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Stationed Volunteers

Character Name: Colin Hargrove
Location: On the Leviathan stage
Action: Performing with The Technicolor Butterfly and 9 other dancers from DCBC!


To say that Colin Hargrove was excited about Anthemusa would have been an understatement of the most grievous sort. Even having to take his snooty cousin Ian along hadn't dampened his enthusiasm for it.

Not only was he able to get a group of his fellow ballet dancers to dress up and do non-ballet dance while one of his friends spun the sound, he was able to test out how well his body would hold up to an actual on-stage performance. He'd been a bit wary - and also extremely anxious - to get back on stage after being injured so badly, but his body was ready. The doctors and physical therapists all said he was healed well enough to return to his previously intense schedule...but sometimes he worried about it and being part of the program was a really good stepping stone back to taking his place as the Prince of DCBC.

It hadn't even taken much to get nine other dancers to agree to taking the stage with Sid, especially once he mentioned that it was likely to be highly televised. And Sid, bless her beautiful rainbow heart, had been extremely enthusiastic when he'd made the proposition. That she got to oogle ten very fit, very beautiful dancer bodies during their practices hadn't hurt anything either, he was sure. There had been several back-and-forth conversations about costuming; Renegade Media's liaison had requested that the dancers wear something that identified them as being part of the venue (rather than some crazy folks that just hopped up on stage to join an act) and Colin had been very pleased when they'd gone for white t-shirts bearing both the DCBC and Anthemusa logos (donated by some of the ballet company's favored patrons, of course).

He'd initially suggested a sort of dance leotard under the t-shirts that fell to mid-thigh and covered the dancer's torso, but his friend had shook her head and made what was actually a much better suggestion. "I was thinking more like...fishnets and denim shorts." Sid had laughed when he'd responded that she only wanted that so she could see him - and the others - in booty shorts.

In the end, they'd agreed on an 'airy' costume with respect to the heat they'd be working on. All ten of the dancers wore cut-off denim shorts that were as brief as possible while still offering some measure of modesty, their muscular legs clad in black oversized fishnet tights, with white logo-bearing t-shirts that had been cut into sleeveless, v-neck crop-tops to finish the 'uniform'. While it was suggested - but not required - many of the dancers had also opted to use brightly coloured hair-chalks to give themselves rainbow hued hair as a means of better matching with Sid's Technicolour Butterfly aesthetic. Any accessories followed a similar theme, as did the stage make-up.

Colin himself wore an obscene number of jelly bracelets in vibrant colours and had put on a minimal make-up of dramatic black eye-liner with a rim of red eye liner that had been smudged out slightly with a matching eye-shadow and a bubble-gum pink lip-tint. He'd also gotten a temporary tattoo compromised of several small, glittery butterflies to put along the inside of his left arm, over his scar and up to a larger one on his left shoulder. He rather liked them, but knew he'd be finding glitter everywhere for months to come.

Waiting at the sides of the stage for the music to start so that his group could make their entrance, Colin smiled brightly and picked at the fraying edge of his crop top; he'd spent a few days with Van to work on getting his costume perfect for Anthemusa, picking his make-up and making sure he could apply it the way he wanted - even checking that it would hold up to heat and sweat. Van had helped him find all the jelly bracelets climbing his arms, helped him pick out the brightly coloured plugs he'd bought just for this performance, and helped to cut his shirt per what the dancers and Sid had finally agreed upon. She'd laughed when he'd held up the butchered denim shorts, had fallen over giggling when Colin had wondered aloud if he'd cut them 'too short' - and then assured him he looked fine when they were on.

Her companionship and help had been appreciated and enjoyed immensely - as had the reaction of her brother, John Jr., to the whole get-up the first time Colin had put it together. She'd taken photos for him to put up on social media, smiling brightly when he suggested she dress up too so they could be 'twins'. And yesterday evening, she'd helped him to get his hair sorted and coloured up the way he wanted (his nails had also been painted, but his sister had insisted on doing that bit for him). Van had listened to his halting admission that he was afraid his body would give out, that despite what the medical professionals said he wasn't ready, and she'd encouraged him in that warm, loving manner of hers.

Sid's set started, the lights flashing just as they had during their practice run the day before (the last run); dancers strutted out from either side of the stage to frame the Technicolour Butterfly at work, ten beautiful dancers moving in sync with each other and with Sid's music - it wasn't ballet, but it was beautiful and fit - the product of hours and hours of work and preparation to create a whole that was energetic and (hopefully) pleasing to the crowd.

