16656/A Chance Meeting in D Minor

A Chance Meeting in D Minor
Date of Scene:	22 December 2023
Location:	Gershwin Theater
Synopsis:	No description
Cast of Characters:	Olivia Gaudin, Madelyne Pryor

---

Olivia Gaudin has posed:
    Olivia had left the theatre earlier, but is back, having decided that going to the party tonight, she will be fully dressed as Elphaba. This always is a hit with kids, and while she doesn't truly know a thing about this party (she was a last minute substitution for her costar), she figures there have to be kids there. It's a school, right? Naturally this has nothing to do with how easy it is to conceal something like, say, a blowhole, through the use of a wig and hat.

    Not that she has anything to hide, mind you. It's probably nothing!

    That is why she is here, backstage, waiting for makeup to be ready for her. She's restless, though. The past two weeks have been stressful. Last night was a horrible crescendo to it all. Surely today will be better. The matinee went perfectly well, after all, even if part of the place remains a crime scene.

    "Maybe I should just... stay home," she murmurs to no herself.

Madelyne Pryor has posed:
"Oh, I wouldn't do that..." comes a southern drawl from a few feet distance. Out of the shadows steps Madelyne Pryor. Red hair, green eyes, figure to die for. She saunters over to Olivia, and says, "Go, have a good time, you know you'd kick yourself if you missed out on going to a party like that. They say that school of Xavier's is such an interesting place afterall."

Olivia Gaudin has posed:
    Olivia jumps at the sudden sound of that voice. Her head whips around to see Madelyn just there. Suddenly. It's generally difficult so sneak up at anyone in these halls (the floors are rather loud) and Olivia's hearing has... improved lately. And yet, Liv finds herself surprised.

    "You are right, of course," she agrees quickly. Her eyes study Madelyne in a quick review. Well... okay, the first is quick, the second is distracted and lingering.

    "I'm so sorry, I feel like I should know you. I have had a rather accident-laden past week or two, admittedly, but I can't imagine I'd forget someone who..." A pause as she catches herself. She needs a different phrase! "Who is new and has such a lovely voice."

    A pause for breath. "Are you new to the company?"

Madelyne Pryor has posed:
Madelyne Pryor smiles a little as Olivia stumbles over how exactly to describe her. She saunters over to Olivia's chair. "I'm new here, yes. Just filling in for makeup for the day," she walks over and then picks up a brush and starts to daub it in some foundation, that she starts to lightly brush on Olivia. "And, I know you had a bit of a rough evening last night...are you doing ok?" She asks this, watching the woman's reaction.

Olivia Gaudin has posed:
    Olivia is a bit surprised. She didn't know anyone was out today. The idea of a new person putting on her makeup (the green kind for her wicked witch role!) does give her pause. But...

    "Oh, well, okay. Just be gentle!" The last is said playfully, as she starts to relax. Part of her is very curious, though. Why is this girl... no. This is not a girl. Olivia is a girl. Why is this woman working anywhere but in front of the audience and under the lights?

    The thought is distracting. She's generally just flustered. It takes her a second or two to get her attention back on what Madelyne is asking her. "Oh, yes, it was bad, but I'm okay. You know, the show must go on, of course."

    Memories of last night flash in her mind. Gunfire driving her from the stage. A white haired woman skewering the gunmen. The last confrontation, with her understudy at gun point. Olivia insisting that she was the mutant. Revealing her.. unusual new deformity. Being ready to die only to have that same, violent stranger intervene.

    "I'm sure I'll be okay after this weekend. It's just... a thing that happened."

Madelyne Pryor has posed:
Madelyne Pryor works on getting the green foundation set on Olivia's skin, humming as she goes. "Oh, It's not just a thing that happened. You got a gun pulled on you! And only got saved at the last minute by a stranger! That's...a lot. A whole lot." She leans a little closer to Olivia, and well, her top isn't the tightest. She then says, "You should take the weekend and relax, go have some time with your boyfriend...or girlfriend...and just...gather yourself. They've cancelled all the shows til Monday, right?"

Olivia Gaudin has posed:
    "Oh, no, I couldn't do that," replies Olivia quickly. Madelyne is getting her off guard. And she's... wow is she distracting. The young star isn't used to this at all. Her makeup is generally put on by people old enough to be her parents! There's a kind of promixity that is suddenly very hard to deal with.

    "And the show is goign on. I did the matinee today, and I'll be back tomorrow evening, and Sunday, not to mention the Christmas day show." For some reason she feels an extra surge of pride in saying this. It's not quite boasting, exactly, but she is trying to look a bit cooler than is necessary here.

    She can't deny that it was scary, though. "It was.. a lot. And maybe I should. I mean, spend time with my boyfriend. If he's free. He's busy quite a bit, too." Olivia finds herself in an interesting situation. She's eager to avoid eye contact, but her natural tendency to look down as she gathers her thoughts is dangerous at the moment! And yes, there is a weird whisper in the back of her head telling that stars all get these kind of perks. Maybe this chance meeting is just something that a famous Broadway performer... deserves?

    That line of thinking meets immediate resistance. Olivia is remarkably humble, even in the face of extreme temptation. She could never, ever, take advantage of a makeup artist!

Madelyne Pryor has posed:
Madelyne Pryor returns Olivia's gaze when it returns to her face, and smiles just a little. A blush on her cheeks. She bites her lower lip, and then works on getting some more makeup onto the woman. She brushes against her as she walks around the chair to get the back of her neck, lifting her hair to get it out of the way. She says, "Well...suit yourself, but I think you should do something to reward yourself for your hard work so far. You've been through a lot, nobody would blame you..." Is that a single entendre, or a double one?

Olivia Gaudin has posed:
    Madelyne has a way to keep Olivia stumbling. Her attempts to focus are constantly interrupted. Even without any powers, the woman presses all of Olivia's buttons to completely manipulate her. Each time the will to resist or escape starts to gain some power, there is a word or a touch that pushes it away again.

    "I love to work hard, it is it's own.." Reward? It does sound really nice. And surely everyone would agree that a little break is hardly a bad thing. Besides, this woman.. what's her name again? Did she say? What was her name?

    It's a stray thought, skittering over the surface of Olivia's mind. "I'm so sorry, what did you say... your name was?"

    The name. That will make it all right. The struggle to make sense of her own motives is growing ever more difficult. At times, she swears she can hear that voice not in her ears, but in her head. Which only causes more troubles, as Olivia presses out to hear. To really hear. And she locks onto Madelyn's heartbeat and the sound of her breathing. That... is not helpful in directing her will elsewhere...

    "I think it's time to go to the dressing room," she says faintly. After that, there's just a warm haze in her mind, and a voice trying desperately to get her to run away, growing ever more distant and weak. Her remarkable hearing does little good in amplifying the sounds of her own conscience.