maskormenacelogs | Winter Gala

Entry tags:

Winter Gala

WHO: Everyone
WHERE: Jeopardy
WHEN: Saturday, December 21 from 5:00 p.m. onward into the early morning hours of Sunday, December 22.
WHAT: The Winter Gala Fundraiser for Jeopardy Relief Efforts
WARNINGS: Please include any necessary warnings in your TLs.
NOTES: This post will serve as a catch-all for logs for the entire event (though you’re also welcome to post things elsewhere, of course).

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Well, mostly. In the wake of a near-apocalyptic event, the city of Jeopardy is in need. What started out as an idea to advertise Rikki Chadwick's burgeoning business, after a little more planning and nabbing some ideas from Kenzi's post, she and Rupert have reconfigured and rebranded their idea to focus less on her and more on the relief effort.

Characters will enter the venue after giving a small donation at the door and they will be greeted by a large room lit in blues, soft pinks, and purples. From the ceilings hang snowflakes made of glass. The centerpieces are also made of glass. Come to think of it, nearly all the decorations are made of glass. Except, that is, the mistletoe hanging from several of the rafters and archways. A buffet-style dinner will be served from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at which point, the buffet tables and seating tables will be cleared away to make room for the makeshift stage for the DJ and a gigantic dance floor.

Drinks will be flowing, music will be playing, and people will be bidding on silent auctions to win everything from one of the centerpieces to a date with their favorite imPort and everything in between. So, eat, drink, and be merry until you can't stay awake any longer. Why not? It's all for a good cause, after all.

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[ It helps to remind herself that this is good exposure -- it's a good cause to attach her name to and an event like this provides easy content to share with a growing social media following. That's important at this stage of the game. If you happen to follow her, she posts her look for the evening in various stages: the appropriately dramatic, icy makeup look created by her team of stylists; her short, dark hair twisted and curled and carefully pinned; and of course, the pièce de résistance, her gown.

Even her participation in the auction is another show of goodwill designed purely for the exposure. She doesn't bother bidding on anyone and she's more than grateful her own offering goes to someone she knows. (Poor Oliver will never hear the end of her teasing.)

She'll smile for cameras and play nice, but Selina's good at avoiding any actual mingling; she's not known for being especially friendly if you know her and these past couple months have left her feeling far from holly and jolly. She's good at keeping herself busy and even better at excuses to slip away. You might find her at the bar getting appropriately holiday wasted or hiding somewhere outside the venue smoking because nothing deters strangers from bothering you like smoking like a chimney. Sadly, she's less immune to the mistletoe hanging overhead.

At some point early in the evening, once she's made the rounds and done all the fake smiling she can handle, she'll ditch the dress and the party and put on something more her style. She needs the fresh air and, frankly, sometimes it's just easier being something else for a while. It's not like anyone's going to notice she's missing. ]

[ they're too alike, really, not to bump into each other at some point during the night. so when selina makes her way outside alone, she'll find as always, as close to a rooftop as the two can be, that bruce is off to the side hugging closer to the shadows, leaning against the balcony with his eyes on the skies. his ginger ale, now that it's not a set piece, sits lonely off to the side.

she doesn't even need to ask him to know what's on his mind-- a part of him wishing that the signal of his above the police station would illuminate the skies any minute now. that he could be leaping across rooftops instead of pretending to be somebody else. ]

[ She'd been banking on the hope that he'd be too busy playing Bruce Wayne -- that there were enough people and enough going on that she could avoid him entirely, and she does a pretty good job at that all things considered. It's easy to avoid someone when they don't even know you're avoiding them, it's just... exhausting.

This, though? This is inevitable. They are too much alike, both drawn to the unlikely comfort of the darkness and the view of the city -- this city, their city -- from above. They're both looking for an escape.

Selina knows he's there before she spots him. It's something physical, above and beyond heightened and refined feline-like senses, it's some kind of sixth sense she's developed after years of him lurking in the shadows. The game of cat and bat that they play across the rooftops. It's magnetic. It pulls her forward, closer to him, and she's too close when she catches herself to sneak away. ]

S-Sorry. [ It's quick, and she's as quick to turn away, ready to make an exit. ] I didn't mean to interrupt you. I didn't realize anyone was out here, I'll--

Please, stay.

[ he offers almost immediately as she moves to leave, face still shrouded. when bruce's face finally makes itself known to her, he offers a softer and surprisingly more gentle smile. ]

I don't own this building.

[ She's thought a lot about this -- about what would happen when they crossed each other's path again, because if it hadn't happened tonight, it would have happened some other night. Selina's gone out of way to avoid him and her new little venture has been keeping her busy, but she can't resist the simpler pleasures for too long. Even here she's too tied up in him and she hates that.

Selina breathes in slowly as she turns to face him, her hand reaching to open the small clutch tucked beneath her arm. It takes her a moment to find her voice, to steel herself and speak without the risk of all the cracks showing because weakness isn't an option. ]

Really, Mr. Wayne, I came out here to call my assistant and smoke a cigarette. I'll spare you both and find someplace else.

[ 'selina kyle. catwoman, bruce.' he remembers barbara saying. without thinking he calls out. ]

Have we... met before?

[ Yeah, there's no way it was going to be all that easy, was it? She goes for the phone and the cigarette case anyway, pulling them out of the clutch. ]

In another life, maybe? [ She shrugs, because that's an easier answer than the truth. They could certainly have that discussion, make all of this a lot easier or way more complicated. ] Hard not to know who you are.

Yeah, I'm not so sure about that.

[ he laughs and reaches for his glass. ]

My winning 'date' is someone who wants to sales pitch me some of his technology.

