"No way!" Blank shook his head violently as he backed away from Baku. "Yer can get yourself lost!"
Unfortunately this wasn't enough to deter the director. "I'll make it worth yer while!" he said rubbing his large hands together. "I'll put in a word with Trent for a little extra lesson on the Prima Vista..."
His heart skipped a beat and Blank found himself sorely tempted, but one more glance at the offending garment shot his desire down in flames. "Yer could promise me a ship, yer could promise me that I'd never have to do the laundry again, it don't matter! I ain't gonna wear it!"
Bosu's lips twisted as if he were sucking on a lemon. "We need every member of this crew pulling their weight! In three days time we've got a show to do otherwise we'll be a laughing stock. You don't have to say much, just pick up a gold coin and give it to me, how hard can it be?"
"Why can't I be Ali Baba?" Blank pleaded. "He gets to do all the cool stuff like making the wall open and at least he wears a decent costume!"
The man shook his head firmly. "I've told yer a thousand times, Ali Baba is a grown man! Marcus has already learnt the lines-"
"Yer said when I joined Tantalus I became a man, now yer want me to wear...wear...I don't even know what it's supposed to be!" He pointed at the light purple chiffon draped over Baku's arm. "People'll be laughing," he added sourly.
"It's a pantomime, they're supposed to laugh! Zidane has to play a woman too and he ain't being precious about it!"
Blank turned to look at Little Bro and felt his stomach lurch. Zi wore a pair of light blue transparent trousers and sheer top. There was a teal belt strategically wrapped to cover his nether regions, but nevertheless every part of his flawless body could be seen. I can't wear that! He thought in panic. As soon as he stepped onto the stage the audience would see his scars and burns laid bare. His imagination was already running wild with how they might react.
Frederick Parcel had once called him 'The Abomination of Lindblum' and those cruel words had stuck with the red head ever since. He wanted to play his part truly, but this was just too big an ask for him.
"Do I look funny, Blank?" Zidane asked as he admired the soft, padded slippers on his feet.
Then the blond bounced happily towards him. He was wearing a long haired wig that had been plaited so it hung down his left shoulder. In this light he found it difficult to tell whether Zidane was a boy or a girl. Blank wasn't sure what to say to his friend as the pair of giant blue eyes continued to gaze at him. "Yer look great," he said awkwardly.
The monkey boy snatched the costume from Baku and held it out to the thief. "You get dressed too?"
"Er..." Blank suddenly found the purple bedlah in his hands, he swallowed. What's with this kid? He thought in confusion, but there was just something about Zidane that he couldn't say no to. "Fine, I'll try it on," he growled before storming off to the backroom.
Marcus blew out a tired breath as he placed the paintbrush into the pot. He took a step back and admired his handy work; a backdrop showing the inside of the Forty Thieves' treasure cave. It had taken a long time to finish, what with the individual gold coins he'd painted, precious jems and the flickering candle effects. He'd sketched the outline making sure it was perfect and then went on the hunt for all sorts of coloured paint. He remembered when he first got involved in set design and how his scenes resembled the clumsy artwork of Zidane. It had taken a lot of practise to get anywhere near this good.
He watched as Blank swept past without saying a word, Brother looked angry. Wonder what upset him this time? Marcus pondered.
The door closed with a loud bang immediately followed by a laboured dragging sound. Blank was taking no chances. Nobody was going to see him in this state of shame until he had come to terms with it himself. The large, ornate mirror stood by ready to reveal his hateful reflection, filling him with a sense of dread.
Blank wanted more than anything to just run away. If Tantalus was going to force him to 'act' he would rather leave and take his chances on the streets. But then he thought about the life he'd have to leave behind, the people and the place he called home. This realisation hit hard and he put his head in his hands.
After a while Blank finally struggled into the bedlah: essentially a bra with green tassles and long trousers. He was surprised at how soft the material felt against his skin, there the pros ended abruptly. He removed the belt he'd taken to wearing around his head and pulled the wig over it instead. Then Blank stepped in front of the looking glass with his eyes still firmly shut. This is stupid! He chided himself but couldn't seem to gather the courage to even open them. He could feel his heart nearly beating out of his chest. The boy became surrounded by his own heavy breathing in the darkness, time stood still. Just do it! But he couldn't and turned away in defeat.
"Damn it!" he gasped. "I can't...I just can't."
Suddenly there were three loud knocks.
"Go away!" he said racing towards the door, before remembering he'd already blocked it.
