11236/Siren's Call - Amateur Night at the Hellfire Club

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Siren's Call - Amateur Night at the Hellfire Club
Date of Scene: 02 June 2022
Location: Purgatory Night Club - Hellfire Club
Synopsis: Colleen Wing wins Judge's Award, Betsy Braddock is the People's champion.
Cast of Characters: Sebastian Shaw, Betsy Braddock, Colleen Wing, Tessa, Glorianna Silver, Warren Worthington, James Proudstar




Sebastian Shaw has posed:
It is a Wednesday night, not typically a busy night at most clubs. But the Hellfire Club is not most clubs, and so it is still relatively hopping evening on a weeknight. Of course, tonight is no ordinary night - it is the well advertised, open to the public, Hellfire Club Amateur night. Word spread far and wide that admittance to the exclusive club is available, and the prizes include not only cash but membership as well.

Registration was open, and many slots have been filled. As the hour approaches for the performances, members of the club's staff busy themselves with preparing the room for the performers. The stage is setup, music is ready to be queued. And the celebrity guests and judges are present.

Sitting front and center by the stage is none other than Sebastian Shaw, CEO of Shaw Industries and owner of the Hellfire Club. He is wearing what seems to be a costume, or at least, an odd selection of clothing - a fancy Victorian era purple jacket over a silk shirt, ruffles spilling out from the collar and sleeves. Black breeches, and a pair of black leather shoes. Seated in an elaborately carved black leather padded chair, he watches as the staff get the stage prepped for the show.

Betsy Braddock has posed:
Having signed up previously, Betsy Braddock, supermodel and X-Man, waits with the other performers. She peeks out briefly to see what kind of crowd is gathered, and wonders if perhaps she made the wrong choice by coming tonight. But, she is always in the mood to do something interesting and light. She reaches down and smoothes out the sweater she is wearing, going over the moves she had worked out in her head.

Colleen Wing has posed:
Colleen Wing is not one to typically perform anything in front of people, unless it is a martial-arts kata or in a caged fighting arena. Yet, when she heard about this little amateur night at the Hellfire Club, she thought it was the perfect opportunity to get out of the dojo and try something different. Besides, she heard there was a little bit of potential cash to be won and money was something she certainly could use. How bad could it be really? One of her good friends was a member.

Upon entering the club, the young Sensei has a backpack slung over one shoulder and a sheathed katana in her other hand. Allowing her eyes to adjust, she takes in the establishment, seeking a place to sign up before she changed her mind. Spying the area for registration, the woman in a white hoodie, tight black yoga pants and red converse starts to make her way towards it. "Is this where I am?um?sign up?" Her free hand raises to brush the hood back from her head, a ponytail present.

After signging up she lets out a soft exhale and begins to walk away from the table. "No turning back now." She then makes her way towards the back area. "What are you doing Colleen?" And then she is back behind the curtain.

Tessa has posed:
One of the judges watches the staff preparing the stage with a particularly keen eye. The dark-haired woman who goes by the name Tessa Fox is dressed in an elegant, backless dark purple gown. Like other judges, she has a scorecard and pencil in front of her, but she has yet to touch either. Likewise, her glass of (ridiculously expensive) red wine has not yet been disturbed. The woman seems completely calm, her expression almost neutral to a fault. She casts a look over at Sebastian, but only for a moment, and then her eyes return to the stage.

Glorianna Silver has posed:
At a 4-top table near the center, and near to Sebastian, sit's a pale redhead. From her attire it looks like Ms. Glorianna Silver, philanthropist and head of Wulfgar Industries, will NOT be on the talent list tonight. The long, cinnamon locks are pulled up and back, baring shoulders and emphasizing the lack of both straps and sleeves in the long, velvet gown. About her neck she wears a large, red amulet that looks antique. A glass of whiskey sits on the table before her.

Warren Worthington has posed:
Warren walks into the room dressed every inch as the wealthy heir he is. He laughs at something the striking young woman on his arm says. The two weave their way through the tables, stopping to say hello and shake hands. Warren gets the young lady's name wrong the first two times, but seems to have it down after that. They take the table Warren reserved and settle in for the show. Warren's companion goes back to telling him about her latest research and he mostly looks engaged.

