Inside there was no one, a few pokémon milling around drinking. Draco wondered why Ray thought this place was cool. The drinks cost double what he would have to pay for a single bottle from the store and they tasted watered down. Well, that part didn't bother him since he had no real taste for beer.
This place was a dump and Ray loved it. Draco just sat with his feelings stirring wildly in him. He wondered what set off Cole. They seemed to be doing fine then pow! Things went for bust. He crushed some pretzels under his finger as Cynder and Ray swapped jokes.
“Baby! Whassup!” Cynder got up, he was following some female, Draco didn’t even bother to look. “What about a little drink together huh?”
“She’s hot.” Ray sat back watching.
The ampharos threw her drink in Cynder’s face. He backed off as she had a few choices words for him and his come on’s. Ray laughed and swatted Draco on the shoulder. Draco let out a few fake chuckles. His mind was somewhere far off away from this decrepit club.
“Oh! That is cold! That is just cold! Come on baby that is just cold!” Cynder shook himself splashing the fermented juice about.
“Get the hint jackass!” She gave him a shock.
Draco merely nodded to Ray, he had no interest in their hunts. He had on ambition tonight and that was to get Cole back. He couldn't keep his mind off her, he didn't even notice the hens looking at him. He was bored and let Ray know. Ray merely told him to sit back and wait for the entertainment.
“Women! I tell you Ray that is just cold!” Cynder sat shaking slightly still.
“Dude! You loser!” Ray laughed and shook his head.
"What do you think Chelestine?" She belched.
"Think of what?" She kept cleaning the counter.
"Of the char that just stepped in. Would you do him?"
"You better get out of here Charmina! Charlie will be pissed if he catches you in here again. It's bad for business!" Chelestine stared at her.
"Not for mine! Besides that little brained dragonite has no business here! Yeah, you're right I wouldn't do him. Too ugly! Though he might have cash dressed like that! That Ty with him though, I would go for him for free!"
"You are twisted." Chelestine glared at her. "Get out of here!"
"You are so dumb Chelestine! Wasting your life in this dump. Hell picking at you is a waste! I'm outta here." She laughed as she poured the last of her drink on the counter Chelestine cleaned.
"What's your sign big boy?" She crawled almost into Draco's lap.
"The leave me alone sign!" He pushed her gently away.
"Just trying to show you a good time ugly!" She laughed with her liquored breath in his face.
His eyes narrowed as he saw her, she was almost in the kid’s face as she laughed at him. He could see the young drake pulling away with disgust on his face as the hen’s foul breath and mouth offended him. He snorted and suck in his belly a bit before he stamped over to the counter.
"Hey! I already warned you Charmina! I catch you ever bothering my customers like that again I won't hesitate to call Jenny on you!" The dragonite leered at her over the bar counter.
"I'm scared of you Charlie! Please save me!" She was drunk, Draco smelled the reek of different hard liquors on her.
"I called her, you have like ten minutes to clear out and you know last time I really did call her." He tapped his watch.
"Fuck you Charlie!" She stumbled out the bar.
"I'm sorry about that. She knows I don't want her in her but, she still hangs out here." He saw the young Char looked blue. "Say I'll make it up to you with a free drink!"
"Don't care much for the stuff." Which was true, he was slowly working on his first mug while Cynder and Ray downed their third and inquired a free mug claiming the hen offended them.
"Don't let that drunk whore get you down!"
"Aww hell it ain't that! I know I'm ugly! Mind's stuck on something else." Draco just shrugged it off.
Chelestine felt sorry for the kid, Charmina was always being a bitch to everyone. She saw the clock on the wall, time to fill in for the entertainment.
“Damn now that was one drunk bitch!” Cynder laughed and slapped Draco’s back.
He just smiled and tried to follow what the two were saying but, his heart was elsewhere.
“I think she pisses Coors!” Ray’s laugh made Cynder burst into an uproar.
“No my friend! I think it was good old scotch!” Cynder tried to keep from laughing uncontrollably again, he failed along with Ray.
Draco tried to disregard their impious conversation. He took a few napkins and produced a pen from his pocket. He just went back to jotting down his feelings, his thoughts, he concentrated on Charcole. He poured out what he felt onto his makeshift paper. He let no emotion out as he decided what he would say. He had to win her back somehow. Why had she treated him like that? He stopped, pen resting he just thought if she would always treat him this way. What he was doing, was it worth the effort?
