The grand ball

[Jensen James]

Of late, his life had turned upside down, which was a great feat given recent events. Almost to the hour after Sigvard ushered him from the Patheos stadium, Jessika called.
"I saw you on t.v."
She said without preamble. Straight to the point, as always. Jessika had a way of focusing on you until the entire world faded around them. They spoke for hours despite it had been the middle of the night in Texas.

Since then, media followed him everywhere he went. Famous for an entirely new reason now, it was a relief that their intruding questions centered on the Gift rather than calling him out as a hypocritical criminal. So that was a plus.

The Ascendancy would be displeased by the attention on him. His release from house-arrest had been on the condition that he lay low. At the time, Jensen had no intention of doing anything but--

The call from the Kremlin's central offices told him as much. Ascendancy was near to furious, or so Jensen thought by the tone of the caller. He was required to attend this ball. To that end, Jensen was sent to a men's store for the immaculate white-tie threads. He never thought he would wear something so grand in all his life. The white marcella was white as fresh fallen snow. The tails crisp and dark as the night sky. Even the gloss to his shoes were adorned with punches in the shape of bowties.

He swept his long hair back behind his ears with more product than he had used in years, more like the style he wore when preaching on stage. He even sent Jessika a picture of himself. Her response made him smile, for once. Still the most handsome man I've ever seen.

His heart was beating out of his chest when he entered the palace. He'd roamed these halls not too long before when staying there as a guest; so he knew them well.

Other than Ascendancy, who was currently heavily occupied, he assumed he would recognize no other faces. He'd originally requested that he be allowed to bring a guest, but Sigvard declined. Thus, he was unaccompanied.

He was not alone, per say. Ladies frequently approached to speak with him. He was teased for his Texan drawl more than a handful of times. When the first person recognized him as the man of recent news, he swallowed nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs and attempted to escape the ever-growing circle of people closing in around him.

He found himself near to some kind of bar, glad for an offer to refresh his champagne. He'd never tasted anything so luxurious in the whole of his life. That he had only been drinking for the past few years, his inexperience showed. Luckily, a warmth fuzzed his mind, and he was glad for the effervescence on his lips once more.

The natural gathering of people closer to the bar made him weave his way through. When he accidentally brushed against the backside of one man*, he blushed and quickly jerked away.
"Ope, s'cuse me, sir."




<small>*Nox.</small>

[Cruz]

Cruz walked back the way he'd come to find Nox stuck at the security checkpoint. He was already here under the Vega name - specifically Jivana's and he was getting stopped at the door. Can't he do anything right? Cruz complained to himself. Shaking his head he slipped into the crowd and watched Nox as he grabbed a flute of champagne as a server passed.

Nox seized the power after gawking at the decor. He really was a corn breed boy from America, he wasn't sure what he thought his father was thinking about letting Nox out in their world. Nox looked around and ran straight into a big man and when he turned around Cruz was almost at his side to deflect anything that the man could throw at Nox. But it was a curiosity when there was no heated exchange. Nox looked nervous. Cruz laughed to himself. Instead of making his way to his friend, Cruz wanted to see what he'd do in the middle of his world. He wasn't his bodyguard, but he had come to fill the role.

Cruz said he'd stay close, but he'd stay out of sight, let Nox flounder.

It wasn't difficult to keep away from Nox. Though he was throwing his power around and he'd drawn the attention of the men in uniform who had walked in with the power flaring around them. A pair advanced and Cruz hung his head, but they walked away. Nox caught sight of one and flung a weave at him and the other man turned and it broke to peices. Nox stood staring but what looked like something that would come to blows was nothing more than a friendly smile afterwards, and drinks.

How the fuck does he do that?

Cruz sighed as he followed them through the crowd. The man looked oddly familiar and Nox was acting ... Cruz took a better look at the man and realized that was the guy who'd sat next to them at the concert. Cruz snickered - the guy that made Sage a happy man. Cruz didn't understand either of his friends, but they were his friends. And unlike any he'd ever had before. They neither liked him nor disliked him for his money or the connections he could make for them. Sage and Nox didn't care who he was raised to be only that he was a friend.

Cruz felt bad for what he was doing to Nox and was going to go save him whatever awkwardness to follow. Cruz was pretty sure he saw Emily here too. So two exs in the same room wasn't going to go well. Though Nox didn't look like he was trying to avoid the man, which was odd since he knew Nox would turn the other way if he'd seen Emily like that.

