16937/Dream of Kali-formication

Dream of Kali-formication
Date of Scene:	16 January 2024
Location:	Rubin Museum of Art
Synopsis:	Johnny Storm comes across Phoebe Wayne at a fancy art show (sale of artifacts). They weirdly become friends.
Cast of Characters:	Phoebe Beacon, Johnny Storm

---

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Who doesn't love an art show and display of wealth put on by an art museum sponsored by people of questionable morals?

    OK, so most of the time art shows are kind of boring. This one happens to be thrown by Rami Weiss, a German business woman whose collection of (possibly supernatural, possibly stolen) artwork from the North of India being on display. OF course this means that there's more than a few people investigating, and others are here for the party.

    Phoebe was somewhat both. THis was an event she was permitted to wear her nose piercing to (at least the one on the left nostril, which supposedly is to help in childbirth). She is wearing a borrowed Sari, in riotous pink and gold, with long sleeves to cover her tattoo and scarred arms, and her pink hair has been pulled back and set in an elaborate pattern of sewn-together braids and waves, gold earrings dangling down.

    This is the fanciest she has ever felt, and she's worn fifteen thousand dollar gowns.

    Servers are dressed in black suits with 'Mandarin' style collars and are wandering around with small bites on plates, and tall flutes of bubbly.

Johnny Storm has posed:
How did Johnny Storm end up here? To be fair, he probably had a stack of invitations on his desk and just happened to draw this one. Or he had a friend that recommended it. Maybe he thought there would be good curry at the event. Whatever the reason, the blonde gentleman arrives stag, hands in his pockets.

Dressed in a tuxedo, it's clear is was made percisely for him, the material is the same as the unstable molecules of his costume. but somehow clsssed up a little. A gold watch is worn on his wrist with diamond cufflinks. He's smooth, polished and carries himself with the confident poise of someone that has worked these events a million times before.

Looking over at the stone statues, he pauses at one titled 'Krishna Killing the Horse Demon Keshi' - featuring the titled hero being bit while delivering a kick to a horse-wolf looking thing while what appears to be a pig is below them. "That's a mighty hi-ya there, pudgy fellow." he offers in amusement.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "It *is* a mighty hi-ya." Phoebe comments, coming over on Johnny's left. "That's one of the avatars of Vishnu, KRishna the Warrior King, who freed his people from demonic threats. Equine sacrifice was pretty important in Vedic practices." she explains. "Some people find it unsettling, but at the time they felt it was a needed thing, to sacrifice animals of great importance. Also, show of wealth."

    She gives a slight smile, "Which I can only assume you're very used to using, if you're at this afternoon's event." the young lady states with a small smile.

Johnny Storm has posed:
"Is it is supposed to be a wolf or a horse? The placard clearly says horse, but doesn't that look like a wolf to you?" Johnny offers to Phoebe after she makes her explanation, showing exactly how much she may have gone over his head there for a moment before he catches back up and it kinda clicks.

Especially when it comes to showing off wealth. "Naw. It's more my sister, right? She wants to make sure that we have a busy social schedule as well as keeping up with the various charity organizations, right? So sometimes, to get that whole charity and help thing, you have to do stuff like this, put on the stiff suit, smile for the camera. Hob nob. The whole tit-for-tat quid pro quo thing." A grin and then a glance over Phoebe as he drinks her in with sharp blue eyes that dance with hidden fires. "But let me say, you really went all out. I thought you were the best-looking exhibit here!"

There's another once-over of the woman as he offers a wink to her and offers his hand in greetings. "I'm Johnny. Johnny Storm. Nice to meet you."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Demon horse, I don't think Keshi's listed as having a wolf form, there's not a lot about wolves in Hindu mythology that I know of... but I could be wrong." Phoebe comments quietly. She's not, but she could be -- and she turns to give Johnny Storm her full attention as he speaks of his sister, her eyebrows rising up momentarily, her lips pressed into a small moue.

    "I'm supposed to be getting better at the 'hob nob' thing, but I'm afraid I come from very plain stock." she smiles, her eyes squinting closed a brief moment at the complement.

    And, hesitantly, she reaches out and gives Johnny Storm her hand.

    "Phoebe Wayne. I'm one of Bruce Wayne's." she explains herself, "And the pleasure is mine, Mr. Storm."

Johnny Storm has posed:
Accepting the hand, Johnny dips elegantly, a light brush of his lips over the back of Phoebe's gloved hand before rising back up. "Then that is one ugly horse." he admits with a small amount of amusement as he returns Phoebe's hand to her.

"Aha. Well, Bruce is definetly getting better at picking them." A casual grin towards Phoebe as he turns from Phoebe to stand next to her, looking over the exhibits and do his favorite sport. People watch.

