Aberrant: 200X - Victoria Crush Charity Extravaganza

[Austin Lange]

Austin let out a low whistle. "Now that's somebody with a vivid imagination. That, or they've got more money than they know what to do with."

He looked to Bridgette. "What would you do with that kind of money?"

[SuperCav]

"Build a submarine and explore the deep... we still know more about the Moon's surface than what we know of what's down there." She says, looking at the battle zone transform.

"Think it becomes a Giant Robot? It was built by a Japanese genius." She says, pulling up a profile of Sakurako Hideyoshi on her smart phone. "Oh, it's that pink-haired girl from the forum... odd one that girl." She leans over to Austin. "Bit of a nerd that one."

[Magnum Opus]

"Yeah, this is a charity thing." Knockout waved at the foxy nova. "Lots of outfit requests." He phone beeped, and she ignored it. "Sakurako wanted to hang out for a bit, so, hey, here we are. Now can someone explain to me what a plugsuit is?"

[Silvertalon]

The kitsune-like nova nods her head slightly and smiles "So I see... A little tight and form fitting to and here I thought you didn't like to show off Sakurako-chan." She giggles a little and bows her head respectfully to Knockout, "Greetings to you Knockout-chan" All the while she kept speaking japanese.

"I myself have been wondering around enjoying the sights, smells and sounds." Her head tilts slightly as she looks over her own shoulder. "Although... I fail to understand these strange creatures you call humanity. Are they so willing to follow you around like a lost puppy all the time? It is cute and almost sad at the same time cause you can't take'm home." She turns her attention to the two with a wink being playful in the use of her words.

[Doryoku]

Sakurako turns to Knockout. "It's pretty much a fancy pilot's suit. In the series, the suits are pretty much to keep the wearer comfortable while they're immersed in a breathable liquid that allows for a better man-machine interface... and they look cool too, in my opinion."

She turns to SilverTalon. "Some people are drawn to power, some to just standing in our shadow, my Kitsune friend."

[Evo]

Originally Posted By: Bombshell

"Another auction down. Now, it's for something a little more action-packed. Next up, we have...."

"one of Victoria's own eruptees, the adaptable....Evo!"

Donald stretched carefully in the "on-deck" area as the Kombat Krew began to shuffle in the equipment and gear that would form the set pieces of his act, the very nature that was visible enough bringing in speculation and murmurers among the audience outside. He had changed his shirt, for reasons that would become clear later, a simple orange shirt with a large V leaving some of the back uncovered.

For heavens sake, he still reflected, could those people really give someone moments of time to catch their thoughts? Not everyone was a natural orator, and frankly, Donald had seen enough to be clear that they weren't really ever going to truly listen to a word he said.

So fuck them, nova, non-Terat and proud. Fuck them. Playing to the crowd would be the perfect icing to him.

Finally, one of the staff flashed the go ahead to him, and Donald charged out into the stadium as he was being introduced in Bombshell's rich tones to impressive cheers from the audience- and was greeted by a wall of rapidly moving metal spikes. Automated and being pumped up and down at high speeds as to appear close to a blur, they were sharp enough to ensure the death of any baseline who dared enter the field of holes and metal.

Immediately the audience held their collective breath, unable to imagine the point of such an obvious suicide- only to suck in their guts further when Evo leaped forward out of his run, landing with perfect precision on the tips of each spike in turn, as unworried and injured as a procession over rose petals would be.

Then his legs tensed as he came to the last spike in the grid, and through the air he jumped what some ball-parked to be one hundred feet in the air, grabbing onto the top rim of a thin vertical titanium wall, utterly smooth with no handholds. A bit of mind pressure, and his hands began to secret a sticky colorless coating as he made a flip with twice as many rotations more than the best baseline gymnast could ever hope to achieve.

He came down landing about ten feet down from the top of the wall, balancing seemingly impossibly on his hands- which gripped to the wall and combined with his natural balance ensured to him no risk of falling. One, two, five, after a dozen artful flips and subsequent handstands, impressively nimble and more for show than anything else, with the crowds going loud and approving already.

Next, a central pillar was surrounded by a cavalcade of not very expansive hoops. Bounding skyward from the wall, Evo went eagled flat through the first hoop, and then as cameras focused in, made a shift in his body. People watching closely gasped as long thin white strands shot out of his wrists, and the elder folk who were nerdy enough to remember the olden days of comic books could swear they were seeing Spiderman again.

And as he went through each hoop, using the lines he generated in turn to make motions no baseline could match, with superhuman skill and trained precision, everyone was going wild, and it was only halfway done...

Click to reveal..

Leaving room for responses. I'll wrap it up later.

[Silvertalon]

The kitsune-nova nodded slightly "Indeed such beings are drawn to power like moths to the flame. A shame they can achieve such greatness if only they looked with in themselves to find it. To rely on others completely with out motivation or drive leaves one thirsty for something in which they can not quench with our striving towards it."

A slight grin plays across that vulpine snout of hers, "But one can only stand in one's shadow for so long before the light reveals what type of being they are. Its only then they truly understand their limitations or given drive to make a change for the better pushing past what they thought was a limitation."

"Still its nice to see you again, I think I will slip into the VIP lounge for a few and see whats going on." She giggles softly walking past the two before stopping for a moment and turning to look over her shoulder towards Sakurako... "When the wolves are away.. The foxes will play...."

"But be careful of unusual arrangements or ties you might find yourself getting into. A bit of a bind can happen if your not careful Sakurako-chan."

"Although later I would like to speak with you about something I am seeking.. Until then..." She bows politely and leaves entering the VIP lounge leaving the two to talk for a bit longer in private.

[Doryoku]

"Wait I..."

Sakurako looks puzzled. "What does that darn Kitsune want now?" she thinks to herself. She sighs as she wonders just what is she up to now in the VIP room...

"Knockout... I'll be back over to your studio in a few minutes, I gotta straighten out the situation with that Fox-woman." She says with a sigh, following SilverTalon into the VIP room.

[Silvertalon]

The VIP room was hustling and bustling like before when she was in here not to long ago. She saw a couple newer novas in the room with a quick glance around the glowing young male nova. They seamed to be enjoying a conversation with one another. The press was all in a buzz with many of the novas in the room some pictures being taken here and there. It was a media carnival but at the same time it had some order the few press people didn't seam to bother to many of the patrons sticking with those they were interviewing while taking photos or recordings of the events taking place.

A few such notice her entry and quickly took snap shots her ears flickered in mild annoyance but kept her graceful act up strolling in a casual manner. Some of the patrons started to whisper wondering whom she was. But she just gave a slight coy faux smile and proceeded to an empty booth with little or no fuss. Soon a server came to her booth and she nodded slightly and spoke in her native tongue.

"I would like some sushi with a plate little fried tofu and sake."

The server blinked a little bit not understanding a word she spoke. This made the fox woman giggle a little as she motioned him closer. She trailed a claw tip along side his cheek as he was close enough and tapped his nose gently.

"There we go... I would like some Sushi with a plate of fried tofu and some sake. Please..." She softly said low enough for him to hear it but no one else she finally spoke American..

"I'll see what we can do miss. That is a very unusual order.." He blushed a little and went to the kitchen.

