Aberrant: Children of Quantum Fire - [Interlude] A Night Out [Complete]

[Shosuro Miren]

Saturday April 24th, 2027

Puck paced down one of the hallways on the second floor of the Exalt! building near the testing centers, his usual smile replaced by an annoyed grimace as he spoke into his new OpPhone. "Thanks, Teith, really. Because a plane will really get me there in time. I know you're going anyways. Lotti's been sending out reminders to everyone that she wants a night out with all of us."

There was a pause as voice spoke on the other end. Puck rolled his eyes, "I am not treating you like a damned taxi service! Everyone else is either with Solaire off-planet doing who knows what for the week, or actually doing something a bit more important than spending the night partying."

The voice buzzed again and Puck cut in, "Because you're going and it's a three second hop for you to come pick me up on your way there. You know I can't-"

Puck dropped the phone down from his ear and glared at it. "Dick. Just because I'm better looking than you now..." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, trying to think of anyone else he could call. Teithwyr really had been his last viable option, though. Anyone else he hadn't called was because it really would have been beneath them to cart him to Europe just for a night of hanging out at the Rainbow Room with some of the other Nursery kids. Besh'tan.

He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, his head falling to his chest, looking uncharacteristically morose. "Well...damn."

[Doctor Varroxxian]

Star had been at Exalt! every day since the sign up, and today was no exception. She made no bones about it, she liked it here. Sure, lots of time had been spent on the computer or helping some other people with studies ... and just talking. That was fine, and fun. Lately though, she'd been thinking more about training her powers and she'd combed over metrics and tests to use. So she'd made a pledge to run some sort of new experiment every day for ten days. So she'd budgeted plenty of quantum to burn for this version of herself.

Today, she'd decided that she would like to see what the edges of various surfaces really looked like. Up close, so close few could imagine it. Star could also ramp up her senses by reweaving those portions of her physiology ... gaining her ascending perceptions and the altered optical sensory apparatus. So she had been walking around half-in-half-out of walls, cabinets, and windows. Looking at the edges of things in cross section - because she was phased into them. Walking, while focusing on keeping the line of the stone wall's edge directing on her eye for maximum focus, while observing the interference patterns her modified eyes could pick up, while trying to walk exactly on the surface of the floor instead of phasing through ... she didn't even notice Puck until she heard the tail end of his conversations.

Then she heard the frustrated tone in his voice, and turned ... stepping fully out of the wall just to his left. "Hi Puck .... Whats wrong?" she said with her sweet innocent smile of contentment - which didn't match the alien-esque octal bug eyed face she'd shifted her liminal form into - but Puck had seen far stranger in the Terat set.

[Shosuro Miren]

Puck jumped. He could hear people on the street whispering clandestinely to each other now, but he could also be moody and self-absorbed. Star managed to catch him on the latter. He put a hand to his chest and let out a little laugh, "Fey'en! Star. You startled me."

He blinked at her new look, making a pretty close guess at the reason for it and then shrugged, slipping his OpPhone into the back pocket of his pants. "Nothing critical, just some I know be a jerk." She shifted back to a human-enough face to give him a quizzical look. "There's a gathering tonight at the Rainbow Room," he explained. "Put together by Lotti - one of the people I grew up with - for all of us...that grew up together. Unfortunately, I'm not one of those novas that can just zip halfway around the world in a blink, and everyone I know that can is either away, being a jerk, or shouldn't be bothered for something this...frivolous." He sighed and leaned his back against the wall, "Like I said, nothing critical, just kind of frustrating. The guy who usually gives me a ride - for a price - is ticked off because....well, I went through some changes just before you showed up and he's jealous now. So he's acting like a twit and refusing to come pick me up on his rounds to pick up like half a dozen others of us in the US."

He pushed himself off the wall and motioned with his arms, "Then again, this is the jackass that stranded Infinity out in the middle of nowhere just to see if it would....eh. Don't let me get started on him. He's...immature." Puck let out another chuckle, his voice tinged with just a bit of malice, "And coming from me, that's saying something."

He motioned to the wall she'd popped through, smiling at her and trying to sound lighthearted despite his dissapointment, "So, what are you up to? I assume the bug-eyes and popping through walls isn't just a late April Fool's prank?"

[Doctor Varroxxian]

"Oh, sorry to hear that ... that is a pretty shallow reason for him to not give you a ride."

...

"Me? ... I've been finished with the physical trainers for a while. They realized days ago that we had to establish power-curves because I can just change my anatomy setting benchmarks... and so I gave them a series of equations I worked up but they need time to understand the math. Plus they need to take a break this weekend ... which is fair because they didn't expect me to be here every day. I finsihed all the academic prep we'd talked about, and I had already prepared an app to search and select distance education for people in the Congo. I adapted that to the U.S. quicker than I though ... Dr. Sells is still a little worried about me, but she says that its 'normal' 'teenager' and 'family separation' stuff. She wanted a few days off too. ... I ran out of things to do."

"So, I have been running experiments. Today, I decided I would document what the edges of surfaces looked like in as many unique, non-human but linguistically quantifiable parameters as possible. So I was looking at the edges with new eyes, while half way in the walls ... and floors ... and people. They consented first, of course."

Star shifted her mental gears down and two steps to the right - realizing she was talking his ear off - and realizing she knew how to cheer him up.

"You know what? I think I know just the thing to cheer you up. Well two things actually. First, How about we go to the library where the big globe is. Its just down a few floors right? ... so close your eyes and just open yourself up to the cosmos."

Now it was Puck's turn to give Star a quizzical look - but she had piqued his curiosity. He mentally 'opened' himself ... and felt the tiniest of tingles. Peeking out from one eye ever so slightly open Puck saw Star standing with her arm outstretched and said ..

"Like this? Is this .. right?". Star replied ... "Yep. Thats great. Now you have to think 'down' or 'falling' for just a moment - half a second of focus will do".

Puck did, and then he was falling through the floor! "Fey'eeen! ..." and he was a floor down wit the library room in sight down the hall. Star had his hand ... but that's all Puck had to hold on to. Even the floor was only soft footing - and his hand passed right through the wall as he tried to steady himself ...

Star grinned as he found his 'phase legs' and said "Surprise number one! I figured out how to turn you into a ghost. You can let go, but concentrate on walking level and don't go too far from me, OK?"

