The Gala

"Why didn't you tell him?" Pyrrha asked as Jubilee rolled her eyes and looked away.

The Hellfire Gala was in full swing. Mutants and their coworkers and colleagues, both "super" and not, as well as normal human guests. Friends and family, foreign dignitaries and others. All were gathered here in the grotto of Krakoa to celebrate with the mutants.

And all were dressed to the nines! Especcialy the mutants. That had been how things had started at the first Gala several years ago with the mutants outfits being borderline costumes themselves and that tradition had continued among the Krakoans and some of their guests. The dresses were as extravagant and exotic as the lushly appointed Grotto itself with it's plants, vibrant flowers and sparkling crystals and waters.

"You look nice," Jubilee said trying to change the subject.

Pyrrha Nikos shrugged but smiled in her toga reminiscent dress. "Why thank you! We had to attend a wedding a few days ago our time. It was a nice opportunity to wear them again. Jen liked it too which is why she picked a dress similar but different to mine."

Jubilee looked to where Jen was socializing with some of her old Avengers friends. She was indeed wearing a similar dress albeit with deep purple and white, instead of Pyrrha's red and white, reminiscent of her hero costume she sometimes wore. With bangles and high-heeled sandals laced up her legs she looked like like a green goddess. "Yeah," Jubilee smiled a bit. "You both look amazing. Looks like her old teammates are happy to see her. Spidey and Sam-"

Gwen crossed her arms and shook her head. Her dress was simply a variation on her costume like most of the heroes. Infact many had shown up in their costumes for just that reason. To be recognized as publicly in support of the mutants. "I still can't believe that this worlds Samantha Wilson is a dude! Takes some getting used to ya know? And don't try Changing the subject." She also looked at Jubilee. "You should have told him."

Jubilee groaned laying her head down on her arms looking at the dance floor where Walt was dancing with Emma. "Black King and White Queen..." she sighed. "And I know. I messed up. I just... I dunno... what if he said, "No", ya know?"

Neo rolled her eyes at her and shaking her head excused herself from the table.

Penny watched her go and nodded turning back to Jubilee. She had also dressed up in her dress from the wedding like the others. Hopefully they wouldn't get quite as messed up this time. "It is important to you. I am certain Walt knows that. He would not say, "No" to you. He still hasn't told you "No" after all, has he?"

Jubilee watched as Neo tapped on Walt's arm and silently bowed asking to cut in on the dance. When he and Emma nodded she surprised Emma by taking her hands with a wink. She could hear Emma's laugh from here as she began dancing with Neo and Walt shrugged grinning and clapping. He wasn't left alone for long though.

Dazzler, her friend Alison, had approached him. This year she was in a tight bodysuit that covered nearly everything from her high heeled platform clad feet to her hairline in sparkling asymmetrical pieces of bluish mirrored metal. The only things left uncovered were her hair, nose and lips and she had dyed the tips of her long blond hair a Metalic blue as well as adorning her lips in the same blue lipstick. Even her eyes were covered.

"How does she even see? One way mirror pieces?" Jubilee muttered watching them dance together laughing as she played with her explosion themed dress and it's frills. "Damn sexy, smokeshow scene stealer... meanwhile I look kinda ridiculous..." She stopped and sighed tiredly. Ali was her friend... and Walt's too. And Walt had assured her she was pretty to him. She was-"I'm being a bitch because I fucked up and I know it." She smiled at Penny who reached over and patted Jubilee's hand. A hand Jubilee turned over to hold and squeeze Penny's, her new but dear caring friends hand.

Penny smiled back at her and said, "He hasn't told you "You can't" and he hasn't said "No" yet."

Tsuyu smiled and nodded. "Even if he wants to tell you those things he won't. That's how he is. Ribbit"

Gwen nodded. "Like me, all of us really. He wants what's best for you and will work hard to support it."

Blake looked at Yang who nodded and she did too adding, "Especially if it scares him for you... Or if you feel like you might not deserve it, he'll support you."

Manami smiled looking away from her camera a moment. "That's his real quirk or power. Love. That's why he hasn't, won't, tell you " No"."

Jubilee sighed. "No... he hasn't," she swallowed and nodded. "Excuse me," she said pushing back from the table. "I have something to do."

"Glad you came?"

Walt smiled at Emma as they danced. "I am, actually. I'm excited to see this housing and food resources project that Forge plans on unveiling later! Something like that may do more "good " for all of mankind than any team of superheros or mutants ever could. If it's viable I want to help support and fund it if not work together on it. It may have far reaching impact on helping colonize new worlds!"

