14134/The Hellfire Club's Valentine's Day Mixer

The Hellfire Club's Valentine's Day Mixer
Date of Scene:	15 February 2023
Location:	Purgatory Night Club - Hellfire Club
Synopsis:	Many a bond is forged. Some end in DOOM.
Cast of Characters:	Selene Gallio, Sebastian Shaw, Emma Frost, Divine, Richard Swift, Jinx, Jayna, Kate Bishop, Blake Riviere, Victor Creed, Caleb Dykstra, Victor Von Doom

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Selene Gallio has posed:
Red is the theme of the night it seems, and Selene is diving into it headfirst. She is in a floor length cloak, of blood red, that clasps at her throat with a silver dagger, encrusted with rubies that sparkle with each step she takes. The cloak billows out behind her, revealing what she wears underneath: a deep red corset that must have been molded to her specifically, or must be using some sort of magic, or maybe just tape to hold it in place. The neckline plunges down to nearly her navel, and while the corset is clasped at the front, they are strappy clasps that allow for a fair amount of skin to be seen. The corset does come together at a small clasp at the bottom, with a point aiming down at the scrap of cloth she wears that clings to her hips and covers just enough to be decent. Barely. On her legs are a pair of knee-high black neoprene boots that shine with the lighting of the club.

The woman glides into the Club like she owns the place. Perhaps she does? Either way, she's clearly here to show off and see what sort of mischief she can get into from the look she's giving some of the patrons of the party.

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
The invitations went out to special guests, and a modest amount of advertising in the appropriate circles announced the first ever Hellfire Club Valentine's Day Mixer. Apparently after having such success with prior big events, someone decided to cash in on Valentine's Day, and where better than the Hellfire Club?

Billed as the kind of Valentine's Day Party you wished you were invited to in grade school, there are warnings of possible indecent exposure, group activities designed in the spirit of the night, and the opportunity to meet and mix with the likes of which you never had before. Only the Adventurous Need Apply. The latter probably already discerned by the fact that it is at the Hellfire Club.

Upon arrival, each guest is fitted with a small bracelet that includes an RFID chip, and provided the rules for the party's main "event". There are several small booths, not much larger than instant-photo booths, sprinkled throughout the club. At certain intervals of the evening, the bracelet will identify a booth by number, and each party goer selected should journey to that booth and meet their fellow booth occupant. The "winners" of the evening will be the couple who spend the greatest amount of time together within the booth by the end of the night. The booths themselves are big enough to allow two people to fit, but not with any concept of personal space. The implication is clear - this is Seven Minutes in Heaven, grown-up style.

Watching over the proceedings from a post off to the side is Sebastian Shaw. As expected, he is wearing a Victorian styled jacket, but he has given in to the theme of the night - a crimson colored jacket rests over a pale pink shirt, the lace spilling out from his collar and sleeves. Black breeches come down to his knees, and as always, he has those signature muttonchops. A glass of brandy is in his hand, and for the most part, he is simply watching the partygoers. It is, after all, his responsibility as host to insure that all have a good time. He does not have the time to party for himself. Besides, what would _he_ do if trapped in a small booth with someone for any length of time?

Emma Frost has posed:
Tonight's going to be the murder night, isn't it? Emma Frost is pressent, as well over in red. Though her's is a bit darker shade than usual. It's more of a bloodstain. Dark red over on purple, giving her the visage of someone that was continuously bleeding over or had just had someone fall over them. The 'blood' coloration over of it is a shiny hue over upon it to make it stand out even more on her dark attire. Emma has on long red gloves, and a black rose has been done up over in her hair. She's going to just watch on things and sweep her eyes about, taking in the decor and figuring out who is going to be the rough ones of the night.

Who she's going to have to wait for the chaos, and who she's going to lean on to inistigate it

Divine has posed:
The clone of Power Girl named Divine is here. Why? Because Emma is here, and it's a dangerous place to be, thus she is well guarded. Alura made a face about a Kryptonian doing a job to get paid, but at this point, Divine would do this for free.

She is also matching the red theme, because the boss lady insisted. She's wearing a blood red overbust corset, the front of it looking like a fused series of belts with shining silvery buckles. Around her hips are a pair short shorts in the same color of red as the corset. Dark black tights cover her legs until they fall into nearly knee high red combat boots. Over all of it she wears a nearly floor length, long sleeved, red coat with a mandarin collar lined in black.

She follows Emma, behind and to the left, doing her best intimidating expression which, honestly, is pretty good.

Selene Gallio has posed:
Selene Gallio slides over to the bar and sighs as she looks down at her wristband, fiddling with it idly as if it is an annoyance. She considers for a second, and then tells the bartender, "My usual. I will wait while it's fetched." The bartender nods once, he knows the order, and a runner heads off to get the bottle that Selene likely means. Something exotic and expensive, most likely. She looks around at the crowd and grins a little bit as she sees couples coming in. Eyes glide over Emma for a moment, and the girl following her. Then she looks around for the host of the event, perhaps trying to catch his eye, or perhaps just to keep an eye on him.

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
It is not hard to spot Sebastian Shaw. Even if he were not dressed in a suitably ostentatious fashion, there are always plenty of clinger ons trying to curry favor with the Black King/owner of the Hellfire Club when he is out and about. It does not happen often in the VIP areas - the people there have enough status to get a private audience with ease, and none of them would debase themselves to _appear_ as if they sought his favor in such a way. But out here in public, he is seen as the way behind the velvet curtain, to where things that can only be whispered and rumored of go on. There are no small number of people who came to this party intent upon finding their way to the after-party - not announced or stated, but surely one must exist! - or to finding a more regular invite into the sanctum of deviancy that is the Hellfire Club. And those are just the ones who want in for the hedonism, not the villainy!

For the most part, Sebastian Shaw humors them, listening to their tale, and usually ends the conversation with a gentle note that he will think on it and the Club will reach out if an audience is granted. Few are. But it is important to give them hope, so that they keep crawling back.

Emma Frost has posed:
Oh, there's Shaw. Emma glances over at the man with a look of passivity. Selene gets a full normal glare from her. Oh, if she had heat vision.. But, now is not the time or place. She's here to enjoy herself after all. With Divine coming after her, Emma smiles. "Do enjoy yourself darling. I'm sorry that your friend couldn't make it. Take her back something for when you see her again? Or if you want I can help you get some if you would prefer." Where's the point of being rich if you can't partake in the 'take and give' routine after all when someone else is footing the bill?

Richard Swift has posed:
The Shadows coalesce into a form, a tall, dark man in a tux with a top hat, cane, and of course, a frown that was his trademark. His eyes scan the area casually, and he then saunters up to where the nearest drinks are loctaed to, of course, grab a glass of very dark red wine.

The Shade has arrived.

Divine has posed:
"Thank you, ma'am," Divine says to Emma politely. Due deference in public is important, after all. Her body language is pretty relaxed, but still on guard. Especially when her eyes cross over Selene. She can feel Emma's disdain for the other woman, but she's not really sure why. She might ask about it later.

Also, for the uninitiated. Divine is, on a face and build level, a dead ringer for Power Girl, except her hair is black and her makeup and style of dress is, well, goth as hell. This also means she is six foot three and taller than many of the men here, and if there's another woman as tall as she is here, it's a Hulk or an Amazon or Power Girl herself, most likely.

Or those heels are really tall.

Jinx has posed:
It was no secret that Jinx really wanted to go to the fancy party at the infamous Hellfire club. Why she got an invitation is anyones guess and Jinx never elaborated - but to go meant having a chaperone, because while Donna gave her plenty of rope to hang herself with she still needed to be seen doing it.

