Renegade [OPEN]

[Ryan Moretti]

Oh Mama I'm in fear for my life from the long arm of the law
Lawman has put an end to my runnin' and I'm so far from my home
Oh Mama I can you you crying, you're so scared and all alone
Hangman's coming down from the gallows and I don't have very long

Another night, another bar.

That's all Ryan seemed to be doing everyday now. It was always the same; arrive in town for a few weeks, hit up a different bar every night, and then on to the next town. There hadn't been any more attempts on his life, but the death of his mother, or rather foster-mother, had shaken him. Suddenly everything in his world was upside down, and nothing made sense anymore.

If gods and demigods were real...then what else was waiting out there? It was a whole brave new world, and Ryan was a renegade who just wanted things to go back to the way they were.

So it was kind of ironic that Ryan found himself tonight at this particular bar. Though it looked normal for the most part, that other part of him sensed what his human side couldn't; there was a dark, otherwordly pulse that seemed to beat through the club, and in itself radiated from most of the patrons. He could feel that same pulse inside himself, almost as if it were reaching out in the presence of others. Damn, stupid heritage.

Finding his way over to the bar, Ryan leaned on the counter, and waved over the bartender. "Double of whiskey, straight up," he mumbled, running his hands through his hair stressfully.

Thankfully the bartender here was quick. In no time he was back, earning a grateful nod from Ryan, on top on an extra tip. Without even thinking, he quickly downed the whiskey, relishing the sweet burning that spread through his chest. These days it took a lot to get him wasted, so he had a long ways to go.

And what the hell. The night was just beginning anyway.

[ross]

As the little blonde walked into the club things just seemed to lighten and the mood brighten, turning more festive. Those that could sense the shift looked around uneasily, the employees recognizing the perky little woman dressed festively in a crimson red, off the shoulder dress that hung asymmetrically on her curvy figure, the handkerchief skirt of the dress fluttering and moving this way and that around those shapely legs as she walked in.

She'd come looking to surprise her favorite shifter. She wasn't sure what it was, those pesky Fates being so smug and refusing to tell her what was up. Call waiting... as if. That old bag didn't have a beep on the other line! She just didn't want to tell Ross what was up.

There was no sense of Wulf in the bar at the moment. Running late? Or held up elsewhere? Those Fates had thrown a lot at him these days. Workaholics...they wouldn't know a party if it bit them in the ass.

Pausing at the dance floor on her way to the bar Ross took a turn or two as she let her gifts seep out further and further into the bar as she was spun from dancer to dancer, men cutting in to dance with the hot little number in the devil red dress and the wicked high heels to match. Her dangly little cherry shaped earrings sparkled as the lights hit the rubies, emeralds, and diamonds that colored the whimsical jewelry. Her hair was stylishly mussed as she laughed, throwing her head back, those in her immediate vicinity unable to resist laughing with her.

Her gift of gaiety trickled out over the patrons and employees alike to varying degrees, bringing smiles to faces and changing the atmosphere from dark, broody and dangerous to something more frivolous and light.

With one last spin from a dance partner she left the dancefloor laughing and blowing a kiss to the big burly biker man that had been doing a surprisingly good tango with her on the floor and headed to the bar for a drink. A hand waved to the 'tender she smiled brightly as she rested on the stool next to Ryan "Ooooh darling?" she called out to the intimidating looking bartender, not flinching a bit as his raised eyebrow. The man clearly thought the Boss' newest little lady was a bit off her rocker but seemed harmless enough.

"Bring me one of those scrumptious little drinks with the rum and the coconut milk and oooh..can you put one of those little umbrellas in it. Those are just so adorable. Like a sun umbrella for mice!"

Something tickled her senses though and she turned her eyes toward the source, looking right at Ryan as she looked him up and down. He felt...familiar as she squinted a little. "Do I know you handsome?" she asked. "Cause there is just something very familiar about you." she said as she gestured around his face with a finger, circling it slowly.

