One Hell of a Summer Party

[Morty]

[By the Door]

The iron-headed demon looks down at the girl. He himself is five foot eleven, while Gold is six foot one.

"Don't mention it. Though, who is the hostess of this party, anyways?"

"Is she hot?"

Iron scowls at Gold for this.

"Gold! Not only is that a terrible question, but you are in a committed relationship with another man!"

"Exactly. So you can be 200% sure I'm just kidding!"

"You keep acting a fool, I'm having your boyfriend pick you up."

"Alright, fine. Message recieved. No antics, no silliness, no cahoots, no tomfoolery. Not even a smidgen. I'll even pinky swear on it. That means, if I mess up, I'll bite my own pinky off."

"Good. Now then..."

Iron turns back to the lady, his expression becoming more neutral now.

"...about this hostess?"

Sophie smiles pleasantly as she just... skips over the question about Sekhmet being hot. As if she never heard it to start with.

"Sekhmet recently inherited rulership over this part of hell. She wants to do better than the previous management did. This party is an opportunity for her to meet more people and make a good impression."

[Shadowcaller]

Interview

More questions are asked by the other journalists, but will that make her more used to them or only more nervous?

Then Faith has another question. "Do you believe you have enough experience for your position considering it was thrust upon you like this?"

[Ironsmith]

[Interview]

...Okay, deep breath. We talked about this. You don't have experience, but you do have advisors. If you're not comfortable saying as much, I can field that one for you.

Miranda smiles patiently at the reporter, quietly waiting for her cue, if it is indeed forthcoming.

[Zefir]

[By The Door - Miranda and Arkant]

"Yeah. My heart goes out to those girls and their fans in the hospital." Miranda replies with a little sigh. "It's always disheartening to hear about something like that on the news. Just when you think the world's got its act together, bam, domestic terrorism." She crosses her arms and shakes her head. "There are days when I wish I could take everyone aside for a minute and try to talk some sense into them, but aside from being logistically impossible, it's... dubious, in terms of how well that would work. Prime is a perfect example; there are people in the Nexus who just want to break things and won't listen to reason. I keep telling myself that's a very small number, but... I don't know. It's hard to find the sense in something like that."

[By The Door - Miranda and Arkant]

"Yeah that Magtok guy is a good example. People with power tend to think their way is the best way to do things. I guess that is the point were logic doesn't hit them as their logic is different." Arkant replies. "The nexus is a troublesome place after all. anyone can come here from anywhere and maybe some worlds banish their criminals here. Are you from here or did you joined the queen when she was in the Nexus?" I mean even if he didn't know her she was around in the nexus, otherwise she wouldn't have made that portal.

[bc56]

Interview
Sekhmet takes a deep breath. "Yes, I am young and, uh, inexperienced. But I have, uh, gathered many advisors to help me rule fairly and justly despite that." She tries to smile, but the nerves hold her back. "I, uh, think it's important to be aware of my weaknesses in this." Hopefully that answer is satisfactory.

[Shadowcaller]

Interview

Well, that begs an immediate follow-up question doesn't it? "Then who are your advisors and why do you put your trust in them?"

Also, since the image wasn't working earlier:

[bc56]

Interview
Sekhmet doesn't wait for Miranda's advice this time. She answers immediately. "I thought you would, uh, ask. Allow me to, uh, introduce Miranda Cortez, one of my political advisors." She gestures for Miranda to approach. "Some of my advisors, uh, like Miranda, proved themselves, uh, dependable through their advice. Others, uh, like Rose, my captain of the guard, I rewarded for faithful service before I, uh, rose to power."


I hope you don't mind, uh, being on the spot like this.

[Ironsmith]

[By The Door - Miranda and Arkant]

"Yeah that Magtok guy is a good example. People with power tend to think their way is the best way to do things. I guess that is the point were logic doesn't hit them as their logic is different." Arkant replies. "The nexus is a troublesome place after all. anyone can come here from anywhere and maybe some worlds banish their criminals here. Are you from here or did you joined the queen when she was in the Nexus?" I mean even if he didn't know her she was around in the nexus, otherwise she wouldn't have made that portal.

[By The Door - Miranda and Arkant]

"The latter. Although 'joined' might not be entirely right; I don't formally work for her or anything. No oaths sworn or resumé applied." Miranda gives Arkant a tight-lipped little smile. "We met by way of an exorcism. An exiled criminal wormed her way into my body, and her highness helped to remove her. I've been helping her with various odds and ends ever since. It seemed like the least I could do."

