Entrance

[blueeyeddevil]

Reese Cordova

Ballet rehearsals had ended a while ago and with a quick shower and clothes change, Reese had hurried over to the Moulin Rouge. She and Damien had made plans to hang out that day. They found out they were to get off around the same time, so they had agreed to meet at the Moulin Rouge where Damien worked. Reese had been looking forward to this all week, just needing get away from the Opera House for a while and be with a good friend and have some fun.

She arrived at the front lobby of the Moulin Rouge, glancing around for a moment to see if she could spot Damien. He wasn't anywhere to be found and she frowned a bit, still looking for a moment. She eventually gave up, pulling out her phone to call him and see where he was. However she noticed that she had text message she hadn't seen earlier. It was from Damien, letting her know that he was running a little behind and that he'd be late. HE also said to just wait for him in the lobby and he'd be there when he could.

She sighed and shrugged, moving off to the side. She grabbed a brochure from the desk, going over to lean against the wall as she flipped through it in an attempt to pass the time. This one happened to be on the history of the Moulin Rouge...she just hoped it would be enough to last her till Damien showed up.

[Deleted]

Toddy St. James

The life of Toddy St. James was so taxing. This new promotion with the many digits paycheck, full admiration from Myron Bolitar himself, respect from the other Rouge roamers, free food and drinks, his own office with decor to die for, and to be known as the best looking business man and have to keep up with that? Tre' tired. As if he had time for a social life anymore. Of course, he had his fabulous boyfriend, the newfound glamorous dining, and so many beautiful outfits with chaotic shopping sprees- but other than that, what did he have time for? Nothing. To busy to talk to anyone at the Rouge, help them with their issues, and whatever else. Toddy was stricty business. He was a business man. People feared him because he was so business-like. He was-

"Well someone looks sexy." Toddy purred, leaning up against the wall with his hand. "And it's not just me."

What? Toddy could stop every once in awhile near the front desk to compliment someone. No harm in that. There was that meeting with Myron in a minute, but business shmisness. This was important. A girl has got to know she looks hot. Especially someone Toddy St. James had never seen before. Because if it was someone at the Rouge that Toddy did not know, that was an issue. Especially someone this gorgeous and fashionable. She was like a pixy fierce sophisticated but bad *ss lady. Who was holding a brochure on the boring long history of the Rouge. Gag him now.

Toddy's eyes glittered over at leather hottie no name, and grinned. "How dare someone as pretty as you come into my Rouge-" Well, it once was his with vanishing Myron Bolitar wasn't it? "and I not know their name."

... So he could totally gossip.

[blueeyeddevil]

Reese Cordova

The history of the Rouge itself was kind of interesting but the way the brochure presented it made her practically start yawning. They seriously needed to get some better reading material in here. Obviously this was not enough to hold her rather short attention span and she was bored all over again. "PLEASE hurry Damien!!" she mentally pleaded with her friend, despite knowing that it would do no good.

A hand suddenly appeared next to her and she glanced up to see a rather cute guy gazing back at her with a smile. "Well someone looks sexy. And it's not just me." he murmured. Reese couldn't help but blush and grin. Who was this guy? Where had he come from? "How dare someone as pretty as you come into my Rouge-and I not know their name." he continued.

Reese laughed softly, still blushing. "Well, you certainly get right to the point, don't you," she said. "My name is Reese Cordova. Certainly a pleasure to meet a charming man like yoursef." Suddenly her blue eyes widened slightly in shock as something occured to her. "Wait...Your Rouge?" she said in shock as if to clarify. This was the man in charge of the Moulin Rouge...and he was flirting with her?! "You're in charge of the Moulin Rouge?! Very impressive..." she murmured.

[blueeyeddevil]

OOC: New Scene!! Not a double post by any means!!

Maksim Volkov

Honestly, as a patron it hardly was his job to fill in for the receptionist who didn't show up. Apparently they had come down with the flu and thus had left the Rouge with no one ot fill in for them night. Maksim had little say in the matter, obviously, or he wouldn't be sitting behind a desk right now to be taking calls. He was currently on the phone with the company that supplied the fabric and supplies to make the costumes for the dancers.

