Balroggs Ballroom, an interesting name for what basically amounted to an above ground sewer of humanity. Bliss had decided to leave her cycle parked behind the hospital and walk. It was safer there and it beat having to push yet another corpse off her bike. She idly toyed with the idea of installing a less fatal security system on her bike but quickly decided against it. The system worked, so why fix it. Out of the corner of her eye she saw an arm shooting out to block her path. She neatly sidestepped it while growling, "Not interested." She kept on walking hoping the guy would take the hint. A meaty hand descended to her shoulder. Bliss dipped down, spun and took a step back. The goon gripped empty air. His intended target now facing him and looking none too happy. Bliss looked the guy up and down doing her best not to laugh. It wasn’t often one saw a man as bulky as this fellow dressed in what looked like lavender colored leather. Thigh boots, pants, studded criss-crossing straps for a top and gloves that went up to his elbows. A pale brow shot up of it’s own accord as she bit her bottom lip to keep from giggling.
"The Boss wants you." Mr. Lavender rumbled with a thumb jerk towards an alleyway.
Bliss shifter her body slightly so she could keep one eye on Mr. Lavender and still get a gander of the ‘Boss.’ A dark haired woman waggled her fingers at her. Another beefy fellow dressed in the same type of get up as Mr. Lavender stood behind her. His outfit was powder blue. The woman, or the ‘Boss’, was garbed in a full-length black evening gown. There was enough light for Bliss to see this woman was old enough to be her mother and the years had not been kind. "The boss wants me for what?" It was getting more difficult by the second to keep the laughter inside.
Mr. Lavender put his hands on his hips. "The boss ain’t got a blonde. She wants you."
That did it. Bliss couldn’t contain herself any longer, she burst out laughing. "No bloody way!" She could see the woman scowl at her. "No offense Ma’am, I don’t do women and even if I did, I’d still wouldn’t be wanting one older than my ma." It was insulting and Bliss knew it but she had said it that way on purpose. Mr. Lavender made a rumbling sound deep in his chest and took a step towards her. Bliss’ pistol was suddenly there, pointing at his chest. "Listen Sport, I’ve already got a date tonight. I also already have a job that doesn’t require me to dress like, like…. Man, I don’t know what to call it, but it’s bloody silly looking." She made sure her voice would carry to the ‘Boss.’ "And if you make me late for my appointment I’m going to make sure my date knows it was you that made me so. There can’t be too many folks about that resemble you three. I’m quite sure Siena will be able to locate you." It was a gamble and an experiment, mentioning Siena’s name. She’d either end up free and clear of in the middle of a firefight. His name was no sooner out of her mouth then Mr. Lavender took several steps back.
"Don’t want no trouble with that loony." He moved hastily back towards his boss.
Bliss kept her pistol trained on him the whole time. His boss glared at her. Obviously the woman didn’t believe that she was meeting with Siena. Sending a toothy smile the Boss’s way Bliss drawled, "Do run along before I become annoyed and decide to shoot you just to see if your blood matches your silly get ups." A brittle sounding chuckle escaped her lips. It was enough. The Boss and her pastel play toys disappeared down the alley. Bliss walked backwards down the street a few paces. "It’s gonna be one of those nights." She turned while holstering her weapon. "Who am I kidding? It’s already been one of those nights and it shows no sign of letting up anytime soon."
One stop to make before the meeting at Club Abyss. She turned left down a side street less than a block from the club. A good-sized bonfire came into view. Bliss strolled towards it with a casual air. The Firemen’s turf. Even on the hottest night of the year they had their bonfire going. No one knew or asked where they got the fuel for the fire. Rumor around the Ballroom was that the fire was of a magical origin. Started towards the close of the Great War by a desperate mage. It was whispered that as long as a member of the mage’s family line fed the fire with his or her blood once a year the fire would keep burning, with or without fuel. Bliss didn’t put much stock in the rumor, but she didn’t put much stock in magic either. She kept those opinions to herself when dealing with Blaze, the current leader of the Fire Dragons. All the Firemen had names like that, Blaze, Pyre, Flame, Tinder, Drake. All based either on fire or dragons. She thought it was a bit strange but she wasn’t one to talk. With a name like Bliss Lovejoy one did not throw stones at other folks because of theirs.
