Blast To The Past (Krad, Aiden)

[Krad Zephyros]

The Sky Docks were a favored hangout for many space travelers. It wasn't as big as an entire planet, but still had everything a traveler would need. They had a plethora of docks to have your ship serviced in any way as well as an entire city behind the docks. Hotels, inns, bars, clubs, malls, everything you could possibly need you could find it here. The best part about it was that it was located in the Free Zones. Anybody and everybody was welcome here. Imperials, Alliance, it didn't matter. So long as you had the credits to afford your stay, there was never any problem.

Of course, with two warring factions gathering in one place, be it in the Free Zones or not, fights are bound to break out. Security isn't as tight here as within the two warring zones, but it is well enough to break up a few minor street fights. Though the Sky Docks can get somewhat rowdy, the atmosphere here is actually quite relaxing and peaceful. Even space pirates, the galaxies most roughest and toughest criminals, can relax and behave themselves when in the company of their shipmates and surrounded by alcohol in a pub or bar.

Krad wasn't visiting the Sky Docks to hit up some easy game at a bar tonight, though. No. He was here on business. He had a job to do and was in the mindset to make sure his job was done to the best of his ability.

The night club's music was pounding. It was a mix and mash of all types of digital, electronic sounds reinforced by a heavy bass beat that pounded harder and faster than the multiple hearts of a galactic Space Wyrm. Krad didn't let this phase him though. He was used to the crazy beats and noises this side of the galaxy offered. He enjoyed it, actually. Where he came from, music like this didn't really go over well with the leaders of the population so it was nice to hear what others listened too.

The spiky blue-headed 19-year-old Krad wriggled and danced his way smoothly across the crowded dance floor and made his way over to the neon-colored bar. Though the nightclub had a dark atmosphere, neon lights were everywhere. On the floor; across the bar. Even the metallic stools had multi-colored seat cushions. Krad just so happened to find a black one; the same color that matched his long-sleeved biker jacket with the picture of midnight blue angel wings splayed out across the back. With the dark color of the jacket and the wings, it was hard to make out the image without using the midnight blue highlights as visual guidelines to where the feathers were located.

He wore a pair of round, face-concealing sunglasses, though they rested above his eyes on his forehead with his spiked bang clutching them in its downward arc. Krad rested his elbows on the neon-pink bar and let them slide apart as he breathed a sigh f relief. The inside of his unzipped vest opened, revealing the grayish wing-printed interior as well as his finely crafted caramel brown skin.

He had his trademark smirk on his face, which his finger tapped at as he leaned his head in his right hand. His knuckle gloves may not have been the most comfortable things to lean in to, but they weren't uncomfortable either. The turnout was amazing tonight. Honestly, he didn't believe it would be this many people out to watch the performance, but he shrugged. He was just glad he was here having a good time. If things kept going the way they were, however, he feared he might get too involved and do something, or someone, he might regret in the morning.

"Shit is kray tonight..." He said with a bit of Human slang he picked up since he learned this side of the galaxy's version of Common. He smirked, liking the sound much better than proper Common. The music was slowly starting to get to him though, like a virus infecting his cells.

He was in the mood to party.

Word Count: 686
OOC: Thar she blows. Have Fun, Aiden

[Aiden Vilheim]

After a day of relinquishing a couple dozen people of their right to live, Aiden returned to the Sky Docks for a night of women, booze, but mostly just for somewhere to expel the stress of the day through dancing. Every club was alive and kicking tonight, but the beat of one specific club shined it ways through all the noise; his usual hang out spot, Exca's Ecstasy. Aiden had a history with, Exca, the woman who owned the place, most of it not pretty, but she always allowed him in, no matter what.

A female bouncer stood at the door, sending people off or allowing people in depending on how she felt about their person. He walked up to the woman, lowering his shades for a brief moment and entrancing the woman with his beguiling red eyes. She instantly moved the rope for him and extended her arm out, showing him the way.

"Thanks, doll," he stated as he casually walked past her, delivering a wink before having the door shut behind him. The club always had an aura around it that seemed to draw people toward, but tonight, the feeling felt intensified, like there was something planned.

Aiden traveled up several flights of stairs and past a few bouncers to a small room that overlooked the entire dance floor; an elegant woman in her mid-twenties was resting against a neon pink metal bar, keeping her eyes along the floor, making sure everything seemed perfect; it was. He knocked on the open door as a signal for her to know he was here. The woman turned toward him, a seductive smile worn on her face. His eyes locked on her slim figure which was embraced in a daring red dress that reached down to a couple of inches below the start of her thighs. She pulled him in close, their bodies instantly connecting; a small laugh escaped Aiden's lips.

"Here for a little...excitement, my dear boy," questioned the woman as she ran her smooth hands through Aiden's spiked, black hair. He let out another laugh, this one slightly louder than the first.

"How long have you known me, Exca? Since I left Eckehart's grasp, yeah? I'm pretty sure you know why I'm here tonight." His grasp loosened and he took a few steps back, watching as Exca strolled over to one of the seats in the room. He took a seat on the couch against the left wall.

"Well look at that...it's been two years already. You're twenty-three now, right?

"Please, Exca, tell me you're joking." A seductive laugh escaped her lips. Aiden knew she liked to toy with his emotions, but he still let it get to him, maybe because her attractiveness distracted him at times.

"Of course I do. It's just a little difficult to realize that someone so...well-built...is only twenty years old. Yeah, two years had passed since Aiden left Captain Eckehart's ship and two years of looking for Eckehart to get revenge. Though the pirate killed Aiden's real parents, thanks could be given as the pirate made Aiden the man he was today. Aiden slowly lifted himself out of the seat and stretched for a brief moment before letting a sigh of relaxation run off amongst the noise.

"We have an interesting band playing today...be sure to stay long enough to check them out."

"Sure, Exca, just for you." Aiden traveled down the stairs and immediately headed over to the bar. After countless time of coming to Exca's Ecstasy, the bartender, Hash, grew to understand Aiden's tastes and had a drink ready before the rogue even had a chance to sit down. As Aiden grabbed a seat, Hash slid a drink over to Aiden. He signaled a sign of gratitude to the bartender and downed the drink in one shot; he shook his head for a second to regain his composure. A couple of women found their way over to Aiden and managed to keep his attention until Exca made her appearance on the center on stage. The crowd began to cheer as they knew now would be the time for tonight's show.

