#solei vs aurien

[season39]

R O U N D [ —— ]

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S O L E I VS A U R I E N

( Please select your preferred contestant . )

SONG :

SOLEI & AURIEN : MY CLEMATIS

[lookatmysillies]

Round 6: Eddy POV

Eddy's first thought when the contestants took the stage was how pretty they were.

The girl, Aurien, was more eye-catching than the night itself with her dark hair and equally endless eyes. A haunting sound erupted from her throat when she began to sing, and Eddy leaned so far over on the rooftop they perched at, binoculars in hand, that they almost toppled right over the edge. Just when Eddy thought to itself that she had to be the winner, the other contestant, the boy with the red hair, began his verse. And oh. Oh. He was beautiful too. His voice echoed around the stadium deeper than Aurien's, richer, maybe, and sent an excited shiver up Eddy's spine.

It had never seen a live Alien Stage performance before. Technically, it wasn't even here to watch, but how could it help itself? This was the most stunning thing Eddy had ever seen. The lights, the sounds, and the sights combined into a beautiful orchestra of music and color. The contestants sang of such devastation that Eddy could feel it in its skittering heart, pounding against its ribs.

Eddy had wondered in the past what their life might have been if they were pretty enough to be on a stage, too. They pondered what it would feel like to be on that stage dressed in a glittering outfit with a crowd cheering its name. It was too easy to imagine such a life now that it was right in front of Eddy's eyes. Would its classmates at Anakt Garden have liked it? Would they look at it with as much emotion as Aurien and Vermillion regarded one another with as they moved around the stage like a sweeping, swirling wind? It was hard not to wonder.

Eddy loved their own life. They loved Arol, who treated them with love and did his best to compensate for the loneliness Eddy dealt with. They loved Blob, their big Waygein who was getting too chubby from all the food Eddy fed him. They loved their job and they loved how important they were in their job.

But to live a life like that...

Well. It wasn't meant to be for someone like Eddy.

Eddy swept its gaze over the crowd once they reminded themselves of their purpose here. Solei. Eyes out for Solei. If Solei came, Eddy was to find them and take them alive. It would return Solei to their home, where they belonged and where Eddy never would.

A blare of sound nearly startled Eddy into dropping their binoculars. They jolted and snapped their head around. The flash of a red light. The whine of that sound again. The alarm.

A panicked voice spoke through the earpiece in Eddy's ear. Then it crackled and cut out.

Eddy's eyes widened. Was Solei actually here? Did they come back? Its employers had warned it that Solei was likely deranged from spending time on the run, that they could be dangerous. This was bad. This was bad.

The stage was where Aurien belonged. Why would Solei try to take that away from their friend?

They had to find Solei.

(Solei belongs to @solei-eclipse; Aurien belongs to @aurienneirua; Vermillion belongs to @subzeromoron)

[sotogalmo]

2 — 3:09 am

Ah.

Oh dear...

Sebastian would be hiding behind places that he was small enough for. Before ranting and moving in that small space

"the fact of the matter is, it doesn't matter what we perceive them to be!-" Sebastian would pace around as he shook, voice being low but loud enough for Eddy to hear him, being to young and already seeing what happened after Vermillion vs Aurien.

"The reports say hundreds of guards saw them! And those who were there say they saw them fighting other aliens! Covered in Aurien's blood!" He had a hard time saying her name, but that didn't really matter as he would keep on talking-

"And that means they saw that weird creature get swarmed by the guards as well!" Guards watching other guards getting into trouble isn't anything new for Sebastian to see. But he most definitely should start getting quiet.

He's getting too loud, shuddering a bit too much that the bells on his hat (that mimic rabbit ears, moreso lop rabbit ears) start to make some noise continuously.

".... I .. I don't know why they are after both of them! I- to put it plainly, I thought they would've seen that bird the same as them and only go after the girl! But no!" Sebastian tried to calm down as he went around and around again and again. "The guards saw them the same way they saw the other human beings! As their prey! Their competition, their pet!" He cooled down for a moment, before the anger came back; "and it doesn't matter how else you may look at it! That is an irrefutable fact!" He seems to be talking to himself now. Yelling to himself about this whole turn of events.

....

Sebastian doesn't really know that much, actually. He just wanted to join Eddy in their time here.

But this seems too rough, to nerve wrecking! How does it even do it? (Sebastian wants to be like that some day)... Sebastian then became more guilty.

He couldn't stand the fact that he just screamed right now. They are supposed to be hiding! He should be quiet. And the fact that his outfit also makes noise with the bells that are attached to the ears (why did 'Pere Noel' give him these types of clothes? It feels like they know something... A clown and pierr-rot mix.... like some weird play on words or so, having one of his hands scratch at the curly strawberry blond hair that is visible thru the hat and hood given to him....)

...he hopes he doesn't get found. Taken or anything-! (That would be humiliating..)

That would be the worst thing ever.

...

..

.

Maybe when they go back to AREPH, he can have a little break and have fun with the friends he made there-! Instead of just- being here... (Even if he did wanted to be here before. The curiosity did certainly kill him, and how he's meek then ever... A little mouse caught in a hole- a rat; a pest.)

____

Taken from Armin Arlert -Attack On Titan (before season 3). I think his voice is fitting for a younger Sebastian

Eddy; @bluemoonscape / Solei: @solei-eclipse / Aurien: @apriciticreveries

Timeline; it's a "what if Sebastian never got kidnapped and then adopted" type of thought but I guess also mixed with 'before he gets kidnapped' type of thing.

[ivanttakethis]

End of Round 30 - Tov’s Log

Cirrus (57) vs. Tov (43) -> Cirrus Win

————————————————————

Hope is not enough.

Love is not enough either.

Not even something as sacred as faith is enough to survive.

To be reborn.

Tov never wanted to win Alien Stage.

