16383/Lux is Such a Drag...Queen!

Lux is Such a Drag...Queen!
Date of Scene:	22 June 2024
Location:	Club Lux, Melville
Synopsis:	The night is a success! But some Queens leave more questions for the Host.
Cast of Characters:	Lucifer, Hawkeye (Barton), Phantasm (Drago), Sinister, Superman, Blue Ranger

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Lucifer has posed:
The doors to Lux have opened and people begin to pile in. Everyone seems to be extravagantly dressed for the event - as in black tie amplified. The bars are backed by bartenders, waitresses still walk around with trays carrying pre-poured glasses of champagne and whiskey, and the decor is all things pride. Rainbow streamers, various pride flags, with two tables set up. One has a sign for the Trevor Project and the other a sign for Equal Rights 4 All - in case anyone feels like making a direct donation on top of what will go to both projects at the end of the night.

Lucifer - himself - is dressed in an immaculate suit and tie. A three piece that is blood red in the jacket and pants, with a black undershirt and a black handkerchief tucked neatly into the left breast pocket. His hair is messily slicked back, and piercing blue eyes look around as people pour into the club.

It's not that the club is going to be packed, but there is a decent crowd. The club IS closed off to anyone who would just wander in for a drink and a good time - private events are like that. Still, he remains at his perch on the top level in the alcove right next to the spiral staircase that connects both top floor and bottom. For the time watching, letting everyone come in and get settled before commencing the show entirely.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Short of lying, he did not tell anyone where he was going tonight. He might be a drag for the night, still it does not make Clint Barton a liar. This is why he arrived early enough to, hrm, yeah, to /wear/ that ridiculously uncomfortable outfit. Yes, it IS an outfit, thank you, and NOT a dress. At least, that is what the archer is repeating to himself over and over, hoping against all hopes to believe himself.

Hey, he has been sent to weirder missions, well, kinda. The Avenger and S.H.I.E.L.D agent has seen a lot of places and strange people, like the slums of big cities, the mafia infested sub-districts and the like. But if you asked him at this moment, he would swear - literally swear - that he never felt so uncomfortable.

But a deal is a deal and again, the archer prides himself for being a man of his word.

Talking of pride, Clint winces at the thought of loosing it forever after that night! Hopefully, the full-face mask will cover his real identity. Not that many would recognize him anyway.

For now, the archer has taken position at a distance from the entrance to the Club, from where he can look at everyone coming in. Not that he particularly appreciates the view, but being the professional in charge of security, this is expected of him.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
One who has decided NOT to wear drag is a man situated where those in charge of sound quality would be located. Granted his attire is not lacking by any means. William Wilkenson is still dressed up, even going so far as to wear a dress jacket in consideration of the event's general state of dress. He's not really paying attention to all the costumes of those involved with the pending runway show. Instead the man's attention is focused entirely on the stage area that is currently not lit up. Judging from the shadows in the offstage area, the band is in position. But a certain devil's whims shall determine when they are revealed.

Sinister has posed:
Various spotlights and multispectrum effects are apparently also programmed into the club's lighting tonight, for an event such as this requires certain pre-programmed and well timed optical choreography to go off without a hitch, along with someone in a booth pressing buttons, no doubt.

If the Hawkeye is uncomfortable though, the Diva that appears at the top of the stairs off to the enclosed VIP 'dressing' room, into a spotlight of shimmering and cascading red-to-yellow corruscade, is as comfortable as if 'she' was just wearing her own damn skin.

And wow. Just for a moment, it must be noted that when someone is 6'5" tall normally, when you put them in gold and red high heels, that makes the whole effect amazonian statuesque.

A basque of shimmering rhinestones forms a 'harvest spray' of red hot poker plants that support the 'girls' and spread their leaves around her sides, trailing into silk fronds that move like they have a life of their own around her hips. She's wearing a mask a'la masquerade, with similarly dyed swan feathers rising in another cluster to add even MORE height. And she's wearing a goatee, bedecked with gold and red bifurcated glitter. The effect of the Queen of Red Hot, is in the house!

With a deep breath she descends, making her way toward Lucifer and graciously nodding to guests, painted nails matching everything else on her at the moment, with green shimmery vambraces.

Superman has posed:
Bets and stories go hand in hand. Often they usually come after a story, and not before. Sometimes a lost bet results in something after one story and before another. And that bet is half of the story right now. It's also all of Clark Kent's life at the moment. Sitting backstage waiting in a not-so-simple red and silver number. Putting on the finish touches to "Toni Stark." Because for being her first time, she can wear heels pretty well, flight may have helped her cheat a little. Oh, interviews could have been done in a more traditional way. However, a few at the planet would say, "First hand perspective usually helps," before laughing.

And so Toni Stands in a mirror with long red gloves going down most of the arm. Accents of silver sequins around the edges. Right now a colorless mass lingers in each of her hands. Sitting near her is a red fan with similar silvery accents and dead spots placed strategically along it. Wearing a long black wig with bangs, kind of resemblance Pepper Pott's hair, except ebony black. And so, Toni waits for their cue. Yes, it's very apparent to clint who "Toni" is inspired by.

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer glances over to Nathaniel as he approaches and his breath catches. Well, it's not like he -has- to breathe, but seeing a sudden drag inspired Nathaniel is just that damn catching. He smiles. "Well hello to you too..." Of course, being the host, he was the exception to the rule. No drag for the Devil - at least not tonight. Tonight isn't about him - even if people think he's a self-centered, self-appropriating asshat.

Not tonight.

He offers his arm to Nathaniel and - once taken - will walk with her down that spiral staircase like they're the king and queen of the ball - going to meet their subjects. He kisses Nathaniel's cheek and leaves him with the crowd to go up to the stage and take center for the ribbon cutting. So to speak.

"Ladies and...GentleLadies...welcome one and all to Lux's first annual Drag Show!" There's a scattering of applause and the Devil smiles. "Such an amazing turn out. A reminder that the bars are fully stocked and the kitchen is fully staffed. There will be random finger foods coming around on trays, but please feel free to order something from the kitchen if you feel inclined." He smiles still. "All proceeds will be divided to the Trevor Project and Equal Rights 4 All - but if you wish to make a direct donation - we have representatives from both groups here to accept such." Another pause. "And now, let us begin! Tonight's musical entertainment is world reknowned band Five Times Novel who will be providing both intermission performances but will also be rocking out while our Queens and Kings take the runway. So without further ado... let's get this party started!"

