1328/Proper Society

Proper Society
Date of Scene:	23 April 2020
Location:	The Rathskeller - Hellfire Club
Synopsis:	Allegra, newest member of the Hellfire Club!
Cast of Characters:	Emma Frost, Alexis Carr, Sebastian Shaw

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Emma Frost has posed:
Emma waits patiently at a private booth. She had gotten a message from the concierge that a certain 'Alexis Carr' had come to the Hellfire, and Emma had dropped everything for the rest of the afternoon to handle this. Not that she was remotely upset about it. She's dressed for work in a business casual outfit of white slacks and white blouse, and she has her tablet laying on the table in front of her. She's chosen the Rathskeller to have the girl sent up to, because hte warmer atmosphere may be less intimidating than a conference room. Plus they can snack.

Alexis Carr has posed:
    Snacking is fairly important for the comfort of the firestarter, and as Alexis makes her way in it's a very different visage from the streetside.

    She's wearing a yellow blazer over a carbon-gray dress, matching matte gray heels that add a bit of height to her frame, her hair coiled into a neat and tidy bun, aviator-style sunglasses tucked into a pocket, a simple, gray leather bag by her side.

    "Thank you for meeting me, Miss Frost." Allegra gives a little smile.

Emma Frost has posed:
Smiling at the younger girl, Emma rises to her feet and gestures to the empty booth seat. "'Alexis'," Emma says with a nod. "I'm glad you came. Hungry? Christoph, pretzels, mustard and cheese. And some of the root beer-- there should be some left from the Oktoberfest last week." The bartender nods and puts in the order.

Taking her seat, she regards the young woman. "I've got a few offers for you, and I think you may find them intriguing."

Alexis Carr has posed:
    Alexis takes a seat, sinking down into the comfortable booth as she looks around at the old world pub, folding her fingers as she sits and regards Emma with a small smile.

    "Root beer?" she questions, almost playfully, and she leans back a moment, listening to pale blonde, her hands folding a moment.

    "And in return?" she questions, drawing her eyes to Emma, dark and searching, her lips purse a moment.

Emma Frost has posed:
"There's a few things in return, but none of them I think will be too onerous." Emma lifts a brow. "And yes, root beer. You're underage, and not technically a member... yet. So it's a little bit harder to bend those laws. I think there's some ginger beer left too if you'd prefer." Emma herself has sparkling water.

"First, I was serious about getting you settled into an apartment here. They aren't penthouses-- one bedroom, bath, kitchen and living room. About a thousand square feet, so nothing too fancy." Though for New York, a 1-bedroom that large still commands top dollar. "We have a few open right now, so getting you into one shouldn't be difficult. We can do a quick tour of those open and you can have your pick if you'd like. No furniture, but," Emma pulls out a Black AMEX. "Easy enough to rectify."

She muses, looking at the girl. "It would make me feel better to have you housed here. There's security. You're less likely to be snatched up by your father's minions OR others who would mean you harm. Our security here is top-notch and used to handling... threats. If you want your..." Emma wrinkles her nose a bit, "Boyfriend or others to visit, it's a quick call to the concierge to have them admitted-- on //your// terms. You don't want them there when you aren't? They won't be. You want them to have their own key to come and go? That's fine as well."

Alexis Carr has posed:
    "Root beer is fine, it's been months since I've had a softdrink and I've no singing engagements this evening." Alexis replies with a little smile, and she steeples her fingers as she listens, giving a soft 'hum', and she gives a small smile.

    "Emma, my mother is also an opera singer, and my grandmother is Dame Fiore of Saint Cecelia's... you need not brandish the credit cards to try and steal my heart away from my lowly Brooklyn abode. Though... living in grand fashion is quite spetacularly tempting." she purses her lips a moment, then draws her gaze up.

    "And, for the sake of both our hearts, let us agree that a lack of social standing doesn't mean someone lacks class. You and I have both been the victims likely of unwanted attention that we grin and bare for the sake of our names from men in our father's circles, I would imagine."

Emma Frost has posed:
"Ah. Not an attempt to impress. Simply a note that it's a simple problem with a simple solution." Emma chuckles. "It isn't that grand. But it's private and safe, and that's the important bit." She taps her chin. "Mostly the latter." She glosses over Alexis's latter comment. That's a road she really doesn't wish to go down this afternoon.

