I have more CASUT00 stories, yay! But I haven't forgotten about SERA00. Really. I can't, actually, since I'm faced with it everyday. Along with some homework; Great Depression, parabolas and quadratic equations, commentaries and mythology, you know, the usual stuff. -_-
Good news, though, I'm working my way through SERA00 3rd General Elections Part 1. Finally!
So how was everyone's HALLOWEEN? We had a SERA00 Stage Encore and we had Halloween costumes made for the concert. Me, Rome, and a few other girls were able to perform in the opening, sneak out and trick or treat for an hour, and come back for the finale >.< that was really fun. I dressed up as a Gryffindor student! Sassan, Yumichan, Kotoka, and Tomiko went as the four main characters of Shōjō Premise. It was really cool, they had the school uniform and the anime hair and accessories. Luna had a really cool costume, maybe sea-woman? I don't know. It was aqua-coloured and sparkly and had iridescent scales running over the tight bodysuit. Harley and Angel looked similar. Harley wore all black, with a t-shirt on top that had one sleeve and the other a spaghetti strap. She had black shorts on the bottom with a cape-like garment flowing from the waistband of her shorts. She said she was a "supernatural", although she acted like the costume was her own inside joke. Angel went as a generic demon slayer, dressed all in black like Harley, but I personally thought she kind of looked like a shadowhunter ;) She had a reflective black tank and leather jacket, and she wore shorts over tights and heeled boots. She had a wicked-looking whip slung over her shoulder and dark eye makeup, with black streaks in her braided hair.
Okay. I swear this post was supposed to be about CASUT00, not the members' Halloween costumes. To get back on track, here are the members with the tentative team names (flowers ^_^) in no particular order (surnames aren't being disclosed):
Team Azalea:
JY (18)
Arron (16)
Madison (17)
Holiday (16)
Team Bluebell:
Nikki (15)
Ava (16)
Clover (16)
Isabelle (17)
Team Narcissus:
April (15)
Maylin (16)
Rachel (18)
Via Rose (17)
CASU-J Members:
Team Sakura:
Yuka (18)
Sachi (19)
Konomi (20)
Haruka (20)
We brought CASUT00 to the SERA00 Complex today. I think many members were wondering whether CASU would get their own complex and stage or share SERA00's. Well, the answer is neither. Since CASU's numbers are low, their won't be board and lodging for the members. They'll be expected to return home, and then go to school and go to work. Unlike us, they won't have it all in one place.
In my opinion, they're both lucky and unlucky. The Complex is actually a very enjoyable place, and they'll be missing out on the experience of a sorority life. On the other hand, they will be able to live a more, let's say, normal childhood, since they're not spending every waking moment at their job. It's a common problem amongst new SERA00 members. Some will leave after finding that this boarding school-type life is just not for them. The ones who live close to SERA00 are more fortunate to be able to go home whenever they want, but many of us can't.
As for their stage, there are no plans to build another yet. Right now, they're renting an office for the girls and staff to work in. When they debut, the plan is to give way for the CASU girls to perform on the SERA00 stage one day a week and evaluate audience numbers.
There are three CASU teams, and three of us in Illusionary, so that worked out pretty nicely. I was in charge of showing Team Azalea around, Maya took Team Bluebell, and Fracken went with Team Narcissus. Here we goooo :)
"Azalea!" I shouted. "Over here!" The four members were staring at the SERA00 Wall of Fame, where framed portraits of current members were hanging. There were also blown up photos of each year's election winner. So far, there are two of Sassan and one of Luna (oooh, spoiler!).
My team; JY, Arron, Madison, and Holly. I'd gotten to know them over the past month and I have no quarrel yelling at them. They're all older than me, but for some reason they really respect Maya and Fracken but treat me like their little sister. (-_- ) so I shall yell at them as if they were my sisters. Which means, WITHOUT HESITATION. (azalea if you're reading watch out you asked for it!!!)
I pushed open the large wooden doors. "Welcome to the SERA00 Theatre." We were entering from the main doors, which opened up to the back of the seating area. There was a path leading down to the stage, with seating on either side. There was also a path around the entire seating area, but to open up a SERA00 Stage Encore we would put seating right to the wall, so only the middle path is accessible. The floors are all laminated hardwood, and the stage itself has hard rubber flooring.
I ran down to the stage, taking the steps two by two, and then placed my hands on the stage, hauling myself up. The stage itself is only about a metre high, with the first row literally a metre away. It's almost like the first row audience can just reach out and touch the first row of members...but don't try, you can't o.o
JY and Arron launched themselves onto the stage, and started goofing off, dancing a routine I didn't recognize. Madison and Holiday were more hesitant, cautiously choosing the stairs instead. Given, Arron won a couple of regional and provincial singing contests, and JY is from a disbanded idol group. They've both got considerable experience in the entertaintment industry.
