Vladimira woke with a start as the sun’s rays poked their way through her goggles. She blinked rapidly, trying to clear her mind of the last vestiges of sleep. [i]No nightmares this time. Strange.[/i] She glanced around her, eyeing the walls and sunlight streaming through a broken window and door. [i]Where am I this time?[/i] Pushing herself to her feet, she gave her rucksack and then herself a cursory examination to make sure everything was where it should be. She shrugged, shouldering the rucksack and making for the rather perforated looking door. [i]Why did I even sleep in here? Anybody could’ve just walked in here and done as they wished.[/i] Some things would just remain a mystery. Sighing as she made for the door, she jumped back in surprise momentarily as something crunched underfoot. Just seemed like a bit of glass, though it was a bit oddly shaped and rather thing to just be from a beer bottle or something. A small bit of plaster fell from the roof and bounced off her head, prompting her to look up and notice the burst lightbulb. She glanced down, again, connecting the two. [i]Weird.[/i] She thought back to the previous night with the body in the streets, and the strangely dark block of buildings. All the other lights had been on except for one block, which for some reason she’d chosen a building in to sleep. She’d wondered what’d caused it, but the mutilated corpse in the streets and her exhaustion had pushed it to the back of her mind. Now her curiosity burned at her, were all the light bulbs burned out like this or had this part of the grid simply failed? Come to think of it, there didn’t seem to be many if any people here either. She fumbled with the straps of her mask, undoing the top ones and letting the mask swing free and hang by the back of her neck, the fresh air didn’t hurt anyway. There was of course the risk of someone seeing her eyes, but well… _________________ It seemed all the bulbs had burst; every single one she’d found had exploded, covering the rooms with glass shards. She hadn’t found anybody though, which was odd. The buildings themselves were perfectly habitable for the most part, aside from the exploded lights. She’d found a second corpse too, charred this time. Walking into another building, Vladimira called out again, “Hello? Anybody here?” [h2][/h2] [I] The maw of the beast hung before her, suspended in mid air. Its lips curled back into an amused sneer, hungry, wet with anticipation. But everything had frozen, something had intruded, echoeing across the blighted grounds of this place... [/i] Alex awoke with a start, momentarily blinded by the incandescent rays dancing across her face. She rubbed her eyes fitfully, ignoring the heated tingles of pain exploding through her stiff muscles. She sat up slowly, in a slightly dazed state. The memories of the previous night came back to her slowly, mimicking the progress of the sweat beading down her face. She shuddered, picking herself up from her prostrate position on the dusty, plaster littered floor. She hadn't made it home, choosing instead the safety of four walls, cracked and barely holding. Luckily she hadn't fallen unconscious in the pile of broken glass in the middle of the room, the remains of a once functioning light fixture. The heat of the quickly coming morning sun had already turned the room into a makeshift oven, and swathed in layers of clothing wasn't helping her any. She tied her long sleeved jacket around her waist, adding another fluttering layer to lower attire. She pushed her goggles back down into place over her eyes, running the other hand through her shortly cropped hair to push her bangs from her eyes. Alex straightened the white tanktop covering the upper portion of her body, it was shoishowing a bit more of her moderate bust than she would have cared for. But the lower cuts were a bit cooler to wear. She poked her head from the doorway, out into the hall, remembering the voice from her dream. [color=ed1c24]"Uhm.. Hello?"[/color] She asked the dim hallway, still shaken up from the night before, a timid unease draping itself over her conscience. [h2][/h2] Vladimira wiped her brow with a gloved hand. The desert sun was turning the building into an oven that lacked any electricity or gas burners, but certainly didn't seem to suffer for it. Her mask was off at least, she'd almost forgotten how nice fresh air was. [i]I should clean it soon. It's going to get moldy.[/i] She thought glumly, aimlessly walking through the building. Just as she was about to leave, she heard a voice call out, seemingly in response to her. [color=ed1c24]"Uhm.. Hello?"