Club NightStar

New York never stops being New York huh?
 
I mean, sure, obviously. The whole place is New York, but it's more... Still the same, no matter what. Like the people. They just keep going.
 
Honey Badger led us on down and away from the shining lights, and it was like the city changed on the block. It was still New York though.
 
The towers stood tall and the crowd was pushing, there were shouts and people trying to grab your attention. It's New York! Everybody's got a dream, everybody's gonna do all they can to get it.
 
But it's dark here.
 
Places that never really recovered from the darkening. Some rebuilt, some remodeled, some didn't bother. The hum of generators fills the air, and the aura of a more desperate people. Of a hungry people.
 
It's still New York. Just not one you'd think.
 
 
 
It was Honey Badgers idea.
 
We won! We actually managed to get away with a shard, and run wild! First real victory in a hot minute by the sounds of it! So, why not celebrate? Go clubbing, drag us along, make the most of it.
 
Scarlet Sprite was against it, more focused on tuning that bike of hers. Eh! Everyone relaxes differently, and goodness knows we need it after that mess. She offered instead a roadhouse down the way. But, ain't a club, dancefloor or no, so we split. Her off on her tractor to the roadhouse, me and Honey Badger on back to a club.
 
Seemed to be a place she knew too, least it looked that way, weaving in and out from streets as she was. Did my best just working to keep up! Tails. Ain't the best at that!
 
Still, gave me some time at least to look around. The city, I mean. It was ... Well, it was still New York like I said. But it's more, close?
 
The people. The shops. The light, the fights, the grime. It made people hunker together in the dark. Markets that cropped up and moved. People.... Who were there. Not lost a million miles from where they were.
 
If it weren't for the air of worry and threat, might even be nice, that honesty.
 
 
 
But, soon enough we rounded the corner to the right place. You could tell cause of the music. Not quite muted, and not so electrical as most clubs might be. Sounded like a live band.
 
Club Nightstar. Named thanks to the old neon sign of stars, long long since dead. Too expensive to keep it running, or maybe it was just a good marker? No clue.
 
Either way, it looked to be one of the few Clubs that still ran this late in the Darkened part of the city. No better place.
 
 
 
Inside, it was dark. Who'd have guessed, darkened part of the city is dark! Congrats. Still, it was more an.... Aesthetic dark. Six, seven lights ran, all dim and low. Enough to see some, but the details, the people, the shapes? Gone. Nothing in that low light.
 
Simple. Tables were occupied or not. The dance floor was a thronging mass of people, of limbs, of motion. Silhouettes took the seats, bar stools stood empty. Who you are, thrown away in the welcome embrace of the dark.
 
Sweat and cheap alcohol burned the nose, indistinct loud punk music assaulted the ears, touch mangled by spills unseen and bodies left unmoving by rest or drunkenness. With the dark, the place thrumbed like it was Alive.
 
It was exciting. Exhilarating. Unknowable and Intentional.
 
 
 
We took a seat, or at least I did. Needed a moment to just reel at the whole of it. Honey Badger though? She took to it with aplomb. Here, she was alive! Same sort of drive I saw to beat IREA into the dirt, now just directed to Living in the moment.
 
What, thought I said it was hard to keep an eye on people? It was! Is really. But she just carries herself different than most. She strikes a strong figure, even in the dark. Good figure too. Hard not to notice her.
 
I drank, she danced. No song sounding half as sweet as the next. Just living for a moment, a world away from home.
 
 
... Heh, careful. Don't get all melancholy on me.
 
 
Lucky, Honey Badger caught sight of me. Drink, warm fries, and a bar stools are nice, but that ain't clubbing. Not to me, and certainly not to her.
 
Shoved me off, probably cursing something I couldn't make out, full glad for food and a warm seat. I got the message and made for the dance floor.
 
Now, I'll let you know this. Dancing? It involves movement of the legs. A hell of a lot of it. Lacking those? Eh, not the best. But, this was a writhing mass of people lost in the music, in the drink, in the motion.
 
So didn't matter if my dance was more arms and swaying, and rhythm. Sure, a few tripped, some even on a accident! But people laughed, and kept going.
 
Shoot, pretty sure I laughed too.
 
Guess that's when I let my guard down. No, wasn't attacked. But just... I let go of the worry for a bit. Wasn't Kyle, far from home. Wasn't Siren, fighting for a cause. Was just a guy, having fun, making a fool of myself.
 
 
 
We ate. Nasty, greasy, hot food. Badger complained it was nothing compared to the stuff at home. I agreed. Drank bitter and strong drink, pretty sure Honey Badger mocked me for wincing, heavens only know how she saw. Danced.
 
Can't remember much past that. There was another club, something with purples and ugly darker shades. Somewhere, I threw up. Pretty sure someone threw a punch at us at one point? Or maybe we throw the punch first.
 
It's a haze. A blur of simple, dark, pleasant half memories now.
 
 
 
Still.
Doesn't help the hangover.
Maybe I can find a nice dark lake to sleep this shit off.