venice ♔ oh this town kills you when you're young

[rationalizes]

♬ Shoreline - Anna Ternheim

WHO || Gar, Kat, Myri, Buffy [Closed]
WHAT || Team Failboat investigates Angelo Nassi
WHERE || Venice, Italy; Notturno club
WHEN || July 6, evening.
HOW || Actionspam; SINGLE THREAD

It's a breathtaking evening in Venice.  Lights reflect off the canals that serve as the main thoroughfares of 'traffic' and happy tourists and locals amble about the streets, shopping, chatting, or just taking in the quiet air.   It's a pleasant 70 degrees and cooling for the night as the Knights make their way to the building labelled Notturno: the venue owned by Angelo Nassi, who they've come to question about the activities of Chad Becksworth and NOVA Records, hoping for a lead that will connect back to the Talisman they seek.

Dumage elects to do some 'digging' around the city in order to find out more information on the gnoll, so it's left to the four other girls to take on the task alone.  Gar once again makes sure to warn both Buffy and Myri of the potential perils of discussing their "Shadowkind" nature: here in Italy, there's a strong amount of prejudice against non-humans, or those from another world.

The club itself is located right off the river, which they enter through a winding alley after taking a vaporetto  from their hotel.   Gar heads up to the ticket booth when they enter the lobby, but comes back frowning.

"It seems they've sold out for tonight's performance," she says in a quiet murmur, casting a look over her shoulder as patrons move past, dressed in fancywear and conversing pleasantly.  "And they said we can't get inside without tickets." 

Comments

[rationalizes]

[ gar rouses herself at the sound of her name, looking embarrassed. oopsie doopsie. she clears her throat a bit as the song ends and the crowd bursts into enthusiastic applause. ]

He's very talented.

[slay]

He has company on stage. [ buffy nudges kat and points out the hyena guy. ] Who is that, and how did he not get the memo that the 70's are over?

[shootfirst]

[ kat sits up straight as an arrow. ] That's him! Angelo! [ her eyes dart around, appraising her options, and she apparently makes a split second decision, getting to her feet and slipping to the side of the stage in the darkness. ]

C'mon, while no one's watching! [ and with that she hoists a leg up and makes a NAT 20 CLIMB CHECK to scrabble her way onto the stage against the wall. ]

[witchwoman]

[Climbing? No one said anything about climbing

Yeah Myri rolled a 5?

So witness as she gets halfway up and slides back down.]

[rationalizes]

Kat! [ it comes out as a hissed, panicked whisper, but gar apparently sees no choice but to follow her, and hurries after. She manages to hoist herself up, with more difficulty than spry young Kat over there, and turns to offer Myri a hand. ]

[slay]

[ with a climb of 18, buffy vaults onto the stage easily after kat. since gar's got myri handled, buffy just keeps on going, running straight for angelo, because no one trusts kat alone with anything. buffy is +5 reckless and kat is like +20 so maybe buffy will ... buffer it ... somehow ... ]

[romanticidal]

[ and from the wings where he stands suddenly rush...

a bunch of security guards.

because seriously girls, you can't just climb on a fucking stage during a concert. 8|

and... run... across it.

the crowd can't help but notice the spectacle, considering they've quieted waiting for rafael to start his next song... and apparently he notices too. because abruptly he's saying something in italian over the mic, and he's over there grinning widely.

the toughs form a line in front of the girls, glancing skeptically in his direction... but then he very clearly makes a waving gesture towards the girls, saying something else in Italian that meets with a cheer from the crowd.

gar gapes like a fish for a moment, blinking under the stage lights, and glancing between the bodyguards, the backstage behind them, and the singer. finally, she says quietly: ]

He... he wants us to come over there.

[witchwoman]

[Even with Gar's help, Myri... struggles to get up with the rest of them, but fear not! She's just in time to see Security try to tackle them like freaking linebackers. Seriously, guys? What about these four screams DANGER to you?

But then there's an exchange and Myri is leaning in to catch what Gar's saying. She blinks and looks at the man. Obviously she shouldn't lead this parade, since she... can't speak the language, but trying to back out now will only draw more attention to them, so she takes a step forward, looking to the others to see if they're going to follow.]

[shootfirst]

.... ooookay, maybe didn't think that one through. So good. [ kat frowns, but glances at the giant guards, looking more annoyed than afraid. she sighs dramatically. ] Time to play Desperate Fangirls. Let's go. [ she starts walking that way, and people start clapping harder. ]

[slay]

[ chills creep up buffy's spine as the crowd goes silent and when she realizes josh groban is staring at them and talking to them she is sure she's going to pee herself. oh god. she turns s-so slowly to look out at the crowd, then over at josh groban, horror apparent. she doesn't look at kat when she speaks. ]

I think I've had this nightmare before. Except we were naked. We're not naked, are we? [ but then kat is walking and oh god buffy is walking too, forcing herself to keep her chin raised and let an awkward, shaky smile build. she hunches her shoulders to give a sheepish look to the megastar they now share a stage with. ]

[romanticidal]

[ rafael is waving at the other side of the stage now towards some stagehands, saying more things rapidly in italian... and as the girls come over, they approach carrying four chairs, which they set up in a line. the audience laughs uproariously as he gestures for them to sit, and then asks them something, looking at them expectantly. gar, red as a beet, says something back to him, that includes the word 'americano' and his eyes widen in a moment of comprehension. when he speaks again, it's in english, though rather heavily accented. ]

Ah! Americans! [ more laughter ] And you came all this way to see me, si? [ his eyes glint as he glances at the bodyguards, waving them away from where they're trying to hover at the edge of the stage. ] Non preoccuparti, I don't think they're going to start tearing my clothes off. [ he grins back at buffy ] Although she did have a running start, yes? [ they all bust a gut at that, and he raises a hand to quiet them, suddenly thrusting the mike towards them ]

What are your names?

