A song rang out to their ears, hearing enhanced by his presence. And as the song's lyrics and melody got clearer the closer they were,
"Even a ghost with a haunting face
Dies a slow, bitter death in a graveyard,
Bygone days come and go.
Invisible creatures run from his path."
Even Vetro's voice carried a tune he remembered faintly, a part of his past life long gone.
"...Love comes to it like a songbird in a nest with a snake and her baby... but their beauty has always been a curse...!"
His words.
Vetro could sing... shoddily, at best.
"God, could you STOP singing for once!? I get that this place is boring but... please, try not to add to it!!!" Idalia was completely unphased by his new habit of belting out that little melody he repeated. Though, the fact he repeated this tune the same amount of times as it is lyrics in his current poem bothered her greatly, because there was nothing else to do as of this day.
"Ohhh, man.... That sucks, I guess this is too good, even for you."
Vetro mumbled under his breath the sound of something similar to a moan or groan, trying to drown the noise of Idalia's voice and ear-shattering whine as it stabbed the back of his cranium, causing an uncomfortable tightness on both sides. His voice sounded hollow and devoid of any sort of meaning, a dismal attempt to explain the feeling.
"But the show must go on!" Vetro roared,
"And the ghoooost... he was a gooood boy." The man turned towards Idalia.
"Go~od~BY~E~!!!!!!!" The rest screamed and sang in unison as all the chaos died down.
"Don't care anymore, if they stay the same." Vetro's singing slowly turned into what sounded like a rap.
"I'm just gonna say, it's all a shame. But it doesn't matter, 'cause this won't change. And I'm still the same, even if I lose my brain!" Vetro yelled as his voice and singing gained strength.
The song soon came to its abrupt and immediate end, as his neck was wrung by Guillerme.
"Can you shut the fuck up for a little bit? I almost failed to contain a memory because of you. How about, for the sake of my sanity, don't try that shit ever again, even in a coma. Cause, if I was a vegetable, I wouldn't have tried so hard not to rip my skin and muscles and bones apart." He didn't really notice the last bit of Guillerme's rant until Idalia elbowed him.
Aside when Zabulus would come along and ruin their fun, these were their moments of solace, despite the annoyance. Where they find some comfort in each other, their roles are reversed.
Idalia always loved talking about the more... gruesome scenes, and scenarios. While Guillerme listened to her as she was his dear little sister. Vetro would spend his free time writing lyrics and singing around, a bad habit formed because of his boredom. Yet despite having done that every day for a month or so... They weren't aware of what had transpired earlier, that wasn't until their current vessel was sent in and 'gifted' them with his memory. Although Vetro did have a little background with music, he learned how to sing properly due to the current vessels' memories.
...
Sounds, noises and reverberations were present, they shook him from side to side, forcing themselves onto him with a jarring amount of force and willpower, pushing forward into a never-ending hell. For days, for months, maybe years and centuries.
That's how being in a bar felt like to Zabulus.
Alice had begged him to bring her there and leave Laz temporarily in whatever dark corner he was to remain in. It took her a few seconds to convince him to at least carry him with her to the local pub in a small town a few kilometers away from the site where Laz had awoken from a coma-like state, which meant walking a straight 4 kilometers through deep snow. He reluctantly agreed and they trekked towards a rustic looking building, two stories, painted a bright shade of yellow and red. When they reached the place, the wind picked up slightly and the snowstorm worsened. With the town's power shut off, and no lights to guide the way, it made getting inside all the more challenging as Alice stumbled and swayed hungrily on his shoulders, his hood shielding her somewhat. He'd been running off sheer determination and will alone, never stopping once. Despite his energy reserves rapidly draining from the fatigue and dizziness caused by the cold, he trudged onward and eventually arrived at their destination.
The bar entrance was just as basic as one could make it. One, it had a beer shaped sign next to it with the message, 'Welcome to the 8th Bar' emblazoned above it. Two, it smelled of stale beer and mold and two dozen different types of alcohol that were served here throughout its lifetime and several more that were not available for consumption anymore or were merely put aside on sale at a lower price as they were cheap drinks for the poor customers.
A cleanly dressed person with slicked black hair and brown eyes greeted him at the front.
"Hey. How can I help you? Is this your first time here?" they asked in a very friendly manner.
Alice, excited to drink her fill, looked at the man and asked, "Can I have something warm, I haven't had a warm drink or had an alcoholic beverage in a very long time..."
"Sure. What kind? The type of drinks that you have are listed behind the front desk. Come on in."
Alice walked in, and Zabulus followed suit, however...