She just wanted to live for her loved ones.

Maybe that was why she was here now, at the end of Round 30, staring up at a 14 point loss.

57 - 43

She didn’t want the right thing.

Thinking she could love or hope or pray her way into winning was foolish.

And she would pay the ultimate price for it.

Tov didn’t believe in the Great Anakt, even as a child. She always hoped that when she died, she’d somehow be returned to the stars, rather than to the heavens that supposedly lay beyond them.

I suppose I’ll know soon enough…

She tried to clear her mind. To settle into something more peaceful.

But it was hard with so many things crowding her thoughts, vying for the last of her conscious attention.

Nyx’s smile.

Dian’s teasing.

Tallis’s eyes.

Solei’s light.

Aurien’s steadiness.

Wren’s laugh.

Cassio’s last words to her.

“No matter what happens tonight, I’m proud of you, Tov.”

It was hard not to think of everyone she loved.

Everyone she would leave behind.

She couldn’t change anything now though.

Her fate had been decided.

All she could do was embrace the end and wait for the silence.

Tov steadied herself, took a deep breath, and looked up at the stars.

She wanted them to be the last thing she saw. Before whatever came next.

Tears pricked at the backs of her eyes.

Her heart wedged itself in her throat.

Is this how you felt, Himei?

When you were up on stage and saw the final scores and knew you were about to die?

What were you thinking about as you took your last breath?

What did you see when you looked up at the sky?

Did the stars show you something?

Tov hoped that wherever she was going, she would still be able see them.

If she could, then maybe everything would be okay.

Her eyes landed on a constellation.

The slightly misshapen star.

The one Himei named after her.

Please…

She prayed.

Let this be a swift and painless death.

I don’t want to suffer anymore.

This is my last request.

It all came to an end so quickly.

The bright and blinding death of a star.

A loud crack like a lighting strike.

A searing pain carved its way up her right side.

Tov’s world tilted on its axis.

And then.

Nothing.

“Tov?” A familiar voice called through the fog.

Something nudged at her side.

“Tov? Hey, wake up.”

It — a hand, she thought distantly — nudged her again, harder and more persistent this time.

Tov grunted at the unwanted contact, already missing the deep sleep she’d been abruptly awoken from.

Reluctantly, she opened her eyes and took in her surroundings.

I’m… back in Anakt Garden?

Tov blinked away the bleariness clouding her vision and looked up.

A canopy of broad, green leaves stretched out above her, branches swaying gently in the wind.

Sunlight danced across the grass in pinpricks, like stars in the night sky.

Eden. She thought.

I’m under Eden Tree.

The realization felt comforting, in a way.

Eden was safe. Nostalgic.

An encapsulation of her childhood.

But how did I get here?

“There you are.” The same familiar voice teased, much closer now than before.

“You’ve been out for a while. Did you sleep well?” Himei asked.

Tov opened her mouth to respond, before clamping it shut with an audible click.

Wait—

Her heart skipped a beat. Maybe two.

She definitely wasn’t breathing anymore.

Slowly, she lifted her head from where it had been resting on a shoulder and her gaze met a pair of dark brown eyes and long lashes that she’d only ever see again in her dreams.

“Himei?”

Himei smiled at her, “Of course. Who else would it be?”

A deep ache took root in the soft tissue between Tov’s ribs.

Her voice trembled in its wake, “H-How… how are you…” How are you here? How are you alive? How is this happening? “…feeling?” She settled on.

Himei tilted her head slightly to the side — a question all on its own — and a few short curls of her hair fell in her face.

Brief memories of Round 24 flashed before Tov’s eyes.

Her new haircut.

Her struggle to survive against Cirrus.

Her desperate smile right before it was all over.

Himei is dead.

But if I’m here with her, that means I’m dead too.

Right?

The mere thought was paralyzing.

She died on live broadcast, in front of thousands if not millions, including the people she loved.

They would suffer in the aftermath of her death just as she had suffered for the ones lost before her.

She was just another trauma to them now.

“I’m fine.” Himei said, oblivious to Tov’s unfolding spiral.

Tov’s eyes snapped back to hers, stunned to silence.

Himei’s gaze held no deceit, only the kindness Tov knew better than the back of her hand and missed more than anything.

Something in her core cracked.

Fine.

Himei was feeling fine.

Himei was feeling fine.

And Tov…

Tov wanted to scream.

Tov wanted to scream and cry and laugh until she made herself sick.

She wanted to rip at all of her seams.

She wanted tear something apart with her teeth.

But she didn’t do any of that.

In the face of her best friend, her first love, happy and alive and safe—

Tov crumbled.

Her resolve broke into a watery mess.

She was tired.

So, so tired.

She just wanted to be held.

She just wanted to rest.

Tov closed her eyes again and leaned against Himei’s shoulder.

Her throat constricted as she pressed closer to her warmth.

The ache in her chest worsened.

“I missed you.” She said, holding back tears that threatened to choke her.

Himei hummed at the admission, warm like the Sun. “I know,” Her hand gently smoothed down Tov’s braids and she sank into the feeling. “I missed you too.”

“But it’s time to wake up now.”

————————————————————

It’s not fucking over yet!!! TRUST!!!

Tov may not have won the season, but I’ve had some ideas for her beyond Season 39 for a while now.

Her loss just forced me to get my ass in gear and make those plans a reality!

I also need a Tovallis reunion, so Tov can’t go anywhere yet 😁

Everything will become a bit more clear in the next log. Stay tuned!!

Himei and Tallis belong to @lookatmysillies.

Nyx and Dian belong to @rockwgooglyeyes.

Solei belongs to @solei-eclipse.

Aurien belongs to @aurienneirua.

Cirrus belongs to @cirrusoftheclouds.

