raisetheearth | Factor Industries Charity Event: October 18th, 2016

Even for Benjamin Factor, arranging this charity event had been something of a challenge. Just as he held great influence in Gateway City, Thunder Corp's influence in Locke was great as well. But with time and money, all things were indeed possible in this case, and the Memorial Dance Hall was playing host to the night's events. It was a glamorous affair: politicians, captains of business, dignitaries, and celebrities had been invited. For whatever controversy that existed, the world legitimately wanted to heal the wounds left by the invasion, and that meant there were a lot of people who wanted to use events like this to either advance that cause, or to make themselves look good.

But they weren't the only sorts of individuals who had recieved an invitation.

Benjamin Factor had also made it so the Numbered would be invited to his little party. Arrivals through the teleporter would be greeted by drivers at the community center, and the same courtesy was extended to anyone who might live in Locke. The only stipulation? Was that anyone who came make an effort to make themselves presentable. If that was a problem, or anyone arrived without knowing, they had clothes on hand for people to change into.

Indeed, it seemed that the Numbered would be well provided for tonight. That being said, their presence would get people to talk, given the presence of news crews making live coverage. Nevertheless... "getting people to talk" seemed to be exactly what Benjamin Factor wanted to happen.

[Event Links: Event Speakers | NPC Interaction | General Mingle]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Well, I've never drunk too much hard liquor..." Though, he had tried mixed drinks a number of times, if only because freebies were freebies. Bar specials had been a weakness of Arthur's when he started to drink routinely.

"But, I've tried bourbon...? I can't say I like it too much."

"Bourbon can be great," Lazarus says. "If you don't like it, all it means is that you just haven't been drinking good bourbon."

He turns toward the bar.

"You know, we might be able to find some. If you're interested."

"Somebody said it was spicy, but it just ended up makin' my throat dry," He responded evenly, looking to his beer with a slow blink. In comparison, Lazarus was a lot more refined a person, but Arthur wasn't particularly jealous of it. He was the sort of person who liked finding one thing to enjoy for his entire life.

Anything more would be too complex.

"Spicy?" He asks, squinting, trying to remember the nuance of the flavor. It's difficult now. "Maybe something like that. If I recall, really good bourbon goes down smooth. It's almost sweet, by the standards of such things."

If he knew that the young man thought him refined, he would have had a good laugh about it. Maybe he would have even told him of the very unglamorous things he used to do while drinking, how he ability to tell what was good came from so many nights choking down what wasn't.

"Come on. At least try. No expense was spared so they must have something passable."

To Arthur, there were people who didn't clean up well that could easily be considered 'adults'. He didn't think he was a person like that--that he was just a young man with a big body who just happened to fall into the role of an adult without deserving it.

In comparison, Lazarus was definitely an adult.

"I... I guess I could." Arthur glanced towards a waiter--who took their cue to approach with a tray of glasses of dry liquor.

If being an adult means having experienced some of life's hard-knocks, then that at least is something that Lazarus would agree with. He's earned something for all the grief and trouble, he's sure. Then again, the Numbered are all in that boat to a certain extent.

"That's the spirit," Lazarus says easily, with a mumbled no pun intended. "We want this brand..." his instructions to the waiter are polite, crisp and specific. He's requesting a high-quality brand that is inexpensive for its quality.

When he's obtained two glasses, he offers one to Arthur and downs about half of his own glass in one "sip."

"Do you have--"

Arthur was cut off by Lazarus, his eyes shifting aside as he turned red. He likely started speaking too softly and got run over in the wake of someone with much more proficiency than himself. With a sigh and a smile, Arthur nodded his thanks and took the glass from Lazarus.

"--Well, here goes."

With one sip longer than he should have taken, Arthur felt a brow twitch before he breathed out a sigh.

"Ok, it wasn't as bad as last time."

Lazarus realizes, a little too late, that he might have absolutely just steamrolled over the young man. He realizes it too, unfortunately, and can only offer an apologetic half-smile as he hands over the glass.

He licks his lips shen he lowers his glass; he feels the burn of the bourbon more than tastes it, but it's enough to tell that he'd rather drink this than some cheap swill.

"Good. I'm glad. It'll go right to your head if you let it, so be careful," he warns before casually finishing off his glass.

Arthur had gotten used to people moving right past him his whole life, but Lazarus was considerably kinder about it than most other people. Arthur gave Lazarus a withering smile as he felt the burn really sizzle down his throat. There was supposed to be a trick to bourbon, but remembering a concept was infinitely less useful than remembering the application of it.

"I think I remember a little," The glass was lifted back to his lips--an unconscious gesture stemmed from his current nervousness. "It's definitely quicker than beer."

Lazarus has that tendency, to be a little gentler and kinder even when he finds personalities on the slightly annoying side or others can't keep up with his intelligence. Maybe it's because despite his echoes, he still feels very much like the guy who failed at life so many times he felt like a subhuman or a living shadow rather than a flesh and blood man.

"Quicker? Yeah... that it is. It'll get you drunk fast if that's what you're going for," he admits, with another sip that is a little more tempered than his last drink. "Not that you strike me as that kind of person. And that's a good thing."

Somehow, it didn't register to Arthur that the 'liquor before beer' colloquialism had a real purpose in life other than existing as something he always forgot to actually try and learn. Lazarus knew it, though, so maybe he could fish the entire phrase out of him without asking directly--

"It's fine if I drink both, right? Does that make it more complicated?"

Lazarus knows it, all right. Through a lot of hard-earned and very miserable experience, at that.

"Well..." he hesitates before answering. "You can, but generally it's advisable to start your evening with liquor if you're going to drink it. Because of the higher alcohol content, it's easy to overdo. So I don't think it's complicated, but..."

He shrugs. He can't really give definitive advice, given his poor track record for keeping to it faithfully.

Factor Industries Charity Event: October 18th, 2016

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