[h3] Leaving The Shining Kettle ║ Day [/h3]Collab with [@Cirrus] Thanks to the late night at the arcade tournament James manages to remain asleep until 11. The lack of sunlight caused by the storm certainly helped, but not even a cloudless day could have interrupted such a wonderful morning of rest. James soon hears the storm and looks out the window before preparing for the day. Everything he can see is dim, colors muted if not grayed by the clouds blotting out the sunlight. [color=f7941d][i]Beautiful as always.[/i][/color] James moves the fishing line from his primary hoodie and places it into another indentical hoodie. At the start of summer he treated this hoodie with a waterproofing bath with chemicals and supervision courtesy of a chemistry professor from the academy. In order to secure the professor's help he promised to wear the hoodie during rainy weather and report its performance and comfort as an experiment of sorts. James quickly found that the the treatment was not enough to turn his cloth hoodie into a raincoat as he had hoped, but it does work beautifully for brief exposure caused by gusts of wind or the opening and closing of an umbrella. Unfortunately switching hoodies means switching hoodie items, which is a tedious task for James. James transfers the plastic zipseal bags and swiss army knife, followed by the small spool of thick wire and cheap laser pointer. [color=f7941d][i]Alright, that's the last of it.[/i][/color] James tucks his dark blue jeans into his water-resistant black hunting boots to keep the ends from getting soaked. The boots now serve only as rain boots because James hasn't gone hunting since he left the states. Just another something his parents had him do that he wasn't particularly interested in. He removes the compact toolbox and textbooks (but not the first aid kit) from his bag to make space for groceries. Tools would rust if he used them in this weather, anyway. He slings his now much lighter bag over his shoulder and grabs his umbrella before stepping outside and extending the umbrella. James feels some friction while the umbrella extends and quickly steps back inside. This umbrella is his favorite and most expensive side project so he gives it all of the attention it needs. [hider=Tactical Umbrella] Thanks to a combination of washers, springs, solder, hours (days) of research, a handful of 3D printed parts, and multiple instructors from the academy allowing him to use some machinery (supervised, of course) James formed this umbrella as a sturdy alternative to the usual dainty contraptions. The umbrella fabric is cut from a thick, black shower curtain selected for its mildew resitance. The fabric is held by a simple support system (straight metal poles that stretch the fabric into a regular polyhedron, in this case an octagon). The poles are kept in locked / unlocked position by a standard mechanism borrowed from commercial umbrellas, but reinforced due to the additional weight of the metal poles. The entire top of the umbrella is detachable by unscrewing it from the top of the custom shaft. The metal shaft, thanks to relatively thick walls and a clever system of spring-spaced washers inside the hollow areas of the extensible tubes, is sturdy enough to deflect a bat swung by a thug. Overall the object isn't heavy enough to be a significant threat to others and its primary purpose is to keep its owner dry, both intentional parts of the design to keep it from being confiscated. The handle of the umbrella has his name and number on it. [/hider] After unscrewing the top of the umbrella, spraying the inside of the shaft with some WD-40 by using the straw attachment, and extending / collapsing it until he is satisfied James rescrews the top and departs as intended. Today the shopping list includes small things and cooking ingredients that can be brought home in the rain with his bag and one free hand. Fortunately The Shining Kettle is on the way. He meant to visit on Saturday before he was sidetracked by Akane and Matsuoka, but now he has an opportunity to at least [i]try[/i] their mocha. As James approaches the cafe he notices a young lady exit in a hurry. She seems a little familiar so he does a double-take and, during the second glance, he notices an item fall from the young woman's bag. [color=f26522]"Excuse me, miss. You dropped something."[/color] The woman clearly didn't hear him over the rain, which is no surprise at all considering how soft-spoken James is. James picks up the item and realizes it's a wallet, complete with an ID. Amity Bellerose isn't a name that James knows by his own volition, but he is semi-frequently exposed to ad titles like "6 things about Amity Bellerose you didn't know. Number 4 will shock you!" so he knows she's... a something or other that gets media attention. [color=f7941d][i]Famous or not she's going to have a bad time without her wallet.[/i][/color] James moves to knock on the window of the car but it has already begun to leave. Perhaps if this item were something less important he would have simply let the girl learn from her mistake, but a wallet is about as valuable as it gets. James looked in the direction the vehicle was traveling. James checks how far the next stoplight is in that direction. It's not too far to catch up if they hit a red light and also not so far away that a full sprint is out of the question for someone who ran frequently during his teenage years (sometimes even in boots like now) and still runs often enough to stay in shape. The light turned red just in time to stop the vehicle and allow James to catch up, out of breath and soaking wet on the front (running in the rain isn't the best of ideas). He checks the license plate to be sure it's the right car (he has a keen memory for plates), walks a few feet into the street, knocks on the window of the backseat, opens the wallet to the ID card, and holds it up to the window