[PRE-NOTES] New chapter and second part of chapter 6. On an unrelated topic: I was a bit worried that my characterization of Trish was a bit "out of character"... maybe I was making her a bit weirder than normal.... Until I saw the DEMO of GVH and my worries were gone xD At least the Trish in this story isn't autistic for insects'. There's some references in this episode to a fucking awesome series I love! I hope you guys like it. [/PRE-NOTES] The news that the band had gotten a new place to play took the band itself by surprise. Trish had taken it upon herself to break the news to the rest of her band mates first thing Monday morning, as she had avoided giving them the news by text message because she wanted to see their reactions in person. Reed was the most surprised of the group to the amazement of the others, especially Trish, who expected Fang to be the most surprised but it seems the news of a new show stirred up some unknown anxiety inside the pink raptor but it's nothing that a little carfe didn't help clear up. As for Fang: she seems very relaxed by the news and had almost reacted with indifference. Maybe because she could already see it coming or because Trish had already told her about her intentions to get a new place or maybe because of the fact that Anon was the one who got the place.... That human had practically settled perfectly into the new group and was the one who accompanied Trish to give the news to the rest of the guys and Fang didn't want to admit that that human, whom she despised greatly, now not only had gotten her a new place to play but seemed to be very close to her best friend Trish. Maybe because of pride or because of her friendship with Trish, Fang didn't send Anon to fuck himself and simply decided to ignore the great help that the human gave them and just ignored him every time he appeared with Trish... but the second one was difficult: Trish always brought Anon with her every time she could and not only to share a place in the cafeteria but also in the auditorium where they watched movies or when they got together to hang out around the school. The human was always present and even Reed seemed to second Trish in the inclusion of Anon to the group but Fang did not accept this and every time she could she made it known to Anon: from insulting him, giving him hurtful nicknames or pointing out how unnecessary his presence in the group was. But what culminated with Fang's little tolerance towards the human was when he attended a mini rehearsal they had in the auditorium one Thursday after school. It had been several days since the announcement of their new concert so the band was always practicing for their important date and Trish almost always invited Anon to join them and that day was no exception. After sitting in one of the seats Anon began to witness that rehearsal, where Fang again could not concentrate on his instrument and after strumming very hard she broke one of the strings with her sharp claws and in frustration she simply picked up her guitar and dropped it abruptly to the floor. That guitar miraculously didn't break but from that day on Fang asked Trish not to bring the human to their rehearsals anymore because, in his words, "it creates a bad working environment and is too distracting". After that drama the days had passed without incident, with the band rehearsing, going to school and meeting Anon to Trish and Reed's delight and Fang's annoyance. Also the young trigga regularly exchanged messages with Anon during their rehearsals, which annoyed Fang but as the band was sounding great she had decided to ignore them. The weeks had passed and now they were only three days away from the important event that would mean the return to the stage of VVRUM DRAMA, even Reed had suggested the possibility of an open rehearsal so that some students could come to see them... an idea that Fang practically rejected without any kind of contemplation because it would not only mean to see again the same idiots that had booed them in the first place but also to let Anon in. Despite Trish's protests, Anon didn't want to create a bad atmosphere among the band either so after that little incident he decided not to visit the band again when they were rehearsing but he still kept hanging out with them at lunch but always trying to avoid Fang as much as possible although this was difficult since "they" were his lab mates but they both managed to work as much as necessary to save the subject. But today something out of the ordinary had happened: Fang had been absent from class or at least from her lab classes because Anon had seen her this morning with the gang. Although Anon had to work alone during Professor Fangworth's classes. It wasn't a problem for him not to have Fang with him, after all she hardly did anything and most of the time Anon always ended up doing everything... doing it incorrectly but doing it after all. When the bell rang and marked the end of science classes Anon was ready to leave for his next subject, but he still had a little time to kill. -Remember kids that final exams are coming up so the next topics we are going to look at will go into the exam. So please make sure you study in depth with your partner and also don't forget to work on the exercises on page 143 and....- Professor Farnsworth voice was getting more and more distant as Anon was walking briskly away from the classroom. The human was now walking down the halls trying to dodge the rainbow crowd that was the students of Volcano High and as he headed to his locker to get some things out, his mind was lost in thought. -Shit... where the fuck did Fang go this time? It's the third time she's been absent and leaves me alone in science... God, I have to do everything myself and on top of that the exams are coming up and I have no one to study this shit with...- Anon's mutterings were quite audible and even though he had reached his destination he was still complaining as he stuck his head in his locker to see where his stuff was, although this only amplified his mutterings. ...- I'm going to fail science because my fucking partner won't stop being a bitch to me...- Anon took his stuff and left others and slammed the locker shut. Visibly in a bad mood he was considering not going to his next class but his expression went from angry to happy when he saw the distinctive purple shape of a triceratopr approaching him cheerfully. -Hey Skinnie!- said Trish waving to her friend as she dodged two students and was now within three feet of Anon. -Again mumbling to yourself...? God you're a dork, Anon...