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thelioncourts · 4 years

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title: the mannequin gallery fandom: captive prince pairing: damen/laurent rating: mature words: 4793 for chapter three (3/?); 14856 all together

story summary: If things would have gone the way they were supposed to, Damen and Laurent would have never met. But things didn’t go the way they were supposed to, not at all, and their meeting ended up being the equivalent of skydiving with a malfunctioning parachute. Damen tried not to complain. After all, he was now living his dream; he was travelling with his best friend without having to make sure their “I"s were dotted and their “T"s crossed. And, sure, Laurent was difficult to work with, to work for, but he was also great to look at and they made it work well as long as they were anywhere but in Paris. But when Laurent’s past begins to cause present-day problems, Damen finds out those difficulties Laurent constantly displays were a bit more warranted than he could have ever imagined. And Laurent? Laurent finds out the truth – and finds out how to smile.

It was crazy to think all that could happen in a twenty-four-hour time period.

One minute, Damen and Nik were unpacking their belongings in a paid-for-by-Etoile hotel room, one minute later they were both delving into their own very important research, and one minute after that they were on a photoshoot set, their first photoshoot set ever.

Nik, upon arrival, was certain he was in over his head. Damen didn’t want to say it out loud, but he thought Nik was in over his head too.

In typical Nik fashion, his own researching had been spent going over each paper in the folder he had been given in the meeting. By the end of the day, there had been scribbles in all different colors of ink spattered across the surfaces of the pages, the meanings useless to Damen who had spent the same amount of time Nik had spent going over the folder figuring out how he could tag along to the photoshoot.

During his own research, Damen had discovered that most photographers do, in fact, have an agent that handles their business and, when available, attends photography events with them. Naturally, Damen had concluded, there was no one better suited for that role than he himself and he had told Nik as much in his fifth interruption of Nik’s studies that day. Nik had waved him off and Damen had taken that as a go-ahead to do as he pleased.

It’s how he found himself here, looking around in awe at the everything going on. He briefly wondered if all sets were this busy or if it was more an Etoile thing. Everything about Etoile seemed busy.

The shoot wasn’t scheduled to actually start until ten in the morning and the photographer’s call time had been for seven. Damen thought that seemed really early, but upon getting there and seeing the organized chaos of what was going on, he started to think seven wasn’t early enough.

He whistled under his breath and said so.

“It’ll be fine,” Nik said. He wasn’t looking at Damen, not looking at him at all. His eyes were assessing the room, the people, the lights. “All the photographers are meeting with the designer of this shoot, then the models are going to finish getting ready while we set up, then we’re going to set them up, and then the shoot begins. At least I think that’s how it’s going to happen. That’s what the papers said.”

A woman pushing a wardrobe cart walked by them, the black coverings for the clothing items hanging on it swishing against one another in an uneven fashion, all in contradiction with the one slightly squeaky wheel.

“So, who do you go to first?”

“Photographers are meeting over there,” a voice said from behind them. They both turned to see a woman with a severely cropped dark bob standing by a beverage table. She was watching them with blatant curiosity burning in her eyes. With a jut of her sharp chin, she was motioning over at where a large white covering was hanging from the vaulted ceiling of the gallery.

“Thanks,” Damen said after a moment.

[Continue on AO3]

“You both looked lost. Here, that kind of expression puts you behind the rest.” She walked toward them, a dark red mug steaming with caffeine in hand, and gave them her free hand for a handshake. “I’m Vannes. One of the designers. And you,” she said, pausing as she shook Nik’s hand, “must be one of our dear boss’ lovely photographer experimentees.”

“If that’s how we’re defining it,” Nik said with a purse to his lips.

“And that makes you,” she trailed, eyes moving over Damen.

“I’m his agent,” Damen said. Vannes laughed, the sound bright and loud. No one paid them any mind.

“You said that so confidently, I almost believed you.”

Her eyes kept that blatant curiosity in them as she walked back over to the beverage table. There was something there Damen didn’t necessarily dislike, but he did find unsettling. He and Nik looked at one another, each with one raised eyebrow.

“Shall we?” Damen asked after a minute with a smile on his mouth.

“Yeah,” Nik said. He was biting off a laugh.

It was an adventurous little walk over to where the curtain was. There was a handful of more carts with clothes that rushed by, each pushed by a harried looking assistant of some kind, and what was definitely one of the models, a tall thing with flaming red hair who didn’t see them as anything more than an obstacle needing stepped over in his path all on their journey over. But once there, they were face to face with Nik’s competition.

“We’ll get introductions out of the way so we’re all familiar with one another,” an older and stout man said in heavily accented French. “My name is Audin. I, as well as Ms. Vannes, am one of the assistant designers of Etoile’s gold label line. Charls, Etoile’s head designer, will be in and out as this photoshoot is taking place, but he is also checking in upon the final designs for the Paris Fashion Week clothing so he will be busy.” Audin began to walk, handing out papers to the five photographers. “I am aware that you received paperwork from our very own courageous leader, but you may find some of the information on this sheet extremely useful. Remember for those of you who may not have experience in a photoshoot of this scale, these days can go for well over twelve hours.” Damen and Nik shared another look after Audin most definitely looked at Nik as he said, ‘for those you who may not have experience.’

“Without further ado, I would like to welcome you, Mr. Jeurre from our very own France, and congratulate you on your opportunity today.” Jeurre was by far the oldest of the photographers, with short cropped hair and a horribly serious expression that downturned his thin lips. “I would like to welcome you, Mr. Guilliame, also from our very own France, and congratulate you on your opportunity today.” Guilliame was a timid looking young man with fidgety fingers and eyebrows that looked permanently high on his forehead. “I would like to welcome you, Ms. Talik, from Turkey, and congratulate you on your opportunity today.” Talik was a tall and muscled woman, nearly at eye-level with both Damen and Nik, and eyes so dark they could have been black. “I would like to welcome you, Mr. Hendric, from Denmark, and congratulate you on your opportunity.” Hendric was large, broad across the shoulders, and had a mop of red hair and a matching beard that was more orange than red. “And lastly, I would like to welcome you, Mr. Nik, from Greece, and congratulate you on your opportunity today.”

Today is going to be quite busy, but hopefully quite rewarding as well. I am looking forward to seeing each of you work.”

Audin didn’t stay to talk or mosey around. He left, finding his way back to a table where Vannes stood with her severely cropped dark bob, and Damen huffed out a laugh.

“I can’t help but feel like that welcoming was nothing but a show.”

“Yeah, my gut is telling me he just did that so we wouldn’t run out the door before they could effectively suck us in for the day,” Nik agreed. He huffed out the same kind of laugh, looked down at the paper in his hand, then looked up at Damen. Overwhelmed was an understatement. “I should –” he started, a hand motioning vaguely at nothing.

“Right. Yeah, of course, Nik. Go do your thing. I’m going to wander, see what trouble I can get into,” Damen said. “Maybe after I get a coffee.”

“I was going to tell you that you looked like a zombie from that shitty movie we watched last month, but I didn’t want to insult you.”

Damen laughed as he walked away, fighting down the instinct to flip Nik off, and then watched until Nik disappeared back behind the curtain. Then, just as he said, Damen started to take the time to wander.

The photoshoot was in a gallery, one located in the southern part of the city, and its grandeur nearly outmatched that of Etoile’s headquarters. It was an all-white gallery, nothing but perfectly glossy marble and empty white walls. There were statues here that reminded Damen of the ones back home, all white, even their eyes, but they didn’t invoke the same kinds of feelings as the ones home; they felt foreign and cold and yet Damen couldn’t not look at them.

“Big boy.” The pet name was said from somewhere behind him and, once again, he turned to find Vannes looking at him with that same expression she had worn minutes ago. “Need help working the coffee machine?”

“No, I’ve got it. Thanks.”

“So, if you’re not a photographer, what on earth are you doing here?” she asked, handing him an empty red mug identical to her own.

“I told you, I’m here with one of the photographers, Nik. I’m his agent,” Damen said. The coffee maker hissed, steam rising from where it was pulling a double-shot before filling up with ninety-degree’s hot water.

Vannes leaned an elbow against the table, lowered her head just a smidge, and said in a quiet voice, “You’re not really his agent, are you? Brother perhaps?”

Damen felt his cheek dimple. “Close enough. Best friends since we were in diapers.”

“You two must be the influencers then,” Vannes said, laughing like she had earlier.

“Influencers?”

“You know, those people on Instagram or whatever that have millions of followers and pretty bodies to keep those followers interested.”

“No,” said Damen. “We’re not like that. We don’t sell anything or –”

“You sell yourselves,” she said, the words accompanied by an eye roll. “You’re not so different from our boys. The main difference, however, is that our boys will eat you alive.” Vannes snatched a sleek black stir stick that sat available in a holder before turning and walking back to where the photographers had disappeared off to, her heels clicking. “Take a croissant, you’ll never have one this good anywhere else.”

Damen understood the overwhelmed look he had seen in Nik’s eyes earlier only, for Damen, he wasn’t sure if it was just being here, if it was the strong smell of the espresso in his nose, if it was the dizzying effect the lights that were getting set up over where the main photos would be taken, if it was the shimmering gold of the clothes and makeup and jewelry, or if it was the thrumming feeling that everyone’s smiles were fake and not telling Damen all he should know.

