Welcome to Gaia! ::

Franky offers Nox a nod in parting as he bows. Amusement flickers in her eyes with the burst of violet flame and his dramatic exit. Shaking her head softly, she murmurs to herself, "I should really put him on stage sometime.." Once her company is gone, Franky settles back against the bar, ready to resume her people watching. However, before she gets comfortable in her perch, Kendal slides up quietly from beside her.

Setting her tray down upon the bar counter, the feline woman slips into the stool beside her mistress without a word. Taking note of Kendal's out of character subtly, Francesca allows a moment to pass in silence without acknowledging the waitress's presence. This was something of a code between them. Knowing Kendal's boisterous nature, the more inobtrusively she aquires Franky's attention, the more delicate the problem must be.

After a few minutes, Kendal shifts to get her mistress's attention. The two women exchange a glance that confirms Franky's suspicion that something was indeed amiss. Now Kendal rises, her fingers lacing around Franky's glass and pushing it further up the bar as if motioning for a refill. "Could you bring it to the conference room?" She asks Urban, her tone artfully dismissive, disguising the signal her look is giving him that he should join them in said room. She keeps her gaze on him until she is sure that he caught the implication, then she turns to Francesca again.

"I take it Nox is going to set up the Arasaki suits all nice and purty?" she asks with a smile.

"Indeed he shall," Franky's replies, gracefully rising from her seat. "I trust you will make sure that everyone involved will be accounted for?" wording the question to mask the fact that they are no longer discussing the Arasaki group. Kendal nods, her tail swishing softly from beneath her skirts. "I'll take care of it Mistress." Slipping her tray under her arm, Kendal gives Franky a nod before retreating back into the crowd. To keep up appearances, Franky waits another moment before heading off away from the crowds. Pausing outside the staff elevator, she keys in the code for the lower halls before passing through the doors. As she descends, Franky wonders who else Kendal will gather for this meeting, and what it could possibly be about.

One of Urban's better qualities, and a main reason the Mistress always had work for him, was the fact that he watched people... intently. Which means he noticed the subtle interplay between Kendal and Francesca, and a certain hint of grimness had added itself to his usual disinterested expression by the time Kendal posted the request. No verbal response was given to Kendal, a shadow-coloured hand coming out to take the glass as he turned, whispering something into the ear of his cohort behind the bar, before ensnaring a bottle from the chiller and heading towards the edge. Pausing, he looked back at the other bartender, and murmured a final comment.

"I don't know if it's important, but... maybe see if you can find someone to get word to the Mayfly, yeah? Mistress might want her present." Urban gave the other 'tender a faint nod, then disappeared towards the elevator and the conference rooms below.

Emily was sitting at the vanity in her trailer, staring her reflection, when the face of Maria appeared in her mind. Maria was smiling and telling Emily about her first day of school. This, of course, was a memory from when Emily was still a doll, and Maria's smile could be seen every day. Emily sighed as a feeling crept up her spine. Emily had just recently learned this emotion. It was identified as sadness. This brought her up to three. Anger, pride, and now, sadness. Emily closed her eyes, and them opened them. Her body was not moving and her eyes stayed open. She was barely breathing. This state of being reminded Emily that she was in fact a doll, and should not bother herself with silly emotions. She would now stay in this state aslong as there were no interuptions. It was her punishment.

{ - Kei Itai - }

Kei glances around behind her once more as the door opens, paranoia forcing her to take a last peek at the hounds, before gratefully shuffling inside. Once the door is safely closed, she visibly relaxes and turns her attention to Emily.

"Oh.. the usual," she murmurs quietly, "The brute squad is out, the stakes are going in." Fellow circus members know that the 'brute squad' refers to a rather large group of frighteningly ruthless strongmen that arrive with the scouting party. The circus sends them out to a new site, along with a select number of wagons, consisting of performers who are unlikely to attempt escape, also known as the scouters. Comprised mostly of violent simpletons, the squad is responsible for raising the tent, while the performers are in charge of securing the grounds. If the scouts notice anything in the area that could become a problem for the circus, they are allowed to wander off of the grounds temporarily to investigate. This is the first sign of the circus's pressence in a new place. Soon the carney barkers will arrive.

Climbing up onto your bed, she gathers her skirts up a bit and folds her legs in front of her, getting comfy. "There is a little tension out there.. I think they are going to pick out some scouters to go looking around..." her fingers absently find the ribbon lacing up the front of her corset. Her eyes trail over the crimson speckles near the holes as her fingers trace over the silks. "Do you think you'll volunteer?"

{ - Kei Itai - }

Without raising her eyes from the ribbon laced into her fingers, Kei shakes her head softly. "They would not let me go.. it would be you.." pausing, she considers the other possibile candidates, " .. or maybe Electra.. " her voice trailing off with the thought.

Shifting in her spot, she pulls one pale leg from beneath her. Bringing her knee up to her chest, she modestly tugs on her skirt to make sure she's still decent. Her hand moves to the lacing going up her calf, and she busies herself with retying the bow at the top.

