15375/Summer Children's Works Gala

Summer Children's Works Gala
Date of Scene:	20 July 2023
Location:	Hotel d'Arc Atrium, Gotham City
Synopsis:	Yet another boring Gotham gala
Cast of Characters:	Phoebe Beacon, Emma Frost, Michael Hannigan

---

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
Gotham City is known to be a very dour place, full of gargoyles, brutalism, and cold art deco fascades. Tonight, though, in a massive, gilt-lined glass atrium of the Hotel d'Arc, it was at least pretending to be a tropical paradise.

The red carpet was rolled out tonight, lined with potted palms in the humid, heavy Gotham summer evening on a day that the sun had chosen to shine on the city. Crowds and paparazzi were on hand for autographs from celebrities or Gotham royalty that might show up. Security was thick at the entrance, and were obviously armed, and more than a couple of Gotham City's finest were racking up overtime while people-watching.

A live band with guitars and steel drums was beating out a calypso as people entered. Fresh fruit and roasted meats were piled high on platters, and sea food prepared simply and fresh were on hand for those seeking a more salty taste -- not a beef canape in sight.

Posters on easels display the Children's Works Free Play location, where children of low-to-mied security inmates at Black Gate can interact with their parents withoutthe kids having to be in the notoriously imposing prison on its own island.

The heads of the charity are donning tropical colors, reds and limes and oranges. It might not be the best colorscheme for everyone, but the Childrens' Works are more known for their whimsy -- for the kids, of course.

And the patron of the night?

Phoebe 'Wayne' is nowhere to be found, for the moment, but that's not unusual.

Emma Frost has posed:
It's always good to keep tabs on whatever tax fraud that's going to be perpetuated by the rich and famous of Gotham. Emma's found so many creative ways to pass along ideas to her accountsants and lawyers. Gotham has some of the most inventive minds in the business when it comes to getting away with every single loophole and pushing things ot their limits. If she's lucky tonight will save her quite a significant amount of money in the long term - that's not counting of course the writeoff that she'll get on her own taxes from this and the PR of being here. And it's always amusing mingling.

IF only for all the thoughts going about. Competitors, possible business partners, stock tips.. The occasional legitimate business enterprise, even. She always makes lovely connections. Like she was in college again, sitting over in the library and picking up errant thoughts of knowledge for studying, and taking what she needed rom those passing by.

Just like old times. Amusing. PRofitable. And ther'es that girl of the hour who hasn't shown up - but Mister Wayne no doubt has the same reputation, and hte apple can't fall far from the tree.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
While live music is on site, Nick is not part of the entertainment tonight save for the random rich boy or girl who stops him for a photo. Experiencing a rare gap in his scheduling, the rockstar has managed to make some form of presence here. But hopefully this charity gala will not be interrupted like the last one in Gotham that he attended.

Hopefully.

The musician has cleaned up nice. He's dressed up. And the bright red dress shirt conveniently enough works with the theme. He has forgone the tie, not in consideration of the theme, but because he hates ties. And who really questions a rockstar's fashion choices?

Currently he's staying still, giving a closed mouth smile as he looks to the camera while one of the potential donation whales poses next to him.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Hopefully.
    Though the excitement of Phoebe's yesterday is reflected in heightened security, especially as she makes an entrance -- not from the front, but slipping in the back. She's wearing a wrap-around dress in a tropical ocean blue, complemented by the sunset-pink of her braided hair, drawn behind her and set with tropical flowers. Her usual scars and tattoos are gone, hidden beneath a veil of magic and make-up save for the elegant white circle around her left wrist. She steps lightly on silver shoes, and her ears are glittering with sparkling blue diamonds this evening -- proper, as she's a Wayne. And unusual for someone who was shot at just yesterday, she's alone.

    Holding a silver clutch that occupies her hands politely, enabling her to decline hand shakes, she greets a few of the socialites that she knows by name.

    Gotham Childrens' Works, on the other hand, is completely on the up-and-up. They very clearly list everyone's salary and their hourly pay. Other than simple office supplies, most every penny is accounted for, and they take great pride in that their patrons can enjoy such transparency.

    In other words? Fiscally squeaky-clean.

    And appropriate that Nick is posing with a whale; a laser-whale floats above the seating beset with pineapples and other tropical plant life. Someone is carrying around a giant blue and gold macaw for posing as well, who seems to be eating up all the oohs-and-aahs.

Emma Frost has posed:
If you have an issue with being shot at in Gotham, then you should move somewhere else. Gotham is wherey ou go if you enjoy misery and want company. Or if you want to take advantage of the very loose concept of enforcement and reasonable rates when it comes to ensuring the undrestanding of the local bureaucracy. There's the eternal risk of clowns but you can get that in New York and Metropolis as well. They're just more up front about it in Gotham.

The bravery of the young girl (or woman) that had gone through so much is barely over on the radar of Emma. Rich people get shot at and kidnapped. That's just the way it is. She goes to pass by Phoebe and Nick without paying any real significant attention to the two.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Once the picture is taken, the Whale lowers his hover hand as he turns to look to Nick. After a few more words exchanged, part of the conversation making mention of the purpose of the Gala and the two part ways. Nick to continue to mingle while the whale moves over to a donation table.

Spotting Phoebe, the performer gives a slight smile to the younger friend and sometimes ally when encountering the weirdness of Gotham. The story of the attack has reached his ears and there is partly a desire to go check to see how she's doing. But then there's the concern doing that here would undermine the image she's trying to project.

