[Player Plot] The Masque of Nusquam, Part I

[acapriciousreaper]

Who: Open to all.
When: December 3-9th, 10:00 AM-4:00 PM
Where: The Lady of Bliss, Sparks Golsaucia
What: Kuja is conducting open auditions for his upcoming tragedy, The Masque of Nusquam. If nothing else, the event is catered.
Warnings/Notes: Monsters, Sword fights, Revenge, True Love, Miracles...


The main lobby of the Lady of Bliss is a fantastic sight. At the moment, it’s dressed in lights and tinsel and wreaths in honor of the holiday season, and there’s a certain amount of bustle around the place. Kuja, of course, stands at the far end, dressed in festive-and-eye-catching silver and green, tapping one finger on the banister. At his side hovers a moogle, dressed simply with a bow tie and sunglasses.

He greets the assembled group with a critical eye, holding his slate and a stylus poised to write. “Good morning all, and welcome to the Lady of Bliss. Firstly, I’d like to thank you all for coming, of course, and we’ll direct you to Rehearsal Room Three, wherein you can find complementary sandwiches and refreshments if you wish to partake. Now!” He turns smartly, leading the way through a side door and into a corridor, before holding another door leading into a large room with a mirror on one wall.

“All aspiring actors of course will be auditioning, whereas any prospective stage-hands, electricians, special effects artists, engineers, carpenters, et cetera, will have a slightly less-involved process, but you’re all of course welcome to take in the atmosphere and mingle. We're going to have a brief bit of question-and-answer before I depart to conduct auditions, and after that if you require anything, Mojito will certainly be able to accommodate you."

Comments

[acapriciousreaper]

Kuja blinks. That’s very nearly a complete reversal of what he’d seen before. “Well-spoken. And yet, I can’t help but think that such a gift is… undeserved. He’s a prince, yes? Surely he can have any ship he likes, why’s he got to have yours?”

[bladeofconquest]

Oh, blast, they're not done. Corrin blinks then quickly gets back into character. She waves her hand dismissively. "Aye, 'e's a prince, but so what? Princes don't normally run around with a crew of sky-traders, do they? Maybe there was some trouble back 'ome and 'e's found himself temporarily disowned or what have you. Maybe the king decided he needed some time away from all of that fancy living to really make a man out of 'im. Maybe he stuck his royal prerogative where it was not appreciated one too many times. 'E hasn't said, and I've not cared to ask him."

"Anyway, 'e's got the ship because the Cap'n gave it to him, like I said. And he is no prince amongst us, let me tell you. We kept him on because he pulled 'is weight, and if he didn't, we'd have let him off at the next port, no question. He's with us because 'e wants to be and because we're willin' ta have him. Maybe it ain't fair but hell, that's life. No sense cryin' over it when there's work to be done."

Then Corrin's eyes narrow and she leans forward. "Now you tell me something, since we're sharin'; why is it you're so interested in what you feel I "deserve", exactly?"

The accent is uneven, and Corrin knows it, but that's the sort of thing that can be ironed out later. For the moment she's trying to pay more attention to the physical mannerisms and the character of the woman she's portraying (or at least that she imagines to be portraying) which are the far more important elements than how she sounds. For the moment, at least.

[acapriciousreaper]

Kuja's head tilts slightly, as though considering the situation. More notes are taken, and he sighs. "Well, if you feel so strongly about his deserving the position, I suppose we have nothing more to talk about. Unless- unless, perhaps, you feel as I do, Captain Villiers, that the Princeling would perhaps be better suited... elsewhere."

[bladeofconquest]

Corrin leans back in her chair. "No." She says finally. "I won't be bribed. I made that clear earlier, didn't I?" She motions to where the imaginary bag of gems sits on the table.

"You're right, I do want to be captain of the ship. I'd be a pretty damn good one, and I'm not afraid to say that. But I'll not be handed it, and not for turnin' on my own crew, no matter who the crewman in question is."

She suddenly pushes her chair back and stands up. Her look is one of barely contained anger. "I don't like the little lord, but I like you a hell of a lot less, and you're not part of the crew. I think that's what you're failing to grasp here, sir...when the chips are down you support the crew because that's the only way you stay flying. If I only got my captaincy because I sold out the captain and the crew? I wouldn't deserve it, and the crew would never trust me. That's not how I operate. Find yourself another patsy, if you can, but I'll be keeping my eyes out. And that's all I'm going to say on the matter."

[acapriciousreaper]

"Consider me warned, Miss Villiers."

On reflection, a few moments later, he remarks. "Yes, I do think that's enough to be getting on with. Not what I'd envisioned, perhaps, but you did quite well. I'll be calling you back at the end of the week, if you're amenable to doing such."

[bladeofconquest]

Corrin's face breaks into a wide grin. "Oh, seriously? That's great! I am VERY amenable! Thank you so much!"

[acapriciousreaper]

Kuja nods. "My apologies for the, ah... Well, it doesn't matter. I'll be seeing you at the callbacks."