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| Scene Title | To Hell With Charity |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | The grand opening of Tartarus is celebrated with a charity event including a raffle, date auction, and live music. |
| Date | June 25, 2010 |
"Abandon hope all ye who enter here."
That is the sign that rests just above the double doors that lead from the small foyer into the club proper. Once through the doors the music is all-encompassing, the heavy bass beat filling the room and senses of the club-goers. The decor is all dark, the walls painted black, the bar a sleek dark wood. The lights all have a reddish tinge to them, with the bar and DJ booth being the only places in the club proper that have more normal white light.
There are high tables with equally tall chairs circling a large dance floor, and booths set along two of the walls. But while socializing is a big part of the club, the dancing is the priority. People, some Goths, some punks, and some just people who like to dance are all packed on the dance floor. Weaving through the sea of people are servers, men and women both, dressed in black pants or skirts, and tee-shirts that have "Taratarus" written across the chest in red lettering. Likewise there are security people at the door and mixed through the club, in similar outfits, only their shirts have "SECURITY" on the back.
It's opening night at Tartarus!
It's clear that a lot of work has gone into this evening. The music is going, with Quinn in the DJ booth, handling the transition from song to song. It's not only goth music, not tonight with so many other types of people in attendance. And there are many types of people. There are the Goths of course, but there are people in jeans and tee-shirts, punks, people in business suits, and some people who have apparently decided that this was worthy of formal or semi-formal dress. Mixed into these people are the employees of the club, all wearing black tee-shirts with the club's name on the front.
Set up just inside the entrance is a table with two club employees seated behind it. There are rolls of tickets on the table, clipboards and a lock box. Behind them are poster-sized color copies of three paintings. It's three different paintings done by Isaac Mendez, and at the bottom of each poster is the tag "Donated by Daniel Linderman". Sheets of paper on the table give details on the paintings and mention that they are being given away in a raffle, and that tickets cost $10 each. All proceeds, of course, will go to the charity of the night, meant to restore part of Central Park to its former glory. The employees are also taking straight donations from people, giving more reason for the lock box - and the security personnel that are standing nearby, just in case.
The clipboards seem to be for people who either want to have their name listed with their donations, or for people who wish to volunteer at the last minute to have themselves auctioned off. It only asks for simple information; the name they wish to be announced by, and a little tidbit of information they want given, such as hobbies or likes or what their date will consist of.
The stage is setup with a microphone, in preparation for the auction, but behind that is the setup for a band to play. However, the lights are dark on stage for now, and focused on the charity table and the dance floor, where people are already shaking their booties to the music. Waiters and waitresses move through the crowd, serving drinks and the small selection of food that the club has available.
And standing off to the side, near the bar, is the person who organized this entire event. Melissa is standing with her arms folded over her chest, smiling as she watches everything in little bits. The money exchanging hands at the charity table seems to please her, with the number of people in attendance almost as pleasing.
Tonight she's wearing a black corset and a long skirt of black, transparent layers that, when put atop each other like they are, give the skirt an opaqueness that makes it modest enough. A belt made of large silver circles hangs low on her hips, and her wrists have spiked leather bands. Her hair, though people are used to the blonde and black, seems to have more of the darker color than even just a few days ago. The oddest thing, however, is the one that can't be seen except up close. Two little scars on her left shoulder, the approximate size and shape of bullet wounds.
Having collected a small roll of raffle tickets near the entrance, Ygraine dallies briefly to admire the posters displaying the paintings on offer as prizes, then slips further into the club. There's a distinct spring in her step, and behind the lacy veil her eyes are wide with joyful excitement. Frequent glances are cast towards the DJing booth, as the only place she knows there's someone she's ever met before in her life - but in fairly short order she manages to spot the manageress, skirting the throng around the bar to approach the cheerful-looking Goth.
Elaine Darrow is a whole bundle of mixed emotions for the evening. She's excited, first and foremost, nervous due to the idea of being auctioned off, and worried about the fact that Magnes is in the hospital and even moreso that he'll try and show up. Slipping into the club, she moves first to pay for her entry, purchase a pair of raffle tickets, and then move off out of the way so others can enter the club.
The redhead with the Scottish accent is dressed impeccably: a classy long black dress with thin straps, complete with a slit in the side that goes up to her knee, a pair matching heels (not too high, as she's already tall), and a black velvet choker necklace about her neck. She's even gone above and beyond her normal and is sporting some eye makeup, dark mascara and eyeliner really making her eyes pop against her lighter skin. She's definitely gone all out. Moving further into the club, she proceeds to scan those already there for familiar faces.
Richard Cardinal is probably the only person in the club who's wearing shades this evening.
It makes sense, after all, as in the dim lighting of the nightclub a pair of sunglasses would blind most people. He doesn't seem to be having any such problems at the moment, though, the wraparound shades that hide his gaze from the world not hindering him a bit as he navigates the crowds. He's dressed fairly casually for the evening, a black t-shirt whose cotton weave is snug against his shoulders and chest, tucked neatly into the waistband of black denim jeans, the leather belt studded with gleaming chrome. A pair of boots with toes reinforced with steel finish off the outfit, giving him a somewhat casual industrial look.
A small handful of raffle tickets are folded into a back pocket as he navigates the entrance, weaving effortlessly through the crowd on his way to the bar.
He may be here mostly for the raffle and the paintings, but he might want to dance too. And that means he needs a little social lubrication in the form of whiskey. Social events have an ingredient list, after all.
While she's no stranger to clubs, Goth clubs aren't typically her scene, so Peyton enters Tartarus a little tentatively. She's dressed in a sleek, tight black "wiggle" dress with just a touch of a sheen to it; her already dark brown hair has been recently tinted to a richer sable, nearly black. Her makeup is simple — her sloe eyes are outlined in dark liner and mascara and her lips are painted a classic red. Heels bring her 5'8" height up to about 5'11" so she can easily look in the eyes of most men — what they don't know is that she can look through their eyes later, if she so desires.
It is that ability that lent the heiress and clairvoyant to agree when Melissa asked for her help in the auction — though she didn't tell Cardinal about it, Peyton is here in hopes of making contacts that might help her "boss" in his "line of work." So when her eyes fall upon Cardinal, her brows arch and she heads to someone selling raffle tickets to buy a few more, and to maybe avoid the man with the sunglasses for at least a few more minutes. There's the chance he might try to talk her out of being "auctioned."
It's Abby’s friends bar, her 'guy' is going up on the auction block last she knew and she is, if anything, a supportive friend. That and she's got an apartment to furnish and some walls to cover. She has her eye on the picture of the man in the river and fingers crossed that her handful of tickets shoved into her purse will net her it, or at least one of the others. Jeans, tank top, bar gear really that is most decidedly not gothic in any nature. She's already asked Robert what the hell Tartarus meant. she's already socially lubricating herself since this is a crowded place, too much bodily contact for her liking and not exactly her scene. A coke and rum in hand, she cranes her neck looking for others that she knows, pink hair back and down at the same time.
Like Melissa, Quinn is dressed for the occasion, donning a very uncharacteristic purple and black corset, a long, silk black dress that stop just short of her ankles, a pait of black, lace up boots that appear to go up to the middle of her calf, paired with occasionally visible lace stockings. A black choker adorned with a metal emblem in the centre of the throat, hanging silver earrings, appropriate makeup, and a gothic-Victorian style coat complete the ensemble, mismatched with the 2 pairs of headphones sitting both around her neck and comfortably on her ears.
As the next song comes to an end, a smile plastered across the woman's face, silence reigns for a brief moment as she waggles her fingers and takes hold of the microphone in front of her. "Heeeeello again, folks! It's DJ Ravenfall again, and I just wanted to thank you again for coming out tonight!" The Irish accent carries throughout the building, carried by the fantastic acoustics and sound system. "The first item in our raffle tonight is going to be going up soon, so hurry up and get those tickets! For those of you who haven't seen, we have three wonderful pieces by the locally renown Isaac Mendes, known both for his works with studio art and the 9th Wonders comic book! Donated graciously by Daniel Linderman himself, these pieces could be yours today! All you've got to do is go there-" At this point she saunters out to the middle of the stage, pointing to where the raffle tickets are available, and the paintings on display, "And buy one! This is an incredibly rare oppostunity. Don't let it pass you up! And for anyone wanting to make a request, you can get it passed up to me, or I'll be in the crowd later!"
With that, the mic is flicked off, and a nod and a wave given to the crowd. She hurries back to the DJ booth, and kicks off the next song, a fast paced track by The Cruxshadows.
Seeing Ygraine heading her way, Melissa grins, but doesn't move, letting the other woman come to her. "Hey Ygraine. Glad you could make it! Looks a hell of a lot different when it's full of people and everything, doesn't it?" And she looks as proud of it as a mother with a newborn baby as she surveys the club. And in a way, it's exactly that. "Want a drink? This one's on me."
She spots Abby then, and beams. She knew the other woman was goign to come, but it's different from actually seeing her here. She lifts a hand to wave Abby over, then glances to Ygraine. "You met Abby yet?"
This is a work night for Sable. This is the first real gig she's had since Boston and - lets be totally honest - playing the occasionally shitty dive bar does not match up to this. From the shadows behind the DJ's stand Sable peers out, her pale skin and yellow eyes the only things standing out, as the rest of her is covered in black. Tight black jeans, a black studded leather belt around her hips, a black spaghetti strap top, black leather wristbands, hair dyed an ever deeper black. A silver skull gleams, hanging around her neck as a pendant. Dark tears of makeup stream down her cheeks, and her lips are painted so dark a red they, too, are almost black. And to top it off, the black guitar in her hands. Convenient, that.
She's not so much nervous about the performance. Okay, maybe she is a little, but damnation if it wouldn't be that much less nerve wracking if their goddamn bassist were here. She waits for Quinn to finish her announcement, appreciating the way she works the crowd, then scoots up to the booth as inconspicuously as she can once Quinn returns, fiddling with the tuning knobs on her guitar.
"Hon," comes Sable's low growl behind the DJ, "With our boy in the hospital, what in the name of, like, Hades or whoever rules this joint, 'r' we gonna do?"
A finger-wave accompanies a warm smile, and Ygraine comes to a halt in front of Melissa, sinking into a rather elegant curtsey. "Did you think I'd miss it?", she asks rather impishly. "Ahh… hrmm. Vodka and coke. Sugar and caffeine might be a good idea."
Looking around at Abby, the Briton quite openly double-takes, before peering quizzically. "Good grief. That's an impressive hair colour", she says warmly, offering a hand to the erstwhile healer. "It's good to see you again."
