Disclaimer: The author does not own either of the franchises featured in this crossover story. The author could only to have owned one of them, but it is what it is.

Also, this chapter borrows lines from Act-age chapters 115-116, so credit goes to the translators who've worked on it. A small liberty this story takes however is the number of auditionees called in at a time.

Actors and Monsters - Chapter 1 - Auditions and Reunions

If the heart and the entertainment industry have anything in common, its that they are both fickle. The moment you're out of the picture, even if for a second, someone else is ready to pounce at your spot.

If asked to rate her career before she braved the murky torrents of Hollywood, Kanae Kotonami would probably be hard on herself and say she could've done so much more. She's a regular in a popular serial drama alright and she enjoyed working with the rest of the main cast and production crew, but not only was she not the star of that show, there were times when playing the same character over and over felt limiting for someone of her caliber. She tried auditioning for other roles then, but alas... The US excursion however gave her renewed confidence and a wider acting range to boot, becoming acquainted with foreign culture and its own intricacies. She did what she could there, and whether that's good enough or not, all she can do is wait. In the meantime, now that she's back in Japan, she couldn't wait to see how far she has come. And as luck would have it, Matsushima-san had exactly what she needed when she graced the LME offices with her overwhelming presence for the first time since coming back.

"A Taiga drama?" Kanae asked.

"Yes. We normally don't get offers for this sort of project," Matsushima stressed, "but they're looking for actresses who could play a younger Manami Yakushiji. You probably don't know who she is, but she's a legend in the industry."

"I think I've heard the name before, but I haven't seen any of her movies yet."

"I believe we've got catalog for her down at the archives in case you want to watch her. Anyway, the audition is in four days. Do you think you can prepare for it?"

"Definitely."

"Are you sure? You just got back from America. Don't you have some things you'd like to catch up on first?"

"...No, there isn't," Kanae replied to get Matsushima to make the necessary arrangements. Truth was, she'd only been back home for about half a day, mostly to deliver a box of souvenirs and for a change of clothes, before coming here. She has yet to see any of her younger siblings who were off to school at the time. She hasn't even contacted the Uesugis either despite the overwhelming support they've given her especially in the lead-up to her departure.

But she was a professional actress first and a human being second. And with an opportunity as big as a Taiga drama right in front of her, the kind of a production known only to cast the best of the best, the few people in her circle would understand if she postponed everything else. Even a minor role in a Taiga drama would be a highlight in someone's filmography, which is why even major names in showbiz make guest appearances when they can.

Kanae spent the entire interval immersing herself with Manami Yakushiji's career, borrowing everything the archives had of her and eating all of them up. Admittedly, she didn't really care about the legendary actress's family nor her relationships. Given the era Manami was from however - her eldest daughter Mami is in her sixties, not being intrigued by a person from way before you were born was understandable. Moreover, as with most biographical dramas, the production is bound to take liberties on her life anyway. Still, she found Manami's career engrossing. She watched all of her films over and over until she'd memorized all her iconic lines, as well as the scenes they belonged to. She even recorded some of her rehearsals and showed it to the people at LME for fine-tuning.

Come the day of the audition, Kanae was confident she could bring an actress from decades ago backi to life.

The audition pool was shallow compared to ones she'd been to in the past, but only because its already been filtered to just the cream of the crop, from TV and movie actresses, commercial models, idols, even stage performers. Kanae recognized some of the faces, but there were others she'd only laid eyes on for the first time. With so many new talents going through the pipeline month after month, its hard to keep track of all of them. But if there's one certainty in this, its that there were no small fishes in this group - if you got invited to take part in this audition, you have the chops for it. To add to the pressure, Ren Tamaki, renowned actress of the masses and star of the Taiga drama, would be around during the screening. After all, the role up for grabs would be a younger incarnation of her character. She'll have to synchronize with whoever gets selected for the role today.

But Kanae wasn't deterred by any of that. She'd been up against all types of actresses and had gone after all types of roles before. This was really just routine for her.