"Is that all?" She asked raising an eyebrow.

He laughed. "Of course not." He spun her. "The company is pleasing as well!"

She laughed. "Good! But since you brought up business..."

Walt chuckled and nodded. "I suppose I did. What of it "White Queen"?"

She nodded. "You were frowning when you saw Fisk."

Walt nodded. "I did... But maybe I shouldn't have. If y'all let him join as a citizen of Krakoa by marriage that's up to the council. Not my business I suppose-"

"That's a part of the reason but not the only one," she said sighing. "He's investing in Hellfire Trading."

Walt blinked. "That's... Interesting..."

Emma nodded. "Long before Shaw and the Inner circle took it over that's what the Hellfire Club was at it's core. A secret grouping of business individuals. Krakoa is doing well enough but it all takes money, resources and capital to keep things going."

"You need more," Walt nodded understanding.

"We do," she said. "So for the first time in longtime were opening it back up to non-mutants."

Walt shook his head. "Not sure I like the idea of Wilson Fisk, White Kingpin of the HTC if I'm being honest with you, Em. He looks like a bear but that sunuvabitch is one tricky polecat. I'd watch him closely, I tell you what."

Emma Frost laughed and grinned. "Noted! Actually... It's one of the reasons I invited Tony. We needed to invite him anyway and as my escort I could talk to him about business. We were going to ask him to invest too. His father, Howard, was a Hellfire member once upon a time."

Walt smiled. "Ah! Now the pieces of this puzzle begin to make sense. I honestly didn't understand the date thing and was trying to wrap my mind around it."

Emma frowned moving to the music. "What? Am I not his type?"

"Not at all," Walt chuckled and dipped her with a wink. "He wasn't your type. Speaking as his good friend I can safely say... You're far out of his league."

Emma laughed genuinely. Walt appreciated it's beauty and richness... As well as the wonderfully distracting things it did to her body in that risqué outfit. He pulled her back up from the dip and shrugged. "Out of my league as well to tell the truth. Not that I'm trying."

She raised an eyebrow at that. "Is that so? Pity. I think you're not doing at all badly. Maybe you should try putting in some effort?" She smirked... then laughed again as he quite unexpectedly blushed. "Oh dear! Was that too much? You really are different. A bit of a tease and a flirt but not a suave playboy at all!"

Walt grinned and nodded. "Nope. That was Tony's schtick, not mine. And I may flirt back a bit but I rarely tease... Unless the lady likes that sort of thing." He winked.

Emma smiled. "How quaint. An honest man, then?"

Walt staggered and clutched his chest. "Madam you wound me! I'll have you know that I'm the most honestly, dishonest man around. Honest." He said holding up his hand... but his fingers were crossed.

She arched her eyebrow but smiled. "You should know you're only half as amusing as you think you are."

Walt nodded smiling. "I can live with that. I'm glad to play the fool as long as you're amused." He wiggled his eyebrows and she laughed again. He waited happily for the moment to pass before continuing. "So you wanted to offer Tony Hellfire membership? That's disappointing."

She tilted her head. "Oh? Why is that disappointing for you?"

Walt shook his head. "Not me. You. Tony was pretty close to broke."

He let that sink in as Emma took a long moment to process. "What? How can that be? Stark Unlimited and all it's subsidiaries. Stark Industries. Stark Reliant... The divesting and sales should have netted him billions. Hundreds of billions. Maybe more!"

"More," Walt agreed nodding. "But Tony spent it all. Sorry. Nearly spent it all. He still had a couple dollars in the old bank account at the time of his passing. Friday?"

(("$3,126.78, Boss... And some coupons."))

"Thank you, Friday. Three thousand one hundred and twenty six dollars and some change as well as coupons," he said.

"Three thousand...," Emma whispered still trying to comprehend. "Coupons?"

"Coupons," Walt confirmed.

Emma blinked then looked in his eyes desperately curious and wishing she could read his mind. "What did he spend it all on?"

Walt looked around and leaned in to whisper. "Can you keep a secret?"

She nodded. "Yes, of course."

Walt nodded and smiled. "Good, so can I." He kept dancing.

She looked torn between laughing and stomping on his foot. "I thought you said you weren't a tease."

Walt smirked. "I said only if the lady enjoys such things. So...?" He raised an eyebrow.

She did as well... but despite her best efforts the corners of her mouth pulled upwards. "Fine... keep your secrets for now."

Walt smiled and nodded. "As the lady likes. So you were going to offer Tony Hellfire membership and a chance to invest/back HTC but little did you realize he wouldn't have been able to bring much other than a bright mind, an extremely impressive and valuable asset to be sure, and his ego... almost as equally impressive but a goodly bit less useful."