She giggled a little and nodded and then continued to speak in japanese. "Thank you."

Click to reveal..

For those paying attention they wouldn't of heard her speak a lick of English unless they have very sensitive hearing. Other wise she just seams to be speaking only traditional japanese.

[Doryoku]

Sakurako walks up behind Silvertalon, and takes a seat next to her, tapping her fingers in a rapid, four-beat cadence. "Silv... really... I know you said I owe you, but whenever you need something you just show up, I mean I don't even have your number or anything... *sigh* ... what do you need done? Hopefully it's not anything too complex, I'm going to have obligations to take care of in a couple days."

[Silvertalon]

A coy smile plays across the vulpine's muzzle as she rumbles softly trailing a claw tip across the table top. "Well you should know I dwell with in the shadows and rarely come out like this. It's much more fun to be watching afar but yet there are indeed a few things I require that your.... Science magic's can provide that I have a hard time understanding..."

She casually leans back in her seat watching Sakurako's expressions carefully. "I am finding great amusement with these things you call technology. It always amazes me to what can be done with it and more so someone with a nack for creating such splendid trinkets.... Or..is it Devices..."

"But I am looking for may be very easy for you to create knowing how versed you are in techo-mancy.. Perhaps you can fashion me an item of power that I can find greatly amusing and at the same time useful."

"Do you think your skills will be up to the challenge? Or are your techo-mancy powers to weak?"

A devilish grin plays across her muzzle as she watches the response clearly goating sakurako to agree.

[Doryoku]

Sakurako stops tapping the table. "That look on your face... tells me it's important. What are you getting at?"

Sakurako's been challenged by a nova roleplaying as a Kitsune... This is getting into the one-step-beyond category. What's on her mind she wonders as she orders the stiffest drink from the bar.

"Hopefully it won't be used in the unrestrained taking of life."

[Silvertalon]

The kitsune just giggles softly.

"Oh nothing to much in all honesty. As for how important it may be entirely up to how you choose to see it or make it be. Its by your choice is it not... As well as your pride... That will drive you into creating what I ask."

She winks and licks over her front canines slowly with a soft growl, "Besides I can already tell your very curious you want to know don't you.." She baits her idea like a little mouse on a string in front of a cat.

Her finger tips splay across the table top as a image soon takes shape. Slowly she crafts the holo image into something a small wrist device... "Something like this... Small, compact...." She spins the holo in front of Sakurako slowly, "A trigger and launcher with enough strength to propel a small cylinder object a couple feet. Once the object is launched it self ignites making enough fire to use for playful tricks and what not. I dout anything like this would be seriously dangerous to anyone. But of course if its improperly used it could be like all things humans create."

She allows the holo image to spin for a short time before dismissing it. "But the other thing I am looking for has a purpose. I rarely ever employ my skills in such a direct manner. What I require is an arrow head that does the same effect as the cylinders in the device mentioned that can replace the arrow heads off your run of the mill arrow. More so for the effect mentioned above but such a arrow tip will ensure a bit more driving force behind it."

"As for the uses of such toys is my own business but be assured they will not be used with the intent to kill if that's your question. Why would I leave such trivial evidence lying around. When I could just enjoy devouring said targets spirit as a nice tasty meal." She gives a cute toothy fox grin.

[Doryoku]

Sakurako folds her arms. "This... this is too simple. Well within what I can accomplish off the shelf. It'll take a couple weeks, but what is that compared to the fact you'll have at least the little wrist-crossbow and the folding compound longbow. Shouldn't be too hard. As for the arrows, you'll have to use them sparingly. After I make the initial batch, you'll need the design specs to recreate them."

She brushes back her hair. "Shouldn't be much of an issue. I hope. I don't know what sort of training Nippontai is going to put me through before my duties begin." She says smiling. "You know... you could do well standing by Japan's side in Nippontai, SilverTalon."

[Silvertalon]

Silvertalon tilts her head slightly to the side with a curious look. "I do the will of my goddess Inari and no other. But it does not mean we may from time to time see eye to eye on some issues. As it was fate which we were allowed to meet. But fate isn't everything its what we do in between that makes us what we are."

The server returns as its been nearly an hour after ordering he looks over to the other young woman both speaking that strange language between each other. He smiles and nods, "Eve miss... Anything I can get you as well?" He serves a plate of sushi and fried tofu in front of the kitsune and a bottle of sake to.

The kitsune-nova smiles and nods thanking him. He scratches his head a little and smiles "Your welcome...." He seams a bit confused but still waits and sees if the other young woman would want something.

"So I have heard... Of a Lady dressed very sharp, not to long ago in one of those sky boxes with a young woman. This wind spirit spoke of many things. It eagerly told me the names. The names freely given between them and a few tid bits here and there. I think I gave the spirit a bit to much and he was overly eager to ramble on for a bit."

"As I said before.... When the wolves are away... The foxes are at play... Nothing is safe from a spirit fox when bored."

That coy smug grin plays across her muzzle while she takes a cup of sake and takes a sip. "Mmmmm... Not bad... Would you like some?"

[Doryoku]

"You've been spying on me..." She says, smiling. It's almost like SilverTalon's being a big sister to her."What is your interest in me? I can't help but be curious myself."

[Silvertalon]

Slowly she sets down her cup of sake and looks over to Sakurako with a complete look of innocents. "... Spying?..." She raises her right and and waves a finger back and forth. "Tsk, Tsk Sakurako-chan you of all people should know better then to directly accuse one of something with out solid proof."

Click to reveal..

Kitsune 1 / Sakurako 0 (te-he)

"Shame on you for saying such a thing, did I say I was there?" She giggles a little with a coy grin, "But you did confirm the rumor I was hearing. Interesting how easily you gave up that information..." She raises and eye brow in a curious manner playing a coy game of cat and mouse.

[Doryoku]

Sakurako sighs. "Be careful, Kitsune. You ask me for favors yet play me for a fool. This is a two way street built on trust, not playful games."

She frowns, more like a disappointed parent than a person annoyed. "You can trust me, SilverTalon. Can I trust you? If I can't then should I even fill this request? As far as I know you're not looking for my best interests."

Click to reveal..

Silv 1/Sakurako 1... answered right back.

[Silvertalon]

"Indeed I am being careful in my ways its just my nature. No my intention is not to play you for a fool in any way. But to better understand your character your nature. Your very curious nature intrigues me and I am ever more curious wanting to see more and learn more." A warm smile friendly smile slowly crosses her features.

"As for trust..." She gently moves the fried tofu plate into the middle of the table in between the two of us. "It takes one to make a leap of faith in making that first step to establish a trust with another person does it not? Granted I may do things that seam strange and bewildering at times but its my nature its what I am." She giggles a little picking up a piece of fired tofo and munches on it. "Mmmm... But I always do my part and come though..." She seams more serious for the moment choosing her words very carefully sensing she may have gone a little to far in her playful nature.

[Doryoku]

Sakurako nods. "Okay... fair is fair."

She adjusts the eufiber plugsuit replica. "So... you need me to whip up those two devices and what not. Good."

Sakurako gets up. "My offer still stands. You would be quite an addition." She remarks. "Although your nature may grate on some, including Miko." She says with a nod. "Barkeep, have someone give this to Mary Masters in the Talent lounge. She could use something to wash down her meal."

