Turns out he wasn’t that bad of a student when he tried, after getting creative with his family tree and turning it into a rose bush he turned the assignment in with an apple he had plucked earlier that day. The teacher had determined somehow his assignment was slightly better that the princess who managed to have way more relatives but less to say about them. Even better Carrick managed to win a bet with the princess meaning not only did he not have to sleep in a tree for a week but also the princess had to sing for him.

Apparently she wasn’t much of a singer, which was fine the location he picked turned everyone into a singer at some point, even if they had never done it before which was weird because everyone should have sang at some point in their life. Royalty or not.

The shifter had heard about the bar many of times, however because it was his job usually to sing for an audience he didn’t think it be worth going here because he wouldn’t be making any money for the gig.

”Meet me here, cause you don’t like flying. It’s date then! See you soon, love.”

Carrick of course flew there and stood outside the bar next to the bouncer learning about the place. ”Crazy, here I was doing this for a living and bam, she says, “Never sung before.” Can you imagine? Figured it was best to get her some where it wasn’t a big deal.” the bouncer smirked and shrugged.

”What the hells going on there?” Carrick asked looking at a dude perched up across the street on some kind of milk crate. He was calling people sinners as they walked by pointing at each individual. It was a Friday night and each one of the people that passed were no older than him. “He’s been out her ever night this week. Talking about how the only way to avoid hell is by joining them.” ”So a cult? Hopefully they drink the kool-aide soon eh?” Carrick said ribbing the bouncer with his elbow. Both had a laugh before a fancy car pulled up.

”There she is,” Carrick said ashing his bummed cigarette and then waved to the princess, ”Glad you could make it fer our date love!”

The American education system was more disastrous than she'd ever imagined. This would have never happened in Atlantis. There was no way in Tartarus that a gorgon's lazily sketched family rose bush would deserve more credit than her royal family tree. The teacher must have had unfair biases. Maybe she secretly hated Atlanteans. That was just... not just. Especially because it lost the princess a very silly bet.

Royalty did not go back on her word. It was a rule she'd learned early and learned well. As silly as the whole thing was, Carrick was intent on holding her to it, and she was not going to let him see her back out. So, on this Friday evening, the princess put on one of her many flowing dresses - saffron, with dark garnet and copper jewelry - and got into a taxi to go downtown. The griffin had offered to fly her, but that would have been adding insult to injury. This way, at least she could make a decent entrance, emerging rom the taxi.

>>”There she is. Glad you could make it fer our date love!”

"Just because you keep calling it a date doesn't make it so" she told him, wrinkling her nose at the smell of the cigarette, and the bar in general. It looked like a small, simple bar, but on Fridays everything was more lively than usual. "Let's just get this over with."

”Aye, that’s true.” Carrick said smirking to the bouncer, ”What you a sore loser, Amey?” Carrick asked the princess not wanting to call her a princess while they were out. Most people would assume it’s a nickname sure but he didn’t’ want to bring attention to it. ”It’s gonna be a gas love! I’m excited to hear ya sing fer the first time.” Carrick turned and bumped fists with the bouncer as he opened the door.

”First American bar?” Carrick asked as the sound from inside the bar echoed outward as the door to the place opened. ”Right not a date, but I can still say you look great, right?” he laughed letting her enter first because his mother raised a gentleman.

It wasn’t a date he knew that but he still liked messing with the princess. ”Oh look at that, a table near the stage an a bar.” he laughed while a few people were singing on the stage. They weren’t bad, couldn’t make money for it but not bad. Carrick did consider himself somewhat better when it came to singing. It was how he got his bread.

”Fancy a drink?” he asked the princess. ”First one is my treat even though you lost the bet.” he said smirking at her.

Carrick was having way, way too much fun with all of this. Amethyst smoothed her skirts down. She had not spent much time outside the Mansion yet; she felt obviously out of place and somehow invisible at the very same time. Her dress was on a higher level than any of the outfits inside the bar. At least Carrick got to back in her presence.

>>”What you a sore loser, Amey? It’s gonna be a gas love! I’m excited to hear ya sing fer the first time. First American bar?”

