Caged Bird

2

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Early evening-

Levi had dressed in a nice suit with a partially unbuttoned shirt. He'd done his research on Paradis, Levi never went into anything blind. It took him a little to find the club. It wasn't super obvious, which made sense if Zeke was specific about who came in. Levi walked inside...

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"Hurry up freak," Zeke ordered.

"S-sorry...it takes me a little with this complicated outfit," Hanji replied.

"Well get better at it." Zeke snapped.

"I have customers waiting and don't forget, you have a private after the show."

Hanji sighed.

"Please...just let me have a small break from that," she asked.

"My body is too tired to keep it up right now...Mr. Forster, he...he's so rough..."

"You will do whatever he wishes. No rest!" Zeke snapped.

"I will book your night in full if you keep whining. Now get dressed."

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Levi sat near the back in the corner. He didn't particularly like these kind of settings but he needed to learn more about Hanji. Levi ordered a drink to blend in more and waited. Half an hour later...

"Welcome Gents! New and returning members!" the announcer said.

"Zeke's little song bird is ready to sing for you all."

The men cheered and whistled. This was disgusting to Levi.

"Enjoy your evening!" the announcer said.

The lights dimmed. The black velvet curtain raised and revealed silk purple and pink drapes behind them a silhouette of a figure appeared. Everything was quiet. Two wings shot up from the figures back and the curtains opened.

"The wish I desired for so long, strayed off into darkness... Can this endless power realize, the fleeting happiness I wanted? I sat down on a cold chair and pondered, whether the promise I waited for 1000 years for can even be granted. Gold butterflies gather around...if you have love, the truth can be seen..." Hanji sang.

Her voice was beautiful. Levi looked up, standing to see better. There stood the woman who he'd met earlier this day. She was dressed in very revealing, overly bejeweled, lacey, grey lingerie. A pair of wings were attached to her back, one white and one black. Levi was repulsed by the way the men looked at her. Ogling her figure, eyeing her more private areas...

"When I grasp roses, they bloom madly and die. One by one they disappear too rapidly, I have to find them... For whom I was born, for whom do I cry? I ask questions with no response...In the small caged bird, I can see myself," Hanji sang softly.

"My fragile heart is dyed red. Drifting in the sea of the loop of destruction and creation. To the shore you arrive at, follow its path upstream, in the power of breaking and dying, even if nothing is created. If you have love, magic can be seen. Please don't go alone to an empty room..."

Levi could hear that there was sadness in her voice, a little hurt as well. He was fully convinced now that something wasn't right here. Levi had to find out what was going on and who this woman was. That was his mission now and when Levi set his mind something, he always got to the answers or solution he wanted.

The music began to slow and fade out. Hanji looked up at the audience of men. A single tear slipped down her cheek.

"In my heart, finally...If you have enough confidence, I'll fight back. When you find, you loved one, the difference between truth and lies holds no meaning. Even with the one wing...you can fly...to your beloved hometown..." she ended.

The wings on her back lowered and the lights dimmed. Zeke walked out on stage after Hanji had disappeared behind the curtains.

"What a crowd we've got tonight!" he said.

"I assume you enjoyed my little song bird?"

The men erupted in cheers and whistles.

"Now, normally, this is the part where I'd auction off my lovely lady's time for the night but, she has been booked for the evening!" Zeke said.

"I do have some of the week still available for those who wish to book a...private concert with her."

Levi knew that whatever these "private concerts" were, that they weren't good.

"Come speak with me if you'd like to book a night with her!" Zeke said.

Levi was up and moving across the room before he fully realized what he was doing.

"Hello," Zeke said.

Levi nodded in response.

"I want to book a time, several times with Hanji," he said.

"Is this your first time here?" Zeke asked.

"Yes," Levi replied.

"Ah okay, little rule, newcomers can only book one night," Zeke said.

"If you're first night is good and you pay well, then you may book more nights!"

Levi pulled out a check and handed it to Zeke.

"I said I want to book several nights with her," he said.

Zeke looked. $30,000?!

"Wow okay! Sure thing!" he said.

"How many nights?"

"As many as that will pay for," Levi replied.

"Full package?" Zeke asked.

"Sure, whatever," Levi replied.

"Wonderful! That will last for 9 nights!" Zeke said.

Levi nodded.

"So you will have your first night with her tomorrow," Zeke said.

"Great, I will be back then," Levi replied.

With that he left.