Titanic (Asmodeus X Fizzarolli)

Chapter Seven: Party in Third Class

Molly called Mr. Aster to say hello. Mr. Aster said hello to Molly as Asmodeus introduced Fizzarolli to the couple. Fizzarolli shook hands with the two. Fizzarolli was nervous but he never faltered. They assumed he was one of them. Heir to a railroad fortune, perhaps. New Money, obviously, but still a member of the club. Agrat, of course, could always be counted upon. Fizzarolli sat down with everyone as Agrat started to ask him questions.

"Tell us of the accommodations in steerage, Mr. Fizzarolli," Agrat said to Fizzarolli, "I hear they're quite good on this ship."

"The best I've seen, ma'am. Hardly any rats," Fizzarolli said

The people around him laughed.

"Mr. Fizzarolli is joining us from the third class," Sarah told everyone, "He was of some assistance to my fiancee last night."

"It turns out that Mr. Fizzarolli is quite a fine artist," Asmodeus spoke up, "He was kind enough to show me some of his work today."

"Asmodeus and I differ somewhat in our definition of fine art. Not to impugn your work, sir."

Fizzarolli could only nod. Asmodeus cleared his throat to get Fizzarolli's attention, telling him to put a napkin on his lap. He did that as Mr. Ismay talked about how the Titanic was his idea on paper but, in the eyes of God, she belongs to Thomas Andrews. Fizzarolli looked down at his plate and saw that there were so many forks, spoons, and knives. Fizzarolli didn't what to do with them all and turned to Molly for help. She just told him to start from the outside and work his way in.

"He knows every rivet in her, don't you, Thomas?" Mr. Ismay asked Mr. Andrews

"Indeed," Mr. Andrew confirmed

"Your ship is a wonder, Mr. Andrews, truly," Asmodeus commented

"Thank you, Asmodeus."

"And how do you take your caviar, sir?" a waiter asked Fizzarolli

"No caviar for me, thanks," Fizzarolli politely declined, "Never did like it much."

"And where, exactly, do you live, Mr. Fizzarolli?" Agrat asked Fizzarolli

"Well, right now, my address is the R.M.S. Titanic. After that, I'm on God's good humor," Fizzarolli told her

"And how is it you have means to travel?"

"I work my way from place to place. You know, tramp steamers and such. But I won my ticket on Titanic hereat a lucky hand at poker. A very lucky hand."

"All life is a game of luck," the man who called Fizzarolli a hero last night commented

Sarah hummed, "A real man makes his own luck, Archie. Right, Fizzarolli?"

Fizzarolli hummed and nodded.

"And you find that sort of rootless existence appealing, do you?" Agrat asked Fizzarolli earning a little glare from Molly

"Well, yes, ma'am, I do," Fizzarolli told her, "I mean, got everything I need right here with me. Got air in my lungs and a few blank sheets of paper. I mean, I love waking up in the morning not knowing what's going to happen or," Fizzarolli took a bite of some bread, "who I'm going to meet, where I'm going to wind up. Just the other night, I was sleeping under a bridge, and now here I am on the grandest ship in the world having champagne with you fine people."

The people around him laughed

"I figure life's a gift, and I don't intend on wasting it. You never know what hand you're going to get dealt next. You learn to take life as it comes at you. Here you go, Sarah," Fizzarolli threw some matches at Sarah who didn't have any to light her cigarette, "To make each day count."

"Well said, Fizzarolli," Molly said

"Hear, hear!" Archie said agreeing

"To making it count," Asmoseus toasted

"To making it count," Everyone else toasted

Dinner continued and Fizzarolli was doing well blending in with the First Class. Everyone was laughing as Molly told funny stories about her and her husband. He wasn't on this trip as the two had divorced three years before this. By the time dinner had ended, Asmodeus whispered to Fizzarolli about how the men would all leave to go to the smoking room to have a few brandies and talk about politics.

At that moment, Archie asked the men if they would join him in a brandy which made Asmodeus smile at the coincidence. They all stood up, ready to leave as Fizzarolli gave Molly a pen he had taken from her. Archie asked Fizzarolli if he would be joining them but Fizzarolli declined, saying he had to head back to Third Class. Sarah agreed that it would be for the best as it would all be politics and business so it wouldn't interest him.

Sarah threw Fizzarolli back his matches as he left. Fizzarolli walked over to Asmodeus who asked him if he had to leave. Fizzarolli joked that he had to go back and row with all of the other slaves. Fizzarolli bid him goodnight and kissed the back of his hand again. Before he left, he slipped a note into Asmodeus' hands and left him with it. He opened it under the table to reveal a note telling him to meet him at the clock.

Asmodeus excused himself and met Fizzarolli at the clock as asked. He turned to him and asked if he wanted to go to a real party. They went down to Third Class where Irish music was being played with people drinking cheap beer and dancing on a mini stage that was down there. Asmodeus watched as Fizzarolli danced with a little girl he had been drawing with her father the day before.

Asmodeus drank and clapped along with the music while chaos happened all around him. The song soon ended and Fizzarolli brought Asmodeus up to dance to this next song. Asmodeus was hesitant as he didn't know the dance that went with the music but Fizzarolli assured him that he didn't know it either. They just started to free-lance the dance and just had fun.

While the two were having fun below deck, everyone in First Class was quite quiet and boring. But, while Asmodeus and Fizzarolli were having fun, Striker came down and saw the two there. And looked very in love with each other with how well they were getting along. But Asmodeus didn't know he was there, having too much fun with the Third Class to notice.