She starts to walk off. "Something tells me you'll know where to find me."

She sends a text message to Knockout over her account. "Sorry, looks like duty calls. I'll have to raincheck our get together. -SH"

[Silvertalon]

"May Inari watch over you and provide you with many blessings Sakurako-san"

Silvertalon goes back to enjoying her meal casually at the table alone. But all the while she watches the on-goings in the room curios to see the nature of things that take place here.

[Contessa]

"Bombshell or Knockout." Contessa repeated softly. "I see they shop at the same thesaurus." The blond smirked at her wit and then continued. "Hacking the opmail, while certainly possible for me, is um, a federal offense and my dad would kill me if I got arrested. Trust me, he'd freak out of he knew I was wearing heels."

"Why don't we just find these two and ask them who it was from? We could bribe them, I have a twenty." As the two ladies approached the table she was tucking the bill in one of the front pockets of her white slacks. She managed to squeeze out a smile in Alex's direction about the time Jael began running her fingers through his hair. She was slightly envious of Jael, but on the opposite side of the coin conceded that she really had no clue what to with a man, especially one like Alex, so thankfully the feelings would pass in time.

"Um, hi 'Dozer'." She offered him a polite smile that could send a man's heart racing. "It's nice to meet you." Despite Jael generally polite attitude towards her now that their misunderstanding was resolved, she still seemed nervous and uncomfortable at the table.

"Um," she turned to Jael. "How are we going to ge ta meet with Knockout? She's a pretty high roller isn't she? I sure don't have the kind of clout to arrange a meeting with her, I'm a nobody nova... which could mean that, to have her deliver the rose, someone just as important her could have sent it."

The more she thought about it, the more she just wanted to hack the opmail, it'd be so much easier.

[GDP_ST]

Originally Posted By: Jael Carver

Sunshine wasn’t alone, of course, but he seemed to have listened to what Jael said. I was frustrated, joking. Why does that bother me? But even as she recognized that guilt, she felt her heart rise at the sight of him. Sunshine always did that to her – made her feel a little better. “Hey,” she said, stopping next to his chair, leaning against his side and curling an arm around his shoulders. It could have been a casual gesture between close friends, but Jael wasn’t projecting friendliness at the glowing man. Her fingers casually wrapped around his hair, feeling its soft texture against her skin. “Hi, Dozer. Long time. Cleveland right?” Jael gave the big nova a wave and a friendly smile. “This is Contessa. Contessa, Dozer.”

"Hey." Alex replied to Jael, his own smile seeming to light up the room to anyone watching as he returned the greeting. He leaned into her a little as she rested against him, the feel of her fingers in his hair both soothing and intimate, calming him somewhat. He wondered if the smoldering Terat would continue to circle, make her move, or disappear with Jael, Dozer and Contessa now around him. He hoped she came over to talk, if that's all she wanted to do.

"Everything okay?" he asked Contessa and Jael, shooting the former a reassuring smile, noting her nervousness. At least her and Jael seemed to have smoothed things over - he'd been watching them from the moment they entered the room, noting that they seemed to be talking something over. And Contessa had a rose, now. That was kind of an odd make-up present for Jael to give another woman, wasn't it? Oh, he realised as she continued to talk. KO had presented it to her on someone's behalf. "You want to meet Dani?" he asked Contessa, smiling anew. "That's actually pretty easy if she's not busy. One sec." He fished in his tuxedo jacket for his OpPhone.

"You know Knockout?!" Contessa started, then blinked. "Oh, yeah. She's your guardian's girlfriend or something." He lives with two blondes, lesbians no less, with bodies to die for. He's got one of the personally scariest women I've ever met - with the possible exception of Mizz Mannheim the gym coach - running her fingers through his hair. And he's nice. He's not a smug prettyboy jerk. Wow. Mixie, I dunno if I should introduce you two. You'd probably throw yourself at him, and then Jael will blame me, and then we'd have to go on the run from Jael Carver and fall in with dope dealers across the Mexican border, and Dad will ground me until I'm old and wrinkly, which means forever cos I'm a nova...

Oblivious to the spiral of gloomy neurosis whirling through Contessa's lovely head, Alex tapped out a quick message to K.O.

Ray O'Sunshine to K.O! You Win!
Hey Dani, if you're not busy can we come and see you? There's someone here in the V.I.P that wants to meet you. Don't worry, they're nice. I'm pretty sure they're not stalker material - they just want to ask a question. Is it cool?

"There." he said, resting the phone on the table and smiling at Contessa. "I told her someone nice just wants to ask her a question, and that you're not stalker material." he added with a mischievous grin. The grin faded for a second as he glanced around, his blue eyes a little wary all of a sudden. "Speaking of which, is there a red-skinned woman with a sort of flame motif going on still circling?"

[Dozer]

As he settled into the Ottoman, Dozer thanked the man that got it for him, then he turned back to Sunshine, "I've always been this big, since I was about 17. But I was a bit rounder around the middle. " He smiled and nodded at the woman with the burning aura. "Is she a friend of yours?" Any further comment was cut short by the arrival of Jael and Contessa. He chuckled when Jael mentioned Cleveland, "Yup. That was a good time. Very relaxing. What have you been up to since?" Then he noticed Contessa, "A pleasure to meet you, Contessa. I'm Dillon, but you can call me Dozer. What brings you to this event?"

[Jael Carver]

“School, work, life, Sunshine – that’s been my life since Cleveland,” Jael said to Dozer, skipping over losing her virginity, getting mind-raped by her shrink and receiving suspect training from a mysterious man in the Fuji’s who had probably shot Kennedy or something like that. Jael still had no idea who Reynolds had been, not that she pressed him about it. It seemed safer to leave it alone. “You?”

Originally Posted By: Contessa

“Um,” she turned to Jael. “How are we going to ge ta meet with Knockout? She's a pretty high roller isn't she? I sure don't have the kind of clout to arrange a meeting with her, I'm a nobody nova... which could mean that, to have her deliver the rose, someone just as important her could have sent it.”

“Contessa, hon, no nova is a nobody nova,” Jael said simply. “Even if you don’t think you have the clout to do something, you do. Believe that, walk with that confidence, and the world will open its doors for you. Frankly, more than being a nova, belief and confidence will get you incredibly far in life.” Jael spoke with the assurance of the sociopath; there wasn’t much that actually scared her or made her uneasy. It was easy for her to walk as if she owned the world.

Originally Posted By: Sunshine

“There,” he said, resting the phone on the table and smiling at Contessa. “I told her someone nice just wants to ask her a question, and that you're not stalker material,” he added with a mischievous grin. The grin faded for a second as he glanced around, his blue eyes a little wary all of a sudden. “Speaking of which, is there a red-skinned woman with a sort of flame motif going on still circling?”

Jael stiffened against him, but her smile didn’t shift from Contessa. The pretty teen nova got to see the look in her eyes go from relaxed to murderous in the span of a blink again, which really didn’t help Contessa feel better about being around her. “Yeah, there is,” she said, her voice relaxed despite the tension in her frame. She’d examined the red flame-bitch without being obvious about it; the woman couldn’t be missed. Jael had been aware of her without really making her awareness noticeable. The whole circling thing was annoying but some novas seemed to feel that they needed to throw their quantum weight around in obvious ways. Now that Sunshine was speaking about her without smiling and with that look in his eyes, Jael shifted her assessment from 'ignorable annoyance' to 'threat to Sunshine's happiness'. It was not a good column to find oneself listed.

