3/15 Instance: World...Fear This

[Esynthia]

Timeline: Current

Hope: While Johnny was out on his guy's night, Hope had decided to grace the Hellfire Club with her presence. She eased herself onto a barstool and raised a finger. The bartenders all knew her order by now, which was highly useful. She smirked and waited for her order, taking a glance around the room.

Monet: Monet sipped her champagne as she perched on Shaw's lap, fingers idly playing with the hair at the back of his neck as she was talked at by some child masquerading as a rich woman. She was bored. And ready to go back to Jason's apartment.

Hope: Eyebrow raised the moment she found a familiar face perched on Sebastian, Hope reached for her fresh drink to take a sip. Wasn't she dating Veggie Tales? Though, how did one date a coma patient? And when did one move on? She shrugged and took a sip. But ew! Shaw?! He was her dad's age!

Fabian: "Getting used to the place?" Fabian asked as he stepped up beside Hope. To be honest, he wasn't sure why, he wasn't liking the Club as much these days. Some of the older members just seemed to...look at him differently when they didn't think he was aware and Fabian just wasn't sure why...and he didn't like that he didn't know why. It made him feel as if he missed a step in the game.

Monet: Monet's eyes started wandering the club and she arched an eyebrow at seeing the redhead at the bar. What was that face? She saw Fabian step up to her and she turned back to the conversation. Boring still.

Hope: "Hey Fabian." Hope smiled up at him, setting her drink down onto the bar. "I suppose so... it's something to do at least. A couple of the old guys have some great stories that they tell you over and over." She gave him a grin for that one.

Fabian: "...be careful about which old guys though." He couldn't help but share some of his paranoia with her as he glanced around. The same few that was stealing strange glances were doing it still even if he was talking with someone. "Never know which ones are looking for a trophy wife."

Hope: "They are more than welcome to try," she scoffed at him. "They can't handle a Stark."

Monet: Monet excused herself mid-sentence and walked over to Fabian and Hope, "And here one would think you'd enjoy being on that type of pedestal."

Fabian: "Me or her? Because I'm hardly a trophy husband type."

Monet: "Well, to be honest, both of you would enjoy it, I'm sure. But I meant her."

Fabian: "And here I thought you'd be a better judge of character." Fabian tsked at her in teasing disappointment.

Hope: "I do. Just not by perverted old men." Hope shrugged a bit.

Fabian: "And I think you're missing the target audience for trophy wives if you're excluding the perverted old men." Fabian couldn't help but add before returning to his drink.

Hope: "I think you're missing the part where I am a trophy wife no matter who I marry."

Fabian: "I never took you for the sit at home and just look pretty type. You're a bit better than that now."

Monet: "Fabian's correct, dear. Trophy wives are only for show. Not for being active about anything."

Monet: She set her empty glass on the bar and another was handed to her, "Including having tempers."

Hope: "What is the point of that?" Hope gave them a baffled look. "Only way I'm staying home is if I have a shooting range and a paintball course."

Fabian: Fabian glanced to Monet and smirked just a bit. "Bless her, she's new."

Hope: "Come on... What kind of company am I inheriting?"

Fabian: "The best and the worst." Fabian waved for the bartender to give them another round as he took a seat now. "Shall we explain the types of people you find at the club, Monet? We owe it to the new blood."

Monet: "Just because you're inheriting, doesn't mean that you get to enjoy life. In fact, that will probably make your life worse." She smirked at Fabian, "I would be amused to see her figure it out without help."

Hope: "What's to figure out?" Hope sighed a bit, frustrated with them.

Monet: "How to behave."

Hope: "So I need to drink my tea with my pinkie up and say sir and ma'am. Yeah yeah, I got it."

Fabian: "Behave? In the Hellfire club? You're no fun either." Fabian accused, laughing. "And not talking about etiquette either, that's tedious and I'd hope you'd know the basics of that on your own."

Monet: Monet sighed, rolling her eyes at Fabian, "I never said good behaviour."

Fabian: "Then we best stick with act because most of this is acting, wouldn't you say. Now, you wanted to know the company you're keeping?" Fabian motioned his arm across the club. "Pick a person and we'll size them up."

Hope: "Uhhh that guy in the red tie?" Hope offered for a subject.

Fabian: "Climber." Fabian said just by a glance. "Nobody special but looking to be someone special pretty quickly...so that is someone who might be seeing you as trophy wife material if he thought you were dense and flighty enough and wouldn't think of a prenup."

Fabian: "He's basicially here to meet twitty debutaunts and try to rub elbows with their parents, too eager to fall into whatever group will give him a second glance. Red tie though, possibly works campaigns since that reads politics in the US so closer to election time I expect him to probably butter you and your father up."

Monet: "I actually spoke to him not too long ago. If you put him in his place quickly, he's quite adorable. Like a child, learning how to survive in the jungle." She smirked, "Not unlike yourself, Hope."

Fabian: "Some climbers are worth your time, some aren't. It's usually the ones without backbones that aren't unless they get particularly lucky."

Hope: Hope gave Monet a look. "Not unlike yourself, Monet."

Monet: Monet laughed, "Oh, darling. You don't know me at all, do you?"

Hope: "I know you well enough."

Monet: "You don't know me at all if you think I don't know how to survive here. Dearest, I own this."

Fabian: "Monet isn't classified as a climber anyway. She's more the stationary type. She's hit the level she wants and doesn't make any connections outside of it."

Hope: "Indeed." Hope smirked and took a sip of her drink.

Monet: "Why would I go beneath myself? That's pointless."

Fabian: "Well, you aren't always stationary. You teamed up with a climber, after all." Fabian shrugged.

Monet: "Like you said, some are worth your time." She did shoot him a glare for the intended insult though.

