005 ✽ We be all night

[giglio_madonna]

Who: The willing from Pride and Virgo
What: Want to know what party sucked? The solstice party. Want to know what party won't suck? Luci and Luce's.
When: Jan 8th
Where: The basement of the club Blue Heist
Warnings: None planned besides possible/probably intoxication




A little while after the disaster at Naomi's, those who had attended might find themselves approached- by Luce on Virgo's side, by Luci on Pride's, or perhaps by someone who had heard about it from either of them. The subject of conversation?

Another party. One that involves another mingle of both labels, without being used for any ulterior motives.

Those who seem up to it are given a time and place. Blue Heist is one of the clubs around town that has what could be called a "basement level", for private renting and parties available to anyone who has the cash to spend on it. It's a pretty simple set up, nothing extravagant like the party at Naomi's... Which is absolutely on purpose, let no one tell you otherwise. There's a reason any mics or karaoke equipment has been pointedly removed. All the music is on the system already.

Nope, tonight it's just dancing and drinking, with a couple of rooms to the side that have cheesy movies playing in case you're tired out. No closed doors, no poison at the bar, no murder.

And if you want to take a moment to maybe have a talk to someone on the opposite label to discuss or apologize for the events of the prior night... That's fine too.

Just be careful. Both labels are still under watch, it seems, with a few bodyguards from both sides around the perimeter here and there.

Comments

[nibelungvalesti]

"I do not think I was particularly close to doing so." Meril sounded, for her, both wry and sheepish at once. "You came to no long-term harm, I hope? To be honest, I very literally do not know what I thought I was doing."

[maipokerface]

Excuse Mai's dubious look here. "How could you not know what you were doing?"

That said she huffs a little. "Nothing that won't fade in time, no."

[nibelungvalesti]

Meril bowed her head, fingers of one hand curling just beneath her throat. "If I had answers, I would give them to you. I am sorry, though I know that is -- inadequate, at best."

[maipokerface]

Just take the wind out of her anger sails here, Meril. The other woman's apology seems to make a good dent in what there is of Mai's anger, making the apathetic ice queen of Crown of Thorns falter. She looks askance and sighs out.

"It's perfectly adequate. It's not like I broke anything anyhow."

[nibelungvalesti]

"I think a chair or two would disagree with that," Meril said, and whether or not she meant it as a joke was anyone's guess. This conversation might be a lot harder if either of them were the emotional type. "Did anyone else come to harm?"

[maipokerface]

"Not in my band anyhow. I know some others were... pretty bad." The extent of pretty bad is clear by the pause.

[nibelungvalesti]

"I was afraid of that." Meril heaved a deep sigh, looking in that moment as frail and delicate as her physical frame sometimes fooled people into believing she was. "I am amazed no word of that made it out."

[maipokerface]

"I guess Lesedi kept it pretty hushed up."

That said, she studies Meril's moment of frailty with a slight frown. And then she waves the other woman on in a sort of 'come here' gesture.

"Come on, I was on my way to get a drink. You can join me."

[nibelungvalesti]

Meril's perceptions of Mai included a belief that the other Ice Queen would not go to any particular length to get revenge or dissemble. The offer was, in her estimation, genuine, and it elicited a tiny smile as she stepped after Mai. "I feel as if I could use one."

[maipokerface]

At least they're reading each other somewhat genuinely. Mai huffs out an amused breath at that.

"You and me both. The party isn't the only weird thing going on."

[nibelungvalesti]

Neither of them were particularly inclined to hide anything. At least they could understand each other that much.

"Have you been having trouble with band dismissals as well?"

[maipokerface]

"Unfortunately. Wolfram has been let go."

[nibelungvalesti]

Meril made a little noise in the back of her throat. As much as she wanted to sympathize with Mai, that was honestly nothing in comparison.

"We are down to just myself and Greg."

[maipokerface]

Mai looks somewhat impressed at that. Not in a good way of course.

"That's... a lot."

To say the least.

[nibelungvalesti]

"It is. It makes one wonder... and question if we did everything wrong, or everything right." Mai certainly wasn't close enough to Meril for her to speak her worries and fears, even if they lurked in the thinnest undercurrent in her voice.

[maipokerface]

"Who knows. With the people in charge around here, it could be a little of both."

They've come to the bar now and Mai isn't shy about picking up a drink.

[nibelungvalesti]

Neither was Meril -- who despite her petite frame could put away a startling amount of alcohol, and had no problem picking up a mug of some dark beer that looked like it could hold her for a while.

"That is a disturbing prospect indeed. Still... we do not know what will become of us now."

[maipokerface]

"If you want my opinion... well, even if you don't, I guess I'm saying it anyhow."

It's idle talk and she's not really afraid to voice it aloud.

"Whatever it is, it's not exactly going to end with any of us dying. I mean beyond the fact we're celebrities and that would bring just a little bad press. We're also celebrities who our record labels need."

[nibelungvalesti]

"I wonder about that. After all, did not some people come close?" On the Pride side, at least. Certainly Meril knew nothing had been holding her back, at least for a few minutes there. Mai was not the only one she had attacked, either.

[maipokerface]

"They came close but they didn't exactly die, right? Or not anyone I know of but then again I'm not friends with most of the people in Pride."

She's not friends with much of anyone really.

[nibelungvalesti]

"I have not heard of anyone. I think one or two people would have told me, if anything that dire had happened." Maybe not, but -- despite everything -- Meril trusted Nariko, if no one else. "I think we would also never be able to mingle like this if anyone had."

[maipokerface]

"Pretty much."

By now she's found a convenient place to sit a bit away from everyone else. She sits down with some grace, placing her drink on the table top before her.

"Not that any of that is great but it does show that they aren't that keen on just letting us all die. Now if we accept that, the next question is why bother with it in the first place."

[nibelungvalesti]

Meril claimed a seat with unconscious, imperious ease. Even after everything she had been through, some habits and quirks remained ingrained. "Money and fame are the most obvious answers. Many people have performed extreme acts to acquire one or both."

[maipokerface]

"I guess that's true enough. Where's the money and fame in trying to make people fight one another?"

There was no media coverage of the event itself. Maybe the tension between the labels lends to gossip and the interest of inter-label fighting but...

[nibelungvalesti]

"It could be as simple as market share. Fewer Pride musicians means more exposure and time for Virgo ones." She wanted to believe it was that simple, but Meril couldn't hide the skepticism in her voice.