Wandering

[Xander]

Two women sat at the bar, frilly and fancy Xander thought to himself until the imagery floated to his brain. The muddied pink of their auras felt at place in the mix with all the other fake people - including himself, though he could never see his own aura without getting a migraine. Death floated about one, not precisely like the snake at the front table, but death none-the-less. It danced with other images only the special people had.

The music died down as the last piece of clothing was tossed into the crowd and Ms. Candy slid into the curtains at the last bar. The lights dropped around the stage but the area lights brightened a small amount allowing for more light to see by. A new tune played in the background while the stage reset. Xander would have like to see the machinations of the whole thing but that was for later. Maybe Alexis would be interested in investing here. It was a possiblity. It clearly made money.

Xander turned to the new confident women at the bar with a bright smile, "Might I buy your drinks?" The french accent heavy on his lips. He would have to remember to practice if he were to play Alexis more often. Though Tobias was currently the one with a mission. Alexis was his patron, Noah Preston being a shadow anyway. The way Xander liked it - easier to maintain the guise if you never saw him.

[Elyse]

Elyse let Mist sit in her lap. Her mind was somewhat muddied by the drinks, which was a wonderful thing for her right now. The physical contact helped as well. Elyse took a deep breath as Mist rested her head on her chest, a slight flirtation even though she knew it wouldn't end up being more. She was just here for the fun of it. The woman, Ilesha, looked and smelled uncomfortable. Maybe it was the slight inebriation, but her sense of smell actually seemed heightened now. That could be bad for her later as the predominant smell in the room was lust.

Elyse smiled as the newcomer said another round. "I'll have another round too." At the very least Elyse was having fun tonight.

[Ilesha]

Their drinks arrived just as the current preformer's show ended and the music became more than ambient and more profound. There were lots of people watching them and Ilesha tried not to feel uncomfortable. But that was nearly impossible with the two women sitting next to her. She would have preferred to remain at the bar. But she'd been handled again. Living in New York should have prepared her for such things, but she didn't really go out there. She liked to stay home.

And that was her problem most likely.

Mist said the name of the drinks and Ilesha blushed and didn't want to think about it. Not with the women sitting on top of one another it was an major innuendo. But she tossed the shot back with ease and hoped the burn going down would make it all worth it in the end. She was feeling it. Thankfully.

"So where why am I sitting here?'

Mist giggled and moved herself between Ilesha and Eylse draping her arms around both women. "Because Moonie said to, she's on now."

And sure enough the women who sat her down was now on stage prancing through the currents on an horse made of fire - almost so real that Ilesha could feel the heat from the horse. She could feel the heat. There was a bright glow around Moon Pyre. Ilesha pointed. "Is that glow all part of the act." She saw the fire horse for what it was, but that glow was surreal. Ilesha wondered if she was seeing things.

[Rena]

Arena's smile became genuine at French accent. In their years growing up and traveling from place to place, France was one of the few she had liked. She'd often wondered why daia and dadus had settled here in Moscow. Paris would have been so much nicer. She did admit that the men were beautiful as well, casual style still elegant, faded jeans and button down with a sports coat, scruffy face that had not seen a blade in a day or two.

The man seemed to exude that confidence. She smiled at him. "But of course. Thank you.", swirled her drink with her straw. "I am Rena and this is Lyra." She nudged her friend who seemed to be more into the show at the other table. Inwardly, she cringed. While she might like talking to him, she didn't want to be abandoned by her partner in crime. Not this early in the game.

She put out a hand. "And you are?"

[Xander]

Xander smiled. Names were offered and that only lead to more power. Though he offered up one as well. "Alexis." He would have offered a hand in greeting but Tobias was still too fresh and Xander hadn't had time to get a manicure that suited Alexis Trottier. Tobias was a ruffian, though Xander felt more at home in the rough and tumble look - much more at ease. But that was no way to play any con - at least not usually. Though he wasn't conning Elias or Asha, which he still didn't know why he cared, but those visions... Xander never saw what happened with them, this was an experiment.

"It looks as if your friend is more interested in the ladies at the table." Xander waved his hand and had the bartender serve another round all around for the three of them and those at the table. He slid gracefully off his stool and wrapped an arm around both women with a smile. "Come let's adjourn to their table" He knew he was being pompous but that was part of Alexis' charm. He guided his new friends to the table and looked at the girl with blue hair she only looked up at him with a smile.. The waitress arrived with rounds all around. "I figured ze more ze merrier."

"If you are buying I'm sure my girls won't mind more." She put her arm around both women and pulled them closer so they could make room for three more. Xander let the women decide where they wanted to sit. He didn't care. "I'm Mist. And you are?"

Xander smiled again, his name was needed again. "Alexis." Xander placed a discrete card on the table, he wasn't about to hand over his wallet for whatever tab he'd run here. He didn't need his secrets to get out. But the card was valid and it had more than enough for tonight's adventures for Alexis. And he intended to play it up as the favored rich playboy he was playing tonight. "Drinks are on me ladies."

[Rena]

Rena's eyes flashed blue fire as the frenchman proceeded to push them to the table of women. Who the fuck did he think he was? She was about to rip his head off when she looked at Lyra, who shook her head slightly.

Fine!!! Whatever. She's play along. But Alexis had definitely lost whatever charm he held.

