White Lies & Alibis (Castor & Noma)

[NOMA]

End of Line was quite possibly Noma's favorite place to go. It didn't matter what was on her mind or what she had planned--plans that were giving her possibly more trouble than they were worth--this place was a safe-haven. The loud music, the vivacious atmosphere, the lights...nothing seemed to matter but having a good time, and anytime Noma showed up there, that was just what she was looking for; a good time.

Noma had known the owner of the club for cycles now. Castor was an interesting program, one would always know when he was in a room, because in her mind, just his ridiculous personality brightened it a bit. She would never admit out loud that she considered him the closest thing to a friend she had, and that showing up at the club frequently was a product of that. As she walked through the crowd to the bar, she took a seat and ordered a drink, scanning the crowd around her.

Never in a hurry to find anyone, Noma always let her prey (or target) come to her. Swirling the bright blue liquid given to her in its glass, she smirked a bit, her blue hues moving left to right, taking in the actions of all the programs (and users) around her. The first user she spotted caused her to grip her glass a bit tighter, and noticing this, she let out a huff of annoyance and crossed one leg over the other, looking in the opposite direction. The city was crawling with them now. Tron made it okay for them to be there. Noma didn't appreciate that, not one bit.

Ridiculous. She thought to herself as she took a sip of her drink, her foot bouncing just slightly to the music.

Maybe she'd play a drinking game. One drink for every user she saw.

...she'd be out of money before the evening was through, not to mention, more than likely unable to stand.

[CASTOR]

Programs came from far and wide just to have Castor's drinks at his club. It wasn't just any regular energy that he put in these glasses, no. Mix ins that made it taste and effect you differently. Programs did not function very well after a few hours in his club. One in particular just now was catching Castor's interest. He was trying to grope on a few Siren's and even a long haired male. When he was even turned down by every single one and then decided to dance about it. Castor chuckled to himself out of pity for the program and approached him with open arms. "My dear, those are wonderful moves, but I'm afraid that's not the kind of dancing we need here, darling. What was that called... The Sprinkler? Oh my..." He fanned himself with a free hand before putting his arm around the program and escorting him to the elevator doors. He was still dancing on his way out and really had not a care in the world that he was about to go back outside. He would have loved his whereabouts even if he were on a rock int he middle of the Sea of Simulation. Petting the program's behind to shoo him through the doors, he turned back around and grinned to the party before him. "Now that was quite a show!" He proceeded to mimic the sprinkler move with his cane outstretched. Even making fun of someone, he managed to pull it off as though it were a hit dance move, but everyone laughed, knowing he was just being a cad.

Moving through the crowd once more, his eyes peeled for anymore unattractive behavior, he found something quite the opposite. "Noma!" He cried out loudly, extending his arms into the sky before throwing his cane under his arm and strutting toward the bar where she sat. "You're so quiet, my love." He noted, leaning up against the bar as he approached her. Well yes, they had history of sorts. He favored her over most programs. He knew she wasn't the most kind to the thought of users, but Castor wasn't one to judge on that. Only judge what one was about to offer him. Looking to the bartender, he grinned and motioned to Noma. "Give the lady a drink on the house." As the bartender was mixing his best concoction, he turned his head to Noma once more and gave a one chuckle laugh, though his grin kept on. "Just enjoying the drinks, princess or did you come to visit your old friend? I won't be offended if you just came for the drinks! They are quite wonderful, aren't they?" The bartender finished her drink and handed it to Castor. Castor then twirled it up a bit before handing it over to Noma with a sly smile appearing on his features.

[NOMA]

He always had a way of making his presence known, didn't he? Noma was aware of where Castor was at almost every moment in the club, he made it so hard to miss him. She glanced over a few times as he escorted the pitiful program to the elevator, then mocked his dance moves. A small smirk founds its way onto Noma's lips, and she turned to look at the nearly empty drink in front of her, shaking her head ever so slightly.

