Silence of Dragons (OPEN)

[Tiamat]

( Tia's dress http://image.way2enjoy.com/pic/19/12/91 ... castro.jpg)

(Tia's song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QObrI-v1IeM)


The sounds of clanking dishes and conversation echoed through Dragon’s Lair. The wait staff zigzagged between the tables, the busy bees that they were. Every so often, there was a child seen running through the room, their mother or father giving chase. The lights dim and everyone slowly begins to quiet, waiting to see what the restaurant had in store for them.

A piano plays over the speakers. A woman dressed in an elegant white dress appears as a light comes on over her head. As the first verse of the song carries through the speakers, the woman walks. Each time she passes under the overhead lights, another one lights up, creating a glowing trail of brilliant orbs. As she reaches the second verse of the song, more lights come on. A digtial sign, and spotlights. The spot lights move around and settle on the woman, bathing her in white light. She moves gracefully in one spot as she gazes across the throng of people.

Her voice becomes louder and clearer as the third verse starts. She reaches out to the audience. Her hands almost pleading for someone to take hold. The letters on the sign begin to light up, change, and shift to form new words, sentences, phrases. Her arms held out the sides break the light. Narrow beams pass through her fingers, curl around her body, and dance throughout the room. As the song comes to an end, the lights die, swallowed into darkness. Suddenly the blackness is lifted and the woman is no longer standing in the center of the room. Many patrons begin clapping and cheering at the sight they have seen.

“Here’s your usual Tia. You always have such wonderful performances” a young man standing behind the bar said as he slid a tulip wine glass to her. She smiled and nodded her head as she took the glass. “Thank you sam, did we ever get that blueberry wine from that US vineyard yet? I would certainly love to try it ,” she replied before taking a slow sip of the crimson liquid. “I just try to have fun, though the most fun is always seeing how I can pull them off in such a small space with no real stage.” She leaned against the bar and slowly sipped on her drink while she watched everything going on in the restaurant.

[Mortll]

Mortll entered the mall ,she dodged strollers and pedestrians making her way to the doors that lay below the bright neon sign that indicated the entrance to Dragons Lair. She heard the sound of Tiamat's voice as she drew near that explained the large crowd that was packing the place. On the nights that the young lady sang the profits usually doubled almost tripled.

Mortll leaned against the wall by the door and watched the end of the show and the crowd clapping and resuming their meals. She slowly made her way to the bar. Tiamat was there talking to Sam ... Mortll had loved that a dude named Sam had applied for her barman it was one of the things that had helped her decide on him above all the other qualifications he presented like a mean martini. Mortll smiled at the pair "Hey there Sam.. Tiamat that was a wicked show ... and that dress is lovely as you are my dear "

[Seiji (DELETED 6165)]

Seiji's first sensation upon waking was a sharp, insistent pressure that came and went, demanding his attention. After a moment he recognized it's location to be around his left ankle, a sort of sensation that seemed to cause his foot to sway side to side. It dragged him from the depths of an uneasy slumber, filled with nightmares and dreams so tangled together it was impossible to discern which was which. With a slight groan, he cracked his eyes open. Sound came then, at the same instant sight did, and Seiji flinched away from both. He had a brief view of a large wall of shadow, framed by multi-colored lights, which he ascertained was the source of the scoff that followed. With great effort, Seiji pulled himself up from his slumped position, and forced his eyes open again.

He was in the corner of a bar of some sorts, it seemed, his location obscured by a pillar, shadows, and the figure over him. A quick look at the wall of muscles shirt explained two things to him. He was in something called the "Dragon's Lair", and the man currently forcing him to his feet was a bouncer. Sluggishly Seiji found himself steered away from the wall he couldn't remember collapsing at. Fear gripped him like an iron vice, and he struggled to find an excuse to slip away from the man intent on forcing him outside. "A- A friend.." his voice sounded so faraway. Still, his words must have been clear enough, because the bouncer stopped, giving him a look that was quite disbelieving. Seiji searched the crowd for any face he could use, and with a rush of relief found one he recognized. "Her." He gestured lightly. "Tia," he added, as if the name helped his credibility with the excuse. With a grunt, the man half dragged him over to the bar, gesturing for Tiamat's attention.

"Tia? This belong to you?" In a gruff manner he indicated the recovering Seiji, who offered a weak, embarrassed sort of smile. He hoped she'd play along so that he might have a moment to try and piece together his situation in the relatively safe company of a familiar face.

