19472/Brains and Schemes

Brains and Schemes
Date of Scene:	10 November 2024
Location:	The Public House - Hellfire Club
Synopsis:	Monet and Sage casually talk over at the Hellfire Club on current events and appreciation of finer things.
Cast of Characters:	Monet St. Croix, Tessa

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Monet St. Croix has posed:
With the current blaze of activity that had been the last few months of the X-Men's life, there had been very little downtime for the mutants of Xavier's. Here over at the Club was not a place of relaxation either. But it was a good place to get information. There were plenty of businesses, technologists, and the like which were no doubt maneuvering in the wake of the current state of the world. The Club was a very good place to keep a discrete eye on such things politely. Monet was after all not prone to the inner gonigs on of the club. She was sitting, slowly working over a meal and a good wine while using her slightly enhanced senses to listen to things that she could make out. Not using her telepathy - the Club more than likely had detectors in place which would register such a thing if done.

Tessa has posed:
Tessa was doing one of her circuits of the Club's various locales. She didn't drop into places at the same time each week - or even every week, as she would much rather get a real picture of how the various restaurants and bars were operating - but it'd been long enough since she'd dropped in on The Public House to have her sweeping into the room with her polite, professional smile in place. Her dress today had a faint nod to Sebastian's more Victorian stylings but was otherwise wholly modern, a neutral beige underlayer that hugs her chest to knees and is covered by white lace that covers her neck to ankles. Her hair is up in a simple French twist, and with the timing she's managed to hit the quieter lull between Sunday brunch and the busier-than-normal rush she expects with the next day being a holiday.

Not to say that they're empty. Indeed, there are various regulars and VIPs dotted around the room, as well as a few of the younger set she's been seeing more of lately, but her eye is drawn to the young woman slowly eating her meal. Tessa makes her way towards the woman, signaling the bar discreetly for one of the drinks she prefers and something not overly heavy from the seasonal menu as she comes to a stop. "Ms. St. Croix, it has been some time since we've seen you within these walls. May I join you?"

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Sitting there while monitoring things, Tessa's quiet approach gathers her attention quickly as Monet pauses from her food to give Tessa her full attention and moves to take her hands up to pick up her napkin to quickly dab over at her cheeks before setting it down. "Ms. Fox, a pleasure. And of course you can. I do hope that my presence hasn't been any sort of disturbance to the clientele." Etiquette as always. She was familiar with the Club mostly from the X-Men's reports and her own minimal interactions with the full members of it.

Tessa's presence likely meant she was going to be given a specific message or request. Given her own rather unimportnat standing in the world, it likely meant that she was here to be very politely told to 'reconsider' some of her behaviors here. "Might you have any particular recommendations for some wine for me to order? I'm sure your knowledge is vastly superior to my own. But please, don't have anything special brought in for me."

Tessa has posed:
Tessa's smile stretched just a tiny bit. "Not at all, Ms. St. Croix. If someone is disturbed by a young lady quietly enjoying her meal, then perhaps they need to adjoin to a different part of the Club," she offered smoothly as she took a seat across from the woman. "I simply saw one of our less frequent visitors sitting alone and thought she might be a good dining companion."

Her napkin is spread precisely in her lap seconds before two drinks are delivered to the table. "Is this one of the new seasonal cocktails Rebecca has been working on, Geoffrey?" Her words are aimed at the young man beside their table, and at his affirmative she gave her glass a careful swirl before taking a small sip. "Hm, maple and cranberry? Very well balanced as expected. Tell her thank you, and also ask her to provide a wine suitable for Ms. St Croix's meal as well as my own." That done, she turns back to the younger woman. "Do feel free to give a in depth review of the cocktail. Rebecca's been handling much of our seasonal rotations, and she thrives with clear feedback from our patrons. She's also excellent at pairing wines with meals, so she generally does the choosing for me unless I'm dining with Mr. Shaw."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod over at Tessa, "A pleasure then Ms. Fox. Thank you for letting me have the chance to encounter you. I don't believe we've had the chance to talk to one another at length before." Probably in passing at some Club functions or social gatherings, or those times Tessa came to the Mansion to assist. "It's lovely to see that the Club continues to prosper under the guidance of Sebastian and may it continue to do so." Etiquette and politeness required the giving of compliments when there was not something of importance that required discussion. And Monet was anything if formal in the rules of society.