"Sprinkler," She muttered under her breath, giving a quiet chuckle, and finally hearing Castor exclaim her name. The excitement in his tone perked her mood a bit, she had been alone all day after all,though that was of her choosing. Turning her attention away from the now empty glass in front of her, she gave Castor a simple grin, nodding in thanks for him ordering her a free drink. It never failed she got at least one free one...but there was a method to his madness when it came to that type of business.

"I'm always quiet, whatever are you talking about, you madman?" She teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief. She knew exactly why she was here, Castor probably had an idea as well. His sly smile was returned as he handed her the drink, of which she tipped the glass in his direction before taking a sip, and watching him over the rim of it.

"Of course I came to visit you," She purred, reaching out with her free hand to cup his chin gently. "Why else would I be here? Certainly not for the general intoxication, or the fact that I'm most always here anyway." She winked.

[CASTOR]

Castor looked down toward the reflective bar and adjusted his hair as he stood before Noma. He was worried that drunken program had messed it up a bit. And when he was about to talk to a lovely lady? Rude. He should have known. Seeing no strands out of place, he quickly shot a glare at the elevator as though the program riding down it would sense his warning gaze and know not to place his hand anywhere near Castor's hair again. Hearing Noma speak, he turned his head back toward her and clicked his tongue with a shake of his head. "Nuh uh uh. Madman is a devilish word to call me. Eccentric seems more like it. Albeit, a little too kind. I suppose mad does work for an old program like me." He cocked his head at a whimsical angle and chuckled before returning it back to it's normal position. Bobbing his head softly to the beat of the music in his club, he kept his eyes on her for the time being. If something more interesting came his way, he would probably become distracted and leave her behind, but no such thing was good enough for him at the moment.

Scrunching up his face slightly at her tugging at his chin and attempting to bat her away, he rubbed it like a child and gave her a sulking glare. A moment or two passed before he returned the devious grin he always seemed to have. Winking at her with one of his icy eyes, he leaned forward. "Just for chit chat, darling... or are you prying for something else? Out with it, my dear. I haven't got the patience for this chase of pleasantries." He cooed with a thick tone before leaning back and twisting is cane with the music as well.

[NOMA]

Noma watched him as he glanced back to the elevator, examining his hair and glaring. Looks were so important, appearances and how one carried themselves. She supposed she couldn't blame him. If she wasn't careful with how she acted, she could have gotten into a lot of trouble with some of the more important people in the city, so honestly, he had a right to continue with his front and his necessity to look as good as possible. The ever-present smirk on her face didn't fade, until she heard the User that had been near her at the bar chuckling about something, and she lowered her gaze, barely hearing Castor as he basically inquired if she were there for anything but chit chat. He was one to cut to the chase, huh? Noma made a face and managed to replace the frown that had appeared on her lips with one of a sly smile, turning her head toward him.

"These users don't annoy you?" She asked, just loud enough for him to hear. It was something off topic. Sure, Noma liked to play with Castor as much as the next female program attracted to the club owner, but right now she was a little preoccupied for the games they usually played. She could barely stand to hear the user next to them, and she tapped her nails on the surface of the bar in annoyance, her brows scrunching down and her eyes narrowing. "You have more paitence than I do, Castor. Far more, I commend you for that." She murmured the last part, sighing a bit, finally addressing his original question.

Spinning on the bar stool to face him completely, a wicked grin found it's way onto her features. It was one she was noted for with the programs she kept company with. There was no telling exactly what this look meant with Noma, and sometimes that could be frightening.

"After I just got done complimenting your patience? You wouldn't bite the bullet, so to speak, and wait for me to eventually tell you what I'm really here for? Come now, Castor, darling, what do I always come for?" She asked with a dark chuckle.

[CASTOR]

Most programs and users found Castor to be simply interesting, entertaining, and somewhat helpful. Nothing more, nothing less. Noma, on the other hand. She enjoyed him more than he thought possible for a program. Of course, programs had needs too. How else would you get new ideas for a program without their need to breed off of each other to progress into better needs. Some were little viruses that just fed off of each other and the rest of the programs actually made something useful. But it wasn't as though they were rabbits. They couldn't just reproduce right then and there. Otherwise this city would be much bigger than it really was. No, they just had to keep... attempting. Clu couldn't create new programs on his own, but if he had another program with the right abilities in order to conceive new data, he sure could have.

