Owner	Pose
Laxmi Mallick	Laxmi has just finished her set for the night - and her music was a bit unorthodox. That dark-skinned mutant played an instrument called a 'sarod' - a fretless stringed instrument from India with a deep, haunting sound - and she played it with a heavy metal band. Somehow, it worked, and she combines it with singing she's honed from years and years of training into a sultry, enticing sound that seems to enrapture, captivate, and lift the spirits (though that could be in part due to her subtle gift to manipulate emotions with her voice). At times she would stop playing her instrument and dance around the stage, adding shimmering, transluscent illusions to the performance.     Laxmi loved being on stage - and she loved adapting everything she'd learned over the years to make something danceable, for the club scene. And she loves settling in at the bar with some sort of sparkling mixed drink of soda and fruit juice to simply enjoy the 'scene' after a little hard work.
June Connor	June isn't old enough to be in a club. But when you have a fake ID and flirt with bouncers, it's easier to sidestep those rules. Carma Toll is the name that she has right now. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't affected by Laxmi's performance, remarkably impressed by the illusions that were broadcast about. Sure, she lives in a city full of mutants, but most of the time if she encounters them, it's in a fight, and she's usually running from them rather than trying to appreciate any artistic value.     She takes her shot of whiskey, and orders a second one, grabbing it and sliding off the bar. She looks like a rough character. Tattoos, ripped T-shirt with Metallica on it, and shredded black jeans. She's all set for a thrash concert, really. "Hey hey," she calls out, trying to get Laxmi's attention as she crosses the club. She's a little less refined than a lot of the clientele. Of course, that comes with a little attention of its own from some of the patrons, either with disgust for her rough exterior, or a certain curiosity given her rather exposed sections of skin.
Laxmi Mallick	"Hey hey," Laxmi responds in mind - amusement showing on her features at the casual way the girl calls to her. She sets down her drink - pressing the palms of her hands together as she greets the woman with a warm, "Namaste." It doesn't look like it's a New Agey, cultural misappropriation thing for her, though - from the dark skin, to the straight black hair, to the strange instrument she'd played and the bright, sparkling sari silks and truly excessive amounts of costume jewelry she wears - she looks the part.     "I hope you enjoyed the performance?" she offers with friendly, welcoming smile before picking up her drink for another sip.
June Connor	"That was some fuckin' crazy shit," June offers, the tone indicating that it's a compliment as she reaches the end of the bar where Laxmi is stationed, and claps the glass of whiskey in front her right next to the drink she already has. "So like, how'd you do that uh...the sparkles and stuff?" she asks. "Because I never seen anything like that," she admits, her slight Brooklyn accent coming out. "You like, make those images by thinkin' about them or what?" she asks. "How's all that work?"
Laxmi Mallick	"It's tied to my movements, actually," Laxmi remarks. She lifts one hand from her glass, posing it in some sort of hand sign. She begins moving her hand and arm, gracefully and smoothly, through a series of what must be well practiced movements and signs. "It first manifested while I was doing Kathak dance, providing some of the images to the story I was performing." As her hand moves, shimmering snowflakes begin to fall around, and through them. "I don't really know how it works, or if tying it to movement is just some sort of mental block I've managed to create for myself - but I must be moving, and I must also will the images to happen." After a final gesture, her hand returns to her glass, leaving the illusions to quickly fade from view once more.
June Connor	June's lip curls a little as she's listening, a rather unpleasant facial tick, but she doesn't seem upset. "So can you do real stuff? Or just liick shapes and stuff? Can you make say, this glass?" she asks. "Or something else that can be seen through or really solid stuff like a book or whatever?" She takes her own whiskey and forces it into her mouth, wincing at the sharp bite of the bourbon.
Laxmi Mallick	"I've never managed to create a solid looking illusion," Laxmi answers, giving a shrug of her shoulders to show that it's a matter of little consequence to her. Could she create a glass of transulscent liquid, though. "...I've honestly never tried for a realistic looking glass," she muses. "I might be capable of that, I suppose. But the moment someone reached for it, their hand would go straight through, and I'd have to keep moving in order to maintain it."
June Connor	"Huh," June nods, and leans on the counter, both elbows under her. "I'm Carma by the way," she introduces herself. "I just...wow, thought that was cool. I hope they pay you like, fat buckets of cash, you know these rich folks come here because of stuff like this, next level bullshit to just chill out around. Makes'em feel special. "Cuz if they don't pay you what you are worth, you could make a ton of money from tourists. There's suckers out in CP everyday."
