Sora's new host and his twin got off at the next station and made sure people already knew and had their story, while he and Roxas got on with adjusting to their new hosts. What Roxas was making of Keiran was anyone's guess, but Sora suspected he had an idea.
They were definitely twins, with Kev the elder by only a few minutes – his actual name was Kevin, but as a child he'd insisted on just 'Kev' and it had stuck. They'd chosen their magic to be complimentary to each other, with only Life and Light magic not covered, largely due to their choice to take their opposites. Thunder, Fire and Wind complemented Kev's main element of Dark, naturally leaving Keiran with Water, Death, Earth and Ice.
Their attitudes verged on reckless and self-centred. Keiran more so than Kev, who took more responsibility than his younger twin, looking further ahead. This wasn't hard, given that Keiran tended not to even think of planning.
Keiran still did not look completely happy about his tenant. Kev's thoughts revealed that he on the other hand was already thinking of ways to make Sora work with him rather than against him. There were ulterior motives at work here.
"Sora," Kev said aloud. "Where's this place you want to go to?"
"Second left ahead," Sora thought to him, startling him. "Place called Blue Pearls."
"Blue Pearls," Kev relayed. "Second left ahead."
"I know that place," Keiran mused. "It's the one I keep trying to get you to visit."
"Yeah, well. I don't like to look at men the way you do."
"Roxas shares the sentiment," he said. "Typical I'd land the one who thinks the same way as you. Wants to know how you appear separate by the way, Sora."
Sora sighed inwardly, appearing on Kev's shoulders.
"You know Roxas, when I wanted to know these things I just experimented," Sora told the unseen Dark Child. "But it's a simple thing. Just will it to happen."
There was a pause, then Roxas also appeared. "Wasn't sure if it might get counted as trying to leave him. Didn't want to kill him just yet. Anyway. What's your plan, Sora? Just march in and demand to see Riku?"
"That'll never work, you know," Keiran said. "There's no Riku there either. But then I reckon most of them use stage-names anyway."
"So what, you'd rather one of us just go in and pay to get laid?" Kev demanded.
"Oh stop that," Sora told him. "No one can see Roxas and me unless we specifically want them to, or they're some kind of magical creature, like Elves and Werewolves. Riku told me the place looked like a bar otherwise, so you two just wait and have a few drinks, we'll track down Riku and tell him what's going on."
"There's a thought," Roxas said as they entered the Blue Pearls. "I wonder if I can get drunk."
"Only by taking control," Sora told him over the music. Sure enough the place did look like a bar with a stage at one end. Three young men in clothing that was very skimpy were clearly the focus of attention. Two heavy-set men on either end of the stage kept watch over the oglers to ensure no one tried to get too friendly yet, while behind the bar stood a more effeminate looking man, also watching the clientèle. This one gave the two of them a brief glance as they entered, but that was all.
Sora felt Kev's clear disapproval of the place immediately, while similarly obvious was Keiran's clear interest. Kev's only remark to him was, "Stop drooling and get us a drink." Roxas concealed a snigger, now following Sora unseen toward the stage.
"Riku told me once the guy who runs this joint keeps a tally on who wants who," he told Roxas. "My guess is that's the guy behind the bar. See if he's got started on that, will you?"
"If it's done by stage-name though..." Roxas started to object.
"Then we'll just go through the rooms until we find him and whoever he's screwing," Sora shrugged.
"Or being screwed by," Roxas added, then slipped away. Sora carried on toward the stage, at first squeezing through, then going incorporeal and going literally through people, tables and drinks, but before long he got irritated at this and simply re-cast the flight spell to go above instead and get a better view.
Riku was not one of the trio on stage, but Ross was, in the lead role – or at least what Sora assumed was the lead from his limited experience. There was no mistaking the naturally mischievous twinkle in his eyes. He was knowingly driving the crowd mad with lust, and enjoying every moment of it.
"You're really not keen on this, huh?" Sora thought to Kev, then remembered this wasn't Roxas and added, "Just think the answer to me. I'll hear you. I can see your thoughts."
"Oh, joy," Kev's voice came back sardonically. "I'm gonna get so much privacy. And no, I don't, but I kinda have to be tolerant since my brother's openly gay. Kids used to pick on him until I made it blatantly clear I didn't like people beating up my little brother. Got worse for him when he decided to pick up Death magic for the same reason I got it in the neck for Dark – or Shadow, if you're one of those pansies who's too afraid of its real name. So he and I got a rep for being inseparable, largely because he's too soft to stand up for himself."
"That was quite a speech," Sora noted. "You don't get to talk about this much, do you?"
