"God, do I really look that bad?" Pearl asked Toulouse as the others
filtered out of the garden, casting sideways glances at her.
"No, you look absolutely radiant!" Toulouse replied, smiling warmly at her. He finished with his stack of posters just seconds later. After shoving them into Zidler's lap, he announced he was taking Pearl home.
"Very well, she needs her beauty sleep! Don't you, my little robin?" Zidler said. Pearl just made a noncommittal noise and smiled at him. Toulouse grabbed her hand and walked her out of the garden. Still wobbly in the high heels, Toulouse guided Pearl so she wouldn't fall.
"Ugh, I hate this dress." Pearl muttered as they slowly climbed the stairs. When she came down with Marie dragging her she could not count the amount of times she stumbled, or how many times she thought she might fall. But with Toulouse guiding her slowly upwards, she had maintained a perfect balance so far.
"You look beautiful in it, if that's any comfort." Toulouse offered, holding her steady as they awkwardly ascended the stairs.
"It's not, but thanks anyway, Toulouse." She replied, blushing slightly from the compliment. She was not used to such treatment, but she was well aware in acting she'd have to go through the process sometime.
Finally reaching the apartment door, they stumbled in. The Argentinean, who'd been standing near the door, backed quickly away when he saw Pearl. Satie even managed to look up from his piano and smile at her before continuing his work. Plopping down onto the sofa again, Chocolat, Toulouse, and The Doctor all came over with food and absinthe.
The four of them ate, drank, and talked a good while until Chocolat mentioned Pearl's mission tomorrow. She whined it was much too early for sleep, and he relented. An hour later, she passed out from one glass of absinthe too many.
"If she wakes up, she won't go back to sleep." The Doctor pointed out, and fearful of waking her, they sat and talked in whispers the rest of the night. Eventually they too all fell asleep.
"Zidler, see how darling they look." Marie commented as they crept into the studio to get them assembled. Pearl lay stretched out on Chocolat and Toulouse, Toulouse's head rested on Chocolat's shoulder, and Chocolat was resting on The Doctor who had the most precarious position of all.
"WAKE UP!' Harold screamed, and they all jumped.
"Ouch! Chocolat, that's my leg! Toulouse, my ARM!" Pearl complained, squirming to get up. Harold quickly grabbed her arm and yanked her off the couch.
"Get your shoes on pumpkin, we must hurry!" Harold explained, thrusting the high heels in her face. As she struggled to get them on, Marie brushed and re-styled her hair, as well as reapplied make-up.
"Okay, ready to go." Marie announced again snatching Pearl's arm and dragging her down the stairs. Harold and the Boho's followed behind them, the Argentinean stopping for a moment at Christians floor. Christian declined the offer to come with them, and went back to watching the window. The eight of them appeared on the street after a quick minute, and they hurried into the main building.
Pearl did not have much time to stare and gape at the old and beautiful theater, seeing as Marie kept yanking her whenever she slowed.
"This is Harold's office. If we know the Duke, he'll barge right in here. The rest is up to you, love." Marie explained, quickly hugging her and leaving. Zidler followed, leaving her with the Bohemians. A chorus of 'Good-luck', and five hugs later, she prepared for the encounter with the Duke.
Time slowly passed by, and she could hear as a few eager actors were turned away from the hoax play. Not too long after the first auditioners, she heard an angry yell. Which turned into quick and heavy footsteps that grew louder as they approached her. Pearl barely had time to check herself before the door swung open.
She stared at the barrel of a gun, and her chocolate eyes widened in surprise. The firearm slowly lowered, and a grotesque looking man stood before her. He had floppy straw colored hair, greedy blue eyes, a funny looking mustache, and a rodent like face. The man who many had described as a somewhat skinny wimp did not look that way now. To Pearl, he seemed quite strong, and she had a horrible suspicion he'd changed sense they'd last seen him.
Behind him was a bald, quiet man. At first she thought of Satie, but she saw none of Satie's musical brilliance or kindness in his eyes, she could only see a desire to hurt, kill, or maul vexing creatures. If the first man seemed in anyway strong, the second was twice as bad. And to make things worse, they both seemed to have guns. Wonderful.
The Duke stared at the beauty before him, shocked into a sudden silence. She could have been any of the other girls, only there were differences. This girl was smaller, she seemed more feisty, appeared more innocent, was definitely younger, and looked much classier.
