15009/Meeting Monet

Meeting Monet
Date of Scene:	26 May 2023
Location:	Lily Anne's Lounge - Hellfire Club
Synopsis:	Aurora runs into new people at the Hellfire Club, and learns that some powers are really fearsome.
Cast of Characters:	Jeanne-Marie Beaubier, Monet St. Croix, Maynard Tiboldt, Quentin Quire

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Jeanne-Marie Beaubier has posed:
With most of her work for the Count of Monte Cristo movie about done, Aurora has been getting more free time lately, which means more chance to lesuirely linger about the luxuries afforded by the Hellfire Club. The fact she can even be a regular here is quite an achievement for her.

Today she's dressed in a white summer dress decorated with lemon prints, to contrast with the white, cinched tight about her waist with a ribbon tied in a neat bow at the back.

She's sitting with her back facing the bar at the head of the U, looking at the entrance so she can survey all who enter.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
The movie is something that hasn't particularly interested Monet. It's just one more remake of something that's been remade a hundred times already. There's no new ground on it, mainly those that want to do something recognizable and get that minimal attention. One might as well do Romeo and Juliet but do a punk version for all she cares.

She enters on in, arrogant, looking like she's the most attention getting person in the place and expets service like a queen

Jeanne-Marie Beaubier has posed:
Weirdly enough, in the Hellfire Club, that expression and attitude exuded by Monet is rather the norm, so when Aurora notices her, she doesn't make much of it. She does, however, in a friendly gesture raises her flute of champagne towards the newcomer. No harm in acknowledging someone, right? After all, anyone in the VIP lounge would be considered a VIP, no?

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Everyone here is high class - as far as M is concerned, she's the highest class of all.. But plenty of others might disagree (and be quite able to get away with it in honesty). She would glance over at Jeanne-Marie, "The model, correct?"

Jeanne-Marie Beaubier has posed:
Aurora puts on a big smile when Monet recognizes her, meaning she must have seen her on a magazine, billboard, or maybe even snippets from the movie production. Either way, it always felt nice to be recognized, especially in this place where most noses are way too high in the clouds. "That's the one! So nice not to be mistaken for one of the girls who work here, haha, I imagine you're a business woman?" It's a guess Aurora makes because a wide majority here always revolve around business. Emma Frost likely the worst offender of the lot.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would go to shrug, "Oh, if you're one of the girls that work here I'm sure that you'll go quite far." The Club does a good busienss with teh elite, after all. M's tone is actually non judgemental on that! It's the way that one gets ahead in the world - one uses whatever asset they can.

Jeanne-Marie Beaubier has posed:
"Oh, no, no, no, no, no!" Aurora gasps as Monet seems to have misheard her, "that's not what I said at all, I don't work here, I'm a guest. I have a membership card, same as you?" She looks around hoping nobody heard Monet and therefore made assumptions about her, "I ama model. Though I hope to transition into acting, if this Count of Monte Cristo movie will do well..." she crosses her fingers and grins.

Maynard Tiboldt has posed:
On his many travels across the globe Maynard Tiboldt has seen many bars, but it was rare to find a bar themed around the Speaks of the 1920s. As Maynard walked into the bar he tugged on his suit's collar with a grimace. He hated wearing formal wear that wasn't his ringmaster uniform, but he had no choice in the matter if he wanted to get in. As he walked in one would notice he was holding a few poster in his arms, which he began to hand up in select positions in the bar. If read, they would say

COME AND SEE TIBOLDT'S CIRCUS OF WONDERS! SEE SUCH ACTS LIKE THE MAREVELOUS KUBUKI TWINS, BRUTO AND JAKE BAKER. THE STRONGEST MEN IN THE WORLD! AND MORE!"

Maynard had made a deal with the bar to allow him to hang ads in exchange for a fee after his cicus had ran a few shows, which Maynard agreed to pay. As he hung up the posters he began to hum March of the Gladiators to himself.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod over at Jeanne-Marie, "Ahh. That would make sense. I'm sure that someone with your talents would have the capabilities to go higher up the ranks here if that was something that you would wish to pursue. And my family is a LEgacy here." B y which sehmeans she was born into money.

