nyc ♔ all moonlight returned today

[romanticidal]

♬ shining star - jump5

WHO || Rafael, Isabella, Burt, Kat, Gar, Mark, Luthir, Buffy, Spike, Finnick, Violet, Elena, Archer, Des [closed]
WHAT || Burt invites everyone to celebrate their victory at the trial at the opening of his new nightclub in NYC
WHERE || New York City, NY
WHEN || Saturday, March 15th [forward dated]
HOW || Actionspam

It's over. After months of being sidelined by the trial of their friend Rafael, the Knights are finally free to return to England and see what headway the Dragon's Claws have made on discovering the location of the Talisman they seek.

But not everyone is so free to return. The consequence of getting Burt's assistance in disentangling Finnick from his contract and super-stardom was an ironclad agreement that allows Burt to sink his claws fully into Rafael's career. Considering that Burt knows their secret identity, non-disclosure agreement or not, the executive's renowned moral gray-itude doesn't exactly make it seem like a great plan to back out on the compromise.

They've at least been able to put off their goodbyes for a few days since the end of the trial, as Burt invited all of them to New York City for the opening of his brand new nightclub. Some of them flew out, while Archer and Des presumably drove their matching El Caminos cross-country in the days between. But now they've all met again in the Big Apple, for a celebration - and farewell of sorts.

Comments

shopping burt-style ♔ for everyone! single thread nonsense, or spin off threads idec

[starfucker]

[ if you mothafuckas think burt becksworth is taking you out in public in anything that costs less than a few grand, you're wrong. which is why after he's got everyone set up in a sweet hotel, he insists they all pile out to his stretch SUV-limo earlier in the day to go pick up some fancy new duds. he's outside on the sidewalk waiting for them when they pile out, staring down at his smartphone with a frown ] Alright, chop chop ladies, time is money and money is everything.

[nothingsodivine]

[Des didn't stay at your stupid swanky swank hotel, okay. He went back to his hovel to make sure his plants hadn't died- just kidding, he doesn't own any plants.

So he's in the process of parking his car, because this area of NYC is probably twenty blocks from his Manhattan apartment.] What are we ever gonna do without your money, Slick?

BACK AT THE HOTEL

[starfucker]

[ by arrival thread, i'm a dirty liar, i forgot it's STILL DAYTIME ahahahahha. ha. also there's one last thing.

so, hotness in tow, and a free nat 20 disguise check for all, the crew returns to the hotel briefly to finish getting primped up as they so choose. when they wander into the connecting main room, there's a box sitting on the table that burt gestures at. ]

Oh yeah, forgot to mention. They let your shit out of evidence lockdown after the sentence came down. Have at, kids.

[ he rips open the top, revealing: rafael's guns, a colt m1911a1 with silencer lying below that. archer's flask is in here. bullets in separate bags. the torn bottom strip of buffy's dress. a suit folded neatly in a bag. and archer's shotgun. ]

[nothingsodivine]

[Let it be known that Des doesn't even flinch at the DRIED JADE BLOOD on that dress. In fact he passes over the table entirely to borrow the minibar while everyone's primping.]

Think we're gonna need those?

[HE IS BRINGING HIS GUN. It's a NYC club. There will probably be all kinds of people in there packing heat. He gives not one shit.]

In Da Club | Arrival

[starfucker]

[ finally content with the overall look and presentation of rafael & finnick's 'entourage', burt pulls everyone up in front of the club in the long black SUV limo. crowds are gathered outside for the opening, held back by red cordons. cameras flash, sexily dressed patrons are ushered inside by bodyguards, and giant spotlights comb the sky to draw attention to the place.

but it's probably the neon name of the club above the door that catches everyone's attention. rafael is certainly staring out the window in shock.

burt, however, sounds proud as a peacock, clapping him on the shoulder as he looks out the window beside him. ] Like that, don't you? Think of it as my way of paying tribute.

[ he announces, smugly satisfied: ] Welcome, ladies and gents, to the Eternal Jade.

[slay]

[ you have to be fucking kidding me right. buffy reaches a hand over to rest on rafael's knee as if somehow that is the right way to calm him down right now. but she's right there with you homie. she finds words since raf obviously isn't going to. ]

Is this a joke?

At the bar

[rationalizes]

[ ♬ fever - adam lambert

SHORTLY THEREAFTER, failboat is occupying a number of barstools down at one of the brightly lit little islands swimming in the neon. gar has proven herself to have a much higher alcohol tolerance than anyone might have expected, jsyk, with her fort save of 20. she protested for a few minutes against the many shots kat ordered lined up for her, but then downs them each like a champ, laughing. ] You know, I did attend university. Even students of arcane scientists had to unwind from time to time.

