Meet Me In The Red Room

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Time:	11:22 pm

It was a day of opportunities if you want. I was still basking in the financial afterglow of my last job, a good amount of money that should see me through the while, get myself some new clothes, perhaps even pay rent. But before all that, there had been me wanting to buy something, something of high value and regard for those that knew anything about the occult. It was a book, and it was thin but full of all sorts of power, if you knew how to use it right. And I'd learn quickly, I knew people... well, not really, I was more than a little cut off from the underground world of witchcraft. But I was making do.

The store wasn't too far from my apartment, so I didn't have to waste money on getting a taxi or something. Weaving my way through crowds, I pulled out a cigarette carton, rattled it. Two left. Damn, I'd have to get another. Already. I needed to cut back. Oh well. Taking one out and lighting up, I wandered towards the bookstore. Very cleverly disguised. From the outside, it looked like your average bookstore, a run down one as well. Any normal person wouldn't look twice at it. But I, and anyone else who knew such spells, knew better. Stepping through, I felt the familiar, feather-light tingle of penetrating the cloaking spell, and peered in. Much better.

Shelves upon shelves of old books, but important ones. You could almost feel the energy radiating from them. Fuck, I loved this store. Walking over to the desk, I smiled winningly at the clerk. "Hey, Chris," I said, and didn't flinch as the dmeon looked at me. He looked human, save for the gills and the bright orange eyes. "You know that book I wanted to buy last week? And I couldn't afford it? Well, guess what?"

"Now you think you can?"

"Yes! Wait, what?"

"We raised the price, pretty boy."

"How much."

"Another fifty."

...ouch. "You have to be fucking joking," I murmured, staring at the demon in disbelief. He shrugged and I ran my hands through my hair. "Nonono. I told you I wanted that book. Why the hell did you raise the price?"

"It was getting people interested. You know how it is, Raoul."

Bastard. Bastard! That scrawny, gill-necked, orange-eyed, demonic git. I would have torn his throat out if his blood didn't sear human skin. Taking a drag from my smoke, I glared at him, and paced, trying to think of what to do now.

(Open to Ethan Rayne.)

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Subject:	the_dissonance
Time:	02:06 am

It wasn't a place I'd normally frequent. First, it wasn't clean. Secondly, it didn't give sushi along with vodka shots. Not that I eat the sushi (I feel like vomiting when I do), but the fact the option wasn't there made it obvious that this was just an average bar. Maybe that's good for me, though. I just wanted a bunch of beers, possibly get a bit drunk, hook up with someone (male, female, I really didn't care) and go home with them, for a price if necessary. I didn't actually have any real ulterior motives. Maybe I just wanted to socialise for once. You know, like a normal human being.

Slinking in and unconsciously pulling my jacket tighter around myself as some guy elbowed passed me, a girl under his arm, I started towards the bar, casually checking out the place as I went. No one I knew here, that was a blessing.

I tried to think about the contents in my wallet. Not a hell of a lot, as per usual. I looked around - no one here seemed particularly free to buy me a drink, mingling in small social groups or with a partner already. Either that, or I didn't want to actually communicate with them, like the rather long-nosed pregnant lady at the very end of the bar or the scary leather-wearing mustache-bearing guy who was chugging down vodka like it was juice.

Sighing, I pondered going somewhere else, but instead I just walked over to the bar and sat down, shaking my head at the bartender when he started to ask if I wanted anything. He gave me a slightly dirty look at that before going back to whatever it is bartender's do. Drumming my fingers against the bar, I decided to wait just a bit for someone new to walk in so I could scrounge a drink from them. Ten minutes, and if no luck, then I'm gone.

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January 26th, 2005

January 2nd, 2005