There was the impression of a shrug, followed by, "I look out for my brother and myself first. There aren't many people who'd care after that. Our parents disowned him, and then I turned around and disowned them for being closed-minded bigots. We haven't spoken to them for nearly ten years now."
"Charming family. I hope you realize you're going to end up with some new friends who should be more tolerant anyway. Two of them work here – Ross is the middle one on the stage, we're trying to find Riku, and Tab... well, Tab will tell you what he is when he wants to. But at least you won't have to worry about them going for Keiran too."
"There's something at least," Kev grunted. Nothing further was said. Sora carried on watching his thoughts while he also watch Ross perform, trying to figure out what his host was planning to try and use Sora for.
Roxas made his way through the crowd to him, staring for a few moments before casting his own flight spell to join him. "He hasn't started the tally yet," he reported. "I heard one of the other staff call him Madame though, and I'm sure one of them mentioned a Madame when they suggested the job up here, so I reckon it's him. Odd name for a guy, but who am I to judge?"
"Given the nature of this place, I'm not surprised," Sora said. "We'll head backstage through that door there," Sora pointed. "Shouldn't be hard to find the rooms. Riku's either waiting to perform, or resting after he's done. If you find him, get Keiran to nudge Kev, and Kev to nudge me."
"They aren't gonna like being used as messengers," Roxas predicted. Sora just shrugged and let the way.
Backstage was not the buzzing hive of bustling activity Sora had expected it to be. The next men for the next act simply chatted away enjoying a quite smoke behind the scenes, and another not far behind them were also dressed in outfits that, while they covered up, were still so revealing that an imagination was barely necessary. It didn't take long to dismiss them from their search, moving on into the halls even further backstage. The various doors here had nameplates on, but not any they recognised. Without needing to talk about it Roxas split off to check the rooms on one side and Sora the other, just walking through the rooms, contents and walls.
Some of the rooms had been done up quite elaborately, others had a variety of leather and rubber... items, their uses plainly obvious. In one room, two prior performers were already busy with each other without waiting for the lucky ones watching outside. Sora paused to watch until Kev's voice interrupted him.
"Roxas says he's found your friend. Go for the room with 'Ruby King' on the door."
"Is he busy?"
"What on earth would possess you to ask me that?" Kev answered. "Do I look like I'd know? Keiran says he's planning to put his name down to get in to see him though, so you'd better make Riku busy talking to you now before you have to watch him, or someone else, get into his pants." There was a pause, then he added, "If he's even wearing any, that is."
He decided not to answer that, leaving the busy couple to each other and making his way further down the corridor. Riku's wasn't the last door, but it was one of the last, and he wasn't surprised to see Sora walk through the door.
Sora was surprised to see Riku, or at least so much of Riku. A white shirt barely covered half his chest, and the shorts were so short that any shorter and anyone would have been able to see. His room was not like the others either, looking more like a small parlour than a bedroom.
"It's about time," Riku said by way of greeting, looking as mischievous as Ross usually did. "I thought you might have got lost watching Ray and Cal playing a few doors down. They always do."
"Of course not!" Sora protested. "I was just... taking my time!"
"Sure you were," Riku laughed. "Sure you were. I don't blame you for looking either. They turn heads even when they're not on the stage."
Sora tried not to think about how red he'd be if he had any colour and tried to change the subject to something safer.
"Did Roxas tell you what happened?"
"Tell me? One look at him when he came into my room told me everything. He explained the details. I know the guy he's hosted by too," Riku added. "Had him in here once before. Didn't know he had a twin brother though."
"I also told him what you want to do, Sora," Roxas said. "He promised to talk to Ross and Tab for us."
"Yeah, and I'll see about finding someplace else to meet too. It'd be too suspicious if after Roxas's death, two newcomers showed up seemingly out of the blue."
"You want us to wait for you to contact them then?" Sora asked.
"Or Ross, or Tab. We'll talk about it, see what we come up with. Try not to kill too many people, Sora. And that goes for you too now, Roxas."
"No promises," Roxas told him. "I liked the experience, and I'm not afraid to admit it. Anyway – I'm heading back to Keiran. Mighta killed, but I'm nowhere near as strong as Sora is, and this is starting to wear me out. Don't wear him out for the guys out there," Roxas added to Sora.
"Can you?" Riku asked once he'd disappeared.
"Can I what?"
"Oh, man, do I really have to say it? This is a strip club. Well, it's not, but you called it that once, and I can't think of a better term. I work here. And you're in my room. Do I really need to spell it out?"
"Riku, I'm dead. You really want to do it with a dead guy, and one who looks like a child besides?"
"Hey, just offering. It's what I do here. But if you're not here to play, go someplace else. The punters will be signing up to have a few dreams made real soon, and I'm gonna be ready for them."
