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#i'm on a computer but i'm literally only on a computer to watch mark's stream lMAO
throwaway-yandere · 1 year
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HELP that ANONS idol group lmaooooo i have more things to add in if i may:
-the member uses codenames to refer to each other whenever needed
-they all use one vtuber model and they offer no intros, so only hardcore fans knows the telltales of who's currently streaming based on how they talk and vague stuff like that. even then they're sometimes completely off the mark
-they use voice changers or tts so literally they're unidentifiable via voice either
-the topic they talk about varies from snail facts, praises about a certain... person, who apparently brought them together, idols, art, games, etc.
-teyvat production has tried to reach out to them (because some members seem to like certain idols under their management) for a collab, but ANONS' management keep rejecting the offer
also ESTH- i mean- kaeya's pd, kindly report to the ceo's office at once please and thank you
- ✾
And I'M the manager slash CEO /j. Watch yourself Alhaitham–
I'd probably binge the crap out of these. I am OBSESSED with the idea that they only use one model and there's like 22 different people using said model duajisoaoa.
Heizou's probably the only watcher who's spot on when guessing who's who and subtly teases his producer that he knows what's up. Kazuha who has one favorite whose quotes he puts in his scrapbook sometimes. Xiao who's in denial but was apparently the first person that bought their merch and have been keeping the thank you letter in his closet. And Venti being the one who won't stfu begging for a collab that's never gonna happen.
Zhongli still thinks it's one person and barely watches anything. (Diluc who doesn't watch it at all cause he's always busy). Ayato and Childe LOVES gifting subs. Thoma had to pay for Ayato's expenses cause he forgot to set up an online wallet. Kaeya probably sends comments that can lowkey get him banned and he's always on thin ice, the mods find him funny af. Itto being the weirdo who spams ANON reaction images in the ADDICKTZ group chat in the middle of a brainstorming session. And then there's Dainsleif who's hoping that whatever Venti's planning won't work cause he accidentally found out who's one of the anons and he'd rather not work with snai–
Albedo's probably down for a collab. He thinks having a Vtuber model would be interesting and "less work to maintain fan-idol relationships." Gorou, his sweet apprentice, probably crashed Albedo's computer when they tried to set it up lol
Oh, and Aether and Lumine knows who everyone is but keeps it a secret because they pity the ANONS' mental state.
"This is their only stress relief, huh?"
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bma-2021 · 3 years
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anyways great people u should follow and love and adore and send nice things to??? @banschivs and @jokethur ur welcome
#out.#i'm on a computer but i'm literally only on a computer to watch mark's stream lMAO#anyways I've known abi since either 2013 or 2014#whenever I saw syfy alice and sb who i dont think writes anymore that was a dw rper directed me to abi#literally w the exception of jessica frm until dawn abi pmuch only writes characters that mally adores#fighty? yes. cares abt all the little nuances and handles things like addictions and depression and such incredibly well? check#jessie i met thru abi n jessie is also lovely n cares v v v deeply abt her muse and abt abi and its all lovely and great and you will not be#able to find enough good things in the world to say abt them#abi will insult herself but dont let her shes actually perfect#k back to marks stream bye again#i have slept a total of one hour today but my mom impulse bought a new ipad so now i get to keep her old one#which since im the only person who was usign it im just like gr8 i can play games on it and draw and actually semi see what i am doing#maybe i should finally put audible on it and listen to the audiobooks i spent money on and havent listened to while drawing but will i#why do that when i can listen to mark screaming as hes murdered by mutants again lol#k now brina takes another leave#shes here but not here#bc mark#hes destroyed almost everything hes build in the like hour and ah alf they've been back on the forest its so fckn funny#bob accidentally destroys marks gazebo last time and this time mark keeps accidentally dropping trees on his builds AFTER flaming wade lmao
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i-need-air · 3 years
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Hybrid!AU Wolf!Bakugou Katsuki HCs Part 2.
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Summary: Part 2 is here! While in part 1 it was mostly adoption and how he'd behave with you as a roommate, part two is him ✨ realizing things ✨ followed by how he'd be in a romantic relationship.
Word Count: 2k words [ oops, I did it again ]
Notes: So I said it'll be out in a few days but three [3] people asked me for part 2 and I'm a sucker soooooooo!! I could've just written a long ass fic but whatever, I thought I'd make it shorter in headcanons... hah lol right. Enjoy!
Part 1 here!
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× he's a wild wolf so he's very active; like you need to understand he needs to go outside if not he'd get impatient, more aggressive, snappy, so once you took him on an easy hiking trail near your house and he loved it so once or twice a month you both go together to different places [ he demands it ]
× it's hard to keep up with him bc he's literally genetically engineered to be better than any very fit human being but he slows down for you
× morning runs at 5 a.m. bc he's insane
× is also a grandpa
× watched all documentaries on any streaming platform you could provide to him, also loves reading
× as months pass and you start to have your routine in order, word comes to you that an acquaintance is looking for a security guard at his mechanical shop two streets away from your house
× you casually mentioned it to Bakugou because he was starting to act anxious whenever you'd leave the house, so you assumed he was extra bored
× seriously, the house was spotlessly cleaned, he cooked amazingly and was occupied with your old laptop and going around the city to explore, but you guessed he wanted more independence?
× little did you know you were right but so wrong lol
× so Bakugou stared at you intensely and asked "Where?"
× it was as easy as telling him the location, him nodding and you thought he'd consider it; you didn't put any pressure on him because he already did so much to help around anyway
× well guess what bitch, next day he comes up to you saying you gotta co-sign his contract [cuz fuck society] meaning he got the job
× he was perfect for it because tall, intimidating, muscular wolf guy? who'd even mess with him? do they have a death wish?
× well, even before this he started to be... soft
× but once you really did show him you support whatever he wants to do, you give him his freedom and liberty of choice, he just reaaally changes, man
× he gets touchy, like his hands stay one second longer on your skin, he uses any excuse to have them on you, even his eyes follow you everywhere
× like c'mon, it's obvious but you didn't wanna put too much thought into it because we're respectful here
× not like you had a big fat crush on him and slowly started to realize it too
× sike bitch he knows
× you think his super-hearing didn't catch the way your heartbeat spikes up every single time he touches you? *please*
× i think he knows before you know
× meanwhile he is working to discover his feelings too
× so your relationship slowly turns into a couple's like relationship but without anything official and of course no kissing or such [ sadly ]
× would get jealous easily
× basically because nothing is talked between you two and deep down is insecure
× why the hell do you smell like other people? was it just a hug or something else? hell, why would you even hug people when he's right there??? just ask and don't touch some extras????
