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OUTSIDE RESPITE STUDIOS - EARLY MORNING
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Annika walked up, carrying a coffee, to the front doors of the set and tried the door only to find it locked. "What?" She mumbles to herself, before sighing as she saw the hastily written sign, *Closed for Repairs* "Good Grief..." She shrugs, and turns around, sipping her coffee "Well, I suppose, nothing for it. I've got the day off" Shooting days were cleared of classes well ahead of time, so if there was an abrupt cancellation, that left her free to..well, she'd work something out surely.
Brunilda wanders down the pathway, yawning more than once on the short walk and not really even looking where she's going. "I hope today's script needs none of that armor..." She looks up when she's mere steps away: "Oh, hey Annika. What's up?"
Annika: "Day's cancelled. Something about repairs. Guess we're both at a loose end. We could grab a coffee, I suppose?" She's already had one, but what's another coffee? Mm..Coffee. She yawns gently "Though, maybe I can just head back to my room, get some more sleep"
Brunilda hums, cracking her neck slightly: "Both sleep and coffee sound good. Sleep then coffee? Or coffee then sleep? Hmm."
Gareth yawns a bit to himself as he strides up to the doors, a steaming cup of coffee in hand. He's... honestly still overdressed as usual, in a crisp, red velvet suit instead of his acting clothes. The scar on his face is as prominent as ever, but he doesn't have the 'blinding' contact in at the moment. He waves at Annika and Brunilda as he approaches. "Morning, Annika, Brunilda! Is the door still locked or something?"
Annika: "Yeaahh, something about Repairs? Maybe someone tripped the breakers or something. Woulda been nice to get some heads up, but" She shrugs "Oh well. Not even sure if much was happening today" She finishes off her coffee, and flicks it into a nearby dumpster "Anyway, coffee shop? We can get breakfast, or something" Annika skipped it, so she could sleep in.
Brunilda shrugs, smiling as she adjusts her bra which stubbornly keeps sliding: "Yeah, that works. Already had breakfast, but what's another?"
Gareth looks over at the sign on the door and sighs, shaking his head a bit as he shrugs. "Sure, breakfast sounds nice. Pretty sure today was just supposed to be some rehearsals for the whole rescue thing."
Brunilda: "Aren't we already way over-rehearsed for it?"
Annika: "Well, whatever it is, It means I don't need to spend time in prosthetics" She shrugs "I dunno. More plot rewrites? I just read my parts, and don't worry about what's going on"
Brunilda chuckles: "Ain't that the way of it."
Gareth hums a bit. "Honestly, yeah, we've put way too much time into rehearsing for that thing, but the director's being really insistent." He pauses and glances down at his clothes, "Just kind of glad that pirate outfit isn't much different from what I already wear..."
Brunilda gives Gareth a mild prod as they walk. Mild for an elephant, anyway. "Sure isn't. Have you considered an eyepatch outside the stage? Might suit you."
Annika: "It must be so hard to dress down for the part" She quips with a smile, pushing the door open into the coffee shop, dinging the doorbell "Now..am I in a muffin mood?..Maybe Cheesecake..."
Brunilda: "Mmm cake. You make a convincing argument."
Gareth raises an eyebrow at Brunilda, rocking just a bit from the 'gentle' poke, though Annika's comment makes him chuckle. "Heh... an eyepatch? What for? Not like I'm actually blind in my left eye." He draws in a deep breath, rather enjoying the warm, sweet scent on the air of the coffee shop, "A big bagel slathered in cream cheese sounds amazing right about now."
Annika: "Excellent" She nods and orders "Ah, a double expresso, and a cheese cake" She tilts her head back "Because eyepatches are cool!"
Brunilda laughs softly as she orders a big black coffee just short of a bucket, and a piece of strawberry cake. Hey, it's breakfast if she says it is! "They are, and you'd carry one well. AND it would let me make (more) fun of you."
Gareth laughs all the while as he places his own order of (as he wanted) a large bagel and a refill of his coffee. "If I ever get blinded in one of my eyes, I'd definitely wear one. No way I could get a gracefully blinded eye in real life like I've got in the play."
Brunilda: "True, things rarely work that way. My uncle lost his arm and never got a prosthetic quite as pretty that we wave around as props."
Annika: "Well. You could just have an eye patch, with see through fabric or something" She gets her coffee! Mm. Coffee "Anyway" She sits down "I'm sure something could be worked out, the new tech coming out is pretty nifty" She yawns again, putting her head down for a rest. Comfy table.