Soon, a staff came in and announced they'll be calling candidates by groups of five. For the first group, there was Kanae, a regular in a serial drama fresh off a US excursion, a ranked idol, two charismatic young talents who've starred in a few projects….

And then, there's the bespectacled girl sitting beside Kanae.

While the head director interviewed the others about their interest in the project, Kanae tried her best to listen in on the other actresses' appeals as well as Tamaki's comments, but from time to time she found herself stealing glances at the girl beside her. She stuck out among the candidates not only for looking more like someone who got lost on her way to the library, but also because not one person in the room seemed to recognize her from anywhere. Kanae certainly didn't, but it wasn't as if she'd seen a lot of new movies in recent months. When asked about why she tried for the audition, the girl even gave the most unassuming answer a talent could give: that her management told her to come, and that she was confident she'd land a role.

Kanae would have to give her credit though: she did seem confident despite the level competition she was facing. That much made her curious to see how good this fellow is.

Once it was finally her turn to answer the same question, Kanae agreed with the others in that being frank was the best way to go. "I've just returned from an audition in the US, and I was eager to see how much I've learned during my stay there. I told my agency that I'd like to try auditioning for a role as soon as possible to test myself, and this production happened to align with my interests regardless of the result of my excursion."

"So the kind of role or production doesn't really matter to you, so long as there's a opportunity to play a character?" the director confirmed.

"That's right," Kanae confirmed, maintaining an air of pride per usual. The panel seemed to be satisfied by her answer.

"Ohh... Trying to keep your edge sharp! I like that too!" Tamaki remarked.

After that, the director kicked off the actual audition via a read-through. As expected of the talent pool they organized, the idol and the two actresses didn't hold back on the onset, showing off their respective approaches to the lines. Not to be outdone, Kanae tackled her part as it was described and implied in the provided script.

However, when it was finally the bespectacled girl's turn... She put her copy of the script down and approached one of the candidates.

"Did she memorize the script already? Or is she going to adlib…?" Kanae, wondered, but not for long as the girl enacted her rendition of the next line. But to Kanae's surprise, the other three candidates seemed to have gotten provoked by her gambit, like something had been set off inside each of them. Sure, they were still following part of the story where actresses were casting doubt on Manami's ability to play the role, but the longer it went on, the more it felt like actual bickering between the candidates about who the better actor was and who deserved to stay in the production. In a way, it reminded Kanae of the time Kyoko joined in during a rehearsal at the Acting Department, except this one escalated quicker and felt… more personal than necessary. If not for her tendency to avoid conflict, she probably would've been engulfed in the upheaval as well.

Deciding it was better to stay level-headed than risk her chances of landing a role on account of causing trouble, Kanae searched the room for anyone who was willing to try to pacify the situation so they could get back on track, but not one person dared to step into the fire this strange girl ignited.

That was, until Tamaki chimed in. "You. Why did you start acting before the audition even started?" she asked the girl with the glasses.

The next set of events was a revelation for Kanae. One she never thought she would witness at an audition without anyone else from LME involved.

"I was told that an audition is like the first meeting of an arranged marriage to gauge compatibility. I was also told there was no guaranteed formula for success," the girl said as she let her hair down and removed her glasses. "So I figured I'd have an advantage if I showed I can play lots of different characters."

Suddenly, the eyes of the director, the idol, and Tamaki, were soaked with familiarity. The idol in particular gasped like she'd seen a ghost, one called Kei Yonagi, apparently.

"Kei Yonagi? I haven't heard of her before. Is she someone who became popular while I was gone? She looks at least a year younger than me too," Kanae wondered. Of the other candidates, only the idol appeared to truly recognize this new challenger, so she was at least relieved to have the other two on the same boat as her. She doesn't really surf around the web a lot, but she made a note to look Kei Yonagi up later.

While the candidates were busy trying to get their grip around this turnabout, the director called Kei's words to attention. "Just how many characters did you bring with you today?"

