[Flame]

The bright lights of the stage dimmed slowly, reducing the platform to semi-darkness as the applause died down to a scattered smattering, then fell silent completely, once again yielding to the atmospheric buzz of sound which normally permeated the air. The setting was a comfortably large café, which, after hours, also served as one of Medicai’s more upscale and well-known bars, catering to a wide range of different clientele. It was a Friday evening, and the night was still young, so the usual crowd was still in the process of slowly making their way in, whether it was in singles, pairs, or groups. It was right during that transitional period of time when the day scene was shifting to give way to the hustle and bustle of nightlife, a spectacle which only occurred in this particular quarter of the otherwise strictly professional city and was privy only to the residents who were familiar with the whereabouts and workings of Medicai. After all, even doctors needed someplace to relax, unwind, and perhaps grab a drink or two occasionally, right?

There was a soft clatter, the easily distinguishable sound of a microphone being returned to its stand, as the last performer left the stage under muted lights, her elevated shoes clicking softly against the polished hardwood floor as she walked off, descending the stairs that led back down from the raised dais to the open floor of the pub. Despite having returned to the level of the average bar-goers around her, the young woman’s flamboyant yet elegant clothing and proud deportment still set her apart from the rest of the crowd, and she eased her way through the mass of people with an effortlessness born of years of experience. Bella, along with her bandmates, had been performing at this joint for the past few months now, and it was all but home to them, by this point. They usually played two gigs a night on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and the weekends with a break to take a breather between performances each evening; customarily, the trio spent the hour’s lull together, but tonight, their lead singer/guitar player had decided that she needed some alone time, leaving her companions to their own devices.

Finding a quieter, somewhat secluded corner at the back of the bar, Bella sat down at an unclaimed table a little ways away from the crowd to brood, her eyes pensive as she watched the seconds tick by on the clock on the wall nearby, chin propped on her hands. Had the crowd been quieter tonight, less enthusiastic than usual? Or was it a figment of her own imagination? And she could have sworn that some of the looks she’d gotten as she’d passed through the crowd had been less than approving, even from those who usually supported her. Seeing that the patrons in the bar were content to ignore her for the time being, she procured a small, folded piece of newspaper, which unfurled to reveal an article, or rather, a column, which had been cut out of the paper. Judging by its rather worn appearance, it had been read more than a few times since it had been printed, featured in yesterday’s paper. Gold eyes trailed along the sentences which had long since all but been committed to memory, but each time she read them again, they cut just as deeply as the first.

The sole focus of the piece was, apparently, to turn a malicious eye upon her, and it went into extensive detail on her faults and shortcomings, a good number of which weren’t even true. Bella knew that as an artist, it was not uncommon to occasionally get scathing criticisms like this one, but still, the stark, cold reality of the situation was almost enough to floor her. She’d never even heard of this writer, who penned his piece as ‘Kobra’, until yesterday. Nonetheless, she was determined to turn the other cheek, pick herself up, and simply move on with her life and forget this ever happened, and so tonight, she’d turned out to perform her gig as usual. Despite her resolve though, doubt still mercilessly heckled her mind throughout the duration of her act, threatening to eat away at her outward composure. Now, she just desperately needed a break, a little time to pull herself back together before putting herself back in the limelight once again, under the merciless scrutiny of hundreds of condemning eyes.

[ToxicShadow]

The scene played out in a way similar to all the other nights that the band performed. The stage they stood upon hadn't changed, the players and their instruments hadn't changed, maybe even the singer's vocal strength hadn't changed. Even so, some of the crowd's reactions had changed when they regarded them. Some looked on with disapproving eyes, some that would have normally cheered didn't even bother themselves with raising their hands to give a single clap.

A serpentine smile slipped onto the lips of one man, a man who had been a spectator of this group, particularly it's dual singer and guitarist, for quite some time. He'd come nearly every night they preformed, as soon as he'd worked out the schedule they followed. Never did he make himself known to any of them, however, choosing to stay nestled into a little corner of the cafe-bar wearing typically nondescript clothing. During his observation periods, he made a point of blending into the sea of people that spilled in. He didn't want to catch any attention before the time came to present himself; a time that was very nearly here.