Brunilda chuckles at Annika: "Not quite awake yet, it seems. Reckon that's okay." She doesn't quite manage to stifle a yawn of her own as though to punctuate her point.
Enver is seated in a corner of the coffee shop typing away on his laptop. He looks up at the familiar voices and waves. "Oh, hey everyone!" His voice is much more mature and melodic than the one he uses on set. He's dressed in a comfy track suit and has already seemingly destroyed a couple of breakfast sandwiches from the empty plates on his table.
Gareth shrugs a bit as he waits for the barista to complete his order. "That's true. I suppose I could give it a try for fun one day, or... maybe just "accidentally forget" to remove the prop one." He looks over and raises a hand in greeting as Enver calls out, "Hey there, Enver! Getting an early start on your studies today?"
Enver closes his laptop and brings it over to the table the others have claims. He doesn't stop there, though, but carries on back to the counter with his mug to get another refill. "Nah. Working on my screenplay, you know, the usual." He laughs a bit, but blushes. "I mean, everyone wants to do what they're not doing, right?"
Brunilda laughs, shaking her head: "Speak for yourself, I'm only in this to fill in. Well, and it because it's fun. Both?"
Annika: "What? No. It's all good, the table is just warm" She tilts her head up a little bit, blinking at Enver, not entirely sure what's he's getting at, but gives him a smile. She'll support it anyway. She also takes a bite of cheesecake. YayCheesecake
Louma zips out from a doorway behind the counter, webbed feet moving a hundred miles an hour under the swan. Since the planned schedule was for the rescue rehearsal, she opted for an extra shift today. She quietly nods a greeting to the others before whisking Enver's empty plates away to the kitchen.
Brunilda blinks at Louma, just barely registering the familiar shape.
Gareth chuckles, grinning. "I don't know, pirating sounds fun, but I think I'd prefer just keeping it on-set. Flintlocks, cutlasses and all that are neat, but I can't imagine going completely opposite my major." He likewise looks over towards the counter, only to blink when he catches the barest glimpse of Louma vanishing back into the kitchen.
Annika: "I wouldn't mind if I had cool magical powers though, or maybe I dooo~" She giggles gently, taking another shot of expresso, before yawning, and going to get more refills.
Brunilda grins: "I don't think the magical power of sleep counts."
Enver walks back to the table with his latte. "Not sure why Louma keeps this job. She's one of the most popular characters on the show. If she's having money troubles, I'm sure she's due for a raise."
Annika: "We get paid?" She ponders "I suppose we do, it just goes into my account. I don't worry about it" Yay Trust funds~ "It's mostly meant to be about education though, right?"
Brunilda chuckles: "It's certainly educational. I know more about smoke machines than I ever thought I would."
Gareth hums thoughtfully, then shakes his head as he gets his order from the barista and goes to join the group at their table. "It's good experience to get, too. Keeping it varied means we have other skills to fall back on. Still, Louma should be careful, or she'll burn out..."
Enver giggles. "Yeah. I mean, I dunno. I kind of just want to focus on the creative end of things. Like, I'm lucky enough to get into this program, I'm going to make the most of it and not tire myself out with outside work..."
Annika: "Yeah, you gotta take it easy~" She agrees with Enver with a smile "If you overwork yourself, how can you ever keep on top of the important stuff?"
Enver breaks out in giggles. "Being on top is usually Baldwin's job..." He blushes hotly and hides it behind his mug.
Brunilda shrugs: "Admittedly, I'm sorta ashamed to that I don't need to." Rich family be very rich, even if they make you major in stuff you're not terribly interested in. Whosoever was ever interested in chemistry?
Brunilda looks at Enver, then snerks.
Gareth smirks at Annika. "Like sleep and cheesecake? But yeah, I have to hand it to the screenwriters and such. The stories they've been pushing out for the team so far have been all kinds of interesting." He pauses, giving Enver a sideways look as he stifles an amused chuckle.
Annika: "They're part of a balanced diet!" She gets a bit of energy into her voice to defend her primary hobby
Brunilda: "Sleep or cheesecake?"
Annika: "Yes"
Enver puts down his mug and opens his laptop again, if only to save his writing and shut it down properly before putting it in his messenger bag. "You know what's not? Kissing girls. Like... Teis is great and all, but that's the hardest part of this role. I just don't feel it, you know?"