"That sounds lovely, thank you. The establishment is very lucky then to have such a creative mixer behind the scenes. I look forwards to partaking of something that sounds so exquisite." A bright smile is given over to Geoffrey and then over to Tessa.

Tessa has posed:
"Oh, luck has very little to do with it. A creative, clever mixologist or chef is a boon for us, so I offer them the money, respect, and budget to flex that creativity without the crushing hours and awful working conditions. I'm fortunate that I was given the trust to attempt such a thing, and that we have the clientele that aren't run off by prices going up slightly." Tessa gives Monet a knowing glance. "We have not, although I do believe we might've worked adjacent to one another during the most recent mess with those Sentinels. I find them to be offensive as weaponry and bad for business on top of that, so I reach out fairly broadly when such things inevitably crop back up like a recurring illness. We can only hope that the weapon smiths trying to use such things can focus their minds on the actual global threat looming over us rather than their insipid prejudices."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod, "But all things require just a little luck. That is often what happens with experimentation. For whatever reason one finds a change in things that was not expected after many tries or refinements." Because so many times expermentation did not go with 'Eureka' but rather huh that's weird'. She would give a nod over at the mention of Sentinels, her expression cross.
    "i'm hoping that their usage will result in some.. Firmer enforcement of the Sokovia accords by reminding the signatories what they are capable of." Nodding in agreement over on the mention of 'focusing on the actual threat'.

Tessa has posed:
Tessa laughed. "That is true, of course. But sometimes luck is what you make of it. I saw a gap that needed filling and did the work to allow our food and beverage personnel to thrive. The other roles as well, although largely we have found that giving our customer service clear direction, appropriate back-up, and good pay filled that gap in quite nicely." She took another sip of the cocktail, letting the bracing tartness of the cranberry and the sweeter maple dance across her palate before she swallowed.

"One can hope for that, yes. In the interim, I'm more interested in making certain they are not harming people. After all, if such a machine can target one gene, then it can be programmed to target others as well. Gone unchecked, Galactus may not have much left to eat upon his arrival."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod, "Yes, awareness of a niche that is unfilled and quickly doing so is a sign of strong perception and acumen." In business or any other sense. "The Club has always excelled when it comes to finding things of proper taste and decorum." Well, when not playing the role of Illuminati trying to be a shadow council that ruled the world through thier influence upon society!

"Likely we're more apt to inflict enough damage on the planet from readying for his onslaught, agreed. I presume most of the major nations will first be unloading the majority of their nuclear arsenals upon him."

Tessa has posed:
"We do try," Tessa acknowledged with a tilt of her chin. "The hospitality industry can be even more cruel and unforgiving of error than other industries. It takes a solid amount of sense and the perception to know how to wield it to even make ends meet, let alone turn from losing money to making a profit. And while I cannot claim to have the ear of anyone, I do believe unleashing our nuclear arsenals in such a way would ultimately save nobody. With any luck, the people assisting various leaders in addressing this crisis will understand that as well. Perhaps such a thing would end his onslaught, but we would not survive the fallout of that. I believe we will need to be creative or redirect the being to eat elsewhere - preferably somewhere outside our galaxy and uninhabited."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod, "Yes, the hospitality industry thrives too often on driving the workers to as high a productivity for as little investment as can be managed for all the long term disruptions it causes. An unfortunate thing for those that must labor at such a level." Not like Monet actually cares for the peons however.

"I doubt that he can be redirected. Not at this point. Not with four of his servants having been on the planet and among their directives direct sabotage of things which might slow him." Not threaten, slow him.