- Trish laughed as if she had told a joke while looking Anon in the eyes. For several days now Trish and Anon had this little habit of hanging out in the hallways and killing the time they had between classes. And since Trish started rehearsing more and more with the band she no longer spent as much time as she would like with Anon, so she made sure to spend as much time together as possible. -Hey monkey, let's go sit by the stairs for a while. Our next classes haven't started yet...- more of an invitation than was an affirmation as Trish quickly wrapped both her arms around Anon's arm and tugged him to get them both moving. -Hey wait girl...I'm going to drop my backpack...- Anons laughed at her friend's direct attitude, but didn't put up any resistance. Trish and Anon's bond has grown much closer these past few days, or rather since they got that second gig. Since the band was rehearsing most of the time, and given Fang's denial to have Anon around, Trish made sure to spend as much time as possible with the human. -How were your classes Anon, did you fail everything yet?- said the purple trigga with a sly tone, holding Anon's arm tightly. -Not yet... But the science classes were becoming a pain in the ass. I'm practically doing everything by myself.- Anon commented back as he settled his backpack on his back. The two friends had now crossed one of the crowded hallways. -Fang doesn't help you?- Trish looked back at Anon as they walked together. -Fang won't even give me the time of day... Besides, they been so distant lately.- the human looked down at the purple trigga. -Distant? - Trish raised an eyebrow in intrigue. -I don't know how to explain it... but she... I mean They... is always disappears during classes, I don't even see Fang in music class. Do you know anything? Trish was holding on to Anon's arm like a coala, but that didn't stop her expression from turning to one of confusion as she tried to think about her bandmate's strange behavior. Although he was punctual for rehearsals, Fang was almost always absent from classes and her attitude was very apathetic about doing school work but since it didn't affect the band directly Trish didn't think much of it since she considered it a normal attitude for Fang. -Now that you mention it... Fang has been acting a little weird lately...- Trish looked away remembering how Fang had also been neglecting her appearance. Fang practically looked like some kind of Kurt Wildbain minutes before he blew his snout off with a shotgun. -Fang threw a tantrum with his guitar again? - Anon muttered this but Trish could hear it anyway and it wasn't funny to her. Trish pinched Anon's forearm a bit for that silly question. -Hey...!- the human protested at the sudden pinch. -It's not funny Skinnie. Fang could have hurt himself that day...- the triceratop reproached Anon's comment as they both reached their destination: the stairs leading to the third floor of the school, which usually and due to its considerable size and depth was used as a child spot for students. Both friends now stood in one space and left their respective backpacks on the floor. -I could have cost you a guitar, you know...- commented Anon sitting down on one of the steps. -But it didn't... They're just nervous about our new gig. But we are doing great now... I passed you a video of our rehearsal, we sound great... don't we...?- Trish said this last with some insecurity in her voice. -They sound great Trish... Relax...- Anon stood up quickly and made Trish stop before she sat down too. The human now settled himself so he could look the young trigga in the eyes as he grabbed one of her shoulders with one hand. -You guys are going to be great... You're rehearsing like crazy and you're very precise when you play. You guys are going to kill the show. Trish looked down embarrassed feeling the pressure of Anon's gaze on her but it wasn't out of discomfort, she was actually very happy that Anon gave her so much encouragement and confidence leading up to their show. Although she liked to appear tough in reality Trish was very anxious and didn't take criticism with much temper... but hearing Anon's words of encouragement made her confidence not fade and she felt that she really was talented at what she does. The young trigga with her eyes still down began to approach Anon to hug him gently while resting her head on Anon's chest, who let out a small laugh and also began to wrap her arms around the little trigga. There were times when they both shared these sudden hugs, obviously they both enjoyed it and could afford to do it almost every time they weren't doing anything else. This habit started to become more habitual after their "non-dating" at Mous. Although she didn't want to break the hug, Trish had to as she didn't want to raise curious stares from nosy students, but she was still clinging to Anon. -Thank you... Anon. I'm very anxious about our concert and I'm really... I ...- Trish's voice was shaky, but Anon could anticipate what she was referring to. -It's okay to feel nervous Trish... and also afraid... Feeling this doesn't make you weak. Quite the opposite... it means that you really care about your job and you just want to do your best for the audience... And I'm super confident that you're only going to do your best and you're going to do excellent Trish. Trish's face crumpled a little at those words and her eyes began to water as her throat closed and a goofy smile crept across her face. Quickly Trish gave him a response to Anon's words of encouragement. -You want to make me cry in front of everyone at school?- Trish's tone was one of protest but her goofy grin said otherwise. -Now who's the Dork?- Anon took one of Trish's hands and together they proceeded to sit on the third floor steps. The pair practically had about 10 minutes to relax before their next class would start so maybe they could chat for a while and catch up before they said goodbye. -And now... do you already have the set for the show ready? -commented Anon letting go of Trish hand and putting his hands in his pockets. -Oh yes, we already have our complete set.- said Trish in her jovial tone as she clasped both hands together. -We had a few problems as we had to re-adapt the songs to sound with one guitar and only one bass but the result was really great. -I'm glad to hear that... Ahh hey, I wanted to ask you something ....- Anon stood up straight in his makeshift seat. -Do you remember Stella and Rosa? -Those quirky girls from the garden club...?- said Trish raising her right eyebrow again. She was intrigued by the sudden mention of those girls or that even Anon had something to do with them. -Yes, those girls... Do you mind if I invite them to your concert? After all, you need an audience. -Ahh sure. That would be great....