Jinx was delighted that Kate agreed to come with. She doesn't have access to her broader wardrobe and she's not willing to lead the Titans to one of her stylish loft apartments filled with stolen things. So she's wearing her jeans and jacket.

At the door she presents the tickets. Security checks her for metal things and gives her and Kate the RFID tags. She looks it over and then back to Kate. A small shrug of her shoulder. "Come on," she says encouragingly to Kate with her British accent, "Let's have some fun."

Jayna has posed:
It had been a bit of an argument with her brother, but Jayna had managed to win. At least, halfway. Zan refused to accept that there could be FUN in a club in New York with a name like "Hellfire". 'What kind of horrible people would go to a place with that name, Jayna?'

His words echoed in her ears as she looked around the lobby. Maybe he was right. She had done a little bit of research, and knew that the club catered to the rich and powerful. But really, she just wanted to have some fun, and some people online said that Hellfire Club parties were THE PLACE to be. So while it felt a little weird to be separated from her brother, Jayna was ready to try to see what life in the big city could be like.

She immediately feels underdressed, and that she will stick out like a sore thumb, as she sees all the women in corsets with plunging necklines and short skirts, and she is just in her pleated red skirt with red stockings, and a silk blouse with a somewhat deep v-neck. But nothing like what anyone else is wearing.

She shrugs it off though. She will know for next time, and she is sure that tonight will be fun even so!

Selene Gallio has posed:
Selene Gallio's glass arrives, and she takes a sip of it. A second glance is tossed to Divine as she follows in Emma's wake, but for the moment it seems the woman is content to lounge by the bar, just watching and waiting for the evening's festivities.

Richard Swift has posed:
Swift's eyes look over at Divine for a few moments as he sips at the fine Cabernet that Shaw has for tonight. Distracted from the fine aperatif, Shaw moves a few steps further into the shadows, thinking it was PG herself. After a few moments though, and few few sidelooks, Swift determines that she wasn't PG. "Fascinating."

As others arrive, Swift looks them over casually. Jayna. Jinx. Selene. All of them. It was going to be a fascinating party indeed, a party that the Shade almost allows himself a smile. Happy Valentine's Day indeed Sip.

Emma Frost has posed:
Divine in tow, Emma Frost would take a moment to center herself, "But yes, do enjoy yourself. But keep on guard. This place bites." That's said loud enough that anyone near her could likely hear it spoken to Divine. Emma's well aware of how treacherous the club can be. And so she has to keep up on the alert herself even on this event that's open over to the public.

Some things are best not taken chances with. NOt with all the power players about looking to move pieces on the board.

Kate Bishop has posed:
    Kate doesn't mind really. If anything Kate Bishop is very familiar with high society and fancy parties. Also the New York Scene. Which is exactly why it is Kate Bishop going to a party with Jinx, not Hawkeye as well.

    There is some risk there. But the risk of trying to be Hawkeye at a fancy New York Club party in the circles her father's associates actively travel is way riskier. At least she thinks so. She may be wrong.

    Also she is happy to give Jinx a chance, even if some people think it is just giving her rope. So along she went.

    She is decked out in a stylish pair of designer jeans, a soft burgendy leather jacket, and accents of jewelry that if you know scream wealth. Not quite a matched outfit to Jinx but she obviously put some thought into meeting her style where it is.

    "Fun it is." she agrees following her in.

Blake Riviere has posed:
Certainly guilty of plunging necklines and backless designer gowns, Blake Riviere made her arrival. Her tied back elegently, the woman raven locks were pinned with a deep silver rose shaped hairpiece pinning things back. With the straps that secured it forms a facsimile of a choker.

Brawing herself downwards, she has one of her arms folded under her bust, supporting her elbow while the other nurses a wine glass.

Jinx has posed:
Jinx noticed that jewellery on Kate alright. She likes the fine things because she never had any of them growing up. For a while there between quitting the Five and getting caught by the Titans, she could take whatever she wanted and enjoy it for herself.

She makes her way out on to the dance floor with Kate and offers her a hand. A cheeky little wink and she says, "You know the last person I danced with was Harls. She's a fun one - but we were both under a weird magical curse at the time."

Jinx is not someone who has been refined by high society, not in the slightest. She fits better in dark allies and dark seedy bars than a place like this. Somewhat ironically, she -does- belong here, behind the scenes of this place. The secret court of the Hellfire club. In some ways she's trying to avoid catching Shaw's gaze as she dances.

"Some twat named the Music Meister thought I was fair game and did a Musical number on us all the way from L.A. to Qatar." She scoffs at the audacity of a multidimensional being doing magic on her like that. A fly complaining about the trunk of an elephant swatting at her. "But I figured his game out and ruined it for him."

Victor Creed has posed:
Parties at fancy places filled with fancy people not paying much attention sounds like just the kind of fun thing that Victor Creed could find to do on a Valentine's Day night. He certainly had no Valentine at home, although he was known for his collection of hearts. And he had no jobs at the moment, so it seemed a good enough time to stop by. Plus, he might have a chance to make faces at Sebastian Shaw someplace where Shaw would have to be too polite to make faces back. That was always fun.

Kate Bishop has posed:
    Kate is looking around as they head deeper into the club from that check station, cocking her head and takign it all in. While of course keeping half an eye on Jinx in the process. "Don't think I've ever been to this club." she notes thoughtfully.

    Then her attention is back to Jinx and she slides her hand into the other woman's and cracks a genuine grin there. "I've definitely done a few things with her over the last few years, but never been dancing. Magical curse or otherwise." she manages to not pale at the memory of the first time she met Harls. Encounters since that first one have been much better all said.

    "Also never ran into anyone with music based tricks, that sounds... honestly pretty darn annoying. How did you ruin it for him in the end?"

    She is definitely a good dancer, though she is going to see which direction Jinx takes it, she offered her hand first after all.

Richard Swift has posed:
"Ms. Frost." Shade's voice carries across the room. "Charmed." Next. "Selene. As dark and beautiful as always." Somehow his ascot and handkerchief in his breast pocket were the exact colour match as Selene's...clothng highlights.

"Ladies. A pleasure as always." His voice was cold and emotionless, but exact. "I would appreciate your support in becoming the next...Black Bishop." Was that a sideways glance towards where Shaw may be?

Then Doom arrives. Distracting the Shade from his political machinations. And was that...Creed?

Divine has posed:
Divine listens to Emma and just nods. She's not too worried. She is, after all, half-Kryptonian and utterly fearless where physical dangers are concerned. She's afraid of other things, but, well, that's not for this place.

She peers down at the Shade as he addresses Emma. She is, of course, sizing the man up. It's what she does.

She also gives Kate and Jinx a look. They seem awfully young to be in here, she thinks to herself. That gives her pause, and she laughs at herself. Outloud.

Jinx has posed:
Jinx is happy to faux ballroom dance with Kate, which might be annoying for someone who actually knows how to do it. "Harls sings Garbage songs. It's pretty great-" she just drops that bit of lore to rattle about in Kate's brain. Next time she see's Harley she'll know.

Jinx attempts a dip with Kate, because that's what they do in the movies and even if she's meant to be on her best behavior, it's hard to not be playful when you have a legit superhero in your arms and you're still considered internationally as a legit supervillain.

But, there's a joyful smile upon her face now. "Hah. Oh, I realised everything coming out of my mouth was rhyming. Singing about my feelings and such. Kinda embarrassing - and with all the cops dancing about around me it felt like the story was going some place I didn't like."

She spies the people around them taking in their faces. She already knows the exits - she studied the plans for this place before she broke in the first time. Perhaps part of what impressed Shaw was that she made it all the way in to his inner throne room.

