"Zai, kain muna tayo~" tila nagmamaktol na bata si Asta habang pinipilit nito si Zai na diretso lamang ang tingin sa kalsada at hindi siya binibigyang pansin, "Zai, sige na~"

Shane glanced at her direction, "Kakakain lang natin sa gubat kanina ah. Gutom ka na agad?"

Asta frowned, "Pagkain tawag mo do'n? Ligaw na damo ang pagkakakita ko ro'n eh."

"It was an edible plant, Asta," pagdepensa naman ni Ero dito. "Stop whining. Consider your age."

Muling sumimangot si Asta, "Bwisit na matandang 'to." she whispered.

"Anong sabi mo?" Ero's brows creased with what he heard.

Muling magsasalita sana muli si Asta ngunit biglang lumiko si Zai at pumasok sa isang bar. Asta grinned at Ero and Ero just sighed. Sinundan nila ang dalaga at naupo sa isang lamesa kung saan kasya sila. Maraming mga kustomer ang nasa loob rin ng bar na nag-iinuman at nagkakasayahan.

May lumapit sa kanilang isang tauhan na may dalang isang panulat at maliit na notebook. Sinabi naman na nila ang gusto nilang kainin at umalis na rin ito kaagad. They waited for the food to arrive at their table.

Shane sighed, "Are there any available inns at this hour though? Kung magtatagal tayo dito ewan ko na lang kung may matutulugan tayo ngayong gabi."

"Ooh~ ang gaganda ng mga kasama niyo pare ah!" lahat sila ay tumingin sa isang lalaki na bigla na lamang lumapit sa lamesa nila. Sa isang tingin lamang ay napansin na nilang kriminal rin ito.

Asta rolled her eyes, "Go away, you drunkard--"

"Sumama ka na lang sa amin, magandang binibini!" saad ng lalaki at biglang umakbay kay Shane. They all grimaced because of the man's misunderstanding. Nagsidatingan din ang mga kasama nito na halatang nakainom na rin.

Shane tried to push his face away, "Lumayo ka nga sakin! Lalaki ako!"

"'Wag ka ng magpanggap~ Walang lalaki ang magkakaroon ng ganiyang kagandang mukha no~" sabi ng lalaki at lalong inilapit ang mukha sa binata. Nanlaki na lamang ang mga mata ni Shane noong ngumuso ito. "P*tang--"

"Get your hands off my kid," lahat sila ay napatingin sa isang direksyon kung saan nanggaling ang malamig na boses. Zai squinted her eyes at the man, "If you don't want to lose a limb or two."

"Matapang pre! Ganito ang tipo kong babae! Miss--" akmang hahawakan na ng isang lalaki ang balikat ni Zai ngunit bago pa man ito makalapit sa dalaga ay may humawak na sa pulso nito.

Sinbad temporarily closed his eyes as he hold the man's wrist, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Napuno ng katahimikan ang kanilang lamesa. Nagpapakiramdaman sa isa't isa. Ang isa ay humawak na sa kaniyang espada. Ero squinted his eyes and was about to touch his sword ngunit nakarinig sila ng isang ingay. Tila ba may nagbagsak ng baso sa kahoy na lamesa.

They all looked at the counter and saw a woman glaring at them. "If you're doing it, get the hell out of my bar, you shits."

Tila natakot naman ang mga lalaki rito at bumalik na sa kanilang lamesa. They all know that the citizens of Northernium are not normal and the least thing they want is to cause trouble if they're around.

After they left, Ero and the others started laughing. Zai and Sinbad just chuckled and shook their heads. Shane frowned, "Walang nakakatawa!"

Asta rolled her eyes, "Great. That guy just called me 'pare'. Wow!" she sarcastically said.

Ilang saglit lamang ay dumating na rin ang kanilang pagkain. Just like always, they'll eat with moderate noises. Madalas na nangyayari ay nag-aagawan sa pagkain sina Shane at Asta. Zai and the others will just ignore them and continue eating.

But the noises in the bar slowly died down when they heard a funny noise. Zai's and others' eyes sharpened with the unfamiliar noise. It's like footsteps but their sounds are like stepping on horns.

The atmosphere changed and some even stood up immediately and went out of the backdoor. The bar owner gritted her teeth. She doesn't care any longer even if those guys went out of the backdoor that is only available for the staffs. She has to deal with her new customer first.

