Arc 8 Superficial
Chapter 5 Interlude, Caroline
An alarm beeped through the dimly lit apartment room. The blinds were closed off, shutting out the world. A hand slapped down, silencing the incessant beeping. Caroline sat up with a groan. It was six in the morning and she was really starting to question how much she needed her job. It felt like a railroad spike was slowly being hammered into her brain, that was how bad her hangover was. She blinked a few more times and finally dragged herself out of the empty bed.
She took a long cold shower to clear her head. Isabella… that was an ordeal. She needed a lot of work, but it was worth every moment of frustration. She was finally getting the hang of things, but she was still an entitled little princess… cunt was more like it. Every other manager had quit on that girl and so it fell on Caroline to deal with it. Isabella was not the hardest model or even idol she had dealt with. If anything the Idols were way worse than the models, drama queens the lot of them. Unfortunately for Isabella, Caroline didn’t take shit from her charges which usually led to some ferocious cat fights for dominance. Normally, a manager would be fired for that sort of thing, however, this was her job and she had express permission from the higher ups in the company. Caroline dealt with the problem girls and boys… sometimes it turns out to be a cross dresser, not that she cares so long as they are presentable and do what is in their contract.
There were a lot of kids whose parents had far too much money and tried to live vicariously through their children. Isabella would be a good case and point on that, granted unlike a lot of the others, she actually had some talent. Isabella had the voice of a god damned angel and that alone kept her from getting kicked to the curve. In Star Agency a talent had one month to prove their worth after which point they were cut and the next eager person waiting in line got in, to undergo the same rigorous testing. If they passed, then they went to the next stage, training their talent to be presentable to the public. If they managed to stick to it without quitting then they would get their first jobs. Then the promotion campaigns start and it is up to them.
Then, of course, there were the VIPs, the Sponsorship programs brought in people. They couldn’t really be crossed due to their supporters, let alone the fact that they could kill civis and not even mean to. Usually, they were not actually hired on for long and just did their contracted work before vanishing again. If they were popular, like Panther for instance. He made repeat appearances and even got on talk shows. Most of the Sponsored had something to do with the Hero League or, on occasion vigilantes and rumor has it that there is even a villain hiding amongst the varied talents.
As for who it was, Caroline didn’t want to know. In fact, she didn’t want to have anything to do with Supers, not after they failed to find her daughter and a known villain attempted to plant that, that thing in her place. Likely some devious plot to give that creature a cover or a lair or something. What ever it was, it was no good. It was not until after the incident that she realized exactly how close they had been to being murdered. That had been no little girl at all. Oh no, it was one of the most wanted Super Villains in the world, Molotov Kurstov’e. Just remembering the look of utter disgust, disdain, as though they were all just insects to her made shivers run down her spine.
Saar… that poor, sweet, foolish man. He actually thinks that thing is Vesper, it is an insult to her memory. He just won’t see that it is not her. Just by the fact that a villain brought it there and proceeded to lie about what it was, where it had been, and what it will be doing discredits everything that had been said. Only an idiot would trust a Super Villain. It is a good thing that the Hero League captured it and has it locked away where it can’t hurt anyone. She didn’t even want to imagine if it was still prowling the streets and back alleys. If only Saar would stop visiting the damned thing and defending it.
It was sickening watching him so desperate to find Vesper that he adopted the creature to fill the void. She was gone… she was gone. If only it was something stupid like she eloped and ran off with some guy rather than just vanishing. That was wishful thinking. Vesper didn’t really have human contact and there certainly was not a boyfriend or even girlfriend, Caroline was not particularly judgmental about such things. A few of her talents were not straight by any stretch of the imagination. The closest thing that Vesper had to such a relationship was a little creepy now that Caroline thought about it.
Though Vesper’s computer was handed over to the police during the investigation, they had missed her external hard drive. Caroline didn’t even know it existed until she was cleaning up Vesper’s room late one night in a drunken, “my life is falling apart and I have no control over anything!” moment. Once she had sobered up and decided to see what was on there, fully expecting it to be gratuitous amounts of weirdo cartoon porn… If only that was the case. Instead, what she found was disturbing.
