Apr 24 01:46:22 106 PA
From Chronicles
The current game time is: Sun Apr 24 01:46:22 106 PA.
It's early afternoon on a Sunday and the restless and relentless alike have packed the arcade with the usual weekend crowd. City rats slouch and congregate around machines like miniature gangs claiming turf, and bump shoulders with the wired up Juicers who descend on the place to test their reflexes and bleed off nervous energy safely. The place is a hazy of smoke and noise, thrumming bass from the music speakers drowned out by the chirps, bleep and buzzes of the hundred games lined up throughout the room.
Rebekkah's here and she's gathered a little crowd of her own, a mix between youths watching her skill on the D-Bee Dance Evolution GTX4 game and slightly older men more interested in just watching -her-. She's oblivious to the attention though, too focused on matching her feet to the colored squares that scroll along in sequence on the game's display.
Maya hasn't been there before, and her entrance is cautious, unusually slow for the women. A scarf around her throat is the only addition to her normal outfit, and the sight of the D-Bee Dance Evolution game draws her like a magnet. For a time, she stands at a distance, watching the other women dancing, her mouth curving into a grin that lights up her eyes. Slowly, she moves forward, drawn irresistibly by the combination of fun and dancing. Eventually, she ends up leaning on a machine next to it, watching the other woman go!
Rebekkah dances, spurred on by the unnatural chorus of praise and admiration coming from the machine above the dance track. Go! Perfect! Keep it up! Good timing! It's a good thing the game gives encouragement because the handful of sleep-deprived guys watching seem to think it's not cool to actually say anything. The music shifts down in tempo to a gentler bridge and Bek seizes the opportunity to have fun and show off a little. High axe kicks with first one leg and then the other help to punctuate the beat, her heavy tanker's heels pounding down on the illuminated squares beneath her in perfect time - perfect enough for the game's standards, anyway.
There is another watching as Rebekkah plays her dancing game. Someone who is in that 'a bit too old' stage of life and thus it only adds to his creepiness. A tallish man, draped in a blue robe and cloak, the hood drawn up over his head, veiling his dark eyes and swarthy complexion. He stands just a bit back from the actual cluster of youths, his hands lightly crossed before him and his attention towards the dancer.
Maya's mouth widens into a broad grin, her hands resting on her hip, her foot tapping as the music shifts in tempo. She is barely resisting the urge to jump up and down to encourage the other woman, moving a little closer, her hands tapping her sides with the beat. "You are good!" She calls to the other woman, picking her moment to avoid putting her off the beat. The creepy man goes unnoticed at that moment, Maya's attention firmly placed.
"Thanks!" Bek chirps, glancing over at Maya with a sparkling smile, so clearly pleased to have someone actually, you know, talk to her. It's a quick look though, just enough for her to get the broadest impression of the other girl before her attention snaps back to the display. The colored cubes flash in time to the beat, guiding her feet via the brain, reflecting in the wide openness of Bek's bright pink eyes. Her foot stomps down on the yellow pad and she waves her hand at the second player platform beside her. "Join in! We can do some combos."
When Maya calls out to Rebekkah, the robed man's eyes move towards her, lingering for a few moments to study her before she is left once more in favor of the current dancer. For now, he seems content to be one of those silent watchers, ignored and unseen. Unexpected.
Maya's hesitation is only a moment, before her boots thud onto the next player platform beside the other woman. The bunches either side of her head bounce in time with her movements and she slips into the beat, her eyes lifting to the screen as it begins to shout instructions and encouragement at her. "I'm Maya!" She shouts over the noise of the machines, her feet matching Bek's pace, skirt flying around her thighs.
"Bek!" Rebekkah pants in return, giving Maya another quick look and a bright smile. She's been at this for a while, if her out-of-breath-ness and the sheen of sweat on her face and neck can be any indication. The track starts wrapping up to the conclusion, a rising crescendo of accelerating beats and a bass thumping out in double time. Bek leans forward into the groove, feet pistoning up and down on the squares as they light up like she's running place. It's a little comical, really, but when it comes to D-Bee Dance Evolution, it's actually Serious Business.
