Scene #2772:

Owner	Pose
Vega	EARTH-1987 HOMEWORLD OF SHADOWLAW When Lute and Sarracenia arrive through the Shadowlaw portal, they emerge in a base that can best be described as 'edging on sci-fi.' Red-and-black-suited guards give them crisp salutes and lead them through the base to a hangar, where they're waved onto an advanced-looking black military transport. Said transport flies them across the ocean to Spain, where they are deposited at another base, then picked up by a thankfully-normal limo. Inside is Balrog himself. The Spanish Ninja has gone all-out. This is clearly a black tie event, given the class of limo, but Balrog seems like the sort of man who could turn any event into a black-tie event. A brilliantly-tailored black tuxedo barely hides sleek muscles, a blonde ponytail is tied tight back behind his head, and the face of an angel - a handsome angel, not one of those Lovecraftian horrors from the Bible - sits atop slender shoulders and a crisply-set tie. The tuxedo looks as expensive as the limousine. Balrog leans back in the chair and folds his legs, one over the other, a smile on his face. "Hola, senorita. Hola, senor. Welcome to Earth-1987. I hope you do not mind; I have done what I could to make you comfortable. Wine?" Balrog gestures to a bottle in ice sitting by the window. "We will be heading to a particularly impressive party tonight. I, ah, hope you are prepared. Things may become...interesting...very rapidly, no?" The smile on his lips is like a viper's smile.
Lute	Lute wears a rather simple, albeit sharp, black suit. Some light grey pinstripes are across it, giving a bit of subtle detail to it. A white collared undershirt peaks out near the top, and a red rose in his pocket. He is unusually quiet the whole time. He's doing his best to try and hide the reason, his face remaining calm and flat looking. His arms are usually crossed, betraying the fact that he feels somewhat on the defense. No Pokeballs are on him right now. Instead, he has other tricks. His Unown are underneath the back of his suit, and can slip out at a moment's notice. He expects a need to sabotage this event. But even Sarracenia can likely tell that Lute is not being quite his usual self. If she isn't overwhelmed by the prospect of flirting with a dashing rogue like Balrog. Once he is with Balrog? He still stays quiet. For now. While Sarracenia isn't looking, Lute makes a motion towards his eyes. He points with them, using two fingers. He then points a singular finger at Balrog. All to convey that Lute is watching him.
Sarracenia	Sarracenia finds herself wondering why there was not a gate closer to their destination as she suffers through a military transport ride. But, the limo makes up for it. It is an elegant, classy ride that Sarracenia has rarely gotten to enjoy since her world does not have such vehicles. When she steps into the car, she is surprised by Balrog's appearance. It looks like he has as much money as she does! Sarracenia happily accepts a glass of wine, waiting of course until either Balrog or Lute to pour it. "Excellent! Interesting is just what I need. And, may I say, this vehicle is quite posh. I should see about aquiring one for use within my kingdom." the princess says. After taking a sip, she smiles to Lute. "It was so nice of you to join us, Lute."
Vega	Balrog gives no indication that he saw Lute's motion. His smile is utterly peaceful and placid. He's infuriatingly calm given somebody just basically threatened him. There's just this sort of calm motion as he pours the wine, every action full of grace. It's not the sort of forced grace some people try and put on, or a show for Sarracenia (or Lute), either - it's the grace of a man who is used to contorting himself furiously to get into tiny places and murder people. Balrog is a master ninja and bullfighter, after all; grace is required for those jobs. "Then I will be happy to provide, Senorita," Balrog rolls, his accent alive and well tonight. He reaches into his pocket and passes out little, laminated cards. "You see, I confess that, though it pains me to do so, I had only one opportunity to give you the entertainment you desire on a stage worthy of your beauty. We are going to the birthday party of the Prime Minister, Aaron Zuniga. He and his wife are throwing a celebration for his fiftieth birthday, and I have managed to wrangle us cards and identification in order to attend." Balrog's smile becomes /absolutely radiant/. "Mister Zuniga and his wife, you see, are great supporters of the Allied Nations Defense Council. They are exceptionally wealthy, and a very large amount of that wealth is currently being funneled into anti-Shadowlaw operations. He is very close friends with Colonel Guile, a skilled agent of the ANDC, whom I expect will be at this party tonight." Balrog flourishes a bit as he draws a rose out of absolutely nowhere and raises it to his lips. "So I have taken the liberty of mixing business and pleasure. Tonight I am going to kill Mister Zuniga and his wife in order to remove the copious amount of money from the Allied Nations' pocket and send it scattering to the four corners with tedious legal battles and inheritance scuffles and what-naught. In the meantime, as we wait for an opportunity, I intend to show these people what true beauty is, and make a large number of very wealthy people feel very inadequate as we dance the night away." Balrog looks over the rose. "Are you still interested, I hope?"