He shook off the feeling by walking again, this time with a steaming cup in his hands. He walked by the table of jewelry, glittering watches, rings, necklaces, earrings, and a few other items he wasn’t quite sure what to make of, and he didn’t dare touch them. He then walked by the clothing. Unfamiliar as he was with fabrics, he recognized the gauzy look of some shirts and he took in its appearance next to the embroidered sleeves, lace trim, and sleek looking fabric of some of the other pieces.

More people were arriving every second. Damen had noticed it as soon as Vannes had left, the constant opening and closing of the gallery doors, the parade of faces, some smiling and some not. In the corner he saw a familiar face. Jord was there, looking serious as always, and his sunglasses from the day before yesterday were firmly in place despite them being indoors. Damen thought about approaching him and then thought better of it. Instead he opted to wander more, letting his feet guide him where they pleased.

Across the gallery, he spotted Nik for the first time since they had separated. He watched as Nik took a few pictures of one of the statues, looked at the LCD screen, adjusted a few buttons that Damen was certain could change everything about a photo, then took another picture. He watched Nik repeat the process and when it became clear that Nik was going to do that for a while, Damen continued on.

In the far back corner was where the magic must be taking place. Magic, in this case, meant changing the models from every day-beautiful to Etoile photoshoot worthy-beautiful. There were more carts of clothes, more jewelry, a changing curtain, and a line of vanity mirrors that were lit up like the Eiffel tower at night. Damen found himself walking there, preparing to perhaps introduce himself to the makeup artists that might already be there, when he suddenly saw a swish of gold; and then Damen saw him.

Damen hadn’t expected the models to have been ready so early. Then again, Damen didn’t really know a lot about fashion so, looking at it now, his expectations were probably way off the mark anyway. Still, whatever expectations he had had going into this hadn’t prepared him for this.

Everything about him was gold.

He had legs a mile long, legs dressed in a loose and transparent gold material that brushed the tops of his bare feet. Across his shoulders was a drape of gold silk that clung to the skin right below his collarbones and then flowed, the holes of the sleeves so low the top three ribs on both sides of his chest showed. On one of his hands, one of his elegant hands, were four rings, three of them simplistic bands with the smallest of gems embedded in the metal whilst the last one held in its center a large citrine stone. On the other hand were three rings, each with equally sized jewels, ones that matched the jewels dangling from his ears. It was only when he turned, assumingly to talk to one of the makeup artists, that Damen got a look at his face and was able to take in the delicately placed gold leaf on his temples, that dusted the tops of his shoulders and the even more beautiful gold of his hair that had gold interwoven through the strands. Then the light hit him, and Damen saw the one piece of him that didn’t match, that wasn’t gold at all. Beyond the gold shadow dusting the inner corners of his eyes was the most startling blue color, brighter and clearer than the color of the water back home.

Even if he had been in a room full of nothing but the most beautiful of things, Damen knew then and there he would have never been able to look anywhere else.

Whatever snippet of conversation the model and the makeup artist had been having must have ended because suddenly he was walking toward Damen. Somehow there was both a determination and a carelessness to the way he walked, as though he was very ready for whatever was to come and felt very above it all too.

“À moins que cette tasse de café ne soit pour moi, il n'y a aucune raison pour que vous vous teniez ici.”

Damen had a lot of reactions to that. The main part of him wanted to laugh, that kind of laugh that comes out as a huff of air from his nose, and say something, something like, ‘This coffee isn’t for you, but my room has a coffee machine that’ll do a great job if you want to check it out.’ The other part of Damen wanted to say something of the same tone as his, something in French just to cause a reaction, something like, ‘Surpris, vous pouvez même me voir ici depuis ce grand cheval sur lequel vous êtes,’ or ask ‘Portez-vous de l'or pour montrer votre personnalité scintillante ou pour cacher votre merde?’ But instead of doing any of that, saying any of that, Damen just stared, taking in the way he walked as though he was gliding, taking in the hard pull of his otherwise full mouth, taking in the single strand of blond hair that had fallen out of his artfully done do and instead was swinging in front of those blue eyes.

It was only when he was standing by Audin, speaking, that Damen noticed Nik, still across the room, staring pointedly right at Damen whilst making the universal ‘Cut it out!’ motion across his neck.

It brought Damen back to himself and he laughed, laughing harder when Nik mouthed, ‘You’re dead to me.’ Damen walked over to Nik, mouthing back as he walked, ‘I’m the only thing keeping you from hanging yourself right now,’ with a noose motion and everything.

“How’s it going?” he asked, taking in the open camera bag and all the lenses scattered. The death stare he got from Nik said it all.

“I have no idea what I’m doing.” He lifted up one lens that was wider than the one already in his hands before setting it back down. “I knew that coming into this. I knew that when they handed me that folder and I most definitely knew it walking in here. But after that?” he said, jutting a thumb where Charls had joined Audin and the model, “I’m going to be lucky to get out of here alive.”

“Hey,” Damen started. “You’re going to be fine. They’re not even going to know what to do when they see what you create.”

“I’m sure you’ve heard what they’re saying about me. About us,” Nik said.

Damen leaned a shoulder against one of the many white pillars. “No?”

“Well half of them speak only French, so I’m sure my translation is off, but Mr. Denmark over there was talking to Jeurre, the old man, about how we’re influencers,” he said, making a face at the word.

“Oh,” Damen with the exact same face, “yeah. Vannes, our lovely friend we met when we first got here, told me that.” He took in Nik’s furrowed brow, took in the muscle clenching in his jaw. “Look, they might think of us, of you, like that right now, but I meant what I said, Nik. They’re going to see what you create and they’re going to realize how below you they all are. I –”

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Charls announced loudly, his voice carrying far with the high ceilings. He sounded joyous and genuine, far different than anyone else here had sounded as they spoke. “Many of our models are in the final stages of dress. That means it will be time to begin in the next few minutes. Photographers, please begin setting up over here, to the left. I can’t wait to see what art you envision!”

“See?” Damen muttered. “That guy believes in you.”

Nik rolled his eyes and went to comment when the blond walked by again. He was going back toward the vanities where one of the stylists was beckoning him. Damen watched with rapt attention as the stylist fixed that loose strand of hair that had been one of the many objects of Damen’s focus earlier.

“His name is Laurent.”

“Hm?”

Nik was squatted down, rearranging lenses, but now he was looking at Damen. The look in his eyes was too familiar, a resigned kind of look that Damen hadn’t seen on Nik’s face since Jokaste, and yet he was smiling. The upturn to his mouth made him look more exasperatedly fond.

“The blond. His name is Laurent.” Nik fiddled with two of the buttons on the camera, turning one to the left three times, turning the other to the right once. “He’s Etoile’s top earner and also the nephew of the owner. I would say he only got the job because of his connections, but clearly,” Nik said with a careless motion to where Laurent stood, “that’s not the reason. Or, well, not the only reason anyway.”

“Laurent.” Damen tested out the name. “He’s, uh, something.”

“He’s blond, blue-eyed, beautiful, and, if what I’ve heard is true, a raging bitch so yeah, he really is something. He’s all of your weaknesses wrapped into one.”

Damen ignored the last part. “Who said he’s a bitch?”

“Anyone and everyone that’s ever been in a room with him for longer than two minutes.”

“He can’t be that bad,” said Damen.

Nik shot him another look. “Jeurre over there has worked with him before. Jeurre says that at a photoshoot two years ago, Laurent made one of the newer designers cry so hard that he quit on the spot. I’ve heard one of the current designers talking about how Laurent refused to let one of the newest models, one of the newest signees, be part of this show at all and put down his foot until his uncle gave him his way. I also heard another one of the models say that Laurent gets to lead all the shoots because of his name.”

“Well, I think his face probably has a big thing to do with the last part,” Damen said.

“That’s not the point, Damen. He’s a spoiled, entitled, and, again, raging bitch. If he doesn’t like someone, he can and will make their life a living hell. And in this case, that means that if he doesn’t like me, it’s me whose life will be made a living hell and who won’t get a shot at making it beyond these next three days. But, if what I have also heard is true, he doesn’t like anybody so…” Nik trailed. “Who knows what that means.”

“Come on, who doesn’t like your smiling face?”

“Alright everyone,” Charls said over the noise of the room once again. “We are now ready to do our preliminary shots. Photographers, you will each do some photographs of our entire beautiful group before we start rotating each model with you all individually and in smaller groups, most likely duos.”

“Time to start,” Nik said with a huff.

“You’re going to kill it,” Damen said.

“Or get killed.”

The photoshoot background was nothing but a white backdrop, one that might as well have been the white walls of the gallery. The models were all in place and they looked like the inside of a jewelry box, all glittering and golden and bright. It was evident who the stars of Etoile were; they were placed near the front, shining. The redhead Damen and Nik had seen earlier was there, dressed in an all-sheer gold piece, the only solid bit of gold being the piece around his hips and the line of paint from the center of his forehead all the way down the bridge of his nose and the middle of his lips. Then there was a brunette, curly haired and young with green eyes and a flowing golden top, ones with sleeves that almost touched the floor when his hands were by his sides and a shock of gold shadow on his lids that made his green eyes look full of fire. Toward the back was a slew of other models, all pretty, if generic, mostly with hair in shades of brown and a small handful of ones with brown eyes that reflected the gold and made the eyes look like honey. And there, at the front, was Laurent. That loose strand of hair had long been put in place but Damen couldn’t not remember where it had fallen, how its gold had matched the gold of everything else and how Laurent’s blue eyes were the most startling thing in this entire gallery.

