The First Age

Dressing up for this strange party was the most fun Roza had outside of preforming in a while. Their adventures had been fairly mundane when they weren't bothering Cruz for Zeke. The Carnival was not as busy in the cold of the fall and winter months, this was the time of baby making for the families. Roza had spent many evenings curled up with Esper, but her mother was ever watchful, and while they could never be truly accepted, playing was hardly frowned upon -- unless it took a turn for the romantic and permanenat side. And Esper was very permanent in Roza's eyes even if her mother didnt see it. But a happy wagon was a happy Romani. So Roza behaved, but that didn't mean that they didn't dance like they meant it whenever they got the chance.

And this was no exception to the rule. They had both donned protestics instead of masks. Who wanted to be covered in ... Roza didn't even want to think about being cooped up in a mask all night. She danced with sinuen smoothness like the guise she projected this evening. While Esper looked more like a fox, Roza chose a more slithering creepy guise. The prostetics on her face hid her normal beautity in lieu of the snake like features and large eyes she now displayed. Each scale was lovingly crafted on to her body and she loved the tight slinky dress she wore in emerald green. The sequins acting as additional scales. And Roza was a sucker for sparkly.

Their dancing was interrupted and Esper took offense. Roza followed with the touch of the hand as Esper followed the man through the crowd. She was grateful she was not on the other end of her friends ire. But it would prove to fun none-the-less. Roza caught a glance of the name tag of their current mark and she smiled. Not that anyone here was using a real name. One guy across the table's name tag was nothing but a series of letters and numbers and Roza wondered what it meant -- or was it so asinine that it meant nothing. She doubted it -- these tech freaks got off on their names. She wondered exactly who Voxel Adams was and how he'd gotten as much of that strange currency they were playing with.

The Carnival dealt with all sorts of things, but money was money and they did nothing illegal -- at least nothing illegal out in the open. Who's to say what they did behind closed doors after all.

Roza leaned down and whispered into his other ear. "amikor édes semmiségeket suttog, árnyékokban szövi a sorsodat.*"

[[* -- "when he whispers sweet nothings, he weaves your fate in shadows." in hungarian ]]

Jaxen, now deeply immersed in a high-stakes poker game with his fellow masked companions, one of whom he was pretty certain was Sage, felt the cold brush of a finger glide down his neck. His devil mask, with its sinister smile and twirled mustache, offered no hint of his reaction, but beneath it, his eyes widened with a flicker of unease.

“Quando il diavolo ti accarezza, vuole la tua anima,” a voice purred in his ear. His lips curled into a sly smile beneath the mask, appreciating the audacity and the eloquence of the approach.

As he considered his cards, he felt another presence at his side. A whisper, soft and serpentine, brushed his other ear. “amikor édes semmiségeket suttog, árnyékokban szövi a sorsodat.”

Jaxen turned his head slightly to take in the sight of his two mysterious visitors. They were striking, their elaborate costumes and prosthetics transforming them into otherworldly creatures. "Narcissus" and "Camellia," their nametags proclaimed. The irony of such exquisite aliases was not lost on him.

But as he took in their details—the vulpine elegance of Cameillia and the serpentine allure of Narcissus—his amusement turned to a deep unease. Their appearances were uncannily similar to the monstrous beings he had recently encountered. The memory of his deal with those creatures flashed in his mind, and he felt a cold dread settle in his stomach. Could these two be connected to the evil aliens?

A shiver ran down his spine, and for a moment, he was torn between the unsettling resemblance and the undeniable allure of the two women. Their beauty was as mesmerizing as it was disturbing, drawing him in even as his instincts screamed caution.

“Well, well,” he said smoothly, masking his disquiet with his practiced silver-tongue charm. “It appears I've attracted the attention of the evening's most captivating guests.”

He laid his cards face down on the table and gave the gathered players a nod. “Gentlemen, if you'll excuse me for a moment.”

Rising from his seat, he turned to face Narcissus and Camellia fully. His eyes, behind the mask, roved over the intricacies of their costumes with a newfound scrutiny, searching for any sign of their true nature. The detailed prosthetics and elaborate design were disturbingly reminiscent of the creatures he had dealt with, yet undeniably captivating.

“I'm flattered by your interest,” he continued, his tone now a mixture of charm and curiosity. “But I must admit, you have me at a disadvantage. I can’t recall what might have drawn such strange and unusual creatures into my orbit.” He offered his gloved hand to theirs in greeting, “Voxel Adams, at your service. Welcome to my party.”

There was nothing on the dark web that The Emissary did not see. Nothing was so well protected that it could not see into it. Might take a little effort on their part, but they would always see.

The missive of a party under obfuscation drew the Emissary out. So many souls to touch and enlighten to The Ways.

Armed with the shadows themselves, The Emissary donned the dark cloak of its guise, black jeans, belt, glove, and combat boots with it signature neon mask that spoke to exactly who they were. The party was in enemy territory, but it didn't matter. The invite had gone out to all who might enjoy such a night. And The Emissary would not reject such a fine feast.

