But, boy, could he play guitar

[guitar_voodoo]

It had been a pretty wild few days since Mick had entered into the Nexus along with Ziggy. This was after he had caught up with his band mate on the tour train. Then, they had talked about this new Nexus world, which blew Mick's mind. Since then his alien band mate introduced him to his family and a few of his friends along the way. Now, the blond guitarist was sat out in the late evening on a bench in the Plaza one leg crossed over the other as he just strummed his guitar, which was his baby. His Gibson Les Paul custom made guitar which he had permanently strapped to his often open-shirted chest.

If anyone would find the man he would be dressed in his usual glam rock attire of the early Seventies. Open silk shirt, glittered knee-length pants and sparkly tights with five inch heeled black loafers, decorated with silver bats on the top. He looked every much the glam rock star of the era. A soft spoken Brit who preferred music, cigarettes and booze as well as the odd rock star drug or two. The man out of time. Mick's platinum blond hair catching the early moonrise as he sang a familiar and rather sentimental song close to his heart;

"Ziggy played guitar
Jamming good with Weird and Gilly
And the Spiders from Mars"

He didn't know if anyone would be around the Plaza this late in the evening but none the less just wanted to sit and play guitar. As for meeting new residents? That was still on the cards and from what Ziggy had told him, there were quite a few alien and strange creatures to meet still. This world was already blowing the man's mind, yet he was open to ideas, even if he was a down-to-earth sort of guy. Ziggy's rock when the shit got real back in rock and roll land. Pesky interviewers and groupies? Yeah, they were the bane of the rock star world. So many questions about his new world swirled about in Mick's head now, as his eyes glanced around the Plaza.

"So, what do you folks do for fun around here?"

[ooc: references to the track "Ziggy Stardust" is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qrOvBuWJ-c]

Comments

[itmeanstruth]

Late in the evening is relative when you frequently work the night shift.

Minoru was walking on the wall, literally on the top of it, when he heard the music. “Oh, hey! I know that song!”

Unfortunately, he didn’t quite remember the musician playing it. That concert was a blur of Anthean empathy and wild emotions. But now that he had a potion, he’d be at future shows for sure. And if he could swing it, even hit a few spots in Ziggy’s world on his upcoming tour!

He hopped off the wall, and came over to say hi.

[guitar_voodoo]

The voice got Mick looking up from strumming his guitar as he noticed the young lad climbing along the wall close by him. He must have good footwork not to fall off, surely. The blond offering a friendly smile. Did he know Ziggy's music? It would seem that he did. A fan perhaps? That brought out a smile on the guitarist's lips. He had a cigarette in the corner of his mouth, which he took out to talk.

"Hello, mate. You like Ziggy then? I'm Mick, his lead guitarist and close friend. We play on stage and on tour. Have you seen us before outside of here then?"

Naturally curious and friendly, Mick adjusted his guitar strap to greet his new guest. It made a change that someone knew of Ziggy's music, since he wasn't sure coming to this place that many would know.

[itmeanstruth]

Minoru smiled brightly. “Oh yeah. He’s one of my best friends here.”

Never mind the fact that ‘friends’ probably didn’t cover it anymore. It was closer to Friends with Benefits, but not the usual benefits. Eventually they’d figure out a word for it or invent one. Or ask Isamu. He had words for everything.

“Sorry if I didn’t recognize you. That concert was... a little more intense than I thought it’d be.” He scratched his head. “I’m Minoru. Pleased to meet you!”

[guitar_voodoo]

"Is that right? One of the best friends to have too. He's a good bloke is Ziggy. A bloody good singer and guitar player too. Him on his acoustic and me on my Gibson Les Paul here. She's my baby and I take her everywhere."

Mick stroked the long part of his guitar fondly, as he played with the strings slightly. Oh, he wouldn't be parted with his favourite friend for anything. Perhaps maybe Ziggy but that was different. How many tours had he been on with his guitar now? He'd lost count. Each one creating an awesome atmosphere everytime.

"No, it's cool, mate. I'm part of The Spiders From Mars. Me, Weird and Gilly. Weird on bass guitar and Gilly on drums.

As for "friends" covering Mick and Ziggy's relationship, it was so much more than that. Way beyond band mates. Soul mates even? Lovers? The latter being more true but he wanted to keep that private in front of strangers. Whatever it was, Mick cared for Ziggy and was his rock when the shit went down.

