Introduction
Deep Dive City.
It was a city that never slept. Under the glow of brightly lit neon, people could be found at all hours of the day, roaming the streets, drinking in bars or dancing in clubs. In the shadier places, illegal gambling and crime reigned. There were powerful gangs and influential families involved in what those of the nightlife referred to only as the "underground", the web of lies and violence that most of the city remained unaware of, especially the daywalkers. Police tried and failed to find the sources of incidents, but no one who lived by the night would talk. The underground was dangerous, sure, but it formed a corner of their world, and a foundation could not survive with pieces missing.
Second Circle.
A popular nightclub, owned by a somewhat eccentric Xemnas Nihil, which was located in the heart of the Memory's Skyscraper district. It drew customers because of its upbeat atmosphere, live performances, entertaining employees, and the Oblivion Bar. The small bar attached to the nightclub had the best drinks in the city, or so people claimed.
Second Circle employed many performers, trained in all forms of entertainment. They were dancers, acrobats, actors and singers. For them, Second Circle was like a second home. For at least one, it was home. It was more than a nightclub. It was a theatre, a karaoke palace, a circus, a dance hall, and whatever else people needed it to be.
Lives crossed, met and tangled lines of fate, and stories played out within the club's walls. The aloof dancer who met his soul mate. The middle child of three brothers, whose family disapproved of his life choices. The flamboyant performer who owed Second Circle his life. The criminal who flirted shamelessly with danger every night… And many others, all of them wound together in a tangled web of camaraderie, strange and twisted as their 'family' may be. This is the story of those people, their lives and their troubles and triumphs.
This is the story of Second Circle.
This is also what happens when you listen to too much techno, talk to your crazy friend too much, watch Moulin Rouge at 2 a.m., and don't get enought sleep. XD Hi, guys. This is the AU epic I kept going on about if you happened to read the author notes of my other story... Yeah. This showed up and would not leave me alone until it was written. So, here you go!
For the record, there will be a question at the end of every chapter, along with a list of music that (usually) goes with the chapter. Feel free to try and answer; maybe I'll do something nice if people get it right. :D
Hugs!
Li
Reader Quest – There is another famous Oblivion Bar in fiction. What is it from?
Song list: Rhythm of the Night (from Moulin Rouge)