Lute	Lute was silent for a long time. And now, he is going to be silent a bit longer. His mouth his hanging slightly wide, a completely baffled look on his face. His eyes lock onto Balrog, trying to figure out if this is even for real. He, of course, didn't bring any Pokemon but his Unown. Yes, they have their uses, especially for assassination missions, but if they get /caught/... And Sarracenia is a /princess./ They aren't suited for Assassination. He pockets the laminated cards. and then, once he has his own glass of wine, he starts chugging it down, rapidly, before setting the glass down. "...not /quite/ what I was expecting."
Sarracenia	Sarracenia blinks as she listens to Balrog and his apparent assassination mission. She looks stunned by the situation, just staring at Balrog with her glass in hand. She looks at the card she was handed, then back at Balrog. She seems very unsure about this. "I am a princess of a prominent kingdom. I cannot be involved in an attack on foreign dignitaries, much less dignitaries that have no link at all to the Sundew Kingdom." she says, arms crossing over her chest while she looks out the window away from Balrog. "However, it would be acceptable to enjoy the party until that time. When the time comes for you to strike, please keep in mind that I cannot be linked to this. The damage to my kingdom and my reputation could be irrepairable."
Vega	"Senorita," Balrog replies, a wide smile on his face, "You have nothing to fear. I would not dare to put your reputation at risk. No-no-no. That is unacceptable, as both an assassin and a man." "No. You have but one duty tonight, and that is to be as radiant, as beautiful, and as attention-grabbing as you are possibly capable of being, which I have no doubt is immense. I would not dream of putting you in a position where your reputation, or your government's neutrality, was compromised." "On that you have my solemn word as a servant of Shadowlaw." Balrog folds his hand over his heart. "All that I need from you is your beauty." "Though of course I imagine you do not have any such problems?" Balrog inquires, leaning towards Lute thoughtfully.
Lute	Lute sighs a little bit. He shifts, somewhat awkwardly, arms crossed in front of him. He really wasn't planning to kill anyone tonight. But. He can't be upstaged by Balrog. He has to beat him. He has to match him in /every/ way possible. Lute's arms remain crossed, until he finally speaks. "...Yeah, I don't have any problems killing someone. Anything you can do, I can. So if you need help on this, I can give it. Don't have all of my Pokemon with me, but..." An Unown slips off from the back of his suit, coming out from under it. "...I at least have these guys. They can be fairly stealthy, and do recon."
Sarracenia	The princess still seems uncertain, even with Balrog's reassurances and Lute's willingness to continue. After all, even with her craziness and tendency to throw bombs around, the princess is still a princess, and princesses do not assassinate people. Balrog helps a bit with pointing out that this is a chance for her to show just how radiant and beautiful she is. Sarracenia's uncertainty fades as she is told she just has to enjoy the party. She sips her wine, then sighs. "Alright. But, remember, I will not help in the operation beyond serving as a distraction. If anyone asks me about it, I will deny any knowledge of it, you, or your organization." She may not be an assassin, but the princess seems to be familiar with deniability.