× another thing he does is getting very close to you while you talk to somebody else; scoffs and glares at them too
× ok so!! gifts! he really appreciates any gift you give him but scolds you if you do because you genuinely don't need to do that
× of course he just scolds you and calls you an idiot so I do hope you already learned his language
× it basically means that you shouldn't have done it, he's really grateful but seriously you shouldn't have
× like that one time you saved up money to get him a good computer and he forgot how to speak for like an hour
× the softest thank you ever afterwards
× still sounded rough but he was shocked as fuck
× one thing that remained in your brain were his friends, as sometimes he'd mention them
× so you took it upon yourself to find them, of course with his permission
× gets genuinely overwhelmed and plays it off saying he wouldn't mind knowing where those idiots ended but you didn't miss the way his voice trembled
× for you to find them you needed names and any information he could provide so that's when he, after a long silence and a mesmerized look on his face, started really talking about his life
× which was fucked; won't get much into detail but he was indeed in a fighting ring, people came and bet on whoever was stronger, he even had to fight his friends, everything was filled with abuse and their conditions were subhuman...
× just overall awful
× you couldn't help but hug him tight, feeling him shake in your arms
× with a hesitant voice he asked if you really did think there was a chance to find them
× just couldn't believe how amazing he felt in your arms
× or how your determination that night made his heart clench and took a big weight off his shoulders
× anywho;;;; after his first paycheck he takes you out on cute dates
× never calls them that, just demands you dress up [helps you out cuz boy got style] and takes you to a nice coffee shop or something
× AND on your fifth not date cuz you're not official but there's this weird tension between you date he finally kinda s n a p s
× you honestly didn't expect the waiter to flirt with you, he came out as very pushy and even if you were a lil uncomfortable you smiled and brushed it off
× when the waiter suggested giving you his number the sandy blond hybrid growled
× which i shit you not made the whole coffee shop freeze
× and you froze too
× but neither of you could say anything because the oblivious fuck kept talking
× basically joking about how you should keep your pet in a leash, to which you got up, threw some money on the table, grabbed Bakugou by the hand and leave before he'd rip someone's head off
× it only took you to touch Bakugou's arm to calm him down as he followed behind you wordlessly
× so you stood outside, angry, deep red eyes on your figure
× and silence
× his hand still in yours
× it was warm and amazing and you felt angry but your heart was beating loudly; angry at the waiter that you wanted to go full Karen on and get fired but excited because that growl shook you to the core, as if you could tell it was territorial and it was because of that pig flirting with you and did Bakugou Katsuki just lace his fingers with you?!
× "Oi." he interrupted your thoughts
× he turned your frame towards him and pulled you [kinda harshly] into him
× you'd make a comment about it but brain empty, just Bakugou Katsuki blushing
× "You're mine, you get it?"
× skdjflglykshs
× it sounded like he asked but it was a demand so oops you're his now ok bye
× like I said, boy isn't dumb so he lowkey knew you felt something too
× legit from there on he's just soft as fuck
× has a hard time opening up but visibly tries for you
× still continues to be a pain in the ass, Bakugou Style, but with a loving teasing attitude behind it
× his eyes give him away all the time
× they shine whenever you're in his field of view so congrats because, and this is the best part:
× WOLVES MATE FOREVER 💕💓💞💗💝💟
× oh yeah, he's yours, no takebacks
× he isn't one to half-ass the relationship; you're his now and he'll do anything for you
× big time touch starved it hurts
× because he is shy
× so whenever you introduce him to hand holding and cuddles, he can't get enough
× not big on PDA [ and not recommended since human-hybrid relationships are kiiiinda frowned upon but it's getting better ]
× although at home it's another deal
× seriously cuddle him; he's big into the protector vibe so he's a big spoon almost exclusively unless it's to sleep on top of you
× speaking of! accept that even if your relationship isn't that intimate, he'd still hint about sleeping together in the same bed
× so you better catch on when he does because he'll just click his tongue and call you needy
× while dragging you to bed
× sleeps holding you, his nose in your hair or in the crook of your neck
× unless it's summer then stay on your side 💅
× you know those kisses that just scream "I can't get enough of you"? that's his whole kissing vibe in a sentence
× hell, even the gentlest kiss gives that vibe away and it'll 100% leave you breathless
× doesn't have experience but is a very fast learner
× pays very close attention to your body language
× really into biting your skin enough to leave marks
× wear his hoodies
× no, I'm fucking serious, wear them now
× his chest puffs and he turns into a blushing mess when you do it the first times because his scent is on you
× scenting is a big thing for him so of course he's gonna love it
× 10x more territorial because now he has a mate to protect
× jealous but trusts you
× still very jealous though
× let's all pretend he is definitely not scenting you before you go out because it's in his nature and it is embarrassing
× the first time he tells you he loves you it's when he's feeling vulnerable
× the search for his friends is still on-going, he feels less than adequate as a providing mate, is pissed at the world for treating him like an inferior animal when they created him, everything is piled on his shoulders and whenever than happens he closes off
× you notice immediately
× will not tell you at first
× it's only when you go to bed and he turns his back to you when you really know it's bad
× even if you fought before, he'd angrily snuggle you at night-time
× now it's so different
× hug him, whisper sweet nothings in his ear, pull a blanket all over you both and big spoon him, he'd start shaking and talking in no time
× will hide his tears from you but you'd know
× "You're the best fucking thing that happened to me, [Y/N]... I—... Shit... I love you so much."
× neither of you slept that night
× excuse you? drink some water and pray to jesus;;; you talked about feelings, ok? communication is key in a relationship, puh-lease
× [ i have this whole nsfw hcs post already cookin in my brain so maybe I'll make it happen cuz y'all know he has a mating season and all that comes with it 👀 ]
× back to being children of jesus here
× thanks the moon, the heavens and all the gods for putting you in his life; boy didn't believe in destiny but deep down he thinks you were meant to be
× you still better wash the dishes or you'll get your ass kicked.
Extra:
× you did find some of his friends, little by little, and even if he acted nonchalant, like k das cool, it was obvious he was extremely happy
× so they did get adopted too
× you got in contact with them on social media and they were all very excited about meeting
× so it was a chaotic meeting with a dog hybrid called Kirishima and a mouse like vibrat yellow guy called Kaminari
× they all were looking for Bakugou too since they were very worried about where he ended
× Kirishima shed manly tears when seeing Bakugou
× as they instantly welcomed you in their small group, they informed you both that the majority of the squad was adopted and they're in contact, while they're still actively looking for the others
× cue to the softest expression you've seen on Bakugou in public followed by "That's good"
× silence
× shock and silence
× Kaminari turning to you and whispering "You did this" with a hand on his heart, lips trembling as he wiped an imaginary tear
× insert instantly snappy Bakugou
× when everyone laughed and continued to make plans to meet up with the others, he just looked at you conversing with them, soft expression again on his features and his chest warming
× "Oh! Look, he's doing it again! Quick, take a pictur—"
× "SHINE!"
