'The plays the thing'......auditions for Romeo and Juliette
This thread takes place on the afternoon of Wednesday 21 March
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*This is such a bad idea* Michael told himself as he waited his turn for the auditions. *I don’t even know why I’m doing this. Not really *He liked to think it was for love for the play, in fact at any other time he’d have been sure of it, the opportunity to recite the wondrous words more than enough reason for him to risk humiliation by trying out for a part. But that was before. Before he had met Miss Lorna Clay *‘O she doth teach the torches to burn bright, It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night Like a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear…..’ *
The words were beautiful and appropriate given the context but not ‘fitting’ *She’s no Juliet* he thought to himself as he watched her unseen through the curtains. *I might have an outside chance with a Juliet if she had a kind heart but Miss Clay isn’t some fourteen year old innocent. She’s a Cleopatra ‘Oer –picturing that Venus where we see the fancy outwork nature’, and I’m very far from being an Anthony.*
Still here he was, ridiculous as it might seem, seriously contemplating making a complete fool of himself and for what?*The vague hope that she might notice me.? Aye that will be right She’s already noticed me that’s for sure* he reminded himself. *These damned crutches make sure of that but that’s not what I want.*
It was strange the way he felt about her but there it was. Not exactly love at first sight but certainly a healthy infatuation. He’d had crushes before, normally on girls he realised would never look his way. Popular girls didn’t usually go for the geek kid in the corner, whether he was crippled or not, but this was far from being the same This wasn’t a girl he was drawn to, it was a woman and he felt the difference acutely.
*All the more reason to play it safe* he told himself reasonably. *Friar Laurance. There’s a part you can handle. Small . Essential. Something the crutches may even help bring a certain depth to. And above all something no one else would be content to audition for. Not one of these athletic teenagers who fight there way through the play. No chance of being refused. It’s in the bag*
*So why don’t I feel happy about it.?* he asked himself miserably as he waited his turn. ‘Because its not who you want to be' a voice deep inside him answered, not the insidious voice of the demon but rather that of his own soul. ‘Even without the enticement of Miss Clay's eyes, its not the role you want to take on’.
It was true. There was only one part in Romeo and Juliet that called to him, saying 'try me. Be me.' One role he understood with all its complexities and contradictions. A role he wanted maybe even more than his maimed body wanted the woman who would watch him act it out on the stage. *I can’t do this* he told himself. *Maybe I could have before and even it’s not certain but now it’s too late. She’d just laugh and I’d die*
But suddenly there was no turning back. Everything was quiet waiting….for what….for him to make a fool of himself?? For a declaration, that much was obvious. Of love? Of intent? He no longer knew. All that he knew was that he had to break the silence one way or another. Drawing a deep breath he launched himself *This is it . Theres no turning back.*
“Michael Grant” he announced, from the wings “Or rather Hood. Auditioning for the part of …. Mercutio” and he left his body like a husk as he stepped into the light;
Re: 'The plays the thing'......auditions for Romeo and Julie
If randomness had ever been part of Riley’s life, it was never so evident as this moments act. What was he even doing here? So busy in his life had he been that Shakespeare was merely a familiar name and nothing more. One heard by ear and one that was brought up only vaguely during his time the Mass. Academy’s English classes. Although Riley passed with impeccable grades, he still missed a fair bit of the old book studies, disappearing for up to a month and being offered pardons on the work he missed as long as he did extra work in the next subject. Not that careful study back then would have prepared him any better, Riley’s stomachs were in knots and there was no doubt that if Beast knew the pace of Rye’s racing heart then the doctor would probably pull Riley right out of any activities. At least that’s how Riley assumed it, not really realizing how common it was for people to experience such anxieties.
I’ve faced demons, help put a stop to an apocalypse or two other the years, and now, here of all places, I panic. The words were mentally scoffed to himself as Riley clutched at the book he held, Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’. It spoke in a strange way, beautiful but complicated, old English, a language Riley never thought he’d use. Little did the former soldier realize how soon he’d be forced to speak this way in order to fit in and survive in a time so long ago. It was a thin book, just enough for Riley to know the bare basics, all the other copies were out at the library and he was borrowing this one from Dawn. Catherine didn’t know he was here, what if he did find the strength to stand up there and then he was not chosen? What would Catherine think? Riley still saw things so black and white, the good and bad, the successful and the failures – and he didn’t want to be the latter.
What if he was too tall? Not that he towered over many of the athletic guys, a lot were around 6 feet it seemed. But if who else could he play? Riley was of course drawn to the role of the love sick Romeo, even if it were but a page of time on stage Riley would have sought after the position. But it was not a page, it was the center stage, Riley wasn’t sure he wanted so much attention. Everyone seemed to know Shakespeare so well, if it didn’t involve supernatural elements then Riley usually didn’t read it, the Initiative pouring him endlessly with books on the inhuman autonomy, the guides to demonic biology and their strengths and weaknesses. Riley had read a few books since living in the school but usually just a romance, a horror and a few fantasy which he enjoyed as they reminded him of the worlds he was once apart of so splendidly.
The words would not dissuade him, languages were what he thrived upon, the fact he knew nothing of the story other then the love shared between two from apposing families, their love leading them to death via a series of unfortunate events… It called to him, he wanted to throw aside this meek book and ask for the script to read, he wanted to understand what drove them in their love, what made them both so willing to surrender their lives their everything and then in the end still be stuck with nothing but their own deaths. The thing Riley did fear however was the thought of failing, the thought he would not be found useful, that he was wrong for their group, that the others wouldn’t approve of his company – he hadn’t exactly melded with people thus far.
Riley sank into one of the many seats of the theater, he supposed he was meant to be behind the stage or beside it, or somewhere other then six rows behind the plays director. Maybe someone else wanted to play that dude those, Riley wanted to get into the characters head, understand what drove him, learn what drove Juliet, why they went to the lengths they went to, neither leaving the other, not even in death did they betray the other by leaving them alone. What made them so special? Why was their love so infinite, so strong, tender…loyal.
“Michael Grant” Riley’s feet settled on the seat in front of him, the book tossed aside as he realized someone else would try to get the position of Romeo solely for the chance of being in the spotlight. The fact Michael’s voice called out had surprised Riley who was on the verge of sulking at the mixed desires he had. Emotions really were a pesky thing and Riley never knew how vibrant they really were, amazed that the drugs had numbed him so much… It was no wonder people didn’t warm up to him, he was probably like an iceberg, but even those could melt, couldn’t they? “Or rather Hood. Auditioning for the part of …. Mercutio” Arms folded and Riley let out a rather quiet sigh, he didn’t even know who that character was, reading the back of the book told Riley the story but he only got it this morning from Dawn and hadn’t read through the thing yet. Why was he even here? Surely there would be people more familiar with the story wanting to show off their knowledge of the characters. Riley skimmed the book very quickly, jumping pages to get a rough idea of what he was getting himself into. However the offer was appealing, he’d never tried something like this before, it looked fun as much as all the other reason Riley had that drew him to the story. It of course didn’t occur to Riley that someone would have to play Juliet, that the somebody wouldn’t be Catherine since she hadn’t even battered an eye at the notices put up.
Charlotte had already announced her offer to be a stage hand, she still wanted to play a role as she adored the play but her shy self kept her from even breathing in the direction of Juliet’s name. She wanted to see who else was part of the group though, see if there was anyone else she knew… a few the girl recognized, but other then Julian she hadn’t really gotten extremely comfortable with anyone. Though the school doctor did make an impression on the girl…
Perhaps there was a little crush forming in Julian’s direction, but that was rather typical, Charlotte hadn’t dealt with many guys and Julian was cute, and very nice, but Charlotte’s mind was easily noticing the many athletic guys keeping in shape for sports teams, or other lesser known more secretive teams, such as the X-men. The teen mutant sat next to the stage on the steps further out of the way, she didn’t want to sit in front of the stage where people could see her and besides, sitting on the steps out of the way gave her the chance to see who else was in the theater. A few kids simply came to watch who joined or to support their friends, and Charlotte’s eyes couldn’t help but try and find the cuter ones, spotting a few really nice males out there.
One of them looked a little older then the others, he was attractive but sat in a way which hinted to frustration or annoyance, it was always dangerous to try and pin someone’s body language if she didn’t know them well. After all, different people had different habits, she was actually surprised to realize that she knew the guy, only because he was a teacher and even student teachers had their classes explained with an accompanying photo so students knew who was who. He was also a tutor Charlotte had heard, a few girls suggested she ask that Riley Finn for some help in any work she was behind in, of course Charlotte denied the need for help but they said it was a good chance to get some alone time with the guy, better know while his relationship with his ex was still rocky enough to try and get a foothold there. Most girls that didn’t know Riley well enough knew his politer side, full of formalities and the fact he was such good friends with other popular girls, like the fashion queen Lisa Redpath who could get any guy she wanted, other then Riley though rumors had spread a few times. There was also the fact Dawn had the major crush on Riley for ages and with Dawn being so largely connected with popularity and those around her seeming so important as well, Riley had got roped into the crowed even though he hardly cared for the attention.
The girls still considered Riley fair game, like most of the cute guys, but the fact Riley was so hard to get attention from probably drove them on longer then those easier to get, like Max Chadstone. Cute, but easy once you won his attention, and not everyone wanted a short term relationship like that, maybe it was fun for a one timer thing, but a lot of girls were getting to the age they wanted someone serious. And those chatty girls couldn’t understand why Riley would waste his time on someone like Catherine Hall, a few were convinced that Cat made up being pregnant just so Riley would stay with her or something just as devious.
Charlotte had to admit that he was in very nice form, but he looked a little intimidating since he did tower over her. Anyway, there was no chance the self-proclaimed ‘Faith’ would even try flirting with a guy, especially one so fit and attractive. Not that she could see well from the distance, but she had seen him closer up, and it wasn’t like the school had a lot of young teachers, most were way older then her, and it was always fun to have a teacher closer to ones age and of opposite gender… It really improved the class time if there was something nice to admire constantly.
Julian was probably focused on some other girl though, he looked like someone who could smile his way into any relationship. With someone who has looks like Riley though he’d only need to walk into a room and ask for any singles to step up. Similar thoughts burned a little jealously in the back of Charlotte’s mind when she thought of others and how easy it must be for them, even if in truth they had just as much trouble with dates, it was one thing the eldest Church sibling was rather blind to.
There was an air of wishful thoughts as Charlotte daydreamed about what it would be like to sit beside someone so handsome, full of an enigmatic nature and polite demeanor that beckoned girls wanting more depth to the relationships they usually see amongst restless teens. When romantic dreamers crave someone they usually see only the perfection they want to see, the pleasantries they desire, often oblivious to the true nature of those they yearn for. Dawn had perfected Riley’s behavior in the way she had once talked of him, leading the girls to see what she saw without expressing the negatives. Some people think Riley acts oblivious to them because it was his social ranks right to see only those of his ‘level’. Many didn’t think anything of him, a lot of the newer students from the previous year hardly even saw him in the later months of the year. Of course the girls found it romantic how he fell so hard after being abandoned by that Hall girl, a few girls that had long term crushes on Riley got rather snappish and angry with the girl, but she was never around for them to vent out onto her their frustration. Of all the girls Riley chose it had to be that bad mouthed self-proclaimed ‘bad girl’ from what they saw and it felt like a slap in the faces of those who actually made the effort to getting to know Riley.
It was gossip around the school, his relation that was, not because he was once part of the popular crowd, but because Catherine run away from the school and he actually went after all. It sparked a few romantic female daydreamers who wished for someone to go through all that effort for them. But of course, they were worth it, most didn’t feel the Catherine girl was worth the effort Riley seemed to be putting into her, then again, it did seem as if she was going to extremes. When people heard Riley was going to be the father of a kid the two presumably were having, he had been thrilled, but a few of Dawn’s friends didn’t trust Catherine was telling the truth, she didn’t seem like someone happily about to settle down and have a family. Coincidently of course the baby died somehow, and Catherine could feel the less then positive spread of sentiments since her return from Iowa. A lot of Dawn’s friends figured the Washington girl was just playing Riley, one of the reasons Dawn was probably staying a little frustrated with Catherine for so long, she had a constant feed of negativity from her other friends.
Riley was out of the loop on most things gossip wise, the talk he wanted to hear was from the streets, things that had meaning, had a use, not what one person thought of another person, and he had made that clear shortly after coming to the school. When Dawn started talking with other friends and he was around, he’d always leave or ignore them completely, and it wasn’t like he set himself up in places where a lot of people talk aside from the dining hall. Still, he wasn’t afraid of switching table half way through a meal if they started putting someone else down or swapping secrets.