“Why? Is she bothering you? Do I need to… talk to her?”

[Bombshell]

From the announcers' booth, Jason watched Evo's display, lips curved with interested amusement, relieved the audience was enjoying the show. Deft as he was, Donald was by no means the most agile and athletic nova attending the Event - if she wasn't being modest, she'd say she herself exceeded him handily, even wearing stilettos - though having erupted during the Crush might have had something to do with the good response from the crowd.

On the other hand, even she wasn't able to scale a sheer wall of titanium. Well, she could, but she would have had to put her hands through it. And she wasn't even sure she could fit through any of those narrow hoops, at least, not so easily. She glanced at herself with a wry grin. Her chest did stick out rather further than Evo's did.

"You know, Bomb, this is a good look for you. The heels, the dress, the..." Jerry 'The King' Lawler bantered, his hands suggesting her hourglass figure, or more precisely, only the upper portion of it, his eyes unselfconsciously glue to her tits. "You should let those sweater puppies run free more often."

"You should watch Valyrie then. My puppies run free enough in that," Jason countered with a teasing tone and a roll of her eyes. "No way am I fightin' in a ballgown - besides tonight, and this night only. I prefer pants anyway and after TRON, I'm pretty used to the skintight bodysuit. And hell, if I flashed more skin on top of that, they'd have issue even higher viewer advisory warnings."

"Warning: Bombshell's sweater puppies are weapons of mass distraction and may cause the over whelming need to go motorboating."

"Classy, Jerry," Jason replied drolly, then gestured at the objects of Jerry's undivided attention. "And really? Sweater puppies? These are more like sweater mastiffs." Jerry couldn't even respond, just drool in agreement and Jason sighed, nodding back at the Combat Zone. "I think you've been starin' long enough, how 'bout you give Evo a bit of you attention, eh? I'll be back on stage soon enough anyway."

"Can't. Look. Away..."

Jason snorted, tossing her hair over her shoulder and spinning in her chair to face Jerry directly... though Jerry's eyes weren't directed at her face. "This again? Every time...."

Jason sighed again, then yanked Jerry's eyes off her superlative breasts by crossing her equally fantastic legs in a languorous and exaggerated production that made Sharon Stone look like an arthritic crone. Jerry's gaze watched every long, flawless curve - the display was even better with Bombshell wearing a dress slit up to the hips. He'd long gotten over the fact that this uber-babe used to be a dude.

"There. Watch the Zone, not me." With that, Jason spun back in her chair to watch Evo's antics, leaving Jerry a view of her dramatic profile.

Jerry grinned. Jason was alright, didn't take herself too seriously or hold herself aloof as too many of the mega-gorgeous people often did. Jerry shook his head and finally turned back to watch Spider-Boy in the Zone. "I never get tired of that. You sure are something, babe."

"I'm something alright... And don't call me babe."

[Fahrenheit]

Originally Posted By: Sunshine

"There." he said, resting the phone on the table and smiling at Contessa. "I told her someone nice just wants to ask her a question, and that you're not stalker material." he added with a mischievous grin. The grin faded for a second as he glanced around, his blue eyes a little wary all of a sudden. "Speaking of which, is there a red-skinned woman with a sort of flame motif going on still circling?"

The red-skinned Nova was still in his peripheral field of vision but had stopped stalking around. Her attention was now fully focused on him and the newcomers. She recognised Jael but wasn't sure who the stunningly beautiful teen was next to her. Obviously they were all well acquainted with Sunshine and the new situation demanded a change of tactics.

Fahrenheit's eyes rested on Jael who had the most immediate response to her but kept it well hidden which left her guessing what she was up to. Even if she was hostile Fahrenheit doubted that she would openly attack her. She had chosen this event because it provided the next best thing to neutral ground and forced her to be diplomatic herself.

She had preferred talking to him alone but it didin't look like she was getting this chance anytime soon. As she approached the group of breathtaking beautiful Novas a new plan formulated in her mind, a plan that required some scouting and probing on the social level.

"I am terribly sorry but aren't you 'Sunshine'? I must confess I was watching you from afar. Had I known you're here with your girlfriend I wouldn't have tried to attract your attention like I did. Mind if I join your small circle?", her eyes jumped back to Sunshine after giving Jael a brief glance as she mentioned her being his girlfriend.

Just like Sunshine she radiated heat but hers was unpleasent and causing discomfort to those susceptible to fire. Fahrenheit remained somewhat at a distance chosing a chair furthest away from the teenage Novas. Her phoenix shaped Anima flared rhythmically with the plasma eruptions over her crimson skin and the birds eyes watched the youngsters like they were her prey.

"My name is Fahrenheit, if you haven't figured that out by now."

[Contessa]

"My, my," Contessa observed while contemplating Jael's words about self confidence, which she had to admit, she had in very short supply. She smirked at Sunshine and added with a hint of friendly sarcasm. "Aren't you the popular one."

What's his nova power? Attracting every crazy woman in a three block radius? She chuckled at her inner wit as she focused on the conversation going on between the 'real' novas.

Quote:

"My name is Fahrenheit, if you haven't figured that out by now."

"Darn, I was going to say 'Stacey' too." She snapped her fingers in an 'oh shucks' kinda way. Something in the back of her mind screamed at her nd she didn't know what it was. Contessa liked everybody, she couldn't help it, but there was just something about this 'Fahrenheit' that rubbed her inner child the wrong way. Frankly, she just creeped her the hell out.

"It's nice to meet you Fahrenheit, I'm Contessa." The woman made her uncomfortable, and the firey phoenix anima certainly didn't help any. She became fidgety and nervous while her usual wit and perky sarcasm were replaced by stammers or just a desire to not be part of the conversation. It was obvious though, Contessa did not like this woman one bit.

Click to reveal..

Contessa pyrophobia isn't in full swing although the anima banner has her wanting to excuse herself (again). It's not real flame however, else Fahrenheit would have this entire place one big conflagration by now. Needless to say though, it seriously puts her on edge. The +3 social penalty doesn't help either. The woman just rubs Tessa the wrong way.

[WhiteRain]

Finding Sunshine was no difficulty for her. Her senses still thrummed with the quantum she had flooded through them. She could feel every step in the backstage area through the vibrations in the floor, and hear every conversation in this part of the building.

As such, tuning in on Sunshine's conversations in the VIP lounge was a simple matter. She heard unfamiliar names, unfamiliar voices, a mixture of emotions and moods, all revolving around the boy birthed from the Crush.

Fitting enough for an event like this, she supposed.

She paused in one of the many hallways, beside an oversized advertisement poster for the event featuring Jason's somewhat distinctive likeness. A quiet voice inside her whispered that she had done it better with her marble bust.

Nonetheless, Jason's beauty and strength of personality shone through, complete with the knowingly sexual wink and smile.

Really, with the posters up around the building, it was a marvel any work had ever been done on the event. Perhaps they put the posters up after all the arrangements had been complete. Some sort of 'reward', for a job well done.