Brunilda grins, waving her hand: "Speak for yourself. Definitely speak only for yourself. Mmmr...~"
Gareth nods in agreement. "Yeah, I can understand. Everyone's got their own comfort zones, but I guess that's part of acting, being able to do stuff out of your usual and still make it convincing." He shakes his head, "Still worried I'm going to actually start talking like a pirate one day off-set..."
Brunilda: "If you do, I'll be there to remind you of it. I wanna see it."
Gareth throws an amused, if flat look at Brunilda. "Of course you do, Brun. All the more fodder for you to poke fun with, right?"
Brunilda: "Someone's gotta do it."
Enver looks at Gareth. "Hey, could be worse. They could have given you a pegleg..." He wiggles his hand. "At least I don't have to pretend this doesn't work anymore."
Gareth laughs. "If only to keep me on my toes..." He nods at Enver, "And true, the pirate outfit is at least not... completely stereotypical, so props to the costume department for that."
Annika: "I just kinda get dressed regular, well..a bit less now. You know they were planning to put me in one of those plunging neckline things? Sooo not me" She yawns "They scrapped the plans for me to go all 'evil sexy'. There's still a lot of fanart of it online though, and weird fan letters"
Brunilda shakes her head: "I'm sort of glad I'm not the main fan target... those things get creepy." She shudders a bit.
Gareth snorts a bit as he takes a bite out of his bagel. "Tell me about it... a couple of letters I've gotten read more like bad fanfiction than anything else. Pretty glad our costume department tries to keep things sensible most of the time." He nods at Annika, "That plunging neckline outfit notwithstanding, anyway."
Brunilda laughs at that: "Just don't ask Victoria her opinion. I did, and now I'm telling you, don't."
Enver sighs. "Pretty sure poor Sammi gets the worst of it. You know how folks out there get about tentacles." He sips his coffee again.
Gareth hums. "Mmh, Sammi's shown me one or two of those letters, and that had me questioning how people can think it's a good idea to put all that on paper and mail it." He smiles a bit at Brunilda after a moment, "Good to know. I'd like to keep my face where it is."
Annika: "The most make-up too~ She's pushing for some time out of it, though I've no idea how -that's- gonna work" She sips gently
Enver ponders. "Maybe more of that shadowy form she had for that raid. That was mostly mist and editing in post..."
Gareth tilts his head. "Out of the makeup and prosthetics and all the other stuff that they use for her costume? Probably the mist thing, yeah... or... hm..." He shrugs, "They'll probably try to make a story arc out of it."
Brunilda leans back, half-tuning out the conversation.
Annika: "It's alll hush hush, so I don't know. Only that spending that much time on hair and make-up is a frequent complaint. Not to mention like..not actually being a squid"
Gareth lets out a bit of a laugh. "Heh, yeah. I get kind of overdressed for my part, but Sammi usually has to arrive for makeup and costume adjustments a couple hours in advance of any scene she's in just to get everything looking right."
Annika: "And to think I complain about a couple of tails"
Annika: "..Which I do. They suck"
Gareth takes a look at his own tail, giving it a bit of a wag. "I mean, one tail is good for balance... animatronic tails would throw that balance way off, I bet, once they start wiggling."
Annika: "They tested it with more, but they were too unwieldy. The real magic in the fabled 9 tails is staying upright"
Gareth nods. "All that structural metal and synthetic fur, it'd be like lugging around a backpack full of textbooks all scene. Maybe even two backpacks worth of weight."
Annika: "You should try it sometime" She yawns, smirking softly "Then maybe I can get more sympathy"
Gareth: "I might be able to balance a bit better just from the sheer amount of clothes I wear during a typical scene." He chuckles, "It was kind of nice during the caravan attack, getting to remove the overcoat that early on."
Annika bring her head up briefly, and looks up at all his clothes, then down at all his clothes "Ahuh"
Annika puts her head back down
Gareth pauses, then chuckles again. "I stand corrected."
Annika: "I never corrected you for a moment~"
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PETE'S PIZZA PAVLOVIAN PIZZERIA - VAGUELY NEAR LUNCHTIME
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Victoria is sitting down at her near-usual table, munching in a delicious cheese-and-pepperoni creation she knows she has to 'pay off' at the gym later - but the cycle of eating too-good food and working it off at the gym has been part of the leopard's life for as long as she can recall. She's dressed in her usually long skirt and loose shirt (with her gym gear underneath for later), idly glancing at people passing on the street next to her.