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
As he settles into his seat, Sebastian Shaw nods to the emcee for the evening. She, herself, looks like she could be a contestant - wearing a black leather corset and thong, and not much else. "Welcome to the Siren's Call, the first ever Hellfire Club Amateur Night!" She takes a moment to allow some applause and wolf whistling from the crowd. One voice from the back calls out "take it off" and she simply smiles sweetly and shakes her head. "Baby, I'm hardly an amateur." She winks in that direction, and then continues.

"Rules are simple - you come up and dance, our judges evaluate you. Winners get a cash prize, a 30 day membership here at the Hellfire Club, and if you're lucky," she pauses, and grins. "And I mean _really_ lucky...maybe you can get a date with our host, Sebastian Shaw!" She points to Shaw, who offers the slight hand wave popularized by Queen Elizabeth II.

The emcee looks around. "Alright, let's give it up for our first contestant!"

Tessa has posed:
Tessa goes from complete, blank neutrality to smiling and enjoying herself so quickly that it's like someone flipped a switch inside her. One moment, she was passively witnessing the final preparations. The next, she's politely smiling, joining in with the crowd when applause occurs, and exchanging small talk with the other judges.

Colleen Wing has posed:
As Colleen steps out onto the darkened stage, all that is scene is her silhouette, her hands down to the side. As the lights slowly rise, the crowd sees the woman clothed in a traditional Japanese Kimono (shorturl.at/eqvPU) fitting for the "Daughter of the Dragon".
The music begins, a traditional Japanese flute and drum combination, starting slow as the lights rise fully, showing the young woman completely as she begins to gracefully twirl the katana before her. The dance is slow and matches the music perfectly, completely encompassing the traditions of the samurai. She uses the entire stage, sliding across it barefoot, the movements crisp and skilled.
It is then that the music softens a moment and Colleen pauses, making her way to the front of the stage. With her free hand, her hair is freed from the ponytail and with a shake of her head, the black locks fall wildly about her shoulders. A tug at the belt of the kimono and it too begins to fall to the floor. However, before it does, it is caught by the katana and flung towards Sebastian and the table he sits at, leaving the woman clothed in the tight black yoga pants and a Nike sports bra.
The music then picks up and the dance continues, but this time much more elaborate and riskier. The sword twirls faster like a whirlwind as she incorporates no-handed cartwheels and even a backflip while the sword still swirls.$rWhen the music comes to a slow end, the sword-dancer leaps from the stage, landing in a crouched position with the sword positioned over her head and pointing towards Sebastian. She seems out of breath, her chest heaving as she holds the position before lowering the katana tip to the floor in front of her, resting her forehead on the pommel.
It is then that she slowly rises and gives a proper Japanese bow from where she stands.

Glorianna Silver has posed:
Glorianna Silver shifts a little in her seat, crossing one leg over the other as her attention shifts towards the stage. The whiskey is raised to her lips, held there in pause as the sword-dancer begins. The glass lowers a touch as the dance continues. And when the dance concludes she sets the glass down. And applauds.

Betsy Braddock has posed:
Peering out from backstage, Betsy smiles broadly as she watches Colleen perform. She adds her hands to the applause, supporting her fellow contestant, as she continues to work through the choreography in her head.

Warren Worthington has posed:
Warren leans in and says something to his companion. He nods in James' direction, but his attention is on Colleen as her performance starts as expected... And turns into something extremely interesting in a different way. H e watches, captivated, and applauds at the end with an appreciative smile on his face.

Tessa has posed:
Tessa's eyes are on Colleen throughout her dance. When it finishes, she joins in with the (duly earned) applause, but then starts meticulously making some notes on her scorecard...

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
Sebastian Shaw sits in rapt attention during Colleen's performance. As the kimono is tossed to him, his lips twist into a greater smile, and he inclines his head towards her, a sign of respect. He collects the silk into his lap, as he continues to watch the performance.

