The Ballet Practice Room

[The Phantom]

Behind the stage, there is a medium sized room used for practicing ballet. Mirrors cover one wall and a ballet bar stretches around the whole room. The opposite wall has four windows which are usually open. The floor is wooden and gleams because it has been cleaned so often. There is often one or two people in the room at once.

OOC:

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- Post as your RP Character.
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BIC:

[marie]

“Un…deux…trios…” Marie said, quietly counting in French as she stretched her legs in an upward position. Lessons had not yet begun for the day, and the sun was just rising, but Marie found the silence of the opera house comforting this early in the morning. Her intense, spring green eyes were closed for once as she concentrated, stretching her left leg upwards until it hurt.

“Oui, that is good.” She mumbled, unaware of anyone else’s presence. Her fiery red locks were pulled up into a severe bun, but a few wavy tendrils had escaped it, and clung to her pale, sweaty face as she practiced. Elegant arms raised on high, her lithe form tightening to support herself. Her ankle was still weak from the fall she had taken last week in practice, however, and it collapsed beneath her, causing her to crumple onto the floor.

“Oh!” Marie gasped, rubbing her sore ankle, biting her lip as she held back the pain. It was only after she had fallen once more than she noticed how sore and red her ankle looked. Marie was known for two things: being shy and being stubborn, and too often both prevented her from asking for help when she needed it.

[rubyredrose]

Rafael Lamoroux

"Are you alright, Madamemoiselle?" asked a kind voice behind Marie. When she turned around she saw a tall, handsome man with bronze hair and light eyes, "Do you need help?"

Rafael had come from another opera house. There, he was known for being mischevious, and flirtatious. He was mister popular there, but here.... everyone turned him down. "My name is Rafael, and you?" he introduced himself kindly.

[marie]

*Sorry it took so long to respond!

Marie Pero

“I think…so.” She had begun to talk, but when she looked up, she saw a very handsome young man before her, and being shy, Marie gulped a bit before finishing her sentence. Her spring green eyes stared curiously at him for a moment, and she smiled. Perhaps he could be a good friend to her. Marie was quite new to the opera house, and she had not met many people that were friendly to her.

“I suppose it is because I look Irish.” She thought with a chuckle. “Which is ironic because I am most definitely French.” Marie shook herself free of her thoughts and said sweetly, “It is nice to meet you, Rafael. I am Marie, a ballerina here at the opera house, as you may assume from my present grace and elegance of moments ago.” She joked, but then she winced a bit as she put too much pressure on her ankle.

“Have you been here long?” She asked, hoping the answer was no. It would be nice to meet someone who was new like her. Perhaps they could learn the ever twisting tunnels and layout of the opera house together, even.

[rubyredrose]

Rafael Lamoroux
"What a coinicedance!" Rafael said with a smile, "I am also a dancer! I have been in France my whole life... all twenty-one years of it... unless you mean this opera house... I've only been at this opera house for a few months... It's nice to meet you too, Marie!" He helped her up, then continued to talk with her. "How long have you been here?"

[marie]

Marie Pero

“I have only been here a few weeks, to be honest, and I am still learning where everything is in this place. It is so mysterious, with many twists and turns! I have gotten lost a few times already, but then a ballerina gave me a map of the place, and it does help.” She said with a laugh. When he mentioned that he too was a dancer, her face lit up.

“Perfect! Perhaps you can tell me how I managed to sprain my ankle so badly. I came down on a leap the way I always do, but then lifted my leg and winced. It throbbed, and Mme. Giry told me to rest it. I have been resting it, as she said, but I also sneak in a little practice time as well.” He seemed friendly and charming, and though Marie was usually shy, she found herself happy to talk to this suave stranger.

[rubyredrose]

Rafael Lamoroux

"Easy, you over worked your feet. Listen to Mme. Giry. Her advice is good, mostly. And, I see sprained ankles all the time, well, used to. They happend often at the other opera house."

[marie]

Marie Pero

As they walked, Marie was careful not to put full weight on her ankle. She smiled at him as he gave her advice, and nodded when he spoke of how wise Mme. Giry was. “Oui, she is very wise…and I am very stubborn.” She said with a low laugh.

“I am from Paris, originally. Where are you from?” Marie asked Rafael sweetly. She twisted a bit of her auburn hair around her fingers, full of thoughts. “And what was the other opera house like?” Suddenly she felt quite inquisitive, like a little child, and she did not know why.

