14336/A Very Hellfire Club Mardi Gras

A Very Hellfire Club Mardi Gras
Date of Scene:	22 March 2023
Location:	Purgatory Night Club - Hellfire Club
Synopsis:	Many beads were earned, and a good time was had by all. And the winner of the dinner with Sebastian neither wants the prize, nor does the prize want him. Maybe next year.
Cast of Characters:	Sebastian Shaw, Emma Frost, Divine, Cindy Moon, Neena Thurman, Johnny Storm, Cain Marko, Brick Bardo, Madelyne Pryor, Kitty Pryde, Tabitha Smith, Cassie Sandsmark

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Sebastian Shaw has posed:
    It is one of those times of year that sits on the collective calendars of many all year long. Long since co-opted away from any actual religious observances, and used for the pleasures of those who probably do not spend too much time in church, Mardi Gras technically represents the last day before a period of abstention and reflection. But odds are if you asked nine out of ten of the drunken masses twisting and writing on the dance floor in various states of undress, trading flashes of skin for small pieces of plastic, they would not be able to tell you anything about the origins of the festival. It is simply a day to cast inhibitions to the wind.

    Or for the regulars at the Hellfire Club, a Tuesday.

    The Purgatory Nightclub has been bedecked in the stylings of the French Quarter. The color scheme has shifted from red to purple, green, and gold. The usual Hellfire Club outfits are still there, attendants moving about in corsets and thongs, but in keeping with that color scheme. And most now have masks on, in keeping with the traditional celebrations. Members of the staff are passing out libations and currency. Small, plastic beads are available for a brief conversation. Large, deluxe, fancy ones, some made of more than mere plastic, can be had for a price. A stand off to the corner offers these for cash - or payment by members on their standing accounts. But the real price for these is the ones paid by those out on the dance floor, who trade looks for likes. And beads. So many beads.

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost is currently there in surprisingly classical attire. Given the seeming immediate lack of Susan Richards (and even better, of Selene) Emma is wearing something not -quite- of the same design as the reigning member of the Inner Circle, but close. It also covers much, much more of her skin than usual.. But, with flashes over of transluscence in the shimmering white outfit showing the silhouette beneath, even when it's just a long,s himmering dress that leaves her shoulders bared, a mink coat on top. The dress not having the classical corset beneath it.

Emma was going rather subdued tonight, rather than maneuvering for the kill as she might when out ot make a point.

Divine has posed:
Not too far behind Emma is her massive shadow, who seems far more massive this evening than usual. It's gotta be the four or five inch heels that crank the clone to nearly seven feet tall. Divine is dressed daringly. Some would say barely. Her impressive chest is restrained by a bra, or perhaps bustier is the right term. While technically strapless, she is also wearing a harness that ends up being an inverted pentagram, the two upper points hitting her shoulders with lines that connect to her heavy looking leather choker, and the lower dipping right into that impressive cleavage.

The waistband of what can only be a tiny, barely there thong rises over her hips, dipping down into a wrap skirt that leaves her left leg free and covers the right to her ankle. While there is plenty of hip and thigh to see, most of her legs are covered in thigh high, stiletto boots with five or more inch heels. Her hands are gloved to the middle of her forearms, only her thumbs free of covering.

Her hair is short, falling not quite to her shoulders and is very artfully distressed. A chaotic, but intentional mess. Her makeup is severe, with harshly winged eyeliner, plenty of eye shadow and, of course, black lipstick.

The biggest difference from usual is that, on her arm, is a much smaller woman, and instead of her usual on the job scowl, the half-Kryptonian is looking down to the woman on her arm, smiling gently. Encouragingly.

Cindy Moon has posed:
Cindy is quite use to not being the noticeable member of the duo, but when one is in the company of someone as eye catching as Divine, it's just something they get use to. It actually works for her, in reality. Being a terribly socially awkward person, it helps that literally nobody ever pays attention to the tiny little Asian. Though she has certainly dressed as if the intention is to draw eyes, tonight.

Her impeccably straight black hair is fashioned up into a pair of dangling pigtails on either side of her head. Her make up is dark earth tones, brown swept across her cheeks with black flares pulling out from the corners of her eyes that give them a shadowy appearance and pull attention to her dark brown lips with the angular slash of silver glitter dusted across her jaw.

She's wearing a short sleeved white button up shirt held closed by a single button and flared out slightly over her black strapless bra. A loosened red/black necktie hangs off to the right of the opened front of her shirt, with the hem dangling over the black/green school girl skirt that barely even gets in the neighborhood of her knees.

A pair of black stocking socks are pulled up to just above her knees with a gape of creamy pale skin visible where skirt ends and sock begins. Both feet tucked into a pair of white sneakers.

She walks beside Divine with her arm wrapped around the Kryptonian's, tugging at the back of her skirt with each step. "I want to go change..."

Neena Thurman has posed:
Always make an entrance. Rule number one. And Neena Thurman is definitely playing by the rules this evening. Sharp click of heels on floor, narrow heels with a dramatic lift to her sole, raising her height to nearly 6' even. The boots are identical in shape and style, her left ivory white, the right jet black. The slide up into the cuffs of sleekly tailored suit pants, split in inverted pattern. Left leg ebon dark, right shining white. They're tailored to fit like a glove, without clinging like something tighter than fine silk, held snug to her hips by a braided belt of... of course, black and white. The buckle glimmers with small gem-set card face symbols, those pants cut low enough that the defined V of muscles that form her adonis belt are almost shown off, and those preternaturally pale taut abdominals are in fact bared to the world. Indeed, her chest is nearly given the same fate, if not for one gleaming red ruby button that holds those alternately colored sides of her suit jacket closed across her bust even if it does seem nearly incapable of its duty. Though it might be tricky to notice that button with the contrast of the slim black tie that's done snug around her neck and hangs down a couple of inches /past/ that button.

Her lower face is left bared to the world, lips painted a glistening, wet black, quirked in a sly, confident smirk. You're looking. She knows you're looking. And it's all part of the game, isn't it? Of course, for a masquerade party, one really /must/ follow the rules. And so her upper face is hidden by an ivory white mask with silvery studs around its perimeter to add just a bit of shine. Of course, there is that one, inky spot of black. Surrounding her _right_ eye.

Who could this mysterious woman be?

Trouble. She could just possibly be trouble.

With her entrance made, her course is clear, aiming for the nearest bar. You don't drop the kind of cash, or do the kind of favours needed to get an invite to a high quality shindig like a Hellfire Masquerade without a tactical plan to raid the top shelf. And when raiding the top shelf, delays just mean a chance for someone else to get the /really/ good stuff. Beads are fine. Neena intends to count her coup with enough to help maintain some modesty if her button gives up the ghost.

But an old fashioned with top shelf hooch?

A girl's got to have her priorities. Besides, it's important to build anticipation towards conversation.

Johnny Storm has posed:
Johnny Storm arrives alongside Kitty Pryde. He doesn't usually attend these sorts of functions, at least not lately. He's been trying to be focused more on his hero work and trying to burnish a reputation a bit tarnished by some of his hard partying ways. He wears a Tom Ford tux in classic style, over his usual costume of unstable molecules, just in case there's a sudden and unexpected need to burst into flame.

He has Kitty's hand in his - they aren't exactly a couple, but it's clear they aren't strangers by any means, with him leaning in occasionally to whisper in her ear and otherwise being quite comfortable in her company. Shock of shocks, Johnny Storm didn't need an arranged escort, but he knew an actual human woman to bring.

Okay, so he knew a lot of those, but most of them weren't Kitty, in a wide variety of ways. Does he preen a little bit? Perhaps. But not out of any sense of ownership or propriety - but he can take a little satisfaction in the occasional jealous look sent their way.

"I really hope the food is better than last time I was here. Fish eggs do -not- count, I don't care how much they cost," he murmurs to Kitty.

Cain Marko has posed:
Well. Cain isn't usually much of a guy for fancy shindigs. He's more of a beer and brawling sort. But somebody he knows sent him a message suggesting he show up for this. Apparently it's going to be a thing. So, he decided to show up. The towering, currently seven something foot tall redhead appears at the entrance, absently tugging at the tie around his neck. He wears a custom tailored black and gray suit that probably cost a ton just from sheer volume of material alone. It looks pretty out of place on him honestly. A scowl is on his face, which doesn't exactly make him any more handsome than he already is. Which is to say, not very. He glances around the room, mutters to himself, and makes a beeline for wherever it is they have the food. Just sort of bulling his way along, barely giving people time to step out of his way. His sturdy footsteps more audible than you'd expect over the crowd. Oh yeah. And he has a mask on. That's just a basic black half-mask that barely fits him. It was probably originally meant to be oversized on whoever wore it. Nobody'll ever recognize him now.

Brick Bardo has posed:
@emit      It was a bad idea. A terrible, awful, no good idea. But after being stranded on Earth for over a month with limited contact outside of threatening hooligans and toiling away in his spaceship, Brick had a case of cabin fever. He was no social butterfly but there were limits. Of course the outside world being a world of giant monsters still made him hesitant to try but as the Arturan saying went, "What could possibly be the absolute most awful nightmarish result of your actions that may occur?" proving why Arturans had both terrible understanding of fate and of snappy sayings.

     So to the party he went. His coat and shades stayed on, not about to leave the pockets and gear it came with behind, and the shades because, well, they're his LOOK. But those looking for a sight of middle-aged man abs on a figure the size of a doll would not be disappointed as he left off his shirt beneath and the pants he had his ship's 3D printer create for him were tight enough to qualify as sausage casings though he seemed to have no trouble moving in them. He wasn't moving on foot though as the miniature man arrives on an equally miniature flying bike that zips in when next the door opens, flying overhead like some sort of decoration for the festivities below as he tries to figure a safe landing and quickly realizing safe and a party of giants wasn't likely to be two things that went together for him.

     "I should've stayed home and smoked more," he grumbles to himself as he starts making an approach towards the bar at least.

Madelyne Pryor has posed:
Making her way into the club with a slightly tentative stride, a red headed girl wearing a slinky, form fitting green dress accented by a gold sash tied about her hips finds herself amidst a sea of humanity. Upon her head is a mask bearing resemblance to a gold crown, covering the top half of her face other than her piercing green eyes, leaving only a sultry burgundy pair of lips and the graceful curve of her chin to be seen below.

It takes a minute or so for the red head to place herself within the crowd, perhaps a brief intake of air to calm herself, and then Madelyne Pryor surrenders herself to the music, letting the rhythm carry her as she disappears onto the dance floor. Bypassing the bar for the moment. The night is still young, and there will be plenty of time for that.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde is doing a small bit of gawking as if she's not the most familiar with the Hellfire Club, though at least not completely unfamiliar with luxurious surroundings. Once you attend a dress ball on the Shi'ar imperial yacht, you don't get quite as bowled over by fancy decor. But the Hellfire Club seems to be giving the alien empire a run for their money tonight.