The reaction of the crowd is mixed, as it is not exactly what many were expecting. But as the owner of the Hellfire Club begins a substantial applause on his own, the rest of the crowd follows suit.

"Magnificent!" he proclaims, turning his gaze towards Tessa, and then looking back to Colleen. "What a way to get us started!"

James Proudstar has posed:
James Proudstar arrives and pays the cover at the door, nodding to the bouncer. His attention on Colleen and her dance as he makes his way to a table in the back. He claps when she is done, enjoying the show. James smiles and orders a bourbon neat.

Colleen Wing has posed:
Colleen waits a moment for the applause to die down and then makes her way towards the bar, grabbing a beer and moving to take a seat at an emtpy table, still a bit out of breath and awaiting the next performance.

Betsy Braddock has posed:
It is time for Betsy Braddock. She takes a deep breath. Here we go.

BUM DUM DUM. There is a loud sound before a synth rhythm kicks in. Three words kick in "Oh baby baby." And then, stepping out from behind the curtain, is Betsy Braddock. Her purple hair is tied into two pigtails, and is wearing a white dress shirt, tied off in the front, midsection bared, with a grey sweater resting over it. A short pleated black skirt gives way to knee high black hose. She saunters out, hips swaying, and with each beat of the song she slaps one of her thighs. Her purple eyes scan out over the crowd, seeming to look onto one person, and then the next as the song progresses.

Unlike the originator of the piece, she does not remain content to just hint at the look. As the song progresses to the chorus Betsy throws her arms back dramatically, just like in the video, except she shrugs off the grey sweater. Stepping forward, she kicks up the skirt a bit, long legs accentuated by the black hose. At next bit of the chorus, her hands reach up and tear open the knot of the sshirt, tossing that to the side, revealing nothing but a purple lacey bra. Her eyes scan over the crowd again as she follows along with the music, the pleading words of the singer coming out. She reaches behind herself and then throws her hands up, shimmying out of the black skirt to reveal purple panties matching the bra. The song starts to rise towards its crescendo. She slaps each thigh in time and the reaches up with her hands, undoing the clasp of the bra. There is a murmur in the crowd as the straps fall from bare shoulders, and then the bra falls away from her body, but - it stay just in front of her. A grin crosses her face and she winks out to the crowd, her modesty preserved by the hovering fabric, hanging in mid-air. And then the lights go out.

Glorianna Silver has posed:
Glorianna Silver manages to take a sip of whiskey before the next dancer comes out. A crimson brow lifts as the show progresses, the glass slowly lowering to the table. Her head tilts as more and more is revealed, attention rapt. And at the end, her upper lip twitches with the defiance of gravity. She lets out a short little laugh and applauds.

Colleen Wing has posed:
Oh so that is what she was supposed to do. Colleen blinks a few times as she sips the beer and watches Betsy dance. There is no way without a lot of alcohol that the Sensei could be convinced to do something like that. Even what she did weas probably a stain on her family's honor and would probably require a double shower to wash away the shame. She is entertained however and when the dance is over applauds along with the rest of the gathered crowd. "Braver than I am." A softly muttered word to herself as she moves her hands after applauding to tie her hair back once more.

Tessa has posed:
Tessa watches the show put on by Betsy, and her brows lift in a rare moment of surprise when the woman's bra hovers in the air. She joins in the applause afterward, but once more judiciously makes notes on her scorecard.

Warren Worthington has posed:
"You can breathenow," Warren's companion says wryly. He laughs and reaches for his drink. He claps with everyone else and gives a raised eyebrows look in James' direction.

<Tease!> he quickly taps out on his phone and sends it to Betsy.

Warren slips back into conversation with his date, but he keeps glancing in Colleen's direction, appraisingly.

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
Despite the fact that he looks well beyond the years of a typical Britney Spears fan, Sebastian Shaw must be the sort of ensures that he knows the likes of his guests, because there is instant recognition on his face when the music starts. He nods his head along to the music as Betsy dances, and his eyes move over her form appreciating each step of her routine as she slowly sheds her school girl outfit. He is not the only one to look with both surprise and disappointment as the bra falls to attend to the laws of gravity, but his applause comes nonetheless as the performance concludes. "Bravo!" he says, clapping his hands together along with the rest of the crowd.