Damen, seeing that it was his time to let Nik do his thing, took a step back.

All five of the photographers had a different set up, had a different way of standing, and all of the models, even in a group setting, radiated a different kind of energy. Damen watched as Nik took a picture, checked it on the screen, adjusted something on the camera settings, and took another. He watched as Nik lowered himself a little, instead of standing at his full height. Then it became clear Nik had found the right settings for himself and his camera. And then Nik became less interesting to watch from his stagnant pose and Damen’s gaze quickly drifted.

Despite what Nik had told him about Laurent, Damen found himself drawn to watching the blond. There was something about him and the way he moved that was so unlike any of the other models, so unique to him and so graceful and elegant. Damen watched as Laurent pressed a shoulder against the redhead’s shoulder, watched as he lifted a single finger, one heavy with a ring, and placed it underneath the redhead’s chin where the line of solid gold paint ended.

It seemed too soon that things changed; Charls, who had been watching it all with bright hopeful eyes, started separating the photographers to different sections. It became clear the sections were random, that some photographers had sections of the gallery with pillars, or another had a section with the chandelier light overtop. Nik was led over to the gallery windows, bright and surrounded by the statues that reminded Damen of home.

The models were sent in groups and duos as said, all except Laurent who was moving around alone. Nik’s first photos were with the curly haired brunette and three of the less prominent models. Damen watched with fascination as Nik rearranged each model a few times, made some changes after taking three photos, and then took more photos, immediately pleased just as he had been with the group photos earlier.

Each group and duo stayed with each photographer for ten minutes. Damen realized it as he found himself watching Laurent move from the photographer from Denmark to the photographer from Turkey. The photographer from Turkey was in the section under the chandelier and Damen couldn’t not see how she moved back and played with her angles so the light from the chandelier created a rainbow effect with the light and shine of Laurent’s gold. Damen would bet money that those would be Times Square billboard worthy.

Damen had just turned to watch Nik ask the redhead to face the window when Charls announced that it was time for them to move once more. The redhead, heels clicking, left with a flirtatious wave. Then Laurent was there.

Laurent didn’t so much as even wait for Nik to mutter a hello or give him any kind of instruction before he was posing himself, the poses mostly just him standing and yet they were captivating in how natural they came to him. Nik went with it, not bothering to speak up, not until they only had another five minutes.

“Could you,” Nik started, his voice quiet in his attempt to not disrupt anyone else, in his disuse of it, “could you maybe pose with the statue?”

Laurent said nothing, only looked at Nik with a cool blue stare before moving to the statue closest to the window. With a gentle touch, Laurent pressed his fingertips against the statue’s own outstretched ones. Nik snapped a photo. Laurent stayed there for another thirty seconds, his eyes staring straight into the statue’s, and then he stayed there, his eyes staring straight into the camera. After that he shifted, turning himself into the open embrace of the statue’s arms, pressing himself against it close, pressing his cheek against its own cold one, soft as a lover. This time he looked ahead, his eyes finding an empty spot across the room, looking at it under his lashes, the look seductive and untrying. Damen’s breath was lost somewhere.

Nik asked Laurent another question, asked him, “Could you move behind the statue?” and Laurent did. Without prompting, Laurent draped his arms over its shoulders, but not before unclasping his shirt and letting it slide off his body so he could place it on the statue. Nik stepped closer so he was a foot away from the statue, so he could get a closeup shot of Laurent’s eyes against the gold of his now-discarded shirt and the white of the statue’s body.

And then Charls was calling again for the rotation to continue. Laurent left without a spare word or glance for Nik. The gold of his shirt, held between two fingers like it was a dirty handkerchief, trailed behind him.

Nik huffed out an unamused laugh. “Still think he’s not a raging bitch?”

#captive prince #damen of akielos #laurent of vere #lamen #captive prince fic #my writing #mannequin gallery 'verse #the mannequin gallery #the mannequin gallery chapter 3

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hoshigomi · 5 years

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Kurenai-ing! a (not) review~

This is NOT a review, but it IS all my thoughts on Kurenai Yuzuru’s first concert as an OG, Kurenai-ing!! in chronological order as they happened in the show. These thoughts are:

Biased

All over the place

Unfiltered

Honest

Every single one of them is loving and positive

Without further ado!

To start off, from the day this was announced, there was absolutely No Way In Hell I was going to miss this show. They found a way to cast all my favorite OGs, somehow including Uzuki Hayate who wasn’t even ever IN Hoshigumi, (save for Airi and Kai, F, but I see Kai like every day). Today was emotionally weird and I felt off heading to the theatre but honestly, before the lights even went down, when BENIKO began her preshow speech over the intercom? Any bad thing that’s ever been in my life just MELTED away.

The evening started off with “紅 in Male Role” which was just her as you’re used her her in otokoyaku mode. The whole cast got introduced. My love, Ichijou Azusa was the first onstage which rocked. Everyone did Killer Rouge. There was something REALLY sweet about seeing like a bunch of people who Were in Killer Rouge vs. a bunch of people who Weren’t In Killer Rouge all slaying it. Watching Toshi do this number made me daydream about a universe where she was in Hoshigumi and also a universe where I’m married to her. This daydream repeated itself multiple times throughout the evening so I’m gonna denote those moments with a (**). Whenever you see (**) know I was thinking about being probably married to Uzuki Hayate. This was the only point in the show in which I was skeptical of the men being there. I don’t LIKE men, period, but I especially don’t need them in my Takarazuka- adjacent material. (They quickly changed my mind in the next bit of the show.) After the men and Beni all dipped offstage, our Lovely Flawless Incredible OGs (Ichijou Azusa, Kisaragi Ren, Uzuki Hayate, Toa Reiya, Katori Reira, and Umesaki Eve, sang Sayonara Minasama (yeah like... the song they play when people retire or when QR is closing or when they need you to Get Out Of The Theatre.) No one could hear it because everyone was busy laughing. Renta was, as expected, completely unhinged, Shiiran was fake crying, it was a disaster because honestly, I don’t know who looked at these women and was like ‘yeah let’s give them free reign of the stage what’s the worst that could happen?’ It was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen, and then, the curtain just straight up went down as if the show ended.

Of course it DIDN’T. NEXT UP?

BENIKO! She’s back in all her long haired leopard print glory, strutting through the audience through the stage- this time waiting for her? two pieces of mancandy (Kominami Ryuhei and Tagoku Tsubasa) at her beck and call in the ??? PALACE OF VERSAILLES, I GUESS? This was, as all Beniko bits, an improv standup show with a more than a touch of drag sensibility. There was some booty shaking, some fake muscle suits on the slender men, and a lot of laughter. I had tears in my eyes and I have NEVER heard a Japanese audience make this much noise. One of the guys made Beni break when he laughed in the middle of his line, causing Beni to buckle over and snort into her water, it was just.. a treat. These men were NOT equipped to handle Beniko- but then, without practice, who is?

When this all ended, there was a BURST of flame on the screen and standing, sihouetted in backlight, was Toshi(**), looking like (**) I dunno like the worlds hottest woman rockstar (**) and if that wasn’t enough (**) then she STARTED SINGING AND YOU GUYS?

WHAT THE FUCK?

I feel like a lot of things that have happened in Takarazuka are unjust, including several Top Star Careers That Never Were, but as of tonight, the TOP OF THAT LIST is that Toshi never MADE IT. Also that like I never made it to her ochakai. There is another world out there where Toshi has been My Person since day one and I am still in her fanclub to this day. I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t like searching her name on Twitter as we speak trying to find out what Her OG club deal right now is, not that I need to be in ANOTHER OG club, (long story,), but GOD. Holy hell. Her voice is absolutely TOP notch and she was (**) BELTING out this introductory piece and I don’t think I breathed during the whole thing. It was HARD ROCK (**) you guys. (**) (**) (***********************************************************************************************)

From there we had a Takarazuka Medley (labeled in the program as “紅 in neutral”- sense a theme here?)

The medley featured bits from:

Lucky Star!

Gemini (Beni’s infamous girl/boy number from Etoile)

Bouquet de Takarazuka

Stuck Together from Catch Me If You Can, (featuring Renta as Kai’s part, which, oof, I can not wait for Kai to get to see.)

Estrellas

The theme song from Kamatari

Another World (just the first bars of this backing music got laughs)

Om Shanti Om

the God of Stars prologue (and you guys? I would have NEVER expected it but both me and the lady next to me just started CRYING once Beni kicked in with the 今！始まる！素敵な冒険！ bit. We shared a look and like laughed at ourselves. I did NOT see that coming but... more thoughts on Benigumi later. Just know that Dear Reader, I cried.)

