Match of the Millennium

Description: The world-weary Ariastra shows up at none other than Velvet Blue's darkstalker club. The latter demands to know who she is while they reside in their area of Southtown.

[VELVET BLUE]
The door to the Gold Lounge has changed locations a few times, or been altered here and there to facilitate the needs of the owner or the patrons. Magic users however, are still able to find it just fine... which leads to tonight. There is a little activity at the club, since things are starting to pick up around town--things are going bump in the night again, so to speak--and that means that a particular half-darkstalker has been getting more active in turn.

The club is as it usually is, the lights are not darkened, as there isn't anyone on stage right now, darkstalker or otherwise, and just a few are clustered around the bar, along with it's deer-like barkeep. There is a little old-timey jazz playing on an older-style jukebox in one corner, which is supplying a lot of the mood tonight.

Of course, the queen themselves could be around...

[ARIASTRA]
South Town. She hasn't been here for quite a while. It has changed. She was used to changes. Humanity learns quickly in innovations. The problem is they never learn with wars. They seem to keep going at it. But right now that's the point. Right now, it's see a special club.

She's walking around, feeling the aura of the entrance. Some things never change either. Sometimes you don't want to be bothered by the normals, so you take steps so only those with some kind of powers can come. It seems to be the case of the club. Lucky for her, she has a little bit of powers.

Once at the entrance, she makes her way inside. She has quite a presence to her, but she's not threatening. She's just there. She makes her way to the bar, taking in the surrounding and once there, looks at the bartender. "Gin Rickey please" She figures this place would know what she meant. She gives a smile to the bartender, then she waits, letting out a sigh.

To be back in the real world. She misses her love, but even with all her power, she couldn't keep him with him forever. 'Rest in piece Nathaniel.' She thinks as she touches her heart.

[VELVET BLUE]
There is the sound of very hard, quite large boot heels clicking as a figure from the back makes it's way out to survey the bar area--a blue spaded tail idly trailing behind them. Velvet is wearing one of their back full-body outfits, along with what looks like a pair of the long thigh-high boots--the heels very thick and platformed, the soles some kind of transparent but thick and sturdy acrylic, or plastic. They could be wearing something else to look a bit more presentable in public, but this isn't really a public place, either.

"Well hello," he begins, nodding to Ariastra, apparently curiosity aroused by a new person having entered. Do they do this to everyone new?

"It's not often we see new people, I'm Velvet," the black-haired, bat-eared one bows their head--just a little bit. Not a deep bow.

"Might we chat a little?"

[ARIASTRA]
She gets her drink, and she smiles at the bartender "Thanks" She takes a sip and is even happier. That's how it's done. One point for this place. Her eyes go back to roaming the area. She takes in all the possible exits, the construction, the people. Talking about people. She sees a figure suddenly. An extravagant figure if she was told to describe them. Nothing bad. They rock what they are wearing. When said figure comes to her, she gives a smile. "Well, hello Velvet. You're wearing your costume like no one else. I couldn't wear this and make it look this good." She sighs and takes a sip of her drink. "I am Ariastra." She bows her head as a sign of respect. "You have cute ears." She takes another sip. "I welcome any conversation. I have always had time to give. Time is my currency." She chuckles a bit. "In a matter of speech. Please sit if you wish."

[VELVET BLUE]
The deer man at the bar is pretty good about getting drinks for people, and gets it handed off with a decent amount of speed.

"Thank you, Louis," Vel gave a gesture of thanks to the antlered man, before stepping closer, around past a few of the other patrons, who admittedly do look liks some strange fellows.

"Well, flattery will get you everywhere, dear, must admit," Velvet smiles a little and gives the lady another nod of their head. "I suppose you could call it a costume, of sorts--I prefer to look at it like 'armor', but... you probably wouldn't call it that just from looking at it, come--sit," Vel probably means in the figurative sense of 'armor', like it was a statement about them personally. They soon slide up into a seat and next to Ariastra.