For the seedy neighborhood the place was newish looking -- at least on the inside. And the moment they stepped across the boundary on the street several blocks away they knew that the enemy knew they were there the fine line of power under the cold hard ground was curious and clever. The Emissary wondered how it had accomplished the feat. But walking into the house, everyone else knew they had arrived.

Those standing in the door moved without prompting. Those standing in the small foray parted as they climbed the stairs. It was like Moses had come to part the Red Sea. Hushed whispered followed in its wake. They could feel the eyes on their back.

An unmasked blonde man stood in the door and did not move. Didn't even look their direction when they stopped. Anger grew. Lights flickered nearby.

The blonde turned, and saw them. "Oh sorry. My bad."

There was no mask, just a pretty face and a voice...

Its voice was gravely and low -- unused most of the time. It took concentration to make it work. "You should wear a nametag at least"

The man looked abashed but now it could continue on their way and didn't care about the man with the silky voice any longer. They almost turned back to look again. Almost...

The crowd parted.

A man in a horse mask put his hand on its shoulder. "Got anything, My dearest Emissary? I'm buying."

It nodded and waggled a single finger to beckong the horseman to follow. A quieter place to deal in the chaos.

The way was easily forged if one knew how to guide the flock.

Noah giggled as he ran back into the room after following Ashton out. He shouted. "There's a strange party going on down stairs."

The gaggle of teenagers still unsure what was really going on in this strange new world they now lived. They had watched their family home burn with their guardians still inside. And their rescuer was throwing a party.

Ava with her belly nearly ready to pop waddled over to Liam and sat in his lap, she was small in comparison to him despite their age. She whispered in his ear, none of the others could hear. His face went white like the ash that fell from their home. But he nodded in understanding as she hopped up all smiles and giggles as Noah danced with her to the soft thump of the music that was downstairs.

Liam slipped out of the room and over the chain. He stopped in the bathroom, Noah said something about masks, but he didn't have onee so he wondered what kind of make up he could find. He should have found it strange to fin brand new costume make up behind the mirror in the bathroom. Their rescuer hadn't seemed to live here long, and Ashton had found him at a club with a video. He was a dancer. Liam made his face up like a clown, there was white base make up and everything. It would work for the idea, no one could see his features, he'd blend in.

He slipped down the stairs and into the party. Ashton didn't even notice as he passed him. But now he had to find what he was looking for. it was a good thing he knew what to do. Ava knew, it wasn't the first time he'd gone searching.

Though she glanced down at it, Esper didn’t take the offered hand, gloved or not. Her colourless eyes roamed as shamelessly as his, and if a sharp smile ghosted across her morose expression, it was not for what she saw, but what she felt slithering around inside him. Her Push had been transient; he found something else in what he saw to make him uneasy, and in turn she found the reaction pleasing. It was unusual. 

“An offence,” she said. The word drew out, a teasing threat, and she didn’t offer any clarity. It no longer mattered what for. Debt was debt, and he identified himself as the party's host; a mantle of responsibility he might come to regret. She caught Roza in the corner of her eye, a silent communication, else simple appreciation for how easily they fit together without cumbersome words. Esper was static, but the other girl rarely stayed in place for long, and certainly not when there was a game to be had.

Voxel pledged himself at their service, a dangerous turn of phrase insofar as Esper was concerned. She would take it entirely literally, because it sounded a lot like permission for, well, anything. Her long fingers flexed, and she ran a nail along her lip in thought. 

“Will you pay for it yourself, Voxel Adams, or will you offer up another in your stead?”

Roza took Voxel's hand in Esper's steed. She didn't have a thing against touching people like Esper, actually it was more fun. She caressed his fingers before wrapping around him with a sweet smile, that looked more creepy in her current guise. "I think he should pay. It'd be more fun." Roza's arm's caressed his arms as flit around him touching his outfit as if it were the softest thing she'd ever felt. Roza slithered up next to him, rubbing her cheek against his arm, his height giving her a good height without stooping. "Maybe you can give us a tour."

Jaxen was accustomed to attracting A. the most beautiful women at parties and 2. the most captivating people into his orbit. Therefore, he was not at all taken aback by Narcissus and … uh, the other one…’s attention. I mean, he would normally be very happy to be lured elsewhere for seduction. As such, Narcy’s hands slithered through the creaks of his leather gloves, and there was something about leather on skin that always plucked the strings of his arousal, and explored the muscle of his arm before she sidled up against him, cheek to-rubber-cheek. Creepy ass snakes and foxes were out of his head, though he was going to keep an eye on Cammy, or whatever her name was.

True to Narcy’s words were a lullaby, he let her tug him out of his seat, because two women were far more entertaining than a bucket of Obscurium.

“I fold, gents,” he mumbled, snatching her hands in turn and leading her away. “Seems i’ve a tour to give.” Has to be a damn bedroom in the place somewhere…

The whole of the walk was spent touching as much as he was touched and curling those leather-wrapped fingers onward. It was the roped-off staircase that caught his eye at last. Where the fuck did a rope come from? Actually.. that might be useful…

With a smooth twist of his oh-so-nimble hands, the rope slipped free of its holdings, and he theatrically tossed it around his throat like someone might a winter scarf.

