939/A Night of Art

A Night of Art
Date of Scene:	13 June 2017
Location:	An art gallery in New York City
Synopsis:	In which an art gallery reception draws all the finest people, Tommy flirts with the wrong woman, Nolan bings on some spirits, Nancy makes a brief guest apprenance, Tigra calls a person out, Marinette is a helpful bug, Adrien's a little slow on all the uptakes, and Carmen gets the last laugh. Or smoke grenades are total black tie accessories!
Cast of Characters:	142, 87, Carmen Sandiego, Tigra, 143, Deadwatch, Dragonfly (Arazello)

---

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
It's the reception of some local artists. A gallery in Greenwich Village has opened its doors free to the public this evening. A busker jazz band is on the sidewalk, filling the evening air with music. Adrien had an open spot on his calendar and requested this event be put there, and that tehre be no interruptions. He owed Marinette. He also sent a few friends a text, to see who could show up.

He had the car drop himeslf and Marinette off a block away, so they could walk toward the gallery hand in hand, enjoying the evening like any other normal couple. So what if Adrien was wearing a name brand suit and tie and his hair was on the slightly mussed side of perfectly in place. (Marinette may have run her fingers through it as they were getting out of the car.)

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Tommy usually doesn't dress up much. He's pretty comfortable going for the carefully planned not-totally-scruffy look, but he's always willing to make exceptions for friends. Unfortunately, his idea of 'fancy' may be a little less fancy than Adrien is used to. The ginger has seen fit to outfit himself in a white long-sleeved t-shirt (sleeves rolled up to the elbow, of course), a black tie and a black vest. The blac slacks are a nice touch, even if he is wearing his shirt untucked. Of course it's all an illusion, hiding his Cheshire self underneath... but it's the thought that counts, right?

He's arrived a little ahead of time, mostly so he can get a feel for the event. Now that he was supposed to run PR for a superhero, he wanted to get the feel of how events like these tended to wind up and wind down. When Marinette and Adrien arrive, they'll find him in one of the corners, eyeing potential hors'doeuvres.

Carmen Sandiego has posed:
There are many in attendence, of course. Some better hidden than others.

Carmen Sandiego is not one of the hidden ones.

Dressed to the nines, she sweeps through in a bright red (and low cut) dress, accented by her trademark wide hat, black evening gloves and a plethora of pearls. Carmen walks up the carpet and through the front door as if she belonged here - which is perhaps the sole reason nobody immediately calls her out. After all, one of the most famous thieves in the world just walking into an art gallery like this? She'd have to be insane.

And that makes her smile all the more to herself. Insane indeed.

Tigra has posed:
There is one who might be drawing some attention, for she looks every bit the part of someone out of the ordinary. Tigra's decided to have a look around the art gallery, curious to see if there's any particular theme to the pieces or if they're more of a random collection.

It's also a good excuse for her to keep an eye on folks, just in case. One never knows where trouble may come from. It's not at the front of her mind, but there's always that concern.

At least she's dressed for the occasion. It's a green dress, floor length. The way it wraps around the torso and over the shoulders, arms bare, gives the image of something like wings with the pattern of the fabric and how it fans out. Arms are left bare, revealing all the stripes, and her tail is allowed free thanks to a slit in the back.

Marinette DuPain (143) has posed:
At Adrien's side, Marinette has one hand light curled around Adrien's arm, the keeping the skirt of the single shoulder, black to blue ombre effect gown she wears from being stepped on. Between the straps of the gown in the back and the way her hair has been twisted and pinned in place, her neck, shoulders and back are left completely exposed. With each step, the tips of the black open toe heels she wears peek out. Jewelry and makeup were minimal but definitely complimentary.

While she may be nervous about such an event, if for no other reason that the way she had to dress, she was excited as well. "Thank you for this," is murmured to the man at her side who, even when she's wearing heels, is still taller than her. It'll be nice to have a night out and she loves supporting the local artists.

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
Smiling at Marinette, Adrien just nods. He's monochromatic except for the cufflinks. The sapphires match the blue of her dress understatedly.

"My pleasure, Mari. I wanted to make up for yesterday," the tall blonde is saying in french to the woman at his side as he leads them into the gallery. Green eyes lift, taking in the people, from the woman in red and large hat, to the tiger girl in green to..>

"Oh, hey. It's Tommy," Adrien says warmly to Marinette. "He made it." Is the little almost chirp-like tone, Adrien lifting his brows in wordless question: Can we go say hi?

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Man, if he were still doing the media thing... there were glamorous people attending. He'd get a lot of hits for the site by interviewing people here. He raises an eyebrow as he notices Tigra. Yep. Definitely would have been a hit.

He needs to stop thinking back, he's no longer doing that. He has to switch gears.

He grabs a canape and one of the non-alcoholic drinks and proceeds to look at the art. He hasn't really tried to look at it, because he's afraid that it will be... avant garde. Smearing paint-soaked rags across canvas should not cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.

"Oh... okay. This isn't that bad," he says to himself as he approaches an image.

And then he realizes it's a poster for the gallery itself. He looks to his right and sees the actual canvas. "Oh..."

He hasn't noticed his friends arriving yet, because of... well. That.

"That must have been one big mosquito," he mutters.

Carmen Sandiego has posed:
Swanning through the party, Carmen pauses only to lift a flute of champagne from the tray of a waiter. Then it's over to the first painting - a bright graffiti nouveau piece, a style that's grown from the New York street art scene.

