10126/Blank Space

Blank Space
Date of Scene:	20 November 2019
Location:	Classroom - Xavier's School
Synopsis:	Andrea and Dazzler has a long talk about their careers and ambitions. Player 3 has entered the game.
Cast of Characters:	Rage, Dazzler

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Rage has posed:
Heading into the music room is Andrea. She had a rough night, but this morning? It seemed that she shoved all of that to the side for now and looking to cut loose with her emotions in the most healthy way she knows how. Music. Today the popstar has put on a pair of black jeans that are shredded along the legs and thighs, boots and a light blue tank top under her mother's military jacket.

As she heads over to the studio part of the room, she taps away at the keyboard on the computer to bring up a new track from her upcoming album. It starts off with a simple guitar being strummed before the keyboards, drums and pop synth comes through in a gentle harmony. It's a song that has a slow build, one designed to stir emotion, then just /hit/ at the chorus filled with tamborines, a drum kit and the pacing of a jog.

As she heads to the middle of the room, she starts to hook up her microphone on the stand, then slides her jacket off to loft it to the side. With the cropped shirt she wears, her scars are on display upon her stomach and back. Something tore her apart at one point.

Dazzler has posed:
Alison hasn't always been the music teacher, which might strike some as strange considering things. But she is now, which means that the classroom and everything in it is her domain now.

It's probably subtle, the changes from the previous teacher. There are different books, gone is the large chair and desk make-up from the previous resident. In it's place is a simple stool and adjustable metal podium, a milk crate full of sheet music tucked into carefully color coded files, all sorted by some method or another.

When Alison walks in to find someone already present she stops, and checks the watch on her wrist, "I'm not late for a class am I?"

Rage has posed:
As she connects the mic to the amplifier, Andrea gives it a few taps, then attaches a popfilter to it. Once she adjusts it to her proper height. She closes her eyes and takes in a deep breath, rocking back and forth, then misses her cue as the moment passes.

Lifting a hand upwards, she rubs her knuckles against her face, then looks upwards as the door opens. Surprised to see Allison, she taps a button on the mic stand to kill the music. "Oh. No. You're not. I always come here early after breakfast to work on some of my music. I took free period in the morning so I can do stuff like this. I heard you're the new music teacher here. I hold my Glee Club here after classes on Fridays."

Dazzler has posed:
"I knew about the Glee Club, that was on the schedule." Alison replies with a vague wave towards where the desk used to be before she moves to drop herself down on the stool.

"I did not know that you used the space during the mornings though." She reaches into the pocket of her jeans, pulling out her phone to open the screen, adding a reminder to it so that she doesn't forget. "I am, though...Just trying to settle in, but I won't stay long, and then you can have the space back."

Rage has posed:
"It's okay. It's not a big deal. We haven't had a music teacher in awhile, so I put together the Glee Club so that I could help the students find a love for music and instrument and a touch of theater. We are doing Rock of Ages if you want to sit in on a few rehersals and give me some feedback. It's my first time putting together a production and I'm a bit nervous." Andrea admits as she tucks her hair back behind her ear.

"I got accepted to NYU for next year so I'm just trying to get some practice in. I'm going for Theater and Stage Production. I figure soon as my popstar career fizzles out, I can find a new way to be creative, maybe help other young girls with their music videos, maybe try my hand at Broadway."

"You don't have to go of course. Maybe you can listen to some of my songs and help me out with them? It'd be an honor."

Dazzler has posed:
"Congratulations on getting into NYU." Alison offers before she hooks her heels on the rung of her stool, leaning forward to settle her forearms on her knees, hands folding around the phone in her hands.

There is a moment of quiet contemplation before instead of responding to the requests to come sit in on rehersals, or listen to some of the songs, she asks, "Why do you think you'll fizzle out?"

Rage has posed:
"Thank you." Andrea says as she fiddles with the microphone, tweaking the settings a bit on it. The question catches her off guard. ".. Because popstars like me are a dime a dozen. You know how it is. Tiffany, Debbie, Madonna, Britney, Christina, Mandy, Jessica, Taylor, Beyonce. There is always someone waiting in line to take your spot. Trends swing wildly, we get older. I'm just being realistic."

"And that doesn't bother me. I care more about what I can leave upon the world when I quit singing. That I made a difference to young mutant girls. That I gave them a voice, just like how you gave me a voice. I just want to do good."

Dazzler has posed:
There is the faintest twitches of her mouth at that, "And Madonna was a popstar well into her fifties...Bowie until the day he died at almost seventy." Alison could possibly go on, but she doesn't keep listing them. "There are pop musicians that are a dime a dozen, an ever changing lineup."