[/color] Starting slightly, she whirled around towards the direction of the voice; her cloak, holsters, and rifle flying out slightly, the butt of Comrade hitting the wall. She glanced through the dusty air, noticing a platinum haired girl leaning out of a doorway. She raised an eyebrow, giving a small wave, "Hi." She wished she hadn't taken off her gas mask, her eyes were plainly visible without the welding goggles she'd fused to it. If the girl pulled a weapon on her for being an Immortal though, it wouldn't really be too much trouble to deal with her though... A pange of andrenaline coated fear burst through Alex's heart for a split second, causing her to step into the cooridor with her hands on her knives. Another, more terrylifying feeling swept through her, all too familiar. She forced herself to take a breath, trying to calm down while still staying way of the person before her. The hall was dim, and filled with slowly spinning motes of dust mingling in a lethargic dance with partially vaproized plaster and molding. The person standing before her was fully geared, and armed. As Alex's eyes adjusted to the paltry levels of light, she faintly made out that the rogueish looking figure before her was a woman. A looter maybe? Further I inspection caused her to gasp, taking in a breath of polluted air sharply. [color=ed1c24]"Those eyes.."[/color] she began, a bit absentmindely. It was a wonder she missed them at all, glowing with the red fervor of hot embers, pulsing slowly. Her hands tightened on the grips of her blades as she tried to fight the sickly feeling spreading through her, unfurling beneath her skin. [I]'Please.. not again'[/i] she pleaded in her mind, begging her inner turmoil to avoid recreating the events of the previous nights. She blinked, taking another breath and turning towards the Immortal just a few feet from her, [color=ed1c24]"Immortal then?"[/color] She asked rhetorically, [color=ed1c24]"That would make two of us."[/color] She took one hand from her weapon to push up her goggles to reveal her own changed eyes, propelled by her withering will to fight, Deathly afraid of the feeling that was slowly subsiding within herself. At the very least, it was a warning that this would not be an easy fight. At the worst, it would happen again, whatever it was would try to tear her apart. Vladimira relaxed slightly when the other woman pushed her goggles up, revealing solid white eyes. So she probably wouldn't have to make a mess then, that was good. "How very astute of you." She replied, lowering her hands from the grips of her pistols, though she noticed the other woman still had her own hands on her weapons. "If you're wondering, I'm not here for a fight." Glancing at a shaft of light entering the hallway from the open door of the room the woman had just left, she looked back to her. "Actually I was just investigating the lights here. They've all exploded for some reason. I normally would've slept elsewhere, but I wanted to get off the streets with whatever had happened." She jerked her head in the direction of the streets, "You know anything about that?" Alex relaxed slightly, her arms handlhanding loosely as she twiddled her thumbs, like a child that had been caught doing something wrong. [color=ed1c24]"I.. ah,"[/color] She began, pausing momentarily as the memories bubbled up once more,[color=ed1c24] "...I kind of did that. B-but I didn't mean to."[/color] She added the last bit hastily, with no plausible reason that she should explain herself. Other than the realization that her world was upside down. Was she passively reaching out for somebody, anybody, to help her? To comfort her, to help her reestablish control of her own life? [color=ed1c24]"I can, uh,"[/color] she stopped, her hand partially raised in the air, memories of her power flucating wildly out of control. A small current ran between her fingertips, a sizzling stream of blue energy writhing between her extended fingers. [color=ed1c24]"I.. haha, lost control."[/color] She explained a bit pathetically, again faintly wondering why she was saying so much. Trusting this complete stranger. It was a dangerous world, but the twinge of that hot, sickly feeling reminded her to fear. To fear it, to fear herself. She shuddered as the display of energy faded. Vladimira's eyebrow shot up in surprise. "You're the one who did... whatever it was to that body?" She paused for a moment, mentally facepalming. She'd been referring to the body, but apparently this woman had thought she meant the lights. "Actually I meant whatever happened out on the streets last night." She glanced at the woman's hands, electricity, interesting. There was the explanation for the lights even without the stranger actually bothering to explain it. "Not as though I was throwing blame around. I was mainly curious. It's a bit of an odd thing to see an entire block without light but the surrounding buildings perfectly fine, that's all." She paused again, "For the record, I think everybody loses control of things at some point. The forces of nature are a little much to bend to your will