To Life ((85))

[victoriousscarf]

Slipping into the speak, Alonzo looked around, still full of nervous energy. It had been several nights since he started playing with the band but every time he walked into the place, with his fiddle under one arm he got excited all over again.

[cloudninelives]

Pounce sat on the floor behind the bar, humming to himself as he tried to dig a splinter out from the pad of his left-back paw. He'd been slowly working it out for about half an hour ('annoying tiny little painful piece of darned wood'), and when it finally slid out onto the floor he grinned and gave a shout of triumph, trying to punch the air but almost knocking over some of the bottles on the shelves in front of him. He hissed and scrabbled around, stopping them all from falling and smashing by spreading out in front of the shelves and staying very still, just to make sure that they wouldn't fall out if he moved away. He stayed like that for a minute, but as he then tried to move he felt some of the bottles move with him- slipping and coming dangerously close to falling. Pounce mewed helplessly, but his ears pricked up hopefully as he heard someone in the speakeasy. 'Err, hello there? would you mind awfully comin' and helpin' me for a mo?' he called nervously- if it was Lou he might get angry and decide not to teach him piano! He waited.

[victoriousscarf]

Alonzo poked his head around the bar after having nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard the voice call out. "You've managed to get yourself into something of a situation, haven't you?"

[cloudninelives]

Pouncival winced apologetically at the newcomer. 'Well, yes an' that's a fact. I don't suppose you could just hold onto these bottles so I can get up?' He asked hopefully. He thought he vaguely recognised the older tom, but he couldn't remember a name.

[victoriousscarf]

For a moment Alonzo almost asked if the other really wanted him near breakable things, but he nodded, stepping over to take most of the weight of the bottles off Pounce's back. "Really should be more careful," he murmured, considering what could have happened.

[cloudninelives]

Pounce moved away slowly and gingerly stood up, beaming when nothing smashed behind him. He took the bottles from the other cat and restacked them on the shelf. 'Thank you very much, sir. Erm, look I'm sorry but I can't seem to remember your name! I know it's terribly rude seein' as how you just saved my life and probably my job, but I'm useless with names, I am, and well, I'm Pouncival Cartwright. Its a pleasure to be makin' your acquaintance sir.' He smiled widely and held out a hand to the patched tom.

[victoriousscarf]

"Alonzo O'Neal," he replied, arching a brow slightly and shaking the other's paw. "You tend bar here then?"

[cloudninelives]

'Yes I do Mr O'Neal, and a pleasure to meet you sir! You aren't from Felidae are you? Your accent is familiar, but I can't quite place it.' He interrupted his own yammering, 'Sorry sir, I have the tendency to just keep talkin'- please feel free to tell me to be quiet at any point.' and then ploughed on! 'What brings you here? To the Chrysalis I mean.' He paused in his chatter, pouring himself a drink from the nearest bottle of browny-orangey (he wasn't sure) liquid.

[victoriousscarf]

Alonzo shifted, uncomfortable for a moment. Well, if his name didn't give it away nothing else really would. "Irish American actually. Born American, raised by entirely Irish people gives one the same accent apparently. But no, I'm not around here. As for what I'm doing here," he raised the fiddle case. "I think I'm playing here."

[cloudninelives]

Pounce thought for a moment, his mouth partially open. 'Oh I see!' he grinned. 'That's interestin'. I've only just moved here recently myself- over from Wales.' He nodded proudly. 'Yes, yes I see- you must be the new fiddle player then. It's a lovely sound- the fiddle- always makes me want to dance!' He smiled and turned towards the bottles, downed his drink, tried valiantly to hide his choking splutter and poured himself some more. It really was quite addictive- alcohol- made you feel very happy.'Would you like a drink then, seeing as how you work here?'

[victoriousscarf]

Alonzo smiled slightly at that. "I think I'm good on the drinking front, seeing as I have to be able to play all night, but maybe later as we get into the earlier hours of the morning. As for the fiddle making you want to dance," he laughed. "That's sorta the point."

[cloudninelives]

Pounce shrugged. 'Your loss- this is wonderful stuff...' he picked up his glass, watching light glint through the coloured liquid. 'It's pretty too...' He smiled at Alonzo. 'Dancin's fun as well you know. I remember dancing with a queen once- an actual queen! She was all lovely and soft and really good at dancing, and she had this fluffy tail that kept wrapping around her when she span.' He trailed off, smiling dreamily at nothing.

[victoriousscarf]

Arching a brow, Alonzo shrugged. "I don't say no to a good shot of whiskey. But not when it's working time, you know. I gotta be able to play a good fiddle. So, you like dancing then?"

[cloudninelives]

Pounce nodded as if he totally agreed with Alonzo's philosophy. 'Oh, err, yes I'm big on dancin'. It's a bit of a tradition where I'm from. Jigs and the like.' he tapped his feet around a bit, humming and moving in a circle. 'Tadaa!' he grinned when he'd finished. 'You dance, Mr O'Neal, sir?' He queried.

[victoriousscarf]

He shrugged a shoulder. "Generally speaking I'm the one playing the reels rather than dancing them," he replied. "I mean, I can, it's just, well, partners." He laughed softly at himself, shaking his head. "Not very good at asking people to dance with me is all."