tornheart | Open

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Who: Katarina Acquati (Aqua), OTA
Where: The (unnamed) theater, Leviathan Habitat
Summary: Ballet/theater life and off-time
Warnings: None needed

Theater

It's an open rehearsal for Cinderella, with Katarina in the title role. The performance is over the weekend, and she's pretty much got it down, practicing a dance with a broomstick when the music she's playing suddenly gives out.

"Huh? That's weird. I thought I charged this."

Looking out to anyone watching, she insists, "Don't worry, this won't happen in the real thing!"

Leviathan Habitat

With an exhausting practice and music player issues to worry about, Katarina's relieved to finally get out and walk around for a bit. And the aquarium is as good a place as any to relax.

She plays with the cuttlefish for a bit before making her way outside to the coast, walking carefully and sighing when she has to keep her distance.

"I wish I could get a little closer, but I can't risk twisting my ankle right now."

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There's only one reason "Ciro Bonavida" is at the aquarium today, and that's to get some paperwork figured out for advertisement matters. Somewhere as popular as the Aquarium would be useful for his own cafe...

So, needless to say, he doesn't really plan on being sidetracked. Yet when his phone goes off with a reminder and he sees the faint flickering of a symbol above someone's head.... He heaves out a quiet and reluctant sigh. On one hand, it's good that someone else is available to Awaken. On the other hand, couldn't it have happened to someone that wasn't him?

Still, carefully putting papers into his bag, he trails after her when she goes outside, and is just near enough to hear her words. "Why?" is the simple blunt question that comes out.

Katarina sees him and smiles.

"Because I'm dancing in a ballet this weekend. Actually..."

She reaches into her purse and takes out a flyer for the performance.

"Here you go. There are discounted tickets for students, if you're interested."

Even as Ciro, he can't say he ever had an interest in dancing, or ballet. Certainly, he'd had nothing against it, but it hadn't been in his interests. Chikusa is still the same in regard.

Yet he accepts the flyer anyway, looking over it quietly.

"...Do you regularly perform...?"

"We try to put together a performance every month. This is the first time I've ever been the lead, though."

It's a little bragging, but she's got a reason to be proud of herself.

"Do you think you'll get it again?" It's not meant to be a challenging statement or anything, simply mere curiosity.

Yet Chikusa is always a bit.... quiet and bland. Sometimes things come out in ways they aren't meant to.

She does notice that, but she still answers, "I'm not sure. But we do try to cycle everyone through."

"I see..." Well, it's worth a shot, and this is really the only thing he has on the table. Shifting through the papers, he finds one of the flyers for the cafe and holds it out to her. It's not the fanciest thing in the world, but it's nice enough. Neat enough. Lots of flowers, because what in Eddan doesn't have flowers?

This freakin' city.

"I'm going to be opening a student-run cafe soon... and we allow people to advertise for things there. If you'd want..."

The flowers are pretty, shut up. Eddan needs more plant life, obviously.

"Really? That would be great!"

Another thought occurs to her, and she says, "You wouldn't know a teacher, or a staff member named Mr. LeBlanc, would you?"

That's one part of things taken care of and, frankly, he's not expecting anything else to come of it... But then she brings up a certain teacher, and Chikusa pauses.

"Yes... He helps with the Gardening Club and has been advising me with this a little." An eyebrow quirks up. "Why?"

"Oh, nothing much. He also performs at the theater, in one of the drama groups," she explains. "I was wondering if he might provide flyers, but if he's actually helping, that might be even better."

"Oh." Well, that's normal. Why does it seem like so many people are involved in theater.... Still, Chikusa shrugs.

"If you come over, maybe you'll see him.... But it's more of a technical level that helps with."

Because the arts are important to everyone's wellbeing and contribute to a society's culture, of course.

"That's all right. Thank you, though."

After a moment, she admits, "It's a little strange for me, since I don't go to the main school. So I don't know everybody quite as well..."

Ciro would probably say something about him not knowing either.... but Ciro isn't him. Not really. Chikusa instead just thinks carefully before he gives an answer.

"Do you do anything besides theater...?"

"Not yet, really. Dance has taken up a lot of my time, but I do get some lulls with not much beyond practice when we're not doing a big show."

There's a hopeful note, like maybe he'll have some kind of suggestion where she could go or what she could try, beyond just checking out the aquarium.

Good. That's exactly what he wants to hear. "Well... The café is going to be prioritizing having student workers. But if you're not interested in that... Do you know about the Gardening Club?"

Thank god Ciro let himself ever be roped into that whole thing.

She shakes her head.

"Not really. I mean, I saw everything for the flower festival. But I...I can barely keep my houseplants alive."

This she says with a good deal of shame.

Someone, somewhere withing the GVGC, could say this very persuasively and comfortingly.

"Well.... There are plants for people who suck at them."

Chikusa "Ciro Bonavida" Kakimoto is not one of them.

If nothing else, however, he continues on with the same bland and quiet voice as he used with the previous statement. "Anyway... If you learn more about plants and how to take care of them... You might learn where you're going wrong."

She does cringe at that statement. But the second at least gets her to nod.

"That...might be a good idea."

