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 Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 4:04 pm
Tryouts for the part of Oogie Boogie, greatest Halloween denizen in the history of forever, had been nerve-wracking to say the least. Several chewed fingernails and twiddled thumbs later, Carthusia stepped outside the gymnasium for a breather. She had to calm down! All that pent up energy was finally being released in a flurry of emotion. She simply didn't think she'd done as well as she could have, but what else could be done? She made her costume, dyed her hair, brought a doombox soundtrack for Jack's sake! What would her parents think if they heard there was a play, but their daughter wasn't in it? And wasn't even an important role on top of that?!
"Complete and utter disaster. Absolutely irrevocably terrible in every way possible..." the demon mumbled, leaning against the wall of the gym. It was warm to her skin and while she thought she did her best, she knew it wasn't enough. It never was! She had a proud demon lineage behind her with nothing to show for it. Angrily, she punched the wall. No, I did well! I had to have! I didn't see anyone else with such an elaborate costume. No, I even spent all night working on mine and dyed my hair and pretended someone else was on stage with me and... and...
Sighing, Carry shook her head. "There's always Fearleading, yeah. And some other clubs too, and sports and helping teachers..." She was making a list out loud of all kinds of activities she could participate in to make herself feel better. There were probably lots of other activities too! She'd heard something about Student Council, but she was so new. She hadn't even made any friends yet.
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Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 5:44 pm
Riley had meant to leave immediately after auditioning. However, directly after she'd gotten off stage, they called Junko's name. So, she'd sat in the back, listening to her performance. The ghoul did well, she wagered. She would make an adequate Sally. And as people continued to file on and off stage, Riley ended up staying to watch their performances. It was curious to see all of the different interpretations of Jack, Sally, and Oogie Boogie, as well as the other cast. Each student had brought a different flavor to their role, and their costumes; while depicting the same characters; were as individualistic as the students themselves were. It was intriguing to watch.
She listened carefully as each name had been said, and memorized the student that went along with it; along with any other pertinent information revealed by their performance. All this she filed away for later use.
When at last the auditions were done, she filed out quietly, the first to leave since she'd been sitting so far in the back. She dragged her costume behind her, touching as little as possible as it brushed dirtily against the floor. She turned when she heard a voice mumbling to herself, and stopped her slow shuffling when the demon punched the wall. She recognized this demon as one of the ghouls who had auditioned for Oogie Boogie before her, which was confirmed by the costume that she still wore.
Riley made no effort to announce her presence, just watching the ghoul fuss. It was only when Carthusia began listing afterschool activities, that Riley 'spoke'. Riley was not exactly close enough for the girl to realize she was being addressed by the almost featureless creature across from her, but it would be Riley's piercing gaze, once caught, that would alert her to the source of the voice in her head.
Those all sound like fine activities. Riley agreed, as if Carthusia was asking her opinion on them, instead of listing them to herself. Are you plotting the best way to manage your time while joining them all? Time management was an important issue, when one wanted to do more than a normal share of activities. Riley understood this, and figuring it out took precedence over other activities, such as sleeping. Or running. Both important, but managing your time to best achieve your goals efficiently was more important.
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Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 6:01 pm
Carthusia blinked, stopping mid-stride when a voice appeared in her head. Wait, was she going crazy now? Wonderful. Another thing to add to the growing list of reasons why her parents didn't seem to care much for her. She was faced away from the owner of the voice and therefore thought she was either hearing things, or her talking to herself was taken way too far. She lifted a finger in the air, as if answering the sky (which, logically, could have been where the voice was coming from, but who really knew? "Yes uhh... time management is an important skill. I just want to be all I can be, you know?" Looking up at the graying clouds, the demon smiled. At least someone kind of agreed with her? She turned about to begin her pacing again when she caught the piercing gaze of one purple creature with no mouth.
Beside it was a sack, much like the costume she herself was wearing. To keep from becoming a nervous wreck (more so than she already was), Carthusia left the gym before she could see anyone else try out. It kept her sane. Was this thing trying out for Oogie Boogie too? And furthermore, what was it? Tilting her head, Carry was about to speak again when it dawned on her.