James Proudstar has posed:
James Proudstar downs his bourbon in a go as his teammate and boss shows off. He smiles to Warren. He offers her his jacket if she needs it. And his ability to see in the dark is no doubt a boon.

Glorianna Silver has posed:
Glorianna Silver calls a server over, speaking softly for a few moments. Attention returns to her mostly-full whiskey before the next dancer.

Tessa has posed:
The next dancer to take the stage is a dark-skinned woman wearing a glittering silver thong bikini. She isn't wearing much to start with, so there isn't much to slowly peel away. Instead, as 'Cream' by Prince begins to play, the woman makes a show of her dexterity.

Pole-dancing is the order of the night for this act, and as the sinewy groove of the song continues, she engages in deft acrobatics. She spins, she twirls, she turns herself upside-down. She does the splits in pretty much every way it's imaginable to do the splits, and some ways that most people wouldn't imagine, either. By the time the dance has reached its end, she's shed her top, but kept the thong in place. Still, compared to a katana, or telekinesis, her dance is... good, but lacks that supernatural, indefinable 'X' factor.

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
There is applause for the pole dancer, but it pales in comparison to that of Betsy or Colleen.

The emcee pops out on stage. "There you have it, folks. Please submit your votes for the People's Choice prize now." She looks over towards Shaw, and Shaw nods slowly to her, his eyes flickering over around the room. The emcee nods, and waits another few moments before a piece of paper is brought to her.

"Alright, here we go, your winners for this evening." She looks around for a moment. "For the People's Choice Award, our top vote getter was Betsy Braddock!" She pauses a moment for the applause. And then she continues. "And winner of the top award of the night, the prestigious Judge's Award known as the King's Favor - Colleen Wing!"

The emcee applauds as does the rest of the crowd. "Alright, folks, I am out of here, please enjoy the rest of the night, and don't forget to tip your servers. Good night!"

Colleen Wing has posed:
Colleen has struck a pole before. She has walked into a pole on a few occassions. However, she has never danced on a pole or witnessed such a display in person. Yet, despite all this, she found it hard to pull her eyes away from the performance. The dexterity. The strength. And the...oh there they are for the world to see. Blindly takimg a sip of the beer in front of her, she lowrrs it to the table and applauds for the performance her cheeks slightly flushed with that can only be determined as second-hand emabarassment. She looks at the other patrons and the establishment once more as it slowly dawns on her. "Oh...that kind kind of club." Another sip of the beer, this one longer.
When her name is announced as a winner, her eyes go wide and she just looks about the room, not sure what to do. So she just sits there and waves a hand to anyone looking in her direction. "Hi. Thank you."

Betsy Braddock has posed:
Stepping out from the curtain, Betsy has...put the bra back on. And that's about it. The other clothes appear to be gone entirely. She makes her way over towards Sebastian's seat, and offers him a winsome smile. "Thank you for the award, Sebastian," she says, blowing him a kiss as she puts her thighs together and bends in a little bow. And then she waves to the rest of her adoring crowd, before making her away over towards the bar where Colleen is sitting. She leans over and whispers to her softly. "I voted for you too, luv. Great performance." And then she heads over towards the door, apparently feeling her night out has reached its conclusion.

Tessa has posed:
Tessa applauds the winners, and when the emcee brings the evening to a close, she rises from the judges' table and walks over to Sebastian's chair. She rests a hand on the man's right shoulder, and stands at his side for Betsy's smile and bow. She herself doesn't seem to react to much of anything, but her eyes are on everyone, tracking various people through the crowd, watching the way people come together.

Glorianna Silver has posed:
Glorianna Silver applauds the winners as well, red lips pulling into a warm smile. As Colleen looks around, the redhead gives a small nod as well. Then her attention returns to the drink, although the angle of her chair shifts more towards Sebastian's table.