Vega	Balrog claps his hands at both the Unown and Lute's determination. "Bueno! Your little friends, then, they are skilled enough to do the job? If so, we may even be able to hide Shadowlaw's influence altogether. If you are capable of killing him and making it look like an accident, it will be all the better - no matter how Colonel Guile runs about he will not be able to find any evidence to the contrary." "And no one will suspect us if we are simply enjoying the party and dancing the night away as your allies handle the mission! Ah, I have made an excellent choice tonight." Balrog beams and leans back in the limo as other lights start appearing through the windows. "I expect, and desire, nothing less, senorita. The less that this can be pinned on Shadowlaw, the better. It would not do for us to drag you into this as well. Besides, this world knows nothing of the Multiverse at large. The only door we know of enters into Shadowlaw territory." Balrog waves his hand. "Even if we were caught they would not know who you were, and I doubt they would care if they caught me first." Balrog's not an unknown name in these parts, after all. Shadowlaw isn't an unknown force, especially if they've got a task force dedicated to taking them down. As Balrog reclines and sips his wine, music playing over the speakers, he considers the two across from him with a sort of silent curiousity. Finally, the limo stops. "Showtime, eh?" The door is opened. Sarracenia is helped out first, then Balrog, then Lute. The driver nods at them as they walk past. The Prime Minister's mansion is...staggering. It's vast, beautiful, with massive sweeping windows, fountains, a full and well-groomed yard, the works. Music plays out from the main hall, floating through double-doors flanked by blue-clad soldiers, as guests pull up in high-class limosines. This is not an event for people to just walk into. This is an /event/. Balrog presents their identification cards, and they're waved through without trouble into the massive ballroom. A staggering chandelier hangs above, glistening and glittering with captured and refracted light, and reinforced by at least a dozen iron chains. Below whirl the dancers, in high-class clothing, swirling gracefully or talking to one another and carrying drinks or just enjoying the party. Dignitaries from all over the world appear to be here. Is Balrog /really/ on the level about just killing the one target?
Lute	Lute is fine with Sarracenia exiting the limo first. Balrog shouldn't have teh bonus of going first. But, nothing is said. Instead, the Unown simply slips back under Lute's suit, and Lute steps out after. He straightens out his suit, smiling as he looks around. Yeah, this place /is/ a really high class event. He at least knows how to walk like he belongs in a place, no matter where it is. He struts forward, showing his card rather casually. Unless stopped, he even tries to move to take Sarracenia's arm in his own. ...He really should have asked Balrog what the target looks like. But for now, Lute just looks over the grand ball room. Despite trying to look calm, he is in fact in awe. He eyes around quickly, though, looking for a place somewhat isolated from everything else. A place he could let the Unown slip out in this room, without being noticed. But, so many people here... ...Eh. He'll find a way. Of course, as he passes by other guests, he casually and happily introduces himself. Usually politely kissing the hands of the women, firmly shaking hands with the men. And he gives the same greeting to everyone. "Hello, a pleasure to meet you. I am Schtolteheim Reinbach the Third."
Sarracenia	Sarracenia smiles as she exits the vehicle. Her castle is larger, of course, but the mansion is still impressive. Once they are all standing outside the mansion, she waits a moment for Balrog or Lute to offer an arm. A lady should be escorted into such an elegant affair, after all. If neither offers, she coughs softly and holds out a hand, gesturing for one of them to take it. The princess's choice of dress today would be a bit silly for worlds exposed to the Multiverse, but for this function it is showy and elegant, sure to draw the eyes of everyone in the mansion. "The Prime Minister must be a very influencial man." she comments as they walk.
Vega	In fact if Lute checks his pocket he finds that Balrog slipped a picture into it. Aaron Zuniga is a tall, dark-haired Spanish man (shocker) who very much looks his age. Wear and tear have beaten his face a bit, and though he may once have been very handsome, he certainly isn't anymore. His wife is a woman who looks thirty years younger than he is, and she remains radiant and beautiful, which probably implies that she's not his first wife, or that she's the sort of girl who's more interested in money than companionship. THat's fine, though. They're not there to critique the man's social life. Lute spots the Prime Minister off with a group of people, including a man wearing what is either a wig, a broom on his head, or the most bizarre military flattop in the history of the human race. Before he can head over, however, he's intercepted by a man in a red tuxedo, with blonde hair and a big grin. "Hey, nice to meet you. Ken Masters. Heck of a party, huh? Have you ever seen a chandelier like that? Kinda makes you nervous just standing around it." Balrog, meanwhile, takes Sarracenia's arm and moves into the ballroom with her. He immediately sort of glides them over to the dance floor, his eye on the target. "So he is, senorita," Balrog agrees, "He is a very famous and influential man. A lot of money makes a man very influential, in the end. And he has skilled and powerful friends protecting him." "And what about you? Are you...terribly influential? I know so very little about you, though what I do know is tantalizing, fascinating, and enrapturing." Balrog rolls the words off his tongue slowly as they walk through the crowd, "I would love to hear more of you."