Blue Ranger has posed:
Billy Cranston cleaned up nicely. What was it about black tie that just seemed to suit every man, regardless of height, build, hair, eyes, skin, or anything else. A fitted tuxedo just worked. When he arrived through the doors to Lux, he could hear James Bond music playing in his mind's eye, filling him with confidence. He still wasn't sure why he had been invited to this event, but beggers can't be choosers.

After checking in, he would head to the bar, where he ordered a drink that consisted of three ounces of Polar Blast Hawaiian Punch, 2 ounces of white cranberry juice, and 7-Up. Mocktail in hand, he would cast his gaze onto the main area, looking for a place to sit.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Making sure the hosts are safe is also part of his job as he's overseeing security. Looking up as Sinister makes his entrances, the archer rolls his eyes - the amount of money put in this outfit could pay his rent for a few years. As for security, neither Lucifer nor Sinister would really needs his assistance in case of anything happening.

His gaze returning to the entrance, Clint notices one individual wearing a large pink fur cape with assorted boa. If anyone wanted to sneak in something nefarious, it would be a good cover.

Sighing, Clint approaches the man, blocking his way. "Security," he announces, "A formality, to make sure you aren't hiding anything under the cape." The man wearing the pink fur cape looks Clint up and down, and up again, grinning at the archer.

"Darlin' dear, please do. You can frisk me all night!" the man replies with enthusiasm.

Inhaling deeply, closing his eyes momentarily, Clint shakes his head. Oh boy, this is going to be a long night. "No need, hand me the cape for a sec." The man complies, the cape is searched, revealing nothing of interest. "All clear, enjoy the night," Clint finally announces, stepping back, eager to return to his observation post.

"Don't be a stranger, Blue Eyes!" calls the man as he moves on, joining the crowd just in time to see Lucifer open the festivities.

As he returns to his spot, the archer browses the crowd, those standing and those sitting. Everyone. Including one that did not come in drag outfit - so jealous. As soon as the flow of invitees coming in will slow down, Clint will start patrolling the floor more directly. It is like a masquerade, yes, that's it. Just think it is a masquerade and all will be fine.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
With Lucifer kicking off the festivities, the stage lights up, revealing the band in their respective places.

True to what is advertised. It does appear that Lux has managed to secure Five Times Novel. This is a bit of an impressive task considering this band hand just finished yet another world tour.

But sure enough, the current members of the animal themed band are all there. Kip the Tigress, London the Wolf, Lew the Lion, Rowl the Owl, and Carr the Cat.

However, the attire is a bit different than what they normally wear. It appears that they too have dressed for the night's theme by switching over to the costumes from their Looking Glass video. Bronze, Gold, Silver, White, and Wine adorn the band as they tap into a more victorian masquerade style of dress, with the male members in dresses and the female members in suits. Even the animal themed masks and body paint that finish the task of hiding their identities are set up to match the attire.

And yet. There are six people on the stage. True to the name, Five Times Novel has five members at a time. While the sixth person has also gone the way of wearing a themed mask as well there's a few anomalies to make them separate from the main band. The color choices are a bit brighter in the attire. A gradient of light to dark purple is combined with the white for the delicate looking dress. The chest piece rides up high sporting some fabric flower embellishments with only the slightest of openings towards the top, the shoulders and neckline are exposed, betraying even, fair colored skin that appears never kissed by the sun.

Paired with the attire, a purple and white dragon mask is secured to the face, with purple and white ribbon. The excess length of the fabric seems to blend in with the lengthy brown locks that fall down the back of the dress with more of the purple fabricked flowery embellishments upon the front woven into the hair. The mask is slightly open near the bottom, exposing a very feminine jawline and sculpted lips.

Hmm. Guess someone didn't get the memo about cross dressing.
.
.
.
.

Or they're doing it exceptionally well.

While he is decidedly working on the sound for the evening's music acts, William is not surrounded by sizable equipment. Having conversed with Nathaniel, and having been allowed a bit of practice time with it, he's opted to work with the club's own sound system for this event. This does allow for a bit of space to be freed up around him. Head canted to the side, listening to the sound coming out, he glances down to the tablet, making note of the feedback given. If only other venues could have their stuff put together this well...

Sinister has posed:
Sliding his hand into the crook of arm, there's not a step missed as they decend in concert. 'She' is silent however, as the announcements are made, grye eyes surveying the crowd from behind the mask with a good deal of scrutiny.

The cue of the music beginning has her turning her gaze to the VIP lounge area, raising a fan of red-hot poker ostrich feathers to her face to flutter them there a moment or twho. Feathers have such whonderful ability to take colour well, don't they?

And then, for those that are old enough to know of it, or those that have an ecclectic knowledge of 'fan language' as was once all the rage, several covert signals get sent up to the watching attendants up there, probably to queue the performers. That whould at least make sense, right?

"You do look exceptionally sharp tonight, my dear..." is murmured, before there's a subtle giggle as she catches sight of Barton in his outfit... maybe even some of the conversation, given he's a cheeky bastard with some of his talents. "Tell me, who got VIP invites tonight? I shall have to schmooze them..."

Superman has posed:
A pair of red rimmed sunglasses, they might be confused for looking a bit "Cycloptic." If it's not for the divide lenses making them into rectangular lenses, very similar to iron-man eyes. If the space between them, it would be sunglasses inspired by another person. Toni doesn't mind losing a bet let this because it helps a good cause. She would be happy, and supportive, for any friend or family that's part of the LGBTQ community.

Fixing her opera gloves, making sure the silver of her outfit shimmers. Taking her fan, Toni makes their way in line. And the Triangular LED at the center of the dress

Her excuse for deviating against any theme, "When does Toni Stark play by the rules?" So, standing in the dress, knowing the chest down to the mid-section while shimmer in any spotlight thanks to sequins. Same with the ones on those red opera gloves, going toward the bicep. Only the left hand has a "blaster" a blue circular in her palm. Although that fan in the righ will more than make up for it. Toni will wait for her cue. A lot of thought does go into this. If one is going to lose a bet, then they will lose spectacularly.

