16441/Central Park: Midnight Music Festival

Central Park: Midnight Music Festival
Date of Scene:	20 July 2024
Location:	Central Park, Manhattan
Synopsis:	New friends, new businesses and new concerns brought up in one night, but thankfully this one wasn't plagues by as many haters.
Cast of Characters:	Kit Killovarras, Shiloh Foster, Superman

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Kit Killovarras has posed:
For those who are bold enough to explore a little off the beaten path in Central Park, there is an outdoor amphitheater. It's usually a quiet place, but every so often in the last few years, something has breathed life into the once forgotten stage. Or more importantly: Music.
Led by a small group of local teens, the "Midnight Music Festival" event tends to draw a crowd, from singers and local bands, to fans of the art and even vendors tend to show up and tonight is no different.

The stage itself is set in such a way that all it would take is a simple computer or instrument swap for multiple artists to play and the social media posts preceding it promised an 'open set' to anyone brave enough to take the stage, though for the moment it seems like no one has, save a rather tall, but scrawny young man who seems to be hooking up some tech in the makeshift DJ's booth to one side of the stage.

Shiloh Foster has posed:
As a small business, one must take opportunity where they can snag it. When Shiloh heard about this music festival, she made all the right contacts in order to get herself a vendor booth - even in the short time frame she may have had to get it. So the local baker is finishing her set up of a table under a canopy and several covered display dishes of various cupcakes. A banner hangs from the front of the table that reads 'Dark Side Bakery' with a logo of the half-built Death Star behind the lettering. A small stack of business cards is also on the table along with a cash box and her phone set up to be able to take credit cards. All in all, she's proud of her little set up.

There's a glance to the stage as she watches the young man working on setting up some tech and then she shifts her gaze over to the crowd as it begins to build. Unsure if anyone is even going to come by, it's at least nice to be out getting from fresh air and meeting new places. Getting the name of her business out to the more general public as it were.

Superman has posed:
Clark is there in a simple blue shirt, with a white button up shirt, and a red and black diagnally striped tie. Those thick rimmed glasses are pushed up. Dull blue eyes take in all the sights.

Moving with pad of paper, Clark begins writing as he's there with the press. The man with the hunched over back does have an eye for details. A look does go toward "Dark Side Bakery" and Clark just muses, "Must be a Star Trek fan."

The attention drifts back to the stage.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
As the sun sets people would slowly trickle in, a mixture of meta-humans, mutants and humans who share a common interest. Several members of a security detail can be seen doing rounds, making sure things don't get too rowdy. One of them even stifles a chuckle at the 'star trek' comment as he moves past.

The speakers crackle a little on stage as the final sound tests are happening and shortly after? That same skinny guy wanders around the stage, doing a few more checks on various pieces of equipment.

As for the vendors area? The first people to show up are a pair of high-schoolers decked out in what can only be described as 'gothic' attire, one of them musing, "Dark Side Bakery, huh?" as he walks up, looking over the assorted cupcakes on display before giving Shiloh a look and the obvious, "You guys make cookies?" question is posed.

Shiloh Foster has posed:
"Yeah. It's my shop down in Queens. And yeah, I do make cookies." Shiloh offers, bringing up a few bags filled with them. There are the standard oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip, sugar, and one that is actually called 'The Dark Side'. It's a triple chocolate cookie with macadamia nuts. Cause, you know, circular nuts to look like the Death Star. Also, Shiloh's London accent is strong. She also looks like a part of the gothic community herself with her pixie cut hair and all black attire down to biker boots and up to the collar on her neck. It's a simple strand of black leather - but it works. She's also covered in tattoos.

"Also, yes, I get the irony that I'm British and I favor the Dark Side, but who wouldn't? They've got bad ass powers and just get a bad rep..." She smirks then before motioning. "Anything strike your fancy?"

Superman has posed:
Clark just keeps jotting down details. Those dull blue eyes look about the place still. Lots of going on. He notes that the Borg pastries has a group of Goth customers.

Right now, the reporter is just taking in the show. After work he would end up seeing if there's any Bird of Prey Pastries or something.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
"Dude! That's sick!" the first teen laughs out, then pulls a card out of his pocket and sets it down before giving an order of, "We're take four cupcakes and two of the Dark Side cookies." The other teen is quiet, just watching their friend geek out a little. With the mention of the preference though? The first kid nods and muses, "Well I mean, yeah. The Sith tend to encourage total freedom and let passion drive them while the Jedi are just a bunch of stuck-up douche-nozzles who demand that anyone with power deny their basic humanity."

Meanwhile, on stage the guy doing the checks gets into place, a simple line of, "Yeah, I was made.. Made by misery.." the final word mimicked by a much deeper, much louder echo, distorted by the tech in the booth. That single, digital echo heralds the first track to play since the stage was set.

"I was forged in the fire, of the trauma's untold."
"Proved depression's a liar, when I WOULDN'T LET GO!"
"Baptized myself in the ink, that wrote my suicide note."
"Reborn as somebody stronger, than you'd EVER HAVE KNOWN!"

The melody is something between metal and alt, but the voice coming from that young man? There's something more to it.

As if on queue to the melody though, the stage seems to blanket over with some kind of strange energy, the thin haze bringing to life an illusion within the confines of the stage itself. It seems to lift the singer in the air a little ways as the next lines are sung and then?

