Going Clubbing

-Capital Crocus, inside Boomslang-

Wearing a white long-sleeved button-up shirt and navy blue knee-length skirt with navy blue shoes, Diana walked into Capital Crocus' most popular nightclub after a weapons check that seemed to linger around her backside a bit too long for her liking. It was flagrantly obvious to anyone who could see that the security staff was feeling her up, but she ignored it. She was part of an exclusive group invited to attend a debut party for DJ Krill's new album, an album cleverly titled Bottom Feeder.

The name was a jab at music critics who accused him of playing it safe and rehashing old music with collaborators instead of pushing the limits and making something entirely new. Critics were a notoriously fickle lot... sometimes they did not seem like they know what it was they wanted out of music. If a musician played it safe and stuck to their trademark sound that had brought them success and popularity, they were labeled sellouts. If a musician decided to branch out and try to create a new sound, they were accused of getting away from their roots.

Diana decided to leave the conflict to DJ Krill and his critics. She was here to "look good" and hear the new album. She would do what she was paid to do. Diana walked past the "main" dance floor and flashed her invitation to two burly men dressed in black suits standing in front of a door blocked off by velvet rope.

"You're here for the debut party?" One of the men asked.

"Yes." Diana replied calmly as the man took the invitation into his hand and looked it over. He handed it back and said something into his earpiece.

"You're good to go. This way, Miss Winchester." He said before removing the velvet rope from her path. Diana walked past the men and into the VIP section of the club. There the wall decor was made to look like an underwater scene in what must have been another allusion to the DJ's name. She walked around a dance floor full of people standing around with drinks in their hands and listening to what sounded like old-fashioned lounge music that had a big-band sound. It was an interesting choice considering that the DJ was an electronic music musician.

Diana sat in a seat away from the crowd and watched people mingle. She hoped that the young woman named Francesca Corlone would not show up here because their last meeting on the Epicurean was rather awkward. The mage's hopes were soon dashed because the young woman showed up in a tight black minidress and black high-heeled shoes. With her was an entourage big enough to take over the entire club.

Diana took a deep breath because she really did not want a confrontation tonight. She wanted to listen to the album and try to enjoy the nightlife that Fiore's capitol had to offer while she was still an unknown mage. Once she became famous (or infamous) she would not be able to go to clubs as easily as she could now. Diana braced herself as the handsy blonde made her way to the seating area.

[Word Count: 533]
[Total Word Count: 533/1,500]

Diana watched quietly as Francesca and her small army of hangers-on took up most of the available seating. Diana hoped against hope that the blonde would just go take a seat away from her. That hope was in vain. Francesca stood over the mage with her hands on her hips and a glare on her face.

"You're in my seat!" Francesca barked. Diana remained calm and stood her ground.

"I was here first, Miss Corlone." Diana reminded the other blonde.

"That's my seat! I want you out of it!" Francesca barked, choosing not to hear what Diana had just said. This was getting to be annoying.

"There are plenty more to choose from. Please find another." Diana politely refused to move. The young woman clearly did not want to hear that. She glared even harder, if that was possible.

"If you won't move, I'll make you move!" Francesca issued an ultimatum. Diana could tell that the other blonde was feeding off the presence of her hangers-on and did not want to be seen as weak. That was a dangerous combination... for Francesca. If Diana wanted her dead, all she had to do was activate her "gift" and use it. Professionals did not take anything personally, but this Francesca was really getting to her.

Diana took a deep breath. This seat was not worth the argument. Club security was staring at them and one was talking into his earpiece. Diana wordlessly got up, ceding the seat to Francesca to avoid a fight and the attendant negative attention.

"Take it." Diana said. She walked away and hoped that would be the end of it. Like had happened so often in the space of five minutes, Diana's hopes were dashed on the rocks of fate.

Diana felt a sharp push from behind before she fell onto the floor. Standing over her was Francesca.

"Serves you right, you slut! Next time you'll learn to give me what I want when I want it!" Francesca crowed before walking back to her fawning sycophants and sitting in what used to be Diana's place. Diana kept quiet. Francesca had to go and make things personal. The young woman would one day answer for her behavior. But tonight was not the time... the time for settling accounts would come later.

Diana stood up and straightened her outfit out, ignoring the laughter coming from Francesca and her cronies. She sought out another place far away from the Corlone gang and sat down. She had to go to the second floor to get away from them, but it was a small price to pay for avoiding another unpleasant encounter. A security person approached her and spoke.

"Sorry about what happened. She's Francesca Corlone. She's got an entitlement complex as big as Earthland because her father owns a real estate company in Rose Garden and has investments in other cities." The brown-haired man apologized to her.

"It is no problem." Diana said to the apologetic man. She hoped that the album party would start soon so that she would get paid. Maybe, just maybe, that hope would come to pass.

"Are you sure you're OK? Can I get you anything?" The man asked.

"I am fine." Diana replied calmly.

"OK. Try to have a good evening and enjoy the party." He said before walking away and returning to his place. Diana tried to forget the altercation and have a good night. Moments later a young woman plopped down beside Diana.

"Sorry to burst in on you. I heard you got into an altercation with Miss Corlone." The young woman said. She had waist-length black hair and blue eyes. She wore a red tank top and a short black skirt with red high heels.

"You could say that." Diana replied warily.

"Don't worry. I'm no friend of hers. I don't like the skank myself." The young woman assured Diana.

[Word Count: 647]
[Total Word Count: 1,180/1,500]

"I have a feeling that she had my brother killed when he didn't want to go out on a date with her. My brother's death was ruled an accident that involved alcohol. My brother never drank because he wanted to become a police officer. Something was fishy about that." The young woman regaled Diana with a brief telling of her brother's story.

"So you think there was foul play involved?" Diana asked.

"Definitely. But I can't say any more in public. If you want to find out more..." She leaned in and kissed Diana on the lips while her hand rubbed the blonde's backside. She then pulled away and gave a salacious wink. She got up and faced Diana.

"Call me." The girl whispered before strutting away. Diana was left dazed and confused by what had just happened. Did a girl just... kiss her?

Diana let the feeling pass and listened to the announcement as DJ Krill himself arrived to start spinning his new album. The DJ was a tall, lanky black-haired guy who looked to be in his mid-twenties and wore black-rimmed glasses with a white t-shirt and khaki cargo pants. He was not at all what Diana had expected. She had expected some muscular fellow bedecked in flashy jewelry with a scantily clad woman on each arm. She set aside her preconceived notions and listened to the music, which was mostly dubstep but had a few pleasant house music tracks mixed in.

All in all it was surprisingly decent. Aside from what happened with Francesca, the evening went smoothly and Diana had something resembling a decent time. She drank water and rubbed elbows with some of high society's young and wealthy up-and-comers and a few of them even found her attractive. She had to turn down date requests from both young men and young women. Once the debut party ended, Diana was handed an envelope containing the Jewel reward and left the building in case Francesca wanted Diana's Jewels as well.

Diana left Boomslang and made her way for the nearest hotel. She checked into her room and plopped down on her rented bed. She needed to find a better way to live than living out of a hotel room. Diana was not sure if Ald Ruhn was for her. It was touted as the home of the guildless, but she was not sure if she wanted to go to all the trouble of setting up shop there just to have to leave it all behind when trouble came calling.

Diana would deal with that later. Right now she just wanted to sleep. She did not even bother undressing and went to sleep in what she had on, only taking off her shoes.

[Word Count: 456]
[Total Word Count: 1,636/1,500]