It wasn’t that Charlotte had a group to gossip with, but talk was high after Riley’s basketball game where he collapsed, everyone was so tight lipped about it that speculations spread and not all were in the positive light. Since there were so many students Charlotte hardly got a table to herself and thus she’d sit with a group usually and they’d talk about all sorts of things, mostly around boyfriends and who thought who was the best material and why. Perhaps that’s why Charlotte yearned a little more now for someone to be there as the role of her boyfriend. Not that the teen was exactly ready for anything physical, too shy of her appearance to even consider such actions like other teens longed for and also not sure if she was ready for commitments of such nature. Above all else, Charlotte didn’t want to end up like her mother, baring a child before being able to actually care for one and Charlotte knew how painful and lonely such a life was, never wishing it for any other child, especially her own.
Riley’s eyes seemed to have caught Charlotte’s own spying gaze and she looked away towards the other guy on stage, not a Brad Pitt, but still worth eyeing, as her own mother would say to cute yet not the ‘supermodel’ types. Took a while to figure out why her mother was relating cute guys to the old actor, but seeing some of his old movies made the metallic mutant aware at just how gorgeous that man had been in his younger years. It seemed so unfair, everyone was so pretty and handsome around here, and she was less then plain, she wasn’t attractive or slender like the teacher there… Charlotte eyed the woman, with her perfect dark hair and feline eyes that saw all and mesmerized any victim in her path, be it man or troublesome students, Charlotte heard what some of the other guys had said about her… A few wanted to come and try for the play just to be around her, score a few marks of ‘cool points’ in the process of being the one who got the closest to the beautiful teacher.
No one ever talked about her with a longing like that…
No one ever even cared if she left the room.
No one cared. Not about her.
No one will ever care.
Re: 'The plays the thing'......auditions for Romeo and Julie
Hazel eyes turned briefly to the stage at a voice. “Michael Grant” …. “Or rather Hood. Auditioning for the part of …. Mercutio” Micheal Grant.. the Chrisitan mutant hesitated slight as she watched him, trying to remember if she recognized either him or his name. The 15 year old knew very few of the older students, though a few names were obviously heard about the more popular, or at least more prominent students. But his wasn’t one that came to mind. But the auditions had started – and she was being slow. In Hannah’s arms were a pile of scripts. Only a couple of days earlier, the truth mutant had volunteered as a stage had and an extra, and had bugged Ms Clay until she gave in, allowing girl to help with the auditions by handing out scripts and trying to convince more students to audition.
But at least they would have a Mercutio. Although not one of the main characters, she had always preferred the lively interpretations of Romeo’s friend to the two main characters themselves. She happily predicted they would have people readily applying for the main roles – whether for their own personal reasons – a handsome ‘Romeo’ drawing out a Juliet, or visa versa, or simply to star within the play. Like Faith, she had heard the rumours of many of the lads from the school applying for parts simply drawn to Ms Clay’s beauty. Her gaze turned for a moment to the dark haired teacher. It was impossible to deny her beauty, nor the enchantment it seemed to set over the boys. Silently she was glad that her old friend wasn’t here. Wes was a charmer at heart, and a sucker for a pretty face – little did she know that in a couple of hours he would be struggling through the front doors!
Trapped in a moment of thought, the truth inducer pulled herself back to reality, placing the scripts down for a moment as she placed her personal CD player in a small bag she had been carrying around. The CD it’s self was a collection of some of her favourite Christian artists. Although many of the songs were a little ‘out-dated’, many of the artists were still around, including a relation of her’s from England, though the relationship was pretty distant. The compilation was one of the few things she was glad that her friend had shown her how to do using a computer. The dark haired girl much preferred books to the internet, but she had to admit, it was useful to mix songs like this. From ‘Who I Am’ to ‘Letters from War’, the songs came from a range of artists, and ranged from traditional to the more popular genres.
Leaving the bag on the seat it had originally been dumped on, she picked up the scripts again, gazing around the seats. Most here, she hoped, would be auditioning. The last thing she wanted was to try and juggle a large number of extra positions – especially as most of them would be male roles. Her main want was to be part of the masquerade ball where Romeo and Juliet first meet, after all, the more people part of the dances in that section the better. And the dresses would be so beautiful…
Once more pulling herself from the day dream, she started her attack. And in many ways, that was exactly what it was. Happily she would pounce at students, not giving them a chance to answer as she fired a few questions at them, dumping a script in their hands and leaving before she could hear the answers her questions would have to provoke. When she was little, she had been taken to a number of pantomimes, and as such had become more than used to the theatre seats. Much to the surprise of one of her victims as she more or less leapt onto the seat in front of him, kneeling on the seat, leaning over the back of seat. Her voice was kept to an excited whisper, her movements, although swift were carefully done so not to interrupt or disturb those who were auditioning.
”Are you going to audition for the play? You should.. there are a lot of roles going and I’m sure there’s a role perfect for you. Ms Clay doesn’t mind if you haven’t signed up already, just go and write your name on the list on her desk. Have you got a script? Take this one. Maybe you don’t want to audition? We need stage hands as well..” And before the poor boy could respond to having a script dumped on his lap, or reply that he was only going to watch the auditions, which he still was forced to quietly murmur in her wake, she was gone to try and find someone else.
Of course, she recognised a few of the people there, and when she knew their names she would greet them as such, though she still basically barraged them, she actually gave them a bit more of a chance to respond. Although some of her efforts were obviously in vain, a few of the students rather annoyed at the younger mutant’s swift invasion into their lives. However, some did reluctantly go and sign up for roles or as stage hands. Normally, Hannah may have taken the time to encourage them slowly, but the threat of multiple extra roles (and, the fear of possibly having to audition for a role such as Nanny) pushed her onwards. Swift delivery, swift exit before anyone could respond.
Her eyes turned down to the slowly diminishing pile of scripts in her hands. Turning her gaze to the theatre again for a moment, she paused, scanning the small number of students present for anyone she hadn’t yet cornered. After a few moments she spotted Riley. She recognised him vaguely, though she had little really to do with him, few students hadn’t run across him at some point, or at least heard of him in the gossips, even the slightly isolated youngster. She nodded slightly to herself, for a moment a grin placing it’s self in her mind. New victim.
”Your Riley, right? I’m Hannah..” The young Christian stood beside the man now, still carefully clutching the bundle of scripts, before sorting through the bundle, pulling out a wad of papers had offering them to him. ”Your auditioning I hope? Do you need a script?” Well, they weren’t the full script – they would get those when they had actually started rehearsals. These were more of a cut down version, allowing students to pick from a multitude of popular scenes. But it also gave a relatively clear outline of the story.
One thing Hannah had found, before her power had wrecked her social life, was that no matter who or what, it wasn’t worth holding back. True, the older man didn’t immediately look like the friendliest of people, down to his body language more than anything, but then she was used to dealing with a large range of people. Not a year ago, she had been one of the most popular girls in school – despite her academic success – and this was partially because of her willingness to deal with people. From the new kid lost in the corridor to one of the soon to be school leavers who tormented him, Hannah had in one way or another dealt with them. And in church the same was true. Her behaviour was an expected factor as the ministers daughter, but she seemed to take things further, helping both the young and old in the congregation, and happily conversing with the adults. And that was something she had done her entire life. And compared to some of those, this was easy
"I was wrong, to think that I might belong. But I will never forget what I was... Who I am.. What I did, just to learn that"
Re: 'The plays the thing'......auditions for Romeo and Julie
”Your Riley, right? I’m Hannah..” It's like the words shot out at him from the isle, Riley's own gaze drifting between the stage where Michael was preparing himself presumably to the discarded book in the seat beside him. It had been while the former agents gaze had settled on the book when Hannah's voice spoke, reciving a slightly startled turn of Riley's head towards her.
It had been a week since Beast started reducing the drugs in Riley's system, keeping him balanced enough with smaller doses that reduced the stress his body went through when he had stopped the injections of his Initiative drug all together. With the stablized treatments Riley had gradually lost the detached sense he always had, but he also was more alive, emotionally more aware and reactive then he had been in his entire teenage life - and what little of his adult life has lived.
”Your auditioning I hope? Do you need a script?” Anxious eyes shifted over the girl, the strange, the face he hadn't seen before. Was she a student he's forgotten? That's never happened before, he has misplaced names but never faces, he hasn't seen her face... well no, maybe he has.. It wasn't so easy to trust strangers any more after Riley's ordeals but it also wasn't safe to presume all the students here were who they said they were...
After all, Joan and Jon had both stolen him away from the school RIGHT in front of his own room, and any who had been around there in the hall at the time. There was a pause, his expression clearly showing his serious contemplation of taking a script but also a confusion settled in his eyes. No, why bother?
How many people had Riley actually held a conversation with who were part of this whole thing, what, Michael? And? It's not like Riley was exactly opened and comfortable around the guy, probably because there were a few familiar things they had together, different but the same still in many ways...A lot Riley found out from different sources, like when Connor needed someone to talk with and then the more positive comments from Scott who babbled cheerfully about the Scottish guy.
"I don't think I'd fit in, I don't know the story." There was a bit more honesty there then Riley intended, which he noted quietly to himself, but blamed it on the deplesion of drugs in his system, if it was a good or bad thing Riley was still finding hard to pinpoint, it seemed to be a little of both.
"My cousin put my name down for Romeo when we passed the sign up sheets yesterday." Riley added as he looked more fixatidly on the scripts and then at Hannah's face. "There were a few names already though." Being a little more open then usual made Riley uncomfortable the last few days, and he hadn't entirely relaxed yet, probably because he knew there was still the drug in his system so there was no telling how much or little it was currently effecting him at this dose. The way Riley had said there were already a few names, his eyes peering over towards the stage again as he spoke, did hint at the desire to give it a go, to do something he hasn't, to immerse himself in a story, to mingle for once with the other students...
Re: 'The plays the thing'......auditions for Romeo and Julie
The stage may have been bright but the auditorium was black and silent Bored perhaps Waiting certainly Waiting for him. To do what? *Either freeze or rise to the occasion* he told himself *So which is it going to be?*Closing his eyes he took a deep breath that Hoods non existent lungs didn’t need and then…..
He ran, laughter spilling from him as he did. And the words, Shakespeare glorious words echoing strong and sure “O, then I see Queen Mab hath been with you.”
And suddenly he was in the role, a young man going out to a party with his friends, carefree, his whole life spread out before him. That was the essence of Mercutio... The wicked sense of fun The sheer joy of being alive, taking each day and wringing every possibility out of it, even if sometimes that was a risk. He was the one who would think up the pranks, getting easily into trouble and even more easily out of it with a wink, a smile and a blown kiss.
Michael had seen those who played him with a darker side as if his wit was a cloak against the demons that lay within him but he had never felt him to be like that. *Maybe Miss Clay will disagree* Michael thought as the Shakespeare’s words came to him, the script he had been handed barely necessary, * but then this is my Mercutio at least for now. Who knows she might just like it?*
Though the young Scot was nervous it didn’t show. The speech flowed from him, joyous, raucous, a tale of fairies mischief and mens folies.
“She is the fairies' midwife, and she comes In shape no bigger than an agate stone On the forefinger of an alderman, Drawn with a team of little atomies Over men's noses as they lie asleep”
Movement was as important as tone and with Hood he had the possibility to exploit it fully, the promise of acrobatics always bubbling beneath the surface as he wove his way across the stage. Acrobatics and sex;.the leather of his Hood costume lending itself to the act.
This wasn’t Romeo and romance. Mercutio had done more than just gaze at women on balconies. He had romped with servant girls and left them laughing rather than broken hearted. For all his antics though there was no malice in him, he didn’t use his frightening intelligence or position to bring people down but rather to bring fun into their lives. Whether they wanted it or not.
‘Her wagon spokes made of long spinners' legs,’ He painted the picture with his hand as well as with his voice “The cover, of the wings of grasshoppers; Her traces, of the smallest spider web;” His smile grew a little broader at the description, wondering what his friend Scott would think of that but his concentration never faltered.
"Her collars, of the moonshine's wat'ry beams; “Her whip, of cricket's bone; the lash, of film; Her wagoner, a small grey-coated gnat, Not half so big as a round little worm Pricked from the lazy finger of a maid" It was a beautifully detailed image of the unimaginable spoken by a character to whom Shakespeare had attributed the imagination of andartist and the unswerving loyalty of a true friend.”Her chariot is an empty hazelnut, Made by the joiner squirrel or old grub,
Time out o' mind the fairies' coachmakers.