Tagging: @billwasnot @sotogalmo @junebluues @4listr @geospiral @starry-skiez @tsukacchako @pwippy @waterydream @daiki1k @season39

[solei-eclipse]

i don’t know if this has been asked before and im sorry if it has but… how much has solei’s personality changed if it has changed at all? what are the similarities and differences in the way they act currently vs. at anakt garden?

The major difference is Solei's loss of sanity/humanity. They seem to act more animal-like and can only manage short sentences, opting to remain quiet instead. Sometimes, when they open their mouth, animalistic bird noises come out instead of words. They are visibly frustrated about it.

They seem to have taken a complete 180 in demeanor, for the most part quiet and still. Though they're also more aggressive and reactive. Whenever they hear something approach, they immediately get defensive.

Solei often stares into space or the darkness outside, huddles themself in their capes in layers as if it were wings. And yes, they eat live mice. Among other strange alien creatures. Past Solei would have been horrified at the thought of mauling something live, current Solei couldn't give less of a fuck.

At heart, they're still Solei. They still enjoy scavenging for little trinkets and bring them to the nest when they can. They're deeply protective of Auri, while she's resting up they tend to prowl around the "nest" like a guard animal. Sometimes, Solei will play with their own hair and try to braid it like Aurien used to do.

[pwippy]

id love to hear any more thoughts you had about the goodbye messages plip . . i really didn’t expect them to hit anyone at hard as it seems like it did to you so im curious on your perspective and other thoughts lol

( random fact : i actually rewrote aurien’s message to solei 3 times in a row haha . it started really short like mizi’s to sua, but it progressively only got bigger until it took up half of the page . . i sometimes wonder if solei read through all of it and what their thoughts would be on it aha . ahaha . )

( solei : @shakingparadigm / @solei-eclipse )

i will be endlessly sad over aurien and solei. okok. both of their mental landscapes ? (theres probably a better word for that) in shambles. everything's changing too quickly or too slowly. but they're each others constant and thats already devastating.

ANOTHER THING. THE NATURE OF ALIEN STAGE. WITH SO MANY CONTESTANTS? your odds go down a ton. assuming (and this is definitely not the case. it probably changes based on popularity etc) its a 50/50 chance every round and this math is probably wrong. but. its like a 3% chance of winning. overall. and its only 1 of them. thats also depressing. theyre doomed. theyre cooked.

solei went missing the day after their message was written. based on their mental state idk if they went back to their room! is that the only remnant aurien will have left of them? ever? was solei able to take auriens goodbye message? did they leave it anakt? thats! really sad! its really bittersweet! "i love you please don't leave me" AND THEN THEY DO LEAVE. THEY DO. WTF IS FLESH RESIDUE. PARA. PARADIGM. (the last aurien sees of solei is their blood *dies*)

then theres the whammy of "fight hard stay strong" vs. "i hope we can see each other again and be reunited on stage." the possible alternative if solei didn't escape is that they competed against each other which is another can of worms you two have discussed. wtf. wtf. "please don't leave me" vs "please don't worry about me any more." WHAT IF I RATTLED BOTH OF YOU AROUND. JGJOSGJIOSIO they are CLINGING onto whatever naive hope they have left knowing time is limited

lastly. and yeah im repetitively screaming about how tragic they are but I DONT CARE. GUYS. WHY DID YOU DO THE CROSSED OUT THING. GUYS??? SO MUCH TO SAY SO LITTLE TIME???????? APOLOGIES AND DOUBTS THAT WERE NEVER FLESHED OUT??

anyways i like the song dream sweet in sea major. it kinda reminds me of them. ignore the part where its about dying and love and memories. what could have been. what isn't there.

[season39]

R O U N D [ —— ]

S O L E I VS A U R I E N

S C O R E S :

S O L E I — 54

A U R I E N — 45

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S O L E I W I N S

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[season39]

[ . . . ]

[ SYSTEMS BACK ONLINE :

CAUSE OF ERROR — [ UNKNOWN ]. ]

[ SUBJECT 030718 and 028812 HAVE ESCAPED . ]

————————————————————————————————————————————————————

-> ( We cannot afford to post phone the bracket for them, and actively search for them at the time, but the stage security system and guidelines will be adjusted .

We have been too soft on the humans, and we apologize greatly for the inconveniences . We will not allow anymore of this . ) <-

————————————————————————————————————————————————————

( Because of 028812’s disappearance and loss, 157329 ( VERMILLION ) will move up accordingly . )

— END OF ROUND —

( Stay tuned for the upcoming ROUND 7, coming out on :

[ 2024 . 8 . 11, 12 : 00 AM EST ] ! )

————————————————————————————————————————————————————

DAIKI VS TALLIS

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[season39]

R O U N D 16

O N Y X VS C A S T O R

S C O R E S :

O N Y X — 61

C A S T O R — 38

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————————————————————————————————————————————————————

O N Y X W I N S

————————————————————————————————————————————————————

— E N D O F R O U N D —

( SIDE B now has officially ended, and we will be taking a one week break as of now !

We hope you enjoyed the first 2 rows of SIDE A and SIDE B and stay tuned for the next row of SIDE B which we will be doing next ! )

. . .

( Stay tuned for the upcoming and bonus fan round, ROUND [ — ] ! Coming out in 1 hour ! )

————————————————————————————————————————————————————

S O L E I VS A U R I E N

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[season39]

All official round pairings for the season below !

——————————————————————————————————

( NOTICES : Because of the extremely large number of contestants, the leaderboards will be splits into two parts . Side A, and Side B . Side A’s polls will commence first and Side B’s polls will go next .

We will be going from left to right, and bottom to top in rows when carrying out the polls .

Side A and Side B will end with finalists that will go against eachother lastly . )

Also, credits to @shakingparadigm / @solei-eclipse for composing most of the materials that will be used for the season ! I personally really appreciate all that they did and thank them sincerely ! I also hope everyone else can thank them if you’d personally like to !

