There was no way Tawn was going to be ready for the show.
Curled up on the love seat between the two statues, the guy couldn't even open his eyes. When he did, it was just the red bits of his eyes that were visible.
Vinnie used a damp cloth to try and remove the crust formed around his eyes. Tawn's hands trembled when he dribbled water over himself from the pitcher on the ground beside his head.
The two other snakes crowded him. Luke took his head while Levi sat at his feet, trying to comfort him as he whimpered.
He refused to move. With the last hour dwindling before the doors opened, we had to move Tawn and figure out how the hell we were supposed to continue with only myself left.
Would we even open? Lumi was supposed to return to give her last act. I couldn't do this whole thing alone.
It was going to be a full house. How were we supposed to refund that many tickets?
A dog pushed through the crowd to slide in down next to Vinnie.
Smothered in patches of black and white down their arms and legs, their large, rounded ears were flattened down. A black muzzle whispered in his ear, the black eyes darting to Tawn.
There was a smudge of black down the middle of its forehead which had been painted yellow.
It had a rainbow of colours patted over its already striking ones. A clip attached to the base of its ear blinked frantically.
"Alright, we'll give it a go" Vinnie shrugged "but I highly doubt it."
"I just need him in the dressing room. They'll take care of the rest" the dog, a female, replied.
She turned to Luke and Levi, snapping her fingers to them.
"You two, grab one arm each and help take him to his dressing room."
"You've got to be kidding" Luke blinked back "he can't stand! How is he supposed to perform?"
"I'll sort that" the dog huffed "arms; go."
It quickly dawned on them that Tawn was much larger and obviously a lot heavier. Heaving him up took both of them. They grunted after slapping a limp arm around each of their shoulders, muttering to Tawn who tried to say something back.
"You got to help me out here, buddy" Levi gasped when they tried to lift him up "just move your legs. We will guide you."
The two snakes were shorter than they realized. After heaving him to his feet, they dropped his arms and held onto his hands instead.
Rushing over, I pressed a hand to his back to make him flinch.
"Its just me" I reminded him "Nisha."
"Ni...sh?"
"Yeah" I grinned "you look rough, man."
His lips peeled into a little crooked smile that tipped back at me.
"Take the water and cloth" Vinnie pressed them into my hands "I've got to clean up that."
Vomit splattered down the front of his bar. Dripping off a chair, the chunky mess was a mixture of almost digested rats and their stringy insides. They were white and congealed. I could feel my own stomach churn at seeing it.
Viva was already scooping up the edges, groaning and muttering about the disgusting contents.
He was probably the worst of us to clean up after. Maybe Avery's would be the same? Did he eat small things and crush them into pellets of hair and innards, like a bird? Or was he like me; normal meals that didn't consist of live animals?
I grimaced back at Vinnie who had Viva and two others, Lulu and Patterson, helping restore the bar to its glory for the guests.
At least I didn't have that job.
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The dog lead the way up the stairs to backstage. Tawn carefully and hesitantly followed with his guides, not trusting them completely to make sure he didn't trip. Each step, he tapped his foot to the bottom of the next one to make sure he was stable.
He could read heat signatures, couldn't he? Was he completely blind from whatever had been thrown on him?
"Run that to the dresser" the dog peered around and snapped at me "they'll make sure it's fresh."
"Right" I nodded.
"Yeah, I got Nisha coming down" the dog pressed the clip as I rushed past "yeah, make sure it's...."
Her voice faded out. Ducking and dodging around curious onlookers and their props being wheeled into their allocated places, I set my sights solely for the dressers.
"Excuse me!" I pushed past others trying to pry into details "please move!"
Dodging and dipping, I kept my other hand over the top of the pitcher, like it would stop it from sloshing about. The rag he had been using was swirling inside as it soaked up the liquid and stained it a light brown shade.
Sticking close to the walls of the hall past my usual ladder, I saw Tawn's door already open and his makeup artist leaning out to usher me inside.
It was Francie. I hadn't seen her since I had been strangled in my own dresser after accusing Elgress of being a snake.
"Poppy, take the water" Francie ordered, yanking it from me to hand to someone around the other side of the flowery partition "I need a bowl of fresh water and a soft cloth. Nothing hard!"
"Got it!" I heard a voice squeak and rush off.
"Benny, I need a massage table set up" Francie pointed to the area near his chair "get Soroi to wipe the shit out of his eyes while I do the oil. We've got to run double-time now!"
"On it!" a man called and was off as well.
I peered around the partition to see Loreen sitting in a chair at the bench just down from Francie. Her face was filled with worry as it was being misted and set in place.
"Nisha!" she smiled to me through the mirror.
I returned it, giving a little wave.