[Winter Snow (DELETED 7405)]

Winter walked into the mall she had been here only weeks now and had gained tons of information behind the gates of the QZ. That place was fun to gain information from and was not that bad of a place to find out what she needed to know. As for Fae, and Vampires nothing yet but that was okay the things she had run into behind there was enough to fill out a few pages of her book she was working on. The pictures she needed to get developed the old school ones she had taken that is and where she was staying at the moment would not let her put in a dark room yet. So she had come to the mall to get them developed. This way no one could say they where doctored. She walked to a restaurant and had just caught the tail end of a show and though it was good. She was wearing jean, a white shirt, and red leather jacket. She took a seat and watched the woman on stage caught her attention and she watched her wondering if she sang like this all the time. When the waiter came over she ordered a hot drink and a salad. It was all she wanted to have just at the moment.

[Tiamat]

Tiamat glanced over at Mortll as the woman complimented her. It still amazed her that her boss gave her so much leeway with what she allowed Tia to do within the restaurant. She looked down at her dress and tucked a strand of long black hair behind her ear. She turned to face her boss fully before speaking. “Thank you Em, this is one of my favorite dresses. I’m glad you enjoyed the song. I wanted to try a different style this time. Oh, and I completely renovated the lighting system for more than just performances.”

Raul’s voice coming out from behind the raven haired woman made her spin on her stilettos. The larger man was half carrying, half dragging a much smaller individual. She raised an eyebrow to her coworker before getting a decent look at the person he had brought to her. Seji, someone she had only met a couple times. Her hand went to her face and she shook her head slowly. She muttered quietly, speaking in a language no one around her would have understood. It was a habit she had picked up recently. It occurred more regularly after the events she and Zodiac had been party to in her dream.

“Why me,” she said in her ancient language. She sighed and looked down at Seji. “Thank you Raul, just stick him on a stool.” She turned to Sam motioned at the tea cups. “Sam dear, would you be kind and get my friend here some Oolong tea, preferably the third steeping of Da Hong Pao?”

The brunette behind the counter nodded his head and smiled softly at her. “Of course Tia. Anything for you.” He then began to busy himself with preparing the tea for Seji. He placed a hot cup of the tea in front of the young man, and then promptly turned around to help some other customers at the bar.

“Well, how are you Seji? Still suffering from that anemia?” As she waited for him to reply, Michelle approached the bar with an order for another hot drink.

“Tia, can you do me small favor? I just got this order for table ten, but I’m really hungry and haven’t had a break yet. Could you bring it over to her,” the slender girl asked, as she pushed strands of purple/blue hair from her eyes.

“Of course,” she replied, “what did she order?”

“A salad and the drink Sam is making for her.”
Tia nodded and motioned for Michelle to head out. “I’ll take care of it. Enjoy your break.” She glanced down at Seji and smiled. “Hold that thought Seji, I’ll be right back.” With that she grabbed the drink from Sam and collected the salad from the kitchen.

She moved through the restaurant with a grace one would associate with royalty. She came up to the table and took note of the woman sitting there. Her long blonde hair, leather jacket, and her blue eyes. She smiled to the woman as she set the drink and salad down. “I’m Tiamat. Your server Michelle had to step out for a bit, I’ll be serving you until she’s back. Just flag me down if you need anything.”

[Mortll]

Mortll looked the puny purple headed fleshpole that Tiamat had obvioulsly befriended over as Sam sat the Tea in front of him. Seiji Tia had called him . He was tall and emanciated for his height Mortll sneered at the purple hair either the boy lacked sense or was on something He would rather have a fashion statement than eat. He was human Mortll would thought Tia had better taste in her meals but what did she know maybe he has a rare blood type or something she would have to find out. She motioned for the nearest waiter to come over. The girl aproached with a smile after all Mortll was the boss. Mortll ordered her to bring a Korean Bulgogi from the kitchen and give it to the young man. She wanted to see if he was a meat eater or one of those bleeding heart veggitarians.

