Backdated to Saturday 11/17

[celebrity_commentator]

Who: Rise Kujikawa, Yu Narukami, anyone else who'd be hanging around a demonic nightclub with a drag show
Where: Nyx's Nightclub
Summary: Ironically, Yu is bad at keeping his mouth shut. Unironically, Rise spends a lot of money.
Warnings: Demonic nightclub with a drag show
Rise came to a realization after a day or so of retail therapy (and evenings of thankfulness that she didn't have to commute to do it here): the government stipend here didn't amount to much, at least if you were used to smartly-saved idol salary.

Rise was smart, though. She'd left applications most of the places she shopped once she started looking at her receipts, as well as that nice-if-kinda-bland tofu place where she'd had lunch. It paid to keep your options open, or so she had learned. Plus, for some reason, with Kanzeon kicking around at the forefront of her mind all the time now, the idea of trying out for different roles suited her...

That said...a part of her wanted to go back to some kind of performing. This was probably a stupid idea - okay, definitely stupid, when she thought about it, but she was already on her way. If nothing else, she could check out this place and why Senpai seemed stupidly nervous about it. And maybe see if it was suitable to drag her friends here for a party.

Regardless, Rise entered the Taurus district in a set of her more conservative clothes - she was here on business, after all - and made her way to Nyx's, which was fortunately fairly prominent. After a few minutes of hopefully unseen-by-anyone-she-knew hesitation, she headed in, flashed the bouncer her best "I belong here, I'm a celebrity" smile, and made her way into a room full of demon dancers. And demon patrons. And...

Welp.

Steeling herself, she wandered for a bit, looking for the proprietor...and maybe whatever it was Senpai was trying to warn her away from.

Oh. Maybe it was that...

Comments

[linefacingforever]

As much as Yu hated to admit it, he was actually starting to like this.

He was still ridiculously embarrassed about it, not that anyone with sense could blame him for it. There was no way he was ever leaving the stage, despite how many guys and girls shook fists full of money at him. That didn't keep him from being a little more daring with his moves, showing off a little more leg, how flexible he was getting from all this.

...dammit, he was actually enjoying this. No wonder Izanagi hid in the back of his mind every Saturday night.

Ah well, at least he had one moment of peace; it allowed him to focus on his newest routine. Ironic that Rise would be seeing a familiar grey haired "girl" obviously drawing a lot of inspiration from a certain Shadow...

[celebrity_commentator]

...

...

Rise recognized the outfit immediately, of course. She'd be hard-pressed not to. It's just everything else about the sight that is deeply confusing on many levels.

...she might be staring for a while. This is the sort of thing that demands 100% of a person's attention. And maybe a camera, but fortunately she hasn't figured out how to work the COMP glasses yet.

[linefacingforever]

Thankfully, Yu didn't realize he had just sexually confused another member of the Investigation Team. His new routine was a lot more physically demanding, and literally ended with him in a split with his back arced backward. It was just a little painful, but the applause he was getting made it worth it.

He got up, offering a little bow as the other "ladies" entered the stage, before retreating to the back for his between-sets break.

[celebrity_commentator]

Was that really...could guys even...?

Rise shook herself out of her impressed reverie and started looking for a way backstage. She wasn't sure if she was going to exact more teasing vengeance on her team leader, accuse him of paying too much attention to her Shadow, or ask him what his warmup routine was, but she definitely felt the need to talk to him.

Unfortunately, of course, customers aren't allowed in the back - and this included women, especially on Saturdays - so she's going to be delayed for a while trying to figure out how to charm demon staffers.

1/2

[linefacingforever]

Luck was apparently on Rise's side at the moment. As she talked to the demon staff, trying to get her way into the back room, a certain head of gray poked itself out from behind, not noticing her immediately as he addressed the demon closest to the door.

"We've run out of water bottles back here, cou--"

[linefacingforever]

...and then he noticed her.

Oh.

God.

"R...Rise..."

All the color literally drained from Yu's face as he felt his heart divebomb through his stomach and hit the floor.

[celebrity_commentator]

"Senpai...how could you?" she asked in her most dramatic of melodramatic voices - the one normally reserved for daytime soap operas. "I thought I was something special...that there was a place only for me, but now..."