Vesper had been stalking an Internet Idol going by the alias of Ichigo. After doing a bit of digging, most of which had actually been done by Vesper, Caroline found Ichigo. It was a bit eye opening really, it was like watching one of those crime shows and a serial killer had meticulously planned out their target’s daily habits, where they go and even an entire folder filled with pictures procured from all over the web of Ichigo. There was even a diary about how she wanted to be friends. The amount of effort that went into this was staggering and there was even a planned “Meeting” that never got followed up on, due to Vesper going missing. Even if she had not gone missing, Caroline doubted that Vesper would have done anything, she was too cowardly.
At that point, even Caroline could not deny that Vesper had an unhealthy obsession with this girl. Of course, that was Vesper’s personality, she was a bit of a perfectionist until she got bored and lost interest in it, which usually left things either mostly completed or one hundred percent done. Moderation was not key in her lifestyle and she binged on everything from watching entire shows in one sit down, to reading a story and even playing a game to the point that it felt like she was starving herself down there from neglect. Often times not sleeping for days once she got a new thing to obsess over.
All of this brought up a single, desperate idea. Maybe, Vesper went to Ichigo. It was a long shot, but what else did she have to go on? So Caroline showed up on that person’s doorstep to see what the obsession was about and with the hope against hope that Vesper was there. She didn’t think that Ichigo had kidnapped Vesper or anything like that, she was more worried at this point about the opposite. Vesper wasn’t there, however, this was as some might call it a fateful meeting that would change both of their lives.
Over a bit of coffee, or in Ichigo’s case tea the two got to talking. She was a nice girl who was genuinely concerned over the predicament. However, she had never seen, nor met Vesper, though she did recognize the user name on the forum. She had been wondering why one of her most outspoken fans had suddenly gone silent. Vesper had been very encouraging and if it had not been for her and a few others Ichigo likely would have quit being an Internet Idol. Caroline had become somewhat of an expert on Ichigo’s portfolio over the course of investigating the hard drive and decided to offer her an opportunity to be a model at Star Agency.
She sighed. What was the use in even thinking about this? Vesper was not going to come back and Ichigo was not her client. This was pointless and a waste of energy to stress over. She turned the water to cold, letting the chilled torrent cascade over her. It washed away her sleepiness and helped to dull the throbbing in her head. After another moment she turned it off.
Caroline cleaned up, toweling down and drying her dark hair before slipping it into a pony tail. She stared at the bags under her eyes and rubbed some makeup to smooth it out and blend it in. She pampered her eyebrows and brought out her lashes. Everything had to look professional. She could not just bumble in halfway presentable, not in this business.
She meticulously made the bed and took the clothes that had been set on it, putting them on. It was more or less the same thing that she wore every day, a black with white stripes short skirted business suit. Below it was a white buttoned up blouse. Caroline sat on the bed and pulled the stockings into place before slipping her feet into a pair of black heels. They were nothing crazy simply elegant and yet reserved. She adjusted her silvered watch and checked the time, six thirty.
Caroline gave a final glance over the apartment room. There was not too much in here. It was a studio apartment with the bare minimum. There were hardly three rooms, bathroom, bedroom, and the kitchen/living room. On one side was the small stove and refrigerator and on the others was the couch, a small coffee table and the T.V. Her eyes linger on the papers strewn across the table. She frowned. Why had things gotten this bad? Divorce, the notion made her stomach turn. It was not something that she wanted to do and as a result kept putting it off.
She loved Saar, for thirty years they had supported one another through thick and thin and yet now it was all coming apart at the seams. They hardly spoke these days, too much yelling. It had already been over a month since they last talked to one another. It had gotten to the point that she had more or less moved out and hardly ever went back. It was easier for both of them this way. Maybe if they just had a bit of time to cool down things would sort themselves out.