"Twelve. But they each have different faces, so more like thirty?" Kei answered nonchalantly. "And if thirty isn't enough, I can make it a hundred. If that's not enough, I'll do a thousand."

"Ridiculous. I could do as many as thirty if it came to that, but a hundred?" Normally, Kanae would balk at it and wait for this person to drop the ball so she could rip 'em apart later. But somehow, she couldn't shrug it off as hot air coming from a swollen head. "This girl... She was a wallflower just a moment ago, but now that she'd taken the spotlight by force... Its almost the same vibe I get from Tsuruga when his switch is flipped. And if this is part of the act too, then it only proves she's got charisma just like him."

"I can play any role. So please give me one," Kei added so casually, her eyes teeming with so much resolve and anticipation that one could lose their will just looking back.

From there it was total obliteration. The two movie stars, they still made it to the end of the read-through, but only to save face on behalf of their agencies. They still did reasonably well, more than enough to get cast in some campus-related project, but Kanae could tell from their expressions that they'd begun to rethink the course of their respective careers moving forward. Neither she nor the idol felt as discouraged, but it was all they could do to keep up with the tone Kei so handily commanded. Sure, Kanae could act out the entire script if it came to that point, but this girl, as she is now... They could probably shoot entire episodes with her playing all the characters, and it'll still be a critical success. As the script wound down, it felt more and more like they were merely denying the tacit truth: that from the moment Tamaki called Kei out of her ruse, the role has been cast.

After about two hours, Kanae's hunch was confirmed with the announcement that Kei will play the lead in the first episode of the drama. The idol was also cast, but in a much smaller role that probably didn't suit Kanae (she was far from being an idol-type anyway). She didn't feel bad about not getting a part though, having failed many auditions before. No matter the reason or criteria, failure is a bitter pill one needed to swallow if they were ever going to make it far in the industry. For the lucky ones, failure even turns into more opportunities...

But for the first time in her life, Kanae felt completely mortified over another person's talent. She always thought of Kyoko's rapid progress as an actress to be nothing short of remarkable, but this Kei Yonagi...

"She's a monster…" Kanae mumbled to herself.

Normally, Kanae wouldn't bother mingling with the other talents during or after an audition, but the one she'd been to just then was far from normal. Rather than look her up on the internet now, Kanae couldn't shake off the feeling of wanting to confront Kei face to face, see what made her tick. She'd met all sorts of weird actors before, but not someone of a rare breed like Kei. By the time she found Kei though, she was with her handler and Tamaki, who seemed to be sizing up the younger actress. With them in the same frame, it dawned on Kanae that they projected an aura so similar, you'd almost think one is an incarnation of the other who traveled from another time so they could appear in a project together. While there's no doubt Kei was the better actor in the audition, their compatibility pretty much sealed the deal on her casting.

"What am I doing? Its just another audition. There will be more." Kanae shook her head, realizing she'd been spying them long enough. She excused herself before the three could even begin to notice her, but not without a parting glance at Kei. "We'll meet again. But it won't be as lopsided next time."

Putting the Taiga audition behind her, Kanae figured it was about time she caught up with

There were a few messages from Kyoko as expected, most of them candid clips from the production she was currently in. "Seriously, it'll probably do you better if you put this up on your social," Kanae mumbled to herself, acknowledging the effectiveness of having an online presence even though she wasn't up for it personally.

Moving on, there was another video shared to her, this time by her sister, showing their younger siblings unboxing the souvenirs she'd dropped off. It wasn't much, just a bunch of snacks and shirts, but they looked really happy about it. Kanae smiled wryly, watching the video until the end before swiping away to the next one.

It got a little boring after that: messages from both Matsushima-san and Sawara-san regarding the audition, a custom elephant sticker from President Takarada (of all people) that she didn't quite get, newsletters she'll have to unsubscribe from later...

And then, there was one from Matsuda, Hiou's manager, asking if she was busy for tonight as the Uesugis would like to invite her over for dinner. It was sent a couple of hours ago while she was in the middle of the read-through. Apart from doing good on her word and looking through another actress's filmography, she didn't have anything left in her docket for at least a couple of days. She probably would've gone there tomorrow, but it wouldn't hurt to bump the trip up tonight now that they've reached out. Kei Yonagi can wait.

