Sunday 23 September 2018, Glasgow, Scotland
After getting the books, Diana, Amanda and Akko, went back to the Cavendish mansion after a while, where they saw that there was a room with the pile of everyone there, even seeing the excited mothers looking at the documentations related to the times they studied in Luna Nova between 1987 and 1990, giving a feeling of nostalgia for the old photos and everything else, thanks to the magic of the place the books could be restored from that fire, being more a matter of time until the construction would come back to full steam, In this time the trio of the ones that got the book were practicing for their future careers, what also came the call that they were so anxious, both Amanda and Akko had been called for an event in Glasgow, both kind of working sponsored by the same brand and there was the first call to start something, in this case it wouldn't be a championship, but a call to take pictures and make some videos.
They went well into the afternoon, at the call of the company that sponsored them, to the city of Glasgow, where they would go to the George et Marie square, kind of gathering for the event, even going for a ride with Diana driving them to the city, borrowing one of her mother's cars, the trio of girls was spending the whole way singing, having fun for much of the time, until they arrived at the place, where they were already approached by people from the brand.
" Ahhhh they're finally here, go quickly, get dressed with our clothes, we're going to start the shots " said one of the women working with the camera.
Then Akko and Amanda were taken to the van that was parked, where they changed and put on the brand's T"shirts and trousers, as well as the skateboard that was clearly displayed, which Diana even clapped a few times.
" Look how lovely they look, even more so you Akko, love the look " Cavendish said.
" It wasn't so much us who did this look, no, we kind of had to adjust to the way they told us to," Amanda said.
" The beret kind of suits you Amanda " said Atsuko laughing.
" Don't push no " O'Neill said.
" Let's go! Let's go! " Said the photographer.
From there the photographer was pulling the two who went to one of the points of the square, where they were asked to take a photo together, sort of one leaning on the other's back, with arms crossed while the skateboards were sort of lying on the ground in primo position, then they went to another shot.
" Now Amanda will sit on the bench in the square while Akko sends an overcrooked and then jumps over her with an Ollie, can they get that on the first try? " Asks the photographer.
The two sort of shrugged, the salmon haired girl sat down half splayed on the bench in the square, meanwhile the brown haired girl was overcrooked over the edge of that part of the square and on the first attempt she sort of abandoned the trick when she saw her friend was signalling.
" Cut! You have to stand still in the same corner Amanda! " Said the photographer.
" What if she hits me? Nobody said we could take that risk," O'Neill said.
" It's part of photography, you don't need to be afraid, trust your friend " said the photographer.
" Oh sure, if you fall on me I'll break your face Akko " Said the American.
" I won't go if you do everything right " said the Japanese woman.
They went for another shot and this time it came out all right, Amanda tried to keep calm, keeping the same expression and then she got out of there all scared after the shot, going for another one where she was going to do it, this time with Akko doing the bit.
" Now Akko will lie on the bench in the square and Amanda will give a Smith jumping over the bench giving a flip, is very simple, has to be in exactly the right spot, where it will catch the face of the two in the photo " Said the photographer.
" Now it's my turn! " O'Neill said excitedly.
Kagari was soon laying down on the bench kind of sideways as was asked by the shot, while Amanda was starting the maneuver passing through that high ledge of the square, until a point where she saw she was closer, so she does a flip, then fits it which she saw the clapping of people looking around, as well as Diana doing the same.
" One more, this one left with the skateboard passing over Akko's face, it has to be perfect, try to jump a little before " said the photographer.
The American agrees with her head, goes back to the same place, picks up her skateboard and starts doing another shot, this time it was more perfect, which everyone was loving to see, people enjoyed the pictures around, but it wasn't over yet.
" Very well, now it was perfect, we already have what to publish in the magazines in relation to photos, your maneuvers were excellent, the photos came out very well, now we will need to make a video, you two will do everything in step by step " said the photographer calling the two.
The duo went to a kiosk where the other members of the brand were, already discussing with them the whole choreography plan where each one needs to do, following practically in a very cinematographic way, where one goes to each side of the square with the skateboard kind of doing a select list of maneuvers, until they get close, facing each other, where it starts giving some fire effects around, Both will then move away and start sending some freestyle maneuvers, and a car will come doing some drift, until it stops near both of them and Amanda will kind of lean on the spoiler, until it gets to a ramp and send a 900 with the impulse that is given until a ramp, then Akko will come being taken by a motorbike where she will do that blunt where she balances on the skateboard, until everything ends with the fireworks.
" Guys that's a bit much at the end don't you think? " Ask O'Neill.