Perusing it, she considers... no. Too common. The artist's still too much of an unknown for her tastes. The same for the rather gauche abstract beside it.

A sip of wine, and her eyes start to meander about the guests. If the art's not worth chasing, perhaps someone here is worth the time.

Deadwatch has posed:
This... is so not the kind of place that Nolan Voight expected to end up. The ex-con turned unliscened detective turned (sometimes) magical vigilante didn't even want to /leave/ Gotham today, and especially didn't want to come to New York, only a stones throw away from Ryker's Ilsand which, until recently, had been his home for over a decade. But NooOOooOOoooOoo. He had bills to pay and a job had come up requiring him to check out some swanky (ie: pretentiously hipster) art gallery opening because some rich guy's kid fancied themselves an artist and ran away to Greewich and might be attending. That in itself would not usually be enough but "other sources" had told him that there was also some strange metaphycial something in the same area he may be wanting to look at..

So Screw it. Now the red headed cripple stands inside the gallery like some wall flower, in his best and least rumbpled suit (sans tie, because hipster artists don't like ties, right?) and leaning on his forearm crutch.. He ignores any looks he gets what with the slightly dissarayed hair, the suit a decade out of style, and of course the crutch-cane and legbrace.. Considering he is in his early 30's and THAT out of date in srtle he doesn't realize he could ironically be mistaken for some sallow starving artist.

"I can't believe you talked me into this.." he grumbles to no one, which draws a look from a pasisng couple.. Which just prompts him to give a sarcastic smile until they move off, and he promptly drops it. "No, I mean it... What the hell was I thinking?" a pause.. "Yeah fine. I was thinking about the money..But I doubt the kid is here..." another pause, then he sighs. "Yes, fine.. I was also curious about this artifact you say may have been incorporated into one the art peices. I still don't see it..." He then oooohs and plucks a winne glass of a passing waiters tray and is about to sip it when he makes a face and looks at te empty space beside him. "It's /free/. So shut it."

Needless to say he's not finding anyone or thing he was actually looking for, yet.

Tigra has posed:
Shortly after getting inside, Tigra flags down one of the people serving drinks, who initially stares at her, unsure of how to react. After the feline leans in for a few whispered words, the man looks like she's speaking a different language before she reiterates her desire.

It takes a couple minutes, but she soon has a flute of her own, but it isn't filled with champagne or wine. No, this one contains milk. Typical.

Tigra's aware some people are watching her as much as the artwork, and she wouldn't have it any other way. The tip of her tail flicks a few times. Back and forth, back and forth. Nudging someone nearby, she gestures toward one of the paintings. "I think a cat could have made that one. You?"

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
((OOC: Posing for Marinette by request.)) Marinette smiles at Adrien's wordless question, almost giggling at him, and the pair make their way toward the ginger studying the mosquito-splat piece of art on the wall. As they move that way, passing Nolan, a ripple of magic accompanies the pair. It's old, and it's subtle, but it's powerful.

"Hey Tommy," says the blonde model, reaching out his left hand to tap Tommy on the shoulder.

"I'm glad you made it," he tells the red-head, a warm smile on his face. It's been a while since the two had seen each other, and it's clear that Adrien's gotten about an inch broader at the shoulder and arms, for the sleeves are a hairbreath tight on him.

Carmen Sandiego has posed:
Hm. The blonde in the suit looks interesting. Under her hat, Carmen's eyes pan across Adrien and his date Marinette. Decently dressed but not sharply enough to flaunt. She smells money, and not new money. Young, as well. There's potential, even if its unexciting.

Of course, then Carmen's ears perk up. Did she hear the word 'artifact'?

Her attention zips lighting-quick to Nolan and drinks in the details. Possibly one of the artists? He's all wrong for someone's patron. He looks fit to be thrown out by security, point of fact. He's looking for something, certainly. And talking to himself. She can't dismiss that he's not a crazy homeless person who's wandered into the gallery.

Taking a sip, eyes low under that wide brim start to track her quarry. Maybe this was a worthwhile trip after all.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"Adrien!" Tommy turns around and looks about ready to hug his friends, when he realizes he's got food and drink in his hands. Instead, he does the awkward turtle, which is basically waving his arms slightly, in greeting, and says, "I wouldn't miss it for the world. I'm sorry I haven't been around... I got fired."

He then notices the change in Adrien, and the redhead grins. "You look great, by the way. Both of you do." He gives Mari the look-ver and raises an eyebrow "You could have told me, Mari. I have one just like that in blue. We could have matched," he says, talking about her dress, being a tease.

To those who sense magic, Tommy is practically lousy with Chaos magic. He reeks of it.

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    A taxi outside squeals to a stop. A flustered, slightly disheveled Nancy Arazello shoves a handful of cash at the driver heedlessly. "Keep the change," she says as she piles out of the taxi in her rush. "You earned it getting through that mess."
    She briefly adjusts her clothes, looking like she came straight from an office, fixes her hair, and quickly glances into a compact mirror to check that there's nothing really off in her makeup. She pastes on her best insincere smile and heads to the entrance, stopping off only to drop another heedless handful of coinage and bills into the discreetly-laid instrument case near the buskers.
    Upon entering the people are given a once-over. Tigra is given a second-over with a puzzled expression, then Adrien is given a brief, more genuine smile and wave, before the movement of the crowd drags her off and she instead turns her attention on the displayed artworks with utter non-comprehension on her face.

