A new Southwestern styled dance hall had opened in New York City. From the website and fliers it seemed they were trying to be more authentic than the plastic cowboy dance hall Ranger and Noel had frequented. Instead of plastic cacti there were real cacti… most behind ropes or railing to keep drunk dancers off them. A few prickly pears were placed near the dance floor and had signs instructing patrons not to touch them.

Ranger had ensured his schedule was kept clear for an evening so that he and Noel could go. He left work early to return to Haven to shower, change, and pick up Noel. Nice jeans, a dark pearl snap button up, a black resistol, and his Lucchese dancing boots. Ranger didn’t mess around when it came to dancing with Noel. It wasn’t long before the pair of them were stepping out of his murdered out Mustang Shelby GT500 Hellcat Tamer.

Wild West Dancehall and Saloon was was very similar to the plastic cowboy dancehall, except the owners had spared no expense in making everything real. Real saddles, real animal mounts, and of course real cacti. Wood was used liberally for everything from the floor, to the railing, to the bars’ countertops. It was truly like walking into an old dancehall out West.

The next hour was a nice blend of dancing, talking over the music, and drinking beer. Ranger was having a wonderful time. So of course Noel’s phone rang. It was a call from Haven, she was needed as a consult in a meeting taking place outside of Haven. Which is to say, they needed her to sit in a room with someone and be a human lie detector. Since she had to go somewhere off the Haven campus Ranger handed her the keys. It was a monster of a car performance wise, but it wasn’t a behemoth.

After Noel left Ranger hung around and got another beer. He was no longer driving that evening. He could have more than his normal one drink an hour. From the bar he scanned the dancehall. He’d had a chance to dance some already and it left him wanting to dance more. Noel would likely be busy for hours. This meant he would need to find someone else to dance with.

It was situations like this though that proved what his mother always told him true. If you can dance you will have no shortage of girls to dance with.

It wasn’t long before Ranger caught the eye of a short blonde in a short dress further down the bar. He had noticed her earlier watching people on the dance floor, she looked like someone who wanted to dance. Ranger finished his beer and when the song changed to ”Me and My Kind” By Cody Johnson, he walked up to her, held out his hand, and asked,

”Care t’ dance?”

((Tag Emma Holmes ))

Emma had decided that tonight she was going to get dolled up and take herself out. It had been a while since she had treated herself and work the passed few weeks had been really rough so she felt like she more than deserved a night out to look pretty, dance, and have a few drinks.

When Emma finally got finished with her make up, hair, and clothes, she looked in the mirror to make sure she had everything perfectly fixed and it all worked well together. She knew she had picked the right dress and style. She was absolutely smokin'. There was no way that she'd have to wait too long at the new country bar and dance hall before someone would ask her to dance. She grabbed her small cute matching clutch with a chain cross body strap and her keys, phone, money and makeup inside. She then went out the door ready to get to the new dance hall. She really liked the new clutch because the strap allowed her to keep her purse close and she could still dance without it getting in the way. She followed the directions given on the flier for the new dance hall that she picked up from the foyer area of her apartment building on her way out. It didn't seem to be too incredibly far.

On her way there, she end up walking next to an impressively sized male body builder. He was tall and it seemed that even his muscles had muscles. Once she got rather close to him, her hand started to tingle intensely and pull slightly towards him. He didn't seem to have a visible mutation, unless he really was some tiny, nerdy guy and he had the power to bulk up into this body builder type. Regardless, he had a mutation of some kind and Emma was growing tired of her hand tingling. They had been walking in the same direction for a while and it hadn't let up. They had made it to a cross walk and were waiting for the okay to cross. Emma, being the flirty kind of woman that she is and with the help of her stunning outfit for the night, she reached her hand out and grabbed the bodybuilder's nice, firm ass. She even squeezed it and bit her lip as she did so. The body builder guy turned his head slightly to look at her when she grabbed him. Emma just smiled, her bottom lip still sexily held in her teeth. And then she winked at him. After a few seconds passed, her hand finally stopped tingling and knew that she now had a copy of whatever his mutation was. She let go of his butt and the cross walk turned to allow them to walk on. Emma hurriedly walked on past as the body builder guy was left behind, not realizing the light had changed. Emma giggled to herself as she thought about the means she used to copy powers. She really had to be creative sometimes. But the guy was actually pretty decent looking, so she didn't have to force her flirting so much this time.