——————————————————————————————————

Side A :

Here are the pairs ranked in the order they’ll be done ! :

Azure ( @4listr / @azureitri ) VS Cirrus ( @yunoftheclouds )

Vera ( @junebluues / @bittersweet-adagio ) VS Moran ( @geospiral )

Stasya ( @billwasnot ) VS Noora ( @kamersona )

Min ( @starry-skiez ) VS Himei ( @bluemoonscape / @lookatmysillies )

Rose ( @rosedeleca ) VS Sai ( @junebluues / @bittersweet-adagio )

Vermillion ( @subzeromoron ) VS Aurien ( @apriciticreveries / @aurienneirua )

Daiki ( @teapotuser / @daiki1k ) VS Tallis ( @bluemoonscape / @lookatmysillies )

Khoi ( @junebluues / @bittersweet-adagio ) VS Ji Woo ( @starry-skiez )

Side B below ! :

Side B :

Here are the pairs ranked in the order they’ll be done ! :

( 9 . ) Ryu ( @starry-skiez ) VS Lark ( @kamersona )

( 10 . ) Tov ( @ivanttakethis ) VS Minori ( @skyisjusthere / @minori-dash )

( 11 . ) Akane ( @aakaneeee ) VS Evon ( @kofeedoggo )

( 12 . ) Ellie ( @junebluues / @bittersweet-adagio ) VS Flor ( @sotogalmo / @druggofgold )

( 13 . ) Jae ( @kofeedoggo ) VS Vii ( @starry-skiez )

( 14 . ) Aegaeon ( @paradisedisconcert ) VS Saachi ( @starry-skiez )

( 15 . ) Toon ( @nottoonedin ) VS Lang ( @pwippy / @its-langgg )

( 16 . ) ( O ) Nyx ( @rockwgooglyeyes ) VS Castor ( @bluemoonscape / @lookatmysillies )

——————————————————————————————————

( NOTICES :

SCHEDULING : Each poll will be prepared and scheduled to start at 12 : 00 AM . There will be 4 polls a week, scheduled for Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday each week .

Considering there will be 31 polls in total, and with the scheduling as of now, it’ll take about 7 weeks, or a basically a month and a half .

I hope the scheduling of this is ok ! If you think they are better ways to save more time, or I made a mistake with the calculations, don’t be afraid to tell me !

If you guys need anything else, or have any more questions, I’m open to them at all times !

The first round of AZURE VS CIRRUS, will commence on the 30th !

I hope this season goes well and everyone enjoys it !

Let SEASON 39 of ALIEN STAGE commence soon, everyone !

[ivanttakethis]

End of Round 6 - Tov’s Log

Vermillion vs. Aurien - ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR

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Solei had been the sun to Aurien’s moon for as long as Tov could remember.

Their light illuminated every fiber of Aurien’s being. She shined because they shined.

But after Solei disappeared, after Aurien’s daylight gave way to endless night, she let the darkness swallow her whole too.

She was never quite the same.

Even the way she sang was different.

It was haunting.

To the audience, it probably sounded beautiful.

But Tov knew the ghost behind Aurien’s voice was real.

Vermillion sounded haunted too, though in a slightly different way.

His ever present charm had melted away, raw emotion flooding his voice as he sang.

Tov knew right away that this round would be close. Aurien would have to give everything and then some to avoid a repeat of Round 3.

She couldn’t watch another friend die.

She couldn’t.

But Vermillion was Aurien’s friend too, right? Tov didn’t know if Aurien would ever betray a friend in the way that was necessary to win.

She ground her teeth.

The song finished, and the scoreboard totaled the points.

Vermillion 54. Aurien 46.

Her heart thudded once, hard enough to bruise. She stopped breathing altogether.

The moon would crash to the planet’s surface, and the tide would rise wild to meet it.

Tov thought of Solei. For the first time since they disappeared, she hoped they were dead.

If only so Aurien could reunite with them sooner.

“Vermillion Win” was projected in big letters on the scoreboard.

Then the screen went black.

“What the—”

A gun fired.

An emergency alarm started blaring.

Then the audio cut out too.

No! Aurien!

Something fast and sharp shot through Tov’s system, seizing her still weakened heart in its brutal grasp.

It wasn’t adrenaline, she knew that chemical reaction well.

No, this was something different. This was something worse.

Cassio, her mind screamed, I need to call Cassio now.

Tov fumbled for the phone and punched in her guardian’s number with a bit more force than necessary.

She held her breath as the line rang.

As soon as Cassio picked, Tov was assaulted by the panicked cacophony in the background.

Aliens were screaming, guards were shouting orders that fell of deaf ears, and that damn alarm was still wailing too loud to think.

“Tov?”

“Cassio.” Tov never thought she’d be relieved to hear their voice. “The broadcast lost the video feed and then there was a gunshot. Is everything alright?”

“Alright” definitely wasn’t the right word to describe the lead up to Aurien’s execution, but she couldn’t think of anything else.

“Everything’s gone to shit.” They hissed. “Someone cut the power to the whole complex and triggered the emergency alarms. There’s a stampede of aliens trying to get out of here and I’m currently stuck in the middle of it. We’re all trying to get to the backstage tunnels now.”

Tov’s mind was spinning. Was there an attack on Alien Stage? If so, what — or who — were they after? The judges? The audience? The contestants?

Himei and Tallis were still there.

What if something happened to them?

What if something already had?

She would have no idea until the lights came back on and someone sorted through the carnage.

Tov’s medical band beeped.

“This place is swarming with AREPH agents.” Cassio muttered, yanking Tov out of her spiraling thoughts.

AREPH. The Agency for the Recovery of Escaped Pet Humans.

Tov remembered a few AREPH agents showing up at Anakt Garden the morning after Solei disappeared.

