Cast: Ali, Dia
Location: Rebel Royale, Florence, South Central
Time: Mid-evening on April 16, 2016
Synopsis: Dia tells Ali about her meeting with Nita and Ali makes Dia promise she'll "fly under the radar" for a day or two.
Entrance Hall - Rebel Royale - Florence
The entryway to the Rebel Royale is composed of high arches, concrete from floor to ceiling, with every inch covered in a multicolored array of spraypaint and urban decor. Beautiful darkwood benches line the walls and provide a place for patrons to come in and sit down. The floor is wide slate tiles, stippled so as to appear both rugged and beautiful, while a deep crimson runner spans the length of the room to a large oak podium. A set of doors flanks each side of the podium- one with a doorman and one without.
This room has +views and places.
Contents:
Ali
Obvious exits:
Non-Members Club (SE) Members Club (S) Street (N)
The Rebel is bustling- people coming, people going. It's as busy as most of the busier clubs in Downtown, though the clientele is very, very different. For all it used to be latino, it is now *Latino*. There's barely another census group to be seen anywhere and, in the center of it all, is Ali. She's standing on the arm of one of the doormen, who is making conversation with someone, but the Brujah isn't paying a lick of attention. She much gives the impression of not being here, though her body remains as it stands - tall, striking, carved in dark and tan; not dressed up, but not down either. A pair of black cargo pants and a clean white shirt are both casual and appropriate.
Running her fingers through her hair like a makeshift comb, from her forehead back, Dia Reina Chavez enters the Rebel Royale without making much of a scene. Stopping just in the doorway, Dia doesn't have to look very far to find the object of her affection. Smiling wide as she sees the tall Brujah right inside the entrace, Dia skips towards the Colombian - turning her tiny body sideways to bypass a few lingering conversationalists. Jumping at the end of her trail, her feet land flat in front of Ali - about a foot away. Throwing her arms down, close to her sides, but her hands sticking out almost parallel to the ground, Dia asks, "So are you playing hostess tonight or what?"
With all the ruckus and her own distraction, Ali doesn't seem to hear her amante approach - she sure as hell notes the entrance, though, and her brows shoot up as Dia lands. For a second she seems to hold her breath as if waiting for a bomb to explode, then slowly exhales and offers Dia a lazy smile. "Yea, yea. We had .. shit, I don't know. Some band come in." She rolls her eyes. Next to her, the doorman says the name of the band; some new, hip, Latin rocker. Ali nods, much the 'whatever you say' motion and turns back to Dia. "Gotta make an' appearance, you know? It was a great show." So great, she can't remember their name.
"I'm sure it was…" Dia says with some skepticism, the young woman easily noting Ali's lack of interest. "But yeah, keepin' your face out there is probably a good thing. Need to let people know you're makin' sure shits stayin' together." Thrusting her hands into her back pockets, her palms flat against her buttocks, Dia looks out over the crowd and asks, "See any good dinner options tonight?"
"Aw, you can be sure. I'll always keep shit together." Ali says before answering Dia's query. "Tomas was going to take me out to the new diner his sister opened up over on Washington, but I have to stop home and get a change of clothes first.. maybe have'a drink or two." She looks over at the doorman, who is apparently Thomas. He nods her way and flashes a set of white teeth, then winks at Dia like he has a secret no one here knows. Little does he know. "You?"
Dia quirks her right eyebrow upwards as she sees the smile from Thomas - the look evidently a little unnerving and awkward to the young woman. She nervously smiles back at the man before quickly looking back to Ali. "No plans… Probably head out to the clubs and get a little drunk food afterwards…" she says before shrugging her shoulders, looking rather indifferent as to her comment.
Ali leans forward and casts a quick glance around her, like a prisoner getting ready to make their mad dash across guard infested hallways. She slips her hand out of the crook of Tomas' arm and sets it on Dia's. "You wanna come sit for a little bit? Its .. loud in here." Tomas looks a bit annoyed at that, but the cold look Ali gives him chills the heat from his bones and his mood. "Relajo, chico. I'll be back. You're takin' me to dinner, after all."
"Yeah… Sittin' down sounds like a good idea to me…" Dia says, the girl leaning in a bit to try and hear what Ali has to say to her. Dia begins to walk towards a more private area of the Rebel Royale where the two women can talk more in private, not even glancing back at Tomas.
Ali has his credentials checked by the security guards and then passes through the double doors and into the Members Area of the Rebel Royale.
Ali has left.
After having your 'credentials' checked, two flanking security guards pull open the double doors to the Members Club and shut them once you've passed through.