"So..," she continues, "I started singing words that don't rhyme with nothing." A little shrug of her shoulder and a very cocky grin. "He got all upset and stormed off in a huff. Though, I gotta admit - an instant song length flight to Qatar was cool. Now we had to fly back the slow way. After watching the world cup of course."

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
As the crowd started to filter in, Sebastian nods with appreciation at the size and diversity of the group. Many faces he recognizes, some he does not. There are many members of the more exclusive part of the Hellfire Club here, and each of them receive at least one meeting of gaze in acknowledgement, but not much more. It would not do, in some cases, for them to be seen associating. So while Jinx may be trying to avoid his gaze, she does receive that brief acknowledgement, but nothing more.

He walks over and exchanges words briefly with the designated hostess for the evening. Shaw, himself, is not ostentatious enough to get up in front of the crowd. Not this crowd, certainly. After those words, the woman steps over towards a small podium. She is garbed in what those in the know would realize is the traditional Hellfire Club costume, but in red - a corset, stockings, a thong, all suitable for public, but barely. The music lowers in volume as if in indication of her time to speak. "Welcome, friends, to the Hellfire Club's Valentine's Day Mixer. As we always aspire to be the inspiration for all your naughty thoughts, tonight has a special feature to hopefully enhance your experience and encourage your indulgences." She raises up her arm and points to the bracelet that most had been fitted with. "With your admission, you were automatically matched with another here. Maybe someone you know, but hopefully, someone you will _soon_ know." She gives a bit of a wicked grin. "When your time has come, your bracelet will alert you and provide the number of a booth." She waves her hand to indicate the two dozen small instant-photo booth sized areas spread throughout the floor, curtained off for privacy but without much room to admit more than two, and not even comfortably at that. "When you receive your summons, go to your booth and meet your randomly assigned partner for the evening." She flashes a toothy grin. "We do not care what you do with your partner in the booth, rest assured, and no one will repeat what happens in there. But whoever manages to stay the longest with their newfound...friend...that pair shall be awarded tonight's price, the coveted Hellfire Heart Trophy." She smiles out at the crowd. "Have yourselves a Hellacious time." And then she offers one last smile before the music kicks back up again, and she steps down from the podium.

A series of pings happen through the floor, and the first crop of people start to migrate over to booths. It could be a long - or a short - night for those in attendance.

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
He doesn't know why the hell he had to be here, nor how it had come to this. Well, it's more like a haze, really.

You see, working for a Mob Boss means you're on call to do whatever bidding he wants you to. Now, this Mob Boss, Bazilio Vittorelli, decided to come to some fancy high-society party, and one of the usual guys couldn't make it - a recent case of death by The Crowd. So, who did one of his lieutenants decided to call upon? Well...

A man, bulky like a boxer and fat from a life of luxury, comes walking in with a look of confidence, followed by two others, all wearing italian silk suits; one is clearly more at ease than the other. And it's about this guy we're talking about, right here; a teenager who despite his propped up looks, is sticking out like a sore thumb. If there be words defining him right now, would be 'endurance' and 'insecurity'.

He looks about, quietly, studying the people, saying nothing. Might as well be just a dog on a leash, to be honest.

Selene Gallio has posed:
Selene Gallio is halfway through the sip of her drink when Shade speaks to her, and mentions...well...what he mentions. Aside from her eyebrows moving a fraction of an inch, she makes no reaction as she sets her glass down. She considers for a few moments, and then says delicately, "I do not believe this is the settling for such a discussion," flatly. The implication in her tone is that it might be smart not to bring it up again, in public, where anyone can hear about such things. She then stands and strides off towards one of the booths as her RFID beeps, giving not a single glance over her shoulder as she walks. Someone will join her, she is sure.

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost would glance over at Richard, "Oh, lovely to see you. I thought that you hadn't made it out of Gotham in whatever historionics that city always has." She would go to glance over at the direction of where the views were going. Oh, lovely.

Who let the dog in not on a chain? Emma made a mental note in case she had to take up -words- with Raven later. There's a light tenseness in her form now that's almost invisible just in case.

Because there's someone nearlya s dangerous as Selene ambling about now.

Victor Von Doom has posed:
     The arrival of Doctor Doom is spoiled a bit by the sound of the metal detector going off in the lobby, but soon there are two comely looking individuals, a man and a woman, in a green suit and pantsuit respectively, before a blonde woman in a nicer, padded shouldered suit with a clipboard enters, and finally Victor Von Doom himself. The monarch is soon handed a glass of wine by a member of his party, then he walks around the room in a clockwise manner, exchanging glances with some of those here.

Blake Riviere has posed:
Perhaps it was good that the role was duplicate, because the current 'Black Squire' couldn't help but give a little soft 'Hmmm' of amusement from behind Richard before Blake makes her approach, the vampiress herself lifts her glass to Selene, her lips parting to offer her greetings...right before the proceedings begin and she resorts to a far more brief "Hello," in her accented tones.

Of course, Victor was hard to miss and Jinx, Divine, and Kate? They were equally striking. Not to mention Emma herself!

"Well," the vampiress muses softly, "At least the night will not be boring, no?"

Richard Swift has posed:
The Shade's eyes find the stage, and he actually semi-smiles. "Outstanding." Next, he says to Selene. "Indeed. Just sowing the seeds. Enjoy your night."

Emma. "Oh yes. That situation in Gotham. It is what it is. I appreciate your concern. Thank you. As for the rest, well, enjoy." The Shade moves further into the shadows. Perhaps more at a future time?

A note of amusement. Looking over hos shoulder, the Shade taps his top hat towards Blake Riviere. "Always. A time." Politics. Always. "Pleasure milady."

Victor Creed has posed:
This is what his friends would call a "target rich environment". If he had friends. So really, this is what Victor Creed calls it. His gaze drifts around to the numerous lovely laides, the numberous handsome men, but perhaps more consequentially, the abundance of jewels on display. He is not quite sure what he is going to set his sights on, but he suspects he will be walking out with something for his trouble. Unless he gets too distracted by the carnal delights promised by the Hellfire Club. That would also be an acceptable result of the evening.

Jayna has posed:
It does not take long at all for Jayna to silently wonder if her Wonder Twin brother was right. She was WAY out of place here. She recognizes some people, some of the heroes, and for a few moments, her heart begins to swell. This is it! She is in the SAME room as famous people! Then she starts to realize that she is just a regular girl. With powers, yes, but no one knows that. And she can't even use them because her stupid brother wouldn't come. Then she sees one of the world's most dangerous villains walk in. She looks around to see how everyone else reacts to know whether she should run screaming or just play it off. Just act normal, Jayna. Pretend the literal Dr. DOOM did not just walk in.

Kate Bishop has posed:
    Well, Kate did intend to let Jinx lead and set the pace for the dance. So she does and adapts for the faux ballroom approach with a bit of a quirk of a smile. "That.. does not surprise me.. the band not badly right?" about Harls choice of music.

    She also doesn't do anything to prevent the dip, though by god if she is dropped she will be ready to land gracefully. It actually gets a laugh there and then she is back upright and not dropped which is a good start to the night right. "That does feel like one of those sudden musical numbers in a sitcom. Maybe fun once or for a very short stint, but yeah I would think it would be pretty obnixious if it dragged out too long.. or often..." she shakes her head.

    A second chuckle at how Jinx and Harley got out of it. "Sore loser on his part, though Air Emeriates is fantastic, like a little flying hotel."

    When the Hostess announces the rules Kate looks down at the wristband and blinks "Ohboy...." she peers at Jinx. "Did you know this was the deal tonight?"

