HomeHe knew it. He knew the second she'd asked for his name that it was going to come back to bite him. Everything about Alice Nightingale set off alarms in Ko's head, warning him that she'd be more trouble than she was worth. It was why, when the runner from the Theater showed up at his room at the Inn, he almost turned the man away. Of course, before he could, the man shrewdly brought up his dwindling finances; a move Ko was certain Alice had instructed him to take. So Ko had agreed, begrudgingly, and once again found himself returning to the Theater. It was less hustle and bustle this time, though the staff were still working. He passed by what looked like stage decor under construction; some kind of castle courtyard or the like. For some reason it sent a shiver down his spine, like a premonition of some kind. As before he passed into the Backstage area, but unlike last time he instead found Alice waiting for him, alongside several other actors. She was currently deep in conversation with an older man, but as soon as she noticed the other actors staring in Ko's direction she turned and smiled that smug smile at him. Ko fought back the urge to frown and kept his expression even. "What's the job this time?" Alice gave him a coy pout. "Oh, no heartfelt greeting? That's fine, I like that stony expression." Though he didn't frown, not even to spite her, his gaze did become more pointed as he urged her to get on with it. The older man standing nearby leaned in towards Alice, clearly attempting to be discreet but failing miserably. "Miss Nightingale, are you sure he's up for this?" Alice dismissed the man with haughty shrug. "I wouldn't have asked for him otherwise. Our strapping young man will make a perfect Romeo." Ko couldn't stop his brows from raising in surprise, but they quickly dropped in irritation as he heard the tittering of the other actresses standing around. More trouble than she was worth indeed. 306/300 |
(Quest - Ko Lesalt) Debut Performance: Reluctant Heartthrob
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Tue May 12, 2020 11:27 pm
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Companion : Tue May 12, 2020 11:51 pm
Jewels : Rank : Race : Experience : Reputation : Class : Strength : Speed : Constitution : Endurance : Intelligence : Mana : Body : Companion : Honestly, he should have been asking for more money for this job. After the parts were announced, with him playing Romeo and Alice playing Juliet (because of course she played the heroine), he'd been informed that they would be rehearsing for a week before the performance itself. Which meant enduring Alice's overbearing presence for an entire week without murdering her or another of the actresses. Truly it was a week of hell. Only his astonishing training and self-control got Ko through it, but ironically it seemed to only make things worse. As an acting troupe, drama was their life blood, and he had been around enough now that he was the topic for gossip. He'd heard no less than 10 different supposed origin stories for himself, each one more ridiculous than the last. It also didn't help that, being the child of a family with 'artistic' inclinations made him something of a natural. He wasn't at a professional level by any means, but he made more than one understudy flustered enough by his line delivery that she had to flee the stage. Something about his 'smolder', whatever that was. In the end, it was Alice's skill that made up for his faults. She coached him relentlessly on what words to emphasize and what expressions to make when speaking to convey emotion. Though, most of the time she seemed happy with his stoic glare. She claimed it gave Romeo's character a more mature twist that was sure to go over well with the audience. Ko couldn't exactly argue; he didn't know the first thing about acting. Most suspiciously, there was no shortage of male actors taking part in the production either. In fact, a lot of them seemed both more experienced and more pleasing to the eye than Ko, at least in his opinion. Even if it was a decision based on appearance, he couldn't reconcile the reality with Alice's choice to make him the male lead rather than a more experienced actor. She was definitely up to something. Ko just couldn't figure out what it was. 348/300 |
Wed May 13, 2020 1:16 am
Jewels : Rank : Race : Experience : Reputation : Class : Strength : Speed : Constitution : Endurance : Intelligence : Mana : Body : Companion : The day of the main performance finally came. All the actors assembled in the theater hall, dressing themselves in costume and performing a last minute rehearsal of their lines. Ko, to his credit, was hardly nervous at all. They'd rehearsed the entire play at least a dozen times by this point; doing it one more time would be nothing, even with an audience watching. Even if he messed up it wasn't like his career would be over; he'd miss out on the money, sure, but he'd survive at least. As he stood in place off stage, he listened to a wave of applause wash over the theater as the curtains rose, signalling the opening act of the play. He sighed, putting his 'game face' on. One way or another he'd get through this. Idly, he listened as the Narrator began speaking, his voice echoing through the theater. "Two houses. Both alike, in dignity, in fair Verona where we make our stage..." ... The play continued without incident; Ko took the stage when necessary, delivering his lines with levelheaded ease. As expected, he was portraying Romeo less as the naive, teenage man and more the stoic, lovesick scion. More than once Ko caught the sight of a woman swooning in the audience as he delivered a soliloquy, face drawn in feigned sorrow. Now, however, they'd reached perhaps the most iconic scene of the play; the balcony scene. As usual, Alice was showing her skill in portraying Juliet as a grown woman, repressed by family expectations rather than a naive maiden beholden to impulse. Their back and forth was masterful, the actress's coaching having paid out dividends in full. They stood now in center stage, the props that disguised the setting as the Capulet garden setting the scene beautifully. They'd been staring at each other for a while, delivering their lines while slowly growing closer, and only just now did Alice turn away from him. "I should have been more standoffish, I confess, but you overheard me talking about the love in my heart when I didn’t know you were there. So excuse me, and do not assume that because you made me love you so easily my love isn’t serious." Her coy posture perfectly portrayed a noble lady lamenting that her poise had failed her. Stepping forward, Ko reached out a hand tentatively, as if afraid he'd frighten her, and delivered his line. "Lady, I swear by the sacred moon above-" On cue, she spun around, interrupting him. "Don’t swear by the moon. The moon is always changing. Every month its position in the sky shifts. I don’t want you to turn out to be that inconsistent too." Her voice was trembling, as if she were holding back her emotions. "Then what should I swear by?" Though his tone was flat, and his expression mostly stoic, his voice conveyed the desperate confusion of a man in love but with no clue how to express it. Alice had been very descriptive. Now she approached, placing both hands on his face. It took days of practice for him not to stiffen at that. "Don’t swear at all. But if you have to swear, swear by your wonderful self, which is the god I worship like an idol, and then I’ll believe you." Ko could hear gasps in the audience at that one. Alice really did know how to use her skills to great effect. ... As the curtains raised for the casting call, Ko couldn't help the sigh of relief that escaped him. finally this ordeal was over. He barely even registered that the crowd was all on their feet, applause washing over the entire cast as they took a bow. Even if he'd played a role in making the play a success, he had no delusions about who did most of the work. Without Alice directing him, he'd have been at a loss. When the curtain finally fell again, and the cast started to depart for the 'after party', Ko wasted no time in following Alice to her dressing room to receive his payment. As expected, she was waiting for him, smug smile in place even as she was removing her makeup. "As expected, you delivered beautifully. Splendid work, Ko." Ko couldn't shake the feeling that she speaking to him like he was a pet. "Job's finished, so where's my money?" His irritation had leaked out a bit as he spoke, but Alice didn't seem to care in the slightest. She simply gestured to a purse next to her, indicating that he take it. "You know Ko, I didn't have to use you for this role. I vouched for you because I wanted to see how reliable you could be. And you didn't disappoint. Keep up that reliability and you might stand to make even more money." Ko's hand paused over the purse of jewels, stoic facade creaking under the strain of his irritation. Ultimately, he snatched the purse up and turned around. Even if she was troublesome, money was money. 651/300 1305/500 |
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Fairy Tail RP » South Fiore » Marigold » Marigold Theater » (Quest - Ko Lesalt) Debut Performance: Reluctant Heartthrob
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