Ask Coruscant Above the Coruscating Lights

[Billie Bonheur]

The Coruscating Lights of Coruscant—that was the theme for tonight's event. Billie had been invited to the grand opening of a fashion school at one of Coruscant's major universities, and subsequently, its afterparty. As per usual, she'd arrived quite a bit ago and had not bothered to approach anyone. It wasn't necessarily that there weren't any people here she wouldn't mind talking to, but more that she was content to stand alone with her champagne by the window. There were a few of the university attendees here, but many of them were from various events which had also transpired that day.

"Miss Bonheur! Enjoying yourself this evening?" A man approached her, a happy, just slightly drunk smile on his tanned skin. He reached out with a tray of finger foods, wordlessly offering her a pice, but she declined with a polite gesture of her hand. "Do enjoy the view! I'm sure you have a wonderful look from your home, but we've got the best for kilometers!" With that he left her to be once more, so she turned back to continue enjoying the view.

It really was a sight to see. The weather was clear, as per the schedule, and night had just fallen over the ecumenopolis. Sparkling, flashing lights dance across the million buildings on the surface level, twinkling even when she unfocused her eyes. "The theme of the party certainly fits the view," Billie thought to herself. She lifted her glass to take another sip of the bubbly champagne, then turned her eyes back around to the party.

"So many potential clients..." In a place like this, she was sure to be approached, whether about commissioning or conversation, it did not matter. "Cara would tell me just to enjoy myself." Perhaps it wouldn't be so terrible to meet someone new.

tag: @moobuddy2424

 

[Ro'vana]

This performance had been booked for months. Since it was a add-on to the University, the subsequent celebration after the grand opening was booked way ahead of schedule. Ro'vana had never been to a university- In fact, this was her first time even stepping foot on any form of school grounds. The party was located in the grand space that they had built for the fashion and design program, with a focus on providing an environment where the students could be really inspired. The open-concept roof and connected bar/eatery certainly reflected the dazzling theme of the night. "Now," Ro'vana mumbled to herself, "Where might I find my performing space?"

Lost in her own confusion, she decided to approach what looked to be someone in charge... and very, very tall.

"Excuse me, sorry to bother you, dear." Ro'vana said, regretting picking the scariest worker. "Do you know where I might be performing tonight? You see, this was a booked ahead of schedule and the details seem to have been lost to time..."

@lizziie

 

[Billie Bonheur]

Billie watched as the Twi'lek woman approached her, a neutral expression on her face. Ro'vana's face looked somewhat familiar to her, but the Sephi couldn't quite place from where. Her voice was also a bit familiar, but again, Billie couldn't figure out why. It sparked a bit of curiosity in her.

"I am not familiar with the itinerary," she answered in a hushed, quiet tone. "But I'm sure one of the employees here may know." She turned her gaze out to the party, searching for one of the men and women dressed in black. Her silvery eyes locked with one of theirs, then she raised her hand to subtly gesture the person over. As they made their way over, Billie returned her attention to Ro'vana.

"So you're a performer?" she asked before she lifted her champagne up to her lips to take another sip. "I don't recall there being a performer for tonight," she thought to herself. "But I also didn't check." It would be a pleasant surprise if there was.

tag: @moobuddy2424

 

[Ro'vana]

The tall Sephi was, apparently, not a worker. "You just had to make yourself look like a dumbass, didn't you?" Ro'vana chastised herself, "Now you have to talk to another person!" She turned to look up into the eyes of the Sephi, trying to think of an answer to her question that didn't showcase how awkward she felt at that moment.

"Yes! I happen to be the entertainment for tonight. Mainly I perform for small cabaret spaces, so this is really branching out" Ro'vana laughed, awkwardly. It's true that she is used to small spaces, but that also includes the small recording studios she's been to. Does this woman seriously not know who she is? Before she could question her a bit more, the real employee pointed out the space reserved next to the bar that she will be singing at. It's a bit of a rinky-dink stage, but it has her favorite type of microphone, and a beautiful grand piano. She'll manage.

"And are there any lights? I always like to know beforehand so I don't blind myself on the stage." She asked the bland employee. "There are some spotlights that we will direct towards you, yes. But, there won't be stage hands to move them during the set. We kindly ask of you to stay in that singular place, Miss Raven." Ugh. So dull. According to Ro'vana, these people here were all so dull. Except for the odd yet still twinkling woman beside her- the Sephi. She's been silent this whole time, yet is one of the most stunningly dressed people in the room! From not knowing who she is, to being a showstopper dress-wise, Ro'vana was very interested in the other.

