Participants:
Scene Title | One Hell of a Good Time |
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Synopsis | A night out on the town is drastically changed by the drunken antics of one young gothling and a fanatic. |
Date | July 9, 2010 |
Friday night at Tartarus means that the place is busy. There are people all over the club, and not all of them the goths that one might expect to see in a club like this. But you don't have to be goth to enjoy dancing and drinking and trying to pick up a companion for the evening. And right now the music is pounding through the club, providing a heavy beat to dance to, and the drinks are flowing freely - or as freely as they get at the prices that clubs charge per drink.
Even the club manager is here tonight, though she seems to be taking a back burner tonight and just watching from the back of the club, hidden behind the bar and in shadows. The rest of the employees are busy, busy, busy, though, and it takes some work for the servers to make it through the crowd without bumping into at least one person. But such is the way of Friday nights and no one seems to mind too much.
All in all, it seems like people are having one hell of a good time.
There is one non-goth, and yet still black-clad woman sitting alone at the bar and not looking like she's having much of a good time. In fact, she seems to have her mind on getting good and drunk at the moment. Monica isn't even watching the crowd, she's just resting a chin in her hand and her elbow on the bar and drinking what looks like a Long Island Ice Tea. Slump.
"Oh my god, it's a chocolatini emergency!"
The sound of the familiar voice near Monica belongs to Toby Benton-Ward, in a bright pink silk shirt and some nice khaki shorts. He's certainly not goth today either. The dirty blond man leans against the bar and flags down the bartender. "Two chocolatinis, if you please!" he declares, before looking over at the slumpy, mopey Monica. "Hello there, Miss Dancer of America! Why the long face?" Concerned, but flamboyant as ever, he tilts his head sympathetically at her.
A black t-shirt and black denim jeans means that Richard Cardinal at least blends in for the most part, even if he's not the most gothy goth in the place; he's at least camouflaged to move through their ranks. He may also be the only person wearing sunglasses in the middle of the club. The future must be bright indeed. As he works his way through the crowd, giving one gothling's backside a playful slap against latex, he heads for the bar with an easy smile on his lips. First - a drink.
Bars
What's worse than being in a bar is the fact that it's this kind of bar and Audrey sticks out far worse than proverbial pinch faced sore thumb. Where as Richard blends in, Audrey blends out in skirt, button down, jacket and brown hair as severe as a nun's habit. She's not one for making nice with co-workers, but one of the women within her floor and department had for some inexplicable reason, actually stopped by Audrey's office and extended an invitation.
Right now, she's wondering whether this is akin to that root canal she had three years ago. Quite possibly worse. This is what she gets for being polite, nice and trying to be a … nice co-worker. Hand tapping on the bar, there's an order for a tom collins and she returns to staring out from the bar. Was that person there even legal? Eyeing up some half dressed goth.
Was that dance move even legal.
The bartender seems amused by someone so…flamboyant…being in the club, but the chocolatinis are served up lickity split, before he looks at Monica. "Want another?" Down the bar, another bartender serves Audrey, looking at her a little oddly. She does stand out, and while Tartarus gets a lot of different people, few are as severe as the agent. And, luckily, the manager doesn't notice her, or the aura of fun and wickedness might be spoiled. And we can't have that.
One one of the stools between the four people at the bar, two young goths are sitting, giggling at each other, already pretty damn drunk, and just working on getting more drunk. But that's not uncommon. There will always be people who go overboard, and those who try to drag them out before they can make fools of themselves. Except in this case, the latter isn't happening. At least not yet.
Monica lifts her head to look up at Toby, his attire getting a slight smile from her. "It's just… been a day. Chocolatini?" She looks a little tired, really, and just a weeee touch on the drunk side. She isn't slurring yet, though, which is always a plus. She glances to the bartender to mutter a dry, "Catch me in ten minutes."