"What are you still doing here?" Francie demanded from me now "shoo! You've got your own team to do your makeup!"
Turning from me, she pulled up a walkie talkie to jab at it.
"Tell me you guys are close" I heard her moan as I was on my way.
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I passed Avery's door. It was closed, but the little slide under the star told me his team was in, most likely acting as backup for Tawn's ailment.
Knocking and entering mine, I smiled up at my team waiting for me.
Lumi was already here, perched in her seat next to mine. I lit up at seeing her already dressed and having her makeup applied. Her eyes were closed as they were daubed and smeared.
Lexus was the one paying close attention to her assigned person. She smiled up at me, giving a little wave.
She was also a dog hybrid.
Patched in grey over her pale skin, her arms were like artworks in themselves.
She had her bleach white hair tied up into a high bun that was set with a whimsical vine hair tie.
Grey patches over the right side of her face, around her dark eyes that almost looked black. She had another pulling out from around her human nose and down to her chin.
Other than the pointed and wispy grey ears on her head, and the wispy white tail hanging low under her dress, she didn't display a lot of her dog-like features.
"Hey, Nish" she grinned, knowing Lumi would react.
"Nisha?" Lumi tried to turn, but Lexus kept her facing forward and blind "you're here?"
Her voice sounded hopeful. Even though I hadn't rushed after her, I had been offering my support through a multitude of messages and funny images instead.
If I lost Lumi completely, I don't know what I would do. She was here, and that made my heart flutter.
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Benji also grinned wildly at seeing me enter, clapping his hands together once and clasping them.
His brown eyes lit up in joy, possibly at not losing his job just yet. His short brown hair was flicked into a wave at the front, splashed with blonde tips and glitter.
He was a skinny thing, but he always said it was from his modelling days. After being attacked by a rival with scissors, he bore a long scar under his right eye that jutted off under his ear; shaped just like a wonky 'L'.
This was the closest he could get to his dream career again.
"What a day, what a day!" Benji sighed as he saw me "over here. Lets get changed!"
The partition was dragged around. My clothes and chains were already here for me, lined up in order.
Peeling off my shirt, I flopped it over the partition to be instantly snatched away by Benji's small hand.
"Where's Elgress?"
"Literally went to the bathroom right before you came in" Benji tutted "poor thing said she wasn't feeling well."
"Maybe she's on her period?" I heard Orson ponder.
Orson. He had a habit of speaking his mind. He was also the only other ape on my team.
His looks were quite deceptive. When I first met him, I mistook him for some sort of cuddly panda.
He was larger than Benji's stick-like figure, and stood out against Lexus and her tiny frame. With the rest of us being performers, he made it known he didn't care what the standard was supposed to be. He was comfortable being the way he was, and proud to boast about it.
With sparkling brown eyes and large round markings around each one, he gave off the look of innocence. Human-facing, he only had little patches of white around his cheekbones and across his fingertips.
He was one of a few men in here who kept their hair long too. It was the same brown as his markings, forever tied into the same plait that ran down his back and was tied off just a few inches short of his tailbone.
He was one of a few species that didn't have a tail either. I thought it had been docked, like mine, but he simply never evolved to have one to begin with.
Orson's smile and bubbly personality was only to disguise the fact he was one of the most dangerous apes around.
Slow Loris' salivated venom; the only ape to do so. One bite from him could be deadly, of he ever stopped trying to please everyone.
He liked me from the moment he was appointed to me, and I enjoyed our brief friendship within these dressing room walls.
"Ors!" Lexus scolded from over at Lumi "you can't say that! She's been through a lot."
"I mean it in a good way!" he defended "I want to make sure she's ok."
I heard him walk off. Lexus muttered something, making Lumi snort.
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I didn't hear him return until I was well into fixing up the last of my chains, with Benji's help.
Turning me around to make sure everything was fixed properly, he swept an arm to my chair so he could pull across his makeup station.
I smiled through the mirror to Elgress who didn't acknowledge me. Her chains clanged and rang when she flopped down into the seat beside Lumi. She was silent with her too when Lumi gave her a little smile, waiting for makeup.
"Tell Falak to come and get El done" Benji told Orson who was instantly muttering to the piece attached to his ear "I'm sure they don't need six people for their little show-stopper."
I frowned, tilting my head up to Benji before he redirected me straight ahead.
"Avery is performing again?"
"Avery?" Benji barked out a laugh "God no! They've got his Mr Tall, Dark and Mysterious making a debut tonight! Trying to drum up excitement for the new aerial work he'll have to do eventually."
Alowyn? He was still tying knots around his feet to get the placement of the ribbon. He was nowhere near a debut. It was way too early.
