[center][color=00ffff][h2][i][b]Victoria van Dyne[/b][/i][/h2][/color]
[color=silver]With: [color=D8BFD8]Connie[/color], Alphonse, [color=8a9a5b]Barty[/color] & [color=aba400]Max[/color][/color][hr][color=00ffff][b]Location: [/b][/color]Haven > The court of two sisters > Margaret Carter institute
[color=00ffff][b]Skills/equipment: [/b][/color]ASTRA armor
[/center][hr]Almost five hours. [b][i]Five![/i][/b] If this absolute media circus and then a mandatory hangout with some suits was what fame was like, Tori would be happy to live her entire life with no one knowing her name.

At least she had the time to do some Christmas shopping, and now she was on her way to be rid of a certain errand.

Easier said than done though.

The entrance to wherever the locals were holding their celebration just [i]happened[/i] to be inside the Strange academy. The one place where she could not find her way through, and tonight was no exception. [I][color=00ffff]Because fuck my life![/color][/i]

After ten minutes of searching, Victoria found herself back at the entrance. Her pupils ticked to red. The air conveyed the hum of multifield generators powering up. Vicky's fuses were just about ready to blow and she was about to make a new hallway to where she needed to get, when...

[Color=d8bfd8]"Hey, uh...you look lost. You were talking with Nicky and Barty the other day. Are you looking for them?"[/color]

The hum died down. [Color=00ffff]"Oh! Yes, actually. 'Barty' asked me to fetch something for him, but I can never find anything in this place. If you could point me in the right direction-"[/color] Vicky paused. That's how she got into this miserable situation in the first place! [Color=00ffff]"-at no price, I'd be very grateful."[/color]

[Color=d8bfd8]"Yeah, they are in Haven, their bar. Follow me."[/color]

Saved by a kind stranger.

[Color=d8bfd8]"I don't count favors. That isn't how my magic works."[/color]

Vicky filed that interesting fact. Barty told her that all magic has a price. She supposed that the payment could take many forms. She also supposed that Barty could have been lying. [I][color=00ffff]But if magic could be considered a form of energy, could I just not 'simply' change one form of energy to another? Hm. Something to ponder over the break.[/color][/i]

She was led to what looked like a door masked as a painting, with the twinkiest bouncer she has ever seen minding the queue. Fortunately not a large one, so she foregone trying to get ahead and waited her turn.

[Color=00ffff]"'Evenin', I have a delivery for Barty Macleod. I was told I could find him here?"[/color]

“A delivery at this hour?” Alfonse frowned, gave Vicky a look over, and his expression melted into something more pleasant. “Ah, yes. Barty did mention someone would be coming and they would be inexperienced in all this. Please step forward and through. Stay focused on the door at the end; the Neverish isn’t kind to those who lose their way.” With a press of his finger against a painted heart and a rush of magic, the painting bent inwards and stretched until its color faded and in the far distance, a plain wooden door spilled light beneath it.

“Good luck.”

Inside the speakeasy, the usual dark décor had been enhanced. The ambient lights stayed dim and new, brighter strobes pulsed in time with the music from the DJ who’d taken over the space previously held by a piano. Wooden paneling covered the playroom floor, cleaned and cleared to make space for the party, and the dark room door stayed close to offer a quieter, more relaxed atmosphere the energetic club music couldn’t offer. Waitstaff circulated with water and juices and mocktails, alcohol strictly limited to long time and responsible patrons, and finger foods flew from the kitchen almost as fast as it was eaten. One of the twins was at the bar, chatting under the roar of the music, as they mixed and served. 

From amongst the people gathered within the space, sat Barty dressed in all black suit, a white round mask with silver accents and a beak that curved downwards upon his face. He held a drink in one hand, whiskey with a single large clear sphere of ice. There was a black cat with yellow eyes curled upon around his feet, and as soon as Vicky entered the space, its head popped up and locked eyes with her. Barty hardly looked her way, but it was clear he'd noticed her presence. 

Tunnel visioning on an objective? Not a problem for Tori. She thanked the bouncer and marched to the door, entering the establishment. She had to admit, the place had character, and dare she say, a certain kind of appeal. On a regular day when it wasn’t commandeered for a party, it could be a place she might fancy frequenting, were she from around here. The physical was about where the appeal stopped though.