While Alex looks out of place in his black suit and tie with his unbuttoned suit jacket and buttoned up white shirt under it, he doesn't feel out of place. He walked in out of curiosity, knowing he can't drink, but there's plenty of other things to do and seek out in a club. He's got a slight smile on his face, just looking friendly and on a mission as he heads to the bar. "I'll have something nice and non-alcoholic. I'm the designated driver."
The first chocolatini is plucked up delicately between two fingers and sipped at, while the other is graciously offered to Monica with the air of administering a cure. "Oh, honey, days like that are never fun! Here, have some liquid sunshine!"
The man shimmies a little at the bar, standing out rather sorely in that bright get up of his as he does a little hip wiggly dance that is, frankly, in no way sexual. It's mostly just silly. "Drink your sunshine, and then I'm dragging you to the dance floor. It's just too much of a shame to have you wilting at the bar!" And as he shimmies, he catches the goths, smiling brightly with a wink.
It's through the crowds and to the bar, and Cardinal recognizes one girl that's settled in there immediately — but, just in case the flamboyant man thrusting his hips in the air is in fact hitting on her, he doesn't move in to ruin Monica's chance at… at… well, at whatever Toby is. Instead, he leans in past the goths with a wink to one of them, "Barkeep, get me a Godfather."
Something non-alcoholic? With no specification? Well that has the bartender putting a nice, dull Sprite in front of Mortimer. This is why you always specify, boys and girls. Cardinal's drink is given next, while another 'tender refills whatever the two giggly goths are drinking. Meanwhile, a guy wearing leather pants, a fishnet shirt, and a tall, bright blue mohawk eases up to Audrey, leering at her. "Hey there, baby. What will it take to get you out of that those prissy clothes?" Yes, he's drunk. And probably stupid to boot.
Meanwhile, one of the two girls has reached the point of her own stupidity. "No shit! I'll bet you twenty bucks that I can! Even without that stupid little card," she says, a little too loudly.
"Yeah, I was planning on drinking until it was a better day. And then calling in sick from work tomorrow. But I think I can slip in a trip to the dance floor. Just pour me into a cab at the end of the night." Hangovers are fun for all. Monica eyes the drink a bit, but picks it up all the same for a drink. It's then that she hears a familiar voice nearby and she turns a little to see Cardinal there, who gets a wave from her. This is, apparently, not a private meeting, her and Toby. After all, he's shimmying at other clubgoers.
Alex leans over his glass and takes small sips of his Sprite, just enjoying the atmosphere for now. Though looking up and down the bar, a very familiar face is spotted. Is that a Cardinal? Only one way, a blatant Cardinal call. "I see the Cardinal's got his, well, everything back." he speaks up over the people in between them, leaning over his drink so the other man can see him, then he just decides to stand up with his drink and walk over behind the man, offering his free hand. "Alex, we haven't met, but I remember you."
"You bet your boots, a comfy cab will be all ready for you," Toby swears, holding up three fingers. At the wave, however, he turns to see to whom she's waving, and the blue-eyed man offers an exuberant one himself. But beyond all that is Audrey, and over the loud goth music, Toby can still hear the proposal. With a tsk, he strides over and taps the blue-haired…'gentleman' on the shoulder. "I have a feeling it would take very little to get you out of yours," he remarks, smiling amicably at the man.
A few bills change hands, and Cardinal accepts his mixed drink, bringing it up in a casual toast over towards Monica as she waves in his direction. The edge of his glass tips to his lips, and he takes a swallow of his drink, turning his head to say something to one - or both - of the drunken gothlings with a lazy smile just in time to be interrupted by Alex.
Naturally.
A sigh whispers past his lips, and he turns his head to regard the other man, tipping it in a bit of a nod as he notes, "I'm not the only one with everything back. I know you, Alex. Enjoying the outside world?" A wry tug of a smile, glass brought up so he can take a sip from it, one brow lifting over the edge of his shades.
greyish eye's glance from the tom collins to the fishnet wearing emo punk goth, whatever they're calling themselves this day, very pale agent with the freckles across her face. A glance from head to toe, sizing him up. "The more appropriate question is what would you do to get into my handcuffs"
Audrey doesn't raise her voice, but those at the bar can hear her. She lifts her glass, taking a sip of the ice laden beverage as she waits for the answer, shifting from one thin heel to the other. A glance to the others, gaze lighting on them all, lingering on Toby because really, who wouldn't linger a look at him then back to the bluehawk in front of her.
