Chapter 028: Joker's Tavern

Danzai District, being full of beastfolk, humans, demi-humans, was of course noisy and crowded. It was a melting pot of people. 

"Maou! Maou! Where the hell are you?!" Shelly had lost track of Maou due to being in awe of the place. "Dammit, not again!"

On the other hand, he wandered about having yet to realize he was separated from Shelly. 

"Wow! His pointy ears look so cool! Ah! He's short like me! Look at that tail, it's bigger than mine!" Maou walked about observing all the different people he saw for the first time. 

"Hey, Shelly. Are you seeing all this?!" He felt for Shelly's hand but grasped thin air. 

"Shelly? Shelly!" He began to freak out. "Oh no! I– where?– Shelly!"

Maou started frantically looking around him for Shelly close by but it was to no avail. The place was too big, there were too many people and he didn't know where to start looking. Was this going to be a repeat of Lamdon Town? Maou didn't want to see Shelly crying again. 

"Shelly! Wh-Where are you? Shelly!" 

He anxiously pushing through the crowd but he was too small to make any progress and kept getting knocked to the ground by the crowds of people. After continuously failing to find her, he gave up and sat next to a random building, fighting back his tears. 

"Nya! Are you okay?" 

A feminine voice called to him and a hand went on his shoulder. Maou looked up to see a catgirl beastfolk in front of him. She had short orange coloured fur along her arms and legs, cat ears and short claws, purple eyes, beige skin, a waving fluffy tail and short hair.

"What's wrong? Nyan!" The catgirl smiled.

"I can't find Shelly?"

She placed her palm on his head, softly comforting him.

"Wanna look for Shelly together? Nyan!"

He nodded his head. 

"My name's Anna. And what's yours? Nyan!" 

"Maou."

"That's a cute name you have."

Anna held out her hand and helped Maou to his feet.

*Gurl! Gurgle!*

Maou's stomach growled loudly. 

"Hehe! Wanna get something to eat first? Nyan!" She giggled. 

"Yes, please," he answered, gripping his belly.

Anna walked with Maou into a tavern named "Joker's Food and Drink". The sign outside had a clown juggling rum bottles and plates. The place was seldom with people who were mainly drunk or sleeping by noon.

"It looks deserted now, but sundown's when the real party begins. Nyan!"

Anna held Maou's hand as she guided him to a table. He sat down, gazing around the brick tavern. 

"What ya want? Nya!" Anna asked.

"Uh, meat," Maou replied.

"Say no more! They'll know the perfect dish for you." Anna declared.

Anna called to a waitress that was clearing a table of its beer mugs. 

"Oi, Baba! Service please! Nyan!" Anna shouted, waving an arm. 

The waitress jolted at Anna's sudden yell. She had big puffy cotton like black hair with black eyes and black glasses on her oval smooth brown face. 

"Ah, Miss Anna. Sorry, I'll be with you shortly." The waitress politely bowed, fixing her glasses.

Baba carried the tray full of plates and mugs and placed them on the kitchen counter before making her way over to their table. 

"I'm sorry for the wait Miss Anna. How may I help you?" Baba asked, holding the wooden tray under her armpit.

"Nyan! I'll take my usual as always. And Maou wants something with meat." Anna requested.

"Hmm? Maou? Who's Maou?" Baba suddenly noticed him sitting across from Anna? 

Baba looked back at Anna, then Maou, then Anna, then Maou then Anna. Her eyes slowly widened, cheeks becoming flushed and the tray fell from under her armpit.

"Anna! Yo-You-You're a MOTHER!!?" Baba shielded her blushing face. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Nyan? Mother? Ah, no he's just a lost-" 

"You did THAT with a MAN!!" Baba crouched, mumbling to herself. "H-H-He put his… "e-eggplant" into Anna's "p-peach"… and got her… p-pre-preg– Ahh! No, I can't say it. That's too lewd!"

"Why's she mumbling about eggplant and peach?" Maou asked, dangling his feet off the chair. 

"Uh, sorry, don't worry about her. Nyan! She's like that sometimes… well, most times to be exact." Anna explained to the baffled Maou.

"Snorl! Gorl! Gurgle!" Maou's stomach cried out.

"Ahhh! I'm dying, so hungry!" Food, please." He sprawled himself across the table.

"Ah, I'm so sorry! What can I–"

"Blam!!!"

Baba, in her haste to stand up, banged her head against the edge of the table, causing it to shake. 

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Ah, that hurts!" Once more, Baba crouched, gripping her head in pain and fighting tears.

