4458/Wayne Foundation Charity New Years Eve

Wayne Foundation Charity New Years Eve
Date of Scene:	22 December 2020
Location:	Downtown Gotham
Synopsis:	A lovely time was had by all, and a Happy New Year
Cast of Characters:	Lucius Fox, Kara Danvers, Harley Quinn, Diana Prince, Natasha Cranston, Stephanie Brown, Karen Starr, Terry O'Neil, Aimee Alexander, Damian Wayne, Zatanna Zatara, Nia Nal, Jemma Simmons, Tynan Ireton

---

Lucius Fox has posed:
The charity affair is in a recently renovated hall in downtown Gotham. It is, of course, typically reminisicent of the extremes of Gotham decorum; architecture and art with a beauteous stain glass scene demonstrating the founding of Gotham with the brighter sky scrapers shining through. There are paintings featuring many up and coming artists of all styles to let people move about and (theoretically) buy them which will also go to charity. There is an open bar, with the VIP guests given a wrist band so they dont have to pay but because this is a Wayne Foundation event for the New Year, it also encourages those that the charity is actually helping to attend. As such, there is no cover charge, and there are folks from all walks of life mingling with Gotham's high society. While it is no secret that this was the case, some people didnt believe Lucius would ACTUALLY allow the Riff Raff in, so there are some judgemental looks among the poorer denizens moving about, but Lucius did and has, and because he is still the president of Gotham's largest employer, and also insanely rich and well connected, there are a number of folks who came and stayed anyway. It being NYE, there are also those who move from party to party, so there is a constant stream of guests moving out and about.

Lucius Fox has posed:
Lucius Fox is himself speaking to several young high school students that will be given a scholarship as part of the program, not just for college but new equipment for robotics, computer programming, and apprenticeship degrees so that they can have a paying job immediately on leaving high school. He listens to them, and due to his social skills is better at moving the conversation so they talk more about themselves than asking him questions. Others sometimes approach, and he answers and engages but makes sure the students are given the attention he feels they deserve.

Kara Danvers has posed:
    What a whirlwind of a month it's been. It's nice though when work throws her a bone. She's an intern and a university student studying journalism but despite her lack of experience she has been writing well. It's weird for her to not be instantly good at whatever she puts her mind to. Science was always her thing.. journalism on an alien world while trying to study and emulate aliens is not at all easy. She is still trying to get it right.

    An opportunity like this, a hyperloop trip to Gotham and to attend a New Years Eve charity hobnob and then write about it. It's perfect. She's wearing a long dress for the event, a Janet Van Dyne original which she couldn't possibly afford on her lack of salary. It hugs her nicely, shiny and blue. She likes the blue for some odd reason. Her hair is down and she has a notepad and short pencil out. She should be using a tablet, but this is the way her cousin taught her and she can't shake the romantic notion of graphite on paper.

    Her eyes glance over at the beautiful artwork and the classic Gotham architecture as soft steps carry her around the room. There's plenty of time to take in the sights and interview people. She has on her press badge though - The Daily Planet - Journalist. It's important to be upfront about these things, she wouldn't want someone to think they're being hoodwinked if she asks them questions.

    Kara Danvers practically considers this a day off. A time to unwind. It is Gotham though, so she is slightly on edge. A large gathering of important people often seems to attract trouble in this city. The last thing she wants to do is annoy Batman by getting in his way if things go down.

Harley Quinn has posed:
There are a few things one never asks a clownette when she decides to crash an high-end party like this one:

One, where did she get that fabulous tux of asymmetrical black and reds? A throwback to the old harlequin suit she used to wear, with the diamond motifs as well too, but instead of it being a tight fitting suit it's a tux, even if she does break the trend from the norm by coming in high heels, again one black and and another red..

Second, VIP bracer? Of course she got those! There could always be speculation that she swiped one off someone. Which may quite well be true... But no asking!

"Heah we awhe!" She says to the young woman next to her, a glance over to Aimee before opening her arms as if to encompass the whole party. "The creamest that have evah creamed, all the fine citizens o' gotham in theah splendorous decadence and corruption gatherin' foh new year..!" it doesn't really seem as if she has too much of a great opinion on the rich folks of Gotham.

"Wayne can be okay though.., dependin' on the day! At least he nevah gave me too much o' an hard time when I was out and about in the past hittin' on his businesses..." Yep, nothing like talking of her criminal past to start things.

"Anyway, we should go mingle befoouh I get tempted ta start stealin' artwork out o' the walls..." She's kidding! Such a joker she is ..., ehehe.

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana has been involved in the arts for the better part of a century, restoration, preservation, presentation, so on and so forth. Events like this are nothing new to her, she's been to a countless number across all those many decades. Here and now she's one of many amongst the crowd, though she generally stands out in most crowds, and not just because of her unique height. Dressed in a black skirt that has an asymmetrical design allowing more of her right black leather boot to show than her left, both heeled which take her up over 6 feet in height. Her dark hair is tied back, and she's wearing a black leather jacket as part of her outfit, buttoned up, with a black turtleneck sweater underneath it.

With a drink in her hand, offered upon her arrival, Diana meanders the gala event, her eyes taking in not just the art, but also the people gathered here-in. It's quite a diverse crowd of Gothamites and tourists.

Natasha Cranston has posed:
    Part of Natasha can't help but feel galas like this are a waste of time better spent investigating her latest cases; the more sensible part of herpoints out that being publicly seen by the paparazzi in places like this is a good way to keep them from wondering where she /does/ spend most of her evenings.

    Cranston Multinational donates quite handsomely and regularly to the Wayne Foundation's causes, so spending some time networking here will placate the Board -- even if she'd rather wade through a cesspit than listen to the venalities and petty sins that coil hang around the rich and mighty like an untimely fart. Still, she has a role to play and a face to be... And in a black and silver dress with artfully understated matching jewelry she certainly readies to play it well, the only off note being the girasol ring on her left hand.

    Her smile as she greets Lucius is warm, earnest -- and surprisingly even to herself, genuine; one doesn't meet many truly decent men in this wealth bracket, but Mr. Fox seems to be the real deal. Pleasantries are exchanged, and she quickly makes way for the next guest to be greeted and heads into the hall proper to mingle.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
For the photographers and reporters out on the red carpet at the entrance, the inclusion of 'normals' has made it a difficult night at times, knowing who to shoot and who not to. A-list actor Coby Ward is instantly recognized, showing off with his Instaface model date with the killer body for the photographers to a series of blinding flashes of light as they illuminate the pair for the pictures.

The next person up the red carpet is a more difficult task for the photographers. A young blue-eyed blond woman in a striking red dress with cutouts near her neck and hips, the dress's skirt long but giving flashes of fit legs as she walks up on the carpet on her heels. (https://i.imgur.com/a8EplVU.jpg) A few cameras go off before one of the paparazzi holds up a hand before the cameras of the others to get them to stop. "It's a nobody, she pulled up in an Uber," he tells them.

They go back to talking amongst themselves while waiting for the next real celebrity, leaving Stephanie Brown's lips pressed together tightly as she walks past them. And grateful she manages it without tripping in those heels she's wearing.

Stephanie makes it to the door, taking a deep breath and stepping inside. Not the kind of environment she's used to, that's for sure. Her eyes scan the place as she steps further in, looking for familiar faces.

Karen Starr has posed:
    A charity event needs its celebrities, and through a convoluted- and best not discussed- series of social connections, the foundation arranging this particular gala has arranged for one of the flashier- if... Not as press friendly... Metropolis natives. They're oh-so-willing to appear at charity events, after all.

    This is why a few minutes after the festivities are joined, making her way in with a freshly polished pauldron, gauntlets, and boots- they do just /accrue/ grime in the daily affair of punching people into various forms of orbits on various celestial bodies- is the blonde and statuesque form of Power Girl.

    Clad in that perfect-white uniform that can be seen on the daily flying through the Metropolis skies, red half-cape flowing behind her as her height allows long strides into the party proper. Never one to turn down favors, she's plucking up a glass of some fizzy white wine, likely champagne, and a few of the party's snacks along the way, as she moves through the crowd towards the center.

    She's all smiles and happy greetings, and her height makes her impossible not to spot, so she expects that there'll be a small flock that forms of hangers on relatively swiftly- but she's here for the charity, and to socialize with the people she knows.

Lucius Fox has posed:
Lucius Fox is ever a gracious host and finally manages to mix a bit after making sure that the kids are not adrift in awkwardness or being randomly plied with booze by some of Gotham's richer and more bizarre socialites. He beams at Natasha's entrance, nods and has been with her in board meetings and recognizes and greets many of the more famous participants as he can.