"Where's Zidler?" The Duke asked in his annoyingly high-pitched, nasal voice. Pearl resisted the urge to laugh at him, or slap him for the pain he'd caused the others. She simply smiled seductively, her dark eyes twinkling.
"He stepped out. Anything I could help you with?" She purred, stepping closer to him. The look in his eyes implied he had a few things in mind she could help him with, but he restrained from speaking them.
"Well, yes. You are putting on a play, without my permission. And without my permission, it is not legal. You see I own this place, and any that work here. I am the head boss." He explained, his chest swelling with pride.
"Oh. I see. Zidler had mentioned he didn't think you'd mind. But if you'd like it shut-down I'll see to that immediately." Pearl replied in a sultry voice, placing one hand gingerly on his shoulder.
"Do you work here?" He quite suddenly blurted out, losing what small bit of composure he had. Pearl simply nodded, and widened her eyes. She watched as he considered this, but before he had time to ask anything else, Harold appeared behind him.
"My dear Duke! You came to see the audition!" Harold exclaimed, smiling broadly. The Duke quickly whipped around, facing Zidler.
"Zidler, I said to you NEVER to use this place again! You have no say of what you're stupid whores and pimps do because you broke the contract and I OWN YOU! ALL OF YOU!" The Duke threatened, although in his rather squeaky sounding voice, it was not very menacing. To add effect, he grabbed Pearl and Harold's arm.
"I own you! Do not cross me, I can have every jail cell in Paris filled with you, and you know I can!" He screeched, shaking them like they were misbehaving. Pearl glared at him and wriggled free, and Harold stepped lightly back.
"We thought you'd like having another play here." Harold replied tentatively, a fake smile still lingering on his face. It was almost teasing, daring the Duke to do something drastic.
"You were not to have anymore plays! That bastard writer of yours was not to do anything else to help this damn theater!" The Duke exclaimed, fire burning in his eyes. He hated Christian as much as Christian hated him.
"He didn't." Harold replied idly.
"Didn't what? Who?" The Duke asked coldly.
"Christian didn't write the play. And you've all ready met our leading lady, I see." Zidler replied. He gave Pearl an encouraging smile as the Duke considered this.
"In your office. Now." The Duke demanded, gesturing Harold in. He shut the door so Pearl and Warner could not come in.
Pearl smiled hesitantly at Warner as the two men discussed whatever it was inside the office. Warner just narrowed his eyes menacingly, and she figured he was not a very talkative person.
There was a window at the top of the door, and with her newly acquired heels, Pearl thought she might be able to peek inside. As she inched forward, she felt a prick on the back of her neck. She knew Warner was watching her, but she didn't really care. Standing on only her toes, she was just barely able to see. The Duke's back was to her, and he was waving some papers around in Zidlers face.
"Uh-oh.." She muttered as Harold's glance met hers, and The Duke began to turn to see what he was looking at. She quickly went to kneel down, but because of the shoes, she began to fall.
"You ought to be more careful, mademoiselle." Warner whispered huskily as he caught her around the waist. He pushed her up and she steadied her wavering body. Casting an uneasy look at Warner, she could not be sure if his words solely applied to her clumsiness, or if it was a warning to her curious nature.
"Warner!" The Dukes hyena sounding voice yelled as he burst from the room. Zidler followed after him, giving Pearl a secret smile. Apparently it seemed to work.
"Warner, get my things together." The Duke commanded, looking at Pearl. He smiled at her, revealing rather disgusting teeth. She smiled back at him, trying not to stare at the plaque all over his teeth.
"What's your name?" He asked, trying to lower his voice an octave to sound manlier.
"Pearl, my dear Duke, what is yours?" She replied with a false smile plastered onto her face.
"I am Duke." He began but was interrupted by Warner appearing with all of the papers in a suitcase. The Duke waved at Pearl and left with the Duke.
"What happened?" Pearl nearly shouted, facing Harold with bright eyes. His smile seemed to flicker, and she could tell something must have gone wrong.
"He wants us to put on a play." Harold answered a bit sadly. Pearl stared, dumbfounded by that. Everyone had assured her he WOULDN'T want a play, but now he did and they had no script.
"He wants you to star, and says that he will be back tomorrow for our first rehearsal. And he seemed to imply that you are not to date anyone or he'll have you thrown out, and that you should meet him in the Gothic Tower tonight." Harold tried to appear excited about at least part of the plan going right, but she could see how worried he was about the play.
