Stage on: the appearance of Zoe
Noah had stood at the counter easily. The mid-afternoon air was comfortably wafting throughout the door, providing a fresh scent to the fresh interior. All was well, or well enough - and he was content to be attending his professional matters. As per usual, his hands had sifted throughout his papers. He had searched catalogs for articles of necessity. Whether or not it was desired, he was going to run the theatre as it was intended. He already had the plans; he just needed the schedule.
It would be a delightful turn of events. Of course, he would possibly need a forklift to remove the giant literary tumor seated atop the stage.
He would worry about it later. As it was, he was grateful for what seemed like the break. Or had been a break until he had heard a loud thud against the edge of the desk.
"What are you doing?" Noah had moaned lightly, setting his papers down to glance over the side. It wasn't the first time he had heard such an obnoxious thud pounding away at the edge of the desk.
Seated haphazardly on the floor was Simba. The young boy had ruffled his hair to tend to the newly formed bump. "Pouncing."
"People don't pounce."
"I'm a lion."
Noah had hummed thoughtfully before picking his papers up once more. "Go watch the door." He had pointed firmly, only to glance up and catch the boy begrudgingly staring.
With a roll of his eyes, Simba had done just that. He had walked towards the entry way to peer out at the world ... Just as the rafters and the theatre began to breathe in anticipation.
~
The milk white feathers on Talorian's back wings ruffled as the seraph entered the old Theatre. He didn't really understand how the people at this place even knew who he was considering he'd only been on gaia a short while. Still the man was reluctant to ignore the summons he had received in form of a playbill. He was wary of this place and what might happen in the near future but still it seemed like a bad idea to just ignore the paper that had been so clearly sent to him.
He blinked in surprise but smiled warmly at the dark skinned child who stood just inside the door. " Hello there young one, can you tell me where I might find the owner." The seraph's voice was soft and gentle, he might hold reservations about this place but he wasn't about to take them out on a child.
~
Only a moment had passed before Simba had noticed a funny looking man approaching the entrance. His eyes had bugged for a moment; his shoulders had sank as he cocked a head, trying to configure what it was he needed to say. Oh, of course it wasn't a huge mystery. He needed to say 'someone is here' - that was what people expected when there was a form of sentry duty.
Yet he had no time. The smile of confidence that had appeared briefly when contemplating standing watch faded into curiosity. He had stared for a while, eying the man who seemed quite a bit taller than him. The owner?
"Oh." He had shifted his bare feet against the floor, spinning on his heel.
"Noah! Someone's here."
Noah had jolted from the quick call. He had just sent the boy to the door. How could anyone possibly show up within the span of a few seconds when they scarcely showed up within the span of a few weeks?
Easing over, the man had looked up to find it was so. A man with white feathers, with wings ... Well, the world was surely diverse.
"That's him." Simba had given a satisfactory smile to Talorian.
~
Tal had been amused but the way the boy seemed to examine him for a moment or so. His kind weren't incredibly uncommon on this planet, though they weren't everywhere either. In any manner it mattered little as the child's staring didn't hurt him and gave the man a chance to examine him as well. Still, he was glad once the one called Noah had been summoned, best to get on with things.
The angel's gaze flicked from the child to the theater's owner, Tal reached into his jacket and pulled out the playbill that had come for him in the mail. " I'm sorry if this is a bad time but I've come regarding this?" He held the playbill up. Tal was still wary but his curiosity was winning him over, and nothing about the place seemed overtly odd at the moment.
~
Noah's face had grown long, the sign of young worry lines etching their way into his features. He had calmly cleared his throat as he stepped around from the desk, his fingers straightening his shirt, brushing away any sign of dust. It was a nervous habit to move. Certainly he wasn't nervous, but ... Taken off guard, surely he was at least that. He'd been hoping to finally book a play and work out the royalty fees. Manage the place like a real theatre.
"Oh, no, no, no. Not a bad time at all!" Noah had declared, and as he looked up the worry had faded, replaced by what seemed to be a cordial demeanor. He had extended a hand as if to offer a hand-shake. "Welcome to the West Theatre. It's always a pleasure when people answer those things. See, now and then those find their way into mailboxes." He had quirked for a moment. "Surely spam-mail isn't the most wonderful of things, but it's ... More of an invitation to people who are interested in responding; an invitation to a free showing of sorts."
