Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'

[Aurora]

"Sure, why not."
Pytor didn't seem to excited but he was friends with Sebastian and Nox, even if he didn't look like he fit in with either one. She was surprised Sebastian and Nox were friends, they weren't exactly from the same side of the tracks either. But Nox always did have a fondness for the bad boys, trying to be one himself, Aurora thought he failed miserably at it, he was always so prone to help someone out even though he said he was no hero. Deep down the boy had a heart of gold he was just selfish about his way of handling things.

Sebastian on the other hand was excited. "Hell yeah I'm game. But you gotta show me some of that stuff. The place I set Aurora up with is perfect for that kind of thing. You don't mind us crashin your place for a bit, do ya 'sis'? "Can't stay out too late, though, guys. Gots plans.""


Aurora's heart sank a little at the term of endearment. And even further when the look on his face suggested he had plans with a woman.

"The lady in red?"
Nox asked, and Aurora turned to him curious and trying not to let her emotions show. So much for crushing on a guy with no interest. Aurora was certain it had to do with how they met, the whole Mother of God thing he had going on. She sighed to herself and answered his question ignoring her brother.

"I don't mind. It's kinda the reason I wanted it, so Nox and I could keep practicing. I didn't expect to be sharing our talents so quickly."
She laughed.

Nox got up "I need to make a call, I'll be back in a few."
Aurora wondered who he was calling and why? Stabs of jealousy? Why? She knew why. Before when at home, they had only the two of them in the end. It was always him and her. She was sad, but he seemed to be making friends here. She'd been in Moscow for months and she hadn't made a single friend until she met Sebastian and Pytor. John wasn't really a friend, though he was helpful. But here Nox was calling someone, making plans with someone else. Aurora lamented at the loss of her brother to someone else. She sighed, and wondered if they were going home soon.

When Nox came back he had a grin on his face. "Aria is mad I left to go play with my friends. Tomorrow, Aurora you, me and her are going to go someplace. It'll answer your unspoken questions. But right now. We have some fun to have."
He pulled her up by the hand and almost dragged her to the door. "Lead the way, Duckling."
Nox squeezed her shoulders in a sideways hug with a huge grin on his face. She wrapped her arm around his waist and squeezed back. She had missed her brother, more than she had ever known.


Edited by Aurora, Dec 4 2014, 10:21 AM.

[Nox]

Guilt was not a feeling Nox had often, but he felt guiltly leaving Aria to clean up their mess alone now that he was going out to play with his friends. Meeting his sister wasn't supposed to go this way, he wasn't upset anymore than it had, and he felt better knowing that Bas thought of his sister as his own sister. Though Aurora didn't look happy about that fact, even though she tried to hide it.

Nox decided to give Aria a call and check on things. When she answered Nox heard the water running in the background. She wasn't pleased he had left, but she had understood, and if she'd still be working, he would have gone to help out. He after all helped make the mess. He grinned at the memories of the beasts they had taken down. There were only a small handful of them, but still it was a glorious fight. Aria feigned anger, but he could hear the light in her voice, she must have just talked to Lucas. Lucky man.

Nox returned to his friends and sister and dragged them out the door. Bas had plans with the lady in red, and he wanted to play with some fire. He wrapped his arm around his sister and she lead the way. Bas' car wasn't built for many, and that really was fine with Nox. He turned to his bud and grinned. "Since you've been taken such good care of my sister you can take her to her place. I'll catch up, me and Pytor will take the metro."
He turned to his sister and handed her his wallet. "Address please."


She took it and frowned. "This is new."


Nox grinned. "I'll explain later Duckling. We've got a lot to talk about."
Aurora typed in the address and Nox took his wallet back. He leaned down and kissed his sister on the forehead. "I'll see ya soon, Sis. I missed you."


He and Pytor headed off to the nearest metro station.

Bas and Aurora would arrive to the place first, the metro didn't stop for another several minutes, and it wasn't far. He enjoyed the near solitude, it gave him time to think. Pytor was exceptionally quite, he wondered what was going through his head. He wondered how the two met his sister, and why they had helped her meet him. Almost like she was afraid of him. He sighed. So many questions.

