Cirque du Haven (UrbanDecay x Niseht)

[UrbanDecay]

The circus. It wasn't exactly someplace Michael thought he'd ever find himself on a Friday night, but what the hell, he was bored and it was something new. It didn't particularly fascinate him the way it did small children. The spectacle was neat, sure, but it wasn't a draw dropping experience. Maybe if he had come as a child it might have a greater impact but those kind of hypotheticals weren't really something Michael tended to indulge in on a regular basis.

A slight breeze through the main tent blew Michael's shoulder length, chocolate colored hair around slightly as he ascended the stairs in the audience. His broad, six foot five frame made it more comfortable to him to sit near the top where fewer people chose to sit, especially at things like this where everyone wanted to be up close and personal. A few clowns were out and about in the main performance area, galivanting around and playing pranks on each other to amuse folks as they wandered in for the main spectacle. Michael was pretty much alone near the top so he reclined a bit and let the cool autumn air blow over him as he waited for the show to begin, wondering if he wouldn't have been better off going to the bar with his guitar like he usually did on Friday nights.

[Niseht]

Eventually the clowns began exiting from the main area, and the lights dimmed slightly. Natasha took a steadying breath and then took her position. After a pause where the audience were wondering what would actually happen now, she began to play her violin, still out of sight.
The song was childish and haunting, the main undertone of it all being a long dragged out low note with two quick higher ones. she played alone for only a few measures as the music began to enter the tent, quieting the audience, before finally from other points around the tent different instruments could be heard joining in. There was a tambourine beginning to pulse out the beat, sounding like the steady footsteps of death itself walking through the melody, and then right after came a flute, high and sweet and gentle, almost oblivious to the tambourine's slower pace.
When they reached the right point, Natasha finally stepped out, knowing the others were stepping out in their rightful places as well. Her starting point was near the top of one of the audience stands, and she started out gently swaying with each step as she walked around the area. When the flute reached a higher crescendo though she took her cue and began spinning, quickening the beat of the violin.
and then she danced.

The long tail attached to her short skirt fanned around her an she dipped and swayed and stepped, cradling the violin in her hands as if it were her dance partner. everything was movement, her curled black hair, the large sleeves on her shirt, her legs with the coordination that would make a ballerina sell her soul to a demon in order to replicate the effect. Her dance soon brought her away though, towards the bottom of the audience stands, and then into the central ring itself. She joined the other two players there.
The tambourine, played by a female slightly older with pale blond hair, wrapped in a long cloak and pale gray dress, and the flute with the youngest female, dressed up the most with a white dress and pale pink flowers attached on it and in her hair. They played there still for a moment, their different dancing speeds flowing together for a moment, bouncing off of each other, before finally breaking apart and going to the edge of the ring and playing their last notes as the ring leader took stage slower.
Natasha and the other two did not bow to the crowd as they stopped, they merely gracefully knelt on the ground as silence echoed around them and the ringleader prepared to speak.

[UrbanDecay]

Michael had actually begun to doze off by the time the clowns took their exit. And then...the violin.

Michael came to full wakefulness almost immediately. The melody itself was simple. The way it was played was not. Someone with extreme talent was behind that haunting melody, someone who knew their instrument like the back of their hand and felt the music in their heart. As a musician, Michael understood this intimately. A tambourine began laying the pulse of the song, a funerary sound despite the upbeat nature of the instrument. When the flute came in, fluttering above the melancholy of the other two, Michael knew he had to meet this musicians. Like calls to like after all. Anyone who could take that combination of instruments and create the atmosphere that they did is a group of people Michael wanted to meet. Truth be told, they were people he would love to sit down and play with. Their music was touching him in ways that very, very little music besides his own had ever been able to.

And then she stepped out of the gloom.

The violinist was a marvel of physical beauty. Michael sat bolt upright, entranced. Enthralled. Curls of dark hair framed a face lost, slaved to the music she was playing. With the revelation, she began to dance. It was like watching water. She didn't move so much as she glided, swaying and swinging, bobbing and dipping in time with the ethereal notes of the music. The violin was her lover and the tail attached to her skirt was their sprite, protective and playful. Michael couldn't tear his eyes away from her. This was a woman at the pinnacle of her skill and beautiful beyond what Michael had ever seen. Even as the musicians coalesced, Michael found that he couldn't pull his eyes away from the violinist despite the skill of the other two. As the last few notes cried their way through the air, mournfully making their exit, the musicians knelt making space for the ringleader. Michael released a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding.

