INTERIOR – Terrible Henry’s (has a longer name, but it’s just not all that relevant.) Dark den of vice and sin, resembles a cssic tavern. But darker. And full of considerably more bastards.

  PRESENT – THE BOY (cospying as the girl, but the hat says ‘BUG’) TERRIBLE HENRY (Terrible, see the ending of the st part.), A BUNCH OF SINNERS AND BASTARDS.

  TIME – Irrelevant.

  “are you terrible henry?” The answer was obvious, but the boy had to make sure. It was important to make sure.

  Terrible Henry said nothing. He simply gred down at the boy, and polished his gss.

  “. . . are you terrible henry?” The boy repeated, considering the possibility that he was simply not heard. It was retively loud in here, after all.

  Terrible Henry polished the empty gss.

  The boy repeated himself again. This time, Terrible Henry took a single step back, becoming nothing more than a hulking silhouette in the shadows.

  “. . . Are you terr-“

  This time, in the middle of his sentence, someone sat down in the stool beside the boy.

  “-ible henry?” The boy, of course, finished his sentence, because it would be silly if he just randomly dropped what he was doing.

  A soft chuckle came from the person in the seat beside the boy, although this was basically inaudible.

  “… Aren’t you a little young to be in a pce like this, boy?~” A woman’s voice, which was a lot more audible, came from beside the boy.

  The boy, fairly certain that he was being addressed, turned to face the source of the voice. It was a tall woman, much older than him, with ruby-red lips, and orangish hair tied into a messy, very loose bun. She wore a loose bck dress, which seemed sub-optimal in terms of body coverage.

  “i have been told as much. from multiple individuals.” The boy nodded helpfully.

  “Heh. Really?” The woman leisurely rested her elbow on the bar, and rested her head in her palm, staring at the boy with lidded eyes. Her face was ever so slightly pink, and her breath smelled of something the boy didn’t recognize; besides the fact that it was a common smell here. “That’s sooo funny… How did you end up here, anyways? Are you lost~?”

  “potentially. i am uncertain. but i have heard that often as well.” It was odd. This woman was saying a lot of the same things as that other one he’d spoken to, but there was something distinctly different about the way they each said it. Something added feeling, something left unspoken. Of course, the boy was curious.

  “Hehe…” The woman softly chuckled, twisting a lock of her hair. “Hmm, you’re funny, you know that~?”

  “i have been told that as well. though most have said it is my appearance that is funny.” The only person to call his words or actions funny was the girl, if memory served.

  “Heheh…” The woman chuckled a little more this time. “Y’know… You’re really clever for your age…”

  “how so?” The boy tilted his head, as he is occasionally known to do.

  “Heh…Such a tease...” The edges of her lips curled into a hungry smile. “You know, I’d be more than happy to show you…”

  Ewwwww ewewewewew…

  Her breath hung on the st word of that sentence for some time.

  “in wh-“ The boy’s words stopped suddenly, and he tilted his head down towards his seat. “… why is your hand on my thigh?”

  The woman smiled, and leaned in towards the boy, her lips approaching his ear, her breath on his f-

  “That’s enough.” A low, dark voice emanated from behind the bar.

  Oh thank fffu

  The hulking shadow once again steps into the light, and Terrible Henry makes his presence known. He is still polishing the gss.

  “Back downstairs.” He orders.

  “Awww, c’mon, Hen-“

  “Down. Stairs.” His thick, bushy brow twitches ever so slightly.

  “…” The woman’s smile falls. She is silent and frozen for some time. After what felt like an eternity for her, but to the boy was more like 6-9 seconds, she shook her head and stood up, removing her hand from the boy’s thigh. “Alright, I’m goin’ I’m goin…”

  She made her way away from the bar, disappearing to the right, into the crowd and into the darkness… Just before she escaped from view, though, she turned and shot the boy one final wink.

  The boy blinked a few times, confused.

  “why did she stop?” The boy wondered aloud. “did she have something in her eye?”

  “Don’t care.” The man behind the bar simply stated.

  The boy turned again to face him.

  “are you terrible henry?” He asked one final time.

  “Sure.” He stares down at the boy, his eyes piercing him with malice and hate, though not necessarily directed at him. It’s a very gentle hatred, inexplicably so. “Not gonna apologize for what just happened, by the way. I wanted to see you suffer. Only reason I stepped in is ‘cus of that get-up you’re wearing.”

  “i have many questions.” The boy started intently up at the hulking figure. “why would i have been suffering just then? what is the significance of these clothes- are you familiar with hat? and where are the people i am supposed to meet?”

  The man let out a huff. Clearly disappointed to learn that the boy genuinely wasn’t aware enough to understand the danger he was in. “1. Doesn’t matter. 2. Is Hat what she’s goin’ by these days? Must be, given what you’re wearin’… Yeah, I’m familiar. She’s a terrible kid. A monster. A real blight on these nds. The world is a notably worse pce with her in it. Her existence is a mistake, and the world grew darker on the day of her birth. She is living proof of the powerlessness of the gods. She’s one of the five things I respect.”

  “wow.” Was all the boy could say. “that is a lot. noted.”

  “Sure is.” He nods. “Now, 3.” He raises his massive, burly arm, and points left of the boy, to the tune of about 20 degrees. “Table 13. Terrible number. Reserved for her and her goons. If you're here on her business, you'll wanna head there.”

  “am i one of her goons?” The boy tilted his head.

  “Yep. Just go thataway. Don’t follow the numbers, the tables are not in order. Just keep walking that direction. Don’t stop or turn for any reason. Got it?”

  “what would happen if i were to?”

  Terrible Henry shrugs, before returning to gss-polishing. “Probably nothin’. But maybe somethin’. Be careful if you wanna make it back to Hat.”

  “i understand. thank you for the information.” The boy nodded, very concerned for his continued ability to exist.

  But, still. He had a mission. So… He stepped of the stool, and disappeared into the crowd.