Eclair Brillant

Bolero

A Piece of Courage

A song that the program cites as Quimbara which I actually didn’t recognize but (NSFW BELOW, DON’T LOOK IF YOU’RE UNDERAGE, DON’T LOOK IF YOU’RE HANKYU, DON’T LOOK IF YOU’RE GONNA SLIDE INTO MY DMS ABOUT ME NEEDING TO HONOR THE SUMIRE CODE OR WHATEVER because shut UP we all have DESIRES, MA’AM,) I spent the whole time with my eyes fucking transfixed on Shiiran out of everyone in the cast because between her time on the ground and her time idk standing and flirting and making bedroom eyes and like touching people with the tips of her fingers she was just in general doing some NASTY shit with her mouth and pulling girls around and I don’t know if she was playing aggressor or hard to get (or BOTH???? AT THE SAME TIME????) but she sure was grinding on Umesaki Eve and I guess what I’m trying to say is I could physically not breathe. I could say more about what she was getting up to but for like, frankly, my own dignity in this Starbucks I’m gonna leave that memory where it belongs.... in the confessional booth at church.

The medley ended with Beni doing a song from Mozart (but like, not the Mozart that Hoshigumi just did.)

I can not make this up but the program calls the next section of the show “紅 in the Flashy.”

This is where one of Tokyo’s special guests, Miya Rurika, pops up in the same rockstar style as Toshi(**) and I admit I actually thought she was Renta until the audience lost their shit. Guys, Miya looks BEAUTIFUL right now. Her and Beni both seem to be growing their hair out but right now Miya especially has this gorgeous blonde like wavy thing going on and really? Feminine makeup and honestly I was kind of transfixed by her. She sang her song and then was around forrrrrrr

All the Kurenai 5 material! Kurenai 5 (or 4, minus Tenju Mitsuki who is very much currently Acting In A Takarauka show) took over the next bit of the show was and it was every bit as precious as you’d hope. First of all, the way they play off each other is SURREAL and like nothing has changed between them. While I’m sure stuff HAS CHANGED, the love and the fun they have for and with each other has not. They encored some of their old songs, and you’ll be pleased to know that Tenju Mitsuki was present in cardboard cutout form, pushed around on a tiny wheeled platform by Katori Reira (who may I just add, along with Umesaki Eve, made every song they were in sound like there was a whole troupe worth of musumeyaku onstage. Girl can SING.) Beni turned to sneeze at one point and sneezed directly into Miya’s mic on accident. They also played a video message from Mikkii. It still took a while for the cardboard cutout to stop being funny. My favorite part of this segment was when Beni cracked Renta up and kept giving her shit until she was on the floor laughing and unable to say what she had been trying to say and then Shiiran straight up took the mic out of Renta’s hands and spoke for her. さすが、Shiiran.

The show was winding down at this point, but Beniko made a reappearance (”BENIKO in DELUSION”, according to the program). We transitioned out of that ad lib with a number for the ladies, Reira and Eve. It was boppy and jazzy and idolly and I got the idea into my head somewhere in here that Katori Reira HAS to play either Velma or Roxie in Chicago before either of us die and if I have to personally fund that happening, well, help me find my wallet because I’m off to the bank.

During this Beni changed into... not her otokoyaku clothes again but not BENIKO, just, herself, but girly. (Program calls this: 紅 in Feminine). She does a speech about herself and what she wants out of the future and whether she wants to be called a 女優 (explicitly FEMALE actress) or not post-TKZ, and somewhere in here she had a talk with Utahiroba Jun, another man who is completely and utterly obsessed with her, and rightfully so. He was a guest but didn’t actually perform aside from with EVERYONE in one song.) Beni rounds out the concert in a beautiful dress singing her heart out and I’m truly really touched by how far she’s come and how beautifully she performs.

There were, as there tend to be, like 83746958 encores(**) and people running on and off stage.

This was without a doubt one of the best nights of my life. I laughed until I cried, I straight up Normal Cried, I couldn’t Breathe for my like, unsumire thoughts, I was touched, and I was so so happy. Beni is my all-time favorite top star and probably always will be, and more than a singer or actress or dancer or comedian, Beni I think embodies the title of “entertainer” better than anyone I’ve ever personally had the pleasure to watch onstage or off. Watching her has made ME want to take more risks in performance and in life and to just do my best with everything life throws at me. Tonight she was so much of the Beni we all got to know and love in Takarazuka, but like, unleashed and able to be her truest, funniest, biggest, most loving self. Her ability to talk to the audience and everyone onstage and keep character and keep her humor and balance without missing a beat is unparalleled. I really, truly love this woman, and I am so so so happy I got to see this incredible kickoff of her OG career.

If I think of more, I’ll add it, but for now, as Beni hersef finished off the night by saying: Go your own way!!

#takarazuka #kurenai yuzuru #kurenaiing!!#ichijou azusa #kisaragi ren #uzuki hayate

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the-foxwolf · 6 years

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Lili, my Lili

For once in my Tumblr career so far, I will say the following. This article will in fact have some pro-Liliana bias in it. Some. I have written pages and pages and pages about Liliana, so by now I hope you all have realized I tend to be fairly good at keeping it held back. Even so, I will try to keep it at a minimum. But this article is meant to discuss Liliana and her Character Growth since we first truly met her in Agents of Artifice, arguably the real first literature that features her

Gather `Round! It is Story Telling Time!

(Liliana of the Veil: Innistrad) (Art by Steve Argyle)

Baseline- Agents of Artifice

Before we go into this, let’s discuss a baseline from where she started, where we really met her for the first time: Agents of Artifice. This is the first time we really get the chance to see her at any length and spend time with her. What kind of person was she at this time?

(Liliana’s Caress: 2011 Core Set) (Art by Steve Argyle)

The following statement from Liliana’s Indignation by Kelly Diggs summarizes quite succinctly the events of Agents of Artifice:

Jace. She'd befriended him on false pretenses, played on his emotions, manipulated him into joining an interplanar crime syndicate, then into overthrowing it. By the time it all went wrong, she'd grown genuinely fond of him, and betraying him had torn out one more strand of her threadbare sense of humanity. Not that that had stopped her, and anyway, if she hadn't done it they'd both be heroically, uselessly dead. Still, she could see why he might bear a grudge.

It doesn’t quite do the whole thing justice in that she did so much worse to him that apparently she didn’t see important enough to even merit remembering.

With that baseline, let’s move on.

Innistrad

We don’t see Lili for a while after this. We see her pursuing the Chain Veil, dealing with the Raven Man, with Garruk, and hunting down her demons. No real character development going on for a while. Not at least until Shadows over Innistrad. During Origins, she still had not changed. She knocked on Jace’s door knowing exactly how to manipulate him into helping her clear out the Onnake. It wasn’t until Shadows over Innistrad that we finally begin to see some real Character Development.

Return to Innistrad

Throughout the course of the Shadows Over Innistrad storyline, we see very little change in Liliana. One thing for certain that we see is that Liliana is constantly lying to herself. The phrase: “She didn't need him. She needed someone to need her.” Comes up a few times throughout the arc. But this serves little purpose beyond showing the audience that she hold at least some feelings toward him and that she lies to herself constantly.

(Liliana, the Last Hope: Eldritch Moon) (Art by Anna Steinbauer)

Ravnica

In the events of The Flood, by the R&D Story Team, we see Vrazka’s point of view of an intimate moment between Jace and Liliana. We notice Liliana hasn’t changed a bit yet. She’s still trying to play with his feelings to have him under her palm. However, we must recognize that this event took place almost immediately after the conclusion of the Shadows arc. Jace is complaining about chess, a game Emrakul, or at least its avatar, forced Jace to play. Point being, this event takes place shortly after the fight with Emrakul.

The events of Homesick, by Chris L`Etoil, are more difficult to interpret. To me, it seems Liliana is starting to grow fond of the Gatewatch. She’s started teasing them. Talking with and about them as though they were friends. I’m not convinced she is necessarily friends with any of them yet, but her tsundere quality is starting to show and her initial cold iciness has warmed up to a lukewarm chill. Making friends. Or least getting close to it. Good. Progress. She has not had a friend...ever. Literally. Before she ignited she had tutors and targets. But no one outside her family she saw as a peer or as an equal. As an Old Walker and up until now, everyone has been a tool. But now... the Gatewatch are still tools, but she is actually getting along and enjoying their company. Take note, the events of Homesick take place THREE MONTHS after the events described in The Flood. We know this for certain at the very least because the events of this story immediately lead up to the Kaladesh story arc...by which point she and Jace had “reminisced” about old times at least three times.

And do not tell me their “reminiscing” was merely conversational. Read this section over. Even a fool can tell their “reminiscing” was much more than that.

"You should go back. The others will notice if you don't come home tonight," said the woman.

Jace shrugged. "It's just past sunset. I've got time."

"Oh." The woman looked Jace over, visibly weighing some decision in her mind.

(Liliana, Death’s Majesty: Amonkhet) (Art by Chris Rallis)

"This is just two old acquaintances, relaxing after a victory," the woman responded. "Reminiscing about the good old days."

Jace absently tugged on his right glove. "Those days weren't all good."

"We weren't, either," the woman said in a hushed, dangerous tone.

In a moment, the game transformed, chessboard tossed on the floor, metaphorical dice on the table. She was a gambler, floating an offer for one more round, one more bet, just for the hell of it, c'mon, fellas, what's the worst that could happen.

"We're not together," the woman in violet added. "But you don't have to leave just yet."

Jace looked up from his drink and met her gaze with a hopeful look.

The woman topped up both of their glasses and lifted hers. "To new good old days," she said.

To Vraska's relief, the illusion dissolved, and the riverbed returned.