while covering the area with his umbrella to be sure none of the objects inside get any more wet than they already are. [hr] While she drove away from [i]The Shining Kettle[/i], at the next light something unexpected happened. A soaked red head with glasses was knocking on her window shield. Though, his hoodie was surprisingly dry...weird. Rolling it down, Amity noticed that he was holding up her wallet. Oopsies. She must have dropped it when she handed Alban the business card. He was holding his umbrella over the window so her wallet wouldn't get any worse. Taking the wallet graciously, she offered him a ride to wherever he needed to go. His destination wasn't far away (the convenience store), but any reason to get out of this rain... Of course, he'd accept. The boy caught onto her look immediately. As he dried his hair with a hand towel from his backpack, he told her that she was lucky he wasn't a crazy fan of hers. [color=ed145b]"Is that suppose to make me feel better?"[/color] she thought to herself. Somehow, she was kind of offended this boy didn't really know who she was. All he knew was she was famous... how lame. By the end of the drive, they exchanged numbers and he gave her his name: [i][b]James Avery[/b][/i]. After James left the car, Luke provided Amity with information on "Nori Haywood". The lovely lady her dear Kyle was interested in. With Luke on her side, she could find out almost anything about someone's life with the click of a button! Or at least, how they looked, where they lived, what they did for a living... little things like that. As she looked at pictures of her online, Amity could agree that Nori was definitely hot. Huh, she lives right above [i]the Enchanted Florist[/i]? Face palming, Amity realized the chance she had to meet her. Maybe tomorrow morning she'll have time to check out her apartment. Luke drove in a gated community within [i]Upscale Heights[/i] and pulled into the driveway of a mansion, obviously meant for when her family visited (including her half brother, if he ever chose to see his blood). Glancing at the girl he was responsible for, Luke warned her, [color=003471]"Liam probably has a bit to tell you. Head in and try to get some rest."[/color] Sighing, Amity got out the car and headed inside to her inevitable doom. Entering the large doors, she marched straight toward an annoyed Liam and an apathetic Renee, sitting at a table drinking tea. Placing his cup down, Liam darted his eyes at the young idol, who looked away from him and pretended to not be aware of his frustration. [color=9e0b0f]"Your spending habits are atrocious. Within a week, you've spent a little under a million."[/color] The girl kicked the floor as she listened to her manager's scolding. He was being dramatic with her spending, but she did spend a lot. [color=9e0b0f]"I'm going to set a limit on your card. If you run out before I reset your limit... Well, you're just going to have to live with the consequences. Do I make myself clear, Amity Bellerose?"[/color] [color=ed145b]"Yeah..."[/color] Amity couldn't help it. She needed to buy things to get what she needed! How could she pay for all the nice things in life without the money she's earned by her natural born talents? Watching her manager stand up, he approached his [i]major headache[/i] celebrity and looked her up and down. He was quite aware of her disguise. [color=9e0b0f]"I can see you were up to no good again."[/color] Letting out a tired sigh, he paused and ran his hand through his hair. He then proceeded to take off her glasses because the crookedness was a complete eyesore to him. Liam confirmed her performance for tonight, [color=9e0b0f]"In other news. Your parents' flights got cancelled due to the weather. They won't be able to book another flight until, well, only time can tell. I've already called the Casino and changed the set list. Some of your songs and some of your mother's."[/color] The expression that fell on Amity's face was pure disappointment. Another Christmas and New Years without family. [color=ed145b]"I should get some sleep!"[/color] She turned her attention to her stylist, [color=ed145b]"Renee, I expect to be the cutest tonight~"[/color] Amity gave a fake smile and dismissed herself. Renee looked at Liam, who never failed to be extremely blunt, and shook her head. [color=630460]"You could have told her that her parents loved her and that they were sorry."[/color] Narrowing his eyes at the woman, who was starting to sound like his brother, Liam replied, [color=9e0b0f]"And what? Have her be sad when they do arrive and don't show they care? I don't need another repeat..."[/color] His words drifted off... [hr][h3] Timeskip - Casino║ Night [/h3] [center][hider= Amity's attire][center][img]http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b380/Deadupdog/Deadupdog045/1d1f9e5b-41a1-4f32-aa0d-3a458bdfbdc5_zpsmf4coqda.jpg[/img][/center][/hider][/center] Arriving at the casino, Amity inhaled in... and out. A new type of audience... maybe there would be young adults here? Was she nervous? Pre-jitters, but she'd get over it. [i]Hello, Shine City! Amity's here![/i] [color=630460]"You're going to rock tonight! You always do."[/color] Amity looked at her assistant and gave her eyes of excitement. Pulling up, a valet came up to the car. Exiting, Luke tossed the keys for the Rolls-Royce Phantom at the newcomer and chuckled, [color=003471]"Take care of our baby, Fox boy."[/color] "Y-yes sir! Please enjoy your time at Shine City Players Casino..." Amity looked at the Valet, who was wearing cute fox ears, and gave him a playful stare. His face turned rosy red and with that, she snapped a quick selfie of her and the Valet with Kyle's phone, "U-uh... Ms. Bellerose..." [color=ed145b]"Ew... that's my mother. Call me Amie! Also, don't worry. I'm just playing with my friend's phone. You're too cute to not take a picture of!"