The agent who interviewed her wore a silver badge with the agency’s seal. She could still recall what it looked like; how it gleamed when it caught the light.

Tov frowned.

Why would AREPH agents be there?

“Oh fuck—” Cassio’s voice shook.

“What? What is it Cassio?”

Their tone turned grave, “Tov, I need you to listen to me very carefully. I’m only going to say this once, and then I’m going to hang up.”

“What’s going on—”

“JUST LISTEN TO ME TOV!!”

Tov recoiled from the receiver. Cassio had never so much as raised their voice at her before. Her medical band beeped again.

They took a deep breath to compose themselves, then spoke in a very deliberate and deathly even voice, “Lock the doors. Turn off all of the lights in the house. Draw the blinds.” They instructed. “Don’t make any noise. Don’t pick up the phone. And don’t answer the door for anyone. Stay put until I get back.”

Tov finally had a name for the emotion that had a vice grip on her heart.

Fear.

She’d felt it so infrequently in her life that it was hard to identify amidst the chaos. But she felt it now.

Strong. Overwhelming. Terrifying.

A chill ran down her spine. Ice surged through her veins. She couldn’t move.

“Why?” Tov could barely get the words out. “Why do I have to do all of this?”

Cassio took pity on her.

“It’s about Solei. They’re here.”

And the line went dead.

————————————————————

Round 6, amirite?? <- (is definitely failing to cope)

Shit got real this round. Lots of chaos. Lots of blood. Lots of thoughts and feelings. Honestly I’m still processing most of it.

It’s a good thing Tov stayed home for this round too because the ensuing panic probably would’ve given her a heart attack (not joking btw).

If you’re wondering how Cassio knew it was Solei at the competition, they passed by a monitor backstage that had the emergency message from this post flashing on it and recognized Solei’s ID number.

They tell Tov to act like she’s not home because AREPH agents could come looking for her since she is thought to be withholding information about Solei’s Anakt Garden escape.

Aurien belongs to @aurienneirua and Solei belongs to @solei-eclipse.

Himei, Tallis, and the Agency for the Recovery of Escaped Pet Humans (AREPH) belong to @lookatmysillies!

[ivanttakethis]

End of Round 26 - Tov’s Log

Tov (?) vs. Akane (?) -> ??? Win

————————————————————

Late into the night, Tov settled on Towards The Sun as her song.

It was fitting, considering Wren’s words of encouragement to her in the hospital.

“The Sun is a star too.”

Tov didn’t know if she was capable of becoming the Sun just yet.

The shadows of Round 24 and Himei’s death still loomed long over the path ahead of her.

But that message — Tallis’s song — maybe that could be the Sun for now.

Something to keep her going.

While Tov couldn’t write sheet music or lyrics, she knew how to mix music. It was likely the only reason she did well in Music Composition.

She wove the melody Tallis wrote into the last reprise of the chorus, after the music swelled and the stripped-back instrumentals guided the song to its end.

A natural enough transition that only someone listening for the difference could hear it.

Tov hoped it would work.

———

They were dressed the same, her and Akane. White dresses and stars.

Tov sang of the Sun.

Akane sang of the Moon.

By the end of the round, one would eclipse the other.

As the last notes of the song faded, the score calculation began.

Akane didn’t look at the screen.

Tov couldn’t look away.

She tried her best to appear only mildly anxious, maybe even moderately so.

But the white knuckle grip on her microphone was a dead giveaway to how she truly felt in the moment.

She only had to wait for score calculations once before, with Minori.

With Lark, there’d been no need.

Akane was a strong opponent. An honor student back in Anakt Garden.

Tov knew it would be close.

The ticking sound stopped and the screen displayed their final scores.

Her heart sank into the pit of her stomach.

50 - 50

A perfect tie.

The first of the season.

Tov couldn’t even remember what the protocol was for a tie. Her mind was too scattered to think.

No—

Not too scattered, too scared.

This is it.

She thought, chilled to the bone.

I’m going to die here.

Nyx and Dian are going to watch me die here.

Solei and Aurien are going to watch me die here.

Cassio is going to watch me die here.

Wren is going to watch me die here.

Tallis is going to—

Movement in Tov’s periphery caught her attention and she turned to look, only to find Akane walking off the stage and down the stairs into the crowd.

“Akane?” Tov called out. Her voice was swallowed by the ruckus of the crowd.

The bright lights made it harder to see beyond the first few rows of seats, but she kept an eye on the long train of Akane’s white dress.

She stopped in the middle of the aisle and pulled something metallic out of her pocket.

A gun. Tov thought as Akane aimed the weapon at a crowd member.

How many times has someone gotten their hands on a gun this season?

She didn’t have time to even finish her thought before Akane pulled the trigger.

A loud crack echoed through the crowd.

Her target fell out of their chair to the shock and horror of those around them.

Fuck! No—

Tov knew what was coming next.

She could only take one step toward Akane before another gunshot rang out.

Akane’s head snapped sharply to the side and she collapsed to the ground in a bloody heap.

Her veil fluttered in the air for a moment longer, then came to rest on her body like a funeral shroud.

Tov fell to her knees, covering her mouth to muffle a scream.

The crowd erupted in applause.

Her own portrait stared down at her from the scoreboard:

TOV WIN

————————————————————

Rest in peace Akane, you truly were a shooting star 🙏

Honestly, Tov and Akane having the first 50/50 tie of the season is so fitting given how similar they are (older contestants, star motifs, wearing wedding dresses, etc.)

Also it’s pretty ironic how the first time Tov sings about something other than grief she nearly loses lmao

Hopefully her message was received…

Akane belongs to @aakaneeee.

Tallis and Himei belong to @lookatmysillies.

[ivanttakethis]

End of Round 20 - Tov’s Log

Onyx (44) vs. Lang (55) -> Lang Win

————————————————————

Tov hadn’t been this happy in so long.

