16696/Sunny with a Chance of Rain Beau's

Sunny with a Chance of Rain Beau's
Date of Scene:	28 December 2023
Location:	Rain Beau Brite's
Synopsis:	Sunny journeys to Bunny's normal, not-heroic workplace
Cast of Characters:	Bunny Macleod, Mark Grayson, Sunny Harlow

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Bunny Macleod has posed:
    Bunny still had work, in spite of the times she was taking to keep recovering from her ordeal. And Work, for Buns, entailed playing piano at the self-styled Tackiest Piano Bar in the Bronx.

    It was like a piece of Florida Nostalgia threw up in the 1950's. A Little La Bamba, a little Margaritaville, a lot of pink flamingos, and definitely more than a sprinkling of PRiscilla Queen of the Desert.

    The place was done up in Florida Keys pastels, teal and sandy beige and the brightest goddamn neon rainbow colors they could find. People form all walks of life are within, the bouncer was a seven-foot-tall guy who looked like he stepped out of the early 90's WWF (before they lost a legal battle to a Panda), and it seems to be a pretty jolly atmosphere. The flamingos sticking out of the walls are all wearing tiny santa hats and sunglasses. The stage was set with its white baby grand still decked for Christmas.

    Beau was behind the counter, with his swirly pink mohawk and braided beard set with snowflakes and ornaments, wearing candy striped suspenders and red pants with a T-shirt that reads "SANTA, SIT ON MY LAP ;P"

    This is the bar in which Bunny has been working since she was sixteen. It wasn't legal then. It's not really legal now.

Mark Grayson has posed:
"When Bunny and I first got serious, before we got the apartment, we used to live in the basement here." Mark is telling Sunny as the pair of them are entering the bar. the music racous and loud. There's a wave to the bouncer and a smile. They are used to his presence by now. And the flowers that he brings to Bunny when she performs.

Handing them off to be delivered, he is wearing one of the shirts and bow ties that Bunny gave him for Christmas. "She still has the place, it's down the stairs over there if you want to check it out later." he suggests to her as he makes his way to the bar. "Hi, Beau!" he greets and smriks. "Bunny's updating my drip." he comments dryly. "This is Sunny. She's going to be part of the group from now on out." he explains as he gestures. "I'll have a soda. How's she doing tonight?"

Sunny Harlow has posed:
There -had- been hints that Bunny was a musician, Mark's attempts at coy secret keeping not quite enough to stop Sunny from working that much out, but that didn't mean that the blonde had known exactly what that meant and this? This probably wasn't what she was expecting.

Dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a slim-fit jacket that was almost certainly not intended to be zipped up on her form, Sunny followed along only to stop for a moment as she stepped through the door and give a little whistle. This was something -else- in the best possible way.

Mark's explaination brings a smile, a little 'huh,' of interest before she nods. "A secret lair under a bar? How fancy. Go Bunny!" she exclaims before turning her gaze towards the music and the sight of the partner in question.

Bunny Macleod has posed:
    The music was preshow. Some tech covers of songs. Happy songs. There's a monitor showing a scrolling title of "JUST THE TIPS -- REQUESTED SONGS - MARK G IS NOT ALLOWED TO REQUEST MORE THAN TWO SONGS A SESSION" along with a QR code to scan to the app. The songs tonight?
    Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer ($5)
    SUPERMAN IS MY BITCH ($15)
    THE GUMMY BEARS THEME ($25) and
    WE DON'T TALK ABOUT BRUNO (NO NO NO)($25 -- WAIT NO $30).
    There are people milling about and talking about family drama over the holidays.

    "Hey Mark!" Beau states, offering a fist-bump to Mark as he gets out a tumbler and some ice, and uses the spigot to add no-name brand cola.

    "Hey there Sunny. Nice to meet you. I'm Beau. My partner Rain's around here somewhere -- if you see him he'll introduce himself once he sees you with Mark. He's probably trying to book Bunny for New Year's Eve. You know, ever since she started hanging out with this Mark guy, she doesn't work for us as often! He must have a big Tract of Land," his eyebrows waggle "If you know what I mean."

    And he barks a bit of a laugh.

    "What can we get for you girlfriend?"

Mark Grayson has posed:
Look. You try to support your girlfriend and buy ten songs and you're gonna get banned. Or at least limited down to two songs. Mark rolls his eyes at the sign as he returns the dap to Beau and accepts the drink gratefully as he puts a pair of twenties on the bar. "Make sure she knows it's the Care Bears theme."

This is why Mark only gets two songs.

"If she wants to work New Years, she can, but I'm a greedy asshole and would want to be on hand to get her first kiss of the new year along with this one's." a little nudge to Sunny as he grins widely at her.

At least until the mention of his ... tract of land. And he gets the reaction he wanted. Mark nearly chokes on the sip of his cola, a coughing and sputtering fit as his cheeks flare with heat to rival a light bulb as he hits his chest a few times. Yes, Sunny, order a drink and save him, please kay thanks.

Sunny Harlow has posed:
Did that mean that Sunny had to buy songs too? Well, she seemed to think so as she was scrounging for bills in her pockets...but clearly was more the sort to carry a bank card most of the time. The hazards of modern life...and slim-fitting clothing!

"I'll arm wrestle you for it," Sunny offers back to Mark, a grin coming to her lips only for Beau's introduction to bring an outright laugh from the blonde whose hand quickly had to come to her mouth as the choking episode only made things considerably funnier.

