Of Damsels & Dragons

by Nona Mae King

  ~*~

  Knock Knock

  Amy looked at her watch and then sent Garret a smile. “Finally. Only 30 minutes late.” She stood and moved toward the front door. “You’ll have to be leaving soon, right?”

  “Unfortunately I only have until ten.”

  “I guess that gives us enough time to run through the ‘Cloud’s Sin’ scene. We might be able to run through the ‘Aeris’ Wood’ scene, too. If that’s alright?” Amy opened the door with a smile at Vanessa and Mark. “Hey you guys. I expected you earlier.”

  “Sorry,” Mark grumbled as he entered the apartment. “Traffic.”

  Vanessa followed. “I could use some tea, Amy,” she said.

  “Sure.” And Amy headed for the kitchenette.

  Mark and Vanessa looked from Amy to the couch and stared.

  Garret raised his gaze from a scrutiny of his script and gave each a nod and a slight smile. “Mark. Vanessa. Good morning.”

  Mark didn’t say anything. He only frowned. Vanessa, however, moved forward to offer Garret a welcoming smile as she sat beside him. “Good morning, Garret. What a pleasant surprise. How are you?”

  Garret’s expression didn’t change from the slight smile of before. “Very well thank you, Vanessa.”

  Amy set the water to boil for the tea, noticing with a raised eyebrow that he didn’t ask how Vanessa was doing.

  Vanessa took it in stride. “I hope all is going smoothly regarding filming schedules.”

  “There haven’t been any unalterable mishaps, no.”

  Mark moved toward the couch to sit on the far end. He still didn’t say anything.

  “Mark?” Amy asked from the kitchen. “Did you want a soda or something?”

  “No.”

  Amy raised an eyebrow. Then she grimaced. This is ridiculous. She came around and sat on one of the bench stools, resting her feet on the bottom rungs as she leaned back against the counter. Amy met Garret’s gaze and sent him as meaningful an expression as she could manage. One that she hoped clearly said, ‘you’re not being very helpful to the situation’.

  Garret lowered his gaze to the script. Amy briefly frowned. Fine. I’ll do it myself. “Vanessa, Mr. Harrison and I were talking the other day about you and Mark’s roles in the movie.”

  Vanessa, Mark, and Garret all looked over at her. Garret raised an eyebrow. Vanessa looked surprised. Mark looked suspicious.

  “Oh?” Vanessa asked.

  Amy looked over at Garret. “Mr. Harrison? Did you want to tell her what you said? I wouldn’t want to put words in your mouth.”

  One side of Garret’s lips twitched upward as Vanessa looked over at him. Garret met her gaze. “Miss Burke had mentioned that she enjoyed the opportunity to rehearse with you the other day, telling me also that she was glad you had been chosen to play ‘Tifa Lockhart’. I made the comment that I had specifically chosen you for the role due to your ability to bring out the intensity and depth of the character, which was so often overlooked by those others that auditioned.” Garret gauged Vanessa’s slightly startled expression. “Has there been confusion as to why I suggested you for the role?”

  Vanessa recovered quickly enough, sending Garret a reassuring smile. “No, of course not.”

  Amy rolled her eyes. Garret caught the expression. “Are you certain, Vanessa? I don’t wish for you to believe I cast you for any reason other than your exceptional talent.”

  At that, Vanessa seemed to get a little flustered and self-consciously said “Of course I wouldn’t, Garret.”

  Mark noticed her discomfiture, and Amy could see his hackles rise. She sent Garret a meaningful look, sending her gaze quickly to the back of Mark’s head.

  Garret looked to Mark. “Mark, I wouldn’t be surprised if you had doubts as to my reasons for casting you. We haven’t ever been anything but pleasant enemies, have we?”

  Amy gnawed her lower lip, sending an expression of ‘Be careful’ to Garret. He intercepted it smoothly enough.

  “I have never sought to be subtle regarding my belief that you’re a pompous ass, but that has nothing to do with your position as ‘Cloud Strife’. You’ve an exceptional talent when it comes to action films, Mark,” Garret said as he set aside his script, “and that is what I wanted for this movie. That and you have a previous – or perhaps continuing – relationship with Vanessa that will add to the chemistry felt on stage. Or rather on screen.” Garret looked up. “There is also the fact that I don’t like you. That chemistry is also important for this movie, making it easier for your character to be believed in his obsessive hatred of Sephiroth.”

  “And why should we believe you?” Mark asked darkly.

  Garret clenched his jaw. “You can believe or disbelieve what I have said, Mark. It matters little to me. I have simply set the record straight. Now, I have limited time before I must be off to a meeting scheduled at ten. Miss Burke had hoped to rehearse certain scenes, if you are up to the task?”

  Amy sent Garret a ‘Don’t be a jerk’ expression as she stood from the barstool to rescue the boiling water from the stove.

  “I apologize.” Amy heard Garret say. “That last quip was uncalled for.”

  Mark’s only response was silence.

  “Garret? Did you want some tea?” Amy grimaced. Crap! I just called… oh well.

  Silence. “Yes, please.”

  Amy brought down a second cup and saucer, all the while shaking her head and scolding herself for making a big deal about it. If Mark or Vanessa noticed, they noticed. “Give me a couple minutes, you guys, and I’ll be out. If someone knows the cue line, they could start.”

  Silence.

  Then Mark muttered “Why the hell not?” and spoke the opening line of the scene. “‘That’s the Black Materia…’“