"Ladies and gentlemen...let me introduce..."

WC: 693
OOC: Oh crap...for once my post was longer than yours, Zephy. Anyway, pretty sure you know what to do now. :3

[Krad Zephyros]

Krad allowed himself to relax at the bar for a moment. The Bartender asked if he needed anything, but Krad simply shook his head. Was it wrong that the was a bit... tense? Sure, he enjoyed his work and was afraid of nothing such a job brought on... but at the same time... it was the things that he had to do; things that he had to remember, that sent chills up his spine and made his voice quiver. It was during this moment in deep thought did he hear a voice fill his ears.

"Hey, cutie, who are you~?" The voice sang with the majesty of a drunken dolphin. Krad turned slowly to face the woman with the scaled features on her peach-colored face and the short green lizard's tail slipping out through a slit in her provocatively short shorts that looked more like underwear rather than something you go out in public in. Krad's ocean blue eyes were almost robotic as they scanned every detail of this woman; her slurred speech, her inability to stand up straight, and her kool-aid smile. He could tell within an instant she was terribly intoxicated. For an instant, a twisted grin formed on the blue-haired young Krad's face; a hungry, toothy grin the lion displayed before the final pounce.

"The name's..."

"Krad!" A voice called out above the booming music, interrupting the hungry young clubber. "Krad! Krad! FUCKING KRAD!" The male voice got louder and, in that moment, an annoyance sparked within the young man. His eyes rolled off towards the rest of the crowd and he could see a tall Myrthra in his humanoid form moving through the crowd and frantically waving an arm at him.

Krad sighed through his nostrils and turned to the woman who approached him, then stood up and walked surprisingly close to her. "I wish we had more time to chat..." He said as he slipped a graceful finger beneath her chin, lifting it and forcing her to stare into his hungry eyes. He was like a vampire charming his victim and, like a good little target, the woman was completely lost in the swirling ocean that were his blue eyes. "But duty calls..." He released her, and she stumbled backwards a bit, her face now a bright red, which contrasted against the reptilian green scales that aligned the left side of her face.

"Dammit, Krad what are you doing now?" Said the man with the ears of a wolf. "We've gotta go now!"

"Wait, right now?" Krad said with a general surprise before looking towards the analog wristwatch on his arm. "We've still got... hours right, Vex?"

"No, dumbass! The little hand is the hour hand! Don't you know how to tell time?!"

"Chill, cuz. My crew tells time differently, aiight?" Krad almost laughed as he spoke with the local dialect. His words were true, though. The technology he was used too was far more advanced than... analog watches. It was something completely new to him; like going back 3000 years in the past. Oh well. Anywhere was better than where he was from, he supposed.

"Whatever..." His friend said as he dragged the clueless Krad through the crowded dance floor. "And will you stop talking like that?! You sound like an idiot."

"Chill, son. Don't sweat my swag."

"Seriously, Krad. I will hit you and you won't like it." Vex said, trying to fight the urge to laugh himself. Krad could tell he was having fun though. It was hard to hide the wagging of his tail. Finally, the two of them made it back stage, where it was much quieter. There were already a few people over there as well; some stage hands, and a collection of instruments as well as the rest of the band.

"What's up, fam?" Krad smirked as he rushed over to where he saw his guitar was propped up. It was hard not to miss the glistening metal black paint accented by the crimson trims and chords. He picked up the guitar, which looked more like a weapon with such jagged, pointed edges around it, and walked over to the drummer. A large male Myrthra that resembled a cheetah. In his heavy hands, the drumsticks looked like toothpicks. "Everybody ready?" Krad questioned as he tucked the strap of the guitar over his shoulder and stood in front.

"Don't act like you're all cool and shit!" Vex shouted as he picked up his guitar as well. "If you weren't so busy hunting down drunk bitches to sleep with then maybe you'd actually learn how to tell time."

The silent drummer cracked a bit of a smile, then looked over to his side and nudged the chrome, canister-shaped droid by his side. Its head, or what everyone considered a head, swiveled towards the large Myrthra, then beeped a few times before turning back forward and rolled itself forward a few centimeters, taking its position just to his left.

With another series of beeps and flashing lights around the ports on its bullet-shaped head, the bot produced what appeared to be a holographic synchronization keyboard in front of it. Vex looked over and nodded at the little bot. "Looks like X-3RX is ready."

And then, from behind the wall that separated them from the front stage, they heard, "Ladies and gentlemen...let me introduce..."

"Shit, that's us!" Krad adjusted himself and turned around to face the wall.

"Don't forget this!" Vex kicked over the microphone stand to where Krad was and he grabbed it, then placed it in front of himself. Vex stationed himself parallel to Krad as back-up with his microphone also in front of him as well. The large tiger Myrthra was as silent as ever as he readied himself, and the little droid bot let out another series of beeps as it produced holographic arms and hands which cracked their knuckles before hovering over the synch board.

"The Dark Angels!"

And with that, the stage began to shift and transform. The part of the floor the club owner stood on came alive and, like a large treadmill, carried her towards the far-left of the stage just as the large wall in the back began to separate and open. The mid-section of the wall flipping up like a flap and the side walls opening as well, like rotating gears, showing the four band members ready and in formation. Everything happened all in one motion as the floor the Dark Angels stood upon shifted forward and carried them to the front of the stage.

Krad looked over the howling and screaming crowd, then gave a very charismatic grin as the stage fell still; the walls closing back up and the floor halting its movement. He grabbed the mic aggressively, and with a loud shout, he called out to the cheering crowd. "YOU GUYS READY TO ROCK?!" And they responded louder than any amplified instrument. Their voices were the fuel to Krad's motor.

He was ready.

Word Count: 1,165
OOC: Longer than expected, but works none-the-less

[Aiden Vilheim]

During the initial cheers, Aiden had enough time to down several more shots. His attention transferred back to Exca, who in her magnificent dress brought the microphone back to her cherry colored lips. He seemed a bit entranced by their movements this time, maybe because the alcohol was beginning to cloud his judgment.

"The Dark Angels!"