He leant closer now towards his invisible companions only emptiness there wher the laughing figures of Romeo and Benvolio should have stood, reaching the point of this elaborate charade"
And in this state she gallops night by night Through lovers' brains, and then they dream of love; O'er courtiers' knees, that dream on curtsies straight; O'er lawyers' fingers, who straight dream on fees; O'er ladies' lips, who straight on kisses dream, Which oft the angry Mab with blisters plagues, Because their breaths with sweetmeats tainted are.
Mab ! The bringer of dreams, invented by him to chase the first dark forbodings from Romeo’s heart. Maybe if Mercutio hadn’t tried to cheer his friend up on that night things would have turned out differently but that wasn’t in his nature and Michael played the sense of fun and mischief to the hilt.
“Sometimes she gallops o'er a courtier's nose, And then dreams he of smelling out a suit; And sometimes comes she with a tithe-pig's tail Tickling a parson's nose as 'a lies asleep, Then dreams he of another benefice. “
Movement became almost dance There would be music now surely. Music from the ball they were about to gatecrash and Mercutio would have woven it into his tale.
Sometimes she driveth o'er a soldier's neck, And then dreams he of cutting foreign throats, Of breaches, ambuscadoes, Spanish blades, Of healths five fathom deep; and then anon Drums in his ear, at which he starts and wakes, And being thus frighted, swears a prayer or two And sleeps again.”
He was the princes cousin but he had the heart of a likable rogue and you somehow knew that he’d always walk away unscathed from his exploits, leaving people shaking their heads but smiling in his wake. Except that of course he didn’t. walk away. He stepped into the feud through loyalty to a friend thinking he could draw the poison out of it with his laughter and it cost him his life.
It had to come as a surprise for those who saw the play for the first time, the laughter and then the fall. Romeo and Juliette were condemned from the prologue but Mercutio…… *I have to make them like him* Michael told himself.*I have to make his death as much of a tragedy as anything else in the play Then Ill have done it right.Then I’ll deserve the part.*
"This is that very Mab That plats the manes of horses in the night .And bakes the elflocks in foul sluttish hairs, Which once untangled much misfortune bodes." he went on as the monologue reached its conclusion and its ultimate grinning innuendo"This is the hag, when maids lie on their backs, That presses them and learns them first to bear, Making them women of good carriage. This is she!"
No reply from Romeo greeted him as it would have in the play. Only the silence once more as he waited for some sort of reaction
Re: 'The plays the thing'......auditions for Romeo and Julie
Ok, I forgot to leave a message for Lady so I’ll post this and then waddled and post my message about Tess being with us! (Lady, if you do want to post her here just act as if she was with the group the whole time!)
Quietly the new group entered the auditorium, eyes glancing around in hopes of finding a familiar face, it seemed the eyes needn’t have wandered far, center stage stood an exuberant Hood. The group paused for a moment, Scott’s eyes focused on the movement Michael, or at least the elvish Michael, was able to perform compared to the more sluggish, stiff and restricted ones. Emily trailed in behind Scott as they walked, hugging a neatly wrapped parcel to her front, the gift was for Riley, he had gotten her so many things that Emily was all too happy to spend what little money she did have on something for him. Most likely her cousin was nervous and Emily promised to go over a part with him if he wanted her help but they couldn’t find any Romeo and Juliet books to get dialog from.
Things seemed to be calming down, going more smoothly, Emily could tell there was a lot being left unsaid and tossed far from their minds so they may enjoy this more tranquil moments. At least with the family, Riley had been so stressed up in Iowa, but so withdrawn and hurt. It was like he had been betrayed, but by who? Emily couldn’t help but feel some of that emotion had been towards them, why else would he keep the family at such distance when he needed them the most? It was like he was so confused and lost, nothing mattered, and Emily didn’t really understand the truths as to why Catherine left or that the two had actual split up. Riley was so nervous with people, it surprised Emily, sometimes her cousin seemed so certain of himself and then other times it looked as if he needed guidance yet refused to ask for it.
To be honest, Emily sometimes wondered if Riley had ran away from home, he was just a little older then her and rumors had it that around their age was when mutant powers would begin to surface. Maybe he was changing and too scared that others, like Ben, would shun him for it? Emily had been just a baby, about Haley’s age, there had been nothing she could have really done to help. But she was older now, she knew Ben really hurt Riley with the things her brother would blurt out without consideration. But here, people didn’t care if you were different, they didn’t shun you away from them because there was something out of the ordinary with you. For some reason Emily never imagined that a school for mutants would be so… so extraordinary yes, but still a school.
"It’s Michael!" The words were low but sounded excited as Scott watched on, listening to the words coming from his team mate. A moments precious pause allowed Scott to watch his friend but steadily the Prince’s eyes focused steadily on the astral projection as ears strained to make sense of many words he was unfamiliar with and many that seemed… peculiar. Something about fairies… Was he on about mad fairies? What were they angry about? Air caught in Scott’s lungs as his breath seemed to pull in and then stay, held softly in still lungs that strained as the mind yearned to understand. Michael seemed happy, nervous but delighted at the same time, this was important to the mortal and Scott hoped he would achieve the position he sought.
"Is… is he doing well?" Questioned the Prince a little baffled, wanting to cheer the other on and yet not disturb Michael at the same time. Emily smiled a little, she knew of the story of course but was still new somewhat to the Shakespearian phrases. Heath spoke in similar ways before the Knight learned to more carefully speak the common tongue of English so Scott knew it sounded familiar but still made little sense of it a lot of the times.
Re: 'The plays the thing'......auditions for Romeo and Julie "I don't think I'd fit in, I don't know the story” Then, the truth teller thought quietly, why are you auditioning? But the thought was mentally waved away. There were a few people here who didn’t have a clue. And for a moment, she held the dreaded feeling that the prospective Mercutio was going to be like them. But then, most people would have gone for the love sick Romeo rather than the more dramatic best friend. So perhaps there was hope for them yet.
"My cousin put my name down for Romeo when we passed the sign up sheets yesterday." Well, okay. Fair enough, the poor guy hadn’t exactly volunteered for the position But to not know the book and yet to be up for Romeo.. this guy had a lot of reading to do. Although Hannah often considered the main male role to simply be a love sick puppy, she knew it was more than that. Starting off love sick for Rosalin, and then falling for the young, already betrothed Juilette, risking a silent marriage despite their families feud, and so on it went. In many ways, Romeo was a romantic, but not just the love sick variety. He was brave, defending the honor of his friend when he died, risking it all to see his apparently dead lover. Maybe not as complicated as some of the characters, but there was a certain draw to the role that even the young student could understand.
"There were a few names already though." She nodded slowly in understanding. She had seen the list earlier – and as she had expected, there were a good number of names down for both the leading roles. But then, that’s what the auditions were for. Hannah had been one of the first to sign up, though she had clearly stated that she had no wish for a major role. But with the auditions, she was sure that Ms Clay would efficiently place people into the roles most suited for them. After all, how many new teachers would dare such a task so early after arriving? The truth teller had to admit, she was impressed.
She had been about to respond to Riley when a voice interrupted her. “O, then I see Queen Mab hath been with you.” Soft eyes turned to the stage now, trying to place the monologue Hood had chosen. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she pushed her mind through the various scenes. It had to be before the party, she was sure of that. Yes, it seemed out of place without the introduction to it, the dreams. But she remembered it vaguely. It wasn’t her favourite Mercutio scene, but it was a good one at least, and was the first show of the man’s strange personality.
The 15 year old was torn for a moment. Did she try and offer an explanation to Riley, or watch the audition. Either one felt disrespectful of the other. But then, perhaps Riley was also watching. She hoped so, it would help… possibly. But even if he wasn’t, she didn’t want to talk over the other’s audition. Especially when it seemed like he was putting his heart into it, expressing the role fully, in character, though she admitted his choice of costume was odd. But each to their own – most had arrived in their normal wear, maybe this outfit helped the young man to concentrate.
She glanced briefly at the older man beside her. She had sensed the quiet want from him. Even if he wasn’t chosen to be Ronei, she was sure there would be another part he could play, a less demanding role perhaps. No doubt there would be many a disappointed face when the list went up… and she had a sneaking suspicion she would be among them.
It was a little odd, to watch the scene unfold without the reaction of his two friends. Perhaps odder still to remember that this part of the scene was in truth unbroken, a single spoken section of a young man’s creation. Hazel eyes followed the movement of the budding actor round the stage. She had watched auditions before, and far to often the actor(ess) had stood there and said their lines, placing in the emotion some times, but with no movement or life to their part. But he took and part and ran with it. She nodded slightly as she listened, a smile as ever traced across her features. Surely he couldn’t be turned down for it now? There was little competition for the segment. Or though an important and fun role, he was also doomed to die.
As he drew to the end, she missed the needed reaction of young Romeo, who should at that moment have interrupted his friend. It was a shame that they were to audition alone, especially when there was so much possible interaction. But that was the way of things. Someone could surely read lines if need be, but they would hardly add to the performance, often spoken in such a dull way that, especially after that show, it would have only served to ruin it.
Fingers struck palm as she began to clap quietly, twice, before stopping. What if no one else was to? Or if it wasn’t the done thing. That would be embarrassing. Instead, she slowly turned to Riley, wondering now how to continue from earlier. The interruption hadn’t been unpleasant, just creating the difficulty of actually re-starting a conversation. Her voice was kept as a respectful whisper.
”Romeo was always going to be a popular part for a lot of reasons. But there are a number of roles to be filled even by people who don’t get the part they want. I get the impression that Ms Clay will try and fit everyone with a role. And I would guess that half the people here don’t have a clue, except for maybe watching the film or studying it briefly in school” She smiled as she spoke, nodding slowly as if to back up her words. Her eyes turned to the book for a moment, nodding again slightly, before re-offering the script.
”I suggest you at least read the script. After all, you will need something to read when you audition at least. It’s not all there, just the major scenes. I can give you a quick low down on Romeo if you really want.. though I’m supposed to be handing these out.”’And reading through them myself’ she thought quietly, the truth teller suddenly realising she hadn’t chosen her own scene for the play yet. She shrugged slightly, not too worried about it. She had caught a few people earlier at least, and with any luck those who had already been prepared for auditions would stand up and therefore give her more time to rope in a few more unwilling victims.
She gazed over the theatre briefly, spotting Charlotte and nodding, either to herself or to the metallic mutant. Part of her felt a little cruel for thinking of it, but perhaps she could persuade the shy girl to at least audition as an extra. The more extras, the less work for herself! Not that Hannah was lazy as such, but few people were happy to fill any old characters shoes, either wanting a more major role or simply to be a stage hand. She vaguely remembered seeing at least one other person’s name down as an extra, though for the life of her she couldn’t remember what their name was, and she was certain she didn’t know them.
"I was wrong, to think that I might belong. But I will never forget what I was... Who I am.. What I did, just to learn that"
Re: 'The plays the thing'......auditions for Romeo and Julie
”Romeo was always going to be a popular part for a lot of reasons. But there are a number of roles to be filled even by people who don’t get the part they want. I get the impression that Ms Clay will try and fit everyone with a role. And I would guess that half the people here don’t have a clue, except for maybe watching the film or studying it briefly in school” They made a movie on the play? But wasn’t it a book? Or did they do both? Riley looked rather surprised as he stared over at the younger girl. People really did love their TV, especially Catherine, not that Riley was against it, but with so little experience with it he couldn’t help but not really understand what was so spectacular about staring at a screen for hours.
”I suggest you at least read the script. After all, you will need something to read when you audition at least. It’s not all there, just the major scenes. I can give you a quick low down on Romeo if you really want.. though I’m supposed to be handing these out.” Graciously Riley took the script, offering her a thankful smile, but becoming distracted by the movement of Emily hovering now nearby Hannah. Emily had since coming discovered that Riley was not outwardly social at most times, if ever, and seemed to be pulling him towards different things, something that wasn’t entirely unpleasant for the elder Finn – merely new and awkward.
"When are you going on?" Her words sounded excited, Riley offered Hannah a thank you before he stood up, towering over the younger girls with his height. Emily glanced at Hannah, who didn’t seem too much older then her, offering the girl an excited smile.
"I haven’t read anything yet," Riley replied a little anxiously but looked over towards Michael, allowing the younger male on center stage to catch his focus for the moment.