- said Trish smiling at the mention of an audience at her concert but still feeling confused by the sudden mention of the girls. -Where do you know these girls from? I didn't have you as the kind of dork interested in gardening....- Trish narrowed her eyes as she relaxed her voice a bit. -Ahh that... A while ago I had been punished for using the library's Wifi... Long/short story: I pirated some series and Spreas punished me with work in the Gardening club and there I met the girls... And despite being a bit intense with their hobbies, they're not bad girls... They're nice, actually. Although Trish still wasn't very convinced by what Anon told her, she simply decided to settle back on the ladder where she was sitting and look away as she continued to ask questions. -And these girls... are you... kind of close to them ? - Trish's tone was neutral but serious. -Mmm I wouldn't say close as friends... But I do like them. - Anon's answer was quick but Trish continued with her questions. -Ahh... and do they have boyfriends or something?- Trish's eyes had a strange, almost accusatory gleam in them. -Ahh, why do you ask? -Anon raised an eyebrow in surprise at the question. -No reason... Just curious... Maybe they want to bring someone with them... or hang out with someone that day...- Trish mumbled this last thing looking at Anon with narrowed eyes. -Mmm no no... not that I know of... anyway... It's a good thing isn't it? More people for the audience.... Trish wrinkled her expression at Anon's comment and after crossing her arms and legs where she stood she answered again. -Ahh... yeah... that's great... Maybe you can accompany one of them during the show... - now Trish sounded a little annoyed -Mmm... they don't go out much... Maybe I can hang out with Stella for a while during the show. You know... to keep her from getting killed in the mosh pit...- Anon's eyes widened as he tried to decipher his friend's sudden change of mood. -Ahh so you want to hang out with her.- Trish looked at Anon questioningly. -Not that it bothers me...- said the genuinely confused huaman now. -So you're interested in her!?- Trish inadvertently raised her voice a little but the sudden blush on her face finally betrayed her. -Hey, what's that all about?- asked Anon, frowning at his friend's attitude. Trish mumbled some unintelligible things before looking away from Anon again. -Nothing... nothing... .... I was just saying- Anon just wrinkled his mouth a bit in annoyance and after settling back into the chair he spoke again. -And that's it... You already have more audience to play to... I hope you don't mind having a big audience.- Trish moved her left leg crossed while she continued with her serious expression of crossed arms. After a few seconds she let out a sigh and spoke to Anon again. -Don't worry Skinnie... Everything is settled at this point. Now we just have to do our best this time.- Trish turned her head to the left to get a better look at Anon. The trigga girl's eyes sparkled in the artificial light from the school's ceiling lights. -I'm sure you will Trish... I'm sorry I can't make it to your rehearsal, but I promise to be there first thing this Saturday to help you set things up...- Trish's smile was immediate after Anon's comment. -Thanks Skinnie... That would be great...- Trish settled a little closer to Anon and the trigga girl wrapped the human in a tender hug as she lay down on top of him as well. Anon reciprocated the hug and now both were sharing a nice moment on the school steps and if it wasn't for the quick curious glances of some students that watched them while they were going up or down the steps that moment would have been even cooler. But they were both satisfied. After a few seconds of silence where the couple had closed their eyes to rest in each other's arms, they found themselves in the trouble of breaking the hug because now they were both absent in their respective classes. Anon was the first to break the hug and now the two stood up and grabbed their respective backpacks ready to head to their classes. -Ok... I'll see you later Trish. I'll wait for you at the exit so we can go home together? -You can bet your monkey ass I will, skinnie...- Trish confirmed this with a smile as she quickly hugged Anon again making them almost fall down the stairs. -Ok... I'll see you later Trish. I'll wait for you at the exit so we can go home together? -You bet your monkey ass I will, skinnie..." Trish confirmed this with a smile as she quickly hugged Anon again making them almost fall down the stairs. -Anon laughed at Trish's gesture and after giving her his own goodbye hug both friends formally said goodbye to each other and each went on their way to their next class. While walking through the corridors Anon was able to spot a silhouette that he recognized perfectly, this silhouette had descended from the stairs that led to the roof of the school. This silhouette was Fang... who looked honestly terrible. The human had slowed his pace to get a better look at Fang: the ptero girl was a mess, her hair was disheveled and all her makeup was smeared across her face, her beautiful wings were missing entire strands of hair and several feathers were missing and the living flesh of Fang's wings could be seen. Anon could swear that there was also a trace of blood. Fang not only had a blank look on his face but also appeared to have an unlit cigarette in his snout. Fang moved her head slightly to see Anon approaching in his direction but her dejected expression made no change. As he got close enough Anon had no choice but to exchange a quick but uncomfortable glance as the human could tell how dejected and miserable Fang looked... but Anon didn't stay long to watch the pitiful spectacle because he quickly refocused his gaze on the corridors and continued on his way, completely ignoring Fang. After all, he had no real reason to support the ptero girl since she would most likely have insulted him and asked him to leave her alone. And so Anon did, leaving Fang alone with her misery in the halls of the school. The days had passed quickly and today was the most awaited night: today was the return of VVRUM DRAMA at Dino Mous and the atmosphere in the restaurant was very lively. Early in the afternoon Anon, Reed, Trish and Fang had gone to set up the tables and chairs to prepare the area for the people to watch the show. As for the stage, Fang and Reed brought the amps and instruments and Anon took care of the wiring and sound console. Mou was so happy to see