Kaladesh

Finally we starting seeing some growth. Measurable growth. We see a lot of that in Puppets, by James Wyatt.

A single spell could drain the life from the soldiers and add their walking corpses to her retinue... Killing these soldiers would be easy—but, strangely, that had not been her plan. Perhaps Jace and—she shuddered a little—and General Meat-Shield are rubbing off on me.

Tezzeret himself comments on Liliana’s strange new behavior.

"I think [Jace] softened you, Vess. The necromancer I knew four years ago would have marched in here at the head of a zombie army. And she might have lived to tell about it.

Even though she recognized the inefficiency of not slaying everyone in her path and building an gang of zombies, she refused. As Tezzeret said, Pre-Gatewatch Liliana would not have hesitated for a second to wipe them out and bring them along. This is honestly a mind boggling change for her. Leaps and bounds different than the person she was before the Gatewatch.

Amonkhet

We see a change so grand in her it even shocks herself. Liliana does not seem to grow incrementally, but rather in great bursts as the trust bubbles out of her without her consent. Lili is a master of lying to herself.

In Hour of Devestation, by , we see another facet of Lili change- her heart. Looks like she’s finally let herself have feelings for Cloak Boy.

(Jace’s Defeat: Hour of Devastation) (Art by Kieran Yanner)

She looked again at the space where Jace had been, his agonized screams echoing in her mind. She felt something wet at the corner of her eyes, but willed it away, refusing to show weakness to anyone.

But these new feeling and emotions in her heart extend beyond just Jace. She genuinely has come to care about The Gatewatch. As Bolas defeated them one by one, we see Liliana exhibit some new, alien, behavior.

She didn't know what made her turn to the others, but she did it anyway, the words coming before she could stop them...

She was unused to the swirl of emotion she felt....

"Please. If you stay here, you will die. This is not the way." She hated the pleading in her voice, but she let her words stand....

Her choices always led her here. Another betrayal. Another disappointment. Another trap. It was the comfort she found in the dead. They could not be betrayed. They could not be disappointed. They could not look at her with hurt and anger in their eyes....

(Liliana’s Defeat: Hour of Devastation) (Art by Kieran Yanner)

She surrounded herself in a glowing nimbus of dark energy and vanished into the void, her tears finally free to fall in the empty spaces between worlds.

Feelings for Jace. Concern for the mortality of the Gatewatch. Now we see that her association with the Gatewatch extends beyond mere utility. If utility was all she truly desired, she would have accepted Bolas’ help. But she did not. Vitally important fact.

Dominaria

While we see some Character Growth in Return to Dominaria: Episode 1, by Martha Wells, most of the Character Growth so far has been seen in In Return to Dominaria: Episode 2, by Martha Wells, where we see Liliana practice something she’s not familiar with... honesty.

She might have used the moment to lie or try to manipulate him, but she hadn't. It had surprised him, and made him think they might actually have a chance to kill Belzenlok and then Nicol Bolas. If they could really work together as allies, anything was possible.

Her first instinct was to lie and manipulate Gideon into helping. But BeefslabTM is an honest man whose trust requires honesty. In what is a pretty tremendous event, she decided to just drop her veils and tell him the truth. There are other examples so far in the story, but I’ll leave it short for brevity’s sake. This event is particularly impactful because her first instance of intentional honesty in who knows how long was with Gideon, a man whose moral compass frustrated Liliana.

(Deploy the Gatewatch: Eldritch Moon) (Art by Wesley Burt)

We see something else that is rather surprising: Liliana owning up to her actions- taking responsibility for her crimes. When thinking about Josu, when she realized he is still alive.

It was easy to see now that she had been single-minded and selfish about it, ignoring warnings, rushing as if minutes were meaningful, wanting only to succeed where others had failed and make herself the hero of her family. But it was a teenager's selfishness, a childish self-absorption. It didn't deserve this. Josu didn't deserve this.

She tried blaming The Raven Man, several times. But each time, she corrected herself, telling herself that she was the one who took the action. All The Raven Man did was provide the poison. It was Lili who chose to try and be a hero, who chose to trust a shady stranger, who did not have the patience to check her work.

Conclusion

Three major changes we have seen from Liliana since the events of Agents of Artifice are:

The ability to be honest

The ability of self restraint

The ability to care for others beyond just their utility

She had none of that at the very beginning of this article. I understand that some of these scenes could be interpreted differently. Even so, I feel very confident in saying that Liliana has changed- for the better.

Hit that “Reblog” button if you liked what you read. For more short stories, articles, and discussion from me at Story Telling Time, hit that “Follow” button.

See ya next time!

#Liliana Vess #Liliana #MTG #Magic Story #story telling time

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infinitysdecendants76730 · 4 years

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Infinity’s Descendants- Finding My Way

“New Beginnings?”

“The council shall deliberate in consideration of this newborn and will reconvene once an agreement has been reached” Marrius announced to those of us in the chamber. After Marius stood he whispered something in Jareth’s ear. We have enhanced hearing but I couldn’t have heard him if I tried with all of my power. Jareth looked our way, first at Cassius then at me and shook his head. I quickly looked away from him, I didn’t want to chance giving anything away. Azazelle always told me that my eyes often gave me up before my words or actions did. Not shortly after I looked away the council left the room.

“Mariana, please help the newborn clean herself up” Jareth said from the platform. Mariana hurriedly made her way over to Zaz. “Cassius can you please join me in the hallway” continued Jareth. This type of atmosphere fit him extremely well. Cassius looked at squeezed and my hand “I will be back shortly mon etoile. Stay here with Amélie” I usually can find some type of comfort in his smile but this one was different. He seemed very nervous and his nerves certainly were not aiding me in taming mine. He left me without looking back.

I started to get the sense that Athan is quite the accomplished flirt seeing that he winked at me before following Cassius and Jareth out of the chamber. Truthfully, even in a situation such as this I still had to focus on not blushing. The atmosphere in this room, to me, was just like the blood of its inhabitants, cold. The only people I truly felt like I knew were no longer in the room so I suppose it is just Amélie and myself now. Atleast she can keep me company until Cassius returns or the council finishes its deliberations.

I was admiring the craftsmanship of these arm chairs when Amélie tapped me softly on my shoulder. “Céleste, I see a couple of my friends. I am going to go speak with them while we await the Camorra. Feel free to mingle should you please”. She had just barely finished speaking when she left her seat. Well so much for that thought. I took a deep breath. As I looked around the room I started to feel uncomfortable yet again. You need not be a genius to deduce that the many eyes focused on me were reasoning on my purpose for being present. Finding Cassius is probably the best thing for me to do right now. Maybe I can make my way to that hallway without having to converse with anyone.

The door was just a few feet before me when I heard a familiar soft silky voice. “Mademoiselle Leblanc” I turned to greet him. “Leo”. I must quickly end this conversation. The last thing I need is for his band of beautiful killers to join him. “I knew I smelled traces of your delectable scent when I arrived. I assumed it was just a garment Cassius was wearing. How odd it is to see you here. Nevertheless, I am still pleased to see you” He bowed and kissed my hand. Something I wish he would not have done as it drew even more attention to me. “Your presence here must mean that Cassius has finally claimed you. How are you liking Giovanni-Montoire? Was your reception warm?” To my surprise he took a step back after saying this. Some sort of respect for the vampire who “claimed” me maybe? I hesitated to answer his question. Cassius told Zaz and I the rules. The last of which was that all newborns must be presented to the Camorra then subsequently trained and taught the rules once they are placed in a House. This did not take place with myself nor my sister. If I disclose this information will Cassius suffer consequences or even worse will I?

“Mademoiselle? Is the house that bad” Leo’s laugh brought me to the present. “No, no I am sure the house is fine I-“

« Mademoiselle, Je t'ai cherché partout. Nous devons rejoindre les autres. Ils nous attendent. » The gorgeous young man who had been sitting by Athan earlier wrapped his arm in mine.

« Pardon » he said to Leo as he purposefully led me away.

Once we were out the door and alone in the hallway he stood before me and bowed. « Enchanté, mademoiselle. You are now free of the nuisance that is Leo” In my line of work I see all sorts of handsome men yet I must say that the looks of the most handsome of handsome mortal men do not even compare that of a vampire. Gabriel turned on his heels and began to walk away, but wait he can’t walk away yet. I have not thanked him for saving me. « Attends! » He turned to me with a smile on his face. “I wish to thank you but I do not know your name” I smiled. « Je m’appelle Gabriel. Cassius is just around that corner” I began to ask how he knew I was looking for Cassius but thought it was probably rather obvious since he and I were sitting together.

Before I go to Cassius I must see if I can speak to Zaz again. To date, I have never been able to do anything like I had when she was fighting. I thought blood memories were my only power. So, I focused as hard as I could and again will my sister to hear my words. “Zaz, peux-tu m’entendre? Es-tu blessé?” To my surprise Azazelle’s response was as clear as the Mediterranean back home in Marseille. It was the strangest feeling I have ever known. Knowing that she is okay I can now go to Cassius.

I heard Jareth speaking as I approached the corner. I decided to wait before I appeared to them. “Cassius I have done everything I could for you. Much more than I should have considering my position. Marius saw you” Jareth really put emphasis on that last sentence. “There is no more negotiating. The Camorra has spoken as have I. You know what must be done. If you do not do it, you are very well aware of the consequences” said Jareth.

