The Audition

[Black Philip]

Mostly reserved, but PM if you want to join and have an idea.

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Apep rarely felt pride.  It was as useless as love, and only sought to blind men to their own weaknesses. He detested the arrogant, the overly confident, the smug. He could play that part, and often did, but truthfully he was as wary of men as he was good at taking their souls and money. However, today, he felt a surge of accomplishment and growth. Ironically, his normally talkative mouth had remained closed. There was a contentedness in his body that was rarely seen by the few who interacted with him. He was happy.

"We're making it Butler," he said candidly, looking at his fellow gang member with a rare display of respect. Apep returned his brown eyes to the club's interior. Most of the decor was Butler's doing. The dude had a rare mix of elegance and brutishness. He was the sort of thug one could actually hold a conversation with, and the repressed violence beneath the dandy made for an interesting treat. Apep hadn't quite figured out how to push Butler's buttons, but he couldn't help but notice how Butler stared at him sometimes.

The club was about to open soon, and they had almost everything they needed. They'd decided on a proper big band for the first night, to really sell the ida of the speakeasy. Butler had planned out the back of house, the bar, the food, and of course, the overall look of the event. Apep had insisted he take the lead on booking the entertainment. He had a better ear than Butler did, and Apep knew it was wise to have an active role in the club's running. It provided him with leverage.

The two serpents were holding auditions, and so far Apep had booked only two acts. The first was a three legged demon who could tap dance. The shock humor of it delighted Apep, and the moves were actually good. It was grotesque, exploitative and sad. Perfect, Apep thought, marking down the performer's name.  The other act was the actual big band, a series of demons of various backgrounds who just liked to swing. The gig was a dream for them. McCloud's place didn't book swing, leaving only Echelon to book them. Now Apep wanted a host. They needed an MC who could charm the crowd, and possibly convince them to head to the VIP area.

"Next guy just say's his name is Johnny," the assistant said. Apep shrugged. "Show him in," the demon hissed out, throwing his arms behind his head. A cigarette smoldered in an ash tray next to him as he waited for the next poor shmuck to dance his little dance.

[sully]

Butler grunted in acknowledgment and replied flatly "Let's see how opening night goes first." He returned to stocking the bar, meticulously arranging the bottles by quality from below to above, while also keeping the specific types of spirits together from left to right. Order was Butler's bliss and Ouroboros was going to be a shrine to it. He'd spent years dreaming of creating a spot just like this and Angitia protect anyone who dared threaten Butler's vision. Satisfied with his arrangement for the moment, Butler made himself a martini and stood casually behind the bar, waiting for the next applicant's arrival.

In the dark I call your name,
yet you don't speak a sound.

Leaving me alone again, alone again.

Do not think you can hide forever.
For I know something you do not...
The darkness was my home
before it was ever your's.

So no matter how you try and hide
your beautiful face from me,
I will find you in the end
and slit your throat... from ear to ear..."

Despite Johnny entering the room as he completed his little song, his voice could have been heard long before he stepped into the room. He smiled wickedly as he scanned his two potential employers. Johnny had never met any Scaeri before and was amused by the difference in size and temperament between the two subspecies. Now that he was inside, he allowed his human form to fall, revealing the twisted devil he truly was. Without prompting, Johnny marched over to the bar and grasped Butler's hand for a quick shake. The giant looked slightly taken aback and might even have gone to punch the red skinned little freak if Johnny hadn't quickly moved over to shake Apep's hand. He smiled wickedly and bowed slightly before the snake demon. "Howdy. You can call me Johnny. I'm interested in your MC position, as I'm sure you're aware."

[Black Philip]

Fucking demons, Apep thought as Johnny entered, the true form, dark song and boisterous manner all managing to capture the sly Scaeri's attention. Apep didn't recognize the species of demon, and that was already an alluring detail. He had an argument for being something exotic. The voice was smooth and twisting, and Apep felt his heart jump a beat at the chill from the other man's tenor. Intriguing, he thought, wondering what business could be done here. There was the MC position of course, but Apep had a hunch there would be more to this  exchange. He smiled wickedly, and took the other's hand, clasping it over top. His eyes turned gold, and his fangs grew out of his existing canines.

"Since we're all demons here," he said, voice like honeysuckle, smooth and silky. "And yes, based on your entrance I assumed you weren't here to fix the boiler. I'm Apep, and the statue behind the bar is my associate Butler. Please don't expect much conversation from him. You'll be sorely disappointed. He makes an excellent martini though."

He let go of Johnny's hand, and pointed to the assembled stage. Once Johnny took his place, Apep lowered himself gracefully into a chair, golden eyes never leaving the strange, new demon. He stared for a moment, something strangely calming about extended eye contact. Was it a snake power? Was he a hypnotist, or was he just an excellent actor? Things were never clear with Apep. Even his smile was vague.

"Tell us about yourself," he instructed, pointing to Butler in case Johnny wasn't sure who constituted 'us.'