Archaic sipped down the last swig of his drink, a tea spiked with both ginger and gin. Little did Miss Bella know it, but his eyes never left her as she descended from the stage and found her own quiet little corner, much like his own and not all that far from him now. He laid down the money upon the table, a tip for the cute little waitress that had tended to his odd drink requests for the most of this evening. She was a good sport, had a flashy little smile and decent looks, though she used too much orange toned cover-up and made it obvious that she had a few too many blemishes that she felt the need to hide. It made her feel too fake for his liking, because she made it far too obvious that she wanted to fit in with everyone. He liked different, for one thing, so he could never be attracted to her.

Ah, alas, he was getting too carried away with himself and his needless observations. He was only here for one. Tonight was his follow-up. His piece was hot off the press as of yesterday and, sure, it had already began to ease some of the crowd into believing his twisted point of view, but he was more interested in how it effected the core, how it had effected his unsuspecting victim.

The man slipped into an open seat of Bella's table, perfectly across from where she sat. She held the article of his in her hands, torn away from the entire paper. Right away, he knew that she had pocketed it and read it plenty of times. He easily assumed that his words got to her, even if she worked so hard not to show it on stage. He had to force himself not to smile.

"Hello. I couldn't help but noticing that you looked a little down. You're Bella, right? Maybe I can cheer you up? Or, perhaps, just give you some company?" His voice was quite charming, if not a little mysterious and edgy, but when he smiled, he appeared truly sincere. He was one of those few people in the world that was very good at hiding their true intentions. He seemed like a perfectly charming young man, and probably had more manners than most men to boot.

[Flame]

Bella sat alone at the table, stewing in her own little bubble of silence for a while, trying to figure out exactly where it was that she’d gone wrong. She might have been under the twisted impression of the article that the crowds should, and now did, dislike her, but in reality, most of the people here were regulars who’d heard her play countless times before, and the opinion of one radical writer was not going to change months and months of near flawless performances. Mostly, the failure was only in her mind, but for the young, somewhat inexperienced artist, it was devastating. Bella felt as if she had personally let down her whole audience, but even knowing this, she had been determined not to let this knock her down; she knew that it was a barrier that she could overcome, and that one day, she would be stronger for doing it.

The young woman had been so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she did not realize the fact that she had company until the warm, concerned male voice broke into her musings. She glanced up, startled, her gold eyes coming to rest upon a young gentleman who’d apparently taken up residence at the other side of her table, smiling across polished wooden top at her. “Oh, uh…hi,” she replied, managing to replace a small and friendly, if somewhat puzzled, smile on her features. Bella scrutinized his face briefly, trying to figure out whether or not she’d seen this man before; he certainly wasn’t one of her regulars – she knew almost all of them by name.

If nothing, this young man at least seemed extremely affable and appeared to have an inclination for courtesy as well. He at least knew her name and sounded genuinely as if he cared about her plight. The least she could do was to treat him sociably, despite the fact that she’d been looking for a little time to herself. “Yup, that’s what they call me,” she responded to his question, putting on a warm, welcoming expression. “I could use a little company right now,” she continued, a half-truth, “and you are…?” She extended a polite hand to shake, the other still loosely holding onto the slightly crinkled piece of newspaper.

[ToxicShadow]

Once Bella had snapped out of her trance-like state, Archaic smiled, politely offering his hand back to hers across the table. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Archaic. Occasionally, people call me Arch, but I'll leave that up to you. My full name is more typical, I suppose," he chuckled just a bit, in good humor. All the while, he was trying to read her. He didn't make it obvious, no, but he was trying to tell just what she was thinking. Toward him, a random stranger, she seemed fairly... kind. Her expression, words and mannerisms were all pleasantly friendly. Though, here she was, still clutching onto that scrap of paper. He hadn't been able to alter her friendly demeanor toward others. Initially, he hadn't intended to, but it was a wonderful surprise if he did.

"To be honest with you, I didn't know much of anything about your band until yesterday. I'm sorry about all of the injustice the newspaper gave you, it's really a shame that they would do that to someone who has so much talent. But, hey, I came here tonight to see you play thanks to that article in the paper, and I enjoyed your music. Perhaps that can count for good publicity?" Archaic went on, weaving his tale. As Archaic, he aimed to get on the woman's good side. If he could achieve that, then he may have a chance of her actually verbally telling him if what he wrote effected her at all. The one downside? Hopefully, she wouldn't manage to recognize him. He did try to stay out of the limelight all other days, much unlike tonight. Suddenly, he jumped in with, "Hey, why not let me buy you a drink. Anything you want?"