Kira walks into the pizzeria, looking for lunch as usual. She's not actually a tiny moth, but rather a small white bat, about 3½' tall. She gets a large (for her size) meal at the counter and looks around for somewhere to sit, not noticing Victoria just yet.
Victoria notices Kira and waves cheerily: "Hey, Kir-Kir! Here!"
Kira joins Victoria at the table, needing a bit of a flap to get up onto the seat but not much of one. "Hey Vicky. How you doing? Enjoying the day off?"
Victoria leans back and grins: "It's me, this pepperoni pizza and wine until I'm properly buzzed. So that's probably a yes." She sighs: "I mean, I know I gotta keep in shape, but I'm gonna take a day off when I get it."
Kira nods, laughing. "Oh yeah... I gotta keep up with that now too, what with the big fight scenes coming up... I'm getting pretty good with the rapier though." She starts into her own bacon and pineapple pizza.
Victoria laughs softly: "Yeah, you're better at it than you're allowed to be." She shakes her head: "My character is better at that... well, all that, than I am, certainly. I definitely don't wanna start method acting bloodshed."
Kira laughs. "Fair enough. And hey, you get some romantic scenes now too. Not sure I fully get that plot, but whatever, we're not writers."
Victoria laughs again, waving her hand: "Me and Annika have been trying to figure that out, but haven't gotten very far. Whatever's gonna come up... will come up, right?"
Aelia walks alongside Phoebe into the Pizzeria, dressed in a blazer and slacks, she's laughing alongside the wolf, giving a little wave to Victoria and Kira when she spots them at a table.
Victoria waves at the two, grinning: "Hey there."
Phoebe is wearing a bit of a suit, looking ever the consummate professional, she walks past the table to go put in an order for the two.
Aelia walks up to Victoria once Phoebe walks past to get their food, "Oh my gosh Victoria, your outfit looks adorable! I can't wait until they let me start wearing literally anything on set but that one gross dress. But that shirt is so cute on you!"
Victoria grins but blushes as well: "I mean, it's just... just whatever I picked up? You know I have more than a few, right?" Regardless, she's pretty taken at the compliment. "You don't look too bad yourself~."
Kira waves to the other two, though her mouth is crammed with pizza at the moment. She wipes her hands and mouth and sits up a bit more. "Hey you two. How are things?"
Aelia giggles, "Thanks! And hello Kira! Things are pretty good! Gloomy over there is just making sure they get our pizza right." She giggles, motioning towards Phoebe. "She's such a perfectionist, you know? Just had to come out even when the set's closed to be sure all the costumes are 'just so' for the next shoot."
Phoebe glances back towards the table raising an eyebrow at Aelia silently before she turns back to the watch them make their pizza.
Victoria laughs, shaking her head: "I mean, I'm not one to really talk about perfectionism. Although it would be nice if they gave me actual clothes to wear every now and then."
Kira giggles. "Better than wearing a moth costume all the time... or those mocap suits for like, the fancy flying stuff..."
Aelia giggles along, "I don't begrudge you any of that. Or like, Melia with all that makeup and green screen stuff! It's kinda wacky? And the wardrobe stuff is kinda limited. But at least they introduced the stuff about the spider clothing? It all looks so cute, and I hope my character can get something like that too! She's supposed to be refined or something." She pulls up a seat at the table and grins.
Phoebe walks over a moment later. She hmphs. "We could get our own table and let them eat in peace."
Victoria shakes her head and giggles: "There's gotta be a middle ground. I mean, I get it's a desert setting and all, but either we have all the cumbersome stuff, or no clothing at all. And even the cumbersome stuff is to fake... not having clothes."
Aelia sticks her tongue out at Phoebe before nodding. "Don't ask me! I don't know why we can't just have some nice blue jeans or a few cute skirts and such. I don't think there'd be much harm."
Phoebe rolls her eyes and sighs, glancing between the group. "Because you didn't read the setting lore."
Victoria snerks before stifling more of her laugh. "Okay, that's fair. Can't do that either. But like, Phoebe, loincloths?"
Kira snrks. She looks over at Victoria. "Would you rather be crawling around on all fours still?"
Phoebe sighs, "I just think a little appreciation for the backstory and understanding the resource limitations of not just the town, but also the world, makes for a more compelling work, that's all." She side-eyes Aelia. "Some folks barely read the script though."
Aelia giggles, "It's called improv! And I took two courses of it back in theater school! And I'm a professionally trained dancer, and that's all they said they wanted when they hired me!"
