Tyra felt empty. Empty like her flesh, the floor, the other people's flesh, the robot's steel flesh. All emptiness. Burning motes of light, dancing atoms and particles, separated by darkness as old as the cosmos itself. Eternal shadow twined through her form, through the suddenly still atmosphere of the bar. If only her eyes could see it! Her gaze searched for the yawning abyss she sensed within and around her. She felt herself unmoored, like a flame guttering out in a draft. Incandescent air and dark soot dancing together for a moment, swinging their partners through the void. A cavernous ballroom, astir with hints of shuffling eldritch dread. Her flame flared out, its last gasp sending eddies into the dark. Little sparks, embraced by shadow, partners in a dance of which she saw only half. An Eternal Shadow, a pastor in a black shirt, tie star-silver like the heavens, beckoned her to a dance. A spokesman for a dark god's mirth, the shadow took her hand and swept her across the floor. She felt his faith, the sureness in his steps, the absolutism of shadow, the promise of eternity...
Tyra gasped as a burst of strobing lights assaulted her vision. The flashing instantly nauseated her, and the police captain puked out the inky drink. Barf, as dark and mottled as Ara's calligraphy ink, spattered her dusty boots. She looked up warily and two green eyes stared back at her. Byeju looked down at the police captain. She had blacked out for a hot second after so brazenly downing the shot of Psychic Tyranny. The drink, dark and sparkling, like the promises of a pastor in a black shirt, had earned its place on Bud's special menu. One shot could down a police captain! It'd be a hero to malefactors everywhere. No matter that the draught used a law woman's magic. Bud wouldn't advertise that to Tyra, of course, but she'd see a brave out-of-towner tripping on the hellish cocktail in a year or so.
The robot kept his puke ray armed in case the shadows still lingered in Tyra's system. Remnants of the ink-black liquor trickled down her chin. She wiped it off with a sleeve and grimaced. The shadow retreated from Tyra's eyes, thin tendrils of eternal shadow slinking back into the nooks and crannies of the bar, defeated by the strobing puke ray for the time being. Byeju remained worried, even as the police captain slowly regained composure. She knuckled her eyes,
"Excuse me," the robot said gently, "I have a Controlled Substances Suppression protocol, shall I initiate?"
"A what?" Tyra asked groggily.
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"That was a spell, not a drug, be a sport!" Ara complained to the robot.
"I also have a Forbidden Magic Purgation protocol," the robot eyed the police mage suspiciously. He glanced deferentially at Tyra who was still pale.
Bud was stifling laughter as he sensed Ara's growing unease, but now Basil spoke up, and the apothecary was always wary about talk of persecuting magic. "Shadow magic's legal here," she admonished worriedly.
Byeju looked to Tyra for confirmation. She nodded slightly, color returning to her cheeks. She was enjoying this conversation more and more!
"In that case, I can offer an Extrajudicial Reprisal," the robot suggested. "Just for the inconvenience," he looked pointedly at the puke Bud was edging over to mop up.
Tyra chuckled and signaled to Bud who left his mop and headed back behind the bar where a kettle had started to boil on the stove.
"Y'know, Byeju, I appreciate the sentiment, I really do, but I'm not doling out any punishment for that," she gave the worried robot a reassuring gaze. "The drink was just a tad stronger than I expected." What could the police captain say? She'd seen the catatonic patrons and downed Ara's little concoction anyways.
Ara rubbed her hands together like stoning her boss out of her gourd was an everyday occurrence, "The Elder Gods are pleased." Her eyes twinkled jovially. "Think Cedric'll try it?" she mused hopefully, mentioning the police station's highly eligible secretary.
"He's very much a teetotaler," Bud groused., "Never buys anything."
"My pristine constitution," Basil preened, imitating Cedric.
"My flawless physique," Bud grumbled, haughtily flexing a bicep.
Byeju watched agog until the conversation died back down. The bar had moved on, forgetting the war robot altogether, purgation protocols and all. Tyra leaned over, setting down a cup of fragrant hops tea that Bud had brewed for her. "I appreciate you helping me out with that Psychic Tyranny shit," she chuckled conspiratorially to the robot. "Wish I could've seen you unleash some purgation on Ara, but she's a good officer... most of the time."
"Thank... you," Byeju responded awkwardly, not expecting the compliment.
"And that puke ray sure comes in handy!" Tyra continued, "did they have you working bouncer duty?"
"Never got the chance," Byeju shook his head, "woke up the first time, and something put me right back to sleep."
"Ah," Tyra frowned, before brightening, "well, now's your chance!" She fished through her pockets, and pulled out a little copper badge with a rose engraved on it.
"Mr. Byeju the Robot," she said solemnly, "how'd you feel about being my deputy?"