Fabian: Fabian hadn't actually meant it as an insult, merely an observation. The only thing he had against the person in question was they had been involved in possibly trying to kill him and he got along with enough people who had been doing that now. "So you have to be careful on that front."

Fabian: "Any others?"

Hope: "Oh pick someone." Hope was enjoying her game of watching Monet and Fabian far too much.

Fabian: Fabian smirked towards Monet and the motioned to Hope. "Shall we?"

Monet: Monet smirked as Fabian spoke what she was thinking, "You have read my mind." She tilted her head as she eyed Hope, "Another climber. But one who thinks that she's already on the tip top of the world. So full of herself that she can't see anything but her own reflection."

Hope: "Awww it's adorable when you're wrong, Monet."

Monet: "You've actually just illustrated my point, chere."

Hope: "Hardly. I don't have to climb. I'm already where I want to be."

Fabian: Fabian just sat back and enjoyed his drink. This was the show he needed tonight.

Monet: "Is that right? Close to the bottom with the only thing holding you up being your father's money? You do realize that is the only reason you're allowed in here, oui?"

Hope: "Not everyone is so fixated on money and arbitrary things, Monet. There is more to life than a social agenda."

Monet: "And yet anyone who sets foot in here and sees you, will say to themselves, 'Look, there's Tony Stark's daughter'. Not, 'Look, there's Hope'."

Hope: "And? Like I said, I have everything I want. More than that. I'm perfectly happy with myself and my life. Can you say the same?"

Fabian: Oh this wasn't even about how the Club worked anymore. This was delightful if they were going to bring personal lives in for some reason.

Monet: "I can, actually. The only thing my life is lacking is the burial of Rachel. Beyond that, though, I quite enjoy myself. But from what I've heard around the school, you have quite the reputation for being unhappy."

Hope: "Funny thing about rumors... they are usually full of lies." She smiled and took another sip. "It's not a social ladder I am interested in anyway."

Monet: "Oh no? Then what is it? Power? Because to get that, the social ladder is a necessity."

Hope: "The people here are all business contacts. Buyers and suppliers. Nothing more."

Monet: "Shouldn't your father be doing that for his business? You're quite young to be doing this unsupervised."

Hope: "Oh how shortsighted you are. You see, I talk to them now. build a relationship. When I take over in a few years, the leg work is already done."

Fabian: Fabian glanced to both of the girls. Was he just thinking too big or were they both just being shortsighted?

Monet: "Then the social ladder is what you're climbing whether you realize it or not. In order for there to be a relationship, there has to be steps to building it. Those steps make up part of the ladder."

Hope: "Except I'm not really climbing so much as just being friendly."

Fabian: This had turned from being funny to just being sad. His hand went up to wave down the bartender again. Drinks! Drinks for all, drinks for him.

Monet: "That's not possible, Hope."

Hope: "Aww, use more imagination!"

Monet: Monet arched an eyebrow at Hope, then set her glass on the bar, picking up the drink intended for Fabian. "Merci."

Hope: "Now... answer where all the cute guys are, and I'll be impressed."

Fabian: Fabian simply raised his glass and drank. "Hope, you realize the opportunities you have here, yes?"

Monet: Monet looked at Fabian and laughed heartily. That was funny.

Fabian: "Your father is more than likely going to be the next President of the United States. You using the Club as just a way to network business is like...It's like Rembrandt finger-painting."

Hope: "Fabian. This time last year, I was a waitress by the interstate. I know what this club represents. I just do not share your ambitions."

Fabian: "...Then why are you here?" Forget this. He was taking his drink to the back where real business was being done. "Ladies, I believe I'll take my leave of you."

Fabian: "And no, you're just beginning to see what this place represents. It's a good deal more if you know what it is you want from it. You need that ambition to actually use it for what it is though."

Hope: "Well I'm glad it can give you what you want, Fabian." Hope picked up her drink, taking a sip.

Monet: She raised her glass to Fabian, neither glad, nor sad, to see him leave their conversation. She was growing bored of it as well. "Either you open your mind to what this club can do for you, or you will fall short of your needs and wants."

Fabian: "This place runs the world and it's a damned good place to start when you want to change it. Just because I got caught up in a rather bad move doesn't mean I'm going to be stepping back." He raised his glass again and made his exit, rather disappointed in the both of them.

Hope: "Yeah no more bad moves for you. And if you do... leave me out of them." She glanced over at Monet. "We should go shopping."

Monet: Monet looked Hope over, "You don't shop where I do."

Hope: "I have Stark's credit card and a private jet. I can shop anywhere I want to."

Monet: "I have my own bank account and I can fly at mach speeds. I can shop anywhere I want to also. And I choose better places than you."

Hope: "Then stop whining and let's go."

Monet: Monet arched an eyebrow, "Non."

Hope: "Don't be boring."

Monet: "Don't grovel."

Hope: "I don't grovel. You seemed bored. Thought you'd enjoy actually having fun. If you'd rather be boring, suit yourself." Hope downed her drink.

Monet: "I have fun differently than you. Au revoir." Monet turned to leave.

Hope: "By doing what? Bitching? Come on Monet. Liiiiive a little."

Monet: "Mon Dieu. Don't whine. It's unbecoming."

Hope: "I'm always becoming." She flashed her a smile.

Monet: Monet rolled her eyes, "You're buying me a new pair of shoes if I go with you."

Hope: "Absolutely. And dinner." Hope grinned at her.

Monet: "D'accord." Monet sighed and set her now empty glass on the bar. "Come on then."

Hope: Hope hopped down gladly. "So where to?"

Monet: Monet looked at the clock behind the bar, "London."

[Chaos]

> Hope reached for her fresh drink to take a sip. Wasn't she dating Veggie Tales?

MFW: