2199/Verdant: The first walkthrough with a friend

Verdant: The first walkthrough with a friend
Date of Scene:	23 June 2020
Location:	Warehouse in Starling City
Synopsis:	First walkthrough with a friend!
Cast of Characters:	Alexander Aaron, Thea Queen

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Alexander Aaron has posed:
    The little snippet of information in the text message was really not much at all. It had the requisite smiling emoji, a few abbreviations, an acronym or two, but the main thing that drew Alexander's attention was the sender... and that there was an address connected to it. An address that wasn't familiar at all. But it did lend a recollection towards a conversation...
    So it was with a due sense of friendly obligation that the young Olympian wandered out of his studies, breaking his usual schedule and heading off into the city to find that address and the sender of the message. He fit in with the evening crowd, just another teen with his t-shirt and sneakers and blue jeans, and that ubiquitous backpack that seems to follow him along wherever he goes...
    Only for him to emerge from the subway station, to wander down the street checking his phone now and again until finally...
    Behold.
    Thea's Stuff.

Thea Queen has posed:
It's been hell in the world. Washington, DC has been attacked by aliens and a large chunk of NYC has been stolen by those self-same aliens. As in, an entire neighborhood has been torn up and pulled onto a spaceship (presumably) and taken away into space.

And there's not a whole lot Thea Queen can do about it.

So, what she can do, however, is make her place in the world a little better for her City, Starling City. And to do that, she needed a warehouse. Now, duly purchased and emptied of bad guys, all the place is is, well, a very empty warehouse. The steel poles are buried deep in cold concrete, and there are cast iron stairs that lead upstairs to a loft-type office space. The window on the upper floor is boarded up with plywood..

In all? The place is cavernous.

It all belongs to Thea, who couldn't be prouder.

Thea is actually outside, sitting on the front steps, dressed in a bare-midriff cling shirt, designer jeans and sporting platform sandals. Her legs are on the second step down, giving her a slightly hunched pose. In perfectly manicured hands, a cell phone is played with, her thumbs flying over the keypad as she messages. "Front... there... hey!"

The moment that message is sent, it's obvious that Thea's caught sight of her friend, and she smiles widely as she gets up onto her feet.

"Hey, you." She'll take a step forward to offer a quick hug. "How're classes?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    A quirk of a grin lights Alexander's features as he slips easily into that embrace. Just a quick hug given and then withdrawn as he rests his hands upon her hips to step back to arm's length and give her a once over. His head bobs once then he murmurs, "They're... classes? I think with everything going down they're taking it easy. One professor sort of shut down and just gave us the tests to study. So yeah..."
    Alexander's eyes lift to ponder the building behind her, then those curious hazel irises return to her as he murmurs, "Quality education. If I told my dad he'd flip his lid for them wasting his money like that." Since, of /course/ Alexander isn't exactly paying his way. A job? Pfft.
    "So this is the thing, huh?" He asks as he slips to the side, hands on his own hips now as he ponders the warehouse. "It..."
    A beat as he ponders, considers, then finally murmurs.
    "Has potential?" There, that's a nice thing to say.

Thea Queen has posed:
Thea looks honestly happy to see Alexander. A real friend, after all... not someone Oliver is training. Or someone that has to pass the muster... but one of her own choosing that she gets to keep. "Yeah," and her tone sobers a little, "Really? Kinda scary. But, I guess only the home grown creeps want to ruin Starling. No one else'll have us."

That's about as long as that is, however, before Thea reaches out to gently swat at Alex. "Potential? I think it's lovely. C'mon.." Reaching out a hand for him to take it, she's opening the door to the grand... emptiness that is the warehouse, soon(ish) to be Verdant.