"Nice to meet you, Minoru. That sounds Japanese. Are you from Japan originally?"

[itmeanstruth]

The two men definitely had one thing in common already. They were both caring anchors for the Anthean rock star, different but integral parts of the love dodecahedron that rightfully surrounded Ziggy Stardust.

“Me, no. But my parents were. They moved to the U.S. several years before my brother and I were born.” He answered. “But we have a lot of extended family there, so we’ve both been there a lot!”

Indeed, Minoru had a lot of happy childhood memories in Japan, from going to traditional tea houses with Grandma Mikoto or helping his uncle Sasuke take care of his pet snakes.

“Play some good shows there?”

Because one look at the kimono collection in Ziggy’s closet suggested he’d been to the island nation - at least in his own world.

[guitar_voodoo]

Mick listened and nodded as Minoru told him about his upbringing and how he was wrapped up in traditional Japanese culture. It was all very interesting and the rock star smiled fondly as he spoke. He knew how much Ziggy loved Japanese culture as it was very evident when he came on stage donning his finest silk kimono.

"Yeah. We toured Japan. Did a gig at Tokyo, Kobe, Osaka and Hiroshima. They were all an awesome blast. You should have seen it, mate. The crowd went wild for us every time. I've got some photos somewhere."

Reaching inside his shirt, Mick pulled out some photos and a another poster in Japanese both which would look rather faded and old compared to modern standards.

"Ziggy was pretty wild during the tour. It must have been the heat and the energy because we were all buzzing."

[itmeanstruth]

Minoru grinned as he took a look at the pictures, trying not to snicker too much at the shot of Ziggy in what looked to be his underwear. No mention was made of Ziggy’s species or the reasons for his response to the heat. Minoru didn’t know how much Mick knew, and wasn’t about to let that kind of cat out of the bag.

“Just the big cities? You’ve hardly seen anything!” He smiled. “Our family’s a lot more remote. Up in the northern part of Japan, in the Yamagata prefecture.”

[sweetcandygirl]

He might remember the brightly-clad Harley Quinn from the Ziggy Stardust event that she attended. She definitely stands out in a crowd, especially with her loud and outspoken clothing choices.

"Ohhhh let's see. Roller derby, shooting at the range, taking Bruce for walks in the Wilds, shopping in the Underbelly, visiting with friends, engaging in fights at the Viper's Pit, out drinking any challengers, and generally having fun with every thing that life presents me."

[guitar_voodoo]

Well now isn't she a colourful type of girl? Mick smirked and put on his usual friendly charm when meeting the brightly-clad young woman. American too. Was she one of the many groupies that attended the concerts? Maybe just an avid Ziggy fan. A lot were.

"That's quite a few fun things there, love. Who's Bruce? Your pet dog?"

Mick wasn't far off if he was going with four-legged animal here. Many people he knew had dogs and liked to take them for walks in woods and the like. It was good exercise and helped focus the mind after a lot of heavy work days. He knew that as much as many.

"You're a bit of a fighter then, eh? Also a drinker? You sound like a lot of fun. What's your name?"

Engaging in friendly banter was something Mick was good at and enjoyed finding out about people who enjoyed their music. Was she a punk? A rock enthusiast? Either way, she reminded the guitarist of the youngsters back home.

[sweetcandygirl]

With Harley's broken Brooklyn accent, he might even be able to narrow down what area of America she was born and raised.

"Not quite a dog..." Harley puts two fingers to her mouth, to whistle. And a hyena... an actual hyena... comes running up the streets to her side. "This is Bruce."

"Harley Quinn. Nice to meet'cha!"

[guitar_voodoo]

He could hear her broken Brooklyn accent and it reminded him of when he toured New York with the Spiders and Ziggy. That was a wild ride for sure since they drank, performed and hardly slept at all. The days ran past and the fans? Well, they came in their droves. Screaming all the way. As soon as Mick saw the hyena he nearly fell off his seat.

"Jesus Christ---it's a---a bloody hyena!"

Feeling pretty frightened for the moment, the musician got up, clutching his guitar close to him and gaping at the large animal. Was it trained? The woman seemed to have it as some sort of pet. A bloody hyena! Her name was Harley and he was Bruce.

Bruce.