"Of course they annoy me, goodness. I am just adept at hiding my feelings." He sneered, noticing the user behind her as well. It wasn't as though he really hated them. He knew better than to think that way anymore, but he couldn't deny that the more that game onto the grid, the more they acted completely foolish and moronic. It was like a program just hit the energy jackpot. Or a kid in a candy store in their terminology.

Castor wasn't completely sure if intimacy is what she wanted or if there could be someone after her, like always. "Why are you always here? Good question... Ah, well, I suppose you might need something from me. Are our spectacular leaders out to get you, Noma?" He said sarcastically with a roll of his eyes. "Do you need another forged disc...again? Tsk tsk tsk, pretty dear." When she did tend to want something from him, she had made sure to give him proper, well, payment for his generosity.

[NOMA]

Noma closed her eyes as she heard the user speak again, suppressing any anger she may have felt as best she could. The reasons Castor gave as to why she could be there made the program grin, almost insanely, but she stifled the laugh that threatened to escape by lifting a hand to her mouth to cover it. She was there for three reasons. She would list them in order of importance, and when she felt the time was right. She did quite like making him ask what she was there for a million times before actually coming out with it.

The brown-haired program, looked back up to him, raising a brow and thinking of what other kind of conversation to strike up with him before telling him exactly what she wanted. She looked around them, annoyed at the people surrounding them, before letting out an exasperated sigh and looking over Castor, to his private lounge.

"Perhaps we could take this to more private quarters. If you don't mind, that is." She said, gesturing to the area where the stairs would fall at his command. After suggesting such, her hand shot out and grabbed the sleeve of his coat, hoping it would catch him off guard enough that he would be able to be pulled toward her. If she succeeded, she leaned in close to his ear, her lips brushing against it. "Everyone doesn't need to know -our- business, Castor." She purred, watching him from beneath her long lashes. The music of the club coupled with her racing thoughts almost made her nervous--she was in a spot of trouble, but she was also, most definitely, looking for something a little more out of that 'evening' than just getting the business portion of their deal done.

Noma knew that Castor was aware she would pay him well for whatever services he provided her with, that evening.

[CASTOR]

The question toward her must've been a joke for she laughed at his expense. He was probably being completely thick for not knowing right away, but it varied so much that she had to give him at least a little credit for wondering. If only he could peer into that mind of hers to know what she was thinking. It was a complicated one. Not like most programs who followed idley by their leaders. Didn't matter who it was. Clu or Tron. Nor the time period. They were all mindless drones who just did as they were told because they couldn't lead themselves. They just didn't know how. Their programming wasn't developed enough for them to be advanced like Castor. Then again, he was ridiculously old. One of the first programs on the grid. He could tell from her expression that she was about to have her own fun and games with him. Well that would be nice for her to play around with him like a cat and mouse chase, but he wasn't about to get down on his knees and beg to know what she was up to. No, that wasn't in his nature. "Perhaps I'll go and cozy up to another programs wishes? I'm sure Zuse has a long line waiting for him as we speak." He said with a sly Cheshire cat grin. Now she was the mouse. He referred himself in the third person as to not let anyone overhear no matter how quiet his voice was.

She pulled him closer and a quick look of confusion took him before he heard out what she had to say, her lips sending a literal shock into his earlobe. Her proposition to move away from the commotion caught him and he placed a finger to his chin as though he was in deep thought. "Ah, but would you get out with it if I take you there? I'm a very busy man..." He tapped his cane against his other hand, staring at it for a moment before letting his eyes slide back up to meet hers, waiting for her answer with curiousity. After a moment, he pulled the cane from his hand and tapped the ground lightly. A few feet away, the stairs lit up and retracted. "Your choice, pet. Enough with the womanly wiles. The only games I play are drinking games. And even with those, I always win." His implications were obvious. He knew what she wanted and since she was playing hard to get with the answers, he would be the same, but with his help.

