Amethyst was not sure about this strange new world at all. Carrick seemed to be enjoying the singing, and she found that if she let her voice go, it would find the tune and the words by itself. It was inexplicable, and she suspected had to do with someone's gift, but swept up in the moment, she could not stop and puzzle it out. Especially when Carrick was winking at her like he felt he had been right all along.

"Unbelievable sights
Inexplicable people
Gorgons, humans, and demigods hurrying
Through a city that never sleeps"

The light was on her, so she stepped up to the stage. She kept her eyes on Carrick; he was the one who'd started all this, and since the rest of the audience was outside the light, she really couldn't have seen them even if she cared. For once, her thoughts and feelings tumbled out in words about the strange place her cousin had sent her to. She was sure she'd have plenty of time to regret it later

"A strange new world...
A thousand things to understand..."

”Don’t dare let this pass-by” he said setting his drink and pushing himself up onto to the stage, while she continued to sing he chimed in with his… their song. ”Every moment gets better!” he spun a little his tail following him as he got closer to the princess.

”A strange new world!” Carrick found the harmony and went with it as she continued to sing wondering if he found a new karaoke buddy. ”With new horizons to explore, we can go anywhere, with time to spare, let me share this strange new world with you.”

The shifter got closer to the princess and stayed her down while smirking hoping at this point she could say that she enjoyed the duet or at least listening to him sing, ”A strange new world.” his tail swayed behind him, ”That’s what you’ll see. It’ll be a blast, for you and me….”

Carrick joined her on stage to sing together; their voices blended nicely, and the song found a way to fit the lyrics next to each other. Amethyst did not expect to be singing like this with him, no matter how she tried, the sass she wanted to throw his way ebbed away and gave way to the excitement of singing like this, on stage, in front of an audience. They were good. The princess would have preferred it if she had been good all on her own, but she would take what she could get.

I'm like a shooting star
I've come so far
I can't go back to where I used to be

Atlantis. She could have stayed in Atlantis, she would have stayed if she had the chance, and never come here to live in this strange place in the school full of awkward gorgons. And now, even if she did, she would be a different person.
How annoying.

Every place a surprise
A place that others know better
I might as well go anywhere
There's time to spare
Since I'm stuck in this strange new world with you...

>>”A strange new world. That’s what you’ll see. It’ll be a blast, for you and me….”

"... for you and me"

The song faded out. Amethyst held Carrick's gaze; maybe the duet was not what she'd expected, but she sure as hell was not going to let him win a damn song. The lights shifted again, and people seemed to come out of their daze, applauding enthusiastically. Someone even whistled. As the music faded out, Amethyst was slowly realizing what had just happened. That could not just be the heat of the moment, right? It had to be someone's gift...

"This doesn't mean you win" she clarified, raising her chin. "You didn't say anything about using gifts..."

The sudden surge to sing he had gotten before the song faded. The shifter also noticed the lack of proper lighting. The need to dance around and stand on tables was still however though that might have been something he had before the duet between the two started. The shifter was the first one to break eye contact. Be his attention span or the fact that he was standing so close to the princess and staring into her eyes. They were… purple.

”Win what?” he asked to the princess waving to the crowd as they applauded he turned away from her and offered up a grand bow, one that even the princess couldn’t get out of him. His wing opened to accentuate it and his tail brandished behind him. He bowed a few more times then when the cheers and applause died he pointed to the princess and then clapped once or twice himself still shocked she was capable of singing that well.

”Only gifts I used were me own.” Carrick said flashing a smirk in her direction. ”Sounds like you had some gifts of yer own.” he said with a smirk before hoping down from the stage. The shifter turned and offered a hand to the princess who was back to her old self and refused his help. Shame, after the duet he thought he finally got to see the princess being fun.

”I just heard everyone sings here, didn’t know that’s what they meant.” Carrick said, ”I’d almost take ya fer a professional with those notes ya hit, love.” Carrick sat back down in his original chair and grabbed his drink. ”Now ya sang, congrats.” he smirked. ”Yer welcome.”

Carrick bowed to the audience. She stood still, not sure what to do. As a princess, she would have never bowed in front of strangers; she had never been an entertainer before, and she was not even sure she was one now. She'd sung because some power compelled her to, but that didn't mwan she had to become a commonplace singer.

>>”Win what? Only gifts I used were me own. Sounds like you had some gifts of yer own.”

