The darkened room was vast and gritty. It wasn't dirty so much as worn.
When the upper levels of the warehouse had burned some thirty years ago,
the ash and soot had settled in this barren basement. At this point it was
futile to try to completely clean this space, so the current owners had
given up some time ago.
Not that this location was abandoned, quite the opposite actually. Now it was one of the most exclusive dance clubs in Tilun, the capitol of the Earth's moon. Only a few hundred people knew of its existence, and before a person could be told about it they had to pass a screening process that took MONTHS. But those who ran the club could afford to take all the time and resources the wanted for this... they were royalty and all.
The makeshift stage near the middle of the expansive dance floor was now occupied by Frisson (see below), one of the best new bands on the moon. Two of the founders, brothers Ricky and Thomas Black(2), were two of the chosen few who knew of the secret of this underground lair. The obvious talent of the pair, along with their incredible looks would have eventually made them stars, but they and their band had almost gained overnight urban legend status for another reason completely.
It was whispered in the streets that there was a secret club somewhere hidden in Tilun for quite some while. Not long after these rumors were first uttered, tales escaped that the fledgling band Spitfire was regular entertainment at the aforementioned getaway. Within a year, Spitfire had won the Moon Academy Music Award, and was one of the most famous bands in the Solar System. It didn't take long for other musicians to plant false buzz about themselves and this mysterious hangout. After each story had spread itself, each underhanded band would suddenly and for no reason receive critical bashing and scorn from much of the art community. It didn't take long for the gossips to figure out what this meant, after all, the ringleaders of the abuse were the ones who would consistently vanish on weekends to points unknown.
So when it was suggested that Frisson had performed at the phantom establishment, and public humiliation of the band didn't ensue, they became an instant sensation. Yet, as Glenki Apostol sat in an overstuffed and ratty vaguely organish armchair taking in the band's performance, she knew this was the last thing on Ricky Black's mind. She watched him tuck his shoulder length board straight blood red hair behind his ear with some amusement. She knew Ricky well enough to know that when he was on-stage, nothing else existed.
She looked around slowly. This... this was her kingdom. On the street it was hinted that it had many names, "The Cave," "The Blue Underground," "The Lair," but none of these were right. The club had but one name, a name taken straight from the Bible itself: Canaan. The Promised Land.
It was just that to the younger children of the royal families. The one place in the system where they could be free, and be themselves. As Glenki sat considering this, as her friends, her family, really, were off doing other things. Meiou Erika was dancing with her handsome blonde boyfriend, Joel Hancock. She looked so happy, with him... His sister, Melissa, was dancing nearby with her guy, Donnie Wilson. Missy saw Glenki looking and smiled, and Glen couldn't help but return it. "Eri really is lucky..."
Behind the bar, Mariko March moved like a blur. Her father was the owner of the lot where the club was hidden. Bub, as everyone, even his daughter, calls him, opened the club as the last request of his wife. She died only a few months after Mari-chan was born, and dying wish was for a place where the younger royal children could get away. Which is yet another reason that the named Canaan. It was a promised land in more ways than one.
Ten'ou Micheal sat at the bar with his trademark smirk on his face. He was hooked on Mariko, but he couldn't admit it. "It's so sad... his mother really messed him up." Glen scowled. Mick's mom didn't want to have a child, and she took that out on him. Yet, this wasn't the worst thing she'd done. While she ignored her own son, she'd fawned over her partner's children, meaning Erika and her brother. This was like little more than salt in Micheal's wounds. "And now... Now he's so bitter."
Glenki shifted her gaze across the room to where her little brother was. "Looking at star maps again... " she shook her head slightly, tossing her soft waves of dark green tresses, that matched Lars's spiky hair. He would occasionally glance across the room to watch Tomoe Christa, but if she started to look up, he would quickly turn his attention back to his maps. "Both my boys are in love... and they're both afraid to show it..." she realized.
She turned her attention to Christa, who was sitting next to her, reading quietly. "What are we to do?"
The violet-haired girl looked up at her curiously. "What do you mean Glen?"
A dark look covered the princess of Jupiter's face. "I don't know what I mean," she stood gracefully. "I feel like going back to the palace and working on my sword technique."
When Glenki made a move, the whole room noticed. Lars abandoned his maps, Erika stopped dancing, Mick peeled his eyes off Mariko. Even Ricky Black was shocked from the stupor that held him when he performed. All our fair princess had to do was to shoot a look of annoyance, and the usual chaos of the room resumed. Even so, the other royal children left their previous activities, and joined Glen at her throne.
"What's up, sis?" Lars cocked his head.
She looked at him and frowned. "I don't know... I'm just feeling kind of antsy. I'm going back to my cell."
Eri and Christa exchanged a look. "Maybe we should go with you," the sky- haired daughter of Neptune said.
"If you like." And with that, Glenki strode off, barely nodding at Mariko to signal her departure. Something was bothering her... something was amiss. It was time to find out what.
1 frisson: An emotional thrill; a shudder of excitement, pleasure, or fear. If you could see these guys, you'd understand where the band got it's name (they're hotties!)
