((Leona Van Kamp: Start))
She walked the quarter across the back of her knuckles, eyes narrowed as she focused on its brief exodus from index to middle, middle to ring, ring to pinky and back again. She let it roll for two more cycles before sliding it to her palm with a flourish, hiding it from anyone's view but her own. With another flourish, the coin was back to walking across her knuckles.
Leona looked up at the auditorium door, a few feet from where she'd taken a seat in one of the countless empty chairs. She was alone, which was a blessing and a curse. There was no one else around. But Rebecca also wasn't here yet. The lunch period wasn't especially long, and she wanted to go over some stage blocking with Rebecca. She was going to try her act at a local club, one they'd never played before. Turning 18 had opened up some new venues.
"Where are you, Becca?" She muttered. She took a breath and blew an errant strand of hair out of her eyes.
Leona made the coin disappear again, this time into her pocket. With her other hand she withdrew from her overcoat a deck of playing cards, the pack well-worn from constant use. Idly, she pulled the cards out and started shuffling them, the riffling of her bridging as she shuffled near-deafening in the empty auditorium.
Idle Hands
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BetaKnight
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((Rebecca Kiesling - start))
Dodging around a cluster of loitering freshmen, Rebecca bit down on her lip to keep the string of profanities from escaping. The sudden course correction made her knee twinge. She grimaced and glared at the underclassmen. Of course today, the one day she had definite lunch plans, was the day that Mr. Connor's lecture ran over.
She threw the auditorium doors open with more force than was absolutely necessary and rushed in. She strode towards the stage, apology and explanation at the ready, but began to slow when it became obvious that it was empty. Leona wasn't standing on the stage, waiting for her. What the hell?
She tentatively began forward again, craning her neck to try and see into the wings. Maybe Leona was backstage? Feeling a little nervous, Rebecca cleared her throat and called for her best friend. "Leo?"
Dodging around a cluster of loitering freshmen, Rebecca bit down on her lip to keep the string of profanities from escaping. The sudden course correction made her knee twinge. She grimaced and glared at the underclassmen. Of course today, the one day she had definite lunch plans, was the day that Mr. Connor's lecture ran over.
She threw the auditorium doors open with more force than was absolutely necessary and rushed in. She strode towards the stage, apology and explanation at the ready, but began to slow when it became obvious that it was empty. Leona wasn't standing on the stage, waiting for her. What the hell?
She tentatively began forward again, craning her neck to try and see into the wings. Maybe Leona was backstage? Feeling a little nervous, Rebecca cleared her throat and called for her best friend. "Leo?"
The doors swung open with a bang, drawing Leona's eye. The slender form of Rebecca slide into view. She looked frantic and tense, maybe because she knew she had kept Leona waiting.
Leona set the deck of cards on the armrest of the seat next to her, and withdrew the quarter again. She watched idly for a second as Rebecca scanned the backstage area for Leona. As she watched, the quarter walked back across her knuckles. It made about two cycles before she slid it down, pinching it between her middle finger and thumb.
Leona held the quarter up , aiming it at her friend's back. With a mischievous smirk, Leona flicked her wrist and snapped her fingers, sending the quarter hurtling at Rebecca with surprising accuracy.
"Timing's key for magic, Rebecca!" She called out, smiling and leaning back in her chair.
Leona set the deck of cards on the armrest of the seat next to her, and withdrew the quarter again. She watched idly for a second as Rebecca scanned the backstage area for Leona. As she watched, the quarter walked back across her knuckles. It made about two cycles before she slid it down, pinching it between her middle finger and thumb.
Leona held the quarter up , aiming it at her friend's back. With a mischievous smirk, Leona flicked her wrist and snapped her fingers, sending the quarter hurtling at Rebecca with surprising accuracy.
"Timing's key for magic, Rebecca!" She called out, smiling and leaning back in her chair.
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BetaKnight
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"Ow!"
Rebecca slapped a hand over the throbbing spot on her neck. Pasting a wan smile on her face, she turned in the direction of Leona's voice. "Yeah, about my timing," she began apologetically. "I am so, so sorry for keeping you waiting. I tried to hurry, I really did. But Mr. Connor got really into his lecture and we went that little bit over..."