Deadwatch has posed:
Nolan Voight is actually /not/ watching Tigra.. because he is finding the entire /room/ distracting because Greenwich is full of new agers and while 90 percent of their beliefs are bunk they believe /enough/ and collect enough knickknacks that some of them are /bound/ to have mystical qualities.. MINOR qualities to be sure but semi-mystical at least. And that doesn't even count the ghosts hanging around in here since, like every building in Greenwich is old and renovated from slum housing and are all pretty much haunted. So finding REAL mystical ones is a big pain in the a... Oh hello there!

He catches a vibe as Adrien passes and turns one way to try and focus on it, but feels a nudge from the OTHER side and turns. "What about.... cats...?" his mismatched eyes widen as he stands side to side with.. A cat! He blinks once, then looks at the picture... which appears to be a black canvas with a dark grey line through it. "Uh,, maybe there /is/ a cat in it.. you know.. A /black/ cat.. in the darkness..?" Yeah.. he knows NOTHING about art.. And he's never been in the presence of a cat /person/ before. "But.. what do I know?" he finally adds, and nervously checks his watch, tugging up his sleeve... It's not the watch of a poor man. It's a COLLECTORS item, vintage and very rare. A 1966 Bulova Snorkel Oceanographer Dive Watch. Sells for THOUSANDS. Known for perfect timing and a must have have for many collectors.. and criminals; Especially when countdowns are concerned.

Marinette DuPain (143) has posed:
The laugh that comes from Marinette, while soft, is no less genuine. "I'll send a text next time. You can come over and we'll coordinate," is offered warmly and playfully to Tommy, her bluebell blue eyes dancing.

The motion from Nancy catches Marinette's attention and she leans up towards Adrien and whispers to let him know that his friend is here before she settles back down and squeezes his arm gently.

Her head tilts for a moment, ears catching something that has her turning her head to look over towards Nolan and Tigra. Tigra gets a single once over, though it's enough for Marinette to assess the style, cut and material of the dress and likely even the designer before her attention falls on Nolan. It's there that her eyes linger for a moment before turning to the rest of the crowd.

Carmen is assessed next, a grin curving Marinette's lips. The woman has style certainly. One Mari clearly approves of which, while she tends towards subtler looks herself, her approval is hard to get.

And then she turns a smile back on Adrien and Tommy, giving the pair her full attention once more.

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
Clueless about the eyes from Carmen and Nolan on him, because as a model he's going to get a certain about of people looking at him, Adrien chuckles at Tommy's awkward turtle trying to adjust to find the way to stepping in to gift his friend a quick bro-hug before he's steppin gback.

"Oh no. Really? I'm sorry. Was it that press conference? I mean. I wasn't upset at the question. I mean, I get it. You had to ask, your editor needed you to," Adrien says, sounding sincerely concerned and a bit guilty about the news. Leaning in to Marinette's whisper, he turns his green gaze toward Nancy. A quick wave with a warm smile and Adrien turns back to Tommy as he teases Marinette about her dress.

"You've got this same one? Mari! Did you make two of them?" Adrien asks, a chuckle in his voice to match his french accent. Look! He can tease too!

Tigra has posed:
Tigra knows nobody here, but it's no matter. Some of the people who look like they're meant to be seen /are/ seen by her, including Adrien and Marinette, with Tommy near them. There's the lady in red as well, but right now she's taking a closer look at Nolan, noting his attire, even sniffing slightly to see if he's bathed or not. "You seem skittish for an art show. Something wrong?" she wonders, quite openly for that matter before another sip of milk is had.

Carmen Sandiego has posed:
A common criminal might be interested in Nolan's watch. Carmen Sandiego is no common criminal, but she IS interested. Not to steal it, of course. But she does take a moment to feed the information into her phone and have one of her minions track down the owner. Mel Function should be the right choice.

Watching from afar, she continues to watch Nolan. And in turn? Watches Tigra. That has her attention just as much - there's only so many, well, cat-women. They kind of stand out. The slob's stumbled into a heroine? That makes this even more challenging. Excellent.

Setting her half-empty champagne flute on a passing waiter's tray, Carmen prepares her mental plans for the approach. She is, for at least the moment, standing beside one of the other paintings and looking more than a tad distracted.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"Oh, no, nothing like that," Tommy says, and smiles, "I managed to land an exclusive interview with Ladybug and Chat Noir. My editor got word of it and gave me... 'questions' to give them, with the ultimatum that if I veered off-script, I'd get fired. I went in resigned to just go through with it but before it started, I decided I had had enough and cancelled the interview. I went back and told my editor what he could do with his smart tablet. And, well. Fired."

He shrugs and takes a healthy bite of the canape, looking around the floor. He is immediately drawn to Carmen- she's red, she's noticeable. His cat curiosity is triggered. She looks mysterious, and cats love mysterie. "It's ok, though, I got a job offer to do PR stuff for a superhero slash movie-star. I sent him my resume yesterday..."

He then asks quietly, "Who's that over there?"

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
Hearing the explanation has Adrien flicking a glance at Marinette as if wordlessly asking her what her opinion is on this and if it matches his own.

"Wow. An interview with Paris' own, huh? I take it... you didn't like the questions? Well... I hope.. they learn about this... I'm sure if they did, they'd be thankful," Adrien says as if he's thinking it through. And then...

"What could he do with his smart-?" Tommy's gaze is followed, back to the Lady in Red with the hat. He'd noticed her. Didn't recognize her. But Tommy's curious, and the cat-like in Adrien can't help be respond in like, though not at sharply.

"Movie-star. Cool. I have no idea."