[/color] Winking and sticking out her tongue, she headed toward the Casino. Rolling his eyes, Liam gave the Valet an early tip and walked on Amity's right, Renee took her spot on the left, and Luke strolled behind, making a triangle around the idol. Her triumvirate of protectors. As they walked in, Liam was being... Liam. [color=9e0b0f]"Alright the band is setting up and I've called the owner so he knows we're here. He's told me that business has been booming lately..."[/color] Amity muted the words of her manager and with curiosity, her icy blue eyes observed the Casino. Gold and red color scheme. A gorgeous place. The sound of slot machines and cards. A lot of laughter. This was the first time she had ever stepped foot into a casino. Amie couldn't help but notice all the animal apparel. Was that for all casinos? She began snapping pictures of the most intriguing looking people she passed. Like the cat dealer who just activated his ears! Aw! He had nice dark hair and handsome green eyes. [@Takashi] *Snap* [@BeastofDestiny] Impressed at the picture she took, she went on Kyle's instagram and posted it with the caption: [color=ed145b][i]Kitty Kat Dealer!!! :DDD He's a cutie <3333[/i][/color] Not paying attention on whether or not the dealer noticed this action happen or not, Amie looked up from the phone and realized they were being led by one of the workers -- or the owner? Amity wasn't really paying attention... a group of slots made a half circle around a restaurant area, which led to a wide stage (lucky for her, the stage had lights!). Though this layout made her... kinda... nervous. Everyone in the building would be able to see her perform, though the dealers area was a bit far, they would at least hear her music faintly, [color=ed145b][i]"I hope Liam told the owner what music I do..."[/i][/color] [color=9e0b0f]"The owner said he's going to project your music throughout the building and have your performance recorded live. You're going to be on all the screens here! Isn't that exciting?"[/color] Amity's eyes widened... oh no. Her manager was far more excited than she was. This was great for exposure but terrible for her sanity. Most of these people probably have never heard of her. Maybe she should stick with just her mother's music? But... she wouldn't perform them like she performs her own. At least at a concert she's guaranteed people would like her... with an album a person can choose to buy it or not... why would Liam throw her to the dogs like this!? Immediately after she thought that, a dog bartender waved at her. Really? [color=ed145b]"Uh... Liam... I don't feel so good."[/color] Luke touched her shoulder from behind to assure her she'd be fine, which made her start her breathing practices. They all went behind the curtains of the stage. Dancers, check. Band, check. Amity, check. [b] "Alright ladies and gents! Unfortunately, the brilliant vocalist, Cecilia Bellerose, couldn't make it tonight. I know a few of you came here just to see her, but have no fear, her daughter is here! I thought this would be a nice change for our casino. Here is a face you see on the billboards, someone for the younger generations to jam out to, but most importantly, someone who aspires to grow up to be just like her mother!" [/b] ([color=ed145b][i]....hahahahhaha. Gag. Like my mother?[/i][/color]) Her manager, bodyguard, and assistant walked off the stage once they knew Amity was all set (carrying her bags and other random things). She held onto the microphone for dear life and continued to do her breathing exercises. Turning to her dancers, she gave them the nod to get into position, and the curtain began to rise. The female dancers wore red dresses, while the males wore a suit entirely in black (including the blouse and tie) which complimented her white jacket, black skirt, and red top. The lights blared blue and pink as one of her male dancers went behind her like a shadow to symbolize a man she thinks about. She dived right into song the moment the curtains were out of the stage's way and the pink lights went on her. [center][hider=Based off this performance: Tell All][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qeGglwlvK8[/youtube][/hider][/center] The music started off slow: [color=ed145b][i]The depth of the darkness which you're embracing The strength of the wind that is grazing your cheeks [/i][/color] Lifting her hand in unison with the guy, as if she were Ying and he were Yang, Amity stared out at her audience with stars in her eyes... [color=ed145b][i]There are surely lots of things Which nobody but you will know, but...[/i][/color] and with the crescendo, the music flashed and the music switched to a faster beat. The lights brought this casino to life, while all her dancers lined up and broke into choreography that complimented the idol's movement. [color=ed145b] [i]If I am hesitant, nothing will begin And if nothing begins, I won't know the pain of losing you The future screams at me "It's not the time to give up!" Yeaaaaaaah In order to love you, I've chosen this fight[/i][/color] She went silent and began backing up while the music went on, never taking her eyes, filled with great certainty, off the people ahead of her. The song went back to the nice slow tone it had once before. Her dancers surrounded her and created a portrait by posing around her. Her voice continued singing this song about fighting for what you want and with her passion, she was going to make her audience believe in love. [watch video if you want to know the rest of the lyrics] Watching his idol go all out with emotion and energy, Liam smiled to himself, [color=9e0b0f] "That's my girl."[/color] One thing people will learn about Amity was, when she performs, may it be singing, dancing, or acting, she goes all out and she expresses emotions that are beyond her years. Her face was filled with hope as if she was desperate for a love she had yet experienced.