[NOMA]

He was in no mood for games, but he played along beautifully enough. While Noma hated not being in control, she'd relinquish part of that control to at least get him where she wanted him. When he said he might find another program's wishes to cozy up to, a flicker of panic made itself clear in Noma's hues. She knew what she wanted, she just had to quit playing games, she supposed. A forged disc was one, he'd hit the spot with that, she was just too good at getting herself into trouble, but, he was just too good at getting her out of it. That's why she kept coming back to him.

"Yes, yes. I promise." She replied, glancing up to the lounge. "Just lower the stairs and lead the way and I'll tell you what I want.." Noma was pleased to see them light up and retract when he tapped his cane, and she set her glass down, sliding off the bar stool to stand next to Castor, watching them as they completely descended. "I always thought you enjoyed those 'womanly wiles'," She mused, smirking a bit, crossing her arms as she waited on him to lead the way. "Or is that only in private?"

This was her third forged disc, so she hoped that the third time was the charm. Maybe she wouldn't need them much more after this, and could start showing up to the club for something far more fun than discussing what she needed from Castor. In all honesty, Noma returned to the club for multiple reasons. The favors Castor pulled (in different ways), and the fact that, though the program would never, -ever- admit it out loud, she quite considered him the closest thing she had to a friend. Her trust may have been misplaced in him, but if he had an inkling of knowledge that she did trust him, she wondered how he'd react.

Once in the private lounge, Noma took a seat on the couch, sighing a bit. Away from prying eyes and ears this was easier, and away from the users. "You were right about the forged disc, at least." She said, glancing over to him, her expression almost bored for a moment, before her lips curved into a smirk. "A forged disc and maybe some company for a portion of the evening...you know how it goes."

ooc: Got a bit of a sickness bugging me at the moment, so I hope this post makes sense and is alright. I always add this little warning when I'm out of it, haha.

[CASTOR]

A devilish grin spread across his face when she complied with his wishes. He was the owner of the club and had the balls to talk someone into a corner if anyone was about to think they were the ones that ran everything. Oh no. Who was the one that everyone whined to? Castor, not whoever the bit brain was that thought themselves better. There had been a few instances recently that made him think both worlds were swan diving into complete idiocy. Of course, with Noma, it was mostly fun and games. A few catty remarks here and there, but it was all in good fun. It was how they played off of each other.

As he gazed up at his own stairs, he felt her stand next to him, but he kept his eyes on his lovely invention. Smirking at her words, he then slid his eyes toward her. "I'm the only one with the womanly wiles around here." He said thickly before shoving his body forward in a drastic way, just to get everyone's attention. Castor simply motioned to the MP3 programs with his cane and they started to play a more shocking array of music just to distract everyone that he might have been leaving them for a while.

Entering his personal area, he walked swiftly toward the bar and began to prepare the two drinks. He knew what she enjoyed the most and he was the best at preparing it. Glancing up at her sitting on the couch, he listened to the reasons she had promised to give to him. Letting out a small sigh as he walked around the bar with both drinks in hand, he clicked his tongue at her before presenting her with the energy. "Again, Noma? You know that's not an easy thing to do. Even more so now with the new...leadership." As soon as her fingers were grasped around the beverage, he sat down a couple feet away from her, letting his arms fall down against the back of the couch, leaning back slightly. "But, I suppose I could." Castor pretended to be enthralled with something on his silver glove, as though her second piece of information was nothing to him. "Company? You still have no other friends, do you, Noma?"

[NOMA]

Noma smirked slightly when he acted surprised that she needed another disc. It shouldn't have surprised him, if it really did. She was constantly getting into trouble, sticking her nose where it didn't belong and then playing innocent.

"Come on, you know my favorite thing to do is get into trouble." She stated, smiling, and laughing softly. "I don't know where I'd be if I didn't have such interactions to keep me busy."

