"How y'all doin' tonight?" the MC for the night asked.
The crowd cheered. It was Fellas Night down at the Green Cosmos; packed wall to wall with men of all flavors. Gorgeous CEO's in the VIP area gossiping with other important businessmen, military bros with their flasks of beer of every kind with jovial laughter, and even some people from Triton's inner circle hoping no one would notice them here. But I do, I always notice.
It was almost my time on stage. I could feel it in my bones, I tapped my neon green talons on my microphone waiting for my cue.
Being a drag queen is one of my favorite hobby, of many. Lining my lips, glitter on my cheeks, outrageous eyebrows, it was all so magical to me. Every little boy had their fantasies. Some wanted to be leaders or bakers, others astronauts, and a few here and there wanting to be space cadets. But not for this boy.
I've always wanted to be a star!
My parents were nothing but supportive of my dream. They helped pay for multitude of acting classes and singing coaches. Every time I went to an audition the rest of the competition fucked on home, no one could top me and my abilities. Every talent agency wanted a piece of Hermes Zilberschlag. I was going so far in such a short amount of time as a kid. That was, until I learned about drag queens.
It was my most fondest memory. I remember taking a tram home from working in a shampoo commercial. It was late and the tram was completely empty. The tram made a slow stop, just three more and I'll be home.
Then, she entered. She had long, sparkling, black sequin backless dress, a long, faux fur boa that continuously changed colors, stardust gray, Juniper 12 platform heels with a hologram of the milky way inside the platform, and an apple red bob that framed her masculine feline features perfectly. A real live goddess covered in gold glitter stood before me.
Behind her were two thin men in glamorous suits holding bottles of wines, champagne chutes, and shopping bags. The goddess even had her own entourage. all of them held an air of sophistication. They didn't look for attention, they commanded it. True high class society types.
"Well, looky here!" Her acid green cat-eye contacts landed on me gawking at her. "Aren't you a cutie! Why are you out late at night?" Her voice was like velvet and honey, it put me in a trance.
"Uh m-me?" I stammered, pointing to myself.
"Yes you! You look a bit familiar, what's your name?" Behind her the two men giggled. Her boa continued it's rainbow gradient making her eyes sparkle even more.
"I'm...my name is...Hermes....H-Hermes Zilberschlag."
Her hand went to her mouth as she gave a dainty gasp, "The Hermes Zilberschlag! My stars! You're in one of my faaaaavorite commercials!" Her words were a bit slurred and she shimmied over to me, plopping herself next to me. She smelled like sweet liquor and cigarettes. It was a charming and intoxicating scent.
My eyes went wide. "Really? Which one?" Why was I surprised? I was basically a celebrity, almost as famous as the empress herself...
"Yes! The one with the coffee and the dog. Ugh! You had my stone cold heart, doll!"
"Th-thank you! I hope to grow out of commercials and end up in movies or TV shows. My agent said maybe one day when I'm older. Those darn child labor laws."
"Well, Mr. Zilberschlag, if I can wear these 13 inch platforms almost 24/7, then you can make it on the silver screen!" She clasped her hands in hers and leaned closer to me. "My name is Madame Leo, professional drag entertainer at your service." She held out her card to me.
Up close I could smell some sort of perfume under all the cigarette and alcohol smells. I took the card and smiled hard. A real live drag queen in front of me. And my first one. I had only heard that they frequent the dark and dirty streets of the red light district, but their secrets were what were most alluring to me at the time.
The tram slowed to a stop again, I didn't even noticed it moved.
"Leo c'mon! We're gonna miss the party!" One of the men said to her, grabbing onto her hand.
Madame Leo rolled her eyes and then turned to me, giving me a flirty wink and handing me a card, "Nice meetin' ya! Call me when you get your big boy pants and wanna have some fun!"
And with that, her and her men disappeared and the tram moved once again. I would've thought it was all a dream if it wasn't for the card she gave me. Madame Leo Lioness, Drag Queen and Entertainer of Andromeda! it said. What a goddess. Below her name was all her contact info. I held it close to my chest. Her smell still lingered the rest of the way home.
I kept that card for a few years. I was mostly afraid to call back, mostly nervousness. Another part was busy trying to reach that limelight I've wanted for so long. I also wondered when my big boy pants would grow in soon. After awhile I realized she was just teasing me.