Caliban hasn't strayed very far from Abigail's side, and won't… provided that he has any say in the matter. A plain black suit and dress tie seemed like an appropriate combination for an event like this, his graying blond hair slicked back and beard trimmed close to his jaw to give him a quiet, respectable appearance much more subdued than some of the other individuals in attendance this evening.
Athough Linderman owns a handful, night clubs aren't where he prefers to spend his time. They're too hot, too crowded, and in the humid summer weather rippling waves of heat across the pavement even after the sun has gone down, he'd rather be at home with his paramour and enjoying a cool glass of white wine over a home-cooked meal.
Ygraine receives a glance and a tight smile, but that is all.
Holly Parker makes an appearance early on, humbly adorned in a light yellow dress. She's gone handheld with a smallish video camera today though it dangles from a landyard on her arm at the moment, the plan being to get her bearings first before deciding what needs a good filming! Settling near the wall she waits, taking in the room and noting faces with a smile as she spots Sable there.
"Get me a Godfather." The drink's ordered across the bar, and Richard leans himself there against its edge as he looks back over across the nightclub. It's hard to tell where his eyes are thanks to his shades, but he doesn't seem to've noticed any of the people he knows just yet. Maybe he's just got a good poker face. As the bartender returns, he digs out his wallet to pay for the drink.
Just another club-goer. Don't mind him.
Abby's about to ask for the umpteenth time, when Caliban is supposed to go up for auction. Intending to at least try to make a bid on her man. Ygraine's voice is one that niggles in the back of her head, a throwback to times of yore when a touch wasn't just a touch and kiss was not a contract. A kiss still isn't a contract but.. They can enjoy wine and home cooked meal another night, as much like Caliban has business obligations to his social circle, she too has obligations to hers. How long she'll stay depends on a few things. The whole shebang will shut down before 11 anyways.
"Ygraine" Remembering the name that goes with the british face. "It's nice to see you again too. I like it. Cotton Candy pink. It suits me. Robert probably doens't much care for it but… I'll keep it for a bit longer at least" No offer of handshake or hug, though there's a soft touch of Mel's shoulder in Hello before her attention is stolen by the sight of the shadowmorph and she stretches just enough to give his shin a gentle kick in hello. "Ygraine, meet Robert, Robert, this is Ygraine"
Heading over towards the DJ Booth, Elaine's already noted Quinn and Sable. She feels a little guilty, having been the bearer of bad news, and so at the very least she's determined to come over and try and soothe stressed emotions. She offers a wave to the two, taking a moment to go head close to Sable.
"If you're worrying over the band, I can almost guarantee you he's gonna show up, but you gotta promise the second your set's over you'll send him home. Saw him in the hospital yesterday.. he's guilty as all hell and I think he's gonna freaking get up and leave the hospital just to be here."
She peers towards Quinn, offering her a bit of a grin. "Thanks for the outfit help, by the way. I think it'll make an impression." Oh, and there's Ygraine! Elaine smiles towards the woman, offering her a bit of a wave as well. She's not gonna think about the auction part now. That'll just make her nervous again.
While she's surveying the area, Melissa happens to notice Cardinal. She's only met him once, but she remembers that night very well, and it shows by the absent rubbing of her cheek, where it met the cage in Center Stage. Then she grins at Ygraine and nods. "Good point." She signals a waitress to come and get Ygraine's drink, and orders a rum and coke for herself. She can't get drunk, but one drink to steady her nerves would be good.
"It really does suit you," Mel says to Abby, grinning, then looking curiously at the shin kicking. She eases in closer to the pink-haired woman and murmurs, "You know him? Who is he?" It's then that she really notices the man at Abby's side and she smiles warmly at him. "We meet again. And under better circumstances this time!"
Peyton recognizes some faces — Abby's hard to miss in her pink hair, but looks busy, and she recognizes the British woman with her as a friend of Colette's from Summer Meadows. She puts the raffle tickets she's purchased into her red patent leather clutch purse, and heads to the bar for a drink. Leaning against the counter, she waits for the attention of the tender, then flashes a smile. "Extra dirty martini, make it a double?" she asks, pulling out a bill to lay on the counter that will easily cover the cost and a generous tip.
Headphones pulled down from her ears, Quinn tilts her head and looks back at Sable, as quiet as she can manage in the noise of the room. “No idea. Hopefully he shows and I don’t have to yell at him later.” She pauses, looking back into the crowd, and smile. “Anything you wanna hear? I’m going back out in a song or two, so better let me know now.”
When Quinn hears Elaine, though, she turns back with a face that’s a mixture of pity and annoyance. “You’re feckin’ kidding me, right?”
Sable trusts Elaine, but she'll feel better when she sees Magnes herself. She is not going to feel the least at ease with one man absent. She can't even really be tuning that guitar anymore. She isn't even plucking strings, she's just twisting knobs. Still, she hitches a small smile to her lips for Elaine's sake.
"Aw, he can take his time if it mean's we've got y' to ourselves a bit longer, hon," the yellow eyed girl quips at Elaine, "When he does show, don't let 'im see you 'til after. Lookin' as y' do, you'll give the poor fragile boy a heart attack." There. That feels better. That feels normal. "He ain't too bad, then, is he? As he's comin'?" Let's not let concern be too obvious.
From giving massages to strangers to avoiding hand-shakes upon a reunion… Ygraine's perplexity clearly shows on her features for a couple of moments as she watches Abby, before she manages to adopt a rather better poker face while observing the shin-kick. Given Abby's avoidance, Robert merely gets offered a slight raising of that hand rather than an invitation to shake. "A pleasure to meet you, Robert", she says, her accent distinctly British and educated.
"I believe that may be a matter of debate," Caliban murmurs to Melissa around the rim of his glass, which is filled with ice and bubbly liquid that smells like it might be tonic water mixed with something else.
To Ygraine, he offers a lighter, "Likewise."
When this song ends, Quinn holds up a finger to the other two women, pulling up her mic again. “Alright folks! The first goes up for raffle in about five minutes! Get those ticket while you can, and keep ‘em close. Make sure you can read the six digit number on ‘em, that’s what we’re using to check the winner. So, if you want a painting by Isaac Mendez, please, don’t wait any longer!”
Mic flicked off again, Quinn swivels around in ehr seat and wrinkles her nose. “Hell no.” She states plainly, shaking her head. “If he needs to be in the hospital, I’m not letting him play. I’ll try and do something myself with the bassline, but I’m not letting him up on stage.” Quinn seems firm in this revolve, hands on her hips as she stares at Elaine and Sable.
Elaine frowns a bit. "He's gotta be on a special diet for a week, they wanted to keep him for another day. When I saw him, he was tired as all heck, but that was last night. He might be better, s'long as he doesn't go /crazy/ on stage. Don't have to yell at him, he did some beating up of himself yesterday sayin' he aught to quit the band because he was just letting you guys down. I think I talked some sense into him, but.. just /try/ and be nice if you yell? He was really down. If he shows up, I'm plannin' on sending him home soon as he's done." She looks back towards the crowd, as if expecting to see Magnes show up at any second.
Melissa looks amused at Caliban's response, her head tilting slightly. "A charity event at a club, or bailing out Kendall? Yeah, I think this is much better. Guessin' you're not big on the club scene though? Or maybe just not the goth club scene?" The waitress brings the drinks for her and Ygraine, and Mel slips the woman a tip before taking a sip of her drink.
Quinn's announcement has Mel glancing in her direction, then to Abby. "Tell me you got those tickets for me," she says with a grin. She wants one of those paintings. Bad.
Decisions, decisions. Sable's eye swing from Quinn to Elaine, Elaine to Quinn. "If he c'n walk, 'n' he wants t' play, let the boy play," she says, with resolve equal to Quinn's, "He's willin' to go this far f'r us, why fuckin' rob him of the gesture? Boy's made of somethin' strong." A nice sentiment, surely, but Sable can't not be thinking of herself and the show. Priorities prove perhaps Quinn is the better friend, or at least less insane and reckless. "'n' don't worry, hon," she assures Elaine, "I won't rip into his fool self 'til he's well 'n' fully recovered."
Ygraine gratefully accepts her drink, smiling at the waitress before nodding her thanks and raising a mute toast to Melissa. The comment about tickets prompts a laugh, however. "You too, huh?", she asks with a smile. "I'm someone's proxy buyer tonight. And I'm hoping to win for myself, as well. Good luck with it anyway, if I don't manage to hook all three."
Offering Melissa a wink, the Briton nods to the others then pulls back, withdrawing a few paces to let the event organiser be available to greet other guests. For her own part, she sips at her drink, cradling it in her hands as she gazes around the crowd, rising up on tip-toes to help her search for any other familiar faces.
"I think, Mel, we're of like mind when it comes to things like this. But I have something special for him soon and it's all in the name of charity and for a good cause" She's about to inquire how Ygraines girlfriend is, but the Brit has tickets and other people to see and that's well and fine.
Tickets? Abby grabs hers from her purse, then Mel's from her back pocket, two sets. "I have yours Mel, I promise. I'm going to be more.. social. Hope no one flashes any.. fangs or try's to attack me with eyeliner" Goths. Emo goths. "Or chains. Ohh, Peyton's here" Yes. Abby really does know everyone. Almost. "If you need help behind the bar will you let me know?" But that's it for monopolizing Mel's time. "This was the band supposed to play at Lucy's before it burned" A gesture to Sable et al.
"A few days." comes from a voice behind Sable's group, Magnes' voice. His hair is straightened to chin length, oily and pitch black. His skin is pale, but not from any makeup, that much is noticable. He's wearing black lipstick, a long black leather sleeveless trenchcoat with no shirt under it, unbuttoned to short off his torso, and black baggy jeans with barbed wire wrapped around the left leg. His boots are also black, covered in all sorts of skull buttons and hearts with arrows through them. He went a bit all out. And the tattoo isn't new for anyone who's seen him without a shirt, the dragon wrapped around his belly button. His B.C Rich Vortex Warlock four string bass is on his back, and he seems to be standing somewhat fine… the paleness may still be strange. "I gave up a few days of my life to a healer so I'd be able to play, and then I injected myself with a safe level of adrenaline. I'll be fine long enough for us to play, then I'll probably pass out." A few days of his life!
Ygraine gets a sheepish smile from Melissa. "When I saw 'em, I couldn't help myself. I really want one of those paintings. Think it was called The Lovers. It's gorgeous." Then she's looking back to Abby and grinning. "Oh good. Thanks bunches for this, hon. And you will not work tonight. Not happenin'. You just wander. Go socialize and enjoy time with your man," she says, giving both Abby and Caliban a grin, before she gives Cardinal another curious look.