Wait.
No mouth?
"Are you the one speaking in my head?" she hazarded, never having experience telepathy before. None of her family could use it and she hadn't met anyone with the ability in the past but... how else could something with no mouth communicate? Furthermore, how could it sing since it obviously auditioned for the same part she did? The voice in her head was foreign, but feminine, so the purple Boogie had to be female. "Looks like we both have our eyes set on the same part. How do you think you did?" Right, right, remember the confidence! Just because someone else tried out doesn't mean you're a failure! "Oh, and the name's Carthusia, but call me Carry. You are...?"
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Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 7:15 pm
Riley's head slowly cocked to one side, perhaps a little farther than necessary. Was that ghoul.. talking to the sky? Why wouldn't she turn to look at Riley? She seemed to be responding to what Riley was saying.. but answering to the wall and sky, as if they had questioned her instead. It could make sense, however, that Carthusia didn't realize Riley was speaking to her. What an amusing little conundrum. Riley would have exploited this misunderstanding if Carthusia had not turned and come to realize who was speaking to her after all. Drat, that might have been fun to play with. She'd have to try it on someone else one day.
Riley nodded impassively when Carthusia finally got the drift of what was going on, and she crossed her arms in front of her. She had already made the connection between their costumes, and gave her honest opinion on her performance.
I did excellent, as was expected. Your performance was very well done, also. Did you make your outfit?
There was no note of condescending in her thoughts, no note of any emotion at all. Kind of bland, really; she was stating fact. They were both good, and that should have come as no surprise. Demons did everything better.
My name is Riley. This time she couldn't help the soft laugh that echoed around her name as if it were a joke. It's nice to meet you, Carry. Though she felt the question redundent, she thought it might be wise to offer the same interest in how the ghoul felt her performance was. How do you think you fared?
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Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 7:53 pm
Was this girl a demon? I've never seen anything like her... Stepping closer, Carthusia was genuinely intrigued by the other young Boogie. Her costume was certainly more of a tribute to the Oogie Boogie man than her own was, being a giant sack like the original was purported to be. Very good idea! "I did make my outfit. As soon as I heard about the play, I knew I had to be somebody in it, and Oogie Boogie seemed like the right part for me. I'm not sappy enough to be Sally. I guess you and I share that same idea? Too good to be one of the minor characters and not girly enough for the leading lady." Right, right, keep that up! Obviously this girl was confident so I should be too! She said I did well!
Spreading her wings, she smiled at the girl now known as Riley "I see you got around the rotund problem very well. The sack was a nice and very original touch. I used my wings here," Fanning them out, from a distance, Carthusia took on a more spherical appearance as well. "...to get that same look. Catch the eye in the back of the theatre, you know?" When Riley asked how well she did, there was a huge rift between what the demon thought and what she actually said. "I think I nailed it. I bet you did amazingly as well."
Leaning in as if to whisper, Carry cupped a hand over her cheek "You'll have to forgive my ignorance, but I've never met anyone like you. Are you a... monster? Or a demon?" Alright, being honest won't hurt, right? Surely she can't be offended because she must be some sort of rare specimen. Never seen anything like her, and certainly never heard of anything else. Rare is good, right?
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Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 9:01 pm
Riley listened with polite silence as Carthusia responded. She nodded when appropriate, looking as comfortable listening as she would have been talking. Either suited her fine. I think that sums it up succinctly for me as well, Riley interjected at the 'too good and not girly enough' comment. And.. it seemed like it would be more fun. She added with a twitch of an eyebrow. That was the root cause for her choice, really. If she had to do something like this, she wanted the character that was going to be the least boring to play.
I did not make my costume alone. Riley admitted, though there was a touch of reluctance in her voice. A whisper of a thought caressed around her words in a strange manner, but it was too quiet for Carthusia to pick up on. I had the assistance of another student, although I am quite capable of making costumes on my own now that I have witnessed her technique. Ever the fast learner, Riley had watched Junko, absorbed every movement, every technique, and counted costume making among her own abilities now. She soaked it up like a sponge.