"Look, I understand that the fabric got shipped out of your company. What I'm trying to say is that it never made it here to the Moulin Rouge," Maksim said, trying to keep from completely losing it over the phone. He must have explained the situation at least ten times by now and the person on the other end did not seem to be getting it.

"Monsieur Volkov! Aren't you going to do something about the lighting," the airheaded dancer next him kept pestering. This whole situation had been going on for at least a half hour now, juggling a million different things at once. Maksim had really not expected any of this when he had signed on to be patron of the Moulin Rouge.

Finally he completely snapped. "You were suppose to be backstage and ready to perform twenty minutes ago," he hissed at the girl. "I swear if you don't leave this instant I will personally make sure you are fired and never dance in so much as a strip club ever again!" The girl looked shocked for a second but quickly went running in the direction of the dressing rooms.

"Forget the order. We'll get the damn fabric somewhere else," he berated the person on phone before slamming it down. With a long groan, Maksim leaned his head down on the desk, wondering if he should go and find some pain medication for the headache he could feel coming on. The worst part of it was the night hadn't even started yet. It was definately going to be a long evening.

[Lets_Eat_Paste]

Penny MaCarthy

Penny knew she had many traits—logic, cleanliness, determination—but there was one trait in particular that brought her here today: ambition. To get her coveted spot in Parliament, she had to work, she had to kiss *ss (so to speak), she had to dress up in a gofer suit and do menial jobs for her superiors. But it was worth it. One day, she’d be the one calling the shots and sending Prime Minister hopefuls to return tickets to nightclubs. That is, she would if she even went to night clubs.

To be honest, had she not been given this job, she would never of stepped foot in the Moulin Rouge, or even of walked past it. It was in the Red Light District, a place aptly named, for it made Penny stop in her tracks like a well behaved driver following traffic laws. But today, she did the unimaginable and not only walked near the night club, but entering this sequin and glitter filled world. Like a chameleon who had yet to learn the rules of camouflage, she stood out glaringly in her formal work attire, walking amongst scantily clad performers, tourists, and patrons.

She looked around hopelessly for the owner, the box office, anything, finally settling on an unofficial desk. Approaching it, she brushed some loose brown hair back into place.

“Excuse me,” she said, trying her best to sound professional, respectable, and authoritative. “Who do I need to speak to about returning these tickets?”

[blueeyeddevil]

Maksim Volkov

Lately he had been wondering if it was worth it to invest in this place simply to make his father angry. The Rouge was asking a lot more of him than any of the other previous places he had become a patron of and Maksim had never been the working type. Why on earth had that dancer thought he was the one to come to about lighting?! Did he look like he had the time to deal with any of that tonight?! Once things settled down he knew he was going to have to go find the bar and grab a vodka martini...and possibly see if Linnea was around.Talking with her had always proved to be a good distraction.

But it didn't look like things would be settling down any time soon. Because now sooner had he gotten off the phone with the fabric provider than he spotted a young woman coming towards the desk with a determined looking gait. Judging by the professional dress, she definitely was not one of the performers. Was she a customer? She brushed some hair back into place as she approached and Maksim leaned back in his chair, curious as to what she was was doing here.

“Excuse me,” she said, sounding very business-like. “Who do I need to speak to about returning these tickets?”

Maksim sighed... "No one. Because if those tickets are for tonight they are non-refundable," he told her. "We need at least 24 hours notice on refunds so we can try and sell the ticket again and not lose money."

Honestly, Maksim had no idea was the policy for refunds was. He just didn't want to bother doing it, which, since shows were only 10 minutes away and the box office had closed, would be his job. But he knew the old trick...just act confident in what you're saying and people will eventually believe you.

[Lets_Eat_Paste]

Penny MaCarthy

The man’s response was a long, drawn out sigh that seemed to slip through his teeth like a leaking air pipe. And like a leaking air pipe, it grated on Penny’s nerves. "No one. Because if those tickets are for tonight they are non-refundable," he told her. "We need at least 24 hours’ notice on refunds so we can try and sell the ticket again and not lose money."