When Emma finally got to the place and her I.D. was checked, she ordered a drink from the bar. She asked the bartender for a beer and then sat down and watched people dance. The bartender quickly popped the cap for her and sat it in front of her. Emma took the bottle and began drinking her beer as she watched people around her dancing. She also looked around the new place. She saw live cacti in a few areas with ropes around them, but that wasn't likely going to be enough to keep people from bumping into them or falling into it if people were drunk enough. And there was wood everywhere which helped with the acoustics of the place.

She had almost finished her beer when she song changed and she suddenly had an incredibly gorgeous man in front of her. Emma sat her beer down and a smiled at him. He held his hand out and asked her to dance. Emma took his hand and said, "I'd love to."

“I’d love to.” The woman said as she took his hand.

Ranger turned and led the way to the dance floor. It wasn’t so busy he had to bodily part the seas of people, just navigate around a few drunks who weren’t paying attention to those around them.

Once on the dance floor, Ranger turned to face the woman. Still holding her hand with his left, he placed his right hand on her back. As the Aggie Wranglers back home used to say, “...put your hand on her bra strap, give me a whoop!. If she’s not wearing a bra, give me a double whoop!” Then, once the beat rolled back around to one, he went into a two-step.

”I’m Michael.” He said. Two-stepping was a dance drunks could accomplish... Assuming they had rhythm. It was easy enough to talk while dancing, or if your partner was good enough you could get fancy. 

Emma's hand had started to tingle when the good looking man came close to her. Emma tried really hard to ignore it given that she was trying to have a good night out and enjoy herself. But considering he asked her to dance, the copying aspect of her power would automatically replicate and store whatever mutation he had. After a few seconds of her taking his hand to go dancing, her hand stopped tingling and she was quite grateful.

Emma followed her dancing partner to the dance floor. It wasn't overly crowded which was a good thing. Emma could then get fancy a bit while they two stepped and wouldn't have to really worry about bumping into people or people bumping into her, unless of course they were just completely drunk. The man faced her and placed his hand on the upper part of her back. Her right hand was already held in his left and she placed her left arm just above his right arm and rested her hand on his upper arm. She smiled at him and nodded to signify she was ready and proceeded to take her steps. She moved so fluidly and easily; her body's memory of this particular dance ensured that she kept rhythm and the movements of her feet were exactly as they should be.

He introduced himself as Michael. Emma smiled and said, "Pleased to meet you, Michael. I'm Emma. And I'm quite delighted that you asked me to dance." Emma looked up at him as they continued to dance, noticing his great smile and just how pretty his eyes were. She smiled at him and continued the conversation, "I was hoping that I wouldn't have to sit at the bar long before a gentleman came along and asked. Did my attire catch your attention?" She hoped that he would be up for conversation anyway. It certainly wouldn't be fun to dance with someone who wanted to stay quiet the entire time.

Emma hoped that he would soon realize that she could keep up and would show her some of his fancy moves. Two stepping wasn't her favorite dance, but it was pretty simple to do. So if the worst case scenario happened to be that he stuck to just a simple and basic two step, then at least he was pretty to look at and she could dance with him for a while.

They danced and the woman provided her name, Emma. Then she asked if her dress had caught his attention.

”Nice t’ meet y’ too, Emma.” Ranger said, ”I cain’t say the dress didn’t help me decide who t’ ask, but I was lookin’ f’r someone t’ dance with an’ y’r body language screamed f’r someone t’ ask y’.”