[sweetcandygirl]

"Yes it is..." Harley kneels down, and takes out a piece of licorice from her pocket. She places the licorice in her mouth, and Bruce comes over to her and pulls the other end with his sharp teeth.

"He won't hurt you." She notes after seeing him clutch his guitar closer to him.

[guitar_voodoo]

He watched as she pulls out a piece of liquorice and puts in her mouth. What happens next just causes the blond to laugh a little nervously. It was just the whole live and real hyena thing causing the guitarist to freak out a little.

"He's a lively big fellow, isn't he? Do you always feed him liquorice? I've just never seen a real hyena up close that wasn't in a zoo."

Mick sighed with relief and lowered his guitar back down to his knees, feeling his heart rate come down from the crazy rhythm just now. Well, this Nexus certainly wasn't a dull place!

"Nice to meet you, Harley and Bruce too. I'm Mick. Guitarist from The Spiders from Mars."

[sordiddetails]

She had seen him on stage and learned from Tom that, recently, Ziggy had decided to bring the band here, or at least some of them. She hadn't intended to find her child's friends. The familiar song though pulled her attention. Tom must have been right in his assumption that Ziggy's friends would escape here too in order to have a reprieve from the pressures of fame.

The woman that approaches him as he plays is tall, thin and dressed in layers of sheer fabric that hang like a loose dress. She's barefoot despite the cool weather. Her hair to her waist and bright red but her eyes are yellow and snake like in appearance. Though his facial features take more after his father, Ziggy has a body like his mother with the exaggerated elfin thinness and long limbs, also the grace of her movements.

"I'm still learning this myself." She tells him though not revealing that she can sense who this is, or at least the familiarity of his presence.

[guitar_voodoo]

Mick nearly dropped his guitar, which was lucky it was strapped to around his neck, because he would have dropped it as he gazed upon the tall figure of Lady Stardust. Ziggy's mother. The guitarist stopped playing and singing and just gaped a little. His green eyes widening in mild shock as he took in her very tall and alien appearance.

He couldn't get any words out for a good few moments so close his mouth and swallowed. Staring was rude. Also, this was Ziggy's mother, since she looked a lot like her son/daughter, only taller and well--more alien. Those eyes.

"Mrs. Stardust. Ziggy's mother--uh--Lady Stardust."

It was all he could manage since he was still in avid shock. Mick had never seen a real living alien up close like this. Except Ziggy but he at least looked vaguely human. She was very beautiful and elegant. The blond pushed some hair from his eyes and stood up, holding a hand out to her. Would she understand it was an Earth custom? Maybe Tom had taught her this.

[sordiddetails]

"Mrs Jones, if you want to use my human name." She corrects with a calm to her presence. "You play beside Lady Stardust."

She felt bad for him, in a way. This must be such a shock to someone from a world with nothing alien or supernatural, at least nothing in the open. She understood the Earth custom but this human was more like family. Tom had told her about the band and how they helped deflect some of her child's problems on the world.

She moves toward him and presses her palm to his, hand open, palm and fingers pressed to each other in an Anthean greeting. "I'm sorry I didn't have a chance to meet you at the concert. You, or I, were always busy talking to someone else."

[guitar_voodoo]

"Mrs. Jones. Oh you mean Ziggy--uh--yeah he is Lady Stardust."

Among other names. Mick pressed his palm and fingers against hers rather nervously not really knowing what to expect or how to behave in front of a real Anthean. She was tall, goodness she was tall. He swallowed thickly and hoped he wasn't offending her because--bloody hell! This was Ziggy's actual mother from outer space!

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, ma'am. I mean you're from outer space and that's blood amazing to me."

God, was he acting like a complete idiot? Maybe. His guitar still strapped around his chest, hanging loosely for now. His green eyes still wide just taking in her strange features and wondering so many things.

[sordiddetails]

"Susan or Aletayria if you prefer." Antheans didn't really have family names so the idea of a first name being disrespectful didn't exactly exist.

After a moment of pressed palms she let her hand drop. It it was possible her bone structure is even more delicate than Ziggy's.

"I am from another planet." She can see and feel the shock. This was one reason that humans were not quite ready for aliens, or knowing there were other visitors earlier. "Ziggy and I are not the first visitors to humanity."

[guitar_voodoo]

"Mrs--uh--Aletayria. I'd like to call you that if it's acceptable. Ziggy is lucky to have such a lovely person as you. He's a good bloke and I love him."