Was this to take the attention from the rest of us? Tawn would be sloppy and I wasn't much better, falling of the chandelier earlier.
"He's on his way!" Orson called out.
"Just make sure to show him the graph and check that it lines up" Benji spoke while daubing my face and repositioning it straight ahead.
The graphs. I couldn't help but to smile. Each draw under the makeup benches here had a laminated sheet of a generic face and what coloured makeup it should have on it. Each team has different looks stashed out of sight. Once they were perfected, the sheets became more clutter out of sight.
Having an artist used to the sharper lines Avery usually got could be disastrous for Elgress. Under the lights, everything would show.
"Get this...." Benji smirked to Lexus setting Lumi's face "....he got a new name too. Guess what they're calling him?"
Lexus smirked, fanning.
"What?"
"No, guess!" Benji insisted with a wave of his brush and a cheesy grin while he kept focusing on me.
"Bird Cage" Orson snorted.
Elgress let out a laugh, falling silent again.
I saw Lumi smile, thinking.
"Bird Seed" she added, making Orson click his fingers and agree to the slight change of words and emphasis on the last one.
"Well?" Benji pressed "what about you, Nish?"
"It's silly" I waved it off, instantly getting groans from the others to play along.
"Bird....Swing?" I offered, getting retorts that my suggestion was the lamest.
A knock on the door had us stifling our laughs and teasing. Orson went over to open it, clapping Falak on the shoulder and shaking it.
With no other birds on Avery's usual team to avoid conflicts, Falak was put on because he was a moth.
Ironically, moths were usually butchered by birds out in the wild. But because Falak was brightly coloured and overall a type that wasn't targeted, he wasn't going to be meeting that end on his team.
"The man of the hour!" Benji announced as he guided him towards Elgress' chair "you can tell us what they called him!"
Falak's black wings hung down over the top of his grey singlet. They were spotted with an orange that almost appeared brown.
When he passed by, I saw his black hair was short and spiked. The back of his neck was orange, most likely striping down him.
His arms were pitch black. Not a swab of orange was smeared onto them. His legs, however, were striped black and orange at the backs of his calves and were only noticable because he was wearing acid-washed jeans that came to his knees.
He was a tall guy too; kind of thick with muscle. I had no doubt he could hold himself if anyone did try to attack him.
Falak glanced back as Elgress pulled out the guide for him to study. He held it in one hand while his other sorted through makeup.
"Who, you mean, Onyx?"
"That's so fucking racist" Elgress snorted out, closing her eyes when Falak began to prepare her face "because he's black?"
"Go for Charcoal or Soot next time" Lexus commented, leaning against the bench.
"Yeah, it's all a bit strange" Falak replied with a little smile "it sounds nothing like his real name. I thought they'd go with something bird-themed, like Avery."
I tried not to frown and mess up my eyes being pressed into.
"Is Avery not his real name?"
There was a short moment of silence as everyone thought on it.
"Well, I don't know him by anything else" Falak commented "he's never mentioned another name."
"It would make sense" Lumi added "Avery sounds like aviary. Bruce changed Alowyn's name, so why wouldn't he do it for Avery's?"
"You went by a few, didn't ya?" Orson flicked his finger in my direction "Nisha isn't even your real name either."
"It's not?" Falak breathed, intrigued.
Blushing now, I just shrugged.
"I mean, take a pick of the hundred I've got" I just grinned.
Benji and Orson snickered. Lexus tutted at me.
They all knew about me. They were assigned as part of my team after all.
"He goes by Bibani" Orson teased.
"Pretty sure it's little Baby" Benji cooed, giving my cheek a quick pinch before laughing and fixing it.
"Chalk suits his dusty arse more" Lexus smirked, giggling with Lumi.
"Better than Onyx" Elgress closed her eyes for them to be done.
"Not much" Lexus said "still, it'll look good for the posters. That's all Bruce cares about."
"Speaking of Bruce, you hear he decked the absolute shit out of Tawn?" Benji gasped, dropping his voice to gossip "wonder what over this time?"
"Who even knows what goes on in that office" Lexus started to pack up her things now "there's been a few times where I've wondered if Tawn wasn't the one trying to attack him first."
Orson gasped, leaning over.
"You think it's self defense?"
Lexus shrugged, letting Lumi slide out so she could come and quietly watch me.
We exchanged smiles. I couldn't even message her since I wasn't allowed to lower my head, or talk to her now that Benji focused around my nose, grabbing my chin to steady me.
"All I'm saying is that a big snake like him won't just shove himself in a box night in and night out without a fight. You saw the way he barged in here and tried to strangle Nisha! He's doing the same shit to Bruce, I bet."
Falak's black eyes dropped to Elgress.
"You used to work the bar. Surely you'd know something about it all?"
