xp_logs | Julian & Adrienne: Scheming

Adrienne visits Julian at The Jack-O-Lantern, and a plan is hatched to celebrate Tandy's birthday...well, birthdays...that she missed, while in Asgard.

Adrienne hadn't been to Julian's club yet. Well, she had, in the other universe, of course. Back before it was called the Jack-o-Lantern. Before he even owned it, now that she thought about it. But it was a different place now. Even though Julian still owned it. And he was still the Julian she knew. And even though she'd seen pictures on the internet of herself and Tandy in the club in this universe.

The weirdness of all of this was never going to cease to give her pause.

Her uneasiness about the whole situation only increased when the bouncers spotted her waved her to the front of the line and inside through the VIP door. Well, that was nice of alternate-universe Julian, she thought to herself. One of the bouncers pointed to a closed door at the side of the main dance area and Adrienne assumed he was directing her to where Julian was. At least, that was what she hoped.

Making her way through the press of scantily-clad ladies and horny men, Adrienne knocked on the door to what she assumed was an office and hoped wasn't a private bathroom or sex dungeon or something. "Hey, Keller? Are you in there? It's Adrienne."

The door swung open to reveal a dressing room where a number of people were currently laying out their plan for the weekend's haunted house. "I'm telling you, Harry- you're grasping at straws, scarecrows won't frighten anyone." He shut the door and motioned for her to follow as he headed down the hallway towards his office, "Slumming it tonight, Miss Frost?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Keller," Adrienne smirked. "Apparently I come here quite regularly. This universe is, to use a word I learned from Tandy, 'whack.' What are you designing?" she asked him, gesturing back towards the room where he'd been talking about scarecrows.

"The haunted house for the first weekend in June," Julian led her up the stairs to the office he and Harry shared, which overlooked the main dance floor behind reinforced glass. "I wonder if you designed one for us once- I'll have to check the records. Frankenberrycat, right?" Stopping at a small, but well stocked bar, "Can I get you a drink?"

"Sure, I'll take a cognac, thanks," Adrienne nodded. "And yeah, frankenberry cat." She rolled her eyes. "I mean, I have a feeling like I should know why you'd be having a haunted house in June, but I don't know."

"The club has a Halloween theme year round- customers in costume get discounts, and on weekends we run a haunted house in the sub-level." He paused, starting to pour her drink, "Think of it as half-bar, half-art-installation, with an emphasis on performance pieces." Julian handed Adrienne her glass, "It works, people love Halloween- which ends up being our slowest time of the year, apparently."

"It's a brilliant idea," Adrienne praised with a nod. "You're right. People love Hallowe'en. All those people with sketchy self-esteem getting to let loose when they hide behind costumes. It really is a sound business decision." She accepted the cognac and took a long sip. "You really run a haunted house every weekend? And do new designs each time?"

"Think of it as an interactive art instillation with copious amounts of alcohol," he smirked and took a seat on a smaller, plush chair that obviously was made to match the large couch. "People like to be scared, and sometimes they don't even know what they're afraid of until they visit...or at least that's what Harry says that I used to say. Personally, I'm just happy the bottom line is solid." He took a sip of his own drink, resting it in both hands, before considering her presence here in the club. "So what brings you around, Miss Frost- needed more refined company than your Canadian bou can provide?"

"He's been a little depressed lately, after being suspended," she admitted, staring at her glass guiltily. "I'm, y'know... happy I can be there to help him through the... rough patch or whatever, but... sometimes you just gotta get out and spend a little time away," she shrugged. "Sometimes, you gotta go talk to someone about planning a party just so you can keep yourself sane."

Julian's brow rose slightly, "Planning a party? Any...particular occasion you have in mind?" While their bottom line was solid, extra exposure was unlikely to harm anything.

Adrienne shrugged. "Tandy coming back. We missed a few birthdays. I'd like to make up for that, even though it wasn't my fault. Plus, with the whole thinking she was dead thing, I'd like to do a big celebration. What do you think?"

"Mostly that it's a good idea," he thought a moment more, thinking about motifs and layout for the club. He met Adrienne's eyes, "Surprise party?"

"Hell yeah," Adrienne nodded. "Is there any other kind? I was toying with the idea of doing a viking theme, but that might be, y'know... tacky," she admitted. "Maybe we should stay away from that and do... I dunno... video game theme, or something?"

"I think we can make that happen," he extended a hand, "Can you get me a guest list in the next couple days?"

"You can have it now," Adrienne shrugged. "Mansion people. Easy, peasy. Do you have a catering company you deal with regularly, or did you want me to handle the food?"

Julian laughed abruptly, his mood becoming suddenly somber. After a moment he answered, "Once upon a time, I'd have asked Catseye...but...." He sighed, "In any event, we have an in house kitchen and can cover food as part of our operational costs. If there's anything specific you'd like- just let me know, we can always bring in a guest chef if we need to."

Adrienne sipped her cognac and frowned in thought. "Sushi? That's her favourite, as I'm sure you well know. Plus, if we do a video game theme... kinda fits?"

"I'll see about getting someone in from Japan then, and get my company to cover that as...hmm, research into starting a new restaurant in New York. That should keep the tax-people happy. I'll sic Hope on the invitations after swearing her to secrecy." He smiled and raised his glass, "This will be awesome."

"To awesome," Adrienne smiled, raising her own glass. "I like how invested you are in this, because you probably realize if you do a good job you'll be getting laid," she commented.

"Please," he chuckled, taking a quick sip of his beverage. With a wry smile, "We both know that would be happening either way."