1.1/Faye+Klar

Bright colourful strobe lights were spinning round and round, emitting erratic beams of light into the near darkness. Every now and then one would shine directly into Klar's eye from her seat at the bar, blinding her momentarily. She would curse quietly, using words so unusual to come from the mouth of a woman, but the sound was such a small one that it was inaudible even to herself, trapped below the melee of noise which flooded her senses. In Klar's mind, the music was always the worst part. The bass-lines were always so thick and heavy that she could feel the sounds reverberate deep in the bones of her chest. It was a decidedly sickening feeling, and the main reason why Klar never frequented the clubs; regardless of where they were.

No, the only reason why Klar had even set foot outside of her apartment that night was because of Faye. Her friend was celebrating her promotion, and so Klar was required to make sure that she was still alive by the end of it. Not that Faye would notice; she was already lost to the world. Dancing in the throbbing heart of the crowd, her arms outreached in ignorant euphoria. A myriad of pink and orange lights were dancing around her head, bobbing up and down with the pulse of the beat. Bees. Klar had a pair too. Blue, they lay nestled in her pallid green hair at either side of the every watchful flea, their pale light reflected on its mirrored steel surface. She'd been given them what seemed like eons ago, and they had slipped out of fashion soon after they came into her possession.

"Klar-abella-rina-rooney!" Klar looked up. Faye had evidently grown tired of dancing on her own. "Will you come and join in? Please?" She pouted and swayed from side to side unsteadily. Unfortunately, Klar knew what this meant.

"Have you been popping?" She asked, a frown forming on her pale face. Faye said nothing, although the wide gormless grin spread across her flushed face was answer enough. "Oh God, already? Faye, we've been out for an hour and a half, and you're already tripping!"

"Oh come-on!" She pleaded, and began to rock back and forth on the balls of her feet. Faye folded her arms and then sniffed. "Fine, don't dance with me, I'll have fun enough on my own!" And with that she stuck out her tongue and flounced back onto the dance-floor. Klar sighed, and the bees in her hair, as if sensing her annoyance, hummed uncomfortably.

"Is this seat taken?" She looked up, slightly surprised by the sudden interruption of her thoughts. After a quick glance at the rest of the bar, she shrugged wearily. As she was the only one at the bar, then why ask? He would have sat next to her anyway, regardless of what her answer would have been.

"Care for a drink?" He was all smiles at the mouth, yet Klar noticed, not in the eyes.

"No thank you, I'm fine." She said curtly, keeping an ever watchful eye on Faye.

"Please, I insist. Name's Fehlings."

"Klar. Fine. I'll have a Soda-water." His smile faltered slightly at this, although Klar didn't really mind. It would no doubt be better than whatever form of exotic cocktail Fehlings had ordered. While she waited, Klar avoided looking at him, she could already feel his eyes creeping over her, and all Klar really wanted to do was go home and sleep. Unlike some people, she had to go to work in the morning. Eventually, their drinks came.

"Care for a little something to spice things up?" He held out a pack of tablets. Caps. The same stuff which Faye was currently tripping on. Klar scowled and wrinkled her nose.

"No, thank you. I'm fine without."

"Oh come on," Fehlings smiled and popped and pair out into his palm, before tipping them into his lucid green drink, effervescing as they dissolved, "it's not like Nocebo looks down on it or anything."

"I'm not a No-no." She replied wearily. Fehlings' smile slipped again. Caps were illegal, although no-one in law-enforcement seemed to be too bothered by this. It was used by most inhabitants of New-Site; regardless of level or stature. For a long while there was an awkward silence between them, although Klar knew that what was a mere nuisance, a mild annoyance to her, was unbearably uncomfortable for him. It was only broken when Faye stumbled back over, tears dripping down her face.

"K-K-K-Klar..." She stammered, before dropping down to her knees and wailing uncontrollably. Klar sighed, the same thing always happened whenever they went out. Every time it ended in tears, and they never seemed to be Klar's

"C'mon, let's get you home." She grabbed hold of Faye's arm and half pulled, half dragged, her to her unsteady feet. Faye hiccupped, and continued to whimper. Fehlings sniffed, either in disgust or distain, but Klar couldn't bring herself to work out which. She left him alone at the bar with no word of thanks, or word of goodbye. Just a glass of untouched soda-water.

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Something about this is bugging me, but I can't work out what. Any assistance, in any shape or form, would be greatly appreciated ^^