Vere walked while looking for the most finished-looking area aside from his bar—it was the only clue he had regarding where Othello chose to stay.
Koizuki's wounds were absorbed by the blue haze, allowing the Warden to rapidly heal. The Case Understanding that Vere gained from thrashing the poor young man into a pulp turned into insight that was greedily lapped up by the Authority Rami.
The "I" shivered as another one stood beside it. The SAD did its duty and reported the change to Vere, who dismissed it.
>[Mamba] was unlocked.
Black mamba scales formed as if emerging from a second body. The change was so natural it was as if Vere had a second set of skin, though the scales only formed in trace amounts and never fully covered his body. So in a way, a new layer of skin WAS formed, though this wasn't [Mamba]'s only ability.
These abilities would have to be explored later when Vere was more in the mood.
Instead, he ambled up to a square area and found a storefront that seemed to fit. Above the door was a sign that read "Happy's."
"You can't go in there…!" Othello weakly protested as she struggled to get off the detective's wide trench coat wearing back. Vere let her go but shadowed her soft footsteps as if he was waiting for her to topple over.
But the demoness did no such thing. Instead, she slipped into the door that she opened just a smidge, hissing at Vere and wagging her finger as she quickly entered the restaurant. The door slammed, giving Vere no way to enter.
Well, that wasn't true. He could always FORCE his way in, but he just wouldn't do that. Even though he hardly knew the demon, she kept on looking out for his best interest.
The best interest he didn't even know. He tsked underneath his breath as he swore to repay her kindness.
He returned to the ruined spot, grimacing at the destruction he had wrought. It was all fine and well to rampage, but he really needed to rein it into the best he could within Othello's mall. He couldn't keep forcing her to fix it repeatedly…
He shoved Koizuki over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Then, making his way back to Ragtime Paradise, he simply plopped the Warden down into a booth and made his way behind the bartender's counter.
Trying his best to extend some forgiveness just so that Othello's actions wouldn't be wasted, he baptized himself with Conspiracy thought power. The pure force of transformation and [Bluff], coupled with unseen inherent traits, allowed him to bury the resentment and alter his bearing and demeanor tremendously.
He flashed an even smile, his eyelashes entwining before crescent eyes.
As he polished and buffed the countertops, he withdrew into the recesses of his thought nexus.
The wisp formed his shape once again. The Authority Rami leaked light black thought power tinged with gold as if asking for Vere's attention.
He still wasn't in the mood, but he gave it a brief once over. A new bulb emerged from it, containing a slithering black mamba that greeted Vere enthusiastically before melding with his form.
The detective watched as black scales formed along the pearl silhouette of his hands. He could control the scales at any time, but his proficiency was relatively weak.
So he ambled over and picked up the red Bastard Stick Greatsword, driving the tip down onto his hand where the scales weren't.
Chink!
The scales automatically responded by emerging in that specific area, blocking the advance as it scratched against the surface. Vere continued until he finally bled, his eyes revealing some understanding.
'Alright then, it's like a natural armor. I still feel that there's more to it—but it doesn't make me any less vulnerable. It's insurance that allows me to permit riskier actions, but it isn't impenetrable. It probably only took a while because I'm at the same level as myself, so stronger people would probably shit on its defense.'
The mamba seemed a little dismayed at this but couldn't help but nod. Still, it flitted its tongue out as it curled around Vere to the best of its ability.
'It isn't your fault,' Vere communicated with it. 'I'm glad you're here; it's just that I'm in a bad mood. Don't mind me…' he finished.
Kekekeke…hehehehe…
The static from the tv flickered as something in the distance grew unfathomably closer. The stress Vere experienced allowed it to move and even grow.
It inched along unabated. Sooner or later…
Vere opened his eyes. A deep sigh escaping his lips, he took off his trench coat and hung it on a hook near a cabinet. Then, rolling up his sleeves to his elbows and exposing various scars, he got to work underneath the lazy tune of the worn record player that whirred to life.
He carried himself to the music as he swayed and mixed a drink with the poor assortment of liquors on his shelves. It wasn't much, but it was enough for him.
"Down the hatch…." As the smooth spirit slid down his throat, a warmth spread along the inside of his chest. A soft, pearlescent glow emitted from the area as it shimmered underneath his black shirt.
Curious, Vere felt something writhe from that same area. It called out to him weakly but stopped before he could respond to it. Vere shook his head and drank some more, figuring it was something to investigate when he was in better company.
Which was none.
As time passed, Koizuki showed signs of stirring before shooting upwards. Sitting at the high bar stools, he saw the back of a man he had never seen before in his life. However, the messy ponytail looped around to his front as it fell across his collarbone did seem oddly evocative of someone the witch—he means his boss—described before.
"Would you like a drink?" The deep, mellifluent voice asked with a smooth turnaround. His deep black eyes appeared to be listless, hiding his blatant distaste for the person. Of course, this was further obscured by his even smile and amicable demeanor as he loomed over the white-haired Warden and looked down.
"Damn tall. You're that Vere guy?" Koizuki pursed his lips and asked, giving him an eyeballing stare.
"And what if I am? Never mind," Vere put the alcohol he was mixing back onto the shelves and drank whatever was in the clean glass he got for Koizuki. "You aren't old enough for this anyway." His lips upended even further as his posture seemed to leak mischief, his eyes forming crescent moons.
"Ha! You don't look much older than me, you know. If you can drink it, I can." Koizuki confidently pointed at himself thumb-first. Vere took a step as he walked sidewards in his perspective, letting his side-profile meet Koizuki's line of thought.
As he grabbed the vodka, his eyes slid towards the confident Warden. Something seemed to glisten in the dark night of his eyes, like mini stars illuminating their surroundings from lightyears away.
"Coming right to ya, kid." He tossed the bottle of vodka and simply waited, leaning over the counter and set across his elbows. Then, a chin placed over the back of his hand, he gestured with the other as if to tell the youth to drink it.
"You don't think I won't drink this, do you…?" Koizuki's face contorted into a pensive look, whereas Vere simply shrugged in response. His even smile met with his meeting eyelids were the very picture of kindness and patience.
Koizuki felt backed into a corner. The hazy fluorescence of yellow-red stopped fluctuating, turning into a stale light. Everything in Ragtime Paradise seemed to be waiting for him to down the bottle, the pressure driving the young Warden to gulp.
A forced smile formed on his face as he winced, the liquor draining from the bottle as a nauseous sensation beset him. Then, as the contents finished, he started vomiting.
However, the floor didn't accept his stomach bile, bounding it back at his face.