[slay]

[ buffy sees your fort save of 20 and raises it with her own of 30. she's not going down or getting ridiculous any time soon. in fact, she'll reach over the bar and grab the tequila bottle so she can continue to refill their shot glasses. she makes a little gesture for kat to help her out by getting the lemon container. ] I always thought you stuffy librarian types unwound by translating risqué passages with naked pictures beside them.

zarad & elena ♔ dance floor

[fornicator]

[ ♬ til the world ends - britney spears

zarad leads elena out into the very middle of the floor, casually parting the crowd as people edge aside for him, until they've reached their own bubble in the center of things. he turns to her with an easy grin still splitting his ridiculously good-looking face, and slides one hand around her waist, drawing her in just a little closer as he effortlessly transitions into moving along with the music. his confident demeanor wears especially well on the dance floor, and he stares down at her, the multicolored lights above glinting in his eyes. (dance 27) ]

[notaroundme]

[One of Elena's arms goes smoothly around his neck as she easily follows his lead, catching his eyes as she looks up at him. She lets the alcohol sink into head a bit, finally at least feeling it (dance 22, fort save 17).]

{ ota... forty shots later.....

[nothingsodivine]

[♪ Number One- Styx

Des finally failed a fort save, but judging by the empty shot glasses lined up on the bar, it must have taken the amount of shots to kill an ordinary man. Des, however, is only marginally tipsy. And hiccuping.

He'll have to... shake this off later if he plans on successfully conning Burt, but RIGHT NOW... right now he's making a tower out of his forty shot glasses.

Oh yeah.

Life of the party.]

[shootfirst]

[ despite gar's protests, at some point in her night, kat made the decision to think she could try to match des, and that didn't go very well for her. (fort ... 5) and now gar is trying to shush her as she picks a fight with the bartender who's trying to cut her off. ] Cut me off? Do you know who I am? I could set your whole... bar on fire! [ she waves a hand dramatically to illustrate and... knocks it right into des' shotglass tower.

CRASH! ]

finnick, vi, luthir, isa ♔ private room

[savemyself]

[ ♬ replacement - she wants revenge

burt got all huffy when no one was interested in his hookers so he's taken the two ladies down to another bar to do body shots or something, who knows, leaving finnick, vi, luthir, and isa alone up in the private room that overlooks the club. while the other three hang out on the incredibly cushy furniture with a variety of drinks at their disposal, isabella stands near the window panel, watching the others down at the bar with a permafrown etched on her features.

it's a party. ]

[graveflowers]

[ burt really wasted his money on buying fancy clothes for her because it's not like she ever gave the idea that she was intending to have fun. but whatever, she's laying on one of the couches throwing alcohol soaked cherries in the air and catching them in her mouth. ] Okay, so Scrabble is out. [ WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE IS NOT SCRABBLE BOARD AT THIS CLUB??? ] What about Truth or Dare? Never Have I Ever? Not that I think there would be much... Fuck it, we're playing that. You too, Isabella.

spike and buffy ♔ on the dance floor

[bigbad]

[Spike doesn't even send a second look back at the others when Buffy tugs him on the dance floor. He isn't drunk enough to think this means anything, but he's seen Buffy move and this is just like any other dance they've done, only without the violence. It's gonna be fun. He grins at her and spins her, stepping into the dance. There's a vicious, gleeful edge to his grin, the same look he gets when he's fighting her, but he's not trying to hurt her. He's just challenging her.]

[slay]

[ haha you're funny.

welcome to buffy's 90s dancing where you stand far enough apart to have a conversation and sort of move your hips vaguely. she's glancing back at brad pitt and elena. ]

Keep an eye on her, would you? I don't want Elena to think I'm doing the mom thing, but - [ but ... she's totally doing the mom thing? she rolls her eyes. ] I don't trust Des' friends as a rule. Mostly because I didn't think Des had friends, and I don't trust Des. [ anymore. wow that's depressing to admit out loud. she'll channel that negative energy into her dancing. ]

Archer, Burt, and Body Shots!

[isisagent]

[Archer hesitates for a moment as everyone splits their separate ways, then stomps off after Burt.]

It must be the classy hookers and expensive clothes, Burt, but I feel like I 'get' you a lot more than I do the rest of them. [He gestures back to the crew at the bar.]

Barkeep - Whiskey sour on the rocks. Hold the rocks. And the sour. And make it Bourbon. 50 years.

1/-

[starfucker]

[ ♬ temptation waits - garbage

burt grins, one of the only people to not really be offended by archer expressing any sort of camaraderie towards them. and leans past him to tap the bar. ] And let's start lining something up for these ladies while we're at it. Dealer's choice. [ he slings an arm around amber with a grin. ]

vi, luthir, kat & gar ♔ somewhere

[graveflowers]

[ vi doesn't mind luthir not going anywhere, okay, she's fine with her elven bodyguard. eventually, after stopping at the bar for a couple glasses of ice water, she finds her mentor and team leader (spot 23) and winds her way over to them quickly. her eyebrows knit together in worry. ]

Hey, so who wants some nice shiny water? [ ooooh, water, so enticing. ]

[shootfirst]

[ kat perks up at vi's approach to the booth gar has her trapped in, drunkenly waving her over. ] Vi! Hey! You know, you're still... still officially my squire right? Til we hit the castle again? That means... that means you have to --

[ she leans over and says loudly right in gar's ear, holding both hands up to either side of her mouth like a megaphone: ] Tell Gar she's being laaaame.

