The New Barkeeper in Town

Nicholas walked through the ever shifting door of the Barrel, an old heavy metal security door like one you'd find in the nightclubs of some drug ridden hovel. "A nice few dozen shots of Mezcal sound nice." Muttering to himself as the door swung open, dropping the shotgun slung across his back into the umbrella holder next to the door. Sharp edge putting a scratch into already scuffed up metal, the candy cane pattern burned bloodstained and rusted these days. The sound of Sol bitching got his attention, Nicholas wasn't expecting anyone to be in here tonight. The Nexus having undergone a makeover for the sake of continuity, he figured it would be keeping those two bat shit psycho Keepers busy for a while. Turning a corner, he spotted one of them with an odd look on its face. That goblin thing slowly shifted from Goblin to something with wings like a Fairy, into a human. He felt like the look on its face was familiar, what was its name again? "What's with the look Reason?"   "I believe you not-human would call this a 'shit-eating grin', go on, have a look inside." Reason laughed, mimicking Nichola's voice.   He side-eyed the little monster as it shifted back into its Goblin form again, starry night sky skin and all, a bottle of the expensive booze having appeared in its hands. Pouring a six-finger pour like it owned the place. Well, Nicholas supposed it did in a way, still, it didn't need to drink the good stuff like it was cheap vodka.   "I don't give a damn who pulled me in here, why the hell are you wearing that you look like a servant." Sol slurred, half sitting on the barstool, an empty bottle sitting at his side, new empty glasses with the cherries still in them, ice melting. "I don't even know why I am here."   Kranjax was badly cleaning the few glasses Sol had made for him. Nicholas laughed, deep from his belly. "Shut up, Santa." Kranjax said with an amused lilt to his tone.   "What in the fuck is that?" Nicholas managed to get out after catching his breath.   "Oh, Reason thought it would be funny to get me this get-up. Tail coat and all." He said, pulling the empty bottle out of Sol's hands as he tried to drink from it, turning it upside down to look into it, only for the last drop to land in his eye.   Kranjax, the Mighty Keeper of the Nexus, was behind the bar in what could only be described as a butler's outfit. Tailcoat stark black, starched and proper. A brilliantly white dress shirt beneath, a blood red tie twisted into an elegant knot held to his belt with a gold clip. The longer Nicholas looked at this strange sight, he noticed the pinstriping along his cuffs and the ruby cufflinks on each wrist. Not a cheap get up, a damn good attempt to make the grey breaded Keeper look like he was attending a Royal function.   "So that little thing is laughing at me? That thing can dictate my fate as much as you? Asshole." Sol belted out with a burp.   "Yeah, pretty much. Reason is a Keeper too." Kranjax responded without inflection.   "So why the get up? Do you know how to make an Old Fashioned?" Nicholas said, sitting down in front of the Bar for a change. "Make it a lambda edition."   Kranjax poured a shot of simple syrup and dropped a cherry and dried orange slice into the glass, not even bothering with the ice. A heavy dash of Bitters later, Kranjax handed Nicholas the glass and an entire bottle of Whiskey. "Reason gave me a nickname, I thought it was funny."   "Why'd he do that?" Sol asked.   "One too many pictures of booze, my Friend." Was all he answered with a chuckle.