[Flame]

Bella took the man’s hand with a small, warm smile, gold eyes glimmering faintly with a cordial light. Her small hand had a surprisingly firm grip for how delicate it might have looked as she shook his, her voice flute-like in quality and unwavering as she replied. “The pleasure is mine, Archaic,” she said, opting for the slightly more formal of the two options, letting the unfamiliar syllabals roll off of her tongue almost experimentally as she addressed him. From what she could tell, he seemed like he was about her age, if not a little older, but nonetheless, he appeared perfectly affable, and Bella felt herself relax a little from the initial surprise she’d gotten from his unexpected appearance. It should certainly only be able to do her good if she chatted with the people who listened to her, whether or not they were her fans, right?

At Archaic’s mention of the article, she almost subconsciously folded the piece of paper in her hands up once again, although her gaze remained on her companion’s face. The mention of the column brought a light pink tint to her cheeks as she blushed prettily, her eyes darting away for just a brief moment before she gathered herself once more and returned her attention to her audience. “I suppose we’re all entitled to our own opinions, right?” Only the faintest hint of sadness showed in her voice as she spoke. “But hey, that’s what it takes to be an artist, after all. There will always be the ups and downs along the road, and you just have to take them as they come…either that, or you quit while you’re still ahead.” She chuckled lightly. “And goodness knows I’m not a quitter.” She paused briefly, her eyes thoughtful as she considered her own words. Indeed, she wasn’t about to up and give up on her musical career, just because some malcontent had chosen her to be his current victim. If you were to ask her, she would say, without doubt, that the ‘ups’ certainly prevailed over the ‘downs’, and even if her small-town popularity were to turn south, she’d still be happy to get up on stage to play for what fans she did have.

“However, I am glad that you came out to see me though.” She offered Archaic another genuine smile. “I just hope that the performance was better than the article might have made you think, initially.” So, perhaps there was a silver lining to this after all. The man did have a point; perhaps that article did bring out a few new listeners who might not have heard her otherwise, and hopefully, seeing her in person would dispel their preconcepts of her. Bella seemed mildly surprised when the young man offered to buy her a drink, but took it in stride. “Oh, I’m not really much of a drinker, you see,” she replied, sounding mildly amused. “Not great for the voice and all, you know, especially considering I have another performance to give in a little while.” She glanced at him again, her expression inquiring. “I hope you’ll be sticking around to see that one as well?”

[ToxicShadow]

Every last word and manner of Bella's was being closely observed and mentally documented by Archaic, the woman, of course, none-the-wiser. He may not have been entirely readable down to the core, but he certainly didn't appear to hold any hints of dark intentions. He soon found, however, that the malicious content he was responsible for had failed to rattle the musician as much as he had initially intended. She had a different outlook then most did, seemingly able to accept the idea "to each their own," even though their still remained faint hints of sadness. It wasn't enough to effect her, personally, it just effected some of the onlookers. Perhaps this woman couldn't be destroyed from the inside out. If he did, indeed, wish to ruin her chances at a career in the music business, his only hope must rest with everyone else. But... Was it really that all important to bother with it?

"That's an amazing attitude that you have; not many people hold so fast to it." Archaic's compliment was, surprisingly, entirely sincere. He could greatly appreciate Bella's attitude, even go so far as to admire it. From what he could tell, she wasn't as weak minded as many of his other choice targets. A smile slipped onto his face. "I would say you blew that article out of the water. Anyone who had any sense should know that." Compliments kept him on the good side, even if it was also dangerous to boost her moral. He knew that what was written was either a lie or unjustified, so complimenting against it easy.

Her declining his offer didn't deter him, and he nodded to answer his. "Yes, I'll be sticking around. Maybe you'll make a fan out of me." Just then, I managed to call a waitress over, different from the previous one. Rather than an alcoholic beverage, he ordered himself a tea, eyes turning to the woman once more, "Are you sure you don't want anything? I'm not much of a drinker myself, but their tea isn't all that bad. Green tea is good for a singer's throat, isn't it?"