They got off the metro and walked the few blocks to what looked like an abandoned warehouse. Nox knocked and Aurora opened the door smiling. The place was large, and had moving walls. That could be useful. it didn't look much like a home, but Aurora knew what she was doing. She was always keen on safe houses. "So who showed you this joint? And why were you looking?"


Aurora smiled. "Why Bas of course."


Nox frowned and he turned to his friend. "This come with any strings attached?"
He knew Bas was not a savory sort, he walked the line, he was a thug, there was no question about it. He didn't need to be pulled into any mobster dealings, he had enough with the friggin Atharim and the fact they would hunt him down if they knew what he was.

[Pytor modded with permission]

[Sebastian]

Bas was more than happy to give Aurora a ride to the place. He liked her. She took his and Nox's antics in stride, as if nothing would ruffle her feathers. No huffs or nothin.

Some of the women he'd been around...well, let's just say that as fun as they might have been, it only went to prove the saying true. Hell hath no fury like a crazy psycho bitch! The crazy eyes always gave it away.

Aurora didn't have 'em.

They got to her new place. It hadn't been used in years and was kind of on the outskirts of town. The Mordvinov's had acquired it long before he was born, back when they first started out. Nox and Aurora were gonna have to clean the place at one point. But between the two of them using the power, it'd probably go pretty easily.

Nox and Pyotr arrived soon after and Aurora gave them the tour. Bas contented himself with sending more texts to Alex. She was working and he thought it would be fun to distract her. She worked too hard anyway.

Idly, he wondered what she was up to, what with her job and abilities and all. She'd rarely spoke of her work, at least the specifics. He supposed it was kinda dumb to keep a cop as a little dish on the side. But hey, those little surprises were what kept life from getting dull. And they both knew what they were getting out of it.

Nox and Aurora came back, him suitably impressed with the place. But when he gotten an answer to his question of how he'd gotten it, he didn't look too pleased. "This come with any strings attached?"
he said turning around and frowning.

Bas tilted his head to his shoulder, cracking his neck, smirk on his face. He was lose. Nox was pretty much a friend, but he was always careful. Then he put on a hurt exaggerated look. "Who me? Nah, man, nah. It's not like that."
He pointed at Aurora while smiling widely. "This is my girl right here."
Tapping fist to chest, he went on, "Saved me last night. Straight up. I was fucked up in a bad way. Paranoid and what not."
He shook his head. "I was trippin hard. But your girl here, she came along and saved me. Took me and Pyotr back to her place. Let me crash on the couch. Made breakfast."


He nodded at her. "I owe her. She's my Sacred Lady. It's why I had her back when she was meeting you. She was worried."
He nodded to the building. "This is on me. That you're her brother is just icing on the cake. We're gonna have some good times up in here."



Edited by Sebastian, Dec 4 2014, 03:55 PM.

[Pyotr Grigory]

Pyotr took the train with Nox. He mostly kept silent. To be honest, he was beginning to feel a bit down. He was happy for Nox and Aurora - really - but their reunion also made him feel a bit lonely. As a single child with parents that were kind of just gone, he had lived a lonely life. That had changed with Michelle for a bit. Despite being okay with a casual thing, Pyotr had begun to wonder if he really wanted something more. Too bad she wanted to do things that he just found outright weird.

At least he had friends now. That helped a lot too. He just didn't want to talk about why he was upset with them. He didn't want them to think he was selfish or anything. It wasn't that. He just had seen something tonight that he had always wanted. He had dreamed of having a brother or sister growing up. It didn't matter - with time he'd be okay - but he hadn't expected those old feelings to come back.

They arrived at Aurora's new place, and Pyotr got the tour. It was a nice place and Pyotr smiled and thanked Aurora for showing him around. He knew Bas and Nox wanted to practice. Pyotr wasn't sure. Despite his new found confidence, after the incident underground he was a little self conscious about it. Nox and Bas were way out of his league and he decide he'd probably just sit back and watch. He could still learn that way. He wasn't trying to be sulky though, he put a smile on the best he could. He didn't want them to worry about him.