Tessa has posed:
Tessa took another sip of her drink and nodded. "You are possibly correct, of course, though I was thinking less of asking him to redirect and simply... making it a requirement. Of course, many of these talks are unfortunately academic, and his... heralds..." her face didn't twitch, though the pause was noticeable. "They have sown much discord, likely as intended. The academic, slow-moving nature of such talks does not help, naturally, and getting an entire fractured world to put down differences long enough to really make things work can be quite arduous."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would sigh, "Yes, and all it takes is but for a small number of states to decide they must act immediately and aggressively to his presence and to launch, which in turn will have all others piling on. He has too much.. Invested in here, too much energy and interest set to be so displaced."

Tessa has posed:
"Indeed. We are so often our own worst enemies against bigger threats, choosing our petty infighting and one-upmanship over even a temporarily united front. Much will unfortunately depend on the election, as we will either be working with a known entity or a... lesser-known entity," Tessa acknowledges. Her dossier on Lex's opponent is thick, but not all information need be spilled if it seems they will have a second term of President Luthor. Still, she's got fingers on the pulse of things to drop information as she needs to, but this is neither the time nor place to begin another round, as Shaw and Luthor are too obvious as old comrades and information from one of them - or their camps - can frequently be twisted as one or both men working for the other's interests instead. Caution and paper trails that don't lead back to the Club are far more effective.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod over at Tessa, folding her hands together. "Yes, what's the point of putting the effort into saving the world if you don't get properly credited for it? One can hardly fault a politician for making the presumption of success and ensuring that they receive the acknowledgement for it." President Luthor had consistently showcased an amazing sense of timing and acumen as a politician nearly up to his reputation as a businessman."

Tessa has posed:
"The best credit is that the world continues to spin. No longer being in legal grey areas when it comes to being treated as lesser than human could be a compelling reason as well. That does of course require trust that all parties will uphold their ends of the bargain, and we need not even look to the distant pass to see that such a thing would be... difficult, at best." Tessa doesn't outright mention Genosha, but Ms. St. Croix is an intelligent woman. It isn't the only example, but it's a glaring, obvious one.

She sits back as wine and a bowl are delivered to them, glasses being poured with silent efficiency. "Then again, I have always been fine with allowing Mr. Shaw the public accolades. He appreciates my work, the workers here appreciate my management. For some of us, the credit need not be shouted from the rooftop or blared across headlines to be felt. Others do deserve such public praise, particularly as they might be able to leverage it into that better treatment."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
That's the way it is. "Those considered.. The other are always an excellent distraction from internal problems withins ociety. All too easy to rally against. Mutants are but one of an endless cluster of humanity that has been faced with things since humanity began." Monet trusts few groups. Humans in particular were not one of them. The Brotherhood as well. "All we have to do is look to the days past. I'm sure that even the Sokovia Accords have not kept many countries from keeping updated technological designs onhand 'just in case'." Even if they were illegal to build, designs of course were a grey area if they were never used.

"Mister Shaw has always done an excellent job of navigating the currents of society and influencing it as needed. And how does the phrase go? Better to be appreciated than acnkowledged? It makes doing your job easier when you're overlooked."

Tessa has posed:
Tessa held her glass out towards Monet for a toast. "You understand. The depth and complexity of things, and the ability to be recognized and appreciated by those who do matter while otherwise staying under the radar. Tell me Ms. St. Croix, what do you do when you are not bouncing from event to event? Downtime, profession, hobbies?" It is always enjoyable to take a meal with someone that has an understanding of how things work in the world, rather than simple ideals that they demand be implemented immediately. Tessa appreciates a - if not like mind, then someone who can understand the greyscale.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would glance at Tessa, returning the toast after a few moments of contemplation. "I seek to improve myself. I pursue perfection. It is unattainable but it is a powerful drive. I strive to learn, to train, to further my knowledge." Monet simply presumed she had evolved beyond the concept of things like 'downtime' as much as Diana would seek to encourage her to do otherwise.