Kira hurriedly swallows another mouthful. "You haven't even danced yet. Real shame."
Aelia huffs, not actually upset but certainly making a show of it, "I KNOW! They brought me out and let me do some introductions, but I think it was all just to throw a net on me, and then put the attention all back on her! I'm gonna ask for more screen time next time they say we 'switch', or whatever it is we're supposed to do."
Phoebe clears her throat, "It's a take on a lycanthropic curse, hence your 'other side' being a wolf. If you'd read the lore behind it, you'd remember..." She stops as she notes Aelia has stopped paying attention and sighs. "I'll go get our pizza..."
Kira sighs. "I can dance too... but no, they just want me to flap around and act like a weird bug..."
Victoria leans back and laughs: "I can't dance to save my life. I'd like to think they hired me for more than good looks, but let's be honest... I can act well AND my ass looks great."
Aelia: "It's totally a cute costume though, Kira! They should let you do like... a bug dance? I'm sure they could justify it in the script somehow." She winks at Victoria, "Yeah it does~."
Phoebe snorts loudly at Aelia's last comment as she walks back to the counter to get their food.
Victoria blushes at the compliment, but grins regardless: "Hey, gotta use what assets you got, in this line of work."
Kira laughs. "Sure, but then I have to do all my scenes at the back of the stage so I look smaller and stuff... I dunno." She sighs. "Why couldn't I just be a bat?"
Aelia gives Kira a sympathetic look. "Aw. At least someday you can do the convention circuit out of makeup and fans will love you, right? I've heard this kind of thing gets real popular and you can go to conventions and sign autographs and meet all sorts of cool fans!"
Phoebe returns with the pizza, half meat lovers and half veggies. "I don't know... convention goes are... weird."
Victoria waves her hand: "The fans are, but I sorta like the attention..." She pauses for a long moment: "...mostly."
Kira laughs. "And I guess I can sell the costumes someday for money... or something..."
Aelia giggles, "Don't listen to Phoebe. She used to go to All of those conventions, so she's only speaking from first hand experience~."
Phoebe blushes bright, eyes going wide as she nearly drops her first slice, "AELIA! Sh-shush!"
Victoria looks between the two, her eyes settling on Phoebe: "Oh? Do share with the rest of the group, Phoebe. It's only polite."
Kira hides her laughter under the oversized hood of her hoodie and another mouthful of pizza.
Phoebe looks very irately at the giggling Aelia before she sighs and turns her attention to Victoria, trying to look very non-chalant, "I... maybe went to a few local conventions... just to... admire the costuming work and... patronize a few local artists. That's all."
Victoria smirks slyly: "Sure you did. Only that, and nothing else at all."
Aelia smirks, "She was such an anime dork in college~. She still is, but now she's ashamed of it and likes to pretend she outgrew it."
Victoria grins: "Hey, nothing wrong with that. I haven't gone in a few years, but it'd be fun I reckon."
Aelia takes a slice of pizza before nudging Phoebe with an elbow, "Eh? You two should go together! Break out your old Star Wolf cosplay~?"
Phoebe slumps a little bit as she stares down at her pizza. She coughs low. "M-might be fun..."
Kira ponders. "I suppose I could walk around a place like that and not be super recognized at least... I mean, I know we're not that big of a show but folks would spot you all super quick."
Victoria looks at Phoebe, just barely hiding her smirk: "Hey, if it helps, I went all out on paper mache Superstar Cat costume, way back whenever." She frowns: "Lost it in a move though, sadly."
Phoebe glances back up, looking genuinely upset at Victoria's revelation, "That's awful! I, uh... if you ever want some help with building up a cosplay again I uh... maybe could help..." She slowly glances back down, taking a bite of her pizza at last.
Aelia nods to Kira, "Yeah, exactly! Could be fun to just 'blend in' when you want, and then get behind a table and get recognition." She pats Phoebe with a sympathetic smile, giving Victoria a bit of a nod.
Victoria smiles: "Maybe I would! As long as you're okay with just 'largely near-ish' take and not aiming for the stars. We all got enough 'perfection' on the set, after all." She mildly shudders at thinking about Maelan "Grindy" Maiyan, the person responsible for most of the makeup and prosthetics and a scary, SCARY old tortoise at that.
Kira giggles, thinking over the possibilities. "I wonder, if I showed up in the costume, would folks think I was just a fan or...?"
Phoebe coughs, "Well, we'd strive for perfection of cou-"
Aelia elbows Phoebe.