Benji sprayed my face when I my focus trailed over, making me jump. He started fanning it with his hand gently to make it set quicker. Both our attention was on them.
"You can't hear anything being that far down the hall" Elgress smiled politely back at Falak, keeping her eyes closed "honestly, I just served the drinks. I wasn't into the gossip like Vinnie."
Benji tutted in disappointment. I wasn't so easily bought. She was hiding something, but I didn't dare call her out on it. Not after last time.
"I heard he has to be sedated" Lexus looked around to make sure it was only us hearing her "I heard Bruce drugs the more dangerous ones so the are calm and do what he says."
"Would explain why Nisha doesn't get drugged" Orson grinned and clapped my shoulder "he's got no backbone!"
Elgress huffed. Lumi smirked. The others chortled.
"Apparently, he slips it into your drink when you go to talk with him" Lexus babbled "but you don't know."
"I think i'd know if drinks were being spiked" Elgress scoffed, her voice hard as she turned her head to Lexus "they walk right past the bar. It'd be obvious if he was drugging people in his office."
Lexus shrugged, pulling a face of exaggerated innocence.
"It's all I heard" she defended "not having a go."
I saw Elgress' eyes narrow when Falak turned her head back to work on it. When her eyes closed again, Lexus made a face to us, almost sneering at her attitude while we just smirked in agreeance.
Elgress was on edge. Why was she so tightly wound tonight?
She hadn't been there when I fell. I saw that for a fact after she made herself scarce with Tawn and Vinnie earlier. My failure wasn't causing this mood swing in her.
Maybe she really just was on her period? That made sense.
"You're done" Benji grabbed his wrist to rub it. He grinned and moved so I could look myself over "fine work, if I do say so myself."
"Which you do" I rolled my eyes back at him "almost every night."
"Yeah, well, not a lot else going on around here" he waved me off and turned his back on me.
Orson started preparing the props now that Elgress was being finished as well. Lumi slid up to my side and we huddled against the far wall near the door, just watching.
"You alright?" she whispered.
Me? She was the one losing her job! I should have been the one to ask her how she was coping.
"I'm a bit nervous" I admitted, dropping my voice and almost touching my head to Lumi's to avoid being heard "El might actually bite my head off up there."
Lumi glanced and giggled quietly, nodding.
I wanted to say so much to her I hadn't already through text. After tonight, it wouldn't be the same. I wouldn't have anyone to laugh with or just have fun around.
Lumi truly was my only friend in here outside this team. I didn't branch further past the stage. Everyone had their own groups and it was obvious i wasn't welcome in them.
"I'm sad you are going to go" I grimaced to her "I liked having you here."
"Yeah, well..." Lumi threw a hand up and let it drop in defeat "...that's what I get for trying to do what's right."
"Which is just stupid" I grumbled.
She agreed. I wished I found better words to express my hate for it all than just 'stupid.'
"I'll refuse" I thought out loud "I'll do what Avery did with Adrian when he was fired."
Lumi smiled warmly but shook her head.
She was...refusing?
Why?
"It's probably best I get out of here, to be honest" she said "it's toxic here. It's not good for anyone to be stuck in this job long-term."
Averting my eyes, I felt the sting of the truth behind her words.
I couldn't leave like she could. I'd be stuck here without her, unless she returned again as a paying customer.
She'd do well out there. Her mother and father both supported her. She had an older brother and younger sister too. They were a tight-knit family fuelled by those values. She'd have another job to fill the hole in no time.
But, it wouldn't be the same here. Seeing how well she'd be doing out there without me would just make it hurt worse. She might even find another favourite work-buddy to joke and send texts to in all hours of the night. She'd probably send them the same things she did to me; even the borderline risque ones.
I didn't want to cry, but my chest ached at the inevitable.
"Nisha" Lumi reached a hand over to hold her pinky in mine down by our sides "we've had fun. Nothing is going to change that. We'll still talk and send each other stupid videos."
I smiled. It was forced. I felt my eyes glazing over.
"Hey" she bumped her side into mine "how about we drink together tonight after work? Have some fun?"
Her smile was hopeful. It made the sting of my threatening tears barely bearable.
"Yeah?"
"And after that, maybe you can see me off?" she swung our arms, grinning "it will be the last time I get to see you at the gates."
I smirked, wiping my eyes to try and see her properly.
"As long as you don't try to take me home with you" I joked back.
"Oh, I'd never" she laid the sarcasm on thick, grinning cheekily.
Wait....was she going to?
I swallowed, trying not to let my heart race before I knew the truth.
She grinned, checking the others weren't looking before giving me a little wink.
She was going to?!
Oh, jeez. I hadn't been outside since I walked myself in voluntarily as a hybrid becoming too human for survival out there.