A woman walked up to them and she was a new trophy for one of the up and comers. His grandfather had briefed him on who he should talk to and who he should avoid. And Scion Mavreet and his kind were on the list of people he should avoid. And there Nox was chatting up his girlfriend. Cruz sighed. Nox was going to be more trouble than he was worth - which wasn't a lot. Except he was the only one his father trusted to keep him safe from the Atharim. He didn't even trust his self for that. Nox could do things he couldn't. Cruz growled under his breath. He could do those things if he just knew how.

Cruz watched as a man bumped into him, which was ironic since Nox was the one doing all the bumping into people today. How the fuck does he get to meet everyone. Avoiding him was actually going to hurt Jivana. That was Jensen James. He healed Ascendancy with the power they wielded. Cruz had to talk to him...

[Nox]

Vena was exquisite. Nox was slightly buzzed. One too many shots, and if he had a third he wasn't going to be responsible, and he needed to remain partially responsible, he was only here to watch out for Cruz. Who he couldn't find... Fucking kid walking away from me.

Nox leaned into Jay and caught a whiff of him and Nox pushed away the images of that night, and Jaden and fucking everything that came rushing forth at the scent of him. "If you get me drunk again, I swear..."
Nox grinned at Jay and didn't get to hear either response from Vena or Jay as a hand 'brushed' his ass. Which wouldn't have been a problem in and of itself but as Nox turned to see the offender and saw him blush then jerk away. Embarrassed so it had just been an accident... Nox didn't hide the fact that he was checking him out.

His eyes finally reached the man's and recognition dawned on him. Of course he'd seen the interview, the knowledge, but this was one of Aria's friends. A slight frown touched his lips at the memory of Aria's death at his hands. And he probably should tell the man he'd saved her for nothing. Nox gave Jensen a big bright smile. "Ain't no problem, Duckling."


Nox didn't think as he grabbed two more shots. He handed one to Jensen before downing his and pulling Jensen into the conversation with Jay and Vena by wrapping his arm around the man's shoulders. Nox realized they needed to get away from the bar before he forgot what the fuck he was doing. But he didn't make a move to leave. Just positioned Jensen next to the bar instead of himself. "This man here has fought an Ijiraq and survived. I do not wish I was there. But Aria, god rest her soul, wouldn't have learned how to kill it without his help."
Why not, be the crazy fucking guy at the bar. "Jay took on a strzyga without thinking, even before he became a rod."
Nox couldn't help the smile that spread across his lips. Fuck, I need to sober up.

Edited by Nox, Jun 27 2018, 04:05 PM.

[Jay Carpenter]

If Vena was there to be distracting, she was doing a great job. Jay would glance over the shoulders of this close-quarters circle, but for the most part, he couldn't stop staring at her. He didn't claim to be an expert charmer, but he did alright. Less than a year ago he found himself browsing jewelry websites to try and get an idea of the style of ring she would like best. That relationship ended almost the very next day, or might as well have. It was a terrible idea, and he kind of regretted ever dating her knowing that he intended to leave Iowa at the first chance for a job. Regardless, she'd been beautiful and he had loved her humor and adventurous streaks. Vena, on the other hand, was like a woman from the movies. The kind he didn't even know existed. With Natalie better off thinking their connection severed, and as distractions tended to be, the distraction of Vena was welcome.

Nox didn't seem to mind either. Apparently they had similar backgrounds when it came to this sort of thing. It didn't even occur to Jay to ask Nox about where he came from; although it was probably best to leave such backstory details a mystery. Best to not know. But he liked Nox. The guy was fun and had a knack for attracting trouble. So Jay naturally blamed him for luring Vena like a bug to a light-zapper.

Samuel signaled that he was going to continue on their route alone. Jay caught the man's arm before he did, "I'll go with you," he said, but Sam shook his head.
"You're good, Carpenter. Catch up with your friends while you can. We'll get sick of each other's company soon enough. Don't forget, North Africa."
he laughed. Sam's good nature was contagious. Jay nodded, but informed his brother he would listen for any trouble. He had a point, though. The nine of them would be sick of each other soon enough.

Vena heard the exchange, though. She swiveled the focus of her gaze back to Jay. "North Africa? That doesn't sound like a safari?"


Jay shook his head, wary to say too much. Though if Samuel had mentioned the future deployment, maybe it was safe to divulge. Ascendancy said nothing about secrecy. Given Jay's background though, he defaulted to black-level clearance.

"Something like that."
But the explanation was apparently unacceptable. Vena's brows lifted. "The Legion is based in Africa."

She blinked. "So you're a part of the Legion and one of these Rods of Dominion?"

Jay nodded. That feeling in his gut grew. Like he was saying too much.
She picked up on it. "It's okay. You don't have to tell me. I am only curious. All these power users are fascinating to me. Ascendancy, first. Then all of you. I only want to learn more about how the future of our world will look. There is even a new Consulate about it. Do you know the man who runs it?"