So, Carthusia think she nailed it? That is good. You must have been talking trash about someone else when you were muttering about terrible disasters earlier, then. Trash talk? Riley like. I will admit that I found several performances.. to be lacking. She waved a long tendrilled hand to one side, as if to brush it off. The large green boil who simply stomped around for his performance disturbed me most, perhaps. He might be best suited to percussion in the band, with all the noise he was making. Sick burn. But, excellent does not come lightly, I suppose. Or heavily, in his case.
What could she say? She didn't like noisy things. Even as she spoke, she was thinking about Gargantuan, and the thoughts that filtered into Carthusia's mind would be accidentally punctuated by sharp thumps.
The topic shifted to her, and her thoughts stilled into silence once more. She considered the question for a moment, before a bell-like tinkle of laughter surrounded her response. Demon, of course. I am of the Illithid. We are a rare, but highly intellectual race of superior beings.
What? She wasn't bragging, she was just telling Carthusia the facts. At least, the facts she wasn't withholding. No one needed to know Riley's diet, while she was here.
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Posted: Sun Dec 05, 2010 10:44 am
Carry was relieved that someone else had the same thought process she did - much too good, too evil, to awesome to be a silly ragdoll. She nodded enthusiastically and smiled. Folding her wings to her side, she heartily laughed. She could learn a few things from a demon who acted much older than she probably was, especially in the confidence department "As long as one of us gets the part, it'll be the best for the play. If anyone else does, well, they'll certainly be sorry for picking an inferior Oogie Boogie, wouldn't you say?" Right, put down others and raise yourself and whatnot. Remember that! When Riley made a statement about Carthusia's own inferior thoughts (thinking they were about someone else), the demon waved a hand in agreement. "Yes, yes, of course. I thought some students simply weren't good enough for the parts. I'm surprised the gym has stayed standing as long as it has."
She blinked when foreign thoughts filtered into her mind, causing her to put a hand to her forehead in confusion. How bizarre, to project one's thoughts like that. She wondered if Riley was capable of using magic on top of her natural telepathic abilities. "Demon? Excellent then. It's even more of a pleasure to meet you. Say, have you signed up for any classes yet? I've still been deciding on mine, but I have a handful I'm interested in. Are you new to the school as well? I just transferred."
Her confidence is infectious!
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Posted: Sun Dec 05, 2010 3:46 pm
I agree. Riley stretched the long fingers of her left hand out idly, as she thought about it. Either of us would really be the only acceptable option.
Movement caught Riley's gaze as students shuffled out of the auditorium. It was a good time to let the subject drop, and Carthusia seemed to pick up on that quickly enough as well. The new subject matter of discussion was benign and harmless.
I have. I signed up for all of them. The magnitude of a workload that included every available class the Academy offered that didn't conflict timewise, was daunting. Riley didn't seem phased by the idea of it. She barely seemed affected at all. Though none of them have actually caught my interest. There seems to be a disturbing lack of classes dedicated to the political and psycho-contractual arts, I fear. Too many frivolous things to learn about, like plants and spells and critters. An audible sigh caressed almost ticklishly across the mind. But, frivolous or not, information is information.
As to Carthusia's next question, the response came slow. I am new here, yes. My .. previous education came from the shared collective. Although, I feel personal experience has already taught me things that my brethren could never have shared with me through their memories.
A pause, and the voice sounded softer, almost a touch content. I find I am enjoying my stay.
The softness whisked away, and her normal tone returned. And you? What classes did you pick out to find interesting?
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Posted: Sun Dec 05, 2010 7:58 pm
The not-purple Boogie noted the movement and shuffling of students filing out of the auditorium and stepped aside, letting them pass. She didn't recognize any of them, but that would soon change, she thought. The idea was simple enough - involve oneself in as much as possible, meet as many as possible, and succeed. Just getting to that point would be a tremendous effort, but it was not without merit. Riley understood this as well, which made them momentary partners in Carthusia's mind. "Perhaps classes dealing with more difficult subjects aren't available for first-years? Probably too much for most to handle." With a wave of her hand, Carry attempted to look as aloof about the whole ordeal as possible.
