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He slammed the jukebox in. The disc inside rattled a bit and the structure itself jittered in shockwaves from the impact. When it didn’t budge Thaniyel gave a harsh pat on Monty’s back. “Use your good hand, Monty!”
“Fine, fine!” Monty switched his hand and gave the jukebox another good slam, at first the music only jittered in incomplete hymns and now he feared that he had to replace the whole system but after a few seconds of incomprehensible garble, it came to life. The whole bar cheered and Monty raised his hands in triumph, Thaniyel was by his side mirroring the same gesture.
“See what good comes when you use your good hand?”
“Well it ain’t my fault. My good hand isn’t my dominant!”
“And how does that work?”
“Ion know but that’s how it works for me, now git ‘ur ass back in that seat ‘for I start yelling obscenities at ya’!” He pushed Thaniyel away which followed with his rich laughter. That sweet chortle of his faded into the crowd when he stared at the familiar figure by the bar. There, sitting by himself was Casper*. He had his virgin drink in hand and stared distantly ahead at the display of bottles and seltzers while keeping watch on the two empty seats beside him meant for Monty and Thaniyel.
For the two mayors, the night went swimmingly. Monty was always the kind to find the joy in every interaction and group that came his way and Thaniyel was no different. These night outs were always eventful. As for their loner, a different story.
“Monty.” His voice is lowered down to a whisper and he leans into him. “Do you think it was a good idea to bring Casper? He’s just been at the bar. He’s been sitting there the whole time.”
”I mean, yeah? You worried ‘bout him, Thaniyel?” To Monty, this wasn’t something to worry about. In fact, Thaniyel’s comment felt a bit redundant. “You and me. We both know Casper pretty well, yeah? Ya know he don’t really mingle with the crowd. It ain’t his thing but that don’t mean he ain’t enjoying his time!”
What Monty said was enough to relieve some of Thaniyel’s concern. “You’re…yeah, you’re right. I’m sorry I’m just trying to make sure he’s having fun too. We invited him after all and I just feel…” Thaniyel doesn’t fully finish his sentence. There was a pang of guilt felt all throughout his body and Monty could only reassure him with a squeeze on his shoulder.
”I’m sure he is! That man would be havin’ the time of his life if we was watching paint dry instead!” They snort and laugh at his quip. “But y’know…I was hopin’ this would get him outta his shell too…” Now both of them stare at their distant friend. All that Casper did was stare back at a crowd that wasn’t reciprocating. Other robloxians were too involved in their own conversations to acknowledge him. Even the bartender left him alone for the moment since he didn’t want a refill on his drink. It was just him and two open spots. “Maybe there’s someone in here. Someone that’s not us, who we can get to chat with him up.” He nudges Thaniyel then points to a group of individuals seated at a booth. Thaniyel takes a gander at all of them and he grimaces.
The group that Monty pointed to. A band of men but a better term for them would be ‘ruffians’ just from their observed behavior. They were loud, messy and pretty unwelcoming to any passerby. They shot mean looks at the ones who got too close. “You got to be kidding me, Monty. Those guys? You sure they aren’t going to mug him?”
Monty shook his head. “Ion judge people by their looks, Thaniyel. If I did, you wouldn’t see me talkin’ to you!”
”You’re funny. Alright then, go on ahead and prove me wrong. Say hi to them! Ill be right behind you if they decide to snatch your wallet.” He pushed Monty forward.
The men catch Monty’s trek toward them immediately and whatever conversation they had with each other came to a stop.. All their eyes followed Monty as he got closer. Despite their tight bundle, there is an obvious center that which they orbit around. An allure around them at the center of the booth.
“Hey, how you folks doin’?” At Monty’s attempt to start small talk, the men only scowl. Only then does the silence stop when the center of the attraction speaks up.
”We’re all doin’ fine and good!” That’s exactly what Monty was looking for. The sun that all these men were orbiting. He sat at the center of the booth clearly enjoying his glass of Pirate Juice since it was near empty. “But nobody for miles got the gall to approach me n’ my crew. What’s yer’ business, friend?” The man, despite his rough exterior, was more than welcoming toward Monty’s approach.
“Ya must be the leader of this band!”
“Aye! Name’s Trotter and this ‘band’ is my crew ‘ere. Ignore those mean looks. They just not used to company!”
“Oh, I see your gaggle of followers! But I’m lookin’ at you, brother. The name’s Monty and I got a proposition for ya, Trotter.”
“Fer’ me?”
“Mmmhm.” He points at Casper who’s hunched over slightly and staring at his half-empty cup. “Y’see that man over there?”
“Yup. That man been like that for half an hour now. Jus starin’ at the crowd, hope he ain’t a pervert.”
“He’s not. He’s my friend.”
“Oh.”