She fought the urge to squirm like an errant child. Despite her explanation, Leona was probably still upset with her. The best solution was to just get things back on track. Smiling brightly, Rebecca dropped her stuff in an empty seat and gave an uncertain little shrug. "But I'm here now and I'm ready to work. Why don't you show me what you were thinking for our next gig? I'm sure you have something amazing planned."
Rebecca slapped a hand over the throbbing spot on her neck. Pasting a wan smile on her face, she turned in the direction of Leona's voice. "Yeah, about my timing," she began apologetically. "I am so, so sorry for keeping you waiting. I tried to hurry, I really did. But Mr. Connor got really into his lecture and we went that little bit over..."
She fought the urge to squirm like an errant child. Despite her explanation, Leona was probably still upset with her. The best solution was to just get things back on track. Smiling brightly, Rebecca dropped her stuff in an empty seat and gave an uncertain little shrug. "But I'm here now and I'm ready to work. Why don't you show me what you were thinking for our next gig? I'm sure you have something amazing planned."
Leona gave a noncommittal shrug to Rebecca's rationalizing. She stood up, the deck of cards disappearing back into her pocket smoothly. She walked over to her friend, bent over, and picked up her coin from where it lay after impact.
"We can only hope that the audience will think so." She answered Rebecca. The coin started walking across her knuckles again as her other hand hid itself in her pocket. Leona started walking up the the stairs to mount the stage.
She stared out into the auditorium, into the darkness surrounding the seats.
"The club owner's giving us music for our intro." Her fingers closed tightly on the quarter, and she waved her hand grandly, imagining the crowd sitting in front of her.
"I'm thinking "ET". That Katy Perry song?" The quarter spun in her hand as she turned it with her thumb and forefinger. "The song starts, and I appear onstage right as the chorus kicks in."
Leona flipped the coin, caught it. It resumed walking across the back of her knuckles.
"Give them a start, you know?"
"We can only hope that the audience will think so." She answered Rebecca. The coin started walking across her knuckles again as her other hand hid itself in her pocket. Leona started walking up the the stairs to mount the stage.
She stared out into the auditorium, into the darkness surrounding the seats.
"The club owner's giving us music for our intro." Her fingers closed tightly on the quarter, and she waved her hand grandly, imagining the crowd sitting in front of her.
"I'm thinking "ET". That Katy Perry song?" The quarter spun in her hand as she turned it with her thumb and forefinger. "The song starts, and I appear onstage right as the chorus kicks in."
Leona flipped the coin, caught it. It resumed walking across the back of her knuckles.
"Give them a start, you know?"
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BetaKnight
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Rebecca nodded, a thoughtful expression on her face. She began softly humming the melody of the song as she pictured Leona strutting out onto the stage. The crowd usually ate it up as she confidently owned the space. All eyes were on Leona, leaving Rebecca to be the backup.
She would be free to move about, doing that last second check on their equipment. It wasn't quite the same as dancing, but it was nice to be back on stage, doing things in the background that assisted the evolution of the story. And Leona was quite the showman.
"Sounds pretty good," she said as she eyed the empty seats. "Katy Perry is a good choice for a club. High energy, just like us. We can see if they have any cool gel effects for their lighting. You know, maybe something in green and pink for the opening before we switch to your white spot?"
Walking over to center stage, Rebecca looked over her shoulder at her partner. "Spot comes up, you're commanding the stage, and we transition into...." She trailed off, waiting for Leona to tell her what came next.
She would be free to move about, doing that last second check on their equipment. It wasn't quite the same as dancing, but it was nice to be back on stage, doing things in the background that assisted the evolution of the story. And Leona was quite the showman.
"Sounds pretty good," she said as she eyed the empty seats. "Katy Perry is a good choice for a club. High energy, just like us. We can see if they have any cool gel effects for their lighting. You know, maybe something in green and pink for the opening before we switch to your white spot?"
Walking over to center stage, Rebecca looked over her shoulder at her partner. "Spot comes up, you're commanding the stage, and we transition into...." She trailed off, waiting for Leona to tell her what came next.
Like...well, like magic, the deck of cards appeared in Leona's hand with a turn and a flourish. She fanned the cards out in her hand, faces out. The Queen of Hearts was on the bottom of the deck. She was staring out into her imaginary crowd. If it wasn't for the fact she was talking to Rebecca, one might have inferred that she was in another world. Every movement, every step, every hand gesture, was for the people who weren't there.