The name sounded vaguely familiar to Aiden, perhaps he heard the band play before, or maybe he just saw it on of those universal billboards scattered around space. Either way, his attention lazily traveled over to the stage that was overtaken by a group of males. The group consisted of two Myrthra, a Mechanoid, and a Human. The majority of the group seemed pretty average, but the human's hair gathered Aiden's attention for some reason; maybe because Aiden has never seen so much color on a person's skull before, or maybe because the rogue's attentions were always overtaken by women like Exca. Aiden swiveled in his seat, resting his left arm against the bar, downing a few more shots in the process.

"YOU GUYS READY TO ROCK?!"

The human's voice echoed through Aiden's head and affected him like he was just hit by a car. He rubbed his temples as a means to reduce the pain from the noise, but it didn't help at all when the wave of cheers and screams erupted from the crowd as the band began to play their first song. Aiden clenched his teeth as the sound continued to bounce within the confines of his mind. Hash looked over at the Aiden, noticing that he seemed to be in some form of pain.

"Drink a little too much tonight, eh Aiden," laughed the bartender as he stared at the rogue covering his ears with his hands. Aiden looked over at Hash with hazy eyes, but it was clear that the rogue was not amused one bit. He flipped his middle finger on his left hand over toward the bartender which only caused the man to laugh. It was obvious that Aiden was drunk beyond belief; maybe he shouldn't have drank ten shots in such a short period.

"C'mon now, Aiden, let's take you up to the overlook," stated Hash as he placed one of Aiden's arms around his neck. He supported the rogue up and slowly but surely carried up the stairs, making sure the drunk wouldn't tip backwards on the stairs and cause some permanent harm to himself. After several minutes of troublesome work, Hash finally managed to bring Aiden over to the door leading to the overlook. Exca wasn't in the room at the moment as she was still prepping slightly from introducing the The Dark Angels. Hash assisted Aiden over to the large couch in the room and slowly brought him down until the rogue was lying on the couch. "I'll leave you here; we can have Exca take care of you." The bartender couldn't but help let a small chuckle out as he casually walked out the door and back toward the bar.

Aiden groaned as the music continued to penetrate his skull and leave him in dire pain. The lyrics and the beat were more than exciting, but the volume of everything just sounded like a harpy standing several feet away from you and shrieking at you as loud as she possibly could. He closed his eyes and began to rub his temples again, hoping that it would help clear relax his mind a little. For a brief moment, everything seemed to die down. A hot sensation came over Aiden's body and was immediately combined with the urge to expel any type of meal still being digested within the confines of his stomach. Resisting the urge, he swallowed a couple of times, eventually ceasing the feeling.

"Fuck...," quietly growled Aiden as he turned on the couch. He took a deep breath before instantly falling asleep.

A mysterious weight on his abdomen woke him up from his little nap. His eyes opened to an appealing image of Exca sitting on top of him. Aiden grabbed his head as the pain from drinking intensified, but he was aware of situations now. Exca let a seductive laugh escape her lips as she watched the rogue.

"Drink a little too much, did we, pretty boy," Exca joked with Aiden. He didn't respond initially as he was too focused on rubbing his head, hoping the pain would subside quickly. After a few seconds he finally responded.

"What do you want right now, Exca? I was in the middle of a fantastic dream," he groggily stated as he put his hands behind his head.

"Oh, I can certainly tell that your dream was fantastic." She let out another laugh before slowly lowering herself until their faces were inches apart. Before Aiden could say anything, Exca caught him by surprise by locking their lips together. It felt nice, but only managed to last for a few seconds as Exca noticed that a shadow was proceeding to slowly crawl up the walls toward the room.

WC: 843
OOC: The wonders I can do when having control of an NPC. >:3

[Krad Zephyros]

"How's everybody doing today?" Krad started out casually, but never allowed his cool demeanor to subside. He'd performed many shows in public areas or small venues on the Myrthra planet Halem, where he originally met the band members. It was the world that Krad crashed on when he first entered this side of the galaxy. Ironically, Vex, the backup guitarist and vocalist, was the one who found, rescued, and put a roof over the human's head. It was also Vex that taught him Hirokan, the language of the Myrthra.

When Krad first joined the band, of course, he was required to sing in the Myrthra language, which greatly strengthened his mastery over it. They may have been a small band, but they certainly weren't quiet. Krad had an amazing vocal talent that allowed him to sing in two separate tones, which greatly increased their range of special effects when they were on such a limited budget. It also increased interest from listeners to hear, what was soon coined, Demon Speak. Though Krad's two-toned singing voice did drive a lot of interest, it was the band's overall talent and song writing ability that really carried them.

Some might say that Vex was an amazing teacher. Others believe Krad is just a gifted virtuoso, but he picked up so much in such a short time it was like he'd played the instrument all his life. Truth be told, Krad had zero experience with the instrument, or even the genre of music they performed. What he lacked in physical experience, however. He made up for in emotional experience. Before music, Krad was a Tin Man without a heart; a Scarecrow without a brain, and a mighty Lion without a roar, but with a guitar held in his hands, he possessed all of this and more.

Heart, feeling, emotion; everything that had been drained out of him for years repeatedly all flooded back into him for the brief moment in time when he played and when he sang. It was a gift like no other to have returned to him that which was once lost. He doesn't need to put his heart and soul into the music. The music is his heart and soul.

"A lot of you have never heard of us so let me introduce ourselves:" He then gestured with his free hand to the members of his band as he announced their names. "I'm Krad, that over there's Vex. On the drums is The Big Guy, Cray, and the little bot is our friend, X-3RX: we call him Xerx." There was something about his tone in his voice that was different from most small-time performers. Instead of being nervous or tense, Krad seemed... happy. Excited even. Like he was performing for a group of friends and after the show he'd go off and have a drink with them.

"Now we're not gonna take up too much of your time so we're just going to jump right in to the song we call... I Can't Wait!" and with no hesitation, the song started immediately just as he announced the name. The beat was strong and fast, quickly building up with time. "I Can't Wait!" The crowd seemed to be trapped in the buildup as well as Krad's voice. The other band members didn't slack off either. Cray pounded at the drums with the speed of a cheetah pounding its paws through the Serengeti. X-3RX kept the equalizer levels stable so no excess sound bled out from the song and that no note clash with any other. "I Can't Wait!"

And then the music exploded.

