Inside SIXTY FOOOOOOUR! OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOODS!

[Morty]

[Batu & Myobu]

"I'm no longer in a yurt, so that's a plus, Batu remarks. "I don't feel at home here, but I didn't back there either. Hopefully it will come."

[deleteman900]

[B][La Fontaine Nightclub]

[Genji & Na]

Na smiles and lets go of her skirt, patting Genji's hand affectionately then holding out her arms to Genji in open invitation to being dancing

I honestly have no idea how it's going to work: I've never danced with someone with human-style legs. So... better to just get started, don't you thing?

And... I don't know much about waltz music, so I'm not going to be much use suggesting one... whatever you pick, make sure it's not too fast.

Genji is doubtless going to encounter her knee as he moves into position: necessitating a shift in position that will doubtless be just a bit awkward at first.

Genji smiles and withdraws his hand from where it had been, taking her arms in for an embrace before beginning to dance as a small, glowing ball of light appeared to their side maybe a couple feet away and began to play some relatively down-tempo music for them to do the waltz to~ Genji is aware of the differences in their leg structure and takes pains to avoid complications from it, though some of the movements are a touch awkward. Either way, it's a fairly relaxing, intimate experience for the shadow-vulpan and the kitsune, filled with idle conversation and the simple opportunity to enjoy each other's company, not to mention to get a more than adequate feel if one or more of them is feeling adventurous...

[Recaiden]

"You didn't realize half of us fox-folk were anywhere around, right? The world has so much to experience that we don't have any idea of until we stumble into it. I want to live it all."

Honeysuckle faces back towards Peng. The little trace of nervousness and reserve she had before seems to have slipped away.

"A home, a real home, does sound nice. But only as a starting-off point. It would be such a small world, to always come back to the same place, the same people, the same days."

[Fenric]

[Honeysuckle & Peng]

Peng nods

Yeah... just like that. And you're right: that does sound good. There's just too much to see to sit stuck in one place forever! You end up completely unaware of so much.


[Batu & Myobu]

Myobu nods with a smile

Home is never so easy a thing, and seems to sneak up on you more than anything else: one day you look around and realize "this is my home?!" and wonder how that ever came to be.


[Genji & Na]

Such a naughty todd Genji is! But we knew that already

Na is elegant, but her gait and footwork are just off enough that she ends up stepping on Genji's left foot more than a few times. Knees knock awkwardly on several instances, and the ultimate disruption to the attempt comes when she tries to sidestep a hurrying waiter only to trip on the edge of her own dress: losing her footing entirely and crashing heavily into Genji!

YIP!

[Recaiden]

"Come on. This song is better for dancing to."

Honeysuckle quickly enough goes to take Peng by the hand and lead onto the dance floor, though like someone else we could mention, she is briefly baffled by the vulpans' different-shaped feet.

[Morty]

[Batu & Myobu]

Batu rubs the back of his neck.

"Then I hope it comes to me someday. I'm... trying to make it work. It's why I came here. It wasn't easy for me."

[deleteman900]

[Genji & Na]

Such a naughty todd Genji is! But we knew that already

Na is elegant, but her gait and footwork are just off enough that she ends up stepping on Genji's left foot more than a few times. Knees knock awkwardly on several instances, and the ultimate disruption to the attempt comes when she tries to sidestep a hurrying waiter only to trip on the edge of her own dress: losing her footing entirely and crashing heavily into Genji!

YIP!

It's more that her demeanor, attire, and VERY enthralling scent are working together to snare his attention wonderfully, and rather than stumble backwards or lose his footing, Genji uses this opportunity to move forward into her, catching her muzzle in a more human-style kiss before raising her hands over her head to either side with his own and holding them there for a handful of nearly heart-stopping moments as he pulls back enough to be more or less nose to nose, trading little licks at the tip of each other's muzzle~

[Fenric]

[Genji & Na]

Na's ears fold down and tremble: first in embarrassment, then in excitement as Genji kisses her. Far from resisting, she leans into the kiss: taking full advantage of now leaning up against her "rescuer". Unfortunately for the amorous pair, they aren't alone and attract a sarcastic comment from among the onlookers.

Oi! Get a room!

Na giggles

To be fair: that is the plan.

[Honeysuckle & Peng]

Peng allows himself to be led onto the dance floor. Like his sister, he has learned a smattering of heavily modified ballroom dancing and a number of stylized folk dances from his home country... and that's about it. He Watches Honeysuckle to see what he should do

I kinda... haven't done this before.

