Northern Winds [NC-17] (IC)

[Boog]

Gwah!? Hey, the head psycho said to take care of this! I'm still handcuffed! THIS has yet to be taken care of! Richard thought, nearly getting out of his chair to follow as the doberman Stygian had been giving orders to vanished into the crowd. Damn.
"They have any drinks potent enough to catch fire?" he finally asked the fox, figuring it couldn't make his day any worse, "I'm having twelve of them." He glanced at the lioness diva for a second, thoughtfully. Music was, after all, somewhat of a thing with him, "She was off a bit on one of the chorus', but still, damn impressive. You know her name? Stage name? Anything?"

[SpottedKitty]

Stygian made himself comfortable in the booth, facing away from Kerya and the rabbit... as if that would make any difference to his senses. Kerya faced him, on the far side of their booth, but the rabbit's back was turned to him. All he could tell about her was her expensive taste in hair styling and ear-fur grooming. The two women were surrounded by a rock-hard mind shield, and they were silent, barely moving. In fact, Kerya seemed to be barely breathing, and she only blinked at an unnaturally slow rate. She had to have seen Stygian, but her frozen gaze never moved. Every now and then the rabbit's head tilted, or her shoulders or ears shifted, as if she were having a silent conversation with Kerya. Stygian raised one eyebrow in a surely-she-isn't-that-stupid gesture, one corner of his mouth twisting up in a wry smirk. His attention focussed on the rabbit's throat, carefully feeling... there! With an extremely light touch, he could sense her throat buzz faintly with subvocalised speech. Not perfect by a long shot, but if he could at least listen in on one side of the conversation...

... might be a high-and-mighty "master mage" where you come from, my dear, but here? You were caught by that silly little song so easily, it was cub's play to take over the bindings when they released you ... Oh, what a tongue you have, little kit, have a care to keep it in your muzzle, or I might just do something to silence it ...

The "voice" was gentle and teasing, but Stygian could hear the threats behind the words.

... Oh, of course I'm going to kill you, eventually, perhaps. But we have the whole evening before us, and who knows what may happen ... Trust me? Heh — you can trust me if you like, but I'll not insist on it ... Sit back and relax, now, and later I'll start asking you questions, about the principles of your kind of magic, and how different mine is ...

[Cogidubnus]

 Cog's eye shifted over to the panther sitting next to him, his shades masking his gaze. He stood still for a moment, his posture and face giving him a decidedly nonplussed look, and sighed, turning his head for just a moment at the exit he was supposed to be keeping an eye on, and back at the waterfall where the jackal had disappeared.
Nothing.

The wolf sat back, his frown deepening, and taking another deep breath the wolf nodded at Edge.
"Laertes Melanthious the Obsidian." the wolf said, his voice odd. "Usually just Laertes Obsidian. He's a cleric." Cog looked up, his glasses sliding down his nose just a bit as he regarded the panther. "I've never seen him fight, personally. But he is a very powerful priest." he said, shrugging. He paused for a moment, thinking.
"I've been trying to kill him for almost as long as I can remember. This is the third time I've ever seen him in person."

Cog grew quiet after that, simply waiting for whatever it was he was supposed to be waiting for. He stared at the waterfall for a moment, transfixed, and without warning turned his head back to the incubus.
"Are you going to eat all those cashews?"

[Tezkat]

The black and gold fox laughed.

"I hadn't noticed. Did you miss the introductions? She goes by Sekhmet now. This is her club, you know." He wagged a finger at Richard. "You could have that kind of success if you would just ditch that awful manager of yours. What was his name again? Dominic? Dimitri?"

Edge waved it off as unimportant and looked up at the attendant.

"You heard the man. A dozen of your strongest, if you please." Having spent the previous night drinking with the Richard, Edge knew enough about the Undead's alcohol consumption to take him seriously. "Heck, make it a lucky thirteen."

He turned back to the table.

"What about you, Carey? You're not designated driver, are you?"

The fox spent a moment sizing up the otter and then winked conspiratorially at Richard.

"This otter boy's quite a find, Richard. I didn't know you liked that type, but it's really sweet how you two have been holding hands this whole time."

The fox leaned forward with his elbows on the table and chin resting on his hands.

"So... How did you meet? Is it serious? Do tell!"