without the occasional mishap." Why was she so cheerfully talking with this person? In all her years living in Arclight she'd never been this talkative with anybody, even her own family. Perhaps she was lonely. What was that saying again, something about not knowing what you had until it was gone? She scoffed to herself, that was preposterous. Leaning against a wall, she dismissed the thoughts with a puff of air aimed at an irritating lock of hair that had fallen into her face. "To be honest I wasn't actually expecting to find anyone here, or anywhere around here. I'm guessing you didn't see whatever it was that was responsible for that hunk of meat that used to be a body outside?" Alex closed her eyes hesitantly, the image of Cassie's face contorted in agony as Alex's uncontrolled power washed over her. She wiped at her eyes, preventing the gathering moisture from escalating any further. [color=ed1c24]"I..."[/color] She hesitated, a new pain smothering her heart, [color=ed1c24]"I... could really use a drink."[/color] [i]Can't we all?[/i] Vladimira thought wryly, fumbling with the canteen strapped to her side. She pulled it over her head, offering it to the woman, "I'd think you'd need a bucket with what they did to him, but if you'd like, here." Alex shook her head apologetically towards the woman, [color=ed1c24]"I meant something A bit... stronger. There's a new bar not far from here... The Bitch's Brew, uhm, care to join me?"[/color] She asked, feeling that reoccuring theme of reaching out once more. Honestly she was afraid to be alone, she wanted to obscure the problems that tore at her sanity. [color=ed1c24]"And... it was a woman I'd like to forget about."[/color] She replied remorsefully, sadness tugging at her heart. Vladimira's mind flashed back to the charred corpse she'd found earlier; she nodded in silent acknowledgement. "I wouldn't know anything else to do anyway. Sure, I'll come." She looped the canteen back over her head and closed the flaps on her holsters, seemed she wouldn't need the guns inside them anyway. "Bitch's Brew? Interesting name." She gestured in the general direction of exit, "Lead the way, I suppose." [h2][/h2] A handful of minutes later, and a quick pace, brought Alex hland her newly found companion to the smokey entranceway of the slum's newest club, and, more importantly, bar. She crossed the threshold into the dim, yet well lit interior, composed of brightly hued colors of gold, with subtler undertones of black and brown. Though the latter belonged to the black floors, zigzaged with gold, and the well lacquered brown tables and seats. She took a second to marvel at the place. To one side of the room a small group of performers were playing a slow jazz bumber, accompanied by what must have been one of the most beautiful, half naked dancers Alex had ever seen. Albeit the dancer's more sexual parts were covered, in what else; flashy, gold material that seemed to reflect the light. Alex nodded towards a dimmer corner of the room, with a good view of the stage. The soothing sounds of music drowned out the quieter undertones of chatter. Apparently more than just this new friend and herself followed the principle of, 'It's five o'clock somewhere.' Alex seated herself on a high backed chair with plush velvet padding, [color=ed1c24]"Fancy.."[/color] she remarked, something quite uncanny in the slums. A waiter, also considerably easy on the eyes, promplty came by, quiet as a whisper carried on the wind. Alex ordered the house special before turning to the womanly companion that had accompanied her, [color=ed1c24]"I'm Alexandria, or just Alex."[/color] She paused for a moment before speaking again,[color=ed1c24]"What ah.. brings you to Dust?"[/color] She asked, taking her mind away from its depressive, tormenting thoughts. At least until the alcohol arrived. Vladimira for her part was both highly impressed with the bar, and underwhelmed. The prodigious amount of gold and nice furniture certainly appealed to her. [i]That. Is a lot of fucking gold.[/i] Arclight hadn't exactly been an overly hard life, but it was an industrial town, not a luxury resort. This though... she tried to picture the amount this must have cost, then decided against it. It'd probably cause her physical pain to think of all the money she didn't have. The dancers and waiters didn't do a whole lot for her at the moment, though. Perhaps it was because they were so overtly flashing their bodies in the air, but at that point it lost the sexy mystique for her. The gold, though... She shook her head in a small abrupt movement to clear it, turning back to Alex as she told her her name. "Vladimira Kovalik. Not sure if you can find a short version of that that isn't physically painful to listen to." She replied, pausing as Alex asked her what brought her to Dust, a mildly puzzled expression on her face. "Unless