The goth looks at Toby for a moment, before shrugging. "Don't cockblock dude," is said before his back is turned on the other man, and he resumes grinning at Audrey. He is a very determined man! "Handcuffs, hmm? Sounds like fun. Though I'd rather see you in the cuffs. But hey, I can play."
The friend of the drunken gothling who made the loud boast pulls out a twenty, slapping it on the bar between them. "Bet. Prove it! I don't think you can do it, Linda." Linda smirks, and looks down at the twenty, and holds her hand out, palm up. The bill lifts off the bar, and settles itself in her hand. A telekinetic. Who knew? And there's at least one person who doesn't seem to have enjoyed the show, however mild it may be. A man, several seats down from the pair is glaring at them like they've just threatened his puppy, and he swallows the rest of his whiskey before he pushes himself to his feet, starting towards the pair.
And as Monica is left mostly to herself… she ends up flicking her gaze over to the girls and catching that display. And beyond them… the man who gets up. She sighs gently, but sets her glass down and slips out of her seat to come join the girls. "Hey," she greets with a smile, "That was pretty cool." It's just small talk, but her eye is on that man. Bodyguard. >:|
"I already have a reputation? I haven't even been out that long. But then, I guess a 1969 Cobra Jet Mach 1 is hard to ignore. And I have a habit of misplacing my robots." Alex shrugs, a bit more casual than both Mortimer and Jack, so it's not quite as blatantly clear to tell what he's thinking. "It's been fun, though I'm currently seeking employment, one that can benefit my capacity for knowledge, and perhaps freedom."
"Cock blocking? Of course not. I'll have you know I find blue to be very attractive," Toby says simply, with a bit of amusement, as he takes a sip of his drink. He looks black at Monica briefly, apologetically, for leaving her in the lurch, but oh good, she's found new friends! So with a hand on his hip, he looks the punk up and down. "Is this man bothering you, ma'am? Because I'd be more than happy to take him off your hands." Browwaggle. He may not actually be interested, but it's sure fun to pretend!
"Don't flatter yourself. I already knew about you before you were out," Cardinal murmurs to the edge of his glass, his head tipping a bit in a half-nod towards Alex, "We can talk sometime. Not here, though, there's way too many ears about. I might have a project you could be interested in, too…"
"…but. Another time? This really isn't the place."
Audrey's hand slips beneath her blazer, turned towards bluehawk, a flash of her shoulder holster, a small leather wallet pulled out, flashed towards him that shows her homesec credentials, not to mention the handcuff's in their little leather holder tucked to the side. "Oh, I'm pretty sure I can find a reason for you to be in the cuffs there"
She flashes Toby an insincere smile, wallet tucked away and hand waving away his concern. "I have it under control, though you're more than welcome to take him out back, do whatever you want with him, come back in and I'll see that you get a drink for at least being brave enough to come to his rescue"
Goth boy's leer loses a little of its eagerness at the sight of the holster, and more at the credentials. "Hey, you just had to say you weren't interested," he mutters, before giving Toby a glare and wandering off. However, it doesn't seem as though the other problem in the club is as easily solved.
The man continues towards the gothlings, not even seeming to notice the addition of Monica. No, he has eyes only for the telekinetic. "Freak bitch!" he snarls at her, before making a quick grab towards her. It's not a punch, and his hands are empty, he just wants to snag her. Though what will he do after he has his hands on her?
Oooh no he didn't. Monica, going unnoticed as a good ninja should, and perhaps a little too tipsy for good sense, throws a punch to the man's gut in an attempt to keep him from actually being able to get his hands on the girl. "Back off," she says sharply.