“He isn’t the outgoing type y’know? He’s the uh— very In-His-Bubble type. You mind just goin’ over there and chatting with him? Getting him out of that bubble? You got a certain vibe going on with ya’ so I don’t think it’ll be hard for you to get him outta his shell a bit.”
“Aye, but I sure hope ya’ ain’t thinking I’m doin’ all that fer’ free!” His men around him laugh and Monty begrudgingly dug into his pockets.
From there, a few rolled bucks come in his hand and he counts. “I’ll give ya…fifteen bux?”
Trotter stands up straight. “Whew! Ya’ ain’t gotta tell me twice! That’s good money ‘round ‘ere!” With a lot more enthusiasm, he picks himself up off his seat. “Ay, if ya’ add five more bux to that I’ll give him a big wet kiss!” His men laugh and so does Monty. To his men that might’ve been a joke, but Monty was definitely considering it.
Now with a better look at the man, Trotter notices that despite his hunch, he’s got this regal gait to him. Polished and refined without even trying to be. With no warning or preamble, Trotter takes Thaniyel’s empty seat right next to Casper. At first, Casper assumes it’s Thaniyel but the gruff haunch and lingering smell of Witch’s brew belies his assumptions. “And what’s a proper boy like you doin’ ‘ere?” This new individual speaks to him and for the first few moments, he doesn’t say anything. When he did get the courage to speak, Trotter felt inclined to speak again. “Ye aren’t used to gettin’ approached are ye’?”
He laughs. “Not in this setting, no. Is it obvious?”
“More than! Say, what do they be callin’ ye?”
”Casper.” He turned to fully face the man but when the silence permeated after his words, he only furrowed his eyebrows. Was he expecting more? “Uhm, but I’ve a friend who calls me Cass.” He extends his arm out for a handshake. “And what is your name?”
A strong firm grip around Casper’s hand. It was a good handshake. “Ma’ folks call me Trotter.”
”Hello Trotter.”
”Hello Casper!” Here, Trotter expected an awkward silence after their small greeting because of his presumed assumption that Casper was maladjusted to any social convention or casual conversation but he saved himself by offering him a drink.
“I’ll pay for it.” He waves a hand toward the bartender.
“Oh! Yer’ offering?”
“Yes. It’s something I tend to do. And I don’t mind paying.”
”Well, ye’ won’t see me hootin’ and hollerin’ about it!” He turns to the bartender now and orders himself a Bloxy Cola spiked with Witch’s Brew. When the drink was handed to him, Casper already had the money on hand. Trotter takes a long sip of the drink, there was a slight burn when it slid down his throat from the brew but that was the fun in drinking it. He sets it down with a bit of a thud while Casper is still keeping his virgin drink close to his chest. “So, ye’ from ‘ere, Casper? Here in Bizville?”
”Bizville? No, no.” He shakes his head, pointing to a direction past Trotter's head. “I’m close to Bizville but I live in Blackrock.”
”Oh! Like th’mountain? Mount Blackrock?” There is a court smile on Casper’s face. On a map, Blackrock is mentioned in a smaller font next to the only slightly bigger font of Mt. Blackrock.
”Yes, like the mountain. On its slope, there is a castle and that is where I live.”
”Ah, ok ok, so ye’ live in this, what, big castle?”
”It’s normal for the size of a castle I wouldn’t call it big.”
”Haha! Okay so a-uh normal sized castle—“ Trotter didn’t expect for their conversation to go as well as it did but never did he complain. At first, he expected this man to be a quiet individual who wasn’t too savvy on keeping company or having any social sense but he proved himself to be someone worth chatting with.
Deeper into the conversation. Casper was entirely engrossed by Trotter’s tales of nomadic journeys across various lands. There, a deep interest and fondness that was not at all present on his face. So much so that when Trotter asked if he was speaking too much or overriding the conversation, Casper could only make a face of bewilderment and shock.
“No, why?” Casper furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head and it was at this moment that Trotter realized Casper might’ve been one of those men whose emotions were not easily written on their face.
His hands twirl around themselves by his chest and he chuckles. “I thought I was—ye’ didn’t seem all that interested in what I had to say…Are ye?”
“I am.” At this moment Casper was a bit embarrassed. There wasn’t a need to be, but the red creeped up on his face anyway. Very often he was told that he needed to work on fixing his facial expressions and all he could do at that moment was apologize. “I am sorry.” He then placed a hand over his heart. It was a gesture he made often when his face did not help to show the sincerity in his words. “May you continue? I’m interested in hearing your stories, Trotter.”
”You don’t needa’ tell me twice! See-uh where did I leave off…”
”You and your group were fighting off some bandits on your ship?”
