Hellfire Club - Socialites

[Narrator]

The manor at 94 Picadilly is lit up brightly in the evening hours. Red carpet is rolled out and throngs of journalists are being kept at bay by polite security. Guests are arriving, most of them rich socialites or important businessmen, but some politicians and low-ranking royalty are sprinkled in here and there. There seems to no particular favoritism on display in regards to party-lines or conglomerates. In fact if one were to pay close attention they'd notice that the guest list seems to be very carefully designed as to not appear to be on anybody's side. Transportation has been arranged for those who care to take advantage, otherwise the valets politely take care of whatever vehicle people might arrive in. No one is directly asking for invitations but a keen eye might notice that the guests are very much being screened by two people near the door who are trying to blend into the background.

Inside the main hall appetizers and champagne are being offered and faint classical music is play over the sound of the conversations of the various groups of people. It is not immediately obvious who is running the show and a significant amount of people seem to be comfortable enough to seem like they are at least members of the social club. There are a handful of people who are looking around very dubiously but most of the guests seem to be enjoying themselves.


((Usual rules, posting later doesn't mean you arrived late, etc. Lemme know who arrives together and what their general approach is (suspicious, jumping right in, standing off to the side etc.) so I can react accordingly! Assume there to be some mumbling and staring when obvious mutants walk in.))

[Ryan Gabriel]

Ryan's preparations had been carefully planned out well before the night of the event. He'd had his tux prepared, and it fit him perfectly with his wings. He'd almost rather not have the wings out, but let's face it: he was wanted here tonight as his public persona, and that meant the wings and plenty of flash. Hence the limo they were pulling up in, too.

The one nod he'd made to security was a pretty good one, though. Along the back of his ear, obscured by his hair, he wore a psi-blocker he'd had to requisition. It would ward off casual scans, and would make a soft beep (that he could hear since it was actually AGAINST his ear) if it was powered through.

He got out of the limo with an easy grace that, given the wings, could only have been practiced, reaching back to give his hand to his date to help her out. He gave his best smile to the paparazzi as they headed inside, not hurrying away from them, but not sticking around to ham it up.

[Veronica Glarette]

Veronica stepped out of the limo with Ryan's help, the sequins on her black dress shimmering slightly from the flashes of the photography. With her bracelet on that helped stop her powers slightly, she seemed to feel more comfortable with her arm and shoulder to the side being exposed. She stuck close to Ryan, giving a polite smile to those she happened to meet eyes with. Her demeanor is very friendly, but not outwardly social.

[Victoria Valentine]

Victoria and her date pulled up in the line of cars. She could have brought her own car, but really, a convertible didn't go with her dress as well as the fancy cars the Hellfire Club was providing did. Oh, that and she didn't have to drive this way. She eyed the gawkers in amusement as she stepped out of the car, a wicked smirk on her lips, then glanced back into the car.

[Anika Sloan]

Anika stepped out of the vehicle while smoothing out her dress with the hood down. Her tattoos were mostly hidden, save for the design ((Careful, can be considered NSFW)) across her collar bone and neck. She muttered softly something about fancy dresses, probably nothing good, then looked around. After seeing the journalists, she couldn't help but be a bit amused either, giving a smirk back to Victoria. "Boy, you weren't kidding."

[Victoria Valentine]

"I told you, darling. And watch your mouth, you look amazing," Victoria answered. She gave a little air-kiss to one of the photographers as they headed to the doors.

[Anika Sloan]

She smirks. "Watch my mouth...but love, that's the best part about me." She jokes, striding along side Victoria. "Anyway, I promise I'll behave just this once."

[Victoria Valentine]

"Let's not go crazy now," Victoria said, smirking. "We just have to learn how to ruffle feathers with class."

[Anika Sloan]

"Ruffling feathers I can do. With class...mmm I can try."

[Victoria Valentine]

"Learn. It's kind of fun when you get the hang of it."

[Ryan Gabriel]

"In case I haven't mentioned it," Ryan murmured to Veronica as they made their way up the front steps, "You look amazing."

[Veronica Glarette]

Veronica's cheeks redden a bit and she murmurs back. "Sank you. You know, you do not look so bad yourself." She says, nudging him jokingly. "A tux suits you well."

[Nina Madaraki]

Nina is already inside, chatting with random people while dressed relatively plain for this sort of event. She looks fairly comfortable, even if the rich socialites she's talking with don't.

[John Hino]

John stepped out onto the red carpet next. Despite his mutation-mandated lack of proper footwear, he looked as fashionable as a lizardman could in his tailored, black designer suit and tastefully patterned blue tie. Giving the press every bit as calculated a regard as Ryan, albeit without the experienced ease, he held out an arm for his girlfriend before moving onward.