Divine has posed:
The more people that Divine has seen pictures of, the more her body language goes defensive, making herself as broad and tall as she can, making eye contact with those she finds a possible threat, holding it long enough to let them know they've been clocked and moving on.

There's a lot of people she looks at in here that way. Then there's the handful that she adds to the 'Get Them Out If It Goes Bad' list. Emma, Kate, Jinx, Jayna. ... Okay, that's it. That's the list.

Jinx has posed:
Jinx can't help but notice the weird laugh coming from Divine. She does catch that little nod from Shaw. Good, this isn't that kind of evening. She relaxes a little bit and says, "Just how many of these fancy shindigs have you been to?"

Kate was an interesting person. Arrows. People about and shoot energy and create walls of ice and make the ground explode and her shtick is arrows. Like that guy from the Avengers. You've gotta have some serious chutzpah to do that. But honestly, she can't even remember if Kate was there when the Five attacked the Titan's tower now.

While noting the various other people who are noting her - some noting the jewellery Kate is wearing. Ugh, why does she feel protective all of a sudden? .. she can't help but notice the arrival of Victor Von Doom. Her eyes widen. The last person she expected at a deal like this is the leader of an entire foreign nation. She quickly tries to remember if she's on a wanted list in his country.... it's pretty hard to get in there. No, no she's never been there. Yet.

Her eyes follow Kate's down to the wrist bands and she smirks at Kate, "Feeling collared? welcome to my world... but hey, if you want out I can just jinx it." She winks. Though with her luck of late it might send the whole system on the fritz and then they'd know something is up.

Emma Frost has posed:
The approach of the two Victors has Emma Frost letting out a low, low groan. So much for the simplicity of the evening. She glances in the direction of Shaw and her look has actual sympathy on it. What's next, the President is going to wander on in?
    She can guess at who some of the others are present, but she's not bothering to read minds. But she has a feeling it's going to be one of thsoe nights. Until one of the capes recognizes Creed or Creed gets bored and does his 'want to see how I got this scar' routine..

Blake Riviere has posed:
Wristband clipped to her slender wrist, Blake herself did at least move around to take in each member of the crowd. Prospects perhaps...or maybe she was simply trying to judge how social she intended to be and who else was here effectively alone....And then Doctor Doom walked through the door.

Well, one had to appreciate the sense of iconic style...right?

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
"Now, this is a strange party to come to, unless fatass has any business to handle here", Caleb thinks.

Well, there's certainly that and... Vittorelli was kind enough to ask for a bracelet to be given at a later time, when he arrived more precisely...

And he slaps it on the teenager!, all toothy grined.

Caleb looks at the bracelet in surprise, his heart skipping a beat - or several! "H-h... Uh-what?"

"Yeah, you go get'em, tiger!" He laughs, wickedness in his voice. And looks at the proper bodyguard. "This should be fun..." And the proper bodyguard smirks.

The young man, looks like he just got hit by shitmegaton (true weight measure, look it up, all of you telepaths in the room) of bricks. This is a cruel, cruel joke - and he's the butt of it!

Victor Creed has posed:
So much to do. So little time. Victor looks down at the bracelet around his wrist and ponders. There is certainly no harm in seeing what adventure that casts on him for the evening. Based around what he has seen, the odds of it being someone who sparkles in some way seems pretty high. He lingers at the periphery of the crowd, keeping his gaze shifting over the various other party goers. Best to come up with a plan anyway.

Kate Bishop has posed:
    Kate glances down at her wrist and mmms as if seriously considering the offer then there is a sigh. "Nah better not. It might fry the whole system and ruin everyones fun or just make whomever we match with the worst possible luck." she thought that one through, tactically.

    Thing is, she is the strategy and tactics one on the team. She may not have arrows, sword, or other weapons, and be incognito as Ms. Bishop, but she is definitely still the strategic one.

    She smiles to Jinx. "Maybe we will match." she offers. "And as for fancy parties... since I was little really. Just not this club for some reason." a glance around. Nope not somewhere her dad publically goes. Privately, probably another story considering her is a severe criminal villain. Not that she knows that.

    "Is that Victor Von Doom..." she remarks surprised.

Jayna has posed:
Drinks. Drinks would be helpful. Jayna finds her way to the bar and picks up one. "And one for my brother!" she says eagerly. And somehow, gets it. She considers this a score in some way, since her brother is not anywhere near by. She has not quite grasped the concept of all inclusive open bar parties.

She takes her two drinks and makes her way into the dance floor, slowly getting a bit more comfortable with the dancing and the people around. It might have something to do with the two drinks she is rapidly downing, though.

Victor Von Doom has posed:
     The Latverian Monarch is aware of the stares as he walks in with his group, the rather average looking couple in green going off to sit at a table of their own without wristbands, while his attendant and himself are fitted with a pair. The grim visage of Doom gazes upon it, judging it silently, as he waits for it to flash a number with another sip of his wine.

     Doom offers no answers to the murmurs of surprise that he is here. Doom has no need to justify his actions to others, lest they have the courage to question him directly.

Victor Creed has posed:
Victor Creed glances down at his wrist as he notices the quiet beeping. And then a number appears. He licks his lips, moving his tongue over his fangs for a moment, and then starts to make his way over towards booth six. Being the gentleman that he is, he procures two drinks along the way. Such a nice man, that Sabretooth.

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
Five minutes - and the clock is ticking down, and there's no way out! (Is there a song with those lines in it?)

Caleb finds himself looking at the others here assembled - are they in on the joke? (They're laughing, I'm sure of it!)

And no matter where he moves, it's like there's a spotlight that follows him!

He's feeling sick, now...

Selene Gallio has posed:
Selene Gallio walks slowly into booth 8, and then hmms at the dimensions. She leans back against the wall and waits for her partner, though, it seems she might have in mind who is coming her way. The woman takes a glass of champagne from a passing waiter, takes a sip, frowns because she apparently thought they would be serving the good stuff at the public reception -- she knows better, she's just thirsty ok? -- and puts it back on the next passing tray. "What was I thinking there..." she murmurs under her breath.

Divine has posed:
One moment, Divine is doing the bodyguard thing, making sure her charge is alright, even checking on the ones who seem a bit out of place (to her eyes that aren't that expert anyway.) The next, her little wristband is buzzing with a number. She jumps in a little bit of surprise at it, almost like she forgot it was there. She looks at Emma, stooping a bit to speak.

"The wristband speaks. Call me if there's trouble."

She tries to give a reassuring smile and then starts making her way through the small sea of people towards the booth indicated on her wristband.

Booth Eight.

Oh no.

Jinx has posed:
Jinx grins a moment, "Oh. You and me match? I don't think there's any fancy algorithm. It's probably just a random number generator." There is a touch of coldness in her eyes just briefly though as Kate makes a very valid assumption about the kind of luck they might have if she did mess with the wrist band. Perhaps a wee bit of a sore point there. Still, she's not going to let it ruin the evening.

"Yeah, kinda wild huh?," she says stealing a glance at the very famous monarch. "I'm telling everyone you know if you match with him," she says ribbing Kate playfully. She wouldn't really. What happens in Hellfire club stays in Hellfire club. The establishment is built around secrecy after all.

There's a buzz on her wrist and she looks at the number - booth 4. She grins a moment at Kate, "Sorry love, looks like you don't get all this tonight." She motions over herself clearly making fun of herself. With a faux spank to her own butt she turns and heads towards her doom.

Jayna has posed:
Jayna nearly spills her drinks as her bracelet activates. "Ooooooo," she says, looking at the number. She starts making her way off the dance floor, finishing off both drinks quickly as she heads over towards lucky booth number ten.

