READ ALL ABOUT IT — [ After she left her hive, the columnist took a moment to really consider this complicated journey ahead, though remembering just how important that lighter is to her; she settles with it. She takes her scuttlebuggy down to Eridan Week. It was an event hosted by Jane Crocker and Eridan Ampora, trolls who Darlin had no clue the larger importance of. All she knew them as was the alien girl and the whiney highblood. Her hand is pressed to her forehead in disappointment, looking at herself in the rearview mirror. Her mind is occupied. Too occupied. With too many people. She really doesn't know how she's been attracting so many people lately but it's been overwhelming… in a good way. Darlin has arrived at Eridan Week. She exited her buggy, patting the side of her vehicle with a metaphorical "that ain't going nowhere." She's learned a good life in the slums, so she skips past merchants and other trolls. Narrowly squeezing in-between trash bins and walls, crouching through tight spaces and dashing past so many different blood colored trolls that she thinks she's at a painting convention for purplebloods. The moonlight above grants brief respite every time she sees it, as if it's guiding her along the path to getting her lighter back. Okay, well that's putting it nicely, it's more so illuminating the path that she's taking. In the meanwhile, her mind continues to flood itself with so many thoughts that she really hasn't stopped to think of what she'll do after she gets her lighter back. Pushing forward with only one goal in mind, she supposed. As she comes up to the bar, her bloodpusher tells her she's on the right track. Turning to the left, she notices the entry to the bar. Perfect. Darlin walks on over to the door and nudges it open, making her way inside quietly. What she first notices is how shoddy the bar really is, no offense meant to those who run it. Maybe that's the aesthetic? With tables strewn across the place and a pool table in the far back room -- a dangling lamp highlighting the fact that the pool balls haven't been rearranged for what seems to be a very long time. And somehow, the second thing she noticed is a very loud troll in what seems to be the midst of a fight. None of the other patrons seem to pay him mind, probably an influencer purpleblood? Kicking around lowerbloods with a large grin in his face, he speaks a coded language before headbutting someone. By him is an indigoblood shilling some sorta crypto-currency, using the fight as free advertising. Darlin walked past, over to the real bar where there are a few recognizable faces. Spades Slick, a couple of Eridan's (who are arguing about something, she's not really sure…) and Muckrake. She took a seat by Muckrake, a hand raised to signal a drink from the bartender who politely gets to it.The oliveblood wore a green coat and a flatcap, not disimilar to Darlin's own flatcap she used to wear all the time. Darlin didn't exactly hate Muckrake, but hated what she represented… "Nice 't see you, droogie." She whispered. "Nice to see you too Darlin!" Muckrake spoke. Darlin catched the bottle slid her way. "…I eh— I wanted to ask.""Yes?" The oliveblood perked up. A head tilt much like a felines. Darlin took a sip of her beer. "Do you know where Rankmaid is?" Muckrake thinks, leaning back with a finger on her chin. "I think she walked by earlier! She was here to catch something involving human boys, you know how she is." She rose her arms, her wrist limp like paws. She spoke with such fervor and immaturity. "And why do you want to know… :33" Her face forms a classic :3. A bit smug. "Just trying to find something, 's all." Darlin looked off to the side, trying to find something she could she was staring at instead of avoiding eye contact… but there's nothing, really. "Nothing?" She purred. "Nothin' at all? Come on, there's gotta be something!" "It's nothing really." Darlin huffed. "Is it rrrrreally?" She rolled her r's, fangs peek from her lips. "Rrrrrrumor is, you're starstruck!" "Just rumors—-" She's cut off. "I don't blame you, you know?" Muckrake continues. "She's.. grrreat. In so many differrrent ways! I'd say I'm in the same boat as you, you know?" Darlin groaned. It was no offense meant to Muckrake. She just didn't… try to think about it. "Look. Do you know what direction she went in or not?" She sat up. "Buzzkill!" Muckrake purred. "Fine, she went that way." She pointed off North. Darlin leaves a couple of caegars behind for the bartender and headed off. "Good luck!" Muckrake calls, her voice further and further way as Darlin walked into the distance. #substance #bar #part2 #eridanweek #leijonwriting #cameos #muckrake #f/f ]