" What? We saw that you do a lot on the ramps, a 900 will come out in the greatest tranquility " said the photographer.
" Wow I'm a bit rusty with this Blunt, but I can try, let's see how it goes " Akko said.
" Very well, we don't have much to do, it's only one take and if you don't succeed we will cut some of your money and we will only film part of it to send it on the internet, so do it right", said the young man who was sitting on the chair looking at everything.
The two half swallowed saliva, then were positioned exactly where the take begins, each one on a side of the square, where the cameras were also positioning with all the lighting, it was noticeable a little of the nervousness of both. Diana was watching everything from afar and was grabbing her mobile phone to film.
" And action! " Said the director.
Akko is starting to paddle, she's going for a heelflip following with a manual nose, where she sends a 360 flip, going towards Amanda, even quietly hitting the trick, this while it was noticeable that the cameras were filming lower.
On the other side Amanda had also started paddling, she sent a kickflip following with a manual and then a 360 pop shove it, going all the way to the meet for Akko, where then both together finished that little combination where they took the skateboard in hand quite stylishly.
O'Neill kind of popped it out and went for a flip to her hand, Kagari on the other hand kind of kicked it up giving momentum to catch it with her hand to the meet of the two.
They were staring at each other, which was starting to release the fireworks, as they walked around each other with their faces a little glued together, of course Diana was dying of jealousy of her girlfriend. But she continued filming until it was possible to hear the sound of the car.
The two moved away as the Nissan 350z all plotted with the sponsorship brand arrived giving a drift with a smoke all colored kind of then starting to go sliding around the two until it stops and with that comes O'Neill's turn that moved away. She throws the skateboard with the biggest style making a kind of impossible then she holds on to the spoiler of the car that starts to accelerate.
The impulse was given and she was approaching the ramp, coming out of there all propelled released a big one of a 900 with style and even enough where she almost fell, but it was very close, at the same time the fires were coming out when she did the maneuver.
Then came the motorbike, she entered kind of making the curve skidding like the car, the rider kind of came steep and started to give some acceleration calling for Japanese who releases the skateboard on the ground and starts to get also tail on the motorbike, until you reach the ramp, where fit a Blunt, with all the balance was starting to go gently moving his feet until he was in the position of leaning on the skateboard truck in that position and hold for a few seconds as if he were in a yoga position, where the fires began to be fired, ending the part of the filming.
" And cut! Excellent result! " Said the director as the two girls went breathing half"relieved.
" I swore I wouldn't make it, a few more seconds there and I'd fall off the skateboard, you guys are crazy to pull us into some crazy stuff like that " Akko said.
" Well now you are free, that was it for today, remembering that you will have another shot of you, this time in London, but this time next month, do not forget to participate in the championship that will take place in Dublin, and so we can pay the additional contract of you and open so you can accept more brands sponsoring them " said the representative of the company.
" Look it was kind of cool I admit, but we could have failed, we should have had a chance to rehearse, we weren't even told or anything," O'Neill said.
" Aren't you guys good enough? A real pro pulls off top"notch tricks " said the representative.
" Tell that to everyone, many of the shots always have parts of them falling out, showing the various attempts " said the American shrugging.
" Whatever, at least you guys made it, you really couldn't go wrong with this shoot, we spent a lot for this advertisement, now take your share and come back when you are called again " said the representative.
Soon afterwards they went to the other counter where they received a part of the money, the equivalent of two thousand pounds for the whole presentation, which already generated some dissatisfied expressions from the duo, but they soon came back and went to Diana who was waiting for them in the car.
" Wow you guys did super, what a trick that was eh O'Neill " Cavendish said.
" We were super underpaid too, I read the contract and they said they paid for these shoots, but everything we did only gave us two thousand pounds each, imagine if we missed some trick " said the American.
" Ah, but that's a lot more than you guys used to earn, it's still your first job as professionals, I don't even earn a salary as a rally driver, I had to pay my way in," said the Scot.
" Look I don't know about you, but let's make the most of it and spend it on something, it's not every day we have four thousand pounds to go out," said the excited Kagari.
" Two thousand, because I don't go out with you two to keep candlelight " Said the salmon"coloured hair turning her face.
" I wasn't just talking about us, all of us going out, it would be too weird for the three of us to go out together " Atsuko said.
" I don't know, I'll leave that two thousand for the Luna Nova reconstruction fund, there's nothing interesting to do with the money," O'Neill shrugged.