Deadwatch has posed:
Nolan Voight drops the cuff and quickly takes a LARGE gulp of his wine (to calm his nerves) and almost deftly places it on the tray of another passing server as he regards Tigra again. "Skittish? Who me? I'm not skittish!" he says, quickly taking a look around again and focuses on the space next to him thats empty. He mouths shut up to the empty spot and quyuickly looks back to the cat-woman. "Just... Not really my scene, ya know? I only came because someone, uh, asked me to. If you ask me I think the whole thing is, uhm, rather pretentious." Yeah, way to be honest and blunt there, Nolan. "I can say that, right? "

Remember we said he ALMOST deftly set the glass on the tray.. THe glass, on the edge, topples from the tray and crashes on teh floor a few feet away, making Nolan wince because he KNOWS it was his fault. "God Damnit...."

Tigra has posed:
"Trust me. I know skittish when I see it, and you're more nervous than a cat in a room full of rocking chairs," Tigra points out ever so pleasantly to Nolan, seeming to find this some great game to amuse herself with.

Following his explanation for why he's here, she deadpans, "Yeah, well, most artwork is kind of pretentious by default if you ask me. That doesn't mean it can't be nice, but I don't like stuff where you're supposed to guess at what it is and the artist says it can be different things to different people. That just tells me he didn't know what--"

The sound of the glass shattering interrupts her, then the tigress visibly rolls her eyes and takes a few steps over /that/ way. "Wasn't me."

It may present an opening for the woman named after a city in Southern California.

Marinette DuPain (143) has posed:
"He's just so adorable... I couldn't help myself." Mari answers Adrien without missing a beat and all while looking completely serious aside from that twinkle in her eye.

And then her eyes flick to Tommy, widen slightly, shoot up to Adrien before she follows the gaze of both boys over to Carmen.

The crash draws her attention next and her smile softens. "Excuse me," is murmured before she steps away and towards Nolan. "Don't worry about it. There's plenty of them, I'm sure. They always have too many." Her tone is meant to be warm and sweet. "Not a fan of the modern stuff, huh?"

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"Woops. Be riight back." Tommy hears the crash and prepares to head over to the man who looks like he is either going through withdrawal, or is hearing voices and they are all vuvuzelas blasting in his ears. But then Marinette is faster than he is- of course she is.

"Well. I'm going to talk to that mysterious lady in red. You can join me if you want!" He grins at Adrien and steps forth. He is intrigued.

"Good evening," he says, glass of water in his hand. No alcohol. He's too young. And definitely without any shame whatsoever. "I couldn't help noticing you noticing. You're an art critic, aren't you?" he says quietly, in a complicit tone. "What do you think of the prospects?"

At least, he guesses she must be an art critic. Or an art collector. She had the look of a woman who knew the price of good taste.

Carmen Sandiego has posed:
Carmen's phone quietly pings - she glances at it. Mel's come through, of course. A watch like that's rarer than hen's teeth, and finding out the details of the owner were simple. Nothing intimate, but a name will do well enough.

Then the glass breaks, and she has her opening. Carmen starts off--

And then changes course as Marinette intercedes. Damn that child. Change of plans, this isn't the time. Too many people at once will only make the man suspicious.

Instead, Carmen changes her course slightly. And turns right into Tommy's question. But a good thief adapts. And so she laughs, voice chiming like the glass that just broke. "I believe they have potential, but they've quite far to go. Full of passion, but -far- too young."

Deadwatch has posed:
Nolan Voight 's cheeks go very red, which is pretty noticible considering how pale he is. We're talking 18th century poet with consumption pale, here. He doesn't turn, quite yet, because he is very embarrased now and his shoulders slump and he leans a bit more heavily on his cane-like crutch. "Yeah, you got me. I'm skittish. The place has a wierd vibe and I don't understand all the crap thats supposed to be art.." Aaaaand she's gone. Damnit. So he made himself look like an idiot... shows he knows nothing about art... probably looks like a bumn.. and he is no good with women or cats... Geeeereat!

So he turns to face the mess, muttering "When we get home I am going to bind you to the freakin..." to that empty spot, which is now not so empty.. with a young woman standing there... And he turns much more red now.

"Uhm.. not.. not a fan at all..." he admits, hoping she didn't think he was talking about her becaue.. AWWWWKWARD.. and totally taken out of context...

Though it may not be quite out of context.. His mismatched eyes widen as he looks, truly LOOKS, at Marinette... because he see's things a lot differently than others.. And he stumbles backwards suddenly, like he was a bit drunk... because for a moment he /saw/.

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
Seeing Marinette moving off to help calm the guy's nerves about dropping the glass, Adrien smiles. That's his girl. Always going to help - wha? Go with? Okay. Sure. Hands getting shoved into his pockets, Adrien meanders after Tommy, smiling politely as the ginger engages the Lady in Red in conversation.

"I kind of like that though? There's something bright about it, don't you think?" he offers. Because it's polite to join a conversation instead of just lurking on the edge like a creeper. Hisssss.... get outside of 3 blocks and it won't blow up. Man! That game is fun somedays. Especially creative mode and infinite TNT blocks. KABOOM! Adrien's grin is a half smirk, amused by his own thoughts.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"I like that one, as well" Tommy agrees with Adrien, and smiles at Carmen. "You are right, there's much to be said about age and experience, craft molded through long, arduous work. But there's also a lot to be said about youth. Vigor, freshness, passion, bursting all over in an incredible explosion of life- energy that replenishes quickly when spent, only to build up again and again, attempt after attempt to just get it done perfectly."