Fang and Trish again that he even helped himself with the preparations for the date: he had made sure to replace all the lights in the facility to have excellent lighting in the stage. The big dinisaurus even greeted Anon with a big hug, whom he left breathless recovering from his grip while still holding the cables for the sound console in his hand. Each of the guys was so busy working on their own that they were barely talking to each other except to give each other directions. Even Reed looked like he hadn't smoked or consumed any strange substances by his serious expression, right now the pink raptor was finishing moving the last chairs of the place next to Fang while Trish was busy plugging a considerable sized speaker into her respective instrument. The triceratop girl was now on top of the gigantic amplifier trying to connect the wires correctly. Trish seemed to be so focused that she hadn't realized that she had left her entire backside exposed with her tail swirling up and down. Trish's bass was resting on your tripod right in front of her amp, shining thanks to the polish Reed had given the instrument's wood. -Mmm fuck, this thing is always tedious to plug in...- muttered Trish, plugging the last few pins into the gigantic box. -And... There! There...- said Trish triumphantly, now leaning her elbows on the amplifier and looking at those wires. Trish was about to leave the top of the amplifier when her eyes lifted to her bass, more precisely to the glow that the instrument was projecting. Trish could see through the glow how Anon was standing a few feet away from her, holding some wires in his hand. The trigga girl looked confused at what Anon was doing but quickly realized what he was doing: he was looking at her. More precisely her ass on top of the amplifier. Trish felt a slight embarrassment and some anger at seeing herself being watched by the human but instead of reprimanding him or getting out of that compromising position on top of that amplifier, she began to move her hips slightly again. Trish began to bounce up and down on her hips as her tail swirled in rhythm with these bounces. The reflection of the bass revealed how Anon's eyes were intently watching that expectation. Trish began to arch her back slightly to raise her ass up even higher as she lifted her tail and closed her legs as she giggled under her breath. -You enjoy the show eh, skinnie?- thought Trish looking at the reflection of the bass. -You like what you see, don't you? Damn perverted monkey...- a sly smile formed on Trish's face as she continued to sway her hips to entertain Anon. But that show was short-lived because Anon quickly turned back to see a Fang who was calling out to him to ask if he had finished connecting the wires. Fang didn't seem to notice that Anon was staring at her friend's ass or that her friend was doing it on purpose. Fang and Anon were talking at length about... something or rather Fang was talking in a loud tone to Anon while the human just nodded with an annoyed expression. -Pff... What a killjoy, Fang...- muttered Trish now finally getting off the top of that speaker. The trigga girl walked a few steps and connected her speaker with her bass and put it on top. As she started to play a few notes to check if the bass could be heard, Trish watched as Anon now headed towards the back of the store, in the cellar part, where he could connect the wires for the console. - "Damn Anon... Spying on me when I'm not looking... I bet you want this good piece ass real bad... Very desperate you are Sknnie- Trish smiled at her thoughts but they were far from being thoughts of reproach towards the human. The young trigga started to play random notes when her eyes landed on the front door of Mous' place and she could notice how a good number of people were entering, some of those people Trish could recognize from school and some other people were customers enjoying their dinners with a musical show in the background. Trish held on to her bass as she opened her eyes at the impression of the people that had just come and felt a cold sweat break out on the back of her head and after putting her bass back in place she quickly left the stage. The night at Dino Moes was already at its sweet spot: all the tables on the sides were occupied with guests who were anxious to see the new show and meanwhile the center of the restaurant was already filled with almost 100 people standing around waiting for the show to start and almost everyone had a glass of something to drink in their hand. Moe had set up the bar and had taken the opportunity to sell large quantities of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. And right next to the bar was the band's improvised merchandising stand. The band was about to go out to play but there were still a few minor preparations to be made before they could do so. Meanwhile at the back of the restaurant a human was coming out of the storage room where he had installed some cables at the request of his friend Reed. As he walked, the human could notice how that establishment was almost full and his amazement quickly turned to happiness. He could even notice how his friends Rosa and Stella were standing in the middle of the dance floor looking at the stage. -Great that you girls could come.... But damn Stella, I think that t-shirt was too much....- the human laughed while looking at Stella's t-shirt with the "Oppai" print. -Now... where are you...? There you are!- the huaman saw how a few meters away from him was Trish with a lost look. Her body seemed to be in a state of rest and she couldn't seem to process what was to come. The human began to approach her friend to talk to her, even Trish couldn't seem to register Anon's presence. -Sup my trigga...- said Anon friendly to her friend. Trish just jumped slightly at the sudden shock. -Anon... fuck, you scared me...- Trish sounded more surprised than annoyed and went back to staring at nothing. -I'm sorry... But you seemed distracted... ....- commented Anon firmly but Trish didn't seem to sound very convinced. -Hey... You got this Trish. Trish turned to look at Anon and could feel her little body trembling, even her voice sounded shaky and unsure. -I don't feel like I have it. .... -You do... you've been practicing for weeks. You've improved a lot these last few weeks...- Anon gave Trish a hug before continuing. -I have complete faith in you and the guys... You're going to do great. Don't worry about it. Trish gave the human a big hug for those heartfelt words. Anon could see Reed and Fang in the distance. Reed was giving a wave by extending his fingers and smiling at the human, but Fang just Rolls her eyes. -Thank you Skinnie...