Emma Frost has posed:
And as the pairings go around Emma Frsot lets out a low groan. Oh lovely. She gives a light signal to Divine telepathically <<Dear, she's a vampire who absorbs life force and has telepathic powers above my own. i'm going to be insulating your mind for the evening>> There's no particular -request- over in it, but an order. Emma goes to simply add several thick layers of shielding to Divine's mindscape, a firmer 'link' between the two that's backed over by her hyper-paranoia in case Selene tries to make some magic agaisnt her employee. Emma's tone would be firm over in the matter..

Then she gets a ping on her bracelet and she goes to smirk gently. "May the odds be ever against your favor." She would deadpan over while going to move to slide towards booth.. Twelve, was it? Ah well, all's the more time to drink and be merry before going over to plan a murder sometime. But still, several reinforced levels of shielding in her mind and in Divine's to start with. And who exatly does she.. Oh well, so long as it's not Creed. Then ther will be a disappearing body.

Selene Gallio has posed:
"Will you walk into my parlor?" Selene asks Divine, smiling with just a bit of a gleam in her eye as the woman approaches. She does not sweep out of the way, no, it is best to just squeeze into the tight confines of the booth. Selene is not small, and neither is Divine. So...lack of personal space is a thing. She lets the woman join her, before she tugs the booth closed, and then she looks up at the woman and murmurs, "I wanted to tell you, but I didn't get the chance since you were with Ms. Frost, that I find your outfit simply /entrancing/, where did you get it?"

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
Aaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnd, there you go! Ping time, and a booth number can be read. Caleb, the guy in the handcu... Uuuuuuuhhhh, bracelet, looks at it and he just...

Closes his eyes, and reasons. What are his options? Really none, because running away will bring severe consequences - as Vittorelli's now stern face indicates.

So, he heads to booth number 10 - not wearing the friendliest of faces, but that of disgusted and resolute.

Kate Bishop has posed:
    "I think he is a bit old for me." she notes bemused "But ruler of a country, hard to say that is awful." she notes and then glances at Jinx when the bracelets buzz. "I mean, always later in the night." is the riposte right back at Jinx's back as she shakes her head at the move. "Good luck."

    Then she is looking down to her own wrist and blinking. "Booth 12..." she looks around and heads that direction. A shrug and she makes her way there, young New York socialite who has zero clue what kind of place the Hellfire club actually is.

    Ducking into the smallish booth she glances around and thinks. <Okay this better not be some sort of trap on Jinx's part or I'm going to feel really dumb.> as she waits to see who joins her.

Blake Riviere has posed:
A buzz, a number, a match. Of course, given Blake's own tastes (sometimes in a literal sense) she was going to likely be pleased with a majority of the potential matches. Still, the raven-haired woman in black moves towards the booth still nursing her drink...tasting the vintage before setting it aside and and making to gracefully fold herself into the booth number 6, just to see who it was intended for her evening.

Divine has posed:
It is a tight squeeze. The clone goes a bit pink in the face given ... proportions and height in the tiny little booth. Her expression flits between embarassed and apologetic, which is a great turn from the stern and imposing look she was using out on the floor. Divine is an incredibly confident person when it comes to her strength and power, but about things having to do with, well, personhood in all of its messy glory? Not so much.

"M-my outfit? It's, uh, custom. ... I'm really tall. I have, well, I -use- a tailor. My work pays well."

She doesn't add that she has the same in black at home, but, well, that shouldn't be a surprise.

"Yours is," she pauses, hunting for the right word. "Daring."

Emma Frost has posed:
Going to slide into the booth, Emma Frost glances at her conversation companion over. "You do seem a little young for one of these soirees. Am I going to have to make sure you have a fake ID for it or do you just pay off anyone that would pay attention?" Emma would quip over lightly while taking her seat and crossing a leg over the other.

"I don't think we've met." She would speak idly. "And I think I saw you entering in with someone as your plus one?" She would move to simply take a large gulp of a goblet of wine that had by magic almost appeared in her hand.

Victor Von Doom has posed:
     Victor Von Doom glances at his wristband, and his attendant looks to hers. They nod at each other, and Doom heads over to Booth 4, giving a flourish of his cape as he settles down across from Jinx. His eyes narrow through the square holes of his mask as he looks upon her, judging her silently for a moment as he says "So." in a deep, dulcet voice.

     "You are the one who is to be matched with DOOM." he declares, and then turns to his now refilled glass of wine. "Jinx, the sorceress. Practically a child. I am sure there is a joke here about how unlucky the circumstances are, but Doom has no sense of humor." He raises his glass to his mouth and somehow sips it through his mask in an eloquent motion. "You may question our meeting, but the fact of the matter is... we have now met. So. Tell me, what are your thoughts about this?"

Richard Swift has posed:
The Shade does what he does best. Watches from the Shadows. All of this was fascinating...and great intel on the parties involved. With a grace and silence, Swift grabs another drink, and watches the events unfold before them. There would always be the voyeurs of course. As it was, it was a great party, with excellent entertainment, and every one else.

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
Indeed, watching is where it is at. Sebastian Shaw was, perhaps notably, bereft of wristband. Leaving him in prime position to watch the comings and goings of those bearing them as they disappear into their booths. Is he taking particular stock of how long certain people remain within? Of course.

Jayna has posed:
Jayna is seated inside the small booth, a bundle of nervous energy. She keeps rearranging her skirt at her knees, although certainly she has no real need to do so. She looks up expectantly when the curtain comes aside and Caleb walks in, although her face sinks a bit as she sees the scowl on his face. "Oh," she says, shrinking back a bit. "Sorry, I..." She starts to try to stand up to leave, seeing how unhappy he is already at being there.

Jinx has posed:
Jinx settles in to the booth and then bloody Victor Von Doom walks in. She doesn't have a quippy come back for this. She was just teasing Kate that this could happen and now her bad luck has put her in a small booth with one of -the- most dangerous yet accomplished men on the planet.

"Fuuuck ooofffff..." she says as she curses not him but herself. There's an dichotomy going on with her face. She's both fangirl awestruck and also horrified at the same time. But she does feel just a wee bit chuffed that he knows who she is.

"Wait, do you always talk about yourself in the third person like that? ... hang on. Hold that thought." She tugs on a long piece of string at her hip unleashing a plastic bag of dirt on to the floor of the booth. Shoe is kicked off and her toes rest in to the soil. Metal detectors - bwahaahaa.

Her hand rises up and she draws in magic from the Earth beneath her feet. Her eyes glow just a touch and with a swish of her hand she becomes satisfied, "... Yeah. Didn't think so. But I had to make sure. Small booth, perfect time for bloody HIVE to stab me in the heart with a dagger yeah."

She snap points as she reaches down to put her shoe back on, "I say we win this stupid thing. You're bloody DOOM for fucks sake. You don't lose at anything, am i right?"

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
Caleb Dykstra enters the booth, and he closes the door, though much more calmly than he would've should he be fuming at Jayna. "No no, wait..." He shakes his head, holding a hand apologetically, and his voice down in case they're being overheard, "This is a stupid joke at my expense, and you're... I'm sorry to say it, being used by that fat asshole I came with."

Jayna has posed:
Jayna's frown deepens as she looks at Caleb. "I'm being used?" She leans out of the booth to peer at the man Caleb is referring to. "I don't think so, I think it's all random." She looks down at her bracelet and then back at Caleb. "But if you don't want to be here, it's fine, I can just go back to dancing."

Kate Bishop has posed:
    Emma definitely looks familiar. Though it takes her a moment to place the CEO of Frost International.

    "Wasn't aware there was an age limit on the soiree Ms. Frost other than legal adult." there is a bit of a smile there. She doesn't seem intimidated about someone of Emma's stature.