She tore her eyes from the legal papers and slung her briefcase over one shoulder, while carrying her purse on the other. Caroline closed the door behind her, locking it. The hallway was not spotless, evidence of her rowdy neighbors stained the carpet and a couple of freshly patched holes in the wall made it very clear that this was not the best of places. However, it was relatively cheap. She did not know her neighbors, nor did she want to. The ones across from her liked to party at late hours as for the others, they were a bit more reserved. Twice now she had come back after late hours at the office and found a drunken college girl passed out in the hallway while various people were going in and out of the room. This was a rather frequent occurrence and hopefully would get them removed from the place soon.
Caroline like most days performed her daily ritual of getting coffee on the way to work. She liked it black, bitter and piping hot. She sat there combing through the varied headlines in the paper. She did this every day, checking to make sure that there had not been a scandal of some sort with her current charge. Some of them had been rather lively and got into trouble during their off hours. Today, nothing about Isabella or any of the other Star Agency talents. She did not expect anything about Isabella since she had become rather docile lately. Instead, there were a lot of Super related pieces. They seemed to be all that was in the news these days.
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Headlines such as “Glitter Kitten’s new look, who skinned that cat?” “Burnout still on the loose after the daring drag race on the Bronson Bridge, five dead and thirty injured.” “L.A. in flames, Diablos on the march.” “Hero League cleaned out the sewers, but did they get everything?” “Atomic Raiders on the run.” “Insider scoop, Bronson Atomic Industries sponsored a new hero, who is it?”
She just frowned. As usual, nothing particularly good to be heard. Though she did not like them, she knew that the Hero League was a necessary evil or else the really bad people would be unopposed. Caroline crumpled up the paper and tossed it into the trash on her way out. She walked through the upscale northwest side of the city, Uptown to the locals. This was the area where all the rich and well off people congregated. Caroline could not afford a condo here so she had to settle for a fifteen-minute walk from the Hub area of the city. She would drive, but with how bad traffic was and the fight over parking spaces, it was less trouble just to walk to work.
Star Agency was an expanded complex of varied schools in the arts. It encompassed just about everything from acting clear to music classes. Each section was a different school more or less and as a result, there were people from all walks of the professional entertainment here on a regular basis.
As usual, the press was floating about the entranceway trying to get interviews with celebrities. The journalists and photographers waited like vultures for their prey, anyone of standing that would give them the time of day. It was best to ignore them or else they would swarm in for questioning. They were parasites, leaches and would happily ruin someone’s career just to get a good story.
Caroline avoided eye contact and when they tried to ask anything she ignored them. Most of the seasoned paparazzi knew better than to try and get anything out of her, Stonewall Vasska was her nickname in that circle. She was not entirely sure where they had come up with that, but it might have to do with the fact that she did a lot of damage control for her talents and shut down stories before they could gain momentum.
She walked up the stone steps into the sanctuary where those pests could not enter on account of various restraining orders and two security guards who kept out the undesirables. They wore the Bronson PD uniforms of blue and the large aviator sunglasses. The badges had large Bs on the center of the shield. These ones were rather strict and stood there with crossed arms while frowning at the world. The one on the left gave Caroline a slight nod as she walked passed.
Inside the atmosphere was very hopeful with all the young and naive talent candidates auditioning. Maybe one in a hundred would make the cut to even start classes, whether they would pass or not was questionable. The standards were high here. It was not for the light hearted or the hobbyist. This place bred the next generation of professionals.
“Mrs. Vasska,” called out a voice to the side.
Caroline glanced over to find a girl that she recognized all too well. It was Isabella. She wore skinny jeans and a light blue blouse. This was her everyday clothes, though she was rich she did not go too crazy with clothes… well except shoes. It seemed like she wore a new pair every week. Currently, they were a black pair of open toed heels.
“Early I see. Good, make it a habit,” replied Caroline.
“What am I supposed to do today?” she asked.