- said Trish breaking the hug looking at her friend Anon in front of her. Behind Trish could be heard the footsteps of Fang's military boots. -Yes... Thanks Monkey... Now get lost, we have sweet music to play. - Fang said sharply with a cigarette in his hand while he grabbed Trish's shoulder with his other hand. -Just a moment Fang... I'm on my way,- said Trish looking at her friend. -Just a minute Fang," said Anon with annoyance in his voice looking at the ptero girl. -Fuck You Skinnie. I'm not talking to you.- spit Fang with anger in his voice. -Fang!- said Trish reproachfully at her friend's attitude. -What? I'm right.- Fang now looked incredulous, staring at her friend Trish. -But that's no way to talk to Anon. He's done a lot for us.- Trish put her hand on Anon's forearm. -A lot FOR YOU! He didn't do shit for me.- Fang took a puff on his cigarette as he said this. -He got us this show, didn't he? Show a little gratitude - Trish now frowns at her friend's attitude. -The only thing I'm going to give this monkey is a kick if he dares to fuck with us.- Fang spit out her cigarette causing it to bounce off Anon's shoe. -FANG!- Trish said again, this time annoyed. -It's okay Trish... It's okay.- said Anon coldly looking at Fang, who only gave the human a look of contempt. -I'm glad you're feeling better than the last time I met you at school, you crazy bitch," Anon thought to himself. -Hey you guys.- said a deep voice to the group of three teenagers, who turned to look at the new person. That man was a young orange raptor who should not even be thirty years old and was dressed in an elegant black suit with a white shirt without a tie. That raptor had curly hair and his snout was slightly upturned and in one of his forearms he was holding a white box. The young man's gaze was cold and hard and Anon felt an uncomfortable pressure with that man's gaze. -Hi, you're Chris, aren't you?- said Anon trying not to sound intimidated by the man's appearance. Fang and Trish were just waiting to see what would happen next, slightly confused by the man's presence. -Christopher Moltisanti to you, kid.- he pointed accusingly at the human, who widened his eyes at the threatening tone. Chris' Italian nod only made the situation more surreal, but the raptor quickly relaxed before continuing. -Moe asked me to tell you that in 10 minutes you are about to go out to play...- said Christopher dryly, alternating his gaze between the three teenagers who looked genuinely confused and somewhat intimidated. -Ahh... thank you. We were just about to go now.- said Trish finally looking at Chistopher, who returned a cold-eyed stare. -Mmm... So... you guys play in a band, huh?- commented the orange raptor looking back at Anon who was trying to dodge her gaze. - I hope you guys play something good if you're the reason I'm working on my damn day off tonight.- the raptor commented again in his annoyed look as he bared his teeth. -Don't worry about it. We're going to sound great.- said Fang in a neutral tone, not being intimidated by the raptor. -Well, they better be. I went through a shitty day today to have a bunch of kids tell me what I have to...- Christopher couldn't finish his oratory because he was suddenly interrupted. -OOOOUUUUH! THERE YOU ARE!- said a voice even deeper than Chris's a few feet away. The teens and Chris turned to look to see the newcomer. -What took you so long Chrisy? Tony sent you to the liquor store more than half an hour ago.- said the newcomer, another Italian-American dinosaur with an accent even more pronounced than Christopher's, cheerfully. That dinosaur was an orange raptor of approximately 50 years old and was wearing a red tracksuit. On both hands of that dino several gold rings could be noticed but the truly distinctive feature of the dinosaur was the white stripes dyed in the hair on the sides of his head. -Paulie...- Chris said tiredly, looking at the newcomer. -You're not intimidating these sweet kids, are you? - commented Paulie putting a hand on Chris' shoulder. By this point Trish, Anon and Fang were just keeping their mouths shut and letting the bizarre situation play out. -Of course not. I'm just telling you what Moe told me to tell you..." Chris said coldly, looking intensely at Paulie. -Oohh... of course you are. Why don't you go to the boss's study now and explain to them what took you so long, huh?- there was something in Paulie's tone that sounded threatening. -It wasn't my fault. The stupid guy who ran the liquor store didn't want to serve me first. He made me wait like a jerk off and I had to...- Chris bit his tongue as he realized what he was about to say and turned to look at the teenagers for a few seconds before continuing. -I had to wait longer. -Okay, we'll sort this out later. Now go see Tony and Moe, they are waiting for you in the studio. - Paulie's tone was slightly cheerful but there was a hard-to-describe seriousness in his voice and his face was grimacing with displeasure. Christopher just nodded in frustration and after extending his hand in greeting left the way he had come. Anon would swear that when Christopher extended his hand and his suit moved slightly upwards he could see a revolver hidden in the side of his coat. After a few seconds after Christopher retreated Paulie looked back with a smile at the trio of teenagers. -And you my childrens... What the fuck are you looking at?- Paulie's sudden shout made the three teenagers jump in shock but the shout was not meant to be threatening. - Go play your damn rock and roll or whatever you kids are playing now.- Paulie said holding out both hands and waving them up and down. The gleam of their gold rings glittered in the lights. -Of course. ! the three teenagers said at the same time as they practically ran away after that awkward moment. Even Anon was forced to go with the girls to the back as Trish grabbed his arm to take him with her. The minutes had passed and the crowd was ready for the show. In the last few minutes more people had entered the establishment and the place was officially full. Near the entrance were Tony and Moe welcoming the last diners while Paulie and Christopher were seating them at a table and taking their dinner orders. Meanwhile backstage VVRUM DRAMA was ready to start the show: Fang was stretching his arms and warming up a bit before coming out, Reed was writing the set on a marker sheet and Trish was drinking a can of Monster with Anon next to her. When she finished her can she turned to her friend next to her. -Shit...we're about to leave...I'm so nervous.