[Flame]

Bella studied her unlikely companion carefully, as if trying to understand the unexpected interest he apparently had in her. There was no doubt that she was glad for his company – after all, he seemed like a friendly, respectable man who was easy to talk to – and she usually made a habit of getting to know as many of her fans as possible on a regular basis. After all, her current fame was limited to just this one pub in the whole city, and that was how she liked it. It gave her the opportunity to know the regulars better, and it wasn’t uncommon to see her chatting with a small huddle of her devoted fans after a show, just for the sake of talking to them, and so that they knew a little more about her than just the pretty face they saw up on stage.

In talking to Archaic, Bella found that it helped to dispel at least some of the doubt she had felt, walking off of the stage, and for that she was thankful. It made the thought of going back up there in a couple of minutes a little less daunting of a notion. The hum of bar noise around them suddenly seemed a lot less hostile than it had been, and the young woman’s demeanor seem to ease slightly as she conversed with who she hoped would soon be a fan of hers, despite the acrimonious comments that the article had made about her.

At Archaic’s comment, she chuckled lightly. “And that’s speaking from personal experience, is it?” she queried jokingly, although there was no way that she could have known just how closely to the truth her unsuspecting question had fallen. “But seriously though, I really appreciate your support.” Her smile was sincere as her honey-gold eyes twinkled affably. “It’s people like you who keep me going when times are rough.”

[Flame]

Upon hailing a waitress, Archaic ordered himself a tea, then offered the same to her, seemingly unfazed by her earlier gracious decline. She considered for a moment, then dipped her head in assent. “Alright, if you insist,” she replied with a small smile. “After all, I apparently need all the help I can get now anyways, huh?” Bella chuckled lightly at the joke at her own expense. “I’ll take your word for it.” A few minutes later, the same waitress returned once again with the drinks, and taking hers, the young woman sipped on the hot tea as she observed the growing crowd. The night was only just getting started, so people were still pouring in, which guaranteed her a good crowd for her next show. The thought was just a little daunting, but she brushed her qualms aside, knowing that they would do nothing but hamper her performance.

A moment or two later, Bella caught sight of a familiar face, beckoning to her from backstage while gesturing at his watch. She glanced down at her own briefly; her next show started in five minutes, so it was high time for her to get going, if she was going to be ready in time for her gig. “Well, that’s my cue,” she said, glancing up at Archaic with a small half-smile. “I should probably be heading up there now. I hope you find a good seat in the house to watch from,” she added with a wink as she got up from her seat, straightening up her outfit as she stood. “Wish me luck! After all, stick and stones, right?” And with that, she whisked off towards the stairs that led backstage, mentally readying herself for the show. It helped, however, knowing that there was at least one person in the audience who didn’t take her for only what they read in the article.


{Had to get the fifth post in, as I'm needed for another RP as well. ^^ Bella's still here though. :3 My apologies for the late reply, luff.}

[ToxicShadow]

[No problem in posting in order to roleplay again. I really don't mind. I just feel the need to apologize in making you wait so long for a reply from me.]

When the tea was delivered, Archaic paid in an amount double in what their drinks should have cost him, graciously offering the waitress the words, "Please keep the change." He thought nothing of this, of course, since he made so much money. Why hassle the waitress here who probably really needed the money far more than he did? Though, the one thing that seemed to slip his mind, if it really did slip his mind, was that perhaps not too many decently wealthy men lingered in such places as the one he was in now.

Sipping his tea in silence, Archaic observed both Bella and the crowd that she was observing. So many factors went into effecting a person's career and his mind was wandering all over the possibilities. It was when the singer mentioned her cue, that he was snapped back out of his thoughts. "Oh, yes. I'll find myself a better seat. Break a leg," his last words were accompanied with an assuring smile. "I'm sure you will do wonderfully."

Once Bella had already whisked herself away to the stage, the young man stood, pushing in his chair and picking up his tea. He truly did intend to find himself a better view now that his presence was already known. It could be a risky move, and he knew this, as he had been sitting here, encouraging her the entire time. It probably had renewed her faith, if only in a minor degree. This, however, would only be a minor setback in his plans. Once he was able to get closer to her, he would figure out how to break her down from the inside out. It was worth it.

He sipped his tea all the way to bar, leaving his now-empty cup there, before taking a more fitting place among the crowd of fans that must have closely followed Bella and the band. He didn't stray too close, however, but he kept just shy of them, a little off to the side. He would have a good view from here and, heck, it would probably surprise her to see him so much closer than she probably thought he would go.