"We meet after classes, and during break.. At the greenhouses. Poking around generally finds someone..." He shrugs.

"...Or I can call you during a good day. Whatever you want to do."

Katarina nods, then takes out a pen and starts scribbling her number and a few times on one of her flyers.

"These are going to be the best times to reach me, after the show is over."

Adjusting the fliers under one hand, he glances over the number that he's been given. It only takes a quick moment before he tucks it back with the rest, and takes his phone out from his pocket.

Buzz buzz, Katarina.

She hold up her phone, smiling.

"All right, good. That'll work out, then."

"My number should be on your phone now..." At least, unless he's been blocked as spam.

"Call me whenever you're ready. I think... you'd be helpful around." He pauses, trying to figure out how to word this properly. "Stamina... is an important thing when it comes to gardening. Apparently theater's the same."

Probably. He knows nothing about theater.

"Really? Well, I guess I have enough of that."

It seems he's said as much as could really be said, so... Finally, Chikusa starts to turn away. "I have to go..." More stops to make and all that. "So if you have any questions, just call me."

"All right. Thanks again."

Ran's found herself at the aquarium today, driven there for a little peace. Unfortunately her "parents" are both at home, which means sniping and cold silences and enough tension to stir with a stick -- tension that Ran absorbs and which eats into her bones. She was driven out, and barely even noticed where her steps were taking her until she found herself paying for her ticket.

The fish are peaceful, and the swirl of color reminds her of other, better times -- of a life that was a little more simple. She drifts between the displays, fingers periodically brushing the glass, watching the ripples of the kelp and the colorful fish braid in and out of the strands.

She steps out onto the coast, soothed, for a bit of fresh air, and catches sight of Katarina. The sight of the woman pierces through the fog as memory and recognition snap into place. "Ah--!"

Edited 2017-11-11 20:09 (UTC)

Katarina hears the sudden gasp and glances over at Ran, smiling.

"I guess I'm caught."

She's not what she would consider a celebrity, but it's nice to see a fan recognize her around.

Pink flushes to Ran's cheeks -- but thankfully, Katarina hasn't seemed to mind the interruption or the awkward, pleased recognition.

"You were in the last ballet. Weren't you?"

She'd gone with her mother and had been enchanted by it. Though she can't recall having been to the ballet back at home, here she remembers it as something her mother introduced her to quite young, and both true self and false self are united in judgement: It's beautiful.

"You had the solo in the second act?"

It might have been just a short one, but Aqua herself is memorable, and it had been at a key point of the story.

Katarina smiles and nods. "I'm glad I made a good impression. We're doing Cinderella this weekend. Students get a discount on tickets."

"Mm, I'll have to go. I think I should be able to fit it in, and I should be able to convince Mom." She laughs a little, thinking aloud now. "I'll have to hope the others keep moving on the cafe; maybe I can call someone to cover for me . . ."

"Which part will you be playing?"

"Oh, which cafe?" It's a little different, being from the theater school instead of the main campus, so she likes the idea of maybe getting to meet other people around town.

"Actually, I'm the lead. It's my first time, so it's pretty exciting."

Unlike Katarina and the others on stage, Tristan is just there to watch. He had an upcoming performance, too, but their rehearsal was earlier and now finished.

He smiles a bit wryly when the incident with the music happens. "Something like that always happens in rehearsals."

"I really thought I charged it, though."

Tristan's comment is actually pretty reassuring. Katarina's never been the lead before, so this little setback isn't great for her nerves.

Tristan's never had a lead role in anything, and he's honestly not sure he'd want one. This is a hobby for him. He does it to relax, and is quite sure the pressure of a larger role would make it less fun. Besides, he's not convinced he has the talent for it, anyway. He's happier to play supporting parts, and to show up at open rehearsals and calm down flustered leads. He shrugs slightly.

"If you think there's something wrong with it, it might be better to find a backup. Though something like that is also easy to lose track of when you're busy."

She nods.

"Maybe I can borrow one. The school might even let me, since this is tied to the arts program."

"Do you know Christina Vineyard?" He suspects yes, if Katarina has done much work with the school's performing arts department. "She might have something you could use."

"I think so. At least, I know her more in passing. Still, that might work."

A slight nod. "I'll see her at work tomorrow. I can pass on the message if you want."

She breathes a sigh of relief.

"Thank you. I think this whole thing has me a little nervous. I want everything to go right."

"Bigger role than you're used to?" he guesses. He's only really met her in passing, so he can't say that for certain, but he does know that this one is significant, at least.

She nods. "It's the first time I've been the lead. I've been working my way up over time, but still, it's...terrifying."

He can't help smiling, a little wryly. "I understand. I'm not sure how I'd handle that, myself." He catches her gaze and adds more confidently, "But technical issues aside, you're doing fine. I wouldn't have guessed you were nervous."

At least not until she got flustered over the sound going out, but that's both very understandable and not likely to happen in the actual show.

"Thanks."

She sits down, just trying to catch her breath.

"I think I needed to hear all of that."

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leviathan habitat

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Leviathan Habitat

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Argh, I'm sorry -- this got buried.

No problem!

Theater

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