- Trish said quickly with her bass hanging above her. -You'll do fine Trish. Just go do your thing. -It's too easy for you... They're not gonna throw things at you if you screw up there. -Nobody's going to throw anything, Trish... I'm going downstairs now.- said Anon before giving Trish a kiss on the cheek to the amazement and some embarrassment of the trigga girl. -See you after the show Trish. As she watched the human walk away, the rest of her friends went outside to position themselves on stage to start playing. Trish followed her friend Fang to the stage and positioned herself to the left of her, with Reed behind her on drums. The crowd applauded for a few seconds before falling silent in anticipation of the show. Fang positioned himself in front of the microphone with his glove in both hands before adding. -Thank you all for coming. We are VVRUM DRAMA! And with those last words Fang began to mark the initial notes that marked the intro of the first song of the night. An hour into the show and the atmosphere couldn't have been more energetic and cool. The entire standing audience was singing and moshing to the rhythm of VVRUM DRAMA's set. Anon had come down to be with the crowd and was with her friends Rosa and Stella watching the whole show, shaking her head and singing along to the songs Trish had shown her. Genuinely the band had improved a lot since their disastrous first concert and now sounded like a professional band. Reed was setting the pace and hitting the drums as energetic and versatile as if he was the drummer for Claw182, Trish had a great bass presence and even took the lead on several songs and Anon loved the backing vocals she was giving revealing that the trigga girl had a smooth and harmonic singing voice. But what really caught the human's attention that night was Fang. The non-binary ptero practically stole the show, not only for her prowess on the guitar but also for her professionalism in singing and reaching low and high tones alike. Fang was in his element and was far from the erratic and angry person Anon knew. Anon could feel the emotions that Fang exuded with every song she sang and for a few brief moments the human came to think how beautiful and full of life Fang looked. Though this thought went in and out of his head as fast as Stella spinning around the mosh pit. -And tell me people.... WHY IS HITLER DRIVING A TRICYCLE THINKING HE'S A MONKEY?- Fang finished her question with a cool guitar solo that made the whole crowd, even the diners sitting at the tables victorious because of how good that song sounded. -Haha... of course they were going to close with that song.- muttered Anon to himself, looking at the stage. The human's smile was contagious, as everyone was sharing in the human's happiness. Before the song ended Anon and Trish exchanged brief glances and both smiled at each other with an intensity almost as strong as that concert. When Fang's guitar solo ended, the three musicians played the last chords of that song before finally finishing their set, visibly shaken and sweaty but still with their adrenaline pumping. The three musicians looked at the audience now and all three were greeted with applause and shouts of approval for that show, totally different from their first experience. -Thank you all very much! We are VVRUM DRAMA and SEE YOU NEXT TIME!- as Fang finished saying this she took off her guitar and took a towel that was near Reed's drums and dried her wet beak. As for Trish she stepped up to the microphone to add a few words. -Don't forget to stop by our merchandising stand!- said the Triceratop girl cheerfully, wiping her bass and pointing to the small stand next to the bar which was manned by none other than Reed, who had slipped away from his drummer position unnoticed in order to man the stand. Trish and Fang looked genuinely happy and after sharing a few laughs they gave each other a quick hug and together they walked off the makeshift stage, still with the roar of the crowd echoing throughout the place. After that show people started to disperse, some had left after the show and others decided to stay a little longer to have a drink at the bar or something to eat. Some people passed by the modest merchandising stand and took several t-shirts, stickers and pins with the band's logo, even Moe bought a kitchen apron with the band's logo printed on it. Among the people still in the facility was a human who was now inside the facility's warehouse. The human was now finishing disconnecting the wiring from the sound console and was placing it inside a black plastic bag. As he was finishing the mess the bald human had a wide smile on his face and was humming the last song the band had done, a song he knew quite well because his bass player had passed it on to him so he could hear it before anyone else. -Anon!- the voice of a woman calling him from the doorway alerted the human, who had left the bag full of cables on the floor. -Trish...- said Anon smiling awkwardly as he looked at the triceratop girl standing a few meters away. The girl was smiling from ear to ear and her eyes were glistening from the layer of tears that were peeking out. The triceratop girl without saying a word ran out against the human and in one jump wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. While the trigga girl laughed in her place Anon also hugged the trigga girl tightly and lifted her a few centimeters in the air. Both friends laughed, complicit in the embrace as the warmth grew and they both felt dizzy with affection. That hug felt like the hug they had given each other on the porch of Trish's house the first time but multiplied by a thousand. -Anon... we did it! They loved us! - she cried against the human's chest making the scream muffled but Anon could feel the vibration against her chest anyway. -I told you they were going to be great, Trish. Both friends were now holding each other tight and not needing to communicate any other words, because right now all they needed was just each other's touch. Anon lifted the grip of his left hand and placed his palm on the back of Trish's neck and caressed her head and as for the girl, she held on to his grip and with her small hands she ran her hands up and down the human's back. The only witnesses to that display of affection were the products and canned goods from Moe's cellar. That embrace felt identical to the hug they gave each other on the porch of Trish's house but somehow renewed, perhaps because of the new developments and the couple's renewed feelings. They both wanted that embrace to go on forever but unfortunately it didn't last long as Trish was pushed away from Anon, leaving both confused and the human with his arms outstretched. Quickly the human realized what had happened: Fang happened. The non-binary ptero had pulled Trish out of Anon's grip by grabbing her by the hood of her hoodie. Anon would have been annoyed with her except that the only feeling he felt now was blind embarrassment at being found out. Trish didn't look much different from the human as her expression went from confused to embarrassed almost instantly. Fang just adopted her usual upright position with one hand on her waist. -Ejem! - Anon coughed a little to try to break the awkward situation. -The show turned out great... don't you think so?