Log:Metahuman Holiday Charity Auction

2021/11/29 	 Azure Dialydd Himinglaeva Titan Samuel Starlight Artemis

1

There's a charity for a children's hospital taking place at the Yacht Club, which is already decorated for the December Holidays even though Thanksgiving has just passed. It's free to attend, but VIP tickets are set at fundraising prices for the wealthy, which includes a later dining experience on a large yacht. But right now, there's an auction block stage and rows of seats. Wine and appetizers are circulating on trays held by servers dressed in all black shirts and slacks with red ties, whether they're male or female.

Some of the city's philanthropists and patrons are gathering in seats with their numbered paddles, while fans are also gathering to get a peek and hoping they'll somehow have a chance of winning.

The heroes on auction are 'backstage' behind a curtain with the Auctioneer, out of sight from the crowds still. "Is everyone here? We'll be beginning shortly," says the middle aged auctioneer with grey and ginger hair.

Sure, Himinglaeva has been enjoying her new wardrobe, courtesy of Neria. But there are times when the right regalia is required. And she heard of the auction... mostly via talking with her new friend.

So it is that she makes her appearance in grand fashion. Just a tiny bit fashionably late. She simply rises from the water on the starboard side of the yacht. More to the point, not on the port side. Armor gleaming as she causes all of the water on it to remain in the sea. She merely steps over the railing and walks backstage to be auctioned for charity. Hey, she loves a good party.

Artemis is in the crowd, having been invited by someone who suggested they help with the charity. She asks, "And how exactly might my presence help raise alms?"

Despite being in the hero game, on and off, for almost two decades, Jackie has bever taken part in one of these events. She actually quite nervous as she stands backstage.

Azure slips in at the last minute, not sure why she is here but positive PR is always a good thing. Plus Daisy kept pushing her to get out more. She also slips in on the yacht from the water, mermaid tail and all. Though she quickly shakes off the water, tail merging into scale covered leggings as she strides towards the backstage. Himi is given a cheerful nod and smile. "Hey Himi!"

Titan is backstage. Why not help out for charity's sake, after all?

Jackie asks rather nervously, "Anyone done one of these before? What should I expect?"

Dialydd stands near the back of the waiting area lightly tapping one finger agasint the outside of his pants. Other than that, he seems perfectly calm and collected.

Titan smiles. "I haven't done this before, I'm afraid. But...I would say...just try to be relaxed. Someone bids for your time to have dinner or whatever. And you just...need to act natural."

The Auctioneer, Burt Gildaroy, chuckles reassuringly at Jackie's question. "Well, madam, you just need to go up on stage and look your finest to gain the highest bids for charity. Do you have any other questions?"

Azure smiles at Jackie, "No idea but I'm sure we'll just have to waltz around the stage, pose for camera shots and wait to be auctioned off." her turquoise eyes sparkle with amusement and anticipation, not a big fan of crowds but she does like to try new things. She nods to Titan, "Hello again." To Burt Auzure nods, "Soo we just stand there? No showing off skills or anything?"

Jackie sighs, acquiescing. "Yes, many. But don't let me hold this up."

Smiling to Azure, Himinglaeva looks to the others. Then to Titan. "Olympian descent I presume." she says in her Germanic accent (that I totally cannot type). But then she looks towards the person organizing all of this and simply states, "I am ready."

Burt smiles. "It's just a dinner date with fan who may be interested in asking about your heroic adventures. Nothing untoward." He looks to Azure and answers, "A display certainly wouldn't hurt. It will probably drive UP the bids, so...yes, I fully suggest you all give a show if you're comfortable." He looks over to Titan and looks surprised. "I wasn't expecting an actor to join. You may not have done one of these before, but I'm sure you're familiar with posing for the red carpet. Perhaps you can give people some pointers?"

Dialydd nod poltely to Mr. Gildaroy after the man speaks.

Jackie quickly undresses. Down to her Starlight costume.

Azure smiles and nods, looking back to Titan. She's not a professional performer herself but has certainly sung in public before. "Yes, please. I would love some tips."

Dialydd turns his attention to Titan as well. His gaze, while not lingering long, is open and curious.

Titan smiles and nods to Himinglaeva, "That's correct." He looks back to Burt and nods before saying to the others, "My recommendation is just as I said before: Be your natural self. Yes, it's a public stage, but it's really no different than putting yourself out there for say...public speaking. Just relax, and smile. You're here for a good cause. They're here to help that cause. Oh...and if you feel like you have a 'good side', keep that toward the crowd. I don't mean to turn around if you think you have a good backside. I mean...if you think you look better from slightly to the left or right."

Artemis' associate explains to her, "Oh, well, you get auctioned off and the money goes to a good cause." Artemis stares at him for a food several seconds, then narrows her eyes.

