Welcome to Gaia! ::

Er, well... hi there? My character is Luciena Trepas, I guess. Goes by Luc or Tre in the casino. I'll do my best!

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The heavy smell of tobacco hung in the air as men gambled, rolled, and essentially threw their money away. Cards were dealt, and dice were thrown. Slot machines clicked and the hum of conversation turned the dim room into a place full of life.

'Fools,' Luciena thought.

She leaned a bit further back in her chair, running one hand through her thick black hair as she did so. The woman yawned slightly, placing one hand over her mouth as she glanced past the folding screen that hid her from view.

The half-Asian and half-Italian woman glanced out once more before speaking in a low voice.

"The gamblers have no luck tonight. Any bets they make are wrong and they earn little to no money. Anyone who earns money will be a worker in the casino. If the gamblers are angry, they calm down and see that it is their own fault before leaving the casino for the night, but only to check into the hotel next door."

Luciena sighed. That should be enough for the next couple of hours. Her blank face turned into a scowl. Damn that Ishmael for making her do this, she thought. Damn him to the depths of hell.

Knowing her powers though, she could probably do that.

"Hey, Tommy," she called, a faint Italian accent to her otherwise Oriental voice. "I'll be heading out for a few hours. Make sure no one gets into my space."

The manager waved her off. "But come back soon, Tre," he said, frowning.

"Yeah, yeah." Luciena strolled outside, her simple black skirt and wine-red top looking out of place in the luxurious casino. She yawned. Maybe she'd go out tonight and look for someone else...

Someone else that could tell stories.

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Er, is that okay? I don't know how I'm going to get her to see them unless they go to the casino...?

Yeah, sounds cool... just have to get my stuff together and be a bite of a pyromaniac before heading out to the casinos... and does this mean Maddie is going to have a bit of the green bug when we meet up?!?! lol

And I'll have more with the great inside of my abode next... just wanted to let you get some reactions so far, after all that's half the fun of the RP is everyone else's interaction.
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Niteshade felt the heat rising in his blood at the sudden hug from Maddie, and then she was gone just as quick to get ready. Good thing too... his blushed face said. Oh there was obvious carnal desires there, but there was something else as well. And that connection, one that he hadn't had with any other girlfriend, said this wasn't something to just be like that. He would give it time, and see where it went. Not that the ole male hormone beast liked that idea, but then it never really does if it doesn't involve instant gratification. But it wasn't as strong as the mind and heart as long as it was feed occasionally. He was back to normal by the time she returned and tossed him a backpack. Interesting as her's was a standard grass-green backpack color, the perfect companion to his earthen brown one at his house.

Jumping on the bike, Niteshade is awash in various feelings and emotions. The closeness of their bodies brings its own scent to him through the helmets. Its more a feeling than smell, but still seems to engulf that sense as well, it's amazing what the mind can say the senses fell even without an actual physical stimulus. There is also the adrenaline starting to rise from the excitedness with the adventure about to occur... the fear of the unknown and what is really going on with it all... the mental leaps of intellect trying to reason what the game is, and who players are so appropriate counter-moves can be made... and then embarrassment. Maddie would soon see his house and how the organized chaos side of him ran rampant in his house, and how he was a compliment of yin and yang. Chaos one place, but extreme orderliness at another. He continued moving along all these thoughts as he directed her towards his family abode.

After navigating the streets and going across town to an older section, they finally arrive on Niteshade's street. The house here are old, built around the turn of the 20th century. They have been around for a century, and will easily be here in another century as they were made when things were built to last and made not for quickness or cheapness but for longevity and functionality. The neighborhood was one of those that had fallen into disrepair and poverty in the 1980's and 90's, but in the past decade the residents had enough and took back there neighborhood. From their vocalness and will the city made it the subject to the more recent urban renewal projects and it was a nicer place now. The streets were clean, the houses all fixed-up, and was now a respectable neighborhood. There was even a sign when the entered letting you know that the neighborhood watch was helping keep the peace.

As they reached Niteshades house it pulled at your senses. Here was a building with character. It was two stories, and if it had been closer to the university area could easily have been converted into multiple apartments for the college kids. Thick wooden pillars held up the porch covering most of the front of the house, and the lone tree in the front yard seemed to only add to the feel of the place. It to your senses that it had been here longer than you and planned on staying long after you was gone. The grass was obviously meticulously kept to a reasonable height and composition, as there was no weeds noticeable popping up in it. The windows seemed to almost watch you like large eyes as you came up to it, but were somehow inviting at the same time. The front door was a security door, but easily blended into the entire aesthetic of the porch. The bricks were not the usual red bricks you see all the time, but were the tanish stones you see only occasionally in the more upscale places.