Emma could dance. She stayed on beat, followed well, and could carry on a conversation while dancing. ”An’ it looks like I chose wisely.” He said right as the chorus started. Immediately Ranger lifted their hands and gave a light push with his hand on Emma’s back to indicate for her to turn. Open palm to indicate to keep turning, closed hand to signal to stop. Wrist movements to indicate directions for additional turns. Ranger shifted them into jitterbuging for the entirety of the chorus. He brought her back in to continue two-stepping in the last measure of the chorus.

Emma smiled as he finally started to loosen up and let her shine. She took his signal and took to the floor. She smirked and took to turning. She came to him and pretzeled before showing off some of the fancier moves she knew. And thank God she had on some snug and comfy shorts underneath her dress. Surely a lady like her would not give out a free peep show to the dance hall guests. Emma came prepared when she went out dancing for the night.

Emma danced, twirled, and jitterbugged through the chorus and came back into the two step rhythm just before the chorus ended. She smiled up at Michael saying, "Impressed much? I'm glad I have a damn good dance partner myself. This shall definitely make for an interesting night."

Emma followed the steps a bit more and enjoyed the music that played as she danced with Michael. He obviously didn't get this good with just meeting people and dancing with them. So Emma inquired, "So where's your regular dance partner? Or do you just get lucky meeting good ones when you come out to the dance halls?"
____________

Emma would jitterbug sorta like this.
Take whatever moves you wanna use.

Emma could dance. Ranger had found a few people in New York City who could, but Emma put them to shame as she took to jitterbugging like a fish to water. It was clear she had danced a few times before in her time. The flashy dancing carried the pair of them through the chorus; a string of spins, twirls, and pretzels. It left Ranger very impressed as they returned to a two step for the next verse of the song.

“Impressed much?”

”Very.” Ranger said as he nodded, genuinely impressed. ”It ain’t often I come across someone this good this North. We’ll have to see jus’ how good y’ really are.” While the last chorus was flashy, everything had been limited to feet on hardwood.

As the continued to dance Emma asked where his regular dance partner was.

”Work called, she had t’ run.” He said, ”We caught a few songs before she left. What about y’rself? Y’ dance better than most folks I see at the dance halls around here.”

Emma smiled and blushed slightly as Ranger complimented her dancing. And then she smirked mischievously at him as he added that challenge to the end of the compliment. Emma then contemplated the moves she'd use the next time he let her out to jitterbug.

Emma nodded as she talked with Ranger and learned that his other half had been called away. She was glad that they had gotten to dance a little bit before she had to go. No one likes having to bail out on a date early, but she was glad she could keep Ranger company in the meantime. They continued to two step through the next verse.

"Maybe she'll be back before too long and I can see how y'all dance together.", Emma said. Then she quirked up as the thought entered her mind, "Though I have to wonder now, does she dance better than me? You'll let me know after a few dances, won't you?", she asked in a flirty and playful tone.

When Ranger asked about her dance partner, Emma told him about how she had taken all the dance classes her high school offered and had taken quite a few in college too as well as her courses in kick boxing. "So I don't really have a regular dance partner. I had a few back home, but it was mostly for class. I really enjoyed it though so I come out to go dancing when I get the chance to take myself out. And I just dance with anyone who asks, generally, unless they seem super creepy. Then I try to politely pass. I usually don't get to break out my good moves, but it's okay. I just try to have fun."

”With her work… It ain’t likely.” Ranger said. Haven work was never quick or easy. Haven work was challenging and in Ranger’s experience had you dropping out of the sky onto the hood of an SUV. He could only imagine Noel’s work for Haven was equally intense but more suited to her skills. ”As for her dancin’,” Ranger affected a tone like he was thrust before a congressional hearing, “I can neither confirm nor deny the skill difference in your dancing.”

A tone that drained the accent from his voice. You don’t play around when you give Congress the runaround.

