We weren't going to the clock tower. Not yet, at least. Bobby had started to feel a little ill, so I decided it would be best to wait another day. The hotel owners didn't seem to mind us extending our stay, anyway. If anything, they seemed relieved when I told them that returning the sun would have to wait. 

They were relieved, but I wasn't. I felt a strange mixture of feelings. On the one hand, more souls could fade because of this. But, I didn't want my adventure to be done yet. This didn't feel like the end.  

Dimentio didn't need to know that we weren't heading to the clock tower. Lying was technically a bad thing, but I wasn't lying. I was simply withholding information and allowing him to assume. 

Besides, it was a little funny, the perplexed look in his eyes as I led him into the nearest restaurant I could find. There were torches lit inside, though they were dim. It was nice, seeing a light that wasn't the color of my lantern. 

He grasped my arm as if silently demanding to know what we were doing. 

Quiet music played. A sweet violin sang louder than the rest of the instruments. Some people danced, others sat by the bar and talked with one another. Of all the places I had been in the Underwhere, this felt the most alive. 

"Relax. I just want to have fun before we go finish this," I assured him. 

He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Oh, don't look at me like that," I chuckled. "Just one drink, then you can leave."

He seemed to tense slightly as he glanced across the bar at all the multicolored drinks. He shook his head and took a step back.

"Or not, you can always get water if you'd prefer," I suggested. "I myself don't drink, but most bars back home offer non-alcoholic options that taste delicious."

He remained still for a second, then let out a breath and relaxed slightly. His eyes rolled as he pushed forward. The way he was giving me the cold shoulder made it feel like he was trying to appear annoyed. Maybe he was. Still, I couldn't help but smile. 

If he really wanted to leave, he would have. He wasn't the kind of person to let others stop him.

I sat next to him as he took an open seat at the bar. I ordered myself an alcohol-free drink, then started to order water for him when he shook his head and pointed at something behind the counter. He then gestured to me, as if silently saying He's paying.

The bartender chuckled and immediately got to work. He dressed like someone from the Victorian era. An old Irish tune was playing softly from across the room as he hummed along. 

He placed our drinks in front of us when he was finished, then went to serve other customers. I took a sip, then turned to Dimentio, who was eyeing his own cup with wide eyes. 

"It's not poisoned or anything," I chuckled. "What did you get?"

He shrugged. His drink was red. A Bloody Mary, maybe? Those were fairly popular. 

He didn't reply, but his silence didn't hurt so much anymore. I used to think people could only connect through speaking. Now, I was starting to realize that wasn't completely true. Of course, communication was key to any kind of relationship, but Dimentio was communicating. He just wasn't using words to do it. 

"You know... I love and miss home a lot," I started. "But... I think when this is all over, I'll miss this place, too."

He blinked a few times, still keeping his gaze on his drink. He didn't take a sip. 

I shook my head and smiled slightly. "Home... I think you'd like it. I mean, I know there was a lot you didn't like about the world out there. And it's true, there's a lot of stuff to dislike, but... there's also so much beauty. Back home, the flowers in the nearby meadows are so bright and colorful. You can look out and see a sea of rainbows. It doesn't even need to rain for you to see that rainbow, it's just there. And the birds, they have the most beautiful voices. Do you remember?"

He remained still, then shook his head and looked away. 

I wondered if birds sang in the Underwhere. I suppose not. Most birds didn't sing at night. Besides, I had yet to see any birds. Where do birds go once they die? Are beings like that capable of evil? Or do they all just go to the Overthere?

"My brother, he's always real protective, but he's my whole world," I continued. "He could have come here with me. He was supposed to. But... if he did, I don't think he'd let you come along. So... maybe it's good he chose not to. Still, I miss him. It's not the same, doing this kind of thing without him."

I felt myself quietly laugh as I took another sip. Everything would have been different if Mario had been here. We'd probably be done by now. I doubted Bobby would have joined us. Sometimes others joined on our journeys, like Tippi, but that didn't happen often. Guests would usually show up and help Mario when I wasn't around. But when we were together, well, we were at our strongest, so we'd rarely need extra help. Still, I always liked meeting new friends and finding new allies. 

"I guess no two journeys are the same though," I said. "The next one surely won't feel the same without you there."

His shoulders dropped slightly. He used his straw to stir his drink, then carefully turned his face to mine. His eyes were wide, but less wide than they were when he looked confused. I was starting to notice and memorize the different looks he'd give me. Even though I'd never seen his face, I had his eyes memorized. Even these different-looking eyes. 

Sometimes, I missed his old eyes. The mismatched ones. I always found them to be so unique. Those eyes were scary, though. They were the eyes I looked into when he snapped his fingers and set off dozens of explosions that were meant to kill me. The same eyes that would stare me down as his laughter echoed around my head. 

These eyes now were different, but similar. Sometimes, I'd see hints of the old Dimentio in them, the Dimentio I knew. But most times, I saw fear. 

I used to think Dimentio was fearless. 

This wasn't his usual confused expression. It was something different. 