Phoebe mrphs, "I mean uh, yeah. Whatever we end up with, as long as it's made with love, um, right?"
Victoria waves her hand: "Love smchove. As long as we're having fun!"
Aelia nods, "Exactly! Fun! I'm sure she'd have a ton of fun, Victoria!" She glances at Kira, "You think they'd let you wear the costume out for a weekend or something? You'd probably get a ton of folks asking for photos thinking it was just really good cosplay!"
Victoria chuckles, shaking her head slightly: "Good idea in theory, good luck persuading Grindy for that. Or, you know... ask permission if you're feeling brave."
Kira finishes up her pizza and gets up. "Hate to eat and run, but I have to meet up with the fencing coach..."
Aelia waves, "Have fun! I hope they let me get a sword eventually, but I'll settle for the wardrobe change!"
Phoebe clears her throat, regaining some bit of composure. "Yes. Enjoy your day, Kira."
Kira leaves a tip of her spare change on the table and heads out, putting on earphones and dancing her way out to whatever music she's got.
Victoria waves at Kira leaving, then turns to Aelia and Phoebe again: "Guess we'll have to see what's up for us next. Both a curse and a blessing that the director don't let us know more..."
Phoebe speaks up once again, voice a bit soft as if she's embarrassed, "Well, there's a few obvious themes that I think point towards some obvious story directions... but um... who knows?"
Aelia giggles, "Phoebe overthinks it all, trust me."
Victoria shrugs with a grin: "I've no clue, but it's fun if a bit... morbid for my tastes."
Aelia nods, "I dunno. I never was much one for the gritty rawr stuff either! But some of it kinda fun. I've watched a few of the big correographed fights from off set, and that stuff is like... wow, mind blowing!"
Victoria laughs: "Way less fun after the fifteenth take, but yeah. The end result looks awesome."
Aelia: "It's sorta like a huge dance piece, with everyone going from place to place and all meeting up in sync! I mean, other then the parts with the trampolines and the special effects they do later I guess."
Victoria smiles: "Yeah, that's one way to see it. I just do what's wanted, the fun stuff is the non-actiony bits really."
Phoebe nods, "Well, and the worldbuilding stuff."
Aelia giggles, "Phoebe just likes all the nerd stuff. But yeah, I'm looking forward to getting to act a bit more with folks soon enough!"
Victoria winks: "You'll get your chances, I'm sure. I feel our series is gonna go for a good long while~."
Aelia nods enthusiastically, "Oh for sure! I'm having a ton of fun, even if I've not been in that many scenes yet!"
Phoebe smiles softly at Aelia, "You'll be up again soon enough, I'm sure."
Victoria smirks: "You have a pretty interesting story going, even if it's sorta unclear where that's headed. But you're both doing great!"
Aelia finishes up her current slice of pizza, grinning. "Yeah, Phoebe doesn't think so, but I just want to get more chances to act alongside you all!"
Phoebe manages not to choke at the mention, swallowing to glance at Aelia, "I just... I think I could be doing better. I still don't really 'know' who my character is yet..."
Victoria winks: "You'll get there. If I can become a bloodthirsty warrior when I've only done pretty dress period drama before this, you can do this."
Phoebe blushes, "It's my first gig... I really only came to the tryout to support her." She nods towards Aelia. "I didn't think I'd actually get a part, let alone working alongside her so close."
Aelia giggles, "Alongside her meaning never in the same scene. But yeah, it's been fun! And you're doing great!"
Victoria smiles brightly, her pizza's remains long-forgotten: "Yup! We gotta support each other and really you've been great lately."
Phoebe smiles back at Victoria, giving a brief nod, "I appreciate that."
Aelia pats Phoebe on the back, grinning at Victoria as well, "She's just a bit shy, but you two can probably talk about anime all night long once you get her started."
Victoria smirks, considering Phoebe: "That's a possibility. What's your favourite?"
Phoebe slowly starts to come out of her shell as she starts to talk about an old fan favorite series she walked as a cub, growing more and more excited as she adds in various details, all while Aelia just sits back eating her pizza with a huge grin on her face.
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THE SEE YOU LATTE CAFE - MIDDAY
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Nesseth sits at one of the many tables in the cafe, looking quite comfortable in his casual day wear compared to the prop armor and period-accurate clothes. At the moment, he's got his eyes focused on the small screen of a handheld console, though the half-eaten plate of food next to him shows he's not wholly focused on the game he's playing at the moment with Vix.
