Every hero movie needs a party

[no_applause]

WHO: Anyone and everyone
WHERE: Some Ballroom
WHAT: PARTAY! AKA the Fundraiser Padme is throwing to raise money for Tony's philanthropic oopsie
WHEN: mid-April
WARNINGS: Nothing in general. Potential for villain violence.

((ooc: This is a general mingle post. Go forth and do whatever you want! I've set the scene for the party but what you do in it is up to you! Want to party and schmooze with some rich folks? Go for it! Want to be a bad guy and try to steal shit from under said rich people's noses? Fabulous! Want to be a hero and stop said bad guys. Awesome! Want to brood and sulk like the dark angsty DC character you've always wanted to be? You do you, boo. Go forth and have fun!))

Maybe you're well to do in the city. Maybe you just know a guy who knows a guy. Or maybe you just have the right connections and heard it through the grapevine. One way or another, you've heard about the party of the month. Padme Naberrie Amidala, on behalf of the Stark Industries Board of Directors, has planned the finest fundraising event of her career to help pay for the new wing on the children's hospital... And maybe some starving children Tony wants to save.

Arrival

The entrance sets the stage for the whole event. Lit posts leading up to a wide circular doorway. The red carpet from the sidewalk is lined with paparazzi looking to snap some primo pictures of the attendees. Pose for the cameras, mingle, or just grab a drink from one of the waitstaff as you head inside.

Dinner is Served

The tables are set with fine place settings and beautiful center pieces. Most of the room is decked out in black and white, so as to not draw attention to the lovely colored gowns worn by many of the attendees. The gourmet meal has several options to satisfy everyone. The deserts are even more elaborate. Grab a bite and socialize. Or steal a seat or a plate when no one's looking. I'm not the boss of you.

Time to Socialize

There might not be a formal dance floor but the string quintet is playing some lovely music while the guests mingle. Now's the time to grab a glass of champagne or something from the bar. Snag some fancy looking hors d'oeuvres from a wandering server and spend time with your fellow citizens of this fine city.

Auction!

It is a fundraiser, after all. Aside from the cost to get in (unless you're a filthy freeloader who snuck in the back door), there is also a silent auction set up for attendees. But there are no gift baskets or wreathes in this auction. Nay, my friends. There is a reason there are guards at the door. This auction includes such things as Rolex watches, diamond necklaces, ski trips to the Andes and other fancy rich people things.

But the cherry on top is Tony Stark's contribution. A car that mysterious billionaire Din Djarin is rumored to have his eye on. The car has somehow been brought into the event and is on display for anyone to admire. But remember, that car did belong to Tony Stark, so none of you villains even think about trying to steal it!

The Bar

Every formal event has to have a bar for people tired of champagne or those who just want to be antisocial and run away for a while. Does this really need any more description than that?

Comments

[noch]

Dad... she sighs a little when he draws her towards the dance floor, but in the end, she gives in really quickly, and without much of a fight. She can't really deny Cobb anything—if he wants to dance with his daughter, then she'll dance with him, and happily.

"I didn't think this kind of article would be my first," she says half-jokingly, but it's probably obvious by the tone of her voice that she's excited anyway. A byline is a byline. Fashion really isn't her forte, especially compared to people who make it their life, but she's still going to do her best.

[heypartner]

"Well, until Lark gets back someone's got to cover all the gossip in town and Ben's too nice to do it." And Cobb still thought it was funnier if a blind man covered it instead of someone with sight.

Yeah, he needed help for this. There was no way Lark's regular readers wanted to miss out on fashion. Luckily, he had a daughter very willing to indulge her dad and his strange sense of humor.

"Besides, if we stick around long enough a murder might happen. These people play nice but they're ruthless." Cobb had heard enough pleasant conversation in one moment and then vicious insults the next. It was wild.

[noch]

The thought of Ben Kenobi covering gossip somehow feels even more ludicrous than a blind man doing it. He's right, Ben's too nice to do it.

"A murder would be more interesting than dresses," she says lightly, as if this is a completely reasonable statement. Is she saying that she wants there to be a murder? No, never. But if a murder happened to take place tonight, coincidentally? Well... it would be more interesting.

"You've picked up some gossip already?" He did say that they're ruthless. Please give her the tea, Cobb.

[heypartner]

He rolled his eyes but she wasn't wrong. This sort of event, this sort of article, it didn't interest him. He would probably write up something of an editorial piece about the wastefulness of it all and how good intentions for the hospital were lost in all the self-congratulating.

"Oh, nothing too exciting. Tony Stark caused some chaos out by the pool. Pushed Padme in. Like they're high schoolers flirting." Cobb had heard of that from listening in on security.

"A few people have snuck in without invitations and are playing a game of cat and mouse with security. The bartender almost got fired which is something since Padme's usually real calm." Cobb was impressed someone annoyed her that much.

[noch]

None of this really surprises her, or that fact that Cobb has managed to suss all this out already. Most people don't pay too much attention to a blind man, like he can't hear as well as can't see, and that's a fact that he often takes advantage of. She knows better than to underestimate him.

"Are they flirting?" She asks this with a sort of mild interest—not because she's actually interested in either of their love lives, but more because it would make for a hell of a gossip article. "The bartender must have really screwed up." It's the only explanation for why Padme would intervene, and so quickly.

[heypartner]

"Knowing Tony? He might be. The man tends to flirt with everyone. Never means half of it." Cobb hasn't talked to Tony yet tonight. He'll probably swing around his way eventually. He's very easy to find in a crowd with his off beat heartbeat.

He spins them around, showing off a little because a blind man should not be so dexterous and confident. Well, most people thought he shouldn't.

"What are your impressions of the party? Don't talk to me about fashion and all the glamour you can see. Tell me what you feel after being here." Time for a little reporter lesson with Dad.

[noch]

She easily follows him through the spin, smiling a little impishly at the curious glances they're getting. It's unbelievable enough to see a blind man dance, but this?

As for her impressions? That's easy. Her answer is instant and decisive. "The fashion and glamour is all for show. It feels as though almost everyone here is putting on a performance." Cobb said it himself earlier—these people play nice on the surface, but they're ruthless underneath, and that's the exact same feeling she gets from being around them. It all feels so fake.

[heypartner]

Merrin knows he's got some better senses and that he can use them to move around the world without much help. She's good at following his lead and trusting him to lead. A man couldn't ask for a better daughter.

"Yeah?" He trusts her opinion but he wants her to voice a little bit more. "Why would they do that? Is it for the hospital's benefit?"

She would have to voice these thoughts in her writing so time to coax them out.