Giving the worker a word of thanks, she turns back to the Sephi. "Thank you for your assistance. My name is Ro'vana, but you might know me better as The Raven. Your sense of style is impeccable, darling!" Ro'vana said, taking the woman's hands and cupping them into her own, "I simply must know your name."

 

[Billie Bonheur]

"Ah, the Raven." Billie had been sure the Twi'lek woman was familiar, and it turned out she was. Though she had never attended or watched one of Ro'vana's performances, she'd heard her music on the radio and seen her face on the holonet a couple of times. She had a beautiful, soulful voice, and Billie was pleased to know she would get to see a live performance from the women shortly.

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ro'vana," she cooed as Ro'vana took her hands into her own. The pale violet of Billie's silk gloves would brush against Ro'vana's uncovered hands, and the Twi'lek might find herself surprised at the perfect smoothness of the fabric. Like always, her gloves matched her ensemble. Billie was known for dressing almost exclusively in monochromatic outfits, and tonight was no different. She wore a long violet dress that hung loosely around her chest but held tight against her hips and legs. A jacket of the same hue, only lighter, was draped around her shoulders, and a sparkling belt of diamonds encircled her waist. "Billie Bonheur," answered the Sephi with a small smile, silver eyes looking down to meet Ro'vana's with an amused twinkle.

Billie Bonheur, primary sponsor of the Bonheur Fashion School, of which the afterparty was partially celebrating. Ro'vana would recognize the name once spoken. Nothing on the woman's pale face indicated whether or not she felt offended by the question. Rather, she seemed just as detached as before.

"I am pleased to hear you will be performing tonight. I've listened to your music before, but I've yet to experience what I hear is quite the magical show from you." In particular, her secretary, Aliss, loved the performer. "How long until your performance?"

tag: @moobuddy2424

 

[Ro'vana]

Ro'vana was pleased with Billie's reaction. A big smile spread across her face, allowing herself to be taken in by the sincerity of the one before her. She felt... safe. "I'll step on stage once I know the time is right. You see," Ro'vana said, glancing back at the stage set up for her, "the best performance is one done at just the right time." Even though her answer was probably not quite what Billie had wanted, her face showed no indication of confusion or anger. In fact, her face didn't show much at all.

"We're like the opposites of each other," Ro'vana thought, bringing her hands back down to her side, "My face is my biggest weakness. Mom always said that she could tell when she said something that annoyed me."

Ro'vana took a step back from Billie, admiring her garments. Again, they were complete opposites. Ro'vana's gown was one of her favorite performing pieces- a tighter black silk dress with a cape made of black feathers. Her shoulders were adorned with jeweled bird skulls, with black and red gems shining in her periphery. "So... she's a fashion designer..." Ro'vana mused, adjusting her cape so that it fit on her shoulders perfectly, "I have been meaning to get someone new... the old one could never match my vision. Maybe I needed someone less... emotionally driven?"

Ro'vana opened her mouth, fully intending to invite her back to her cabaret to talk business- but the volume of the party around her told her that guests finally caught on to her being there.

"Is that her?"
"It can't be..."
"Why would she be here?"
"Ooh, I can't wait to see her perform!"

Sounds swarmed into her mind, causing a momentary malfunction in her social battery. She had to get out of there before she said or did something stupid. Giving Billie a quick smile and a low head nod to say goodbye, Ro'vana stuck close to the walls as she rushed off to her greenroom.

@lizziie

 

[Billie Bonheur]

"Intriguing," Billie hummed with a slight curve of her lips. The Sephi were known for their impassive expressions and muted emotions. Of course, not every individual acted like this, but Billie was not an exception. They were known for that, as well as their long, pointed ears and considerable height. Even those who weren't full Sephi, such as the Independent System Consortium's Emyrc Thorne, still carried these traits to a degree.

Her ears flattened against her skull as the party chatter began to increase, protecting her sensitive hearing from the loud comment about Ro'vana's presence. Billie had thought that perhaps she was preparing to say something, but before she might've, Ro'vana gave her a subtle goodbye and rushed off in some direction. "Perhaps it was the right time," Billie thought with a small chuckle.

