One more time...
He turned around swifty and raised a hand. Suddenly the crowd was joined by a piercing electrical guitar and thunderous drums. Kurt turned around and flashed another smile at the crowd, causing the shrill cries to get louder, almost overpowering the music coming from the stage. However, as he grabbed his microphone from its stand the shouts slowly died as hundreds of fans held their breath in anticipation for him to sing. They were not dissappointed.
One more time, and who knows how many after that...
One more concert down, hopefully many more to go. After the curtain closed, Kurt ran offstage quickly to his dressing room. Well, not his dressing room exactly. He looked around seeing only half a soda and a few magazines of his own. Okay, so he was a light packer, at least this door had a lock on it, and after hearing the Great Kurt Wagner give yet another performance of a lifetime that was all that stood between him and throngs of anxious girls all wanting souveniers. He'd lost two shirts that way.
"No wonder there's such a call for tight clothing in the entertainment industry", remarked Kurt to no one in particular, "it's harder to pull off."
A stampede started in the hallway, and ther was soon loud banging on the door. Kurt began to debate the value of those bodyguards he hired. He looked around the empty dressing room and then back at the vibrating door.
"Oh what the heck."
The second he stepped outside a hundred CD's, sheets of paper and other items were thrust at him by screaming, frantic, yet undeniably entertaining fans.
"Make this one out to Lisa!!!"
"Sign this for my sister, Elisabeth please??"
"Will you marry me????"
Kurt laughed good naturedly and started signing as many autographs as he could. Most of the fans ran off happilly after getting a signature and the crowd quickly dissappated. At last only a few determined girls were left.
"To Alexandra."
"To...Alexandra.... love Kurt... gotcha..."
"Danielle! eeeeeee!"
"Danielle...eeee..heh... right.. love Kurt...."
"Jemaine."
"Right... To Jemaine, love K---", the rock star looked up, "Mien Gott...."
---
A gypsy caravan circled tightly in the shade of the forest. A close camp was soon set out for the night, hidden from the rest of the world. At least, most of it. A young boy crawled down from a tree after watching the wagons stop for the evening. He cautiously crept closer to the camp to watch these strange new people fo about their daily life. The gypsies walked about talking, laughing, some practicing small circus acts next to their wagons, most were preparing an evening meal, which was the thing young Kurt found the most attractive.
It had been two days since he'd decided to run away from home. He was tired of being on the outer branch of an obsucre royalty. Money was nice, but he always longed to run freely outside in the fantastic property his family owned. What good were all those trees if you weren't allowed to climb them? Lessons, manners, all day kept within the same constricting stone walls. No, this wasn't the life for him at all. As soon as he decided he could take care of himself on his own, he gathered a few last possessions and ran. Well he could take care of himself, but some food wouldn't hurt. If he could just get close enough- perhaps he could borrow some. There's no way these people would notice. He wandered closer to the caravan trying to stay out of sight.
"Who're you???"
The voice almost made Kurt yell. He turned around quickly to see a young girl about his age looking at him curiously. She didn't seem to be the sort of frightening monster his mother and father warned him about. The girl walked a few steps closer.
"Can you talk? I asked you who you were." She tilted her head and seemed to be trying to figure out what to make of him.
Kurt tried to remember just WHAT his name was. "Umm I.. I...I'm K-Kurt! Kurt Wagner. And you?" He tried desperately to look as though he was exactly where he was supposed to be.
"I see." Said the girl. "I'm Jemaine. What are you doing here?" She shrugged and gave him a puzzled half smile.
Kurt glanced back at the large piece of meat roasting on a spit, "I.. I came to see.. to see..."
Jemaine laughed."Hungry huh? Well, i'm sure we'd have enough to spare for a little twig like you."
"Twig?? WHO'S a twig!"
"What's going on over here?" asked a deep, yet caring voice.
"Oh..oh.. momma...This.. this is Kurt.. he.. he's.. a...."
"Wandering traveler. Much like yourselves..." Kurt bowed gracefully, trying extremely hard to impress. "I- saw your caravan and I wondered if...if i might join you in your journey?" He looked up Jemaine's mother and smiled nervously.
"Well then, Kurt. I am known as Margali. Why don't you join us as we eat- as to joining us, well, we'll see where things go from there, ja?" She smiled and led the two back to the campfire.
Kurt nodded and followed. Even if the gypsies decided to chase him away the next morning, he'd have gotten a good meal.
---
"Jemaine, it's..it's been-" Kurt stammered.
"Years hasn't it? We were all so sad when you chose to leave us Kurt. After such a long time. You were one of our best performers." She smiled, "Though I see not much has changed. I've never imagined you'd ever do something as wild as.. as.. this!"