"Well ok then, you can read up and learn one of the scenes, I’ll be back." Emily – like all Finn’s – wasn’t one to sit around and wait, the other girl looked like she was handing out things, maybe while Riley was reading (he seemed to reluctantly sit down at that point and flick through a few pages) she could be of help elsewhere to pass the time quicker. "Relax, you’ll do fine, haven’t you ever pretended you were someone else before?" Everyone played games right? Everyone dreamed of being someone else at some point in their lives, Riley just had to remember that he wasn’t playing himself up there, he was playing Romeo, and he didn’t have to worry about anything other then thinking and feeling just like how the guy he’s playing must have felt and acted. Riley replied with an ‘of course I have’ mumbled under his breath, Emily oblivious to the true nature of what Riley was admitting to with his years of Initiative work behind him.
"Then just think of it like that, it’s easy!" A bright smile shone before Emily looked more hopefully towards the other girl as Riley immersed himself in the book a little more. Admittedly the former agent was impressed with how well Michael handled himself and it was hard to imagine him up there acting in such a way… But still, part of him so desperately wanted to try… "Do you need any help?" The restless young teen asked the darker haired teen, offering Hannah another bright smile to show the enthusiasm she had in being of some assistance.
Re: 'The plays the thing'......auditions for Romeo and Julie
There had been a brief, a very brief moment when he had thought that someone might have clapped but that was long passed, the silence now embarrassing as he wondered what to do next. *OK there goes my acting career* he thought * I bet that went down like a lead balloon Time to cut my losses and run.*
Miss Clays reaction which was after all the one that mattered was impossible to judge and to be honest he wasn’t sure he wanted to know it now. *Just get off the stage idiot* he told himself* Leave it to someone who knows what they’re doing*
Turning he did just that, heading for the wings where his discarded body lay waiting for him. *Ouch* he thought looking at it* I must really have been of my head to leave it like that all in a heap. Well it serves me right It will teach me not to have any more daft ideas.*
It was strange that for once despite the pain he knew would be waiting for him he didn’t feel regret that it was time for him to become Michael again.*It would look to much like sour grapes if I just walked away and didn’t watch any of the other auditions* he told himself* Maybe this way at least some of the people wont put two and two together and realise it was me making a fool of myself up here.*
Taking care not to actually make contact with his body as he did so he arranged the crutches where they would be easy to grasp once he had reintegrated and then with a sigh let go of Hood and sank back down into his physical form again.
As always it was unpleasant. He kept his eyes closed till he was sure he’d got a grip on the pain and then levered himself gingerly to his feet. And as he had suspected the position he had landed in hadn’t improved matters but he still had felt worse.Unfortunately. Slowly he made his way towards the steps taking them extra carefully ‘Don’t want to fall over now and complete my humiliation* he said to himself as he descended into the auditorium.
Once out of the glare of the spotlights it was easier to make out the faces of those who made up the audience. He didn’t know whether to be glad or sorry that he recognised some of them. Riley. Not the person he really wanted to pull a stunt like this in front of . Emily. Scott and Tess *Ah well A team sticks together in defeat as well as victory* he thought with a smile and hobbled over to them.
Re: 'The plays the thing'......auditions for Romeo and Julie
Kaitlyn Davies was a natural actress. The stage was her home and performing her birthright and the teen didn't see it as arrogance but as the simple truth when she thought to herself that no one here had grown up with the theatre as she had. Once her powers had emerged they had served to boost Kait's natural ability for she had been able to physically become the part she was playing even if it was only for a brief time. Yet despite her experience and the bubbly excitement which had filled the lonely mutant she was nervous like she had rarely been before.
The only explanation that came to mind was that Kait hadn't been on stage in awhile. Once a jealous fellow actress had told the director of his starlet's little secret she had been immediately fired from the production in which she was to star and since that day Kaitlyn hadn't acted on stage. She did however act everyday, something almost unconscious that she didn't always realise she was doing but when she did the brunette loathed that part of her. She was a good actress, reasonably intelligent and she wasn't hard on the eyes yet somehow she felt the need to hide and to please and her intensely blue eyes stared out at others from behind an invisible mask. That mask of cheerful care and excitement she wore to hide the real her, the lonely and quiet girl who would be much happier to spend her life inside one solitary room than to spend it with others surrounding her. To say she was uncomfortable socially was an understatement but despite Kaitlyn's knowledge that she wasn't helping herself by hiding the mask seemed impenetrable and she feared she might always be stuck behind it and behind other characters she might play.
Nervously her eyes darted around the room taking in the other would-be actors and those there to cheer them on. For a brief moment there was a pang of lonliness as she remembered that even if she got the lead or another part she desired here today there would be no one to share that with, no one to care. She was making steps on the path to finding friends here but it was a long way down the road before she would find anyone that she would willingly search out and speak to. The real question on her mind was whether she still has the skill. Kaitlyn had played the lead in a production of Romeo and Juliet before and looked every inch the star-crossed lover although she had never before been in love but since then she had come a long way which included her carefully guarded secret of a background in pickpocketing to stay alive. Did she still have what it took to act on stage? Would it return to her like riding a bicycle did even if you hadn't done it in years or would she have to attempt to relearn the entire artform over the course of her monologue? That it seemed was yet for Kaitlyn to figure out.
Her eyes swept over some of the others and she wondered who was auditionning and for what part. Having been so isolated she couldn't remember any of their names and only a few of the faces seemed familiar yet Kaitlyn envied them and perhaps that was easier to do from a distance when she didn't know the problems or nervous thoughts that plagued them. Her eyes were drawn to the guy currently on stage and she remembered him announcing he was trying out for the role of Mercutio. A slight smile cracked Kait's iron facade as she remembered the college prankster who had played the role in the production at the theatre in which she had grown up. The people of the theatre had been her friends and family and the young Kaitlyn had admired and maybe even had a slight crush on the athletic boy whose eyes had eternally twinkled with mischief and youth that she had been denied. The mutant currently on stage didn't have the same appeal as the college kid but if she had been interested in eyeing any of the guys auditionning Kait would have noticed that he wasn't too shabby either. At the moment though her mind was on the competition and the role rather than the actual peopld behind all this and she noticed Michael only for his part and not for him as a person.
She held the script close to her chest, unconsciously using it as a shield, even though she remembered many of the scenes off by heart since it had been one of her favourite plays. Unlike many Kaitlyn had a fondness for Shakespeare and even had a secret list of dream roles she would love to play once she was of a proper age ranging from Portia to Beatrice. Bright eyes focused on the similarly intense eyes of a curly-haired blonde, an easygoing smile on her face that was so different from the forced smile on her own. Kaitlyn wondered if she was trying out, with a stab of slight envy and unsureness thinking that the blonde could probably pull off Juliette quite well but she didn't realise that the violet-eyed girl was on there to cheer on a friend with no theatre ambitions of her own.
As it were Tess was caught up in watching Michael, or rather his alter-ego, perform the role of Mercutio on stage. She had read Shakespeare of course and knew the tale of star-crossed lovers but Tessa was no actress and she admired anyone who could get up on stage and perform in front of others since she tended to be nervous whenever she had to do something before a group of people herself. It seemed right somehow she thought, thinking of how their small group had walked into the auditorium and seen Michael already centre stage. His elvish self looked right up there and the nervous excitement in the room was almost vicarious, causing the soft smile on strawberry glossed lips to blossom into a grin.
"It’s Michael!" The statement of the obvious didn't seem out place in this instance and Tess' curls bobbed slightly as she nodded her head. "Is… is he doing well?" Scott asked and he seemed confused by the strange dialogue Michael was speaking.
Tess hesitated slightly before giving her answer. She liked musicals and had seen the occational play but was no expert and didn't know if she was really that qualified to give an opinion as a statement of fact. That feeling of rightness struck her again though and Tess spoke without removing her eyes from Michael even though the pull of Scott's bright eyes was tempting, "Uh huh. At least I think so. I'm not an expert but I'd cast him for sure." In fact the more she watched the more absorbed she thought she was becoming and the faerie was pretty sure it wasn't just because Michael was a friend of hers even though the bias was there.
The overwhelming silence that met the end of her teammate's audition seemed wrong somehow, such deafening quiet after that performance. A quiet clapping rang out from somewhere in the room but stopped abruptly when it wasn't accompanied. Did you clap for an audition? Tess wondered, not sure if there was any sort of theatre ediquette to be followed here. She didn't get any further a chance to hum or haw over what it was she was supposed to do though as Hood made a beeline for the wings.
As he began hobbling over towards them Tess' smile seemed to be something which burned eternally since although she didn't realise it she hadn't stopped smiling since they had arrived here although the faerie girl wasn't sure if it was her natural mood, the vicarious excitement of the play auditions or perhaps even the company that was making her feel this way. Whatever the reason she greeted Michael warmly as he joined them. "Hey, you were great up there," Tessa complimented her teammate sincerely, sure that he had done a great job and that he would get the part he hoped for.
Re: 'The plays the thing'......auditions for Romeo and Julie
The now familiar, and strangely longed for sound, of Michael’s crutches couldn’t be heard until the boy got closer and the dull thudding on the carpet came into reach of Scott’s ears. When the clomping of the other boy was heard, Scott knew a friend was nearby, it was a sensation the Prince was only recently starting to feel with a vibrant certainty. Sound followed Michael, making his presence obvious, but Tess had something different, just as obvious, but different nonetheless which pointed her out when she was around. Scott could feel her, like any connection he had his people there was that sense of bond lingering there which he could feel.
"Hey, you were great up there," Tessa’s words tugged at Scott’s distracted mind, pulling the male fairy from his trail of thoughts, torn between seeing Riley who looked a little down and talking with Michael who had been so happy, yet now seemed humiliated for some reason. There was an absent minded greetings to Michael from Scott who placed his hand up over his heart and then held his palm towards the other with a quick fluid motion before taking up his other hand out habit from when it had been in a sling, rubbing his knuckles as he talked.
"You were happy up there." That’s what was most important to Scott, Michael deserved the part because it made him so happy, though the Prince basically used Tessa’s own words and just switched great with happy. There was something peculiar about Scott’s mood since Tuesday, he seemed lazy with his English at times, slipping into his native tongue when he starts speaking and generally appearing a little distracted with something. It was low key, but there was definitely a change even if Scott didn’t realize his worries were showing in such a way. The letter he had received Tuesday from his family had really put him on edge and he was getting more anxious as the weekend drew closer.
"…Even if you were talking to yourself." The Prince added with a slight mischief in his smile. His arm was better now, the machines having repaired and healed his injuries better then Scott's family would have imagined possible. Talia wanted to check on him still, probably because she saw him playing with his hand still. It had been his first injury and so it stayed with him mentally for a while, he wasn't used to the feeling and definitely not used to the restrictions he endured. However that was all over and done with much to Scott's relief.. though he had enjoyed the time to some extent as it had been a catalist for him to learn more of Tess.
Scott was so excited about Michael and everyone signing up for the play that it was all he could talk about and he had started asking Talia about it. Part of him hoped to see her here, but at the moment he couldn't catch sight of her.
Sparkling eyes peered eagerly around him as Scott looked around, happy to see so many people who seemed thrilled and anxious about their chance to be part of the group on stage. Riley still seemed down, absorbed in something he was reading, Scott called out but his words were obviously from his own language, he was clearly addressing Riley since he pronounced the name before three exquisite words trailed out afterwards.
Riley himself took a moment to tare his eyes from the script and stare back at the group, there looked like a reluctant pause before Riley half dragged himself out of the seat and trailed towards them.
"No I haven’t." Was the reply to Scott’s query if Riley had been up there yet, "We should find Heath though, he’d love this, they actually speak old English." The fact the older of the group sounded surprised by the dialog of the play would be a hint that Riley not only didn’t know Romeo and Juliet, but of Shakespeare’s stories in general which all were written in such a style. Riley looked at Michael who he had stopped beside, turning his gaze back to the others. "He should have gone on last, that was intimidating, Michael knew everything." There was a lightheartedness with how Riley said it, a slight smile showing that it was a tease, but a truthful air about it as well. Really Riley was impressed with Hood, it hadn’t sunk in entirely since nerves were taking up more of Riley’s thoughts, but Hood was everything a guy would want for a body, athletic, strong, agile, swift and considering Michael’s physical state it must really be a gift to have a power like that. Riley didn’t like thinking of powers, he still had his own to worry about, even if Riley had no clue what they were exactly it was still enough to know there was something there and it could be as freeing as Michael’s or as condemning as Beast or Connor. Connor may look normal but Riley had seen the struggles the eldest Enright had just enjoying a meal if it wasn’t prepared properly, so many issues arising because of his enhanced senses that Riley often sympathized with Connor, even if it was always inward and had never been shown.