[Batu & Myobu]

Myobu nods

I'm sure it will: give it time.

Then a reassuring smile

Hardships are never easy... that's why they're called "hard"! But they make you stronger, and teach you things you never would have known before. A simple life can be pleasant... but it's never interesting and frequently not fulfilling.

[Recaiden]

"That's alright. Take it slowly, and don't worry. Do something on each heavy beat, and just move."
Honeysuckle demonstrates. Forward (quite close to Peng), back, aside and turn, forward, back, aside and add a spin this time. Adding something each time - a sweep of her arms, a sway of the hips.

[deleteman900]

[Genji & Na]

Na's ears fold down and tremble: first in embarrassment, then in excitement as Genji kisses her. Far from resisting, she leans into the kiss: taking full advantage of now leaning up against her "rescuer". Unfortunately for the amorous pair, they aren't alone and attract a sarcastic comment from among the onlookers.

Oi! Get a room!

Na giggles

To be fair: that is the plan.

The young todd has to bite back the annoyed, sarcastic remark that jumps to the tip of his tongue, instead pulling back and looking at his dancing partner apologetically.

"Sorry... I feel a bit like a little kid on Hearthswarming Eve, looking forward to unwrapping his present... and I can tell that this year is going to be the best yet~"

He quietly compliments her, blushing a little bit at how bold he'd been in such a public place.

"I hope you don't mind if we do something a bit less... physical for now, not that I dislike dancing with you, quite the opposite in fact, but I fear for the innocence of those around us if I don't take a few moments to cool off~ Would you care to step outside for a few moments and enjoy the night sky with me, Na?"

He's flushed and very nearly imperceptibly trembling the way a piano wire that's strung too tight might just before it snaps, and is clearly doing everything he can to maintain proper etiquette for the club, even if neither of them seems particularly keen on it themselves~

[Morty]

[Batu & Myobu]

"Sounds like you're speaking from experience," Batu observes.

[Fenric]

[Honeysuckle & Peng]

Peng watches for a brief time, then launches into it! A bit awkwardly and shy at first, but his naturally high agility makes it natural for him and soon enough he is doing a respectable if blatantly amateur and unpracticed job of dancing alongside Honeysuckle. He grins, but the lack of practice shows swiftly as he starts panting softly from the effort.

This is fun!

[Batu & Myobu]

Myobu nods

Oh yes. I grew up in a northern fishing and trading outpost, much like this very city started off as in the depths of time. I had an arranged marriage, and while I cannot say I was miserable... it was never particularly fulfilling. As an aside: I still do respect and care for my former wife a great deal, but I consider her my sister and my feelings for her follow those lines. I do visit her, from time to time... and I am on good terms with her new husband.

Eventually, though... I had to move on: I simply did not fit in there and certain aspects of my life were not looked on favorably by the extremely conservative northerners. So, I spent a great deal of time wandering: visiting many lands and many people since then.

[Genji & Na]

Na looks around: the path to the exit is only lightly occupied and her brother is nowhere near.

You can trade dirty stories with Katrina some other time...

she winks

If you still care. Come on!

And with a tug that is neither subtle nor gentle, she heads toward the door!

[deleteman900]

[Genji & Na]

Na looks around: the path to the exit is only lightly occupied and her brother is nowhere near.

You can trade dirty stories with Katrina some other time...

she winks

If you still care. Come on!

And with a tug that is neither subtle nor gentle, she heads toward the door!

Genji isn't in any kind of mood to fight what he guesses her intentions are, and is a mere half-step behind her the entire way.

"I'm guessing some fresh air sounds like a plan then, hmm?"

He asks with a little ear-nibble as they start heading towards the entrance, a spry little swish of his tail following his movement the entire way...

[Morty]

[Batu & Myobu]

Batu's ears flick. Is he talking about...?

"Well, at least arranged marriage was never a thread I faced," he admits. "What exactly did they have a problem with, though?"

[Fenric]

Genji & Na

This most perfect of escape plans is thwarted by one small detail... the hostess is still lurking near the doorway, waiting for last-minute guests! Na's ears go straight to the "utterly mortified" stance and her tail curls right under her skirt and vanishes entirely. Her hand squeezes Genji's and she gasps ever so slightly.