Alison straightens up, spreading her arms outwards, "When was the last time I had anything on the charts? Released a new song? But would you say someone has taken my spot?"

Rage has posed:
"Madonna and Bowie are iconic though, and they are a rare breed. Like Elton, or Michael, or The Beatles. But no one puts out icons anymore in this day and age. It's all generic. /You/ are iconic." Andrea says as if she has to make that point clear. "You are the first mutant to go mainstream. Even though your label is a bunch of racist bigots, you still put your DNA on the industry, and it opened the door for me, and that will open the door for the next me. I don't think it's fair to say anyone has taken your spot. Maybe I have filled the gap for 'mutant popstar', but I don't think that I will ever step out of your shadow. They will remember you, they will forget about me and the next blonde who sings about boys and good times will have her time."

Dazzler has posed:
"But it doesn't have to be that way." Alison points out with a shake of her head, "You've already resigned yourself to being yesterday's news, and you've got no reason to."

She reaches behind her, tucking her cellphone into her pocket before she gets to her feet, "Not a single one of them woke up and said I'm going to be old news some day. They woke up and said //I'm going to stay relevant//."

Rage has posed:
"I don't know what I want now. My life has shifted so much in the last two years. Someone leaked my parent's address on the Internet and now they are getting death threats. You know, die mutie scum die, we'll set your house on fire, we'll send purple robots over to kill you." Andrea says as her shoulders slump. "And I know that I'm a martyr. I calculated all of this, me coming out, giving the industry the finger, forcing them to accept me to or lose their popstar cash cow. Trying to spread the message that we are all equal in God's eyes through my music. I thought I was making progress and doing good. Doing God's work.. then they started to threaten my mom and dad. My mom is a decorated marine who has seen multiple combat tours. She already had her war. I don't want her apart of mine."

As she takes her guitar off the wall, she slips down into a seat and brushes her fingers along the chords. "If your label never canned you in the way they did, I never would have had the courage to do any of this. I would have stayed quiet, shook my ass, tossed my hair, sang about boys and been that generic cog in the Disney machine. When I say that you are the most important person in my life, next to Jesus of course, I mean it. You will always be relevant to me. You put me on this path where I have launched mutant focused charities. I'm opening a free clinic now in mutant town to go hand in hand with my suicide prevention hotline."

"I guess what I'm saying is .. I don't care about the music.. being relevant for popmusic. I want to be relevant for the lives that I touched, the lives that I saved with my charity." Her voice cracks for a moment as she gives a few blinks of her eyes. "Because not everyone is as lucky as you or me, or can pass for normal."

Dazzler has posed:
"Being dropped from my label, getting publically made death threats, and attempts..." Alison shakes her head, "I wouldn't have imagined that would have inspired anyone to do it. Because if what you said before is true, and what you really believe, there is always another blonde crooning about her breakups waiting to happen."

One hand lifts up, pointing at Andrea, "The fact they swallowed it and kept you shows you're not just another cog, and staying relevant for popmusic is the vehicle that allows you to fund your charities."

Rage has posed:
"I don't know, maybe I'm just.. having a bad day of confidence." Andrea says with a sigh as she knuckles at her eye. "I had trouble sleeping. Therapy has been rough. I called it quits with a guy I wasn't even dating last night. I'm just all over the place emotionally right now." She strums the guitar slowly, plucking the chords away. "I feel lonely and empty and scared."

"Can I ask you a question?"

Dazzler has posed:
"You're not alone...but I know that doesn't prevent being lonely, or scared." Alison shakes her head a bit, but then she pauses, "Of course you can ask me a question."

Rage has posed:
"When I went public .. what did you think about it? I was pretty .. aggressive about it, vocal .. " Andrea says softly. "Even though I calculated everything to the best of my ability, I was terrified during that interview. I was angry and upset and .. I don't know.. do you listen to my music? Do you like it? Do you like /me/?" It's almost as if she is asking for acceptance. To know that everything wasn't for nothing.

Dazzler has posed:
Dazzler sits back down at the question, frowning a bit, "I thought it was foolish...and brave, and I wanted to very much explain to you just what risks you took. Having gone through being dropped.." She shrugs, "But you kept working, and proved that not every case is the same. Andrea, I like you fine. But I don't know you, I can see that you're struggling, and worried...but I don't //know// you. We've just met. You don't know me, either. You know what the papers have printed, what the girls on Youtube have said, the blogs...but that's not me. Just like it's not you, either."