Emma nodded and sighed. "Yes, that's right. I don't suppose you'd be interested in-"

"Alright," Walt agreed.

Emma blinked. "Just like that?"

Walt nodded. "Just like that. Im already up to my chest in mutant affairs. May as well get neck deep. Shall we shake on it? Oh, sorry... I bet theres some Hellfire traditional something or other, isn't there... not necessarily a deal breaker but honestly I hate that malarkey. Can I pay extra to skip it and go right to celebrating at the bar over drinks and being shown the secret handshake? Or is it decoder rings? That'd be fun. Haven't seen those in ages- oh! Hello Neo!"

Neo waved and made a cutting motion with her fingers, grinning. Walt nodded. Letting go of the stunned Emma. "Cutting in? Alright, I suppose-"

Neo grinned and winked grabbing Emma's hands instead of his and laughing silently danced away.

"... That's fine," he finished his thought watching them dance away smiling after them. He'd just started putting his hands in his pockets when someone who looked like a crazy, sexy broken disco ball danced her way over.

"Hey, there!" She said. "You free big guy?"

Walt blinked and pointed at himself and nodded. "Uhm... it certainly seems so at the moment, Ms... Okay I'll admit it's hard to get a read."

The music had changed to a club beat and she hip bumped him. "Okay hows about this clue? You taught me these moves listening to an old boombox outback of the Xavier Mansion-"

"Alison!?" Walt blinked looking at the costume and grinned seeing her nod. "Ok, girl you out did yourself with this one! What did you do? Make a catsuit out of poor Piotr or something?" His eye's trailed down her body then back up again and he struggled to keep them there. "Second thought... not a bad way to go at all. Lucky bastard."

"Walt!" She mock protested laughing. "I did no such thing to Petey! So you like it?"

Walt leaned in and kissed her cheek. "Yup. It's definitely somekind of outfit!"

"You think?" She asked swaying to the music. "I'm more covered then most."

Walt chuckled nervously. Leave it to Alison to be so wholesome and risqué at the same time. "It's not about being naked it's about being sexy and beautiful and pulling off a unique look. Like I said only Piotor or Emma or Bobby could pull off something like this... or so I thought. Well done and congrats! I hear you're up for being on the X-Men!"

"Thanks!" She said but shook her head. "But as awesome as that is I just want to dance with you for a bit!"

Walt laughed. "You got it, Dancing Queen!"

*Insufferable,* Emma said telepathically. *How do you put up with him?*

Neo smirked. It was weird at first but this thought-talking was interesting! *He's fun and let's me have fun. He's happiest when he can make those he cares about happy. He loves me and I him. I'm very lucky!*

Emma sighed but smiled. *That is... rather surprisingly sweet. I suppose that's his type then?*

Neo smirked and winked. *For some maybe but not at all. I'm most definitely "trouble". He says I'm his favorite "trouble"! He likes ladies like you who have strong personalities as well.*

Emma's eye brows went up. *Is that so? And where do you think your hand is?*

Neo grinned and slowly moved her hand back to Emma's waist from her backside. *Sorry. I couldn't help myself. Just wanted to see if it was as nice as it looked. Just between us girls... it is!*

Emma shook her head. *You ARE "trouble"!* she smiled though. *"Trouble" isn't terrible however... What more can you tell me?*

Neo smirked. *What do you want to know... and what do you have to trade?*

Emma smirked back. *Excellent. Shall we discuss "business"?*

Neo nodded and looked at the bar holding out her arm for her like Walt earlier, which Emma took. *Lets!* she thought and waved to Penny who nodded. She'd meet them there.

[Walter Stark Penny Polendina F.R.I.D.A.Y Neopolitan Pyrrha Nikos Nora Valkyrie Yang Xiao Long Blake Belladonna Kali Belladonna Sienna Khan Willow Schnee Glynda Goodwitch Zwei Ahnassi Lifts-Her-Tail Senko Sayoko Shinozaki Roberta Cisneros Haruna Sasha Blouse Ilulu Rachel "Raven" Roth Manami "La Brava" Aiba Tsuyu "Froppy" Asui Haruhime Sanjouno Anastasia "The Baroness" Cisarovna/DeCobray Demona Mystique Pirotess Lydia Aela the Huntress Serana Mission Vao Curie Ada PAM KL-E-O Merida Gwen "Gwenom" Stacy Jubilation "Jubilee" Lee and Jennifer "She-Hulk" Walters

Will Return In

The Gala Continued

Coming Soon]