Welcome to Gaia! ::

It was easy enough to remain out of the spotlight with everyone else planting themselves firmly within its glow, seeking to outdo one another with glitz and glamor in a kingdom that already had it in spades. So many, many faces recognized as they passed her without even taking notice of her presence. So many lies among them, so many secrets, that they ceased to be people to her and became merely their multitude of sins. Here, an affair, there, a shady business deal, elsewhere, the makings of a hostile takeover. Knowledge was the only real power, information a currency worth more than gold and jewels. It could bring people to ruin more quickly, more devastatingly so than financial poverty. She knew that; the procurement of knowledge was her business, but the picking apart of others' carefully crafted security to get at their deepest, darkest secrets was her hobby. How open people were to pouring out their sorrows in a drunken stupor to the barmaid giving them drinks and a sympathetic ear; how reckless they were in discussing their business deals in the back seat of a car believing that a privacy partition really guaranteed privacy.

How little they looked up. They thought themselves above everyone in their ivory towers of commerce and power, but she soared above them all, looking down at the spiderweb of intrigue and corruption and following the most promising paths.

Now that was all being threatened by some outside, unknown force. It was as irritating as it was intriguing. She didn't want her fun to end--it was more out of that than loyalty to any particular kingdom, crown, or family that she had come tonight. That's how she found herself winding through the crowd, dressed just well enough to fit in but deliberately unremarkable.

"You may call me...Taima, I suppose," she began without preamble--niceties were such a waste of time. "I'll be brief: I like what this place has to offer, and since you have roundaboutly provided it, I will do what I can to keep it safe. I deal in...information, you could say." She smirked, a wry twist of her lips at so small a word encompassing so broad a term. "All of it. There are no doors that are closed to me, no secrets buried too deep, nothing in the dark that I can't drag into the light. All of this I offer to you, in the spirit of keeping this ship afloat."

Candace was clearly amused with Serafina's answer to her question on arson. "I couldn't agree more." Any further questions? Well considering she had come up with that one on the spot and had come here to simply pretend she had a reason to ditch Jerry, it wouldn't be unreasonable to say Candace didn't exactly have an interview in mind. "For now I think that will be all. Thank you for your time, I appreciate the help."

Of course before she could even turn to leave she heard Rep shrieking about rabies and a thing. There was no way he could be talking about his precious tiger. Candace turned, finding a new tiger, a black one, sitting on the bar. Well then. "Calm down, Rep." Candace called out with a roll of her eyes, sliding off her stool and moving down the bar to stand beside the new tiger. "You're probably someone's pet, huh? Aren't you pretty." She reached out to pet under the tiger's chin, so used to being around Rep's tiger already that the docile behavior of this one didn't faze her even a little bit.

Saliva was eating a miniature keish when Jordan came over to their seats. By this time, Melvin had already scooted his chair over to Saliva's side, and he was sipping his water.

"Smoothly as taking Melvin out of the lab is going to go with this many people and this many animals. Didn't know we had a zoo here." She said, stabbing a thumb in the direction of the bird and then the tigers. "Can't say I'm comfortable with them. Killers, they are." Her accent was trained enough to make her words easy enough to understand, but it certainly wasn't one most people would be familiar with.

A tan hand patted Melvin's knee. "You remember Jordan."

Melvin looked up from under his hood and large glasses. "Yes." She said, confirming. Jordan came to the labs to check on their quality and production. He also tended to come in when Melvin had found ways to lock up his lap and not let anyone in despite forgetting he needed food. When it came to money and your creator of a branch of income decided to throw a fit, Jordan usually came by to manage it. Jordan was one of the few people that could enter Melvin's lab without him having a panic attack. "Did you find the copycats making Royal Blue?"

"One's an ally, the other two are pets," Jordan said to Saliva. "Not politic to deny them entrance. But we can certainly keep them under control." His smile was meant to be reassuring.

He nodded to Melvin. "We found them," he said, and chuckled softly. "They won't be interfering any more. Don't worry, Melvin; your reputation's safe. We'll have that inferior s**t tracked down and destroyed by Wednesday."

-----

Ferros smiled widely. "I'll ask the boss for permission to come along for your next job. I want to watch. I love the fire. And the light. It's so ... it's intense." He put an arm around Jerry's shoulders, giving Roar a brief look. "Me and Jordan, we appreciate what you do."

