14702/Snake Charmer, or Charming Snake

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Snake Charmer, or Charming Snake
Date of Scene: 14 February 2023
Location: Club Lux, Melville
Synopsis: Summary needed
Cast of Characters: Sinister, Phantasm (Drago), Lucifer, Winter Soldier, Spider-Man




Sinister has posed:
It's a Monday. Mondays are never what you'd call the busiest of nights at Lux, but even on a weekday, the doors open. There's different clientelle of course, when it's not packed with hot young things, or sinners drawn like moths to the flame. High class businessmen, unwind of an evening before going to see the wife and two-point-four children in Queens or Manhattan. There's the college crowd who just want to see if networking is the way up. And so, tonight, there's not loud music of pianists for the nonce; there's quiet background esoterica of a electronic kind, black lights, the occasional strobes and dancers.

Centre stage is a brass barstool with a high back, down by the piano... and a tall drink of extremely sultry in leather, lace and latex. The colours are black, red and silver, the outfit hugs the curves in all the right places, exposes midriff, displays that there's a cleavage that could give people heart attacks if encountered on a dark night by accident or intent... long black hair straight as a dye and shiny as a raven's wing... the dancer has a familiar look to her. Lavender-grey eyes, painted ruby lips, long lashes and heart shaped high-boned perfection, Miss Sinister is moving in a burlesque display -- the movement of legs is calculated, never indecent but it looks so much like it should be. A look over her shoulder, a wicked smile half-hidden by it...

She must be five foot ten, but the glossy high heeled boots push her up past six foot and her dance partner? A black King cobra. It moves in almost perfect counterpart to her own movements, as if she and the serpent are of one mind. And? She has quite a crowd just watching. Because: whoa.
Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
It's a Monday.

Bad shit happens on Monday. Considering the approach of a photographer from the Daily Bugle just the night before, there's little doubt to the source of the bad shit Nick is dealing with. So with that going on, what makes Nick decide to turn around and go clubbing once more?

Well simple really.

Lux is not in New York.

Dressed in attire a bit similar to yesterday's with the exception of the dress shirt peeking out from the jacket no longer being red. Instead, Nick is sporting a much lighter lavender colored dress shirt.

And he STILL hasn't bothered with a tie.

As the musician comes in, he starts to head to the bar, but the general sense of awe going on near the center stage draws his attention briefly. Steps pause as he looks again.

What the f-
Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer is where he always is when the club first opens and the crowd shuffles in and settles. That little nook of a spot at the top of the stairs that allows him a view of both above and below. Not that there's much of a crowd that needs such a watchful eye, so his attention is currently focused center stage. A little curl of lips bringing the hint of a smile as a server brings him a whiskey to sip on.

As a few more people arrive, he takes note of them. Specifically he takes note of Nick Drago. Someone who has been becoming a sort of regular around here - not that he minds such a thing - but it's an interesting development never the less.

Eyes soon drift back to Miss Sinister up there on stage and he leans against the railing just a bit while watching her and sipping whiskey. It's a good night indeed.
Winter Soldier has posed:
It's been absolute ages since Bucky has gone clubbing. Years, in fact, unless you count the incident in Madripoor two years ago. But does it count when you're undercover and pretending to be part of the wait staff? Probably not. And, James Buchanan Barnes is the first to admit, he might be a bit behind the times when it comes to being with it. He was at one point with it, but then what it was somehow changed, and now what he's with isn't it anymore. It's still something, but no longer part of the hip crowd, which has stopped calling itself that a long time ago.

Cue the anachronism.

At some point, Bucky must have decided that going out today would be a good idea. Then followed on with the idea that misery likes company and so why not join Nick on a jaunt out of town? Since his usual attire of leather with hint of body armor would be out of keeping with the setting, and somewhere it lodged in his mind that this was a high brow club, the sartorial accident that is his outfit happened.

It began as an expensive suit. Then the tie and button down shirt were sacrificed for a more simpler round necked shirt, white on white. This contrasts sharply with the shoes so polished that they shine, and the duller black of the leather gloves that are still worn indoors. All of that could be forgiven, perhaps, but not the sunglasses. The sunglasses were a step too far.

And yet they allow him to glance around as he enters, following Nick to the bar, but having his attention almost immediately diverted to the stage.

Burlesque?!

It's been ages!
Sinister has posed:
Aah, it IS a daily struggle to stay current, isn't it? All the new trends, the societal upheavals and downturns, the fashion, the fashion statements, the not-fashion that is still nevertheless envogue and the neverending upgrades in technology.

