Saturday 25 March 2006, London, England
"We became much more successful with each performance, the tickets sold like water and when the firstedited video of the first performance in Birmingham was released, a huge audience came from London tosee me, filling the theatres on both days, I was really getting anxious, but tired too, I didn't imagine I couldreach this level, but it was still worth it, I knew that after this one I would be able to rest more from theseperformances, Alan wanted to get as much out of me as he could, I wasn't touching how he was onlyinterested in profiting all this time"
Wow, we've arrived in London, look how beautiful the buildings here are, I only remember travelling far when I was very young, but never so close to this city, it's my dream coming true, my success is at the point where I can get a chance to perform in this city.
I just stared out of the window, enchanted, while the girls were at theirs, Croix on the computer probably editing videos, Becca reading some magazines, Daniella reading a book and me looking out of the window.
"I've never seen someone so amazed to arrive in London, a big city that used to be the biggest rubbish dump" said Parker.
"It's the biggest city in England, it's undoubtedly going to be the busiest in the performance, I'm going to dedicate myself a lot here to do well, I can't wait to see what the audience is going to be like" I say all excited looking at the theatre we're arriving at.
"Tonight is going to be the big night, we'll get to see if Shiny Chariot really is a fever, I saw it on the internet and look, they're talking about how full London is, the very theatre where you're going to perform" Meridies said.
Soon the bus pulls into the car park, it's time to perform, at least to pack up, we've already arrived a few hours before the start, so it's very quiet, we just have to wait a bit, I take a deep breath and the bus doors open, we take our things and start heading towards the theatre and I could see that some people had been waiting for me for a while, apparently just to see if I was there.
"Well, it looks like someone's really become quite famous" said Becca.
"It was just a few provocations I made on social media, my way of calling the public to see Chariot, it seems that the strategy worked quite well, let's go before the crazy crowd starts going after Chariot, she'll go first, to be safe, to make the costume, we'll go next" said the one with glasses.
I agree with the idea, but seeing the people on the pavement waiting for me and even creating some posters with my name on them really amazed me. I wave to them and head for the entrance to the theatre, where my manager opens the way, I go up the stairs, I follow the path, it's today that I'm going to perform successfully. We get to the dressing room, I take a deep breath and there Alan claps his hands congratulating me on my success, he must be loving it all.
"My congratulations Chariot, you've managed to sell out on the two days you'll be performing here in London, in no other theatre have sales been so fast, we'll simply have six thousand tickets for two days, that's 20 pounds a ticket, the profit from all this is enormous, you have no idea, I never thought I'd reach an amount like that and with your friends preparing everything it was a much lower cost, keep it up, I'm loving it" he said waving as he left the dressing room.
Well, I know one thing for sure, today and tomorrow I've already got twelve thousand pounds, according to the calculations I've made, this money that's left over is going to be very useful for getting more seats, I can't wait to have the house full of more people, I'm really looking forward to it, but it's good to keep calm.
The girls are arriving with the rest of the things, it's time to get ready, as they arrive with more of them I'm getting ready, going to the theatre's shower room to have a bath and then I think I'll start doing my make-up and also putting on my clothes.
[...]
The time for the performance is coming up, Croix has made sure that I have an introduction by playing a very different song that she had shown me, an edit of my journey so far, it's just when the song shows a different rhythm that I'm going to get on my broom and wave to the audience revealing who I am, everything has been rehearsed for this day and this moment, on the bus itself, I'm going to have to improvise a lot here, take a deep breath, the part is coming. It seems that today I'm really bigger, not just in terms of fame, but in terms of body too, I've measured myself and I'm 1.67 metres tall and a few sizes taller.
It's time, the smoke is coming from all over the stage, I can see everything in front of me, I get on my broom,
I pass by the banner that rips with my presence and with that I go round the front of the stage that is cheering and shouting with my presence.
"Welcome to the magical world of Shiny Chariot!" I say to everyone, waving my hat with magic effects that circulate around the stage, and I raise the Shiny Rod to make a bigger effect.
Creating a beam of light above me, I make a flash, and everyone watches, clapping their hands at my presence. The beam of light creates a shower of many things, effects of butterflies and also fairies, which circulate around me as I do the broomstick flying act, gliding past the audience, who hold out their hands as I leave a trail of magical creatures, it was clear that the children were enjoying it the most.