And it was a job well done. In her pause she saw Donald bouncing from place to place, awing the crowd with his death-defying, impossible acrobatics. Scrambler would have said he was reducing himself to the level of a circus clown, letting the baselines 'oooo' and 'ah' over his... his... his what-given gifts?

Oh she'd heard plenty of guesses on that. Some Novas still said and fully believed in saying 'God-given', though no Terats she had ever met were religious. Teras itself was their religion and their philosophy, the lens through which they saw the world. By placing oneself in ascendence, the Nova allowed no place for gods or men.

A dangerous conceit, that. Yet one rendered possible by the eruption, rendered practical by it, and perhaps even rendered necessary. Or perhaps she told herself so, because her ego would allow nothing less.

She watched Donald's acrobatic dance, wondering these things. She had no true doubts about Teras. Her path was set, harder than stone, more determined than a grizzled warrior riding to his final, greatest battle. But she did have doubts about herself. Those were needed, would always be needed.

Chang had placed herself in ascendency. She had no judge but herself, in the end, and in acceptance of that role she had to become the harshest, most cynical judge imaginable.

She moved down the hallway again, walking with slow steps towards the VIP lounge, giving no more than cursory nods to the baselines who tried to be polite. One even dared to stop her, and asked for an autograph. She provided it, and made a quick sketch of a night sky she remembered from her youth or, at least, a sketch of her memory of that sky.

The girl's face lit up when she saw that, not quite comprehending, but glad that Chang had taken an extra step. She went on her way, offering a clumsy bow. A Nova watcher, most like.

It had been an emotional evening. The most emotional she could remember for many years. Productive, too, and surprising with it. What did these unguarded moments reveal about her, though?

Certainly it bothered her when her fellow Novas took the baselines' side. Donald's comments had been mild, nothing compared to those of Caestus Pax or almost any core Team Tomorrow minion. Yet they had cut deep, nonetheless. Did that stem from a weakness in herself, though, or from a simple emotional vulnerability?

Chang knew she had grown lonely. Sexually frustrated, too, with few signs of that abating on the horizon. Perhaps something would grow from contact with the Mansfields, but their relations tonight had been indeterminate. On the morrow Shae could as easily love her or loathe her, depending on how her experiences settled in her mind.

Heavens above, where did that leave her? It was a grim thing to admit you had no friends. It conjured the image of desolate loners striding empty plains, and misanthropes sneering at those who dared be happier than themselves.

Certainly she had not degraded to that stage. She resented nobody their happiness. Her own lay in other places, though, and distant ones. Else in the uncertain place of artistic whimsy, which could as easily raise her up or cast her down. And love...

She envied Jason that much. And the Mansfields, and Mal - for he always had his Scripture - and Scrambler up until he murdered his baseline wife as part of his evolution, and all the other Novas who found comfort in the loving arms of another.

Chang had felt that emotion herself, with Olga. But that had been a lie. Smoke and mirrors. Just a bit of shameful weakness on her part that let a baseline use her. What a pleasant lie, though! Yes, so pleasant. So poisonous. Lies were the great destroyer for the seeker of Teras. Certainly for her.

Love... one day she hoped to taste the truth of the thing.

She came to a stairwell and lengthened her torso, stretching down over the bannister and down past a score of shocked baselines, one of whom fumbled for his camera. Chang stretched out her arms and gripped the frame of the door below before dragging her legs over the bannister too, and contracting to stand as she walked through to the connecting corridor beyond. The sound of warping flesh and stretching bone echoed softly in her wake.

Chang knew why she had lived in isolation so long. If there was one thing she could say with certainty it was that she knew herself quite well.

In isolation the whole 'self-as-judge-and-jury' approach made perfect sense and could be easily supported. It became exponentially more difficult when friends were allowed to play a part. Their judgements, their influence, reduced the purity of self-judgement. Peer pressure became an issue. And she had seen that at work among the Teragen. She had fled from it, in many ways. Fled from it into the ruins of ancient Greece to see if there remained much of inspiration in the baseline world.

She considered testimony to her growth that she had found it mostly uninspired and crude, though never losing sight of the fact that it was the best they could do.

Inside her there was another little kernel of quantum-infused taint. Such tricky stuff, taint. Eager to enter the body, but not keen on being controlled. It wanted to ravage and warp and distort mind and flesh.

Yet it could be directed. Guided.

Chang paused at the entrance to the VIP lounge, listening as the one named Fahrenheit spoke. Quite a crowd had gathered around Sunshine now. She could feel their footsteps, their movements. This close she could hear the blood in their veins and the other sounds from those with differing biology.

She caught sight of herself in a mirror. A reasonable look, she thought, but she was a shapeshifter. Better not to hold to any one appearance for too long.

Her eyes changed first, tensing up and then flushing to new colours. Her left eye turned hot pink, the right a violet so deep and rich it made her think of fine wine. She lengthened her lashes a little to emphasize them.

Her white raindrop tattoo was joined by a many-fingered pattern on the other side of her face, reaching out seemingly from her ear like a twisted hand ready to clench on her head. Chang's clothes came apart into hair for a moment, then reknit into an old favourite. A black cropped shirt tight on her three breasts, with her own raindrop tattoo as its central motif rendered large and vertical in the center. Underneath a fine dark mesh that covered her belly. Blue ripped up jeans, and a black hooded jumper. Her cock, thigh-thick now, at rest, was tucked up just underneath her central breast, held absolutely central by a cocoon of her hair. It made a rather dramatic bulge in her clothes, but didn't it always?

She remembered wearing this when she went to the airport. When the baselines had stolen her money and sent a scapegoat to absorb her rage. Not that she had felt any. Their betrayal had been expected, and an anticipated thing lost most of its sting.

Chang walked forward, not bothering to open the doors. It was quicker and easier to compress herself flat and slide through the gap between them, then boil out and reform on the other side, rubbery skin bouncing hard again.

Her entrance attracted some attention, of course.

The lounge was large - larger than the talent lounge by far - and also more sumptuous. The talent lounge was really a glorified waiting area for those yet to perform, the VIP lounge served more of an entertainment role.

Chairs and tables were set up in a communal fashion, so that it would be easy for groups to form as needed. The lighting was warm, carpets rich and red, the TV screens large and prominent. A bar and staff were on the far side, waiting for any orders from those present. Which fitted her desires just fine.

Chang turned to Sunshine first, and inclined her head respectfully. She would address him later, when it was time to leave. For now, though, she wanted a little time to think, to run her behaviour this evening through the maze of her mind, and see what truths she found.

The baseline behind the bar smiled as she approached. "Hello, ma'am," he said, with just a tiny quaver in his tone, "what can I do for you?"

"I desire your most elaborate, least practical, and least healthy confectionary treat. In inhuman quantities. The more complex and numerous the elements and flavours, the better. In fact, if you can impress me, I will tip you and whomever you deem worthy a quite considerable sum of money," she said, slipping into four-voiced harmony as her enthusiasm grew. Why not? She had already blown the best part of twenty million tonight.

He wanted to ask 'how much' so badly. She would leave that as a surprise.