"Soo... you are of the magical persuasion, I assume?" they support their chin with a fist, elbow against the bartop, looking over at Aria.

[ARIASTRA]
She smiles when Velvet comes to sit down near her. "Flattery perhaps, but also the truth." She has to say. When he speaks of armor, she gives it a quick further examination and figures he means it figuratively. She could slice through this thing like butter. Not that it was the point right now. She simply nods her head after that quick check.

Magic is part of my repertoire. I also have a few other surprises up my sleeves, even if I may not look too much like it. Not like you or some others around here. I love the diversity.

"So, are you important around here? You don't look like simple staff. I figure if you were just here for some show, you would have orders not to talk to patrons while you're on duty." She sighs "Forgive me, here I am over analyzing again. It's nice to meet you whatever you do here." She finishes her drink. "Do you use magic yourself?"

[VELVET BLUE]
"Considering you landed in my club, I had to assume... and you kind of seem the type, I suppose," Vel explained, though also looking a little sheepish as a result. More in a bashful way. Aria didn't seem to have horns, glowing eyes, white skin, or any of the other 'supernatural creature' identifiers, after all.

"I'm a bit more than important, I run the place," Velvet grinned a bit, but tilted his head a little and frowned. "You looked like were a bit troubled when you walked in, I suppose the drink is warranted?" he gestured for her to partake of it if she wished, meanwhile getting himself something alcohol related in a mixed drink. Meanwhile, the queen's forked tail was playing around the lower rungs of the stool, half-wrapping around them.

[ARIASTRA]
"Your club." She laughs softly. "Yeah, you are important. At least I didn't take you for the janitor, even though they are necessary too, in their way." She pauses. "Wouldn't you say?"

"As for being the type. I suppose as this club has special requirements, if I made my way into it, I had to be special. I am some kind of special. I just don't look the part. I am not beautiful and original like you or the bartender, for example. I am just a regular-looking little human." Though her demeanor was anything but. She wasn't flaunting herself, but she didn't go around just like any little human, either.

Then he seems to grow caring as she feels her sadness. "I lost a soulmate recently. It's tiresome to see the one you love die. I mean. I've been blessed for around 200 years of his presence. I should be grateful and I am. But it's still fresh." She orders another drink. "I will be fine, my good man." She looks down at his tail. "Love the tail." She says as she waits for her drink. "Have you owned this club for a long time?"

[VELVET BLUE]
"Well, somewhat important, anyway--I don't take myself /that/ seriously... or at least they say I shouldn't," Velvet shook his head a little, dismissing that thought. "Could use a janitor here sometime, perhaps... usually I just have Rancid, the bouncer clean stuff up if it gets really messy--helps him not get too rough, you know?" he grinned.

"Ooh... I'm sorry... uh," Velvet looked around him, unsure of what to say at that reveal, legitimately apologetic. "Well, ahem--wouldn't call myself the most original either, I just try to be flashy, mostly,--Louis, drink for her is on the house, please--thank you..." he gestured to the deer, who nodded.

"Do want to talk about it?" a pause, and "About a few years now," in response to her question.

[ARIASTRA]
"You're you. That's what matters. Not many can claim that. I mean to be themselves. We don't want anyone else to you." She chuckles a bit. "As for your bouncer. Well I need a round with him. I could calm him down and all. If cleaning is not enough for him." She stretches a bit. "Don't worry, not going to make trouble in your club or anything. I respect you and this place."

"As for being original. As I said earlier, you're you, and that's all you really need." She passes over the sorry for now. But she reacts to the free drinks. "You don't have to do that. I appreciate the gesture. But I can pay. I wasn't trying to get free anything." She seems embarrassed a bit.

It takes a moment before she answers again. "Not much to say. I fell in love with someone. I used some of my power to keep him alive for longer. Not sure when it will come back to me, but it was worth it. It just wasn't long enough. I will be fine, I will get back on the scene. See where I am needed that kind of thing. Already have something lined up."