Flying back to the stage, I slide off the broom and start to do some ballet steps, also accompanying the brooms that were doing the same steps, many of them, this part I improvised a lot to make it unique, which I did by throwing myself at them, being held, even doing somersaults, throwing the Shiny Rod making an improvised floating platform where I turn everything into a circus trapeze between the brooms.
"Your magic is believing in yourselves" I shout to the audience, already attracting attention.
And they clap more as the music plays, I reach the last broom after the trapezes on multiple of them I stand up as if it were a plank and there they join once again, this time I stand up dancing with the broom, while enemies appear on the brooms, which I have to fight, the Shiny Rod comes into my hands and I attack the imps that come at me, with the right to dance steps both mine and the imps.
Tiptoeing on each broomstick, I make a point of throwing myself off, being caught by the broomsticks that throw me back up in the air, and with that the fake imps feel the power of the Shiny Rod disappearing one by one, with me protecting the people from the dangers of flying the broomstick, which is then followed by another part of the act when the last ones run away on the broomsticks and I have to follow them.
I make a point of doing this by standing on the broomstick to chase them and in doing so I fire spells at them that bring them closer to the audience and the stage, having a moment of suspense, as some were also following me, although I kept dodging their rays, which even antagonised each other, as soon as we reached the stage again, they came landing from their brooms, gathering into a larger one that I defeated with the power of the Shiny Rod, causing applause to erupt and with that the introduction was made, with the number of brooms, the curtains lowered and I breathed a little relieved.
[...]
The performance is coming to an end, I've basically done the same numbers as before and wow, I've never heard so many screams, I'm getting very breathless, now there's a proper closing, I have to get these people excited for the end, I take a deep breath, I look at the audience, my final number was nature, with fauna, followed by flora.
I raise my arms and make a holographic representation of the nine witches, they appear in front of me and I get on my broom and start narrating, this time it's their moment.
"The nine founding witches, the ones who gave birth to magic as we know it today, are great warriors who gave their all to make it far, to give us our future!" I say this by way of an introduction, which I mix with dance and a bit of history.
As I pass with the broom I create some lines, with the witches going through some adventures, which are shown in my flight trails, telling in a summarised way how everything was done, how the history of the witches was being shaped, this is what I'm going to do, showing the creation of Luna Nova, where the school logo appeared and I passed in the middle like a ring, I wave to everyone, and the image soon changes with the trails creating a path full of rings with the Luna Nova logo showing the centuries that have passed.
"Witches have been through a lot of hardships, those who have been accused of being evil and cruel, but that's a big lie, witches are human beings like any other and have always helped humanity in the most difficult times, they've helped a lot and have earned persecution in return" I narrate a little more, arriving at the part from the Middle Ages to the Middle Ages.
I wanted to leave this part of the story of the witches to London, which is a little more serious and with broomstick movements, but in the more intense parts of the song I start to do acrobatics, talking about the times that came during the hunt and also after it with the coming of the great witch Jennifer, the people watching this could see that they were being impressed by my movements.
I continue to tell them about the golden age of magic, where even my trail turns golden, and I start to get off my broomstick, taking a few steps as the images pass through the smoke, making you realise what the heyday of the witches was like
"The golden age of magic, where humanity believed more in magic, we had a peace between humans and witches, but that only lasted a short time, when the industrial revolution came and with it everything changed to something different, people forgot about witches and today we are living in the decline of witchcraft, we only have one thing left and that is to believe in witches again" I say to everyone as I show them recent times.
The dance starts to change everything when it comes to criticising the music, with some older witches creating holograms, they come to attack me, with many voices, citing me as a sacrilege of witchcraft, as if I were the worst of all, wanting to defame me, I've been very shrewd about it, the lines have been hitting me and making me fall and be hit, I'm even doing the drama of the impact of these lines.
Then a group of witches come to help me, and they look at me, telling me to have faith in myself, and I have the Shiny Rod in my hands, and I'm already emanating a glow that causes a flash on the stage, which is followed by a light going out all over the stage, which has gone dark, followed by a spotlight on me.
I'm dancing very slowly to the music, and as the lights come on, some people appear dancing with me, they're Croix effects, followed by lots of lights, brooms, nature appearing, butterflies, animal fairies, all together.
"Magic can't die! We have to believe in it! Magic is believing in ourselves!" I shout to the whole audience.
I finished with the impression that everything was getting happy again with this part of the story and criticism, I'm sure it went down well, it was Croix who opted for this, which the curtains close after I finish everything by throwing myself into everything and being held and then thrown, caught by the broom, waving my hat.
