The Hangover (P, NK)

Haru sighed as he walked out of the park they had been training in. He was honestly really tired of training all the time. He needed a break. And he’d never really done anything with Altar besides train.
”Hey, ki-Altar.” He said, catching himself halfway through. ”Since I can’t call you “Kid” anymore, how about we go get a drink or two to celebrate? I’m buying.” He offered, pointing to a nearby bar. ”Come on, let’s go.” He would say, pulling Altar along, regardless of whether he consented to going or not.
 
He would push open the door to the bar, shoving Altar in playfully, and following after him. He would take a seat at the barstool, patting the bench next to him.

”Come on, let’s have a couple shots. Start a tab.” He would say, rapping on the table. The bartender would slide two glasses towards the two of them, writing down on the tab as he did so. Haru would raise his glass towards Altar, indicating for the boy to hold his own up. ”To the annoying little kid who stabbed me in the heart the first time we met. May his career be long and prosperous!” He would say, clinking his glass against Altar’s, and quickly downing the shot, indicating for the bartender to refill them. Things were only just getting started.

Altar would walk out of the park that Haru had dragged him into earlier for training. He was tired as all hell, and more importantly, thirsty as all hell. He was about to say his goodbyes to Haru, when he suggested going for a drink. Altar was aiming to willingly oblige, when Haru dragged him off without waiting for consent. Well, he was certainly eager. Altar was about to ask where they were going, when their little trip ended and he found out where. A bar. So that's where he was pointing to, huh... Altar had never drank before, but he wasn't exactly against it. His father had been a damned alcoholic, but he was a better man than his father ever had been. He'd be able to control himself.

Altar was more or less shoved through the door, and willingly took a seat next to Haru when offered. Before he knew it, a tab was open in Haru's name and a glass was in his hand. So, this was the excitement of drinking? Pretty lackluster so far, but who knew, maybe the booze helped. And so, when Haru raised his glass, Altar would do the same, laughing at the roasting toast the man made at him, and downing the glass when Haru was finished. As Haru motioned for the glasses to be refilled, Altar was trying to decide whether or not he liked the taste of alcohol.

"Jesus, Haru, I thought you had forgotten about that. God knows I had... and...wait...annoying little kid? Well, can't really argue. At least i've grown since then, huh? By the way, what are we drinking? I like it" Altar would say, giving a little laugh. He felt that the night was going to be a long one.

Haru laughed out loud when Altar recalled their first meeting. It had been, well, an unusual way to meet someone, especially as close as they were now. Haru nodded assent when the boy mentioned that he had grown since then… Aye, that he had. A lot had happened in not a lot of time.

Altar inquired about what they were drinking, and Haru gave a sly smile, tipping back in his chair slightly.
”I haven’t the slightest idea. I assume whatever he can charge me the most for.” He said, shrugging as he tipped back another glass, finishing off another shot. ”Hey, get me a couple more!” He shouted to the bartender, holding up the empty glass and shaking it.
 
The bartender would comply, sliding a few more glasses at Haru. Haru would continue drinking and ordering shots, telling stories and laughing loudly for the next hour or so, assuming Altar stayed that long.
 
After awhile, the alcohol was starting to get to Haru. A pile of empty shot glasses were stacked neatly before him in a neat pyramid formation, with the higher levels getting more and more precarious. Haru was becoming louder and louder with every drink, and two strangers across the bar had taken notice. Two men with foreign accents, who had been there since the pair arrived.
 
”Evening, gents.” Said one.
”Yes, Evening.” Said the other.
”Is it already evening?” Wondered Haru aloud. ”Well, good evening to ya, fellows.” He answered, mimicking their accents without thinking about it.
”Fancy a smoke?” Asked the first, holding a rolled up piece of paper in Haru’s face.
”It’s a special blend.” Explained the second, like a true salesman.
”Homemade, perfectly legal of course.” Explained the man.
”What’s the catch?” Asked Haru skeptically. The men looked to each other with grins on their faces.
”No catch, sir, we only wish to test the market.” Said the one, before the first stepped in front of him hastily.
”He means that we need to see if people like the blend. It’s perfectly safe.” He explained quickly. Haru stared at the smoke for a few moments.
”Well, you only live once.” He said, shrugging. He took the smoke and held it out for a light. One of them lit it, and Haru took a drag.
 