Krad and Vex simultaneously entered their rifts, which were being supported by Cray's drums. The tone was fast and heavy, like a climatic scene in a Science Fiction space battle. Krad's fingers seemed to move with haunting ease, as if the air he created while caressing the strings was enough to stimulate the sound from
his instrument. It seemed the emotion on his face changed as well as it came to the time were he would start to sing.

His voice came through the microphone and, at first, it was singular, but as he sang, there seemed to be a second voice accompany the original; one that was deeper, but still similar to his original. It was a technique Krad was forced to learn when he was taught the Gorgan language, Gral'Varr. Because many of the words require the echoic undertone voice to pronounce, Krad developed a way to manipulate his natural affinity with wind to cause a separate current of air to pass through his voice box when he spoke, creating an entirely separate voice as a result. He'd gotten so proficient at this ability, he can do it without so much as a though. He can change the tone of both his voices at will and, although he cannot completely change the way the voices sound, he can add bass and emotion to them naturally.

Krad entered a different world when he performed, and it showed. He detached himself from everything around him. It was just him and his music, which transformed the darkness of his soul into an aurora of color. Blue, pink, red, yellow, green, orange, all the colors of his emotion flooded around him like a spectacular light show that only he could see. It brought validity to his words; soul to his sound. His heart could be beard with every note and his subconscious could finally cry out with every lyric.

The crowd was loving every second of it. The band was doing spectacularly. Everyone was at their very best. Nobody missed a note, nobody skipped a beat. They did not falter in anyway. They were even able to showboat and have fun with it. Krad couldn't help but to swirl the drumsticks in between his fingers every chance he got just to make it look more appealing. Krad would pitch himself backwards or forwards whenever the beat seemed to trail in such a way. He would turn his back to the stage and lean at an incredibly unstable angle without missing a beat; the people beneath him screaming and reaching out to try and touch the bottom of his jacket.

As he sang, he would fall back-to-back with Vex as the two jammed on their instruments. Krad's voice manipulation created a stunning echoic effect behind each word as he drew it out. Vex couldn't help but smirk at the famous Demon Voice in action, but his turn was soon to arise. As the chorus neared, the Myrthra began doing exactly what Myrthra were best at.

He roared.

He roared the words he spoke into the microphone with such animalistic ferocity it made the crowd tremble with excitement. It was easy for the wolf to deliver his powerful vocals without tiring. It was natural for him, which made it all-the-more better. Each band member seemed to be destined for their position. Cray's vast and heavy hands were a blur as he pounded against the drums with a speed that only a cheetah could reach X-3RX also had no trouble keeping every note and lyric perfectly equalized. He could make adjustments instantly when his sensors picked up even the slightest hint of the music bleeding.

The song went on unstoppingly. It was fast, heavy, and intense; just as was the love story that was its undertone. The song spoke of dangerous, poisonous, deadly love that caused nothing but pain and suffering, yet with full knowledge of this, the protagonist of this love story continued to the source of this pain. Like a moth into the flame, the protagonist finds himself drawn to this evil, demonic love knowing full well only a fiery embrace awaits. As if placed under a spell, for just a little while, the powers of pleasure and desire are more than enough to cause submission to this poisonous embrace and, mo matter how much it burns; no matter how much it stings, there is no escape from the addictive desire and insatiable hunger for more.

"I Can't Wait!"

When the final note was struck, the crowd only seemed to get louder. The band stood tall and proud, accepting their cheers and accolades. They waved, bowed, and Krad thanked the crowd for coming out and listening to them play. Then, the stage began to morph again and carry them back behind the winding walls.

Krad waited around with the band members for a bit as they conversed about tonight's performance. It was obvious they excited about such a job well done... well... Vex was anyway. Cray simply smiled and listened, never speaking as usual, and nobody ever knew what X-3RX was thinking. Krad himself was still coming out of the alternate universe his music took him too, so he was more elated rather than excited. "I'm gonna head up to the over watch and speak with the manager. I'll catch up with you guys later."

And with that, Krad calmly started off and out the backstage towards the ascending stairway that lead to the over watch. He was in a pretty good mood after such a good performance, but at the same time,he could still feel some painful emotions the song brought out nipping at his psyche. Try as he might to suppress them, this was the drawback to bringing out his feelings. He brought out all of them: both good and bad...

Feelings aside, he reached the top of the stairway and approached the area. "Is Ecka here?" He called out just before walking in on the scene of the woman sitting in a young man's lap and kissing him seductively. Krad couldn't help but smirk and raise a perverted eyebrow. "Or is she busy at the moment...?" He eyed the woman. She was very attractive in his opinion. He wouldn't mind having her sit on top of him, but perhaps now was not the time. Maybe after this other guy left Krad would take a crack at her. Hell, maybe he'd join in on the fun. Whatever the situation leads too.

Word Count: 1,682
OOC: Well that was fun. Been working on it since my internet went down and have finally been able to post without proboards crashing!

[Aiden Vilheim]

Aiden's eyes were locked on Exca's figure as she slowly positioned herself back into an upright pose. His mind seemed to be completely distracted by thoughts of what the situation could've turned into. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, letting a large collection of air find its way out through his mouth and into the local atmosphere. The pain in his head from the combination of noise and alcohol seemed to subside for a brief moment and his attentions slowly transferred in the direction that Exca's eyes were gazing.

"Is Exca here?"

A young man, seeming to be very close in age to Aiden appeared in the doorway, a strange look forming on his face. At the way his countenance decided to express itself, you'd think he was watching their every move from the moment Exca decided to rest herself on top of Aiden. Certainly their five second make-out session wasn't so magnificent that it somehow drew a very tiny, yet creepy audience. After a brief moment of analyzing the caramel-skinned young man once more, Aiden came to the obvious conclusion that this guy was the same person as the singer of the band that decided to wreck his alcohol affected ear drums just a small moment ago.

"Or is she busy at the moment...?"

The statement managed to rouse a minor smile on the drunken rogue's face. Aiden wasn't pleased that that his dose of headache "medicine" was rudely interrupted during the initial dose, but the tone that the blue-haired man spoke in was nothing close to hostile. Seriousness was a state of mind that Aiden rarely found himself, let alone enjoyed being in. Hell, if he had it his way, the world would be much more relaxed...mainly to the fact that he'd be surrounded by dozens of gorgeous women waiting to complete his every desire. Aiden found himself wanting the guest to leave, at least temporarily, so he could have at least a small dosage of medicine.