Caroline opened her briefcase and pulled out her laptop. She spent a moment, pulling up several word documents with spreadsheets and time tables. “You have classes at eight and at noon there is a recording session in the vocals department. After that, you are done for the day. Remember not to go crazy tonight, tomorrow you have an important meeting with a record label.”
“Really?! They are actually going to do it?”
“Assuming you behave and perform well, yes.”
She jumped up and down before finally giving Caroline a big hug, “Thank you! I never would have made it without you.”
“I know,” replied Caroline letting the hug last for a moment longer before peeling the hands off and looking away from her. “Alright, alright, you are getting out of hand.”
“But, but thank you. You’re the only one who believed in me.”
“It is my job. You didn’t need me, you just needed disciple and routine.”
Though Caroline was trying to be a little cold here, she was genuinely happy that Isabella would finally be able to stand on her own and be able to get along with others. When she first got here she acted like a little princess. That was her main problem, her lack of social skills. She tended to make enemies out of people due to lack of respect and misunderstanding. She was a good girl at heart, but on the outside, she was prickly to new people. Caroline watched her for a moment, it would be soon now. She, like all the others, would be transferred to another manager and Caroline would have to start this whole process over again with a new problem talent. This was why she tried not to get too attached, they always left her in the end.
A newcomer, appeared at their side and said, “Caroline can you come in here for a minute?”
This was May. She wore glasses and her brown hair was tied into a bun. With but a glance one could tell she was of the silent bookworm type or the no fun category. She was the personal assistant to the section chief, Elliott. He oversaw the placements of new talents. If he wanted her then it must be about a new assignment, which meant that it was sooner rather than later that Isabella was being transferred. This was not a bad thing. It was actually a rather good thing. It meant that she was ready and would not be a problem for the company. However, if they wanted her then that could only mean that the new talent would be trouble.
Caroline sighed, trying to not look annoyed. Usually, she got a week off in between new trainees as her vacation. Well, not like she really had anything planned. Besides, the work kept her mind off of the various elephants looming in her life’s room.
She followed along with Isabella trailing a little behind. They went past the reception desks and the varied clerks going over applicants. The clerks had little blue vests over their suits. It was their uniform and made them easy to spot if people needed help. An elevator leading up to the top floor of the building sat waiting and they entered. Isabella didn’t seem to understand what was happening, but she stayed quiet since it seemed important.
They stood, watching as the clear glass lit up with the outside cityscape all the while ascending at a steady pace. It was a lovely morning as the cars below moved about and the masses walked the street. Distantly the airport rumbled with the arrival of planes. Further to the west between the skyscrapers of such company giants such as Chronic Tonic and Tesla Incorporate the green of the forest could be seen. Bronson was truly a vibrant city, if only there was not the ever looming threat of the Slums and the tides of mutated monsters crawling from the sewers.
The elevator came to a stop and they stepped out into a plush and luxurious hallway that had a hard wood desk at the end just before another set of solid doors. This was May’s office and beyond those doors was the man who kept everything running. The only person of higher authority would be the president, he had his office in the central building of the complex. May opened the doors, though she did not enter.
Caroline walked in, as usual, she had been here many times already. Bookshelves lined the right and left walls on the far side large windows overlooked the city and nestled right in front of it was a large mahogany desk. Stacks of papers were neatly arrayed atop it. In the middle was a curved screen that blocked the man sitting in the tall standing chair from view. She stepped forward until she was right on the other side, taking a seat in one of the several waiting chairs.
It took Elliott a little longer before being ready. He typed away and answered his phone that seemed to never stop ringing. Caroline could not help but hear some of his conversation. “What do you mean the dresses will be late? Now you listen here sista, we have a venue in three days and our girls absolutely need those.”
There was a little bit of yelling on the other side of the line, but she could not make it out. Elliott just shook his head calmly and said, “If you can’t deliver then we will take our business elsewhere.”