She forwent pretending to choke up. That would just be too over-the-top. "Now I'm not the best-looking dancer on the team anymore!"

Beat. Beat.

[linefacingforever]

He was honestly waiting for her to be completely serious, to feel their social link reverse. After all, between going out with Yukiko and doing this willingly, it was more than he expected her to be able to take. Once she smiled, though, he felt like collapsing in relief. Geeze, Rise, he was the one that was supposed to be the troll here…

"Honestly, you can keep that title…" he mumbled, before shooting a glare at a demon who looked a little too interested at the implication she was a good dancer. He reached out, gasping her hand and pulling her in the back, away from the demon guards.

[gigglesnortpriestess]

Afraid that you would be noticed by anyone you know Rise?

Well, one of your senpai was sitting a bit further away from the crowds who were in awe of the performers. A normal person would say 'I'm here for moral support' due to one of the performers but that was mostly true. In a strange way, the nightclub seemed to be a good calming place. Seriously don't ask.

...ok, maybe seeing that boy's legs was a perk too. But nonetheless. Want to try and bug her?

[celebrity_commentator]

Rise had no problems being seen here. She just hadn't wanted to be seen hesitating. She has a cool and confident image to maint--okay, no, but she likes to think she does.

When she noticed Yukiko here herself, she was a little surprised...but on the other hand, it was getting more and more apparent that Senpai was terrible at keeping secrets from them, and who would have found out first but his girlfriend?

She headed over and tried to take Yukiko by surprised while she still looked (justifiably) transfixed. "Soooooo...you really like the full stockings and skirt look, huh senpai?"

[gigglesnortpriestess]

Thank goodness she did not have a drink on hand otherwise the contents would have been all over the younger classmate.

"Please don't do that, you nearly scared me."

If it helps, she found out on accident and way before they were dating. But...pardon her language but...damn. The moves she was seeing was making her go red in the cheeks and Amaterasu wasn't helping by hiding away.

[celebrity_commentator]

Drink-flailing combined with that expression would have almost been worth the extra dry-cleaning.

"Sorry...mind if I have a seat?" she asked. This might not be the best place to have a serious conversation or anything, but she could put that off long enough to ogle guys with a friend. Or forever. She'd already talked to Yu about it, and she wasn't sure what the etiquette was for talking to your friend when she started dating the guy you liked.

[gigglesnortpriestess]

Maybe not. Who knows what kind of drinks demons make.

"I don't mind. There's plenty of room."

Because most of the patrons were too busy paying attention to the guy-girls and moved to the front.

[celebrity_commentator]

Rise took a seat, turning a chair toward the front. She couldn't argue with Yukiko's focus on the show, if nothing else.

"Sooo...been coming to see this often?" she asked. "You guys could have told me you've been here for months, by the way."

[greatseal]

Minako isn't someone to shy away from nightclubs. Back home, she'd started visiting Escapade out of part curiosity and part rumor about the foul-mouthed monk (Minako... has very strange taste in rumors) but she'd stayed because she liked the atmosphere. She befriended the bartender so he wouldn't kick her out, did a few stints at waitressing, and chatted up some of the regular customers. It was fun.

Nyx's nightclub was a different matter. She wasn't afraid of it by any means, but the atmosphere was different, sharper.. and well, more demonic. She couldn't really say it appealed to her like Escapade had. Here, she was still always on her guard.

But there is a reason she decided to venture back into the club tonight. It has to do with the Scorpio event, and something she remembers hearing from the proprietor the last time she was here... 'You feel familiar.'

So tonight, Minako is keeping an eye out for Nyx as she sits at the bar, dressed tastefully in a red and black outfit. She's not old enough to drink, but she has something without alcohol on hand for the sake of the image.

Although, when the 'ladies' come on stage her attention is completely riveted on the one with the silver braids...

It seems Yu's luck in preventing her from learning about his job has run out.

[the_usual_stuff]

And while Minako is keeping an eye out for Nyx, the little boy in stripes hanging around the darker edges of the bar, is watching with interest as the throngs of demonic creatures, scattered with knots of humans here and there, parted, merged and swirled in a dim of nighttime activity. The atmosphere of th nightclub suited him, but it didn't appeal to him. Too loud, too many feet stomping and too many voices chattering all at the same time. He was not threatened by this place (what had he to fear?) but...