She felt more then heard someone step up behind her. "Evening Blaze. How goes tonight’s dance?"
"Shoot girl! I was trying to surprise ya." His tone was good-natured but then it always was even when he was about to shoot someone. "Evenin’ ya’ self Sweet Bliss. Didn’t think you was gonna make it tonight."
Bliss let a grin spread across her face as Blaze fell in step beside her. "Said I would didn’t I." She noted that Blaze was shirtless. He was showing off his tattoo again. The body art was of what he claimed was fire dragon. It covered his back and his chest as if the dragon was wrapped around him. It was a well-done tattoo in Bliss’ opinion. Each Fireman had a tattoo of a similar red colored dragon some where on their body but of the ones she had seen Blaze’s was the best. The scales on the dragon seem to shimmer in the firelight. It almost seem to move of it’s own accord at times. "What made you think I wouldn’t show?"
Blaze gave a small shrug. "Heard there was a shoot out at the hospital. Knew ya hang there." He nodded to the members of his band assembled around the fire. "Thought ya might have been recycled."
A chuckle drifted out of her mouth. "Wasn’t involved in it directly. Just watched. No one got recycled except a few cult wannabes." She reached into a pocket of her duster. "As promised, a fire stick." She held the item out to him. It wasn’t a cigarette lighter but a device that was once used to light stovetops, now they were used to light flame-throwers. Firemen used them to ‘breath fire.’ They’d take a swig of some sort of flammable fuel and light it on fire while spitting it out in a spray. Bliss thought it was a pretty cool trick but had little interest in learning it herself even if Blaze insisted on teaching it to her. She’d seen what happened when the timing was wrong. "How is Pyre doing?"
"He’ll live, but he still can’t talk." Blaze took the fire stick with a chuckle. "May never have to listen to his loud mouth again. That salve ya gave us is helping a lot with the burns to his mouth. He can eat a bit now. First thing ya learn in fire breathing, don’t inhale. Least ways his lungs didn’t get charred, that’s a plus."
Bliss nodded, her eyes following the ring of gang members dancing around the bonfire. "I thought he sneezed at the wrong time."
A laugh burst out of Blaze. "Mang, that was funny. Ya should ha’ seen it Sweet’ums. You gonna hang wit’ us for a while tonight? Come dance wit’ me?" He gave her his best winsome smile.
"Can’t Blaze, got an appointment at Club Abyss in a bit. Don’t want to be late." She couldn’t help grinning back at him. "I’ve got a little time before I’m supposed to be there so I can hang for a while."
"Thought ya hated that place, said it gave ya a headache. Must be an important appointment for you to be going in there." He shoved the fire stick in his back pocket. "If ya find anymore of these sticks bring ‘em by, we could use ‘em." He reached out and took a hold of her hand. "Now come dance wit’ me for a while before your appointment." His voice lowered to a hushed whisper. "Come learn the way of the fire. Hear it’s voice whisper to ya. Learn the fire’s secrets."
Bliss let him lead her to the fire. She let the pounding beat of the drums fill her ears as she watched Blaze begin to dance. If nothing else the Firemen knew fire. They were the best arsonists in the Ballroom. It was said that they could make stone burn if they chose to do so. She let her body sway to the beat as she shot Blaze a wicked grin. Mimicking his movements she followed him around the fire. As her confidence grew her own dance began much to Blaze’s delight. For a brief time there was nothing but the drums, the dance and the fire and Bliss reveled in it. This deal she’d struck with Blaze and his crew was a good one for her. She’d teach them to read, a skill lost a generation ago, and they would teach her the art of the fire. Bliss danced closer to the fire, her body writhing in time with the drums, a dark smile spreading across her features. Anyone could start a fire but how many knew how to make it dance to their tune, she would know and soon.
All Times of Tribulation information, places, and ideas are copyrighted by their creator Todd Rourke.
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Friday, June 04, 2010