VIP Game Room - Rebel Royale - Florence
The members area is a long rectangular room, very slick, with matte black walls and muted blue overhead track lighting. The vast majority of the idea is devoted to seating, with curved black leather couches and soft LED 'candles' on small round tables in each area. The floor is the same as the entry way with wide slate tiles that serve to lighten up the dark walls. A television occupies the entire far wall and routinely plays various sports games. The middle of the room closest to the door has been set aside as a small gaming area with a few card tables, four billiards tables and a wall lined with aluminum cues. A separate area at the far end of the room has been partially walled off to contain the sight and sound of the video games beyond. As a whole, the room feels modern, elegant with classic lines and an upscale feel that hasn't lost its roots.
This room has +views and places.
Contents:
Ali
Obvious exits:
Manager's Office (SE) Entrance Hall (N)
Ali has other plans - a complete relocation, or so one might think. She lifts her chin and makes a faint gesture toward the Members Area before retreating that way. The opposing side of the Rebel feels very much a refuge- sound proofing ensures the quiet and the muted LED 'candles' provide a soft ambiance. The Brujah makes for it as if it were her only sanctuary, pausing only to hold the door for Dia. ".. too many people tonight." murmurs Ali as she enters. "It's too loud. Makes me wish I'd gone up to Hahn instead."
Dia enters through the doorway quietly, but stops to wait on the otherside as Ali closes it behind the two of them. Nodding her head briefly, the young woman says in response to Ali's assessment of the crowd, "I can understand how that'd drive you a little batty… but it's good for business, ya know?" Smirking, she begins to saunter into the center of the Members Area. She really has no aim, she's just walking to walk - her feet taking wide, goofy steps as she moves into more open spacing.
"Yea, I know. That's why I signed them. I gotta get someone else to handle things for me; I can't come here an' do this. My head ain't in it." Ali takes up a spot standing by the side of the door, hands flat between the waistband of her pants and the wall. She lets her head drift backward and stares toward the ceiling. "Oughta take another break or so; once this stupid nonsense with Santa Monica is over. Aw, hey. How'd things go with Nita?" she asks, glancing back down.
Dia really doesn't acknowledge Ali's lamenting over dealing with the people, she just continues to glide aimlessly about the center of the room. However, when Dia asks the question regarding Nita, Dia swivels on her heels after a short pause. There's a look of puzzlement on her face as she focuses her eyes on the other woman's face. "I didn't tell you her name did I?" she asks. "Doesn't matter…" she adds almost immediately there after. "Probably could have figured out who I was talking about by asking anyone whose been to the Park recently, I'm sure… She's nice. Seemed a little distant and whatnot, but she seems really sweet."
"Only so many people with that description." Ali clears up the momentary consideration that she may be telepathic. "She's one'a the strangest Gangrel I met- seems almost counter intuitive how fixed she is on the intellectual. Maybe one'a those throw away kids. The Gangrel seem t'have a lot of'm.. Conrad wit'r?"
"Nah… She was alone by the pond…" the girl says as she slowly begins to approach the woman against the wall. Her eyes drifting down from Ali's face towards the woman's belt. "Caught her meditating or some shit like that… Kind of bored, so I thought I'd bug the new face - see who she was, where she was from and all that. She just mentioned she was staying with Conrad and I remember you talking about him the other night…" Dia stops about three feet in front of Ali, her head tilted down, but her eyes now coming back to look upon the Colombian.
Ali lifts her brow, letting a smirk tug as she watches Dia's eyes pass down, then up. "Eat recently?" she asks her childe - simply, to the point. She stretches one hand forward. "I'm glad y'got out. More glad y'came back home." A breath in, steadying herself for the nonsense she's about to say. "Apparently there's going to be a 'Death Metal' concert in the Skate Park. If you could stay away that day .. "
"Not tonight…" the Latina says quickly and to the point after Ali asks her about eating. But her demeanor quickly changes when Ali mentions the concert. Dia snaps her finger at the mention of 'Death Metal' and says in a rather annoyed tone, "Awwww shit…" Placing her hands on her hips and turning her head to look out over her left shoulder, the little woman mutters, "I knew I forgot to tell you something…" She looks back towards Ali, her head cocked to the left a little still. "Nita told me about that and I thought I should tell you. She said something about one of the bands grilling puppies or something like that… Forget exactly. But why do you want me to stay away?"