« Je comprend » I couldn’t see him but from the way he sounded I could tell that Cassius was standing with his back towards the corner. I thought about showing myself but something told me to wait. I stood completely silent, careful not to move around too much. I didn’t want Jareth nor Cassius to sense my presence.

“Bon. Now, tell me about this newborn. What is her name? Have you any knowledge of the vampire who turned her? It is possible that father and the remaining elders shall want to meet with he or she as they have also violated Camorra rules” Now was the time for me to step in. Cassius had already disclosed too much information about my sister and if we are to protect ourselves I must keep him from sharing any other information before Zaz and I can get away. As soon as I walked around the corner Jareth greeted me. “Céleste” he nodded politely at me. He was always quite the gentleman. “My sincerest apologies if I interrupted any matters of importance. I was growing weary of the strange faces” My laugh was awkward but it reflected how I felt. “No need for apology Mademoiselle. Cassius and I were just talking about the newborn” Cassius turned completely around so that Jareth could no longer see his face “Indeed we were. That was some display she put on was it not?” His eyes widened, perhaps as a warning for me but he needn’t worry. I would die before I gave up any information about my sister. “It was. Are all of these hearings usually this eventful?” Cassius backed up so that the three of us could all clearly see each other and Jareth could reply to me. “Not at all they are almost always excruciatingly boring. This is one of the most exciting ones I have attended in about 100 years” Hmm, 100 years? I wonder if Jareth is older than Cassius? “Pity, she did not kill Ravi. He is quite the pain in the ass. Cassius how did you get her to stop? ” Jareth’s question surprised Cassius. “Me? I had nothing to do with that. I wanted her to finish him off as well. You know how much I loathe the Cavalieri Bianchi” said Cassius. “Stop the games. She looked directly at you Cassius” For a brief moment Jareth and Cassius stared at each other. “Unless she was looking at...” I could see the gears turning in their heads, they then both turned to me. “...you?” Continued Jareth. This wasn’t an accusation. He truly was bewildered as was Cassius. “Have you any knowledge of the newborn?” Jareth asked me.

I was so thankful when I heard someone else speak. “Jareth, Cassius, come. We have came to a decision” The man Cassius called Amir was standing in the hallway. “Of course sir right away” Cassius replied immediately. “Suis-moi, Mademoiselle” he said to me. Amir let us pass but not before doing a double take at me.

Once we were seated again Jareth escorted Azazelle in. The room gasped collectively. I cannot think of a time that I had been more proud of my sister. There she was standing before all of these strangers showing no fear and not only had she amazed them with her skills but now she was amazing them with the beauty that I so desperately tried to get her to see on a daily basis.

I could tell that Lasko was speaking to Azazelle but I was unable to make out their conversation due to the several being held around me. “We have come to an agreement that this newborn shall be placed in the Brézé coven and belong to The House of Léon” Marrius’ announcement caused quite a bit of commotion in the room. I heard sighs of relief, murmurs of disapproval, and even a couple of cheers. One thing was certain was that Lasko was elated.

“Such a pity, she would have made a nice addition to our house” Amélie said after hearing the ruling. “Oh well, c’est ça. Amélie! I am famished, would you like to come feed with me?” Asked Mariana. “Delighted” Amélie replied. The occupants of the room followed Mariana’s lead and began taking their leave as well.

I watched as Lasko approached my sister then took her away. “Brézé coven? Cassius what does all of this mean where is he taking Azazelle?” I wanted to go speak with Zaz but Cassius was quickly leading me out of the room. “I will explain everything on the way back to the estate. Right now we must go”

I make it to the carriage before Cassius does and as I sit in the silence of the dark I cannot help but feel that this is the last time I will ever see my sister. The thought makes me nauseous because I promised her that I would protect her and she is alone once again. I look out the window of the carriage at the many lit windows of House Giovanni-Montoire wondering if my little sister is in one of those rooms or another dungeon like the one I let Cassius keep her in. Another thought that makes me nauseous. I have disregarded my thoughts and better judgement for what others thought would be in my ‘best interest’ time and time again and look at were it has gotten me. Look at the turmoil it has caused. The day has come where I no longer heed the council of those who do not know me nor the extent of my capabilities.

Cassius climbed into the carriage and waived at his friends as we rode off. I waited until we were far enough away before I decided to say anything. I want there to be no chance of someone hearing anything that is said between Cassius and I. “Once again I have trusted you and once again you have withheld information from me” He turned and looked surprised by my accusatory tone. However, he stayed silent and assessed me, like he always did when he wasn’t sure how he should respond to me.

“Speak”

He stared at me for a brief moment then returned to looking out of the window whilst running his fingers over the stitching of the portfolio sitting in his lap. To be frank his silence was both disrespectful and extremely infuriating.

“I said speak”

Slowly he turned his head towards me. “You are right, I did withhold information from you once again but it was only” “To protect me?” I said sardonically. “You and I both know that is a lie. Do not insult my intelligence.” Cassius’s expression hardened. “Tell me the whole truth or we can say our farewells” I was serious but I hoped that he would not call my bluff about the farewells. Spending an eternity without him was something I was not certain I could handle. Right now I wished one of my powers was to read minds, I would have paid a fortune to be privy to the information running through his head. The thumb of his left hand tapped frantically on the portfolio and he was toying with his lips with his right hand. However since he still hadn’t divulged any information I had to raise the stakes. I started to push the door to the carriage open. “Wait Celeste please. Do not go” I sat back down and crossed my legs. “The whole truth is that….I am a death dealer. My duties mainly revolve around protection but there are times when I am sent to assess potential threats or scout the potential of a new” he waived his hand around as he searched for the right word to use. “A new venture, if you will, for our house.” He moved forward in his seat so that i could see his entire face. “Celeste I fell madly in love with you and because of that I have broken all of the rules. Not just once but several times. We cannot reside at Giovanni-Montoire because you were not placed in that house nor were you presented to the Camorra. You were not presented to the Camorra because I turned you in a place where you were never allowed to be. I made the decision to turn you because had I not they would have had their way with you and left you for dead. Since they made me take your mortal life all three of them lost their immortal one. If any council member found out about the events that took place that day they would have ordered you to be killed immediately and I would have been punished…severely. Both of us are forever in Jareth’s debts because he ensured that no one found out” Uncharacteristically Cassius plopped back against the seat in the Carriage and ran his hand though his hair. He exhaled like a weight had just been taken off his chest. I’d have time later to process everything he had divulged but right now I still needed more information. “Et Mariana?” Given her relationship with Jareth I felt it imperative to inquire about her knowledge of the situation as well. “Jareth and Mariana are lovers but unlike myself Jareth is much more successful when it comes to not mixing business with pleasure. Her knowledge of us is limited only to the things he feels she should know and nothing more” he replied. “What about Azazelle?” I asked. “What of her?” He asked ass he sat back up. He was back to his regular self sitting with perfect posture. “What knowledge do Jareth and Mariana have of her?” I felt as though he knew what I was asking of him initially but just needed to hear me ask it. “If you are curious about wether or not I told them that the two of you are sisters you needn’t worry. I told no one” A flood a relief ran through me at hearing this. “This is both good and bad I’m afraid” he added. “How so?” “With no one having knowledge of her there is no one to betray her secret but should anyone ever find out that would mean trouble for you” I had already considered that latter part and that is something I will have to deal with should it ever arise.

I appreciate that he has finally divulged all this information but it does anger me that he did not share any of it with me prior to everything escalating. Perhaps it would have kept us from getting in this predicament or eradicated our troubles completely. Well some of our troubles at least. The hurdle of getting into a house without being murdered sounds like quite the daunting task but Cassius and I will have time to figure that out later. As much as he frustrated me, he was the only light I had on this dark path.

It was now time to ask perhaps the most important question of the night. “Now that Zaz belongs to a Coven and has been placed in a house is she in any danger?”

“Not entirely” Foolishly I expected for Cassius to tell me that she would be fine. “What do you mean not entirely? She either is or is not in danger. C’est simple” “She should not be harmed by any in her house or coven but the things she will have to do will put her in grave danger at times” I sighed heavily, the more he shares the worse everything gets. “Can we get her back?” He looked at me as if he was afraid to answer which made me sit up and lean towards him. “Cassius, answer me. Can we get her back?” “No” he replied. I dropped my head into my hands. I didn’t want to hear anymore.

Cassius and I stayed quiet for the rest of the ride. Usually when we arrived Cassius would exit first then would open the door for me to help me exit but I didn’t even bother to wait for him to come around tonight. As soon as the carriage came to a complete stop I opened my door and headed towards the house. Cassius was by my side almost immediately after I heard his carriage door close. “I understand that you may upset or angry with me” he said as we approached the door. “Please do not shut me out…” Now that we were back in the comfort and protection of these walls I was able to fully let my guard down and the exhaustion of the night finally struck me. All I wanted was to go someplace quiet to gather my thoughts. “Celeste, please. I cannot bare you not talking to me” he grabbed my hand and when I turned to face him his lips softly met mine. “I truly do understand your frustrations. Perhaps you should take them out on me in the bedroom?” The look in his eyes pleading for me to agree.