Eh, he can run into her later.

The performer tilts his head to acknowledge the Wayne family member. A slight glance is given over Emma's way, recollection of past run ins coming to mind but that concern for Phoebe also extends to his approach to others he may know.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "-- oh, Miz Frost -- good evening. Welcome to Gotham City. It's nice to see a little color in the city, isn't it?" Phoebe asks of Emma as the paler woman passes, looking over the tropical bright colors and plants in the atrium. "I'm glad I was able to convince the hotel to let the Children's Works use the atrium here, there's just something elegant about the boutique hotel, isn't there?" she asks, raising a hand to greet Nick Drago as the two pass, looking a little embarrassed -- and intimidated by Emma. After all -- Phoebe's from blue-collar stock, not blue-blood. And no amount of instruction from a butler is going to make up for it.

Emma Frost has posed:
There's no particular concern over in the mind of Emma as she goes on by to listen over and then speak, "Oh, they'll listen to anyone that can afford to make a down payment here dear. It doesn't take that much to give incentive to somewhere. It might be for a good cause.." Emma manages to avoid her normal 'or that hogwash' and mostly keep the implication out of her tone of voice for a change - Phoebe seems the nice type and is very enthusiastic, no need to have Emma's jaded cynicisms break her even more. "But they tend to listen to those that can make a substantial effect on their business." Not like Wayne couldn't buy the company and fire everyone that worked at the hotel after all!

"Mister Drago." Emma would give an inclinatoin of her head. "I do hope that you've had no further issues with that Italian boxer." That was a joke he probably got all the time and may or may not want to strangle on.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Ha.Ha.

...

Haaaaaaa.

Yes it appears that Nick has heard that joke plenty of times. And yet when Emma makes the comment, he looks over her with an expression seeming to indicate it's the first time he's ever heard it. "Hahahaha! Good one, Miss Frost!"

Right. Actor too.

As Phoebe upped the ante by raising a hand, Nick mirrors the action. So, smile and a hand lift. Beat THAT. Pheebs.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Oh, it is." Phoebe replies, her voice coming a little clipped. "An excellent cause, I mean." the young woman states, arching an eyebrow "Incarceration affects a higher population of people of color, not to mention the lower mutant population in Gotham City you know, and access to their families gives them reason to behave well. Good behavior lessens sentences. Shorter sentences are less tax money spent on each resident in Black Gate, and better behavior lessens possibility of injury to guards, which again, cost saving due to wages and time away from work. So really it works to everyone's advantages." she states with a small smile to Emma.

    "Besides. It's nice to visit somewhere that's not a prison." she motions to the flowers "Not like here."

    And she looks to Nick with sympathy and a wan smile.

    "I used to get a similar joke from my literature club."

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma's rich and (in)famous, she can make the joke at the expense of someone that as far as she's concerned she can buy several hundred times over. There's amusement over on her face in the way that only the hoity-toitie can manage. Emma keeps up the projection of the highly sinister, snarky, smug, and superior portrayal of herself.

"You're entirely correct, Ms. Wayne." She would refer to Phoebe by the title of her adoptive family - though that might not be quite appropriate, but Emma didn't know the girl.

"YOur cause is just and appropriate, however these sorts of functions don't necessarily lend themselves expertly to raising money or increasing the profile of them, unfortunately."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
"Well, it may not guarantee 'increasing' the profile..." Nick interjects. The target of the comment may have been Phoebe but Emma's use of overused joke has ended up pulling him into the conversational triangle. He makes a note to ask Phoebe what joke in particular was used the next time they get coffee together. "But it doesn't hurt with maintaining existing relationship to keep current donors still interested."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "I don't know, the last one they held, Captain Cold showed up --" she's delivered a champagne flute of clear, lemon-lime drink with a lime swizzle in it, and she thanks the server with a gracious nod of her head, and then looks to Emma "But he looks like he may have competition. I work hard to help the Childrens' Works, Ms. Frost. I hope you find something that brings you as much joy as helping this charity brings me." Phoebe states, not willing to play the Rich People Game, but she was honest with that hope. Everyone should find something that brings them joy and purpose.

    And she turns to exit the conversation, as one of the heads of the charity call out her name with a wave.

    Nick may notice there's a particular man sitting at the bar, wearing a very expensive tuxedo with an appropriately tropical tie eyeballing Phoebe as she walks away.

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost would shrug over then in consideration of Phoebe's statement. "A woman in my position doesn't have the time for passions and indulgences. There's a price to be paid for being a female executive, and one must be willing to pay it to take the position. The struggle is perhpas more worth it in the end but it does not lend itself to something for the side."

Emma had long ago simply traded in her heart for something made of coal that someone had crushed in thier hand, after all.

As Phoebe is called upon, Emma gives a smile over to Nick in an 'I'm completely hilarious' expression that only the hyper rich could.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
The mention of Captain Cold's visit does cause for Nick to frown slightly. He's still not sure what the hell Leonard was thinking when he did that. The guy freaking just got out of the hospital after the other super nearly paralyzed him. You'd THINK he'd have taken a break for a few months first.

Hearing Phoebe's name called out, Nick turns his head to glance that way. He looks to Phoebe, giving her a nod of farewell for the time being before watching her go.

The man at the bar was almost missed but as Phoebe moves by and the head moves in time with her departure, a brow lifts slightly. Coincidence or maybe something more?