The glass of champagne in her hand had been emptied of its contents, so the Sephi woman set it down and made her way toward the bar to procure another. The people parted way as she moved through the crowd, giving the towering, spindly woman a respectful amount of space. Billie was stopped a couple of times to exchange pleasantries, but she eventually made her way over to the bar to order another fluke of champagne.

"I wonder where she wandered off to?" It would make the most sense if she was off preparing for her performance, and if that was the case, Billie expected to see her arrive soon. Because of this assumption, the Sephi woman situated herself off to the left of the stage and sat down at a small table for two tucked against the wall.

The Raven is performing at the afterparty. <
Should I request a recording? <​

> Aw, really?
> No that's alright
> Enjoy though! She's good

Billie placed her datapad back into her jacket pocket, now assured that her secretary would not be too disappointed if she didn't request a recording.

tag: @moobuddy2424

 

[Ro'vana]

The green room that was prepared for Ro'vana was tucked away in the 2nd level of the building. It was nice and quiet, just what she needed. It seemed to be a classroom made for fittings, since it has a corner with one of those three panel wing mirrors. "Jarc Macobs had one of these big mirrors. I don't miss the days we would spend together." Ro'vana pondered, reflecting on her old designer. He was brilliant, yes, but a bit too much. She could barely handle her own emotions, so adding his to the mix was not a great work relationship. The corner she tucked all of her stuff into earlier that day was strewn about the room. Her street clothes, however, were still in a messy pile... that was now being used as a bed.

"Winston!" Ro'vana whisper-screamed, lightly nudging the big, black dog with her foot, "I told you not to sleep on my clothes, dude! It was the one rule!" WInston lifted his head up a bit, then plopped it back down with a loud sigh. What does he have to sigh about? He doesn't even pay rent. Ro'vana chuckled at the dog, glad that he was here to ease her tension. He does his job well, even if all he does is make funny noises and eat. "For a trained stress dog, you really don't do much, do you, bud?" Winston gives her a side-eye, signaling that it's time for him to sleep and for Ro'vana to stop bothering him. "Yeesh." Ro'vana grunted, rising from her knelt position. She needed to get ready for her performance.

Luckily for her, the huge mirrors in the room let her see every angle needed for her stage makeup. Slapping on some broody blacks mixed with dark purple to create her smokey teardrop shape, all she had to do was put in her green contacts. She doesn't need them to see, but it's always fun to see people she talked to before the show stare at her in a confused manner. The rumors that she practices magic or actually is two twin sisters always give her a good laugh.

"Miss raven?"
She hears a knock at the door.

"Yes, dear?" Ro'vana responds, withfinger holding up her last contact, "You can come in, darling. I'm decent."
"Miss Raven," the door creaks open, and it's the attendant that led her to this room when she arrived. "Is it time for your performance? You just slipped away without alerting any of us!"
"Yes, yes, I know." Ro'vana replied, turning back to the mirror to put her last contact in, "I just..." She had to think of something, and quick. "... knew the time was right! I simply mustn't keep my audience waiting once they know I'm there. It's unfair!" She finished, with a grand wave of her hand. Man, was she good at talking out of her ass.
"The pianist was alerted right away once you left the scene, since we figured that's what you were doing." The attendant laughed, obviously freaking out that their one source of entertainment might have skipped out. A low and deep "Appphhhh" was heard in the corner of the room, where Winston was snoozing. Shit! She didn't tell anyone she was bringing her dog!

"Uhhh...."
"Did your clothes just sigh?"
Of course, he blends in. That's even more confusing than just having a dog- having talking clothes!
"Nooo..???"
SIlence.
"Whelp, just let me know when you're ready to go back up!" The attendant said, sliding back out into the hallway. Ro'vana couldn't help but to facepalm. She's had one of the most awkward nights of her life. To make it less awkward, she decided that it would be best just to go out and perform. No more dilly-dallying around in her room- it was go time.

Stepping out into the hallway, she smoothed her dress and adjusted her cape. "Ready!"

@lizziie

 

[Billie Bonheur]

While Billie waited for the woman to return and give her performance, a woman approached her. She was a Quarren woman in a long, blood-red satin gown who spoke in a deep, expensive voice.

"Miss Bonheur! A million thanks you's for your donation once again. How did you enjoy the event?" She reached out with a three-fingered hand to pull back the chair opposite of Billie, then used her other hand to smooth her dress underneath her as she took a seat.