"First bar of any kind" she wrinkled her nose as she looked around. Americans drunk in places like this? This was a far cry from the feasts and parties of Atlantis.

>>”Right not a date, but I can still say you look great, right?”

She rolled her eyes. Again, too much fun with this. His wings got some looks, as did her jewelry, but in the end, everyone seemed to be paying attention to the music going on. Including the young woman behind the bar, who was keeping an eye on everything with an attitude of authority. Was she the owner...?

>>”Oh look at that, a table near the stage an a bar. Fancy a drink? First one is my treat even though you lost the bet.”

"I doubt they serve honey wine" Amethyst noted, taking a seat. She could feel the eyes of the bartender woman on her. It was a look of curiosity. "Just... try to get something drinkable."

Gods, did he really expect her to go up on that stage and sing in front of people?...

”Awww, glad I could take ya out for yer first. Doubt any bar trip after this will live up to it.” he said with a smirk, ”I’m a pretty big inta having a good time, defiantly a night out ya won’t forget I’m sure.” he said with a smirk. ”While I know a decent bit of of bars n’ pubs this is me first time here as well. Get ready fer a night you’ll never forget Amey.” he said with a little wink.

”Ya mean Mead?” he asked scrunching his nose, ”Ya sure that’s what you want?” his look stayed on her before he made his way over to the bar. Seperating himself from her with an eye roll.

When he got to the bar Carrick waved to the bartender, who watched them enter, ”Evening love, could I get a pint of….” Carrick pointed to the tap then added, ”Two shots of Irish Whiskey, and do ya mead. I don’t drink the stuff, however got a first time singer ‘ere.” he laughed and put a twenty down on the top, ”If ya don’t have that how about… Oh ya do? Perfect!

Carrick showed his I.D. that said he was older than he was and scooped up the whine glass of mead, the two shots and the pint. ”Thanks love.” his wings bumped into a few people as he made his way back to their table, ”Don’t know why anyone drinks this stuff.” he said as he put the mead in front of her followed by his shot. Carrick sat down across from her and toasted the shot.

”I’m excited fer ya!”

The seats were small and the tables cramped around the stage. The music was... medium at best. Amethyst pulled her dress tighter around herself, already feeling grimy from the beer-scented air. People were still looking at her; she was dressed as someone going to a gala, rather than a bar. Carrick, on his part, felt right at home, even with the wings and the tail.

>>”Awww, glad I could take ya out for yer first. Doubt any bar trip after this will live up to it. I’m a pretty big inta having a good time, defiantly a night out ya won’t forget I’m sure. While I know a decent bit of of bars n’ pubs this is me first time here as well. Get ready fer a night you’ll never forget Amey.”

"That's not my name" she pointed out, mostly to herself since the fly boy was already on his way to the bar to get drinks. Amethyst folded her arms and glared at the stage, wishing she could make it go away. These people were clearly not cultured enough to handle an Atlantean princess singing to them.

Carrick returned with a whole lot of drinks. The bartender was following him with her gaze. Amethyst gave a suspicious glance at the glasses.

>>”Don’t know why anyone drinks this stuff. I’m excited fer ya!”

"You are having way too much fun with trying to humiliate me" the princess pointed out, taking a small sip of the mead. It was not what she'd expected; mead was something they drank on occasion in Atlantes, but honey wine was a whole other level. Not that she'd expected Americans to know that.

”Love, I have fun humiliating everyone.” he said raising his shot glass and knocking it back quickly without the chaser. ”The fact that yer royalty is just Icing on the cake.” he said with a chuckle.

”And hope ya don’t mind the nickname, Ames. Not sure ya want everyone knowing yer royalty. People could get weird, hard enough when yer as famous as me round these parts.” weirder than usual he meant but he didn’t elaborate further, he only mocked waving to someone who was looking in their direction. Either because the princess was over dressed or because she was with a guy with wings and a tail, Carrick however was loving the attention. Occasionally opening his wings as he adjusted.

”It’s a cures really.” he said over acting, ”being this popular. I’m sure they heard me sing before. Any idea’s on what yer gonna sing?” he asked thinking wonder if he knew any Atlantean songs. He didn’t but then wondered what song she would have picked. ”Feeling the swift? Or something more of a classic?” Carrick asked his tail flicking excitedly behind him, ”Awww, Can’t wait! I can sing back up if ya need.” he said offering.