But right now impressing his family was a hopeful thing on his to do list before they leave and right now he wanted more then anything to try and do something they could enjoy and take back with them… Emily said if he got into the play she’d record it with his digital video recorder, Riley had given them a computer and set up his room as a study of sorts so they could send emails with him and use the computer and internet for once. There were so many people he hoped to impress and yet all up he also was pulled towards the stage merely for the thought of how fun it could be, from what Emily was saying about her school theater group the previous year it sounded like a great way to make friends and have a good time.
Re: 'The plays the thing'......auditions for Romeo and Julie
The young truth teller couldn’t helped but be surprised at his… well, surprise. Hadn’t everyone at least heard at the old box office hit? Sure, it was getting rather ancient now, but still, she thought most school still used the material in lessons. Most students found it less tedious than the more traditional settings for the romantic classic. Although Hannah wasn’t a big fan of the modernisation of it, she did find the fact that they stuck with the original script interesting. An old play in a new setting.
She smiled back at the man as he took the script off of her. At least she was being help to somebody right now. She didn’t even notice his distracted gaze, already planning who might be her next victim, when a voice close to her piped up. "When are you going on?" Brown eyes turned to the slightly younger girl in mild surprise. She hadn’t heard her approach, but she guessed easily she was talking to Riley. Unphased by Riley’s height, she flashed Emily a similar grin to the one she had received. Perhaps she wasn’t the only bubbly one around here after all.
Despite the younger girl’s obvious friendliness, Hannah couldn’t help but feel a little awkward through the short conversation, uncertain whether to move away or stand still a bit longer. Clearly the two knew each other… perhaps this was the cousin Riley had mentioned putting his name forward for the role. It would make sense, seeing as the girl seemed particularly enthused, perhaps too much so to be a mere friend enquiring about it.
She was pulled by her thoughts as the young teenager turned to her. "Do you need any help?" A smile of relief passed over her face. Did she have any idea how much? Although she knew there were quite a few to go ahead of her, the girl still wanted to choose a decent scene to try and act out. Even though most of the extra roles were male, and the few that weren’t either were more main roles or were non speaking. Perhaps the opening scene, though unless anyone spoke the responses for her, she might be rather stuck.
”That would be great thanks!” She grinned at the other as she spoke. ”I’m giving out these scripts, trying to encourage people to audition and at some point I need to choose a monologue of sorts for myelf..” The truth teller paused, a mischievous glint in her eye as the grin slopped to become a little slyer, her voice half joking half serious as she looked at the younger Finn.
”I don’t suppose you’ve thought of auditioning have you? Maybe as an extra. Or maybe be a stage hand instead?... The more hands the merrier. And the less work” The last remark was made with a more cheeky grin. Well, as perspective extra and stage hand, she was sticking herself with two jobs. Not that she minded, she had few people to hang out with anyway, most people would be somewhere in the play and she had no extra activities or anything. But as they say, famous last words. Of course, the dark haired mutant was unaware of the intended short stay of Emily, so simply took her to be a younger student.
Once more her eyes drifted round, catching the movement of Michael leaving the stage, and doing a double check. Wait, the guy on the stage had seemed totally different. And had certainly not been using crutches. If it hadn’t been for her own power, the truth inducer may well have run over and asked him about it. But he seemed to be moving towards another group – his friends she assumed. Plus, in her experience, such questions can leave nasty marks. And the less black scores on the white board the better.
Taking a bundle of scripts, her eyes turned back to Emily with a grin. ”Well, if you take these and take the groups on the left, I’ll take the ones on the right. Just try and get them to audition, oh, and I'm Hannah” She nodded slightly. As she spoke, she had held out the scripts for the younger girl, her trade mark smile still and ever present.
"I was wrong, to think that I might belong. But I will never forget what I was... Who I am.. What I did, just to learn that"
Re: 'The plays the thing'......auditions for Romeo and Julie
”That would be great thanks!” This girl seemed nice, an equal with Emily’s occasional bursts of bubbly enthusiasm which seemed to surprise most people who knew Riley. ”I’m giving out these scripts, trying to encourage people to audition and at some point I need to choose a monologue of sorts for myelf..” Oh, cool! Emily nodded at the remark, thinking how it must feel to be in a play with people that have all the strange abilities… if Riley hadn’t told her earlier about Michael’s ability she would have gapped on in stunned awe as Michael swung down the aisle on his crutches. ”I don’t suppose you’ve thought of auditioning have you? Maybe as an extra. Or maybe be a stage hand instead?... The more hands the merrier. And the less work” It was a surprise for Emily to be asked that since she was going in a couple of days… though every part of her hoped she would be able to stay longer. A shake of her head signaled the girls reply to the question about auditioning but the eager look suggested her willingness to still help. Emily had brought up staying here with Martha only they didn’t want to talk about it until after Riley’s operation. They didn’t think Emily would be allowed even if Riley tried to get her in, it was a school for mutants and Emily wasn’t one – at least to the Finn’s knowledge. But then again, they hadn’t thought Riley was one either, and look where he was living.
”Well, if you take these and take the groups on the left, I’ll take the ones on the right. Just try and get them to audition, oh, and I'm Hannah” Taking up the offered booklets with a grin, Emily shot a predatory scan over towards the potentials on her side of the room, looking back at the older girl when she introduced herself.
"Emily Finn, and thanks." Balancing the scripts in her hands, Emily shot the girl another grin before moving off to get to work. She had done stage work before so she knew the procedure enough not to bother asking about things. It was always fun to participate in things like this, and it helped with getting to know people, Emily’s tactic was a little different to the others, her bright personality being put to use as she roped people in by talking to those who looked interested and helping them find a part they might want to try.
One of the groups, who had come just to hassle those thinking about auditioning, had a collection of the more negative student body, one of them being Damon. He had been suspended from school for a short while after having picked on Heath in the outer grounds. The fight had ended with Damon receiving the injuries since Heath had to learn to defend himself when he was pretending to be a Knight. One of the many troublemakers of the student body had been grouping up with his friends in the outer grounds again but keeping his hassles so far only to verbal irritation. The red eyed mutant quite rudely told Emily off, a smugness about him that Emily could sense right away as they were pointing and remarking rudely about the previous student, Michael, who had auditioned as Hood.
Emily hadn’t any intention on talking to them, but she walked in front of them and that had caused the six to start hassling her, nothing more then a few crude comments however, all of which Emily went unfazed by as she continued on with her business. She was on the other side of the auditorium so it wasn’t like Riley could notice anything unless she called for him, but it was strangely comforting to know that she could call him if she felt she needed help. It brought a smile as Emily happily moved off, ignoring the following remarks before they died down and went onto another topic. Because she was young a few of the more troublesome students had caught sight of her but few did more then nudge her out of the way when she lined up in the dinning hall, and lately even that didn’t happen any more – now many knew of her as Riley’s cousin and they knew Riley could get violent, even if they didn’t understand the true reasons behind the outbursts they witnessed in the past.
When Emily had handed out all the scripts she could at the moment, she hovered back towards the stage, having spotted Charlotte and not sure if she was auditioning already or not. It was only a few moments before Emily got talking to the girl, who seemed less talkative then Emily by far.
Re: 'The plays the thing'......auditions for Romeo and Julie”Emily Finn, and thanks” The truth teller couldn’t help but grin at the younger girl as she was offered the same smile, before she moved off towards some ‘victims’. Finn… ’She must be the cousin Riley mentioned…’ The young mutant nodded slightly to herself, one hand rising briefly to tuck her dark hair behind her ear. It seemed right that the younger Finn had signed him up, mainly because of the bubbliness she saw in her, almost like a reflection of her own.
With a cheerful smile, she turned to look at the section of the auditorium she had suggested, before wandering over to one of the groups and handing out a couple of her remaining scripts. Her activeness was turned down as Hannah choose to tone down her hyperness a little, suddenly feeling the social side of her urging for more conversation.
Sure, some of the groups held boys who seemed complete idiots, and had certainly turned up just to watch… Ms Clay that is, not the auditions. Even so, she wouldn’t let them get a way without at least once script between them. As much as she hated it, she was used to whispers that would follow in her wake, had quickly learnt to hide anything that hurt. With such a revealing power such as her’s, it was hard not to evoke negativity in some people, even with her simple questions now, which many may have chosen to ignore it, or give some smart aleck response instead. As it was, her truth inducing often left people uncomfortable, especially those sorts of people.
But the natural smile never fully left her face, though it did flicker a couple of times, like a light bulb threatening to blow long before it’s time. Just because she tried to ignore them didn’t mean she didn’t. But it was more the memories of the 6 months previous to first attending the institute which troubled her. These people were strangers, it didn’t matter as much, even if they did attend the same school. Like she had told Charlotte on the Monday, every school has it’s bullies. And she had dealt with them in the past. But having all but her dearest friend turn on her had hurt deeply, though given the choice she would never admit it. Which was part of the reason her parent’s didn’t know that this school was for mutants. The young Christian knew they loved her, but she also knew of her father’s slightly odd view on mutants, and she didn’t want to be pitied, nor gain a lecture about how she was being punished for some evil deed, and that if she were to repent she would rid herself of her affliction.
As it was, her thoughts turned from such memories, returning to the task in hand. She only had a few scripts left cradled in her arms, and she had to remember to keep one for herself. Although she loved the play, she didn’t have a great memory for lines, and it had been a while since she had properly studied it. Perhaps it was odd, that despite her poor memory for them, she also didn’t feel nervous. She was more anxious about getting as many people to audition as possible than standing on the stage. Nerves would hit, later, a few minutes before she got on stage. The tell-tale knot in her stomach. But it was normal, and she had, over the years, grown worried if she didn’t feel nervous.
Not that Hannah had actually acted as such before, at least not for something she hoped would turn out to be a large school production. But as the pastor’s eldest daughter, she had often been expected to give the readings, teachings or say a prayer during the youth services. The first two had scared her most at first, and often her eyes would fix on the small arched window above the large wooden doors leading to the porch. This way, she didn’t have to look at the congregation, and she had felt herself grow more comfortable, even if it hadn’t looked to great as she was looking over their heads. As it was, she soon learnt to look at the people, faces she knew and drew comfort from. The friendly smiles urging her on, and when giving readings she had taken a comfort for the pause earned while pages were turned as people found their place. But she had always felt a small hit of nerves.
Of course, every church by nature has a Christmas nativity, and again she was normally part of that, even this gone one despite the fact she had not been home during the term time. The roles she had played over the years spanned the entire selection. From Mary to the Wise Men, Gabriel to an Inn keeper, she knew those roles well, though she wished she didn’t, for it meant there was little variation in a surprisingly adaptive production. Though saying that, playing a Roman guard whilst dressed in a bin liner and foil covered card board had been quite an experience. But as many are, the nativity was a small thing, and as she got older, the less time she spent in the play, people naturally more inclined to watching the little ones singing or forgetting their lines in some cute way than the more confident teenagers. It could hardly compare to a school production of this level.
Hannah was lost in thought, though not these, when she spotted one of her last potential victims, primarily by accident. She had been about to walk straight into the older dark haired girl, and seemed to only stop at the last minute, smiling up at her. ”Are you aud…” The truth inducer paused, eyes fixing to the script the other girl was hugging. Now that was stupid. The young Christian berated herself lightly. Although the name on the script was hardly visible, it didn’t take too much of a guess as to what it was. There was a moment’s pause, and Hannah’s smile became a little more awkward.
”Sorry. I’m guessing your auditioning? I’m Hannah.. can I ask which role your going for?” The words came calmer than some might have expected from the bubbly teen. But there was a mild embarrassment in the back of her mind. She had gotten too hooked up on shoving scripts under people’s noses that she had forgotten to actually check to see if they were already prepared. And Kaitlyn certainly seemed to be.
"I was wrong, to think that I might belong. But I will never forget what I was... Who I am.. What I did, just to learn that"
Re: 'The plays the thing'......auditions for Romeo and Julie"Hey, you were great up there," Tessa’s words warmed him bringing a pleased if slightly embarrassed smile to his face. What was even more surprising was that the compliment sounded sincere not just the kind of encouraging remark that a team mate and friend would feel duty bound to make. Scott to opened his mouth to speak his gleaming eyes showing a hint of confusion and his hands moving in a strange ritual that Michael presumed was natural to his people. His comment was however anythingbut confused.
"You were happy up there." he said as if Micheal’s happiness was something which really mattered to him. It touched the astral mutant deeply this show of affection and support from these people he had known for so short a time and yet had shared so much with Even if you were talking to yourself." The gleam of mischief in the fairies eyes didn’t go unnoticed and Michael felt the last of his embarrassment drop away as his grin widened.