"I introduce you and myself, tell the fine folks what our show's about." Leona pulled a card from the deck, the ten of Spades. She held it between her index and middle finger. With a snap of her palm, the card disappeared into her sleeve. She flicked her hand again while passing her deck near her arm, and clandestinely slipped it back into the deck.
"Then I warm them up with some card tricks. Keep their expectations low until the good stuff."
"I introduce you and myself, tell the fine folks what our show's about." Leona pulled a card from the deck, the ten of Spades. She held it between her index and middle finger. With a snap of her palm, the card disappeared into her sleeve. She flicked her hand again while passing her deck near her arm, and clandestinely slipped it back into the deck.
"Then I warm them up with some card tricks. Keep their expectations low until the good stuff."
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BetaKnight
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" 'Keep their expectations low'? Am I hearing you correctly? You want to start off purposefully weak?" Rebecca didn't bother to hide her confusion. She began to pace the stage as she tried to follow Leona's logic.
The events unfolded in her mind as she tried to work out the blocking. Start center stage, Leo in the spot, her along side. Leo presents the cards, she would pick someone from the audience to come up and confirm that the cards were legit. She would then blend into the background and check their gear for the next trick while Leo did her thing.
Wait. Leo had mentioned something about 'the good stuff'.
She stopped her pacing and planted her hands on her hips. "That is so unlike you, to purposefully start with cards. Usually, we start with something sort of flashy to get their attention and establish you as the real deal. And you said 'the good stuff'. What do you mean, 'the good stuff'? Our entire set is good. What do you have up your sleeve, Lee?"
The events unfolded in her mind as she tried to work out the blocking. Start center stage, Leo in the spot, her along side. Leo presents the cards, she would pick someone from the audience to come up and confirm that the cards were legit. She would then blend into the background and check their gear for the next trick while Leo did her thing.
Wait. Leo had mentioned something about 'the good stuff'.
She stopped her pacing and planted her hands on her hips. "That is so unlike you, to purposefully start with cards. Usually, we start with something sort of flashy to get their attention and establish you as the real deal. And you said 'the good stuff'. What do you mean, 'the good stuff'? Our entire set is good. What do you have up your sleeve, Lee?"
Leona replaced the cards in the pockets of her overcoat. She walked over to Rebecca, draped her arm around her friend with a knowing smile touching the corners of her face. She drew her friend in. Her eyes were still staring out into the seats, almost glazed at the possibilities of whatever it was she was thinking.
"Oh, we're doing our regular stuff, but I'm trying something different today. Something I'll need your actually to be part of."
Leona sniffed and drew her thumb across her nose. "I've always wanted to try the saw a person in half trick, you know? It's a classic, looks cool, very evocative of older stuff. But I wanna do it one better."
She let that sink in.
"Oh, we're doing our regular stuff, but I'm trying something different today. Something I'll need your actually to be part of."
Leona sniffed and drew her thumb across her nose. "I've always wanted to try the saw a person in half trick, you know? It's a classic, looks cool, very evocative of older stuff. But I wanna do it one better."
She let that sink in.
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BetaKnight
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Rebecca stood and stared at her best friend while the information sunk in. Her hands slipped from her waist and fell to her side. Leona wanted to do what? But everyone and their grandma knew how that trick worked. It was, well, sort of...hokey.
She tried to picture herself crammed into the top half of the box so Leona could "saw" it in half. Wrinkling her nose in distaste, she slipped out of Leona's reach. "You want to do what? Saw me in half? I don't know, Lee. That trick is..."
Rebecca trailed off uncertainly. As much as she hated to contradict Leona, there really wasn't another way to put it. Taking a deep breath, she blurted her thought out. "That trick has been done to death! Everyone's seen it done, like, a billion time. How on Earth could you make it interesting?"
She tried to picture herself crammed into the top half of the box so Leona could "saw" it in half. Wrinkling her nose in distaste, she slipped out of Leona's reach. "You want to do what? Saw me in half? I don't know, Lee. That trick is..."
Rebecca trailed off uncertainly. As much as she hated to contradict Leona, there really wasn't another way to put it. Taking a deep breath, she blurted her thought out. "That trick has been done to death! Everyone's seen it done, like, a billion time. How on Earth could you make it interesting?"