Lute	Lute has never heard of Ken Masters. But, he holds back a sigh as he meets him, faking a smile. He glances towards Balrog, somewhat annoyed at him pulling away Sarracenia to the dance floor. Lute's eyes obviously keep looking that way. But, he does not one thing about Ken. ...The Chandelier might be of use. "...Yep, quite a party. Nice to meet you. Schtolteheim Reinbach the Third. And ehh, the Chandelier looks secure. ...Though really, you're a bit of a wuss if that scares you." But, Lute remembers. Social event. This guy is not likely a fighter. He shakes his head a bit, "..Sorry, sorry. I'm a bit short right now. Guy down there? Trying to steal a girl who I've been dating." He points towards Sarracenia and Balrog, shrugging a little. He loosk towards Zuniga and his wife on occasion. He wants to slip closer there, but he has to find a way to casually excuse himself first. It'd also be good if there was some sort of distraction or something...
Sarracenia	Sarracenia is led by Balrog to the dance floor, and happily starts dancing. "It is said a good mystery is much more intriguing than the answers which might solve it." she says in answer to Balrog's inquiry, a playful wink following it. "But, yes, I am influential, as are my parents. The kingdom of Sundew is quite prosperous. Our subjects do not seem to appreciate my parents' method of rule, but it has ensured that our kingdom will remain well-funded long into the future." As the dance starts, Sarracenia demonstrates how light on her feet she is with graceful twirls and skilled movements. She has obviously been in classes for dance.
Vega	Ken is almost definitely a fighter. His grip is iron, he's got the same muscled look as Balrog, though significantly buffer, and he fits into the tuxedo about as well as a big hand fits into a small glove. It's not bulging or anything, it's well-tailored for him. He just...looks out of place. Seems out of place. "Hah! Hey, man, I'm not nervous for me. My girlfriend dragged me out here as a favor to her sister. I'd hate for something to happen to her 'cause of a rusty chain or something stupid like that." Ken arches his neck where Lute's pointing. "Jeez, that sucks. I mean, you've talked to her, right? Like, open communication, told her you don't like the guy, that kinda thing? And I bet she said you were being paranoid or overly jealous, but you still kinda felt weird about it?" "'cause, hey, I've been there." He shrugs. "I dunno. Personally I think talking is the way you solve a problem like that, but I guess sometimes you just need to punch a guy in the face." The guy who needs to get punched in the face in question, Balrog, demonstrates that, yes, in fact, he does know how to dance. Very, very, very well. All of that liquid grace comes to the fore as Balrog moves Sarracenia around the dance floor like an expert. It's not just that he's good at dancing, either, because that alone isn't hard to do - it's that he makes Sarracenia the center of attention, drawing the crowd around her rather than himself. He knows how to dance, and he knows how to dance to emphasize his partner, and he knows how to make his partner the star of the show. Liquid muscles and liquid grace collide with the rhythm of the Spanish music, and as the tango fades into a waltz, Balrog switches as seamlessly as you can get. "Answers are not always disappointing," Balrog replies wryly, "Besides. A mystery is enticing only until it is solved. A person is enticing until the passion is gone. You strike me as someone full of passion, Princess. I do not doubt that you are not the type to easily become boring just from a few answers, no?" "What does your kingdom do? What do they export, what do they buy? I have never been to a kingdom before, not a real one, not a proper one. All the countries of the world have lost their.../romanticism/ here." Balrog glances over her shoulder at the Prime Minister again. Zuniga hasn't moved, and nor has the man with the broom-hair. That was troublesome.
Lute	Lute looks over to the dancing. Yeah, Balrog is embarrasing him. He speaks quietly, to Ken, "...Well. I /want/ to punch him in the face, but he's stronger than me, one on one, I would imagine. ...May have to do it anyways." He bites his lip, watching the dance. A slight sigh, "...She isn't... quite my girlfriend. I have a bit of a weird relationship with her. She wants to be with me, but certain things are making it... not possible. So I.. can't hold it against him, /really/." He turns back to Ken, smiling, "Hey, excuse me a sec. I'm going to get a drink. I could /kill/ for a good drink right now." Yes, he just emphasized that. And he tries to slip away. One of his Unown is, /very carefully/, moving up his sleeve, down the underside. Lute has merged it with his body, and it is slowly making his way to the palm. If Ken doesn't stop him, Lute is going to slowly be making his way towards Zuniga, all while on the slow path to look for something to drink. He has to make this look casual, acidental.