"I'm pretty sure that she's extremely busy at the moment. If you would be able to come back in about an hour, I'm sure Exca would be more than happy to listen to your request," Aiden stated in a comedic tone, hoping that the third party would be more than gracious to agree to this. He found himself targeted by an unconvincing glare coming from his female captor.

"Really, Aiden? You honestly think you have the endurance and willpower to handle an hour with me? Oh you certainly do make me laugh, boy. You know, boy, you make me wonder where all this cockiness comes from," casually stated Exca, playfully giving Aiden's nose a small poke as she finished her statement. Aiden was practically baffled at how much Exca disbelieved of his skill. A surprised look formed on his face, causing Exca to let out a hearty, yet seductive laugh. "It's alright, Aiden. I believe you." She shifted her body a few inches, letting the rogue finally sit up on the couch, her body still resting on top of his in a way. She signaled for the blue-haired man to take a seat in the recliner.

"So, Exca, would you care to tell me who this guy is and why you've been so content with him feeling you up with his eyes? Don't tell me you've been cheating on me while I've been gone," sarcastically questioned Aiden as he gazed at Exca with sincere eyes. The woman laughed at his statement. She found her way to the right of him, crossing her legs as she leaned back.

"Honestly, boy, if I was in a stable relationship with anyone, you'd be the one I'd end up having an affair with." Her words burned like dry ice, Aiden's face reacting harshly to the acclamation.

"Anyway, this delicious fellow over here is Krad Zephyros, lead singer of The Dark Angels. I heard him and his band playing over at Garrick's place a couple months back and I just had to have them play here. Looks, charm, and all that talent...all rolled up into one fine specimen of a man. If I were you, Aiden, I'd certainly be worried about keeping such a fine beauty like me locked underneath your belt." Aiden didn't know what she was thinking, but it certainly looked like she was attempting to spark a declaration of war. His eyes discreetly locked onto his so-called competitor like heating-seeking missiles to a volcano. Women were never a problem for Aiden and his golden tongue. Sure Exca was something special to him and he did feel a little bit protective over her, but if she wanted to leech on to someone else and dismiss him, then so be it.

"I wouldn't worry so much about competition, Exca. Besides, you know that I could easily get any woman here in bed without her giving it a second thought. If it isn't you, it's someone else."

"Ouch...way to make a girl feel special..." To any observant person's eye, legitimate feelings could be seen traveling from Exca toward Aiden, but it was a one-way street as his hotshot attitude made him completely oblivious to it.

"Oh come on, you and I both know that if you found anyone remotely more attractive than me, you'd drop me like a rock in an instant." He leaned back in the sofa, centering his attention on the blue-haired man.

"Sorry about that dirty laundry...Krad, was it? From what I've gathered, you seem to be pretty suave guy yourself, eh? The name's Aiden, Aiden Vilheim, nice to me ya, kid." A rogue-ish smile grew on his and he extended his right arm out for Krad to meet.

WC: 948
OOC:Looks like the two of them finally meet face to face.

[Krad Zephyros]

Exca offered Krad a seat and, politely, he smiled, then sat not too far away from them. As his eyes casually drifted from her sensual body, they found themselves gravitating towards the young man beneath her who seemed to have already had his eyes upon Krad for quite some time. The blue-haired performer maintained a steady poker-face. An unreadable smirk that didn't show much emotion other than a quiet and calm presence. From the young man's voice and the way he spoke to the woman, Krad assessed that he was more than just a booty call. He got comfortable. Watching those who considered themselves friends with benefits was always a guilty pleasure of his.

The young man made a small joke and Krad allowed himself to motion as if he laughed, but no sound came out. Just his still smirk as he listened to them converse. Exca had a very enchanting voice as she spoke to him. She was charming and, above all else, seductive in her own way. Her voice was like honey as she spoke, and it stimulated Krad's sweet tooth, among other things. "Anyway, this delicious fellow over here is Krad Zephyros, lead singer of The Dark Angels. I heard him and his band playing over at Garrick's place a couple months back and I just had to have them play here. Looks, charm, and all that talent...all rolled up into one fine specimen of a man. If I were you, Aiden, I'd certainly be worried about keeping such a fine beauty like me locked underneath your belt."

Krad didn't allow the compliment to disturb his countenance, though it definitely stroked his ego, even if he knew it was meant to be a joking statement to poke fun at the one she called Aiden. He was liking this woman more and more with every passing moment. He was intrigued by how she played with the roguish-looking Aiden who she still failed to break contact with.

"I wouldn't worry so much about competition, Exca. Besides, you know that I could easily get any woman here in bed without her giving it a second thought. If it isn't you, it's someone else."

Krad almost snorted humorously at the statement, but maintained his composure and internalized the feeling. It was funny he'd say something like that. It was made apparent with that statement that their relationship was barely legitimate. If it were, Krad predicted a swift and painful slap to the face would be in the young man's future, but no such fate befell him. Too bad. It would have been pretty entertaining. He listened to the two of them go back and forth a bit, it seemed the woman was, if only on a minuscule level, affected by the comment, but the young Aiden, with striking teal eyes, hadn't noticed.

"Sorry about that dirty laundry...Krad, was it? From what I've gathered, you seem to be pretty suave guy yourself, eh? The name's Aiden, Aiden Vilheim, nice to me ya, kid." He reached an arm out and Krad complied with the gesture as he spoke, though it took a bit of control to fight off the spark of annoyance that was ignited when he referred to Krad as Kid...

"Nice to meet you, Aiden." He said quite calmly even considering the taste of venom forming on his fangs. Krad was a very vein, stubborn, and conceited teenager. Comments like kid and just the general disregard for his existence stimulated a dark attitude towards Aiden, not to mention the young rogue conducting himself as a suave player: something Krad considered himself to be. He couldn't help but feel the territorial instincts spark within himself, not to mention the unconscious need to assert himself as the dominant male in the vicinity.

"I actually came to let Exca here know that we appreciate the opportunity she's given my band and I to perform here." It was then that his eyes drifted from Aiden's and up towards Exca's. His smirk started to ooze with a more seductively deviant undertone as he spoke to her. "Who, by the way, has a uniquely attractive voice. Tell me, have you ever considered being a singer?"