"I've had the pleasure of meeting Bruce a couple of times. He's made a few of the Justice League fundraisers, and I'm pretty sure that I've seen him and Diana together at one."

"So here's the thing with hob-nobbing. You have to see someone and figure out what they're about. Like... see that guy?" he gestures towards one figure walking around. "Look how stiff his walk is. Totally new shoes, he's breaking them in. Probably some bitcoin baby that hasn't realized that the bubble's gonna burst."

And then there's the ladies. One of which has made Johnny and makes her way over. "Johnny Storm? Hi!" she greets brightly, a bright blonde bob on her head as she approaches him. "Why are you over here? Me and girlfriends would love to spend some time with you!"

There's a lift of brows from Johnny and he shakes his head. "Normally, more than enough of me to go around, but you see... this young woman here?" A gesture to Phoebe. "She came prepared. And I figure that I'd rather spend my time with someone prepared than someone that..." a smile. "Well, I'm sure you're sweet in your own way. Just not my appetite for the night."

Once she leaves, heading back to her friends, he blows out a breath. "Really. If you're going to come to a cultural event, at least be willing to immerse yourself a little. So. You were telling me about horse demons and the lack of wolves in Hinduism?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe looks down, her cheeks and ears darkening as Storm exhibits is shameless flirting.
    "Ah, yes, people watching is probably my strong suit." she explains, with a nod to the bitcoin baby. "That's Conner Sparring. Not Bitcoin, but NFT's. He's trying to reclaim his fifteen minutes of fame after holding and wagering against a number of bored ape and the knock-off weak giraffe. He tried to get me get him in with my 'tech bro' brother." she states in a counter-argument. "There's breaks in the leather along the heel, so I think he tried to put them on without untying them, adding to his misery." she points out, and then she gives another nod to a woman in a black sari with gold imprints on it. "That's Madam Prada. She's an art dealer who finds hard-to-acquire items."

    And she almost steps away when the blonde comes up. She's used to being shuffed off, and it wouldn't bother her in the least. As the blonde talk, she accepts a potato-and-goat-cheese-curry-filled nibble, and almost chokes when Johnny chooses to hang out with her rather than the attractive blondes.

    "You're not wrong." she swallows hard.

    "Cultural immersion with appreciation rather than appropriation is strangely difficult for some people."

Johnny Storm has posed:
"Oh. NFTs. The monkey things, right?" Johnny asks Phoebe curiously as if trying to place them. "I remember those. Sue had a fit when someone tried to do those of the team. So many threats of lawsuits. It as... amusing, really. I looked awesome as a fire monkey." A grin at that, rocking back on his heels casually.

"I got lucky in that front. We became famous quickly enough that I could just be me for a bit longer and kinda mold what I am into it. But I gotta say, for one of Bruce's kids, you've taken to it like a duck to water. Phoebe. You look the part. I don't mean the hoity toity I'm rich can't you tell part. Anyone can do that. I mean, you feel natural. Like you want to belong. Hell, give you five years, you'll be the hottest invitation in the Gotham scene. And most eligible bachelorette. And I've seen some the ladies from Gotham. Not having a feline fetish or vines is a plus." A sly little grin.

"So, what do you think the real purpose of all this is? Someone's clearly showing off. But why? I'm waiting for the speech, you know. The MLM of it all."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Yeah, monkeys, giraffes, superheroes -- all kinds of nonsense." Phoebe states in response to the NFT's. She wrinkles her nose. "It was all a money laundrying scheme in the end. I'm glad that bubble burst, but a lot of people lost a substantial amount of cash in it." she breathes out, and then looks over to Johnny as he speaks.

    "Hardly a duck to water, but thank you for the complement. I'm sure a number of the New York, Gotham, and Hellfire Elite disagree heartily." she replies quietly, folding her hands in front of her.

    "Unfortunately, five years from now I'll probably be working overnights in hospitals to finish my MD -- and between you, me, and the dosa --" she lifts the dainty item she was eating "I'm involved with one of the few people who may be hotter than even you." Phoebe replies to Johnny, and she purses her lips.

    "Prada's the one who set this all up. It's not an art show, it's a sale of artifacts. Most of these are stolen from temples and heritage sites." she states in a softer voice, leaning into Johnny's space as if telling him a secret.

Johnny Storm has posed:
"It's like the whole Gamestop thing. People want to believe in something, even when it ain't true. Damn shame. Then again, I'm a sucker too." Johnny admits with more than a little amusement. "Though I spent a few years in Sue's shoes. That helped me grow up quick, business wise. Still nowhere near as good at it as she is." And then she's going into the other elites, and Johnny considers her for a moment.

