7/12 Instance: The Proper Propagation of Propaganda

[tears~fall~like~glass]

timeline: after Off-Record Workshop


"Thank you for coming, please take our reading material. You'll be able to mark your donations on the back and return them at the end of the evening." The intern with too much teeth showing to be healthy or natural stuffed pamphlets out. Jason took one in mock politeness, turning it over to see the garish picture and "Vote Steadfast, Vote Brickman" plastered over the cover. "You would think Creed could have come up with a more interesting slogan, wouldn't you?" He looked to his companion for the evening, showing too much teeth as well in his well-crafted fake smile.

Raven responded with her own shiny, shiny smile from behind almost glowing rouged lips and adjusted the dead fox she had slung over her shoulders, "My dear, we're dealing with Republican's here, remember?" she murmured, "Thousands of people doing the same thing for hundreds of years can't be wrong now, can they?"

"Right...I suppose steadfast would be more than appropriate and puns are downright innovative." he tucked the pamphlets away in his suit coat, giving his tie a straighten. "I feel as though your fur is overcompensating for me being bald. I think I'm going to be paranoid about going bald forever now."

Raven laughed lightly, "In that case, next time you should specify 'no bald patches' to Gambit to save your nerves, my lovely," she nodded amiably at a few of the other well-heeled folks mingling, "I rather think you have the better end of the deal when it comes to smiling at least," she added, grimacing inwardly, "my face always aches after we're finished."

"True. I can't taunt you with how many eyerolls and grimaces I can freely do. Oh the freedom I do enjoy for that." He nodded to a few he remembered coming to the Club in Buckman's day. "Oh, it's like seeing old friends, only the absolute opposite. We're going to have to eventually make small talk with these people. Remind me I can't mock them to their faces, only behind the mask provided by your gumbo nibblies."

... Okay, gumbo nibblies was a new one, she had to resist the urge to roll her eyes and chuckle, "Save the mocking till we retire to the nearest cocktail bar for a blow-by-blow recount," she advised, taking out a small mirror from her purse and checking her reflection for a moment, "I dread to think of having to 'mingle' with these oinks, give me foul-mouthed builders over the ignorant self-righteous any day."

"Consider it a study of everything that is wrong with the world?" Jason steered his fake wife for the night over to one of the familiar faces. "George! Oh I haven't seen you for absolute aaaaages. Now what happened to that son of yours? Isn't he about old enough he should be the one throwing one of these little get-togethers?" It helped to know the Club gossip about the man in question's son running off to join the Peace Corps in a fit of hippie rebellion and never coming back.

No one could say she wasn't self-disciplined, she kept that friendly smile on her face even as she snorted inside, You bitch, Jason! "Oh yes, I suppose that is one of the many sadnesses of our own lack of progeny, never being able to sponsor such as auspicious event as this, don't you think so darling?"

"Yes, I suppose so...but we're able to enjoy our retirement without a worry, that's for certain." Yes, yes Jason was a bitch. His victim was doing well keeping a friendly face on but the handshakes were definitely spiteful. He felt lucky to come away with his fingers. "So, what do we all think of this Brickman fellow? He's certainly got quite the entourage, doesn't he?" Jason looked back, catching site of Creed coaching Brickman quietly in the corner.

"Hmmm, he's a big young don't you think?" Raven said slightly distastefully, "and his hair I think a bit too long, but perhaps he is trying to appeal to the younger demographic," the final phrase uttered in the same sort of voice as one might say 'sea urchin'.

"Well, let us hope that he has something worth voting for other than a future as a model for hair products." Hmm, that might be too much of a thing he would normally say but it seemed to go over well. George, it seemed, had forgiven the slight from earlier, though it would surely be the topic on the car ride home.

"He seems to be presenting quite solid stances." George began, slipping off into various bits of politics. "And the man with him, Mr. Creed. Well, that is a brilliant young man there. I imagine soon enough we will be voting him into office as well."

"Oh yes, a fine figure of a man, that Creed," Raven nodded, retching inside, "He will go quite far I believe," and that at least was true, it just depended on how large a catapult they could find, really ...

Jason was imagining something that would have to involve NASA at the very least, perhaps The Doctor. George, however, was going on. "They have the sense some people haven't got at least. Can't believe after the whole thing with New York City some people come out not seeing what people've been the cause of it. The little camera fodder mutants have pulled out after this Symbiote deal's a bigger joke than the Green Party."

Raven womanly forced down the urge to claw the ignorant man's eyes out, did no one ever think about who was behind the experiments? She kept on smiling, "Indeed, a bigger scandal than the latest Madonna adoption, but like they say, the truth will always out."

"Well, with such candidates we need not worry about any of this short-sightedness interfering with the party." Jason was impressed with himself being able to get that out, earning a practically friendly slap on the back by George.