we're counting fun times between two people who loved each other very much, and nine months, nothing brought me to Dust." She smirked, taking a swig from her canteen- she made a habit of not drinking anything from anywhere until she knew she could trust it. "If you were wondering what brought me to Russel, well, I've got to eat somehow, and it's easier to sell scrap than hunt down whatever mutated beast strikes my fancy as looking good to eat." A sudden thought struck her, and she glanced around in concern, before visibly relaxing- though she was still tensed. She whispered as nonchalantly as she could, "Eyes. They're not covered. I don't believe they simply haven't noticed. Something's a bit off about this place." Alex gasped slightly, realizing that she, indeed, had not bothered to cover her eyes. [color=ed1c24]"Y-you're right..."[/color] Alex trailed off as the promiscuous waitress returned with two mugs, seeming to look Alex directly in the eyes with a smile on her face. "Castilia House Special." She said, promptly returning to her duties. Alex cleared her throat, [color=ed1c24]"Castilia huh.."[/color] She pondered, taking a sip. The liquid burned pleasantly as it slipped down her throat. Another gracious drink left a warm feeling gathering through her body. [color=ed1c24]"I don't think that's of concern..."[/color] She said, pausing for another generous gulp. Vladimira too noticed the complete lack of reaction the waitress had shown to Alex's eyes, and actually relaxed, though she still kept her guard up slightly. "So I notice. So I notice." [color=ed1c24]"And yes.. I did mean Russel Town.. sorry. There's just a lot on my mind, ah.."[/color] Another pause, and another sip, a pink flush developing on Alex's warming face, [color=ed1c24]"Vladimira.. Kovalik?"[/color] She said, almost questioningly. "Last I checked that's what my name was, anyway." Vladimira smirked. [color=ed1c24]"I remember once someone told me, a scholar I think, that my name descended from Old Earth Russian. I don't really know what significance that holds, but your name is said kind of like mine. Alexandria Svet-Yulia, Yulia is hyphenated and translates into 'young', one of my parents, this scholar said, was from a different descent, probably my mother."[/color] She said, looking a bit happier as her flushed faced stared into the mug of strong alcohol. She hadn't even had the thought that it could be laced, or poisoned, And at this very moment she didn't mind either way. Though that could have been due to the amount of alcohol she had consumed. Vladimira sat in silence as Alex drank the booze, leaving the second mug -presumably meant for herself- untouched. "Alexandria Svet-Yulia... interesting. As far as I know that's definitely Russian, same as my own name." She paused, taking another swig from her canteen. "Vladimira Kovalik. Assuming my oh-so-slightly-proud-of-his-heritage father knew his stuff, my name has something to do with a great rule, like I'm an empress or something." She smirked wryly at that, "The other bit is something to do with being a smith, which makes sense I suppose." What was with her? She barely knew this, "Alex" and yet here she was, chatting amiably like she'd known this person for years! Normally she'd have simply shrugged and walked off after finding her, yet somehow she'd been lured into a conversation, and was now in a bar conversing about their respective names! How long had it been since she'd left? Not a year, but several months at least. [i]And I've barely said a word to anybody in that entire time.[/i] She groused to herself, [i]And now here's this person who's not shooting at me, not shouting at me, and not calling the guards on me. This is too weird...[/i] Alex nodded absentmindedly, listening to Vladimira while watching the scantily clad dancer prance about the stage, when she wasn't doing impressive acrobatics with a rather shiny pole. She giggled , despite her earlier mood, replaced now with a fiery alcohol induced mirth. [color=ed1c24]"A woman I had... erhm.. once been close too, told me Alexandria meant flower. Though really it means, defender of man."[/color] She stated, a facade of triumph presenting itself as she lifted her mug, another giggle escaping her. Vladmira glanced towards the mug, giving her head another short sharp jerk to clear it, "How's that taste, by the way?" She asked innocently. Maybe she could distract herself with some booze. [color=ed1c24]"It tastes.."[/color]Alex began, taking another sip and letting it sit in her mouth a moment, [color=ed1c24]"Like motor oil set on fire in your mouth."