At the end of the day, it's a story, a good cause and Toni is just happy to be here because of it. Although, this might be a one off appearance.

Lucifer has posed:
The bartender serving Billy his 'mocktail' isn't going to be terribly excited to do so, but of course there's no outward proof that this is the case. There's just a smile and the drink is made and then served. The Power Rangers are known to just be ordinary people who had fighting spirits. So there's nothing that could really tell the Devil there was someone of that ilk among the crowd. For now.

As the affair of Drag Show Runway begins, and Five Times Novel take their places, Lucifer just smirks. He loves it when things come together for a good cause. His attention goes to Nathaniel once he's by their side once more and that smirk just grows bigger. "You're a knockout yourself, my love. I am definitely enjoying this side of you and am so happy you decided to play along." He offers, turning his head to kiss their cheek and then he glances back to the stage. "As far as VIP... I believe that belongs to the Covingtons and the Hartfords tonight... they wanted to watch... away from the fray shall we say."

It's when Clark Kent - as Toni Stark - makes their way down the runway that Lucifer raises a slight brow. The thing of it is, Tony Stark is a bit lithe and has an air of arrogance around him. He squints his eyes and then smirks. He won't say aloud what he can privately share with Sinister via the mind.

As for security. It was likely just the easiest favor for Lucifer to call on and fulfill a contract with. Oh surely there were plenty of other things he could have asked Hawkeye to do, but due to certain stipulations written in....they would not have been doable. So come be security in one of the most secured places in New York. Because he has demons among villains and heroes often get the short end of the stick here.

Blue Ranger has posed:
Blue mocktail in hand, he returned the smile to the bartender, and gave a surprisingly generous tip, as he clearly didn't understand the amount that was supposed to be given. The blue wrist communicator under his tuxedo cuffs, and a blue handkerchief in his right breast pocket, as well as the mocktail, managed to give Billy Cranston some blue in an otherwise monotone outfit. He slowly made his way to the floor, interrupting one group of guests to ask, "pardon me, is this seat taken?" When they indicated that it was fine, he would take a seat, towards the back, not the best view, but at least it was secluded, where he could observe, without causing any fuss.

At that point, he noticed that there was a menu folded up on the table, and so he went about examining it, pulling his handkerchief out to polish up his glasses, before folding it back, and taking a gander. He ended up making his decision relatively quickly, and when a passing waitress walked by, he ordered the chicken tenders and mozzarella sticks.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Leaving the entrance under the watchful eyes of secondary security guards - rather, in-house demons - Hawkeye decides to move around the floor, just patrolling and noting anything out of place.

Out of place. Like himself.

Rolling his eyes, as he moves around, the archer finds himself following behind Toni from a distance.

There is no specific destination to his patrolling, which leads him to walk mostly around the floor without bringing attention to him. Actually, if he saw a rock, the archer might contemplate crawling under it. And then, Hawkeye fidgets.

Being there among the drags, might not be the best move. What if someone confused him with a competitor? Don't drag shows have competition? Better take no chances. Quick, get out of there, find a safer place. The heck with the patrol, the archer turns around, seeking a better spot. There, tables. Yes, go sit for a bit. Blend.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
As the band bursts into the performance three things become quite clear. The first is why Five Times Novel is considered world reknowned as a wall of sound quickly turns up the energy in the club to full tilt. The second is that they are willing to work with others as the Dragon ends up strutting up to the open position next to Kip to sing along with her in a duet.

And thirdly, as the voice from the delicate dragon turns out not to match up with the visual-

Ok. The Dragon DID get the memo. And did the attire well.

Hearing a surprised sound from a more conservatively dressed attendee, William chuckles to himself, still observing the display. He sneaks a few glances over to the drag show. The appearance of Toni gets a bit of a grin in acknowledgement.

As Clint's patrol brings him a bit closer to the manager and sound technician, the dark haired man watches the indecision flash against the exposed portion of the face. Followed by the hurried walk over to Billy's table. The grin decides to stay.

Oh this is going to be an entertaining night...

Sinister has posed:
Oh, if he were only more evil. Oh, wait...

Leaning into the kiss to her cheek, Sinister hipchecks lightly, looking over toward the ladies of the night, in their glitter, their glam, their huge hair and apparently their Iron ... lady outfits? "My, my, he must have practiced for a while in those boots..." is murmured. "Red hot just seemed appropriate all things being equal," that last is murmured, before she's sashaying about the guests, brushing past this important face, that uber-rich business type, a word here, a flutter of the fans there, to do the gracious 'Queen' of the night thing.

More subtle signals are sent up above, then a lean into William's ear as she passes, just to note "Lip synch assassins begin in two..." -- hopefully the cover versions for the instrumentals got properly circulated, or that could be very peculiar.

And then she's standing hipshod, watching Barton having his 'where is my rock?' moment. "You look -very- fetching you know..." it's said in a confidante tone at least, to not draw too much attention to him. "Any marks?"

Superman has posed:
Performances begin, the light's go out. In the darkness a light blue glow cuts through the darkness. The triangle on the chest, a circular shape on that "floats" so clearly on some kind of limb. Then a series of small circles, which may be harder, to place on the other side.

A brief percussion with a growing upbeat piano. Fun, fast paced, latin infused song. A trumpet and trombone kick in, when the lights come back on to see Toni Stark standing there. People may be picking up by the song by now. Sixteen seconds into the song clears up the confusion, "'Has he last his mind? Can he see or is he blind?'" are the first words that come from Robyn Adele Anderson's mouth. A latin take on the song that has followed Iron Man sing day one practically.

It explains the bits of silver sequins at the top of those opera gloves, all over the chest and parts of the torso, the lights.

She moves with surprise grace for being 6'`4." Plus, she moves pretty gracefully. Now, the gloves and dress do so much to lithe her form, but maybe Steve Rogers would have been a better choice. Still, she'll move briskly.

The increased tempo means it's easy to move about the room. Even the solo is done by a piano instead of a guitar. It's probably a sight to see, especially for the security. Good thing Toni is not flirting with him like some of the other ladies. Those long black locks moving with her while the bangs stay out of the face, perfectly in place. Style and function.