Quentin Quire has posed:
Quentin Quire hangs around in questionable places. Some of them onlyb ecome questionable once Quentin is there. He likes being a disreputable savage - disruption is his game, after all, and the more he makes people uneasy, the more they question their reality, the more the status quo breakas down like the brittle overbaked cookie that it is.

Mmmmmmmmmmm, cookies.

He has a dirty martini, floating idly in the air beside him, along with two cellphones orbiting him like the rings of Saturn, operated telekinetically. He sees Monet and calls out, "Hey there, perfect. Sup?"

Jeanne-Marie Beaubier has posed:
Aurora gets distracted for a moment when Maynard walks in with his posters, blinking a few times, before sipping from her flute. "Now this isn't something you see every day," she comments quietly to Monet. "What does that mean?" She asks when Monet mentions her family being a legacy, clearly not well versed enough in the club's lingo to understand it means Monet is old money which should be respected more than most.

She then takes pause, pondering what Monet just said, "well...I don't think the club produces any films or modelling shows, does it?"

It's when Quentin makes his entrance that Aurora's attention is stolen completely, "oh la la, check that hair out!" She doesn't shy from complimenting Quentin aloud, "pink, on a guy, and a mohawk? That's hot!"

Maynard Tiboldt has posed:
As Maynard hung up the last of his signs a feeling of satisfaction flowed through his body. It felt good to get the word out about his Circus. After all, more people meant more money, both legally and when he inevitably hypnotized them all. Maynard grinned at the thought as he plopped down at a bar stool a few seats away from Jeanne and said,

"Give me something stiff. I am in a good mood, whiskey perhaps?"

Monet St. Croix has posed:
As Quentin goes there, M's shields go to automatically snap up to full power. She doesn't trust the other, likely very powerful telepath. Likely one's that power is significantly higher than her own. So she's on full mental guard about him - the sudden shift in her mentality can be picked up if one can scan it - or just by the sudden tenseness in her posture. "Quire." She would reply over to him.

Glancing over to Jeanne-Marie's reaction, she would let ou tan internal sigh. Ah well, one had to tolerate some things. Her thoughts on th woman aren't obvious.

But then over at Maynard with a grumble in a 'who let in the riff-raff type'.

Quentin Quire has posed:
Quentin Quire feels Monet's shields go up and sticks out his tongue at her, "Rude. Just because I have a history of invasive telepathic prodding. You mind control fifty people and suddenly you're the mind control guy. Tsk tsk," he says with a playful wink.
"I woudl never attempt such a thing with you, of course," he says, casually walking over and moving to plop next to the pair. "Don't know if I know you," he says to Jeanne-Marie, "I'm sorry if we met before. I generally have perfect recall but sometimes I delete things for storage space. But I don't think I'd want to forget you," he says, eyes hidden behind shades.

Jeanne-Marie Beaubier has posed:
"Is that thing yours...?" Aurora casually asks Maynard as he sits down not far from her to make his order, she's never been to a circus, and certainly haven't met anyone who actually worked at or owned one. This Hellfire Club is full of surprises and special people indeed.

Utterly oblivious to powers, aside from Quentin rather openly flaunting some telekinesis, she really hasn't the slightest of how she vexed Monet. Or how little Monet thinks of Maynard. Instead, Aurora is mostly focused on the guy she complimented for the fire hairstyle. But being focused on him, she also picks on his exchange with Monet, "...y-you can control minds?" She gasps in awe, as if the telekinesis display on its own wasn't impressive enough. Well, to be fair, mind control is a very scary concept.

"Name's Aurora, you may have seen me model? Perhaps act?" She has been starring mostly in tabloids, but has had successful modelling campaigns too, along with some notorious and rather risque unique short superhero films. Not very mainstream though.

Maynard Tiboldt has posed:
Maynard heard Monet grumble to herself when she looked at him and, for a second, a dark look fell over his face. This woman reminded him of all the other who had discounted his Circus and, as a result, nearly ruined him and his Troupe. He suddenly heard a more polite woman ask him a question. He turned to her with a smile that oozed charisma as he said,

"Indeed I am, my dear. Maynard Tiboldt is the name, and I am the Ringmaster of Tiboldt's Circus of Wonders." He suddenly looks more solemn as he adds,

"My family has been running it since the 1930s in Austria."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
They had to let eveyrone in. Including the.. Oh well, nevermind. There was always a market for children's entertainers after all. Monet's face goes back to smoothness. "I do hope that your business has been steady. The last decade or so has not hit the business well." Since Ringling Brothers had closed some years back after all. Things hadn't been the same.