”AH! Right, right! See at the moment I left off, my crew already took care of 3 of ‘em but there still was a whole bunch! Two of ‘em had machete’s and I swear ye’ could still see the blood on ‘em from their last raid! The other five or four maybe, they were carryin’ flintlocks and I’m thinking to ma’self ‘How in Telamon am I goin’ to get ma’ crew outta ‘ere all in one piece?’” Trotter never stopped his story time. He went into great depth about his adventures, even pulling up his arm or leg to present the scars and bites he earned during his time out at sea. Most of them were in defense of his own group and Casper couldn’t help but share the same sentiment of a leader who protects what he has vowed to.
”You must care about your Crew, Trotter.”
”O’course I do! That is ma’ crew n’ a capn’ must stick by his crew!”
”Just as a king is obligated to stand by his subjects.”
”Aye! Oh, does yer castle have a king?” Trotter leans in a bit and Casper couldn’t help but lean back. That same red appeared on his face and in the back of his head he thought about finding a way to walk around mentioning his status. He already made it too obvious for Trotter’s intensive gaze. “Or am I in the presence a’ royalty?”
“Oh, it’s not like that…” But Trotter already started.
“Now, it didn’t come to me that I was in the gaze a’ royalty!” He does a cute bow at his seat and Casper’s reaction is an unexpected one. It was like he was most embarrassed at Trotter’s realization.
“Please, there’s no need for that.” His voice was less of a criticism but more of an assurance. “You have been talking to me just fine before.”
“Aye! But that was befor’ I realized you were a king!”
“It’s only a special position if you aggrandize it. I’m a robloxian, just like you, Trotter.”
“Ah, but you aren’t like me! Not for miles! What kind of ‘kingly’ duties are ye’ up to?”
Casper snickers. “There is not much grandeur in any of my task, but If you’re so curious, It’s mostly papers; lots of papers. Taxes, decrees, laws and propositions that I have to read.”
“Mm. Must be a lot a’ work.”
“It is, but it’s my job."
"Was yer’ coronation all grand?” He inquired and Casper nodded.
“It was…nice. It was a nice coronation.” He remembered the cameras and the flash reflecting off the tears running down his face. It was not a pleasant thought and Trotter could catch on quickly how upsetting the memory was. He attempted to change the topic.
“Still, it’s a lot. How old are ye’ to be doing this whole ‘king’ stuff? Since ya’ became an adult?”
“No. My…” He scratches the dorsal side of his hand, playing with veins and cartilage that moved with little pressure. “…My mother was the previous sovereign of Blackrock…she passed away some odd years ago and so did my father a year later. I had to step up as King.” So much for a change of topic. Casper fell silent at this point and it dawned on him that he’d never been this open to anyone outside of Thaniyel and Monty. Despite Trotter’s Brutish exterior, he didn’t feel any restraint or apprehension in telling him. He probably shouldn't spill his feelings out in such an inappropriate setting like a bar though but, slowly, he felt a hand fall on his own. It put a pause on his own nervous tick at playing with it.
“Ma’ condolences, Casper." Trotter rubs the skin on Casper's hand with his thumb. "Fer’ me, I haven’t seen ma’ own folks for years. Sometimes I think about what they up to. But travellin' as much as I am, ye’ have no idea what they really are up to. Ye’ understand?”
There is a squeeze on Trotter’s hand and it was Casper’s second. He placed it over Trotter’s and his attention was kept undivided.
“I do. As separated as you are, and even though they aren’t, they feel as though they are dead too. This limbo between being alive and not and all you have is this waning memory of your last moment with them.”
"Aye. Exactly." Trotter nodded and there is a long silence that neither of them wish to break.
Casper got a better look at Trotter's features. The fraying eyepatch on his left eye and the snaggletooth apparent on his gums whenever he smiled just slightly. Or the gold tooth on his right canine that could shine in the right position. Trotter could examine Casper's too. The impassive and neutral yet incredibly intrigued expression of his seemed to be just as permanent as everything else on his face. Only when their attention was removed from the cheered shouts of Monty and Thaniyel across the bar did Casper break that silence.
”Thank you for talking to me, Trotter. Did I…look lonely?”
”Ye’ sure did! Hope I made ye’ feel less lonely!” Trotter hops out of his seat, tapping the rim of his glass and a wink. “Thanks fer’ the drink, Casper! Ay, if I ever do drop by Blackrock, ye’ll give me special access? Ye’ got a wine cellar?”
Casper nods. “Indeed. If you ever stop by, I’ll consider some special treatment.”
“Well ye’ll see me very soon then!” He walked off back to his booth and Casper watched him as his back was turned. He took note of his scarred features and the extroverted entrance he gave his group of men for returning. Monty was there too but he was the floater type and had no issues intermingling with different crowds. He must’ve been staring for too long because Trotter caught it after turning around and waved. It broke Casper out of his trance and he waved back. His hand fell back onto the table and he focused on the empty glass of whatever he was drinking. He didn't remember. The contents of his drink were not on his mind at the moment. What stayed in the forefront of his thoughts for the rest of the night was the thought of seeing Trotter outside of this bar. In his castle. He hoped Trotter would fulfill that promise.