"It was lovely, Madame Cate. I look forward to seeing what the school and its students will accomplish." The Quarren woman nodded, likely unsurprised to receive such a standard, polite response from the Sephi woman. Sho Cate was both the newly appointed Dean of the Bonheur School of Fashion and the woman who had contacted Billie about a possible donation.

"I'm so happy you liked it! There is so much to do, but I am without doubt that we will live up to your expectations!" She was also incredibly lively.

The Quarren woman chattered on for a bit, but she, along with the rest of the room, hushed their voices as the lights began to dim. Billie reorientated herself to better face the stage, folded her hands in her lap, and waited for Ro'vana's inevitable arrival with the ghost of a smile on her lips.

tag: @moobuddy2424

 

[Ro'vana]

Snaps were heard echoing through the room. A dark, flowing figured appeared before the lights on stage, snapping along with the simple melody being played on the piano. Ghosting her lips to the stand-up microphone, she hummed along to the tune the pianist played, twisting whirling her hands around as she felt the music inside of her. With the flick oh her wrist, the lights illuminating her figure swept across her body in an X formation, creating pockets of darkness that took purposeful time to brighten.

"I'm gonna fight 'em off~"
Ro'vana took the microphone out of the stand, walking about the space provided.
"A seven nation army couldn't hold me back~"
Her laced hands grazed the shoulders and chairs of those around her, as she flicked her hand again to direct the lights to follow.
Nearing the center of the room, she allowed for her voice to fill the space, connecting with the souls of the guests that evening. The lyrics spilled out of her mouth like a blood red wine, intoxicating those who even dared take a sip. She liked the middle of the floor, as usual, and stayed there for the majority of the song.... but not forever. It will get stale, and fast. She has to have a big finish. She knew what she had to do.

Maximum volume- Fortissimo. The vibrations belting through her throat with true emotion and soul. Ro'vana raised her arm and gave a turn of her wrist, sliding down the spotlight filters usually used for ambient lighting. Red filled her vision, as well as the audience's.
"And the stains coming from my blood tell me 'GO back hoome~'" She flicked again, and the lights went back to their usual white/yellow shine. She hummed the melody again, making her way back to the small stage. The woman she talked to before, Billie, was seated towards the left side of the stage. Ro'vana made sure to make eye contact with her before drifting away, back to the place where she started. The lyrics of the song were over, but the audience doesn't need to know that. She has them all tied around her finger. As Ro'vana puts the microphone back in the stand, she gives a quick nod to the pianist to stretch out the ending a bit. Ro'vana stands and milks out the wonderful song she just sang, vocalizing until nothing is left anymore. Raising an open palm to the pianist to signal its end, she has finished another performance of a lifetime.

The applause hits her like a slap in the face, with whoops and whistles heard echoing out into the night sky. As the curtains behind her open, she sinks back into the darkness she emerged from. "I'll have to thank that Billie woman for staying to listen," Ro'vana thought, going out of performance mode, "Maybe she'd like to meet Winston, too."

listen to the performance here!

@lizziie

 

[Billie Bonheur]

The performance began with isolated snaps and the sustained plucking of piano keys as a figure dressed head to toe in flowing black garments appeared in the dark of the stage. The lights swiveled her way, showering her in their warm hue. In fact, the lights were almost half the performance. Almost. Ro'vana's sultry and powerful voice was the main attraction, but the expert maneuvering of the stage lights amplified her presence even more.

They caught her attention in more ways than one, as well. The flicks of her wrist might be dismissed as part of the Twi'lek's routine by the audience, but the correlation between them, the lights, and that all too familiar presence in the air was not overlooked by Billie. Those who could use the Force—those who were sensitive to its use—could feel when others used it nearby, especially and even more so if they made no effort to hide it. As surprised as she was, her features did not change their shape. Her interest was piqued though, and she watched the remainder of the performance with the utmost attention.

When the room turned red, Billie caught whisperings behind her. Though she did not look, her ears twitched just slightly out and angled to better listen in on the interrupting conversation. Two voices, barely a whisper and inaudible to anyone but themselves and the perceptive Sephi, spoke back and forth about the woman on stage. It was even difficult for Billie to pick up on though, and she only caught a few words and phrases from them. It seemed they were discussing Ro'vana and her skillful placement of the light.

"Fair enough." Her ears returned to their natural position, and her attention returned to the passionate voice on stage. Her silvery eyes met with Ro'vana's green, and she let her lips curl up into a more pronounced smile. Something about the tone of their voices had put Billie on edge at first, but she relaxed as the song continued into its conclusion.

