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Post by Krepta on Nov 11, 2011 23:32:14 GMT -5
Bruce had to smile slightly at the lack of introduction on the woman's part. Obviously she wasn't used to all this attention and was distracted. He decided to step back a little and let Cleo, "Gray" and she converse on their own. After all, there was something very interesting going on at the buffet table. A woman-- one who he hadn't seen coming in with the original catering team-- was snacking on the food that she was supposed to be handing out. Not so unusual-- perhaps she was a temp, a rather irresponsible temp-- it happened, except, in true paranoid Batman fashion, he had noted each and every staff member that was supposed to be attending to the nights events. She wasn't on the guest list, and yet, here she was. "Excuse me, ladies," he offered a nod and a parting smile to the group before slipping away. Casually, the broad shouldered man made his way to the table, a pleasant smile firmly in place. She wasn't a thread-- yet, so there was call for caution, but not necessarily hostility. The crowd, a whirl of glittering masks and colorful costumes seemed to part before the powerful man like the red sea, before the gap filled in again with chattering, happy party goers. He stood there, behind her for a moment, simply observing before speaking up. "Enjoying that shrimp?" It wasn't an accusing statement, and the tone was neutral, but one look at his face and it was obvious that he knew. He wasn't trying to hide it. Perhaps she would offer an explanation, or perhaps she would try to run-- he was ready to deal with either reaction.
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A small, dark form flickered through the jack-o-lantern mottled shadows outside the house. In the bushes, a flash of sleek black fur and envy green eyes, noticed only briefly by strolling couples enjoying the grounds. Merely a brief glimpse of movement, and in the next breath of wind, nothing. Autumn nights like this, though, tended to play tricks on the imagination-- it was probably nothing. Or rather, that's what Krepta intended the mansion's guests to think. The less she was noticed, the better-- not that anyone really cared that much about a scrawny black cat wandering around in the middle of the night. Probably just a stray. It didn't really matter what they thought she was anyway. She was here on her own mission-- not for some stupid party thrown by a silly rich playboy. Not that she didn't appreciate the purpose of the charity event, of course. There were, though, far more important issues at hand. Passing by the night before in search of a meal, she had caught a familiar scent. At first, she couldn't place it-- and it had taken her an entire day and a half to remember, but eventually it came to her. The man in the woods. When she had first come to in this other world, there had been a dragon, unconscious, and a man with a helmet. She had only gotten a brief glimpse of him, but his scent, that stayed with her. And now she had caught it again here, of all places. Why the Wayne mansion, she didn't know, only that she could never mistake that scent for any other. Somehow it was... wrong. Either way, she planned to find out why tonight if she could-- and maybe she'd snatch herself a warm meal while she was at it.
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Post by cptdragon9 on Nov 12, 2011 21:13:18 GMT -5
What the hell was that stupid fraggin lizard playin’ at?
Lobo had followed the dragon in it’s furry disguise from their warehouse lair to the mansion. It wasn‘t easy; his massive chalky white behemoth frame didn’t exactly blend into the foliage, but he still tried as it was his job to make sure the dragon remained unharmed; a deal that he was finding more and more irritating to uphold. After the fiasco with the kids he’d wanted her to keep a low profile, but the dumb reptile had snuck out in her cat form, trying to give him the slip.
Well Nobody pulled one over on the Main Man, not even cold-blooded, fire breathing ones.
For now the Czarnian tried to fit his massive hide behind a hydrangea bush. It seemed there was some sort of hoity-toity party going on, with all kinds of panty-waist crème puffs stuffing their maws With crème puffs as the laughed and drank, oblivious to the monster lurking just outside the bay windows.
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Post by themascura on Nov 21, 2011 18:38:36 GMT -5
April promptly swallowed a last handful of shrimp. All at once. She nearly coughed, almost gagged, but managed somehow to get the massive ball of sea-critters down without causing a scene. Other than what appeared to be an unnatural adam's apple sliding down her throat.
"Uh, hi." She turned and confronted the swanky visage of money incarnate, blue eyes already cringing. Despite obviously knowing she was in trouble, she promptly broke into a wide, cheerful grin.
"Yup. They're delicious. Even if they're kinda cold." She responded, adjusting her too-large jacket around her skinny frame and pressing her heels together, "Champagne, Sir?"
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Mari took stock of the rapidly changing situation once more and decided that, with Mr. Wayne's new absence and the lack of attention the others were paying her, now was the perfect time to make her get away. She took a single step back, and then another, slowly and carefully beating a strategic retreat toward the door.