He takes a long sip of his glass, and gestures to one of the paintings. "That one, for example. It's a mess. But it's a beautiful mess, don't you think? That's a mess that will be something someday."

Marinette DuPain (143) has posed:
"It's not really my cup of tea either," is whispered in an almost conspiratorial manner even as those bright blue eyes sparkle and dance and the soft laughter can be heard in Mari's voice.

That is, until Nolan stumbles. "Are you alright?" From light and playful to concerned and serious in a heartbeat as she reaches out to help steady the man. "Do you need to sit down a moment?" It'd like be one of the few times she'd ever use the influence of Adrien's last name. To help someone else.

Anyone else around her can bugger off at the moment.

Carmen Sandiego has posed:
An amused smile plays across the Lady in Red's face as the two young men close in on her. "Someday," she agrees with a slight nod. "And there is a certain brightness to the excitement of youth. It's vibrant. Excitable. Overflowing with energy." Her voice curls down into the sultry range. And then she diverts. "My tastes, however, run to that of the old masters."

A black-gloved hand motions at the painting that Tommy had indicated. "Perhaps that mess will be something someday. But today, it's a chaotic pile of paint and hopes. Directionless. Striving to be far more than it is. A truly great artist..." Eyes barely visible under the hat's brim go first to Tommy, then to Adrien. "Is worth any two excitable youths."

Tigra has posed:
Tigra hands over her now-empty glass to another waiter, meandering toward the main entrance and exit. There's enough going on that she's feeling somewhat suspicious in general, with Nolan the center of that attention. As a result, he and those closest to him get a long look, then she begins to scan the crowd for anyone else that may stand out.

After all, causing a distraction in order for someone else to do the job is one of the oldest tricks in the book. Even if the artwork has no real value, which is not necessarily the case, people are often targets as well.

Deadwatch has posed:
Nolan Voight blinks his eyes.... The blue one seems MORE blue and icy... the amber one almost ALMOST glowing but that could be taken by a few people as the effects of drinking.. But he only had /one/ drink. But how could people know that he sees TWO worlds at the same time and that the young woman before him isn't a young woman in that strange half-world he calls The Dark? It was like looking into a police flashlight without being prepared, overwhelming for a few seconds with.. Insectness?...

"I.. Yeah.. a seat would be cool.." he rasps, wiping the hand not clutching the fore-arm crutches's hand down his paler than usual face... He quickly glances around, over senstized... The two young men talking over... not really young men talking to the woman in red.. both having feline-shaped auras.. Actually, one seems to BE feline and HIDING their true shape while the other is.. like the girl only not quite as bright...

He leans back against an empty space of wall... "So.. many.. cats.." he mumbles, because Tigra was feline as well, and he can see the mystical nature of her aura as well, now... then shakes his head and looks at Mari. "Sorry.. I dunno what happened.. Maybe someone roofied my drink.." With catnip, he DOESN'T add.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Tommy considers this, and then attacks again, convinced of his position: "Yes, if you look at the long game- but a master has already arrived. The journey is mostly over. It's a nice thing to see, but that's the destination."

He takes the last bite of his canape, and continues, taking to the subject, "But the true thrill is in the journey itself. Imagine all of the ups and downs, all of the thrusts and parries that go along with that journey? All of the viscissitudes, the sorrow, the defeat... the ecstasy? Being part of it as it happens is far more thrilling, far more *living* in the moment than looking at it as a fait accompli, where everything is already past. After all, what would you choose?" He spreads his hands, illustrating as he speaks, "a trophy for winning a horse race, or would you prefer to be on the saddle? Feel the muscle and the sweat as it gallops in a frenzy across the field, the sun on your skin and your breath in your throat, tense like the riding crop in your hand?" He tilts his head and takes a sip of water.

"I think that taking a chance on the impulsive rider with the hopes of winning in the future seems like a much more rewarding experience than the safe bet of the already-done."

And then he turns to Adrien. "What do *you* think?"

Cat on the spot.

Tommy's aura is... weird. For a moment, just a moment, his eyes survey the room and pass over Nolan's. And then Tommy's eyes are a bright green, glowing like Will O' The Wisps.

And then they're not again. The young man seems completely unaware that his eyes had been on fire for a tiny part of a second there.

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
Adrien just looks at the art, then shrugs, smiling at Carmen and Tommy and then back at Carmen and then back at Tommy: did you cat-ch what she meant there, chaton? Beclaws I'm feline clueless.

Adrien blinks as he's point on the spot.

"Uuuuh... sure?" Green eyes back to the painting.

"Yeah. It's a nice bit of color, maybe for an office or something?" Errggh how do you say 'no thank you don't like it' without being RUDE to the creator? I mean, he kinda likes it? Maybe? The painting of his mother, the art deco one in his father's study? THAT'S art.

Marinette DuPain (143) has posed:
A gentle smile curves Mari's lips as she motions over a server, whispers softly to him and when he starts to bulk, her eyes narrow and then slide to Adrien, slip back to the server and a brow arches a brow which has the server nodding and rushing off.

"He's going to go get you a chair. How about a glass of water in the mean time?" Of course the idea that someone slipped something into the man's drink doesn't settle well with Marinette at all and she turns her head towards Adrien to catch his attention and wave him over.

"Cats?" This is asked in confusion and curiosity when it sinks in what he said. "Should we step outside for some air, maybe?" She can't help it. He clearly isn't feeling well and she's a nurturer.