[/color] She lifted the cool, polished container to her lips, and a moment later found herself staring at the bottom of the glass. [i]'That's no good, I can still think'[/i] she thought, catching the attention of the beautiful muse waiting upon a gathering of patrons for more, the group looking much higher class than Alex in her dirty clothes in various states of wear, added with her rather low cut tanktop, which no longer bothered her as much. [color=ed1c24]"I'm hardly a defender, let alone of man,"[/color] She scoffed, [color=ed1c24]"I scavenge mostly, when I'm not busy killing people in blind rage."[/color] The alcohol spurred her words before she even grasped what she was saying, albeit she hardly had the capacity to care. She wasn't much of a drinker, and she had poured the stiff brew down her throat with reckless abandon. It's full effect was quickly washing over her in pleasant tides of increasingly drunken stupor. Vladimira nodded at her words, cautiously sniffing the drink. She tentatively lifted it and gave it a sip, her face clenching in displeasure at the acrid taste. "That's..." she coughed, "Certainly something." Setting the mug down, she glanced over at Alexandria, "Killing people in blind rage tends to happen, in my experience. Usually after they start shooting at me." She chuckled softly, "Poor bastards, never knew what hit them." She was unaffected by the sip she'd taken, and was somewhat amused to see the effects it appeared to be having on Alex. "Besides," she scoffed, "It's not like the vast majority of them deserve a defender regardless, what with their need to shoot at us. I mean, you'd think glowing eyes wouldn't be cause to shoot somebody, but apparently it is." She took another drink from the mug, "And hey, best defense is a good offense! Or something like that." [color=ed1c24]"Yea?"[/color] Alex countered, [color=ed1c24]"Tell that to the woman I had tied to a chair, that [i]corpse [/i] laying in the street. All for bad information that was hardly any skin off my back."[/color] [color=ed1c24]"Thank you gorgeous,"[/color] Alex spoke, carefree, as the waitress returned with an identical mug, except this one was full. The waitress smiled politely as Alex fished in her pockets for something to pay with. Finding them empty she held up one intoxicated finger as she drew her gun. The hostess took an involuntary step back as Alex took the 9mm pistol and unloaded the clip. Ten dirty rounds thudded across the table, which the waitress graciously accepted. Vladimira frowned at Alex's sudden about face in demeanor as the waitress approached. Her frown deepened after she unloaded her gun to pay for the drink, "You might not want to spend everything you have on booze. It'll all be gone tomorrow and then you'll have nothing else to buy, oh I don't know, food?" She decided not to comment on the corpse. Some things shouldn't be discussed around drunk people. [color=ed1c24]"Drinks are on me Vlaa-,"[/color] Alex's tongue fumbled the name, which she followed up with a garbled mess of sounds, finshed with a cresendo of giggles. [color=ed1c24]"Excuse me, forgot how to speak for a moment... ah, what if I called you Vira? Or even Miri, I think that's cute,"[/color] Alex pronounced, or rather rambled, embarassment spreading across her cheeks as she buried her eyes into the mug pressed against her petite lips. Vladimira's frown changed to back to an upturned eyebrow as Alex 'forgot how to speak', "Those don't even make sense." She grumbled, "What, are we cutting and pasting bits of my name around now?" She sighed, taking a slightly larger sip of the alcohol in front of her. [color=ed1c24]"You know, I want to try smoking,"[/color] Alex stated after a moment, out of nowhere, her attention span waning. "You don't. All it does is char your lungs. Spent enough time around heavy equipment to know that." Vladimira grumbled again at the mention of smoking. She failed to see the difference in smoke from dried plants carrying narcotics, and diesel smoke. "By the way, did you know anything about that man's body in the street? You never actually told me, and something gives me the feeling I might not want to mention that here." [color=ed1c24]"Mm.."[/color] Alex began, sombering up a bit at what she grasped as irritation from the woman across her, "[color=ed1c24]No actually.. I was.. preoccupied leaving my own corpses. Actually, I haven't seen many guardians around.. I was quite surprised to find you instead of an armed battalion dragging me out of there... which means somebody is stirring up some big trouble."[/color] She pondered what she had said for a moment, nearly forming a coherent grasp on current events, before the memories played back in her head. Another drink of alcohol let her mind wander away, and another let her become bemused with something else entirely, for a moment anyways. She turned back to Vladimira, [color=ed1c24]"Perhaps someone is giving those tainted wings a run for their money... things they can't catch get them all up in a huff."