Penny pursed her lips, sucking on her molar to keep her temper locked up deep inside her. If she could just return the tickets and get out this God-awful place before anyone noticed that she, a worker bee for the King Bee English Ambassador, was even here. “Excuse me,” she said, hands on her hips. “I don’t think you realize who it is that is returning the tickets. The English Ambassador to France is returning these tickets. Unless you want to tell him yourself why he, on your watch, wasted money on tickets he can’t even use, it’d be in your best interest to just comply.” Penny said. Her voice was not threatening, but she hoped, with every fiber in her body, that she sounded influential enough for his cooperation. She was not, under any circumstances, going back to the Embassy with bad news and failed job. She would never make her way from secretary’s assistant to Prime Minister if she got a reputation for not following through on assigned jobs.

“It would be easier for you and me both if we just traded the tickets for a refund and carry on with our lives. I’m sure you have more important things to do with your life that run an information desk at a night club, places you’d rather be. Am I right?”

[blueeyeddevil]

Maksim Volkov

A challenge had just been raised here and it was going to come down to who would back down first. This woman didn't look like she was going to take no for an answer and Maksim wasn't about to give in to her demanded...even if he technically didn't know if he had a leg to stand on with his own argument. He had always been pretty good when it came to lying and he hoped those skills would serve him well now.

Her lips pulled into a tight line, looking not very pleased with the information he had just given her concerning the tickets. “Excuse me,” she began, her hands resting on her hips. “I don’t think you realize who it is that is returning the tickets. The English Ambassador to France is returning these tickets. Unless you want to tell him yourself why he, on your watch, wasted money on tickets he can’t even use, it’d be in your best interest to just comply.” Her tone was clipped but polite, though her words set Maksim even more on edge. If there had been any chance of him giving in before, it was gone now.

"Well, perhaps the Ambassador should not have bought tickets if he wasn't going to use them. Perhaps with his, I'm sure, very busy schedule he should have waited until a day he had more time and then bought the tickets," Maksim glanced up at her now. "We do have a box office where he could have bought the tickets when his schedule allowed. And I'm sorry, but we bend the rules for anyone. Even ambassadors."

“It would be easier for you and me both if we just traded the tickets for a refund and carry on with our lives. I’m sure you have more important things to do with your life that run an information desk at a night club, places you’d rather be. Am I right?” she went on.

Maksim raised an eyebrow, sitting back in his seat as he folded his arms. "I'm afraid I'm not following your logic," he told her. "I'm stuck at this information desk regardless of if I give you the refund or not. How exactly would giving you the money back help with that in any way?"

[Lets_Eat_Paste]

Penny MaCarthy

Penny could tell that this wasn’t going to be easy. But, instead of look at it as an obstacle in the path of her success, she saw it as an opportunity to sharpen those debating tools that had, as of late, taken a backseat to the secretary’s pencils. It was a challenge, a dare. Penny’s eyes narrowed to accept it.

"Well, perhaps the Ambassador should not have bought tickets if he wasn't going to use them. Perhaps with his, I'm sure, very busy schedule he should have waited until a day he had more time andthenbought the tickets. We do have a box office where he could have bought the tickets when his schedule allowed. And I'm sorry, but we bend the rules for anyone. Even ambassadors."

Penny sucked on her molars as to keep her nerves together, for they were getting frayed at the ends and threatened to unravel completely. Was he calling the Ambassador wrong? Did the man not understand that emergencies came up, obligations and priorities changed?

"I'm afraid I'm not following your logic. I'm stuck at this information desk regardless of if I give you the refund or not. How exactly would giving you the money back help with that in any way?”

Surely this man was thick. Penny let out a small laugh, for she pitied a man as daft as he. “I mean, sir,” she said, her respectful title tainted with sarcasm. “That if you just give me back the money, you can go on with running your little desk here, doing your work, and I’ll get out of your hair.” Penny put her hands on the desk, leaning in to tower over him. “Let me remind you: this is the Ambassador we’re talking about. He picked this night because he had nothing planned. But things come up. Emergencies. And, I don’t know if you realize this, but helping the nation run smoothly is far more important than a night filled with half naked women and good drinks. The Ambassador had to, if you must know, attend an urgent meeting with France’s president. I can’t tell you much because it’s top secret, but it concerns the safety of the citizens of France. Wouldn’t you agree, my kind sir, that that’s more important than tonight’s tickets being sold?”