The sounds are getting louder. Indicating that it's already near. Some jerked up when the door suddenly opened and the guy has his arms open wide, "Hey hey hey! Who's ready to party? Hyahahahaha!" he suddenly jumped on the table then he looked around.

Zai stared at the stranger. He's wearing a white clown outfit. His costume fits his body and the neckline, the end of the sleeves, and the end of his pants are ruffled. He's also wearing white elf shoes. There are three red balls that is like buttons on his shirt. He's also wearing white gloves. A clown hat is on his head. He's also wearing makeup. His face is white. There is a dark color under his eyes and vertical lines that look like scars on each eyes. His nose is red and so as his lips. The lipstick even reached both his cheeks. On the left side of his forehead, a black star is drawn.

Asta grimaced, "A lunatic."

The bar owner glared at him, "Oi Bonzo. Don't cause trouble inside my bar, you damn crooked."

But the clown just laughed maniacally and closed his hand then when he opened them, flowers showed up, "It's nice to see you again, Aida! Marry me!" he said then hopped from one table to another, making a honking sound every time he lands. When he was on the last table near the counter, he jumped again and hooked his feet on the wood near the ceiling. Facing the bar owner upside down while giving her the flowers.

Aida just continued glaring at him, "Drop the jokes and get the hell out of my bar."

The clown frowned and the flowers suddenly bent na tila ba bigla itong nalanta. But Bonzo smiled again and threw the flowers away. He bent his upper body and put his arms on the counter then he rested his chin on his arms. His body was unbelievably flexible.

He grinned at Aida. It was creepy because of his makeup. "Then can you give me some of your blood?"

But Bonzo didn't even flinch and just continued smiling like a retard when Aida suddenly stabbed the wood near his face with her knife. Aida squinted her eyes at him, "Spare me from that blood fetishism of yours."

Bonzo laughed, "You're scary! No wonder you still have no boyfriend!"

Mukhang hindi naman nagustuhan ng babae ang kaniyang sinabi at muling hinugot ang kutsilyo. She was about to stab him but Bonzo grabbed the top of her hand and slammed it on the counter again, piercing the knife again on the wooden counter. Aida tilted her head but she clicked her tongue when Bonzo's knife grazed her cheek still. Bonzo licked her blood off his knife.

Aida gritted her teeth and motioned her hand on slapping him but Bonzo raised his head higher to avoid it.

"That flexibility is terrifying," Ero commented, "I can't believe he still has bones in that body."

Bonzo laughed again and let go of her then spinned his body as he let his feet land on the wooden floor. "Let's have some fun everybody!"

Bigla na lamang itong naglaho sa tapat ng counter. Shane almost jumped up when Bonzo landed on their table. Bonzo crouched down as he put his fingers under his chin while looking at their faces. He smiled wide, "I see some new faces~ hyahaha!"

He pointed his finger at them as if counting them. Then his eyes widen with realization and excitement, "Oh! I know you guys! You're from the wanted posters! You guys really are together! What is this? A band? A parade? Who's your leader?"

He then looked around and his eyes landed on a girl who has her arms crossed on her chest. He giggled, "I'm guessing that it's you!"

Zai opened her eyes and stared directly at his face but she didn't say anything. Lalong inilapit ng lalaki ang kaniyang mukha kay Zai, "Hmm.. you're young. But whatever!" his eyes widen with excitement as he grin widely, his face also got dark, "Your blood is delicious, right~?"

Zai remained staring at him even though she felt something scratched her cheek. Bonzo moved his fingers from the smallest one to the index then a card with blood on one corner suddenly appeared in his hand. Bonzo licked the blood off the card and his eyes widen.

He began to chuckle and his chuckles turned to laughter. Lalo siyang lumapit kay Zai. Hindi niya pinansin ang paghawak ni Sinbad at Ero sa kaniyang magkabilang balikat. His wide opened eyes stared at Zai's sharp ones, "You're a demon, aren't you?" he said.

Zai smirked, "Aren't you the same?"

Bonzo chuckled and covered his eyes with one hand. He slightly parted his fingers, showing his closed right eye. He suddenly opened it and his previous normal colored eyes turned yellow. His pupil is black and so as the black ring surrounding his yellow-colored iris.

He chuckled like a lunatic person, "Ooh~ spooky. Someone's gonna get eaten tonight."