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Shark Stage

Off in the distant corner, to the left and then further back of the Leviathan stage, is the final stage. Across the top is a banner declaring it Shark Stage with what is perhaps a too gruesome depiction of a shark emerging from the ocean and devouring...something. Even more strangely is the fact that inflatable sharks have been strung across the sides of the stage and there's even a man in a shark costume running around.

Perhaps the sponsors of this stage are trying too hard to profit off of left shark's fame from 2015's super bowl. Regardless, it's decorated to fit it's name and while the line up isn't as cutthroat or hardcore as one might expect from something named Shark Stage, it's has a selection of up and coming, relatively popular artists.

While the official line up is listed at the information booth when you first walk in, if you ask one of the helpful stagehands, they'll inform you of who is playing on this stage and when, but be careful to not distract them. They've got a job to do!

He had everything under control.

Cables were neatly bundled and lined from the speakers to the power distros, and then looped beneath the stage to avoid being stepped on. Basil checked the connections three times before he was satisfied that they were correctly in place, and then a fourth time to make sure they were neatly in place.

He stood now at the sound board, arms folded across his chest, frowning slightly at the controls in front of him. Everything seemed to be working just fine, but it was a matter of both honor and principle to make sure that things would stay working just fine. He didn't want to be called out in the middle of a performance because a singer's mic wasn't giving sound.

Basil slid back towards the stage and climbed the stairs, making his way across the platforms towards the mics. All of them stood ready on their stands, but it wouldn't hurt to make sure the batteries were all new and charged and that the cordless ones were hooked up properly to the speaker system.

He picked up one up, made a few vague test noises, and then, when satisfied, set it down and moved to the next.

Character Name: Jack Burnett
Location: In front of the Shark Stage going on to the Shark Stage
Action: Talking to Benji, making a fool of himself, and provoking the stagehand on stage

"Nice to meet you, Benji," Jack said enthusiastically, though he faltered at the next comment. "Though, uh...I don't know if you want to make those judgements before we've gotten to know each other better. I've been told I can be a pretty arrogant p***k." He made a mental note to himself to be extra considerate about his actions and words around Benji, though, since evidently this guy was sensitive to those sorts of things.

The realization that he was making this mental note itself, however, caught Jack by surprise. He didn't really give a damn about other people or what they thought of him, so why did he care in this case? Because he's obviously a challenge to get along with and if I can get him to think of me as a friend, I'll have just proved to myself I'm even better at fooling people than I thought I was, he answered himself.

It was a stupid explanation, but it was enough to remind Jack why he made sure not to get too friendly with anyone in the first place. People were only too eager to stab others in the back when it happened to be in their favor and the easiest people to stab were those closest to you. He didn't dare actually trust anyone. Still, giving off the impression that he himself was a trustworthy person was a critical skill he prided himself on. No point in endangering that reputation now.

The red-head wasn't that much taller than Benji at 5'6", but it was enough for him to keep up fairly easily, allowing his new companion to lead the way. He could tell that being in control seemed to be important to the other teen and saw no reason to deny him that comfort just then. He glanced briefly at the official list at the information booth when they passed, but didn't bother stopping as Benji continued on, leading the way.

Watching the young man on stage check the microphones, Jack heard Benji ask him something and turned his head back to face him. "Do I?" He chuckled. "I guess I'd be lying if I said it wasn't true; I do like to talk. Debates and stuff especially. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing, but I'll take it as a compliment.

"As for my 'lame gig', I just signed up to volunteer for whatever. Seemed like a fun way to see things from behind the scenes; not to mention get in for free. I didn't know they would make me a waterboy."

A mischievous grin lit his face. "But you know...if you think I'd look good on stage...maybe I can help that guy out with checking the mics." Peering out the corner of his eye at the single fellow on stage, Jack skipped up the steps on the far end opposite the ones the techie was closest to. Then he grabbed a microphone from its stand and began to speak loudly into it using his best impression of a narrating announcer's voice.

"- And every time the mic-checker picked up a mic, for that instant in his inner mind theater, he was transformed into the most popular idol magical girl! This was what he lived for; the very reason he had volunteered to check mics - those brief but beautiful moments where he could just be himself inside!"

Benji has an energy draining wristband
Character Name: Benji Rhodes
Location: Shark Stage
Action: Exploration with Jack

Benji was all for being a trouble maker. He hated grouchy old people, stuck up middle aged soccormoms and those dumb a** buisness people who didn't seem to ever have patience or a nice thing to say. He ADORED giving those kinds of people s**t and making their days worst.

But this, no.

He did NOT look amused by Jack's actions. In fact, he looked almost mortified as the kid just went up on stage and fiddled with the mic, trying to be funny. There was just so much second hand embarrassment that went into his expression when the Stagehand pointed down at him. Why did he say yes to this? Why did it have to turn belly up so fast.

"Dude, that's not cool! Get your bony a** back down here!" Benji could just imagine what would've happened if the other had tried to go up there while there was a performer on stage. Then again, he probably would have laughed at Jack suddenly getting tackled to the ground so he would not be a threat. A sympathetic gaze was given to the stagehand along with a shake of his head.