Laxmi Mallick	"Betsy is reasonably generous with her people," Laxmi replies with some amusement, smiling at June. "Though I appreciate the support, Carma. I'm Laxmi," she offers, in case the woman had missed her name somehow - when she was introduced before and after the performance. "Though honestly, I'm always looking for more opportunities. It'd be nice to break out of the club scene and into something more main-stream, but my style may be a bit too... niche. And having dark skin, and an X-gene..." Hardly plusses in the music industry.
June Connor	"I mean, you just play the minority card, it should be fine," June suggests, as if she knew anything about mutant troubles. "But even if they hate on you, I could get you paid like, a shit ton," she says directly, cutting the air with her palm. There is that edge about her that says she's got something to pitch. "And I'd win too because I get to see that stuff. I mean, mutants might be scary and all, but people like stuff that scares them, really. It's why they go on roller coasters and watch horror movies and stuff."
Laxmi Mallick	"I don't want to be something that scares people," Laxmi counters. "I have no desire to be the sort of person that confirms the hate-mongers fears and outright slander. I'm just an entertainer," she insists.     "If you've got a line on some entertainment work that would further my career, though - believe me. I'm all ears," she offers in a hopeful tone.
June Connor	"No no," June shakes her head and both hands. "Not meanin' you should scare people, I just...nevermind, I was rambling." She puts one hand on the counter, opening up her stance toward Laxmi a bit. "So, what I'm sayin' is that I could /give/ you some entertainment work," she says, arching one pierced brow. "So I need money, we all need money, right? And people, they got it. It's just a matter of getting it. When you did that show, I felt like all my troubles were just, poof," she says, illustrating the motion with one hand. "And believe me, that says a hell of a lot. So like, if you were to perform and get a crowd, make them all feel good, people pay well for feelin' good," June says, giving a nod of her head. It's one of those nods used to evoke an instinctive agreement. "You perform, I keep things organized and collect the money. We both end up happy," she suggests. "Follow?"
Laxmi Mallick	Laxmi studies June with a faint frown pulling at her lips. "I'm not entirely certain that I do. I don't like to manipulate people unwittingly, or without their consent, unless it's necessary. Here," she gestures around the club, "They've all come here for a good time. They're opting in. It's fair game to me," even if there isn't fully informed consent involved, she seems fine with it. "But the line gets blurry, and not in a good way, if I'm using my voice to manipulate people into parting with money they might not be willing to give otherwise..."
June Connor	June gives a slightly disbelieving arch of both eyebrows, suggesting that Laxmi might not be fully honest on the fact. "Come on, like...just a little sometimes, if someone's bein' nasty to you, chill them out?" she suggests. "Or to get a date? I'm sure you've /sometime/ used it, and I'm not judgin', not like you're takin' away their free will, just like, makin' a better mood, right?" she holds her hands up. "And if they are all there for a good time, they all leave happy, hey, no harm in that. People getting entertained and being happy when they leave? That's a win, right? Street performing, can make lots of money. Used to be a guy that'd run around in his underwear and play a guitar, made some bank," she expounds. "I mean, he had to strip to his tighty whities, you could do it just doin' what you love," she suggests, and indicates back toward Lakshmi with a hopeful smile.
Laxmi Mallick	"Oh, I've used it to calm crowds in dangerous situations more than once, actually," Laxmi replies. "...and once when a jewelry thief pointed a weapon at me. But those are both very different situations compared to 'getting myself a date.'" She shakes her head at the thought. "I'm hardly that desperate. No, I prefer not to use my powers in such ways - and I'm not a busker." She's not that desperate for gigs - not that she faults performers who are.
June Connor	June, or Carma as she's calling herself, looks...stressed at the continued rejection. "Look, what if I gave you a thousand dollars flat for one performance," she offers. "Doesn't matter how many people show up to it. I just...I really need to get somethin' off the ground, and I'm kinda desperate," she confides. Of course, she's awfully young to have a cool grand kicking around to offer. "And I like, NEED this. I know you don't know me, and I look kinda scary and all?" she indicates her extreme appearance. "But someone's life may depend on me making enough money before the end of the week, and I saw you up there, and I thought I'd ask."