But the young woman has dressed the part. She's wearing a purple dress, the fabric just a few too many microns to be translucent, but close. It has a short hem in front though a little longer in back. A green belt cinches about her waist with gold coins hanging from it, and a gold fringe lines the plunging neckline of the purple dress. Straps rise to a purple choker about her throat. She's also wearing a masq that matches the dress' Mardi Gras colors. The dress overall shows off the young woman's toned form.

https://www.aboutcostume.com/images/sexy_costumes/34152.jpg

As a waitress passes, Kitty picks herself up a frozen hurricane. A quick word with the woman gets a nod, and she turns to head back to the bar. Soon she's returned with a glass for Johnny Torch, which he'll know from the special effort is a non-alcoholic one that Kitty ordered for him. "Wow, they do a nice job with the decorations," she tells Johnny.

Tabitha Smith has posed:
It's supposed to be mardi gras but at the same time it's also the hellfire club. Totally one of those places there would normally be no way Tabitha smith would be allowed in. But here she is, spike heels clicking against hard floors while she hands off a long coat to someone that looks arter that stuff. If it wasn't for the almost constrictive red leather pants, the corsetry, collar, wrist cuffs, and belt in red might give most of the ladies of the inner circle a run. spiky brass embedded awith buckles in the same gleaming metal.

She'd wanted to go the year before but didn't get the chance. This year she did but now she's got the chance, the outfit and as she looks about through red tinted Ray Bans in her nose; totally feeling some body image issues despite rocking her punk bondage-ish look. Let alone the noise from many of the patrons not so talented at keeping their psychic footprint quiet.

Luckily that's what booze is for.

And a search for friends.

Emma Frost has posed:
There's Madelyne. The woman that she had seen however.. Many weeks ago it had been? Emma Frost goes to head in her direction, "A pleasure to see you here again . I do hope that you've found those contacts here you were looking for. Has some of that.. Whatever guided you here paid off then and lead to anything deeper?" A low look of light interest an damusement from her.

Johnny with Kitty hanging off his arm is given a light smile and a nod. Divine gets a wider smile from Emma. The pale mercenary walking in like a Spot gets Emma raising her fingers up in a half salute. Tabitha gets a low chuckle. "Trying to apply for membership yourself it seems?"

Divine has posed:
Divine's smile never wavers as she looks down at Cindy. It's the height issue. She, after all, was the tallest person here until Cain shows up. She's slightly disappointed in this fact. She leans down to whisper in Cindy's ear, lips brushing her earlobe. "You look amazing," she says, continuing to whisper for a moment before she stands straight again.

"Want a drink?" Divine doesn't really drink herself, mostly because it's a fruitless endeavor. Unless it's magic. "Wonder if they have any Asgardian liquor."

For the moment, she skips the bead booth, unless Cindy wants her to go there, leading her date towards the bar.

Neena Thurman has posed:
Neena's attentions on the bar are momentary, fickle and fleeting. Because it doesn't take terribly long to mix up an old fashioned, and she's got scenery to survey. Exits to map.

Not really. That would be terribly insulting to the hosts, and more than likely lead to one of those all too awkward sudden fights. And while she hasn't loosened her tie, she's off the clock.

Plus, even on the clock, scoping out 'Tiny guy on a tiny flying motorcycle' was a big ask. She's a mercenary, not a... who the hell would even be looking out for that? But now that she's seen it, her eyes track that aerial trajectory.

But she still finds time to lift her newly acquired drink to Ms. Frost, so very recognizable. And her company isn't any less distinguishable. But it's an impressive sight. Divine's tall, but now she's... /tall/. It makes the slip of woman next to her stand out all the more.

Neena's gaze keeps sweeping, cataloguing the rest of the attendees, filing away those she recognizes and those she doesn't... not that she's going to /act/ like she recognizes anyone. At least not yet.

Well, aside from Shaw, who gets a little salute of her glass. Allowing recognition of the host doesn't seem like it's going to lessen the fun of the masquerade after all. It's just polite.

Cindy Moon has posed:
"Yes, please...." Cindy says up to Divine regarding a drink, "You think I could just say fuck over and over again? Cus I'm pretty sure I'm invisible." Might as well test the theory! The small Asian on Divine's arm turns around in a circle, unbuttoning the only one holding her shirt closed and opens it out over her bra. A deadpan expression her face, awkwardly making eye contact with anyone who walks past.

Then she redoes the button and steps back up to Divine.

Leaning closer... a little grin crawling across her face behind the length of black bangs. Happy to be led towards the bar. "What's that?" She points towards teh bead booth... head laid against Divine's arm. Turning her eyes to follow Neena entering before looking back up at the Kryptonian.

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
Cassie goes the obvious route, and dresses as a Greek Goddess. It's easy because she doesn't really have to go out and buy a costume! She's got a whole wardrobe of that stuff, and so it's more of a matter of playing mix-and-match, and maybe getting an alteration or two, to bring it up to the hedonistic standards of the event.

... as if the Greeks need help with that!

But basically, it's a version of the classically shaped dress as seen on a gajillion fancy marble statues at respectable museums, but alive in living color and dyed in rich purple as fitting the event. Pinned at the shoulders it drapes loosely on her frame, before being cinched in at the waist with a gold rope belt. Unlike the traditional form, she's slashed away some of the material in the front to create overlapping layers and show off a bit of leg, as well as those those ever-so-popular cross-laced golden sandals that are just standard to the outfit. Her golden hair is done up in piled braids, and topped with a green-and-gold laurel crown. And as ever, she's got those shiny accessories, the big chonky wrist-cuffs and her star-shaped earrings.

And while the mythology can be a little hazy with the practically gajillion random lesser goddesses, if there's any hint to her exact identity, it's in her mask, a half-faced golden affair, ringed with radiating spikes or rays, something of a radiant theme.

Once she steps inside, she looks around a bit, although with the sort of familiarity to suggest it's not actually her first time to the venue. Which is true, although it's been quite a while, since she and some of her under-21 teammates used to frequent the place. Now? Pft, she can go to real clubs! Still, the extra decorations really change the vibe of the place, and she does only the natural thing as she takes them in...

...and pulls out her phone to do a quick selfie, documenting the scene. "Hey guys, I'm here at Purgatory to bring a little light to their Madri Gras night!" Zoomers.

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
As the guests continue to filter in, the music lowers for a few moments, allowing a woman in a harlequin patterned Hellfire club uniform (not a Harley Quinn uniform, to be clear) to be heard as she steps up onto the shoulders of somewhat sturdy looking gentleman, also dressed in the Hellfire uniform.

"Welcome, honored members and distinguished guests of the Hellfire Club, to the 2023 Hellfire Club Mardi Gras Gala!" She pauses for a moment to allow a brief roar of the crowd, and then she silences it with a hand to the side narrowing into fingers. "This year, the funds raised through your generous donations to our exceptional bead booth will go towards feeding the needy." She does not specify which needy, of course. Those in the know may doubt that, but this earns a round of applause as well. "As you well know, the traditions of Mardi Gras are long standing - almost as longstanding as those of the Hellfire Club itself." Laughs, again from those in the know. "For those that don't know, beads can be obtained from the booth for donation, but is that _really_ the best way to earn beads tonight?" The crowd gives a resounding no as the employee waggles her fingers to egg them on. "So, ladies..." She pauses, puts up a hand at the side of her face, and stage whispers "...and gents, gotta be fair..." She resumes. "You know what to do. If you don't, you'll figure it out fast!" More laughter, as some begin to showcase the proper bead earning techniques. "At the end of the night, whoever is crowned "Bead Champion" will win an exclusive prize, the sort of thing that can only be earned through dedication and fervor - a dinner with our Black King, the host with the most, the owner of the Hellfire Club, Sebastian Shaw!" She raises her hand up to point towards the VIP section. There are a handful of individuals up there, standing on the other side of smokey glass, watching the proceedings down below. One of them, features a bit hard to make out given the glass, but bearing large mutton chops and a Victorian style jacket, raises a hand in salute. He is flanked on either side by women wearing...remarkably less.

"Alright, so go out there, and do what you can to .... " She pauses, and manages to get a large part of the crowd to join in unison. "EARN. THOSE. BEADS!"

She hops off from the man's shoulders she was standing on, into the seemingly surprised arms of a man wearing loose fitting black linen pants, shirtless bearing a robust hairy chest, and a mask that resembles a Greek armored helm, exposed on the cheeks but covering the nose and the top half of the face, piercing blue eyes gazing out from it. She gives the man a brief kiss on the cheek and then slips off into the crowd, leaving him appearing somewhat bewildered before he vanishes into the press of the dancers.

Johnny Storm has posed:
Although one of the more famous people in the room in the outside world, Johnny didn't really know many of the other people in the room. His sister was more a habitual visitor of the Club proper than he was - it was all a little too staid and 19th century, at least on the surface, for his usually more modern tastes. Still, the music was good and the place was immaculately kept. And he couldn't argue with the company he brought.

"Quite an outfit. I feel a little underdressed, but, then, I'd rather you have the spotlight anyway," he says to Kitty with a wink. "Yeah, you can't argue with whoever runs the dance committee here. I bet they were a menace in high school when prom time came around," he says."

Tabitha Smith has posed:
Can't help but track eyes over Madelyne. There's subtle differences but as far as Tabitha can tell at least for now, the woman looks like Jean and of course she'd be crushing it.

At least as she seems to find the group of people she knows she grins. Snagging some beads along the way and draping one of the necklaces over Cindy's head when her shirt is opened. "It's Mardis Gras, No exposed tits shall go on beaded." she points out with a grin as she starts eying targets. At least if people are fawning over some of the other admittedly gorgeous women she can keep the noise aimed at her to a minimum for a while.

"Emma, just wanted to fit it. When in Nova Roma, do who the Nova Romans do." she states and grins and she waves over at Cassie. That was not an expected apperaance and she gets beads waved at her as well.

"DOM! Rocking it girl. How many guns you got stashed?" she asks and seems to be letting that ADHD out to play and get drunk. And if anyone with a decent nose might tell. Already stoned.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde takes a sip of her frozen hurricane. "Oh wow. A couple of those will really get the party started," she comments. And then immediately kicks herself. She knows Johnny can handle being around the drinks or even her comments, but she still doesn't like to make such around him.

So she seizes on his comment lets out a quiet laugh. "Yes, I suppose this would be a dream job for someone who was into party planning," she says as she looks about.

She falls silent as the woman makes the announcement, before turning back to Johnny. "You know I still haven't made it down to New Orleans for this. Always something or another keeping me from being able to make the trip. I'd love to see Bourbon Street though. I bet Remy knows some great places to hole up too."