M goes to not approach the man but moves to the side to let Jeanne-Marie speak to him without her being in the way

Quentin Quire has posed:
Quentin Quire grins widely at Aurora, "You're right. Elle, three months ago, right? I don't keep up with the fashion mags the way I want to - I'm still a bit ticked off about not being invited to the Met Gala, like, it's made for me, come on, I think it's anti-mutant discrimination honestly. You're very good, by the way. Cheekbones, legs. Something in the eyes," he says.

"Monet, you exquisite banshee, have you considered modelling? Or are you just too rich and don't need the adoration?"

He hears Maynard describe himself and laughs, "Ah, circus people. That explains the smell."

Jeanne-Marie Beaubier has posed:
"Look at you Mr. Charming, you ever done modelling?" Aurora asks simply because she recognizes a professional smile when she sees one, lord know she worked hard to get hers. "Marketting perhaps?" She offers an alternative as well, apparently some people think modelling isn't good enough in these parts. "How exciting! I never been to a circus before! You have animals and everything?" She asks while exuding curiosity and interest. "Austria!? Wow! That's so far away..." she notes as if she had some understanding of where Austria is, which she likely doesn't.

Aurora smiles at Quentin, giggling a bit at his mannerism, he's certainly a character that stands out, "I'll give you that one, your hair is straight fire, you'd do very well at the Met Gala, for sure."

When Quentin compliments her in turn, Aurora looks a bit enamored, "why thank you for noticing! People say it's a gift, but it does take work to maintain beauty you know." Looking aside at Monet, Aurora squees, "oh, that is such a great fit, she looks amazing! She could definitely get hired in a second."

Maynard Tiboldt has posed:
Maynard turned to Monet and said casually, "We are doing ok. We had to cut one of stars though. Rajah the Elephant Tamer was a popular star, but we couldn't afford to keep the elephants anymore, and activists were starting to give us flack . We also had some... disagreements with the man." Maynard's eyes darkned at that, and his look grew even darker for a moment when Quentin brought up his smell. How he wished he had his Nulltron right now.

Suddenly he turned to Jeanne and said, "But, we do have lions. Mr. Zukov is a master of his craft let me tell you."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
There's a flash of annoyance on M's face over at Quire, even as her expression goes to smooth down. She won't stoop to his level - the fact he hasn't done anything at all in the slightest hardly matters after all to the woman that is the walking ego!

"Such things are beneath me. Why should I put the time into such a banal activity?" Ooops, that was said in front of Jeanne-Marie, and a quick shake of her head would be given over in apology. "But htank you." Vanity soothed over with the compliments, smugness returned.

Quentin Quire has posed:
Quentin Quire grins, "Not Mr. Charming. Quentin Quire, Kid Omega, boy wonder, prodigy, disruptor, mild egomaniac," he says, by way of full introduction. "Mostly I'm a mutant rights activist. I do a lot of work with the Brotherhood, although they aren't really big on working lately. I get it, I'm lazy, too, I'd much rather be playing Zelda than trying to prevent the genocide of my species, but oh well, ho hum, must do what must do," he says.

He turns to Monet, "Because it's fun, silly. Because you get people begging for your attention and thinking about you and projecting their psychic energy into the great unconscious about how good you look in a two piece swimsuit," he says. "And you're very welcome," he says.

"Yes, well, enslaving wild animals for the amusement of children does rub some people the wrong way, Ringo."

Jeanne-Marie Beaubier has posed:
"Oh no! I'd love to have seen elephants, they are so adorable!" Aurora looks truly crestfallen at Maynard's news, "but...the elephants enjoy being in the circus, don't they?" Aurora clearly hasn't heard any activist lectures recently. "Aren't lions scary though? Do they ever attack people on accident?" Aurora asks with concern, clearly having the great Zukov's health in mind.

"It is not really banal, it's actually quite fun," Aurora offers to Monet with a slight frown on her visage at the suggestion her profession is banal.

