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Date Posted: 23:39:24 05/29/02 Wed
Author: Tiara
Subject: "Gracious Charmer" - Chapter One

Well here it is...Chapter One of the CryFic I promised you...if I get comments I'll write more :-) But for now, enjoy... *crosses fingers that the HTML comes out all right*



">http://www.boomspeed.com/mydemand/gclogo.jpg>
A Cryfic by Tiara 2k2-4eva
Based on "Gracious Charmer" by Cry
Song lyrics (c) original songwriters
Story and doll (c) Tiara 2k2-4eva
Doll created at TheDollPalace.Com
Errors and Omissions Excepted

Chapter One

When moonlight crawls along the street / Chasing away the summer heat / Footsteps outside somewhere below / The world revolves I let it go
- Insatiable, Darren Hayes


A soft cooling breeze glided through Adrian's hair as he walked along the illusively busy streets of Kowloon City at midnight. The roads were left barren and empty; yet the air was filled with cacophonies of techno music and screeches of wannabe karaoke stars destroying Engelbert Humperdink’s work. Surely the nightlife was being lived to the fullest, just like the glowing moon illuminating the scenery.

Adrian barely perceived the noise though...he was deep in thought over lyrics and melodies; he had just formed a band with some friends from school and already his muse was working overtime. He had been writing a few tunes for a while now...but his mind needed a little rest, so Adrian decided to take a walk about town. Easier still to go out tonight since his sister was on holiday at the moment and could not stop Adrian from his travels.

Adrian looked around and saw a medieval-looking building glowing curiously by candlelight; rays of violet and green slipping past the windows at the side. What’s this? Adrian wondered, as he got closer to the building. A nightclub? Pub? Someone’s house? As he got closer, he heard eerie music pass through the walls...wails of the night and harrowing strings entrancing those who passed by...and dared to enter...

Cautiously he approached the wrought metal door; two girls of polar opposites caught his eye. One looked like a mannequin from a bondage store; the other, a character off an Anne Rice novel. Adrian stopped in fear...guards? Bouncers? Callgirls? Instinctively he reached for his I.D....I just turned 19, I should be legal enough...he was going to pull it out when he heard a whisper of conversation between the two.

“So Cherry...let in him?”
“He does not seem regular, Tantina. And there are no references.”
“There’s a first time for everyone.”
“But him? Is he suitable?”
“Hmm...looks suitable enough. Will adjust easily.”
“But he seems so young...”
“Young self, young soul, yes. But he will mature quickly.”
“Positive?”
“When haven’t I been?”
“All the time.”
“Goodness.”
“So let him in?”
“Let him in.”

The two girls pushed the door open ever so slightly...Adrian glanced quickly at them before walking through...even as he walked, he could sense their prying eyes watching him closely. He got to the other side...and gasped in awe at the world that lay before him.

It looked like a vampire’s mansion...the walls and furniture – lots of sofas here and there – were lined with crimson velvet fabric; the violet and green rays creating spotlights across the room. Elaborate chandeliers hung from the ceiling, which was barely a metre taller than Adrian. An ornate bar stood in one corner, lined with goblets of gold and silver and bottles that looked like they dated to the 17th century. Adrian realized that the music being played was Gothic in nature...deep, dark, haunting. There was a band at one side, a turntable at the other...both working in sync to provide the atmosphere of this strange world. The people were just as interesting...mostly clad in blacks and reds; almost all covered in pale skin with kohl circling their eyes. There were two groups of people there, clothed like the two girls at the door...daring, or demure. Adrian felt a little awkward; he did not know anyone, or looked like anyone. Were the two girls outside discussing his worthiness of entering? If they did, Adrian must be worth a lot; he got in. Adrian left the thought behind and took a seat at that ornate bar, watching the people being hallucinated by the music and the lights.

There's a pureness in security / To me / In my mind / Watching all my precious time slip away
- 101, Cry


It was about half-an-hour since Adrian entered that room...or so he felt; time passes slowly when one’s lonely. He wasn’t to be lonely for long though...a dark figure spun towards him, his cape flying through space and enveloping Adrian ever so slightly...