"Yes, I think I can make it," she sent.

Some two minutes later, Matsuda replied back, "We're actually headed that way. Pick you up in fifteen?"

Kanae was a little surprised, but figured Matsuda must've messaged someone from LME about her whereabouts. Not to mention the use of 'we.' "That means Hiou-kun's with her," she muttered. The last thing she heard from Hiou was that he was going after a role in a movie, but that was almost a month ago. She hadn't heard from him since nor had made any effort to catch up due to her own pursuits. "Oh well, I guess that'll work as an icebreaker," Kanae thought while sending another 'yes' to Matsuda.

Figuring she needed a complementary gift, Kanae headed out of the audition venue and looked through some nearby stores. She didn't have much with her, but without any real good news to share, she at least wanted to bring something. It was always tough buying a present for people perched higher in the social ladder, but the Uesugis have never been the type to judge whatever she brought. Unless of course if she brought Hiou hamburgers... Now that has to get ugly before he finally relented to it.

A branch of a popular cake shop chain caught her eye in the avenue just two blocks away. Specifically, the large promotional poster on the glass window showcasing different types of chocolate cakes drew her towards it. At the center of the poster was a chocolate fudge cake, oddly the simplest-looking of the bunch, but between the expert rendering of the photo commercial model making it seem even more delectable than the others while almost completely disappearing into the backdrop, Kanae was convinced to browse inside.

Feeling the air cool around her as she entered the shop, Kanae gave the attendant a curt nod as she was welcomed in before pacing towards the display chillers. Certainly, some of the advertised cakes were available. Truffles, Belgian, Mousse, everything looked so extravagant it actually made her fret. Even now, the sight of food locked behind glass walls was still a sore spot for her.

When the attendant noticed Kanae was having trouble with her selection, she suggested. "You could try our chocolate lava cake! Its really popular with the kids!"

"Huh? Do I look like I'm buying one for a kid?" Kanae seethed over what sounded like a mild insult. Then again, she wasn't entirely incorrect. "...Well, it would be the case if I were to bring one home, but I doubt Hiou-kun would appreciate that sentiment." Deciding not to throw chairs at the attendant for now, she instead threw her an inquiry. "How about the chocolate fudge? Do you have it?"

"I'm sorry, but we only have one single serving ready at the moment," the attendant replied. "It's become really popular after they rolled that poster out. But if you would care to wait, we'll have one ready in no time."

"The poster, huh..." Kanae looked at the direction the ad was in, reminded of the kind of power a perfect ad campaign held. Especially the royalties and exposure... It was a mark of a talent finally closing in on superstardom, if they haven't gotten there already. "I probably should try to get into a commercial soon."

While Kanae mulled over the kind of brands to go after, the attendant, after having checked the chiller for what was available, came up with a much better recommendation. "Or if you want, you can go for a bundle box! A single serving of all six cakes on the poster, for roughly the same price as a full cake. Since we only have one fudge left right now, you can have it if you like."

"Bundle it is, then." While waiting for the attendant to pack her purchase, Kanae recalled the last time she bought so much chocolate at once. "It was for Valentines Day, huh." Although a complementary present did not have the same weight as a honmei chocolate, a faint smile crossed her lips as the feelings of fulfillment she felt that time came back to her. It was gratifying, finding out that after all the trouble she went through in making and delivering the darned chocolate, it was the only one the recipient didn't reject.

Once the cakes had been paid for and received, Kanae was about to return to the audition venue when a familiar car passed her. She ran a few steps after it while signaling for it to stop. After passing a couple of stores it finally did as she pleaded and out came Matsuda, who immediately greeted her. As Kanae nodded back, her deduction was proven right when Hiou emerged from the back seat.