"Sorry about him, I forgot to leave him at home and tied to a post today. He doesn't seem to know how to behave in public. "

Character Name: Basil Whyborne
Location: Onstage
Action: Working


Hazel eyes flickered briefly towards the one on the ground, a second glance giving Basil all he needed to know about the pair of them. Younger now, looking at them, and possibly troublemakers - or at least, the one who had leapt on stage was.

Basil did not have time for troublemakers.

"He should learn," he said, without inflection, and crossed the stage to put the microphone back to where it belonged. It made a clicking sound as he slid it back on the stand, and he checked the buttons and the batteries to make sure that everything was still intact.

"I don't hang out with children," said Basil, not turning around to look at them. "As for my lack of 'fun,' I'm sure you'll find other things to do here that don't involve messing around in the 'serious' work that people do in order to put a production of this size and scope into motion."

His hands dropped from the mic and he knelt, doublechecking the gaff tape in case he'd missed anything.

Character Name: Jack Burnett
Location: Being pulled away from the actual stage
Action: Laughing his head off as he's being led away by Benji

"I know a ton of ways to behave in public. I just don't agree with society's idea of which is the best," Jack told Basil matter-of-factly, though his smile suggested he wasn't the least bit perturbed by the older male's haughty demeanor. "You don't hang out with children? No wonder you're so stiff. You know what they say about all work and no play."

The red-head turned to stare at Benji when the other boy began to talk back at the stagehand, astonished. His surprise only grew when his arm was snatched and he found himself being pulled away as Benji gave him warnings. Then Jack started to laugh aloud, providing no resistance as he let himself be dragged off.

"Damn, you're amazing! That guy looked taller and older than either of us, but you stuck it to him anyway! And you weren't even the one he was mad at!" Still laughing, he attempted to twist his arm out of Benji's grip so he could put it around the other's shoulders in a friendly manner instead. "That was really cool! Thanks, Benji."

Beaming, he continued, "Speaking of interesting things, what happened to your eye? Looks like you were in something pretty nasty. Is that how you got to be so brave?"

Benji has an energy draining wristband
Character Name: Benji Rhodes
Location: Shark Stage
Action: Wandering with Jack

All in all, this could have gone alot worse, in Benji's opinion. Were the older man up on stage alot ruder and aggressive, He might have had found himself in a brawl. Jack wasn't his friend, but he did find himself wanting to make sure he wasn't mistreated while he was on the watch. Instead of a glare or a scowl before walking away completely, he gave Basil a quick nod, partially an apology and partially a 'yah, we're leaving' gesture.

And Benji just wasn't used to any sort of praise so he found is ears turning just a little red, not that Jack could see them under the layers of poofy hair on his head. The arm around his shoulder was just enough to get him to grin again.

"Well, you know. Being amazing comes naturally when you're this awesome. But dude, that wasn't even sticking up. That was just pointing out his attitude was a bit shitty, even if your dumb as kinda deserved it. What the hell made you go up on the stage? in the first place?" It really did baffle him that he'd make such a ruckus with so many people around. Surely were it have gone any worse he'd find Jack on youtube or something with the label 'dumbass gets tackled on stage' .

And then there was mention of his eye. It's constant trobbing and the headaches that came from it were often enough to keep him curled up in a ball at night. Though his mother was a teacher, and his father was some sort of minor politic that Benji couldn't care less about, their insurance was s**t, and they couldn't get him the care he needed, so his eye just kept getting worse. That, and the fact that he never seemed to complain about it kept them from looking too much into it.

"This thing here.. Man, I got into a fight with this dude twice my size, built like a truck! You know, muscle and as wide as a brick wall! He was coming at me with a knife and his gang were all coming closer and closer to me, and I had tried to escape, but before I could, he got me good. Took his knee and banged my face right into it. You shoulda seen it when it first happened! There was blood everywhere, and my face was so purple and swollen on that side. I got pictures of it on my phone too. It was gnarly as ********." He spoke with endless enthusiasm about the attack, though he couldn't say he was a Senshi or it was the Negaverse. Jack didn't need to know about that.

"But yeah, I really shouldn't have been going through that area at night. That's what happens when you try to break into an abandoned house and ignore gang signs. They more often than not want to ******** you up afterwards."

Benji has an energy draining wristband
Character Name: Benji Rhodes
Location: Shark Stage
Action: Wandering with Jack

I got to see you act all cool, so it was worth it anyway.... Benji wouldn't deny that he could feel the heat of his ears burn it's way across his cheeks when Jack continued to sing him praise. This dumb a** kid just needed to stop! How was he supposed to keep calm if he was blushing like some damned nerd!

"It really sounds like you don't listen, Jack! I SAID I snuck into their base without realizing it, and that kinda pissed them off. And me and my big fast mouth kept talking s**t, then got hit. Simple as that." If only the situation had been that simple... Eh, he didn't want to think about it right now.

"Whole situation was bullshit, but I'm sure several of them won't be having kids ever again. and maybe one or two are missing a few fingers. But anyway, where did you even come from, anyway? You just kinda popped into my personal space out of no where! What school do you go to? I haven't seen you mug around before."