Sarracenia	Sarracenia is a good dancer, but not a very very very good dancer. She is easily swept up in Balrog's skill and quickly becomes absorbed in the way the crowd parts for them as they dance. She giggles delightedly as she is twirled about and moved across the dance floor. She almost forgets to answer! "Well, my kingdom's main exports are wood, plants, and weapons. Our weapons are among the most powerful of our world, and our airships are feared. The kingdom itself is in the middle of a vast jungle where the growth is so fast that if left untouched for more than a few days the plant-life would reclaim the capital." Poor Lute is getting no attention at all from Sarracenia as she and Balrog dance, dazzling the crowd with their skill and grace. She is definitely enjoying herself. The thought of Balrog's mission has long ago left her mind. She is just letting herself have some fun. "I am the only child of my parents, so when they are no longer able to rule, the kingdom will pass to me. But, it is such an isolated place, and my subjects have no love for me or my family. I do not relish the idea of taking over such a kingdom. However, it has been pointed out to me that I could change the kingdom for the better once I take over."
Vega	Ken listens to Lute for a moment, then puts his hand on his shoulder. "Hey, man. If it's love, you don't let anything get in the way. You don't let a guy being stronger than you, or weird circumstances, or /anything/ get between you and your girl. You take her in your arms and you hug her really close and you tell her what she means to you, and if that guy's in your way, you punch him as hard as you can. What's the worst that's gonna happen?" "Yeah, I should go find Eliza. I'll see you around, man. Remember - don't let ANYTHING get in your way!" As Lute barrels off, Ken peels away as well. Fortunately he doesn't appear to be heading under the chandelier. Lute makes his way slowly across the way to Zuniga. The older man has his hand firmly around his young wife's hip, a smile on his face. As Lute approaches, he might notice the broom-haired man's gaze fall onto him with the patience of a trained soldier. The officer's marks on his uniform prove it, as does the nametag - GUILE. So that's the guy Balrog was worried about, clearly, and it's easy to see why. Guile, like Ken and Balrog, just seems to sort of stand out from the rest of the crowd, an ill-fitting element in an otherwise-normal world. Big, tough, a natural fighter, all that stuff. Zuniga, meanwhile, smiles at Lute. "Hola, senor. I do not believe we have met. Welcome to my party, ah? I am Aaron Zuniga, and this is my lovely wife Daniela." Daniela gives Lute a smile and a sultry look that belongs more in a James Bond movie than at her husband's fiftieth birthday party. She must be under half her husband's age. There's no way she's fifty. "Charmed, I'm sure." "And this is my dear friend, Colonel Guile of the United States army." Guile just sort of nods in assent. "Hi." He doesn't stretch out his hand, though he does give Lute a look that implies that he's checking him for concealed weapons pretty quickly. Sarracenia is drawing a lot of attention to herself, just as Balrog hoped. People are coming over to watch them dance, thanks to the combination of her dress and their skills, and they're even starting to draw some serious applause. If Balrog notices, he's not saying anything, though like a true professional he does keep glancing at Lute and the target. It's good to know where people are. "A vast jungle full of mystery, fearsome weapons and airships the likes of which the world has never known, and a beautiful Princess set to inherit it all. It sounds to me as if you truly live the fairy-tale life. But this is not what you are interested in, hm?" Balrog raises an eyebrow. "What is it that you do relish, then? What makes your heart sing with delight?"