2 one of my good friends in High School's name was Ricky Thomas Black.... what can I say?
Not that this location was abandoned, quite the opposite actually. Now it was one of the most exclusive dance clubs in Tilun, the capitol of the Earth's moon. Only a few hundred people knew of its existence, and before a person could be told about it they had to pass a screening process that took MONTHS. But those who ran the club could afford to take all the time and resources the wanted for this... they were royalty and all.
The makeshift stage near the middle of the expansive dance floor was now occupied by Frisson (see below), one of the best new bands on the moon. Two of the founders, brothers Ricky and Thomas Black(2), were two of the chosen few who knew of the secret of this underground lair. The obvious talent of the pair, along with their incredible looks would have eventually made them stars, but they and their band had almost gained overnight urban legend status for another reason completely.
It was whispered in the streets that there was a secret club somewhere hidden in Tilun for quite some while. Not long after these rumors were first uttered, tales escaped that the fledgling band Spitfire was regular entertainment at the aforementioned getaway. Within a year, Spitfire had won the Moon Academy Music Award, and was one of the most famous bands in the Solar System. It didn't take long for other musicians to plant false buzz about themselves and this mysterious hangout. After each story had spread itself, each underhanded band would suddenly and for no reason receive critical bashing and scorn from much of the art community. It didn't take long for the gossips to figure out what this meant, after all, the ringleaders of the abuse were the ones who would consistently vanish on weekends to points unknown.
So when it was suggested that Frisson had performed at the phantom establishment, and public humiliation of the band didn't ensue, they became an instant sensation. Yet, as Glenki Apostol sat in an overstuffed and ratty vaguely organish armchair taking in the band's performance, she knew this was the last thing on Ricky Black's mind. She watched him tuck his shoulder length board straight blood red hair behind his ear with some amusement. She knew Ricky well enough to know that when he was on-stage, nothing else existed.
She looked around slowly. This... this was her kingdom. On the street it was hinted that it had many names, "The Cave," "The Blue Underground," "The Lair," but none of these were right. The club had but one name, a name taken straight from the Bible itself: Canaan. The Promised Land.
It was just that to the younger children of the royal families. The one place in the system where they could be free, and be themselves. As Glenki sat considering this, as her friends, her family, really, were off doing other things. Meiou Erika was dancing with her handsome blonde boyfriend, Joel Hancock. She looked so happy, with him... His sister, Melissa, was dancing nearby with her guy, Donnie Wilson. Missy saw Glenki looking and smiled, and Glen couldn't help but return it. "Eri really is lucky..."
Behind the bar, Mariko March moved like a blur. Her father was the owner of the lot where the club was hidden. Bub, as everyone, even his daughter, calls him, opened the club as the last request of his wife. She died only a few months after Mari-chan was born, and dying wish was for a place where the younger royal children could get away. Which is yet another reason that the named Canaan. It was a promised land in more ways than one.
Ten'ou Micheal sat at the bar with his trademark smirk on his face. He was hooked on Mariko, but he couldn't admit it. "It's so sad... his mother really messed him up." Glen scowled. Mick's mom didn't want to have a child, and she took that out on him. Yet, this wasn't the worst thing she'd done. While she ignored her own son, she'd fawned over her partner's children, meaning Erika and her brother. This was like little more than salt in Micheal's wounds. "And now... Now he's so bitter."
Glenki shifted her gaze across the room to where her little brother was. "Looking at star maps again... " she shook her head slightly, tossing her soft waves of dark green tresses, that matched Lars's spiky hair. He would occasionally glance across the room to watch Tomoe Christa, but if she started to look up, he would quickly turn his attention back to his maps. "Both my boys are in love... and they're both afraid to show it..." she realized.
She turned her attention to Christa, who was sitting next to her, reading quietly. "What are we to do?"
The violet-haired girl looked up at her curiously. "What do you mean Glen?"
A dark look covered the princess of Jupiter's face. "I don't know what I mean," she stood gracefully. "I feel like going back to the palace and working on my sword technique."
When Glenki made a move, the whole room noticed. Lars abandoned his maps, Erika stopped dancing, Mick peeled his eyes off Mariko. Even Ricky Black was shocked from the stupor that held him when he performed. All our fair princess had to do was to shoot a look of annoyance, and the usual chaos of the room resumed. Even so, the other royal children left their previous activities, and joined Glen at her throne.
"What's up, sis?" Lars cocked his head.
She looked at him and frowned. "I don't know... I'm just feeling kind of antsy. I'm going back to my cell."
Eri and Christa exchanged a look. "Maybe we should go with you," the sky- haired daughter of Neptune said.
"If you like." And with that, Glenki strode off, barely nodding at Mariko to signal her departure. Something was bothering her... something was amiss. It was time to find out what.
1 frisson: An emotional thrill; a shudder of excitement, pleasure, or fear. If you could see these guys, you'd understand where the band got it's name (they're hotties!)
2 one of my good friends in High School's name was Ricky Thomas Black.... what can I say?