Interview

Well, that begs an immediate follow-up question doesn't it? "Then who are your advisors and why do you put your trust in them?"

Also, since the image wasn't working earlier:

Interview
Sekhmet doesn't wait for Miranda's advice this time. She answers immediately. "I thought you would, uh, ask. Allow me to, uh, introduce Miranda Cortez, one of my political advisors." She gestures for Miranda to approach. "Some of my advisors, uh, like Miranda, proved themselves, uh, dependable through their advice. Others, uh, like Rose, my captain of the guard, I rewarded for faithful service before I, uh, rose to power."


I hope you don't mind, uh, being on the spot like this.

[Interview]

Not at all. I agreed to be, didn't I?

Miranda smiles politely at the reporter, hands folded in front of her as she steps forward at Sekhmet's direction. "Thank you, your majesty." She adds, giving a shallow bow to the queen before turning to face the reporter. "As I'm sure you're aware, many of us are new to our respective positions, as well." She begins, heading off the obvious question before it can be asked. "But collectively, we represent no small amount of experience in our fields, and we share in her highness's vision of a more compassionate kingdom and a more peaceful coexistence between the Scorching Depths and the rest of the Nexus."

A bit cookie-cutter, maybe, but so are the questions themselves. The interview's only just started, though. There's still time for a doozy to be thrown in front of them.

[Zefir]

[By The Door - Miranda and Arkant]

"Interesting, yet i thought someone greeting your guest might be assumed as working for you". Arkant says with a smile.
"I sure can get your intentions. I myself have a friend who helps me out for saving him. I admit it is nice to have someone like that around. Still at some point i feel like we have reached the point were I owe him and not the other way around. So you seem to be close to the queen then. Would you mind introducing her to me ? Not messesary now. Maybe later during the party."

[Ironsmith]

[By The Door - Miranda and Arkant]

"If you just want to meet her, I can point her out to you once she's down here among the guests. If you're looking for something more involved, she holds court regularly and I might be able to talk her into a formal introduction of some sort."

A weary sigh makes its way out of Miranda's lips as she glances up at the spot where the balcony is hidden. "I have to go. Another old friend of her highness is causing trouble for her." Mirands gives Arkant a little smile. "It's been very nice talking with you, sir."

[Zefir]

[By The Door - Miranda and Arkant]

"The latter." he says. "I might have some business propossision."

Arkant will look at it as well, not only glance. "Oh, then please go, I enyoed our conversation as well."

He will bow slghtly as she leaves and head futher inside the party room. Yet not many of the bigger Nexus people seem to be present. He will likly have to observe the party for a bit.

[Shadowcaller]

Interview

"If Lady Sekhmet considers herself inexperienced and in dire need of her advisors, couldn't someone else simply rule in her stead until she considers herself ready for her responsibilities? In fact, if someone you trusted could take over for you, would you even want this position, Lady Sekhmet?" Faith inquires as she steps closer, making her way through the other journalists.

[bc56]

Interview
"There is no choice. Fate has chosen me to sit on this throne. There is no one else qualified. The throne will only accept someone of the royal line, and both of my children are younger and more inexperienced than I am, so, uh, no. Whether or not I, uh, want the position is irrelevant, I am the only option." This, at least, is a discussion Sekhmet has had before. She doesn't need advice on how to answer this question.

[Ironsmith]

Interview

"If Lady Sekhmet considers herself inexperienced and in dire need of her advisors, couldn't someone else simply rule in her stead until she considers herself ready for her responsibilities? In fact, if someone you trusted could take over for you, would you even want this position, Lady Sekhmet?" Faith inquires as she steps closer, making her way through the other journalists.

Interview
"There is no choice. Fate has chosen me to sit on this throne. There is no one else qualified. The throne will only accept someone of the royal line, and both of my children are younger and more inexperienced than I am, so, uh, no. Whether or not I, uh, want the position is irrelevant, I am the only option." This, at least, is a discussion Sekhmet has had before. She doesn't need advice on how to answer this question.