Lute	Lute gives Ken a nod as he leaves. Ken has, in fact, given Lute a lot to think of. And he is going to have to take the step forward soon. But, mission time. He move to Zuniga, noting the ridiculously muscular man next to him. This... Yeah. This is definitely going to be interesting, if he gets caught. But. As he is amongst this group, one other thing has gotten attention. Hot /damn/ is his wife hot. He lifts his hand to shake Zuniga's. On meeting, there will be a subtle shift. The Unown sealed as a glyph on his hand will merge onto Zuniga. He tries to do this at an angle Guile won't see, but he's not being super obvious about it. Instead, he just smiles, looking at Guile, Zuniga, and his wife. Especially the wife. In fact his leering is probably going to be offensive, outright. "Ah, let me introduce myself. I am Schtolteheim Reinbach the Third! A pleasure to meet the three of you. Quite a wonderful party. I see you spared no expense! ...Oh, that painting there, who is the artist on it, again?" He points towards a painting on the wall, trying to distract the man. Just so he can mouth a few words to Daniela. Specifically, 'Sneak off to the bedroom. Three minutes from now.' And, a particularly lustful look. ...At the least the fliration will probably be noticed more than him trying to plant an Unown Glyph on the guy's hand.
Sarracenia	Princess Sarracenia sighs at Balrog's question. "I...I wish for freedom, I suppose. I do not despise the duties of a princess, but the kingdom...it feels so stifling. No one outside the kingdom even knew of me before my world joined the multiverse." Here a bit of bitterness leeches into her expression, and her dancing becomes more stiff. "I was unknown outside of my kingdom. In my world, princesses are routinely kidnapped by the tyrants of our world. But, not me. No tyrant wanted me. No hero wanted to save me. That is what I want. To find someone who would cherish me, who was a capable warrior and hero, who would be willing to put his own life at risk for mine." Sarracenia finally looks toward Lute as she says this. He has fulfilled most of the things she wants. "And of course, he would put -me- first, forsaking others for me." she adds before turning her head away from him in that haughty, spoiled brat sort of way.
Vega	Guile seems like the sort of person who has warned his dear friend time and again that a woman half his age is a bad match, especially since he clearly didn't marry her out of love, compassion, or any of those things Guile actually believes in. Lute's leering is moderately offensive but at this point Guile is clearly not terribly interested in his friend's social life. There's only so much you can do about that kind of thing past a point. Besides, the guy's fifty and rich, he can do pretty much what he pleases. Guile just sort of sucks it up and lets it roll. He would very much like his friend to be a family man but you can't have everything. If Zuniga even notices Lute's leering, it's hard to say. "Ah, that painting? Do you like it? I do not remember the artist's name; he was a fine young man who insisted upon being allowed to paint it for free. He said that Daniela was the sort of woman he had always dreamed of painting, and that he wanted only to commemorate her beauty." Daniela gives a slinky smile, though whether she noticed what Lute said or not is impossible to say. The glyph sticks. Guile doesn't notice, or if he did, doesn't react. He may have been too busy rolling his eyes. Whatever the reason, the glyph sticks, and hard. Balrog raises an eyebrow. "You wish for freedom, but you wish to be known. You wish not to rule, but to be recognized for your own abilities, your beauty, the things that make you special. You have never been subject to that which others have, so you must have begun to become concerned, as if something was wrong with you. It is not hard to understand, senorita; many in history have felt the same." Balrog copes with the stiffness of her dancing with a bullfighter's ease as they move into a slightly slower song - and a less-attention-grabbing one. His smile is distant. "I am afraid, however, that I cannot be such a man. You are a radiant woman and I appreciate you, but I am a man who desires nothing but to be surrounded with pleasure, beauty, and entertainment. And, of course, to serve," he adds hurriedly, as if checking for Shadowlaw agents in the crowd. That was, of course, ludicrous - but Balrog apparently believes that Vega is that omnipresent. He isn't, but it never hurts to make your minions think that. "I would enjoy your company greatly here or in the bedroom, but I am not a man with love and affection in his heart, and you would do yourself a great disservice." Balrog follows her gaze for a moment, then shrugs. "Have you spoken to him? Perhaps you could convince him of the error of his ways."
Sarracenia	Princess Sarracenia is once again stunned by what Balrog says, but for a different reason. He seems to understand exactly how she feels. It actually makes the unbalanced princess teary-eyed for a moment. But, that quickly ends with his next choice of words. She quickly dries her eyes on a sleeve, feigning a movement in the dance which brings her arm up to her face. "I am no fool, my dear Balrog. I knew when I heard you on the radio that you were not the sort of man for me." she says, smirking lightly. Then, Balrog speaks about Lute, and Sarracenia's grip on Balrog's hand tightens to a possibly painful level while it seems a fire ignites behind her eyes and her expression turns to one of deep frustration and anger. "I have tried that. He is set in his ways, and has made it clear he is unwilling to change them. Oh, he dotes on me often enough. But, he makes no secret of his lecherous nature, and seems quite unashamed of it. That is not the type of man a princess can claim as her betrothed. I demand to be first on my hero's mind, not one among many others."