And that's just a regular day at work, right? Sometimes, keeping abreast makes one resort to keeping a breast. Or two, in the case of Sinister. Escapism is a powerful thing, when you can change your shape at whim. The curtain of black spilling over her shoulder swishes with the passage of the serpent, wending in and out of the raven's wing, a genteel shrug and the lace that drapes her back falls in a voiceless pool at the base of the barstool. Long legs straddle it as she stands with slow purpose into a perfect A-frame of legs that go all the way up to the top, hands uplifting that the snake might wend its way slow around her shoulders, up her arms and ultimately to 'stand' and display its hood upon her palm.

She arches backwards, leaning slowly back until she's nearly bent double and regards the crowd of faces upside down with a wink tossed to the Host upon his perch up there half way between heaven and hell. Hello there, Lucifer.

And then she swings leg over the stool, sweeps into a low bow-curtsey that has the serpent slithering back down to act like a very dangerous stole and blows a kiss on straightening. Not a word, just a fingerwave to Nick as she sways her way to Lucifer's spot and plucks up a cigarette from nearby.
Spider-Man has posed:
Spidey sighed as it was a Monday, and he had to go into Lux itself he noted as he was on the rooftops looking at the device in his hand. He hated just walking around as Spidey as it kind of hurt the brand as web-slinger, but he wasn't sure if Peter would do it this time as he might have to confront the guy which he couldn't do as non-spidey. As he craws down the front of Lex he does a small flip landing on the ground outside. There are some "Hey! Spidey!" from some but this wasn't his place, and it was slow so there wasn't that much just some-one walking down the street.

With a sigh he turns to look at doors, he had to find the guy, and he was in Lux so into Lux Spidey goes not sure what to expect, but he was wearing his best spidey uniform, he had stiched all the holes himself, and washed it... He considers with a quick wiff.. Oh it must not of been that long... It was hard being Spidey sometimes.
Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick's glance to the show allows for him to catch glimpse of Bucky looking that way. He's quiet for a moment assessing the reaction before he gives a half smile to the soldier. "...Maybe we can grab a table closer to the stage." He suggests to the modern day Rip Van Winkle. "Looks interesting."

He turns his head in time to see the finger wave from the different looking Sinister. There's a blink before he returns the gesture with a smile, trying to place her. He's probably overthinking it. He was probably just standing in the right spot for the choreography.

He steps forward, looking for a non bar seat.

It feels weird.
Winter Soldier has posed:
The finger wave isn't missed, and Bucky gives Nick a glance. It could be called an old fashioned glance, but then he's an old fashioned guy. "You ehm... you come here a lot, Nick? People seem to know you." Some people at least.

Still, up to just then, Bucky hadn't realised that burlesque had survived as an art form, and it does make him feel a bit better about this millennium. The music has changed, the fashion has changed, but it seems like deep down some things can never change.

Is he aware of a Spiderman outside? No.

Has he spotted the suave gentleman who oozes class and seems to have a metaphorical 'club owner' sign floating over him? Oh yes. Details are being filed away, mentally, just in case he ever needs to use the club for his more clandestine activities. And yet somehow he gets the nagging feeling that would end up being a very bad idea. Huh... odd.

"Table near the stage." he quickly agrees.
Spider-Man has posed:
Walking in he is also kind of watching the Female sinister for a moment before he shakes his head, he had enough scarry ladies in his life he definetly did not need to be concenering himself with another one, beside one downside about the spider-suit was no pockets. He walks in though looking a bit odd he does start walking towards one of the tables, He glances around waiting for thugs to jump out, or people to start shooting as that is what usually happened, but it was just a standard nightclub. "Well at least it isn't some dirty basement." he notes with a little bit of a grin though the place is nearly empty there are a few big guys at the table he is heading straight to though they haven't spotted him just yet.

He had to consider how he was going to do this as he looked around and didn't have much room in here, and he doubted the owner would like a rucass so Spidey quietly walked up to the table thankfull that there was someone else that was distracting everyone.
Sinister has posed:
Sinister leans in, to place a kiss upon Lucifer's cheek, a hip check as she drifts away once again with cigarette in hand and serpent coiling terribly neatly over her shoulders. "Next show is in an hour, boys and girls," a mellow, smoke-and-whiskey contralto is that voice, but still terribly english which might just add to the mystique. Her cigarette is lit as she draws close to the stage, sauntering back to the bar stool once again, to be served with a dirty martini and several ice-cubes, which are daintily used to cool around her throat and collarbone. She stoops to pick up a transluscent silvery smoking jacket just to cover up a modicum and nonchalantly lies down on the grand piano top, like a gothic Cleopatra, watching Barnes and Drago with a coy smile and a sip of drink.