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
The performances completed, Sebastian Shaw rises up from his seat. He nods towards those that are present as attendants come and remove the chair as soon as he stands. "If anyone wishes to join the afterparty..." He trails off for a moment, and his eyes twinkle. "I hope you are VIP members." And with that, he heads towards the exit, a quick nod towards the emcee bringing her bounding along to slip into his arm.

Colleen Wing has posed:
The whisper from Betsy causes Colleen to turn her head to the other performer, seemingly not bothered by her attire. Afterall, Colleen appreciated the human form and despite her unwilliness to often show it, she could not fault others for doing so. Perhaps someday. Tho, she was still sitting in her sports bra which was a step. "Oh you did? Thank you. I totally voted for you. That was amazing. How you did that thing and then..." She smiles and shakes her head once. "You totally deserved to win. I could never do that."

Betsy Braddock has posed:
Shaking her head slowly, Betsy reaches up to start undoing the pigtails, freeing up her purple hair. "Oh, it was really nothing. Just a little shake here, a little shake there. It was the nostalgia of the outfit and the song that did the work." She smiles at Colleen. "What you did was both original and unexpected. I couldn't possibly counter it."

Colleen Wing has posed:
Colleen shrugs. "I cannot recall how many times I have done that routine. Well, I mean the Kimono usually stays on and the hair stays up. You don't want to give the elders a heart-attack and shame your family. So there is that. I just hope nobody video-taped it." She widens her eyes and takes another sip of the beer. Her hand is extended to the scantily dressed woman beside her. "Colleen. Officially. You look..." Her eyes scan Bestsy with a once over. "Fit."

Tessa has posed:
When Sebastian Shaw moves to take his leave, Tessa dutifully follows. As she walks, she passes by Betsy and Colleen, and both women receive a small smile and discreet nod from the Hellfire Club VIP in the purple gown.

Betsy Braddock has posed:
Taking a moment to look over Colleen, Betsy shakes her head. "I don't think you shamed anyone with that performance, dear. I think you honored your family and your heritage, if you ask me." She extends her hand to take Colleen's. "Betsy. Pleased to meet you." She grins a bit as Colleen appraises her. "I have to stay so in my line of work, I'm afraid."

Warren Worthington has posed:
"That's us," Warren says and gets up. His date takes his arm, but he sweeps across the room instead of straight to the VIP.

"Ladies, that was incredible," Warren says to Betsy and Colleen as he walks up with a big grin.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" Warren asks Colleen, tilting his head.

"Dance," his date corrects him.

"Sure," Warren replies without looking over to her.

Colleen Wing has posed:
"Same. I seldom take a day off. But, I am not going to lie." SHe leans in and murmurs softer to Bestsy. "Nothing beats trashy TV and a pint of Ben and Jerry's in a t-shirt and sweat pants. You need to try it sometime." She reaches for he rbeer and takes another small sip. "And I suppose I did honor my family. I mena I could have kep tthe Kimono on, but hey they are not here right?"

As Warren approaches with his date, Colleen turns on her barstool the the new voice. "Who me? Oh. Hey. Well, the fight is kind of like a dance so you are both right. It's hard to explain. And my grandfather taught me. It's kind of what I do. Well, I mean I run a doho in Chinatown and train underprivledged kids. I mean I do /other/ stuff too." She reaches for the bottle and before taking a sip murmurs. "Shut-up Colleen."

James Proudstar has posed:
James Proudstar finishes his drunk and stands, moving to the bar he smiles to Colleen and Betsy, "You both danced divinely, just different styles." He chuckles don't forget greasy burgers and fries. "She is an excellent teacher and a friend of Kitty's."

Betsy Braddock has posed:
Leaning back over towards Colleen, Betsy lowers her voice towards a whisper. "Oh, I cheat all the time. I just have to work extra hard to make it up." She winks at Colleen. "I just don't do it with swords."

She shifts slowly to regard both Warren and James as they approach. "Hello boys. Enjoy the show?" She flashes a grin at both of them.

Warren Worthington has posed:
"Do you teach over-privileged kids? Warren is into all kinds of fencing styles," the woman with Warren asks Colleen and nudges Warren.

