*closed to helen*

[lt_blade]

Sonya still wasn't quiet sure she was ready for this. Not even when she first got a babysitter or planned it with Helen.  She didn't like the thought of more nights by herself anymore than Hanzo would and Helen did need the help, but she still wasn't entirely sure she was ready to actually get up infront of people.

That didn't stop her from going. She couldn't spend more nights alone with just the children: it was driving her crazy and that was the last thing she needed.

It was for this she found herself back at the Club, a modified roped Kunai around her arm and dressed in track pants and sports bra, various scars along her torso and shoulder now visible as was the Spec. Ops tattoo on her shoulder.. The real act would have the spear end set on fire, but for the moment she wanted to try without first. She was already skilled with it, had been since last year, but for this to work she needed to learn out to use it infront of a crowd. Most of her training was done away from the public eye and lacked the flash as some of the other warriors back home, but if she was going to perform at the Catscratch club, flash was what she needed.

She waited by the front door for Helen. The woman had been running the club since before her own arrivial and if anyone knew how to transform something for the stage, it would be her.

Comments

[devilwoman]

Saffron was glad for the prospect of another performer at the club. Sonya's particular talent would prove entertaining for patrons, she thought, and she was happy to help Sonya turn it into something with pizzazz.

She found Sonya waiting by the entrance when she arrived. "Oh good, you're here," she said with a smile, going to unlock the door. "Thanks for agreeing to do this."

[lt_blade]

"Thanks for the lessons." Granted, they hadn't even started yet, but given Helen's experience Sonya figured she had to know what she was talking about. "Glad to see something good came out of me reverting in age."

Even if it did start up as one of her infamous 'seemed like a good idea at the time' moments. Part of her still wished she was that age, if only for the fact that when she was that young she actually liked performing and showing off.

She stepped inside with her and headed upstairs for the stage.

[devilwoman]

Once they're upstairs, Saffron gestures for Sonya to take the stage while she takes a seat in the audience. "Okay, why don't you show me what you've got and we'll go from there," she suggests.

[lt_blade]

While she didn't have the experience with the weapon as Scorpion did, Sonya knew she was no novice in it either, not since Hanzo started teaching her how to use it.

She got up on stage, thrusting her arm out to release the spear. With no enemy to stick it in, she pulled her arm back to keep it from fully releasing, following the motion by swinging it over her torso, bending to keep it away from her neck.

There were no enemies save in her head, each spin and strike aiming to dislodge or strike at an opponent. She had to keep her movements fast and sharp to keep from being on the receiving end, her body bending and twisting to keep up with the momentum of the knife.

After a ten minute performance, she stopped, the rope winding over her shoulder and around her arm. The knife ended where it started around her hand. All in all, it was an effective weapon in her hands and loaned itself with a sort of deadly grace and accuracy.

[devilwoman]

Saffron had just wanted something like an audition to give her a general idea, not something that went on and on, but she sat and watched, letting Sonya continue until she was finished. She sat and considered what she'd seen, not responding right away.

"Okay," she said. "The first thing you'll want to do is cut the time on that down. What was that, ten minutes? I'd say cut it in half, at least. Folks aren't coming in here to give their undivided attention to a long stage performance. They're up and around, talking, drinking, and sometimes they sit and watch. You want something that will catch their eye, but will cater to a short attention span."

[lt_blade]

Sonya gave a nod, though inwardly she couldn't believe it was that long a performance.

"Cut it in half, got it." That made things a little easier, though she had to remember to time herself for future practicing. "I'm aiming to do fire dancing, but I'd like to get a routine done before I start 'playing with fire'."

She wound the rope around her arm. "Again? Maybe some help in the flash department?"

[devilwoman]

"That's what I'm here for," Saffron replied, arching an eyebrow briefly. "The main thing you want to keep in mind here is the audience. Don't get so caught up in what you're doing that you forget they exist. If you can occasionally try and make a connection, make eye contact, even better."

[lt_blade]

Once again she nodded, stretching out her neck and shoulders as she prepared for another go.

"Connect with the audience, got it." This was said less to Helen and more to herself as a prep talk.

It was kind of embarressing really. She was able to play the 'civil guest' (as a prisoner) of Shao Kahn, but perform infront of an audience and she needed to work herself up.

Once again, she shot the thing from her arm, swinging it around and in spirals almost like it was a living thing she was controlling. This time she occasionally looked at Helen, almost daring, before turning and spinning the rope in the air once more.

She managed to keep track in her head this time, going only a few minutes. The performance ending with her landing on one knee with her head bowed before the audience.