"Look… ugh." Quinn hangs her head, fingers rubbing her temples. "I really don't like that. If we were at a, like… real gig, we'd have cancelled because someone was in the hospital." Quinn sighs, shaking her head and pulling her headphones back over her ears. "I'm not inclined to let it go, but we'll see how he is if he gets here!" Her voice pitched in noticeably raised, unconsciously trying to talk over the music pumping more or less straight into her brain. "We'll talk about it after the raffle!" A swivel back around, and Quinn begins playing with mixers, sorting through a small crate of vinyl she brought from home for the night. Eyeing a turntable, one in particular is withdrawn - Wish by The Cure. She doesn't hear Magnes come up behind the rest of them, trying her best to hide an unhappy face as she stares ahead.
Holly takes a while to get her nerves, fidgeting with her camera a little while before she decides to hell with it and tosses the camera into the purse at her side. She starts wandering over in the direction of the band and their acquaintances, gently shoving a path through the crowd.
Now armed with her drink, Peyton slips away from the bar, letting someone else move into her spot, and smiles at Abby when she catches the pink-haired paramedic's eye. She moves that way, grimacing a little as someone bumps into her, making her slosh her drink — lifting it up and away salvages any precious liquid from falling out.
"Hi," she says, smiling at Abby, then more shyly at Melissa, who she only knows barely, then to Caliban, who she doesn't know at all, and then finally Ygraine. "I'm Peyton — we've met, but I forget your name," she tells Ygraine, though she glances at Caliban whose name she's not sure she knows, though she recognizes him from the gala.
Cardinal, for his part, has been casually leaning against the bar nursing his drink. As he hears a few words about the paintings, he looks over to Melissa… and therefore, inevitably, those she's with. A push off from the bar, a step around a gothling in a latex skirt - a squeal in his wake suggesting he just slapped her ass on the way past, but the approving grin on the girl's face shows she didn't mind - and then he's moving smoothly to join them.
"I'll say this for Mendez, he was actually a pretty damn good artist…" A grin for Ygraine, for Abby, for Peyton - a vague nod to Caliban, "…so what're you lovely ladies doing here this evening, aside from appreciating art?"
Sable gawks at Magnes. At first she's just shocked to see him all gothed out. Then she's thrilled that he's actually there. Then she's horrified to hear what he did to make it here. So she's left quite without words for a decent stretch, until finally she lifts her hand and salutes him. "It's a fuckin' honor," she says, "T' rock at yer side." This is said with the utmost seriousness. She totally, absolutely means it. No joke. That's dedication. More than she'd ever actually expect from anyone not as twisted in the brain as she.
And who should approach, but the independent press! Holly is spotted from the corner of Sable's eye, and the yellow eyed girl waves, motioning for her to come up to them. "Magnes," she says, "Tell yer story t' the pretty gal that's comin' this way. She's gonna make us famous."
Having just cocked her head to better catch the music, Ygraine starts in surprise as she's addressed from the group around Melissa. Blinking a little owlishly at Peyton she stares for a moment… then steps closer again, offering a smile to the younger woman. "Ygraine", she provides, with warmth in her voice. "I believe that we painted some guttering together, once upon a time."
At Cardinal, the Briton arches a brow and then chuckles. "Waiting to be sold", she says dryly. "At least in some cases."
Melissa grins at Peyton, nodding to her. "Hey Peyton. Nervous about going up on stage?" she asks lightly. When Cardinal wanders over, her head tilts, then she grins. "He was. You hoping to win one of his paintings? And I'm just enjoying the show. Eager for the auction to start." She pulls her phone out and grins at Peyton, then Caliban. "Less than an hour until showtime!"
Glancing over towards Magnes, Elaine can't help but smile a little and sigh at almost the same time. Well, he's already said he's going home right after, so she's satisfied. She is smiling, however, and gives him a nod. "I'm glad you're here, even if I disapprove a bit." She peers over at Holly as Sable mention's them becoming famous. "Ooh, I should get out of the way. You'll get more fans if the young teeny-bopper fans end up thinking you're single."
"Something along those lines," Peyton says with a smile toward Ygraine, taking the hand of the petite woman and then glancing at Cardinal, a mix of amusement and perhaps worry in her face. "Lovely ladies? You're wearing those glasses because you're blind, right?" she teases. She gives a slight head shake to Melissa. "Nervous, me? In the spotlight? Surely you jest! You do know who I am, right?" It's a bit of a feigned confidence, the smile just a touch forced. She is nervous, actually, and it's been a while since she has deliberately sought a spotlight.
"Smashing," says Caliban. He's draining the rest of his drink a moment later and touching an hand to Abigail's arm. "I'm going to get another," he adds, gesturing in the direction of the bar with a tilt of his chin. "Would you like anything?"
"No, no I'm good robert, I'll be okay. Richard's here and I'm with friends" If he needs a break, or a smoke, she's given her unnecessary blessing for him to do it. "Robert, this is Peyton, Peyton, this is Robert. You've met, or at least know of Richard, and ygraine and Mel and… others" He's not dummy, She's pretty sure he's likely background checked her friends, or knows of them already. "I'm checking out the competition Richard. If I decide to put my bar in next door you know" All a joke, she wouldn't. "But I'm looking for properties in Soho right now. Figure, that place is starting to do a bit better, I should get in, while I can get a steal on a place. That and the paintings, Mel said they were for charity so." Abigail goes up on toes to kiss Richard's cheek, then abck down.
Another song begins to fades away, and Quinn lets out a long sigh, closing her eyes until a wide smile returns to her face – it doesn’t last long, though, as she spins around and jumps up form ehr seat – and almost into Magnes. “Jesus Christ, there you are!” She exclaims, eyes narrowed at him. She raises a hand and points, opening her mouth to give him what for. Nothing comes, her finger shakes once or twice, and she sighs. “Goddamnit. Don’t go anywhere, Magnes. I’m checkin’ you out, making sure you’re good for playin’.”
She draws the mic up into her hand, shaking it at her bandmates (and Elaine) before flicking it on as she slips headphones off and sets them down. “Alright everyone, it’s that time at last!”Waiting until the ding dies down a bit, Quinn waits until she has a decent amount of attention before continuing. Walking out from behind her booth, a wide grin on her face and a swagger to her step, Quinn making her way to the far edge of the stage where a container with numerous tickets inside awaits. “Last chance for tickets for our first piece has past! Of the first of our graciously donated Isaac Mendez pieces we are giving away this evening is “Invisible People”!” A motion is given over to where the paintings sit, a very flashy gesture made. She steps over to the container holding the tickets, and waggles the fingers of free hand before gripping the handle and spinning it thusly.
Spin, spin, spin. She lets the suspense build for several moments before pulling away, letting it comes to a rest on its own. Latch flipped open, and she reaches in with a flourish, withdrawing a ticket and narrowing her eyes. “Our lucky winner is the people who has ticket… 938014!"
"I'm something of a collector," Cardinal admits rather easily to Melissa's question, "I don't have any of his originals, but I do have copies of… quite a bit of his work. Of course, they're useless now, just art, but…" That's an odd way to put it. If they're just art now, what use were they before? "…and everyone knows who you are, Peyton." He tips his hed down to take the kiss to his cheek, exhaling a low chuckle before looking up and over to the stage, "Oh, hey. Raffle time."
Oh, shit, numbers. He digs out the tickets from a pocket and starts going through them.
"Hey!" Magnes waves over at Holly, motioning her to come quicker. He straightens up, clearing his throat. He's gone over these things with Tracy! He can handle it… "Are you here to interview us? If you're not, I'll feel like a complete tool for asking." he says as he goes straight into PR mode, putting on a friendly smile.
Richard? Melissa knows that name! And it has her studying him more intently than before. It's not just Abby who's mentioned him, and if she has her way, he'll be drunk and spilling the details of his life to her before the night is over. "A collector, huh? His work is rather good," she says absently. Lucky for him, she's distracted by the raffle, and she looks towards Quinn until the number is given, then she looks to Abby to see if one of the tickets won, but this wasn't the painting that she wanted, so she's not that excited.
"Nice to meet you, Robert," Peyton says, and she turns to stick her tongue out at Cardinal playfully before digging into her red purse for the tickets. Not that one — not that one either — hey! "Oh, look at that, I won," she says, brows raising, and then turning to give a large smile to Cardinal. She knows why he's a Mendez fan, and she knows this little serendipity will be appreciated. "I will go claim my prize." She waves her hand in the air with the winning ticket and moves toward Quinn at the mic. "I'm assuming you will hold it for me until later so I don't have to dance with it…" she says over her shoulder with a wink to Melissa.
Ooooh! Holly whips out the little camera as the numbers are called. She grins at Magnes as she approaches the little group, figuring it must be as good a spot as any to catch some footage of the auction prize. She does nod to Magnes, and she gives a little grin, "Well I'm sure I'll be able to get some footage of you up anyway, I'm mostly gonna just cover the event as best I can." She steps on over to Sable quickly, grinning as she pecks her cheek quick and comments, "You look great hon, I haven't seen you all decked out like this before."
Another smile for Peyton, a kiss pressed to the top of Abby's bubblegum pink head and Caliban is headed toward the bar to refill his drink.
Quinn motions to the security around the paintings, motioning for the one that has just been given away to be brought up to her, to be shown off. As she waits, she scans the crowd for a lucky winner, and seeing Peyton drawing close, she smiles. “I think we have our winner, folks! Come on up here and let me check that ticket!” An encouraging hand motion is given, even as the painting is delivered up to her, held up high for everyone to see.
It's funny to see someone do an 'aw shucks' face while crying black tears. Folksy charm and gothic style are a strange combination that Holly's peck elicits. Sable wrinkles her nose. "All with a little help from m' friends," she says, "Like I'd know the first thing 'bout dressin' up." She grins, "Thanks, though. Goes without sayin' that y' look as shinin' as ever."
"Of course," Melissa says to Peyton with a nod. This was expected, and the paintings will be held until claimed when their new owners leave. "And congratulations!" She smiles at the others around her. "If you'll excuse me, I gotta go grab a few things before the auction starts. Remember, be generous!" Abby gets a little shoulder squeeze, and the others a smile, before she slips off.
"Excellent." Cardinal flashes a grin after Peyton as she moves off to claim her prize; gaze trailing after Melissa as she vanishes into the crowd, he sidles a casual step over to Abby, asking easily, "So she's been hanging out with Peter, you said?" Just idle conversation, of course. He sips his drink.
After offering Richard a fingerwave upon being introduced and lifting a brow in response to Cardinal's cryptic comments, Ygraine cocks her head and narrows her eyes as the winning number's read out. Without looking at her own tickets, she sighs wistfully, slightly shaking her head - then looks startled and laughs when Peyton announces that she's the lucky holder of the vital docket. Melissa receives a hasty wave when she moves to depart… and she finds herself sipping at her drink again, gazing out into the crowd.