    "Kate Bishop. My father Derek owns Bishop Publishing." which is one of the largest publishing and media empires in the world after all. Also Derek is a damn supervillain level baddie but not that Kate knows it. Emma might.

    "And yeah, came in with the pink haired young woman who I think hilariously got matched with Victor Von Doom. I'll have to ask Jinx how that went later."

Selene Gallio has posed:
"Well, you look amazing in it, and I cannot complain at all about the view from where I am," Selene replies, her face well positioned to make a few observations. She shifts a little in the booth, turning slightly, and is now resting hip to hip with Divine, a hand coming to settle on the small ledge for drinks right next to the woman's side. She smiles at the compliment from the taller woman, "Why thank you, I was going for that. I thought perhaps a little more daring but then...well...what are the perks of membership if I'm going to give everything away for free..." she trails off and then asks, "I do hope I'm not encroaching too much? There is not a whole lot of room in these things...Mr. Shaw has designed a very...interesting contraption here to encourage some things it seems."

Victor Creed has posed:
Doing his best to stuff his large frame into the booth, Victor Creed looks at Blake as she arrives, and he offers her a fanged smile. "Evening, miss," he says, raising one of the glasses he had picked up towards her, and then extending it. "Sorry that you got saddled with a miscreant like me, but I'm happy to do my best to make sure it is an enjoyable evening for you even so."

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost would shrug, "no, there isn't. I suppose then for tonight we each indulge in whatever high level quality things the Club provides us, exchange some idle banter, and then go our separate ways." She would listen over to Kate's identity.
    "Well, a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Bishop. A business that many fear would not last long in this modern world." In the age of 'books, newspapers, what are those'? Emma's awareness (or not) of the status of Kate's father is for now left rather vague. "Are you preparing then to take over the family business ir more than happy to run away screaming from it?" She would inquire.
    "And I believe that your poor friend is.. Going to be in for quite the most interesting evening of everyone here. Whether that bodes well or bodes ill.."

Blake Riviere has posed:
A fanged smile, oh the irony of it all. Certainly there was a light inhale of scent one might simply take for a normal breath, things that the vampiress could pick up lightly before she chuckles lightly before gently resting her elbow on the table and her hand under her chin as she considers for a moment. "Such a high opinion of yourself already Mr...?" she begins, gently prompting for a moment. "We'll see what the night holds."

Victor Von Doom has posed:
     "Doom does as he pleases." the Latverian monarch responds to the witch's inquiry about his manner of speaking, "We may win. But if we do, we shall do so earnestly. Doom does not cheat, he has no reason to." With a glance around the booth, he then leans in, saying "I suppose then, I have a few important questions for you. First..." he raises a fist, and then extends a metal-clad finger, asking "Is the idea of romance open in your mind, or are you already conspiring with me to win on time spent alone, going against the spirit of this contest?"

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
"The numbers may've been random, sure", Caleb says, "but the fact that the guy expects me to come out with some hickey or nibble from whomever I'm with, or vice-versa, is definetely cruel."

Kate Bishop has posed:
    Kate dearly hopes she doesn't have to yank Jinx out of a disaster. She is the chaperone as it were this evening for her companion and does need to make sure she makes it back to the tower later. "You are probably right, was surprised to see the ruler of a country here for this sort of soiree as it were. Hopefully it goes quiet and smoothly."

    She does hope that.

    "Dad diversified heavily into internet media and television.. streaming now as well. He seems to have a knack at knowing when and where to make money and how to influence people." she has no idea really. "College myself right now, my older sister is the one who has gone into the family business. Hard to say what I will do when I graduate."

    Her thoughts are of how much harder it would be to fight alien invasions if she had a 9-5 job really. Her life is very full and very complicated with her identity under wraps. "I have time to figure it out still." she opines. She seems fine with Emma's decision on how this club game should go.

Jinx has posed:
Jinx stares at the powerful man across from her. First time she's ever been asked by a monarch if she'd be interested in romance. She starts to laugh. "You.. you've gotta be kiddin' me right? ... Doom don't kid, I get it. I'm just a piece of shit from an orphanage with the worlds worst luck.. why the hell would you want to ...romance.. me?"

One hundred percentage, absolute, she wanted to cheat to win. She narrows her eyes, "No. Fuck that. This is some hidden camera bullshit Sebastian set up to humiliate us isn't it?"

Jinx twists about in the booth trying to figure out where the hidden cameras are. But she did just refer to Shaw by his first name very casually much like someone might do if they actually knew him.

Disturbed that she can't see any she looks back at Doom. "Are you for real or what? you want me to call you Daddy?" She looks extremely amused when she says that. "I must be, what, half your age?"

Divine has posed:
It is a tight fit, but Divine just gives a shake of the head. "It's fine. I'm not claustrophobic or, what's the word. ... Touch averse?" Her spatial awareness is good enough to know where Selene's hand is, but it doesn't seem to bother her. When you're mostly invincible, it sometimes makes you be less wary, even after such a strict warning from Emma.

If she is like the base she is cloned from, it is certainly in self assurance about her physical capabilities.

She makes a considering expression, thinking about giving it away for free. "My upbringing was ... weird. I don't need to wear clothes to keep me warm, so I may as well look good." She pauses. "The Club," the capitalization is somehow audible, "is pretty exclusive, right? My boss quit for some reason. Left. Not sure I get why, seems like you folks have a good time."

Jayna has posed:
Jayna nods slowly as she looks at Caleb. "That's...that's ok." She shakes her head. "I don't want to contribute to any cruelty." With that, she quickly slips past him and buries herself out in the dance floor.

She hates having to admit that Zan was right. She didn't belong here.

Emma Frost has posed:
It will go quiet and smoothly? Emma Frost glances over at Kate for a moment, a brow arched in a 'really'. "I do suppose that here's some sort of disaster in the making, yes. And not the type you smile and get an insurance payout from." Did your normal insurance premium cover Acts of DOOM? Probably not. Even Damage Control had limitations. Oh well, it might at least make Shaw behave and Selene be a bit wary.
    Emma watches things through Divine's eyes to make sure that end of teh spectrum is going well. "Well enough. No sense in pushing for something you don't have engagement in, particularly if there's another willing to take over the routine. And your father is one that's proven quite adept at getting involved in the next profitable opportunity coming along in entertainment." A knack that was always useful in the business world.

Victor Creed has posed:
"Creed. Victor Creed." Certainly, if the woman traveled in the right circles she would recognize it. Mutants know Sabretooth as the vicious murdering psychopath. Other criminals might have heard of him as an assassin for hire. So perhaps the name has meaning to her, and certainly the way Victor watches for reaction after he says it indicates that he is expecting there to be /something/ from her. "And yes, I am a big believer in just letting the night take me where it wants me." Another fanged grin. "And what about yourself?"

Selene Gallio has posed:
Well, that seems like an interesting invitation, "You don't get cold? Well...do you mind sharing some warmth? It's a little chilly tonight in this outfit..." Selene says, before she slides a little closer, now pressing up against Divine from the side in a half hug sort of thing. Surely just for warmth. Yes. She seems content with this as she says, "Your boss is Ms. Frost? Yes, I think she had a falling out with the founder." Selene breezes through that bit of history, before she moves on to, "It is a very enjoyable club. You shouldn't let Ms. Frost's feelings color your view of the place. At the very least, there's nothing wrong with a little enjoyment from time to time, is there?" she asks.

Kate Bishop has posed:
    The scenarios have absolutely been running through Kate's mind. She is very aware of who and what Jinx is capable of. She is also as aware as one can be who and what Victor Von Doom is and is capanble of.