[Ryan Gabriel]

Ryan frowned when he spotted Nina, watching her a few moments before turning the other way. "Time to mingle a bit, I suppose?" he murmured to Veronica.

[Nina Madaraki]

Nina had discovered a waiter with a collection of tiny cakes and was currently trying to convince them to keep count of how many she could fit in her mouth at once. For science.

[Veronica Glarette]

Veronica smiles to Ryan and nods. "Zere are a few here I recognize, so mingling should not be too hard. Anysing to watch out for?"

[Henry Hereford]

Most of the guests are just that, not members of the Club but rather rich, connected and politically influential people. The head of Scotland Yard can be spotted making smalltalk with a group of people from the House of Lords as well as a man whose age is hard to nail down but who, to the socially savvy people seems to be very much in charge of the conversation. Those involved in the business world probably recognize him as construction mogul Henry Hereford.

[Margali Szardos]

Meanwhile Victoria would probably be able to notice when a woman with black curls slips into the party from a door that presumably leads further into the mansion. She's wearing a long white dress and a curious diadem. Even if she isn't paying close attention to the magical undercurrents around her she'd probably figure out that she has cast a minor illusion about herself to disguise herself.

[Yui Kumo]

Ryan and Veronica suddenly find a young Japanese woman walking up to them with a broad, polite smile. "Ah, Mister Gabriel. We're happy to see you could make it. I'm Yui Kumo. And is that lovely lady your date for the evening?" She snaps her fingers and a waiter steers towards them to offer the two a glass of champagne from a tray.

[Ryan Gabriel]

Ryan smiled back, that charm that had helped him become a media darling becoming apparent. "The pleasure is mine, Ms. Kumo. Ms. Kumo, Veronica Glarette," he said, considering making the opening introduction and leaving it for Veronica to expand her name or not, but figuring that they either already knew or would soon, and being evasive would probably draw more attention.

[Trev Anderson]

Trev was *way* out of his depth. He stood in a corner near not far from the entrance with one hand in his pants pocket and his other occupied with a flute of champagne, looking around wondering how the hell he of all people got an invitation. Ryan? That made sense. Huge social media following, could be on the cover of GQ or the centerfold of Playgirl, and a hero. Him? Overweight, near-sighted, and incapable of forming coherent sentences around cute girls.

He did, at the very least, clean up nicely. He was wearing the most expensive tux he'd ever rented, and it was fitted very well--he almost looked like he belonged, if it weren't for the wide-eyed expression frequently crossing his face.

A passing server offered him a tray of appetizers--something diced on top of a crostini. He smiled politely and took the offered morsel before the waited walked away. This looks tasty, and the champagne's good though, so...make the most of it I guess.

Trev brought the food up to his mouth, and hesitated a moment, wondering if he should eat the appetizer in one bite or two. He opted for two, bit the thing in half, and suddenly found himself holding one quarter of the crostini, while the other quarter tumbled down his shirt and vest, along with the topping.

Trev looked down and his cheeks reddened.

God. Fucking. Damnit.

[Victoria Valentine]

One of the benefits of being the Twin Sorceress was that she could mingle and still work simple spells without stopping focus on it, since her other side could manage that just fine from the back of her mind. So as Victoria and Anika came in, she worked a little spell on her eyes to pierce glamour. No silly dispellings or anything uncouth like that, but she wanted to be playing on the level playing field, after all. "I do believe that the drinks are calling us, darling," Victoria mused.

[Veronica Glarette]

Ryan and Veronica suddenly find a young Japanese woman walking up to them with a broad, polite smile. "Ah, Mister Gabriel. We're happy to see you could make it. I'm Yui Kumo. And is that lovely lady your date for the evening?" She snaps her fingers and a waiter steers towards them to offer the two a glass of champagne from a tray.

Veronica dips her head with a friendly smile. "Eet is a pleasure, Madame Kumo." She accepts a glass of the champagne, thanking the waiter. "Zis is all very well put togeser, if I may."

[Anika Sloan]

"Ah, drinks. You said the magic word." Anika follows Victoria with a smirk, looking over some people as they go.

[Yui Kumo]

"Oh but of course. Only the best for our esteemed guests." she says and Veronica would get the impression that she's being sized up and evaluated by the woman as if she was trying to determine if she was worth being brought here. The verdict is still pending when her eyes seem to look over Veronica's shoulder and fall on Trev and a slight scowl shows on her face. "Of course not all of them necessarily fit in." she puts on her fake smile again as her attention turns to Veronica and Ryan again.

[Margali Szardos]

Margali Szardos spots Victoria and Anika across the crowd and with a slight move of her head indicates her to come over. She briefly turns her attention to her current conversational partner and says something that is swallowed up by the crowd between them to dismiss the man who nods and moves away.