Harley is ....well, let's merely say she's right about how snobbish the elite of Gotham are, and while there are exceptions there are many snoots, turned up noses and "well I never" and to her company by proxy. Surprisingly Lucius merely smiles and waves, since tonight is about the good will of the occasion and as long as chaos doesnt break out the more the merrier.

Diana is immediately recognized and mobbed by socalites trying to climb their station by being seeing near her or in a selfie as are the more famous hereoes that are publicly recognizable for who they are but like chaff in a windstorm, their conversations are about as substantive as one would imagine in such an occasion and move on. The reporters mingle or report, gossiping as much as they hastily write down the gossip, a few among their number trying to generate the problems they write about, sometimes to one degree of success or another.

For the actual Bat Family members that he sees, Lucius makes sure to at least greet them directly and smile before moving on, though the sheer number of people that he talks to ensures that he isnt any place at any given time for very long.

Its festive but very strained since the VIP's REALLY do not like not having bouncers at the doors, but Lucius gets what he wants.

The strained atmosphere lessens a little as the band, recruited from rising local talent to play a wide range of things begins to play some bluesy jazz in the back ground that has a festive ring to it which sounds like it wont work but it does work.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
AND SPEAKING OF THE RIFF RAFF---

Well, speaking of those making it from paycheck to paycheck, in comes Terry O'Neil, with the Daily Planet. This is Kara's piece, but there was no way he wasn't going to volunteer to come along to provide the photographs for Kara's words. They are a team, the two of them- both on and off the Planet. Although, admittedly, only one of them had made his identity public as a superhero.

He is dressed quite snazzily, for a change, although those with a knack for attention and who went to the Themysciran Embassy party would notice he's wearing the same outfit he wore then.

"Gosh... this is definitely high glam," Terry says to Kara, holding the camera and checking everything works, "I feel decidedly naked next to all of these dresses and six figure tuxes... how about you?" he grins.

Aimee Alexander has posed:
The girl on Harley's arm is matching her in color if not in asymmetry. A strapless red fit & flair dress falls to just above her knees while the rest of her ensemble: the short velvet gloves, the semi-opaque tights, and the pair of pumps, are all black. Her resting expression seems fairly cold, perhaps even a bit sour, though apparently the clownette's bombastic introduction is more than enough to cause a little smile to quirk at Aimee's lips

"Some of their noses are so far in the air I'm surprised they can see where they're going." She sighs, bumping shoulders with her date, before gesturing towards the bar. "Maybe you can get me something to drink first? Then we mingle? Trust me, us high society types are utterly insufferable. Even when you've had as much practice at dealing with them as I have."

Kara Danvers has posed:
    Kara's face contorts a touch as she overhears the papparazi declare someone a nobody. She turns to look and sees.. oh gosh, her friend Stephanie. She meanders a little through the crowd to intercept her, "Hi there Miss, that dress looks stunning on you. Would you mind if my colleague took a photo of you for my report." She offers her hand, "Kara Danvers, Daily Planet. Hey Terry, come take her picture, she looks amazing in this dress." She smiles warmly to her friend, even though this is a bit of a one way interaction at the moment.

    It is then, though, that Power Girl arrives and barely slipping from her mouth is the quietest of whispers, /je/. "No... not naked," she muses thinking of how long it took her to get her x-ray vision under control when she first came to this planet. "I see.. Cranston Multinational CEO Natasha Cranston, Princess Diana of Themyscira, Wayne Enterprises's CEO Lucius Fox... It'd be good to try and get a statement from them about what we should expect in 2021."

    "What do you think Terry? do we dare try and interview Power Girl too? we can use you as an in, since you're an out superhero now Vorp," she says with a playful grin. Her eyes widen a touch seeing Harley Quinn, "And oh boy it's Harley Quinn. Didn't she used to date Power Girl? Now she turns up at the same party with someone else.. I feel a trashy scoop for a rumour magazine."

Damian Wayne has posed:
     Of course, no Wayne Foundation event was complete without a Wayne there. Damian was happy (obligated) to fill the role.

  Having put on his hood Tom Ford tux, and been adequately styled for the occasion, Damian had simply meandered around the party, talking with those there, and sipping a sparkling water.

  New Years Eve it may be, but Damian was an introvert, he mainly enjoyed being left to his own devices. Luckily, he was short enough that he would get lost in the crowd.

Harley Quinn has posed:
One of those snobbish elite gets a look out of Harley. "Yea, yea. Remembah, Bobby! I know what ya did last summah!" a pause, Harley scrunching up her nose. "Well, two summahs! But who's countin' anymoouh right?!" the addressed snob, one of Robert William THE THIRD just gives the clownette a look. Surprise? Disdain? Maybe both! But then just moves away. It's good having lived so long among the dirt of Gotham to know a thing or two about it!

"Drinks it is then." She announces before giving a look at Aimee. "And hol' up. Us high society types? Did I forget sometihn'?" Considering it's Harley she most likely *did* forget something. "Should I start diggin' dirt on yoh family too?"

But then it's time to march up to the bar. On the way, of course, a greet to the host. "Lucy! Great party!" she waves at Lucius Fox in that peculiar manner of hers, a big smile on her lips before they finally arrive at the drinks spot. A quick look around.. Noting Diana all taken up by reporters. "Hey, I spot a friend. We should go rescue her soon.." a laugh, "O' course she'd be heah.."

She raps her fingers on the bar, "Bartender, a beeah foh me.. What do you want, Aimee?" eventually her eyes falling on Power Girl and she blinking once. "Hey." quite the fewer words than she used to greet the others they passed through.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
"Oh I agree, that dress is stunning. Is it okay to snap it?" If Stephanie gives the thumbs up, he'll do a quick series of shots, looking for the best and most flattering angle for the dress. "Keep your eye out on the Planet website for the pictures," he grins.

As Kara points out the different notables, he raises an eyebrow "Definitely. You'll be the one approaching them for quotes, I'm the pretty camera boy snapping in the background. I'm still kind of embarrassed about Wonder Woman throwing her tiara at me at the Titans' pool party." He leaves out the fact that then, he /wore/ the tiara.

"Oh, let's do interview Power Girl, she's formidable- I interviewed her before, so now it's your turn. I didn't get to photograph her that time, so maybe she'll let me snap her while you ask the questions."

He chuckles, "Oh yes, Harl used to date Power Girl. Sheesh that outfit is a killer... we'll have to drop by her after. We're friends, you know? She lives with my cousin." Pause. "With her two Hyenas. They're very friendly."

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown does pick out a few familiar faces. Some that know her well, like Damian Wayne and Lucius Fox. Others that would only know her in certain attire more suited for running rooftops, like Diana Prince. And, as it turns out, one that knows Stephanie without Steph realizing it, turning that whole costume thing back about on her.

Kara Danvers approaches, and she's given one of Stephanie's friendly smiles of greeting. "A photo? Oh, if you'd like. I'm not anyone famous I'm afraid though," she tells Kara and Terry in case they don't wish to waste the film. Well, space on the camera's storage anyway. When Terry decides to go ahead with it, Stephanie stands in what she hopes is a good pose for the picture and smiles towards the camera, the girl's blue eyes lighting up to match the smile.

When the photo is done, she says softly to Kara, "Thank you, that... really made my night." She gives a small, grateful grin and then lets them continue on with their job. Stephanie starts to make her way over towards where Damian seems to be chilling and trying to avoid people. He'll have time to see her coming.

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana spends the next few minutes reacting to those who approach her, sharing smiles and words with them but ultimately doing her best to detach herself. It's become a commonality at these events, so it isn't anything she didn't already expect to have happen. Dressed more casually for this even, rather than a glitz and glamor style attire, her all-black toned clothing helps her blend in with the Gotham scene, or so she hopes. Diana gives her opinion on what pieces of exhibited art she's viewed thus far to the questioning ones who approach her, but otherwise she steps away and starts to meander and mingle like the rest in attendance tonight, offering smiles and waves to those who in-turn do the same toward her.

Karen Starr has posed:
    Power Girl filters calmly through the crowd, doing the whole smile and handshake deal with each person that greets her... Until a few familiar voices start to filter in.

    Some she knows, like Diana and Terry. Some she knows well, such as Damian, and Kara. Some she has history with. This is the first voice that really gets her attention. She turns a bit, regarding Harley in silence for a moment, before she catches up with herself and responds. "Hey." she offers, a sort of stunted greeting, just like Harley's. There's almost no joviality in it, and as Terry spills the beans from across the crowd, Karen idly wonders whether the Planet -needs- that many interns, but that urge is suppressed very quickly. She doesn't realize yet that it's to Kara. The urge may return.