As soon as the lights and audio on stage were cut and the emergency alarms blared, Tov knew it was Solei.

They came back.

And they brought others this time.

Tov couldn’t make out any faces in the dark as the contestants in the pods were quickly corralled by a swarm of guards and marched away from the stage.

She could only hope that Aurien was among the rebels too.

When it was all over, Nyx and Lang’s scores were totaled.

44 - 55

Nyx would’ve died if Solei hadn’t intervened.

They saved his life.

They saved what was left of her sanity too.

Tov had to shove her face in her pillow to keep the guard posted outside her room from hearing her giddy laughter.

She couldn’t remember the last time she laughed so hard and so earnest out of genuine, unadulterated joy.

Nyx wouldn’t die in this gilded cage.

His life wouldn’t be at the mercy of a bloodthirsty audience.

They couldn’t hurt him anymore.

Even if Tov never got to see him again, it didn’t matter.

Nyx was safe.

That was all she wanted for him.

That night, for the first time since the start of the competition, Tov fell into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

———

A different guard than usual brought Tov’s breakfast to her room.

She could tell by their build and the slope of their shoulders.

They handed her the tray and left without a word.

Weird. She thought, shutting the door.

Tov set the tray on her desk and started eating. The cafeteria had given her a larger portion of mash than normal.

As she dug in with her spoon, something white at the bottom of the tray caught her attention.

It looked like paper.

Tov furrowed her brows and fished the foreign object out with her fingers.

It was indeed a folded up piece of paper.

Whatever was inside, the author didn’t want anyone other than Tov to see.

She wiped the mash off the paper as best as she could before carefully unfolding it.

Scribbled on the page in tight, neat handwriting was a series of five numbers grouped together.

030718, 028812, 030906, 721097, and 233109.

Tov sucked in a breath.

She would know that first set of numbers anywhere.

Solei’s identification number.

The other numbers came back to her with ease.

Aurien was 028812.

Rose was 030906.

Ji Woo was 721097.

Ryu was 233109.

The note was a list of her escaped classmates.

Though some were missing, like Aegaeon and Saachi. Vera too.

But if the list isn’t exhaustive—

That must mean the ones listed were alive.

They must’ve been the rebels that helped Solei save Nyx.

Holy shit…

A pearl of laughter tumbled out of Tov’s mouth, her lips curling into a small smile. She clamped a hand over her mouth to suppress any more noise.

Hot tears welled up in her eyes. For once they were tears of joy, not grief.

It was an odd feeling for her heart not to hurt these days. But Tov would hold onto it for as long as she could.

Some of her classmates still out there fighting— surviving against all odds and saving who they could.

All hope wasn’t lost just yet.

Maybe others could be saved too.

Tov needed to figure out who sent her the note.

Why did they choose her specifically?

And what else do they know?

————————————————————

Looks like someone is feeding Tov information (pun intended) 😁

After Lark’s death and the hostile interrogation, I thought Tov could use a bit of hope to keep her going.

She was really worried about the round because she didn’t want Nyx or Lang to die.

Now she only has to worry about trying to keep Lang alive until they complete against each other.

Tov does NOT know what she’s going to do when it gets to that point, but that’s a problem for later.

Nyx belongs to @rockwgooglyeyes.

Lang belongs to @its-langgg.

Solei belongs to @solei-eclipse.

Aurien belongs to @aurienneirua.

Rose belongs to @rosedeleca.

Ji Woo, Ryu, and Saachi belong to @starry-skiez.

Aegaeon belongs to @paradisedisconcert.

Vera belongs to @junebluues.

[ivanttakethis]

Before Round 13 - Tov’s Log

Jae (?) vs. Vii (?) - ??? Win

————————————————————

An announcement came early in the morning:

All contestants of the remaining rounds will temporarily stay back at ANAKT Garden with SEASON 40’s class, and will be sent off before ROUND 13. They will all be collared and monitored individually.

Damage control for the mess of Round 12 the night before.

Guards came around to collect everyone shortly after that.

Cassio couldn’t get Tov out of this.

There were no exceptions.

She was forced into a collar for the first time in nearly 20 years.

It felt like a vice around her neck.

“Your collar isn’t green.” The guard installing the equipment said.

Tov looked up at them with dead eyes, “It’s never been green.”

What remained of Season 39 arrived at Anakt Garden late that night and were ordered to turn in immediately.

Tov couldn’t sleep.

Each time she started to doze off, she felt a different pair of bloody hands around her throat.

When Tov felt familiar callused palms pressing against her vocal chords, she gave up on sleeping entirely.

If she was awake, she couldn’t be suffocated by the past.

In the morning, Side B contestants were allowed time outside when Season 40’s class was inside for breakfast and first block classes.

Tov looked around for Nyx, but didn’t see him. Castor was missing too.

Being back in the fields of Anakt Garden was an odd experience.

Everything was the same as Tov remembered. The bright sun, the blue sky, the green grass.

The man-made river maintained its gentle flow. There were still random musical instruments like recorders and drum sticks lying around haphazardly.

It was as if they’d never left.

A perfect little bubble of her childhood, frozen in time, brimming with nostalgia and long forgotten memories.

Tov wanted to feel strange. Unwelcome.

She wanted an eerie, uncomfortable feeling to crawl up her spine and trigger her urge to flee.

Instead, she felt warm from the familiarity of it all.

In some ways that was worse.

The largest tree in the garden — Eden, they called it — loomed in the distance at the top of a gentle hill.

A beacon of light amid the dark, troubled waters of her thoughts.

Tov liked the tree because she could see the entire field from its vantage point. It was easy to watch over all of her classmates as they played with one another.

She spent a lot of time under the shade of Eden, reading, observing, or simply lazing around. Most of the time she was there with Himei, or Tallis, or both.

Stasya tagged along with Tallis once or twice, from what she could remember.