What if she changed her mind? What if she was just teasing me? Was this some sort of joke that I should laugh about later?
"Uh..."
"We should keep going if we want to be ready on time" she tilted her head to the door and unlinked from me "don't fall off this time, ok?"
Leading the way, she turned back to grin again. I returned it, seeing the way she walked confidently, knowing she was on show in those chains.
I had to make sure this would be the best encore to go out on.
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Lumi was ferociously wired with mics, including one I didn't recognize.
It sat next to the one threaded for her usual vocals. There was a little black box clipped to her backside too that usually didn't belong there, blinking away.
The one adding them was the same decorated dog hybrid from before. She ignored our questions about the extra additions, just mumbling something about there not being enough time.
Looking over, Tawn and Avery were already sitting back-stage. Avery was perched on a crate and Tawn slumped on his own cage beside him, guzzling water while a jar of ashes sat close. Loreen lingered, helping Adrian as he shook up a tub of gold flakes to prepare. Alowyn was telling them something about the application, showing them how to get more out of a shake.
Seeing us lingering near the ladder, Avery lifted his head and grinned. His free arm waved us over, frantically beckoning when we didn't move at first.
Finally free from the others, we obliged. Stepping up to the area, I grinned to the others.
Elgress wasn't far behind us. Scanning for a seat, Tawn shuffled over so she could sit with him.
"Sit with me" Avery patted his crate as he looked to me "I've got room."
I glanced back to Lumi who was happy to push aside the collection of bowls offering freebies, sitting on the table instead. Loreen shoved them further, sliding up beside her with a giggle.
My eyes locked on Alowyn still standing. He had his own costume resembling Avery's, including the chains and barely-there leotard that rode up around the arse cheeks.
A large man like him looked like some kind of sex-idol dressed so scantily. Even he picked at his backside, trying to move the fabric threatening to lodge it it.
His tail and wings gave coverage. Seeing them tucked off to the sides, I noticed they were also decorated in chains. Underneath those, black ribbons tied them up so he couldn't use them.
Was this to keep those rumours away that our hybrids were real? If he were to get startled and fly, it'd be tough to play it off as wires and prosthetics again.
A safe bet. Cruel, but understandable.
"How are you?" Avery nudged me.
"Fine" I gave a small smile back, seeing he was fully dressed too "bet you aren't too happy to be back in that."
"I'll be glad to throw on some nice shorts and a shirt again" he looked down at the chains "getting it all around the cast was a pain in itself."
Against all the black and gold, the pink stood out.
To think I was contemplating breaking my own arm to get out of here. Now, I just wanted to get through tonight. Things were looking hopeful again.
"I'd like you to sign it when we've got time" he spoke up with a little smile, glancing around to everyone here "I'd like you all to sign it later."
"Sure there's going to be enough on that little drumstick?" Tawn smirked, still slumped over his bottle.
Avery giggled at him, relieved he had enough energy to force humour.
"We should get you glitzed up" Alowyn turned his head to the curtains, listening to the noise of people being seated "just don't rub it all off before he wants us out there."
Avery didn't fight it. Getting up and spreading, Alowyn passed the jar to Adrian so he could start slapping flakes on.
Seeing him glittering, Adrian started rubbing some on himself, getting help around his back from Alowyn who bent down so he could get some pinched into his feathers.
"You know what?" Tawn spoke up as he watched them smother themselves, cradling his ashes now "fuck it. Slap some gold on me too."
Tawn's part didn't call for gleem. His was about the rough and ruggedness of the story. His was grey and red. It would throw it off if he went out glowing.
"I don't know..."
"Fuck him" Tawn shrugged and held out a hand "what's a little gold going to do? I'm still going to perform, aren't I?"
Alowyn looked to Adrian, who turned to Avery.
They all looked so unsure. I don't think they were going to do it.
"Why not?" I grinned "it's Lumi's last night, why not make it sparkle? Let's all go gold."
Lumi beamed at the idea. When she saw Alowyn hand Tawn the jar, she squealed in delight.
"This is going to be so exciting!" she shook.
Tawn scraped a huge mound into the ash and shook it up. With his still gleaming fingers, he started to press them to the scales down his forehead, hoping the little scraps would stick.
"All the way down" he ran a finger from his forehead to his nostrils "let's go big."
"I'll grab more!" Alowyn decided and sprinted off.
"Here" Avery took the gold from Tawn who promptly lowered his head to him "let me. You're making a mess."
"Will it even stick?" Loreen leant over to watch in fascination.
"I've got oil on" he boasted back "I'll be fine."
Avery dipped all of his fingers in so he could try and press them like Tawn wanted. Looking blotchy, he tried to fill in the gaps.