    "You look good." she begins, taking a quick drink of her champagne. "I didn't think you'd be here. Wasn't sure you'd want to attend something like this. Heard you, as I came in, but wasn't sure if it was coming from here, or somewhere else. Who's this?" she asks, gesturing to the woman that Harley's attending with. An arm filled, an assumption made. Power Girl, whether she can claim it's circumstance or not, here alone. It's a little telling.

Kara Danvers has posed:
    Kara's eyes widen a touch, "Hyenas?" She waves a hand, "I don't even know what to think about that right now." Then again that does sound weird for humans but not so weird for Kryptonians with their zoo of weird alien animals and plants that Kal has collected over the years.

    She raises an eyebrow at the story of Terry and the tiara. She was there.. just not as Kara Danvers. She grins and says, "I hope you gave it back," she adds about the tiara and then says, "Okay. Power Girl it is." She smiles to her partner.. in and out of cape and the tilts her head and starts walking toward the tall busty Kryptonian.

    "Excuse me, Power Girl," she says with a smile, a perhaps slightly too cheeky smile. She's not sure Karen has met her in her civilian guise before. She offers a hand to the hero, "I'm Kara Danvers. A reporter for the Daily Planet. Would you have time for a few questions and some photos?"

    She motions to Terry aka Vorpal, with the camera and says, "Such as, what are your plans for 2021? Do you think the Justice League are up to the challenge of defending the planet from another alien invasion? and what's really goes on inside the Avengers Mansion? ...Do you have a family you turn to when things get tough?" Kara looks odd with brown hair and not wearing her family crest, that's for sure. And 'Danvers' for a surname? weird. Then again Karen chose 'Starr'.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
"I totally gave it back. One 'sister' out of Troia and you bet I did," Terry grins. When they make their way towards Power Girl, Terry keeps a respectful distance until the Kryptonian indicates it is okay to take her picture. Being occasionally oblivious as he is, he hasn't noticed the potential tension in the air between Kara, Harley, and Aimee. Instead he waves discreetly at Harley and grins, mouthing 'you look fabulous' because they totally do.

Aimee Alexander has posed:
Grimacing a little, Aimee offers Harley a half shrug. "I guess it never came up? My parents are a bit..." She winces as she fishes for an appropriate descriptor "...old money?"

She doesn't seem entirely comfortable talking about her family, and when the opportunity to change the subject comes up she pounces on it. "I'll have a cosmo. It feels almost tradition at this point, y'know?" Awkward conversation about her parents averted, she glances towards the friend of Harley's that apparently needs rescuing and squints a little bit. "Hey, she looks super familiar. What's her name?"

She's still squinting in Diana's direction when Power Girl's voice draws her attention to the awkward situation brewing right next to her. Rather than say anything, she ends up simply staring awkwardly at the superhero. "Uhhh... hi."

Harley Quinn has posed:
The beer is brought by quickly enough. Thankfully! It means Harley has some time to drink and not having to speak right after, "You awhe lookin' great too." as usual! A faint smile offered and she turning to rest her back against the counter, one elbow propped up on it, "I will have ta make suwah not ta steal the paintings then as I was plannin' since you awhe heah.." some of her more playful tone returning and she offering a wink back to PG.

The approach of a reporter crew might just be what saves the day too. And wow, don't they just look so similar, Kara and Karen? How cute. MUST BE HER IMAGINATION! But then there's Terry. "Terry!" a pause, "How awhe ya since oouh how adventure in the hospital? Tell me everythin' on how the rest of your christmas went! Also, has the outfit been tried on already?" see? She doesn't say it's a french maid outfit out loud, only thinks it.

"That's Diana." She then answers Aimee, "She's like .., my idol. Really helped me out too when I was .., well in the darkah parts o' my life.."

"HEY, DIANA. THEAH'S OPEN BAR HEAH!" Rescue attempt engaged.

Lucius Fox has posed:
Lucius actually can't help but smile as Harley comes up and greets him personally and says, "glad to oblige Miss Quinn." The snobs are not impressed but...can't do anything about it though Robert William the Third is asscociated associated with her and his 'stock' lessens somewhat though it was hardly stratospheric. New Money what can you do?

By dint of merely LOOKING at them, the art's value immediately skyrockets as Diana offers opinions which causes a bidding frenzy which means that the primary point of the gala, generating cash for charity, is doing its thing. Random people begin selling raffle tickets for 'fabulous prizes' which several VIP people buy as well.

The staff are extremely helpful and provide drinks as requested. He looks at Damian trying to be invisible and...well...he's Damian so he succeeds and Lucius is impressed he can do it in a crowd but also spots Stephanie and smiles at her specifically.

Damian Wayne has posed:
     Damian does in fact see Stephanie approach, not that he would object to her doing so. His bright green eyes stare right at the incoming Miss Brown.

  "Brown." He offered with a small nod. "Enjoying yourself?" He asks, his tone more friendly than his usual...prickliness. It was a public event afterall, and only a scant few knew of this young heir's nighttime escapades as the Boy Wonder.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
'Those moving from party to party' precisely describes Zatanna Zatara, who has not only several parties and events she's supposed to attend throughout the night, but actually did a show earlier and is booked to appear briefly on a few of those NYE broadcast variety programs to do a quick trick or three. New Years is one of those few holidays where the over the top theatrics of old fashion stage magic still fits in this modern world, so she really busts her butt to get the most of it!

But... it also means she's kind of in a rush everywhere she's going! At least she doesn't really have to wait on transport.

"Diana?" Her voice searches for her fellow Justice Leaguer who she's supposed to meet as she arrives (or rather, was supposed to meet earlier and is now LATE!!), not in a puff of smoke but through the door like a mostly normal person (the puff of smoke was off camera). She's traded her performing outfit for a strapless gown that features the same formal theme, black around the outside of the large skirts and white up the front with a black ribbon bowtie, with the skirt is split and cut short in the front to show off her signature fishnets.

And yes, still the tophat.

Then someone ELSE is shouting loudly for the same Princess, so she looks aorund a bit more, triangulating in as she goes.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown makes her way through the crowd, treading carefully on those heels that she is now pretty sure were the invention of a sadist, or maybe someone overly sensitive about being short. Probably both.

She spots the deliberate smile from Lucius Fox at a distance, and it causes the young woman's face to take on a warm glow. She raises her hand, just the fingers moving in a little wave to him. She's just continuing on towards Damian when the unforgettable voice of one Harleen Quinzel calls out loudly through the crowd. To Stephanie's credit she doesn't turn to look, yet, nor change her stride towards Damian where she's greeted. "I was," she answers Damian, moving to stand beside him and turn back towards the room, letting her eyes roam until they find Harley Quinn. "I know the event is open, but I wasn't really expecting..." she says, letting the thought trail off. She keeps an eye on Harley, though discreetly. "Is your father making it tonight?"

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana looks back to the bidding war going on on the pieces she spoke of, which makes her smile, hoping for the best for the artists who made them after all. As she meanders through the crowd, she hears Harley Quinn call out to her-- a voice not easily mistaken for anyone else --it draws her eyes to the former Clownette Princess of Gotham Crime... and a smile is shown toward her. Her course is toward said open bar, and her eyes go to where Zatanna is arriving. Diana raises her right hand up to signal the Magician of Fishnets, her good friend. She waves, but also then signals toward the bar to meet her there.

When she arrives, near to Harly and her guest, Diana gives them both a smile. "Good to see you again, Harley." Diana says in her naturally breathy and accented voice. "Quite a showing tonight." Toward the drinks offered to her, Diana accepts a glass of bubbly. She looks to Zatanna's direction again and smiles to her friend when she arrives to them. "You're late." Diana casualy chides her.

Natasha Cranston has posed:
    Like a black and silver butterfly, Natasha flits from one cluster of socialites to another, exchanging increasingly fake pleasantries as she expertly pretends to care about their gossip and subtle jockeying for social standing. She's slightly more sincerely pleased with the scholarship students and displaying artists -- at least their ambitions are to make something better of themselves, the world, or both -- and she mentally files away a name or two to 'impulse buy' something from later on for an exorbitant sum that should cover their next few years of college. Besides, there's something absolutely refreshing about an earnest enthusiast describing their field, earnestly trying to share the wonder they feel.

    She finally separates herself from the artist with some reluctance -- albeit not before introducing her to an acquaintance with more money than sense who should be convinced easily enough to sponsor a commission or two -- and resumes her circuit through the hall, her eyes flitting from one person to the next.

    A sip from her -- fourth, if anyone is keeping count -- glass of champagne covers the brief frown at seeing so many people here just for themselves... And then she freezes, for just a moment, as she can't quite believe what she sees - and Sees. The moment passes too quickly for most people to notice... And besides, Diana of Themyscira tends to evoke that reaction in a /lot/ of people.