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aliceslantern · 5 years
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Beyond this Existence: Counterpoint, a Kingdom Hearts fanfiction, chapter 1
Summary:  After being recompleted, Ienzo vows to do everything in his power to atone for the atrocities he committed in the past. But this life hasn't been easy, and he's plagued with memories and nightmares. When Demyx suddenly reappears, the two discover that they have more in common than they thought, though the secrets in their past might tear them apart. Zemyx (Demyx/Ienzo), post kh3. Companion POVquel to Beyond this Existence.
Read it on FF.net/ on AO3
Ienzo did not believe in fate.
There was a structure to fate, based heavily in choice and self-fulfilling prophecy. The human will was strong, and to the untrained eye willing things into existence could be interpreted as near to divine. Still. Lately there had been more than enough coincidence to make him uncomfortable. For so long, they had all worked in theory, guessing how the human heart and will and mind all worked, only for their hypotheses to come out right, after all that experimentation. It was a bit boggling. And not necessarily in a good way.
"Lost you in thought again, my boy?" Ansem asked kindly.
Ienzo looked over at his master, who was pecking away at the keys of his computer, refamiliarizing himself with the layout and content. Things were still misplaced from the brush with Sark and the MCP, and they'd been too busy to spend time reorganizing. Now that the worst of the chaos was over, it was time to clean up, take stock, and move on.
He did not know what that entailed. "Apologies, Master."
"No need to apologize. You were always a pensive child. Don't be afraid to think aloud. I should like to get to know you again."
Ienzo sighed. It was… odd… to be near Ansem again, and to spend time with him. It had once felt so natural and comfortable, but now he felt ill at ease. Even though he had apologized, and Ansem not only graciously accepted that apology but then turned it back on him, he still felt… unclean. Since they had all been back together again, there was a need to let life go on like it used to be. But everyone was different. Especially Ienzo. He had changed, and not just physically. There was still so much to come to terms with, least of all his own mind.
As a Nobody, sorting his thoughts and feelings (if you could call them that) had been so easy. With minimal physiological sensation, tracing sources and rationalizing had been simple. Now, even setting aside more time than usual to reflect, his thoughts and yes, emotions, were jumbled, messy, and nearly impossible to deal with. Anxiety, even as a Nobody, was a natural response, but even with limited or no stimuli he would feel it creep into his body anyway. And the reunion with Ansem seemed to have been the point where it all intensified.
"I'm thinking about how my peculiar upbringing may have altered my perception concerning emotion," Ienzo said.
"Yes, I imagine it would. Emotion as a child and emotion as an adult are vastly different, and you woke up with a completely new mind, literally speaking. How are you coping?"
Ienzo bristled. How could he tell Ansem the truth? What comfort had he earned from him? He still had so much to do to prove himself. "Well enough. I find it fascinating. I'm my own case study."
Ansem chuckled. "That's a good attitude to have. You're young. I'm certain you will adjust well, so long as you take the time you need."
Ienzo nodded. He wasn't so certain what Ansem was saying was true. He felt the now-familiar slickness of anxiety heighten his heart rate and tried to take deep breaths as quietly as he could.
His gummiphone started ringing. It had been a while since anyone had contacted him. There were a few text messages from the Restoration Committee now that they had a line of their own; Chip and Dale also reached out every week or so to say hello. He hadn't heard from any of the guardians in a while, though, so when he saw Riku on the caller ID he smiled a little, and answered.
Riku did not have his video enabled. Ienzo could hear the gentle wash of the waves in the background, and the wind. Riku did not speak, and Ienzo wondered if this was some sort of accidental call. The gummiphones were great, but not without their own glitches and quirks. "Is anyone there?" Ienzo asked.
"I'm here." There was an edge to Riku's voice that Ienzo recognized; he'd heard it in his own when Ansem had come back. Fear. Heartbreak. "I'm… sorry, I didn't know who else to call."
Ansem shot Ienzo a look. Ienzo shrugged. "Is everything all right? You sound distressed."
Riku explained the situation. He masked the pain in his voice well, but to Ienzo it was obvious. Sora still hadn't come back. He'd vanished, without a trace, gone to some place where the gummiphones couldn't reach. But the scariest thing was that Riku could no longer feel a connection to him at all.
"Ever since the Mark of Mastery test, I could feel him, his heart. But for whatever reason that's gone. And I'm not sure if that means he might be… just like Kairi…" His voice broke a little more. He must have held the phone away from his face-the sound of the waves intensified.
The acidic flush of anxiety already boiling within Ienzo worsened. He took a tense breath through his teeth to try and think clearly. His mind was buzzing. He tried to say something of comfort, but the only thing he could think was that it was all-too-likely Sora was dead as well. Especially if he were trying to retrieve Kairi from the clutches of death-
"Is there anything you know?" Riku asked. "You know a lot about hearts."
"I suppose… perhaps…" Breathe, Ienzo. "The connection may have weakened, but there's no reason to think it's still not there." Sora's bright, cheerful face flashed behind his eyes. He felt almost like he was being choked, and absolutely without warning he saw another face, Riku's face, Riku but not Riku, sharp bladed gloves against his throat-
"I'm going to Yen Sid to see what he knows, what this might mean. Is there maybe something in your research that could help us?"
Ienzo's muscles were tight. This is completely irrational. Get yourself under control. "I'll take a look through what I have," he said in a strained voice.
"Thank you. I'll keep you posted."
Ienzo wanted to say something of worth, of comfort, to tell Riku to take care of himself, but he could not speak. With a shaking hand, he hung up.
"Are you quite alright?" Ansem asked.
Feeling like he could not breathe was merely psychological. There was nothing wrong with him. He was not dying. Not being strangled. Not watching Axel's laughing green eyes as the puppet slowly drained away his life-
That had been Zexion. This was Ienzo, and he was fine, he was not being choked, he had received some bad news. Ienzo could deal with bad news. Ienzo worked very well under pressure. Ienzo was-could be-good.
Ansem touched his shoulder. "Ienzo?"
He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, Master. I don't know what came over me." To his mollification, he felt a tear run down his face, though only on the right side where it was hidden by hair. Before he could properly explain the situation, he heard footsteps on the smooth glass floor of the lab.
"Oh, this is rich," Dilan said, laughing a little. "You'll never guess who the cat dragged in. Turns out there are no more Xehanorts running around, as you have worried. Demyx is here. And he's alive. Technically speaking."
No. Ienzo did not believe in fate.
They'd put him in the spare bedroom, the one that had been reserved for the seventh apprentice Ansem had never fully brought on. (Lea and Isa, he decided, did not count. After all, where were they now?)