"Someone's a peeping shadow." Alex assumes, considering Cardinal's ability, then just idly nods and looks back at the commotion. As far as he could tell, there's a cop, a girl throwing a punch, and an anti-Evolved man. If it wasn't for the cop, he might feel a bit more bold right now.
After taking a sip of his soda, he offers the glass to Cardinal. "Is there any chance I could talk you into hitting that man in the back of the head with this glass? If you start it, then slip out, I don't think I'll be the first person they try to arrest."
Toby laughs and flourishes a bow to Audrey. "I don't need a drink; I have one of my own. But thank you for allowing me—" Freak bitch? Whuh-oh. Turning, he blinks and stares as the man makes a grab for the girl. And Monica punches him! This time, he has no quick-thinking plan. He just gapes. Trouble! Right here in New York City!
That 'cunning plan' involving a glass doesn't register to Cardinal, because as soon as the little brawl broke out to the other side of him he'd already turned — just in time to see the bigot reaching for one of the little gothlings and Monica transposing herself with a strike for his midriff. "Aw, fuck…"
A quick step away from the bar, to the side, and he's thrusting an arm between the fracas and the two drunk girls, voice lifting, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, let's calm down here—"
Gay
The guy is even more so now, than before, light in the loafers. A witty comment roiling upwards is deflected, halted in place at the sound of someone opting to be a bastard. A drunk bastard. A drunk bastard in a bar and even as others are either staying in place like Toby to watch the train wreck unfold, have their little story to tell when they toddle off drunkenly through the night and back home, Audrey's moving forward along with others, quickly assessing the situation.
"I'm Agent Hanson, I highly suggest, perhaps, that you might want to reconsider ruining my already fairly crappy night and let go of the girl, before I do something possibly unsavory and destroy the mood. Understand?" A glance to Cardinal as he's getting in between the two and trying to help defuse the situation.
The man partially doubles over at the punch, but he's drunk, and he's a fanatic. He's not going to let one measley punch stop him! No siree! He continues to cling with one hand to the gothling, who is now starting to scream for help, and he makes a wild swing towards Monica. Fortunately he's had enough to drink that the swing goes wide, but only just. "Freak lover! You stay out of this!" he yells, not caring that there's an Agent in the crowd. That or he just simply doesn't hear her. Either way, he won't be going down easily.
Security has noticed that something is wrong by now, and is starting to push through the crowd, a task made harder by the nature of most humans to crowd around things like this and watch. It'll be a minute before they're close enough to do much good.
Hey, law enforcement! Sadly, however, there's a punch being thrown her way, and Monica reacts - or rather, Monica's ability reacts - and she grabs that wide swinging wrist and gives it a painful twist. But instead of talking to him again, her gaze flicks to Audrey. A little unsure, considering her current… position. <.< It's a little like getting caught with her hand in the cookie jar. And beating up the guy is the cookie.
Alex sees that everyone is already fighting, and some wise man once said 'I wouldn't start it, but I'd join in if I saw everyone else doing it', to paraphrase a fictional redneck. He finishes his soda, then his eyes take on a more mercurial color, as if he had two solid metallic spheres in his sockets. Then, looking up at the man with his elbows casually resting on the bar behind him, he calls out, "Hey, I'm a freak. I'm getting my freak germs all over the bar, gonna do something about it?" Then, the cherry on top, and he casually raises his empty hand to erect a middle finger.
Fights, those aren't Toby's thing. Toby's more into the drinking, the dancing, the singing. The loving. Yes, he's a lover, not a fighter. But nevertheless, this doesn't sit right with him, and he tries to figure out something to do that would actually be useful. And at Alex's contribution he pauses, then tips up his chin, removing his Registration card from his shirt pocket and showing it. "Yeah, you looking for freaks? You got 'em." Somehow this seems like a good idea. But Toby was never one for thinking things through.
There's absolutely no doubt in Cardinal's head that Monica can handle the bigot in question; she is, after all, quite possibly one of the most technically adept fighters in the world, thanks to her ability. So as she - and the others - leap in to deal with the guys, he turns a bit with a tilt of his head away from the fight and to the girls he was originally threatening, "C'mon, let's back up a little, get you away from this shit in case it gets messy— "
Evo hater, meet butt of handgun, butt of handgun, make the acquaintance of the back of the guy's head.