"Alright Club Retro presents the music of the past you know and love!" Charlie announced into a microphone. "Please enjoy!"
“Oh hell yes!” Cynder shouted.
"Let's get a good seat at the stage!" Ray dragged Draco over to the tables. "This is why I love this place!"
Draco noticed more people had filled in. Some ready on the dance floor. He sat crushing more pretzels and wishing he was home with Charcole in his arms. This was an unbearable hell! The cigarette smoke, liquor fumes, he thought he detected some vomit under those scents. He wanted to run from the smell alone! Then there was the loud music and annoying voices of some of the patrons here.
He had to let her know his exact feelings. Some loud song began and a female voice sang. He pushed aside the napkin he wrote his ideas down on. He began to compose his letter on another napkin. He wanted his words to be perfect. He finished his beer and ordered another.
"Please everyone our very own club band accompanied by the lovely vocals of the equally lovely Chelestine!" Charlie shouted as the curtain drew up.
"Chelestine!" Ray hooted.
"Whoop!" Draco checked his watch, he began thinking out what he could tell Cole.
Tapping the pen against his forehead he tried to drown out the noise and think. Cynder kept nudging him to check out the singer. He glanced up, a char hen. He went back to his scripting. She had to know he only loved her. Ray jabbed him in the side telling him to check out this Chelestine.
He saw the char again, he went back to his writing. He put down the pen. Had he just seen what he thought he saw. He slowly looked up at the stage, right there in front of him he saw correctly.
"Guys! What is Chester doing up there!" He pointed.
"Huh? What!" Cynder looked at the drummer, it was him alright. "That lard boy has a second job!"
"This is cool! He can introduce us to Chelestine!" Ray shouted.
"Who?" Draco was baffled.
"The girl up there!" Ray grunted.
"Oh. Well I've had enough for one night." He almost got out but, Cynder stopped him.
"Listen Draco, Retro just lost their main band. Charlie fired this Wigglytuff named Russell. He is holding a contest at the end of the month to see who'll replace the guy. Now with your voice we could take this thing easy!" He leaned close.
"Quit making jokes Cynder!" Draco growled.
"I'm not joking! You would wow this damn place and we would make more money singing and fighting!" Cynder ordered another round.
"I'll think about it." He drank and read over what he wrote.
"Don't think! Do! We could clean up the competition. I mean it Draco." Cynder watched Chelestine dance on stage as she sang, she would be their only real competitor.
"I'll think it over Cynder. Now I have something to do." He wrote more.
“Think! Think! Think! You are always thinking! Do you ever do anything on impulse! Damnit! Ever since I’ve known you Drac you always have to think!” Cynder barked as he leaned back in his chair.
“Because thinking is a gift and I have it while…others lack it.” He looked right at Cynder. “Thinking keeps me out of trouble.”
“Dragons!” Cynder turned away and watched Chelestine.
“Cynder he said he’ll think about it! Just back off!” Ray gave him a disgusted look.
Time passed and he didn't realize how much he had drank. He didn't even know how he got from the table to the bar. Cynder was almost passing out and Ray was gone. He tucked his note away, he knew it was really time to go.
He saw her, she leaned against the bar with a drink in her hand. She looked familiar. He realized she was the Char on stage, Celest? He felt woozy. His head hurt and he wanted to sleep. She caught his eye though.
She was beautiful but, he thought Charcole was the most beautiful hen. He had to take another look, she was pretty though too. He knew it was the beer talking when he almost offered to treat her to a drink. He had to get out of here before his clouded mind made a mistake he couldn't take back.
On the train ride his head lolled to the side and he muttered to himself. Cynder laughed as he saw their stop float by. Ray wobbled to his feet but, forgot why he stood in the first place when sitting was so much easier.
They wound up on the city outskirts. Draco cussed as they had to pay to get back to the fire units. This time he forced himself to remember why they had gotten on the damn train.
Stumbling in they laughed quietly as Ray rolled about on the floor after he tripped. He just curled up behind the sofa where he came to a stop. Cynder passed out in the hall, Draco bumbled to his room. He flopped into bed not noticing someone was there.
Charcole felt him throw himself over her. His face inches from hers and the smell of a brewery gushing in her face. She grunted as she rolled him off.
"Draco go night, night!" He laughed and was out.
Had she had this effect on him? He was depressed enough to get hammered. She had realized she overreacted again and waited for him to come home to apologize. Before he wobbled home she was afraid he had left her again for good.
To be continued..........