"No, you look absolutely radiant!" Toulouse replied, smiling warmly at her. He finished with his stack of posters just seconds later. After shoving them into Zidler's lap, he announced he was taking Pearl home.
"Very well, she needs her beauty sleep! Don't you, my little robin?" Zidler said. Pearl just made a noncommittal noise and smiled at him. Toulouse grabbed her hand and walked her out of the garden. Still wobbly in the high heels, Toulouse guided Pearl so she wouldn't fall.
"Ugh, I hate this dress." Pearl muttered as they slowly climbed the stairs. When she came down with Marie dragging her she could not count the amount of times she stumbled, or how many times she thought she might fall. But with Toulouse guiding her slowly upwards, she had maintained a perfect balance so far.
"You look beautiful in it, if that's any comfort." Toulouse offered, holding her steady as they awkwardly ascended the stairs.
"It's not, but thanks anyway, Toulouse." She replied, blushing slightly from the compliment. She was not used to such treatment, but she was well aware in acting she'd have to go through the process sometime.
Finally reaching the apartment door, they stumbled in. The Argentinean, who'd been standing near the door, backed quickly away when he saw Pearl. Satie even managed to look up from his piano and smile at her before continuing his work. Plopping down onto the sofa again, Chocolat, Toulouse, and The Doctor all came over with food and absinthe.
The four of them ate, drank, and talked a good while until Chocolat mentioned Pearl's mission tomorrow. She whined it was much too early for sleep, and he relented. An hour later, she passed out from one glass of absinthe too many.
"If she wakes up, she won't go back to sleep." The Doctor pointed out, and fearful of waking her, they sat and talked in whispers the rest of the night. Eventually they too all fell asleep.
"Zidler, see how darling they look." Marie commented as they crept into the studio to get them assembled. Pearl lay stretched out on Chocolat and Toulouse, Toulouse's head rested on Chocolat's shoulder, and Chocolat was resting on The Doctor who had the most precarious position of all.
"WAKE UP!' Harold screamed, and they all jumped.
"Ouch! Chocolat, that's my leg! Toulouse, my ARM!" Pearl complained, squirming to get up. Harold quickly grabbed her arm and yanked her off the couch.
"Get your shoes on pumpkin, we must hurry!" Harold explained, thrusting the high heels in her face. As she struggled to get them on, Marie brushed and re-styled her hair, as well as reapplied make-up.
"Okay, ready to go." Marie announced again snatching Pearl's arm and dragging her down the stairs. Harold and the Boho's followed behind them, the Argentinean stopping for a moment at Christians floor. Christian declined the offer to come with them, and went back to watching the window. The eight of them appeared on the street after a quick minute, and they hurried into the main building.
Pearl did not have much time to stare and gape at the old and beautiful theater, seeing as Marie kept yanking her whenever she slowed.
"This is Harold's office. If we know the Duke, he'll barge right in here. The rest is up to you, love." Marie explained, quickly hugging her and leaving. Zidler followed, leaving her with the Bohemians. A chorus of 'Good-luck', and five hugs later, she prepared for the encounter with the Duke.
Time slowly passed by, and she could hear as a few eager actors were turned away from the hoax play. Not too long after the first auditioners, she heard an angry yell. Which turned into quick and heavy footsteps that grew louder as they approached her. Pearl barely had time to check herself before the door swung open.
She stared at the barrel of a gun, and her chocolate eyes widened in surprise. The firearm slowly lowered, and a grotesque looking man stood before her. He had floppy straw colored hair, greedy blue eyes, a funny looking mustache, and a rodent like face. The man who many had described as a somewhat skinny wimp did not look that way now. To Pearl, he seemed quite strong, and she had a horrible suspicion he'd changed sense they'd last seen him.
Behind him was a bald, quiet man. At first she thought of Satie, but she saw none of Satie's musical brilliance or kindness in his eyes, she could only see a desire to hurt, kill, or maul vexing creatures. If the first man seemed in anyway strong, the second was twice as bad. And to make things worse, they both seemed to have guns. Wonderful.
The Duke stared at the beauty before him, shocked into a sudden silence. She could have been any of the other girls, only there were differences. This girl was smaller, she seemed more feisty, appeared more innocent, was definitely younger, and looked much classier.
