\+/ Tales From Night City \+/ Chapter 43 - Night City Natives
The loud, booming music of Jig Jig street fills the air as you see the intense night life of Night City in full swing. Dealers making moves, Joytoys making profits...entire lifelong relationships beginning and ending. You see the crew walking together in tandem through shoulder to shoulder crowds talking amongst themselves as they passively follow Audrey to their destination. The bright, vibrant variety of neon Night City colors were on full display. Bright, glowing neon clothing and accessories dawned alongside vibrant matching chrome and sleek hardware. The night sky served as a black canvas for the colors of Night City to really pop as people clink glasses, light smokes and party to the booming music.
"HEY CUTIE! Mmm.. why don't you come on over here and talk to me..!" A joytoy seductively barks at Netty while licking her lips. He turns his full attention over to her with a big smile.
"Hey, i uh-" he says before being abruptly yanked back to the group by Brian as they continue walking down main street.
The crew reaches their destination, a neon pink soaked bar with a packed house. Pole dancers put on a show while bar patrons scream and cheer in ecstacy as the crew makes their way through the crowded floor being lead by Audrey. They make their way to the bar as Brian takes a moment to get a feel for the area. He glances over at Audrey whispering into the bar tender's ear before his attention is turned to the floor of the bar itself. He can't help but spot the various suits cascaded around the place, some drinking and glaring about, some conducting business deals with the locals, some sitting alone somberly as they smoke a cig and sip from a glass. His heightened sense of awareness tends to always come out in times like this... something about the lack of awareness of his people... knowing their guards are down... it often drives him to keep his up. Brian feels a heavy hand on his shoulder causing him to turn around.
"Come on!" Zaunya says with a smile on her face as she grabs him by the arm pulling him toward the door the rest of the crew is standing by. A quick flash of Zaunya grabbing his arm back at the warehouse enters his mind.
The bartender unlocks the backdoor behind the bar. As it slides open, The crew begin to descend down a narrow staircase carrying on conversations amongst themselves. As they descend further, the music of the bar above begins to fade as a new louder tone and bass booming from below gradually fades in and takes over. They get to the bottom and Audrey bangs hard on the heavy metal door several times. A small metal window on the door slides open as Audrey speaks a password.
"Cyberpsychosis." She says causing the little window on the door to slide closed and the door to open. The crew are met with a bright red neon glow as the loud thumping sounds of heavy metal come flying out of the doorway.
They step in to what looks to be a different world. The atmosphere and energy of the basement bar and dancefloor pulls them in as they step passed dancers, headbangers and rockerboys cutting loose. An unnamed band playing live blasts energy out onto the dancefloor feeding the untamed and darkened atmosphere. The crew are next seen clinking beer bottles and glasses in cheers and celebration at their success in a booth up a few steps in a corner.
You get an establishing shot of the entire crew hanging out and enjoying themselves. Sharing intense laughter, people watching, and getting to know each other better. The energy of the crowd and crew themselves is euphoric and positive as they all share it together. Something that is often hard to find in Night City.
"Listen kid. Whatever you're lookin' at, whatever you want in this place tonight, its on me alright?" Brian says with his arm around Netty pulling him in close causing Netty to giggle.
"I didn't think i was ever going to see you again girl! where have you been!?" BugBear asks Zaunya while Audrey attentively listens as the ladies catch up and share laughs.
The night carries on as you would expect... the crew takes the time to unwind and get to know each other a bit better. Building bonds through violence and suffering is a lot different than building it through good times and euphoria. The staying power is often different just as the foundations are.
"You never really know what you're gonna get with people in this city. That's why adhereing to what you actually CAN control is what matters." Brian says as Netty listens on like a kid in class. "Regardless of your intentions for someone.. you can control nothing but yourself... You did good back there... its clear you can carry your own weight." Brian says as he takes another swig of his Brospeh causing Netty to do the same as a pause in their conversation allows the music to take over.
"But remember kid... There's no one in this world you can trust more than yourself." Brian says in a serious tone causing Netty to look over at him with a serious expression.
"As soon as you start to lean on others... start to hold on too tight... you're in trouble... Got me?"
"Yeah, i uhh... i got it." Netty responds before they both swig their Broseph's together as the music takes over.
Later we see Brian at the bar buying a pack of smokes off of a rockerboy after finishing a conversation with the choom. This catches Zaunya's eye as she watches him get up and make his way to a back door exit.
"I'll be right back." Zaunya leans over and says to BugBear who's watching Audrey dance intensely on a stripper pole with a joytoy while Netty gazes on with his mouth hanging open.
The backdoor to the hidden underground bar slides open letting out into a quiet narrow alleyway below street level. Zaunya exits as she quickly glances up the alley to see Brian near the end of it leaning over a railing preparing to light a cig. She slowly walks up to him as he hears the unforgettable tapping of her boots causing him to take a deep breath.
"Hey..." Zaunya says in a softened tone causing Brian to glance back at her. He silently offers her a smoke; As she takes it, he lights it for her as the pair share a silence with each other for a while smoking as you hear the feint but bustling and lively activity of Jig Jig street above.
"What are you thinkin'" Brian calmly asks her in a deep tone.
"You know, i should probably be asking you that." Zaunya responds causing Brian to look over at her. The dim glow of the Neon Night city streets above bleeds through from above them giving them a unqiue color spectrum to loiter in.
"You do a good job of holding your cards close... a defense mechanism perhaps." She says before taking a drag of her smoke "...I almost feel like the more you learn about me, the less i realize i know about you-"
"What's there to know."
"OH, CUT the bullshit Brian! Stop treating me like some fucking geek off the street you accidentally bumped into." Zaunya says in a raised tone causing Brian to look over at her.
"You want a non-starter? How bout this..." She says as she steps toward him. "Graves? That cowboy back at the 6th street compound? I haven't forgotten any of this shit! Oh and the last time i mentioned HER name...? You were about ready to blow my fucking head off." Zaunya proclaims in a challenging tone causing Brian to turn and face her... looking deep into her eyes.
Zaunya steps towards him even closer getting right in his face speaking in a serious, whispered tone. "You wanna talk about trust?... I don't even know who the fuck you are." She concludes while brielfy squinting her eyes and looking deep into his.
"YO! uhh.. I hope i'm not uhhm.. interrupting anything?" Netty shouts as he slowly walks towards the pair from a distance.
Zaunya continuing to stare deep into Brian's eyes slowly takes a few steps back with her fists clinched tightly before turning around and walking back toward the bar past Netty. Netty slowly approaches Brian who turns his back to continue leaning over the railing.
"Is...uh ..everything alright?"
"What is it kid." Brian says before taking another drag of his smoke.
"I uh... I Heard somethin' in there I think you're gonna wanna know..." Netty says in a serious tone causing Brian to quickly look over at him.