“Ah, bonjour monsieur! I ‘ev not seen you here before. You muxt be zee new one, no? Well anyways, I am zee Count Roberto de Sanchozville, and I own zee place! Welkommen, welkommen! Now you be good, becauze if you be good then you will be safe, but if you be bad...ah, the Count will breathe his fire at you! Ah, now you don’t want zee that to happen, dzo you?”

Adrian froze in sheer terror as the stranger twirled in front of him. Who IS he??? And why does he want to breathe fire on me??? What’s going on??? Just as he felt that the ‘count’ was about to pounce on him, another person approached the count and stopped him in mid-twirl.

“Stop it, you nut, you’re scaring the young lad.”
“But I was jes zee welkommening heeem...”
“Well he’s already been welcomed. Now scram before you scare someone else.”
“Allright, allright, no need to get zee pants in a flap...”

The other person sighed and turned to a very dumbstruck Adrian. “Sorry ‘bout that. Roberto’s has gone absolutely mad again. Well, well...new here huh?”

Adrian took a closer look at the stranger that ‘saved’ him...it was a girl, about his height...her hair streaked in the same crimson shade as the walls...decked in a long black coat with a black top and a maroon corset peeking through, as well as a pair of tight leather pants that revealed skin at the side. She differed slightly from her counterparts as her skin had a little colour...peachy and slightly tanned compared to the ivory of the others. Adrian wondered about her age...she didn’t look very young, yet she didn’t look quite old either...somehow, to Adrian, she seemed timeless.

“Must be. Never seen you round. And believe me, I’ve seen everyone. How did you get in?”
“Erm...I don’t know. They just looked at me and opened the door, so I went in.”
“Cherry and Tantina? Those two?”
“Those are their names?”
“Pretty much. Unless they’re under the Witness Protection Program. Or have gone mad like ‘Monsieur Count’ there. Did they see the I.D.?”
“Err...I didn’t get to show them...do you need it?”
“Goodness, no...we don’t usually ask for I.D.s here. But sometimes those two can get too much into the bouncer mood. Know what I mean?”
“Yeah...I guess so...sort of.”
“Ah well. So...how’s it like here for you so far?”
“Erm...it’s cool...quite intriguing...scary...”
“Ah forget about the Count. Trust me, the rest of us are a whole lot saner.”
“I hope so. It stills seems odd though...odd when you don’t know anyone.”
“Well, now you’ll know me.”

The girl took Adrian’s hand and gave it a little shake. “Keira Deralynn. Nice to meet you.” Adrian didn’t know what to do except give her a handshake back.

“Adrian...Adrian da Silva...hi.”
“Hey. And welcome. Lovely name, Adrian.”
“Thanks. Where are you from? You look a little different from everyone else...”
“Oh? It’s the hair isn’t it? So red and all...”
“No...not that...”
“Then?”
“Your skin...it’s a little darker...everyone else looks so...”
“Drained? Haha, I know...I was born with this skin anyway and I wasn’t going to get rid of my blood just to look like porcelain. Or toothpaste. You don’t look all that pearly-white yourself.”
“Thank you...I think.”
“You should, it’s a compliment. How old are you anyway?”
“19...why?”
“Oh nothing, you just look like a 15-year-old, that’s all.”
“Oh okay...what about you?”
“Me? I’m 21.”
“No way. You look much younger!”
“Really? Thanks...”

19. Still young. Innocent. Pure. Hopelessly naïve. Full of energy though. Fell for the glamour. Looking good at the moment...

“Adrian...want me to show you around?” she asked after a while. Adrian nodded and tailed her as Keira weaved her way through the crowd. Her claims of having “seen everyone” seemed to be true...just about everyone in the room knew who Keira was. Even the DJ and the resident band.

“James...this is Adrian. Adrian, this is James. He’s the band’s bassist.”
“Hi James...”
“Hey Adrian. New blood huh, Keira?”
“Seems like it...”

Adrian shuddered in fear. New blood?

“Erm...Keira, James...new blood?” he asked cautiously. Keira and James looked at each other, then chuckled softly.

“Don’t worry, Adrian. It’s just Keira’s way of saying you’re a newcomer,” explained James. “She’s not going to drink your blood or anything...”

Or so he thinks.