+ + +

The panther blinked and appeared slightly flustered for a moment. It seemed to take a few seconds to register that Cog had spoken to him again.

"Huh? Oh, sorry! Where are my manners?"

He pushed the already half-empty bowl of cashews out to the center of the table within reach of the wolf. He smiled sheepishly and spread out his hand in offering.

"A night for meetings of arch-rivals, indeed..."

His voice trailed off, and he left it at that, gazing off into the crowd once more.

[Stygian]

The sound of approaching footsteps through the commotion Stygian would have filtered out, but their speed and the sensation of someone familiar closing with him caused him not to. It was Keaton who was coming closer, he realized, and sighed. It was good that she was ready to go, but she seemed flustered and that never meant good.
   Had it been just an incubus about to trap and exploit some insignificant being, Stygian would not have cared the slightest. He might have taken a step or two to keep her from devouring the girl right then and there. But the rabbit's words prickled his interest, and in the bat's philosophy some things were simply worth doing. And one of those things was definitely denying some lowly, sadistic succubus power. Had she really been dangerous she would not have been caught in the act so easily anyway.
   The bat got out of his seat, passed Keaton a silent look which let her know that he knew she was there, and then moved, silent as the night, over next to the lapine girl. She didn't even hear him until he leaned down and spoke, his head just perhaps a foot from hers.
   'Excuse me,' he said, 'but there seems to be a problem here.'

- -

The zebra looked, still plainly unamused, at Edge for a second, almost as if warning him not to do anything unadvisable, and then nodded. Clasping his hands behind his back, his stiff manner loosened and he looked between the people still at the table, completely ignoring the handcuffs linking Richard and Carey much the same way as the otter was ignoring them all, staring after Stygian. It was only when Edge addressed him that he turned back, looking at them all as if he'd never seen them before. The fox's words brought a blush to his cheeks.
   'I'm...!' he started, then shook his head. 'I... think I'll have something. Just... something. With rum.' He looked shameful.

[Aisha deCabre]

As the singing wore on, Aisha found herself seemingly carried away by the mood of it all.  But she kept her concentration on dancing, paying attention to where she was going while trying not to get within eye shot of too many in the large group...thankfully, all eyes were on the lioness, until her performance drew to a close.  The panther hadn't noticed, only pausing when the music stopped, wiping a bit of perspiration off her forehead when her swishing steps halted.

But when she looked around, for a moment the adventurer felt sheepish, briefly.  First she was one of the more cautious upon entering the pretty much literal lion's den as part of the backup.  And now here, she had been the only one of them to let loose on the dance floor...if she were one of the others, she'd call herself a fool.  But instead she gave herself a shrug, mentally and physically.  Call it exercise.  However, Aisha was still flushed and just took a rest, combing her fingers through her hair and glancing over the situation.  Only a few of her comrades were in sight...and not even her sensitive hearing could pinpoint any voices from the missing others in the throbbing music and heavy voices of the crowd.

I guess I'll rest and have a drink, she decided, sauntering towards the bar.  But on the way, on a table nearby, Aisha thought she caught sight of a familiar Undead.  There weren't many around here that she knew, thus.  Richard?  Now what...?  Huh.  Guess he couldn't be away from the fun either.  The panther shook her head and sat herself at the bar, near to the others, resting the weight of her body on her arms, crossed over the table.  "Just, something light, whatever you recommend," she murmured to the barkeep.

[Gareeku]

"And a double vodka and orange, as well. I'll pay." a voice suddenly said to the side of her. Standing there was Gareeku, finishing off what looked like a gin and tonic. Looking at Aisha, he smiled slightly. "I see you were having fun out there."

Glancing back out at the crowd of the club, Gareeku wondered what was going on with the others, partly concern, partly curiosity. He, however, had ust decided to saty out of the way at the bar and drink, as per usual.

[Boog]

"Then it may be wise to fetch that with the rest of the drinks," Richard replied shortly to the Zebra, "Yeesh, service around here. Anyway, you think I haven't tried ditching Dimitri? At this point I'm considering sneaking cold iron shavings into the ponce's mineral water to make him stop being my problem. Thank god he doesn't know about this place, or he'd have Sekhmet too." He shrugged and threw in a dismissive wave of his own. "On to better topics. Carey here?" he gestured to the young man who he was dead set on making regret every aspect of his current duties, "He just kinda showed up at my doorstep. Then again, he tells it better," Like most undead, the musician didn't consider sexuality a compelling motivator in his existence, and thus had been granted a whole new option for making Carey's life hell. It was like Christmas coming early. "Go on sweetheart," The zombie rasped, "Tell him."