It did stick nicely. His shedding scales had been peeled off so that the newer ones could take the gold. The older ones still due to shed were coated in oil to stop flaking under the lights. He'd be the best one to do this to.
"Girls!" he called out towards the changing rooms "leave some room! We're going gold!"
One peered out, frowning. Seeing Tawn grinning back through his new mask, she quickly ducked back in to inform the others.
There was a rise of giggling and chatter as more poked their heads out to watch. Hesitantly, one shuffled over in her chains, looking to Avery meekly.
With scales that pulled into points along her skin, she looked like another snake.
These were a dull greyish, green under the makeup and colours painted over them.
Little spikes jutted along her spine and down into a tail that hung suspended. The scales underneath were striped horizontally and more of a cream colour.
She couldn't be a snake. They were all accounted for. She had to be some sort of other reptile.
Her human face made it harder to tell. She had pointed teeth and a rounded nose, but nothing to clearly state what she was.
"Tell Luna, Sibyl, and Liam that it'll feel a little hot" Tawn told her when she was offered the jar "but for you guys, it should be fine. We'll do everyone out here."
"You are cold-blooded, so anything would feel hot to you" Avery quipped, watching the girl go "are they?"
"Yeah" Tawn smiled after them "they mix in the crocs and gators with me so it looks similar when they dance. Nice to know there's more out there that enjoy how warm the lights are. Most people complain."
"They could make it so it doesn't feel like sunburn" Elgress muttered back.
Tawn smirked but chose not to look at her, letting Avery move on to fill out eager hands as a line started to form.
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Dazzling with gold across my face and under my eyes, I grinned to Elgress.
Hers peppered down her arms and down her cheeks, almost like beautiful, golden tears.
Luke and Levi had gone for the same look. After seeing everyone else breaking the rules, they smeared flakes down under their eyes and up their arms so that it could shine when they played their instruments.
It really did look spectacular from up here. The crowds were washed in darkness and the gold glinted from everyone waiting to contribute to their part.
I wanted it to all be for Lumi, but I couldn't take the credit. Just bending the rules tonight and seeing her smile was enough to make me convince myself this was all for her to make one last stand.
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I knew the routine well enough to when I had to be paying attention.
Dancers always opened the show to get people excited for what was coming and pull them up from the appetizers that would be placed in front of them.
After them, Avery and Adrian had their first act.
Dancers would come out again in red chains, before the bird duo returned to do the second part after a stupid skit.
Another played my part of peeling from the shadows, usually just with glowing eyes.
One of the other apes did that from a completely black leotard to conceal them. It was brief and enough to let the audience know something was watching. They didn't have to do anything else, and that's the way they liked it.
Then it would transition into Tawn.
His dance crew would come out and do their bit. He'd do his contortion before they returned to continue the act in a more savage fashion.
My counterpart would make another appearance up high, listing to a little song sang about it while dinner was served to the more calmer tune. After that, I was supposed to make my entrance on the chandelier.
With Elgress up here now, it was a two-person act that changed our routine.
After the spectacle of spinning and flipping, it'd dim to black and my counterpart would disappear too.
Levi and Luke got their own part to show off their skills and let Levi leave their little alcove for a few minutes to shred the guitar and intimidate the audience. Luke got to beat the shit out of the drums too, gaining a few fans from how hard he went.
The dancers would swirl again to distract while both boys returned to their dark corner. Dessert would come out in this time. There'd be another song about curiosities, with dancers dressed as birds, apes, and snakes; finishing with final spectacle of noise and lights as we were dragged out to stand there as refreshments were called.
But, that wouldn't be the case tonight.
After the opening act, there would be a gap. Avery wasn't allowed to perform and I would assume Bruce was going to take the time to introduce his new performer instead, 'Onyx'.
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Sitting up here with Elgress and Lumi, we watched from the alcove as the dancers flashed against the crazy lights and awed faces. Painted and rippling like water, they all moved so perfectly in time to the lights overhead helping create the illusion of disappearing into the liquid being projected around them.
It really was amazing what someone could create with a few lights. Every time, it still blew me away.
Then, their part ended. They fluttered out the back of the stage where Avery, Adrian, and Alowyn were waiting. Bruce stood beside them, saying something to his old and new stars that had them looking to each other.
People peeked from inside the curtains. A hand gave Bruce a microphone before he marched onstage with a huge smile.
The three others remained behind, chattering to themselves.
"What's he going to do now?" Lumi muttered while we watched him walk out with a spotlight he soaked in "make Alowyn perform?"
"And make an arse of himself?" Elgress leant over, shaking her head "no, I think it's just him thinking people actually like him."
We snickered, still keeping eyes on Bruce's lit face.