"I can sing. That doesn't mean I like to." she clarified, stepping off the stage without taking the hand he offered.

Melody was looking at the two of them, slowly shaking her head as she returned to serving the regular customers. She was a musical mutant, not a magician, after all.

>>”I just heard everyone sings here, didn’t know that’s what they meant. I’d almost take ya fer a professional with those notes ya hit, love. Now ya sang, congrats. Yer welcome.”

Amethyst rolled her eyes, taking a seat and a sip from her drink, glad that the bet had been fulfilled. At least if people sang here against their better judgment, she could not be at fault for it.

"So... someone used their gift to make us sing?" she glanced around "I didn't even know that song before..."

”Eh?” Carrick raised his eyes to the princess and then looked around curious as well. ”Maybe… though I’m always a drink away from singing.” he smirked into his pint glass before turning to the bartender and giving two thumbs up. Someone was behind the princess sounding great, she’d get a big tip from Carrick. The shifter would have paid to hear her sing again.

”It’s pretty close to one of the kingdom of Disney’s greatest hits.” he chuckling. ”We might have ad-libbed a bit.” he said setting his glass down. ”So, someone made ya sing. Does that mean I still getta hear you sing again?” Carrick asked smirking.

”I mean, I could teach you another song of Disney, solid most of ‘em. Think I’ve played them all at least twice.” he asked starting to hum one back into his glass before finishing it.

”What type of music you normally listen to?”

Someone had worked a gift to make them sing. Well, make the princess sing, anyway, as Carrick had been all too willing to participate on his own accord.

>>”Eh? Maybe… though I’m always a drink away from singing.”

They both got back to their drinks; Amethyst was coming to terms with what had just happened, glancing at the people at the nearby tables, but no one seemed to be paying much attention. She was not sure if she was annoyed by that or not.

>>”It’s pretty close to one of the kingdom of Disney’s greatest hits. We might have ad-libbed a bit.”

Kingdom of Disney, again. She was suspecting it was some kind of a running joke, but now it would have been to embarrassing to ask. That was probably what he was playing at. But really, how would she know a Disney song? It had to have been whoever used their gift.

>>”So, someone made ya sing. Does that mean I still getta hear you sing again?”

"No" she said sternly over her glass "We never agreed on the technicalities."

Like hell was she going to sing again.

>>”I mean, I could teach you another song of Disney, solid most of ‘em. Think I’ve played them all at least twice. What type of music you normally listen to?”

"I..." she blinked. "The entertaining kind?" She knew that listening to music meant something entirely different in America than it did in Atlantis. A lot of music sounded strange to her, along with the instruments people used to play it. "So, this is how you make your living? Singing Disney songs to people?"

>>>"No"

Carrick scoffed. No fun he had to be out with the one person that didn’t want to sing in.

>>>"We never agreed on the technicalities."

”Sadly, yer right.” he said leaning back into the chair like he was just given some disappointing. Carrick, ever the performer. ”Next time I’ll read the fine print, love. Shame on me.” he said eyeing his empty glass then eyed hers mead. He scoffed again.

”Narrows it down immensely.” he said as he rolled his eyes but still smirked, ”Why people usually listing to music innit?” he asked leaning forward into the table his tail swaying behind him. ”That I do, not just songs from the kingdom of Disney mind you.” He said smirking, ”I retell all kinds of songs. Some from home, some from here. All depends how many times I hear someone request it.”

”That’s the most boring way I get paid at least.” he said with a smirk. He stood, ”Excuse me princess, I’m gonna fetch us another round before ya get too bored with me.” he said pushing himself up and hoping over a rail instead of walking around it.

After a few moments he returned with another mead two shots of whiskey and another pint for him. ”Not often I go out to drink anymore.” he said setting the other mead and a shot down in front of the princess. ”But tale as old as time.” he said sipping his pint as he sat back down. ”So do you have royal duties to perform round ‘ere or you just working on schooling?” he asked curiously.

>>"Sadly, yer right. Next time I’ll read the fine print, love. Shame on me.”

Carrick might have gotten her to come out to some questionable bar and sing a questionable song, but he would not get t enjoy the same show twice. At least he gave up, for the time being. Amethyst asked him about singing instead. It seemed to come more naturally to him.

>>”That I do, not just songs from the kingdom of Disney mind you. I retell all kinds of songs. Some from home, some from here. All depends how many times I hear someone request it.”