Maybe he was flirting just for the fuck of it? Maybe he was doing it to bite back at Aiden about that kid comment. Krad didn't really care. Whatever the reason, the result would remain the same. He'd enjoy some time flirting with a beautiful woman. In his mind, if he really wanted her, he could have her, but at the same time, Krad wasn't one to snatch women right out the laps of other men. He never really had a taste for sloppy seconds. He liked his women fresh and free. Though that never stopped him from enjoying their company.

"We've actually been thinking about recruiting a female singer. Maybe one of these days you can show me what your voice can really do." He winked at her, not breaking eye contact with the woman. He was interested in hearing her response. Hell, he was interested if that would be a good line to use in the future. Maybe, depending on how she responds, he'd try it out on one of the girls down by the bar. There was no way he wasn't getting laid tonight, so regardless, his mood didn't seem like it would be changing anytime soon.

Word Count: 898
OOC: Gotta love teenage Krad. He's such a spoiled little white girl xD

[Aiden Vilheim]

Krad's grip was very firm and by the way Krad shook the rogue's hand, Aiden could tell that this man in front of him like to be in charge of a situation, making other men around him feel like lesser beings. A smirk grew on Aiden's face for a brief second, he always enjoyed a challenge when it came to women, mainly because he always won those challenges. He noticed Krad's face react with a really miniscule twitch. Through several years of clubbing and poker playing, Aiden had learned to read faces and something the rogue said obviously clicked in the blue-haired man's mind. Aiden already had a small internal dislike for Krad as he was clearly able to take Exca's attentions. Despite his earlier statement which was intended to show that Aiden couldn't care about what she did, he didn't like sharing women, or that's at least what he liked telling himself. Maybe deep down inside, beneath the Aiden that was shaped by Eckehart, was a decent person.

"Nice to meet you, Aiden."

Aiden was a bit surprised by how polite Krad's returning statement was. He knew that he hit the kid somewhere and was expecting some half-assed comment intended to wound the rogue emotionally. Aiden cocked an eyebrow, keeping his sights on Krad, watching his every move. He definitely wanted to make sure that this guy wasn't someone that he should worry about intruding between what he and Exca have. With that thought, Aiden started to question what exactly was happening the two of them. When he first met her two years ago after being let go by Eckehart, they became friends with benefits after Aiden used his charm to get in bed with her. That's all it was for all this time, he'd fly into the docks after several weeks or months of requests, head over to the club, drink a little and have a chat with Hash, and then finally end his night with Exca. Now that his mind was dwelling over this he started picking up on little bits information that occurred throughout all this time, like Exca not enjoying herself with other men while he was away.

~Wait a fucking second...does...does Exca like me in THAT way? Oh...fuck, not good, not good at all. Oh man, I should've not come back after the first time. Still...she's so good in bed; I definitely can't miss out on that much skill. Well, let me look at the signs...I'm the only person she gets intimate with even if it means weeks or months of nothing...She's always excited in her own way to see me...and now that I see it...she did seem a bit hurt over my prior statement.~ His thought process was broken by Krad's voice.

"I actually came to let Exca here know that we appreciate the opportunity she's given my band and I to perform here."

Though puzzled by why he felt relieved, Aiden felt a lot better knowing that he didn't have to deal with a challenge. The problem was the fact that he could tell that Krad was very similar to him, and fighting with yourself is perhaps one of the most difficult battles there is in all of the world.

"Who, by the way, has a uniquely attractive voice. Tell me, have you ever considered being a singer?"

Aiden's attentions snapped fiercely at Krad once the word 'attractive' expelled itself. Certainly the man wasn't planning on breaking the rules of the bro code? You never go for a woman that's currently sleeping with another man, you just don't. Sure, Exca was a babe, hell she was the type of girl that you'd find in every man's dream. Perhaps that was the entire reason why Aiden felt so attacked; Exca was the most attractive woman ever to want to have anything to do with his loins.

"Oh stop it you, you're making me blush. Besides, as 'uniquely attractive' as my voice is, I find it a lot more exciting to run one of the Sky Docks' most prosperous nightclubs. I'm sure that someone with your charm and guile can easily find a female singer with actual vocal skills," stated Exca as she hid her face a little, a red glow clearly forming on her cheeks.

Aiden's right eyebrow cocked again, aware of the deathly situation at hand. Krad was indeed quite a deviant if he was attempting to leech at Exca directly in front of Aiden. The rogue used these skills many a time, in the same situation as well, and it certainly didn't feel grand being on the receiving end of the stick. His eyes creaked over to Exca whose sight caught with his for a moment. She could tell that he didn't enjoy what Krad was attempting to do and certainly wanted to play with it; she always enjoyed torturing Aiden.

"We've actually been thinking about recruiting a female singer. Maybe one of these days you can show me what your voice can really do."

What that exactly worded how it was intended? If Aiden was to say something like that, it would certainly be a metaphor and that's most certainly how it was intended. Initially, Aiden thought Krad would be an excellent guy to have a conversation with, but it turned out that all he wanted to do was get into Exca's pants. Sadly, his efforts would be in vain, as Exca's pants were already overtaken by someone else. Aiden wanted to say something to halt Krad from attempting any further, but if he was to say something, everyone would know that he was getting affected by the situation much more than he was displaying. Exca looked over at Aiden, she could see a fire burning in his eyes and only wanted to feed it more, just to see what he would do.

"We'll see, boy, I've been meaning to use my mouth for something exhilarating today; never really got the chance," she stated in a joking tone, just hoping that it cracked the last of Aiden's gears. Aiden was impatiently tapping his fingers along the side of the couch, his countenance being neutral, but his eyes expunging a flame that seemed to be nearly unstoppable. Aiden casually rose his right arm into the air and then around Exca, bringing her in nice and close. He crossed his legs while leaning back into the couch.

"Heh, take my advice, Krad, you might want to watch yourself around Exca. She's not afraid to bite." Exca let out a small laugh at the statement, leaning nice and close to Aiden's ear.

"I can see that you're breaking, pretty boy...tell him off, come on...," she quietly muttered to him, the audio completely inaudible unless you were inches away from her mouth. He turned his head to her for a brief moment.