"Still, if you wished his presence, it would be to your discretion. However... these apartments are reserved for members of the Hellfire Club, exclusively." She regards Allegra. "But, it so happens that you do qualify for membership." She pulls out a sheaf of paper, sliding it over to the girl. "Should you be interested. That would be one of the strings attached-- but certainly not an onerous one. Membership grants many privileges... and benefits. The access to the apartment being the very least of those, I assure you."

Alexis Carr has posed:
    "... you're offering me membership to the Hellfire Club?" Allegra questions, her eyebrows rising up. She... hadn't anticipated this. She looks at the paper, drawing it with unsure fingertips, as if it may burn her as she looks it over, opening the sheaf and beginning to read.

    "I've heard of the value of even just an invitation as a guest, but membership was not... something I had considered." she states, and considers a moment, raising her eyes to Emma.

    "When would you like the information back by?"

Emma Frost has posed:
"Sooner is better. I'd like to see you housed safely as quickly as possible. If I found you out on a date, it won't be long until Pro-Humana or worse do." Emma smiles as the food and beverages arrive. "Of course, fees would be waived. One of the benefits of my position-- I had already gotten approval from the rest of the board. So it would really just be an agreement to the rules and expectations of behavior."

Alexis Carr has posed:
    "Which I assume is outlined within the packet." she states, and she looks to Emma.

    "Emma, if I may inquire, why go through all the trouble? You already know I doubt good intentions with bewilderment and will admit, you have quite the advantage over me in nearly all ways."

Emma Frost has posed:
"I, too, have an asshole father," Emma says after a few minutes of silence. "Besides, Pro Humana may turn you over to your father, but the Purifiers will torture you to death. I know who and what you are. I don't like the prospect of the world losing that sort of talent to some backwoods psychopath with a fetish for tormenting small animals and people they think are animals." She's blunt, and honest. "And the world is full of people with advantage, dear. You take advantage when you can." She leans back, sipping her water.

"Besides. I could use a new assistant. Here at the Club. It would provide you cover, a generous salary and benefits package, and freedom. Plus access to what the club has to offer as a member: you can find any number of lawyers among our membership gleeful to help you with your legal troubles. You may owe them a favor later, but that is how transactions tend to work here." She shrugs. "And given your talents, half the lawyers who'd help would probably be over the moon for 'Allegra performs for my daughters Sweet 16'. You're one of us, dear, you know how we operate. Prestige matters more than almost anything else.

Alexis Carr has posed:
    Allegra looks over the paperwork. She purses her lips a moment, a little bit of music riding on her breath before she looks up to Emma, then to the paperwork.

    "I know how strong Prestige is, when you have the cash to afford it." she state, and she reaches into her bag, and draws out a pen.

    "You know, if you need someone to be a bad influence on you and abscond to the Italian countryside, I happen to know a rebellious young woman with grandparents in Abruzzi." she states -- and signs.

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma takes the signed paperwork, and types a few things in on her tablet. "Welcome to the Club, Allegra." The paperwork, of course, had all been made out to her legal name, not her alias. "Please," she gestures to the pretzels, "eat something before we go look at the apartments. If you want anything else, just let Christoph know, even if we need to have it brought from one of the other kitchens."

She settles back, looking smug. "There is one more thing, speaking of performances, that you may wish to think on."

Alexis Carr has posed:
    The paperwork would be made out to her real self - Alexis Carr was a street muscian with a website. Allegra Caradenza is a gifted musician -- currently quietly listed as missing.

    Here, she was safe. Like hell would Emma allow Filipe in.

    "Oh? Have you already a connection to be made?" Allegra questions, her eyebrows rising up as she steeples her fingertips -- and then reaches for a pretzel

Emma Frost has posed:
"You do know of the pop star, Dazzler, right?" Emma gives a small grin. "She might be a friend of mine... and very, very interested in a musical collaboration with you for her next album."

But then, she pauses, at a gesture from the bartender catching her attention. "Mm. It seems the head of the board has come to welcome you himself. I thought he might when I forwarded your acceptance. His office is just a couple floors up, after all."

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
Speak of the Devil and he has appeared. Sebastian Shaw makes his way into the Rathskellar, lifting a hand in greeting to the bartender on duty and greeting a couple of the servers in passing as he makes his way to the table, offering up a gracious smile, "Ah, glad I wasn't too late. Lawyers do love to bend your ear with the technicalities." And given the lack of one Tessa Fox, it seems likely he left her there to deal with those, as she is quite well-suited to such things.