Which was just as well since Riley was heading their way. From the sounds of things he was going to read for the part of Romeo. A strange reversal of roles Michael couldn’t help thinking, the super efficient Riley trying out for the part of the inexperienced romantic lover while he auditioned for the part of the worldly wise friend. "We should find Heath though, he’d love this, they actually speak old English."Riley said causing Michael a moment of surprise.
It sounded as if Riley had just discovered Shakespeare but that couldn’t be true surely. From what he had gathered the older boy taught English.* Can you do that in America without knowing Shakespeare?* Michael asked himself ,experiencing a true moment of culture shock. *Guess I have a lot more adapting to do than I thought.In any case he has guts if its true; I'd never have dared try for a part if I didn’t know the play*
It seemed that Riley might have been thinking the same thing"He should have gone on last, that was intimidating, Michael knew everything." he said in a friendly tone though it was obvious the comment was more than just a flippant remark. He really seemed a bit nervous about the whole acting experience.”I wouldn’t say that” Micheal replied “ Its just that I’ve always loved that role though I admit I never thought I’d have the guts to read for it. Well to have Hood read for it I suppose.” He wondered how that had gone down with Miss Clay. Would she even consider him for a role he could only pull off thanks to his mutant powers? *Well the acting at least is mine* Michael reminded himself *Even if everything else is borrowed.*
“So you’re going to read for Romeo I see” he said turning towards Riley with a smile. “You’ll be doing the balcony scene then I suppose? Page four” he continued nodding towards the abridged version of the script that Riley was holding. It wasn’t really a question more a helpful pointer for someone who probably had doubts as to what to present for the audition. "That’s what most people do at this type of thing. Its quite handy You can do it on your own for the audition and then, if you’re lucky" he said with a wicked grin "you get a pretty Juliette to help you on the night. Which can’t be bad can it”
Re: 'The plays the thing'......auditions for Romeo and Julie
“I wouldn’t say that” As far as Riley was concerned he was out of his league at the moment, he’d never acted aside for the whole thing with the Initiative when he pretended to be someone he wasn’t… Well that’s as good a practice as anything really, if you can survive those missions then you must have some sort of acting talent, right? “ Its just that I’ve always loved that role though I admit I never thought I’d have the guts to read for it. Well to have Hood read for it I suppose.” It was the first time Riley heard Michael speak of Hood as if it were someone else instead, which puzzled Riley, where mutant powers were concerned anything seemed possible so a split personality was entirely possible as well.
“So you’re going to read for Romeo I see” Both hands fiddled with the script as Michael talked, Riley’s anxiety a little more obvious as things moved forward and backing out seemed less feasible as more people expected him to try-out. “You’ll be doing the balcony scene then I suppose? Page four” A momentary blank stare was disrupted as Michael said page four, allowing Riley to flick open the book and hold it so he had a clear view of the page.
"That’s what most people do at this type of thing. Its quite handy You can do it on your own for the audition and then, if you’re lucky" Hazel eyes scanned over the words on the page as Michael spoke to Riley, who now looked up to eye the smile on Michael’s features as he continued "you get a pretty Juliette to help you on the night. Which can’t be bad can it” There was a smile from Riley, but then that faded as a thought crossed his mind.
"It depends… I’m not sure how Catherine may feel about this." Maybe she’d be thrilled, excited that he was partaking in an event with other people, that he was finally trying to socialize in some way… Or maybe the chosen Juliette will disappear the night of the play, who knows, Catherine sometimes acted spontaneous, but Riley loved her, and always tried to see things from her point of view. After all, how would he feel if she was on a stage smooching around with some other guy…… he’d definitely not be happy. But if it was something Catherine really wanted he’d deal with it as best he could, compromise was always part of a relationship and Riley was learning that it was a vital part indeed. "If our Juliette goes missing we’ll know that it wasn’t such a good idea for me to try out." There was a grin showing the humor to it, though Riley was serious, he’d seen Catherine angry before, if she wasn’t happy with him playing Romeo and he stuck with it, they ought to fear for the one playing Juliette who would be likely to incur Catherine’s wrath.
"But I don’t get it, I can’t just prance around the stage clueless, I’m good at remembering things only I have nothing but words to go on here." A slight disappointment etched his words but he glanced at his relatively new room mates for a moment before looking at Michael. "That girl said it was on TV, would it be on video as well? I mean then I could rent it right? Obviously not going to help now but if I get this it’ll help later.." Just because things were on TV didn’t mean to Riley they were rented at the video store as well, he was still relatively knew with the whole video collection and he wasn’t so keen on TV as Catherine was. The only reason he even watched TV or videos was because of her.
Re: 'The plays the thing'......auditions for Romeo and Julie
Tessa had to admit she never would have thought anyone would say in response to a performance that the actor was happy and yet a genuine care came through in Scott's strange comment which made her smile. She was lucky, it occurred to her to have friends like them. Like Scott who actually cared about people's happiness unlike a few people the sheltered fairy had briefly met. Like Michael who had heart and soul through everything. Had the picking of the Green Strike Force team really been by teachers or had there been something higher at work there? The fairy wasn't a very religious person but she believed in something, even if she called that force fate, luck or destiny rather than God and as she thought about the team on which she had been placed Tessa wondered if this force had been at work bringing them all together.
"…Even if you were talking to yourself." Scott finished mischievously and Tessa's smile grew along with Scott's. She followed the blue-eyed one's gaze and recognised Riley. Tess still didn't really know the student teacher very well but she remembered his face and his name and more specifically remembered his helping to bring Scott in after the Team Missions where he was injured. She was very grateful for that having feared for a brief time that she would lose Scott before she really got to know anything about faeriekind or about he himself. There was also the fact that he was newly apart of their team. Tess hadn't really spoken with Riley much yet but he seemed very likeable and she hoped she would have the chance in the future although she was still a little quiet around people she didn't know very well. Tess let her mind wander as the pair talked, not wanting to intrude on anything private but Riley directed his next comment at Michael and Tess tuned back in, violet eyes losing the faraway look they had momentarily taken on.
She listened as Michael explained how he had always loved the role of Mercutio and couldn't help but feel genuine happiness for her friend. To be able to do the thing you never thought you could but always wanted to was wonderful she thought and Tess wished that she had some of her team-mate’s courage and conviction. Michael launched into a conversation with Riley about the role of Romeo and despite her interest Tess felt herself wandering again. She was usually so good at paying attention and at planting her feet firmly on the ground so why today did it feel like her head was floating among the clouds? Looking away from the group she found herself watching as a dark-haired girl almost bumped into a younger student.
To be honest Kaitlyn was surprised she had been noticed in the ruckus of people around her, let alone that she had almost collided with another student since she had been trying to keep to the sidelines for the time being. On the otherhand it wasn't as though she had been watching where she was going or, for that matter, anything else around her since her eyes had been firmly fixed on the stage. Seizing up the competition, she thought and felt almost ashamed at the seriousness with which she thought of the play. In a way it was Kaitlyn's chance to prove herself and she wasn't about to let it slip away without giving it her all.
"Are you aud…” the younger girl she had almost collided with started but must have seen the tightly clenched script since she stopped abruptly. The look on the other girl's face was an awkward sort of smile as if her mistake had cost the bubbly exterior she had seemed to have moments earlier.
"Sorry. I’m guessing your auditioning? I’m Hannah.. can I ask which role your going for?” Kaitlyn blinked bright eyes surprised that she was being talked to and rather unused to it truth be told. "Yah I mean to," the brunette started softly, her usual facade of perkiness not in place due to the unexpected conversation. "Juliet," Kait said in answer to the second question and this one word was firm, her tone shaped by determination to win the role. "There aren't many female characters and I want a main role," she explained more shly, a part of the older girl not wanting to come off as abrupt or demanding about the part she desired.
Across the room Tessa drew her attention back to the conversation, listening to Riley as he spoke about Catherine, a name she had also heard although the fairy girl knew she couldn't pick Catherine out of a line-up or recognise her from sight. "If our Juliette goes missing we’ll know that it wasn’t such a good idea for me to try out." Tess picked up on the obvious humour in the comment but all the same was glad she didn't have an acting bone in her body.
"But I don’t get it, I can’t just prance around the stage clueless, I’m good at remembering things only I have nothing but words to go on here," he continued. "That girl said it was on TV, would it be on video as well? I mean then I could rent it right? Obviously not going to help now but if I get this it’ll help later.."
Tessa wasn't a fan of the play in particular but she had watched a few movie versions and shuddered remembering the version from her parents' generation with Leonardo Dicapprio. She might not have been a fan of Shakespeare but Tess thought that if you were going to make a movie at the play it should remain fairly in tact and she had hated watching the mixed modern day setting and the dated English dialogue. Just as long as you don't rent that version, the blonde thought but didn't say it aloud. Surely Michael would know better than she about TV and movie versions of the bard since he obviously had a love of Shakespeare's works.
Re: 'The plays the thing'......auditions for Romeo and Julie
There were obviously some issues for Riley to work around that Michael didn’t fully understand. His first comments were enough to make that clear .Soooo he has girl problems Lucky him. Though it was hardly surprising that he had someone in his life. You only had to look around the auditorium to see the effect he was creating.
However where Shakespeare was concerned it seemed that things were more problematic. It was true that video was an ideal solution but under the present circumstances it wasn’t really practical Whatever way you looked at it Riley was due on stage in the next half hour and no TV was going to deliver the definitive Romeo in the time allowed."There are a couple of versions out there “Michael said “The Zeferrelli version is great but they muck up the ending.Theres another one that’s done in a modern setting with guns instead of swords. That’s Ok if you can get your head around the concept And a drag queen Mercutio….. But any way its not going to help you here and now.”
Micheal took a deep breath, his brows drawing together in concentration as he tried to distil everything he knew about the role of Romeo into the few words he had time for. He wasn’t even conscious the fact that he had closed his eyes the better to concentrate on what he was imagining as he allowed himself to recall the part.” Here’s what you need to know”.he began.” Romeos a Montague and Juliettes a Capulet The two families are rich and they’ve been enemies for years Why? Nobody remembers and honestly it doesn’t matter. The point is the they fight”
Gangs! Michael had grown up with the concept. He wondered if Riley would be able to understand the totally abstract animosity. ‘This guy’s a Capulet therefore, though I have never seen him before in my life, we must fight’. .A stupid, deadly reasoning that Michael had effectively sidestepped even if that had meant he had remained an outsider in his own community. "Anyway Romeo fancies this girl Rosalind and he knows she’s going to be at a party thrown by the Capulets. So he decides to gatecrash the party with his mates Benvolio and Mercutio." That was the beauty oShakespearef. No matter what century it was played in the plot was always relevant. The language was just a beautiful bonus, something that would have lasted amongst scholars but never touched the hearts of the successive generations if the basic reality of the situation hadn’t been so expertly captured.
”So there they are, these three lads heading for a party so that one of them can get off with a girl.The only problem is that when he gets there Romeo comes face to face with Juliet the daughter of his so called enemy and wham its love at first sight Forget Rosalind, that was just a crush, this is the real thing.And apparently she feels the same which is great for him but at the same time a bit of a problem as you can imagine.”
Micheal was gone now , caught up in the story, trying to retell it somehow in a way that would let Riley understand the emotions that Romeo would have felt as he approached the fateful balcony and sealed his fate to Juliet.” Lets not kid ourselves here. Romeos not stupid. He knows that this isn’t the ideal match. Hell nobodys going to g for it They’re going to say find someone else. She’s not the one. But he knows she is And it doesn’t matter what his family of his friends or the whole world says he loves her and that’s that."
It sounded dramatic stated like that but then this was a play and in any case Micheal didn’t doubt that such a thing could happen in real life. He wondered what it would feel like to suddenly know that you were destined to spend your life with someone Scary no doubt and yet somehow comforting. Not many people had such instant reassurance. When it came it was worth holding on to No matter what the cost That was at least one of the messages of the play and the one that Riley would have to convey if he was to have a shot at the role.
"Anyhow "Micheal went on "Romeo tells Juliet who he is and she doesn’t care But the party is coming to an end and anyone sensible would cut and run.But Romeos in love so….he decides to hang about in the garden waiting for one last look at his beloved and …….That’s where you come in “ he concluded turning towards Riley
He had cut so much including out all the motivation that was so important to the character Michael himself wanted to play. But that would come later if they were to work together or indeed if Riley would be called to work with another Mercutio. The audition was Riley’s moment and Michael was trying to extract the essential so that at least his interpretation would show have some depth and comprehension of the character .