[Seiji (DELETED 6165)]

Seiji opened his mouth to reply, but was several seconds late to Tia's question. Sinking in the seat, he offered a weak but friendly smile and a soft, uncommitted noise, something like a 'thanks'. As she abandoned him to the rest of her company, he cradled the warm drink like it would help revive the rest of his dead brain cells. Idly he was aware of a gaze heavy on him, and a glance out of the corner of his eye confirmed this. Mortll's harsh stare made him gulp inwardly, quickly dropping his gaze only to raise it again in surprise as she ordered him a meal. Coughing once, softly, to clear a voice cracking with disuse, he offered a soft "Thankyou..." The meal that was lain before him smelled more delicious than it should have, something he chopped up to an inconsistent diet. Despite his hunger, he ate slow and careful, savoring a few bites before speaking again. "I'm Seiji," he offered in an embarressed tone, as if ashamed for forgetting his manners. He offered a clean, slim hand to her, alongside a shy smile. She was a pretty sort, as many around here seemed to be, but the way her eyes focused on him made him more than a little nervous. He couldn't help but lower his gaze only a moment later.

[Winter Snow (DELETED 7405)]

Winter had heard the old language of the woman though it was faint since she was not that close to where she had been at with the other woman and the man that looked to be like he needed a good meal. When the woman came over to her table with her salad and drink she smiled and nodded her head. There was something about her that made Winter want to get to know the woman more as well as to find out about the language she had used before. She did not know what it was but it had sounded what little she had heard which was not much to be very old. "Tell her it is fine and to take her time. I did not mean to get here on her break. I am new to the town only been here a week and been studying the strange things going on in the city. My name is Winter Snow." She held out her hand to the woman who had come to delever her food and smiled as she then cupped her hands around the warm mug of tea. That was something she learned to love over the years was the feel and flavor of tea.

[Mortll]

A slight smile touched the corners of Mortlls mouth as he ate the sliced beef dish. He was a bit too timid for her liking. He had a problem with looking someone in the eye. At least he did speak to her offering his name and a quite Timid thank you. She wasnt going to find out about this anaomoly that has presented himself. "Nice to meet you Seiji Im Mortll and this is my place " she nodded her head sligtly toward the rest of the restaraunt.
" How do you know Tiamat ?" She eyed the young man carefully as he ate. She slipped into his mind and placed a whispered suggestion ... it wasnt much of a suggestion but it would satisfy one of her curriositys.
'Don't you have to go to the bathroom ... thats a lot of tea bathroom"



Mortll smiled plesantly at the man but the smile did not quite reach her eyes as she watched him to see if her suggestions worked.

[Seiji (DELETED 6165)]

To say Seiji was a little off-put by the woman’s words was an understatement. His embarrassment tripled as he came to realize that the very place he’d just apparently woken up in was owned by the person he was now speaking with. “It’s... It’s um...a very nice place,” he managed to reply, fixing his attention on his plate but not quite feeling as hungry now. Poking the food around, his body gave him the perfect excuse to avoid further awkwardness in conversation. “Um.. I should uh... I’ll be right back,” he coughed once, awkwardly. Sliding off his seat and nearly tripping over it in the process, he began a quick look around for a bathroom. After nearly walking into the wrong door twice (the second time being a bathroom for the wrong gender) he finally found his destination.

Finding himself not really needing to use the facilities, he simply stood in front of the mirror and tried to collect his thoughts. Everything was a bit of a blur, as it always was when he woke up in strange places. The real oddity was the fact he was starting to get uncomfortably used to it. A sigh left his lips at that and he reached up, shoving his hair back from his face. A small tear in his coat, one of many he was beginning to collect, caught his attention. He peered through it, at his reflection thoughtfully. ’Every new tear makes me wonder where she is right now. Where they all are...’

The thought brought a soft expression to his face. Each day seemed to lessen the ache, though, since he’d lost them. Meeting new, friendly people as well seemed to help. He thought of his boss, and his job. Of the chaotic meeting with Sil, and being forced to eat (and wear) a rather large sandwich. He thought of Jaxon, and how the man seemed to insist on calling him ‘monster’, something Seiji was beginning to believe had to do with his clumsy nature. He also thought of the oddities he’d come to see in this town. Things that he wanted to avoid thinking of. He shuddered and lowered his head, touching the small, dented pistol he kept in his inner pocket and hoped he never had to use it, then gripped the edge of the sink as if it might stabilize him. Thinking. He was doing more of that then he liked lately.

Facing the mirror as he was, and with his mind so focused inward, he seemed altogether unaware of his surroundings.