"Blank, darlin?" Ruby's voice was muffled through the wood. "Yer decent yet, or needing a little help?"
He leaned his head against the frame. "Go away, Rubes."
There was silence for a moment before she firmly replied. "I ain't budging from this spot until yer open that door!"
A choked laugh escaped from his lips but he still didn't move.
"Whut's got into you?" When there no further response she continued, "I swear I'll bust this thing down!"
Blank flicked a wisp of stray, black hair from his face. "Oh yeah? I'd really like to see that!" he said sneering. "Yer interfering, stubborn witch, go bother someone else!"
"Fine!" she yelled back and thumped the wall.
Finally he heard her footsteps die away and his body slumped down to the floor. That was kinda nasty, even for me. He thought and then shook his head. She asked for it, always sticking her nose in where it don't belong!
Blank had lost all track of time stuck inside the small room, and his gaze wandered to the props scattered around. Nine wide jars were lined in a row, along with a set of scales and curved scimitar blades. He picked up a turban and gave a deep sigh as he turned it over and over.
Their newest 'play' was called Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves apparently a tale from the Outer Continent. He didn't know much about that part of the world only that Baku had said it was largely covered by the Kiera Desert. Blank knew deserts were meant to be boiling during the day perhaps that was why the women wore such skimpy outfits. Still, he didn't understand why they couldn't just adapt the costumes, or why Baku refused to hire another actress. It isn't fair! He sulked, and tossed the headwear away.
Bang! He felt vibrations jolting along his spine. Bang!
"What the -?"
Bang! It continued then paused until at last he heard Ruby on the other side. "Better let me in, Blank! This door ain't gonna be holdin for long!"
"Yer breaking it down?!" Blank knew Miss Mason was pretty determined but he still couldn't believe she would go this far! "Hey... cut it out!"
"I meant whut I said, now open this darn door!"
Ruby could feel her arms beginning to ache as she pulled back the cart she'd 'borrowed' from Cinna. There was already an impressive dent in the white gloss. She prepared to ram it once more however it seemed the boy had at last decided to cooperate. He poked his head out, scowled, before dragging the girl in with him.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Blank hissed as he returned the boxes to their original position. "Baku ain't gonna be happy if you bust up the theatre!"
She grabbed his shoulders and jerked them roughly. "Why, wouldn't yer open the door? I was thinkin the worst!"
Blank gestured to the costume. "Ain't it obvious?"
She burst into giggles. "Aw shucks, in a pantomime it don't matter if a boy dresses like a girl, and a girl dresses like a boy, that's kinda the fun about it!"
"I'm not bothered about that!" he huffed. "Just look at me!"
Mason tilted her head slowly from left to right and then smirked. "I can fix that, no problem!"
"You can?" Blank asked, surprised. "But yer can see them pretty clearly... whoa!" As Ruby bent down near to his crotch he jumped away. "Oi, what are yer trying to do?"
Now it was the girl's turn to be surprised. "Well how else am I supposed to fix it? Yer givin everyone a right eyeful hangin about all over the place, shame on you!"
The boy flushed scarlet as he looked down. "I'm what?"
"Now jus' hold still a sec and I'll have it fixed in a jiffy. Can't have our boys exposing themselves, huh?" She tugged and pulled at the plum scarf before tying a secure knot at the back. Blank's body went stiff as a board while she worked. "I dunno, gettin all shy like that, as if I ain't seen it all before!"
"Seen it before?" Blank squeaked.
"After Parcel's beating, not like yer could sit in a tub and wash yourself! Who else do yer think gave yer a bed bath, huh? Pa always said that cleanliness was next to Godliness."
Suddenly he felt very sick indeed. "I don't remember any of that!"
She nodded. "Hmm, yer were pretty out of it those first few days especially with the meds the doc injected. Sometimes it were like talkin to a rag doll!" Now Ruby stood up and took his hand. "We better get rehearsing; this play ain't gonna act itself!"
"I can't go out there," he said wrenching out of her grasp.
His friend's eyebrows rose. "And why not?"
"Don't pretend like yer can't see 'em - my scars!" Blank stabbed at his chest. "I'm a monster! How can I go out there and face the audience? I'll be eaten alive!"
Hearing him talk like that shocked Ruby, it had never occurred to her. As the girl reflected she realised that he did take great pains to cover up his body. She'd often wondered why Blank, even in the height of summer would wear long sleeved shirts. She knew he wouldn't believe her if she told him it was unnecessary. When they argued, did the chores together or went searching for Zidane, the scars never came into the equation. What mattered to Ruby was that her Tantalus brothers were kind, decent people, (baring the thefts) and treated her right. Who cared what they looked like?