At Quentin offering more about himself, Aurora arches a brow, truly impressed, "so you go to protest to try and bring about change? That is admirable..." but she loses the serious moment as Quentin tries to sell modelling to Monet, laughing at his rendition of what it's all about, and quips, "it is true, I do look very well in a two piece swimsuit..." and then he enlightens Aurora about the nature of a circus, and she gasps, "enslaving? Aren't the animals there because they want to be in show business?" So that's why models have those stereotypes...unless she's playing? She has to be.

Maynard Tiboldt has posed:
Maynard smiles gently at Jeanne before saying, "No need to worry, Zukov is a master tamer. He can make even the most agressive animal into a lap dog." Suddenly Quentin's latest comment echoes through his head.

Suddenly, Maynard bangs his fists on the table angrily and takes his glass of whiskey and attempts to splash it on Quire while shouting,

"I will not have you disrespect what my Family took generations to build." Maynard then huffs before storming off angrily, realizing that outburst would get him kicked out.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would just glance over at Quire, "GIven the amount of time you've spent visualizing such things, I do encourage you to bring it up with Ms. Braddock or Ms. Grey. They'll be far able to appreciate it and take it as a compliment." Oh, of course that's going to go well! "And I don't have to resort to such things." Then again, this is M. she doesn't have to lower herself tos uch things to be admired and loved! But she does very much like those, don't get her wrong.

"I'm aware of what modeling is like and I can.. Appreciate your enthusiasm for it. It's a good thing to have something that you're passionate about that drives attention towards your way. And for anything in life to do what you adore and what makes you happy."

Unless you're someone like Creed.

"no offense to your family." She would speak dismissively to Maynard!

Quentin Quire has posed:
Quentin Quire flips off Maynard, "Two generatiosn of exploitative sickos deserve all the insult I can give," he says, watching Maynard stalk off in a huff before returning his attention to the gorgeous ladies, mostly Aurora since Monet's giving him the cold shoulder. Which is what he expects. She knows him, after all.

"Well, I can't say it's entirely without self-interest. I'm a mutant, an omega level mutant at that, bound to be a target should the purges begin. Now, would they catch me? No, not in a million years, but it's still harassment and a lot of other mutants aren't as powerful as me would suffer and die. Despite my reputation, I am not entirely heartless to such things. I'm sadistic, yes, but not -that- kind of sadistic."

"So, how do you know Monet or is it one of those two butterflies pass on the same flower and must examine the pattern on each other's wings kind of things?"

Jeanne-Marie Beaubier has posed:
Aurora gasps when Maynard reacts to Quentin's words with an outbrust and attempt to toss whiskey in Quentin's face, it's no wonder Maynard's stay is cut short at the Hellfire Club. "That was rude of him..." she remarks quietly, almost to herself, looking a bit aghast. Clearly, in her professional environment, she's not quite used to such violence. Albeit to some this would be considered low-key aggression, if that. She does seem a bit shaken.

"Are you okay, Quentin?" Aurora asks with concern, before nodding at his explanation, "I have no issues with mutants, it was cool how you made everything float in the air..." he then says quite a bit, and she's not entirely sure how one can be sadistic, but just a bit, and looks at a loss on what to even say to that.

She's more than happy at the change in subject, "oh, I just saw her walk in and raised my glass at her, and she recognized my being a model...I'm going to be in a movie soon, too, did you hear about that? Count of Monte Cristo. I play the role of a seductress, ha! A bit of a type cast I guess, but it's a start!"

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would just glance over at Quentin and give a low sigh with a 'must you'? But the boy was prone to brag sometimes, wasn't he? And here they tried to be subtle.. Not that all of them followed it (and she was hardly one to speak after all)! But she would keep her face neutral over and then go to glance over back to Jeanne-Marie. "Yes, you're quite well known. I haven't seen your latest movie, but I hope that it wrapped production well?" Not that she paid attentio to such things. And a movie that just wrapped production wouldn't be in theatres yet! And it wasn't like it was a play.

Quentin Quire has posed:
Quentin has long been in disagreement on the 'subtlety' thing. The world is terrible at subtlety. Huamns are dimwits. You have to get in their face and make sure theyg et the message or they'll go back to watching Family Guy while you're being rounded up into camps. He's a proud, open mutant and anyone who has a problem with it can come get some.

