Zero and Peter's Apartment, LA, Monday Evening

[swerval_zero]

So there was a show about models. Normally Zero ignored those, because the stupid hurt her brain and she'd gotten enough of it that one time she'd volunteered to help out at Claude's show, anyway, but this show about models was different. This show about models had someone she knew in it. A former bandmate, even. So Zero was camped out on the sofa with a bowl of popcorn in her lap and Fish perched on one shoulder, cheering Chad on.

She just hoped being around other models didn't somehow leach his brains.

((Open for phone, e-mail, or either person named Parker who is not a blonde))

Comments

[swerval_zero]

"They all need to eat a cheeseburger. According to Claude 'plus-sized' is depressing modelspeakese for 'has breasts.'" Zero gestured at the TV screen. "Case in point."

Awk, case in point, case in point. Are you my mummy?

Zero held a piece of popcorn up for Fish to nibble and said to Parker, "Swerval. C'n I see?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Claude's a genius at more than clothes," Parker said absently, shaking her head at what she saw on-screen. "Christ, by their standards, I'd have to be at ulcer-weight to get work..." She shuddered as Fish asked his perennial question. "He never stops creeping me out with that."

She handed over the ID, which had her face (and a not-terrible picture) on a California Driver's License, with the name "Parker Weston" on it. The attached note said:

There's a girl who looks a lot like you in the SAG database. Easy to fake the documents from that, but don't go to New York for a while, okay?

[swerval_zero]

"Well, there you go," Zero said as she gave Fish a skritch behind his crest. "You're not in New York."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Or in London, where the paid impostor is." Parker cocked her head. "This might work out well. And now I can be an over-educated barista somewhere in the L.A. area," she said grimly. "Or something else--oh, for crying out loud," she said at the screen. "His name is a joke. About tea. How stupid are you?"

Chad's expression seemed to be asking the same thing.

[swerval_zero]

Zero raised her hand and said, "Uh, I missed the joke about tea."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Sado looks like 'tea' in Japanese characters, and 'cha' is tea, so, his name in Japanese is Tea-o Tea. Like he said, it's just a name, not an attempt to become American. They're trying to find hooks and significance where none exist." Parker glared at the judge. "If this weren't filming in New York, someone would be getting a talking-to on the subway."

[swerval_zero]

"Well that's just stupid," Zero said. "Did I ever tell you I was a model once for about five minutes? Also, French."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Is this a Fandom thing? And I missed it? Are there photos?" Parker frowned, feeling deprived.

[swerval_zero]

"Pre-Fandom. But it's in my film school app movie, so you could watch that," Zero offered. "The DVD's in the case for House of Paraffin because like I actually own that."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker snorted. "When this show is over, I'm so pulling that out. Was Claude to blame for that?" She shook her head as a huge catfight started on-screen. "Okay, Chad has way more class than these two idiots. He better win." She gave the show a meditative look. "I could come up with something better than this. This is just promotional success, that's it. People tune in hoping for a disaster."

[swerval_zero]

"No, Rat," Zero said with a shake of her head. Then she reconsidered and said, "Okay, some skinheads. And Rat. Oh squalling squall, they can't fight for balls. Pullin' hair has its place but this is sad. But then there's Chad, so, clearly they have some taste."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Skinheads? Your life really didn't change all that much when you went to Fandom, did it?" Parker asked. "And oh that's pathetic. Although we know have our designated Crazy Girl." She gave Vereneschia a meditative look. "Her and that India chick, and the blonde. They might edge Chad out." She paused. "Do you think there's a website with one of those online voting deals for this?"

Just as the show mentioned it. "Aha."

[swerval_zero]

"Not really," Zero said. "Just there was magic an' superhero boyfriends an' such." She said it like other people might say, 'There was a Target.' "My money's on, well, Chad, but that India girl at least knows what the squall she's doing."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Ditto. I'd hate for knowing what she's doing canceling out his awesomeness." Parker frowned, tapping her fingernails on her her new ID. "Maybe I can have Angelo tap the computers, keep it real..."

[swerval_zero]

"PARKER," Zero said in allcaps. Yes, she could do that. "NO. Chad wouldn't want to win by cheating! And and, you're hiding, remember! No using your powers for evil!"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Damnit, I forgot," Parker growled, slumping into the couch with a pout. "And I wouldn't have made him win! Just, you know, balanced any numbers from extended family members dialing in too much." She sighed. "Need. Job. Need. Purpose. Need. Life."

[swerval_zero]

Zero shrugged and said, "My guest room es su guest room for as long as you need it. Oh, hey, if anyone calls about Peepocalpyse while you're home, could you like," Zero waved her hand to suggest, 'use your evil powers for good.'

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Of course." Parker straightened, contemplating that. "How many places did you send it, or was it just the student contest?"

Hmmmm.

[swerval_zero]

"I sent it to a coupla agents, you know," Zero said, waving her hand vaguely. "The usual deal.

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"That's no good," Parker said, frowning. "You need an in. A hook. An award, a reviewer recommendation, something. You want this thing distributed, right?"

[swerval_zero]

"Yeh, but," Zero flopped back, causing Fish to squawk and take wing. "Iunno."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"What's to know? Do you want it distributed, or don't you?" Parker asked with uncharacteristic patience. "It's not like you have to pull a Spike Lee to get it financed, it's already finished."

[swerval_zero]

Zero flailed. "I think I'm good at the making stuff end of things. Not so much the..." and now we were back to yanking on her hair. "Getting people to buy them. Stupid capitalism."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker's finger-tapping stopped, and her eyes narrowed. "Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm."

[swerval_zero]

"Hmmm?" Zero asked. "Oh, hey. Want some popcorn?"