Champions of Illusion!

[Mina]

The night of the show had arrived and the theater was starting to fill up!

The Champions of Magic Tour was making its stop in Sacramento and the night had sold out! It was an immersive, theater-wide experience, only allowing 600 guests per performance, and promising some of the biggest illusions ever! A high-energy, interactive show that blends each entertainer’s signature humor with jaw-dropping magic. It was a show like you have never seen before.

And Mina had snagged tickets, a perk to working at the theater. Kray had sounded interested when she mentioned it to him, and also Circe . Which did surprise her, but hey, why not!

While the seats weren’t right in the front, that would have taken more pull than she currently had, they weren’t horrible. They’d be able to fully see the stage and all the wondrous illusions and excitement! The Snowskin was downright excited!

She waited outside the box office, tickets in hand, figuring it would be easier. Her dress for the night was a flattering shade of burgundy, hair down, looking for her fellow Lost. Plus, she was a bit eager to tell Kray she found a sushi restaurant!
Kray
@ReubenBrightwood Circe

[Mina]

-1 Glamour to Harden Mask

[Svelte Sven]

Sven loved magic shows. He didn't care for the magicians themselves, though, at least not the 'celebrity' magicians. But the art of prestidigitation and sleight-of-hand, legerdemain? That always entertained him. Sure, stage magic was technically a different kind of performance, but many of the key principles were the same: convince someone that they are seeing something other than what you're actually doing. It was also quite practical for the Darkling; most of the meager pocket change that Sven managed to gather for himself was the product of misdirection and thievery, which were closer in relation to 'magic' than many liked to admit.

That said, the odds of getting inside for the show were next to zero... assuming he did things legally. It was a sold-out show, after all. This meant that he'd have to resort to one of his tried-and-true methods for getting into places he wasn't supposed to be: steal access from someone else; or just sneak in when nobody was looking. For the time being, he was trawling through the crowd for an unsuspecting target for the former. In a worst-case scenario, he could always just sneak into a backstage area and pose as some sort of stagehand, his attire would probably make it easier to blend in.

Besides, crowds of people like this were always a good source of loose wallets. He smiled a cheerful false-smile as he weaved between people towards the box office. Even his mock expression of happiness faltered as he saw a faintly familiar face lingering nearby. Bugger. It was all he could manage upon seeing the Manikin, at least at first. In short order, the Winter King put on his usual polite smile and said, "Should have expected to see someone from the club around here." He wasn't making eye-contact with Mina when he said it, but he didn't make much of an attempt to make it seem like he was addressing anyone else.

[Kray]

This show was considerable bigger then those he had invited the freehold to on the two past prior occasions and the ogre would be lying if he said he wasn't just a little excited to see what skilled magicians could cook up with all the space and preparation they had. The giant took his long strides through the crowd, with if it wanted to or not did part for the towering menace that was the king of Autumn.

It took him a little longer to spot Mina, he had been looking for the spring courtier unaware she had hardened her mask, he had not done so. But he gets there. "Ah. There you are." Flashing his terrible toothy smile. "Ha. Well seems like you got the tickets, now what do I owe you?" Prices to be paid and all that before he went any further. He had made her pay her own way at the last magic show after all. It would only be proper. Also unlike Mina he had not got dressed up for the night, his battered long coat, moth eaten fedora and shiny black shoes still making up the trademarks of his get up under which some generic off the rail plain short and jeans had sufficed, really whatever could be found that fit in the big and tall store.

The other nearby voice did draw the ogres bulbous yellow eyes and he squinted down before recognition dawns. "Oh. Well now seems we have a group outing doesn't it." Not that he minded at all the ogre really rather enjoyed the company of the spindly winter king, he always kept the ogre thinking.

[Mina]

One phrase you learn to catch is, club. Sure, to most it means nothing. But to the Lost, it meant a lot.

So mismatched eyes immediately look around and spot the Freeholds very own Winter King! And the broken doll looked quite happy to see him, a wide smile, “Hey! How've you been? You catching the show?” she asks.

While it might have been difficult for Kray to spot her, it wasn’t hard for her to spot him.

Tall ass Orge is easy to spot, and she waves!

“Sorry, I’ll get like, one of those orange group flag next time.” Jokes the Manikin. “I got a discount on them, so yours only cost me, (insert amount).” Bonus to being dancing here sometimes.

“I do have a few extra tickets, promised I’d drop off any I didn’t need at the box office on my way in. So you’re welcome to join us if you want. The show promises to be amazing!”