--------------------

Madrigal watched from behind a fold of cloth, a small smile playing on lips that were colored blue this evening. The three, led by Natasha, had the crowd ensorcelled, as they always did. Natasha was a wonder with that violin. Finding her was a stroke of luck that even he couldn't believe and his talents for finding people were extensive indeed. The attendance numbers for the circus had skyrocketed since picking her up and for good reason. She was a woman of singular talents.

Eventually, the three made their way towards the center of the ring and as the last remnants of song fluttered a spot light lit the area he was set to emerge from. With a flourish, he did just that. Madrigal did not cut an imposing figure. He was slim and long of limb with the graceful fingers and movements of his trade. But what he lacked physically, he made up for with an impossible amount of charisma and an air that just made people pay attention to him. With his arms spread wide and a huge smile plastered on his face he moved toward the center of the ring where the three musicians were kneeling. He made a few turns along the way to take in the entirety of the audience and to flash out the garishly colored tunic, pants and coattail he had adorned himself with this evening. His brilliantly red mop of hair spun with it and the combination was guaranteed to bring all attention to him which is exactly the way he wanted it.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" he called with a boisterous voice that belied his size, "Boys and girls! Cats and dogs!" A few muted barks returned his greeting and he smiled even wider. "Welcome to Cirque du Haven! A place where all can feel free to come as they are for aren't we just a little...strange! Tonight, you will witness wonders the likes of which you could never imagine. Feats of strength and dexterity fit to make your heart stop! Music fit to take your mind on a journey to places unseen and unknown," he placed a hand on Natasha's shoulder to subtly emphasize this point. "You will witness feats of daring that will make you gasp and cheer for our fearless performers and so much more! Welcome one and all to the greatest show you will ever see!"

Madrigal did a quick jig followed by a comically overstated bow, flowers shooting from his own outstretched hands. Applause rained down from the audience, whistles and catcalls of appreciation for the musicians as well as his own introduction. He grinned, thinking to himself, "If they only knew..." After a few seconds in his bowed state Madrigal straightened and with a wave turned and headed out from the center of the ring as the clowns began to come back out to entertain the patrons as the first act finished up preparations. "This is going to be a good night. I can feel it. It's in the air, that sweet smell of anticipation. What a wondrous thing."

[Niseht]

Natasha rubbed the back of her neck with one hand, the other still cradling her violin as she walked out of the main tent after the large portion of the audience. She saw some leave, others head over to their fortune teller, some gathering around the minor acts like the jugglers, the acrobats, the clowns. Gabriel, their 'surprising strongman' was with his adoring crowd signing autographs, and checking out any of-age male that came his way.
No vampire could be more gay, even if they tried with all their gay vampire might.

Milly and Alice were already heading away through the crowds, people starting to follow them as they began playing some of their own tunes and dancing along with it. Alice got the most into it as was the usual, bouncing around the other little kids her age as she chirped and pranced away with her flute, never tired.
Natasha cut away to the side though, heading away from the general direction the mass was taking and heading to the much quieter side of the tent. Her heart was still pumping loud and clear from the show, and adrenaline and energy were pulsing through each vein. She would take a moment to calm before going out to see the fans, otherwise they might start developing an unhealthy obsession towards her rather quickly without her meaning them to. It was easy enough for her to control her attraction on one person, but on a larger scale a group mentality formed and it was harder to cloud her physical appearance and the reaction it could inspire in people.

She stood for awhile and gently began playing again, just half-thought tunes and melodies as she cooled off. She wanted to sit, but it wouldn't be the best idea in her costume to sit on the ground, especially as she had a trail of material in the back of the skirt that could get dirty rather easily.