At one point I almost forgot about that card. Until I pretty much gave up on the idea of being an actor. At the time I was losing my boyish charms. Puberty swooped in and knocked me on my ass. I was lanky, acne ridden, and on my last stretch of cuteness. I was already 18 and couldn't hold on to my passions. I found the card again stashed away in a shoe box of things I would never throw away. It was a little crumpled but still in tact.
I sniffed the card, still, her smell stayed. It brought me back to that night years ago. Inside my passion grew again for the limelight as well as my curiosity. I wanted to know more about her world. I called the number on my comm bracelet.
After a few long seconds of ringing the screen popped up and there, lying lazily on the couch wearing a dull pink feather boa and delicately handling a cigarette holder in one hand, dressed in boring beige board shorts and a buzzcut. Unkempt and so much unlike the person I met on the tram years ago.
"Altair Santiago Garcia Ayala speaking, how may I help you?" Her voice was still velvety...just more bored.
I cleared my voice and smoothed my hair before speaking, "Hi, um...I know it's been a few years...it's me Hermes and--"
She gasped and squealed and dropped her cigarette holder. She jumped up and grabbed her communication device and held it close to her face. She was smiling and squealing for awhile before she finally calmed down.
"OH! MY! POSEIDON! HERMES~! It's been so long, honey crystal!"
I blushed, "Hello...um...Madame Leo....Altair..."
"Oh don't be such a stranger! Call me Leo. All my closest friends call me Leo!"
"Yes...Leo..." My mouth felt dry and my hands felt clammy. Even out of drag she held my attention so well.
Her eyes seemed to dart around my room, "Awe, a quaint little room you've got there, honeybun! Impressive..."
I nodded, "Y-yeah. My family...we come from wealth so...money was never a problem for us. You could say I may be spoiled." I laughed awkwardly.
It was true, I didn't just come from a wealthy family, we come from a long line of advisors to the Emperors. My father was Elric Zilberschlag formerly known as Hermes Zilberschlag VII.
"You nervous little thing. OH! Have you grown of your diapers yet little man?" Madame Leo...Leo...took a long puff from her cigarette holder.
"What should I call you?" I blurted out without thinking."
"I already told you, doll, call me Leo!"
"No I...I mean she....are you...I don't know much about drag queens so..."
Leo's smile was much more soft and kind now, "You're a cute little tomato, Hermes. Labels never felt comfortable to me but, let's say I like playing around with gender from time to time."
I relaxed a bit. "Thank you. So...what do you do? As a drag queen I mean!"
"Oh, stars, where do I start? It's...hmm...like creating a character or a persona that can be a major exaggeration of your personality or someone you want to be. It's an art form, it's expression. You can be anyone you want from pop stars to comediennes."
"Ah, so...like an impersonator?"
"Something like that you could say. But impersonation is for the plebs! It's for tourists and people who do this as a hobby, not a living! Being a drag queen is pure entertainment! Booking gigs, performing shows! It's all a different way to become a star!"
At the word star I felt my heart jumped. A star...
Leo and I continued our conversation late into the night.
The next morning I told my boyfriend about everything, queens and balls and night life...He wasn't as enthusiastic...
"A drag queen, Hermes!? You're absolutely out of orbit this time."
"Ptolemy! You sound like I'm throwing my life away! It's the same as being a star still! Just a different path..."
"But what about being an actor? You can't do both!"
"That's why I'm 100% devoted to being an entertainer. I'm sick and tired of maybe being considered for a commercial or an extra in a show or movie. I've lost my touch!" I kicked a can across the street. Why don't those stupid janitors clean up more?
We were walking home together like always that day. Ptolemy Fujino and I had been together for some time and we were known to have a squabble here and there, but for some reason this was more heated than usual.
The sun was bluish green that day, it was rare for this type of sunset, must have been another replacement for the power cell.
"But, you're still young! You have your entire life ahead of you!" Ptolemy continued.
He was usually so sweet and soft spoken...I frowned, stopped walking, and crossed my arms. "Ptolemy, please. You know how much being a star means to me."
Ptolemy looked back at me, his face was soft and kind. "I'm sorry, I really am, Hermes, but do you really think you can make an honest living by being a drag queen alone?"