Later Clark Kent will really appreciate Toni's choice in eyewear. A good pair of glasses will go a long way to conceal someone.

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer has been left for the moment. This gives him a free moment to glance around and take in more of the sights. A few people recognize him and thank him for a lovely night as he weaves through the crowd just a little. He won't be hard to spot when Nathaniel comes to take his place but for the moment it's a simple mingling. Watching the stage, enjoying how everything has come together. Extra security to boot?

What could possibly go wrong?

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Fetching? Did Sinister really say /fetching/? The archer stops in his tracks, as if trying to erase this notion from his mind. "If that's code for looking ridiculous, I'll agree." Glancing around quickly, he then shakes his head, "All's quiet so far. I'm in constant communication with the security staff." Said staff were first reluctant to use this communication system - they probably did not need it to communicate - but relented on Hawkeye's insistence.

As Toni starts dancing all over the place, this is Clint's cue to move away. From a distance, the archer will have a better view of everything.

As he walks toward the tables, the pink-fur-cape man appears right in front of him. "Hellllo, Blue Eyes," the man says with a large smile, "Caught you! Want to frisk me, like, later maybe?"

Sighing again, Clint reaches for a concealed pocked and presents pink-fur-cape man with a visit card on which is a phone number. "Sure, call me tomorrow?" Clint replies, handing the card with the phone number. The man takes the card eagerly, "This will be fun, see you later Blue Eyes!" Well, Clint one, Captain America zero. The archer will have to stay clear of the Mansion when Steve receives the phone call.

Resuming his quest for a less compromising location, Clint approaches the table where Billy is sitting, those around decide to go get a drink at the bar. Perfect timing. Not only that, but the spot is a good one. Not perfect, like Lucifer's perch would be, but for now it would do.

The archer nods at Billy, "Is this place free?" And on an afterthought, quickly adds, "Huh, trust me when I say I'm wearing this against my will." Maybe this will set things straight. Huh, yeah, straight.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
William's head turns slightly to the familiar voice. Tugging out his phone, glancing to the time and making a quote to the projected time. "Passing it along." He assures.

To those around the note may not make any sense. But Nathanel and William apparently seem to know what's up.

As the drag show portion carries on, Five Times Novel manages to incorporate several covers of popular songs for the drag queens tailored to the requests given prior to the show. Amongst many others, Cher, ABBA, and Lady Gaga gets a bit of love during this time. With the varied choices in songs requested, the band demonstrates another key thing that makes them have such a high reputation.

While Kip may be the recognized lead singer and DragAnne is managing very well as an accompanying male vocal at points, the other members from time to time demonstrate that they too can sing. Sometimes the part requires a different sound after all. But even when Kip or the Dragon has to take a step back, they end up filling the gap formed from the singer switches.

With the song choices not being the standard fare, William is more so focused on monitoring what's going on.

But even so, the exchange between pink fur and Clint causes for him to give him a brief, scrutinizing look. But he at least waits for Pink Fur to head off before he asks the question. "Dare I ask whose number you actually gave?"

Sinister has posed:
"I did. Because you are," Sinister chuckles lowly, watches the interchange from a distance and seems pleased when the sets roll around as they're supposed to. This is a show after all and it is meant to be for the entertainment and the fund raising -- charities tend to benefit frequently from the events Lux puts on, which probably means it's a tax write-off.

But let it not be said that she did not pay the fullest of attention to the grand event that is Clark Kent twirling his stuff as Toni. Some things you literally have to burn into your frontal lobe for scrutiny and replayable enjoyment at a later time.

Somehow in all that, she made it back to the devil's side, too. "All is rather splendid. You're going to play at any point, dearling? Or did you persuade William to let you sing a piece with the band..."

Lucifer has posed:
"No. This whole thing is for the band and possibly our Drag Queen of honor...." Lucifer replies to Nathaniel and then turns his head to offer them a Grin(tm). "But if you ask real nice-like, I may give you a private performance later..." There's a wink to follow and then he looks up on stage again. Toni has exited stage left, so the next performer can strut their stuff along the runway, lip syncing to the next bit that the band plays and hamming it up the way that Drag Queens do.

The next few minutes are a bit more...interesting. Someone had entered the club late, managed to slip themselves into the crowd. They watched the performance with knowing eyes and secretly took video of the band playing as Nick was on the drums at some point. Then, suddenly, this person is rushing the stage with their phone up as if they're live streaming.

"I told all of you! That's Poe! Poe is back everybody! The reunion is possible!!!!" They shout while also trying - at the same time - to rush up onto the stage. "POE!!! POE I'M YOUR BIGGEST FAN!!!"

Kinda in that 'Love Me Sempai' kind of vibey way....

Blue Ranger has posed:
Billy Cranston received his food by now, and had been mostly sitting there, quietly, just enjoying the show, at least the part that he understood. Much of it went over his head, as this was unlike any other experience that he had enjoyed. Being the bookworm of his group, he didn't get out much. But at least the food was good, and went well with his non-alcoholic beverage.

Looking to Poe, and not having a clue who Poe was, but then, Billy wouldn't know who Lady Gaga was if she were sat across from him. It was a wonder he actually knew who Dazzler and Taylor Swift were, though he had actually mixed them up on more than one occasion, as Trini Kwan had to correct him.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Figures. Just as he was about to sit for a moment. It is then that Clint congratulates himself for choosing a dress - no! an outfit, it is an outfit! - allowing him to move quickly. Not to mention the wearing of boots instead of anything else.

There a blur of purple feathers crossing the crowd in a beeline, as Hawkeye runs to the stage, jumps on it and proceed in tackling the potential leader - or the one closest to the stage. It is an interesting display of a purple drag queen pinning the intruder to the stage, the phone quickly removed - not so gently - from the hand.

"Alright, kiddo," Clint says in a low voice to the Poe fanatic, "Come with me, that was a very poe move, don't play stupid now."

As for the rest of the group, probably stunned by the swift reaction, they will be easy for the security guards to manage.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
As the song ends and the time to switch around singers once more approaches, DragAnne, now apparently titled Poe, gets up from the drum set. Taking a moment to straighten their dress. The shouts however causes for the purple and white covered face to glance up, taking note of the rapidly approaching fan.