This was not the first time he mentioned his home. Amethyst recognized him having a different accent than Americans, and also she'd heard him mention... Ireland?... but she was not educated enough to know the musical difference between the two places. Or how much someone could make from singing songs people requested.

>>”That’s the most boring way I get paid at least. Excuse me princess, I’m gonna fetch us another round before ya get too bored with me.”

"I should have thought of that sooner" she smirked as he walked away, leaving her wondering what the less boring ways of making money had been. He got more shots and more mead. Amethyst drank the shot; it burned more than anything she'd drunk on Atlantis, but it also gave her a buzz, and less of a care about people watching.

>>”Not often I go out to drink anymore. But tale as old as time. So do you have royal duties to perform round ‘ere or you just working on schooling?”

"Schooling is my royal duty" she frowned "I am representing Atlantis. And trying to prove that school of yours is appropriate for demigods. Although I'm not fully convinced yet. But here I am, being a... cultural ambassador." she shrugged "You think America is better than... other countries? Like yours? They seem to think so."

The shifter watched the princess down the shot and he smirked, mirroring her and doing the same before resting his arm on the table while holding his drink. While it was nice to just focus on school Carrick didn’t really have that luxury. While he was fine at the mansion now he knew that he couldn’t stay there for free forever. The shifter had been saving for graduation.

”Oh, bless you. Clearly doing gods work.” he said trying not to laugh at her plight. He found sarcasm was more reasonable than being jealous of the princess being royalty. Must be nice. Carrick knew he couldn’t pull it off though. ”Too many Gorgons?” Carrick asked his tail flicking mischievously behind him.

”They do pretty good keeping me around. Hard to do with a short attention span.” he took a swig of his pint before setting it down. ”Wouldn’t say better. Different sure, better? Wouldn’t go that far. Clearly you’ve never had traditional Irish food.” he said with a smirk.

”Ever have chili fries?” Carrick asked curiously. ”When I was younger and me parents sent me here to school I got distracted with a circus, they served these Chili-fries. I ended up staying with them fer two years before going back to the school the folks sent me to.” he said with a smirk.

”I find it’s easier to be me ‘ere.” he said finally with a shrug. ”Telling me you don’t like anything about this place?” he asked curiously his mismatched colored eyes fixing on her.

>>"Oh, bless you. Clearly doing gods work. Too many Gorgons?”

Amethyst rolled her eyes at the sarcasm. She could have explained that she was doing the opposite; that Atlantis wanted to avoid looking like gorgons were fleeing them in droves, and going to a school where they were accepted. A demigod from the royal line was there to prove that demigods could go to the USA too for good education. It was a show, but Americans loved their shows, especially if they featured foreign royalty.

>>”They do pretty good keeping me around. Hard to do with a short attention span... Wouldn’t say better. Different sure, better? Wouldn’t go that far. Clearly you’ve never had traditional Irish food.”

"Clearly I have never" she deadpanned, drinking her mead. If it had been that great, she would have heard about it by now.

>>”Ever have chili fries? When I was younger and me parents sent me here to school I got distracted with a circus, they served these Chili-fries. I ended up staying with them fer two years before going back to the school the folks sent me to.”

Amethyst blinked. The mention of the circus was not new, but the story was. Also, the concept of chili fries, whatever they were. The princess knew those words separately. Together, they sounded like an abomination. "You... joined the circus for snacks?"

And he was still offended by the concept of royal pets?

>>”I find it’s easier to be me ‘ere. Telling me you don’t like anything about this place?”

"Still considering it." she shrugged, looking around as if the bar represented the whole of America. It kind of did. "To people here, Atlantis is a myth. And also, the ancient past. I feel like I traveled to another time in history. I'm not sure it has progressed in a way we would have imagined... And I'm still waiting to see if all the great things people say about their country are actually true."

”Not really missing much, the Emerald Isle isn’t known for the food.” he said with a smirk, ”Bland.” and that was all he had to say about the food.

”The snacks were what got my attention. The idea of something new n’exciting was what kept me.” he said with a smirk. ”It wasn’t school, I got to stick it to the folks and it was something that was never the same.” he said with a shrug. ”Knife throwing one day, tightrope walking the next. Though, it was more cheating with the wings. Great fer balance.” he sipped his pint. ”Sure, the cage and whip were a bit much but it was all part of the show.”

