- What's the song that you're making a video for? - I hear Justine asking Mika, while we're making our way to the door, which is turned out to be on the other side of the building.
- It's the new one, out of the album. A collaboration with one of my friends. In fact, he's one directing the video.
- Wait, what? - I grab his shoulder, - A collaboration? Why didn't you tell about that?
- I will, as soon as the video is done, - Mika grins, and puts us three in a wide embrace, - So you girls are kinda chosen ones, again.
Hey, here they are. Perks of being in Mika's favor. I kinda got used to it, but the girls haven't yet had a chance to experience it.
- Uhm, Al, - Justine turns to me, - Maybe we should play the "American" more often, since the results are that great.
- What's the "American"? - Mika immediately gets curious.
Girls explain the game, and make him even more excited.
- And that's what you did to come on The Voice? - he wonders.
- More than that, - Andy responds, and glances at me with some kind of pride, - She's got into singing seriously because of it. She lost once and we made her participate in her first singing contest. Tell him what was the song.
- Lonely Alcoholic, - I say, blushing for some reason.
- She didn't win, but after that stage has become her second home.
- Oh, come on, - I try to resist her praising, - I still get really nervous when I perform!
- Which doesn't stop you from singing, - Justine objects, and addresses to Mika again, - Did she tell you that she transcribed all your songs by ear and used them as a material for her practice?
- Yeah, - Andrea catches it, - All she knows about music she learned from you, Mika, and you should know it.
Mika is obviously surprised.
- Oh, wow, - he sighs, - I knew you were kinda... Not indifferent to me, but it seems like I became your coach far before I met you!
- That's true.
We see a dark-haired bearded man in a hat approaching us, and my jaw drops. A side crush again.
- Hello, my name is Yoann Lemoine, - he introduces himself, - But you may know me as...
- Woodkid, - I gasp.
- Exactly! - he cheerfully replies, then, in turn, narrows his eyes, - And you're Alice, if I'm not mistaken?
Then he points behind me, to the other talents who have just arrived, and raises his tone:
- Flori, Rose and Karen... And there's the Italian boy whose name I forgot- Gaspard, right. Nice to meet you. I'm glad to have you all here.
***
Never in my life have I seen so much white color. It surrounds us on the set and covers us from head to toe.
- So! Can you explain the concept one more time? - Justine asks me, - I understand that we are dealing with paint, but the story didn't make sense to me at all!
We are dressed in white, old-looking clothes: jeans, jacket, tattered scarf around the neck and a bunch of little rags around the wrists. At the same time it's all, as much as hair, sprinkled with white powder, and our skin is covered with make-up of the same color. The only thing in our outfit that's black is goggles, kinda like those used for swimming. I look in the mirror and don't recognize myself. I don't really think I look like human right now!
- We're Color Bandits, - I begin, while drawing an extra black stripe on my cheek, - Beings whose main purpose of the existence is to discolor the world. And judging by our suits, we've just won.
- And then the colors prevail, and destroy us, - Flori catches up, - This means that soon we'll be all covered in paint!
- Gosh, it's gonna be amazing, - I conclude with a little sigh. The joy of the upcoming fun overshadows the pain in my knee,that kinda manifested itself when the girls were carrying me on the street. I don't think it's something serious, but hell, it's a great distraction!
- How are you doing, is everything okay? - Gaspard inquires, looking at me walking slowly to the set, careful not to disturb the trauma, - Maybe you should stay home today?
- No way, - I confidently shake my head, and the powder flakes from my hair, - Don't you dare tell Mika. He will kill me if he finds out.
- I don't like your attitude, - Wizard frowns, - But if it's your final decision ...
- Yes, it is. Why are you so worried? - I slap him on the shoulder, raising a cloud of white dust, - Shooting will take a couple of hours, nothing bad will happen!
And, as if to refute my own words, I hear a weird click in the knee and lose my balance, falling forward. Thank god, Gaspard reacted faster than me.
- Well, well, nothing will happen, right , - he grumbles, putting me in the vertical position, - Seriously, Alice, go to the hospital before it's too late.
- Once I'm finished here, - I make sure the balance is restored and keep going, - Thanks, of course, but I don't intend to miss such fun!
In order to somehow change the subject, I look at his face and realize that something's wrong with his make-up.
- Why do you have half of your face clean?
He shrugs.
- Because I wanted it that way. Yoann said it's fine. Now please, tell me you get the reference.
I realise that he's talking about the black line on his forehead, a clown-like eyebrow.
- I do. It's David Bowie, Ashes to Ashes, am I right?
- Bravo.
He obviously wants to add something else, but then his gaze slides over my shoulder, behind my back, and, dropping the last "See you later", he quickly walks away. I turn around and see that Mika's coming up to me.
- Wow, I think white suits you more than black, - he says.
Penniman looks as usual, with no make-up and dust and all that stuff.
- You're not going to shoot? - I'm a little upset. I wanted to see him in the outfit.
