The scent of iron and steel reeked even beneath the muffling chill of winter's air. It made her skin crawl as she guided her classic car into over the Brookyn Bridge and into Manhatten. The trouble she'd had finding somewhere to stay while in this forest of steel was had her lip curling in disgust. She'd visited moral cities before but few held as much Cold Iron as the Big Apple.
She'd been sent on Hunt and therefore had no reason to complain; searching for something that should not be outside the Slithen and never within the hands of mortals. Whispers had reached the ears of the Queen, barely more then rumors and so she's sent Tika to investigate. A double-edged honor to be beneath the Queen's geas.
She angled the car for the faint scent of wild growth within the city, such as it was, finding the hint of life within the barriers of Cold Iron and mortal technology. Weaving her way through traffic she was soon making her way down West 57th street, soothed by the rows of brownstones, away from the towering building of steel and glass. The scents of Central Park reached her as she searched for the address she'd memorized, finally pulling the car to the curb to park.
She looked up at the brownstone, a petite figure in unrelenting black, before making her way up the stairs to the door. A whisper and a wave of her hand allowed the door to open, the simple spell enough to free the lock. It didn't take long for her to explore the house, ensuring it would be sufficient for her to live in while she had to remain here in New York.
It didnt take long for her to transfer her belongings from the car to the house, making it as comfortable as it was going to get. She was restless though, too restless to remain in the house and so she exited to the street, head canting as she sought for the slumbering Life sleeping beneath Winter's chill. Her lips twitched slightly before she made her way along the street, heading for Central Park, moving swiftly into the sleeping trees, pretending for a moment that she wasn't surrounded by miles of steel and glass.
New York City! It had been quite a while since the lithe hawk had performed in the Big Apple, an honor to be sure when one of her old friends had given her name to the director responsible for offering her a lot of extra cash for doing just a month's worth of shows. Not that she didn't love her job at the Aerie, but when you were used to the bigger tips of burlesque, just shaking one's ass on a dance floor didn't quite compare. She'd left a note for Astrid, explaining her absence, a schedule for the dancer's, even the girl she thought would be best left in charge while she was gone, and hoped that she would have a job still upon her return.
All in all, the opportunity in New York had just been to good to refuse. After checking into her hotel, going through the materials for outfits she intending to make, and sorting through the ones that were already finished, and meeting with the "director" of the show she would be doing, Cherry found herself taking in the familiar sights of the city. It had been a few years since she'd been in NY, and though she could tell a lot had changed, it also seemed it all stayed the same.
Heading to Central Park her eyes nearly glowed golden with joy and amusement. A smile that shined brighter than the stars seemed permanently glued to her lips, and while she walked she couldn't stop herself from humming a happy little tune. The chill kept most of the crowds of people from just milling about the park, but there were quite a few that braved the cold for a stroll through nature in the cold. Each person who passed close enough to her got a cheery wave and friendly hello.
Her steps were silents as she moved along the path, taking little notice of the mortals meandering through the park. She melted easily from shadow to shadow, scowling at the fence barring her from the wild growth of the Hallett Sanctuary. She continued on the path along the edge of the Pond, letting the her senses stretch out over her surroundings.
No time like the present, the sooner she found what she was searching for the sooner she could leave this City of Iron. Her head canted slightly at the scent of living magic, barely a hint but more then enough for one who spent centuries scouting for the Wild Hunt. The tip of her tongue touched her lips, lightly 'tasting' that delicate hint before moving with silent stride to track that delicate scent.
Her eyes swept around her, searching for the source of that delicate hint of magic in the air, focusing on the oh so cheerful girl. Her lip curled just slightly as she watch the beaming smile and cheerful little waves. Steps silent as she moved closer, easing from the shadows just within the edge of the girl's vision.
"A beautiful smile to be so easily gifted to strangers." Her words soft andcarefully measured, the deep violet of her gaze studying the girl curiously.
Viktor's building looked down on the park from such a lofty height that at times he thought it's largesse looked like a mirage in a desert of steel cages. However, when night had fallen and the park was cast in rich silvery moonlight he enjoyed walking among the pathways where he could forget the city for a time and feel more at home. At night only the very brave or very foolish found the Park welcoming, and he liked that as well. It was a pleasent respite to have freedom from tourists and papparazzi who hounded him most days. Here in this testament to nature's survival he could sometimes imagine a world where modern technology failed and the Earth reclaimed this city once again.
Moving along the pathways with Vennie beside him they looked impervious to the cold lick of the winter wind. Their pale skin hale from recent feedings they looked like two very strange bedfellows walking together with their voices kept low as they discussed the news of the day. There were always matters to attend to: Natasha and her secrets, the Twins impending arrival, the matter in China Town with Hanzo. Nothing stopped, not even for the holidays. As they passed over one of the parks many bridges he paused and moved towards the edge as the sound of voices and the feel of power drew his attention.
One hand rested lightly against the brick siderail of the bridge and his other hand lifted to give Vennie a subtle gesture that immediately made her fall into a hushed silence beside him. Another path ran beneath the bridge and stretched on into the distant trees in a gently curving route, and a fair distance along that path stood two women. They were far enough away that no mortal eye could have made them out, but even from here he could tell that though both were female neither of them was anything close to human. In fact, neither of them had ever been human. Sometimes Viktor envied creatures who did not have a memory of humanity to taunt them.
"A beautiful smile to be so easily gifted to strangers."