He said it. How could he not. His tongue was tied almost but it was an admission that just slipped out more than anything. Did she know about him and Ziggy? She was bound to. Mick's eyes just continued to stare and he realised he forgot to blink.

"I'm his band mate and close friend too. The Spider of Mars...that's the name of our band with Ziggy. Unless you uh---know that too. You probably do. I'm on guitar and do riffs during the performance."

Mick, you idiot. Get yourself together. Ziggy's mother is bound to know what band her son...daughter is in. As for her words regarding visitors from another planet he was still in mild shock, even after Ziggy told him this on the train.

[chiaro_oscuro]

"You're one of Ziggy's friends?"

Ben isn't that knowledgeable about Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, though he helped the family during the Honerva situation and he picked up a Ziggy album for his collection of multiversal knick-knacks. And that song was one he knew. The longer he hangs around this place the more he learns.

The scruffy-looking man with dark hair gives Mick a friendly nod, though he doesn't smile.

"Wouldn't say I know Ziggy enough to be a friend, exactly, but I helped him with some trouble, and a friend of his is someone who interests me. You can call me Ben - I live in the downtown area. Good to meet you."

[guitar_voodoo]

"That's right. I'm Mick the guitarist from The Spiders From Mars."

He shot out a hand to the tall rather surly looking bloke and wondered who he was. Would he shake hands with the friendly blond? Mick hoped so since he wanted to make friends with people within the Nexus for possible publicity. Gigs in the Nexus? Hell yeah.

"Oh yeah? What sort of trouble are we talking about here? Or, maybe I shouldn't ask."

With Ziggy that could mean pretty much anything and Mick knew of the trouble his band mate often got in. The man could be wild and out of control and that was where things went downhill badly.

[chiaro_oscuro]

"Ziggy's band. He talked about you, but I didn't think you'd be sticking around. But I imagine a place like this would be a tempting venue."

Ben accepts the hand and shakes it cautiously. "My name's Ben. I live here in the Nexus - figured Ziggy'd be bringing his crew around. But he wasn't the cause of the trouble, he's had a rough time here lately. He might appreciate the company."

Ben wonders how Ziggy's been doing since Hiroki disappeared. They hadn't talked since the album release - when everything had seemed fine, more or less.

Ben avoided Ziggy because he's especially vulnerable to Anthean telepathy, and being close to the grieving Ziggy had affected him in uncomfortable ways. Ben likes having control over his feelings.

[guitar_voodoo]

"Yeah, we're Ziggy's band."

Mick shook Ben's hand and offered the taller man a polite nod and smile. Being a friendly and soft-spoken down to earth guy, he was easy to get along with most people, whether it be fans or the band's family. The only people that really pissed him off were prying interviewers or the media. The press being a big pile of trash at times.

"Might be best if I don't ask, eh? Start anew as they say. I hope to play here now that I'm here with my guitar. Know any good clubs or venues around here where people would want to hear us?"

He decided not to pry since Ziggy's life here was his own and Mick wasn't the type of guy to dredge bad memories up. If Ziggy wanted to tell his band mate then he would in his own time.

[chiaro_oscuro]

"That's a good idea." Ben knows what happened because he's a friend-by-association of the family, but he's not a close one by any means. "Welcome to the Nexus, then. You might want to talk to Loki at the Viper's Pit, or skekSa at The Scarlet Hooyim. They stage events and parties sometimes. Loki's got dark hair like me, and skekSa's an alien - hard to miss."

Ziggy and some of his family are also aliens, though skekSa is more obviously so. Ben's only seen her a few times and she's enormous. Hard to mistake a Skeksis for anything else.

"I'm not a musician, so I'm not an expert on any of this. But I might be able to point you to some places where you might be able to find a crowd."

[guitar_voodoo]

"Loki? Is he like a gig organiser around here? All these venue names...they're pretty out there and I love it. The uh--Viper's Pit? There isn't actually real snakes in a pit is there? I played at this Turkish joint once and it was a bit dodgy. They had this massive lizard in the corner in this pit."

Mick had played at a lot of venues, most of them being in and around big cities in the UK but some in New York and Japan? They had been exotic to say the least. He'd played guitar with Ziggy and the Spiders and had just followed his band mates when they decided to hang out in dodgy clubs and get drunk.

"What do you do here, Ben? I'm guessing there is a lot of talent here in the Nexus."