her. Now, for some stupid reason her mind flashed back to her making a joke of getting kidnapped earlier.
karma, she thought, you are a bitch.
"Miss Rio, I'm afraid you misunderstood. We do not wish to harm you, we simply need you to come with us." Kurama pleaded.
How the hell do they know my name? Rio wondered. Then it dawned upon her. This was no normal mugging--this was planned. They weren't here just for her money. They came to kidnap me, she realized.
"I'll never go anywhere with you, bastard!" Rio said vehemently, dodging past the man behind her to escape from the alleyway.
"Hiei, don't!" she heard someone yell. She had just enough time to wonder who Hiei was before her whole world went pitch black and her confused mind was shot spinning into the darkness.