Biggest fan? Christ. He'd only subbed in under the Poe 'guise for the latter half of one tour. It was a completely different costume and animal theme. How the HELL did this guy make the connection?

It would probably be a good idea to move away from the impending doom of obsession but he doesn't have much time to think about it as the nearby positioned Rowl moved from her keyboard to shove herself in front of him. Being the percussionists were the furthest back, that led to fanboy needing to get past 5 other musicians to get to him.

Oh the timing.

While William had many moments of a grin appearing on his face this evening, this wasn't one of them.

Eyes narrowing, the manager takes a step out of the area he had initially confined himself to with the intention of stopping the fan from interfering with HIS GROUP any further. But... the purple feathery blur that crosses his field of vision causes for him to stop. Listening to the thunk of fanatic upon the stage floor proves to be quite satisfying. Bringing a hand up, he gives a stopping motion to the band, just in case they got a case of 'show must go on' syndrome at the moment.

Gesture seen, the members on the front part of the stage back up, giving Clint room to work.

Rowe reaches a hand back, squeezing DragAnne's hand before returning to her post.

Sinister has posed:
Bearing witness to a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent in drag wearing purple feathers do a take-down of a crazed fan, not to mention the grand gestures of the band to play intercept, is quite a thing to watch. "Huh, now -that- was entertainment," murmured with a grin below the mask, Sinister makes a less subtle gesture to the other security, who are likely not going to be -rough- but aren't the kind you argue with. Trust in the fact that Hawkeye's takedown was probably the kinder version of what could have transpired.

"All under control ladies and gentlefolks... a round of a applause to our purple projectile person, if you would!" behold the bravo golf-clapping that takes place in several areas, including from the queens.

There's even a couple of calls of 'My /hero/!' from the ahem... ladies.

"Please enjoy a complimentary drink on the rounds that are currently being ferried about, courtesy of the King and Queen!"

Superman has posed:
Toni is going to do more at the interruption, but one Avenger is clearly faster than her. Seh won't say anything. Honestly, she's just happy nothing transpired into anything bad. She'll clap and then call out, "Three cheers for security," and will leave any flirtation to others that may find him more charming than Toni does.

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer makes a mental note to offer 'hazard pay' to the band and - by extension - Nick Drago once this is all over. None the less, Sinister is taking care of crowd control, Clint has the perp in arms and dragging them back out of the club at the moment so really. The host still has nothing to do.

Except the band is trying to re-settle and the performers in drag are re-setting themselves after that fiasco. So the Devil does what the Devil does best in moments like these. While things are being reset and that may take a moment, he's suddenly at the piano which has been moved slightly off center due to the runway. Fingers dazzling over the keys as he plays the intro to 'I Will Survive' and then begins to sing along with his own playing.

Blue Ranger has posed:
There are some songs that no matter where you are, who you are, or what you are, you just know, and can't help but join in. As crowd control goes, I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor is one of those rare songs that everyone seems to love. Billy Cranston was no exception, finding his body loosening up, moving in tune with the brilliant work on the piano by Lucifer, and when he began to sing, well, it was angelic. Billy joined in with the rest of the crowd who helped raise the roof with that one.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
William quietly watches the going ons with the stage and the general escorting of the problematic fan away from the stage. After a few moments of waiting and seeing security settling back into position, William considers the situation to be ok. The held up hand lowers, removing the halting measure as he grabs his phone once more to tap more information in.

Getting the general signal from the manager, Kip's mask tilts forward as she gives a nod before turning around relaying something.

The DragAnne and Owl release hands before the purple and white decked (apparently) former raven turned Dragon trades places with the dressy cat.

The music from Lucifer is appreciated as it allows a chance for them to figure out where they are on the requested songs. And for the respective performers to line up. Once they're given the signal to start up once again. The next song kicks off.

Sinister has posed:
Sinister somehow made it to the side of the piano through the crowds during that performance, to lean against the ebony like Michelle Pfeiffer in Fabulous Baker boys. 'She' smiles beneath the mask, mouthing the lyrics in lip-synch style and encouraging the crowd. That's part of her job tonight, after all.

But at the conclusion of the music, she's left the sunken stage area with a nod to the band, fleetingly making sure that the Queens are back into alignment and everyone has their wigs firmly attached... Toni's as well, with a murmur of "...you -have- to tell me who your costumer was, dahlink, we'll talk later..."

And then somehow is by Billy Cranston's cubby. There's a grin beneath the spray of red hot pokers covering her upper face. "Hi," fingerwiggle "...I -do- hope you're going to tip the girls..." with a flourish of dandied wrist to the charity donation section.

Superman has posed:
Toni does not speak, just puts a fan to their face and pantomime flattery. Something just over the top, but keeps her from talking. She just watches the chaos going on. Not quite frozen by the sights, but being selective about going in there. The last thing she wants is to break a nail afterall. Her eyes hidden by the sun glasses, still drinking it in. When everything begins to settle, she'll just get in position. Due to the suddneness of it all, Although her gaze will sweep, focus and try to glean unseen details. Toni stark cheats like that.

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer finishes the song, smiling at the fact that Nathaniel had joined him and lip synched to what he was playing and singing. The crowd seemed to enjoy it, and it took their minds off the issue at hand and passed time for everything to reset. Once it's all done, he stands from the piano and watches as the Queens and Kings on the stage begin to walk along to their chosen songs and all continues to go as planned.

If this was going to be the biggest hiccup of the night, then everything is coming up golden. For the most part.

One step. Two. And he's at William's side. "Well. Of all the things I could have planned for...deranged crazy fan was not at the top of the list..." He offers gently. "How much would you think is appropriate as...compensation...for a moment of interruption."

