A Chance Encounter

If you were looking for a good time, and didn't mind dealing with a few shady characters, the night clubs in New York's downtown area were the place to be.  There always seemed to be at least a small handful that served decent drinks, and even a few where the music was actually something worth listening to.

Back when he was still human, Alan didn't really care too much for the night life, being more the type to settle in at home with a good book and a few snacks. However, after being partners with Aurora for so long, the former human's disposition towards these kinds of activities had softened somewhat. Besides, even if they got into trouble, it wasn't like they couldn't handle it.

As such, the two having  taken on the form of their superhero self, had morphed their body into...something that would be less likely to freak people out.

Spoiler:

Getting into the club after that had been easy as pie. Right now, they just sat in a corner by themselves, idly sipping from a glass of water and just taking in the music that was playing all around them.

There was something about the feel of being in a club that put Melody at ease. The music, the people, even the weird creepy dudes who would try to hit on her, everything about being here felt right. The blonde-haired girl was happy on the dancefloor, allowing the low thump of the bass resonate through her body as she danced her troubles away. Here on the dance floor, it didn't matter who she was, she was just another person in the sea of humanity trying to enjoy themselves. Even those who were familiar with the indie scene wouldn't dare to bother someone who was on that floor. At least the ones that weren't complete jerks.

There was very little that didn't escape the attentions of Melody when she was in her element. Her eyes were always sweeping around the sides of the club, at the various booths and bars littered throughout. For someone as experienced with the scene as she was, it was easy for her to tell a first timer. Mostly they were among friends, frat boys and sorority girls enjoying their recently found freedom from familial pressure. Other times they would come alone for one reason or another, looking to find themselves or something to that effect. Tonight however a particular newcomer caught her eye.

Sitting in the corner by herself, looking not at all out of place in look, but very much in demeanour, a young woman sat drinking water. Moving off to the side of the floor, Melody flagged down a passing waitress, ordering a couple drinks and letting them know where to find her. After doing so she would move her way toward the corner, leaning down a little bit, a smile crossing her features.

"May I?" She motioned to the empty seat across from the table, indicating she would like to sit down.

"Seriously? You're drinking water at a night club?" Aurora's voice echoed in their shared head, sounding more than a little annoyed.

Making sure no one was watching, Alan got their face to raise an eyebrow. "Uh, yeah? And what's your point?"

He got the impression Aurora was rolling her eyes, "My point is I thought we came out here to, you know, live a little? Enjoy the night life? I'm pretty sure that involves having something that's a bit stronger than plain tap water?"

"I'll have you know that this water has ice in it, so it is not just plain tap water," Alan retorted as he took another sip, "Look, we'll have a drink or two before we leave here, but I am not going crazy with it. Way too much can go wrong."

"I'm not saying you have to. Just...be willing to take a few more risks, ok? Life isn't about always playing it safe, you know." Aurora explained as they continued idly scanning the denizens of the club.

At hearing a new voice, they looked up at the blond-haired beauty before them, the same one whom they had observed tearing up the dance floor. "Uhh...Aurora? A bit of help here? I'm not exactly the best at talking to girls!"

"Look, just...relax, ok?" The alien advised as she tried to keep him calm, "Just let her have a seat and strike up some idle conversation, then you can take it from there. Don't worry, I'm here for ya."

"Ok..." Alan mentally composed himself before nodding to the girl before them, "Of course. Be my guest. You know, don't take this the wrong way but I saw you dancing up there and I gotta say, you have some pretty amazing moves. Is dancing like your hobby?"

Melody couldn't help but smile a little bit at the boldness of the young woman in front of her. It was fairly obvious that she didn't spend much time in these kind of environments, but in some ways that made her more endearing. First timers were always the most fun to talk to for Melody, something about their innocence always made her feel at ease. Brushing an errant strand of hair from her face, she adjusted the ever-present headphones resting around her neck, taking a seat across from the woman.

"I guess you could call it a hobby. More of a lifestyle." Came the reply as she took her seat, adjusting her skirt slightly. Just as she sat down the server came, expertly balancing two brownish coloured drinks on a small tray. With a smile and depositing a $5 bill in the server's hands, she slid one of the drinks over to the other girl. "Consider this a welcoming gift."

Taking her own drink in her hands, she took a quick sip of the beverage. The sweetness of the coke and spice from the rum was a familiar sensation, definitely one of her preferred drinks. One of the perks of being such a regular in these establishments was being able to purchase these drinks despite her age. It probably wasn't healthy for her but she didn't much care.

Turning her attentions once again to the young lady, she took a moment to examine her demeanour before continuing on. "If I might be frank, these doesn't exactly seem like you're scene. What brought you out tonight?"

"Why, thank you," Siren smiled warmly as she accepted the drink, taking a second to eye it cautiously, then a sniff to make sure it wasn't drugged, and finally a sip,"Hmm...this is pretty good," She set the glass down and listened to Harmony's question. She shrugged, "Eh, nothing special. I just made up my mind that I needed to change up my usual routine and go do something that's a little outside of my comfort zone. You're right that I'm not normally the type for...well, this," She gestured tot the club around them.

"But hey, as a friend of mine once told me, life isn't always about playing it safe. Sometimes, if you want to...well, really "live" you gotta be willing to take chances once in a while," Aurora nodded in approval as Siren sighed and picked up her drink again, "But in all honesty? The first bloke who tries to treat me like a piece of meat is getting a kick upside the head,"

She took another sip of her drink before eyeing the girl across from her, "Sorry, I didn't even bother to introduce myself. Name's Evelyn. Pardon the two in one question, but who might you be and what brings you here tonight?"