She'll cross the threshold, and gestures with a free hand, "Look at it. And that loft office? It's perfect for a DJ perch."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Is, indeed, a friend that she can keep. He is like the very first pokemon she can claim at the start of the game but with a broader vocabulary. That said, however, he chews his lower lip as his eyes lift upward, then along the lines of the bones of that building. His eyebrows lift, "Super scary." He says, even though for him fear is not as much an issue as for some.
    "Yup, potential." He adds, but then she's taking his hand and they're pushing open the door and into the threshold they wander. She motions to the potential Deejay Perch and his eyes flit over there, then back, then around the room. His warm hand slides out of her grip as he turns and walks in a slow circle. "I could..."
    He motions with a nod, "See the bar being over there?" His head tilts curiously, then he looks back to her. "And maybe there a conversation sorta... nook? Lounge? What is it they call those things where people get to smoke?"

Thea Queen has posed:
She's like a proud mother.. without having to deal with the issue of, well, childbirth and rearing. Ew? Thea closes the heavy steel door behind them, and reaches to turn on the bank of switches that are lights. While the skylights do illumine the place, the lights do a much better job. Thea grins again and shrugs, "Gotta have power to work."

Thea wanders in further into the cavernous room, and spins around to look where Alex walks and points. The smile is pasted on her face, and blue eyes are bright, easily echoing the emotion. "Yes," she agrees easily. And it's called a 'hookah'." Thea steps forward to stand next to her, "And I didn't even think of that. That would be perfect!"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    With the brilliance suddenly casting the entire room in a new light Alexander's eyes widen a little and he once again takes another visual survey. His eyebrows beetle for an instant, then he spins on one foot to look around rapidly... twice... three times...
    Then stops in a partial crouch with his arms out to his sides and he looks around a lil dizzy before he lifts a finger and points. "Yah you're right, deejay perch right there. Eyes go straight to it." His lips twist with a grin.
    "Hookah?" In some ways Alexander has seen /so much/ of the world, and had such a curious upbringing... that it might be amusing when he finds something he doesn't know about and a life experience that has escaped him. He crinkles his nose and says, "Those are for weirdos I think."
    Since maybe he has no idea what one is. Clearly for weirdos.
    A breath is taken, "I was meaning like... a lounge or something?"

Thea Queen has posed:
Thea watches, that grin still easily placed. When he comes in to 'land', as it were, and his eyes rise to the perch once more, she nods decisively and points, "Isn't it, though? No matter what you do, there's the draw."

She allows for an eyeroll and moves towards that imaginary 'lounge' area, and 'poses'. "Hookah. It's a .. smoking thing. Arabic, I think. It's got lots of hoses out of a single pot. And better? It's legal, and you can get a really great high." Speaking from experience, maybe? "Smoking lounge that's legal."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Ohhhhh," Alexander answers as she explains it and then his eyebrows rise up as it lends further light into a past experience he had. "Oh so /that's/ what the people were doing with it. Derp." He actually says derp as he starts to stroll along the warehouse, footsteps light as he moves and his hands slipping into the pockets of his blue jeans. That backpack still hangs off of one shoulder almost lazily so.
    "I mean I thought it was sort of like..." He pauses, perhaps not entirely sure what he thought it was, "Like a medicinal thing?"
    And likely that's the moment he catches Thea's eye and makes a face at her. "Don't give me crap, you. Jeez."
    He makes a face, "The whole... getting high thing isn't something I can do really." A beat, then he adds. "Well, easily. At least."

Thea Queen has posed:
Thea smiles with the admission, the double admission, the grin getting broader, which allows for a laugh at the end. Her hands rise as if to ward off any physical 'attack', adding, "Okay, okay. And no, I'm not going to try and see what it takes to get you high. I'm not like that." Cough.

"But," Thea wanders over to where the bar could be, as envisioned by Alex. "Bar here, dance floor," and she's on the move again, stepping lightly to the space that is between the iron staircases and more towards the 'outer' areas. "Here.. which means, if we can get a good act in, too, we can pack the place."