Finally, he hung up, leaning back in his chair and he spun it a few times. It stopped and he stood up walking out from behind the desk. He wore a bright white suit that was immaculate. The undershirt was black and he had on a pink poke-dotted tie. His golden hair neatly slicked back. Elliott had shining green eyes and a smile that could cheat a nun out of her virginity. The only thing was, well he was gay and not just gay, super gay.
He put his hands on his hips, “The nerve of some people, seriously.”
Caroline spoke up, knowing that he could go on for hours over this sort of thing, “What did you call about Elliott?”
“Caroline, my rough ragamuffin you should really dress less conservatively. You could be fabulous, you know.”
“Elliott.” She stared holes into him.
“Spoil sport. Oh, Isabella, you were here too. I have wonderful news, you are getting a record label audition.”
“I already told her.”
“What? You told her?!” he seemed distressed, “You ruined the fun and excitement. I thought I was going to get to surprise her.”
“Thank you, Mr. Elliott.” Said Isabella smiling to console the flamboyant man.
He sat on the desk wiping tears from his eyes with some tissues, “It seems like just a few short months ago you came in here with such a can do attitude and unfocused talent. And now you are ready to go out there to show the world what you can do. They grow up so fast.”
“It has only been about eight months,” said Caroline, unmoved.
“It was worth it though,” Elliott sopped up the last of the tears and slapped his hands together with glee, “Alright my little canary you will be moving on to bigger and better things. However, this means that you will be getting a new manager now that you have gotten used to everything. Caroline will be with you for today and tomorrow, but after that, Mr. Lewis over in the Vocals division will be in charge of your schedule and management.”
Isabella looked between the two of them and smiled, “Thank you, I will do my best. I am going to miss you though Mrs. Vasska.”
Caroline put her hand on the girl’s head, “You will be fine. If anybody bullies you, come tell me.”
“Ah as for you Caroline, are you excited for the big reveal of who your next talent will be?!” asked Elliott in an exaggerated way.
She just sighed, “I guess. I would rather have a vacation though.”
“Oh no, no. We can’t have that. This request just came in and this special girl will need your help.”
“Who is it?”
“Mecha Fairy!”
“Who the hell is that?”
He turned the screen and a strange suit filled the image. It had large, colorful wings expanding out from a rather feminine form. The robotic shell looked like a woman, a rather large one, like a giant. Granted, it was a sleek and lithe form. From how skinny the four arms were and the way that the stomach pinched in seemed like it would be uncomfortable, to say the least. The helmet had a blank faceplate that lit up, for some reason, there was a weirdo cat face on it. Something about it just made Caroline’s skin crawl, she could not put her finger on what though.
“A cosplayer?” asked Caroline hoping it to be true.
“No, she is one of the newest Juniors. BAI is sponsoring her after her work in the recent sewer raid.”
“A Super… Why me? Is she going to be a problem? Look, I can’t deal with a person who can tear me in half if they get angry.”
“Well, the Hero League PR Director thought that you would be a good fit to manage her.”
“Who?”
“Dreamer? Surely you have heard of her. She is the captain of the City Central Team.”
“So this Mecha Fairy is… is she violent?”
“Well, she can be. But from the spirited conversation I had with Dreamer that appears to be only under duress. The main thing is that she gets distracted easily and needs someone to actively lead her around to stay on task. I could not think of anybody better for the job and you were asked for by name.”
“By name? Why would they know about me? Oh wait, there was that one time I visited their headquarters.” Caroline frowned.
“You will be fine. If anything happens just report her to the Hero League and she will be punished.”
“I will think about it, but I want the option to back out if I don’t like her.”
Elliott wagged his finger, “No can do. This isn’t a request. They were very specific and you will be compensated.”
“What do I get?”
“Well, I know how long you have been here and how wonderful you have been. So I talked it over and you are going to get a raise if you do this.”
Caroline rubbed her chin, “How much are we talking here?”
“Salary. Starting at hundred thousand a year. Sounds good?”
“Well, could be worse. So when is she coming?”
“Tomorrow evening. Come after dropping off Isabella.”
“Alright. Come on Isabella, you are already late for your voice training.”