Vix relaxes across from Nesseth in her favorite jacket (borrowed from his closet), hammering away at the buttons on her matching console.
Nesseth lets out a groan and he leans back in his seat, directing his attention up towards the ceiling. "Agh... damn, guess I'm heading back to camp." He sighs and redirects his attention back to the console, though he glances up at Vix with an apologetic smile, "That thing's move caught me by surprise."
Vix tilts her console sideways as she tries to make her character dodge faster. "I'll try to hold out until you're--ack! Ahhh, that was close!"
Nesseth laughs a bit as he regains control of his character. "On my way back, now! Shouldn't take me more than a few seconds to get back unless I mess up my wall jump movement. Still need to get used to that mechanic..."
Vix leans forward a bit. "I think I've got the hang of his pattern, kinda. You gotta watch out whenever he spins around!"
Maybelline approaches the table in her waitress uniform, a slightly frilly numberthat sits a bit baggy on her tiny frame. She approaches the table, notepad in hand as she makes a small list, not quite looking up at the customers just yet as she's only just now starting her shift. "Oh um, hi! No rush or anything, but I just wanted to let you know your server's heading home for the day, so if there's anything you need, I'll be taking over! My name's Maybelline and I-oh heck Nesseth?! Vix?"
Nesseth nods. "Yeah, it just seems like it can pull that move out whenever it wants, you know? I, uh..." He blinks and looks around as the waitress shows up to check on them. He blinks again when he realizes who he's looking at. "We're good right now I th... wait... May?!"
Maybelline blushes, "N-no! ...Yes."
Vix looks up from her game to stare at May for a moment, but manages to look back just in time to dodge a powerful attack. "Ah! Lookin' good, May!"
Nesseth glances back at his screen for a moment just to make sure he's not running into a wall or anything. "Did you get hired on here just recently or something? How've you been?"
Maybelline shakes her head, "Err... no. I've worked here. I guess I usually don't work this shift, but with the studio shut down for today I picked up an extra shift and uh... h-h-here you are! Ha!!" She gives a huge forced grin. "But it's... fine! Fine! Yes! Fine."
Vix chuckles. "Hey, no worries, we won't tell anyone you look great in uniform~"
Nesseth grins and nods. "Yup, your secret's safe with us!"
Annika returns back to the cafe, to grab herself some lunch. She's heading straight to the counter, fortunately not observant enough to have seen anyone in particular in the cafe.
Maybelline sighs, "Well, thanks... things have been so stressful on set lately, what with the really heavy script stuff, and the relationship with Louma, plus all the teasing from Louise and Velma about it all... and the maybe more than teasing? Plus I don't even know where I stand with Annika anymore... And did you know they're trying to get me to play a second part? My 'identical sister'? How cliche is that? Still the pay raise would be nice... but it's more work too."
Vix chats through a lull in her gameplay. "That just means the director likes how you do things~"
Annika had gotten herself a chicken wrap, and was about to bite down, when her ears perked, and she heard her name being called out "?" She looks up, and around, eyes half open for whoever had spoken. She's...not very observant.
Nesseth chuckles, nodding. "It's extra work, but you'll have to talk to the producers about burning out. Louise is running herself ragged over at the campus coffee shop, and with how heavy she and Velma play into current things... yeah, we all need to be careful about overextending."
Maybelline takes a deep breath. "Well, that's true, yeah... it's just my first real big role, I'd done a few commercials before, but nothing like this! I... get a little involved in it all. The emotion."
Annika looks up "Oh. Hey" She walks over, munching on the wrap in her hands "You look cute" To May, continuing to eat "Didn't know you worked here" Munch
Nesseth waves at Annika as she approaches. "Oh, hey there, Annika! Here, have a seat." He nudges out a chair for the fox, then nods at May, "Yeah, I get it. Bigger roles, you have a whole different mindset to get into. It's just going to take practice to separate the stage from real life."
Maybelline blinks, then turns to spot the fox, "Ahaagaha! Annika! Hi! I didn't um... were you listening in?"
Annika: "?" She makes a small questioning tone, tilting her head "Listening in? I just heard my name..and..well, then I saw you guys" She slumps into the profferred chair, leaning back into it "Thought I'd say high"
Vix manages to defeat whatever monster she was fighting and sets her game down. "Better not stress May too much. She looks like she's about to pop."
Nesseth startles when he hears the "mission complete" jingle and looks back at his screen. "Woah, woah! Wait, I need to carve!!"
