White sat, the crowd grew silent, Dumas and Mari were at the edge of their seat, and Cheshire grinned as Steven Radcliff's perfect mask broke ever so slightly. The announcement had interrupted their conversation, and caused Radcliff to freeze like a deer in the head lights.<br/><br/>"Have you heard of this White Rabbit?" Mr. Alrus said, playing coy. "He's very gifted. The main attraction of the club. I don't think my investment would have done nearly as well without a musician of his caliber."<br/><br/>"I see..." Radcliff said tensely. He hesitated for only a moment and then reached for the dial in the middle of the table, turning the volume up. Cheshire couldn't help but gin. He had him now.<br/><br/>On stage, White sat, opened his pocket watch styled TEA phone and tapped the screen twice. In his earbuds, he could hear a soft pip sound counting the beat. It was excruciatingly important that he had everything on time. That was the hardest part really, was making sure every note, every beat, was on time in a way that he never could manage. He counted four pip's, and started to play.<br/><br/>The melody was haunting, ethereal even. A soft, saddening, bitterly sweet sound that reverberated throughout the whole club and sang to the soul. At the same time, the white piano seems to turn to silver water, and two elegant, simplified forms rose up from its surface and began to dance. They twirled and swayed and glided up into the air, throwing silver light all around them as they did so. The music rose, and the two figures danced closer and closer together, building to something grand and beautiful.<br/><br/>And then the base dropped.<br/><br/>A sudden crash and electric growl, and a red hazy hand slashed at the two figures, forcing them to separate. A second hand formed and captured one figure, and the chase was on. As the electronic notes added a harsh sound, the piano rose louder still and took on a dark, aggressive sound that spoke volumes in pain and longing. The two rose and fought each other as the silver figure grew a sword in his hand and fought the every growing red mist.<br/><br/>The crimson form slowly became a crowned figure with cackling eyes and a jagged mouth, and the two fought on. With every musical phrase and every sudden drop, the fight become more and more dramatic, climbing to new heights as the two combatants dashed and glided and spun all throughout the club. And just when it seemed like all hope was lost, when the hero was backed against the wall with the monster closing in, the captured figure rushed in out of nowhere and took the blow meant for the hero with a dramatic stop in the music. The hero and the monster both paused sullenly, shocked at what happened, and the hero ran to the captive. The hero bent over the injured figure, seemingly bleeding silver light, and the piano started again with that same, haunting, cold melody. The monster hid himself in shame and dissipated, the lights faded on the two figures, and the captive went still.<br/><br/>The piano played only a few more notes and then stopped, the sound suspended in mid air. White sat perfectly still, visibly shaken from his performance. It was one of his best original pieces, and one of his most risky, and for just a moment, he wondered if anyone liked even a note of it. And then, from the balcony seats, came a steady slow clap. It was soon joined by another and another, and eventually the whole club was standing in uproars applause. The lights came back to their usual brightness and shifting shades, the piano seemed to dissipate, and White stood to take a bow at the same time Cheshire appeared next to him. The two took their bows together and in unison before Cheshire leapt forward.<br/><br/>"Ladies and Gentlemen, you Ruler of Rhapsody, your King of Cacophony, the Master of Sound and Soul, The WHITE RABBT!" Cheshire boomed again, and vanished for White to give his own bow. He then, without waiting for a break, immediately stepped forward to the turn tables and loomed over them.<br/><br/>"My loyal subjects! Now who's ready to dance!?!?" He yelled. The enthusiastic roar responded. "Then prepare yourself for the madness and follow me down the rabbit hole!"<br/><br/>__________________________________________________________________________________________________________<br/><br/><br/>Up in the balcony, Mr. Alrus, or more accurately Cheshire, applauded wildly. Of course the visuals were done by him, and he told himself that he was applauding so much to stay in character, but a little part of him would always be impressed by White's ability to play the piano, something that few people had ever heard in the club. Getting the opportunity to rehearse with him had been a treasure. But he hadn't been the one to start the applause. That honor had gone to Steven Radcliff.<br/><br/>The man had started the applause with a slow, almost reluctant clap, and even in the uproars sound that followed hadn't stopped, sped up or slowed down. He clapped until the applause started to slow down, and his face didn't change once. Not when the song started, not before the first beat dropped, and not at the climax or end. However Cheshire could tell that it effected him. His posture, his mannerisms, and the way he kept up his emotional mask. Cheshire used masks like most people used underwear, and new them better then others. He knew a mask when he saw one.<br/><br/>"He is rather talented, like I told you." Alrus said, "isn't he?"<br/><br/>"Yes." Radcliff said tersely, "he is."<br/><br/>Cheshire didn't like leading people on too much and waited a moment, hopping he'd gotten to Radcliff. After a whole song, just when he was about to prime him, Radcliff spoke.<br/><br/>"I wonder," he said slowly, "if I could talk to him."<br/><br/>Cheshire grinned under his hologram in his usual wicked style, but Mr. Alrus smiled in the warmest manner a human being could smile.<br/><br/>"Why of course!" he said, "Everyone loves to meet the prodigal... prodigic... prodigy himself." he said, pretending the stutter at just the right word. This was the special moment that was the REAL show of tonight.<br/><br/>The hologram near Mari waited until after the show to respond to her.<br/><br/>"How and why? Well, the how involves a lot of financial planning and hacking a poor CEO aid's computer, but the WHY is far more interesting..." he paused a moment for dramatic effect. "If you can find ten minutes to spare, I think I can find you the answer."<br/><br/>In Dumas's room, the cat avatar cut the question off in the bud.<br/><br/>"Before you ask, that wasn't the show I was talking about." He highlighted a particular corner of the club, one that was out of the way and not very visible to most of the club.<br/><br/>"Right there is about to be VERY interesting..."