The three of them get into the car and as Cavendish drives back to Edinburgh, Akko turns on the radio, where they kind of relax a bit, singing along the way, as well as chatting along the road, talking about some random stuff too.
" So Diana and Akko, what do you think about polygamy? " Amanda asks.
" How is it? " They both say.
" Ué polygamy, you know, relationship for three, four, five, six, whatever fits your mother's heart " O'Neill said.
" I know what it is O'Neill, you don't have to explain, I'm not really into that, I only love Akko, my heart only has eyes for her, I'm monogamous, I would never get into a polyamorous relationship " said the Scot.
" And you Akko? What do you think? " asks the American.
" I'm not that close either, I'm actually new to this dating stuff, I like the way I am with Diana, my heart beats for her too, I can't imagine or think of another girl or anyone in between " said the Japanese girl.
" And why these questions, O'Neill? Are you picking on us? " Diana asks.
" No! Of course not, where did you get that from? I'm polyamorous yes, proudly, but I'd never want to get involved in a couple that's already established, I admit that back there a little after Margaret I had interest yes, but not even the two of you had started, besides Akko must remember how I tried something with her, but it was clear that since that time the eyes for Diana were clear " Said the salmon"colored hair shrugging as she kind of lay down in the back seat of the car.
" I don't even know what to say, but seriously Amanda, you're still a little too needy with these things, have you ever stopped to think about, I don't know, creating a tinder or going out with someone, touch a grass, maybe then you can accomplish more of these crazy things, Scotland is full of single girls there " said the platinum haired girl.
" What do you mean single pussycat Diana Cavendish McLaren? " Said Atsuko already in a jealous tone.
" I'm only joking my love, I just want to give you a little help, you don't have to be jealous of me, I'm not going to swap you for a Scottish girl, no," Diana said in a tame tone.
" Calm down love, I was only joking, I'm not jealous, you know that, I trust you and I love you a lot " Akko said jokingly.
" Ahhh, why do you always have to be so gay like that? When you two are being affectionate it's obvious that I'm going to be a bit like that, man it's horrible, at least you two are dating and I'm single here all the time " said Amanda in the back seat with her arms crossed.
The rest of the way they were kind of trying to forget this part, listening to music and talking about other things, mainly around the sponsorship and the tricks they did, a little bit of O'Neill's revolt.
Until they arrive at Cavendish mansion, where they get out of the car and go there being received by Marianne and Hellene.
" Thanks for filming everything, this is going to be great with editing and the cameras they used there, I never thought of an idea like that " McLaren said in amazement.
" And how is your sponsorship Hellene? Do they let you rehearse at least? " asks the American.
" Of course, why wouldn't they let me, they go after the best shot, I even have to release the ideas of the shoot that we will do, they also let me sign with more companies, but the contracts lately have been very fair, before they made me leave this contract with the main company, today they understand my demands, then I kind of fill my clothes with all the sponsorships, so far I'm with four, it's a lot of people wanting to sign me, I have to ask my mothers for help all the time " said the Irish shrugging shocking her friend.
" Really? And can you help us get them to call us? " Amanda asks.
" I don't know if I can do it, I'll move everything right, I'll gain a little more notoriety and I'll drag you too " said the redhead, who received a hug from both of them.
" Thanks a lot Hellene, you always help us, by the way how much do you earn? We've just won two thousand pounds for everything we've done," O'Neill said.
" That's it? Seriously, look how much you did, without any stunt or anything, for what you did you should earn at least fifteen thousand pounds, I do not earn much because I spend a lot to organize the filming, but even so the least I earned was ten thousand pounds because I used a lot of resources " Said the purple-eyed one.
" What a fuck and I see a lot of your videos, you falling from parachute, taking the skateboard and down ramp and everything else, traveling the places of the world " said the American.
" I'm going to San Francisco next week, I've already made a suggestion to them, jump out of a helicopter, with a parachute, then go down that huge hill, where we'll kind of jump off a ramp with some cars and I'll release an airwalk, to the other side, man just imagining it gives me goose bumps, it will be too fucked up, besides the motorbikes passing by " Hellene said.
" I wish I had that freedom so I could do my own tricks," said Amanda.
From there they were talking to each other, where Hellene was showing several of the ideas, some even having many of the drawings made by Marianne, who also helps in this part, planning together the presentations, which increases these ideas that are getting very fresh.
Akko and Amanda's first time being professional skateboarders, working to make some photographs at a local event where they successfully managed to get the shoot done, but they already show some of the dissatisfaction, such as the lack of freedom compared much to what Hellene has been having with her career.
See you, skater witches...