Ewww, he was touching Jason! "I certainly hope not," she said, adjusting her dead fox again, "nor, I hope, any od this unsavory business with those videos that some cretin linked to our standing." Ha! Yes, everyone was very careful to not mention that, weren't they?

There was a violation going on, Jason was sure of it. He figured though it wouldn't go well in court if he just pointed there on the doll so he would have to just live. "They'll try anything, that is certain." He looked relieved though as Brickman started for the podium, George waving as he slipped off to his wife.

Raven shuddered genteelly, "I feel like I need to scrub my brain, it feels like it's been covered in a layer of grime," she muttered as they turned to the podium, "Make a girl happy and say that we're nearly ready?"

"Oh, I think we can go right ahead and set up." He nodded, taking a few steps back towards the alcove where the bathroom doors were hidden from view.

"Thank goodness for that," Raven sighed, following her 'husband' discreetly.

His bags slipped out of invisibility as Jason assumed Raven would appreciate being able to see what she was doing. "They're loaded, we just need to anchor the cannon and start the ignition I think."

She pulled a face, "You don't sound to sure of yourself," she glanced back into the room as they started to work, "I can think of far better things we could load into a cannon, however."

"Well, I'm more accustomed to straight up gunpowder to tell the truth but this time delay should be just fine." He glanced back as well, smirking slightly as they weren't earning a bit of attention. "God knows if we did anything more entertaining it'd come back to haunt us."

"It would be satisfying however," Raven sighed, "But you are correct," she spared half an ear to listen to what was being said at the podium, just in case there were questions later, "... What a load of drivel ..."

"I think his hair really is the best thing about him...they're trying to make me into one of their drones via hair."

"He does have good hair, hopefully this'll shock the poor fellow out of politics and he'll get a job with Loriel."

"If he's still popular when it comes to the elections I say we break into his home and cut it."

"Sheer him in his sleep? I love it," Raven grinned, "and we can leave it on the pillow next to him so it's the first thing he sees when he wakes up."

"Goodbye to your extremities, guess where we'll strike next?" Jason suggested, getting the fuse together and into the cannon.

Raven snickered, "Alright then, I guess we go and get into position, have you got your 'shocked' face ready?"

Jason tried it out on her. "Is it too jazz handsy? I feel it's too jazz handsy."

Raven studied it for a moment, "Just a smidge, try going for a little more scandalised as well, like you can smell cat shit somewhere."

Oh, that could work. Jason was good at acting like things stank, after all.

Raven nodded, "Nailed it, come on, let's get this over with before my IQ drops through osmosis."

"Oh that's their secret plan! We're onto them." he straightened his back up, primping his suit just slightly as he made his way back with her, claiming a seat.

More fur adjusting, the dead, glassy eyes kept on looking at her, she couldn't understand why anyone would wear on of these things, and she tried to look interested in what was being said.

Jason got his pamphlet out, pretending to be writing a donation on the back of it, instead scribbling 'Brotherhood' over where the amount should be written. "I'm just filled with a generous spirit."

Raven kept her poker face up, "So I see, my dear, just remember we want to keep it anonymous," she murmured.

"Oh, of course, it's terribly gauche to bandy names about when making donations, isn't it, sweet?"

She nodded, "Of course," before going back to watch the podium, uuuuuuuuugggghhhh ... she was going to need a lot of cocktails after this ...

Jason checked his watch. Three, two, one...ticker-tape parade! A surprisingly loud boom came from behind as the place was absolutely showered.

Raven took that as her cue to leap to her feet and shriek, it was a good shriek, pitched just high enough to melt earwax, she'd been practicing.

There were a lot of shrieks and, much to Jason's pleasure, camera flashes from the journalists in the corner. That's what they were aiming for.

And there went the flyers, fluttering down around them like snow, she made a point of grabbing one off her shoulder to look at it, ahhhh .... so beautiful ...

Millions of little murder accusations floating in the air. Sammy Pare would would be remembered for one more thing at least. Jason's face nearly came off as George could be heard shouting "They're in here! Mutants are in here!" As he tried to get to the exits.

Unclean ... unclean! Ahhh, wiping that smug grin off Creed's face had been worth suffering the plebeian company of George though, "Mission successful," she muttered to her co-conspirator.

"Shall we join the exiting fray?"

"I think we shall, celebratory cocktails once we've 'changed'?"

"Oh yes, I think this is well worth a drink or so." He smiled, standing up and offering his arm.

She took it, if anyone thought it was funny that they were linking arms while fleeing for the exits, she could just blame it on the heels.

[steyn]

I wait for the day when they invent cameras that can pick up abnormalities in people's anatomy, thus finding that damned mutants easier.

[KayJay]

Love it, guys 8D