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purpleswans1 · 7 years

Text

Dancing with the Prince

I realized a couple of weeks ago that despite how much I love Arslan Senki, I haven’t written anything for it yet. This is me fixing that. It might have also been inspired by a certain ballroom anime, but you can’t prove anything.

Read also on FF, AO3 and AS Amino

Etoile wasn’t one for dancing. At least, that’s what she told herself.

In reality, she’d never given the action any thought. A knight had no use for dancing. Girls in constricting dresses and retired lords in their grand castles would go to balls and dance while the real knights were risking their lives on the battlefield. Dancing was meant to be a celebration, something only done once the war was won.

All in all, Etoile didn’t see herself dancing for a very long time.

Right now, she was essentially a prisoner in the enemy’s camp. It was only through the kindness of that crazy Prince Arslan of Pars that she and the other survivors from the keep of St. Emanuel were allowed to live and heal.

Dancing was the farthest thing from her mind.

Speaking of that crazy prince…

“Etoile!”

Here he is, running up to her with a smile on his face, without a care in the world.

As if they weren’t supposed to be enemies. As if he wasn’t the prince of a nation her country had come to conquer. As if he was just an ordinary boy coming up to greet his friend.

“What are you doing all the way out here?” Etoile asked. “Especially without some kind of guard?”

Etoile had left the main camp to do some laundry by the river. Her armor and the clothes of her fellow Lusitanians were filthy, so she’d taken advantage of some rare free time by the river and resolved to wash the clothes.

This put her a little ways away from the main camp, where a crown prince shouldn’t be.

“Come on! You are going to miss it!” Arslan insisted instead of offering an explanation. He grabbed her hand and pulled her back towards the center of the camp.

“Wait… the laundry!” Etoile cried.

“It will be there when you get back. Come on!” Arslan insisted.

Begrudgingly, Etoile followed without any more complaint. She knew Arslan well enough by now to just go along with it.

He dragged her through the camp, navigating the rows of tents and weapon racks like they were meant to be there and hadn’t been constructed earlier that day. There weren’t that many people scattered throughout the camp, but the few they passed only waved briefly at their prince and Etoile.

Finally, Arslan stopped at the edge of a circle of tents. The large fire the soldiers used for light and cooking was in the middle, and may people were sitting around it.

Well, sitting probably wasn’t an accurate description.

Most of the men were on their feet, jumping around in strange maneuvers and waving their arms like they were swatting invisible flies. And yet, they all had expressions of joy on their faces. The few people that were sitting down were tapping their feet and smiling.

Some of the men were playing instruments. A stringed Oud, a long flute, and some decorated drums. Others were singing lyrical notes with a story Etoile didn’t know and a tune she didn’t recognize.

Arslan turned to her with a smile. “Come on, let us dance!”

“Wa—” Etoile didn’t get to finish her protest as that crazy prince pulled her out into the open.

Some of the men cheered at the sight of their leader. That only made Etoile feel worse about this.

“Etoile.”

Arslan was standing in front of Etoile. He was holding his hand out for her to grab. “Would you like to dance with me?”

Etoile stuttered. “I—I don’t know how! Why would you –”

“Just trust me, okay?” Arslan said. His face had that adorable hopeful look on it.

Etoile took his hand.

The music picked up.

Arslan leaned in to whisper in her ear. “Just do what feels right.”

Etoile didn’t think that advice would help her, but she tried anyway.

Since her armor was among the other pieces of dirty laundry, Etoile was wearing a short tunic. It wasn’t anything like the dresses she used to wear at home, and it didn’t give her the protection of her armor, but it was much lighter than either of those things and gave her more freedom of movement. That was something she would soon be thankful for.

It started as some small marching in place. Arslan swung his arms and made Etoile dance in circles, though somehow she didn’t feel like she was getting dizzy.

Before long, the steps turned into little hops, matching the beat of the drums. Arslan released one of her hands, and she twirled under their joined arms.

Etoile realized that she was genuinely enjoying herself.

Arslan pulled her in closer, and the two of them were spinning faster, faster, faster as the music picked up. The world outside the two of them soon became a blur. The only thing Etoile could see was the prince in front of her.

And then the music stopped, and so did the movement.

People were cheering around them, but Etoile barely noticed over the sound of her heavy breathing. She looked over her shoulder, and realized that in addition to half the camp all the major generals were watching.

Daryun was standing to the side with Kishward. The two of them were engaged in conversation, though they were looking at Arslan and Etoile. Something they saw or were talking about made them smile.

Farangis and Lucian were sitting down, sharing drinks. Etoile could feel the older woman’s stare at her back, but it didn’t feel judgmental or hostile.

Elam, Narsus, and Alfreed were all sitting together by a makeshift table from a large rock. Elam was busy tending to his bow, but he cast sideways glances at Etoile and Arslan. Narsus had a scroll lain out in front of him presumably to read, but was looking amused at the pair. Alfreed was actually clapping enthusiastically.

Arslan smiled at Etoile. “That was fun!”

Etoile couldn’t help herself, she smiled as well. “Yes, though I’m afraid I’ll have to catch my breath.”

She went and sat down next to Alfreed.

“Oh man, that was really good!” Alfreed praised her Lusitanian friend. “Have you done that before?”

Etoile shook her head. “No, I haven’t.”

Alfreed raised her eyebrows. “Really? Well, you and Prince Arslan looked really great dancing together!”

The corner of Etoile’s mouth twitched. “You think so?”

“Yeah!” Alfreed started to laugh. “You know, this is just the sort of thing our old comrade Gieve would have enjoyed.”

It was true. A few months later, when Alfreed recalled the incident to the bard after Etoile had separated from the camp, Gieve lamented ostentatiously for not having been able to witness such a display between the prince and a young woman.

#arslan senki #the heroic legend of arslan #arslan x etoile #arstoile #arslan senki fuujin ranbu #heroic legend of arslan #myfanfic

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stcllify · 5 years

Text

[ ooc: As many of my friends and my sister know, it’s not a good idea to leave me to my devices with music as I’ll surely come out of it with a myriad of bad ideas, whether it be new additions to a pre-existing character’s story, a (tragic) new character entirely, or some... AUs.

SO JUST. SIN EATER.

I was thinking of how Etoile would be acting as a Sin Eater. She’s still disturbingly much like herself at first glance, personality wise. Her colours have taken on a sickly sheen of white and her eyes no longer are mismatched with topaz and blue, but the sclera are black and both irises are gold now. Her ears look more like tiny wings on her head and there are obvious Sin Eater Deformities (Wings, feather like texture to her hair, appendages that look like shackles around her neck and markings and cracks along her skin that look like chains), but upon seeing people she knows she’d greet them as if nothing had changed.

Don’t expect everything to be the same though, her mind has been heavily warped, and she’ll get set off quite easily. Her adoration for her loved ones has hit nigh obsessive platforms, as she’ll start talking about how she tries to make “dolls” that resemble her friends to keep her company while “they’re off saving the realm”. She’ll have moments of calm, almost as if she were her old self, but then... Anything negative she has ever felt became amplified, and she’ll occasionally just start screaming in absolute anguish for no discernible reason, switching between hysteria and mania at random intervals.

She may be having a pleasant chat with you one moment, then ask when she gets to die the next. When they’ll kill her. And then she may also throw tantrums and cry about how everyone is just so cruel, having left her to her rot like this, that why, why does everyone always end up leaving her alone? And she loves them so much but she also hates them for doing this to her. But oh, she gets so lonely down in Amaurot with only the shades of the past to keep her company, and Emet-Selch isn’t always here either.

Also just? She talks to other Sin Eaters. So even if they don’t go around killing people as often ( she still feels strongly about keeping people safe but occasionally she gets “lonely” and wants new friends, which spurs the other Sin Eaters to try to turn people. While one might think it’s not as bad, it’s worse) their actions are unpredictable and highly dependant on their Light Warden’s “moods”.

I’m so sad rn...

“Hey, won’t you kill me yet? Haven’t you found a way? I don’t like being trapped down here. I want to be free! I want to see him again!!” Cue the hysterical crying and screaming “it’s lonely, it’S LONELY, I̢̭͇͉̠̳͖̯T̘̰͖̭̹͙ͅ’͏̻S͚̩͙̙̥̠̻ ̛Ṯ̡O̥͙͚̗͍͍oL͏̰͇͈̠͕͈̻O̖̰̤͇͟͞N̢͇̬̣̹E̯͕̗̺͚̙̥͜L͏͙̟̖͖̰͖̝Y̥̤͔ͅ ̹̟ͅD̷͇͙̥͓͚͇̜͟O̲̖͚ͅW̷̪̜̠͞N̵̷͈̣͙̬̫̮̺̤͡ ̷͇͢Ḫ͠E̴̛̱̪͢R̴̡̩͖͇͚̻̤̣̺͟Ȩ̶̪͈̼͍!̸̢͔̳̭̖̥̺̯̖͙͍̹̪̱͎̪̤́!̛͜҉͍̥̭̗͙̪̪͈̪͙̞͍ ̞͖̤͍͎͟͜H̷̴̳̰͉̪̱̰͔̼̙͉̩̫̠̩̕E̼͉̺̘͉̬͔͈͟L͎̗͖̤̘̬̲͕̟̲͈̫̦̬̮̜̺̺͢͞P҉̢̝̝̪̤͟͞ ͎͖̠̦̜͈̣̗̼̫́͟͠M̷̞̻̣̭̠͎̙͚̹̗̳͉̬̹͖͢E̵̷͡͏̯̦̬͎̲̘͈͉̭̘̥̼̪͈̖̪̲!̸̦̻̖̰̤̬̖̱͉̩͝ͅͅ”