Seeing as her number didn't come up on the tickets, Elaine moves over to the bar to get a drink. She decides on a straight up shot of tequila, figuring since the auction was soon, it might be good to get a quick dose of liquid courage.
There's touching, lots of touching. Squeezing, kissing, all that and Abby tolerates most of it, appreciates and accepts Roberts because it's about the only place her can kiss her right now. Richards inquiry of Mel hanging around Peter brings a puzzled look. "Yes. She's been over at my place, we're friends. Peter's living there right now to help me out' To most it might be helping her out with rent, but those in the know, know it's not.
"Are you saying…" What she thinks he's saying? "We should talk again soon, you should come over for dinner Richard. Maybe Liz if that would even happen" Her own tickets are put away since Peyton won and she didn't. She spots Elaine, Magne’s girlfriend and calls out to the other girl. "Elaine!"
Thanking Quinn, Peyton glances over to the band as well, giving a wave to Magnes. "Thanks — Melissa said you'd hold it for me? I don't want to juggle it on stage for the auction and all," she says with a grin, before heading back, wincing a little as some goth boy that looks like a fifteen year old girl snaps her picture with a cell phone camera. She manages to make it back to the group near the bar, despite the orange and blue orb that now floats ethereally in her line of sight. At Cardinal's side, she cups a hand around his ear, whispering, "Decor for the new office, right?" She downs the rest of her martini.
"Oh, sure, I could do that sometime…" As Elaine's called over, Cardinal's lips tug up a bit in a smirk — and he fades away from the small group, only to be met by Peyton. A lean in to her whisper, and he exhales a laugh, straightening, "I'll put it behind your desk."
"I'd kill for one of Mendez's paintings. I bought a few tickets myself." Magnes leans a bit against a wall, trying to save as much energy as he can, and slow the adrenaline from kicking in too soon. "I hope I don't Hulk out or something, or maybe that'd be a good thing… But hey, I have a great story for you!" he quickly says to Holly, wanting to please Sable even more. "I almost didn't make it, I was in the hospital after trying to stop this guy from robbing a blood bank. I'm on a bit of borrowed time right now, couldn't let down the band. I'll probably pass out after the show, I'm suffering a bit of anemia, if you didn't notice from the pale skin."
Quinn nods, handing the painting back down to the security guard who had brought it to her to begin with. "Everyone, give a loud round of applause for our winner!" Another hand flourish as Peyton walks off, and Quinn returns to the centre of the stage. "And if you didn't win, don't fret. We've got two more to give away, an' you can always improve your chances by gettin' more tickets, just $10 each! Remember, all proceeds go t' charity, and you may just get a wonderful paintin' out of it!" A wave is given to the crowd, a bow, and her mic is flicked off. She struts back to the booth, and takes to a few knobs and buttons, and before anyone knows it, and auto playlist is queued up - it's time for a break from the booth.
The first thing Quinn does is spin around to Magnes. "Are you goddamn sure you're up for playin' tonight? If you're not and you play anyway, I'm gonna be pissed."
With a shot downed and glass returns, Elaine looks up as she hears her name. Oh! Yes, she'd better head over. So she does, offering a bit of a smile and wave to those in the vicinity. "Hey!" She offers. Cardinal, however, hardly gets looked at. His presence is noted, but she just won't look in his direction more than once.
Blinkblink. Holly isn't quite prepared for the story thing, but she mentally jots it down for perhaps a text news article or something of the sort. She grins though a little at the story, "Think it was like, vampires or something?" The girl with the camera settles next to Sable since she's the only person she REALLY knows here. She hums, "Tougher than me that's for sure."
A little before nine o'clock, Melissa steps up onto the stage and signals for the music to be lowered so she can be heard. She grins out over the crowd while she waits for people to realize that something's going on. While some of the auctionees may be nervous, Melissa doesn't seem to suffer from that little problem. Or maybe she just hides it well.
"Welcome to Tartarus! I won't bore everyone with a long speech and risk people wanting to punch me. Instead, I'll just thank everyone's who's donated money or bought a raffle ticket, and Daniel Linderman for donating the Isaac Mendez paintings. And of course, our volunteers!" She grins at said volunteers, at least those she spots in the crowd. "But now, let's get started with the main event of the evening. The date auction!"
She holds up a little index card sized piece of paper so she can glance at it. Probably notes on the volunteers. "The first person whose date is up for auction is…Ygraine! C'mon up here Ygraine." She waits a moment for the woman to realize what's going on and to start towards the stage, then continues. "Ygraine here is actually of royal decent. Her last name even means 'son of the king'. Some lucky guy - or girl - is going to get an evening spent with royalty!" Then she just grins, holding the bidding so Ygraine can strut her stuff. Only then will she call for bids, starting at a hundred bucks.
Well that is awkward. Looking between Elaine and Cardinal with a questioning look. "I guess.. you have both met. Maybe. Richard, this is Elaine, magnes girlfriend, Elaine this is Richard Cardinal, a dear friend of mine" She noted the shots of tequila and a glance to the red head. "I know you're not old enough to drink.. should you really be doing that?" Quiet enough for just the two of them to hear her. "Mel could loose her license"
Ygraine looks openly relieved to see Elaine, gaze latching onto another familiar face. Then she finds herself being called for. A gulp, a momentary look of mild panic, then she polishes off her drink and hurries to the stage. Her now-empty glass gets set out of the way as she hurries up onto it, there to pirouette in a flare of skirt, before stalking forward to the edge and offering a deep, forward-leant curtsey and a grin at the audience. Inwardly, of course, she's desperately hoping that at least one person bids….
Oh, now this is awkward. Cardinal was hoping to avoid an introduction, since Elaine didn't actually know what he looked like at all. "Elaine." The greeting murmured against the edge of his glass, a sip of the liquor in his hand taken before he lowers it down, tilting it in her direction, "We've met. Briefly."
Elaine is quite pleased to see a familiar face as she heads over, only to note Ygraine disappearing for the stage. She turns back towards Abby and Cardinal, feeling her anxiety just raise about ten percent. "Never been formally introduced, but yes, briefly." She won't refer to the incident in question, mostly because she's distracted by Abby's comment. This, of course, surprises her not because Abby was paying enough attention to notice, but because she said something. Her face flushes, choosing not to answer as she quickly turns her gaze up to the stage. "Oh, look, we're starting."
Melissa grins as she watches Ygraine, letting the crowd look at her for a minute. "Okay! Let's start the bidding on this royal blooded hottie at a hundred dollars!" A man in the crowd lifts a hand and says he'll bid a hundred. Then a woman nearby goes up to one twenty-five. Then it's upped to one fifty, one sixty, one seventy five…Then Elaine is bidding two hundred. "Two hundred dollars! Do we have anyone who will bid higher than two hundred dollars?" She pauses a moment, glancing around, then she gestures towards Elaine. "And sold! Ygraine will be going on a date with this lucky lady!" Once the bidding is done for Ygraine, one of the club's security people heads over to Elaine, to collect her bid.
Ygraine evidently hadn't expected that particular outcome. A laugh and another curtsey - this one directed towards Elaine, and even deeper than the first - precede her departure from the stage. Chuckling to herself, she makes her way back over towards the redhead, there to dip into another obeisance. "Milady. Your loyal servant", she informs the redhead with an impish little smile.
Quinn’s distracted when the auction begins, and when she hears Melissa announce Ygraine’s selling, she turns back to the stage and wrinkles her nose. “Ah, look. You made me miss the start of the auction. Way to go, guys.” She gives a sigh of mock exasperation, and turns back to her bandmates. “I’m going to mingle in teh crowd, but we still gotta talk.”
With that, she sets her mic down in the booth and picots around, marching down into the crowd. She gives a small wave, in case anyone wishes to make a request, but tries not to be blatant enough to distract from Melissa. Out on the floor, she’s quick as some of the very few people in the audience she recognises, so she makes her approach to them with a wave. “Sorry, I totally missed y’ getting auctioned ,” Quinn remarks as she approaches the pair, and then eyes Elaine. “Wait, you got her?” A glance back to the booth, to Magnes. “You know what he’s gonna say, right?” She snickers, giving away to a full laugh after a moment.
Yellow eyes watch Ygraine's descent from the stage, observing the Briton with something between interest and suspicion. Then Sable recalls… and leans over towards Holly, cupping a hand around her mouth as she whispers, "Hope y' brought some big money, hon. I'm gonna be countin' on you t' deliver me b'fore th' night is out." Whatever that means.
Melissa lets the crowd settle after the first date of the evening is auctioned off, then she glances around until she spots Peyton, motioning for the woman to head up to the stage. "Next up we have…Peyton! The lucky woman who won the first of Isaac Mendez's paintings!" Another glance to her info card. "Peyton, is a shoe fanatic, and has notoriously bad taste in men." She grins impishly. "This is the time for all the bad boys in the crowd to try to get a date with a good girl! And look at her, isn't she hot? So prepare to open up your wallets, and be generous! It's for charity!"
A quiet chuckle stirs on Cardinal's breath for whatever reason, and he takes another sip of his drink— then looks up as the next auction is declared, and he casually raises his glass to call out, "One hundred!" Ooh, bidding on the secretary.
"Aw, shit," Peyton says, not quite as ladylike as she looks, and she hands the bottle of water to Cardinal. "Hold that," she instructs as she makes her way to the stage, cheeks coloring a touch. It has been a long time since she's sought the limelight. A year ago, this would have been easy. Still, it's for charity, so she does a little turn and looks over her shoulder playfully at the crowd, one foot kicking up to show the red soles of her Christian Louboutin peep-toed shoes in a very retro pin-up girl sort of pose.
A small laugh escapes the sandyhaired reporter, and she grins as she pecks her friend's cheek again, "Well, I'm not sure if I have enough for bail money so don't do anything too bad." She turns to the mic and turns on her camera, snapping some still shots as well as video on her handy dandy device. She adds after spying Peyton on bid, "You're just lucky I don't spend it all on that one, she is /pretty/."
Elaine grins sheepishly as she wins the bid, but she smiles as she acknowledges Ygraine. "I figure this will give us a chance to chat. /And/ it is for charity." She does chuckle when Quinn comments on Magnes. "Oh, I'm sure he'll say the same thing he did about you."
Ygraine looks from Elaine to Quinn and back again. "I… have the distinct impression that I'm missing something. And no, Magnes can't watch." She pauses, before thoughtfully adding, "except perhaps on a video feed, I suppose."