[Shosuro Miren]

He nodded mutely, taking moment to play with his new-found insubstantiality. Normally he would have had a much more negative reaction to Star's actions, a knee-jerk reaction to how Infinity was treated to so often, but even after only a few weeks he knew Star well enough to know her good intentions. ....and, he'd felt something, some idea trying to find a hold in his mind. He let it go for now, knowing he'd have time to think it over later.

It took him several tries before he was able to move forward without phasing a foot through floor and he grinned at Star over his accomplishment like a kid on their first bike. He passed a hand through the wall as they walked to the library and asked, "Okay, that was surprise one. What's with the library? And surprise two?"

They phased into the grand library (converted from the employee lockers and large storage space that Exalt! hadn't needed) without bothering to open the doors. Several baselines peeked up over books as they heard Puck speaking, staring at the two novas in fascination for several moments before getting enough self control back to look down at their books again. The two stepped up to the large platform in the center of the library where a globe as tall as man sat within a gyre of metal rings. The globe was lit from within and made of beautifully fused stained glass, creating a glowing world that could be spun in any direction with a light touch or by the panel on the front of the machine. There were programs installed on the the computer housed in the base of the large work of art, an entire coursework of history, geography, and geology that Star had been asked to help refine once the tests on her knowledge bases had been conducted. Like so much within Exalt! it was both a work of art and a tool of teaching, a gestalt of the magnificent and uplifting. When she'd first seen it it had reminded her a little of the hologram room on Atlantis in the old Stargate spin-off show. Not as versatile, but it served much the same function and was quite beautiful.

Puck grinned when she stopped to appreciate it once more, then gave an impish twirl that sent him reeling into the grand machine, only his head sticking out from the glass. "So, what's up?"

[Doctor Varroxxian]

"Surprise number two. Wherever you want to go, just show me on the globe. I'll figure coordinates from there." Star said, indicating with a sweep of the world with her hands spread wide.

"I've been allocating extra quantum for the time here, and I am finished so early. So a gate for you is no problem." Star offered.

In many, so many ways, Star was just a sweet girl. A sheltered one at that. Yes, she'd had excellent role models, online friends, tutors, and met so many fantastic people ... but all under the watchful eye of her parents. Though she had a very mature streak, and even had more leadership and organizational behavior training than she could recall ... she was an innocent hothouse flower. When she felt comfortable with people, she also thought nothing of giving. This was just what she would do for any friend ... and after the last weeks Puck was a great new friend. The offer had no strings attached.

[Shosuro Miren]

Puck gave her a smile that would have swooned a mere baseline and stepped out of the globe to give her a ghostly kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Star," he said with quiet sincerity.

He looked down as his slightly floating self, "Why don't we get solid again, go collect Eden and see if anyone else wants to come along. I think Infinity is out right now, but she'll have an easier time tagging a ride from someone than I did. I'll leave a message for Darrik and the girls as well. They're out doing some shopping - in Milan, I think, which is why I didn't ask them since they're doing family stuff right now - but Darrik can get them to the Rainbow Room if they feel like joining us once they're done."

Once he was firmly back to a solid state, he took Star by the arm and up to his home on the top floor. "Eden!" he called out cheerily. "Star and I are headed out for some fun tonight! Wanna come along? There'll be dancing, good food, I can introduce you my mentor, Chang, and some of the people I grew up with. It'll be fun!"

[Brute]

Brute had been in her room trawling the OpNet when Puck called her name. She quickly logged off and went across to the door.

She still felt divided about Puck. The messages from the Free Will Organization sure didn’t help with that. Brute was stupid, sure enough, but she wasn’t so stupid that she failed to notice the way her moods changed around him. They sure sounded right when she thought about that.

Just as Brute expected, when she saw Puck grinning at her from across the room she felt immediately happier and more relaxed, and less like the person she knew she was deep down inside. “Uh… Ah guess. Who’s your friend?”

[Doctor Varroxxian]

'Oh, we're going out together!?!!!?!' thought Star ... "OK! ... oh ... but I can't wear this." she says looking at her little summer dress as her and Puck become solid again. She had just thought that she'd drop Puck off, but she was invited! To a party! OK, OK, am I going to the Rainbow Room? My self is NOT going to believe these memories!

Just at that moment Brute walked in, and Star was saved from her sudden bout of speechlessness by the entrance. Starseed smiled and said "Hello, Eden. I'm Starseed, I've been looking forward to meeting you." as she waved, and began walking over to her. "Puck has told me about you, but they've also been keeping me really busy with everything to join Exalt!... so we must have missed each other till now."

[Shosuro Miren]

Puck nodded at Star and smiled as the two were introduced. "You're absolutely right, Star. Cute as a sundress is, it's just not quite the speed of the Rainbow Room." He got that wicked look in his eye that Brute had come to recognize as his teasing/plotting mode. "Which means....shopping trip! Since Star has offered to hop us around the world for the evening, where would you two like to go to pick up outfits?"

He winked at Brute, "I think we've done the rounds here in the city. Let's go somewhere special. Paris is always a good place if you want high fashion stuff, though it usually looks pretty uncomfortable." He thought for a moment and then grinned again. "Actually, why don't we go to Ibiza early and do some shopping there? You guys can get a chance to see the island, and then we can head to the Rainbow Room once we're all prettied up for it."

He pulled his left sleeve to show off his matching tattoo, "Besides, I need some new shirts with shorter sleeves. So, does that sound like fun?"

[Brute]

Brute shifted uncomfortably when Starseed called her by her name. It still sounded weird to be called Eden. She had sort of gotten used to it with Puck and Dr. Sellas and the man with the funny head, though. But she didn’t know Star. That was different, somehow. “That ain’t mah name,” she whispered. Then she said, more firmly, “Mah name’s Brute. So call me Brute.”

For a few moments she couldn’t quite face either of them. Brute shook her head and smiled at her brother. “Ah don’t really know other places than New York. Ah ain’t never been to Ahbiza. What’s wrong with mah usual clothes? Don’t they look nahce enough?”

Saying that, she had heard plenty about the Rainbow Room, and it sounded pretty intimidating. But she figured everything would be fine if she was with Puck. He made everything seem easy, these days. “Should ah bring Mr. Bear?”

[Shosuro Miren]

"You can if you want, luv," he said gently. "And there's nothing wrong with what you're wearing. I like shopping and I like taking you shopping, so I take all the excuses I can." He winked at her, "Besides, the Rainbow Room is a fun place get showy with your clothes and wear ridiculous outfits that you wouldn't ever where anywhere else. Kinda like a fashion show, only sexier and much more fun."

He glanced between the two of them, "Well, I'd like to go shopping, if you two would indulge me? And if you see something you like, we can pick it up."