”One for you, sir?” One of the men asked Altar, holding out another.

Altar would laugh when Haru told him he had no clue what they were drinking. In all honesty, he should've been concerned, but he really wasn't. This was a time to enjoy himself and have fun, let loose from all the training and fighting he had been doing lately. Downing the second shot Altar had been passed, he decided he liked it and that was what mattered. It tasted good, he was having fun, and Haru was being remarkably light about things.

And so passed the hour, Haru and Altar drinking, exchanging stories, and the like. Throughout, Altar noticed that Haru was a much faster drinker than he was, and settled for the explanation that he enjoyed the taste more than the effects, wereas Haru seemed to be the other way around, as by the end of said hour, Haru was quite noticeably wasted. A very shaky pyramid of shot glasses stood before Haru, and he was beggining to get pretty loud. Altar was about to suggest cutting him off, when two strange looking men came up to them, and greeted them. Altar let Haru talk, half trusting the man, and half wanting to see just what he would be like when he was smashed. Strangely, Altar wasn't feeling particularly loopy, even though he had had his fair share of the drinks for his first time drinking. Sure, a little blurry vision, and he didn't feel quite right, but other than that he seemed fine.

The men bore strange accents, which Haru immediately picked up on and immitated, something Altar wasn't sure was a good idea. But hey, alcohol made you do things you didn't notice you were even doing. Then came the men's offer, in the form of a small piece if rolled something, that looked much akin to a blunt. The men pitched it, saying there was no catch, no ill effects, it was perfectly legal. Haru, as drunk as he was, took the offer. When the man on the left offered one to Altar, he would hold up his hand, and shake his head.

"Sorry, don't smoke. Never much been one for the taste." Altar would say, hoping it would be enough to decline the men. It had been as polite as he could've made it towards two strange men offering him a strange smoke. When Haru was done with his drag, Altar would look to him, hoping he wouldn't die from an ill effect or anything.

"Hey, it's been an hour and you seem pretty wasted, should we, uh, get you home?" Altar would ask, hoping Haru would oblige.

Haru’s facial expression was strange, as if he were confused by what he had just smoked. His eyes slid out of focus as he looked over Haru in a dreamy state.
”Huh… What?” He muttered, holding his hand before his face.
 
”Well, the boy won’t take the carrot.” Said one of the men.
”Guess it’s time for the stick.” Said the other. The two nodded in agreement, before springing into action. The first would hold Altar in place, while the other shoved a needle into his arm, injecting a clear substance into him.
 
”Altar… Shit…” Muttered Haru, who was slowly losing control of his body. Shortly after Altar was injected, Haru would fall back, being caught by one of the men. Altar would experience the same effect shortly after, being caught by the other if he fell from his chair.
 
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Haru’s eyes would flicker open, his hand going immediately to his head. His head was throbbing, and the mustiness of the room they were in was not helping. He sat up slowly, his head met by something soft. He pushed it away, just able to make out what looked like a fur coat in the darkness. He then began to hear the soft breath of another person… His chakra senses were incredibly blurry, and his byakugan would not activate, so he had to clear some of the coats around him to get a good view. There was Altar, a little ways away from him.
”Ugh… Where are we?” He would ask, not sure if Altar was awake or not. Cracking his neck, Haru would stand up slowly, pushing coats out of the way. ”Come on, stay close.” He would say, pushing aside fur coats, suits, scarves, and dresses. At first, he met a wall, so he turned left, keeping his hand on the wall for guidance. Hopefully, Altar could keep up.
 
After what felt like an eternity of navigating, Haru found another wall. Sliding his hand across it, he managed to find a handle. Twisting it, he opened the door, which, at first, had to be pried open. A layer of ice held the door shut. Breaking the ice with minimal effort, Haru held open the door, stepping aside for Altar to get a look. Immediately, the chilling air made Haru reach for one of the cloaks, pulling it over himself.

