A Little Head Clearing

[Nox]

Raffe had looked lost for words, but he was clearly interested.  But it could be a big problem, so Nox tried to push the cute boy from his head.  He glanced at his wallet and saw the last message to Thal, he said he'd call.  Which was also very unlike him.   

He needed to talk to Dorian, and Sage and Aiden were off doing good knows what but he had a message from Sage marked important.  More to deal with and Nox wasn't exactly ready for it yet.  So he let them both sit.

He hadn't heard word from Jay yet, but that wasn't exactly unusual.  He wasn't worried too much, but the last time they'd spoken he'd been in deep in something.  It could mean something, maybe he should reach out to the Ascendancy and see if he knew where one of his rods was.  The thought made Nox snicker as he and Nova walked through the park.  Nova was running circles around his feet as they walked.  It was cute.  Which brought Raffe to mind again.  Was he really swooning over a guy.

Nox sat down on the bench.  He had a show to put on too.  He didn't even know any of the other employees, and he wasn't going to dance on the stage by myself for his virgin experience.  Nox leaned back against the back of the bench and stared up at the sky.  It was easy to day dream for a little while, but he couldn't stay there for long he had to go back to the shadows.  

He stood up and called, "Nova, come on, we gotta get our things and get home."  Nox told himself he could only flirt with Raffe when they got back.  The rest was up to him.  

****

The motel run had gone quickly.  It was merely a matter of picking up a bag and tugging it over his shoulder.  Nox went into the side door, he'd have to ask about a key or anything, Nova trotted upstairs behind him.  Nox took the first door off the stairs.  It wasn't much, and it would likely stay that way, the bed just comfortable enough to survive on, the room just enough to move.  A window looking into the city blocked by the wall of the next building over.  It was nicer than the last place.  

Nox wove a thread of spirit in front of the door, it was a trip wire attached to nothing, but it would keep Nova away from the door.  "Nova."  He pointed at the line and the pup sniffed and whined backing away.  "Stay i n the room okay?"  Nox patted the bed and Nova jumped up and curled up on the pillow.  Nox grinned, "That's good."

Nox stepped over the trip wire and headed down stairs.  He had a routine to throw together.  He had figured out a potential skit he could do, just now to figure out how many people he needed to meet and if they were interested - first though he had to figure it all out.  He hadn't actually done the whole choreography thing in a long time - not for anything more than a work out.  This was going to be fun and cleansing.

[Thalia]

Curiosity sparked a fire when she got the call from Carmen suggesting Kallisti might reopen its doors, especially on the heels of last night. Family begged a favour Amaya was happy to give; she loved this place, with its divine overindulgence and unabashed flamboyance. Such a far cry from her roots, but that was undoubtedly part of the draw. Her eyes took a moment to adjust from the sun outside to Kallisti’s dark caverns. She wove a path through the tables, trailing her fingers over the sumptuous velvet with a smile. Amaya assumed to find the new boy in the theatre, so that was where she headed. She lingered in the shadows of the doorway and watched him a while before she announced herself, though she doubted he was truly unaware she was there. “So you must be Nox.”

A smile greeted. Her hair was pulled into a loose bun atop her head, her clothes the sort she used for practise, and a bag was looped over her shoulder. She’d cut training short to be here, though by her expression she didn’t mind in the slightest. Grace wrapped her movements without trying as she dumped the bag in one of the seats. “I’m Amaya. We almost met last night, but I was a little preoccupied with getting the hell out.” Her lips quirked a smile, though she didn't elaborate; he'd been there after all.

[Nox]

Nox had admired the space the first time, but Raffe was distracting, and he hadn't been paying much attention to the opulence of the place. Dorian's estate had been less so, but even so this was still more shocking to Nox. He could never really afford a place like this, even if he had wanted to. He'd come to drink and left much poorer than he'd come in.

And it had been a long time since he'd seen a stage. He'd never even been on one and as he stood in the middle of the grand arena he was about to partaken in felt like a gladiator might. Thought this was a completely different fight. But Nox hadn't just been walking when he'd been out before. He'd strung up a few ideas things that actually played off of Jaxen's performance. He wasn't going to mock anyone, and god forbid it be Ascendancy. Nox was still surprised he'd not been executed for just being there by now. But the idea of mocking who he was now that was fun. And what was he - according to the Atharim he was a reborn god. And there was a lot of myths and legends that went with the gods. There was a bevy of things he could play on. Nox had two 'forbidden' love stories he was going to work with at first. And then add more later.

His playlists were full of classical and instrumental music and he'd been walking with Nova listening to them looking for the right feel to tell the story he wanted to tell. He'd also had the audio telling him all about the stories he wanted to tell. By the time he stood in the middle of the stage Nox was easily afraid he was going to fail at this like everything else. But, he knew one thing - he wouldn't not try. So he kicked off his shoes and socks, put in his ear buds and started dancing. In the first story there were four critical roles, and Nox made his way through the story on the wings of music and dance.