“Looks like Harrison has been going all out for this little party,” a voice sounded as a warm soft body tightly wrapped around Matt’s arm. “There are even a few tigers at the bar, sort of cute if you ask me.”

“Your late Kasi.” He replied wishing he had hit the bar up earlier then, the cat fur in his drink how unappealing.

“Awwwww your not mad at me are you, I had to go home and change wearing those scrubs are just well….. ugly.” Kasi replied flipping her long blonde hair over her bare shoulder. She was wearing a long plum sequin dress, tightly fitted as a slit ran up the side almost to her hip. There was an elegant gold necklace made of twisted gold and pearls around her neck, as her bright blue eyes stood out from her milky colored skin. She was stunning of course, her thin little wrist with an elegant gold butterfly chain hung like a ribbon, even her voluptuous body was ogling as it fought to remain perfectly tucked into her dress.

“Come on I’m parched, let’s get something anyways” she replied tugging on Matt’s arm to head towards the bar.

"I ah... d-don't normally um. Work with an audience," Jerry mumbled, glancing to where Roar had moved his attentions from the slot machine that had just gobbled up a good ten of his hard earned dollars to one of the pretty ladies clothed in feathers hired to class up the place and giggle and blush and sit on your lap for a price.

But this was Ferros. Partner and associate of Jordan, the man who made the commands direct from Harrison and orchestrated his business. His stomach twisted with preliminary stage fright. "I ah... suppose that wouldn't be a p-problem." Ferros might even be more useful than the dumb, short attention-span of his usual partner.

His anxiety seemed to flow through him, down his arm and into the glass in his hand, the liquid within starting to smoke and boil, the glass glowing a bit before he realized what he was doing and quickly set it down. It unfortunately left a ring of melted varnish on the counter top, but that was better than exploding glass.

The loud interruption of the red-headed step child made Riyo's gaze turn only momentarily. Never had she met such a big ******** baby in an industry like this. It looked like she was going to say something, but another woman was quick to join the petting party.

If Riyo hadn't been so worn down by her job, the tiger's gaze might've garnered a small smile from her, but as it stood, she just sighed in satisfaction. She didn't mind being close to someone if it meant she could bask in such a lovely animal's presence. In fact, since nobody was speaking up, she almost wanted to say it was her tiger. That he had probably gotten bored out in the car and decided to come greet people. Then she could take him home and spoil him until he was as plump as the white tiger.

But all that changed when the beast jumped off the counter and...

... And....



"Oh dear sweet God I feel violated." Immediately she started trying to wipe off the hands that had just just been touching Raggedy Andy attention whore street thug. Dirty. She was so dirty. She had been touching a man. Nope! Nope nope nope! Hand reaching for her glass, she chugged it down and broke it on the bar top. "BARTENDER!" She squeaked. "You get me a ******** long island ice tea and have it ready by the time I'm out of the bathroom!"

Rep hugged the tiger to him, stroking it's impeccable white fur. "Shhhh, shhhh, daddy's here, that mangy thing won't ******** hurt you." It had the desired effect and Massacre went limp in his arms, tail flicking as he tried to nuzzle Rep, which given the sheer size he was finally made the redhead drop him. Thankfully, being feline, he landed neatly on silent paws and gave Rep an indignant look before bumping his thigh with a cheek.

By this time though, Rep was too busy staring incredulously at the man where the other tiger had been, sliding out of surprised mode and into irritation. He at least knew how to deal with people.

"Don't you dare ******** mess with my tiger again." he snarled, bristling with irritation, hazy shadow claws once again starting to fade in at his hands.

And again, as if on cue, Tracey who had been watching intently stepped forward and set herself between Rep and the potential direction of his violence. "William~" she said patiently, and it was enough. Rep backed down, shooting a glance in the direction of Jordan - who, it turned out was not so far away - and stalking back to the bar where he perched on the bar stool again. Seated again, he all but radiated sulky brooding vibes.

Tracey kept her attention on the others. "I apologise." she said. She looked worn out, dark shadows under both eyes. It was probably to be expected of someone whose occupation was primarily being Rep's nanny.