[witchwoman]

[Myri just looks at the mic, brows knitted in confusion. At least he's sort of speaking her language. She isn't sure if she should give her real name, but it isn't as if she has a prepared fake one just waiting for such an occasion. She leans close (too close) to the mic and speaks softly.]

Myrilandel.

[shootfirst]

[ kat sprawls out with her legs apart, like the classy lady she is, leaning forward. ]

Kat.

[rationalizes]

[ gar gives them BOTH A LOOK :| ]

... Tricia.

[slay]

[ oh god. he thought she was totally psychotic. the grin gets a simultaneous melty feeling and a flush of embarrassment. as they go through names, buffy can't help but give a roll of her eyes at gar. girl, there is no point in this seriously. she squirms in her seat, shoulders tense. ]

I'm Buffy.

[romanticidal]

[ he smiles warmly, pulling the mic back up. ] And I am Rafael. [ a sly glance at the crowd ] Though it seems you already knew that. I must say I'm touched to have such... enthusiastic fans. [ and to his credit, he actually does sound vaguely surprised on top of amused. ] I would hate for you all to come this far only to be kicked out, so instead maybe I can do something special for you, si? [ his eyes move across them each in turn, before settling back on buffy. ]

This is my song for the bellezas from America. [ he gestures at the band leader to strike up and takes a few steps aside as it starts playing.

[ ♬ Gira Con Me - Rafael Giovanni C: ]

[witchwoman]

[As the song begins, Myri suddenly realizes that she's on stage, in front of all these people. The color drains slightly from her face and she turns to look at her companions, wondering just how they plan to get out of this. Because being on stage like this is... not helpful at all, right?]

[rationalizes]

[ gar meets myri's eyes and it's clear she has the same thought. she murmurs under her breath: ]

I don't suppose anyone has a plan for getting offstage.

[shootfirst]

[ kat looks s-so uncomfortable getting... serenaded by an italian love song. she looks gar's way and offers: ] We could shoot our way off.

[ it doesn't really sound like she's kidding. ]

[slay]

We're not shooting our-- [ she elbows kat for that. and then slowly formulates a plan as rafael finishes his song. oh god. she jumps to her feet suddenly, leaning in to ask; ] Wow. That was amazing. You know, my friends and I, we're huge fans of your ... [ life. existence. face. ] Your work!

And. Well, our flight home is tomorrow morning, so we're trying to make the best of our, uh, last night in Italy! [ she gives a little excited spirit fingers gesture about that, shoulders tensing and hunching sheepishly. ] And maybe spend some time hanging out with you backstage. It's a--It's a thing in America. But, your show didn't have passes, so that's why we, uh ... [ haha they're so funny and american. she gets this awkward charming buffy smile on her face, with just a quirk of questioning optimism. ohpleaseohpleaseohplease. he seemed genuinely nice and pleased with their enthusiasm so maybe ... (diplomacy 14) ]

[romanticidal]

[ one of his dark eyebrows shoots up, but his grin only widens, and it's clear that he seems to find the whole situation amusing. he looks back and forth between them and the audience, playing up considering what to do, before bringing the mic up to his lips and saying in a low voice, as if he's bringing the whole audience in on a secret: ] What do you think? Will it set a dangerous precedent if I meet them backstage? [ the response is a crazy burst of screams of approval. he laughs and turns, cocking his head to look at the girls for a moment, letting them enjoy the reaction before he raises a hand to quiet them again. ]

Just so you know: this is a one and only night event, so those of you who might be tempted to climb on stage to reach me in the future...

[ he shrugs comically ] We may call the polizia. [ laughter ripples across the crowd, as he waves a hand dramatically at the girls ] Alright, I will see you after the show, no? Let's hear it for the americanas!

[witchwoman]

[Myrilandel jumps up in instinct when Buffy stands, but she hangs back as she realizes that she's making it up as she goes. Myri looks left, then right, then steps up next to Buffy and nods.]

We'd love that. Thank you.

[She links her arm through Buffy's and looks back to Kat and Gar. There are a lot of lights and she's not exactly sure where the back of the stage is exactly, but she knows that she has to move to find it because being up here is not fun.]

[rationalizes]

Yes, thank you ... very much. [ gar gives a nervous smile and then starts towards the wings as well. kat gives rafael a mini-salute with two fingers to her forehead and just says "Ciao" before heading after them.

when they reach the backstage area, the pimp-gnoll is nowhere to be seen however, though there's a doorway that seems to lead out of the stage area. one of the guards back here nods to it and jerks a thumb that way. "Green room, ladies."

gar pulls open the doorway, which leads to a small maze of white hallways, each door labeled. ]

[slay]

[ buffy gives the guard a grateful smile, then heads in through the door as gar opens it. ]

No sign of Angelo. [ she glances around. ] So, am I the only one wondering if that really just happened?

[shootfirst]

I sorta figured that was just the stuff Italian vacations are made of. [ /LE SHRUG. Kat starts reading all the labels on the doors, resolutely marching past the own labeled 'green room' where she obviously does NOT intend to go. ]