Just then another waiter came to their table. He had a tall, slim build with brown hair and dark, cold brown eyes.

"Baba, go take a break for now." The waiter instructed

"Ah, I'm fine Paul, I can do–"

"That's an order!" Paul glared at Baba.

"Yes… sir." Baba walked away gloomy and hugged the tray.

"Sorry for the chaos. How may I help you?" Paul inquired.

"Ah, yeah, I'll have steamed fish with a side of rice. Nyan!" Anna responded. "Oh, And Maou here wants something with meat."

"Anything to drink with that?" Asked Paul.

"Nyan! I want milk! and I guess… he'll have some orange juice," Anna replied.

"It will be served to you shortly." Paul politely bowed as he walked to the kitchen.

"Maou. Nyan! What does Shelly look like?" Anna asked.

"Uh, Shelly has red apple hair with white at the front. Uh, and she's tall like you. Hmm, miserable and what else…. Oh, yeah, she's cheap too!"

Somewhere off in the city, Shelly suddenly sneezed.

"Oh, wow. Hehe! That's quite the description. Nyan!" Anna covered her face trying to hide her giggling. "What kinda clothes was she wearing?"

"She said something about… leather leggings and a corset, I think. Oh, ah, also she has this huge bag on her back." Maou gestured.

"So it's apple hair with white at the front, my height, miserable, leather leggings, corset and a huge bag on her back." Anna counted them on her fingers. "Is that right? Nyan?"

"Yup! Sounds about right." Maou nodded.

"Nyan! She sounds… unique to say the least. So it should be easy finding her." Anna smiled.

Just then, Paul approached their table with two trays. 

"Thank you for your patience. Here are your meals and please do enjoy." Paul placed the food in front of their now twinkling eyes.

Anna took a whiff of the fish and wiggled in her seat cheerfully. Paul slid Maou's food in front of him and he started to glow, gazing at the bowl.

"This is called a pork cutlet bowl. I hope that it is to your liking, sir." 

"Ah, it smells so good. I wanna dig in." Maou grabbed the fork and started devouring the food along with Anna.

"I'll be right back with your drinks." Paul turned to walk to the kitchen. 

"Don't worry, Paul. I have them already." Baba jogged forward with a tray carrying two glass cups. One was milk and the other was orange juice.

"I told you to take a break." Paul grimaced.

"But I want to help–" 

Missing focus, Baba knocked into a nearby table losing her balance. The drinks flew from the tray and her eyeglasses whisked off her face as she was falling to the ground. But before she could hit the floor, Paul caught her gently in his arms. 

"CRASH!!! CRASH!!!" 

The glass cups fell to the floor shattering on impact.

"Are you hurt?" Paul asked in a low caring tone.

"Ah, Uh, I'm fine," Baba blushed as she got out of Paul's arms, her heart skipping a beat.

"Here. They fell off your face." Paul handed Baba her glasses.

"Th-thank you." Baba put on her glasses while staring at the floor. "Ar-Are you mad at me?"

Paul placed his hand on top of Baba's puffy cotton hair, which made her feel at ease. But his grip suddenly became tighter, as if to crush her skull.

"Mad?! I'm more than mad! That's your 12th broken glass this week." Paul glared at Baba with furious eyes. "Every day you break something else! Do you know how expensive each glass cup you break is?!"

"I'm sorry! Ow! Ow! Ow! My skull! You're crushing my skull!" Baba grabbed onto Paul's hand, trying to pull it away. 

"You know… I should just fire you! Maybe then I'd recover from the debt you've put me in." Paul gripped her head tighter.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Please, don't fire me, Paul! No one else in the capital will hire me. Please! I'll starve to death!" Baba begged with tears welling in her eyes. "Please, this job is all I have."

Paul clicked his teeth before releasing her head. As clumsy and troublesome as she was he still cared for her.

"Ha! Clean up this mess and get back to work." Paul sighed, getting off his knee.

"Thank you, Paul! Thank you so much."Baba started crying and hugged onto Paul's leg. "Please don't ever fire me! You're the best boss ever. I'll worship you if you want, Paul my God!"

"You annoying piece of– Let go, Dammit! Ah, stop! You're getting snot all over my clothes." Paul tried pushing away the overly thankful Baba off him but she only hugged his leg tighter, rubbing her tears and snot on him.

The other customers and workers watched the two, smiling in awe of their entertaining relationship while Maou and Anna were too busy eating. Another waitress soon brought them their drinks.