Kitty turns to look about the place. The awesome goddess costume on Cassie Sandsmark gets a smile from the masked brunette. Then a shadow is cast over her as a seven foot behemoth in a mask goes past. Does Kitty recognize Cain Marko in the mask? He does have certain physical attributes that kind of stand out. Her lips press together, perhaps not sure if her instinct is right.

Cain Marko has posed:
Once at the buffet, Cain finds the largest plate he can. Then he starts to pile the most substantial looking food there possible onto it until there's a small mountain. Then he turns to watch the crowd, and casually starts to shovel it into his gaping maw. Really subtle and classy, this one. So many people there. He probably knows a lot of them from past fights and other events. Does he recognize any of them? Highly questionable. For instance Kitty Pryde. He's probably had her phase through him a bunch of times. But he didn't realize it was her when he passed. His head turns towards Sebastian Shaw and his entourage when the announcement is made, and he grunts a little. Beads? Huh. How are they supposed to get beads? He knows how it happens in New Orleans, but he's not a chick. He doesn't have tits. He looks down at himself thoughtfully while he continues to eat. It's disappearing at an alarming rate. Hmm. What should he do instead.

Brick Bardo has posed:
     "Alright easy does it now, easy does it," mutters Brick, used to landing in somewhat less exposed places. But that wasn't the point tonight was it. This was stupid, he'd shot up how many goons since arriving on Earth and attending a party had his heart racing. Grinding his teeth he lands the bike down a bit harder than intended on the bar, which was saying something as normally the hoverbike stayed hovering and instead the bottom smacks the wood top and jolts him into biting his tongue.
     "Blast it all," he huffs as he clambers off and fusses with his coat, pressing something on a remote in his pocket that causes the bike to go blasting up towards the ceiling before anyone else might decide to pocket the toy-sized ride. Standing on the bar then he focuses on the most important thing tonight. "I need a drink!" he hollers at a bartender who seems perhaps slightly perplexed at first before cautiously sliding a shotglass towards him being the smallest available cup they had. Brick stares at the barrel-sized glass a moment and then sighs. "Yeah, should've expected that shouldn't I?"

Divine has posed:
Divine's eyes are absolutely on Cindy as she undoes that button and makes that turn with the almost defiant look in her eyes. It is a very attractive look. She stoops down to whisper again when she latches back on, her poker face slipping for just an instant. A quiver visibly runs down her spine, since most of it is showing anyway. As Tabby beads Cindy, her smile remains. Of course Cindy deserves beads. All of them, in the clone's opinion.

A glance is given to the bead booth, and she smirks. "Well, Tabby just did what you're supposed to do with those things." The look she gives the smaller woman says she's got plenty of ideas with what to do with them.

They hit the bar, and she leans on it. "Whatever she wants," she says. "And nothing for me unless you've got Asgardian."

Madelyne Pryor has posed:
The-girl-who-looks-like-Jean emerges from the dance floor with a bit of a hop, evading an overly rambunctious dancer whose leg threatened to cut hers out from under her. Despite wearing heels, she manages to stick the landing, and then smoothly makes her way over towards the bar in search of some sort of refreshment. That dance floor is hot, in more ways than one.

Along the way, she is stopped once or twice by an eager bead purveyer, and in the spirit of the night, makes good use of the mere thin spaghetti strap of her dress, and earns herself the start of a bead collection.

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost would smile over at Tabitha, "Fair enough. Do enjoy the occasion. And I suppose that would make it Noveau Roma then?" She would casually banter back, returning those salutes she had been sent bcak to the ones giving them and taking another sip of her drink.

At Sebastian's announcement of the 'winner' she would muse over. "And are you going for such a storied prize then?" Emma for now playing polite over and just of another overdone participant. Madelyne is given a light wave to see if she wishes to join the duo in conversation as Emma goes to let her eyes wander the room.

No Selene. THis evening could actually go well!

Johnny Storm has posed:
Johnny Storm isn't likely to win any beads either, although he does have quite a well-developed chest. Maybe if the party was on Fire Island this year?

That said, he's enough of a pig still that he can appreciate any excessive displays of flesh. He kisses Kitty on the cheek, "It's a party. So party," he says. Seeing the look on Kitty's face as Cain passes, Johnny's own expression darkens. He doesn't know that giant slab of beef, but he suspects he's not a friendly cuddly mascot guy.

Sometimes it really does suck that he quit drinking.

Johnny makes his way over to the buffet, using his own charm to his advantage, "Please tell me they have wings. I cannot eat another shellfish."

Neena Thurman has posed:
Neena might have intended to scope out all the attendees, but while she managed some appraising glances of outfits, there's a /tiny flying bike/ heading to the bar and you just don't see that every day. Or even every week. She's about to ask the bartender for some olives and toothpicks to make a set of landing zone markers when the pilot manages to set 'er down... well, aggressively?

Eyebrows perk behind that mask and she nearly spit takes as the goddamn thing zips up into the sky.

Bright eyes drop down to Brick as his relatively giant glass is set down for him. She lifts her own in a little salute, not even trying to fight the grin on those dark lips. "Hey, any landing you can walk away from, right?"

And then her gaze is roaming once more, at least until there's a sharp whistle from one of the many party goers and she heaves out a sigh, lets that ruby button slip free to pull her lapels wide. For a good three count. Gotta earn those beads, even if it's just a few strings.

Button is re-closed, beads are tossed over her neck, and she eyes them. Definitely not enough coverage if the button gives up. But she'll work on that later, instead, for now, she lifts her half-empty drink for a little salute to Divine and Cindy as they reach the bar.

Cain Marko has posed:
Finally the last... quiche, maybe? It's something other, goes down Cain's throat. He grunts, and puts aside his empty plate. Wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Hmmm." He thinks for a time more. Then he shrugs, and grabs the front of his suit. There's a ripping sound, and he casually tears off the jacket and shirt beneath as though they were breakaway. They're not, and clearly ruined now. But, he's now stripepd to the waist. Displaying his absurd, demon god-given physique in all its overly muscley glory. Tossing the now scraps of cloth on the ground, he flexes a little testingly, then nods in approval when his pecs bounce on command. There we go. Then he makes his way to the bar. Reaching behind it, he grabs up a bottle of something expensive looking and takes a long pull of it. Still mostly disregarding others in terms of his own locomotion. So far nobody has been trampled, so that's a plus anyway. He glances around, and notices the tiny guy on the bar. He squints at him a little, then looks at the bottle in his hand. "Hmm... this stuff magic?" He ponders, then his gaze shifts to a male, non-descript member of the club. "Hey. Guy." He points a thick finger at him. "Gimme all your beads." Yeah, he's just blatantly robbing him.

Cindy Moon has posed:
Cindy accepts her bead prize with the poise of royalty. She is, after all, the bride of the Spider. She deserves and it shows in her brown eyed stare and slightly quirking smile direct at Tabby. "Why thank you." She is then drug, actually she's not drug she just walks along willingly with, Divine. Then makes an appreciative 'ooooooh' face when Divine explains what the booth is. "What do I get if I get all the beads?" A date with the Black King? Her lips quirk thoughtfully.

Then she shrugs and smiles pleasantly enough at the bartender. "Uhhh Whiskey sour. Lot of whiskey, a little sour."

Lifting her leg up to rest on the runner beneath the bar, she leans forward onto her elbows, pressing her breasts together as she leans down over it. A little grin spreading on her face when she cuts her eyes over at the Kryptonian, brow arching. She leans closer and bites her arm, all very playful. "Rawr, you're infected." One hand drops down off the bar.

And a smile over at Neena's salute, waving her fingers extending off the side of the bar.

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
The topless man in the Gladiator mask slips fluidly from the grasping arms of the dance floor, making his way over towards the bar. A brief conversation, an exchange of cash, and he has two glasses of what appears to be champagne in his hand. Knowing the Hellfire Club, they are most certainly from the Champagne region of France. Unfettered by beads, and seemingly uninterested in the acquiring of them, his casual stroll takes him along, one casual sip from the flute in his left hand, the flute in his right untouched. Bound, no doubt, for some other party goer.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde continues to sip her drink as they make their way through the club. She pauses as a woman on the arm of a masked man earns her beads the old fashioned way from someone. The guy pulls down his mask jokingly to get a better look at his own escort.

As they move on, Kitty murmurs to Johnny, "I know I saw him on the cover of Wired but don't remember his name." She glances back, reckoning the man is probably not even in the upper half of the wealth accumulated in the room.

She makes a mental note to keep her own mask on as they reach the buffet. She picks a pastry from it to nibble as she turns back. A pair of passing men dangle some beads in front of her. Beads, as if she's going to- oh wait those are the great big beads with purple, green and gold emblems hanging from them!

The masked young woman pauses for a moment, then points out some wings to Johnny. "There's some chicken," she says, and then turns back, the top of her Mardi Gras dress gets 'adjusted' long enough to earn the big strand of beads. If Johnny wasn't paying attention, he may turn back around to find they are just about her neck.

Divine has posed:
When the affirmative is given that they do, in fact, have Asgardian, the Kryptonian's eyes widen a bit. For a moment, she just looks so happy. "Whatever you got, then."

While drinks are being gathered, her expression shifts slightly. A little surprise, maybe? Cindy did playfully bite her arm, after all. The slight pink in her cheeks might be telling something. When Neena raises her glass, Divine lifts one hand slightly to the woman she's only met ... twice? It's nice to be remembered.

When the drinks are delivered, she lifts her glass. It's a pint of shimmering golden liquid, the tinge of honey and spice and something else identify it as mead. She lifts the glass, and extends it towards Cindy with an almost Chesire smile. "To...us. Yeah. To us."

Tabitha Smith has posed:
Tabby double checks how many beads she has. Though considering where she is she kind of has to make sure they're the right beads.

She quickly has to Some of these women, she might have already seen topless at least in changing rooms. Usually at the Xavier School. Or a couple times at the Themysciran Embassy.

"Uhh, not those beads." she says and makess a goofy lip nibble expression when she's about to hand Madelyne a set that is not actually a bead necklace. They probably get worn somewhere lower down. "Sorry Jean, Rogue didn't come?" she asks and looks around and hmms. The Incorrect beads get stuffed in a pocket in her pants. Five pocket bluejean stile. Just way too clingy red leather.

Of course when people start expecting her to earnb beads there's probably a sense of skittishness. But she finally manages to get into that, pulling down the cups of her corseted bustier and letting everyone see the Appalachian's mountains.

"The way we'll be going, we'll all need super strength to carry all these home." she points out while working on another fresh glass of... something, she didn't pay that much attention toi what was being served.