Carmen Sandiego has posed:
Carmen Sandiego is, for reference, standing out about as much as you can. She glances back over to Nolan for just a moment - she can't risk more than that, but she also doesn't want to lose track of him. Her aura, in return? Just as she is now. If she's hiding, it's in plain sight.

Then her attention comes back to the two young men. And an eyebrow raises as Tommy - at least from her perspective - pours it on. And then Adrien's put on the spot... and flails.

She laughs again. "A nice bit of color," she repeats with amusement. "Your friend is succinct," Carmen points out to Tommy. "Perhaps not as poetic, but far more to the point. I do appreciate a man with a sense of style, however. There is quite a bit of truth to your words - but to take such a ride?" She clicks her tongue softly, mildly scolding. "You would be better suited to those with similar impulsiveness."

Leaning foward slightly, Carmen laughs and reaches out, gloved hand playfully grazing Tommy's forearm. "Far more rewarding, to me, is to have dominated the race than to have merely watched it. But for that, I've little need for the crop."

Deadwatch has posed:
Nolan Voight is taking deep slow breaths, as if he is looking for his center.. and he is doing just that.. A medittaion technique he uses when.. other options are not available. It works in a pinch, which is all well and good, because a pinch is all he has at the moment.

When Mari returns, he offers her a reluctant smile.. it's forced, yes, but still thankful. "Did I say cats? You must have heard me wrong. I said 'drats'." because of course he did... though he does look towards the talking trio again, this time controlling his perceptions a bit better now that he is prepared. YEah, he still sees the energy... though the woman in red is bothering him for some reason he can't put his finger on. Itisn't mustical or spiritual or anything.. But what is it... He doesn't know her but her body language is familiar.. not PERSONALLY familiar just.. her type.. but what type is it? Maybe he's over-reading things.

"Maybe I do need some fresh air... I sure as hell don't wish to make any more of a scene.."

Tigra has posed:
"You definitely said 'cats,'" Tigra helpfully calls over from where she is. The ears are more than good enough to overhear that conversation. Otherwise, she continues to take note of what she's able to pick out, a brow shooting up at Carmen's words toward the end. "Well, then," she says more to herself than before. "Someone sounds like she's into alternate ways of fun." A sniff. Nope, no catnip she's aware of. Still, she lingers close to the doors.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Tommy blinks for a second. Why is she touching him? He is distracted by this for a second, and he doesn't quite grasp the full context of Carmen's words. But he thinks he can make heads of what she is saying. "-oh, you prefer to go bareback riding? I guess that's impulsive enough. That is what it's all about, taking risks and enjoying the beautiful splash at the end." His words are inspired, of course, by the splash of color that Adrien pointed out. He feels like he has reached a mutual understanding with the Lady in Red, and he gives her a friendly smile before sipping his glass.

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
Carmen calls him succint and Adrien tilts his head. She leans forward and reaches for Tommy's arm and Adrien averts his gaze. Mostly because he's trying to avoid blurting out that Tommy doesn't like girls.. because that could demand Adrien explain how he knows and Adrien does not want to even think about tell a roomfull of strangers how Tommy kissed him and Marinette walked in on them and.. that was a funny episode. Gaze averted, Adrien spots Marinette wave him over.

"Excuse me, sil vous plait," Adrien says slipping into his native french at the end of that, body already turning to go to Marinette's side. His hands come out of his pockets as he draws near, worry for the man that Marinette has clearly singled out for Mother Hen Must care For Moment.

"Can I help you?" he asks the man, offering his right hand to Nolan

Marinette DuPain (143) has posed:
"Did I? Oh. I thou--" But then Tigra speaks up and Marinette looks from Nolan to Tigra and back again. "Perhaps whatever is has made you dizzy is effecting your speech..?" She's well aware of what he said but she isn't calling him out on here and now.

When Adrien arrives, she offers him a tight smile. "He seems not to be feeling well and is afraid someone may have slipped something into his drink... Getting him outside for some air may help."

Especially with Nolan agreeing. Her attention turns back to him and she nods. "You haven't made a scene. They're all too busy pretending to know anything about art." She winks at him and then offers her hand out to help him up. And we'll just avoid Mari's opinion of modern art and art deco because ... No.

Carmen Sandiego has posed:
Carmen actually pauses. Sure, it's amusing to have a boy almost half your age flirting with you, but by the sound of it he might actually think he has a chance.

Carmen Sandiego is many things - a thief, a showwoman, a master of history - but among those many things? She's someone who loves to revel in her own superiority. From where she is, Tommy has set himself up. She would be remiss to not knock him down.

So the another gentle laugh, she shakes her head. "I'm afraid, dear boy, that I ride far ahead of the pack. Impulsive youth has little excitement for me - their heedless risks are short-sighted and that..." Her lips momentarily curl in disgust. "Vulgar splash is nothing to brag about."

Another glance to the side - Nolan's leaving? Damn. The opportunity's been wasted. Perhaps she'll just have to handle things later. But the glance is only a split second, and she's back to Tommy. "The simple truth is that youth subsitutes passion for strength of character, and there's little comparison between the two." She motions at the painting they've been discussing - one that she assumes is merely being used as a metaphor to dance around. "I'm no artist, but compared to one such as this, who relies on that weak passion?" She tilts her head, eyes glimmering out from under the low brim of her hat. "I would count myself as twice the man, and ten times the woman."

Deadwatch has posed:
Nolan Voight sighs and cats a look over at Tigra, a look of exasperation on his face. "Yes.. Thank you! Glad your feline hearing could pick out every single word I said in a crowd and then relay it to others who didn't! Thank you! Again.. Thanks..." he sighs and shakes his head, because super powered people are all just SOOoOOOo helpful.