”What’s to consider?” he asked before rolling his mismatched colored eyes at the princess. ”Was a myth, much like Gryphon n’ Gorgons. To be fair before you I didn’t know that it was real.” he said with a shrug. ”Can’t blame people for not accepting a big change like that.”

Another sip and he thought about it some more, ”Don’t bring preconceived notions ya get from other people. Always hard to live up to others expectations. Change can be good.” the shifted frowned speaking from experience. ”Look, ya been here how long now? Got to be something that ya like about the place. Right? What’s yer favorite thing about the city.”

>>”Not really missing much, the Emerald Isle isn’t known for the food. Bland.”

"Why am I not surprised" Amethyst deadpanned. If not even nostalgia could make a cuisine better, then why should she ever be inspired to try it? Apparently, snacks were only one reason why Carrick joined the circus, though. The other being adventure, or constant change, or something like that. It didn't sound all that different from being a royal entertainer.

>>”Knife throwing one day, tightrope walking the next. Though, it was more cheating with the wings. Great fer balance. Sure, the cage and whip were a bit much but it was all part of the show.”

Amethyst tilted her head. She couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic about being caged and whipped. Was that a gorgon joke? Atlantean gorgons only got whipped when they committed something serious. Caged, only when they were a danger to others. That was totally reasonable. Also, Carrick as a youth could have been either.

But now they were in America, and as much as he fit the bill, Carrick refused to be referred to as a gorgon. Too bad Americans didn't really have a handy term for his kind. Physically mutated? That was a mouthful...

>>”Don’t bring preconceived notions ya get from other people. Always hard to live up to others expectations. Change can be good. Look, ya been here how long now? Got to be something that ya like about the place. Right? What’s yer favorite thing about the city.”

Amethyst considered the question. What did she like about New York? It was a lot. A lot to learn, a lot to discover, and a lot of annoying things for sure. But she was not actively hating it anymore.

"The fashion" she grinned, flipping her hair "People here dress in fascinating ways. I hear some of it is very expensive. And the jewelry is not bad either."

He wasn’t ready for her answer he was taking another big gulp from his glass and almost did a spit take but managed to choke it down before he alternated between coughing and laughing. ” God, yer such a girl.” he caught his breath than explained, ”Clearly I wasn’t expecting that answer. Jewelry, maybe but fashion?” he returned the hair flip even though it did nothing to his hair the same toothy grin he gave her when he mocked a bow at her followed.

”Would have guessed you would have been more of an architecture fan.” he said shrugging, ”They look cool at least, but fashion… not that you don’t dress nice… I like yer dress.” he said quickly averting his eyes as he backtracked.

Carrick looked down at his shirt and gave it a pull forward as if he was examining it. ”Er…Don’t think I know too much about that.” he set his glass down and grabbed his tail and waved it about before letting it go. ”Easier to cut into the cheaper clothes. Gotta tweak all ‘me clothes.” his wings moved a little for recognition as well. ”Obvious reasons.”

”That different from home?” Carrick asked now curious about how her people dressed. He tried to come with a visual but only imagined everyone in some sort of Toga with those roman leaved crowns. ”Wet suits?” he smirked.

Carrick was clearly surprised at her answer, which in turn surprised Amethyst. What did he expect? Food? Courtesy? Disney music?...

>>"God, yer such a girl."

"What does being a girl have to do with it?" she blinked. Atlantean men liked their nice clothes as much as women did.

>>"Clearly I wasn’t expecting that answer. Jewelry, maybe but fashion? Would have guessed you would have been more of an architecture fan. They look cool at least, but fashion… not that you don’t dress nice… I like yer dress.”

"Of course. It's a gorgeous dress." she nodded in agreement. All her dresses were gorgeous. "Even if I wasn't royalty, life is too short for mediocre dresses."

Especially when one was a stranger in a strange land.

>>”Er…Don’t think I know too much about that. Easier to cut into the cheaper clothes. Gotta tweak all ‘me clothes. Obvious reasons.”

She tilted her head, looking at his tail and wings. Did he just... cut holes in his outfits himself? That explained a lot.

>>”That different from home? Wet suits?”

"Different" she nodded "Some of it is the dreadful weather... but I think Americans manage to be outrageous and prudish about their clothing at the same time. It's kind of funny.... You really could use some better clothes, though. Cutting holes in shirts and pants... There are so many better ways to do it. See? Difference. In Atlantis, you'd be wearing a tunic, and your tail would not be a problem."