16. Thomas (MC)

The R&D bar was as most people would expect the Darkest Dungeon bar to be. A smoky, old-school bar bustling with customers and waitresses. Notably the bar was divided into 3 sections.

On one side was the gambling tables, filled with cheerful men unafraid of losing a day's wage.

On another a dimly lit bar table with many seats containing thirsty residents (one being John).

And on a wall, illuminated by neon red lights and fairly lewd signs was the brothel. Likely connected to the building on the side of the bar visible from outside.

Thomas could not remember ever being to a bar before, much less one without incandescent lights, so he stared in wonder for a second.

'I don't remember much, but I do feel as if this is really cool.'

John sat with a seat open next to him at the bar table, apparently having wasted no time in getting himself a large mug of what appeared to be beer.

John looked back and motioned for Thomas to come and join him, apparently he had noticed him enter.

Nervously approaching the counter, Thomas took his proffered seat.

John took a massive swig of beer as Thomas sat down on his stool, putting it back down heavily on the table before talking.

"Damn Tom, I was starting to believe you and that old codger would NEVER shut up."

He laughed a bit to himself at his own hilarity.

Thomas cracked a grin and nodded reflexively.

"Sorry to keep you waiting man, but I had to satisfy the Caretaker that we'd steward this Hamlet well."

John finished another swig and exclaimed in a way that would make even a Sprite commercial proud.

"I have no clue what the fuck that means."

Thomas hailed the bartender with a raised hand as he answered.

"It just means that we have to take care of and use this place in the meantime."

"Does that mean we get free drinks since we own the place?"

Thomas grimaced now,

"No, that would've been nice though."

John chuckled and clapped Thomas on the shoulder.

"You and me both buddy."

"What do you want to drink sir?"

Returning his focus to the bartender he just hailed . The bartender was a tall, muscular man with one hell of a handlebar mustache.

"Ummmm, one sec."

Thomas leaned over to John to whisper,

"What did you order?"

John chuckled.

"It's called Bog's Fire grog, it packs one hell of a kick."

'For some reason I don't think "one hell of a kick" is something I would like.'

Suddenly a vague memory touched upon Thomas's consciousness.

"Do you have any hard apple ciders?"

The bartender nodded.

"We have Granny Smith's Revenge, Manzana Mania, and Apple Dachary."

'I have no idea what on earth any of those are beyond having Apple in them.'

"Umm, can I please have a Granny Smith's revenge?"

"Coming right up, that will be 100 gold."

'Oh right, things cost money.'

Below the table Thomas willed a rift and reached in for some gold.

SQUELCH

Thomas almost threw up on the spot as his hand squished something soft.

'I don't think I want to know what I just grabbed, whelp, I can't back out now.'

Thomas fished around in the viscera blindly until he could finally feel the hard, gold pieces.

He put them on the table and realized quickly they were covered in blood and pieces of viscera.

Now it was the bartender's turn to grimace.

"Y'know, we don't in particular care where you got the money from, it IS money after all, but next time please clean it up."

Thomas flushed red as John cracked up as though it were the funniest joke in the world.

Thomas grabbed his cider and mumbled his thanks.

John struggled to get a hold of himself still.

"Damn bro, even I don't keep my trophies in the same pocket as my cash."

"Yeah, I didn't really have much of a choice..."

John waved his hand in the air waving off the notion.

"Whatever whatever, anyways, how long have you drank cider for."

Thomas pauses and took on a more appropriately somber tone.

"I don't know..."

This sobered up John's attitude as well.

"Wait, what do you mean you don't know? You're not THAT old."

Thomas put a hand on John's shoulder,

"I have to tell you something."

John responded quickly.

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm not into guys."

Thomas took on the color of a watermelon instantly and recoiled.

"What the fuck dude?! I was going to tell you about my powers, why on earth would you think that?!"

John laughed heartily.

"Just lightening the mood, I am very well aware of the path of conversation."

He hiccuped.

Thomas sighed and re-collected his wits.

"I was going to tell you that I think I had a life before this."

John scoffed,

"Tell me something I don't know, we all did before we took this damned contract."

Thomas sighed,

"No, that's not what I mean, I mean I think I lived in another world, died, and came back to life in that wagon."

John paused now,

"Even I am not drunk enough to believe that."

Thomas sighed,

"Shirone brought me back to life, although, I think something went wrong, I have no direct memory of myself before I died, but I have some piercing memories, for example that this whole place is a game."

John took a swig,

"A game?"

He didn't sound convinced.

"Yeah, I remember some idol of mine drank apple cider instead of alcohol too, and he was from some obscure book, hell a lot of the stuff I remember I also remember being obscure."

John downed the rest of his drink before raising a hand for another.

"Alrighty, if that were true, then how does that affect your future sight?"

Thomas sighed,

"That's the thing, I don't think it's future sight, I think I've LIVED this before."

John motioned in front of himself.

"So? How does this affect us?"

Thomas sighed,

"This means that I can guide you guys, but I really am not a good fighter, I think I'll stay in town for a bit."

John frowned.

"No can do bud."

Thomas looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"There is no way I'm going out there without a full group of 4."

'Oh right, I almost forgot I only have these 3 for now.'

"Don't worry, we can go recruit from the carriage before you head out again."

John maintained his look,

"You are not getting out of this, you better train with some sort of weapon while you're here, you're part of the team too."

'That would be a wise move indeed.'

"Alright, I can get behind that."

John looked back forward.

"Good."

Thomas just realized he had left his drink untouched.

'Well, I did pay for it, I might as well drink it and not be a wuss.'

Thomas took a small sip.

Immediately he knew something was off.

First of all, it tasted like shit.

Next, he felt compelled, almost against his will, to take a massive swig.

Lifting the bottom of his mug in the air Thomas emptied the bitter substance down his throat, which started to burn like he was literally on fire.

Gasping for air, Thomas grabbed the table as the world around him twisted and muddled together.

Thousands of miles away Thomas could hear John laughing, at least he sounded that far away.

And the world melted away.