"Hey, buddy, this area is for clients only, unless you buy anything I have no reason for letting you enter." They smiled apologetically, "Maybe if you are a little cute- ahh, well, ahem. If you buy anything, we can serve you better than if you go ahead and join your girlfriend without purchasing anything. Do you get me?"
Zabulus glanced upwards. "I'm here to get some food too, then. What the fuck am I supposed to do in a shitty establishment such as this place and its shitty employees who serve shitty customers."
Alice shook her head slightly at him, while taking out some of the coins she'd earned while out and about in the world (stolen) from the inner lining of her clothing, her 'spare money pouch' apparently.
As soon as she placed it upon the countertop.
"The wine." she said, after Zabulus managed to enter with no trouble and no interference from anyone else either, both of them being welcomed and welcomed to drink their fill without having to deal with another guy in the same situation as theirs, it made things easier for everyone else as they relaxed a little, having at least one regular customer, paying for a decent amount of service, would guarantee better and faster results later.
However, this wasn't enough to bring all the customers over though, so they all chose different drinks.
Guillerme started staring at his hands as he witnessed Zabulus and Alice about to drink... he feared for how this could affect this place, if at all. "Hey, Idalia, do you think that drinking affects the soul?"
She wasn't being childish whatsoever this day, so it was a perfect time to ask for her wisest advice, she'd surely say no and he wouldn't be able to blame himself, he assumed, "Naaah, nothing will go wrong, my dearest big brother. It's not like your girlfriend will get drunk and get frisky and start fighting against her captor."
"Well," Guillerme couldn't disagree with her words.
"After all, the most dangerous creature ever to have existed is also the most pathetic and most helpless being there could be. A newborn babe... and that's not counting the rest." She said, not exactly elaborating on that statement, because neither of them wanted her to elaborate in a fashion that may seem disrespectful, especially if it's in regard to what was just stated by their 'dear sis', 'and the worst part is I'll be forced to watch over them the entire time'
So, in the end... Zabulus got drunk for the first time in his life and accidentally became wasted, resulting in the sudden urge for an external physical intimacy.
....
"Heyyyy, Zabulus...? Have you seen what this shitty wine can do to a man?" She hiccuped, leaning her head over his right shoulder as he carried her away back to wherever they left Laz. The 'drunkenness' that Zabulus felt was washed away in the cool wind. A pure and clear thought floated through his head, before his vision blurred and mind went dark. Alice had nearly passed out next to him, while he had the passing thought, 'So what if I drink myself to oblivion next time. Hah, no. There won't be a next time whatsoever. This act is for low lives such as you.' His ego speaking to him, berating himself for becoming such an indecisive fool and pitiful wreck.
For he drank the strongest of liquors, and though that was the first time he did, he wouldn't admit defeat, wouldn't regret his actions either (perhaps one mistake made), but definitely wouldn't repeat what had transpired the last few moments. No more being intoxicated. Not now or ever.
As he was lost in his thought, he got a knock on his temple, having ignored Alice in deep thought.
"ZabZab...?" she raised her hand a little, bringing it up.
"Stop, don't touch me. Just say your thing and let's keep going... whatever you wanna say." A little disgusted... but also a little more... angry... with himself.
He continued forward into the endless expanse of pure whiteness, but his thoughts were suddenly stopped short by Alice's question.
"Are you mad?"
"No. Not really." Zabulus wasn't too bothered by it anymore.
"How are you not mad? You get like... really angry if you're a bit disappointed by anything. That's what you are, an ass with a stick up its asshole." She said without much thought. "Aaahhhh! I'm hungry! Hungry!!!" she yelled, trying to keep her empty belly in check. "Gooood fooddd!!!"
Zabulus grunted, not in anger or annoyance, just a sound he made as he couldn't figure out how to reply to that question. "Didn't you just eat about 20 minutes ago? And you burnt through half of that money you stole, too. The whole damn restaurant must have felt empty after."
"Yep, good job, bro. As much as you suck, you deserve that nickname."
"Don't."
"Or whaaat?" She laughed and chuckled for no apparent reason.
"Or I'll leave you in the snow."
"NO!!!" Her tone, even now, seemed desperate.
He halted, the temperature slowly rising the higher they ascended.
She scratched the back of her ears, noticing the height had gone up quite a bit since their last trek up a hill.
Eventually... They found Laz grabbing snow and putting it in his mouth as if it was a ball or marshmallow. He was actually chewing on the stuff and even trying to make it taste like chocolate. When they saw him, his eyes were glowing brightly and his teeth were stained purple, likely from biting into the fluff.
"Hell, I'm surrounded by fucking morons." He mumbled to himself.