When the song finished, Billie very quickly flattened her ears against her skull to save her from the thunderous applause that erupted from the entranced audience. She applauded softly, taping her silk-covered fingers against the palm of her other hand. "Aliss was right, she is a wonderful performer."

The red light dimmed away and Ro'vana disappeared backstage, and soon after the room returned to its former state of celebration. Sho turned to her, already raving about the Twi'lek performance as the Sephi woman began to stand.

"I agree wholeheartedly," Billie provided when Sho asked for her opinion. "I believe I shall go state my admiration to her myself. Excuse me."

With that, Billie plucked her fluke of champagne from the table and began to steadily make her way over to the backstage doors. She paused when she heard the same two voices from before begin to discuss the lighting, but chose to think nothing of it as her hand pressed against and pushed open the unassuming door.

tag: @moobuddy2424

 

[Ro'vana]

The "backstage" area was actually a short hallway that led to the stairwell/lifts. Since the stage wasn't a permanent part of the roof, they just built it against the back exit. "Hopefully there isn't an emergency," Ro'vana thought, leaning against the wall to take some weight off of her heels, "Because that exit is completely blocked. Oops." She glanced around the bare hallway, inhaling the stiff scent that accompanies most stairwells. The heavy scraping across the floor indicated to her that someone had followed her after she exited. Quickly standing up straight, she turns her attention to the door.

A tall yet familiar figure grazes in, having to duck to fit fully through the doorway.

"Billie!"

 

[Billie Bonheur]

"Quite the enthusiastic greeting," Billie noted as she locked eyes with the violet Twi'lek woman. "Ro'vana," she greeted her, allowing the door to shut behind her. "I came to complement you on your performance."

Silver eyes traveled around the space, then back to Ro'vana. The air here was stuffy, and the Sephi wasn't a huge fan of that.

"It exceeded my expectations. Do you typically perform at events such as this?" If she was a Cabernet singer, she probably didn't performance on a massive stage in front of thousands. Billie didn't know much about the style of performance, but she assumed it was supposed to have a more personal touch.

tag: @moobuddy2424

 

[Ro'vana]

"Honestly," Ro'vana replied, "I do tend to like a smaller setting much more than a large one. But, I'll take whatever I get, y'know?" She cringed at her own informalness. "Actually, I was meaning to say something earlier to you but..." Ro'vana reflected back on her abrupt departure, "I got a bit distracted by the upcoming performance."

"I've actually been meaning to get a new 'partner', so to say, in the fashion department. My old one was a bit too... much." Ro'vana looked up at the Sephi, expecting a nod or expression of response, but her face stayed quite blank. She liked that about her, but it's something she would have to get used to. Her last partner, Jarc Macobs, would show each and every response on his face, much to Ro'vana's dismay. "Here," Ro'vana said, turning towards the stairwell and waving Billie to follow, "Let's go somewhere less stuffy. I'd love to talk business with you!"

Even though she didn't know if Billie was following or not (she hoped she was), she headed the direction of her green room... and towards Winston.

@lizziie

 

[Billie Bonheur]

Billie nodded as Ro'vana spoke, denoting her attention though her gaze seemed unfocused. They seemed weight heavier on her when she mentioned the need of a new "partner", the context of which suggested she was interested in a commission of sorts. Interest piqued, Billie voiced no qualms as she followed after the Twi'lek woman.

The Sephi walked slowly, but her long stride matched Ro'vana's pace with ease. Just as they entered the stairwell, her long ears swiveled back as the sound of scraping caught her attention. It sounded like someone had entered backstage just as they had left. "Is it the same two again?" The sound of their voices was familiar.

Silk fingers hovered just a centimeter above the staircase railing, unwilling to touch the metal but present just in case. Though Billie might've preferred to have taken the elevator, it didn't take them long to reach Ro'vana's dressing room. The room seemed to have been rearranged specifically for her use, and was a bit askew. The tables were pushed off to the side to give her room, and there was a jumbled pile of black clothing plopped down in the middle. A very faint whistling sound emitted from that direction every so often, and it was only upon a second glance that the Sephi woman noticed the dog lying amidst the garments.

"You have a dog?" Billie had never seen a dog this large. The ones she most often encountered were small, fluffy, and fit conveniently into a handbag. Though not averse to animals, she did not keep any of her own around as their fur had a tendency to get everywhere. "He seems very well behaved." She couldn't tell if he was sleeping, or simply uninterested in her presence. As long as he didn't jump on her, she thought he was quite cute.