No, not that. The other some. The fighting kind.

He smiles at Aurora checking on him, "Oh, always. Don't worry, I can handle fools and failures like that. Count of Monte Cristo, you say? An excellent novel. Dumas was a hero of a writer - black and queer in 19th century Francy? Come on, that guy's a pure badass."

After hearing about the meeting, he flicks his eyes over to Monet, "Oh no, did I interrupt, M? I don't mean to salt your game."

Jeanne-Marie Beaubier has posed:
Aurora looks pleased at the acknowledgement from Monet, "I appreciate it, and it's not out yet, but it will be soon...yes, there's all kind of post-production or something like that? I'm new to those terms, but at least I get free time, unless they need a reshoot." Aurora shares, not realizing that Monet doesn't actually gives a fuck.

"That's good, I'm usually not that great with violent people," Aurora admits, before smiling again, "I'm sure he was...but I wasn't alive back then to have met him. Must be cool for immortals to meet all the famous people from the past, like, maybe they didn't even know how famous they'll become, but like hundreds of years later, they suddenly see that one guy from the bar is famous? Neat!"

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would just glance over at the two and give a nod, "Do forgive me, but I have some things I have to get along to. Thank you for your time. And if the man returns, do ask him if you could see the big cats sometime." She would deadpan over at the two, and bow her head at them while going to head out.

Quentin Quire has posed:
Quentin Quire nods, 'Violence is an ugly, ugly thing. Sometimes fun! But ugly. I do much prefer beautiful things, so you're on the right track." Sure, he can make a gun with his mind, but it's not like he's psychotic. Probably.

"I've thought about applying some of my intellect towards immortality, but I fear there might be too many downsides. I get bored as it is now. How much more boring would it be to be alive two hundred years?"

Jeanne-Marie Beaubier has posed:
Aurora waves at Monet as she walks away, and turns to look at Quentin, whispering quietly, "is it just me, or was she a little bit condescending towards me? I'm sure it's not intentional...but I felt like, maybe she wanted me to know that she's better?" She does cheer up considerably as Quentin says he prefers beauty to violence, "I wish more people would see it your way, maybe the world would be more beautiful, eh?" She muses at the thought about immortality, "I never really thought about it seriously...that's an interesting point of view."

Quentin Quire has posed:
Quentin Quire orders another martini and nods, "Yeah, that's kind of just the way she is. Super rich, Moroccan, and her powers are basically that she's just good at everything all the time. Doesn't make for humble. I get it. I am something of a phenomenon myself. Supergenius, telepath, telekinetic," he says. He glances over at the waiter and his eye glow pink for a moment as he serves the drinks.

"Controlling little minds like this is easy," the waiter says with a smile. "He won't even remember it. But I would never abuse my powers," he says, then the waiter walks away.

"Don't worry, I'll tip him extra. And yes, beauty can come in many ways although I have to admit your package is pretty delightful. Or should I pretend otherwise for sake of not being effusive or too much? I'm always too much. Extra, as they say."

Jeanne-Marie Beaubier has posed:
Aurora giggles as Quentin explains why Monet is the way Monet is, "I get it, I wasn't that lucky...no super rich, or being good at everything for me..." she mopes, as if she didn't quite get Quentin was actually dissing Monet if anything. But she doesn't mull it over, when Quentin floors her with flautning his power, using the waiter to speak like a puppet of sorts. For a moment, concern is evident in her eyes, the thought that he could literally do it to anyone, so what's stopping him from doing it to her...

"That's remarkable, but also kind of scary, like...you could really make everyone do what you want, say what you want? It's like you're a god..." she then turns to look directly at Quentin's eyes, "you wouldn't use that on me, would you? I mean, I've seen nothing to suggest you're anything but a good man, but that is very scary power, I'm not going to lie..."

Good things that compliments seem to put her at ease when she grins brightly, "oh, no, no, no, I like it! Models are like flowers, and compliments are like water, I nourish off of that, ha!" She laughs, and while the waiter is there, asks for two more drinks, a pina colada for herself and whatever Quentin likes assuming he drinks.