Lute	Lute nods, looking at the painting, smiling, "Ah, and it is a lovely painting. Truly, if you could note the Artist's name to me sometime, it'd be wonderful. --But. Ah! I must excuse myself. I see someone who I have been meaning to talk to. I apologize, but if I have a chance, I would /love/ to speak with the three of you more." He offers handshakes all around, one last time. And then he slips away. He is, in fact, trying to make his way towards a back room, nearby. Moving slowly. His eyes are locked completely onto the Daniela. Most likely, this is was when Sarracenia glanced at him. Of course, he looks back towards Sarracenia soon after. But now he makes his way into a backroom, unless stopped. He is /hoping/ Daniela will follow him, but... Yeah. If she /doesn't/, he's going to have to set off the Explosive stored in the Glyph anyways. At least, he can somewhat see through the Glyph, keep an eye on things.
Vega	Balrog is crazy strong. All the martial artists here appear to be crazy strong. Guile, Ken, Balrog, even Birdie in his own way, they were all ridiculously tough people. Maybe something about the air here made people like that more /real/, or just more...impressive, or just BETTER than the rest of the world. It's really easy to see who's a fighter and who isn't on Earth-1987. So Sarracenia need not fear hurting his hand. He doesn't even seem to notice, or at least, he doesn't seem to /comment/. "Indeed. It is a reasonable thing to desire. I cannot particularly say otherwise. It is not really my place to intrude, and I apologize if I have done so. You simply seemed like you wanted to talk, but were unwilling to do so without someone else bringing up the topic first. I imagine pride. You are a very proud senorita, with much to be proud of." "You will find someone. You should not fear or worry or stress. I have no doubt of that." Meanwhile, Daniela gives her husband a pat on the hand and a smile, and breaks away from the crowd. That leaves Lute pretty much a clear shot to blow the poor man up, but getting out might be a little difficult at that point...especially if he's heading towards the back room with the Prime Minister's wife. Balrog glances at Lute and the woman, then back at Sarracenia. "If it is not prying too deeply, I should like to know a bit more about your world. I am an awful liar, but I am fascinated by the idea of a fairy-tale kingdom. Besides, perhaps the...organization...could do well there." He lowers his voice substantially, brushing his lips against Sarracenia's ear. "He does remember that she is one of the targets, yes?"
Sarracenia	Sarracenia shakes her head gently at Balrog's apology. "I am, as you said, passionate. It is difficult for me to disguise that passion, I suppose." she says. When Daniela follows after Lute, Sarracenia sighs heavily. She watches until both are out of sight, then shakes her head to Balrog. "He is unlikely to harm her without first trying to seduce her. She is almost as lovely as me, after all, and he is a hopeless lecher. He might even try to take her with him and make it appear she died here." Despite her willingness to talk, Sarracenia seems to have lost the mood for dancing. She is still moving, but her heart is no longer in it.
Lute	Honestly, Lute has a bit of a reason for trying to seduce Daniela. And it's not just for Lute's enjoyment. What better excuse could he have for not being responsible for the assassination than having sex with the guy's wife? He has, of course, forgotten about the part about killing her, too. But, suddenly. An explosion. The Glyph upon the man's hand bursts out into Fire, a ring of it surrounding him. He will, most likely, find himself entirely immolated. The fact it was fire is /completely/ unintentional. The Hidden Power of the Unown is completely random. But, Zunigi is now going to be burning in flames, most likely. The explosion is definitely enough to kill a normal person. Not enough to kill an Elite. Lute, meanwhile, just stands around in the back, waiting for Daniela. Hoping she got through the door before the guy blew up.