"So, what business did you wish to speak about?" Did the women wish to commission a garment? "This is an interesting place to do so," she mused to herself. Usually, she met with potential clients over dinner, or over a holocall, but she wasn't upset about her current situation.

tag: @moobuddy2424

 

[Ro'vana]

"I know it's probably not the kind of meeting you're used to," Ro'vana replied, plopping down on a chair next to Winston's sleeping figure, "But I feel like in a profession such as yours a little bit of... reality... needs to be shown." She spun around in the chair, gesturing to the dim yet still messy room. "Since you make clothes for people, why not get to know the people you clothe, y'know?" Again, Ro'vana curses her informalness. It's obvious, even if the Sephi didn't show it, that this was not the norm for talking commision-based work. Leaning down, she gave Winston a scratch, absentmindedly pawing at his soft fur.

"Look," Ro'vana said, getting up from her chair (and getting a curt "Arr" from her dog in annoyance), "If you're the Bonheur that I'm thinking of, your stuff is the cream of the crop. Darling, it's lovely! Even your ensemble today says,'Look at me, world, I know my stuff!'" She finished, with a flair of her hand. The lights flickered in the room. Ro'vana's face went a deeper shade of purple than normal, but she tried to play off what just happened as faulty lighting.

"To cut to the chase, I've been meaning to find someone that really speaks to me in terms of design. Macobs spoke a bit too much to me, so much so that I was more worried about his life than mine!" Ro'vana laughed at her clever joke, but it seemed that Billie either wasn't listening or was devoid of a sense of humor. Or, it was just a bad joke. She was having a hard time debating between the three.

"In fact, I'm willing to set up a time and date for a formal contract meeting. But, like I said before-" Ro'vana paused, glacing past Billie's tall figure to light spilling in through a crack in the doorway. "Huh." She said, moving around the tall Sephi woman, "I could've sworn i shut the door behind us..."

@lizziie

 

[Billie Bonheur]

Two men entered the room, and their eyes went first to Ro'vana, then Billie. They seemed surprised to see her in there. "Oh, Miss Bonheur! We didn't mean to interrupt, we just have some business with the Raven we wished to discuss." The one to speak was a Nikto man in a tailored suit, and his friend was a very muscular human. They stood in a way that, to Billie, suggested they weren't sure of whether they should leave or wait around. She would solve that indecision for them.

"It is of no issue," she assured of them in her hushed tone. "I will not be much longer with her, but our business is of a private nature, so please wait outside. She will be with you shortly." The two men looked at each other, then turned around and exited back into the stairwell. Once the door was closed, her silver eyes flicked over to Ro'vana's emeralds.

"Let us continue this conversation elsewhere," she said, gesturing to the door opposite of the stairwell the men had just disappeared into. Though still soft, there was a soft edge to her voice that suggested it wasn't a suggestion. Without another word, the Sephi crossed the room, pulled open the door, and looked expectingly at Ro'vana. "Those men do not have your best interests in mind," she added as her ear twitched in the direction of the stairway door. Ro'vana might have heard of the Sephi's uncanny hearing and might infer that she could hear bits and pieces of the men's conversation behind the door.

Assuming Ro'vana came to follow, Billie would lead her (and Winston, if he was brought along) at a slightly brisker pace down a couple of halls until they arrived at an elevator. Her face remained the picture of tranquility, and it wasn't until they reached the elevator that she would ask, "Ro'vana, do you know who those men are?"

tag: @moobuddy2424

 

[Ro'vana]

Ro'vana hurried after the Sephi woman, hiking up her dress to get a longer stride. Winston pranced beside her, looking around as if he's going on an adventure. "Those men," Ro'vana huffed out, not fit enough to speedwalk without running out of breath, "I've seen them before. They were asking for me at my Cabaret a couple of nights ago, after we had already closed down." Ro'vana thought back to that night, sensing the same anxiety as before. "My barkeep had to physically get between them and the staircase up to the flat. It was scary." That wasn't the first time she had experienced odd fans, but it definitely was one of the scariest. She had heard them making a ruckus from her bedroom, and notified the workers to do whatever they could to keep them downstairs as they waited for more help to arrive. Before others could get there, though, they had already left. "Needless to say, they're permanently banned from the building."