Tessa has posed:
"Rest, play, the pursuit of something simply for the joy of it is also important," Tessa replied quietly. "The brain and body are much like training a horse. You want to stretch and exercise and push to greater heights, yes, but never allowing the horse proper rest, food, or recovery will not make them thrive. Your mind and body are much the same. Push yourself higher, farther, yes, but do not forget to allow recovery, rest, the enjoyment of things." Her knowing gaze focused on Monet's face, tone serious. "You do not want to burn out at a critical moment."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod, "Yes, but one can also overindulge in such things." She meant rest and recreation. "An hour's meditation is the equivalent of a full night's sleep, and simple exercise can be relaxing, even if one is not seeking to strengthen themselves." Admittedly Tessa's argument was more in line with what Diana was trying to teach the stubborn woman.

Tessa has posed:
Tessa nodded in agreement. "It is good to know your limits and requirements, and to not swing wildly in either direction. I do generally have a heavily packed schedule, but I make certain to include some free time for myself, or blocked out time for something I will enjoy. A dinner, a museum exhibit, a walk through Central Park. Some weeks it ends up simply being a little extra time for a quiet dinner. I find it worth the effort." She gave Monet a small, genuine smile. "Being busy does make it rather difficult to overindulge, but I have found that making that time happen does help me keep my eyes on my goals, and keeps my mind sharp enough to meet them to the best of my abilities."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod, "Of course. I'm also sure that one of your intellect can often find things of inspiration no matter the location and the werewithal to act upon them. One must seek opportunity wherever it comes from after all. And you are correct that we are not machines, and that we do require some.. Downtime if only for proper brain chemistry."

Tessa has posed:
Tessa let out a quiet laugh. "I believe that can be true of many people, and is frequently how some of the great artists have worked. How many art museums have images of bowls of fruit or people doing work that we often see as simple and beneath us? And yet those works endure, become classics, gain the greatest acclaim. Students emulate them, find inspiration in the mundanities of their own lives, paint those and perpetuate the cycle for the next generations. You have a formidable intellect of your own, and that is part of what makes you a delight to converse with."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod over at Tessa and smile, "Why thank you. I can appreciate art and the creativity that goes into it, however I cannot claim to understand much of it in the way that a true connosieur can. But art and interpretation are very personal things. We all find deep meaning in many different things after all. And why thank you for the dear compliment. It is lovely as well for me to speak with one so fluent in so many subjects as yourself."

Tessa has posed:
"We all have different talents and appreciations. I don't particularly enjoy looking at bowls of painted fruit, but I understand why a composition or technique used might be particularly interesting to the artistically inclined. I feel the same way about a well-constructed garment and some of the lost arts used in factory lace-making. They were early punch card systems, though instead of computer programming they create delicately beautiful works of art." Tessa grinned, a wry look on her face. "There are only a few factories that can still produce them, and the knowledge, skill, and even the machinery for new parts is all quickly fading, so I do love to enjoy seeing those items while they are still being made."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod thoughtfully, "Very well. I can see to.. Some appeal in that." She allows over. "For the exactness that must be maintained. I can appreciate architecture for the work that is involved in it. The exactness that must be maintained to take plans and transform them into bulidings, whether they are meant to have broad appeal or function or aesthetics."

Tessa has posed:
Tessa's eyes are understanding when she nods. "The precision is certainly part of the appeal, yes. The craftsmanship and engineering as well." Her slim purse beeps, and when she pulls the phone from it one of her eyebrows raises slightly. "My apologies Ms. St. Croix, but there seems to be an issue I need to attend to elsewhere within the Club. Please enjoy your afternoon and evening." Tessa gives her a small smile as she stands and briskly walks towards the doors, tapping quickly at her phone. First, to get an update on the situation, and second to cover the young woman's tab herself for the day. The least she could do for excellent, well-mannered company.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod, "Of course, thank you for the recommendation for the lovely wine and the conversation. Please do pass along my fondest appreciations to your mixologist for her excellent concoction. I wish you luck in handling affairs and helping to ensure the profitability of MIster Shaw's enterprises." What has Monet gotten? Good talk and some small nuggets of information.