[UrbanDecay]

Michael couldn't have told anyone what the rest of the main circus show was like. He didn't even really see it enthralled as he was by the mysterious violinist. The way she played, the way she moved. Michael had never been in love before but he was pretty sure a part of him had fallen in love with her just for those things. Once the show was over he let the people thin out some before heading out of the main tent. Originally he had planned on going home but now he had another purpose tonight. He had to meet her. Had to.

The area just outside the main tent was a study in controlled chaos. Lines were forming and mingling everywhere preventing easy travel. The shouts and screams of children watching the flipping and gyrating acrobats settled into a background din atop which sat the various calls of the circus members plying their trades for all to see. Scents of exotic animals from the beast taming area mingled with the cloying scents of heavy incense from the fortune teller's station and the various scents of cooking treats to create an amalgam of scent that was neither pleasant nor odorous. It was, for lack of a better description, the smell of a circus. Now Michael understood what people meant when they said that about fairs and other events such as this. Perhaps most amusingly was the strongman who was very obviously eyeing up attractive men in line for his autograph. Michael grinned at that. He had no probably whatsoever with homosexuality, but the thought of a gay strongman slinging around a tough guy straight guy amused him to no end. "Now that's something they need to add to the circus lineup," he thought to himself with a mental chuckle.

Michael's size lent him a certain ease of maneuvering in crowds like this. For all intents and purposes, he was a wall of a man. People moved for him. Musicians, especially ones of the violinist's caliber, often needed a moment or two of solitude to calm the fire in their veins before heading out to see fans and things of that nature. Michael needed to do it himself more often than not. As such, he moved in the direction where there was less of a wall of sound knowing that that was the most likely place for her to be. It was a long shot, he knew, but he felt it was worth it. After a few minutes of walking, he heard her. Softly played, lilting notes drifted along the wind effectively slicing through the background noise. Michael stopped in his tracks and just listened for a moment before moving towards where the sound was coming from. Even though they sounded to be just random collections of notes, melodies and harmonies it was still some of the most beautiful music he'd ever heard. Knowing that she needed this, Michael stayed out of eye shot and just listened.

[Niseht]

"sooo....What'cha doing creeping around here stranger?" Gabriel whispered quietly to the man who he had seen walking in Natasha's general location. It had taken him but a moment to sneak away from his 'adoring' crowd to follow after to make sure nothing got out of hand. It came at a price though, for he was sure that there had been a very nice looking twenty year old blond male who seemed to return some of his looks. He hadn't been able to get close enough to smell any attraction from him though, what with all the other people closing in, it had been a real pity.
Looking at the man who he was currently following (and maybe now talking to?), he realized that this fellow didn't look so bad himself. This detail drastically increased his mood.

He didn't worry about any little thing like sweeping his hair out of his face or straightening (he always stood up straight anyway) or nonsense like that. He knew his tall lean frame was attractive, even if it went against the normal ideas for what a strong man should look like. He had fixed his spiked dark brown hair before leaving for the crowds, so it would be fine enough. and his circus makeup of blue eyeshadow was still on and highlighted his naturally light blue eyes. In short, he was more then ready to try seeing if this kid was straight or crooked.

-------------------------------------------
Natasha paused in her playing, thinking that she had heard something close by. had it just been her imagination? she struggled to listen more closely, focusing out the dull roar that was the crowd on the other side of the tent to try to hear something quieter, closer.

[UrbanDecay]

Michael spun, startled. He had been so absorbed in the music that he hadn't heard the man approaching. It was the strongman he'd noticed earlier. 'How the hell did he sneak away from that line?' Michael wondered to himself before coming to a sudden realization. He hadn't thought about it in the process of doing it but now realized how his sneaking around must have looked, especially to members of the circus. Reddening slightly, Michael took a few steps back from the man. Despite his frame, he was a strongman and strongmen tend to follow their name fairly closely. Michael was physically fit, more so than most, but he had to admit to himself that this one carried a weight of power about him that he wasn't sure he wanted to mess with. He also had to admit, even though Michael was as straight as they come, that the man was one of the more attractive males he'd ever seen. The strongman obviously knew it too.

"I...uh...well. I'm a musician...and the violinist...well, she grabbed my attention," Michael managed to stammer out. Despite his ability to be in front of people to play music, he was inherently shy. Very shy. "She's very good. I was...um...hoping to meet her..." he trailed off at the end and stared intently at the ground. 'Brilliant first impression genius. Bravo. Well done. 10 points. Moron...'