>>”Love, I have fun humiliating everyone. The fact that yer royalty is just Icing on the cake.”

It was not all that surprising to hear that from him. She did enjoy this a whole lot, and it must have been very satisfying to win a bet over a royal princess. Especially one involving family trees. Carrick seemed like the kind of person to get a kick out of getting back at royalty. It was probably a gorgon thing, too.

>>”And hope ya don’t mind the nickname, Ames. Not sure ya want everyone knowing yer royalty. People could get weird, hard enough when yer as famous as me round these parts.”

"You? Famous?" she quirked an eyebrow at him, then glanced around. They were getting some attention, no wonder, with the wings and the dress and all. But him, famous? Was it because he had wings, or did that just make him easier to spot?

>>”It’s a cures really. being this popular. I’m sure they heard me sing before. Any idea’s on what yer gonna sing? Feeling the swift? Or something more of a classic? Awww, Can’t wait! I can sing back up if ya need.”

"If you like singing so much, maybe you should go ahead" she shot back, still nursing her drink "Give people what they want to hear. I doubt any of them know any Atlantean songs."

The shifter fed into her question with a toothy smirk and a slight wave in someone’s direction when he caught them looking towards their table. ”Aye, no king and queens famous but few circles do follow me.” he smirked into his pint glass, ”Don’t act so surprised, love.” he said setting his glass down.

”I could.” Carrick said looking around to see if there was a sign up. This place was run like a karaoke joint right? So they had to have some kind of line. The shifter’s tail flicked excitedly behind him. ”Don’t want to intimidate ya if yer gonna follow my act. People do pay to hear me sing.” Carrick said with a smirk.

”and no, they probably don’t know any but that shouldn’t matter too much. Long as you give them the…” Carrick snapped his fingers and changed his accent to one more Latin sounding, ”Passion!” he said dropping the accent as soon as he picked it up. ”Long as you seem to enjoy yerself people tend to enjoy the show. Just don’t embarrass too much Ames. Don’t want ya hurting my reputation here.”

Carrick did not seem like a person who would have a following. He was a gorgon, for one, and while Amethyst knew they were better off in America (hence, so many Atlantean gorgons coming here), people were not exactly all open and friendly with them, even in New York City. But indeed, some of them recognized the griffin. Go figure.

>>”Aye, no king and queens famous but few circles do follow me. Don’t act so surprised, love.”

Amethyst huffed, and sipped her drink, suggesting that he might want to go sing himself, if his fans were already in the audience. Wouldn't that just be better for everyone? Mostly her?

>>”I could. Don’t want to intimidate ya if yer gonna follow my act. People do pay to hear me sing.”

And I would pay you to shut up.

>>”and no, they probably don’t know any but that shouldn’t matter too much. Long as you give them the… Passion! Long as you seem to enjoy yerself people tend to enjoy the show. Just don’t embarrass too much Ames. Don’t want ya hurting my reputation here.”

Amethyst openly glared at him now.

"I am certainly not giving these random people any kind of... passion." she stated, wrinkling her nose "And if you are sensitive about your reputation, you should have thought of that before you dragged me out here against my will..."

Unbeknownst to both of them, this was the moment when Melody decided that the scene unfolding under her careful gaze deserved an intervention. The bartender mutant did not often do such things without consideration, but something about the banter between the winged boy and the outrageously well dressed girl just piqued her curiosity. Whatever they had to say to each other, she reasoned with herself, they can surely say it better in song. Since they were already arguing about singing anyway.

With a subtle surge of her innate musical powers, Melody reached out to the pair of them. Someone was just getting off the stage, and no one had gone on after them yet. The light changed, and the air suddenly filled with ambient music. Melody smiled, leaning against the bar. This should be fun...

The shifter grinned at her and leaned into the table, ”It was a bet, and I won.” he said, ”You never said where you wanted to sing so I figure it’d be my choice and seeing as you’ve never done it before I thought this was an appropriate setting.” he scrunched his nose at her and made a face towards her then sipped his pint enjoying all of this way too much.