Adrian gave a shy smile. “Oh I see...well, I’m in a band too.”

“Really?”
“Yeah...well it’s just me and my friends...playing in garages and stuff...”
“Interesting. Do you have a name?”
“Yeah – Cry. Bad huh?”
“Not really. Interesting actually. Our band’s called Tarot.”
“Tarot?”
“Yeah, as in the magic card. How’s that for a name?”
“It’s okay...”
“Thanks. Could do better though. What do you do in the band? Sing, play, write...”
“I do vocals. I play guitar too.”
“Ah cool. Own songs or covers?”
“Hmm...mostly covers but we do our own stuff too. I write the lyrics.”
“A lyricist! Interesting. What type of music?”
“Hmm...guitar rock...y’know, Radiohead, Suede...”
“Ah, you’re a man after my heart. Not many original bands here in Hong Kong I think. Too much Canto-soda-pop.”
“Hmm.”
“So, performing anywhere soon?”
“Not that I know of...we just started anyway, so...”
“I see. Well maybe you could play here someday, we’d really like to hear you.”
“Hmm maybe, we’ll consider that.”
“Might as well. Well James, nice talking to you, thank God you’re not being a zombie tonight!”
“Haha...you know I only become that when I’ve had too much Bloody Mary.”
“Whatever. See you.”

A musician! Songwriter too. So...he’s connected directly to soul. Some patches in his aura – brilliant. Just right for consumption.

Adrian and Keira returned to the bar, having met everyone there was to meet in this place (and then some). Keira snapped her fingers...immediately a tall, lanky man with a trenchcoat slided to where they were.

“Hey Barman...get me a Shirley Temple...and you?”
“Errm...I don’t drink...”
“What? Not even water? Just kidding. Tell you what, I’ll get you some Vanilla Coke. Non-alcoholic, and on the house.”
“So it’ll be one Shirley and one Van Coke?”
“Precisely. And make it quick.”
“Hey, you don’t have to...let me pay for it...”
“Don’t worry. Just let me handle things, okay? Besides, you’re new. It’s custom for the newcomer’s first drink to be from someone else.”
“Oh okay...sorry...”
“Don’t be sorry. It’s alright. Ah, I think our drinks are here.”

The Barman placed a tray with their drinks on the tabletop next to Keira’s arm. She took the two glasses and handed the dark one to Adrian, initiating a little “cheers” ritual before drinking her glass’s contents in one gulp. Adrian took small, slow sips...he glanced at his surroundings...strange, different...but oddly exciting and enticing...like my drink...

“So how do you like the place now that you’ve known it a little?”
“It’s cool...the people are nice...it’s entertaining, I guess...”
“So you like it?”
“I guess so. I mean, I don’t DISLIKE it...”
“That’s good enough. But is it good enough for you to return?”
“Return?”
“Yeah...the people here seemed to have accepted you. Won’t be a problem if you come more than once?”
“Well, I’ll try...can’t guarantee anything though.”
“Sigh. Ah well, we’ll see what comes up. What’s the time?”
“2:30 a.m....oh goodness, I really must be getting back. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I don’t really expect you to spend the night here anyway. Had a good time?”
“Sure did. Thanks, Keira.”
“No prob. Good luck, Adrian, and watch out for the Count on the way out...”
“Ah! You are zee leaving right now??? But it iz too soon! The Count has not showed you hiz fire-breathing capability!!!”
“Damn, spoke too soon. Buzz off, Roberto. You can show him your ‘fire-breathing capability’ later.”
“He iz zee returning?”
“Most likely. But I doubt he would if you continue scaring him like that.”
“Oh it’s okay...I’m fine with it...really.”
“Well, good. Do keep yourself safe. Goodnight.”
“Bye.”

He’s bound to return. I’ve got him hooked. Perfect.

Adrian walked out of that ornate door, glancing at Cherry and Tantina before turning right and walking back home, guided only by the dim streetlights. He was a little tired, but he was fine...that night was definitely one of the more interesting ones.

Hmm...that place was cool. So was Keira. Though the Count was a bit scary. The atmosphere was brilliant. Maybe...maybe I should return.

End Of Chapter One




So how was it? Comments please! -Tiara

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