Hey there, this is a fic that stemmed from a conversation a friend and I had about Sucker Punch, and how it is, and is not the female version of Inception. It snowballed, and well, you get the benefits. Reviews or likes/watches let me know enough people are reading to update this regularly. I'll try and do two chapters at a time, as they'll be short.
Day Dreamers is a small and intimate club hidden in the "artsy" district of the city. You have to know exactly where to look, but the reward for finding it is the show of your life. It's a Burlesque club run buy a gorgeous and charming French woman who insists everyone calls her simply Mal.
"Burlesque can be so elegant if you do it right, and the male form is so beautiful it's a shame America hasn't tried harder." She materializes next to you one night after a show. You're surprised she recognized you after only your second time there. But then again, she has a tight following and you're a relatively new face.
"Come back next weekend. We're showcasing some brand new performers, it's not something you should miss." She hands you a leaflet with a knowing smile, "Come early and bring a friend."
The flyer in your hand is beautifully done. A little brunette in a blue dress holds her hand out to a floor length mirror. Her reflection is Mal in a red dress reaching back. The text at the bottom reads simply "Welcome Back."
It's whimsical and enigmatic like the club itself and you decide you will definitely be coming back next weekend.
Saturday night an hour before show time, you lead your friend into the dead end behind the used bookstore to the door under the Day Dreamers sign. Mal greets you just inside beaming with pride. The club is fuller than you've seen it before, but it's not unpleasantly crowded. There is jazz playing and programs on a side table; you grab one for the both of you.
"It's really going to be a show tonight." She winks and gestures for you to make yourself comfortable. "Drinks will be served after the second piece and there will be one 10 minute intermission" You take your usual booth and your friend slides in next to you still not sure what to expect. Mal makes her way around the room talking to anyone and everyone as she goes. The brunette from the poster is in the crowd as well, shaking a lot of hands and smiling. She makes her way around to your table eventually.
"Hi I'm Ariadne, my boyfriend and I are the new choreographer and fight captain..."
Fight captain? you wonder. It turns out she's not much older than you are, she got the job here to pay for schooling, and so far she says it's the best job she's ever had. You talk with her for a moment longer before the house lights flicker once.
"That's my cue, I hope you enjoy the show!" She scampers off to prepare, or you assume to prepare anyway. About 10 minutes later the lights dim and the music begins.