Brick Bardo has posed:
     It was far from dignified but given what he had to work with Brick cups his hands together and dips them in the shotglass, leaning over to slurp from his palms like a man dying from thirst at an oasis. He wasn't prone to shame anyhow as he flicks his hands after to some level of dry when Neena steps up and looms over him...much like everyone else loomed over him. Despite the sunglasses one could tell his eyes were flicking up and down her form not least because he had to move his entire head to do it before he answers, "Hell it even still works. I've done way worse than that. I..." his words cut short as suddenly there are beads in play and tits on display and he's left boggling how this world works.

     "So are these beads a RELIGIOUS thing with you people or have I been missing the boat on how Earth money works around here?" questions Brick after the brief display and then glancing around to see more breasts on display and beads getting tossed left and right. It had to be a religious thing. Probably cult. He'd really screwed up now.

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
If there's anyone who is the sort of person the question the veracity of sketchy charity claims used to leverage women to objectify themselves for the gift of cheap trinkets... well, you guessed it, it's that same darn youngster with the phone!

"Oooh, listen to that. We can get rewarded with cheap trinkets for flashing people, which is somehow also for charity. Charity what I'm not one-hundred percent sure. Imma check in to that, and get back to you." Detective Cassandra, on the case! "What do you all think? Good cause? Hallowed tradition of debauchery? Demeaning and objectifying? Or is it just the same as like every other dude in chat or fuckboi in your DMs. 'Show me ur tits, hur hur.'" You can imagine the voice she makes, in this immitation. "Course, if you got 'em, nothing wrong if you wanna flaunt 'em, right ladies? You know, you don't even need a special occasion, in the city - toplessness is totally legal in NYC."

Informative!

"I dunno who these bozos are giving to, but let's match em! I'm gonna turn on charity mode for the rest of my stream. You can hit up the bot for the organizations, and they'll receive one-hundred percent of tips and donations going forward." She's definitely taken the occasion to turn this into her own little media spectacle, and not one PURELY directed at smashing the patriarchy, or whatever it is she's talking about.

At points, she stops and holds out the phone to get pictures of some of the others passing in their own outfits, turning from momentary activist to fashion reporter on a dime. "Oooh, look at that one. Some really striking contrasts on that one, yeah? Oh, and a very classic look he's wearing - oh shit, is that Johnny Storm? Wow! Dude is rocking it for sure. Hey, let's do a poll. Vote in chat for your favorite look."

Cain Marko has posed:
Whether the guy in question willingly hands over the beads or not, they're soon in Cain's hand. And then they go around his neck... or they would, if they actually fit properly. He has a big neck. In the end, he just loops them around one of his wrists instead. He says down to Brick, "They're an excuse to see peoples tits. People are horny." Taking another drink from the bottle of expensive booze that he in no way has the palate to appreciate. He begins to wander through the crowd now, occasionally stopping to intimidate another party goer into handing over their own collection of beads. Apparently not worried about playing by the rules. If there even ARE any for this. Maybe this is perfectly acceptable. Eventually, he comes to a stop near Divine and Cindy. He considers the pair of them, his eyes drawn in particular to Divine's...well. She IS a clone of Power Girl. He purses his lips, then peels off a few strings of beads and waves them 'enticingly' at the pair of them. "Hey there darlins. Wanna give us a show?" Who could ever say no to THAT approach?

Madelyne Pryor has posed:
Turning to regard Tabitha, particularly at that comment, Madelyne grins beneath the mask. "Yes, please, no," she says, regarding the blonde with a smile. "Just me," she answers, clearly content to allow the 'confusion' for Jean go unaddressed. Good. She spots the impending eruption of Tabitha's hills, and decides to follow suit, with much the same manuever as before, earning herself a fair amount, but not as many as the blonde beside her. "I guess size does matter," she says with a laugh, giving Tabitha a friendly nudge with her hip. "Yeah," she agrees. "Or find someone big and strong to carry them for us."

She glances briefly over at the mountain that walks, and reconsiders her plan.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde continues to make her way through the frozen hurricane. She has to take her time to avoid brain freeze. But it's good. Really good, and it doesn't hurt to get that first drink to help make the party a little more enjoyable.

The sight of Cain Marko's suddenly revealed physique just sort of stops Kitty in her tracks. It also probably doesn't dissuade her from her wondering as to his identity.

Another passing person tries to get her to earn beads, but they have the little strands and so the previous exchange does not repeat itself. Kitty finishes the pastry she's been nibbling and notes Johnny has indeed found the wings.

As the music melds from one song to another, a lively song starts up great for dancing too. Kitty sets down her glass on a passing waitress' tray as she turns back towards the Fantastic Four member. "Oh I love this song, so many ways to dance to it," she says, voice making it a hopeful sound to lure him onto the dance floor. But he's got that plate full of wings and she knows he's hungry. She lets out a sigh.

Cindy Moon has posed:
Cindy grins up at Divine's pink cheeks, wiggling her head side to side. A knowing glimmer in her eyes, but then her drink arrives and she hoists it up. First to Domino, but then to Divine. "To us! We are the best us." Drinking coming up for a drink, which she sputters and nearly chokes on. Leaning forward with wide eyes and a hand pressing a finger up beneath her nose, which turns over to cover her mouth as another hard cough rocks her spine.. "Oh jeez..." She groans, head down on the bar for a second. "I'm good!" Hand up to wave off concerns, but she's not lifting her head.

Way too embarrassed about nearly dying from taking a sip of her drink, for sure.

Her leg bounces against the runner.

"Yeup, totally good!"

Neena Thurman has posed:
Neena sends a raised eyebrow towards Divine's drink. Boy that looks good... but it's also Asgardian... mead? Probably mead. Sounds real Asgardian. And while Neena enjoys pressing her luck, she'll save trying a drink that might lead to her waking up across the planet three days later for... another time.

Besides, she's got to keep enough self-control to not mess with Brick. "Oh! ...Actually kind of? I don't think these are rosary beads, but the holiday has a lot to do with Lent and Easter and..." She trails off as her eyes are drawn to another bead exchange. "I'm pretty sure they're about as religious as the green beer on St. Patrick's Day now. Which is to say, not at all religious and absolutely just an excuse to misbehave."

And then her eyes are darting back as Cain approaches and... well, makes an offer with all the suave and sophisticated subtleties of a juggernaut. Neena leans over to loom /closer/ above Brick and hisses out, "If this goes sideways, try to jump for my pocket. Don't worry, I'm lucky."

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
Never fear, help is always on the way at the Hellfire Club. "If we move quickly enough, I am sure we can get in at least two, perhaps three," purrs the voice of the man in the gladiator mask as he overhears her lamentation. "If you would really like, perhaps I can put in a word to get it repeated as long as it takes to earn satisfaction." Somehow, the flute of champagne he was drinking is gone, and an empty hand is held out towards Kitty. "If, of course, you would care to do me the honor?"

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost would smile over at Tabitha and her new conversation companion. Let the girl have some fun. She deserved it with how often she was in hte medbay. Then, Emmag oes to sort through everyone present, looking for someone in particular.. Then smiling over as she would move to take a series of beads over, and sway over in the direction of the persona that the Man of the Evening was wearing.

"I do believe you have by far the nicest ones here tonight. Well.. Other than that huge hunk of a man.." Emma Frost would go to casually take out a set of beads, and move to try and slide them over Shaw's neck to let them go on down. "Do feel free to take it all the way off.."

Divine has posed:
Divine looks like the cat that caught the canary for a flicker of a second as Cindy chokes on her drink, quickly lowering her's to murmur into her ear briefly. Oddly, she doesn't rub Cindy's back. Soon enough she straightens, taking a sip of the Asgardian mead and actually noticing the pleasant burn and the warmth spreading through her.

That's the stuff.

Cain approaches, and she looks at Cindy before shrugging. She reaches up and just unzips her bustier, letting it open for a few seconds to give whatever attendees are looking her way a good look at what Power Girl might look like topless before she zips it back up.

She doesn't even wait for beads, leaning back over to Cindy again, kissing her atop the head. How sweet.

Tabitha Smith has posed:
No body has pointed out that it's not Jean but Madelyne that Tabitha finds herself showing off for, right now it feels more like anyone else is a bonus. And both her and the redhead get a stack of beads. "If size is the determinator here I think the hot goth chicks have us both beat." she points out with a grin and a nudge of her head to indicate Domino and Divine.

tabitha's never been consiodered small up front but she knows when to admit someone has her beat. At least when it's not a fight.

"Don't see yourself short. That dress is gorgeous! Up and down!" she points out while more beads are sent the women's way. Some get flung back out with some decent aim though at Kitty with Johnny and even over at Cassie. "Wonder how much they'll let slide because Cassie is a hot ass blonde." she states as the demigoddess is doing her liveblog thing.

The Boomer's Boom-Booms do get aimed at the other blonde. "Probably also rich." she states and grins.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde turns as she hears the Gladiator-themed man behind her addressing her mention about dancing. The young woman's eyes behind the mask can be seen quickly taking in the attire. He might not be seven plus feet tall or literally bearing a god-given physique. But he pulls off the whole muscular gladiator look.

Better than Russell Crowe too. Sorry Russell. He's probably off in one of the private rooms even as we speak.

Kitty glances back to make sure Johnny doesn't mind if she hits the dance floor while he finishes his wings. She turns back to Sebastian and puts her hand in his. "Thank you, I'd love to," she tells him.

Meanwhile the party planning staff is observing everything. Gloria is Viola Fiore's longtime assistant. Though Viola has been mentoring her and giving her more of a hand in directing the parties, the Mardi Gras one needs someone trusted relaying information to the big wigs.

In Sebastian Shaw's earpiece, Gloria's voice can be heard as she pulls up information from her tablet off in a viewing room nearby. <<The girl is Kitty Pryde. She dated Warren Worthington III for a year back in 2021. After they parted she fell off the society pages. I don't have anything of substance on her since. Oxford graduate, double major of English Lit and Computer Science. Alumni from the same school as Worthington is probably how they met. Negligible personal finances by the Club's standards.>>

Brick Bardo has posed:
     A religious reason to show off naked breasts? Suddenly this weird backwards planet had gone up a point in Brick's estimation, even if the fact there are now literal moving mountains was a bit of a concern. He was glad he wasn't the only one showing concern about Cain as Neena whispers down to him though the way she was leaning over him in that outfit was making it more and more difficult to think about much of anything except the fact he needed to get some beads to hand out. How much money had he brought? He hadn't earned much since landing on Earth but he didn't spend much either, sleeping in his ship and managing to make a single slice of pizza last for several days.

