[indent][b][u]January 1st, 5:56 PM
Madison Square Garden, New York City[/u][/b][/indent]

[color=orchid]“Ready as I’ll ever be,”[/color] said Karen, smiling.

Getting changed had given her a chance to cool down a bit after her heated argument with her tour manager. She really couldn't stand that guy—a company appointee. She had tried many times to explain the importance behind the tour, but all he ever saw were the dollar signs. Not that the dollar was worth a whole lot.

Things were getting a little better as people began adjusting to the status quo the world had fallen into, but a cup of fairly plain coffee still cost nine-fifty at any corner shop. A lot more if you went to a more upscale place like Starbucks.

Pointing her eyes forward down the hallway, Karen took a set of steadying breaths. In just a few minutes she would be stepping out onto the biggest stage of her career. In addition to the more than twenty thousand people in attendance, they were also streaming it live to many millions more.

She couldn't afford to mess this up.

As they neared the entrance to the main part of the stadium, the low roar of the crowd became apparent. They weren’t even really cheering yet, but their endless natter nevertheless carried through the walls. It only grew louder when they neared the doors themselves, a pair of armed security guards nodding her a silent acknowledgement.

Swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat, Karen glanced to Jones. [color=orchid]“Wish me luck.”[/color]

The guards pushed the doors open, and the undiluted screams of her fans hit her like a wave crashing over the rocks. Raising her hands to greet the crowd as she walked down a lane between the ascending rows of seats on either side, she couldn’t help but note the half-dozen additional guards that flanked her path.

As she passed, hands would occasionally reach out for her. Security was quick to—rather gruffly—shove these people back into their seats and issue them a firm warning.   

But none of that mattered; she wouldn’t be afraid.

Slowly ascending a short flight of steps, Karen stepped onto the wooden stage where her instrumentalists and backup dancers were already waiting in the darkened parts towards the back. Being passed a tiny headset microphone by a stagehand, she fastened it to her ear and carefully adjusted the mic until it was just in front of her lips.

Blue, purple, and green lights burst to life all around her as she took center stage, and Karen once again raised her hands to acknowledge the almost deafening cheers of her fans. Although she made certain to sweep her gaze across the entirety of the arena, it was perhaps inevitable that she would settle on the row of seats directly in front of the stage.

Harpies, ghouls, gorgons, Cynocephali, and more were seated in attendance there, along with precisely one hundred Mages. These were the thousand seats she had purchased for Terrans that weren’t baseline or metahumans. Many of them were far too poor to ever afford a ticket themselves, and she had wanted to prove to them that she wasn’t all talk.

Taking in another breath, she offered the arena her very best smile.

[color=orchid]”Who here is having a Happy New Year?”[/color]

The crowd’s enthusiastic response hit the stage with enough force to nearly bowl her over, a forest of hands whipping about in a disorganized frenzy. Sharp, piercing whistles and indiscernible screaming stabbed at her ears, but her smile remained unbroken.

[color=orchid]”And who here is ready to [i]rock?”[/i][/color]

Again the roar of the crowd was deafening. Her ears would certainly be ringing after tonight.

Turning to face the greater stage, the darkness that had shrouded it up till now was instantly swept aside to reveal the instrumentalists and dancers. Karen pointed to the sky. [color=orchid]”Hit it!”[/color]

The sharp screech of a guitar pierced through the cacophony of enthusiasm pouring from the crowd, and it was soon joined by the thunderous beat of the drums as “Blood-Stained Pelt” began to play.