Demyx was unconscious. Not unlike Even after Xehanort's death, he'd fallen into a feverish, comatose state after the piece of heart cut through him. It must have been on a delay due to all his travel between worlds with odd time streams. Ienzo regarded him curiously. Their only interaction in all this time had been the day of Ansem's reunion, and Ienzo's emotions had run too high to process his appearance. All Ienzo remembered was that his willingness to help Even and defect against Xehanort was surprising.
He looked poorly. He'd lost some weight, and his body was racked with feverish chills. Even was at his side, tending to him and taking notes.
"...He's not a vessel?" Ienzo asked.
"I don't believe so. I've already checked his eyes. Not gold. Look." Matter-of-factly, he pulled back one of Demyx's eyelids, as if he were also one of the faceless replicas. Ienzo could barely see a sliver of teal.
"Do you think he's trustworthy?" Ienzo asked softly.
"I do not believe he'd cause any harm to us," Even said. "He was rather helpful with the replicas."
"The boy holds no ill will. We did not speak much, admittedly, but he seemed all too happy to get a move in edgewise," Ansem said. "I believe he was merely swayed. And we can sway him back to us, if need be."
"I'll monitor him, but he should be up and about before long." Even shook his head. "Nasty business. At least it's all over now." He picked up Demyx's ragged old coat. "I'll put this filthy thing in the wash with mine. Best to hold onto. Just in case."
They both turned and left. Ienzo tried to follow, with the intent to try and solve the Sora conundrum, but he couldn't help but look back. He decided he would have some tea.
Ienzo sat with his mug and shut his eyes. It was time to figure some things out. Not in a short period at the end of the day, as Zexion had been wont to do, but now. Perhaps he had to do this practice more often, now that he was human.
He was not Zexion. He was Ienzo.
Deep breaths.
He couldn't deny the fact that Demyx's reappearance just worsened his anxiety. Not because of any negative feelings he harbored towards him-Ienzo didn't feel particularly anything towards Demyx at either extreme-but because of what it implied. Radiant Garden was different. The apprentices were different. They couldn't just pick up their lives as if nothing had happened, not that Ienzo would want to. If anything, his appearance symbolized the two lives crashing together. Things would always be off-kilter. As much as Ienzo told himself this, he didn't quite feel it. It was so much harder to internalize fact as a human.
At least, he thought, if both Demyx and Even had lost the pieces of Xehanort's heart that had been thrust upon them, there was no chance of Xehanort returning in any form. He tried to take comfort in this. And Xehanort would never return to be an apprentice.
Ienzo's tea was bitter. As much as he had tried to busy himself, Xehanort's and Braig's absences were quite obvious, though none of them would dare bring it up. They had been a team once, a unit, you could even go so far as to say they were a fa-
He cut off the thought. It did no good to dwell on these things.
Breathe. Deeply.
"I'm not sure if this is a blessing or a curse," Dilan said as he approached in Ienzo's peripheral vision.
"I feel no way particularly. Everyone deserves a second chance. Him too."
Dilan shook his head. "We'll see how humanity fares for him. For all we know his transformation will be as dramatic as yours."
Ienzo frowned despite himself. "Whatever do you mean?"
"You, Zexion… night and day. Down to the way you're dressed." He gestured to the white lab coat that the apprentices wore most of the time.
"Perhaps it's because I've seen the error of my ways, and seek to change," Ienzo said. "You must admit. All that plotting and scheming… is very tiring."
Dilan shrugged.
"Are you not glad for a second chance?"
"I suppose I must be. Especially with Ansem here again. We can do some good for once." He hesitated, and Ienzo wondered if he wanted to sit. Ienzo realized he did not want that. He and Dilan had grown apart in the Organization, and now their relationship was a touch strained. "I feel bad for you. You've missed the majority of your youth in that hellish nightmare."
"As I'm becoming aware," Ienzo said. He felt a heat starting in his cheeks. Was he angry at Dilan? Why? It was true; Ienzo had missed most of his life. Even if he had stayed an apprentice, he still could have gone to normal school, had typical friends, would have developed in a way that would allow him to feel and express emotion properly.
"I do hope you find some way to make up for it," Dilan said.
"There are other matters to attend to first," Ienzo said.
"Yes… I suppose there are." He looked at his wristwatch and sighed. "I'm going to relieve Aeleus. See you later."
For a while after he left Ienzo sat, trying to nurse the absolutely awful tea and find a way to stand and get some work done. Tides of emotion threatened to break over him, each stronger than the last. He breathed. He sipped. He decided that he would go to the library for some light reading on abnormal psychology-surely average, well-adjusted adults didn't feel like this all the time? Firstly, though, he needed to eat. His appetite had been very poor lately, and he had to maintain weight.
He put up oatmeal and let it cook, slowly, sweetening it the way Even had when he was a small boy, with sugar and honey, remembering how he'd tell him that keeping his blood sugar up was important to think clearly. With a gentle pat on the head.
Even was not the same either. He still had the hard edge that he'd gained as Vexen. Or maybe it was just that Ienzo was no longer a child, and had lost the tenderness usually afforded to one.
Before Ienzo could begin to think about why this was important, he heard the soft squeak of floorboards coming from the guest room. Demyx must have woken up. Exactly how much time had passed? Ienzo checked the gummiphone; at least two hours.
I must keep better track of my reflection time.
He sighed, and stood. He did not feel like having this conversation, but if Demyx felt even half as confused as he did, he deserved it. He approached slowly, opened the cracked door. "I thought I heard something," he said. "I think it's time we had that chat."
Demyx's eyes were wide, frightened and, Ienzo noted with a hint of relief, still completely free of gold. He gestured for Demyx to follow him back to the kitchen. He handed him tea. He expected some of the exuberant chattiness that had filled their last meeting, and found none. Demyx kept looking around the room, as though disoriented.
"I'm sure you have a lot of questions," Ienzo continued. Demyx was staring at him oddly. "Even was worried, but I knew you'd come around."
He was full of tension. Ienzo could see that much. "What happened? Why are my-" He touched near his eye.
He really did know nothing. "I admit we were confused about that at first, but it's really quite simple. When Xehanort was killed, the piece of his heart that had been put inside you must have been purged. Even went through the same thing. So the good news is that you're a vessel no longer."
"I'm not?"
"It seems like you were one of the lucky ones," Ienzo said. He ladled out two bowls and placed one in front of Demyx. "If you had been a true vessel, you probably would have perished." And been recompleted far less messily. Ienzo considered what he himself was going through. Which was harder-being gradually eased into humanity, or thrust into it all at once? Necessary change, but painful.
Demyx said nothing. He bit his lip.
"It'll take time for your heart to grow back and for you to adjust. Thankfully, time is something we have a lot of now." He forced a smile. "Roxas and Naminé send their thanks. It's partially because of you, after all, that they became their own people again." This much was true. The vessel Demyx brought had given them just the information they needed to be able to make new ones. And Ansem had been there to help, after all, brought out of his months of wandering in the darkness.