- Anon said in a general way but it was meant for Fang. -Maybe... not bad for our first official concert.- Fang said dryly, averting his gaze from the human. That was the closest thing to a compliment the ptero had ever given the human. -But Fang! People loved our show.- said Trish, regaining her happiness. -Yes... but it was a small audience. -But... but it was full, wasn't it?- replied Trish, now a little confused. -Yes... but it's a small place! We can't always depend on these small venues... We have to think big.- replied Fang, raising her voice but keeping her serene tone. -Why bigger...?- Anon commented back, making Fang grimace in disgust but she didn't answer back. -Because we still have merch!- shouted Reed entering the storage room with Moe behind him, answering Anon's question. -We sold pretty well guys...! -Oohhh you're telling me! You guys! Look what your pink friend here gave me...! - Moe said cheerfully pointing with his little hands to his new apron. -I just needed a new one.- replied the big dinosaur jovially. -And so you say, Don...! The show was excellent... A thousand thanks for the opportunity.- said the raptor Reed looking at the owner of the establishment. -Ooohhh anything for my little Fang and my amethyst Trish!- at this Moe approached both friends and wrapped them both in a tight hug against his chest. Reed and Anon laughed as the middle-aged man lifted both girls into a tight hug as if they were little girls. Both friends screamed in protest at Moe's big hug. After a few seconds Moe left both girls alone who now had a disheveled and embarrassed look on their faces. -All right kids! Show's over...I guess you're going to help old Moe clean up now, right?- Moe gave the group of teenagers a wide, sharp-toothed smile as he opened one of his little eyes. Anon sensed there was an aura of menace in those words and after looking behind Moe he noticed the huge mess the central area of the restaurant was made of, littered with empty cans and plastic cups. -Fuck...- thought Anon looking at that panorama. -Of course it is, Uncle Moe," Fang replied to the man in front of him, with perhaps the first genuine smile Anon had ever seen her give to anyone. -Excellent.- Moe said, raising his little arms in the air. -Everyone grab a mop and a broom... We're working overtime today! It had been a good 2 hours since the concert had ended but the mess left behind was still present. Practically cleaning up after a concert required the same or more time than the concert itself and they still had to put the tables back in place, although maybe tidying up after the free concert would be a good "payoff" for Moe. Anon and Reed were mopping the floor after Trish and Fang finished sweeping first. The human felt a discomfort in the palm of his hand and it turns out he had gotten a blister on his hand after more than an hour of non-stop mopping. -Ha... fuck... At least this time it's for working and not for jerk off- the human while mumbling this last thing left the mop leaning against one of the tables while stretching his numb muscles. -And there... that's it! The last part.- Reed casually commented, leaving his mop in the same place as Anon. The pink raptor didn't look tired at all compared to Anon. -It's about time.- said Anon, crossing his arms. The human turned to Trish's direction and looked at her talking with Moe and his group. Behind the big Italian dinosaur were his three employees: Tony, Paulie and Christopher talking and smoking among themselves. -Hey dude...- said Reed, bringing Anon out of his distraction and back to looking at the pink raptor. -Hey, what do you think of our lyrics? -What did you smoke to come up with that?- said the human with a smile looking at the raptor next to him. -Mmm... I don't remember. I only remember floating in absorbent cotton. -Hey... how long have you been playing?- asked Anon leaning on one of the tables. -Already almost a year and a half... Damm, man. Crazy how time flies.- Reed's voice was laden with nostalgia. -This was your first real concert... wasn't it? -the human was now folding both arms against his chest, looking at his friend Reed. -The first concert where people didn't throw rocks at us...- said Reed with a melancholic smile remembering his first disastrous concert. -Raptor Jesus... you should have seen how things were back then... when we were kids, you know... when Trish had those round glasses and her giant horns... .... Anon raised an eyebrow at the mention of Trish wearing glasses, but Reed continued speaking. -.... Fang wasn't Fang...- Reed stopped in his tracks and although his face didn't reflect it, the pink raptor realized he had spoken too much. -Fang wasn't Fang...?- Anon remarked, looking at Reed. -I'm sorry dude... But it's Fang's thing and it's only Fang's place to comment on it. The human only nodded in corfirmation but in reality he had no interest in the issue of Fang's non-binarism either. -Hey what are you two talking about...?- Both boys turned to look at the purple trigga girl who was now walking towards them. -I was just telling Anon here about the old band days...- Reed looked down to look at his shoes for a second. -Oh really? I hope you didn't tell him anything about me...- Trish altered her gaze on Reed and Anon, in the latter the looks were accompanied by a sly smile. -He didn't tell me seriously... Just something about round glasses and giant horns..." Anon laughed at his own words looking at Trish, who had her eyes wide open now. Trish opened her eyes wide and her face took on a darker purple color from embarrassment. The little trigga clenched her fists and began to shake in place. -REED YOU FUCK! You're an absolute ass.- the triceratop girl gave a sharp shout at her pink friend who averted her gaze a little embarrassed by her slip. -You never told me you were wearing glasses before.- said Anon smiling looking at Trish. -And you don't need to know that, Skinnie.