With murmured assents from both of the ladies, a slight pause while Brute went to collect Mr. Bear and Puck sent off a text to Darrik about the plans for the evening, they were back to the library and then to Ibiza through one of Star's warp gates. It was already heading on dusk on the Mediterranean island, but the busy streets and ornamental lights down every street belied its 24/7 nature. Puck pulled the two along after him, flitting from shop to shop as he prowled for a new set of tops for himself to show off his tattoo, and cajoled the other two into getting at least an outfit for the night, if not several more that he thought they looked good in.

The moon was just pulling itself over the horizon, large and almost orange, as they finally made their way to the Rainbow Room. Puck pulled them around passed the long line of novas waiting to get in and over to a side entrance with a keypad lock. He deftly typed in this week's code (courtesy of Chang) and let them in without the long, boring wait outside. They navigated a short labyrinth of hallways before emerging into the club room proper from a door with a 'Private' placard to keep out the casual club-goers. The room was huge, with large booths on platforms along three walls and the bar taking up the fourth wall. The rest of the space was the dancefloor, a riot of sound and color and novas moving to the beat of the technovox music thrumming through the room. Puck bowed gallantly, holding the door for them and motioning them into the room, "Ladies, the Rainbow Room. Shall we start with a dance, or take it slow with a booth and something to eat and drink?"

[Toby Lupin]

Darrik and his lovers were dropping off their goods at their room, incidentally, when Puck sent his message. Mostly a number of outfits for Gwen, since Agatha and Darrik had eufiber for their clothing needs. When he broached the subject, the two women were definitely up for a night of partying, as well as the opportunity to meet Darrik's mentor as well as the new nova applicant they'd heard of.

Agatha of all people, was certainly more frisky in mind, for she suggested that the three, regardless of ultimate intentions, dress to kill. Darrik and Gwen couldn't agree more, and spent awhile deciding on super-sexy-clubbing wear for their trip. In the end, they decided on skin-tight black leather all, in different cuts for each person.

Then, when they were ready, Darrik shadow-jumped them to the side entrance and simply phased through the wall with his attuned lovelies. "To think it was months ago we met here," Gwen mused, "and now we're all back again?" Agatha smiled brightly. "Time seems to fly, nowadays." They unphased, and on each of Darrik's arms, they came into the main club.

[Doctor Varroxxian]

As they stood, Star was entranced by the sights and sounds of the club. Sooo flashy! So many Novas! Of course, she'd read about the old Amp Room, and of this place - place of places for Nova socialites and stars. Now she was here! Reading, and op-video were one thing, but she was in a world of fiction made real. Literally, some of her favourite recent movies featured this place in scenes. Even though there was nothing specific going on right now ... it looked - no felt - even crazier to be here for real. The pulse of the club was intoxicating. Puck's question snapped her back to her senses ...

Star looked to Brute and, feeling the instinctive need to shelter a bit asked "So how does taking it slow sound Brute?" looking back to Puck with an 'if thats OK?' kind of look.

[Brute]

She felt weird when she carefully extricated Mr. Bear from the bed clothes, like she was about to take him somewhere he – and be extension she – did not belong. Yet Puck wanted to go and he was smiling at her and she was worried he might be sad if she disagreed. And Star seemed nice, too. Ah should probably get to know other Novas, or at least Puck’s friends. One of them helped her with her head, after all. Maybe others would help more.

In the end she put him into her new backpack, which was better designed to keep him safe and secure, slung it onto her shoulders and headed back out to see Puck.

Everything became a whirl after that. He swept her up the way he always did, with enthusiasm and charm. Before she knew it she was in Ibiza, and everyone was poorly dressed and having fun and talking about Novas. Baselines often did, she noted, but they seemed to be everywhere in Ibiza, and half of the people she heard talking were chatting about one Nova or another. As soon as Puck was recognized, he became a popular topic, and Brute did her best to slip into her brother’s shadow.

Puck gave her no option but to buy clubbing clothes, but Brute had no idea what to get so she bowed to his suggestions and ended up picking a sleeveless waistcoat in purple silk that would go with her scarf and hat, and a new pair of black leggings slit down the sides to show and emphasize her legs, with high heeled leather boots to the knee.

That was when people started talking about her, and taking pictures. She smiled at them and slipped Mr. Bear out of his bag so she walked with him held hugged to her chest. Once or twice she had him wave to the onlookers. They seemed to find that cute, and Brute relaxed infinitesimally.

But still, seeing so many people wearing so little made her feel odd. And it was getting dark, too. Yet it was still warm. New York was pretty cold at night. There was something wild about Ibiza, wild and ecstatic and mad. It made her want to grow. She didn’t, though. Of late she couldn’t get those tracts from the Church of Michael Archangel out of her head.

Her powers were evil, they said, the devil’s work made manifest. It was wrong to use them for anything other than God’s work, but since God wouldn’t want her to use them since that would be the devil’s work, Brute figured she probably wasn’t supposed to grow at all. Or turn into water and drip around, or be mist, or anything. She guessed what they were really getting at was that she wasn’t supposed to be a Nova. Like ah ever asked ta be. Wonder what they’d think if they knew about mah dad?

She shook her head, as if trying to dislodge a fly or something, and ignored the quick look Puck threw her way, disarmed it with a little smile.

Yet she fell back to the rear of their little group, as the memories buzzed inside her head and she began to see visions of dark shapeless things crawling in the dark places where the shadows pooled. And there were a lot of shadows at night. Buildings seemed to grow twisted and monstrous, the shadows of Puck and Starseed had claws and were reaching for her.

Brute began to breathe, the way she always did when panicking, but she resisted it, telling herself as hard as she could that it wasn’t real and that Mr. Bear would keep her safe.

Then they were at the Rainbow Room, and Brute was blinking hard, calming down enough to wear a smile as Puck led them in through a side door.

By the time they reached the dance floor her vision was settling down again. At least she thought it had, but maybe instead she had gone completely insane. Novas danced with grace unspeakable, some shined or shimmered, others flexed wings and tentacles. Some seemed normal, others seemed… not. Up in the rafters where the shadows ought to hide people, Brute could see the heat signatures of a half dozen Novas pressed up close to one another.

Then she saw her.