[Interview]

...Though she might need some cleanup. Miranda's already running through the ways that could be construed as being willing to shirk her duties or delegate the actual decision-making to someone else (especially in light of her previous admittance to relying on advisors) or to prematurely pass the throne down to an heir as soon as the opportunity presented itself. If left as a standalone quote, that has the potential to be quite bad for public relations.

...But before she jumps in, she finds herself wondering if that may actually be true. Sekhmet has been reluctant to get particularly involved with her subjects, as a few other advisors (including that witch of a fiendling) have already pointed out. If the right person came along, Miranda really couldn't be certain Sekhmet wouldn't just follow their lead as a puppet queen, to absolve herself of responsibility for the kingdom, likely to focus on more personal matters like raising her children.

...Maybe she could offer reassurance against the worst of it. If "the right person" exists, it's nobody they know of.

"You wouldn't know it to see her in action." Miranda points out with a smile. "She's been quick to address problems that arise here in the Scorching Depths, and just as importantly, decisive. If she continues to grow as a leader as rapidly as she has, it won't be long before her personal merits outweigh any issue of lineage."

[Shadowcaller]

[Interview]

Miranda was right, that was certainly an example of being decisive. Especially in comparison to everything Sekhmet had said so far. Not a single pause or hesitation... except towards the end there.

Still, a response that stood out from the others so far.

"And fate would also disallow someone else to make decisions even if you're still on the throne and could technically oppose them? Or is that how it works right now? Since I wasn't perfectly clear on how much your advisors are allowed to do without having to go to you first." Faith is now right in front, making notes without even looking at her papers.

Though few but her would be able to read these hastily scrawled 'words'

[bc56]

Interview
"My advisors, uh, do exactly that. Advise. It would not, uh, behoove me as queen to stand back and allow my advisors to rule my kingdom, especially, uh, considering many of them are mortal, but, uh, I am not." Sekhmet is nervous now. She can tell that her answer to the previous question allowed this much trickier question to be asked. She needs to be careful not to leave such questions open in the future.

[Recaiden]

[Interview]

Another reporter comes forward to ask a question. This one managed to get through the crowd by virtue of being a tiny pixie, less than half a foot tall.
"Queen Sekhmet, question from the Skyside Post."
"Where do your subjects come from? Are our readers likely to end up in the Scorching Depths after they pass away?""

[Grand Ballroom]

Anchor is having some trouble finding a dance partner, with that holy aura causing most of the fiends to keep their distance, and all the other guests congregating near the entrance.
So before too long she heads over towards a pair that seem to stand out from the crowd a little: Euphoria and Marianne.
"Hi there! This party is quite something, isn't it?"

[Ironsmith]

[Interview]

Miranda was right, that was certainly an example of being decisive. Especially in comparison to everything Sekhmet had said so far. Not a single pause or hesitation... except towards the end there.

Still, a response that stood out from the others so far.

"And fate would also disallow someone else to make decisions even if you're still on the throne and could technically oppose them? Or is that how it works right now? Since I wasn't perfectly clear on how much your advisors are allowed to do without having to go to you first." Faith is now right in front, making notes without even looking at her papers.

Though few but her would be able to read these hastily scrawled 'words'

Interview
"My advisors, uh, do exactly that. Advise. It would not, uh, behoove me as queen to stand back and allow my advisors to rule my kingdom, especially, uh, considering many of them are mortal, but, uh, I am not." Sekhmet is nervous now. She can tell that her answer to the previous question allowed this much trickier question to be asked. She needs to be careful not to leave such questions open in the future.

[Interview]

Another reporter comes forward to ask a question. This one managed to get through the crowd by virtue of being a tiny pixie, less than half a foot tall.
"Queen Sekhmet, question from the Skyside Post."
"Where do your subjects come from? Are our readers likely to end up in the Scorching Depths after they pass away?""

[Interview]

Miranda frowns slightly. That's one question she can't actually answer at all, really. She vaguely recalls asking Sekhmet about it before, but the explanation she got was a little cursory and there were other things happening just then. Unfortunately, the demon queen is on her own for this one.

[Grand Ballroom]

Anchor is having some trouble finding a dance partner, with that holy aura causing most of the fiends to keep their distance, and all the other guests congregating near the entrance.
So before too long she heads over towards a pair that seem to stand out from the crowd a little: Euphoria and Marianne.
"Hi there! This party is quite something, isn't it?"