#{ ooc: LONG WINDED HEAD CANON TIME }#{ ooc: idk I was just thinking she’d be semi-normal bc Titania’s still sort of herself but is also very much not }#{ ooc: .. anyone want Sin Eater threads? 8’) heheheh }#{ the dark side of the moon: out of character }#{ star map:: the stars that make this constellation || headcanons }

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valkirsif · 5 years

Text

Follow you

Painter Steve Rogers need to know etoile Natasha Romanov

Word 1900

Warning Fluff

Steve continued to look thoughtfully at the charcoal sketch on the canvas, for months he stared at those thin lines, those sinuous shadows would have liked "she" were there in front of him posing, smiling with flowers in her hair and red shoes, he knew that it was an almost impossible dream, he left the room where worked and started getting ready to go out, chose the gray suit, checked that everything was in place, the newly polished shoes, the starched shirt, tightened the tie and looked at the did not even look like he usually wore casual clothes and when he was at home he was wearing a simple overalls that, over the years, carried the signs and colors of his work, but not that evening, that long awaited evening was prepared carefully, he took a yellow rose and put it to his eyelet, removed the ticket for the theater from the fridge, removed the flowers from the water and left the house.

The taxi was waiting for him, went up he gave a Brooklyn address and he checked not to be late, he would not be forgiven waiting for that night for a month, the traffic in front of the Kings Theater was remarkable, the evening of the premiere of Cinderella had attracted a multitude of people, paid the bill and went to the entrance, presented the ticket and looked for a clerk to deliver the flowers,

"Excuse me, could you hand them over to Miss Natasha please?" he told the dance club public relations girl,

"Certainly give it to me," the girl answered smiling, "Yellow roses her favorite, i immediately take her into Tasha's dressing room" she turned and disappeared behind a door leading to the dressing rooms, Steve always sent a bouquet of yellow roses to Natasha when knew she would work in the city, he had not lost her show in the last 5 years, since the first time he saw her on stage he fell in love with her movements and lightness, he was fascinated by the red so special of his hair who stood out among the other generally blond or brunette dancers, after the show had waited for her like many other fans, Natasha had gone out with her colleagues the loose hair that danced with the wind, she smiled and signed the autograph,

"Oh yellow roses .. they are my favorite" she said taking what the man had in the buttonhole before greeting politely and follow the other dancers, from that time always provided to deliver a deck before the show, while he was lost in remember the bell of the all sounded warning that the show would start shortly and went to his place, took the program from the chair and put it in his pocket as he always did, the lights went down and the audience applauded at the entrance of the dancers.

The show flowed perfect and wonderful, Natasha moved lightly on the tips smiling, almost did not cost him to pirouette and jump, Steve was fascinated, in his mind the brush ran on the canvas while she moved on the stage, wanted to fix every movement to look to bring it back to the canvas once he got home, during the interval he took a coffee,

"Your coffee Brooklyn boy," the waitress said, holding out the cup,

"Thanks," said distractedly putting the sugar, "Hey Sara?? What are you doing here? " asked, surprised at the smiling girl behind the counter," Only you still call me that" he laughed

"I work here that questions" she answered "But after the show i start at the Parrot why do not you go see me?" invited him while she was moving from another client,

"I will not miss beauty" he sent her a kiss and went back to the living room to enjoy the rest of the show, Natasha with the princess costume twirling, the prince looking for the owner of the shoe and the grand finale, stood up to clap with his heart in his throat as always, Cinderella was his favorite, looked at the schedule and decided to reach Sara.

The Parrot was one of his favorite places, he loved the style of the 50s, the old colored jukebox welcomed the patrons, waiter on the skates darted through the hall, the atmosphere was always cheerful and familiar and he was an old-fashioned man, Sara brought him the usual beer at the table,

"Welcome Steve, 5 minutes and the food arrives" embraced him smiling and slipped away, Steve thanked and turned to watch the game broadcast on the jig screen, the only note of modernity of the room, the friend returned with hamburgers and chips and a double dose of sauce, the man got comfortable ready to dine when saw Natasha who entered the room and sat at the desk, without thinking too much called Sara,

"Do you see the red one just entered?" he said nodding his head, the girl followed with his eyes and nodded, "You should put this as a seal of the drink that i offer, would you?" asked by passing the rose,

"I'll take care of that Brooklyn Boy, for you this and more" she winked at him and went to the barman, Steve tried to pretend nothing while he was eating his hamburger and follow the game goes,

"Are you the mysterious man who sends me yellow roses to every show in Brooklyn?!" Natasha said, sitting down at his table and resting the glass decorated with petals in front of her,

"Got it, it's me, Pleasure Steve," he answered, stretching out his hand,

"Natasha my pleasure, i can finally thank you for the flowers," she said cheerfully gripping the man's hand, "You know i'm almost a lucky door for your flowers, i always wait for them when i'm in town" behind the ears a rebellious lock,

"Glad you liked them, who knows how many flowers will deliver you every night" Steve stared at her, she had delicate features with bright gray/blue eyes and soft lips, but her hair was incredible red lit with almost pink reflections, he thought as could make them on the canvas,

"Yes but you're the only one who sends me yellow roses ..." she said staring at the man's face, the beard cured the open smile deep blue eye attentive and curios,

"You told me they were your favorite the first time i saw you and i did not forget," he said offering the chips,

"Thanks" she said reaching out to the plate, "Can i ask what work do you do?",

"I'm an artist just like you" Steve did not seem true, "I'm a painter"

"Really?!" Natasha asked, "Beautiful work who knows how many people you have portrayed" the curiosity that transpired in every word, the man decided to groped the fate,

"I must confess that i have a canvas waiting to be finished," said with no chalance,

"How come you did not finish it, if I can ask" Natasha's bright eyes convinced him to confess,

"Now i will pass by maniac but i'm waiting for you" the voice embarrassed, "It 's since i follow you that I want to make you a portrait but I never had the opportunity to talk to you, a couple of months ago I traced the first lines but I could not continue ..", was he had asked her, i gave her burst out laughing enthusiastically,

"And if I said yes when you could start?" she asked staring,

"Tomorrow morning is fine for you, the light is perfect at 8, could you bring your shoes?" he replied as wrote on a napkin his address and passed it to Natasha, the woman nodded putting the address in the bag and finishing the drink,

"Tomorrow morning then Steve" greeted him smiling getting up to go out, the man greeted, finished the beer and returned home happy for the fine evening.

At 7.45 the bell rang, Steve turned off the coffee pot and went to open,

"Good morning Natasha accommodated," he said making way,

"Good morning, I brought breakfast," said turning and putting Steve in a box of donuts, "I'm greedy for donuts, fortunately I do a job that makes me burn anything I eat" she laughed, taking off hier jacket,

"Excellent idea, i love them too" he led her to the kitchen," Sit down the coffee is almost ready ", the two had breakfast and Steve accompanied her to the studio where he had already prepared everything,

"You were right there is a beautiful light here" Natasha said looking around, approached the sketch incomplete,"You want me put in this pose?" she asked turning to the man who was preparing the colors,

"Yes, if you do not mind, I hope it's not too uncomfortable for you," said, making her sit on a raised floor, "I've always imagined you, with your hair disheveled while you unlaced the shoes after the tests" the concentrated face while helping her to pose, Natasha followed the directions as if it were on stage and the director was giving instructions, there was an incredible chemistry between them, Steve returned to the canvas and he began to draw the lines of the face, the light gave the woman's hair some rosy reflections and illuminated her face, their eyes often crossed in the morning, they exchanged many smiles

"For today it is enough to thank you" Steve said 3 hours later, the light had changed and he had to interrupt his work, "you can relax"

"I was not uncomfortable" Natasha replied, stretching her legs, "Can I look?" said approaching,

"Of course, it's not over yet" smiled at her, the woman looked at the astonished canvas,

"Steve is beautiful" eyes shining as she watched the work,

"When you're available we can continue" Steve hoped to spend more time with her before she left for the next theater,

"Even tomorrow if you are free, i want to take it with me when i leave" answered the woman, they agreed to meet again the next day.

They spent the next 2 weeks seeing each other almost every day, Steve finished the painting the night before Natasha's departure and decided to deliver it to her in person, arrived at the hotel where the woman lived and went up, was nervous not only because of the painting had decided to confess his feelings, knocked on the door and waits, Natasha opened the door smiling as always and made him sit down,

"You should not have bothered i would have passed tomorrow morning before leaving," said ordering a drink in the room service,

"No disturb" he answered nervously, handing her the wrapped picture, the woman leaned on the bed and let the waiter put the tray on the table before going out, Natasha filled the glasses passing one to the man and opened the package, her eyes lit up,

"Ohh Steve is wonderful" whispered turning to him,"It looks like a picture" stared at the painting in ecstasy,

"I'm glad you like it" approached her and put hands on her hips, the woman looked at him a second before leaning the painting on the bed,

"Steve i think i got a crush on you," she smiled, putting her arms around his neck,

"The thing is mutual," the man replied drawing her to him and kissing.

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