She spotted her target right away, marching straight for him. With Billy Butcher’s ‘Oi! Evenin’ c**t!’ on her mind, she settled for a [color=00ffff]”’Evening, mr. Macleod. I believe this is yours?”[/color] she said as a compartment on her suit opened and she reached in, pulling the red gem out in her fist. A brief thought entered her mind whether it would set the place on fire if it wasn’t surrounded by her ‘aura of hate’, but then again, Barty explicitly told her to give it to him here. If there was some adverse reaction, well… it was his to deal with.

Barty quickly stood up and placed his hand over Vicky's, ensuring she didn't simply show off the gem inside the room. The cat around his feet stretched before it made its way up his side and sat on his shoulder. [Color=8a9a5b]”I appreciate the timely manner but please follow me before you go waving that around.”[/color] He said with a smile, he snatched a beverage off of one of the trays and held it out for Vicky to drink as he began to walk towards a more secure area towards the back, one that required a key he held. 

[color=00ffff]”This won’t take long, will it?”[/color] Vicky asked in an ‘I am done with this’ tone, but followed, not trusting anything served here and holding the drink in her hand, but leaving it otherwise unattended. Heck, there was a chance that she might actually [b]get[/b] a buzz from some magic spiced drink, and she had places to be. Piloting under influence was not on the agenda today.

[Color=8a9a5b]”Not long at all no. Oh and its a mocktail, no real concoctions are for free here unless you're me. But also I brew it all so it better well damn be.”[/color] He unlocked the door and gestured for her to walk in before him. One of the few times he was ever polite, but it was a party after all and he had to be somewhat of a good host. [Color=8a9a5b]”I take it from your lack of mask that you wont be joining us in today's festivities?”[/color]

[color=00ffff]”The invitation I got was verbal and did not state a dress code. Not that I have any particular place to put this stuff at the moment.”[/color] Vicky pointed to her armor as she entered the room, [color=00ffff]”But yes, when presented with a choice of a place that could kill me and a party thrown by cheating hacks versus a normal establishment with friends and family, which would you choose?”[/color] Macleod could blast the Margaret Carter Institute all he wanted - Vicky for one knew it was far from perfect - But their team couldn’t hack it even with illegal support. Spoke volumes, in her opinion. [color=00ffff]”Where do you want this thing, do you have a shielded container or something to that effect?”[/color] she inquired.

[Color=8a9a5b]”Im offended youd say as much. This party is thrown by my brother and I alone. It has no bearing on if the schools team wins or loses, even if those fourth rate casters with fifth rate magic couldn't even afford to win with our aid. Waste of good magic, but a boon I shall hold over their heads in perpetuity. I didn't help them so they could win, I helped them so I could get ahead. As for where I want it.”[/color] He held his hand out, palm turned upwards. [Color=8a9a5b]”You can simply give it to me. I just didn't want those intoxicated ‘mages’ seeing my gem. They might get ideas, and I [i]hate[/i] ideas.”[/color]

Victoria saved a record of that conversation. If not Max, Sabine would be interested in hearing the admission. [color=00ffff]”All the reason for me to make a hasty exit.”[/color] she said, dropping the gem into Barty’s palm. [color=00ffff]”And now that our business is concluded, have a nice evening, Mr. Macleod. May you live in interesting times.”[/color] she gave him the briefest of nods, before turning on a heel and stepping out.

Barty faked a smile, cold and calculated. Her last sentiments sounding like a threat, especially to one who had lived through many interesting times before. He gripped the gem in his hand before looking at his familiar, and scratching beneath the chin of dark fur. He had what he needed, and it put him closer to what he desired. The gem was stashed and hidden, the mask affixed and ensuring it didn't show his true feelings before the roar of the party came back into view as he stepped out of the room once more.

[hr]
Vicky stopped by a big mall and got herself two large suitcases. She really needed to figure out how to make the armor more portable - or at least easier to put on.

Finally wrangling the armor inside, she arrived at the Court. Others were already there, but first, she padded over to Max. [Color=00ffff]“Good evening. I learned something that might be of interest for you.”[/color] She said, raising her palms. A holo displayed, replaying the earlier conversation with Barty regarding the source of Hex Girls' doping from Vicky’s point of view.