A party of this kind could always devolve into full on orgy, which was one of Jaxen’s favorite types of parties, but so far, everyone’s clothes remained on. Therefore, catching the vibe, he lead downstairs, because the dark was always more fun.

((If you follow along, they’ll end up in the dojo area))

[[ I think you have the girls mixed up in names Roza is Camillia, and and Esper is Narsissica (and I know I spelled them wrong lol) ]]

Voxel Adams left his gambling for more finer persuits. Roza gave Esper a wink and she continued with this man through the crowd. Normally Esper radiated enough that people didn't bump into them, but this man had caused someone else to do so, and now he was on the wrong end of the sword so to speak. But he didn't know that. She didn't know what Esper had planned to do. But getting him alone seemed far more fun than not.

They came to the stairs, though there wasn't much of a tour going on. More of a let's find someplace else to go. Voxel wrapped a rope around his neck like a scarf and it took Roza all her effort not to just grab it now. She waited as she started to hum a little tune in her head that baely escaped her lips -- enough for Esper to know what she was about to do. Roza hated leaving her friend devoide of her but it was necessary to reach the power within. And the tune was her warning. The power came to life shortly after they reached the basement floor.

The place was dark and creepy and no one was down stairs. The rope having kept people at bay. But it didn't matter now they were here. It was strange. There were two rooms off to the sides, one looked like a water closet but she couldn't tell in the darkness, even with her power enhanced site. A set of weights and a boxing bag sat in one corner of the otherwise large room they entered. The walls cast shadows of machines that looked like little cannons that fired balls out of them. What an odd thing to have in a room.

Alone in the darkness Rosa wound the outer side of the rope to the backside of Voxel's throat and too hold and pulled ever so gently, tightening the cord around his neck with a playful grin. "Take them off." She tugged on the waist band of his pants. She wasn't going to peel him out of anything. He could do that for her. Roza took a moment to center herself, to feel her bodies rhyrthm. To know... And to think about things. He seemed more than willing. He'd never even have to know if anything came of it. Her mother might ease up on her and Esper spending other time together if she brought new blood to the Romani. New blood... She smiled wickedly at Voxel Adams as her fingers began to crackle with electricity.

Her fingers of her free hand traced along his arm, nothing harmful, just a playful snap here and there. It was more to protect herself if he tried more than she wanted. She'd leave the pants in the dojo and head towards the other room, it looked more furnished than the large one. Esper could rummage through whatever she could find and join them if she desired. It might be fun. And as an added reminder she was in control Roza pulled just a little tighter on the rope around his throat.

This place was tricked out. Liam sat on his wallet in a corner watching everything. He wasn't allowed to these types of mixers. Everything he'd ever been to was formal and tuxedo and totally all his dad's thing. This was different and he felt like a fish out of water. His quick scan of things on the network told him this was The wicked truth's doing and he was sure to be about. Which got Liam wandering the crowd looking at name tags.

So many people he'd heard of. So many he looked up to. He was in heaven. And no one knew who he was.

Liam stepped back from a man pushing through the crowd with two women who did not look like the others here. They were not hiding -- they were out in public looking like creepy little monsters and sexy as fucking hell. His sixteen year old body reacted in the only way it knew how. It distracted him enough that he followed a few feet before his wallet beeped at him and he turned around to see the poker table the man had just left.

Standing watching was a man in a red long scare mask on and dressed in all black. The name tag was a series of hexcode values. It took Liam a while to do math, but he grinned madly and searched around the place for the marker that was drifting around for marking cups and such. As well as nametags.

He found the nearly dead marker and marched up to this enigma and turned him abruptly. "That's not fair." He scribbled across the bottom of the name tag in parenthesis (The Wicked Truth). He looked up at the much taller man. "That's better."

Liam slipped in and out of the crowd in his clown make up and no one thought anything of it. He caught sight of a pair of men slipping around a corner and he knew what that meant. He waited for one man to leave before he slipped around the same corner to find a creepy man standing against the wall. He might have had a wicked smile as he crooked a finger at Liam. "I knew someone would follow."

Liam licked his lips nervously. "I'm... I.. Me and my friends are looking to buy." He stammered. "There are eight of us." That should be plenty for what Ava wanted. Liam pulled out his wallet and several credit chits fell out of the bottom. "I can pay." The one perk about working for the Blackthorns was they had plenty of untraceable money lying around to buy off whoever they needed.

"What are you looking for?"

"Just to get high." Liam said.

The creepy mask with the glowing X's and the mouth that never moved even when he spoke, make the whole interaction even creepier. And the voice was gravely an unused lie it rarely ever spoke words. It all was very intense for Liam. But he stood there hoping he'd get the drugs. They didn't care. It didn't matter. Nox really should have just ended their lives in the fire liked they asked. He'd given mercy to Ethan -- why not them?