ic Gang War - Black Tie, White Hood (IC)

[Tiffany Korta]

McDuffie Community Center, Lincoln

Friday, 27th May 2016, 10 am

 

The area around the edge of Lincoln like most of the area had not seen much attention from the city, plagued as it was by drugs and gang violence. So it was rare that something good came to an area like this, and when it did it was something that should be celebrated.

 

A local business woman made good, one Velvet Chiara, had decided to give back to the community by building this new center. To raise always needed fund as well as help promote this new building she was throwing a party that had attracted local campaigners and the braver politicians, who were as usual followed by a few stalwart reporters.

 

Whilst everyone was in good spirits there was a note of caution all around, it was unlikely an event like this would go down without any trouble.

Luckily there were people on hand who had experience of such things...

[Raveled]

Asli Saddik stood in the crowd, listening to the worthy and the wealthy talk. Everyone thought that being a musician was an easy job, everyone thought that it was about sitting back and dreaming up songs, but music took energy. A professional song writer could produce on demand -- that was what being a professional was all about, after all -- but to make something that she would be proud to put her name to, Asli needed to have the right energy. When she ran out, she had to go out into the city and find the energy, soak it up and recharge.

 

She had walked out her apartment and taken to wandering around the neighborhod, secure in her own powers and her own ability to project a mean attitude. Asli wasn't worried about being attacked on the streets, even if the streets were Lincoln, but that didn't mean she was looking for trouble. When her wandering feet brought her near a place with open doors and cheery voices, she walked inside and started soaking up the energy.

Edited May 23, 2016 by Raveled

[Blue Rose]

Of course, there are more ways than one to recharge.

 

A thread of confusion ripples through the room as they announce the party's next performer; none other than the incomparable Wayward.  Someone who definitely wasn't announced for this get together.  A palpable confusion, shifting into a growing excitement that sends a shiver down the performer's spine.

 

And when she steps on the stage, she can feel the energy in the audience.  A rising tension just begging to be released.  One chord and it starts to break loose; she rides that energy, that passion, lets it fill her, guide her as she plays, lets it create the song to nurture this hungry, primal force they've all come together and created.

 

This time, she stops after one song.  Not a concert; just a show of support.  And one Hell of a tease.  She unlocks the padlocked choker around her neck and flicks the lock out into the crowd, to the first cute girl she spots.

 

"THANK YOU LINCOLN!"

 

And with that, she vanishes backstage as quickly as she appeared, so hopped up on the psychic energy she can feel her skin tingle.

[Vahnyu]

Serge cheered with all his might at the performance. Valerie Cain always knew how to liven up a concert performance, and her guitar riffs could rile up even the dead into pumping along with the beat. Man, its a real pity this place gets targeted so much by the gangs. he thought somberly, after Valerie retreated from the stage, once the exhilaration had subdued. I've heard about heroes on patrol busting their hump 24/7 to keep things under control, and yet by the next week, it's drugs and street violence and gang wars all over again, business as usual. It bothered him so much, because he'd also been trying to keep an eye out for the more vulnerable parts of Freedom City, especially by joining other heroes on patrols, like Foreshadow.

 

At least things seemed peaceful this time around. he noted to himself, as the opening gala for the community center continued. He decided to make the rounds, nonetheless, to keep an eye out in case this display attracted trouble, but he nevertheless took the time to go by the various booths and take a look at the informative flyers they were handing out. On his shoulders, his schoolbag rested firmly secured, filled with a laptop and some computer science books, in order to conceal the fact that there was a superhero costume, the VibroNet Suit, hidden inside a secret compartment of the schoolbag.

[Tiffany Korta]

GM Post

 

With the cheers of an initially reluctant crowd still ringing in her ears Wayward slipped out the back and into the path of a rather large man and the woman he was apparently guarding. She was a striking figure on the short side and whip thin, but she carried herself with some confidence. A natural beauty even if she was past what many would call her prime.

 

“I’m Velvet Chiara I just wanted to thank you personally.” she offered out a hand “What do you think of my little building project?” she waved a hand around at the building.

 

Meanwhile the mode of the celebration had raised a notch from who it was before, with a happy friendly buzz going around the crowd. Not exactly what most people would expect when they’d thought of Lincoln.

Though even now there was sound’s of something happening outside of the Community Center, something was going on out there and it probably wasn’t anything good.