"Ah well..." He rubbed the back of his head and grinned, "It's not so much different from the circus Jemaine. Except I don't have to share a tent with the bearded lady..."
Jemaine laughed.
"And I don't have the joy of performing with one of the lovliest ladies in all Germany at my side."
Jemaine suddenly stopped laughing and blushed. "You- you've done well for youself haven't you Kurt?"
"Yes...I suppose I have. I love being in the spotlight. It's amazing the rush one gets. I loved perfoming in the circus, but it's so different now, everyone knows who I am- it's such an amazing feeling to be singled out."
He walked back into his dressing room as Jemaine followed.
"You've never exactly been the shy type, Kurt."
"True--- but seeing so many excited people. All excited to see ME. Well.. either me... or my trousers..." He looked down at a pair of skin tight leather pants and laughed. "I suppose my mother and father have heard of all this by now, and most likely they're none to happy."
Jemaine looked at him, "What about you Kurt, are you happy?"
He looked at her for a moment, then around the room, considering the matter.
"You know... I.. I think I am." He shook his head with a puzzled look. "I know, I know the sterotypes. Rock star goes ultra popular, gets a few songs out there, then sinks into dperession, drugs, that sort of thing. Honestly I never saw any sense in it. I like being able to, well reach people. Well I'm not saying my songs are exactly inspired or anything but I like the idea that I can send messages to people. Besides," he pulled on a lock of his hair and smiled, "I'm almost positive I keep the indigo hair dye people in bussiness." They both laughed. "So, what brings the great Jemaine Szardos to come visit a lowly rock star like me? N--nothing's wrong is it?" Kurt's face suddenly fell.
Jemaine shook her head,"No, no nothing like that. Well.. you know.. traveling circuses don't really get a lot of money anymore- our s was bought, some American came and-"
"Ah, Americans. They've got more money than they know what to do with- so they figure they ought to cause trouble for the rest of us." He shook his head and laughed. "But I'm sorry, go on..."
"Well...I, I wasn't terribly fond of the man, he didn't really seem to care about anything very much. So, well I decided I'd go traveling. See the world. Go adventuring. All that exciting stuff you blue haired rock stars get to do every day." She made a face at Kurt and stood up to leave. "It looks like your adventure's quite the exciting one..."
"Yes... I suppose it is." Kurt stood up as well, "Jemaine, do you, well have plans? I'd rather enjoy it if you came with us- touring, for just a little while at least. Just like old times ja? Riding around the country- stopping in towns- performing in the limelight... just less animals and not so many peanuts."
Jemaine smiled warmly, "I'd love to."
--- After changing into some significantly more relaxed jeans and a t-shirt Kurt showed Jemaine onto the tour bus. The others were seated, realxing and waiting for the bus to drive off. Kurt introduces Jemaine to some members of the band, and the two friends sat opposite one another and turned to exchange more stories.
"So tell me Kurt," Amanda whispered as she leaned forward, "how did you end up.. here? What led you from being an X-circus performer to the life of stardom?"
"Ahh.." Kurt chuckled as he leaned back into his seat, "that is probably not as interesting a story as one might imagine really. After I left I wandered about, and met a small band playing in some.. coffeehouse..bar...maybe both I'm not sure really... heh well, that was Richard over there-" he pointed to the quiet drummer at the front of the bus, "Andrew back there..." He pointed to the back of the bus at what appeared to be a sleeping heap of denimn and comic books. "They had a lead vocalist with them but you know how musicians are... he left that night- some argument over some girl, who knows where SHE went." He laughed again. "The other two seemed desperate for a singer, and well I'm always out for something new so I went ahead and took the spot. Things just sorta flew out from there. Though I think all the magazine talk about my family and the time I speant with the circus gave the whole band a lot more appeal to well... heh I don't know really. But it must appeal to someone. I've already done 3 different magazine spots... I endorsed some product.... not sure what it was exactly... could have been a clock or an ice cream bar... made little sense at the time."
"So," interrupted Jemaine,"What awaits the amazing Kurt Wagner next?"
"I have no idea really..." Kurt sighed, "the way things are going, it could be a while before people finally get sick of me. But that's the world of music, nien? Really at this point- if everyone hated me tomorrow I could get by for quite some time on what i have now, but I hope they don't. There's just something about being in front of all those people. The noise.. the excitement... it's not a one man show by any means, but getting to be there, working as a team with the others like a did when i was with you Jemaine and the others- it- it's a feeling I always want to have."
"I suppose deep down Kurt, you're born performer. Living as royalty didn't suit that need so you found us. And now you've found an entirely new world."Jemaine settled back into her seat and smiled. "But no matter what you're still just a showman at heart."
"A showman? Here to please the crowds? Living for laughter and applause?" Kurt grinned and shook his head.
A showman eh? He rather liked the sound of that.
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