The clapping comes in droves, I'm relieved, I think I've done a good job today, tired and breathless, I think I'll rest a bit after this, of course I have to announce everyone for the next one to come.
Which soon comes in the form of the curtain opening with my theme playing again and I'm waving to the audience clapping and cheering me on, I never thought I'd be loved like this, I've really achieved something.
"All right, that's the end of the show for today, I'm very happy that you all came to see me, but we'll still have a second instalment tomorrow, for those of you who can't make it today, and for those of you who want to see me one more time, you can be happy that we'll be back more often, I guarantee it, I'll always continue to present myself more often to all of you, enchanting you with the world of magic, be sure of that! I'll be back! Thank you for everything and for getting me this far!" I say to everyone waving and receiving more shouts and applause, wow I'm really touched by this.
The curtains close and I'm very relieved, then I go back to the dressing room to get my things and, panting, I take a good rest. Just before I go to take off my make-up and put on a very casual outfit, Alan appears to congratulate me, clapping his hands and I smile at him, since it was possible to start my career in this way.
"All right, all right Shiny Chariot, but it doesn't end here, we've created a special session here at the theatre for you where we'll make even more money, I was able to get it ready while you were in Birmingham, come over here" What's it going to be this time? I don't remember anything.
I follow Alan, who asks me to go to him, when I see a table with T-shirts, my T-shirts, full of boxes and a chair, I don't understand anything, until I notice a permanent pen, I think I'm going to have to do one more famous thing, signing T-shirts, that's very interesting.
"Don't leave yet! Here in the hall we have an official sale of Shiny Chariot T-shirts and we also have her signing them, for a very affordable price, so come quickly as we'll run out very quickly! We also have photos at a very interesting price, come and take a Polaroid photo with the great Shiny Chariot" Alan shouts into a microphone, announcing to the whole theatre.
I get a bit nervous, I feel a huge tremor, because it seems that today I'm going to stay longer, where I could rest, I don't even think the girls planned it, if they hadn't told me about it, which is when a crowd comes up to me, who was sitting down, I see the prices and the T-shirts are like £15, the photos are £50, the ones with autographs are £30 and today it seems I'm going to be selling a lot of things.
"How many T-shirts are there?" I ask Alan.
"I had 40 of each size made, but that's just today's stock, of course we have stock for tomorrow too, it was a bit of a surprise, but tomorrow I want you to sell as many as you can, because it's going to be a busy night, even before the festival takes place" said my manager.
I take a deep breath, after all it's a lot of people, and I start signing some of the first people who ask. Not only did they ask to sign the T-shirt, but they also asked to take a photo with me, with a well-done background,
taken from a Polaroid camera.
I'm already exhausted from the presentation, let alone all of this, but come on, it's the weight of being famous, apparently the children liked it the most, even adults are here, and by the nine witches these photos have a lot of abusive people, there are certain boys who cling to me when it's time to take a photo, and this without having any security, it's really a mess
"Well done Chariot, you're selling a lot, soon everything will be sold out and we'll have a successful sale, I'm sure" said Alan, who only thinks about money.
[...]
It was quick before everything sold out, we sold a total of 200 T-shirts, I signed at least half of them and I still had to take about 50 photos, I'm really exhausted, I'm finally being released by the fans and byAlan himself, I get to the bus tired and exhausted by everything, I just throw myself on the mattress and lie there dead tired.
"I wasn't expecting these t-shirts from Chariot, they're pretty amateurish to be honest, I think I can make something better for you, next time leave it to me to design the t-shirts, this is too square" I don't know anything about this, I just want to rest.
"I'm just dead tired. Alan even said that I'm going to sell a lot more of the ones he left in stock, seriously, if that happens I think I'm going to die of exhaustion, I can't stand signing autographs and taking so many photos, people have come in droves wanting to buy things, tomorrow is going to be a lot worse, but at least I'll be able to rest" I say dead tired.
"Hey Chariot, it's success and fame, in the future there will be even more people, think that soon you'll be earning a lot of money with all these performances" Becca said.
"I don't care about money, I just want to be able to change the world, but I'm feeling like a retailer in all this, I don't feel like Shiny Chariot, I feel like a product, people like me, but I don't know if it's for the right reasons" I tell them.
"It will never be Chariot, or do you think that people who are fans of works like Star Wars or Star Trek really understand the political criticism of these series? Of course not, the fun for these people is to watch navy, but it doesn't matter, your relevance is important Chariot, you're attracting children, that's what we need for our plan in the future" I nod my head, even though it's sunk into the pillow.