A look at Mari and he nods, slowly, knowing she KNOWS what he said and she knows /HE/ knows that she is not calling him on it... Ahh, the way the word works is funny sometimes. "I said /maybe/ someone slipped me a roofie or something. or maybe it's just train-lag.. Or something. I don't want to get people in trouble if I didn't get slipped a mickey, ya know?" he tells her, the reaches out to take the offered hand from her friend.

"No no, I'm good man. I'll be...."

Thats when he spots the ring.. on the hand he ALMOST grabbed.. It's chaotic spiritual energy seething in The Dark. He instinctively skirts aside and flails since his leg-brace was locked at the knee and the end of his cane-crutch just went between the feet of a server..

Luckily Nolan is able to wrap his arms around a statue piece.. it looks like a woman made of metal orbs and his hands land on.. well.. lets leave that to the imagination..

Also... the server tripped over the crutch and sent glasses of red wine all over a pair of artsy types in expensive white beatnik costumes.. and the wall behind them. Oh god he HOPES that /was/ an empty wall and not some modern "abstract" piece of art probably called a 'Polar Bear Taking a During a Snowstorm".

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
Oh fantastic! Now his Bad Luck is infecting others! Adrien hisses softly on an inhale, stepping forward to try to grab NOlan and help him back to his feet and help him steady himself.

"Whoa! Carefull. Yeah. Let's get you outside. If you need a ride anywhere just let me know," Adrein is saying, eyes turning now to Marinette: Good call, My Lady! This purr man really does need our help! "I'll call Gorille once we're outside."

Tigra has posed:
Tigra really ought to stay just to ensure nothing further happens that could lead to the theft, damage, or destruction of the artwork or anyone physically here, but...no. She just can't.

"Try not lying next time, then. See if that helps," she remarks pointedly toward Nolan, shaking her head slowly before she just..puts a hand over her face when more of a mess is being made. "Nope. The rest of you get to deal with this. I'm going home." Door opens. Tigress leaves. Door closes.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Tommy's eyebrows raise for a moment as Carmen arrives at her conclusion with a flick of the proverbial wrist and the thrust of a verbal epee. He stands there for a moment, not quite certain what to say, and then he says "I see.

He looks at her, and thinks for a second. "Hm. I think I defer to your experience. You have clearly gone through an enormous number of mature ones to arrive at this conclusion."

He reaches for another canape from a passing tray and stuffs it in his mouth.

Marinette DuPain (143) has posed:
Marinette can't help but giggle as Tigra calls Nolan out. "She's right," is said with a grin.

As she's corrected, she nods her head. "I get it." Let's face it... Mari doesn't really fit in here. Red carpet type things are just... Way above her class level. It's clear in her behavior and the way she talks.

Then Nolan is flailing and falling amd even as she reaches out to help steady him, something shifts in her. The first time was because he looked at her... And now Adrien... And the mention of cats...

"I truly think it would be best if we got away from the crowd at the very least..." Oh yes. There's definitely a shift there. Still helpful but now slightly guarded as well.

Carmen Sandiego has posed:
"More mature than you would guess," Carmen retorts, practically purring. (Of course Tigra's not here, so it's as close as is currently available...)

Feeling she's made her proper assault and seeing Tommy back down, Carmen lets herself bask for a moment - and divert back to actually talking about the paintings. She needs to twist the knife. Perhaps it's petty of her now - but that is sometimes the best motivation of all. "I suppose you do have a slight point." She strokes her chin, considering the work they've been ostensibly discussing. "I would never hang this in the hall proper - beside The Starry Night or Red Balloon? That would be shameful. But I suppose I would have a place for it in the guest bath."

Approaching the painting, Carmen reaches out and lightly touches the frame with her fingertips, as if adjusting how it sits. "But I'm sorry - I've been quite rude. I never asked your name, young man."

Deadwatch has posed:
Air.. Oh thank god /AIR/. Sweet freshly polluted New York Air. It tastes so much like Gotham's though is lacking in that aftertaste of crazy that makes guys dress up as bats and entice young boys in tights to follow him.... Because yeah, thats not sketchy at aaaaaaaaall.

'Assisted' out by Mari and Adrienne only a few minutes after Tigra made her getaway (She probably had a ride waiting for her already) Nolan realizes he doesn't have that option and as he is taken outside his back is probably getting a WHOLE bunch of nasty looks from the stuffy elitist patrons inside. "Screw them.." he mutters, half held between the girl and the guy.

Once clear of the doors and a few yards down the sidewalk, he shrugs them off and plants his cane's tip against the concrete, whirling around to face them. "Okay! okay. I'm a cripple, not a drunk. I don't need helping hands, here.." he tells them, then pauses as if he heard something and stares at the empty spot beside him. "Shut.. Up! Stop laughing! It is NOT funny!" he says to no one, seemingly not CARING if the pair are looking at him like a loon. He turns back to them and fixes those mismatched eyes on them. "What the hell was going ON in there? And don't tell me you don't know." He points at Adrienne ring. "Why the HELL would you walk around in PUBLIC with that thing?!?"

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Tommy simply stares at the painting with a slight smirk. "I guess you're right, it's a little bit garish, this thing." If the knife twist hurt, he doesn't show a smidge of it. His very vivid green eyes stay on the painting for a few more seconds before he turns to look at Carmen. "Oh I'm Tommy. Tommy Hunter. Don't really know much about all this," he waves, "But I figured I'd try my hand at gabbing about it anyways. In case I have to for my new job. I'm not surprised a pro like you saw right through me, though," he grins at her. "Maybe you can recommend reading material so I can at least pretend to be half as knowledgeable as you are about all this."