[Victoria Valentine]

Victoria's smile falters, though she covers it with a sip of her champagne. She murmurs quietly as they start across the room. "Remember what I said about being subtly scary? Put that on hold for a bit if you don't want my life to be painful, literally and figuratively, for the near and distant future."

[Ryan Gabriel]

"It really is a pity that there are so few chances for people to learn what class is like these days, isn't it?" Ryan... Agreed? What side was he on there? "I suppose it's a sign off the times, so few traditions manage to hold."

[Veronica Glarette]

"Oh but of course. Only the best for our esteemed guests." she says and Veronica would get the impression that she's being sized up and evaluated by the woman as if she was trying to determine if she was worth being brought here. The verdict is still pending when her eyes seem to look over Veronica's shoulder and fall on Trev and a slight scowl shows on her face. "Of course not all of them necessarily fit in." she puts on her fake smile again as her attention turns to Veronica and Ryan again.

If Veronica notices being sized up, she doesn't give off the appearance that she necessarily cares. "Off course not. What was eet my faser used to say...'Not everyone is worsy enough off swimming wis zee swans in zee lake off elegance.' " She says to Yui with a smile. Ryan would likely know that with how she felt about her father, she likely actually was completely against the statement.

[Anika Sloan]

Victoria's smile falters, though she covers it with a sip of her champagne. She murmurs quietly as they start across the room. "Remember what I said about being subtly scary? Put that on hold for a bit if you don't want my life to be painful, literally and figuratively, for the near and distant future."

Anika sips at the champagne as well, murmuring back. "Oh, someone fun to meet? This should be interesting. Alright, I'll behave." She smiled 'innocently'.

[Victoria Valentine]

"Just please be serious about that," Victoria murmured. She approached, and waited to be acknowledged by her Mistress.

[Henry Hereford]

Trev looked down and his cheeks reddened.

God. Fucking. Damnit.

"Here you are, son," a friend voice says. Henry Hereford is holding out a handkerchief and a small spray bottle of stain remover. "Have to watch out for those things. They make a big mess, don'tcha know."

[Yui Kumo]

"It really is a pity that there are so few chances for people to learn what class is like these days, isn't it?" Ryan... Agreed? What side was he on there? "I suppose it's a sign off the times, so few traditions manage to hold."

If Veronica notices being sized up, she doesn't give off the appearance that she necessarily cares. "Off course not. What was eet my faser used to say...'Not everyone is worsy enough off swimming wis zee swans in zee lake off elegance.' " She says to Yui with a smile. Ryan would likely know that with how she felt about her father, she likely actually was completely against the statement.

"Nothing wrong with breaking from tradition sometimes but that's no excuse to be uncultured. One should expect a certain amount of effort at the very least or else what is the point. Everyone can make money these days but that doesn't mean you can buy yourself respect."

[Margali Szardos]

"Just please be serious about that," Victoria murmured. She approached, and waited to be acknowledged by her Mistress.

"Victoria, my dear, how splendid that you could make it." she says in a tone the suggests she expected nothing less. "Who is the hanger-on?"

[Veronica Glarette]

"Nothing wrong with breaking from tradition sometimes but that's no excuse to be uncultured. One should expect a certain amount of effort at the very least or else what is the point. Everyone can make money these days but that doesn't mean you can buy yourself respect."

"Very true words, Madame." She raises her glass to that.

[Nina Madaraki]

Anika sips at the champagne as well, murmuring back. "Oh, someone fun to meet? This should be interesting. Alright, I'll behave." She smiled 'innocently'.

Nina spots Anika and waves. She probably would have embarrassingly called out the girl's name if her mouth wasn't stuffed full of tiny cakes.

She also spots Ryan and her wave becomes quite a bit less enthusiastic and much more awkward.

The waiter carrying tiny cakes takes advantage of the distraction to make a retreat.

[Trev Anderson]

Trev looked down and his cheeks reddened.

God. Fucking. Damnit.

"Here you are, son," a friend voice says. Henry Hereford is holding out a handkerchief and a small spray bottle of stain remover. "Have to watch out for those things. They make a big mess, don'tcha know."

"Oh!" said a somewhat startled Trev, "Why thank you, sir." he said gratefully accepting the bottle and handkerchief, setting about removing the stain as best as he could. "Trying to be polite and not stuff my face at a nice party and I wind up making a mess of myself," he chuckled. "Really appreciate your help."

[Victoria Valentine]

Victoria's curtsy was far too automatic for this to be a social visit. "This is Anika, Mistress," she said, making no return introductions since, well, her mistress was under illusion. Victoria wasn't sure just how much of her identity was under wraps, if any.

[Ryan Gabriel]

"Very well said," Ryan decided. "And it's definitely pleasant to be able to find out what respect people are worth."