A finger gets waved at Cardinal. "Now, now, jumping the gun. Though we can all see how eager he is for a date with the lovely Peyton!" she says with a teasing tone, hinting at a dirty joke as she grins around. "Oooh, and she's playful too! She's sure to be a fun date, guys. I'd say let's open the bidding at a hundred, but we already have a bid for that much! So let's hear one twenty-five!"
A man near the back calls out one twenty-five, and another, off to the side, calls out one fifty. Ygraine herself calls out a bid of one seventy-five, then another guy beats it by twenty-five bucks. "Oooh, now this is more like it! We've got two hundred, can I get two-fifty?" A hand is raised, and Mel grins. "Let's try three hundred!" This time it's Cardinal calling out a bid. "Oh yeah, he really wants a date with Peyton, doesn't he folks? We got anyone who can beat three hundred? No? Aww, then I suppose we have to let Peyton spend a fun filled evening with this one! He's no doubt a bad boy too, don't you think? Thank you, Peyton!" And the same man who collected Elaine's bid wanders over to Cardinal to collect his.
There's a chuckle from Abigail at Cardinal winning his secretary in the auction. There's a gentle punch to his arm, but she's not complaining because she'll be bidding on her own boyfriend for sure.
That's about the most I'm bidding," Cardinal confides in those near him after he calls out the three hundred dollar bid, glancing through his wallet and squinting at the bills folded in it. The observant may notice there's literally nothing else in that wallet, no ID, no credit cards, just a holder for cash. As he wins, and he gets socked in the arm, he smirks a bit, looking up to the stage.
"Oh, that's pretty much what we mean." Elaine grins to Ygraine. "Don't even suggest the video feed, he might like that too much." Another grin goes towards Quinn. "Oh, I'm sure he'll get a kick out of it when he realizes it was me who won. He might be too tired to notice, though."
Laughing, Peyton turns back around to watch the bidding war, her cheeks coloring a touch at Melissa's words, though luckily only those closest to the stage can see the shift in color. "Oh, thank God that's over," she murmurs to Melissa, grinning at her and patting her arm before heading off the stage. She cranes her neck to look at the other man who bid on her, giving him a cheeky smile before moving over to the group by the bar, reaching for the bottle of water. "Somehow I foresee this 'date' consisting of me and a bunch of files…" she says playfully, uncapping her water and taking a long drink. "Thanks, it's for a good cause," she adds, nodding to Ygraine as well. Ygraine shakes her head, chuckling and grinning at Elaine. "Mmmm. I wonder how much more you'd have been willing to pay, for the chance to support charity while tormenting him. Would it be too rude to ask - or just sensible planning? I'm sure we could pool resources if required, after all…."
To Peyton, she grins and offers another curtsey. "You're quite welcome."
Magnes has indeed not been paying attention to a lot of what's going on, plucking at the strings of his bass now as he waits for the band. If all his blood didn't mysteriously burn out, then the crazy process of getting more of it back, he might be enjoying the party a bit more. Needless to say, after this, he's going to be in bed a lot.
Melissa grins at Peyton's soft words before she heads off stage. "Next we have someone you all know, or have at least heard," Mel says with a grin, crooking a finger at Quinn. "It's our talented DJ for tonight, DJ Ravenfall, though she won't object if you just call her Robyn Quinn. You've heard how good of a DJ she is, folks, and if you can't tell, she's Irish! You know how feisty those Irish lasses can be guys! So be thinking about that when I call for the bids!"
Turning her gaze back from the DJ booth, Quinn abruptly rejoins her conversation with Elaine and Ygraine. "Exactly," Quinn intones at Elaine with a chuckle. "Well, maybe." She looks up Ygraine, even as she leans back. "He may not be so brazen with you. You see, Magnes actually had the balls to…" She pauses, and doesn't get the chance to continue, before she finally hears her name called. Great, and she just spittled water everywhere. She stands straight, smile beaming. "Ah, looks like I'm up. No need to keep 'em waiting…" And so she hops her way back up to the stage, doing a slow twirl followed by a bow as she reaches Melissa.
Sable lifts her hands to her mouth once more, but this time to increase her volume, rather than stifle it. Calling up to Quinn on stage: "Don't be sore, hon, but I'm broke! Just know that I know yer priceless!"
"I think I'd kill his brain if I bid on any more ladies," Elaine comments, but she glances towards Quinn. "People damn well better bid on her." She looks to Ygraine. "Sadly I've only just started working, but I don't have /too/ many expenses. Magnes was supposed to go up for auction but considering his condition I think he's just stayin' until the band plays and then heading home." She peers towards the stage before yelling, "Seriously, if you don't bid on her, you won't know what you're missing!"
"Oh, please…" Cardinal raises up his glass in a toast towards Peytoin, his voice raising in a laugh, "…I wouldn't make you work for three hundred bucks. I get /that/ much for free… oh, wait, shit. Now that we're incorporating I'm going to have to start paying you, aren't I?" He scratches under his chin, "I feel all… white-collar all of a sudden."
Does this mean that you don't Want Brenda temporarily working for you?" Abigail quips to Cardinal, she smiles at Peyton. "At least you got bought by someone you know. THat you got up there, heavens above, I respect that. I'd be terrified to go up there. I'll settle for watching, maybe bidding"
Melissa laughs at Elaine's hollered comment and she nods her agreement. "She's right. You can't let someone this talented go cheap, now can you? So let's see if we can beat three hundred bucks! Of course though, we'll start at a hundred. Who'll give me a hundred!" Maybe Elaine's comment made a difference, or maybe people just want to beat that $300 goal and feel good about themselves. Whatever it is, bids start flying.
A hundred is quickly passed, and a few bids later, it's over two hundred. Then it's surpassed the bidding on Peyton. "Whoa…You guys are feeling generous now! I like it! Can we hit four hundred? Anyone got a bid of four hundred?" It goes up another couple of bids, before Mel lets the last bid stand. "And Tartarus's own lovely Quinn is sold for four hundred and fifty dollars to the equally lovely Ygraine! Let's hear it for Quinn!"
Once upon a time, Fel was a goth. Blue hair, pierced ears and tongue, Sisters of Mercy t-shirt, big stompy boots. The only remnants of that era are the miniscule scars in his ears, the fossils of those old piercings. But he makes a nod to the club's usual theme by appearing entirely in black. A tailored black suit, complete with shirt and silk tie, though it inadvertantly leaves him looking as if he robbed Martin Blank's closet. He's got that rather fierce pokerface on that means he's actually feeling intensely shy….and once he's paid his cover, he heads straight for the bar. AT least there are people there he knows.
Elaine feels free to wolf-whistle at Quinn when the biddings over, grinning a bit. Her gaze goes back to Ygraine. "You have impeccable taste. And a far more generous wallet than me, I'm afraid."
"Paid will have to wait until we have customers, I think," Peyton says to Cardinal with a shake of her head. AFter all, she's helping to finance the thing — she's not really just paid labor. "Thanks.. Well, you know. You only live once," she says casually to Abby, a shrug of her shoulders. "I can now cross off 'slave auction' from my bucket list, right?" Her eyebrows raise as she sees Felix walk in, heading toward the bar. She smiles and gives a little wiggle of fingertips.
When Quinn hears the final number, for a brief moment, her infinite compsure actually breaks, and she looks just positively awestruck. Very quickly, a long grin forms across her face, as she turns back to where Ygraine and Elaine stand, and decides to make a decided spectacle of winking and making the motion of blowing a kiss from her palm at the woman who had just bought her.
Quickly, she hops down from the stage, ready to make room for whomever the next vict- auctionee is, immediately making her way over to where she was earlier. Her pace slows as she reaches the two, head tilted down a bit. "I had no idea I was so popular."
Holly leans up to Sable, and murmurs, "Deep pockets but I've been saving some of my ad revenue for this one." She watches the ongoing shenangians still, with camera held high to capture what she can
"A far longer time in employment", Ygraine says dryly. "I ought to be able to afford to blow rather more money than you, I believe. But… I'm glad you approve. And I could potentially bank-roll you if you really do want to bid on any more women."
From the little purse hanging from one wrist, she fishes out a miniature pen and a distinctly rumpled chequebook, setting about writing out a commitment to pay the required amount. Looking up when Quinn arrives, Ygraine grins at her. "More than twice as valuable and popular as me."
Melissa shoots a look to Abby. Out of all the people being auctioned off, this is the only one she's not sure of. But Abby seems alright with it, so…She simply shoots her friend a smile, then puts back on her game face. "Now ladies, this one is for you. Our one gentleman of the evening! So let's hear it for the oh so handsome Robert Caliban! Robert is an English publicist, who enjoys horseback riding, and does a lot of charity work here in the city for pro-Evolved organizations and women's shelters. Now this is a really good guy, don't you think, girls? I know you're just ready to open up your purses to get a chance for a date with this stud!" Abby'll probably kill her, but it's for charity! Which is why the person collecting bids is now moving to Ygraine. Gimme money, woman!
Ygraine gets a whole new set of appraising looks from Sable as she plucks Quinn up for a pretty penny. A gaze darts between the two women, before Sable tosses Quinn a thumbs up, which she quickly inclines towards Ygraine, indicating her, concluding the pantomime with a very generous wink.
"Don't use up all yer film, hon," Sable suggests to Holly, sheer cockiness, "Th' best has yet t' come, I pledge."
Magnes raises a hand from the booth, because this is a rare opportunity! "Three hundred!" he yells, though not as loud as he normally would in a particularly excited mood.
Caliban doesn't mean to look dour. It's his default expression, unfortunately, and his dark, drab clothes and watery blue eyes don't do anything to contradict this impression. He should have dragged Logan along — if he did, he might have been able to get the other man drunk enough to take his place, sparing him the embarrassment of putting himself out on the stage.
He sips from his glass, mutters into his drink— "Please not Varlane."
"I-well-" Quinn's makeup and hair manage to hide her blush at least a little bit. "Thanks. But I don't know if it counts when you set the bar that high yourself," she replies, sticking her tongue out a bit. 'Thanks, though. You didn't have t' do that, and I appreciate." Momentarily, gaze moves past Ygraine and to Elaine. "Unfortunately, now I can't bid on the other person I was considering," she remarks with a wolfish grin at Elaine. "People might… wonder, between the three of us."
Holly gives another laugh, and winks at the darkhaired southerner, "Don't you worry hon, SD memory. I can totally swap in more if I run out of space. If I don't forget to in my fighting everyone off of ya
Peyton gets a rather bleak smile, before Fel forces a more genuine warmth into it. Abby gets one, too, though he doesn't greet either of them aloud. Caliban….well, he gets a long, thoughtful stare. Not Varlane? Pray it's not Ivanov, though Fel doesn't seem inclined to bid, not yet.
