[Day 5 - EN] The Malay Benefit Halloween Gala

[Dapper Dog]

“Yeah, it’s been a lot of work, but I am happy that you are achieving your dreams,” she said dryly. “Sticking with it was never the problem, Miles, it was just wanting to make a difference for the people. My people. I just couldn’t keep going knowing I wasn’t doing anything for them.”

“But let’s not dredge up the past. It is what it is.”

[Thousand Miles]

“But let’s not dredge up the past. It is what it is.”

Miles nodded. "So what happens in the future, then? After the gala is over?" he asked. "Do you end up opening more soup kitchens and medical stations or something?"

[Dapper Dog]

“I need to do more than that, and that is what this is about. Not just providing vital services but also building political change in Singapore, and making real changes for Malay people. That’s the future, making real change,” she said.

“But directly after the gala, I am not sure, I have a few projects to work on. You?”

[Uri-el]

Bea smiled brightly to see Malik.

"Oh, hello Malik. You look angelic, as always! Very fashionably so, tonight."

"Let me introduce you. This is Second Counselor Dawit Hakim. He plays an important role in advising the area President of Central Africa, for my church, which includes Ethiopia. The Church of Latter Day Saints."

"Counselor, this is Malik Bekhit el-Eskandarani, a fellow elite contestant for the program that I am in."

"Can you guess our costumes?"

He frowned. "I see that you are royalty. From here, perhaps?"

[Galatea]

Seeing Galatea brought a smile to her face ad she greeted her in Spanish, “Galatea, I am surprised to see you. Are you looking to donate?”

“Oh that gown is amazing,” she said warmly with admiration.

''Thank you. So is yours! I guess we can form our own coven now!'' she replied back in spanish before engaging the subject of donations

''I'd like to yes. My agency are bummers though. They really want to vet every donations I make so that there is no bad PR or hidden scandals'' she waved a hand ''You know how it is. They even asked me to wait for Lil'Ds go fund me for the victims of the attack a few months back''

She sipped from a glass or deep red wine

''Are you one of the organizers?''

[Dapper Dog]

“Well Miss Musa and Mr. Chang are the organizers but I work with Miss Musa’s organization,” she said proudly. “I am really happy with all the good we have done for her cause. It’s incredibly how much money has been raised and how much good we potentially do for the Malay community, Elite and baseline alike.”

“It’s humbling, really.”

[Bee Haw]

He frowned. "I see that you are royalty. From here, perhaps?"

She smiled.

"From here, yes, and from Israel and Judah. A historical meeting of a King and a Queen. He is King Solomon and I am Queen Makeda. The Queen of Sheba. This is a beautiful event. And a chance to help the people of Malay, of southeastern asia. Makeda brought the treasures of Ethiopia when she visited Solomon. That is the spirit of the evening, I think. Generous gifting!"

Beside her, Dawit nodded and gave a bow of greeting. "Nice to meet you, Malik. In my role, I am in contact with the LDS Area President for Asia, who oversees our members - and related charitable support - in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and Thailand."

[Uri-el]

"From here, yes, and from Israel and Judah. A historical meeting of a King and a Queen. He is King Solomon and I am Queen Makeda. The Queen of Sheba. This is a beautiful event. And a chance to help the people of Malay, of southeastern asia. Makeda brought the treasures of Ethiopia when she visited Solomon. That is the spirit of the evening, I think. Generous gifting!"

Beside her, Dawit nodded and gave a bow of greeting. "Nice to meet you, Malik. In my role, I am in contact with the LDS Area President for Asia, who oversees our members - and related charitable support - in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and Thailand."

"How...nice," Malik decided. That's what it was, after all. Very nice.

"It is a night for familiar faces, then, yes?" He came to stand beside the LDS man, gesturing out toward the gala organizers. "You have dealt with these people before, in your charitable work? Even Mr. Chang and Zara Musa?"

[Bee Haw]

"How...nice," Malik decided. That's what it was, after all. Very nice.

"It is a night for familiar faces, then, yes?" He came to stand beside the LDS man, gesturing out toward the gala organizers. "You have dealt with these people before, in your charitable work? Even Mr. Chang and Zara Musa?"

Dawit looked out at the crowd.

"I have not personally worked with Mr. Chang before. I understand he has a background in real estate."

"The Malay Beneficiary Group is a new organization, but my Asian counterparts report that so far the group has been genuinely focused on enacting social change and good works for the Malay people, especially those in Singapore."

Bea added: "The humanitarian priorities of the LDS church are emergency response, clean water and sanitation, food security, health care, education, and wheelchair access."