Now seemed a good time to check the perimeter and make sure all was well outside.
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"You really have to tell me who does your styling, dear. It's lovely. Oh, don't tell me, it's that little place on main, isn't it? John Phillipe? Rachael does my hair, but I've been considering moving on to something newer lately." Cleo watched Bruce make a quick get-away toward some barely-populated corner and arched a well-groomed eyebrow.
"He makes a habit of doing that, doesn't he?" She muttered under her breath, wondering to herself what little sweetheart he had stashed away waiting for him in those dark corridors and empty spaces.
"How is your ankle, dear? I imagine you must have hurt it at least a little while going down!" She beamed toothily at the poor little paparazzi who's shoe had malfunctioned so horrifically.
"Why don't we find you some comfortable place to sit, away from all the noise and lights?" The millionairess reached out for the red-head's arm, intending to help her to her feet and away from the hustle and bustle of the crowd. And possibly toward some valuables.
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Post by chikaradesu on Nov 22, 2011 9:52:46 GMT -5
Late as always Wally arrived at the Wayne manor, just about 1½ hour after Bruce Wayne would have finished his opening speech. In return his costume was perfect. Wally had ordered a full Storm Trooper suit, thrilled that it had arrived in time, but had decided to make a few changes to it last minute, last minute being 20 minutes before he was supposed to leave his house. Now the white suit was scratched, dirty and looked thoroughly worn out, as if it had actually been used in a war. He was SO cool! On the other hand would he have to save all the money he could in November to be able to afford any Christmas gifts.
Entering the ballroom, Wally was mesmerized by the decorations, how well done they all were, and by the horde of people all seeming to have a good time. Everything was as he'd pictured it, just with a little more 'AWE' in the AWESOME! Robin would have approved of this, maybe even added a new, half destroyed/slaughtered piece of the English language. Like 'aster'. Who even says that, anyway?
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Post by ZiggBot on Nov 23, 2011 5:20:24 GMT -5
Calmly resting a sherry glass against his smooth lips, sipping casually and listening to idle banter in the eastmost side of the ballroom was none other than Jack Ryder. He stood straight and tall, an arm tucked into one pocket, and the other constantly holding some form of alcoholic beverage. He seemed just as relaxed as he always was, and held his ground with any of the rich suits he was surrounded by. Tonight he was wearing a costume the host might have been all too familiar with. He dawned a black poet shirt, hat, pants, and cape, as well as a slick domino mask and a replica saber. Indeed, he was dressed as Zorro. He chuckled at one of the suits' jokes, able to hide his overall disinterest with ease. Politely, he said his farewells for the time being, and made his way across the floor towards one of the windows. As he gazed out, his face remained cold. His thoughts were elsewhere, far away.
Jimmy took her hand gently, and stood up. Now that he thought about it, his ankle was a tad sore. It wasn't the first time this particular ankle had been injured. He had sprained it quite severely a few years ago from falling off of a step ladder. "Thank you, ma'am." He smiled, making his apple cheeks rose up and his blue eyes glisten in the chandelier's light. "Awfully kind of you to be helping a klutz like me out so much. Back at the Planet, when I'd fall, most would just help me up and tell me to laugh it off."
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Post by Krepta on Dec 11, 2011 21:37:42 GMT -5
Krepta's whiskers twitched with a mixture of amusement and irritation. There was a familiar scent on the breeze, and it wasn't her quarry. This particular scent was thick, rancid, and belongs to a certain moody, trouble-making behemoth: Lobo. She wasn't quite sure what he thought she had asked him to do-- all she had wanted was the kids out of her metaphorical hair, but the bounty hunter seemed to have other ideas. Ideas such as following her around and making it very difficult to remain unnoticed. He seemed to think he was pretty well hidden behind those bushes. With a sigh, the shapeshifter doubled back, nimbly making her way through the undergrowth to his feet. With the sensitive nose of this animal form, the stench was overpowering, and she had to keep from swaying under it's powerful olfactory onslaught. "Lobo," she grated in hushed tones, "What are you doing?! You're going to get me caught!" She cast a worried glance over her shoulder at the well lit house, and a chill wind made her shiver even in her thick black fur. "Look, I'll yell if I need you. I'll even bring you back something to eat, but you're not exactly... low profile, you know? There's something important I need to do here."