Audrey's sidearm is out, and while she doesn't dare wave it around, take off the safety and shoot, she does a good old fashioned pistol whip to him, in an attempt to end the confrontation before it can get much further. Likely to the dismay of others who might have been desiring a fight.
Surrounded by the freaks? For a moment the man looks like a kid in a candy story, who can only pick just one thing. Of course before he can decide he has to give a bit of a girly scream at the wrist twisting, which also makes him release the girl he'd been holding on to. She scrambles away, happily accepting Cardinal's invitation to get away. And just in time too! He's starting to make his decision, to go after Alex, when…thud. Pistol meets head, and evo-hating jerk crumbles to the floor.
It's right about that time that the club security manages to get through the crowd, and they stop and look around, assessing the situation. One goes to check on the downed man, while the others spread out, just in case he was the victim and not the one causing all the trouble. "What happened here?" one of them asks, not noticing the gun. Yet.
When he goes down, Monica lets go of his wrist, not looking to break anything with Authorities standing right there. She turns to check on the girl, noting her in Cardinal's watch, she turns back to security. "He made a grab for this girl here… he was… agitated. And then he agitated pretty much everybody."
Alex stands, reaching into his pocket to pull out a metallic sphere with slight cracks in it, suggesting that it's some sort of shiny mechanical construct… or a bracelet. "He dropped this, make sure he gets it later." he says as he tosses it over from his leather gloved hand, landing near the downed man. "I'll see you around, Birdy." he offers to Cardinal, heading for the door.
Authorities! Good! Toby tucks his Registration card back in his pocket and sidles a little closer to the group, chocolatini in hand as he tries to determine what all's going on. For now, drinkin's the thing. But he does try to catch Monica's eye, questioning concern in his gaze.
Oh, good. It's someone with a sidearm! Since nobody is screaming, Cardinal's going to assume that she's an authority figure of some sort. A tight, approving nod to her, a quick grin to Monica, and then he turns to check on the girls, "You two all right…? Fuckin' Humanis bigots…"
Out comes the badge again, lest there end up some screaming over the flourishing of a weapon. Indeed, homesec agent audrey hanson, the pinch face in the picture matches that of what's in real life before the security guards. "This individual accosted that young lady over there when she displayed the use of an evolved ability. His refusal to release her when I demanded he do so, is the reason he's on the floor. If you'll be so kind as to have one of your co-workers call for an ambulance"
She rattles off the non-911 number even as she's tucking away her weapon and taking out handcuffs - yes those ones - to start snapping around the downed man's wrists, looking over for the girl in question and beckoning her forward from Cardinals point with a professional nod and a crook of her finger.
Come here little girl, it ain't over with yet. "Sir" A glance to Toby. "Please get the young woman a whiskey, or something strong? I'd appreciate it"
Monica gets a slow nod, then Audrey, and the bouncer studies the ID and Audrey's face intently, just to be damn certain that they match. When he's convinced he relaxes a little and nods again. "Thanks for making sure it didn't get too out of hand, Agent Hanson. Your drinks are on the house tonight." A glance to the evolved girl who inadvertently set off the whole thing. "So are hers."
One bouncer moves off to deal with the ambulance, while another two wait for handcuffs to be put on before dealing with the pesky task of moving the anti-evo man out of the way so he's not further disrupting business.
The girl looks at Cardinal with scared eyes, clinging to the sleeve of his shirt. "I…I think so. He just grabbed me. He got punched before he could really do anything," she says softly. And when Audrey motions her over, she looks to Cardinal, a plea in her eyes. She doesn't want to talk to the scary agent by herself!
Once she's nodded to, Monica moves back to her chocolatini, and that gaze from Toby, picking up the first for a drink while answering the second with a bit of a shrug. >.> What?