[Niseht]

Gabriel laughed reassuringly at the man, trying to put him at ease. It was hard to tell if he was just a flustered uke or straight at this point, but he was hoping for the first.
"Her name's Natasha, and she should be up and about in a bit. I'm not sure if her and the other two are having an open tent though for the crowds. Though.." He flashed the man a slight smile. "my tents always open if you want to hang around for a bit, wait until the crowds are gone, and then I could get her over and you two could talk about- what was it? music?" He stepped a bit closer, attempting to try to use his sensitive nose to pick up any hint of arousal, though it was difficult with the scent of the circus all around.
-------------------
Natasha could have sworn that she heard conversation happening nearby, so she quietly began t walk in the direction it was coming from, the thought that it might be considered eavesdropping never even crossing her mind. She kept the violin close to her side to make sure it was secure and safe.

[UrbanDecay]

"Natasha..." Michael rolled the name around on his tongue. He'd always been fond of the Eastern European female names. Something about the way they sounded just pleased his ear. A beautiful name to match beautiful playing. Then the man's obvious invitation hit him and he let out a startled laugh. Michael knew many found him to be at least passably attractive and he'd been the target of advances before. Those advances came from women though and it caught him a bit off guard for another man to be making that kind of offer. "I'm flattered, sir. Please take no offense, and believe me I mean absolutely none, but I'm straight," Michael replied, hoping that the man wouldn't take offense. It was at that point that his shyness and insecurities truly caught up to him and he realized what it was that he was doing: chasing after a beautiful woman who was amazingly skilled with a violin. There was no chance she'd want to discuss music with a guitarist who played for a pittance at local bars and worked a minimum wage job in town. He hid his face in the palm of one hand. "I probably shouldn't be back here at all....should I?" he asked. It was widely reported that circus members are highly secretive and Michael was mildly surprised they hadn't set upon him and tossed him out for following one of their members, innocent intentions or not.

It was an interesting internal paradox for Michael. Being on stage to play music was one of the greatest freedoms he'd ever known. It let him just slip away from himself and into the music. Nothing existed on stage except his hands and the strings. But the minute he got down from there and into people he clammed up. He couldn't tell anyone why because he didn't know himself. People confounded him and he was always afraid of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Now here he was pursuing the most incredible creature he'd ever encountered...for what? The realization hit him that once he met her face to face he'd probably end up stammering all over the place and making himself feel like a fool.

"On second thought...if you've got a bottle of bourbon back there...I'd...um...I'd be happy to have...a drink," Michael said, face still in his palm and reddening further from the embarassment he'd brought upon himself. 'This is why you don't go out in crowds, Michael. This is also why beautiful women are forbidden to you. You're a gibbering idiot.'

[Niseht]

Gabriel couldn't really say he was surprised by the man's rejection, it had been pretty clear even without smelling him that he was apparently into Natasha, from the way he had said her name right after learning it. He sighed a bit at the bark of laughter though, relaxing his stance slightly since he apparently had no potential lover to impress. "It's fine." he said easily, "Lord knows I get it enough."

He watched the change of emotions and attitudes happen to the man with some mild fascination. "No, no you really shouldn't be." Gabriel shrugged one of his shoulders casually. "But I'm no tattle-tale, and frankly I just can't muster up the will to kick you out of here after my poor fragile heart has been broken. " He shot a nice wink and gentle smile at the man.
"And now that you mention it, a drink would help this poor shattered heart of mine, and drinks are often better when shared."
He stretched and then tilted his head back towards the way they had come. "Come on then, I don't have boobs but I'm still a good drinking buddy. My tent is this way."

-------------------
Natasha turned the corner to find Gabriel and a man with him. At the same time she registered the faces, the words Gabriel had just said became clear.
"...My tent is this way." Gabriel had said.
She colored slightly at having stumbled into them like this. "Oh- I'm sorry. "She shot a look up at Gabriel. "Gabriel, the leaders told you about keeping your....relationships out of the tents, he's getting tired of the outsiders your lot are always bringing in."