"Here's the mall, kids!"
"Thanks Alfie!"
The boys jumped off the bus and started walking towards the mall across the street.
"This is gonna be great!" said Eric, "We can get our posters signed, and we can get photos with him, and ask him questions and...Oh No!"
The boys had entered the mall and were walking towards the central atrium where all the publicity for the new Xander McKane move was happening. Taurus sat front and center, and on his left and right were his co-stars at separate tables, while the director was nearby at another table, shaking hands with people and taking photographs.
But what stood out more than anything else was the crowds! There had to be hundreds, maybe even thousands of people there! The lines and crowds stretched on for what looked like forever!
"Damn it!" Ryan groaned, "We'll never get in!" he said. All the actors and the director were up on a stage, with people filing up one side, and then down the other. Parents were with their kids, and some older children were on their own, or in small groups like Ryan and Eric.
"C'mon, let's get in line!" said Eric.
"Dude, they're only here for a few hours! And this place is jam-packed!" said Ryan, dejectedly. "And the line isn't exactly...y'know...MOVING!"
Ryan was right. It seemed to crawl along. Standing around the stage at the corners and near the stairs were what looked like bodyguards, with their black suits and ties.
"Aww maan!" said Eric, after twenty minutes, "Hey Flavius! Can't you do something!?"
"Huh?"
"Y'know! Pull some strings! Call a favour! Make shit happen! Anything! At this rate we'll be here until midnight!"
"How DARE you!" said Flavius, "Are you asking ME, a GOD, to use my powers PURELY to get what I want!? To throw my fame and status around JUST so that I can get to the front of the line!? To FLAUNT my cosmic abilities JUST to give you what you want!?"
"...Uh...Yeah!"
Ryan burst out laughing!
"And you think I would demean myself to such an extent that I'd try and overshadow the..."
"Flavius please!? Just...y'know...nudge it along a bit, or something?"
Flavius laughed. "I can't get over this. YOU, asking ME, to use my STATUS and my AUTHORITY to line-jump, JUST so that YOU can...You know, you got SOME NERVE trying to USE ME to get your stupid fucking autographs and..."
"Oh forget it!"
Flavius snorted!
"Alright!" he said, "Glad we sorted THAT out. Don't you DARE ever...Fuck it, let's do this shit..."
Eric stared at Flavius.
The young god waved a hand and in a flash of sparkling gold, he was stripped of his jeans and hoodie, which were replaced with a SHARP crisp white outfit complete with gold braid and brass buttons, gold braid epaulets, crisp, white gloves, a flowing white, silk-lined, fur-trimmed, gold-embroidered cloak, and a golden coronet resting on his brow.
"WOAH!!" said Ryan, his jaw dropping open.
"Not bad, huh?" said Flavius, smirking, "Step aside, boys, let Flavius handle this shit..."
Everyone STARED. When the penny dropped, kids and teens started swarming around Flavius, screaming and shouting and demanding autographs and pictures!
"What's goin' on!?" said Taurus up on the stage. Then he spotted the figure in white and gold.
"Oh wow!" he gasped, and started combing his hair furiously, trying to make himself look, if possible, even more presentable!
"C"mon, move it!" he said. "I SAID MOVE IT!!"
Kids and teens bustled out of the way as Flavius strode forwards, his cloak flowing behind him. Cameras flashed and kids squealed and shouted.
"Follow me, boys", said Flavius, as he headed up the steps of the stage. Taurus jumped up at once to meet him!
Taurus was young, handsome and tall for his age. He had thick, brown hair and a strong, angular, tanned face with deep brown eyes. He beamed at Flavius as he approached, and looked just as starstruck as everybody else!
"Flavius!" he blurted out, "dude! I...wow! I...I didn't think you'd be coming!"
"And miss my adoring fans? Hell no...nice work on the new flick, bro", said Flavius, giving the young superstar a handshake.
"Thanks!" said Taurus, "Dude this is amazing! YOU look amazing! Wow! I...WOW!! Thanks for showin' up, man...dude you have to come to the premier next week!"
"Taurus, these are my buddies Eric..."
"Hey!"
"...and Ryan".
"Wow!"
"...they wanted some photos and autographs with you".
"Sure!!" said Taurus at once, "Yeah totally! Hey, anybody who knows Flavius...yeah totally!" said Taurus, standing next to the dazzlingly handsome young GOD as cameras flashed and people squealed.
Once Flavius and his friends had gotten all the photos, selfies, autographs and posters that they could handle, he shepherded them carefully out of the way.
"Dude, you HAVE to come to the premier party the night before the first screening!" said Taurus, "I'll get you some tickets, man!"
"Sure", said Flavius, "Only if my friends can come too, bruh".
"Yeah totally! Nice to meet you guys! I'll be in touch, Flavius! Alright! Who's next!?"
"Duuuude!" said Ryan, "That was amazing!!"
"You know Taurus??" said Eric, "Why didn't you ever tell me!?"
"Dude, you never asked!" said Flavius, "I've known him since he was five! I helped him get his first big break in acting".
"Awww maaaaan!" said Ryan. "But seriously dude, pullin' status like that to get us through the crowd...that was badass! Dude, that was COLD! That was AWESOME!! That..."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it", said Flavius, "But let's make one thing CLEAR, Eric, don't expect me to do that all the time, OK? I did it because you guys are my FRIENDS, and because I like Taurus a LOT and I know his family real good. DON'T expect me to throw my fame around ALL the time, OK?"
"Oh..." said Eric, "Y-yeah...um...s-sorry Flavius I...I didn't think...um..."
Flavius laughed! "Nah dude, chill, chill! It was fun", he said, and smirked, "But seriously, I can't do this ALL the time, it's not cool, OK? I only did that as a special favour for you guys, so don't get used to it".
Eric nodded, "No that's...that's cool Flavius...Thanks man! That really was cool!"
"Yeah!" said Ryan. "Hey I'm gettin' hungry. Why don't we get somethin' to eat?"
"Sure!" said Flavius. Once they were away from the crowd, Flavis waved a hand and changed back into his street-clothes.
"A'ight, let's go!..."