He seemed to squint slightly and shake his head, asking me why I was doing this. Of course, I didn't know for sure if this was what he was trying to silently say, but I felt like I was getting better at reading him after all this time. Even when he used to talk a lot, he was always hard to read. Somehow now, he felt easier. Maybe it was because he wasn't talking. His words always confused me. 

Still, I missed them. Does that make me crazy?

Probably. Yeah... I think it does. 

I was about to answer his silent question when the bartender walked up and started cleaning a set of glasses. 

"The gentleman o'er there wanted te buy a drink for ye," he told me. 

I briefly followed the bartender's eyes across the room. There was a group of friends sitting near the band. The one with red hair and brown eyes sitting in the middle waved at me. He had goggles on his head and looked like a recreational pilot. 

I smiled and waved back.

"He said te let ye know he doesn' expect anythin' in return. Just wanted te be kind," the bartender continued. "So, what'll it be?"

"Hmm..." I hummed as I grasped my drink and took another sip. "Another one of these, I suppose. Here, I'll do the same for him!"

I placed a few coins down on the counter. The bartender smiled and took them, then got to work. 

Once he was gone, Dimentio gently shoved my shoulder. His eyes were narrow and his hands tense, as if he was saying, Um, what the heck are you doing?!

"Relax, it's okay," I chuckled. "What, are you jealous?"

He crossed his arms and looked away.

"Oh, stop that, I already bought you one," I said. "We're here to have fun. To live and have a good night. And, if buying me a drink will make that stranger happy, then okay! I want to help everyone down here feel alive again."

He continued pouting. He looked silly, but not in a ridiculous way. It was more cute, if anything. 

Not that I thought he was cute. Because I didn't. Well, I wouldn't say that he's not cute, but... well, I suppose he was kind of cute. Sometimes. Just because of how expressive his eyes could be. That's all. 

"Dimentio, don't be like that," I chuckled.

He shook his head, then pushed his drink away from himself before even taking a single sip. He narrowed his eyes at me, then nodded at the other man, as if challenging me.

"Want me to go talk to him?" I asked.

He shrugged, still pouting. 

"Alright, alright, watch me," I replied. I stood up and walked over to the bartender, briefly glancing over my shoulder to make sure Dimentio was watching. 

The jester crossed one leg over another. I had to fight all my instincts to keep myself from laughing. 

"Um, when you're done with the drink for my new friend, is it okay that I deliver it?" I asked.

"Depends," the bartender said. "We don't typically allow that, but if I keep a close eye on ye while ye do then it should be fine. We just have te take safety measures, even if we're all dead."

"Wonderful," I smiled.

The bartender grinned slightly as he continued to work. "So, the fella with ye isn't yer boyfriend?"

"Dimentio?" I asked. "Oh, no, no."

"Ah, seems I've misread the two of ye," he chuckled. 

"Misread?" I asked. "What did you think of us?"

"Well, yer the museau for starters," he started. "I can tell because of yer lantern. He's someone who's been dead about a decade or so. Someone ye knew from life, I figured. Yer still alive, but he isn't. So, you were relieved to see him again. Right?"

I quietly chuckled and leaned forward on my elbows. 

"You're good," I admitted. "What else did you get?"

"Well, yer all in the city for yer own reasons," he explained. "Everyone's got reasons for doing the things they do. For ye, it's not money. No... ye want to feel like ye've accomplished something. But... that's not all anymore. That's not why yer still down here."

"Oh?" I asked. "And why am I still down here?"

"Oh, I can't answer that for ye," the bartender chuckled. "Maybe it's the same reason yer buying this stranger a drink. Maybe yer looking for something."

I felt myself frown slightly as I turned to face the stranger. He was up dancing with his friends now, smiling and laughing. If we weren't in the Underwhere, I wouldn't have been able to tell he was dead. He didn't look like he could have been dead for long from the way he dressed, although I couldn't really tell. It was a little strange, seeing so many people from different time periods gathering together in one afterlife. 

"And... what about my friend?" I asked as I looked back at the bartender. "Why do you think he's here?"

"Him?" the bartender asked. "Hmm... he's a bit harder. I think maybe a part of him has always felt incomplete, and he's been looking for a way to fill the void inside him. He used to search for something else. Power is my guess. But... power has no heart and soul. Now, he's realizin' maybe the void isn't there at all, and that's confusing him. My guess is he's just looking for peace of mind."

Peace of mind...

The violin played a cheery tune as the bartender placed two drinks in front of me. One for myself and one for the stranger. 

"Go live," he smiled. 

I returned the smile, then took the drinks and walked to the man, who was still dancing with his friends. 

"Hey," I breathed, slightly awkward.

"Oh, hey!" he smiled back. "You're the cute guy from the counter!"

My face heated up slightly as I looked away, slightly embarrassed. My eyes briefly landed back on the bartender, who was talking to Dimentio now. 

His glass was still full and untouched. 

"Um, I wanted to thank you for ordering me a drink, so... I returned the favor," I said.

"Aw, how sweet," he grinned as he took the drink from me. He took a sip and placed it on the table. "Want to dance?"

