[OPEN] Leave that old record spinning~

[robintohood]

Who: Jason Todd robintohood and you!
What: Grand Opening Week of Descendant Karaoke Bar and Lounge
When: Week of November 28th
Where: Central City
Content Warnings: N/A for now. Will edit if needed.

[Throughout November, you may have seen posts across all the major social media platforms about a new Central City karaoke bar opening up. They even include some nice professional photos of the interior taken by Mark Bryant. Or maybe you’ve heard vague rumors in the criminal underworld about a new safe haven for discussing and doing some illicit business.

Meanwhile in Central City, the renovations of a two-storied building with a basement and an attic were being done swifter than any legally permitted construction project. The owner made sure it was good work done too.

And now at the tail end of the month, there’s a newly opened karaoke bar and lounge known as Descendant. Everyone is welcomed, regardless of their meta status or if they’re part of any guild.


Descendant’s entrance door is relatively innocuous. As soon as you step into the building though, you’re in the security check area and met with bouncers holding metal detector wands. No one’s allowed further in until they get checked. Once you check your weapons, you’ll receive a key labeled with the number of the locker your weapon(s) are in.

In a nod to Ascendant, the previous bar that attracted some of Central’s criminals, much of Descendant’s interior basic layout is similar but now with a speakeasy-esque decor. Once you walk through weapons check, you’re greeted with the first floor being an open space for mingling, drinking, and eating. The walls are visibly brick and the tables and chairs aren’t too fancy. The first floor is also where the bar is.


Further towards the back of the first floor are private rooms for guests to enjoy if they reserve ahead of time and pay extra. The cheapest karaoke rooms are simple and while the most expensive are more luxurious.


One room that makes Descendant unique is the reading room everyone is welcome to use. You're free to drink and enjoy some quiet reading time. Take a book for keeps or donate a book! Quiet conversation is welcome, but overly noisy patrons will be kicked out.


On the second floor are a couple of arcade machines, pool tables, and a stage for live performances. There are plush lounges for people to sit and enjoy the shows, or to take a break between rounds of pool.

With the exception of the reading room and the employee-only areas, you’ll hear music throughout most of the building. It’s either coming from the karaoke machines or from a separate playlist.

Whatever you decide to do, the owner and other attentive employees hope you enjoy your time at their establishment.]

((OOC: Mingle post! Enjoy yourselves. More information about Descendant is here and here, including an opt-in form for the BatFamily to spy on your character.))

Comments

[atypical_echo]

[Definitely a Meta then. Mark... wonders if he should share about it. He didn't have enough meta friends after all.]

Maybe the guilds have some work you could do? If you haven't decided on one yet?

[torchbearer]

Probably. At the moment, that credit card should keep me afloat for a bit. I'm not too worried.

[atypical_echo]

[Okay, yeah. He's... going to do it. He's going to put himself out there.]

While you're thinking, use their support to get set up. Clothes. Art supplies. If you do digital work too, all the stuff for that. I got most of my equipment that way, so I could start a business.

[torchbearer]

Oh, first thing I did was buy all my art equipment. Top of the line tablet, the works.

[atypical_echo]

Nice plans. Good software license, set up pre-paid for a year?

[Swapping tips is something he's happy to do.]

It's a good idea, get yourself set up as best you can so you can work outside of the guilds in your art if you choose that, over whatever they would want for you.

[torchbearer]

That's the idea.

[ it's been a while since he exchanged the lingo so casually. ]

[atypical_echo]

[Yeah, it's refreshing to talk about it all]

Business card, but back it up with some digital presence. OurPowers is pretty helpful too, Meta or not. It's great. Oh, and if you do commissions, you should note right away if you're willing to do 'fanart' of metas or not.

[torchbearer]

[ kyle's no genius, but he has been around a while and immediately clues in on what kind of fanart it would be. ]

Fair point. Better not make the waves too big.

[atypical_echo]

[There's probably a whole wealth of options for what people might want drawn, but yeah, Mark wanted to warn him. Maybe people here hate Metas, but some of them liked them too.]

It's less about the waves, and more about setting your own boundaries. Sometimes that little bit of control is important for those of us brought here. It's hard to, you know, feel set in yourself like this.

[torchbearer]

[ kyle turns that over in his head. ]

Is that what happened to you?

[atypical_echo]

I'm complicated and carrying some weight from back home. But I will admit that during the time I've been here there has been some serious finger pointing at unaffiliateds. There were even mobs here in Central at one point going after people like us.

[torchbearer]

[ hm. that, at least, kyle finds familiar. ]

Because we're Metas?

[atypical_echo]

Exactly. And more than that. You know those people that say 'thing X happened about the same time thing Y happened, omg thing X caused it!'? People seem to feel like that here. Metas were rare.

[torchbearer]

[ very familiar. ]

I'll be careful.

[atypical_echo]

Exactly. And the way the guilds act, they act like you have to be with them, or be nowhere. I just want to be normal, or live normally I guess. My powers aren't useful after all, not in the sort of work there is. But with the way people look at us of non-aligned people... Well, you feel like you have to make a choice for safety.

[torchbearer]

[ kyle nods absently. he doesn't have powers, not in the traditional sense, but he knew a little of what it's like, due to his own upbringing and experiences. ]

Can't fault you for that.

[atypical_echo]

[And the guy isn't running away because he thinks Mark is paranoid, so that's a relief.]

Sometimes you come in from the cold because you have no choice and fear.

[torchbearer]

We all have a little fear inside of us.

[atypical_echo]

[Mark had a hell of a lot more fear than most people about this. But that was trauma from before.]

My sister would say it's an evolutionary thing. Fear is natural and probably has value from a species thing. But it sucks anyway.

[torchbearer]

It does.

But I've seen fearless people. It's not all it's cut out to be.

[atypical_echo]

[Well that's shocking to hear. Really shocking.]

Oh? You think? Well, I've never known fearless people.

[torchbearer]

[ it's probably very un-lantern of him to say so. kyle has fears. he feels them strongly and they drive his actions. but he also knows how to face them. ]

I have. It does a number on them.

[atypical_echo]

[Surely there is something human, though, about having fears. And in facing them.]

Well, here's to trying not to be too like them.

[And he raises his soda to sip.]

[torchbearer]

Or finding the best middle ground.

[ he raises his beer as well, letting it clink against the glass. ]

[atypical_echo]

Middle grounds are good grounds.

[He chuckles as he lowers his glass too.]

How long you been around? I mean, you're still on the card, so not that long.