[Grand Ballroom]

"...y about three hundred years or so. Which means you never really got a-"

"No. I did not." Euhporia grumbles at her angelic companion. "Nor do I believe revisiting the subject would do me much good now. This is my lot in death, Mania. Just be thankful it is no longer yours."

"I-" Marianne cuts herself off at the approach of... another angel? Huh. Well, it would be a little strange if she was the only one. "(We'll talk about this more later.) Hi! Nice to meet you!" She grins, spinning to face Anchor, the glass of punch in her hand swirling precariously. "Oooh, wait a minute, do I know you? Weren't you at one of those conferences? I want to say... Beatrice? No, wait, Madonna!" She snaps her fingers. "Fiona! That's you, right?"

Euphoria shakes her head quietly and takes a sip of her punch, her spade-like tail curling and uncurling in a small gesture of mild annoyance.

[Shadowcaller]

[Interview]

Fate was quite through in enforcing these rules apparently.
"Okay then, so as far as I understand it your system works as follows. 'Fate', a concept I'm not clear on yet, decides on who is in charge and all subjects of your kingdom obeys them without question. Until that person dies whereupon a new ruler is decided. Someone who happens to be their closest relative. Is that an accurate description so far? Since as Inside was once ruled by a dictator with nearly unchecked power that might rub some people around here the wrong way." Especially people like Magtok who had lived through that that era.

[Gold Leaf]

[By the Door]

Gold looks both shocked and happy to hear this.

"This part of Hell's being ruled by someone who wants to do it well? This I gotta see!"

"Hey, our region ain't under that bad of a leadership."

"Yeah, but that's just because he barely does anything anymore. Doesn't even manage us these days - Platinum handles all that stuff now."

"Well, if he ain't doing anything, that means he beats everyone who's doin' something wrong, so he beats 'most everybody."

"Hehehe, I guess so."

"Okay, well..."

Iron turns to Sophie and gives her a nod and confident smile.

"nice talkin' to ya."

"Seeya-Hey, wait! You never told me if she was hot or not!"

"Gold?"

"Yeah?"

"You're an orange."

"I'M NOT AN ORANGE!" Gold yells, a little/far too loudly. To Iron's credit, his voice does sound remarkably similar to that of the Annoying Orange.

"Heheheheeha..."

"Hmph. Keep laughing, Walter White."

After hearing Sophie's response should she give one, they will nod again and walk into the Ballroom.

[bc56]

Interview
"I, uh, can't speak to the way succession normally works. My mother's death was the first and only time power was passed on at all," Sekhmet answers the easy question first. The other one takes thought. "My subjects come from, uh, all walks of life, but, uh, up until recently, due to my mother's intervention, the Depths were not connected to the Nexus. Unless they, uh, have some prior connection to this place, it's, uh, unlikely that a Nexus denizen would arrive here after death." Sekhmet decides to avoid talking about why her subjects are here.
And speaking of both her subjects and dodging, in the crowd beyond the gaggle of reporters, something shifts slightly. A succubus silently presses a blowgun to her lips. A moment later, a dart coated in black venom is flying towards the fiendish queen in an almost imperceptible movement.

[Shadowcaller]

Interview

Faith looks down on her notes just in the split second the dart travels through the air and misses it.

Though she might still spot it the moment she looks up if it actually hits the demon queen. "So how exactly do you enforce your rule over your subjects?"

[Recaiden]

[Interview]

A good answer. But that does raise a further question.
"A prior connection like 'attending this party'? Is this celebration about recruitment in addition to cooperation?"
The pixie buzzes back and forth in the air after asking her follow-up questions, creating the faintest of breezes.

[Grand Ballroom]

Anchor breaks into a smile, but shakes her head. "It's Anchor."
"I don't think I've ever been to one of those conferences. I mean, you do seem familiar, but that can't be why."

Her shadow has stopped keeping up with her movements so well. Instead, it seems to be cast by someone who's giving Euphoria an understanding nod.

[Ironsmith]

[Interview]

To the untrained eye, the succubus would be rather difficult to pick out of a crowd, but to someone extensively trained in the art of espionage, the blowgun-wielding succubus might as well be wearing a blinking sign labeled "potential assassin".

And fortunately for Sekhmet (maybe), Miranda is more than a little trained in that particular field.

It takes her just a second to get in the way, by quietly shuffling to Sekhmet's other side, standing between her and her "attacker". What she doesn't have time for is to blurt out a warning; just a vaguely-pained "ngh" and an aggravated facial expression.