    There is a bit of a sigh. "Well I just will have to hope she emerges from her time in the booth unscathed then." she glances at her smartwatch. She genuinely isn't too hopeful that everything will be fine. Still.

    She looks up and nods. "Yeah fair. I'm more likely to want the Bishop Foundation my mother ran." before her untimely death, the charitable foundation of the Bishop Empire. "Still plenty of time to figure it all out after college. How is it running a huge company Ms. Frost?"

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost would mm over and listen, her attention over on the other exchanges. At the moves Selene is making, Emma sends her associate a sense of wariness, but that was Emma being Emma. Much as she might appreciate alternative methods of handling the witch.

"I'd say best not to live in delusion. Have plans. When those plans fail have other ones. And do be willing to improvise." What Jinx had happen was Jinx's problem!
    "I wish you luck over with that. And do remember with Foundations the issue is always making sure the money is used -well-. Grantsa nd micro-targets are always difficult. at the point any group is throough enough to be fully vetted they have enough money and resources, if they aren't then you might miss out on worthy causes but also those that would skim off the top." Not to mention the only interest most rich people had was in tax writeoffs.
    "It's quite, quite difficult. And rewarding only if one sees the sheer loathing of the board of executives when you bought themout and left them penniless in the streets."

Blake Riviere has posed:
Of course she knew it. She certainly moonlighted as a vigilante now and then, but now her role in the Hellfire Club was very much an intelligence gathering one. Blake's red glossed lips come back into a light smile before she gestures to herself. "Blake Riviere," she offers in her French accented tones, before her hand comes to rest against her chest.

"And I am much the same, but that is the entire point of a place and a holiday like this after all."

Victor Von Doom has posed:
     Doom stares intensely at Jinx through his mask, though there's a curve to his eyes that implies a smile of amusement behind his mask, but his tone is flat and matter of factly, not at all enticing, even if it is warm, his speech is chaste. "Half my age indeed." he says, "Stranger things have occurred in matters of royalty, and you are an adult, you can make your own decisions. As for why I would..." he leans back, steepling his fingers, "I came here for the challenge. I do not know if there is room in my heart for another, but I shall always test my mettle. This place, this mixer, is a perfect place to search for that significant other that may or may not exist, in whatever form they may take. It matters not to Doom, but you are not unattractive, so you should not think yourself unwanted on that regard. What interests Doom more is that you are a sorceress, but you speak as one who is unsure of themselves. With me, you could learn to take your powers to greater heights, and put them to use to make this world a better place." He leans back, looking down at her as he says "But... you did not answer my question, so I will give you once last chance to answer."

Victor Creed has posed:
"Well then," replies Victor, taking a moment to look over Blake as if she were a piece of meat (which, for Victor, could be as literal as figurative depending upon the day), "If you wanna go straight to the point of this place, I'm game." He flashes that fanged grin again. "I heard all kinds of things about what they do in here. Sounds like my kinda place, even if I'm not this place's kinda me."

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
"No, wait. I...", Caleb tries to explain. But Jayna is out the door, and Caleb sighs. He comes out, watching Jayna disappear into the crowd. He shrugs to Vittorelli, who smirks and even gets a laugh out of it.

"See? What'd I tell ya, Berto?" the large man replies, "Kid's a wallflower!" He shakes his head, and goes to mingle with the crowd, not expecting Caleb to come.

Divine has posed:
Divine doesn't seem to mind Selene getting closer. She takes it in stride, even. She's also not lying about being warmer. She is, after all, chock full of the power of the Sun. She doesn't quite radiate like a space heater, but she certainly doesn't seem to get cold.

The beef is glossed over very quickly, so she doesn't press it.

"Miss Frost has always encouraged me to be my own person. To learn what -I- like and dislike. To explore and discover myself," she says, peering (slightly, given Selene's heels must be pretty tall) down at the Black Queen. "That said, I can't afford a membership. I'm not rich or connected."

Selene Gallio has posed:
"Your boss is more than connected enough, and well...perhaps there are other ways to gain membership..." Selene suggests, leaning her head lightly on the taller woman's....shoulder. Yes. Shoulder. She hmmms, and says, "This is quite nice, you ARE very warm." She looks up and then asks, with that same mischevious gleam in her eye that she had when Divine started to approach, "Are we in it to win it, or is this a brief fling before you get called away?" she asks, though her smile widens a bit at the 'be my own person' bit, as she adds, "Well, I'd like to keep you here as long as I can. If you're enjoying yourself, that is?" she asks.

Jinx has posed:
Jinx stares back at those eyes in the mask. She can only wonder at what he really looks like under that. She knows surprisingly little about him beyond his impressive scientific breakthroughs and the ability to run a weird little country.

"Bollocks..." she says not wanting to believe the words he's saying. But he's so astute, he can see right through her. Sorceress she is, but Sorceress Supreme she is not. She starts to shake her head, "Can't... I'm a dead girl walkin'."

Her lips twist in to a shade of anger. "Previous employer doesn't know how to take no for an answer and before you say it - no, Latveria ain't any safer for me." She gives him a hard look. Seriousness as she says, "You don't have it as bad as the USA but they're everywhere and they grow in numbers every day. By the time you know they're there it's too late."

She shakes her head and looks down at the pile of dirt on the floor. She has another hidden baggy in case she needs it. "I mean. I didn't really come here thinking about romance. I know it's Valentine's day but people like me don't get romanced." She rubs her arm and doesn't look at him. "I don't know.. I.. now you've asked I guess... yeah? why not eh?"

Kate Bishop has posed:
    Which is why Kate does enjoy her actual side hustle and struggles to see herself in charge of her dad's empire. She has numerically probably saved more lives than that media empire has helped or the charitiable foundation. Then again. Charities done right and not just for tax purposes should be able to cause real change.

    At least she thinks so.

    She glances at the door of the booth and then back to Emma. "I think you'd fit in pretty well with the kind of CEOs my dad seems to like hanging out with. He talks the same way to be honest about business. I'm not sure I'd take joy in ruining people, unless they really deserved it. Which is why my dad hasn't pushed me like he pushed my sister about the family business."

Divine has posed:
Divine has, in fact, had worse times in small enclosed spaces. Most of them underground, oddly. Selene, despite the danger, is quite attractive, and therefore the clone is more easily manipulated, misled or just directed. Her eyebrow quirks at the mention of other ways to get membership. "...I'm listening."

The important question is asked though. "I don't like to lose. I probably get that from my ... family," she says in an almost mumble. "This is pretty nice. Cozy. I was worried i'd end up with that really hairy guy and I'd have punched him out into the street by now."

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost would shrug, "Stripping away the niceties from it? Then, very well. They would have done the same to me if the situations were reversed. I merely beat them at the game. I don't bother to color it up." Emma would sip over at her own wine over then glance at other things.

"Your father and I move in different circles. I'm industrial, he's a media conglomerate." She would shrug.
    "But, Ms Bishop, the business world can be rather cutthroat. At the end of the day even when you expand the economy it's a zero sum game. There's a finite amount of things out tehre to be taken. So if you don't take them, someone else will, at your own expense. Do feel free to disagree." Emma's being up -front- on why she's in a differnt circle than Derek.

    Oh the ironies.

Victor Von Doom has posed:
     There's a hint of annoyance in his voice as he flicks his hand dismissively and looks to the side, the latverian monarch saying "Do not discount the safety of my presence or what I can provide. Your safety should be of no concern to you in this conversation. Assume that I can deal with any threat you face single-handedly, but do not factor this into your decision. A relationship is not built upon transactions." He then raises his fist again, the back of his hand towards her as he lifts two fingers now, signifying his second question. "Second." he says. "Would you accept sharing a heart with four others?" Before she can speak, he straightens, and declares "The Heart of Victor von Doom is already held by four others. The first... is Latveria, my home, and my people I have dedicated myself to. The second is Earth. This world is, and always shall be, fated to be mine. I will protect it at any cost. The third is the future, which I fight for every day. The fourth is my children and god-child. Is your heart open to the idea of love, knowing it must be shared with these four others?"