Then she seems to remember something, looking up at Kray, “Oh! I did promise to tell you if I found one of those sushi restaurants with the little boats, and turns out, there is one nearby!” seeming quite proud she found one.

[Circe]

Circe had expressed interest in this kind of show before. Sleight of hand and trickery were useful tools of the criminal trade. Especially clandestine transport or the need to distract others without being obvious. Or extremely obvious without violence, shame truly to avoid it, yet options have utility.


Ticket acquisition was surprisingly hard, but feasible. Circe may have used prop supplies as a front, but it was profitable and an in. Cutting a deal on supplies for a ticket worth a 10th of what the theater saved? Nobody would say no to that. Certainly not to the Fairest that helped move some of the stuff in. Plus how she bent over quite a few times helping with mechanical issues in view of those that'd make such decisions.


What? Look, the point is grease (corruption and elbow) plus Fairest talent got her in despite it being sold-out.


She even had a little red-dress for the occassion. She thought about acquiring something more magician's assistant looking, but that could lead to some jealously confusion. The Summer Queen feels a little under armed dressed yet she knows better than to risk it with this security.


She pops out of car near the entrance, adjusting the skirt and moving out to mingle. And the clicking of her heels stops as she easily spots Kray in the crowd. Dude stands above the crowd easily. And familiar faces?


Hardened Masks? Circe nods, yes those were hardened Masks alright.


"Might I suggest the spinning exclamation mark instead of a orange flag?" She cheerfully declares as she joins the group, "Flashier. Plus, if the yellow runs on you, you're left with a red flag."


"Heya Big John," she waves to Kray, "Sup Devon. You guys get in too?" Circe is showing off a little Fairest arrogance. If the answer was no? Circe is a Larcenist, quite willing to help them sneak in. Well, Sven and herself could sneak it, she'd just give Kray the ticket.


She blinks in surprise as Mina reveals she has tickets. Right, she works here. Duh! She slaps her forehead, "Oh I am sure it will Mina. Black powder colors are gonna be great, and the show isn't why I dope slapped myself," she holds up a hand for pause as she reaches into a purse on her right. Pulling it her bribery acquired ticket, "I am irked by how much grease, both metaphorical types and literal, was involved in me getting this. And I didn't have to do shit?"


Circe shakes her head, "Well, jokes have to be on me at some point. Ego busting is better than ass kicking, right? Somebody please confirm."

[Svelte Sven]

Well now, there's a face I didn't expect. Autumn may have been the season of Magic, but Sven had pegged the Gristlegrinder as more of a 'blood rituals and old gods' type than the kind of person who would enjoy stage magic. "It looks that way." The Whisperwisp said, lips pursed but eyes twinkling. His conversations with Kray were often intriguing; hearing the Ogre's thoughts on the performance could be quite interesting. "I hadn't actually realized anyone I knew would be here."

He smiled a little wider at Mina. "I was thinking about it, sure. But I needed to scrounge for a ticket." He didn't mention how he had planned to come by a ticket on short notice to a sold-out show, but there was no harm in that. Besides, what conclusions the others drew from that statement might prove useful to understanding them. The thin man quirked his head a little when the Manikin mentioned spare tickets. "Are you sure about that?" His tone didn't betray much. He was looking for a confirmation and little else, for the moment.

The appearance of the Summer Queen had caught him almost entirely off-guard, though Sven managed to resolve himself into a passive look in response to her sudden appearance. "I can get in, surely. I'm just figuring which will be the best method of entry for the time being."

[Kray]

Now Mina's flag idea be a little embarrassing, more then a little. "Uh. Maybe we should just arrange a place to meet next time." But hey ho they had managed so it wasn't that bad was it. "Ah. And besides even if I can't find you, I stand out and above most." When the price is named a large hand digs into a pocket of his long coat and out comes his wallet, an amount is counted out and then an extra twenty percent added on top. "Uh. There you and something for doing the work in organizing all of this." The ogre pays his dues, and finds ways to do more without breaking his own way of doing things. besides paying some for their hard work was only proper. Bulbous yellow eyes blink down at the masked elemental. "Oh. The conveyor belt ones?" He had yet to make such a discovery, maybe because he had his sushi place and he knew he liked it there. "So. We thinking food after the show then?" Not that it took much convincing of any sort to draw him towards the promise of food.

