✏ PAINTED FACES ✏

[Adley Reed]

The situation escalated quicker than Adley could have presumed. The addition of two new figures so the scene should have caused the two ruffians to at least pause, but instead they acted as if an audience would boost their ego. They were egged on, wanting only to continue marring the beauty of the work before them; the woman who’d landed on her back had raised her hands to tell them to stop, to stay back, but of course Indigo and her stubborn will would not be dissuaded. If there was anything in this world Adley believed she could care for more than him, it was good, honest art.

Even unarmed and looking like she’d stepped out of a photoshoot (Indigo always looked glorious and glowing, like she’s spent her life consuming the all-healing honey from which she’d gained her nickname) the golden-haired Bee could do these kids damage. It was in her favour, that they should underestimate her so. Her voice rang out, clear and sharp, demanding respect. And then, no more than ten seconds later, they were all overcome with the sound of buzzing. A swarm of bugs – bees? – descended upon the scene and though, at first, Adley held up an arm as if it would protect him from the surge, he soon realised he didn’t need any protection at all. Though the bugs bounced from his skin it was only to bounce them back on track. They weren’t after him. They weren’t even after Indigo, who stumbled backward and danced into Adley’s grasp. His hands rested on her shoulders, his wonderment and surprise soon surpassed by laughter. Laughter was always so quick to Adley’s lips. His eyes fell upon one of the creatures still stuck in the locks of Indigo’s hair; he reached out to take hold of it, to pluck it from its trap and send it on its way. He’d forgotten, momentarily, that such a small thing would suffer – it died almost immediately. The frown was only momentary as he tried to hold Indigo still, to calm her. He knew she wasn’t so fond of bugs. But these were not just bugs. He'd seen the yellow and black. His guess had been confirmed.

”Bees!” he said, leaning down so his mouth was near Indigo’s ear, his chest against her back.

”It’s a sign, Bee. They’re not going to hurt you,” he said, eyes lifting only to watch the chaos ahead. Sure enough, at least one, maybe both, of the ruffians were packing. The smallest glint of light fell on the barrel of a gun and, like a dancer in a pirouette, Adley was in front of Indigo.

It wasn’t as if a gun could harm them, but still. Adley would take no chances.

[Vita (DELETED 9215)]

"Just...goooo." Vita pleaded with the woman who seemed to take a clear stand on her side-if there were sides. But, she wouldn't get the chance to go, because soon there were dozens, maybe even one hundred bees coming from virtually no where in unison. Their buzzing so loud, that Vita covered her head and ears to back away from the sound. Really, back away.

Just because she wasn't allergic to bees, didn't mean she liked them. She had been stung once or twice in her younger years, each of them memorable. One even left a scare; due to her own stupidity and anxiousness of getting the thing out. She had been left alone; eleven at the time and had been playing outside with the neighbor kids. Both she, and Zion had been stung out of the four total, and while Zion's had been easy to tug out, her's...not so much. Stuck in the fold beneath her knee, making it impossible to see, Vita had decided to try and 'dig' the thing out, with a small pair of scissors she pulled out of the top left drawer. Something her mama used to cut cuticles with, she would find out later.

She didn't need stitches, or maybe she had, but her mama hadn't thought so then. Instead, Vita's mother had cut up some strips from some medical tape and put it over the small incision she made, trying to get it out. So, it was no surprise that Vita had no second thoughts on jumping waaaaaay back from the swarm that was closing in on...the other two. Zion and Janessa. Still, she wouldn't take any second chances. Vita swatted at the air, empty as it could be, then moved further and further away. Just before Vita bolted away from the entire scene, by moving wide, and around the standing onlookers. If they wanted to make nice with the bees, that was their business.

[Indigo]

Indigo heard the calm in Adley’s voice coupled with a sudden move that had the opposite effect. Something more than bees was introduced into the equation and a whole new danger with it. The wall of Adley in front of her left her two options. She acted on the first and peeked around his shoulder and found the shine of a weapon. What was wrong with people?

The answer came in the sounds of angry voices coming out of nowhere. Her fingers gripped Adley’s arms as the dark shadows of the streets suddenly had angry bodies spilling out. Each one stood out for the diverse attire that would give hints to where they were prior. The first arriving appeared to be calling the streets home, others apparently were woke from a sound sleep. Others may have been nearby holding up corners with their hands busy with illicit activity. A few could have been moving through the area but suddenly joining the cause that up until that point still seemed uncertain to the allurist. Was this a bad idea? The art was amazing...what was it with the lack of appreciation? Of course, gauging by the size of the growing mob, whatever issue was at the root of the latest arrival, it was more than they could handle. Her hands tried to pull Adley closer to her in an attempt to leave.