Rage has posed:
"I wanted to reach out to you. I wanted to tell you all of this awhile ago. I was just scared you'd get upset or embarrassed. I wanted to make sure.. I just.." Andrea lets out a heavy breath. "I wanted you to know that someone had your back in Hollywood. I really wanted to meet you. Like actually meet you. I talked to you once awhile ago. I was thirteen and at the height of my Disney career. We met at a red capret event. Grammy's. I told you I loved your hair. You had the rainbow streaks in them and you dressed up like a freaking rock star. I got a selfie with you." She says with a soft laugh. "It lasted all of forty seconds, but afterwards I couldn't contain myself. I freaked out in front of Mason Steele. He's here by the way. Mutant also. Two popstar mutants in one school. We broke up though a few years ago." And then he tried to kill himself, which was very public, especially after the song she wrote about him.

Dazzler has posed:
"He is?" Clearly Alison wasn't aware of that, but she doesn't linger on it, either. "Why would I be upset or embarrassed?"

It's almost a simplistic question, with a probably very complex answer.

Rage has posed:
"Yeah. He's a geo-kinetic. Can control rocks and stuff." Andrea says. In regards to her question, she says, "Well.. I put your old label on blast live on television, name dropped you, kinda let the wolf out of my throat and said some strong language. It was like.. So, Andrea! Tell us all about the new TV show you're working on!" "Oh, sure, hey, RCA Records! I hope you guys burn in hell for what you did to Allison Blaire! Mutants have rights too and she carried you on her back for ten years and multiple albums! Well guess what? I'm a mutant too! Sony has my back! My new album is going to make you look stupid. Put it on you calandar. You're /done/. I will commit every second of my life to destroying you! You hear me Bill Tucker?! You suck!" She rubs a hand along her face.

"I was /so/ angry, I had this speech written out where I was going to do this really calculated and thoughtful heartfelt letter about coming out, and instead I was like.. fuck you, and fuck you, and fuck /you/."

Dazzler has posed:
Dazzler's shrug is an easy one, "I didn't ask you to, and nothing you said was upsetting or embarrassing. You said what you felt, and then you went on and proved the weight of your words. Anger tends to be like that, though."

There's a pause, "The angry words. I don't think anger is something you should hang onto, though."

Rage has posed:
"Well, I mean.. I'm not angry now. That was so two years ago. I chalk that moment up to the fifteen year old over hormonal wolf in me." Andrea says sheepishly. "But I care about you a lot. You are a huge deal in my life. My idol. Now my teacher! I am ahead in credits but I will sign up for your class, even if it's for the half semester. I promise to not fan girl out or be weird."

Dazzler has posed:
"It's good." Alison replies on the matter of the anger having been let go already. There's a faint smile, "You're welcome to come audit the classes, but I can't say there will be anything until the next half of the year. It's too late to start anything for this semester."

Rage has posed:
"Oh. I graduate this year. I'm a Senior. Well.. can you come to Glee Club if you have the time? I'd love to hear your feedback on Rock of Ages. I casted Shannon as Sherry." Andrea grins. "She is really talented and is now writing her own music. She has a great falsetto range and has enough of that small town girl innocence that works for the role."

Dazzler has posed:
"Sure. I can come listen in on Rock of Ages." Alison agrees with a nod, then she gestures towards the microphone, "I've got some things to do, so I'll be leaving you to your work now."

Rage has posed:
"Oh. Okay. Was kinda hoping you could hear some of my stuff I'm working on and give me some pointers." Andrea says as she looks over to the microphone from her chair, then scrunches her nose up. "Maybe tomorrow? I'd love to get some coaching in with you if you're up for it."

Dazzler has posed:
"Same time tomorrow?" Alison wonders, a hand raising to her hair to tuck a strand behind it, "We can do this again at the same time tomorrow." She offers a quick smile, starting towards the door, "I'll clear my whole day."

Rage has posed:
Feeling her heart explode, Andrea does a quick twirl on one foot, showing off a bit of ballet background, followed by a squeal. "Okay, cool! Thank you so much Miss Blaire." She reaches up to clutch the cross that dangles on her chest, squeezing it tightly. "I promise to not disappoint you. I can't wait to see you tomorrow."

Dazzler has posed:
"No need to say thank you. Really." Alison replies with a smile, pausing near the door to point towards the crate full of song music, "If there are any songs you think would be good for teaching tools, toss the sheet music on top."

Rage has posed:
"I will! Promise! I'm a huge fan of Les Miserables." Andrea calls over to Allison, waving as she heads out the door. She grasps the microphone in her hands, taking in a deep breath.

*That went well. You were a bit dramatic though.*

Freezing in place, Andrea blinks her eyes, her breathing catching in her throat.

<<Who are you? You aren't Rage.>>

*No. I'm not. We're going to have so much fun together.*

The tightness in Andrea's chest is apparent as she chokes on a breath, her skin flushing white.

<<Who /are/ you?>>

*I am who will make you stronger. I am /Chrysalis./*