"It's been a while, Hiou-kun," she greeted him. Appraising the third generation actor for the first time in months, he looked a bit taller than she last saw him. But if her eyes were playing tricks on her, her ears definitely did not mishear the frostiness of his first words to her in months.

"Oh, its you..." Not only did Hiou say it so callously, his gaze passed through her as if she wasn't standing in front of him at all.

"We hadn't seen each other in person for months, and all of a sudden I'm back to being a pronoun?" Kanae thought. Although both of them had gotten so busy during the last few weeks of her excursion, it would've been remiss of her not to expect some form of retaliation from him for leaving and not keeping in touch. Still, this seemed a bit much...

"What's this? A bad surprise or something?" Hiou looked impatiently at his manager.

Matsuda looked at Kanae, letting her know she was just as perplexed about her charge's mood as she was. "Surprise? Didn't you you know Kanae-san's back since a week ago?"

"Is she?" Hiou grunted. "I figured she'd still be fooling around with whatshisname back in America..."

"Huh? Is he talking about... Wait. Is this what I think it is...?" Kanae might have been hanging around with Kyoko too much of late, but she didn't think she was misunderstanding this one. She knew photos of her and Cedric Bennett together had made its rounds on the internet while she was in the States. Of course nothing malicious or stupid happened, just people on social media making stuff up and jumping into conclusions like usual. Either way, she'll have to clear the air with Hiou later, whatever it is he's holding against her. But first, she needed to find the right timing to get through to him, and she definitely wouldn't find it outside the cake shop where people were bound to recognize them and somehow connect it to the stuff that idiot co-star of theirs leaked to the press a while back. "Anyway, shall we go now?" She asked both Hiou and his manager.

"Uhh, sure." Matsuda said meekly, like she'd been forced to speak in the middle of a tense encounter.

"Hey! We haven't been to the studio yet," Hiou snapped at the decision.

"But, Kanae-san is already here."

"I told you already, didn't I? I was coming to see her."

Hiou pointed at Kanae's direction, but not directly at her. She looked over her shoulder to where his index finger zeroed in and found the cake shop poster. The same poster that led to her acquiring the modest box in her hand. Getting a better look at what was written on it this time, it advertised that the special line of cakes she just bought were made using Blue Gheena chocolate.

The image model representing Blue Gheena and the one who all but disappeared into the background while modelling the popular chocolate fudge cake? None other than the monster known as Kei Yonagi.

"Mou... Are you planning to haunt me all day?" All Kanae could do at this point was sigh at the poster.

"Say, Kanae-san, do you know Yonagi-san?"

"I just met her earlier at the audition. Great actress... She got the part over me," Kanae flatly said. "But the same cannot be said for you, right?" She looked at Hiou as she asked. She couldn't really explain why, but between the cold shoulder he was giving her and the admiration and respect in his eyes glowed with as he looked at the poster, she felt just as defeated as she did after the audition. When Hiou noticed her, he averted his eyes and crawled back inside the car, leaving Matsuda had to answer for him again.

"Well, it's kind of a long story," the manager began.

Chapter End.

Author's Note: I wrote this for two reasons. First, I've written a Kanae-centric fic a few years back that used to be on here, was recalled for an overhaul when the manga made it obsolete, and eventually erased from existence due to a huge data loss. I really hoped to take another shot at her since then. However, my familiarity with their characters is rather busted compared to how it once was so they might not sound or act the way they do in the manga. If there are other details that need adjustment do keep me honest about it.

Second, I wanted to write something as a tribute to Act-age, a manga I discovered at a time of uncertainty and one that brought me back into enjoying manga as a whole. It's an odd thing to say now, but it was a really good manga with some solid characters in my opinion. I couldn't care less about who wrote the manga as I've always been able to separate art from the artist, but any review criticizing my decision to write about a franchise doomed by its author's demons will be reported or denied.

As far as crossovers go, two mangas about acting seemed like a natural fit. As I was writing it however, I found their distinct flavors challenging to blend. Hopefully I manage to do better in the succeeding chapters. Anyways, thank you for reading this experimental piece.