| It's Not Work If It's Fun |
| Summary: | Zatanna, Naenia and Topaz at the Voodoo Lounge |
| Date: | 2014-03-20 |
| Related: | None |
| NPCs: | N/A |
| Scene Runner: | {$runner} |
| Social/Plot: | Social |
| Players: |
 .. .. .. |
It was a night like anyother in the village, darkness meets neon. A slow late summer rain drizzled on the streets, reflecting the neon back up to mingle with the mix of characters that enjoyed the nightlife of Greenwich. Everyone perhaps colorful, yet in some way, a mask for whatever lonileness they may have felt inside. Naenia put out a friendly appearance, being the musician she was, attending NYU's grad mathematics program - in a normal sense and yet the spirit of Greenwich is something she felt. There was always that odd draw recently for her, or the new her, to the Voodoo Lounge and she wasn't quite sure why.
Tonight, however, was the night she wanted to find out why. Wearing a dark green overcoat against the rain, she made her way to the lounge. The darkness and decor alone give her eyes enough to eat in, adjusting to the atomsphere of the establishment, she makes her way to a barstool, gives it a considering glance and then side-saddles up and onto it. She looks for the bartender indifferently, not in a hurry for a drink, but still probably wanting one just the same.
.oO(Mystic)Oo. Hellstorm spells it up.
Enjoying a night off was becoming something of a rare event for Zatanna. Usually traveling or performing, the sorceress has decided to make use of this treasured free time by visiting a place she was invited to some time past but had not yet had the opportunity to experience.
The dark haired woman has opted for something less obvious, more casual than tails, top hat fishnets and heels. Not that she's sluming. She wears a while silk blouse and a black knee length skirt with dark hose hugging her legs. White pumps with almost spats-like black toes and lower heels cover her feet. Entering the lounge she smiles and looks around with a smile as she reflects upon the decor and furnishings before making her way to the bar to settle upon a stool, legs crossing right over left.
It being midweek the Lounge isn't as busy as it could be, and on the weekends it gets packed, on a Wednesday, not so much. It's just busy enough to keep the staff (two bartenders and two wait staff) from getting overly bored and leaning about.
There always seems to be an empty table and/or empty barstool that can be had, its like magic or something.
Of the two bartenders it's the petite Indian one that greets the two newcomers first, as they sit at the end of the bar that she is managing, "Namaste." her tone warm as is her welcoming smile "Oh, Zatanna. I am pleased that you finally decide to come for a visit." Naenia is then addressed "You to as well.
You sense Zatanna Zatara looking at you, Topaz.
Not familiar with desi/hindi greetings, Naenia is apt enough to at least realize its a greeting and offers an nod. Though with the Indian bartender's familiarity with the other recent arrival, she pauses in her return to take them both in for the moment. "Thank you, I must admit, curiousity brought me out tonight." Or rather her, she could go on just the same perhaps, but she doesn't want to get into the reunion that seems to be unfolding between Topaz and Zatanna. Though, she also would like a drink, so she curiously asks, "You wouldn't happen to have a White Lady." A slight incline, she means a drink and hopes the happenstance of the mix of cultures doesn't suggest what she is making a commentary on it - she simply wants the gin-mixed drink it would seem.
Zatanna Zatara settles at the bar and smiles. "Namaste, Topaz. And yes! I finally had the time to come visit. It's really nice." She glances around, idly brushinhg some strand of hair behind her right ear only to have it rebel and spill back into her face again as she turns to offer the other arrival a smile as well. She falls silent long enough for that order inquiry to be made and then asks, "Just a glass of Cabernet for me, please?" She glances around the lounge again briefly, the smile never leaving her features.
"Curiousty brings them in, but the atmosphere and the eye-candy keeps them coming back." Topaz gently teases Naenia. Though she isn't wrong, the staff is attractive, but that's a NY bar standard, at least for the popular bars. "A white lady, yes I can make that. I do not get that ordered often…or at all actually," a shaker is taken and she begins to mix the ingredients "Thank you Zatanna. I will never get tired of hearing how people enjoy the Lounge." the cocktail is shaken and pout into a chilled martini glass to be set in front of the woman, she then moves to pour a glass of wine.
Pondering a little, Naenia gives the tease a turn over as if checking it against a thought, then smiles, "Yes, I can see that." As if that seems an appropriate response when she deduces that, and she looks over the staff, and Zatanna even, she's right there - nothing wrong with having patron's that are eye-candy in a manner as well. "Do you travel often," ponders the woman towards Zatanna, as if that might account for the time she is unable to visit. Thoguh she still remains curious about the place in such a manner that she just can't put a finger on it. Though conversation is just as well and intrigue can be sought later it would seem.