Ygraine looks surprised to receive the approving gesture from Sable, but grins in response - only to have her jaw drop as Magnes bellows out his enthusiastic bid. "That kid is so pinging every gaydar in here", she murmurs, before offering an apologetic glance to Elaine and chuckling at Quinn. "Oh, I can bankroll you as well, if you want to bid on anyone."
"God. Now I think I've set an example. Magnes is bidding on a /man/." Elaine mutters mostly to herself as she glances back to Quinn. "Hey, make 'em wonder. Not like I have a reputation to ruin and Magnes is clearly, uh, having a good time."
Melissa sighs softly and shakes her head. "So many overeager men in the club tonight! We're not bidding yet, Magnes!" she says, grinning at him. She glances at Caliban, then Abby, then shrugs a little. "Now, starting back at one hundred — and keep your mouth shut for a minute, Magnes, who'll give me a hundred bucks!"
Like with Quinn, the bids start pouring in. There's a hundred from Abby, then a hundred fifty from Ygraine, then two hundred from Quinn. Two fifty from Abby, then t goes up to three hundred with Peyton, then four hundred with Abby again. Then Magnes shoots back with five hundred. But it seems Abby isn't going to let her man go that cheaply, and calls out a bid of six hundred dollars. "Wow. I told you that this was a good one, didn't I? But our handsome Robert is sold! For six hundred dollars to the pink-haired lady! Let's hear it for both of them!"
The Fed veers towards Cardinal. "Cranston," he says, lazily, as if Richard's real name'd escaped him. Or he's just teasing. "Hello." So, Liz's other boy, how are you? The black suit doesn't quite fit anymore, as if he'd lost a decent amount of weight since he had it made.
Caliban is too dignified to spit out his drink and empty it back into his glass. He does, however, sputter, raising his hand to the back of his mouth. Six hundred dollars.
There's Robert, up on the stage, the smile on her face nearly brilliant that quickly turns to horror as Magnes just bids so high. "Oh lord help him" Help who, who knows. "I'm gonna be eating ramen" Muttered to Cardinal and Peyton, firing off as much as she dares, quick to try and top what she can. She won't really be eating Ramen. Robert can take her out for dinner now and then.
But she beats them out, a glimpse to Felix as he joins and she plants a kiss on the Fed's cheek and murmuring a hello before weaseling her way through the crowd towards Caliban, check book coming out of her purse. Time to pay up.
Peyton grins, having helped only pledged three hundred to try to beat Magnes to that amount. "Make Magnes cook for you for making you bid higher than you intended," she calls over the crowd as Abby makes her way toward Caliban. She turns to Felix and reaches for his arm, pulling him closer into their little group. "It's good to see you, Agent Ivanov," she says, a certain fondness in her tone for the dour-faced agent.
"Damn." Magnes mutters, then goes back to plucking his strings. That adrenaline is starting to make his heart race, he's ready to go at it, so he can't stop fidgeting at the bass.
Melissa shoots a thumbs up at Abby, and a grin. "Now this next lady is very unique. She's a member of a band, one that will be playing here tonight, right after the auction! So you know she's talented! She goes by the name La Petite Mort, and is from the wilds south of the Mason-Dixon, but nothing could keep her away from our place tonight! She's a bit of a wild child, but anyone who gets a date with her will never forget that night!" Melissa calls, grinning at Sable and motioning her on stage.
"Hush," Cardinal directs a finger's pointing towards Felix, past the edge of his glass, "No giving away my secret identity as a globe-hopping superspy, Ivanov." He grins, then, because everything he just said was the actual truth but nobody would ever believe it. "Good to see you out and about. How's life at the lie?" Lie, fib, FBI - close enough.
"Same ol' same ol'," Fel says, wryly, before he leans in to order himself a vodka, neat. Socializing will require booze as a lubricant, clearly. "How's tricks? I haven't seen anyone in a dog's age."
Elaine looks between Quinn and Ygraine, then back at the stage. "I had no idea giving to charity could be so damn fun." She proceeds to offer Sable a loud wolf-whistle like she gave to Quinn. Got to amp up the crowd a bit.
Ygraine eyes Felix sidelong for a couple of moments, trying to figure out why the black-clad man looks naggingly familiar - then decides that, quite apart from staring being rude, it might also be unwise given the range of faces she's seen in legally dubious circumstances over the past few years. And the name she's hearing repeated rings a few bells….
Focusing firmly upon Quinn and Elaine, Ygraine smiles again. "Cheery name. Or a crude one, if you're using it as slang", she murmurs.
Ygraine eyes Felix sidelong for a couple of moments, trying to figure out why the black-clad man looks naggingly familiar - then decides that, quite apart from staring being rude, it might also be unwise given the range of faces she's seen in legally dubious circumstances over the past few years. And the name she's hearing repeated rings a few bells….
Focusing firmly upon Quinn and Elaine, Ygraine smiles again. "Cheery name. Or a crude one, if you're using it as slang", she murmurs.
“Well, now that Magnes bid on another man, I don’t feel so bad about biddin’ on you, Elaine.” Quinn’s grin only widens, and then she laughs as Elaine whistles, throwing up her own bid for her friend. “An’, well… that’s Sable for you. Not that I know what it means, granted.”
I'm not sure you're getting your money's worth, darling," Caliban murmurs against Abigail's ear, a hand at the small of her back as he comes to join her.
The name Sable is using gets a snort from Peyton, who is both French fluent and, well, sex fluent, so its connotation doesn't elude her. "I need another drink. Whatcha drinking, handsome?" she teases Cardinal — he bought her for three hundred, she can afford to spot him a glass of booze, right? She also teasingly gives Abby a thumbs-up gesture, as if Caliban and the pink-haired woman weren't already an item.
Sable slips her guitar from off of her shoulders, and transfers it smoothly to Holly's. "Time t' shine," she says, grinning like a jack o' lantern.
Small, dark, and cat-eyed, La Petite Mort bounds up to the stage and vaults it in a single leap, her skull pendant swinging before her as she lands on her feet, and slides up to Melissa. "Thankee kind, hon," she says, with exaggerated gentility, as she slips the microphone from her hands and brings it to her dark red lips. She turns to the crowd..
"Ladies, gentlemen," La Petite Mort entones, white teeth gleaming in the glare of the stage lights. She stalks across the stage, halts, turns to glance over her shoulder, "Ladies," she repeats, with emphasis.
She turns on her heel and points into the audience. "Many roads can lead a soul t' hell. And sinners are we all, standin' here. But the devil," she lifts her hand, and points her fingers at her strange eyes, "Is in my eyes, 'n' I can see far along the path. And I tell you, th' only hell you need fear, ladies, gentleman," she flashes a grin, "Ladies," her hand falls, "Is the one y'll endure, never knowin' what it was like t' take my hand."
The mic flies through the air, back towards Melissa, and La Petite Mort extends an arm, an open hand offered to the crowd.
“Well, now that Magnes bid on another man, I don’t feel so bad about biddin’ on you, Elaine.” Quinn’s grin only widens, and then she laughs as Elaine whistles, throwing up her own bid for her friend
Turning to Ygraine, Quinn cocks an eyebrow. “I… appreciate it, but I’m gonna try and go it m’ own. If I need you, well, I’ll be sure to ask. An’, well… that’s Sable for you. Not that I know what it means, granted.” She winks, and then turns back to the stage, laughing as she watches Sable.
Felix remembers both his manners and their previous acquaintance, and turns to Peyton, with one of those crooked smiles. "Miss Whitney," he says, gently. How long's it been since she last saw him, or he her?
Melissa laughs at the show that Sable puts on, shaking her head, but she's obviously amused. She gives the mic away without hesitation, and just grins as she listens to Sable. When the mic is thrown back she nearly misses it, but that just has her laughing again. "And there you have her! La Petite Mort! So let's start the bidding!"
A hundred is called out quickly enough. Then a man near the back, one in his early 30s, wearing a wife beater and jeans, with brown hair curling slightly at the tips, the beginning of a beard, a stitched lip, and a bruised nose that might have been recently broken bids a hundred and fifty. Then Ygraine goes to one seventy-five. Cardinal tosses out two hundred just as Quinn does, but it's quickly outmatched with three hundred. Then Magnes tosses out four hundred, before he's beat by Holly bidding five hundred. Melissa grins out at the crowd. "You guys are doing me proud tonight! La Petite Mort is sold to this lovely lady for five hundred dollars! We've just got one more person to auction off, so prepare to be more generous than you've been tonight! Remember, it's for a good cause, and it's a hell of a lot of fun, isn't it?" And then the collection agent starts making his way through the crowd towards Holly.
A relieved grin spreads quickly, Holly grinning up at the stage and 'La Petite Mort', gripping her guitar tight. She parts with her money as fools often so quickly are, and murmurs, "Money well spent I'm sure." She turns the camera on herself, winking sheepishly at her imaginary audience with cheeks reddening.
"Says you" Abigail murmurs back, beaming. "I saw him open his mouth and just couldn't… just couldn't let him win" Abigail fires back to Caliban
Elaine cheers for Sable, especially as the price goes up, and she can't help but grin, watching 'La Petite Mort'. Then, of course, Melissa mentions one more person. "Shit, I had to be last, didn't I? Hope people still have /money/." Elaine glances to Ygraine and Quinn, then makes her way towards the stage.
"It means 'the little death'. Which sounds appropriate enough for the club we're in. Very much so, given the role of Tartarus in Greek mythology", Ygraine quietly explains to Quinn. "But I ever so slightly suspect that your friend is acutely aware of its meaning in slang terms. It's a reference to an experience that might be considered to have the soul leave the body…. Your friend just sold herself as a climax, Quinn."
As Elaine departs, Ygraine calls "good luck!" to her, then looks to Quinn, brows lifting. "Shall we?"
"Not bad. You should retire and come work for me'n Liz," Cardinal suggests with the casual air that means he doesn't expect the other man to actually take him up on the offer, "We're opening up a security and investigations company - got some good names on board, we could use some more. Also, you should come by and be fucking social sometime, if just to be another stomach to eat Liz's cooking before I end up looking like Fat Albert…."
As La Petite Mort takes the stage, he exhales a laugh, unable to help from joining in with the bidding, although his own pocketbook keeps his numbers from going too high. Well, either that or the fact that it's blatantly obvious that she's not looking for the penis tonight. But for that kind of showmanship, he has to at least voice a bit of appreciation. So he doesn't win, but he wasn't really trying to.
At the back of the room, the gentleman with the broken nose and stitches in his lip rubs his hand across his jaw. You win some, you lose some. Sasha's used to the latter by now. With a rolling shrug of his shoulders, he slips off into the crowd.