"If you're so hot for him right now, why don't you go and strip for him, then? Pretty sure he'd like that," he silently returned.

"Do I sense a hint of jealously in there, Aiden? I'll stop if you say it..."

"I know what you want me to say and I don't plan on saying anything of the sort publicly." She let out a seductive giggle before slowly pulling her head back.

"That's all I wanted to hear..." She looked back at Krad, giving him one of her signature smiles. She knew she tortured Aiden enough and broke him on the inside; that was enough for her. The idea on her mind was answered correctly by the way he was acting. "Anyway Krad, when I feel like a change of pace, I'll be sure to give you a call," she stated with a wink. Her eyes widened for a brief moment before she proceeded to snap her fingers, signaling a large man to leave a briefcase next to Krad's feet.

"I almost forgot to pay you for your band's services. I believe the contents of that briefcase should be more than plenty. She snapped her fingers one more time and the large man nodded and left the room. "If there's anything else you need, please, don't be afraid to ask," she stated as she leaned into Aiden's body. The rogue's eyes continued to gaze at Krad through the nod he was delivering. He was lucky that Exca just wanted to torture him, because if she really wanted to, she could easily hop onto Krad or any other male that had the honor to pass near her. She's definitely more devilish than Aiden could ever possibly be.

WC: 1424
OOC:Oh hell...shit's getting real up in here. Exca's finally getting underneath Aiden's skin. >.<

[Krad Zephyros]

Krad watched and listened to Exca, and only found his attention back on Aiden when he followed her eyes towards his. He was looking right at Krad, and the blue-haired performer felt an exciting tingle creep up his spine. It was a deviously sadistic tingle that, were Krad not so skilled at maintaining his facial features, would have pulled the corners of his lips to his ears like fishing hooks and exposed a toothy, sadistic grin. Was the man with the piercing teal eyes feeling threatened?

Krad didn't need to be able to read too much into Aiden directly. He knew from experience exactly what such a look meant. It excited the young rocker. Aiden wasn't the first to have his control over women threatened by Krad. Oh no, the blue-headed bastard had spent much time torturing people just like him on so many different worlds. It seemed the one thing he loved more than women was having his ego stroked, and nothing did a better job then feeling like he could steal any woman right out of any man's lap.

Oh the suffering and anger in their eyes. Their jealousy was like a tart green nectar that Krad sipped upon with such an overconfident smugness. He loved it so. And Aiden was turning out to be just as easy a target as all the rest. It seemed Exca noticed this as well. The young man seemed to indeed be affected by their conversation, and it looked like his woman also wanted to participate in the game.

"We'll see, boy, I've been meaning to use my mouth for something exhilarating today; never really got the chance,"

She said this with such honey-sweet flow, any other time Krad would have stopped everything he was doing and jumped her. His countenance changed ever-so-slightly when he replied to her. He spoke smoothly, "I think I could find the perfect job for you're mouth, speaking of which." He put extra emphasis on the buzzword he knew would send Aiden in a frenzy, but his eyes remained locked on the woman.

~You're such a bad girl, aren't you...~ The way he looked at Exca, he pretty much spelled his thoughts out with his eyes. He didn't mind showing this much of his inner-thoughts. By now, Aiden must have been in such an internal fit that he probably wouldn't have picked up on the subtle change in Krad's demeanor. ~I understand. You two make a cute couple.~ He winked at her, then he noticed Aiden's arm wrapping around her, as if to posture his dominance, and his ears caught wind of Aiden's voice.

"Heh, take my advice, Krad, you might want to watch yourself around Exca. She's not afraid to bite." He said. Krad raised an impressed eyebrow. This guy was really good at controlling himself. Pulling Exca in close offered much more than words. Aiden didn't have to say a thing. His body told the entire story. He wanted to make sure Krad knew, clear as day, that Exca belonged to him. But would Krad let it go that easily?

"Sounds like fun. Of course not! Krad locked eyes with Exca again, but made sure he spoke loud and clear enough to still grip Aiden's attention. I like a little... excitement if you know what I mean."

He wondered how much more of this the woman would allow. Krad, at this point, had no intentions of trying to steal her away from Aiden. With the subtle looks the blue-haired performer exchanged with the club owner during their entire conversation, it was as if they were having a second one right beneath Aiden's nose. It was this subtext conversation that took place where Krad learned that this woman was faithful to only one man, and he couldn't help but respect that. Especially coming from such a playfully sadistic type such as Exca.

Krad was starting to like her more and more, but in a less desirable way. No, she was more like a playmate; another member to his team of nerve-twisting and heart-burning sadists who loved nothing more than to watch others writhe under the crushing weight of their own confidence issues.

It seemed Exca and Aiden were having a little sub-conversation of their own. Sure, Krad could have eavesdropped if he wanted. It would have been as simple as stringing a minute current of air, as minuscule as a spider's web, between their lips and listening to the vibrations the web carried back, but he figured he already knew what they were talking about. Exca was probably trying to get Aiden to admit his jealousy, but it seemed like the rogue simply refused. Krad's hungry smirk was satiated. It seemed the game was over. And what fun it was...

"Anyway Krad, when I feel like a change of pace, I'll be sure to give you a call," She said politely.

Yeah. Looks like the game was over.

Krad couldn't help but allow his smirk to melt into a humored smile, however. He did have a bit of fun, which was what he sought out. He also shared a slight glance over towards Aiden and made sure to connect with his eyes. ~Lucky...~ was all he would allow the rogue to read from him, but it wasn't a congratulatory expression. Krad's confidence hadn't waved in the slightest, nor did the blue-haired rocker ever give off the slightest hint of defeat. No, this was more of a playfully merciful look, like an older brother eyeing down a younger sister who sought refuge in their mother's arms.

When the person came in to drop off Krad's pay, he calmly stood and picked up the brief-case. "Thank you very much, Exca, for the opportunity to play here." He gave her a genuine smile before turning his gaze towards the rogue, Aiden. Krad could have made an intimidating face. He could have shot off a teasing comment just to rub the situation in Aiden's face, but he didn't. He simply offered a polite head-nod, accompanied by his still gentle smile, and said, "It was nice meeting you as well, Aiden. We should do this again, sometime."