[Aisha deCabre]

After she ordered her drink, Aisha quirked her ears in surprise and looked up to see who had spoken next to her.  She smiled when she saw that it was Gareeku, and chuckled at his statement about her having fun out on the dance floor...though she wondered if the fact that her face was warm was really due to her being slightly flushed from the exercise.  So he was watching me...

She flicked her sweat-ridden bangs out of her eyes and smirked.  "Heh, it's indeed fun, if you like being on your feet."  That was when the drink was set down next to her.  She gave a nod of thanks to the barkeep and took a sip, the cool liquid feeling quite good in her throat.  "Thanks for buying, I owe you one next time," she grinned to the wolf and followed his gaze out to the crowd.

It seemed like a waiting game now for those who didn't have the swift and dangerous parts.  And after everything that's happened, if this club went up in flames as well, the adventurers wouldn't be seen in the town alive again, were they to be identified.  She shook her head with a hum.  "If all goes well, I hope we won't have to rush to get our weapons from storage.  And I thank you for taking care of that for me too, by the way," she added and took another gulp of the liquid.

[SpottedKitty]

'Excuse me,' Stygian said, 'but there seems to be a problem here.'

His words, apparently coming from almost in her ear, had an electrifying effect on the rabbit. She gave a muffled squeak of alarm and jumped as if she'd been dunked in ice cubes. Her eyes almost popped out of her head — and something else actually did. A small pair of wings, batlike and buttery yellow in colour, sprouted from her short blonde hair, flaring out as her ears lay back flat against her head. The rabbit 'cubi turned to face Stygian, her fur fluffed up and her eyes wide. After a moment her expression and pose radiated surprised innocence, but not entirely convincingly.

"P... p... problem? Wh-why, there's n-nothing wrong here," she stuttered. "I was just enjoying a drink and a talk with my friend here. You know, clothes, boyfriends, magical gossip, that sort of hrrrkglh..."

The rabbit's words were abruptly cut off as a narrow band of fur around her throat lay flat, then squeezed. She raised her hands to pull at the constriction, but there was nothing solid for her fingers to grab hold of.

"What. Did. You. Do. To. Me?" Kerya's voice, low-pitched and boiling with fury, came from the briefly forgotten far side of the booth. With the rabbit's concentration disrupted, her hold on the little stoat had crumbled. Kerya sat back in her chair, glaring across the table, one hand raised in front of her and apparently clutching empty air. Her other hand reached into her sleeve and pulled out what looked like a twig, about the size of a toothpick. Kerya muttered a few quiet words, and the twig grew, expanding in just a few seconds into a slender ornately carved staff only a little short of her own height, decorated with silver inlay and end caps.

The furious little stoat repeated her question through tightly clenched fangs, shaking her grasping hand. The trapped rabbit's head bobbled back and forth, her headwings fluttering wildly, and her nosepad and the insides of her ears turned a variety of unhealthy colours. Some of them were even visible on certain parts of the rabbit's face, where her white fur was particularly thin.

[Stygian]

The rabbit's initial reaction was entirely satisfactory to the bat. Flexing his claws, he calmly readied to perform a little number of dark magic that would put her out of commission for the rest of the evening with a few educative side effects. However he didn't get so far, before something appeared around her neck and began constricting her.
   A swift look between the two girls told him everything he needed to know, and for a moment he was relieved. Perhaps he didn't have to intervene after all. That thought was swept away when he realized the volatility of Kerya's reaction though. In a moment, things became much too dramatic and flashy for his liking. He immediately responded.
   The bat's move was simple. He simply swept his hand down in front of the rabbit, and though she couldn't feel any magic from his side, Kerya felt her grip on the lapine's throat dissolve somehow, melting away in a split second. Or rather, it had felt as if something were eating away the magic, like acid. Not a pleasant sensation.
   Dark eyes faced her under a slight scowl. 'We are in a club, miss. I will ask you to mind your manners,' the bat said quickly. Then, he turned back to look at the rabbit again. 'And so will you. I shall not report something like this even if I know the owner of this place. But I know something that will be even better.' He placed his hand on her shoulder, another subtle maneuver.
   A jolt seemed to pass through the succubus, and her eyes widened and pupils narrowed to pinpricks, looking out into nowhere. It lasted only a second, but when she looked up again into the bat's wickedly smiling face she was breathing twice as fast and shaking, her face as if she was on the verge of tears.
   'That's right,' Stygian murred. 'And you can't do a thing. So you will sit and behave. And pray I do not come for you later.'
   As if everything else had simply stopped mattering, the bunny slumped into her seat, hopelessness on her face, while Stygian stood up again and smiled.