Selene Gallio has posed:
"I may have....tipped the scales in the direction I wanted them to go," Selene admits quietly, smiling just a little. Is it for Divine, or the person watching through her eyes in another booth? Hard to say. But those aware of Selene's proclivities might not be terribly surprised to hear she wanted to be alone with someone attractive, and not overly hairy. "I happen to be fairly well placed in this club myself. And...perhaps I will tell you when we're in a more..private setting. Not that this isn't private just...I think we can be heard...if the sounds from the booth next to us are any indication," she points out. She wraps herself a little more around the larger woman, enjoying the warmth, "Since you don't like to lose, I suppose I'll have to keep you entertained here as long as I can."

Kate Bishop has posed:
    She nods. "Just more a comment you have a similiar philosphy about business really." she seems even more sure of it after listening to Emma's breakdown on capitalism and the world of multi-national megacorps.

    "It just surprises me how much so many are still focused on the zero sum game as you put it.. here against each other. When we have to deal with alien invasions and interdimensional armadas and who knows what else.. probably a hell invasion of some major city. You would think it would make it less about what you can take from the guy next door and more about survival and making sure the alien next door doesn't take from us. I know I don't want to be infested by alien brainworms." she really wishes she had snagged a drink earlier. She just went from dancing to this booth convo about capitlism.

Blake Riviere has posed:
There's perhaps a little bit of universal irony that Victor Creed and Blake might both be regarding each other as food, still his comment brings an accented laugh from the vampiress as she reaches for one of the offered glasses and takes a little sip in faux ponderance. "Really? But what of all the romance and ritual that such a holiday calls for. Besides..." she pauses gesturing to the club. "Rumor and reality rarely align."

To be fair, in some places the Hellfire Club might just be worse!

Jinx has posed:
Jinx jerks her head back as that FIST is presented.. then two fingers. She relaxes. Her face drops as he throws out the notion of sharing his heart with four others. She opens her mouth to ask him what kind of fucked up harem he's running over there in his country but she stops when he begins to elaborate on his loves.

"Dude... are you for real?," she asks as she hears of his four loves. But it's the second one that really got her goat. "Call me a quitter but I tried the whole conquer the world thing. You know. I could have done it too - I'm Jinx."

She lifts up her chin and almost stands. She stamps a hand down in front of her, "But it's a fools game. This world will always suck and no one gives a shit about you anyway."

"No one gets to rule this place and no one should want to." Of all the things he's said - some how this one struck a nerve with her. She's showing her back bone. "Do you know how many countries want my head? No one could touch me -"

Her face twitches a little as all the old arguments she had with herself come back in to her head. "No... no I'm done with that bollocks. I'm not going to even humour the idea of world conquest now or future or multiversal or whatever."

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost would shrug, "Humanity will be humanity. Last year the city was seized by an invasion of aliens or angels, depending on who you read. Manhattan's been rebuilt rather quickly after. There are only so many crisises that can happen in a row before they become ennui. Do we actively sabotage one another during these times? no. Do we compete in the bids for reconstruction? Yes. But at the end of the day growth only goes so far." Emma's well used to this song and dance routine. She has her own reputation to uphold. And talking with the daughter of Derek Bishop when this is a girl that seeks to do good and make the world a better place?
    Then best for her for Emma to not drag the girl down with her into the rut of everything that she touches. Since whatever's going on wiht her seems to be rather sincere. Best not to spoil such a rare thing of one wanting to improve the world. And to make it clear that she's one to stay away from.
    THe bit about the alien brainworms gets a low smile. "Don't be silly dear, everything I've read about the Kree indicates that they find parasites like that to be ineffective."

Divine has posed:
Divine slightly wonders what she means by tipping the scales, but doesn't ask. Either way, she isn't complaining. She probably would have punched Doom, too. For a vastly different reason than she would have punched Creed, but with the addition of an International Incident.

She just nods once, getting the surface level of private meeting, since this isn't exactly private. It's enclosed, but not soundproof. She whispers in Selene's ear as the woman cuddles closer. "I can hear everything. Every word from every booth." A pause. "Not all of them are words. Some are just ... noises." She finally seems to buy in to the close proximity thing fully, her own (rather muscley) arm sliding around the Black Queen's waist.

Selene Gallio has posed:
"Mmm-hmmm. I must admit, that is part of the fun, hearing things perhaps one shouldn't..." Selene replies, in a likewise whisper to Divine as she settles into the grasp of the woman. She shifts a little before she asks, "You're Ms. Frost's bodyguard I take it? I think she's quite lucky to have someone like you around, she does have a number of enemies who are...very interested in seeing her demise." Is Selene one of them? Maybe! But she doesn't mention it. Rather, she just looks up at the woman, gauging her response to that comment.

Divine has posed:
She can hear everything. She has to focus to pick things out, but she can do it. She blushes a little, apparently hearing something quite private and not suited ... Well, it is the Hellfire Club. She looks back at Selene and nods, answering her question. "I am, and, really, I don't do ... a lot. She might have enemies, but they haven't tried anything that'd need my help lately. I think most of that war happens in the markets and boardroom anymore." She pauses. "There was that Sentimel, though."

Victor Von Doom has posed:
     Doom looks up to her as she stands, and the disappointment in his eyes is all he needs to say. Still, his warm voice speaks through his mask, "I do not call you a quitter. As a Doctor, I would prescribe you as pessimistic... and to answer your repeated question, Doom is... for real, as you put it." It is his turn to stand, and this particular conversation seems to have struck a chord with him. He places his palm on the table as he says "If the world is so horrible, Jinx, then it is your duty to change it. To make it a better place. You have power, Jinx. Do not waste it on negligence, and do not underestimate how much change you can accomplish. Would you rather waste away to nothing but a pile of misspent opportunities, or would you rather clutch the spark of hope for a brighter future?"

     Doom now turns to leave, but before he does, he looks over his shoulder, saying "I do not expect you to come to any great realizations today. Not everyone has the convictions of Doom. But should you find that will to survive and fight for a better world... contact my embassy. I can put you to better use than a life of fear."

Emma Frost has posed:
Her own little meeting over, Emma Frost bids a 'good day' to her conversation partner and wanders up and over towards the bar. Where she goes to take her drink oer and moves to settle down in her seat. Comfortable. And very, veyr happy to sit alone over. Having just identified herself as yet another shark in a place full of them.
    Sometimes one had to admit that they were a monster themselves. A good reminder.

Selene Gallio has posed:
"That is the sign of a good bodyguard. Nobody wants to attack the person they're protecting because...well..it'll end badly for them." Selene replies, as she grins at the blushing of Divine. She leans up and murmurs something in her ear, lips trailing in the wake of the words, until she leans in and places a light peck on Divine's lips. A gentle, chaste kiss. "Perhaps we should..see if we've won? And if not, continue this conversation somewhere else?" she asks.

Divine has posed:
The clone's face is still a little pink, seeming a bit distracted. She just nods at the compliment, not really having anything to say to it. It's logical and makes sense. The whisper in her ear makes her eyes widen slightly, and she swallows, biting her lip as she deliberates with herself.

"O-okay. Sure." To what she answered, only they know.

She disentangles herself from Selene and reaches forward to push the door of the booth open, peering out and trying to see if they actually won.