[/color] She said, speaking from amused experience. [color=ed1c24]"Maybe... just maybe, they're planning something big,"[/color] She speculated, setting the mug down and pushing it away as a nasueated lump formed in her stomach. Vladimira nodded, "Big trouble can be either good or bad. Depends on who it's trouble for." She paused, "Now that is the question." She glanced back down at the drink- contemplating just draining the thing. "Can't say I'd be sad to see the Wings running, for their money or otherwise. Be interesting to see what they do when their guns don't fire." She grinned maliciously at that, "Maybe I'll have to find whoever's planning this big thing... see if I can help them out." She muttered to herself, though she didn't make too much of an effort to keep it quiet. Worst case scenario someone was a Wing and she simply nailed him to the wall with his own gun. "Fuck it." She sighed, grabbing the mug and downing its contents. The alcohol burned its way down her throat like a stream of liquid fire. She looked at it unimpressed, "Eh, I've had stronger. Not that bad though." She glanced over at Alex's unfinished mug, "You going to finish that?" Alex grimaced at the mug before her, [color=ed1c24]"Ugh.. no.. I'm a lightweight."[/color] Her stomach grumbled in response, reminding her that a belly full of booze and lacking food since later afternoon the previous day was a bad mix. [color=ed1c24]"Help them you said?"[/color] Alex asked, backtracking to what Vladimira had said. "[color=ed1c24]I don't have mush love for the wings either, but I'm not big on using corpses to send messages... it stirs up the people too."[/color] Alex leaned with her elbows against the table as her state continued deteriorating. [color=ed1c24]"I'd mush rather things shtay quieter... I like quiet..."[/color] Alex said, trailing off as she noticed the throbbing onset of a headache coming on. The soft music seemed to alter into the peircing wails of tortured instruments, the chatter becoming a dull drone. [color=ed1c24]"Stupid concrete coulda been shofter,"[/color] She mumbled quietly, a tiny hiccup escaping her. "Whoever it is.. I don't think they understand the full force of the wings. They have a lot of reshources, alotta firepower." "Ah but you shee," Vladimira replied, pulling Alex's mug over to herself and downing the contents, "Their firepower isn't much good if the barrels are fused shut." She snickered, "Jusht imagine it! They're getting ready with the artillery or something and boom! Their guns explode!" She leaned against the bar, "You can't deny though, corpses are a very efficient means of conveying a poignant message of discontent with the status quo at a targeted audience!" She eyed the bottoms of the mugs for more alcohol, "Quiet is boring." She shrugged, "Somehow I doubt any fight would devolve into a war of attrition. The Wings are big fuckin' cowards, shoot enough of them and they start running, and then they die even faster." "Thank you by the way," she began, "for the booze." She gave Alex a tight hug, and a peck on the cheek, then drew away. "Booze." She chirped happily. All it took was a little alcohol to loosen her up and then she'd start hanging off of people, she realized; just like that time with her father's vodka. [color=ed1c24]"Ah, but you shee-"[/color] Alex cut off, startled by Vladamira's sudden display of affection. She blushed deeply, feeling long supressed emotions bloom from within her. She choked off a nervous giggle, "Does this mean I can call you Miri now?" She giggled, [color=ed1c24]"... oh.. and uh.. you're welcome, for the booze ...hic!"[/color] She looked at Vladimira, absorbing what she saw. Heavily dressed in travel gear, and captivating steel gray hair like fine wires. And her eyes, Alex stared at them for a moment, watching them pulse in rhythm with her heartbeat, like glowing coals formed of molten metal. Alex coughed lamely, a bright blush rising on her face, [color=ed1c24]"You contwol metals then? Can you make my knives dansh?"[/color] She asked impusively, smiling widely at the foreign thought, unaware of the actual danger this woman could posses. Vladimira smirked at the blush on Alex's face. It'd been a long time since she'd hugged somebody, she realized. It had just been some spur of the moment impulse- though where the peck on the cheek had come from she had no idea. She raised an eyebrow in amusement, "Perhaps you can." She chortled, "Shtill got no idea where you got that from." Her face flushed slightly in turn as she noticed Alex studying her features. [i]She's not bad looking... Nice hair, nice eyes...