Time was nothing while he danced - it had always been that way. His mother used to tell him that he was born to it, but his father had had other ideas - and by the time Nox was ten he believed his father. Dancing was for girls - and yet here he was about to put on a show.

Nox saw the door open and someone slip into the theater. But he hadn't been overly concerned. He was shy. Though when the beautiful red head spoke he immediately recognized her. He acknowledge her with a smile and nodded at her getting the fuck out of dodge statement. He couldn't blame her. Nox finished the current arc he was working on before he sat down on the edge of the stage wishing he had water. "I am Nox. I'm glad you got out safe, I think your friend might like to hurt me after the way I handled him." Quite literally. Nox grinned at his own thoughts.

Nox used the shoulder of his t-shirt to wipe the sweat from his forehead. "You'd think dancing would be easier than hunting monsters. You wouldn't happen to have any water in that bag. I was an idiot. Even an empty bottle?" Nox could refill it but he felt an idiot drinking from his hands and it was messy.

[Thalia]

NPC: Amaya

Amaya tilted her slender shoulders. “He can’t hurt you here, even if he wanted to. No one can.” Not strictly true, perhaps (and for it to have happened to poor, sweet, adorable Raffe of all people) but the ethos was strong all the same. It wasn’t a secret that Kallisti had methods of defending itself, though she’d already heard through the vine enough of what had happened after she’d fled to know Nox could certainly protect himself. It didn’t mean that Kallisti wouldn’t shield him in kind, if he needed it. Carmen welcomed him into the fold, and that made him family.

She cocked her head at the comment on monsters, but didn’t question it, just turned to dig through her bag. “Rookie mistake,” she laughed as she made her way down the aisle with the bottle, though she threw it in a shining arc as soon as she was close enough to do so comfortably. Afterwards she lifted herself easily to sit alongside him on the stage. Her gaze roamed the shadows of the seats, an empty audience right now, but it still filled something up inside that practically made her glow. “I’ve missed this place,” she said wistfully.

Then she twisted to face him. From what she observed, he had the sort of talent that was inborn. No formal training, probably, but it didn’t matter if he was capable of holding the audience in the palm of his hand. It was why Carmen called, to offer whatever support or advice he might need. She opened her palm and indicated the ear buds. “Let me hear? Tell me what you’re thinking. What do you need to make this real?"

[Nox]

Nox caught the water bottle and cracked the top to take a drink. He guzzled most of the water before he handed her the ear buds. He smiled at her fondness for the place. "Other than people, I have to stitch together some tracks, I can mange that tonight on my laptop, if I can remember how, my sister used to do it for me."

Nox pointed out the three songs on the play list he was using and let Amaya listen while he told her the gist of the story he was telling. Before he was even a sentence into telling her he got up and started to pantomime what he intended. Granted it was going to play a lot on the chemistry of the other players, but he was sure of the basics in his head.

He squatted down panting lightly from his exertion, it'd been a while since he'd gotten that much cardio in. Not a bad thing, he still had plenty of energy, and honestly wanted to impress Amaya, but he wasn't a dancer, this wasn't his job and he wanted to hear what she had to say.

[[ pming you the basics, don't want to poke too much out here - SPOILERS! ]]

[Thalia]

NPC: Amaya

Amaya popped the earbud in one ear and listened to the story he wished to tell while the tracks ran. A smile played on her lips, the consideration a spark in her eyes. She shifted to sit cross-legged and watched as he mimed out the ideas as best he could on his own. Afterwards he squatted, panting a little. Sweat sheened his brow. “Need to work on your stamina, sweetie.” She winked. The jest was light. Meanwhile, she shot a couple of quick messages on her phone, then left the tech next to his, the earbud pulled from her ear.  “I can help with the people.”

She rose nimble to her feet. “It doesn’t matter that you’re not a trained dancer. Not all of us here are. And you have the confidence to bullshit it anyway, am I right? You enjoy it, I can see that. People come here to feel what you tell them to feel. Sell them that, and you’re golden.” She rolled her shoulders a little and beckoned him back to the centre of the stage. “So let’s take it from the top, and sell it to me, Nox.”

[Nox]

Nox rolled his eyes "May stamina is fine duckling." Nox glanced at his watch. "Been at his for a few hours, and walked and ran with the dog for a good hour before that." He was pretty sure he could out last some of these girls. Chasing monsters through cities or forests wasn't easy and Nox had done it for days. It was the mental exhaustion that was going to get to him first. But he felt better than he had in months. This felt better than anything - except maybe flirting.