"My name means... she through whom the heavens can be seen." Says Himinglaeva. "At least in the ancient tongue. So... I presume that this will be my best look on stage." she states as she quite literally assumes full water form. Her entire form.. even her armor and such.. look liquid and translucent. It could only happen when magic is involved of course. Light can be seen refracting through her body, even as the light reflects off of her armor.

That done, she boldly strides towards the stage to be the first presented.

Burt is pleased by Titan's pep talk. He claps his hands together once. "Well, let's get started, shall we?" He doesn't give them a chance to answer before saying, "My stage assist Nadya will tell you when to come out on stage." With that, he walks around the curtain to the side of the stage, then goes around it to get out front and address the crowd. "Ladies, Gentleman, and non-binary friends, please be seated. The auction is about to begin!"

Before Burt can even do his introductions, Himi comes out on stage. He looks aghast and leans to look past Himi to give Nadya a scolding look, then quickly recovers. "First on the docket, we have..." he motions for Himinglaeva to introduce herself.

Nadya, with tablet and a headset with mic for stage coordination, looks panicked.

Jackie looks at Azure. "Good luck."

Azure smiles brightly at Himi, her aqua eyes filled with the usual awe and wonder as she gazes at the sea goddess in her beautiful water form. "You look amazing.," she chirps, probably her biggest fan..But it seems she will go next and she draws a breath. Not a goddess, not strikingly beautiful, but she does have a literal magical voice.

Burt is given a nod and smile and then she sweeps onto the stage, bowing to the audience before she begins to sing:

~Between the here, Between the now

Between the North, Between the South

Between the West, Between the East

Titan chuckles as the MC has to scramble. He nods and agrees with Jackie's sentiment. "Good luck."

Between the time, Between the place

From the shell, The Song of the Sea

Neither quiet nor calm

Searching for love again,

Mo ghra~

Dialydd wanders over to Nadya then murmurs to her, "Heroes are a strong-willed. You might wish to take charge of the order now rather than be surprised again." His tone is supportive.

Yep, bold assumptions are annoying. But Himinglaeva steps aside, gesturing for Azure to go ahead of her. "I will happily step aside for this one. My friend."

Nadya's jaw drops as Azure also goes on stage. She's just a young stage coordinator in her mid twenties trying to wrangle gods, demigods, and superheroes. Welcome to Colonial Bay, Nadya! Hope you survive the experience!

Someone in the crowd says, "A double date?" And up goes their paddle. Before Burt can clarify anything, the bidding starts. "I have 1000, do I have 2? 2? 2 thousand for the gentleman in the back. Do I have a 3?" And so the bidding goes.

Artemis stares at the sudden auction bidding, slow on the uptake. "They are rating them?"

Her companion, Ben shakes his head. "No, they're bidding. As in dollars?"

The bidding war goes on. "Sold! At $23,000 for the pair! A real steal."

An assistant comes by to lead Himi and Azure off the stage. "If you'll come this way..." the man hopes to wrangle the heroes so they can handle the transactional details.

Nadya looks at the people and tries to select the next person. "Ummm...you!" She points to Jackie. "You're up!"

Jackie says, "I'll probably make a dollar fifty."

Nodding her head, Himinglaeva accepts this. "Very well. I will be happy to join my friend." That said, she walks off stage alongside Azure.

Jackie steps out through the curtains onto the front stage, waving to the audience.

Artemis is in the crowd near the back, watching as Himi and Azure are escorted away. She gasps. "They...they are -selling- them!"

Ben looks confused. "Well, yeah. The heroes are the ones being auctioned," he explains, not knowing how clearly things need to be explained to Artemis.

Burt smiles. "For our next prize, we have..." he trails off and sweeps his arm toward Jackie to introduce herself.

Dialydd watches the auction on a screen backstage. A faint frown appears then fades as the auction continues. The Adonis-like youth goes over to Titan and asks, "Have you participated in anything like this before? I ask as, cha, the audience seems to be rather...avaricious."

Titan shakes his head, and answers Dialydd, "I have not. But...I figure, it's for charity."

Jackie shrinks and flies out over the audience. "Hi, everyone. I'm known as Starlight now but used to be known as Wasp when I first arrived here. Thank you all for coming and supporting this charity event." Returning to the stage she grows back to normal size.

There's Oooooos and Ahhhhhs from the crowd. Wasp/Starlight is a long time hero in the city, back from the days when Spirit was Syphon. Someone raises a paddle. Burt says in delight, "Well! We're starting at $3,000! Do I hear 4? We have 4! 5, 5, 6! 7? Have a chance to talk to a veteran hero who's seen it all!" The numbers keep climbing, until the bid is won by a handsome man with brown hair and blue eyes that looks to be in his mid thirties. "Sold! For $38,000!"