”I can show you some fun…” Carrick frowned surprised his voice started to carry into his singing without him realizing it. Was this what they meant when they said everyone sang here?

Carrick smirked and kicked back his chair, ”yer shiney, ya shimmer and full of sass. Now tell me princess,” Carrick dropped to his knee and reached a hand out to the princess starting to serenade her, ”When did you last let yer heart decide. You should open yer eyes, check the cites wonders. Bright lights, tall buildings and of course all the hot dog vendors!”

>>”It was a bet, and I won. You never said where you wanted to sing so I figure it’d be my choice and seeing as you’ve never done it before I thought this was an appropriate setting.”

"Oh, please. You just picked the place that would be the most embarrassing" Amethyst shot back, rolling her eyes. The stage was quiet at the moment; she knew she would have to go up there eventually. The lights dimmed and changed somehow... and ambient music filled the air. Amethyst blinked. Maybe singing was not as hard as she'd thought...?

>>”I can show you some fun…”

Well, Carrick was singing now. He had a nice voice, all things considered, but he seemed a bit... surprised? Was he playing some kind of a game with her?

>>”yer shiney, ya shimmer and full of sass. Now tell me princess, When did you last let yer heart decide. You should open yer eyes, check the cites wonders. Bright lights, tall buildings and of course all the hot dog vendors!”

Amethyst forgot about her part in all this for a moment as Carrick went down on one knee. Not that it was new to her to see a person kneeling, but she sure did not expect that from the griffin. He was singing with enthusiasm, and a glint of mischief in his eyes. Amethyst did not know the song... but she felt the tune resonate within her anyway, and she had an inexplicable sense that she could sing to it if she wanted to. The lights turned unreal and colorful around them, and everything else in the audience just... melted into the background.

The lighting seemed appropriate for the setting, he kind of shifted his eyes from the princess to see if there was a catwalk above he didn’t notice before. ”It’s a different world,” his eyes shot back to hers smirking while his voice continued to carry, “You should see it from me point of view, there’s no one to tell me ‘no’ or where I can’t go.”

The shifter smirked and grabbed her hand pulling her up into a twirl he stepped behind her still not sure if it was the place or him actually moving to his singing which he had never done before ”or say we don’t belong here.” he lowered himself onto her seat and sat down waiting for her to continue, this wasn’t exactly what he had in mind but he didn’t hate it.

His eyes shifted to his drink and he reached across the table glad he could at least drink like he could during a show. He raised the glass towards the princess and smirked into his drink, his tail swaying behind him.

The music was carrying the both of them, and Carrick was happily along for the ride, singing as he smirked at her, pulling her out of her chair and twirling around. It was a different kind of singing, a different kind of dancing than what she was used to from Atlantis, but with the music and the lights, it somehow... felt natural.

>>”It’s a different world. You should see it from me point of view, there’s no one to tell me ‘no’ or where I can’t go... or say we don’t belong here.”

Was it? A different world, from her home, from her culture, from all that she was used to an accepted as normal. Here she was in a bar, surrounded by strangers, for the first time a mutant from a foreign country and not royalty in her own right, singing along with a gorgon out of all people. And an annoying one at that. And yet, the music was carrying her too, and as Carrick took a seat, she took over without thinking about it.

"A strange new world
A confusing place I never knew
But when I'm way out here
It's becoming clear
That I have to share this strange new world with you..."


It was a challenge, in a way. He thought this place was great, and somehow seemed to think he could convince her to like it. Well, he had his work cut out for him. Amethyst raised her chin and smirked back at him.

When she started to sing he was indeed surprised, to think the princess had the pipes on her but never sung before. This place was magically, honestly. Carrick shifted eyes to the bartender wondering if she also happened to have any job applications. Though the only downside would be he’d never be sure if he was the one who was coming up with the words or it was just what he felt from the place.

The lighting shifted slightly and focused on the princess while she sang. It was clear Carrick was enjoying her sing too much. He folded his hands and muttered the words ‘Thank you’ before reaching fro another sip of his glass.

She might of not like being here but Carrick was almost sure she the smirk was hiding a smile, he returned it with a wink. Strange or not, this was indeed his world.