Tristan gathered three darts, watching as Deanna nervously took a seat off to the side. After decades of practice he was more than able to perfectly land throw after throw with seemingly no effort. By his third turn, the men were getting irritated.

Ben: "Hey! I saw you cheating that time! There's no way you can keep hitting those triples!"
Tristan: "You, my friend, are crap. That doesn't mean that I'm cheating."
Rufus: "Did you just insult Ben?"
Tristan: "The truth hurts, I'm afraid."

Leon: "You keep cheating like you are and I'll show you hurtin'."
Tristan: "I don't cheat."
Deanna: "Tristan, come on. Let's just go. We can wait for James outside."
Tristan: "We're not finished with our game yet."

Rufus: "Hey girlie, I'll take ya outside and show you a better time than this pansy-ass ever could."
Deanna: "That's decidedly the most unpleasant thing I've ever had said to me."

Tristan: "I've just been waiting for you to say something completely stupid like that."
Deanna: "Forget it, Tristan. It's really not worth it."
Rufus: "I have to agree with the lady. You're such a pretty little thing we wouldn't even have to break a sweat to cause you some grievous bodily harm. Now where's the fun in that?"
Ben: "Besides, we wouldn't want you to chip your nail polish or anything."
Tristan: "You have all these words but nothing to show for it. Why don't we take this outside and see if you have anything to go with your boasting."
Leon: "You're joking, right?"

Deanna: "Come on. I think you need a little fresh air to clear your head."
Tristan: "My head is perfectly clear."
Deanna: "Outside. Now."
Leon: "Good night, ladies."

Tristan didn't resist when Deanna took him by the arm and lead him outside into the cool night air away from the riotous laughter of the three large men.

Deanna: "OK, what the hell is going on?"
Tristan: "Nothing. Why?"
Deanna: "You can't possibly tell me that what just happened in there was perfectly normal behavior for you. Trying to pick a bar fight? What were you thinking?"
Tristan: "I don't know. Nothing? Everything? I'm fine! Other than being out twenty dollars of course."

Deanna: "I don't think you're 'fine'. I'm starting to worry about you to be honest."
Tristan: "Deanna, there's nothing to worry about anymore. When James gets here, the three of us can go somewhere else and have some fun. You're the one that told me I should relax and let myself be happy."
Deanna: "I think you may want to recheck the definition of 'happy'."
Tristan: "I've got eternal youth, a beautiful woman at my side on a somewhat cloudy but otherwise perfect night, with my best friend on his way to join us. What more could a man possibly want?"

Deanna: "I'm just a little concerned by your sudden complete change in attitude. I hate to think of you fooling yourself."
Tristan: "Isn't that what we all do every day anyway?"
Deanna: "That's a sort of pessimistic outlook, but at least it seems more like you."

Tristan: "You really like the darkness, don't you?"
Deanna: "What-"

Tristan was peripherally aware of the three men leaving the Xenon and deviously proceeded to trip the one in the lead, sending the large man sprawling onto the pavement. There was a moment of stunned silence before the man pulled himself off the ground, his face contorted with anger.

Rufus: "That is it. You've done nothing but try to start trouble with us all night. Now you've got it."
Tristan: "It's about time."

There was a blur of motion as the two other men worked in perfect unison, grabbing either of Tristan's arms and dragging him back against the wall of the club and knocking the air out of his lungs. Within seconds the third man's fist connected solidly with his face, sending a fine spray of blood into the air.

He thought he heard Deanna's voice over the ringing in his ears but couldn't make out any specific words. His world became little more than a concentration of pain and blood as blow after blow was driven into his body. He felt himself beginning to laugh, which seemed to only further fuel the frequency of the punches.

Minutes or hours could have passed before he felt himself dropping to the ground -- time was meaningless within the distorting haze of agony he found himself in. The bitterly disappointing taste of his own blood was strong in his mouth, offering nothing of substance or escape.

James: "We need to get him out of here."
Deanna: "I didn't know what to do, James."
James: "You did what you could. He'll be fine, but we need to leave before anyone comes out here. What the hell happened?"
Deanna: "I don't know! He's been acting crazy all night!"
Tristan: "Hello? I'm right here! Stop talking about me like I'm… not. Here."

James: "Can you stand up at all?"
Tristan: "Everything is right as rain, Jimmy-Jimborino."
James: "Yes, I can see that. Get the hell up if you're so fantastic."

Tristan tried to stand up, instantly doubling over as a shock of pain shot up from his mid-section. He managed to remain on his feet, avoiding the harsh surface of the alleyway asphalt. The pain did nothing to dull the occasional laughter still slipping from him unabated.

James: "Damn it, Tristan…"
Tristan: "I should really pay more attention to you, James. You had it right all along, you know."
James: "Fantastic. Can you walk at all, or are you just up to talking?"
Tristan: "Stick to our own kind. It's better that way -- no expectations."

James: "I expect you to walk your ass to my car before I carry it out there."
Tristan: "Don't leave the rest of my body behind."

His pain was suddenly joined by a loud buzzing before everything around him faded to complete darkness.