Dialydd nods to Titan. "Cha, I had hoped otherwise. Are crowds always such do you think? The client who suggested I participate did not give me many details." He smiles gently. "Just to dress like I was being presented at court."

Jackie thinks what that can do for the children's hospital and gives the winning bidder a friendly wave.

Titan smiles warmly. "I...am not sure. But I would not be surprised."

The gentleman smiles He's dressed nicely in a tux and gives Jackie a nod. The assistant guides Jackie off stage. Himi, Azure, and Jackie are given contact information and details to sort out after the auction to arrange their 'dates', and are left free to socialize.

Nadya beckons to Dialydd. "You're up!"

Dialydd nods politely to Nadya then closes his eyes for a moment. As he opens then, a warm gentle smile graces his lips. As he stalks forward, his gaze never rests on anyone long out in the audience after he glides through the curtain. His motions are smooth, graceful, and sensuous.

A quiet falls upon the crowd as they stare at the attractive alien dressed in royal garb. Burt introduces him. "For this lot, we have an unusual and promising candidate!" He looks to Dialydd to prompt him to introduce himself.

"I am Dee-all-lith neeBres teeEemur," drawls the alien youth in his deep, warm, and resonant voice. "I look forward to seeing whom I shall be with. Shall we begin?" He slowly prowls the stage when he finished speaking.

As Artemis seems about to go up to the stage, a brunette woman of considerable beauty in a to the audience.

Jackie thinks what that can do for the children's hospital and gives the winning bidder a friendly wave.

As Artemis seems about to go up to the stage, a brunette woman of considerable beauty in a lavender gown says aside to her, "Yes, sold off to be companions to the winners. It's one of the oldest trades. But not the oldest."

Artemis is furious at this revelation. She looks to the stage and things seem to be confirmed as Dialydd comments at seeing who he would be with. As the bidding begins to start quickly for him and the numbers climb, Artemis is marching her way to the stage. "Fear not, Guardians! I will not allow thee to be sold into slavery to be the consorts of wicked mortals! I will see ye be free!" she bellows, reaching for her sword. The woman who spoke with Artemis smiles and watches.

Titan furrows hsi brow, and pokes his head out to see what the commotion is.

Dialydd stops for a moment to look at Artemis then over at Mr Gildaroy. "Is she correct, ser?" he says in a serious tone.

This usually is all it takes for Artemis to realize the misunderstanding and stand down. Only this time...she doesn't. "'tis the slavery of flesh trade rather than of labor. Both are to be condemned." She points her sword at Burt and starts to approach him. "Be thee the trader, or merely a pawn? Whom do ye serve!? Who benefits from the coin traded for flesh here!?"

Burt starts to back away and gets tangled up with the curtains. "Johns Hopkins Children's hospital. Please, there's nothing illegal happening here!"

Artemis growls. "Slavery 'twas legal once, but no more. I shall teach thy Master Johns Hopkins a lesson!" She begins to raise her sword with Dialydd reaches out, looking to him.

The words sink in and Artemis closes her eyes tight, then opens the up and blinks to look around. "Ye...speak true," she lowers her sword from the auctioneer, Burt. Burt breathes a sigh of relief. "So then...this be like unto a play?"

"As I understand it, it is to lead to a date which has no overt intention of sexual intercourse, just companionship," Dialydd says in Guild Trade. "No sexual services are being sold and the money goes to a charity to benefit children."

He then says more loudly to the crowd. "A moment, neighbors. There was some confusion, but we will continue." He looks to Burt. "Perhaps Titan should be up? I shall go and speak with Artemis here."

Artemis relaxes as Dialydd explains in an alien tongue. "That is...most relieving. I know not why I thought there were falsehoods spoken," she replies back in Trade Speak.

Burt nods and quickly tries to calm the crowd. "A simple misunderstanding. No, she isn't on the docket. But we have a surprise! Johnathan Vasilikos of the silver screen! Otherwise known as Titan! Bidding shall start at $5,000!"

Titan smiles and waves, much like he does at film premieres. "I hope you'll all be very generous in supporting the Children's Hospital." The bidding wars begin. The lady in the lavender gown takes a seat and raises a paddle for the bidding.

In the end, it's down to the strange woman, a young Influencer, and an older rich socialite. Finally, the woman in lavender outbids them all with a high raise. Burt hits the gavel. "And sold! For $120,000!"

Dialydd tells Artemis backstage that someone used magick on her. "But I have no idea who," he concludes in Trade Speak.

Samuel looks over the bidding and sighs. He retracts the helm of his suit as he heads backstage. "I'm running late, I heard there was a report to the police?" He nods to Artemis. "Artemis, it's been a while."