"What a performance!" he called out "give it up for the dancers! Weren't they great?"
There was prompted applause. Faces turned to Bruce planting himself at the end of the stage. It was more confusion to the halt in performance.
"I'm not actually here tonight just to give praise to the dancers. Some of you may remember the incident we had here during a show involving our main star, Avery. After falling from up at the roof, I'm very proud to announce, he's doing really well, and only escaped with a broken arm."
Bruce swept a hand back to the curtains to gesture for his star to come forth.
He did so alone, forcing a smile at the crowds who cheered and whistled for him. Waving back, he shuffled beside Bruce to look up at him nervously.
"Alas, we won't be having any aerial acts from Avery any time soon as he mends up" Bruce laid on the disappointment thick, making some people groan out in sympathy "but, there is an exciting announcement that comes from it! Tonight, you will be the first to see our new, up and coming aerial star! He's got some big shoes to fill, but he's got the best to teach him!"
Bruce clapped Avery's shoulder and shook it. Avery just kept smiling, keeping the peace.
"Let's give a round of applause to Onyx!"
"What a stupid name" Elgress muttered, smirking to us holding back laughter.
"I think Charcoal was taken" Lumi quipped, nudging me and joining in the applause.
Clapping filled the room as Adrian gestured for Alowyn to push through the curtains first. Keeping behind him, Adrian followed Alowyn on his unsure walk down to Bruce and Avery.
Alowyn didn't know where to look. He gave little smiles and waves, mostly just trying to focus on his teacher.
I saw his cheeks weren't their usual yellow. They had been filled in with black that shone under the lights, making it known something was being concealed.
"Onyx will be dancing his way into your phone's, and glowing on the billboards before he has his debut show here" Bruce grinned and looked up at the man towering over them all "he'll be available for photos with Avery after the show tonight, so you won't want to miss out on that rare opportunity!"
That was news to them. They tried not to let the surprise frazzle them, still grinning at the masses.
"Taking photos with his bung up arm?" Lumi muttered skeptically to us.
We exchanged looks. None of us believed it would end well.
"One bump from someone whose a little too other enthusiastic and it's broken all over again" Elgress shrugged "but, Bruce knows best."
We agreed, watching Adrian walk off first. He was followed by Avery who still politely smiled to the ones who called out to him. Alowyn was held back for a while longer to give the audience a chance for some photos before he was guided away by Bruce who threw a wave behind him.
The dancers spilled out around him with their red chains. Continuing around the missing act, they were trying their best to make it look as natural as possible and that two major parts hadn't been absent all along.
I saw Levi slide out to provide a soft noise for the background. He spotted us watching, flipping his hand up as he strummed to hold it briefly against his head.
I frowned, making sure the others saw it too.
He kept performing, making the gesture again to us.
I pointed to my chest and he gave an exasperated look back.
"Phone" Elgress muttered as she understood, dragging out her own "he means phone."
"But why?"
Lumi pulled out her own. My gut dropped when I realized I left mine in the dresser when the whole ordeal with Falak happened.
"Oh, fuck me" Elgress pressed a hand to her mouth and turned her phone around to us "look."
Luke was messaging her while Levi nervously performed his backing track.
I could see the dots dancing away as message after message jumped onto her screen.
"They tried to tell Bruce, but he said they were overreacting" Elgress explained "apparently there's some sort of protest planned tonight. A whole heap of people are going to use flash photography when Tawn gets on."
"That'll blind him" Lumi breathed, looking down "he's already in bad enough shape as it is."
I hung over the edge to try and see Tawn backstage. He was standing with Loreen, tapping something into his phone.
Did he know? He was going to go out regardless?
Luke and Levi would be in the line of fire too. It was a well-planned attack on the snakes.
But why?
"Is it to out us?" Lumi asked Elgress who was already messaging back "why them?"
"Ah" she clicked her tongue when she got a reply "some guy on the internet wants to prove they are real. It'll fuck with their way to see heat signatures by making it look like it's worse than what it is. It'll be like a flashing wall of fire. Somehow, by having them react will be proof that they are real snakes and not people wearing prosthetics."
"And what would that prove?" I folded my arms in defense "that we have hybrids here? It's no secret there are others out there like us."
Why target us? All we did was perform and stay out of the way. We did nothing to hurt these people. They loved us; or so I thought.
Elgress stayed quiet, reading more messages coming in.
"Something about animal laws. It'd be some sort of cruelty. If they can prove it, they can have people seize all the hybrids."
Choking out, I suddenly didn't know what to do with my hands.
"Well, what do we do?" I gasped to them "me and Lumi are in the line then!"