The drive way pulled up along the side to the back of the house. As the bike slowly moved there, the backyard came into view. It was obvious that at some point the property behind the house was bought and turned into a yard, as all the other houses around it only had a twenty or so feet of area where Niteshade had easily 60 feet. There was a wooden privacy fence all around the yard, and the grass was just as perfect as the front. In the back along the fence was a garden, and on one side a small compost heap. The garden was sectioned into 4 foot squares with a couple feet between them and went from one side to the other. The plants were specifically planted so that what was in a square would compliment each other. For example the section with tomatoes had peppers and basil planted with it, the beans had carrots and dill with it, etc.

There was a shed in the yard, with padlocks on the doors, to hold all the yard and garden instruments and the backdoor of the house like the front was a security door. As Niteshade stepped off the bike he simple says, "Welcome to Chez Pelshade."

Smiling he walks to the door and unlocks it then holds it open for Maddie to go inside, "This way madame, and disregard the mess as its the maid's year off," he says with an inviting smile.

Well mine isn't so long either... almost to my poem, still got another day or two to finish it up. Nothing to forgive m'lady, we pour ourselves out as life permits. Can't wait to see your reaction to two paintings...
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Niteshade put some water on the stove and let it start heating up. He then went to a group of jars and picked two out, and took the lids off. After he did a slight flowery aroma started wafting into the room. Going through a drawer he pulled out two tea steeper balls. Undoing them he next measured out some tea leaves and put some in the holders, one for each jar. After putting the lids on the jars again, he put them back in their places and turned to Maddie saying, "Well I've been thinking about our barbecue and have a thought. I definitely don't want to do it here, just seems like the wrong thing to do. I was thinking we should break it up into a couple of places, that way it makes it harder for someone to get any of them and also makes them quicker to burn."

Moving towards the doorway into the house he says, "I've got to go get my stuff, it'll only take me a few minutes. When the water finishes there are some travel mugs in the cabinet over there," and he points out the one continuing, "just steep the tea in them. Meanwhile, if you'd like you can sit and rest in the living room." The scents of the tea linger in the air, one a black cherry scent and the other a sagey one.

Niteshade left up the stairs to the second story from the far side of the living room. This room had plenty of shelves with books along some of the walls, and there was a big puffy sectional couch marking an L on one side. Above the sectional the shelving stopped to allow a section to view the art on the wall. There was an exquisite oil painting of a lovely young lady in her 20's with blond hair, blue eyes, and a purple dress. It showed her from the waist up, and her smile and they way her eyes sparkled draws you in and tells you what a warm and happy person she is. Along the bottom is the name of the painting as well as the artists signature, 'The Goddess of My Life by Nicholae Pelshade'.

To the side and below this painting is a smaller one done in oil that is nowhere near the quality of the first. It shows a middle-aged man looking to the top-left corner, which is where the other painting is located, but where the first painting shows vitality and joy this one has the feeling of tiredness and grief. The way the black eyes of the man stare show a longing and deep sadness. His hair is black and a bit unkempt as if such things weren't of concern to him anymore. This one said 'The Broken Man by Nigel Pelshade' on the bottom. While this artist has talent, it is obvious the other artist was much more a master.

While Maddie was looking at all this, on one of the shelves seemed to have a slight tremor or something as a book fell off suddenly to hit the floor. As it hit it lands face down with the spine pointing up showing the name of the book, 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'.

Upstairs Niteshade went through his room picking out a couple pair of some comfortable clothes, and what other minor things he would need for a trip. The room has clothes in piles and papers laying all over the place, sort of like a small tornado came through and messed it up good. After getting his green old school backpack out of his closet he stuffed t full. Going into another room where there was a pool table in the middle of the room and a computer setup on the far wall. The computer had four screens and various hardware accessories on it. The desk it sat at had piles of papers laying around and there were books on programming, MySQL, and web design laying on the floor next to it. Walking over to the monitor array, he pulled a small box from its resting place and headed back to his room.

Going back to the closet he touched a panel and pushed. A little light rolled down his hand, then it moved backwards a small amount and shifted to the side revealing the inside of a safe. He pulled out a piece of jewelry that was two bands of gold soldered together. Kissing it, he put it on his right ring finger. He paused a moment and mouthed some quick prayer, then put the box inside the safe. Grabbing a small stack of cash, he touches the wall around the safe the panel slides back into place hiding it from view and looking just like a regular piece of the wall. Pulling a box off the shelf in the closet Niteshade dumps the contents into the closet floor and goes about filling the box with his journals laying around his room. Thinking he's got everything Niteshade heads back downstairs to see what Maddie was doing.