Demyx continued to be silent. It was, perhaps, the quietest Ienzo had ever heard him be. His emotions flickered across his face clear as day; worry, fear, relief. They lacked the slickness of recreated Nobody emotion.
"You must be overwhelmed," Ienzo said haltingly. "I assume this reticence will pass. You should eat. Get your strength back."
He listened, and for a time they ate in silence. At least the oatmeal wasn't as bitter as the tea. Ienzo really needed to cook a proper meal one of these days. They'd been living off of nonperishable goods, too busy to go to the marketplace daily. "Where are they?" Demyx asked suddenly.
"Roxas and Naminé? I'm not quite sure. I believe they're in Destiny Islands at the moment, with nearly everyone else." Roxas didn't have his own gummiphone, as far as Ienzo was aware, so it wasn't like he could hear from them. To his shock, Demyx was actually tearing up, and trying very poorly not to give in to it. Ienzo had never seen him express anything like this; he had always been so callous and crass in the past, uncaring. Was this empathy? Or simply being overwhelmed? Ienzo wondered if Dilan might be right after all, and offered him a napkin to dry his eyes.
"Your heart might not take that long after all," Ienzo said lightly.
"Did you just crack a joke?" Demyx asked between sobs.
"I do have a sense of humor," he said. "Why don't you come get some rest?"
Ienzo decided to take his own advice. He too was exhausted, reeling from the events of the day and in desperate need of some quiet. He took off his lab coat, put on some less formal clothing, and crawled under the covers of his childhood bed.
Being in this room was still strange. He'd already set aside most of the few toys he'd still had as a little boy, as well as most of the books he used to read. A lot of volumes from his current research or reading sat around in various states of organization. Part of him itched to clean it up, to make it a different space, but his body weighed him down.
Sleeping was… difficult.
Even as Zexion he'd had difficulty sleeping, thoughts swirling and pinging against one another. Adding humanity made this necessary bodily function almost impossible. The anxiety of the day welled under his skin. He'd considered asking Even for a mild sedative, but then he'd have to explain why it was he couldn't get any sleep, and the embarrassment of that alone held him back. They would think even less of him if they knew he couldn't even handle these new emotions. This new body. It did feel new, in a way, even though it was all the same as Zexion's. He touched the scars at the base of his throat where the Riku replica had strangled him.
There were so many thoughts to dwell on. Not enough time to process. Especially now that he had so much work to do. There had to be some way he could help Sora. Ienzo couldn't help but feel this was all his fault somehow. If the darkness hadn't spread the way his experiments had enable it to-
There was no way he was getting any sleep tonight. He sat up. He figured he might as well get some work done.
"Ienzo, my boy, what are you still doing here?"
Ienzo jerked, startled from the complex web of words on the screen.
Ansem, in his casual clothing, approached him. "Ah, there it is," he said. He picked up a book that he had left by the computer. "I finally decided to try and relax, and I leave behind my novel. My memory is not as good as it used to be."
Ienzo set about shutting off the computer. It was so late as to be early. For the first time, he noticed he had a vicious headache, particularly behind his eyes. He must have completely dissociated, which was worrying, to say the least.
"Something weighs heavily on your mind," Ansem said gently. "I can feel it. Speak, Ienzo. You mustn't bear burdens all by yourself."
Ienzo exhaled. "My emotional state today has been… worrying," he said haltingly. "I feel intense, borderline pathological anxiety."
Ansem considered this. "So you lied to me earlier today," he said. "Why is that?"
Ienzo shook his head. "I do not deserve to be comforted. Not when I-" He could feel the harsh tightness in his throat. The soft glint in Ansem's eye did not help this.
"Ienzo, we have discussed this. You were a little boy. You cannot take fault for what happened. You are fixing your mistakes now."
"But it can never make up for what I-" A hot, potent mixture of chagrin and guilt washed over him. He struggled not to cry.
"My dear, dear Ienzo," Ansem said. "You have already accomplished more than I thought possible in the way of good. Tell me what it is you feel. Truthfully."
"I feel…" He could feel the strength leaching from him. "Ashamed, and frightened, and sad, all at once. I constantly feel everything concurrently. Is this what it is to be human?"
"Yes-it is especially more intense when one is young."
"I am not myself," Ienzo said. "I am…"
"A work in progress," Ansem said gently. "As are most people, certainly people your age."
"Things between all of us do not feel right either."
"I agree," Ansem said. "It will take much forgiveness for us all to heal. It is a process."
"I was naive enough to wish these things would be done with."
"Not naive. Hopeful." Ansem squeezed his shoulder. "Let me make you some chamomile tea."
When he finally did sleep, curled on the old loveseat in Ansem's quarters, it was fitfully and vaporously. He could still feel the replica's fingers around his throat, the suit's sharp scales cutting through the soft skin. Nobodies did not feel much but he felt the fear tear through him. And then felt it when he woke up as Ienzo, bleeding and weeping as Aeleus worried over Dilan's motionless, bloodied body. And felt it the third time as he woke up.
Groggily, Ienzo pushed himself off the couch, padded over to Ansem's personal bookshelf, and started searching. He found it, dog-eared and worn, towards the bottom of the case. He blew the dust off it.
Post-traumatic stress, originally known as "shell shock", is a psychological condition in which an individual-
Frustrated, he put the book back. This wasn't helping. If anything, he was shakier and woozier than ever, and his head still pounded.
Of course he couldn't come out of all that without scars, literal and figurative ones. But the fact that he finally had life back and now had to experience this was… a little galling. To say the least.
"Good morning, Ienzo." Ansem was making coffee in the apartment's kitchen. "I figured it was better to let you sleep here rather than make you tramp all the way back to your room. You looked quite exhausted."
"I was. I am," he said.
"Understandably so. I have an errand for you, if you feel up to it. Maybe some fresh air would do you some good."
In all honesty, Ienzo could not remember the last time he'd been outside the castle confines. "Yes. Perhaps."
"I'd like you to get some clothing for Demyx. I do not want to see those coats again if I don't have to. And I suspect you must need some yourself. You've outgrown your old things, no doubt." With a wink.
"You're not incorrect." It had been almost funny, going through his dresser drawers and finding all the small clothing. Funny and also sad. The small lab coat had been handsewn, tenderly, from an adult one. In the hope that he too might grow into their profession.
Ansem crossed over to his desk and took out a small purse of money. "Take your time. I daresay you need it."
The light, even for fall, seemed piercingly bright outside, and he flinched until his eyes adjusted. The violet sky was free of clouds. Ienzo could hear the tolling of bells above that signified a new hour.
This was home.