[SpottedKitty]

Kerya chittered in surprise and ducked back when Stygian disrupted her spell. There was a faint sound of something invisible sliding against something else invisible, then a distinct thump, and a palm-sized dent appeared in the wall behind her, as if it had been hit by a padded sledgehammer. The little stoat shook her hand and looked closely at it. Not a strand of fur was out of place, and her claw polish wasn't even scuffed. She stood up and looked at Stygian, her ears perking up as she recognised him.

"Peace, then, for now," she agreed with a grudging nod in reply to the bat's comment. "If she crosses me again, though, she may beg the Lady for Her mercy — in person — for I shall have none."

Kerya watched Stygian with interest as he did something that left the rabbit a shivering nervous wreck. "My thanks for the assistance — I told you we would meet again!" she said with a quirky smile on her face. Her eyes twinkled mischievously as she continued, "May I ask my benefactor's name? Or shall I just call you "tall, pale and gruesome"...?"

[Stygian]

Again, the girl's frankness took him a bit by surprise, and Stygian raised his brow and tilted his head by the slightest degree. Then he smirked, placing one hand behind his back.
   'Call me by whatever name,' he said. 'Though most would say Sebastian.' He made a small, formal bow, mostly just a nod. He wondered at her quickly shifting moods. It was seldom that he met someone who changed their outward expression as quickly as he. But she seemed an interesting one, all the more for the comments from before. It was sad that he didn't have the time to speak to her immediately.
    'I'm trusting you can take care of this thing on your own now,' he said, making a meaningful sideways glance toward the rabbit, who didn't even seem to notice. 'I have some business to attend to. But perhaps we shall talk later?' He made a quick, outwardly unnoticeable check to make sure that Keaton and Edge were near, and hopefully on their way.

- -

The otter had blushed before, but the redness that hinted under his fur now was purely from anger. 'Stuff it you morons!' he snarled, eyes dashing back and forth between Richard and Edge. 'Like you know what you've gotten yourselves into. You just hope that you can walk quietly out of this one!'

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Finishing her drink Mel moved away from her spot by the waterfall. She took the long way to the bar. As the little silver fox walked past the booth where Ignatz and Keaton were interacting with some strangers she paused and quirked an eyebrow at the distraction before continuing on to the bar where Aisha and Gareeku were relaxing. "You seem to be enjoying your dance."

[Boog]

"He's just grouchy because he knows who's really the lucky one in this relationship," the undead whispered to Edge, a scrap of decaying matter falling off the edge of his jaw and fluttering down to the table, "I just felt so bad for him. Anyway, what's this YOU crap?" Richard held up his (and thus Carey's) arm, showing the handcuffs without a care now, "You better hope that WE can walk quietly out of this one. So why don't you tell me..." the zombie's voice lowered somewhat, his glowering at Carey that same way he had out in the alleyway, "... What we have gotten ourselves into?"

[Cogidubnus]

 "And you, my dear, seem to be enjoying yourself far too little." Cog walked up behind Mel, his eyes occasionally glancing back towards the entrance of the club and the waterfall, and then back to the morphed dragon. He raised an eyebrow, peering over the tops of his shades at the fox.

"I'm drinking, the Incubus over there is lounging, and these two are indeed cutting a fine rug," the wolf remarked, leaning up against the bar, "But even watching the door it's hard not to notice a fox just standing all by herself next to a waterfall, getting her nice dress all wet from the spray, and staring at everyone else." he said, and looked out of the corner of his eyes at Mel. "Not that it's particularly noticeable, but it'd be a shame to have more eyes on us than necessary before...whatever we're here for goes down."