Come to think of it, he didn't know the Consul well, "I've met him."
he replied. Flashes of that solitary room, questions and fire flashed his memory. They were easy to suppress.

The close quarters grew more confined. Or maybe Jay felt the room grow smaller. It was hard to tell. But they suddenly found themselves shoulder to shoulder (or hem-to-hem) with a crowd. It seemed tales of the bar had spread and not everyone was interested in champagne.

Nox was bumped, and yet another American voice - with an accent that could be picked out in a rock concert - pardoned themselves.

Jay blinked when he saw who it was. Jensen James was famous. His mom loved listening to the pastor. Up until his disappearance, that is. How in the world he ended up in Moscow. In this room. Jay was speechless to guess.

Nox wrangled the preacher like a calf caught by the ankles, pushed a shot in his direction, and boasted all their collective deeds. Jay was barely able to follow along, other than to blink and laugh at the absurdity of the claims.

He tried to save the poor preacher from Nox’s craziness by offering him a handshake and welcome. “Jay Carpenter,”
he offered his name along with an apologetic smile. “Nox”
he shared the name of the one that seemed to momentarily kidnap him, and finally, “and Vena.”


For a moment, he watched the preacher closely, including the way that Nox hooked him close. Nox seemed rather friendly with the guy. More so than normal anyway. Jay looked between them. “Do you two know each other?”

[Natalie Grey]

Another insult washed away. She might have commended his sharpness if she weren't so weary of her surroundings or the strings he tried to tie about her wrists. The second time she brought the conversation to an end he let her leave, but the urgency to do so had diminished beyond simply disliking his company. By now Jay was no longer alone; whatever had disturbed him forgotten or soothed away. Nox looked well recovered, and Natalie blinked her attention away.

The crowd moved like flowers towards the sun when Brandon unveiled himself, but she chose not to notice. She ought to make some effort to discover the identity of her thoughtful 'benefactor', but the blur of faces and inane chatter around her only itched her skin with frustration; she couldn't bring herself to play the game, so she spoke to no one as she threaded through the guests. Each step stung through her foot, but the pain tethered her imagination from darker things; it seemed a fair trade.

She was seeking air, deliberating the merits of feigning illness and making a swift exit before they were seated, when Evelyn approached, draped in velvet nightfall and stars. Natalie's expression softened somewhere close to a smile; genuine, if subtle, for the slim hint of uncertainty she sensed in the other. She didn't need Evelyn anymore, at least not for her original purposes, but her interest in the Congresswoman's work had not been disingenuous.

"Evelyn, you are the very picture of loveliness."

[Ivan Sarkozy]

Ivan couldn't help a slight smile. It didn't lighten his mood or anything. If anything, it made him look more dangerous. He felt a stab of pleasure at the tightening of the man's eyes.

Fuck, but he wanted to hit someone. The feel of his fist slamming into a face and the satisfying collapse of a broken nose against his knuckles, the recoil of the impact bunching his forearm; jack-hammering right and left into ribs, light bending until he hears a snap; his arm around a neck, muscles hard like iron, squeezing, feeling the spastic slaps and attempts of hands to break his hold, clawing and scratching, grabbing at ears or hair or eyes.

And for some reason, he felt the power writhing inside him, as if his anger, so cold, like the iciest strongest wind in the depths of winter, his rage, burning hot, fiery and molten, had found its mate.

And he relished it, fell into it. Responsibility dropped from his shoulders like a cape, a burden crashing to the ground. He breathed deeply, felt the lightness around him, the acceptance of fate or the fucking universe or whatever. What happened, happened. He was not God. He certainly wasn't Brandon, power all gone to his head, now believing he was a god.

The man's words came to him. He had not looked away, despite the widening of the eyes. Ivan didn't care.

His voice was quiet rage. His arms were bunched, fists clenched tightly. "She thinks she is in control...I'll..."
He trailed off. He wasn't going to talk to this man, not about his plans. "What is she to you?"



Edited by Ivan Sarkozy, Jun 29 2018, 01:45 PM.

[Jensen James]

Jensen struggled to interpret the slur of words spilling from his new friend. Before he knew it, a tiny glass was thrust into his hand and names flooded his ears.

He shook Jay's hand, blinking at the one who offered it for a few moments longer than he should have. Thankfully, others were offered quickly after. He smiled warmly at Vena, "what a lovely name,"
he clasped her hand and finally put a name to the face of the one he brushed against.