Maybelline sighs, "N-no! Nu-uh! I'm fine! I'm just... I'm under a lot of stress lately with work and family stuff and t-trying to figure out a love life and career and... ugh. Maybe I am overdoing it..."
Nesseth glances up at May as he tries to make it back to claim some of the rewards in the game. "Yeah... sounds like you've got a lot on your plate at the moment. What about that teasing from Louise and Velma? Is it getting out of hand or something?"
Maybelline waves a hand rather quickly, "Oh uh, n-no! No no... it's not that I... err... dislike it..."
Annika: "I.." She rubs her head, trying to make sense of it "Maybe take a day off? Are you getting enough sleep? I could bring you out to lunch sometime.." She suspects that May might not be eating right!
Maybelline lowers her hand back down and sighs, glancing at Annika with a smile, "Maybe? That was supposed to be today but I got called in for this shift, and I do need the money, if this role pays well. I probably haven't been getting enough sleep..." She frowns, "And I mostly eat cheap fast food, admittedly. All the sugary stuff they ask me to eat in character probably doesn't help either."
Nesseth shakes his head a bit as he manages to get to the downed creature in-game in time to snag a couple of carves. "Yeah... you might need to eat a bit healthier. Maybe talk with the producers and see if they could get some healthier things that still look like those sugary snacks?"
Annika: "Okay. Make that a full dinner. Food is important Maybe. And sleep. You can't do anything else right if you don't do those two things.." She yawns "Like, how can you enjoy a nice mid-afternoon nap if you're too tired to enjoy it?"
Vix: "I've still got a bunch of bread from that one scene if you want some~" Vix offers helpfully.
Nesseth blinks and raises an eyebrow at Vix as he sets his own game down now that the rush is over for the moment. "Wait... how much bread did they even supply you with for that scene? That whole pack was stuffed full..."
Maybelline smiles tiredly at Annika, "A full dinner...? Would be real nice. But I wouldn't want to put you out on my account!" She glances back towards the kitchen, making sure there's nothing else she needs to take care of on the job right now when she's talking instead of working. "They usually let me take a burger and some fries for free after my shift."
Vix sticks out her tongue. "They had a bunch of extra so I asked to take it home. It's great for sandwiches!"
Nesseth nods at Vix. "I guess they would, if the loaf I ate during that scene was anything to go by." He chuckles, "I guess they were expecting us to need more than a couple of takes."
Vix grins. "Lots of crying and stuff. Nailed it in one!"
Annika: "It's no bother. Anything for a friend. You're obviously not going to eat right if I don't help" She finishes her wrap "Any food you like? There's that thai place..or..uh..there's that place down the riverbank?" She clearly has no idea about the relative cost of things.
Nesseth grins. "We're just too good a pair at those scenes, huh?"
Maybelline blinks, "Uh... Thai is nice?" She smiles. "I guess... that at the very least, I work with some pretty awesome folks. Thank you all for putting up with a newbie like me."
Vix pats May on the shoulder. "Newbie? You're a natural!"
Nesseth smiles at May. "You're good at it, May. I'd have thought you were doing some acting for a while if you didn't say you were completely new when you first joined up."
Annika: "Thai. Yeah, that seems nice. I've not done thai in a while.." She looks down, and sighs sadly. Her wrap is eaten "Well..um..I've got to go. Uh..I think I've got somewhere to be" She takes out her phone to check "Oh, right, some meeting about a sponsorship thing. Dunkeroos? I like Dunkeroos..."
Maybelline waves to Annika, "I should probably uh... get back to work. It was nice catching up though, and I'll look forward to dinner!" She glances back at Nesseth and Vix and nods, "Uh, right... so... anything you need, just wave me down, but I should check on my other tables..."
Annika nods, and heads out, head still in her phone, only barely swaying around someone that's walking in.
Nesseth gives May a thumbs up. "Alrighty, May. I think we're good for the time being, though. Just kind of kicking back and relaxing at the moment, you know? We'll catch your attention if anything."
Maybelline shakes her head as Annika goes. "See just... I can't read her at all." She shrugs, then gives Nesseth a thumbs up in return. "You got it. Take your time!" She turns and heads back towards the kitchen to check on things.
Nesseth smiles back at Vix as May heads off to continue her duties, and picks up his console again. "So... another hunt, Vix?"
Vix grins and picks up her console again. "Heck yeah, I could go for a few more~"
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END. ... WE NOW RETURN YOU TO OUR REGULAR PROGRAMMING
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