Leona had a flare for the dramatic. It came with the territory, and it was part of what made The Great Leo who she was. So when Rebecca asked just what it was that could make the trick "interesting", it shouldn't have come as a surprise when she produced a match (easily smuggled in the folds of her overcoat expressly for this purpose) and struck the head with her thumb. The flame glowed softly in her hand as she held the stick between her middle and index fingers.
"We up the danger a little." Her eyes fixed on the match for a second, then on the invisible crowd who in her mind were no doubt breathless in anticipation.
She waved the match out and shoved the stick back in her pocket.
"I got a box put together. We light it while you're inside. You slip out where the audience can't see you, then you come back none the worse for wear, looking cute and unburned. Better yet, we make it look like it wasn't supposed to happen until you pop out."
She gave a smile, the bottoms of her teeth shining in the relatively dim light of the auditorium.
"Savvy?"
"We up the danger a little." Her eyes fixed on the match for a second, then on the invisible crowd who in her mind were no doubt breathless in anticipation.
She waved the match out and shoved the stick back in her pocket.
"I got a box put together. We light it while you're inside. You slip out where the audience can't see you, then you come back none the worse for wear, looking cute and unburned. Better yet, we make it look like it wasn't supposed to happen until you pop out."
She gave a smile, the bottoms of her teeth shining in the relatively dim light of the auditorium.
"Savvy?"
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BetaKnight
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"You want to set me on fire?"
The last word came out as a strangled squeak. She tracked the small flame until Leona snuffed it out. It was impossible, but she swore that she could feel the meager amount of heat it radiated on her skin. Rebecca started to shake her head, intent on denying her best friend's idea when a thought occurred to her.
Leona was always professional, going over a trick or illusion multiple times until every aspect ran smoothly. If Leona was sure this was going to work, this was going to work. They would make it work. This show was important to establishing their rep more firmly and separating Leona from birthday clowns and the sad, tired performers who called themselves magicians while dancing around, desperately trying to amuse spoiled, snot-nosed eight year olds.
It was her duty to support her best friend, wasn't it? She had signed up for this to help Leona accomplish her dreams. No backyard birthday clown would ever saw their assistant in half, let alone while on fire. Rebecca glanced at Leona's enthusiastic smile and knew what her response would be.
Fixing a game expression on her face, Rebecca nodded in agreement. "Yeah, sure. So we'll set me on fire while you saw me in half." The smile slipped a bit as she pondered Leona's last question. "Did you just turn into Jack Sparrow on me?"
The last word came out as a strangled squeak. She tracked the small flame until Leona snuffed it out. It was impossible, but she swore that she could feel the meager amount of heat it radiated on her skin. Rebecca started to shake her head, intent on denying her best friend's idea when a thought occurred to her.
Leona was always professional, going over a trick or illusion multiple times until every aspect ran smoothly. If Leona was sure this was going to work, this was going to work. They would make it work. This show was important to establishing their rep more firmly and separating Leona from birthday clowns and the sad, tired performers who called themselves magicians while dancing around, desperately trying to amuse spoiled, snot-nosed eight year olds.
It was her duty to support her best friend, wasn't it? She had signed up for this to help Leona accomplish her dreams. No backyard birthday clown would ever saw their assistant in half, let alone while on fire. Rebecca glanced at Leona's enthusiastic smile and knew what her response would be.
Fixing a game expression on her face, Rebecca nodded in agreement. "Yeah, sure. So we'll set me on fire while you saw me in half." The smile slipped a bit as she pondered Leona's last question. "Did you just turn into Jack Sparrow on me?"
Leona shook her head.
"No, no, no, I'm not gonna set you on fire."
She took hold of Rebecca's hand, reassuringly.
"I mean, I'm not gonna douse you in gasoline and just strike a match on your face."
She swung Rebecca's hand, looking down at her arm.
"You'll be in a box with an opening. Then, while you're already safely scrambling out, that'll be doused in the aforementioned fuel and set ablaze."
Leona smiled again. "I mean, how amazed will they all be while this box is burning onstage, and I look like I'm worried, and then you appear, unharmed and looking oh-so-beautiful, right next to me? It can't miss."