The wolf looked at Mel for another moment, and then grinned. "And more than that, you look much to pretty to be standing off by yourself. So, my lady, in the interests of keeping a low profile," Cog said, pushing himself off the bar, and turning towards the fox he made a formal bow, then extending his hand towards the dragon.
"Would you care to dance?"

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel laughed with genuine humor and took the offered hand. "I am honored, Mr. Mithome. I would not want to look out of place." She grinned at him, "I warn you, I may be unable to avoid enjoying myself. I hope you do not think that too unprofessional of me."

[Cogidubnus]

 Taking the silver fox's hand, the wolf kissed it just once and gestured to the dance floor, leaving his cane next to Aisha and Gareeku. "Far be it from me to disapprove, my lady." Cog said, also grinning.

The music that the band was playing wasn't quite the quick, fast paced rock and roll that it had been playing before, but a continuation of the music that the lioness Sehkmet had been singing and dancing to before. Cog turned, his coat swirling softly about his ankles, and with a smile maneuvered himself around the transformed dragon, one hand grabbing the fox's other, and his other hand coming to rest at the small of her back.

"I'm afraid I don't know very many new dances." he said, tilting his head to the side. "But you strike me as the type who might not either. Just a hunch." the wolf said, again smiling.

[Tezkat]

"Pretty kinky..."

The fox wore a bemused smirk and a raised eyebrow. He sighed dramatically.

"Alas, poor Richard, chained down to a boyfriend who has his heart set on another man. Even with you next to him, Carey couldn't take his eyes off the scary bat guy." He fixed his eyes on the otter and wagged a finger. "You don't know how lucky you are, Carey. Take my advice: You should hold on to what you have instead of chasing things out of your reach. No offence, but that guy is way out of your league."

+ + +

"It's so nice to see you making friends, Lucian."

The jaguar had his hands in his pockets and a smug grin on his face. He nodded warmly to the stout. He sized up the headwinged rabbit with a detached disinterest that didn't merit a second glance. If the disguised Incubus felt any sympathy for his kinswoman, it didn't show. He cocked his head and looked up at Stygian with an expectant gaze.

[Sunblink]

...Keaton:

Upon receiving Stygian's confirming stare, Keaton sighed and continued to approach, up until his attention was seized by another phenomenon in the form of a lapine Succubus and a stoat seated nearby. For some reason Stygian's interest had been piqued by these two, something Keaton wasn't particularly concerned with. He could do what he wanted, as long as they didn't get in trouble--and she doubted that he would do anything which would endanger their clandestine secrecy. Flicking her tail to the side, Keaton surreptitiously took a seat at the booth, occasionally and furtively casting her glance between Stygian, who was confronting the rabbit Succubus, and the tabby Gryphon far away.

She couldn't see much in regards of the Gryphon's activity, but Keaton knew that she was suspicious. After all, she had done a piss-poor job at keeping herself incognito, so it was no wonder that she was apprehensive. As time passed Keaton steadily realized the increasing pressure which was leaning onto her shapeshifted form, making it more and more difficult to continue assuming her disguise. She would have to take refuge in a bathroom or somewhere equally private nearby if her subterfuge dropped.

From afar Keaton analyzed the panicked expression of the lapine as Stygian did... something which she couldn't detect, and had stripped away her defenses. After so thoroughly frightening the Succubus Stygian was now getting comfortable with acquainting himself with the stoat, making Keaton roll her eyes and her attention drift towards the dance floor. Cogidubnus was dancing with Mel now. Edge was talking with Stygian. And all she could do was lace her fingers beneath her chin and fight against the strengthening pressure on her shapeshifting, hoping that the Gryphon wouldn't see her outside her disguise.

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Aisha deCabre]

Aisha hummed into her drink as she watched the goings-on in the club...though the activity in front of the bystanders' respective gaze was still going on strong and colorful as well as lively.  She kept her eyes half-lidded, due to the constant motion and lights.  She was content at least for the moment, trying to cool herself down.  It was after a while of doing so that Mel showed herself, after seemingly having hidden for a while, doing the same things that the panther had done; mostly staying out of influence.