Zatanna Zatara smiles and nods to Topaz. "And why not? Credit where credit is due after all." She accepts the glass of wine with a soft, "Thank you" and glances toward Naenia. Shrugging a little, she seems to down play the notion. "Oh. I suppose I do but it's not so bad." She smiles. "As they say.. do what you like.. never work a day in your life." She then offers her had, "I'm Zatanna." Having never met her fellow barfly before, though she seems to somehat know Topaz it seems.
"Unless it is illegal to get paid for what you like to do." Topaz comments with wry amusement. If she is suggesting something its unclear, but the emotions she projects seems to suggest not. Fully capable of multi tasking, a must for good bartenders, Topaz fills a glass from a tap and sits it on the bar for pickup. "Do you have set venues where you perform your shows Zatanna?"
Offering her hand in return, Naenia focuses a little on the task at hand. Her touch is slightly cool and with a hint of a tingle - in a deja-vu sort of way. Not a shock, just out of place enough to reconsider what just happened. "I am Naenia Suen," returns the woman. Picking up on what Topaz said, she asks, "And what do you perform?" Then she turns to Topaz with her own double, curious about the illegal comment before realising it might be a tease, or hopeful it is at least.
Zatanna Zatara shakes the hand, head tilting at the curious sensation and yet given the nature of this gathering place it is hardly a surprise that othes present would not themselves be.. unique. Yet she shakes the hand warmly and then withdraws her hand with a smile. "Hello. It's nice to meet you." Then, taking up her drink with a quiet laugh and a sip she replies, "Mm. Probably true, Topaz. And get the legality of a chosen profession does not necessarily preclude one from the perspective that it is not, in fact, work!" She grins and then shakes her head, "It really depends on what I'm booked for I suppose? I do many private events where the venue is rented out or supplied by the host. But my international tours? Yeah they're all booked to various theatres around the world." She admires the skill in pouring a pint from the tap and then looks to Naenia, "Well a lot of things, but don't we all. I suppose my primary… activity is stage magic and illusion. Unless you believe the religiously indignant of the world. Then I'm some soul corrupting succubus out to drink the souls of the young and impressionable. Which.. I'm pretty certain /is/ illegal." She adds with a shrug, "… haven't quite figured out how to properly mix a soul with wine to make it taste good through a straw anyway. So they're still wrong." A demure, coy little smile is offered. One should hope she is joking, if impishly.
A smile is given at Naenia as she is looked at "I am teasing." the bartender says as if reading her thoughts. "Mostly." A laugh at Zatanna's comment comes from Topaz and she continues to fill drink orders with the skill that comes from working behind a busy bar for three plus years "Perhaps I can intice you to do a show here," she gestures to the currently empty stage "at some point in the future."
Somewhere near the end of Zatanna's explanation, Naenia gives her a more serious look, measuring perhaps. Either curious if the other lady is serious about the souls, or seeing if there is any suspicion directed her way. At Topaz' explanation of teasing, she does grin, but that soul business seems to have her off the joke maybe. Pondering that it could of been a tease, "Yes, why drink them, they make better servants anyways." She tries the smile Zatanna offered, as if playing up the joke. Then more real smile, "I think I would like to come if you did have time for a show here, so I can see these magics and illusions …"
Zatanna Zatara points at Naenia and looks to Topaz, "See? SHE gets it!" She looks to Naenia, "I am SO dragging you to my next news interview to tell them I don't drink souls." She grins, eyes twinkling. Whatever she might suspect or think of the other woman she seems quite happy to joke.
Looking to Topaz she nibbles her lower lip, looking around the lounge. "mmm… I suppose it might work…" her gaze scrutinizes the space. She glances back and says dryly, "Though I'm not sure you'd ever invite me back if I did a full show… though I expect your customers would beg you too…" She laughs quietly. "I'll have to think on it and what might work here.." After all.. a lot of the customers here would be as much out to steal her secrets as enjoy the .. performance. She sips at her wine again briefly.
If anyone in the bar could tell Zatanna the secret to drinking souls with wine it would possibly be Topaz, but she isn't sharing and since she knows its a joke on Zee's part she laughs along but Naenia gets scrutinized more closely. "More than you can imagine Zatanna." but she won't comment any further.
"Oh I would not be to sure about that. I am quite open minded when it comes to your art." she takes a moment to refill the snack bowl, today its fresh popcorn, "When is your next show? I will come and watch so I can judge for myself.
Naenia at least smiles when Zatanna goes with the teasing nature of the subject over the more serious side, only partially catching the look from Topaz. Though with all the talk about what could happen has her more curious what sort of show this is - like is there collateral damage and explosions or something. "Yes, I'm agree with the lady her," (I don't think Topaz said her name?), "I really want to see a show now because I'm curious. Perhaps I could invite you to one of mine, if you don't mind the symphony …"
Zatanna Zatara smiles at Topaz wry comment. The sorceress has more knowledge than she is likely to let on. But then doesn't everyone?