"Well, I ain't seein no monster," she said gently "All I see is a survivor."
She straightened the black haired wig which had begun to slip forwards and turned up his trousers which were a little too long.
"Yer wanna know whut else I think?" He shook his head wildly. "I think it's time yer owned those scars rather than letting 'em own you." She embraced him, he froze. "They're a part of who yer are, proof that yer alive!" Ruby let him go, studying the boy whose hazel eyes were wide and shining. "I know some folks are unkind, but that's only cus they ain't happy with themselves."
Blank was left speechless. He watched as she turned and pushed the boxes aside once more.
"No one can force yer to get on that stage, but it'd be mighty nice to see yer up there in the spotlight. Just think about it, okay?"
Alone again, his brain struggled to comprehend what had just happened. Did she just hug me? He did feel better somehow and the knot in his gut had unravelled too. A small smile crept over his face, he even felt a little giddy.
Silently his nemesis waited in the corner. The red head was filled with a new determination. "Time to end this," he told himself before striding towards the mirror...
Three nights later and the Tantalus cast were waiting anxiously backstage. The hall was packed to the rafters and the rumble of eager theatre goers could be heard. This was the real deal, after rehearsing into the small hours of the morning and all the blood, sweat and tears it came down to this.
"Now remember, no matter what happens the show must go on-" Baku tried to address his crew but there was a great fuss coming from stage right. "Benero! Zenero! Get yer siblings to pipe down, I 'm tryin to give a rousing speech 'ere!"
"Sorry Boss, right away!" the brothers called back sheepishly.
"Just keep 'em quiet!" he snapped, turning back to the others. "You've all worked damn hard, so don't mess up! The Prima Vista is counting on us along with my wallet!"
Marcus chuckled. "No pressure then, eh Boss?"
"Oh, am so excited!" Ruby said with glee. "My big debut as Morgiana, I can't wait!"
"Bring it on!" Blank agreed with adrenaline pumping hard and fast through his veins.
Only Zidane remained quiet peeking behind the curtain. His face had been caked with some kind of weird paint so it felt very itchy. He squinted against the brightness but couldn't see any faces out in the black void, he didn't like it. I don't want to do this anymore! He thought, backing away.
Suddenly he felt a strong hand on his shoulder.
"Yer okay there, Zi?
"Blank!" The child jumped, he barely recognised his colleague anymore what with the black hair, blue eye shadow and red lipstick. "No, my tummy hurt bad, can we go home?"
His friend started to laugh. "It's too late for that, Little Bro." Zidane played with his plait and glanced back at the auditorium. "Don't freak out, everyone gets butterflies before they go on."
"Butterflies?" he asked looking suspiciously at his flat stomach.
Blank rolled his eyes. "It's a phrase, idiot! Yer know, like a break a leg? It don't mean break yer leg, it means good luck for the performance!"
Clearing his dry throat Baku entered the spotlight to begin his introduction.
"I don't get it," Tribal said his face deadpan.
He sighed deeply. "Why don't that surprise me? Anyway, Ali Baba's waving, you're up!" Zidane gulped as Marcus dragged him away like a lamb to the slaughter. "Oh, and remember...break a leg!" Blank called after him with a sly grin.
As the curtain rose Zidane busied himself sweeping the floor just as he'd practised. Marcus paced up and down looking deep in thought until he stopped, pretending to notice the audience for the first time.
"Well, hello there, boys and girls! Come in, come in! Although I am but a lowly wood cutter you are most welcome! My name is Ali Baba and this is my beautiful wife, Ziba. Say hello, Ziba!"
"H...Hello, Ziba!" Zidane said with a polite curtsey. There was laughter from the crowd which was good, because Baku had told him it was meant to be funny. Maybe this won't be so bad!
Unfortunately there were some in the audience that wanted to make life hard for the newbie. "Hey Ali Baba, did you know you married a monkey?" There were titters coming from the back row.
"There's always gotta be some wise guy!" Ruby growled. "Oh gosh, poor little guy...Why don't he just shout summit back?"
Blank frowned. "He's never done a play before, so he can't improvise away from the script."
Monkey sounds soon began to fill the theatre as the bullies continued their cruel game. Zidane gripped the handle of his broom trying to stop the shakes overwhelming his small body. His tail grew limp and lifeless. Marcus was saying something to him but he couldn't hear properly. The noises seemed to grow louder as he froze to the spot unable to move. This isn't supposed to happen! He kept thinking over and over.