"They just think Lumi has glow in the dark paint on" Elgress reminded me sternly "they don't know for sure. They'll hit the light-sensitive ones first, then go deeper from there. Apparently they've already been around up in the roof briefly."
Without anyone knowing?! How the hell were they doing all of this without being caught?
"You think some of us are helping them?" I pondered "there has to be a way they are getting in to do this shit."
Moving over to where the chandelier usually swung out, I scanned the crowds.
Mostly, it was dark. There were a few phones pointed towards the stage to record what was going on. The soft lights lit up the excited and awed faces. They were mesmerized.
Others of our team patrolled the walkways between the seats. Acting as friendly servers, they worked alongside the real ones to make sure no foul-play was going to unfold. No hybrids were put into these positions so they weren't under direct scrutiny.
Did they know what was about to happen? Could signal to them, or would that get the attention of customers as well?
Levi and the dancers finished. The snake slid back into his room to get ready for the next part of the act. The dancers streamed backstage so they could be swapped out for Tawn's ashen and golden crew.
He was already folding and bending backwards into the cage. Slipping a hand out the bars, he passed his phone to Loreen who pocketed it and quickly rushed off to her position off on the other side of the stage to sing.
His crew wheeled him out while it was still dark. Waiting, the light hit Loreen before spreading to Tawn.
The harmonica was the signal for Tawn to start twisting and unfolding through the first part of their act. Luke and Levi pulled out onto the alcove to beat away with her tune, grinning and making a show of their glittering scales.
"Tossing and turning, eyes are burning in the back of your mind..."42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyRSzrWEpB7
Something was going to happen. If they wanted to strike, it would have to be at a crucial moment.
But when?
Tawn wasn't facing the crowd yet. Luke and Levi were. But they didn't want just them....
Tawn was making a real show of how jacked his legs were at all the angles he snapped them into. His whole body jutted and rippled at disgusting angles while Loreen sang about his breaking bones.
He kept it up, flipping and hovering in grotesque positions that has audience members moaning in disgust. Proud with himself at the sound, he started to leave the cage.
"Poison in your veins, you'll feel your breath catch again, before you go blind."42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnHbxBNcSIv
My heart beat wildly as I figured it out. Tawn moved for the edge of the stage where the audience members perched below would be waiting.
"They're going to do it when he's at the edge!" I cried to Elgress and Lumi "'before you go blind' is the phrase!"
Elgress started texting frantically. With both Luke and Levi shredding through their parts, they couldn't check the warning.
Suddenly, the dim screens of an ocean of phones lit up. Speckled up the top and down the bottom, they were prepared for what came next.
Tawn flared out his hood to show off the colours. He snarled at the customers below him, dripping venom as he did.
Proud of himself and the way the nearest ones pushed themselves back into their seats, he didn't see another aim their phone from behind them until it was too late.
The flash beamed through the darkness to make him falter. He shielded his eyes, cringing at the sudden light burning across his face.
Another joined, making Tawn lose concentration. He backed up, slipping to the other side as part of his act, only to be met with more flashes that pushed him to the middle.
The frenzy began. Pinned, he hissed and bought an arm up to try and shield his eyes.
With Tawn under fire, flashing lights on the side aimed into the eyes of the two boys as well.
They were so frantic, it looked like strobes piercing through the crowds.
Levi fumbled his chord that strained painfully through the amplifier. Luke missed his drum, smashing the side instead sloppily.
They groaned and closed their eyes, trying to continue onwards the best they could.
"Head down! Head down!" I heard a female voice call from above.
Both boys listened, regaining some control over the ripping notes. Playing through squinted eyes, Levi placed himself in front of Luke to act as a shield, since he couldn't move himself away.
Tawn ducked his head and closed his eyes. Giving up on the showy displays, he turned his back to the crowd so he could bend back towards the cage to keep up the theatrics.
He wasn't abandoning the show. The boys weren't so easy to deter either.
The flashing was frantic and desperate. Slowly, phones were being yanked and wrestled from the participants. Those who didn't kill the lights willingly were escorted out. I could see lines of people leaving, along with a few who had to be dragged out, complaining about how it was unfair on them because they paid the money.
Very slowly, peace was restored. There was still yelling, even when Tawn finished his act and was posturing on Loreen, huffing for air.
With the act over, Luke and Levi barged into the room to recover. Tawn glared up at the crowd and the last few being dragged off, shouting to them when they accused him.
Even though it wasn't huge, the damage was done. All three suspects had reacted exactly how they were anticipated to, proving the theory they were sensitive to light, and therefore, not normal humans.
Sure, it would hurt a human to have the flashes of phone lights dazzling them too, but not nearly to the extent it had done to them.
They were snakes, and now the whole world would know.
It was only a matter of time before we were going to be targeted next.
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