Moran would come by now and then to wax about philosophy while Tov listened, or peer over her should as she read books about the cosmos.

Flor came too, often asking to play with the silver clips in Tov’s braids. Tov couldn’t remember ever saying no.

When Solei came, Aurien came with her, and they would all nap together.

Sometimes Nyx would show up to play her a new song he learned on his bass. Other times he just came to pester her into a debate.

On the rare occasions Tov was alone, she would watch Azure down by the river as he stared up at the clouds.

It all seemed so long ago now.

Tov found herself walking towards the tree before her mind could catch up with her movements. Her body was relying solely on muscle memory.

She didn’t resist it.

She was tired.

So tired.

All she wanted to do was rest her head in someone’s lap and sleep.

When Tov reached the top, she looked up to take in the sight.

Eden was a tall, sturdy oak tree; a species native to Earth.

Her branches reached up to the top of the dome and stretched outward. Broad leaves, deep green in color, wove together to form a thick canopy over the top of the hill.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps and dappled the grass below, little twinkles of light dancing as the branches swayed.

Tov managed a weary smile.

Hello again, old friend.

Eden’s leaves rustled in the artificial breeze, as if to answer,

Welcome back.

She laid down on her back in the shade and closed her eyes.

If she listened closely, she could hear the clinking of a wind chime and a chorus of pitch perfect voices singing in the distance.

For a moment, she was a child again.

She wasn’t wearing a collar.

All of her classmates were still alive.

Alien Stage was just a nebulous concept for the future versions of them to worry about.

Tallis was still there next to her…

“Oh! Hi Tov.”

The illusion shattered.

Tov cracked open one eye, then the other, and sat up, blinking blearily.

Had she actually fallen asleep?

Standing over her was a young woman around her age with long, white braids and a pink mask covering her nose and mouth.

Someone from the Season 40 class, presumably.

Her complexion was about the same as Tov’s, just a bit lighter; except for the patch of pale skin on the left side of her face, stretching from her temple to just below her eye. It reminded Tov of Noora.

But there was something… off about her eyes. They were light grey — a stark contrast to her brown skin — but the oddness wasn’t the color.

There was something else Tov couldn’t put her finger on.

It left her feeling unsettled.

More than that, why was she greeting her like an old friend?

Tov never forgot a face. She was sure they’d never met before.

“Who are you?” The question came out more accusatory than Tov had intended, but the stranger seemed to find her terseness funny.

“Whoops, sorry!” She chuckled. Tov could tell she was smiling under her mask by the way her eyes creased at the corners. “I forgot, I know a lot about you, but you don’t know anything about me. I’m Wren. Wren Ra.”

Wren held her hand out and Tov cautiously shook it. Her palms were smooth, completely unblemished.

“Wren.” Tov repeated. “Got it.”

“It’s so nice to see you again. Your performance in Round 10 was breathtaking! I wish I could sing with as much emotion as you did.” Wren said. “Everyone here in the garden was so moved by your voice. It’s no wonder you have the highest score of the season!”

The highest score wasn’t worth all of the losses she endured.

Not even close.

“Thank you.” Tov said, unsure of how else to respond.

A high pitched bell rung in the distance, signaling the end of first block.

“Guess that’s my cue,” Wren said, turning to leave. “We’ll talk later, yeah?”

Tov’s eyebrows furrowed.

What more is there to talk about? We aren’t even supposed to be talking in the first place.

“Uh, sure?”

Wren smiled again, “Great! See you then!”

Tov watched her trek down the hill until she was out of sight. She laid back down on the grass, but couldn’t get comfortable this time.

Something Wren said bothered her.

“It’s so nice to see you again.”

Again?

Have we seen each other before?

—————————��——————————

Wren is here!! We cheered!!

I loved writing this log and getting to reflect on Tov’s memories of Anakt Garden and her friends. This might actually be my favorite one so far.

And I’m so glad @season39 gave me the perfect opportunity to have the sisters meet, even if Tov doesn’t know who Wren is yet.

Though Tov describes Wren differently than she appears her portrait. What’s up with that? 🤔

And how does Wren know so much about Tov?

I guess we’ll have to see!

Bonus: The “callused palms” Tov mentions when she feels like she’s being choked are Tallis’s.

He played the harp and harpists tend to get calluses on their hands from extensive practice.

Nyx belongs to @rockwgooglyeyes.

Castor, Himei, and Tallis belong to @lookatmysillies.

Stasya belongs to @billwasnot.

Moran belongs to @geospiral.

Flor belongs to @sotogalmo.

Solei belongs to @solei-eclipse.

Aurien belongs to @aurienneirua.

Azure belongs to @azureitri.

Noora belongs to @kamersona.

[ivanttakethis]

Before Round 29 - Tov’s Log

Tov (?) vs. Jae (?) -> ??? Win

————————————————————

Lang went out in a blaze of glory.

All fire and flame and fervent display.

A comet burning up in the atmosphere.

Self immolation.

It was so unlike the quiet girl from Tov’s memories.

The one who would take things apart and put them back together just to pass the time.

The one with the big brown eyes that always looked a bit sorrowful.

The one Tallis and Nyx both cared for so dearly.

There was no body to bury.

For once, the audience was horrified rather than delighted.

Tov was too, in a muted sort of way, under layers of other traumas too thick for her to process.

But she watched.

She saw Lang.

She let the image of Lang’s dress set alight burn itself into her memory.

Isn’t that what it was all about?

Wanting to be seen.

Wanting to be remembered.

Isn’t that what they all wanted?

Tov made her choice that night.

She had to keep living, keep going.

Someone had to remember those that had been lost.

Lang. Akane. Khoi. All of the souls who came before.

Every name.

Every face.

She would carve them all into the stars so no one would forget who they were.

And she would wear them on her sleeves so she wouldn't forget who she was doing this for.

