Graveyard of a Madman Part 10

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A man hid in the darkness of the streets. Sukiyaki was quiet now. The partying of a Friday night was over, and many citizens now slept in their own homes. He had to run quite a distance to make sure that not a soul saw him as he pulled out his Den Den Mushi and demanded that he be connected to the highest authority, immediately. He glanced around, his tophat almost falling off as he pushed it back on top of his head. His tuxedo was quite pitted out as he had been wearing it all day, and now it was well past midnight.

Den Den Mushi: This is Constable Crumb, what is your emergency?

Zen: Constable! Thank God! How fast can you get to Sukiyaki?!

Crumb: Sukiyaki? About an hour, I believe.

Zen: I need you down here as fast as you can possibly travel! You will not believe what I’ve found!

Crumb: What is it?! What have you found!

Zen: When he is captured, I want that bounty put under my name! I will try to hold him here as long as I possibly can but you have got to hurry! I don’t know when he is going to leave, but it could be at any moment! Do not waste a moment! Bring all of your forces, and all of the reinforcements you can muster! Do not spare a single troop!

Crumb: Good Gods man! Calm yourself this instant! What on this blue planet could you possibly be so worked up about?! Who have you found?!?!

Zen: One of the most elusive pirates on the whole planet! The Clawed Scar of the Grandline!

Crumb: What…

Zen: Pirate Captain Catman Rinji!!!!

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Perhaps it was just time for him to give up all together. Really, what was the point of going on? Migoto was absolutely right when she said that he couldn’t bring his crew to Nekoshima. It was pretty much the law of the land, and he doubted that anyone would help him in his travels if he were the first one to bring humans to the island in over a decade. He would have to drop them off on the nearest island, and make the journey with Jiro and Dala. How could he possibly do that after they have been so loyal to him for all of these years? There were so many new friends along the way that have laid their lives on the line just for him and his goals. Sure, they had their own goals as well, but they were willing to put them on the back burner to give him their very best. All of these feelings of doubt and guilt flooded his entire mind as he downed his ninth shot of whiskey and cringed, feeling the waves of sorrow intensify for one moment, and then dull down the next. This place was nice, it was a 24 hour night club, something that had never been considered any place else. He sat at a colorful bar, with lights of all shades of the rainbow around him. The waitresses were pretty by human standards, and they all gave him strange looks. Not that they hadn’t seen Nekojin in those parts, but because they seemed somewhat intrigued with him for some reason.

A pianoman on the stage played a nice melody, and the bartender seemed to take great pity on Rinji, he looked absolutely miserable, and for some reason he never cut him off from his drinking. Rinji figured it was because it may have not been the first instance he’d met a Nekojin, his kind was not the normal clientele. Whether it be for the novelty of having Rinji in the bar, or because he genuinely sympathized with the Catman, he kept passing him whiskey shot after whiskey shot.

Bartender: You sure you don’t want to talk about it? I think it’ll make you feel better. [Took the shot glass from Rinji and rinsed it in the sink, placing another in front of him.]

Rinji: I don’t know. [His paw went on the side of his face, and his cat ear flicking a little. He shook his head.] I just don’t know. I’ve sailed these grand old seas for a thousand miles and beyond, and no matter how far I go, I can never be jaded by what there lies out there. [Took the next shot and downed it.] Whether it be peace and happiness or a bloody struggle against all odds, it always manages to surprise me, and terrify me. All of that, and then some could not have prepared me for what just happened this day.

The bartender looked a little more than intrigued at this as he wiped down a mug and placed it on his wet dish rack.

Bartender: Wow, well, believe me when I say that you can tell me when you’ve had enough. [Placed another shot.]

Rinji: Much gratitude. [Licked his paw and rubbed it over his head, then took the shot as his eleventh.]

Pianoman: Well, ladies and gentlemen, that is all for me, allow me to introduce your next bit of entertainment, the very lovely maiden all the way from Nekoshima, here’s Miss Kindness!

Bartender: Ah, I forgot she was playing tonight. This should cheer you right up.

What little crowd was there so late began to cheer with a great deal of vigor. The announcement drew Rinji’s attention as he lifted up the next shot. The lights went dim, and another piano player sat at the seat, shrouded in darkness as the piano began to play a very sweet, trickling melody. With the slow, soft intro, there came a beautiful female voice on the microphone.

Voice: To – say – the – leaaaaaast, I loved you on the highest mountaaaain…

The song began, and she started to sing of a love she had so long ago that was so very strong, but as always, such wonderful things never lasted long, as it had always been in her life. Then, as she started to sing the highest peak of the chorus, the spot light came onto her, and she was shown to be a beautiful, meek, tan-shaded fur Nekojin. With a head full of long, blondish brown hair that came down to the small of her back, and a fluffy tail that waved from side to side as she played the piano. She had make up that darkened the lids of her eyes, and a sparkling dress that glistened in the spotlight.

As the spotlight hit her, Rinji’s eyes went to their very fullest, and he dropped his shot glass back onto the bar without even noticing it spill, and roll around for the bartender to catch. The bartender looked at him, wondering if he was alright, but Rinji slid off of the barstool, his feet on the ground as he began to walk to the stage where the female Nekojin was playing and singing her soul to the crowd with her eyes shut, and a smile on her face.

To Rinji, he could have sworn he was hallucinating, and the world around him became a slow melody. He sobered up in an instant only to walk into a dream that was far from reality as it could possibly become. Tears filled his eyes as he approached the stage, and all of the patrons looked at him as he did, wondering what in the world he was doing, but no one stopped him.

The lady cat finished her song, but then opened her eyes as no one clapped. It was the first time this had ever happened. She looked almost heart-broken as she looked around at the crowd. Before she could ask what was going on, she looked at the figure that approached her, and her jaw dropped. Her breath caught into her throat, and her heart pounded to the point that she was almost certain that it would pop out of her chest. She wasted no time in pushing her piano stool back and stood up quickly to begin her timid walk toward the front of the stage.

Rinji climbed over the stage, and held his hands forward. While everyone was certain that the bouncers would pounce on him, they did not make a move, as the look on the lady’s face had never been seen, and it was the happiest they had ever seen her look for as long as she had been working there.

Tears began to run the makeup down her cheeks, stinging her eyes slightly, but none of that mattered in the least. They finally met in an embrace on that stage, locked tight together in an unbreakable bond. This caused the crowd to cheer, and applause. Every single night they saw Miss Kindness’s act, she acted like the untouchable lady of mystery, and she smashed anyone who attempted to lay a finger on her.

Kindness: Rinji… [She whispered as she locked her arms around him as tight as they would go.]

Rinji: [Tears of joy streamed down his cheeks as his world brightened in an attempt to surpass the stars.] Kiria…