Your highness, I suggest you relocate. Someone just tried to shoot you. ...Again.

She shoots the offending succubus a venomous glare, letting her know immediately that she's most certainly not going to get away quietly.

I'm going to have to bow out of this interview for now. You seem to be doing really well on your own anyway. I'm going to chase down that [w]itch and try to figure out what she was up to. Ideally without causing a panic.

And with that, Miranda excuses herself and starts through the crowd of reporters, toward the unfortunate succubus.

[Grand Ballroom]

Marianne's face turns a little red. "Yes. Well. It's... we're reasonably well-known, I suppose. I guess you might have seen u-"

She stops as Euphoria steps behind her, wrapping her tail around the angel's leg and her fingers on her bare shoulders, giving Anchor a smouldering look that she might recognize from a certain album cover.

Marianne gives her a reluctant smile and leans into the pose, completing their half of the image. "My name is Mania, and this is Euphoria. If you know us, you know us." She winks and steps back into a more casual stance. "Anchor, you say? Nice to meet you."

[bc56]

Interview
"Just being present here is not, uh, enough of a connection, but, uh, I advise you not make any promises to my subjects, especially..." Sekhmet hears Miranda's concern and gives the mental equivalent of a nod. "...if they offer you power," she finishes her sentence and steps back for a second. "Excuse me, I need to stretch my legs. Do you, uh, mind if I continue answering your questions while we walk?" She doesn't wait for approval. This is one way to get away from the assassin.
"My subjects, uh, obey me for a variety of reasons. Some, uh, fear me for my power. Others respect me for my, uh, judgement. Some of them, uh, unfortunately, are infatuated enough with me to do whatever I ask." Sekhmet makes that sound like a bad thing.

Assassin Chase
In response to Miranda's glare, the offender almost immediately turns and pushes her way into the crowd.
The attacker has an advantage here. She can blend into the succubi (and to a lesser extent incubi) gathered to watch the discussion better than Miranda can. They don't seem inclined to stop her. Either they don't know about the attack, or they don't care.
The spot the dart hit her tingles slightly, and the feeling is slowly spreading. Strangely, it feels less like danger and more like tension, a rising sense of change.. Miranda's probably never heard that succubus venom, diluted to reduce some of the less desirable effects, is a common ingredient in magical beauty treatments.

[Recaiden]

[Grand Ballroom]

Anchor looks at them, considering, considering, not getting it, until...
"Oh. You're that new music group everyone is talking about, right?" She may not be up to date on the latest DEATHKISS news.
"Nice to meet you too."

[Zefir]

[By the Door]

Gold looks both shocked and happy to hear this.

"This part of Hell's being ruled by someone who wants to do it well? This I gotta see!"

"Hey, our region ain't under that bad of a leadership."

"Yeah, but that's just because he barely does anything anymore. Doesn't even manage us these days - Platinum handles all that stuff now."

"Well, if he ain't doing anything, that means he beats everyone who's doin' something wrong, so he beats 'most everybody."

"Hehehe, I guess so."

"Okay, well..."

Iron turns to Sophie and gives her a nod and confident smile.

"nice talkin' to ya."

"Seeya-Hey, wait! You never told me if she was hot or not!"

"Gold?"

"Yeah?"

"You're an orange."

"I'M NOT AN ORANGE!" Gold yells, a little/far too loudly. To Iron's credit, his voice does sound remarkably similar to that of the Annoying Orange.

"Heheheheeha..."

"Hmph. Keep laughing, Walter White."

After hearing Sophie's response should she give one, they will nod again and walk into the Ballroom.

[By the Door] -> [Into the Ballroom]

As they walk along another man appears next to them as he also is heading for the ballroom.

"Quiet strange to see two precious metal demons fight against each other. May you share your problem?"

[Shadowcaller]

Interview

Faith can't help but to notice the commotion now and gives Sekhmet a concerned look as she sees Miranda starts to chase the succubi as she shoves her way through the crowd. Had that been an assassination attempt?

"...should we postpone this?" She had registered Miranda appeared to be in pain even if she hadn't seen the dart itself and judging from the reaction things were not right.

Though even if Faith might want them to, a lot of the other journalists sees this as prime content as several photos are now being taken of Sekhmet, Miranda and even the dart-shooting succubi. They weren't sure what was happening yet but it sure looked exciting!