Opening the door to his car, Alex makes a phone call to leave a message on Cardinal's voicemail. It's more of a courtesy than anything, but it'll be interesting to see what the older man does with the information.
The message being:
"I'm not sure if you're familiar, but that was one of my ring bombs, the ones that create a localized explosion specifically made for removing the limb that happens to be wearing it. So, make sure someone undeserving doesn't end up wearing it, would you?"
Toby nods to Audrey and moves to the bar, leaning over to waggle a hand towards the bartender. "Yoohoo! Whiskey for the girl, if you would be so kind!" Then he leans against the bar and points two fingers towards Monica's eyes, then to his eyes, then back to hers. Eye two eye. You. Me. Wink. …Well there's no waggling of brows…
A reassuring smile's offered down to the scared-sober girl clinging to Cardinal's arm, one hand sliding over hers in a brief press. "It's alright, you didn't do anything wrong," he says quietly, moving with her to step over towards Audrey so she doesn't have to go over by herself. His phone vibrates, but he ignores it. As he leads the gothling over towards Audrey, he muses over the irony of it. Once upon a time, he would've been doing everything he could to get away from the agent.
How times change…
Mark this down, there's a polite, and even friendly smile on Audrey's face. "If you could show me your registration please. Complete formality, I assure you." A gesture to the bartenders to carefully move the asshole away. "Police will be coming, will you be interested in pressing charges and if so, you'll need to go with them down to the station so that they can start a report." Been a long time since she did anything of this sort, usually investigating only, not dealing with victims.
Well, no, she does that too, but not for something petty and small like this. The metallic device thrown by the individual and rolled on the floor is picked up, frowned at, then tucked away to be dealt with later, her attention resuming on the young woman.
The girl smiles weakly up at Cardinal and nods. Then she's fumbling to get out her registration card, the one she was so proud to admit to having earlier, and holds it out towards Audrey. "I didn't do anything wrong, right? I'm not in trouble? I mean, since I'm registered?" she asks, sticking close to Cardinal's side, glancing from the agent to the attacker, back and forth.
The bouncers are fairly gentle with the man, though they move him as quickly as they can, and soon he's out of the way and most people start going back to their business. The bouncer who went to make the phone call returns, speaking to the one in charge. "Ambulance and police have been notified. They're on their way."
Monica gives Toby a bit of a shy smile that might seem a bit odd for a girl who was about to 'take it outside', so to speak, but there it is. That drink is downed pretty fast, too, but all in all, she seems in a better mood. If only a bit.
"You didn't do a damn thing," Cardinal reassures her, "You're registered, you're all good…" A wry look to the agent, and he notes, "I don't know if they want to press charges, but the club might."
"None at all" The card taken in hand and examined, looked at, young woman looked at, then it's passed back. "Probably wise to be a bit more discreet in the future, till the individuals of this nature come to accept the uniqueness of those who have been born with a different genetic coding. Save the party tricks for a private party when you know who the guest list is."
"Why don't you and your friends come with me, we'll get you squared away with your police report and get you home before curfew so that you can enjoy yourself again tomorrow night. I'll even walk you through it" There's a glance to Cardinal, questioningly. As if inquiring whether he objected that his girlfriend might go down to the police plaza with her.
Audrey does have a heart and a conscience for a homeland satan officer as a certain pamnesiac might call her. "Your boyfriend can come with you. We can drive you home" It'll get her out of this place. Obviously, her co-workers have questionable taste. She'll find out if the club wants to press charges after other things are squared away.
The girl relaxes a bit at the reassurance from first Cardinal, then Audrey, and she nods. Right up until Audrey calls Cardinal her boyfriend. She gives him a quick look, even as her cheeks go slightly pink, and she shakes her head. "He's not my boyfriend, ma'am." But she's not going to argue the rest, and she goes along with Audrey easily enough, dragging her friend along with her. The club does everything it can to help even, from offering a place to talk to the girls, to ensuring that the humanis first member is escorted out to a police car when they arrive.
All in all, things could have gone much worse with a fanatic in the club.