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"I didn't see you come in with the rest of the team," Bruce said, smoothly ignoring the questionable display of shellfish gorging. "Did Betty just hire you?" He hired the same catering business every time, and knew many of the employees well. As far as Bruce knew, she wasn't among them. "Either way," he continued, frowning a bit at the rapidly diminishing bowl of shrimp, "I don't think you're supposed to sample the wares." One elegant eyebrow arched silently, and he crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I'd like an explanation, if you don't mind."
There was another abnormality in the corner of his vision as well-- perhaps a more important one. Jack Ryder was here, and since Jack was Creeper and Creeper was missing, well, that really shouldn't be. A deep frown creased his features, and he made a mental note to follow 'Jack' when he left the party. Perhaps this man would offer a lead on what happened to Creeper, or perhaps it was Creeper, and he simply couldn't remember. It wouldn't be the first time a well known hero had lost their memories and vanished. Either way, he would be finding out tonight.
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Post by cptdragon9 on Dec 14, 2011 10:21:25 GMT -5
Even the temptation of rich fattening food didn’t seem to sway the Czarnian from his appointed task. “Look I dunno why yer lurkin’ around dis stinkin posh pit, but ya hired me ta cover her ass, no matter if its got fur ‘r scales. You git inna trouble, I drag yer ass out. 'Course if ya bother ta tell me what yer after, the Main Man c’n probably march right in der and get it. I ain’t seen nobody in der dat I can’t take out. In fact I c’n probably bitch slap da lot of ‘em in one shot.”
And yes, the longer Lobo flapped his yap, the louder, and more animated, he became. At this point he was waving his arms about, shaking the hydrangea bush something fierce.
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Post by themascura on Dec 14, 2011 17:13:34 GMT -5
"Tell you to laugh it off?" Cleo's green eyes immediately darkened with horror, "How rude. I guess that proves that chivalry is dying. Thank goodness there are a few men left of that dying breed." The woman moved to support her fellow party-goer, glancing once more around the party. It seemed to be in full swing now. There were ghouls and goblins, princesses and and vampires everywhere. The bright sea of pinks, blues, oranges and reds swam like a tempestuous sea.
"I consider myself a conservationist, you know. Rare breeds are my specialty." She curled her pink-painted lips upward, making toward one of the quite rooms away from the party, heels click-clacking down the elegant mahogany floors. And hopefully filled with no end of pretty little antiques and art pieces. She was an avid collector, after all.
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It wasn't actually the yelling that got Mari's attention first. Nor was it the violent movement of the hydrangea bush. It was the smell. The yard smelled overwhelmingly of week-old-carcas, which was odd, considering the owner of the great house certainly would have had his yard cleaned before inviting the whole town over to a party. Mari frowned a little and watched a pretty little cat confront something large and white behind the bush, which was rapidly loosing what leaves it had left.
She considered for a moment, and then made her way closer to the strange duo, making no attempt to hide her approach. She could hear her own footsteps, loud and clear on the crisp, not-quite frozen grass. The moon was bright tonight, bathing the garden and it's decorative walls and planets. The blue-gray shadows it cast filled the yard with jigsaw patterns that tried hard to confuse the eye, mixing plants with walls and earth.
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"I... just got hired. Quick replacement. Someone got sick." April muttered, ignoring his pointed comment about her shrimp consumption. Despite the fact her belly was screaming that she was full, she cast a mournful glance across the contents of the tray, wishing she could take more with her. With a clear look of remorse in her big blue eyes, she turned and looked at the severe-looking black haired man looming intimidatingly above her. She couldn't quite place it, but despite the fact that the man looked, acted, and spoke like a dandy, some darkness seemed to hover around him. It made her a little uneasy.
"Do you need me to get anything for you from the kitchen?" She questioned quickly, acting upon her sudden need to make a quick escape.
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Post by cptdragon9 on Dec 24, 2011 19:32:06 GMT -5
When Lobo heard a crack of a twig he turned to see someone or something coming up on the other side of the bush. He reacted predictably, which is to say he over-reacted; but then he didn’t live this long by bein’ slow on the draw (okay maybe having a super hyper healing factor might also contribute to that measure, but still…).
Suddenly the hydrangea bush appeared to have sprouted two well armed arms, the business ends of both blasters pointed right at her chest. Two leaves seemed to be burning bright red, giving the bush a more demonic possession look.
“’Old it right der!” the bush demanded.
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