[VELVET BLUE]
"There's no really 'calming' Rancid, dear, besides that's more job," Velvet grinned a little, sighing, but still trying to keep with the gravity of the situation. This was serious. "Well, I am sorry that happened, either way--life for a lot of us is pretty... rough, and we're not unfamiliar with these sorts of issues.

"Where you're needed? You mean a job, or a career, that sort of thing?" he attempted to keep more good spirits about in his expression, apparently forgiving the choice of words used there. Velvet themselves was knownt o make double entendres at times, after all.

[ARIASTRA]
"I've calmed a lot of people." She winks a bit. She seems to be hovering between happy and sad. It's like that weird place where you're not sure how you feel. "But that's beside the point. I will not try anything against Rancid.

She sighs after. "Well I wouldn't claim to know what anyone goes through. Be it humans or not. We have our luggages we have to carry around. The longer you go in life, the more luggages you get. I can see you had your lots of things happening to you.

" There's a tournament going on. it's to find the next generation of fighters. Going to be a sponsor in there. If I can help someone with their potential and finding themselves, all the better." She picks the new drinks for a sip. "Do you fight Velvet? For the time I spend with my bae, I was out of the fighting scene. Like a vacation.

[VELVET BLUE]
"Oof, luggage, yeah I know all about that myself," Vel sighed, leaning more onto the bar top after having taken a long pull from his own drink, sliding it aside for the moment. "Is it that noticeable?" he perked up a little and peaked over at Aria, thin brow raised. Little bit of self-consciousness there, apparently.

"The NFG, right? I heard about it--been a little busy, on my end. I do fight, though--what makes you think I look like great sponsor material, exactly? Is it the boots?" Vel cracked wise, just a bit.

[ARIASTRA]
"I had a feeling you knew, if you need armor." She looks at you. "Not that it's bad to need armor." She quickly adds, taking a pause after to take another sip. "It's not that noticeable. It's really the armor comment that got me thinking. It's not bad or anything. You seem like a great caring person. At least to good people. I don't think I would want to be around if you are really angry.

"Yes, the NFG." Yet another sip. "To be fair, I don't know if you would be a good or a bad sponsor. I've never seen you fight. I don't know what you could bring to the table. The sense of spectacle." She smiles. Not trying to offend you. She just likes how you are dress right now and how you own it."

[VELVET BLUE]
"I've tried wearing actual armor before, you know--too much of it just slows me down," Velvet looks back over at Aria, pulling themselves up. "The drag is a statement, miss, that I'm not afraid of anything, that's what armor tends to refer to," Velvet gestured to themselves, grinning a little. "Some may not care for it, or might see the makeup as more 'warpaint' or something, you could look at it that way," Vel seemed a little amused by this, even still. "And some of us sorta like it, won't name names, but," he shook his head. "You're not getting me angry, don't worry--I'm not petty like that."

"Not sure what I'd bring to the table either, myself, but I might have to look into it," they drained a good portion of the drink they had, setting it back down.

"So... I'm half-darkstalker, wasn't born like it--but, what's your deal then?" he seems curious.

[ARIASTRA]
"Armor is a pain in the bottom to wear. Especially clunky metal armor of the middle age. Yuck." She can't have but chuckle "I can't blame you for not wanting to wear that kind of armor." She looks into his eyes for a moment. "You're a beautiful person Velvet. Let no one make you think otherwise. You can wear anything and you will always be that beautiful person." She pats his left shoulder, then looks away."

"You will figure out if it's for you or not. It matters how it makes you feel. People tend to force themselves to do things at times, and there is not really a reason for it unless you save someone you really care for or the like. In my humble opinion." She finishes her drink and seems done with drinking, at least for now.

"Half huh? A good half then. My deal is pretty simple. I was born in Egypt in the year now we call 3000 bc. That's a long time to be alive. It's a blessing in some ways don't take me wrong, but yeah, seeing anyone you love grow old and die is kind of a curse." She shrugs her shoulder. "What happened to you, to make you a half-darkstalker? Was it by choice? Hopefully, it was.