"This whole speech you’re going to do, he said earnestly its about some guy waiting in a garden for the love of his life to appear. And when she does ………” his manner changed, awe and expectation colouring his voice as he envisaged Romeo contemplating what was ultimately his fate..”But soft what light from yonder window breaks It is the east and Juliet is the sun” the words fell easily and reverently from his tongue “He’s blown away by her beauty and aware of all the complications that lie ahead of them and he doesn’t care..He’s Romeo she’s Juliet That’s enough The Capulets and the Montagues don’t matter any more Only their love counts Nothing else. Does that make any sense?
Re: 'The plays the thing'......auditions for Romeo and Julie
To be honest Riley didn’t really expect any help from the group, maybe a good luck or something but nothing really substantial. The people he was roomed with were nicer then he expected, and with Scott there it helped stop Riley from withdrawing into his shell constantly. It hadn’t been the most comfortable of welcomed news when Jean talked with Lexi and himself, and when the lot of them met in their dorm Riley didn’t look even a fraction the thrill Scott was showing. But each day things seemed to improve more, and it was hard to dislike something that was offering a social outlet which Riley otherwise was deprived of nowadays.
"There are a couple of versions out there" What was the point of having different versions of the same story? That’s how people get confused, when new people don’t stick with the one thing and make multiple variations. It was a problem for Riley’s team back in the Initiative when they were studying something which had different information on them in different books – if the info was wrong it could be fatal to the soldiers. "The Zeferrelli version is great but they muck up the ending.Theres another one that’s done in a modern setting with guns instead of swords. That’s Ok if you can get your head around the concept And a drag queen Mercutio….. But any way its not going to help you here and now." A reluctant tug occurred in the corner of Riley’s lip, his brown only slightly furrowing at the explanation offered. Riley hadn’t ever heard the term ‘Drag Queen’ before, so that alone made no sense… and why would something be sold if it was with an incorrect ending? Why would they change swords for guns? Riley didn’t really figure out the whole creative concept side of things with television just yet. Sure Riley had seen movies before, like the films in the drive in theater which his parents took him to on occasions but they were always just family films aimed for the younger audiences. As Riley fretted more over his oncoming performance he began to chew lightly on the corner of his lip, his eyes lifting to the stage with reluctance and uncertainty.
"Here’s what you need to know”. The surprise in Riley’s expression as his eyes returned to Michael’s face, staring for a moment as the others eyes were closed while speaking. It hadn’t occurred to Riley someone would do more then just throw a book at him to study for his act, he wished he had taken more time in preparing but it wasn’t like he could have done much, but a few hours was better then nothing. Most of the time was spent with Emily convincing Riley to try out though, so it was his own indecisiveness that was to blame for the lack of time to prepare.
"Romeos a Montague and Juliettes a Capulet The two families are rich and they’ve been enemies for years Why? Nobody remembers and honestly it doesn’t matter. The point is the they fight." Typically Riley’s inquisitive mind dwelled on wanting to understand what caused the feud, what had happened, who was to blame for the fight? Was it serious or just a small misunderstand which escalated fundamentally beyond logical proportions? Riley hated people who fought violently with each other, who hunted the other out or become hostile upon any random meetings. The fact Riley developed an air of hostility around demons didn’t go passed unnoticed, but at the same time part of him still felt he was justified in that, even if it was – for the most part – programmed into him by his former employers.
"Anyway Romeo fancies this girl Rosalind and he knows she’s going to be at a party thrown by the Capulets. So he decides to gatecrash the party with his mates Benvolio and Mercutio." Thoughts swirled around hectically for a moment, wasn’t it Romeo and Juliet? Didn’t Romeo like Juliet? Who was Rosalind? Riley’s arms folded with the script tugged firmly against his chest, his hands still clutching at the book, giving his intense attention to the younger team member. "So there they are, these three lads heading for a party so that one of them can get off with a girl.The only problem is that when he gets there Romeo comes face to face with Juliet the daughter of his so called enemy and wham its love at first sight Forget Rosalind, that was just a crush, this is the real thing.And apparently she feels the same which is great for him but at the same time a bit of a problem as you can imagine." So Romeo craved this Rosalind but then met Juliet, who he probably linked with instantly and fell for, craving her all the more for reasons he couldn’t understand or explain in any other way then calling it love. No one had really talked with Riley about things like this before, and the way Michael talked of this story with such passion was strange as well. It was just a story wasn’t it? Or was it based on real life? It sounded like something people could relate to… unfortunately.
"Lets not kid ourselves here. Romeos not stupid. He knows that this isn’t the ideal match. Hell nobodys going to g for it They’re going to say find someone else. She’s not the one. But he knows she is And it doesn’t matter what his family of his friends or the whole world says he loves her and that’s that." Slowly the hazel gaze shifted from Michael and drifted away into the distance, his thoughts splitting as Michael spoke, a feel of discomfort entwining itself in Riley’s stomach and knotting about inside his chest. So hauntingly familiar Riley wasn’t sure he wanted to know how this ‘tragic tale’ ended… sure they both die but why? How? When? He loved Catherine, couldn’t people just leave him be and let them work on the problems they already had without others loading even more onto them?
"Anyhow" Riley’s eyes peered downwards at the ground for a moment, recollecting his thoughts and disposition as Michael continued, lifting his gaze to look at the other, pushing away the meddlesome feelings the Scots words brought. "Romeo tells Juliet who he is and she doesn’t care But the party is coming to an end and anyone sensible would cut and run.But Romeos in love so….he decides to hang about in the garden waiting for one last look at his beloved and …….That’s where you come in" It was actually a little freaky as Riley thought of the situation he was playing out. It could all be shifted into another story to explain last year when things with Catherine and the Initiative started really heating up.
"This whole speech you’re going to do, he said earnestly its about some guy waiting in a garden for the love of his life to appear. And when she does ………” Riley’s gaze lifted to look at Michael in the corner of his eyes, his head slightly turned away for a moment before looking at the astral mutant fully. Waiting in a Garden, waiting by the window… what was the difference… other then obviously in this story the loved one appears, unlike Riley’s tale in which he waited six months for a ghost who never returned – not until Riley went seeking her himself.
..”But soft what light from yonder window breaks It is the east and Juliet is the sun” A blink of surprise at the unexpected quote from the book had Riley amazed at the fact that Michael didn’t only know the characters, he knew the book, the story, the very words themselves. It was a dream of Riley’s to just spend days snuggled in bed reading non-stop, there was one thing he hated and that was putting down a book he was totally absorbed in. The work load in the Initiative was a sure thing of putting a stop to recreational reading, but the bookshelf in his room back in Huxley still had the shelves of books his parents got for him. Riley may not have grown up with toys and spoiled with new things all the time, but his parents got him books and that was more then enough for him on a farm. After all, who would he play with if he had toys? What would he do with them, in the end they’d clutter his room and remind him there was no one else to play with, and Ben wasn’t really interest in games like that.
Books had actually been the reason Riley used to slack in his homework in Primary school, but when he was eleven he realized he couldn’t just keep putting off his work in favor for books and helping around on the farm with the small chores or keeping his parents company. Ben was talking all the time about what school he wanted to go to and so Riley, though young, was forced to realize there was more to come in the future and he had to be prepared for him, the better prepared he was, the better off he would be, and hopefully he’d be able to help his family.
“He’s blown away by her beauty and aware of all the complications that lie ahead of them and he doesn’t care..He’s Romeo she’s Juliet That’s enough The Capulets and the Montagues don’t matter any more Only their love counts Nothing else. Does that make any sense?" Riley of the Initiative and Catherine of Xavier’s… a secret war between the two groups, a war that the school itself wasn’t even aware of. The athletic student teacher was once again lost in his thoughts as his eyes seemed unfocused on what they stared at, looking in Michael’s direction and yet still not seeing him.
"..Yeah." Looking over towards Scott for a moment, then back towards Michael with a half hearted smile and a meek shrug of his shoulders. "..Yeah..." The repeated mumble was basically to himself, quiet but not unhearable by the others as Riley turned his focus back towards the stage. Another furrow of Riley’s brow creased his forehead as Riley thought, his lip once again being chewed lightly in the corner. A sudden renewal of determination to do this sparked again as Riley flipped open the book to the page Michael earlier suggested, his eyes moving across the words on the page.
"Ah, Capulet's orchard, scene two act two?" Riley said allowed to no one in particular once he found the second scene in the second act. Staring at the page in a way that showed he wasn’t too impressed with the quantity of words Juliet spoke with Romeo. It was never easy to play a part of a story only with one, but a part in which another character so heavily was involved, and more greatly so it would appear by the lines which out did his own. Not that Riley cared about the quantity of words which he had, but merely the fact it would have been easier to have at least someone else to play with them as they spoke. It would have made the situation easier in more ways then one. A voice struck in the air as another student readied to offer his performance as Friar Laurence, distracting Riley for a moment as the former agent looked up and then returned his eyes to the pages of the script.
"Do I play out the whole thing?" He felt silly asking things like that, it’s like everyone knew what to do but him, it wasn’t true but that’s how it felt for him, standing here and firing one question after another at the group.
Scott couldn’t really be of any help since he didn’t know the way humans handled their theater, but he was thrilled at the chance of learning more about Shakespeare, he’d been curious ever since the weekend on the island when Michael talked of the story teller. The Prince was starting to realize he was feeling highly peckish at the moment, and some nice cold cut fruits with a sugary coating was tantalizing his imagination at the moment, toying with the oncoming hungry. It was getting close to the weekend and Scott was also bothered by this, he wanted to talk with the others before the weekend was upon them but when he had the chance there was always an excuse he came up with to put it off for just a little longer, and now he knew soon he’d have to talk with him about his family coming. They would be staying for two days, since apparently there was something really important they wanted to talk with Scott about and the fact they were planning two days for discussions had Scott’s stomach in knots.
Re: 'The plays the thing'......auditions for Romeo and Julie
OOC: Ok, with Nat's approval Arisa will make an appearance here... coz if I don't mention here then Arisa will never been seen coz of her trusty poster who is never around
The school theater room seemed filled with groups of students, Angela Clarice hovered in the background for the most part watching the stage and performers. As much a fan she was of drama she didn’t think the first play she ought to do was a Shakespeare, she’d have enough trouble with remembering lines she didn’t think it would be easy remembering lines of a language she wasn’t familiar with. Well… and truth be told she wasn’t really interested in a lead role of Juliette or the tiny roles of the other female characters. All Angie wanted to do right now was to sit back and see how mutants worked together in a school, it all seemed strangely normal.
Actually, Angela wasn’t part of the stage performance but she was a helping hand, she arrived earlier then most others since she was admittedly bored and so far the only people she talked with her from her team. And as charming as Frostbite and Madison were, Angela preferred to meet new chirpier faces. Well, actually there was also Arlen, Angela hadn’t spoken to him more then twice and both time she had run into him in the halls, literally. The guy seemed startled by the floating apparition Angela fondly calls ‘Fear’, though she never discovered what Arlen actually was she just assumed he was another mutant wandering the halls. Two meetings and Angela was already aware of a girl called Arisa, what she looked like and that she was Connor’s little sister. Really it was Angela who brought up Connor and from there it seemed to find its way onto Arisa and Angela easily joined the dots and assumed the guy had a thing for the girl.
Arlen had actually said he would bring Arisa around to meet Angie, at the moment Arlen was trying hard to improve Arisa’s currently non-existent circle of close friends in the hopes she would like staying at the school once she had a nice group. How hard could it be to see a blue furred girl? Angela sat slouched patiently waiting, her legs crossed and stretched onto the seat in front of her as she casually flicked through a script, wearing beige sandals and tanned stockings. The dress she wore were light earthy colours, comfortably tight from the waist up with a low cut and thin straps. The Light browns, faint taints of green and blues were blended within the beige material, her earth toned make up matching and low keyed save for the fine eyeliner and subtle shimmer over her lipstick. It looked a little out of place in the sense she seemed dressed up as if she was going out somewhere, her hair half up and held nicely with a hair clip, her fringe framing the sides of her face. In all honesty she had intended on heading out, but later decided to not bother, what was the point? Besides, there were a whole lot of really pretty girls and it intimidated Angela a little and she wasn’t fond of the thought to wander around looking as if she’d been rolling around in the hay all day. Something her untamed hair could easily give the impression of if she didn’t tackle it with great effort.
Actually the previous night she had slept with her hair tied into a bun, so in the evening when she undid the style her hair fell in ringlets, not completely perfect ones that everyone sees on TV but nice nonetheless. But at least it gave an excuse to be messy in a more pleasant looking way. The empathy had every intention on heading out later, even if all she did was stroll down the street to the shall shops, they had junk food places, small market and a video store but most people preferred heading to Salem since the market nearby tended to be not only more expensive but had less items and often those ‘no brand’ kinds which a few people were a little iffy towards. Grabbing a video could help entertain her tonight… maybe she’d get two or a bunch of weeklies if she scrounged up enough money to splurge on them.
