16414/Fun in the Club and Bats in the Belfry

Fun in the Club and Bats in the Belfry
Date of Scene:	07 July 2024
Location:	Club Evolution, Mutant Town
Synopsis:	A goth night song turns into a goth nightmare.
Cast of Characters:	Polaris, Havok, Firestar

---

Polaris has posed:
Lorna Dane spent little more time at Xavier's. Once she was given the all clear, she was only too eager to get back to mutant town. He next few days were uneventful thankfully, nothing out of the ordinary except for the occasional fluttering of wings in the shadows and Lorna murmuring a lot about bats. What's with the sudden obsession, anyway?

Seems she's taken on a more goth appearance lately as she invites Alex to Club Evo with her tonight, dressed in a tight purple corset top, a black lacy scalloped shrug roughly shaped like batwings, black leather pants and a little black winged clip in her green shoulder length hair.

Once she steps into the club, she peers around as if searching for something, or maybe just looking for a table. There's supposed to be some goth speed metal band playing tonight for which she seems super excited to watch, but they're a bit early. "So then..Where shall we sit?"

Havok has posed:
Alex is also glad to be out of Xavier's. There were too many memories there and too much tension to want to linger for long. Back in Mutant Town seems to work for him, for now. But he's been a bit distracted with the hopes of resuming work on their PhD research - which means returning to the desert. But, for now, he's just glad that Lorna is up and around, regardless of her batty obsessions and wardrobe change. He's also glad it's not Malice that's making her go goth. That would really be bad juju. However, he can't help but think that she's still effected by the draculas that bit her. More on that later.

Tonight, Alex is wearing black slacks, a black sport coat, and a blue t shirt beneath. Maybe he's flashing back to Miami Vice. Or maybe he's thinking of bringing sexy back. Either way, he's happy to be with Lorna and out in the world. He also scans and comes up dry in his search for a place to sit. So many people, so much noise, discord. "I got nothin." he responds.

Firestar has posed:
There are some people that don't manage the goth look. Angelica does show up to Mutant Town, but mostly to just hangout for a bit. She doesn't really try to match the goth feeling. She shows up in black slacks and a white button up silk shirt...so really doesn't fit in. Still, that's nothing new.

For now she meanders to the bar, not noticing Lorna and Alex initially.

Polaris has posed:
There really are a lot of people, more than she would like but she already bought a tickets, and is very eager to see the Bats in the Belfry, apparently the latest craze..Apparently a new fave of Lorna. Perhaps that explains the bat obsession? Who knows? She hasn't exactly been back to normal since she got bit, even if she checked out okay physically at least.

For now she focuses on scanning the room for a free table..And when a couple finishes their meal,and gets up, she is quick to notice, grinning as she grabs Alex's hand, tugging him along to said table before it can get snapped up by someone else.

"Hurry, before someone else grabs it first..!" and then she spies a familiar red head and smirks, waving Angelica over to join them. "You don't mind if she joins us, do you, Alex?" sure things weren't the best last time they bumped into Firestar, but nothing that can't be smoothed over..

Havok has posed:
Alex totally missed seeing the couple rising and the table becoming empty. He was looking in another direction. When he's grabbed, he is pulled and jostled back to the moment and Lorna pulling him. "Oh rock the hell on." He says as he identifies the table and does his best to urge them both to capture it.

"Oh damn, that's Angelica." is said with a dry tone remembering the past, but also knowing that whatever Lorna wants is fine by him. She's healthy, and that makes it all good in his book. He moves to the table with her and calls, "Angie, Angelica!" to help garner her attention and beckon the redhead to join them. He too gives a wave with his free hand.

Firestar has posed:
It takes her a moment to notice the two. She considers them for a moment or two. She might not hear his tone, but she knows the last time wasn't great for any of them.

She considers and then finally shrugs. Walking towards the table she walks over to at least say hello,"Lorna. Alex. It's been a while. How are you?" she asks and glances around once and looks to the act.

Polaris has posed:
Lorna Dane smiles and waves to Angelica. "Hey, how's it shaking? It's been a while. Are you ready to see the Bats?" she seems to be in high spirits and excited to see this crazy goth girl band, known for their colorful goth girl costumes and even more colorful music, "I can't wait to see em, never seen em live! But first, food and drink! Care to join us?"

Havok has posed:
Alex grins as Lorna goes on about the Bats and is truly amazed at her excitement regarding some goth band he's never heard of. But he says nothing to discount or dissuade her tone or level of energy. Instead, he smiles and nods along. He also sees Angelica as a potential buffer, perhaps someone who can even the mood. So he offers, "Yes, please, Angelica. You should join us." and he'll grab a chair to pull out for her as a physical indication to his verbal offer.