    She takes a breath to collect herself, and makes her way towards the dark-haired Amazon. "Madame Ambassador, how lovely to meet you," she greets the woman as she's noticed, making a curt bow. "<<The legends simply do not do you justice>>," she continues in vaguely passable -- if badly accented -- Greek.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
Terry likes Harl. Harl also really likes to say totally embarrassing things, even just by hinting at them. The redhead turns a bright shade of red and fiddles with his camera, snapping pictures so as not to meet Harl's eyes, "Oh things went well! Gar and I had a talk... but I'll catch you up on that when we have some downtime... er, the outfit has not been worn. Yet."

And then Harley calls for Princess Diana to join her at the bar, which sounds like the beginning of a fanfiction that ends in a bar fight and our heroines involved in the middle of a high-speed chase, hood-surfing on top of speeding cars.

I mean, you can only hope, right? His green eyes move in the direction of Diana and stop.

"Oh my gosh, that's Zatanna Zatara... we totally have to get her picture..." he mutters to himself, because it would be rude to speak to Kara when she's interviewing Power Girl. It dawns on him that this is the first magical person he could potentially talk to without being in fear of his immortal Cheshire soul--- he shares a team with Raven, after all.

Lucius Fox has posed:
Lucius Fox does a fantastic job of seeming Mostly Harmless, since he is a man of ethics and wishes well towards most everyone, but despite all this he is exceptionally adroit at reading crowds and tracks most of the things going on in the room at least at a distance. He isn't expecting trouble, and is genuinely relaxed but he does nod to the band to get them to kick up the pace of the music a bit, and weaves in and out among the crowd, a word here or there, trying to increase the holiday spirit and the generousity of the room. That, combined with booze increases the money raised for said charity though most of it is virtual and tapped on square tabs. Ah the wonders of technology.

Karen Starr has posed:
    Harley's presence aside, the approach of her erstwhile sister in civilian guise is... Welcome. Kind of. She's asking questions to which Power Girl doesn't have too many answers aside from the usual platitudes, but there aren't any other representatives currently present to take the heat off- yet- so Karen does her best.

    "Yeah." she responds, at first. Again, it's stunted. Like there's a bit of hurt there, before Harley's off on a joke, and Karen- being who she is- isn't much of a jokester. "You probably shouldn't." The amused tone isn't present- as if she feels Harley might not have been joking, or if she feels the woman could switch from joke to theft in the blink of an eye. To Aimee she offers a none-too-warm "Hi."

    Still! Kara. "Ah. -Kara-." she regards, kind of like she doesn't really approve of someone using their real first name as a civilian identity, but the person she's regarding would have to be some sort of superhero in disguise, which is most definitely not the case. "Doing what I always do. Making sure Metropolis, and every part of the planet I can reach, is safe. Yes, we're definitely ready. More than we've ever been, the opening of the moon base was pretty public, and it'll help us keep this planet safe from anything extraterrestrial." She shrugs at the mention of the mansion. "Meetings, mostly. I'm not there often. They call when they need me." Quizzically, one brow raises at the last question. Kara's letting some Kara shine through, and she's definitely put some Kara into that last question.

    "Yeah. More than a couple. A cousin, a sister. I just hope I'm helping them enough." Starr is a perfectly valid last name, even though she's often regretted going with Karen. Terry, as an aside, gets a quick look, but it's not one that lasts.

    Karen turns, then, trying to do her best to mingle and avoid coming into further contact with Harley, and to her credit, she finds a target as soon as she's finished letting Terry get his picture. This, though, she makes sure- isn't with Kara. She'll probably have to explain that later.

    "Zatanna!" she calls, "Glad you could make it. I thought I'd be the only one representing here, but I'm glad to see I'm not alone." The last comment is aimed at Diana, who is one of the few people here that aren't closer to chest-height on Power Girl than they'd admit in polite company. Hard not to notice the Amazon in the crowd, but Diana hasn't called attention to herself, so Karen isn't going to do a whole lot of that.

Kara Danvers has posed:
    "Outfit?," she casually asks Terry. There's definitely a story there. One probably best told back at the Titan's Tower. She lets it drop. "Zatanna Zatara the magician?," she asks of her League colleague. The bizarre world of interviewing your colleagues and friends never seems to stop in this job. "Yes definitely."

    "Power Girl, what would you like to say to all your fans out there who love and adore you for all the good you've been doing in the world?," she says with a cheeky little smile of affection for her sister. "And would you also please say something in Kryptonian? readers of the Daily Planet can't get enough of that alien language." Very tongue in cheek.

    With Karen heading off to talk to others she turns to Terry and says, "If you want to snap a picture of Zatanna I'm going to try and get some words off of Ms. Cranston. She's known to be illusive.. so this could be interesting."

Damian Wayne has posed:
     Damian closes his eyes, then opens them towards Harley, then back again at Stephanie. "Between some of the guests, she won't be a problem." He offers, before taking a drink of the sparkling water. "But as far as Father is concerned, I do not know." There's a dagger point on those last four words, not aimed at Stephanie, but towards Bruce.

  His own gaze points around, scoping out the rest of the party. Before going on a lower tone. "Even the Titans have a presence here, it seems."

Harley Quinn has posed:
It's fair enough. Harley is known to be mercurial afterall! There could always be a plan to rob the gala! Most likely not a smart move considering all the heroes present, and so many more coming by. When Zatanna joins them at the bar Harley can't help but to grin. "What's this. Justice League meeting? I will let ya guys know I am available, yea?" There. Application sent to the JL. She takes another drink out of her beer, having quite noticed the way Karen was looking at her. It has the clownette pressing her lips to a thin line but she sorta doesn't make any further comment. And with the interview starting up her attention goes about introducing Aimee.

"This is Aimee.." she then tells the others, "Apparently some old snob money type too?! Whateva, keepin secrets from me! She's a good friend o' mine, and unstoppable on roller derbyin'!" she says, tone all proud. Those Tenderloin district girls got what they deserved afterall!

"This is Diana Prince, and Zatanna, which may I say weahs fishnets like noone else can." it's true! Then a gesture to the embarassed Terry, making her grin further. "And this is Terry, one o' my best friends! April's cousin too. And yep, Terry, I will wanna talk ta ya sometime soon. Gar came by the other day, but I am suwah you know already.."

The Hawk gaze from Stephanie goes unnoticed for now!

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown hrms quietly in agreement with Damian about those in attendance. "I just don't have a lot of trust in me," she tells him quietly, shaking her head. She pulls up her phone and taps on a little bit. Soon Damian's phone beeps. A document sent by Stephanie, an unfinished action report of a very recent raid on a warehouse in Bludhaven, used by smugglers who hid their items in toys, raided by Batman and Batgirl, also The Shadow... and with one Harley Quinn there helping on her own as well.

"I think I'll go mingle. Remember, the little hors d'oeuvres forks are not for stabbing," she teases quietly to Damian, before setting back out into the crowd again, heading for Diana Prince.

The young blond woman, approaches Diana, waiting for a moment she won't be interrupting. "Miss Prince?" she asks. "I just wanted to wish you a Happy New Year. And thank you," she says, and if Stephanie has a specific bit of gratitude for Diana there, it's easy enough to be taken as a general public-thanking of a superhero.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
"Understood Kara... " and then Harley is making introductions. And this is a PERFECT excuse to take Zatanna and company's picture. "Oh, you all look so great, let me get a quick snap--"

Terry blinks, and then looks down as the camera makes a plainty, beepy-boop sound and promptly shuts its expensive, digital butt down.

"What in the flippity floppity fu-" this is a dead camera. It has joined the choir celestial. This is an ex-camera... or at least, the battery is completely depleted. "This doesn't make any sense-" he quickly reaches for his spare battery and slaps it in and-

Sad No Battery Light, and shutdown again. "I don't understand this, Lois told Gary to-"

And then the realizaiton dawns on him, like the slox but inexorable movement of continental drift, like the advancement of age upon youth, and the certainty of the heat-death of the universe over incomprehensible millennia.

"G a r y..." Terry's voice echoes an utterance that is familiar to the entire staff of the Daily Planet. Gary the Intern has done it again.

"I'm... going to Rabbit Hole back to the Planet and see if I can ransack some batteries together. If I must, I'll Frankenstein some out of Lois' coffeemaker and she may sacrifice us to the Dark Gods tomorrow, but at least we'll have photographs!"

And with that, the hassled intern slash superhero makes his way out so he can Rabbit Hole.

