Marty says, '♪ Run run run (2x) A better run run run ♪'

Claudine and I took a bus downtown. She made me pay for my ticket. In her words, "You just exploited me of my savings. Use it!" I spent the ride mostly ignored, but as the bus came to a brake at our designated stop, I tried to make conversation.

    "Since we're going to be working together, I think we should get to know each other." I said, scrambling off the vehicle, closely behind Claudine.

    "We're not working together. And I already know everything I want to know about you." She picked up her pace once we hit the pavement.

I half ran to keep up with her. "Tell me about yourself, then. I'm sure we have a lot in common."

With an exaggerated halt and swerve, Claudine faced me, standing akimbo. Gulping, I observed the menacing countenance she seemed to permanently possess darken.

    "If you think we're age mates, we're not. I'm a year older than you and a class higher. If you think I go to your school, I don't. Thank God! If you think I'm a busybody who has nothing to do but follow people around, I'm not!" She declared, the venom in her voice enough to poison a grown elephant.

    "We're both skipping school." I timidly pointed out. It was a similarity, after all.

    "I'm on a mission, you're playing hookey. Big difference."

Taking the hint, I kept my mouth shut, silently following at Claudine's back, while she used her phone to find this "Beer Groove". Soon, we stood in front of a run-down two-story building. Inside wasn't in a much better state. The dusty paint peeled off the dirty walls, the furniture looked like it had seen better days, and the floor appeared to need a good scrub. In the past, the place might have been a high-end establishment. But now, it was nothing more than a grubby bar with only a handful of customers.

The woman behind the counter, a rough-looking lady wearing a messy bob haircut, filed her nails. As we approached her, she looked up, immediately forming a glare.

    "I don't serve minors." She sneered.

Claudine didn't have her guardian badge on, I noticed. Perhaps, it was because she felt it unwise to let anyone know she was GC. She took up the dialogue with the bartender. "I'm not here for a drink." She said.

    "And the other kid?" The woman nodded in my direction.

    "She's my little sister." Claudine answered, catching me off guard. Like a fool, I wore my surprise on my sleeves. "We're looking for our father's wallet. He drank here last night." She concluded.

The bartender leaned forward, narrowing her eyes. She looked highly unconvinced. "Oh yah? And what does your daddy look like?"

   "Black. Six foot. Broad shoulder." My “big sister” provided, unhesitant.

     "Listen, Kid. There ain't no six-foot black man here last night. And there certainly ain't no wallet. Now get you're little behind out of my bar!"

Negotiation was going very badly. Both Claudine and the woman were losing their patience. They exchanged vicious stares, readying for the other to strike. A fight would have actually broken out, if I hadn't stepped in quickly.

Armed with a sobby expression, I briefly and politely explained that our father was a bit of a drunk, and would often lose things whenever he was under the influence of alcohol. He would then blame it on us, his children, the moment he became sober. This time, he was really mad about his missing wallet, enough to withhold our allowance. We bought lunch from our school's cafeteria with it, so no money meant starvation. Drawing out all the misery I could feign from deep within me, I wrapped my arms around my lanky body. I pleaded that I was already malnourished. Any more would result in death.

Despite my elaborate sob tale, the woman remained unphased. Her suspicious scowl didn't disappear or soften.

    "C'mon Trudy! Let them poor kids get them daddy's wallet." I was saved by a customer slurring.

Reluctantly, the barkeeper —Trudy— gave in. "Five minutes. Any more and I'll kick you out myself."

We began inspecting the main bar, but Claudine kept glancing back at the counter. Her behavior made me assume she was putting together a plan. I was right. The instant Trudy left to deliver glasses to tables, she sneaked passed the door tagged "Staff Only". I hurried after her, not wanting to be left behind.

    "What are you doing here!?" She questioned harshly once I joined her. We were in a cellar, with its dusty and half-empty shelves.

    "I wasn't supposed to come?" My eyebrows shot up.

I wasn't given a reply. Rather, Claudine rolled her eyes, probably deciding the gesture was enough response. She turned away from me, focusing her attention on combing through the racks. She worked swiftly, but thoroughly.

After a short while, I heard her mutter, "That story you cooked up, it was good."

A satisfied smile graced my face, for it felt good to be complimented. "What exactly are we looking for?" I took the opportunity to ask the obvious question.

Claudine let out an exasperated sigh, as though to say my question wasn't necessary. "What do you think!? Clues? A secret passageway? Something that can link this place with the Vrhanian Coven."

Her scanty description did nothing to narrow the task down. The “clues” could have been literally anything, and that wasn't much to go on. From the spot where I stood (the center of the cellar), I had a good view of the room. However, all I could make out were bottles and more bottles. Grimacing, I accepted I wasn't going to be much help.

As I hopelessly scanned the room, my gaze traveled downwards, spotting what appeared to be the handle of a hatch. Without further thought, I pulled it open and peeked in, only to discover something unexpected.

    "Uh... Claudine? Is this what you were talking about?"

Claudine got down on all fours beside me. Her lips then parted to form a grin. "Bingo!"

She climbed down the ladder first, and I followed. Even then, I still wasn't certain of what I was seeing. We were currently standing in an iron tunnel, consisting of railroad tracks and a few shaky light bulbs. Not far away, a railway wagon carried an assortment of trinkets. Claudine picked up a broken hand mirror and examined it.

    "These are magical artifacts!" She exclaimed. "It looks like they're being transported, but where? And this subway," She moved deeper into the tunnel and so did I. "I bet it hasn't been used in years."

Still, I couldn't comprehend what was happening. Why was there a tunnel under a bar? What were magical artifacts doing in a subway? And most importantly, what did all this have to do with the Vrhanian Coven?

    "I knew you kids ain't looking for no wallet."

Startled, I turned back to the entrance, taking in quite a sight. Directly below the hatch stood some sort of humanoid animal. It had the body of a woman, but was completely covered in fur I could identify as a jaguar's, thanks to the hours spent watching National Geographic with my Dad. Its face resembled that of a wild cat, but due to the fact it was wearing the same cloths as Trudy from earlier, I figured they must be the same person. Trudy was a supernatural!

That said, the creature beside her was the main reason my bones were rattling. It appeared to be a troll, like those from the movies, and it was humongous. With a height that had to be nothing less than 9 feet, and a body as wide as a train, he nearly filled the tunnel. As if his size wasn't frightening enough, two absurdly long and thick fangs stuck out his bottom lip.

    "This is my friend, Skank." Trudy introduced the troll, smirking. "He hates—" She sneezed, then sniffed. "—trespassing. Do you know what we do to trespassers?"

Watching the pair, I decided I preferred scowling Trudy to her smirking variant. There was just something malevolent about her smile. Something that made one cower in fear.

Behind me, I heard Claudine whisper, "Run."

A/N:
Finally! The adventure begins! I'm so sorry I kept you guys waiting this long. I just wanted to make sure you understood the necessary backstories and the world of my story. I love you all. <3

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