Meanwhile down the hall outside the auditorium Arisa was leading her older brother towards the bustling hall, both being eagerly led by Arlen since there was an agreement to meet another student (who happens to be the aforementioned Angela) and Arisa didn’t want to leave Connor on his own. Arisa had spent the morning going through another photo album with Connor, one from his time during the school, hoping that more recent events would trigger something in his mind. So far he seemed to remember more things in his sleep, but then half the time he’d wake and find himself struggling to remember what had been dreamt. Still, they went over birthdays, celebrations, gatherings, school events, the best result the photos brought were momentary pauses in which something may have seemed like a vague image Connor may have seen in a dream weeks ago, but nothing clicked as they had hoped would. Probably the biggest hit of the whole thing was that Connor asked if he could keep a photo that already belonged to him. Out of all of them Connor was the one that always brought the camera, always got extra film, always set them out in the albums, he was the one who felt it was important to take pictures while Madison hardly cared if there was a camera there or not. There was one time they went out to the Zoo for Arisa’s last birthday and the camera Connor brought was broken and although Madison was ready to rip apart the guy who was shoving his way past them Connor was more focused on searching his wallet and then darting off to buy one of the disposable cameras from the gift store.
When Arisa had told him of that as they looked over the photos Connor couldn’t help but find his own peculiarities rather odd. Even if he did like the idea of photos when someone explained the way he was so head strong with things like that, and cleaning, and having things set in their right places or in a certain order, it all seemed a little strange for him to hear. While Connor’s sisters knew he had certain obsessions which they grew used to and just accept as part of himself, Michelle never told them that Beast had once warned her of the fact Connor could have been a borderline sufferer of the not so rare Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. For most of Connor’s life that he never let it get to the point when it ruled his day, having to set out doing his own little rituals before thinking about any thing else. Connor may spent time thinking about how he left the dishes unwashed or the clothes needed folding but he wouldn’t drop everything he’s doing or delay his other activities and make sure it was all done. The few times he has let it effect him where just when he was really disturbed about something, as he was growing up he realized that his parents would take notice of all the work he started doing and would focus on him a little while. The focus came in different ways, Michelle usually wouldn’t let it last long at all, taking Hank’s warning to heart and not letting Connor get too caught up in responsibility as the eldest son seemed to always, even if unintentionally, put himself in. Logan wasn’t like Michelle, sometimes he would try, a lot of the times he just hit and miss, but the fact he tried was something.
Still, Connor wasn’t sure what to think of his father, he seemed alright, and right now he really looked as if he was trying to be there, but Connor’s sisters said it was different before. Did that matter really? Maybe it had been his fault that the whole father and son relationship went sour? Connor didn’t see Logan’s attitude suddenly changing just because his son’s memory got locked away, so if his father hasn’t changed and was trying to be a decent man then was it Connor who had made things difficult? That’s what teenagers did right..? Arisa didn’t seem so loving towards their father either though, and some of the things they talked about didn’t sound very nice, especially all those times he vanished for days on end, sometimes months if he was sent somewhere on an important assignment, but he didn’t do them so often after Michelle died and he became responsible as a fulltime parent. The blue furred sister mentioned that during the longer absences usually Hank, Kurt or even Jean would look after them, some of the others would help if the previously mentioned where too busy. But in general Connor would look out for the sisters, since none of the other ‘aunts’ and ‘uncles’ couldn’t really spend every hour of every day with them, sometimes when Jean or Scott, or both planned to take Sean out somewhere they’d invite Logan’s kids with them, same with most of the other faculty who had kids. So it wasn’t like the three sat in their home waiting around half starved for their dad to reappear, but it was still a lonely stretch of time.
When they entered the theater room Connor could feel his heart racing in his throat, so many people and by now almost everyone knew about Connor’s amnesia so the group had received more then their fair share of stares on the way here and the corridors weren’t even crowded! Well, Connor started growing used to it after he tried to get back into the swing of classes, every other person just itching to ask if he remembered anything or to see if they could be the ones who triggered his misplaced memories. At least the awkwardness they provided enabled Connor to have an excuse to spend more time with his family, not that he really needed an excuse but one never hurt. It was becoming obvious though that his family didn’t spend a great deal of time together, they weren’t exactly the close knit group every kid dreams of having, but at least everyone was making an effort to be there for him, that was nice.
"I didn’t think it would be so crowded." Connor admitted as he looked over the scattered groups, but too briefly to pay any attention to their faces at the moment as he adjusted to the different scents or stronger to be more accurate. Arlen bounded off quickly however, Arisa’s hand clasped in his as he took her towards the seats beside Angela, the bustle of activity easily catching the nightmare mutants chocolate gaze. Connor hovered back for a moment but followed after Arisa made it clear she was checking over her shoulder to see if he was still there. Arlen had been in what Connor guessed was a sugar high all day, but Arisa seemed used to it, and responded as well when Connor didn’t have her full attention. It didn’t bother Connor at all, he liked that she had someone who could make her laugh, it seemed like something she needed a lot of… the sadness she displayed was hard to miss at times.
"Sorry." Arlen apologized with a flick of his tail as icy spheres glistened back at Arisa and a lop sided smile struggled to stop from breaking into a bright grin, "She’s over there.. and there’s Vohan!" The merman cheered with surprise as he indicated another bright eyed boy across the room, though he used the fairy’s true name instead of the human one the fairy Prince had chosen. It had been a week since they had really talked and longer since they spent time together, at the moment Arlen missed his friend but planned on meeting up with the fairy later. Angela had been right though, everyone really was here, not that Angela said all Arlen’s friends would be there but she said the try outs for the play would be at least somewhat popular. Both Arlen and Arisa decided they would make a greater effort to get to know people so Arlen insisted this would be a good place to see other faces. Connor followed where Arlen was saying his other friend was, since he had met Scott earlier, and sure enough the fairy was with his other team mates. Connor was a little envious about that, his team seemed nice though Connor felt uncomfortable around people he knew but didn’t remember, his own team was a little withdrawn… Sean and Jay were alright but the others were mostly a tolerant decency and hadn’t gone out of their way to be friendly.
Arlen instantly fell into talking with Angela and introducing his companions, both who won a friendly smile from the girl but a slight shyness shone when she looked at them compared to her more open way with Arlen. Another smile was offered towards the other two, though Connor was standing awkwardly with one knee on the seat and his weight leaning on that but not appearing as if he was getting any more comfortable at the moment.
Re: 'The plays the thing'......auditions for Romeo and Julie
Riley still seemed a little confused when Micheal finished speaking *Guess that was about as clear as mud* the astral mutant thought to himself Still his team mate didnt look as if he was about to give up as he flicked through the resume, quickly arriving at the appropriate page "Ah, Capulet's orchard, scene two act two?" he said reading it through."Do I play out the whole thing?"
"Aye" Michael replied "Though its not going to be easy if you don’t have a Juliette." It was a problem to be sure and Micheal knew only too well what it felt like to be stuck on stage waiting for a reply that never came Still for him it hadn’t been too important, even if it had left him somewhat hanging and he said as much to Riley. "It's not like my monologue where you can get away with not having a Romeo around to let you get to the proper end of it. Here you really need to be two to make it work. "
As he spoke Micheal glanced around at the assembled students. There looked like one or two budding Juliette’s out there. Maybe Riley should just ask one of them to do the scene with him. But the more Michael thought about this the more unlikely it seemed. Although when they had first met Michael had taken Riley to be so sure and certain of himself, a few days spent in close proximity had soon showed that the older student did have some problems in the sociability department.
*How unlikely is this* Micheal thought to himself * I’m getting ready to accost a girl * It was true he never had much trouble talking to people but at least as far as girls were concerned he usually had to have a pretty good reason before he attempted it.* Well getting Riley out of a jam is a good reason isn’t it* he told himself. *Green strike force One for all. All for one.* His smile widened at the thought. Here he was, part of a group It felt good even if a bit unexpected. *At my old school I was the outsider the geekie bookworm no one wanted to talk to* he reflected *Now ‘I’m here at the weirdest school in the universe I’m making friends hand over fist. And some of them are fairies. Guess you never know what life has in store for you, do you.*
But simply reminiscing wasn’t helping Riley with his problem. If Tess had looked as if she wanted to audition Micheal wouldn’t have hesitated to ask her to help out but she seemed just happy to be in Scots company. It made Michael smile to see the two of them together. He wondered where it would lead, the obvious attraction they had for each other, tempered as it was by the childlike nature of the fairy. He hoped it would end in happiness. Not like the play they were auditioning for And speaking of that…. "Wait here Ill be right back" he told Riley and set off carefully across the theatre in search of a likely partner for the apprentice Romeo.
He felt a little self conscious all the same. It reminded him of those times in the playground when girls would go laughing up to the more popular boys asking if they liked their friend, the girl waiting behind who was too shy to ask them herself. Not that any girl had ever asked him such a question. Geek status meant that even if any of them had liked him they would have been risking their own reputation simply by admitting it.*Don’t expect that will change* he thought philosophically *Lets face it I’m not exactly the worlds greatest catch. And these clothes aren’t helping. Unless baggie is the in thing at the moment. Oh well. Can’t be helped*
As he manoeuvred himself across auditorium he couldn’t help being surprised by the interest the auditions had provoked. The place was almost crowded. He was pleased, even if the number of people interested in reading for a part reduced his own chances of getting one. Well if he didn’t get on stage he was sure there was something he could do to help. He’d get himself involved one way or another and not just for the possibility of spending more time close to the all too alluring English teacher. Though that was a bonus he had to admit and if his steps had lead him to pass close to her, close enough to breath in her perfume and catch the way her hair looked in the reflected stage lightening then that was all good as well.
It was the second time in the space of a month that he had been captivated by an older woman. The first to enchant him had been Amlarie standing outside the dreadful cage in Harmony Market But it wasn’t the same thing. She had made him feel safe and loved even if only for the briefest moment. Miss Clay didn’t make him feel either. *I’m just another student to her. If she thinks of me at all it’ll just be as that wee Scottish lad, the one with the crutches. At least today she looked at me, well she looked at Hood anyway.* he corrected himself. *I can’t really ask for more than that now can I?*
For a brief moment he thought about going up to her, asking her to read the replies for Riley. The mere thought almost cut off his breath. Already he could feel clumsiness settling in like a blanket thrown over him by his shyness where this woman was concerned.*I don’t dare. I’d trip and end up in a heap. I’d forget what I wanted to ask, hell I’d forget my own name if she smiled at me. Though I wish she would smile at me*
It was a crush of the worst kind, compounded by the fact that he was intelligent enough to recognise it for being just that. It didn’t help. His mind might have told him it was stupid but his body still reacted every time she was near.* ‘Make me a willow cabin at thy gate and call upon my heart to dwell within’ Boy I have got it bad* he admitted ruefully * and there’s nothing I can do about it*
Still that wasn’t getting him anywhere in his quest for a Juliette. Glancing around once more he noticed Connor by the doorway. He wondered if his memories were any clearer now and thought about going over to find out.* Stick to the task in hand* he told himself waving a greeting instead, the action more confident now than it would have been a week ago as his proficiency with the crutches came back. *There doesn’t seem to be anyone clutching a script in his group and Riley’s not got all day. Lets not blow his chances ‘cos I can’t keep my mind on the ball.*
There were a couple of girls nearby who caught his attention. He had seen the younger one earlier distributing copies of the script with remarkable enthusiasm. Whether she was also going for a part he wasnt sure but if all else failed she'd maybe at least read it through to help Riley out. The other girl had a quiet intensity about her that could have come from a desire to get up onto the stage.
*She looks like the Juliette type* Micheal thought to himself. *She’s certainly pretty enough. This is where I should discretely move in to see what page she’s reading.* He shook his head self mockingly* In my dreams. Where I’m concerned its like being sneaked up on by a bulldozer. Nope there’s only one thing to do. I shall just have to bite the bullet. Well here goes nothing.*
“Excuse me” he said politely, marvelling now that he had actually opened his mouth that he had ever got himself into this situation. "I dont mean to interupt, but I was just wondering. Are either of you going to audition for the part of Juliette by any chance? Its just that my friend over there is reading for Romeo "He nodded briefly in the direction of the animated group he had so recently left. “ and I thought ….. since the balcony scene really needs two people…… maybe you could work something out together?
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