Because it would be incredibly crass to just take up the entire room's attention with a showy, light show magical transformation. This was a charity event, not a 'look at me' event.

"I'll be back!" he says. Hopefully.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Yes, I know! I'm so sorry!" Zee declares, sounding rather genuinely chagrinned to have left an actual Princess hanging. Bad form!

"Tonight's just madness. I'm going to have to pop out again at some point, I'm doing a couple broadcasts- luckily mostly cross country so I think I can juggle the timing and hang around here for the big moment." It's pretty much a given that Zatanna will perform at the Vegas countdown, since her act still headlines on the strip. "Forgive me?" she asks Diana, clasping her hands together in a sign of contrition. It only lasts a moment: "Oooh, bar." Yes, the fact that her narrowing in on her target has brought them all over to the bar to converge with Harley is quite convenient. Nothing says 'forgive and forget' (or at least the second one!) like alcohol.

So she posts up with a drink, turning back as she hears Karen and lifting her hand to finger-wave in that direction while Harley does introductions and apparently auditions for the League, which causes her to grin. "Hello Harley. Enjoying the party?" Then there's a SNAP-FlASH of a camera, which she is somehow able to sense coming and turn to pose just perfectly for! She's quite used to it.

Diana Prince has posed:
Taking a moment to enjoy her new drink, Diana's attention is drawn to Natasha when she approaches and offers a kind compliment in Greek. It naturally lands, causing the Princess to show a wide-and-pleased smile in response. "That is so sweet of you." She replies as she exchanges her drink-holding-hands so that she can free up her right to offer it to Nat. "I feel as though I know your face, but I cannot place a name to it..." she tells the other woman.

Harley's introduction to her roller derbyin' friend returns Diana's eyes to both of them. She holds her smile for them and offers her hand to Aimee next. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Aimee. Please, call me Diana. A good friend of Harley's is a good person to meet. I am glad she has you." A look to Harley is given a long with another quick smile. She worries about Harley after all! It's quite the past after all!

With Zatanna's arrival, Diana places a hand upon her back and embraces her gently for a second. "You do not have to explain yourself to me. My teasing is merely to have fun." She grins to the Magician. "I like your hat too." She simply states.

Stephanie's arrival, and well wishes, is timed after Diana takes another sip of her drink. A grin shows toward the Gotham hero and a light nod is also given. "It is very good to see you again, it has been awhile. Happy New Year to you as well."

Lucius Fox has posed:
The general mood of the room is elevated if not still snobbish from some, but those who are not total and absolute snops have begun to mingle with the beneficaries that Lucius has imported so that people can actually SEE where their money is going and people who benefit from it. Both sides of Gotham's titanic chasmic divide still find more in common than they might have thought. Lucius is a man on a mission, and moves from place to place in the room, letting guests speak amongst themselves, occasionally making an introduction or occasionally pointing out one of the unsold artworks to one of the more wealthy patrons.

It is the perfect fusion of engineer, CEO and socialite, keeping te party moving and flowing. It is not without the occasional hiccup for example, the occasional rip of clothing here, the occasional social jab there, but when possible Lucius intercepts and diverts.

Aimee Alexander has posed:
"Hi." For being introduced to a pair of superheroes, Aimee's response is certainly blasé. A pregnant pause follows before her steadily neutral expression suddenly blossoms into a bright, if slightly embarrassed smile. "Uhh, sorry. Haven't been around so many people at once in a while. Umm, wow, are you really... I mean of course you are. Umm, thank you? Is it weird to thank you? Screw it, thank you anyway!" There's yet another pause, before she quickly clarifies "For the whole saving the world thing, I mean."

Finally noticing the hand Dianna offered her, she gives it a quick shake and offers another bright smile. "It's really good to meet you. From what I understand you really helped Harls so... yeah. Thanks."

Kara Danvers has posed:
    Kara has to remain light on her feet to move through the crowd to try and find Natasha Cranston, "Excuse me, Ms Cranston." She smiles and offers her hand, "Kara Danvers. Daily Planet. Do you have a moment for a few questions? What can we expect from Cranston Multinational moving in to the new year? It is rare to see you in public, is this a change for the follow year - will we see you around at events more often? What other charities do you donate to most often?"

Nia Nal has posed:
Nia feels out of place. Her cheeks are already red with a nervous blush as she makes her way into the gala. The young woman is dressed for the fancy event in the nicest dress she owns. It's obvious from it that she lives on a cub reporter's salary. A snug grey number that falls to the knees, along with a pair of short matching heels. She holds a clutch purse. She's cute, but clearly out of her element.

She swallows dryly as she makes her way into the crowd, the girl obviously struggling with the heels she is in. It isn't like she's never worn them, but more like she simply hasn't worn heels in awhile. She reaches out to catch a drink on a passing serving tray. Something non-alcoholic. She takes a sip and does a slow turn to take it all in, searching the crowd.

Lucius Fox has posed:
Lucius Fox spots miss Nal and sweeps by after complimenting a dress and asking about someone very eccentrily dressed pet ferret Jimby. He has a memory for small details. He knows most of the media by heart though Nia is new to him and is as more than willing to provide someone a chance at a few random questions. He doesnt KNOW she works for the media of course, but senses it closely enough. "Good evening miss....I don't believe we've met. I'm Lucius Fox."

Karen Starr has posed:
    Karen nods along with Kara before she moves on. "Yeah, a few words." she states, "You're welcome, but eyes up here." she states, a bit of returned levity in her voice. Frankly, that statement is practically a catchphrase. Thinking to herself for a moment, Power Girl considers the question of saying something in Kryptonian.

    "/Kryp gampil shahrrehth./" she states, for Kara's benefit, before her attention then was solely on Diana and Zatanna. "Really. It's great you're both here." she regards, smiling a little awkwardly. Perhaps, seeking some solidarity. "Both of you- uh- here alone?" Perhaps seeking a little bit more than solidarity. Karen's just had an awkward conversation with what Terry has just blabbed is her ex, and now she's feeling Power Alone on New Years. It might not yet be that exact time, but her prospects don't look all that great.

    "Didn't bring anyone myself." she states, half-clearing her throat. "Just been, you know, busy."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Its my usual hat!" Zatanna points out to Diana with a laugh, mid-hug. And while that may technically be true, it's also equally true that the hat doesn't always look one hundred percent the same. Or even at all the same. It's a magic hat.

Shocking, no doubt!

Once free, her attention drifts over from Harley to Aimee, particularly as the former melts back into the party, presumably to cause light shenanigans. "I'd love to see one of these roller derby things, eventually. As you might imagine I've got a bit of a soft spot for all manner of uh, well, live performance, I guess is the best way to put it? There's really something about a good old fashioned in-person show, compared to everything being on a screen somewhere." Like her tophat, she is indeed a bit old fashioned in this regard. Even if full contact women's roller skating might not exactly be what stage performance looked like in her father's day.

"Where do you do it? And how does the whole- is it organized like a normal sport with seasons and all of that, or is it more of an exhibition thing?" She really does sound curious. She also brushes off the 'thanks for saving the world bit' with a bright grin. "Just part of the job!"

"Oh," she then starts to answer Karen. "Well, like you might have heard-" Absolutely heard, Kryptonian hearing being what it is. "-I very nearly stood poor Di up. But I think we're technically all bachelorette-ing it up, here. It's sort of a working night for me, anyway."

Nia Nal has posed:
Nia freezes when she finds herself being spoken to! She glances over at Lucius and stares for a moment before she 'OH!'s. She reaches into her clutch and pulls out her media lanyard, sliding it on. Daily Bugle. Nia Nal.

"Mr. Fox! Hello! It's a pleasure...and an honor. Really. I'm Nia Nal." She pauses for a moment and then catches herself, adding : "With the Daily Planet." The girl doesn't mention she's a cub reporter who's been put on the 'Crackpot Pages', though. Nia is the one who deals with the very-possibly-nutcase leads, and the majority of the time she turns up nothing, and ends up writing fluff pieces about cats that use the toilet, or a puppy that saved a cat from a tree.

Lucius Fox has posed:
Lucius Fox has a phenonmenal memory and does recognize the tag line, "I've read your work Miss Nal, its very interesting. I can answer any questions you like, though I think," he points at several of his students that he was talking to earlier, "You might find the projects that they were working on a particularly useful piece to write about. Each of them has a project that is being monitored by a list of VIP engineers at Wayne tech and if they follow through with it can lead directly to an internship there. I assure you, each of them would be far more interested answering questiosn about their project than the socializing I'm forcing them to do here." He beams and nods to the band which change the tune there to 40's style swing and a few people clear space and begin to dance on the floor.