[Blue Rose]

Clearly, the sensible thing to do would be to investigate the goings-on outside, for such a commotion in Lincoln is rarely a good thing.

 

But more pressing matters are at hand.

 

"It's my pleasure, Velvet," she smiles, offering her hand, but instead of a handshake, she takes Velvet's hands in hers and kisses her knuckles softly.

 

"I must say, I'm impressed."  As she releases Velvet's hand, she makes her way to her side, to better admire their surroundings, and places a hand on her shoulder, "It's obvious a lot of love went into making this dream a reality."

[Vahnyu]

As Serge leafed through the pamphlet in his hands, he heard a sudden loud sound. He scanned around the area, trying to find its origin, only to find the group of people who had been cheering for Valerie, before. Apparently, they had raised their spirits further still in the interim. Serge looked around some more, trying to ascertain if perhaps he missed something, or if trouble was about to start brewing, but he found nothing of the sort. "Phew, giving me a scare..." He commented, to no one in particular.

 

He tucked the pamphlet to his pocket, and turned to walk around the center some more. In doing so, however, he seemed to almost stumble into another person. "Oops, my apologies." He said, as he had to make a sidestep in order to not fall into that person. "I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. Sorry!"

[Raveled]

Asli stood at the back of the hall, watching Valerie Cain's performance. She intended to stay objective, to dissect the performance and try to extract and absorb something for her own work, but by the end she was stomping her feet and clapping with the rest of the crowd. Cain really did have a a knack for firing up her audience, and with a brief supercharge the big woman strolled out into the atrium, moving from table to table and talking excitedly to everyone there.

 

Which is how she ended up arguing politics with a city councilman. "Sure, they were put up by a movie studio," she admitted, "but if someone made a movie about the Gita and tried to put a statue of Lrishna in front of a city building, folks would go ballistic. You don't... Sorry, did you just hear something?" Asli stepped away from the conversation and looked towards the street and the open doors. The councilman took his opportunity to disappear into the crowds, but her attention was already elsewhere. Trouble was raising her hackles, and she kept her eye on the front door while maneuvering to get a better view. Which is how she bumped into and nearly toppled a much younger man in glasses.

 

"Oh, *@)#!" She grabbed the man and made sure he wasn't going to fall. "Sorry, I guess I didn't see you there."

[Tiffany Korta]

GM post

 

Outside unseen by most of the heroes a couple of large a white car had pulled up a short distance for the new community center. Not unusual or suspicious in itself but the occupants weren't who'd you expect to a party like this, unless you were being extremely cynical.

 

Clad in white from the top of there hoods to shoes on there feet they were part of a new gang to have appeared recently in Freedom City, who loved nothing more than to cause trouble at events like these.

 

For they were tha White Knights.

[Elohdon]

Arriving late, Damon was just getting inside when the car pulled up, and out of habit managed to notice the men in their costumes. Being largely unknown in town, he was able to make his way through the crowd to Velvet Chiara, and adressed her body guard so as not to appear a threat, "I was wondering if the men that look a bit like the KKK are part of tonight's entertainment."

[Vahnyu]

"Oh, no, it's my fault, I-I should be more aware of where I'm going, it's just, there was this commotion and... umm..." Serge went on to the woman, as she helped him regain his footing, as the White Knights arrived outside the community center. Being unaware of their pressence at the moment, he inhaled to regain his composure, and show his gratitude to the woman he'd bumped into. "Anyways, thanks for the save. I hope I didn't-"

 

Just as he was speaking, more noise drew his attention, this time comming from the outside. "Just... what is going on?" He wondered aloud, when he noticed some people clad in white, as they hung outside the party. For a moment, he stared at them, curious more than anything else, before realisation started dawning on him. "Oh... OH...."

 

And then, he swore.

[Raveled]

"I'm sorry," Asli said. "I was just trying to check something out on the street and I didn't see you." She looked out at the street again and noticed the ment getting out of the car, and also noticed their clothes. She sucked in a breath between her teeth and stepped in front of the younger man. "Better get back inside," she said, her tone suddenly low and cold. "It might get dangerous outside."

 

She quickly stepped up to the entrance, putting her arms over the open doorway and leaning there, blocking the group from getting past. "Hello there, boys," she called out. "I'm afraid you're a bit late for the circus act. The rest of the clowns have already packed up and left." She smiled sweetly, daring them to react to her words.