Hey Kids, Let's Put On A Show!

disclaimer: i do not own any of the characters potrayed in this story. They are the property of whatever genius wrote Velvet Goldmine! -hails- I do not own any song lyrics used i this or any subsequent chapters either.

one incident of strong language but i didn't think it worth changing the overall rating.

A/N: Now, I don't think the guy who says "hey kids, let's put on a show!" in the movie (photoshoot) has a name and i've seen that movie about thirty times so i think i'd have noticed. but...if i'm wrong, someone please correct me! For the purposes of this fic, unless said correction is given, he is called Gavin Elles.

The Cast (in order of appearance)
Curt Wild

Mandy Slade

Jerry Divine

Jack Fairy

Cecil Lions (second name made up because I don't think he's ever given one in the film)

Arthur Stuart

Brian Slade

Gavin Elles

Shannon Maddox (see note next to Cecil - substituting he for she, i presume, but then who knows! it is velvet goldmine after all!)

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls and whomever else may be in the house this evening... it is my supreme pleasure to introduce, to all you lovely little minskies out there tonight, the Sombrero Club's most shimmering, splendid tale...

Hey Kids, Let's Put On A Show!"

The theatre was dark and quiet, the ceiling wrapped in thick webs of shadow. Dust hung in the air wafting about in gusts of memories and long-dead echoes. Forgotten voices rang from the deep carvings, bouncing from wall to wall across the warm, humid space.

At the back of the grand hall, a door swung open and a small, unobtrusive figure slipped in. One shadow among others, they swiftly melted into the cavernous hollow beneath the balcony and paused. The wait was not a long one; shortly, the sound of raised voices came from the corridor outside.

"Give me a break! I don't kow anymore about this than you do!"

"Why should I believe that? This whole thing is probably just some pathetic joke that you and Brian have cooked up together!"

"Me and Brian? There is no "Me and Brian" We broke up, remember? You were there!"

After that, there was a sullen silence until the owners of the voices appeared through the door, illuminated by the small glows of the lighters that each held before them. The newcomers, a man and a woman, both with dirty blonde hair, gazed around for a while in search of a light switch. Finding nothing, the woman slumped down in a worn, red velvet seat and lit a cigarette. The end glowed brightly in the gloom and briefly lit up each cloud of smoke as it drifted towards the ornate ceiling. Her companion paced up and down the nearest aisle, appearing unwilling to stand still. Neither of them looked up as purposeful footsteps came towards them down the dark passageway.

A short, stockily built man strode out of the black doorway into the black hall and stopped to survey his surroundings... He caught sight of the other two and seemed only mildly surprised at their presence. "Well, well, well... Quite the little reunion we've got here. Curt. Mandy." He gave them each a nod of greeting before drawing on his own cigarette and starting to wander around, taking in the dim shapes of curtains, floor lights, rows of seats...He viewed it all with a mild disdain that suggested he was wondering what he'd done to end up in a hell-hole like this. The added expression of despair that followed suggested that he knew /exactly/ what he'd done...

The next figure to enter was a tall, thin man with a drawn, powdered face. He drifted gradually into the large room, showing at every step that he could drift back the way he had come without hesitation. To Mandy and Jerry he granted courteous inclinations of his head and, to the former, even a small smile. His gaze stopped as it rested on Curt.

"Curt Wild."

The blonde man sighed and returned the greeting. "Jack." Jack Fairy smiled, with a look on his face that accompanied the retracing of distant memories. He was woken from his reminiscence, however, when there was a squeaking of wheels behind him. He turned and stepped aside, watching with interest as the small figure of a man in a wheelchair emerged from the darkness.

"Well, I never...never expected..." He paused as he spotted the man in the pin-striped suit. "Divine, isn't it? Jerry Divine." The two men eyed each other for a moment before Mandy spoke up.

"Cecil, Darling, it's been years how are you?" The question audibly drooped as she seemed to notice the wheelchair for the first time. "Oh, Cecil Darling, it's not..." He nodded, smiling sadly.

"I'm afraid so, Dear. I tested positive a year or two after we last spoke."

An uncomfortable silence fell on the group until a new set of footsteps broke it.

"Wow. I never thought I'd be walking ten years back in time... Look at this..." The man tucked his notebook back into his pocket and stared around at the untidy circle of faces. Curt, Mandy and Cecil studied the man carefully.

"Arthur Stuart." Curt ventured.

"The reporter from the...Herlad!" Mandy continued.

"My, my, it has been a long time..." Cecil finished.

"Yeah." Arthur replied shortly, containg the crow of amazement and three such legends remembered his name. He looked around them again and this time his expression was puzzled. "Can't help but think there's someone missing though...Where is mister Slade?" He was met by shrugs and blank faces all around. Postures stiffened and faces tensed, however, when from the corridor came the old, familiar sound of platforms thudding on carpet. The group held its breath, eyes fixed on the door. Concealed in the shadows, there was an inaudible intake of breath.

"Well, this is a surprise." It was an understatement. If it was a surprise for Brian, the others were in shock. They had all seen, of course, his latest tour. The blonde wig... the face that had aged two decades in the space of one... the cheesy grin... but this...

It was a miracle. It was all gone. And in it's place stood Maxwell Demon, "space-age-fucking-superstar" in all his electric blue glory. Only Mandy heard Curt's pained gasp. Only Cecil saw the shock in Jerry's face. Arthur caught a glimpse of Jack's eyes shining in triumph. The gathering held a collective atmosphere of..."Oh. My. God." Brian's face was the same. The heavily painted eyes shone with astonishment. Everyone he had spent so long trying to forget...all in one room. Only a very strong instinct to maintain his image at all costs kept his from turnng and running. That...and the five inch platforms...

The shadows moved. The hidden figure moved until it stood right at the edge of the circle. A gentle cough brought seven pairs of eyes to it, like pins to a magnet. "Good. Now that I've got your attention..."

A/N: hehe, i know, i'm mean but if you wanna know what happens you'll just have to wait. Exams are nearly over so updates shouldn't take toooooo long...i hope! i know you're all kind kind people who will read and review aren't you? -hopes-