BURT AND DES }

[nothingsodivine]

[Des has apparently sobered up a bit for this conversation. His hair is a bit wet from where he tried to drown himself in the sink- maybe he was trying to take a cold shower, we just don't know- but he's here, he's not falling down drunk, and he slides into the booth Burt's currently sitting in.]

I wanna talk shop, slick. Tell your girls to hoof it.

[starfucker]

Do these really look like savvy industry spies to you? [ the girl he has his arm around has a neon yellow bra sticking out of her leopard print dress and she grins at burt who smirks back at her. ] Think of 'em like lamps.

buffy & rafael ♔ .

[romanticidal]

[ raf's part of the convo above will involve leading buffy up a further flight of those metal steps, so that's where they're going rn. yep. ] There was something I wished to show you.

[slay]

Is iiiiiiit shiny, sharp or edible? [ emphasis or. but those are buffy's favorite categories of things tbh. she meanders comfortably beside him, an easy smile working its way onto her face. ]

buffy & rafael ♔ .on the dance floor

[romanticidal]

[ ♬ what dreams are made of - hilary duff

rafael and buffy descend from their moment out of time, back down into the driving beat of pop music and the heaving crowds. rafael takes her hand in his, continuously giving it a reassuring squeeze and looking back at her with a smile to try to lift her spirits back up as they head down the steps and onto the floor. he doesn't allow her to hesitate, just keeps a slow, sure pace until they've found themselves surrounded in the mass of people. ]

[slay]

[ his smile is infectious to the point where buffy is ducking her chin to try and hide the fond one creeping across her own face. she steps in close to him as they settle into a space of dance floor, and all the sweaty disgusting bodies packing them in like sardines ~barely feel like scenery~ because rafael is there and they're together in this moment. for once, he's not drifting elsewhere, thinking of someone long gone. he's here.

they're here. for the last time until god knows when. the outlook isn't good, but being out of the starkly emotional moment on the roof helps her to gain perspective. his contract isn't forever, and this mission has already gone on for two years and it feels like they're nowhere (which would normally be bleakly depressing but not in this case, because in this case it means she'll probably see him again).

she slips her arms up around his shoulders, even though the music is loud and pulsing and not hilary duff, jesus. her hips move in time with the song, effortless and casual for all appearances. ]

spike and des ♔ idk somewhere

[bigbad]

[Spike's searched every goddamn nook and cranny for Des' friend, maybe because searching was better than grumbling over the Buffy and Rafael situation, but it's pretty clear Brad Pitt has left the building (nat 20 search). Finally, he admits defeat and goes to find Des instead, lurking just far enough away to avoid Burt and his hooker posse before catching Des as he leaves.]

What happened to your friend? [A beat.] And why do you smell like him?

[nothingsodivine]

[Des glowers.] He had an appointment somewhere else and by the way? Stop sniffing me.

moonlight ♔ raf, des, spike, buffy

[ladyofdreams]

[ vincent is nowhere to be seen outside of the private room, but rafael doesn't seem to notice. he pushes the door open, and a shaft of light comes splitting out of it, so bright and pure that it requires a fort save of 20+ to keep one's eyes open. otherwise, they are effectively blinded for about six seconds before their vision slowly returns.

the room is suffused with the strange light, but when they can see, it's easy now to see the source of it.

standing across the room, in front of the window panes, is a woman, although woman is a term that seems to fall short. her diaphanous gown appears to be compromised of nothing short of actual moonbeams, and looking at her directly requires a fort save of 15+. her face is youthful and ageless, but it is possible to recognize her facial features as elven. serenity surrounds her like a mantle of moondust, and the weight of her gaze when she makes eye contact with any of them is so strong that it requires a will save of 15+ to not look away.

the door shuts behind them, of its own accord, as her gaze falls across each of them in turn, filling them with the sensation of being studied, inside and out.]

[nothingsodivine]

[Des fails that first fort save TRULY AND UTTERLY and swears under his breath, rubbing his eyes. He's prepared for her when he looks again (fort save 19), but he realizes instinctively who she is (wis nat 20), and turns his eyes away (will save 20 total), as if he's ashamed of something she's going to see while she's looking at him.]

keijen plotting ♔ ota

[slay]

So.

[ after rafael's musical number, buffy catches back up with gar, vi, kat and the others. she slides herself onto a bar stool without touching the alcohol. despite her eagerness for bar plans with des, she's barely touched the stuff all night except for at the very beginning. and honestly? it's been better that way. ]

All decided? Who's coming with us to have a go at Keijen?

[graveflowers]

[ vi glances at finnick because wow she doesn't want him to go, but he's a big boy, so she's not going to stop him. and she's finally figuring out how awful this healing shit is because she knows she can help and she won't be any help if she doesn't go? but odds are she won't be any help if she does go anyway. myri had this shit way rougher than anyone could imagine. she shoots luthir a helpless look, but bites her tongue for now. ]