Vega	"You should not, in fact, disguise passion. The world moves on passion such as yours. The world pulses on the passion of men and women. All the art, all the science, all the history, all the bloodshed, is at its heart the passions of men and women colliding throughout the kaleidoscope of time." Balrog rolls her fingers out of his own and steps back a bit, producing a rose. "Let your passion rage, senorita. Let it be a raging blast that sweeps up time and space in your wake. Do not wait for someone to recognize it; take hold and act to find your own hero. Kidnap a hero yourself. Those tyrants of your world did not see you for what you were, so you must make them open their eyes with the fires of your heart." "This, I feel," Balrog observes as he tucks the rose into her hand, "Is the way a woman such as you should be." And then comes the fire. Zuniga is caught in the blast, since he's the center of it, but Guile's reflexes are lightning-fast and ridiculously quick. He tackles the nearest other person to the ground as the flames erupt around Zuniga, burning brilliantly. Ken is another fast reacter, bringing his hands around. His muscles pulse as ki gathers in his palms, and Lute and Sarracenia are treated to a look at the legendary "HADOUKEN!" as a wave of blue light goes streaking past the flame, attempting to snuff some of it. Balrog, meanwhile, has vanished. He really is a ninja. The Spanish armed forces outside the building, in a fit of disarray, are moving rapidly. Sirens are echoing in the distance, and people are being hurried into safe zones. Daniela has her hand on the door, but she's staring back at Zuniga's body, her eyes wide. It's not that she MINDS that he just died, since that means she's rich, but...the MANNER in which he died...
Sarracenia	Sarracenia listens to Balrog. What he says makes a lot of sense to her. She already realized her hero was unlikely to find her himself. She had, in fact, already attempted to find her hero herself on a few occassions. But, before she can reply, there is an explosion of fire, and she is left with only a rose as Balrog vanishes. Sarracenia is staring similarly to Daniela as Zuniga burns, and she quickly turns away as unlike the elites she is used to facing, Zuniga starts to burn away. With Balrog gone, Sarracenia quickly exits the mansion with the panicked party-goers who are no doubt fleeing the area. She doesn't want to watch Daniela being assassinated, which is where she is sure Balrog has gone.
Lute	Lute remains in the back. With the death of the Unown, he lost his view outside. He has more on his person. Why wouldn't he? But, still, he just leans back against the wall, waiting quietly. If he's back here, just beign casual, there is no reason he will draw attention. But, after a moment, he gives in. He has to see what happens, and he needs to make sure Sarracenia is safe. He moves to the door, opening it. And then, he sees Daniela. "--Oh my god what the hell happened." He looks over towards the burning corpse. At the least, the flame is easy enough to put out, but the man is definitely dead. Lute tries not to smile at it. Instead, he just looks towards Daniela. Moving to give her a comforting hug. He whispers, "There there," for a second, before acting like he has a sudden realization. "--You might need to get out of here. If someone targetted your husband, they might want /you/ too." This is how to pick up women, people.
Vega	Unfortunately for Lute, Sarracenia is correct. As Daniela flees into the night, there is a horrible thump. A long, nasty set of blades emerges from her back as the masked, shirtless figure of Balrog rises in front of her, staring at Lute from behind his mask. He looks like he's about to say something before the sound of people running catches his attention, and he vanishes into the night. Guile comes running through the door. He glances at Lute, then stares at Daniela's rapidly-cooling body, and at the shape of the blade-wounds. He frowns, his fist clenching into a fist. "Balrog. God dammit." "Hey, you!" Guile points at Lute, "Help us put out this fire before it spreads. We've got ambulances coming but any containment's better than none." And then he's off into the night himself, searching furiously for the assassin who's no longer there. MISSION: COMPLETE S-RANK!
Lute	Lute just stares blankly in front of him. Daniela, killed right in front of him. Damnit. He actually looks somewhat shaken. Some of it is an act, though. He starts walking towards the door. He has to look like he is just one of the crowd. Something he is managing, at least. At the least, he assumes this will mean Sarracenia will be less enthralled now!
Sarracenia	Once outside the mansion, Sarracenia does not return to the limo. Instead, she just runs off down the street. She is having a serious conflict within herself at the moment. And she doesn't think Lute or Balrog are the people to help her with it. Once she is about a block away, she slows to a walk and catchs a cab. After that, she heads off into the night, making arrangements of her own to return home as she considers herself, her life, and her involvement in these sorts of activities.