Leona let go of Rebecca's hand and stepped back.
"I don't know, love. You think I could pass for the Captain meself?" Leona said, smiling and affecting as best a Johnny Depp impression as she could, her hands posted dramatically on her hips.
"No, no, no, I'm not gonna set you on fire."
She took hold of Rebecca's hand, reassuringly.
"I mean, I'm not gonna douse you in gasoline and just strike a match on your face."
She swung Rebecca's hand, looking down at her arm.
"You'll be in a box with an opening. Then, while you're already safely scrambling out, that'll be doused in the aforementioned fuel and set ablaze."
Leona smiled again. "I mean, how amazed will they all be while this box is burning onstage, and I look like I'm worried, and then you appear, unharmed and looking oh-so-beautiful, right next to me? It can't miss."
Leona let go of Rebecca's hand and stepped back.
"I don't know, love. You think I could pass for the Captain meself?" Leona said, smiling and affecting as best a Johnny Depp impression as she could, her hands posted dramatically on her hips.
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BetaKnight
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Rebecca felt the knot of anxiety in her chest loosen as Leona took her hand. Of course her best friend would never do anything that would hurt her. She flashed the other girl a genuine smile this time.
Giving Leona's hand a squeeze, Rebecca held on and swung it back and forth, the way they had often done when they were much younger. She knew she could trust Leona. They'd been partners since they'd started dance school as little girls.
Things had been so much simpler when they were small, and their grand dreams had been to learn to dance en pointe and score much coveted principle dancer roles. Then Leona quit dancing to pursue magic, and not long after that, her dancing dreams ended. Rebecca experienced a sharp pang of loss as Leona pulled her hand free and struck a pose.
If Leona wanted to be Jack Sparrow, she'd help make her the best damn Jack Sparrow of all time. "Of course you could pass for the Captain," she assured her best friend. Rebecca waved a vague hand at Leona's face. "A little extra eyeliner, a little rum. No one would ever be able to tell the difference."
Pulling out her phone, she checked the time. "Lee, I don't know about you, but I'm hungry and we've only got about 15 minutes left to lunch. Why don't we go hit the cafeteria and you can tell me more about your modified box plan?"
Giving Leona's hand a squeeze, Rebecca held on and swung it back and forth, the way they had often done when they were much younger. She knew she could trust Leona. They'd been partners since they'd started dance school as little girls.
Things had been so much simpler when they were small, and their grand dreams had been to learn to dance en pointe and score much coveted principle dancer roles. Then Leona quit dancing to pursue magic, and not long after that, her dancing dreams ended. Rebecca experienced a sharp pang of loss as Leona pulled her hand free and struck a pose.
If Leona wanted to be Jack Sparrow, she'd help make her the best damn Jack Sparrow of all time. "Of course you could pass for the Captain," she assured her best friend. Rebecca waved a vague hand at Leona's face. "A little extra eyeliner, a little rum. No one would ever be able to tell the difference."
Pulling out her phone, she checked the time. "Lee, I don't know about you, but I'm hungry and we've only got about 15 minutes left to lunch. Why don't we go hit the cafeteria and you can tell me more about your modified box plan?"
Leona pictured herself in full Sparrow regalia, with the braids, the eyeliner the...facial hair. She had to say, she didn't quite mind it (save the hair). And she loved his waistcoat.
Yeah, she could do that.
"I'll hold you to that, Becca."
Leona's stomach grumbled, as if on cue. She abruptly remembered that yeah, she had skipped lunch to make this grand point at the auditorium. Lunch sounded good. She nodded her approval.
"I hear it's mystery meat today. That's good. I need some material to make the box out of." She smiled, and started toward the door with Rebecca in tow.
((Leona Van Kamp continued in For My Next Trick. Rebecca Kiesling continued in League of Lunch))
Yeah, she could do that.
"I'll hold you to that, Becca."
Leona's stomach grumbled, as if on cue. She abruptly remembered that yeah, she had skipped lunch to make this grand point at the auditorium. Lunch sounded good. She nodded her approval.
"I hear it's mystery meat today. That's good. I need some material to make the box out of." She smiled, and started toward the door with Rebecca in tow.
((Leona Van Kamp continued in For My Next Trick. Rebecca Kiesling continued in League of Lunch))