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

[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. ]

[witchwoman]

[Myri's reading lessons are paying off, because she notices that they've walked right by the Green Room door. She doesn't ask why, though, because she's pieced that together. Plus, she doesn't really want to try to worry about working on getting them out of another sticky situation. She prefers stealthy work, okay?]

Just what are we looking for?

[Besides that guy in the strange outfit. Kat seems to have a mind on where she's going- or she's faking it very well.]

[savemyself]

[ kat looks over her shoulder to answer, when the door she's walking past opens and she has to jump out of the way, lest she get a face full of door.

a woman emerges from it in a huff, dressed in an elegant red and black number, with dark hair and eyes that flash as she looks over them with apparent annoyance. she directs a question at them in italian sharply, that sounds somewhat accusatory.

gar stutters a reply, pointing back over her shoulder. the woman watches her suspiciously, and looks the opposite of convinced. she points up the hall the way they came, the other had on her hip as she relays some orders to gar, who seems to be apologizing. ]

[slay]

Uhhhh. I'm not really getting any of this. [ she shoots a strained look at kat, voice hushed. of course myri doesn't speak italian, but kat has no excuse. ... somehow. even though buffy has one somehow. shhh. ] What's going on?

[shootfirst]

My money's on 'stupid americans, you're not supposed to be here!'

[rationalizes]

[ kat, that was the opposite of quiet. she shoots a look back at her, before saying one more thing to the woman who is glaring in kat's direction. she starts backpedaling, pulling the others with her. ]

I told her we just got lost and we're on our way back to the green room.

[witchwoman]

[Myri looks over her shoulder at the woman they ran into, remaining quiet, since she's not much help with talking their way out of things here. She returns her gaze to the front, wondering if they're actually going to the green room. She turns her questioning gaze to Gar, not sure if she should actually say anything.]

[slay]

[ buffy, for one, will push open the door to the green room as she arrives at it, but stops to look back in the direction of that bitchy italian broad to see if she's still there. because maybe if she'd just go away ... ]

[savemyself]

[ gar and kat follow suit inside, and as buffy watches the woman stalk down the hall in the direction of the concert hall, she'd shortly see her almost collide with a stagehand, who she snaps at. he offers what sounds like an apology and then she grabs his arm and stops him, with a sharp question. he starts to explain something, gesturing down towards the girls and she follow his gaze, her expression seeming to gather storm clouds instantly. she drops his arm roughly, and points at the stage area, sounding exceedingly bossy about something, and then raises both eyebrows at him pointedly, before rolling her eyes and disappearing around the corner toward the stage. the poor stagehand takes a moment to recover before heading down to the open door, where he bows to them slightly. ]

Pardon signorinas. It seems Signior Giovanni will be unable to speak with you at this time, but extends his apologies, and would invite you all to attend at his palazzo tomorrow evening for dinner. He understands you have plans to leave back to America tomorrow, but has offered to pay to have your flights rescheduled should you choose to accept. [ another nod of his head and he passes them a card with an address printed upon it ] With his compliments.

[witchwoman]

[Myri is pretty sure this was NOT part of the plan, but it would only raise more suspicion if they refused, wouldn't it?]

That's very kind of him. [Myri says, waiting for the stagehand to leave before turning to the others.] Should we go? It wasn't part of the plan.

[Not that she hasn't deviated from a plan before. But this makes her nervous for some reason.]

[slay]

Angelo was spending time in this guy's backstage. [ she looks from myri to kat, popping a shoulder in a shrug. ] They've gotta be connected. Why waste an in?

[shootfirst]

Plus, I bet the food will be awesome. [ priorities, kat ] But c'mon, let's keep snooping around back here. Anyone asks we're looking for an exit. If this guy runs this place, he's got to have an office or something, right? [ and she heads out the door once more. search checks for those joining her \o\ a check of 14 or above will find the door with his name on it :3 ]

[slay]

[ buffy follows her out, but with a search check of 5, she quickly gets distracted by trying to nose in the other doors instead of spotting angelo's. ] Snoopage it is.

[witchwoman]

[Maybe it's because Myri is so concerned with practicing her reading, because she because she searched the hell out of that check with a 21 total.]

Perhaps... that one? [She points discretely to the door in question]

[rationalizes]

[ gar comes to a halt, glancing at the door and nods solemnly. ]

Well done. Kat? [ she looks at the other girl who glances around the corner and then points at the door as an 'all clear'. gar raps on the door lightly. ]

Signor Nassi?

[ when there's no response, she tries the door, which, unlocked, opens inwards at her attempt. the lights on inside, and a low voice growls something in italian. ]

We... we're sorry to interrupt. But we wished to speak with you. [ beyond gar, it's possible to see where the bizarre hyena-headed creature sits behind a large wooden desk, glaring at her suspiciously from behind a pair of shades. he raises a long clawed hand and gestures at them to come in.

"I don't have all day," he rasps. ]

[slay]

[ buffy follows them into the room, trying not to look too uncomfortable with the fact that she is talking to a hyena. she takes a round a minute to adjust. ]

It's about Nova records. Word is, you've dealt with them. [ she doesn't go further into it, because she figures he can fill in the blanks, and because, well, she wasn't sure how direct gar and kat thought was wise to be with this. ]

[shootfirst]

[ the gnoll affixes her with his beady little eyes, before leaning back in his seat, folding his knobby fingers together.

"At times. I'm in the music industry, and they're the biggest name on the planet. Hardly surprising."

kat rolls her eyes, and folds her arms, leaning against the door jamb. ]

We were thinking 'dealt with' in a more literal, slightly shady way.

[ as if it were actually a question of how direct kat means to be with anything. he tilts his head down, looking at over the top of his glasses, which comes off as slightly menacing (intimidate check 17, make a will save of 17 or more to remain unaffected! ... kat certainly isn't. )

"I don't know how you mean," he says, in a low tone. ]