Simba had shifted his jaw as he bound beyond Tal. His eyes had focused on the two adults briefly before he had gone to investigate the desk. Let them talk and handle their matters. There were funny things to discover.
~
Tal reached out and swiftly shook the other man's hand. He found Noah's explanation strange but acceptable and wholly non threatening." Well, no point in walking here for no reason." The angel might as well actually accept the invitation and see what this place had to offer. Though he almost swore he could hear Rinali laughing in the back of his mind.
~
Noah had quietly reminded himself to think of better stories. Sooner or later the idea of a marketing campaign was going to catch up to him, but, never mind it - so long as no questions were asked, all would be perfectly fine. He could get back to doing what he preferred. "Well, it's a pleasure for you to join us, good sir!"
At that instant, a clatter had resonated behind him; Noah had winced, not bothering to turn around the moment he heard the sound of fluttering papers and a thud. A firm breath had escaped him as he gave the look of 'kids'.
"You arrived just in time, really - the show for this afternoon was just about to begin in the auditorium." A sheepish smile had crossed his face as he looked over his shoulder, something of sternness returning to his eyes as he found the little tribal boy frantically picking up papers.
"Simba, would you care to escort Mr ...." He had paused, blinking towards Tal. "I apologize, I don't seem to have gotten your name!"
~
Tal had resisted the urge to laugh at the small commotion the young boy from earlier had clearly caused. Pyran had been a handful at that age himself and the angel had long ago become accustomed that sort of thing. Still, it was good to see little ones enjoying themselves in what should truly be their carefree years.
" Talorian, or just Tal" the man said with a small smile, gray eyes filled with amusement. A small shiver ran through him, not of warning but of excitement he truly was curious to see what a performance here would be like.
~
"Talorian." Noah had repeated. A good-natured nod had been given in the aftermath of the statement as he set his hands on his waist. They came from all backgrounds of names, he supposed; it was an interesting repertoire of identities he had gathered through the meeting of individuals.
Noah had eased after a moment of contemplation. The paperwork was everywhere and he dreaded the idea of leaving a delusional little boy to tend to the mess. His assumption to send him off was a good enough idea; it saved him time and protected his things, thus he had given a gesture to the boy. "Simba will escort you to the auditorium for the show just down the hall, Mr. Talorian. I do hope you'll enjoy it." Such funny words ... He was never certain if the circumstance were enjoyable. Surely no one had returned to complain at him --- His thoughts were cut off.
"Really? I can?" Simba had quirked in an excited manner, as if it were something he wanted to do. It was far more interesting than guarding the door. Smiling from ear to ear, Simba had given a gesture of his arm. "Alright!" He had skittered towards the entryway to the hall. "Right this way, right this way!"
~
Smiling Tal followed Simba , amused by the boy's enthusiasm. The child had probably already seen the productions here and his interest was probably a good sign.
~
Simba was nimble on his toes, following the hall's outline as if he had done it a dozen times before. Every now and then he would catch himself looking back over his shoulder and beginning to speak - mimicking the things he had mapped out time and again. Walking down the hallway had always seemed like an important task - much more fitting for a young prince than anything else he had found himself doing.
"So this place is really old." Simba had puffed out his chest. "So old that it took months just to sweep off the dust, and fix up the walls all by hand, and ---" The rafters had began to creak and groan, causing him to sink down. Not far ahead, the radiant light, the two giant doors.
"OH!" He had jumped. The doors. "See those? Those are amazing. They're called doors. Doors swing back and forth, but these ones are huge and ..." He had gone on for a few minutes about the minuscule details before reaching to try and open one. Far too short, certainly, which had left him mildly irritable. Nevertheless, his duty was done, and he felt important.
"Right through there. Noah says you can sit anywhere." He had paused. He had never actually seen what happened inside the theatre; then again, he had also never seen Noah follow anyone inside. He always shut the door on the person and walked away.
"Uhm ..." Shuffling a little, he had tried again to open the door, jumping a few steps until his hand had hooked the knob and twisted it enough to get it to creek. He had pushed it, holding it with his back.