- Trish crossed her arms and avoided looking in the human's direction, still with embarrassment in her voice and a little teary-eyed. -You've finished your part... ?- Now it was Fang's turn to make her presence known with a question. Fang was smoking a cigarette and taking deep puffs. Now the group was complete and united in an improvised round of four people. All four looked visibly tired but perhaps that was more due to the concert. -We're just finishing... We just have to return the stuff to Moe.- commented the human without looking at the newcomer. -Hey dude, since we're here... why don't you show us what's going on with you, now? Since you are now part of the group. - Reed said with a relaxed smile. -What? -Here? I don't think Moe would like to see me naked," Anon spread his hands at his silly joke. Reed laughed at Anon's comment while Trish looked away in embarrassment and Fang just grimaced and rolled her eyes. -Well... I guess I could tell you a little about myself... You know I don't like to talk much about what I did before in Rock Bottom," the human settled a little better against the table where he was leaning. -Mmm... You never told us before that you came from Rock Bottom...- said Fang with a tone that Anon couldn't decipher. The human could notice how Fang made a slight smirk but quickly returned to her indifferent expression. -And what is this place like? -Ahhh... yes... it's more of a mountainous place, a small town. Almost only humans but it wasn't uncommon to see Dinos.- Anon commented, dodging Fang's gaze. The human felt uncomfortable talking about his life in his hometown. -Hey, you never told me any of that.- Trish protested, still with a blush on her cheeks. -There wasn't much to do anyway there. .... You know, I tried dabbling in music for a while. -You? Playing music?- said Fang sarcastically. -Yeah... No offense Anon, but you're a caveman playing.- Trish laughed at her own comment. -I never said I was any good, you know... I was just pushing buttons and watching what was going on. Plot Twist: just annoying noise. -Ahhh don't be like that Skinnie, you can still do better.- said Trish stepping up beside the human and taking his arm in hers. Trish gave the human a warm smile, making him blush. -And any friends maybe? Groups?- said Reed in his "cool carefree" tone. -Naaa... I don't really care about anyone in that place enough to get attached....- Anon felt Trish's grip against his left arm and was tempted to add: "until now" -But, I used to ride my bike around the area... buying cheap soda and selling it to the stupid kids at school for a little extra cash. -Ooohhh my man.- Reed said gravely, pumping his fists with Anon. -Sounds like you had it all cool, broh. -Yeah, sounds like you were too well off there to come here... But why?.- Fang was commenting on what Reed said. The ptero girl now stood with her arms crossed looking at the human with a straight face. The human stood frozen in place, not knowing how to respond to his new group of friends. The human only wanted to go unnoticed during his last year of school but life now gave him a chance to find happiness not only through friends... but also with someone else, but he didn't want to reveal his dark secret. Anon felt a cold sweat run down the back of his neck and his arm began to tremble still under Trish's grip. -Ahh.... Well... ehh...- Anon started to stutter, looking for his answers to the questions of his friends who just wanted to know a little more about him. Trish could notice the human's discomfort, so she decided to break the awkward silence. -You don't have to tell us Anon... it sounds like something very personal. -Totally Broh. You're with us now, that's what's important," Reed answered back to Anon's comfort. Fang didn't say anything and just looked away. Anon chuckled and felt embarrassed for feeling nervous and for the first time since he had arrived and met this group he could afford to let his guard down and relax. Trish's grip on Anon's arm somehow helped him calm down faster. -"So... this is what it feels like to have friends...? This is nice"- Anon thought as he smiled. Anon looked up to see the big dinosaur Moe approaching the group of teenagers. -My kids, great job today! If you're done... I'll have to ask you to leave. -Don't you want us to help you close up, Uncle Moe.- Fang's tone was unusually calm and gentle. Anon guessed it was because she was talking to Moe. -No, my girl .... For now we're going to have to close ourselves because we're going to have to stay late... We have an order to... "dispatch" with Christopher and Furio here....-despite Moe's smile, something in his words sounded out of place. Behind Moe stood a person who was so quiet in his entrance that no one could hear him coming. -Boss... Tony and Chris are here...- -that low and ominous tone made the three teenagers jump from the sudden surprise. The new arrival was a mustard-colored raptor dinosaur, considerably muscular and robust. He had reddish hair and all his clothes were completely black. His gaze was cold and hard, which made the teenagers uncomfortable. -Ahh speak of the devil. Great Furio... Wait until we close to enter our order to dispatch...- this last Moe said it with a discreet whisper to Furio's ear. That dino just nodded his head and after giving a last deadly look to the children, he left the way he came. -Ahh... everything is fine, uncle Moe?- said Trish with nervousness in her voice, clinging tighter to Anon's arm, who looked just as uncomfortable as she did. -Not at all kids! Just a little issue with some merchandise my sister decided to put on me without warning. - This Moe said with a certain annoyance and his look became grim for a second before returning to his usual jovial expression. -Now go my children! And don't forget to come visit old Moe more often! The big Italo-American dino raised his little arms in the air to emphasize the last point and quickly escorted the four teenagers to the exit, who looked confused, uncomfortable and a little scared. None of them said anything regarding Moe's suspicious attitude or the fact that his employees looked like thugs or in Furio's case, serial killers and as everything turned out well in the end. The teenagers were now saying goodbye to Dino Moes in Reed's van and with all their equipment and instruments in the trunk, speeding away from Moe's establishment but with the satisfaction of giving a good concert for the first time. [POST-NOTES] I hope you enjoyed the reading. Do you know which episode of The Sopranos was referenced? If you can recognize it, please tell us in the chapter reviews! Without anything else to say, see you in the next chapter.