"Oh my!" a high pitched voice shouted over the rabble, "If it isn't my poor, impoverished sister in law, Ziba!" Blank strolled onto the stage and then bumped his padded cleavage deliberately into Zidane. It was enough to make his friend fall off balance but Zi back flipped instinctly landing on his feet. The name calling from the hecklers was drowned out at once by the clapping of the children.
"Don't push me -" Tribal started to yell back before noticing that Blank was mouthing something. "Don't push me around," he repeated, "...Blanka!"
"Ooooooo, don't you use that tone with me! Have you forgotten that I am the gorgeous, rich, not to mention humble wife of the handsome, legendary Cassim?"
"She forgot to say blind!" Marcus said aside to the audience. "My brother isn't exactly a looker!"
Blank stuck out his chest. "What are you mumbling about?" he snapped.
"I said my brother has a nice cooker!" Ali Baba replied followed by a roar of laughter.
At this point Baku made his grand entrance wearing a cream turban and red thawb, a long tunic that went passed his ankles. "Blanka, my darling and delight!"
"Cassums, my grumpy, rumpy roo!" he cooed.
By this point Marcus was struggling not to crack up. In rehearsals Blank had never acted like this, it was the funniest thing he'd ever seen. He forgot all about Zidane who was tugging on his waistcoat wondering what to do next.
"You may laugh," Bosu continued aware that they needed to move on. "But at least we can feed and take care of our family! You are nothing but lowly peasants, whahahah!" Then he swept up and down the stage scowling and glaring at the spectators. The little boys and girls booed and hissed at Cassim as Ali Baba egged them on.
"Farewell, perhaps we will meet again, if you don't starve first! Whahahahah!" With that Baku held out his arm for Blank to take and the couple made a swift exit stage left.
Ali Baba and Ziba were able to finish their scene without further incident.
"Nice save!" Marcus clapped Blanka hard on the back as they came off.
Blank smirked and hoicked up his bra that had begun to slide down. "What else could I do?" he said. "Yer were dying out there, a real professional had to step in!"
An hour later and Ruby took to the stage as Morgiana the slave girl for the finale. In a daydream of beautiful pink and jade silk scarves, she twirled and danced in wide circles. Her body flowed in perfect timing to the music even as the tempo increased. All the boys found themselves entranced, the elaborate dance lasting for several minutes, until at last she plunged a foam dagger into the heart of Zenero. Dramatically the villainous thief staggered around the stage, gasping in pain before he collapsed onto his back. A great cheer erupted from the crowd as Ali Baba thanked Morgiana for saving his life.
As the trumpets from the musicians sounded the entire Tantalus Troupe, (plus the Nero family) came to take a well deserved bow. Zidane had never felt more energised and excited. There was such a buzz having people chanting and wolf whistling at them, he couldn't explain it. The thunder of their appreciative applause was deafening and he didn't care, he wanted to hear more! They went off stage momentarily and returned for another round. Flowers were thrown for Ruby who quickly scooped them up and blew kisses. The hissing directed at Cassim, Blanka and Zenero was good natured as the audience continued to clap until their palms were sore.
All too soon the curtain closed and everyone breathed a great sigh of relief.
"Right, I've got a bottle of whisky with my name on it!" Baku laughed. "Anyone wanna join me?"
Ruby and Blank were more up for a game of Tetra Master than drinking but Marcus and Cinna looked very interested. Zenero and Benero had to decline stating that they needed to get their brothers and sisters back home to bed.
"What about you, Blondie?" Bosu asked.
However the monkey boy did not respond. He still had his hand held up to the heavy, crimson curtain and appeared upset. The voices from beyond were growing fainter and fainter as the theatre goers filed out. When he'd been cut off so suddenly from the happy, smiling faces it felt like his heart had been ripped out. What is this pain? He thought forlornly.
Blank removed his wig and strolled up to Zidane. "Yer feelin bummed out, huh?" The child refused to look up. "When you've been eatin, sleepin and livin a show for a while it can't be helped. We call it the 'Post Show Blues.'"
His lower lip trembled. "Will it go away?"
"It might take time, but yeah...eventually." The red head nudged his friend's elbow. "The important thing is to keep busy. We can train a bit and go monster hunting tomorrow, if yer want?"
Zidane nodded. "I like that, thanks Blank."
"Whatever," he sang in reply. "Come on, let's head home. Cinna's gonna ask the Boss for a rematch at Tetra Master, and I could do with a laugh!"