~
Tal had listened patiently as the young boy babbled, partially about the history of West theatre and partially about things within the place that he found interesting. He was certain how a child could be entertained by something so simple as a door but then again it had been a long time since the angel had been that young.
" It's fine I can get the door, young one" Tal said with a smile as he placed his hand on the slightly opened door and pushed. Older and with far more weight behind him he got the door to swing open fully and let himself inside. It felt a bit strange to be in here alone and his wariness returned as he chose a seat near the door in case he needed to make a quick exit.
~
One, two, three. Tal had passed through the doors, which had signaled the cue. Close the door. Simba did just that. He had shut the doors; the inside of the auditorium disappearing from view and signaling the absolute completion of the task - whatever the task was.
The auditorium was enormous. The clatter of the door shutting resonated throughout the emptiness, the seeming sound of a light air conditioning breeze twittering here and there. It was well-lit, as if at an intermission or a lack of preparation, yet was it so? The ground had quaked but a moment as the lights turned out, leaving nothing but darkness until a light had shone dimly on the stage over the large book that had made the spot its home.
Nothing happened at that moment, as if it were waiting for something. Light for light had suddenly shone, following along the path from Tal's seat to the stage's edge, as if beckoning him forward.
~
Tal didn't like this at all, it seemed as if this place itself was taunting him, daring him to go further and further from the safety of the exit. Although it could just very well have been that Noah man hidden in some lighting and sound booth which was why he'd been lead here by Simba so the man could scurry off and prepare this.
The angel had little choice however, his curiosity had the better of him and he doubted he'd be allowed to leave until he saw this through. It was always that way in such things. With a frown and a ruffling of his feathers the man left his seat and headed down towards the stage. Whatever it was these people were up to it would happen there and so his grey eyes scanned the auditorium for as many possibly ways to get to and from the stage as possible, nervous about possible attack and searching for any good escape routes.
Biting his lower lip Tal climbed into the stage and made his way to where the lights clearly wanted him, in front of the book.
~
The book was alive with energy. Its cover seemed to breathe, rising and falling rhythmically as the pages stirred beneath the weight. The lights would flicker above it; the air would churn as Tal drew closer. Then everything had ceased for an abrupt moment. All was still; the lights, the air, the creaking sounds of the rafters. It was an unsettling motion only to be accompanied by a loud thud as the book slammed its cover open, alone without prompt.
The pages had rustled as a great wind rose; the lights had come and gone as they had deemed fit, until finally ceasing with the emergence of a bright light from the book's own pages. Figures had escaped it, swirling about left and right on the stage without aim until a small number had taken form.
there stood a phantom room composed of the lights. A little girl walked thoughtfully throughout what appeared to be a living room, two adults sitting in their chairs and behaving as if she did not exist. They were too busy to heed a little girl strolling along, singing to herself as she explored the objects about the scene. She touched a lamp, trailing her fingers along it until she found a birdcage to distract her briefly.
Something at the front door caught the eye of the little girl, however. She froze for a moment, wandering over to set her hand on the door knob and pull. Without warning, the door had thrust open, a headless man strolling inside with an umbrella in one hand, a small blue bowler hat in the other. The little girl jumps, bewildered, staggering back as she gawks at the bizarre thing strolling through her door.
The headless man seems aimless in his trench coat. He takes a few strides, dropping his little blue hat before finally turning and leaving the little girl alone. She breathes as he ventures away, but is captivated by the object on the floor. Curiosity gnaws at her as she approaches it, picking it up and observing it as she drops to the ground to sit. The hat is raised, falling slowly, slowly down to her crown until it is placed. Within that instant, the two adults, stiff, still, and unattending, begin to float away.
Startled by the magic act, the little girl stares upward. Her eyes grow wide, but before she can react, a band of ghastly white figures surround her...
The book's pages rustled about, drawing back figures clawing at the stage one by one. The regal blue curtain, with its many stars, had fluttered within the great wind. The light from the book had grown brighter, and brighter, until it had finally ceased, leaving the room in darkness ... Until the lights above had once more began to turn on, leaving the auditorium as it had been when Tal had first entered.
Nothing stirred, nothing moved - but there was something new seated upon the stage ... The little girl, and a little blue hat.