As the fae spoke his eyes narrowed slightly. The feel of her pulsated towards him on the wind and he had to remind himself that the illusion of hear tiny bells chiming had nothing to do with reality. Gods how he hated those beasts, with their intoxicating blood and strange powers. The Queen kept several as lovers, subjects, or pets to her whims and he could not be near one without making a mental association between the creatures and his Queen. This one however did not have a trace of Simone's scent upon her and that alone made his eyes relax and the corners of his lips turn upwards in a smile.
"An untouched fae in our Queen's fair city, such a surprise." He spoke to Vennie inside her mind so that their voices would not dispell the stillness of the air. "Go find them Vennie, invite her to dine with me. Her friend as well if it's necessary."
"And if she refuses?"
He could almost hear the mental sound of Vennie snorting with derision. Contemplating the two women a moment longer with a slight tip of his head he finally turned towards his second to see her standing there decked in her cowboy hat, ripped blue jeans, and snakeskin boots like something from another world. "If she refuses then track her essence back to where she's staying. After all, there's more than one way to slip a birds wings."
His mental caress over Vennie had her giving a bow and turning to go back in the direction from whence they'd just come. No doubt she would loop around and find her way to around to join the two women and relay his request for them to dine with the Master of the City that evening. Whatever the results she would know where to take them, his usual spot for indulging guests and trying to ascertain their possible value.
-- Edited by VIKTOR HAVEN on Wednesday 14th of December 2011 02:53:54 PM
The tall hawk sensed something at the edge of her vision a moment before the petite woman stepped out of her shadows and spoke softly to her. Tempeste turned, letting that golden gaze travel over the shorter woman while a slender eyebrow arched up towards the heavens. It was curious, to be sure, and the color of the woman's eyes were unique, yet the care-free dancer simply gave a shrug of her shoulders and her smile grew even wider, if that was possible.
"If it brings someone a moment of happiness, then the gift is well worth it, wouldn't you think?" Her voice was full of amusement and cheer as she answered the woman back with the same friendliness that she had waved at others. "Life is too precious not to fill it with joy and laughter any chance you get." Sure, there were sometimes where being sad just happened, and she understood that well, but if you didn't have to be sad, why not be jovial? A gloved hand reached out towards the pretty Fae, and though Cherry sensed this woman was different, she wasn't quite sure how. "I'm Cherry, and it's a pleasure to meet you!"
If Tika took her hand it would be given a firm squeeze and a shake, and if not, the hawk would just shake hands with the air in front of the petite woman before tilting her head to the side. "Don't you just love New York in the winter time? It's so pretty with all the lights, and the people rushing around, trying to get gifts for the people they love."
She talked spiritedly about the season until another woman approached, and her gaze swiveled to the vampire. The hawk's sensitive nose could tell what the woman was the closer she got, yet not even that could dampen her smile. Her gaze bounced back and forth between her petite new friend and the vampire as the kindred explained that Tika had been invited to dine with some well to do blood-sucker. Herr head tilted slightly to the side as if in afterthought the same invitation was given to her as well.
That brilliant golden gaze flew to the petite woman at her side, giving another shrug of her shoulders, not exactly sure how to answer, as it seemed like the main intended wasn't herself anyway. Cherry figured it best to let the tiny woman answer first, she clasped her ands behind her back and hummed as soft Christmas carol under her breath while rocking back and forth on her heels.
Brightness and beauty this woman held more then most of those within the Dark Court could bear. The corner of her mouth twitched in the faintest of smiles as she looked at the offered hand a moment before settling her own within it in response to the all too mortal greeting.
"You may call me Tika," gifting her with her use name. She looked at the bare trees, sensing the slumbering growth within the park as Cherry commented on the beauty of the city. "It is my first visit to this city in the Winter." She allowed the girl to chatter on, letting her gaze sweep around before focusing on the figure approaching them. The scent of death clung to the tattoed woman, making her nose twitch in response.
The invitation was met with an incline of her head. "It would be an honor to share a meal with one such as he." The invitation had been delicately offered, not excluding the other woman but then again, not a specific inclusion as well. There was little doubt that the Master had divined what she was, she made little attempt to conceal what she was except from the most obtuse of mortals after all. She tilted her head at Cherry, hand lifting with fluid grace to gesture for the girl to follow the vampire. "Shall we?" The girl's cheerful chatter would make an interesting distraction making it so much the easier for her to study her host. And could also be construed as a gift for the Master, should he want a taste of such bubbling effervescence.
Vennie nodded, turning to lead them along the path. As they exited the park, she took a moment to focus upon the glamor she'd wrapped about herself, firming her protections against the Death Metal that laced the buildings around her. It took little time for them to reach the Master's building, a slight twitch the only sign of her discomfort as she stepped within the glass and steel tower.
-- Edited by TIKA on Sunday 18th of December 2011 02:18:34 PM
"It would be an honor to share a meal with one such as he."
"I'm sure it would at that," Cherry smiled as she inclined her head in a hawk like manner, her gaze still moving back and forth between the vampire woman and the Fae. She wondered at her luck that she would get to meet a prominent city "official", even if it was through a kind of back-handed invitation.
"Shall we?"
A dazzling smile lit up her features and she gave a nod of her head, stopped rocking back and forth on her heels, taking a step forward. "This should be a bit of fun, never really been to a fancy dinner meeting before." She hoped she wouldn't make a fool of herself, but then again, if she did, it wasn't like it would bother her much. People could think what they liked about her, didn't mean it would hurt her feelings any. There wasn't much that could dampen her spirits. The walk to the building where they would be having dinner was filled with incessant chatter, and even a few renditions of Christmas carols, all the while wondering about the mysterious man behind the invitation.
-- Edited by TEMPESTE MARCEAU on Saturday 24th of December 2011 10:44:47 PM