The CASUT00 audition process was more selective, not giving preference to - for lack of a better word - wannabes. In SERA00, the group was made to help girls chase their dreams, so you don't need much experience to get in; that's how someone like me was able to join :,) But for CASUT00, they didn't factor out experience. So it's not surprising some of them already have showbiz in their background.
I think it was Isabelle that was a child actress. Ava was featured in commercials and worked as extras in movies, and Clover performed in local plays. Who else? There's also Rachel, who's from a modeling agency. In comparison, my few years in SERA00 seem insignificant :( [it doesn't seem right for me to be telling them what to do...should be the other way around!]
The youngest are Nikki and April, my age. I've talked with April a couple of times, and she seems average, but Nikki? She's proven herself to be very pretty and very athletic, but I haven't seen her profile yet. It seems the girls with more experience are pretty evenly spread amongst the teams.
As for the Sakura girls, I'm not really sure. In general, they're older than the North American pick, but I have no idea what their skills are, much less their personalities. I've actually only seen a picture of one of the girls, Haruka. She's your classic Japanese idol. (watashitachi "Team Sakura" desu! minna-san, suki desu! <3 ~aida kotoka~)
...arigato, KOTOKA-SAN -_- Anywayyyysss...
I headed behind the stage. "Here's where you get to the dressing rooms. Room S is Aurora's, E is Night's, R used to be Hope's, and A is Angel's."
They peeked inside Aurora's dressing room. All of them are similar, with a lounging area on one side, mirrors and long tables with chairs lined along the wall, and racks of costumes at the end.
As we continued, I spewed descriptions of the Complex. "We'll be coming up to the cafeteria soon. You can get free meals there. But mostly we go out for lunch or din- oh, look! flynow is in there recording!" I ran forwards and pressed my face to the glass. Angel, Harley, and Geneviève were occupying one of the recording rooms, and they were singing along to music in their headphones. We couldn't hear anything though, due to the soundproofing. "So the recording studios and music rooms are over here. The grand hall is at the far back, and the dance studios are on the otherwise, since the loudness of dance lessons don't really go well with recording sessions."
We stepped into the grand hall, and the girls stopped to admire the high-ceilinged large room. Tall mirrors lined one length of the room, and a couple of chairs were scattered in the far corner.
I clapped. "Music!"
The Azalea girls instantly perked up, waiting for the non-existent high-tech sound system to recognize my command.
"I'm kidding," I said dryly.
"Wow, Evieeeee," Arron complained. "Way to let us down."
I snickered, but quickly regained my composure. "Come on, you'll like this. No kidding." Although we were not entering from the main door, the sight was still stunning nonetheless. "And welcome to the warehouse, the place where-"
"All the costumes are kept!" JY finished, her voice rising into a squeal as she bounded forwards, Arron hard on her heels. The warehouse is at least twice or three times the size of the great hall, housing all of our costumes and uniforms. There are rows and rows of racks of costumes, organized all the way up to the ceiling. Some of the older songs' costumes have to be brought down with the help of long sticks, but the more recently ordered racks are able to rotate the top rack down to a reachable height. Since we have our uniforms, multiple costumes for each song, and the clothes designed for TV and promotional appearances, the number of costumes in the warehouse is really too much to comprehend if you haven't seen it yourself. And there's one for each member.
"This is amazing, look! The Seventh Heaven costumes!" JY gasped, fingering the frilly pink costumes.
"JY, I found the Accelerate costumes!" Arron shouted from a couple of racks down.
Even Madison and Holiday were appreciating our Tea Party costumes.
"Arrrrrron! Ohmygosh it's the new twenty-thirteen Winter uniforms!" JY screeched.
"We just got them last week," I responded. "We're still wearing our Autumn uniforms and those don't debut until a couple weeks later."
"What are they called?" Arron asked. All our seasonal uniform designs had names, since there was no single to associate it with.
"Um, it think it's Wynter Wondercyti, with the 'i's and 'y's switched," I replied. The winter uniforms were always beautiful, and this year's were no exception. Looking at one variation, the top part was a knitted beige off the shoulder style, lined with a white faux-fur collar. A shimmering white ribbon was laced down the middle of the sweater, tied in a bow where the top met the bottom. The lower portion of the costume was a layered sky blue skirt with white, snowflake patterned lace. I actually can't wait to wear it! It looks so much more...warm and snuggly than last year's bright Candi Cain. Yes. They're all spelt weird. No. I don't know why. And yes. I do think the names are cool.
"Will Fallon Mackenzie, Maya Shale, and Evangeline Vera report to the office? I repeat, Fallon Mackenzie, Maya Shale, and Evangeline Vera report to the office," a voice said over the intercom system.
"Oh," I said, "I have to go. But you guys can take your time looking around. Just head back to the caf when you're done."
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