"Can't fall in place until you break..." The image of the singer, hovering there above the stage shatters like glass, revealing a huge, bipedal hyena with his torso wrapped in bandages and a pair of baggy black jeans in his place as he belts into the chorus.

Shiloh Foster has posed:
Shiloh puts the order neatly into cupcake boxes and cookie bags before charging the teen a decently valued price for the goods. Discounted a bit further than what they would be at her shop - but that should be expected right? As the teen sort of nerds out on the Sith, she smiles and nods. "Precisely that." Is all she says as the card is charged and the order plus card is handed back over. A business card tucked in with the cookies.

It won't mess with the flavor.

"Thanks and please do come by the shop if you wish." Saying this much before watching the teens likely take off to find a spot to watch the beginnings of the show. Her gaze does go back to the stage and as the song begins to play she nods with the beat a bit. It's not quite her style of music but she can appreciate the effort at least. And her ears aren't bleeding.

Yet.

That's a plus, right?

Superman has posed:
Clark gives pause. That transformation causes some concern. Those dull blue eyes look over vertyhing. Too many times against people like Cheetah.

So, he wants to make sure this is just technological transformation. Oh, that pen continues to scratch over the paper as he puts down details of everything.

Right now, everything about the Pastry Place is gone. Right now, he feels likea coiled spring despite it not showing on his person. His gaze just laser focused.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
The song plays its course, the tech on stage working to keep the melody going, but the hyena on stage? He never goes back to looking the way he did. Whats more, his voice is almost haunting, carrying with it all the rage and the pain that the lyrics are trying to convey.

"Saved my soul at the bottom, through the lowest of lows."
"My god was having no options, but to give up or grow!"
"The skeletons in this closet, can lead to hell or to home."
"So instead of living life haunted, I built a BRIDGE WITH THE BONES!"

The illusionary haze that surrounds him brings forth vivid imagry, from the army of undead being decimated just beyond the magical window, to the fires of hell itself and when the song comes to it's end? A microphone gets tossed and the hyena grabs it, giving a quiet chuckle and an almost friendly sounding, "Welcome to the Midnight Music Ferstival! We've gathered together some of the best local talent, so tonight? We celebrate in spite of our differences, united by our love of music!"

Oh yeah, that seems to get a cheer out of the crowd, and so does the, "Up next? Give it up for Alexandria Bryte!"

With her name spoken, the crackle of electricity heralds yet another person to the stage and the microphone is passed. The magical haze remains though and as the music starts with a subtle 'twinkle', a giant pair of closed eyes suddenly open above the redheaded singer.

With his performance done, the hyena makes his way towards the vendors, eventually finding his way over to the Dark Side stall, following his nose as always.

Shiloh Foster has posed:
Shiloh has taken a seat in her foldable chair after serving a few other people who walked by and got interested. Clapping and cheering as the first performer finishes and gives the opening announcement for the festival. Something tells her it's going to be a good night.

Then she notices the hyena man walking towards her stall and she smiles a little. Nothing like the scent of sweet treats to bring another customer.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
"How can you see into my eyes, like open doors..?"
"Leading you down, into my core,"
"Where I've become so numb..."

Her voice is like velvet and as she sings, the illusionary eyes seem to pleed with the audience, their color draining away slowly until the chorus sets them ablaze with an inner fire.

The offered smile gets one in return from the Hyena as he looks around at the treats present and gives a curious, "Hey, I don't think I've seen you at one of our events. New to the area?" cocking his head to one side for a moment before he adds, "Love the logo by the way."

Awkward aardwolf can be awkward sometimes.

Shiloh Foster has posed:
"Ah. Been here for about eight months, so yeah. Kinda fresh off the boat as they say." Shiloh responds with a smile. "Oh thanks. I couldn't help it. You Americans tend to love the nerdy stuff - or so it seems." She shrugs then. "Feel free to peer around, ask me questions, let me know if you're allergic to anything so I don't sell you the wrong thing..." A smile from her then as she glances towards the stage to watch the new performer.

Okay this song she loves. Though she does turn her attention back to Kit. "Awesome job by the way. Not really my cup of musical tea, but I definitely can appreciate the talent it takes to pull most of that off." Though she has her suspicions about other aspects.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
"Only you are the life among the dead.." Her voice carries, almost sorrowful until a bolt of lightning hits the stage, leaving a young man there as her duet.

"All of this time, I can't believe I couldn't see!"
"Left in the dark! But you were there in front of me!"

When she realizes who it is, she gets this 'oh my god' look, staring at him as a pair of glowing golden wings form behind her. Perhaps he's important to her?

"Ah, no worries everyone has their own style." the yeen says with a little shrug, "Sort of why we put these things on, we get people on stage singing everything from metal to country." explaining as he watches the display, giving a little grin as he muses, "Anyone is welcome on stage, it's an open set to anyone who wants to perform and whether they're professional or garage, we do what we can to help them feel like they're a superstar on that stage." Then he gives Shiloh another glance and extends a paw as he finally gives his typical introduction of, "By the way, my name's Kit."

As for the mention of allergens? There's just a little chuckle and a simple, "Haven't met a food yet that I'm allergic to, so it's all good."