Look Ma, One Hand (Yaksha/Sofia)

Walking into the casino, the atmosphere was much more different than the last place she had been at. For the last few nights, Sofia had spent almost every last waking moments frequenting the better known nightclubs. It was completely unlike her. The nightclubs and their boisterous and uniquely different style of music, the alcohol, the drug; even being at a casino was very much unlike her. Then again, for quite some time, some changes within her had allowed her to peer into a different side of her that while not new, was simply kept hidden from her own conscious awareness.

Even her style of dress had been altered for the sake of that night. Instead, she looked as though she belonged to a rather wealthy firm, or simply a well off business woman that had lapsed in the alluring trance of a night at Vegas. A formal dark blue sports jacket seemed to be worn over a white dress shirt. A dark blue skirt seemed to reach about upper thigh length, purposely enhancing the view of her womanly figure, and offset only by black thigh highs and four inch red high heels that placed her just under 6’0” ft tall.

Her reasons for going into the casino were likely not the same as those playing there. She didn’t need money. The Montero family possessed a wealth that was vast, and that would last for quite a few decades.She couldn’t really enjoy the gambling games either since she had no idea how to play. From an early age, she was raised as both the musical prodigy that she was, and to be able to be self sufficient in combat, and become the best Quincy the family had provided to the cause. There was hardly any time to waste on things that she seemed to do now, let alone engage and learn of the gambling practices. However, after the first encounter with the odd Hollow, battling the Demon Shell, and after meeting and receiving the Eris Seal from Arianda, many things had changed. The check she placed on ideas and feelings that were once restrained reigned more freely. She wasn’t evil per say, but she had a lot more ease of doing things she wouldn’t have otherwise. There was still fun to be had at the casino however. Seeing people light up in excitement after winning a lot of money, then curse their own existences after losing it, and then some.

Nearing some of the tables, the men seem to enjoy her presence, perhaps something like luck. She didn’t stay particularly long at either however. Beyond not understanding the rules or how the game was played, she was just interested in the facial expressions as the universal look was more than enough to translate the feeling around her. There was a game where people tossed a ball into a spiraling construct. There were many more games where people played with cards. Maybe they wanted to match all the numbers, or have the highest number, or maybe even remain with the cards that had pictures of people.

”A martini with extra olives please.”

The bartender that had been walking around would quickly see to her order, bringing it just moments thereafter. It wasn’t a very complicated drink to make anyways. And so, taking one of the olives off, she would down a gulp from the drink altogether.

”I really hope this gets better, otherwise Light might just get me for the night.”

Light was one of the better nightclubs she had gone to the nights prior. Sofia was so used to the calm, the classy, and perfect music, to her, of ensembles and musical theaters that the casino, although completely different, was still quite mellow to her. It didn’t offer excitement though she knew that for someone that knew the games it would be heaven. The nightclub at least was crazy enough, and full of drugs and alcohol where she could be lost in its madness. Instead, she simply eyed the different tables from a distance, hoping something interesting caught her eyes. Spiritual pressure would do nothing really. Most people in the area were spiritually aware, and some were actually pretty noticeable in terms of power. Of course there was also the bouncers. None of them were stronger in spiritual potential than her, but if they all teamed up, it would be a nightmare. With no interest to misbehave just yet however, the Quincy seemed to be in the clear.

Coding By: [THEFROST]

The hollow certainly showed himself to be proficient in more than just rational thinking. He was skilled with his word choice, delicate with the delivery of his message yet welcomingly forward in the way he presented himself. It was hard to understand then what had caused her to view him so negatively the first time they met. It had likely been her still adamant disposition and the clinginess to her ideals that made her thought so. Regardless, Sofia found herself being much more accepting of his company, his words, and his thoughts.

“I’m pretty simple in that regard, I’ll eat almost anything, but I do have favorites.” As she said so, she would tap her glass against Yaksha’s own or even against the table if the aforementioned was not possible. At some point in time, perhaps at a younger, less mature age, the pickiness of the girl could have certainly shown thought. But, as time passed, as the encounters and the people she met changed her, so did her view and perspective on most things.

“It was a lovely conversation, but I’m done with my drinking for the night. You can still come though.”

Saying so, Sofia would huddle into the large multitude of souls dancing their lives away. Of course, she hid herself among them as if to veil what she did. She wasn’t hiding from Yaksha however. Hell, she expected him to come right along. Instead, she simply wasn’t completely okay with the idea that she was this kind of person already. The Quincy had never been the one to take up shots, go to a club, and least of all dance in such a lustful manner in a place full of insidious debauchery. Had Yaksha followed her along, the two would have been able to dance until at time at which the drinks and the haziness of the situation made him lose sight of her. Had he not chosen to go however, Sofia would have danced for hours nonetheless before scurrying away into the night, seemingly without a trace.

Nearly a Year Later

Such a long time had passed that her surroundings seemed like a distant memory of a life she never had. But at the same time, the notion that she had once been different seemed to elude her. After the encounters with Yaksha, the enduring battle against the Mana’s Goliath Shell, her meet up with Arianda, and with the Seal of Eris placed on her acting as a catalyst for change, the young Sofia had taken the necessary steps and steered herself into the direction she deemed best. Perfection. Unlike her demeanor before, the young girl was much more accepting nowadays of less righteous takes on different matters. She wasn’t evil. Not at all. But Sofia was no longer all goodness either. Instead of overtaking her and swallowing her whole into oblivion of darkness and evil, the Seal only helped her unseal her true self and awaken to a more balance and natural self. And now, as she finally allowed herself the time to return from her self-imposed time of exile, despair was no more. Initially, the change was seen as daunting, and the anxiety it caused her was what triggered her to run away from everything and everyone related to her. But no more. She was perfect as she was, and she had a lot of things to do and things to see.

“Now what to do, what to do.” She pondered with a snickering smile as she strolled through the streets in the dawn of the night.

Coding By: [THEFROST]

"You could do me. That's always an option."

A purple-and-black corona formed just in front of Sofia, and from inside of it a remarkably pale, very tall man could be seen in silhouette, approaching the opening. He ducked down, and down, and down even further, to get through the opening...he must have stood at least ten feet tall, given his gait as he walked through an opening made for someone about the size of the quincy in front of him.

To call the man pale was an understatement, and injustice; he was a white blotch, something that almost seemed painful to the eyes to behold. There was an aggressive paleness there, something that seemed artificial in its intensity. Combined with his height, it made him look like a projection, some strange acid trip and not a real creature. It folded its arms over its chest, smirking at her with a smug, almost knowing delight, and then gestured towards a nearby building. It was, by Vegas standards, remarkably plain. Others had engaged in a never-ending arms race to become bigger and flashier, to make themselves look like an appealing place to go and scratch an itch. By comparison, this place looked...plain. Like a business center, where people would sit in cubicles, and go about typing at computers until the day was complete.

"Join me for the night. I guarantee you won't walk away disappointed. And while we sit, and drink, and talk, we can discuss a business proposition. And then, just maybe, we can discuss a more pleasant proposition."

There was a simple, rich delight in every word spoken by this...thing, as if the very act of speaking was something it cherished deeply, and considered sacred. Its eyes twinkled with mirth, its tongue faintly escaped from its mouth for a few moments, before returning, and then it turned without waiting for an answer, walking towards the cube slowly.

"Sofia Montero. As I live and breathe. I was beginning to despair you'd ever find your way back to us. Please. Let us twist your arm."