Behind the Screen (Rosa x Curtis)

Break a Leg!

My legs nearly give way by the time I standing in front of the musical theatre. My dad opened it when I was only little, finally achieving his life's dream. I've tried to help out as much as possible, and spend most of my time here. I still remember the first production I ever watched here, Swan Lake. I was only around seven, and Fluffy was still a Mareep. We sat squirmish in our seats, exciting for it to begin. When it did, we were both mesmerised, and knew instantly that's what we want to do. To act out on stage and be a part of a world you wish existed. At home, we started to make plays together, and perform them in the living room. When my school had a Wizard of Oz play coming up, I decided I'd try out. But when I was my turn on stage. I froze up and became a mumbling idiot. I was so embarrassed and scared, and I've had stage fright ever since.

I burst through the front doors, surprising the front desk woman, named Carol.

"Hey sweetie, you're late." She said, pointing at the clock above her head.

I glanced at it and saw it read 3:23.

"Damn it! I am so late! Have they seen started yet?" I ask, getting out all my gear from the storage room next to the front desk. 

I quickly scan my makeup box and see I'm missing a brush. I look at Carol with desperation and she opens her drawer.

"Seventeen minutes till show time." She says, handing me my missing makeup brush.

"You left this here yesterday. Now hurry along!" She says, pointing at the backstage door.

I thank her and run for the door. Fluffy just comes through the front doors of the theatre, as he is a very slow runner.

"Fluffy hurry up!" I yell, opening the backstage door for him.

"Ampahros." He huffs and scuttles through the door. 

I shut it behind as, and feel as though I've entered a complete new world. Everyone bustles about busily, pushing along racks of clothes, dragging some machinery, or just busting to get somewhere. The musty odour of dust fills the area, as you stare at the curtains. Being behind them just makes you feel like...

"Fifteen minutes till showtime!" Our stage manager Sully yells.

"And where the heck is my makeup artist?!" He yells furiously.

You do not want to make him mad. I watch as his eyes scan the room, only to fall on me and Fluffy. His face turns red.

"It's fifteen minutes till showtime, and if you can't do all their makeup in time, I'll have you fired. Understood?" He said, pointing to the dressing room.

Even though I know I couldn't actually be fired, as my dad would never let him do it, but it was scary nonetheless. I made a run for the dressing room, seeing the line of people waiting for their makeup to be done, as they were first on stage. Everyone who is later on waits until the scene before, then comes and sees me to get their makeup done. I scramble to put my stuff on the two makeup tables, one larger for me to do people, and one smaller for Fluffy to do Pokemon. I sit down my first client, and see that she is supposed to be a tree. I dab on some dark brown face paint to match her costume, then apply some shading, texturing and done. After her, I do another three trees, two rabbits, one duck, four swans, eight seagulls, seven bushes, three woodland spirits, two fairy kings, one fairy queen, thirteen fairies and a skunk. As the first lot of people are done, I rub my face and sigh a sigh of relief. Even Fluffy looks beaten, having to do about twice as many Pokemon.

I wait for about fifteen minutes, and realise no one else was going to come. Everyone else usually does their own makeup, as they do not trust a fifteen year old and her Ampharos. I sigh, and begin to pack up all of my gear, neatly putting it back in the box. I decide to leave it on the table, so it will be exactly where it needs to be for tomorrow, where we will be doing an even bigger production. My dad walk in, with a tired smile.

"I thought you weren't going to show up at all." He says patiently.

"I'm sorry, I lost track of time." I said, planting a kiss on his cheek.

"Better late then never I guess." He says, eyeing my makeup gear.

"But are you going to put that away?" He asks, pointing at the boxes of makeup on the table.

I grunt, then pick up the gear begin to walk away.

"Good job by the way, they all look great." He says as I walk out the room.

*********

Fluffy hands me the boxes as I pack them neatly away in the storage cupboard, making sure they're somewhere no one can knock them or try to take them. Once I'm satisfied, I lock the room with my spare key and put it in my pocket. I smile contently as my work was finished. As I begin to walk towards the exit, I notice a large crowd around the lobby, right at the stairs. On a higher step was a boy I recognised, with blonde hair dipdyed green and spiked everywhere, and a headset on. He wore a black and purple suit with three quarter sleeves, and black wristbands. A giant green pin shaped like a pokeball sat in the middle of his chest, with ruffles of cream fabric coming down. His eyes were a gorgeous shade of green, as his face was layered in makeup, but he still looked natural. A small beauty dot was placed perfectly below his lip. I still couldn't put my finger on who he was though. Fluffy next to me was screaming and jumping for joy, he ran for the crowd to see the boy as if his life depended on it. All sorts of fan girls and boys were jumping, holding up posters, pointing, screaming, crying. I glanced over at Carol, suprised she was letting this happen. She just raised her eyebrow, and plugged in a pair of earbuds. I walked over to see what the commotion was about. Only closer up did I notice the cameras that were held by a camera crew next to him. Fluffy stood at the back and kept on screaming and jumping.

"Sorry Fluffy, but who is this again?" I asked innocently.

Fluffys face looked ready to murder me. 

"Am.Pha.Ros." He says simply

I slam my fist on my open palm.

"Ah, Christoph! That's it!" I say.

Fluffy facepalms.

Christoph is a super famous idol here in Unova, every girl at school always gushes about marrying him, which isin't impossible, seeing how he's only a year older than most of the girls in my year. Christoph continues to blow kisses, smile charmingly, and wave. I snicker, seeing how full of himself he seems. His camera crew tap his shoulder, then whisper something in his ear. Christoph nods knowingly, then turns his back to the group of fans and I. 

"Going live in three...two...one." His camera man said, shaking his hand to signal 'go'! Christoph begins to speak in his soothing voice.

"Here I am in Nimbasa city at the Musical Theatre casting my first episode of..."

An imaginary drum roll plays.

"Do they have Talent?" The crowd behind him screams. I roll my eyes.

I don't have anything against him, I'm just against these kind of shows. They're just so set up.

"I am going to pick one of these people, and they will have the chance to go to pokestar studios and have the main part in a movie! If they do well, they get a permanent job at pokestar studios! If they fail, they're career as an actor is over!" He says, finally turning to face the audience. 

"Which one shall I pick?" He asks, tapping his chin.

He scans his finger on the crowd, and finally settles his finger on Fluffy.

"You, that Ampharos there. If you have a trainer, grab them now, because you are going to pokestar studios." Fluffy faints, then quickly recovers grabs me, hoisting my hand in the air.

Christoph comes down from the stairs, and stands in front of me. He bows and says.

"Are you ready to make your dreams come true?" He asks

What a script written thing to say.

"Uh no?" I say, pulling my hand out of the sky.

The crowd looks angry, Fluffy mortified, Christoph surprised. 

"I am not ditching school just to achieve my dream. I'm not leaving Nimbasa city, or my fami..." 

I pause, finally realising I was being filmed.