The elevator they had arrived in was a bit musty, but it was better than getting harrassed by strange men. Ro'vana looked up to Billie, seeing a stern yet concerned look cross her face as she watched the doors close. WInston stood between the two, nudging Ro'vana hand with his head for pets.

"They were recording me during the performance, too." Ro'vana looked down to the floor. Her one rule with her performances, wherever they might be performed, is that no video recordings could be made. Her voice was all over the Holonet, sure, but her performances were always supposed to be a surprise. Billie, knowing someone who is a fan of Ro'vana's, might have picked up on this rule in passing. "I'm sorry this has been so... odd." Ro'vana said, giving Winston a pap on the head, "FIrst me running away, then meeting in the green room, and now this." She swept her hand across an invisible surface, indicating the event that had just occurred. Like before, the lights above her flickered as she moved her hand. The elevator dinged, signaling that they were on the ground floor. Ro'vana allowed Billie to exit first, still moving at a brisk pace.

"So... about setting up a time and date."

@lizziie

 

[Billie Bonheur]

So it seemed that the men had harassed her before. "I wonder why they were allowed into the venue?" They must be of some status in order to have received an invitation, or they must know someone influential enough to procure an invite for them. Ro'vana must have something they want, and the Sephi had a feeling she knew what that was. There was a reason the woman kept her force sensitivity a secret. Those who could feel it were either looked to like an opportunity or despised for it.

"That is unfortunate," Billie commented. Silver eyes glanced down at Ro'vana when she swept her hand, causing the lights to flicker once more. "Although the circumstances have been a bit peculiar, you have no need to apologize." Anything the Twi'lek had said or done that she felt might be weird had most certainly been topped by the antics of the über-wealthy. She walked in those circles quite often, and she would not deny that she had some habits and preferences of her own that were not necessarily normal.

They reached the ground floor, or rather, the bottom floor of this building. They were still several hundred feet from the streets of Coruscant's surface level, but there were walkways at this height which created a pseudo-street level outside. The structure beneath them was technically a separate building, accessible only by a mechanic's stairway. Outside, a taxi waited.

"This is my business card." Billie pulled an aluminum card from her pocket, perfectly blank except for the logo centered in black and small, gold lines indicating it was supposed to be inserted into a datapad. "My secretary, Aliss, will arrange a time for us to meet when you contact her."

A second taxi arrived, the one which Billie would be taking back to her home. She entered, took a seat, then looked back to Ro'vana to say one last thing before they met again. "I look forward to working together, Miss Ro'vana."

tag: @moobuddy2424

 

[Ro'vana]

Ro'vana watched as the taxi zoomed away, blowing her cape up and giving Winston a snout full of feathers. "It's always fun to insert these little cards into the datapad." She mused, getting her pad from her black purse. She's thankful that she thought to grab her purse before leaving the greenroom. "I'll just message the man who scheduled me to get someone to collect the rest of my belongings. I'm not risking going back up there." Ro'vana's datapad lit up with the pop-up to make a new contact. Climbing in the taxt, she began typing up a short message to Billie's secretary, Aliss.

~~~

Days bled into weeks as Ro'vana counted down the nights until the next meeting. After the party, Ro'vana immediately researched some of Billie's work through the 'Net, and was surprised to find that she catered to not just the rich, but the ultra rich. "She seemed so... normal!" Ro'vana thought, knowing how odd those types can get. Growing up, she second-handedly experienced every kind of man that walked into the club her mom worked at. The rich ones were always asking for the strangest things. She shuddered thinking about what her mom went through to provide for her. "I'm probably a breath of fresh air for Billie, then. At least I'm just a normal amount of weird."

The restaurant Ro'vana chose to meet at was one of those fancy ones. It had a fountain, waiters with tuxes, you name it. She would have loved to meet at a small coffee shop or even at her cabaret, but the oddness of the last meeting swayed her to make this one more regular. Ro'vana wore a lacey black dress with a built-in corset. The skirt trailed to the floor in the back but frilled up the sides towards a more open front. The boots she wore made her tall, but not as tall as the Sephi she was meeting. Her sleeves were of the same lace as her skirt, but looser and more flowing as they draped across her forearm. Ro'vana was bouncing her leg in the booth that she had reserved near a nice, full window to look over the city lights.

A simple folder lay by her side, filled with simple concept sketches she had made of dresses plus a contract they would talk over. The lights of the city twinkled through the window, lighting the night that would hopefully run smoother than the last time Ro'vana and Billie interacted.

@lizziie