She however, DOES turn toward the door to the club with her gaze, lashes lowering at something she can sense. "Oh, puss-cat puss-cat what a tangled web we weave..." half a quote, intent is everything.
Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Bucky's question gets a glance, "Well, I did have to change my routine. And this place has some advantages safety wise. I wouldn't want to be the guy who tries something here."

The agreed upon location makes for an easier time narrowing down possible seating locations. The pickings are slim for near the stage so FOMO has no chance to rear its ugly head.

Just in time for the show to end. HAH! Either way the seat is gotten and the dancer eventually returns. Albeit as a piano adornment.

The glimpse of the forehead diamond does help matters as well as the familiarity with the club owner. A certain shape shifter had that look for a moment.

"Ah." Nick comments, betraying the moment of realization. "...different outfit."
Winter Soldier has posed:
He's like a fish out of water. Or, more accurately, a fish in the desert, and standing out just about as much. As he sits, Bucky becomes aware that, for once, he's not blending in. There are looks in his direction, glances, stares even... for someone who lives his life entirely in the background, it's an uncomfortable feeling. "I probably should have put a bit more research into this..." he admits to Nick, finally taking off his sunglasses and hanging them from the jacket pocket, tourist style. Always better to be a tourist than a square!

Perhaps it's the lack of shades or the sudden need to look around again to see if the removal of sunglasses has lessened whatever sin he may have committed to the fickle gods of fashion, but he does finally become aware of a Spider-Man striding in. Huh.

"Okay, if that is the new thing to wear, I'm going to just give up on nightclubs for another few decades..."
Sinister has posed:
Sinister stretches a moment, rolls onto her middle, watching the advances of a man in costume out of the corner of her eye. The recognition though, or perhaps the thought of it, makes her grin again, crooked and coy. Again, a wink, this time for Nick as she swings herself around once again and with a little background wave to the DJ, has some old-time classics revamped in electronica playing soon after. She nods to herself, then takes all of her over to the table and helps herself to a seat, sliding in beside Bucky in fact, with a tilt of the head, a winsome lash flutter and an elbow hooked over the back of the apolstery of the nook. "Well, hello there. We're about to have company and I /do/ so love company." Glancing over her shoulder, she makes direct eye contact with a man's eyes through a mask that hides them and flicks an eyebrow up, before looking back.

"Nick, you will have to be the Host of the moment and introduce me. However, I do have to note... the first drink is on the house. House policy of the owner."
Spider-Man has posed:
As spidey places a hand on the large man's shoulder he goes to jump by his strength holding him down doesn't seem to let the man do so. The other two look up expecting to yell at whoever it is then seeing Spidey sigh as they know it wouldn't work, and he had come to him. Quietly Spiderman whispers something into the mans ear, and chuckles a bit as after he does he lets go of the mans shoulder. All three of them start to move towards the exit with Spidey right behind them as they did look to be checking if they had weapons getting them ready for when they got outside.

Aperently they too knew you didn't start something in Lux so had decided it would be better to wait till they are outside, though as he is starting to follow them out Spidey can't help it as he looks at the lady with the Diamond... tatoo? With a grin he whaps one of the men lightly on the back of the head and points. "Thank you for the show." one says poiletly and nods to her as he keeps walking out.

WQith a chuckle Spidey just shakes his head, "Can't find a polite crook these days!" he notes though is going with them out to leave the Nightclub to handle his buisness as he to spots Bucky, and waves as he passes like they are just meeting as they walk through the park. He mimics webing and hanging up the two guys infront of him followed with a "help me help me" pose then chuckles, as he turns falling behind as he takes a few big steps to catch up with them.
Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
When the sunglasses get clipped on to the jacket pocket, the musician gives a bit of an impish grin. Leaning over Nick plucks out the sunglasses from the pocket and unfolds them. Unlocking the rule of rockstar, Nick sets them upon his own face. He leans back in his seat, giving a relaxed smile to the older man. "Do what works for you. Doesn't matter what they think."

The smile fades as the soldier's attention turns to the door. Turning his head quick, he takes note of the Spider-Man suit. "...Huh. Guess everyone's needing a break from New York. Did the planet run another article on him too?"

Sinister's approach causes for Nick to glance away. There's a bit of a pause as the closer proximity brings so much more detail into view.

Holy-

Right. Introductions.

"Well, the funny thing is, I'm not sure what your preference is when it comes to introductions." Nick admits. He looks to Bucky, "James, This is-" He pauses, looking to Sinister, "Do you prefer being called Dr. Essex?"