”What the hell…?” He muttered. It appeared that they were in the middle of a forest, with no significant signs of humans, save for a single lamp post, which seemed to just be in the middle of nowhere for no real reason. ”Where are we?” He wondered aloud, stepping into the snow. Turning back, he saw that they had been inside some sort of wardrobe, although it looked much smaller out here then it actually was inside. This was incredibly strange…

Altar didn't hear any of what the two men said, as he was more concerned with Haru, who seemed to be suffering from some unfortunate side effects of the smoke he had taken. Well, that wasn't a good sign. Probably good that he hadn't taken a drag from one, then. Turning to the men, he was going to ask what the blunt had been, when he was jumped. Before he could really react, there was a needle in his skin, and he was suffering effects. His vision blurred, he felt light headed and dizzy, his mind hazed over, and soon everything simply faded to black.

When Altar awoke, it was to the sound of Haru's voice. He would let out a groan and hold a hand to his head. His vision was still slightly blurred over, and it was so damn dark and musty that he couldn't see. That, combined with the headache, made him pretty irritable. His vision clearing, Altar would try to stand, and he would impact with something... soft? Feeling around, Altar discovered it was a fur coat of some sort. Then he saw that Haru was moving. Moving to keep up with him, Altar would keep one hand on the wall to ensure he didn't lose himself in the... wherever they were. There were coats and dresses everywhere, so it seemed to be a closet, or wardrobe of some sort. But, then...there were halls! This was one huge closet.

Following Haru had it's success, as soon enough there was a bright light, as a door of some sort opened, and Haru stepped aside. Altar would walk up next to him, and let out a gasp.

The first thing he felt was the incredible chill. Okay, fuck that noise. Altar decided to reach back and grab hold of the nearest coat that felt like it was made for men, and he threw it on. The next thing he noticed was the snow. Everywhere. On his journey to Tenga when he was a child, he had traveled through every land, including that of snow. He didn't enjoy the journey, at all. Trekking through knee deep snow to avoid watch of the guards, and to avoid being killed, had not been fun. The last thing he noticed was a singular lamp post, standing lone amongst the trees and snow. So...a forest? What the fuck was going on?!?

Stepping out into the snow after Haru, Altar would look around at his surroundings, then back to Haru.

"So...do you have any remote fuckin' clue what's going on or where we are, or are we both lost in unison, here?" Altar would ask, hoping Haru had an answer. He didn't want to be lost in...wherever the hell this was.

Haru held his hands up, his expression blank.
”No idea. You think those guys dragged us to Yukigakure?” He asked, looking around. ”Or maybe The Land of Iron.” He added, shaking his head. His byakugan still would not activate. ”God damnit, my eyes won’t work. I can’t get a view of where we are!” He shouted in frustration, slumping down in the snow. ”When we get home, I promise you I’ll swear off drinking for the rest of my life. This is some kind of cruel joke.” He said, pulling himself slowly back to his feet, and walking towards the lamp post. ”Come on. There’s some footprints… Er…. Deer tracks?” He said, looking down at a beaten path in the snow, with several hoof prints. He would follow the path, gesturing for Altar to follow.
 
After awhile, they would arrive at a small house, seemingly empty. There was no smoke coming from the chimney. Haru walked to the door, about to knock, when he saw a note pinned to the door.
 
"The former occupant of these premises, the Faun Tumnus, is under arrest and awaiting his trial on a charge of High Treason against her Imperial Majesty Jadis, Queen of Narnia, Chatelaine of Cair Paravel, Empress of the Lone Islands, etc., also of comforting her said Majesty's enemies, harboring spies and fraternizing with humans.'
 
”Mother fucker.” Haru muttered under his breath. ”Altar, have you ever heard of a place called ‘Narnia, Cair Paravel, or the Lone Islands?” He asked the boy, trying to make sense of the note. Sighing, he stepped aside so Altar could read the note, trying to make sense of where they were.
 
”Hey, you! Pssst!” Came a voice. Haru jolted slightly, spinning on his heels to face the person who spoke. Only, nobody was there. All that was there was… A beaver?
”Erm… Hello?” He said awkwardly.
”Shhh! You two, follow me!” Said the beaver, who was standing up on two feet, waving at them to follow. Haru would stand there for a moment, looking over at Altar hesitantly. After a few moments, he shrugged, following after the creature.
 