[Ryan Moretti]

Ryan was already nursing his third drink when he felt it. The entire atmosphere of the club just seemed to shift, stepping up a beat. The same pounding, beat-incensed music was playing, but something else was working its magic over the club. The dark broodiness had vanished, replaced by some kind of...giddy gaiety. All those auras of lust and carnal desire were gone, and instead everyone was laughing, almost as if they'd all simultaneously fallen under the high of the same drug.

Even Ryan could feel the influence touching him, trying to illicit the same reaction as the rest of the club-goers. Though he felt his spirits rise, and that depressed air he was nursing dissipate, he wasn't caught under the spell to the same extreme as everyone else. Well, being what he was had to come in handy at some point, now didn't it?

As if on cue, a petite little whirlwind danced up beside him, leaning on the bar playfully. She seemed to encompass the entire mood that had settled over the club, almost to the extreme. It was like the happiness and laughter just rolled off her, and infected everything in her vicinity.

The bartender noticed this too, and eyed her strangely, nevertheless going with the flow and fetching her that girly little drink she was babbling on about. Just who the hell was this girl?

And then, it was like reality set in for her. She glanced over at Ryan, a playful smile dancing on her features. Apparently she though he looked familiar somehow; how though, he had no idea. He'd never seen this girl in his life.

Still slightly in awe of her strangeness, Ryan sat there agape for a moment, before snapping back to reality. "Unless you like bar hopping as much as I do, I doubt it," he joked casually, giving in slightly to that natural high gripping the scene. "I mean, there's many nights that I don't remember too much, but I think a...pretty lady such as yourself would have made a big impression." He smiled at her warmly.

Truth be told, she did seem slightly familiar...somehow. He couldn't put his finger on it. But something inside him recognized her, just as she seemed to recognize him. But as far as his memory went, he was drawing a complete, utter blank.

[ross]

His words of flattery drew a soft chuckle from the little Grace as she heard them and winked. "Flattery will get you everywhere my dear." she informed him before sipping the Pina Colada and settling herself more on the stool.

Ross shook her head, eyes narrowing a little as she leaned in towards Ryan, smelling the air around him, taking in his essence. 'Tasting' it was the closest comparison that one could have to the experience of how the Goddess peeled away the layers of the aura that encapsulated him and emanated from his being. There was really no other human comparison to it, more like how a snake tastes the air with it's tongue to smell.

As the layers peeled away and the familiarity of her family lineage hit her she drew in a soft gasp and her eyes widened as she drew back and looked at Ryan closely, scrutinizing him carefully. "It can't be!" she whispered in disbelief as she stared at him open mouthed, almost dropping her frosty girly drink.

Her hazel eyes took on a bronzish hue as she glanced around the club, reigning in her powers and leaving the place a little less festive as she worried that some of the other Olympians might be about. That just wouldn't do.

For either of them!

Leaning closer to him once more she reached out and touched his face at the jawline and drew that finger along it to his chin. "But it's true...there's no other explanation. I had heard that this had happened but I thought it was just gossip and well Dad being in a tizzy again." She dropped her hand from his chin and made a dismissive wave of her hand. "That in itself isn't that unusual. He's a moody sort but... I never dreamed that Artie would really...Oh my Stars!"

Her drink forgotten she reached forward and took his cheeks in hand and gave him a kiss on the forehead suddenly before drawing back with a huge smile across her face, her eyes dancing with merriness as they shimmered more towards a greenish shade that bordered on blue. "And so handsome too. Just look at you. That fella must've been a real looker to snag her eye."

A proud auntie she looked at the grown nephew of her sister's loins with happiness spilling over from the brim before ruffling his hair a bit.


"Oh and just listen to me rattling on and you don't even know who I am." she said with a little intake of air and clasped her hands together under her chin as she beamed at him. Clearly she wasn't one of the hunters or assassins sent to hunt this poor thing. Not with the way she was looking at him.

"I'm your Aunt Ross! Well...Euphrosyne technically but down here I just go by the other um.. I ..well..I'm not really supposed to be here either. Our little secret you understand? But oh just look at you! I could just eat you up you're so cute!"