"My parents will support me! And why does it matter? I'm going to end up like my father, or my father's father, or my father's father's aunt. All advisors to the Emperor. Once I'm old enough I will be too...if not I can just...do it as a hobby! Besides I have a mentor, I know I can do this! Don't you trust me?"
Ptolemy sighed, then kissed me, "You know I can't help it. You're adorable when you're determined and passionate."
"That's why you fell me, right?" I kissed him back.
Ptolemy giggled, "Maybe, it could be because your ass looks amazing in that uniform."
I playfully shoved him. Ptolemy stumbled but then grabbed a hold of me, tight and close.
"Hermes, wouldn't your parents be upset about this choice though? Advisor's son a drag queen, the press would eat that up."
He was right, as much as my parents supported me, this may be the last straw...I held up my pinky, "This stays between us, Ptolemy. For now and forever."
Ptolemy intertwined his pinky with mine, "For now and forever."
A week later I was with Madame Leo at her place, planning my name, my aesthetic and act, what I would do and how I would present myself. I new this would be a long road to perfection, but I was willing to go the distance to become the star I always knew I would be.
Madame Leo paced back and forth across her pink fuzzy carpet in thigh high, purple stiletto boots, "We still haven't come up with your drag name yet...ugh! And that's the most important part!"
I fanned myself as I wrote down a few names in a notebook. It was insanely hot in her apartment...again.
"Damn landlord can suck my ass," She chewed on her nubby fingers. She wore a purple tank and khaki shorts today.
"Miss...Leo, how did you come up with your name? If I can ask."
Madame Leo stopped in her tracks and looked at me. "I...never told you how I became an entertainer?"
I shook my head. She told me her story. It wasn't the happiest, but I was happy she told me nonetheless. They were a poor orphaned child living in South America on Earth. They spent most of their youth saving enough money to travel to Oasis. The money would come from doing various odd jobs and performing in shows, but his ticket to freedom had always been Oasis. They had also planned to bring a small community of like minded people with them to start a community. It worked. Of course it was small at first. Overtime they were able to create the Green Cosmos, the most popular ballroom and drag club on this side of the Neptune/Triton divide!412Please respect copyright.PENANARsKst2nb5o
"And well, my name is very simple. I'm a Leo, I loved lions, and I always fashioned my aesthetic from felines. Hence the cosmetics." They accentuated her face.
"Why did you pick the title Madame?" I asked
She chuckled and picked up an e-pipe. "My closest friend, before I came here of course, was a prostitute. Well, no, sorry...she wasn't really a prostitute. She was a Madame. Like...a secretary or accountant to the pimp. She'd regulate the girls, collect the money, made sure the pimp was happy so the girls..." They trailed off.412Please respect copyright.PENANAlyNtSk0G4p
"I'm...sorry."412Please respect copyright.PENANA3H17wQ0msy
She shook her head. "Doesn't matter! She was a bad bitch. I wanted to be just like her."412Please respect copyright.PENANALbsbvuMV9C
And 8 years later, here I am. Ready to get on stage and charm everyone! Owner of the Green Cosmos and advisor to the Crown Princess Cordelia Luna Donegal to boot! Who says I can't have it all?412Please respect copyright.PENANArFj2Rbx0Hx
The MC continued to warm the crowd up, "Introducing the most lavish, the wonderful, the stellar beauty from Oasis Springs herself, and the reason the lights stay on in this goddamn place...Miss. Lady. Gemini!"412Please respect copyright.PENANA9HPz9tKHBs
The lights shown on me as I sauntered my way onto the stage as the music thumped. My backless, green sequined dress sparkled beneath the lights, my sky high heels held the hologram of gogo dancers from the planet Bikineez, and my hair was styled high with every shade of green imaginable accented with feathers, pearls, and ribbons, my skin glittered and glistened as my applique scales shined. My strong, prominent nose was bedazzled in cubic zirconia diamonds.
I lightly tapped my talons on my mic, "Greetings tourists, single hunks, and...charitable businessmen. It is I, your queen, your goddess, Lady Gemini Xtravaganza!" I formed an X with my arms across my chest.
The crowd cheered and mimicked my X.
This was what I craved, this was what I wanted all along...to be a star!
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