Maya's cheeks begin to glow with the exertion, her boots flying over the squares, her mouth curved into a broad grin. "Nice to meet you, Bek!" Her voice is breathless, her hazel eyes fixed on the screen in front of her. As it reaches up to the crescendo, her pace picks up, and her skirt flies around her thighs. The grin fades as concentration rises, and she frowns as it becomes slightly more challenging.
Rebekkah hangs on as long as she can, but the music gets faster and her legs have turned into rubber noodles. The song ends! Fireworks and digital confetti pour down the screen and a quick-flex male, dressed in bleeding edge 'street' fashion straight out of Chi-Town, strolls onto the screen to congratulate Maya and Bek both. "I'm done," Bek announces, breathing heavily and looking over at Maya again with a shake of her head. "You can keep going, I need to buy a soda." She swallows, dry throat clicking, and fans a hand at her neck.
Maya's legs are fresh and she keeps it moving, until the moment the song ends. Then she jumps backwards, landing on the floor with a broad grin. "That was fun." She replies to Rebekkah, turning towards the other girl. "You come here often?" The question is a dry one, humour underlying it, and the male on the screen gets a glance and a grin.
With their game done, the blue clad man steps forward smoothly, one youth who stands in his path casually brushed aside as he comes near to the dancing game machine. The young one's protests ignored. "Perhaps I could provide for your refreshments, if you might provide me just a bit of your time," he offers, his eyes set on Rebekkah.
"All the time!" Bek answers Maya excitedly, her cheeks flush with the exertion and her pink eyes wide and eager. She blinks and looks from the other girl to the tall man when he addresses her, though, then shoots a sly, conspiratorial grin to Maya. "Sure, I can do that," she answers the offer, nodding a couple of times to the robed man, ponytail bouncing spryly.
Maya's attention moves from Bek to the man, her grin undaunted. A brief flash of interest and she turns to the man, resting her hands on her hips as she catches her breath. "Got room for another?" She questions, unwilling to give up the newly found friend so easily.
"This is good," the man replies, obviously pleased with the acceptance of his offer. As Maya speaks, he turns his head to consider her. Lingering a moment before he dips his head once. "Very well. Come and you may take your pick, my treat." He grins broadly and motions towards the refreshment area before he turns to lead the way in that direction.
Rebekkah's grin brightens and she loops her arm through Maya's to drag her along with after the man and the snack counter. "Ace-flash," she exclaims brightly, then gives a musical, girlish laugh. "If he wants to give us a ride somewhere, though, just get up and leave."
Maya is dragged, laughing as she follows Rebekkah willingly. "Ace-flash?" She repeats questioningly, giggling, Rebekkah's laughter catching. "I'm not following anyone into their van for some sweeties. Unless they are really hot..." A momentary pause to consider that.
The robed man leads the two right up to the counter, either unaware of or ignoring their banter along the way. Once there, he turns towards the and smiles, sweeping his arm towards where the attendant waits to take and fill orders. "Once you have what you desire, we shall sit and talk. And, perhaps, we shall find agreement." This again said to Rebekkah in particular.
Rebekkah isn't greedy, she just gets what she was going to have anyway - an extra large electric blue raspberry soda with a cherry. "Agreement?" she repeats, a bit warily. An uncertain glance over at Maya and then she shakes her head. "I'll listen, but I don't do any weird stuff."
Maya doesn't take a drink, his words bringing a caution to her expression and she returns that glance with a shake of her head. "I'm out of here, Bek. Come find me, I work at the hospital, live at Happy Days." Another cautious look at the old man and she turns tail, leaving Bek to handle the man alone.
The man merely smiles at Rebekkah when she expresses caution, showing a light amusement. Maya's departure gets a glance, but he doesn't seem at all perturbed by it. Instead, he will pay for the drink with a cred stick, then, once it has disappeared within his robes again he motions towards a table for two which is a bit off to the side. DIscreet, but not hidden from view. "A discreet talk, if you do not mind. You need not fear, I have no improper designs for you."
Rebekkah stabs a straw through the lid of the drink and nods. As she takes a sip she helps things along by motioning with her head towards the table, obviously being more willing to follow than be followed. Once at the table she settles in, pulls a foot up onto the seat with her and leans into upraised leg. "Okay, so, what do you want to talk about?"