“I think we need to go.” She cautioned, her eyes darting around to what was collecting around them and flowing towards the art work. “Seriously.”

A half dressed sixty-something male was the first to show his purpose for carrying a baseball bat in one hand and holding the front waistband of his well worn pajama bottoms in the other. Without warning the wood swung and sent a disturbing crack when it connected with a body. Like clockwork a second nameless face jumped in with both fists swinging. The another. A woman bolted past them with her silver shopping cart full of bags like a rocket to the rumbling fists and bodies. Screams, growls and a few whimpers soon were in chorus as more followed suit until the mob was picking up where the bees left off centering its assaults on the two.

“Adley!” She tugged this time hoping to get away from what was a lost cause and catch the female making a fast exit. “C’mon. She took off!”

[Adley Reed]

Adley had no idea where they’d come from. The bees were one thing, the humans another. They came out of the woodwork like creepy little ants, except they weren’t little and they weren’t ants. They were people, pulled from their beds and their jobs, from their social activities. They weren’t after the vampires. They were after… what? Who was doing this? They weren’t as fascinating as the bees, and Adley didn’t have to be asked twice to leave. They were as mobile as zombies, and though Adley had witnessed zombies before, he didn’t particularly want this hoard to turn its attention to himself or to Indigo.

With Indigo in the lead, Adley turned and followed. They turned away from the hoard and from the humans who were so intent on ruining perfectly good artwork – humans who could not understand what beauty was. Did they deserve to live? Would they live? Who knew. Rather than focus on what they were leaving behind, they instead focused on what they had come there for to begin with.

Adley didn’t need the skills of a tracker to follow their ‘acquisition’. They could see her just up ahead, lithe and quick as she was, as vampires he and Indigo were more lithe, and more quick. As Adley worked for Indigo this had become as much his mission as it was hers, so through the heavy beat of their feet against the pavement, he called out to her.

”Wait!” his voice was unhindered by exhaustion. They had not been running for long, but even had they been running for hours his breath would have remained steady.

”We want to talk about your art!” he called. If she cared about it as much as she seemed to back there with those two hooligans, then he hoped the mention of her art would slow her steps. They were far enough away now for the chaos behind them to stay behind them. They’d come far enough without having to stalk the artist back to her home.

[Vita (DELETED 9215)]

They were after her. Vita didn't notice it until she thought she was far enough away to look back at where Zion and Janessa were at. To make sure there were no bees following after her. She kept going, glancing back at the two pursuing her, before she heard one of them mention her art. Talking to her about her art.

Vita slowed down, but kept moving forward, deciding what she should do. Stop and talk? Or keep going? Did they own one of the buildings she shared her work with the world, on? She focused on their faces, trying to gauge what they might be thinking, or wanting, but came up empty. They didn't look angry, but they didn't look 'happy' either. She decided if there wasn't clear and evident anger written on their faces, that she could maybe risk it. So, Vita slowed down to a stop, then turned around to face them. "Look, it's not personal. I just pick a building that will work with what I have in my mind." Really, in her mind, if she tagged their building with her work, they should be thanking her, and not wanting to get her to remove her work. "I don't have a lot of money...but I probably made your building look a thousand times better than before." Yep. There it was. A sense of pride, maybe too much, but that was Vita and she wouldn't apologize for it.

[Indigo]

Indigo stopped abruptly when the woman ahead of them did. Her eyes ignored the area around them. The scents of night air and bland life in the distance paled in comparison to what held her attention. The explanation was delivered in a voice that was rich in passion even if the words formed nothing more than simple truths. It was refreshing and inspiring. Then the assumption came forth that perhaps she or Adley owned the building that was increased in it’s value as far as Indigo was concerned.

“Wait.” Her hands went up as if to show there was nothing to be a threat in the open palms. “We don’t own anything here. We are looking for you because of the work you do.”

She could extend her powers of influence over the woman which was easy to do. But so much of Indigo was an optimist. Especially when it came to art. Art and love. There is an abundance of power in both that could win over all else given time. She banked on it more than most like her. That part of her humanity still thrived within her and likely would never wane. It was who Indigo Knight was and hopefully would forever be.