Artemis has since sheathed her sword and calmed down. "I like not the sound of that, Friend Dialydd." She looks over as Samuel reveals himself and smiles broadly. "Friend Samuel! Ye hath finally escaped thy lab!" she chuckles.

Dialydd watches the screen with half an eye and nods at Titan's winning bid. "Cha, that is a goodly sum. The charity should be happy."

"Police report? Of what?" Artemis asks as if she didn't just cause a commotion.

The woman in lavender gracefully walks toward the side of the stage to make her payment. Her dark brown hair is tied up in a high bun, with a few loose curls around her face. After making her payment, she turns to Titan and smiles. "Jonathon. It's so nice to meet you at last," she purrs.

Titan smiles. "I hope you'll be happy with your donation and bid. Do I...know you?"

"Not yet," the woman smiles. "Call me Eris. Come. I think I'll claim my bid now."

"Uh. Right now?" Titan replies.

Eris nods. "Right now."

Laughing Sam shrugs a shoulder. "More that people nagged me until I agreed to do this auction." He shakes his head slowly. "I still don't know why my donation isn't enough." He shrugs. "They tell me that this is looked upon more favourably." He frowns to Artemis. "Are you here for the auction?"

Artemis nods knowingly. "I was told I should come, but I knew not why nor understood what this event be about. I...will not be willing to barter myself off." She at least doesn't seem angry about the auctioning, giving her background of having been enslaved.

"Barter yourself off?" He chuckles. "I don't know as I'd put it quite like that." He runs a hand through his hair, the suit making his head seem small in comparison to his hand. "I'm told it's meant to be fun, I'm not looking forward to spending an evening with someone on the grounds of how much they're able to pay... I don't have high hopes for the evening."

Artemis laughs merrily at that. "Friend Samuel, I think ye would not have fun lest ye were bartered to be in thy labs."

Sam shakes his head with a chuckle. "I leave my lab all the time... Don't tell anyone, but sometimes I even enjoy it." He shrugs a shoulder as he looks at Artemis. "I just don't fit so well outside the lab. Conversation is the same, I often enjoy conversations, but I'm not very good at them." He shakes his head slowly. "But enough on my short comings. How have you been?"

Artemis smiles and playfully looks at him suspiciously. "Be thee truly the Sam I know?" she asks playfully. "I hath been most well. Many a thing hath changed since our paths last crossed, and yet some things remain the same. I be still bound to protect the Urth. Especially from the Outsiders that threaten to consume reality," she says all this as though it were just a common occurrence. "And thee? What dost though do these days?"

Sam shrugs a shoulder. "I keep myself busy with work mostly. I'm finishing my latest iteration of dimensional travel, as well as modifying the Suit to utilise it." He sighs. "I'm also trying to make more functions and events. I'm hearing that I can be short with people and that for some reason, few people are interested in discussing science for hours on end." He shrugs in confusion. "Little has changed."

Artemis chuckles at Samuel's confusion and raises a hand to clap it on his armored shoulder. Maybe at last, this version of his armor can withstand her overly...'friendly' high strength claps. "Worry not, Friend Samuel. One day thou shalt find a kindred spirit whom shall either discuss thy theories to infinity, or will at the very least enjoy thy enthusiasm as you talk of thy ideas."

Laughing Sam shakes his head. "Or perhaps I'll expand my interests beyond the sciences. Stranger things have been known." He doesn't seem too concerned by the clap on the shoulder, his smile warm. "I have been convinced that I need to improve my interpersonal skills."

Artemis smiles at that. "Thou are fine as thou art, Sam. Continue to do what brings thy heart joy," she says encouragingly.

Sam nods. "Oh, I don't plan to stop doing what I love, but I believe growing is important." He frowns as he looks out at the auction. "I am taking the time to grow skills I never had the chance to develop as a child."

Artemis tilts her head slightly at that. "Hmm. Aye, thy sword fighting skills do need work," she confirms. What that has to do with childhood may be a mystery. And WHAT sword fighting skills does Sam even have? She steps alongside him and pats him on the back while pointing to the stage. "Very well, then. If ye missed out on being auctioned as a child, here by thy opportunity! Seize it!"

Laughing Sam shrugs a shoulder. "I don't have any sword skills." He frowns thoughtfully. "I do want to practice my unarmed combat skills at some point. I'd be interested in continuing the lessons we began in our Omega days, if you'd be interested." He sighs as he looks out towards the stage, his helm returning. "It's been good seeing you Artemis." With that he steps out to the stage, waving towards the crowd.

Artemis smiles broadly at that. "Thou HATH changed. Very well! We shall find a time to hone thy skills in combat. Best of luck in thy sale, Friend Samuel!" she waves as he heads off to the crowd.