[Aurora]

Nox was more paranoid than she was right now. He knew Sebastian better, but Bas didn't answer Nox's question as he took it personally, despite the fake frown and the posturing that he wouldn't do that, it still was a personal response. Aurora smiled that she now had another brother looking out for her, but it left a small stab inside her heart too. She could still crush on Sebastian, but she didn't expect it to go anywhere anymore, not that she had before either. But with Nox now in the picture, the chances of it happening were even smaller. He doubted Nox would let his friends near her, he was protective that way, he always had been. And he always would be.

Pyotr on the other hand was awfully quiet, Nox was looking around the building presumably looking for targets of some kind, she would expect him to make this place a right old school of training, not for his friends, but himself. He loved playing with fire, and the power it allowed him certain liberties. She watched him until he looked back and saw her. Aurora nodded back towards his friend, who was idly watching them all. Not talking, not doing much of anything. It still surprised her that a guy like Pyotr was friends with Nox and Bas, Nox and Bas she could understand. They both liked to posture, so much alike.

Nox grinned at her and turned back around and set up his pallet of wood he'd found. It wasn't much but it would do for target practice. Aurora wondered what he was going to show first, he was such a show off.

Aurora pulled up a seat next to Pyotr. "He won't let you sit on the sidelines, not when you can see what he's doing. Nox likes an audience."

[Nox]

Nox smiled, but he still wasn't 100% sure there were no strings attached to Aurora's new place. Bas had answered his unasked question, how did they meet and why they were together. It made sense Aurora was always out to help someone or something. She was the type of girl who went out of her way to not hit a squirrel crossing the road. He rarely let her drive the Jeep for that fact alone.

But Bas called her his Sacred Lady, that was a bit scary to Nox. Religion was not something that he believed much in, though, he had a feeling with Aria he was going to get a high dose of it. And Bas too. He just didn't beleive in things he couldn't see, touch or feel. It was just the way he was.

He dropped the strings topic for now, if Bas ever pushed them in a direction he wasn't happy with he'd stand up to him then, now, well now he wanted to play with fire. Not fire specifically, but the power was calling to him. He grasped it quickly and started looking for likely targets.

There was an old palette off in the corner, Nox dragged it over, with the help of the power, it was heavier than it looked. And set it up. It would make a good target for now. But the question was, what did you show two guys who wanted to learn.

He glanced back and saw Aurora, she nodded towards Pyotr just sitting there, not joining in. He grinned. He'd get him to play, one way or another.

Nox wove a directional stunning weave aimed at one one in particular, it was the sound he wanted, he wove it slow enough and large enough that both Bas and Pyotr could see, he snapped it closed and the large room echoed with the thunderous sound. He grinned as he heard Aurora yell at him. "Nox, for crying out loud. That hurt."
She wasn't smiling but he saw the light in her eyes. He grinned back at her.

"Pyotr will come play or I'll do it again. He's got three minutes."
Nox turned around and grinned widely at Bas. "Aurora said you tried my whip? Here let me show you."


It was one of few weaves that Nox didn't have to think about when he created it, so taking it slow was harder than doing it quickly. Fine filaments of fire and air wove and wound around each other tightly, it reminded him of the braiding of a real whip he'd seen once. Maybe that's where he picked it up from. Who knew. Once it was fully formed he reached out with it and it cracked gloriously in the air, it left a singe mark on the wooden palette in front of him. The weave was the easy part, the actual playing with the whip was the hard part. He expected Bas would leave with a few burning welts. He grinned. "You might want to use only air."
If he did good, if not he'd learn the hard way.
Edited by Nox, Dec 5 2014, 01:18 PM.

[Pyotr Grigory]

Aurora took a seat next to Pyotr as Pyotr watched Nox set up some practice targets. He caught Nox grin and wondered what that was about.