She only had a smirk on her face when Mel also commented her on dancing.  But as she began to open her mouth in reply, Cogi had come over to the disguised dragon and asked for a turn on the dance floor.  Aisha spared a nod farewell for the moment, leaning back on the bar and watching the pair with a smile.  "Cute," she commented about them, ears perking and tail swishing as she heard the music cut to a slightly slower tune.

Again, the panther then wondered what had become of their other comrades...or mutual acquaintances, more like.  It hadn't been for too very long that they had been in the club; but the waiting alone was enough to make one tense.  She took a deep breath and banished the anxiety from her mind in an instant.  Even if it was rather in the interest of keeping a low profile, as Cogidubnus put, it was also a chance to enjoy things while they could, as he and Mel were demonstrating.  And Aisha did indeed like to keep on her feet.

Finishing her drink off with a slow sip, she glanced at Gareeku for a moment.  She knew it was his own way to stay out of the way of things as well, especially now.  But, who knew...perhaps she could try bring a bit of his old self out.  Perhaps she would be taken as a fool for wanting herself and everyone else to loosen up.  But there was no harm in trying.

With a barely audible gulp, she set her glass on the table and stood up, stretching her arms in front of her.  "I don't think another dance is a bad idea," she turned to the wolf with a soft but challenging grin.  "I don't suppose you'd want to join me, tough guy."

[SpottedKitty]

Kerya nodded. "Very well, Sebastian." She tucked the staff into the crook of her left arm, rather than a walking-stick grip, raising her free hand to make an odd, clawing gesture over her chest. "I am Kerya, accredited Master of the Four Rings School. You have an... odd style to your Art. Perhaps it is one of the things we could discuss later, after you complete your business. I shall remain here for a while longer, unless that —" the little stoat narrowed her eyes and indicated the rabbit still sitting numbly at the booth, "— chooses to try herself against me once more. Until later, then."

Giving a small, polite bow to the bat, Kerya strode off in the direction of the bar, nodding briefly to the grinning jaguar who seemed to want to talk to her new acquaintance.

It wasn't until she was passing a nervous-looking dark-furred canine of some kind sitting at a nearby table that she paused and let her face slip a little, showing immense relief, and just a hint of worry. In the Names of the Lord and the Lady, she thought, that was another close one! If Sebastian had not intervened... Her fur shivered down the back of her neck for a moment, then she continued towards the bar. Perhaps she could find something close enough to her favourite brandy.

[Stygian]

'Oh, and in whose then? Yours?' Carey hissed back, then looked away and as the zebra came back to deliver their drinks quickly grabbed his and kicked it back hastily. The equine stayed for a moment, then turned his chiseled back to them and retreated slowly and gracefully. Somehow though, it still felt as if his attention was still with them.
   The glass smacked as the otter put it down, looking a bit haggard. 'You've blown up one bar already. And no one's linked it to anyone. Should give you an idea of what these people can do just like that,' he muttered.

- -

Stygian gave Keaton a short, pleasant look, and then backed up and straightened his suit just when Edge arrived. He looked back at the jaguar a bit nonchalantly and then to Kerya, giving her a last smile before she left.
   Looking back to the two incubi, the bat sighed. 'Well then. We're going,' he said, then turned and began pacing along the wall against a door at the far end of the booths, guarded by a slightly more formally dressed male attendant, a young lion who looked as hard as a bag of rocks. Before the bat and the jaguar and jackal even reached the door, the lion looked up, and then placed his paw on the door, pushing it open and bowing his head at them. Stygian entered without giving him a second glance and examined their new surroundings.
   As could be expected, the door led into a corridor connecting to the backrooms of the club, red-walled and decorated with an exquisite golden board and red carpets. And as could also be expected, behind the stages it was almost as lively as in front. Special guests were treated to their own rooms, serfs scurried holding platters and plates. The place even seemed to have its own bathhouse as a pair of figures that walked up a stairway and past them were still dripping, a picture-perfect, topless desert cat giggling and leading on a much larger wolverine who grinned and held his hands around her as they hurried on by, strewing droplets of water that stained the smooth carpets. Stygian raised his eyebrows, then gave a derisive snort, before another girl stepped up by them, as immodest as the soaked feline had been.
   'Mr. Donovan?' she said, and Stygian looked down at her, nearly frowning. 'This way, please.' The bat nodded harshly, and she hurried on, walking ahead.
   'Don't say anything,' Stygian discretely said back to Keaton and Edge as they walked. 'That goes mostly for you, Keaton. Don't try and draw her attention.'

