Hi guys! I know it's been a little bit but I'm here~! How y'all doing? Good? I hope so lol i hope you all enjoy~!
I am also very much wanting to do a lot with this story! Just my adhd has been hyper-fixating on video games atm so that's been it's fun fuel lol Anyway, bye!
"Do you-?" I hesitated momentarily as I reached the actress's dressing room door. "Is that crying?" We both stopped and took a listen as we realized there were loud sobs coming from the other side of the door. I reached out and knocked on the door as a masculine voice came out from the other side.
"Bonita is trying to have a moment here!" The door suddenly cracked a little as a small jump escaped me. "What do you want?"
"We were asked to speak with Bonita." I tried my best to keep a firm voice as Lili's arm unwrapped itself from mine.
"Sorry, she's busy." The door was nearly shut in our faces as I stuck out a foot to stop it.
"I just wanted to have a word with her. Performer to performer for a moment. I heard she was refusing to come out on stage." The door opened a little more once again as the sounds of crying came slightly louder. "I wanted to see if there was anything I could do to help. My friend and I here are more than willing to lend a hand." I flashed a smile toward Lili as the man behind the door hesitated for a moment.
"Fine. Only because you share a love for the stage." I smiled wide as the door suddenly opened and the figure behind it turned toward where the crying was coming from. "Come in before I change my mind, kid." Lili and I entered without much hesitation, but after a few steps in, it was noticeable that there was only a man in the room. The crying was still auditable, but there wasn't another figure for it to come from. "Sorry about that." The figure moved over toward a small device on the table and pressed a single button that caused the crying to stop. "Was trying to get into character."
"Character?" I gave the back of the figure a confused look as they slowly turned toward Lili and me. Their silhouette seemed to change from night to day as the hooded woman turned her face toward us.
"That's right, kid." Her deep and masculine voice threw me off for a moment as she took a sit before her make-up station. She sighed deeply as she turned her face toward the mirror. "It's exhausting being the light and star of this show. It's so dark and dull. I'm the only thing giving light to the performance." I couldn't blame the woman for how her presence alone showered some of the room with a glistening light. "I can't be the only thing, you know? Being the main source is draining. I can't stand it."
"It's like you're running a one-man show." The woman turned suddenly as she gestured out toward me.
"Exactly, kid! I knew you would understand."
"So what can we do to help you?" Lili stepped forward and placed a hand on my shoulder. "The stage manager lady really needs you out there."
"How about this," Bonita started as she gestured to herself. "Get more light out there and I'll play ball."
"And how can we do that?"
"Ask Becky, I'm sure she'll think of something. I know there are things like candles and things around. Also gives me time to try my misery acting."
"Is that what was going on here?" Lili whispered in my ear as I tried my best to hide my smile. "I thought there was like a cult thing going on." I tried my best to keep myself from laughing as I gave the woman a small salute.
"W-We'll do just that! You practice your misery acting and we'll get you when everything is set up!"
"Thanks, kid. Break a leg." We exited the dressing room before I looked over toward Lili.
"Can we just do some psychic stuff and light up whatever we need ourselves?" Lili shrugged as we walked back toward the stage together.
"Sometimes in minds, that works. Though since this is an older theater-like lay out and how a lot of this looks flammable, I'm sure her mind has a way of protecting everything from pyro use."
"So no mind fire magic?"
"I doubt it. Might as well just ask Becky where the candles are and go from there."
"Damn. Nothing can be easy here, huh?"
"Welcome to being a Psychonaut, Aquato."
"So?! Will she come out?" Becky asked us as she held her clipboard to her chest at her little station.
"She will! But with a simple condition." The woman sighed as she lifted two fingers to press them to her forehead.
"What's the diva want now?"
"She wants more light for when she goes one stage. Said something about how you could figure something out with some candles around?" I gave her a curious look as the woman just let out a deep sigh.
"Son of a-." The woman seemed to be at a loss for words for a moment before pulling her clipboard away from her chest. "Well, gotta get the show running somehow. I swear that woman is going to give me a damn panic attack." She shifted from one foot to the other for a moment as she tapped an idle finger on the back of her script. "Okay, Becky. Get a grip. You can think of something." The woman seemed to look around for a moment before suddenly pointing out toward a balcony. "The main spotlight there should work. There should be some candles in the back with the props. See if you can find one and if that's enough for Miss Sunshine."
"You got it, Becky!" I gave the woman a small salute like I did the other woman as she sighed.
"Relying on two kids to get my main actress out of her own dressing room. God, I lost control over this place." She leaned forward onto her podium as she sighed once more. "And if you find any Lexapro or something, let me know too. I think mine's wearing off."
"Okay." Lili drew out the word for a moment as I looked over toward her. "Maybe we can help you out too? Anything you need so you don't explode?"
"She needs more than just help!" A voice behind us boomed as a howl of laughter echoed behind it. I snapped my attention toward the crowd area to see a large viewing box with a just as large figure within it. "This theater is doomed, I say! Doomed!" His laughter echoed more as the large-looking man leaned forward in his seat. "No star, no lights, no action."
"Who the fuck-?" I narrowed my eyes at him as Becky sighed.
"That's the critic. His name is Jasper Rolls. He's as big as Gloria makes him out to be." She could hear her annoyance in her tone as she continued. "Now, if we had a means of keeping his mouth shut, my life would be a lot less stressful."
"So he's just there for what? To berate the show?" I turned my head toward her as she just shrugged.
"With how large his depiction is, you would think he would do more than spew bullshit but sadly that's all he does." I couldn't help but groan as I shoved my hands into my jacket pockets.
"Critics are the worse."
"Even more so when it's made by your own self, kid."
"How about this then," Lili took over as she stepped into the conversation. "Raz, you find a candle for the spotlight while I speak with gutsy over there? Maybe I can get him to shut his trap for a while." I smiled as Lili cracked her knuckles with a smile. "After all, I know a thing or two about bullies." Becky looked at Lili for a second in pure silence.
"You're a frightening kid."
"So I've been told." Lili smiled wide before strolling toward the balcony box. "I'll handle this!" She turned suddenly to point at me. "Get our star out, Water Boy!"
"You got it, Zanotto!" I smiled wide before turning toward Becky once more. "Lili's good at dealing with people like Jasper there. His devil-horned ass won't know what hit 'em!" I had a prideful feeling swell in my chest as I pointed my thumb toward the back of the theater. "Props are in the back for you guys, right? Not too far from Bonita's little area?"
"Yep, right behind the stage and scattered out in the wings."
"Perfect! Just have Lili give me a shout if you need anything while I'm back there." I turned and started dashing out toward the prop area. Unknown to me, the woman standing there still sighed as she ran a hand through her hair.
"Whelp." She moved the mic up from her headset as she looked over her clipboard. "Maybe we're not done for." A crash was heard in the distance as Jasper let out a howl of laughter once more. Becky winched as she leaned against her podium.
"Or maybe we are."
