[Event] Preshow: The Curtain Rises...

SCENE: BACKSTAGE. So not a scene at all, really.

Archon was panicking. He froze, fingers at the tie knot, as Nemean's announcement rang out beyond the curtain. It's TIME. He was SO not prepared.

And he'd have been determined not to wear the tie, but... his singing might be affected?! "My singing-... Oh no. All right, I understand--we can take it off?" and to his horror, he squeaked that, his voice cracking.

This was too much. The moment poor Mimosa helped him get the tie off, Archon beelined for the booze. He grabbed a drink--something, anything--and knocked it back, hoping to put a softer edge on his growing panic. His hands were so sweaty he damn near dropped the glass.

For a long moment, as the play began for real, Archon stood backstage and stared at nothing. Then he choked, coughed, his eyes watering, as the burning of the drink registered.

Then everything got... a little blurry.

Well. It was here. Because it had to be.

It shuffled around backstage, trying to be as unintrusive as an eight foot tall glowing-eyes monster could possibly be as it helped with some last-minute preparations. A couple wispy shadows muffled the harsh glow of its eyes and quills, but that was sort of like trying to hide an elephant with a napkin.

It took extra care to avoid Archon, although it was kind of inevitable that he would notice its presence eventually. That would be embarrassing for both of them, and it just kind of hoped they could both just mutually agree to ignore the other and never speak of this. Part of it wondered what Archon's motive for acting in the play. Was it just for fun? He didn't seem to be having much fun.

As Honk began the pre-show entertainment Fourteen was assisting in preparing the stage for the opening scene, dragging the backdrop into place and setting up the props. Audience members might catch accidental glimpses of it through the sliver of curtain framing Honk. Im sure this wasn't ominous at all.

Buckley brightened as it spoke back to them, surprised that it was speaking at all and in such a lovely voice! "Buckley! And this is Gore." The goat sniffed but didn't say anything, turning to look at the rest of the gembound gathered in the area.

Buckley shook his head with a sigh. "I guess. Um I don't know how creative I am...or either of us really. Gore wants to get all violent and mean but I just wanted to play like. Someone nice and helpful. I guess we're kind of playing both?" He shuffled his paws a bit, looking nervous. "Um I've been practicing my singing too. I don't know how good it is." Singing was absolutely not something that he had ever thought to prepare and now that he was faced with having to not only sing but make up a story and songs while doing it? Oh no.

"You seem, um, very confident, though. So do you have any tips? For being creative and performing and stuff?" His eyes were wide and hopeful. While he didn't know what a piano was, this gembound struck them as someone that actually knew what they were doing.

"Buckley is speaking!" "GORE IS SPEAKING!!!"

It had done what was technically its job. Now time to do what it was actually here for.

As the actors prepared their debut Fourteen slipped away towards the concession stand. The vial of oily poison was easily hidden within its monstrous palm, but Fourteen itself was not hidden whatsoever, it's shabby cloak of shadows already peeling away in the brighter light of the lobby. It had to be quick- both so it couldn't get caught and so it could get back to the job Nemean expected it to do.

It loitered uneasily near several bottles and pitchers of various drinks while it fumbled 'discreetly' with the vial and-

Oh fuck. It spilt. A lot.

Poison dribbled down its hand and forearm and it resisted the cat-like urge to lick up the mess. Instead it divided what remained of the poison between a couple of the drinks, hoping it'd be enough to have whatever effect The Collector was looking for. Then it quickly returned backstage, hoping its disappearance wouldn't be noticed.

It also grabbed a bag of pretzels. As an alibi. Also it was hungry.