Still. Despite the ongoing restoration of the town, there was damage lingering from both the initial fall to darkness and the massive Heartless mob that the first Organization had sent. Ienzo couldn't help but be thankful that Zexion had passed by then. Otherwise that plan would have also been added to his heavy conscience.
The town was growing as people returned from Traverse Town. The Heartless population, thanks to Cid's claymores and the end of Xehanort, was low. Life was moving on.
It did not feel that way.
Ienzo shook his head to ward off the thoughts and went to the market.
The clothing seller was kind, and didn't charge him very much. Ienzo picked out a few simple things for himself and Demyx. It should not feel strange to shop. It should not feel strange to share small talk with the vendors. And yet, it did.
While he was here, he picked up some fresh groceries. There was order in food, simplicity, and it grounded him. For the first time in all too long he looked forward to this meal, rather than having it be just another thing to get through.
"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes!"
The voice, feminine and shrill, startled him. Ienzo fought hard to put on a smile. "Hello, Yuffie."
"How you been?" Despite being ex-Organization, the Restoration Committee had been generously welcoming to him. Ienzo looked over at the girl, only slightly younger than he himself was. And yet, throughout all these years, even she as a child was capable of making good choices, threw herself into the resistance-
"I am well. And yourself?"
"I'm great! You know, you should stop by sometime. You don't have to stay holed up in your castle all day. You're home."
"I admit I have to keep reminding myself of that."
She laughed. "It still does feel kinda weird. But you know. I don't really like normal." She shrugged. "What've you got there?"
"Basic supplies. Food. Clothing. One of the old Organization members returned. He's staying with us for now."
"Oh? Which one?"
"You know him as Demyx. He hasn't given his other name to us yet."
She frowned. "I remember him. He was the one who came on the day of the Thousand Heartless."
"I realize this. But I believe, or at least I hope, that he will have changed as much as the rest of us. He did help us with Roxas and Naminé."
Yuffie sighed. "We'll see. Anyway, I gotta go. Patrol. You know how it is."
"I'm sure there's no need to keep up such vigorous rounds."
She rolled her eyes. "I agree, but tell Squall that. He's paranoid even though things have calmed way down. I can't help but humor the guy. It keeps me busy. And hey. Don't be a stranger. You could use some new friends." She saluted, and set off.
Ienzo, somewhat automatically, turned and began heading to the castle. The brightness and density of the marketplace was leaving him feeling frazzled, anxious, and overstimulated. Yuffie was right; he could use friends, friends closer to his own age. The sheer strength of the Guardians of Light was testament to that. And yet… should he find the courage to drop by for a visit, how would he proceed? What would he talk about? Surely they must have known everything he'd done?
He shook his head. He had a lot of reflection to do before he was ready for that.
Ienzo spent the rest of the day cleaning the kitchen in Ansem's quarters. It was much nicer, and better-equipped, than the one the rest of the apprentices shared. But like the rest of the castle, it was dirty and in disrepair, and making it habitable hadn't been high on Ansem's list of priorities. He scrubbed at tile and countertops. Nothing wanted to be all the way clean, and the rust would absolutely not come off the burners on the stove. Ienzo did not stop until he realized his hands were smarting from all the chemicals.
"I should have worn gloves," he muttered. "Careless."
He prepared a roasting chicken and stuffing. Food was easy. Objective. There was nothing bad that could come from making food for others. He watched it all cook, and tried to convince himself things would be alright.
The next day the skies opened up, and it rained.
It had been months since he'd seen a storm like this. From his bed after another sleepless night he observed it fall. Cool air blew under his poorly insulated window.
Ienzo had to come up with a plan. Enough dallying about. Starting today he would do whatever was in his power to help Sora. If they could so much as contact him, it would be worth it. After all of Sora's suffering at Castle Oblivion, it was the least he could do. He dressed in his lab uniform, tightening the ascot at his throat to hide the scars.
He would fix this.
Except the files did not want to agree with him.
He must've spent hours looking through the archives. It was hopelessly disorganized, ripped apart by Sark, and the data from the Organization hadn't yet been uploaded. Rather than do anything of actual help, he had to sort the files, bit by bit, some of it pure guesswork because most of this research was not his.
"Have you a moment?" Even looked irritated; then again, lately he always did.
"Of course. Whatever is the matter?" He kept pulling files this way and that off of the cluttered screen.
"You no longer have any of your Nobody abilities, correct?"
Ienzo looked up. "That is correct." In their first confusing days of humanity, they'd all tried to connect with their powers. Trying to summon his lexicon or perform even the most minute glamor had given him a terrific migraine that put him in bed for the better part of two days. "Why is it you ask? You haven't either, have you?"
"I have tried, and I cannot," Even said. "I wanted to make sure. He found out."
"Who? Demyx?"
Even nodded. "I wonder if my tone might have been too sharp. He did look rather distressed."
Ienzo sighed. They all knew how attached Demyx was to his sitar; going without it must be something akin to withdrawal.
"But what is it I'm to do? I'm not a miracle worker. And if I'm being honest, I'm quite content with how silent things are around here."
"Strictly speaking, there is nothing we can do. Aside from have patience. Oh, that reminds me. I was supposed to have dropped off those clothes. My memory has not been great lately."
"You've had a lot on your mind," Even said. "I suspect we all have. I'll be glad to not see another one of those infernal cloaks. So drab. So… cult-like."
Ienzo looked back to the computer. "Master Ansem said essentially the same thing. I suppose I should take care of it now." He dreaded seeing Demyx's face, of trying to find words of comfort. He understood his distress, but the fact that he was actively grieving part of that Nobody life reviled him.
"I shall walk with you."
They left. The castle was so large, and yet they really lived in such a small part of it. The rest of it sat vacant, unused, and gradually decaying. The carpet at their feet was worn.
"It's a shame," Even said. He scruffed the carpet with the toe of his shoe. "Things here were once so beautiful. If the committee were not so busy we could use their assistance. This place is a shell of what it once was."
"You have to admit it feels rather significant," Ienzo said.
"Too on the nose, for my tastes," Even said. He shook his head. "We're not shells of who we once were. We've changed and adapted. You most of all. I miss being so pliable."
"...So I've heard," Ienzo said sourly. "I assure you it is not as easy as it looks."
"My apologies."
A sharp emotion tightened in his throat. Ienzo found himself wanting to confide in Even, wanting to beg him to help, like when he was a child. Wanting to be comforted, coddled, even though he had done nothing to warrant such niceties. "If only times were simpler," he said. "I feel as if I've no time to look after myself-what with Sora's disappearance and Demyx's arrival."
"Sora's disappeared?"
Of course, holed up in his lab all day, Even wouldn't know. Ienzo explained what happened.
"...How curious," Even said, his lips turning down. "I wonder if there's any of his data somewhere?"