Anyway, he intruded on their group but bought their acceptance with offers of drinks. She downed her Cosmo and felt the warmth suffused her, the tickle on the tip of her nose.

The one girl, the one with reddish highlights, seemed to be a bit into it, what with the way the girl reminded her of a cat nuzzled her. Her eyebrow peaked as she looked at Lyra. They were both beautiful in very different ways. She laughed to herself a bit. Lyra better be careful. She might find her way into every man's fantasy in short order.

The other, stiffer looking girl looked decidedly uncomfortable. She smiled at her, a joke on her lips. "I hope she knows the attention is phony." She looked around. Already, a few heads had turned to their group. She rolled her eyes. "Men are so predictable." Pointedly she looked right at Alexis as she said it. He was not going to be the man in this group, them all his harem. That would never be her.

And then she ignored him. "I'm Rena and this is my friend Lyra." She offered a hand to the shy girl.

[Ilesha]

Ilseha wasn't sure about the new comers. Though the man was a jerk. Presumptuous and clearly a player. She glared at him even as he bought them drinks. But now she was sitting closer to the other women at her table. The whole thought made her squirm. She wanted to go. This wasn't her best idea. She downed the drink Alexis had bought and waved for another. At least the drink was forthcoming and not on her tab. But she couldn't get drunk here. Not with....

Rena had agreed with her assessment of the man and she chuckled to herself. "At least we know where their minds are. I don't think she cares, she's more interested in the women." Ilesha nodded to her company with a shy smile. "I should go."

Mist grabbed her hand and entwined her fingers. "Moonie said wait here, so you will wait here no matter what else goes one darling. I can't let you go." She waved her hand again and the servers would bring more drinks. "Have another three drinks, they are on Alexis." Mist smiled brightly at the man who was their patron. She was going to use him to pay for them. Ilesha liked her more and more.

[Rena]

Rena couldn't help but chuckle at the insistence from the cat girl. Usually, those hired to...entice, to hook, were much more subtle about it. The interest was usually fake anyway, so it had to be.

She raised an eyebrow over one sapphire eye, knowing smile. The women's dark hair was done up to expose a tanned slender neck, dress was a small red thing that did nothing to hide her assets.

Idly, "They recruiting you?" She nodded to the stage where a performance was going on. The girl was pretty enough and had the body. But her body language said that she was a bit embarrassed just being here. Or at least in the company of others. Their little group had drawn eyes. And they weren't even on stage.

She watched the performance. "It can be fun to be up there. Everyone watching you. At first it seems they have all the power." A knowing smile as the warmth of her second drink slipped down her throat into her chest. She looked at the woman with a twinkle. "The real rush comes from realizing that you are the one in control."

Her eye returned to the stage. "Look at her. Everything she is doing is calculated. Even that accidental slip- you see how it gave just a glimpse of flesh- listen to how quiet that group of men over there got. That was planned." She found her eyes drawn. There was a glow around her, an aura that she couldn't ignore. And for some strange reason she felt an attraction- or at least kinship with the performer.

Deep down, it surprised her. She didn't like women that way, not like Lyra did. Whatever it was, it was mesmerizing and called to her.

She smiled broadly. The runways and catwalks had been a wonderful school. College after the schooling of her life as Roma. This place could be her university. For some reason, it appealed.

She laughed at the thought. Probably not. The girls here would not grace the ads and holos and other media. Never become rich and famous I the way she wanted. Still, as she looked around, there were powerful people here.

So what did Rena want? Fame, yes. Power, more than her gift. But as a bauble? Perceived as one? Was that any different than an empty headed model?

The applause that concluded brought her back. "She was magnificent." She looked at the shy girl in red, holding out a hand. "You never gave me your name."

[Xander]

Xander sat down uninvited at the edge of the booth. The girls all closer to one another and if things had been another night he might have enjoyed it. But the images floating in front of him were almost too much. But Alexis kept his smile and listened and pretended not to notice them. It was difficult. The girl on the other side of the performer danced with images of death and of the snakes, but she was also different the moon and howling wolves raced through the images. Xander had never seen anything like it.

The performer herself was plain and easy on the eyes Xander kept his eyes on her most of the time. Lyra was also plain, just the colors of her aura swimming in his vision, but the shy girl and Rena swam with their specialness. The same as the performer on stage. It was almost nauseating.

"The women here have all the power. But that's not much different than ze real world. Though you pretend otherwise."

[Ilesha]

The question hung in the air as she looked upon the performance. The soft glow of power on her skin, the tendrils in the air. She smiled, Moon Pyre was like her. She wondered if Mist was too, Ilesha looked around Oriena had told her it was safe here. She wondered how many were like her. "Not in the sense you mean. A friend brought me here - told me it was a safe place. Work is not exactly what they were asking for." Though she did see the ease in which things might make it more enticing for a show.

She smiled. "I'm sorry, Ilesha. I'm just a little on edge. I am new here, and this is the only place I knew to come." The only place she knew where she could find others like her. It wasn't the best place in the world, but it was safe to be herself at least mostly. The dress wasn't her, the makeup wasn't either. The dancing and the show was not her either, but the people - they were like her.

The man sat down offering up his own wisdom and it made her smile. "Men like to think so."