“We just want to talk with you about your art.” A smile gradually formed that said nothing more than what she had. “Got a minute or two to spare? It could be worth your time to hear us out.”

[Adley Reed]

”Hey, now,” Adley countered when Indigo said they owned nothing. No, Adley didn’t. Nothing of value. Indigo had all the property, all the money. They’d come to a roving halt, until his feet scuffed to a complete stop. The woman in front of them was filled with such high confidence, Adley had to give her props. It was a familiar kind of confidence, like her ego was speaking directly to his. A knowing smile curled his full lips as his hands dropped with ease into deep open pockets.

”There’s a building I’m quite certain she would love to have your art all over,” he said. Not technically, of course. He was not sure how far Indigo would go, whether she’d have the whole outside of Apiary covered in this girl’s work. Whether she’d have the whole inside covered – a wall, probably. At least a wall. And maybe the front façade was due for a makeover, afterall. But Adley would not go so far as to suggest renovations to a building that he himself did not own, without Indigo’s express permission, anyway.

From here on out, however, he was just a pretty face standing in confidence and support of the woman who could talk her way into and out of anything. Indigo was the one with the brains in this operation, with the absolute passion for art. It wasn’t that Adley lacked passion – but this was a venture that Indigo was best left dealing with.

[Vita (DELETED 9215)]

Vita looked between both of them as she heard them out, then let out a long breath of air. "Whew. Good. Cause, I really, really do not like running. For a long time." She laughed. Home was a long ways away and while she could short distance run, long distance wasn't her thing. Was anyone but marathon runners good at that sort of thing?

She took a few steps over to the couple, then offered a hand. "My name's Vita." She offered to the woman first, as it seemed like the guy was just along for the ride, or fine with taking the backseat. Once the hand was taken, or disregarded, she would offer it to him too. "So, like what you see? Or hate what you see?" To her, there was no in-between. You liked what you saw, or you didn't. Vita didn't really care if they didn't, it wouldn't stop her from making what she wanted to make. Couldn't please everyone, but she was happy with her work and the way she expressed controversial topics in life that everyone faced at some point in their life.

"Can we walk and talk? I've got a looooong way to go to get home." She could suggest taking the train, but maybe they weren't wanting or needing to go her way. Regardless she had to get going home before anyone was the wiser. "That cool?" Brown eyes looked between the two, as she moved back to where Vita had stopped before.

[Indigo]

There would be a bit of a coolness to her skin upon contact but Indigo was prepared for any off the cuff questions regarding it. Over time she had become quite skilled at what answers could be used to smooth over the chill of an unexpected handshake. She would be off the hook when Adley took the woman’s hand after hers. Nothing was more calming than contact with the man. He could draw out any nervous tension with his gifted hands. He considered that a curse, of course. Not Indigo. It got her high with the results and still did.

“Are you kidding? You have some serious talent. I am a fan already.” Indigo was stunned that she lacked the vision of her own art being fit for something beyond run down and out of use or date buildings. She nodded in favor of the suggestion of walking and talking. It was then that she realized she missed giving her own name. “Sorry, my bad. I am Indigo. And the walking chat sounds good to me.”

After the adventures they just had getting to the the point of simple introductions it sounded far safer than chasing eachother around any more than they already had. Adley was right. There was plenty of space they had that could use Vita’s touch and talents. She looked over at Adley and then back at Vita.

“How about you?” She nudged Adley with an encouraging elbow.

[Adley Reed]

It was a time of female empowerment and Adley was not a man who’d stand in any woman’s way. Especially Indigo’s. She was the boss in this situation and Adley was just a bystander; so Vita ought to shake Indigo’s hand first. It should have messed with Adley’s ego but somehow, when it came to this woman, his ego took a back seat.

”Adley,” he supplied as he, too, shook Vita’s hand. He had no excuses prepared for the coolness of his skin – he was too preoccupied thinking of excuses for his sickly appearance. Something Indigo seemed able to overlook, or she barely noticed it these days.

”We wouldn’t have chased you down if we didn’t like what was saw,” he said with a subtle wink, happy to walk and talk. He nudged Indigo back with his own elbow, nodding toward Vita. This wasn’t his gig. He didn’t know all the words to say. He managed the photography, not the street art – though they could sometimes be much of a muchness.

”Indigo here has a proposition for you,” he said, encouraging the golden-haired goddess forward.