[rubyredrose]

Rafael Lamoroux

"I am from France. I came from a very small opera house. It was very nice there. Everybody knew everybody. I left behind a job, friends, bossy Prima's, and a woman I loved. But, I'm thankful. You know, new beginigs... After my mother died, I had to get away. My dear Bella and I had a... well... a falling out and my friend helped me pack so I could come here. I worked hard to get here, to the best opera house in the world... So, tell me about you, mameselle, how did you end up here?"

Seeing Marie struggling, Rafael helped her walked.
"Lean on me," he said.

[marie]

Marie Pero

“In the beginning of my life, everything was happy. I had a loving father, a baby brother, kind mother, and an Aunt Sara that doted on me every chance she got. My father, Richard M. Pero, was a sweet tempered store keeper who loved people and believed them to be generally good. He was an Englishman who came over to France because his family’s town was very near a quarantined town, and he and his family did not want to get sick and die. When he met my mother, who was both French and Czechoslovakian, he fell in love with her. They married, and soon after I was born into a wealthy, prosperous family. Father owned a great amount of land and was well respected.”


Marie stopeed and bit her lip, unsure of whether to go on or not. Rafael had told her the truth about his past, and so in that moment she decided to tell him the whole truth about hers—even though she did not know him very well. He had helped her when she was injured, and because of that Marie trusted him. An unkind person would not help the injured, would he? No! Therefore in her mind, he had to be good!

“Then suddenly, when Father was picking apples for his store, he fell over and died. The cause was unknown and it devastated our entire family. For a while we lived off whatever we had, but eventually we became drastically poor, and I almost had to be forced into prostitution to help upkeep the store. Thankfully, however, Aunt Sara saved me. Fearing that the business would have to be sold if more income did not come in, Aunt Sara, who was quite wealthy, sent me here to the Opera Populaire to receive classical training. Life is not perfect, but it is livable.”

Marie said, gazing up into his eyes and wondering what he thought of her. Was he disgusted with her for almost having to be forced into prostitution to help upkeep the store? Or did he think her brave to go on with life when it was so bitter? She did not know, but strangely now that she had begun to tell the tale, she could not stop.

“Then suddenly, Mother married a wealthy businessman, and everything changed.
Edward, who also happened to be an Englishman, began controlling my life and my family’s. Aunt Sara was furious with him because he cruelly yanked me away from the opera house. Aunt Sara, however, did some investigating on Edward and found out that he had done some illegal business. She talked with him him, and as a result he let me go back to the opera house…for now…”

“I do not know how long it will last, but as long as I can dance, I think I will be alright…” She said, leaning onto Raphael as he instructed, though not without a light blush caressing her cheeks.

[rubyredrose]

Rafael Lamoroux

"I'm sorry to hear about your father..." Rafael said kindly, "I met mine briefly. My parents were divorced when i was little. They married early; seventeen and eighteen. They had me the next year. After my parents split, I believe my father died. My mother never remarried. Then, recently, she died, so I came here. I was given an offer to live with my best friend in Mersellis, and help runa bookstore, but dancing is my passion. I came here."

Rafael saw Marie blush. He only smiled, using his infamous half-smile that could make even boy-ish girl swoon.

"Marie..." Rafael said, "That's a preety name..."

[marie]

Marie Pero

It was nice to hear that dancing was his passion; it was hers as well. She sang, but she truly loved dancing more. “I am sorry about your parents, and I am further sorry for telling you my lifer story.” She said solemnly. “That is wonderful to hear that you love to dance. Perhaps we should dance together sometime when my ankle is better.” Marie said sweetly.

As he complimented her name, Marie blushed once again. “Thank you. Your name is also very beautiful and strong. Where you named after a relative? I know I was after my great aunt Marie.”

[rubyredrose]

Rafael Lamoroux

"I really don't mind you telling me your story, everyone has one, some more written than others... And yes, I would love to dance with you sometime, perhaps when your ankle is better, I wouldn't want you overworking it at all."

At her last question, Rafael was stunned, "Yes. It was my father's name.... And judging by your character, your great aunt must have been well.... great."

[christineloudaae]

Christine entered the room with a bright smile flushed upon her face. "Where is Madame Giry?"