Sonya held the pose for a moment before standing. "Better?"

[devilwoman]

"Definitely," Saffron said, nodding as she stood. "How about you try it one more time, but with music?"

[lt_blade]

She nodded, once more winding the rope around her arm. "Good idea.." She tried to think of what songs were available, but it'd been so long since she even visited the strip club and besides she never memories the song list.

"Something with a heavy tempo probably. Could work with that."

[devilwoman]

"I'm sure I can find something," Saffron said, going over to where the four iPods belonging to the club and the speakers were kept.

She scrolled through one of them for a minute before finding a good song, one that had a beat Saffron felt would go well with Sonya's performance. Plugging that iPod into Bill's speakers, she hit play and went back to sit down and watch.

[lt_blade]

As she watched Helen select the music, Sonya tied a thin white cloth to the end of the spear, its purpose no other reason than to act as distraction. She had a feeling Hanzo would be rolling his eyes if he knew she was adding a chinese variant to his signature weapon, but for one: she was only using this as practice and two-it caught the eye and that was the whole point of the show.

Music selected, Sonya waited a few seconds, letting the beat sink in. Even if she wasn't used to performing on stage, she'd taken some dance classes before and was well versed in rythym and counts.

On the third beat, she got into a stance and let the rope around her, flinging it around and above her, bending and twisting so that the rope spear appeared almost like a living thing. Every count or two she'd let it wind back up her arm or around her torso, shortening the slack but also giving the impression that she might easily trip or choke herself if she wasn't careful, only to wind herself back and swing the weapon to it's normal length.

She twirled and spun with the weapon for a few beats more, moving in a pattern until she heard the music fade. Quickly, she recalled the rope around her arm once more, following it up by landing in the same stance that she'd started out.

It was much easier with the music.

"Much easier this time." She voiced outloud. Whether or not it looked all that impressive was up for grabs, but atleast she made it within the timeframe.

[devilwoman]

Saffron watched carefully, taking in her performance and the way she moved. When the song was over, she got up and went to stop the iPod.

"That was good," she said. "If you keep practicing, and keep working on your showmanship, you should have a pretty great performance."

[lt_blade]

Sonya took a few deep breaths as she jumped off the stage. "Any tips on showmanship? I've been avoiding this sort of thing since.." She frowned. "Since I was the age we talked about this. So any sort of advice would be welcome."

That was the last time she ever considered performing in front of others, and even then it was because she was part of a group.

[devilwoman]

"Just what I said before," Saffron replied. "Keep the audience in mind. Make sure what you're doing can be clearly seen, not just by someone right here at the edge of the stage, but also by the guy standing back against the wall. It's a small venue, though, so you shouldn't have much trouble with that."

[lt_blade]

"In that case, if all goes as should, I should see you in say a few weeks. I need to get the sitter settled with girls and need to work on the routine. Any luck I'd like to try and work in flame dancing." She thought back to Ygritte, who's routine was rather popular. "Only I won't be going topless."

It wasn't just a matter of modesty. Ygritte had a fairly small chest and could pull off the act-whereas she was always well endowed and child birth certainly didn't make it any less.

"Actually miss working here. Nights aren't the same just in the hut with the girls." With herself-it was too quiet. One of the reasons she agreed to go with working here again.

[devilwoman]

Saffron nodded. "Sounds good," she said. It would be nice to have another act at the club, something different but still entertaining for her patrons. "It'll be great to have you back working here."

[lt_blade]

Sonya wasn't sure if the response was genuine or Helen was just that desperate for more acts-either way, it was appreciated.

"I could also fill in for either doorman or bouncer when I'm not working.." She looked around a moment, deciding that it was alright to slip out of being professional. "Now with a babysitter being set up, nights are too quiet."

Even with two baby girls, they still got quiet-and isolating.

[devilwoman]

"That would be great," Saffron replied. "I could use all the help I can get these days, what with folks disappearing left and right. How many nights are you looking to work? Should I put you down for one shift, or both?"

[lt_blade]

I have rapture duty on Wednesdays and Fridays, so I'll only be able to work one shift." She frowned. "Trust me, I'd rather work both," After what happened with Lydia, she would've preferred to just take a major explosive to the area, but she was overruled in that degree. "But it's not really in my control."

Everyone in the ITF needed a shift in rapture and no one really liked them-it would've been unfair for her to ask that she not take on any more shifts.

[devilwoman]

"No, one shift is just fine," says Saffron with a shake of her head. "I'll take whatever you're able to do. So I'll sign you up for the Thursday and Saturday shift?"