"They never let anyone go alone. You'd be sent out in a pair." Kei continues, as she slowly fluffs the bow. "At least you would not be sent with one of the brutes though. I think it would be nice to get away.. " suddenly her body tenses as she realizes exactly how that came out. Her gaze lifts to your face for any signs of suspicion as she quickly finishes. ".. for a while that is. See something new.." Her eyes search your features, unease in her voice.

{ - Kendal - }

Weaving her way through the crowded tables with an unconcious familiarity, Kendal makes her way to the exit doors. As she approaches the bouncers, stylishly dressed and serious looking, she gives them a nod of greeting. Peering passed them, her eyes locate a small, colourfully dressed young woman quietly settled in the background. Kendal flashes a smile to the bouncer that stands between them.

"You heading out for a break Kendal?" the beautiful dark skinned man in black asks her.

"Yeah, it's been way busy tonight." Kendal replies cheerfully, "I need a good ride. You know, release some of the tension."

The bouncer chuckles from behind his shades. "You talking about a man or a bike?" he jabs, playfully.

Kendal's eyes narrow in mock offense and she raises a finger to waggle at him. "Dirty, dirty mind.." she murmurs coyly before tapping the tip of his nose with said finger. As he smirks and bats her hand away, she motions over to the young, pale hair woman some distance behind him.

"Hey, could you tell Mayfly I left something for her downstairs? I think she'll find it interesting."

"Sure thing, babygirl" he assures her.

Kendal rises up on tip toes to give him a quick peck on the cheek. "Thanks handsome", she replies with affection as he helps her slip into her chocolate duster. Turning on her heels, she swishes through the exit and into the street. Avoiding the entrance crowds, and the few smokers hovering outside, Kendal moves up to the curb. Seated on a motorcycle with the engine running, a deeply tanned man in a black trench awaits her. She slips in behind him as he puts out his f** and slides his helmet back on.

"All set. Pull out here and head to the back garage entrance." she murmurs to him as she situates herself on the bike.

{ - Kei Itai - }

The tension in her features relax, but only faintly, with the seemingly innocent gesture of Emily's nod.

"Oh don't actually ask to go. That will make them suspicious." Kei tells you, a little concern in her voice. "That makes it seem like you want to leave." Shifting slightly in place, she cocks her head to the side as she examines the laces on her calf more thoroughly. "If they thought you wanted to leave.. even for a little while.. they would force you to stay.. " her voice quiets again, as if in sad acknowledgement, " .. just for spite."

At the last question, Kei's eyes lower from her ribbons and fall instead to her hands, now resting on her raised knee. "No one likes to be here.. you might get used to it.. or you might not care.. but enjoy it?"

Sliding her hands down from her knee, they settle above her ankle, her arms hugging the folded leg against her chest. Her gaze remains downcast, providing a modest and perhaps even shy tint to her expression.

"My family is often judged by how we appreciate certain.. sensations.." She shares softly, ".. but we do not enjoy pain because it hurts someone. We find pleasure.. englightenment.. joy.. in the sensation.. " with each new descriptive word uttered, her eyes flicker with some deeper emotion. Her voice becomes distant as she reveals these innermost thoughts. The memories they invoke seem to distract her momentarily, and she quiets with those last words.

After a moments pause, Kei blinks, as if she were waking from a trance. Her stare drifts over her hands, the sheets, the hem of her skirts as she refocuses her thoughts. Finally, she draws her gaze to your face.

"Pain is only beautiful if it is desired." She explains, empathetically, "Sometimes, people do not understand pain.. they do not know the delight.. so you have to show them." Her expression is soft, but serious, as if this is important for you to understand. "Once they feel it.. then they know." Her lips curve ever so faintly, her eyes even smiling at the thought. "Then they understand.. and it is beautiful.."

The smile fades and a rather troubled look emerges on her face. "But if you enjoy pain not for yourself, for others.. if you just want to hurt people.. that isn't the same." Now Kei's eyes meet yours, a touch of urgency behind her words as she stresses the point, "When pain is for amusement, when death is for amusement.. That is not beautiful. There is nothing there to admire. Everything you could have shared.. all of the wonderful things you should have shown them.. gone.." Her dark eyes lower from yours, a sadness returning to her voice. ".. wasted.."

As the last words are spoken, her entire posture sinks a little, a reflection of the sheer tragedy she finds in this revelation. For a moment, she seems even more delicate than usual, not because of her stature, but from emotional fraility. In a place where true feelngs are so heavily coveted, this girl seems to be an open book. Everything about her expresses the depth of despair she feels towards the circus's antics. It is almost as if she is reliving one of these meaningless deaths right there in your quarters.

Blinking again, Kei instinctually draws into herself from this vunerable moment. The arms around her leg pull a little closer to her chest, hugging herself tightly. Her voice is but a whisper..

".. No.. I do not enjoy being here.."