Dawit nodded, with an approving smile. "Yes, we look for charitable opportunities related to those priority areas. For example, both food distribution programs and training on sustainable farming practices. I am looking forward to hearing the focus of the Malay Beneficiary Group and how it may relate to our priorities. Our role may simply be to encourage the Asia area to support their initiatives. But I am here to listen if there are problems with solutions unique to Africa. UNJE has turned some of our deserts to lush gardens. We have data about environmental transformation as a long-term solution to food insecurity."

[Thousand Miles]

“I need to do more than that, and that is what this is about. Not just providing vital services but also building political change in Singapore, and making real changes for Malay people. That’s the future, making real change,” she said.

"Political change is hard AF," Miles said, shaking his head. "The old guys who actually run things won't listen to someone like you, or me. It's way easier setting trends on TikTok - loads more followers that way, too."

“But directly after the gala, I am not sure, I have a few projects to work on. You?”

"I'm aiming for that slot on the Justice Elite," Miles confided. "Though I guess we - the contestants - all are. But if that doesn't pan out, the exposure from the contest ought to give me the cred to reach a bigger audience than ever before. Something good is bound to come out of that."

[Gauss]

Raul swept into the party with his cape a new trick he learnt how to do over the past few months. , the black cape of his Zorro costume billowing behind him as if caught in a heroic wind (Throw a few metal strips on a cape and control the metal's movement gently). His mask clung snugly to his face, framing a cocky grin that could melt concrete. A gleaming prop rapier hung at his hip, and he made a show of tapping it against his boot as he sauntered through the crowd of the party.

[Dapper Dog]

"Political change is hard AF," Miles said, shaking his head. "The old guys who actually run things won't listen to someone like you, or me. It's way easier setting trends on TikTok - loads more followers that way, too."

“They will,” she said tersely.

“This isn’t about the followers, this is about real change. They have fucked up their own rules for centuries, keeping themselves at the top, but now… now we can make real change, Miles. And I am not going to sit idly by tiktok dancing when I have real power to change things.”

She finished her drink and said, “Enjoy your evening, I need to speak with some prospective donors. Good luck on your show.”

She departed to speak with some businesspeople.

[Thousand Miles]

She finished her drink and said, “Enjoy your evening, I need to speak with some prospective donors. Good luck on your show.”

She departed to speak with some businesspeople.

Miles gave her a nod, and watched her walk away. He took notice of the businesspeople that the Street Witch talked to, wondering if they would be the next ones to have a miraculous change of heart... just like Mr. Chang.

Then he teleported to the bar and ordered a stiff drink.

[Dapper Dog]

Miles gave her a nod, and watched her walk away. He took notice of the businesspeople that the Street Witch talked to, wondering if they would be the next ones to have a miraculous change of heart... just like Mr. Chang.

Then he teleported to the bar and ordered a stiff drink.

OOC: Insight check at DC 15

[Thousand Miles]

Miles' gaze lingered on Zara speaking with the rich donors while he waited at the bar for his drink. He knew her well enough to understand that she didn't go to glitzy public events for fun, or even for exposure - there had to be a reason that Zara was doing this, and she had hinted that it was something big this time.

-
5EN What's Zara up to? Insight DC15 | 1d20+3 ⇒ 16 succeeds!

[Galatea]

“Well Miss Musa and Mr. Chang are the organizers but I work with Miss Musa’s organization,” she said proudly. “I am really happy with all the good we have done for her cause. It’s incredibly how much money has been raised and how much good we potentially do for the Malay community, Elite and baseline alike.”

“It’s humbling, really.”

She could take that as confirming her prior suspicions. It still was no t a smoking gun, however.

''It is a good thing indeed. When the UNJE contest is over I hope to start a small organization of my own...well two, actually. A new modelling agency and an ONG to help women who were the victim of human traffic.''

[Galatea]

“Well Miss Musa and Mr. Chang are the organizers but I work with Miss Musa’s organization,” she said proudly. “I am really happy with all the good we have done for her cause. It’s incredibly how much money has been raised and how much good we potentially do for the Malay community, Elite and baseline alike.”

“It’s humbling, really.”

She could take that as confirming her prior suspicions. It still was not a smoking gun, however.

''It is a good thing indeed. When the UNJE contest is over I hope to start a small organization of my own...well two, actually. A new modelling agency and an ONG to help women who were the victim of human traffic.''

[Dapper Dog]

“Oh, that is…” she nodded appreciatively, “You could do so much good for so many young women.”

[Uri-el]

"Ah, well. I have had the pleasure of meeting Zara. I think I have mentioned her to you once before, Bea, though under a different name, and in a different context. Al-'aalam sagheer."

[Galatea]

Galatea nodded back

''My agency has been good to be but they are not interested in doing anything more significant. I'll have to strike on my own after this...hopefully I'll have enough credibility to do that.''

She took another sip of her glass

''I don't want to talk you hears off about it but I'd like to have your feedback if I can tell you the outline''