As an after thought he does answer, "My wife particularly enjioyed your piece about the cat and asked why if I was so smart I couldn't train ours to do that. I admit I didnt have an answer for her.

Natasha Cranston has posed:
    "Cranston. Natasha Cranston," Natasha replies with a warm and sincere smile, nimbly swapping her glass to her left hand to take Diana's in her right and shake it firmly . "As to my face... I regret to say it's made the tabloids more than once, although I hope that's not the association you make..." A light chuckle. "I haven't been back in this country for all that long yet."

    As Kara's voice interrupts the moment - and if Diana hadn't still been looking at Natasha's face she might've missed the way it almost seems to freeze for an instant as the smile shifts to something much more practiced and professional before she turns to face the young reporter. "Miss Danvers, good evening, I hope you're enjoying the party? That's a lovely dress, the blue suits you."

    She takes a moment to snag a fresh glass off a passing waiter's tray and takes a sip before responding. "My family's company has always striven to set the example for safe, swift and reliable shipping anywhere in the world; I certainly have no intention of changing that. The challenge of course is to always look for opportunities for improvement, not to mention keeping a finger on the pulse of the future. CMS did well for itself throughout the twentieth century; I fully intend to see that it does equally well in the twenty-first..."

    "Well, I've only returned to New York this last summer; it's taken me a while to get my - and the company's - affairs sorted out enough to take the time. But yes, I'm definitely planning to show my face around a great deal more this coming year. As to charities... CMS' donations are a matter of public record; sadly, there is no shortage of good causes that need aid, and this event is the Wayne Foundation's; I'd rather not undercut the effort by listing my own personal hobby charities, so to speak..."

Aimee Alexander has posed:
Aimee chews her lip thoughtfully, only momentarily looking distressed by the enthusiastic questioning, or more likely the attention, before her expression abruptly smooths out into soft smile "I, well, I've only done it once. They needed a substitute and Harley did what Harley does and just grabbed me out of the crowd." The small smile grows wider as the teen gets momentarily lost in memory. A shake of the head later, and she refocuses on answering the questions. "So umm, Harley's... or, I guess *we're* just part of a team in an amateur league. So... I guess there's a proper professional league? I can't imagine there's a lot of money in it though, it seems kinda niche. But... it's fun? So..." Shrugging her shoulders, Aimee finally muses aloud "I'm not sure how performative it really is. I wasn't really thinking about the crowd while I was playing. The cheering when we won was nice though..."

With that said she turns her attention back to the bar and orders a glass of water to distract her now that she doesn't have Harley to buy the alcohol for her (Using a fake ID in front of superheroes seems like a terrible idea after all), looking completely at ease while somehow also faintly giving off the impression of feeling terribly uncomfortable.

Nia Nal has posed:
"Oh! That's cool to hear, thank you!" Nia beams at Luxius before she glances about the event again. The girl is wearing a grey dress with matching heels, though she doesn't appear super comfy in the heels. A 'DAILY PLANET. NIA NAL' lanyayrd hangs about her slender neck. "I didn't know anyone even read my pieces."

She glances aside to watch the students he refers to, and she nods. "Good to know. I'll leave them to the higher profile reporters for now, but I really appreciate the tip. Honestly, I haven't really had a chance to just...socialize...in what seems like forever. So I'm going to enjoy what I can, while I can." She grins ruefully and sips her non-alcoholic drink.

Damian Wayne has posed:
     Damian took his now empty glass and exchanged it with a filled one. At least he was having a good time being mostly a wallflower.

  However, the youngest Wayne did manage to find Power Girl and make his way to her. "Power Girl. " He mentioned, then added a small smile. "How do you do?"

Lucius Fox has posed:
Lucius Fox he smiles, "By all means Miss Nal," he bows and smiles, "Socialize away, that is, after all, aside from fleecing my fellow socialites of their money for a good cause, the purpose of the evening." He melts into the crowd and resumes complimenting ferrets, cats, dogs, babies, pet causes, and the like all to get people to bid on things in the auction or about the room. He moves right past Damian as smiles and introduces himself to Power Girl, salutes and then says, about the same instant that Natasha avoids mentioning her private charities right next to Kara, "She might be to humble to but I'm not, she's exceptionally generous," and cites about 3-4 charities Natasha supports.

Kara Danvers has posed:
    Kara's smile warms even more as the dress is complement. Janet would be proud. Probably prouder if she was going for the alcohol, but that's not Kara's style. "Miss Cranston, What do you think of the new solar and sail powered super ships that have started appearing in the pacific oceans. Are these energy saving green solutions something your company has already adopted, or is looking to adopt - and how do they perform compared to the traditional diesel engines?"

    She has to pull out at least some sort of meat in this interview. If she goes home with just fluff pieces she'll get a talking to from Perry. Let alone her professors at Metropolis University, "There was a rumour that military grade sonar was being adopted by a Chinese shipping company, which many have concerns about such as whales beaching themselves in confusion. Do you have any comments on this development?"

    "Thank you for your time Miss Cranston, if I could get a photo for the paper?," she asks and since Terry has.. vanished through a literal rabbit hole, she holds up her phone to try and snap a picture of the entrepreneur if she will allow it.

    She smiles to Lucius Fox and offers her hand, "Mr. Fox, Head of Wayne Enterprises. Kara Danvers, Daily Planet. Would you have time to answer some questions too? I'd love to hear about the continued efforts to revitalise Gotham. The mayors projected timeline for bringing the cities crime rate to the national average seems eager, what is Wayne Enterprises doing to help make it a reality. Is it unfair for Wall Street to compare Gotham's economic situation to its neighbour across the bay Metropolis?"

Karen Starr has posed:
    Power Girl's kind of nervous smile wavers a bit as Zatanna speaks, but only for a moment. "Oh, er, are you two-" she begins, before Zatanna calls it what it just might be, and she seems momentarily relieved. If Zatanna and Diana are single at this time of year, then maybe there's hope that it isn't a problem if she is, too. Still. "Yeah, haha. Just haven't, uh, found anyone." That last bit is muttered a bit.

    Then, Damian is there. In her boots, Power Girl is a casual six-six. She, sadly for his pride, has to kneel to speak to him- but this offers a fantastic vantage for whispering and keeping at least portions of the conversation from prying ears.

    "Ah, the wayne scion. Great to see you." she offers, at normal volume, but she drops to a whisper afterwards. "Really. This is your chance. Not al Ghul. Not Robin. Just Damian. Times like these are precious. Rare."

    Then, she's back to standing. "Doing great, big guy." because every young man has to get called Big Guy at some point. "How about you? Place probably seems pretty stuffy, but I think there's plenty of stuff here to interest anybody."

Jemma Simmons has posed:
    It isn't obvious, not with the amount of people mingling about. But...the group does grow by at least one. And, that one seems perhaps a little out of place in Gotham. Perhaps even an unknown to most. Jemma Simmons, dressed in her finest ensemble (a green evening gown, leaving her shoulders bare) hovers near the outskirts of the main throng. It was a last-minute decision, to go to Gotham to attend a gala. And, she might not have originally considered going. But...she is present now and the reasons remain her own.

    For the moment.

    Holding a matching green clutch in both hands, Jemma deigns to step into the crowd. This is certainly outside her comfort level, being in public and not in a lab. But she seems to be rather okay, if only a *little* reserved.

Nia Nal has posed:
    Nia begins to make her way slowly through the crowd again, sipping her drink as she takes it all in. She ends up setting her now empty glass down on a table, which happens to be beside Power Girl, Damian, and Zatanna, et al's conversation.

    She offers them a warm smile before she actually gets a look at Power Girl. The girl seems to lose her words for the moment, and instead turns to spot Kara a bit away. She offers a quick wave to her, her eyes looking a tiny hint panickd before she turns back.

    "Uh, hi," she offers to the gathering. "I'm Nia." She covers her reporter lanyard with a grin. "Not here to ask questions. Just to chill. Sorry." She yanks her eyes away from Power Girl to offer the others a very nervous, but friendly smile.

Tynan Ireton has posed:
    Tynan was a little late. The woman had to go shopping first cause she doesn't exactly have fancy dresses. But tonight is different. She has to rub elbows a little bit to find out who may or may not be hiring young mercenaries. So, Ty got a sleeveless shoulderless black shimmer dress. It has a long cut on the side to her hip. The big thing is that Ty doesn't know how to walk in heels. So the woman has on slippers.