     "I'm not sure how lucky I am at jumping for pockets but I appreciate the offer. Name's Brick by the way. Hold that thought just a second," Brick tells her as he pulls the remote for his bike from his pocket and taps the side of his glasses giving him a view of its front camera. Unlike SOME he's not filming though, instead using it to fly the tiny bike towards the donation booth now that he's caught on how this works. At the booth the poor salesman meanwhile sees a toy-sized hoverbike fly in front of them and Brick's voice emits from a speaker. "How many can I get for this?" as a compartment on the bike opens and a few bills fall out. The salesman's look is one of 'this is gonna be a long night' as they look a few beaded necklaces on the tiny bike which waggles a bit uncertainly under the weight before it flies ponderously back to the bar and tilts, dumping the beads beside Brick before it zips back to the ceiling.

     Hefting up one necklace onto his shoulder he awkwardly swings it in Domino's general direction as it slides on the wood top. "Am I doing this right then?"

Cindy Moon has posed:
Glancing up from the bar, Cindy looks haggard, red cheeks, exactly like someone who just almost choked on very expensive whiskey and sour mix. She peers at Cain with her lip tucked back between her teeth, then rolls her shoulders, pulling her shirt open with one hand. Beads are beads and there's a competition afoot.

Though she's fairly certain that Divine's unholstered ladies are going to be the primary target of attention compared to her not so impressive set. It's cool, everything's cool. She's fine... we're all fine here. How are you?

What a lie.

She coughs again, brown eyes rolling down to stare at the bar. Grabbing her drink for another quick drink. She sucks the contents down in three quick guzzles and slams it on the counter. Trying not to cough. Her hand opens, then closes... "I think I'm good." Quiet, leaning her forehead back down on the bar. "So good."

Madelyne Pryor has posed:
"Well, hard to compete with THAT," replies Madelyne, waving a hand at the Power Girl assets. She, herself, is far more petite. "But, there is something to be said for knowing how to use them," she murmurs, as she nudges Tabitha in the side to indicate a pair of men eyeing up the both of them. She leans over against Tabitha, making sure that both of them are in the virtual frame of the men, stretching a bit so the sheer dress leaves only the barest bits to the imagination. "Not that they can't, of course, but..." Once she is sure that she has the eyes of the men, she leans over and gives Tabitha a kiss on the cheek, right as a hand slips the strap from her own dress, giving an extra eyeful.

She looks over where Tabby is pointing, at Cassie, and chuckles. "She probably will. Blondes get away with everything." She rolls her eyes a bit, and then seizes on Tabitha's prior comment, as the pair of guys from before has been replaced by a new set of guys, also armed with beads. "So, which do you think," she murmurs, reaching down to the hem of her dress and slowly hiking it up. "More gorgeous up OR down?" She draws the bottom of the dress up just enough to earn she and Tabby another bundle of beads.

Cain Marko has posed:
Cain is the suavest, the most sophisticated. Just a paragon of elegant masculinity. Definitely not just a big brute who probably doesn't really belong in a place like this. He continues to jingle the beads at Divine and Cindy even after the latter nearly kills herself with alcohol. His eyes shifting towards Neena eventually, adjusting the extended hand to include her in the offer. "C'mon." Then Cindy shows off the spider-gals, and his eyes fixate on them while they're displayed in appreciation. Quality is as important as size! And those seem nice. "Great pair you got there, babe." He tosses her strand of beads towards her, then looks at her.... girlfriend? His eyes widen slightly when she shows off the goods, drinking in the sight before tossing her rewards as well. "Awesome." He manages to avoid saying anything too crude before turning and scanning the room. Spotting Madalyne and Tabitha. His eyes brighten, and he gives the current girls a wink before heading that way. "Hello, ladies!" He stops along the way to top off his bead supply by just taking them off a few other peoples necks and adding them, coming to a stop in front of them. He jingles some beats their way and raises a brow with a grin. "Hey there." A pause, and he eyes Madalyne. "Huh. Something about you seems familiar..." His eyes shift to Tabitha. "You too..." Hmmm. He thinks, his brows drawing together. He thinks so hard, his pecs again start to twitch.

Johnny Storm has posed:
Johnny Storm may have given up drinking, but he's not without vices. He ends up in a small group of cigar afficionados, taking a long break on a balcony to puff away and enjoy the tobacco and pretend they know anything about Cuba or farming. He sees Kitty and Shaw briefly through the glass and raises an eyebrow, making a brief eye contact, but only a rapscallion's grin. He isn't the possessive type.

Finished with his cigar, he makes his way back in and does the rounds. He pauses in front of Tabitha and Madelyne, the older man raising his sparkling grape juice in their direction. To Madelyne, he inclines his head, "I intended to ask for a dance, but it looks like you might be taken and I can't compete with her," he says, nodding towards Tabitha.

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
Accepting Kitty's hand with grace, Sebastian bows his head to her respectfully. "Milady," he says, before guiding her out towards the dance floor. "I hope your date does not get too offended," he says, nodding over towards Johnny at the buffet line. "I have been told that I am hot, but I do not want to be _that_ hot." He winks one of those blue eyes for a moment as they descend into the first layer of the dance floor, and by necessity of size Sebastian pulls Kitty a bit closer to him, doing his best to shield her from the press of flesh around them as he gives her room to dance. "Is this your first time at the Hellfire Gala?" he asks. Casual conversation, managed with just a bit of shouting over the music.

Emma Frost has posed:
And then Emma is moving away from having given her first beads out of the evening and moving to head back over to the main floor to mingle. Sipping at her wine over while idly observing things. Good, Tabitha seems to be doing well over with her conversation partner.. Divine seems to be having a lovely time on her date.. This is definitely not the soiree that Marie-Ange would come within a dozen kilometers of..

Tonight is relaxing, even when she's not remotely aiming to compete.

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
Not shockingly, Cassie's investigative expose turned competing charity drive turned fashion show turned general self-absorbed influencer nightmare... is not appreciated by the hosts! Who knows how she got the phone in. Well, presumably they do not aggressively search some of the spots you have to shove phones when you DON'T HAVE POCKETS! So it's probably that.

However, as she continues to live stream the event, a couple big and frowny fellas in the same uniform as the one holding up the Mistress of Ceremonies slash Boob Whisperer earlier approach her, one tapping her on the shoulder. Because the phone is in selfie mode with the reverse camera on, it actually catches his looming approach, causing a FLURRY of emotes and spam in the chat! "Uhoh, the goons are here!"

"Ahem, miss..."

She spins around to face him, looking rather bold and brash despite the man being close to a foot taller. She is, notably, not exactly a SECRET Superhero, so that might well explain it, although... lets be honest, getting yelled at by overly-confident blondes is kind of part of the bouncer job description. Usually they're just a little more drunk!

"Hey, I didn't do anything wrong!"

"That's fine, if you'd just turn-"

"I didn't see anything posted! And where would you even put them? And how to expect someone to spend a few hours without their phone? Its _current year_. What if I miss something trending? What if I'M trending?! Ugh, can you guys believe this?"

"Um miss..."

"Oooh, Johnny's winning!"

"Hello?"

"Fine! Fine! I'll put it away. Sorry guys- I'll be back on later. Remember to tune in to my _other_ channel for the charity bead show." Oh goddess. She hits the button the side, and then stares down (well, up) the bouncer. "But you're not getting it. I've got like, sensitive Justice League stuff on here. Top secret, you know? Way above your pay grade, Lurch. Sorry!"

She holds up the phone, wiggles it in the air so he can look at it and see that it's off, and then shoves into a totally PG-13 fold of her dress. "OK?! Happy!?"

Tabitha Smith has posed:
Tabitha, only being just blonde. An not rich. But not broke thankfully has yet to pull up the cups of her bustier to conceal her goods while Madelyne demonstrats that her wardrobe choice is much more functional for the even.

Tabitha might actually have to take off and then rebuckle the whole thing to reset. At least the corsetry does it's thing and makes an already hourglass figure more pronounced.

"Amazingly enough, I'm gonna go with up. Cause then it's fun to brin it down." she points out and tries to cover herself back up before she pokes an eye out. One hand tugging a cup upwards while the other tries shoving fleshg down before Tabby gives up and giggles. a little more loudly when Maddie that as far as Tabby knows is Jean.

Most of the blonde's telepathic abilities going into filtering all the background nose out.

Johnny asking for a dance after she was aimed at a few men gets a grin. "Depends on the competition in question. I mean I am the better looking blonde. I'd like totally put you down as like fourth." Her self top of the list naturally. "But pretty certain. You're still hottest. They might not get a kick outta us burning the building down." she points out and playfully dances on the spot for both the Human Torch and Madelyne's view.

Arms over head and hips rolling in a rather well trained serpentine manner. extra bouncing now from having things unfurled and beads hanging from her neck.

There are better dancers here too but damn if Tabby isn't finally relaxed enough to show off.

Enough friends around to get yoyr back and keep you out of trouble really helps.

Neena Thurman has posed:
Neena's eyebrows perk curiously as she sighs out to Brick, "Oh, no! See I'm lucky, and it can rub off on people. I mean, not... literally rub. But if I like you, you tend to be lucky around me and-" She trails off as Brick undergoes his remote piloting task.

Which means she glances down from watching that tiny bike fly away only /after/ there's probably the kind of gasp from onlookers that sounds like someone cracked an airlock in orbit.

And that Kryptonian show's reason enough for Neena to finish her drink, slide it across the bar, and tap two fingers to signal for another.

And then Brick's bike is flying back with its payload of beads, and a string's sliding her way, to be snagged, twirled around her index finger, and then looped up over her head, all in one smooth motion leading to her unbuttoning her jacket and spreading it wide.

Neena's luck power is always a fickle thing. And she manages to step up to the line with a fancy ltitle twirl with that jacket opened wide to show off to all and sundry.

Luck's backlash comes in the form of a shower of beaded necklaces flying in to pelt her with a mix of cheap plastic and even a couple strings of the more lucrative beads, "Ah! Tits!!" She yelps out under the assault, trying to snatch beads as they fly in /and/ do her top back up.

Still, it's all for charity. She's doing her part.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde spots the approval from Johnny and flashes him a grin. She lets the gladiator move her out onto the dance floor, in among the other dancers that are not so crowded there isn't room to move, yet also enough people there that it has a very good vibe.

"I don't think he'll mind," she tells Sebastian with a soft laugh as his comment indicates Shaw does indeed recognize the man. Kitty glances over her shoulder, finding Johnny blending in with the others at the party, and basically Johnny. Which brings a grin to her own face.

The young woman had wanted to be a professional dancer growing up. So it's little surprise when moves with a dancer's grace. Her body ends up pressed lightly against Shaw, her feet deftly moving to follow his lead. "I attended one or two other parties," she says. "I used to date someone who is a member. Though I got the feeling he didn't want me to see too much of his old lifestyle when he was here much more frequently," she says with a soft chuckle at Warren's well-known playboy lifestyle. Though one that ceased for at least that year they were together. "And yourself? I gather you have some influence here?" she asks the larger man as she dances close with him about the dance floor.