His attention is drawn to the summer queen as she makes herself known. "Uh. Hello Mary, my we do seem to have a crowd tonight." Which was no bad thing at all. But at her request he can't resist and a flickering flame of the giant mantle burns larger and brighter forming into a flaming illusionary exclamation marks that spins slowly. Not as big or as energetic as Circe's idea and only visible to the lost around, if anyone could see through the mask they would be likely screaming by now. And it doesnt last long only a handful of seconds before guttering back down to the typical candle flame.

Sven gets a curious look from the giant. "Huh. Really now and after I invited the entire club to magic shows twice in the last year." Granted Sven had come to neither, not the one he had paid a lot of money to get every tickets for, nor the second time that was pay your own way but still the giant reckoned he had probably outed that he rather enjoyed magic shows just with the invites. "Ah. Well anyway this one promises to be quite a bit larger and grander then either of those so it's a good one to be at." And the ogre did seem actually excited to be something other the eating people, or threatening to.

[Mina]

A bright smile and wave, “Hey Mary!” giving the Summer Queen a once over with her eyes, “And might I say, you are quite the head turner tonight in that dress! It looks amazing on you!” compliments the Spring.

“Oh,” frowning, “I’m sorry, I should have been a little clearer that I was able to get tickets earlier. I’m sure I can find a way to make it up to you though. But hey, at least you looked damn fine doing it?” trying to find the bright side.

Nodding, “One hundred percent.” Another nod.

Smiling once again, “Of course! I got extras just in case.” A hand slips into her purse and pulls out the tickets, handing one over to him, “Here you go.”

A shrug, “That works too. The flag idea might work best for tour guides.” And she certainly wasn’t one of those. As he counts out the money, with some extra, he would be able to tell she was about to protest, but thought better of it. “Thank you, very kind.” And trades the money for the ticket. Even if she wanted to argue, this wasn’t the place.

Then a happy nod, she clearly excited she found the place, “It’s kind of a hole in the wall, doesn’t really stand out, so I sort of stumble on it. I was thinking about that, depending on how everyone was feeling.” But she was always down to keep the party, sort of a party, going.

Well, that wasn’t really a discussion she didn’t want to get into. “That was really a great magic show by the way. And the food they served? Delicious.” But she did feel it was worth adding that part.

[Circe]

"Red is a good color on me," which was true for the contrast with her slate-blue flesh. "I've other options, but it just works. Like you own choice tonight," she assesses Mina's coloration of cloth. It makes her Mask look warmer, yet Circe is uncertain how it'd pair with her paler skin. "It is quite the compliment, good accentuation choice of pigment."


"Ooooo," Circe's Larcenist side is intrigued by Sven's gumption. "Security can literally throw my ass out the door, dudes are jacked and packed bee tee dubs," she warns him. "If you'd like some suggestions from someone on entry options," Circe spread her arms wide, at least somewhat given the crowd, "Hi. How can I help you be a supervillain tonight?"


I mean, he DID have the option to just owe Mina a solid. Or Circe A solid if he wanted her to cash him out. Lockpick the doors, bribe a guard, get stuck in the vents, seduction, potty emergency, or pickpocket someone. There are so many options. "I know, our friend is gifting them, but I can't be the only one that puts in unnecessary extra work."


Distraction words occur: "What is belt fed?" There was no way they were talking about her kind of business in the open.


"Yes we do John," she agrees with the large Autumn Ogre. Then he surprises her, getting a look of wonderment out of her with his little exclamation of Wyrd. A little more for the Lost because her black scelera turned pink and her long ears bounce in excitement, yet mundies can't see it. "Ah, I would apologize about one of those, but not the other. Work overseas, extremely aggressive reptile problem," which was not an excuse she expected to use and mean it. "If you doubt, I saved some teeth. This should be much, much more fun than that escapade. Lo, if anyone don't like the smell of black powder, you might not like some of the acts."


She nods, still defeated by her extra work. "Yeah, my ass in tight jeans will would distract," and saying that does get that part some attention from a few mundies. And one tut of disapproval from someone in the crowd. Response option 5 chosen to that one, go Summer. Look in the direction of the one that made that disapproving sound, point at her posterior and declare: "Bite it tutter!"


Calm and tactical she may be at times, though none should forget a Summer is still a Courtier of Wrath and Rage. Give Circe time and she can work up a crowd into trouble. No Glamour needed if the folks are dumb enough. Mobs usually are.

"Positive side my friend," she looks at Mina with a smile, "Your place here got a cheaper resupply and some extra maintenance out of the deal...you are just winning tonight, ain't ya?"

No sarcasm intended, it seems to be fact as far as the Summer Queen thinks. Plan goes well and her venue got some freebies.