"Alright, here's the thing. You may be more like a swan than a duck, so yeah, got that wrong. Anyway. Gotham Elite. A bunch of old money that got the shit scared outta them by No Man's Land. They all know they owe it to your pop that they're still rich but they're too snobbish to admit it. Just ask them how their real estate values are." A smirk.

"Hellfire Club? They're all about the here and now and what have you done for me lately. My sister's involved in that stuff more than me, because she can handle it better. Hellfire Club is society in veteran mode. I perfer easy mode."

"Which is New York elite. Those are all your influencers, your clout kids and Tik-Tokers. A bunch of young folks that are slowly nudging the old folks out of the way. But then you have to put up with their slang and rizz, and really... I'm good. I can go where I want, do most what I want and just enjoy life."

"And hey, good on you to have a career path and a boyfriend!" he offers cheerfully at her revelations, glancing down at her hands. "Though I don't see a ring on it. And there's nothing wrong with a little light flirting if you know you're going home to get your bread buttered and toasted." A wink at her before she fills him on the real situation.

"So what's the play?" he asks in soto-voice. "Going to take them down? Need a distraction? Just waiting for the police to arrive?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe's cheeks get darker, and it's clear that she is flustered as she draws her left hand under her right hand.

    "He doesn't want the attention of dating a Wayne. High society is not his thing." she murmurs back in Robbie Reyes's defense. "Also wearing gloves. You're not supposed to wear rings with gloves unless they're marriage bands." she adds, resorting to the comfort of a brief info dump as she works out her plan.

    "Hellfire Club scared the heck out of me, and I live in Gotham." she mumbles, and crosses her arms, her head tilting to the side and showing the corner of one of the scars usually hidden under her wide black choker.

    "And I don't mind your flirts. You definitely seem like the sort of guy who if I said 'no' to..." she turns back up to Johnny Storm. "You'd be understanding about it and still think I'm pretty." she gives a slight smile, and then gives an upnod.

    "I have no idea what you could possibly be talking about. I'm *just* a useless Gotham socialite putting on an appearance at an art show." she breezily replies, though there's an uptick to the corner of her lip.

Johnny Storm has posed:
"Yeah, not everyone wants the attention." Johnny responds as he straightens up and he chuckles softly. "And yeaaaah. I've had a lifetime to learn boundries. Plus, while you are gorgeous, especially in that, you're also what... half my age? Oi."

Then there's an even more casual smile as he picks up an onion puff and pops it in his mouth. And there's a lift of his head towards a large statue with plenty of room to stand over. "We should check that out." he offers.

As they walk towards the statue, Phoebe may realize things are getting warm. Rather warm. Johnny just hums to himself as he leaves Phoebe at the statue. "I'm going to get us something to drink. Be right back~" With that, he's wandering off. Glancing around and then up, he makes sure he's in a little area of privcay and then -- a little gout of flame launches up, striking a sprinkler head.

The flame melts the plastic seal on it, sending water rushing out and it starts to spray, the rush of water triggering more and more sprinkler heads, and soon, the whole exhibit is getting a heavy shower of water as the fire alarm starts to blare and patrons start panicking as they're soaked.

And Johnny Storm? He's arriving back under the cover of the statue with two flutes of champagne. "I /suppose/ we should evacuate and let the police and fire department handle this, Miss Wayne? "

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Less, I think." Phoebe's nose wrinkles. But ages coudl be discussed a different time. She takes a deep breath, and gives a nod as the offer to check out the large statue is offered, and she accompanies Johnny, and registers the heat change.

    She almost breaks stride, because typically if someone accompanying her is getting hotter by the second, that means something *bad* is about to happen, but Storm's not the fireball with the bad temper. Actually, he's one of the nicest people she's met in weeks.

    This is odd to her and probably a sign Phoebe needs to meet new people.

    So while she's under cover, she purses her lips, watching as Johnny wanders off. She opens her mouth, she closes it, and then turns to the statue, looking up at it in curiosity before suddenly there's an awful lot of water coming down!

    Everyone else has ducked away to try and save their clothing and hair, but Phoebe's sheltered under the statue's overhang before Storm walks back with two flutes of champagne.

    And Phoebe can't help but smile, looking down as she tries to hide her laughter.

    "Immensely clever idea, Mr. Storm. We *should* get out of this before we get questioned." she replies with a grin.

    "You're the *only* person that has a fire theme that just set themself on water." she adds on.

Johnny Storm has posed:
Taking a draw from the champagne, Johnny frowns. "Watered down even before it got wet. Terrible." he murmurs, before setting the flute in the statue's hand. "Here, hold this for me." With that out of the way, he turns his attention totally to Phoebe.

"What's the point in being a swan if you're not willing to get a little wet?" he asks a quick grin before he's leading the way for them to get out of the building as sirens in the background are announcing the encroaching emergency services.