Chang walked over to one of the tables, nudged a chair aside and flooded quantum through herself. Her legs bent and buttocks swelled extravagantly before twisting and molding into leather and wood, forming the fine leather chair she had grown over time to call her favourite.

Once sat, she placed her elbows on the arms of the chair and laced her fingers, sinking into thought, parcelling out pieces of her mind to help her analyze some of her more emotional reactions tonight.

She had sworn internally to miss nothing, and opened up her senses to drink everything in. That applied doubly to whatever mental maneuvers she had performed, knowingly or otherwise.

The baseline she had spoken to was on the phone, speaking in hurried tones to a chef, who sounded quite enthused at the idea of getting a tip for making a cake. It pleased her to hear him excoriating the man for suggesting a cheesecake.

"No, no, man, she was real adamant about this. She said, uh, hang on. Yeah, she wants the 'most elaborate and least practical, and most complicated confectionary treat' that we can get for her. Yeah, she said 'confectionary treat'. She's a Nova, who cares? Look, just go to town on this, okay? If she ain't impressed, we get nada. And you know Novas. Not easy to impress. Go for it, man! Oh, and she said 'in inhuman quantities', so make a lot of whatever you come up with."

A slight smile crossed her face. Well, the man had earned his tip, providing his chef came through. Mildly, she wondered, if everything played out as she hoped, how he would remember this evening.

After all, how often did a man earn a million dollar tip for asking a cake to be baked?

[GDP_ST]

Quote:

"My, my," Contessa observed while contemplating Jael's words about self confidence, which she had to admit, she had in very short supply. She smirked at Sunshine and added with a hint of friendly sarcasm. "Aren't you the popular one."

He had only a helpless shrug as an answer to that one, considering Jael's twining her fingers surreptitiously through his hair, Dozer's larger-than-life (literally, the guy was too big to be real) presence at the table, and the eye-catching Contessa herself. And on top of that Fahrenheit, who seemed like nothing less than a bundle of restrained urges in a sexy, albeit dangerous package.

"I guess so." he murmured back, giving Contessa a wry half-grin that clearly communicated his own faint unease. He'd expected attention, of course. Jase AND Katya had made it clear that people would want to talk to him, given that this was really his first public appearance since the press conference months ago announcing his going to school. He hadn't expected all the nova attention, and a small part of him was wondering if the metaphor of social functions being like a shark tank was apt.

Even as he thought that, he realised it was unfair. Contessa wasn't a shark - he'd approached her for crying out loud. And she was nice and a lot geeky about things that he was a little geeky about, which was cool. Dozer, he felt intuitively, was a big amiable guy, confident, uncomplicated and strong - kinda like Jase, only without boobs. Jael, naturally, he loved to distraction, having to work to keep from smiling goofily at her all the time. (Well, Sunshine thought he looked goofy - he actually looked heartmeltingly in love on the few occasions he'd slipped - it would have been sickening if it weren't so obviously genuine.)

But Fahrenheit... She disturbed him a little. Not the flames, or her obvious inhumanity. There was a primal, raptor-like intensity to her gaze as she introduced herself to him. She wanted something from him, but what?

Quote:

"I am terribly sorry but aren't you 'Sunshine'? I must confess I was watching you from afar. Had I known you're here with your girlfriend I wouldn't have tried to attract your attention like I did. Mind if I join your small circle?", her eyes jumped back to Sunshine after giving Jael a brief glance as she mentioned her being his girlfriend.

"Oh, it's not 'my' circle." Alex laughed, a touch of nervousness infecting the humor in his voice. He was nervous enough to miss the girlfriend comment as a potential danger, mainly because he wasn't opposed to the idea of Jael as his girlfriend. "That makes me sound like a... a coven master or something. These are friends, albeit friends I only met tonight in two cases. This is Dozer, or Dillon if you like, who I've just met, and Contessa." He could tell Contessa was nervous, the flame-like anima as well as the tongues of plasma on the woman's skin making the lovely blonde antsy. He did his best to reassure her with a warm 'it'll be okay' smile as he introduced her. "And this is Jael." he said simply, but the smile he flashed up at the blonde woman with her arm around his shoulders was radiant. Sometimes Sunshine was a little too unguarded.

"So what brings you to this charity event, Fahrenheit?" he asked with polite curiousity, turning his sapphire gaze on her as the swirling haze of his own anima filled the air with soft golden light.

[Jael Carver]

So had he been alone, you would have been all over him like sauce on ribs? She really didn't like the way Lobster-skin there said 'girlfriend', like it was a dirty word. Jael could practically hear the disdain in the woman's voice. Whether that was jealousy because Sunshine was taken, or whom he was taken by, or because the woman didn't like the idea of committed relationships, Jael could care less. All she knew was that this bitch was pissing her off.

Jael remained quiet as Fahrenheit insinuated herself at the table. The woman was a threat, as far as Jael was concerned. The unease that everyone else was feeling translated into "trouble" in Jael's head, and there was one way Jael dealt with trouble. Fahrenheit was wrong about one thing; Jael would attack her here in public, happily so. But the conditions weren't right for that yet. So the classic California-blonde leaned on Sunshine without actually relaxing. Her hands had stopped toying with his hair, and he could feel the tension in her body.

[Origami]

The matches were underway. While some laggards were waiting outside in vain to get through the well guarded door, a man walks towards the line boldly. Dressed more like a businessman with a tan overcoat to stand against the mid-spring night air. He goes past the line right to the bouncer who intercedes. A burly ebony skinned man, looking like Michael Clarke Duncan in all his glory from The Green Mile. Of course said man looked poured into the black suit and tie getup the company handling security wanted for their doormen.

"Excuse me string bean... wait in line like everyone else unless you got a VIP pass."

The man adjusts his coat. "You mean this staged contrivance to make people think there's a chance to get in? Simply put this is designed to make people wait to the point of giving up. You must be bored. In fact you're quite sore in those shoes aren't you? Barely used? Needed to be properly dressed for a fancy moment like this."

"Cut to the chase, Columbo or I'm calling security."

"Oh I'm sure you will but not for the reason you're thinking.Also you're looking for a break. Let me guess, you're anxious to see one of them XWF fighters to sign that stuffed doll. Judging by the size of the distortion of your suit pocket it's a Superbeast doll?"

The man pulls out a Superbeast doll by the lanyard sticking out. "Your son must love the guy. Let me guess, only child, barely 9 or so..."

The bouncer looks at the man, like his mind was violated. "Okay bub, if you're one of them brain-bendin' novas I want none of it."

"Oh no, I'm not finished. You see you have a ankle injury... recent. You're not sitting well on your right foot. In fact, you've probably seen a doctor but the national health board has been slow on the payment process. And the collectors have been calling."

He quirks an eyebrow. "Get out of my head."

"Oh, I'm not in it. I'm simply reading you like a book, and you read like a greek tragedy. Your hands suggest you did a lot of manual labor, and your accent tells me you're from the great lakes region... Detroit? Yes, the automotive industry."

"Yeah, I..."

"Wait, this is the best part. That ring around your neck suggests you are or were married. So, should I send a condolence card or give you mine?" He says, pulling out his private business card.

"What makes you think I need a private dick?"

"A harsh divorce. A job like this pays well. Well enough to potentially cover child support... And your wife isn't the type to be a good mother... a party girl. Your ankle got sprained from being stepped on. The scuff on the top of that shoe looks like it was damage from the bottom of a stiletto shoe."