[VELVET BLUE]
"Yeah, it's--" Velvet has an audible pause, blinking a little before looking over at Aria and then having to recompose themselves a little, grinning, only because they might think Aria is pulling their leg. Or trying to. They can see however that they look dead serious.

"Ahem, sorry--really? You... you are a mummy, then?" he asks in a more lowered, conversational tone, not wanting to draw attention to them or what they were talking about. For a number of reasons.

"And no, it was not," he shook his head. "Was transformed."

[ARIASTRA]
Chuckles. "I am the best well-kept mummy over." She says softly, winking. "I am alive, I breathe, and I feel pain, and all that. Though, I don't care much about pain. Just a bad moment to go through, you know. I am very much alive and so far nothing has stopped that permanently." She shrugs. "I am just me, just a long, very long me." She sighs

Sorry yours wasn't even willing. Could the "armor" also be because of the unwanted transformation?" She asks bluntly because she is curious about him.

[VELVET BLUE]
"So... not quite one of those, I meant in the figurative sense, by the way--ahem," he cups a fist to his mouth and clears his through audibly, before reasuming the more private conversation. "I haven't met many like you that weren't also undead, in some way, so please excuse my ignorance..." Velvet is still reeling from the whole birthdate circa 3000 BC, bit--that one seemed to surprise even him.

"I think most people would have problems with their image if they were made to look different, wouldn't you?" he raised a brow, surprised again by the question, apparently. "Though not as much anymore, to answer your question."

[ARIASTRA]
"No, I am not undead. Something made me what I am. I was a very willing 18-year-old back then. I am not sure if I would have been so willing now. But I am here." She says truthfully.

Then on the other subject. "Yes, to remove the choice of looking how you wish. It must be traumatizing in some way. You're doing the best you can with what you have. Same here." She sighs but smiles. "It has been very enlighting to meet you, Velvet." She bows her head. "Thank you for a nice welcome and a good chat like this."

[VELVET BLUE]
"Ah, I can kind of see that--sorry to hear," Velvet whews, a little--this was almost a little too much excitement for one night. He readjusts his seat on the stool, taking his tail and lightly wrapping it around his waist. It might look a little defensive, but Vel doesn't seem to mind.

"Yeah, it's getting on a bit--sorry to keep you so long, but I like to meet folks who enter my domain for the first time, so to speak, see you again?" he slowly climbs down and off the stool, raising a hand to help her climb down.

[ARIASTRA]
"It's alright. Sorry if it was too much too soon. I don't have a filter with everyone. I will be dead honest with someone I appreciate, even if instinctively so. Because most of you have short lives." She might be teasing. She might be serious. It was hard to say on this one.

"Do not be sorry. I enjoyed this time. More than you probably realize." She nods her head. "You will see me again. Maybe on a more busy night, maybe when you actually do a show. Or maybe like this again. Who knows?" She takes the hand instead of acting offended about it. She takes it as it is, a friendly gesture. Once on her feet, she gives him a piece of paper. " If I didn't come back yet and you need something." She gives a smile.

[VELVET BLUE]
"It's alright," Velvet isn't sure what to say about the short lives comment, though he does give Aria a sober look there. "Hey, I am older than I look, but not telling~" he waggles a finger, almost like a sassy black woman, before giving her a smile and bowing his head again, this time a little deeper, once he's helped her down from the stool.

"Do darken my door again, I'll put out some better refreshments next time," he gave her a little wave.

[ARIASTRA]
"Oh you can be sure I will come back. Not so much for the refreshment as to see you again. Take care Velvet." She gives a sort of military salute, but more laidback, then she makes her way outside with a sure foot.

Log created on 13:29:13 05/02/2023 by Velvet Blue, and last modified on 19:36:26 05/02/2023.