”Where’s back home f’r y’?” Ranger asked. It clearly wasn’t around New York City. Sure, some people here could dance, but they couldn’t two-step their way out of paper sack. And when the chorus came around again Ranger said, ”Well, let’s bust out those good moves.”

Ranger indicated his his hands the direction for Emma to spin and opened his palm on his left hand. A spin into a spin where he switched hands. SPinning himself then her. A good start before things got more interesting.

Emma danced with Ranger and nodded when he said that his dance partner probably wouldn't be back tonight. Though when he adapted the new tone as if he was in front of some higher authroity, Emma laughed hard. She caught her breath and smiled wide at Ranger. "I'm not the government and I wouldn't wanna get you in trouble with her, but does she dance really well too. I mean better than most people around here?", Emma asked.

Emma knew that she would be able to show off her moves soon based on the progression of the song. Ranger asked where she was from and Emma replied with, "I'm originally from Washington, but we moved around a lot in the last few years."

Emma caught wind of the chorus starting again as Ranger motioned and said it was time to break out the good moves. Emma smirked again at him before moving to the first spins after he opened his hand. After the spins, Emma then began to jitterbug with more aerial moves intertwined with a few pretzels and dips. She truly showed Ranger the best moves she knew. She smiled as she was having a really good time. She only hoped that the drunks would stay off the dance floor or that she wouldn't somehow get bumped into a cactus. That would totally suck and she would hate to make a fool of herself in front of Ranger.

Ranger had to think of how to answer. One should not say that they’ve had to teach the girl they’re with how to dance several times from scratch. Especially if you don’t want to discuss their mutation. Instead he smiled and said, ”She… She’s learning. Two-step wadn’t somethin’ she did until she had the misfortune of meetin’ me.”

Her being from Washington wasn’t surprising. People in New York City came from all over. What was surprising was her being from Washington and being able to two-step as well as she did. ”Don’t think I’ve ever met a Washingtonian that could dance this well. Hell, y’r dancin’ better than half the people back home.” Granted, half the people back home were drunk when dancing.

As they spun, twirled, and all around became the fanciest dancing couple on the dance floor Ranger guided them to a corner, away from the regular flow on the dance floor. Ranger was able to keep up with all the flashy aerial and swing moves Emma threw into the jitterbug. As the chorus was ending Ranger spun Emma out one last time, right when a couple who were either too drunk or too love drunk to care ran into Ranger.

Ranger had secure enough footing that he was not bowled over by the couple colliding with him. The couple broke against Ranger like a wave on a rock. Only… One of the couple rolled on into Emma. Emma who had a prickly pear behind her. A real prickly pear, not some plastic facsimile

Ranger’s arm shot out like a viper and took hold of Emma’s wrist and then pulled her with him as he side stepped, hauling her away from the cactus a moment before her butt became a pin cushion.

”Lets… Not do that again.” Ranger said to Emma before painfully prodding the leg of the guy who tried to bowl him over as he lay on the hardwood. ”Watch where y’r dancin’ there, friend.”.

Emma was enjoying being able to show off her moves to Ranger. And she was having the most fun dancing with him tonight. Usually she didn't get to dance like this, considering most of the people she got to dance with couldn't handle the maneuvers that they were doing right now. He even said that she danced better than most people back home, which made her blush. She didn't tell him that Texas was one of the states that she and her Mother lived in after leaving her dad. They actually stayed in Texas for about three months. She visited quite a few dance halls there so it really helped her improve her two stepping.

Emma was let out for one more spin when suddenly a couple bumped into Ranger. He didn't budge, but one of the couple still had momentum and came bumping into Emma. The bump was unexpected as it happened during the middle of her spin and it knocked her off balance. She looked behind her as she was falling and saw that there was a very big and indeed real cactus in the spot she was about to land.