[Gold Leaf]

[Into the Ballroom]

The metal-headed demons turn to look at the man striking up a conversation with them. They are both frowning with jagged jack-o-lantern mouths, though Iron's frown is much more neutral than Gold's.

"Oh, hey. Didn't see ya there. I'm Iron, and this..."

Iron gestures to Gold.

"...is the problem."

"Hey, I- wait, did you say two precious metal demons? There's a real problem!"

Gold is looking around himself frantically.

"All the other precious metal demons are total jerks! Silver rejects his race and wants every other demon dead, Platinum never lets us catch a break and would probably demote me to whatever's lower than Minor Junior Private Negative First Class if she caught me taking a load off at this party, and Palladium's the worst of all: she yells at me really badly!

"Gold, he meant me. Also, doesn't Platinum yell at you too?"

"How could he have meant you? Iron's not precious. And Platinum is an admiral, of course she's going to yell at us. With Palladium it just feels... uncalled for."

"Oh, it's uncalled for, is it? I'm sure ya'd know all about that. I mean, who just says another guy ain't precious to their face?"

"So then... you're precious? A precious princess? A precious, pretty little perf-"

"You know what, Gold? You're right. I ain't a precious metal. And you're also right that they're all jerks. The other ones are jerkwads, and you belong in the jerk ward.

"Heh heh heh, that was actually pretty funny. Nowhere near as funny as I am, but you're getting there."

"Ergh..."

[Ironsmith]

Assassin Chase
In response to Miranda's glare, the offender almost immediately turns and pushes her way into the crowd.
The attacker has an advantage here. She can blend into the succubi (and to a lesser extent incubi) gathered to watch the discussion better than Miranda can. They don't seem inclined to stop her. Either they don't know about the attack, or they don't care.
The spot the dart hit her tingles slightly, and the feeling is slowly spreading. Strangely, it feels less like danger and more like tension, a rising sense of change.. Miranda's probably never heard that succubus venom, diluted to reduce some of the less desirable effects, is a common ingredient in magical beauty treatments.

[Assassin Chase]

Oh, no. Not again. At least she's not wearing (and therefore can't lose) pants this time.

Miranda's not going to do much more to draw attention to herself if she can help it. She'll be assertive and persistent in following the succubus through the crowds (with all the requisite "pardon me"s, "excuse me"s, and "thank you, that's a lovely dress"s), and as soon as she's out of sight, she's going to pull put and pocket that dart so as to not draw any attention to it, either.

If she gets close enough to the succubus to detain her, she'll try to be subtle-ish about that, too. "Excuse me, miss." She'll begin, her voice again taking on that husky quality it has in her disguise. "I need to speak with you for a moment."

...Yeah, that's not suspicious at all. She'll need something with a little more cover than that if she's going to get the succubus to cooperate.

"Would you care to join me in the hot tub?" She adds, leaning into the extra inflections in her voice. Maybe she could pass off her sudden interest in the succubus as something other than a security measure. And given what they seem to respond to...

Well, she'll be glad they only have to go as far as said hot tub.

[Grand Ballroom]

Anchor looks at them, considering, considering, not getting it, until...
"Oh. You're that new music group everyone is talking about, right?" She may not be up to date on the latest DEATHKISS news.
"Nice to meet you too."

[Grand Ballroom]

"In the flesh!" Marianne smiles, glad for the recognition. "...Side note;" She looks over at Euphoria. "Have we done 'In the Flesh' as an album title yet?"

"I don't think so."

"We should. The innuendo is sitting right there."

"Hm." Euphoria frowns. "In any case, this is only half of us. Our singer and guitarist are off enjoying themselves elsewhere. I believe one of them mentioned karaoke."

"...Isn't that cheating?"

"Only if it's competitive and they aren't upfront about their experience." Euphoria takes a drink of her punch and looks back down at Anchor. "...If you don't mind, we were in the middle of something. Why don't you go and join them?"

"Oh, come on, Euy." Marianne wraps an arm around the statuesque succubus. "It's a party! We're here to mingle, right? Besides, don't forget, if all goes well..." She whispers something into Euphoria's ear, standing all the way on her toes to manage it.

Euphoria's expression turns slightly more genial at that. "...So, Anchor." She begins, forcing a little smile. "What brings you here tonight?"