[Bar: Psychopath] [Royal Flush]

[Xander]

[Upon entering the bar, Psychopath, one first notices the howl of neon lighting, fluctuating in color wildly as it's cables run about the ceiling and through that walls. The tubes in the walls run down through a distilled-water display, creating large bubbling tubes which never cease. Around these there are often a slew of Dexatrophin addicts, staring blankly. The music consists of loud, high-energy drum-and-bass, with occasional bits of jungle rhythm, and the pulsating dance floor is always covered with the silhouetted bodies of dancers, gyrating to the beat.

The Bar counter is made of an oil slick-looking plastic-and-steel setup, mildly prismatic and shinier than would ever be neccesary. The drinks served here are often of the cocktail sort, pink and green and garnished with everything under the sun that you always wanted to try but in that drunken way.]

[|[guth]|]

A young man strode casually into the bar, hands in his pockets. He glanced about as if looking for someone before seating himself in a booth not far from the door, his arm rested on the table and his feet kicked up on the bench across from his. He yawned and rubbed his forehead, shaking the sleep from his head. It was going to be, if not a long night, then a rough one. Still, a little action after his unemployment was always a good thing, provided he hadn't lost his edge.

[Xander]

Vlad entered not long after, his former bright cloths replaced with more understated (but no less stylish) apparel. He stood on his tiptoes briefly, scanning the room before seeing the Decker seated at the booth nearby. Alternately pushing and manipulating people out of his way, he slid into the seat opposite Finn.

"Hiya, sexy," he said, throwing an arm casually over the booth's back. "You up for the party tonight?"

[|[guth]|]

Guth watched the Psyker with some apparent slight irritation. This was only magnified when the man spoke. Drumming his fingers on the table for a moment as he stared at Vlad, he smiled somewhat condescendingly.

"Sorry, but I like my men intact. I'm sure, though, that he's looking for a night."

The Decker pointed to a tall man at the bar who could be described by only one word: Ripped.

"Alternatively, I hear some of the girls around here aren't interested in business. Just teasing."

[Xander]

Vlad winced in mock hurt, "Oh, ouch. That wounds me deeply. I was so hoping to seduce you tonight."

He eyed the man by the bar and made a face of disgust, "Too much brawn; not enough brain. Besides, all those muscles...ew."

He kicked back, plopping his feet up sideways on the bench as he surveyed the crowd.

"So...you think that Brand guy's really gonna show? Otherwise, it'll be just you and me, chummer," a small grin appeared. "My dream come true."

[|[guth]|]

The Decker fell back into his customary mild smile and shrugged.

"Not sure. He didn't sound all that committed--never replied, if you noticed."

He yawned and hailed a waitress. When he held up his index finger and thumb close together, then two fingers, the girl scurried off back to the bar.

"Figure we need a little something to prep us," he chuckled. "That, and I'll get bored waiting if don't have something to do besides get hit on."

[Xander]

Vlad shrugged, "We'll give him 'til after we finish drinking. If he hasn't shown, we'll go on without him."

When the waitress returned with the drink, he smiled brightly/flirtaciously and ordered one of those impossibly fruity drinks that cannot possibly contain alcohol but does. Yes, those drinks.

"Getting hit on is a compliment," he grinned at the Decker. "Maybe you're just not used to it yet."

[|[guth]|]

Guth gave a distasteful smirk as he sipped from the glass. Taking a napkin from the corner, he set it before him and the glass upon it, a small ring immediately forming around the base.

"Perhaps you're not from around here, because if you were you'd know that most times it means people are bored and have nothing better to do. If I get hit on as often as that guy, which I do, I consider it less than a compliment."

He cast two fingers at an obscenely fat man who'd somehow managed to stuff himself and his gut into a booth and was chugging down his fourteenth drink. Or half of it. The other half was spilling down the sides of his mouth and staining his shirt.

Smirking again, the Decker tapped the sides of his glass impatiently.

[Xander]

Vlad shrugged casually, "I'm from a different social strata. There, if you're not perfect, no one even looks at you. So getting hit on is a compliment. Especially if I hit on you."

He eyed the large man, a visible sneer coming over his face, "Disgusting pig."

His own drink arrived, complete with fruit slice and little umbrella. A slight smirk appeared on the Psyker's face, as the umbrella popped open, lifted in the air, and floated towards Finn, hovering in front of him. The irises of Vlad's eyes had a faint cyan glow to them.

"For you."

[|[guth]|]

"Why thank you."

The Decker reached up and took the trinket between his index and middle finger. Rippling it between his fingers down to between his ring and little fingers, he twirled it back and set it upside down, spinning it like a top.

"You must've fallen pretty far from grace, then, to be in with this crowd," he mused as he brushed his hair back out of his eyes. "We're not the dregs, but we sure aren't on top of the pyramid."

He glanced back around the bar again and shrugged.

"Well, some of us aren't the dregs."

[Xander]

"My pleasure," with a mock bow of the head.

Vlad took a few swallows of his drink, shrugging slightly at its quality.

"Not as much as I'll fall if they ever learn exactly what I do when I vanish. You see, my social strata considers this the lowest one of them can sink. 'Course, I think it's more fun down here. Less attractive, to be sure."

He paused, correcting himself, "For the most part."

[|[guth]|]

Guth smiled for a moment, then it faded. Turning his head halfway, he stared down at the table as if listening to something behind him. He looked back up after a moment.

"Well, in case you haven't figured it out yet, you might want to watch your back in this level of society. I'm told people get blindsided even in polite society, but here it tends to come fast and hard."

Raising the glass to his lips, he downed it in one gulp. Pausing to brush his upper lip with his index finger, he set the cup down and frowned.

"We should go ahead and go."

[Xander]

Vlad tilted his head, a secretive smile crossing his lips, "You trying to warn me, Finn? Keep it up, and I might think you're getting protective."

He finished his drink in a few gulps. Have you ever tried to chug a fruit drink? Not possible. Trust me.

He tapped the glass twice on the table, standing up and dropping a few Nuyen there.

"Right then. I assume you're ready?"

[|[guth]|]

The Decker listened again for a moment and shook his head.

"No, just trying to keep my own skin stuck to the rest of my body. Let's move."

He swung out of his seat and tapped the weary waitress on the shoulder. Pulling a few pieces of metal from his pocket, he dropped them on her tray and gave her a quick wink before turning back to Vlad, hands in his pockets.

"C'mon, Prince."

[Xander]

Vlad smiled, "Sure, sure. Don't worry; you'll be protective of me soon enough."

The casual arrogance was evident in practically everything Vlad did. In fact, cross out practically; it was everywhere. The boy stuffed his own hands in his pocket, strolling casually to Finn and pushing his shoulder against the other's.

"Don't go too slow now," he said over his shoulder as he headed out the door.