[sully]

"I'll take a glass of your finest whisky, if you please garcon." Johnny directed towards the hulking figure behind the bar with a flirtatious wink, framing it as more of a drink order than a polite request. He turned back to Apep and stared back at him, enjoying the prying gaze they both shared, neither giving anything away.


Butler let out a low growl and balled his hands briefly into fists, but stopped himself quickly. While he had no desire to take any of this little devil's shit, the last thing he wanted to do was ruin his bar with a fight so close to opening night. Swearing quietly under his breath, Butler reached below the bar and took a bottle from the lowest shelf and slammed it on the table, along with a unclean glass. "I defer to your judgement on this one Apep." Butler stated flatly as he put on his coat and exited the establishment.

"Psssssh so sensitive. I thought you serpents were supposed to be fun." Johnny said, his tone unable to convey the disappointment his words conveyed, rather sounding quite pleased with Butler's reaction. "Oh well! On with the show" he said, quickly moving over to the bar and grabbing the bottle, leaving the glass behind. He returned to the stage, unscrewed the bottle and took a long gulp. His thirst now sastiated, he turned back to meet Apep's gaze and replied "Oh nothing special. Just a nearly two century old demon who's a fan of good music and little bit of discourse. Been gone awhile tho, needed to take a trip down south to deal with some business, but I'm back now and looking to find a steady source of income. And possibly a few souls if I can scrounge those up too." Johnny took another swig of whisky and took the worn wooden case from his back. "Mind if I play a little for ya? Always feel like that gets my point cross a bit better."

[Black Philip]

Apep didn't bat an eyelash for Butler's tantrum. The serpent figured his compatriot would be heading to bash some skulls at the fighting pits, or he was gong to pick out tea cozies or something fancy. Butler was a man of extremes. Apep was less extreme by his very nature. He liked ambiguity and ambivalence, and he felt both coming from the brazen demon before him. He watched as Johnny went behind the bar and grabbed the bottle. His offer to play for Apep was met by a curt nod and simple smile.

"Of course," he said, eyes feigning disinterest. "Wow me." In reality, the Scarei would watch the whole audition like a hawk.

[sully]

If Johnny noticed Apep's attempt at disinterest, he gave the snake no acknowledgement. He was too busy removing the worn wooden case from his back and laying it on one of the unoccupied tables near the stage. Once the clasps had been undone and the case opened, the lights of the bar seemed to surge and dance across the room as the reflected the golden instrument. The fiddle was impeccably polished and the diamond strings glistened hungrily, as if begging to be touched by the demon's deft fingers. Both the fiddle and the bow seemed to fit the demon's hands as if extensions of them, the movement of Johnny's arms as they rose the fiddle to his neck were as fluid as if he was holding nothing at all. He shot a gleeful look at Apep that read plainly as "You can try and steal it if you'd like. I dare you." Johnny then closed his eyes and began to play.

As a demon, the music would affect Apep less than it would a mortal, but the emotional effect would be just as intense. Despite himself, Apep would be lost in the song Johnny played, neither of them able to say how long the performance lasted. As Johnny played the bar became cooler and a wind could be felt rolling through. The smell of dirt and the forest filled the space and footsteps could seemingly be heard on gravel over the music. The song told the story of an evil vampire, one steeped in undue cockiness and entitlement. The vampire and Johnny battled with their music, a breathtaking cacophony of sound and light. But the vampire cheated and Johnny lost. Unfairly, he was dragged below the dirt by a woman, one dressed in fire and wickedness, bringing him to her dominion in Hell. The bar now became boiling hot and the smell of sulfur and blood mingled with the distant screams of tortured souls. Years and years of pain and suffering were conveyed through his music, so intense that any mortal hearing would have likely killed themselves to no longer suffer such torment. Johnny concluded the song with a disjointed melody of notes, the closest one could get to the musical representation of mischief. He savored these last few notes, before his arms dropped to his side, seemingly exhausted. Unceremoniously, Johnny placed the fiddle back in his case and took a big swig from the bottle of whiskey. "So, what'd ya think??" he asked the snake.

[Black Philip]

Apep wasn't prepared for the golden fiddle, or being taken up in the performance. Apep didn't understand what was happening to him. He felt things beyond a degree that was normal for him. He'd spent years learning how to not react. He valued that his intellect and wits held more power than his frail heart, but as Johnny wove his tail, an involuntary tear moved down his  left cheek. He didn't know if the story being woven was real, but imagined like most musicians it was based on something from his past. The evil vampire in the story reminded him of McCloud, the bastard vampire leading the Central District. There was a smugness that looked similar, and the story of a demon being mistreated by the fangers was not new. He empathized, and that made him fear this fiddle player. Apep didn't empathize with anyone more than he needed to understand their motives. As the demon came to an end to his song, Apep walked to the bar and poured himself a shot of tequila.

"Not bad," he said, his natural disposition reasserting itself. "Take no offense to this, but... what the fuck are you bro? I mean, I've never seen anyone do what you just did."

The words were rare praise, even though they were made to seem like only mild interest.