The doors to the ballroom yielded to the crowd that had gathered before them, opening to reveal a scene stunning to Rikki's eyes and sweet to her ears. When she heard the -very excellent- band playing some high energy but not psychotic jazz, she was pleasantly surprised. They way things had been going so far, she half expected something like the ball scene from The Shining, or a string quartet scratching out Vivaldi. Not that she disliked Vivaldi, it's just that some things were so overdone that they became cliché in real life as well as in fiction. To go along with it, the ballroom was magnificent. Extravagant and yet open and roomy, it rather reminded her of a wedding reception. To cap off the image, tables lined with food stood against one of the walls. Rikki approved immensely; buffet dinners were better than sit downs for gigs like this. Finally, a display of money she could actually get behind. 

The crowd piled in with their drinks their talking and ruined the image. Rikki liked big empty rooms, for some reason. Maybe it had something to do with being in a room that was meant to hold a hundred people and having it all to yourself; an obscure way to be selfish. Rikki shrugged the thought off and entered the room with the crowd. Once she was in, she stood out of the way of the flood coming through the doors so she could find a suitable seat. She hated moments like this, trying to figure out what to do...

Just then, a waiter approached her and said, “Excuse me ma’am, but your presence has been requested near the stage. You're to be introduced to everyone.” A smirk crawled over his face. 

“...on the stage.” Rikki said flatly as her eyes grew wide. [i]In front of every-...oh, crap. Where do I go? What should I do? Will I need to say anything?[/i] These internal questions were answered with the waiter's hand finding her back, making Rikki jump out of her skin even though she saw it coming. Some people were leaders, others were followers, and Rikki preferred being herded like cattle. Her dislike of touching gave this small amount of contact the effect of a whip as the bemused waiter led her through the crowd. Everyone was there, Rikki saw Ingrid on the platform, who looked very much like a stage director in a hurried production. [i]Any second now she'll ask for props department...[/i]She thought, directing her nervousness towards humor. At least the others were here, all huddled to the side, though Rikki observed that they didn't look every comfortable either. [i]No one is alone, she supposed. we're a rag-tag group after all; there's me, Cooper, Miss Stiletto Heels, James Bond and Benji. Five little fishies out of water, standing in a bunch.[/i]

David Woll's appearance interrupted her train of thought and he slapped Cooper on the shoulder. "Hello, hello! Wow, you guys look just incredible. What a difference from this afternoon, eh?" It was a joke, but to Rikki it felt like an insult. What he actually said differed from how she heard it. [i]“What a difference from this afternoon...because before you looked perfectly awful.” Thanks, chief. She thought bitterly. [/i]

They wasted no time in pushing the group towards the stage. David did his overture as he announced them one by one. Rikki put on a brave face as he paraded them before the whole room. People clapped as they stood there, and it was over quite quickly; like ripping off a band aid. Rikki watched, both amused and embarrassed, as Benji climbed off the stage in front of everyone and hit the dance floor. [i]He must be a light weight to get drunk that quickly.[/i] 

Rikki exited the stage in a more normal fashion and swam out into the ocean of people and booze. Without much to do, she decided to lean against one of the walls and just watch everyone. Maybe this party wasn't so bad after all.