The beaver would lead them to a small dam in the middle of a river. He would dive into the water without a second thought, leaving Haru standing there, confused. After a minute, the beaver would come back up, shaking his head.
”Well, come on! Down here! Quickly, before they see you!” He said, diving back down.
”What the hell have we gotten ourselves into…?” Haru muttered, shaking his head. He would dive into the water, following after the beaver, coming up for air under the dam.
”Good, come on!” The Beaver would say, offering help to Haru. Haru shook his head, pulling himself up.
”Now hang on, where the hell are we? What’s going on?” He would ask, looking around the room. The room was… surprisingly homey. Not like a beaver dam at all, really. It looked, well… Like a real house. With a fireplace and everything.
”Oh, right, where are my manners? I’m Mr. Beaver, this is Mrs. Beaver.” He said, gesturing to another creature across the room, doing what Haru could only assume was knitting.
”Charmed.” Said Mrs. Beaver, looking up from her knitting and waving.
”That’s lovely, now what exactl-“ Began Haru.
”Honey, I have to take them to see Aslan.” Said the male, walking over to his wife, ignoring Haru.
”To see Aslan? Are you mad?” Said the woman, looking shocked. ”You know that they’ll-“
”Yes, but you know the prophecy! This could be our chance!” Said the male, looking over at them hopefully.
   
”What in the hell are you two going on about?!” Shouted Haru, getting a little irritated.

Shaking his head to Haru, Altar would give a small sigh to Haru. "I have no idea where they dragged us or why, all I know is that we're here and we need a way out of here." he would say, following along with Haru. On Haru's exclamation that his eyes wouldn't work, Altar would try to use his own. Alas, his Byakugan wouldn't work, but his Meigan kicked on just fine. It did give him a throbbing headache, however. He wasn't sure if that was the effect of the needle or the booze, though. De-activating it, Altar would hear out Haru, chuckling softly at his promise to never drink again. That seemed like an impossibility for him. Haru then noticed tracks, and decided to follow them. Altar thought it was the best idea at the moment, so he would follow along.

Coming to a house in the middle of nowhere, Haru went to knock, then leaned over the door. After a few seconds, he muttered something and turned back around, asking Altar if he knew anything about...what?  "I have no clue what any of those things are, but I don't really like the sound of them." Altar would say, before stepping closer to read the note. After doing so, he would swivel around at the sound of a voice. Haru greeted the open air, and there again was the voice, but coming from a...beaver. What in the fuck was going on here?!? Now there was a talking beaver that wanted the duo to follow it...him...whatever. Haru turned to look at Altar for a second, and Altar would shrug. Fuck it, if there was crazy shit going on wherever they were, might as well go along for the ride.

The beaver led them to a dam, which they both climbed in. It was surprisingly roomy, and there was a lady beaver there, as well. They started arguing back and forth. Altar didn't catch most of the argument, but he heard a few key words, those being Aslan, and prophecy. Altar didn't like the sound of either word, so when Haru shouted to get the beaver's attention, Altar would take advantage.

"Listen, please, both of us are confused and a bit on edge. We have no idea how we got here, where we are, or why we're here, but we need information so we can get the hell out of wherever we are and back home. So, if you could please just answer our questions, we'll be on our way."

Suddenly, Haru would snap awake, looking around, dazed and confused. Around his neck was the cloak he had been wearing. He placed his hand on the cloak, feeling the fabric… It was very real. He looked around. Altar was lying across from him, laid up against a dumpster. It seemed they had had been drugged or something… Vaguely, Haru wondered if Altar had been in the same dream. He walked over to the boy, feeling his pulse. Slow, but not dangerously so. Likely still unconscious. He would lightly tap the side of the boy’s face.

”Altar… wake up.” He would say, trying to get him to get up. ”Come on, let’s get you home.” He would say if the boy woke up, helping him to his feet.

(Exit)

TWC: 2011

+2011 words towards Eight Trigrams: Soul Sapping

[Approving these Sons of Adam.]