She walked weirdly, bent a little backward, her arms tied together behind her back with what looked like a white scarf. She wore a dull red leather corset and a floaty black dress, with huge platform shoes and thigh-high boots. Her breasts were big and round and covered only by a leather strap across the nipples, and her eyes were covered by that same dull red leather, with her hair held up high behind her in a long brown ponytail. Her lips were full and deep purple. Somehow, despite the strangeness of her posture, she moved with ease and fluid grace, rendered eerie by the knowledge she really ought to be staggering and bumping into things. Yet whenever someone neared her she jinked to one side and slipped by without touching.

Brute stared at the twisted vision, and slowly covered Mr. Bear’s eyes with her free hand while hugging him close with the other. She looked over to Star. “Yeah. Maybe takin’ it slow would be good.”

Failed a flashbacks roll for weirdness due to thinking about the Church of Michael Archangel and the reminder of her father, and then spent a willpower point to shake off the effects

[Adrian Moss]

'Get out of the House, he says. Meet some other novas, he says.'

Shaman looked around the room. He was meeting novas a plenty. Unlike his first attempt, now they knew who he was. Love or Hate his Dad, they all respected him ... and they wanted to know just how much (or how little) his son measured up. The problem was that were they had ignored him and his shabby outfit because he was an unknown, they now paid attention to him because of nothing he'd earned.

'There's a lot of that here.'

'It's a club; half watering hole and half rutt all rolled into one.'

Shaman couldn't help but smile at his current dance partner. She smiled back, her hands entwined above there head and her body rubbing against him in an uncomfortable rhythm. To her credit, she hadn't given her name, nor asked his. She seemed to be happy dancing, and getting happier the more she came into contact with him. He was happy to just dance with her, but otherwise something about his place just didn't gel with him. He was missing a key element.

'They're not her.'

'That hardly seems fair.'

'Not like I can ever be with her.'

'Does that ever matter?'

'It should. We could be having so much fun here. I'm a Prince for Node's Sake.'

'Hehehe ...'

'Yeah, I know.'

'Damn. I don't want it to be that way for the first time. I'd like for it to be a memory I can really hold on to.'

'Maybe. Maybe if it's strong enough.'

'Good enough.'

The tempo of the music shifted. A new mix was hitting the floor and Shaman felt like it was a time to make an exit. The girl took his hand and tried to lead him into the darkness. He shook his head. She pulled again, harder. Shaman pulled his hand free.

"That's not what I'm here for."

'We could tell her we've fucked with her nervous system.'

'Hardly seems like she wants to listen.'

'What part of 'Let's not touch' did I not say, or she not here?'

'Time for an old redirect.'

Shaman looked over at two guys moving his way.

'Pray they're not a couple.'

'I can always cut off my hand. I'll grow a new one.'

'...'

'Blood spray. Not good.'

Shaman moved deftly so that the girl bumped into one of the guys. They looked at one another for an instant. The girl became confused. Shaman slipped her grip and declared,

"I've got to go to the bar. You two have fun."

He slipped away while the three novas were getting acquainted. He felt a pang of regret and guilt. His quantum came with a price of physical loneliness that too few had ever been able to penetrate. He had inflicted that surge of emotions he couldn't feel onto her. Her emotions had feed on that energy and been amplified. Now ...

'Now she's getting nailed and we've got nadda.'

'You've got the manner of a pig.'

'Too many sitcoms and teen angst flicks as a child.'

'Okay, you're an illiterate, under-educated pig.'

'I'm just saying sex would be nice occasionally. Ever?'

'We don't know what it would be like.'

'We are never likely to either.'

'We've only felt that way with her. Pretty odd now that you think about it. I mean, of all the pretty woman we've met ... there is only one.'

'As long as we don't make it hard on ourselves.'

'Yeah.

Shaman looked over toward the floor and scouted the perimeter. It was more a force of habit than any real attempt to connect with someone. She wouldn't be here alone. Seeing another 'Her' was a welcome surprise though. He immediately got up and snaked his way through the crowd, avoiding contact as much as possible. A sincere smile crossed his face and an innocent pleasure lit features.

"Starseed? Wow, it's really you. How's it going?"

[Doctor Varroxxian]

"Shaman!" Star exclaimed. Shaman had not seen Star like this before ... Star had not seen Star like this before. In the Alluring Goth-meets-Japanese-school-girl look Puck had come up with for her she was ... hot. If you were into the andro look, she might even be considered super hot. Star still didn't have a full awareness of this fact, but she was feeling good. She felt the people looking at her, even though she was out shined by half the people here ... which really didn't matter to her. This wasn't her first time in a night club, she'd covertly hung out there to get at opnet terminals in KTV style joints in Asia and eastern Europe ... but this was the first time going as herself. It had been a flurry of firsts of late, and it was tremendous.

"Shaman, have you met Puck and Brute? ... Shaman is a friend of mine from Kinshasa, I met him through Kamiko - who you've also yet to meet but she's the emergency contact I listed." She said, making intros all round ... turning back to Shaman "This is my first time here. Isn't it great?!"

[Adrian Moss]

"Hey Puck. Hey Brute."

He nods to each in turn.

To Starseed, "This place is something else alright. It seems to be the best place to meet more novas than anywhere else on Earth. I don't come here too much, but as you know I'm better off in the Wild. There it is so much less complicated. Predators are predators and up front about it. Here ... I can never tell."

He says that all with a grin and a sincere tone.

"You look really nice ... and different."

'That's what we're supposed to say, right?'

'If she reacts favorably, then yes.'

'And if she slaps us ... or cries?'

'I think that means we immediately qualify as 49% of the population.'

'Funny. Har, har.'

'We might want to pay the others some attention as well.'

'What do yo say to a guy who looks like he belongs?'

'Hey Snappy Dresser?'

'Concentrate on what might work.'

"Brute, you look very nice too."

'For the Win!'

(face palm)

[z-Infinity]

"Are we ready to party?!" Teithwyr shouted to the room of milling novas. The bunch of them straightened to attention, looking at him with anticipation.

"Yea!" Lotti hollered back, throwing a fist in the air. The other teens in the room clamored for Teith to do his thing, and the teleporter opened a warp to the secure room in Ibiza from which they made all public jumps. The group of them pushed through, then waited until Teith had opened another gate, this one to the Rainbow Room. It was actually to the exterior, but the bouncer was very familiar with this group and he waved them on through with a lazy gesture.

Infinity immediately bounced up on her toes, peering out into the room. The latex dress she was wearing squeaked softly as she moved, its tight-fitting black material cleaving to her body. Her red eyes were hunting for Norman, hoping he was here and praying he was here alone. If he's not, she decided, I'll ask to speak privately. Norman was her friend. Surely he'd give her that much. And with the atmosphere of the Rainbow Room, her own courage was ramping higher than normal. Tonight she was going to press her case. She'd waited too long, let fear muzzle her until after he'd met Coraline. But she knew he was the one for her, and she for him. He just had to be convinced of that, and Infinity knew she could convince him.