As Spider-man starts escorting the men out, Nick looks to one of them. A flash of recognition coming across his features. He tilts his head forward, eyes peeking over the frame of the glasses in a critical glance at the man who had just gotten kicked out of a jazz club the night before. "...Seriously?"
Winter Soldier has posed:
"Doctor Essex, a pleasure." Bucky is indeed old school, and that means he must first and foremost be polite and chivalrous to the lady next to him before going off to assist Spider Man in dealing with some unwanted ruffians. The fact that one of these ruffians suddenly trigger his memory for faces makes that all the more pressing, because somehow Bucky is worried when people start showing up uninvited around Nick too often. Still, it does look like the webslinger has things under control for now, so he can probably give it a few minutes before interrogating what's left stuck to the nearest lamp post.

"I have to say, I haven't seen a snake dance routine in quite some time." 1938, in fact. "If the Minsky brothers were still around, I'm sure they'd have made you an offer."
Sinister has posed:
"Doctor Essex is fine," Sin informs, keeping one mental ear on the goings on outside. She seems distracted, albeit only momentarily by the sunglasses, in tandem as they are, but it doesn't last. Another ice-cube is neatly plucked from its bowl and used to cool her ahem... decolletage. "James, a true pleasure. You have a quality about you that lasts the test of time..." little uptick of the corner of lips follows "...nothing lasts these days, I find." A pause and she thinks for a long moment. "Ohh, I think I remember them. They were quite well connected back in the day." And with the connections back then, may have ended up unfortunately napping in the hudson. That detail, or the struggle to catalogue them, wrinkles the nose and the brow both. The snake meanwhile, lifts its head and tastes the air, calm as anything where it lies. Black bead eyes watch the men unblinking as the tongue flickers.

She glances at the doors to Lux. "I fear we might have to go and have stern words. There are rules, even in the vicinty of Lux. A woman was shot once right infront of here and Luci rather went to town on the perpetrators and everyone that they knew."
Spider-Man has posed:
Finally walking them outside the three thugs stop, and spidey chuckles. "Wow right outside really you don't think this still.. " and he has to move as the one that Nick reconised pulls a gun taking a couple of shots at the wall-crawler interupting his quip. In a matrix like move Spidey bends like he saw it coming bending at an impossible angle on one foot the bullets missing, and going into a parked car. With a web, and quick pull the gun is taken away from him as Spidey holds the position for only a moment before straightening himself again to normal and smiles at the man who shot at him. "You are in enough trouble we don't need you shooting random bystanders!" he notes as he releases the web he used to pull the gun away.

Looking at them Spidey sighs as they start drawing knifes and looking at him like they were going to try to stab him, though Spidey keeps talking. "Really guys.. you did just see me dodge the bullets right? I mean.. can you.. do that?" he is talking as the three are now coming at him he is dodging to the left, and right just keeping his distance as this was easy for him. He looks up and sees the lady from before looking out at them. "Oh you guys shouldn't of done that.." he quips as he skips a couple steps back and away from them giving them room they would have to cover though he doesn't web them up just yet.
Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
There's an uptilt to the side of Nick's lips as Sin mentions Bucky's timeless qualities. But the amusement is short lived as some distinct sounds come through the entrance way.

For some, when the sound comes there might be the general 'Is it or isn't' debate that goes on. Perhaps it could be fireworks, or a car backfiring. But with the exposure to such a sound at an early age, Nick's very certain.

That was gunfire coming from the direction the person wearing the Spider-Man costume was going.

He certainly hopes that was the actual Spider-Man.

He starts to stand up.
Winter Soldier has posed:
There is a gun shot.

There is, within hearing distance of this wild shot, a Winter Soldier.

The mental calculation only takes a split second, and with as much of a warm smile as he can manage in the circumstances, he nods towards Miss Sinister. "If you would excuse me for just a moment."

And then he does stand up, gives one final apologetic nod to both companions, and then walks towards the exit, rolling his left shoulder. When his shoes hit the pavement outside the door, even his gait has changed.

There is a brief challenging whistle, which gets the attention of one thug, who then makes the mistake of lunging at the Winter Soldier with an overarm swing.

With an almost lazy move, Bucky catches the knife in his left hand, and then introduces the wielder to the patented Barnes Boot, a kick that disarms the thug by removing him from the presence of the knife and sends him sailing against a lamp post.