Blue Ranger has posed:
Well, that was unnerving. One moment, there was a body of air next to Billy Cranston. The next, Mister Sinister. "H-h-hell-hello?" He said, genuinely looking panicked. "Oh, um, sure, of course," and rather than risk Mister Sinister's wrath, the scientist of the Power Rangers would make his way towards the charity donation section. He may not have had much, but what he did, he would help out with.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
As the band plays on. William looks back to the tablet. Sensing the presence of the club owner coming to his side, he turns his head, listening to Lucifer's comments. "Hmm. Maybe the specifics weren't thought of but...You met the requirements of a venue by arranging for sufficient security that prevented the fan from reaching any of my band members. Or Nick for that matter. And you provided your own playing while the group reset. So..."

He pauses, considering matters. "...If you want to add something I will not stop you but I will not be requiring it. Although, you may wish to speak with Mr. Shaw regarding HIS client."

Sinister has posed:
"My word, what an astonishing reaction..." Sin murmurs that mostly to herself and in 'demure' fashion, checks her breath for accidental onion. Nope. Just fresh fruity cocktail aromatic. Storm grey eyes watch the sudden scurry though and there IS a half-grin to herself as she FWOOSHes her own fan into full fanned out fan-ness, for a flutter.

Sometimes, there is a measure of sadism in Nathaniel Essex. It usually comes upon itself in situations unexpected for the geneticist, such as social experimentation and comfort levels. So she lingers, drifting to watch the general good graces of the people of NYC and the like, to donate to good causes. And it doesn't hurt that there's a certain sort of presence to a well built man in a a-line Folly-dress, wearing three inch red and gold high heels. Calculated and FABULOUS intimidation for the win!!

Superman has posed:
Clarity runs through Toni as she knows Sinister suspects something. The laugh. She respects the intellect to the Doctor. It's not quite intimidation, but she will never under estimate the man in a room.

Toni will pause and blow a kiss toward Billy. She understands giving what you have and every little bit helps. So, she's trying to dispel the nerves and the idea that it may not have been enough. Toni remembered to hurt her collegues when she made it back home.

Lucifer has posed:
"Oh I plan on it. Or maybe just talking to Nick directly. Or both. In the same room. Cause either way, Mr. Shaw will need to hear about what happened." Lucifer agrees and then he smirks. "I only did what I thought was best to keep the crowd's displeasure to a minimum. Besides, it also likely made Nathaniel happy...he had just been asking if I was going to play anything and I said no. As it wasn't planned. But things all worked out to some degree or another in the long run." He offers this much more and then draws a breath. "So I'm glad I was able to assist...and I know money doesn't change what happened. It's not even a good band-aid...but I'd like to compensate them somehow..." Saying this much and then he looks out at the venue. "At least it was a good turn out overall. And there will likely be a story in the Daily Planet within the next day or few I feel..." For no real reason. Nope. Not at all. Except he's had Clark Kent pinned since the moment Toni Stark walked down the runway. Sorry, Superman, but you can't mask everything from the Devil Himself.

Blue Ranger has posed:
Billy Cranston was not used to meeting people who were 6'8" tall, least of all people who were 6'8" tall before putting on high heels. Still, getting the poor Power Ranger to donate some of his college money to charity was, well, actually, bad. He'd probably need to beg from his parents to top up his funds, or sell one of his inventions. But he was never that financially inclined. When he arrived at the Charitable Donation Section, he opened up his wallet. No flies flew out. They were long since dead anyway. But he did withdraw some paper bills, "it's for a good cause."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
William nods. Based from the basic contract work that went into booking the band. He knew that as far as the agreement is concerned, all efforts were made to ensure a safe environment. But based from his conversation with Lucifer, he gets the general sense that once Lucifer gets an idea into his head, it may be hard to say no to him.

"Regardless of the actual motivation behind the action, it still worked to benefit the terms of the booking agreement. And should there be any mention in social media about the Poe enthusiast, all that really does is enforce the general understanding that Five Times Novel has such high standards in musicians, even our temporary stand ins gain followings as well.. If anything, the situation and the way it was handled is but a boon. There's no such thing as bad press when it comes to the entertainment industry after all."

Sinister has posed:
"It is, yes..." 6'8" in heels /and/ English -- villainous through and through, just ignore the sparkly dress. Nathaniel grins his crooked smile at the donation from wallet to sign-up sheet, looks sly beneath the dyed feathers toward Toni Stark - aka: the daily planet's glasses wearing social awkwardness and flutters her fan right back at her again.

A glance is sent over toward William and Lucifer, before the Grand Parade of Queens and Kings begins in final earnest. THIS is when she slips away to the VIP section to go from Red Hot Poker to sparklesuit of the gender assigned at birth. Doctor Essex, in a tuxedo covered in black sequins, a black shirt, vest, spats - altogether rather 20's in styling, will return imminently and applaud, as if Queen Red Hot never was.

Of course, that probably doesn't make things much better, as he's highly recognizable to the slightly more obscure hero crowd anyway. Unless he's actively shapeshifted to something specific, he tends to look like himself. It's an honesty thing, even if it's without the porcelain white complexion and the glowing red eyes.

"As always, we will be matching donations tonight, to each charity--" and tax write-offs "--the more generous and Proud you stand, the better. Enjoy!" And now, to assume a spot where he can watch faces, new and not-so-new.

Superman has posed:
Toni just waves to the crowd and then Nathaniel is getting close. Again, the pantomime blush, shy approach. Thankfully she's more graceful than other outfits.

Eventually Toni will want to make her way backstage to gussy up. Perhaps get a story as intended. Although, she can say she walked a mile in their shoes, which always helps a story.

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer nods to William. "Well. I'll let you get to working on wrapping things up. We seem to be nearing the end. We'll talk more later. And I promise I'll talk to Mr. Shaw too." He says this much and then takes one step, two, and is by Nathaniel's side. "You're shiny like a diamond. I like it..." Of course, he liked the other outfit as well. This is fitting for Nathaniel, however, and the Devil will proffer a cheek kiss to his lover. "So... I feel like over all this was a success...and I can see perhaps hiring this band every so often. Along with Nick. The more talent we find and hire, the more I think we'll grow in different clientelle.. and that can't be all a bad thing, right?"

Of course. He still has a few to mingle with. One being Billy. Just something about the kid has Lucifer curious. But he doesn't go to the man just yet - letting him finish his donating and then returning to his table.