[Ryan Moretti]

What. The. Hell.

At first Ryan merely sat there, completely and utterly lost in whatever the hell this woman was babbling on about. He assumed that somehow she recognized him, with the way she was going on about everything. But he couldn't understand one thing she was saying.

Her dad? Artie? Who was she talking about?

It seemed as though however she recognized him, had her surprised as well. But at the same time, she had this expression of happiness, and almost admiration. As if to cement that expression, she grabbed his cheeks, and kissed him on the forehead.

And then it started to sink in. Artie was Artemis, his apparent mother. And if that was that case, that meant her father was...Zeus. Oh crap.

But it didn't seem like she wanted to kill him or anything, with the way she basically jumping for joy, and acting like a proud aunt. And then she went on to explain just who she was, apparently registering Ryan's confusion on the subject. Thank god.

His Greek mythology was a little rusty (he made a mental note to brush up on it later), but he vaguely remembered the Goddess Euphrosyne. She was supposed to be the Goddess of joy and mirth; that made sense, taking into account the attitude that had washed over the club. And she certainly was bubbly enough.

Well, at least both of them in were the same boot. She wasn't supposed to be down on earth, and he wasn't supposed to exist. Which meant, being where they were, they were both defying the natural order.

Staring at her absentmindedly, Ryan tried to take the influx of information in. "So you're my...aunt?" he mumbled. Despite being dumbfounded slightly, he was careful to stay alert; after all, if luck had her here, who else might be sitting around the corner?

Fate just had a nasty way of toying with him, now didn't it?

"I'm sorry..." He shook his head a little bit. "This is...it's a lot to take in. I barely understand what hell is going on...so pardon me if i'm kind of at a loss for words..."

[ross]

Looking at his confused face she couldn't help but laugh. The poor dear was positively perplexed. She took his hands in hers and smiled at him.

"Of course you are but lucky for you, you have your dearest Auntie around to help you out." she reassured him with a wink. Of course with the little Grace, no one ever knew what might happen next. It was sort of her forte.

She just beamed at him, taking in his features. "You have her lips you know. And her eyes. But ooh.. that's right. You've never seen her have you? Oh you poor thing. Raised like a mortal. But it was necessary I mean wow..when Pops gets into a snit he REALLY gets into a snit. Takes forever to calm down. Heck.. poor Prometheus spent forever on that mountain side with those nasty little birds ripping at him just for giving the humans fire. I mean.. come on. It's fire. Even Pop's thunderbolts would cause that now and then."

With a roll of her eyes at the silliness of her family she released his hands to reach for her drink and sipped through the straw. "So I can hardly blame Artie for keeping you and your dad a secret. You know she never told anyone who the hunter was? Not a soul. Heck most of us thought it was just a rumor that you even existed and you know how gossipy we can be.You wouldn't think it would be that unusual with how much it happens, even among the Gods. Pops alone has fathered more illegitimate kids than an NBA player!"

With a little sigh she patted his hand. "But don't you worry, I'll help keep an eye on you. Oh! and here. Take this. If you ever need me just hold it in your hand and think my name, the real one not the one on the card that is, and I'll come to you." she said as she reached in her purse and drew out a little pink business card that had her human alias on it in scrolling script.

Ross Grant - Party Planner

It was lightly scented with nectar and ambrosia, much like the woman herself, that immortal Olympian thing with the scent. Sweet and comforting.

"Oh and you need to be careful. There's a lot of Others here wandering around this city. All sorts of creatures, different realms. Some are alright, some are..", she sighed dreamily as she thought of her big bad wolf and grinned. "..some are just delicious. But others aren't so great and it'd be best to avoid if you know what I mean. You can sense them right?"

It was one of those 'Duh' questions to her. She assumed that all the Olympians could do it but Ryan was a bit human too. It was so hard to be sure. At least with Max he came from pure Olympian blood. He should be able to sense them and hide from them a bit.