"And here she goes with her revolutionary plans again, Croix really wants to be the Karl Marx of witchcraft" said Parker.
"Marx didn't cause any revolution, he only created the book that would help future minds to take the revolution forward, it was Lenin who made a revolution, but anyway, discussing Marxism isn't the time, it's not as if one thing doesn't unite the other when magic is going to change everything" Meridies said.
"Say it with your mouth full to the older witches and you'll see what happens" said Daniella.
"Stop arguing, look how tired Chariot is, let's help our friend" Finally someone remembered me.
I even turned my face as I was facing the pillow, the girls went to take care of me a bit, they even brought me some food, which gradually restored my energy, I was dead for today, let alone tomorrow.
[...]
Even before the show took place, Croix announced that there would be a T-shirt sale outside the theatre about three hours before, and people went crazy buying everything, this time it was no small feat, Alan took out a huge stock of T-shirts, which I had no idea how many there were, but at least the girls could help me, they even had different queues, one queue just for autographs and photos and another just for T-shirts, but even so the girls' queues weren't as busy as mine.
"Look, it's Shiny Chariot! She's signing T-shirts and taking photos with us!" Said the excited boy, announcing it to everyone.
"What do you want? What size shirt do you want?" I ask him.
"I want a photo with you and a size M T-shirt" I took a deep breath and went over to sign the T-shirt, which I then took and the bastard grabbed my chest, I couldn't do anything and he just walked away, I realised that Croix saw it too.
I just got back to normal and kept selling more T-shirts, but I had this thing in my head, I didn't know how to react, I just kept smiling and taking photos, I was a 20-year-old boy doing that, I was very uncomfortable, but well smile and wave that's it, it's the weight of fame.
I even swallowed my tears as the show had to go on.
[...]
I couldn't resist, Croix went with me to Alan, after the T-shirt sale, which sold out very quickly, I have no idea how many there were, but the stock soon ran out and the money was handed over to him in a huge bag of cash thrown at my manager, with even a bit of violence from Meridies, I'd never really seen her like that.
"Here's your money, you greedy arsehole, at what cost do you want to earn it, you bastard?" I've never seen her so angry.
"What happened? You have no reason to be so angry with me" he said.
"You haven't got one? You fucking little prick, you want to make up for all that money with what you don't have, don't you? You want to save everything on this shit! You came to pick us up in an old Mercedes bus with no comfort whatsoever, that's what we swallowed, you wanted to save money by using our gadgets to put on Chariot's shows, that's what we swallowed, you wanted to force Chariot off her arse for a gruelling hour-long performance and that's what we swallowed too, she exceeded everyone's expectations, now this T-shirt thing, we even swallowed it at first, but then you bastard, you could at least call a fucking security guard, a boy of I don't know how old, he harassed my friend! He groped an underage girl's breasts in front of everyone! I'm not blind! I saw it with my own eyes! If you don't do something, I will! This kind of behaviour is unacceptable!" Croix is very angry about this situation.
"I'm really sorry, we couldn't have predicted anything, the theatre security guards were there, I'm sorry about that" he said defensively.
"You don't feel a fucking thing, what you feel is your heavy pockets, it's good that you have good security, I'm very close friends with those who give you money, you cunt! Do your job properly and I won't say anything to them, you'd better be clear about what I've told you, you bastard, come on Chariot, the warning has been given to Alan" said my friend and I even stared at him and Alan was really scared.
But well deserved, the bastard didn't do anything, he left a very dirty security guard, I really don't know what I'd do without Croix, when the door closed, I saw a few tears falling down her face who looked me in the face, with those green ones full of water, coming to hug me with everything, I even got a little better, more relieved with the hug, after the weight of facing all this.
[...]
The show was marvellous, everyone clapped and I could see lots of white T-shirts in the stands, people really came out in droves, wow, I'm even happier after all this, in the end it was worth it, I'm going to leave with a good reputation after all this, I can only imagine when I get to Luna Nova the impression I'm going to make.
I go back to the dressing room, just to rest, but soon Alan shows up, apparently he's calling me to come and sell more T-shirts, it's been by far the worst thing, the fans are very clingy at times, I feel like a stripper in the middle of it.
"So, I want to apologise to you for what happened earlier Chariot, I'm really sorry, but look we're doing really well, the profit from the T-shirts is making up a good part of what we're earning on this show, it's been a wonderful two days" said my manager.
"I'm off to sell more T-shirts" I tell him.