    As the woman walks into the room, its clear that the woman is a fighter. She moves with something of an elegance of a predator, as she seems to be looking for something. And whats she lookng for? That there is a bar...hopefully. All these events have to have an open bar...Hopefully? She needs something to make her comfortable with all the high end.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Zatanna gives a laugh when Aimee quickly clarifies the degree of her participation: the fact that his was a one-off, semi-consensual roller derby outing caused by Harley does not really seem like it comes as much of a shock. "Oh, sorry- I guess that shouldn't be a huge surprise, it's rare to find people as passionate about some of Harley's interesting hobbies as Harley is." She grins. "But it sounds like you enjoyed it, at least? So maybe it's the start of something great."

As for the actual format of things as Aimee explains it, she nods along. "The next time you've got a match coming up, or whatever it is, tell her to give us a heads-up, maybe?" Surely, having Wonder Woman, Princess of Themyscira and a celebrity magician attend your amateur rollerskating match will be NO PRESSURE AT ALL, right?

Karen's explanation of things earns a rather unconcerned sort of reply. "It's only a big deal if you make it out to be one. But you know me, I'm more of a 'rambling tale of bad decisions and one night stands' sort, anyway. Besides, if I'm ever truly feeling that hard-up and lonely, I can always call John." A beat, as she seems to realize what she just said, and then Zee turns around and looks at Diana, face dead-serious: "If I ever seem like I'm in a mood where I'm about to do that, or I'm drunk and say that I'm about to do that, you have permission- nay, instructions! -to lasso me immediately."

Damian Wayne has posed:
     As much as it pains him to admit, it's just easier to do as Karen does when you're as tall as her, and him being as short as he is.

  "There is enough, between handshakes to major donors, time to watch all the people...and whatever Harley Quinn is." He says in a bit of a laugh. "But it's nice to observe at least."

  Truly he was able to be Damian Wayne here, too bad Damian Wayne preferred to be a loner.

Natasha Cranston has posed:
    Natasha smiles again. "Regardless of how well their current iterations do or don't perform, I think they're an excellent idea; diesel powered cargo ships have ploughed the waves since before the first World War, and while the fact that they still do so today says a great deal about the efficiency of the concept, ecologically they leave a great deal to be desired - both in terms of emissions and leakages, and the less said about bunker fuel, the better. It's been clear for quite some time that we should be looking for a better way, but at the same time the sheer amount of cargo that needs to travel between continents on a constant basis is only growing, and there is a great deal of vested interest in the current technologies, so whatever will rise to supersede it will have quite a battle to prove itself."

    She takes another sip, then continues. "Unfortunately, Cranston Multinational /Shipping/ is somewhat too specialized at the moment to field its own entire R&D subsidiaries, which means that the actual research will likely be done by someone else. That said, we do partner extensively with companies such as WayneTech for improvements and innovations, but for any actual details I'm afraid you're going to have to be patient and wait for any official press release; I'll make sure that the Planet will receive an invitation as and when the time comes..."

    With that, she smiles at Lucius, passing the metaphorical mic to him before wandering off with one last bow toward Diana while the intrepid reporter is distracted...

Lucius Fox has posed:
Lucius Fox says, "I think its an interesting idea and I'll be speaking with Bruce about branching out. Its kind of romantinc when you think about it. Solar powered ships sailing on the wind and the wave. Now as for more hard hitting questions," he smiles as Natasha hands him the 'microphone' "Yes, revitalizing Gotham is a major priority this year for me, the company in general and the foundation. We will be initiating several new programs, some of which will be funded by the very charity gala that we're having now. Based on the numbers, it looks like Gotham has been very generous indeed, and we're quite grateful for it."

He almost shifts hats physically as he straitens a bit and takes on a more businessmen like mien at the latter two questions, "Wayne Tech has, and will always have a close partnership with GCPD to ensure that our boys in blue have the best and most modern tools that they're willing to accept. Sometimes, there might be disagreement about what the best method to do that is, but if the Commissioner asks for it, Wayne Tech is happy to provide it. We've got several meeting sto discuss it and I think that the Mayor's campaign to lower crime is a good one. Yes, its been tried and failed before, but you know the saying about shooting for the stars, landing in the trees, shooting for the trees and landing in the mud. I supported the Mayor's campaign, and I still do. Unequivocally.

Now, Gotham and New York are not the same city, but New York has seen some dark days in the 1970's and 1980's. Cities have their ups and downs, but I believe Gotham's tomorrow is dawning. 2021 may yet be our best year. Is it naive to say that? I dont think so. Optimistic? Surely, but I believe in Gotham, and am proud to live here. I work to make it better every day, as does everyone in the company." He smiles, "Any other questions Ms. Danvers?"

Jemma Simmons has posed:
    A misstep...and Jemma finds herself bumping into a socialite. Fortunately, not enough to cause a spill from the glass held in hand...but enough to earn a glance of contempt from the obviously high society patron. "Oh, please, pardon me." The apology is offered with Jemma's distinct tone...all prim and proper and positivity British. The scientist quickly ducks out of the way, using the crowd to her advantage to put some distance between the two.

    It does, regrettably for Jemma, send her deeper into the crowd. And yes, the faces certainly do not look familiar. A light sigh escapes Jemma's lips as she mutters softly to herself. "Really...next time I should just stay in the lab."

Karen Starr has posed:
    It's true, Kara Zor-L never really did stop growing. Let's all take that as we will, privately, and never bring it up.

    The levity is needed. Power Girl frowns a bit, reaching up to scratch the back of her head in regards to Zatanna. "Yeah. I guess. Maybe I'm just sentimental. Never was one for anything like that." Then, her brow raises. "We'll just hit you over the head with something heavy, knock some sense back into you. Maybe commit you to Arkham. That's some Gotham-Crazy level talk." she notes, before her attention is on Damian again. "She's... A person. Maybe she's made of mercury, but that's not as rare as you'd think. Observing can be fun. People watch birds, so why not watch people? Even if you don't feel like socializing, it's probably good research." Sure, she -probably- means for whatever it is Waynes do, socially. Probably.

Aimee Alexander has posed:
"Yeah, Harley really is..." A complicated expression overcomes Aimee's face for a moment, before once again as if by clockwork it returns to generic smile #3 "...somethin. She really is somethin..." She gives a token glance around, though very obviously doesn't expect to actually see the clownette, before nodding at Zatanna's request. "I'll be sure to let her know. I'm sure she'll be pumped to have you guys in the audience. And... maybe in return you can comp us some tickets for one of your shows?"

The cheeky grin that accompanies the teen's question fades a little as her gaze drifts over to the nearby Power Girl. Her mouth opens, about to ask Zatanna another question, before she thinks better of it and settles for taking a sip of her water instead. Being nosey about someone who looks like they could bench press you with their pinky doesn't seem like a good idea.

Kara Danvers has posed:
    Kara smiles encouragingly to Nia and waves back. She's glad to see the sheepish new reporter of the planet out and about. Though she wonders if she was sent here to keep an eye on the interns.. Kara and Terry have been doing well at their job, but they're hardly graduates from university yet.

    She nods to Natasha and then looks to Lucius as his posture changes. Well, now it's on! she's still getting the hang of this.

    "Gotham has a strong culture of 'we will fix it ourselves', how has that culture changed over the years. Some call this the Gotham Stubborn, a tradition handed down through the generations. Last year when Ethan Novak offered to move to Gotham and bring with him his money, there was a public outcry on the internet and in the press in Gotham and ultimately he felt he wouldn't be welcome in the city. Just how far does this sentiment extend and is it unhealthy for Gotham in the long run?," she asks, "I promise that's my last hard question Mr. Fox," she says with an almost playful smile.

    She holds up her phone again and asks, "May I also take your picture Mr. Fox?" She does so if he allows it.

Tynan Ireton has posed:
    Ty blinks a little bit as she hears a british tone. Oh, this is going to be interesting. She looks over at Jemma a moment before ordering a whiskey, neat. The woman takes a sip, and heads over to Jemma. "A British lass being all prim and proper, yet not used to being social? Thought you Brits were all about the big fancy parties.", Ty says with her full Irish accent.

    "You need to loosen up, lass.", she says. Ty...is Irish Southeast Asian. Such an oddity. The woman wants to say something more, but she holds her tongue...

Lucius Fox has posed:
Lucius Fox laughs good naturedly, "There is nothing wrong with tough questions though you are right that this is a night of levity and celebration...but I'm happy to answer. The phrase 'culture eats policy for breakfast' was never more true than Gotham. It's a proud city, at times maybe too proud for its own good. I am on record as supporting Mr Novak's attempt to bring jobs to the city, though I also cannot help but listen to the concerns about gentrification. Gotham's architecture is priceless, and we have more historic buildings per square mile than many cities have in their entire boundaries. People who don't understand Gotham can find it intimidating, and I have grown to love her. Anyone who wants to, should definitely come to bring new ideas and new jobs and new industry, though I can only advocate listening to all stakeholders. Gotham has a proud culture for a reason, a different style and a different way of doing things, and anyone hoping to succeed here has to understand that. Listening is always a good idea, doubly so in Gotham. And yes, you may take my picture, but then I really must insist you do actually enjoy the party itself." He beams widely.