"Sora's? I do not know. I'm not sure how his friends would feel if he were a replica, though."
Even sighed. "I've tried to recreate Sora's heart, and we remember know what happened with that," he said. "As proud as I am of Xion's sentience and personhood, unfortunately his heart is so special that it seems to be a moot option. Best not to give them hope."
Ienzo hesitated.
"I thought I'd taught you better," Even said.
"You should have heard Riku's voice."
"I'm surprised you feel so strongly about him, not when you have such poor memories of him."
"That was your replica, might I remind you," Ienzo snapped.
Even raised an eyebrow. "The Riku replica? What about it?"
Ienzo froze. Even didn't know. "Never mind," he said evasively.
"Boy, tell me," Even said thickly.
Automatically, Ienzo's hands fluttered to his throat, and he fought to steady them.
"Ienzo," Even said.
Slick, sparkling, spicy anxiety swept through him. He tried to steady his breath, but the tightness in his chest was was it he could not get himself under control?
"Oh, Ienzo," Even said.
"If you must know," Ienzo forced out between breaths. "Axel had the Riku replica kill Zexion."
"He did?" Even barked out a strange laugh. "Axel killed Vexen."
A wave of dizziness nearly overcame Ienzo. Even placed a hand on Ienzo's shoulder.
"How is it you're feeling?"
"I don't understand," Ienzo said. "I don't understand what it is I'm feeling."
"Intense, paralyzing panic?" Even suggested.
"Yes-perhaps-" His knees were weak and shaking.
"You should sit down and focus on modulating your breathing," Even said. He took Ienzo by the elbow and helped him sit down on the floor. "It's alright. This is a normal reaction to recalling something traumatic-"
"Believe me, I know," Ienzo hissed. "I am perfectly aware of what this is." It didn't help, he thought.
"Count to ten," Even said. "Deep, steady breaths."
He tried. His desire to confide in Even completely gave way to an abject humiliation. "Why is it you do not feel that way?" Ienzo said.
"Perhaps my heart is not quite as developed as yours," Even said. "Perhaps it is that I have not processed it all, yet."
"I do not wish to speak of it at the moment," Ienzo said. His chest still ached terrifically. "I must… I must go." He pulled away from Even. Standing gave him a wave of vertigo. He stumbled down the hallways, nearly getting lost in the familiar twists and turns, until he reached his bedroom. Ienzo lay down on his bed for a moment. He breathed and breathed until he no longer had to think about it. He shook himself. Gathered up the bundle of clothes. Prepared himself for another awkward conversation.
He knocked at the door and waited for a moment. There was no response. Ienzo struggled to put on a neutral face and cracked the door. "Sorry to intrude. Ansem suggested you might like something else to wear, other than… that." Demyx was pale and wan and washed out, especially against the black of the coat. Ienzo realized just how obvious his cheekbones were in his face, how much weight he'd lost. "Doubtful you'll need its protection any time soon."
He was silent. There was an empty, frightened look in his eye, and to Ienzo's surprise when he caught his own reflection in the small dresser mirror, he wore the same expression.
Ienzo swallowed. He put the clothes down and hugged himself tightly. It didn't help much. "I realize this process has not been easy for you-"
Demyx's eyes flitted to meet his, and then he looked away.
He didn't know how to find the words. "I failed to make the connection. I didn't realize that gaining your humanity would result in another type of loss. But of course your connection to your power must have run deeply."
"It's just always been there," he said. "I feel like part of me has died."
Ienzo bristled a little. How could he not see the opportunity he'd been handed? Yet, at the same time, he couldn't help but agree- "Yes. I imagine it would."
"Don't you feel the same way?" Demyx turned towards him. His bright eyes sought Ienzo's. "I mean, in a sick way, becoming Nobodies kind of brought out the best parts of us."
Bile rose in Ienzo's throat. He looked down. The anxiety was back, worse than before, and all he could say was, "I disagree." How could he think that? If anything, being a Nobody had just enabled Zexion's dark nature, and instead he'd just kept committing atrocities in the name of science.
Demyx blushed.
Ienzo was shaking. "I'll let you rest," he said woodenly, and left the room.
He found himself crouched over the toilet, heaving emptily because he'd forgotten to eat that day.
The memories poured behind his eyes. How had he been so cruel? Was it ever possible to make up for it? So many worlds had fallen. So many people had-
That didn't even count the initial spread of darkness. If he had not listened to Xehanort and encouraged all those extra tests on the subjects-
Ienzo spit weakly. He crossed over to the sink, pulled back his hair, washed his face.
He really was not well. The ripples of the old life were clearly not going to settle any time soon. How on earth was he going to learn to manage them?
There was something he could do. He could help Sora. Helping Sora would save people. Maybe he could save himself in the process.
Some hope.
He picked up his gummiphone and dialed Ansem. "Master? Can you help me?"
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rndyounghowze · 4 years
Text
An Evening of Online Plays Right in our Living Room Directed by Missouri S&T Theatre
By: Ricky and Dana Young-Howze
St. Louis, Missouri
It was a cool and rainy evening when Dana and I followed the Zoom link and joined viewers across the country to see "An evening of Online Plays"
Produced by Missouri S&T Theatre. One of our dear friends Erin Lane had one of her pieces in the bill of four 10 minute plays to be presented that night and invited us to come watch. This night of online theater, produced by Taylor Gruenloh and presented by Missouri S&T theatre students was our first time reviewing a Zoom Production and definitely will not be our last.
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This was directed by two students of Missouri S&T's directing program. When classes were cancelled for Victoria Hagni and Madeline Lechner their professor Taylor Gruenloh knew that unless they actually produced a finished project it wouldn't feel as if the two students weren't getting the most out of their independent study. So they quickly changed gears and commissioned ten minute plays from four playwrights from my graduate program Hollins University that would work perfectly in a Zoom format. This livestream is that final result.
It's worth mentioning what Dana and I are looking for when we review a production produced on an online platform streamed out of people's homes. We of course are looking at the level of acting and the production value of the plays but we are also looking at how this new medium of performance is taken advantage of and how the artists worked within those constraints. We are definitely as much beginners at reviewing this as the artists are performing in it. We also know that these students were ramping up and learning for something completely different than pioneering a new artform so we empathize. So now that we know we're both adjusting to a learning curve let's get down to the nitty gritty.
We've decided to talk about the plays grouped by the director not in the order that they were presented and since these were brand new plays written just for the production we're reviewing the plays too.
First we're looking at the plays directed by Madeline Lechner.
De-Equalized by Amy Lytle is a play about two students Katie (played by Natalie Arnold) and Jordan (played by Adam Bateman) who are working on a group project while they are separated on spring break.