"Where's Zidler?" The Duke asked in his annoyingly high-pitched, nasal voice. Pearl resisted the urge to laugh at him, or slap him for the pain he'd caused the others. She simply smiled seductively, her dark eyes twinkling.
"He stepped out. Anything I could help you with?" She purred, stepping closer to him. The look in his eyes implied he had a few things in mind she could help him with, but he restrained from speaking them.
"Well, yes. You are putting on a play, without my permission. And without my permission, it is not legal. You see I own this place, and any that work here. I am the head boss." He explained, his chest swelling with pride.
"Oh. I see. Zidler had mentioned he didn't think you'd mind. But if you'd like it shut-down I'll see to that immediately." Pearl replied in a sultry voice, placing one hand gingerly on his shoulder.
"Do you work here?" He quite suddenly blurted out, losing what small bit of composure he had. Pearl simply nodded, and widened her eyes. She watched as he considered this, but before he had time to ask anything else, Harold appeared behind him.
"My dear Duke! You came to see the audition!" Harold exclaimed, smiling broadly. The Duke quickly whipped around, facing Zidler.
"Zidler, I said to you NEVER to use this place again! You have no say of what you're stupid whores and pimps do because you broke the contract and I OWN YOU! ALL OF YOU!" The Duke threatened, although in his rather squeaky sounding voice, it was not very menacing. To add effect, he grabbed Pearl and Harold's arm.
"I own you! Do not cross me, I can have every jail cell in Paris filled with you, and you know I can!" He screeched, shaking them like they were misbehaving. Pearl glared at him and wriggled free, and Harold stepped lightly back.
"We thought you'd like having another play here." Harold replied tentatively, a fake smile still lingering on his face. It was almost teasing, daring the Duke to do something drastic.
"You were not to have anymore plays! That bastard writer of yours was not to do anything else to help this damn theater!" The Duke exclaimed, fire burning in his eyes. He hated Christian as much as Christian hated him.
"He didn't." Harold replied idly.
"Didn't what? Who?" The Duke asked coldly.
"Christian didn't write the play. And you've all ready met our leading lady, I see." Zidler replied. He gave Pearl an encouraging smile as the Duke considered this.
"In your office. Now." The Duke demanded, gesturing Harold in. He shut the door so Pearl and Warner could not come in.
Pearl smiled hesitantly at Warner as the two men discussed whatever it was inside the office. Warner just narrowed his eyes menacingly, and she figured he was not a very talkative person.
There was a window at the top of the door, and with her newly acquired heels, Pearl thought she might be able to peek inside. As she inched forward, she felt a prick on the back of her neck. She knew Warner was watching her, but she didn't really care. Standing on only her toes, she was just barely able to see. The Duke's back was to her, and he was waving some papers around in Zidlers face.
"Uh-oh.." She muttered as Harold's glance met hers, and The Duke began to turn to see what he was looking at. She quickly went to kneel down, but because of the shoes, she began to fall.
"You ought to be more careful, mademoiselle." Warner whispered huskily as he caught her around the waist. He pushed her up and she steadied her wavering body. Casting an uneasy look at Warner, she could not be sure if his words solely applied to her clumsiness, or if it was a warning to her curious nature.
"Warner!" The Dukes hyena sounding voice yelled as he burst from the room. Zidler followed after him, giving Pearl a secret smile. Apparently it seemed to work.
"Warner, get my things together." The Duke commanded, looking at Pearl. He smiled at her, revealing rather disgusting teeth. She smiled back at him, trying not to stare at the plaque all over his teeth.
"What's your name?" He asked, trying to lower his voice an octave to sound manlier.
"Pearl, my dear Duke, what is yours?" She replied with a false smile plastered onto her face.
"I am Duke." He began but was interrupted by Warner appearing with all of the papers in a suitcase. The Duke waved at Pearl and left with the Duke.
"What happened?" Pearl nearly shouted, facing Harold with bright eyes. His smile seemed to flicker, and she could tell something must have gone wrong.
"He wants us to put on a play." Harold answered a bit sadly. Pearl stared, dumbfounded by that. Everyone had assured her he WOULDN'T want a play, but now he did and they had no script.
"He wants you to star, and says that he will be back tomorrow for our first rehearsal. And he seemed to imply that you are not to date anyone or he'll have you thrown out, and that you should meet him in the Gothic Tower tonight." Harold tried to appear excited about at least part of the plan going right, but she could see how worried he was about the play.