Emma panicked, accidentally shooting a power out of her hand at the same moment Ranger grabbed her wrist. She grabbed onto him hurriedly, trying to stop her fall. He pulled her back quickly enough to save her from the cactus. Emma let go of the breath she didn't realize she was holding and regained her composure. She stood there for a moment as she tried to calm her heart rate back to normal.

As clarity came back to her mind, she realized that she had shot out a power in her panicked moment. She looked around the area and didn't see anyone freaking out or shifting into something so she relaxed a bit more. It seems that it must have shot past or over people and wasn't passed on to anyone. Emma breathed a sigh of relief and thanked God for missing.

Ranger spoke to her and Emma chuckled lightly saying, "Yeah, let's not. But I do have to say that it was a nice save. I thought I was going to be a human pin cushion there for a moment." Then, Emma watched as Ranger then proded the guy on the floor who had bumped into them and told him to watch were he was dancing. Emma leaned over to Ranger and said, "How about a beer? You saved my life so I at least owe you that. Then we can go back to dancing?"

Emma agreed with the idea of not having a near save from cactus happen again. She also complemented the save. Ranger gave her a smile in reply. While he had prodded the man on the floor Emma offered him a beer. Ranger said, ”Sounds great.” A beer sounded good and the song was winding down. They could leave the couple who broke like a wave against the rock of his body to sort themselves out

Parting the sea of dancers spinning their partners to as a sign of thanks, Ranger led the way off the dance floor. ”I’ve never let someone I was dancin’ with become a human pincushion. Not about t’ start today.”

At the bar he placed his drink order. The bar, due to its theme, had a wide selection of beer one would find in the Republic of Texas.Local Texan beers and Mexican beers. None of which were things Ranger would keep at home or at work. The bar really wanted to pimp Lonestar beer, the self-proclaimed ‘National Beer of Texas” but as any local would tell you, that was just armadillo piss. Ranger ordered a nicer Mexican beer.

Emma smiled and was quite grateful for his kindness. She stepped around the couple that had bumped into them as she followed Ranger to the bar. She thought about what she would order and wondered if the couple had ruined Ranger's mood for dancing. She had hoped not, but would ask Ranger what he wanted to do after they had their drinks.

When they got to the bar, Ranger ordered a nicer Mexican beer. When he got his drink, Emma asked, "Could I try yours to see if I like it? I don't know if I want a beer,something a bit more fruity, or something straight."

Emma sat on one of the bar stools for a moment, listening to the last bit of the song playing. She then turned back to Ranger and said, "I hope that couple that bumped into us didn't ruin your mood for dancing. I was really enjoying myself out there. Or maybe we could find another dance hall if you'd rather go somewhere else."

The bartender returned with Ranger’s beer and, after setting it on a coaster stuck a lime wedge in the neck, pushed it over. Ranger nodded to the bartender before taking the beer in one hand and the lime in the other.

"Could I try yours to see if I like it? I don't know if I want a beer,something a bit more fruity, or something straight."

”Certainly.” Ranger said as he squeezed the lime into the bottle. He then stuffed the rest of the lime down the neck of the bottle into the beer before handing it to Emma.

”What y’ think?” Ranger asked, ”It isn’t the best beer, but it is better than the armadillo piss they’re pushin’.” He gestured to the neon sign for Lonestar Beer.

"I hope that couple that bumped into us didn't ruin your mood for dancing. I was really enjoying myself out there. Or maybe we could find another dance hall if you'd rather go somewhere else."

Ranger sipped his beer and smiled. ”As long as I got two feet under me I’ll be in the mood f’r dancin’. ‘Sides, if I quit now they’ve one. Cain’t have that.”

A few songs played as Ranger drank his beer and spoke to Emma. When the opening of a song cut Ranger off in mid sentence. He slammed back his drink as he stood. A live version of ”Before the Devil Knows We’re Dead” by the Turnpike Troubadours was playing.

He held out his hand to Emma, ”Shall we?”