[/i] Vladimira gave herself a mental slap. That was just the... whatever it was, talking. She feigned insult, clutching her chest in mock injury. "Dance? Is that all you want?" She scoffed, "You just want to see them [i]dance[/i]?" She brought her head slowly and melodramatically to the table, "T'would be a grave washte of my talent! Like choosing a pocketknife to shlay a monster when you could have a heavy machine gun!" She leaned over, giving Alex a side hug as she gestured figuratively to the world at large. "Jusht think! I could make those knives do anything you want! You can't want them to just dance!" Alex leaned into Vladimira's partial embrace as the room seemed to tilt, giggling at her companion's melodramatic gestures. [color=ed1c24]"But my pocket knivesh are shpeeecial!"[/color] She retorted, putting a long drawn emphasis on the final word. [color=ed1c24]"I dooo want to see them dance!"[/color] She pouted playfully. As if on cue, the band to one side of the room changed from the soft jazz number they had been playing to a livelier tempo, enticing a few of the patrons to actually dance. [color=ed1c24]"Oh, Shee! The band agrees, les dance!"[/color] Alex blurted rather rapidly, attempting to push herself back from the table. Instead she succeeded in tipping herself over backwards, knocking the air and a few strained giggles from her lungs. [color=ed1c24]"Ack!"[/color] she declared, quite amused with herself, [color=ed1c24]"Maybe not then! The floor and I are not friendsh at thish very moment!"[/color] Vladimira frowned, "And what makesh them shpecial?" She asked curiously, eyeing Alex lying on the floor. That fall hadn't exactly looked pleasant. She pushed herself off the seat, bending down and looking at Alex in amusement. "And no, the floor and you don't look like you get along very well." She smirked, "Maybe it's grumpy at you for falling on it?" She grabbed Alex's hand and dragged her upright, "I'd shtay upright pershonally. Don't wanna think about what that floor's sheen." She eyed the band, deciding that it didn't seem too inviting. "Let'sh sit somewhere you're not gonna fall as much.... like over there or shomething." She pointed at a booth seat looking thing in the corner of the bar. "Looks shofter too." She wrapped her arm around Alex's shoulder and started walking for the booth seat. Alex smiled as she was led in her drunken state towards the booth. Finally hitting the peak of her alcohol consumption, and wrapped in the warm blanket of the Castilia House Special. Things like death, tragedy, and the monster inside of her no longer troubled her, filled only with amusing and obscure thoughts. [color=ed1c24]"So.. missh.. ah.. hm.. Mira,"[/color] Alex began, grasping at the fuzzy thoughts that seemed to be pulling away from her, [color=ed1c24]"Where are you staying?" [/color]For most, such a bold question would have further implications. Alex however, was currently busy fondling the golden velvet curtain, as Vladimira helped her into the booth. [color=ed1c24]"So shoft.."[/color] She purred, a bit distracted. Vladimira eyed Alex in amusement as she fondled the curtain. [i]She must not drink much, if at all.[/i] Her eyebrow raised as Alex asked her where she was staying, and her gaze wandered to the ceiling as she thought to herself. To be honest with herself, she didn't know. Normally she'd just find a building with reasonably intact walls, scare out any squatters, and hunker down there for a couple days while she sold off her salvage. She didn't really have anywhere to stay. Hell, the place she currently called "home" was a hole in the sand! She looked back to Alex, "I don't know, actually. That's a good queshtion." She lowered herself into the booth, gloved fingers tapping out the rhythm to some old pre-Fall song. "Why do you ashk?" [color=ed1c24]"Well,"[/color] Alex started, [color=ed1c24]"A hot shower, for shtarts."[/color] She smiled at Vladimira, leaning in closely to whisper a hair away from her companion's ear,[color=ed1c24] "And a lonely gutter can't be a nishe as a warm bed."[/color] She smiled coyly, overwhelmed by a new feeling igniting her blood, stemming straight from her loins. [color=ed1c24]"But.."[/color] She pondered the thought for a moment, pressing her finger to her lips in mock concern, [color=ed1c24]"It's kind of a small bed, we'd have to.. [i]share [/i]."[/color] She whispered the last word, as if it were some taboo secret being shared by a seductive minx, who hoped her intentions were very clear. It had been a long time, and the fire starting in her loins seemed ready to consume her. Vladimira flushed hotly, "We-well, I don't generally sleep in gutters!" She stammered, trying to avoid eye contact if possible. She'd never done anything of this nature, if only out of mere lack of interest. Damnit. She wasn't drunk enough for this. She signaled a waitress over and took a drink, fumbling in her pockets for some of the 9mm rounds she'd scavenged earlier. She took the mug and downed the contents without pausing for breath, waiting for a moment until the effects of the drink seemed to reinforce those previous. Taking a deep breath, she flashed a grin at Alex. "I'd... [i]love[/i] to share." She purred.