Radiant Eclipse

After Avenged had finished their set for the day, they had held a signing at their merch booth which was right next to the RE booth. The girls ended up joining the signing after enough people had requested their autographs as well. And much to their surprise, they had actually sold out of the merch they had brought with them. Once the day had come to an end, they sat drinking beers with Avenged when the festival reps and Larry Jacobson came up to them.

"First off, we'd like to congratulate you girls on a job very well done. Second, we'd like to make you an offer we'd like to think you couldn't refuse. We've just been informed that Halestorm won't be able to continue on with the tour: Lzzy needs surgery on her vocal chords. That leaves an empty spot on the tour roster, and we've all discussed possible replacements all night. We would like to offer a spot on the rest of the tour to Radiant Eclipse."

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"

"Very. So are you girls interested?"

"YES YES YES!"

Ash exclaimed as all girls got up and hugged and shook hands with everyone. They were then pushed into a massive group hug by the Avenged boys and their crew. Drinks were immediately abandoned as plans were made to inform their various bosses, and to get their apartments looked after. The girls spent the next hour calling their various bosses, and making lists of things they would need to bring with them. Jess and Ash got ahold of their bosses first, so they spent the rest of the time on the phone with their merch suppliers, seeing how fast they could be sent some more shirts and CDs. Until then, the girls would go back to screen printing their own shirts, making their own pins, and burning CDs.

“So I don’t think we’ve had this conversation yet, what do you girls do for a living? Well outside of the band.”

Matt asked, as he passed fresh beers around.

“Well I write reviews and take pictures for a local magazine, and I also give French lessons on the side.”

Anne was the first one to answer.

“I work at the same travel agency I’ve been at since I got out of high school.”

Corinne went next.

“I work at the Seneca College student radio station, and I also work in the a&r department at our label Criminal Records, with Mateja.”

“Like Natalie said, I work at our label, Criminal Records, and I’m also found in the CR storefront. We all do promo work for the label, but Natalie and I are the only ones who really work there.”

Everyone looked at Ash and Jess who had remained, unusually silent for the most part.

“I used to be a pastry chef at this local restaurant, but I got laid off from that. So I work part time at Smoke’s Poutinerie, this shoe store Get Outside, but my main job is at Alley Cat with Jess.”

Ash answered.

“What’s Alley Cat?”
“A tattoo and piercing shop. I do piercings and Ash does tattooing. I also work part time as a bartender.”

Once Jess had said that, the boys had gotten this look on their faces like they had won the lottery. It was also suggested that the girls bring their tattooing and piercing equipment on the road, as the Avenged crew said they had been looking to get some work done, and that some of the other bands would probably be interested as well.

“Is there anything else you girls can do?”

Larry asked, as he had joined the conversation.

“Obviously since she’s a tattoo artist, Ash is an amazing artist. She’s designed all our merch and album art, and is pretty good with computer design too. Corinne can give French lessons like Anne, but Anne could also give Italian lessons. Corinne and Mateja also do their own photography, and Jess likes to do hair and make up, and is also pretty good with a sewing machine. I love to do make up, especially the special effects kind. And we’re all pretty good in the kitchen as well.”

Natalie answered.

“That all sounds great, and I hate to be the party pooper, but I have to be. We need to call it an early night, because you girls need to get home and get everything packed up. We have the day off tomorrow, but we need to be on the road by noon the latest.”

Reluctantly, they all get up and start to pack up and head back to the RE household. By the time they left the next day, the girls of Radiant Eclipse thought that they were more than prepared for the road that was ahead of them. Little did they know, that their worlds were about to be turned upside down.