There was definitely a hidden context in that last sentence. Maybe, just maybe, if the two of them happened to run into each other again, Krad could have a more detailed conversation with the rogue, or if anything, just emotionally fuck him over again. Whatever the future may hold, Krad wasn't dwelling on it. He politely excused himself, then exited the over watch with his pay... and a little extra added to his mood.

Word Count: 1,099
OOC: Longer than I thought it would be.

[Aiden Vilheim]

Exca's final statement filled the rogue with a great amount of relief. The invisible battle was over and he had won the damsel. However, Aiden wasn't worried about the fact of Krad stealing Exca from him, it was the fact that Exca has been with more guys than he's been with women. She's like a succubus, taking in her prey with beguiling imagery and false words, making them feel excited...exhilarated... lustful...and then she'd simply have her way with them and leave them in the middle of the night. As much as he was denying it, he didn't want to lose her to some punk who was barely old enough to be considered an adult.

It was obvious to Exca that Aiden was indeed feeling something toward her. She wanted him to say the words she'd been longing to hear out loud, vocal enough for her to hear it completely. To her though, words wouldn't be enough; she'd want proof, proof that his words were solid like steel, a sign that he's completely honest about what he's saying, even if it completely goes against his person. There was more to why she wanted to hear them...it's because she wanted to return them as well. Through the two years they've known each other, their odd relationship had grown into something quite big, though neither of them dared pay any attention to the differences. Only now, when a catalyst that could've destroyed everything they've built together came into existence did they really come to understand that which both of them kept hidden from each other for so long.

It turned out that through all the fabric Krad was appearing to tear did something radiant and magnificent come into existence. It didn't seem appealing, but Aiden had something that he could thank Krad for. Still, the annoyance that came to exist from Krad's display had the majority of Aiden's opinion of the man. He glared back at the man in spite, his eyes jumping in surprise of the lack of aggression in the band member's eyes. The forwardness was easily replaced with a small form of pity. The look didn't bug Aiden, though, it was obvious that he was in fact, the victor; Krad was merely the runner up given a silver medal that appeared golden from being in the sun too long. His edge finally returned with his signature grin taking its post on his face.

"Thank you very much, Exca, for the opportunity to play here."

The woman smiled at Krad, adding a playful wink to the scene. "Of course, boy. Anytime you want to come play a gig here, just give me a call and I'll gladly schedule something. After all, I could certainly see that the crowd was eating you up and that's really good for my business. She looked over at Aiden and saw that his eyes were back to their entrancing state, back to what made her feel the need for more between the two of them. She noticed there was more to the imagery in his eyes this time, she felt herself falling into a daze, a perfect dream that would never cease. She was only brought back to reality by the sound of a voice.

"It was nice meeting you as well, Aiden. We should do this again, sometime."

For once, Aiden met Krad with a look of approval. He knew that the man standing in front of him could've easily continued to pick and bite at his skin until it refused to be, but no, his final words were that of a true gentleman, and a true charmer. Aiden couldn't but help feel the need to let out a laugh.

"Likewise, Krad. And hey...thanks." Surely the gratitude seemed out of place, but what else could Aiden say? He snapped his fingers in a signal as a means of good-bye as the blue-haired man left the room, the briefcase full of money in hand. Exca immediately turned the rogue, her eyes gazing directly into his.

"Well...there's no one here except for the two of us. You have anything you'd like to tell me now," she questioned in an innocent tone, something that you'd never except out of a woman like Exca. Aiden slid one of his hands across his head, his hair bouncing back to its upright position as his hand left the air above it. He wasn't planning on belittling his womanizing reputation for a bombshell like her, many treasures, each belonging to a different woman were on the line.

"Not that I know of...Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to take a little nap; this conversation left me completely exhausted." Exca's eyes jumped open at his statement. She knew he was playing dumb, but it wouldn't stop her from getting what she wanted; nothing would. She climbed on top of him and leaned forward, their faces practically touching. His countenance formed a new level of surprise as his eyes gazed into a set that never seemed to exist before. It appeared that Exca's eyes were possessed by a demon lured in its prey through cuteness and endearment. The rogue wasn't sure how to react to this image. Was the woman he's known for years playing another trick on him as she always has or was her face expressing an emotion he'd never come to known. Love. He forced himself to look away from her, knowing that if he was to look at her for too long, he'd lose his touch. ~Oh fucking hell...what does she think she's doing? We're just two people meeting up occasionally and having good, old-fashioned sex, there's nothing more to that. Gah...why does she have to do this to me now? Why? Clouding my judgment for months with her imagery, disrupting my sleep with her voice...this she-devil. She's right though...I do have something to say and if I don't say it now, then she'll just cloud my thoughts and dreams even more...~ The rogue took a deep breath, a small tension building in his body. It was now or never, and never would only fuck him over into infinity.

"Exca...I...I love you. For the past few months, every time I'd be idling around waiting for someone to give a job, my mind had focused on you. Hell, even when I was asleep, your hypnotic voice seemed to pull me out of my slumber...There...I said it." He exhaled after expunging this gruesome statement from his mouth. Whenever it came to the right words to say, he never had a problem, but it seemed that such a subject was quite touchy. No one had ever seen him in as much pain as he was in now. As he carefully opened up his eyes and gazed back at the person on top of him, he couldn't but help to cock an eyebrow. Exca had an unconvincing look on her face.

"Tough talk for someone with a golden tongue...anyone with a way with words could easily say that to appease the receiver." It was clear that she didn't believe him. He was a bit glad that she didn't at first, though within seconds he knew that she was expecting something more from him. Before she could let another word escape from her lips, he locked them shut, his own lips being the key. A whole new sensation dispersed itself throughout his body. The kiss was much different from all their previous ones, it had something else fueling it instead of boiling lust. ~So...this is what love feels like...Looks like I've been missing out on a lot, then.~ The entire time, Aiden laughed at himself. Exca broke the kiss for a moment.

"You don't know how long I've been waiting for you to say that..."

Discussions about nature and nurture are always seen throughout society. Is it the way we've been raised that makes us the person we are today, or is it the genetics that have been instilled within our very person; the dominance varies greatly in person to person. The world around us may shape us in ways it sees fit, but it is our decision on whether we want to be changed by it...

WC: 1363
OOC:Dear lord...I have no idea where this came from, but all I can say is: What the fuck did I just do? o.o