Oh. There was Minako, seated at the bar with a drink of liquid in her hand. He'd followed her into the Taurus district to begin with, but soon wandered off from her to explore more thoroughly the nooks of delicate grey and dark spaces that filled the places that came alive with the coming of darkness, and it wasn't like any of the demons would be able to prevent him from entering if he wished to do so. But he'd looked around now, so time to return to her side.

Whoever was on the stage at the moment didn't interest him.

Minako will hear a dissonant giggle from her left side. Pharos sits down on a stool next to her, smiling; "You look nice, my dearest."

[greatseal]

Minako does her best not to jump at the sudden creepy giggle and appearing little boy. She mostly succeeds.

"Thank you..." Well, she can't ignore a compliment. But regardless... "This isn't a place for kids though, Pharos. Did you follow me?"

She can't expect Pharos to understand why he shouldn't be in a place like this, but she still feels a responsibility to try and explain it. His intelligence isn't fully that of a child but it's far from an adult as well. More importantly, since he's corporeal here, people will expect him to behave more like a child would, whether he really wants to or not.

[the_usual_stuff]

He doesn't react outwardly to the older girl's startled half-jump at his appearance. But inwardly, he reminds himself to try and... attempt to give her and Minato forewarning before appearing if its keep catching them by surprise.

"Yes, I did," Pharo bobs his head of faded black hair in answer to the question she asked him. Absolutely no shame about that to be found here, but he frowns and tilts his head slightly at the rest of her words. "... Why not?"

Minako did actually have a pretty grasp on his mental level of intelligence; clearly above that of a mere childs' but far below that of an mature adults' as well. At this stage, the ability to recognize the expectation for him to conform at least a little to some social norms is possible, but it's certainly not his first reaction apply it to anything he personally does, very often, really.

[greatseal]

She's not even going to address the stalking issue right now... she doesn't actually mind, most of the time. The problem was that he doesn't have a sense of when it's a good time not to follow. Like tonight.

"These places are meant for... adult interests. They come here to relax. There's nothing around for kids to do, and..." She's not sure if she should try and explain that it might be dangerous. If she did, Pharos might question why she's here. "And it's open at night, so most are asleep anyway."

[the_usual_stuff]

That earns a blank, quizzical stare from Pharos.

"They come here to relax?" the small boy echoed her. He has no issues with it being open at nighttime, he's practically nocturnal anyway but this doesn't seem like a very good environment to lay down and take a nap for awhile. Nothing to do? There are so many things that can be done and are done under the dark veil of night, oh, she was referring to there not being any entertainment meant for children in the nightclub. Perhaps it had something to do with these adult interests she spoke of?

"Don't worry, I came here because I wanted to know why you're here." And because he was eternally curious and curiosity drove him to explore new places like this.

... Yep, he's questioning why she's here. Is it safe for her? Not he has any true doubt she can easily handle herself in any situation, but still.

[celebrity_commentator]

...the number of high school girls here to watch the drag show was starting to make Rise a little curious. Not quite as curious as she was about the girl talking to the kid, of course. Then again, he seemed like he was supposed to be there, somehow, and she didn't want to be rude and interrupt a stranger's conversation, no matter how interesting.

Regardless, after the girl and the kid were finished talking, Rise headed over to talk to the other redhead.

"This show's really popular, huh?" she asked, taking a seat at the bar and not ordering anything yet.

[greatseal]

"It does seem that way."

Minako doesn't recognize the other girl, other than she seems to be around her age, but it's not a problem to talk to her. Actually, she'd rather converse with another normal looking human than some of the demons hanging around... "Although he's actually pretty good at his job, so I'm not so surprised."

[celebrity_commentator]

"Yu-senpai is a man of incredible hidden talent," she said, completely serious behind the smile on her face.

[greatseal]

"I'm not so sure he's 'hiding' this one anymore..." The first incident she could write off as necessity, but getting employed to do the same thing showed a certain level of actual interest in the art of crossdressing. Not that there was anything wrong with that...

Anyway. "Are you one of his friends from Inaba, then?"

[celebrity_commentator]

"Yep. That'd make you one of his friends from here, right?" she guessed. Stating the obvious is a class feature of support Persona users. "He was in the class above me when I went to live with my grandmother in Inaba. My name's Rise, by the way."