"That's the spirit of the thing, you don't have to be afraid, I've already told the theatre security guards to keep an eye out, so no one will harass you, I don't want to lose my gold mine, I'm scared to death of losing a chance with a great stage entertainer with potential like you, just control your hysterical little friend, she thinks she can somehow boss you around, if I were you I'd even find a replacement" he said and I hit the table hard.
"Don't talk like that about Croix, she's my best friend and you'd better get used to her presence, no one in the world is more intelligent than her, if today we have a full house and people giving us money during the performances it's because I'm giving my blood for it and there's also Croix's marvellous work that doesn't earn anything in return, so stay in your place" I say furiously to him who even waves back.
"Woah, take it easy there, you don't have to act like your friend too" he said, playing the poor guy.
I got to the T-shirt aisle and there was already a queue, I sat down at my table and swallowed my tears, seeing my friends beside me, it's time to work, sell more T-shirts, I know today is going to be a very busy day, to think that tomorrow classes will start soon and I'll be worn out by a performance like this.
[...]
We've arrived in Glastonbury, we won't be able to go there because the curfew is in place, so we'll have to spend the night on the bus sleeping there, but that's okay, at least we'll be able to rest, I look at Croix, she's looking at the window, I'm getting to my friend, she's finished working on her computer and was even excited to say that we've arrived.
"What is it, Croix? Did something happen?" I ask her.
"It's a busy week, it's a lot of work really, but I really hope that Alan is honest with his word that he won't let anyone harass you, by the way, did you notice the car he has?" I'm a bit confused, I don't really understand.
"What do you mean? Did he come in a separate car? What does that mean?" I ask Meridies.
"A Mercedes Benz SLK 55 AMG, I've seen it everywhere we've been and I've spied on Alan himself, this guy is taking money that was meant for the shows for himself, do you have any idea how much a car like this costs?" I'm confused and she shows me a photo of the car on her mobile phone.
"It looks like a very expensive car, one of those for rich people" I say, scratching my head.
"It's at least £50,000 new, he must be splurging, a beautiful car like that, I'm going to unravel the whole damn thing, if he wants to continue as your manager, I'm going to press him like a cloth being twisted, if he thinks he's going to play the profiteer with that kind of money he's wrong, I'm going to keep my eyes on Alan" she said, and soon we heard the bus doors slam.
Speaking of the devil himself, he came with a suitcase, where he opened it on a table and it was full of money, I'm quite shocked, there's a lot here, I'm impressed, I'm getting closer, is it my money?
"That's your share for the week, it's been a tough week, but I've counted everything, there's £27,550 counted as part of our deal, enjoy your first payment, you can stay on the bus for one more day, tomorrow I'll be leaving and have a good week at school, I'll call to say when our next gig will be, but we'll probably be able to risk a lot, the profit we made was absurd, keep it up and we'll be flying high" said my manager as he got off the bus.
"It took me years and years working in France to get this kind of money, you have no idea, and in one week I got it all, wow I never thought I could have it all" I say excitedly.
"Save this money in a bank account for later use, put it aside for the future and take some of it for fun" That's what I'm going to do.
"2550 pounds I'm going to use for fun, next weekend we'll go out and have fun with this money, the rest I'll put in my bank account" I tell them.
"You do realise that all that money in his hand means that Alan has a quarter of a million in his hands, don't you? I really hope he uses this money for his career, it's not because the Cavendish have a reserve of good money that he has to go off like a leech with it, if this bastard turns up with a ferrari out there I swear I'll make him regret having done it" Meridies said and she has to remember that the iron of the bus is very thin and he can hear it.
"He can hear that, Croix" I say to her.
"Fuck it, he'd better listen, that's Chariot's money too!" What I wouldn't do with Croix.
Well, I hope this doesn't ruin my relationship with Alan, in any case it was good money to help out with the whole festival situation, it's impressive that I managed to reach this point of fame, from now on I know I'll be even better known, I really hope so, that one day I'll be in Japan and the United States raising new generations of witches.
"Well that was the first week of spring break, a week full of presentation after presentation, Alan was alreadyproving to be a greedy bastard right from the start, but we went on with him for quite a while, mainly becausethe presence of Croix helped a lot to make the guy much more attentive and clever, but I still thought it wasmarvellous, as this was the beginning of the hype around me, it was the first moment when the Shiny Chariotfandom showed up and the impact will soon be seen, even at Luna Nova my reputation has changeddramatically, what was once a joke and a complete random, has made me a more popular student."
See you, bigger witches...