Next time.
Sable forgoes an actual flying leap off the stage, choosing to slip off the edge to the floor. She makes her way back to Holly, who receives that offered hand. "Thankee kind," she says, echoing her words on stage, though unamplified. "Guess we gotta set a time 'n' place, huh?"
Again Melissa waits for the din to die down a little before she grins. "And now we have our last auction of the evening, so let's see just how generous we can be, hmm? Now is the time to blow all the money you had earmarked for bidding! Her name's Elaine Darrow, and she's another good girl! She enjoys foreign language, so maybe you could get a little foreign sweet nothings whispered in your ear! She also likes classical literature and enjoys being a complete geek. Let's hear it for Elaine!"
Magnes tries to blow a few times, in an attempt to whistle, then finally just gives up and leans back to wait for the bidding to start.
When Cardinal ignores her to chat with the FBI agent — //humph, all the men are getting more attention than she is tonight! — Peyton just grins, a mischievous light coming into her eyes. "I'm well, thank you, Agent," she says with a grin, before spinning off to the bar a few feet away. She orders in hushed tones.
A few moments later, she returns, holding two drinks — a green martini for herself, and something in a small shot glass — a brownish creamy fluid within and covered with two inches of whipped cream: a blow job, which she holds out to Cardinal. "No hands," she says, smirking playfully.
Quinn sighs, and makes a bit of a show of forcibly planting her face in her palm. Then a moment of silence. “Ow. I did that harder than I meant.” Having made a bit of and idiot of herself,s he chuckles nervously, threading hair back behind her hair. “Aaah… like I said, that’s Sable. She’s not usually /that// bad, i my experience, but I’m not terribly surprised it was something like that…”
Eyeing Elaine as she makes her way to the stage, Quinn gives a shrug, and a wink to the departing girl, before leaning over to Ygraine. “Alright. Let’s do it. I wanna beat Magnes for his own girlfriend. And nothing says we can’t bid as a pair, as much as that might make people think.”
Next time— comes a little sooner for Sasha than he might have been anticipating. Near the bar, he hesitates, picking up a bottle dark beer hooked up off the counter and cap squeezed off between callused fingers. He glances over his shoulder in the direction of the stage, saying nothing, and not because he has no one to say it to. Elaine's hair is very red.
"How much longer are you intending to stay?" Caliban asks Abigail, chin resting at the top of her head as he looks out across the crowd and, for better or worse, skips over the Russian entirely.
You're trying to poison him with a chick drink," Fel accuses Peyton, utterly deadpan. Though he's eyeing the thing thoughtfully, even as he knocks back his own vodka.
The guitar is offered back to Sable, and the reporter girl grins, "Yah, anytime is good for me really. We'll figure it out later I'm sure." Holly winks, "You really put on quite the display, huh?"
"I wanted to stay, long enough to see if I win one of the paintings. The one with the man in the river. It's beautiful. But we can go" Abigail slides an arm around Caliban's waist, blue eye's catching the form of the russian at the bar. Little wonder that she stiffens underneath the british man.
"Actually, it's not… that important, lets go. Peter's busy tonight, so, the apartment will be quiet" She murmurs, not bothering to give her regards to anyone other than to seek out Cardinal, pressing the tickets for herself, and then indicating the ones for Mel. "I need to go. Those ones are mel's, enjoy the others Cardinal. Dinner, another night" No need for a jacket or anything, it's warm enough.
Felix notes to Cardinal, "I'm…better where I am." Not 'happy', per se. But good enough. He lifts a hand to Abby, lazily.
There's perhaps some nervousness as Elaine steps onto the stage, but she's quick to grin as she looks out in the audience. "A night to remember?" She comments in French, but there's a tiny blush. She's not usually quite so shy, but she is offering herself for money in front of friends /and/ strangers.
Melissa grins at Elaine's shyness, and even more when she spots the blush. An arm is slung around Elaine's shoulders, perhaps to make her a little less nervous. "Aww, isn't she so sweet, folks? Remember that and…let the bidding commence!"
The bidding takes off, though this time it's by leaps and bounds. A hundred is skipped. Two hundred is passed all too quickly. Then Ygraine is bidding four hundred, Sasha is speaking up again to bid five hundred, but Magnes slips in his own bid of eight hundred. It goes up a few other times, in smaller increments, but it's the bid from Quinn that has Melissa pausing for a moment and just blinking at her DJ, then laughing. She wasn't expecting that! "And I think we have our winner! The lovely Quinn wins Elaine, with a bid of one thousand, five hundred and fifty dollars! Let's all have a big round of applause for Quinn and Elaine!"
Ygraine winces slightly as the final bid is put in, but after a moment she laughs and claps Quinn gently on the back of her corset. "Congratulations. I hope you have a few cents left to buy her a hotdog with", she murmurs to her friend.
Sable takes back her guitar and nods her head in appreciation, "Well, y' can't make me famous all by yer lonesome," she says, flashing a grin. As Elaine goes for a record price, Sable turns and claps vigorously, calling out, "I call that a bargain!"
"Alas. I would have worn a lower-cut dress, but then I don't have a lot of cleavage without the help of Vicky and her secrets," Peyton quips, another drink of her martini to keep her spirits high. She smiles to Abby and Caliban as they make to leave. "Have a good evening, Abby, Robert," she says. "
Eyes alighting back to Cardinal and then Felix, she grins. "We'll have to improvise." She heads to the bar, tugging away a barstool with a murmured pardone mois. She sets the drink on the barstool, then makes a show of eyeing it. "It's about the right height…"
“I-“ Quinn blinks, and then winces, scratching the back of her head. “Christ, I was hoping it wouldn’t go to the full amount.” She looks up Ygraine, and gives a sheepish grin. “You are just wonderful, you know? I’ll have t’ pay you back with interest for all’a this…” And with that, she’s preparing money, so that when she’s met, she can hand over what’s needed. A wrinkle of her nsose, and a tilt of her head. Even with someone’s help, she can’t remember the last time she spent this much money.
This is probably as red as Elaine's ever been in her life, but she's laughing as the bids go up. She can't help as Magnes bids a pretty penny, but her hands go up to cover her mouth at Quinn's bid. "/Jesus/.." She states, mostly to herself as she carefully climbs off stage to make her way over. Sable's catcall doesn't go over her head, either, but only serves to continue to add to the pink on Elaine's face. When she gets back over to Ygraine and Quinn, she shakes her head. She tries to speak, then isn't quite sure what to say. So she just says it again. "/Jesus/."
Cardinal rolls his eyes at that, and then he drops down to one knee smoothly — and he leans over the shot glass, lips parting against the glass to cover it and tongue dipping into the whipped cream. Chances are that nobody sees the momentary conversion of liquor transubstantiating to shadow, noticable only as a brief darkening of the glass before he leans back, the shot glass right where it was but now empty, and he swallows once he's straightened, arms stretching out. "Ta da."
The tickets are, then, taken into Cardinal's hands as he laughs, "Have fun, Abs. I'll let you know."
You lose some, you lose some. Sasha pays the bartender in cash as, vaguely, a thought occurs to him that causes his mouth to crease and his brows to lower, a slow exhale pressed out through his nostrils as he rests his elbows on the edge of the counter and pulls up a seat. He doesn't have the funds for this.
This doesn't necessarily have to mean anything.
"You're quite sure?" Caliban sets his glass aside, half-finished, and tucks a strand of Abigail's hair behind her ear. He can sense something is wrong, but whatever edge his ability gives him— it doesn't direct his attention where it should be.
"Thank you all for your generosity, and now I'd like to introduce to you Daylight's Grave! They'll be starting their set iin a few minutes, after another raffle, so enjoy the live music!" Melissa nods at the band, then hops down from the stage to start back towards the bar, grinning. "You guys…are awesome. Simply awesome," she says to Abby, Cardinal and the others.
Ygraine busies herself writing out another cheque, passing this one to Quinn to hand over as part of her payment for Elaine. When she arrives, the woman in question receives a very broad, mischievous grin. "Something wrong?", she asks, faux-innocently.
"Very" The pink haired woman mumurs, pulling away from him and towards the door despite the affection. "I'm tired Robert, and my drugs are wearing off I think" Very much likely, it's been two days and that's how long Hana said it would last. "I'd like to go, this isn't my sort of place" Too dark, gothic, and while she'd be safe with so many people here that she knows, she still wants to go. "We can go see a movie, or something"
“You’re worth it, Elaine,” Quinn replies, winking. “I had help from a money angel, though.” She laughs at that, shaking her head. ‘But hey, at least now-“ And then the band name is called. “And that highly inappropriate joke will have to wait,” she interjects, a finger pointed as she jumps down from her seat. She rushes up to the stage, and begins fiddling with a synthesiser and a keytar.
Oh, right. That's their goth band name for the evening. Sable tips an invisible hat at Holly, almost gives Magnes a punch in the shoulder, but things better of it, and hipchecks Quinn, all on the way to the back stage. Up and at it, she starts tuning her guitar for reals this time, no more nerves, no more worries about Magnes not showing up (just some about him falling over dead while doing a crazy bass groove). She plugs her guitar into the amp, checks her sound levels.
Peyton's eyes narrow a touch at the all-too-neat imbibing of the drink. "You are a pro. Melissa would have made a lot of money off of you if we had you do that on stage, Card," Peyton says with a grin, turning just in time to see Felix go, and frowning a touch at that. "I bet it's not too late to put you on the auction block. I'm sure some of the guys in here would pay a lot for that skill." The flush in her cheeks hints at her own alcohol consumption — but she seems to actually be happy tonight.
She pulls the barstool and empty glass back to the bar, bumping into Sasha accidentally. "Oh, pardonnez mois" she repeats, making a my bad face before moving away once more.
Holly slowly wades her way through the crowd - not right up front, but at a good enough angle so that she can record them for posterity - and as a favor to her good friend she'd promised.
Melissa frowns as Abby and Caliban are working their way out the door, then she looks back to Peyton and Cardinal, having missed the latter's performance with a shot glass. "Oh shit! She had my raffle tickets! And why would I have made money on him? I could toss up one more auction," she says, gaze flicking over Sasha, but he's just another guy in the crowd to her.
"Du bist entschuldigt," Sasha shoots back at Peyton, wiping foam from his upper lip with his thumb, but her back is to him before he can get a good look.
Caliban leads Abigail toward the doors, anxious for some fresh air and, presumably, the opportunity to indulge in a cigar. "As long as it's not the Karate Kid," he's saying. "We'll stop for dinner on the way. How do you feel about pad thai?"