Composure mostly regained, she grins at Beau and considers. "Just a soda thanks, raspberry if you've got it?" All of them could fight supervillains and save the world...but as far as drinking went? Each of them was currently underage. Go figure.

Bunny Macleod has posed:
    Yes. That is why Mark only gets two songs.

    CARE BEARS THEME ($40) - MARK G #1 the song gets tagged.

    "Maybe we should start auctioning off your first kisses since you come in here all the time." Beau teases, and he bats his eyes "I'd pay to lay one on you at the stroke of midnight." he laughs, and he gives a soft humm.

    "Well. Don't have raspberry soda straight up." he states as he turns around, and grabs something blue in a pour bottle, and hits the lemon lime button on his spigot. He fills an ice tumbler with lemon-lime soda and then adds the blue syrup.

    "Closest we got, Blondie." he states as he sits the raspberry syrupped sprite in front of Sunny.

    And the lights dim a bit.

    Mark's flowers are set by someone dressed up as Buddy the Elf on the grand piano, and the the lights dim out all the way.

    "Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome to Rain Beau Brite's Dueling Piano show. Please be warned that there are flashing lights, but not flashing performers. Any and all wardrobe malfunctions are unplanned and will be blamed on the significant others of our performers. Tips can be submitted via the QR code to suggest songs, or submitted to the bartender. But not the guy dressed as an elf -- he's Shady As Fuck." the announcer announces. "Flash photography is strictly prohibited on account that it scares the bassist. Please do not touch our performers. You will be banned for your entire miserable Beau-less lifetime. This includes Mark Grayson, who stole our main pianist. That jerk."

Mark Grayson has posed:
"Nope, only got two, and they are both already claimed. We'll figure out the order later!" Mark says cheerfully and smirks aside at Sunny. "We can do that. But if you really want to go first..." he shrugs. He won't fight with her on it. That's when the lights start to dim and the announcements start, and he gets called out. Again.

"Love you less, Rain!" he yells back towards the stage with a laugh, before he hears a chime in his ear.

'Mark. It's Cecil. We found him.'

Mark straightens in his seat, his expression darkening for a moment before he hides it behind his drink, muttering, "Where?" softly as to not to arouse supicison.

'We're tracking him over Guam in the Pacific. Looks like he's heading towards Hawai'i.'

Mark frowns and glances towards where his girlfriend is about to perform, and then aside to his the girlfriend right next to him. "I'll be back in a flash." he promises as he gets up out of his seat and heads to talk to Cecil.

Sunny Harlow has posed:
A grin from Sunny at the banter and the offered drink taken with a nod of thanks, her eyes come over towards the piano and the beginning announcements causing poor Sunny to snicker.

She had not been ready for this place, clearly.

Her eyes were on the piano and she didn't have an earpiece, so Sunny was too wrapped in watching her girlfriend to notice her boyfriend's expression, but there was an oblivious nod of agreement as she prepared to take in the performance.

"Hurry back!"

Bunny Macleod has posed:
    "And without further ado--" The Elf states from behind the curtain as the lights come up, and a piano roll starts.

    Bunny's pink hair is pulled back in a pair of spacebuns as she leans into the Microphone. "Who's that coming, from somewhere up in the sky -- movin' fast and bright as a firefly - dahdah daah da daah -- just when you think that trouble's gonna pounce, who's gonna be there when it really counts -- do the carebears countdown, and send a wish out through the air-" Bunny croons, in a very jazzy Care Bears Theme. The guitar and the bass fill in as the lights come on, and Bunny is wearing a rainbow colored sequin dress as she sits on the edge of the bench. She hasn't noticed that Mark's not entirely in the audience -- but she's glittering up on stage.

    And yes, it is a 1980's version of the Care Bears, which she is jazzing up, and the band is following along.

Mark Grayson has posed:
'What's the play, Mark?' Cecil is saying in his ear.

Mark looks up at Bunny performing on stage. She's radiant and beautiful, brighter than the rainbow that she is wearing at the moment. But he also sees her smashed up form. What Nolan had done to her. The shattered shield. The recovery. That he almost lost her, had Alura not come along...

Then to Sunny. The girl that he was quickly growing feelings for. He had seen her hurt too.

He had promised them that he would not go out alone. That he would not try to track down his father alone.

He hates being a liar.

But if he can get home and get in costume, he can wait on them. Explain the situation, and he's fairly certain he can get there ahead of them. They may have a chance.

Tonight, though? He will stay. He will enjoy the company of the two women that mean the most to his romantic heart. He returns to Sunny's side. His hand finds hers and he squeezes it. She can feel the pressure in that squeeze. Something's wrong, but it will wait.

He just wants to enjoy this moment.

Sunny Harlow has posed:
Cheers were going to be heard from Sunny, applause from the blonde and her boisterous personality making it fairly clear as the song came to an end she was here in the audience.

Beaming bright, she lifts a hand to wave, clearly intending to be spotted...just in time for Mark to return and she returns the hand-squeeze, leaning into her fellow viltrumite.

Bunny Macleod has posed:
    And the show goes on. Bunny plays jazz and pop-punk mixes and versions of songs, from a soulful 'I'll Be Home for New Year's' since Christmas has passed, to a bluesy Billie Jean and a hearty round of Hoist the Colors High to the announcement of streaming services raising their prices.

    That one she puts a tiny pirate hat on for.

    Tips pour in, voting for songs (some get auto-veto'd, and have their own animation of a leprechaun slicing the song title in half), and all and all it's a fun time had by all, watching Bunny work hard for her cash tips that help pay the bills in the small, airy apartment.