If Riley's education came from a shared collective of memories, was there really enough here to interest or better her? She did admit that personal experience may be an excellent supplement to the memories of elders. Shaking her head slightly, she decided it was best not to tread on unfamiliar ground. "I'm going to be enjoying myself shortly, I think. I've signed up for a few classes just to get started, but I'm really interested in Human Studies. I hear that's not open yet." With an audible sigh and a shifting of weight, she continued "Until then, it's botany and hexes and whatever else I can get into. The more, the better. Oh and clubs as well. I might try Fearleading, but that flying club looked interesting as well..."
She started to pace back and forth as she thought aloud, and wondered if Riley could have heard her thoughts if she kept them internal "I'm surprised there isn't a demonology class or something, but in thinking about it, it's probably for the better. The less others know about us, the better, right?"
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Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 3:30 pm
Carthusia's idea of success was parallel to Riley's, and the path equal as well. It would seem they had more in common than even they knew. Of course, Riley couldn't know this, because despite her natural telepathic abilities, being a student at this school had somehow placed such hindrance on her that she couldn't read a damn thing from anyone so far. It seemed she was going to have to do things the hard way; until she learned how to hurdle the barriers keeping her at bay.
Yes. I'm sure they have limits to what classes they let students take. I simply signed up for all of the open ones. I can be patient. Her rousing ability to stand in one place without moving or making any noise testified to that greatly.
Riley showed uncharacteristic interest in the topic of Human Studies, perking up considerably. She hadn't heard there was going to be a class, and it was a guarantee that once it did open, she would sign up for it. Human Studies? She questioned in a higher tone. Do you know who will teach it? I would be.. very interested in attending that class as well. Such an opportunity couldn't be missed; it was classes like those that heralded her presence here in the first place. The quicker she learned, the faster she'd be allowed to come home.
Her momentary excitement dulled back to a more typical apathy, and the fingers of her left hand tapped idly on her hip. Yes. It's probably a better idea not to divulge all of our secrets to the otherkind. There were some dangers to knowing certain things about a demon, after all.
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Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 9:57 am
Oh no, now she was asking questions Carry didn't know the answers to. Jacking hell, I should have read who taught the blasted class... I'm supposed to look like I know what I'm doing here! ARGH. Shaking her head, Carry huffed and placed her hands on her hips. This wasn't going as well as she had hoped. "No, I didn't catch who taught it, but it sounds like an interesting class. The more we know about everyone else, the better, right?" Maybe Riley would be an excellent first friend and a good alliance to form. She needed all the help she could get. She was a pride demon with no pride.
How embarrassing was that?
"I'll let you know as soon as it opens. How's that?" Yes, offering a service is a very good way to start a friendship, or at least improve the opinion the other demon may have had of her. Carthusia hoped to chalk Riley up as a new friend. Maybe. "You know, if we don't get the parts, maybe we could... get together and celebrate not having to make fools of ourselves. My treat?"
Yeah... she didn't take into consideration that the fact that Riley had no mouth probably meant she couldn't eat by any normal means, but a social invite is a social invite, right?
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Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 11:47 am
That sounds lovely. I would be honored to partake in celebration with you. And I would be very appreciative if you got back to me on the name of the professor. Or, even better, you could just let me know if you find out it has opened up. I'll sign up together with you regardless of who is teaching it. She had no particular qualms with any faculty yet, nor did she have any favorites. It was too early to pick and choose who would give her the best bang for her buck.
She barely noticed that students had not come out of the auditorium in a while, and belatedly realized that auditions had been over for a while. Shall we retire then on that note? Seeing as it seems the auditions have officially ended.
She was very pleased with this new acquaintance, and most certainly considered an alliance in the making here. Very few encounters with students had felt so productive.
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Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 8:00 am
Carthusia nodded. At least this seemed to have gone well! That's how you make friends here - you do your best and just get into their good graces. Riley would be an excellent friend, she thought, and congratulated herself with not failing too bad this time. "I'll get back to you as soon as I know when the class is open. Until then, have a good evening."
Should she shake hands? Wave? Ugh, so confusing. Instead, all she could think of was a nod and a small wave, and the demoness retreated to her dorm to wash the dye from her hair and wings. Several long showers ought to do it, right?
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