"Company? You still have no other friends, do you, Noma?"[/b]

She wasn't sure why that bothered her, but it did. Noma felt herself cringe slightly as she looked down to the drink in her hand, taking a sip and leaning back against the couch, one leg crossed over the other, her mind racing on how just to answer that question of his. Of course, by company, he had to have known she meant something more sexual, but if he knew that, then he must have just been trying to push her buttons with that question. At least, that was how Noma's mind worked in this situation, and she let out a quiet sigh. The question unsettled her so much she was tempted to change the subject.

Eventually finding her voice, she even surprised herself at how smoothly the answer came, how natural it sounded. "I was never much of a friends kind of program," She said, looking up from the drink to Castor, her lips curled into a very fake grin. "You don't know who you can and can't trust...and I don't know about you, but most programs decide they can't trust me." She brushed the question off with an unconsciously nervous laugh, taking another sip of her drink and looking over to him over the rim of her glass.

"But that's not the kind of company I was talking about. You know full well I'll need to pay you back for that disc, mm?" She hoped he would stray from the subject of friends now.[/size]

[CASTOR]

She was good at the wounded dog look. Noma could give anyone puppy eyes and they'd fall for her tricks right away. Castor couldn't deny he had let himself go soft a few times because of her demeanor, but he was better at being coy more than most people around her. "Ah yes, but when you go looking for that trouble, it might bite you in the uh..." He paused for a moment to look at her behind before grinning carelessly. "...derriere." He found his own humor quite amusing as he chortled softly to himself.

Castor could tell when someone was hiding something or not. He did it all the time and it wasn't like he never gazed at his own reflection in a mirror while he lied to himself. No, he did everything in a mirror. He was vain and...well, every other deadly sin you could think of wrapped up into an odd 'good guy'. He didn't bother to acknowledge her obviously forced sense of herself so he just let his eyes wander about the room absentmindedly as though he could not tell if she was hurt or brushing it off of her shoulder. As if he just didn't care. He figured that would make her the most at ease about the question because it would give off the sense that it really meant nothing to him. Of course he was quite curious and itched to know if what he said was true, but he sure didn't look like it.

As though the answer she gave startled his lingering thoughts or woken him up from a daydream, he turned his head swiftly to her direction. "Hm? Oh. I suppose I'm all the friends you need since, well, I know everybody." He threw his arms up in a grand gesture as though the whole world was his and he could take what he wanted for the picking. It was quite true in a sense. He had just about the same amount of power as the two leaders and yet, Castor was just one man. "You're a sly minx, Noma. Of course people have trouble trusting you." He said with a slightly sinister laugh, reaching over and brushing her hair a bit before letting it return to where it began.

The switch of her sent Castor into a laughing uproar. He stood up and twirled on his heel to face her. "Oh, dear Noma. I enjoy you. You get straight to the point when it's about intimacy. Someone needs their kitty ears scratched." He gave out a little growl and a claw of his hand before turning swiftly back toward the bar.

[NOMA]

Noma watched him carefully, smirking just a bit when he brushed her hair gently with his hand, figuring then after she spoke he would really get the idea of what she wanted, and of course, he did. The smirk didn't face from her lips, even as he imitated a cat and headed back toward the bar. Of course, the curiousity was there. Why was he going back over to the bar, again? Noma wasn't the most patient program on The Grid, which was quite hypocritical for how long she made people wait for information from her, for how she liked to toy with everyone. Making a face, she spoke

"What are you doing?" She asked. "Really that bad, huh?" She teased, her eyes never once leaving Castor. For certain programs, it would make them uneasy. She wasn't sure how it made him feel, she was quite adament about watching who she was around and taking in their every move. She read programs like books, and learned how to use things against them. "You need a multitude of drinks before you can even think about intimacy with me?" She joked. "I'm hurt, Castor, I really am."

Noma finally removed her eyes from him, taking a glance out to the club below them. Everyone carried on without a care in the world, and for all the users she was able to spot, she wondered how they could. The nails of her right hand dug into her palm as she found herself muttering about how it was a problem, how the Grid had become like an amusement park to users. Really, she had issues with it all.

"Well, if you know for sure my..." A pause. "...'kitty ears' need scratching, why are you walking away? Come back over here." she used her finger to beckon him toward her. "Neither of us have all night."