Just something quick... being busy lately and very tired at night. Feel free to move us onward as needed.
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Niteshade walked up next to Maddie and looked at the paintings. A sense of momentary peace and calmness rushed through him, like it always did when he looked at these. After a moment and reality returned he says, "Yes those are my parents. My mother's painting was done by my father showing what he saw when he looked at her. He did it when I was very young, then I made the painting of him as I saw him after my mother passed. It just seemed fitting to put it up here with him gazing at her, as he would sit for hours at night doing just that."

Turning around Niteshade heads towards the kitchen saying, "Anyways, I had a thought about the journals. Since we are going to torch them anyway, why not have it be useful. We could stop down by the bride and all and throw some in the homeless barrels there to keep some heat and light for them through the night. And it'll make it alot harder for anyone to get them too, as they'll protect their fires."

Stepping into the kitchen, he picks up his cup and drinks some of the tea. The sage scent smelled good as he drank down the warm tea. Finishing his cup, he sits it in the sink and then finds a few containers and proceeds to fill them with some tea leaves to atleast have some decent drinks along the trip. Slipping them into his backpack, he sees Maddie come into the room. Smiling he says, "I only got about $1500 petty cash right now... so we'll have to find some more before jumping the pond."

"I just have to do one thing before we leave," he says as he walks outside the door and closes his eyes and begins reciting a poem his parents had taught him that they always said before a long trip when leaving:

The time has come to leave the abode,
We'll travel around by footsteps trode.
We leave this place with a happy heart,
And hope to soon return from whence we start.
Protection will keep the home fire safe,
For that is the nature of this place.
A welcoming home will be waiting for us,
When our trip is done and returnith we must.

Finishing he opened him eyes simply saying, "See you soon mom and dad."

Okay... FINALLY got some thinking time and something small and quick together. Now if only the sinus attack would ease up enough that I didn't feel lightheaded all the time.
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Niteshade directed Maddie to one of the homeless gathering grounds under a bridge. Once there, he walked over to one of the many barrels with a fire burning in them. smiling he said to the auspicious looks from the inhabitants "I've brought some kindling to help with your fires this chilly night."

He held up a couple of the journals and only after getting a nod from one, he walked up to drop them into the barrel. Concentrating, as he still had to use effort to get things to work, he begins, "The fire crackled and lovingly embraced the journals sacrificed to it. The flames greedily latched onto the pages to begin burning... mysteriously they burned all night long providing warmth and light for those around it. As if the pages were soaked in oil, the fire would not go out no matter what was tried until all the pages were consumed and destroyed."

At the conclusion of his oration, the flames flared briefly and began their unstoppable consumption of the journals. The flames dancing, bouncing, and seeming to have a good time. Moving to another barrel he repeated the act with a couple more, until all were in the barrels and the flames were burning bright. The warmth could be felt coming from them and a crowd had gathered around them all to use it while it lasted.

Nodding to the last barrel of flames, Niteshade turns to the people around and bowed slightly saying, "May your evening be jolly, and the chill kept at bay."

With that he went back and climbed behind Maddie. His head was splitting from the use of power, and pounding into the backs of his eyes. During the ride, he half-closed his eyes and entered into a half-meditative sleep during the ride. His mind on autopilot and ready to awaken should anything happen. As was normal while resting, his body kicked up the body heat so Maddie unintentionally had his heat and energy spread into her back during the ride. While in Niteshade's mind treated him to strange dreams of fire beings doing ceremonial dances around a red-headed goddess who's face was obscured in mist.

Niteshade stretched as they stopped for a break. The lingering images from his dreams danced around his head, then fluttered away. The small rest had helped, but now he was ravenously hungry. He nodded to her ideas saying, "sounds good, but I need something sugary first. I wonder if they have any danishes here. Let check, and I'm buying the first round."

As they entered the shop, he was scoping out the sweets when he saw the perfect thing... a large chocolate brownie! He orders two, and some drinks after asking Maddie what type she'd like. As they sat there eating he says, "a good brownie makes things seem a bit better in the world, don't you think?"

He smiled at her as he munched his food and replenishes some of his internal energy stores that he'd used up in story telling earlier. Thinking again he says, "so which casino should we stop at? I think one of the older ones might be better, as it'd make an easier job of it and less new technological surveillance and stuff to try and get around. What's your thinking on it Maddie?"

Niteshade thought about it for a few minutes as he finished his food. Taking the final sip of tea, he replied "Well I've always been a big believer in the power of the gut. I think if we ride down the strips we'll get a feeling of which one to go to. I feel the forces of fate are dancing around us and will help guide us as best they can with their limited control. When we get there, just make sure we find a good patsy to play up."