Laxmi Mallick	"How can someone's life depend upon it?" Laxmi asks - her brow furrowing in concern. "Why not throw some sort of benefit? Advertise this person's situation, invite people to come - perhaps Betsy would let us use the Club, or Nicolai might have a venue we could use - there might be room for an event like that in Hope House," she muses thoughtfully.     "There are much more intelligent ways to do this than with street busking."
June Connor	June laughs, "Damn, I need more to drink for that one," she admits. "Uh," she takes her empty shot glass and tilts it back to grab that last drop still hanging in it and then claps it on her nose briefly, as if trying to smell the alcohol into her body. She turns it down on the counter. "I'm not really the kinda girl that people wanna throw benefits for," she says, "And I really can't advertise the situation." She slows down that part of the statement, as if to convey something.      She turns her body to lean her back against the bar. "One of those 'get out of town or get the money' kind of things. I could go try to be a mugger or something," she indicates her small frame, "Probably wouldn't be my best plan. "And there's other ways a girl can get money," she winces, "Which is I guess my last option if this doesn't work." Yeah, she played that as a directly unfair attempt to guilt agreement.
Laxmi Mallick	Laxmi's a good soul - if that weren't apparent enough already - and faced with this situation, she can only frown in bafflement. How can she turn away someone who says their life is in danger? But she can't just compromise her morals or beliefs.     "You're the one in danger, then?" she asks. "In over your head with some sort of criminal organization? Why not simply... go to the authorities for help? Or- well, there must be other solutions."
June Connor	"That's cute, you think the cops are good guys," is the sarcastic response. "Look, I haven't made all the best decisions, okay? And I'm tryin' to get out of that situation, but I'm a little trapped. I need to pay a guy off $7,000 to get my name off a list or," she shrugs. "Goin' to cops just gets me arrested, and probably still dead." She takes the glass she had brought for Laxmi, deciding she needs it more herself, and backs it. "I guess I'm barkin' up the wrong tree," she says. "Light a candle for me."
Laxmi Mallick	"There are always other solutions - there's always a way to turn your life around and find another path," Laxmi encourages June, genuine concern in her eyes. "To improve this life - and your next. Surely we can find another way to get the money, and get yourself clear? I don't know if Betsy or Nicolai would be able to front you that sort of money - but they might, in return for future services of some sort. I'm unsure where your talents lie - but it's worth at least looking into."
June Connor	"Yeah, just pull my bootstraps up," June answers. "My talents aren't much," she says. "And they aren't things an upstanding law abiding citizen like yourself would probably appreciate. And I doubt I'd get a lot of borrowed trust from whoever runs a place like this. Some of us just aren't smart enough to turn our lives around, and if I get another, I'd rather not. Screwing up once is enough for me. But hey, I guess getting some perv off is probably my safest bet. Or a few of them..." she considers the question, staring up at the ceiling. "But hey, you just keep that...holy righteousness and shit." She reaches out in a motion to try to pat Laxmi on the shoulder. It's clear that she's also starting to feel a little less than fully sober.
Laxmi Mallick	Laxmi tolerates the pat with a slightly tight smile. Sometimes there's more harm to be done in avoiding the contact - rather than simply accepting it. This seems to be one of those times. "It's possible you underestimate some people. And honestly - what have you to lose by asking? Ask for Besty," she encourages the girl. "Or 'Miss Braddock' - if you wish to be formal. You can even tell her that Laxmi refered you. And ask for Nicolai Codona of Hope House, as well. I wish I had further resources to turn you to, but honestly - you have so much life left ahead of your. What could be worth more than the fight to regain your control over it?"
June Connor	"Okay," June concedes. "I'll ask her, okay?" She lets out a sigh. "For now, I think I'm gonna go to sleep, because I get pissy when I'm drunk. So unless you wanna take a chance of me punching someone around me, I should probably go." She pushes off from the counter, and makes a motion as if tipping an invisible hat. "Thanks for your time, Miss Lakmi," she offers, and if not stopped, heads for the exit.
Laxmi Mallick	"Punching people in Betsy's club is unlikely to earn you her good graces, so I suppose I'll allow you to leave." Laxmi's expression grows more serious as she adds, "Good luck, Carma." There seems to be genuine concern on her features. "I hope you find your way."