Blue Ranger has posed:
Billy had to get into a queue to donate, as many people held out until late to do so, likely dragged out there by a spouse or significant other. In Billy's case, he was ushered there by Nathaniel Essex, who has since revealed himself to the crowd, and Billy... still has no idea who he is. Just some really tall person. Unfortunately, Billy doesn't keep up to date on pop culture, and even less so on villains, heroes, vigilantes, or whatever Sinister was by this point. If it wasn't something he could take apart, build, or in way involved his friends, family, or the safety of innocents, he just didn't follow it. But he would be easy for Lucifer to find after paying.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
As Lucifer indicates that he is done speaking with William for the moment, the manager gives a nod, looking back to the tablet. There's another consult with the phone and glance over to the stage area to confirm the finale portion.

After the drag show portion is complete, the band shifts away from the lip synch assassin related items and drift over to the songs that Five Times Novel are known for.

Sinister has posed:
And thus the entertainment begins for those that came just to be fans. There's always a few, even for a charity event where covers were done for a good cause. C'est la Vie, ne? The price of fame.

Doctor Essex /is/ a name in quite a few fields of expertise, mostly through the multinational mega corporation that covers wide fields of scientific progress (and a few other areas) known as Essex corp. Because Villains by and large it seems, are unimaginative on that front -- Lex? Essex? It might be something to do with the gene for monologuing, a thing that must be more keenly researched perhaps. Mind, he doesn't make a lot of public appearances, unlike certain other mega-CEOs of the modern world, but to those that know, read, are generally nerdy and like looking at the latest innovations, he has more overt influence in the field than Stark Enterprises does. Mostly because of the hands on and the published 'fluff pieces' he occasionally writes. Yes. He's THAT Doctor Essex.

Leaning into the kiss on his cheek, the geneticist smiles to the Host of Lux, reaching to give a one-armed hug with it and a descent of hand down the spine. He follows the track of fleeting gaze toward Billy and nods. "I think I might have impoverished a student, but I could be misguided..." he murmurs "...and we have pictures of the Queens for publication."

Lucifer has posed:
"Impoverished a student you say?" Lucifer's gaze follows Nathaniel's gaze towards Billy. "Ah. That's the lad that's not drinking alcohol...and ordered a minimal amount of food..." He then gives a cheeky little grin. "I might just have to pay the fellow a visit. Welcome in the new blood as it were..." Gaze returning back to Nathaniel as he offers another chaste kiss to the cheek. "Plenty of pictures, yes. Clark will get a lovely story out of this one...and I hope to hear his story as well...might have to pry it out of Lois tho..."

Then, like his usual style, he is simply gone from Nathaniel's side and standing over by Billy's table. The drink that Billy ordered is lifted, sniffed at, and then set back down before he glances to the bar and motions a signal for another to be made. The food that was ordered is given a look over as well, gauging perhaps how much of it has been eaten or picked at. Eyes shift to the donation table and he tilts his head just so. Billy can spend what he wants at the table itself, and while Lucifer cannot make things simply appear out of thin air - well - he can manipulate existing items at least. Still, he takes a step back towards the bar to grab the new drink created and then waits. And waits. Until Billy is set to return to his chair and then he'll approach. "Compliments of the house, sir." He'll mention, setting the new drink in front of Billy with a Smile(tm). "You're a face I've never seen before...and I pride myself on remembering faces. First time at Lux?"

Blue Ranger has posed:
\Billy Cranston was a Canadian, so they had a King, and he still lived with his parents, so he would never be that impoverished. Close to it, but not on the breadline or anything. After having paid a modest donation, he would soon be back at his table, only to see the host looking over his place. The man had taken Billy's half drunk beverage, and another one was ordered. Billy had been famished, so finished all his food, save for three French fries. He may have kept the drink half drunk so that no one would offer him a replacement. Instead, he had drank plenty of water this evening. Returning, he would be approached by Lucifer, "oh, why thank you, sir," would be his polite response, followed up by a, "why yes, sir. It's a truly phenomenal experience. And the acoustics are highly favorable to your vocalized performance."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
While the event may be at the latter part of the event evening. Five Times Novel is not about to just play only one of their songs and stop right there. One song comes after another and another. So long as there are people attending, they keep playing.

Sinister has posed:
"Ohh, yes the accoustics are quite fine," Sans make-up, not in a dress, voice is still the same. Sinister inclines his head politely to Billy as he wanders over in a far less hoppity bop-teleport kind of way. "Ai-assisted dynamic control, for audio, visual, amplification and subsonic," that's just left there, the drink virgin as it is, eyed with a chuckle to himself and he himself is met with a waitress and a cognac, nodding toward the band and the VIP to the serving .. well... woman. She nods, heads that way likely to prepare for finale, encore and ultimate post-play relaxation.

"I wonder if it shall make local news also, metropolis is quite a distance. You know how local some things can be-- I'll have a word with the girls later."

Lucifer has posed:
It seems meeting the Devil in person did wonders for the student, and just as quick as Lucifer had greeted him, he was gone. Ah well. He'll keep the boy on his radar and perhaps they will cross paths again one day.

The Queens and Kings from the runway begin to make their final stances, waving to the crowd as they're cheered off. Lucifer watches as people mingle, continue to donate, and some of the ones from the drag show will actually go into the audience for some informal, unpaid meet and greets. Which will make this portion of the night last a little bit longer.

One step, two, and he's in the presence of Toni Stark, grinning ear to ear. "So. Do I get to thank Lois for this sudden appearance of you in drag? Or does dressing up as one disguise bring out a kink for dressing up in others?"

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
As the drag queens make their way off the stage, there's a slightly laid back song playing. Breathy, a bit dramatic and most importantly, not going at a pace that might encourage one of the tall ladies to move down the stage at a quick rate. Tripping hazards are quite possible considering the manner of dress exhibited.

Once the group is fully amongst the crowd, the pace of the songs increases to a more energetic level.

Sinister has posed:
Sinister watches the nervous student dissipate into the mingling with a faint narrowing of the eyes. Then he's all smiles for the Queens, clapping appropriately to the beat as the march into the audience concludes the actual performance part -- Meet and Greets are usually fun and might devolve into an informal Brunch. There's plenty of snacks after all, even for the comedy queens.