One thug less, weapon gained. Tactical situation improving. "You guys upset the lady."
Sinister has posed:
"Of course," Nick is about to rise, Bucky is apologizing, but Sinister? She moved. It would be hard to tell just when she did or where in the blue blazes she got that kind of a turn of speed, but indeed -- Spider-man turned and saw her, just as she was stepping out of the doors with that ever so flimsy smoking jacket on and very, very little else. The serpent on her shoulder hissed. Her arms were folded, manicured black painted nails tap tap tapping on her upper arms irritably.

She simply gazes at one of the ones still fighting and narrows her eyes. The effect is immediate: She did not touch him, she did not say anything, but he's doubling over onto the sidewalk, clutching at his head, screaming as he curls up into the fetal position.

Miss Sinister? Is foot tapping.
Spider-Man has posed:
As the thugs are moving towards him, Spidey is just pointing to the side with a finger and a chuckle putting his arms behind his head to watch the impact. As the man gets a boot to the face Spider-man winces with a "ooh..." and a "eeeee.." as he is kicked, covering his eyes, but peaking through his fingers. One of the two go after Spider-man as they think he isn't paying attention as Spidey steps to the side, and webs shoots out his web wrapping around the last thug. "How bout we hang out for a bit!" he says jumping up to a lightpost and grabing on with one hand to pull himself up to squat at the top.

The third one goes down by Sinister, as Spidey is attaching the man to the light post to hang dangling down before he hops down landing and giving giving the man hanging a light push to get him swinging, adding some extra. "Don't worry the web should disoulve in about an hour." he looks at one man on the ground with a face kicked in quite litterally, and the one screaming on the ground. "Told ya you shouldn't of done that." he adds before looking up at Sinister holding his hands up.. "Hey now I was just defending myself!" and grins with a chuckle.
Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
And then there was Nick. With Sinister and Bucky both leaving, there's very little reason for him to stay behind. Besides, he already got up. He doesn't speed over. Nor does he Winterize any of the thugs. Honestly there are none left. But what he does manage to do is pull off the sunglasses at night look.

~Con-fi-dence~

"Man, you just have NO idea how to behave near a club, do you?" Nick comments to the man from yesterday.

And a smart mouth.
Winter Soldier has posed:
Huh. Normally fights take longer. And normally they don't end up just dropping to the ground bubbling and trying to unscrew their own heads. Nonchalantly, Bucky makes the knife disappear into his sleeve and then shrugs at Nick and Spider-Man. Not his fault there wasn't more fight in these guys.

"Some people have no manners. Go where they're not invited, cause trouble, frighten people... Just awful." Yes, the irony is strong here.
Sinister has posed:
Sinister's right eye twitches just a little and she turns her head slowly to look at Bucky over the bridge of her nose. A hand lifts from the angry fold that she had her arms in and she metronomes a finger at him side to side. Then there's a look at the mess out here, which frankly isn't -that- messy. "Oh shush, or you'll end up spending the rest of your days thinking you're a ferret named Mabel," she sniffs toward the screamer, who rapidly turns into a whimperer and curls up tighter in his ball. "Better," she frowns, looks at this trio, stares momentarily at Nick and nods to him. "Good look," -- aaaaaaaaaaaand deep breath.

"So. Before I go and get more irritated at idiots and find ways of making life very interesting..." she points at a bouncer. "Jeff." And another one "Steve." Whether those are their names or not, she points at the whimper on the ground. "Take this one to medical and make sure that he's /very/ comfortable. And doesn't go anywhere." And then to Spidey.

"You came in looking for something and found something else. Do you happen to know why the three stooges were living large in Lux?"
Spider-Man has posed:
"Yea.. I hear you there," Spidey replies to Bucky, as he keeps pushing the hanging man with a chuckle the man groaning as he is swinging back and forth as he is talking to the others. He steps to the booted one, and grabs him by a foot lifting him up like he is nothing and tosses him against the wall shooting some web to stick him there. He moves to the last one.. "I do so hate littering." and chuckles a bit as he doesn't actually have to do anything with that one.

With a chuckle, and a shrug he returns to the hanging one and gives him another push.. "Well see this one.. was a bit of a trouble maker. Not his first time either.. Isn't it Billy!" his name isn't actually Billy, but he looked like a Billy to Spider-man so Billy it was. Quick shove. "Though the one you nabbed is the leader.. I bet he will have all kinds of stories to tell you if you wanted to ask." he smiles a bit, "I am glad you are going to take care of him, but he really does need to end up in police custidy. You seem nice enough folks if he is willing to come here." Spidey nods to Bucky, "Can you do that for me?" push... swing.
Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
The comment from Sinister doesn't go ignored as she is rewarded with a cheeky smile and a wink. "I know." Nick replies simply.