He stakes a step back.

"I'll wave the usual fee if you let me in. I know you love your son and you want a good life for him. Deal?"

The bouncer steps back, and calmly takes the business card.

"Kyon Mikamura. NovaCom... But they call me Origami."

"You're... one of those Nova PIs?"

"Yep."

"If security bothers ya, we never met."

"Understood."

Kyon walks into the arena. Curious as to what sort of goings on happen back stage when the phone rings in his pocket.

"Mikamura... Yeah I'm here, shoot. B.B. Barttlet... right. He's waiting for me? I noticed security already starting to make a beeline. Gave him a picture of me, no? Heh. Clever. Alright I'll take the contract. Tell him I'm down in the back entrance area."

He's annoyed that he was suggested to B.B. Barttlet without prior notification... he almost feels like he's a captive audience... but if he's ever going to go up in the company he's gonna have to take on all comers, no matter the method.

[Evo]

Eventually, Evo came to the close of his act. After tunneling through a giant clear tube full of dirt at rapid speeds and the finale- escaping from restraints as whirring blades came dangerously close in a scene worthy of many cartoon and classic action movies- there was wasn't much more quantum left in the tank, or tricks planned.

After being finished, to the cheering of the crowd, Evo left. He was damn tired, a feeling that rested in his bones and skin, a parched lack of quantum that showed physically and emotionally as he found some water and a high mound of snack foods waiting for him in the 'on deck' room. Donald guzzled the water and snorted down the food with the abandon of a nova, even though he had no need of them. But he enjoyed them anyway, and it helped him.

He was feeling flushed, better and happy. Too bad they didn't have a shower on the premises.

[VectorSigma]

Jadzia was well pleased - she had seen enough in one evening of Nova life and culture. She sighed a bit to herself as she straightened her ruffled, silver hair. She had met Novas who were like heroes and villains, spirits and demons. It gave her a good idea of what it was like, and what she could possibly achieve.

She took one of her business card from the breast pocket inside her suit jacket, and wrote on it: "Dear Bombshell. I'm afraid that the evening's cut a bit short - I haven't yet grown accustomed to the Nova life. You mentioned a meeting before. I know you are busy, so if you would like to get in touch, my number's on the card. Jadzia Santiago"

There were quite a few of the aides still present, seeking refuge from the more domineering Nova types. She handed the card to one of them. "This is for Bombshell. Tell her it's from the girl with the silver hair." The assistant nodded and put the card in the message box.

As she walked towards the exit, she felt more alive than she had been since her Eruption first came about. And the wonder for the other Novas' life had not lessened in the slightest.

[Magnum Opus]

Knockout checked her phone, blinking. "'Ray o' Sunshine?' Huh, okay. Saku, someone in the VIP lounge wants to talk to me. You want to come with?"

[Doryoku]

Sakurako stops in her tracks. "Hmm, well, this project that dropped in my lap can wait, I suppose. I did want to have a little fun before life gets more complex for me." She can't believe she was so ignorant of not remembering Knockout was nearby... She resists the urge to facepalm.

She stretches out a little, changing her hair back to be a facimle of Asuka's, and making sure her eufiber costume was back to where it should be for the cosplay.

[Bombshell]

As Jadzia left, the aide reached back into the message box, plucking out her card, and murmured into the earpiece discreetly clipped to a lobe. Even with being rather casual and approachable by habit, he wasn't going to pass up the chance to meet Bombshell when it was dropped in his lap. Making his way to the announcer's booth, the aide spent a full five minutes just staring at Bombshell, her ravishing legs, heaving breasts, graceful hands, luscious lips. Her velvety soprano made bird song seem discordant.

Finally, he realized Jason was looking at him, a brow arched inquiringly over one of her glorious, indigo eyes. "Can I help you?" she asked again, amused rather than annoyed - the like did happen rather often.

"Oh! Oh, sorry. A woman wanted you to have this and I just wanted to make sure you go it, Bombshell," he explained, handing out the card.

Jason flowed to her feet, a tall woman made even taller by her heels, and glided to the aide's side. Towering over her, she plucked the card from his hand and nodded her gratitude. "Thanks, Frank, I - D'oh! I really did mean to talk to her later. I guess I'll have to call her after the Event." She tucked the stiff card away then gave the men in the booth a wry smirk. "But now, I have to get ready to go back on stage. Along with several other hotties. Hope you boys have a sock or a box of tissues handy. Later."

Jason stopped off at her dressing room, dropping of Jadzia's business with her other things, then made her way to her mark, prepared to head back on stage. She rolled her eyes with three other Babes of the XWF who had ended shanghaied into this match with her, all thanks to the lowest common denominator voting (and donating) en mass.

At least they got to wear their normal outfits, instead of stiletto heels and slinky evening gowns.

On stage, the vitrium panels defrosted, revealing the Combat Zones latest configuration. It was covered with a scatter of large, shallow pools of Jello, along with fountains spraying the thick, gelatinous substance up in high arcs. The crowd - at least the male half - began hollering and whistling.

"Ladies and gentlemen, by a landslide vote and the accompanying donations, welcome to what you have demanded!" the announcer proclaimed, silently trying to keep from laughing. A popular joke was just about to be made real. "The Jello Jubilee! Featuring the most attractive women in the XWF!"

"BabeZilla!" The sleekly muscled, beauty stepped on stage raising her arms and swelling to twelve feet tall.

"StarMaker!" Surrounded by an aura of starlight, the pale blonde strode on stage, throwing up a cascade of incandescent sparks and laughing.

"Moriko the Whirlwind!" A slender, graceful Thai woman glided in to the Zone next, and with deceptive speed, skimmed along the surface of the Jello to the other side.

"And BoooooombSheeeeelllll!" Jason strutted into the Combat Zone, her heels ringing clearly, chuckling in self-deprecating amusement and waving to the crowd, her long hair swaying behind her like a silver waterfall. Only because she had said she wished she could have seen any number of other babes in a Jello or Mud Wrestling fight was she willing to do this.

The voice of the crowd reached yet another level, desperate and yearning. The other women were quantum infused beauties in their own right, but Bombshell was stood above them with few equals and no superiors in the entire world.

"Let's.... get ready... toooo..... Rummmmmmmm-Blllllllle!"

And with that, the prurient fantasy of a physical contest began. As soon as each woman stepped into the 'Jello' however, a clear expression of disgust and dismay crossed their features.

It might have looked like Jello, even smelled like Jello. But it wasn't Jello. It was thicker, stickier, and most disturbing, warm. Yuck!

[Origami]

Origami walks into the VIP lounge. Dignitaries, Novas, Some of the XWF talent... and the big boss himself... watch the proceedings in the lounge. At least the ones not interested with speaking to each other.

Origami walks right up to B.B. Bartlett. No opening greeting, just pulls out his smartphone and pulls up a video.

"Does this look normal to you?" He says, pulling up a zoomed image of Brickhouse coughing up what looked like blood in his battle with the former Robot Rob. He shows the video on an extremely slow motion, to show what else coughed out. "Notice that?"