And thusly, he wends his way in a far less one-two-and-there way, cognac in hand now, to find the answer to Lucifer's question. He does eye the band though, keeping track of when they 'break' for refreshment.

Superman has posed:
Lucifer is there inf ront of Toni. There's a sudden pause from her. A few ideas run through Toni's head. There's a sudden thought. It might work. Might is the very key word here. Again, Toni is there pantomiming expression. There's a shake of the head, a handwave, and the fan is in front of her face.

Toni will try to just move around Lucifer, pointing with her free hand toward the dressing room. She tries to take a few steps toward the dressing room.

Toward one of the entrances a voice is heard. "Hi. Bruce Wayne. Yes, I'm here for Toni," the thing is there are some people that can do pretty dead ringer impressions of Bruce Wayne. One might be a reporter that works out of Metropolis. Also, that same reporter might be able to their their voice to make it sound like they're speaking from other places.

Toni finger waves to Luci with the free hand then point back to the dresser room. She seems to have some form of company. That's the plan to escape anyway. Because Bruce Wayne is here for Toni.

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer tilts his head, finding himself not answered and Toni Stark leaving for the dressing rooms. Well, the hotel rooms really but they were reserved for those performing in all aspects. His eyes narrow and then he glances around before giving his two-step shift so that he's by Nathaniel's side again. "I've been snubbed twice this evening. Though I think Toni Stark doesn't realize that I know who /she/ is beneath all the glamor..." Or at least, that's the excuse he's going to give himself. Otherwise he may just feel some sort of way being snubbed by people as one who is perpetually social.

"How has your night been shaping up?" He asks. "Anything interesting going on? Should we bring things to a closure soon?"

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
As Cla- Ahem Toni Stark bravely runs away, William stays where he's been situated for most of the night. Aside from the occasional run ins, William's been focused on the going ons with the stage. As for right now he's more mentally counting down the time until the band must take their break.

Not now.

...

One more

...

NOW.

The phone is lifted and another message is sent over.

As the band is on one of the pieces that has more of a male vocal focus to give Kip a break, the tigress is able to make note of the message. When the song reaches its end, Kip moves up to the voice. "Alright guys, we'll have some more coming up after we get back from break."

With the break announced and house music being fed in over the speakers, the band members make their way to the backstage area.

Smiling, William also takes his break, not straying too far from the equipment but at the least putting in a request for A Sangria.

Sinister has posed:
"Hmm. Well, doesn't that just take the biscuit? Mind you, that would dispell the illusion terribly, wouldn't it?" Sinister comments this to the devil, though his eyes are following the departure of the fleeing Toni. He tilts his head as he studies. "Hasn't got the hip sway down at all, when at high speed retreat mode, wearing an Iron woman outfit. Don't you think? He definitely has some answers to share, unless he thinks gossips are likely to abound. Pathological shyness? Alter ego syndrome, you think?"

There's a cluck of the tongue, a sip of cognac and a grin then. "Everything went quite swimmingly. Only a few accessory emergencies and Glue-gun triage to be had. I love watching queens work, they're exceptionally resourceful." He replies, glancing at the bar where Sangria will be served, nodding to the keep. The best recipe. He'll know.

"Honestly, I wasn't expecting -him- to show up at all, unless you got a last minute announcement on the line-up. I half wonder if that wasn't purposeful, or some kind of bet lost."

Superman has posed:
Toni will exit stage right, albeit not literally. She will gather her things and be a ghost before too long. Bruce Wayne is waiting on her afterall. Eventually people wills ee either Bruce is very camera shy, or wasn't here. Hard tos ay which. Rich people and their eccentricities.

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer shakes his head at Sinister. "Nothing. No word, even when I sent out the invites. Nothing came across my desk that he would be attending. So my guess is a lost bet. Rumors -will- abound now. Apparently a Mister Bruce Wayne is here..." Oh Lucifer knows -exactly- who Bruce Wayne is. He also has had dealings with a few of Batman's adversaries. The Joker. Harley Quinn. Riddler. This causes the Devil to smile and then lift a single shoulder in a shrug.

"Well, I suppose it's a Five Times Novel concert for the rest of the evening since the Drag Show is over. Not that I mind, if they don't mind continuing to play. Surely I'll be getting our money's worth one way or the other." There may be a bit of bitterness in the Devil's tone due to the cold shoulders he's received. Just then, by complete coincidence surely, a waitress swings around with a tray from which he can pluck a glass of whiskey off of.

Yes, 'Sangria' is the code name for the refreshment for certain members of Five Times Novel, as well as William. Donations continue to pile up which makes Lucifer happier and might stave off his grumpiness after some time.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
As Toni gathers her belongings, the band takes advantage of the hotel area being cordoned off to just those involved with the show. There's no need to go into the rooms themselves as they instead linger in the hallways with their respective drinks. Mostly bottles of water, Although one of the instrumentalists seems to be feeling a bit adventerous. Rowl holds her Sangria drink as she stand near DragAnne, who got called Poe earlier by the fervent fan that got dragged away..

While the face is mostly hidden by the mask, the tilt of Rowl's head after the first taste of the Sangria seems to be sufficient to say 'That's a good drink!' Although, the amount of persons in the club that would appreciate a blood synthetic for a drink is likely very few.

DragAnne, who has migrated between instruments and participating in duets is being a bit more conservative. Room temperature bottled water.

As Toni walks by, the effeminate looking figure turns their head to better see the details of the costume.

A chuckle escapes from the underside of the Dragon's mask. "Good design." He compliments.

Sinister has posed:
"There are definitely worse fates than mingling drag queens and a continued set by a well-accomplished band, my darling. You shall have to simply corner the errant reporter when he's stuck between a rock and a hard place and smile at him... it'll be brilliant." Leaning in, there's a kiss given on account, an audible 'mwah' to fashionable five o'clock stubble and a light elbow tap.

"Now, my dear, let us mingle with people that are almost as tastefully avante gard as you are. Shall we?"

To the tune of music of the intermission, costumed revelry and charity.

And maybe keeping a watchful eye for the escapee mime enthusiast in the iron suit.

Superman has posed:
Toni Stark, as quick as she appeared, is gone. Although, maybe the world will hear from herat some point soon. It alwasy needs Avenging.