To be fair, it's not exactly a bad way to get a meeting with the Bruce Wayne-- although probably not exactly what you had in mind when you'd opted to volunteer your time.

[ The drink's a fake and she's got to imagine it's more melted ice than ginger ale at this point, so she's not really sure where he's going with all this. Against any better judgement she probably should have -- you know, make up some reason to exit stage left -- Selina moves in closer. ]

Really not what you were hoping for, was it?

I get to spend the day with someone pitching me his tech startup, had a conversation with an angel who happens to look just like me, and got kissed under the mistletoe by a Batman. Not quite, no.

[ he glances over. ]

You?

Kissed by a Batman? [ Well, that narrows down pretty quickly unless there's another one of those running around. Wouldn't surprise her. ] Lucky you. Batmen, angelic dopplegangers, and you raised money for charity. It's a story to tell, at least.

I... put on a dress and met my mingling quota for the month. It was a successful enough night.

What makes you auction a date off for charity, then?

[ he could ask himself the same question, really. ]

It looks good. It reflects well on me, tweaks public perception just a bit, and I doubt that I need to tell you how important that is when you're a public figure. I'm trying to start a business and I could the good publicity.

[ Smoke and mirrors, Bruce. You're familiar with those. Selina opens the case and pulls a cigarette from it, then stashes the case and the phone back into her purse. ]

My auction was won by a friend I would have probably invited to ring in the new year with me otherwise, so I think I probably lucked out more than some of these people.

And, after all, it is for a good cause.

Sounds like your night isn't going so bad.

[ a pause. his smile is... genuine. he doesn't know why. ]

What kind of business?

It could be better. And it will be, the moment I get out of here, I'm getting out of this dress and tracking down a burger.

[ Well, finding a burger is one of a couple things on her to do list, in any case. No need to clue him in on the rest of her plans for the evening. ]

Cosmetics. All-natural, high quality, plant based, free of toxins and synthetics, and cruelty free with a focus on sustainable practices. It all sounds very buzzword-y, I'm sure, but I figured if I'm here for any kind of long term I had to do something with my time.

Plant based? [ he smiles to himself. ] Funny. I know someone from home who would love to hear more about that.

[ maybe not in the kind of way she would be looking for, though. little did he know how well they all knew each other. ]

But if it looks anything like what you're wearing now, then I think you'll probably have a hit on your hands.

Oh, don't do that. [ Her expression sours, mouth crumpling, and Selina brings the cigarette to her lip. She digs through the purse for a lighter and considering the size of the bag, you wouldn't imagine that'd be such a difficult task, but-- ] Everything I'm wearing tonight was developed by my team, but makeup is like, 80% application and I'm just a living, breathing advertisement for a new business trying to drum up interest. Of course it looks good. I appreciate the compliment, but I am really not interested in the Bruce Wayne Dazzle.

[ She pulls the lighter from the bag this time, lights her cigarette. ]

You've got nothing to gain -- I'm not in competition with you, I doubt I have anything you want -- and I've got nothing I'm willing to lose by pretending any of it is genuine.

[ he seems surprised, and for a moment, remorseful. normally should he have been brushed off (it's happened before), he would have gladly gone back to his own company. it tends to free him up for other things. ]

I'm sorry. I... didn't mean anything by it.

No, you didn't.

[ And for a moment and only just a moment she seems remorseful, too. She's all raw nerves and hurt feelings and it's easier to be mean. It's easier to treat him every bit the stranger this little interaction has left her feeling -- that massive disconnect between everything that she knows and feels and his lack thereof. Bruce is standing right in front of her, but she's never missed him more.

She takes a long drag from her cigarette, smoke dancing slowly against the night sky on the exhale, and Selina relents to give him half an inch because she knows. She knows him. She knows who and what she chose and he did the thing he's that he's always going to do. She's always known where she ranks against the greater good.

"As much as I love him, as much as I want him to love me..." ]

Forget it. [ Mrs. Krabappel voice: Hah! ] It's been a long day.

Oliver is continuing his trend of schmoozing at parties, playing the part needed for politics and for the company, and makes his way to Selina, dropping the playboy mask as he does.

"Good evening, Miss Kyle. You look amazing." His voice is a gentle tone, and quiet, meant for her ears alone in this silly crowd.

Oliver knows this is useful to him, but he sometimes truly hates parties. Clad in a simple green outfit, he is on point as his personal style.

Something that Selina learned very early on in her career is that not a single detail can be missed. A lie is more than a well-rehearsed story and an improvised script and Oliver isn't the only one of them who's playing a part. A crowd like this? Hell, they're not the only ones trying to sell a lie.

"I always look amazing, " she says easily, because there isn't a single detail that she's missed. "But you're looking pretty nice yourself, there, Mr. Queen."

"Fair. And thank you."

He chuckles, hmming at her, and nodding.

"I hope you've been enjoying the evening."

What's to enjoy, exactly? A big room full of strangers, the one person who is far from a stranger but to whom she is nothing more? The heels and the really uncomfortable strapless bra? Lucky for Oliver, she's not about to start rattling off a list of complaints -- she chose to be here and that's her own damn fault.

"It's only an evening, thankfully."

Everyone else seems to be having such a lovely time.

He nods.

"True that. I did bring you a present, since I was not sure if I would see you again before Christmas." From behind him, from... somewhere, he brings a folded package, and holds it out to her.

Inside, she will find a much more suited to outside weather suit, still stylish, but something more along the lines of what Catwoman might wear than Selina Kyle, debutante. With night vision glasses, detachable wall climbing gloves, and a few other tricks attached, it was... different.

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Winter Gala

😽 (open to all, do with this what you will, etc.)

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Post-Auction

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