Divine has posed:
Divine giggles a little bit as Cindy slumps over the bar. "Sweetie," she says chidingly, but clearly very much lovingly. "You shouldn't drink so fast." When Cain throws the beads at her, she no-look catches them and puts them around Cindy's neck. "Me playing the game isn't fair." She leans down and whispers again, nuzzling against the (comparatively) tiny woman's hair. "...Your shampoo smells pretty."

She lifts the glass again and takes a long pull, luxuriating in the fact that she can actually -feel- it. It's such a novel sensation, the slow burning buzz of alcohol. She might like it too much.

Madelyne Pryor has posed:
"Who said it has to be a competition?" purrs Madelyne in response to Johnny's question. She leans in to plant a brief kiss on Tabitha's cheek, and then slips away from the blonde towards ... the other blonde. The hotter one. Literally. She offers her hand towards him along with a smile. "There is plenty of me to go around, and I do hear the dance floor calling my name."

She turns back to watch as Tabitha demonstrates the sort of moves that Madelyne herself could never pull off, and she gives a wolf whistle before reaching down and grabbing a handful of her own beads and tossing them in the blonde's direction. Still bearing significantly more beads than she did before joining the blonde, Madelyne turns back towards Johnny. "I'm not afraid to turn up the heat," she murmurs at him, a nod in both his direction and the dance floor itself.

Cain Marko has posed:
Well, it looks like Tabitha and Madelyne are both taken! He watches them dancing with the sparky blond guy a few moments with a wry smile, then turns around to scan the crowd. Hmm. Who else? His eyes eventually move to the amazon floating in the air, and his expression brightens. He makes his way through the crowed towards where Cassie is now, and calls up to her, "Hey there! If you're done filmin the show, how about putting on one of your own?" He produces several beads, including some of the apparently more expensive ones, and shakes them at the superhero. He doesn't care that she's clearly a cape. She's pretty.

Johnny Storm has posed:
Johnny takes Madelyne's hand and draws her onto the dance floor along with him, not far from where Kitty and Shaw havve been intertwined. Is he showing off, again? Perhaps, but that has always been his nature. Daredevil, stunt-performer, all around cock of the walk, to quote Christopher Walken once upon an SNL skit. He's not a trained dancer, but he's been to a lot of these sort of functions over the years and he's a natural athlete.

He puts Madelyne on display a bit, as well, stalking the redhead behind him and then spinning her into his arms and cradling her in the crook with a slight dip.

"I win most competitions, but even I can tell I'm outgunned by that girl. Why any of you date men at all remains a shock and a wonder to me? We're so much worse than women, in virtually every way. I do open jars very well. I suppose I have other worthwhile traits. Perhaps you can tell me if you find any," he says, drawing Madelyne in close again and moving to dance near to her along with the music, "So, how has the hunt for beads gone thus far?"

Cindy Moon has posed:
The beads hit Cindy in the head, but she manages to grab them before they slide off onto the floor.. And lifts her head enough to slip both pairs around her neck.. but only JUST. She brings her thumb up in the air to anyone wondering after her health! She remains fine. "It's yours." She says to Divine's asertion that her shampoo smells pretty. She lifts her face up and rubs a palm down it. Then points at her glass, "I need another two of these please..." Pillowing her forehead on her folded arm.

"You playing the game is very cheating." She says in addition to what Divine herself had said. "Aint nobody standing a chance against them ladies." Another quiet cough into the ether.. rubbing at her chin to wipe it with the end of her thumb.

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
Spotting Johnny asking the redhead and blonde to dance, as if making it a trifecta after entering with a brunette, Sebastian laughs softly. "Oh, he does not seem to mind at all," Sebastian murmurs, turning slightly so Kitty can be sure to see that Johnny himself is well attended to. Ever considerate, that host.

As she moves closer Sebastian accommodates, an arm slipping around her waist in case she needs support, as sometimes happens within these masses of dancers. "From what I have gathered, none of the members here particularly want prying eyes on their activities." He chuckles softly to himself as he turns once more with Kitty, descending deeper into the roiling seas of dancers. "I have been to a few of these. I do not generally care for their raucous nature, myself, but they are entertaining." He leans in a bit closer as she speaks. "Rarely do I find myself motivated to actually partake in the dancing, however, but I simply could not let someone as lovely as yourself go without having the chance to dance to her favorite." He bows forward a bit, as if a sign of respect, but all it does is serve to press the two of them closer together in the process.

Brick Bardo has posed:
     Maybe life on Earth for a bit longer wouldn't be so bad after all as Brick ponders the orbs and for the first time since he crashed on this planet has a blissfully happy look on his face, because who could be grumpy at THAT? "Sweet mamma jamma. I'm not sure I bought enough now. Listen what if..." whatever his intentions are brought to a sudden and violent halt as the barrage of beads begin to slam down upon both Neena and himself who has maybe stepped a bit closer during the show like a man entranced. For her they're a pelting, for him it's an artillery barrage where all the shells are linked together. He almost goes for his gun but then one bead clocks him on the forehead. He's tougher than his size would indicate...but then several more do the same and he goes tumbling back onto another beaded necklace, the loose beads rolling on the smooth wood. He starts to topple over behind the bar and grabs the necklace with both arms, the necklace having looped itself around his drink luckily enough stopping it. But the shotglass is starting to move now as well scooting backwards leaving him dangling from his precarious position as any move he makes to climb just causes the necklace to rotate instead and pull the glass a bit faster. "Hey! Hey bit of help!?" he calls out hoping Neena or someone noticed and can hear him after her own spate of misfortune.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde sees Johnny take to the dance floor. And if she's sure that's not Jean, because Kitty had cajoled Jean to try to get her out tonight and got a very firm no she couldn't make it, she's aware enough of the kind of aspects of the lives of Jean and Scott that lead to a Madelyne.

If she planned to keep a close eye, such a plan would be spoiled as Shaw dances her across the dance floor and more couples intervene between. The man is an excellent lead, and it's easy for Kitty to get caught up in being spun around while close against the men.

The comment about the exception made for the dancing draws a soft smile from the masked young woman. "Well, I appreciate you stepping in," she tells him, leaning close so Shaw can hear her over the music. "I actually had wanted to be a dancer growing up. Though I ended up going to school for things so completely different you'd never believe the would-be ballerina studied them instead," she says with a light-hearted laugh.

Madelyne Pryor has posed:
Perhaps surprisingly, Madelyne is fairly well adept at following along with Johnny. She may not have the bead shaking routines down, but moving along with a partner to the beat of some music? She can pull that off in style. As he dips her she kicks up with one leg, careful not to take anyone's eye out but almost certainly giving a free display to a few of the others on the dance floor. No beads for that performance, sadly.

As he straightens her, Madelyne moves in close as well, pressing her form against him as much in refuge from the other dancers as to fit herself to his moves. Her hand runs slowly down Johnny's chest as she grins up at him. "Oh, rest assured, there are some /very/ important traits I could find if given the chance, I am sure, that are simply lacking elsewhere." Her eyes smolder for a moment as she watches him, and she lets loose a laugh from the back of her throat.

"I'm not seeking to win any contests, so I think I am satisfied with my haul." She glances down, her free hand moving to lift up the beads, away from her chest. "Probably more than I really need," she says, dropping them back into place.

She leans forward towards Johnny, angling up to try to whisper towards his ear. Or at least, not have to shout. "I don't see you carrying around any beads to offer, so what brings /you/ out tonight?"

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
Surely it is coincidence that Sebastian's turns with Kitty take them deeper into the dance floor, away from any possible competition from the Human Torch. Who, himself, seems to rather well occupied, anyway.

"That is what I do. When I see a lady in need of rescuing, I am the first to dash and offer my hand, or whatever else is suitable." Another slow turn with her, and Sebastian's movements slow for a moment. His arms expand out, giving Kitty a small little bubble with which to move. Perhaps a chance to prove her ballet skills. "I think most of us do that. I certainly did not grow up expecting to become an engineer, but..." The man shrugs for a moment, keeping the pocket open for as long as Kitty seems inclines to follow the music and perform. "Life often throws us surprises, and the best we can do is manage them and have some fun along the way."

Johnny Storm has posed:
Johnny Storm admires the bounce of the beads as he keeps the pace of the dancing up, maneuvering through the various others with relative aplomb. He doesn't know anything about complicated origins or clones or goblins or any of that stuff and nonsense, whether they've already happened or not. He's met Jean Grey and he sees the resemblance, but he can also tell this isn't the same person. Something in the eyes.

"I'm a terrible bastard, I didn't introduce myself. Johnny Storm, professional dumpster fire, quite literally," he says. "I'm guessing you're one of the Xavier's crew? As for me, well, I've been keeping to myself too much lately and Kitty insisted that she needed someone to escort her. And I said, well, if a gorgeous young woman absolutely insists that I come to a fancy party where women are flashing their breasts for beads, I suppose that I, as a civic minded individual, can swallow my pride and bring myself along in a nice tuxedo."

"Dancing with beautiful redheads is just a bonus."

Divine has posed:
Immidiately when Cindy asks for another, Divine flags the guy down and makes it happen. Because that's just how she is. Devoted, dedicated and clearly head over heels. It's probably really cute. She takes another pull of her mead. A long one. Actually, she drains it, and when the guy behind the bar comes back with Cindy's drink, she does the double tap sign for another. Her cheeks are already pink, the strong, magical drink hitting her already, but it's a party, so it's fine.

Everything is fine.

"I don't really want to win anyway," she says, leaning down to peek in on her date. "What even would I talk to that guy about? He hates my boss."

Tabitha Smith has posed:
Thhe cheek kiss is reciprocated wbile the redhead is in range and with a catch of bead necklaces Tabby keeps on dancing and voving around. As she moves on to see whomelse she can dance with she giggles.

Amazingly enough Tabby is a sharer so letting Madelyne and Johnny dance is met with a wink at the pair before putting that slinky dance to work moving her arouind the blace.

While Johnny might be joking about not dating men. Tabby might be thinking she isn't because she's the shitty girlfriend.

Johnny probably never saw what women at a male strip club can get up to with enough drinks. Equal opportunity objectification.

Another drrink taken, more beads handed over because at thos point there's no covering herself up with anything other than the growing amount of beads,

She even starts depositing some around other people's necks. Starting with most of the people she does know.

Neena Thurman has posed:
Neena /did/ notice Brick's predicament... and her eyes behind her mask narrow, glint... /gleam/ with wickedness. Those dark painted lips spread in a wry, evil smirk...

And one finger presses to that slowly sliding glass to stop its momentum as her voice purrs out. "Oh, do you need some help?"