As he introduces himself, he extends a hand.

And then he realizes what a terrible mistake that is. His illusion covers him, making him look like his former human self... but his hand is still covered in fur, under the illusion. And withdrawing the handshake would be too suspicious. Not to mention rude.

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
Outside, away from the press of hipsters in the gallery, Adrien lets the man go when he tugs away. Concern and worry are easy to read on his face. His emotions are almost an open book. Proud of him, marinette? Adrien inhales, about to say something when Nolan talks to a person not visible and wow does THAT sound like something Adrien would say to Plagg if the roles had been reversed: Adrien clutzes out, knocks over everything, Plagg busting out laughing so hard the cat-spirit ends up floating upside down. Yup. That is a thing that has totally happened. And so Nolan's tone is so completely familiar that Adrien turns his green eyes on Marinette: That was familiar to you too?

The man is not a loon in Adrien's book.

The ring pointed at, Adrien closes his fingers into a fist, stance shifting so that the ring is more or less fully protected.

Carmen Sandiego has posed:
"I suggest," Carmen offers, "That you seek an actual art critic for recommendations, Tommy." She doesn't move to shake his hand - though any fears he might have about what she would feel would probably be meaningless with the gloves she has on. No, instead she reaches into her purse.

Her eyes glance about again - Nolan's long gone now. On the plus side, so is Tigra. And the two other youngsters. Yes, this is an excellent opportunity. Truthfully, she doesn't even want the painting. But it would be a wonderful little twist of the knife, and something for the young man to remember her by. Most people don't get bested twice in one night.

"I suspect you've made a minor mis-assumption as to my being here, young Mister Hunter. While I am a pro, I am neither critic nor artist."

The hand in her purse comes back out - and pulls the pin on the smoke grenade. As the cloud billows around her, she can't help but say it. "Let it never be said that Carmen Sandiego cannot appreciate art."

Marinette DuPain (143) has posed:
"We like helping..." We're helping hands. God, she really hates that movie...

Marinette arches a brow. Her eyes slide to Adrien and she smirks, a small nod of her head given: Oh yes. So very familiar. Teehee.

"In there? An art showing. Out here? Now that would..." And then he points out Adrien's ring and her chin lifts slightly as she takes a slightly protective step in front of Adrien. "And why wouldn't he?" She hasn't missed that her earrings haven't been noted yet. A look is cast over at Adrien and a brow arches before she looks back at Nolan. "It harmless." For now. And she certainly isn't going to volunteer any extra information on their relics. Let the man give away what he knows.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Tommy is compeltely taken by surprise. Rookie superhero, wet behind the ears and all, he even LOOKS DOWN as Carmen takes the pin out and gets a face-full of the first smoky offerings from the double-dealing diva with a taste for thievery.

He coughs, and then he coughs some more, rubbing at his eyes. For a human, this is bad. For a cat? it's much, much worse, much more sensitive, so he is completely helpless to stop the sticky-fingered filcher from stealing... well. A guest bathroom painting.

When the smoke clears, of course, nobody is surprised to find the painting gone.

As for the thief?

"Where..." Tommy wheezes, getting to his feet from his kneeling position, "Where the &@#% is Carmen Sandiego?"

Deadwatch has posed:
Nolan Voight gets a grumpy look on his face, brow raised as he looks between the pair... "Oh.. thats how it is gonna be, is it?" he asks, leaning even heavier on the crutch cane as he leans foreward. "Normally I would LOVE to play games but, you know what, I just spent /2/ hours in an art gallery full of self-important jerks who looked at me as if i was dog $hit on the bottom of their shoes they wanted to scrape off but were to embarrased to let other know they HAD stepped in that very same dog $hit.. Oh, and a lovely cat-lady called me out as a liar, which ALWAYS makes my day though I PROBABLY deserved it.. So lets just don't, okay?" he asks.

"All I wanted to do was find some young girl who MAY have been hiding out here, pretending she wasn an artist while her not as attentive as he is rich dad was worried about her. Instead I find a kid.." he stops and looks at Mari now.. squinting at her earings... and CURSES. "No no no.. I find TWO kids who seem to be freakin POSSESSED by some sort of divine spirit.. and I use the LITTLE D there, not the Capitol D.. or would that be Minor and Major D, like in music.. gah..." he shoots a look at the empty space again. "I /am/ getting to the @#1983$ing point!" he insists, then back to the pair.

"So as I was saying I find /two/ kids, possesed by semi-divine spirits and in posession of what we in the biz call 'Objects of Power'.. And don't look at me like I'm a nutcase. You KNOW what I am talking about. Your auras stink of it and they also tell me when you are lying or deflecting..."

Well, they do't, but that SOUNDs cool, right?

. "Who gives objects of power to KIDS! Thats like giving a fifteen year old who forgot to take their ritalin a twelve pack of red pull, a blindfold, and a Mustang convertable without the seatbelts!"

He throws his hands up in the air. "You need to REALLY be watching your backs because with that kind of crap you are TARGETS! And CHaos magick is DANGEROUS. It's like having a pocket nuke! So be f@#1983$ing careful. The next person around here who can through your AMATEUR attempts to conceal your gifts won't be so NEARLY F@#1983$ing nice!"

ANd with that, he turns around and limps off.. fuming....