"Sebastian Shaw, as Emma says, I'm the Chairman of the Board here, and the owner of the building. It's an honor and a pleasure," He offers to Alexis, "But before we proceed, how would you prefer to be addressed?"

Alexis Carr has posed:
    "Dazzler?" Allegra's eyes light up. "Of course, who doesn't know the name?" she asks, and then she see someone arrive, and her eyebrows rise up. Drawing to a stand, th eyoung woman with her olive-toned skin and dark, doe-like eyes with her gray businss dress and yellow blazer gives a smile to Sebastian Shaw, meekly with her hands drawn to her back.

    "The pleasure is mine, Mr. Shaw. And Allegra is fine, else Miss Caradenza." she gives a kind, open smile, and holds her right hand out to shake hands. Now that her left, behind her back, is holding a pretzel bite.

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma grins. "Sebastian." She scoots over to allow him to sit should he desire to join them. "I was just about to take Allegra on a brief tour of the building, and the available suites on the 6th. "

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
Shaw shakes Allegra's hand firmly, and releases it after just a moment or two, "Allegra it is, then. Sebastian is just fine for my part. VIPs have the privilege of being familiar if they choose." He settles into the seat next to Emma and nods, "Well, if you don't mind postponing a few moments. I doubt I can linger quite long enough for the full tour but I certainly wanted to welcome our newest member." He does filch a bit of pretzel for himself, dipping it in the hot horseradish mustard and grinning after the bite. "I'm sure Emma's got all the bases covered, but if you can't find her, and ever need anything, don't hesitate to contact me. Or more accurately my assistant Tessa. A contact number is in your membership packet."

Alexis Carr has posed:
    "Sebastian, then, thank you." Allegra replies with earnesty, and she sits back down in her place, and she gives a small smile -- and dips her own pretzel in the regular beercheese. She doesn't seem as spicy culinarily at the moment.

    "This seems like a most agreeable arangement all around, I hadn't imagined everyone would b so friendly." she gives a wry smile, her dark eyes holding a bit of sparkle to them.

Emma Frost has posed:
"Mm," Emma holds up a finger. "It's part of the expectations. The Club is neutral ground. We hold to that strictly. Many members are adversaries in board rooms and political races and the like across the globe. But here? Civility is expected. Work against other members of the Club away from the Club. Never here." She pops a beer cheese dunked pretzel bite in her own mouth. "You'll see on your tour," Emma says, "while there are plenty of places away from prying eyes for... shall we say, less than appropriate deeds... there is an expectation of propriety and decorum expected of all members." She wrinkles her nose. "Even if one may want to strangle another." She shrugs. "So that does lead to a fair bit of friendliness. Mostly genuine, but there are some vipers amongst the roses."

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
"Or put another way, we wouldn't do a very good job of retaining members for our social club if we weren't sociable." Shaw adds with a bit of an impish grin, "But Emma's longer version is more correct. We're a retreat of sorts, at least in the VIP areas. It would be counterproductive to outwardly carry the animosities of the outside world in here. Which isn't to say that it never happens, but those incidents usually come with a polite warning. After that...expulsion becomes a real possibility."

Alexis Carr has posed:
    "I am always cautious of snakes, Emma. Whether venom or constriction. I'm not keen to be in such a predictament again." the dark-haired girl replies with her crisp British accent, "though I hope to not become such to someone who has shown me such curtesy." she gives an acknowledging nod, to the blonde, and a quick smile to Shaw. "And I hope that such a relationship between myself and the board be long and... fruitful." she smiles.

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma grins. "And I do as well. But... if you'd like that tour?" she asks, standing up. "Apartments first, or the building at large?"

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
"I'm sure it will be. We are all that much more interesting for your presence here." He slides out of his seat to let Emma get on with the tour. "And as I said, don't let me keep you. It was a pleasure Allegra, I'm sure we'll see each other about. Don't hesitate to say hello if you have the chance." He smiles once more and gives the young lady a nod, "And I suppose I should go rescue those lawyers from Tessa."

Alexis Carr has posed:
    "Thank you, Sebastian, again, the pleasure is mine." the musician gives a smile, and quickly pops the last pretzel bite into her mouth as she tands to follow Emma on tour.