Colin was absolutely, one hundred percent, in his element and loving it. He - like Sid herself - belonged at the center of attention. They were creatures of bright lights and music, of sensation and sound. Being on stage, performing was what they did, it was - perhaps - how they related best to the world around them. As he spun and twisted, the crowd a blur of colour and appreciative sound, he couldn't help laughing a little from the joy of it; his heart was bright, his head filled with the music Sid created. It felt good. It felt right.

It felt like home.

Character Name: Jade Argent
Location: Towards the back of the crowd
Action: Watching Sid and DCBC

Jade had been making her way across the festival grounds to observe the set up and to make sure that everything was functioning as intended. Logistics were more Levi's thing, but the woman liked to check in on things as she could. Plus, per Mr. Renegade's insistence, it was important to make sure her face was seen by as many people as possible. The intention was to boost her viewer numbers and general ratings as well as reinforce that she was the so-called face of the company.

Her outfit was simple enough, nothing flashy enough to immediately draw attention to her but also something relatable for the people who recognized her. The shirt was loose fitting and airy, her shorts bright enough to draw attention to her legs, which she'd deemed one of her best features, and her hair had a pin to keep too much from falling into her face.

Somewhere her brother was lurking in the crowds and would surely surface when it was time for them to go on stage.

Until then, Jade stood at the edges of the crowd that had begun to gather for the Technicolor Butterfly's performance along with ogling the dancers that were on stage with her. She watched, amused, as they moved with a coordination she'd never replicate.

Oh, she was definitely rubbing in that the dancers had been an excellent idea.

((Jade is open for interaction~))

Character Name: Penelope Rey
Location: Leviathan Stage Crowd
Action: Listening to Ian

Penelope had slid her arm into his and allowed him to guide her towards the stage where his cousin was performing. Blue eyes swept across the still gathering crowd, watching as girls in shorts and things that barely constituted shirts danced happily and freely to the music the DJ was playing. What boys she saw amongst the crowd seemed to be enjoying themselves too.

Clearly, whomever had designed the setlist had chosen well when they'd picked the thin, rainbow haired woman for their opening act.

Penelope didn't miss the way Ian dropped her hand once he'd spotted Delphine. Curious, she thought, head tilting as she took in the lithe dance moving skillfully with the rest. Carefully, as though testing him she said, "she's cute. Are you sure she's just a friend?" Her tone was light and playful enough to make it seem like she was merely curious.

"The DJ seems to have quite the ear for music, checking her out at a club sounds like something worthwhile."

Character name: Delphine Rousseau
Location: Leviathan stage
Action: Preforming with DCBC and Technicolor Butterfly

Absolutely lost in the music and the movements of the dance, Delphine was rather oblivious to the crowd that had had gathered in front of the stage to watch them and DJ hey were providing back up for. It actually took her quite some time, and a very slight lull in the transitional music for the girl to even begin to pay the patrons any mind.

Unlike the stages she was used to preforming on, there was no bright lights to mask the crowd. They were, when the chance allowed to focus on them, clear as day. though there were a good number of bodies now, and picking up on any one individual was not an easy task. Besides that, was there much reason for it?

Which meant it was luck, more than anything else, that let the silver haired dancer spot the tall blonde in the crowd, and a a second look(in the middle of a flawless twirl) to be sure it was indeed Ian she was seeing. Colin hadn't mentioned he'd be here!

Did it matter? A little bit. These were certainly not the sort of clothes he was used to seeing her in, nor was this even remotely the sort of dancing he'd come to expect from the delicate ballerina. This was a part she tended not to flaunt around much, but...there was nothing for it now. He was there, and she wasn't about to let his presence throw her. Much.

But who was that with him? The lovely woman with the corn silk colored hair. And just what were they talking about?

Character Name: Penelope Rey
Location: Stage Crowd
Action: Collapsing on Ian

It was too easy to get swept up in the beat of the music and watching the dancers. Penelope was incredibly curious about this Delphine figure but she was also more preoccupied with assuring that her companion's attention was properly directed on her.

If she found an excuse to let her hand linger on his arm or to slide a little bit closer, well it wasn't just for show.

She enjoyed Ian.

But suddenly she felt incredibly light-heated, ability to focus marred even as the technicolor butterfly and her dancers were finishing up their last set to switch out for Flume and someone called Robb Anybody.

The world seemed to tip beneath her and Penelope fell into Ian because suddenly standing wasn't so easy.

"I don't - I don't feel so great..."