Blue eyes move back to Alex, her brows rising, "You think?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Arms folding over his chest, the blond youth lightly taps fingertips upon his bicep a few times in reflection. Then he flares those fingers even as the t-shirt settles around his athletic frame a little tighter than the way it hangs normally. He takes a deep breath, "I think... I've been in worse places that have been pretty successful seeming." A tilt of his head as he looks again toward the bar, "So I think you could make a run of it. Did my friend ever get back in touch with you? Last I heard from him he went on vacation..."
    He walks over toward the 'bar' area and turns around near the wall, checking the sightlines and he motions. "You can see lots of stuff from here, the dance floor and all. But hmmm..." Something seems to prey on his thoughts before he turns and tilts his head to her.
    "So what do you envision me doing in this whole shindig? Since I figure you're going to tap all your friends in some capacity." His lip twists, amused.
    "I figure I should throw my hat in so I get a decent pick of the jobs."

Thea Queen has posed:
Thea watches Alex as he moves; the time she hasn't seen him, he's.. changed a little? Growing into his own, more to it. "Well," And she looks down as she scuffs a platform sandal on the concrete floor, before she looks up again, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "I've got lots of spots open. Buyers. Bartenders. Bouncers. Entertainment organizers.. so, I'm thinking you're getting near the top of the pick. After my brother's girlfriend."

Thea walks over towards the stairs and sits down, letting her eyes move around the sight lines again. "Storage room'll have to be built, considering this place //was// one giant bit of storage room."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "I don't think anyone would take me seriously as a bouncer." Alexander says as he strolls along with her and drops down into a seat beside her, drawing one knee up and resting his arm upon it. He looks around the place, worrying at his lower lip a little in reflection as he continues to try and envision the place before he shoots a glance sidelong at her.
    "So much of what they have to do is be all intimidating." A hand lifts to push through his hair as he sets his backpack down beside his foot then leans against the wall so he can look at her more directly. "And I'm like... not so good at buying things. Or tending bar. And I don't organize things very well unless it's like... something not super fun."
    His eyebrows lift, "I mean..." Alex cocks his head the other way, "If there's a job where I can sit around and look pretty, I think I'd be suitable for that."
    Another steady nod is given as if entirely serious, but his grin returns as he gives her a small shrug.

Thea Queen has posed:
It's nice to have a friend, and Thea is obviously quite happy he's around; her mood is almost bouyant as she shares the beginnings of the club. "Well, there you go, Adonis." Thea had to DIG for that one.. and her expression conveys more than a little doubt, as she ducks her head and murmurs half-jokingly, "Right? Adonis? The.. the pretty boy?" She pauses before, "Remember, not good at school."

Thea quirks her head and looks consideringly. "I'm sure I'll find something to keep you around."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    A snort then he adds, "Yes, Adonis." He crinkles his nose at her but he knows that some would slap that appellation on him, even if he made some pretense at protest. He'd still like it. Arrogant youth that he is.
    "Well," He finally says as he leans to the side, resting his shoulder against hers for a moment of just gentle contact before he looks back toward her. "Whatever it is, I don't come cheap." He nods solemnly, acting all serious as he lets his gaze wander the room. "I don't get outta bed for less than six figures."
    Not that he has any idea really how six figures plays into things, perhaps just knowing that is what people consider a lot. But his smile is wry when he looks back to her.

Thea Queen has posed:
"Perfect. Adonis it is. Sit and look pretty," Thea can't help but laugh and rises in order to stalk towards him, and reach out to tug briefly on his shirt. "Need a new wardrobe though in order to get the girls."

There is much more to the warehouse to see, though, and holding out her hand, Thea's ready to climb the stairs so he can get the eagle eye view of the place. If he looked a little more carefully, maybe he can make out some ... bullet holes in the walls? Now that the place is properly lit, of course. she just doesn't mention those.

"I should have some paper up here.. help me walk it and sketch."

That's how to include friends in a new business venture.