One eyebrow perks and she sighs, "Normally I charge for rescues. Especially ones that are from someone's own choices... but I suppose you didn't give me those beads to spin around... so... we'll call it a wash, right?" Eyebrows perk questioningly. Finger taps that drink. Which is to say, lifts for a moment so it slides just a little, before she stops it again.

She's so nice. And, really, while she was just showered with beads, she's got no real intention of winning the grand prize. For one thing, she gets a little... focused on winning when she goes for a prize, and her plan was to relax.

And now she's got this interesting stranger to rescue... or torment? Either way seems pretty fun.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde does turn about, letting Shaw's hand lead her into the graceful turn, her eyes finding him on each revolution, until she's finally drawn back to the rugged man. "Well, if you are an engineer then quite a successful one if you have some pull here," she tells the man once she is back dancing close to him. "I suppose it is an excellent place, bumping elbows with CEOs and the trust fund crowd and I can't even imagine who else."

She slides her arm up to the gladiator's shoulder. "So, I have to ask about the choice of attire," she comments, her hand resting where it is can't help but feel the brawny shoulder. "Do you have a bit of a love of Roman things? Or perhaps the movie? Which was quite an excellent one overall. Anything that has Connie Nielsen in it is bound to be great," she says with a warm laugh.

Madelyne Pryor has posed:
While Johnny may not know exactly who Madelyne is, she certainly knows him. Everyone does. And she is not attempting to adopt any of Jean's mannerisms, although the resemblance is Uncanny.

"Grace," replies Madelyne, in response to Johnny's extended introduction. "And I for one am glad that you took on such a noble endeavor. To protect Kitty, and ensure that she did not fall in with the wrong sort here." Madelyne shakes her head, the long red locks flowing about her shoulders as she leans in again to murmur towards Johnny. "This place is entirely too full of loose women with no concept of morals, willing to do anything for some beads."

There is something of a grin to her as she slips a leg around Johnny's, moving in closer with the dance. "Truly noble to brave such threats."

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
Cassie is still eye-rolling pretty hard at all of this, but the situation ends peaceably. No more stream. And no one punched through a wall!

Of course, the end of her online shenanigans means she actually has to engage with the real world a bit more. Woe is her. Until now, she's mostly engaged with the gathering on behalf of that on-the-spot fashion show. She picks up there, looking after the idol of her Storm stans as he dances by in Madelyne's company. And she overhears just enough to look annoyed that she DOESN'T get to put it on her stream. "Ugh. 'Why any of you date men at all?' That's like, pure Amazon propaganda clickbait."

After that, she looks a little, well, lost, before spending a moment trying to figure out the bead situation. Not to GET them thrown at her, she's figured out the 'shake it' part, but well, how exactly this whole thing pays for charity. So she's asking one of the bouncers now trying very much to get AWAY from her, "So we buy them and that-" It's not rocket science, Cassie. "No, but like, eventually aren't people just throwing them back and forth? Isn't that like a closed loop?"

Perhaps, the answer to her prayer comes in the form of... Cain Marko. Appearing, with a big old meaty fist full of beads, which he shakes at her. In response, she gives him the most... dull, uninspired look one could possibly imagine, at his proposition. "You're.... serious?" She gives a long pause, several empty beats. "Nah, I'm good. I can buy my own." For what nefarious purpose?!

Cindy Moon has posed:
"The Gross national product of the Greek States." Cindy offers as a potential conversation, but she's fumbling her hand out to grab for the newly delivered drink. Lifting her head to drain it as quickly as she did the first. Just in case she chokes again. She can't trust alcohol in this place, it's out to god damn get her.

She is, however, glad to have the familiar presence of Divine hovering over her in her pitiful state. Embarrassed? Maybe. She sputters down towards the floor, resting her forehead on the bar, gently rubbing it back and forth. "Yes, I do..." She says in a hoarse croak. Asked nobody.

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
"Oh, I am not sure that I have any pull here, as a mere engineer," replies Sebastian, with a bit of a grin. "One would have to be a CEO, titan of industry to have any real sway." He leans in towards her, laughing softly. "I just know the best way to bribe the DJ to get beautiful women to spend more time on the dance floor with me."

Her ballet performance concluded, Sebastian slips an arm back around Kitty as she returns to dance close to him, laughing softly and with a shake of his head. "Oh, I am but a simple man, and thought this costume would be the best showcase for my talents." He laughs again. "As far as Connie Nielsen, as good as that is, I have to hand it to the Devil's Advocate. One of my personal favorites." A grin follows that, and then he leans in to murmur something in her ear that cannot possibly escape beneath the oppressive sounds of the music.

Tabitha Smith has posed:
Cassie not wanting to 'earn' the beads Marko is offering gets a grin and the red leather clad blonde is intercepting the man and adjusting her own mass of beards to show the man the goods and lilely spare Sandmark any loss of perceived dignity.

"Cass. It's just a play on the old NOLA Mardis Gras tradition. That's just straight up just flashing for beads and free drinks. There's no competing unless like tee shirts get wet." Tabby explains with a playful tone and a sip of her own drink, clearly not having to worry about how much her bar tab might have cost here normally.

Hips still roll and muscles flex with them and put those abs under tension against the buckles that constitude that corset instead of standard laces.

She does look around and check that there isn't actually any wet teeshirt contests. But that ship might have sailed for her any anyone else as functionally topless as Tabitha,

Cain Marko has posed:
Cain's brows draw together a little. "Well, yeah. I'm serious." Well, it's certainly not the most enthusiastic response he's gotten tonight. The topless supermerc squints at her a little more, then grumbles. "Fine." It's not like he can make her flash him! Though it seems that he has more luck with this other attractive blonde. He smiles down at her as she shows off her bombs, nodding his head. "Those're great." Then he drapes several beads around her neck, and lightly flicks her nose with a huge finger. He puts the remaining beads back on his wrist, and decides to head for the bar again. He had a bottle before. It seems to have disappeared at some point. Pushing through the crowd like an icebreaker on his way there, and again just reaching for what looks expensive himself and ignoring the bartender. He sips it then calls out loudly, "Anybody that wants a few beads can come find me!" There. That should draw 'em in droves. This is so much easier in New Orleans! The fact that this is for charity, or that money is in any way tied into the beads, seems to have flown well over his head.

Brick Bardo has posed:
     His descent stops and Brick lets out a sigh of some relief as he realizes the glass is no longer shifting. Relief he probably wouldn't be feeling if he could see the look on Neena's face, or at least that of her eyes right now, hanging behind the bar putting her a bit out of sight unless she leans over. Luckily her tone of voice is there to clue him in to the fact that the wicked looking woman who hangs out at hedonistic parties hosted by villainous cabals may not be as nice as he thought. He knows that tone, and everyone he'd ever heard use it on his home planet he was pretty sure he either locked up or shot. "I'm an idiot," he whispers too softly for anyone to hear but the telepaths, clunking his head against the beads in lieu of a wall. He tries climbing up but even when she's holding the cup still the smooth beads still roll around the rim of it when he applies his weight making it impossible to make any headway and he quickly gives up and takes a proper deep breath.
     "Hey look you don't even need to think of it as a rescue, I mean this is another set of beads for the collection right, isn't that the whole, thing? Just give a lift so I can hop off and you get your beads, win-win sounds like to me. We all go home happy," he tries to reason with her as the necklace shifts again warranting a wince. He was almost hanging under it now like a sloth on a branch and the round beads and razor thin string, little more than fishing line running through the middle of them, neither made for a comfortable or easy hand-hold.

Johnny Storm has posed:
Johnny Storm raises an eyebrow, "Grace, huh? Well, your'e certainly graceful, I can't deny that," he says. His hand catches her thigh when she hooks a leg around him and he gives one of those spins where she can lay back and sort of let him catch her weight, twirling her around for a moment before dragging her back up cheek to cheek with a sudden jerk of his strong arms. His powers may not be super strength, but he's clearly been hitting the gym.

"I rather like the environment, but I'm a notorious degenerate, you can ask any tabloid reporter or loser on Twitter. Although I never get much hate on Instagram. Probably all the gym selfies."

Divine has posed:
"The what?" Divine asks Cindy as she slams another drink like it's a sip of water. "Sweetie, I'm going to have to carry you home, aren't I?" She sighs, but it's not exactly disappointment or resignation. It's very good natured and sweet, the kind you give when your favorite person in the world has had too much to drink and you're going to have to carry her home.

Clearly, she has no problems with this.

"And you didn't bring a coat, so you're going to be so cold on the flight." Her second drink arrives, and she drains it in half in one go. Cindy is winning this race, but Divine will get there eventually. Hopefully after they're home and wrapped in blankets.

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
Tabi-boobs, to the rescue!

Really, though, she takes the whole thing in considerable stride, and less giddiness than one might imagine, considering her online chatter earlier and general level of high-strung peppiness. And no further ill-will toward Marko, other than that pretty clear refusal. Probably doesn't hurt that Tabitha sweetens the situation.

"Nono, I get it, the whole, tits out, pelted with hard objects for a reward part," she echoes back at the other, rather similar-looking other young blonde, with a casual ease that acknowledges their familiarity. "It's fun in the way throwing money at strippers is fun. I just mean the economics of it are a little weird. Like, it's to raise money for charity, so we buy some beads. And they give that to whichever group, or steal it all, whatever. Then I have beads. But then what if I throw them at YOU? There's no cash transaction there. Now everyone is throwing beads at each other, so... doesn't it become kind of circular?"

She's probably overthinking this.

"I think they'd make more money if they did it different, is all." She should know. She has that 'second channel.' "And honestly this is less boobs than my average trip to the Amazon baths. Anwyway, so, uh, right. Gimme some of yours?" She waits a moment, and then flashes Tabitha, rather nonchalantly. "I need 'em for something." And she seems to think the 'inter-boob bead exchange' is more economical.

Madelyne Pryor has posed:
There is a soft gasp from Madelyne as his hand catches her, and then as she is spun she lets herself fall back, complete trust in her dance partner. Her body stretches out from the spin, hair flowing in the breeze, until she is brought up short, molded against him.

It takes a moment for Madelyne to catch her breath, her arms reaching around Johnny's shoulders to cling to him. "At least you're a sexy degenerate." she murmurs. "It would be a shame for you to be a repulsive one."

Neena Thurman has posed:
Neena hums out thoughtfully, but it's really less than three seconds from Brick's rationalization that this is just getting /more/ beads, before she's drawing the glass back steadily to ratchet the dangling spaceman up from hanging behind the bar.

By the time she's got Brick raising up to level with the bar, she's bent over, chest pressed to smooth wooden surface, and that glass is nearly nestled somewhere /terribly/ lush and tightly pressed by the pressures of bartop and buttoned jacket.

She doesn't really consider how this might look to onlookers. Possibly like she's planning to work out some sort of /entirely/ impractical bodyshot challenge.