At the mention of Kitty, Warren colors a bit and his wings extend ever so slightly in surprise and...

"A friend of Kitty's? A friend of mine then, too," Warren says gamely with a bit of a forced chuckle. "Hey, ah James, Betsy, Colleen, this is doctor."

Warren realizes that did not come out right. "Alana. Doctor Alana. Hey, want to go to the after party" he asks the others and clears his throat. Alana looks a suddenly uncertain and a little intimidated as she realizes Warren already knows the impressively imposing James and the night's most alluring performer.

Colleen Wing has posed:
Colleen leans into Betsy with the murmur and gives her a slight smile. "Oh girl. You come by the dojo sometime after it closes. I know the best Chinese take-out places in the city. You wanna cheat...I got you." she takes another sip and looks to James as he approaches and gives the familiar face a smile.

"James. It's been a while. How have you been? I can tell you that the dojo has no issues. Except for a cultist attack that left some damage, but I fixed it...sort of. And thank you. I didn't really know what to do and Elektra told me to /get out of the dojo and do something/, so this seemed like a fun idea. Yay me." One more sip of the beer.

She looks over to Warren and seems ot make a small connection. "Oh wait. It all makes sense now. Kitty is like my best friend. She used to crash at my place at the dojo a lot. I called her my Lil Stray Cat." When she sees Warren redden a bit, she says nothing, but simply smiles. "I do teach over-privlidged. I mean I have. I could. I am sure I could." She looks Warren and his date over. "It is a pleasure to meet you Doctor Alana." There is a small wince given at the mention of the after-party. "I am not sure my moral compass will allow me to direct myself that way. Perhaps someday. Don't let that stop you from doing so tho. I am sure it is a good time. I am going to finish my beer and walk myself back home."

James Proudstar has posed:
James Proudstar smiles and nods Betsy, "Indeed." He nods to Alana, "Doctor. Yeah, the VIP section had never been my thing."
     Jim smiles, "I'm fine, if you need help with repairs let me know, or let Stray Cat or Betsy know." He grins.

Betsy Braddock has posed:
A slow smile spreads on Betsy's face. "I have heard that I should pick up some self-defense. So I think perhaps I shall." She smiles at Colleen. She looks over at James and then Warren, before turning her attention to Doctor Alana. "Don't worry. He's a sweetheart. All the girls at the mansion know that." She winks at Warren, and then turns to slowly saunter out, a sly smile on her face.

Colleen Wing has posed:
Colleen catches Betsy before she departs, touching her arm lightly to get her attention. "Chikara Dojo. Chinatown. Stop by anytime after six. Ring the bell. I got you." She gives the woman a wink.

Warren Worthington has posed:
"I can't believe we didn't meet, Kitty did mention you a lot," Warren says and clears his throat.

Alana smiles politely when the others say hello but as the conversation evolves her eyes narrow slightly and she studies Warren's face. Warren says good night to Betsy and looks at James a tinge imploringly, before it becomes abundantly apparent it is too late for any rescues.

"Actually, Warren, I'm feeling really tired and I need to be at the lab early. You go on," Alana says, a little to politely. "Neil's waiting outside, right? I'll get him to drive me home. To my place. Nice meeting you all."

Alana gives Warren and plastic smile and watches Betsy walk off for a moment, then leaves.

"I'm just going to go," Warren says and waves vaguely in the direction of the VIP. "Nice to meet you, Colleen. Say, ah. Hi for me."

Colleen Wing has posed:
Oh the awkwardness. It's all good. And Colleen is not one to milk this cow in the room. "It has been a pleasure Mr. Worthington. I shall say hello for you. We are are all adults are we not? We can move on as they say. Right?"" She raises the beer to her lips and takes a long draining sip. "Perhaps one day I too shall join the after party, but not tonight. I fear I have pushed the boundary on what my grandmother would deem proper behavior for her precious /Chisana Ryu/ (little dragon)." She slowly rises from the stool and exhales slowly, reaching for her backpack and katana. "Dont be strangers. You both know where I am." She shoulder nudges James.