Firestar has posed:
She glances at the chair and then nods. Taking a seat she settles and replies,"I haven't seen them no. Never heard of them honestly. I was just in the area and decided to slip in for dinner rather than go home and cook tonight. I'm not feeling to inspired to cook for me."

Polaris has posed:
Lorna Dane looks mock shocked. "Wooow, you have no idea what you're missing! They're amazing, kinda like trance meets speed metal with a bit of goth punk. And those costumes..And the lead singer.." she sighs wistfully. Anyone who knows anything about the Bats knows that the lead singer is the only male member of the band.

The server comes to the table then to take drinks and meals if there are any requests. For the moment however, Lorna seems distracted by her thoughts.

Havok has posed:
There's a silent look at Angelica as Lorna goes on about the Bats and he gives a quiet shrug of having no clue either. He does give support to the argument of how great they are when he states, "Lorna is really into them." Which is support, somewhat. Or just an affirmation of her fangirling. But, the more he listens to her prattling on, the more he begins to suspect that there is something else going on. Bats, draculas, goth.... it's probably not over with the vampires. And it's probably going to come down to him blasting this goth band into oblivion before the night is over.

Firestar has posed:
Angelica looks between the two of them and then back towards the stage,"I guess I will get a first time up close look then." she replies thoughtfully.

She considers Lorna when she fan girls on the lead singer and gauges Alex's reaction peripherally. Not interested in going down that rabbit hole thanks. Instead she orders a meal and drink for the evening as planned.

Havok has posed:
Alex orders from the waitress, "Give me a Cola. I wanna have a clear head tonight - you know, so I can understand the speedy words that'll be coming out of the bat's mouths."

He'll then lean forward on the table, elbows and forearms on the surface. He'll ask Angelica, "I heard you left Xavier's, right? Something about the League?"

Polaris has posed:
Lorna Dane chuckles, "Once you hear them you'll be hooked!" she grins and winks at Angelica and Alex too. If she seems off, she doesn't show any distress at least. If anything, she seems pretty excited to see this new band. "I'll have a whiskey on the rocks, more whiskey, less ice." she grins at the waitress and seems to be in high spirits at least. "Of course once the music starts, I hope I can get an up close look."

Firestar has posed:
Angelica orders an iced tea and a burger. Apparently she wants to stay sober as home isn't terribly close. She smiles at Lorna and nods,"They sound very interesting listening to you talk. I guess we'll see how it goes. You have me hooked to hear it."

Her attention shifts to Alex and she nods,"I left Xavier's yes. I don't bear a grudge really, but I did leave. I was invited to join the Justice League too. I did accept. I am still a probationary member, but I am working on it."

Havok has posed:
Alex replies, "That's a big step up from slumming with Xavier's. Good for you. They've got some pretty amazing resources, reputations, and people. Way more powerful, too." He then leans back, glances around the club at the people in attendance. So much goth.

Polaris has posed:
Lorna Dane glances around, taking in all the sights and sounds. Indeed there is a lot of Goth and she doesn't hear half of what her two companions say, caught up in her own world. And then there's a sudden cheer from the crowd as the feature band enters the stage.

Lorna joins in on the cheers, whistling as the lead singer enters the stage. He's young, flawless, with unusually pale skin, thick dark wavy hair, eyes of a strange pale icy blue that are very mesmerizing. No wonder the girls are gaga over him, especially dressed in a thin silver mesh shirt that shows off his muscled arms under a black leather fringe vest and match leather pants.

He is accompanied by three girls each dressed in a mixture of goth punk, black leather, neon skirts, one in pink, purple and green.

"Wow, they're amazing, aren't they?" she gushes, and then they start to play, picking up a low slow trance like beat, keeping a good rythm. And then the lead singer sings, his voice powerful, mesmerizing. Beautiful.

Havok has posed:
With his attention drawn from the table to across the bar to the stage, alex stares. Amazing isn't the word that Alex would use to describe the person, or dracula on the stage. Sure, he may be a normal goth human. The club is filled with them, or is it? Rather, is it filled with human fanboys and fangirls of some goth rock; or is everyone here some dracula waiting to bite. Nah, he shouldn't allow his brain to wander like that.

Alex does look to Angelica and recalls she's got a wonderful damage shield and some sort of radiation that can cook flesh.

Then he looks around at the crowd to see if they're all sharing the same entrancement that Lorna is.

Firestar has posed:
"It's a new experience for sure. A lot of power houses too. I do enjoy watching over the world from the Watchtower too. It is an awesome experience watching from space."

The arrival of the musicians gets her attention and she watches them come on stage. Listening to the song start she glances at Lorna and nods,"They are...interesting." she muses softly. Maybe it is past experiences or the fact she is resistant to mental control or just the simple fact she isn't quite taken in by music too easy. Whatever the case, she is curious but guarded.