Zatanna laughs quietly. "Everyone wants to come to the show. But no one wants to pay the Cover." The tone amused and wry. "I'm not booked for a public performance here in NYC till the holidays. But I'll see that you're both given some tickets." She smiles. Of course what wasn't said is as important as what was. Her public shows are family friendly. Her true performances. Well. Those are probably part of why Topaz was playfully barbing her over legality or not and why she was playing blissfully ignorant of them.
She sips at her wine again, finishing the glass up and slipping it over to confirm she's finished. Looking to Naenia she tilts her head, "Oh? Symphony? What sort of performance do you do?"
Topaz nods at Zatanna. She knows of that all to well. That's why she stopped charging one to get in the door of the Lounge "That is quite a wait. Something to look forward to though during the busy Christmas season." she assumes that's the holiday that is being talked about. "I haven't been to the symphony in ages." which hardly seems possible considering that she barely looks old enough to drink, much less be a bartender "I think the last time was in Italy. Before the wa…." she stops that sentence cold, to much information in it "What instrument do you play?
Between Zatanna and Topaz, Naenia is following, curious where Topaz is going with the bit on Italy, then its turned back on her, by both of them. "The violin, 3rd chair only," with the New York Symphony that would be. "I think I could manage to get a few extra tickets for something sooner than Christmas. A, um," pondering, searching of the word, "Downpayment, for your show?" Just by way of the sharing of tickets and such, then she further talks, "I play professional but am not relying on it, I'm trying to finish school but between the violin and everything else, little time left to keep up with math work."
Zatanna Zatara is savvy enough not to question anything on Italy but she chimes in, "I love performing in Italy.. Teatro la Fenice is /amazing/.." She then smiles. "3rd chair is hardly anything to down play. I'm just a stage magician and illusionist. Not nearly as hard as playing an instrument." She smiles and reaches in her pocket. "I'll keep you two in mind for the holidays. Or if something comes up before." She takes out two business cards, drawing them both to her lips, murmuring softly behind them before flicking both into the air.
With a trail of golden sparkles each soars up into the air, folding into little origami swans that flit their way to each woman, seeking to land in a palm. And then they promptly unfold into business cards again, sans any creases.
A light smile is offered before she takes out money to pay for her glass of wine. "Sadly I should be going but it was nice to meet and talk with you both."
"I am sure you are being modest." Topaz says to Naenia "Third chair is quite the accomplishment for a woman of your age." her being young and all "Everything is amazing in Italy." at least it was when she was there, decades ago before two wars were fought in Europe. "It was lovely seeing you again Zatanna." she says as the woman leaves, the shapeshifting card being tucked into her cleavage as if what she saw was the most normal thing in the world.
Naenia may have seen some things, but the card shifting and floating is still an intrigue to her. She does seem reserved but curious all the same, a smile on her face. There is a pause as to where she should put the card, certainly not the same place Topaz tucks it away. She leaves atop the bar for the moment. "Thank you," she nods, indeed having been modest about the chair. "I would be interested to see Italy, you two sound well travelled I admit. I am a little jealous." Partially that seems an appropriate response to hearing about wordly things.
More drinks are made and either set in front of customers or on the bar for pickup. No one seems to be giving her any clue as to what drinks to make but no one seems to complain or send them back, so she must be doing something right, "Does the symphony you play for not travel around?" she has heard of some that do, but that type of thing is far from her usual interest "I thought they went on tours and such.
Giving a nod, Naenia replies, "They do, but knowing I wished to pursue the doctorate in math as well, I was afforded the option to not travel. I give up the chair during tours, but it allows me moonlight more openly without violating any of the contracts. I play a few more shows as myself on the side than some of the other musicians at least." She considers it though, "Then, I suppose if the school work was too much, it would be a way to travel, I'd just have to take extra days to actually go out and see the places they visit."
Topaz listens in a way that is common to all bartenders, those that are good at thier job anyway. Not like that guy at that place with no name. Though if she workd there she wouldn't listen to most of the stuff that came out of the customers mouth either. "What about during the summer? Surely you can take a break from classes to go on tour with the symphony." or is that when they are on hiatus…she has no clue about it or college or any type of schooling for that matter.
Naenia needs a moment to consider an answer it seems. She actually touches her glass for the moment and moves it around, not really drinking it though. "That is difficult, between school and the symphony, off-seasons over lap and I have other engagements." Though, she might not be telling all in that one. Topaz may have sensed more about here and it probably relates to that more than the other things.
As the night progresses, the business picks up, and then a large group of business men and women come in. From the suits and name tags they must be from some convention in town "That is understandable. It is hard juggling mutiple commitments." she projects her understanding as well "I know it will be a challenge to juggle this group." she gestures to the suits "It was nice to meet you." she gives a nod and quickly moves around the bar to deal with seating such a large group.