Going so soon? You'll have plenty of time to get to know each other better and still get a few hour's sleep in before morning routines: I promise.

Katrina has a knowing grin.

[Batu & Myobu]

Myobu smiles

My first real love was another soldier in the company of the guards, Batu. He fell to ... an arrow. An arrow in the eye is not something even the most skilled can hope to tend to... He won high favor with his god, and chose... to remain.

The pain, and the pride, are both clearly evident on the white-furred fox's features.

[deleteman900]

Genji & Na

This most perfect of escape plans is thwarted by one small detail... the hostess is still lurking near the doorway, waiting for last-minute guests! Na's ears go straight to the "utterly mortified" stance and her tail curls right under her skirt and vanishes entirely. Her hand squeezes Genji's and she gasps ever so slightly.

Going so soon? You'll have plenty of time to get to know each other better and still get a few hour's sleep in before morning routines: I promise.

Katrina has a knowing grin.

Genji is utterly mortified as well, flushing heavily and averting his gaze, as if hoping beyond hope that if he can't see her, somehow she won't be able to see him, tail curling protectively around Na's waist at the same time...

"Hehehe... I'm not quite sure what you're implying, Katrina, we were just going to stretch our legs a bit and maybe get some fresh air, before returning, right Na?"

He glances at his companion as if for backup, desperately hoping against hope that she will have something to add...

"In fact, you look a little stressed with greeting this constant stream of people. Would you like to get some air with us as well? I promise we can have you back in a jiffy, and nobody'll even notice that you were ever gone~ Don't think I forgot the conversation we had when I first got here, and if you're still interested, this might be your last chance to collect before I'm properly taken~"

He glances over at Na, taking her hand in his and squeezing it gently.

"That is of course... assuming that my date is welcoming to such an idea."

[Recaiden]

"Well done, well done!" Of course her opinion of good dancing isn't entirely conventional.
Honeysuckle tugs Peng off of the dance floor.
"Tires me out, though. Let's take a break." she suggests, heading for a relatively quiet corner.

[Morty]

[Batu & Myobu]

Oh. Ohhhhhhh. That explains a great deal. Batu's ears dip.

"I'm... sorry to hear that. I haven't... well. But what do you mean by 'remain'?"

[Fenric]

[Honeysuckle & Peng]

Peng does not take much convincing

Thanks!

And yeah: a break would be great. I didn't think I was in that bad of shape...


[Genji & Na]

Na blinks

Yeah... it's a bit... warm... inside...

Katrina shakes her head with a chuckle

Don't bother, you two: I'm as old as both of you put together, I'd bet, and I've been running these parties for a couple years now. Neither of you is really all that keen on smalltalk with an old vixen like me: you just want to sneak off to somewhere you can be alone together.

Na grins ingratiatingly

Uhh... but...

Katrina shrugs

I know perfectly well you're safe: he's a different species and we're really picky.

And it's not my problem what sort of trouble you get in with Jian or your parents. I'd say that I won't tell, but there's hardly any need: your own brother is bound to notice pretty quick, and you've got quite a few of your fellow acolytes milling around - the news will spread fast.


[Batu & Myobu]

Myobu smiles sadly

Remain in his god's afterlife, of course. Resurrections aren't exactly commonplace, but they're not unheard of either and I was certainly going to try!

He refused.

[Morty]

[Batu & Myobu]

Batu blinks.

"Oh. I've read about raising the dead, but I wasn't sure if that was actually true. I'm sorry to hear about it. I've never... well, I've never had someone I could lose yet."

[Recaiden]

"It's the sort of thing that takes practice."
Honeysuckle sits back down and-
"Is that your friend leaving? You don't have to head out so soon, do you?"

[deleteman900]

[Genji & Na]

Na blinks

Yeah... it's a bit... warm... inside...

Katrina shakes her head with a chuckle

Don't bother, you two: I'm as old as both of you put together, I'd bet, and I've been running these parties for a couple years now. Neither of you is really all that keen on smalltalk with an old vixen like me: you just want to sneak off to somewhere you can be alone together.

Na grins ingratiatingly

Uhh... but...

Katrina shrugs

I know perfectly well you're safe: he's a different species and we're really picky.

And it's not my problem what sort of trouble you get in with Jian or your parents. I'd say that I won't tell, but there's hardly any need: your own brother is bound to notice pretty quick, and you've got quite a few of your fellow acolytes milling around - the news will spread fast.