Damian Wayne has posed:
     "That's exactly what I plan on doing." He answers, before giving a slight smile. "Do enjoy yourself as much as you can."

  Damian took out his phone and swiftly posed for a selfie with Power Girl, giving the camera a big grin. "My followers will like this." He comments, before continuing to type on the mobile. "Met Power Girl at the Wayne Foundation NYE party, how cool is that?!" He talked as he typed.

Kara Danvers has posed:
    Kara snaps the picture of one of the most influential men in Gotham and says, "I promise I shall." Though the twinkle in her eye suggests that doing journalism is a whole new level of enjoyment for the young woman. This came as a surprise to her too, but the more she's been doing it the more she's realised just how powerful a tool it is. And just how satisfying it is to get her words out to the people.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
And in comes Terry O'Neil. Fortunately, he didn't need to cannibalize Lois' coffeemaker, but he did have to ransack a great deal of desks and storage closets to find the batteries.

Gary had, for some reason, decided to store them in the cupboard in the break room kitchen. FOR SOME REASON.

"Kara, I'm here!" he calls out, looking for his Planet co-worker, fresh out of the Rabbit Hole. And then he pauses, realizing he forgot to change out of the Cheshire cat shape. He is dressed for fighting crime, not for a high-falutin' party. Looking down at his crimefighting outfit, the Cheshire cat say "Oh..."

"Be riiight back."

He dashes outside and a flash of rainbow light, and then he's back in his human form, and his suit, camera and batteries in tow. He clears his throat and sheepishly walks into the crowd, realizing he just made a scene.

Jemma Simmons has posed:
    Oh, someone approaching? That is expected. But...walking towards Jemma? That....is a bit of a surprise. The momentary confusion, certainly reflected in Jemma's expression, is proof enough. "Yes, well, I appear to be the exception to the rule." A smile is offered at the end of the comment, even as Jemma offers a nod towards Ty. "I do have to admit, I was never much one for parties. A fact that I have been reminded of recently."

    As far as the comment to loosen up? It does seem that Jemma is just a tad more relaxed. Perhaps it was just the fact that she is speaking that seems to be doing it. Or the fact that she isn't being considered a second-class citizen by someone else. She does manage to get herself a drink...though it is distinctly nothing exciting...as she just asks for a glass of ice water.

Diana Prince has posed:
From moments earlier!

To Aimee, Diana shows a soft smile and a glance toward the mutual friend. Her gaze soon goes back to the other though. "If I did anything, it was simply turning Harley toward the right direction. It was her choices whether she took the step to head in that direction, and she's seemingly done that. Which makes me very very proud." Her free hand goes out to touch Harley's arm and offer it a light squeeze before she draws it back once more.

Here and now, Diana remains near to the bar, and looks toward Karen's direction. She smiles to her friend and colleague from the Justice League and when they're within earshot of each other she speaks out to her. "It is good to see you here, Power Girl. Though you're looking quite ready for action." The Princess says with a slight grin. "Why not a more casual attire for a public event such as this?"

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Oh, absolutely," Zee answers Aimee about the tickets. "I'm always happy to have a few extra butts in the seats. My agent always tells me I shouldn't say this, but the magic business isn't exactly the draw it once was, you know? It's kind of from a different time. My dad never had to compete with Netflix." She grins along with the bit of self-deprecation, while casting a sidelong glance between Aimee and Karen, eyebrows arching just a little at the younger woman's curiousity. But she doesn't press.

And speaking of Karen... "No heavy objects!" she, well, objects. "I'd prefer to be returned to my senses as non-violently as possible."

With that, she takes another fairly big drink from her glass and then offers it back to the bartender, obviously for a refill. "It's hardly a casual night, Di! This is a night for greatness! Plus, villains always crash these things. Maybe we'll end up being safe, but I guarantee you a New Years Charity Gala gets crashed SOMEWHERE, tonight. It's a statistical near-certainty."

Tynan Ireton has posed:
    Ty laughs a little bit as she looks at Jemma. "Just means that you arn't living enough. If you were livin' enough, you would enjoying something more then water.", she tells. The woman takes another sip of her whiskey. "Tynan Ireton. From Madripoor.", she says. "And you, Lass?", she asks. The woman looks over at the bar, debating on getting Jemma a whiskey...Leave it to Ty to start ordering drinks for others...

Lucius Fox has posed:
Lucius Fox takes the stand and says, "Thank you for coming everyone. We've had a fabulously succesful evening. I appreciate everyone coming. We've raised several million dollars for charity and will be going very late into the night but since your purpose for coming here is the New Year, I thought you should know..its almost time." Several screens lower showing various countdowns around the world, but all over the eastern seaboard and crowds including Time Square. "2021 is coming around the corner...may it be better than 2020.

10.....
.....
......

Diana Prince has posed:
To Zatanna, Diana's eyes go and a grin spreads across her visage. "You are right." She tells her teammate and friend. "I should set this drink down and be off then, to go and protect the public, if not here... surely somewhere there is trouble I need to sniff out."

Of course, then the countdown starts and the Princess adjusts her attention toward it. "I suppose I can wait a few more seconds though..."

To those around here, Diana looks between them individually and offers them all a smile. "Happy New Year, and... I am very glad to share it with all of you!"

Terry O'Neil has posed:
"Man, I got here just in time..." he mutters. He can get some good pictures from the countdown and ensuing celebration, but he's also a little melancholic. He was at work and not with his family.

Deftly, he shoots a few messages-

<<Mom. April. Happy new year. Love ya guys. Breakfast tomorrow?>>

And to Gar... <<Love you. Happy New Year. I'll be at the tower after this gig is over.>>

Then he rushes over to start snapping pictures, wondering if he missed Kara... it looks like it, "Miss Zatara, Princess Diana, Happy New Year- a photo?"

He's trying to get a quick sample of the celebrants, mumbling to himself that his first new year's resolution is going to be finding a way to get Gary fired for good and all.

Jemma Simmons has posed:
    "Jemma. Jemma Simmons." She leaves the Doctor appellation off...and her origins. after all, her accent gave her away. She remains with her water, for the moment, as she holds onto her clutch with the opposite hand. "Oh, I plan on enjoying more later on. All in moderation." With that, there is a laugh...and then silence as she catches the countdown beginning....

Karen Starr has posed:
    Power Girl, for her part, was sort of drifting off to the side of the party regardless. Mingling where she can- being kind of partially in the selfie Damian took, which she will mildly resent later, but not much- and doing what she can to make people feel safe.

    To Diana, she offers a shrug, finally answering a statement from earlier. "Then people might not think I am who I am. Plus, I tend to hate dressing up, and have to get everything custom made." You know, because she's so tall.

    Still, she's standing there next to Diana and Zatanna when the countdown begins, and she smiles softly, nodding along. "Yeah, if nothing else, it's great to be sharing this moment with friends."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"... come to think of it, the last one of these we went to together actually DID get crashed by supervillains." Zee is on to something, here!

Ultimately, she can't but grin at Diana's suggestion that the only logical thing is to give up partying so she can go defend the OTHER parties. Well, she grins at first, then laughs. "Wait, are you being serious? You're serious, aren't you?" She shakes her head. "Princess, you're a trip, you know that? But I was mostly joking. We're allowed a little time to celebrate- and can deal with the disasters when they strike."

At the very least, they've got these ten seconds!

"Sure, here, just give me a-," she answers Terry as he appears again with the camera, and steps closer to wrap an arm about Diana's waist, while shifting her pose to be a little more photo-worthy, lifting her free hand. "Three, two, one-"

"Happy New Year!" The words are accompanied with a flourish, and in that blink and you'll miss it moment, the band on her tophat changes to a banner with '2021' on it. And as the predictable music starts to play, she turns, leans to give Diana a peck on the cheek- a good photo for Terry!

"But I really do have to run," she declares, a moment later. "Got another one of these to do in an hour!"

Lucius Fox has posed:
The count down stops at zero and everyone bursts out "HAPPY NEW YEAR" and if there is one thing Gotham knows how to do its party, with high born and low mingling alike, quite sloshed, balloons dropping from the ceiling and people singing "Auld Lang Syne" with actual lyrics and made up lyrics that sound pretty goodo somehow collectively to the point that it ...MIGHT be the actual song. But Lucius smiles, lifts his glass and says, "Happy New Year everyone, thanks for coming."