The man turns to take the lead without hesitance or concern. And once the two are settled down, he leans back slightly and considers Rebekkah. "You are young.. but I have heard that you are looking for paying work in the fine trade of the mercenary. It so happens I have a need of those with martial skill and the will to use it. With pay that is, I think, quite agreeable. Are you such a person?"
Rebekkah is caught halfway through another drink through the straw and freezes briefly, the bright blue liquid freezing in the translucent tube just as perfectly as the rest of her. "Oh!" she blurts after a beat of silence, blinking rapidly and suddenly figuring it out. It probably says a lot about the sort of attention she normally gets in this place. "Yeah, I am, yes." She nods her head rapidly, the sapphire irises of her eyes shifting visibly to a golden hue instead. "Sorry, usually people find me at work to talk about that."
"I prefer less conventional settings. They produce more ease.. people in their familiar, welcome locales," the man says. He dips his head once and proclaims, "I am Norwick and I would ask you a very important question. You know of the conflict between the Coalition and Tolkeen, yes? I would hear your thoughts on their conflict. Be honest, for there is no wrong answer to give."
Rebekkah's expression gives her feelings away plainly enough, a souring of her pretty features followed by a shift of narrowed eyes off to her left. "Yes, I know about it. I'd like to see them get a bloody nose while they're there, too." She snaps her eyes back to Norwick and lifts her brows. "Is that honest enough?"
"I would assume the them you refer to is the Coalition," Norwick replies, smiling broadly. "I'm glad that you feel this way for I, a concerned resident of this region, am of the means to provide a small way to give aid to the people of Tolkeen. I only need those with the will and the skills to be the wolves that will nip at the flanks of the beast. Would you be interested in being one such wolf?"
"I already am," Rebekkah promises Norwick, grinning wolfishly over her cup as her eyes blaze to polished silver. "I'm listening, so tell me more."
"For the moment, there is no more," Norwick replies. "Except that you may speak with a man named Leonard, who is another prospective wolf. I have assigned him to gather a proper pack. Obviously, it does not mean I will take a backseat myself to directing prospective talent his way. ONce a proper gathering of individuals is drawn together, a meeting can be held to share a bit more information." He smiles lightly and adds, "I'm sure you can appreciate the delicateness of such an operation. "One must take care in sharing too much, too soon."
"Yeah, of course," Rebekkah agrees, nodding thoughtfully. "I guess you'll want to talk about payment and everything later too, then, right?" She arches her brows, studying Norwick while she has another drink of the sugary soda.
"The payment is already set for this little excursion," Norwick says. "The sum of twenty thousand credits for each hale wolf who returns triumphant. And a proper repair and rearming. So too, depending on the needs of the mission, reasonable equipment for a proper assault." He smiles broadly. "Does this sound appealing to you?"
Rebekkah nods again, rocking the straw that's still caught between her lips. "That will work!" she chirps, letting a smile slip for an instant, then reining it in and glancing off to one side. "So, this Leonard guy? Where am I supposed to find him?"
"I believe he lives at the Golden Carafe, where many of his ilk like to dwell. But he also seems to frequent the Alibi. You might have luck in finding him there." Norwick smiles again and states, "Consider it a test of your skills to find him, otherwise."
Rebekkah snorts quietly. "Yeah. Guy named 'Leonard'. That'll narrow it down..." She rolls her eyes mildly and then looks back to Norwick. "And what about you? What if I need to get in touch to ask about... whatever?"
Norwick smiles as he slowly rises from his chair. "I will find you, Rebekkah," he tells her. "For now, you need only find him. And be patient. It is an old, but valid saying that the best things in life come to those who wait." Though he does pause, lingering as he wonders, "Have you any more questions for me at this moment?"
Rebekkah ponders the question for a bit, then answers with a shake of her head. "Nope. Thanks for the drink." She holds the cup up, making sure there's no confusion as to which drink she's talking about. "Can't wait to hear more about this."
Norwick nods his head once and replies, "Farewell then. Good luck in your hunts and searches." And with that, the robed man turns and departs the gaming establishment.