"He won't let you sit on the sidelines, not when you can see what he's doing. Nox likes an audience."
Aurora said and suddenly there was a loud bang and Pytor covered his ears. He had seen the weave Nox had used to create the sound.

"Nox, for crying out loud. That hurt."
Aurora said and Pyotr had to agree.

"Pyotr will come play or I'll do it again. He's got three minutes."
Nox said and then turned to Bas.

Pytor turned to Aurora. "Sorry about that."
He said apologetically. "I better go join them."


He was still feeling a bit down, but had to admit it felt good that they wanted him to join in. He had very little to offer them, so he just walked up to them to watch. He seized power at least, so they knew he was willing to join.


Edited by Pyotr Grigory, Dec 6 2014, 04:06 PM.

[Sebastian]

Now that everything was settled, Nox settled down to it. Bas took his jacket off and loosened his tie. He wasn't really dressed for sparring. Bas felt the menace in the room as Nox seized the power. He wasn't sure he'd ever get used to that. It just felt too...threatening. A guy behind you with a brick. Maybe they were your friend. Maybe not. But you didn't just stand there. Trust was not something he was big on, not when it came down to it.

He prayed and the power flooded him. Aside from the usual feeling of potential and heightened senses, he also felt himself relax a bit. Nox might be stronger than him- he wasn't sure, really. Not like either one of them had whipped them out for measuring- but Bas had grown up fighting. Just because a guy was bigger than you didn't mean you backed down. If anything, you stood up to him because of that. It was all about respect. And he wasn't a punk.

And if he got beat down, he got back up again. And again. And again. If you didn't win, at least you made it clear that he was more trouble than he was worse. Alright, you're gonna get me. Just let me know now what body parts you won't mind gettin broken in the process. Cuz I ain't goin down like no punk.

Pyotr seemed butt-hurt for some reason and decided to sit this out. Kid needed to get up and start learning some stuff. It was for his own good. And Nox seemed to feel the same way because he wove air and fire in a different way and suddenly there was a loud boom aimed at Aurora and Pyotr. He thought he understood how it was done. He laughed, both at that and at their reaction. Aurora was all cute with her reaction. She was unflappable, that one. A cool chick.

Pyotr got up and that was enough for them. "Aurora said you tried my whip? Here let me show you."
He smiled.

"Yeah. It was funny. That night in the tunnels I made it, no problem. But you were right there and I could see what you did. But this time, I just couldn't remember. Maybe it was the tripping balls. I don't know. Ended up burning Aurora's carpet."
He grinned. "Holy crap but did it reek."
He gestured absent mindedly to the building. "It's one of the reasons I offered to find her this new place. Plus, you know. She was hiding out in a ratty place in the red-light district. No telling what kind of trouble she might get up to."
He winked. Aurora could take care of herself, really. But she was in his circle now. And you looked out for your crew.

He watched as Nox made his whip and he could see where he went wrong. Nox cracked it at its target and it hit. He wove his own and this time it came together perfectly. He took Nox's warning to heart and moved to stand by himself and started flicking it lightly, getting a feel for how it moved. Once or twice it came close to his head, but it was slow enough that he didn't get hit. He was gonna have to practice if he wanted to use it.

He wasn't sure it was his style, though. "What else you got? Ninja stars? A bo-staff?"
Something for distance would be good. But a bo-staff sounded like something he'd really like. It was personal. You could feel the hit travel up your arm to your shoulder, could see the other guy's eyes. He liked that, the rush of the fight, the emotion of it. "Hold up. Let me try something."


He let the whip go and then, after a moment of thinking, wove air into a solid cylinder about the width of his thumb and maybe a foot taller than him. On impulse, thinking about the whip, he added fire. It glowed orange. It was light in his hand as he hefted it. Too light. He needed more weight for it to feel balanced. He added some earth. There it was. He liked that. Carefully, he spun it about. He liked the way it flashed and sounded. On impulse, he walked near to the palette and carefully and slowly spun the staff about on either side, not fast. Then he struck the palette hard and sparks flew. There was not recoil. The staff did not bounce in his hand or anything and then, came away easily when he pulled it back.