He just needed to show up before she lost her nerve...

Here's the dress - NSFW

Infinity's dress looks like the front of the dress, not the back... yet.

[Brute]

Brute’s eyes were still fixed on the weird-looking woman when the new Nova came over and started saying things to them. She felt lost, dazed and confused. The lights blazing from the dance floor were as crazy as those coming from above. She saw other people too, maybe not as crazy as the woman whose eyes were covered and whose arms were tied but who were wearing little or nothing and doing those things people did when not wearing much.

Is this what Novas are? She thought. To date Brute had only really known Puck and Infinity. But when she considered Jeremiah Scripture… was it just that young Novas looked normal? This guy looked normal, but he looked young, too. No wonder those church guys say we’re all evil an’ stuff. Do our powers drive us crazy?

She kept Mr. Bear’s eyes nice and covered. Some things were definitely not for Mr. Bear to see. She turned him round after a few moments and hugged him to her chest. If he was facing inward he probably wouldn’t see anything too traumatic. There would only be her, not that she wasn’t bad enough.

Shaman talked to Starseed a bunch, and then said hi to her. Brute looked over at him. “It’s alrahght, mister. No need ta pretend to be interested. Y’all go dance if that’s what you want, an’ ah’ll jus’ leave ya to it. Ah think ah’ll go look for somewhere ta sit down.”

Of course, pronouncement and accomplishment were rather different concepts. There were places to sit, sure enough, but none that she thought would be good for Mr. Bear. Really she wanted a seat for him, too. And some people in the club were giving her strange looks. No, they were giving Mr. Bear strange looks.

That was when she heard the shout from the front of the club and the new influx of Novas came rolling in, with Infinity among them. She supposed she ought to go say hi, but Infinity was dressed in a way that made her feel a bit shabby and silly, and she was with friends. Brute thought she might embarrass her.

She felt snowed under, and couldn’t think of what to do or where to go. Infinity’s gang was over on the right, up ahead there was her, now standing still and talking with a tall, incredibly handsome man with silver eyes and silver hair that shone under the club’s lights. Ain’t no way ah’m goin’ near her, Brute thought. And that was before she saw the woman’s breasts ripple and swell in a way flesh never ought to and breasts definitely never should, and a small black ball emerged from between them. The man took it from her without any hesitation. It was a bit bigger than a bowling ball, but had no holes. Brute looked away. There was nothing over to the left, but there was Starseed and Shaman, who clearly wanted to be alone with her. There was always behind…

Naw, Brute thought, trying hard to settle down. Ah cain’t run no more. ‘Sides, the things ah’m runnin’ from… they ain’t never gonna leave me be. Ya cain’t run from ya troubles when ya take ‘em with ya. Well, that wasn’t quite true. You could run, sure enough, but they’d be waiting as soon as you stopped for breath. ‘Sides, ah got mah brother.

He had gone and changed on her, but she could see the tattoo on his forearm, brother to the one on hers. That hadn’t changed. He was still with her, and still at her side, just like he said.

For now, Brute was content to stand her ground. She figured the weird woman would go away eventually, and the Novas at the door would move on quickly. Jus’ take it a minute at a time, Brute. You’ll get a-wanderin’ soon.

[Toby Lupin]

Darrik observed Infinity's entrance, but also caught sight of Puck's group- with both familiar and unfamiliar faces around him. "There's some faces worth meeting." He suggested to Gwen and Agatha, and the very well-dressed, and certainly scantily clad bevy of beautiful novas cut through the path of the floor- and the potential patch of admirers, and linked up with Puck's circle.

"Puck! Brute, Shaman. Glad to see you all again." Darrik brightly greeted them all, and then turned to and extended a hand to Starseed, "And Starseed I presume? I'm Darrik, and with me are Gwen and Agatha."

[Doctor Varroxxian]

Replying to Shaman "Thanks! It's really not my usual thing, but I like it. Puck came up with it - He's a fashion and makeover GENIUS!" ... noting that something was up with Brute but not knowing what to do she looked to Puck. Star wanted to go along after Brute, but wasn't sure it was the right thing to do. She knew Brute was sensitive. Again, she looked to Puck - he could read the dilemma in her face.

And on seeing Darrik walk in, another incredible vision of pure loveliness ... along with Gwen and Agatha "Hello. Yes, ... nice to meet you all." She felt a little overwhelmed, and a little small ... so many beautiful people. This was a realm where she was not master, just the learner. "Looks like Exalt! is representing at the Rainbow Room tonight!"

[Adrian Moss]

'What's up with that vibe?'

'Which one? It's not like we are in a vibe-heavy environment or anything.'

'Girl - not Starseed - in front of us.'

'Oh!'

'...'

'So? She's not hurling herself at the dance floor. Big deal.'

'What does that make her?'

'Somewhat like us?'

"Hey, nice bear. Bears rock!"

'Were the hell did that come from?'

'Girl's got a teddy bear.'

'Point.'

He nods to Puck, spectacular, but in Shaman's slowly expanding world ...

"You're better with clothes than I am. I wear what's comfortable and kind of miss the whole color-clash thing."

Just then, he catches on to what Starseed said. He turns to look and nods, smiling never leaving his face.

"Yeah. Darrik. I've met him but I don't know the women, but hey, not surprising. There's like eight billon people I don't know."

[Shosuro Miren]

Puck slipped an arm around Eden's waist, pulling her close to him and hoping that that would help her relax a bit. The Rainbow Room could be a bit overwhelming for first-timers, though Star seemed to be quite in her element at the moment. He nodded and said a friendly, "Nice to meet you, Shaman." He grinned and winked at Brute at the other nova's comment. "And he's right, teddy bears do rock!"

He waved over to Infinity, giving her an appreciative once-over. Dressed to kill tonight, I see. His look for the blond 'porting nova next to her was laced with a (mostly) friendly malice, "Well, Teith, what took you so long? We've been a whole two or three minutes, just waiting." He winked at Infinity, "Nice dress, Infi. Lotti, looking heartbreaking, as usual...." He continued on, saying hellos to those who had been his friends and siblings for the first several months of his waking life. Once he'd made the first round of pleasantries, he motioned the group to the girl at his side, teddy bear clutched protectively in the face of nearly two dozen or so pairs of eyes on her. "Everyone, this is my sister. I think she still prefers to be called Brute," he glanced down to get a minuscule nod from her, "and over there," he motioned to where Star and Shaman were still getting caught up, "is Starseed. This is their first time at the Rainbow Room, so let's make a party of it make sure they have a good time, yes? If that's fine by you, Lotti." He gave the leonine nova a winning smile, "It's your party, after all."