[Boog]

Richard shook his head, reaching for his drink, "Well, it's only been a day- gah, not the point. Listen up, kid, we didn't blow up any damn bars. That was the other guys. So why don't you tell me what's going on so I can tell when this one's gonna go up. Because lets face it," he sighed, his face that of one who'd been dragged into the 'adventurer's' life too many times before. He drained the first of the potent intoxicants the zebra had brought and reached for another immediately, "it's gonna happen. If I know these people, and I've been starting to hope I don't- No offense, Edge- Then this place will be looking at a stampede of scared furrae trying to get the hell out in an hour, tops." he rattled the handcuffs again, "And I'm not gonna bite through my own arm to get out of these if you feel like being difficult." Richard added a bit more rasp to the last sentence; it was within his abilities, but he didn't want to actually do it.

[Cogidubnus]

 The music to which the morphed dragon and the wolf danced was too quick for formal dancing, of course, this being a club and not a ballroom. But both of the dancers were deft, and both knew the steps, and a little modification here and there managed to keep their movements in time with the meter of the music.

Mel's white dress swirled in contrast with Cog's own black attire, the grey wolf and the silver fox moving gracefully, if not wildly, across the dance floor. The pace they moved at suggested more of a swing dance, or some sort of tango than a waltz or a foxtrot. Even so, they didn't look out of place amongst the crowd of the Red Sands - considering some of the patron's mode of dance, and state of attire, there were many other things far more interesting to watch. Two people dancing a semi-formal swing dance were certainly not even on the radar.
  The black-clad wolf and the white-clad fox, strange though the sight might have been, did indeed hide in plain sight - out of all the strange things that occupied the Red Sands, they were certainly one of the least strange ones. The plan was a success.

Cog grinned. At least, that would be his story, and he was sticking to it...

[Sunblink]

...Keaton:

Keaton was more than happy to follow Stygian to the other room, even when she had no idea where they were going. Frankly, any opportunity to walk away undetected was a good enough incentive for her alone. Without complaint Keaton unfolded her slender legs and stepped off of the stool, brushing her dress off and following Stygian and Edge as they approached the door guarded by the lion. After giving them an analytical stare he had bowed his head in respect and pushed open the door for them.

Inside, the walls and floors were garbed in luxurious decorations, a contrast to the carefree nature of some of the guests which sprinted through the corridors half-naked. Keaton blinked at the unusual sight of the wolverine and cat-girl, but shrugged it off relatively quickly when Stygian was confronted casually by another girl. An attendant, most likely. After nodding to her Stygian mentioned something, which made Keaton pout involuntarily. Her? Why her? Edge was more likely to get in trouble, all past behavior considered.

Either way, she decided to not question his judgment. Probably had a good reason for saying that, she decided. Sighing, Keaton brushed some curled ringlets of hair out from her face and followed Stygian close behind.

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Tezkat]

Edge followed Stygian into the private areas of the club. With his hands resting comfortably behind his back, the jaguar's posture indicated relaxed confidence. He displayed no particular interest in the surroundings, which had changed little since his visit the day before. He took a moment to size up each new person as they appeared, but his gaze didn't linger, even on the pretty ones. His eyes remained focused, sparkling in anticipation.

He nodded in acknowledgement of Stygian's request.

"Of course. I am, after all, just a delivery boy." He grinned. "I'm sure you two will have a lot of catching up to do."

+ + +

I want to go on record saying that this is a bad idea.

Ky, it's hard enough to juggle two conversations at once without a peanut gallery interjecting.

I'm serious! I don't like this at all.

You had no objections when we came here yesterday.

That was just a meeting with a client.

This is just a meeting with a client. The same one, in fact. Well, maybe with better legs...

Ch-Yah! That meeting didn't end in bloodshed and mayhem. This one almost certainly will. And don't deny that your combat abilities are limited in here. Even I can feel the wards. I wish you'd left the fox outside like we planned.

What? Abandon a comrade in need of rescue?

If that's your excuse...