"Nox, a pleasure,"
but there was another name hanging on the air. Jensen only now sifted through the silt until the bubble of a memory surface.
"What did you say about Aria?"
he cradled the glass careful to not slosh a drop onto their fine clothes.

Of course he remembered her. He remembered that night like it was yesterday. It filled his dreams. It was the first time he encountered something so terrible, so soul-drenching that he finally knew demons walked the earth.

The others were watching him. "That's hardly fun topic of conversation. This is suppose to be a party?"
he smiled to diffuse the tension and looked, wide-eyed, at Nox. He didn't truly remember the man, but it was possible they'd met. Jensen used to pride himself on his ability to put names to faces. "I don't think we've met? But it seems that you know me?"

[Ryker]

He let the guy get it out of his system. It was entirely possible that he didn't even know how to control his power, and any strikes of aggression could be evaded. Then again, that was unlikely given that he was in attendance at this ball. He could be another of Ascendancy's moles caught in the cross-hairs of Yun Kao. But his emotion was too raw to fake. Whatever interest Yun had in this guy, it was unwanted attention. Whatever leverage she held over him, Ryker could only guess, but it was powerful. He clearly had friends in high places if he was here, but none so powerful as to overpower Yun. So he was unlikely to be that close to Ascendancy. A peripheral contact of Ascendancy's, maybe. Maybe.

"She is nothing to me."
He replied flatly. Ryker had no need to lie. "I met her once in a bar. I had no idea who she was until she took an interest in me. It seems she likes to take interest in those around her she may find useful."
His eyes narrowed in irritation like maybe he and Ivan shared that mutual characteristic.

"You noticed that I was in no hurry to read her message. I don't bow to Yun Kao. Neither should you. Maybe we can help each other?"


He was still tense, but the immediacy of the threat seemed to lessen.

[Evelyn]

Before she could be stopped by anyone else, the angelic face of Natalie Northbrook filled her view. She smiled politely and swept up in front of her. The compliment was unnecessary, but Evelyn did give the idea a moment to consider. She did feel lovely, and it was okay to feel that way sometimes.

"Why thank you, Natalie. But you are absolutely stunning. I saw you speaking with an -- older -- man. Are you entertaining a date tonight?"
She smiled at the joke and swept nearer.
"How are you? And your friend? Have you heard anything yet?"
Evelyn wasn't going to admit she hadn't spoken with Ascendancy about him since the opportunity hadn't arisen. However, the task was not forgotten. It was only awaiting the perfect time.

[Nox]

Jay consequently reminded Nox of his manners and he promptly removed his arm from around the man he actually didn't know other than by sight and name. Nox shook his head. "We don't know each other. I've heard about him. Never thought I'd actually meet one of Aria's friends before me."
Nox only knew his name because he was who he was. Nox had grown with his mother watching those paid for TV preachers, and Jensen James had been one of them. He was the latest in a long line of the things his mother had watched.

She was a religious person, but she liked to think that in all the shit we saw there was at least some hope in the world. Not that it did her any fucking good. The images of the hellhound attacking his mother kept him up at night, and when he let his guard down they flooded his memories.

The smile faded for a moment as Nox realized the memories were taking root in his drunken state. The state his father died. Fuck him, and all his fucking with me.

This was a party. He smiled brightly at Jensen. "I'll tell you about Aria later, you are right, it's a party."
So much a party no one was dancing. He looked to his 'friends' and Nox sighed, he'd have loved to get close again to Jay, but Jay was working and Nox had to find Cruz.

His charge, and friend, strolled up to them and smiled. "Nox. You seem to always gather a crowd."
He looked over at Vena and smiled. "Ms. Vena a pleasure. I'm sure my grandfather misses the chance to see you and Scion."
Cruz went around the group but never once introduced himself. "Been a few days."
he said to Jay with a smirk. He didn't say anything about what had transpired between them and Nox was grateful. He knew the details,Sage had been rather explicit in regailing him the tale with Cruz nearby to listen to the details. And Nox hoped Jay never found out they had a peeping tom that night. "And Jensen James, an honor. I would love to get with you and discuss the possibilities of our gifts."
Cruz would love to learn how to heal, Nox wasn't sure if it was out of research or if he just wanted to be more than a weapon. Either way, Nox couldn't show him. At least not anymore than he'd already done which wasn't much.

I interrupted his little interruption. "This is Cruz Vega by the way. His manners are worse than my own."
I grinned at Cruz and he shot a glare back at me. Nox thought about getting some air, but he didn't move, something kept him standing there. Maybe it was Cruz's jealousy...


Edited by Nox, Jul 3 2018, 11:34 AM.