Lotti blushed, not having seen Puck since his Apotheosis, though everyone in the Nursery knew about it by now. She padded up to her "brother" and claimed his other arm. "Only if I get the first dance with you," she teased, running a hand over his bare arm, "and maybe the second or third."

Teithwyr gave Puck a look that could have withered the most prized flowers in Bounty's gardens and rolled his eyes. "C'mon, Rhea, let's leave the lovebirds alone before they start stripping each other." He and another nova teen to the dance floor; she had bright red and yellow striped hair and skin the color of loam, even with spots of white like freckles over her body. Her eyes were glowing silver-gold orbs and her dress was a cascade of linked small gems; she was beautiful but eerie, though certainly not the oddest looking person in the room by entire magnitudes. Puck returned the eye roll and a muttered, "Yun. Pe."

When he looked back to Brute, though, there was none of the disdain or annoyance in his expression, "Is that okay with you? I can ask Infinity or Star to hang out with you, get you a table and some food while I pay my respects to our party-planner for a dance or two?"

Bodhi

Yun - Dick, asshole, jerk, etc.

Pe - Toady, follower (derogatory), spineless.

[Doctor Varroxxian]

Star shook hands or waved as appropriate for introductions, "Hello ... Hi ..." then gave young Eden a warm smile ...

"Brute, why don't we find that table together? I haven't eaten much in days and I've probably never even tried most of the dishes they serve here. Lets try some new things!" Star said to the young Nova.

Then looking to Shaman and back to Brute "You can get to know Shaman, he's friendly ... and then later, we can all have some fun on the dance floor!"

The music was thumping, and Star could feel it in her bones ... well, she didn't have bones but she did have a quasi rigid 'endo-skeletal' electromagnetic structural field ... and some of the high range beats from the top notch sound system tingled her body in a pleasurable way. "Puck, this is amazing music. Who's the artist? The sound is, just wow ... range and acoustics are amazing!"

It was written in Star's fluid body language, there would be dancing tonight. She just had to figure out how, so she immediately began noting the moves of those on the floor. Seeing another hyper-felxible Nova and how she twisted with the song. She'd get Eden on the floor too. Girls have to stick together!

[Adrian Moss]

'Wow, that was a whirl!'

'Catch any of those names?'

'Not really ... I think that other girl's Eden. The one with the dress is Infi. Lotti is the ...'

'Maybe if we had been closer.'

'Maybe if we had been invited to be closer.'

'Does it really matter?'

'Not really.'

'The cascade sheds mist, but it should never distract from the power of the fall.'

'...'

'...'

'I'm so confused.'

'Not the first time.'

'Not the last time either.'

'What now?'

'We make a decision?'

'On what?'

'Starseed or Brute?'

'Oh. Brute.'

'Why her?'

'She knows me as much as she seems to know everyone else here but Puck and maybe Star. We know how that feels, and that sucks.'

'Better idea!'

"Brute, Starseed! Let's go out on the dance floor together. Everyone will think I'm the luckiest Man in the place!"

He tries to beckon them toward the umpteen other dancers.

"One thing I should warn you about though. I give off a sort of bio-feedback. People who touch me get excited ... which in this place could be a really bad thing. Beyond that, I'm safe. I'll keep my hands to myself. Promise."

'As long as no one jacks my senses.'

'Yeah, there is that.'

'Let's try and have some fun.'

[Brute]

Everything was in the middle of making no damn sense when Puck put his arm around her and pulled her close.

She had not realized how tense she was until that moment, and she felt her muscles beginning to unwind. Ah don’t get how they’re all so relaxed, she thought. They were, though. You rock, Mr. Bear. All the cool people think so.

It was weird watching Puck introduce her to all the Novas with Infinity. She hugged Mr. Bear even tighter. There was something… not friendly, in the eyes of some of them. One or two smirked, though they seemed to change their mind after a moment or two. Brute watched the smirk die from the face of one young man, and slowly turn into an emotional frown, a look of profound comprehension and pity. He turned away before she did, but only by a moment. She supposed she was killing the mood of his evening. He jabbed the other smirker in the ribs.

When Puck addressed her again she looked up at him and nodded. Then she realized he hadn’t asked a ‘yes or no’ sort of question. “A table would be good, I think.”

She just mumbled an affirmative when Starseed talked to her, not even quite able to think with the music in her head and the heat of all the bodies around her. She couldn’t quite tell where anybody was anymore, and that made her nervous.

Then Shaman was talking to her again and trying to get her on the dance floor.

Without Puck right there with her, she was tensing up so fast. She could feel it now. Brute had never been around so many Novas before, and they were being so… so… something.

She looked over at Shaman apprehensively. “Ah don’t much care about makin’ you seem lucky, mister. Ah wanna go sit down, lahke Starseed said. You wanna go dance, y’all go dance, ya don’t need my help for that. An’ where would Mr. Bear go if ah went an’ danced?” Brute hugged him, feeling lost and out of place and stupid all over again. “Ah reckon he’d feel lonely.”

Brute looked over at Puck, feeling helpless.

[Adrian Moss]

'That was weird.'

'That was odd.'

'She could have at least given it a shot. Who goes to a club who doesn't want to take any chances?'

'Who drags someone to a club who doesn't want to dance?'

'Could it be us?'

'I think it was absolutely because of us.'

'That's totally egotistical.'

'Oh, not that way. It's not us - us. It's just us.'

'So its like we don't matter?'

'Pretty much.'

'How does someone come across that way? The anti-social aspect.'

'You aren't anti-social if you associate.'

'It doesn't work like that for some people.'

'Actually, considering the situation, this makes total sense.'

'I hear that one.'

'I sense a pattern here.'

'In this place?'

'Yeah, pretty much.'

'So, what's the pattern?'

'Get over it. Fight the battles you can win.'

'Never!'

Staying as upbeat as possible,

"So Star want to go give it a whirl? Or, we could stay here with Brute if you like. No sense for her to feel - I mean her and Mr. Bear to feel lonely. It's not like we don't have all night to dance it up. I'd like to know how you two know each other, and that Puck guy too. That's got to be an interesting story."