———

Tov went to the makeup artist an hour before her call time with a sketchbook full of her classmates' constellations and a special request.

“Can you paint these on my arms?”

She had Himei's constellation, a spider lily, painted over her heart.

The white ink stood out against her dark skin.

Tov wasn't just wearing the night sky, she embodied it.

And her dress embodied a new dawn.

The stars are still shining, but the sun is rising. There is still light ahead of her.

Nyx. Dian. Solei. Aurien. Tallis. Wren.

There was still hope.

Tov stood just off stage right and waited for her cue. For once she felt sure of herself. Sure of her purpose.

Cassio rested their hands on her shoulders, squeezing lightly.

“Make sure to stand tall and sing loud so your friends can hear you up there.” They said, nodding to the star filled sky.

It reminded Tov of what Wren said back in the hospital.

“Do it for all of the stars you named in their honor.”

“As long as you’re alive, you carry their memories with you and they live on too.”

For so long, carrying the memories of her late classmates felt like a burden.

The guilt of surviving an ever-tightening noose around her neck.

But all this time it had truly been a gift.

She had the chance to make sure they wouldn’t be forgotten.

And she intended to fight for it.

Tov turned to her guardian and nodded firmly, “I will.”

This was how she would burn brighter.

This was how she would become the Sun.

————————————————————

Rest in peace Lang, you will be missed.

At least she got to go out on her own terms (despite traumatizing literally everyone there) 😔

Please go look at the insanely good art @its-langgg made of Lang’s final moments. It inspired the opening section of this log.

End of Round 29 is next. Then the lead up to Round 30!

Tagging @lookatmysillies (minor Himei and Tallis mention).

And @rockwgooglyeyes (minor Nyx mention).

[ivanttakethis]

Before Round 27 - Tov’s Log

Jae (?) vs. Lang (?) -> ??? Win

————————————————————

Tov awoke the next morning to the phone ringing.

Nyx was gone, just as he said.

The only evidence of his presence left behind was rumpled sheets and a radio communicator so they could stay in contact.

They still had a lot to talk about.

All of the secrets Nyx spilled were still whirling around in her head.

“Vera is still alive.”

Good. Great. One less dead classmate.

“I never told you that I saw Aurien get taken away by Solei.”

They were even on that. Tov never told Nyx that she knew Solei was the one who rescued Aurien.

But that was before Round 7. Before she thought Tallis had died right in front of her eyes and lost her mind.

At least Tov returned the favor and spilled the secret about him too.

Now two people knew Tallis was out there somewhere.

Though what stuck in her mind the most, what left her with far more questions was—

“I never told you about my children.”

The thought of Nyx having just one child was enough to make Tov’s head spin. But he said children. Multiple.

He was so young. When the fuck did he have time to have multiple children?

Who were they? How long ago did he have them? Does he know their names? Are they still in contact? Where are they now? Please tell me they’re not in Anakt Garden—

The phone rang again.

Tov’s plot to tear that bastard Guardian Oryon’s wings off with her bare hands would have to wait for now.

She sat up in her bed and fumbled blindly for the answer button, hitting it with more force than necessary.

Wren started talking before she could greet her. “Hey! Where have you been? I’ve called you like three times already.”

“Late start.” She said around a yawn.

“Ah, so you haven’t read the news yet.”

Tov frowned, “What news?”

“Don’t worry about it. Just a bunch of gossip rags spewing bullshit about Round 26.” The distain in Wren’s voice was palpable. “‘Has the star of Season 39 fizzled out? Tov’s stellar fall from grace!’ Gag me.”

Ouch.

“That bad, huh?”

“It’s not bad, it’s tacky. They’re acting like you bombed on stage.” She said. “Akane was tough competition. Neither of you were going to win by a landslide. I don’t know why people are losing their fucking minds about it.”

Wren sounded pissed off enough for the both of them. Tov found herself smiling.

“Hey, I’m the one who almost died.”

“Yeah, but you didn't.” Wren said after a moment. “You beat death.”

“I just got lucky.”

“Then I guess that means my good luck charm worked.”

Oh, that’s right.

The new weight on Tov’s right ring finger came to the front of her mind.

She raised her hand up toward the window, letting the silver band catch the sunlight pouring in.

“Maybe...” Tov hummed softly, running her thumb over the sun and moon engraving.

“Something about your voice sounds different today,” Wren said. “You’re a lot more upbeat than I’d expect someone in your position to be.”

Is it really that obvious?

There was no way Tov was going to tell Wren anything about what happened last night.

She shook her head, “I think you're just hearing things.”

Wren laughs, “You're a terrible liar.”

“I'm a great liar.” Tov countered, affronted.

“Then l'm great at figuring out whether you're lying or not.”

“I don’t like the connotations of that.” She said flatly.

“You’re overthinking it.” Wren matched her tone.

Tov made a noncommittal noise, scrubbing the sleep from her eyes with her palms.

“I won't push you on where this new spark came from, as long as you put it to good use.”

“Put it to good use how?”

“For your next round!” She said. “You need a song that plays to your vocal strengths and uses that new spark you have. It should be something powerful, something that shows the audience that you’re still here and you’re still going to come out on top.”

“I still have to become the Sun.” Tov echoed.

“Exactly. It isn’t over yet.” Wren said. “You have a season to win, remember?”

————————————————————

This is a follow up to @imperfectnothing’s post of Tov and Nyx’s reunion after Round 26! Plus some sisterly bickering bonding!

Getting to see Nyx and being able to confirm that he’s okay has helped lift Tov’s spirits (even if she does want to put his owner in the dirt over what she’s learned).

She also has major survivor’s remorse over what happened with Akane, but Nyx and Wren’s encouragement makes her want to keep going. The power of siblings!!

While Nyx mentioned Solei to Tov, she still doesn’t know Solei is part bird ���