silver st. cloud

"Anything to offer?" Clark repeated, "People do tell me I have a great personality. I'm a good listener..." He said offering a smile, "And if you're ever sick, I have Ma's recipe for chicken noodle soup. It's very good. Why do I feel like this is an audition right now?" He had never walked in her world before but he was aware enough to know what she meant. Of course, he had to wonder how genuine any of her friendships were or if they were all based on what she could get out of them. "It's nice to have a real friend, you know?"

"That's nice, darling." Silver nearly sighed with defeat. She bartered in secrets and connections and Clark seemed to have nothing to offer her... nothing but genuine friendship. The idea tugged at something deep inside, something that she had killed and buried long ago--the need to be close to another person. She pushed the need back down and told it to stay down there. It was a distraction, a weakness. Being heartless is what saved her from herself. She didn't need a real friend, she needed more power. "Is it? Good thing I don't know what I'm missing out on."

"That's unfortunate." The platinum blonde said under her breath. She drank the rest of her martini and a waiter immediately took the empty glass out of her hand and replaced it with a fresh one. She always tipped the staff extremely well if they kept a drink in her hand. These events got too boring if she was sober, especially when there was no drama to stir up. "He'll last as long as the elite want him to. They hold all of the power in this city and he's easily manipulated." Silver said truthfully, but she spoke as if she wasn't one of the elite keeping the idiot mayor on his grungy little throne.

He couldn't really afford messing up his relationship with Silver St. Cloud, but it wasn't just that. He whole heartedly didn't want to offend the woman. There was no worse feeling than unintentionally hurting someone. He gave her a lopsided smile as she patted him and told him to calm down. Confirming that he at the very least, he didn't upset her. "I'm glad you didn't take it too personally." Clark said, letting go of her hand when she did. She asked him if they were on a first name basis and he shrugged. "Only if you're alright with it. I would like to be your friend... especially given how often I might have to come to you in the future."

"I don't take anything personally, Clark." Silver said quietly and then shook her head. That was the wrong headspace to enter into right now. She laughed at the young man's request. Everyone wanted to be her friend--for her connections and nothing else. Clark might have a heart, but he was still press. "My friendship is a prize to be earned. Or bartered. Do you have anything to offer?" Silver asked and gave the reporter a wicked smile.

"Oh, Miss St. Cloud! I came up from behind, so I didn't realize... Please don't take that as an insult. I promise, I didn't mean it as one." He tried to assure her. Noting how her face scrunched up with distaste. A socialite like her would have worked all of her life to stand out. She wasn't anything like him. She didn't spend her time purposely trying to blend in. He slouched to make himself appear a little smaller, he wore glasses because it made him appear more human. And wasn't that everything Clark ever wanted to be? Human? But not everyone wanted to blend in like he did. "I really am sorry." He told her as she took his hand. Hers were so delicate in his own and he made sure to be gentle with it as they shook hands again. Only his concern about insulting her did cause him to shake it a little too fast and heat rushed to his cheeks. "Wonderful. Thank you, Silver. I really appreciate it."

Silver smiled. She loved to make people squirm at the thought of getting on her bad side. She thrived on the power that she held in this city. If you pissed off Silver St. Cloud, you could expect to be blacklisted from every event in the city worth going to. "Calm down, Mr. Kent," she said and patted his chest condescendingly. She released his hand (which was not as strong as it looked... had he been holding back?) and took half a step back. "Are we on a first name basis now, Clark?" She asked.

Ecco had attended countless events like this over the years. She knew how to spot who to shake hands with, who to smile at, who to flirt with a little. This was exactly like every other event she would have attended as Jeremiah's proxy, and she knew what he expected of her. She was to act like she always did -- greet strangers and acquaintances as if nothing had changed, when, in fact, everything had changed for Jeremiah, and, by extension, for her.

Silver looked over at the other woman and smiled. "Don't you know anything about politicians?" She asked sweetly, keeping up her easy-going pretences. It was all a game for Silver and these people, including the mayor, were the pieces. But she was beginning to lose sight of why this game was fun. What was the goal? What was the prize for winning? "Everything that comes out of their mouths is a lie." Silver finished, still smiling for appearances. "But it's their world, I suppose, so we must find a way to live in it."

The mayor's little cause felt... so appropriate. Personal, even. Fish Mooney had lost everything, her territory, her club, and her life -- but then she returned. Badder than ever, thanks to Dr. Strange. Time to improve the city, indeed. She sauntered inside, hair styled high on her head, the red striking against the black. Though not as striking as the mismatched eyes, staring around the room. Her stare flung daggers where necessary, lingered where her curiosity was piqued. She had some of her crew with her, a basic entourage. A treat for her closest and most loyal family members, rather than actual bodyguards. In quarters close as this, she could take care of herself. "Classy affair, isn't it just?" she drawled, plucking a drink carefully off a passing tray. Her sharp nails tapping against the glass. "This city has just gone to hell the past few years. Comes from having a man in charge, of course."

Silver took a sip of her martini (extra dirty as usual) and eyed the woman. She did not fit the mold of the people that she usually talked too--this was the dangers of letting the rabble mingle amongst the privileged. "I would hope so," Silver drawled and took another sip. She looked around the party that she had done most of the planning for and sighed a bit. She could have done better if only she wasn't so bored of her life. "Yes, well, Gotham has always been a bit of a fixer-upper, regardless of who is in charge." Silver replied. She wasn't about to get on the man-hater feminist train. She wanted men to like her so she could have everything she wanted.

"Hey, I'm sorry to bother you... but I'm collecting interviews from regular old' Gothamites. I just want to know how the people of Gotham feel about the mayor. Could I have a moment of your time?" Clark asked softly, pausing for a moment before realizing he hadn't even introduced himself yet. "Oh! I'm Clark, by the way. Clark Kent from the Gotham Gazette." He quickly reached up to flash the badge he was wearing before holding out his hand for the other person to shake if they wanted to.

Silver St. Cloud turned at the familiar voice of the man. He was attractive, in an obvious Kansas farm boy way, but Silver didn’t fraternize with the Clark Kents of the world. She frowned at Clark’s words. He had interviewed her before, on several occasions, as she was an incredibly important figure in Gotham’s elite. “Regular? Oh, darling, you know I am anything but regular.” Silver said, her nose wrinkling in disgust. She looked at his hand for a moment and then decided to shake it; she was wearing gloves, after all. “When it comes to the mayor, I couldn’t be happier. He keeps me quite busy with all of these parties, both as an event planner and an honoured guest.”