Genji blushes slightly, embarrassed that she didn't so much as acknowledge his offer, and feeling a bit awkward about how to continue from there... Thankfully, he was able to latch onto something she said and try to keep the conversation going in a less awkward direction, maybe...?

"Well, it's not like it's any of their business anyways, right?" Genji shrugs. "I'm tired of just sitting idly by and letting myself be teased by her, but at the same time I'm kind of at a loss for what to do. Do you have any advice for me that might help?"

[Fenric]

[Honeysuckle & Peng]

Peng nods

Yeah, I can see that.

then he looks around, a bit confused, before he sees Na and Genji by the door, talking to Katrina.

That's kinda weird... but are you sure they're leaving? They seem to be talking to Katrina.

he shrugs

Anyway no, I don't have to go for a while yet. Early service is pretty early, but it's not exactly late yet.

[Batu & Myobu]

Myobu smiles

Like "home", that too will come in its own time. Well... having someone: I shall wish you good fortune to not lose them, of course!

[Genji & Na]

Katrina blinks

Uh... slow down there, champ. I was just teasing earlier 'cause I've heard you two had been hanging out a lot - but I seem to have hit a nerve... What exactly is going on between you two...

Na scowls

I don't personally care what my cousin might think: she's been stringing Genji along for weeks, teasing him mercilessly, and generally treating him like some sort of toy. If she isn't going to take him seriously, then I don't see why he or anyone else has to wait for her to decide she's bored of him.

Katrina blinks again.

[deleteman900]

[Genji & Na]

Katrina blinks

Uh... slow down there, champ. I was just teasing earlier 'cause I've heard you two had been hanging out a lot - but I seem to have hit a nerve... What exactly is going on between you two...

Na scowls

I don't personally care what my cousin might think: she's been stringing Genji along for weeks, teasing him mercilessly, and generally treating him like some sort of toy. If she isn't going to take him seriously, then I don't see why he or anyone else has to wait for her to decide she's bored of him.

Katrina blinks again.

Genji sighs, squeezing Na's hand again, still quite gently...

"It's complicated. I don't know what Jian's deal is, but some days it seems like she's trying to push me, to see just how far she can go before I do something about it. I guess that this is it. I don't know if I'm done trying to work things out with her, but at least for tonight I'm doing something fun, just for me. I'm... exploring my options, I suppose. Do you have any advice for me on what might be going on?"

[Recaiden]

Honeysuckle shrugs.

"It seemed like they were. It might be a shame if you were left behind, you know?"

She leans in, grinning. Truly, she was a bit worn out from dancing as well, but framing it this way was so much better. And between the kind of music Katrina arranges and Peng's lack of experience, it didn't offer much opportunity to be close to someone.

[Red Zone Alleyways]

A few blocks away from that brightly colored dead-end where Isaac came for help.
Through what used to be a hole in the bricks, burrowed into the side of an abandoned building, now replaced with a set of narrow double doors.
Between twelve candles that never burn down, a prayer of praises winds its way up from a crystal altar, up to one W.

From one Message, mostly for attracting attention.

[Morty]

[Batu & Myobu]

"My tribe... they didn't frown on those preference as such, but they were... well, it was a thing that happens between warriors and hunters," Batu says. "And I was never going to be either. So... my point is that I don't know where to start."

[8BitNinja]

[Somewhere]

An elf teleports in from somewhere else. He is wearing a blue hooded robe, carrying a brown staff in his left hand, and a very thick book in his right. On his belt, there are multiple wands in one sheath and a writing kit. Over his shoulder are two small pouches. Also on his back are two other staves. As for his appearance, he looks like he's aged, even for an elf, and on his hands are covered in runed gloves. He looks around and walks down the street, hoping to find something.

[Deathkeeper]

Red Zone Alleyways

A sudden chill in the room will indicate the attention of the Mother in Winter, though not much else. She doesn't really know how to drag around her physical body on a whim and a simple prayer isn't really a true summoning, now is it?

[Recaiden]

"Oh most adorable Winter Winry, an altar has been raised to you here on the mainland, as you requested. Your friend hopes it is to your liking, and would be most pleased to have you visit."
Message continues.

[Deathkeeper]

Red Zone Alleyways

Message might get the impression that for some reason you'd need some sort of summoning circle to get Winry to appear. This seems inexplicable and somewhat contrived but well, there you go.