Everything in quick order, she returns to the booth. Music flicked off, and mic flicked on, she walks back up on to centre stage. "Alright, you heard our wonderful hostess. It's time for us to auction off another one of our marvellous Isaac Mendez originals!" She motions over to where the paints are, pointing at the one with the two individuals holding each other close on a rooftop, New York in the background. "The Lovers! A fantastic painting, I believe."
She grins wide, wandering over to the container and begins spinning, with gusto this time. She does it longer than previous, letting go of it mid spin and letting it come to a stop itself. Diving in, she waggles her fingers and pulls a ticket out. "Out winning ticket is… 492117! If you have this ticket, get on up here! And if you didn't win yet- don't forget, there's still time to buy more tickets, and get your chances up for out last piece!"
"I'll try anything once. I don't know what Pad Thai is, but as long as it's quieter" Abigail murmurs, easing out the door with him. Goodbye Tartatus. Good bye.
Peyton turns to glance over her shoulder at the murmur of … was that Russian? German? She's not sure… but Sasha is back to his drink, so she shrugs and grins at Melissa. "He's a good sport and played along with my childish prank involving a certain shot topped off with whipped cream," she explains, as she pulls open her clutch purse to peer at the remaining tickets — she could win twice, right? Not likely.
Ygraine blinks a couple of times, then delves into her purse to haul out her row of raffle tickets. A quick check, then she laughs softly and moves back towards the stage - holding the roll up in the air. "Here!" When she reaches the front, she shows the roll to the security man guarding the painting, laughing and shaking her head in disbelief as she does so.
"I am not auctioning myself off," Cardinal drawls, starting to go through the pile of lottery tickets he has, and thus entirely missing Sasha's presence. Hey, you win some, you lose some. As Ygraine calls out her cheerful acceptance, he looks relieved, slanting a look over to the others, "Thank god, I don't have to go through all these."
When Melissa hears that the Lovers is being given away, she gets excited, then bummed. Her tickets just walked out the door as far as she knows. Then she spots Ygraine and smiles. "Damn. I wanted that painting. Ah well." She looks back to Peyton, brow arching. "Oh yeah? Think he could do a repeat?" she asks, eyeing Cardinal, then his tickets.
When Ygraine comes up with the ticket, Quinn cocks an eyebrow. “Well, there you go! As with our lovely first winner, we can hold to that for you until the end of the evening. And remember, faithful friends who have stuck beside us this late in th evening, there’s still one more painting left to auction! And now, for some wonderful live music!”
The last part is said with a very well covered by of confliction and annoyance. She still doesn’t think Magnes should be on stage, and she was going to have to yell at him later. For now, though, she turns back to the instruments on stage, rushing her way to the synth and keytar.
Ygraine hastily gets out of the way of the impending music, accompanying the security man to the back stage entrance to watch the beautiful painting - for which she is now responsible! - be taken to safety. That done, she slips through the crowd to the bar, to collect a stiff drink, and position herself in some out of the way spot with a good view of the stage.
Feedback whines, notes hum, and as the lights illuminate the back stage, three figures appear from the shadows. Magnes with his perfectly suited B.C. Rich Warlock, a pure goth masterpiece. Quinn, virtuosic, decked out in electric glory. And up front by the microphone, a Rickenbacker 330 slung around her shoulders, is Sable.
"Wishin'," La Petite Mort begins, "In no way t' contradict DJ Ravenfall, bein' the true mastermind b'hind tonight's show, I wish also t' make one small correction. Ladies and gents, y' didn't come t' Tartarus t' hear no live music. Y' came for the screams of the damned. And so, ladies and gents, no live music t'night. Our bassist stands b'fore you, held up by no more th'n twisted medical science, 'n' a revenant will. Ravenfall has programmed the beatin' heart of this song, a cybernetic horror t' haunt yer dreams. 'n' I, ladies 'n' gents, am here t' tell you, this music ain't live," she grins wide, "It's un-livin'."
A fist lifts into the air, yanks down. Hit it!
And as soon as that fist comes down, Quinn is at it. A button press, and drums kick to life. Keying the instrument in her hands with one hand, messing with the synthesiser and sequencer at appropriate intervals. She seems utterly engrossed in her task, completely oblivious to the world around her as she works.
And as soon as that fist comes down, Quinn is at it. A button press, and drums kick to life. Keying the instrument in her hands with one hand, messing with the synthesiser and sequencer at appropriate intervals. She seems utterly engrossed in her task, completely oblivious to the world around her as she works.
Magnes suddenly starts riffing on his bass after Sable's speech, before the actual song, then swings his hand for one loud riff before looking to the other two. He pulls his leather coat off so he's completely topless, and tosses it to the back of the stage, moving his hand up the bass once, then twice, in a not-so-subtle suggestive motion.
He's been watching Zakk Wylde videos on YouTube.
Melissa glances back to the stage as the band starts playing, listening for a moment before she smiles and her head begins to move ever so slightly to the beat. "They're not bad," she murmurs to those around her.
Elaine was considering heading to the bar for another drink, but Abby's earlier comment makes her feel guilty, so she folds her arms and simply watches the band. It's the first real time she's gotten to see them all play together, so she's quite enjoying it, grinning a bit as she notes Magnes' showmanship. She shakes her head a little, but she's grinning all the same.
As the bassist throws off his coat, Cardinal can't help but drop his face down into his palm — shoulders shaking a bit in a chuckle, his hand drops back down as he allows to those nearby, "They're pretty damn good, actually. Now if Varlane would just stick to this…"
Finishing her martini, Peyton nods her head to Melissa's and Cardinal's comments as she stares at the band. With the music and the alcohol relaxing her, her eyes dilate for a couple of seconds, unfocusing into someone else's perspective. She gives a head shake, closing her eyes and pulling her focus back into her own surroundings. When her eyes open, the pupils are normal again — luckily it's only something anyone nearby would notice, and only if they happen to be looking at her face at that moment. "Yeah, he makes a better musician than cop, for sure," she adds.
Sable enters that place that musicians go when they throw themselves into the music. The look on her face is almost pained, and her vocals carry a roughness and an anger in place of the purity and sweetness of the original recording. Where she lacks delicacy, she makes up for it with raw force and feeling, and when she's not singing, her head rises and falls, her eyes closing to just hear the sounds the band is making.
Magnes enthusiastically walks around the stage as he plays, since he doesn't have to sing for this song, he's just trying to put on a show and work on a sweat, which isn't hard with a bunch of adrenaline pumping through him.
Elaine was near enough to pick up the various comments about Magnes, which she doesn't all find quite so happy, but she chooses not to comment, instead watching the three on stage. She's having fun, at least.
I really think he might've found his niche here," Cardinal observes with a shrug of one shoulder, turning to gesture to the bartender, "They really are pretty good. Some practice and shit and they might make it - wonder if Catherine knows about 'em…"
When the song comes to a close, leaving a moment of ringing silence, Sable lets her head hang, droplets of sweat swelling at the tips of her bangs. After a brief pause to regain herself, she lifts her face and sweeps her arm towards Magnes. "On bass, Magnes J. Varlane!" she barks, leaving space for applause before swinging her other arm towards Quinn, "On synth 'n' keytar, Robyn J. Quinn!" She folds her arms over her chest, and makes a bow, "'n' I'm Sable, yer little death f'r the evening."
At the close of the song, Peyton claps and gives a couple of whoos! in support of Magnes and the girls she doesn't know. "They're pretty good. I'd listen to them again," she agrees. Her eyes dart toward the employee guarding the paintings. "I think I may grab my painting and head out, once they raffle off the last painting," she says. "Starting to get a little tired in the eyes," she euphemizes, then smiles at Melissa. "Really great event. Congratulations on the opening, Melissa."
Quinn exhales sharply as the song comes to the end – thankfully, the makeup she has isn’t totally running yet, but it would probably be ruined before the end of the night. As Sable finishes introducing herself, Quinn leans down to a microphone attached to the front of her keyboard. “Thank you!” she shouts first, and then gives a second before continuing. “The band will continue momentarily, but before that…” She pulls out her more mobile microphone and flicks it on, initiating just a small amount of feedback before she steps away.
“Now, ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to raffle off out final painting for the evening!” A sweep of her hand back to where the final one rests as she steps forward, depicting a shadowed man in a lake, framed by what seems to be a setting sun. “The final work of Isaac Mendez we have tonight, is a more somber piece called ‘Ashes to Ashes’. And unfortunately, only one person gets to walk away with this, out final painting to give out this evening. Who will the lucky winner be?” She steps over again to the container, and gives it one very forceful spin. Before it comes to a halt, Quinn thursts her hand inside and withdraws a ticket, squinting to read it with a bit of her tongue hanging out. “Out final raffle winner of the evening is ticket number 105835!” She looks around, waiting for someone to step forward.
None applaud more than Holly at the end of the set, admiring the girl she pines after so and her bandmates and their particular talents. She returns quickly to her 'work' though, capturing as much footage as she can get for her special event coverage.
"Mhm." The ticket's looked at, and Cardinal smirks, glancing to Melissa before offering it over, "Guess you won, babe."
Melissa blinks, then takes the ticket with a curious look. "Huh? But Abby…" And Abby is his friend, so she shrugs. "Cool. Thanks." She tosses him a quick grin, then heads over to collect the painting.
Noting the really loud cheering from Holly, Elaine can't help but laugh a little, making sure she gives a cheer and a few whistles for the band. She's actually impressed, especially since they sounded so good together. Well, she had no idea what to expect anyways, so there's no where to go but up.
Quinn tilts her head as she sees Melissa approach her, and shrugs. “So be it! Have your ticket checked, and enjoy the painting!” She fights the urge to wink, that might be taken as conspiracy. She bows to the audience, and beams. “Well, that’s the extant of our raffle for the evening, I’m afraid! If you didn’t win, highest apologies, but take solace in the fact that all proceeds to the auction and the raffle go straight to charity. Thank you for being so generous this evening, everyone!” She turns back to Sable and Magnes, and sweeps her arm out to the pair. “And now, the music continues!” Mic flipped off, and she makes her way back again.
Magnes is the next to walk up to the mic, looking confident as he's in character. "The next song is for everyone who's had one of those days, which we seem to have a lot lately, where you're just sure it's the end of the world. A lot of you might be familiar with it."
As the band starts up, he sways from side to side while strumming a slow tune on his bass. "Yesterday was a million years ago. In all my past lives I played an asshole. now I found you, it's almost too late, and this Earth seems obliviating…"
The song moves on a bit, until the playing rises to the chorus, and he's a bit louder, sweating more as that adrenaline pumps harder, "I know it's the last day on Earth, we'll be together while the planet dies… I know it's the last day on Earth, we'll never say goodbye…"