Which, really, does seem to be par for the course for a Hellfire party. Maybe she'll come up with something in time for the next one? Hellfire Arbor Day's got to be a real hoot. Maybe it's owl themed. Owls lover trees.

Those eyes are intently focused on the far edge of the bar as Neena hums out cheerily as she waits for Brick to clamber atop the bar to safety. Or at least, out of the danger of falling behind the bar.

Cindy Moon has posed:
Cindy waves her fingers up at Divine, fumbling until they land on her shoulder, pulling herself to lean against the Kryptonian. Fingers curling into a tiny little fist, at least compared to the bigger woman anyways. Then slumps against her suddenly face burying into her neck. Body going rigid, looking like someone who is fighting to keep from evacuating their soul onto the bar top after one too many quickly consumed alcoholic beverages.

Her other hand comes up and slaps the bar, fingers spread and splayed out... grabbing for her glass. Does she have another drink? It lands on the empty one and squeezes. Then shatters in her hand, ice shooting up between her fingers to slide across the surface of the bar when she reflexively opens her hand quickly to keep from cutting herself. "Damn, shit, damn...Divine.."

Eyes roll towards the bar. "I think we should get out of here.. Im feeling way way too.. uh..." Her head lays against Divine, shivering. "Drunk.."

Johnny Storm has posed:
"Well, I'm no judge of your character, but you're certainly sexy. You'll just have to prove the degenerate part to me along the way," he says with a grin. He moves her easily, keeping her body pressed tight against his and if his hands aren't entirely PG-13 in their movements, well, he's good at hiding it. He may not be a drunkard anymore, but Johnny definitely has a libertine streak that you might expect from somebody who's been in the public spotlight and the belly of the fame beast for twenty years.

When the music finally slows, he gives her an additional twirl and smiles, "I'm afraid I don't drink anymore, but we could always have a cigar?" he says with a grin. "Or what do people do nowadays for a nightcap? A hard seltzer? A vape? I've never vaped," he says.

Tabitha Smith has posed:
Mention of the Amazon Baths gets a grin. "Less men though. But that might be more a seeling point for me. I mean I've been in the showers at the embassy after a training workout." Tabby points out playfully to the other young blonde woman.

"I never stripped. For cash at least. But I've tipped plenty. And I am amazing at lapdancing." she adds and chuckles.

With Cassie letting Tabby see the goods, there are beads give. There's a few beads handed over as if Miss Sandsmark was actually earning medals. so dignified despite being so exposed. Again there's a few lines that look more like they shouldn't around necks. Those are the ones that seem to rattle inside when they shake. Makes an interesting percussive sound. "You can always suggest taking some of the Amazons to New Orleans next year. Cultural exchange. See how Diana goes in this kinda sitch!" she suggest with a giggle.

Madelyne Pryor has posed:
There is a deep, throaty laugh as Johnny challenges Madelyne. "Accepted," she says, with a broad grin, as the two continue to dance. Thoroughly acceptable, or as thoroughly acceptable as any other dancing is in this place.

She accepts the twirl, and then spins back close to Johnny. Her free hand reaches up to brush some hair away from her forehead, and she shakes her head with a laugh. "I don't smoke. All kinds of bad for you." She pauses for a moment, thinking at Johnny's offer. "How about taking a girl for a flight?"

Divine has posed:
Divine's eyes widen slightly as Cindy goes so rigid and tense, but her expression beyond that is hard to read. It's not embarassment. It's not negative at all. There's just the tiniest curl upwards of the corners of her black stained lips. Enigmatic, which might be kind of a shock, given how much the tall woman wears her heart on her sleeve and is, more or less, just a giant cinnamom roll.

She does flinch when the glass bursts in Cindy's hand, immediately looking for any sign of injury. First with Normal People vision, and then focusing down, looking for tiny shards of glass. Luckily, Cindy's reflexes are better than even hers, so there's nothing. Breathing a sigh of relief, she looks down at her, face buried in her muscley arm.

"Yeah. Let's get you home and hydrated. You've had quite the evening."

The tall woman, not one to waste, finishes her drink. It's okay, she's still alright to fly. She shifts, moving to turn away from the bartop and starts to lead Cindy out. Sure, they didn't win the competition, but that's fine. She gives Neena a nod on their way out before leaning down once nore to kiss the top of Cindy's head before whispering again.

Brick Bardo has posed:
     There's no answer from above but Brick can feel the necklace shake and shiver, tightening his hold as Neena goes about securing it in the least practical way possible, pulling him up a few inches besides. A moment to realize the necklace is no longer moving but seems to be secured tightly at last. Still making him climb but, well at this point he couldn't complain. "Right, thanks," he dryly calls up, not about to heap on the praise TOO much as he shimmies his way up the ridiculous necklace, still more work than it looks as round beads make for terrible handholds. Finally though his tiny hands pop up over the bar's edge and his face follows up soon after, face scrunched up with effort, failing to notice at first the view until his head tilts up.
     He nearly plummets back right then and there and Neena gets the pleasure of watching him flail in a panic as the shock of seeing not only her mammaries squished tightly to the bar but her face looming close enough to see his reflection in her eyes made him briefly forget about the whole holding on tightly thing. He manages to just catch his fingertips on the bar's lip though and again pulls himself up, his face red. With effort, purely with effort. A few grunts signal at least SOME truth to that as he shifts about and remains seated, briefly pulling a hand down across his mouth, shooting looks between her canyon of cleavage and her devilishly amused face.
     "You're a dangerous woman aren't you?" he finally bluntly states. One got the sensation he wasn't even talking about any combat skills she had.

Neena Thurman has posed:
As Neena awaits Brick's ascent, her lips quirk in a broader grin as that posture has its intended effect... which is to say /shock/ the little guy, not send him tumbling off the bar. She had a hand ready just in case. Her eyelashes flutter behind that masquerade mask as she hums out softly, "Me? Dangerous?! Oh no. Nononono. I'm fun. Like one of those roller coasters at a traveling fair. I /almost/ certainly probably won't send you careening to your doom. And even if I do, well, that's the risk of getting on the ride isn't it? I wouldn't think a guy with a flying bike would be risk averse!"

She sighs out and pouts, "And I'm hardly dangerous at all tonight. I figured they'd be upset about me bringing any heat. And really, despite matching the neckline, this outfit is somehow /harder/ to hide a gun in than my work clothes..."

She tosses a wink. "Neena. Domino. Mercenary of many talents." Sure, it's a masquerade and the option of anonymity is there, but sometimes you save a guy from falling to his doom. Sharing first names is the least you can do then.

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
Hindsight being what it is, it turns out 'flashing' is a little less practical in Cassie's dress, which doesn't pull 'up': she'd either have to untie it at the shoulders to drop it, or choice B, which is what she goes with, a kind of 'pulled to the sides' approach. Which means that after receiving her due reward from Tabitha, she needs to spend a few less graceful movements 'tucking' the gals back in, and then shuffling things around again until everything is in place.

"It's hit or miss for me. Really depends on the dudes," she remarks, somewhere in there. "I can definitely pass on a lot of the old school skeevy vibes in here, but..."

Inevitably, she ends up searching out Johnny and his partner in the crowd again, up-nodding in their direction to direct Tabitha's own attention. "Banging one out at a couple thousand feet with a slab of beef like that, which I suspect is imminent? Worth."

Despite whatever eye-feasting she's doing, that's as far as it goes. She has her beads, but that literally hot beef is taken, and she has another plan. "I think if I brought my sisters to something like this, they'd either declare war on humanity or... well, it'd look something like this."

Suddenly, the blonde is striding forward into the crowd. Well, not just anyone in crowd. She's aimed at a few well-attired gentlemen, who haven't been quite so loud or boisterous in their bead-slinging. In the same motion, she whips loose her rope belt (fortunately it proves not to be the only thing holding her dress in place) which is now revealed as her lasso. "I've got a different offer for you maggots! You know who you are. You gimme your beads, and exchange you get to worship at my feet!"

It may seem like she's totally missing the point at first, except... this IS the Hellfire crowd, and uh, you'd be surprised (or not) at how many dudes want to be on the other side of that whole BDSM vibe. "If you're lucky, maybe I'll let you kiss my sandals!"

Brick Bardo has posed:
     "That bike has shields and inertia dampeners, I barely know I'm moving when I'm riding it. My landings just need work..." Brick admits with a shake of his head and a glance towards the ceiling, though even he can't find it lost amongst the decorations draped every which way. No alarms on his remote though so it was up there. "Anyhow told ya I'm Brick, Brick Bardo. Sheriff from planet Arturus. And don't you worry, I brought enough heat for the both of us and then some," he assures her with a wink. Other men at this point would probably grab their crotch. Brick opens his coat a bit but before things turn lewd there is in fact an actual gun holstered to his side. He's 4 inches high so the gun is of course the most adorably tiny little firearm one could ever hope to see and is hard to imagine it being able to do more than down an insect, and only the smaller ones at that. Brick however gives it a pat as if it actually makes him feel more secure before letting his longcoat flap close again over his bare chest. "Seems the party may yet be winding down though. Listen Neena hanging out with you is clearly no good for my health and obviously I'm more useless than most men you've met, so how about we exchange some numbers?" Brick approaching things with a blunt honesty.

Tabitha Smith has posed:
Tabby can only giggle when Cassie possibly bites off more than she can chew in her quest for beads.

The possible stampede Wonder Girl might face could likely trample her instead of offering to do the opposite.

Pfft sounds escape her lips and she giggles. "Shit I could have done that for her with or without the beads. Least I know what I'm doing." she states and grins as she finishes one more drink to go back to dancing the night away and slowly gather as many if not all the beads she can manage.

Most of them might already have gone to other ladies and a few, men.

She does drop a couple more on Cassandra on the way. "Stay safe, and I don't mean physically. I can practically smell some of the skeev. Let alone feel them in my brain." she encourages making sure one blonde doesn't get hurt, at least mentally while Tabby dances on.

Neena Thurman has posed:
Neena frowns thoughtfully at that offer of exchanging numbers... and lean over the bar to grab a marker and a slip of paper. This may in fact act like an eclipse for Brick. Two eclipses even. Astronomy is fun, kids.

She settles back and sighs out, "I think I'm going to have to take your number, and just /tell/ you mine... I didn't bring a phone. And I don't think I can write small enough to give you like... a business card you won't be using as a... ramp? Roof for a lean-to?"

She shrugs helplessly and grins crookedly, "And hey, we are definitely going to see how that gun shoots. I mean, it's not all about having the biggest cannon on the field, pal. You gotta be able to hit what you aim for, and not worry about taking your shot."

She rattles off her number.

Sure, it's just /a/ number, but Neena's really good at reaching into her bin of burners and grabbing the right one when one's ringing. She's sure she'll catch Brick's call when the time comes.