He zooms some more to the best resolution possible from the XWF feed. "Blood being coughed out from a normal injury should be red... this is more of a pink. There's flesh in that. HE's being eaten alive from the inside somehow."

"Well hello to you too, sunshine, we know that already." B.B. says in his usual terse texan accent. "Now the question is... why."

"Well first off you need law enforcement down her to block off his locker and collect everything they can. Whatever was used was ingested. It might be a good idea to block off the entire locker room for that matter. While I don't think more than one target was considered you can't be careful enough."

"What should I tell the media then?"

"Simple. Say it was to check for any illegal performance enhancing drugs... say it's to rule out any... adverse reaction to some sort of ingested or injected chemical."

"Heh... clever. Might get the lookie-loos off our backs for a little while."

"One more thing... I recommend you..." He walks up and whispers in Bartlett's ear. "...keep the baseline involvement in these sort of fights to a minimum... it's obvious Mary erupted tonight... hmm?"

Bartlett turns ghost white. "Uh... thanks for your concern regarding Mary... yeah... She's not responsible for Brickhouse's injury from what I was told and I hope nothing but the best for her and I hope for Brickhouse's quick recovery." Bartlett says, making sure everyone that could hear him without shouting did. He slips Origami a card with a $100,000 debit on it with a handshake.

"No he's not..." Origami says heading to the dining area of the VIP lounge, taking the card with him. "...and my role in this case has just started. When the constables arrive let me know. Until then... I'm starved!" He says with a childlike smile as he heads to the bar after grabbing plate of veal from the catering trolley.

[WhiteRain]

Chang remained sitting in the VIP Lounge, awaiting her cake. LIstening. Feeling. Smelling. Experiencing the world that her eruption-enhanced senses offered to her.

She had noticed that, though her perceptions missed nothing in her vicinity, her mind did not always process everything, especially if she did not pay full attention to her surroundings. When she did pay attention, the world seemed even more interesting than usual.

On the floor above, she could feel a set of tentative footsteps. Light, careful. Stealthy. Following their progress, she determined that it might be a pair of lovers seeking a tryst. She knew where they were going, and it was quite a way backstage where few people would go during the evening.

With a little thought she could count the people inside the building and the arena beyond. Some had begun to leave. It had been a lengthy evening so far, and not all baselines had endless tolerance for Nova entertainment.

She could hear a veritable storm of phone and radio signals, and tuned in and out of what she heard. The security radios were always the most interesting. The man with the knife she had seen on her first arrival had been detained, and apparently was ranting about how Novas had brought on the Crush and so all Novas should be crushed. At least his logic was simple enough.

Chang listened in closely to Sunshine's conversation with Fahrenheit, and Jael and Dozer and Contessa. It seemed personable enough, but Jael and Fahrenheit were at odds. It was clear in the tone, the words, the poses they held. Did Sunshine notice? She thought he might, without understanding. He seemed as innocent as he sounded, and the game that seemed to be playing out over there was a fairly subtle thing.

The flickering red skin of Fahrenheit held her interest, the way taints usually did. It had a beauty to it, a uniqueness that leant itself well to spurring her muse. Perhaps she would speak with her about it later. For now she studied, watching the shimmer of her aura, the subtle shifts in colouration and pattern, bespeaking heat that the world did not yet experience. Maybe Sunshine would?

For sure, Fahrenheit wanted him alone. She had kept her distance, watching, and only approached when it seemed obvious he would continue to be mobbed by friends. But the way she emphasized 'girlfriend'... not subtle. And not something that had gone unnoticed.

She listened, content and relaxed, for another quarter hour. Things moved on. People went about their business. Then another Nova arrived.

Chang observed Origami sweeping into the area with interest, and listened to his conversation with B. B. Bartlett with fascination. So, the XWF Novas were being poisoned with something? And something strong enough to affect a Nova metabolism, at that.

An interesting development, to be sure. She decided to keep an ear on that one, at least for her remaining time in the arena. Perhaps she would learn something of note.

Only a few minutes later, her cake arrived.

Chang determined in mere moments that the chef had rightfully earned his tip. It amused her, because the baseline who delivered it seemed so uncertain about it, no doubt because he doubted it fulfilled her requirements.

But it did. Oh it did.

What the man laid before her was, rendered near-perfectly in cake, a version of Edvard Munch's 'The Scream'. Icing and careful applications of colouring and cream had provided the swirls and shapes of the bridge, and the dark figure at the end of it, while the distorted front-facing figure seemed quite lively. Oh it had its flaws, but rendering a painting in confectionary within twenty minutes had to be a daunting task without the aid of a Nova with very fast hands. She could have done it, but cake remained a medium she had not explored, and Chang preferred simple exercises until she became familiar with her tools.

The central cake was not especially large. That, she felt sure, was the source of the man's trepidation. The 'inhuman quantities' aspect of her order had been fulfilled by offering a selection of lesser cakes and a veritable bucket of icing sugar.

"I love it," she said, smiling, as the man stood, waiting for review.

"You do?" It sounded as if she had lifted the world off his chest.

"Oh yes, it's audacious, and presumptious, and at least slightly insane. A perfect thing to bring my time at this event to a close." She let out a musical four-tone laugh. "You've earned your tip."

Chang put one of her fingers into the bucket of icing sugar and began to suck some of it in through her skin, tasting each grain of sugar that had gone into the apparent white gelatinous mass. Raw sweetness, being sucked up her arm into her belly.

The baseline still stood there, looking a little stupid now, as people had of course noticed the arrival of a trolley and its unusual contents. Now they wondered why he waited.

"I will see you later about your tip, Brian," she said. His name tag had been hidden before. Maybe he put it on so she would know. For a moment he seemed confused. Chang made herself look up at him, because baselines found that more comfortable, and he had pleased her enough to earn that concession. "Not even Novas regularly carry a million dollars in their back pocket. Speaking of which, I change my clothes so often that I don't think carrying anything in my pockets would be very safe."

He blinked at her so rapidly that he might have been attempting to fly. "I'm s-s-sorry, miss? D-Did you say?"

"Yes, I did. I haven't decided yet whether it'll be a million each or a million between you, but I presume you'd both be satisfied either way?"

He did not quite manage to nod, but she would not hold that against him. The blood had fled his skin, giving him a growing ghastly pallor. She imagined he would faint soon. He believed her, she realized, and was glad of that.

Brian wandered off, then, though she heard him whispering the number under his breath, and questioning her sanity.

It always seemed odd to her that baselines thought so much of how people spent money. Once beyond the necessities of life, what else did anyone spend it on save items of fancy or luxury?

Chang left the cake alone for a while. It was a meager thing, but it deserved a little attention before she devoured it. When it went, she would swallow it whole. Better that than to break it down. Art deserved to be destroyed completely, and all at once, rather than to be taken apart piece by piece. Though admittedly, it depended on the art.

She thought of the bust of Bombshell, and her belly actually rumbled. Her cock stirred, straining her clothes a moment before settling back down.

"Hm," she said, and tucked into the icing sugar.

[Magnum Opus]

Knockout nodded at Sakurako, and headed out.

She probably could have done it at super-speed, but sometimes that caused problems with displaced air and sonic booms, so she walked at a normal rate into the VIP Lounge.

She looked around, for anyone who looked like they were expecting her.