"H-huh?" I stuttered.

"Dance. The fiddle is playing! This is one of my favorite songs," he grinned. "My name's Llyr."

Fiddle, is that what it was? Was there a difference between the fiddle and the violin? It may seem silly, but I used to think that fiddles were just violins with country accents. Mario had always insisted that they were two completely different instruments, though.

I briefly looked over at the band. The fiddle player was an old man. His hair was gray, but there were a few remaining strands of red. He must have been old when he died. Still, he seemed more alive than the other band members. Happier. He looked like he must have lived long ago, too. Maybe in the time of the Tribe of Ancients and the Tribe of Darkness, although he didn't bear a cloak, so maybe not.

Llyr gently took my drink from me and placed it down next to his, then grasped my arm and pulled me close to him. I stumbled slightly. My face felt warm, I must have looked like a tomato. 

"Um, I'm Luigi," I breathed. 

"Luigi," he smiled as we danced around. The first few seconds felt awkward and tense, but I figured it didn't matter if I made a fool of myself. I came to the bar to have fun, after all. 

I relaxed and danced to the joyful music. After a while, we were both smiling and laughing. I couldn't even remember the last time I had so much fun in the presence of so many strangers. Usually, I felt too awkward and afraid to let loose. I still felt awkward and afraid, but I was starting to move past that. 

"You know, the fiddle player is one of my relatives," Llyr explained. 

"Really?" I asked.

"Yep! Great, great, great, great, great... super great grandfather," he chuckled. "Don't ask me how many greats it is. He lived thousands of years ago."

"Where?"

"Everywhere," he answered. "He was a traveler. Died doing what he loved, sharing music. Met his wife on the road. Never really talks of where he came from, only talks about all the places he's been."

I nodded. Sounded like a wonderful life. Seeing the world, traveling to thousands of places.

It reminded me of all the places Mario and I have been. 

The song soon ended, and the fiddle started playing a different, slower song. Llyr patted my shoulder and complimented me on my dancing, then went to finish his drink. 

I was about to do the same when there was a tap on my shoulder. 

I slowly turned, allowing my eyes to meet Dimentio's. A wave of surprise washed over me.

He held his hand out to me as the fiddle kept singing, accompanied by piano. 

"You want to dance?" I asked, shocked.

He shrugged, then nodded.

A warm feeling spread throughout my chest as I slowly took his hand. 

He briefly looked down at our joined hands, then returned his gaze to mine.

I smiled slightly, then placed my hand on his waist, and we danced. 

This felt different than when I was dancing with Llyr. My face was less warm, I felt less awkward. Maybe it was the slower pace of the song, or maybe it was because Dimentio wasn't a stranger.

Dimentio wasn't a stranger, right?

"Way to go, Luigi!" Llyr cheered from behind me. He clapped and laughed with his friends. "See? Told you guys they were a thing. Hey, L, if it doesn't work out, call me!"

I rolled my eyes and quietly chuckled as Dimentio shot Llyr a brief glare, which made me laugh harder. 

I briefly turned the two of us so Dimentio couldn't look at Llyr, which seemed to make him relax a little. He drew a little closer, but not too close. He seemed cautious and focused, like he was trying to calculate all his movements. I let go of his waist and held his hand up, spinning him around before pulling him close again and gently swaying with the swells of the music. 

There was something beautiful, yet slightly haunting about the song being played. We weren't the only ones dancing together, so I shouldn't have suddenly felt so exposed. No one was watching us. Llyr had gone back to talking with his friends. Still, I felt nervous for some reason...

The flames atop the torches seemed to dance as well, creating shadows beneath us that swirled and moved. It was nice, seeing our shadows cross over one another. Somehow, it made me feel closer to him. 

Shadows could only ever be created in the presence of light. 

There was a faint scent of alcohol in the air, but the room didn't reek of it. The violin continued playing. I enjoyed the live music. A group of musicians had their own little stage in the corner of the room where they played. There was something special about live music. It was one of the only forms of art that could only exist for a few moments, then it would be gone. It couldn't be preserved like paintings. Not completely, at least. Yes, music could be recorded, but experiencing recorded music wasn't the same.

He drew slightly closer and rested his head on my chest. He still trembled slightly, but not as much. 

I smiled slightly, then placed my hand on the back of his head and hugged him close. 

I wanted to say something but decided I shouldn't. I talked at him a lot, but sometimes, words didn't need to be spoken to communicate. I could tell him that he was safe through the embrace. My arms cradling his head could be my silent way of expressing that the past didn't matter. 

Not at this moment, at least. I suppose the past always mattered deep down, but right there, nothing else seemed to matter at all. 

The music slowed slightly and started shifting to be slightly darker. Still beautiful, only now it felt more haunting.

Dimentio stilled slightly, then slowly pulled away and took a few steps back. 

The violin grew louder and slightly faster.

"Dimentio?" I asked as he continued to step back. 

His eyes slowly grew wider as he looked around himself. 

I frowned and reached out to him. 

"Dimentio?" I repeated, slightly louder now.

He shook his head, then pushed past me and ran.