Amaya tapped away at her phone and took care of people. It was good to make friends. He grinned at her and thanked her but was more than right. He firmly believed in fake it till you make it. And in that moment he realized why. And Nox wondered how much of his life he'd faked until it became a reality. Had he ignored his sister because all before that was a lie? He shook his head to clear away the thoughts. As he took it from the top as Amaya said.

He focused on the moves, the music, his partner - pushed away the worst of it all the self doubt. They moved and talked and laughed and then in the middle of their second round through the doors to the theater pushed open. And it was like watching a slow motion video except at full speed. Three beautiful women came bouncing in with the wind blowing through their hair. Nox felt the distinct chill of the female side of the power and wondered which one was a godling. One more bouncy than the other, her hair was done up in ringlets and she was smacking away at ringlets and I knew I was getting their show, not them. Unlike Amaya who seemed real not a persona. He glanced at her and then back at them.

The tall brunnet's lipstick was bright red and her eyes were bright. She saw more than she let on, Nox pegged her as the one with the power. The last was small and dark and looked very much like an avenging angel - minus the wings. The blue in her hair and the dark lipstick made the pale skin even paler.

Amaya laughed and greeted her friends. "This is Moon Pyre." Amaya introduced the brunette first and as the name suggested a fireball floated around her head. And Nox smiled knowingly. "This is Candy." She said of the blonde. And finnally she introduced the goth chick. "And this is Mist. Ladies this is Nox. He needs our help."

Nox wasn't sure how to react to that but he put on a smile and nodded. "Need is such a strong word. I need bodies, and maybe a little help." He winked.

Candy clapped her hands together and started right in. "Alright girls." She looked at Nox and when he just shrugged she smiled happily and continued "Tell us Nox how we can help?

And for the second time that day Nox went through the story and the movements, and let them listen to the music. His plans had grown since working with Amaya and by the time they were all panting he had a pretty good working team. But his stomach rumbled and he wondered when was the last time he ate. "Is there food in this joint? A kitchen too, maybe?" Eating out was so not going to work for Nox.

[Thalia]

NPC: Amaya

The act came together as the afternoon progressed. Amaya enjoyed seeing something grow from seed.

When a natural break formed she sank grateful into one of the front row chairs. She laughed. “Not really. A microwave maybe?” Raffe had to have been subsisting on something after all, but it wasn’t like the club had ever been set up for long term lodgers. Given Nox’s arrival, maybe that would have to change -- but it was Carmen’s concern, not hers. If their manager had seen fit to offer Kallisti out as a more permanent refuge, it was probably something she was already on top of arranging.

“I can run and get us something,” she offered, retrieving her phone from the side of the stage. “What does everyone want?”

[Nox]

Nox looked at Amaya with a frown. "Please tell me you all don't eat out all the time." Money was always an issue for Nox. The Atharim paid him, but what he lived on had to pay for a roof over his head and eating out was expensive. You learned to live on what you could. And the Red Light District was not going to be any different than even Dorian's had. He'd shopped there, cooked there, rarely let Christian cook for him. No, he could take care of himself.

"Just need a good grocery store, I can mange the rest." Even without a kitchen he could manage. He had pans and plates and various other camping equipment up in his room. Be no different than camping out except he was the fire. The thought made him smile with pleasure. His fucking talents actually doing him a favor for a change.

Nox's wallet beeped again - probably for the fortith time since he left Dorian's. Dorian really needed to talk apparently. He picked it up

Nox, we need to talk ASAP it's about the tunnels.

Nox growled to himself but checked back through the other missed messages. There were others he'd missed but one particular person stood out - there was nothing from Jay. It had been some time. They didn't talk everyday, but the picture should have merited some comment. Nox sat down on the edge of the stage and typed out a quick message.

To @"Jay Carpenter" Dude, getting worried. Last time we spoke you had some shit stirring. Did it catch up to you? Can I help?

Nox knew he couldn't help not from Moscow, but he offered. Jay was his friend. But life moved on and Nox returned his attention to the four beautiful women sitting with him. "So someone want to take me grocery shopping I'll cook."

[Thalia]

NPC: Amaya

“Of course not.” Amaya laughed, head tilted. She refrained from pointing out that they had homes to go to outside of work; it would be pointlessly cruel, and she had no interest in malice. A treat was what she’d been thinking, given the afternoon’s work (and it wasn’t like she was scraping pennies), but she didn’t push that either since he seemed committed to being practical from the offset. In an environment like Kallisti, with all its disparate misfits, you learned to adjust to other’s sensitivities, and Amaya was not fond of conflict.

She slipped her phone in her pocket while she waited for him to answer whoever it was who made him frown like that. “So you can cook as well, huh?” She grinned. “Groceries it is, then. Let’s go.”