"Grilling puppies?" Ali's gaze finds the ceiling again; she shakes her head, then gets back to the point. "There's gonna be some problems at the concert - if they're small, no big deal. If they're not small, don't want you to end up someone's food." she says flatly. "There's some rumors goin' around that I think are a load'a shit, but .. sometimes can't' take the chance, comprende?"
"Alright, alright, alright… I'll stay away from the concert…" Dia agree grudgingly, evidently not really seeing the danger in it all. She takes a step towards the Colombian, the smaller woman wrapping her hands about the waist of Ali and letting them rest on the small of her back. "I take it these aren't our typical metal enthusiasts showing up?"
"They could be." The lift of her shoulders signifies the possibility - apparently Ali doesn't know for sure. "Or they could be Sabbat. I'll figure it out once I'm there; rip a few arms off, ask a few questions, it'll get handled. You only gotta avoid it during the concert, chica. The rest'a the time it should be just fine."
"No problem… I can take a hint…" Dia says, giving Ali an assuring smirk. She may not look like she agrees with the reason she's given, but she doesn't look like she's going to disobey her amante either. "One of these days, you're going to have to take me out with you, ya know?" she says, giving the woman a gentle squeeze on the top of her buttocks with both hands. "But I'll wait until ya think I'm ready…"
"It ain't that.." Ali's quick to argue, but it's half hearted. She stops herself short in acknowledgment of that and waves a hand before starting again. "It is that; it's mostly that you should at least get'a few years where you don't gotta deal with the shit, si? Hard to believe that there's shit in the world worse'n us." The hand she had been gesturing with loops about her amante's shoulder and is followed by her other hand. She leans. "It's ugly - it's.. " She shoots a swift glance around, then frowns. "It's just ugly."
"Well, better I get a taste of it here and there under your supervision now right?" Dia asks, throwing up both eyebrows as she tries to bargain with Ali. "I mean, so I know what the hell to expect when I get out… That it's not all chocolate waterfalls and fairies and shit like that…" She chuckles to herself while keeping her eyes on the Colombian. She raises her hands up and places them flat against the Brujah's sternum and adds in a more serious tone - but with that smirk still across her face, "But as I said… I'll wait, I'll wait… Just don't keep me in the dark too long is all I ask."
"Naw, sometimes it's werewolves an' Sabbat." replies Ali, smirking, bowing her head as she moves Dia's hands to the side and nuzzles up against her amante. For old time's sake, she nicks the woman's neck with one elongated fang. "You really got a thing for learnin, don't you." she murmurs into the other girl's ear.
"Part of it's just feelin' kind of behind after striking out on my own for awhile, I think…" Dia says, shrugging her shoulders as she tries to ignore the tremendous shiver running up and down her body from the attention to her neck. "And I guess the other part is just gettin' to have you all to myself…" she adds as she turns in to embrace the woman, burying the right side of her head into Ali's chest and wrapping her arms around the Brujah.
That sits in silence; the acknowledgement and emotion are two things Ali doesn't seem to know how to handle, but she's grown wise enough to just let it pass. Her hand drifts up and she ruffles the back of Dia's hair and holds the woman. In a dichotomous difference from her mortal days, it will be Dia who takes the warmth - ever Ali's craving, warmth. One of the true detriments of a cold, dead body .. no matter how well its falsified. She tucks Dia's head close and leans, back flat against the wall. Finally, she speaks. "Yea, I can understand. I guess I just didn't really want you to see it - I think they're just stupid kids, but I can't take the chance. So .. " So. So that. Again.
"So don't worry… I told you I won't show up…" Dia murmurs into Ali's chest, content on not leaving the physical bond she has now. "Guess I'll just rent a movie or something and watch it with the guys… That way you'll know where I am… No fear that'll just stumble into it… Okay? Now what's this about a late night diner I heard?"
Ali winks. "Tomas is my late night diner- but if you want, I can tell him my single friend wants to come .. wouldn't it be nice if she met Raoul, one'a the other doormen here. Then we'll hit my place for a few drinks an' dinner, then the diner." She grins wolfishly - same basic concept, slightly different execution. Neither Raoul or Tomas will mind.
"Sounds like a date…" Dia says, lifting her head back and smiling up at Ali with the double entendre she's made. Clicking her teeth together in a faux chomp, the woman pulls herself completely off Ali and proceeds to give her a firm, open-palm slap on her right hip/cheek. "Lead on MacDuff…" she says.
"MacDuff?" We can't count on Ali to have read MacBeth, can we? Doesn't look that way. She peels off and turns, grabbing Dia's hand before the pair exit through the door.