- My day of shooting is tomorrow, - he assures me, and together we arrive at the set. Which is a long white screen, nothing else.
- So, you're ready? - Mika asks again, - In this "pure form", we'll shoot you the last (behind his back, I see that the recording is already underway, and now it's Karen's turn - she's in an elegant, wedding-like, white dress), but the colored part - you're the first.
- Cool. Can't wait to start already!
Mika gently smiles back at me and carefully, so as not to get dirty, touches my shoulder before leaving. I'm left alone, but then my coach suddenly turns around and gets back.
- Did you hear your song for the next show? - he asks softly, almost in a whisper.
- Yes.
- You think you can handle it on your own?
- We'll see - I shrug. Mika is not satisfied with my answer.
- Remember that if you want to resume our little lessons - just text me, ok, - he whispers. I nod, and he leaves.
***
On the set, I find ukulele (turned out it belongs to a boy named Max from Team Mika), and go into the frame with it. Woodkid ponders my decision for a second, then gives me a package with white powder, so the prop fits better. My scarf is tied to a long strip of white cloth that goes behind the frame and blows in the wind (guys just hold its edge and wave it)
- Do you remember your role? - Yoann says, looking at me over his preview screen, - You're a wild, ruthless bandit, who has absorbed the colors of this place. You're celebrating, you know that no one compares to you. You want to desaturate the whole world, and you know you can do it. Ready? And ... Action.
I kinda like this role. I shake my head, tuning myself to a fighty mood. Playing, fighting, dominating - it's so nice, after all, right?
I remember what savages and villains usually do in the movie:
I laugh evilly, showing my teeth (at least I try), I beat my chest (Yoann asked to do this a few times to catch a close-up), raise my arms in a victory gesture - all of that kind. Gaspard, Mika and the girls are behind the scenes and they prompt me a little.
But then - yes, yes - I feel pain in my knee, probably because I'm on my feet for too long. So I sit on the floor cross-legged. Woodkid offers to represent a kind of meditation - why not, my bandit has won, why won't she rest a little? I play a bit of ukulele, lift up my hands to the sky in the style of "I am almighty", even try to sing some mantras.
- That was very good, - I hear the appreciative response from the director, - Cut. And now ...
I see that everyone who is behind the scenes have a glass in their hands.
- We will throw you the paint, one by one, - he continues, - Remember that the paint is a deadly weapon for Color Bandits. It causes pain, kills them and robs their soul.
- Got it.
- And ... Action.
The first shot of the paint hits me in the face, clogs my nose and my goggles, so I don't need to act out the fear, I was really taken by surprise. It tastes like chalk, ewww. But on the third attack, I kinda get used to it and recover from the shock. In fact, I find it fun to spoil my perfectly clean clothes. I get a little playful again, and with every hit I exaggeratedly wave my arms, fight back with ukulele, spin around and shake my head, spilling the powder all over the place.
Then, suddenly, everything is quiet for a moment. Then I hear laughter.
Raising the goggles, I look around and see that Mika's face and hair, as well as his blue shirt, is smeared with purple.
- I'm sorry, - Andrea responds. Justine, in contrast, looks at her glass and adds a bright yellow to Penniman's clothes.
- Hey! - Mika laughs, grabs a new batch of paint, but Woodkid interrupts him:
- Hey, not so fast, your day is tomorrow! And save your paint for our graceful Karen, she's the next...
While others take turn to mess up their clothes, I'm in a hurry to find a place to sit and anxiously grope my knee. It seems like when I crossed my legs, everything became worse. The wound hurts every time I step on the foot, but at least it is still moving, so I'm sure it's not broken. I just need to rest, that's all. Right?
- Hey, - I hear Andrea coming up to me. She's already clean and back to normal, so I assume they're leaving. And I'm right:
- Our train leaves in an hour, - she says, and Justine appears behind her, - So we have to go now.
- We'll try to come next week, but you know, - Justine shrugs, - We don't have a God-given talent and must study, like normal people!
They give me a careful hug, wave goodbye and leave, shaking off the powder from their clothes.
- Everyone in the picture! - Woodkid herds us soon, and I carefully rise up. Catch a worried look from Gaspard, but ignore it. Just ten minutes, and I can go back to the studio. It will be over in ten minutes!
- Action.
Teams Mika and Florent against teams Jenifer and Garou. We grab some paint and rush to each other. New colors cover our gray-powdered clothing. The dust of various shades fill the air. I hear laughter, shouts, and try to forget the pain and go into rage. But it's harder and harder to concentrate with every second I'm on my feet. At some point I feel that I need to sit down, and immediately. Damn.
And when Woodkid says "Cut", we clap to each other, denoting the end of filming, and finally break up, I hobble to the chair. A scratch can't cause so much pain, damn it.
- Alice? - I hear Mika behind. He noticed, of course. Although now everyone will see it. I don't care, I just need to walk to that chair in the corner, sit down and relax. Try, at least.
I walk half the path when I hear a nasty, loud click, and finally fall.