I'll admit putting this play up as the first play we see was a very eerie experience. Not just because it was about two students talking about a group project over Zoom but also because this was Dana and my first primer into what a Zoom production is. Seeing the screen jump back and forth between the two actors like it was cutting back and forth like in a movie was bizarre but I was immediately intrigued by the possibilities.
I was very impressed with the actors trying their hardest to emote to somebody that is not physically in the room with them. I felt like Arnold did a better job at this than her acting partner. I can only imagine having to not only keep myself cheated open for the audience but also knowing that my acting partner is a small post card sized picture on a screen. Also knowing that your performance depends on the connectivity of your device and the tilt of your camera is probably as big of a rush as tightrope walking. But because of this feeling of risk some of their emotions seemed to go stagnant. I needed to feel like this energy could travel eight hundred miles.
This could have been an acting problem but I definitely feel like some of this sits on Lechner's shoulders as a director. If the energy isn't shaking the rafters you definitely need to find ways to ramp your actors up. But we also feel like the playscript didn't give them higher stakes to begin with. Not everyone reveals family secrets doing homework. Also Dana never believed she was going to walk out on him which really did kill the stakes.
As for the play Dana noticed there was a lot of exposition about scholarship and financial aid that anyone watching a college show would know. We would hope that in a further draft the playwright would trust her audience more. I loved the idea of students finding out something about a friend that they didn't know before but also wish that the action had started way earlier. The play spent so much time on exposition I feel like the play didn't start until the eight minute mark and then they only had two minutes left. In a future draft I really hope this is addressed.
Also directed by Lechner was Breathe by Erin Lane a play about Dory (played by Raelyn Twohy) and Michael (played by Michael Ellis) two parents having to coparent while being separated and trying to calm each other down while also trying to appear strong for the other.
I love that this play made use of ANY kind of action and it was a great refresher from Lechner's previous piece. I still would have asked for much more. Also Dana got the sense that this play was supposed to have a lot of chaos in it but in her words it was "the calmest chaos she's ever seen". I agree. Especially if this is a play about getting the results of a test be it Covid-19, AIDS, pregnancy, or even strep I think you would feel a TAD more tense than that. This harkens back to what I said before about Lechner and getting energy out of her performers. As a director I will tell her you have to do whatever it takes to get that energy out of your cast because if we as an audience don't feel it we're gone. This was a great first outing and if I'm sounding tough it's because I feel she does have potential to do well in the future. Just get that energy in!
As for the acting it seemed that while Dana and I believed the Dad instantly we felt something was "held back" from us. We don't know if that was an acting problem or a writing problem. I am leaning heavily towards acting because of the several "I forgot my line" pauses and constant repeats of cue lines we normally see in high school productions. I personally think it must have been hard to show so much emotion just using your eyes and not having a full stage to work with but if these pauses normally just slow down a stage show on Zoom they felt like an eternity.
This play utilized my very favorite kind of exposition where everything we needed to know about the action was fed to us through something that we already knew. We all know that kind of back and forth between a Mom and Dad as they suss out parenting. But then you have this through the lens of long distance. Someone can't be home and now they have to trust someone else to get it done. This is the coolest kind of love story for me. However due to dropped lines and pauses I totally lost the part where Dory is a nurse and that she's taking a Covid-19 test. Dana had to tell me based on her scrubs. I hope that a future production of this play has the faster pace and the higher stakes it deserved.
Also a quick note: I know that no one is really pioneering Zoom set design just yet but I feel that I have to mention the black curtain behind Ellis's back. Dana and I have a running joke where we wonder if there is a "different play behind the curtain" that's more interesting than the one we're seeing. This presented a literal version of that for us where we spent more time wondering what was behind that curtain than listening to what he was saying. Out of love for these actors and with mad respect for what they're doing even if the curtain is hiding dead bodies we kinda hope it isn't there in the future. You guys rock and deserve better than that.
Next we'll be talking about the plays directed by Victoria Hagni.
In Scaramouch and Pinochle by Mike Moran we meet Lizzie (played by Megan Baris) and Bella (played by Haley Jenkins) two sisters who were separated when they were little and adopted by families across the country. Now they're reconnecting.
I loved that this play involved some action that fills up the camera frame and that Hagni gave the actresses some business to do such as painting nails and looking for things. If you think of the screen as your proscenium arch then you start to realize that you can utilize all of that space to tell your story.
Dana loves the use of props and the chemistry between the two actresses even though there were some moments that seemed like they were talking more at the screens than to each other. As you guys know I'm a sucker for puppets so even a sock puppet wormed it's way into my heart.
As for the script I feel like the realization about the Mom’s death and other family drama wasn’t "earned". There was no build up to it so I don't know whether it really happened or if our character was just lying. Where the chemistry between the actresses seemed natural the tense moments in the play didn’t seem natural. Overall it was a very cute play and with a couple more revisions it would be perfect.
In Folies a Deux/Pas de deux by Kevin D. Ferguson we meet Amanda Toye as Woman and Luke Goekner as Man. They are a couple with an interesting history and reconnecting after a long time.
I absolutely ADORED the use of the whole kitchen and room as a playing space. Having her start "upstage" at the counter and then moving the camera around as she moved dropped us into the world of the play. This was the first time that I forgot I was watching a Zoom play and just started watching the show. If I have to give one criticism to Hagni at all it is that I would have loved to see this kind of blocking in her previous piece.
I really commend the actors for really knowing their lines, really getting this blocking down, and committing to it. I mean somebody made cupcakes for this show! That's commitment.
Dana feels like this one was the most theatrical because it would definitely work on a stage AND online. This was the play that she absolutely believed with all her heart. I was totally pulled in. This is one of those plays that just make you want to sit in front of a computer and write a play.
The hardest part I'm going to notice about directing and writing for this medium is that you're simultaneously directing a theatre production and producing a movie. The actors aren't just actors they become directors of photography. The only difference between these plays and a movie is that a movie would be recorded for later and edited by someone else. I'm predicting that the most successful Zoom productions will be the ones that blur these lines. Is this naturalistic theatre or an indie found footage film. Who knows and who cares? Actors are not just emoting as if they're in the smallest of black box theaters but also thinking in terms of setups and dynamic camera angles. This is going to be a hard skill to master and in thirty or so years we'll be reading textbooks about the people who started this trend thinking about how we were all just figuring it out.
Also I'm looking forward to the day when we literally don't have the big pink elephant of COVID-19 in the room with us. Right now anytime you see a play livestreamed we all kind of know why it's not being presented onstage. So effectively even if the play doesn't explicitly say so it inherently is about this pandemic I know it's going to be at least a few years before this isn't the case but I will welcome it with open arms.
You have one more opportunity to see this production tonight May 9th at 7 PM Central Time. For those of you teaching theatre right now it might be an excellent tool or opportunity to talk about this evolving theatre climate. Follow this link right here and enjoy the show!
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