+ + +

"At least I'm good looking enough to have a shot."

The fox rolled his eyes. He ran a hand through his hair and then brought it to rest in front of him, pausing to inspect his claws.

"But I'd appreciate not being lumped in with idiot pyromaniacs who blow up bars full of people. That sort always gets what's coming to them in the end."

He held his drink up, nodding a toast, and then kicked it back in one gulp. After he set the glass down, however, he seemed to lose interest in the otter. His gaze wandered out to the other denizens of the club, among whom more dangerous troublemakers might be hidden...

[Stygian]

The girl led the three sharply and quite contrastingly fully dressed through the back of the club, up a narrow round stairwell and then through the corridor of the top floor to a door at the very end of it, then stood to the side and looked down, holding her hands before her yet not blushing in spite of her immodesty. 'She's waiting for you,' was all she said. Stygian walked past and opened the door, and stepped in.
   The room was quite large, easily the size of a small apartment. One part of it was elevated, a short set of stairs leading up to a floor where a large four-poster bed hinted behind a set of semitransparent draperies. Paintings and decorations adorned the walls, and most notably a rather large pair of tasteful, whole-piece statues of Anubis-like creatures in what seemed to be black marble were set to the far corners of the room. An obviously magical timepiece, a huge timeglass atop a complex golden clockwork mechanism through which some red liquid ran, stood to the other side of the room between two windows. The room was somewhat dimly lit, accentuating the golden and red tones of most of the furnishing perfectly.
   And there she was, sitting lazily in a sofa to the far end of the room, holding a golden goblet in her hand and already having changed into something more formal, a deep red, backless dress that clung to her sand-colored form perfectly. She grinned.
   'Please, do come in. Have a seat,' she said, her pleasant voice almost a purr. 'Something to drink? It's been far too long for comfort, Lou.' She raised the goblet to her mouth and took a long sip, them placed it down on the red-glassed table with a languid movement, gold jewelry clinking slightly. 'The bounties that still stand are all I've had to go on lately. I've been worried about you.'
   'Not long enough, Ash. And I'd rather not,' Stygian said, slowly walking over. He slipped into one of the armchairs opposite to the sofa, never taking his eyes off her. This close one could see that she was probably taller than the bat. 'I won't stay for long.'
   The lioness chuckled softly, a strangely pleasant sound. 'Don't be so cold. It's been, what, six hundred years? And then you show up at my doorstep. The city still remembers.' Her eyes shifted between Edge and Keaton, one at each side of the bat. 'And then with these people in tow. Not the companions I would have thought for you. But good taste, nevertheless. Especially the girl.' She gave the succubus a long, veiled look. Her eyes were a deep, reddish brown, matching her short and well-trimmed, spiky hair.

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel was amazed. Dancing was not one of her top ten skills, particularly not with her wings hidden and her balance a little bit off. She put the success entirely down to the graceful swordsman. Of course such luck couldn't last. The music swept to a close and she took one step backwards, intending to compliment Cog on his dancing skill. Instead she said a rather rude word as she slipped on an ice cube escaped from some drunks drink and ended up in a rather undignified heap on the floor. She sighed, "It figures. The dance curse continues unabated."

[Gareeku]

As the others came over and chatting, Gareeku said nothing, choosing instead to sip more of the drink in his hand. Like Aisha, he too thought of where the others were.
As long as they're not getting into trouble... the wolf thought to himself while taking a sip of his drink. Watching Mel and Cog walk off into the crowd to dance, Gareeku then turned to Aisha as she spoke to him. Finishing the rest of his drink, he looked at her, a slight smirk on his face.

"Is that a challenge?"

Taking the pantheress by the hand, the wolf led her into the crowd, where they danced in a fashion not too dissimilar to Cogi and Mel; graceful and smooth, both of them moving together with fluidity and finesse. He may have been a warrior, but he also knew how to dance. Twirling Aisha around occasionally, Gareeku then held her close to him for a moment, his eyes looking into hers. It was in that moment that time itself seemed to slow down. He couldn't tear himself away from those warm, crimson eyes...

It was then however, that he realised the music had ended. Looking up and around, the wolf rubbed the back of his head slightly. However, if one were to look carefully, it would become apparent that those normally white cheeks had turned a slight shade of pink.