Polaris has posed:
People start swaying slowly to and fro to the music on stage. Lorna smiles, tapping her foot, sipping her whiskey and grins, "Great, aren't they?" she subconsciously scratches the back of her neck, specifically the spot where those vampires - or vampire, she's not entirely clear on that - fed on her. The wound has healed by now of course, the venom cleared from her system. Although who knows what mental effects that bite had on her.

"They're great, aren't they? Their song is beautiful, his voice mesmerizing.." she sighs wistfully. And starts to sway to the chant.

~Sinking, Sinking, Sinking slowly,
Darkness darkness all around.
Lost in the shadows, lost in your eyes
Seeking the secrets lost in your eyes~

Firestar has posed:
Taking the glass of tea in hand, Angelica watches and listens with interst. She takes a shallow drink and looks down the barrel of the glass to study how people in the area were reacting. One brow arches a little and she glances at Lorna briefly. Confusion on her expression.

Her attention moves to Alex and studies his expression and behavior. Her face shows that she is starting to get a bad feeling about this bunch. A blink and she sets her glass down and studies the band again.

Havok has posed:
There are triggers that Alex cannot avoid. Things that really set him off. One of those triggers is the simple PTSD that he suffers from the countless times he, or both of them, have been abducted, manipulated, mesmerized, taken advantage of, or possessed. Even now the hair on the back of his neck stands erect as the events of the last month come to a climax. He instinctively realizes that they're caught up in the vortex of manipulation once again. That, regardless of getting a clean bill of health from Hank (Beast), she's still under the spell of the draculas. That realization sets him off. That trigger causes an instant flash of heat from his body as he stands and says, "FUCK THIS SHIT!". He steps to the side pushing people out of the way, giving him a line of sight on the stage. His body radiates light and heat as the concentric circles begin to emit from his chest. His arms raise level and hands side by side. He calls, "FIRESTAR, VAMPIRES! THEY HAVE LORNA UNDER THEIR SPELL!" and then he releases his blast of fiery white hot plasma. A beam 6 feet wide emits from his chest, down his arms, and will bathe the stage in it's massive eruption. The noise is deafening as it resonates, FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! causing the room to vibrate. He intends to vaporize the draculas - every last one of them.

And yes, he calls them draculas, because that's the name of their master.

Polaris has posed:
Lorna Dane blinks slowly as a lot of stuff happens quickly. People are dancing and swaying to the music. She is singing and dancing to the music.

And then suddenly Havok blasts the stage and there is screaming as a ring of fire surrounds the stage. The musicians are either lucky or quick enough not to get burnt to a crisp, although there is screaming. Some of their clothes catch on fire before they retreat.

Someone grabs an extinguisher and puts out the fire. Then the security are on the scene, making a straight line towards Havok through the Stratford and confused crowds who mostly seem to be in a confused daze.

Lorna blinks slowly as if waking , no snapped violently away from a bad dream. "Ugh...What's going on..?"

Firestar has posed:
Cursing softly under her breath, Angelica turns to Lorna and snaps her fingers once, the sound loud. She reaches for her tea when Lorna starts to come to.

She glances to the approaching Alex and she sighs softly. She nudges Lorna and says,"Long story. You need to get Alex and get out of here. The show is over."

She stands to help Lorna up if she wants and says,"Summers. Incoming. We'd better withdraw and look this over from a distance."

She hasn't tried to fry anyone since they split and ran from his blast and there's not a clean shot through the people at this point.

Havok has posed:
Alex hears the clarity in Lorna's voice and he thinks that he did something good - for once.

He peers through the chaos of the crowd as they flip out and start to panic. He wants another target. He wants to ensure that the draculas are gone, burned, destroyed. He looks for others that may be hiding in the rafters to attack. He also takes a few steps back where his back will be to Lorna, nudging her, physically offering a reminder of their tactics and training. While he does this, he registers Firestar's voice. He replies, "FIRESTAR, MAKE A HOLE. KEEP LORNA BETWEEN US, I'LL GUARD THE REAR. FLAME ON!"

Polaris has posed:
Lorna Dane seems equal parts confused and Annoyed. "Why did you have to do that? They were just an innocent band.." but even she realizes something is off. She sighs, rubbing her eyes. "Something weird just happened again..Didn't it?" well so much for a fun night out. There are no more vampires coming g out from the woodwork...

Just...Bats. Lots of bats, screeching from the rafters, attacking people. They're not big, only rat sized, but they're fast, armed with razor sharp claws and teeth. Random rabid bats? Or is there more to this attaxk too?

Firestar has posed:
Flame on indeed. She turns up the heat around them and people lose interest in being between them and the door. Bats flying at her, on the other hand, get a dose of her masers, precise thin beams of scathing hot beams that pierce through the creatures that were unfortunate enough to fly into her area,"Vampires." she growls softly and settles next to Lorna to walk,"Come on. We have to go." she tells the woman.