He looked and saw a charred impression in the wood. He looked at Nox and smiled. "Now this is gonna be fun."



Edited by Sebastian, Dec 8 2014, 12:40 PM.

[Aurora]

Pyotr got up and joined the other boys. Nox really would have made the sound again, idiot brother that he was she had to grin at him. He was persistent.

Aurora watched Nox teach Sebastian the whip, she couldn't hear the conversation, though she could have if she really wanted to. She watched as Bas made a staff appear into his hands. Nox preferred range weapons, she did too, you didn't want to get too close to fangs and teeth and sharp claws. She blinked at her own thoughts.

Nox had wanted to talk, well now was just as good as any, these men had seen monsters and she was pretty sure that's what he wanted to talk about. She wasn't sure she wanted to know more. Monsters were real, or all three plus this girl Aria he so kindly mentioned were all delusional.

She got up and walked over to where the boys were playing with their new toys. Pyotr still didn't look like he wanted in. She knew Nox wouldn't let him sit out, he'd make him fight, and if the man didn't like him afterwards, Nox really didn't care. It'd be sad, but if you wanted to be friends with Nox you had to deal with Nox's moments. She sighed. Her brother was always a wonder to her, how the girls liked him she wasn't sure. But she'd seen him charm the pants off girls for years, she grinned to herself, both literally and figuratively.

Aurora leaned against a pillar near their play area and spoke up over their enthusiasm. "You wanted to talk, now is as good as any brother."


He turned at her and grinned. It was warning enough and Aurora new her brother, she embraced the power inside her and guided it's will into a wall of air just as a ball of fire came at her. She smiled at him and shook her head. "I guess that's a no, then. You just want to play?"
Nox's grin grew wider. Aurora walked to the other side, near the palette he'd set up as a target and nodded to him. "You hurt me I'll hurt you little brother."

[Nox]

Bas got the whip, and he didn't hurt himself when he moved it, that was a plus, but it wasn't exactly his thing either, Nox watched as he modified the weapon into something more personable. Nox grinned and let a sword flash into his hand, the weapon of choice for Aria. He wondered how well his sword work would stand up to hers. He doubted he'd get near her with that. His only chance would be to take her by surprise. His weapons weren't pieces of him, he preferred to stand back and shoot. Cross bows and guns being his preferred method of killing. Up close and personal was dangerous.

Nox turned to Pyotr and grinned and sent a flick of air at the man, if he wasn't going to try he was going to get picked at. Aurora walked up to them, telling him was a good time to talk. No it wasn't, he had to tell her things, that Bas and Pyotr couldn't hear about. It was on thing to tell someone in danger, but there was no need to let these two know that men and women if they knew about them would hunt them down and kill them, and they were part of them, born and raised to kill people like them - himself included. He sighed, but he turned to her with a grin and wove a ball of fire at her. It would dissipate before it hit her, he thought, he was pretty sure anyway, but she erected a wall of air in front of her and it sent his weave scattering across it.

Aurora walked out to where the palette was and threatened him with violence, calling him little brother. It made his skin itch, he hated to be reminded of the fact. "Only eight minutes your junior, big sister."


She grinned at him and threw her own fireball at him. Nox moved out of the way and doused the incoming threat with a weave of water. The water fizzed and bubbled as the fire passed through until it was nothing left.

His turn, Nox wove a wave of air, he did the weave slowly to show his friends the weave. It took more effort to show them how to do it, than it did to think it and go. But he could play with his sister, and show them things too. Aurora called out as he wove the wave of air. "Oh stop playing and go already."



He looked up with a grin and sent the wave of air at her with minimal force. It made her step backwards, but he could use it to knock several opponents off balance, if now plow through them.

Nox and Aurora traded blows back and forth, Nox continuing his slow methodical weaves. He showed them, several simple weaves, and a few complex ones, the directional thunderclap being the most complicated one. It was by far his favorite. He wished he could get that to work with light too, but the physics of it just didn't work. At least not yet.