[Doctor Varroxxian]

"Well, lets get that table and some food. It'll be our 'home base', so to speak. Besides, this is my first time here ... and to tell you the truth, I want to see some of the good dancers on the floor for a while before I try it out." Said Star to Shaman, grabbing his hand to lead him in the direction of the table.

To Shaman, she said "I know Puck because he runs a very interesting group called Exalt!. I'm in the process of joining, gettting to know people there ... and there are going to be interesting things happening. They are already happening .. and Brute is Puck's sister."

Star stayed with Brute and Puck. She probably didn't understand everything Brute had been through, but she was sweet. Nothing wrong with being a bit cautious either, that feeling she understood all too well. "Lets say we get the big one over there with the comfy looking bench seats on the two sides? It will give us a nice place to chat too - not too close to the main sound system." Said Star, pointing over to the a not quite corner table.

... "Besides, I want to get to know you and Puck better, so it would be nice to talk over some food." added Star, smiling at Brute and gently pulling Shaman along - just a little - to literally get the group momentum going.

[z-Infinity]

All that bouncing on toes earned her was a sighting of Puck, not that sighting her old friend was a chore. Grinning, Infinity pushed her way over to him, happy to see her friend and lover. "Puck!" she squealed as she threw her arms around the thin nova, kissing him smartly. "Where were you? I thought you were coming over with us," she chided gently.

"I was," Puck agreed, glancing across the room at the Welsh warper who very definitely wasn't looking at them.

"Ahhh," Infinity said, understanding crossing her features. She turned to the others and smiled. "Hey, Brute, Mr. Bear. And who are these folks?" Her smile was friendly and open as she looked at - and over - Star and Shaman. "I'm Infinity and I'm sure we haven't met."

[Doctor Varroxxian]

"Hello, I'm Starseed, and this is Shaman. Nice to meet you Infinity. I met Puck through Exalt!" Star smiles a happy-to-the-core smile. She would let Shaman reveal more about himself, guessing that he might not tell everyone he was a Prince. In a way, that could be a hard title to bear.

"I've always read about this place. I guess all of you must come her often? I'll bet it never gets old!"

[Adrian Moss]

'Wow, someone I can actually look at and not think of her.'

'Refreshing, or what?'

Shaman gives a wave to Infinity.

'I wonder who she's here with?'

'Someone tall, dark and Ten Tons of Ugly.'

'Strangely I don't feel like getting my ass kicked today.'

'She looks nice though.'

'That would be a keen fashion sense.'

'Oh ... okay. I thought these were her hunting clothes.'

'I wonder if she'd like to dance?'

'Nah, she's here with friends. You know how that goes.'

'Were here with Star - for now anyway. And Brute.'

'Funny, they seem better looking now.'

[Shosuro Miren]

Lotti pulled Puck out onto the dance floor, his wave to Darrik, Agatha and Gwen hopefully not lost in the crush of bodies. "See you guys in a bit!" he shouted back to them.

The other Nursery kids split out into the room, taking up spots on the dance floor, grabbing booths in smaller friend cliques, and setting the bar and kitchen buzzing with dozens of new orders. The song changed, a fast-beat techno song following the pop number that had been going when they'd first arrived. The dance floor fairly bounced as the novas the dancers ramped up their energy to keep pace with song; Puck laughed as Lotti did her best to jump to the music while keeping her hands on every bare patch of his skin she could find. He managed to beg off a second dance on the premise of being something of a host himself and promising one later. He slid off the dance floor and over to where the small group was still doing introductions and deciding how to start their night; he slid an arm around Eden, easily picking up on her unease.

"C'mon, let's tag a booth before they're all taken up and then we can dance or sit and talk or whatever!" He was flushed from the short but intense dance and certainly in his element at the moment as he shooed everyone over to one of the larger corner booths. He order a double of the largest appetizer platter the Rainbow Room offered (and all their dishes were made with nova-level appetites in mind) and a Fresca for himself. He grinned at the trio-family, "So, how did shopping go? Oh, and Dr. Loshe asked me to ask you two to come by the Wellness Center for another check-up when you've got the time. She's setting up some sort of...something. I didn't really understand all the details, but I promised I'd ask the next time I saw you two lovies."

Dr. Loshe

Dr. Loshe erupted during Puck's Apotheosis and is Healing/medically focused. Anyone involved with Exalt would know this.

[Doctor Varroxxian]

"Ohh, that smells good ..." Star says as food is delivered to the table next to them. The booth was luxurious, and even the little measure of privacy it afforded added another element to the layered experience of the amazing club. She surveyed the scene, and it struck her. Sometimes she had sudden flashes of thought - not just her mind operating at faster and faster rates over the last months but some sort of insight from integrating the experience of many selves ...

Looking out at the floor, and all the Novas ... Puck knew so many people. He was connected in his movement, he knew many, many Terats. "Umm, Puck ... if you don't mind me asking. Are many of your friends here in the Teragen? I mean, it is logical they are and you know so many people ... but I have been wondering ... and it now strikes me ... If someone were in the Teragen, would you know how to safely contact them? How to find them if they had gone under cover?"

The music was still loud, it pounded and Puck listened to her ... In a tiny fraction of a second she lived through the situation with Mother.

In most of the time at EXalt! Star hadn't thought about it. She had been so busy, living many lives at once and integrating them all. Plans within plans alongside other plans within plans. She hated Mother, but she didn't at the same time. Mother had caused innocent people so much pain, killed so many in such a terrible way. Some of her victims were still dying, no doubt ... the cancers would be living torture and except for their rate of occurance they would seem normal. The Directive and government agencies probably wouldn't even let them know they were victims of anything except natural disease. Innocent people were still suffering, in ignorance ... and Father would not have wanted that.

Star wanted to find her though, maybe to find her old Mother somehow. First she'd have to connect with the person her Mother had become. But how to ask about this?

Star looked at Puck with smile that wasn't her usual smile ... as he was about to answer she said "Maybe its the wrong time to bring this up. It's not important." It wasn't hard to tell, something weighed heavily on Star's thoughts but she didn't want to spoil anyone's fun.

[Brute]

Brute felt some of the tension bleed out of her when Puck put his arm around her. She couldn’t fathom how any of them dealt with this place. It was insane. And so hot!

She tried to just go with the calm that came with Puck’s presence and respond to Starseed’s enthusiasm. They seemed to be fine, and she knew she was dragging them down right now.

Sat down in the booth, she finally had a chance to get her bearings again. “Ah’m sorry, Puck,” she murmured. “Didn’t mean ta mess up ya evenin’.”

Brute hugged Mr. Bear. He was as warm and fluffy and comforting as ever, here in this place of mad people doing mad things. It was like everyone was having fun but her, and that made her feel terrible, especially since she was stopping Puck from having the fun he clearly wanted to. Of course she knew he liked being around her. That wasn’t in question anymore. But he could be around her forever. Maybe literally forever, if some of the OpNet articles were to be believed. He couldn’t go out dancing forever. And if his sister went on being a party pooper he wouldn’t even be going out dancing tonight.

Ah cain’t dance, though. This place is… it’s too much. The arctic might have been a bit boring but it was never overwhelming. It didn’t have women who dressed like something out of a really weird dreamy nightmare thing, or people who dressed in very little, or people with wings and tentacles and strange eyes.

It sort of put things in perspective, really. Maybe ah belong out there, she mused as Starseed talked to Puck. Out there on the snow plains, jus’ runnin’ wit’ the foxes an’ nobody else. She wondered if her igloo was still there.

Brute stayed quiet and tasted the food Puck ordered for them. It seemed like an awful lot of food, but that was going off what she saw around Exalt! Nova appetites were meant to be bigger. She had no idea what it felt like to be hungry. Her belly had been silent her whole life, save for that time she got shot and she didn’t think that the sounds it made that time were the ones that a hungry stomach was supposed to make. It did have a hole in it, though.

The food was great, unquestionably, especially the salad. There were vast quantities, sure, but all the vegetables were crisp and delicious, drenched in some kind of rich vinegar, with spicy onions and beetroot, peppers and spices of a dozen kinds that she couldn’t have named if begged to.

When Starseed finished talking, Brute made Mr. Bear hop up on the table and wave his paw at her. “Mr. Bear thinks it sounds important. Ah don’t think he’s ever been wrong, have ya, Mr. Bear?” He bobbled around to look at her, and she made him stroke her nose while she looked into his dopey black eyes and smiled. She hugged him again and turned to Starseed. “Honestly, ah’m not havin’ much fun as it is. Why not share what’s on yer mahnd now, instead o’ later when someone actually is havin’ fun?”

[Doctor Varroxxian]

"Well, I just saw so many people around who are probably in the Teragen ... I thought it might not be too much trouble to ask if anyone knew where to find my Mother. She's joined, but we lost contact. In fact, she probably took a Nova name and isn't going by her old one."

...

"Its just, I don't want to impose."

[Adrian Moss]

Shaman sat attentively, but restrained himself from speaking. What was there to say, publicly?

'Mother's in the Teragen?'

'I wonder what that means?'

'Stars never said anything much about the Teragen.'

'But the way it sounds, she's not a member.'

'So what does that mean?'

'Her and her mother got separated somehow.'

'She and her mother got away, I recall. Father died.'

'This Teragen business must be new.'

'What do we do if they are both in the Teragen?'

'Does it matter?'

'Do we join?'

'We are loyal to Einherjar. As long as that lasts.'

'A stream is shaped by its rocks. The River shapes its rocks.'

'I think I already said that!'

'Well, it was implied.'

'Yeah.'

Shaman hoisted his drink in salute to Mr. Bear.

'Here's to you, Mr. Bear. Odd men out.'

'He's got a girl.'

'Doh!'

[z-Infinity]

“It’s not imposition,” Infinity said. She had taken the seat on the other side of Brute and slung an arm over the girl’s shoulders. Her fingers had crept up onto Puck’s shoulders and were nervously playing with his hair. To her young friend, Infinity was clearly anxious about something. Given the hopeful looks when she surveyed the dance floor, it wasn’t hard to guess that she was hoping that certain blue-skinned crush would appear. “Reuniting family isn’t a problem. In fact, it’s almost a hobby of ours.” Infinity gave Brute a smile as she paused her playing with Puck’s hair; she put her hand on Brute’s head in a comforting touch.

“So what’s her name, or what do you know about her?” Infinity asked, her voice confident. Star hadn’t agreed to anything but Infinity seemed very ready to help her.

[Doctor Varroxxian]

"Well, I have a file here in my data-band that I can copy for you - but my Mother was pretty normal as Nova's go until the attack on us. Her name is Nancy Reid, but I think she was going to take on a Nova name ... we lost contact before I found out more. She is incredibly intelligent even for a Nova and similarly perceptive, and her field is biophyisics ... with a bunch of other interests thrown in. Her powers are kind of like mine, she can manipulate biological structures, even drawing quantum out of them if need be. She does it by turning matter into energy and vise versa, and she can also assume an energy form. Her's isn't dynamic like mine, but she's able to basically become a being of light - technically some sort of quasi particle that isn't really matter or energy and should decay instantly but for her is persistent. She's been a Nova for twenty two years now, and in that time her energy form has become pretty modified ... kind of insectoid - no maybe more like a crustacean ... we'll she's pretty amazing."

"She didn't show off much in public, kept the energy form under wraps ... but she was employed at Caltech for decades and if you look her up she's frequently cited in major journals."

"Just after the incident she had been pushing herself hard, and she began to act very strange, a little bit ... unstable. She also began to have some trouble with her energy form bleeding over into her original form. The people she met in the Teragen, they convinced her to strike back ... but there was also someone who was helping her. She had promised not to name names, but she mentioned he was a brilliant scientist who could help both of us ..."

"Hmm, she was pretty careful about meeting with people before we were separated. She was paranoid, and didn't really know anyone in the Teragen. So she always kept me and them separate, just in case. I have some approximate times, dates, and general areas when and where I think she had meetings. I know once, I left for a meeting but for days afterwards the big basement apartment we were renting smelled like a mixture of fish, seaweed and ... human waste. I remember the landlord freaking a bit."

[Adrian Moss]

Shaman looks to Infinity,

"I've actually seen you here before, though you look even more incredibly stunning tonight than normal."

'Did we just say that?'

'Yes.'

'Even more incredibly stunning ...'

'Well, she looks different.'

'Yes, and she's not likely to make me do something I'll regret ten seconds down the road.'

'I was beginning to despair of ever seeing a girl like that.'

'Tell me about it.'

'Funny, Star seems ... I don't know ... maybe its the cloths.'

'At least she doesn't remind me of Her.'

'That's not fair.'

'We should ask her to dance.'

'She'll say 'No'.'

'Well, we aren't dancing with Star or Brute ... or Mr. Bear.'

"Infinity, care to dance?"